davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

King Amanullah of Afghanistan.
ousted from his throne and country
with his short-skirted Queen by revolt
ing tribesmen who didn't like his new
tangled Western notions, has the SYM
pathy of American editors, although
they appreciate, as the King himself
probably does now, that he attempted
too much speed as a reformer. -.
"He was forceful ruler. in birth and
breeding a fit chieftain OF the war
like Pathans," attestS the Philadelphia
Record. Had he been content to ex-
emplify their primitive ideals he might
have held his throne indefinitely. SUD-
ject only to the normal hazards OF as
sassination and tribal rebellion. But it
was his misfortune to become crusader
for progress in most unpromiSing re-
gion and to discover the unchanging
truth that the wise man does not put
new wine into old bottles. SO
in the end he abdicated and removed
himself and his unveiled Queen and her
short skirts from the inhospitable capt.
tai. He meant we'll. But his fate fur
nishes fresh evidence that the ardent
reformer who travels too far ahead OF
public opinion only makes trouble for
himself and Others"
THE King made one vital mistake"
according to the New York Evening
Post, lin attempting to force his Euro
pean reforms down the Threats of his
subjects. He forgot that, unlike him.
they had not paid visits to the Western
world. 1t is a victory not only for
tradition but also for national indi-
viduality and for the picturesque which
the AfghanS have won. The retention
of their customs might prove boon to
tourists, except for the unfortunate fact
that a tourist trade is one of the West
ern innovations which they still re-
fuse to adopt"
Zone spot on the globe" explains the
Indianapolis Star, still provides a fine
field for the imagination. While this
fact may seem somewhat insignificant
in materialistic age, it Is matter for
some qualification that stark reality has
not taken romance entirely out of the
lives of our conservative brethren in a
distant corner of another continent.
The Afghans have rallied to the cause
of bigger and better imaginations. Ira
dition still is respected and the Gus
toms of centuries are not to yield to
the fashion plates of Paris, Fifth ave-
nue. or any other modern style factory.
The male population insisted
that the imagination should still have
some play. OF course, they may have
been moved somewhat by visions of the
mounting bills for silk stockings, rouge
and lipstickS. At any rate st y reform
has been indefinitely postponed"
THE fundamental error Amanullah
made" advises the Nashville Banner,
was in supposing that his subjects
could be induced to run before they
learned to walk in the paths of Western
ideas and ideals. His efforts at reform
had every commendable phase except for
the all-important fact that they were
ill-timed and injudicious. He has
doubtless set back the clock many years
in Afshanistan. and certainly offers the
the frequent f1tility Of good intentions
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
Municipal Center Site.

Favorable report by the House Dis
trict committee on the bill authorizing
the immediate acquisition of the four
SQUARES which are deemed necessary
for the proposed municipal center
should result In early action by the
House, which should be followed by the
concurrence of the Senate. It is the
most obvious economy to secure the
entire area at once rather than by
piecemeal purchase or condemnation.
The proposal to take only two OF the
four squares now, leaving the other
two to be secured at some later time.
is of piece with the policy of Federal
site acquisition in the case Of the Mall
Avenue triangle. Though it was known
many years ago that this general area
would be eventually needed and taken
for Government building purposes, the
first move to that end was the acqui-
sition of the five squares lying at the
western flank of the triangle. These were
bought and they remained idle, so far
as Government construction was con-
cerned. for two decades. When 1t was
finally decided to place the great group
Of buildings in the triangle, it was
necessary to authorize the appropria-
ton of sum far larger than would
have been necessary at the beginning in
order to obtain the remaining land.
It has been estimated that the total
cost of this ground to the Government
when the transaction is completed will
be more than three times that which
would have been involved in complete
outright acquisition when the project
was first proposed.
It is of little moment that the process
of acquiring public building sites by
condemnation is slow. Even though it
should take twice as long to buy four
blocks as to buy two, the authorization
for the purchase of the four should
be enacted in one measure, not in two.
If two are taken under the plan OF
the Bureau of the Budget, without au-
thorization for the acquisition OF the
other two. which are necessary to the
development of the municipal center
plan, it follows inescapably that the
cost of the whole will be very greatly
increased. That increase will be many
times greater than the interest and the
money that may be involved in the
purchase of the two squares in the
westerly half of the site.
When this project is definitely and
formally authorized and provided for,
1t should develop Systematically. 1t
should 60 forward as whole. The Dis
trict Building itself should be included
In the designing and in the execution
as an early unit. For it is clear that
the present Municipal Building will be
In the line of the Government improve
nients in the Mall-Avenue triangle
within short time. It Is now too
small for the administrative offices of
the District government. Its replace
ment by an adequate structure, stand
ing as the focal feature of munich
pal center, should be considered as
an item of the most urgent need.
In these circumstances the passage
at the present session Of bill to au-
thorize the purchase of the entire site
for the municipal center should be con-
sidered as essential. 1t Is, Of course,
equally essential that the financial
terms on which this improvement is
based should be equitable to the District.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
Moral for Too Ardent RefOrmers
Seen in Ousting of Afghan King

