davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1923-11-19
Colony Home for Feeble Minded

Progress is reported in the work
OF establishing a home for feeble
minded persons. This project has
been discussed for many years by
public authorities and civic organi.
cations in Washington. At length
an appropriation was obtained for
beginning the work. Then came a
controversy, though one of good ma
ture, over the matter of site. At
flrst it seemed that the home would
lie set up at Blue Plains, or Shep-
herds, where the District Home for.
the Aged and Infirm and other pub-
lie charities are situated. Among the
reasons for opposing that site was
that there is not land enough and
the environment would not be that
which projectors of the home had in
mind. Nearby sections in Maryland
ana Virginia were looked over and
the Commissioners bought a large
tract of land in Anne Arundel county
and determined on the colony plan
of construction and administration.
gIneer Commissioner of the District
and the municipal architect were an.
proved by the Commission of Fine
Arts at its late meeting, and now the
secretary of the board of charities
and the municipal architest will carry
the plans before the national COM
mittee on mental hygiene for exam
ination and possible helpful recon-
mendatlons. Enough of the money
appropriated has been left after the
purchase of the farm to begin work
on the home, and when it has been
set in operation it is believed that
it will not be difficult to obtain funds
TO carry out the plan and provide
Il place which may be called "home >
~ part of our population needin;;
and deserving special care and for
which the public authorities have not
heretofore made provision.
Evening star., 1923-11-19
Around the World in the Air.

What a thrilling thought there IL in
this contemplated journey of four
Army flyers around the world next
March, encompassing as it proposes
all the globe and touching both
"Greenland's icy mountains and In
dia's coral strand" The record of long
distance flying up to now IS from Eng
land to Australia, but now mans am.
bition and genius is to take him all
the way.
The air has been conquered to
transmit the human voice, and this
trip, if successful, will go far toward
further bridling the air to carry the
human being and his baggage Think
of the long flights across the seven
seas. the airplanes with their pontoons
resting between laps upon the water.
The longest nonstop passage will be
700 miles. Starting from Washington
the flight will lead to Seattle, Alaska,
the Aleutian Islands and thence to ia.
pan. Skirting the shores Of China,
Siam, Burma, across India and the
Persian gulf, the route goes through
continental Europe to England.
Then "taking.of" for the Farce Is.
lands, Iceland and Greenland, the
flyers will land on the North Ameri.
can continent in Labrador and so
home across Canada. All hail to the
intrepid Army officers who will risk
their lives in the undertaking-and
good luck to them!
Evening star., 1923-11-19
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
By Frederic WilLiam Vile

is Great Britain's member In charge
of social questions at the head
quarters Of tho league of nations.
Her speaking topi. In the United
States will be the leagues work In
prevention OF the whitesslave traffic
and narcotics evil.
Mrs. Emily Newell Blair. vice
chairman OF the democratic national
committee. Is about to launch a cor
respondence course for woman voters
Ia SCHOOL Of politics" conducted by
mail. What our woman politicians
are chiefly concerned about Is the
apathy OF their newly enfranchised
sex. Having achieved suffrage, II is
a disconcerting fact that at the 1920
presidential election fewer than so
per cent of the women entitled to vote
took the trouble to do so. The men are
little less Indifferent. 1t is authorita-
lively stated that only 40 per cent
OF the total voting population of the
Union went to the polls on November
2, 1920. The League of Woman Voters
is campaigning to the end that at
least rs per cent Of the nations cleo
tors shall do their duty In Noyem-
ber. 1924.
Dan" Voorhees, OF Indiana, who
was In the United States Senate for
twenty years--from 1877 to 1Ss7--was
known as the Tall Sycamore Of the
Wabash" They've coined a somewhat
similar name for Albert jeremiah
Beveridge. who now appears to be
known as the Tall Saxophone Of the
Wabash" Beveridge is not blowing
his own horn these days, but attend
ing sedulously TO his knitting, that
of a historian. He is hard at work
on his monumental life OF Abraham
Lincoln. which his friends are con-
fident will be a fitting companion
piece to Beveridge's John Marshall" ="
n +
Eliot Wadsworth. Assistant Secre-
tary Of the Treasury. assures the Re
publican Club OF Harvard that this
IN a critical time for the United
States" In q letter just sent to the
club apropos it's plans for the 1924
campaign, Mr.. Melons understudy
wrote:
The man who Is chosen President
for the next four years will have a
responsibility az great as, IL not
greater than. any President has ever
faced.
Copyright, 1927
Evening star., 1923-11-19
Indian Summer.

