davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1923-10-19
No Third Party for Veterans.

AS the American Legion was as
sembling at San Francisco for its an
nual national convention many dele
gates expressed themselves as favor
ing the organization of u separate
political party TO fight for the things
most desired by tine veterans of the
great war. Subsequent reports indicate
that second thoughts are prevailing,
and that the third-party plan is not
approved. This is the course OF wis
dom.
When the American Legion was
formed it was based upon the prilr-
ciple that it would not participate in
politics, that it would be non-partisau
organization, devoted to the promotion
of the welfare of the Americans who
participated in the war, regardless of
political affiliations. and not talxin r
any part in the political movements.
The strength of the order has been IN
great measure the result Of this
course.
A third party organization formed by
the veterans OF the war would be a
hopeless minority in any national cana-
.prtIsn. 1t would not have the complete
support of all the veterans. The
greater part of them would vote as
they have heretofore voted, in accord
ance with their partisan fnclinattans.
AS a minority party 1t would have
only negative Influence, possibly de-
structiVe
The history of American politics is
replete with instances of the rise and
fall of third parties. formed for spe-
cific purposes and to promote parttcu-
lar issues, accomplishing results only
through the influencing of the major
parties. These split-offs have usually
failed even TO effect the modification
Of the policies of the major orzaniza-
tions. One notable exception occurs in
the case of the. free soil party prior
10 the civil war. which contributed TO
the organization of the republican
Party dedicated to the prevention. of
the spread of slavery.
Members of the American Legion
will doubtless continue to be politically
active in the ranks of the two major
parties. They will seek. by means of
their chosen organizations, TO affect
national and state legislation. How
ever remote the legion may be itself
from partisanshfp nothing can or
should prevent the individuals from
showing partisan activity. They may
prove TO be formidable force through
solidarity in insistence upon courses
helpful to them, but only as they work
In and through the parties that al
ready exist, one or the other Of which
will control the federal organization.
Neither of the major parties will
ignore altogether the claims and de-
mands of the American Legion. But
that organization cannot and probably
will not undertake to dictate as a body
in matters affecting the welfare OF the
membership.
Evening star., 1923-10-19

: 1t is alIeasd, EMrded a pGoI tn the end
of corruDting ON q larger scale the
! enforcement agents. This was the OPP
portunity ef the federal organization.
/ Certain agents were detailed to be
bribed and went through the game
with nuefr SUCCESS Yesterday eleven
I men were ARRESTED in NeW York at
tile hoter which served as headquar-
tiers; Of the beer sfnuggiers. 1t is stated
!, that the evidence iS complete.
| The raid thai led to the arrest was
! not made until indictments had been
secured quietly, so that tine case is
now we'll advanced. The accusations
cover a wide range. They involve not
merely the. brihfng of officials. but the
manufacture of potable drinks cut of
dena nIred alcohol and other violations
of the federal statute.
Such proceedings are of the kind to
break up the fragrant violations of the
law. Prison terms are needed. The
imposition Of fines will not suffice. The
profits in the business of running,
bootlegging and Illicit distillins are
enormous. Money penalties are quick
Iy compensated by Increased profits.
But when a penitentiary is made the
goal of the lawbreakers a decided
''erimp' is put in the business.
Clamors for modification Of the en-
forcement act are constantly heard. in
the interest of a broadening of the
scope of allowable dispensation. Bar
more likely is the amendment Of the
law to increase the penalties for vio-
lation, with Imprisonment rather than
fines.
Evening star., 1923-10-19
Erin's Promise to Paw
Example for Other Lands

Definite announcement that the
Irish Free State will redeem the
bonds issued in America and ireland
in support OF the republican move
ment comes as a pleasant surprise. 1t
is surprising because of the wide
spread talk OF debt cancellation ,bs,
national debtors and tho CUSTOMARY
attempt of new governments to hag-
gle over assuming obligations of their
predecessors. Offlcials of the new
Free State could not legally be hela
for repayment of money invested in n
lost cause. But they voluntarily rec
ognize moral indebtedness, for, they
say. the republican movement led to
establishment of the Free State. They
give a lesson in good faith much
needed by soviet Russia, whose OBJ
stinacy in refusing to recognize the
foreign debts created by the czars in
the name of the Russian people has
brought down on the distressed coun-
try the dtstrust of the world An1
the money the Free State pays out In
carrying and redeeming the bonds
Will earn 100 per cent interest In good
wiil-in friendliness that could not BE-
had in any other manner.-MiIwau au-
kee Journal.
Evening star., 1923-10-19
Tax Reduction, When 7

