davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1921-03-20

there were too many classifications.
It is better to aim at simplicity than
elaboration. When the reclassifcation
work was undertaken under the re-
cent commission an effort was made
to get the Judgment of all classes Of
government workers in all lines of the
service. Naturally there was a great
complexity Of suggestions and some
confusion resulted. 1t proved a large
task to work out a consistent scheme
from the mass Of recommendations
In the basic work of reclassihcation
what is chiefly necessary is to estab-
lish a standard Of service that will
apply to all of the governpent depart
ments and bureaus. There need be
only a few fundamental divisions Of
duties. The more subdivision is at
tempted the further the departure
from uniformity.
Probably the surest solution of this
problem is to enlarge the powers Of
the Civil Service Commission. 1t should
make no difference to the government
whether clerks work in one particular
branch or another so long as they are
uniformly efficient. The commission
can supply and classify. 1t is merely
up to the department or bureau to in.
sist upon efficiency in the assigned
task.
The government is losing materially
in service and in service cost through
the lack of a businesslike standard
of work. That fact is now appreciated
tion that reclassification bill estab-
fishing certain bases of service will
be soon enacted.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
Walters Wages.

There will be no hotel walters
strike. The walters and the man.
ayers have recently agreed on scale
of wages. and for at least year the
conditions at the hostelries of Wash.
ington will be peaceful and harmoni-
Gus. This will make for better service
and for public comfort. A walters
strike would be a troublesome affair.
Washington has had only limited
experience with these misunderstand-
ings and hopes not to repeat them.
This agreement was made through in
tervention by the Department of
Labor.
1t is to be noted that the rate of
walters who have no assistants and
$40 for walters who are aided by bus
boys. OF course, everybody knows
that no waiter lives on $50 month.
That is just his starting point, his
endowment, so to speak. His real
income is contributed directly by the
public. Nobody really knows how
much the total is. The question arises
whether this information is obtainable
from the income tax returns. Be that
as it may, not only does the public
pay, but the public knows it pays.
And curiously there is no very en-
phatic demand for a change in sys-
tenn.
The public knows perfectly we'll that
if tipping is absolutely forbidden and
the ban is enforced the waiter will
get all that is coming to him from
those whom he serves indirectly
through increased charges. The only
thing the patrons of the hotels and
restaurants really object to is to have
the charge for service" go into the
bill in the present conditions, with
most Of the walters compensation
coming out of their pockets in the
form of tips. 1t would be interesting
to know just what part the s60-$40
scale bears to the price list.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
Postal Cooperation.

Postmaster Chance proposes a prac.
tical means Of lessening the mail con-
gestion at the city post ONCE when he
asks the merchants and other busi-
ness men Of Washington to mail their
letters and other matter at frequent
intervals during the day, instead Of
waiting until the close Of the business
period. 1t is the almost uniform prac.
tice for mail to be signed, sealed,
stamped and posted at the end at
the working hours. Letters are die.
tated in the morning and signed in
the afternoon. They go out. therefore,
in patches. and when there are hun.
dreds Of patches the consequence is q
rush, about 70 per cent Of the mail
in the city being handled between 4
and $40 pm. II business men were
to make it practice to sign part of
their letters before luncheon and have
them Immediately posted this conges.
ton would be lessened.
The idea prevails as a rule that the
time required between posting and
delivery is the minimum schedule. II
all the mail were equally distributed
it would be possible to follow that
schedule. But with, a. stated, more
than two-thirds q tho local u,xn
reaching the oGics within q four-an
Evening star., 1921-03-20

a-half-hour period it cannot be all
handled in time for the earliest pos
sible delivery the next day. 1t must
be sorted into local and outgoing mail,
and some of it will not catch the first
outgoing trains or the first routes of
the carriers.
Postal efficiency requires co-opera-
ton between the mail users and the
mail handlers, and one Of the surest
means of that cooperation is to dis
tribute the burden Of mail handling
over the greatest possible portion of
the day. 1t may be more convenient
for the business man to sign all his
letters in the afternoon and have them
all mailed at one time, but when every
body else is doing it that same busi-
ness man is not getting the benefit Of
the best possible service in the receipt
of his own incoming mail. In short,
postal efficiency is a matter of CO.
operation also between mail users.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
Mr.. Harrison's Return.

