davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1923-08-01
Noises Drive Folks
Out Of City, Says Writer
To the Editor of The Star;

To the Editor of The Star:
That was one of the most timely
editorials you have written in recent
months dealing with the subject of
Needless Noises in Washington
and published in your issue of July 8.
The subject of needless noises in
cities has been considered by all sorts
of people for years, and in many
great cities has approached a selu-
tion. The word "eurse," used in your
EDITORIAL, Is the only werd TO describe
this queer phenomenon so typical of
small towns. These useless noises in
cities are the most complete evidence
that those in charge of the affairs of
out of its small-town clothes, or that
they are lacking in the qualifications
required for men holding the Offices
which they do.
These horrible useless noises not
only drive from the city many people
whose health is more important than
the advantages of living In what
should be Americas model city. Many
of these useless noises originate from
causes which mean the destruction OF
and f1lfh. = s' 10 .a'f
Within fifty feet of this large apart
ment building and within a hundred
feet of three other large apartment
there are being opersted
today three different types of single
cylinder gasoline engines, without
muff1ers and with irregular explosions
akin to giant firecrackers. These are
used in mixing concrete, in hoisting
wheelbarrews" and in operating a
small sawmill. In addition to the
bedlam of these unmuffied, irregular
acting: gasoline engines. there is a
saw being operated, with all
the accompanying noises of the saw
mill. My own family was compelled
to leave the city to avoid this bed
lam and a half dozen other apart
ment houses are half deserted for the
same reason, or have distracted &C.
cupants.
1t is inconceivable to think that in
this great city some forty families
should be practically forced out of
town for the time being because an
tiquated equipment Is permitted 40
be used within fifty feet of their
apartments. Even small towns today
require the use of electric current
and other neiseless devices In opera
tions referred to. 4.
Unauestionably. yeur editorial viii
have a powerful effect toward corr
recting these small-town practices,
which are hebbling the efforts OF proc
gressiye citizens toward making this
a metropolitan, cosmopolitan, modern
E. ]. HENNING,
Acting Sec'y Dept. of Labor.
Evening star., 1923-08-01
Underwood a Candidate.

Cnderwood's hat is in the ring.
While. other potential candidates for
the democratic nomination for Presi-
under the surface, the senior senator
from Alabama has frankly \stated he
will make the race If the people of
his state want him. And the people
of Alabama do want him.
Mr.. Underwood s address to the state
legislature in Montgomery yesterday
is typical of the man. 1t is plain
statement of where he stands on i'm
: -portant issues before the country, in
Guiding prohibition, the agricultural
During his long service in the House
and Senate there has never been any
doubt as. to where Mr.. Underwood
rstood on public questions. He has
always had the courage of his con-
'&victions whether those convictions
ran counter to the administration of
his own party or counter to the pro-
20 posals of a republican administration.
One matter of particular interest
with which Mr.. Underwood dealt in
his address yesterday is the enforce
ment of prohibition. He declared un.
equivocally for the enforcement of the
law against the use of intoxicating
beverages. In the past he spoke and
voted against the prohibition amend
ment to the Constitution because he
did not believe in it. But he made it
clear in Montgomery that, that aues.
.tion having been decided by the peo-
pie. he is for the enforcement of the
law.
Particularly did Mr.. Underwood
urge the right of the south to name
a democratic candidate for President.
1t is eighty years. he said, since James
X Polk of Tennessee. a southern MAN,
was nominated and elected President
of the United States. For many. many
years, he pointed out. the solid south
has supported the democratic nominee.
1t is TIME, he said, that the southern
states, containing more than a third
of the population of the United States,
be given recognition by the selection
of a presidential nominee. It.. is time.
he said, that the south assert itself.
in two wars in the last quarter of d
century, he said the south has given
of her best in the defense of the
United States. There can be no ques-
ton as to her loyalty.
In Congress Mr.. Underwood has
been leader of his party. In the
House he became the democratic lead
er after the overthrow of the repub-
licans in 1910. He welded his party
colleagues together into an efficient
majority, In the. Senate he was elect
ed democratic leader after the death
of the late Senator Martin of Vir-
ginia. This office he voluntarily re-
alinquished at the close of the last
Congress ---
Evening star., 1923-08-01
The Coal Question.

