davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-10-09
lists Continue Their Great Experiment Despite Quake Ruin

America. where he spent four years
travelling and lecturing, returning i'm
mediately after the armistice.
\ 8 editor of the Palestine Daily Mail,
the leading Hebrew journal. and
also OF a weekly in English, Mr.. Ben
Avi has erected in Jerusalem the first
newspaper building in the East. a
substantial structure of several stories,
the Solel Building. Now. following
the congress at Basel he Is coming to
the United States, where he will pub.
lish in English his spirited novels,
"The Great Priest of Jerusalem" and
''The New Prophet" the latter the
story of a Palestine youth who be-
lieved himself to be the Messiah.
The patriotic spirit Of Ittamar Ben
Avi Is a heritage from his father.
Eliezer Ben-Yehudah, 1.-The son OF
Judah" of Judaea. who was the first
to revive the pure Hebrew as a spoken
language. 1t had become a corrupted
tongue. mixed with other languages.
like the Yiddish. Ittamar. the son,
was the first Jewish child to speak
pure Hebrew. as taught to him from
infancy. Now, grown to manhood, he
40 +" mp NictS SOiF oiil0 Al ASh5 A%S@f
with fluency.
Thousands are already speaking the
pure Hebrew, and it is taught in
dozens of schools among Zionist set
tiers to hundreds of children. This Is
probably the first instance Of the re-
vival to speech Of a dead or dying
language,
Eminent scholars are devoting
themselves to the educational effort
like DIR. Benzion Mosinsohn, president
of the Herzlia Gymnasium, founded at
Tel,Aviv In memory of Theodor Herzl
with the usual college curriculum of
scientific and literary subjects, and
in addition scientific farming, indus
trial and fine arts--a educational in
stitution, attended by several hundred.
Tel-Aviv Is a model colony, the best
developed of all in the movement, a
city of some $4,000 residents, all Jews.
1t is a pleasant afternoon motor ride
from Jerusalem. Founded in 1909 as
a garden suburb of Jaffa, an impor-
tant seaport Of Palestine, Tel-Aviv
outstripped its parent and has become
the most noted center Of the great
industrial experiment and demonstra-
ton now in progress in Palestine. A
happy, hopeful spirit pervades its
streets and little shops, an air of pros
peH0 In marked contrast to the
Evening star., 1927-10-09

PENNSYLVANIA, is at Beisan, the ancient
Beth-Shan of Saul.
The colonies, although but frac-
ton of the land area of Palestine. are
widely spread out, lying in general in
the area about Haifa and Nazareth on
the north and from Jerusalem to Jaffa
in the south, or central part. Nuris.
ON the Plain of Esdraelon. covers 1900
acres. from 80 to 800 feet below the
sea level. Ain-Harod, Tel-Josef and
others are in this section, devoted to
diversified farming, the products being
cereals and fodder, with dairying. be.
sides vegetables, poultry and apicul'
ture. Swamp and desert have been
redeemed by sturdy toll. One of the
requirements is that colonists must
work their own land. The average
allotment is about 25 acres to family.
The Halutzim (pioneers) are recruit.
ed largely from young men and WON.
en- seeking freedom and fortune in the
new venture. Here they make homes
for their children, who are taught In
the schools to speak pure Hebrew.
The Arabs have learned to welcome
the colonists, who are bringing West
ern medical science for the benefit of
native women and children. The
Arab mind has always esteemed scien.
tit; attainment.
THIS international fraternal move.
ment is financed by the Jewish
organization. Keren Hayesod, founded
in 1921. In the past four years it has
expended more than half a million
pounds in agriculture for the estab.
fishing of 43 settlements. One may
see them, scattered here and there, as
one motors through tn country, the
plainness and newness of the little
houses as we'll as the general air OF
prosperity marking them off in sharp
contrast to the native squalor and
misery. A symbolism may be noted
in the namee. as Balfouria or Tel.
Aviv. the latter meaning "Hill OF
Spring"
Where freedom is. there is my
home" declared Ben Franklin, ia
which Tom Paine replied, wittily,
Where freedom Is not, there is my
home" Whichever way one takes ii,
this might be regarded as true, for the
cofonists have undertaken a tremen.
dous task, to subdue that sterile land
OF Palestine, more barren now perhaps
than in the days of the prophets. At
Its best. It could hardly have been
Continued on Sixth Page)
Evening star., 1927-10-09