Francis Burton Harrison is on his
way home from the Philippines. Will
he re-enter politics when he arrives?
He is forty-eight years old-in his
prime. He knows the game, and has
the means to play it. He is lawyer.
He saw service in the war with Spain.
When appointed Governor General
of the Philippines, Mr.. Harrison was
a member of the House. representing
the sixteenth New York district-a
city district. 1t is a Tammany-con-
trolled bailiwick. Charles F. Murphy,
therefore, was his sponsor.
Tammany often puts forward men
of Mr.. Harrison's type. He is college
bred. His social position is high. His
personal address is ingratiating. AS
already stated, he is a man of means.
He has the time and the qualifications
for political Office. George B. McClel-
Ian, another such man, served in the
House as protege of Richard Croker,
and subsequently in the mayoralty of
New York as the protege of Mr.. Muir
ply.
Mr. Harrison is returning at period
of almost poverty in the matter of
democratic leadership in the Empire
state. The old leaders are dead, or in
permanent retirement. Mcclellan,
McGlynn, Sulzer and others are out
Of the equation. Mr.. McAdoo, by birth
and training an outsider, is not on
terms with the organization. Robert
Lansing is not in politics. Only for
mer Gov. "Al" Smith appears on the
horizon with prestige and pull"
Mr.. Harrison was pet of the Will
son administration. Will that fact
initiate against him now? The ad-
ministration was not to Tammany's
taste, nor Tammany to the admins
tration's taste. The wonder is that
Mr.. Wilson should have turned an eye
SO favorable on a man who owed his
prominence in public life to Tam
many's influence.
Evening star., 1921-03-20

Q. Is the right of trial by jury also
assured?
A. Amendment seven preserves the
right of trial by jury; and amend
ment eight provides that excessive
bail shall not be required, nor ex-
cessive fines imposed, nor cruel and
unusual punishment inflicted.
@. What are the provisions of the
ninth and tenth amendments?
A. The ninth amendment declares
that "the enumeration in the Consti-
tuition Of certain rights shall not be
construed to deny or disparage others
retained by the people" and the
tenth reserves to the states respec-
lively, or to the people. the powers not
delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by 1t to
the states.
Q. What are amendments eleven
and twelvee
A. The eleventh constructs the ju-
dicial power of the United States, and
the twelfth gives in detail the mRn-
ner Of choosing the President and
Vice President.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
"New Host" Too Hospitable.

Since the war a number of mes
siahs." prophets and apostles Of new
faiths have cropped up in various
parts of Germany. says the Berlin
correspondent Of the London Tele-
graph. As always happens in time OF
mental and spiritual ferment. they
have had no difficulty in gathering
disciples around them, however ex-
trayaRant their doctrines may have
been. One OF these heralds Of the new
era aux,eared last summer in Thurin-
eia and very soon had a large and en-
thusiastic following. He is jour-
newman turner from Strasbourg, ana
his real name is Lamberty, though
for some reason he called himself
Muck, which in German has neither the
pronunciation nor the meaning that
it has in English. Travelling the ooun-
trv and addressing open-air meetings.
he called upon his auditors to en-
hrace the gospel of THE New Host"
which was to bring rest to a tor
mented world.
natural gift of CAB. or the fact that
the new forms of life" which he
nrG2CneQ
and out-of-door games, somehow or
other he got strong hold on the
population. Professors and parsons,
poets and aldermen, combined 70
spread his theories. whenever ne
spoke thousands fiooked to hear him.
ing closed for the occasion: SO that
none might miss the benefit OF his
saIutary eloQuence. Finally. as win
ter was drawing on. he obtained the
permission of the government OF Al
terburg to take up his quarters IN .ne
near Kahla. with a small body OF the
elect. and there put his ideas into
practice on a communistic basis.
Rut now, alas! This new gospel
has come to the end which has been
the fate Of SO many o,st OF thst has HE reis-
tions Of Muck to young women VINO
ioined him in his fortress retreat have
been of q, kind not purely platonic- In
tact. one of them has aready given
birth to a child, Of which ne Is under-
stood to be the father, and his i'm
nroner intimacy with two others is
said to have been proved: This has
coma ALI the more as shock to his
6avotees because continence, both
within and without the marriage
bond, had been one rs OF c,ines ine ieadlmg nns
reyelation is always followed by
others. and the light which has thus
hean shed on one side of Muck's char
acter has been succeeded by a not
Lass Distressing illumination in other
di1eWions. In his public utterances
he ave himself out for a conserva-
tive monarchist and .admirer of the
eood old days, but 1t now appears
tfhat during the war he was interned
for year on Heigoland, that he took
a leading part in the revolution at
K,eI' holding a revolver under the
very nose Of Admiral Scheer. and that
he then turned up at Hindenburg's
hea dnuarters as an authoritative MEM
her of the first "Workmen's and Sol.
diers' Council.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
POLITICS AT HOME
Col. House and the Future.

