davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-12-18

MdtthcU. r.56-3y
What of authority? is one of the
leading and burning questions of the
hour. In no time in our generation
has authority been more widely ques-
toned than in the period following
the great World War.
When once the conflict was past,
and we began the work of setting our
house in order anew, questions were
immediately raised concerning con
VentiOnS. customs and authorities that
had hitherto played large part in
our individual and corporate life.
What should we regard as the au-
thorized nOrms or standards to govern
individual and corporate conducts?
How far should these standards or
norms affect our own private and indi-
vidual judgments? Were we the
creatures of conventions and customs
that had been handed down to us from
the past, or were we free to shape
our own course according to our best
judgment and in consonance with our
desires? In every sphere of our life
these questions prevailed and con-
tlnue to prevail. They invade the
sanctuary of the home. Parental au.
thority, that once was quite supreme
Tered grave impairment. Obedience
to the law of the home has been chal.
lenged, even in homes that hitherto
regard obedience as fundamental to its
very life. The authority for our so.
clal conventions and customs has also
been subjected to criticism And the
ways that we punctiliously observed in
our youth are Haunted and disregarded
ny the youth of the present age. Even
IN the larger concerns Of our corpo-
rate life as people, in our industry.
IN our political action, in the recogni-
ton of those constituted authorities
that we have set up, we find a dis
inclination to recognize or observe
and obey authorities that we our
selves have created. That lawlessness
is widespread is conSpicuously true
Once we have created laws for our
better organized life. we seek to cor
cumvent or to disobey them. This
situation invades even the sanctuary
of the church itself. Here, again, old
customs that have had time-honored
recognition are called in question, and
obedience to them regarded as a mat
ter TO be determined by personal
caprice or convenience. Recently
brilliant author in one of our outstand-
Evening star., 1927-12-18
EVERYDAY RELIGION
BY THE RIGHT REV. JAMES g. FREEMAN, D. D, LII. D.
Bishop of Washington

ing magazines writes a very compel.
ling and fascinating article with this
suggestive caption, Shall we send
our children TO church," Throughout
the article he questions the authority
of the church, and indeed denies it
the right to speak dogma tically or
definitely upon questions that have to
do with conduct or habit of life. To
send our children to churches where
the definite note or the dogmatic char
acteriZeS the preachers utteranCe
means to send them to house whose
teaching no longer appeals to them.
The writer with fine reverence recOg.
nizes the sovereignty of Jesus. He
uses a splendid phrase in which he
says the radiant personality" is the
one single influence that can com.
mand the unfailing interest of the
younger generation. We find our
selves utterly in agreement with this
statement. We believe profoundly
that wherever the Sovereign Master
of man is held up before the imagina-
tion of young and old alike the appeal
IS irresistible. The large question is.
How can one present the high claims
of Jesus without speaking of that au.
thorIty that characterized His every
utterance? In the above passage Jesus
was referring to the law that had
come down through the long centu-
rles and that was still operative. Over
against this he sets the higher law
that proceeded from Himself. and with
firm insstence He demanded recogni.
ton ana obedience to it's dictum. We
cannot diSsociate from the radiant
personality Of Jesus those utterances
that are characterized by finality and
authority. 1t is our deliberate opinion
that the conspicuous lack of the mod
ern pulpit is this lost note of author.
ltN Men are not interested in our
speculauons or negations they re-
spond readily to those convictions
that are born out of our deep expert
ence and out of our consistent inter
pretation of the mind of Jesus. The
way of life to which the writer
alludes, AS given to the world by Jesus
Chrlst. Is definite and specific. and it
demands our reverent recognition and
obedience to its high preCepts. That
presently we shall come back again
TO recognize the sovereignty of law
in all its applications and implications
we firmly believe. That we shall come
to recognize that there is a way in
life given to mankind by Jesus, and
that it is indispensable to our largest
happiness and peace, we also firmly
believe. Once we recognize His SOW
ereiSnty. we are compelled to recog-
nize His authority.
Evening star., 1927-12-18
American Communists.

