davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1925-01-06
PRA|SESSTONE'S
EFFICIENCY RULE
Federal Employees Head
CritiCizes Majority of Per-
sonnet Board.

Praising the decision of Attorney
General Stone, which held that the
new efficiency ratings should be made
public to all employees within a de-
partment or establishment, Luther c..
Steward, president of the National
Federation of Federal Employees,
takes occasion, in an article in the
current issue of the Federal Employe,
to criticize sharply the majority of
the Personnel Classification Board,
particularly the Bureau of Efficiency.
His article, Mr.. Steward explained
today, was written in pursuance of
the policy of the fedora ton, which is
endeavoring to abolish the alleged
control of the Bureau of Efficiency in
classification affairs, and to obtain
passage fthe Lehlbach bill, which
would put classification in the hands
of the Civil Service Commission.
Mr. Steward in his article is caustic
in criticism of the three questions
propounded to the Attorney General
by the board regarding publicity of
efficiency ratings, and which the At
torney General answered in the neg
ative. Concerning the last question
in which 1t was asked If the eff
ficiency ratings might be made public
by the use of numbers, instead of
names, Mr.. Steward says, This os-
trichlike strategy of deleted names
was to create a semblance of COM
pliance with the law that the cur
rent ratings for each grade or class
thereof shall be open to inspection
by representatives of the board and
by employees of the department, under
conditions to be determined by the
board after consultation with the de-
partment heads.
Mr.. Steward says the Personnel
Classification Board should have gone
to the Attorney General before in its
administration of the act. Its his
tory" he said, might then have been
less marked by disregard, evasion
and perversion of the act the board
was created to administer
Evening star., 1925-01-06
Painting Sold for Song in Germany
Declared to Be Original Rubens

the art of that period. He declared
that be was satisfied it was the
original.
Controversy over Rubens' Dan
iel in the Lions Den" has waged
among art circles more than half
century. Most of the experts
claimed that the picture in the
castle of the Duke of Hamilton, in
England, was the original, declar-
ing that it had been sold by Ru-
bens himself in 1918 and presented
to King Charles l. Prof Farina
says the Hamilton picture, which
has been sold twice since 1882,
was a poor copy" of the original,
although he admits the master
may have painted 1t as a duplicate
of the original upon order for
presentation to Charles I.
Evening star., 1925-01-06
AUTOIST is FINED $3.50
ON 'HIT-AND-RUN' CHARGE
Robert Tins1ey Accused of Striking
Amelia Barr, Is, of Ia
korna Park.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


ROCKVILLE, Md, January g.
Autoists who play the 'hit-and-run"
game need not expect to get off as
easily in Montgomery County as they
do in some other jurisdictions, If the
action of Judge Samuel Kyle, in the
Police Court at Takoma Park, on Sun
day, Is a criterion.
Amelia Barr, aged Is, of 262 Ethan
Allen avenue, Takoma Park. was
struck by an automobile and pain
fully injured about Sis o'clock Sat-
urday night, the accident occurring
within a hundred yards of her home.
Robert Tinsley was arrested soon aft
erward by Policeman Earle Burdine
and a charge of failing to stop after
an accident was preferred against
him. In the Takoma Park court Sun
day he was adjudged guilty by Judge
Kyle and fne Of $3.50 and costs I'M
posed.
Evening star., 1925-01-06
AMNESTY LIST PUBLISHED
France Promulgates Records of
Pardons Headed by Caillaux.

PARIS, December 1.-THE court
records in the cases of $4,000 persons
cleared by the amnesty bill voted in
parliament last week are promulgated
in the Journal Officiel today.
The foremost of the beneficiaries is
former Premier Caillaux. The list in
cludes deserters, strikers and persons
charged with minor offenses, not ex-
cluding spectators.
Among those pleased by the passage
of the measure are the state prose
cutors, who now are able to shelve
$4,000 dockets which weighed on their
overcharged hands
Evening star., 1925-01-06
Wants Marriage Annul ed.

