davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
Protests Sunday Acts
Called sERecreatiOnal''

To the Editor of The Star:
Permit me to raise humble protest
against the phrase blue laws" as APP
piled to the pending Sunday rest bill
The matter of innocent recreations"
may be debatable; but the query imme-
innocent. Who is to be the judge2
One might refer to the time-honored
conception of the first day of the week
as the Lords day" and declare that
only such activities should be publicly
recognized as are consistent with that
thought. Whatever may be claimed for
the movies, base ball surely Is not in
cluded in that category. The writer en-
joys base ball and has noticed that un-
restrained excitement is an essential
concomitant of the game and Sunday
games are no exception. Several times
it has been my lot to return home on
Sunday afternoon via Wisconsin avenue,
passing two games of this kind, and
each time unrestrained hilarity was a
conspicuous feature OF the game.
But the heart of the matter Is the
labor question. 1t is not necessary TO
confuse the issue by introducing the
question of necessary toll. 1t Is acknoWi-
edged by most people that six days OF
physical exertion in any vocation should
be the maximum. After visiting sew
eral Of our large cities unhesitatingly
declare washington to be the worst in
this respect Of any city have seen.
Drug stores and few lines OF special
favorites may be seen open universally;
but never elsewhere have seen car
tracks repaired and public buildings in
process of erection on the LORDS DAY:
How these activities can be included
in the list of innocent recreationS"
passes my understanding and remains
to be proved by the opposerS OF the
Sunday rest bill.
WILLIAM j. SEELYE.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
The Census QUESTIONABLE.

When is q person unemployed-and
how do you word questions that will
draw out the fact?
This is the problem considered by an
advisory committee comforting on a
QUESTIONABLE to be used by Federal
census takers.
Secretary Lamont of the Department
Of Commerce stressed the importance Of
Uncle Sam having the cooperation of
those intimately familiar with and di-
rectly concerned in this enumeration.
Industrial leaders and research special
lists participated In the conference.
w. s. Steuart, director Of the census,
emphasized that one OF the main pliY.
poses of the questions will be to distin-
guish between persons who are unena-
ployed-whether they are physically
able to work and seeking Job, or just
plain chronic loafers.
The tentative question-"Does this
person have q job of any kind?"-pro-
voked discussion as to how much infor-
nation of real value this would produce,
especially where persons might be EN-
ployed on "makeshift jobs" A skilled
mechanic might temporarily be moving
lawns or doing some outside work far
removed from his normal trade.
This led to such tentative questions
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
War Medals.

Secretary Good disapproves any fur
Their extension of the time limit for
granting World War decorations.
His objections seem sound. Times
and standards of conduct have changed
in the past ten years. Judgments of
heroism have changed with them.
Then heroism and self-sacrifice were
commonplace. Only extreme examples
were sufficiently outstanding to attract
attention. AS these came to light they
were rewarded with military decora-
lions according to their due. A high
standard was maintained. The man
entitled to wear D. S. G. was one who
had rendered extraordinary service.
But conduct which seemed ordinary
then would be considered extraordinary
now. accommodations for decora-
lions, however unconsciously, would be
judged according to lower standards
The halo Of war memories surrounds
all war acts. This is a progressively
increasing halo. Half a century hence.
II the time limit for the bestowine of
medals were continued indefinitely. it
Is likely that almost any overseas vet
eran left alive would be favorably con-
sidered for any decoration whatsoever
1t Is not improbable that some acts of
extraordinary heroism have been over
looked, due either to the modesty OF the
men concerned or to unfortunate COM
bnations OF circumstances. Some vet
Grams may be wearing decorations they
do not deserve and others, who deserve
Medals Of Honor, have nothing. Such
a condition is inevitable in any distribu-
tlon OF awards. Special means NAV be
found to correct outstanding mistakes.
The TACT remains that to continue in
definitely the open season for. medals
only would cheaper the decorations
themselves. They would tend to be-
come more and more mere designations
OF World War service rather than
marks Of extraordinary heroism above
and beyond the demands of duty.
Memory is tricky Already we are
drifting into the days of war legends
what once was routine now seems
heroic to the actors. Their magma
lions are laying the foundations of the
tales they will tell their grandchildren
a few fieeting years hence. They are
connecting what happened to them with
what happened to other people into
single incidents In which they them
selves are the central figures.
1t is not dishonesty. Nobody would
accuse the Civil War veteran sitting in
the sun and spinning his impossible
yarns OF dishonesty. 1t Is simply the
way the human mind works.
This phase Of human nature certainly
would enter into the granting Of war
decorations for much longer period.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
Up to the Budget Bureau.

