davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1923-02-12
Plea for Zihlman Bill
Law Needed to Curb Reckless
ness, Says Civic Body Head.

70 the Editer Of sAs star:
At the present tiEis very serious
consideration 10 being given. by Con-
gress. our Commissioners and citizens,
regarding trafhc conditions in the
District numerous suggestions have
been advanced and bills introduced
into Congress providing for improve
nent. Hut. 40 for one having taken
more than an ordinary interest in this
most important municipal problem, /
am firmly of the opinion that our
streets can only be made safe by the
strong arm Of the law. operating very
religiously against all yiolators OF
our regulations.
I question. very seriously. II any
city In the country has made such
strong and frequent appeals for prop
er observation of trafYic rules and
regulations as has washington,
through its press. pulpit, police and
citizens, with but very little result.
The great number Of arrests show
that our police force is on the job.
But in many instances arrests are
turned into farce by the law that
permits forfeiture Of collateral.
i am opposed to any forfeiture of
collateral, and for this reason. along
with others, am very much in favor
of the Zihlman bill recently intro
duced in Congress, which. / am sure,
Will receive the support OF our Com
| missioners. which provides for 9
separate traffic court and squad. II
this bill is enacted into law. 1t will
l feel sure, 60 long step toward
solving our traffic problems.
There are in the District today a
class of young boys. or men. in charge
Of delivery automobiles. that have no
regard whatever for the regulati tions
They seem to take It for granted that
the machine they are operating does
not belong to them, SO why worry IL
| 1t should be wrecked. not considering
| the danger with possible loss OF life
! that may attend the other fellow in
| case of a collision. These are the
birds the police should punish to the
| laws limit.
l note that there is some agitation
| being made to curtail the flfteen-foot
| law. ! think 1t would be a fatal mis-.
take to make any change in this law
| that has worked SO well.
1 also note that it is contemplated
to print and distribute several thou
sand copies Of the traffic regulations
| OF course, some results will be OBJ
| tanned, but it appears to me that any
person operating an automobile
| should already be perfectly familiar
with the regulations.
What we need now is the law and
punishment. SO. in this. 1 feel that
| we should all boost for the Zihlmar
bill. A. j. DR1SCOLL
| President Mid-City Citizens Asso-
citation
Evening star., 1923-02-12

heavy handicap Of climate. stubborn
mountain walls and unruly rivers the
canal Was constructed, monumental
work Of engineering, administration
and sanitation. The canal has proved
a great success. 1t has even made
money" for the government, at s,,cn a
rate that now there 10 talk Of repeat
ing the enterprise.
In the recent discussion Of this mat
ter point has been made that'a canal
at Nicaragua would cost much more
now than it would have cost If under
taken twenty years ago. That goes
without saying. Everything costs
more now than 1t did two score of
years back. One estimate puts the
price Of q second canal at billion.
II that figure had been breathed as a
possibility when the project was under
discussion at the beginning Of the GEN.
tury everybody would have been stag
Sered, But since then the world has
been talking in terms of billions, and
there is no longer any reason to
otk1hh ~ titC iiAHC-iA6uAO oAtio' hC
Panama canal is making money at Q
rate that no optimist ventured to pre-
dict when it was started.
Some day. without doubt, that Sac
ond canal will be constructed, and
probably at Nicaragua, where this
government has concession. 1t is
well to have had the matter brought
to the point Of serious consideration
by the cabinet. For the volume OF
traffic at Panama is now so great that
in a very few years relief will be nee.
essary there. Considering the length
of time that such a work requires. and
also the length Of time it needs in the
stage Of decision. this present con-
temptation Of the matter is by no
means premature.
Evening star., 1923-02-12
Talk Of Another Canal.

