davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1925-10-26
Capt. Paul Crening
Seaman of High Merit
To the Editor of The Star:

| To the Editor of The Star:
! Permit me to thank you for your
editorial in Fridays Star, entitled
! Rescue" pertaining to the heroic
work at sea of the master of the
United States liner President Hard
ing. who, incidentally, is my brother.
Capt. Paul Grening is a man of
| rare courage and integrity, one who
allows nothing to interfere with duty
and his responsibility to those in his
care. He has made several rescues
at sea at the risk of his life and
has performed many deeds requiring
courage and bravery.
A brief history of his career might
be enlightening to those interested.
AT the early age of Is he become a
student on the st. Marys, school
ship under the control of the Board
of Education Of New York State. of
which State he is a native. Upon
graduation he started at the bottom
of the ladder by becoming quarter
master of one of the boats plying
between New York and the Gulf (the
Ward Line), gaining promition from
Ger (firsO on the Minnesota, built in
Philadelphia for the Northern Pacific
Railroad. the largest ship Of the day.
which he took to Seattle in 1899
around Cape Horn. He obtained his
captains license in San Francisco
when he was % years of age (he was
said to be the youngest man that ever
was granted a license before the
board of that city). His experience
in tie United States transport serv-
i've. San Francisco to the Philippines,
was one of credit to him. During
the war he volunteered as a lieuten-
a a rTn nd a
miral Usher at the New York navy
yard. He was given command of the
Leviathan when she was taken from
the Germans. After the Leviathan
was fitted out for transatlantic serv-
ice his name was prominently men
toned in connection with it's COM
mand. Capt. Grening has been for
several years the commander of the
President Harding and has gained a
popularity as a captain and host
which Is second to none by his genial
and courteous manner 10 all passen-
gers.
In the Saturday Evening Post of
April 6, 1928, there appeared the fol-
lowing in an article by Garet Garet-
son: "As sailor, the German pilot
is right, Without eyes he finds the
thing. He thinks it was he who
found 1t. He does not know that Capt.
Grening. master of the steamship
President Harding, United States
Lines, was the second man through
the North Sea with a merchant ship
after the armistice. There was
mine-free channel one mile wide and
very tortuous. and when a German
pilot asked $500 TO take him through
he put the pilot off and went his
way alone. All Old World seafarins
people affect 70 be contep1Dt1IoIS of
the new American navigator; yet his
adventurous and sudden disposition
fills them with secret wonder"
1 have a great admiration for the
"boy'-he is my junior-and too
much credit cannot be extended to
him for the mastery manner in which
ne conducted the rescue alluded to.
Thank you!
LOUIS 3. GRENIEG.
Evening star., 1925-10-26

plete. The identity OF the masked men
Is unknown, and both bride and groom
declare that they know Of no one who
could con&eivably be so hard hit by
thwarted affection as to do such a
bastard deed. For, Of course, In melo-
drama the deed must be bastard.
There was no triangular aspect to the
wooing. And ut this point the case
differentiates. and suspicion arises
that perhaps the whole affair is a
hoax, just a bit Of pleasantly prac-
ticed by a couple Of youths with a
perverted sense Of humor to make a
sensation.
But melodrann or hoax. the delayed
Tarrytown wedding furnishes mate
rial for the story tellers and the film
writer's. Eventually this bit Of plot
will be seen on the screen. If. indeed,
it has not already been there ex-
hibited in a variety Of forms. Mean
while the bride and groom are subject
to congratulations.
Evening star., 1925-10-26
A Tax on TRANSFORMATION.

