Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-25

~ Ally NEWS AND CHRONICLE
I0udOn-It Is an open queS-
ton whether the fact that a
- black-faced ape likes smoking
cigarettes is point for or
against the smoker. On the one hand,
it seems to show that the haoft Is not
as unnatural as its more vehement
critics suggest. Probably all black-faced
apes would smoke If given the opportu-
nifty. They only do not because they
do not get the chance. On the other
hand. can 1t be said to be good de-
tense Of the habit for bishop, for ex-
ample, to say that black-faced ape
docs tt7
Belgian Savant Scars
To Height Of 10 Miles.
lie Soir, Brussels.-A Belgian saVant,
M. Picard, professor Of physics at the
University of Brussels, recently had an
epochal experience of which he has
modestly spoken very little. Like all
true heroes, he has been more con-
cerned with the results and effects OF
his discoveries and achievements than
with any personal glory attaching to
him were the magniflcence OF his deeds
made public. But it has finally leaked
out that NJ. Picard has attained q
height of $4,000 meters Go miles, In a
balloon. The professor reached TINS al,
titude after repeated attempts ana
infinitely set down the results OF his
experiences. The dif6culty, as can be
imagined, was to keep sensible and
conscious at such an altitude, and 10
secure this condition Of mind and body
M. PICARD had to take a cargo of com
plicated apparatus with him, including
several large tanks Of oxygen. The bal
loon and ear both had to be specially
constructed to Withstand excessive
pressure. The balloon used, the
FRNS-1, with a diameter Of 80 meters.
had q cubic gas capacity OF 1900
meters, rs compared with the 400
cubic-neter capacity Of the balloon that
won the Gordon Bennett Cup. Instead
Of q reinforcing network Of cords, the
basket was suspended from the bag py
two girdles, to obviate the internal pres
sure, which might have caused friction
and perforation OF the casing az tne
points of contact. The bag was mace
Of pure cotton fabric, covered with I'M
pervious rubber, and finished with
solution of aluminium. Both the bag
and the car, the last entirely circular
and made of aluminium, had to With
stand q Temperature OF from % 70 %
degrees below zero. centigrade 60 70 70
degrees Fahrenheit). Notwithstanding
these difficulties and ieoparoies. IA:
and descent, setting the controls OF the
vast sphere 30 that they would auto
natically govern its recession when II
attained the desired height OF $4,000
meters. At that altitude. despite the
con9ealing temperature and the strain
upon the balloons fabric, M. Picard.
safely ensconced In his ball-Eke ana
air-tight car, into which oxygen was
constantly pumped from the tanks, was
able to note through small reinforced
glass peepholes all the phenomena OF
height. rarity and temperature. This
data will soon be published by the So
ciety for which M. Piccard's balloon
was named, the LIE Ponds National
de Recherches Scientifiques (National
Foundation for Scientific Research), as
indicated by the initials F. N. X. 5.
appearing upon Its surface.
Economic Magazine
To Furnish Hum0r for Readers.
Falast1n, Jaffa.-We have received OF
late complaints from subscribers that
we paid too much attention to serious
TOPICS and did not provide our readers
with bit Of humor." Considering the
tragedy that has been enacted in Pales-
tine for the past IL years, 1t is difncult
TO spare space for those Of our readers
who want something amusing, yet we be-
lieve we can do this now and impart
some information, ZOO. Wehave just come
across a publication which jocularly
calls itself the Palestine. and Near-East
Economic Magazine. which Is fun OF
diverting statements. With care, one
copy will serve us q year in entertain
ing our readers. We will print quota
lions from it and explanatory remarks
from us, beginning with the next is
sues. We do not sympathize very much
with the League Of Nations, but In the
face of this calamity, for they must
necessarily read all this nonsense. too,
even our hard heart relents. THUS,
Just Providence Furnishes the crafty
powers that would force all sorts OF
Jewish representations down our Threats.
The Memorandum Submitted to the
Mandates Commission Of the League Of
Nations by the National Council Of the
Jews I'm PALESTINE Il masterpiece Of
fapciful caprice ITSELF