davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22
''Merciful Killing
Of Sick Is Assailed

From the Columbus, Ohio. Dispatch.
A certain type of mind likes to daily
with the thought of showing mercy by
taking the lives of persons supposed to
be hopeleSsly i'll of some painful malady.
jury in France has started the dis
cussion anew by acquitttng a young
Englishman who had taken the life OF
his own mother under such ctrcum-
stances.
Though some have argued in favor
of giving legal authority to physicians
to take life in such cases, the idea has
not as yet been imbedded in the laws
of any civilized State, nor do we believe
that any considerable proportion of the
medical profession would be at all will
charged with such responsibility.
The trouble with the supporters OF
such an idea is an utter lack of ability
to realize its consequences. Let us sup
pose that the idea should gain such
Roadway as to make 1t possible for a
legislature actually to write it into the
statute books of the State: What would
be the effect on the minds of thousands
of persons whose health might be so
fragile as to lead them to think that
they might come within the scope of
the law? With many of them, the
suspicion would be inevitable that their
relatives, their physicians, their friends,
we're actually contemplating their 'mer-
ciful removal from hopeless suffering"
Under such conditions, there would be
innumerable cases of utter mental and
physical breakdown in persons who,
without the strain of such suspicious,
would have recovered their normal
health The whole idea Is so repugnant
to right thinking and humane feeling
that it will never get the legal sanction
of civilized States, no matter what
mentally befogged jury may occasionally
decide.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22
Protection Is Asked
From Orange Worm

From the San Antonio Evening News.
While fighting the Mediterranean fruit
fly in Florida, the Government should
not neglect its defenses against another
serious citrus peSt--the MoreloS orange
worm--along the Texas-Mexican border.
The United States Department of Agri-
culture in a letter to Representative
Garner Of Texas emphasizes the need
of increased vigilance in this sector:
THE force of inspectors at ports of entry
along the Mexican border is inadequate
to give necessary protection to the large
agricultural interests of the South"
The situation is perhaps more serious
than generally is realized: Within the
past few weeks the Governments agents
have found infested fruit in six Mexican
markets opposite Texas citrus territory,
and the insect easily might cross the
Rio Grande.
are in the Lower Rio Grande Valley or
other Texas citrus region. Orchardists
have co-operated with the Federal and
State authorities in Graduating the pest
and maintaining quarantine against
it. AS a precaution, Webb County cit
rus growers lately requested that the
restricted zone be extended to cover
their orchards. The Federal and State
governments should meet this spirit
half way by appropriating adequate
funds for making the quarantine effec-
tive and keeping 1t So Meanwhile the
Bureau of Entomology is carrying on its
fight against the insect in Mexico, as
siSting the officials there. Texas citrus
industry is expanding rapidly and will
continue to increase for years to come,
if no disastrous insect invasion shall
prevent. Surely this is an asset worth
safeguarding.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22
Public Borrowing
Decrease Is Shown
From the Atlanta Journal.

From the Atlanta JOURNAL.
State, county andsmunicipal bond IS
sues for the 10 moi ths ended october
81, although they tosaled above billion
dollars, were considerably less than for
the parallel period Of recent years. In
1870, the aggregate fDr those 10 months
was about 1927 500 ,0a0, which record was
raised ra in 1927 to the speak of 81 .254 49,
600. The 1929 f1gureS are approximately
81 ,097 100000. This SSeport includes only
new issues, and tates no account Of
the vast public losins previously out
''i EVidently, there / slowing down
of what few years ago was the wild
drive of municipal. county and State
borrowing--and more too soon. The
caution of economists, which then too
often went unheeded, has translated
itself into terms which taxpayers now
at last Is taking tne wheel. Public
bond issues have thtir place undoubt-
eddy; indeed, there are necessities which
they alone can pr4vide, emergencies
which they only cas- meet. But like
all extraordinary measures they are sub
ject to abuse, so much so that as rene
dies they not infreq3ently have proved
worse than the illf Georgia fortu-
nately kept her head and stuck to her
tried policy of moderation throughout
the bond Juror. Shy is stronger today
in consequence. stronger not only in her
public finance, but asso In appeal to in
vestors seeking escape from excessive
taxation.
This we point out. not to renew dis
cuSsions which have been happily con-
Guided but simply re-emphasize the
Importance of States or a commu-
nity's thinking well before breaking with
traditions that have long been its COM
pass and chart The forces of change
may be depended upon, as a rule, to
work as swiftly as the common good
requires, and when the old order has
| ceased to BE- of use, 1t is certain to
fall away, though not as soon as We
| sometimes wish. But the burden Of
! proof is Oh the innovator. A policy
| that Is working we'll Is worth keeping
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22
Movie Film Industry
Held Aid to Nation

