davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1924-01-26
The Northern Neck. !"

A dispatch to The Star from Mar.
hnsburg, w. Va, told Of q man there
who has deed made in 1916 which
was signed by Lord Fairfax, once
sole owner of this section Of the coun-
try which two centuries ago was
known as the Northern Neck OF Vir-
ginia.' A deed of 1916 may be an old
one in that part Of West Virginia, but
many settlers were there before that
time. Some took the trouble to get
deeds from Lord Fairfax or his agent,
and many OF them, perhaps most of
the pioneers, considered the land
wild" took piece they liked, put
up cabin and went to work. Fairfax
had come into the right of possession
Of the royal grant Of 6,000.0o0 acres Of
Virginia land to Lord Culpeper. but
not many settlers in the western part
q the colony recognized the right of
a king to grant wild land to subject
that he might sell it to other subjects
A deed of the date of 1876 would not
be an old one in the lower Potomac
valley. There are people in the Dis
trict who hold the original grant" or
the first deed to the land they live on,
and those dee04 run back 70 about
Evening star., 1924-01-26
Nuisance Taxes.

Announcement is made that the
House ways and means committee has
tentatively agreed on reductions of
items in the so-called indirect and
nuisance taxes, totaling sl03,254 ASSOC.
This is not TO be confused with the
income tax reductions recommended
by Secretary Mellon and the Presi-
dent, Mr.. Melons proposal totaled a
net reduction of federal revenue of
1928 900 900, or about S220.OO0,G00
more than the reduction now proposed
by the House committee in the item of
nuisance taxes alone. Doubtless the
committee will soon formulate and
announce the reductions on the score
of the direct income tax schedule.
These nuisance taxes are mostly on
luxuries. though some are on what
have become necessities. In round
numbers the reductions are estimated
as follows: On telephone and telegraph
messages, 0,3S0. 900; on beverages.
$40. .l31 900: on admissions. S33, 900. .000:
on theater seating taxes, 81, ,112,00O: on
candy, S11.315. 900: on jewelry, 10000
900: on produce sales. s3,501 900: on
bowling and billiards, $1,000 900. The
remainder of the reductions are on
hunting. bowie and dirk knives, on
livery and livery boots. on hunting
garments. on yachts and motor boats,
on carpets and rugs. on trunks and
valises. on portable lighting fixtures,
on purses and pocketbooks and on
fans OF the total of s103,254. .4sS.63 ap-
proximately S57 $3.50, 900 reduction will
be effected in the taxes on entertain
ment, candy, jewelry and sports. The
$50. 0.3SG 900 reduction on telephones
and telegraph cannot be classed as a
remission of luxury taxes. for these
means Of communication are rated
now as essential.
The tax which is chiefly felt directly
by the people is that on admissions to
places of entertainment. In addition
TO the steady increase in admission
rates for some years tax of 10 per
cent is imposed. 1t will be interesting
to note whether with the remission of
this tax there will be any advance in
the fat rates of admissions. There is
no warrant whatever for such an ad-
vance. Any attempt to mulct the pub
lie by retaining any part of the 10 per
cent tax by covering it into the fiat
admission would be deeply resented by
the patrons of places of entertainment.
Evening star., 1924-01-26
1850. Further down in Maryland and
Virginia there are older deeds.

1850. Further down in Maryland and
Virginia there are older deeds.
Another matter in the dispatch
worth noting Is that This section of
the country (Berkeley county. w. Va)
was known two centuries ago as the
Northern Neck of Virginia" This
may give a shock to some old Vir-
ginians. The Northern Neck of Eir-
ginia" is between the Potomac and
Rappahannock rivers and generally
the line across the top of the neck is
drawn from Potomac creek, which
empties into the Potomac river about
forty miles below Washington. to the
Rappahannock at Fredericksburg. in
George, Westmoreland, Northumber-
land and Lancaster. Sometimes more
liberal geogra piers include the south
ern half of Fairfax and all of Prince
William as part of the Northern Neck,
and some extremely liberal geogra-
piers give to the Northern Neck all
the counties between the Potomac and
Rappahannock as far west as the foot
of the Blue Ridge or thereabouts. and
include Rappahannock. Fauquier.
Fairfax and Loudoun. But 20 extend
the Northern Neck Of Virginia across
the Blue Ridge and through Jefferson
county. w. Va, into Berkeley county
of that state will seem to most per-
sons in this neighborhood as stretch
ing the neck too much.
Evening star., 1924-01-26
"Scofflaw" Will Not Serve.