unsupported by power to put them into
definite effect. In the Shinwaris. too,
he was dealing with people in whom
the spirit of liberty burns high and
bright, even though it finds ways Of
expression that are both queer and de-
plorable to our minds"
y **
One explanation, which comes from
the Kalamazoo Gazette, that "he
placed a ridiculously high value on the
Importance of externals-on matters of
dress and tonsorial fashion-and thus
aroused the wrath of subjects who
might otherwise have taken more kindly
to the really worthwhile items on his
program of reform. AS it is, Amanullah
has played into the hands of reaction.
Although it was the last thing in the
world he wished to do. he has stinnu-
lated all of the religious and social
prejudiceS of his country and has given
new strength to the old guard of
Afghanistan. His place in history will
be among the many jealous reformers
whose ambition led them to bite of
more than they could chew"
Now it will be wondered" suggests
the Baltimore Sun, whether or not
these internal disturbances will lead to
and England. Afghanistan has been
recognized as an independent kingdom,
but in recent years both of these power.
have steadily competed for her friend
ship. The situation is reported to be
obscure and doubtless 1t Is. But 1t is
in obscrurity that many new develop
mentS are born. All that can be said
now is that an ambitious experiment
seems very definitely to have come TO
an end in revolt and confusion. and
that Amanullah has probably shown
himself a wise man i'll deciding to
leave"
while the British mildly disclaim
the blame or credit for upSetting ANA
nullah'S throne, which Europe is IN
clined to impute, they regard his down.
fall with complete equanimity, although
they may desire to have Afghanistan
settle down again, now that he has
abdicated. Too much revolution on the
border might not be good thing for
India suggests the Springfield Repub-
lican.
I'VE cannot help wishing Amanullah
had offered something like more lib
erty and let the change of style wait on
enlightenment" states the Milwaukee
Journal, pointing out that the Afghans
ARE not a feeble. spineleSs people, to
be wrung from the standards of CEN
turtles by the whim of King fiattered
by Europe'S courts" The San Fran
cisco Chronicle draws the conclusion
from the incident that 1.-The Afghans
do not want to be improved" that they
"spurn new-fangled ways and means"
The deposed ruler Is named by the
Columbus Evening Dispatch as one who
is entitled to write his name in the
shining book Of the worlds martyrs"
The Dispatch also says of the royal
runaway: However righteous his cause
may have been, the wisdom of his tao
tics is open to serious question. II
there is Nobel BOBBY prize this year
for diplomacy, it belongs to Amanullah."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

Literature has often been enriched by
the preservation of casual remarks. AL
Smith thought he was making cam
paign speeches, when, in reality, he was
writing book.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

A peace pact represents the idea Of
friendly agreement and frankly con-
Quoted negotiations. History has never
countenanced direct contemplation Of
war probabilities.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

German opera fourishes anew. Wag-
ner was something of politician in his
own day, but Rheingold cannot be re-
garded as having anything whatever to
do with modern international finance.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