A dispatch from Moscow citing the
words Of Nicolai Bucharin, editor of
Pravda, the official organ of the Soviet
government, in an address to the
Communist party congress on com
munistic international activities throws
some light upon the acco-NanZetti
agitations in this country few
months ago. Bucharin said that the
Communist party in the United States
succeeded in heading a sufficiently
serious movement arising in connec-
ton with the Sacco-Vanzetti execu-
ton" adding that from 100000 to
800 900 workers struck in New York.
'the conflict assuming at times the
form Of street fghting."
Just what he meant by a sufficient
ly serious movement is matter for
speculation. Perhaps the demonstra-
ton OF the radicals in connection with
the Massachusetts case was all that
the Moscow headquarters deemed de-
sirable. 1t certainly was not regarded
in this country as serious. 1t proved
that only a very small percentage OF
the American people are afflicted with
communism, and the almost instant
subsistence of the agitation upon the
execution Of the two condemned men
in accordance with the law was viewed
as proof that this virus has not deeply
entered the American body polite.
The reference to the strike Of from
200 900 to 300 900 workers" shows Al
amusing ignorance on the part of the
Moscow observers. A few groups OF
people. mostly members of the needle
trades, left their jobs for few hours
They did this as a demonstration
They gathered in halls and undertook
TO hold a mass meeting in one OF the
public squares in New York. The
Street fighting. merely consisted Of
Evening star., 1927-12-18

a brief skirmish between some ot the
more obdurate manifestants and the
police. No lives were lost and only p
few heads were bruised. There was
nothing that remotely approached
rioting
If Moscow is satisfied with the
demonstration of last Summer in
America this country certainly is
content. But it would seem that
Bucharin is not altogether sure of the
status of communism here. He warned
his hearers that it would not do to
eXaggerate the growth and the i'm
portance of the American Communist
party. Probably Bucharin knows
himself just how small it is and what
slight influence it wields in the United
States
Evening star., 1927-12-18
Yuletide Yearnings.

Christmas is a beautiful feast and
brings out the best in humankind.
even though they be of other faiths.
Occasionally, owing to queer quirks
in the mental machinery of certain
persons that best strikes a note of
pathos.
A Pelham, n. Y. man objected
strenuously, and probably disagree
ably, TO the length of his wife's
Christmas list The couple have no
children. and the wife, aged forty-three,
wanted TO give too many toys to too
many children OF friends and neigh
bors. Thwarted in her desire she
closed tight the kitchen doors and
windows and opened the jets of the
gas stove. Next morning she had
gone to a place where she can please
all the children her hungering heart
impels her to. Readers of Kipling's
They" will be reminded of that little
heart.
a London noblewoman, high in the
councils of the Society for Promot
ing the Training of Women. threw a
few vel bal bombshells at London So
siety women who have a weakness for
buying expensive and elaborately
of those attacked are either childless
or have lost little children either
through death or through arrival of
the latter al adult estate. There are
certain things not TO be trained into
or out of any woman and, to use a
current phrase, who cares about
that?"
There it is again. Such women as
this American and these BritOns per-
haps scarcely are conscious of the
urge that leads them to simulate
motherhood. Men are little boys
grown up. and women are intended
to be mothers. If thwarted in one
way. they try to compensate in an
other. They are not to be laughed
at. or scolded, or indicted for
extravaganza, no matter in how &c
centric a manner their instincts may
manifest themselves. In the first
place they are not culpable and in
the second it does no bit of good.
In few days now a great part of
the world will be celebrating an
event in which the principal-nay.
almost the sole-actors were a tender
mother and a tiny, helpless Babe.
From what we know of the Virgin
Mary she was just the kind of wom-
an who. had she been childless, would
have made a gift list embracing
every youngster in Nazareth. And it
is safe to say that Joseph would
have bent a little lower over the
board he was planning in order to
hide an understanding smile. Prob
ABLY that is why our Lord picked
them out. At this time of ali others
let us be tolerant of every harmless
thing anybody may do, no matter
how inexplicable it may seem to our
regular normal, hard headed and al
together praiseworthy mental powers.
Evening star., 1927-12-18
Railroad Consolidation
Legislation Considered
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Railroad legislation Of far.reaching
importance. not only to stockholders
of the carrier corporations, but to
every unit of the population as a con-
sumner of goods, and hence an in
direct contributor TO freight rate
charges, is about to be considered by
Congress.
The House committee on interstate
and foreign commerce will begin
hearings Monday on the Parker rail-
road consolidation bill, at present the
outstanding measure affecting trans
portation. But there are other pro-
posals for which consideration will
be sought later-bills to change the
recapture of-eXcess-earnings clause of
the transportation act, the long-and
short-haul clause, the minimum rate
powers of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, to abolish the Pullman
surcharee
But the consolidation bill itself is
a matter of primary importance. If
the 1853 railroad corporations exist.
ing today could be reduced TO, say,
a simple score in such manner as
to continue competition, it has been
claimed that at the same time op-
Grating and capital charges could De
reduced and service improved, with
possible resultant reductions in rates
and higher returns to railroad in
vestors going hand in hand, while
regulation would be simplified greatly
x X
There is a somewhat decided differ
ence of opinion among railroad execu-
tives as to the degree Of blessings
which might be expected to flow from
consolidation on huge scale and as
to the magnitude of the economies
which would result. These differ
ences probably will be aired before the
House committee after the holidays.
Nevertheless, certain economies
which could be effected are self-evi-
dent-greater use of equipment, for
instance. fewer junction transfers; re-
duced overhead because of a smaller
number Of executives being required,
Evening star., 1927-12-18

