davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-09-02
PHILOSOPHERS
BY
GLENN FRANK

I have been thinking tc light Of
friend Of mine who was born seven
centuries too late.
He would have been at home in the
thirteenth century.
He Is ill at ease in the twentieth
century.
He thinks the only cure for the
evils of modern times is for US to beat
q hasty retreat to the Middle Ages
and to adopt mediavelism as a way Of
life. walled towns and all.
He never tires, when we meet, Of
contrasting the pre-mAchine age with
this machine age Of ours; and one of
his favorite arguments is that in the
Middle Ages men produced commodi.
ties for use while in the present age
men produce commodities for sale.
Here are some of the things he says:
In the Middle Ages, the consumer
told the producer what he wanted.
Now the consumer asks the pro-
ducer what Is being manufactured
this season.
In the Middle Ages, the things men
made were consciously adapted to the
human and even personal needs Of
the men who wer to use them.
low the things men make are ad-
justed to the necessities and limita-
tions of the machines that make
them.
In the Middle Ages, the number Of
commodities was relatively small.
Now the number of commodities Is
very large.
In the Middle Ages. the character
of commodities was varied.
Now the character of commodities
tends to uniformity.
In the Middle Ages, the quality Of
commodities was generally high.
Now the quality of commodities Is
generally low
In the Middle Ages, the primary
thought was to make goods for
customers.
Now the main thought is to find
customers for our goods.
In the Middle Ages, the things men
made were marked by good material,
skilled workmanship, durability and
beauty.
Now the general run Of cheap ma
chine-made articles are marked by
shoddy material, a. deadly machine
sameness instead of the rich indi-
viduality of skilled workmanship. a
tendency to wear out quickly, and
ugliness.
L do not take my friend too
seriously.
Distance lends enchantment: sus-
pect that there were men in the Mid
ole Ages who long for the good old
ages Of their ancient ancestors; but /
like to spend an hour with my friend,
listening to him long for the Middle
Ages. after / have watched the bab-
bitt back-patting of a pep meeting in
which the machine age is made the
carrier of all virtues.
Copyright. 1927
Evening star., 1927-09-02
Make Improvements Now
to Relieve Building Slump
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
The sudden slump in building opera
tions in Washington has resulted in
considerable unemployment of me-
chanics in the various building trades,
such as carpenters, plasterers, paint
ers and the like. With Winter ap-
preaching. it becomes a matter of con-
Germ that so many men, many of
whom have families to support, are
without work.
The purpose of this letter is to sug-
gest that all persons who have con-
templated making improvements along
building lines have their work done
this Fall as far as possible. Those
who intend to have work done anyway
can, by pressing their plans now, have
the satisfaction of knowing that while
getting their work done they will be
helping many families to weather the
Winter. +. G. CAMPBELL.
Evening star., 1927-09-02

of contentment than of hilarity. The
"kinking" kitten, moving with ludi.
crous stiff-legged sidewise jumps. is
more definitely hilarious than the
quiet cat that turns on its tracheal
buzzer.
Just how cows and horses laugh
Prof. Bolton does not explain. A horse
will whinny, but whether that sound
is one Of amusement or Of greeting is
in doubt. OF all the placid unemo.
tional creatures known intimately the
cow is about the most sedate and un-
responsive. The voice of the COW is
certainly not suggestive of laughter.
1t is a plea. summons, a warning,
perhaps. but scarcely a guffaw.
This disputation between the Lon
don and Philadelphia savants, who
are specialists in psychology, will, per-
haps, provoke a flood of observation
from the students of animal life and,
possibly, instances of veritable laugh
ing creatures will be adduced to en-
large the category of DR.. Bolton.
Evening star., 1927-09-02

