davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1917-01-21
War Does Not Stop Winter Sports i'm the Swiss Alps

dies arc burned on every Christmas
tree. 1t states that the Romans burned
candles at the feast of Saturn-one OF
the two festivals which fell due on De-
cerber 25--as a sign of good cheer, and
that the Jews also burned candles dur
ing their feast of the dedication, which
happened to fall due about the same
date. 1t is therefore deemed quite pos
sible that for this reason there would
have been many candles burning all
over Palestine about the time Of the
birth of Christ. and from this comes
the term feast Of lights" which is the
name used in the Greek Church for
Christmas day.
In many parts of Switzerland the
peasants are still fervent believers in
mystic powers and supernatural occur
rences which ancient traditions have
reported to be prevalent during Christ
mas time II you want, FOR instance. to
find out how the weather will be dur
ing the next year cut on Christmas
eve an onion into halves: peel off twelve
layers. one for each month and fill the
same with salt. Those peelings which
contain damp salt the next morning
predict rainy weather for the respec-
tive months.
Young people who are anxious to
learn something about their matri-
monial prospects are advised to drink
three times from nine different foun-
tains when the church bells are ring
ing on Christmas eve, and they will
then behold their future mate stand
Ing at the church door. Observing this
particular custom Is. of course, quite
possible in Switzerland, where public
fountains are found everywhere in
good number
If you are courageous enough to con-
suit the oracle as to the length of time
which is still allotted to you on earth.
take your Bible on Christmas eve and
the first psalm which strikes your eye
contains In stanZaS the number of
years which you are yet given to live.
To safeguard your chickens from all
animals or prey: another ancient GUS
tom advises you to clip their wings
between IL pm. and. midnight on
Christmas eve.
Children born on Christmas day can
see ghosts and are able to tell your
fortune. Water can be changed into
adept in the mysterious art of magic
you are at that time able to safeguard
yourself against all bodily injuries. If
farmer will fertilize the soil or tie
bands of straw around the trunks Of
their fruit trees during Christmas week
the same will bear special quantities
Of fruit for the next season.
On Christmas eve. for one brief hour.
the dumb beasts are said to be able to
converse in human language. but mis-
fortune Is predicted for the inQuiSitiVe
who takes it upon himself to listen.
And when the happy Christmas days
are over there comes New Year eve,
with its jolly social and family gath
eringS and its marvelously effective
rfngtng-in Of the new year. when all
the church bells throughout the land
are lifting up their voices for half an
hour.
Evening star., 1917-01-21
IL Five" i'm Next House of Representatives

police every time such an innovation is
mentioned They want old customs TO
survive.
Survival OF custom is largely tho rea-
son for the existence of the COMMITTEES
Of the whole itself. 1t was originally
designed to keep the King OF England
out of the house OF commons. Having
admission to the regular sessions OF
the house. the king became entirely
too regular in his attendance. Every
day. almost. he would show up and
harangue members about something. In
terfering greatly with their post ONCE
building bills and their sleep. Hence.
they began walking out on the king
and holding their meetings on hflltops.
mt grocery stores and popular hack
stands.
But when bad weather set in and
grocers began to grumble about cheese
disappearing and cabbies complained
about having their business interfered
with. the members adopted the com
mittee of the whole plan for hoIdins
their meetings indoors. Later. when
the king appeared during the commit
tee of the whole meeting doorkeeper
shouted. mo ice today" at him through
a knothole in the house door. and tho
king. with all the air of a book agent
who has encountered burglar chain
door. went homo and sent the house
No such excuse can be given for the
committee In this country. II the
President desires he may call on the
committee Of the whole, but he prob
ably will not. There is too much dan
ger of finding nobody home in the
American House unless callers are an
nounced ahead of time.
Anyhow. selecting Speaker. bring
ing the committee work out into the
light and putting he committee OF the
whole on record i" some little job for
five men. And If you think they won't
earn all the cigars and congratulations
they are now receiving before the end
of the next session OF Congress. wait
and see.
They will be pulled and hauled lot
by that time. So much. in fact. that
it is not all at unlikely that by the
middle of the session all of them Will
have adopted the muffler form OF neck
wear that Cyclone Davis essayed
when he came to Congress. II they
don't they'll be kept mighty busy rear
ranging their neckties. sc
Evening star., 1917-01-21

