davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21

, take here and there What he is try
| ing to do is to say something, and If he
gets his meaning over he is satisfied.
1t is unpleasant, of course, to have
some grammar minded person call his
! attention to an error, but he knows
! that the unpleasantness lies with the
other, not with him.
! He could catch the other up if he
waited like cat at mouse hole fol
small slip to come forth. Every one
makes EN-!
Some people are partial to "ain't,
which, by the way, has a good descent;
I in fact. once was a correct form.
Others specialize in declaring ITS
me-" some say She don't care and
others misuse him" and her"
To set such persons down as vul-
garianS is to make a mistake. Often
enough heredity is to blame. or a Sec
ton of the country where certain errors
are looked upon lightly.
Some persons often perpetrate gram
NAUTICAL errors at first in fun Until they
become second nature with them.
No doubt they are wrong thus to
sport with the language. and undoubt-
cdly they have many to remind them OF
their mistakes.
Poor grammar in too large doses is
another thing entirely. Our brief is
held simply for the occasional mistake
or the pct mistake.
Over such there are no tears to be
wasted. The sensible attitude is tC
give the door credit for knowing that
he is wrong. Thus you save yourself
the trouble of attempting to set him
right
Correcting the grammatical mistakes
of others is a faVorite indoor sport with
some people. alas! We think they are
misguided. If one must do it, the most
| tactful way is to take occasion shortly
to say the same thing over again and
say 1t correctly. Even this ought not
to be done too pOintedly, for courtesy
is above good and evil grammar, Oh
ought to be, at any rate.
The trouble with calling attention tC
other peoples small errors is that il
sets them to looking for them in ones
speech. Even the most punctilious per-
son sooner or later will slip up. We
know man who has a card index OF
mistakes made by one OF his fellows
and is waiting for the next inimical
remark to spring the list on him.
This man is going to get the surprise
of his life, poor fellow! He has been
going around correcting others for
slight mistakes when all the time he
had few pet ones of his own, but no
OIie lIlOuBHI enough Oh Jne matter IC
remind him of them.
After all, will the world come to an
end because some one picks up tele-
phone and says Yes. it's me-?
In millions of American homes when
some member of the family enters the
house and a voice from upstairs calls
Who is that?" the universal answer is
Its mel"
We submit that such an answer is
not only not ungrammatical in the best
sense, but is coming to be good Eng
lish through usage. Amt" and
won't" are getting to be all right.
Let it be understood that grammar
is an instrument-one to be used, not
to be used by. Some say. for instance,
that no sentence should be ended with
proposition, but 1t can be done very
neatly. 1t was a favorite construction
with Woodrow Wilson, who was big
enough to concentrate on the thought
rather than on the form.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21
An American Epic.

Every school child is familiar with
"Hiawatha." However ethnologists may
question the truth of the picture and
critics decry its literary merit, Long
fellows poem has become an American
classic.
Fragments of aboriginal legend were
filtered through the Victorian mind oil
the Cambridge poet LongfelloW was
man of his time with the philosophical
outlook of his time. Even had all the
material been available, he could not
have understood the subtle indian
metaphysics and philosophy which
were embodied in the grotesque SYM
bolism Of the great native epic, even
the existence OF which he did not
suspect.
Now the Bureau of American Eth
nology has recovered and published the
real epic OF the forest dwelling Troquois
as it has been passed on from genera
ton to generation. 1t is closer to Mil
ton than Longfellow, with the sublimity
OF its cosmic imagery and its dramatic
intensity. Few pictures i'll all literature
Xceed in grandeur that of the vast
;yland Illuminated by the sro"y white
blossoms Of the Tree Of Light, In which
/ dwelt the giants Of ED, or Of the
Celestial maiden who ya6 the grand
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21
The Presidents Commission.

