davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1928-12-17
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Perhaps it is better to have the feel
of a period than to- be able TO reel on
the dates of the succession OF rulers.
No doubt it is more helpful to under
stand the history of mans mind than
to be we'll informed on sporadic battles
between two particular nations.
In the final analysis it may be con-
cluded that both phases of historical
remembrance complement each other,
and that he who is able to be precise
as we'll as to understand the gist of
periods is better off than either he who
knows dates alone or knows general
SlantS alone.
History remains one of the great
studies Out of it has come what man.
! kind is. The progress of nations is
what accounts for history as we know
the term today.
The history of mankind has been
wrapped up in the history of the ma
tions. To piece the fragments together
and to make an integral whole of them
| is what Mr. Wells attempted to do.
| Before Wells did it, however, every
schoolboy who ever studied history tried
| to do it in his own mind. His efforts
may have been futile. He may have
given up the task almost before he be-
gan it.
Yet nothing is surer than that the
average student t.. high school or COL
| lege attempts to make for himself some
approach to naturalization of ma
tional histories.
| In this process he is helped by COL
| lateral reading. if he will take the ad-
vice Of the teacher and the lists of
books at the end of the chapter.
X X i
Today biography, ever the hand
maiden of history. has been turning our
conceptions of history inside out and
upside down. Where once biography
was a dull, Understanding thing. now
| 1t becomes as readable as a romance,
j! the equal to fiction.
There is some danger in this. Men
and women who never wrote before are
leaping into books at an enormous pace
with accounts of men and women of
unusual temperamentS or capabilities.
One cannot help having suspicion
that too many of the nresent-day biog-
raphieS are frothy, not only in the
actual accounts of lives, but even more
in their selection of subjects.
Life has been combed for thrills, and
great unst&i1s, as Tell as great men,
get t.leir histories told in fat volumes
witel startling jackets at $5 per shot.
100 OICen Cne SlanC or the writer
upon his subject is essentially lacking
in common sense. We may have so
and-So, the Man. only to find that the
real man is not presented to us at ALL
but only his foibles.
The great mass of honest work turned
out during a long lifetime by the sub
tect of the memoir takes fourth place
in the estimation of the biographer,
who insists on telling us what his hero
ate for dinner instead of how he did his
work
Between such short-sighted and ephem-
eral works and the stuffy biographies
Of the older days stands such a Schol-
arly work as the late Albert j. Bever-
idge's Lincoln" in which much of the
modern manner is tempered with old
fashioned common sense.
History, whether one remembers
dates or not, and whether he takes it
in the form of straight history or enter
tanning biography. will remain one of
mans favorite readings as long as man.
kind stays as versatile, as entertaining
| and as foolish as 1t has always been.
Evening star., 1928-12-17
Prince Is Punished
For Leaving Land Idle

From the Chicago Daily Tribune.
Crowded italy has punished a prince
for leaving his land idle. Empty
America might discipline q man for
working his land too hard. The land
balance here is high, with more land
than men. There it Is low, with more
men than land, and no one Lan adjust
it. For 100000 people Italy has 49,
100000 acres of pillow land. For no.
100000 people the United States has
391 900. 900 acres of pillow land. Pasture
lands, forest lands, relative fertilities
add to Americas proportion, and from
an overwealth of acres of good earth
America suffers, as Italy suffers, from
deficiency.
A welcome fault, no doubt, for time
is always on the side of surplus land.
But the bitter contrast still is there
italy is poor. She cannot buy abroad
the food that she may need. America
is rich, but needs little from abroad
that land produces. Per man, Italy,
with her hand labor, can produce barely
enough food to feed her many laborers.
Per man, America, with her machine
labor, can produce far more than her
few laborers can consume. In poor
Italy the prices of farm products surely
must go up. In rich America those
prices fall. Impoverished by surplus.
the American farm family's reward for
a year of labor and management is only
$648. Depressed and driven by def
cheney, the Italian peasant barely keeps
alive.
Emigration to America, says the Ital-
ian. should be the answer. But emigra-
ton helps none but the few who emf
CRATE. To its old level of population
and standard of living say the experts,
Italy would promptly come again. And
In America would be lower living
standard and new workings on the land
to increase the farm surplus. Further
competition will not help the American
farmer 1t will ruin him. And if
America hopes to keep rural popula-
ton, an agrarian independence, a sturdy
country stock, work must be done to
solve the farms production problem.
Improved methods may help. Cheaper
land may help. Superpower and the
decentralization of industry may help.
Tariff may help. Farmer organizations
may help. Boosting market for the
surplus crop may help. There Is this
and that solution lying in the states
mans laboratory-Some are legislative,
some are industrial, some trust to the
course of nature.
But the first problem Is the working
land 1t works too hard. 1t builds more
into crops than we can use. And when
America learns to use her lands pro-
ductively for other than the routine
crops of fodder, food and clothing fibers
the farm problem will move along we'll
toward solution. Forests to grow and
regrow on our soils are an undoubted
need. Rubber, tea. may yet have posi-
bilities. Parks and preserves, swamps
for flood control, are public ways OF
taking land from crop production that
are more than justified. Golf clubs,
shooting grounds, landing fields, add
their little bit. 1t deserves a thorough
study. To find productive uses for the
land aside from crops is complex
problem that may have great results.
Evening star., 1928-12-17
ElowerY Family Trees,

