davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1921-04-03

ducers should study the foreign trade
statistics compiled by the
Signs of a Department Of Commerce
very carefully. because
o1uMP. they show warnings of a
slump. This naturally will affect the
men and women employed in produc-
ing and manufacturing the goods for
export.
During the last century the United
States has made giant strides in ex-
port trade, especially during the last
four years, and the United States
has a wonderful future in commerce,
but untoward conditions external to
this country are forcing decline
that may be merely temporary. or
that may mean a permanent readjust-
ment.
In 1920 the United States imported
eighty-four times as much merchan-
disc as 100 years ago. and sold abroad
1855 times as much domestic mer-
chandise. and the value of its total
foreign commerce was log times that
of 1920, according to NJ. de Richey
Cain of the bureau of foreign and
domestic commerce. who has been
making a special study. This has
meant a jump in imports from $62.-
5S5.724 to $5,279,398.211; in exports
from s43.671.s94 to $S,0SO.S1S.455, and
in total foreign trade from $127.560,-
l06 to the stupendous aggregate OF
$13.50s. 1899.
The area OF this country today is
just about one and three-fourths times
the area Of century ago, when Flor
ida was just being acquired. There
were then twenty-seven states. with
an area of 1,7s2.22s square miles.
The warning of a foreign trade
slump is found in an Interpretation
of the effect Of
Decline Due to rising prices on
Falling Prices. Of of the ' Unite
States by John Holm, chief Of the
division of statistics. bureau OF for
eign and domestic commerce. The
gain in exports from this country
during the first year after the war
over the last year of the war. Mr..
Holm explains, was due to the press
ing demand of war-ridden European
countries for food needed to sustain
life untii crops could be raised. and
establishment Of their manufacturing
industries.
Emphasis is placed on the fact that
quantities have not increased any
thing like the gains shown in the
values. The rise in prices of COM
modities since the war has been the
principal factor in raising the values
Of the exports as recorded since 1914:
Exports increased in value about 2l9
per cent. but in quantity by only
about 33 per cent in these years:
Exports Of foodstuffs in 1920 fell
off sSos, ,ooo, 900 from 1919. largely in
meat products and canned milk:
which. with a drop in the exports n OF
foodstuffs to Europe OF S721.000.o00.
NAV be taken to mean that Europe
was self-supporting in the food line.
or was no longer willing or able to
paw American prices.
The falling OF in the export values
of foodstuffs is more than offset by
an increase of $641. .000,000 in the ex-
ports of finished manufactures in
Evening star., 1921-04-03
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Prophecy.

Prophecy.
The weather prophet sits on high
And takes glance across the sky.
With scientific instruments
He fills his office-and invents
Devices new to make more clear
The workings Of the atmosphere.
The bulletins he, brings along
Are sometimes right and sometimes
wrong.
81 Simlin round the landscape looks
And never turns to maps or books.
He has most sagacious air,
AS he predicts with proper care
Most anything you want to know
OF warm or cold or rain or snow
Each day you find him going strong;
Sometimes he's right; sometimes he
wrong.
All mortals meath the starry sky
The future to foresee must try.
We seek the hours Of happiness,
And yet prepare to shun distress
With erudition fortified,
Or else in uninstructed pride
And each in life's eternal throng
Is sometimes right and sometimes
wrong.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
Rifle Practice and Pistol Law.

The District Of Columbia Rifle AS
sociation. while urging stringency in
the matter OF pistol regulation. asks
that care be used in framing the pro-
posed new law, 30 that it will not inter-
fere with the adequate practice and
instruction OF youth in the handling
and use Of firearms. There should be
no difficulty on this score. All that
is asked is law that will prohibit
the sale Of deadly weapons to persons
who are not licensed to obtain them.
The purpose Of the suggested statute
is to prevent persons from getting
Evening star., 1921-04-03
POLITICS AT HOME
Mr.. Hughes and Mr.. Bryan.