Mr.. Hoover has AT length carried out
his inaugural address pledge to appoint
body Of representative American ci;i-
gems to survey comprehenSively and
effectively the vast domain of law en-
forcement 1t is to be known as the
National Law Enforcement Commission,
consists of ten men and one woman
and is assigned the grave task of eX-
plorirg in all its far-f1ung ramifcations
the subject which the President, in New
York on April %. elevated to the level
Of the Nations dominant issue"
The bipartisan personnel of the COM
mission is bound to command respect
and inspire confidence. Naturally, law
yers and iurists predominant in it..
Educators, as naturally, are literally
represented. The one "lsyman" in the
group is Frank J. Loesch, veteran vice
crusader and head of the Chicago Crime
Commission. All sections of the coun-
try find representation. In George w.
Wickersham of New York, former At
torney General of the United States
and now president of the American Law
Institute. the commission has a chair
man who will direct its energies with
vigor and vision.
There could have been no happier So
luton of the problem Of giving Demo-
Gratis an eminent voice in the commits
sion's deliberations than to include in
a. Al,1 4Ap1 r 40 n
President Wilson'S accomplished Secre-
tary of War. Womankind will approve
the selection of Ada L. Comstock, presi-
dent of Radcliffe College, as the repre-
sentative of the sex with so deep an
interest in the issues with which the
National Law Enforcement Commission
will soon be graphing.
It is known that President Hoover
moved cautiously and studiously in the
composition of the group. He was con-
strained to assemble citizens of open
mindedness. He realized that any law
enforcement commission packed with
bias, fanaticism or prejudice in any
form would defeat the purpose for
which IL was created. i ne COuIlGIy VIII
not be far wrong in deducing that this
governing motive on Mr.. Hoover's part
explains the large number of judicial
" minded men whom he chose.
The people of the Union should be
clear FROM the outset that no specific
inquiry into prohibition, or its attend
ant benefits and evils; is here intended.
The President has stressed that point
on repeated occasions. Lawlessness In
the United States is undoubtedly
spawned to an alarming extent by dis
respect for, and violation Of. the liquor
laws. But crime springs from host of
other sources. Unquestionably, for in
stance, it is encouraged by the delays
End the complications Of the law. and
consequent facilities for Haunting it.
Such questions are certain to bulk big
in the commissions activities.
Its work deserves the whole-hearted
and unhagging sympathy and support
Of citizens everywhere.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21

| the land is to take into consideration
and duly weigh all Of the factors, such
factors including reproduction at cost
as well as prudent investment.
Senator Blaine's minority report on
the merger resolution laid emphasis
! upon the prudent investment plan OF
valuation. which in the O'Fallon case
was an important issue. But Senator
Blaincs proposed amendments were
more far-reaching than the mere stipu-
lation OF the prudent investment the
DRY as a guiding principle. The Sena-
tor called attention to the incongruous
situation regarding valuation of local
utilities. by which the courts. and not
the commission. are made the judges
as to the doubtful clements of value to
be considered in arriving at true value.
If the Public Utilities Commission Is
uncertain As TO these elements, it is
authorized to remove that uncertainty
by appeal to the courts.
Senator Blaine argued that the power
TO regulate comes through Congress;
that the Public Utilities Commission Is
the agent of Congress, and that the
commission is better equipped to carry
on its regulatory administrative func-
tions than are the courts. The purpose
of his amendment was to clarity the
method of valuing utilities and to make
the Public Utilities Commission indie
pendent of the courts in deciding upon
the elements to be weighed in arriving
at valuation. The legality OF any for
mula for valuation would, of course,
rest, in controversial cases, with the
courts.
There is much to be said in favor
of Senator Blaines clarifying amend
ments regarding the authority OF the
Public Utilities Commission in its valu-
alton work. The decision OF the SUI
prene Court in the O'Fallon case has
done little, if anything, to alter their
standing.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Any reader can get the answer to
any question by writing to our In
formation Bureau in Washington, d. C..
This offer applies strictly to informa-
ton. The bureau cannot give advice
on legal, medical and financial matters.
1t does not attempt to settle domestic
troubles, nor undertake exhaustive re-
search on any subject. Write your
question plainly and briefly. Give full
name and address and inclose cents
in coin or stamps for feturn postage.
The reply is sent direct to the inquirer.
Address The Evening Star Information
Bureau, Frederic j. Hasktn, director,
Washington, d. c.
Q. How many World War veterans
are there in CongreSs?-R. S. J.
A. In the new Congress there are Is
Senators and 81 Representatives who
are veterans of the World War. In the
last Congress 10 Senators and SO Rep
resentatives had been in the war.
@. Is 1t true that Mabel Normand
once posed for our leading artists
r. E.
A. When a young girl she went to
New York to study art and. as most Of
her funds were used for her tuition in
drawing. she was obliged to accept work
as a model. She posed for such artists
as James Montgomery Flagg, Charles
Dana Gibson, Henry HUT and Hamilton
King.
O. Are maps always made with
north" at the top?-N. A. N.
A. All modern maps and charts are
so oriented, but some of the older ones
show a different arrangement. The
American Geographical Society reports
that ancient Greek and Roman map
makers placed least" at the top Of their
maps, that being the direction OF the
rising sun. Most of the medieval map
makers followed this method. In col
lection recently exhibited at the British
Museum one map had south" at the
top. another west" South" was at the
top OF most maps made by the Arabs
during the Middle Ages. Ptolemy, the
Greek astronomer, geographer and
mathematician. oriented his maps with
north" at the top. and with the re-
vival of Ptolemaic geography during the
Renaissance this custom became estab-
lished.
@. What became Of the German sub
marine that visited the United States
during the war?-R. H. d.
A. The Deutschland. which came to
the United States in 1915, was surren-
dered to France after the armistice. 1t
was sunk by gunfire during target prac-
tice by the French navy on June 1S,
1921.
@. How did the phrase almighty
dollar" come into use?-V. w. C.
A. 1t is believed to have originated
with Washington Irving in his VOL
ferts Roost. Creole Village" published
in 1887 in the Knickerbocker Maya
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21
Precedence Argument Revived
By Mrs. Longworth's Challenge

