davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-10-01

owe their lives to their friends and the
Government for preventing such an
expedition.
With so many stunt flights ending
in failure and with so much money
spent in governmental aid, it is little
wonder that Federal authorities are
entirely out of sympathy with those
who would needlessy risk their lives
in hazardous undertakings It was
conservatively estimated that the
jump from Toxic to the Midways was
a fifty-to-one proposition against the
flyers. and If they, themselves, did not
possess the good judgment to abandon
the attempt, it was distinctly up to
their relatives and friends and the
Government to persuade them other.
wise. So it appears that far from
quarrcling with such wise counsel,
Brock and Schlee should be happy
that they needed it.
Evening star., 1927-10-01
The Decaying Wharves,

A committee of District officials In
charge of the maintenance of the
water front of the Capital notes the
deterioration of the pilngs at many
| of the piers along the Washington
Channel, and in a report to the Com
| missioners expresses the hope that
| the project for the general develop
ment and improvement of the harbor.
which has been proposed by the United
States Engineers, will be soon definite
ly approved and funds will be pro-
vided for its execution.
Included in the general scheme for
the park development at the National
Capital is this plan for the cure of
unsightly and even dangerous condi-
tions along the water front. Sketches
have been prepared for the erection
of piers and buildings Of harmonious
design, with a broad street frontage
affording a boulevard drive connecting
the Potomac and Anacostia Parks
But no step has been taken toward
eAio ACiAhi1c aioptlUI VI THESE pans
and, Of course, none for their execu-
ton.
According to the wharf committees
report, many Of the piers are in an
advanced stage of deterioration. Pill
ing is badly decayed and supporting
timbers are crumbling This is a con-
dition that demands immediate atten-
ton. Great numbers of people use
these wharves in boarding and leaving
river steamers. Heavy freight loads
are piled upon them. A disaster is
possible, with increasing chances as
time elapses and as materials fur
ther deteriorate.
Patchwork on these piers should
not be tolerated. There should be
definite reconstruction in harmony
with the broad plan of water front i'm.
provement. Amy makeshift expedient
Of strengthening or temporary sup
porting will be a waste of money.
This matter should receive immedi-
ate attention. Human lives are at
stake. The present aspect Of the
water front as viewed from the east
ern driveway on Potomac Park is de-
plorable. It is decidedly due to the
District that this condition be cured
without further delay.
Evening star., 1927-10-01

In a recent letter to this column
correspondent spoke of a gardener as
working at picture that could not
fail"
This seems q very happy way of
putting one of the greatest gains of
gardening.
Life ordinarily Is relentless. Sue
cess and failure are very different
things. each leaving the recipient in
no doubt of itself.
There is scarcely thing one can
do in which failure. with it's resulting
sadness. is not a possibility, If not a
probability.
Few endeavors there be, indeed in
which there can only come success
| to human beings.
Gardening is one of them.
X X * X
Nature. that kindly mistress of men
| and things, takes care of the garden
| for the gardener, so that no matter
how little his experience, or how
slothful his endeavors, he cannot fail.
In an actual sense, no one who be-
gins to make n garden can really
fail, although it is true enough That
he may not arrive at perfection.
Perfection makes no particular diff
ference in the garden.
There is no schoolmaster here.
waiting with froWning face to mark
down a perhaps merited Poor be-
cause the roses have not achieved the
theoretical perfection of which this
queen of flowers is capable.
In a little garden one may work as
the spirit moves, reasonably sure that
no matter what grows or what does
not the final result will be a picture
that cannot be other than pretty in
it's way.
This comes about because a little
beauty Is better than no beauty. Truly
the garden is no schoo1room. Ii any
proof were wanted of this dictum. one
would have to point only to the fact
that school Is just beginning as the
garden begins to fail
Pope's couplet about drinking deep,
or touching not the spring of knowl-
edge, has no application IN the gar
den.
A little garden work is great
deal better than none at all. Many
persons seem to think there is an
air of mystery about it, but, in fact,
it is the simplest thing in the world.
Simplicity, of course, is just IAN
other way of saying:
Greatness.
X X X
Magic enough there is in a garden,
but it is simple in the way that all
truly great things are simple.
A garden is incomprehensible, but
SO is electricity, which fact does not
hinder mankind from making tremen-
dous use of the unknown force which
lights our houses, runs our cars, and
toasts our bread.
The fact that so much grows from
so little-a garden Of flowers from a
few tiny seeds-leads many person
to look with vast suspicion upon the
ardent gardener, as a pretender to
knowledge.
Hence they prefer to run to tex
perts," who, in some mysterious man.
ner have learned the curious secrets
Of beets, turnips, radishes, hedges,
shrubs, asters, conifers, gladioli, roses,
pansies and what not; who have delved
Evening star., 1927-10-01
PHILOSOPHERS
BY
GLENN FRANK

