davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-08-23
Aviation Stunts Must Be Checked

The tragic consequences of the Dole
race to Hawaii have led to suggestions
that legislative curb be placed upon
daring aviators who are willing to risk
their lives in schemes which can end
only in spectacular success or spectac-
ular failure, when nothing but praise
or sympathy for the individual is
gained in either case. While there
are difficulties in the way of such leg
islation, the necessity should over
come them. In the case of the Hawaii
flights, the Federal Government has
become involved to the extent of many
thousands Of dollars spent in the
humane and gallant attempts of the
Navy to find and 10 rescue the lost
flyers. It is going too far to suppose
tnat the rights Of the individual to do
wnat he pleases can prevail in the
situation which now exists. AS it is,
any pilot skilled enough to secure a
license may hop off tomorrow from
IAN Francisco in wild flight aimed
Evening star., 1927-08-23
A Cure-All for Crime.

Last Monday night James j. Healy
Of Baltimore held up and robbed the
manager Of moving picture theater
in that city. Thursday morning he
was brought before Judge Albert S.
J. Owens in the Baltimore Criminal
Court. where he pleaded guilty. "You
are an undesirable citizen in Balti-
more" said Judge Owens. ''and SEN
tence you to twenty years in the Mary
land Penitenitary." At 4:S0 o'clock
the same afternoon the steel doors of
a cell changed behind Mr.. Healy.
One night last January the same
Mr.. Healy held up and robbed the
manager of the Ambassador Theater
in Washington. He escaped. 1t is no
unfair reflection upon our courts to
conclude that it is fortunate that MIR.
Healy was caught in Baltimore and
Evening star., 1927-08-23

A glimpse into the innate frugality
Of mankind in the formation OF his
words was given us the other day as
we set down, In an idle moment. the
words that have been formed from
the Ave vowels, followed by the let
ter "t," and preceded by the letters of
the alphabet.
1t is as IL early men of our race,
striking a sounding word, such as
bat" deliberately tried out the other
letters in front of at to see how
they sounded, and then, liking them
right well. decreed each to designate
some thing. action or whatnot.
Out of "at," for instance, we get so
varied list as the following: Bat.
wooden implement used in game,
or a winged creature: cat, the animal;
fat. an adjective implying adipose It's
sue. or, as a noun, such tissue; "gat.
modern slang term for automatic
pistol; hat, an article of fabric, straw,
etc, worn on the head; mat, an article
to wipe shoes on; Nat, popular nick
name; Pat, another one, also a stroke
of affection, or just light stroke OF the
hand rat, a rodent. and a bad one. at
that: sat. past for sit; tat. used in the
old popular expression tit for tat, y
also as a verb to imply certain sort
Of fancy work; vat, a large tank.
Just how so many different articles
can be indicated by the simple chan49
Of the first third of a three-letter word
is something beyond explanation ex-
cept in the large genius Of the Eng
lish language.
X X X y
Take Get" and we get Ghere is one
already: Bet, to place wager: get. to
have; "het," used today In the popular
slang expression, "all het up over
something; jet, stream, as of steam,
or something very black. as the rare
stone; let, to allow, or to rent; met,
past OF meet: net, fabric used to catch
fishes, or knock a tennis ball over. or
to use in a dress; pet, household
animal. or to stroke said animal,
hence to touch as in love making; wet,
quality of being covered with water.
From ''it" there is derived: Bit,
either metal object to put in horses
mouth or past of the verb bite; fit,
either a nervous paroXysm or indicat-
ing that one Is entirely in good health,
thus touching the extremes with one
word; git" poor grammar for get, v
but quite often used. even by those
who know better; hit. to slap. or
such a slap at something, or a great
success, as in the use of song hit
lit, indicating lamp doing its stuff, ="
or a gentleman under the influence Of
intoxicating liquor. ov liquors; init.
used in the popular jargon with me;
nit, used together with wit" to desig.
nate a person whose I. @. is very low.
also the eggs of Pediculus; pit, hole
in the ground, or with the expression
zones strength" as to pit ones
strength against that of another; sit,
present of sat: wit, native humor.
X X X
Using the termination "ot," there
may be formed:
Cot, a small house, or uncomfortable
place to sleep usually at the sea-
shore): dot, small mark: got, past Of to
have; hot, antithesis Of cold; lot. piece
Of realty, or popularity used to indicate
much: not, the popular and we'll known
negation: pot, iron utensil used in
cooking; rot, meaning decay. or. In
the fgurative sense, mental matter
that does not meet the approval; tot.
Evening star., 1927-08-23
Street Railway Merger.

