davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-05-09
The Lost Crest.

Somewhere above New Orleans is
the crest of the great flood, moving
slowly to the Gulf. But unless it has
been located within a few hours. Its
exact position is unknown. 1t has
been lost" No longer is it repre-
sented by q hill of water moving
through the river channel, discernible
by means of the gauges, which are
themselves in many places submerged.
1t has spread out over a vast area.
| In the inundated sections wires are
down as telegraph and telephone poles
have fallen and communication over
the flooded section is thus rendered
| difficult. Airplane observations are
made regularly, but these are not sat.
isfactory because of the difficulty of
determining water levels from above
So the observers at New Orleans, in
tensely anxious for the safety of the
city, are endeavoring by means of
boats distributed through the sub.
merged regions to the north and
northwest to determine the stage of
the water with a view to figuring on
the percentage of safety.
New breaks have threatened, if they
have not already occurred, in the
levees to the northwest of New
Orleans. These would perhaps relieve
the pressure on the river itself, but
would flood a great stretch of country
to the southwest. So far as known
the banks of the river just north of
the city are holding, and upon this
strength would seem now to depend
security of the city.
The tornadoes and heavy storms
that have just occurred in the west
ern and northwestern watershed will
not Immediately affect the flood stu
alton. as it will take some time for the
waters that have been poured from
the skies there to reach the main trb-
utaries. II these storms continue,
however, the effect will be to protract
the high waters in the lower Missis.
sippi Basin and render more difficult
the plight OF the refugees. driven
from their homes by the hundreds of
thousands.
Evening star., 1927-05-09

under the pressure Of urgent need.
He was driven by his necessities.
There are countless examples of
enormous sums paid long after their
death for the works of great creative
artists in paint and language. Many
millions have been spent by collectors
and connoisseurs for these treasures.
And every time one of these pur-
chases is recorded the world wonders
what would have happened had the
producers of these great rarities and
marvels of art possessed or even
known of the valuations placed by
posterity upon their products.
Evening star., 1927-05-09
Universal Transfers
And 2.Man Cars Urged
To the Editor OF The Star:
noticed an article in yo,i

To the Editor of The Star;
l noticed an article in your paper of
April q regarding more "One-man
Street Cars or Increased Fare"
Let us have the latter with a uni
versal transfer system.
A visitor to Washington with a mod
crate amount of money must at once
learn that some cars are boarded at
the rear. center or front If he doesn't
know from instinct at which end he
must get on, he is left standing in the
street by motorman or conductor
who is trying to catch up with his
schedule that has been delayed per-
haps at the previous stop" by the
same person who was allowed to run
the ''gantlet" between the front and
the rear of the car to determine which
was the proper end or opening at
which he must dive in. This same
person. after boarding the car, must
know that there are only certain places
at which he can transfer without pay
ing an additional penny. He must also
know that some "busses" charge any
where from token to % cents a ride.
Some issue transfers, others do not.
Give us more of the Capital Traction
two-man service, wide roonly seats,
comfortable track and easy-riding cars,
but with a universal price and transfer
that will enable one to board a car
or bus in any part Of Washington
and so to the other extreme without
having to so all over town and trans
fer three or four times just to keep
from having TO pay additional fares
and transfer fees.
Washington is almost a perfect city
in other respects, but it's transpor-
tation problem certainly is below par"
of the ''Toonerville Trolley Co."
For a commuter that lives on North
Capitol street and works on Four
teenth street between N and r, this
is his option in going to and from
work: A token on boarding the car at
Michigan avenue and a 30-minute ride
to street. then walk three blocks, or
a 10-cent cash fare and a transfer to
Rhode Island avenue coach and walk
one or two blocks. Lastly. token,
penny transfer to Florida avenue, then
U. Via Rhode Island avenfe bus the
time is about 10 or Is minutes and via
Florida avenue and Fourteenth and L
is about 20 or 25 minutes.
Let's hear from some more of the
"strap-hangers" and see if this miser.
able transportation system in Wash
lneton can be converted into one of the
best in the country.
Yours for "Two-man cars, larger
and more frequent busses."
II. f. FETNER.
Evening star., 1927-05-09
Milk.

