davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1924-05-09
Bad Advice.

Nicholas Murray Butler, who has
figured recently in the news as a
vigorous anti.prohibitionist, now comes
forward with a declaration that If the
Republican party does not in its Cleve-
land platform adopt a wet plank it
will lose eleven important states in
the election. He enumerates them
thus: Massachusetts,, Connecticut,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New
York, Pennsylvania, New jersey, Della
ware, Wisconsin, Illinois and Mis-
souri,. These states together have 1914
electoral votes. It follows without
saying that their loss would mean the
loss of the election by an owerwhelm-
ing electoral majority.
1t is hard to see how DR.. Butler
figures out this result. His prediction
is obviously based upon the belief that
the country Is predominantly anti-dry,
that it has reversed itself on the sub
ject of prohibition, and that 1t de-
mands Reputation and repeal OF the
eighteenth amendment and the en-
forcement law.
Where are the evidences of such a
remarkable change in public senti-
ment? Where are the proofs OF re-
pudiation? 1t is trlne that the prohibi-
ton law is violated, is defied by many
people. But there is no indication
that these violations and this disposl
ton to nullify the amendment and the
law have the sympathy or support of
the people at large. On the contrary,
there is every indication that the viola
tions and the defiance of the law are
condemned by a majority OF the peo-
Die. Insistence upon full enforcement
is general and emphatic. The sugSes-
ton that the law is laxly enforced by
the government and by the states
arouses immediate and general con-
demnation.
1t is accepted as one of the surest
forecasts of the platforms that will be
adopted at Cleveland and New York
that they will both contain strong ex-
pressions on this subject in favor of
the continuation and fullest possible
enforcement of the prohibition law.
1t is generally recognized that neither
party can afford the great risk of Of
Tending the public sentiment that is
known TO be dominant in this country
by even a half-hearted or weak in
dorsement of prohibition.
DR.. Butler is giving bad advice to
his party colleagues. 1t will not be
accepted.
Evening star., 1924-05-09

and the platform-makers share his
knowledge. The convention does not
prepare the platform; it adopts it.
The real work is done for the dele
gates by the great leaders OF the
party in advance. So the day the con-
vention adjoarns and the reorganized
national committee is announced the
campaign Dor election will be on.
Tho Democrats are not In such
happy case. No map in the party
can guess the prospective ticket to
be nominated. and lacking even in
timation OF it the party's fighting
policy cannot be visualized. If Mr.. Nc
Adoo is the nominee, one kind of cam
paign will be planned If Gov. Smith
is the nominee, still another. IF it is
to be Senator Ralstm or Senator I'm
derwood, still another.
II either Mr.. McAdoo or Gov. Smith
is chosen, the party will be more or
less on the defensive along certain
peculiar lines Realizing that, the
party is casting about for a candidate
who will be able to take the aggres-
sive. All these elements must be
taken into consideration long after
the Republicans have speeded up in
their flying start
Evening star., 1924-05-09
Denies Russian Art
Exhibit Was Failure
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
A press clipping agency Of this city
sent US a clipping of an article which
appeared in your paper on April z,
1924, entitled Russian Art Exhibit
Financial Fiasco.'
would be much obliged to you If
you would correct the unconscious
misstatements which appear therein.
An erroneous impression of the Rus
sian art exhibition is given. The
moral and financial success of the
Russian art exhibition in New York
was very great.
Up to April Is our exhibition was
visited by 1900 persons and the sales
to that date 5S exhibits were sold,
including SO paintings, 8 sculptures
and IS graphical works. On account
of the success OF our exhibition we
were obliged to postpone the closing
date of same until April 20, and to
exhibits, realizing about s45,000.
With regard to the political Ques-
tion involved, 1 wish to emphasize
that the Russian art exhibition had
nothing to do with any political per
sons or organizations in Russia or the
United States. Its only aim was, as
was plainly stated in the official an
nouncement of the exhibition: First.
to acquaint the American public with
Russian cotemporary art, and, Sec
ondly, to bring material help to the
Russian artists.
We are satisfied that both Of these
aims have been attained.
AS to the alleged participation in
our exhibition of two prominent Rus
slams, namely, Prince Youssoupof and
Count Tolstoy, 1 wish to call your at.
tention to the fact that both of these
gentlemen have denied by letters pub
lished by the New York Times on
April Is and "a that they were con-
nected in any way with the organIza-
tfon of the Russian art exhibition.
RUSSIAN ART EXHIBITION,
SERGE VINOGRADOFF,
Chairman a Artist Committee,
Evening star., 1924-05-09