From the Charlotte. N. c., Observer.
Will Hays, head of the motion pic
ture industry, made talk few days
ago to the New York Board of Trade,
in which some information of interest
was given as to the development of that
line of business. Among the facts dis
closet by Mr.. Hays are these: The
total capital necessary to the industry
has climbed to $4,000 900, 600, dis
tributed among nearly 100000 stock
holders of the great producing COM
panies and thousands of others who
participate in theater ownership
throughout the country. The industry
employs $4,000 men and women We
use 150,000,000 feet of negative Aim in
this country each year and 100000 o.
900 feet of positive film."
Mr.. Hays claims that the direct serv-
ice to business is incalculable Besides
the sales potency of motion pictures for
all products shown on the screen, one
company alone uses 100000 pounds of
cotton year, and more silver is used
by the motion picture industry than
for any other purpose except the COIN
age of money. I'VE are writing $4,000
motion picture advertisements a day"
he puts into evidence. land the wide
scope of the selling field requires the
expenditure of approximately 100000
600 in advertising during 1929. Export
of positive film during the first nine
months of this year increased 41,000, 900
feet over the corresponding period OF
1928 and the Department of Commerce
estimates that for every foot of Amer
lean motion picture film which goes
abroad a dollar returns in stimulated
trade" The figure is said to be Con
sentative" 1t is public appreciation Of
the value of the motion picture enter
tainment that has developed this in
dustry into one of the largest in the
Nation. The average motion picture
audience in the country has grown to
100, 000, 900 a week.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22

not needed for the extinguishment OF
flames. The Fire Department person.
mel rendered valiant and valuable service
in the rescue of the victims of the blast,
while all the available policemen were
necessary to keep in control the i'm
mense crowds that gathered to gaze
upon the scene of the tragedy.
The later alarm was for blaze that
called for an unusually large part of
the city's Fire Department. Indeed, it
summoned nearly every piece of appa-
ratus in the District. But for the
prompt response and effective service of
the firemen the flames would have
spread, to cause a tremendously heavy
less of property and perhaps loss Of life
as we'll. Some of those firemen had
been laboring for two hours at the scene
of the Seventh street disaster when
they were rushed to extinguish the
First street blaze
Yesterdays experience thus demon
strateS clearly the fact that the Dis
trict is lacking in a Fire Department
reserve as well as a sufficient police
force. Had those two alarms occurred
together, within half an hour Of one
another. a much more grievous loss
would have been suffered. Had third
alarm been sounded in the same in
terval the city would have been in
serious difficulty. 1t would have been
necessary to call for help from the
neighboring areas, perhaps from Bal
timore.
The chances of such a coincidence
are, of course, slight; but, whatever the
percentage, it is painfully evident that
the city is not sufficiently secured. Yes
terday's happenings should cause
speedy increase in both of the defense
departments.
Praise is due to the firemen and to
the police and to the hospital stats for
the services rendered yesterday in
rescuing and caring for the victims of
the Seventh street blast. They all
worked effectively, and but for them the
loss and suffering would have been
sadly increased.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22

