MAJOR E. ALEXANDER POWELL (p. 577) is a distinguished war correspondent, n indefatigable traveler, and the author of many books recounting his adventures in very part of the globe. IDA A. R. WYLIE (p. 581), the English novelist, received part of her education in Belgium, part in Germany, part at Cheltenham Ladies' College in England; she spent nany years in Germany, and is now living in New York; all of which would indicate hat she is in a position to understand the point of view of more than one nation. STUART CHASE (p. 585), author of The Tragedy of Waste and other books, is a nember of the Labor Bureau of New York. BERNARD IDDINGS BELL (p. 587) is President of St. Stephen's College, Annanfale-on-Hudson. DEAN INGE'S (p. 589) recent book "England" aroused much controversy and he replies to his critics with characteristic spirit. ARCHIBALD HENDERSON (p. 599) has been a friend of Shaw's and a student of his work for many years. Dr. Henderson's biographies of Shaw are the outgrowth of long study. He is a native of North Carolina and head of the department of mathematics in the university of that State. His scientific writings are well known to scientists, and in part to the general public through his books The Theory of Relativity, and The Size of the Universe. As a historian, Dr. Henderson also holds first rank. H. V. KALTENBORN (p. 607) is associate editor of the Brooklyn Eagle and well known as a radio broadcaster. PAUL Y. ANDERSON (p. 615) is in Washington as national correspondent of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. SETH K. HUMPHREY (p. 625) gained much knowledge of the incompetent during several years of voluntary work with the Associated Charities in Boston. WILLIAM ATHERTON DU PUY (p. 629) is an experienced Washington correspondent, and frequent contributor to leading periodicals. A CONVENIENT COUPON FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville, New York: I enclose $3.00 for which enter my subscription for THE READER'S DIGEST for year(s), commencing with the NAME ADDRESS CITY and STATE issue. THE READERS DIGEST ✔ Of Lasting Interest~ Note of a Great Event Vanity Fair Inside Front Cover Forum 641 Coolidge Pro and Con-2 You Have Energy Enough-Direct It! What Can We Believe? Follow the Leader The Background of China's Upheaval A Day in a Senator's Life Franklin in Paris Popular Science Review of Reviews 675 Independent 677 Woman's Home Companion 679 Advertising High Hats Itself The Boy and Sex New Ideas for Old Rumania's Ruthless Jewish Persecutions Do You Know How to Forget? What, Then, is Culture? To Bore or Not to Bore Modern World Current History 695 Pictorial Review 699 Number 59 MARCH Nineteen Twenty-Seven TH Note of a Great Event Condensed from Vanity Fair (February, '27) George Jean Nathan HE new Paramount Theater, dedicated to the great art of the moving pictures and lately bestowed upon the aesthetes of New York City by those twin Lorenzo de Medicis of the 20th century, the MM. Zukor and Lasky, surpasses all expectations. Until the Paramount Theater was opened, the amount of gilt paint used in the embellishment of a motion picture theater was never, at the greatest, more than a measly 60,000 barrels. The skimping on the part of the entrepreneurs was evident, and the movie public's indignation was more or less intelligible. That public, however, can find no fault with its latest gift. The MM. Zukor and Lasky have unbelted themselves handsomely. There is enough gilt paint in their Paramount Theater to paint all the pianos this side of the Straits of Magellan, to say nothing of the stools. The only thing in the theater, indeed, that isn't gilt is the gentlemen's lavatory, and that is a rich silver studded with rhinestones. Perhaps I exaggerate, for the MM. Zukor and Lasky have not been nasty about red paint either. Wherever there is a spot that the gilt boys missed, the MM. Zukor and Lasky have galloped forth to the cause of beauty with a pall of scarlet. There may be some of us so vulgar and untutored that, upon gazing at the resulting inte rlor, we are reminded of a gold-toothed colored gentleman with his mouth wide open, but who are we, as Shaw once remarked, against so many? The lobby of the theater, together with the adjoining gilt and red marble corridor, presented on the notable opening night a sight to be related a hundred-aye, 200-years hence to posterity. Wonder upon wonder was there to ravish the vision and enchant the psyche. As one entered, one was received by a major domo, flanked by three minor domos, in the costumes of Nubian princes. These salaamed low at one's approach, murmuring texts from the Koran and the Talmud as they handed one photographs of Mr. Zukor, Once past these guardians of the outer portal, one came upon no less a figure than Mr. Lasky himself, in the costume of George Washington. After a recitation of the Declaration of Independence, Mr. Lasky presented one with a photograph of himself, and then bowed one over to a handsome figure accoutred as Vespucci. This latter turned out to be the great Mr. Will Hays who, crossing himself, dispensed brochures illuminated with the visages of both Mr. Zukor and Mr. Lasky, and (Continued on page 697) THE READER'S DIGEST ASSOCIATION, Inc. Publication Office, Floral Park, New York Editorial Office, Pleasantville, New York Published Monthly, 25c a copy: $3.00 a Year (Foreign, $8.25) Entered as second-class matter, Oct. 4, 1922, at the Post Office at Floral Park, N. Y., under act of March 3, 1879. Copyright. 1926, The Reader's Digest Assn., Inc HE motto of Calvin Coolidge is "do the day's work." He does it. His economy has saved the people oney. In his first message he made ree major proposals: economy in ublic expenditures; reduction in ublic taxes; reform in system of ublic taxation. He said, "High taxes each everywhere and burden everyody. They bear most heavily upon he poor." By reducing taxes he has iminished poverty. Under his leadership two great tax eduction bills have been passed. They lave put $800,000,000 in the pockets of he people. By reducing taxes he has ncreased government receipts. With axes lowered on large incomes, and with about 2,300,000 individuals of small incomes released from paying any income taxes under the new law, revenue returns promise to be larger. Why? Because business has new courage to venture, and the nation's wealth is increased. "Coolidge prosperity" means less burden for the people, more business done, lighter burdens, and heavier savings. gage on this generation. He respects and strengthens the budget system Estiwhich protects the taxpayers. mates must have presidential approval before going to House and Senate committees. The system depends on the President for its efficacy. Mr. Coolidge nas made it effective. Economy is not niggardliness. He has approved the first non-pork-barrel public building bill. It provides $165,000,000, over a five year program, for public buildings in Washington and out... The last Congress appropriated $10,000,000 to build and buy quarters abroad for our embassies, legations, and Consulates. Mr. Coolidge has put an end to American diplomatic squatting. The Post Office deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1921, was $83,348,000. It has steadily decreased since then, the last three years under Coolidge. For the fiscal year 1925 it was $49,450,000. While the Post Office is approaching self-supporting condition, the increase in the payroll for the fiscal year 1926 over 1921 due solely to difference in higher rates of salaries was $93,000,000. The principal of foreign loans is $9,500,000,000. With other credits extended, the total foreign obligations |