davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1926-10-13

Two homicides of a mysterious ma
ture are now puzzling the authorities,
with no immediate evidence available
for their solution. The Staying of d
soldier whose body was found in
Arlington Cemetery a week ago has
not yet been explained to the salts
faction of the Department Of Justice,
which, as the crime was committed
on Federal territory, is handling the
case. Last night Detective Sergeant
A. B. Scrivener was shot and killed
in front of his home in this city and
no tangible clue to the identity of the
slayer has been found.
Both of these cases appear to be
diSassociated from the service ac-
tivities of the victims. Neither man
was slain in the line of duty. The
soldier was not on guard when he
was killed, nor was the police detec-
tive on assignment when he lost his
life. In each case the motive of the
killer was plainly personal one. A
series of apparently unrelated cir
cumstances has been connected with
the shooting at Arlington, and the
unraveling of the tangle is giving the
Federal investigators "a difficult prob
lem. The killing of Detective Scriv-
ener is so recent that it's full sig
nificance has not yet been revealed.
These two tragedies, in no wise re-
lated, coincide to furnish material for
limitless speculation as to motive,
cause and circumstances Detective
Sergeant Scrivener bore an excellent
record as a police officer, and his un-
timely death is greatly deplored. He
was a valuable aide to the superin-
tendent of police, vigorous, fearless
and intelligent investigator of crime.
He may have been the victim of
personal enemy. or of would-be rob-,
ber who was unaware of the identity
of his intended victim.
The solution of these two crimes, it
Is earnestly hoped, will soon be effect
ed. An unsolved homicide is always
source of danger to the community
The escape of slayer from detection
is an encouragement to criminals and
leads to murders.
Evening star., 1926-10-13
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

enthusiasm for this or that player but
makes his work the more interesting
and human.
X X X y
There are many men today, in the
complex civilization which is ours.
who make good livings picking flaws
in the work Of others.
If their criticisms are based on suf-
ficient knowledge to make them worth
while, and are carried out in a spirit
of charity for all and malice toward
| none, these persons play a necessary
part in our era of great production.
When it is considered that not every
one is in the position mentioned that
of broad understanding backed by true
knowledge of that whereof he essays
to speak, it is easily seen that snap
judgments are generally worth just
about the mental effort they take to
make.
Yet it is common knowledge that
very few persons hesitate to give their
opinions on every topic under heaven.
They were not in the trenches, but
they will argue for hours on whether
the salients were filled with rats or
| not.
They could not possibly. broadcast
half an inning of a world series game,
but they will tell you what a rotten
job McNamee made of it.
They could not stand one short jab
from Tunney's left, but have no hest
fancy in telling you what dub Jack
Dempsey was, who took 1t for 10
innings.
They could not write one chapter
| of a novel, yet will undertake to
demonstrate just how poor the latest
best seller is, and how it could be
| improved by making the heroine act
differently from the way her creator
chose to make her comport herself.
| When such self-appointed critics
take their pen in hand" they usually
use a large, scrawly handwriting
| which is recognized in every news
paper office in the world before the
envelope is opened.
| The sad part of 1t Is that such un-
intelligent. wholesale criticism has an
unfortunate effect. Most active, in
| telligent persons who really do things
are not philosophers. Mean criticism
| hurts. One may joke about it, but it
| hurts. The less deserved 1t Is, the
more it riles the sensitive.
| And they are all sensitive. Graham
| McNamee, in the midst Of hot game,
had time to mention just one telegram
AN unfair one, and totally unjust.
He "llidded" about it-but why did
he mention it?
/ Those who play the game from the
| sidelines ought to-and no doubt will,
| in the perfect civilization-confin
their criticisms to intelligent efforts
toward giving information in cases
wherein the critic believes the other
misinformed.
We have not spoken of the anony-
nous letter. In principle it is all
wrong, but actually, if written by a
kindly person with intelligence, may
be as good a letter as any, as the
following proves:
Dear Sir: Although your article last
| night in the column This and That
speaks for itself, 1 cannot refrain
from telling you how grateful 1 am
for the note which you struck therein.
1t is reminiscent of that struck by
one Of my favorite writer's, Lamar
tine; in short, it is reminiscent of all
who have spoken nobly. 1 shall al
ways be grateful to you.
"A TRAVELLER IN TOWN"
Evening star., 1926-10-13
After You!