Annulmcnt of marriage is asked in
a suit filed today in the District Su-
preme Court by Mrs. Nellie Miller
against Louis Miller They were mar
ried May 81. 1924, at Clarendon, Va.
and the wife charges that her hus-
band failed to make known his ply
sical condition at the time of the
marriage. She is represented by At
torney David l. Riordon.
Evening star., 1925-01-06
YOUNG MAN HELD TO JURY
ON PURSE-TAKING CHARGE
Miss E. r. G. Sibley Says Albie
MuIlinix Took About $50-He
Denies Accusation.
snec,s, D,snatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, January 6.-Aft-
er he had driven her from Cedar Grove.
this county, to Mount Airy, Md, and
back, and helped her carry bundles
from the automobile into the house,
Albie MuIliniX. young resident OF
the Cedar Grove neighborhood, so
Miss E. r. G. Sibley charged in the
police court here, picked up her
purse, which she had placed on a
table in her home. stuck it in his
pocket and refused to give 1t up.
\The purse, so she explained, con-
tanned about $50. Although the
young man denied the accusation,
Judge Riggs thought he should be
held for the action of the March
grand Jury and fixed bond at 5000.
Evening star., 1925-01-06
By the Associated Press.


PHILADELPHIA, January g.
An oil painting, purchased in 1908
for a few marks at an auction sale
at Frankfort t-on-Main, Germany,
by a Philadelphian. was declared
today by Prof. Pasquale Farina,
local authority on old masters. to
be the original Peter Paul Ru-
bens' painting. Daniel in the
Lions Den" The purchaser and
owner of the painting is Max A.
Krankel, proprietor of a dental
laboratory.
Prof. Farina said that he had
worked over the painting for
years, testing it by every knewn
method and submitting it to many
recognized experts on Rubens and
Evening star., 1925-01-06
1000 FACE WAGE CUT.
Thread Company Announces Re
duction of 10 Per Cent.

WILLIMANTIC, Conn, January e.
announcement was made at the plant
of the American Thread Co. here yes
terday that the wages of it's oper-
atives will be reduced 10 per cent,
effective January IL. The reduction
will be general in all plants of the
company.
Twenty-Five hundred operatives will
be affected here and 1000 in the en-
tire system. The present reduction
will return the scale to the 1921
schedule.
Evening star., 1925-01-06
ARKANSAS BANK CLOSED.
Is Unable to Realize on Large Out
standing Loans.

PINE BLUFF, Ark, January e.
The Citizens Bank of Pine Bluff was
in charge of the State bank commits
sioner yesterday, when it was forced
to close, so far as cash transactions
were concerned, because of large
loans upon which the bank had been
unable to realize.
According to statement obtained
from bank officials, liabilities total
S3,034, ,099.2S and assets $3,013,733.69.
OF the liabilities, s2.044, 4,0992S is in
deposits.
Evening star., 1925-01-06
Dies on Eve of 1O7th B.rtnaay

JERSEY CITY, n. j., January e.
Mrs. Catherine Matuzak, believed to
be the oldest woman in New Jersey,
died yesterday at her home, a week
before her 107th birthday. She was
born in Prussia. Three sons, 81 grand
children, IL great-grandchildren and 6
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES survive,
Evening star., 1925-01-06

A vessel so infested with red ants
that cyanide was needed to rout them
arrived at an English port from thss
Far East recently.
Evening star., 1925-01-06

How much real value stands back
OF the stock OF bonds you are asked
90 buyf
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-23
Fill the Opportunities Chest,

While the lists are not formally
closed at any time for the Fourteen
Opportunities, Christmas eve is re-
garded as the end OF the period for
giving to this most worthy charity
fund IL the spirit Of the occasion il
truly observed. The purpose Of these
annual offerings is to insure a truly
merry Christmas, TO the families who
are chosen as benef1ciaries of this
community giving. 1t is always hoped
that Christmas will dawn with the
welfare Of the family for the follow
ing year assured.
About a day and half remain
for completing the subscription. Of
the nearly $4,000 needed. $500 had
been subscribed up to the close Of
todays reckoning. leaving a little less
than $4.750 yet 10 be subscribed in
this remaining time. 1t has always
been the case that the rate OF giving
has increased as Christmas has ap-
preached. The coming Of cold weather
should stimulate generosity.
Let there be no failure this year
10 complete the opportunities list be
fore Christmas morning.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-23