Held responsible in the past for Dis
trict budgets that amassed a surplus
and called for expenditures far below
available revenues, the Commissioners
this year have placed the issue squarely
up to the Budget Bureau, departed from
customary procedure and publicly urged
the budget officials to approve a bud
get that local revenues can support, re-
gardless of the fact that it is the larg-
est ever to be submitted. Accompany
ing the budget the District Commission
ers sent a carefully drawn explanation
of every new item of expenditure rec
commended, and Auditor Donovan's let
ter, which followed submission Of the
budget, has gone into detail regarding
the sources and amounts Of available
revenue.
The House appropriations subcom-
mittee last year was unable to under
stand why 1t received from the Budget
Bureau budget that left District funds
unspent in the Treasury, while there
were actual needs untitled by failure to
spend them. After a great deal Of ques-
tioning the committee developed that
the Commissioners original estimates
had been returned by the Budget Blu
reau; that the Commissioners had
trimmed them in accordance with Bud
get Bureau demands. and that the bu-
reau, after its own trimming down proc
ess, had forwarded them to the Capitol.
Nevertheless, the Commissioners were
criticized for having failed to give the
Budget Bureau list Of supplemental
estimates, or alternative estimates, that
the Budget Bureau might have seen At
to substitute for the items stricken out.
The Commissioners have guarded
against a repetition of such criticism
this year by emphasizing not only the
nature of new items of expenditure, but
by giving the Budget Bureau a clear
picture of the Districts financial con-
dition, to show that a certain number
of dollars will be raised by taxation and
available for spending. If the Budget
Bureau chooses to cut this years list
of estimates 1t win not be cutting down
the number of these dollars. It will
merely be delaying their expenditure.
There are several arguments against
the accumulation of a surplus of Dis
trict revenues In the Treasury above
the ordinary requirements of surplus
to maintain the municipality on a cash.
paying basis. The greatest argument is
that there is real need for spending
the money, and beginning the expendi-
ture Immediately. Another argument is
that surplus constitutes q temptation
to some Of our legislators, and it is
likely to be spent according to their
whins and not as the politically i'm
potent taxpayers would have it spent.
And If q surplus Is accumulated there
should be reciprocal reduction In tax
alton. The District pays as it goes. If
it is not permitted to go as far as de-
sirable, the payment should be reduced.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17

warner, vice consul at Geneva, and
Mss nellie B. Stogsdell, vice consul at
Beirut,
The Junior Senator from Arkansas,
who still immortaliZeS himself in the
Congressional Directory merely as ct.
H. Caraway, Democrat. Jonesboro," and
lets 1t 60 at that, is certainly the busiest
bee now buzZing on Capitol Hill. The
cynical "Thad" had been back in Wash
ington from brief vacation less than
"a hours this week before he cleared for
action in the following fields: % Con-
sideration of q policeman's flimsy ac-
cusation of graft among his fellow blue
coats; ca recall of foreign diplomats
who Intentionally violate the traffic
laws in Washington; 80 investigation
of the Hobbies and lobbyists who are
"Swarming" in the Capitol, and a. a
blast, through the Democratic national
committee, on the subject of President
Hoover's alleged tariff w1ggling and
wabbling.
Chairman Legge Of the Federal Farm
Board Is looking for somebody in Wash
ington who put an H" in his name,
as the first letter of a supposed middle
name, but for which, the Chicagoan
says, there's no foundation whatever.
Being Of Scotch, and not English, ex-
traction, Legge adds that he'd have no
occasion to drop his III" even II he'd
ever had one. An imprinted yarn about
the Farm Board chief executive con-
Germs his intervention in the surplus
corn crisis of 1925. At this instigation,
the International Harvester Co. offered
to exchange agricultural machinery for
corn at 81 bushel-at a time when
corn was selling on the farm at from
so to so cents bushel. The Harvester
company eventually took delivery Of
tens Of thousands of bushels. Its action
prevented corn prices from tumbllng
still lower, because of the tremendous
surplus. The company's purchases were
held until they could be marketed at a
fairly remunerative rate. Legge won
his spurs in the corn belt for all time.
Ambassador Claudel told a delightful
story about Gen. Gouraud one-armed
French war hero, at this weeks reunion
Of the Rainbow (42nd) Division in
Baltimore. In the midst Of battle dur
ing the victorious Franco-American
offensive in July, 1918, several American
women on duty in an Army canteen
where the bullets were flying the
thickest resolutely refused to desert
their posts. After the war Gen. Gouraud
told the women that he had recon-
mended them for the Croix de Guerre
THE ladies declined the honor" said
Ambassador Claudel, insisting that
none but soldiers deserved so high a
distinction"
Copyright, 1920
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17

as: "If this person has q job is he on
layoff or on leave without pay?" us
he actively looking for a job?" How
long has he been without a Job of any
kind?" IF he has no job is he physical
ly able to work."
This shows that in adopting a formula
Of questions extreme care must be used
to ask general questions that will bring
out the essential facts-disclosin the
real reasons behind unemployment.
1t was decided to omit from the cen-
sus young people who are just seeking
their first job and to include in the
unemployment only those who have
been at work.
Careful preparation Of the qucs-
tionnaire will facilitate the collection and
compilation Of information regarding
unemployment and make the statistics
true basis for corrective measures and
industrial computations.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
Suggests Replacing
: Small Pipes Now