With a tribute to the brains and
courage and poise" of Mrs. Iongworth.
the Charleston Evening Post contends
that there is going to be some actual
fighting, and it is going to be worth
observing and reporting" The Norfolk
er-DiSpatch points out that while
the foreign diplomats stretch point"
i'll the present instance Mrs. Gam
finds herself confronted with an Ameri-
can opponent who cares very little for
official society and does not need off,
cial edicts to secure her rightful place.
even If she were not the wife of the
presiding officer of one branch of Con-
greSs."
"All of us feel" states the Baltimore
Sun, that If, as a girl Alice did not
slide down the banisters into o roomful
OF diplomats it was merely because she
hadn't thought of it. Her renewal of
the supposedly suppressed hoStilities
with Mrs. Gam has been taken as a
demonstration of her never failing Joy
In combat, particularly when the COM
bat had TO do with the Solemnities and
dignities of Washington society. 1t now
appears that the Nation owes her an
additional debt of gratitude BY declin-
ing to sit below Mrs. Gam at Washing
ton dinners Mrs. Longworth has not
merely demonstrated spontaneous
preoccupation with mischief as such;
she has inspired in her debonair hus-
band, the Speaker of the House of Rep
reSentativeS, a deep and noble appre-
citation of his Office"
The Portland (Oreg) Journal, be-
lleVlng that 1T couldn't be expected
that daughter of Theodore Roosevelt
would agree with diplomats or be diplo-
matte adds the opinion that seekers
for national Office may realize that the
very vote which elevates them to pofit-
ical position elects their women to
social position" The South Bend Trib-
une. forecasting success for Mrs Long
worth, yet advises that the affair takes
on all the aspects of gathering of little
girls playing house under an apple tree"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEEELL.