Appropriated should be expended be-
low the bridge. Representatives of
the Board Of Trade presented the nt-
uation to various members OF Con-
gress and the result was an amend
ment to the bill that the money might
be expended on the reclamation OF
the Eastern Branch in the wisdom of
the engineers.
Eastern Branch reclamation has
been urged by the Washington Board
of Trade for thirty-three years. In
December, 1891, it recommended,
through it's committee on river and
harbor improvement, reclamation OF
the flats and improvement Of the
Arsacostia River. In 1896 that com
mittee took the House committee ON
rivers and harbors and the Senate
committee on commerce on a trip
River. The substantial start on the
work OF reclaiming the Eastern
Branch marshes was made in the
spring of 1902. when am appropria-
ton of $150,000 was secured largely
through efforts Of Senator Mcmillan
of Michigan. The marshes have been
reclaimed from the mouth OF the Ana
costa to Benning bridge and trans
formation Of the reclaimed area into
park and Fairgrounds has been be-
gun. 1t is believed that the work
of reclaiming the marshes between
Benning bridge and the District line
will be begun under the appropriation
in the bill which the House has just
enacted.
Evening star., 1924-05-09
Disagrees With Corey.
Civil Service Commission De
clares Writer In Error.

To the Editor Of The Star:
There has come to the commission's s
attention an article by Herbert Corey
in the May 4 issue of the Sunday
Star under the caption. Real Workers
in the National Capital relating to Mr..
Herbert d. Brown. chief Of the Bureau
of Efficiency
This article contains certain refer
ences to the Civil Service Commission
upon which it cannot refrain from
making comment. The article says:
The Civil Service Commission and
the Bureau of Efficiency are at swords
point today on the question Of the
final authority over the $1,000 classified
government employees in the District
of Columbia"
The Civil Service Commission is
then quoted as saying:
THE Civil Service Commission
should have final authority over the
employees in the departments
The Bureau of Efficiency is quoted as
saying:
The heads of departments should
have authority to discharge denote or
promote; otherwise discipline in the
departments will go blooie." which. by
lLnpIfCAllOn, CreQltS In6 COMMISSION
with taking the opposite view that
heads Of departments should not have
authority to discharge, denote or pro-
mote employees.
The commission does not undertake
to say where Mr.. Corey got his in
formation as to the attitude and views
of the commission. but it can say
where he did not get it He did not
get it from the commission or from
any one who was informed on the
subject
The commission has not heretofore,
and does not now, have the view that
the present powers of heads of depart
ments with respect to promotions,
demotionS or determination of efficiency
should be curtailed- The commission
has heard that rumors were in cir
culation in Washington and elsewhere
to the effect that the commission was
endeavoring to take control of en-
ployes away from depar tment heads.
The commission has no such desire or
aim. Such a result could not be ac-
complished without legislation, and
nothing of the kind is contemplated. so
far as the commission knows. Its re-
lations with the departments are
friendly and its duties are we'll de-
fined. The Civil Service Commission
is content to stick to its knitting.
JOHN T. DOYLE,
Secretary United States Civil Service
Commission.
Evening star., 1924-05-09
Gas Tax Equities.

