davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03
An Inexcusable Practice.

Motorists entering Washington
over the Baltimore Boulevard are
loud in their condemnation of the
practice that has grown up almost
overnight Of advertising Washington
hotels through the medium of circu-
lars thrown blindly into cars in the
vicinity of Hyattsville. These de-
scriptive bulletins are distributed by
men and boys who stand on the side
OF the road. Some of the circulars
are made of cardboard and on two
occasions recently injury has been
received BY motorists who were the
unwilling recipients of these adver-
tisements. One woman has reported
that she sustained a bad cut over
her eye from the sharp edge of the
cardboard which was thrown directly
In her face as she was driving
through the town. Another, blinded
by the paper and excited by the un-
expectedness Of the occurrence, drove
head-on into the car preceding her,
causing bad accident which might
have had serious consequences.
Washington hotels and merchants
who advertise in this manner should
take heed of this condition. There
is absolutely no excuse for the ac-
tions of the men and boys who
distribute the circulars. They seem
to believe that it Is nothing more
than a game, consisting of sailing
pieces Of cardboard and paper in the
general direction of the motorists,
most of whom do not care for this
type Of business enterprise and are
exceedingly annoyed at the merchants
or hotels that engage in it.
If an immediate reform is not in
stituted by the organizations engaged
in this questionable activity it is
likely that police action will be had.
Motorists should not be compelled to
face a paper barrage in addition to
the manifold traffic problems of the
| road. And 1t is obvious that nothing
| but resentment can be aroused by
methods that add to the hazards OF
touring.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03

ing at the rate Of seventy seven miles
an hour on one of the fine rolling
roads near Sherbrooke The polite
but determined provincial policeman,
after the fine had been paid, filed out
a receipt for the motorist. what
that, summons?" queried the latter.
1T is a receipt for your fine" an.
swered the policeman. "Shucks, do
not want THAR shot back the driver.
II do not need receipt when 1 get
caught for seventy Goodbye"
In any event, Americans should
hold down their speed when travelling
through the Dominion-that is, If they
want to save little money, and it is
presumed that every one does. Can.
ada should do it's part by being a
trifie more lenient in it's speed laws.
Thirty miles an hour Is entirely too
slow for the open road, and the city
signs cautioning a speed of twenty
miles are placed too far out from any
habitations. A reform is needed on
both sides of the border; the Ameri-
can speeding motorist must cut down
his speed and the Canadian author.
tiles should increase the speed limit to
a reasonable point.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03
Speeding in Canada.

Canada does not fool with speeding
motorists from the United States. A
quick fine, right on the roadside, with
no explanations accepted, is the regu-
lar rule. Mounted on speedy four.
cylinder motor cycles, the provincial
police are on the job every minute. as
is testified to by the figures just re-
leased showing that during the last
three weeks forty per cent of the ar
rests have been American victims.
All of this big percentage of Ameri.
can speeders are very probably guilty
in fact, the roadside fine paid to the
arresting officer Is based on an ad
mission of guilt by the defendant. But
it does appear that too much attention
is being paid to visitors and not
enough to the Canadian motorists. A
road census on the busiest Canadian
thoroughfare, between Toronto and
Montreal, showed only fourteen per
cent of the automobiles bearing United
States tags. Yet the arrests total
forty per cent.
Perhaps many Of the guilty admis
sions may be accounted for by the
desire of Americans to be quickly or
their way after an arrest. Then the
total of forty per cent would be easy
to explain. But there is still the
classic tale. however. of the American
motorist who was arrested for speed
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03
What of the Mississippi?
From the Detroit News.

From the Detroit News
In it's own way the strange loss of
interest by the Nation in the question
of Mississippi flood control, now that
this years physical crisis on the lower
river has passed. is a greater tragedy
than the flood itsels.
The economic crisis confronting. the
vast devastated region is not passed,
It's peak is not yet reached. The war
with crushing debt, the long struggle
back to economic health is scarcely
under way. If the tens of thousands
of flood victims We're able to carry
on in the knowledge that the sudden
sympathy displayed by the Nation
during the flood was more than a
fugitive sentiment, and that the sub
ject of flood control has become a
matter of permanent concern to the
entire Nation, so that once restored
economically they would not be
plunged into new wretchedness, their
burden in this battle would be meas
urably lghtened.
Yet no such hope is extended them.
They struggle back with no assurance
, that the future does not hold a sim
liar disaster. Not a single practical
movement toward flood control has
been made.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03
Chain Bridge Repair Costs.