Complimenting Secretary Hughes
on his organization of his Office, and
congratulating the country on what it
foretells for the public service. the
Syracuse, n. V. Post-Standard says:
~ Dung men who enter the consular
or diplomatic service may hope to
show the capacity. The diplomatic
service may be chosen as a profession
by the college man who upon exam
inatlon shows equipment for it. and
the office of ambassador is not beyond
his reach If he has the stuff in him.
Under Root this system of training
men in diplomacy was established. but
under Bryan it suffered Bryan was
TOO concerned about taking care of
the cronies who had been good to him
IN his various candidates. for the
presidency. We are going to restore
Root system now, to get men in our
legations who are as competent as
their rivals in any European legation
We need them especially in Latin
america. where the Bryan policy did
the most harm
Mr.. Hughes fully deserves the COM
pliment paid him. He has started well,
and the great success that marked his
course in the other important posts he
has filled will doubtless mark his
course in the important post he is now
filing.
But why be unjust to Mr.. Bryan?
The Post-Standard is unjust. Mr.
Bryan as Secretary of State dispensed
very little patronage. His friends COM
planned of him. They seemed to feel
he was neglecting them. when, as was
given out by those intimately in the
know, <he had but few places at his
command. The majority Of the places,
and all of the most important ones,
were filled from the White House.
Gossip gave this as one of the rea-
sons for Mr.. Bryan's retirement from
office. His mind did not "go along"
with that of his chief in the matter
of the division of the spoil. His chief
claimed too much, while he. with
large and expectant and insistent fol-
lowing, had next to nothing to bestow.
Since it is the day of confessions by
means Of books and pamphlets and all
that, what reception would be ac-
corded a book by Mr. Bryan giving
his experiences as Secretary of State,
and particularly his reasons for giving
up the office! Curiosity on that point
has always been, and still is, very
keen.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
Napoleon Centenary.

On the centenary of his death, Ma
poleon 1 will leave politics and enter
into history. This is the aim of a
committee which is organizing an am
bilious program under the patronage
of the President of France, the pre-
mier and the presidents of the senate
and the chamber. with Marshal Foch
as honorary president. First Of all.
Napoleon exhibitions will be opened
during the present month at Fon-
tainebleau. Compiegne. Malmaison and
Sevres and will last until the end of
September Then, next month. there
Will be excursions to Corsica. the Isle
of Elba, Waterloo and probably in the
Rhineland, lecturers accompanying
the parties. A historic congress will
be organized at the Societies Sevantes.
at which the whole world is invited to
take part in discussions on Napoleonic
institutions and the civil code in par.
ticular. On May there will be a re-
ligious ceremony at Notre Dame Ca
Sorbonne. and on the following day
at the Arc de Triomphe a military dis
play will be held, followed by a gath
ering at the Invalides, and a speech
by Marshal Foch. At o'clock on
the same evening a salvo of one hum
dred guns will be fired. The. great
day will be wound up with gala per-
formance.
Taking the view that Napoleon was
the greatest man of all time. and that
the prestige of his glory remains i'm
mense. the committee would like other
countries to be associated with his en-
try into the serene sphere OF history.
Spain has accepted the invitation and
will send a delegation Of twenty per-
sons. Germany has not been invited.
but it is reported that several Ger
mans have sent subscriptions which
have been politely returned. If au-
- &c, oh fo fhara will n a
public subscription, and the money
obtained. as well as the proceeds of
the exhibitions. will go TO Nine.
Foch's funds for war orphans and
widows There will be a celebration
at St. Helena, with which Great Brit
ain will be associated. A French
battery with guns will go to st.
Helena and will fire a salute at the
same moment as the guns are BOOM
ing in Paris. 1t is hinted today that
for the ceremony on the island Eng.
land will perhaps lend one OF her
war vessels.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
The Bequest of Mrs. Hurt.

The bequest of Mrs. Henry Hurt,
widow OF the street railway magnate,
OF $oOO,O00 for the establishment and
maintenance Of a home for destitute
and needy blind Of Washington, is a
very beautiful gesture. The institu.
tion. to be known as the Henry and
Annie Hurt Home for the Blind, will
fill a real and regrettable gap in the
system charged with the business of
caring for the unfortunates of the
community. A considerable portion
Of the balance Of Mrs. Hurts estate
Is left to be divided among certain ex.
isting charitable institutions of the
District in which she and her husbnad
took genuine interest during their
lifetime.
These bequests cannot but furnish
cause for thoughtful reflection on the
part Of Washingtonians in general.
They speak Of that full appreciation
Of the existing civic obligation to play
ones part in helping the helpless OF
the community family. And. by that
fact, they should serve to inspire many
OF the city who today need only some
slight impetus to awaken to a full
conception Of their duty toward their
less fortunate fellows. Too many of
us-and Washington is no worse than
other communities-havey yet to attain
to that vital interest in agencies en-
gagged in lending hand to the dis
tressed and despairing which prompts
concrete and unstinted support. Mrs.
Hurts gift. splendid as it is in itself,
will assume its chief beneficence in it's
example to the community.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
The New York Patronage.