Will be changed a great deal in the
next session. A man in the extreme
minority OF the House. such as at least
four of these members find themselves
in the present Congress. has some trou
BILE in getting the hearings for his pet
measures that he would like. They
have such comfortable committee hunks
all made UP. with the upper sheet
turned back. for bills and resolutions
which have no particularly strong sup
port.
And not infrequently minority
member Will find that his pet proposal
has been tucked away for the session
without even a formal Good night!'
Hence there is much agitation for a
revision of the rules which Will permit
getting a bill out of committee after a
method than Is now provided. which is
virtually no method at all-that of dis
charging the committee.
There also is n strong demand among
tho independents for abolishing exeou-
tive sessions of committees. Executive
sessions at present are solemn and Sc
cret affairs, the business of which
sometimes does not leak out for ten
minutes after the meeting breaks up.
About the only result obtained from
them is that no record vote Of their
proceedings is obtainable. as a general
rule
Then there is a strong demand for
roll call in the committee of the
WnOle, ana tnlS may carry. Al present
business Is transacted in the committee
Of the whole by an aye and nay vote. AS
a result only the more energetic mem
bers work in the committee-on occa-
sfons not more than score and in
frequently more than $50 feeling ener-
getic. 1t is utterly impossible to tell
how your representative voted in tho
committee Of the whole. II, indeed, he
voted at all. unless you are on the
floor at the time of the vote.
Coupled with this demand for a roll
call in the committee of the whole may
come another for electrical voting ma
chimes. Speaker Clark says roll calls
in the committee would be all right II
the voting could be speeded up. 1t now
takes forty-f1ve minutes for a roll call
and It is estimated that an electrical
voting device could record members
in much less than half that length Of
time,
Getting an electrical voting machine
installed will not be easy, however
Some Of the veterans scream for tho
Evening star., 1917-01-21

7F on a midwinter excursion about
Washington this year you should
see a statesman standing in the
- center of a group Of smiling demo-
Gratis and republicans who hand him
cigars and ask him about his health.
his family's health and the health of
his Uncle John and Cousin Nancy, and
congratulate him on his latest speech,
his latest election. or hts latest child, by
these signs you shall know him.
Don't hesitate. Rush right UP and
stick out your hand and say:
"Howdy. congressman; howdy
know you right well. You are either
Representative Schall of Minnesota:
Martin of louisiana: Randall of Cali
fornia: London of New York. or Rep.
resentative-elect Fuller Of Massachu-
setts."
And the chances are he will admit
that you are right
These five men, who are to be mem-
bers of the next House or Representa-
tives, are attracting much attention
now. They compose the independents,
or members who belong to neither the
democratic or republican parties. Two
OF them are progressives. one social
ist another a prohibitionist and the
fifth an independent
They are commanding favors because
with them rests the organization of the
next House. and the fate of many pro-
posed changes in the conduct of It's
business.
Neither democrats nor republicans
will have a majority. or 21s votes in
the new House. enough to elect
speaker. At best, with all of the pending
contests settled in their favor, the re-
publicans cannot have over 216 mem
bers, it seems; and the democrats can
not hope for more than 2lo II they
win ali of the contests, and have the
vote of Kelly, a Pennsylvania prog
democrat Hence the votes of some of
the independents are needed. And that
is why they are being noticed particu-
iarly.
Both sides are keen TO select the
Evening star., 1917-01-21

Speaker. naturally. Democrats are
anxious to put over Champ Clark for
a third term. Republicans are keen
to get control of the House by naming
some one Speaker, though they are not
quite certain who their nominee will be.
James r. Mann. the present republican
floor leader. doubtless has the largest
following now. but there Is an in
surgent movement on his side OF the
House. headed by Representative Gard
ner OF Massachusetts that may lead to
the selection Of another republican for
speaker Lenroot of Wisconsin, a wide
ly known progressive. is being spoken
of favorably.
Each side is counting on two OF the
independents to be with it in the
speakership fight. but each is uncer-
tain about the fifth man.
Republicans think they will COM
mand the votes of Schall. the blind
progressive from Minnesota, and Full
er, former republican, who defeated
Representative Roberts, republican, az
Evening star., 1917-01-21

an Independent last fall. But Scha1l
may not be SO easy to line UP.
After he had campaigned for the ma
tional republican ticket in different
parts Of the country during the last
campaign he returned to his home dis
trict to find that the regular repub-
lican organization was running a man
against him. With only two or three
small newspapers to support him and
limited capital, he jumped into the
night and won out over the regular
republican. Furthermore. he has been
in communication with Col. Roosevelt
at different times since the election,
and the shadow of the colonel may
cloud the proceedings when Schalrs
name is called on the speakershtp vote.
Fuller was a republican member OF
the Massachusetts, state legislature.
and there is reason to believe that he
Evening star., 1917-01-21
BOOKS RECEIVED.