the others. He is now the senior men,
ber of the board and the best known.
X X
THE police Commissioner frequently
is referred to as the mayor of
Washington" His duties probably
compare more closely with those of
the elected chief executives of most
cities than those of any other man
connected with the District govern
ment. He is most often called upon
to fill the social shoes of a mayor. He
must welcome various organizations
opening their conventions in the Capt.
tai. This task sometimes becomes bur-
densome, especially in the Spring,
when seven or eight conventions are
in progress at the same time.
Mr.. Dougherty and Mr.. Taliaferro
share this duty between them. Col
Evening star., 1927-10-09

tion. Usually it is specified that he
make a speech on District affairs.
For example, he seldom misses the
weekly meeting of the Rotary Club and
appears frequently before the Kiwan-
ians, the Lions and similar organiza-
tions of business men.
In the afternoon, he returns to his
office and endeavors to study the
problems that have been placed be-
fore him that forenoon. Some times
this involves personal inspection in
some distant neighborhood. 1t all re-
quires time, and the study frequently
is interrupted by more visitors with
complaints of one sort or another
Nobody Is turned away from the Com
missioner's door, IL it is possible to
squeeze in an appointment. The po-
liceman who is convinced he has been
Evening star., 1927-10-09

| His desk is covered with an avalanche
of letters, all of which demand an an
swer. A conventional answer may do,
or a lot Of thinking may be necessary
to formulate the right sort of reply.
Here Is letter, neatly written.
from a native boy in Nigeria, begging
the Commissioner to send him copy
of the Bible. 1t is pathetic letter.
all about the jungle village which Is
deprived of the light of the Gospels
simply because the book cannot be OBJ
tained. Now, the functions of the
police and fire Commissioner OF the
District of Columbia do not include
supplying Bibles to African natives,
but Mr.. Deugherty is moved by the
sad tale. He refers the letter to the
American Bible Society. A few days
later he is informed politely that the
boy is an artful little rascal, who has
hobby of collecting Bibles. He and
his pals send the same sort of request
to every American and British offlcial
whose name they learn.
Next is a letter from an old lady in
Germany, She is, the message states,
a distant relative of Baron Won Steu-
ben, the American Revolutionary hero.
She is destitute and thinks the mayor
Of Washington should do something
for her. The story may be true. Prob
ably it isn't. But there is nothing for
the Commissioner to do but send her
polite answer advising her to apply to
some of the patriotic societies.
Next is complaint from a citizen
of Georgetown who has a personal
grudge against one Of the seventh pre-
cinct policemen and wants him dis
charged. The officer, Mr.. Dougherty
is told, is a worthless, lazy, drunken
rascal, who starves his wife and beats
his children. The letter is so obvi-
ously spitefui that it doesn't deserve
any consideration, and probably the
officer in question never hears of it.
Some servants of the city would be
angry, indeed, If they knew the at.
tacks on them which have been made
to the District Commissioners and dis
regarded. But the next letter may be
complain with such ring Of sin.
certify to it that an investigation is
ordered.
Then comes a letter from an insane
person, who informs Mr.. Dougherty
th:t he has just made his will and
left billion dollars to the city. to be
used for the furtherance Of some reli-
gieus cult.
The following envelope In the pile
bears the postmark of the Irish Free
State. and the inclosed letter asks the
Commissioner to look up an uncle who
came to the United States in 1899 and
was last heard Of in Washington.
Then he dropped out OF sight. The
girl believes he must have accumu-
lated at least a million, and wants to
know what has become Of him, so that
she can ask him for some of it.
Mr.. Dougherty Is in direct charge
Of the Police, Fire and Public Health
Departments of the District govern
ment. AS soon as he is through with
his correspondence, or at least has
devoted the allotted hour to 1t, he con-
Evening star., 1927-10-09

California. Also there are big COM
mune settlements. The Zionist move,
ment has invested four or Ave
million dollars in these two form Of
settlement, taking people of no occu.
patton or of. uncertain occupation and
giving them something concrete to do.
1t has spent about one-third in land.
1.-The British government is not ex-
pending any money" Mr.. Agronsky
added, "but it Is benefiting by the
movement. For example. there is a
Is per cent duty on everything i'm.
ported, and perhaps 70 per cent of the
revenue is derived from Jews, who
are only about 20 per cent of the
population. During the earthquake
Evening star., 1927-10-09
YeRoTo< 81 cI fERHtNs.
>pROCTOR L.DOuGHfPTY.

