davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1921-12-04

aionere, continuation of the Avenues s
name west Of 2Sth street might readily
lead to the proposal, and perhaps de.
cision, to call the road which follows
the canal Pennsylvania avenue. and
1t would be as logical as to give the
Avenues name to M street.
In London old street names are
jealousy retained, despite changes
and expansions. In the course Of time.
as the city has grown, streets have
been prolonged beyond their old
bounds. but In many cases have taken
new names, thus the continuous thor.
oughfare that is best known as Oxford
street has no less than eight different
designations from its start to its
terminus. Each section with its own
name has its history, and a proposal
to change would be resisted vigorous
ly and jealously.
Some years ago an effort was made,
and for time successfully. to change
the name of one Of the central north
and-south streets of the city. But 1t
interfered with the general system,
and the old name was restored by act
Of Congress. 1t ID we'll to hold fast
to Washington street plan, with no
experiments or surrenders to the pres
sure of local interests. If some day
Pennsylvania avenue should be eX-
tended in it's own line through George
town it would, Of course, bear its his
toric name, and that is the only way
that the community west of Rock
creek can be included on the line of
that great axis.
Evening star., 1921-12-04
The Texas Senatorship.

A senator Ia to be elected in Texas
next year. There would be no contest
IL Mr.. Culberson were in health. I'm
fortunately, he has not recovered his
strength, and on that account does
not figure in the calculations.
He deserves his popularity at home
An earnest and able man, a sound
lawyer, good debater, while in keller
he was conspicuous in his place in the
Senate and served his people we'll.
There would be no contest if Joseph
w. Bailey enjoyed his former popu-
larity. He was at one time a toast in
the state-in request at every impor-
ant party meeting. easily his party's
most effective speaker, and eager and
expert in the political game. He has
rare talents for public business. 1t is
to be doubted, indeed. if his superior
has ever held the commission of the
Lone Star state.
Mr.. Bailey, at the time a leader in
the Senate, retired from the body in
sort Of pet, and has not been able to
recover the influence he once exerted.
He offered last year for the demo-
cratic nomination for governor, but
was defeated by a man unknown out
side the state, and today his name is
not mentioned among those figuring
in senatorial gossip.
So with Mr.. Culberson. on account
of the loss Of health, and Mr.. Bailey,
on account Of the loss of popularity.
out Of the equation, there is much
puzzlement over the senatorial prize.
Mr.. Blanton's candidacy is not
taken seriously. He is on the stump,
pleading his case as well as may be,
but not in way to suggest success.
He has had a stormy time in the
House, and while his experience there
has advertised him widely. the adver-
tisement has not been of the kind to
help in a campaign for promotion to
such body as the Senate.
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Politics at Home
Republican Hospitality.

The republican party has record
for hospitality. It harbors men who
differ sharply about one thing or an
other, but join hands and act to-
gether upon the broad proposition of
republicanism versus democracy. We
shall see this conspicuously exempli-
fed In two campaigns next year.
Henry Cabot Lodge Is classed as a
conservatives probably the leading
conservative in the country. He has
enjoyed many honors at the hands of
his party. He is today the dean of its
senatorial corps. He took his seat in
the Senate March4, 1898. and has oc.
cupied it ever since. He wants an
other term. and seems likely to get it.
Massachusetts is not tickle in the mat
ter Of favor, as the senatorial careers
Of Webster, Sumner, Dawes, Hoar, and
now Lodge, testify, Mr.. Lodge Is ap-
preaching his seventy-second year.
Hiram johnson is classed as a pro.
gressive-is one of the most aggressive
members of that faction, sharing
honors with Mr.. Borah for convictions
and the eloquent courage of them. Mr..
Johnson is nearing the end Of his first
term in the Senate, and next year will
pass up his platter for another. At
present he seems likely to get it.
Mr.. Lodge has never been disturbed
by the presidential bee, although his
name has not been unknown in presi-
dental gossip. His friend and chum,
Theodore Roosevelt, once formally
suggested him for the republican nom-
ination. But the compliment, while
doubtless much appreciated on the
personal score. produced no effect on
the recipients political walk.
The bee early invaded Mr.. Johnson's
bonnet. He was scarcely warm in his
seat in the Senate when a presiden-
tial boom carrying his name appeared,
and it doomed steadily until silenced
last year by the Harding boom. AS
Mr.. Johnson is still a young man, an
other boom-say about 1928-may
sound for him.
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Grapes.