'Scottiaw." recently awarded u 5000
prize as the best word to designate
one who violates or condones viola
tions Of the eighteenth, amendment. is
having a hard time of it. Adoption is
coming slowly. At the. Atlantic Union
Conference of Seventh Day Adventists'
convention a. Springfield. Mass, it
was definitely repudiated as having no
standing. When certain resolutions
We're proposed 'scofilaw' was elm
mated and .'viplator" was substituted.
II is not because the new coinage IS
not expressive. But somehow it does not
seem strong enough. One may scoff
without aiding in its violation. There
are many people who scoff at laws
that they would not think of breaking.
Those who are seeking to break down
the eighteenth amendment and the en-
forcement act are more than scoffers.
They are in most cases actual viola
tors. whether they sell liquor or buy
it. There are some who do not buy or
sell and still are sCofers at the law,
thus cooperating against it. They,
strictly speaking, are the 'scottiaws."
but as a designation Of all those en-
gagged i'll the attempt to nullify the
amendment and the enforcement act
"scoffiaW' does not meet the case.
"Bootlegger' signifies the purveyor Of
illegal goods. There should, perhaps.
be L word to designate the bootleg
gers patron. who is just az guilty of
law violation as the purveyor himself.
The search is still on for a suitable
designation that will embrace all who
are trying To break down the law Of
the land, written into the Constitution
by two-thirds of Congress and three
fourths of the states. and upon the
statute books by more than two-thirds
of the national legislature in enact.
ment over a presidential veto.
Evening star., 1924-01-26
COURAGE
II am the master OF my fate.
l an, the captain OF my soul"
-HENLEY.
Had to Quit Under Fire.

Born on a modest farm, Georges
Clemenceau toiled and battled his
way to leadership in his country
then slander hurled him. without
friends or funds, to the bottom of
the ladder of renown.
In his teens, a struggling doctor
in Paris. he cried, Long live the re-
public" during an imperial anniver-
sary celebration and was thrown into
prison.
Free again when twenty-one years
old, but practically exiled, he went
10 New York. Efforts to support
himself as Il doctor failed, and he
was instructor in young ladies'
seminary two and one-half years.
Back in France. with his American
bride. he. as mayor of Montmartre
during the Franco-PruSSian war,
earned reputation for honesty and
Honored as a member of the gen
eral assembly. next as president of
the Paris municipal council and then
as member of the chamber of depu-
ties, leader of the radicals, Il power
in organizing the third republic, and
owner of the great daily. La Justice,
he at last was one of Frances great
men.
Then SANDER accused him of dis
loyalty and dishonesty in the Pan
ANA canal scandal. He met every
charge. the attack in the chamber
crumbled. but his constituents de-
serted him. Forced out, his news
paper wrecked, he, at fifty-two, had
to start again as 4 private citizen
Nine tranquil years as Il writer;
then he fought for and had Dreyfus
freed. Back triumphantly to the
senate and he became premier. In
an argument with his old enemy,
Delcasse. he lost his temper and the
premiership.
When the world war began he
entered the Viviani ministry. In 1917,
when seventy-siX, he again was
elected premier. Retiring in 1920, he
ran for president and lost.
His life has been a constant battle.
but always he has been the tiger"
For more than fifty years he was
one of Frances most influential men.
He overthrow eighteen ministries
and made at least three presidents
Today, at eighty-four, he is beloved
and recognized by hosts as the
greatest statesman of his country.
Next-Carnegie Earned 20 Cents n
Day.
Copyright. 1921
Evening star., 1924-01-26
A Democratic-Labor Party

Now comes the professor in poll
ties with a brandnew suggestion for
the democratic party, calculated to
make old-line democrats arouse them
selves. Prof. Marian Paris Smith Of
Bryn Mawr College, addressing the
regional conference Of democratic
women Of the middle Atlantic states,
advanced a plea to make the demo
cratic party a labor party similar to
the British labor party.
Labor parties appear TO be the
vogue since the British organization
took over the reins of government in
England. But how comes it that Mr..
Bryan did not seize upon the Bryn
Maw1 professor idea first? Has his
right hand lost its cunning. and is his
tongue cleaving to the roof Of his
mouth that re let such a chance slip
by of presenting something new and
startling to his party?
It will be interesting to hear the
comments of the Jeffersonian demo.
Gratis upon the plea OF Prof. Smith.
How will it take in the conservative
south. where democracy is well.nigh
a religion to the faithful? The most
important consideration will probably
be the question Of whether the plan
would be a votsgetter. Examined in
this light, its advocates would prob
ably say that it has proved to be such
in England, and if there, why not
here?
Anyhow. the suggestion will give
the democrats something to talk
about between times Of specuIating
upon candidates, and echoes Of it may
be heard in the democratic national
convention.
Evening star., 1924-01-26
Key, author Of the words,of ""The Sta
SDangled Banner

