davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1921-04-17
Real Kindness.

Every year the people Of Washing
ton are specifically asked to "be kind
to animals" This Is one of the most
popular forms Of drive" Nobody is
asked for a penny. No tags are sold.
No bouquets or souvenirs are rendered.
Just a thought passes, a thought that
it is hoped will live for at least year.
BE kind to animals" read the
placards on the street cars. What does
that mean? Few people own horses, but
many Of them use them. and the
Injunction is not only to be kind your
self, but to insist upon kindness by
others toward the animals they con-
troll. Everybody more or less gets in
contact with the animal world all the
time. There are dogs and cats in the
houses. These domestic pets are. nat
urally objects Of attention and kind
ness. But there are many strays that
suffer because people are unkind. 1t
must be perhaps the greatest kindness
to put them out Of existence if they
cannot find good homes. But there
they are. awaiting adoption or pre-
ferring vagrancy. perhaps.
A child that Is cruel to an animal is
likely to be cruel to fellow beings. One
of the principal duties Of this week
is for parents to preach the lesson Of
consideration for all four-footed crea-
tures-for birds as well. Often
through these kindness thoughts comes
a broader understanding OF the Won
derful life of the creatures that cannot
talk and yet that are so intimately Is.
ISOLATED with humanity.
The people OF Washington were
asked last week to be kind to animals
at all times and in all circumstances.
This will be a happier city for the
humans as well as the animals If they
respond.
Evening star., 1921-04-17
Conscience and Compound Interest.

President Harding has received a
demonstration Of the power Of con-
science and the compound interest
table. A letter has come to him from
California inclosing q dollar bill, with
the explanation that it represents 10
centS worth Of property wrongfuily
taken from him twenty years ago,
with interest to date.
II this thing happened to everybody,
what lot Of easy money" would
come! There Is hardly anybody who
has not at one time or another loaned
money and after a period Of fading
expectation has finally kissed it good
bye" and practically forgotten it, II
conscience and the compound interest
case worked together in all these cases
there would be some rare windfalls. A
ten-dollar bill loaned ten years ago
would return in the form Of something
over SIT. In fifteen years it would
have become about $23. Interest piles
up after a few years. even on small
amounts.
Not all conscience payers. though,
compute the interest. They feel that
9Aheir souls are saved by merely pay.
ing the principle. II. indeed. the in.
terest were compounded in all bad
debts" and full liquidation were Of.
fected. there would be an overturn
that would shake the financial founda.
tons Of the country.
Evening star., 1921-04-17

tenn and the use of the canal itself as
a right OF way into Washington. That
plan fell through. 1t can undoubtedly
put coal into Washington from the
Cumberland fields at a cheaper haul
ing rate than the railroad. But it
cannot always get the coal at the
upper end and is thus handicapped
as a competitor with the rails.
The Navy Department Is. OF course.
justified in seeking the cheapest mar.
ket for its coal. for local or any other
use. But there Is an equity in this
case that is worthy OF consideration.
even when the cry Is for economy In
all lines. Is it not the best economy
after all. to preserve a potentially
valuable transportation system, even
though in present conditions it cannot
be prof1tably maintained?
If there Is no future for the canal.
If it does not pay as an investment
in future potentiality to maintain it
now at q loss, it should be definitely
closed. But that has not been dem
onstrated. Virtually the maintenance
Of the canal depends upon government
patronage for the present. Cannot
this condition be cured by the develop
ment Of commercial patronage? The
application of the Maryland delega-
tion to the Secretary Of the Navy to
continue the use of canal-borne coal
at Indian Head should lead to an in
quiry into the possibilities Of canal
is of no advantage for the canal to be
maintained on sufferance from year to
year with the constant menace Of fail
ure and closure impending over all
the operatives.
Evening star., 1921-04-17
Putting Pressure on Germany.

