davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04

the kind Of O bill which might have
been put through at any time within
the last four years and been approved
by the Chief Executive. The trouble
was that the present Congress played
politics with the farm relief question,
and presidential candidates. were bound
up In the maneuvering
The Seventeen Congress also put
through law for the further reduction
of Federal taxes. 1t was with difficulty
that the President and Secretary Mel
lon OF the Treasury Department pre-
vailed upon the Congress not to lop too
great slice of the Federal taxes and
thereby create a situation that would
have brought about deficit of large
proportions and made necessary the
raising of the tax rates again.
The present Congress has shown itself
consistently dry, and particularly so
since the recent election which placed
Herbert Hoover. a supporter of the
eighteenth amendment. in the White
House and turned down Alfred E. Smith,
who proposed that the dry amendment
to the Constitution be repealed or mod
flied. Within the closing days of the
Congress 1t put through bill increas-
ing the penalties for violations Of the
Volstead act, so that fines of $4,000 or
imprisonment for five years might be
imposed. If reports be true, the enact
nent of the bill has had an immediate
effect upon the bootleg trade in liquor.
The Senate, during~the present Con-
gress, ratified the Kellogg multilateral
treaty renouncing war, which has been
hailed as great step toward perma-
nent international peace During the
same session, however, the Congress
taking no chances on national defense,
enacted the cruiser bill, authorizing the
construction for the Navy of fifteen
modern 10,000-ton cruisers and an ad-
ditional aircraft carrier. This measure
provided that these vessels must be laid
down within three years, despite the
urging of the President that no time
limit for thir construction be set.
The SEVENTEEN Congress has at times
been at odds with President Coolidge
In the House the measure of control of
the Republicans was far greater than
in the Senate, where the Republican
majority was Of the eyelash variety.
But. Notwithstanding the opposition in
the Senate to the President, the ad-
ministration has been able to get much
of It's program.
The present Congress gives place to
a more strongly Republican Congress
in both houses. The new Congress, too.
has certain mandates from the electo-
rate. It is likely to be more tractable
than was the outgoing Congress.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
Urges Stock.Taking
On Lawn Conditions
To the Editor of The Star:


The first 10 days of March are ap-
parently to be the period In this year
for best taking stock of lawn conditions
and for observing how far the District
of Columbia has progressed In lawn de-
terioration.
Owing to a well recognized situation.
1t has been the practice for number of
years in Washington either to give lawns
Winter top dressing mainly composed
Of sticks, cornstalks and straw; to
sprinkle on little bone meal in the
Spring, or, most generally, to do moth
ing at all to the lawns.
The result will now be graphically
depicted in every part Of the District by
more or less occasional island Of
green in seas of dead and sodden Sum
mer grass, wire grass and other weeds,
which constitute the bulk of lawn
growth in Washington.
Owing to the long period of rest Of
most OF the lawn area, from the first
frost until Summer, a very little wear
denudes the surface, permits erosion
and produces the CHASTITY scars which
disflgure the surroundings OF SO many
homes.
The condition is one of progressive
starvation in soil originally all too
scanty in its provision OF the carbon
factor of plant growth The remedy is
easily available in the Utilization of So
called municipal wastes. now positively
known to have far higher fertilizing
value than has been assigned to them.
Washington should have the finest
lawns In the country. Possibly it has
the poorest. With as low as 10 per
cent utilization of the fertiliz.ng ma
terial now being destroyed, the crab
grass prevalent in Washington lawns
could be replaced with a cultivated
grass which would fulfill the function
Of lawn all the year. +. c. GAUSS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
Canada Warned Against
St. Lawrence Waterway