DIsTRIBUTIvE JUSTICE, The Right
and Wrong of Our Present Dlstribu-
tiOn Of Wealth. By John A. Ryan,
d. D., associate professor of politi-
cal science at the Catholic University
of America, etc. author OF "A Living
Wage" etc. New York: The MacA
milan Company.
FEEDING THE FAMILY. By Mary
Swartz Rose, Phi D.. assistant pro1
fessor. department of nutritiopl
Teachers College. Columbia UniI
versity. New York: Tho Macmillan
Company.
THE RUSSIAN BALLET. BY Ellen
Terry. With drawings by Pamela
Colman Smith. Indianapolis: Bobbs-
Merrill Company.
THE THREE RELIGIOUS LEADERS
OF OXFORD AND THEIR MOVE
MENTS; John WycliRe. John Wee-
ley. John Henry Newman. BY 3.
Parkes Cadman. New York. The
Macmillan Company.
Evening star., 1917-01-21

Were it not for the birds the loss
would be much greater and, indeed, 1t
is believed that without the aid of these
feathered friends successful agricul-
ture would be impossible.
One bird often eats more than
hundred insects at single meal and
som etimes consumes several thousand
small insects a day. The poster tells
how birds on two-hundred-acre farm
IN North Carolina destroyed a million
green bugs or wheat aphids daily: and
there are many localities where birds
saved certain trees, garden crops, or
farm fields from total destruction.
There are many kinds of birds and
each has his special taste for certain
injurious insects. Where there are
hairy and downy and other woodpeck-
ers the trees are in good condition. for
this bird CLEANS the pests from beneath
the bark Of the wood and within-thus
Evening star., 1917-01-21

may stand with the organization in
Washington.
Democratic dopesters count Randall.
prohibitionist. and London. socialist. as
sure-flre votes for Clark. Randall used
to be n democrat and last year voted
for Clark for Speaker. London. the
only socialist in Congress. found the
House hard shedding last year until
the democrats took him under their
wing and helped him out on various
occasions. He reciprocated before the
session was over by yielding the floor
to a democrat when Mann. the master
parliamentarian. had tied up the demo-
cratic side so tightly, apparently, that
they never would be able to get the
floor on the particular proposition un-
der discussion.
In Martin of Louisiana, however, the
two sides have an enigma. Martin
used to be democrat. but he was
elected on a progressively -protectionist
ticket He wants Louisiana sugar pro-
tected. and he is open to offers for
Evening star., 1917-01-21

the tennis ball over the ice in the game
of hockey. Curriers' are frantically
sweeping their "stanes" toward the
coveted goal. and the unlimited divers
ity of gynikhana stunts offers constant
ausements for the players as well
for the onlookers.
The improved appliances for sport re-
quirements have netrly ousted the old
fashioned herdsmen's sleds. which are
now only OCCASIONALLY used by timid
beginners. The up-todate vehicle is
the so-called skeleton. n low, ycrd-long
toboggan, on which the rider lies fat.
steering the craft with hands and feet.
Like an arrow II darts UP the iced
walls of the curves. and as the be-
wildered spectator fearfully antici-
pates an accident, the toboggan shoots
down into the furrow and around a
beautifully shaped curve.
One of the most attractive and GER
tainly very social sport is bobsle!gh-
ing Long, low. padded toboggans.
used, and under this heavy burden the
bobsleigh shoots down its course with
amazing speed. As the leader sways.
almost automatically. the closely
guiding the sleigh to the right or left;
they apply the brake by letting them
selves drop on the snow, or drive to
greater swiftness by bending forward
by lever into the ice enable the
leader to stop the vehicle almost in
stantIy. but a sudden application OF
these brakes whirls up the ice and
snow in clouds. shaking and tolting the
riders.
Skiing has taken root to an extra
ordinary extent in Switzerland: even
the poorest youth does not want to do
without skis. though they might only
consist Of a couple of crudely adjusted
barrel slaves. Thanks to the ski, the
boys and girls living on remotely SIT
uated farms are now able to attend
longer Isolated FOR the best part of the
long winter months. and thanks also to
the wooden wings OF Norway" tho
mail and newspapers can be delivered
regularly.
Sport is, furthermore, made easier by
the different mountain railways, which
in winter run toboggan trains Thus
one can travel a couple of stations up
on a mountain road without exertion
and without waste of time. Then one
descends to the valley on toboggan. skis
skates or vice versa, go down first
and return by train to winter quarters.
Races. competitions. sleigh drives.
ski excursions, ice carnivals and an
equal variety OF fascinating indoor en-
tainments transplant the happy win
ter visitor into "A totally different world,
where sorrow and care seem to be ban
ished- Christmas in Switzerland does
not only indicate the time when winter
sports are beginning to be at their
best: II signifies for tho natives q period
full OF sacred mystery and tho anniver-
Evening star., 1917-01-21

