davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-30
undermining English
Spelling
(By j. N. Tadlock)
Copyright. All rights reserved)
.IIZZZ
FOURTH STUDY
(By j. AZ. Tadlock)
All rights reserved.)

FOURIH STUDY
One of the most noteworthy characteristics of
English representation is the use it makes of silent
letters to take the place Of diacritcal marks and
accents in ordinary discourse Other languages
freely use marks and accented letters to indicate
sounds different from the unmarkt power of the
same letters. Even languages which boast of
being wel-nih phonetic use accents to indicate
pronunciation and to distinguish the meanings Of
words spelt alike. The English however, uses
no marks or accents at all in ordinary print to
indicate pronunciation or distinguish meanings,
but represents these distinctions by means of
silent letters. All but of the letters of the
English alphabet ar sometimes SILENT but s'e'' is
the letter most often emploid modify the sounds
of other letters The other vowels and few of
the consonants often so u.s. d, but not to the
extent that is made use of. The chief use
of silent letter is at the end of words to
engthen the vowel sound, as pin, pine mat, mate;
car. care, etc.; to indicate the asprat sound of
at the end of words, as hears hearse; falls,
false; man s. manse, ETC.; to give to the soft or
sibilant sound and to the soft or j-sound in
such words as lac, lace sing SINCE orang orange,
etc.; and to prevent long IL from standing at
the end of word. as due, hue, true, etc.
An old rule of English did not permit to
stand at the end of word; witness of, in
which was substituted for the v, althoh
the ''v'' sound was given to it also the speings
live, give, have" 'love", etc. There is
no. modern orthoepc reason why should not
stand at the end of words, provided the preceding
vowel is short, just any other consonant does
in similar situations. The rule for all consonants
should be the same, and therefore the final
should not be added after when the sound is
short The following words will illustrate.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-30

came to a stop, 1t was found unin-
jured.
This Is the first time that such a
freak performance, demonstrating
the ruggedness of tires, has ever
been witnessed during a race.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-30

An extremely durable textile for
clothing has been developed in Eng
land from short silk fibers heretofore
thought almost worthless
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-30

In words like freeze, "seize'', and 'beleve''
the silent letter within the word makes the
sonant vowel long, so the final e is useless and
therefore should be dropt
belev seiz leav cleay
receiv griev heav behoov
freez siev achiev
The three words. "lose'' ''move' and
prove, ar out of tune with the general law of
the language. "Lose" should, by the regular
rules Of English be pronounce like chose,
rose, "nose", pose, ETC. 'Move'' and
prove" should in like manner be in the class
with "cove'', grove. "hove", Glove, etc.
The difficulty is with the final e, which custom
has made indicative of the long sound To omit it
would Civ us the short sound What then, shall
we doi A brief examination of other words q
like sound discloses the fact that in all other
words of the language 900 is made use of t.
represent the sound which occurs in these words
Why not, therefore, reduce these exceptions to
the rule by spelling them
lOOS mOOv prOOy
The word Goose, to the give the asprat sound
to has the final silent e. and cannot be confus d
with "loos''
The letters and ar cald semi vowes becaus
they may constitute final unaccented syliabl,
just as IN, another semi-vowel does in such words
as prism, spasm, and other words ending with
"ism'. Reasoning from analogy, the final silent
is not requir'd in words the last syllabls of
which are az and r' The should be dropt
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-30

Many words properly ending with final silent
drop the when taking a sufix which
makes the vowel short. or if the vowel remains
long the is dropt when not needed to influence
the sound of the vowel, as these words will show:
vine yinyard wise wisdom whole wholly
false fasly due duly nurse nursing
argue argument true truly all almost
According to the rule stated in the first para
graph final in such words as please,
praise whose, etc., violates the English law
of pronunciation. which requires that fna
should be voict, or subvocal after subvocal
sounds, and after vocals also except where the
latter ar obscure. To comply with the regular
rules of they should be ,xritten folloxrs
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-30


