Indianapolis Times, Volume 45, Number 212, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 January 1934 — Page 7

JAN. 13, 193?_

It Seems to Me By Heywood Broun THE supreme court, according to theory, is a body composed of the best minds in America. And yet this group is being cheered rapturously just now because by a vote of five to four it decided that an emergency now exists in this country. I rather think that smaller intellects might have come to the same conclusion by a wider margin. The court was explicit in stating that its Minnesota decision was based upon exceptional circumstances and should not be viewed as a general grant

of uninhibited power. And so both liberals arid tories found consolation in the verdict. From the point of view of liberals the hope is created that practically all the recovery program will stand the test of legal scrutiny. The more conservative forces find comfort in the fact that the majority of the high tribunal granted only short-term credits. u n o It Might Work Doth Ways INDEED, I read in the column of one commentator that the recent mortgage litigation has put a definite crusher upon all hope of radical readjustment.

JOt. P, ™ /

Heywood Broun

The argument runs that there could not possibly be a revolution in the United Elates because the supreme court would not like it. But this surveyor of the current scene entirely overlooks the corollary question as to whether any kind of revolution would like the supreme court. It seems to me that certain romantic fictions have been set up around the nine mature gentlemen in the black robes. It is held by some that orderly democratic processes would perish from the face of the earth if the supreme court did not possess a legislative veto. Many appear to believe that the present setup was in the minds of the founders from the very beginning of the nation. This certainly is open to argument. I venture to say that not one-fourth of the signers of the Constitution had any conception that the court would function as it does today. Surely the Jeffersonian group in the original states would have fought even more bitterly against the document had they anticipated the powers which John Marshall managed to read into the perquisites of the bench upon which he sat. Those who feel that the present Constitution of the United States and the supreme court, as is, constitute the only available guarantee of democratic government and due process of law should be nudged severely. Government in England is at least as responsive to the popular will as the structure under which We live, and fundamental human rights have been preserved in Great Britain without benefit of either written constitution or any body analogous to our supreme court. a a a Democracy and the Supreme Court T HOLD that it is quite possible to believe ardently A in democracy and still be skeptical of the ultimate usefulness of the court. And I am skeptical. The history of that august body is not w’holly a happy one. Not always have its decisions promoted orderly action. But for the Dred Scott decision we never might have been under the necessity of fighting a civil war, and in many other instances the opinions of the court have tended to arouse violent protest and direct action rather than inspiring a sweet reasonableness. Mr. Dooley once said that the supreme court follows the election returns. It if ever fails to live up to this excellent obligation I have grave fears as to whether the tribunal will continue to exist save in a severely modified form. Doubt as to the sanctity of the court and its opinions is by no means a brand-new thing in America inspired by the more violent groups of radicals. As stock and standard an American hero as Colonel Theodore Roosevelt once advanced the idea of the recall of judicial decisions. The clamor against this suggestion was so great that the colonel was induced to draw- in his horns and never mention the matter any more. a a a § The Changing of Great Minds \ ND yet he was merely seeking to give form to a procedure which is constantly occurring. In other words, the supreme court has never had and never will have "an absolutely final say upon matters of economic and political policy. The most that it has ever done is to slow’ up certain tides of thought and action. Defenders of its place in the organic structure argue that this delay which it often imposes has been a useful thing. They argue that when the court threw out the income tax and later child labor bills it was partly actuated by the fact that the country was not yet ready for these innovations. I can not remember even the sternest judicial veto which has not been subsequently overridden either by the court itself or the device of an amendment. One hundred and twenty-five million people car.'t be wrong, no matter what the supreme court may choose to say about it. Fortunately, the mature gentlemen in the black robes have an instinct of protection toward the' institution in which they are resident. Times without number the court has reversed itself. Possibly there is utility in a body which has the power to say upon occasion. “Go home and think this over once again." but it would be antagonistic to all the principles of democracy if five old men out of nine should be empowered to say forever “Stop!" to a determined majority intent upon going ahead. Like many others, I applaud the Minnesota decision. I think it was right and necessary for the existence of the country. And I also think it was right and necessary for the existence of the court. (Copyright. 1934. by The Times!