In the upper right-hand corner OF
this page Frederic J. Haskin, by means
of questions and answers, conducts a
daily compendium of general informa-
ton which is a widely read and highly
valued feature of The Star. Therein a
day or two ago he presented the inter-
esting information that between the
years TIT and TITS no fewer than
10000 convicts were sent to the Amer
lean colonies by British prison authori-
ties. Their terms were thereby ma
terially shortened If not entirely can
celed and the various colonies thus pop
ulated with persons many of whom
needed but new chance to make some
thing out of their lives, and most of
whom we're more than ready to defend
their new homes against aggression
either by Indians or the colonists of
rival European powers
IN addition to these actual convicts
there were thousands of redemption
ers," unfortunates who sold themselves
fer a term of years into mild form
of industrial bondage. upon whose ex-
piration they were their own men once
more, ready and willing to embrace the
numberless opportunities afforded by
the new world about them. Many other
men also started the voyage about one
Jump ahead of a sheriff, q constable or
a bailiff, and made good on the west
ern shore. The curious thing about it
all is that, apparently, none of these
people ever married or had progeny
at least it seems impossible to find any
one living in the United States today
who was descended from them
One is likely to be somewhat sympa-
thetic with the moderns, especially in
the Southern States, who enjoy and
emphasize certain degree Of luster In
their ancestry. 1t is nice to be descend
ed entirely from nobility or gentry,
even impecunious and lazy younger
sons who found England unfertile for
their talents If not positively dangerous.
On the other hand, 1t would be refresh
ing some day to read of the death or
the marriage or the promotion of a
sood, successful American who frank
ly and proudly admitted that his first
American ancestor was Will Cutpurse,
who SO successfully responded to the
new atmosphere and fresh opportunities
in which he found himself that he be-
came an honest artisan. married the
daughter of Robin Rattan, the overseer,
cleared large slice of likely land and
raised a family of bakers dozen of
husky sons and buxom daughters.
Evening star., 1928-12-17
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

and boulders be used in building a fire.
| place?-M. E. D.
| A. The Bureau of Standards saws in
regard to the use of lake shore pebbles
/ or boulderS in fireplaces there are GER
tain types of stone which should not be
! placed where they will receive an inten-
| sity Of heat. The firebox should be
| lined with firebrick but many types of
stone may be used in the facing and
arch, where the heat is not great.
Granite or quartz rock is usually the
| least resistant to heat. and may be
| cracked If placed where the fire may
| reach them. Sandstone, limestone or
| quartzite will withstand considerable
heat without cracking.
! O. In colonial days were indenturcd
servants good laborerS?-P. D.
| A. Writing on this theme. c. NJ.
| Andrews says, There is no doubt that
! lndentured servants in general made
very poor laborers."
@. Who introduced the sugar indus
| try into the Philippines?-F w.
| A. Sugar cane has been grown in the
| Philippine Islands since time immemo-
| rial, but it is considered probable that
the sugar industry was introduced by
the Chinese. since many OF the early
| implements used came from China,
c. Who holds the record for type
writing for one hour?-H. S. P.
A. Albert Tangora won the world
championship at Sacramento, Calf,
on September 90 1923, writing at the
rate of 1872 net words per minute for
one hour. In this contest every five
strokes made by the operator when
writing was counted as a word. This
has been the case each year since 1924
The best f1ve-Stroke record made L.
contest was 1873 five-stroke words for
one hour, made by George L. Hossfield
| in the contest of 1927. Mr. Tangora
made a record of lat net words per
minute for one hour in the 1923 con-
| test, counting words rather than strokes
| On the basis of five strokes for a word.
Mr.. Tangoras record in that year would
have been practically the same as that
made by him this year.
@. How many scientists docs the
| Government employ under civil service?
C. E.
I A. The Federal civil service employs
nearly $500 engineers of various kinds
more than 1000 chemists and large
numbers of other technical and SCI
entific workers.
@. How many people are cared for
by the Travellers Aid in Washington
| l.. r.
| A. During the year 22,672 persons
were cared Cor. OF these 1890 were
| placed in temporary lodgings. 1859 were
children travelling alone and 942 were
immigrants. many of whom spoke no
English. The aged and feeble, run
away children, sick persons and those
stranded without funds were also
| helped.
O. When was the Children's Bureau
! created?-B. r.
A. 1t was created by act of Congress
| in 1912.
@. How much more space does steam
occupy than water occupies PA. N. NJ.
| A. Steam at atmospheric pressure
will occupy nearly 1,700 times the space
of the same weight of water at that
| pressure.
| @. BY what name was Whistler's
'The Music Room" first known?--L. c.
! A. The picture has borne three titles
| The first was "The Morning Call"
Evening star., 1928-12-17

