davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1923-08-24

ly idiotic love letters have been
dragged into public view in "heart-
balm" cases.
Senator johnson. in the excerpts OF
his letter to his friend McClatchy in
California, said he had about aban-
doned any idea of entering the race
for the nomination against the late
President Harding in the next repub-
lican national convention. Perhaps he
will write another letter telling what
he proposes to do in the changed politi
cal circumstances, and whether he
will be a candidate against President
Coolidge. Perhaps, but it may be
statement made by Senator Johnson
with regard TO the race for the repub-
lican nomination will be made pub
l;cly.
The publication Of personal letters.
obtained by surreptitious means, Is an
offcnse against decency. The publica
ton of the Johnson letter in California
serves only to show the bitter fight
which is coming in that state next
year over the California delegation to
the republican national convention.
The Johnson faction will strive for an
instructed delegation, with Johnson as
their candidate. His opponents will
seek TO send an uninstructed delega-
ton, which may be swung to any candi-
date desired, perhaps to Herbert
Hoover, if he be a candidate.
In his letter IL McClatchy, Senator
Johnson speaks with entire frankness
in regard to his idea of his own politi-
cal strength in California and in some
York. The publication of these details
can hardly fail 10 he embarrassing to
the senator.
Evening star., 1923-08-24
The Local Coal Situation.

The District Commissioners will
set on foot an official inquiry to de-
termine how the people of the District
stand on the coal situation, with a
view to adopting some plan which
will. as far as possible, guard against
suffering this winter in case of sus-
pension of hard coal mining on Sep
tember l and a prolonged cessation
of anthracite shipments. The first
step will be to learn how much an
thracite has been received in the
District since the close OF the late
strike and how it has been distributed.
The Commissioners have said that
they will be prepared to take what
ever action seems necessary if a fuel
crisis arises this year. 1t is said that
on the seriousness of the situation
will depend whether the Commission
ers will adopt last years system of
keeping check on the amount OF coal
delivered to consumers, that fuel COM
ing to the city may be fairly distrib-
uted.
Though complete figures are not at
hand, it is believed that the people
Of the District are in better shape to
face the imminent suspension of min
ing than they We're n year ago. Be
cause of the strike threat "A large NUM-
ber OF householders have laid in Il
full or partial supply OF coal for win.
ter. and this demand has been suffi-
cient To take over the supply received
by dealers during last spring and this
summer.
There is no doubt that the District
is still many thousand tons short Of
its necessary supply. The outlook Is
grave, and the authorities are faced
with problem which will demand
the hest that is In them. There is a
possibility that the miners and oper
orators may come to an agreement.
There is possibility that should they
not agree the strike may not be so
general as to cut off the whole supply
Of hard coal, and there is also the
possibility that in the event of strike
a settlement might then be reached
side would yield There is the pros
pect, and it is on this that most peo-
pie base their hope. that the national
government will hit on some plan
which will prevent a strike or insure
the production Of enough coal TO meet
demands.
As a last resort soft coal can be
brought to the District in increased
quantity. 1t would involve much
hardship to turn from the use OF hard
to soft coal, but people could do it if
it had to be done. The Soft-coal oper-
ators recently said that they have
plan for speeding up production and
shipments and are sure that they
could take over the hard-Co market
in event of a strike. Perhaps if il
We're made clear to hard-coal miners
and 1r-ra&c.. that people used to
anti:.-. ni- >uuld turn TO the use of
sof: cust it would have an effect on
the attitude of the hard-coal miners
might be that the soft-cOal miners
would strike or curtail production in
support of their hard-coal brethren.
Time will have to tell where the
consumer stands in this matter. The
local authorities will exert themselves
to give all aid within their power to
the people of the District, but it is
the national government which must
find some way of suitably dealing
with the situation.
Evening star., 1923-08-24

panned and otherwise. The oyster
was looked on not as a rare and aris-
tocratic bit of food. but as a plain and
homely article of diet. and a man did
not have to be a banker or a plumber,
an automobile dealer or a bricklayer
to be able to order half dozen fried
or half-peck of steamed. The com
mon run of men could do this in an
offhand sort Of way. In the old days
it was not a vulgar display of wealth
to order oysters.
Most of those conditions which we
call situations" have changed, and
the oyster situation has undergone a
remarkable change. When man
orders oysters now he generally does
it with the air Of dignity or distinction
or superiority which man used to
show when he called for a quart of
champagne. Only the rich or extrava-
giant can now afford TO order an oyster.
'Once upon "a time" the plain govern
ment clerk or other plain sort OF sal
aried man could go into an oyster
house, or an "oyster saloon" or even
an "oyster parlor" and take unto him.
self portion of those bivalves which
have helped to place the Chesapeake
and Potomac among the famous wa
ters of the world. But those We're
other days
Evening star., 1923-08-24
Oysters.