Chairman Childress of the Public
| Utilities Commission states that unless
a move is made by the traction COM
panies toward a voluntary merger of
the two corporations in the near fu-
ture the bill that lapsed with the ad
journment of the last Congress will be
reintroduced at the next session look.
| ing to compulsory amalgamation. He
says that public sentiment is strongly
in favor Of merger. This is unques-
tionable. The feeling of the District
people is that the now competing but
in terms of financial foundation widely
divergent companies should be brought
under single ownership and operation.
and there is furthermore a decided
feeling of impatience with the tardi-
ness Of the moves to that end.
AS The Star has repeatedly set
forth, it is far more desirable that
merger be accomplished by the volun.
tary action of the companies than by
the compulsion of legislation. A vol
untary merger. upon terms that are
equitable to both stockholders and the
public, would Withstand the scrutiny
Of the courts and of Congress. But
compulsory merger would be apt to
lead to litigation. indefinitely delaying
the benefits Of amalgamation.
However, unless the corporations
can agree upon terms that are accept.
able to the public through the utilities
commission, it will be necessary to
proceed to the point Of obligatory
union of the two properties and serv-
ices. The present situation is un-
wholesome. A decided difference ex-
lists in the capital requirements Of the
two companies. One of them Is able
to maintain itself with profit upon the
existing rate of fare. The other con.
tends that it cannot afford to main
tain the established standards of eff.
cheney of two-man service without Il
readjustment of fares. The public
feels that sword of higher fares Is
forever hanging over it's head.
Traction conditions are undeniably
unstable at present. A material
change is taking place in the matter
of transportation. The more flexible
unit, the bus, has come into favor, and
it is believed to be assured that addi-
tional tracks will not be permitted in
the extension of the present car serv-
ice. The future is therefore somewhat
uncertain. This is the right time for
merging of the two interests and
the establishment of definite finan-
cial foundation upon which fare regu-
lation can be based.
Evening star., 1927-08-23

Mayor Jimmie Walker OF Greater
New York is abroad on a vacation trip.
He is having the time OF his life. En-.
tertained lavishly, beset with assidu.
GUS attentions, given the freedom of
cities, regaled with banquets, he is en-
joying himself to the full. His blithe
spirits are winning friends for him
and his witticisms are causing many
a laugh.
But Mayor Jimmie has not esca ped
criticism. He has the habit of tardi.
ness which has already been noted in
his own home town and has caused
him some difficulties. He simply can.
not keep enga gements on time. While
he was in ireland. where he was the
center of interest for many thousands,
and the guest Of the most notable per.
sonages OF the island. he constantly
threw arrangements for his entertain.
ment into confusion by his indiffer.
ence to schedule. One Of the Belfast
newspapers comments upon this trait
Of the guest, refers to him as New
York's slow-motion mayor" 1t notes
that he distinguished himself in Ire.
land by being late to every appoint
ment, and it suggests a parody on
Mayor Walkers famous song. to be
entitled "I'll meet you in December IL
you arrange for May"
Mayor Jimmie will have to readjust
himself for his further travels IL he
is to escape trouble. For the Euro.
peans are punctilious about time. 1t
is especially important that he should
try to keep his dates promptly if only
to maintain the American reputation
for speed. No matter how clever and
agreeable he may be, he will lose
prestige if he keeps his hosts waiting
for him, and on his return to New
York he will have some explaining to
do that may cause him embarrassment
in his future political career. Indif.
ference to the clock is apt to prove a
handicap in pursuit Of public Office.
Evening star., 1927-08-23