Ladue, the junior member of the
board, seldom is called upon for this
sort Of service. They long ago have
given up the idea of welcoming every
visiting delegation and confine them
selves to the larger ones. During the
past four or five years the progress OF
Washington as convention city has
been remarkable and the extra duty
has fallen heavily on the Commits
sioners
MFR. Dougherty is man Of large
imposing figure, who makes a fine i'm
preston on visitors to the Capital, and
he never fails to grasp the opportunity
to say few words for District suf-
frage and tell something of the origin
and growth of the city itself. 1t has
been reported, however, that he doesn't
particularly enjoy making speeches.
His training was technical, not liter.
ary. The Commissioners oratorical
technique has improved during the
year he has filled this office. But he
has been heard to say that the District
needs another Commissioner-an Off.
cial welcomer-trained in the art of
oratory, whose sole duty would be to
welcome conventions and try to put
in the hearts of the visitors kindly
feeling toward their Capital.
X ~ X X
MIR. TALIAFERRO is hardly less
A'A busy. Under him come the func
tions of the local government which
come nearest home to the average citi
:sn-the assessment and collection OF
taxes. He also has supervision over
the welfare and penal activities, the
jails. home for incompetents and hos
pitals. He is in the unfortunate posi-.
ton of having the greatest number of
Jobs to give out. Few of the positions
in his departments come under civil
service. Consequently he is besieged
from morning to night with appeals
for employment. Whenever anybody
is laid off in the Federal service, an
effort is made to secure a place at the
District Building.
Now, as MIR. Garges puts it. District
employees "never die and seldom re.
sign" Very rarely Is a position Of
any kind open. But Mr.. Taliaferro
takes the names Of the applicants and
agrees to consider them when there
is an opening" They go away feeling
better, at any rate.
Mr.. Taliaferro is known as the Beau
Brummel of the Commissioners. A
man of immaculate personal appear
ance, refined, courteous, with years
still sitting very lightly upon his
shoulders, he makes an excellent i'm
preston on the numerous citizens who
come to him with complaints or ap-
plications for relief. He now is hard
at work studying the somewhat COM
plicated situation of the District and
making comparisons with other cities.
This month he will attend the meet
ings Of the National Tax Association
in Toronto and hopes to bring back
some valuable ideas which may be in
corporated here.
The fiscal relations between the Dis
Evening star., 1927-10-09

1000 kilograms went out, 90 per cent
of them going abroad from Jews.
''The Arabs are profiting all the
time, They have customers for every
thing they produce. The Arab is a
good worker. He can get four or Ave
crops out of a small patch and can
live on less than any other people.
The Arabs live on an acre os less.
When prosperous the Arab has htead.
vegetables and water, but he can. IL
necessary, live on vegetables and
water or on bread and water, and If
he hasn't either he can live on water
alone!
THE Jew Is in q new environment.
He isn't planted yet. Economic se'
Evening star., 1927-10-09
BY GERTRUDE X. BRIGHAM. Ph.D.

<"HE recent earthquake here
- in Jerusalem" Ittamer Ben.
Avi, the great Hebrew nov
Il elist, was saying to me,
was the most serious in
years. If the houses had not been
built together, they would practically
all have been destroyed. The quake
Of 25 years ago was less severe. Two
hundred and fifty buildings have been
condemned and must be torn down
and replaced.
''The most damage was in the old
Jewish quarter of the city, where the
people could least afford to rebuild.
More than 400 were killed. The true
figures were not given out" And Mr.
Ben-Avi paused.
1t was not hard to believe the truth
of the statement. for sagging walls,
piles of debris, fallen stones and heaps
of dust attested in Jerusalem the
havoc there from the unexpected dis
aster. And along the way from Da.
mascus to Tiberias and down as we
motored south a ruined and aban-
doned Arab village or fallen house
here or there testified mutely to the
same cause.
Still farther south, near Jericho and
the Dead Sea, a wrecked monastery,
with fallen roof, gave added evidence
of the tragedy.
Yet all this had not dampened the
ardor and enthusiasm Of the new col
onists. the Zionists, in redeeming their
barren land.
Only the Jews would have the cour-
age to undertake such a colossal task.
1t seems to be their destiny.
1.-THE Zionist movement was his.
toric necessity" went on Mr.. Ben.Avi.
1T must succeed. A people which has
lasted so long, it was necessary for
them to go back. There is an ancient
saying that Palestine will remain arid
90 long as the Jews won't work it..
The atavistic spirit of the Jew brings
him back to agriculture. AS soon as
the Jew returns to Palestine he feels
the force of the earth getting into
his veins again."
Mr.. Ben-AVi was about to leave
Jerusalem to attend the Fifteenth
Zionist Congress, at Basel, biennial
meeting, continued since the first one.
in 1897, convened a year following the
call Of Theodor Herzl in his awaken
ing pamphlet, THE Jewish State" OF
1896, arousing the universal Hebrew
consciousness to activity for the reali'
Evening star., 1927-10-09