Discussion Of q possible second
isthmian canal, on the Nicara qua
route, revives memories OF the time
when this government was weighing
the respective merits Of that and the
Panama course for a waterway be-
tween the oceans. There was much
strenuous advocacy Of each. The
Nicaragua route was the longer, but
with q great lake in the interior to
serve as part Of the lire the actual
cutting, it was claimed, would be. less
than at Panama. Nicaraguan advo-
Gates, too, pointed to the disposition of
the ChaGres river at Panama to flood
Unfortunately and cause a disastrous
swelling of the canal current. possibly
to sweep away the locks and destroy
the banks. Partisans Of Panama noted
the proximity Of volcanic mountains
to the Nicaraguan route, with their
potentialities for damage to cuts ard
constructions.
For a time there was fear lest the
urging Of faults In one or the other
route was calculated to block all con.
struetion; that, indeed. it was so de.
signed. Railroad interests were &C.
oused Of exerting a mischievous in.
fluence to prevent the undertaking, by
either route. Partisanship for the re-
spective lines ran to a high pitch. and
some sharp words were said in debate
In Congress.
Panama was chosen, and against the
Evening star., 1923-02-12
EDITORIAL DIGEST

in the foreien service and in the De-
partment of State the scale of salaries
Is such that in the former case only
rich men, and in the latter only sons
Of rich men, can afford to hold office.
This Is q sorry showing for democ-
racy. and in the case OF the state
Department onicials Is probably re-
sponsible for the perfunctory and
Of the lesser officials there are too
frequently performed. Congress has
an opportunity now to correct these
evils" The Rogers plan lis an enter
ing wedge" the Indianapolis star
men where they can perform the most
useful service, whether 1t be in a
diplomatic or a consular post. 1t VIII
also permit = career In the Ioreisn
service similar to the opportunities
have been served better than the
United States. not through individual
ability, but by means Of the wider
experience which their system has
made possible. The measure is IN
vested with additional importance AZ
role the United States must play in
the solution Of the worlds weighty
problems"
"It may be all right" asserts the
Asbury Park Press, AS regards the
.ner waS poskess sts Tnf for 4. 70 prixese
enterirg the social life of foreign
capitals But II greatly restricts the
available candidates, making unaVah- :
able for governmental service large
body OF capable young men OF educa-
tion and culture. 1t also results In
the two services which ought to CO.
operate, the diplomatic and consular,
being kept rigidly apart. The con-
eressional idea seems always to have
been that 1t was 'undemocratic TO
Js- IT, ovfA l.
aries abroad on the same scale that
other governments do. As matter
Of fact, it turns out to be the very
opposite. A really democratic policy
would enable any American of ad-
equate ability, however poor. to ac,
up his head. as his country's repre-
sentative. without any occasion for
shame or apology" 1ndorsing this
son timent, the Ann Arbor Times in
addition points out that business
Interests of the country long have
prospects now look bright for the
passage Of such legislation" The
New York World argues that Con
gress has always found 1t diff1cu II
| to believe that ar American diplomat
does have to entertain and be enter.
of what is really being thought and
said by the people with whom 1t is
his business to deal. If it were pos
sible to avoid this great expense
| there is little doubt that the able and
poor man would have made his way
| In American diplomacy. He never
| has, for the simple reason that 1t
cannot be done. II is rich mans
service because the salaries do not
! pay a mans way. Congress has, OF
| course, imagined that 1t was uphold
| ing democratic simplicity and refus-
| ing to initiate effete and aristocratic
Europe by keeping down diplomatic
| pay. The exact contrary has been the
| result. The low pay has acted as a
| prohibitive tariff against all but the
rich, and our diplomatic service
is confined to the rich and to those
who are able to borrow from the
rich"
Evening star., 1923-02-12
Would Abolish Office.
Correspondent Opposes Provid.
ing House for Vice President.