sengers on the Limited were treated
to what appeared to them to be a po-
licemen's drill at every major stop of
the train.
At Joliet, H., Chief Hughes precau.
tions bore fruit. Capone and his party
descended from the train, and were
just about to enter the bullet-proof
automobile of the gangster's brother
entire police force of Joliet swarmod
around them. All were arrested, and a
nice bag they made. Twelve revolvers
and five sawed-off shotguns were taken
from this peaceful vacationing party.
They were all booked on charges uf
carrying concealed weapons, but the
gangsters. with more than four thou.
sand dollars in their pockets, soon won
their release on bond.
1t seems too bad that the police are
unable to get something on Capone
which will result in good, long prison
term. Admitted gangster and liquor
king, il seems almost incomprehensi-
bic that such a character should be
allowed to roam at large. 1t is a sad
commentary on our criminal laws that
man like Capone can continually es,
cape payment for his lawbreaking
He does pay, and pays well. but it is
in money and not incarceration in
some modern penitentiary. The pub
lie would be very much better salts.
fed if. for instance, he and all his
gang were given a couple of years
each for carrying concealed weapons.
but from past experience there seems
tc be small chance of such a satisfac-
tory conclusion.
Evening star., 1927-12-18
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
DiscOrdant Element.

There's a merry ragtime song
Where the bright lights glisten,
When the knocker comes along
Don't listen,
Sound the drum and nit the gong,
A good rules thisn:
When the knocker comes along
Don't listen,
Half the joy of life depends
On the things you're missin',
When the hammer note ascends--
Don't listen
Evening star., 1927-12-18
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceWeH.

Christmas greeting cards and stick.
ers are making large use of the cat
motif this season.
Never before have so many cats
and kittens appeared in so many
poses. to wish Merry Christmas" and
Happy New Year" and to lend their
grace to packages.
This seems perfectly appropriate
and eminently sensible to the friends
of cats, because Felis domesticus
strikes them as eXemplifying the true
spirit of the season.
What other animal face is at once
so innocent, so happy and so expec-
tant?
The very qualities the world loves
in the child at Christmas are those
that grace the bewhiskered faces of
kittens.
Even puppies must yield. in pure
innocence. to the kitten, there Is
something so engaging and trustful in
the visage of the latter.
What displays the spirit of happi-
ness better than a cat or kitten play
ing with a string, or a ball of thread?
AS for expectancy, even little
Jimmie on Christmas eve plays second
fiddle to honest Tom and Tabby meow
ing for their dinner.
* X X
One of the Christmas "stickers"
this year shows a gray and white
kitten, with an engagingly fat
stomach and a very large tail tipped
with white, reaching up with a white.
sloved left paw to sample the melted
wax of a lighted candle.
While engaged in this feat the
J-;k t. Ill Ns,,I- =.
A gesture which bespeaks true feline
felicity. The fact that his ears are
only an inch or so from the candle
flame shows that the merry artist
was something Of a nature-faker. Any
thing goes, of course. on such stick
ers;" it is the spirit of Christmas that
counts, rather than Grass biological
certainty.
The CLEAN in that small cats eyes
whoever designed him knew his cats,
x x
Another "sticker" shows a prim
yellow cat, certainly of the feminine
persuasion. sitting with right and
left forepaws athwart a sprig of holly.
This is a 'cut out" the body, head
and ears standing out from the bot
tom portion. on which is printed in
ings."
Mostly yellow, this kitten has white
chest and paws. Her ears are fiecked
with white, too. Her eyes are a violet
blue. Her name should be Annie. or
some other such Polly Prim designa.
ton.
She does not display such roguish
ness as the cat with the candle. She
has, of course, nothing to eat! A cat
can't eat holly berries.
X X
A third 'sticker" shows two black
cats sitting with backs to the be.
holder, while they view a lighted
Christmas tree.
One wears a vivid red bow tie, the
other an equally bright yellow one
sporting red dots.
The greeting cards show a humor-
Gus grasp of the utility of the rat
motif. One depicts a grandmother
cat, her red slippered feet on a foot
stool, as she sits in a comfortable
occasional chair while little Johnny
and jamie Cat sit on either side.
They are eagerly listening to her as
she read Twas the night before
Christmas. and all through the house
not creature was stirring, not even
Evening star., 1927-12-18