Is modern science the SAVIOR or
| slayer of mankind?
| In the early days of September, the
| Bishop Of Ripon exploded bomb shell
among the members of the British AS
socation for the Advancement of
| Science, by suggesting a 10year holi-
day from scientific research, in order
to give humanity chance to learn
how wisely to use the results of scien-
tific research.
Dare l." he said, "even suggest,
at the risk of being lynched by some
of my hearers, that the sum of human
happiness, outside of scientific circles,
would not necessarily be reduced If
for, say, 10 years every physical and
chemical laboratory were closed and
the patient and reSourceful energy dis
played in them transferred to recover
ing the lost art of getting together
and finding formula for making the
ends meet in the scale of human life?
"It would give 80 per cent of us
who are non-scientific some chance Of
assimilating the revolutionary knowl.
edge which in the first quarter OF
this century l per cent of the ex.
plorerS have acquired. The ! per cent
would have leisure to read up on one
another's work; and all of us might
go meanwhile in tardy quest of that
wisdom which is other than and
greater than knowledge and without
which knowledge may be curse"
Underneath this statement is the
unconscious assumption that scien-
tific thinking Is a good method for
making discoveries, but bad
method for using discoveries-that,
after scientific thinking has created
power, moral thinking must come
along and devise wise ways Of using
that power.
This assumption is. think, wholly
unSOund.
The trouble is not so much that
scientists do not think morally, as
that moralists do not think scien-
tifically.
We do not need different kind Of
thinking to offset the kind of thinking
that goes on in our laboratories; we
need to use outside our laboratories
the kind of thinking that goes on
inside our laboratories.
The moral instability Of our civiliza-
tion is not due to the fact that scien-
tific thinking has gone too far, but
to the fact that it has not gone far
enough.
do not suggest that scientists are
to be our saviors. but that scientific
thinking is to be our salvation.
Scientists are likely to be prisoners
of their specialties, and a man con.
cerned primarily with "the antennaes
of the paleozoic cockroach" Is not
likely to give civilization creative
guidance. s8
We need specialists with scientific
interests inside our laboratories.
We need statesmen with scientific
insight outside our laboratories.
Scientific thinking is simply think
ing that is clear, objective and crea- =
Evening star., 1927-10-01

the French principle Is loaded with
confined to France alone. France
hopes to conclude with other Euro
pean nations, notably Italy and Bel.
gium, treaties similar to the German
agreement. In this there is evident
the threat of combination through
out Europe against the United States
which has been bobbing to the sur
face now and then since the World
War. 1t would consist of CONNER
cial union in Europe against the
United States, whereby a tariff wall
would be erected against the Yankee
The wall would not be SO high that
the Yankee could not climb it, Its
effectiveness would consist in the fact
that only the Yankee had to climb it.
been the signal for some concerted
cheering in this country on the part
Of those who attack the American
tariff system. They gloat over the
fact that the American manufacturer.
fattened on protection, is now afforded
a view of the American tariff which
eign manufacturers They are reviv-
ing all Of the time-worn argu-
ments against the tariff. and they
gleefully commend France for bring
ing the issue sharply into the lime
light. There always were and always
will be. evils in the American tariff
system, SO strongly interviewer with
politics that the economics Of the
question are often laid away on the
shelf.
But the present complication with
France does not concern the tariff as
an instrument for the protection of
domestic industry or as a revenue
raising measure. 1t concerns the
question of whether a country should
use the club of discrimination. by
means Of the tariff, to obtain advan-
tages against competitor nations. The
American tariff may be unduly high
in some respects. But it's lowest rates
apply to all. There is no favoritism
shown one naticn in return for ad-
which others do not enjoy.
Should France continue to persist in
her present attempt to force America
to relinquish this principle in her
favor, she will find that her greatest
is the American sense of fair
play. and she will discover that it is
not to be surrendered.
Evening star., 1927-10-01
UNITED STATES
in WORLD WAR
Ten Years Ago Today