oracl midd bbl mediocr
tabl rippl ogr massacr
manacl princp ochr
syllabl drizzl acr
In words ending with hard sound fol-
lowd by the silent letters lie such as catalogue
league, where the vowel is Short or the long
sound indicated by an internal silent letter, tn,
'ue" should be dropt
leag decalog dialog epilog
tung catalog demagog
harang pedagog monolog
Another similar group ending with ssque'
should be shortend in similar manners but since
80" cannot stand at the end of an English word
its equivalent "k'' is substituted:
check (cheque) grotesk (grotesque)
plack (plaque) bisk (bisque)
burlesk (burlesque Arabesk (Arabesaue)
It will be notist however, in such words as
vague, rogue, and ''pique'', where the
sound remains long, usage requires that silent
"e' be added. If "e'' wer added to 'svag',
''rog' or ''plag'' to make the sound long, it
would also make the 'g' soft, as in page, rage,
huge, etc. 1t was necessary therefore, to insert
GU between e. and 'e'' in order to preserv
the hard sound of "g''. This givs us vague
vogue, ''pague' and rogue. In 'pique'
the silent combination is retaind for the same rea
son. The 'ue'' in the list of shortend words given
abov. was undoubtedly added to them by printers
or dictionary-makers in an endeavor to make
them look like long-voweld words which egiti-
mately carried the tue ending The words
should be distinguish and the error corrected
A few miscellaneous words with useless endings
oht to be corrected by dropping ''e'', 'sme'' or
''te'', which not needed and ar therefore an
incumbrance:
Mich (niche) orifam (ori1amme)
avalanch (avalanche) epauet (epaulette)
program (programme) gazet (gazette)
Our next study will lead us into further dis
cussion of the wearing down process of mod
ernzing words by eliminating useless and outworn
letters and combinations, som of which violate
the rules of regularity in spelling, but mostly
those words which carry a dead weht of super
fuus characters. We shall consider ''dubling the
final letter., changing to and adding letter
or letters the ending ''ous', which is now pro-
nounc't 'us", and other eases where useless
letters should be dropt to the benefit of regular
spelling. as wei as to make the outward form of
words conform more nearly to the modern spoken
sounds of the language.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
GRAIN MEN WILL
MEET MEREDITH
Delegation from Northwes.
To Urge Change in
Grading Rules.

Secretary Meredith, Of the Agri-
culture Department, will receive a
delegation of businessmen this
morning from the grain belt Of the
Northwest.
The delegation is headed by II.
n. owen, publisher of Farm, Stock
and Home in Minneapolis, MINI.
The object of the visit is to obtain
a change in the grain-grading rules
as enforced by the Department of
Agriculture.
The wheat growers are especially
interested in the proposed changes,
as ii is claimed that the present
grain-grading rules that have been
the growers of spring wheat $780,
100000. Others in the delegation
are:
o. p. B. Jacobson. railroad and
warehouse commissioner; Magnus
Johnson. representing the Equity
Farmers Exchange: Senators CASH
man and Void, of Minnesota; d. p.
O'Neil, Minneapolis Board of Ap-
peals; II. F. Tunnel. chief grain in
spector at Minneapolis; n. J. Holm
berg. commissioner of agriculture
of Minnesota; l.. J. Aandahl. rail-
road and warehouse commissioner
of North Dakota: A. L. Flynn, of
the Minnesota railroad and ware
house commission; Representative
Sorlein. Minnesota, and S. L. Allen,
president Of the Minnesota Fedora
-tion of Farm Bureaus.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
SENATE REFERS
VOLSTEAD BILL
Recoding Of D. C. Laws
Provides for Jury Com
mission Of Three.

The yolstead bill to recode' the
laws of the District of Columbia.
which was passed by the House
Wednesday by a viva voce vote, was
yesterday read in the Senate and re-
ferred without debate to the Sem
ate District Committee.
The bill contains many new pro-
visions. II provides, among other
things, for a jury commission of
three District. citizens. who shall not
be lawyers, and who shall be ap-
pointed by the District. Supreme
Court. 1t would be the duty of this
commission to draw all grand and
petit jurors.
Many branches of law are dealt
with in the volstead bill. including
inheritance. usury, burglary, lunacy,
negotiable instruments and equity.
A section OF the bill specifies that
no final decree of divorce shall be
entered until three months after an
interlocutory ordSt. and every order
shall state that no decree of divorce
is awarded in 1t. At the expiration
of the three months. a decree shall
be entered, providing IT has been
applied for within thirty days of the
time limit.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
MORE REVENUE
LAWS UNLIKELY
House Leaders Scout Addi-
tional Legislation to
Make Up Tax Loss.