There is no doubt that Washing
ton is improving in it's traffic man.
ners and morals, improving not only
at corners regulated by bluecoats,
colored lights and signs, but at times
when the speeder, the roadhog and
the entranced motorist can "get away
with murder" and occasionally do SO.
A case in point is the increasingly
good behavior shown by drivers on
approaching those numerous tight
places caused by narrow streets and
projecting vans, trucks or heaps of
building material, where there is
room for just one car to get through
at a time. Not SO long ago it used
to be a race for the opening between
two cars headed in opposite direc-
tions. With a blast of the horn the
one which was ahead, or whose pilot
thought he was ahead, would roar
through, while the other, more timid
or less advantageously maneuvered,
with Squealing brakes, would stop
just this side of perdition. Often it
must stay, jammed at an angle, while
several vehicles chased through in
column. the faces of their drivers
wreathed in sneering smiles.
Now it is beginning to be different.
Cars approach these straits at de-
cent rate of speed, and one, often the
logical candidate for first thorough
fare, is seen to pull over, to stop and
it's driver to signal the opposite We
hicle to come ahead. This Alphonse
and CASTOR act is good for both par
ticipants; it is good for the whole
traffic situation and for the COM
munity in general. Whether the
stringency of new regulations has
proved an adequate training course
or whether the moral and social con.
sciousness of the driving public is
awakening is question. 1t is prefer
able to believe the latter, as in the
case of the housemaid who proved her
conversion by the fact that she there.
after swept under the beds. After
all. the golden rule embraces prac-
tically all the traffic rules that can be
devised, and it works better than any
Of them
Evening star., 1926-10-13
Average Public Intelligence.

At the annual convention Of the
American Public Health Association
Dr. Herman N. Bundesen, th> health
officer of the city of Chicago, mas
stated that all health education ma
terial for popular consumption should
be in words Of one syllable II 1t Is TO
be effective, because the mental age OF
the public is twelve years. This state
rnent was challenged by DR.. Matthias
Nicoll. ir., New York State health
commissioner, who said that the men,
tai age of the citizens of that state
IS not as low as twelve years. DR..
Rundesen countered with the claim
that if tests were made they would
show the mental ages Of the citi-
zens of New York and Chicago to be
the same.
This is an unusual spectacle. The
Chicago health officer writes down the
average public intelligence of his own
town to the twelve-year basis. Usual
" q CITY official is more Of boomer
for his own community than DR..
Bundesen proves to be. But health
officials are scientists, and scientists
are not given to civic emotionalism.
1t is quite possible that DR.. Bundesen
is right. In certain matters the aver
age public intelligence is undoubtedly
low. Yet 1t Is somewhat shocking to
learn that in the judgment of this sup
posedly competent observer the aver
age understanding of the people OF
city of three million population is only
that of the child of twelve. Presum-
ably three-fourths of those three mil
lion people are adults, and four-fifths
of them are over twelve years Of age.
There must be large percentage OF
mere morons in the adult population
of Chicago to bring the average of in
telligence down to the point of DR..
Bundesens estimate.
Evening star., 1926-10-13
Haunted Houses.

An English antiquary has found a
haunted castle and means to live in
it. 1t ought not to be hard to find
a haunted castle. There is general
belief that most castles are haunted
and that castle without a ghost is
not first rate. 1t is said that this is
Tudor castle, built in 1850 by Sir
John Baker, a chancellor under Henry
VIII, and that Sir John was also re-
sponsible for the burning of heretics
DUNG the reign of Bloody Mary. The
Associated Press quotes the buyer of
the castle as saying: "Sir John may
be called the English Bluebeard. for
there is a definite tradition that he
was in the habit Of inducing women
to visit him and then numbering them
for their Jewels. He kept the bodies
in secret chamber beneath the main
Evening star., 1926-10-13