Navy completes armament Of mer-
chant marine by providing a gun crew
Of from IS to 80 men for each Ameri-
can vessel Regular Army re-
cruiting takes a squirt with nearly
800 enlistments in single day.
Germans taken prisoners all express
longing for peace. They accuse their
officers of avoiding dnager by staying
well back from the front. Two
Columbia professors ousted upon
charges Of spreading doctrines tend
ing to encourage spirit Of disloyalty
to the United States Government.
Preparedness advocates assert
spies menace Pershing's forces and
plead with Congress to make anpro-
priations big enough to combat their
activities. Campaign for SUBJ
scriptions to second liberty loan open
with Nationwide enthusiasm. Esti-
mated $50.000,000 worth sold in single
day in New York City alone.
Without dissenting vote the House
accepts conference report on war rev.
enue bill and sends measure to Sem
ate. Senator Lewis proposes
Legislation tha1 will give President
dictatOrtal powers during cougreGsiou.
Evening star., 1927-10-01
Gratuitous Criticism.

The United States Navy Depart
ment, according to William S. Brock
and Edward F. Schlee, threw mon
key wrench" into their plans for
round-the- world airpiane flight by its
refusal to cooperate. The two flyers
made the trip from Newfoundland
over the Atlantic to England and,
crossing continental Europe, east to
Toxic successfully. Arriving there
they were flooded with messages from
their relatives and friends urging them
to abandon their proposed flight over
the Pacific. Added to this was the
fact that the Navy Department, re-
fusing to countenance, by its active
cooperation, further overseas journeys
in land planes, decided not to provide
radio beacons for the flyers from
Toxic to the Midway Islands. their
first stopping point. Brock and Schlee,
therefore, put their plane on boat
and arrived in San Francisco yester-
day 1t was on their arrival in this
country that they issued their state
ment criticizing the department.
1t is unfortunate that the two men
should end their trip in this manner.
BY their courage and skill they over
came great obstacles in their New
foundla nd-Tokio flight, and it Ill be-
comes them to quarrel with the United
States Government because it refused
cooperation for a desperately danger
GUS venture. The Midway Islands,
twenty-four hundred miles east from
Toxic. are entirely unfit for stop
ping place for land planes, even IL
exnerf navigation could have located
Evening star., 1927-10-01
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

and the COMMITTEE meter" and the
"Arago kilogram" was selected.
The committee meter" is one
whose length was obtained by the
committee Of weights and measures
composed Of members of the National
Institute Of France and of deputies
from foreign countries, which met in
Paris in 1899. When Mr.. Hassler
came to the United States in 1905, he
brought with him a committee meter.
Until 1890 all base measurements of
the coast survey We're referred to
that meter. The Arago kilogram was
obtained in 1921 by Mr.. Gallatin
while Minister Of the United States
to France. The measure was named
In honor of M. Arago, the celebrated
French physicist.
n X X X
On August 8, 1870, an international
conference was held in Paris to con-
slider new metric standards. Another
conference was held in 1872. On May
20, 1875, third conference was held.
AT that time provision was made for
the establishment and maintenance of
a permanent International Bureau of
Weights and Measures, to be situated
near Paris and to be under the con-
troll Of an international committee
elected by the conference. The French
government set aside a plat Of ground
in the park at st. Cloud. near Paris,
and it was there that the permanent
international bureau carried on its
work of establishing new standard
of weights and measures.
BY 1889 the work was completed,
and on January 2, 1890, meter No.
27' and "kilogram No. 90" which
had been brought 11uder coal +o +b;c
country, were duly accepted by Presi-
dent Harrison at the White House as
national standards of the metric sys.
tenn Of the United States. The sys-
tenn Is in force in the Navy, the Med
ical Bureau Of the War Department
and the Health Service. Practically
all scientific work of the Government
Is based upon the metric system.
tCopyrght. 1927. by Paul v. Collins)
Evening star., 1927-10-01
THIS AND THAT


