davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1925-02-15
MEN AND AFFAIRS
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.

his riding in the polo games he played
in and around New York last Autumn
soon set all the ridicule at rest and
won for the heir to the British throne
the unbounded admiration of Amer
ica's very best men In the saddle.
President Coolidge is endeavorinK
in his own characteristic way TO keep
fit for public duty. Perhaps he wants
to get a little more confidence in the
saddle before riding further on his
splendid charger, General. who spends
so much time with oats and clover in
the White House stables.
No one may expect Mr.. Coolidge
ever to blossom forth as q rough rider
in 1T. R." fashion, but when it comes
to long siege of official duty. with
out break or let up, the wiry little
man now in the Executive chair I'M
questionably can outlast some of the
best hurdfers and huntsmen In official
life today.
The state OF mind OF the religiou
fanatics who have been waiting 10
vain for the end of the world thesS
past few days has best been Illus
trated by the Hon. Jim" McGraw
of Oklahoma, who has been spend
ing some time in Washington re-
| Gently Jim says there is a classic
1 S'piy III the ol1 COuhtIy Oi inc oIl
man who tried to get into Heaven.
| He encountered st. Peter, who told
| him there were enough oil men al
ready within the pearly gates-the
| quota was filled and no moro could
| be accommodated.
Maybe l could get few OF them
| out for YOU" suggested the new ap-
| plicant. Just give me a chance
| Then there will be plenty of room"
pnAe tAiy at l,
| the fellow and acquiesced in the
| scheme. Once inside the newcomer
got exceedingly busy. Wherever he
encountered oil man he would
| whisper in his ear:
| Have you heard about the big oil
! strike down in hell? Thousands of
| barrels and everything"
| Pretty soon there was a wild
| exodus. st. Peter was amazed. The
| scheme had worked to perfection.
! The newcomer was about the only
| oil man left. In a day or two st.
| Peter noticed that even he was get
| ting uneasy. Next day the newcomer
! was streaking out.
| What's the natter" asked st.
| Peter; where you going?"
I've been thinking" said the de-
parting guest. that there might be
| some truth in that story after all"
The inference being that some Of
| the end d-of-the-worlders had begun
to believe their own predictions
tCopyrisht, 1927
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Abolition of the Grand Jury
Latest Proposal of Performers

most reached the limit of the arc. /
doubted IL there was anything fur-
ther to be thought Of which would
take US away from the old order We
had adopted universal suffrage with
no restrictions upon the bHllot save
that of age, preferential primaries. In
many places the initiative and refer
endum. and in other places the recall
Of public officials. We had reached
the point where compliance with the
law was nothing, while compliance
with the opinion of the individual
was everything. "
* ~ ..-r.
I thought. as I have said, that We
had about reached the end and swung
as far away from our old ideas as
we could, but another reform" Is
now proposed. We are asked to cast
into the lumber room of the law the
grand jury, which IL the most ancient,
honorable and important body that
slow centuries of English jurispru-
dence. The reformer insists that 1t
must go because 1t Is the most
ignorant, most irresponsible and
oftentimes most partisan tribunal
known to our law" and because 1t
sits and adjudicates behind closed
doors. For one, 1 protest. T/e grand
jury is not ignorant, irresponsible
and partisan, not nearly as much 80
as its critics. who care nothing about
the reason for an institution IL they
can only get themselves into the
limelight by proposing its destruc-
tion.
A great mistake was made, in my
opinion, when the number Of grand
jurors was reduced. Originally COM
posed of "a men. the grand jury had
for it's purpose the indictment of the
guilty and the protection of the in
nocent, so that the smut Of slander
might not rest upon garments where
1t did not belong. The moment OF
beginning the investigation of crime
openly marks the moment when sus-
picion Of guilt arises in the minds
of many. 1 should hesitate to say
how often a juror has answered me
that he believed 1t was the law that
a man when indicted should prove
his innocence beyond a reasonable
doubt.
The world Is full of bad men
Crime has been with US since the
days Of Cain. Criminals should be
punished, of course. but we mus,
continue to throw around the limo
cent man the protection which the
Grand jury affords. il is quite easy
to blacken the reputation of any man
We cannot destroy his character, but
q whisper or a shaking Of heads may
ruin him. No man should be subjected
to an open investigation as to wheth-
er or not he shall be tried for crime
The reformer in this as in other
matters overlooks the question OF
justice. He apparently sees no diff.
ference between the advocacy of new
and untried theories and the restora-
ton of old principles.
Copyright. 1928. BY 21st Century Press.1
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Soviets and Christmas.
rom the Springfield Daily News.