declared Mrs. Willebrandt, "are doing
far more effective service in convict
reform than all the psychologists,
theorists, sentimentalists and profess
sional uplifters put together. Not all
wardens live up to their opportunities.
Every year 400, 900 convicts leave jails
and prisons in America more embit-
tered toward society than when they
entered, because so many officials in
charge of prisons are not practical,
educated. forward looking, expert
mentally minded men,"
X X
Among numerous plans thrown out
Of gear by the I-do-not-choose-to-run
manifesto of Calvin Coolidge are the
hopes of various cities regarding next
years Republican national conven-
tion. San Francisco was "all set" to
capture the jamboree, at which the
President was to be renominated. But
now comes a situation which finds
Calfornia's favorite son-Herbert
Hoover-well out in front, and thatll
scare any number of national commit
teemen, with other axes to grind, out
of all thought of going to the Golden
Gate in June, 1928. BY the same
token, Chicago appears to be barred,
lOI 1lilIIOlS HAS d DIdCt vi III
the persons of Lowden and Dawes.
Kansas City and st. Louis have their
eyes on the Democratic convention,
but the Jim" Reed menace threatens
the ambitions of both Missouri metrop-
Olises. New York ever since the AL
Smith orgy in Madison Square Garden,
in 1924. has abandoned all hope of an
other Democratic convention for ages
to come. AS neither Michigan nor
Minnesota has statesmen with presi-
dental bees, Detroit and Minneapolis.
respectively, may win the party con-
claVes.
Maj. Gen. Charles p. Summerall.
chief of staff of the United States
Army, who is about to swing around
the circle on a Nationwide tour of
Army POSTS, omits no opportunity to
talk preparedness to civilian communi-
ties. The other day in the West, Gen.
Summerall hinted at a constitutional
| amendment. Il am not in favor of
billeting soldiers in the houses of citi-
zens without compensation" he said,
but l hope some day to see the pro-
vision which forbids billeting taken
out of the Constitution of the United
States" The chief Of staff was re-
ferring to the inadequate housing
facilities existing when we entered the
World War.
(Copyrght 1927
Evening star., 1927-09-02

Great significance is seen here In
the new commercial treaty between
France and Germany by which there
are mutual concessions of most-fa-
vored-nation treatment. The develop
ment is regarded by American OBJ
servers as one of the most important
steps taken since the World War to-
ward real peace and good will in Eu-
rope.
1.-THE two erstwhile foes" says the
Atlanta Journal. thus ending long
and embittered tariff controversy,
grant mutual favors, so that agricul-
tural products of France and manu-
factured goods of Germany will move
over the international border to the
economic benefit of both sides. More
over, France renounces her privileges
under article 1S of the peace of Yer
sailles, which permitted her to seize
private German property within her
boundaries as a measure of reprisal
for default on reparation payments
1t is a good day for Europe and for
the world when conditions which
tended to perpetuate i'll will thus give
way to friendly coworking."
"One of the important milestOnes
passed in the era of postwar recon-
struction," is the estimate of the
Providence Bulletin, which observes
that German mechanical and chemi-
cal products again will appear in
France and the agricultural products
of France will now find their way into
Germany. This means" continues
the Bulletin, "a new or revived mar
ket for French wine, one of the in
dustries on which France depends for
her economic security"
The Oklahoma City Oklahoman
views Germany as rising safely and
surely from mental and physical
poverty under the beneficent and
tonic influence of reason and fact"
\ *k
lone of the best results of this
trade treaty" according to the Hamil
ton (Ontario) Spectator, "is that it ex-
presses Germany's interest in western
rather than eastern Europe. There
has been a fear rather than a feeling
that ambitious men of the imperial
school might endeavor to turn Ger
many's purpose in the direction CT
controlling Russia. Among the Ger
mans there is an antipathy to the
Muscovite hordes, which comes of the
unity of the Teuton with the Gallo
vest" The further thought is en-
pressed by the Ithaca Journal-News
tIIdL TdIlCS anu NIeTHidUy together
can pretty we'll dominate the situa-
tion," while their rivalry and grow
Ing hostility would be apt to lead to
new and dangerous combinations"
Each nation" observes the Louis
vile Courier-Journal, recognizes the
other, not as a competitor, but as
buyer of the goods that 1t sells, and
a seller of the goods it buys. The
one is the complement of the other,
a fact as true in commercial rela-
tions between France and Germany
as the interdependence of Ruhr coal
and Alsace iron. Recognition of this
obvious status should rebound to the
progress. prosperity and peace of the
two leading continental countries"
The Rochester Times Union points
out that Che two nations are so diff
ferent in their economic constitution
Evening star., 1927-09-02
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