Additional revenue legislation in
this session of Congress is unlikely.
in spite of the loss resulting from
the Supreme Courts stock dividend
decision, according to- statements by
leaders of the House yesterday. The
House Ways and Means Committee
has under consideration at pres
ent a bill for imposing an excise
tax to be paid by corporations max
ing stock dividends. but members
of the committee hold divergent
views on whether it will be re-
ported out or not.
The measure was introduced by
Representative William r. Green. of
Iowa. and provides that every cor
poration making a distribution dur
ing the year 1920 of its capital stock
TO its stockholders without receiv-
ing payment therefor shall pay a tax
equivalent to 15 per cent of the
face value of the shares SO issued"
Joseph S. Mccoy and Wayne John
son, of the Treasury Department,
testified before the Ways and Means
Committee in executive session yes
terday. when a general discussion
of the proposal was undertaken.
Following a hearing today final de-
cision probably will be made.
Although representatives of the
Treasury Department have urged
that a fiat tax be levied on stock
dividends to meet the loss resulting
from the Supreme Court decision,
the House leaders are opposed to
any additional revenue. legislation
unless il becomes absolutely neces-
sary. They are incliped to feel that
1t will be possible to make up for
this loss by some method other than
by enacting further laws.
Public Ledger Seryicel
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
Charity All That Saves
Hero from Potters Field

New York. March 1S.-Private
oliver Dana Dyer. hero of the world
war, of Leominster, Mass, although
classed as a paufer when he died
here, has been saved from burial in
potters field through efforts of the
Knights of Columbus officials, and
tomorrow he will be buried in Cal
vary Cemetery after a funeral with
full military honors.
Private Dyer's mother died a few
weeks ago and he expended his army
bonus In her burial. He placed his
14-year-old half-sister in an or
phanage because he had developed
lung trouble and could not work.
Before he died in the City Hospital
yesterday he expressed the wish that
his body should not rest in potters
field, and that his sister should be
cared for. The X. z. organization
has undertaken her care.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
| 49 D. c. AUTO TAGS
ISSUED IN ONE DAY

Demand for automobile licenses
in the District is 20 per cent heav-
Ter than a year ago, w. II. Coombs,
superintendent Of licenses, said yes
terday. Since January 1 more than
$1,000 permits have been issued.
As many licenses have been issued
during the eight and one-half
months. beginning with the new fis-
cal year last July 1. as were dis
posed of between July ]. 1918, and
July l, 1919, according to Coombs
The number of tags issued now
averages 130 a day. The total yes
terday was 149.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
LITTLE OYSTER,
SHELL YO'SELF!
No Longer Needed to Edu.
cate the, Benighted
Hindoo.

The little oyster, once such an es-
sential money-making factor in
church circles. is henceforth to be
taboo. 1t will be regarded by the
Ladies' Aid Society as a thing to be
Stunned. Its help to pay the preach
er's salary or to plug the hole in the
church roof or to send a missionary
to India or Africa will no longer be
needed.
OF course. the oyster will get an
honorable discharge from the SER
vice, for it did not desert, but was
the standby of the Ladies' Aid So
ciety until the women found a be,-
ter way of financing their obIiga-
tions for promoting church work.
That better way is now being stud
led in practically all the women's
church societies in the United States
according to Miss Laura j. Wright,
superintendent of the woman's di-
vision of the stewardship depart
ment of the Interchurch World
Movement in New York.
There will no longer be any need
for the women of our churches to
resort to all sorts of services for
raising money for church purposes
when they have learned of the bet
ter way which the stewardship plan
provides" said Miss Wright. The
acknowledgment of the principle
that God is the owner of all things
and that men and women are the
stewards makes church Financing
easy. Wherever the stewardship
plan is put into operation oyster
suppers. bazaars, rummage sales
and the like in churches become a
thing of the past. They are not
needed"
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
FRENCH AND RUSSIANS
OPEN TRADE PARLEY

Paris. March 1S.-The semi-of
cial negotiations opened at Copen-
hagen between NJ. LitvInoff, repre-
senting the Russian soviet govern
ment. and an emissary of the French
government, while ostensibly for
the purpose OF arranging an ex-
change of Russian and French pris-
oners OF war. are actually of the
greatest Importance economically
and politically. it is learned tonight.
The negotiations are indeed the
opening wedge for a resumption of
trade relations between France and
Russia This news confirms earlier
dispatches telling of the race of al
lied and German diplomats for a
'rapprochement" with Russia.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
G. W. u. Doubles Salary
For Student Nurses