The French plan for tightening the
screws on Germany in case the repara.
lions payment due on May 1 is not
forthcoming is. Of course, not dis
closed in detail. But it appears to be
to extend the area Of occupation be-
yond the Ruhr and to include a part
Of the industrial section Of westphalts.
There was some talk Of a French
move as FAR as Berlin. This. however.
would be extremely hazardous. Ap-
parently It is the idea Of the French
military and political leaders to put
the pressure on Germany gradually,
to extend the area Of occupation
step by step as hong as Germany re.
mains obdurate.
Tho psychology Of this procedure IL
sound. If Germany refuses to meet
her obligations under the treaty and
the reparations awards she will Be
under q constantly increasing domina-
ton by France. Steadily the line will
advance. Tho German people Will b
made to see that there 10 no escspo
from the penalty. A To- such steps
Evening star., 1921-04-17
POLITICS AT HOME.
"The Republic IL Opportunity"

At this time. when the signal sue.
cess OF a newspaper editor and pub
Usher is recorded In his presence In
the White House, 1t Is well to note the
success OF another man who began
life In the same field and rose to
eminence and influence. He has just
passed away. In his sixty-fourth year
Jeter Connolly Pritchard-the name
Jeter Is very unusual-was a printer =
devil" in small town in Tennessee.
He liked the work. and kept well
smeared with it. Ambition stirred In
his bosom. and he moved to a small
town in North Carolina, where he be.
came joint editor and publisher Of a
newspaper.
He succeeded in the new field,
studied law. entered politics. acquired
influence, held Office. attended state
and national conventions as a dele
gate, directed campaigns, and, in time,
as a reward for many party services
of great value, was elected to the
United States Senate to fill the unex.
pired term Of "Zeb" Vance, who had
died.
Retiring from the Senate in March,
1897, Mr.. Pritchard, as he then was,
received an appointment from Presi.
dent Mckinley, who had. just taken
Office. to a place on the bench of the
District here, and, after brief service,
was promoted to place on the cir
cult bench of the United States, where
he served until his death.
1t was a typical American career,
beginning in poverty and obscurity,
and ending in eminence and all the
comforts of life.
Judge Pritchard possessed no snowy
gifts, but won through character and
an all-around equipment of common
sense well and diligently applied. Last
year he was mentioned for the repub.
lican nomination for Vice President
1t was but personal compliment, but
bestowed with sincerity by men who
had known him all their lives.
Evening star., 1921-04-17
The G. & o. Canal.

II the Navy Department boys its
coal for Indian Head from another
source than the Cumberland fleld, the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal win be de-.
pFived Of its chief traf1sc and cannot
be maintained. This 10 the net Of q
situation that IL being called to the
attention Of the department in the
hope Of . change in the plan. During
the war the government. recognizing
the value oI this waterway. made cer.
tain oe It's continued maintenance by
guarsnteeing operating expenses, and
it spent about $4,000 on this account
besides building $4,000 worth Of
barges. The government has q long.
standing investment Of . million dol.
lars in the canal. 10 this artery of
commerce to BE- closed and the gov.
ernment's expenditure scrapped?
During recent years the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal has had q hard time
competing with the railroads. There
was . plan. indeed. some years aes
for its aequisittoa BY the Wahssh sys.
Evening star., 1921-04-17
Germany Slipping Away.