A proposal has been preached.
though it has not yet been definitely
considered by the Commissioners, that
the cost Of building new concrete
1butment to Chain Bridge, in replace.
ment of the old one that has so de.
Perforated that the closing of the
bridge has been required as a measure
of public safety, should be met by the
imposition of q toll charge on all users
of the structure when it is again put
into commission. The cost of the new
work will be paid for out of appropria.
tons for bridge repairs. According
70 present estimates the new work
will cost the larger part of the total
annual appropriation for this purpose
leaving little for other bridge re.
pairs unless Congress should promptly
at the beginning of the session make
a new appropriation reimbursing this
general fund. Inasmucl as it will
take about three months to build the
aputment and put the bridge In com
mission. by which time Congress will
have met, it is doubtful whether the
toll expedient will be necessary. Nc
appreciable amount of money could
be raised by such a means in the
period elapsing before the passage Of
IN appropriation measure.
In this connection it is again to b.
noted that Virginia authorities are
unwilling to bear any part Of the cos
of reconstruction of Chain Bridge. al
though that viaduct is in great meas
ure a utility for the benefit Of thu
residents Of the State. 1t is a Distric
bridge. as are all others crossing tn
Potomac, inasmuch as the Distric
boundary line lies at high-watef mari
On the Virginia shore. Nevertheless
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03

Upon receipt of a communication
from the Navy Department President
Coolidge has given his approval to
the assignment of fast cruiser to
transport Lieut.. Williams and his sea-
plane to Venice for the Schneider Cup
race. which will take place September
%. While this is apparently recon-
sideration of former position, the
fact is that the President was await
ing the recommendation of the depart
ment, which has now recorded its de.
sire that the sole American represent
ative In the great air classic should
be enabled assuredly to reach the
scene of the contest in season for tun.
ing up and testing and finally par
ticipating in the competition for speed.
1t would have been deplorable if,
because of repeated delays in the
preparations, Lieut.. Williams had been
deprived of the chance to enter the
races. For there Is evidence that the
plane which Williams will take with
greater than ever before achieved by
aircraft. Williams is still putting the
machine through it's PAGES in tests on
Long Island, being somewhat handi-
capped by unfavorable weather and
the necessity of testing some new pro.
pellers. but there is every reason to be.
lieve that he will be ready before next
Friday, which, 1t is estimated, is the
latest date on which the Trenton, now
tentatively named for transporting
him, can sail in season for the races.
The run to Venice covers about 5000
miles, and can be made by the Trenton
in from ten to eleven days on an aver
age cruising speed of 20 knots. If she
sails on the 9th and reaches Venice
on the goth little more than a week
will remain in which Williams can as.
semble his plane and try it out.
In the assignment of cruiser the
United States has followed the course
OF the British government, which has
placed several warships at the service
OF the entries from that country in
the Schneider races. Inasmuch as the
postponement Of the contest to permit
Williams to arrive by regular transpor.
tation was prevented by British refusal
to consent to a delay, it is most appro.
pirate that this Government, which is
not officially represented in the Schnei.
der flight, should send its unofficial
entry to the scene by it's own trans
mort
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03

Q. Approximately how many peo-
pie die in the United States in a
year from accidental shooting ?-T. T.
A. In 1925 there were 2.570 deaths
from accidental shooting and in 1924
the number totaled 2,571.
Q. Were overtures included in the
first operas ?-B. G. A.
A. The first operas had no over
lures. They either began directly
with the action or were preceded
with a prologue which was sung.
@. Who was Vice President and
President Of the Senate during An
drew Johnsons administration? p
o. H.
A. There was no Vice President
when Andrew Johnson succeeded to
the Presidency through the assassina-'
ton of President Lincoln. Senator
Daniel Clark of New Hampshire off,
ciated as President of the Senate.
Q. Will any foreign newspapers
have offices in the new National
Press Club in Washington, or Is it
intended for the exclusive use OF
| American papers?-C. H.
A. The new project Is internal
| tional in it's scope. Among the for
| eign publications which have al
ready taken leases are the Berliner
| Tageblatt. the European edition of
the American Motorist; the French
Havas News Agency, the Ingeriaria
| International, the London Telegraph
Exchange Co., the German Wolff
News Agency, FL Automobile Ameri-
| cano, the South American Havas
| News Agency, and the Santiago
Union and Times.
! Q. What are the insignia of the
Order of the Golden Fleece?-W. B. D.
A The Order of the Golden Fleece
was founded by Philip the Good. Duke
of Burgundy, at Bruges, January 10.
| 1880. The insignia are a sheepskin
with head and feet attached, hanging
from a gold and blue enameled flint
stone emitting flames, and borne in
| its turn by a steel forming the let
| ter B.
from attracting the needle of a com.
pass?-C. L. NJ.
| A. The Bureau of Standards says
that there is no known insulator for
magnetism.
Our Washington Information. Bu-
redu does not take udcdtion. 1t 10
on the job every day during the gear,
answering questions for our readers.
It's special service is to Gns1cer any
question Of fact on any subject for
any reader at any time. 1t is impos.
sible to make complete enumeration
OF subjects giving an adequate Meo
| OF the scope and range in aChich the
bureau can SerUe you. It's activities
can only be summed up In the phrase.
"WhdteUer you 1cdnt to knotc." Send
in your question. Address The EUe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred.
eric j. Hdskin, director, Washington,
| ID. G..
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03
Melting Devices for Car Tracks.

