davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-11-15
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES L. TRACEWELL.

being. who intended to settle every
question, but who did not possess the
requisite knowledge or the ability to
search out every possible question
that could be asked him.
| Therefore know before l open the
covers that the index will fail to give
many of the topics upon which i seek
light.
obvious failures which seem inexpli
cable, articles containing what l be-
lieve to be false information.
| "Yet I know. too. that 1t will be i'm
possible for me to honestly read this
book without getting at least one good
idea from it.
II will tuck that thought away in
my head and go on to the next book,
at the stated time. approaching 1t in
exactly the same way.
Thus. by the time | am very old,
will know at least few things
X + x
Here is another of those books for
the ambitious gardener that have
streamed from the press during the
past five years. with the increase of
leisure and wealth.
Gardening preSupDOses certain
amount of money and leisure. A man
|
of life will not find much time for gar
denng. or work up much interest in
| it. either.
Gardening is the fine fruit of civili
Zation.
Here is this new book, purporting
| to help the ambitious amateur in his
| many problems. 1t is amazing how
much information the new gardener
needs. There is scarcely a plant which
one can raise that does not carry
with it veritable galaxy of questions
When should it be planted? How
often should it be watered? Will fer
tilizer help or hurt it? What are it,.
enemies. and the remedies?
What is The readers hurt surprise
to discover that the information on
evidently having been so engrossed
with his subject that he forgot that
the reader did not know as much as
| he did.
This il the commonest fault of
books of information. The writer
knows SO much about his subject that
he does not fully understand the ig
norance of the reader.
| While he sets out to cover his topic
he is so close to it that he is unable
to put himself into the shoes Of the
! reader.
Thus the very question one wants
| to know is not even considered.
| y u X
| Yet the one good idea is there. IL
the reader will remember to look
for it. &
| Take the gardening book under
considera ton. Held up on the jacket
as The ideal hook of information fol-
the amateur. it yet fails to give men
ton to that most hard-wOrking oi
ANIMALS. the humble but glorious
petunia. without which no garden is
complete.
The reader closes the book in dis
gust. Not single thing in it oi
practical value. But hold! How
about those designs for backyard
| fences?
The one good idea of this book is
this: That by taking thought one ma.
build beautiful fence as easily a.
an ugly one. Some good designs are
given. too.
This is the one good idea from this
book. Go on. then. to the next book
looking not for a bookful of ideas
from each, but for one good idea from
4 book.
Perhaps one real idea is all any one
book can hold after all.
Evening star., 1927-11-15
Manoilescu's Acquittal.

Acquittal at Bucharest yesterday of
Mihail Manoilescu by court-martial of
the charge of conspiracy to bring for.
mer Crown Prince Carol back to Ru'
mania and to restore to him his rights
of succession to the throne was effect
cd bv a vote of three to two. ManOi.
lescu. on the eve Of the verdict, ex'
pressed the belief that he would be
convicted. The announcement of his
acuuittal was received with cheers by
the waiting crowds. This verdict and
the enthusiasm manifested are re-
garded as indicating a change of sen.
timent in Rumania which may cost
Premier Bratianu dearly.
The procedure at Bucharest follow
ing the disclosure Of correspondence
between Carol and his supporters at
home has been marked by drastic
measures of prosecution, which the
Carolists have denounced as persecu-
ton. That the situation was difficult
for the ministry is evident. Martial
law was declared and strenuous meas
ures were adopted to check any revo-
lutionary movement. From the point
Of view of the established govern
ment, these measures were doubtless
justified. Carol had renounced his
rights of succession formally. and his
remuneration had been written into
law by the Parliament. Short of a
revolution. there could be no restora'
ton to his former status as possible
successor to the throne.
Manoilescu's acquittal may have an
important bearing on the future OF
Rumania. At all events, he Is now
free of charges, and, judging from the
speeches of counsel and his own ex-
pressions. there is a purpose to con
tinue endeavors in Carols behalf. A
trial of strength may soon come. The
real fight is not for Carol. but against
Bratianu. Meanwhile the young man
remains at a safe distance from the
scene and appears to be only 'recep-
tive" candidate for the crown in the
event of an overturn in his homeland.
Evening star., 1927-11-15
The Cause of the Blast.