Traffic management in New York is
putting up a better show outside some
of the theaters than the entertainment
on the stage.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

The funds voted for prohibition en-
forcement indicate that money is no
object when an end so morally desir-
able Is to be attained.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

Intrepid aviators are doubtless won-
dering whether it will prove possible to
tether Charles Lindbergh to a depart
mental desk.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

A secret vote becomes especially in
teresting in view of the question why
there should have been any secret in
the matter.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

When one merger is complete, an
other looms up as possibility. BUSH
ness promises to be lust one big happy
family"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

There are always "job hunters"
Complications may arise in which the
job dodger shows superior discretion.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

A short session Of Congress calls into
favorable attention the statesman who
knows how to talk fast.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

Thanks to President-elect Hoover.
Florida has passed from the attention
of the realtors to that of the statesmen.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
No FaVOriteS.

No FavOriteS.
what is your opinion of votes for
women?"
Much the same" answered Miss
Cayenne, "as my opinion of votes for
men. There are wild persons of both
sexes"
Power is possible" said Hi Ho, the
sage of Chinatown, mot so much be-
cause one man loves to rule as because
many men love to obey"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
Rate nv Carrier Within

hdp UN OdfIIcI VItuIH tIHC NHty'
The Evening Star .....4 5c DER rdonth
The Evening and Sunday Star
(when Sundays ......,.. 60c per month
The Evening and Sunday Star
when S OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. CSC per month
The Sunday Star ...............5 SC per copy
Collection mace at the end ot zach month.
Orders may be sent in by mail or telephone
Main $780,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
Struggling Geniu.

Beethoven labored daily
And did his patient classic bit.
Had he ukulele
He might at once have made hit.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Myths.
A man of eminence will bring
Imagination into play.
The songs he calls on us to sing
He dictates, serious or gay.
So. echoing bard, say,
Where are the myths of yesterday"
Those hero ancestors who went
From earth so very far away,
To figure in the armament
AS consultations on display,
At first were only common clay.
There are the myths of yesterday.
The elephant has beloved bold.
We've heard the donkey's dulcet bray.
And each four years there will unfold
New lists of heroes for the fray.
We go on asking, in dismay,
Where are the myths of yesterday"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

The Evening Star Newspaper Company
Business once:
18th st, and Pennsylvania Ave.
New York once: ITO East 42nd 81.
Chicago Offce: Tower Building.
European ONCE: ~ Regent St.. London.
England.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
Trying to Keep a Secret.

did you instruct your secretary to
tell me you were not in?" asked the
man who had pushed through the door.
mo-" answered Senator Sorghum.
What said was that If anybody asked
for an interview, I was conscientiously
endeavoring to hold personally con-
Quoted executive session."
Jud Tunkins says he has made mis-
takes in life, and few of 'em were a
good deal of fun, at that.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24

"Chillun should obey DER parents"
said Uncle Eben, IAN parents should
hang on to DER authority an not per-
tend to be young by means rof actin
foolish" IS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
Rate by Mail-PayabIc In Advance.
MAINLAND nd Nirnitain
All Other States and Canada.
M.r,hsr NJ the Assoc;ated Press.

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled
to the use for republication of all rews dis
patches credited to 1t or not otherwise cred
tied in this paper and also the 'ocal news
published herein. All rights of publication OF
special dispatches herein are also reserved.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
Misleading HumOr.

The comic picture still I scan
For joWal friskers;
And yet I know no Congressman
Who wears chin whiSkerS!
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-08

tons. There is no occasion to add to
those millions here.
But why entertain great alarm az to
the effect OF the restrictions proposed
by the House? 1t is to be remembered
that the right of appeal to the courts
applies to the revenue act as well as
to other laws, and if an importer of
books finds the customs authorities
questioning his right to obtain litera-
ture from abroad advancing new and
radical theories Of government propos-
ing the betterment Of the human race
by the discreet use of poison or the
Fighting of wrongs by the ignition of
large quantities Of dynamite, he has the
right to test the Judgment of the Gus
toms authorities in the courts. And
while ordinary intelligence is now and
then dealt 8 disheartening blow, even
in the courts, ordinary intelligence
usually wins out in the end. 1t is
doubtful II Congress intends to reduce
research and learning in the United
States to the level Of "Rebecca of
Sunnybrook Farm" or the Little
Colonel" series, and it is doubtful II
Congress could do 1t il it tried.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-08
Censorship by Tariff Law.