This is Indian summer. It Is he.
lieved that not many persons will
deny this statement. II one had said
last October when warm DAYS fol.
lowed cool ME nts, that Indian summer
had come indignant men might have
answered that it was not Indian sum-
mer, but only squaw winter, and
others would have entered the frav
declaring that it was not squaw win
ter. but papoose winter. NOWADAYS
few statements go unchallenged. Per.
haps if one were to say that twice two
make four, that bread is the staff of
life and that rain falls on the lust
and unjust, repudiators would still
come forth. There are men who ridi.
cule the thought that Columbus dis.
covered America, many who say that
Capt. John Smith was more a ro-
mantle writer than an explorer, and
q few deny that Adam was the first
man. But it is felt that there Is
safety in saying that this Is Indian
summer. 1t is November. Many trees
have dropped their leaves. There have
been frosty nights. Ice has formed
and snow has "furried." Yet between
chill nights are balmy days.
When ancestors Of our first and
other families came from Britain they
knew the terms. "All Hallows sum.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

mer." "St. Luke's summer" and est.
Martins summer" as applied to
warm weather following All Saints
day. ST. Luke's day and st. Martins
day. Why they called warm weather
in late autumn Indian summer no one
knows. Many a man had it from his
grandmother that it was 80 called be.
cause it was the season of Indian
forays. Yet if one take the record
of Indian uprisings 1t will no doubt
be found that as many occurred in
December as May. June as November
and July as October. Perhaps it was
that, believing Indians treacherous
and false. and knowing that warm
weather In November was not con-
stant, our ancestors called the time
Indian summer in inc sense that It
was false summer. They prefixed
Indian" to the names OF many plants
which We're not what they appeared
to be, as Indian turnip, Indian pink.
Indian hemp Indian mustard ane
about twenty-five other plants in this
region, They invented the phrase,
Indian giver."
Thackeray. when he sent Col. Es-
mond to Westmoreland county. Va.
more than half n century before the
American revolution, caused him to
write In his memoirs this:
But we two cared no longer to live
in England and Frank formally and
joyfulIy yielded over to us the pos
session of that estate which we now
occupy far away from Europe on the
beautiful banks of the Potomac.
where we have built a new Castle
wood and think with grateful hearts
of our old home. In our transatlantic
country we have a season, the calmest
and most delightful of the year.
which we call Indian summer. l
often say the autumn OF our life
resembles that happy and serene
weather and am thankful for its rest
and sweet sunshine.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

would seem that this work should be
done as soon as possible. Between the
mouth of the Eastern branch and the
Anacostia bridge. and between that
and Benning bridge, progress has been
made, but between Benning, Licking
banks, Hickey run and the District
lire is an expanse of ooZe and slime
grown with ribbon grass, pickerel
weed and wild celery. A narrow
stream flows through this stretch Of
mud and weeds.
Reclamation Of the Potomac and
slowly. We are proud Of Potomac
Park, but that Is only part OF the
reclamation work planned nearly half
a century ago. More than a century
ago Congress and the people of Wash
ington and Georgetown considered the
fats dangerous to public health, but
in that time our people were more
concerned with deepening and widen
ing channels for commerce than with
filing fats for sanitary reasons. In
of filing flats for sanitary and esthetic
reasons. In 1872 Congress authorized
the creation of board of survey for
1.-The purpose OF devising and submit
ting to Congress a comprehensive
plan of improvement not only in re-
spect to navigation. but also with ref
erence to its sanitary effect on the
city of Washington and the possibility
of reclailning in any plan OF improve
ment the swamps and marshlands
along the water front" Alexander
Shepherd was a member Of that board,
and in that act Of Congress one reads
the first congressional reference to the
sanitary aspect of the matter. In Feb
ruary, 1881. there was a disastrous
Potomac flood. and in that year Con-
gresS ordered another survey for the
purpose of raising the flats in front
of the city and the establishment OF
harbor lines
Improvement Of the Potomac river.
comprehending reclamation OF the
flats, removal Of Long bridge. con-
struction Of two modern bridges, ex-
cavation Of the tidal basin and crea-
ton of Potomac Park was tnaugu-
rated by act Of Congress August .,
1882, under which act 100000 was ap-
propriated for beginning the work
The next appropriation OF $50o,000
was made July 8, 1884.
Some work in the Eastern branch
was done in the late SOS. The navy
yard channel was deepened and a mud
emhankment laid along the river from
Giesboro to Poplar point. In follow
ing years this work was carried TO the
navy yard bridge, converting the river
from that point to its mouth into a
mud lake foul with sewage. In late
years dredges have filled the river
from the old channel to the southerly
shore line. The work of dredging and
filling has gone creepingly on for
about thirty.five years, and nothing
has been done toward changing the
reclaimed land TO parkland. Anacostia
held a celebration a few months ago
on the occasion OF turning the first
spade of earth in parkmaking. but
the great Anacostia or Eastern Branch
Park is still on paper, and reclamation
above Benning has not been begun.
Evening star., 1923-11-19
Coal Situation Held Issue
Which Still Is Far From Dead