Stop a minute and think about this
fact: You can ask our Information
Bureau any question of fact and get
the answer back in q personal letter.
1t Is a great educational idea intro
duced into the lives of the most intel
ligent people in the world-American
newspaper readers. 1t is part of that
best purpose of a newspaper-service.
There is no charge except 2 cents, in
coin or stamps, for return postage. Get
the habit of asking questions. Address
your letter to The Evening Star Infor-
nation Bureau, Frederic j. Haskin, di-
rector, Washington, d. G.
@. What is the average number OF
tie games in rolling duck pins?-H. I. S.
A. The National Duck Pin Assoc1a-
ton says that the average number OF
tie games is 2 in every 200 games.
@. What is lapis lazuli?-W l.. E.
A. LapiS lazuli Is stone whose
characteristic color is rich azure blue,
occurring usually in small, rounded
masses and frequently showing spangles
of iron pyrites Lapis lazuli is prob
ably the sapphire of the ancients, and
is still much valued for ornamental pur-
poses.
@. How many kinds of dates are
therein. E. G.
A. More than 1000 different kinds
of dates are known to the Arabs, but
from 10 to Is have proved CONNER
cially profitable in the United States.
@ How many automobiles are there
in the world per capita?-A. N. T.
A. The estimated world population
for 1928 is 1,900,000000. There are
28,70O, 900 motor vehicles in operation.
or one car for every 81 persons. The
United States hos more machines per
capita than any other country. The
ratio is one car for every five persons.
In Abyssinia there Is only one automo-
bile for every 81, ,743 inhabitants.
O. How many Frenchmen died in
Panama in De Lesseps attempt to build
a canal across the Isthmus?-G. w.
A. 1t is recorded that the French
lost altogether 22189 men during the
nine years work on the Panama Canal.
@. What percentage of school children
are in co-educational schools?-M. @.
A. Today 96 per cent of the pupils
in American elementary schools are in
co-educational institutions.
@. Who has the direction of the
foreign affairs of the United States?-
j. K.
A.. The Secretary of State is charged
under the directions of the President
with negotiation of whatever character
relating to the foreign affairs of the
United States.
@. Who erected Perry's victory
memorial?-B. S.
A. This memorial, at Put in Bay
Ohio, was erected by the United States
Government and the States of Ohio
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Wis
consin, New York, Rhode Island, Ken
lucky and Massachusetts,, commemorate
ing the battle of Lake Erie, September
13, 1873 1t is 352 feet high, and cost
more than million dollars.
@. How many cathedral magazines
are there?-W. w.
A. It is thought that the Cathedral
Age, published by the Washington
Cathedral, is the only magazine of the
kind.
O. Why shouldn't lake shore pebbles
Evening star., 1928-12-17
Modern Inventions Are
Menace to Politicians