The Americaii cow has done herself
proud. During 1926. according to sta
tistics OF tbs department of Agricul-
ture, she pyodlced such a bulk OF
cream and milk that the total con
sumption on the part OF the public
was 5e,417 900, 600 pounds, compared
with 54.325,776,0O0 pounds in 1925.
The annual per capita consumption
has increased from 43 gallons in 1920
tn ss.3 gallons last year. Thus the
good propa ganda in favor of this fine
food has borne fruit, anA in th.s happy
result 81 credt must SO to She COW,
to the A;nericsEA dairyn'an ard TO the
great 1Esns wtsch successfully handle
and ma Jet tho commodity.
To nisny it will seem thai TO the
cow ought TO 20 the big share of the
credit. |: While she is not. strictly
speaSinF, "the American cow" hav.
ing c4r'e from abroad, her years in
this country entitle her TO the desig.
natipr, especia lly in view of the way
she has adapted herself to this land
She maj truthfully be called ours.
Scientific conduct Of dairies, to
getlter with better modes of transpor
tatipn and the general bettcred con
ditihns on dairy farms have. resulted
in Fairy frms IN great cities receiving
ler AlEk. Even since 1920 the
RtSEdaris have been bettered. and the
ct@sumption OF milk has increased as
s,fesult. City boards of health have
is1,red 20 giv, the public better and
sbhner milk, Today the best dairies
Evening star., 1927-05-09
Bad Brakes.

One-fourth Of the seven hundred
and seventyhve cars which have been
brought to the American Automobile
Association for free brake testing
have been found to lack proper decel.
GRAFTON. Ninety-five per cent of those
! which have already been tested have
| shown unqualified brakes, which
cause skidding when pressure is ap.
piled. Because of these startling con.
ditions, the association has decided to
continue the tests until Wednesday.
And it is the hope of every conscien-
| tious motorist that those who have
reason to believe that their brakes are
bad will spend the few minutes neces.
dents may be averted and human life
| preserved.
There is probably no more impor.
tant part of an automobile than the
brakes. On them depends the safety
OF every one who rides. Yet procras-
tination always appears when the
owner discovers that his brakes need
tightening, and in many cases he will
ignore warning altogether.
A vivid illustration of putting off"
repair of brakes was experienced by a
local motorist recently. Proceeding
slowly across an intersection with the
right of way over car approaching
on his left, he was both surprised and
frightened to observe that the woman
driver apparently made no effort to
stop. In order to avoid being struck
amidship, he swerved to the right.
hand curb and mounted the sidewalk
to give the other driver plenty of
room. Even this maneuver did not
suffice to save him fror Jury, as
the other car knocked os his rear
bumper before it came to a stop.
Fuming at the inexcusably bad driv-
Ing of the woman, the motorist, with
rueful look at his damaged machine.
asked, How Gomez" With a sweet
smile and apologetic mien the woman
said: Il am terribly sorry. / have
been meaning for three weeks to get
my brakes adjusted, but I have had
so many bridge parties, so much to do.
that I simply have not had time. /
know I should have it done, because
1t takes almost a block to stop this
car, but this is really the first accident
| have had" Asterisks and other
such marks are the only method of ex-
pressing the feelings of the doubly
injured motorist.
There are probably several million
reasons why the motorist procrasti.
mates on repairs to his automobile
Many feel that they cannot spare
moment. others that it is too expen-
sive, and still others lack the mental
capacity to understand what it Is all
about. But every one of the more
than one hundred thousand motorists
in Washington should forget the rea-
sons why they cannot and think only
of the reasons why they should. and
act Immediately to get a thorough ex-
animation of their brakes. 1t is only
in this way that Washington can re-
duce it's too large toll of accidents.
Evening star., 1927-05-09
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