From the Ottawa, Canada, journal.
A dispatch sent to Canadian news
papers states that renewal of negotia-
tons with Canada for the construction
OF the st. Lawrence deep waterway will
De one OF Mr.. Hoover's first considera-
tons when he comes into power.
For Canada, what does this mean?
Have the Canadian people made up
tneir minds that partnership with the
united States in launching upon the
st. Lawrence waterway at this time Is
the course Of wisdom, and, II SO, under
what conditions? Are they aware Of
the implications. the responsibilities, the
demands and possible dangers of such
scheme?
In recent address to the Canadian
Clup In Toronto, Prof. Bernard K.
sandwich warned his fellow citizens to
proceed slowly In their negotiations
with the United States over the St.
Lawrence waterways project. He point
ed out that certain stretch of the ST.
Lawrence River lies wholly In Canadian
territory, while none runs entirely
through United States territory. This
gives the Dominion control of key
position which the republic does not
possess. II the scheme goes through,
tns country will, therefore, be making
a fundamental sacrifice not asked of
its neighbor.
Added to this fact Is the very vital
consideration that the United States
government has no such exclusive SOW
ereign power over the individual States
OF the Union as has the Dominion of
Canada over its constituent provinces.
80 tnat any treaty obligation which
washington undertakes and which vio-
iateS the rights Of any State possesses
no binding force on such State. In
consequence, we have to be sure any
thing the United States undertakes to
give us Is something that we shah OBJ
tam without having to go into the
for 1t.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
The SEVENTEEN Congress.

The SEVENTEEN Congress OF the
United States makes its final bow to-
day. Whether the manner of its going
be graceful or not. at least it may be
said that the Congress has not been
unproductive. When 1t assembled in
December, 1927, 1t had before 1t two
major problems requiring attention.
One was that Of flood prevention in the
Mississippi Valley. The other was the
farm problem. With commendable de-
termination the Congress put through
the flood relief and flood prevention
bill. authorizing the expenditure of
some $325,000,00O. The farm problem,
however, was a horse of another color.
Two schools Of thought were repre-
sented in the Congress, one which stood
for the principle of the old McNary-
Haugen bill with its equalization fee and
the other which stood against the prin-
ciple contained In that bill. President
Coolidge stood with the latter-or, to
put 1t perhaps more properly. the latter
group stood with the President.
The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS were the
stronger. They put through the farm
bill with the equalization fee, and IL was
sent to President Coolidge for the sec
ond time during his administration.
For the second time he vetoed the meas
ure. There the farm problem rested.
The issue was carried into the presi-
Dental campaign, and the McNary-
Haugenites were worsted. The new
Congress which comes into being today
must tackle this problem, and 1t Is on
the cards that it will eventually be set
tied. 80 far as legislation is concerned,
! by the passage Of bill much In line
with the proposalsfof President Coolidge
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
Byrd's Antarctic Discovery
Makes Issue of Sovereignty

American newspapers are inclined to
believe that the Nation has acquired
Jurisdiction over Marie Byrd Land, dis
covered and named in the Antarctic by
Comdr. Richard Evelyn Byrd. Never
theless. there are suggestions that other
nations may not be willing to accept
that idea without international arbitra-
ton. It Is assumed that the real value
OF the land will be dependent largely
upon mineral discoveries. and in this
connection the ultimate value of Alaska,
once known as Stewards Folly" fur
nishes an example of what the future
may bring forth. The new territory is
described as consisting Of great noun
tain ranges covering 10000 square miles
Of territory.
THE only counterclaim," in the opin-
ion OF the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
could be presented by a government
which might send an expedition manned
by Its armed forces and financed by its
public treasury. 1t might then advance
the proposition that Its work was off,
cial, whereas that of Byrd was only the
action of a private individual. Such an
expedition would not be for purposes of
discovery, but for taking advantage of
the pioneering effort of others. In any
such contingency the Government OF
the United States would be expected to
maintain the validity of the Byrd claim
before any international court that
might be named"
Before Byrd Is through" suggests
the Harrisburg Telegraph, "he may add
announcer Texas or a Pennsylvania, or an
even larger area In the frigid zone. Just
now the land Is worthless. But it Is not
easy to put future value on It. The
word folly was used in connection with
the purchase of Alaska for $4,000, 600.
but that territory, once regarded as
frozen and useless. has yielded vast
wealth, and Is very heavy contributor
to our prosperity as q Nation"
The chief practical benefit" thinks
the Rochester Times Union, might be
selection Of site for a meteorological
station. as the influence Of the Antarctic
ice cap and the South Polar winds on
climate may well be important to learn.
Australia, so dependent on rain bearing
winds. has. perhaps, the biggest stake
In such an investigation. or course, IL
thar's gold In them hills or even oil,
hardy men will go after it."
What secrets for science NAV be
locked behind its icy barriers" observes
the Atlanta Journal: what treasures
OF industry and commerce its mountain
ranges may guard, what fresh ideas
1t may quicken In mans thought Of his
planet, to what strange enterprises 1t
may stir his spirit of adventure, only
continued exploration can reveal or in
innate. Yet this much Is certain-a
new territory. vast in extent, perhaps
as vast In ultimate possibilities. has
been claimed for American dominion"
The Pasadena Star-News believes
that "the time may come when that
region, and the corresponding portion
OF the Arctic region may be of imneas-
urable value. For. the ingenuity and
energy Of man. continues that paper.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04