Senators and representatives agree
that taxes ought to be reduced: the
public. groaning under its burden,
rervently says, Amen" There is
further accord among leaders in Con-
gress and Treasury officials that they
can be reduced, but there.is divergence
of opinion as TO when the action
should be taken.
Senator Smoot, who is to be chair
man of the finance committee at the
coming session of Congress, says that
it will be possible ultimately to reduce
the taxes, notably the income taxes, to
the extent of $500, 900, 900. But he does
not want it attempted at the approach
ing session. Such an attempt, on the
eve of a presidential campaign, would,
he says, ':open a. Pandora's box, of
troubles
Senator Borah, on the other hand,
AYERS that Pandora's box of troubles
is already open "out in the country
If, as Senator Smoot suggests. $780,
100000 can be Topped off, it should be
done, the Idaho statesman contends, as
soon as possible. He urges Senator
Smoot to urge his program, and do It
mt this session. claiming that if an ac-
tive campaign is not at once conducted
Congress may drift into program of
raising the taxes inequitably.
Public sentiment at large is likely
to take the view that, with the general
concurrence of congressional and ad-
ministrative opinion that taxes not
only should but can be reduced, the
action should be taken at the earliest
hour and with the least debate.
Evening star., 1923-10-19
Biblical Old Age
Question Challenged

To the Editor or Inc star: ~
In The Star of October 10. 1928,
there is an article by Paul V. Collins
which contains explanations as mar
velous as the statements to be eX-
planned. He tells US that Abraha
115 years (of five months eachl were
equal to seventy-two years. But we
are told in Genesis. 17:1I, that when
Abraham was Informed that he was
to be the father of a boy he fell upon
his face and laughed, and said in his
heart. Shall a child be born unto him
that is a hundred years old. and shall
Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? "
If year" was then equal to hve
months. Abraham was only forty-one
years old and Sarah thirty-seven, ac-
cording to our reckoning.
When Sarah heard of 1t she laugh
ed within herself" "And the Lord
Sarah laugh, saying shall I of a
surety bear child, which am old?"
Then Sarah denied. saying, L laughed
not for she was afraid. And He said.
Nay, but thou didst laugh" If
Abraham was only forty-one and
have been so amused at the thought
of people of their age having a child?
Sarah did not deny that she called
herself old, and no woman of thirty
seven, even If she admits 1t, considers
herself aged.
T..
Methuselah's day the year was zone
moon" long, and that Methuselah's
$50 years" were seventy-nine years.
According to Genesis. 5:25, Methuse-
lah, when he was 1877. became the
father of Lamech. If a year" was
then equal to one month, he begat
Lamech when he was fifteen. And
Enoch, when he was sixty-five, begat
Methuselah. II year was then equal
to "one moon." Enoch became the
father of Methuselah when he was
five years old. How old his wife was
we are not Informed.
In the same chaDter we are told
that Enos lived ninety years and be-
gat Cainan. Ninety moons are equal
to seven years. And Cainan lived
seventy years and begat Mahalaleel.
Seventy moons are equal to a little
over five years. And Mahslaleel lived
sixty-f1ve years and begat Jared-the
same age as Methuselah's pa
Many precoccious children have
lived, but most of them died young.
Mr.. Collins statements as to the
Roman calendar are entirely wrong,
IS may be seen from the chapter on
The Roman Calendar" In Ramsay s
Manual of Roman Antiquities"
ROSCOE LAMONT.
Evening star., 1923-10-19
White House Cats.