deeply into the secret wisdom of the
vegetable Kingdom. and are willing
to impart a bit of it. at fancy price,
to the less favored persons of this
world.
Fools may rush into n garden where
angels might fear to tread.
The point would be that the angels
probably were in gross error.
Any one can put seed into the
ground, with the most elementary in
struction. and any one will get few
flowers, at least, in return for his
eXertion.
by using his common sense he will
secure a vast number Of poSies. 1t IS
curious how many otherwise clever
and intelligent persons literally stop
thinking when it comes to the pri-
mary horticultural processes.
At game of cards they will put
2 and together with great success.
but when it comes to observing what
happens and what does not happen,
and why it happens and why it does
not, in the garden, they are mere
babes in the wood.
1t is largely because of this interest
ing trait in human nature that the
experts manage to get by.
X X X X
In the garden there is no high and
low---every gardener stands on his Or
her own feet.
If the evil of comparison be kept
out of the picture, it will be, in truth,
as our correspondent has said, with
out the possibility Of failure.
TO look over the fence, however, and
belnoan the fact that ones own gar
den is not as good as another's Is to
take into the heart and mind the
modern devil of comparison.
What" one asks, Must one not
see. them"
The answer can only be no.
Each garden ought to stand on its
own legs. If it does not do as well as
some other, what difference does it
make, after all?
The note of competition, introduced
so plentifully by flower shows, has it's
elements of danger, chief of which is
that it makes for dissatisfaction. 1t is
true that growth lies along the path,
but a garden, after all, should be for
pleasure, not for growth.
There are enough elements for
growth in the daily life-let us leave
the garden out of it, and keep it a
picture the gardener can paint, and at
the painting of which he cannot fall.
X X X X
One rosebush in yard is better
than no roses.
Slightly better grass than last year
is better than the grass of last year.
No one can gainsay such state
ments!
Nature takes care Of her children in
really wonderful way. BY art and
contrivance man may help her, but
she can manage very well by herself,
after all these centuries.
So the gardener finds himself work
ing upon a picture that cannot be
other than perfect.
If he will take this good thought
with him into his garden, he will meet
with success.
Summer will tie unrelated parts to-
gether, making one complete whole,
so that the gardener will know gar
den happiness, than which there are
few happinesses simpler or purer.
Evening star., 1927-10-01
Counting the Cost.

Struggling to clear the wreckaee
left by Thursdays terrific storm. St.
Louis is counting the cost in lives and
dollars. both mounting to an appalling
total. Some hundred people were
killed and fully 1900 were injured
From hour to hour other deaths are
recorded as bodies are found in the
wrecks and as the hurts inflicted by
the tornado prove mortal The task
Of reckoning the damage in terms of
dollars is a great one. It will, per-
haps, be weeks before the loss can be
thus computed. For the storm crashed
through both business and residential
territory, and in addition to the wreck
ing of structures 1t ruined and scat
tered goods. The latest count is that
more than $500 buildings were either
destroyed or badly damaged.
A heavy burden is laid upon the sur
vivors Of the city, who must give
prompt aid to those who suffered in
some cases a total loss of their prop
erty. The succor Of those who were
injured and who were bereft Of their
supporters is assured. The immediate
task is to ascertain the needs, which
will be fully met, probably out of the
resources of the community itself. No
call for aid has been sounded.
Immediate action by the Secretary
Of War insured valuable service in the
maintenance of order and in clearing
away the wreckage left by the storm.
A thousand troops moved into the city
yesterday from Jefferson Barracks,
and rescue and renovation work was
organized without delay. The Ameri-
can Red Cross was likewise prompt
in meeting the emergency. It's readi-
ness to serve at any time in any place
is always manifest, and its efficiency
enables it to meet all conditions.
It will take many weeks to heal the
wounds left by the storm. Perhaps
months must elapse before the souve-
Mrs of the visitation are all removed
from view. Rebuilding will proceed at
once. The magnitude Of the task Is
evident in view of the complete or par
tial destruction Of between five and
six thousand buildings, and it calls for
an immense expenditure of money
and labor. But both will be forthcom
ing, and st. Louis will probably with
in a year present no mark Of Thurs
days disaster.
Evening star., 1927-10-01
The Tariff Impasse.