From the Springfield Daily News.
1t was Joshua who commanded the
sun to stand still, and along came King
Canute, who tried to command the
waves of the sea to recede, but, so his
tory relates, with much less success.
The Soviets in Russia have undertaken
about as hard q proposition as Canute,
because they are attempting to take
Christmas away from the Russian
people. This year. as before. every
effort was made to divert the annual
holiday celebration into something akin
to an anti-religious demonstration, but
they failed to stir the imagination Of
the peasantry, and their endeavors.
therefore, were vain. This is about the
third time the Soviets have tried to
destroy Christmas. Their intense
anita Ronism against anything bespeak-
ing religion is so manifest as to mark
it at once an selfish and insincere. As
well try to make the sun stop shining
by. turning ones back upon it rs to
endeavor, as the bolsheviki have done,
to disrupt Christmas. By frowniHg upon
It, The best tests Of Sovietjsm ere the
absurdities 1t engages In
Evening star., 1925-02-15

Apparently President Coolidge Is
playing a lone hand among the rulers
of the world in his advocacy of strict
official and personal economy. AL
though the United States is in a Set
ter condition than any other country
to stand bit of "splurging" on the
part of Its Chief Executive, 1t Is the
only country which really is practic-
ing saving program In that direc-
tion. The British Parliament in vot-
ing $4,000 as pin money" for the
Prince of wales to take with him
on his forthcoming journey to South
America set aside in this incidental
manner az much as the United States
pays its President for years work
This country gives the President $685.
600 year for travelling expenses. but
Mr.. Coolidge has decided he will use
very little Of 1t, letting the rest go
back into the Treasury at the end Of
the fiscal year
Nothing IL sacred in Washington
any more. Executive sessions of the
Senate, supposed to be deep state
secrets, are about as private in reality
as the life of gold fish in a glitter
ing globe. But worst of all has been
the revelation of the great White
House secret-the electric hobby
horse. Only three or four persons
were supposed to know anything
about the electric nag. The world
was led to presume that the only
exercise the President took was in
the form of walks about the down
town section of the city. But some
how or other the mechanical horse
got temperamentaI. got the colly-
wobbles or something appertaining to
the insides. Some one has said 1t
was only a crossed wire. But any
way 1t was enough to send the auto
matte equine to the hospital and out
the windows of the workshop the
Executive secret few-few on the
wings of the winds, flew to the
Capitol, to the cloakrooms, to the gal
leries, to the tea tables. The news
covered Washington like the dew
every wagging tongue sparkled with
it,
The President is represented as
being a bit peeved with the whole
proceeding, but those who have
laughed the loudest and the longest
should understand that riding a
mechanical horse is no Banbury Cross
affair. These horses are to be found
In the most strenuous of the modern
symnasiums. No Atlantic liner is
complete without an entire squad OF
them. The Prince Of Wales rode one
all the way over on his last trip 10
America OF course, there has been
a lot Of talk about the prince tum-
bling every time he takes a mount. but
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Rate by MaiI-Payable In AAvane
MarYlaAA ana YiHHiAlA.
Arms Conference Obstacles.