To tell how to grow ones own
stakes for tying up the gladiolus and
other flower stalks that need some
artificial support is the purpose OF
the present article.
| 1t is true that bamboo stakes or
reeds may be purchased cheaply
enough, but t'.ey are difficult to Sc
cure in this city, and it is more fun
to grown ones own.
The hibuscus. known in the nursery
| catalogues as ''mallow marvels," will
| fur -iish the average homo gardener
all the willowy stakes he will need for
an ordinary planting of gladiolus.
The hibiscus is an interesting plant
of easy growth, a pleasing as we'll as
somewhat disappointing thing. too,
since it is somewhat sprawly in char.
acter and will not throw it's huge
flowers abundantly every season.
Its planting should be undertak en-
with care, since it3 root growth is so
tremendous that it is liable to drain
plant food from other flowers. Nor
does it need to be placed in a wet
situation.
It does well enough almost any
where, bringing forth flowers of red,
pink or white S or IL inches across
when growing up to its best.
Owing to its luXurialt character,
the hibiscus roots las usually pur-
chaseD are best planted as a back
ground at the far end of a yard or
against the side of garage or in a
similar position.
Despite its great blossoms. lasting
for but a day each, and it's fine green
growth, the hibiscus is easily broken
by a high wind, such as often occurs
in Summer, and this is one of the
points against it.
1t 10 just for this reason, however,
that 1t offers the best home grown
supply of stakes for the gladiolus and
other plants needing reeds about 4
feet high.
In the Autumn the leaves all die,
leaving the bare canes, and these may
be cut off then or next Spring, for the
plant grows anew each season from
tie roots, and the flowers and ft age
come from the new growth, not from
the old.
The bare canes may he cut off close
to- the ground, either in the Autumn
or the Spring. If this pruning is done
in the Fall, the canes should be laid
away in the basement to dry out.
IL CuA III luC kopI ms AiiC SehNS@ w Aif
be thoroughly weathered, light, tough
and vet elastic enough to allow sway
age in the wind.
These should be cut off with : arp
pruning shears. the side twigs torn
off. which is easily done with the
fingers.
A coat of cheap green paint makes
the canes compare very favorably with
the stained bamboo ones. And the
cost, of course, is practically nothing.
Then there is the satisfaction, too,
of utilizing something that otherwise
would he thrown away. Between 90
and 100 stakes may be secured from
as few as five well grown hibiscus
plants.
The beauty of these canes, from the
home gardeners standpoint. is that
they allow such planta S the gladio-
lus, for instance. to sway in the wind,
yet they are strong enough to hold it
aloft.
Any one with a thrifty turn of mind
will welcome this easy way to secure
good, small stakes. They will not do,
of course, for dahlias and similar
great growths requiring Pinch stakes
s feet or more high.
Evening star., 1927-05-09