Every enc has a few pet ingram
NAUTICAL constructions.
Lives there man with soul so deac
who never to himself has said Ain
you?"
Absolute purity of speech is an ideal
| something which one may we'll doub
would be good if it could be attained.
! Not that one would say things agains
| correctness of speech.
One cannot. of course. who keeps vel
! in mind the genius Of the English Ian
guage.
Purity of speech is to be sought, bu
not often found. in the absolute.
| Even those who pride themselves
upon their diction. being careful Il
! accent every syllable just SO, now ano
then fall into error.
He whose horror of the split inf1ni.
tive is great will lapse occasionally
from the straight and narrow patti
which he has cut out for himself
through the conversational world.
X x X
Mostly these lapses are made in con.
VerSation
Even the most ungrammatical person
will get the thing right when writing
in the vast majority of instances: fol-
there is wide gap between talking anc
writing.
SpOkPT NDTCS VANISH WDen uttered
but written words linger on. They arc
there before one on paper, in ink OIL
pencil. typewriter or type
Even the most careless person will
refrain from using amt" when writ
ing, whereas he may use it easily
enough as colloquialism. AS such il
springs to the tongue before one thinks
unless he is perpetually thinking
about such matters-and others hear il
without offenSe. unless they are think.
ing OF just such things at the time.
We hazard the belief that there /,
scarcely man anywhere, no matter
how we'll educated or how precise il
The use of words he aims to be. who
does not at some time or other fall into
something ungrammatical.
Happy is he if he knows that il
doesn't make much difference. after all
The real genius of the English language
is loose, both in construction and in.
tent. 1t is as far removed from the
precise quality OF Latin as a tongue
could be.
The French language. with its verb
infections and different adjectives anc
other particular forms, hearkens back
to the Latin.
Our English. however, at times almost
seems to be a sort of linguistic revolt
against the more formal languages.
To some it seems an infinitely more
sensible language, with its words follow
ing one another in logical sequence.
Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you
been?"
I've been to London to see the
Queen"
Cat, where have you been? He re-
plies; Il twho) have been twhere) to
London Ito do whaD to see (who or
WHAT the Queen"
Nothing could be more sensible or
more direct. In Latin, French. Ger
man. almost any other tongue. some of
the words which We put first would be
last, and the last first
X
The sensible speaker of English is not
so much concerned with how he says a
thing as with what he has to say.
While an educated man would rather
speak dramatically If he can, he is
never worried much if he makes mis-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21

zine. The expression was popularized
by B. E. Woolf. author of the comedy
entitled The Almighty Dollar
@. How far can the eye see?-P. F.
A. The distance that the eye can see
has not. so far as We know. been def
nitely measured. It is reported that
observers on the Mediterranean coast
of France have sighted lights on the
Corsican Mountains. 1876 miles away.
and that mirrors on Mount Shasta.
California. were sighted from Mount
Helena, a distance of 1872 miles.
@. How long does it take an litter
ate adult to learn to write?-E. B.
A. In the Moonlight schools there
were few mountain women who could
not write simple letter after three
weeks instruction. Many learned in
less time. .
@. How much money is spent in Wall
street in a year?-N. o. w.
A. The amount seems to increase
steadily In 1923 about $4,000. 900 600
was spent on the New York Stock Ex-
change.
O. What is meant by an "intra-
sauce"?-M. NJ.
A. 1t is flavoring sauce injected
into the blood vessels of fowl or small
animal.
O. What is the address of the Au-
thors' League of America?-A. D. C.
A. The address of the Authors
League of America, Inc, Is 3 East
Twenty-third street, New York City.
@. When is Fathers day?-N. G. B.
A. The third Sunday in June has
been set aside as Fathers day. Mrs. J.
s. Dodd was founder of this day. With
the cooperation of the Y. M. c. A. and
the Ministerial Association Of Spokane,
Wash. her idea was brought to the
attention of people throughout the
United States. 1t was first celebrated
success that in 1914 Congress recognized
it as national institution. A colored
rose is worn for father who is living
and white one is worn for one who
has died.
O. What causes tides?-A B. s.
A. Tides are caused by the gravita-
tional attraction or pull of the sun and
moon upon the water and upon the
earth itself. The moon Is the principal
cause. When the moon is directly over
a given place it pulls up the water
under it. thus tending to heap UP a
tidal wave. At the same time another
heaping up of water occurs on the
opposite side of the earth. producing
second tidal wave At these points it
will be high water. The tides, there
fore. may be looked upon as two great
waves sweeping around the globe, their
crests 100 degrees apart their trough5
at varying distance, depending upon
the position Of the moon.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21
Essential independence.