The vineyards of California are not
growing up in weeds. The vines have
not been pulled up and ruin has not
come upon the vineyardists. Thus, has
another prophecy gone wrong. 1t is
related in one of the large and infiuen-
tial newspapers Of California that
nearly 5000 cars Of California grapes
were shipped to New York in Octo-
ber," and that most Of these grapes
brought around SIS hundred pounds
and were purchased for wine-making
in the home" 1t is said that al
though there were many profits be-
tween the producer and consumer the
grower received about 500 ton,
whereas in the old days he received
about $25 a ton from his nearby
winery in prosperous seasons. 1t is
estimated that if all the California
grapes shipped to New York in Octo-
ber were converted into wine they
should have produced about 5000, 900
gallons. The thought of the California
newspaper is that most Of the grapes
were turned into wine by the foreign
population Of New York city and
nearby territory.
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Pennsylvania Avenue.

PENNSYLVANIA avenue will remain,
as far as the Commissioners are con-
cerned, as it was projected on the
original map of the Capital city, run
ming in a northwesterly direction from
the Eastern branch to Rock creek.
Its name will not be given to another
street because at the western terminus
that other street comedies and pro-
ceeds at an angle westerly. The Com
missioners reject the proposal of citt
zens of Georgetown to make NJ street
between 2Sth and seth a part of
pennsylvania avenue" Their action
il wise. If this change were made. as
suggested, both streets would lose
their present integrity. NJ street would
cease to be beyond 2Sth street, and
PENNSYLVANIA avenue west of that
point would be Of different char
acter and width.
II the plan Of change in street
names because of condolences were
followed there would be no uniformity,
and no fixity in the city's map. At
present the avenues are the angling
thoroughfares, the streets following
the lines Of straight direction" east
and west, or north and south. 1t
would be a serious mistake to shift an
avenue to one Of the street planes. In
the case of Pennsylvania avenue and
NJ street, just settled by the Commits
Evening star., 1921-12-04
The Grade Crossing Slaughter.

Recently an official of one of the
main eastern railway systems esti.
mated that last year more than $500
persons were killed and nearly 4,50O
we're injured at railroad crossings in
this country in accidents which for
the most part happened to motorists.
The railroad official declared that in
most cases the motorist failed to use
ordinary precautions in crossing the
tracks. This Is the attitude generally
taken by railroad authorities, and it
must be said that in a large number
Of cases 1t is justified. Motorists do, in
truth, drive upon railway tracks at
crossings without taking pains to find
out conditions. But there are many
who are careful and who get caught
nevertheless. There are, moreover. a
great many grade crossings which are
not properly protected. In numerous
instances the tracks are masked from
observation save at close range.
Wherever the fault may lie-and it
probably lies jointly with the rail.
roads, with the local authorities in the
location of highways and in the roads
users themselves-this matter should
be taken up without any further de-
lay for corrective study and action.
Here is q condition that has taken
$500 lives and caused injury to 4.50O
others. a total Of 5000 casualties in a
year, and the number is rapidly grow
ing as the roads are more fully used
by motorists.
There 10 not an absolutely safe
grade crossing in this country. Such
a thing is impossible. No matter what
Evening star., 1921-12-04
The State of the Union,

