davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1923-08-13
Caution at Grade Crossings.

The rise in the number of fatalities
at grade crossings is being widely
commented on, and there is a strong
demand that there shall be no railroad
and highway crossings at the same
grade. Work Of rectifying the evil
has been going on for years, and no
doubt in time the grade crossing will
become thing Of the past, but that
time is still far in the future.
While the railroad grade crossing is
with us automobile drivers should use
prudence in approaching it. The state
Of New York has a law, popularity
called 1.-The disc-sign act" which pro-
vides that 300 feet from every grade
crossing there must be disc sign to
warn motorists, and the law says: "It
shall be the duty Of the driver of any
vehicle using such street or highway
and crossing to reduce speed to safe
limit upon passing such sign and to
proceed cautiously and carefully with
the vehicle under complete control"
The courts have construed cautious
ly and carefully" as meaning that the
motorist shall be able to stop on See
Evening star., 1923-08-13
Carving On.

"Close up the ranks and carry on,
is understood to be the sentiment ex'
pressed by President Coolidge to mem
bers of his cabinet with whom he con-
ferred informally Saturday, in ad
vance of the first regular meeting OF
the cabinet scheduled for tomorrow al
II o'clock. 1t was d declaration typi'
cal Of the man and worthy of the oc'
casion.
In the new Presidents first official
statement upon taking Office he an
nounced that he would continue the
policies of government of his predeces
sor. Afterward, in private converse
ton, he confirmed this, and elaborated
it by the remark that while there
might be necessary changes they will
be fewer than probably might have
been made by President Harding him
self had he lived.
In point of fact, while there is a
new President, this is not a new ad
ministration in the practical and ac
cepted sense Of the term. President
Coolidge was part ana pdTCel Oh lHt
Harding administration; he sat with
the cabinet in its councils, knew
everything that was going on and that
was contemplated. AS Vice President
of the United States and President OF
the Senate he was conversant with
the administration legislative pro
gram. Indeed, it might be said that in
way he was liaison officer between
the executive and legislative branches
Of the government.
So in every way it can be said that
this is the Harding administration as
elected by the people and appointed by
the late President, with a new director
at it's head. 1t may be added that the
country can congratulate itself over
the custom inaugurated by President
Harding in taking the Vice President
into the executive councils, thus
equipping him through the knowledge
he there obtained, which will be in
valuable to him in the policy Of carry
ing on.
Evening star., 1923-08-13

ing an approaching. train, and that if
because Of the lay of the land he can
not see an approaching train within
danger distance he must stop and
make sure that the crossing is safe.
Recently the heirs or executors of a
motorist killed al u railroad crossing
sued the railroad company, and the
appellate division of the supreme
court of New York lately rendered a
decision that the dead man was guilty
of contributory negligence in not obey
ing the disc-sign law, and the court
found in favor of the defendant COM
pany.
The grade crossing was big public
question in Washington for many
years, and it was settled right. There
are no grade crossings in the city. AS
population Of the suburbs grew and
as the automobile came into use grade
crossings in the environs became
places of many dangers. Agitation re-
suited in the abolition Of several
notably bad grade crossings, as at
Takoma, Brookland and Benning.
With the growth of traffic on the
Baltimore boulevard and on the
7th street pike the grade cross
ings at Hyattsville and Silver Spring
have become deadly dangerous. They
should be abolished. The railroad COM
pany takes pains by means Of signs,
bells. gates and watchmen to guard
against accident at these crossings,
but it cannot be far in the future
when these automobile roads and the
steam tracks will cross at different
level.
Evening star., 1923-08-13
Leave Bergdoll Alone!

Extremely foolish are the efforts
that have been made by misguided
American zealots to kidnap Grover
Cleveland Bergdoll, the draft Stacker,
from his place of refuge in Germany
and bring him here to serve out his
term under sentence Of military court.
There have been two of these at
resulting in the arrest of the would.be
kidnapers and the second in the death
of one and the wounding of another
and the arrest Of other members of
the party. The net consequence of
these unofficial efforts to bring Berg
doll back to the United States is that
strong feeling has been aroused in
Germany in behalf Of Bergdoll and in
condemnation of our own people.
Bergdoll richly deserves punish
ment. The German government should
in equity have sent him back to this
country. But it has chosen to protect
him, and there is no recourse. The
United States cannot well make an
ignore it. In these circumstances for
volunteers to undertake on their own
responsibility to capture Bergdoll and
bring him back is certain to ernbarrass
this government. If Bergdol were
kidnapped by an American party and
spirited back to the United States
Germany would have cause of com
plaint for crime committed on her
territory.
Far better is it to let this man re-
main unmolested in the land of his
preference. He is certainly not want
ed here as a citizen. He is an unde-
sirable in the last degree. If brought
back he would have to be imprisoned,
and would probably seek to make him
self still more notorious by attempts
to escape. The whole Bergdoll matter
is nauseous, and has injured already
too many regulations. Far better let
it rest with Bergdoll safely out of this
country than to risk an awkward is
sue with the German government by
repeated attempts to steal him. Good
ness knows, he is not worth stealing.
Evening star., 1923-08-13