in local history would have resulted.
This tragedy, it Is believed, was due
to some defect In or some mishandline
Of q water heating boiler located in the
basement Of the establishment, in 9
vault under the sidewalk. The exact
circumstances may perhaps never be
fully determined, although several in
Quiries have been instituted in addition
| to the coroner's inquest that opens to-
day. But it should be possible to ascer-
tain whether the blast was due to in
competent or negligent supervision over
the boiler or to some latent and undiS-
coverable fault in the mechanism or
the metal of the apparatus.
The location of heating and power
boilers under the sidewalks was per-
mitted in former years and many OF
them were so placed. Then came re-
vision OF the law to forbid any further
installations of this character, with the
imposition of strict regulations for the
care and upkeep of all boilers already SO
located, to prevent disaster. While no
more such installations were permitted,
those already existent were thus made
safe as far as the requirements of strict
care and skillful handling insured.
This boiler, located beneath the side
walk, proved fatally defective, or else
the control of it was faulty. 1t is TO
be hoped that the facts may be clearly
developed and that the responsibility
may be definitely placed. But even
though clear understanding of the
cause of yesterdays disaster may not be
had, 1t is incumbent upon the District
government to conduct a searching ex-
animation Of all similar appliances to
assure against repetitions of yesterdays
horror.
1t is, of course, to the interest OF all
persons and companies owning and using
premises on which such boiler outfits
are maintained to keep them in the best
of order and to assure the best of care
and handling. This is true whether the
boilers are located within the limits Of
the building or beneath the sidewalks,
for responsibility for disaster rests upon
them In any case. 1t is to be assumed
that every owner, therefore. will with
out official prodding, safeguard himself
against loss and the public against in
jury by guaranteeing the integrity and
the proper management of all high
pressure apparatus.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22

This is a special department devoted
solely to the handling of queries. Thi1
paper puts at your disposal the services
of an extensive organization in WASH
ington to serve you in any capacity that
relates to information. This service
is free. Failure to make use of 1t de-
prives you of benefits to which you are
in coin or stamps inclosed with your
inquiry for direct reply. Address The
Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic j. Haskin, director, Washing
ton, D. G.
@. Do more people in automobiles en-
ter Canada from Detroit or from Nj
agara Falls?-E. j.
A. Windsor, across from Detroit, pass
ed Niagara Falls this Summer as point
of entrance for automobile tourists.
More than $4,000 American automo-
biles went into Canada through Wind
Sor, as compared with 100000 from
Niagara.
Q. When w,re tops invented?-
H. E. H.
A. There a. many references to the
top in classical literature. There are
several words in Greek for tops; one for
the whipping or peg top, another for the
humming top. These words are found
in the writings of Homer. 1t is claimed
that tops were known In England as
early as the fourteenth century.
Q. Who is the governor of the Phil
ippines?-R. @.
A. Dwight F. Davis is the present
governor.
q. When was the Conscience Fund
started in the United States Treasury
w. M.
A. The Conscience Fund was opened
with contribution of SIS in 1911. This
is the popular name for moneys received
from persons unknown at the Treasury
Department. The total deposit in the
fund to date is $577,203.3I.
O. When were patents first given as
protection to inventors?-J. G. c.
A. In very early times in England the
reigniag prince considered himself en-
titled to grant privileges of the nature
of monopoIies to any one who had
gained his favor. These grants became
so numerous, oppressive and unjust that
during the reign Of James Q603-25) a
statute was wrung from the King de-
claring all grievouS and inconvenient
| monopolieS to be void. There was q
special exception from that enactment
of all letters, patents, grants and privi-
| legeS OF the sole working or making
| of any manner Of new manufactures
within the realm to the true and first
| inventor" Upon these words hangs the
whole law of letters and patents for In
ventions.
O. What is the origin of the wore
"maelstrom"?-J. A. B.
A. 1t is Danish. Male means grind,
and strom. stream" The Danish mael.
| strom Is a great whirlpool in the sea.
@. What is ozone?-J. w. L.
A. Ozone is q family blue gaseous
| substance obtained CASUALLY much di-
luteO by the silent discharge of cleo.
| tricity in air or oxygen and by other
methods. 1t is SO called from the
| peculiar odor which recalls that Of
weak chlorine. It is much more
powerful oxidizer than oxygen gas anC
Is comparatively unstable. 1t may bt
| condensed to a deep blue magnetic
| liquid boiling at -119' centigrade
| Ozone Is used in bleaching sponge!
and straw and for sterilizing. Its ad.
vantages lie In the fact that it i
not toxic and leaves no Objectionable
residue in water. The introduction o.
| slight amounts of ozone in crowded
| rooms is found to Offset the bad eff.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