In the city. The exodus probably will
not begin until tomorrow or Wednesday.
Faced with this unusual and trying
situation. 1t would seem to be the order
Of the day for all concerned, visitor and
home towner alike, to work together 80
that frayed tempers will not reach the
breaking point, injuries to persons and
properly will be avoided, and when it Is
all over grand time" will have been
enjoyed by all in attendance az the in
auguration of the President of the
United States.
Pedestrians are unquestionably at
disadvantage with the increase in the
volume of vehicular traffic. Except at
automatically or manually controlled
intersections, the walker finds that
crossing well-traveled thoroughfare is
a venture fraught with the greatest
hazard. Under these conditions patience
and care on the part Of the helpless
pedestrian are the prime requisites. A
minute may be saved by needless dash
to the opposite curb, but the chance Is
hardly worth taking No element of
time is worth the risk of injury or
death.
During this period motorists must
scrupulously obey the regulations. Next
to this obedience should come an atti-
tuds of considerateness, not only for
pedestrians but for other drivers. The
road-hog, the smart-aleck, and the
speeder should be conspicuous by their
absence. Careful and considerable OPP
Grafton Of the thousands of automobiles
will do much to promote the welfare Of
the crowded city.
The harassed traffic police are having
a difficult time Theirs Is the job of
keeping the seemingly never-ending
stream of travel moving They are the
ones who must size up the situation
ahead and divert automobiles to other
streets to avoid hopeless congestion. 1t
is up to them to prevent accident and
regulate all classes of street users to the
end that the Inauguration of Herbert
Hoover will be remembered as an
orderly and well-handled event.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