Observers in the United States are
almost unanimous in the belief that
the Incas, aborigines who have sought
concessions from the Bolivian govern
ment by the method of revolution, are
unlikely to succeed in gaining better
conditions for themselves. The ques-
ton of whether communistic influence
is playing a part in the affair is one
on which opinions differ. Many editors
recall the ancient glory of the Incas
and regret that their own civilization
should have crumbled.
I'm Bolivia, as in the United States.
the Indians fight a losing fight" says
the Oklahoma City Times, which re-
marks that 1.-The white settlers lot is
uncertain, in a land where Indians
comprise 20 per cent of the popula-
ton, but more white men will come V
The Wichita Beacon recalls the civil
lization of the ancient Incas at the
time of the Spanish invasion as COM
parable to that Of the Europeans" but
explains that they were peace-loving,
intelligent and trusting; it was this
trust in human nature which proved
their undOing."
Referring to the use of clubs and
sling-shots by the Incas, the Prov
lOenc0 buileIlN ODSSTNcS. II Is d plC'
turesuue and futile battle which the
Indians are waging against the well
equipped Bolivian troops. 1t is a kind
of dying protest of once mighty race
which apparently, in its emphasis
upon culture. neglected the art of self
defense. For Nance Capac, the tradi-
tional founder of the Inca monarchy
though he encouraged architecture
and music and saw his people attain
amazing efficiency in surgery and agri-
culture, showed them no way to COM
bat armed invasion"
1t is pointed out further. by the
Cleveland Plain Dealer, that lin
Bolivia the winning of independence
from the Spanish yoke meant the es-
tablishment of independence for the
whites and for the Bolivians of mixed
descent, but not for the Indians. The
present uprising" continues the Plain
Dealer. 'is picturesquely imposing,
and it is very tragic. The rebels de-
mand juster land laws that will give
them a chance to rise above their
present condition of lamentable Serf-
dom. Machine guns and rifles will, un.
doubtedly, drive them back into sub.
mission. 1t is but one more proof
that freedom is not an absolute term
and that there are all kinds or re-
publics under the SUM-
There is a tradition of a great past
behind them," the Buffalo Evening
Evening star., 1927-08-23
not in Washington. Justice was sure
and swift in Baltimore.

not in Washington. Justice was sure
and swift in Baltimore.
A recent report from the district at.
torney told of some 1000 criminal
cases that were nolle pressed to clear
the local dockets. There may have
been excusable reasons for thus clear.
ing the docket. Some Of the cases
were old and musty. Witnesses were
either dead. had moved away or were
decrepit with old age. There Is not
so much to complain Of in clearing
the dockets as there Is in having al.
lowed the congestion to accumulate
Justice, swift and certain, is the
most adequate cure for the so-called
crime waves. Justice delayed by
lengthy processes of securing indict.
ment, demands for jury trials, delays.
continuances, appeals, new trials and
all the legal paraphernalia that can be
mustered to jam its wheels ceases to
be justice and becomes an endless
wrangle between attorneys. The merits
of swift punishment lie in its action as
a deterrent to wrongdoing as well as
it's infliction of penalty upon the
wrongdoer. Judge Owens in Balti.
more should be applauded for setting
an example which furnishes the
simplest yet the most efficient cure. all
for crime waves.
Evening star., 1927-08-23
An Unhappy Ostrich.

The digestion of an ostrich may be
overtaxed. This ought to be news to
many persons, for there is q belief
that an ostrich can eat anything and
get away with 1t. 1t is reported from
the. London Zoo that Ida, an ostrich
famous in those parts. died because
she swallowed one nail too many.
How many the bird took in is not
given, but it is thought that had she
been content with a pound or so of
ten.penny nails, as breakfast food or
dessert, all would be well with her.
But, as may happen to birds or men.
she misjudged her capacity and took
too much. At the autopsy it was seen
that Ida had been a promiscuous liver.
She ignored many of the diet rules
laid down by physicians for people
with weak stomachs. In her insides
were found four handkerchiefs, three
gloves, three feet of cord, an empty
film spool, a four-inch nail, an eight.
inch nail, four-inch lead pencil, four
halfpennies. two farthings and a
French coin. part of celluloid comb,
part of rolled gold necklace. a collar
button, a bicycle tire valve, brass
key for an alarm clock, dozen short
bits of wire, a few metal staples, some
screws. small nails and copper rivets,
a glove fastener and a piece Of WOOD
four inches long. There are men who
make collections like this, but they do
not eat them. Ida had a fine appetite
but she took one too many.
Evening star., 1927-08-23