, we know goes direct to the money
| itself, and does not bother his head
with these petty subterfuges which
| the rest of humanity call making a
| living"
Is not the banker an emnentiy
wise man?
| Well, rather.
| X X X X
A fountain pen, then, being such
a close personal friend, ought not to
he loaned out to any Tom, DICK OF
Harry who comes along.
Let him have recourse to plebian
pens, such as do duty in post offices.
| 1t is true that their nibs are very
much the worse for wear, and that
| their shafts, or whatever one calls the
| part one puts the fingers around, may
| be smeared with lollypop from the
ambitious hand Of little Mary, who
but minute ago indited a few lines
| to daddy.
We hate post office pens, and bank
pens, and cannot blame any one for
| wanting to borrow our grand fountain
pen.
1t is true that both these great in
stitutions have made enormous
strides in the past 10 years, to raise
the standards of their free pen serv
ice. with most laudable results.
One can write his signature today
without getting more than two hlots
on the paper and half a square inch OF
ink on ones fingers, whereas before
the war one had to have recourse tC
| towel and n square yard of blottinG
paper.
Surely this is a progressive coun
try.
The very memory of the old pens
however, fingers in the popular mind
so that every person with ordinary
sense wants to borrow a fountain Fer
when he signs on the dotted line.
What causes the favored owners OF
these pens to hide them from the
sight of man is the very memory
alas, of the way those old familiar
pens wrote.
The multitude of fingers and in
clinations in writing which ruined the
points of the old familiar pens are the
very human factors which will spoil
even the best constructed writing in
strument of today.
One may he able to throw his foun
tain pen into the Grand Canyon, as
lne makers DeSeeCn one 10, WlLnOul
causing so much as a scratch on its
| lovely surface, but. af! throwing il
into the outstretched paws of an office
| full of associates is distinctly another
matter.
X X
The hardy borrower Of fountain
pens never stops to realize that the
| news gets around.
Have you fountain pen?"
mo, but Jim has"
Soon Jim finds himself maintaining
a pen for the use of the whole estab
lishment, when he fondly Thought the
| thing was his one and only love.
Shall man keep his pen filled with
| the finest ink for the benefit of Others
who contribute not a cent to it's Up
keep?
Common sense says NO" as EN-
| phatic a negative as Billy uses wher
| you ask him to desist from swinging
on the velvet curtains just after he
has finished eating his buttered toast
And he is right.
| Nnf
Evening star., 1927-09-02
Peace Better Than Trade.

From the Salem (Mass) News.
French and German delegates have
signed a trade agreement providing
for a lower tariff between those coun-
tries. Some fear is expressed that
this will affect American trade. Ameri-
can products enjoy a lower tariff than
those provided by the agreement. The
French may decide it to be necessary,
to keep their agreement with the Ger
mans, to raise the American rates.
But one possible result is that the new
German rates will be applied to all
imports. But even IL the United States
lost every dollar of its trade with
France. that might not be the worst
thing that could happen. More inti-
mate trade relati between France
and Germany ought to make wars less
likely. Every such commercial tie
works for peace. The broils of France
and Germany have kept the world
stirred up for centuries. If they can
be drawn so close together by trade
relations that they would stop fight
ing such a result would he worth
more to the United States than any
possible trade profits.
Evening star., 1927-09-02
Queries About Amber
Lights at Crossings

To the Editor of The Star:
After trip to the Pacific Coast and
return, passing through about 200
cities and towns, wonder Of what use
is the amber light on our traffic sig
nails as used here in the District of
Columbia, all traffic standing still.
I could not help but note the smooth
running Of traffic in some of these
cities and towns. Why are not all
left-hand turns made while the amber
light is on? Here we wait two COM
plete changes of lights to make a left
turn.
Also why not right-hand turns on
all lights-red, amber, green?
L. G.. ADOLPH.
Evening star., 1927-09-02

