davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1928-12-13
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

perpetual motion is impossible. So
much for the theory! On the other
hand, most people believe that some
thing very close to 1t may be reai1zed
some day or other.
In regard to weather forecasts made
whole year in advance, common sense
tells one that it simply can't be done,
yet the perpetual hope OF mankind in
short cuts and miracles leads one on
to the simple feeling that maybe the
fellow will hit it, after all
What wonder worker he is, to be
sure! This hardy man has dispensed
with the elaborate daily telegraphic
service of the Federal weather agency,
He has done away with its thousands
of employees and. therefore, does not
have to pay them the hundreds of
thousands of dollars which Uncle Sam
must fork over annually.
Yet despite these handicapS he
calmly sits down and writes off the way
the weather is going to be for the en-
tire year in prospect AS far as any
one could say to the contrary, he could
just as easily do the same for the next
five years, or the next decade, or the
next century.
He is nothing if not thorough. OF
course, he allows himself bit of Iati-
tude. He does not say that There
will be snow in the District of Co.
lumbia on January l." The United
States Is too big to permit Of such a
precise prediction as that.
He merely indicates that during the
first three days of January there will
be cold weather" generally throughout
the country.
he 4
the more he is likely to feel that this
that he will be found correct that we
intend seeing that our coal supply is
up to the minute.
Yes. the more one thinks of his dar-
ing, the more he is Milling to admit that
it Is going to be reasonably cold on
the New Year,
The testimonials, of course, are the
most interesting reading of all. In
them one finds raw human nature,
hopeful, friendly, buoyed up by faith
and an intense desire to be helpful.
man who will take two bottles of
medicine wants to be helped. He is
expecting to be helped, and evidently
Is willing to believe himself aided at
the first favorable sign.
1t is questionable whether most medi-
cine works first on the mind or on the
body Here is Mrs. Simon j. Lonacre
of Cross Roads, Ohio, who was ailing
for many years until friend induced
her to try your grand remedy"
After six bottles she was we'll again,
and wants to urge the wide world to
try half dozen bottles, too, that they
may recover in their turn. Although
the reader may have little wrong with
his internal economy. if he have one
tenth of the imagination possessed by
a half grown grasshopper, he will con-
slider the proposal of sending for a
half-dozen bottles on his own account.
1t is comforting to read of all these
aches and pains which so many brothers
and sisters have had, and inspiring to
understand that today they are free
from them.
One feels as did Lucretius' man on
shore when he saw the mariner buff
feted by the waves. He was glad, not
that the sailor was in trouble. but that
he on the shore was safe from such
misery
So the reader cons the pages of the
almanac, happy that he is free from
such illnesses. He lays 1t aside, making
a mental note to check up on the
weather prediction for next January.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

the office does not exist for Mr.. Cool
idge," observes the Fort Worth STAR
Telegram independent Democratic),
with the added comment: There is
something very refreshing in the spec
tacle of a President who can take his
turn and, having had it. clear himself
entirely out of the way to allow his
successor a free REIN" The shadow Of
the coming President is seen also by
the Davenport Democrat (Democratic)
and Rock Island Argus independently.
Behind the dissolving figure of CAL
vim Coolidge" says the Omaha World
Herald Cndependent), looms the
mounting figure of Herbert Hoover.
And SO intently does the world await
what he viii have to say, when clothed
with power and burdened with reSpon-
sibility. that the familiar strains of the
Coolidge message to Congress fall, we
fear, on somewhat indifferent ears"
The Syracuse Herald independently
the Harrisburg Telegraph Gndepend-
ent Republican, see mo more than a
reiteration of the Presidents views" on
measures already presented.
This is no swan song: it is the gen.
tie sigh that precedes repose," asserts
the New York Evening World (inde-
pendentl, and the Little Rock Arkan-
Stto OSfIIOCIdt NLSIuOCIGIICJ emphasizes
the Unconditional" character of the
message The Tulsa World (independ-
ent) calls it "coldly impersonal and
confined to stark facts. its phraseology
yet rising at times to the heights Of
literature"
.Only on two keenly controversial
questions, agriculture and power. did
he take sides, and here he reasSerted
his familiar position" AYERS the DAYTON
Daily News independent Democratic,
while the Memphis Commercial Appeal
(Democratic) describes the document
as 'the echo of confidence from the
noise of political victory" and the
Scranton Times (Democratic) believes
that chief criticism against it. We
rather imagine. will be because of It's
negative character"
There is not much in the message"
in the judgment of the Louisville Cou-
rier-Journal independently. that could
not have been jotted down in advance
by any one familiar with the situations
with which Mr.. Coolidge dealt"
Evening star., 1928-12-13
The Senate Chamber.