Reports that American tourists are
unpopular in Paris have been pretty
we'll contradicted by the travellers who
had a sufficiently pleasant time to
warrant preparations for going back
next year.
Evening star., 1927-12-18

Soviets claim influence in China.
1t may be doubted whether the com.
plex Chinese vocabulary has as yet
developed any word that means 80.
Wet" to the popular intelligence.
Evening star., 1927-12-18
Member of the Associated Press.

The Associated Press Is exclusively entltled
90 the aise for republication OF all news dis
patches credited TO II or not otnsrwise cred
4ted in this paper and also the local news
III blished herein. All rights of pubios'Ion
OF special dispatches herein are also reserved.
Evening star., 1927-12-18

a mouse" Surely an appropriate
rhyme to read to cats!
The cats in this and other cards are
dressed in human clothing. Another
shows two kittens in nightgowns sit
ting before a roaring fire, eating with
spoons out of blue-lined bowls. These
kittens, one feels sure, are brothers
to the. fellow eating the candle.
Evening star., 1927-12-18
A Question of Cause.

From the Hamilton Spectator.
Mussolini says men with whiskers
don't amount to much. We agree with
him if he means the men who have
whiskers because they're too lazy to
shave
Evening star., 1927-12-18

: Perhaps one of the secrets of Lind
bergh's remarkable popularity lies in
the fact that he is devoted to aviation
and can he suspected of no ulterior
motive.
Evening star., 1927-12-18

even if not more Importantly; cen.
tralized purchasing of supplies.
Capital expenditures by the 1S9
class | railroads of the country will
run $3.50, 900 900 this year, it has been
estimated. making an aggregate of
1856, 900, 900 thus expended in the
last eight years, beginning with 1920.
This is divided about equally between
new equipment on the one hand and
additions and improvements to prop.
erty on the other.
Due to longer average hauls, larger
cars more fully loaded, a greater num-
Der of cars behind each locomotive
and similar steps, equipment is being
used more by the carriers, and thus
expenditures for new cars and engines
are decreasing. With consultations,
it is argued that even greater econo-
mics in this direction could be real
lied.
AS for steam railway mileage. there
has been an actual decrease in the
last 10 years, but in that period second
and additional main line tracks have
increased over II per cent and yards
and sidings increased II per cent. The
expectation is that capital eXpendi-
lures for these improvements would
increase rather than decrease with
consultations.
Purchases of supplies, including fuel,
by the railroads of the country last
year amounted to 81 $50 100000, this
sum being from operating revenues
and being separate from capital eX-
penditures. In addition, class / roads
alone last year spent $4,000, 900, 900 in
n
The Parker bill would amend the
present plan of voluntary railroad con
solidations with view to facilitating
such mergers. After seven years it
would provide a plan of compulsory
consultations. 1t Is indOrsed, in prin-
ciple at least, by the Interstate Com
merce Commission, the National In
dustrial Traffic League, the American
Short Line Railroad Association and
the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States, and is said to be viewed
favorably by the National Association
of Railway and Public Utility Com
missioners, representing the State reg
ulatOry agencies.
Any plan of railroad consolida ton,
to protect the public interest and the
interest of many investors, must link
weak lines and small railroads with
the stronger. This has proved a
stumbling block in the path of smooth
functioning of the scheme written into
the present transportation act.
So far as concerns preserving COM
petition, rates between identical points
now are the same, and competition
thus resolves itself into a question of
service. and a weak system cannot
compete in service with a strong rival.
Last year the railroads hauled a rec.
ord traffic and nearly 70 per cent of
them were on a dividend-paying basis.
Passenger revenue continued to bow
before automobile competition and in
1926 was more than 500. 100000 under
that of 1923. On the other hand,
freight revenue last year was $191,-
600 900 greater than in 1928. There is
a decline in both this year as com,
pared to last.
If Congress can devise law for con
solidation of railroads which will prove
acceptable and avoid weary years of
court battles. it will have accomplished
much toward solving various related
economic problems, and the effort is
to be made this Winter.
tCopyrght, 19@71
Evening star., 1927-12-18