1t is said in the news that Local
dealers familiar with oyster culture
predict that oysters will be plentiful
in the approaching season." This is
encouraging, but let hope not rise to
dizzy pitch, for it is also said that
Although oysters are expected to be
plentiful the coming season, which
opens September /, they will not be
cheap" Prices of oysters, as we'll as
everything else, are at the top. 1t
seems impossible for them to fall.
One thinks with pleasure of the
time, though there is not much nutri.
ment in the thought, when oysters
were cheap. Though money was
scarcer than now, and when a dollar
greenback or silver certificate looked
bigger than a ten-dollar federal re.
serve note, the common kind Of NOR.
tails could afford to eat oysters, on the
half shell, stewed, steamed. fried,
Evening star., 1923-08-24
A Superfuous Letter.

A pen, or a typewriter, is sometimes
more dangerous to handle than buzz
saw. More mighty than the sword.
The written word cuts both ways. But
who would have believed that Senator
Hiram Johnson of California, politician
par excellence, would have been a
victim of letter writing? Even the
gods nod now and then. True, the
letter was never meant for publica.
tion, was a personal document ad-
dressed to a close friend, and its pub
lication was the result, Senator John
son says. Of burglary. But the fact
remains that it was published, just as
burning. flaming and sometimes total.
Evening star., 1923-08-24
Government Building Program.

The government need for buildings
is pressing. and this need is especially
great in the Capital. Various govern
ment officials of high authority have
set forth that the government must
have increased and improved rilice
facilities in Washington if public bust
ness is to be carried on with efficiency
and economy, and if public records are
to be kept safe. from fire and where
they can be handiy got at.
4 building program to relieve the
governments housing shortage has
been frequently proposed. The chair
man of the House committee on pub
lie buildings has spoken in favor of
an omnibus building bill, and many
other men in Congress are favorably
disposed toward the passage of such Il
measure. II has been given out in the
press that the President is not agree
ably disposed to legislation of this
kind because of the cost involved. and
because public expenditures must he
kept at the lowest possible figure
Representative Langley of the public
buildings committee of the House has
said that without general building
bill in which needs in other cities
would be recognized there is slim
chance for new government buildings
at Washington.
Secretary Mellon. who believes in
efficiency and economy as strongly as
any other man, says he is convinced
that the government should take i'm
mediate steps toward d program for
housing government facilities in
Washington and throughout the cOun-
try. He thinks that Congress should
frame a program Of construction to he
carried out over term of years. and
that it should turn 70 this work at the
earliest practicable time.
In Washington there is insistent de-
mand for new building for the in
ternal revenue bureau. The offices and
records of this branch of the govern
ment are in number Of unsuitable
and disappointed, even fiimSy, struc-
lures. The Veterans Bureau needs
appropriate quarters. and many other
departments and bureaus have the
same need. The annual rent bill
which the government pays in Wash
ington is large one. and throughout
the country it pays $40. 600 in rent,
and the bill grows higher year by
year. The argument for an adequate
government building program is d
strong one.
Evening star., 1923-08-24
How the Motor Car
Changes the Citizen