Your Health - BY DR. MORRIS FISHBEIN- j VITHEXEVER you consult a doctor you go to him ” " with some special complaint. However, doctors know that even when you apparently are well you may have physical difficulties which should be attended to, but which you overlook because they do not cause sufficient pain, suffering, or disability to demand medical attention. Out of 400 nursing school girls between 19 and 25 years of age. all of whom were well at the time of entrance, at least 24 per cent are sick at all times with some condition which prevents them from working. Most of the complaints relate to the breathing apparatus and include the common cold. If you have to be on your feet a great deal, you are likely to have some disability, because the human foot simply does not stand up under excessive wear and tear. Out of 400 normal persons, at least fifteen have trouble with their noses and throats during the year. Everybody also knows that a certain amount of trouble with the teeth is the lot of most men. a a a A/f'ORE recently, medical attention has tended to study the functioning of the glands of the body, especially the thyroid gland. After the basal metabolism of human beings is measured, it is found that a considerable number have either a high or low basal metabolism, indicating that the thyroid gland is net functioning fully as it should. The abnormality in the thyroid gland may result in various types of disturbances which I have discussed many times. It is enough to say. however, that excessive irritability may be due to overfunctioning of the thyroid, and that dullness, a dry akin, and fatigue may be associated with underfunctioning. Furthermore, modern life causes a great deal of wear and tear on the heart and the blood vessels.

;WE MAKE YOUR NEWSPAPER’ X Here's Helen Lindsay—Who Forgot the Baking Powder

This ii the fourth of a srrits of articles on members of The Indianapolis Times’ editorial staff. Today’s article tlves you personal "highlight” of Helen Lindsay, Times shopping writer. BY NORMAN E. ISAACS Times News Editor IF Helen Lindsay had an idea that standing on her head twenty-four hours a day would make her taller, it s a flve-to-one bet that she would drop her job and start right in on that sort of marathon. For Helen Lindsay's pet peeve is her height and when she goes on her daily shopping tours of the city’s stores in her avocation of shopping writer for The Times she wears “stilts,” or extra high-heeled shoes. Diminutive Mrs. Lindsay, you see, is quite a bit short of five feet tall. When she was in school she took up bicycle riding, but had to give it up because she couldn't reach the pedals. And she still can’t! The driver’s seat of her automobile is padded with cushions Nobody. but Helen, can sit there.

But the twinkle in Helen Lindsay’s eyes proves that not even a few inches of height can take the joy out of life. Like most newspapers oik, Helen Lindsay can laugh—and does. Almost every woman, of course, thinks that the ideal life would be continual shopping, and Helen, no different from the rest of the fair sex, likes her job of shopping for other people and of writing features on the side. She likes to discover new things of interest to women in the stores and she sops up the praise from her readers. Eut here's something her readers do not know: Helen is a grand cook. Her forte is fried chicken, but she is one of the nation's most unsuccessful cake and pie bakers. And her friends lay it all to her memory. For, off duty from office duties, Helen is like the well-known ab-sent-minded professor. She baked a cake one Sunday morning not so many weeks ago. When the alloted time w’as up, Helen opened the stove and pulled forth her cake. “Good heavens,” she cried, “it’s as flat as a pancake!” No wonder. She had forgotten the baking powder. a a a HELEN insists she’s not superstitious. But walk down the street with her. Separate as you come to an object, say a fireplug, and you walk on one side and Helen on the other.

ROUNDING ROUND THEATERS

npHE folding of the Arthur Oberfelder circuit of popular priced rotary-stock houses leaves Indainapolis, as well as Kansas ntv fraction?’ Cmcinnati and Louisvil le. without traveling legitimate atThe shutting down of the circuit was due to several causes- over some of which the producer had no control.