fects by oxidizing these impurities. It
eXertS a stimulating action on the
salivary glands. Its existence in the
atmosphere, except very locally and
temporarily, as about an electric ma
chine. has never been conclusively
proved.
Q. At what age are Italians liable
for military Service?-F. L, p.
A. Subjects of Italy are, under the
Italian military laws, liable for military
service from their twentieth year until
December 81 of the year in which they
became 80 years of age.
@. How were the colors Of the French
tricolor choSen?-H. T. T.
A. The blue and red cockade was
the badge of the city of Paris. The
union of this and the Bourbon white.
produced the tricolor, the badge OF
France since 1889.
@. Have appeals been made to the
United States Supreme Court in re-
gard to the use of the air for radio
transmission?-M. T. C.
A. Several cases are before the STU
preme Court at the present time.
ton of oranges in the United States?-
M. s. D.
A. The average American eats 70
oranges a year.
Q. Which is purer, imported olive
oil or domestic oil?-J. NJ E.
A. Practically all of the olive oil
now on the market is pure. If con-
templating the taking of olive oil
incidentally the California olive oil Il
considered more pleasant to the taste.
Both have the same value.
@. What is the origin of the term
| "hocuS pocuS"?-J. H. W.
A. Various fanciful derivations have
been invented for the term, but moth
ing definite is known. 1t was probably
invented by jugglers in imitation OF
! Latin.
@. Do goats eat tin cans?-E. v.
| A. While it is not true that goats
| is probably the paper labels on the
cans that attract them.
@. What was the former name Of
the ship which Byrd took to the South
Pole?-W. ]. H.
A. The ship which Byrd took to the
South Pole was built by K. Larsen in
1885 and has had the following names:
Samson, Bellsund, Jacobsen and its
present name, City Of New York.
@. How should business letter be
started which goes to a firm composed
of women? To a Arm composed of a
man and a woman?-B. @.
A. It Is correct to use the Salutation
| Dear Mesdames" in corresponding
with two or more women who are in
business. A Washington business school
says that the salutation Dear Sir and
Madam" Is correct to use when the Arm
consists of a man and woman.
@. Please give a short sketch Of S.
| s. Van Dine.-L. r.
A. Willard Huntington Wright Is. S.
Van Dine) was born in Charlottesville,
Va, 1888. He was educated in st. Vim
cent College, Pomona College and Har-
ward He married Katharine Belle
Boynton of Seattle, Wash. July Is,
1907. He has been literary editor of the
New York Evening Mail, Los Angeles
Times: art critic of Forum and In
ternational Studio, editor of Smart Set
Magazine, dramatic critic of Town Top
les, also literary critic. He has been
art and literary critic of several other
outstanding magazines and is a writer
! of prominence.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22
Not Enough Police and Firemen.

The close conjunction of a fatal boiler
explosion and a six-alarm fire in the
downtown district yesterday gave the
Fire and Police Departments of this
city an exceptionally heavy task. For
tunately, there was an interval of about
two hours between them, else the city
would have experienced the dangerous
stress of inadequate equipment that has
been often cited as possible In arguments
for an increase in both branches Of the
municipal defense establishments. As
It was, the two alarms SO to speak, over
Tapped in q way to handicap both
departments severely.
The first alarm--that for the Seventh
street disaster-called the IRE engines
80 we'll as the nrlice.. thealEh then were
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