port of the coal commission will do
much to clarity the situation and
pave the way for constructive rene
dies in an industry that has been
badly managed
Any new agency created must be
extended to wholesale distribution,
as Well as to production and trans
portation." insists the Chicago Daily
News, and that newspaper recalls
there are reports current in Wash
ington that the coal question. like
some others, is to be postponed until
after the next presidential election.
The consumer should have something
to say about this craven policy. Is
he to be plundered by dummy COM
panies, greedy operators and others
for another period of two years, be-
cause congressman have no energy
for anything beyond politics? The
consumer must know full well that
the plunder will continue IL he re-
mains passive apd inarticulate" This
is the more so, as the Detroit News
views the outlook, because no in
dustry in this land is as badly man
aged as the coal business, mono has
demonstrated itself as utterly in
sensible to the public interest, no
monopoly, for example. is SO nearly
complete as that existing in anthra-
cite and none abuses its peculiar
position so tiag-antly."
If Gov. Pinchot was aStoniShed
when the operators informed him III
conference that they cannot cooper
ate with him in freezing out the
hard-coai protiteer, no one else was,
insists the New York World in COM
menting on the fiasco which impelled
the Pennsylvania executive TO call
another conference of governors.
There was nothing In the Pinchot
settlement to indicate that with each
successive year the capital-labor ma
chinery will not occasion another
hold-up. At any rate the suggestions
made by the coal commission are un-
likely to put an end to the game. 1t
seems, In the end, that the commits
sion has done no more than warn the
consumer and grant him permission
TO look out for himself, a privilege
that has been his for some time
Recognizing the Importance of the
Pinchot declaration that he Will have
gress" the Star pointed out that the
mass of the people Will welcome II If
II seems at all feasible. Naturally, II
national legislation can check extor-
tion in anthracite prices. IL can be
made to apply TO bitumirous and
everybody will push II. Until the
governor makes public his plan there
will be the keeneSt interest in II
and speculation as to whether II Will
be handicapped by the principle of
governmental price-hxlng, whlch, OF
course, would endanger It's being
carried out"
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Hiram Johnson's formal entry into
the republican presidential race mo-
nopolizes interest. literally seasoned
with anxiety, In both republican and
democratic camps. Nowhere Is the
Johnson candidacy regarded with
contempt. It is an open secret that
President Coolidge's friends feared
the rivalry Of Johnson more than that
of Lowden. Pinchot, Watson and all
the rest combined. It's the Califor-
MANS fiery talent on the stump that
Is his incomparably strongest asset
AS rabble-rouser, there has been no
campaign in our time to excel him,
with the possible exception Of Bryan.
Democratic leaders snare republican
respect for Johnson's capacity as
vote-Eetter,. Six months ago they
could be heard saying that they
would immensely prefer 70 nsht
Harding for reelection in 1924 than
that way about the relative strength
of Coolidge and johnson.
\ n
What does Calvin Coolidge talk
about when he receives distinguished
Europeans? Reparations? World
court7 Disarmament? Allied debts?
Well. when the President received q
great British publisher the other day
the conversation was devoted to
Americas educational system. Mr..
Coolidge strongly advised his visitor
to study our schools before leaving
the country. Incidentally, the Presi-
dent told the caller that a trip abroad
is still one OF the luIuries In life
to which the Coolidge family has to
look forward.
*
One of the British women who won
celebrity during the world war is
coming to the United States to lecture
early in the new year. She Is Dame
Rachel Crowdy. who was principal
commandant OF the great volunteer
nurse corps which rendered yeoman
service to the British army and navy.
Dame Crowdy. who received her title
after the armistice, was on duty In
France and Belgium throughout the
entire war--from 1914 to 1s1s-and
was frequently mentioned In dis
patches" for meritorious work under
dangerous circumstances. Dame
crowdy, a graduate physician, is
bachelor woman of thirty-nine. She
Evening star., 1923-11-19