Tariff legislation previously has been
used as an instrument for the exclusion
Of obscene literature and pictures from
the United States and IN few cases
but, happily, a relative few-the censorial
Judgment of customs agents has been
ridiculed for having erred on the side
of fnical prudery. The House tariff
bill enlarges the scope of this form OF
censorship by barring literature "adyo-
eating or urging treason, instruction or
forcible resistance to any law OF the
United States, or containing any threats
to take the life of or inflict bodily harm
upon the President Of the United States"
The question is raised as to whether
this clause would restrict literature
which might be interpreted as advo-
eating the measures cited above, and
which might be considered as apply
ing to the United States as well as to
the rest Of the world, or whether the
exclusion is to work only against such
literature as specifically advises those
steps and particularizes az TO the United
States.
In case the latter Sc intended, and
the wording Of the act so implies, critics
Of the legislation have little upon which
10 base their objection. There Is no
question of the right Of protection
against utterances inimical to the
public welfare, which tend to incite
crime, disturb the public peace or en-
cangcr the foundations of organized
government and threaten its overthrow
Here there is no reason TO confuse the
privileges of free speech, together with
what that freedom carries with It, with
unrestricted and unbridled license.
The only danger which might bt
scented In this act IS the danger that
lies In all forms of censorship where
efforts are made to shape mems
thoughts and restrict their knowledg,
by selecting and withholding from then
the books they may not read. N&llion
of words have been written uppn tn
.iasidious evil Inherent in such .Testric
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-08
Miss Minister Bondfield,

Less than fifteen years ago the "suf-
fragettes" Of Great Britain were max
ing both public and private life misera-
BILE for statesmen in that country by
the viriIity and variety of their demand
for "votes for women" They literally
fought, bled and died for the cause
1t triumphed, as it did in this country
and now, with a Labor government in
stalled at No. 10 Downing street, en-
franchiSed British womanhood has
come fully into its own. 1t has ar
rived in the cabinet.
In unmistakable tribute to the fact
that the recent election was won b.
Labor largely because Of the women's
vote, Premier Ramsay Macdonald has
given the sex portfolio In his govern
ment Miss Margaret Grace Bondfield
spinster, as min!ster Of labor, become:
the first woman minister of the crown
whom Britain has ever known. That G
woman should occupy one Of the seat.
of the mighty in Alh.cn Is, Of course
less strange than 1t would be In realm.
whose history Is not iliumined by ar
Elizabeth and Victoria. Yet the spec
tacle Of o woman cabinet ofIicer is al
utter novelty.
Elizabeth had her Essex. her Burgh
ley. her Cecil and her Raleigh. victorii
leaned on Melbournes, Palmerstons. Dis
raelis, Gladstones and Salisburys. N,
King or Queen or premier ever befor,
has had q Bondheld. She carvcs he
name indelibly In British history.
| A member Of Parliament since 1928
Miss Bondfield brings to the ministry o
labor lifetime Of service and expe
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-08
One in Fifty,

