Evening star., 1928-10-28
BY MARGARET B. DOWNING.

When President Thomas G. Masaryk
proclaimed the independence of Bohe-
mia and her sister states, Moravia and
Slovakia. he was living at $500 Sixteenth
street. Washington. and kept a modest
Office at 1925 Fourteenth street. These
two houses in course of time will be
duly inscribed as the birthplace of the
now fiourishing republic Of Czechoslo-
vakia This declaration Of independ-
ence, maGc +, tic on October 13, 1918
shortly after the German and Austro-
Hungarian peace offers had reached
President Wilson, wa followed by an
other Of wider scope and more definite
terms on october %, and this last date
is now accepted as the anniversary of
the bFSa Of the new nation and is being
observed with wild enthusiasm By Bohe-
n1ians, SlovakS and Moravians the world
over When President MaSaryks mar
VelouS state paper came before the peace
tribunal at Versailles some months later
1t was dated from Paris but in cele-
bratmg the first decade of political free
dom after centuries of oppression, the
entire story is given in detail and with
full credit to the sympathy and aid of
woodrow Wilson and his Secretary of
State. Robert Lansing. President Masa-
ryk has entered his Seventy-ninth year,
but Is bearing the burden with youthful
zeal and energy. From modest environ
A4ACAAG 4AC WOihCu Ills way 10 Ills present
heights as figure of international i'm
portance and constructive statesman
worthy to rank with the founders of
this republic While studying in Leip-
zig he married his far-aWay cousin.
Charlotte Garigue of Brooklyn, and had
many times visited New York before his
great opportunity to serve his country
and all mankind in 1914.
X X
Mr.. j. A Spender of London, one of
Its renowned journalists, in making a
tour of the United States recently
sounded public opinion on the subject
OF American financing of the restora-
ton of st. Georges Chapel in Windsor
Palace. He has reported to his con-
treres that he did not believe the gen.
erous citizens of this republic would re-
spond to a project so intimately royal
and British, and, in fact, he found them
much engrossed in restoring their own
historic spots. 1t is largely due to the
efforts of the Colonial Danes and of
the Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton that this widespread determination
to preserve historic shrines is credited.
and IN late years their efforts have been
reinforced by the masculine patriotic
societies From the gathering of the
autographs of the signers attention has
been turned to their birthplaces. their
homes and Offices and burial
spots. In particular, their last
homes are receiving respectful at
tention. In the Congressional Gene
terry in this city is buried Elbridge
Gerry, Signer from Massachusetts,, who
died here in November, 1914, while hold
ing the Office of Vice President. What
was deemed a noble monument in the
early nineteenth century is not SO
judged now. and the Gerry descendants.
among whom is his great-grandson
Senator Peter Goelet Gerry Of Rhode
Island, and the Massachusetts, patriotic
and historical societies are considering
the project of another tomb.
X
Mr.. Frank Lyon Polk. former under
secretary Of State and acting secretary
during the prolonged absence of Mr..
Robert Lansing at the Paris peace ne
gotiations in 1919. has been elected
first president of the Broad Street Club,
q sort OF glorifled financial organization
which is superbly housed in an entire
noor OF the Equitable Trust Co.'s man.
moth building in the deep CANYONS
about Wall street. Mr. Polk was largely
instrumental In founding this club and
took over its equipment IN the most
Jealous fashion. AS a consequence the
corridors might be a section of an i'm
BOAb011J dAb Sd11CIys -IllG are
excellent reproductions of famous
banking quarters in this country and
the old world and the dining quarters
large and stately enough for a hotel.
Mr.. Polk, who was the first undersecre-
tary of State, receiving that designa-
tion instead of First Assistant Secre-
tary in July, 1919, is of vivid person.
ality and comes of the line which gave
James K. Polk to the national annals.
He is the nephew of the fighting
bishop" Leonidas Polk, and in more
leisurely days he plans to write the
stirring history of this son of the church
militant. Mr.. Polk is a Yale man and
very active in all affairs relating to his
alma mater He made his preparatory
studies in Groton. He is a native of
New York City, whittier his father, DR..
William M Polk, had gone from Nash
vile. Tenn. Mrs. Polk, who was a dig
nified hostess during the Wilson ad-
ministration, is the daughter of Mr.
James Potter of Philadelphia Both she
and her husband maintain an interest
in Washington and frequently run down
from New York and spend few days at
the Chevy Chase Club.
The late Richard F. Outcault. who
will go down to fame in journalistic
circles as the author of the comic strip
and the originator OF the Buster Brown
and Tige" series of humorous illustra-
tions, Is the subject Of much discussion
in his own country and in Europe. Al
though European 6ailies to a limited
extent have followed this idea, the ma
iority of editors on the other side of the
Atlantic describe the comic strip as
one of the evils of American civilization
and berate its vulgarity, its affront tc
reason and such other terms as may be
suggested. In this country, however
the impetus which Mr.. Outcault gave
this feature in what is called the
''mauve decade" of newspaperdom, is
regarded more leniently and as a bless
ing rather than the reverse. There car
be no question but that the funny pa
per is the most popular section of the
Sunday edition nor that, while soma
members of the family seize on the
financial pages, others the fashion anc
social news, all glance over the comic
strips apparently with amusement anc
Oxhiliration.
Princess Ida Cantacuzene. whose wed
ding at st. Johns will be memorable
event of November l, is the godchilt
and namesake of her paternal grand
mother, and her full name Is zenaid;
Honore Cantacuzene. But like he
grandmother, Mrs. Fred D. Grant, sh
has never cared for the stately name o
zenaide, borne by many romantic hero
ines of French and Russian fiction