The mystery of yesterdays explo-
sion in Pittsburgh may never be
solved. Investigations are, of course,
in progress, but inasmuch as all of the
men who were working at the plant at
the time have probably been killed,
there is little chance of determining
the facts. It is known, however, that
some of these men were engaged in
making repair to one of the tanks of
the group, using blowplpes for the
purpose. That tank had been empty
for a long time-that is to say, it had
been out of service. But it is thought
was within it, and that this was ex-
ploded by the flame of the torch, this
first slight explosion causing fractures
in one of the nearby tanks, with the
result of the terrific explosion, which
blew the entire body OF the great struc.
ture high into the air.
If this was the cause, 1t would seem
to be extraordinary that the second
greater explosion did not itself rend
the other tanks and in turn detonate
them. The theory of a slight initial
blast at the point where the workmen
were engaged is. of course. only hy.
pothesis. But IL true, it tragically
demonstrates the terrible danger of
clustering these gas containers in
groups, with the risk that an accident
to one may cause disaster to another.
Familiarity with dangerous mate.
rails is known to breed contempt
There is no more deadly menace than
the close conjunction of fame and gas
No metal container can ever be made
absolutely tight. Small leakages are
| certain to occur as time passes and as
materials deteriorate and as LESSONS
develop in joints. The use of flame
around a filed container is direct in
vitation to catastrophe. The only safe
course on the basis Of the theory ad
vanced for the Pittsburgh explosion
is to permit no grouping of tanks, ts
require safe spaces between them. and
Evening star., 1927-11-15
Taft's Plea for Court Reform
In Trials Excites Interest

obscure the essentials jury should
weigh, rather than to clarity them.
= A presiding judge" this pa
per contends, "ought to have authority
to enter into the evidence, taking part
by questions and explanations more
than, in practice, most Of them do. be-
cause of doubt as to their real author
ity for such action" The Rochester
Times Union finds that lin England
the judge is permitted to explain to
the jury the tendencies Of the evil
dence.' and states that lit is high
time a change was brought about in
this country"
The Milwaukee Journal observes:
"And when Chief Justice Taft gets
down to the lawyers-ah. That may
be a sore point with some of the legal
profession, but it is becoming a good
deal sorer spot with the public at
large. For every one has seen fail.
ures of justice caused by the ability
of eminent counsel to play the part
OF an actor. TO arouse emotions that
obscure judgment, or to create legal
fog in which the light is lost"
Evening star., 1927-11-15
UNITED STATES
in WORLD WAR
Ten Years Ago Today

A number of American soldiers have
been killed and wounded in the recent
Smelling of the American trenches by
the Germans. Clashes with the enemy
are becoming more and more frequent.
The American artillery fire
has been heavy recently and the gen.
eral accuracy of the Americans fir.
ing has evoked the enthusias site com.
ment of the French superior officers OF
the command i'm which are the
trenches occupied by the American
troops. Final check-up of the
first clash with Germans on the West.
ern front places total Of American
casualties at 25. Baron Rich.
totem, Germany's leading aviator.
SCOTS at Americas airplanes and says
we cannot put 10000 trained pilots
into active service. The Brit.
ish. since July /. 1915, have captured
1o1 ,534 Germans on the Western front
alone.
Evening star., 1927-11-15
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