1t isn't often that one in the public
eye gets to tell an unjust critic frank
ly just what he thinks of him, but
Graham McNamee, giving a play-by-
play description of the fourth game
of the world series from St. Louis,
had that exquisite pleasure.
During one of the few lulls in that
contest, McNamee told of receiving a
telegram asking that he mot mention
Ruth so much" The premier sports
announcer for a time 'jOshed" his
way along, only speaking Ruth S
name as If reluctantly and when alb
Solutely necessary.
When the Babe, however, slammed
out that record d-breaking third home
run of the day, McNamee could con-
tain himself no longer, but broke
forth in his characteristic way:
And that bonehead told me not to
mention this fellow! I've got to men,
ton him, that's ALL"
Somewhere in the United States a
radio listener probably blushed deeply.
At least it is to be hoped he Tor she)
did.
The unthinking and often unpleas-
ant criticism of men who are working
hard and doing a good job ought to
1t is one thing to do your best in a
base ball game; it is another to sit
in the stands and find fault with the
players.
Similarly, in all walks Of life, unin-
telligent criticism is one of the easiest
and cheapest things in the world to
do, usually indulged in in inverse ra-
ito to the right of the critic to speak.
* *
The present writer has been un.
usually fortunate in this respect, hav-
ing received some thousands of friend.
ly letters from readers of The Star dur
ing the past two years, as contrasted
with four or five unkindly missives
This is record much to the credit
OF the men and women who read this
newspaper. The writer, in express
ing his opinion honestly and freely
upon such topics as he has chosen to
consider, has often made statements
with which readers have not agreed.
In practically every case of disagree.
ment, however, the protest has been
made in way which makes the
writer proud of his audience.
One has only to think of the innate
reactions of the human mind to real
ize that 1,000-to-1 shot is a record
AAA lAiAo ACSPC(l. hCANdHl6S,
who has done as good a job at broad
casting the various recent world
series games as any man in the world
could do, has been the victim of count
less mean letters and kilograms, many
of them anonymous, it needs hardly
be said. Even the average mean
spirited critic generally is ashamed to
sign his name to his effusion.
We have heard good women snort
with Indignation every time McNamee,
in broadcasting the recent series,
dared to mention a good play on the
part of one of the Yankees.
THE old New Yorker" one lady
declared in great disgust, simply be-
cause the announcer, in the pursuit
of his duty, detailed a wonderful catch
by Meusel.T To have pleased the lady
fan he would have had to belittle
every action on the part of the New
York team.
1t seems to us-and, we are sure, to
every other n-partisan-that Gra-
ham McNamee has given an absolute
ly fair account of every sporting event
he has ever broadcast. His personal
Evening star., 1926-10-13
"How Are You, Johnny 2"

The publication of the story of the
call yesterday of the spectacular Babe
Ruth on a little sick boy who idolizes
the slugger. probably has made this
swatsmith more popular than any
home run or cluster of home runs he
has banged out in his successful ca
reer.
People who do not know a fielder's
choice from a sacrifice hit smiled as
they read about how George Herman
left a bunch of official glad.handers
fiat and stole away to sit on the bed
Of lad who is on his way back from
deaths door and whose greatest treas.
ures are base balls autographed by
Ruth and other stars in the recent
world series.
g. H. Ruth has his faults, but this
can be said of him: that he never for
gets his own boyish days and likes to
be with youngsters. Neither Babe nor
Johnny Sylvester said much at 0eir
Evening star., 1926-10-13

Prof. Irving Fisher of Yale has con-
tributed to the current discussions of
prohibition problems a new book,
prohibition at It's Worst" in which
he sets forth the claim of benefits
gained by the country even under
lax enforcement. Through the me-
dunn of newspaper editorials he Is
now collecting bouquets and brick
bats, with the former quite in the
majority.
Prof. Fishers conclusions are quoted
by the Santa Barbara Daily News
as follows:
"Q) The present situation of imper.
feet enforcement is intolerable.
"(2) Conditions are not, however, as
bad as commonly represented.
'(9 Prohibition has accomplished
much good hygienically, economically
and socially.
go The personal liberty argument
is largely illusory.
"(5) We cannot accomplish what the
opponents of prohibition really want,
by amending the Volstead act. with
out thereby violating the eighteenth
amendment.
"(6) To repeal the eighteenth amend
ment is out of the question
'() To nullify it would mean dis
respect for law of the most demoral-
izing kind.
"(8) Therefore the only practical
solution is to enforce the law.
d9) Enforcement is a practical pos
sibility."
although the book will offend some
of the radical drys," concludes the
Santa Barbara paper, 'it will give
little satisfaction to the wet element
in the country. The professor rips
wide open the false propaganda built
up in the effort to break down the
dry laws and shows that the so-called
statistics of the wet propagandists
are figures run Wild
Commenting on Prof. Fishers state
ments that there has been six bill
lion dollars annual gain from prohi-
bition in the United States" and that
''if prohibition enforcement cost the
American taxpayer even one billion
dollars a year it would be we'll worth
while purely as an economic in
vestment," the Wichita Falls Record
News says, "He regards it (prohibi-
tom as the greatest economic invest
ment yet made by the American peo-
pie, and he has millions Of fellow cit
iZens in the United States who agree
with his conclusion"
Referring to widely circulated claims
that there is more drinking in the
country today than ever before, the
Ithaca Journal-News pictures those
old days, saying: Handling of whisky
and beer in the old saloon days was a
big-scale enterprise. Shipments were
regularly made by the carload or
trainload. Brewery wagons heavily
loaded were constantly to be seen on
the streets. Saloons were extremely
numerous. To say that the furtive
traffic carried on by speakeasies and
Evening star., 1926-10-13
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