Repeal of the $50 100000 Federal
annual tax levy on the automobile in
dustry is strongly urged at hearings
before the House ways and means
committee by the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce, which pledges.
in the name Of the manufacturers,
that savings thus effected would be
passed on to the consumer.
Cheaper cars and trucks, cheaper
parts and cheaper accessories are the
benefits to the public cited by the rep
resentatives Of the industry. who de-
scribe the levy as a wartime emer-
gency measure" and tax on mis-
fortune" A saving in the purchase
price of approximately s29 per car
would be possible if the tax is re-
pealed, it is pointed out to the COM
nittee.
Although the recent tax-reduction
plan Of Secretary Mellon allows only
for a repeal of the s6O.Ooo.00O tax on
parts and accessories. the House COM
mittee should give serious considera-
ton to an elimination of the entire
tax.
Affecting more than 15,000,0 900 per-
sons in the United States, the tax has
added a heavy burden to owners Of
automobiles. The levy on parts has
been appropriately called a tax on
misfortune" because an automobile
owner involved in an accident not
only is compelled to pay the manufac-
turer the price for replacement Of
parts, but is also called upon to meet
the Government levy for the same
parts. In this way every new axle.
every new gear and every new fender
means q profit to Uncle Sam.
1t is this section Of the tax that the
Mellon plan proposes to repeal. II
suggests, however, that the 10000. 900
passenger car tax be kept in return
for Federal appropriations for good
roads.
Disputing this theory. representa-
tives of the industry state that the
automobile pays its road bills In State
and municipal levies, and that the
consumer should be relieved Of the
burdensome tax.
The automobile can no longer be
classed as a luxury. It is the dom.
inant factor in the transportation of
the world. There would seem to be no
good reason for the retention Of any
part Of the levy which affects 50
large a proportion of the Nations
business. This is the era of tax reduc-
ton, and it is apparent that manifold
benefits to millions Of people would re-
suit if the tax on transportation was
lifted.
Evening star., 1925-10-26

for maintenance. Those who have no
savings are subsisting poorly upon the
strike benefits, which are continuing,
but which barely suffice to maintain
families with the necessities Of life.
If the strike lasts fortnight longer
among the miners, for the doles can
not continue Indefinitely, unless other
unions go to the rescue with large
subscriptions.
In these circumstances there Is
revival Of talk about settlement
which commands attention. A priest
of Scranton, who is exceptionally in
fiuential with the operatives. has con-
ferred with the president of the
miners union and submitted
proposal that the demands Of the
men for increased wages be cut
in half. No result is reported. But
so manifest is the uneasiness among
the miners that arrangements have
been made for a mass meeting to
be held soon, at which the union
president will address the men, pre-
sumably to stiffen them.
A factor of serious Importance to
both miners and mine owners in this
case IS that the shortage Of anthracite
has led to the adoption Of substitute
fuels on such a large scale that 1t is
doubtful whether, upon resumption
# mining. there will be as large de.
and for the product as before. Soft
pal, gas, oil and coke are being used
a degree never before known. In
aary cases domestic heating plants
are being transformed for oil consump
rion. This fact may have a decided
rearing upon the length of the strike,
the substitution of other fuels for an
thracite having already reached the
point to menace the future welfare of
both sides of the quarrel.
Evening star., 1925-10-26
Career of Tobacco King
Viewed as Model to Youth

burg Sun, which also remarks that
"he used his great brain TO devise
ways Of helping the South and his
great fortune to carry out those
ways"
"In addition to being business man
of almost heroic ability says the New
London Day, MIR. Duke will rank as
one of Americas greatest philanthropy
istS'' while the Fort Worth Star-Tele-
gram declares, in reviewing his career:
James 3. Dukes money means bet
ter health, better education and better
religious training in the Carolinas.
These . States, and the 46 other
States as well. are bound to benefit
physically, spiritually and financially"
Suggesting that every State has the
need of such men," the Memphis
News-Scimitar holds that "the exam
pie of Mr.. Duke should inspire men
and women who are able to do SO with
a determination to render q service
that Will have no end"
y x x *
His foresight was SUCH" in the
opinion of the Albany Knickerbocker
Press, that the greater part of that
which he established will go on func-
tioning to the good of the Southern
planter" The thought that "he
'flivverized' tobacco" is offered by the
Grand Rapids Herald, while his chief
distinction. according TO the Spring
field Republican, is las a business
genius who began with nothing amid
the smoking ruins of the Confederacy
to fight his way TO the possession OF
one of the great fortunes of his time
| The monument that he has left,
which will reach far beyond his fame
as an industrial giant" inspires the
statement by the Shreveport Times:
America is the land of opportunity.
Blessed is the country which produces
men of the type of James Is. Duke"
Neither pull nor luck" Pre- 1uced
his success, as viewed by the Winston
Salem Journal, which believes that
boys and girls in the schoolrooin
should hear the story of James Bu-
chanan Duke again and again.
Evening star., 1925-10-26
''Swedenborgian'' Church
First s'NatiOnal' Here
To the Editor of The Star:

10 the ECltor OF The Star:
Your editorial In the issue of Oc-
tober % on "A National Conerega-
tional Church" Is of great interest to
those who rejoice in evidences that
washington is fast becoming a re-
ilslous center as well as a center of
political life and art. You will be glad.
1 am sure, to have attention called to
an inaccuracy in your statement that
the Congregational will be the fourth
National Church in Washington, of
which the Southern Methodist Church
was the first
The General Convention OF the
New Jerusalem, commonly called the
SWedenborgian" Church, dedicated in
May of 1896 IT'S National Church on
the corner Of Sixteenth and Corcoran
streets northwest, and this was
perhaps the first national church in
Washington. built with this definite
purpose. Money for the building was
subscribed from all parts of the
United States, the building and parish
house are still, as they have ALWAYS
| been. the property of the General Con
vention, the national organization of
"Swedenborgtans." The Washington
society is granted the privilege of
using the building for services of
worship and other parish activities
oIIc III each lOuI OF llNe years I0e
General Convention holds its annual
session in the church at Washington
Here also is the missionary head.
quarters of the church.
The church building and parish
house are Of English Gothic architec-
ture, built Of Indiana limestone,
throughout and finished in every de.
tail according to the plans ofs the
architect, Prof. H. Langford Warren,
who was at the time the head Of the
department of architecture at Harvard
University. The cost of the buildings
! was in excess of $3.50, 900, and they
could not be duplicated today for more
| than twice the amount, and they thus
constitute a real contribution to the
religious architecture of the Capital
| The term national church has been
used In connection with the building
from the beginning and the General
Convention makes provision for its up
keep and improvement.
/ am sire you will be glad to make
| correction in The Star, that public in.
formation as to the number and
chronology Of national churches in
Washington" may be more complete
and accurate.
PAUL SPERRY.
Evening star., 1925-10-26
Melodrama at Tarrytown.

Melodrama such as that which
once held the boards of popular the
aters. and that which now thrills the
spectators of the films, occasionally
plays it's part in real life. Possibly
its eXponents are inspired by the
pictures. Perhaps they are simply
working out their "complexes," as the
psychoanalysts say. However that
may be, the melodramatists of every
day existence continue to supply sug.
gestions for the scenario writer's.
Up in Tarrytown, N. Y. such
a five-reeler or a dime-novel story
according to the medium-has just
been told in actual happenings. A
bride was waiting at the church. The
bridegroom was on his way to the
ceremony, driving his faithful flivver.
On the outskirts Of town his car
was crowded off the road by an over
taking machine, the two occupants Of
which, masked and armed with pistols.
leaped out and seized him. You will
never marry the GIRL" said one. as
a handkerchief saturated with chloro-
form was thrust into his face. Still
the bride waited. and at last. fearful.
she was led home by her indignant
parents. Some hours later word came
that the fiance had been found on the
roadside. drugged. and was in hos
pital. On the back seat Of his car
was found a note: you will never
marry the girl I love. Unknown
Lover Reunion, and, twenty-four
hours later than schedule, wedding!
The melodrama, however, Is incom.
Evening star., 1925-10-26