In the operation of the New York
rapid transit lines much trouble is
caused in Winter by the freezing OF
switches through the accumulation OF
ice and snow. Whenever the tempera.
ture falls there Is a serious blocking
Of the lines. especially at the termi.
nails where trains are made up and
transferred from track to track, and
large forces of men with brooms and
shovels have to be put at work. with
the consequence of delay and some
danger from the high potency cur.
rents. An automatic melting system
has been devised and is now being in
stalled in anticipation of the Winter,
which by the application of current
whenever the temperature of the out
side air falls below certain point
operates to dissolve the ice and snow
and clear the switches. BY the end
OF the year nearly $500 of these ap.
planes will have been placed on the
marlborough Rapid Transit lines and
it is expected that they will serve to
keep the trains in motion without de.
lay or risk.
Much trouble is likewise experienced
in Washington at switch points dur
ing Winter from the same cause.
Track gangs are needed whenever the
snow falls to keep the switches clear.
They do not always succeed in doing
so. They must be kept constantly at
work at crossings and crossovers and
curves at intersections, and with the
greatest diligence they fail in extreme
weather, with snow and ice forming,
to insure the constant operation of the
cars. 1t would be we'll for the local
traction companies to consider the in.
stallation Of these melting devices for
adoption here. While the Winters in
Washington are short, they are at
times severe, and heretofore most of
the traction troubles at that season
have been caused by frozen and block
ed switches. One such INSTRUCTED
switch may tie up traffic over an en-.
tire line. Accidents result as well as
delays. AS long as rapid transit is
maintained here by means of track
lines the equipment should be of the
best quality and should include the
latest dependable devices for main.
tanning constant and regular operation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Every one has to find out from his
own experience the worthlessness of
advice.
Experience is the bird in the hand
advice is only what is In the bush.
The young man starts out on a tri
| umphant advance upon futurity
| buoyed up by the sage words of the
elderly gentleman with the long beard
who made the graduation address.
Seek counsel of your elders" the
distinguished man had said.
Now the young man was to learn
as the result of many years flowing
over the wheel of his own individual
time, that this gratuitous advice was
wonderful sample of all advice.
1t was, if the sad truth must be
stated, a bit of buncombe, a little
propaganda by Age in favor of Age.
Had the Successful Graduate been
strictly honest with the fledglings, he
would have said something along this
line:
Young gentleman, 1 am sorely
tempted to advise you to seek advice
in the years to come from those who
have fought the battle of life.
1T sounds well, and there are very
few with enough-er, intellectual
stamina to gainsay me, now or here
after.
Yet, the plain truth is that most
advice. given as the result of ques-
tioning. is utterly worthless, because
the giver is both unable and unwilling
to see the thing from any other stand
point than his own.
What l am going to tell you is
simply this: Stand on your own feet,
walk under the shadow of your own
hat brim, as the late Uncle Joe used
to say.
IF you are seized with doubt. do
not run to the first solemn-looking
gent with a good-sized bank account,
but figure the thing out for yourself,
and then stand on your decision.
Thus you will grow into the
stature of real man."
If we had life to begin over again,
we would flee advice as we would the
devil himself.
We would not accept advice if it
were presented upon a silver platter.
OF course, we don't now--but that
is different r.
Think of all the sadness and futility
we would have saved ourself from if
we had listened, in our early years, to
some such brave man as outlined
above
Our present line of conduct, in
which the worthlessness of most
advice is honestly recognized, was
worked out at great cost.
Any one who has innocently be-
lieved in the wisdom Of others to the
minimizing of his own will tell you
that 1t Is a painful process, brothers
One hears so darn much stuff that
isn't SOL
X X X
Some busy little adviser is forever
telling one to do something that won t
work out.
Not long ago a young gentleman
who doesn't smoke a pipe hustled up
and proceeded to hand out the follow.
ing free advice, second hand, at that:
My doctor says that if you do not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03