designnted Don Manuel Torres as
first minister from that country to
the United States. In receiving him,
Washington gave official recognition
to the first Latin American diplomatic
agent.
O. How many Popes were named
Julius?-H. E.
A. There were three Popes by the
name Of Julius-the first succeeded In
3S7 AID; the second, in 1903, and the
third, in 1860.
Q. For what is Marion, Ind, noted?
g. L.
A. To outsiders, It is perhaps best
diers' home. It is a thriving county
seat in the heart Of the agricultural
district of Indiana.
@. What Is q rain forest?-R. F.
A. This name Is given to tropical
forest situated in a region where there
Is rainfall almost every day of the
year. The trees grow to enormous
size and the flowers are plentiful and
gorgeous.
Q. In what country is the most cof-
fee drunk? ?-M. l..
"a
are the greatest coffee drinkers. They
drink coffee not only at all meals. but
also between meals.
O. How long would It take . per-
SON to count a million dollars In 10
cent pieces?-J. M.
A. It would depend upon the ex-
pertness Of the counter. ana how
steadily he counted. In the coin room
of the Treasury, It usually takes from
is to 20 minutes to count $1,000 In
dimes.
q. How did the "Lombards," or
"IIangobardi," happen to be so called?
e. M. H.
A, Tradition says that these peo-
ple were originally called 'Winnili."
Under the leadership Of 1bor and Aio.
sons. Of a prophecies called 'Gambara,'
they came into conflict with the Van
dals The leaders of the Vandals pray
ed to Wodan for victory, while Gam
bara and her sons invoked Frea. Wo-
dan promised victory to those whom
he should see at sunrise. Frea directed
Winnili to bring their women with
their hair around their faces like
boards. He then turned Wodan's
couch around so that when he woke
at sunrise he first saw the host of
the Winnili. He asked "Qui sunt isti
I,ongibarb ?"-"Who are these long
beards?" F'rea replied, LAS thou hast
given them the name, give them also
the victory" They conquered In the
ensuing battle and were thenceforth
known as "Langobardi."
O. What Is a stone called which has
the cutting sunk in It. much as the
cameo is raised?-R. E. S.
A. Precious or semi-precious stones
which have figures sunk below the
surface are engraved in intaglio.
@. Who fired the first shot Of the
Revolution on the water?-E. c. c.
A. Abraham Whipple, the distin-
guished American naval officer, is
credited with having fired the first
shot.
@. How does illiteracy in the United
States and Canada compare
w. A. M.
A. According to data furnished by
the Bureau of Eudcation the average
illiteracy in the United States Is 6
per cent, and in Canada, II per cent.
Did you eUer 1Drite q letter to Fred
eric j. HdSbinf You can ask him any
question of fact and get the ans,oer IN
a personal letter. Here is q great edu-
cGtiond1 idea introduced Into the HveS
of the most intelligent people in the
1OorId-An ertcdn newspaper readers.
1t is a part of that best purpose of q
neaospdper-SerUtce. There Is no
charge ercept e cents in stamps for
return postage. Address Frederic j.
HGskin, director. The Evening Star In
formation Bureau, Washington, d. G.
Evening star., 1926-10-13

More time for flivvering Is a natural
accompaniment of less time for work
as outlined by Henry Ford and his
economic advisers. The responsibility
of providing work is great. That of
providing wholesome occupation for
leisure is greater.
Evening star., 1926-10-13