What is the state Of the Union? We
shall soon know. The annual reports
of the departments are now due, and
when they are all in it will be possible
to tell the conditions existing in Uncle
Sans huge establishment.
Ordinarily, these reports make any.
thing but exciting reading. Neces.
sarily. they are long. and some are
packed with dry statistics. AS the
phrase is, they are passed up by the
public, which contents itself with the
summaries usually embodied in the
Presidents annual message to Con-
gress.
This year. however, it would pay
Mr.. Average Reader to take time and
read, mark, learn and inwardly di-
gest" these documents. They will
carry a wealth Of Information about
the country.
America has her troubles. She has
never before experienced their like,
and they apply all along the line.
Turn where you may, you are certain
to Hnd something that, on It's race and
at a glance, looks a little discourag-
ing.
I But, for all that, she is better off,
by and large, than any of her sister
nations. She has more money than
the most fortunate Of them. Her raw
materials are abundant. Her finished
proftlcts are at least the equal of any
found in any market. Her industries
are intact, and the wheels of such as
are not now turning can be set in mo-
ton on a moments notice.
All this and more will appear in the
reports that will go to Congress this
week. AS gloom -dispellers they will
be worth the perusal Of even the
busiest men. They will show what We
have, and what we should do to hold
our place among the leading nations
at time of extraordinary difficulty.
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Linking the Parks Together.

In the course of it's report on the
development of the National Capital
the Commission of Fine Arts calls at
tention to feature of the park plan
which has been forgotten by many in
the course of the several years during
which it has been in evolution. This
is the connection between Potomac
and Rock Creek parks. This connec-
ton, the commission sets forth, was
recognized as desirable by Congress
as far back as 1898, was favored by
the Washington Board of Trade in
1889, and was studied by the Senate
park commission, which reported in
favor of the open treatment of Rock
Creek valley, the regarding of the
banks and the construction of roads
formed. Following legislation by Con-
gress approving this project. the ac-
QUESTION of the necessary lands began
in 1915. From year to year appropria-
tions have been made and land has
been purchased directly or by con-
demnation until now about IS per cent
of the area necessary to link up the
two great parks has been acquired.
When Potomac Park was improved
and opened to the public it became evil
dent that direct connection with the
Geological and Rock Creek parks
would afford a continuous driveway
unequaled in the world. At present
the two spaces are distinctly sepa-
rated. There will be in time. as this
connecting system is perfected, a ply
sical park link which will make it
possible to cover many miles without
any retracing of the way and without
once leaving the limits of the public
reservation.
In the solution Of the problem Of con-
Meeting the two park systems much
difficulty has been encountered. The
space between the northwest corner
of Potomac Park and the M Street
bridge is occupied by business estah-
lishments. The Chesapeake and Ohio
canal flows into Rock creek within
SEaCc AdI &c 5dS WI Nc sAA AZ
Gated within the area. But these
obstacles are certain to be overcome.
Probably the most difficult part Of the
task remains, and it may be the most
costly, but the advantages Of a COM
pleted link between the two great
parks are so obvious that it is not to
be believed that Congress will hesitate
about making adequate appropriations
to insure completion.
Meanwhile the approaches to Poto-
mac Park from the north should be
improved. At present most of the
traffic concentrates on 18th street.
There are several other ways by which
the speedway may be reached, and
with proper paving these will become
available. New Hampshire avenue es-
pecially, as the Commission of Fine
Arts urges, should be improved and
connected with the park in a manner
to permit easy ingress and egress by
that route.
Evening star., 1921-12-04
British Hold Conference Fate.

MILAN.-The fate of the Washing
ton conference has rested in the hands
of England, according to writer in
the Corriera Della Sera of Milan. His
argument is as follows:
.Today the parts have been re-
yersed: In 1918 Europe invited
America to Paris; in 1921 America in
yited us to Washington. The divorce
between the two worlds did not last
long, and the new meeting involves
the recognition of two important
facts. The nations are realizing that
TIE whole world is henceforth a moral
unity and that even the United States
cannot boast of being closed eco
nomic system. In vain she hastened
to establish the clauses of the sep
arate peace with Germany and to rat
ify this treaty to make 1t quite clearly
established, before the opening OF the
would not meddle in our affairs and
that We were not to meddle in hers.
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Americas Example to Europe.