While the official text Of the notes
between the United States and France
on the tariff has not been made pub
lie, cable dispatches reporting the
meeting Of the French cabinet yes
terday indicate that the French atti-
tude remains unchanged; that in de-
clining to accord the United States
most ed-nation.treatment through
an agreement such as Washington
suggests, France will repeat her invi-
tation to deal on the basis Of reci-
procity, or bargaining in tariff rates.
The impasse remains. and its pro-
portions become increasingly sinister.
The tariff structure in this country is
not founded on the principle Of reci-
procity. To apply the principle to
France would mean a complete re-
vision Of the American system and
adoption Of another table Of duties.
No such revision is contemplated,
especially at this time.
It is pointed out by the French that
Increased rates which went into effect
with the Franco-German commercial
treaty apply only to small proper
ton Of the American goods shipped
into France and that the great ma
tority remains unaffected. The pro
portion amounts approximately to
thirty per cent. The commodities are
those which, up to the time OF the
Franco-German treaty, were com
peting with similar commodities from
Germany. France points out that
Germany would assuredly protest. II
the advantage only recently secured
by German merchants through the
trade compact with France is lost i'm
mediately by a French aGree".>e G1
with the United o.dte7s. France sticks
20 her argument, Furthermore, that
she can gain nothing she does not
now possess by negotiating a favored
nation y.fwhile the United States
would gain, without cost, equal foot
ing with Germany which Germany
paid for through reciprocal bargain
ing.
The s10.0oo,o0o in annual trade witt
France which American merchant:
stand to lose through the French dis
criminatory rates in favor >of Ger
Evening star., 1927-10-01
A Statue to Geronimo?

From the New York Sun.
A recent dispatch from southern
california reports that an association
Is to erect a statue to Geronimo, chief
OF the Chiricahua Apaches. The me.
mortal, as planned, will be placed in
Skeleton Canyon. where Geronimo sur.
rendered in 1886 to Gen. Nelson A.
Miles and brought to an end his long
and disastrous warfare against the
white man. Geronimo and his men
were described 40 years ago by Gen.
George Crook, who was first sent
against them, as 'pitiless brutes" and
AS fierce as so many tigers"; a re.
port said mo language could describe
the atrocities committed by them"
The name Apache became synonymous
with savagery and cruelty. Within
the last half century the sentiment of
the Southwest regarding these Indians
must have undergone decided
change, and the region must have re-
vised it's estimate of it's most noted
chieftain.
Evening star., 1927-10-01
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. H4SKIN.

@. Where was "Roxy's" first movie
hOuse?-F. j. l..
A. At Forest City. Pa. At this place
he rented store and used the seats
from the local undcrtaker's parlors
In 1913 he went to New York and
took charge of the Regent Theater
on Seventh avenue.
Q. What was the size Of the largest
known hog? What is the average
weight Of one?--G. ID.
A. The Bureau of Animal Industry
has record Of hog weighing 1901
pounds at the age of years and Z
months. The hog measured a height
of feet i inches and was feet >
inches long. 1t was big type Poland
China hog. This statement was
recorded February %, 1927. From
500 to 1000 pounds is an average
weight There are no records avail
able Of hog weights in various parts
OF the country.
O. Why is engine No. 5000 Of the New
York Central Railroad considered re-
markable? Is it because of its speed?
Ct. w. J.
A. The maximum speed allowed
passenger trains at any point is 70
miles an hour. The important thing
about No. 5000 is that under tests con
tinung several months it has been
demonstrated that it can haul up u
20 Pullmans at that speed Il required.
Railroad manaCcmcnts are more in
terestcd in q locomotive that will move
the traffic most economically at speeds
required by operating conditions in
each specific instance than they are
in making speed records.
Q. What was the first opera written
in America?-E. L. ID.
A. "Leonora," composed by w. II.
Fry 1813-1864), was the first Ameri-
can grand opera. 1t was produced III
Philadelphia in 1845.
O. What materials will be popular
for dresses this Winter?-F. Il.
A. At q recent Paris showing the
prjncinal materials consisted of velvet,
lame, georgette, crepe de chine, taft
feta, lace, chiffon and crepe marocain-
Q. What is the "bowwow theory?
H. G.. l..
A. Max Muller so called the theory
that all language originated in
onomatopoeia-that is, the formation
of words in imitation of natural sounds,
such as Cuckoo" rap" bang" etc.
O. BY what method is a letter or de-
sign embossed on paper?-C. l.. a.
A. Paper and cardboard are en-
bossed with dies generally made OF
brass. but sometimes of copper cleo
trically deposited and suitably backed.
The counter die is commonly made OF