League in New York. where it is seek
ing to bring about the defeat of Sem
ator Wadsworth, wet Republican,
against whom there has never been
a breath of suspicion or scandal, Is
somewhat in contrast with it's atti-
tude toward the Illinois senatorial
election. The defeat of Wadsworth
will not prevent the election of a wet
Senator, for Justice Wagner, his Dem
ocratic opponent. is wetter than
wadsworth, IL that is possible. Pro-
hibition above everything seems to be
the mott4 of the dry organization.
Evening star., 1926-10-13

French and German diplomats
shake hands in public. The gesture,
in view of international methods of
interchange, must naturally raise the
question Of whether there are any
mental reservations involved.
Evening star., 1926-10-13
SHOOTING STARS.
8Y PHILANDER JOHNSON.

X.Centricity.
She used to learn her b c's,
And that was long ago.
She dances with athletic case
In the erratic show.
Her a c's she laid away,
Her mind she does not vex.
Her legs the Charleston doth display
AS just the letter X.
Evening star., 1926-10-13

Settlement of the world series"
contest calls attention to the fact that
a very large section of this terrestrial
orb was not in the least interested
in It.
Evening star., 1926-10-13

Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney
are both in a position to cash in on
their talk before vaudeville audiences
and risk no black eyes.
Evening star., 1926-10-13

The United States Constitution com.
mands the respect of the world, even
though the amendments reveal very
little of the genuine literary quality
that distinguished the original draft.
Evening star., 1926-10-13

When anybody is shot at in Italy 1t
is usually Mussolini. The King has
evidently succeeded in formulating a
reliable safety first" policy.
Evening star., 1926-10-13
In the Hands of Friends.

In the Hands of Friends.
What led you to go into politics."
Ambition" answered Senator Sor-
ghum.
For political honor?"
mo. 1 had note in bank and l
was ambitious to meet it,
Evening star., 1926-10-13
Rate by Mail-Payable In Advance.
Maryland and Virginia.
Member of fhe Associated Press.

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled
patches credited to IL or not otherwise cred
ited IN this paper and also tn: h,cation IocSi nG%s
Of special dispatches herein are also reserved
Evening star., 1926-10-13

AS human hopes grow warmer,
How wonderful they are!
He starts as a reformer
And winds up as Gear.
Evening star., 1926-10-13

Echo of Complaint.
My Radio! My Radio!
The joys of life seem faint
AS now and then more loudly grow
The echoes of complaint.
Ny Radio! A grief you bring.
You leave me vexed, vow,
For what you say and what you sing
Is smothered by your "WOWw
Jud Tunkins says people love music
so much that a whole family Is willing
to work hard to support the boy with
the banjo.
Music has been reduced to primitive
rhythm. This calls attention to the
f1ivver as a musical influence.
Justice" said Hi Ho, the sage of
Chinatown. finds new ways when the
accused enjoys himself on bail, while
the jury stands a chance of being
locked up
Evening star., 1926-10-13

Work" said Uncle Eben, 'is gittin'
to be regarded by nearly everybody as
sumpin' dat somebody else ought to
do ~ ~ s;
Evening star., 1926-10-13

The Evening Star. with the Sunday morn.
llnE edition. is delivered by carriers wltn,,n
the rdty at.60 cents per month dans,S cant: om1y;
20 cents per month: Sundays only. ~ rsiies N
per month. Orders may be sent by mall an or or
telephone Main 5000. Collection is made oS
carrier at end of each month.
Evening star., 1926-10-13
Art and Athletics.

You have just heard a symphony
by Beethoven"
II know" answered the eager lis
tener. But who won the prize fight?"
Evening star., 1926-10-13

Returning travellers from the Irish
Free State bring to Washington re-
ports of military air service in the
Emerald Isle which does 1t great
credit-one more bit f evidence of
Evening star., 1926-10-13

@. Who fired the first shot Of the
Revolution on the water?-E. c. c.
A. Abraham Whipple, the distin-
guished American naval officer, is
credited with having fired the first
shot
Evening star., 1926-10-13

O. What Is a stone called which has
the cutting sunk in 1t. much as the
cameo is raised?-R. E. S.
A. Precious or semi-precious stones
which have figures sunk below the
surface are engraved in intaglio.