curity rests on more and more people
attached to the land. This Is a re-
ligious and spiritual impulse. Juda.
ism is the only nationalistic religion.
The idea that led to the Zionist move.
ment is Observation-Disclosures idea of
reuniting our people with this land"
y X + X
OF the 100000 Jews In the
world, about 100000 are in Pal.
estine at the moment, according to
Mr.. Agronsky, most of them from Cen
trail or Eastern Europe. After seven
or eight years of intensive work there
has been scarcely a setback, only one
economic slump, caused, first, by the
drought of year or so ago. The un-
employed among the Jews are per.
haps five or six thousand. Building
stopped in Tel.Aviv temporarily, but
there are encouraging signs of pros.
perity and continued progress.
Most of the literary men in the
Hebrew world, If not already here,
are on their way to Palestine to par
ticipate in the movement, sometimes
at great personal sacrifice. For eX-
ample, a local paper called the Script
is purely literary review, with no
politics. and it's editor is probably
starving on about $25 month. Very
likely he is proofreader. translator,
and, In short, does the whole job, but
he Is producing a first-rate publica-
ton.
Another Hebrew scholar has worked
rs years, single handed, on concord
anee to the Mischna, now published.
and he set the type himself. Now he
Is starting on concordance of the
Talmud. A third is editing law re-
view; he Is perhaps starving to death,
but it Is a perfect law review, to
which some of the greatest lawyers
Of Egypt are proud to contribute.
The new University Of Jerusalem
has on its staff men Of exceptional
scientific caliber. among them a Ger.
tain intercollegiate. who has just an
nounced his discovery of the true
source Of mama, a secretion or ex-
cretion Of an insect in the Sinai
Desert.
:, fifteen expeditions are now at work
in different parts of Palestine. One
I, them is in Mispah, unt, ,r DIR. Will.
liam Frederick Barden of the Pacific
School at Berkeley; another American
institution Is exploring at Megiddo.
group from Chicago University, and
stu another. from the University Of
Evening star., 1927-10-09

cation of it's age-long dream of per-
fnanent refuge.
"Zionism strives to create for the
Jewish people a home in Palestine
secured by public law" was the an
neuncement of this first congress.
Earlier still the vision had appeared
more than once. George Eliot's Dan.
iel Deronda." published In 1876, was a
passionate plea for the foundation in
Palestine Of "a new Jewish polity,
grand, simple, just. like the old; "a
new Judaea, poised between East and
West; a covenant of reconciliation"
To this new old Jewish state, Paies-
tine, have f1ocked the best literary
minds among the Jews--men like Itta-
mar Ben.Avi, a patriot forced to flee
for his life from Jerusalem when con-
demned to death by the Turks during
the war. Two hours before the time
set for his hanging Mr.. Ben'Avi es-
capped and succeeded, in getting to
Evening star., 1927-10-09

sterile and arid desert that marks
much of Palestine. The gymnasium
Is like any modern educational insti
tuition, but with more atmosphere and
enthusiasm in it's spirit.
1.-THE difficulties are apparently in
surmountable." admitted Gershon
Agronsky, an American journalist
now for three and half years out
here in Jerusalem. 1.-THE country is
so poor; the Jews are not an agricul.
tural people.
mo one but the Jews could do It.
There are colonies on an economic
basis not different from any large
farm in the United States. with the
same IDEA as the, Peterson estate in
Evening star., 1927-10-09

THE recent earthquake here
l in Jerusalem" Ittamer Ben.
1 Avi, the great Hebrew nov.
i elist, was saying to me,
Imperial Valley press., 1927-02-11
Negro Is Held AS
Escaped Convict

Oliver Grayson, 20, colored, Of
Imperial, was arrested this morning
by William O'Brien, Brawley con.
stable, and Undersheriff Bert Un-
derwood, charged with being an es-
capped convict from the state prison
at Richmond, Va. Grayson is Mid
to have admitted his guilt following
his arrest.
According to the information re-
ceived from Richmond, Grayson
was serving a 10 year term on a
statutory charge. He was COM
mitted to the prison from Ale1and-
ria, Va, on August IL, 1929 and es-
capped on July IA, 1925.
The man was traced by eastern
officials to Wasco. Calf. and from
that vicinity to Imperial by @. f.
Getchell, deputy sheriff Of Kern
county. Constable O'Brien was
notified Of the mans presence in
Imperial by Getehell and the man
was found at the home of his wife g
parents there when placed under
arrest this morning.
A reward Of $20 was offered by
eastern authorities for his arrest
and detention. He was locked up at
the county Jail to await action Mt
Richmond.
Imperial Valley press., 1927-02-11
SPEAKER
Will AID
DAM BILL
Western Delegation Gets
Promise From Long
worth to Give Help.
OUTLOOK is HOPEFUL
Representatives of Ten
States Join in Call On
House Leader.
By United Press Leased Wire