accessible to students in research
They are kept rather casually by their
respective custodians. They are in
many cases regarded as merely "old
papers" They are a potential histori-
cal library, to become such, however,
only when collected, arranged and
catalosued.
In the Encouragement of Govern
ment bureaus pending the construc-
ton Of permanent homes for them
under the contemplated general build
ing plan, opportunity will be afforded
for a survey of all the non-current
historical files suitable for assembla2e
and care in an archives building. 1t
Is desirable that provision for such a
building be made at the same time as
provision for the departments them
selves that are now improperly housed,
so that by the time the latter are COM
pleted the archives building may be
ready to receive its precious contents.
Whether the plan proposed in the
pending resolution to finance this CON
struction is the most suitable is for
consideration as detail, not really
pertinent TO the major point that this
Is one Of the essential construction en-
terprises which lie ahead of the Gov.
eminent
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-23

service in Philadelphia there have
been indications OF lack Of teamwork
between him and the mayor, the latter
being subjected to powerful political
influences and the former inspired by
a jealous desire TO clean up the town.
Public sentiment in general was
strongly in Cen. Buffers favor. He
had a big task. and though he was
not accomplishing the results that he
expected in the publication Of the
municipal atmosphere, he was sustain
ed by public opinion and encouraged
10 believe that he WAS contributing
greatly to the welfare or the commu-
nifty. Mayor Hendricks request to the
President for a continuation of de
tall of the Marine officer to the mu-
indicated a wish for continuance Of
the arrangement. Whether the mayor
was actins unwillingiy in order to con-
form 10 public sentiment in favor of
Gen. Butler, or WAS entirely sincere,
may be matter Of dispute. At any
rate, the record sta nds that he asked
for the general ,urtrer detail and
WAS refused.
1t would seem on the whole that
Gen. Butler 4cted impuisively and
without fully approaching the ma yor's
position. Ii the latter had taken it for
granted that the detail was definitely
at an end and that Gen Butler would
return, as evidence indicated, to his
Marine Corps post, he was justified in
selecting successor. The Marine Off
Ger really took the MAYOR by surprise
from the service.
BY those who believe that Mayor
kendrick is not sincere in his desire
TO clean up Philadelphia he will be
scored for his refusal to accept Gen.
Buffers sacrifice. BY others he will
be sustained II is all matter of
opinion. The fact stands that Gen.
Butler suddenly changed his mind and
found that the mayor had changed his
likewise. The hope is that Gen. But
ler's resignation will be rejected and
that he will return TO duty in a corps
which he has honored by his distin-
guished. valuable services, and in
which, despite his laudable ambition
to render valuable service to the
metropolis of his native State, he is
perhaps most surely at home.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-23
An Archives Building.

4 resolution introduced in the House
yesterday provides for the acquisition
of a site for the erection of a building
to house certain historic records and
archives. The resolution prescribes a
specific site in East Capitol street and
provides for a per ca pita tax Of five
cents to be levied, beginning in 1880,
to defray the cost of the building,
with bond issue running ten year.
at 5 per cent, meanwhile to provide
the immediate funds.
That an archives building should be
erected in Washington has long been
recognized. Provision for such q
structure has been made on plans. At
one time a site was virtually secured
within the Mall Avenue triangle front
ing on the reservation. But owing to
the outbreak of the war and the neces-
sary concentration of Government re
sources upon war requirements, this
project was allowed to lapse. Now
there is even greater need Of an
archives building to house the perma.
departmental work, of the war itself.
1t may be questioned whether the
location of the archives building pro-
posed in the latest resolution on the
subject is particularly suitable unless
this establishment should be regarded
as an annex to the Library of Congress.
Heretofore the archives building plan
has contemplated the placement Of the
structure in the central part of the
city, midway between the Capitol and
the White House group of buildings,
to insure the most convenient access.
Precious documents, records of the
formation and development of the Gov
eminent. are now scattered through
many files in the department build,
ings, where they are exposed to loss
and destruction. They are not readily
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-23
Butler and Kendrick.