eaten either fresh or preserved with
salt and pickle. The codfish's swim.
ming bladder. known as a sound" is
used either in a fresh state for food
or dried in the sun and manufactured
into 1singlass for clarifying purposes.
The skin OF the Goldfish is used for
manufacture of liquid fish glue and
leather. The fins and bones and other
waste parts OF the fish are utilized for
fish meal and fertilizer. The spawn is
very heavily salted and sent to France
for sardine bait. or when used fresh.
it is prepared by special processes and
sold as caviare. The eyeballs are pre-.
served by the jeweler for making
strings Of beads, and the scales Of the
codfish's skin are used for imitation
Of pearl beads. Last, but not least.
one of the most important parts of the
codfshs body is the liver. from which
cod liver oil is made.
Q. How many chickens are there
on the farms of this country?-L. NJ
A. According to the census of 1925
there were 400 9,290,S49.
@. Is 1t wise to use a concrete
swimming pool as skating rink in
the Winter?-A. T. w.
A. A properly designed and con-
structed concrete swimming pool may
be allowed to freeze over in Winter.
thereby providing skating rink
Many pools are allowed to freeze over
in the Winter until the ice becomes
more than foot thick, without in.
jury.
q. What apples are best at this
time OF year?-P. $. n.
A. Among the varieties best used
at this time are the Delicious, Grimes
Golden, Jonathan, Mcintosh. Mon
mouth, Northern Spy, Spitzenberg.
Wagner, White Pearmain, Winter
Banana. Yellow Bellfiower and Tomp-
! kins King.
K. o. " no discovered f'"'Ae COMET
A. This comet was discovered by
Pons, at Marseille. November &c.
1918. 1t was more fully investigate
by J. +. Encke, for whom 1t was
named.
@. Please give some information
about the bell known as Great Tom.
IT. B.
A. This bell, which Is in the tower
of the Tom Gate of Christ Church, Ok
| ford. weighs $4,000 pounds. Every
| night at 10 minutes past CLOSING
| time) it is tolled.
The resources OF our free Informd.
ton Bureau are at pour serricc. You
are iRrited to call upon it as often as
! BOU please. 1t is being maintained By
| The EUening Star solely to serre you
What questions con ue dnsrer for
, you? There is no charge at oil eTcept
cents in stamps for return post
Gge. Address yOur letters to The
Erening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic j. Hdskin, director, Wash.
! ington, ID. G.
Evening star., 1927-11-15

it is q certainty that thousands OF
Washingtonians know no moro Of II
than a name on a bus.
Not more than a year ago a resident
Of the community asked a downtown
firm to deliver one of its products. to
be met with the reply, why, we do
not deliver on the other side of WIS.
consin avenue"' This same person,
out of curiosity, this week called the
same firm and was told that the firm
now delivers ION certain streets" in
the community.
This is being behind the times with
our Washington. To listen to such
persons talk. stranger might think
that 1.-The other side of Wisconsin ave-
nue." was in Timbuctoo. 1t is high
time that those who are not keeping
up with the procession of Washing
ton get in step.
Evening star., 1927-11-15
Do readers expect too much of

Do readers expect too mucn OF
books?
One is inclined to think so. after
| listening to criticisms offered by those
who believe that every book ought to
contain infinite wisdom.
This applies especially to those who
read informative volumes-works that
set themselves up to tell the reader
about something or other.
There Is, of course, some truth in
the criticism. as there Is in most popu
| lar structures. Where there is sc
much smoke, there must be some fire >
Who is there who has not hopefully
| approached a reference book of some
| sort, eager for knowledge. to discover
| that the book does not give one what
is sought?
Or who has not had the experience
| of buying a book on gardening, for in
| stance, in the hope of getting some
real pointers. to find that there is
scarcely thing in the volume that
one does not know already?
X X X X
There is no book, however. from
which one cannot get at least one good
idea.
This is a truth which ought to be
kept in mind, when reading book OF
any sort, especially "how' books, as
they are sometimes called.
The reader must recall that writer
is human. He is man such as him
self, one who has studied and thought,
one who has had experiences, and now
has written them down for the pleas
ure or edification of others.
If the reader will not expect too
much from the writer. he will he bet
ter able to find and seize the one good
idea Of which we speak.
Commonly one must reach years o:
discretion before he realizes that M
book is going to be perfect, that IL it
have at least one real idea In 1t, new
t. the reader. he has done about all
! t.lat can he expected of him.
The reader. too. plays an importa mt
part.
No two readers heing alike, II is
perfectly possible--nay, probable-that
each one of them will get some differ
snt help from the book, so that. II the
truth were known. our criticized work
affords perhaps / 900 good ideas" to
as many different readers.
The trouble with the average reader
is that he does not allow for his own
book with the attitude Of the man who
goes to play expecting to he dis
appointed. Usually he finds what he
is seeking!
X X II
Since the present reader finally man.
aged to drum into his head the idea
that he must not expect too much Of
any book he has secured a great deal
more pleasure from his reading, al
, ways one Of the major pleasures Of
his life.
He believes that by passing his idea
along to others he will help them get
more from their books. too. Think of
the disappointment that will be saved.
If all Washington can come to the
| mental attitude:
We'll. here is book.
Its title leads me to expect won
ders.
LAS an amateur gardener, | pur'
chased this volume in the hope thai
it would solve my problems.
Here is q beautiful book, the result
of much labor on the part of author
and publisher. Infinite pains has been
taken to put it between artistic covers.
Surely it will be the long-sought
garden mentor!
Surely it will not!
Surely it was written by man
even like unto myself. fallible human
Evening star., 1927-11-15
Durant COrrects
Statement on Age