The soft coal operators have laid a
plan before the Federal Coal Commits
sion ito place the entire resources of
the industry at the disposal of the
government il another strike should
be called in the anthracite fields"
These operators agree to accept vol
untary price fixing along the lines
adopted during the strike last year.
This is comforting, in a measure re-
assuring and the people whose fur
-naees and stoves were built for burn
ing hard ceai return thanks. But the
great body of consumers of hard coal
will not eampiaeently switch TO the
use of soft coal because operators and
miners n the anthracite Heids cannot
agree and whose inability to agree
means suffering to millions Of their
old customers.
Last winter because of the strike
many Washington people were forced
to use soft coal to piece out their
shortage of hard coal They raid ex-
orbitant prices for for both varieties
and the soft-coal results were not sat
isfactory. 1t was hard to keep the
fire lin" all night or to maintain a
comfortable or uniform temperature
in the house. Ceai bills were extreme.
ly high.
1t may be that we do not knew how
stitutes for the common variety of
ceal which we have been In the habit
of burning. There is no reason. in
the opinion of hard coal users, why
they should take an expensive course
in learning by experience how to keep
house warm with soft coal. The
hard coal mines still exist and there
is no natural shortage. Everybody
agrees that there is plenty of coal.
Hard coal for us is necessity and
the people will not calmly submit to
heiag deprived of it. They expect that
the power of the government will be
employed for their protection. The
main question with the miners is their
Atlantic City conference was broken
off before that matter was recahed and
during the discussion of the check
off before the matter was reached and
the question of formal recognition of
the union. This question seems to be
more important than any other to the
officers of the union representing the
miners.
1t seems incredible that the miners
want strike, with the loss in wages
which it entails. 1t seems incredible
that the operators want a strike, for
it means loss to them. The public
does not want a strike; it wants coal.
The conferees should get together
again and try to reach some adjust
ment and it might be well to take up
the wage question first. If the parties
to the mine trouble cannot agree the
government should step in that the
people who pay taxes for its mainte-
nance, with the understanding that it
will protect them, shall be saved from
unnecessary hardship.
Evening star., 1923-08-01
worth OF securities, inaamuch N there
would be no ohanee in intriBsic yaiues,

worth Of securities. inaamuch M there
would be no change in intrinsic values,
1t is such performances as that just
noted in Wall street that cause the pub
lie feeling Of antipathy to the profes-
sional stock depressors, whose tactics
are always those of surprise and de-
struction. They do not contribute to
the financial integrity of the country.
They are gambling upon the securities
that represent the invested capital of
the people. Their profits come from
depreciation. To the extent that they
merely play their judgment" upon
the future values OF stocks they are
justified. But when. they manipulate
facts, create depressants, deliberately
seek to frighten stock owners into
selling for no substantial cause, they
are going far beyond the range of
their rightful function as the selling
factor in the market.
The New York Stock Exchange has
rules which are supposed to punish
such mischievous manipulators of the
news. But they are hard to reach
and it is most diffieult to fasten re-
snonsibility upon individuals. There
Is one point of reinsurance in the sit
uation and that is that in these spas
medic flurries, which are SO often
created by the spreading of false RI
ports, the only elements involved are.
as rule, chiefly the strictly prOfes-
sional traders and not the public. since
these false reports are so quickly
checked that actual panic is never
started.
Evening star., 1923-08-01
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
By Frederic J. Haskir,

@. Is the first draft of the Declara-
ton of Independence in existence?-
H. J. ID.
State library in the State. War and
Navy building. It Is in Thomas JEFF
fersen's handwriting, with interiine-~
ations by Franklin and John Adams.
=. Q. How much does quart. of ice
cream weight. p. I
A. II frozen quite firmly and packed
hard, a quart of Ice cream will weigh
about pound and q quarter
@. 1t Is said that Robert Z. Lee
was second In; his class at West Point. :
Who led the class that year?-L. Il. II.
A. Charles Mason of New York was
at the head of the class of 1923 in
which Robert E. Lee was second.
@. What city. has issued the great
est number of building permits In the
last SIX months?--J. NJ. T.
A. The greatest number has been
issued by New York city, followed
by Chicago and Los Angeles.
@. Is it true that every car wheel
or locomotive wheel while in motion
has a hammer knock-produced when
one point of the wheel hits the rail?
ID. l.. A.
A. This Is true of locomotives, but
not of automobiles. The locomotive
wheel has steel webb between the
spokes, placed so as to counter
balance the horizontal piston thrust.
This unbaiances the wheel vertically
it is lifted and hammered" back on
the rail.
@. What is the hunting license fee
In the Dominion of CaHada?-k. A.
A. These fees have been increased
by the government to discourage the
growing influx of foreign trappers to
the northwest territories. Instead of
the former 81 fee, bona-fide residents
of the northwest territories Will pay
s5; nonresident British subjects. $3.50.
as compared with SIS under the old
regulations. and other non-residents
will be called upon to pay S300-an
increase of 100 per cent.
@. How many government employees
are subject to the provisions of the
federal retirement act?-C. II.
A. \ survey has not yet been
made, but 1t is estimated that this
act will affect between 100000 and
$4,000 employees
Q. How much money has been lost
through the bucket shops. about
which there has been SO much in the
papers lateIy?-i. j. p.
A. There Is no way of securing
accurate figures showing the losses
of patrons of bucket shops, but COM
petent authorities have estimated
that since the war the cost of. bucket
shop and other stock swiudiing oper-
atoms has aggregated the enormous
sum of at least three billions of
dollars.
O. Is the negro population of this
country increasing as rapidly as IT
did twenty or thirty years ago?-C.
c. II. -s--.-
A. According to the last ceusus the
ten-year increase of the negro popu-
iation from 1910 to 1890 was 90 per
cant. the lowest thus far recorded. In
consequence, the proportion formed
Evening star., 1923-08-01
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE


them, in a political sense, hail, Nc
Adoo and Ralston are. being talked
about as winning" democratic
ticket for 1924. The suggestion prob-
ably emsnates. from the McAdoo
camp, which has a wholesome re-
spect for the former Indiana COVER
nor's chances as, a. compromise man
for first place. Even republican lead
ers admit that Ralston, somewhere
On the national ticket, might make
cratic party next year Indiana has
furnished, many vice presidential
nominee to both parties for the pur-
pose Of carrying the state IN days
gone by
!: Prohibition Cofnm ssioner' Haynes
is the butt of merry quip directed
at his activities in Furnishing foreign
ships that enter our ports liquor lad
on. He is said to have issued orders
to arrest the ships carpenter of the
White Star liner Majestic on the
ground that he is said to use a
spirit level.
Henry Ford, it is averred on his be-
if land when) he becomes presf-
Dental candidate. In Detroit they'll
tell you Ford has made only one
speech in his whole life, and that, az
il were. proved a fiivver. The war
den of Sing Sing prison asked him to
address the prisoners at an assembly
meeting. Ford demurred. but blush
ingly consented to take the rostrum
~ ri Re
say was something like this:
How are you, boys? I'm glad to
see so many of you here"
4 4 y
1t was the profits she derived from
the ancient Spanish wool trust tina,
enabled Queen isabella to finance
Christopher Columbus discovery OF
America. That's the diverting reva-
lation made by DIR. julius kim. di-
rector of Secretary Hco.ey's bureau
of foreign and domestic commerce. in
his book, The Mesta." recently pub
lished by the Harvard Press. II is
the David A. Wells prize volume in
the Harvard Economic Series" The
Mesta was the Castillian sheep-e~n-
ers' combine established under thf
aegis of the Spanish crown for the
purpose of monopolizing the merine
wool industry. Wool became one OF
the great commodities OF medieval
commerce. The revenue derived by
the Spanish kings from their domina-
tien over It paid the bills for the
great enterprises of Columbus, Piz.
AFRO and their successors. II was
from the crowns wool profits that
Isabella staked Columbus. the Jew
els romance to the contrary notwith-
standing Charles v, too, could never
have carried out his vast imperial
designs except for the booty the
royal wool monopoly brought him. DR.
Klein ran across the Mesta data
while rambling through u neglected
Madrid storehouse and subsequently,
had the pleasure OF showing some oi
the historic documents TO his friend
King Alfonso XIII.
Copyright. 1921
Evening star., 1923-08-01