The President goes to New York on
the 18th instant, to deliver an ad-
dress at the unveiling of the Bolivar
stature. While in town. as report has
it, he will hear something from local
republican leaders on the subject of
federal patronage. and how best to
distribute New York's portion.
Almost from the beginning, New
York patronage has given it's dis
pensers anxious hours, and brought to
some of them embarrassments. and
even disasters. The history of the
past half century contains striking
proof of the truth of this assertion.
1t was New York patronage that
caused the split between Garfield and
Conkling, and which led up to the de-
age in large part that weakened Mr.
Cleveland in the state in the campaign
of 1888, and gave the state to Gen.
Harrison. 1t was patronage in part
that cost Mr.. Wilson the state both in
1916 and last year. His banishing of
Tammany from the pie counter made
that organization Indifferent in the
former year, and openly antagonistic
in spots in the latter.
New York politicians do not live by
pie alone. But pastry is filing, and
very palatable to them. They do bust.
ness on a business basis. They play
politics with zest and skill; and after
a campaign the victors feel deep,
earnest longing for reward, and put
in their claims promptly and con-
fidently.
This produces factionism, and fac
tionism that is sometimes fierce. The
republicans of the state are not now
unusually divided. nor are the divi.
sions unusually clamorous. But. the
situation is such as calls for careful
handling. and Mr.. Harding is said to
be giving it the attention it deserves
by reason Of the Importance of New
York in the republican equation.
Evening star., 1921-04-03

The American boys who tried to cap
ture Bergdoll have been released from
Jail. where they were confined for un-
due assumption Of authority. In view
Of recent events the German mind
should be prepared for leniency to-
ward undue assumptions of authority.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
Rate by MaiI-Payable in Advance
MARYLAND and Virginia.
"A States Exposition Here.

Plans for the establishment of true
national exposition in the District are
to be considered by meeting of cit,
izens to be held Wednesday evening
next. The project contemplates the
construction of a series of state build
ings on a suitable site within con-
venient access of the city. This enter
prise was inaugurated eight years ago
and but for the war would probably
have been carried to the point of eX-
ecution ere now. There was then a
high degree of enthusiasm for it on
The part of representatives of the
states and now there is a more
emphatic feeling than ever that the
states should be symbolized in some
distinctive practical manner here at
the capital.
American participation in the great
war brought about d pronounced real
ization of Washington as the National
Capital. Everything centered here.
The city was thronged with people
from all parts of the country engaged
in war work. AS never before national
attention centers upon the District.
Thus the sentiment for the creation
here of typical and representative
state structures has increased since
the project was first proposed.
Under the plan generally outlined
the cost to each Of the forty-eight
states will be relatively small. 1t is
not proposed to cover an immense area
semble effectively a group of build
ings, each definitely characteristic of
the state it represents. In each Of
these buildings will be an exhibit of
the products of the state, SO arranged
as to demonstrate vividly the resources
of the commonwealth. 1t may be that
each building can be constructed out
of characteristic materials of native
production. Possibly the designs. if
co-ordinated with reference to the har-
mony of the general scheme, may be
also characteristic.
No other nation has an opportunity
to make such a striking display as
that which is proposed. The enormous
range Of this country, the wide differ.
ences Of climate, the variations Of in
dustries all make for a remarkable pic
ture of an unsurpassed. unapproached
empire. Visitors from abroad wit
Messing such an exposition would gain
a better grasp of the true meaning of
the United States than by travel, such
as the average tourist cannot possibly
make through the states To many
Americans. too-in fact. to most of
them-a display of state resources
within the compass of few score of
acres would be a revelation.
The educational value Of such an ALL
states exposition would be incalcuIable.
The value to the states themselves
would be great. The value to Wash
ington would obviously be consider
able. But the enterprise. should be
placed and kept upon the basis Of state
initiative. 1t should be state project,
not local. At the meeting Wednesday
night representatives of the state SO.
cieties that have been organized in
this city will attend and the hope is
that through them the plan may be
brought to the point of practical de-
velOpment.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
HEARD AND SEEN.