The refusal of the American State
Department to hold out any encourage
ment to Germany until the latter had
squared accounts with the allies met
a hearty welcome in France. The
French are beginning to feel that
Germany is wriggling gradually out
of the grip in which the allies held
her at the time she sued for peace.
Thus former President Poincare says
in the Matin. Paris:
Germany continues to give us
proofs Of good faith and to thank US
for our untiring long suffering. We
granted her tolerance and delay for
her disarmament. Our kindness has
only had the effect of encouraging
her in equivocation and evasions. The
note addressed to the reich on the
2sth of January by the interallied
Paris conference and the note ad-
dressed to the reich on the 1st of
March by the interallied commission of
government successive pretexts for in
solvent replies.
1.-THE 'reichswehr' has only, they say,
the quantity Of cannon. Of machine guns.
of mine throwers and Of guns allowed
by the peace treaty and the Spa protocol
But they do not add that besides the
reichswehr arms remain in a number
Of secret organisations and among num-
bers of private individuals. The allies
have ordered them to deliver up this
material spread all over the kingdom:
deien to answer a word. Contrary to
the treaty and to subsequent demands.
the forts of Kustrin, Of Lutxen- -Bozen
and of Koenigsberg are we'll furnished
with light and heavy guns. Impossible
to give them up. says the reich, and 1t
war materials is beginning again in a
number Of factories.
"The same attitude and the same
language" continues the writer, 'in the
question Of reparations- Until lately
and since the armistice Germany. on the
whole, acknowledged that she ought to
pay war damages. During the discus
sions before the signing OF peace. after
the signing and the ratification. all
narties except the extreme right and the
communists declared themselves ready
to organize and carry on tho work OF
reparation Since the beginning OF this
year a great change has taken place In
nearly ali German circles. The govern
ment Of the reich has taken the initiative
in the very face of the allies o. propa
randa on the origins and responsible
ties Of the war. and great many Ger
mans have begun to say. some OF them
perhaps even to think. that their coun-
try is innocent, that it was obliged to
declare war, that 1t was forced to ruin
our provinces and that the responsible
ties ought at least to be shared by all
belligerent powers. that Germany owes
nothing to anybody. =.
But how abo01 the solemn ~
Evening star., 1921-04-17
A Presidential Experience.

Mr.. Harding is meeting with one ex-
perience which must be very agreeable
to him. He is receiving many invita-
tions to attend public functions of one
kind or another, and assured in every
case OF a most cordial reception.
These invitations come from all Sec
tions OF the country. Men in all walks
OF life extend them. Committees wait
upon him and voice in fitting terms
the wishes Of those they represent.
In the nature of things but few of
these invitations can be accepted. Mr..
Harding has entered upon a busy
period. The public business will keen
him close to base for months. And pub
lie business is very exactine, Those
charged with it murst attend to it.
But the pressing Of a button, or the
writing Of letter, will sometimes an.
swer; and, Of course. Mr. Harding will
be at such service wherever it will sub
stitute for his personal presence.
This experience, fortunately for the
country, comes to every man who oc.
cupies the White House. When a man
crosses those portals he becomes the
representative Of all the people, those
who opposed his entrance as much as
those who promoted 1t. All alike con.
fess his representative character and
authority. and toward all alike he ia
expected to manifest a kindly interest.
In other words, he is the President Of
all the people. and. as such, an object
Of interest to all. All want to do him
honor in his Office.
The Office continues to hold it's place
as lure. The best Of our public men
dream OF it. and many openly aspire
to 1t. 1t imposes hard work and brings
much harsh criticism on the incum.
bent, but the place "is the guide for a.
that."s
Evening star., 1921-04-17
DIGEST OF FOREIGN PRESS