To the Editor Of The Star:
Instead of the government incur
ring an expense Of fifty or sixty
thousand dollars a year for an Of
fetal residence for the Vice Presi-
dent. why not abolish the Office alto
gether by a constitutional amend
ment?
The justification so to do is two
fold. First, the ohice is useless
Secondarily, we run tho risk Of hav-
ing a man succeed the presidency
who Is not equal to the job.
The only duty attaching to the Of
flee of Vice President is to preside
over the Senate-a perfectly useless
performance, as the Senate elects
from it's own membership a Presi-
dent pro tem.. who probably presidss
more often than the Vice President
In the whole history Of the country
there have been few Vice Presidents
of presidential caliber.. and for the
simple reason that in the party con-
ventions when the selection of a can
didate for Vice President comes
, around there is little contest for the
position. Everybody Is worn out, and
wants to get home: SO that any Tom,
mated, and usually is,
AS to his successorship to the pres
idency the law already provides for
the succession among the cabinet
officers In the event there should be
no. Vice President, in the order OF
Secretary of State. Secretary Of the
Treasury, ETC., etc. These two men
are generally our ablest officials. and
more often batter qualified for the
duties of the presidency than the
| man selected by the party conven-
tions, and would in reality more
nearly represent the people, as he
would not owe his elevation directly
, to political influence and party poll
tics. e
The country would certainly be
more fortunate to have the average
Secretary of State or of the Treasury
succeed the President in the event
of his death or disability than to have
| him succeeded by the average OF such
Vice Presidents as we have had so
ALEXANDER SIDNEY LANIER.
Evening star., 1923-02-12
Diva.

If the word diva" was used in any
OF the notices and criticisms Of the
recent grand opera In Washington 1t
was surely not conspicuous. One fre-
quently ran across ''prima donna.
the Italian for first lady, and re-
minding one Of the English theatrical
phrase leading lady" but one could
read long way in the opera criti-
cisms praising the singers without
meeting the word diva" That word
suffered a slump in popularity during
this and the preceding generation, the
words "artiste" and Star" taking its
place. Grandpa and grandma in
speaking Of Jennie Lind, Parepa Rosa
Adelina Patti and other great and
charming singers laid stress on the
word diva" 1t was an italian word
for goddess" while "divus' was the
masculine form. From ''divus' have
come the words divine" and "divin'
ity." Anybody interested in the matter
can trace that the Italians in making
diva" and "divus" modified the Latin
"dea" and "deus" for goddess and god
and that the Romans got deus" from
the Greek "zeus," and that that word
was descended from the Sanscrit
"dyaus" The current italian word for
God the Creator and Almighty Is 'Dio.
and forms of deus" appear in French
as "dieu," and in Spanish as dos" Out
Of this old word come the words
deity" "deify." "deist," 'deism" and
others.
When music came to be great pas
sion or diversion with the Italians they
applied the word diva" or goddess. te
woman singers Of high merit, and
gradually the word came to stand sim
ply for a very talented and distin
guished woman singer. 1t was in tina,
sense that our grandparents used it
Old readers will recall that they spoke
of Jennie Lind or of Patti as "ths
diva
Evening star., 1923-02-12
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Just south Of the White House
and due west Of the Capitol are two
memoI ials erected and dedicated to
the honor Of Americas two greatest
mon.
Each stands to the memory OF
men who had the same exalted
ideals, but far different in their op-
portunities to establish and perpet-
uate them in a new nation.
One was born in a home of plenty
with every possibility to become an
aristocratic English gentleman, fail
ing to $50 the rights and liberties OF
the masses. but he condescended to
the level of the common people, suf-
fered the pangs of poverty and en-
dured untold hardships that the
tered and cherished in his soul.
might be born into a new nation
where the principles Of equal rights.
freedom and justice to all mankind
are assured.
The other was born in abject pow
thought of liberty, but the ideals
ando principles of the former had
beeS so instilled into his kind. loving
heart by the early teachings of a
Christian mother that he arose above
this poverty and hardship in order
that he might perpetuate these
principles laid down in the new ma
tion, where there was a great dan
ger of dissolution.
Thou sands visit these two memo
rials each year. They come. they
see and they go. Each, probably,
carries away a different impression
Of this stately monument and mag
nificent building and the things for
which they stand.
The tall granite shaft erected in
honor Of the father Of our coun-
try" and the colossal granite struc-
ture built to the honor of the
great emancipator' are admired by
all alike, but few, if any. take cog
nizance of the foundations upon
which they each stand, and the
| mirror lake" between them, but in
each are two great lessons in true
democracy.
A conglomerate mass of huge
blocks of stone, smaller rocks, gravel
and sand has been cemented togethe,
on solid rock in order to supper,
Evening star., 1923-02-12
Aversion to Overalls
Held Handicap to Boys