sylvania and wherever else Moose roam.
Some day murder will out and 1t will
be known why the Republican regulars
have been so well taken care of by
President Hoover. Not SO long ago they
were in fear and trembling that the hoy
scouts" and Little Lord Fauntleroys"
would occupy such a privileged place at
the administrators pie-counter that
there would be little room for merely de-
serving Republicans. AS matters have
turned out, their anxieties were UNI
founded. When National Chairman
Work confers this week with the host of
G. o. P. leaders whom he summoned to
Washington for the inauguration, he I'M
the pleasing assurance that alls we'll on
the Potomac as far as the Republican
rank and file Is concerned. Eight years
OF Hoover" is to be their slogan.
\ y " u
Prediction Is made that Charles Fran
els Adams, Secretary of the Navy, will
speedily become one of the characters"
Of Washington. The Boston yachts
man Is undoubtedly the most sea-going
American naval minister who ever held
the trident. Many Secretaries of the
Navy were New Englanders. Several
were Bay Staters. The first of the dy-
nasty was Benjamin W. Crowninshield
If Massachusetts,, who served under both
Madison and Monroe. Levi Woodbury.
of New Hampshire held the portfolio
under Jackson. George Bancroft of
Massachusetts, was naval Secretary In
the Polk administration. Lincoln took
two men for the Navy Department from
Connecticut-Isaac Toucey and Gideon
Welles, the latter of whom also served
under johnson. Arthur's naval Secre-
tary was William e. Chandler of New
Hampshire and McKinley's was John
d. Long of Massachusetts. Roosevelt
put William II. Moody Of Massachu-
sets in the Navy Department and Taft's
sea minister was George Won L. Meyer
of Massachusetts,.
Another BILLY" Mitchell-lawyer, not
aviator-becomes Attorney General. He
owes his big chance in Washington,
which came when President Coolidge
made him solicitor general in 1925, to
Associate Justice Pierce Butler of the
United States Supreme Court. Mitchell
and Butler were law partners in st.
Paul. Our solicitors general by ancient
custom must be learned in the law"
William De Witt Mitchell. by universal
consent, measures up to that standard.
He was at a dinner In Washington the
other night, when the hostess chirped
her pleasure at the fact that everybody
present was a Republican. But I am
a Democrat" said Mitchell. EYES,"
spoke Secretary Kellogg, 1.-The kind of
q Democrat that always votes the Re-
publican ticket"
(Copyright, 1927
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
Gives Additional Data
On Gen. Washington

To the Editor of The Star:
I was particularly interested In an
Associated Press story In The Star Of
Sunday. February "a. 1929, page 4, about
Gen. George Washington. One section
OF the story deals with Fredericksburg.
Having lived in Washington until Sep
TENDER last, war interested to see the
location where he threw a dollar across
the Potomac" had always heard it
was the Rappahannock-and it seems
much easier to believe.
In the article in question you mention
only that Washington used Mercer
Apothecary Shop. For your informa-
ton will tell you that he was fanil-
lar at the Rising Sun Tavern and also
at the home Of his mother. He visited
Kenmore. too, all buildings that are now
here. The Ferry Farm" the home, is
Just across the river from the lower end
OF town, and not only few miles" as
you state In the article.
OSWALD z. CAMP.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
From the Pinnacle to the Valley.

There is something that is at once
cruelty abrupt and sublimely unaltera-
bic in the spectacle Of man who leaves
the White House for the last time, to
step from the pinnacle of the presi-
dency to the valley of relative desuetude
which awaits our ex-Presidents. Until
the final second when his successor has
pronounced the oath, he wears the rich
mantle of authority and prestige wrap
ped about him by his countrymen. But
in moment he sheds 1t and slips away,
forgotten, to the background.
1t Is, no doubt, welcome background.
1t means, for a time, peace and COM
parative rest. The mantle Of the presi-
dency Is beautiful to look upon and
becomes its wearer. But it Is heavy.
Shoulders sag under the weight. and
backs sometimes bend. TIE be rid Of 1t
is like shedding q burden. One can be-
lieve that any man is glad to take it of.
But there Is symbolism in the
change of station which must be felt
by any President who is about to step
down. A man who has finished out his
term as President of the United States
has, indeed. reached the top of the hill
His view must evermore be mainly
retrospective. Valleys of rest and peace
full enjoyment Of LIES good things may
beckon him. But they are valleys. The
heights lie behind. The road descends.
Capricious democracy, having lifted him
up. sets him down and without a back
ward turn Of the head passes on with
another darling under her arm.
This is, Of course, rs 1t should be.
The strongest poison ever known came
from Caesars laurel crown" and while
the founding fathers were fully aware
that laurel crowns would be bestowed
and worn. they were douhly sure that
there should be no Caesars and that
the crown would pass from man to man
as an emblem Of service to the sover-
eign people and not as an emblem of
sovereignty exacting tribute in service
When Hoover takes the oath OF ofice,
Coolidge Is out. He has played no part
In the bestowal Of authority upon his
successor. for this authority comes not
from him, but from the people Having
served his sovereign, he is dismissed.
He goes away almost alone, with the
shouts Of acclaim for his successor
ringing in his ears. Over his shoulder,
but not in front of him, he may watch
the procession of triumph start west,
once more, along Pennsylvania avenue.
Alone, deserted by the crowds, he
turns away and follows in the footsteps
Of company of distinguished gentle
men, led by the first ex-President. "All
these were honored In their generations
and were the glory Of their times"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04

