Evening star., 1933-11-26
in foreign country. So he lived in
a dignified but simple manner.


dignified but simple manner.
BENJAMIN Franklin, first American
Minister to France and the court of
Louis XIV had generous way of dis
pensing his frugality, but was so over
run with visitors that he had to take
little cottage at Passy in the suburbs
of Paris. But when he went to the
court he was always the center Of at
tention and Louis XIV was so impressed
with his fame that he wrote Franklin
letter expressing his admiration-this
was perhaps the first letter King of
dlemaker But all France was at
Franklin's feet and six editions of Poor
Richard" appeared in 1777-78.
A recent dinner at the White House
was a fair example that dignity need
not be sacrificed by simplicity. The
President and Mrs Roosevelt, who were
reared in the purple are daily examples
of what is due the dignity of the high
Office of Chief Executive of great
country and at the same time, they, in
their daily life demonstrate that a re-
turn to a simpler way of living is not
incompatible with Americas prestige
either at home or abroad
pretty story about the patients down
there who always listen in on the Presi-
dents radio speeches, which he fire.
quently closes with the vibrant words
"and we are on our way"-he means
of course to national recovery; but the
people at the Springs like to think it
conveys another meaning-one of hope
and effort to physical recovery and that
as the big brother is always cheerful
and has a smile for them, they must
do their part and strive to get well.
Mrs. Mary Roberts Rinehart, the
novelist and mystery story writer-and
may it be added one of the best pals the
men of the American EXpeditionary
Force ever had, thinks that women
have before them one of the greatest
crusades they could possibly attempt
throttling the crime menace. She be-
lieves that women should organize
throughout the United States for this
purpose and thinks that their astute-
ness and intuition could be made the
greatest factor in Suppressing the afro
cities that daily make the headlines Of
the newspapers.
Mrs. Rinehart, who is not as prolific
writer as Alexandra Dumas. pere.
who had something like 1900 novels to
his credit, yet she has more than so
and says, Even a novel about crime is
a propaganda novel, for inevitably the
villain is caught and punished" Her
idea is that local vigilant committees
could be formed by women to make
Investigations first within their own
police district, and if flabby or crooked
police force were found, bring it to the
attention of the proper authorities. She
adds, They should divorce police from
politics"
For 25 years, Mrs. Rinehart says she
has studied the subject of crime by
observation and by association with the
police and has become increasingly con-
cerned with Americans tolerance with
1t. Wishing success to Mrs. Rinehart,
the reading public will say. do what
you can with crine-but give us the
Tish stories
Gen. John J. Pershing, with his usual
gallantry, has come to the assistance of
Mrs. Rinehart-a wartime pal of his,
toby accepting the vice chairman
ship of the National Council of rs, a
crime combating division of the
United States Flag Association. Mr..
the cabinet of President Hoover, Is
chairman of the council, and President
Roosevelt is honorary president general
of the association.
Mr. John Masefeld, poet laureate of
England, has appealed for aid in rescu-
ing young men from the road-a prob
lem in this country which has been
partly solved by Civilian Conservation
Corps camps. He wishes to raise ap
$500 to equip the Glouces-
ter home for young wayfarers lately
esta blished near Newent, England. The
purpose of the home is to take the lads
from the road train them and give
them a chance to recover and start
again.
The poet laureate, who gave public
readings to large audiences in this
country last year, offers his services to
help raise the money by giving readings
from his writings anywhere within 40
miles of his home, and to write line
of verse and his signature in any one
of his books-he refuses to write In
albums or birthday books
and the charge for signing the book
will be half a guinea volume, paid in
advance His final plea is, THE cause
is to save young Englishmen from deg
and despair. Will you help
me?"
A New York critic says. Mr.. Mase-
fields new novel, The Bird of Dawn
ing is so fresh, so classically beautiful
in language, so rich in the half-forgot-
ten felicities of maritime nomenclature
that it is challenge to the JeremiahS