To the Editor of The star:
The worlds work must be done,
In recent years there has been a
tendency on the part Of society to
ignore, or at least to be uninterested
in, the Overall phases" of life. The
direct result of this attitude is that
fewer boys have entered ths skilled
trades, and at the present writing
there is a serious shortage Of COM
petent skilled workmen in the build
ing trades. An antipathy to donning
overalls appears to be tho chief
reason.
Our system of education is also
somewhat to blame, as it places an
overemphasis on the professions, as
distinguished from the trades. Many
a young boy is thus doomed to fail
ure in a profession who might have
become highly useful In the honor
able field of mechanics. However, we
believe that the trouble is mostly in
the home and with the attitude of
society in general. Parents have no
reason to inveigh against the high
cost Of building, with the resultant
high rent for residential purposes
and against the high cost of mer-
chandise caused in a great degree by
the high rents for business premises,
il they fail to inspire an ambition in
the boys of mechanical inclination to
learn q trade.
Society must realize that for any
civilization to progress there must be
advancement in all essential branch
es of that civilization. Construction
is an essential branch, for civilization
first began when nomadic, primitive
man settled In one spot and made
himself a permanent shelter. The
development Of civilization and the
DEVELOPMENT OF the building trades
has continued down through the ages.
Our judgment of the civilization, re-
finement and culture Of each age is
based on the buildings 1t has left a.
monuments.
each OF us owes duty to future gen:
erations that the knowledge and skill
handed down to us through the cen:
go on. There must be skilled crafts.
men to carry. on the work; Boys OF
mechanical inclination shoHid be
urged to consider the possibilities OF
the building trades. particularly the
plumbing and heating trades-trades
that need skilled men, trades that Of
fer the four essentials of a good vo-
ca tion: Adequate income. Joy In work
opportunity for growth and. last, but
not least, . chance to serve:
The National Trade Extension Bureau
Evening star., 1923-02-12
The Bow Scouts.

1t is q truism to claim that the fu-
ture welfare OF America is more large
ly dependent upon the mental, moral
and physical welfare Of its boyhood
today than upon any other single fac
tor. 1t is fair to assert that there is
no morejbeneficent influence upon the
mental, moral or physical welfare of
boyhood today than that exerted
through the Boy Scout movement.
The relationship Of scouting to the
future Of the nation, therefore, be-
comes aXiomatic.
America stands today at the verge
Of an era of breath-taking import. The
leadership of the world is reposed in
her. Upon what she shall achieve
through that leadership, upon what
she shall make of the opportunity that
is hers, depend her own security and
prosperity and peace and that of the
world. We need. and at any sacrifice
We must provide for. coming genera
tions of American men who, rejoicing
soberly in their splendid birthright.
shall meet the problems which will be
theirs to solve with bodies clean and
vigorous. with minds alert and sincere,
with hearts in which the fires of
kindliness and patriotism and Christian
faith shall burn steadily.
Such men cannot but result from the
training of the youth of the nation to-
day in the principles and ideals of the
Boy Scout movement. 1t is in this con-
viction that an effort is today being
made TO extend the opportunity Of
scout training to 100000 more boys
throughout the country.
There are today about 5000. Zoo boys
Of scout age in the country. There are
today about 100000 active American
Boy Scouts. More than seven and a
| half millions of boys are today being
denied participation in a movement
| which could not fail to equip each one
Of this number more ably to meet the
| responsibilities which viii be his to.
| morrow!
| The benefits Of scout training can
| be brought to an increased number of
boys only as competent leadership is
forthcoming. The scout movement
| today needs the active backing OF
men strong in those qualities which
| we must find in the men Of tomorrow.
It needs the Endorsement and support
of mothers and women's organizations,
( OF church and school and business or.
! CARNATIONS.
| Its needs must be met. The whisper
Of disapproval Of the aims or methods
Of the scout movement has yet to be
heard. The voice Of approval and en-
couragement in splendid work splen
didly carried forward Is unanimous
| Washington. with the rest Of the ma
ton, must and will make concrete evi
dence Of it's appreciation Of the vital
necessity for extending the principles
of the Boy Scouts to the last Of its
boys.
Evening star., 1923-02-12
More Time for Settlement.