From the Charleston Evening Post.
In the recent political campaign pre-
vious comment by speakers supporting
the party candidates in which decidedly
uncomplimentary things had been said
was freely served up to the public, with
more or less embarrassing effect -"
In England they are carrying the
deadly parallel farther and presenting
it more realistically than in the printed
word. 1t Is purpoSed by opponents of
Winston Churchill, when he takes the
stump in the next campaign preceding
q general election. to support the doc
trine of protection as a tariff policy. to
follow Immediately with photographic
reproductions of speeches made some
years ago by the energetic Winston In
which he proclaimed with character
istic vigor his belief in the traditional
BRUSH policy Of free trade
In their eagerness TO reach the null
tltudes OF the moment statesmen will
need to be especially careful of their
utterances lest what they are putting
"on the air. Is not also going into the
can, to be served at some future time
When the face Of things has changed
materially.
Evening star., 1928-12-17
Federal Tax Receipts.

The Treasury report on taxes paid
during the last fiscal year shows, as
might be expected, that New York State
led all the rest In the total paid. In
deed, the Empire State turned in 26 so
per cent of the total for the country.
Pennsylvania came second, and third
place went to one of the States of the
South, North Carolina. The heavy taxes
OF the Tar Heel State were due to its
payments on tobacco manufactures.
The tobacco taxes reached new high
record for a year, about $20,o00,00o
more than ever before.
The District of Columbia did its full
share toward the support of the Gov
eminent, as indicated in the total which
it paid into the Treasury in taxes
$i6,360, ,745.95 in income taxes and
$824,7o816 in miscellaneous taxes. The
per capita tax in the District was $3l.13.
The Federal District paid in more taxes
to the Government than did twenty-s
of the States.
New York's total Federal tax was
$753,1S5 ,o2314, of which about $685.
100000 were from income taxes. Penn
sylvania's contribution reached in round
numbers $24e, TAI 900 and North Caro-
lina's $225, $4,000. In North Carolina
however, the income tax returns reached
only about 100000, while the mis-
cellaneous taxes paid by that State, in
cluding the tobacco taxes, reached the
large sum of $204, 100000.
The Treasury report showed there
had been decline in the total income
tax paid amounting to about $45,o 900, 600
or two per cent of the whole. S,tbstan'
tial increases have been made in thl
etamp collections during 1928. howeyae
Evening star., 1928-12-17

boy scouts" The phrase had not been
sent spinning along the wave lengths
many hours before an irate letter ar
rived from a ScoutmaSter in a Mid
western State. II demand the name Of
the Republican leader you quoted on
the air last night" he wrote. "If you
don't care to give it, request that you
tell him that he has insulted 100000 of
the finest young men in America by
usurping their name for an ironical
eplthet."
4 X x
If anybody wants to know what it's
all about at the Pan-American Union
these days, where delegates from 20
American republics are fashioning amid
war a plan for peace in the Western
Hemisphere, a nugget of information is
here conveyed. It's an extract from
the speech of DR.. r. ]. Alfaro, Minister
OF Panama at Washington and chair
man OF his country'S delegation at the
conference:
We must here debate, and, If pos
slble, agree upon, the general prin-
clple that We must always decide by
arbitration the question of whether
a controversy Is or Is not comprised
within the limitations put upon the
treaty. 1t is unquestionable that if
the Slgnatory nations reserve the
power to say that such and such
controversies come within the ex-
ceptions of the pact and are not
subject to arbitral decision-then we
will have disguised under the name
OF obligatory arbitration what in
fact would be only optional arbitra-
ton"
That is what may be called the milk
in the american arbitration CO.
conut.
Mrs. Herbert Hoover, as First Lady
of the Land will, of course be a COM
plete novelty in respect of the unique
background she will take into the White
House. What is less generally known
about her is that she will be the only
Presidents wife who was ever under
gun fire. 1t happened during the Boxer
rebellion at Peking in 1900. Hoover,
then engineering in China, had house
in the foreign compound near the
American legation. The region for
many hours was raked by Boxer fire.
couple of American friends, drop
ping In to see If Mrs. Hoover had found
retreat for safety, were .aStonished to
discover her, in the midst of shrieking
shells overhead, calmly playing solitaire
IN her living room. Presently a can
nonade sent the house to rocking and
Mrs. Hoover's playing cards were tum-
bled to the floor. The fire kept up
and while it did so the American wom-
an proceeded, unabashed. to pick up
the cards, set up the fallen table and
resume her game.
Copyright. 1927
Evening star., 1928-12-17

A young woman of Washington, D. c..
Miss Hazel Arth, wins high honor in a
radio contest to award prizes and schol-
arships. The radio has promoted a
great deal of jazz 1t has also demon
strated that America may depend on
Its own resources for musical talent.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

Homicide mysteries have become so
common that the reading public turns
Tor relief to the changes in politics and
the excitements Of the stock market.
So-called human interest" has been
overworked.
Evening star., 1928-12-17
Rate by Mail-Payable In Advance.
Maryland and Virginia.
All Other States and Canada.
Member Of the Associated Press.

