davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1924-12-20
No Fleet Visit, No Rejection.

It Is now announced from Toxic, on
the authority of the foreign Office. that
the newspaper versions printed in
that country of Premier Katos speech
on the subject Of the proposed visit
Of the American fleet were incorrect.
The report Of the speech, says the
foreign Office, sis the product Of some
grave misunderstanding, for this gov
ernment could in no wise decline
proposal that never was made"
Thus it would appear that not only
did not Premier kato say that the
proposed visit Of courtesy had been de-
cIined but that the United States had
never suggested such visit. The case
may well rest at that. There is GER
tainly no disposition on the part Of the
American Government to force an un-
welcome attention upon Japan. But
evidently somebody has talked too
much, either here or there or both
The suggestion in the dispatch about
the premier's declination that the
American fleet will visit Japan was
news to us here, just as the premier's
declination seems to be news to the
Japanese government.
Mischievous propaganda is at work
in Japan, without question. Certainly,
If a false report has been circulated
there that the United States intended
to send it's fleet over on a visit fol-
lowing the Hawaiian nlaneuvers, the
purpose is to arouse antagonism. If
Premier Kato was surprised by the
report, he had means Of ascertaining
the fact from Washington without
making public statement at q din
ner. If he made such a statement on
the basis Of an unwarranted report, he
was taking long chances. If some
body spread the whole story about
the visit and about the premier's
declination, he was trifiing danger
ously with international good will.
Fortunately the misunderstanding
has been quickly cleared, save that
the purpose of the circulation Of false
reports Is not yet made plain.
Evening star., 1924-12-20
Oil Conservation Board.

President Coolidge has taken step
calculated to prove of far-reaching
public benefit in his appointment Of
the Oil Conservation Board to study
the Governments responsibilities and
20 recommend safeguards against
shortage of oil production for indus
try and the national defense. The Sc
lection of four heads of departments
the Secretaries of War, Navy Interior
and Commerce-to constitute the
board and to cooperate with the ex-
isting Naval Oil Commission will go
FAR toward allaying the uneasiness
which has prevailed for some time
over threatened oil shortage in the
future.
President Coolidge has become con.
vinced that production cannot equal
consumption unless means of con-
servation, as well as new sources of
production, are provided. 1t will be
the duty Of this board to regulate
the leasing and royalties system sc
as to prevent waste and to enlist the
cooperation of Representatives Of the
oil industry for the benefit of all con
cerned. The needs of the national de
fense must be protected, while the de
raands of industry are also considered
That President Coolidge's action will
be accepted by the oil industry ano
bring about the cooperation expected
would seem to be assured by the
statement Of A. c. Bedford, chairman
of the Standard Oil Co. of New
Jersey, who declared in q statemen,
that 'it is evident that the program
of this newly created board is one
of constructive cooperation laid out
in businesslike manner and has oul
positive Endorsement.
Evening star., 1924-12-20

Esan was American Minister. IN "a
port the arrival of DIR. Cook from
regions more or less adjacent to tba
North Pole. Egan was offered am-
pdssaoorships. by several Presidents
put never possessed the prIyate for.
tune that permitted him to s.rvs o
Parslmonious republic in the higher
diplomatic sphere.
Japanese friend. tell me- that -
-,lne; mar udaira, wife of the newly
pp'Ii'ed Nipponese Ambassador TO
une CnLted states. Washington will
e .he acquaintance Of one Of the
sfeat ladies of Japan Nine Ma+suN
daira Is a lady waiting r. ~.
Empress ,.l Yoshihito. She speaks Eng
l,sh and French with the utrrns,
"a luehcv and is past mistress =,
me me arts and graces OF Occidantai
NE, When foreign ladies' of EngItsh
or french language are presented ~
.ne Empress Nine. Matsudajra fr,
IONS as interpreter at the imnerio, ,
court. All who know her nrediot
VIII speedily take rank a. nne
nonnIar @Shington, h accomplished and
4 = x x
senator Pete" Norbeck of sopth
Dakota narrates to me on South
pest campaign stories of tba y
Ssys that Senator Frank B, viii.
- Ohio came out to the wheat ha,t
20 nelp Keep the Dakotas safa e.
Ioolldge, and harped eloouentI,,
nlght In Sioux Falls on the tbav,o on ae 9
ooohdge or Chaos" Norbeck wss
approached next day by one ne his
woman constituents. who exclaimea.
senator, who's this fellow Chaoso
ne must be dangerous citizen ~ aI;
MT Willis said about him 10 80,
I'm for Coolidgem u oe'
x X * X
Am reminded afresh, as IooL
down from the Olympian heights nf
the senate press gallery, how mic
turesquely accurate was an E,eIinL
colleagues description OF Hiran
Johnson-"a disgruntled Ruddba >,
The shattered idol of the native GO.
or the Golden West, unbeknown 70
the world at large. has unobtrusivei,
returned to the political firing linz
Johnson has introduced a Senafe ras
olution calling for constituttona
amendment whereby a mere nIuraI
ity, instead of majority, shall s1f-
hce to elect President and VII
president Does Hiram still hug az
delusion that he might some day
after all. bag enough electoral coi
lege votes to become President unJar
the revised system he now sponsorsa >
Copyright, 1921
Evening star., 1924-12-20