The answer to the question as to
who is to be the Col. House OF the
Harding administration is the same
as in the case of the apple and the
core. There amt going to be none.
A liaison officer, without formal
commission or emolument, was neces'
sary to President Wilson. who held
himself aloof from the everyday world,
and in a measure from his own party.
A connecting link between the White
House and the public was essential to
success: and Mr.. Wilson was most
fortunate in securing the services for
the work of one of the highly accom-
plished men of the day. Col. House
in the post developed tact, discretion.
aptitude and industry. Whether at
home or abroad, he moved about noise
lessly and capably, collected the in
formation desired, and reported in
telligently upon it.
President Harding needs no such as
sistance. He is on terms of intimacy
with the public. Both the gates and
the doors at the White House now
swing smoothly on their hinges. Peo-
pie enter and leave freely. and with
ease. All are welcome. Thus Presi-
dent Harding keeps in intimate touch
with the world, and collects his own
information.
But there is another question, and.
as yet, unanswered. Will Col. House
now enter politics on his own account?
Will he try for Office for himself? He
likes politics. and plays the game with
a skill all his own. He has ample
means to lead any life he chooses. For
full eight years he has seen at ad
vantage the most attractive features
of public life. A celebrity himself, he
knows all the celebrities worth while
in politics in America and elsewhere.
Is it easy to think of such man
contenting himself with private sta
ton in New York, or Massachusetts,,
or Texas?
Evening star., 1921-03-20
Favorite Entertainers.

In the death of Champ Clark a no
table figure disappears from the
chautauqua field. He had become
very popular there. His style of ad-
dress-a little unconventional and off
hand-had caught the fancy of chau-
tauqua audiences. They responded to
his everyday philosophers clothed in
everyday terms. He made his points
in a way that was immensely pleas
ing. Had he lived the season now
opening would probably have been a
prosperous one for him. Relieved of
the cares of a legislator, he could have
concentrated on the work of an en-.
tertainer.
Into the vacant place Thomas R
Marshall will probably step. Indeed,
he is already on tour, and reasonably
certain to make good impression.
He is something on the Clark order
quick, unstudied and independent. He
is both fluent and witty. He had his
training as a speaker on the stump
in Indiana. Mr.. Clark had his on the
stump in Missouri. There is likeness
between the Wabash country and the
Ozark country. They produce much
the same sort Of men, and back their
favorite son in the same hearty way.
But still at the head Of the chau-
tauqua entertainers-the star, the
topliner-stands William j. Bryan.
He established his supremacy years
ago, and has never lost it. Other very
interesting men have entered the field
and fiourished, but none has ever
shone quite SO brilliantly as the orator
Of the Platte. Everything seems to
be in his line. He talks equally well
at any rate. equally entertainingly-
on politics, religion, sociology, the I'D
lift, what you please. Name your sub
ject, and he is right there with the
goods.
And this thing has been going on
without seasons break for a quarter
century. A remarkable man. No
wonder his friends swear by him as
Justify as his enemies swear at him.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
LIST of the best books of
~ 1920, for adult readers, was
~ recently compiled at the
= l..