eventually will overcome climatic hand
leaps and those land will be made
accessible. In those polar mountains
may lie enormous deposits Of valuable
minerals which some day may be made
available to more temperate Chimes"
Il Il
"The airplane Is remaking the mans
of the world" the st. Paul Pioneer
Press exclaims as it views the results
OF human skill and daring plus the
modern plane" and the South Bend
Tribune holds that from the stand
point Of geographical research the Byrd
expedition already, has more than justi-
fed ITSELF" The San Antonio Evening
News states that "hristory may repeat
itself in Antarctica," referring to the
possibility Of another Klondike rush"
mo wonder" remarks the Asheville
Times. "the children of this generation
are sophisticated. They can hardly
maintain an attitude of wonder every
day in the year. always on tiptoe to re-
ceive the latest word from the outposts
OF science in aviation. radio, archaeology
or anthropology. II next week conamu-
nication Is established with Mars, the
boys and girls, hurrying to school or on
the way home, will simply make q men
tai note or tune in as soon as they
finish their lessons"
~
In lighter vein the Kansas City Jour-
nal-Post considers the possibilities:
What are We going to do with this
new territory? A multitude Of pypb-
lens Is suggested. How much wiu Ant
arctica yield In taxes7 To how many
delegates will It be entitled in national
conventions? But do not sheer. Re-
member Stewards Folly In addition
to assuring a supply Of trained seals,
Antarctica may very well provide o
place for Summer resorts and settle the
quection Of nice cool site for the
Sun ner White House. Moreover.
Antarctica will create many new Fed
eral posts. including those Of governor,
Federal judges. collectors of ports, etc,
Mr.. Hoover could save himself a lot Of
grief by giving disappointed candidates
tor cabinet positions Jobs In Antactica.
where they would have ample oppors
tunity to cool their heels. Let him pick
out the most prominent Hoover Derffo-
crat and make him governor Of the new
territory"
"Comdr. Byrd" the Detroit News
concludes, els giving US a form of Inn
perialism that doesn't threaten trouble
anywhere from anybody. Marie Byrd
Land. which he has annexed to the
United States, has no inhabitants and
no products except natural ice, and no.
body wants that or will crave to take it
away from us. It Is made 10
order for innocuous imperialism, and
we are for It,"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
Tax on Intangibles
Described as Unfair
70 the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
Am glad to see some one take I'D the
injustice Of the existing tax on intan-
gibles. setting forth so we'll how 1t EQUALS
in some cases from 1919 to IA per cent
Of even modest income. Even If the
retired man gets an increase to 81 400
with his other income of $500, less the
intangible tax Of $50, and with a low
apartment rent of $40. he and his wife
have no life of luxury. It seems high
time we had a reasonable income tax
law such as that In New York State,
or even II it was patterned after the
national income tax law, it would be
tar more reasonable. 1t Is graduated
according to ones income It Is surpris-
ing that the existing law ever got on the
DOCKS. unless some one squeezed IL
through as a vicious rider. ]. LEE.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
Washington's big Party.'

With unnumbered thousands added
10 washingtons traffic stream during
the three days comprising the inaugural
period, pedestrians, motorists and police
are under a strain, the intensity of
which is calculated to try the nerves Of
the stoutest. The ingress to the Ma
tional Capital attained full power on
Saturday afternoon when cars from al
most every State made their appearance
here to ningle with the more than one
hundred thousand automobiles regularly