in the general direction Of Japan.
And when he is lost, 1t devolves upon
the Government to find him.
The public has a certain right in the
matter which should be recognized
by appropriate legislation. Failure in
attempts similar to the Dole race
means expenditures Of the public
funds, which for humane reasons can.
not, nor should they, be withheld.
The Government now holds the power
to license pilots and to require their
planes to meet certain standards.
There is no reason why this power
should not extend to granting or with
holding licenses for engaging in speci-
fled types of aeronautical ventures.
1t may be argued that such power
would have prevented any flight to
Europe or any fight to Hawaii, for in
each case the Government might have
feared TO risk the responsibility in
volved in its acquiescence. But the
Government could at least require
standards in planes and pilots and
plans which. If met, would so far to
assure success. Failure under such
conditions would he due TO IAN act of
God" for which there can be no
human responsibility.
Few achievements of science have
resulted without risk. If science Is
to advance, there must always be
risks and courageous spirits to take
them. But the advancement Of sci
ence and the advancement of personal
aims and ambitions are two different
and distinct things. Legislation
would recognize the difference, and
such legislation is sorely needed today.
Evening star., 1927-08-23
PHILOSOPHERS
BY
GLENN FRANK

The Record of Philadelphia COM
ments editorially upon my recent dis.
cussion of the spirit that animated
the men who built the cathedral at
Chartres-a restful and radiant house
If prayer In which the moving spirit
of worship has been caught in the
motionless lines of stone and glass.
1 suggested, respecting these men,
several things, viz:
That the poison of hurry had not
marred their work.
That they were artists working for
God, rather than artisans working for
contractor.
That their work meant to them an
act Of worship rather than the
achievement of wages.
The Record rightly assumes that |
think this spirit is passing from the
world Of work, and makes the inter-
esting suggestion that, II / think the
days Of artist-craftsmen have passed,
| should visit the tapestry factory"
in Madrid, where priceless hangings
are woven as poets weave sonnets
from the strands of their imag nation
and insight.
The tapestry weaver sits at his
loom," says the Record. with his
back to the oil painting which his deft
fingers. guided by an almost incom.
prehensible genius, are to reproduce
in fabric of a thousand delicate
shades. He Is craftsman, artist and
artisan rolled into one. With an oc-
casional glance at his subject, and
with the patternless side of his ma
terial before his eyes--the results of
his work being visible only in a small
mirror dimly seen through the close
strands Of his warp-he fashions
swiftly. with loving hands guiding the
flashing shuttles, a creation often
more beautiful than the painting
which is less his model than his text.
THE tapestry weaver is old. He
has been at his loom for 40 years. He
began at the age of 13. You say that
So years is not age; but look at his
eyes. He has given them TO his work.
They will not last much longer. His
wage is little less than 50 day.
Truly here is a man who works
not SO much for hire as for holiness
one 'singularly unworried by the wage
problem The race of men who built
Chartres is not extinct; their strain
is in the tapestry weavers of Madrid"
/ am grateful to the Record for this
exquisite and understanding portrait
Of the tapestry weaver. i agree that
the race of men who built Chartres
is not an extinct race; l suggest only
that in industrial America they are a
vanishing race, like the Indian.
The modern workman must not be
content with the starvation wage OF
the cathedral builders or let the piety
of his craftsman spirit make him the
plaything of his employer, but I dc
suggest that it is the business Of in
dustrial statesma nship to try to create
conditions that stimulate rather than
slay the spirit of the men who built
the cathedral at Chartres and weave
the tapestries at Madrid.
In the midst of our smokestacks
we shall probably never wholly
achieve it: we must try to approx
mate it II the genius Of quality is to
Keep pace with the giant Of quantity
tCopyright 1927
Evening star., 1927-08-23
THIS AND THAT