@. Is it true that Harold Lloyd. the
movie actor. has an artificial arm or
hand?-W, f. A.
a. Harold Lloyd lost his thumb
and forefnger and part of his hand
Whiie he was posing for some comic
photographs. He had real bomb in
ms mana which the property man had
gwen MIN through error. and this ex-
ploded. blowing up the photograp piers
studio and injuring LIoyd's hand
@. Is there quarantine against
pine?-Lt L. d.
A. The forest service saws that
there is quarantine against white
pine from England and Canada This
is me only quarantine on confers ar
present.
@. What were the dates Of the
draft reeistrations?-O. w.
A. During the recent war there
We're three draft reeistrat tfons: First.
June .. 1917: second. June s. 19ISanh
August "a, 1918; third, September 10
1918.
Q. What is the difference between
exnressionism and impressionism in
iiterature?-I. G c.
A. The fiction writer Of the ex-
nresstonistic school seeks inspiration
within himself and writes to n con-
siderable extent Of the thoughts and
emotions Of n human being The i'm
nressionist studies his SURROUNDINGS
ana neople. including himself and
describes them thew impress him
. IN practice. most nov"lists make use
! or both kinds Of techni0ue. though
! some novelists are known definitely
other.
q. Does il iniure n concrAta swim
ming POOL 10 fill it and allow the
water to freeze over to form a skat-
ing rink"--H. L. NJ.
a. The Portland Cement AssocIa-
ton says that large swimming pool
this manner. since the horizontal
pressure developed by the ice will BE-
comparatively little. A pool having
horizontal dimension less than
twenty-five feet should not be allowed
to freeze.
Q. How tall is baby at birth ?-J. c.
A. A newborn baby is about
twenty inches tall. and at the end
of its third year of life has attained
half its adult height.
@. Was the name of the city of
Cleveland originally spelled "Cleave-
land" 1T r.
a. The city OF Cleveland was
named for Moses Cleaveland leading
shareholder of the Connecticut Land
Company, who founded the first set
tlement on the site of the present city
The spelling Of the name was changed
in 1890, when the Cleveland Adver-
tiser was established and the editor
, dropped the "a" in the first syllable
in order to get the headline into the
form.
Q. When did kings first begin to
use the plural "we"?-P. Z.
A. This custom began with King
John of England in 1893. The French
and German sovereigns adopted the
custom about 1900.
fThe Star Information Bureau
tc$U dnStcer your question. This
offer applies strictly to attenuation.
The bureau cannot gire dduics on
/ legal, medical and financial matters
/ II does not attempt 10 settle domeS-
! tic troubles, nor TO undertake eEhGus-
/ tiUe research on any subject. Write
! your question plainly and briefly In
/ close 2 cents in stamps for return
/ postage aud send your query to The
+ Star Information Bureau, Frederic j.
Haskiit, director, 1920 North Capt
; tol Street.)
Evening star., 1923-11-19
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