Dogs have had many Of their days
at the White House. and have had
their names and pictures "in the pa
per-" Visitors have petted them and
patted them Il great deal has been
written about White House dogs. and
many authors have exercised their
literary talent on White House horses
been White House cats. but they never
sought nor found publicity. No cat
has given way to a desire to accom-
pany President on his walks, nor to
ride on the front seat of a White
House automobile, nor to trot along
at the heels of Presidents horse. If
a White House cat strays from the
mansion it strays at night, and on a
mission Of its own.
An admirer of the President has
sent two cats to the White House,
and the cook has named them Blackie
and Tige.- In no spirit Of irreverence
may il be observed that Tige and
Blackie have already adopted that
cook as a more important government
official than the Commander -in-chief of
the Army and Navy. To them that
cook is the dispenser of public patron
age, and no courtier has fiattered a
President with more skill and guile
than those cats will use on that cook.
In the cats code a cook lives to be
worked" No doubt their duty is to
watch the mice. and if they are real
cats, faithful to the customs and tradi-
tions of their race, they will honestly
carry out the duties of their Office
Evening star., 1923-10-19

proposition thai prisoners awaiting
| trial might be segt to, the Occ9quan
wo2khouse or the Lnrton reformatory,
but the officer in 1s-charge of the jail
believes that the District has no right
to send Il man to. either institution
in advance OF conviction. Most per-
sons will consider that opinion sound.
The jail superintendent says that it
would not be economical to transfer
1 from the Jail to- the worRhouse those
prisoners who on conviction are SEN
fenced to ten or fifteen days irnpris-
onment. 1t is apparent that the pop.
ulation of the District has outgrown
local Jail facilities. The situation
might be temporarily relieved ay
speeding UP the processes OF the
courts or increasing their capacity for
disposing of cases brought before
them, but 1t would seem that the
measure Offering the only sure means
of relief would be the enlargement of
the Jail or the building Of ii larger
and better Jail beyond the city.
Evening star., 1923-10-19
A Big Dry Haul.

There is an old adage 10 the effect
that when thieves fall out honest
men may get their due" The prin-
ciple underlying this adage is sug-
sested in the case Of the illegal beer
brewers of New Jersey and Pennsyl-
vania. For some time past they have
been competing for the New York
trade, smuggling their wares into the
big thirsty town in large lots. They
rave had to smooth" the way by dis
tribution of backsheesh. Lately, how
ever, the New Jersey brewers have
suspected that the Pennsylvania rivals
were having a bit too much the bet
ter OF the game and, being nearer the
market, have felt asgrieved. So they
undertook a drive for business, and,
Evening star., 1923-10-19
SHOOTING STARS.
Bl PHILASDER JOHNSON
According to Custom.

according to Custom.
have heard some very wonderful
orations
thought would revolutionize the
world.
The audience made mighty demonstra-
tions
And even hats into the air were
hurled
| woke next day 10 watch the revolu-
felt was sure to set the earth
afiame.
| Intact was each familiar institution
And things We're running pretty
much the same
We think we've REACHED the summit
of our glory
Or else we think the worst at last
has come.
Each generation tells the ancient
story
OF hopes or fears that make US glad
or glum.
Complaints arise and jubiations fol-
low,
AS love and money play the same
old game.
Life may prove either genuine or
hollow
The world keeps running pretty
much the same.
Evening star., 1923-10-19
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