COLOGNE.-The Pheinische Repub-
lie, published here. chides those who
would mock at the idealism of peace
peace conference in Washington" the
ference. 1t also says the United States
has solved its own problems in a way
that Europe should profit by.
when President Harding invited
the nations of the whole earth to q
peace conference in Washington, the
paper says, "he acted according to
the political traditions and the world
historic mission of the United states
of America. The United States have
given old Europe the example of in
ternational justice. By means of a
free union of states she mas soiVeu
race and state difficulties of a whole
continent, which can only be likened
to switzerland. with her system of
cantons, The German empire OF 1871
is sometimes compared to it, but this
was no confederation of states, but
only military organization auto
cratically led by Prussia
"The United States has shown that
a whole continent of united states
is possible. In this way sne mas
proved to European pacinSts .hat
their aspirations are not hopeless,
and Tor the WHOlc Woiiu ShSy 40
made a great step nearer to the aim
of the peace organizations of all peo-
pies. :.
scarcely past. scarcely has this in
human and stupid numbering stopped,
in which the most wonderful bralns,
the noblest characters, the most per-
feet examples Of human beauty were
slaughtered, than new, greater con-
1icts begin to threaten and the ghost
of a new war is staring at humanity.
The mission of the Washington con-
ference is to Danish these differences
and to make a settling of them pos
sible by peaceful arbitration.
ut is quite wrong" concludes the
writer, ito mock already now at the
idealists who believe in world peace:
II is ideal, for example, to think of
a complete extirpation of disease.
Should then the work of students and
research workers be stopped? Every
body who mocks at the efforts to
Keep peace poisons the moral atmos-
nhere and brings war nearer. Every
hody who believes in the final VIC
tory of reason and of the idea of
neace brings this victory through his
belief alone nearer to suffering hu-
n, pifvS
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Sixteen to One.

Mrs. Helen Drexler has certainly
been swift worker. According to
her own story she has acquired six
teen husbands in three years, and was
about to take her seventeenth when
the rude hand of the law was laid
upon her and she was checked in her
wholesale matrimonial career. Mrs.
Drexler had specialized in soldiers and
sailors. and by shrewd manipulation
of reports and returns she has ac-
cumulated a government allowance
subsidy, it is estimated. of about $500
a month. 1t must be said for Mrs.
Drexler that she has been no Blue
beard" She disposed of her success
sively surplus husbands by the simple
expedient of moving on, If they did
not move on themselves. She adopted
no lethal method of divorce. as did
Landru, the French specialist, just
convicted at Versailles. Soldiers and
sailors, especially the latter, are ap-
parently easy to lose, and Mrs. Drex-
Ter seems to have had no trouble at
all with her almost endless chain.
Now that she Is checked In her career
she is having IL hard time remember
ing all Of her comrades in near we'd
lock. The wonder of all this Is that
she could get by so long as bene-
ficiary of government bounty without
detection. 1t seems that there have
been suspicious, but she moved too
fast from place to place for the fed
eral agents. Yet eventually the net
closed upon her, and now she will
probably have to pine in her accumu.
lated widowwood in seclusion for a
period.
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Patent Office Economy" and Cost.

New light ia thrown upon the bad
condition in the patent Office due to an
inadequate salary scale by a statement
Law Association. 1t is pointed out
that in consequence of the inexperi-
ence Of the examining force in the
Office, which is constantly changing as
men leave the service for private en-
ployment at higher pay, many con-
tests arise over the validity of patents
and over interferences. The courts are
crowded with these cases. In five
years cases of patent litigation in the
Court of Appeals have quadrupled.
This is attributed to the lack of care
on the part Of the examining corps.
The Office is swamped with work. The
force is too small, to begin with, and
the turnover" due to designations is
probably greater than in any other
branch of the government. AS soon
as man acquires any degree of ex-
perience in particular line he is like
ly to be lured out Of the service by the
higher pay offered by large industrial
organizations or by firms of patent at
torneys, and some newcomer must
take his place and learn his speciality.
In the matter of court expenses in
cident to this flood of patent cases the
government is spending a very large
part of the cost of patent Office re-
habilitation. There is no economy
whatever in keeping the pay scale of
the patent experts down to the pres
ent low level.
Not counting the bonus of $40. the
pay of patent office employees has been
raised only once since 1S48. 10 per
cent increase being the sole advance
granted in seventy;three years. This
is true Of other branches Of the gov
ernment, but no other branch Of the
government has meanwhile main
tanned itself out of the fees collected
and returned profit. The patent Of
flee has in the course Of its existence
turned in a net earning Of $s,000.000.
With $1,000 applications now await
ing action in the patent Office, and
with the court calendars choked with
cases growing out Of the hasty grant
ing of patents by the Inadequate
force, it is plain that an enormous
loss has been entailed upon the peo-
pie. The starving of the patent office
is one Of the poorest possible pieces
of government economy"
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Digest of the Foreign Press

