davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1926-03-19
Twelve.Minute Divorces.

Soviet Russia does not intend To be
outdone in speed and efficiency by any
other country i'm the world. 4 diSpatch
from Moscow informs gaping public
that divorces may now be procured
in the short space of twelve minutes.
! In spite OF the records esta abiished in
certain we'll known cities in both this
country and in continental Europe. a
twelve minute divorce Is a decided
novelty.
1t is significant to note, however,
that Russia has been able to perform
this startling feat by means Of an
American card index system. thereby
reducing the time consumed from the
half,hour period to twelve minutes.
American efficiency is certainly spread
ing to all parts Of the world.
Another thing about this tw elve min
ute divorce it does not cost anything.
If either party desires documentary
evidence Of the fact Of freedom a mod
est charge Of fifty cents is made, but
otherwise IL is gratis.
Marriage now takes nine minutes and
WAS reduced from fifteen at the sa me
time that thirty minute divorces were
decreed 10 he too cumbersome and
! twelve-minute divorces substitut ed
Thus Russians are enabled to marry
and divorce with a time consumption
of twenty.one minutes fiat.
Evening star., 1926-03-19
A Missing Comet.

One Of the comets ma king periodic
trips TO our part Of the universe has
failed to keep its appointment with
our astronomers. Comets are pune
tuai in meeting their enga sements,
and that Ensore's comet Ia acting er-
raticaily is perplexins. From the
Yerkes observatory. at Chicago. and
from Yale Observatory news comes
that this comet is not acting in good
faith. The comet was discovered by
cember and 1t was due to appear in
our sky about February Is. In Jan
uary 1t was only so, ,800, 900 miles from
the earth and was reported on time.
Soon after being sighted 10000, 900
miles away and coming in our direc-
tion with true cOmetary speed, it
isappeared and the astronomers are
still looking for IL. The director Of
the Yerkes observatory says: "En.
sores comet may have run 700 near
the sun. When a comet gets too near
the sun its head shrinks and II be
comes so diffuse and ira nslucent that
il cannot he seen through te.esc''pe
on earth" The director Of Yale OBJ
servatury says: Comets Of this ma
ture have a way Of Frightening and
fading out in manner which cannot
he accounted for. This Is evidently
what Is happenins to the Ensore
comet"
While there may ne no thr"hbirs :
interest in the rcpulsr breast over
the possible fate Of th comet, there
Evening star., 1926-03-19
Bird Study Brings One
Closer to Higher Things
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
For many wears | have spent as
much Of my spare time as possible
studying birds. | have never bothered
with technicalities but pursued my OBJ
serVatioDs I'm whole.hearted and en-
iOyable manner and have found IL an
ideal recreation. To learn their sbits
requires patience and energy. Ii
beats golf all hollow as a healthful
pa slime. The more get to know
them the greater becomes my en-
thusiasm. ] find them unbelievably
beautiful and their courage and ten.
derness touch the heart. The awak-
ening song OF the robin revives and
refreshes. and the goodnight lullaby
of the wood thrush IuIls one TO peace.
full dreaming. The tiny wren wins our
friendship by It's pertinencN and au.
dacity, and>the glorious cardinal com.
pels our admira ton by sheer beauty
The ia anaser startles US by it's master
ful contrast In coloring. and the
sweet bluebird, with it's sky-blue
back and red breast, renews our
confidence and revives our hopes. The
little warblers and the midget viroes
keep us rubberine by their consta mt
warbiings and twitterings. The
thrasher reverts our attention to the
ground, scratching In the leaves for
insects. a nd the flicker seeks its meals
on tree and ground and keeps us
wondering whether 1t is woodpecker
or lark. The mead dow lark whistles
plaintively through tall grass and
moves from meadow to lane with
iightning-like rapidity. The kingbird
time and again darts for its prey,
returning to its perch Immediately,
; ha wing captured its food unerringly.
All Of them are my friends. one
big family each with it's individual
characteristics. Lifetimes have been
spent studying them. but there are
ever new things to learn about these
delightful little creatures. They de
serve our protection. and aside from
| their economic importa nee. their pres
|, ence Is due reward. We'd feel mighty
! lonesome without them. l have never
heard of a. bird lover being either
! criminal or an atheist. They in.
spire us to goodness and bring us
| closer to God.
w, T, W, GRAVES, Jr.
Evening star., 1926-03-19