To the Editor of The Star:
I note that a hacker and his lady
friend have just been sentenced to
seven and five years, respectively, for
Turing and robbing" a citizen. | can
not help wondering what the sentence
would have been if the chauffeur had
run him down on a crossing and killed
him. Judge House, organizer and mag
istrate of the traffic court of New York
city, in a recent article points out that
an automobilist has no inherent right
to operate his machine on the streets
at all--in fact, he has to have a special
permit to enable him to do so, yet on
an unpoliced crossing the pedestrians
rights are too often only the right to
keep out Of the way.
There is something about an automo-
bile that seems to give it's driver false
sense of power and importance. 1t takes
the good pedestrian. Dr. Jtykh. and
changes him to a Mr.. Hyde as soon as
he gets behind the steering wheel lie
may ordinarily be so meticulous about
his health that he wears his wOolcnS
until May 13, but he will come up to "A
blind railroad crossing at twenty miles
Der hour and take a chance on being
hit. His children are so well brought
up that Willie would not dare to stand
out on the sidewalk in front of Eddies
house and Shrek for him to come out,
but the old man himself will drive into
a quiet street at IL pm. and toot rau-
cously for his wife to come out and be
driven home. He may be so tender
hearted that he hates to kill mouse.
but he will speed through a street in
which children are playing just because
his wife told him to hurry home with
the butter.
AS pedestrian he will wait patiently
and silently for the signal Of the traffic
officer. but when he is driving let him
be held up more than Il few seconds
and he will lead q tintinnabulate OF
horns calling out to high heaven
against this indignity that IS being put
upon him.
To quote again from Judge House:
THE average driver has feeling that
pedestrians have no rights that auto
mohilists are bound to respect. Until
this idea is cured we shall get nowhere.
And that. I think. is really at the bot
tom of the whole dangerous and diff
cult motor traffic situation.' But one
way has been found TO cure him. When
he finds himself in serious trouble
whenever he hits a pedestrian on a
crossing he will respect the rights Of
the walking public. Until this Is the
case conditions will remain about as
present. L. l.. THWING
Evening star., 1923-08-24
Southern Representation.

The old bogey man Of alleged exces
sive representation of the southern
states in republican national conven-
tions is donning his most horritic ap-
parel and preparing to stalk forth
upon an expedition IT, Albright the
party leaders In advance Of and prob
ably during the convention of 1924.
For many years the charge that the
southern states exercised undue
weight in the nomination of candi-
dates and the preparation of platforms
has caused complaint in the party.
The objection was that equal weight
was not displayed in the election OF
the candidates selected. as the south.
ern republican vote in elections was
negligible
The convention Of 1920 sought TO
ameGorate the asserted evil OF over
representation by authorizing the ma
tional committee to fix new rule o:
apportionment. This was done in 1921
by the adoption of a rule by the com
mittee which provided for one district
delegate from each congressional dis
trict that had cast $500 votes in the
election of 1920. The committee is
described in news reports as having
difficulty in finding, in some of the
southern states. just how many re-
publican votes were cast, but has gone
far enough to make it sure that the
new apportionment will cut down the
representation in a number of states
For example, Georgia will lose s.
Texas 6, Mississippi s, South Caro-
lima 4.
At the same time the convention
roll will be increased, and the infiu.
ence Of the northern and western
states enhanced by the addition of
seventy-four delegates at large. These
are granted under the rule established
by the committee allowing two ad-
Gitional delegates at large to states
which cast their electoral votes for
Harding and Coolidge in 1920. Mary
land and Tennessee will also gain two,
being among the thirty-seven states
which went republican. The fight by
the southern states may be carried to
the floor of the convention and cause
q bitter conflict.
Evening star., 1923-08-24
Predicts Bryan Will
Be the Next President

To the Editor ~ The Star:
/ noticed in The Star the other
evening an article that New York
friends and admirers of William
Jennings Bryan are arranging n din
ner in his honor in New York in
Dece mber. Let me make n prophecy,
some months in advance, and suggest
that the committee secure Madison
Square Garden, because ii is going
TO he the biggest personal demonstra-
t!on ever given any man. public or
private. living or dead. And If the
Commoner in his speech says he Will
accept the democratic nomination for
the presidency the next democratic
national convention will be a mere
ratification meeting, and. if he doesn't.
he will he drafted anyway. as he has
always been, and he Will be over
whelmingly elected in November
1924. if he Is living
Your readers will remember the
outpouring Of people when Bryan
made his Madison Square Garden
speech on bimetalism and later on
his return from his trip around the
world. in which his position on the
government ownership Of the rail-
roads was misrepresented. These
demonstrations won't be anything
compared to what this demonstration
will be. He is batter known
Bryan in 1923 than in 1896. People
are thinking for themselves, as Wit
ness their verdict in recent western
state elections. Not that he has
changed, hut the people have caught
UP with him in progressive policies
and realize that he was maligned and
misrepresented. Much water has
passed under the mill since 1896 and
the people have dearly learned-ex-
cepting the distillers and brewers
and the privileged class through a
high protective tarif-that the heart
of the great Commoner is closer to
them than any public man-repuhli-
can or democrat. W. j. DWYER
Evening star., 1923-08-24
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDEE JOHNSON.