ago need to be practically made over.
Increasing traffic, together with heat
and frost, break them up.
A road that was considered smooth
five years ago does not satisfy the
autoist of today. Roads that were
thought Of sufficient width five or
three years ago are now, because of
increased traffic, thought too narrow
At this time sections of the Rockville
pike and the Seventh Street pike"
leading from the District line to Nor
beck and on to Olney and Sandy
is complaint that many of the auto
mobile drives" or good roads" are
too narrow.
Evening star., 1923-08-13
Virginia Roads.

A mile-and-a-half stretch of con-
crete road is to be built from Halls
Hill to East Falls Church. This will
connect two sections Of improved road
on the Lee highway and open to COM
Portable travel rather a large part of
Virginia adjacent to Washington. 1t
will form a good road from the Key
bridge to Falls Church and it is said
that the eight.mile stretch of ancient
pike between Falls Church and Fair
fax Court House will be transformed
into an automobile road next fall and
winter.
West from Fairfax section Of the
Little River turnpike has been made
over and finally one Of the good roads
of our neighborhood will lesd west
across the Blue Ridge to the Shenan-
doah valley by way of the battle
ground of Ok Hill and the settlement
of Pender, through the fields Of Chan
tilly and the historic pass and village
Of Aldie. A mile west of Fairfax a
road built as turnpike in the early
y y
branches from the Little River pike
and passes through Centerville and
the fields, of the first and second bat
ties of Bull Run and on to Warrenton.
This is a section Of the Lee highway.
At the beginning Of the present era
Of roadmaking; it was one of the
worst Of the main roads of Virginia
but it has been so changed that in
seasons Of fair weather many autos
travel over it between Washington
and Manassas. When it is trans
formed into a true automobile road
it will bring close to Washington
section Of country giving fine views
of the Bull Run mountains and Sec
ton that is of remarkable historic
significance.
1t is interesting to watch good road
development in the Washington ter
ritory and to make announcement of
improvements and contemplated i'm.
provements. A great deal has been
done in the past ten years, but the
amount Of work yet to be done is
vast. Not only are old roads to be
rebuilt, but comparatively, modern
roads must be rebuilt Good roads as
they were generally built a few years
Evening star., 1923-08-13
Sharp Stress in Europe.

Two events of great moment affect
reported. One is the publication of the
British governments views regarding
the French Belgian course In the mat
ter of German reparations, and the
other is the fall of the Cuno govern
ment at Berlin and its replacement by
the beginnings Of coalition ministry
which must inevitably contain social
ist factors. While there is no direct
relationship between the two, undoubt-
edly they are connected in their pos
sible results.
The Cuno government collapses be-
cause it has failed to maintain eco
nomic stability. The British govern
ment issues its note because 1t cannot
agree with the French Belgian policy
in the occupation of the Ruhr. To the
Ruhr occupation may he ascribed the
difficulties of the government at Ber.
lin. Thus the factors of the present
situation in Europe combine upon the
point Of the present course Of two of
the allied governments toward the de-
feated power.
The British note is diploma tically
softened reputation of the French
Belgian policy. 1t Is an accusation Of
selfishness on the part of those two
governments and an indictment on
the score of the futility as well as the
danger Of continued application Of
~ 10
French Belgian attitude as in viola
tion Of the treaty of Versailles. 1t de-
clares that Britain cannot accept the
decision of the reparations commits
sion regarding Germany's capacity to
pay on the ground that that commits
sion has become the mere instrument
Of Franco Belgian policy. Finally the
British note declares that the London
government adheres to the Bonar Law
plan, under which Great Britain would
he satisfied to obtain from German
reparations and allied debts itself a
sum sufficient to meet the British
obligations to the United States.
There is nothing in the known con-
dttions to warrant the expectation that
the British note will be effective to
the point of changing the Franco-Bel-
gian policy. Indeed, on the contrary.
despite it's temperate tone and careful
phrasing, it is likely to strengthen
the determination of the governments
at Paris and Brussels to remain in the
Ruhr. If that is the fact the breach
between Great Britain and it's con-
tnental allies would seem to have
come.
The British note indicates prefer
ence for a plan similar to that sug-
gested by Secretary Hughes for an in
ternational economic commission en-
powered to ascertain the extent of
Germany's ability to pay. Coming
now, coupled with the barely yelled
aspersions Of the note, this proposal
is not likely to receive affirmative con-
sideration at Paris.
Meanwhile Germany is in political
ton, rioting over food supplies and
prices. fatal encounters between po-
lice and mobs, eff1gy hangings to de-
note condemnation of the retiring
chancellor and a continued fall of the
rate Of exchange, bringing the none
tary unit down to abysmally low val
iue. Nobody can with confidence fore
tell the result. 1t would seem that
Germany has delayed too long the
domestic reforms and the adoption of
an honest policy of reparations pay
ments. She stands now between the
Scylla Of monarchy and the Charybdis
OF bolshevism.
Evening star., 1923-08-13