Key. author Of the words,of 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banner"
These facts would probably be for
gotten or would never be learned by
large numbers of people if there were
not a marker to keep them fresh in
mind and give the information to new
comers to Washington and to it's vis-
itors. Already we are calling it sim
ply the Key bridge" and many
Americans would not know that
key is the name Of the man who
wrote our national song. and that he
lived for a long time near the north
end of the bridge and that the bridge
is memorial to him.
The United Daughters of 1912 are
doing praiseworthy deeds in marking
places associated with the 1S12-lSl5
period Of American history and in
seeking out and marking forgotten or
neglected graves Of men who served
their country well in its second war
with England. The practical patriot
ism of this society as we'll as that of
other ancestral patriotic societies is
commendable for its sentiment and
usefulness.
Evening star., 1924-01-26
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
by FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

Great Britain has established an
uncommonly interesting precedent at
/ Washington by sending Roman
Catholic here as her ambassador
Sir Esme Howard. who succeeds Sir
Auckland Geddes. will be the first
Briton of his faith to be diplo-
matically accredited to the United
States. With only one or two ex
ceptions all of the foreign ambas-
sadors at Washington are adherents
of the Church of Rome. They include
NJ. Jusserand of France. the dean of
the diplomatic corps, and the ambas-
sadors Of Belgium. Italy. Spain, Ar
geutina. Brazil. Chile. Cuba and Peru.
Mexico will add another Catholic to
! the ambassadorial colony when the
time comes Great Britain perhaps
discerns advantage in stationing at
Washington a diplomat bound to be
persona grata to the influential Irish
element in America.
| x X j: y
Albert +. Fall, on whom the ma
tons eyes are riveted in connection
with Teapot Dome, was at one time
seriously under consideration for the
| secretary ship of state. President
Harding had high opinion of Falls
skill as a constitutional lawyer. The
ieX-Secretary Of the Interior had
been an associate justice of the New
Mexico supreme court, twice attor-
ney general of the territory and a
member of the state constitutional
convention before entering the United
states Senate. In his final report as
Secretary OF the Interior dated June
| 80. 1922, Fall said: Il regard myself
! a trustee for the reclamation fund
the state in which the mineral is
produced and the Treasury in re-
spect of receipts from leases of oil
gas and coal deposits of the public
domain"
Sol Bloom. representative Of the
Central Park district of New York
| city in the House, is the man who
built the Midway Plaisance at the
Chicago world fair in 1899. 1t was
one of the "nerviest' enterprises in
exposition history Bloom was only
twenty-one years old when he
evolved the idea and made Chicago's
hard-headed business men see that
IT was a sure fire winner With his
world fair fortune. Bloom entered
the music-publishing business, be-
coming known throughout the coun-
try as the music man" One of Rem
resentative Blooms favorite pastfInes
is explaining that he's not i China
man. even though he was born in
Pekin-Illinois. Mr.. and Mrs Bloom
have talented daughter. Vera. from
whom her friends expect literary
achievements. In the Congressional
Directory, in which statesmen publish
self compiled biographical sketches.
Representative Bloom registers his
own faith in Nera's future.
4; !: x *
Rear Admiral Samuel NfcCfowen,
former paymaster general of the
Navy, is back from the near east,
where he went on an American re-
! lief mission. He's telling his friends
how he inadvertently snubbed the re-
| Gently deposed King of the Helienes
at Athens. McGowan wanted TO pay
ms respects to George the Last"
Evening star., 1924-01-26
Kew Bridge Tablet.

A bill authorizing the National So.
city, United Daughters Of 1912, to put
an appropriate tablet on the Francis
Scott Key bridge has passed the House
Of Representatives, and there is no
doubt that the new bridge will be so
marked that all persons who wish to
know something Of it's significance as
a memorial may easily do so. The
tablet is to be Of bronze, inscribed
with facts concerning Francis Scott
Key and the origin of 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banner" and will also be
inscribed with verse of the national
song. The tablet will tell that the
Evening star., 1924-01-26