1t takes a thing like President
Harding's illness to demonstrate ever
and anon that there's Kindly side
to politics. Since the moment wash
ington. and doubtless. the country at
large, learned that the Presidents
distress was grave, partisanship has
vanished. Among republicans and
democrats alike the prayer is uni
yersal that Mr.. Harding may be
spared, and his recovery prompt and
complete. The President, throughout
his political career, has enjoyed
many intimate democratic friend
ships. Ae Marion. the birthplace of
his political fortunes, his closest
friends were democrats. Mr.. Hard
ins's secretary, George B. Christian.
jr., and the governor of the federal
reserve board. O.. r. Crissinger-
are tor were) democrats. In the
Senate Mr.. Harding had many dem
ocrattc eronfes. One, of whom he
was particularly fond, was George
Il. Chamberlain of Oregon.
H =
Wearing the battle scars of his
ill-starPed campaign for the United
States senatoPship, Gov. Jake" Preus
of Minnesota has just left Washing
ton after hurried and unobtrusive
visit. He is the administrator of the
estate of the late Senator Knute
Nelson and came here in connection
with its affairs. The governor did
not call at the republican national
committee offices or at any other po-
1itical headquarters. Newspaper men
who saw him found him averse to
talking politics. Preus is still a
yeuRgster as politicians go. He
will be only forty years old on Aug
ust 2s. A lawyer by profession, he
expects to return to practice at the
bar when his second term in the
Minnesota governorship expires IN
January, 1925
A brilliant tribute to Andrew w.
Mellon is paid by "Tay-Pay" O'con-
nor. NJ. F.. the famous Irish politi-
clan and journalist. In the Sunday
Times of London. O'Connor writes:
This very remarkable man, Mel
lon. Americas Secretary of the
Treasury, Is the very opposite. per-
haps, of what you would expect IL
you did not know Americans well.
Small of stature. compact of figure,
with the typical clean -shaven face.
regular features and white NOUS
tache of the American, he Is also
like all the American millionaires
have ever met-modest almost to
shyness. tranquil almost to quietism.
rather taciturn. He must be very
strong man to have got to the great
position he holds in business and as
chancellor of the exchequer of his
great nation. But the. impression /
get from his face and conversation
is one of very Winning. though very
quiet. sweetness of temper. He has
made innumerable friends over here
Indeed. everybody who meets him
becomes Il friend. The greeting be-
tween Mellon and Premier Baldwin
which ] saw on the terrace of the
house of commons, was that of two
old schoolmates."
Evening star., 1923-08-01
SHOOTING STARS.
By PHILANDER. JOHNSON

1dleness.
There is no. idleness- complete"
Said Hezekiah Bings--
Although we say repose is sweet.
There's none ''mongst earthly things.
Although We close our eyes in sleep,
Our hoping and our fear
In dreams. amid the silence deep,
Are ever lowering near.
What seems to be the Endless Rest,
All free from mortal care,
Is but another start in quest
OF bettermeHt Somewhere.
Although in wasteful hours we greet
The smile that Folly filings,
There is no idleness complete
Said Hezekiah BinEs
Evening star., 1923-08-01

on all cars, but when they see vio-
lation 1t 10 thtir duty to act. The
yioiators must have their lesson. Some
Of them do not know this regulation
or that regulation and they need In,
struetion.
Maj. Sullivan has stimulated his
men with an order to closely observe
and vigorously prosecutee drunken
drivers and he admonishes them to
compel motorists to obey the. rules
concerning speed, turning corners, go.
ing over cross-streets, right of way
dazzling headlights and all the other
regulations. There is to be a tight
ening up in the enforcement Of traffic
rules and the increase in accidents in.
dicates that this is necessary.
Evening star., 1923-08-01

by negroes in the total population
declined from 1877 per cent in 1910
to s.s per cent in 1920.
Q. Are all labor leaders opposed to
prohibition I'M. Mem. -.
A. Prom their public expressions
there seem to be differences of opinion
concerning prohibition. among labor
leaders 5usf as there are among other
groups Of people and it could not fairly
against the eighteenth amendment and
the Volstead, act,
@. What is the size Of the golf course
in East Potomac Park ?-P. ]. p.
+. A. One hundred and eighty three
acres. This ls a generous amount OF
space, since many good eighteen -heie
courses are built on $50 acres.
@. How many newspapers and mag
azines are there in the URited Ststes?-
T.: r. C.
A. The total number of newspapers
and magazines in this country varies
slightly from year to year. The 1919
census total was 20,8S7 publications in
10.095 towns and cities, while census
taken by the Editor and Publisher st
the close Of 1922 made the hgures 2o,s54
@. What countries were in the little
entente"?--F. T. 3.
"A. 1t included Poland, Rumania and
Jugeslavia.
Q. How long have expeditions been
sent to the south pole?-L.L l.
A.-Eferts to reach this pole date
back 140 years. ReRld Amundsen
finally succeeded in reaching this OBJ
jectiye December "a, 1911. The south
pole is situated on O. continent which
N tn hnf n
New York, Massachusetts,. New
Hampshire and Vermont combined
No form of animal or vegetable life
has been found, though several spe-
cies of sea birds breed q Few weeks
in summer on parts ct the coast
O. who was the first soldier to he
buried in Arlington cemetery?-O. I.
A. The first grave prepared was
for a Confederate prisoner wno hsd
died in hospital. The ist OF Marcn;
1919. there were 1926 dead buried
there.
@. What is casinghead gasoline
and why is it se-called?-E. C. j.
A. Illuminating gas or natural
as 1t leaves the earth; some Of Il
Gondenses and forms a liquid. This
is drawn off and is called casinghead
gasoline 1t is usually more volatile
than any other gasoline
O. what is the derivation of the
word renig?-L. j. p.
A. This is collosuial version of
the werd renege. This is derived
from q Latin word which means TO
deny" Tn, card games, It is a term
applied to, revoking-discardin or
trumpiae. when able to follow suit
when the rules of the game do not
permit such play. In everyday ar
fairs the term is applied to an action
which is construed as repudiatins an
obligation or bargain.
(Let The Star Iuferutattofa Bureda'
Fyederie J. Hasktm, director, 1890 North
roptteI street, ansDer your questions
The owIy charge fer this serptee IS
cents in stamps for return postage)
Evening star., 1923-08-01
State Flower Not
Asiatic Jasmine