smoke a pipe until after lunch it will
never hurt you. III bet you smoke
right after breakfast"
He looked at US fixedly.
|. Unfortunately, the time was am,
and we were caught with pipe in
hand.
well, what of it?" we said. in an
attempt to be nonchalant, something
in which we invariably fail.
Nonchalancy is not natural to us.
Anyway, we failed, as usual.
my doctor says" went on he,
that if you smoke before noon you
risk injuring the heart and the entire
respiratory tract
ITO say nothing of certain obscure
injuries to the cringing soul" we
murmured.
but if you wait until after lunch"
he went right on, "a pipe will never
hurt you"
But we eat lunch at II o'clock"
rejoined we, crushingly. And. be-
sides, the only time we really like to
smoke is right after breakfast.
Take motor cars, now.
There is absolutely nothing your
friends delight to advise you about as
much as automobiles.
If you happen to be that guileless
innocent, the man who has never
owned one. you are their meat.
There will be at least one person to
speak up for every car on the market,
and at least two to knock every make.
Rival statesmen have simplified the
knocking process to such degree
that each one pridefully boasts that
he "never knocks another car" Here
ia the waV thew do it:
You ask the man who is trying to
sell you a Coyote what he thinks
of the Big Bear q.
"A good car" he says doubtfully.
"A good car"
Great you say to yourself.
But it is not so great, after all.
Listen--he speaks:
But it is an experimental car"
This is the latest and positively the
most sure-fire method of damning
with faint praise since Shakespeare
was a lad.
A good car, but ah-experimental.
Hellish, isn't it?
Perhaps in a dozen years or so the
manufacturers may have the thing
down to a stable basis, but a prospect
now is surely taking an awful chance
an awful chance, mister.
In fact, you poor sap, if you buy the
Big Bear 4, do you know what you
really are doing? Why, you simply
are a dog.
Yes, sir, a dog. The crafty manu-
facturers of that Big Bear car are
trying that car out on the dog, as the
saying is, and you will have the mex
pressible satisfaction of being the
dog, if you fall for it. 1t may be a
good carl ain't saying it aint-but
how do you know?
Why, even the manufacturer doesn't
know!
SO one sees that in buying a car, as
in everything else in life, one must
use his own noodle, and come to his
own decisions.
If you seek advice, seek it at home,
where you can get it with the least
fuss. Seek it right inside your own
head.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03

AS to Judge Gary as an example,
the New Orleans Item Tribune de-
clares: When man accumulates be-
tween $25,000,000 and 800 ,00O, 900 he
may properly be considered an author.
ity on the art of gaining and, more i'm
portant, of keeping money" The
Pasadena Star-NeWs sees in his words
the gist of business wisdom of life
spent in achieving big success" while
the Charlotte Observer regards them
as typical of that rare business judg-
ment which carried Judge Gary to the
top in the realm of industry" The
bloomington Paragraph holds that
when mans life story bears out the
meaning which his words convey, then
his words take on new significance"
AS for investments" comments the
Columbus Ohio State Journal, make
it rule first to ask your banker or
some one else of a conservative ma
ture and in position to know values
One of the most pathetic things in the
world is the sucker list. 1t is the in
dex to many tragedies" That paper
also offers the amendment that lend
ing money to friends and acquaint-
ances. except in cases where the act is
merely one of kindness, with no con-
fldent expectation of reimbursement,
is bad business"
The need of expert assistance by the
impractical posSassor of money is en-
phasized also by the Chattanooga
Times. Back of this advice" says
the Times, lies half century of ex-
perience and the wisdom of a man
VINO was one of the country's greatest
ana most successful captains of bust
ness and industry. Its soundness is
beyond question. If it were scrupu.
lously adhered to by all who are not
at home in the world of business.
many an heir, legatee and toiling saver
would avoid financial loss, if not finan-
clal ruin. And even if a proposition
seems to fulfill all the conditions of
Judge Gary's advice, the inexperienced
In business methods should consult
their banker before deciding to in.
vest"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03

1t would seem to be only equitable for
the State to bear at least a part of
the cost. The closing Of the bridge,
necessitated by its decrepit condition,
has imposed a far more serious
burden upon the Virginia people than
upon those of the District, and yet
responsibility for it's replacement by
new bridge or its repair pending
provision for a permanent substantial
construction must, under the present
arrangement. fall wholly upon the
District taxpayers with such small
assistance from Federal funds as will
be afforded by the bridge-appropria
ton moiety Of the lump sum"
appropriation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-03
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
September.

september.
September wanders through the lane,
And gathers with a careless hand
The blossoms which a glad refrain
Had greeted in the Summer Land.
The rose belated strives to smile
And humber buds come forth each
day,
Though it is but little while
Before they all must fade away.
And still the birds make bold to sing,
And flowers struggle to be bright,
AS brave they bring, though sorrow
ing,
Their tribute to the conqueror's
might.