Senator McNary of Oregon has in
troduced a resolution proposing that
the law providing for the recon5truc-
ton of the Senate chamber be sus-
pended His proposal is both wise and
proper from a sentimental ground. The
legislative appropriation act for the
present fiscal year authorized the re-
construction of the chamber. Plans
have been drawn. The plans for the
new chamber call for the removal of
the Senate lobby, the Presidents room
and the Vice Presidents room, pushing
the north wall of the Senate chamber
to the north wall of the building itself.
The new chamber would be semi
circular, with cathedral windows in the
north wall. An appropriation of half
a million dollars has been authorized
for this work.
The reason advanced for the change
was the need of more direct ventilation
for the benefit of the health of the
Senators. The impoSsibility, however,
of having open windows in the Senate
chamber, especially during the Winter
months when the Senate is always in
session, is apparent The mortality of
Vice Presidents might be expected to
increase by leaps and bounds. since the
Vice Presidents chair would be only
about eight feet from the windows in
the proposed north wall. The House
of Representatives has just completed
the installation of a new ventilating
plant 1t has not changed the con.
struction of its chamber, however, Il
is planned now to place similar ven
tilating system in the proposed new
Senate chamber Senator McNary anc
those who are with him in his op
position to the drastic change in th'
historic Senate chamber are urgin;
that the Senate try out this new ven
Evening star., 1928-12-13
A Meeting of Pioneers.

The Presidents address yesterday to
the distinguished group of leaders and
pioneers in the aeronautical world gath
cred here for the first meeting of the
Civil Aeronautics Conference vas in
the nature of summing up of avia-
tons relatively short history; sketch
OF the foundations now laid to support
the great structure of the future, the
dimensions of which are just beginning
TO take shadowy form in the minds of
the builders. One of the notable fea-
lures of this address was the fact that
its recountal of the WORK of pioneers
was delivered to the pioneers themselves,
for in the Presidents audience sat men
whose names are synonymous with the
development of aviation from the be-
ginning Wright, Fokker, Caproni, Lind
bergh, Chamberlain, Courtney and
others. They have lived to see the trails
they blazed become beaten paths.
The purpose of the conference, how
yer, is not to dwell upon the glories of
the twenty-five years that have passed
since Orville Wright and his brother
flew their crude plane over the dunes
at Kitty Hawk. The conference, bring
ing together some one hundred and
twenty-five delegates from thirty-nine
foreign countries, hopes to undertake
the practical task of obtaining inter-
national uniformity of laws and reg
ulations governing the mounting tide Of
air travel. The magnitude of this task
makes it unlikely that the breaking up
of the conference will witness the draft
of formal treaty, the need of which is
beginning to make itself felt. But the
discussions and conferences arranged
for the delegates will no doubt develop
concrete expression of ideas which
eventually may find their way into a
code of international law covering COM
mercial aviation. BY the close of the
conference these delegates, through the
interchange of opinions and Informs
ton, will have gained better under
standing of some of the general trends
in their chosen field, to equip them for
their part in controlling the destinies
of a new form of endeavor.
One is impressed by the similarity be-
tween the aims of this conference and
those of the international Radio Con-
ference held here last year, when sew
enty-nine nations were made signatories
to the draft of code of laws governing
the international aspects of radio. Ra-
dio and aviation, infants in the world
of industry, have grown so fast that the
business of keeping them properly
clothed is one of the pressing necessities.
The radio conference led to the crea-
ton Of an international bureau and to
plans for series of quadrennial inter-
national conferences, the next one of
which will be held in Madrid in 1892
1t is probable that the present gather
ing. called by President Coolidge, will
take similar steps to pool and make
available to all nations the discoveries
and developments In the field of COM
mercial aviation.
Evening star., 1928-12-13
District Views Approved.
National Capital Is Source of
Pride for Entire Nation.