It was to overcome these conditions that Mr. Oberfelder decided to close his entire circuit, reorganize and then probably enlarge it to include several eastern cities. If Indianapolis is to be included in the reorganized circuit, Mr. Oberfelder must have a guarantee of sufficient size to protect him against loss. Vincent Burke and others associated with English’s where the Oberfelder productions have been shown for the last eleven weeks, contend that a season subscription could be sold at a price' 1 lower than patrons would pay for single performances. “In this way,” Mr. Burke points out, “Mr. Oberfelder would know how to play a season of five to ten weeks. Although sufficient people did not come to make the season profitable for either English's or Mr. Oberfelder, we feel that he has broken the ice and will be able to get support because of the high merits of his productions.” I am of the same opinion and I feel that even if Indianapolis is taken off the new circuit, this city probably will have one or two touring organizations in a year. tt tt tt THE legitimate road companies now on tour may be counted on one hand. Last year there were 200 stock companies in this country. Now there are only twenty-nine, or were until Mr. Oberfelder closed his circuit. That tells his own dismal story. Walter Hampden, Katherine Cornell and Eva Le Gallienne are keeping repertory alive on the road. Only those three are making the grade. Mr. Hampden gets his largest crowds when he plays Shakespeare. Miss Cornell packs them in when she plays ‘‘The Barrets of Wimpole Street,” and scanty crowds see her “Romeo and Juliet” and “Candida.” Miss Le Gallienne's biggest draw is ' Alice in Wonderland.” Hedda Gabler” is next and "Romeo and Juliet” gets very little. If Mr. Oberfelder does not return his companies to Indianapolis. then we must rely upon the Indianapolis Civic theater. Thank goodness we have the Civic. It means more than ever to this city. The Irvington Playhouse is doing good work. Ibsen is popular in Irvington. tt tt tt NOTED magazines all over the country are devoting space to what Mr. Oberfelder has accomplished. The current issue of Variety devotes much space to Mr. Oberfelder. Variety says in part: "Thus far. Oberfelder presented eleven shows this season in his houses, all from Broadway. He expected to expand his circuit to about thirty weeks’ playing time, but came a cropper two ways, finding there were not enough fresh successes to keep him going. plus the fact that some cities couldn't take stock. "He’ll weed out these spots and add some others, being convinced the plan basically is okay. “Oberfelder got into hot water in a deal to take over the Chicago company of Sailor Beware.’ Instead of it going rotary stock, show closed Saturday (6) and the stage hands union is blamed. “Union rules are to the effect that a show shall have actually closed and the crew shall have placed the production in the storehouse before its status as a road show is changed. x “Until such time the road crew must be retained and the yellow card system which requires the same number of men backstage as originally employed shall be in force.

Helen will pull up short, look at you severely, and say very quickly: “Bread and butter.” We understand that it’s supposed to take away the jinx. Little Mrs. Lindsay also is quite impressionable. With all the Dillinger mob new’s these days, Helen has been a trifle worried. And the other night, we’re told, Helen woke up in a panic. She was having a nightmare—and John Dillinger, himself, was after her! And all this, on peaceful Wallace street in Irvington! Helen sooner would talk than eat and sometimes does. Her secret passion is writing poetry. Her secret desire is to be assigned to cover the courthouse beat. She lives from day to day in hopes. And she likes to sing before breakfast! a a a HELEN LINDSAY (nee Graves) was born in Evansville and was graduated from Central high school there. She prepared to be a grade school teacher, but the World war broke out and Helen, instead, went to work on the Evansville Press, a Scripps-How-ard newspaper. With all the men at war, Helen, another girl and male cub, composed the staff. The other girl was May Cameron, until recently woman's page editor of the New York Evening Post. Helen covered the courthouse beat (perhaps the reason for the

“These are among the points which the managers have'Nmsuccessfully sought to change since the legit code became effective. Same situation caused the closing of ‘When Ladies Meet.’ at the Royale, N. Y„ last summer. “Management declared ‘Ladies’ to be on a stock basis, but the union said that couldn’t be done. Show was taken off, throwing both actors and stage hands out of jobs.” a a a “TN both instances the rating as A stock presentation would have lowered the back stage crew from six men.” continues Variety. “It was that margin of cost operation which forced both shows off. That both shows were to have an admission charge of sl.lO top, or one-half the regular admission price, failed to cause the union to suspend nor make exceptions of its arbitrary rules. “At the time of the ‘Ladies’ collapse. Equity was not backward in expressing dissatisfaction over the stand or the allied stage hand stipulations. It was then admitted that actors and stage hands haven't the same points of view. “Since the adoption of the NRA code the feeling between unions has lessened, but the closing of ‘Sailor’ may arouse a storm. “The mid-western rotary stock project has another factor to contend with, that being the showing of picture versions of the play it secures. “Case in point is that of ‘Dinner at Eight.’ In Kansas City previous to the picture, 'Dinner' drew $13,000 in ten days, the gross on the first week (ten performances) being $9,000 at sl.lO top. In St. Louis where the picture version had been shown, takings were $4,700. Gross in Cincinnati was considerably less because of the picture.”

SIDE GLANCES

c nr mca twv>ix <1

“You’re not supposed to take them so seriously.”

THE INDIANAPOLTS TIMES '.

Herd’s Helen Lindsay, Times shopping writer (right) as she goes about her duties of gathering news of the downtown stores for Times readers.

suppressed desires); then later went to the Evansville JournalNews to work under the direction of Forrest Davis, now of the New York-Telegram. Helen covered police court and the city hall. She turned advertising copy writer, working for Sam Freeman, now of the Strauss Company. She turned housewife • . . she's the mother, by the way, of an attractive 12-year-old daughter . . . taller than Helen herself.