Mechanics.
We have lovely phonograph; a grand
piano. too.
You simply press a button. that is all
you have to do
Some mechanism brings you almost
anything you like
But they say the pick and shovel may
be going on a strike,
"Oh, what's the good of classics or of
jazz on winter nights?
oh, what's the good of taxicabs or of
electric lights,
And all the modern luxuries?" we'll
pause and vainly sob.
When we hear the pick and shovel
are no longer on the job.
We blink at the electric lights out
rivaling the stars.
We take an airship journey when We
tire of motor cars.
These playthings cannot cheer US,
though so clever and so fine,
With the pick and shovel hanging out
a "Nothing-doing" sign.
Evening star., 1923-08-24

concerted demand for action
which will curb the activities of the
T w. w. Is being voiced by American
raysnsners. The various develop
ments in connection with the recent
abortive efforts of the red orsahi-
zation to bulldoze Port Arthur, IeX''
TO force general strikes in the racine
northwest, and to compel port au-
,bor,ttes In the east and west 10
recopnize their power all are sug-
pasted as reasons why President Cool
idps should act when Congress re-
conyenes to secure for the federal
authorities police powers to deal Win
such organizations. There are now
ever, a number of papers of VIDE
influence which suggest that, after
ALL. II would be just as well 10 allow
the l. w. w. to talk rather than take
chances with interfering WITH the
fright Of free speech"
The California plan Of depriving
agitators of the right to jury trlai
is said by the Lincoln State Journa!
to be a matter OF great interest,",
because 81. w. w. members are not'
as a rule. averse to a rest in jail.
should twenty or thirty thousand or
them elect, by some sort of demon
stration, to violate the injunction and
60 to Jail, California would have
serious board bill on It's hands, with
doubtless fresh advance OF the
movement against government by IN.
Junction" But the Charleston Mail
feels that if the threatened demon
stration in Texas had gone through,
"Texans would have awakened and
stretched themselves to exclaim, NOW
life would be worth living once
more" At that, so far as the Pitts
burgh Chronicle-Telegraph sees the
situation. there is little reason to
worry about the radicals. because
they can be handled exactly legally
and "one 20O-pound traffic cop Is
worth more than q whole vigilance
committee Of best citizens when 1t
comes to handling a bunch OF 'wob-
blies.
The California injunction is char
acterized by the Cincinnati Enquirer
as the most sweeping ever issued"
and "in line with the recent federal
order against syndicalism in the case
of the striking railroad shopmen's
organization. 1t is the bringing to
bear of constitution and laws against
|lawlessnesS. To be a member alone
is condemnation at trial. The situa-
ton In California has been intoler-
able 1t Is as serious as ever 1t was
in the time of 'sandlotism' In that
good OF California and the whole
Pacific coast" Incidentally, the
Peoria Transcript calls attention to
the fact that the ''membership Is
made up OF the hobo miner. the hobo
lumberjack and the blanket stiff, and
Evening star., 1923-08-24
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