To the Editor of The Star:
AS citizen born here in IT desire
to add my approval of the article on
the District of Columbia written by
former president of the board OF the
District.
The particular section which inter-
eSted me was work for MFR. Hoover as
follows: will the incoming President
be able to force the application OF prac-
tical business methods for the relief OF
the overcrowded public schools OF the
National Capital? In the name OF little
children it is hoped that he can do So.
The District of Columbia, in the last
analysis. is the Capital of the United
States. 1t is the home of the Nation.
Municipal activities which elsewhere
would be purely local in character take
on national aspect. The people OF the
entire country have a direct interest IN
the territory in which is located the
seat of their Government"
In regard to this latter statement
let me say, personally, that even the
nearby citizens of the States of Mary
land and Virginia have an erroneous
idea of the relationship of Congress
toward the District of Columbia.
During the recent presidential cam
paign Virginian visiting Washington
for the first time told me that it had
been noticed down his way that the
District people wanted more from Con-
gress, and as Congress appropriated
everything for the District, why did
they clamor for the vote? This point
seems to me TO bear rather close rela-
tionship to the statement of the former
president of the Board of Commission
ers in the District. to wit: THE people
of the entire country have direct in
terest in the territory in which is 10
Gated the seat of their Government"
How can they have a constructive in
terest in the territory if they are not
intelligent on the subject?
My experience has been that the con-
Servative business men and public
spirited residents of Washington City.
who say so little and contribute SO will
ingly and generously to national cele
brations have the sense of national
pride, and in this group may be includ-
ed adjacent Virginia and Maryland citi-
zens who aided in the buying of the
ground for the White House in 1900.
These citizens could contribute much
information on the lack of education
and understanding of the laymen of
OF Columbia with regard to Congress.
Information on municipal affairs, as
well as national interests might be dis
tributed by the ever-ready radio and
press to the people, the educational in
stitutions, the visitors to the National
Capital and laymen of the States seek
ing accurate knowledge
ELEANOR DAVIS.
Evening star., 1928-12-13
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Appeal to Ancient Friend.

Appeal to Ancient Friend.
Are We growing misanthropic?
This is something to be feared.
BY some old hilarious topic
We no longer can be cheered.
The banana peels that throw us
Animate no merry jest.
And mother -in-law will show us
Many thought that's for the best
Elephants and donkeys grinning
Have departed on their way,
While the syncopated SHINING
Brings no joy-compelling lay.
Santa Claus! Here Is letter
Which is free from idle chaff!
Bring us something new and better
To produce an honest taught"
Evening star., 1928-12-13

Take advantage of this free service.
If you are one of the thousands who
have patronized the bureau. write us
again. If you have never used the
service, begin now. 1t is maintained
for your benefit. Be sure to send your
name and address with your question
and incloSe 2 cents in coin or stamps
for return postage. Address The Eve
ming Star Information Bureau. Fred
eric j. Haskin. director, Washington,
d. G.
@. How many laws of all kinds are
there on the statute books?-V. K.
A. 1t is estimated that there are
100000 laws on the statute books of
the Nation, States and municipalities
@. What is meant by technical posi-
ton in the stock market?-A. G.
A. This is used in reference to an
artificial condition of the market, which
has been brought about usually by
manipulating or overspeculation - an
unnatural level of prices, which cannot
last.
@. What do o. S. and N. S. Nqean
when placed after dates?-E. L. r. -
A. o. S. means old style. N. S.
means new style. This refers to the
change in the calendar. There were
II days difference.
@. Can the President remove an ap-
pointee whose term has not eXpired?-
c. G.
A. The Supreme Court recently con-
f1rmed the power of the President to
make a removal of an appointee be-
fore the expiration of his term.
Q. Who we're some of the famous
skalds?-E. Meg.
A. The word "skald" Zone of the Morse
poets who in primitive times reclted
long compositions in verse usually in
honor of the great and famous) comes
from the old Morse "Skald," meaning
poet" They were minstrels of a high
order. often attached to the court. The
earliest of these skalds was the myth
cal "Starkadh, the old" The follow
ing are among the most famous of his
successors: Thjodolf, author of "Ynglin-
gatal," and Thorbjorn. the minstrel and
author of "Haraldsmal." Both of these
flourished at the end of the ninth CEN
tury at the court of Harold of the
Bright Hair. In the tenth century
lived the Norwegian skald Eyvind, who
sang the exploits of the famous Hako-
narmal, and the Icelander Egil, who
gave his name to the Egils-Saga. The
last of the skalds was Skurla, who died
in 1884.
@. What is meant by the Treasury
balance?-C. v.
A. The Treasury balance is the
amount held in the United States Treas
1lry each dav after all the Government
receipts and payments for that day have
been taken care of.
@. How long does it take for the soft
spot on a baby's head to disappear?
W. D.
A. There are usually four such spots
discernible on the skull of a newly born
infant. All but the anterior or great
fontanel close within few months
This closes about one year after birth
but in some cases persists during the
second year.
@. What is social wasp?-H. r
A. Social waSps are those that live
| in colonies and are all papermakers
| Their nests are sometimes of large SizS
| and shelter a great many individuals
@. Will Spanish moss kill tree?-
j. w. w.
A. AS a general rule Spanish mos.
| will grow on trees without proving {
hindrance in any way There are case:
on record when it would seem thai
! Spanish moss has contributed to tht
| death of a particular tree, but othel
/ factors also were present.
| @. How many warehouses hole
Evening star., 1928-12-13
Gives Plan to End
Startling Nuisance