To the Editor OF The Star:
Now that certain of our streets are
undergoing rebuilding, and in view of
the fact that the gas company and the
water department are at this time
replacing or causing to be replaced the
small, worn-out gas and water service
pipes, preparatory to the widening or
rebuilding process on these streets, I
suggest that the gas company be urged
to now replace the present old mains
with larger mains In order that pres
ent and future demands be provided
for locally, as well as the increasing de-
mands OF the suburban localities.
The gas company admits that many
existing mains are already too small,
and too near the surface of the streets,
and that eventually the city will have
to be repiped, owing to the city's ex-
pansion, and the change from coal and
oil heating to the use Of gas as the
modern heating fuel.
II eventually this change, why not
now run in the streets being torn up
the necessary size gas mains, which can
be extended, as occasions require, or as
fast as the adjacent streets are rebuilt?
In this way our beautiful and costly
streets would be spared from being con-
tinualIy broken I'D and injured.
CHARLES II. RAuB.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17

with an alkan. The resulting COM
pound is filtered through fuller's earth.
@. When were Harvard and William
and Mary established?-M. C..
A. In 1886, the General Court Of the
Massachusetts, Bay Colony voted f4O0
for establishing an Institution Of learn
ing. The first building was erected in
1887. This became Harvard University.
The College of William and Mary and
its antecedents reach back to the effort
begun in 1917 to establish in Virginia
the University Of Henricopolis. The
Indian massacre Of 1922 brought this
effort to naught. The charter for the
College OF William and Mary was issued
in 1873 by the English King and Queen
for whom it was named.
Q. Was the word We, meaning the.
pronounced with the sound OF y?-J. T.
A. Ye was an old method Of print
ing the article the. 1t is sometimes in
correctly pronounced We.
@. How many stars are visible?
M. S.
A. The number Of stars visible that
can be seen by person Of average eye
sight is only about 1000. The number
visible through the telescope has been
estimated by j. z. Gore at 10000, 900
and by Profs. Newcomb and Young at
100,000,000.
@. Should white lacquer or enamel
be put on steam radiators?-J. K.
A. White lacquer or enamel may be
applied to steam radiators without i'm
pairing the efficiency. The Bureau OF
Standards says that any good interior
paint or enamel may be used. Bronze
or gold should be avoided.
Q. VIII there be a new Waldorf-As-
toria?-H. N.
A. A new hotel with the same name
will be erected on the block bounded
by Park and Lexington avenues. Forty
ninth and Fiftieth streets, New York
City 1t will be 40 stories in height.
contain more than 1000 rooms and
baths and cost $40,0oo,o0o.
@. How many missionaries have the
Protestant churches in foreign fields?
IN. E. N.
A. The total Protestant mission
forces are about 3Nge00. North America
in the past has furnished more than
half. About 1.500 new missionaries are
needed annually for replacement OF
those retiring. In the last few years
North America has not furnished her
usual quota, in 1928 sending 667.
e E. s So" IS Dan LUIS N'' '''
A. San has broad a sound. Luis
is pronounced loo es, with long e. accent
on second syllable. Rey Is pronounced
as if spelled ray.
@. What would happen If the earth
stopped suddenly?-F. L.
A. The late Camille Flammarion, the
noted French astronomer. has expressed
his opinion as follows: Were the earth
suddenly stopped in its course, the
shock would be transmitted by recoil,
so to say, to all the constituent mole
cules of the terrestrial globe. as II
each received a stunning blow: the
whole earth would be instantly lun1i-
nous and burning, and an immense con-
fiagration would devour the world"
@. Why are bulldogs so called?-C. D.
A. Bull batting, sport once pop
ular in England, but declared illegal.
consisted in attacking bulls with dogs
especially trained for that purpose. The
bulldog seems to have been developed
for this sport from short-eared mastih
called "alaunt."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
Foreign Protests on Tariff
Debated by American Editors