is anxiety In scientific minds, and ono
ought to he courteous enough toward
comets in general to express regret
tnat EnsOre's comet Is not with us
at this time. u il fails to visit us
this Spring II Is not due for another
call until 2O26. 1t would be quite try.
ing to sit up a hundred years for the
pleasure Of receiving this particular L
comet. Other comets come along
every year or so, and IL might be
mentioned that EnsOre's comet In not
listed in the social register of comets
along with such aristocratic visitors
as Halley's, Encke's and Biela's. 1t Is
hoped that no accident has befalien
Ensore's comet and that it will finally
come across. bright nd happy. with
ds head on straight and it's tell all
right.
Evening star., 1926-03-19
The Presidents Bereavement.

The sorrow that is felt for the grief
of President Coolidge caused by the
death Of his father is intensified by
tho fact that he was una Bile to reach
the aged man before life had departed.
Had he been free to leave his post of
duty earlier he would have been at
the sick he'd during the last hours.
perhaps DAYS of the life of his parent.
Eut with characteristic devotion L" his
chlica tion of office. Mr.. Coolidge held
himself in Washington trusting I" the
physicians in attendance 1" give him
sufficient warning Of the approach Of
death to enable him to get Ia Ply
mouth in time Ia hid his father fare
well. That was not possible. as il
chanced. The end came more swiftly
than was expected. and At the moment
when life passed the President was on
his way North. speeding 10y special
train.
The relations between Col. toold2e
tionallv close. marked by deep. sin
cere affection. The American people
will never forget the scene in the sim
rle Vermont homestead in August.
1928 when upon the receipt of the
shocking news that President Harding
had died Cot. John Coolidge admins
tered the oath of office to his son.
swearing him on the family Bible. by
the light of a lamp. To sustain III.
Constitution and To discharge falth-
fully the duties of the office thus sud
denly transferred to him. With a sim
. plicitv that cha IA acteriZed both father
and son. this ceremony was performed
in a spirit "f dedica tion. From that
time the figure of John Coolidge has
stood strongly before the country.
Sterling qualities passed from ia thei
10 SON John Coolidge was a type of
sturdy American manhood. deNout in
his religious faith. scrupulous in the
discharge of his duty, undemonstra-
tive yet deeply sensitive. and. during
the final wears Of his long life, proud
OF the achievements Of his gifted son
Vet so attached was he to his own
soil. to the Ia nd Of his own accomplish
ments and his joys and sorrows, to
the scenes of all his warm friendships
and attachments. that he elected to
remain there. rather than to reside
with his President son in the White
House, where he would have been a
notable figure of dignity.
No one will ever know the fun ex-
tent Of the Presidents grief, for he is
a man to keep his own emotions to
himself. But that this bereavement
has greatly panied him, despite the
fact that his father had passed the
Scriptural age of endura nee, is evi-
dent. He will carry on with his task
calmly and without ma nifestation of
his grief. even as he remained at his
post IF duty during the inexpressibiy
rairful hours of waiting, when his
heart called him hence to comfort his
father in his passing.
Evening star., 1926-03-19
Washington's Progress
And Sixteenth St. Buses