, to headquarters several miles be !
hind the lines on 81 occasions. Id
has no wounds to show for Il.
Q. What has become of the Old
Army transport Pocahontas?-WI
A. z.
A. The boat was sold by thei
United States Shipping Board III
| August, 1922. She was reconditioueGI
by the North German Lloyd Steam !
ship Co. and is now being operate
| In the transatlantic trade from Ger
many TO New York under the name
Of S. S. Bremen.
Q. Did Lew Wallace. the author
Of "Ben-Hur," ever visit the Holy
Land ~. NJ. O.
A. Gen. Wallace visited the Holy
Land many years after he wrote
"Ben-Hur" So extensive had been
his studies that he afterward seiG
that he did not find a single error
in his record.
@. Why are bran mullins cons!d
cred heaIthful?-S. II.
A. Bran, the dark. fibrous portion
of wheat, is less completely digested
than the rest of the kernel. As bran
is sold commercially il has some
as from the minerals and vitamins
associated with the fibrous parts,
but it Is used chiefly for its la1a
tive properties. In moderate Quan-
titles, and especially as it comes
ground up in graham flour, II IS
usually considered TO be q desirable
addition to the diet.
Q. When did Nick Carter die
NJ. s.
A. Thomas c. Harbaugh. author
Of more than Coo OF the Nick Car
ter" stories. died at Casstown. Ohio,
October 2S, 1924. Eugene P. Sawyer,
authol of more than 300 of the "NicE
Garter" detective stories, died a
San Jose, Calf, October 20. 1924.
@. Is the peanut native to this
country Wv. p.
a 1t is a native OF South Amer
ica and came to North America by
way Of Africa as food for prisoners
on board slave ships. j is now q.
$50, 900, 900 crop in the United State.
EUen Uncle sam IS inquisttire.
Just noaC he is trying 10 discover the
most DopuIGF sizes OF tComeR'S stock
ings, the Che1CtnO poJOer Of false teeth,
qchether q solar eclipse interferes
u7tH Touto, uito botC tonSit o0oI '2'
These are but q fcI0 Of the ndn5
problems the bureau of Standards IS
1r0rkino on. This branch of the Cor
ernment. as aceN as Gil the other de
pdrtnlentS, is constantly engaged III
research and nUestigdtionS that 1Ciu
benefit the american citizen. Our
Wdshin gton Bureau IS in q position
to reach these great resources Of scTr-
ice and information gathered by the
Federal GoJcrnment and pass them
on to you This service is free. State
Your question clearly and ipclose 2
cents in stamps for return postage,
Address the Star Information Bureau.
Frederic J. HGSkin, director. Tarenty-
first and streets northwest, Wash
inqtOn, d. G.
Evening star., 1925-10-26
Protest Against District
Commissioner on Bench
To the Editor of The star.


Last week while looking in at the
Traffic Court, l noticed that sitting
beside Judge Mcmahon on the bench
was Mr.. Commissioner Fenning, in
charge of the Police Department.
While so sitting beside and Joining
Judge Mcmahon on the bench, the
honorable Commissioner consulted,
advised and whispered with the learn
ed Judge.
Being an American citizen of many
generations in this country and any
conduct contrary to its traditions be-
ing repugnant to me, l earnestly pro-
test against the official In charge of
the prosecution joining with the ju-
dietary on the bench in the admins
tration of justice. This is contrary
to the genius Of our Government and
contrary to the safeguards provided
by our Constitution, which contem-
plate the independence of the three
departments of Government, and par
ticularly the freedom of the judiciary
What would the people of this city
think If an attorney for the defendant
sat on the bench with the Judge? They
would feel that there had been a per-
version of justice and very properly
protest. Can there be any difference
so far as justice and principle are
concerned between such a spectacle
and the one above described.
feel that the learned Judge and
the honorable Commissioner did not
appreciate the significance of the
spectacle they presented. and are only
guilty of bad taste, but In the interest
of justice and American fair play and
traditions, / trust that this occur.
renee may not be repeated, even as a
matter Of courtesy by"a judge to a
Commissioner, and to that end that
you viii publish this letter, which 1 do
not hesitate to sign in my own name
1 might say that 1 was at the Traf-
fic Court only as a spectator and not
as defendant, which eliminates the
possibility Of bias and prejudice On my
part. H. e. CAMERON.
Evening star., 1925-10-26
Bulgars the Aggressors,
Greek Spokesman SAYS
To the Editor of The Star:


VIII you permit me to comment on
your editorial in Fridays issue en-
titled, The Balkan Danger?
In this you refer to the Greek in
vasion of Bulgarian soil but you do
not refer to the fact that 1t was the
Bulgarians who first crossed the
frontier Their retention of the Greek
blockhouse No. SO, which is located
in rough mountainous district, COM
PEELED the Greek commander to either
recapture the bloCkhouse by direct
attack, which would have caused the
loss of many lives. or by turning the
Bulgarian flank to make their position
untenable. He chose the latter course
and events have proven his wisdom.
Had the Bulgarians promptly retired
from Greek soil, ii is probable that
even their brutal murder of a Greek
officer, who efldeavored to communi-
cate with them under the supposed
protection Of q flag of truce. might
have been adjusted through diplo-
matte channels.
The surprising part Of the whole
situation is the amount of space which
American newspapers have given to
this little fracas, while all of them
ignored much more important occur
renee which took place in Salontki a
few day S previously, when the Greek
government declared Salonikf free
port to be used by any and all Balkan
states for the shipment Of goods, in
coming or outgoing. without restric-
tions as to duties, right Of seizure or
right of search" This action on the
part of the Greeks was intended to
allay friction in the Balkans and open
the way for better understanding
among the nations in that part Of the
world. Being a constructive attempt
to promote peace 1t was not spectacu-
lar and, therefore, not referred to by
the American papers.
If the present difficulty will result in
the suppression of the bandit bands
who, making their headquarters in
Bulgarian Macedonia, have been con-
tinually raiding the Greek and Jugo-
slavian frontiers, 1t will have a good
effect upon the peace of that part OF
the world.
e. p. SALMON,
Director, Hellenic Information Bureau
Evening star., 1925-10-26
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Q. When was admission first charg-
ed for a base ball game?-H. T. B.
A. The first time admission was
ever charged to see base ball game
was on July 20, 1859. The game was
played between teams from Brooklyn
and New York, taking place on the
Fashion Race Course. Long Island.
over 1,500 people paid so cents to
watch the contest.
Q. How much larger than Africa
is Asia?-F. P. Nick.
A. It is almost so per cent larger.
Africa contains 11,605.o0o square
miles and Asia l7.652,00 square miles.
@. Who was the first person to be
electrocut~d instead Of hanged In
New York;. II. B.
A. The first man to suffer the
death penalty by electrocution In New
York was William Kemmler, who was
executed in New York on August g.,
1890.
@. Do scientists attribute the pres
ent drought to changes in ocean cur
rents. and may. we expect a perma-
nent change in our climate?-T. w.
3.
A. The Weather Bureau says that
they have no proof whatever that
the drought to which you refer was
caused by changes in ocean currents
Neither have they any reason to be
lieve that a permanent change in our
climate has begun.
Q. What is the origin Of the word
funeral?-G. X. n.
A. A funeral is SO termed from
fy1 hn
Romans were buried by torchlight,
twisted ropes tfunalis) smeared with
pitch being carried by the mourners
for the purpose.
@. How old is the obelsk in Central
Park supposed to bee. S.
A. The obelisk in Central Park,
New York, is 80 centuries old. AS
the Standard Guide TO New York re-
marks: 1T was old when Moses read
its inscriptions in honor Of the
Egyptian sun god 1t stood before
the Temple Of the Sun at Heliopolis,
near Cairo, where it was erected in the
sixteenth century L. {. by Thothmes
III. In II L. c. Augustus Caesar
carried the obeIisk TO Alexandria.
Here it and two others were erected
before the Temple Of the Caesars.
In 1877 it was presented by the
khedive Of Egypt to the United States.
and brought TO America by Lieut..
Comdr. Gorringe, L. s. y. 1t was
erected in Central Park in 1881.
William II. Vanderbilt bore the ex
pense of removal, which was S102 $40.
The .obelisk is q monolite of syenite
from the granite quarries Of Syene,
Egypt. The shaft is 63l2 feet high,
Z feet inches by feet S15 inches
at the base and weighs 44S 900 pounds.
@. What was the name Of the
pigeon who brought news OF the
battle in Argonne Forest? Was he
ever wounded? "A. NJ. G..
A Thrown into the air in Ar
gonne Forest, Spike, homing pigeon,
brought the news Of the battle back