food in the worst and heaviest snow
storms.
Then there is an attractive little
weathercock house which is mounted
on pivot, and the vanes serve to
keep the open side, from which the
birds eat. always away from the wind.
Another is a device called the well
known window box. which was de-
signed by William butcher, president
of the National Association of Audubon
Societies. 1t Is made to At the open
into a groove in the wood work at the
top, and on the inside of the room Is
a hinged lid, through which food is
put.
high from the ground where the food
ie covered. the opening of which Is on
the south side of the structure. In
the case Of the game birds and the
sparrows low hutches may be erected.
or the making of shocks of corn or
grain sheaves. under which food may be
scattered, proves satisfactory. Hedges
and thickets about a home or farm are
important in furnishing nesting places
and shelter for the birds. both from
the elements and from their numerous
enemies. The provision of these feed
ing stations Is SO simple matter that
the cultivation of such ornamental and
at the same time valuable friends Is al
most effortless and has far-reaching re-
suits.
When a feeding station has once been
established the birds become accus-
toned to depend upon the artificial
food. and their instincts (Which are to
go south every winter) are fooled by
the presence of abundant food. SO that
If the supply should suddenly vanish
the birds would starve. This is the
danger to be avoided.
Evening star., 1917-01-21

is the best of good reading in this
restless period that calls for all tho
steadytng influences that may be at
ones command.
THE GIRL. BY Katherine Keith. New
York: Henry Holt & Co.
These are loosely knit episodes In
the life Of ''the girl. They begin with
an afternoon at Grandmother Crosby's.
when, sitting in her high-chair at the
tea table, the little girl seriously dis
concerts the minister with a Bible
question lying far outside the routine
OF his expositions. They end in the
problem presented to the girl a young
college woman now, in having both a
father and his son as euitors Between
these two points there is a line of
astonfshingly frank avowal concerning
the thousand and one adventures Of an
imaginative child. Many of these ad-
ventures are in the realm of make
believe, many OF them are not. but In
either case they are Of the essence OF
reality An interesting early incident
begins: Jim and I lived outside OF
Maverick The shack had only ono
room and so it goes on. q gem OF
realism. though, as fatter OF fact.
weave the story that follows 1t is.
however. a picture. remarkable in de-
tail, or the mothering that starts 30
early Win every girl child And re-
markable also for the minute complete
ness of the imagination that produced
It 1t Is the fidelity of this revelation
and its frankness. coupled with a beau
tiful simplicity of manner, that lifts
this book to prompt and appreciative
consideration.
OUTLINE OF APPLIED SOCIOLOGY,
BY Henry Pratt FairchiId, Phi. D., as
sistant professor of the science OF
society in Yale University author OF
Immigration" etc. New York: The
Macmillan Company.
This book is well calculated to serve
as guide to the study of sociology.
AS an outline it is comprehensive, in
all salient topics and excluding
the confusion and clutter of non-es-
sential details. 1t is, moreover q con-
crete study, assembling facts of an
and illuminative charao-
ter rather than stressing sociological
theories. 1t is. in addition a logically
co-ordinated view of all the important
aspects of the subject, rather than an
exclusive and unbalanced considera-
ton of certain lines to the neglect OF
others. list of books designed for
supplementary reading follows the
body Of the discussion, and to this are
added the references used by the writer
In the development of the study itself.
Evening star., 1917-01-21