Q. Who managed the Coolidge
campaign in 1920?-N. E. r.
A. James B. Reynolds, for many
tional committee, was at the head of
the organization that urged Mr.. Cool
idge as a presidential candidate in
1920. Mr.. Reynolds is at present en-
gagged in the banking business in
Washington.
Q. What religious denomination
has had the most representatives in
the presidential chair?-K. l.. S.
A. Eight Presidents have been
Episcopalians and. eight Presbyteri-
ans, these denominations leading.
Other Presidents have been Unitari-
Disciples. Not until the late Presi-
dent Harding entered the White
House had a Baptist been President.
and President Coolidge is the first
Congregationalist to hold the Office.
While the President is not a com
with the church activities of the de-
nomination.
@. When did the articles on swim
ming begin in The Evening Starr
L. D.
A. The first article appeared Sun
day. July l. They are published
each Sunday and Wednesday. There
was one exception to this rule when
the article which should have been
published on Wednesday. July II, was
printed on Thursday, July IL.
Q. Why do some bites of mosqui-
toes itch more than others?-C. u. Z.
A. A well known authority on mos
quitoes says that the lateral lobes Of
when the pest bites person this
saliva is injected into the blood. II
the insect is allowed to take its fill.
1t will draw back the injected saliva
and as a rule no i'll effects Will be
noticed save d small red spot.
Q. Has Germany any possessions
in Africa?-J. IT. G.
A. She no longer has any African
colonies. Her former possessions
were divided between Great Britain.
France and Belgium.
Q. What is it called when people
/ N. Ne W. Te''er OS night IMAM 's 'S
A This condition of the eyes is
known as nyctalopia and hemeralo-
pia. Nyctalopia means night blind
ness and hemeralopia day blindness.
The terms have become confused and
are used interchangeably.
Q. How old is Professor Einstein? :?
A. G.
A. He is forty-four years old, having
been born in Germany in 1879. At the
age Of sixteen he moved to Switzerland,
later becoming a professor at Zurich
University. He returned to Germany
shortly before the war to take a pro-
fessorship at the Academy of Science
He lectured also at the University of
Berlin. He is of Hebrew extraction
and is deeply interested in Zionism.
Q. What will remove black aphides
from pond lilies?-R e.
A. Spraying with tobacco water is
efficaciouS.
Evening star., 1923-08-13
The Revolutionary Bogey
Seems to Be Losing Caste