To the Editor sOf The Star:
Could. would or should Washington
be the most desirable residence city
in America?
The could" part Of it relates tn
mistakes of other cities which are
now no longer desira BILE places to
live in. Desira BILE citizens of such
cities are now spending their millions
In quest Of places for homes. any,
where on earth. where advantages
for home life are secure-Paris
Rome, London. Florida, etc.
1t is inexpressively sad. the very
easy way that our greatest Ameri-
can city. and especially once the finest
residence avenue In America. slipped
into the arms of the real estate spec
ulatOr, the kind that for personal
profit destroys what was or is al
ready mast beautiful and desira BILE
for residential thOroughfares. The
desirable home calls for a quota of
air and sunshine and compare tive
4uiet. Robbed of that. the residen-
cial.
Ii goes without saying that where
these desirable seekers for homes
should turn Is to Washington. Now
the desirable rich of other towns are
not to be despised. They contribute
to civic beauty, to support of leRiti
mate cOmmercialism, to taxpaying to
art. music. science. literature etc. Ii
would take a whole book to mention
why Washington naturally contrib
utes more for homes than elsewhere
Washington is not commercial
town. !. e.. beyond legitimate com
mercialism. The great trouble is
that there seems to be q growing
world wide impression that the fore
said real estate speculator has been
| turned loose in Washington and that
| for a home site one must purcha Sc
ground for several squares all about
| for protection.
To return to Sixteenth street busseS
--are there not enough private cars
| In town to make this beautiful
"President's avenue" lively enough
| aud are we not all plea ssed that prac-
| ically every grown resident of futur.
| Washington will have the luxury vi
his own car?
| With a parallel car line and a eros.
car line, anything more than thu
smalles busses is an imposition
Larger cars are suited only to stee
railway tracks aud commercia
thOrOughfares. Street car compa ME.
! pay for the upkeep of their stee
tracks. Busses quickly wear ON
ordinary paving for which abuttins
property holders have to pay the up
| keep. They shake the houses. ErInt
the air with noises. look like circuse,
end, along with buildings taller thar
are allowed At all foreign ca capitals
break up all hope for Washington a.
desirable residential town.
MRS. JOHN. r. HENDERSON
Evening star., 1926-03-19
New York to "Stagger" Its Work

New Works ira nSit commission has
been at work for some time seeking
a way 10 end the serious congestion
which occurs in the big town twice
day. morning and evening. 1T has
now fixed upon method of stag
SerinE' the hours of work In trades
and industries nd in the shops which
it Is expected will be ready in detail
in about three weeks. In prepare ton
OF this plan canvass Of the city
has been made through the school
children TO ascertain the hours at
which their parents use the transit
lines md the names Of the lines they
employ In going to and from their
work. The stagser system Involves
changes in the hours of starting
work and opening and closing places
Of business OF from fifteen to thirty
minutes without lens sthening the
working period. The theaters have
agreed to shorten the length Of the
fnatinees by curtaiIing the time be
tween acts SO that their patrons will
BE- on their way home before the star;
Of the evening rush at five o'clock.
Spreading the travel load is appar
emily the only way Of easing the
congestion in New York. Additional
main lines are not feasible. The cost
of subway construction is enormous
The length of time required TO build
an under surface trunk is such that
usually by the time one is planned
and completed it is outerown. The
configuration Of the city Is such as 10
crowd the travel into narrow lanes
over long distances.
Staggering the hours may bring a
measure of relief. This expedient was
tried in Wa shington durin" the war
time congestion. when tk,e pcpul.ti
was suddenly and greatly increased.
but did not prove 70 he ada pta BILE, cw-
ing to tls fact that the Government
Evening star., 1926-03-19