Sympathy in the matter of Brig.
Gen. Smedley ID. Buffers predicament
will alternate between him and Mayor
the point of view. The situa ton is
quite without precedent. Cen Butler
VAS loaned by the United States from
the Marine Corps To Philadelphia for
duty as director of public safety. At
The expiration Of the stipulated year
an extension was sought and was
GRANTED for another year. Some time
ago application was made for second
extension for d third year of munich
pal service by Gen. Butler and was
Corps needed his services. Thereupon
the mayor made other arrangements
and selected for director the first as
sistant. Gen. Butler prepared to re-
turn to the Marine Corps, having been
ordered to duty at San Diego. His
household goods were all packed for
removal and were ready for shipment
when he suddenly decided to resign
his commission and remain in Phila-
Celphia. When he told the mayor
what he had done he was informed,
he says, that the mayor did not want
resigned officer and that he had al
ready named a successor. This left
Cen. Butler without either municipal
or Federal job.
lem The outset OF Gen. Cutters
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-23
No Weakening of Enforcement.

Evidence that the House of Repre-
sentatives is in no manner disposed TO
weaken prohibition enforcement APP
pears in the vote in that body yester-
day rejecting an amendment to the
Treasury and Post Office departments
appropriations bill to prohibit resort
to fraud, deceit or falsehood" in the
use Of the funds allotted for the pur-
chase of evidence. The vote was 139
to Il in committee CT the whole. where
a record is not kept of those voting.
II may turn out that the question
may be again tested in the House it
self, with a record vote.
Predictions that the Nolstead act
will be materially amended at this ses-
sion of Congress have been confidently
made. but yesterdays action would not
seem to warrant them. True, the par
ticular issue was not that of the act
itself, but of the manner of its en-
forcement. The House, by refusing to
adopt the amendment offered, in effect
approves any measure that may be
resorted TO for obtaining evidence of
law-brealling. including the giving of
parties" with dry agents posing as
law breakers in order to obtain evil
dence of violation. 1t may be that
many advocates of modification Of the
Volstead act sincerely approve of such
subterfuses and devices 10 insure the
enforcement of the law and that the
vote taken yesterday is not a sure in
deX of the strength of the modification
forces in the House.
Determined opponents of the prohi-
bition amendment and the enforce
ment law would in general have been
delighted had the House adopted this
amendment. Yet, strangely enough, it
was offered by an avowed dry" Thus
there was a complex of sentiment on
the score of fraud, deceit and false.
hood" on the part of the prohibition
enforcement agents.
The net of the whole matter is. that
the House of Representatives, with
congressional election impending, is
not disposed to tanper with prohib-
ton enforcement and risk disapprovsl
by an electorate which is strongly ia
vorable to the eighteenth amendment
and the law for it's enforcement.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-23
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