posed rates that have no genuine eco.
nomic Justification"
THE American tariff has been the
butt OF foreign criticism for a long
period. II it were feasible for foreign
countries to take reprisal they would
have done so long since" AYERS the
Worcester Evening Gazette tinde-
pendenD, while the Wheeling Intel
ligencer Republican, contends that
Congress may be safely trusted to FIX
schedules that eQualiZe foreign produc-
tion costs with our own in essential
industries. Anything more than this
would be an indirect and undeServed
subsidy. Anything short Of this would
be lack of needed and justifiable pro-
lection to American wage and living
standards"
The dominating consideration nat
urally Is the maintenance Of our own
national structure OF prosperity, in
Guiding the permanence of our own
industrial organization and operation
on a basis that will provide wages
required for the continuance of the
great purchasing power Of this people.
which is factor in the prosperity of
the whole world" states the Phila-
delphia Evening Bulletin independent
Republican,. The United States will
not abandon its established policy Of
set its face toward free trade, because
of these protests"
The Buffalo Evening News CRepub-
lican) believes that the free opening
of the American market would make
mere cheapness the basis of trade, and
that would require in every country
the lowest possible reduction of labor
costs"
Economically and politically the
situation is filled with possible dyna-
mite" warns the Columbus Ohio
State Journal (Republican). Pleas for
a more friendly attitude toward foreign
countries are made by the Richmond
News-Leader independent Democratic.
Milwaukee journal independently and
Louisville Times independently.
"FarSeeing manufacturers and mer-
chants, as well as investment bankers"
declares the Atlanta Journal Demo
cratic, know that trouble is brewing
and that if such schedules as those
provided in the Hawley bill should be
into law, worldwide resentment would
be aroused. They know. too, that the
isolation and -suficiency which
once was supposed to characterize the
United States no longer obtains, GER
tainly not in matters of business
Protest against tariff war Is voiced
by the Boston Transcript independently,
while the restraining influence of Pres
ident Hoover is invoked by the New
York Sun independently, Yakima
Morning Herald independently, Man
chester Union independent Repub-
lican). Birmingham News (Democraticl
and Chattanooga Times independent
Democratic).
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
M. Poincare Winning.

Premier Poincare yesterday took hand
somely the first hurdles in the stubborn
contest he is waging in the French
Chamber for ratification Of the Mel
lon Berenger debt settlement. Ably and
unexpectedly seconded by an eloquent
appeal from Foreign Minister BRAND,
who paid glowing tribute to Americas
timely war effort in the liberation of
France, the premier overwhelmed the
Observation-Disclosures In two successive
test votes.
Their rout was decisive and complete.
1t Is now indicated that the govern
ment's motion in favor of ratification
can be passed at M. Poincare's will.
Unconditional approval of the Mellon
Berenger pacific governments pro-
grants foreshadowed as practical
certainty when it is submitted for
final approval next Friday.
The American people appreciate the
tenacity with which the French cabinet
has insiStently pushed forward to the
victory which now beckons. 1t Is fully
understood in Washington what partisan
opposition, fomented for selfish political
purposes, is capable Of accomplishing on
occasion. M. Poincare's trials in the
ratification controversy were Of far more
delicate character than those which
President Hoover, for example, recently
faced when a political bloc in the United
States Senate essayed to thwart his
agricultural program.
Under the American system OF gov
eminent, q congressional defeat may
block the administration in given
direction. Under the French system,
a cabinets defeat In the chamber
means the loss of its power and its
automatic expulsion from ONCE. Pre-
mier Poincare for a month has bat
tied for the debt ratification from the
dizzy precipice Of a parliamentary
eminence wherefrom, by the margin
of an adverse majority of a single
vote, he might any day have been
toppIed into the discard.
The French government opposes the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17

tying to the debt ratification Of any
reservation strings which would be
found Objectionable by the Congress of
the United States, which in turn must
give oficial American approval to the
Mellon erenger agreement. The res
ervations in question concern Frances
right to interrupt the annuities pay
able to this country, should Germany
ever default on the obligations she
assumes under the Young plan.
In such q contingency, there can
be little doubt that Washington and
Paris would invoke the rule Of reason.
At any rate, France is about to take
the honorable step which alone could
justify such a prospect.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
Appreciates Attitude
On Portable Schools

To the Editor Of The Star:
Upon the request Of q number Of the
residents of Chevy Chase, D. c.. I am
writing to express to you our deep APP
probation of the action Of your paper
in bringing to the attention Of the
public the number and condition OF the
portable school buildings in our National
Capital
Withn the last few years the Chevy
Chase district has increased very rapidly
in population and our schools have
been and still are overcrowded. Poor
lighting, lack of facilities for proper
heating and ventilating, and many other
unavoidable conditions in these port
ables have worked real hardShipS on
many of our children.
We hope that the campaign to replace
these unsightly and inadequate struc-
lures may be continued until they are
all replaced by modern buildings.
B. J. LLOYD, NJ. D.,
President, Z. v. Brown Home
School Association.