WASHINGTON, Feb. l1.-Speak-
er Longworth today promised Pa
eific coast and Rocky Mountain
members Of the house to use his in.
fluence to obtain action before ad-
iournment on the Swing.Johnson
Boulder dam bill.
Longworth promised the % men,
bers from 10 states he would do all
he could to place the bill on the
legislative program and he hoped
action could be taken soon enough
to enable the measure to be passed
in both houses before March 4.
Representative Swing, Republican
California; Smith, Republican,
Idaho, and Curry, Republican, Cali
fornia, urged Longworth to ask the
rules committee for a rule to give
the bill privileged status.
Longworth pointed out that hith-
erto the appropriations and farm
relief bills had had preference over
the dam bill, but he felt the dam
measure should get right Of way
now.
The delegation, pleased with its
reception, thanked LOngworth for
his promised assistance.
Decision to make the call on
Longworth was reached at q confer
ence today of Washington, Oregon,
California, Nevada, Wyoming, Mon
tana, and Colorado members.
Officials Of the Imperial Irriga-
tiop District were highly pleased
today when informed by the Press
Of Speaker Longworth's s promise to
aid the Swing-Johnson bill. Deci-
sion to enlist the assistance Of the
speaker was reached several days
ago, and it is hoped that through
his good offices the bill may be
brought on the floor Of the house
for action.
Imperial Valley press., 1927-02-11
LETTUCE TRADE
ASKS EMERGENCY
RAILROAD RATE
Growers Renew Pledge to
Curtail Shipments in
Effort to Aid Market.

At meeting of Imperial Valley
lettuce growers and shippers held
yesterday at the Planters Hotel in
Brawley, attended by SO per cent of
those directly interested in the
question, unanimous motion was
carried to appeal to the Southern
Pacific Railroad for an emergency
rate to aid in the present crucial
situation.
A special committee appointed tor
the purpose met with F. E. Scott,
assistant freight and traffic man.
ager Of the Southern Pacific Rail-
road last night. The committee
gave Scott all information at hand
relative to the lettuce conditions in
the valley and requested him to
submit the appeal for cut in ship
ping rates to executives Of the com
pany in San Francisco. A wire was
sent to the executives by Scott fol
lowing the meeting in which the
information and appeal was for,
warded.
Just what can be done in the way
Of reducing rates has not been made
known as yet.
In addition to the appeal for an
emergency rate, those present pledg-
ed their support to continue the pro-
rating plan Of shipment and hold
the shipments to 153 cars per day,
which is the quota indicated by the
former meeting.
1t is reported that practically
every shipper has violated the
former agreement, but, that for the
next two weeks, every one, without
exception, would follow the pro-
rating plan, in an effort to relieve
the eastern markets from the let
tuce saturation from which they are
suffering.
No opposition to either resolution
was made during the meeting,
which was reported as a very en-
thusiastia one, with everyone pres
ent eager to cooperate in an effort
to relieve the present situation.
kilograms received from Eastern
markets by local lettuce men, would
seem to indicate that, If the ship
pers do not observe the pro-rating
shipment agreement, financial sui
eide will result, but, If the plan Is
followed faithfully, conditions will
improve rapidly after another week.
Imperial Valley press., 1927-02-11
GIRL CONFESSES
ADVENTURES AS
FLAPPER BANDIT
by United Press Leased Wire

TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 1l.-An
amazing tale Of the adventures OF
90 year old Canadian girl, was
revealed here today with the con-
fession Of pretty Rita Dolores Sui
livan, flapper bandit queen, that
she was Anita Delvalle, Of Toronto,
Ontario.
The girl is being held here by au-
thorities seeking to clear up the ac-
tivities Of a bandit ring operating
in the southwest and said to have
carried on pilfering program on
an extensive scale.
She was taken into custody fol-
lowing the capture Of her husband,
who is now serving term Of from
10 to II years, for the shooting of
Sheriff Maxwell, and on grand lar
eeny charges.
The girl said her adventures be-
gan about a year ago when she came
west, driving an automobile in COM
pany with another girl. The car
was disposed Of in Los Angeles and
from there the pair went to Tijuana
where the Sullivan girl said she
lost $4,000 at the race track.
She said she started to walk back
east and met Sullivan in Lordsburg
and married him before she knew of
his activities as a bandit.
She will be held pending further
investigation of the ring.