Meeting behind closed doors yester-
day. the Communist party Of the
United States, in session in New York
it is officially known as the Work
ers' Party-denied leadership to VIII
liam 2. Foster and favored Jay Love-
stone. the secretary and temporary
successor to the late Charles E. Ruth
enberg. This action, 1t was reported,
was taken at the instance of the Com
munist Internationale at Moscow,
which ordered the Foster group to
cease opposition. This was not the
only message which came from Mos
COW to the Communists in session.
One was received that commended
them for their part in the Passaic
strike, the New York needle trade
strikes and the recent anthracite
strike, all of which were characterized
as indications of growth OF Com
munism in the United States.
In this message from Moscow. which
was given out for publication, was
denunciation of the growing reaction
of the powerful American imperial
ism which fights every suppressed
people, from Nicaragua to China" and
a condemnation of the execution OF
Sacco and Vanzetti as brutal class
Injustice" and the beginning Of "a new
campaign of persecution against the
foreign-born working masses" by the
American Government.
1t is important to note these con-
facts between the American CON-
munist party and the Third Interna-
tionale at Moscow, for they distinctly
reveal the commanding influence ex-
ercised by the Russian Soviets over
the extreme radicals in this country.
1t has been heretofore explicitly an
nounced that this convention OF the
Communists was to consider ways and
means of promoting the cause in the
United States and establishing So
Wet government here. Yet there are
radicals not of the extreme type, but
bordering on it, who deny any connec-
ton between their movement and the
bolshevik organization.
A review Of the names OF those lden-
titled with the Communist movement
in the United States shows major
ity of them to be obviously alien. while
it Is believed that many, If not most,
of the others have undergone sea
change" in transition and translitera-
ton. It will be remembered that
many Of those who participated in
the first bolshevik movement in Rus
sia, notably Trotsky, changed their
names to Slavic form, but withal
there Is a percentage of distinctly
American workers in the Communist
cause in this country who are quite
as amenable to directions from Mos
cow as the others.
There is no occasion for serious con-
Germ on the score Of possible Com
munist revolution in this country.
Yet it is we'll to follow the movement
closely, as 1t is evident the Govern
ment is doing. Publicity is a weapon
| Of defense against these mischief max
ers. The more their meetings and
speeches and actions are exploited the
better prepared the country will be
| to resist them IL they should ever
undertake a subversive movement.
They have their own press, with its
circulation among the discontented.
and the native loyal press must keep
pace with this influence in informing
the non-radicals Of America fully as
to the claims and charges and pur.
poses Of Moscow.directed groups.
Evening star., 1927-09-02
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Conner Deluge

Copper Deluge.
Away back yonder in the day
When costs were not so great,
50 tags were made to say
"$1.9S."
Alas, what troubles were set free.
Increasing up to date,
When plain 50 came to be
$1.9S!
The coppers jingled loud and strange
The din we must abate!
We babbled, as we'd count the change,
"$1.98."
A handful for the carfare went,
And two for things we ate;
From this springs all our discomfort
1913"
Evening star., 1927-09-02
Women Should Have
Municipal Duties

To the Editor of The Star:
Your editorial, women Street
Cleaners" quoted by the Boston Tran
script of August 90, is drenched
through with municipal sense" which
is common sense. Women should
have a place in municipal affairs, and
make cleanup not only in the streets
but the whole municipal household
and make cities human and a delight
and a joy to live in.
Fifteen English cities are now in
correspondence with like number OF
American cities. together with the
mayor of Baden-Baden, who has had
Boston Folder" translated and mailed
to each mayor in the German Re.
public. WILLIAM A. RYAN.
Promoter. World League Of Cities.
Boston, Mass.
Evening star., 1927-09-02
East-to-West Flying.

With the apparent failure Of the
second overseas expedition from east
to west, 1t begins to Ook as it there
was some almost impenetrable barrier
to a nonstop 'airpiane fight over the
Atlantic in the direction of the United
States. Statistics laboriously gathered
by the Navy concerning all Of the
ocean flights that have been made
since Col. Charles Lindbergh startled
the world last May by completing the
New York k-to-Paris jump, show that
the ill-fated Nungesser and Coli flight
was undertaken on the best day, as
far as meteorological conditions were
concerned, that could have been pick
ed during the last ten years. If this is
the case, then it is hardly possible that
the Princess Lowenstein- -Wertheim ex-
pedtion, which left England on an
ambitious fight to Canada, but which,
despite an intense search, is still miss
ing in the ocean wastes, could have
Jared well in the matter Of weather
conditions that were encountered.
In the same report of the Navy the
fact is stressed that while only one
decent flying day has been had in ten
years, and that one was promptly
seized upon by the gallant Frenchmen
for their east-to-west attempt, there
have been comparatively only a few
days, four or five in number, wher
conditions could be said to be auspi
cious for a westtoeast flight during
the year. These days, the report points
out, were used for the four successful
American crossings, those q Lind
bergh, Chamberlin, Byrd and Brock.
Evening star., 1927-09-02
How Does Anarchist
Define His Creed ?
the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
have read so much recently in con.
nection with the Sacco-VanZetti case
about anarchists that I am curious to
know how the present-day anarchist
defines his creed. / am familiar with
the genealogical definition of the term;
but so many expressions have other
than their genealogical significance
that the anarchists definition might
not accord with the definition of the
dictionary. WILLIAM TINDALL.
Evening star., 1927-09-02
No More One-Man Cars.