/ knowledgment of guilt which was in
serted in the Versailles treaty and
that Germany signed? "A thing of
the past, we tell you: a false confess
sion extorted by violence. We are not
guilty, we have never been guilty.
There only remains among us a small
number of independent socialists who
still speak OF the responsibility Of the
imperial governwent. The great ma
jority consider that Brockdorff-
Rantzau is right. 1t was he who saw
clearly. II tho government Of June.
1919. and the national assembly had
listened to him we should have resist
ed at once. We were wrong to appear
to yield Today We have come to our
selves again. We are determined to
offer passive resistance. In the end
We shall find some favorable oppor-
tunity which will free us from our
engagements II we keep putting or
the evil moment. Who knows what
can still happen in the east? The
time may come when we may have
an understanding with England for
the exploitation OF Russia, or with
America, perhaps even with Japan.
And then as time goes on the chances
Of division among the allies in
crease. Each one of them has in
ternal preoccupations, financial diff
culties. strikes, states of emergency.
Irish troubles. Florentine riots. What
place every day to free us from our
obligations and prepare our revenge"
M. Loucheur, minister OF the Hber-
ated regions. related in the chamber the
make the world believe that she really
had drawn up plan for the restoration
of our devastated regions Intolera lie
exigencies for the employment of Ger
man labor. exorbitant pretentions or bad
faith shown in the providing of mate
rails: in the word. the resumption Of
the propositions of Versailles, Spa and
London. Germany demanded that the
workmen in the devastated regions
should be better lodged and better treat
ed than the inhabitants themselves. We
should have witnessed the scandal OF
the former conquerors returning to in
suit. by their comfort. the misery Of
their victims. As to the bricks, states,
offer. nothing has come of lit has all
disappeared.
Tn France the government the cham
bers and the country all agree in de-
string to put an end without delay to a
situation which. il it lasts, would lead
London conference succeeded in oonvinc-
ing our allies of the perfidy Of the reich
and who persuaded them to accept the
idea of the joint coercion, will know how
to finish the work 50 well Begin. Since
the. first sanctions taken have not
brought Germany to make any amends:
since, on the contrary. she has become
strengthened in her fixed resolution;
since, besides violating the Versailles
treaty, she has added a number of vol
untary infringements. / imagine that our
allies will agree with us that the cup is .
full.
We must have an understanding.
then, as soon as possible with our allies
on the measures to be taken. which
must Be- a means OF oompulsion as well
as a pledge. II we do not take neces-
sary decisions At once difficulties will
increase inoes6antlY and will become in
OurmountahlA Tue dlno has come to,
stop the march Of evil"
Evening star., 1921-04-17
Rsto By Mail-Paysble in Advance.
MARYLAND and Virginia.
The Surplus Equities.

In any consideration Of the use OF
the surplus District revenues now
lying in the Treasury for the expan-
sion Of the school system and the ques-
ton Of the water supply there should
be no departure from the principle
that these funds were raised under the
organic act of 1873 on the basis of
equal participation by the District and
the general government in capital
maintenance. Had these funds been
expended as they should have been
from year to year in meeting the Dis
veloping community, each dollar OF
District tax money would have been
accompanied by federal dollar. There
fore the surplus as it stands now rep
resents an equitable asset Of twice the
amount borne on the books Of the
Treasury as accumulated, unused Dis
trict tax revenues.
II this money should be appropriated
extension of the water system, Con-
sress may, in strict adherence to its
new policy of District maintenance. de-
eide that the Districts share Of the
costs to be thus met shall be
90 per cent. instead of SO per cent,
although equitably the $3.50 ratio
should apply in this particular matter
even though the 60-40 ratio now pre-
walls in the making of appropriations.
This, however, should be the only al
tentative.
No effective argument save that OF
the power to do so can justify Con-
gress in ignoring the equity upon
which this surplus fund is based. 1t is
undeniable that had this money been
used it would have been doubled and
that the District to date would have
received the benefit of approximately
100000 in appropriations for main
tenance or for permanent works. 1t is
not to be denied that those whose
taxes went to the accumulation of this
fund paid with the full expectation
that their dollars would be matched
by federal dollars in the expenditure.
There was more than an implied con-
tract in the collection Of these taxes
that they would be expended on the
half-and-half basis. There was a law
to that effect. There remains an i'm.
piled law governing the expenditure. if
the fund is now used as it should be,
to bring the Districts school equip
ment or its water system more nearly
up to point Of need.
These considerations prevail what.
ever the length Of time between the
collection OF the revenues and thir ex-
penditure. If this fund were to remain
for ten years idle in the Treasury it
would still be subject to the same con-
sideration. Should Congress. however,
conclude that the change Of appropria-
tion ratio can be made retroactive to
effect these accumulated resources it
has the power so to order. But the
order would not be just.
Evening star., 1921-04-17
The Colombian Treaty.