and turned. up at the royal palace for
the purpose. While he was waiting
in reception room, trim young
officer In Greek naval uniform STROBE
in. The Yankee admiral thought the
officer was, like himself, only a caller
too. Later he turned out to be the
king. But" says MCGOWAN. II only
did what America and Great Britain
did. They didn't recognize the King
of Greece either.
A native Of the chilly cline of Ice
land-Leifer Magnusson by name
now represents in Washington the
only offshoot of the league Of ma
can soil. He is the newly appointed
American director of the interna-
tional labor office. whose headquar-
ters is at Geneva. The winner q
the Box peace award, which has
been agitating the Senate. stresses
the sympathetic attitude of the
United States toward the interna-
tional labor organization and the
other humane and reconstructive
agencies OF the league" Mr.. Mag
nuSson, though an lcelander by
birth and the descendant of vikings
has been resident and citizen OF
tIe CHlltu states lOIR' IilpSl bl Hls
life. He once was attached 10 the
Department of Labor. After the or
ganiZation of the league of nations
he joined its labor office at Geneva.
One of the things former members
of the cabinet find it hard 10 lcarr
Is how to play the role Of an "cX'
in Washington society. While n Of.
fice< cabinet members have their Gcii.
mite rank and station at functions o,
all kinds. Even Jack kSOnian demo
Gratis come to like the preferential
Prerequisites which position confers
Mitchell Palmer. Attorney General il
President Wilson's second admin
stration, jokingly describes how IL
recently lost his way at q dime,
table, forgetting he had reverted q
the hoi-polloi. Robert Lansing, for.
the right hand Of every diplomat,
hostess in Washington. Nowaday.
he's "outranked" by the humblest at.
tache Of a pocket borough legation
X 4 !: Il
Stories of Smedley Buffers uncon.
ventional methods in Philadelphia
al
Washington almost every day
One OF the latest describes an inter.
view he had in one Of "Phiny's'
river wards with a thug. Gen. But.
Ter WAS driving through the district
with an officer, who was pointing out
personalities and premises of promi.
ncnce. See the bird leaning agains
that lamp post Buffers companion
CALCULATED. Hes one OF the tough,
est guys il phia-two-gu guI
man; always shoots to Kill" Butler
stopped his machine. He got out
He walked over to the fellow
Buddy" said the general. Il under.
stand you're IA tough guy. Shake
I'm Il tough guy myself" Then tn.
director Of public safety whipped
back his overcoat and exhibited hi.
police badge. And, say" he re.
sumed, there amt room in PhiIa.
delphia for two guys as tough aS
you and ]. you'd better beat it." TIL,
two-gun man hasn't been seen since
Copyright, 1924
Evening star., 1924-01-26
American Experts by Dawes
Express Views of This Nation

meet the reparations demands OF the
victorious allies"
Under ouch circumstances, and with
good intentions on the part of Ger
many, and a reasonable attitude on
that of France. the Cleveland Plain
Dealer declares the outlook for
reparations adjustment is PERHAPS
brighter than ever before" The Ro-
chester Times Union, furthermore.
insists that Gen. Dawes, in his Paris
speech. expresses the view of an in
creasing proportion of our people"
And the Cincinnati Enquirer CON
cludes If Europe is wise she will
hear. heed and act upon the sugges-
tiOnS Of this clear headed American
business man"
Evening star., 1924-01-26

by the United States lighthouse serv-
| ice, an object fifty feet above sea
| IeVei would be visible at a distance
or 9.35 statute miles
Q. Did the United States Supreme
court decide that the Kansas Indus !
l. r. A.
A. While it did not pass upon the
constltutionality OF the Kansas law.
tne m supreme Court held that the Kan
sas court of Industrial relations DID
not nave the right to regulate tho
wages paid by packing company.
Q. What was the coolest weather
ever known in the District OF ColunA
bia w. c.
a. The weather bureau says thai.
minimum temperature OF Is degrees
below zero was registered on Febru-
airy 13, 1899. This is the lowest on
record since government observations
began in 1871.
@. What kind of pie was made frs
W. p. S.
A. The word pie appears early IA
the fourteenth century, and was useI
to Indicate meat and fish pies. PORK
pie and beef are probably among tho
Oldest.
Q. How long ago did sculptors tans
plaster casts Of living persons?-k. =.
A. Andrea venocchio (Andrea dL
Clone. 1435-14SS) was one of the first
artists to take a plaster cast OF d
living person.
Q. What is the largest mailing list
| in the country?-U. L.
| A. The Literary Digest claims the
! largest one. 1t contains l5,0OO.ooo
/ names. It was made by compiling Il
! list OF all telephone subscribers ard
all automobile owners in the Unite Il
! States
Q. What was the enrolment IA
! citizens military training camps last
| year w. d. II.
A. In 1923 there were 24,4S3 ct
zens enrolled in the camps. In 49,
| the number was 22,119.
| Q. What per cent OF the audieneeI
lin New York theaters are out-of-toV
! visitorS?-H. J.
A. 1t is estimated that % per cen
| of the people who attend the New
York theaters are not residents o
! New York city. Last year over 16.-
| 900 programs were distributed 70
| the theaters' patrons. So presumably
| about 100000 is a conservative es-
innate OF the number of times New
| York visitors attended the theater.
! Q. How many miles of eiectr.e
| lines are there in the United State
H. s. Il.
| A. The electric railways mileage 5n
! 1929, as reported by the bureau o.
! the census, was As, 1888 miles. Pas
scngers on electric railways totaled
/ u ,665. 900, 900 in that year.
| @. Why can't scorched woolir
| goods be restored as cotton can2A
! J. F. s.
! A. The Department of AgricultUr"
! says that wool and silk materials ar
! disintegrated at a lower temperature
J than cotton and linens. and there
| fore cannot be restored to their orig
/ inal condition after being scorched.
! Ut no,t hare question you rda'
/ oHstrered send IL to The Star Infof-
! nation Bureau, Frederic j. HGski1s,
| director. 1920 North Capitol stree
IncIoSe 2 cents III stamps for return
] postdge)
Evening star., 1924-01-26