What about the human side of tho
United States Government?
There has been shown q disposition
recently In some quarters to treat the
Government as O. sort Of machine.
grinding out edicts. reports. orders nd
a great mass OF material reducible to
paper.
As matter Of fact. the Federal
Government Is the greatest cross.sec-
| ton OF the people OF these United
States that II is possible TO find any
where.
Here are gathered. from every State
In the Union. men and women who do
the Nations business. These are
those selected by the people to con
duct their Government
These men and women actually are
! the Government, reduced TO human
units, In so far as 1t in possible 10 so
reduce such an ints nsible thins as
the Government
While II may be granted that the
Government IL greater than all it's
parts and possesses inherent qualities
far superior to any one man or all
the men who compose IL. nevertheless
II IL true that for all ordinary pur.
| poses these workers constitute the
United States Government.
They come to Warrington from all
States, and bring here all types OF
American ma nhoOd and woma nhood
so that the Federal civil service. to-
eether with Its appointive Ofilcials at
the head. really sta nds for our country.
This In an aspect Of the Washington
Government seldom mentioned; In
fact. almost overlooked In the desire
TO concentrate on the results OF these
persons work.
y
/ The human factor, however, can
! not be forgotten.
| do you know that there are man
| wea ring wooden shoes at their daily
| tasks in the Bureau Of f.nara wing
and Printing? Acids eat up shoe
| leather.
| DO yo, suspect the tragic life rtO
ries wrapped ny in the iOns hgurs
Of yonder old messenger. reclining
! inerily In Il chair in the corridor.
| DO YOU remember that one W the
ontsta ndinx fisnres of American IN
erary history. old Walt Whitms n
once held y position in the Tressury
| Department and was kicked out fe,
| writing an "Obscpne book?
| DO YOU realize that Wonder high OF
! 6cia1. u millionaire in his own right
| who merely holds his big job Tor the
| honor Of the thing. ia an approacha Die
| as any Of his clerks. il not little
more so, and dearly loves 10 see MS
! ma me in print!
/ An official in the big building TO
the left has penchant for gsyiE
decorated colored shirts, collars ana
| cum. TO match. and. II YOU Will be
| ,ieye il. not clerk under him ever
| criticizes his taste. either.
| Here is a woman official VINO ma
a willow chair in her ONCE, decorated
| with cretOnne.
what shall We say Of the importa ~
| of7icial who stalking out or MS OF
Ace. determined. evidently. upon ho'
| looking either 10 the right or ei'
suddenly becomes human sSain upo"
glimpsing the face OF y far ~ahe'
| in the anteroOm?
! And-because the truth is not al
| WAYS bitter--shall we not add that tns
! lady was displaying an unusual length
| Of silk stocking?
All. these old boys from the back
woods they miss nothing.
/ \
| In this ONCE. into which We wan
der. there takes pla ce daily TRAGEDY
or comedy. according 10 the light
! in which one views 1t. the side from
| which one regards the matter.
There ara ten here, pftted against
Evening star., 1926-03-19
A Public.Spirited Organization.

Formal ti"n of the National Capital
Park Associa ton by a group Of pub
lie cspirited WaShinstonia ms to pre-
serve park and playground sites for
ultimate purchase by the Government
in extension of the local park system
marks for success the long "A waited
and often-despaired development Of
Washington potential park areas.
This benevolent corporation, from
which. the stock holders will get moth
ing except Il sense of public duty fui.
filled, will make il possible for the
Government 10 acquire ands needed
for parks at cost price plus five per
cent interest, regardless of the delay
in ma king apprOpria ti"ns.
Working in cooperation with the
National Capital Park Commission,
the association will ascertain from
the director of public parks and build.
ings the sites contemplated for pur-
cha Sc. The assOcia tion will then buy
the la nd nd hold ID until the Govern
II
This way commercial development Of
future park sites will he frustra led
and plans for park extension will pro
ceed in an orderly aud methodical !
ma nner. to the end tina, Washington
will be the "city beautiful" Of the
world.
There is only one thing to prevent
the success of the assucia ton in carry
ing out its heneticia la bors fov the city.
In the pending appropria ton bill be
fore Congress a clause prohibits the
any Ia nds in the District for a price
sreaer tina n twenty-five per cent more
han that for which the property is
assessed. 1t is frankly admitted by
provision remains in the bill II will
Kill the useful activity Of the organ
liza alton.
Property values are advancing so
rapidly in Washington that in some
"a ses the assessed value of land does
not represent its immediate true value
Therefore. buying at present prices
and selling To the Government at
only twenty-five per cent more than
its assessed value would mean such
losses to the StockhnI,ierS in the or,
e., MIA tion that public spirited a. they
are they sNOuid have TO aba ndon The
plan.
SO if Congress wishes TO take ad-
vantage of the beneficial work of the
new association. probably the first of
it's kind ever organized. 1T must rec
ogpize the realty situation as il ap-
plies to Washington and act accord
ingiy. 1t is To be hoped that this
proposed sacrifice of time and money
by prominent citizens of the Eationa
Capital will evoke co.opera ton from,
the legisla tive body TO such an extent
that the associa ton may soon func-
tion with success success that
Washington welcomes as a mean in
fact the only means. of assuring park
development.
Evening star., 1926-03-19
A Plea for Closing of
Sunday Entertainments
TO the Editor OF The Star:

Every shield has two sides. The
opponents Of the so.called blue
laws have written a good deal on
the subject. Will the reader con.
slider the other side for few mo-
ments?
Every one needs rest from his da lily
labor one day in seven. This is a
necessity that has heen demonstrated
time and again. Stores are closed
on Sunday, regardless of the re-
ligious beliefs Of the prOprietors. to
give the employees their needed rest.
Employees In the Government. as well
as those in banks. have their Sun
DAYS as a matter of course. Public
utilities. though forced to have some
work done on Sunday. have cut it
to the minimum and give back the
time to the employe during the week.
Why, then. should not actors. or
employees at the picture theaters. or
ball players. have their Sunday rest?
The crowds who buy tickets to the
vaudeville find in it only a pleasure,
but to the actor it is work: he is
earning his daily bread. Ii he re-
fuses to do this on Sunday he loses
his lob and some one else, not so
particular gets 1t. II the law shuts
up these places the actor could snOt
he COmDcIieO 10 WOfh Out SIN udSS,
and could go to church II he liked.
Some may say that. as the actor
does not do his act until p.m.. he
has plenty of time to go to church
in the morning. True. hut to go to
church in the morning and then take
part in two vaudeville stunts-in the
afternoon and at nights usually
too much for tired huma nifty.
The closing Of places Of amuse.
ment on Sunday is no more the
union of church and state than the
closing Of stores. banks and other
| business places. After all. this is a
Christian country and Christian laws
should prevail.
| It is an interesting fact that the
! crime wave is greatest in those com
| munities in which they have lax
| Sunday laws. Keeping the Sabbath
as a holy day seems to haive a
SOLDERING and steadying effect. Let
| MS help Washington to keep the laws
of the land and uphold American
! tradition by return to the right
observance of the Sabbath.
! MARIE DASHIEI.L.
Evening star., 1926-03-19

could not effectively coordinate it's
work with a wider range OF ONCE
hours. Still the device helped some,
though 1t was aba ndOned as soon as
possible. In New York, with a great
er variety OF business occupations, 1t
would appear To be fea asibie TO shift the
hours of beginning and ending work
SO as 10 spread the load. The expert
ment shout 10 be tried will be watched
with interest by every city that now
suffers from trafYic congestion.
Evening star., 1926-03-19
Postal &C. O. D." in England.

IL is announced in London that
Great Britain will AT the end of this
month introduce the postal collect
on-deiirerN" system. in adoption Of
the American idea. For some months
this matter has been under study in
Eng land British mercha ndising firms
have heard of the emarkable extent
of the ''mail-order" business conducted
in this country which, in the abse nee
of the collect provision. could not be
developed there. So they applied to
the government for the adoption of
the American idea, and, as stated. 1t
is now TO he established II is expect
ed that great increase in retail bust
ness will follow this innovation.
The parcel post SC. O. d." system
was established in this country in 1913
and has proved great stimulus TO
trade. The mail order business had
rra1 enormous establishments had
been developed ON the basis uf pre-
payments. But when il became posi-
bic for purchasers to pay on delivery
through the post Offices the volume OF
trade increased. A subtle psychologist
cal factor WAS involved. Most people
object to paying in advance. There is
really no difference between sending a
check or money order 10 a mercha n
disins house with an order for goods
mi paving cash to the postal agent
who hands out the parcel. As the
/ money is collected before the parcel
! can be opened, IL Is still case OF
sight unseen" as the boys used to
say. Yet there are many who are in.
duced to send for goods to be pa id for
on delivery who cannot be led to send
the money with the order.
Ii the parcel post c. .. d. system
| works in Eng land as il has in the
United States 1t may lead To a consid
prable readjustment of British mer
camille conditions. Many d small vii
iaEe shop or town store will be affect.
ed. Already the great metropolita n
stores, or English equivalents TO de
partment stores in this country. have
absorbed much of the provincial and
rural trade. and now there is posi-
! bIlity that they will take an even
larger slice of business to the in piurv
Of the strictly local interests.