Prospects that the Geneva protocol
for an arbitration and security treaty
will be revised to eliminate the pro-
vision for a conference on the limita.
ton Of ornaments have served to re-
vive propa ganda for the calling Of
such a conference by the United
States Government. Both in Europe
and on this side OF the Atlantic 1t Is
urged that the breakdown Of the
Geneva protocol conference plan gives
President Coolidge an opportunity to
step into the breach and call the ma.
tions Of the world to Washington to
discuss and agree upon a plan for the
Limitation Of both naval and land
ornaments. ---
But the President and his Secretary
Of State are not likely to be hurried
into issuing such a call, for in the way
OF successful outcome are obstacles
which it is difficult at this time to see
a way Of overcoming. In the frst
rlace, what would this Government
have to offer the governments OF Eu-
rope as an inducement that they limit
their .armaments on. land? Our own
land armaments are not Of size to
give Europe any concern. and any re.
ductions we might offer to make would
be relatively inconsequential. There
Is an element Of American opinion
which holds we should offer cancella.
ton or reduction Of war debts in ex.
change for European disarmament,
but it Is of uncomfortable volume
Americans generally are not in any
such altruistic state of mind, nor are
they likely to be. Moreover. 1t is doubt.
ful il we could even purchase disarma.
ment by cancellation of debts, for it
certainly Is true that the debts owed
America are in no way responsible
for Europe being armed.
In addition to lack Of anything to
offer in exchange for disarmament the
American Government would be handi.
capped by the fact that it has no rela.
tions with the government Of Russia.
The Washington Government, not
having recognized the government Of
the SoVlets, could not well invite MOS.
cow to send delegates to a conference
here, and, to call conference on the
limitation Of land armaments without
including Russia would be an act Of
pure futility. Poland and the other
border states could not afford to dis.
arm while Russia remained armed,
and the same considerations would
prevent France and the nations of the
little entente from reducing their
forces. ... -.. ..., -
1t Is not to be doubted that the
European nations generally would
gladly attend such = conference called
by the American Government, but
they would come more in the hope OF
cutting down their debts than in ex-
psctation Of cutting down their armies.
Evening star., 1925-02-15
The Cost Of CareIessness.

A $2,000,ooe fire in Kansas City
destroyed an exhibition pavilion and
375 motor vehicles that were as.
sembled in it for a show. The fire
started among some fiimsy decoration
material, doubtless through faulty
wiring. The flames spread very
quickly from the annex in which they
originated. and in a few moments
after the first blaze the building was
doomed. Fortunately the show was
over for the night. Thousands of
people had crowded the pavilion
throughout the evening, and the last
Of them had, gone only q little while
before the fre started. Had the
short-circuit occurred about an hour
earlier. . terrible catastrophe would
doubtless have resulted.
Despite all warnings Of fire.preven.
ton agencies and the teachings of
experience, fre-making conditions are
permitted in this country. In this
case bad electric wiring was per.
mitted, probably through lax super.
vision. Decorations that were no
better than tinder were hung, ap.
parently without safeguard against
ignition OF course, 1t was somebody's
business to see that these conditions
did not prevail. but somebody was
negligent. During the fire many ex.
plosions occurred as the flames
reached the gasoline tanks OF the
motor cars. Those tanks were sup.
posed to have been drained, for it II
= fixed rule in exhibitions OF this
character that they must be put in
position with empty tanks. But II II
Evening star., 1925-02-15
BY THOMAS n. MARSHALL,
Former Vice PrAsident Of the
United States.

In the old days reformation called
for restoration of original principles.
Strange as 1t now seems, Martin Lu-
ther believed that he died a good Ro-
man Catholic. 1t was not his idea to
be a schismatic. His idea of refor-
nation contemplated restoration Of
the original faith. Definitions change,
however, with the changing years.
II the reformer of today were at
tempting to restore faith in God and
government; II he were seeking a re-
turn to what he conceived to be the
ancient principles in church and
| state; II he were striving to redeem,
this definite knowledge of his en-
deavors would win converts. We
would understand that he had In
mind fixed principles, which in the
beginnings of religion and govern
ment were deemed essential to the
salvation and welfare of mankind
We might accept his argument that
these great principles had become
obscured by the folly, ignorance, Gu
pidity and self-seeking of men.
IL the present-day reformer would
recall original principles, as he un-
derstands them. show that they had
been obliterated or destroyed in the
life OF the church or nation, and then
would reveal how the reforms he
ciples and recreate in man q faith in
God and government which all might
understand and to which we might
fearlessly cling, 1t would be quite
easy for many of us to yield our sup
port.
But the reformer does no such
thing. Reformation to him does not
mean to restore. 1t means to change,
to alter. to amend, to substitute. In
no instance that l now recall within
recent years has 1t meant to restore
In the church the reformer is not
trying to get back to the ancient
faith. He Is not seeking to destroy
the barnacles which impede the prog
ress of the religious ship Now and
then he may seek to show that the
Things which he Is trying to ac-
complish were the real purposes
which the fathers Of his faith had
In mind, but ordinarily antiquity
means nothing to him. His proposed
reformation Is more apt to contem-
plate the adoption of his views as a
substitute for the views Of the ia
Tiers. Rather than restorer. ne is
an iconoclast. marrying and DESTROY
Ing the beautiful works of art which
the religion of the centuries has pro-
duced
! had believed land hoped) that So
called reformation, which In reality
IS nothing else than a desire to inn
press ones individual views upon the
mass or mankind. had about run it's
course In our political life. As l OBJ
served the pendulum l was beginning 4
to feel that the swing away from
representative government had al.
Evening star., 1925-02-15