Mussolini has carried two great
burdens. One is the burden Of polit-
ical opposition from those groups in
italy which arrange themselves uu-
der the leadership of old political
ngures such as Giolitti and Orlando
or around persistent ideas such as
communism, socialism and republi-
canism. Such oposition is more or
less open. Even when it shows itself
supine and gives itself the manner
OF oily assent, as it did for a long
time In Italy, it may be identified as
Mussolint in direct frank words
identified it. as an enemy which
smirks and bides its time.
The other enemy-the truly potent
opposition-is the enemy in Musso-
linfs own party and in his own fol-
lowing. No close observer with skill
in the appraisal of political move
ments could have failed to prophesy
from the days of the march on Rome
that Mussolini, because of the Will
| of the Italian people, could discipline
Italy, but might fail in disciplining
fascism itself.
Today the enemies of ordered up-
building in Italy and the old poll
ticians have presented no substan-
tial case against Mussolini as a great
administrator. 1t would be folly to
deny that he has shown unparalleled
leadership not only of 1taly's internal
welfare but of Italy's place in the
world; the case against him is really
resting upon the assertion and tho
hope that Mussolini is being betrayed
in his own political household, that
he must bear the blame for all follies
of his extremists-the group which
/ Roosevelt always called the lunatio
fringe"-that he must suffer unaided
by any truly strong assistants the
Jealousies and conspiracies of dis
loyal fascists who place personal am
bition above patriotic service.
In religion ideas often remain IN
tarnished even in the hands of a
faithless priest; II is more than obyi-
Gus that such ideas may live, though
adherents of the congregation betray
them. In politics 1t is different Po-
iitical ideas require not only a truth
md not only an unselfish and loyal
rriest such as Mussolini has been,
out a certain degree of purity in the
hearts of the laity.
The degree OF the purity Of inspir-
alton and loyalty in the followers
OF fascism has always been the de-
Gliding factor in the length and
strength of Mussolini's leadership.
While those behind were in step
and could be kept in step by his
extraordinary and untiring devotion
to his cause, while the march w~ut
on through its earlier and easier
paths, the very men who are whin-
Ing and swapping at his heels today
were begging him to let them carry
q spear.
The world may now regard the
spectacle of the attack on Mussollni
q hof he lyn AT
thing approaching a dictatorship is,
that If the leader dies or stumbles,
chaos hovers like a vulture over a
lone human body. But 1t may reflect
also that this is Mussolinis strength,
because Italy may have to ask her
self What would I do without him."
Copyright, 1924
Evening star., 1924-12-20
j dwelt in q city enchanted
And lonely, indeed, was my lot