Decision by the Public Utilities
Commission, reached yesterday, to
deny the application of the Washing
ton Railway & Electric Co. for per-
mission to install additional one-man
cars maintains the policy heretofore
adopted. While it may precipitate an
application for an upward revision Of
the fare schedule, this ruling will be
received with gratitude by the public,
which desires an Improvement rather
than q deterioration of the service.
The commission did not act upon a
resolution proposed by the Engineer
Commissioner directing the retirement
of the front-exit, one-man cars now
In use on the Anacostia line and their
replacement by rear-eXit cars similar
TO those in use on Wisconsin avenue,
or by two-man cars, though that res
olution will later be considered.
If the traction companies should
apply, as it is indicated they intend
to do, for an increase of fares, the
new commission will soon have before
It the task of considering the whole
question of local rapid transit. A re-
valuation of the properties of the COM
panies may be involved. Since the
preceding valuation by the former
commission there has been change
in the rapid transit situation. Motor
busses have come into use, operated
both by the traction companies and
by others. They carry a large num-
ber of passengers, some of whom are
drawn from the former patronage of
the street cars. Meanwhile, the num-
Der of motor cars has greatly in
creased in the District, affording in
dividual transportation to an unde-
termined number Of people.
These changes have undoubtedly af-
companies. There has been no in
crease in trackage, for it has been
the policy of the Public Utilities Com.
mission to provide for the greater
demand for rapid transit by means of
bus lines rather than track-borne cars.
Therefore, there has been no increase
in capital investment, though possibly
replacement valuation of the traction
plants would be higher than under
the previous estimate, owing to in.
creased prices for materials and labor.
l.
ment valuation is to govern. On that
point doubtless there will be contro-
versy.
Denial Of additional one-man car
service is in line with the policy of
maintaining a high standard in the
District. Undoubtedly the public pro-
test against the extension of this
service in the particular instance
under consideration was due to the
fear that from this precedent would
follow other increases in the number
and proportion of one-man cars on
the local lines. Had the commission
decided otherwise than it did, it would
be constantly faced with acquisitions
for an extension Of the one-man car
service throughout the District, and
the issue was in effect between vir-
tuaily certain deterioration of the
service through the adoption of an
economical expedient and possible in
crease in the fare rate. Even though
there may be such a revision-and it
should be granted only upon positive
showing Of need based upon actual
business-car riding Washington feels
that this present ruling makes for
greater safety and better service.
Evening star., 1927-09-02
International Finance.

lnLerndtlOnal FINANCE.
We argue many question deep
And as we start anew,
In mind we always have to keep
Somebody's I. o. u.
Jud Tunkins says a man who knows
exactly what he is talking about must
spend so much time investigating that
he is liable to have not much left for
conversation.
Money is a great influence for
democracy" said Hi Ho, the sage OF
Chinatown. 1.-THE unlettered man
usually understands its value better
than the philosopher"
Economy.
"The court jester has become entire.
ly obsolete"
"Ah, yes" said the old retainer
1--WE must economic and depend for
our laughter on the bright sayings OF
our precocious children"
The Unsleeping Wiz.
Why should a man his time employ
On things that he cannot enjoy?
So, Edison works all the night
To use his own electric light.
Folks dat keeps on forever smilin
don't allus scatter sunshine" said
Uncle Eben. "Dey jes' gifts folks nerv
Gus wifi curiosity as to what de jokes
about"