To the Editor Of The Star:
Concerning the starting nuisance on
avenue. discussed in Sun
days Star. it occurs to me that this
could be eliminated by the very simple
expedient Of harvesting the seed pods
on the sycamore trees that line the
Avenue. 1t is this food supply that at
tracts the birds. I have not Mr..
Hoover's statistics on it, but doubt if
it would take half dozen park en-
ployeS more than several days to harvest
the crop. Cost of harvesting the pods
probably would not exceed damage to
citizens clothing and automobiles.
The additional purpose would be
served of giving employment to a few
of the unemployed.
FAY B. McCONKEY.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

If anybody consults Vice President
Dawes, he is likely to be assured that
the Office he now relinquishes is not as
it used to be--one that calls for good
natured self-effacement. Bringing the
U. S. Senate to an attitude Of Difference
to official authority is one of the larg-
est tasks of the time.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

Not a Comfortable Seat, Either.
From the Springfield. Mass, Union.
In a few more years, perhaps, old
timers on the New York Stock Ex-
change will recall with more or less
fondness the good old days when a
seat could be bought for 100000 or
less.
Evening star., 1928-12-13
Our favorite reading Is the almanac.

Our 1aVOrlte reaOlHS rs TIC diiild4iaS'
1t must have begun ih youth. We can
see the same course Of instruction in
operation today. Often small boys fol-
low after the dispensers of almanacs,
carefully picking up the booklets Wher-
ever the man left them.
Usually this bright trick is not in
dulged in until after the man has
passed off the block. Thus he never
knows that his patient efforts have
gone for nothing His employer, of
course, is equally in the dark.
As long as the man left with 5000
almanacs, and returns with an empty
bag slung over his shoulder, all is O. K.
AS far as the man is concerned, he
knows that he was true to his trust. II
the boss asks Did you put one at each
door?" he can truthfully reply, Eyes,
sir"
A fellow can't be expected to do
police duty after he has worked block:
He has yet other rows to attend to, and
must be about his business.
e If Johnny Junior, aged 5, and Tim
my, aged IL, come along five minutes
after he has gone, and collect the en-
tire batch, surely no one in the world Is
to blame except the system.
Thus a boy as boy gets the patent
medicine almanac complex, so that when
he is grown he never departs from it.
Small samples of foodstuffs often are
thrown around from door to door. One
wonders what happens to John and Tim
when they gather two or three dozen
samples. Such a result no enterprising
manufacturer could foresee.
X X 4 X
Our particular favorite is the al
manac which contains the long-range
weather prophecies.
It doesn't matter how much the
United States Weather Bureau sneers
at such prophecies, there remains a
sneaking notion in the head of the
average man that maybe it can be done.
One Is willing enough to admit that
Evening star., 1928-12-13

Theatrical revivals are interesting in
disclosing that while costumes and turns
of speech may change, the underlying
principles of human impulse remain
very much the same.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

A few European economists are in
clined to intrust finances to American
thought without admitting that 1t rep
resents the most wisdom, but conceding
that 1t represents the most money.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

the tortures of insect pests in Chaco
as being extreme. Other writer's tell
of the Chaco mosquitoes and other
insects as being terrible, but allege that
they do not exist on the east side of
the river. They interfere with stock
raising Throughout Chaco, and the
country is still unsettled and occupied
only by barbarian Indians.
tCopyriSht 1925. by Faul V. Collins,
Evening star., 1928-12-13