Approximately one in fifty OF the
! population of Washington was arrested
| during May. The police report that TO-
70s individuals fell afoul of the law in
/ this single month. At first sight the
figure Is startling. 1t would seem to in
! dictate an unsupported degree of de-
pravity among our friends and neigh
/ bors
1t Is with sigh OF relief that we
discover that more than half these ar
restS-6,074 to be exact-were for minor
violations Of the traffic code. In strict
sense these were not arrests at all. Most
of such law violations resulted from
pure carelessness. There was no element
OF malice. Probably the ajority of the
individuals never came into personal
contact with the arresting policeman
and never actually appeared in court.
Out of the remainder, 1923 were
taken in tow for drunkenness. Here
again the elements OF an actual crime
were lacking In most cases Perhaps a
thousand persons in all fell into the
hands OF the police for offenses in
volving some degree of malice or de-
rance OF the law.
So the picture Is not so gloomy after
all. We are not living in community
where, judging by the record of one
month, one person out of each fifty is
a criminal. The actual criminal record
is not reassuring We cannot point with
pride to a condition of society in which,
despite our Wanted education and civ
ilization, one man in a thousand in a
limited period of time does something
which violates the rights of his fellows.
Still, making all due allowances, the
situation probably is no worse or no
better than has been the case in most
human societies for the last thousand
years.
But may there not be some way of
clearing up this confusion in terminolo-
gy? The term arrest" has been applied
for so many centuries to the appre-
hension of criminals and suspected
criminals that it has come to have a
sinister meaning. Now it is applied in
an enormous class of cases where 1t
has almost no relation to its traditional
meaning One must analyze statistics TO
avoid the impression that the commu-
nifty is in the grip Of an unparalleled
crime wave.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-08

Doing more walking recently than we
| had done for several months, we were i'm
mcdiately struck by the increased traffic
hazards to the pedestrian throughout
! the city.
It was noticeable Walking was no
| 'onger a pleasure. but a task TO be got
through as quickly As possible. Every
crossing presented its peculiar problem
To get across such wide streets as
Pennsylvania and Connecticut avenues
TOOK far more time. than it should and
required that one be ''on his toes" all
! the time.
Ones personal "acceleration' or get
away must be no less than that of the
latest car if he is to make crossing
without being bumped.
| We had a most curious feeling that
somehow we should be equipped with a
mechanical device of some sort If we
were 10 get across the street with the
minimum hazard.
| X :. x
| The trouble undoubtedly arises as the
result of increased speed of cars be-
! tween traffic lights and therefore q gen
orally raised speed throughout the city
as result of such training.
Estimation Of car speeds from the
i ground are VIGOROUSLY unreliable. We
make no effort to specify how fast the
average car goes today, but undoubt-
| edly it. is faster than cars went six
months ago.
The last time we got walking spree
We had no difficulty III regard 10 this
matter. 1t was easy TO make the curb.
| Now all that is changed.
| The other afternoon We we're forced
| to wait minutes at Connecticut avenue
| and I street for an opportunity to
plunge across the street.
We felt like taking taYi for The
| trip across, and would not be surprised
| to find that it would come to that uti-
| nately. No doubt enterprjsing COM
| panieS, by charging cents to ferry
one from curb TO curb, could reap quite
a harvest.
1t would be worth 10 cents, easily, to
be relieved of the fear which assails
the average pedestrian when attempt
ing to cross street, especially at the
high tides which come during certain
| hours, notably between 8 and am
noon and l pm, 4 to pm, 10
pm. and after the theater.
These are the peak traffic periods
| but all hours are more or less in the
same category when it comes to peoeS-
TRAN difficulty. And let it be noted, In
passing, that all men are pedestrians
! whether they own cars or not.
The difficulty of finding parking
space makes even the man who drives
his car to and from work considerable
of a pedestrian. We are all pedestrians
by nature The old tendency to divide
| city folk into two classes, car owners
and pedestrians, no longer holds.
| We are all pedestrians first of all
Several years ago there was famous
movie which showed the collapse of a
cathedral, faulty built by an architect
in which the mans own mother was
crushed.
Something of the same thing might
| happen TO any car owner. because one
cannot be on wheels forever. Often II
is more convenient or satisfactory &c
walk than to ride, to say nothing Of the
health aspects of the matter.
| * x X
To get out into heavy traffic, how
ever, is disconcerting to say the least
No matter how agile one may be, ne
is not equipped to use good auto
term to beat late model car to the
crossing.