The demand for nurses in Wash
ington has become so acute that
the George Washington University
Medical School has doubled the SAL
aries of students who enroll in the
university's School for Nurses.
Heretofore student nurses at the
university have received 81 a month,
in addition to free housing, board,
laundry and medical attention. The
board of trustees of the university
has voted the nurses an increase ito
S12 a month, payable each month,
with bonus of SO a month, the to-
tai bonus to be paid upon the COM
pletion of the three-year course.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19

! Governor Lowden was born in
Minnesota, on the 2gth day OF
january. 1861. Regardless OF the
exact time at which his birth may
have occurred. the Sun and Mer-
curry were conjoined in the fra
ternal and human nature sign.
Aquarius. and applying to the very
best of aspects of the progressive
and reformative Uranus. all three
bodies being in signs that are dis
tinctly intellectual in character.
My text book gives the following
descriptions of the characteristics
resulting from the splendid as
poets of the Sun and Mercury to
Uranus in the nativity of Governor
The Sun in good aspect to
Uranus is said to be fortunate for
public appointments. and for mat
ters connected with national or
municipal public bodies. member
ship in those bodies, or Offices held
Involved II may cooperate with
any other indications in an intel
lectual direction. giving originality
ana Iertlie mlnu.
Signlfes Inventive Mind.
Uranus in good aspect with
Mercury signifies an active. origi-
nal. fertile. inventive and intuitiye
mentality-a mind that does not
always pursue the beaten track,
but makes its own rules. follows
its own laws and obeys its own
inner nature. Penetration, wit. and
ingenuity are increased by this as
pect, also a genius for discoveries,
inventions and originality along
practical lines, especially in mental
pursuits and travel.
MY estimate Is that Governor
Lowden was probably born at
around about 1880 p. m. This
would bring the judicial sign, Libra,
rising. causing Venus to be his
ruler. Venus was placed in the
earthly. worldly-wise. and ambi-
tious sign. Capricorn. and was in
good aspect to the materialistic and
woridly-wise Saturn, who Is ruler
of that sign, and IL my estimate of
the time of his birth be correct.
Venus occupied and chiefly domi-
mated that section of the nativity
which especially relates to the land,
as well as domestic and family
matters.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
DELAY CHOICE
|OFPOLICECHIEF
New Superintendent Will
Probably Be Chosen
Next Week.

selection of a new superintendent
of police probably will not be made
until next week.
1t had been expected that the
District Commissioners would an
nounce their choice this week. but
Commissioner Brownlow yesterday
Indicated they were not ready TO
do so. The matter will be left
largely to him. He will initiate the
selection and ask his colleague. En-
gineer Commissioner Kutz, to con-
cur with him.
Both Brownlow and kutz are an
xious to fill the vacancy as soon as
possible. Brownlow said yesterday
he has not made a tentative choice
yet. The Commissioners are said to
be taking into consideration recon-
mendations of numerous civic or
ganizations and individuals that the
post be offered one of the men who
worked under the late Raymond w.
Pullman. former police superintend-
ent.
: 1t is considered likely the Com
missioners will be ready to fill the
vacancy before the end of the COM
ing week.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
Coal Conferences
Resumed in New York

New York, March 1S.-Conferences
between anthracite coal miners and
operators representatives were re-
sumed here late today. 1t was un-
derstood discussion of the proposed
60 per cent wage increase would be
continued.
The executive board of District
No. 1 of the anthracite division of
the United Mine Workers met today
and recommended to President
Lewis that the present organizers
and travelling auditors whose terms
expire April be reappointed. The
executive board of District No. z
meets tonight and the board of Dis
trict No. 9 tomorrow.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
FALL RIVER LINE
GIRLS JOIN STRIKE
CBy Herald Leased Wire. }

New York, March 1S.-GirI en-
ployes of the Fall River Line, to the
number of 106, including secretaries,
stenographers, telephone operators
and clerks, quit work today. declar-
ing a sympathetic strike with that
of 10000 longshoremen which has
crippled coastwise steamship traffic.
The striking girls declare today that
their salaries of from SIS to $25 a
week must be increased before they
Will return to work. Girl pickets
spent a busy day trying to head off
"strikebreakers." but the steamship
line managed to worry along" VITA
it's reduced staff
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
Boy Scout Band Concert.