| The old hibiscus canes, however,
can be used perfectly for the gladio-
lus. For such use the largest canes
should be selected for the largest
"glads" naturally, and the large end
should be placed in the ground, not
too close to the bulb.
This placing will be the natural
one-that is, the bendy part of the
cane will be aloft-and the play in the
wind will give the heavy gladiolus
| flower-spike effective support. AT the
same time it will permit it to blow
naturally, always a pleasant sight in
| a garden when the gardener Is sure
| that no harm will result.
AS to the matter of stalking gladi-
oil in general, such procedure is to
be advised, especially when stakes
| can be secured as easily as outlined.
| 1t is true that some gardeners refuse
/ to stake their gladioli. but severe
Summer windstaesn will then place
many on the ground.
The stalking in itself is a plea ant
occupation for the garden minded. Is
| it necessary to state that some r-r-
sons are not so minded? To those
who really love the work any little
extra fussing with plants will be well
coined as giving one something else
to do for them.
1t may be said that there Is a COM
paratively large group of persons who,
caught up in the present enthusiasm
for gardening, bore themselves with
this simple outdoor recreation when
neither their innate tastes nor every
day inclinations make the work pleas
ant for them.
Such persons ought by all means,
for the sake OF themselves and others,
to give over the effort and either
plant shrubs and perennials which
will take care Of themselves or should
turn their gardens over to gardeners.
X n
To be garden minded is not a hard
task.
1t requires no degree. no eminence,
no book knowledge-only an earnest
desire to learn and a genuine liking
for growing things.
Perhaps the liking for plants should
come first. There are degrees and de
grees of gardeners. of course. but
every one. whether a big or little gar
dener. has a. liking for plants and
shares it in common with every other
gardener.
This love for plants may not include
like for the actual handling of them.
Some persons are constitutionally
lazy. others have not had the oppor-
tunity to train themselves in plant
handling. the actual digging of the
ground. the sowing of seed, the trans
planting. the constant guarding
against enemies.
Yet one who is not an adept may
have the true soul of the gardener
and be pleased with the actual work
going on and the growth and the flow
ering or the harvest. and may gain
much of the happiness and interest
which rewarded such a man as Bur-
bank or any of the other great hor-
ticulturists.
The amount of direct physical work
put into a garden does in no way
measure the gardener, but his attitude
measures everything. He may call
himself gardener If he honestly be
lieves himself to be one, though his
crops are small and his flowers
meager. On the other hand, If he
has not the interest and the desire 10
benefit from his interest, he does not
belong.
Without the innuistive Lind and
the ability to profit by his own mis-
takes. one cannot become gardener
or much of anything else.
Evening star., 1927-05-09

lation to politics and the public serv.
ice" The Sioux City Tribune Gnde.
pendent) conceded that there are no
legal restrictions in this country
against three or more terms for a
President" but il maintains that "the
first President of the United States
set the wise precedent of a two-term
limit
There can be no doubt" states the
Houston Chronicle independently
that the extensive power of the
President gives him great influence In
forcing his own denomination. This
would be so If only the two-party
States were concerned, for Federal
patronage can be put to effective use
in them. but in the one. party States
especially in the solid South. where
the Republican party is hardly more
than group of Office holders and
would-be Office holders. patronage be-
comes great political weapon, in
deed, and it certainly is not to the in
terest of the Nation to have this
weapon used often. The political ma
chine in the South is geared to ac-
tion only in years when there Is a
President seeking denominations so the
fewer occasions on which a President
seeks denomination the much better
it is for the Federal services and for
fair dealing in politics generally"
y u
What the party boys are fixing I'D
now affirms the Dayton Daily News
independent Democratic) lis the most
dazzling farewell party any President
ever received. The President is to he
offered the crown. He is to refuse II
We are betting on II. Then the ad.
ministration of Calvin Coolidge is to
go out-whatever it was when IL was
in-in blaze of glory. and in the
light of that blaze his successor will
sure-footedly run
"A. denomination Is apparently as.
sured. Why should he break the
silence which is winning for him."
asks the Nashville Banner Gndepend.
eno, and the Columbus Ohio State
Journal Republican) recognizes that
there are potentialities in the issue"
but argues that "the President. de.
spite this possible handicap, seems to
be so much the strongest available
candidate that almost certainly his
party will take whatever risk NAV be
involved If he gives it the opportu-
nifty"
The Bangor Daily Commercial lin.
dependenD agrees that there seems
to be general acquiescence in the Re-
publican party to the proposition that
Mr.. Coolidge can have a denomination
IL he desires It,, and the st. Paul Dis
patch independently is convinced that
If the people want President Coolidge
for another term the third-term tradi.
ton Will not keep him from get
ting it,"
Evening star., 1927-05-09
A Plea to Save the
Trees of Washington
To the Editor OF The star:

To the Editor of The Star:
| Murder Typified in Destroying
Trees" Mary w. Durham's letter in
| The Star of May 5, is in season, but
will any listen to the voice crying in
the wilderness?
why do not Washington women
raise a protest against the destruction
of Washington's beautiful trees?'
was question asked by club woman,
| the wife of university president, who
| formerly resided in Washington and
during Easter paid it a visit.
Ghostlike, the question continues to
| bob up. Why do not all women, not
only of Washington, but of the entire
| United States, through their numerous
organizations, join in one great outcry
| against the slaughter of the glorious
old trees that make Washington a
place of beauty and comfort the year
| round?
| Washington does not belong merely
| to the group of people who reside
within its boundaries. 1t is heritage
of the whole country. There is no
other place like it in the whole world.
The people of the United States have
| the right to demand that the beauty
and grace of the Nations Capital shall
be preserved for all time and for fu-
|
the so-called onward march of prog
ress," which is frequently only another
name for stupid human cupidity.
| Not long ago an employe of the bus
route mutilated many beautiful trees
by looping off their limbs along the
route and seems to have gotten away
with the deed committed in the dark
est hours of the morning. And now
80 trees are to be destroyed on Fiji
teenth street in the short distance be-
tween l street and Massachusetts ave-
nue.. Suppose replantings are made
and they are not always made but only
promised! Nearly n generation is re-
| qulred to grow a tree to a useful size
| 1t is Washingtons grand old trees
that make the blazing Summer days
endurable and that afford beauty and
protection through the chill, gray Win
ter months. Every visitor to the city
evels in the glory of these trees. which
cover and conceal multitude of sins
committed in the name of architecture.
| 'Poems,' wrote joyce Kilmer, ARE
made by fools like me; only God can
make tree" What then is To be said
OF tree murdering-just to allow "a
| few more automobiles to hustle up and
down the street. going Heaven knows
wherein such hurry, All eventual
| ly to the same quiet place"
| If the forests about the headwaters
of the Mississippi had not been de-
| stroyed, that stream would not be
tearing loose from its banks today,
| leaving thousands homeless and desti-
tute and the whole country paving the
price in contributions of millions of
dollars. But who listened to the voice
crying in the wilderness then? Who
| will listen now?
| Disintegrating forces are at work
The most beautiful city in the United
States easily possible to make it the
most beautiful in the whole world
will become merely an ugly compila.
ton of brick and mortar if citizens do
not come to the rescue.
i. G. GRAY.
Evening star., 1927-05-09
Instruct Coolidge
On Foreign Policy
From the Charleston Daily Mail.

From the Charleston Daily Mail
President Coolidge is to have great
responsibility lifted from his shoulders.
The people, at least several thou.
sand" of them, are to tell him what
the foreign policy of the United States
should be.
Whenever any one Of numerous as.
sociations and societies that exist In
this country with self-appointed tasks
to perform find time hanging heavily
on their hands, they fall back on that
good old sounder of public opinion, the
questionnaire. In that way some pub
licity is gained and the generally well
paid staffs can think that they really
are doing work.
The latest organizat ton to take this
course is the National Civic Fedora
ton. A QUESTIONABLE has been sent
out to several thousand representa-
tive men and women regarding what
they consider to be sound foreign
policy for the United States" The
general object, according to the news
dispatch telling of the action. Is Ito
assist in dissipating the confusion that
now exists in the public mind concern
ing the proper course of action for
this country to pursue, especially in
regard TO its relations with Mexico,
China and Nicaragua"
When the replies are received and
classified, they doubtless will be pre-
sented to President Coolidge. The lat
ter, then, presumably, will have only
to pick out the predominant trend-if
he can-and make his foreign policies
conform to it's note.
1t is a ludicrous proceeding, and
silly. 1t Is even more preposterous
than the attempt of Senator Borah to
make himself the formulator of the
Nations foreign policies, duty that
the Constitution places. and very prop
erly so, in the hands of the Chief Ex-
ecutive. Mr.. Coolidge is capable of
performing this task, despite the wall.
ings of a few members of his own
party and of the Democratic press. He
has the confidence of the country. To
permit himself to be swayed by few
individuals from course that to his
conscience is right and just would be
to stultify himself and degrade the
Office he holds.