tt the Ed t0F OF The Star:
Will you allow me the courtesy Of
your columns to correct the report
which has attributed to me the bizarre
opinion that men should die at 35?
OF course, I did not say this, any
more than DIR. Osler made the state.
ment which is associated with his
name. Those who refer to my article
on "The Meaning of Life" will see
that the figure 81 is given as the
physical zenith of man, and that his
intellectual maturity is placed much
nearer so than to 35. Those editors
who concluded that l was approaching
lunacy were justified on the face of
the evidence: but beg you to believe
that the evidence was garbled. and
the conclusion premature.
WILL DURANT.
Evening star., 1927-11-15

@. How many railway postal clerks
are there in service in the United
States?-L. J. H.
A. There are approximately $4,000.
O, What makes the leaves change
color in the Fall?-k. d. X.
A. The brilliant colOrs of dying
leaves in Autumn are due partly to
chemical changes in the decaying
chlorophyll and partly to the exposure
of pigment cells previously concealed
bv an abundance of chlorophyn or
other feature of vital activity. The
eaf drops because it no longer receives
nourishment from the stem or twig.
Q. What are A. B. A. cheques?-
n. r.
A. They are the official travel
cheques of the American Bankers As
sociation. They are certified by the
Bankers Trust Company. New York.
O. How did Education week origi-
nate?-G. II.
A. American Education week un-
doubtedly developed from the move
ment forwarded by DIR. =. p. Claxton
in 1920. then commissioner of educa'
ton. School Life Of October 10,
1920, carried what was apparently the
first suggestion for a nationwide cam
paign for the improvement of schools
and other agencies for education. In
this article DIR. CIGxton designated the
week of December 5 to II as School
week" and urged governors and chief
State school officers to take proper
action to cause the people to use this
week i'm such a way as would most ef
fectively disseminate among the peo
ple accurate information in regard IL
the condition and needs of the
schools, enhance appreciation or the
value of education, and create such IN
terest as would result in better OppOr'
tunities for education and larger ap
preparations for schools of all kinds.
Q. When were building and loan as
socia tions started?-J. w. McC.
A. Building and loan associations
| were first organized in England in
! Birmingham, in 1881. They became
numerous during the nineteenth cen
! tury and acts were passed I'm 1888 and
| 1874 regulating them. The first asso
| citation Of this character in the United
States was organized in Frankford.
suburb of Philadelphia, in 1881. and
| known as the oxford Provident Build
ing Association. Many were organized
in the period from 1840 to 1850, which
may he considered as the real period
of their inception in this country.
Q. Is the violet the national flower
of any country?-C. J.
A. 1t is the floral emblem of
Greece.
| o. What per cent of the Goldfish
is used for commercial purposes?-
j. X.
A. Practically all Of it is. A large
| percentage of the meat Of the body
| of the Goldfish is consumed either
| fresh or in a salted state. The cheeks
and tongue of the codfish's head are
Evening star., 1927-11-15
The Wet Issue.