.. What Vice President benefited
most in a political way through the
death of the man he succeeded?-
J. c. u.
A. That would be matter of opin-
ion based upon the subsequent careers
Of the men who succeeded to the
Presidency 1t may be pointed out,
however that President Tyler be-
came Governor of Virginia through
the death of the one holding that
Office and became a United States sen
ator by appointment after a death. in
addition to his accession To the Prest-
dency a result of the death of VIII
liam Henry Harrison.
O. What day OF the week figures
most largely in important events of
American history?-P. l..
A. Comparative data are not avail
able. but it may be said that Friday
has been unusually prominent in the
history of this country. Columbus
sailed on Friday, first sighted land
on Friday and on another Friday dis
covered the continent Of America.
Washington was born on Friday. The
battle Of Bunker Hill was fought on
Friday. Presidents Monroe, Pierce
and Hayes were born on Friday.
Pierce was inaugurated on Friday and
died on Friday John Quincy Adams
Friday. Tyler and Polk died on Fri
day and Lincoln was shot on Friday.
AS the most recent important event
in this line, President Coolidge took
the oath Of office on Friday.
Q. Was Stanford White the archi-
tect of the White House as it now
stands?-L X. G.
a. The White House was restored
or rebuilt during Roosevelt's admins
1T 10 \ ~
Mead q White Credit has been given
Stanford White for the work. but as
a matter of fact it was his associate.
Mckim, who had the frequent con-
sultations with Roosevelt before the
work was undertaken.
@ Are sapphires and rubics de-
rived from aluminum?-L H.
A. They are corundum, which is
aluminium oxide, the hardest mineral
except the diamond. II is called ac-
cording TO its color. sapphire fblue)
ti'ae or oriental. ruby (red); oriental
amethyst tpurple); oriental emerald
tereen): oriental topaz (yellOw):
white sapphire tcoIorless). Adaman
tine spsr is smoky brown. sometimes
translucent, emery is very dark
colored and contains magnetic.
@. What part OF the total crop OF
sugar cane grows in Louisiana &C.
T.. H.
A. Tho Department of Agriculture
says that nine-tenths Of Americas
$50. 0o0-ton cane sugar crop is pro-
duCed in Louisiana.
Q. Was Shakespeare rich7-J. il. NJ.
a. Shakesjeare became very pros
porous, as did two other actor-marl-
ayers OF Elizabethan timCs-IIenslow
and Alleyn.
Q. How is cotton mercerized?-
J. D.
A. The cotton is treated with a
solution of caustic aIkali and then
stretched while being washed with
hot water. The process which giv"g
the fiber or fabrics a brilliant lust-r
was introduced by John Mercer. an
English calico printer, in 1874.
Q. What makes the kettle sing"-
G. l.. II.
A. When the water in the kettle
boils, the kettle is filled with steam.
which attempts to escape. The spout
is a comparatively small opening, ard
the pressure of the steam becomes
great enough TO cause the singing or
whistling sound as it rusheSs through
it
Q. Are telephones installed along
Evening star., 1923-08-24
Time Is Now Ripe to
Eliminate the |. W. W.

his occupation is chiefly casual labor.
the demand for which depends almost
entirely upon the season and the mar
ket. Only about 10 per cent of the
membership are married, and most of
these have lost their wives or de-
serted them Because the j. W. w.
has never been forced into court eN
cept when its members We're arrested
for criminal syndicalism or violence
connected with a strike, the organi-
zation has been intangible SO far as
the law was concerned. The present
effort Of the people of the state Of
California will make it more real as
a social and economic factor to be
sociologists." Because this Is the
fact,
Regret is expressed by the Lansing
State Journal that the !. w. w. lead
plans to invade Texas, because it
might have been possible to lure
them to the border, where they could
have been pushed over into Mexico
and told to stay there" Incidentally,
the Journal also suggests mot many
of the I. w. w" would have gone in
their own machines" On the ground
in California the Los Angeles Times
insists their grievance against the
laws of this state appears to be that
the laws will not permit agitators to
launch a campaign to destroy by vio-
lence the government and the Consti-
tuition of the United States. Violence
cannot justify violence nor can mur-
der justify murder"
The Providence Journal argues that
because the Port Arthur authorities s
were ready to throw all of the mem
bers of the organization into jail they
created fear in the minds of the
members which compelled them to
abandon their plan, and it Is sug-
gested that such action would be A
good thing everywhere in handling
"just this sort of problem" This
likewise Is very much the view of the
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. which
feels that while Texas has no use
for wobblies at large, their persons
Texas will improve the opportunity
Of getting a lot of disagreeabfe work
DONE"
The original plan impressed the
Dayton News as "the nearest ap-
proach to the development of soviet
ism In America thus far attempted"
while the Albany Knickerbocker-
themselves who are dangerous. but
only a few of their leaders" The
Milwaukee Sentinel holds that the ar
gument for twelve hours per day on
the rock pile inf1icts another severe
blow at the liberties of the down.
trodden. For not even in the. holy
pursuit of vengeance can it be imag
ined the l. w. w. will get within
reaching distance of a days work.
This is also the view of the Mobile
Register and a number Of other
southern papers.