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled
to the use for republication OF all r9ws dis
patches credited to It or not otherwise cred
tied in this paper and also the local rews
published herein All rights OF publication OF
special diSpatc hes herein are also reserved.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

Everybody desires peace. The his
toric question so frequently raised re-
lates to whether peaceful methods will
suffice to secure 1t.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

Energetic demonstrations in govern
mental circles indicate that there are a
number Of fighting cocks among the So
called 'lame ducks"
Evening star., 1928-12-17

Paper Is being made of cornstalks.,
The farmer must patiently consider a.
new disadvantage If the silo is to be
depleted for the benefit of literature.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

A small country is too often likely to
regard Its independence as related to
the privilege Of disregarding advice and
conducting small war OF its own.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

Underworld activities enable the man
with gun to assert himself with less
poetry but more influence than the man
with the hoe.
Evening star., 1928-12-17
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Modern Improvement.

Modern Improvement.
Old Santa Claus Is not concerned
With reindeer and sleigh.
His plans for journeying have turned
To methods of today.
In recent years when, from afar,
Among us he would pass,
He got himself motor car
And stepped upon the gas.
And now he makes a change again,
AS holidays draw near;
He hastens in an aeroplane
To bring us Christmas cheer.
And where the little chimney place
Was joyously revealed,
He wants broad acreage of space
To make landing field.
Spellbinding.
"You have held many audiences spell
bound!"
YES" answered Senator Sorghum
But didn't seem able to keep every
body well hypnotized after they got into
the voting booths"
Jud Tunkins says he wants farm re-
lief. He's tired of paying restaurant
prices when he goes to town for to-
mato that didn't bring him two cents.
Unlimited Versatility.
The radio announcerS need
Accomplishments which all should heed.
Music and art they must recall,
And pugilism and base ball.
Political Dominance.
Are you still strong for the idea of
votes for women?"
"Of course" answered Miss Cayenne.
"But I don't quite favor the growing
idea that we should eventually go so
far as to make the question of votes
for men an issue"
"Let us reverence the wisdom of the
past" said Hi Ho. the sage of China
town, without failing in respect for
the new wisdom that has replaced kite
flying with aviation"
Acquired Taste.
Some orators like olives seem,
AS new ideas strike 'em.
At first they sometimes spoil dream
You've got to learn to like em.
"A sermon intended to wake de men,
bers of de congregation up" said Uncle
Eben, "has to be well managed SOS not
to end by putin 'em to sleep"
Evening star., 1928-12-17
Rate by Carrier within the CITY.

The Evening Star. ..... .45c per month
The Evening and Sunday Star
(when Sundays ....... soc per month
The Evening and Sunday Star
twhen S Sundays) ...... csc per month
The Sunday Star ............5c SC per copy
Collection made at the end OF Zach month
Orders may be sent in by mail or telephone
Main 5000
Evening star., 1928-12-17

While respected as benevolent saint,
Santa Claus Is also recognized as the
original high-power salesman.
Evening star., 1928-12-17
Naturally He Did.

from the Sioux City Tribune.
We hasten to remark Fthat Presi-
dent-elect Hoover received warm
welcome In Chile.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

The Evening Star Newspaper Company
Business once:
18th st. and Pennsylvania Ave.
New York once: ll0 East 42nd st.
Chicago once: Tower Building.
European once: II Regent St.. London.
England.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

AsHIN TON, D. c.
MONDAY. December II, 1928
Evening star., 1928-12-17

@. How much more space does steam
occupy than water occupies?-A. N. NJ.
A. Steam at atmospheric pressure
will occupy nearly 1,700 times the space
of the same weight of water at that
pressure.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

Some orators like olives seem,
AS new ideas strike 'em.
At first they sometimes spoil dream.
You've got to learn to like 'em.
Evening star., 1928-12-17

@. When was the Children's Bureau
created?-B. r.
A 1t was created by act of Congress
in 1912