Chicken grit" or more elaborate appa-
ratus and more varied foods may be used.
When the birds natural food supply Is
at its lowest ebb they will respond to
hospitality from people who take an in
terest in them. The foods welcome then
are scraps from the table, fat, pork rinds,
bones with shreds of meat, cooked meats,
meal worms (Which may be raised from
cerealD. cut-up apples. bird seed, buck
wheat. crackers. crumbs. cocoanut meat.
cracked corn. broken dog biscuit or other
bread, hemp seed, millet, nut meats Of
Evening star., 1917-01-21

the coffee, sugar in the gourd. sugar
in the 'lasses, sugar in the vote and
sugar everywhere interest You q whole
lot? Quite sol Quite SO!
There is little chance that tho Speak,
er will be elected the first day of the
session. or the second. or the third. as
q result of this lineup As long as the
five hold out they can prevent an cleo
ton, and there is nothing in the Con-
stitution to prevent them from trading
for good committee placer promises of
support Of their pet measures or some
thing like that. Not that they intend
to do anything of the kind or that the
organization they have tentatively
formed carries the faintest suggestion
of trading. but there is nothing in the
Constitution to prevent trading. II they
should desire.
AS a result of the activities OF the
Eve the rules Of the House probably
Evening star., 1917-01-21

rolled oats. peppers. popcorn. pumpkin
seeds or broken squash seeds, raw or
boiled rice, sunflower seeds and wheat.
The methods of making these sup
plies available to the birds are as va
ried as the dietary itself. There is the
so-called food house. which is a per-
manent structure with solid roof and
glass on one or more sides to permit
observations. The food trays 1t con-
tains are entirely sheltered from the
weather. and the birds are able to get
Evening star., 1917-01-21

sary of many Il day particularly speci-
fed in ancient legends.
Unusual photographs OF winter sports
In the Swiss Alps are reproduced in the
planogravure section of todays Star
In many parts of the country the
Yuletide customs and festivities still
have their beginning on December 6.
which is the anniversary of st. Mich
olas. Markets and fairs are then held
In villages and cities, and, seeing that
the old traditions prescribe for this
day the purchasing Of presents for the
children, 1t Is an event of utmost i'm
portance to all youngsters In some
districts st. Nicholas parades around in
that of our American Santa Claus.
usually carrying big bag filled with
apples, prunes. nuts and homemade
cookies. which he distributes among the
children who have been obedient dur
ing the year.
The next and IN modern days the
most important festive day of the whole
Yule season is Christmas day. History
relates that II was only in the year
354 AID, that the Roman bishop Lii
berius designated December % as the
birthday of Christ. as the Romans re-
garded this particular day as the birth l.
day OF the sun, and as they were de-
sirous of giving II more religious Inn
portance to Two important Roman fes-
tivals which also fell due in the same
period. With the observation of Christ
mas day the Christl1indli, described as
"a lovely angel with wings" gradually
started to take Old Santa's place in many
sections of Switzerland. Christkindli.
the Christ child, Is said to come from
the far north and always brings a won
derful Christmas tree decorated with
all the glittering things associated
with fairyland and heavily laden with
manifold gifts.
A pretty legend about the origin Of
the Christmas tree tells that in the be-
ginning of the ninth century certain
st. Winfried went to preach Christianity
to the people Of Scandinavia and north
ern Germany. One Christmas eve tnese
people were gathered round a huge oak
to offer q human sacrifice according to
the Druid priests, but St Winfried
hewed down the great tree, and. as 1t
fell, there appeared In its place a tall
young fir. When St Winfried saw 1t he
cried to the people that here was come
a new tree. unstained by blood, which in
pointing to the sky showed them what
they were to worship.
at is the Christ Child" he said. Car
ry 1t to the castle of your chief. and, In
future. instead of the bloody rites of the
Druids. your worship shall be in your
own homes, with ceremonies that speak
the message Of peace and good will to
all. day will come when there shall
be not a house In the north wherein on
the birthday of Christ the whole family
shall not gather round the fir tree in
memory Of this day and to the glory OF
the only COD"
Legend also tries to-explain why can,