DR.. Harvey w. Wiley. the noted food
! expert. and DR.. Samuel Wilson. re-
| tired minister, were discussing old
| times one day last week
! Both the men are graduates of Han
over College, near the Ohio river,
along which the minister spent his
early years.
II remember the great floods of 50.
'S3 and 'S4.' said DR.. Wilson. Dur
ing one of those floods we had to re-
tire to the second floor, and then TO
the third floor
| I'VE had TO cook our food over the
CRATE" he recalled. I'm the morning
/ we would let down bucket on a
rope to the milkman, who came in d
skiff"
J DR.. Wiley smiled
| That would he some excuse for
! watering the milk" he said.
| y
I like to think of Otto Praeger, for
mer second assistant postmaster gen
eral. getting those sets of Dickens
and Thackeray and a set of pipes. pre-
scented TO him by associates when he
! resigned.
| There was a present worth while.
|. Silver plaques and loving cups are
all very well. but the best thing about
such gifts is the fact that they assure
the donors that they will be kept
Nobody else would want them.
| But sets of Dickens and Thackeray,
| with a ''set of pipes, there is a royal
gift.
| One does not need a pipe much less
set of them. to conjure up the pic
ture of the former second assistant
postmaster general coming home after
| hard days work at his new job.
| He takes off his coat; lights up one
OF those new pipes; makes wry
! facc-for the pipe isn't broken in yet
and looks over his books
| Guess I'll try oliver Twist this
time" he says.
| Here's a story for the ladies:
| Mrs. Smith meets Mrs. Jones. who is
wearing a new batiste waist. Mrs
Smith does not observe the waist.
! You know" says Mrs Smith. after
| the conversation inevitably runs TO
clothes. Il simply cannot stand ba-
tiste for waists. 1t looks so much
like underwear"
| Next day Mrs. Smith meets Mrs
Jones again. This time she observes
4 T..
"Such a beautiful waist" she smiles
II think batiste is so nice for waists
So simple, you know
| Postmaster General Hays continues
to surprise Washington with his
pep"
Not that the quality mentioned was
unknown to the National Capital be-
| fore Mr.. Hays arrived. Nor that one
| is surprised to see the new head of
the postal service exhibit such a
| quality.
But the surprise comes with the
original quality of the pep" demon
strated by Mr.. Hays.
| The way he greeted forty news
| paper men at the first strictly for
NAL conference he held with them
| was an example.
in the big anteroom when the door
of the Postmaster Generals office
| opened.
A small man in black suit stood in
| the doorway.
| Suddenly he shot his hands straight
! above his head, holding them aloft
while a smile of welcome appeared on
| his face.
1t was the Postmaster Generals way
| of telling them to come in. and il
| almost took some of the more staid
] of the newspaper men of their feet
I Probably very few of them knew
that what the Postmaster General
| was doing was simply going through
! motions he learned at wabash College
not SO many years ago. when he gave
| the college yell.
CHARLEs E. TRACEwELL.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
Financial Conservatism.

Everything I touch turns to gold, u
remarked Midas, plaintively.
THAT may be all right for mythol.
ogy." replied the capitalist. But
there's no use of you trying to put
across any statement as strong as that
even In a prospectus
Evening star., 1921-04-03

1t appears that grain can be shipped
from Argentina to New York cheaper
than from some Of the western states
of the U. S. A. The farmer has to
study the map Of the world as well as
his own corn field.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
Wars Legacy of Nerves.

The trials of war time and the wor-
ries Of peace time have played havoc
with the nerves of thousands OF per-
sons who never knew they possessed
any until 1914, says the London Ex-
Evening star., 1921-04-03
Literary Abundance.

"You contend that motion pictures
promote literature?"
"Of course, do" replied the man.
ager. Look at the voluminous work
Of our accomplished press agent"
Evening star., 1921-04-03

Unemployment problems will be
more easily solved when applicants
for occupation turn as naturally to
factory as to motion picture studio
Evening star., 1921-04-03

While not engaged in active hostil.
tiles. France and Germany can not yet
be regarded as at peace with each
other.
Evening star., 1921-04-03

Along with the tariff comes the dis
confirm the impression that the coun-
try is getting into action on tradi-
tional lines.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
Genius and the Proprieties.