The loneliness of a great city is next
only to the solitude of vast desert
stretches, where the sun comes up on
sand and alkah and goes down on the
same, without so much as a single living
creature being sighted in all that time.
The loneliness of the desert is abso-
Lutte; that Of the city comparative yet
the total effect upon one can be as dis
heartening in metropolis as In waste
places, for man Is gregarious animal.
In the final analysis. made to live with
his kind and love them. If possible.
There is no one In the desert-there
are too many in the city. Too many, per-
haps that the lonely man does not know.
and sees no way of becoming acquaint-
ed with. The situation is much as it
was on Coleridge's ocean:
Water water everywhere,
And not a drop to drink.
This comprises the great tragedy of
city life to the young, the inexperienced,
the newcomers or those Of any age who
are unable to make friends of divine
philosophy" and find the consolation
which exists in this as in most other
situations of life.
For to be alone is only unhappiness to
those who allow it SO to be; yet, to
them, no greater unhappiness can come
about than this utter loneliness among
so many, this walking by ones self
along a sidewalk crowded with thou
sands laughing and chatting together.
1t Is in this thing as it was in ones
school days, when life itself seemed to
hinge upon whether one would get a
bid" to fraternity, especially the
mystical society of ones choice.
Looking back upon 1t. we smile
now at the stress we placed upon II
then. Viewed from the standpoint OF
the years, we see how absurdly small
the affair really was and wonder why
we were so elated when we were
finally spiked"
1t meant SO much TO US then, simply
because 1t was part and parcel of
the life we were living then. Today
that student life is passed.. We
wouldn't give a whoop now If Phi
Beta Kappa would come and offer us
one of their nifty gold keys on a sill
yer platter.
So II is with loneliness
Most people alone In a. great city
just mope around. Years from now
after they have made friends and
entered more or less into the life OF
The place, they will wonder at that
feeling OF solitude they once expert
enced.
Evening star., 1924-12-20
The American Potato.

The American potato goes to the aid
of England, and no doubt it will give
great assistance to the English. The
potato Is friend to man. It's useful
ness is known in many parts Of the
world, and the visiting American men,
bers Of the tribe will surely have a
cordial reception in England. From
the Agricultural Department one
learns that potatoes are selling at a
very low price in the United States,
and it is said that the Maine potato
growers are in distress. The British
potato crop has fallen below the need
of the people, being about 100000
bushels undev the crop Of 1928, which
was also short Our Agriculture De-
Evening star., 1924-12-20

partment tells us that potatoes are
selling in England at from a dollar to
dollar and half bushel, and that
potatoes are selling in Maine At 80
cents bushel.
The potato liz American. Some per-
sons have called It the Irish potato,
but some things are given names to
which they are not entitled. The
potato was doing its share toward
nourishing Americans before Colum-
bus discovered us. 1t Is a native Of
the Chilean and Peruvian Andes, and
it emigrated to Spain early in the
sixteenth century. In the biography
of the potato 1t Is written that 1t went
to England with Sir Francis Drake or
with Sir Walter Raleigh about 1885.
The authorities are not agreed on this
part of the potatoes early life. But
then authorities disagree on mor~
things than pot IS. 1t is sure
thing that the l.-,ato was living in
England in 1897, for it was growing in
the garden of old Gerard, the herb.
alist. 1t was then looked on as a
strange and curious foreigner, and the
English people had not taken It to
their heart.
Evening star., 1924-12-20
Christmas Travel.

Railroads are feeling Christmas
traffic, and though the rush is not yet
on the increased call for tickets and
the number Of reservations show, the
railroad people say. that the Christ.
mas tide of travel will be very strong,
and that it will he the heaviest Amer
lean railroads have known. Here is
another result Of prosperity. Perhaps
some persons will say that 1t is an in
dfcation Of prosperity. Indications are
not needed. Prosperity is here. Re
ports of industrial corporations, all
manner Of trade reports. statistics of
money, rise in bond and stock prices
and statements from railroads all
show that business is strong and &C.
tive, and that everybody except the
chronic pessimist is full of satisfac.
ton with the present and OF confidence
for the future.
The signs are that Christmas travel
will be extraordinarily heavy. More
men, women and families than usual
are going from their new homes TO
spend Christmas at old homes. The
tide Of travel is setting in from the
cities toward villages and farms. The
number Of persons who can afford the
cost Of this pilgrimage is larger than
ever. This statement is based on fore.
casts and reports OF current travel
made by railroad men. And what of
the people who will motor back to the
home Of other times? The number Of
machines that will be heading from
cities TO the country during the next
few days will be the largest since the
automobile began to run.
Evening star., 1924-12-20
Labor's New Leader.