That the revolutionary bogey" is
losing caste as a threat to keep the
people in line for. the established
order" is being more and more en-
phasized nowadays. Probably the
most impressive object lesson has
been the solemn, dignified, but ex-
ceedingly quiet manner in which the
government has functioned since it's
new President assumed the duties
thrown on his shoulders by the un-
timely death of President Harding.
1t has seemed to answer the ques-
tion what will be the outcome If the
forces of unrest are not sternly dealt
with.
The bogeyman of the revolution
has been invoked so often Ii Is be-
ginning to lose its effectiveness.
points out the Duluth News Tribune
There was a time when Americans
saw a revolution concealed in every
strike for "A 10 per cent wage in
crease, or every time soap-boxer
stood on the street corner and de-
nounced the capitalist system The
trouble about starting a revolution
| In America is that the safety valve
/ let's off steam so fast 1t can't accu-
mulate sufficiently to blow up the
boiler. The ballot box is the safety
! valve. If a majority of the citizens
want per cent beer they can get 1t
through the ballot. And If ma
! jority of the citizens want to guaran-
tee the profits of farmers they can
| DO 1t through the ballot. But if a
majority of the citizens don't want
beer or guaranteed wheat prices, any
| minority that starts revolution is
going to meet rough sledding." To
which the Milwaukee Sentinel adds:
THE same Americans who have
abandoned democracy and substituted d
minority rule fought a war to make
democracy safe for other countries y
while the Aberdeen World sharply
points out that the people are going to
get everything they want. but to get
1T civil war is not necessary. There
are evils that ought to be remedied
but they will be remedied without
revolution or violence"
X X X
The parallel between the conditions
| which prevailed in 1892 and those
| complained of today sharply is de-
fined by the Cleveland Plain Dealer,
which likewise recalls that the Pop
| ulist high-water mark was five SEN
ators in Congress and twenty-five votes
for the party's candidate for Presi-
dent. Greenbackers, Grangers, Farm
ers' Alliance, Society of Equity, Nom
Partisan League. FarmerLabor
Party are products of the same trend
of thought. All but the last proved
ephemeral, though not without per-
manent fruits of achievement. The
outcome of the farmer-labor move
ment depends on the Willingness of
the majority to listen to honest pro-
test and to make an effort to satisfy
it's authors" Agreeing that this Is
so, nevertheless. the Lincoln Star is
inclined to believe there lis too much
red flag stuff" and would have the
authorities take hand. insisting 1--WE
are told by milk and water editors
that there must be no interference
| with the right of radicals and. revo-
lutionaries in this country to pro-
mulgate whatever doctrines they
Evening star., 1923-08-13

please. Perhaps if there was less
editorial counsel of that sort bolshe-
VlSts. communists and l. w w &
would not be encouraged to go to
extremes The Pittsburgh Press
facetiously recalls Senator Swanson's
advice on an occasion when the po-
litfcal seas were extremely troubled
and he suggested as a remedy. FIRST,
work one day and then take six days
OF to talk about 1T; second. never
take anything you can't carry; third.
when in doubt do right"
X * * u
The Lynchburg News makes if very
plain that nobody has been deceived
by the operations of those who sym-
pathize with the REDS" and saws: ''We
don't take much stock in the dire
prophecies Of the .Jeremiahs and
Cassandras who predict what will
happen when bolshevism becomes
firmly planted on our shores. They
need have little fear. Despite all our
shortcomings America is still a land
of faith and law and common sense:
the temper of our soil and atmos-
phere is not such as to permit the
establishment of bolshevism here.
Heretofore we have kept fairly sane
through epidemics of madness When
anybody explains just how the world
can pull itself up by its boot straps
we are disposed to remember a few
facts about strains and the law of
gravitation. Nevertheless. it would
be mistake to sit idly by while
the trouble makers are boring both
from without and within. But the
best weapons with which to fight are
education, Americanization and the
unerring operation Of laws that give
everybody an equal chance. Where
Ajax defied the lightning Franklin
went after it with a kite and a key"
Agreeing with this. but specifically
replying to some of the positive state
ments Of the causes of discomfort. the
Appleton Post Crescent insists there
is no Legislative panacea" for the
farmer or any one else. 1t also holds
that government marketing of wheat
would establish a paternalistic prece-
dent that would do almost as much
to deaden private initiative and in
dividual effort as socialism itself"
y Nk
To the suggestion that the Amer
|ican farmer is bankrupt" which it has
been claimed is the real reason for
most of the existing unrest, the Little
Rock Arkansas Democrat recalls the
statement of former Secretary of
Agriculture E. T. Meredith that "the
grain farmer will receive $500. 900, 900
more for his wheat crop this year
than last" and insists that 'every man
who wants to work can have job
for the asking. Business conditions
are becoming more stable every day.
The building boom has been far be-
yond the dreams of the most opti-
mistic. Goods are moving and the
railroads are busy. The only slug
gishness is in the brains Of those who
are talking soviets and exploited
peoples and other such tommyrot."
And. summing it all up, the Burling-
ton Free Press feels that the require
ments of the hour which now 1t ap-
pears are being worked out are faith
, in America, faith in the American
people, faith in their ability to solve
the economic problems facing US,
faith in American industry, in Amer
lean institutions, in American democ-
racy and law and Justice"
Evening star., 1923-08-13