Mexico has been obliged, from time
to time. to contend with a consider
able amount of idle gossip in her
political affairs.
Evening star., 1927-12-18

Any hint that President Coolidge
might care to name his successor
would probably be met with a still
more emphatic II do not choose"
Evening star., 1927-12-18

Geneva hotel proprietors and head.
walters are among the few who are
of the tangible results to be
attained from conferences.
Evening star., 1927-12-18

1t has been said that music speaks
all languages. Lindbergh has a smile
that does the same thing.
Evening star., 1927-12-18

One of the evidences Of the Repub-
lies strength is the difficulty in fore
ing money on men in responsible posi-
tions.
Evening star., 1927-12-18

The Evening star with the Sunday morn
irg edition Is delivered by carriers within
the city 1t go cents per month; daily only,
10 cents per month: Sundays only 20 Ceuts
Ter month. Orders may he sent by mail or
telephone Main 5000, Collection is made by
carrier at end OF each month.
Evening star., 1927-12-18

Shopping early has eliminated the
bargain counter rush as one of the
forms Of Winter sport.
Evening star., 1927-12-18
Fifty Years Ago
I'm The Star

Washington's pride in its younger
No Baby Show EXPRESSED in riT,fH the fol.
Required. 5Tmlng row. gtsr p[lntT1 ~ 6aco,1i IN
Der 13, 1877:
"A pondent-doubtless some
proud Cornelia or elated Brigham
writes to The Star suggesting that
Washington should have a baby show
as well as the Northern cities. Really.
we don't see exactly why Washington
should take the trouble to get up
show of this kind, except for the
qualification of fond parents With
the effete people of the North it is diff
ferent. The native population is dying
out there at such a rate that it is
probably desirable that a stimulus to
production and improved quality
should be given by prize exhibitions:
but there is no earthly need Of any
such incentive being held out here.
Children, of the finest pattern posi-
BILE, are so plentiful in Washington
that they overflow every home in the
city. The streets are so full of them
that they impede locomotion. and the
sidewalks are so crowded with baby
carriages that pedestrians have TO
take to the gutter. They increase
with such marvellous rapidity that our
school board have rubbed their heads
pretty nearly bald in puzzling over
the problem of how to find school ac-
commodations for the newcomers.
There are about 5000 more children
than seats now. and what the proper
tion will he next year there is no tell
ing. There is certainly no apparent
need to hold out prize inducements for
more babies here"
Evening star., 1927-12-18
Current Oratory.


"Are you going to electrify your
audiences"
No" answered Senator Sorghum.
Wires will be pulled but the current
of thought will not render them un-
safe TO handle"
Evening star., 1927-12-18
The Great Performer,

Out in the fog you'll make your flight
so far,
And fiercest storms may blind you
as they rage.
Yet, lost to view up yonder, still you
are
The artist in the center of the stage.
Jud Tunkins says when you lose
feeble friend it is no more to worry
about than losing imitation jewelry.
Riches" said Hi Ho. the sage of
Chinatown, create envy unless so
wisely employed that they compel ad-
miration."
Evening star., 1927-12-18
What Of Authority?

1T hath been said By them Of old
time" But I say unto yOu. st,
MdtthctC. 1859.
Evening star., 1927-12-18
New Year AnrOnos.

The Christmas menu brings to men
A certain sense Of grief.
You lay the menu by and then
Turn over a new leaf.
Evening star., 1927-12-18
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.
MARYLAND and Virginia.


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