William Green, newly elected preSl-
dent of the American Federation of
Labor, successor to Samuel Gompers,
is q miner. He began his daily toll in
the digging Of coal as a lad Of Is, his
father having been a miner in Eng
land before him. Before he was Of age
he held Office in his local union. Pos
sessing a natural ability for organiza-
ton, he has for the past "a years been
an official of his own organization, the
United Mine Workers. and has for
long period represented 1t in the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor. His choice
as president Of the federation was in
the nature of a surprise, as others
have been prominently considered for
the honor since the death of Mr..
Gompers.
The career Of this Ohio miner has
been such az to promise a continue
ton Of the same conservative policies
under the presidency Of Mr.. Green as
those which were advocated and main
tained by Mr.. Gompers in his leader.
ship. The new labor chief is definitely
and uncompromisingly opposed to
communism. 1t was he who at the
Portland, Greg, convention Of the fed
Grafton in 1929 led the fight to expel
William Dunno OF Butte on the
ground Of his advocacy Of extreme
radicalism. He also opposed the in
dorsement by the American Fedora
ton Of Labor OF the candidacy Of La
Toilette at the Atlantic City meeting
last Fall.
In his statement issued Immediately
after his election Mr.. Green declared
his purpose to promote collective bar
gaining, the observance Of wage agree
rnents and the acceptance Of the or
ganized labor movement by all classes
Of people as logical necessary moral
force in the economic, industrial and
social life Of the Nation. These OBJ
jects, however, he made clear, are not
to be obtained by the sacrifice Of
American principles and traditions.
Well wishers for American labor
will hope for the Endorsement OF the
selection Of Mr.. Green as president OF
the federation by the organization It
self at its next convention, when the
choice Of the executive council for the
unfinished term of Mr.. Gompers will
go to the general body for ratification.
For his course as a leader and aGvo-
cate Of labor's interest has been Of
nature to assure vigor tempered with
Judgment and tactfulness in the man.
agement of contending interests with
out compromise on essentials. 1t Is
fortunate for organized labor that so
capable a man is available to fill the
place made vacant by the death of the
leader Of many years Of service.
Evening star., 1924-12-20
SO lonely twas that God Himself
Scare seemed there TO be

who has not, AT some time or
other, experienced that feeling?
The city seems to be laughing al
you.
Everywhere you go men and WON
en- are talking and smiling together
as II inviting your specific attention
to their efforts.
Look at us and then realize how
utterly out OF things you are" they
seem to declare, mockingly
fonder girl. safe on the arm Of her
escort, gives you the last quarter of
her smile as she saunters by.
Contempt and pity mingle In her
glance.
The whole world seems q yerftabIe
Noah's ark, where the rule of two
and-two prevails, with one heart
rending exception. which is yourself
You walk by yourself; you eat by
yourself: you go through the days on
the single-track principle. OF course
you could scrape up a few acquaint-
ances, but probably they are not the
kind you desire.
Not that kind" you say to your
self. You are rather "choicy' and
Evening star., 1924-12-20
F LO W E II S
For the Living
Bud Fisher
By JOHN n. WHEELER.

Bud Fishers philosophy OF life and
his secret Of success has been:
You've got to make 'em laugh and
like tt"
He thinks If they don't laugh. they
are not his friends-and he has mil
lions. His stuff Is always funny
Therefore the non-laughers must ac-
cept the blame for failure to be
amused-not Bud.
Seventeen years ago In San Fran
cisco Fisher was making pictures
to be pasted on the plate glass OF
store windows against which pro-
spective customers iattened their noses
bearing some such legend as this:
Meet the best halter in San Fran
cisco face 20 face"
Bud had made what the halter and
he thought was a likeness OF the mer-
chant and one calculated to attract
purchasers Of headgear. He could
also do q shoe man or 4 florist or a
furrier after one brief look at the
subject. For each work Of art he re-
ceived so cents.
Then one day he produced what he
thought was a caricature of himself,
labeled II "a. Mutt" and showed II
to a newspaper editor, James Young
of the San Francisco Chronicle.
whats that?" asked Editor Young.
That's me-" ungrammatically re-
piled Fisher. "a. Mutt"
'.It looks like It had possibilities
said Young. "Do some more"
So Fisher made the first comic strip
A. Mutt going to the race track and
the Chronicle published 1t. Mr.. Mutt
played race horses each day and his
success was phenomenal, winning
huge sums. It wasn't long before
the ferry boat on the way to the
track looked as II 1t had broken out
in a pink rash, SO many copies OF
the Chronicle were aboard.
The San Francisco Examiner Of
fered Fisher more money and he took
1t. Later he added Little Jeff. and
we have Mutt and JEFF, the biggest
money making comic in the history
Of the business.
Bud Fisher makes about 100000
year-more than the President
most newspaper publishers ane
editors and not few kings sine
the king business got so bad.
Fisher now owns a racing stab
of his own, occupied by about
horses. Nellie Morse, named after
his mother, won the rich Preakness
In Maryland last Spring, this purse
being for the amount of &5s,3s5.o5.
I know for I saw the check.
An Unborn ability TO stano up lot
his rights and recognize the value
of his product has always actuated
Bud, Some OF the less friendly call
II cockiness, but even less successful
and more Jealous cartoonists recog-
nize that he Is responsible for the
high salaries paid to comic artists.
His cheek got them.
Once when he was working for the
New. York American, under contract.
and the New York World had made
him a more tempting offer-not an
unusual experience in his career-he
walked into the American office
smoking q cigarette. One OF those
executives AROUND the place who
doesn't know the cartoonist even by
sight, especially since Fisher does
most of his work at home, accosted
him.
Young man." he said, don't you
know there is a rule in this Office
against smoking cigarettes? You'll
have to stop smoking that"
"And what'll you do IL I don't?"
I'VE fire our employees who don't
obey our rules"
'I don't know. who you are" re-
piled Fisher. Outfit you'll fire me, Til
meet you at 2 o'clock this afternoon
and give you $4,000. rye been try
Evening star., 1924-12-20
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