AUTO RUNS INTO SIGNAU2 HURT Young Woman’s Jaw Is Broken in Crackup on North Side. Two persons were injured, one seriously, when an automobile in which they were riding struck a traffic standard at Washington boulevard and Thirty-eighth street last night. Miss Virginia Barton, 23, of 666 East Twenty-third street, suffered a broken jaw, a severe gash on the left leg and several teeth knocked out, when the car in which she was riding, driven by Eitell Schafer, 22, of 1229 College avenue, struck the standard. Mr. Schafer, charged by police with intoxication and operating a car while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, suffered minor injuries. They were taken to St. Vincent's hospital by a passing motorist. OLD HICKORY GLOB ROUNDUP ARRANGED Evening of Fun Planned by Democratic Group. The “first roundup” of the year will be staged by the Old Hickory Club at Tomlinson hall Thursday night, Feb. 1, it was announced by Andrew Bruce, chairman of the entertainment committee, and an evening of entertainment surprises is planned by Sidney Jerome, who is making up the program. There will be a full evening of fun, starting at 7 in the evening, according to Jerome, with scores of professional entertainers furnishing diversion of a wide variety. Dancing, oldtime fiddlers’ contests, square dancing, burlesque revues by a band of professional circus clowns and vaudeville acts from the professional stage, are on the program. The Old Hickory Club primarily is a Democratic organization, but there will be no speeches on this occasion.

By George Clark

In October, 1932, she returned to newspaper work, this time for The Indianapolis Times as shopping writer. Helen enjoys her work and she does it well, even if we have to say it ourselves. ana AN aside: At one time in Evansville Helen had the option on all news concerning the Republican party organization in that city.

Beans Beckon They Lure Back Hungry Deserter. TTTHEN Elmer Hanson, 23, of ’ * Mishawaka, deserts from another man’s army, he’s going to be darn sure there’s no depression around to make him hand himself bodily into the guardhouse at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, where he sits today. Elmer, private in Company A, Eleventh Infantry, Ft. Harrison, went “over the hill” one year ago to test the dust on the well-known open road. But beans, of the army variety, were scarce. Paying for his own shoe cobbling got the best of him. No job. He ached for khaki and army beef. So Tuesday he surrendered to Kokomo police and said “Tell them to come and get me.” No one seemed to want Elmer any njore than they do the comic character. Ft. Harrison officers phoned Kokomo police. “Tell him fro walk back if he wants to come,” they said, “we’ve got no money to send for him. There’s no reward.” Elmer w-ent back the hard way and pays for his year's roving with hard labor, vowing “never again, unless roller skates are provided as equipment for deserters.”

Napoleonesque Arthur Indiana Senator Adopts New Pose—Puts One Hand Inside Coat, Capital Observes. BY GEORGE ABELL Times Special Writer WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.—Alexander Troyanovsky, first ambassador of Soviet Russia to the United States, appeared at the White House the other day and formally presented his credentials to President Roosevelt. The ceremony of presentation was no different than that which customarily surrounds any foreign diplomat. Those who expected something thrilling or unusual were disappointed.

Short, stocky, black-haired Envoy Troyanovsky wore the customary silk hat and formal clothes which tradition dictates. He was smiling, affable, and ivas w r armly greeted by President Roosevelt. Dick Southgate, sandy-mus-tached chief of Protocol, made the presentation. Then, Ambassador Troyanovsky, Boris Swvirsky, counselor of the embassy, and other members of the staff, posed for photographers on the White House steps. tt tt a Envoy troyanovsky and his secretaries became seasick on the trans-Atlantic crossing. They remained in their staterooms for four days. o tt tt Nine-year-old Anne Bullitt, daughter of our ambassador to Russia, liked the ice skating in Moscow above everything else. Anne, incidentally, will not return to Russia with her father. She's going to school in Massachusetts until June. Then she may go over again. u tt a Ambassador Bullitt spent much of his time in Moscow' house hunting, visiting diplomats accredited to Soviet Russia, and receiving calls from them. He found Moscow very crow'ded. a u a Many Russians applied for jobs as translators in the American embassy. One man who wanted a job as embassy messenger was an American Negro from Minnesota, who wen to Russia to write for some American newspapers. He had mastered the names of all the streets in Moscow. tt tt tt Boris Skvirsky, long known to Washingtonians as the “unoffeial Soviet ambassador,” found his career here crowned with success yesterday. Boris w'as so excited when he arrived at Union station with the new envoy that he kept putting on his hat and taking it off with great rapidity. Friends conceded his right to be excited. Troyanovsky’s arrival

“Why. Helen?” “Well,” she answers pertly, “Fred Ossenberg, the Republican ‘bos’ just ordered all the ‘boys’ to give nobody but me whatever news they had.” “Hmm. He had a crush on you, didn’t he Helen?” ' “Maybe," she answers just as pertly. “I got the news.” And then they say that a woman’s life is the hardest! Next—Meet a real cub.