II became necessary for the chief OF
police to apologize for an accidental
intrusion on the Hungarian legation
when a liquor raid was in progress.
The position of a diplomat in Wash
ington is delicate, and the suggestion
that one would disregard the laws,
even though his status gave him i'm
munity in so doing, is one that calls
for warm resentment and every pos
sible reparation.
Evening star., 1924-01-26
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Birds Of Freedom .

Birds Of Freedom.
''The hens keep laying just the same,
Said HeZekiah Bings,
mo matter how we play the game
With distant courts and kings.
The snow still warns the field OF
wheat.
The sunshine thrills the bud.
The garden shows g. furrow neat
To propagate the spud.
'"To man is given arts of speech
From which confusions rise.
Our eloquences do not reach
The work that most we prize.
Although with turbulent acclaim
We start all sorts of things,
The hens keep laying just the same
Said HeZekiah Bings.
Evening star., 1924-01-26
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN

Q. Just where Is the Teapot Dome
oil f1eld?-A. c. L.
A. 1t is an extension of the Salt
Creek oil field, about forty miles
north of Casper. Wyo.
Q. Where is the largest flag in the
world?-H. r. ].
A. Several claims have been made
of Largest flag" but the largest
one that we know of is the one own
ed by the city OF Canton. Ohio. This
one is 53ia feet wide and 120 feet
long. The stripes measure 4 feet 112
inches in width and the stars are 5
feet in diameter. The weight of the
flag is $50 pounds.
@. How long will it take to carve
the Confederate memorial on Stone
mountain w. r. X.
A. 1t is estimated that it will take
ten years or longer TO complete the
work.
Q. Is the Sealyham distinct
breed of dog?-J. d. y.
a. The American Kennel Club has
advised us that the Sealyham terrier
is distinctive breed. This dog is a
*.
wirey coat OF white, generally with
markings on head and cars. 1t has
short, heavily boned legs and is from
about eight to ten inches at the
shoulder.
O. Whence does the plumber de-
rive his nancy. F. S.
A. The plumber was first of all a
worker in lead. The Latin word for
lead was plumbum.
Q. Is Calvin Coolidge President or
acting President"-C. G. y.
A. He is President of the United
States. The Constitution provides for
this succession in Office.
@. Did Jenny Lind follow the score
closely when singing?-H. F. c.
4. It is said that she usually i'm
proyiSed the cadenZas she employed.
Her coloratura work was exceptional
" good and the cadenzaS in exquisite
taste.
O. Please quote what Charles Froh-
man said when he knew that he would
drown on the Lusitania?-D. W. r.
A. Isaac Marcosson. in his biogra-
ply of Charles Frohman says that
Frohrnan loved Peter Pan" the best
of all the Barrie plays which he pro-
duced. "Curiously enough. it was lit
tie Peter who gave him the cue for
his now historic farewell as he stood
ON the sinking deck Of the Lusitania.
At the end. Of one OF the acts the lit
tie boy says: TO die Will be an aw
| fully big adventure These words
had always made Il deep impression
| on FTohman. They came to his mind
as he stood on that fateful deck and
said: Why fear death? 1t is the most
beautiful adventure in life.
G. Is there d singing fish"-R. +. s.
| 4. The sapo, which lives under
stones near the shore. is often called
| the singing fish on account of pecu-
| liar humming noise that is made by
| its air bladder Sapp is a South Amer
/ lean name for various toadisheS, es-
| pecially for the singing variety which
| is found along the California coast.
| Q. How far can vessel fifty feet
! above the water line be seen on the
/ ocean?-k. y. +.
| A. According TO the table OF Wis
| ihility distances of objects at various
| elevations above sea level, compiled