| @. What animal makes the most
tnoise when bellowing?-D. NJ.
A. The National Geological Park
says that there is no authentic infor-
! nation as to which animal makes the
most noise, but that the following
lanimals are generally conceded to be
among the greatest noise producers:
Lion, bull elk, sea lion, wolf and ele-
phant.
O.. Is 1t true that two thin gar
ments are warmer than one thick
one?-G. r. Y.
A. Government experts say that two
thin garments are warmer, because
the layer Of air between them IS a
poor conductor of heat
Q. Why are some playing cards
called squeezers?-p. NJ. S.
! A. This term is applied to cards
with corner indexes---that is, with
pips printed in the corners.
Q: What is meant by morticians?-
"A. 'Mortician" is a trade express
sion used by undertakers who are
members of a certain organization.
Sche word is in = class with the ex-
lAression "realtor," which may be used
oAly by such real estate men as are
mtH nbers OF a certain real estate or
gaitzatlon. The word morticlan 10 q
deri native of the Latin woru ueatn.
Q. AZ musical glasses old?-J. S.
A. The first mention of musical
glasses oxtant appeared in 1861.
Q. What President had a form Of
influenza 10 med for him?=-J. T.
A. Your n ference is evidently to
President T-Acr- A Boston man con-
rracted infiu,sl "a a few hours after
greeting the T resident. The victim
explained: Il Rrobably caught cold
from shaking hAlds with the Presi-
dent" The mala 8,v was called Tyler
grippe"
Q. How long hsA the loganberry
been grown?-J. L. @.
A. 1t was produced S1y Judge J. H.
Logan OF California in ASsl.
@. Has ConstantinoplA ever been
out of the hands of the To rks?-P. j.
A. Before it's capture by the Turks
Constanttnople was in the hands of
the Romans, Greeks and MA
ans. consecutiveIy.
Q. Is national forest timbea' sold
without advertisement?-S. E. y.
A. Only quantities Of 500 or less
IN value are sold without advertAse-
ment The law requires Advertise :
ment of amounts greater than tli1s
for thirty days In local newspaper
The larger sales are usually adver-1
tised from sixty days to six months.
Sealed bids are received, and the
award Is generally made 10 the high
est bidder. although the Secretary of
Agriculture has authority TO award
the sale to other than the highest
bidder where the public interest de-
mands such action.
q. Where is the original version of
the expression, Beyond the Alps lies
Italy ID. J. :.
a. This is found In the Latin of
Livy--Ab Tribe, Book 21, line 80.
Q. Who wrote the book, Sweet
kittie Bellairs"?-A. T. c.
A. The play. Sweet Kittie Bellairs,''
by David BelaSco, is founded on a
novel called The Bath Comedy by
Edgerton Castle.
Q. What are the nearest and far
thest distances to the moon?-S. 5.
4. The greatest distance from earth
! to moon is 252.910 miles. The least
distance is 22l.60e miles.
Q. How, long have shoes been made
; in Lynn, Mass. I'd. L. Men.
/ A. The manufacture of shoes in
the United States was established in
Evening star., 1923-10-19
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC HfLLIAM FILE

by erecting a powerful automatic sea
beacon on Pixies Peak. Four years
OF persuasive effort were required
with the federal authorities to per-
init the esta blfshment of the world s
first mountain-top signal lamp. It
Is designed to make the tortuous
mountain roads within many miles
OF Pixies Peak in all directions al
Above all. the Phipps lighthouse will
guide the airptane pilot. who. in
crossing the continent. requires to
traverse the Rocky mountains that
pierce the Colorado skies. The bu-
reau of lighthouses. which is under
the Secretary of ComLaerce's iuris-
diction, has been dfsinclined to ap-
prove the erection of a sea beacon
atop a mountain. The coming winter
nights in the great divide are ex-
peeted TO be illuminated by the
Phipps light on Pixies Peak. Perhaps
for reelection In 1924. about which
there has been some doubt.
Calvin Coolidge's taciturnity. mani
festlS. IS for public exhibition purely.
A former and distinguished senator
of the United States. who recently
spent an evening at the White House
in conference with the President. de-
poses that never in his life was he.
the visitor, so exhaustively and inces-
sanity quizzed. He found SIR. Cool
idge' not only volubly gfuttonous for
Information but as clipper as lark
in Offering his own views on contro-
versial questions
a + !: u
Why is il that a country editor
boss of a paper with less than 5000
circulation, in town with only IL 900
population--comma the public ear.
nationwide. every time he has any
thing to say on an issue of popular
Importance? Such is the distinctive
merit of William Allen White OF the
Emporia Gazette. The scribe who put
himself on the map of epigrammatic
fame by opining that ''the trouble
with Kansas Is that she started in to
raise hell and had an overproduc-
tion" has few superiors as a writer
OF terse. plain-Spoken English. There s
more TO White than a nimble pen. He's
transparently sincere. incorrig bly,
straight and in his lexicon there are
no such words as trim or puSsyfoot.
He won the Pulitzer prize for po-
litical editorial. But nothing finer
ever fell from his quill than the
panegyric on the death of his dauSh-
ter Mary a couple of years ago.
4 y y =
In these witching hours when many
clamor for divorce OF politics from
prohibition enforcement. there are
men. and not all of them vets. who
declare the slate will never be wiped
quite clean till the Anti-Saloon
League. too. Is taken out of politics.
That it is in politics is admitted by
no less an authority than Generals
simo Wheeler, who has just been lee
turing at Columbia University on the
power of group pressure" I'm Ameri-
can Legislative halls.
Copyright. 1874
Evening star., 1923-10-19
Backs World Court.
Reader Cites Success of Postal
Union as Precedent.