The first of a series of nine con-
certs by the Washing ton Boy Scout
Band will be given tomorrow night
at the E. B. Brown Community Gen.
ter. The program includes twenty
three selections. Other centers al
which the band will play are: John
son-Powell, March 26: Wilson Nor
NAL. April 9; Park View, April 16:
Thomson. May z: East Washington
May s: Petworth, May 81: Tyler,
June 4; Margaret Wilson, June 1s.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
.2f INDICTED
BY GRAND JURY
Negro Who Killed Fellow
Prisoner Is Charged
With Manslaughter.i

william Mitchell, coiored'
charged with striking Philip Hun
over the head with chair at the
District Jail on February 13. result
ing in Hufrs death on March 3, was
indicted for maaslaushter .yester-
day by the grand jury.
Both men were under mental OBJ
servation at the time Of the kill
ing. Others indicted and the
charges against them are:
Grand larceny-Andrew John
son.. Leroy Marshall. Gather w.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19

Bayliss, Marcus Costello. Bernard
Ware and Elton Garner. House.
breaking and larceny--Franklin H.
Acton, William G. Haas. jennings
e. Craven and Bernard Jones. For
gerry and uttering-Fred Jordan,
Rose Jordan and William H. Bag
nell. False pretenses-Dalias Ro-
mans and Fred Jordan. Bigamy-
Sylvester. LaurelL Robbery-Davfd
Wise. Assault with dangerous wea-
pon-Alvin b. Truitt. Larceny
from United Statea-Marshall John
son. Nonsupport-william waple.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
Ships May Change Route.

Norfolk. Va, March 1S.-The Old
Dominion Steamship Company here
threatens to withdraw the New
York-Norfolk steamers altogether
because of the harbor strike in that
city and to operate the line to Cuba.
The company, now under the NAL
lory interests, has already with
drawn the Richmond and Hampton
Roads steamers.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
FTeCk|e-F
Now Is the Time To Get Rid of
These Ugly Spots.

Do you know how easy it is to
remove those ugly spots SO that no
one will call you freckle-face?
Simply get an ounce OF Othine,
double strength, from your drug
gist and few applications should
show you how easy 1t is to rid your
self of freckles and get a beautiful
complexion. The sun and winds of
March have a strong tendency to
bring out freckles. and as a result
more Othine Is sold in this month.
Be sure to ask for the double
strength Othine, as this Is sold un-
der guarantee /of money back IL IL
falls to remofe the freckles.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
SHIP. AFIRE WITH
CARGO OF GASOLINE

New York. March 1s.-Radio dis
patches received by the United
States Naval Radio Station here to-
day reported the United States
Shipping Board 9.50O-ton steamer
Olockson afire in the roads at Bal
boa, Central Zone, with 100000
gallons of gasoline aboard.
The vessel took fire late yesterday
after noon, according to the wireless
reports, while at anchor in the
roads. A Panama Canal tug man
aged to get a line aboard, however,
and beached the vessel which con-
tinued to burn this morning. The
crew was saved.
The Olockson left Philadelphia
March 4 for Vladivostok via Panama.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
Ex-Service Persons Left
Free to Choose Insurance

Men and women formerly in the
United States service who plan to
take government insurance will
have the selection of the policy left
to them. Director r. G.. Cholmeley-
Jones. of the Bureau of War Risk
Insurance, announced last night
that it would not be the policy of
the bureau to attempt to dissuade
these people from purchasing any
particular form of government con-
verted policy for which they show a
preference.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
Woman Dies From Fall.

A certificate of accidental death
was issued by Coroner ]. Ramsay
hewitt yesterday in the case of
Blanche Lewis, colored, 2S years old,
who died as the result of injuries
sustained in a fall from the back
porch of her home, 2013 -Hillyer
place. Her skull was fractured.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
SLEEPING SICKNESS
EPIDEMIC IN OHIO

Canton. Ohio, March 1S.-An epi-
demic OF sleeping sickness is pug
zling health officials here today,
More than 100 cases of the mys-
terious illness have been reported
in and around the city,.
So far three deaths have occurred.
State health officers were asked to
help study the cases.
The Washington herald., 1920-03-19
Telephone Rate Raise
Permitted in Virginia

Richmond. Va. March 1z.-The
state Corporation Commission has
issued an order permitting rates of
the Virginia Central Telephone
Company in Buckingham County to
be increased from SIS to $50 year.
It was said the extra revepue
will be used in putting the service
In better shape.