In view of historic precedent. Mag
nus Johnson is justified in undertaking
to appear neither as profound nor as
picturesque as he has recently been
represented. His desire apparently is
to be regarded as plain human citi-
zen: a role easily defined. but not
always one that the public can SYM
pathetically appreciate.
Evening star., 1923-08-13
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

@. What artists have been admit
ted to the Campfire Girls Of America?-
d. y.
A. Pavlowa. Frieda Hempel. CALI
Curci and Princess Tsianina are hon
orary members. Princess Tsianina-
pronounced Chi-nee-na-is a Chero-
kee-Creek Indian maid.
Saint John the Divine in New York
City begun?-A. B.
in 1872.
@. Was the explosion at Morgan,
n. j., as disastrous as the one at Black
Tom Island?-M. P. C.
A. In so far as loss Of life is con-
cerned, the explosion at Morgan, n. j.,
was a greater disaster than that Of
Black Tom Island, Jersey City. In
both explosions, the damage was esti-
mated at. about twenty million dollars.
At Morgan the loss of life was sixty
four; at Black Tom Island, it is believed
| that only six lives were lost.
Q. Why do Japanese mice waltz?
A. The peculiarities Of the Japa-
| nese waltzing mice were at one time
supposed to be due to a disease In
| the labyrinth of the ear. DR.. Kishi.
/ however, concludes their dancing to
| be the result Of confinement for un-
told centuries within small cages.
O. What great inventor was never
granted a patent?-L. H.
| A. Benjamin Franklin, ranked as
! the greatest inventive genius Of his
| age, never asked for nor received a
| patent for any Of his inventions or
discoveries.
Q. How long have Angora goats been
bred in this country?-F. c. S.
s.s -
! the United States from Asia Minor in
| 1S49 by DR.. James B. Davis OF Colum-
/ bia, S. C. DIR. Davis also brought one
| Cashmere doe with his Angora flock, a
| buck of the breed dying on the voyage
Q. What was Gov. Al Smiths majority
! at the last election?-C. W. L.
A Gov Smith was elected in
1922 by plurality. not majority. Of
| 3S5,945.
Hebrews. G. B.
A. The Hebrew and Yiddish
languages use no capitals; They
| be used at ends of words only.
/ Hebrew and Yiddish are two entirely
| different languages. having nothing in
common except the alphabet This is
composed Of twenty-eight letters: Only
twenty-three of then. have distinct
sounds. five being duplicates. used at
! the ends Of words.
Q. Is the banjo clock older than
/ the tall grandfather's clock?-C. D. II.
| A. The tall clocks first made their
| appearance during the latter part Of
! the seventeenth century. while tho
J banjo clock was patented by Willard
in 1902.
| (Let the Star Information Bure1u,
Frederic J. HGskin. Director, 1920 North
Capitol street. GnsUer your questions
! The only charge for this service is ?
cents in stamps for return poStdge.)
Evening star., 1923-08-13

Statement by prohibition authori-
ties that "bootlicker" Is going out of
style does not go far enough to en-
courage old John Barleycorn to hope
he will figure prominently in the fash
ion columns instead of the police
news.
Evening star., 1923-08-13

1t may be assumed that Hiram John.
son will never deem it necessary to
offer prize for the best means Of
keeping this country out Of the league
of nations. If any further essays on
the subject are needed he can compose
them himself
Evening star., 1923-08-13

There should be no misunderstand-
ing about what ships are to be used in
international postal service. There is
sufficient room for discussion about
the carrying Of other things without
introducing argument as to the letter
carrying.
Evening star., 1923-08-13

In case Ambassador Harvey should
relinquish his diplomatic duties the
public may hope for some enlivening
demonstrations by Editor Harvey in
the line Of campaign journalism.
Evening star., 1923-08-13

Lady Astor is so anxious for Eng
land to initiate America and adopt
prohibition that there are probably
moments when she is positively home
sick.
Evening star., 1923-08-13

A flivver manufacturer has to be
warned against reckless driving when
friends insist on trying to put him in
charge Of political band wagon.
Evening star., 1923-08-13

The only kind Of Ruhr settlement
France is inclined to consider is one
that will call for a receipt in full.