AACSA0Cue 1a0A uAAS, u uSuAAS sASAOS
long-standing and overheated con-
troversies on the subject Of the Colon
bian treaty. urges upon the Senate the
course Of ratifying that instrument.
Without entering into the question Of
the rights and wrongs incident to the
revolution Of Panama from Colombia,
he strongly emphasizes the advisable
ity Of composing a difference between
the United States and Colombia which
has endured overlong, and of doing it
in so generous a manner as to enhance
our prestige and repute with our
neighbors to the south. It is to be
ing superior to charges and counter
charges, the assertion or contradiction
Of which can never be fully substan-
tiated, will follow the presidential sug-
gestion with the bigness Of spirit in
which it was advanced.
The story behind the long contro-
verted treaty. briefly told. is this: In
January, 1903, President Roosevelt
held authority from Congress to treat
with Colombia for the right to con-
struct the Panama canal, and, If such
negotiations failed to carry through, to
undertake the Nicaragua canal prof.
division Of the republic OF Colombia.
In August of the same year, a con-
vention concluded between Secretary
of State Knox and the charge d'anaires
Of Colombia at Washington. whereby
the United States was to acquire for
a price Of $40. .0oo. 900 the property and
rights Of the French Panama Com
pany. was rejected by the Colombian
senate. On November 3. three days
after the adjournment Of the Colon
bian congress, the council of the city
Of Panama proclaimed the republic Of
Panama and a bloodless revolution
was speedily effected. The new re-
public was recognized by the United
States three days later, American war.
ships having been ordered to the
isthmus and marines landed at Colon.
the United States and the republic Of
Panama had been negotiated and rati.
fled, the United States obtaining con.
troll Of the Canal Zone" for a pay
ment Of $4,000, 900 cash and $3.50 900
a year as from 1914. Colombia, feel.
ing that she was entitled to compensa.
ton for her loss, sought the same, and
by the treaty now pending in the Sen
ate the United States would pay her
s25.000.o0o as indemnification.
The acerbities Of the controversy in
this country over whether the respec-
tive positions of the United States and
Colombia in 1903 were right or wrong,
whether or not We on the one hand in
stigated the revolution in Panama in
our desire to obtain the rights we
sought or Colombia on the other
sought to "blackmail'' US into paying
an exorbitant price for those rights,
need not be gone into. They have in
the past too effectively served to be.
cloud the main issue of whether or not
Colombia is entitled to compensation
from US for the loss Of Panama. For
too long the question has been a sub.
ject for political controversy. Today It
would seem that on its merits from the
viewpoint Of statesmanship, the treaty.
with the strong influence Of President
Harding behind 1t, will be favorably
acted upon by the Senate in the near
future. and an unhappy incident in our
relations with a sister republic definite
ly and finally closed.
Evening star., 1921-04-17
Jefferson.

Is Thomas Jefferson coming back?
It looks a little that way. At any
rate, the 18th Of April received more
notice this year than for several years
just past The well known and well
beloved anniversary was observed in
a number Of states, and some of the
speeches were marked by the old.time
fervor.
One note. however. may produce dis
cord. This was sounded at PITTSBURGH
"a, rock-ribbed republican town
where a thousand persons dined in
honor Of the day with the Women's
Democratic Club Of Allegheny County,
The principal speech was made by
Homer s. Cummings, visitor from
Connecticut, who last year presided as
temporary chairman over the San
Francisco convention. In a report Of
the dinner this appeared:
MANY compliments were paid Wood
row Wilson by the speakers, especial
ly Mr.. Cummings. who declared while
Jefferson had been instrumental in
making America free, Wilson had been
instrumental In ultimately freeing the
world"
This will be challenged in all JEFF.
fersonian circles. Jefferson the paro
chial statesman, and Wilson the world
statesman? The true Jeffersonfan will
answer, Never! Jefferson play second
fiddle? He drew the real bow in his
day with skill and sweet effect, and
never played second to anybody. Why
now. even iguratively?
At his winter home in F1orida Mr.
Bryan issued statement inspired by
the anniversary. and in that he said
Jefferson has been dead nearly q
century. but his political code is the
only basis upon which a democratic
party can stand today. and the apply
ing Of his ideas to pending problems
offers the democratic party its only
hope Of restoration to power"
This is in the old familiar key. This
is the stuff. This has the ring in
which all democrats used to delight,
Can Mr.. Bryan re-establish his party
on that basis? And on that basis can
he restore 1t to power? And in max.
ing the attempt will he again offer
himself-as he would be justified in
doing-as the Moses Of the adventure?