To the Editor Of The Star:
In Paul v. Collins column on July
25 there are some remarks about the
state fewer of South Carolina which
it seems to nae should be corrected.
He describes two Asiatic species" OF
Jasmine, leaving the reader to infer
that one of them is the newly adopt
ed static flower. But such Is not
the case. The plant selected as Its
emblem is one which is native Of the
states-the American jasmine (gel-
semfum sempervirens1, q high-climb-
ing vine which in earliest spring is
covered with beautiful yeliow trum-
pet shaped flowers
The two Carolinas seem to be eep-
fused in the article, too, for. Tar
heel state" Is the designation OF
North and net South Carolina, the
latter being known as the Palmetto
GEORGE E. MrCHELL
Evening star., 1923-08-01
The Harpies of Wall Street.

6 Presidential illnesses always show
up the purely speculative side of Wall
street. Every time the occupant of
the White House suffers from sickness
the bears seek to work the circum-
stance to their advantage by spreading
reports of grave condition in order
to send stocks downward a few points
temporarily to give them change to
cover on their sales. Yesterday this
pernicious practice was engaged in
10 a shocking degree. For several
hours mysterious telephone calls were
sent through the financial district CIV
ing straight inside Information" TO
the effect that the Presidents illness
was grave and that a fatal termina-
tion was expected. This information
was supposed to come from private
sources. In no case did the sender of
such a message identify the origin of
the report. OF course, no verification
was to be had, for there was no truth
6in theirumors thus artfulIy and per.
ssistently spread. AS result of these
telephoned bulletins feeling pre-,
vailed for a short time that the Presi-
dent was in truth in an extreme con.
>dition and the market reacted slightly
in consequence, to the temporary ad-
vantage Of the bear harpies, but. nat
urally, 1t regained its losses when the
true nature of the reports was estab-
lished:
It is natural that there sheuld be q
reaction to certain degree in the
stock market In the event of a death
in the White House, but there is no
reason at the present time to warrant
any such apprehension and, in fact,
thEfe y ne fundamental reaseH fer q
preaeuHesa sAd pfstFaeted fall IN the
Evening star., 1923-08-01

Every now and then somebody
wants to give President Harding a
dog as a companion for Laddie Boy.
There is nothing to indicate that Lad
die Boy any one else in his neigh
borheed is, under present conditions,
leading q lonesome life.
Evening star., 1923-08-01

The white collar man whose per.
sonal appearance bears a relation to
his employment is perhaps entitled to
extra pay for wearing one of the most
uncomfortable articles of apparel that
civilization has invented.
Evening star., 1923-08-01

Farmers in fear Of impending ca
lamity desire Uncle Sam to assume
the responsibility of direct CONNER
cial Intermediary. Such an enterprise
would Immediately be criticized as Civ.
ing the government opportunity for
some kind of an impending calamity
Of it's own.
Evening star., 1923-08-01

1t is easy to ask the public what it
is going to do about something and
let it go at that. But the case is
different when the miners and op
orators are compelled to ask what
they are going to do about each other.
Evening star., 1923-08-01

Discovery of family of alligators
in the Delaware river suggests to the
Jersey summer resorts a sagacious
perception on the part of Florida in
habitants as to where to go for COM
fort.