This is the time of year to read
Dickens "A Christmas Carol"
Now is the time for all who love the
ancient institution of this week to i'm
bue themselves with the true spirit OF
real Christmas.
For this sterling purpose there is no
story In the world to equal "A Christ
mas Carol
l defy any one TO read the Carol
and not feel the better for the read
ing. This is one of the sure fire.
results. Of which there are none too
many In the world
Read - -" they advise. "A
wonderful book, great story, liter.
airy feat"
We read-and perhaps find dull
book, rotten story and frost as Il
piece of literature.
oh, YOU simply must read -
-. lady says, enthusiastically
IT will make you feel more in tune
with life
Now. we have never felt very much
out of resonance: but perhaps we
might be more in tune. at that. Duti.
fully. therefore, we purchase copy
OF the book, firmly resolving to acquire
new depths OF optimism, if the thing
be at all possible.
Rising from our perusal of the
pages, we wonder what 1t is all about.
We are left absolutely cold.
Another kind friend tells us of the
moving power of a late novel. We
read il. The saddest story in the
world" we were told. Utterly we fail
to be moved. Rather, we want to
laugh.
With "A Christmas Carol all is
different.
Here is one story that does what ii
sets out to do.
Dickens wanted TO tell a christina
story that would be. AT one and the
same time, a whale of story and a
fine piece of writing and would do
something to preserve the ancient
spirit OF Yuletide.
Even early in the last century The
true Christmas spirit. of which we
read so much nowadays land which is
cropping up right here before your
eyes9. was more TO be found in the
past than in The then present
The hearty English customs we're on
a decline.
old-t time Christmas was departing.
People didn't enter into the week. the
day, with the vigor that Charles Dick
ems liked TO see.
He was a big, hearty man himself
who thought nothing OF l5-mile walk
in an afternoon. He had habit. al
most 10 his last days. Of going off for
long walks by himself. Then he
would plunge through the countryside
al a tremendous pace.
He belonged to that rank OF great
writer's who declare that nothing sets
them up quite so well as being in tho
open air. Under the pressure OF a
couple OF hours of walking the brain
clears up. hard situations in plots are
solved and images throng.
This Is not always true of writer's
great or otherwise. Some md that
the peace and Seclusion of the study
is their best inspiration
Dickens. belonging TO the former
group. liked his long. lonesome walks.
You will find it all in "A Christmas
Carol
The scenes he depicts in that story
no doubt were seen by him in his vari-
Gus rambles in and near London. The
teller of tales may make up" his
plots, but his chara cters. his scenes.
his incidents often are based on real
life. but changed and shaded To suit
himself.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-23

1t is because they do write of real
life that their novels and short stories
are real to us. Many other factors
enter. of course, into that wonderful
quality known as reality But there
is no doubt at all that when any one
reasonably gifted writes of scenes and
incidents that really have happened
whether he saw them himself or was
told of them, the sense of realism
makes its way off the printed page
into the mind of the sensitive reader.
&* x
"A Christmas Carol" then. must be
regarded not only as a wonderful
story. but also as a great piece OF
realism, despite the fact that it is
more often held up as Il feat of the
ina gination.
Underlying all the romance. the
spirit of Christmas-the true spirit of
our AngIo-Saxon Christmas-iS the
basic groundwork of the real.
Old Scrooge was and is a real man,
There isn't a village in America
that does not possess its Scrooge.
There is no town or city. however
wide flung. that has not its scores of
Tiny Tins.
Every community has it's Mrs
Fesswigs and the rest of that i'm
mortal company.
The scenes and happenings of this
great story (Which must not be called
short story, as that modern desis-
nation does not fit are counter.
parted in every country in the world.
Whence comes the universal ap-
peal of "A Christmas Carol"
The sentimental nature of Dickens
accomplished that almost impossible
feat-gilding the lily.
-
muted with genuine sentimentalism
into something glorifed Much is
said against the sentimental in writ
ing. and certainly its overuse is per
nicious. Properly handled, however
the way Dickens handled it-sen
timentalism becomes but a preseata-
ZION in type of the humanity of man
kind.
Ii is for these reasons the writer
of this column takes pleasure in call
ing attention each year al this time To
"A Christmas Carol"
Each one of US ought to be a regular
Pollyanna when il comes To Christmas.
If time. which changes all things. has
changed our attitude to Christmas we
should make valiant attempts to get
back into the spirit of the thing.
For that was the real spirit!
Little Billie, with his expensive cleo
trio train (Which he will grow tired
OF in a day.. may not have the spirit
OF Christmas in his heart despite all
your valiant efforts.
AS for you. mature reader. YOU ma
be sick of Christmas" as the saying
il. opening all your gifts the day be-
fore, bored with the necessity for send
ing presents to those who do not want
them from you. but who. in their
turn. send you presents because they
know you are going to send them
some.
II you find yourself in this state. 1t
is high time TO get down "A Christmas
Carol ;u,d read il sternly for the sake
of your soul
One wonderful thing about books is
that many of them help the soul of
man. The Psalms are not the only
soul-savers.
"A Christmas Carol in its humble
way. has saved many "A soul to the
true spirit of Christmas and stands
ready to do so on demand.
Try il tonight