To the Editor Of The Star:
You can't fool all the people all
the time, but the quantity of political
bunk they Will sometimes swallow is
quite appalling. Today a great bene-
fetal step forward for the whole
world is proposed. in which the pub
lie is intensely interested. The pro-
posal is to do for all the nations of
the world what we have long done
for individuals.
We all admit that no individual is
competent TO sit as judge In his
own cause. Uuavoidably he is par
tisan and prejudiced: so an unbiased
count OF justice is called in TO settle
the case impartially. But when ma
tionaI difficulties need adjustme Mt.
and an International Court of Justice
is proposed for their settlement, the
| bogey of world supergovernment"
and 'entangltng alliances is con-
jured up TO scare the nation. as
/ though world supergovernment were
something unheard of, and unspeak-
ably horrid and impossible.
There is no mystery or horror
Soyernments @ @ exist to Ge' do f for the i peo. 20
pie collectively what they cannot
we'll do for themselves as individu-
ais. viz: build roads. coin money.
, enact laws. etc. AT least one such
world supergovcrnment" already
exists and functions most admirably
and efficiently. We call it the Uni
versal Postal Union. It's headquar-
ters are in Bern, Switzerland, and
it daily regulates the forwarding of
our letters. packages and cash to all
parts of the world with safety and
security. and quite without fuss or
friction.
! Moreover. it's work is far more
complicated and intricate than is the
probable work of the International
! Court Of Justice. Nevertheless, it IS
so wholly harmless and successful
that one never hears any breath of
complaint or disapproval. With the
whole world participating, the Inter-
| national Court of Justice might be
even more useful than the Universal
Postal Union. Why not try it?
EDWARD BERWICK.
Evening star., 1923-10-19

| There is almost an equal number OF
republican and democratic governors
| OF the states--twenty-six democrats
and twentyfour republicans. Rela-
lively the same political proportions
are represented among the common
wealth executives attending the gov
! ernors' conference with President
Coolidge at the White House. The
! 1922 elections considerably altered
| the balance of gubernaterial power
in favor of the democrats. Western
states, in particular, like Kansas,
Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska.
which are not accustomed to any
/ thing but q. o. p. chief executives
as a rule, elected democrats last year.
Even roek-ribbed republican strong
| holds like New Hampshire broke over
the traces and did likewise. In the
governors conference may be both
republican and democratic dark
horses for 1924.
William j. Hughes Of Pennsylvania,
who is on the threshold of his for
tieth consecutive year of service at
the Department of Justice. Is going to
write his memoirs some day. Mr..
Hughes. now a special assistant at
torney general of the United states,
was appointed to the department un-
! der the first Cleveland administra-
iion, in 1855. He has become the coun-
try's foremost authority on federal
procedure and Jurisdiction. His me-
moirs will be distinguished from the
garden variety OF political biographies
hy their human interest; Tor Mr..
Hughes has seen notable procession
a 10 al N1A
pass In review at the department
where the blind goddess presides. At
close range he has observed men like
August III. Garland, Richard Olney,
Judson Harmon, Joseph Mckenna.
John w. Griggs, Philander G. Knox.
William Howard Taft. John w. Davis.
William II. Moody, Charles J. Bona
parte and George W. Wfckersham.
once Hughes saw Taft. while solicit
tor general, throw a man bodily out
of his office. On another occasion,
Hughes was present when a solicitor
general put from him the opportunity
TO become the Chief Justice of the
United States.
Israel Zangwill's thrust. uttered
boldly before the American Jewish
I Congress, that Jews of the United
States would hardly exchange securi-
" and prosperity in this country for
the uncertain vicissitudes OF Pales-
tine as a national home. recalls a
celebrated anecGote of the late Lord
Rothschild. British Zionists once
asked Rothschild if, when Zion be-
came the Jews political homeland.
he would go there to live. Yes"
said the great banker. ION one con-
dition-that I could be appointed
Palestinian ambassador to London
for life" only sixty-six American Jews
are said to have been willing in 1922 TO
migrate to Zion.
X !; * =
Senator Lawrence &. Phipps OF
Colorado has bestowed a boon upon