Q. Where get a book of
Berryman's cartoons?-A. S.
A. Q. X. Bergman Of The Evening
Star says that his cartons have never
been published in book form.
Washington where any one can have
eyes tested?-E. NJ. B.
A. The Episcopal Eye. Ear and
Throat Hospital conducts a free
clinic every day at 1 o'clock.
.. We're the Government employees
IL "Uncle Sans Follies" excused for
rehearsals?-J. L. Z.
A. The performers did not rehearse
on Government time.
Q. What Is the address of the
United States consul general in Lon
don ?-R. d. NJ.
A. Horace Lee Washington is
consul general at London, England
He can be addressed at the American
Consulate, London, England.
Q. Is the United States Marine
Corps a part of the Navy?-F. f. P.
A. The United States Marine Corps
is considered a part Of the Navy De-
partment. The Secretary of the Navy
is chief Of the Marine Corps. The
personnel officers. however, are sepa-
rate from the Navy personnel officers
Q. How is It possible for a, foot
ball score TO be 1-0?-A. r. A.
A The only way which foot ball
score could be / to is in the case OF
a forfeited game. One to nothing is
the official score Of a forfeited game
under arbitrary rule.
-
and why was it SO named?-M. 2.
A Perth Amboy, y. j., was settled
in 1888. It was named Perth for
James, Earl Of Perth. AInboy, q cor
ruption Of the original Indian name,
was afterward added.
Q. What countries Of the world
are neutral?-W. S.
A. The countries that were per-
petually neutral are Switzerland, Bel
GUM, Luxemburg and the Kougo Free
State. The neutrality of Belgium and
Luxembourg was violated at the be-
ginning Of the World war. The
countries that remained neutral dur
ing the war were Norway. Sweden
Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland
and Spain.
Q. In a prize fight does there have
10 Dc d hiOChO0l AO1 IL NCSiSASAA 80
New Jersey?-H. l.
A. 1t is necessary that there be q
knockout in a bout in New Jersey
before any decision is given. 1t is
against the law to have decision fights.
@. What is the work OF the Bureau
Of Correspondence and Claims of the
Interstate Commerce Commission
" j. K.
A. The bureau to which you refer
is now known as the Bureau of In
formal Correspondence and Claims.
1t may be divided into two classes
informal complaint cases and spe-
cial docket cases. The former ac-
complishes in an informal way hear
ings, cases, etc, without formal pro-
cedure; through voluntary action of
carriers complaints are satisfied. ne
latter receives applications from car
riers and passes on them.
Q. Please tell something about the
Great Southern Railroad OF Buenos
Aires-I. l.
A. The Buenos Aires Great South
ern Railway is principally owned by
British interests; II miles Of this
railroad were opened by 1865. Since
then 3.94S miles have been in opera
tion, with branches in course of con-
struction. Il Is a foot inch gauge
railroad. The chairman Of the rail-
road is Sir Albert Bowen, Queens
Gate place. London 8 w. Z, England.
The chairman corresponds to presi-
dent