Both Senator Borah of Idaho. Re
publican, and Senator Walsh of Mon
tana, Democrat, believe that the coun
try is overwhelmingly dry" in senti
ment. But the Idaho Senator is in
tent on dragging the prohibition issue
into the coming national campaign
while his colleague from Montana is
equally insistent that it be kept out
1t seems clear that if the wet and dry
issue be raised 1t will be in the per.
sonality and predictions of the party
nominees. Few, if any, believe that
the Republicans will nominate wet.
Very many persons. on the other hand
believe that the Democratic party is
more than likely to nominate a wet,
Gov. Alfred E. Smith of New York.
Senator Walsh in an address here
before the National Women's Demo.
cratic League, correctly diagnosed the
situation when he said that the nom
ination of IAN outsta nding wet" fol
President by his party would force the
prohibition issue into the campaign,
Nothing could keep it out under those
circumstance unless the Republicans
should also nominate a wet. which is
far from their thoughts. Under the
latter conditions, third ticket, dry
and independent, would doubtless be
placed in the field.
Lack of enforcement Of the eigh.
teenth amenment and the attempt to
''nuliify" the amendment by allowing
individual States to pass upon what
constitutes intoxicating beverages
have aroused the Senator from Idaho.
He wishes his own party to take a
definite stand in its platform for the
enforcement of prohibition. He wishes
men nominated for office, including
President, who are in favor of pro.
hibition ~
In both the Republican and Demo
cratic parties there are vets and drys.
Ii the prohibition issue becomes the
dominant note of the next campaign,
party lines are likely to be sma ashed
in many States. For the wet and dry
issue is not an academic question to
millions of men and women in this
country. 1t is a question upon which
they feel fiercely. But if the two Sen.
ators are correct in their diagnosis of
the sentiment of the country, the
party espousing the dry cause should
be victorious by a huge vote. There
is this to be remembered, however: A
large section of the country which is
dry" in sentiment is also unqualified
ly Democratic because of another ques
ton. A wet Democratic nominee, un
less there is an unprecedented poiiti
cal upheaval, may reasonably count
upon the electoral votes of the "solid
South. The strategy of the vets. in
minority position, Is to force this
large dry section of the country to
support wet candidate. This can be
avoided only by the nomination of a
dry Democrat.
Senator Borah has correctly stated
the issue when he says that the only
proper way to deal with the prohibi
ton amendment is to enforce the dry
law or to repeal the amendment. TIC
attack the Constitution through at.
tempts to nullify part of it is to at.
tack the constitutional form of gov
ernment in this country.
Evening star., 1927-11-15

to forbid the use Of flame ut any time
around any tank that has an explosive
quantity of gas within 1t.
The latest reports of the disaster
show twenty-on dead and so missing
and Ave hundred hurt. The money
loss at the plant itself was at
least one million dollars. while the
damage done throughout the city
amounted to many times that sum.
And all because of some careless ac-
ton, some breach of the first rules of
safety, for which the perpetrators
have paid with their lives and the
community has paid shocking toll.
Evening star., 1927-11-15

Aviators hop off in high spirits, sci.
dom knowing whether they will con.
clude the trip in storm at sea or a t a
banquet board. The hazard is what
gives zest to the sport. Civilization has
found a way to introduce the life-and.
death element. which was thought to
have disappeared with the old Roman
games.
Evening star., 1927-11-15

Among the terrors of revolution"
It is now necessary to figure the dan
ger of flying glass from a shattered
windshield. In spite of the ingenuity
Of warlike enterprise, many of the
dangers are entirely accidental. In the
very nature of the thing, war cannot
be rendered "foolproof."
Evening star., 1927-11-15

Even the most unrelenting foe of
pacifism may be inclined to think that
a little sentiment on that line could
be beneficially introduced into the
Balkans.
Evening star., 1927-11-15

The Associated Press is exelusiyei&v & em.',ri. ois.
20 ne use usSeetsd lit 10 It or not otherwise cred
ted in this paner and also 'he InG1l n1l,o,t,"n m"
ruh,sbet herein All rights OF nnhlIcalIu,'
~ sneniaI dispatches herein are also reserNtn.
Evening star., 1927-11-15

Lindbergh showed skill in managing
1is plane so as to clear away the crowd
that pressed upon it. As a colonel, he
Evening star., 1927-11-15

Eventually England will decide to
take national problems out Of the
hands Of novelists, dramatists and es-
sayists and allow trained statesmen to
d6cide them.