known that in many cases this rule is
not observed.
This cannot be classed as one of
the unpreventable fires. Few indeed
are unpreventabie. Carelessness Is
the cause of virtually all of the big
notwithstanding blazes that occur
In this country. costing enormous
sums annually.
Evening star., 1925-02-15

a car and relieved his financial en-
barrassment, but instead, the whole
shipment was dumped by the con-
signee in. the Jersey meadows be-
cause, at the time, the market was
threatened with a glut. The shipper
received a freight bill from the con-
signee instead of the expected check
in payment for his years toll and in
Vestment. s
This sort of thing happens con-
stantly al every big market center
in the United States" declared Mr..
Yoakum.
Evening star., 1925-02-15

Tramp steamers of the Atlantic
coast hoist signals that there is rum
on board. The fact that these signals
can be seen and understood by prohibi.
tion agents Is easily as by others does
not appear to make any special differ.
ence. ,-r
Evening star., 1925-02-15

The principles and personnel of Dol.
shevism change 90 rapidly that any
prudent orator is likely to follow the
example Of the A. F. of L. leader in
tickle an audience
Evening star., 1925-02-15
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Past and Future.
OF mocking birds we used to sing
That warbled near a tomb,
But now we do not hear a thing
OF sentimental gloom.
About the past no tear we shed
With feelings all perplexed.
We simply smile and 30 ahead
To see what happens next.
Evening star., 1925-02-15

The business of the United States
Senate was recently delayed by a traf.
nc congestion. Even the mention of
motor regulations is enough to cause
q tie-up.
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Fatheriy Cares.

Fatheriy Cares.
George Washington is the father
Of his country
II suppose So" answered Senator
Sorghum. But circumstances have
relieved him Of the usual responsi.
bility OF paying the bills for the entire
family
Evening star., 1925-02-15

A program Of economy may here
after be expected to find something
to do with battleships other than sink.
ing them.
Evening star., 1925-02-15

A few men, like Elihu Root, lead
sach busy lives that they have to wait
till they are 80 years Of age to find
time for big birthday party. -
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Heard and Seen

The underdog has been written about
In song and story, but nobody has paid
much attention to the undercat.
The former has become a sort OF
proverb, the term being applied to little
| men in struggle with big ones. or to any
person ground down by a ruthless heel.
The undercat, on the other hand, has
very few to mourn it. Yet Tom and
! Tabby have their vicissitudes no less
than their canine friends. 1 never see
homeless kitten but what / think of
the undercat
Even more than the smaller dog in an
affray, lost or homeless kitten ought
to stir the heart of sympathy. The cat
of course. has to face a state of affairs
which does not worry dogs. The cat is
victim Of a sort of ingrained antipathy
from many. Nature, however. as II TO
adjust the matter, has given the cat, IL
| not exactly mine lives" at least an
amazing ability to face dangers and
come out unscathed
Else how could one explain the perils
seemingly worse than those of Pauline,
which a kitten manages TO escape?
Thoughtless small boys perhaps a few
cruel ones, too, automobiles, dogs-these
are but a few of the hazards encoun-
tered by the kitten that has no home
but Is looking for one.
One afternoon last week a small gray
and white kitten strolled down a resi-
Dental street. Perhaps he was a pet
perhaps not He was lost, at any rate
He had something the matter with one
leg.
Boys held him up by the hind legs
Big dogs chased him UP a tree. En-
econced on limb. the soft little animal
trembled for its life. A dozen boys
"sicked" the dogs on to leap up at It
At this state of the affair a lady
| issued forth with a small step-stool.
which she placed against the tree
Mounting the steps the good angel
OF that foreiorn stray plucked the
| cat from the tree. The boys and
dogs turned to other amusement.
Bearing the cat through the house
the woman put 1T out on the back
porch. This house already had a cat,
| and cats are very Jealous.
The kitten sat on the back porch.
| contented to be free for while from
pursuit. When the woman took 1t
out a piece of meat the kitten
greedily seized the food, as II it had
not had any for a long time.
And my, how 1t did purr, Its purr
| was loud as the role of a kettle drum.
as sustained as the song of the
| bubbling teakettle.
But time and cats must move on.
Each has a mysterious urge to go
forward. Time is large. implacable;
| kitten Is little, and soft. Yet yes
terday is gone. and today soon will
be. So it was with the little under
kitten. C. E. TRACEWELL.
Evening star., 1925-02-15