LIST of the best books of
~ 1920, for adult readers, was
~ recently compiled at the
request of a local organi-
zation by DR.. G. F. Bowerman, IL
brarian of the Public Library.
In spite of the difficulties attend
ant upon. definition of best
book" there is no exercise which
so entertains the mind as that of
making such selections. Accord
ingly the list is given here in the
thought that. it will interest read
ers of The Star. who may care to
compare it with their own lists of
favorite books
According to DIR. Bowerman. to
conffne the, notable books of nom
fiction to a list of fifteen proved
difficult, since last years output
was well above the average in
quality. In fact. the list might
have been made up pretty much of
biographies. Fiction, on the other
hand, showed few outstanding
books. the larger number repre-
senting books of merit. but not of
great distinction.
\ X X y
The list as submitted to the So
ciety is as follows:
Non-fiction Adams. Cycle of
Adams Letters; Asquith, Auto
biography of Margot Asauith":
Bishop. Life and Letters of Roose-
velt": Box, Characterization of Ed
ward Box: Hayes. short History
Of the Great War; Huneker,
"Steeplejack"; Henry James. Let
ters"; William James, Letters;
Gibbs. "Now 1t Can Be Told;
Keynes, Economic Consequences
of the Peace: Moneypenny and
Buckle. Life of Benjamin Dis
raeli'; Ross, Sociology; Shackle-
ton. south; Stoddard, Rising
Tide of Color; Wells, Outline of
History"
Fiction - Beresford. Imperfect
Mother; Blasco-Ibanez. Woman
Triumphant; Conrad. The Res
cue; Ervine. Foolish Lovers;
Gale. Miss Lulu Bett'; Galesworthy,
"In Chancery"; Hamsun. Hunger:
Lewis, Main Street: Mckenna,
Lady Lilith"; Mackenzie, Poor
Relations: Merrick. when Love
Flies Out of the Window; Poole,
"Blind"; Sinclair, 'The Romantic;
Walpole, The Captives"; Wharton,
Age of Innocence"
X
Leaders who disagree with the
list may find it interesting to
send DR.. Bowerman suggestions
and substitutions representing
their ideas.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
Protective Law Needed.

The law presumes every person in
nocent until proved guilty. This is
the fundamental theory upon which
the criminal statutes are written and
enforced. In point of fact, this theory
is stretched pretty far and is often
ignored in the actual administration
of justice. In respect. however, to
as potential criminals, and who cannot
be accused of any definite violation of
the law. the presumption Of innocence
works effectively for their protection
and against the welfare of the COM
munity.
There are at present in Washington,
as in all other cities, certain people
who, having no visible means of sup
port" are engaged in no definite bust
ness and enjoy no tangible income
from legitimate sources. are naturally
under suspicion of subsisting upon
illegal enterprises. There is at present
no effective means Of reaching them
in order to prevent their nefarious
operations. The law must wait until
they have actually committed crime,
taken life, stolen property or inflicted
injuries.
Under the vagrancy act a person
can be hailed to court as a suspicious
character, but without a specific
charge against him he cannot be held
for more than a few days. He can
obtain his release on writ of habeas
corpus. which puts the burden Of proof
upon the prosecution, and in the alb
sence Of any definite crime or offense
he must be freed. Yet such a person
may have a black criminal record here
or elsewhere, may be known as a pro-
fessional thief, burglar or gunman,
may be recognized as one merely
awaiting an opportunity.
The District should have a more
specific and embracing vagrancy law.
or law by any name permitting the
eviction at least Of known criminals
who come into the District, or the
detention as potential criminals Of
joyment Of legitimate means of sup
port. With such statute the police
could round up scores Of people whom
they today know as potential law
breakers waiting their chance. Now
the only possibility is to catch them
in some misdemeanor, il not in the
crime itself.
A law Of that character is an effec-
tive preventive against crime. 1t is
a safeguard which every community
should have. Washington, not an
especially criminal city, should as
suredly not be a haven Of refuge for
crooks. 1t should not be possible for
people Of this ilk to look with a grin
in the faces Of the police and ask
tham. '~What are you going to do
about tt?' Yet that ia happening In
Washington at present.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
The District in Congress.

-e Although the assignments are not
definite and final. it is now well as
-sured that the two District commit
tees Of Congress will be headed by
Representative Focht Of Pennsyl-
vania and Senator Ball Of Delaware.
These designations are highly salts
factory to the Washington people.
Both Representative Focht and SEN
ator Ball have served on the District
committees Of their respective houses
long enough to understand the needs
'-of the National Capital and the ma
ture Of the problems that arise in the
course Of a session Of Congress.
- The other day Representative Focht,
in discussing his prospect as head of
the House District committee, ex.
pressed himself as favorable to a
broad policy Of capital development.
He favors making Washington a model
world city. He wants the government
equipment here to be Of tke best, and
he wants the municipal organization
to be most efficient. In this spirit
. Regulation for Washington should he
: pressed not AS local matters. but ma.
I, tional. The Jurisdiction in the House
District committee is limited to
municipal affairs. Other committees
deal with details, however, that affect
: the capital from the federal point OF
view. Mr.. Focht's long service in
Congress should enable him to co
= ordinate the efforts that are made for
the Improvement Of Washington
whether regarded as the seat Of gov
eminent or as municipal organiza
tion.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
Rate by Mail-Paysble in Advance.
Nloss,lauxl and VieRini0.
More Local Judges Required.

