Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-08

Gen. Petain, ranking marshal OF
France, may be the Nations guest OF
honor next October at the 150th ami
versary Of the surrender at Yorktown.
The presence Of squadron Of modern
French cruisers may also be feature
Of the celebration as token Of the part
played by Admiral de GrasSe, victor OF
the Virginia CapeS, in the final over
throw Of CORVALLIS army by the forces
Of Washington and Rochambeau. Paris
has Just been the scene Of pre-York-
town anniversary, the occasion being
the unwilling OF a memorial to Admiral
de GraSse. The monument commemo-
rates the battle on September 5, 1881, In
which the French defeated the British
feet and assured the capitulation at
yorktown on the succeeding 10th Of
october. Marshal Petain, the hero OF
Verdun, has never visited the United
States. He Is Frances greatest living
soldier, now that Joffre and Foch are
gone. Although he is rs years old, Pc
tain is in vigorous charge Of his coun-
try's unified air defenses. The Ameri-
can people would accord tumultuous
welcome to the man who rallied the
diSpir1ted French army before the Ger
mans at Verdun with his immortal
slogan, They shall not paSs!"
Germany Is Russia's most important
neXt-door neighbor ana has q corre-
spondingly vital interest in the Soviet's
political and Industrial plans. The
scheme Of Col. Cooper, president Of the
Russian american Chamber Of Com
merce at New York, to bring Russia
together with "capitaliStic" countries In
an economic peace conference strikes
our German business friends aS ludi-
crous. Herr Abraham Frowein, presi-
dent Of the National League OF German
Industry and one Of the leaders In the
important German delegation at the
meeting, says that Cooper's proposal Is
about as practicable as q plan TO mix
FIRE and water. THE economic conflict
between Russia and the outside world, y
Herr Frowein declares, sis conflict be-
tween collectivism and tndividualiSm.
One or the other must triumph and
survive. There IS no room for compro-
mise. We Germans bitterly need Rus
sian trade. Hence the $4,000, 900 ex-
port insurance arrangement into which
we have Just entered. But we are con-
scious that the Russian system menaces
every cultural ideal we hold dear"
Franz Won Mendelssohn Of the great
Berlin banking house Of MendelSsohn
d Co., who viii broadcast an inaugural
message to the United States tomorrow
night as the newly elected president OF
the International Chamber Of Com
merce, Is q descendant Of the famous
German composer, Felix Mendelssonn
The MendelSsohnS, the Rothschilds and
tho Bleichroeders have dominated the
German financial world for more than
a century. Hardly any European trans
action Of magnitude can take place
without the participation OF one or all
three Of these houses. An International
Chamber wit, speaking Of the incoming
president, said: 1.-THE MendelSSohnS
Of today, true to their musical ancestor
are still dealing in notes"
II X ~
About the only non-of1cial parsonage
accompanying President Hoover to his
firSt week end conference on the Rapt-
dan tomorrow and Sunday Is Earle B.
Kinsley, Republican national commit
teeman from Vermont. He Is one OF
the shrewdest heads in the q. o. p.
organization. Every once in Q while
his name bobS up as that Of future
National Committee chairman. Kinsley
q life insurance oflcial by profession
came out for Hoover for President at
psychological moment In 1928. The
Vermonter made a special trip to wash
ington in the Spring Of that year to
find out on behalf Of the Republicans
of Calvin Coolidge'S native State
whether or not the then President was
in receptive mood for denomination
under any circumstances. Kinsley'l
| friends were given to understand that
he left the White House little wisei
than when he arrived there. Thence
fSrward he became an outright Hoover
man and had much to do with keeping
New England delegations in line for thG
Californian at Kansas City.
Miss Ada Louise Constock, Lit. ID.
IL. n. pregident Of Radcliffe College