Some of the most entertaining read
ing one can find costs neither time nor
money, since it may be picked up on
the front door step as one enters.
Whether it should be claSsed as flc-
ton or biography we leave to the astute
professors of literature; certainly the
average home owner cares not what IL
may be just so long as it interests him:
We refer, of course, to the Thousand
and one circulars, dodgers, patent meal
cine calendars, etc, which are plenCl-
fully sprinl,led around the city.
Some of these are seasonal affairs,
such as the almanacs, many of which
are being distributed at this time, owing
to the inminence of the New Year.
Butchers handbills crop up almost
any day. There seems to be no season
when the populace does not eat meat.
Then there are any number OF Dodgers
thrown around in the interest OF nler-
camille establishments with neat articles
to sell, ranging all the way from SILK
stockings to aluminium pans.
All of these specimens OF printed mat
ter are placed upon doorstepS or IN
mail boxes by young or OLD men VINO
seem glad of the OPPORTUNITY to pick up
sum of money whose extent must te-
main in doubt.
The granddaddy of these bill pasSers
is a patriarchal-lookin old fellow. With
long white beard and a surprisingly
spry step. He makes one think or a
dwarf vet is nearly feet tall, although
stopped
Once he made mistake and passed
two bills to the same side OF the street.
Realizing his bluuder. he retraced his
steps and demanded the return OF the
second bill.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

Threats of an influenza epidemic
should call for personal consideration
for the health of others. They are
nothing to be sneezed at.
Evening star., 1928-12-13
Games.

I'm sorry you got mixed into crap
game"
"It isn't so dignified as the stock
exchange. But it is content with more
moderate sums and works faster"
Evening star., 1928-12-13

So many great statesmen now write
for print that serious deliberations are
liable to be interrupted by the boy who
comes along and calls for copy"
Evening star., 1928-12-13
Particularly Is Miles Out.

From the Sioux City Tribune.
1t Is reported that gambling ship
is doing business Is miles off the Pacific
Coast. Why worry about individuals
who will travel out Of bounds just TO
get skinned?
Evening star., 1928-12-13

If Mussolini were as powerful as he
at first appeared, he would now be one
of the men to be relied on to restrain
any thought of another war.
Evening star., 1928-12-13
Quietude Impossible.

do you favor quiet inauguration?"
"Cf course. But how are we going to
get ite Even If we refrain from cheer
ing and singing on the sidewalk, in
Vulnerable visitors will make the roar
of traffic something tremendous"
Evening star., 1928-12-13

AS usual, those who caShed in early
on Wall Street are shrewd investors.
Those who got caught in the receding
market are gamblers.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

When great disasters become frequent,
resentful inquiry is hindered by the
fact that the latest causes forgetfulness
of the others.
Evening star., 1928-12-13
High Power Saint.

Dear Santa Claus! Dear Santa Claus
You keep us all in line.
The world admires you now because
You are salesman fine.
Evening star., 1928-12-13
Relief.
/ of farm relief"

ANY prospect of farm relief"
considerable, answered Farmer
Corntossel "It looks like we won't be
expected to go on sittin' up nights
listenin' to talk that doesn't mean much
for us agriculturists.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

The Evening Star Newspaper Company
Business once:
nth St and Pennsylvania Ave.
New York once: Ito East 42nd st.
Chicaco ONCE: Tower BUILDING.
European once: IL Regent St.. London.
England.
Evening star., 1928-12-13
Rate nv Carrier within the City.

The Evening Star .. 4sc per month
The Evening and Sunday Star
(when 4 Sundays1 ...... 6Oc per montn
The EVENING ami Sunday Star
twhen Sundays. .65c per montn
THE SUNDAY star .......... SC per copy
Collection made at the end OF each month.
Orders may be sent in by mail or telephone
Main 5000.
Evening star., 1928-12-13

"a jazz band" said Uncle Eben, "is
a great comfort to lonesome folks dat
'ud rather hear loud noise dan nothin'
at ALL"
Evening star., 1928-12-13
Printed Pages.

To Letters, with deep reverence we look
For joys that must endure.
The Calendar joins with the Pocketbook
In Christmas Literature.