One item of business aneCtlnS the
District which has been postponed tor
several sessions should be assuredly
pressed to conclusion at the extra ses-
sion that is to open next month. This
is the provision for two additional
Judges of the District Supreme Court.
A measure to this effect has been pend
ing for a long time, but from one
cause and another has failed of passage.
One reason which has been plainly
intimated in the last two years has
been the fact that the Congress has
been under republican control and the
executive democratic. and the repub-
lican Congress has not been willing
to provide two additional judicial
places for democratic appointment.
Before that. just as the bill was about
to become law, a member OF the
Senate secured it's amendment by add
ing provision for an additional judge
in his state. This was not satisfactory
to the House and the bill failed in
consequence.
These two extra judges are urgently
needed The District Supreme Courts
calendar is congested and the court
can make no headway against the
accumulation of business. 1t is barely
able to hold its own. Cases are many
months behind schedule. For a num-
Der of weeks. owing to the illness of
one of the judges Of the Court of Ap-
peals, it has been necessary to assign
q Supreme Court justice to that duty
to prevent further accumulation in
the upper court.
The District Supreme Court is work
ing with the same number Of justices
that it had when the population of the
District was less than half the present
size. The court business has more
than doubled meanwhile. Not only
ment business has very greatly in
creased. This court is, in fact, one
Of the hardest pressed in the United
: States. owing to the fact that it serves
both the local community and the fed
eral government. In any other juris-
diction the federal courts deal strictly
with government cases. or interstate
cases. while the local courts care for
matters within the state jurisdictions.
There is, in fact, enough business here
In Washington for a bench Of ten
Justices
The congestion Of the court calendar
and the consequent delay Of the ad-
ninistration Of justice undoubtedly
make for unwholesome conditions. The
lapse Of many months between time
and trial. the long delay in appeals,
due to the crowding Of the Appellate
Court calendar, and the possibility Of
appeals to the Supreme Court of the
United States all contribute to a feel
ing Of insecurity. In other than GRIM
inal affairs. too. the congestion Of the
courts is harmful. Business interests
suffer. Every consideration for the
public welfare demands an early re-
lief from this situation through the
enlargement Of the bench.
Evening star., 1921-03-20
Redistribution in Prospect.

Senator Curtis. republican whip Of
the Senate and member of the an.
preparations committee. charged with
the work Of drafting the reclassifica.
dan hill. states that legislation Of
this character is to be enacted at the
extra session. This is a gratifying
announcement. 1t opens the prospect
Of an early relief from the depart
mental conditions from which both
the government and the government s
workers suffer.
It Is indicated that in the redrafting
oe this measure simplifcation will be
10aght. Undoubtedly the comple1ity
e tbs paans herstalora framed has
NzDdA Tor delsy. Ono criticism IL that
Evening star., 1921-03-20

O. What pr0tectlon IS given 10
person accused of crime?
A. No person, except one serving in
the land or naval forces or the militia
in time of war or public danger, can
be held to answer for a capital or
other Infamous crime unless on a pre-
sentiment or Indictment of a grand
Jury. No person can be twice put in
Jeopardy Of life and limb for the same
offense. No one in a criminal case can
be compelled to be a witness against
himself. nor be deprived Of life, liberty
or property without due process of
law. Private property cannot be taken
for public use without just compensa-
ton.
Q. Is the right to speedy trial guar
anteed?
A. The sixth amendment expressly
states that in all criminal prosecutions
the accused shall enjoy the right to
speedy and public trial, by an impair
tial jury, and to be informed Of the
nature and cause OF the accusation. He
is entitled to be confronted with the
witnesses against him, to be allowed
to compel the attendance Of witnesses
in his favor. and to have the assist
ance Of counsel for his defense.