The money from the gas tax. de-
rived not at all from the United States
and solely from citizens and credited
entirely to the District, should be ex-
I.ended on streets and avenues as part
IF the Districts so per cent contribu-
lion to District expenses, accompanied
by the governments 40 per cent, in
accordance with existing law.
The original proposition to make of
the gas tax proceeds a street-improve-
ment fund contained a specific pro-
vision which barred the governments
10 per cent contribution under the
1922 law. This provision was cut out
In enacting the proposal into law, and
the fund was credited entirely to the
District without limitation.
The offer of words of specific exclu-
sion of the United States from its nor
NAL, natural contribution under the
law in this case conceded that the
words were necessary to the exclusion
OF the United States from such partici-
patton, and the cutting out of these
words was by Implication a denial Of
this exclusion.
The street improvement appropria-
tions which are rendered unnecessary
by the gas tax revenue are made
on the 60-40 basis, and if the United
States does not add its 40 per cent
to the Districts gas tax contribution
the effect will be to relieve the gov
ernment from its obligation under the
law to Contribute 40 per cent toward
the cost of street improvements,
though specific provision to this eff
feet was pointedly omitted from the
law; or, from another angle, this ac-
ton will devote to the relief of Uncle
Sam from a legal obligation 30 per
cent of the gas tax fund to which he
has not contributed a cent and from
which he is excused by the gas tax
law from contributing.
1t was not the intent of the gas
tax law (at least as far as the Senate
IS concerne0 to enable Uncle Sam to
evade any obligation clearly imposed
upon him by the 1922 law and by
equity, and the Senate and the con-
ference committee ought not to per-
nit this construction to be put upon
IL, in the manner proposed by the Dis
trict appropriations bill as it passed
the House.
Evening star., 1924-05-09
Anacostia Flats Improvement.

Reclamation OF the marshes of the
Anacostia River may be carried on
between Benning bridge and the Dis
~ 7rict line under terms of the current
District appropriate ton bill as passed
by the House.
The limitation that the appropria-
tion of $3.50, 900 for reclamation should
be expended south of or below Ben
ming bridge was stricken from the
bill. For five years the Washington
" Board of Trade and other public
civic bodies have labored to have this
restriction removed.
The District appropriation act of
March ., 1911, provided for reclaim
ing the marshes of the Anacostia
from the Anacostia bridge northeast
, to the District line and the plan of
.reclaiming and making a park of that
20 section was developed by a board of
engineers and described in a report
y by the board in April, 1912. The
: appropriation acts approved February
%, 1921; June 90, 1922, and February
%, 1928, contained the provision that
money appropriated for the work
should be expended below Benning
bridge. In the District appropriation
act OF February 2S, 1923, the board
= OF engineers was directed to submit
to Congress, through the chief Of
engineers Of the Army, a report on
the "desirability or undesirability Of
continuing the reclamation project
above Benning bridge"
The report submitted at the begin
ming of the present session of Con-
gress advised that the reclamation
: project be carried out between Ben
ming bridge and the District line,
made notifications in the original
plan in order to meet certain objec-
rions that had been raised and pro-
posed a plan for dismantling the
dredges and putting them in place
above Benning bridge to obviate the
necessity of putting draw in that
bridge. When the current District
: appropriation bill was reported it con-
-Hained the proviso that the money
Evening star., 1924-05-09
a Flying Start.

It would appear that the Repub-
licans will enter the campaign for
the presidential election with prac-
tically a months advantage in time
over the Democrats. The pre-con-
vention campaign Of the Republicans
is over; their candidate is selected, all
but recording the announced choice
Of the delegates formally in conven-
ton. In the month intervening be-
tween now and the holding Of the
convention the party managers and
the titular-and actuaHhead OF the
party can devote themselves to pre-
pairing the platform and considering
the choice for second place.
In point Of fact, they are doing
that at this time. President Coolidge
knows what the main issues upon
which the fight Is to be made viii b,
Evening star., 1924-05-09
0ogWood.

Dogwood is not on sale at Center
Market. That market, under manage
ment Of the Department Of Agricul-
ture, is cooperating in the save-the-
dogwood campaign. Before the bios
SONS opened a request was sent to all
merchants and farmers who sell at
Center Market asking that they CO.
operate in the campaign by not offer
ing dogwood branches for sale. The
District florists are cooperating in the
conservation Of dogwood by neither
buying nor selling it. It is a happy
spring for dogwood. In no other spring
for many years has it bloomed in such
security and peace. There is some pill
lage of the trees, but it would be re-
narkable if there were not few un-
converted vanda1s among us. But the
sacrifice of dogwood is very much less
this spring than last or the springs be
fore. A great many persons have had
their flower conscience touched and
have come to understand that it is bad
taste to drag withered dogwood
through the streets. The dogwood
campaigners have the appreciation of
all other persons who feel an interest
in trees and all the wildlings that
Tow in the country.
Evening star., 1924-05-09
Fears Capitalization.
Writer Warns of Vital Need for
State Rights Return.