SERVICE MEDAL TO BEAWARDED Junior C. of C. to Honor Civic Leader at Banquet. To the man under 35. who has performed the greatest civic duty and service to Indianapolis, will go a badge of merit awarded by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, it was announced today. This award will be made at the Junior Chamber of Commerce dinner to be held at the Indianapolis Athletic Club on Jan. 22 at 6 p. m. The committee that will select the man for the honor is composed of the following persons: Mayor Reginald H. Sullivan, Superior Judge John Kern, Fermer S. Cannon, Fred Hoke and Louis Borinstein. The committee’s decision will not be made public until the night of the dinner. The awarding of the badge of merit will be an annual affair, officers of the Junior Chamber of Commerce announced. Girl, 4, Swallows Marble After she had swallowed a marble, Nora Jean Garriott, 4, of 4302 Schofield avenue, was treated at city hospital last night. Her condition is not serious, doctors say.

w'as a personal triumph for Counselor Skvirsky, whose years of hard work and devoted service admittedly were instrumental in accomplishing recognition of the U. S. S. R. tt tt tt SENATOR ARTHUR CAPPER, Kansas Republican, retains his sense of humor when many of his colleagues have completely Jost theirs. He was one of the speakers at the old age pension meeting in the United States Chamber of Commerce auditorium. As he concluded his talk, applause broke out from all sides. Smiling his thin, whimsical smile, Senator Capper remarked: “Thank you very much for the applause. In these days when a Republican receives applause, it is something to be really proud of.” a a tt Senator Capper. Senator Logan and Senator Trammell were able to catch up on their reading yesterday, during a burst of oratory by Senator J. Ham Lewis. Senator Hattie Caraway dropped ever to the house side to listen to a bitter denunciation of Dr. Sprague by Representative Goldsborough of Maryland. tt tt tt SENATOR ARTHUR CLTL ARTIE > ROBINSON, Indiana's “friend of the veteran.” is adopting the Napoleonesque pose of putting one hand inside his coat. , tt n tt Color contrasts among senatorial Beau Brummels: J. Ham* Lewis with a vivid green handkerchief; Millard Tydings. in light gray; Dave Reed, in dark brown. Injured in Auto Crash Leaning out of her car to fix a windshield wiper. Ethel Hall, 27. of 427 North Bradley street, ran into another automobile parked in front of 612 North Delaware street last night. She suffered a cut on the nose.

Fair Enough By . Westbrook Pegler APPARENTLY it is not strictly correct to say that the new deal is trying to spend the government out of debt. The new deal is saving money, also. Mr. Roosevelt, personally, has saved the taxpayers possibly as much as SIOO this week by refusing to approve a flight to Miami. Fla., by a delegation of congressmen who intended to inspect a site for a proposed military aviation base. This economy, applied against the debt of thirty-one billion dollars which the treasury will owe itself in June. 1935. will reduce the amount to $30,999,999,900. So. already, the outlook gets brighter. The only difficulty about the saving of the SIOO seems to be that the government has not saved any

money in so long a time that there are at present no facilities for keeping track of a saving. This may require the establishment of anew bureau in the treasury department, complete with an under-secretary and staff and possibly anew building. And. of course, there would have to be the customary picturesque and deserving Democrat of the bar-fly type to clip newspaper items and paste them in a scrap-book at a salary of SIOO a week for four years. In government, it costs money even to save money and this probably is one of the reasons why the new deal has been averse to unbridled thrift. Under a pro-