AT time when everybody Is willing
and anxious to add to the converse
ton. President Coolidge gives silence
an effect Of interesting contrast.
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Smuggling.

Some grape juice stood a while forgot
In q neglected hall.
And Nature smuggled in lot
OF wicked alcohol.
Evening star., 1925-02-15

:If Noah had been business man, ~
said Uncle Eben, "he certainly could
have controlled de meat supply, VIII
dat arklul Of alaimais." "s~-F
Evening star., 1925-02-15

parent authority from any quarter
other than their own selfish will, they
plant these towering nuisances in the
most conspicuous and offensive posi-
tions, directly in front of private
houses, on the handsomest residence
streets in the city. All the thought.
cultivation and money expended in
building residences and beautifying
the grounds on these streets goes for
naught when the telegraph fend
comes along with his assortment of
crooked timber and, despite prayers
and denunciations, proceeds to plant
the clumsy trunks, up and down, in
vistas OF such hideous deformity as
to be perfectly maddening to the eye
of taste"
1t seems strange now to think that
there should have ever been objec-
tioa TO the establish
a Natlonal ment Of such an insti-
rr. tuition as the National
I. on' Museum in this city, and
yet. according to The Star OF Febru-
ary Is, 1875, a New York newspaper
did protest on the ground that the
Government could hardly afford to
go into the show business" The Star
said:
Many other nations, notable, not
ably Great Britain, are engaged in
this same show business, and national
museums are considered prominent
points of interests at European cap
itals. Great Britain has for years
maintained a museum, the finest in
the world, and expends yearly no lest
than f150.000 to increase its attrac-
tiveness. Our own Government has
already at its disposal the nucleus of
great national collection. The
Smithsonian Institution Is ready to
contribute its large and valuable col
lection to the Government whenever
the latter finds suitable depository
for lit. The Army Medical Museum
would form an exceedingly valuable
branch of the national institution,
while the Patent ONCE and almost
every bureau of the Government could
make interesting contributions of OBJ
jects of value. A small appropri-
alton yearly by Congress would Sc
cure the continual growth of the
museum. until In a very few years it
would become one of the most inter
esting points to students and visitors
at the Capital"
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Economies.
SuMmOn6.

''Is that FIRE alarm?" inquired the
startled stranger.
"Nope," answered Cactus Joe, "that
Is the Crimson Gulch anselus sum-
moning US to. the engine house for the
daily poker game"
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Fragile Tenure,

Fragile Tenure.
Vicissitudes cause men to sob.
No one can shirk
Disclosing
Conditions might be better.
AS soon as one accepts job,
He starts to work
Composing -
A resignation letter.
Jud Tunkins says he believes In evo-
luton, but he can't deny that some
folks have made a mighty poor job
Of it."
Economies.
Each day q higher price OF gas
With sorrow we diskivver!
II we're to pay the bill, alas,
We've got to pawn the fiivver!
Evening star., 1925-02-15
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Not for many years has the Wash
ington Navy Yard been regarded as
a possible item in the defenses of the
Capital. This idea, however, was ad