To the Editor Of The Star:
The burning questions before the
American public today are:
Restoration to the states OF thsir
powers us1rped by the federal govern
mentor. in other words, deceAtraliza-
tion.
eminent administration, both state and
federal
Tia people at large have no idea Of
the ex1Ant Of the concentration of juris-
diction and authority in the hands Of
the federal government in Washing
ton, and the danger it threatens to our
institutions and liberties by being so far
removed from the source Of its power
and impossibility Of adequate control
Constitutional restraints appear to
have lost their efficacy, and our entire
system of government is being under
mined by amendments to the federal
Constitution. For this the people are
to blame. for they have manifested a
fundamental perversion Of civic duty in
that they are willing to barter away
their local rights and jeopardize their
institutions and liberties for doles from
| the national Treasury, and that, too,
without regard to the necessity or
merits of the projects for which they
seek national appropriations.
Another cause of Capitalization of
power in the federal government is the
decline in the prestige of the state gov
ernments. which Is in turn due to their
inefhciency and criminal neglect Of the
local duties devolving upon them, and
which have been thrust upon the ma
tiona1 government. by well meaning
citizens, who have despaired of redress
| or remedy through state agencies.
The only hope for the future, and in
| which the public press should take
| the lead, is 70 arouse the people to a
realization of the dangers to their liber-
ties and to our institutions in the pres
ent situation, and to an active sense of
their civic duties and obligations 10
both the nation and to their respective
stateS-to make their state govern
ments, as well as the national, more
honest and efficient by the election of
better men to public office, and by ceas-
ing to look to the federal government
as a wet nurse to crafty their every
whim and succor their every desire In
the realms of sociology, economies and
finance.
Pure and efficient government Is the
fruit of the Intelligent and unpretudiced
| exercise of suffrage by all who are quail
| fed therefor. The plight in which we
find ourselves today is largely due to
| the fact that 1t Is the least qualified who
| do the most voting-men being often
! elected to state and national offices by
less than 20 per cent Of the registered
voters, and the least intelligent, OF
often actuated by some selfish motive.
We need to return to that good old
time conception OF government which
was that government owed the citi-
zen certain simple fundamental duties
pertaining primarily to the protection
| Of his life, liberty and property. while
| he in turn owed everything to the gov
ernment in support of it's discharge OF
these ob1igat tons. OF the many wise
| things said by Jefferson, none was more
pregnant with wisdom than his state
! ment that the best government is the
one that governs the least"
ALEXANDER SIDNEY I.ANIER.
Evening star., 1924-05-09