popular designation for small child.
Placing the last vowel before the
letter "t," and the possible letters In
front. we derive:
But, the verbal objection; cut: q
wound. or act of cutting; gut, plain
word for intestines; hut, small cot
tage; nut, what the squirrels like. and
also what one calls some one else
with whom he does not agree; put,
to place: tut. popular exclamation,
also slang name for ancient Egyptian
ruler.
Language is. in other words, Just
organized sound. The cries of the
animals might be talk just as well.
If the creatures had the ability to
comprehend distractions.
Organization. therefore, and rules
these are the two requisites for the
formation Of language. Sounds
must be organized so as to mean
something. and the meaning must be
the same.
Talking, writing and reading com.
prised three-sided game in which
the "rules," or grammar, must be OBJ.
served. in the main. If the game is
to mean anything except a scramble.
This is the one argument for as
much purity Of speech and diction as
is possible, without bending over
backward. Bending over backward Is
no more pleasant in this than in other
matters. The so-called purist, while
he has his uses, Is something Of q
nuisance. at best.
There can be no gainsaying, how.
ever, that the closer we stick to the
real meanings Of our words. and the
more we eschew slang, the better our
speaking and writing will be, every.
thing else being equal. which may or
may not mean anything.
X X
Each one Of the great languages has
its own set of rules and pronuncia
tions, all or some Of which strike or
strikes the peoples of other races as
unnecessary when not absurd. But
each language. to those who speak it,
is right, because custom has de.
creed it.
Custom is the great language maker
II children grew up on a deserted
to talk, in all probability they would
develop a language of their own
which would serve their purposes
One might point to what we call a
"coconut" and say "Awk." And the
"Awk" would mean coconut to him.
This Is all there Is to language
Simple. isn't it? All the glamour. the
meaning-the hidden meaning, If you
will-of words, is nothing but time
and custom, and what is and what is
not. combined by men through organi
zation and rules into a great result.
This result, which we call language
gives us reading and writing-gives
us books, newspapers, magazines
gives us a range of action and think
ing that were utterly impossible with
out it.
There are more than 10000 words
in the English language now. and OF
this number the average person uses
only few thousands. They suffice.
The remainder await our usage
hoping that we will call them into
life from the musty covers Of the
dictionaries. Surely we ought to re-
spond, now and then, and help a good
word out.
Evening star., 1927-08-23
The Old National Teams
Triumph i'm Chicago
To the Editor of The Star

To the Editor of The star:
In the magazine section of the Sun
day Star Of August IA is an interesting
article by Mr.. Thomas r. Henry rela-
tive to the tour of the 'old Nationals in
July, 1867. There is one error in his
narrative, however, if 1 am not mis-
taken. He says: "Then the Washing
ton players jumped to Chicago. where
they met their first defeat at the
hands of the Forest City team OF
Cleveland by the close score Of 20
to 23."
II Mr.. Henry will consult the files
Of the Chicago papers of July 26 and
81, 1867, he will find some mighty in
teresting reading. On the 26th every
paper in Chicago ridiculed the Ma
tionals, saying they could not play
ball. One of them said in substance
that when the Nationals should have
resided in Chicago several months,
inhaling the invigorating air of the
prairies and drinking the pure water
OF Lake Michigan as they took lessons
in the game from the Chicago Excel
Evening star., 1927-08-23

siors. they would know how to play
ball. The Forest City club was in
Rockford, ILL.,, where A. G. Spalding,
then a youngster and afterward a
noted pitcher, defeated the Nationals
The Chicago club had defeated them
in every contest, hence the Dragging.
But what a change in their chatter
the next day after the Nationals beat
the Excelsiors, 40 to 4. Williams pitch
ing and Parker catching.
Every paper abused the Nationals,
claiming they had thrown the game
to win big money in Chicago, and
some of them saying that every mem
ber of the Nationals was a gambler.
Col Jones, the president of the club.
furnished each paper the name of
every player and the nature of his
occupation, most of them Government
clerks, and stating that the club was
paying it's own expenses. neither CIV
ing nor receiving entertainment. He
demanded a retraction of the charges
with the alternative of suit for libel.
Every paper retracted the next day,
apologized. and some even praised the
boys for. their gentlemanly bearing
The old Nationals played clean ball,
as do their namesakes of today.
u. A. DOBSON.
Madison, Wis.