But the coincidence of the opening
session of the conference and the an
niversary of the armistice is clear
symbol of Americas return to Euro
pean things; it is an indication that
America recognizes her European
past.
Until now it has been understood
that the Pacific question would lead
to military disarmament. But is 1t
possible to disarm in Europe II the
reparations question has not been Sc
riousiy solved? And is it possible to
talk Of reparations without speaking
of debtse And can disarmament prom
ises count for anything without an
interna tional authority which controls
the execution of them? This is the
point where the problem of the league
of nations is concerned. We Euro
peans do not wish to give 1t up and
the Americans won't hear of it. They
will have nothing to do with a system
which would be harmful to the par
ticular sovereignty of the states, and
they accuse us Of having created a
syndicate of conquerors.
we accuse them." continues the
writer, "of having changed the char
acter of the league of nations by re-
signing. The truth is that in Europe
we construct an instrument which is
weak and complicated at the same
time, for the solidarity between the
nations, and too often while working
out the means we lose sight of the
end. America accepts energetically
the end. but she will have nothing to
do with the means which we offer
her; and she does not suggest others.
The fate of the conference Is. first
Of all. in the hands of England. Will
she give guarantees on the question
of China and of the peace between
America and Japan? We must hope
So When this first phase is over the
French and Italian delegations will
be able to act. 1t is everybody's in
terest, but especially the interest of
continental Europeans. that the vic
tory which was mutilated in Paris
should not again be mutilated at
Washington. By this we mean not
the victory over the Hohenzollerns
and the Hapsburgs, but the victory
over ourselves, over our passions, our
untruthfulness and our selhshness.
Three years ago the world was
saved by America. May the first Sc
rious words relative to the recon-
struction of the new world be pro-
nounced at Washington! The new
world must not be made up of white
and yellow. conquered and conQuerors.
but of all humanity conscious of its
greatness and of its sufferings"
Evening star., 1921-12-04
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Good Onens.

Good Omens.
A man once sang a mournful song.
He said the world was in all wrong.
He told about a winter drear-
And yet the skies are warm and clear
All prices would still higher go
We're glad to find it isn't so.
OF truth mankind was losing sight
And still we struggle toward the light
He has a sorrowing tale to tell,
Yet on his words like to dwell,
Even when he in language terse
Asserts wars will be more and worse.
When I observe his lengthy list
OF threatening ills that we have
missed
I call him Mascot" though he thinks
He was ordained to be "jinx.''
Evening star., 1921-12-04
Horrors on Horrors!

Reports of invention Of gases more
deadly and more terrible than those
used in the great war are printed in
the papers. A late item in the news
from Paris says that q professor OF
chemical research at the College of
France has discovered an asphyxiat-
ing gas which would make future
wars more cruel than human tmag-
ination can conceive"
Nations have heretofore adapted to
war purposes such inventions and dis
coveries as might help them to beat
an enemy, and it is possible in the
next war, If there should be a next
war, that more destructive gases will
he used than were used in the late
war. There was strong tendency in
that war not to draw a line between
the martial and the civil populations,
and in that war the contest was not
between armies, but between nations.
Never before were whole nations so
mobilized and concentrated upon war
work. In the next world war, II fate
should order such a thing. it might
be that deadly gas would be used
against the civil population, and that
whole communities-cities of people
would be poisoned and smothered. An.
other step in the evolution Of horrors
might be the promiscuous and stealthy
release of germs to spread typhus,
.boloro or snoaIlpoY among nations
Scientists, inventors, discoverers
might produce new plaques more ter
rible than ancient or modern scourges.
Human ingenuity has not exhausted
itself in finding ways to kill human
beings.