or vesicular, shaggy, scoriaceous o.
pumiceous.
Q. When did Egypt become an in
dependent state with F'uad as king?-
L. d. =
A. 1t became an Independent kim.
dom upon the termination of the Rrif-
lsh protectorate February 2S, 1899
Ihe British government reserved a.
us discretion four subjects: Safer
or the British Empires commune.
tlons; defense Of Egypt against for
eign aggression, direct or indirec,
protection of foreign interests n
EGYPT and Of minorities, and guaran
tees Tor British interests in the Sy-
dan. tuad | was proclaimed king on
Q. Who were. for the most par
owners of the land on which the citv
OF Philadelphia is built?-A- NJ. s.
A Swedish, Dutch and Englisb
colonists owned the land now occI
pied by the city Of Philadelphia.
Q. Is there a court to which car
write to find out how a will lef,
property?-L II. Y.
A copy of a will which has
been probated may be secured from
the clerk of the probate court of the
county in which the will was re-
corded. A small fee usually il
s. 9; &. v. Why were vikings SO called
A. ''Vik" means a ford or inlet.
and vikings were the inlet men
from the deep iniets OF the Scandi-
navian coast.
Q. Who was the first monk to be
come Pope?-S. c.
A Gregory I, a follower OF Bene-
dict, made Pope in $50, was the firSt
monk to hold this high position.
Q. Did men over carry pa-asols?--
A 1t is only since the eighteenth
century that the use of the parasol
has been confined to women in Eu-
rope. In Asiatic countries IL IS used
today by members of both sexes
Q. How many languages has one
man been known to speak?-H. D.
A Anas Montanus. editor Of the
Antwerp Polyglot Bible, who lived
in the sixteenth century, was said 10
have had perfect command Of ia Ian
guages and dialects Cardinal Gu
seppi MeZzofanti, who lived from 1874
to 1S49, spoke sixty languages we'll.
Q. Does IL take longer to digest
fried fish than it does boiled fsh?-
C d. H
A. Under normal conditions boiled
fish will digest in one and one-half
hours, while it takes fried fish twice
as long.
Q. Is il true that the walking leaf
fern spreads by the leaves bending
over and taking root?-D. S
A The fronds do arch over until
they touch the earth, where they root
and form new plants. Some other
ferns occasionally produce plants in
this way, but in this species 1t is
settled habit The new plants grow
up, repeating the process OF walking,
and soon the original plant is sur
rounded by quite a colony Of its own
offspring without intervention Of
spores. The connections between
| them are slow to die, and it is not
unusual to see three or four genera
tions linked together.
(Hope you question: you toost Gt-
strered! Send IL to The StGT In5oTnsd-
| tion Bureau, Frederic j. HGSki's. dtrec-
tor. 1890 North C0pttoI street. The only
charge for this service IS cents ~
stamps for return postdgeO
Evening star., 1924-05-09
Depew's Optimism at Ninety
Gives Inspiration to Many

The hrepreSsible optimism of Chauncey
M Depew, expressed and implied, on
the occasion of the celebration of his
the Montauk Club at Brooklyn has
brought forth a vast amount of editorial
comment from the press Of America
The aged politician, philosopher and
railroad executive Is held up as a shin
ing example Of the glorification Of that
optimism Tho Nashville Banner pays
the following tribute:
The years OF his long life have given
him much happiness, and have been
filled with rich blessings With the
lengthening shadows he is as serene as
In the prime Of life, when achieving so
much. Fortunate, indeed, is the man
who thus grows old gracefully, harbor-
ing no pessimism- harboring no doubts,
loving his country and his fellow men.
approaching more and more closely to
eternity's open door with a smile upon
his face and cheer in his heart
AS for the causes and effect, the
Davenport Democrat and Leader sug-
geStS, Perhaps Mr.. Depew'S ability to
enjoy joke even when it is on himself.
helps to explain why he has lived so
long" While summing up the advan-
taEeS of his sense of flumor, the Dayton
News declares, I'VE Americans need to
study more the philosophy of humor.''
This does not mean, it continues, that
we have to laugh all the time But -
observes the News: 1T does mean, and
we have Mr.. Depew's word for it, that
laugh is worth it's weight in gold, for
when a man or woman can laugh he
refuses to be worried, and worry kills
more people than any disease that
science has contrived to present to us. !"
n II
OF those who have regretted the
impending passing of the elder
statesman, the Minneapolis Tribune
quotes a statement heard at several
Republican national conventions:
well, this is probably the last ma
tional convention Chauncey will see'
1t is about time, adds the Tribune,
"to quit specufating about Chauncey's s
last convention because "the vet
ing the prophets for many years. and
il a bright outlook on life is condu-
Give to length of years-and we all
know it is-it is quite possible that
he will be among those present at
the Republican convention in 1928
And he would be ninety-four then
and still Republican and still laugh
ing with those who laugh"
Years have taken the hard edges
from his disposition" declares the
Duluth Herald, "if, indeed, such edges
ever existed, and he has kindly feel
ing for his fellow men in all walks of
life" To which the Louisville
of proportion, which, after all. is es-
sential to a sense of -humor. Mr..
Depew sounds a note of confidence at
. time when the country needs ccnff-