Q. Please give location of canal
which ran through Washington south
of Pennsylvania avenue.-j. tt NJ.
A. The Office of public buildings
and grounds says that IL was known
as James Creek canal; it came in
east OF the Washington barracks to
what is known as Canal street, up
to the Botanic Gardens and west on
street between Center market and
the Smithsonian Institution. then con-
tinued to the Monument grounds up
TO nth street, where IL went into the
river. Traffic was abandoned on this
canal some fifty years or more ago.
Q. What is the difference between
Russian bank and crapette?-C. T.
A. The same game is known by
both names.
Q. How much of the money col
lected for Japanese relief was spent
in aid of Americans in Japan?-A.
NJ. T.
A. The Red Cross report says that
s32,50o cash was paid to the State De-
partment for assistance to American
citizens In Japan. Contributions to
the relief fund have nearly reached
s11. .O00.O 900.
@. Do canvasback ducks fly faster
than wild geese?-H. NJ.
A. Measuring the flight of birds is
not an exact science, but generally
speaking, wild geese average ITO to
125 feet second in flight, while the
! canvasback flies about 145 feet Sec
ond.
@. Have United States hostage
stamps any watermarks?-J. II. s.
A. Watermarked paper was used
by the United States in the manufac-
ture of postage stamps until 1916.
when its use was discontinued with
view TO broadening competition
among paper manufacturers in bid
ding upon contracts to supply the
lieVed that the value Of the water
mark was protection against
counterfeiting, but this belief was
outweighed in the production and cost
of paper.
about the Sailors Snug Harbor on
Staten Island-H. w. Y.
A. Sailors Snug Harbor. the home
for old and disabled seamen, was
planned by Capt. Thomas Randall
and founded by his son, Robert Rich
ard Randall. He bequeathed his farm
known as Mimic farm. lying just
south OF Union Square, Manhattan. for
the purpose. The Will was prepared
by Alexander Hamilton and Daniel d.
ThoIhpkins. and Gov. De Witt Clinton
helped to secure the charter. The
home was founded in 1901. though the
corner stone was not laid until 1881 !;
the first building was opened in 1893.
Q. How many persons usually
were invited to a dinner party in the
old Roman days?-H. d.
A. private Life Of the Romans"
says that the ordinary number was
nine.
Q. How much do one million dol
lar bills weigh Wv. j. A.
A. The Treasury Department
states that 100000 new one-dollar
bills weigh 5000 pounds. If 1,000.006
new one e-doilar bills were placed one
on top of the other. the pile would
be 2S5 feet in height.
Evening star., 1923-11-19
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILASDER JOHNSON.
Street Improyenen,

Main street. SO they tell us,
Was stupid thoroughfare,
With ways that would compel us
To get out, most anywhere!
Now Main street has the posters
OF each motion picture show.
Candy shops and peanut roasters
Just like any town you know.
Main street has the lizard
And the jewel-laden dame.
The OIL stock selling wizard
And the seven-'leven game.
It's no longer just a plain street.
The behavior swift and free
Makes me almost wish that Mair
street
Was more like it used to be.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

A generous argument to the effect
that work of art, even though not
authentic, is all right enough 30 long
as 1t gives pleasure to the eye is the
first ray Of hope that has cleaned for
some time across the pathway of the
German paper mark.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Having listened TO Col. Bryan's OBJ
lection, friends of Mr.. Oscar Under.
wood are willing to give the world one
guess to name a democratic candidate
qualifiedly favor.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Though a candidate himself. Mr..
McAdoo declares he will support any
man nominated by the democrats. No
bid for harm onious support could be
more fair ourteous.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Even If governors of states cannot
arrive at definite and practical conclu.
sions, they can at least get together
and hold one Of the worlds most dis.
tinguished Indignation meetings.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

In the course Of time preliminary
discussions as to where a national
convention shall be held should be
sensibly dispensed with. Washington.
D. c.. is recognized the world ever as
the ideal convention city.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Reports that Mussolini 10 taking the
bar examinations in Italy give rise to
conjecture as to whether he is going
to follow q somewhat familiar pro-
gram and retire from politics in order
to recoup his fortune by practicing
law.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

4 great city in seeking a convention
is under difficulties when 1t has TO Of
fer as an inducement the statement
that the hotel prOprietors have re.
ing.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

The present coal situation is to some
extent cheerful. Nothing has occurred
recently which will serve as the basis
Of another boost in prices next year.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Discussions Of European affairs
have grown so warm that there is no
chance Of keeping foreign entangle-
ments out Of the coming campaign.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

With proper safeguards children
may play in the streets, but there
must be schoolhouses for them to
study and recite in.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

After all, Japan has not as much to
be discouraged about as several ma.
tions which have not recently expert
enced earthquakes.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

France refuses to find satisfaction
In the general belief that return of
the Hohenzollerns is one of the worst
things that could happen to Germany.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Great eagerness was displayed in
Berlin to obtain the new paper cur
rency. At least the charm of novelty
is demanded.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Again the farmer insists that the
question of how he is to pay his taxes
is as important as that of taxation il.
self.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

A Jaywalker may have his share in
the responsibility for a collision, but
he can never be blamed as the one
who did the most damage.
Evening star., 1923-11-19

Poincare finds tnat the French nub
lie is not only behind him, but inclined
to push