What became of the child which
EpictetuS, the great Stole philosopher
adopted in his old age?
This is another of the mysteries OF
antiquity which time has never solved
In the great upheaval caused by the
gradual extinction Of the old pagan
gods and the adoption of Christianity
as the official state religion OF the 10
man Empire, all that had any connec-
ton with the old times was allowed to
drift into oblivion.
Even the last resting places Of such
good men as the Emperor Marcus
AureliuS Antoninus, Seneca, EpictetuS
and Cicero we're forgotten.
What priceless treasure today would
be the authentic pottery lamp by which
Epictetus studied!
1t is gone, lost in the relentless CEN
turtles. OF those days and ages only a
few stones are left, showing the Wis
dom of the ancientS when they put
their trust in rock for physical monu-
mentS.
The cup from which Socrates drank
hemlock-where is it?
The stylus which the brave man
Titus CaruS LucretiuS used is no more
There is not so much as shred left OF
the cloak of Plato or silver of the
ruler held by Archimedes.
All that has come down to us is what
their minds sought, what their busy
hands wrote down or other hands care
fully preserved of their thought.
Intelligence alone endureS. And is II
not significant that the intelligence OF
these men was manifested principally
III regard to the universal laws of hui
man kindness? They too, knew love.
4 II !: X
nj
than roof and a rude bed to call
his own. Epictetus nevertheless was the
respected and admired philosopher.
A bachelor by profession and choice
he permitted other men to marry ana
raise families admonishing them only
to keep well in mind that all outside
a mans mind was not his own, and
that wife and children we're but lent
by God.
Such a man as this, 1t might be sup
posed, would be the last in the world
to adopt child. The circumstances OF
the adoption were such as could not
prevail anywhere today.
1t was one Of the blots on antiquity
that men were allowed to expose un-
wanted infants, to place them soms-
where to die, in other words.
If at times we tend today to feel
that our civilization is no civilization
we have but to read Of some of tn.
customs of times past.
Many actions today unthinkable were
tolerated 1000 years ago. They were
left-overs from the utter cruelty of re-
mote ages. when survival and nom
survival were all that counted. 1t Il
a long road over which humanity has
come, and the more We explore it the
stranger 1t seems.
Epictetus heard that a friend of his
was going to expose" an infant son
The innate goodness of the old philoso-
pher could not bear to think of it.
He accordingly adopted the boy.
X 4 X X
What was a bachelor to do with q
baby?
Here was a pretty fix for a member
of the Stole sect Of philosophy to gel
himself into!
For a Stole, of all men, was least
supposed to show pity His whole lie
was devoted to resisting the effects OF
evil and the very appearances of evil
BaSically. this philosophy was a men,
tai hardening of ones self to the worlc
as it is, especially in its crueler aspects
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-22
Inadequate Diplomatic Fund
Linked With Loss of Phillips

Our failure to do so is not only stupid
parsimony, but bad policy. 1t deprives
us of the services of men like William
Phillips deprivation we can i'll at
ford"
< * x
"Only one department. that of
Labor" remarks the Louisville Courier
Journal, Gin the fiscal year of 1929 re-
ceived less than the important agency
for maintaining peace and good will be-
tween the United States and the ma
tons of the world. The appropriations
for the foreign service are far behind
Americas new position as the outStand-
ing power. A niggardly attitude on
the compensation of Ambassadors and
diplomats has persisted, and today
Americas representative at the Court
of st. James receives from the Govern
ment a salary that is but fraction of
what 1t costs him to maintain his es-
Enlistment. This situation obtains in
greater or less degree all down the line.
AS an example of the situation, 1t Is
pointed out that in the Al countries In
which the United States and Great
Britain have missions two American
diplomats-the Ambassadors to Peru
and MeXico-are paid slightly higher
compensation than the British diplo-
mats. In the remaining 80 the British
Ambassadors and Ministers receive
$50S,074 more than is paid American
chiefs of missions"
The Buffalo Evening News gives
prominence to the fact that the Cana
dian post is one about which President
Hoover has very deep concern, for there
are pending between the United States
and the Dominion several problems on
the successful solution of which the adj
ministration sets great store" The
Manchester Union argues that when
niggardlinesS impairs, as it does, the
efficiency of our foreign service, 1t de-
mands attention" The Newark Eve
give Mr.. Stimson the support he needs
to make the diplomatic service more eff
fective"