gram of rigid economy the government might save itself so deep into debt that there never would be any coming out of it. a a a Hawaiian Flight Is Warning nPHE present case of the grounding of the airA minded congressmen for reasons of economy will illustrate the cost of thrift in government. The aerial arm of the national defense now is regarded as the straight left jab which will keep the enemy out of range in the next war. The American left jab just now is supposed to be much longer and better than Japan's left jab. The curent flight of the navy ships from the mainland to the Hawaiian Islands need not be regarded as any mere outing for the young officers involved but might better be looked upon as a demonstration to impress any one who happens to hear about it, including the Japanese. with the length, strength and efficiency of the American left jab. Governments are very subtle. The aerie! arm of the national defense depends to a great extent on the liberality of the statesmen and some statesmen are very dumb and petty, as they would have to be, in order to appeal to the sort of electorate which elects the sort of mayors, governors and statesmen who always are being elected. It is just as well to face the facts with regard to the sort of intelligence which elects the majority of the people’s choices. But realizing that statesmen are what they are. the best way to arouse their sympathy for aviation is to give them occasional free rides in good government ships and throw them into the company of aviation officers. The officers then can grab them by the lapels and tell them what they need i the way of equipment which, of course, comes down to money. tt ft tt Diplomats in Flight HOWEVER, some of the statesmen and holders of appointive office had been making a racket of their flying privilege. If they wished to go home for a week-end. even though the government was paying them excessive railroad mileage to cover their travel, they would call up the army or navy or the marines and commandeer big, efficient ships and the services of flying officers to take them there. Sometimes they carried their families with them on these journeys and there even were occasions when some of the boys used government planes and pilots on social errands. Statesmen have plenty of gall. The result was that the army, navy and marine fliers couldn't make their allotment of fuel suffice for their routine flying duties and it was decided henceforth to abolish this traffic altogether except on special authorization by the President. In this case, however, the mission of the statesmen was concerned directly with military aviation. Inasmuch as they are bound to go to Miami any way at government expense to inspect the field, a flight in an army plane seemed to be the best way. Perhaps later on they will go by train and spend a thousand dollars or more as the cost of saving SIOO, thus proving anew that economy is an expensive luxury the enjoyment of which ought to be restricted to the President himself. Mr. Roosevelt can be relied on not to practice it to excess. The SIOO saving will not ruin the country, to be sure, but the cost of these economies mounts up in geometrical progression. (Copyright, 1934. by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)

Today's Science = BY DAVID DIETZ

THE structure of the nucleus of the atom is one puzzle which scientists would like to solve in 1934. Perhaps two questions will be answered during the coming year. First, are there positrons in the nucleus? Second, just what is a positron anyway? The positron is the name given to the positive electron. It is a sort of mirror image of the electron, which is negative. It apparently has the same mass and size and the same intensity of electrical charge. But there are still many essential differences between the behavior of the two objects. For one thing, the existence of the electron has been known since the beginning of the present century, whereas the positron was only discovered in 1932 and the discovery confirmed in 1933. Widely divergent views about the positron were expressed at the Boston meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1933. One view, essentially that expressed last June by Dr. Neils Bohr, was that a positron and an electron were created out of a quantum of energy when a cosmic ray or gamma ray collided with the nucleus of an atom. The other view', expressed by Dr. Carl D. Anderson, the discoverer of the positron, was that the positron probably was knocked out of the nucleus of the atom by the impact. tt tt tt LET us take a brief look at the history of the atomic theory. Until the discovery of radium in 1898, it was assumed that the atom was indivisible. The name itself comes from the Greek and means “uncuttable” or indivisible. But Lord Rutherford's study of the rays from radium demonstrated that what took place in the case of radium was a spontaneous disintegration of the atom. By his experiments, he established the fact that the atom consisted of a central nucleus surrounded by tiny electrified particles. These particles, whose existence had already been shown by experiments with X-ray tubes by Sir J. J. Thompson, were the electrons. The next great name is that of H. G. J. Moseley, a student of Rutherford. It was in 1913, the year before the war began, that Moseley, then a youth of 21, made his great discovery. Every chemical element when bombarded by a of electrons or cathode rays, gives rise to X-rays. Moseley showed that there was an orderly increase in the wave lengths of these rays so that the square roots of these wave lengths formed a perfect series, that of hydrbgen, the lightest element, being one, that for helium, the next heaviest element, two, and so on, up to 92 for uranium, the heaviest known atom. tt n a 7 'HE next step was taken by a Dutch physicist, Van Den Broek, who demonstrated that the “atomic number,” as the Moseley number for each element came to be called, indicated the value of the positive charge on the nucleus of the atom and hence the number of negative electrons associated with the nucleus. A theory to account for the distribution of the negative electrons in the atom was advanced in 1916 by two American chemists. Dr. G. N. Lewis and Dr. Irving Langmuir. According to this theory, the electrons were arranged around the nucleus in concentre shells.

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Westbrook Pegler