Grant OF an extension of three days
by the Turks to the allies in the mat.
ter Of the occupation Of Smyrna har-
bor suggests that the government at
Angora is disposed to proceed very
slowly toward war, IL at all. While
there is nothing in the communica,
tions to indicate directly the purpose
of the Turks to find a way out Of what
has become a most dangerous situa.
tion, it is always reassuring when a
time limit is set back to permit further
discussions.
In this case the further the matter
is discussed the less likely is a hos.
tile outcome. No matter how greatly
aggrieved the Turks may feel over
their failure to secure from the allies
at Lausanne a measure running over
with concessions and acknowiedg-
ments, they are not in a position to
fight an alliance Of England and
France, with Italy ready for aid.
Two aspects appear in this situation
Of concern to the world at large. VIII
settlement favorable to the future pro-
lection Of the defenseless Armenians
and other Christians living within the
zone of Turkish authority?
At Versailles and at Sevres the
Turkish problem was handled with
extreme care to prevent the infaming
of the Moslem world. The Turkish ma
tionalists organized a government and
appealed to Islam for sympathy and
for aid. Greece undertook, perhaps
with the unwise Endorsement Of a
larger power, a military campaign in
Asia Minor that had for its object the
establishment of Greek authority on
the mainland as well as on the islands
where Greek colonists lived in large
numbers. The Greeks failed miserably
and tragically in their campaign, and
precipitated this new menace. Now
the powers are trying to work out a
, new settlement.
Admiration for the character and
abilities Of Kenlal Pasha will not
soften the feeling that a rehabilitated
turkey STANDS as a threat 10 the peace
and the lives of millions Of people OF
the Christian faith, who have for
many centuries lived within the area
. Of Moslem DONNA tion. fand who have
been periodically subjected to atroci,
ties. For the aspiration of the Turks
TO maintain their own government,
somewhere in Asia, there will be gen.
eral sympathy. For their demand for
full restoration of political power in
Europe, with the infinite potentiality
for mischievous intrigue from the van.
tage point Of Constantinople, there
can be no support.
If war should come the prayer of
the Christian world is that it will be
waged thoroughly, and to the end Of a
definite settlement that will remove
the Turk from the European political
equation, grant to the Christian
minorities within the area Of Turkish
administration the fullest protection
from persecution and, if that be pos
sible, put an end to the perpetual
threat of disruption which Islam signi
hes.
Evening star., 1923-02-12
Only 100 Days School
for COlOred Children
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF 10e Stafs
At Orange. Va, just eighty-five
miles southwest Of us. is to be found
one Of the most pathetic situations
among people who are worthy and
unable to help themselves. i
One hundred and twenty-five chill
dren of colored parents, who are
themselves engaged principally as
farm laborers and domestics, must
leave school for the year on Febru-
ary 2S, after but 100 days of attend
ance, because of lack of funds. The
colored people recently purchased two
acres of land for a new schoolhouse.
Imagine modern children forced to
enter the competition of modern life
with but q short term OF school each
year, and under most unfavorable
Conditions. These children have three
self-samificing teachers, who have
labored in many ways to open to them
better ways of living and methods of
making themselves useful and accept
able citizens. The county is unable to
nay for longer term. as the munic-
| ipal expenses have been very heavy
and the parents are unable. because
farm products have brought low
prices.
| 1t will take the sum Of $500 to keep
this school. opsn for at least two
Evening star., 1923-02-12
Black Nanny Memorial
Suggestion Defended
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
The opposition to the BLACK Nam
my" memorial, as expressed in The
star of February 8 by contributor,
indicates self-consciousness and a
state of mind ungracious and ur-
reconciled to the recognized processes
of the development, Christianization
and education of the negro since ar
irving on the shores of this continent.
1t is not necessary TO further touch
upon the friendly motives actuating
the Daughters of the Confederacy in
memorializing the BLACK Nanny"
for individual types have been given
q place in history which will suffice,
I am sure, to keep the records intact.
We would better look to the compile
tion OF the shaft now building, COM
memorating Jefferson Davis In his
native state, Kentucky, which state
was also honored in contributing
Abraham Lincoln. z. FOSTER.