Senator Norris of Nebraska, m an
attack upon the purchase and control
of newspapers by the so-called power
trust" has suggested that newspapers
81 owned or controlled be denied low
nostal rates accorded the press gen.
orally. What Senator Norris is seek
ing is a method to prevent the acquisi-
ton of newspapers by the power in
| tercsts.
In the United States it is difficult to
prevent the sale of property by private
individuals or private corporations to
any bidder. Nor is there any law which
would prevent the publication OF
newspaper by any corporation, pro-
vided the newspapers respected the laws
of the land. The public, however, Is
entitled to the knowledge OF the own
ership of the publications which pro-
vide the news of the community and
of the world. 1t has been recognized
for generations that the press performs
a public service and a public duty. To
conceal from the readers of newspapers
the interests that lie behind the owner
ship of the newspapers is a violation OF
the best interests of the people.
The publication Of newspapers Tor
the dissemination of news is great
business in itself. There is no good
reason, from the mere standpoint OF
business, why the newspaper business
should be allied with or controlled by
any other business-water power, pub
lie utility or another. There are many
reasons why it should not. The So
called power trust is at liberty, if it
wishes, to engage in the publication OF
newspapers. But If it does so, the
newspapers should be known as the
papers of the power trust. Judging
from the public reaction to the recent
revelations of the endeavors of the
power trust to purchase newspapers in
many parts of the country, such own
ership, if known, is not likely to en-
nance the interest either of the power
trust or the newspapers which the
power trust acquires.
Whether Senator Norris proposal
that there should be discrimination in
the matter of postal rates against
newspapers controlled and financed by
the power trust would be legal or not is
somewhat beside the issue. Senator
Norris takes the position that a news
paper owned or controlled by a public
utility corporation would be operated as
an organ of that corporation and for
propaganda purposes among the people.
On that theory he proposes to make it
more difficult for public utilities to
publish or control the news columns.
AS a matter of fact, when the owner
ship or the control of a newspaper by
an outside interest, such as the power
trust so-called, is known to the public
and Is kept in the public eye, the
danger that might arise from propa-
ganda conducted by the corporation
through the news columns is minimized
if not wiped out entirely.
The independence of the press is as
essential as the perpetuation Of the
freedom of speech. 1t is inconceivable
that the American press should ever be-
come a mere adjunct of another bust
ness. no matter how powerful or how
far-reaching that business might be.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21

mother of all living things thrown
through an abyss in the heavens to
the waters which covered the face Of
the earth.
There is, of course, little felicity of
expression in translation. 1t would re-
quire a man of genius equal to that of
the original authors to carry this from
one language into another-especially
where the very thought form differs so
markedly as between the Indian and
Caucasian tongues The work in trans
lation depends for its effect entirely on
the sublimity of its conception.
The reader finds himself in an utterly
strange world where everything is mixed
up-human and animal forms changing
without warning and the human image
existing before the Gods who created
the human image. The aboriginals may
have had a glimmering of Einstein. The
epic cannot be mastered without
thought. Doubtless it appeared simple
enough to the Indians, but the white
man looks upon nature with a different
sort of brain But all can appreciate
the pathetic symbolism of resurrection
in the plants growing from the grave
mound OF the God and Messiah at the
end of the path which he had told his
people they all must follow through the
forests of life.
The recovery and preservation of
great native epic is likely to prove an
event of no small importance In the
world of letters. 1t is not impossible
that critics of distant future will look
upon this Iroquois Genesis as one of
the great works of creative genius.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
NV Fishing Trip.

My Fishing Trip.
A little fishing trip I made.
1 could not reach the wildwood shade
Although had no rod and line,
feel that the results were fine.
That fishing place my heart must bless
1t showed the sign, "Delicatesse"
And there I had not long to wait,
AS brought forth my silver bait.
Luck swiftly babe my catch reveal
Salt Mackerel and Picked Eel.
1t was a deep delight to grab
A Cod Fish Cake-a Deviled Crab
With pleasure more intense by far,
Brought by Sardines and Caviare.
took-of time there was no waste
Shrimp, Salmon and Anchovy Paste;
And soon found my fondest wish
Rewarded by Gefilte Fish.
My day brought forth these things and
more;
I did not trudge a treacherous shore,
Where various pitfalls might beset,
To make me get my plusfours wet.
So, grow boastful, I confess;
My fishing day was success!
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21

Poison gases are being studied in
laboratories in spite of the fact that
what may be suficient for needs of
individual suicide may be manufactured
in a mans own garage.