Dancing is the poetry of motion. :"
Certainly" replied the man of
strict ideas; there has been some
poetry that needed expurgation."
Evening star., 1921-04-03

The psychological effect of a land
slide on civil service is now an inter.
esting study in political science.
Evening star., 1921-04-03

II coal crisis must come, Great
Britain would probably rather have it
in April than in November.
Evening star., 1921-04-03

Jud Tunlsins says he's glad enough
people don't actually have to be dis
covered dead to furnish first chapters
to the detective stories.
Evening star., 1921-04-03

Trotsky is evidently ready to see a
state Of affairs in Russia that will en-.
able him to get away from literature
and open ledger.
Evening star., 1921-04-03

No doubt Mr.. Lansing realized be-
fore he set to work. that no author can
hope to please everybody.
Evening star., 1921-04-03

Business is now trying to avoid
monopoiistic limitations and get back
Of quick sales and small profits"
Evening star., 1921-04-03

Germany. proud as she is Of her
philosophersi declines to contemplate
indemnity philosophically.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
WARNING IN US. TRADE FIGURES

! 1920 over 1919. This large increase
IN last years exports of manufactures
is more especially gratifying from
the fact that it consists of large
quantities as we'll as values. and in
cludes variety of products cover
ing many industries. For example.
automobiles increased by 10000 cars,
value of nearly $150.O00,000: cotton
goods increased by 136.000,000 yards,
value Of $s6,ooo,ooo; knit goods. cloth
ing and other cotton manufactures by
another $43.00o,O00.
Another encouraging feature in
connection with the increases in the
exports of manufactured goods in
1920 over 1919 is the fact that they
apparently occurred in the trade with
the non on-manufacturing countries of
the world that send. in exchange for
the products of the United States. raw
materials and foodstuffs. largely of
tropical origin and mostly of non
competitive nature The largest in
creases of $237 100000 each were to
Canada and Cuba. and $76,000.00O to
Mexico. Exports to South America
increased $4,000, 900.
X
It is generally recognized that with
the tremendous debts owed by Eu-
rope to this
Debts and Falling country which.
Exchange Rates. ] ernment loans sU.
are estimated to aggregate not less
than $4,000, 100000. with the ex-
change rate deprecated to a point
which seems to make further buying
from the United States prohibitive
with declining imports, scarcity of
gold and strained credit facilities, it
will be impossible for exports from
the United States to continue at their
present level, Mr.. Holm. who is the
6est government authority on the
subject. states positively.
There has been a declining tend
eney shown in exports during the
last year. he points out-the average
tor the first half of 1920 figures at
sos, 100000, and for the last half
$644.000,000. The rapid and steady
decline Of imports in recent months
may be a serious feature in the sit
uation. Mr.. Holm warns the American
business interests.
Trade papers are full Of rumors of
cancellation Of orders. moratoriums
and congestion in foreign
Ca0Cele0 pOTIS. 1uere IS no QOuOI
that the goods represent
oAueAs' ed by the statistics have
left the United States and that can
cellations and difficulties of collect
ing for them occurred largely at the
points of destination. These Difficult
ties, however, are bound to affect the
future foreign trade of this coun-
try. In the face of all this. it is
difficult to find any grounds for ar
guments against an inevitable slump
in export trade. the government ex-
pert says
The reaction in domestic prices. as
cribed to be due to a buyers strike
on the part Of the ultimate con-
sumers. may have induced the manu-
facturers to sell to foreign buyers
at the best prices obtainable. and the
radical and general decline in whole
sale prices during the last half of
1920 may be the cause of exports
keeping up and imports falling off.
Evening star., 1921-04-03
History's Unlear1,ed Lesson.

HistOry's Unlearned Lesson.
| A throne in danger doth abound,
A thousand threats advance on it
And yet some one is always found
Who wants to take a chance on 1t
Evening star., 1921-04-03
FIFTY YEARS AG6IN
THE STAR, 10

The question OF the location Of the
depot of the Baltimore and Potomac
Evening star., 1921-04-03
THEODORE W. MOVES. :. Editor ',
The Evening Star NeWspaper Company

Business Oaice l1th ST. and Pennsylvania Ave
New York once: Tribune building
Chicago ONCE: First National Bank Euitding
European Office: Regent St., London, EnSiand.
Evening star., 1921-04-03

This proposed location of the sta
tion caused a protest. In The Star