davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01

so intent on its
1880 voyage that 1t
scarcely notices It's
recent port. Mag
netized with pros
poets Of skyscraper
h e a d gu arters, a
wider international
market, q CONT
mental ticker sys-
tenn, money and
loan posts and all
the increased pres
tige such improve
ments bring, the
Curb hurricS past
harbors filled with
memories Of great
achievements.
The market had
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01

vorced itself from
ponds during IL
months of the year
and took a cautious
but inquiring inter-
est in them in the
month of Deem
Der.
The present prob
lem of houses of is
sue and of dealers
in bonds has to do
with the probable
extent to which this
public may be in
huenced by its I'M
fortunate expert
ences in stocks and
by the comparative
ease in money rates
to renew its pur-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01

scale. but that no
previous panic STIR
red so great a pub
lie interest. From
the Atlantic to the
Pacific, from the
n o r t h e r n most
Canadian outpost
reachable by wire
or radio to the
Mexican bord e r,
from Europe to
Australia, from the
Far East to the
islands of the South
Seas the echoes of
the collapse of the
bull market were
heard on every
hand.
AlthOiIOh he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
STOCK CRASH HITS RECORD
IN HISTORY OF EXCHANGE
Eighteen Billions of Dollars of Market
Value Wiped Out Within Period
of Sixty Days.
BY GEORGE T. HUGHES.

Special Dispatch to The Star
n T EW YORK, January 1T is
N safe to say not only that the
NJ october and November crash
4 in the stock market was the
most violent in the history of
the Exchange. as well as on the largest
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
BY CHARLES F. SPEARE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

SpecIaI Dispatch to The Star.
n 7 EW YORK. January 1.-The
mi one self-evident fact in the
VI history of investment markets
4 Of 1929 is that the general
public almost completely d.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
BY JOHN A. CRONE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, January Shat
terihg some world and national records,
as well as most Of its own, the New
York Curb Exchange sails out of 1929
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01

The Curb Exchange, like other ex-
changes, during 1890 win rally irreg-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
Abolishing Preliminary Estimates

The practice of submitting prelim-
mary estimates to the Budget Bureau
has probably been fully justified, up to
this time, by the relative newness of
the budget system itself. Submission
of preliminary estimates by a depart
ment head amounted to a statement
that "Of course, we do not expect to
get this much, but here is what we
would like to have. You tell us how
much we must cut and we will do it,
But budget practice and its principles
of economy have been sufficiently in
grained by this time to permit the
abolition of preliminary estimates.
President Hoover's order to cut them
out from now or should result in a
great saving of time and effort and it
certainly tends to place more respon-
sibility on the departments and sepa-
rate establishments and less upon the
Budget Bureau.
In the case of the District of Co
lumbia the preliminary estimates have
long since outlived their usefulness.
Last Spring. for instance, the Com
missioners pared their preliminary es-
Inmates to figure that was supported
by anticipated revenue availability
and sent them along. In accordance
with the Budget Bureaus previous poll
icy, the preliminary estimates returned
with the order that they be cut to an
arbitrarily fixed figure that had no
direct. relationship to revenue available
ity. But the Commissioners frankly
told the budget officials that this was
neither practicable nor economical
that the District had the money to
spend and that preliminary estimates
represented a minimum that for all
practical purposes was irreducible. In
the end their final budget figures APP
proximated the figures of the prelim-
mary estimates. The pother over the
preliminaries was wasted motion.
Abolition of the preliminary esti-
mates will mean that department or
establishment heads hereafter must
submit their estimates with the knowl-
edge that they are final; that there is
to be no ALLEGATION of top figures among
the establishments, but that each es-
tablishment budget will represent the
minimum amount upon which that es-
Establishment can exist and perform its
work. The Budget Bureau will con-
tinue to exercise its supervision Of
these budgets. but there will be no re-
auctions merely to reach previously
determined figure. The reductions will
be determined by the facts in support
Of the estimates.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
Is Bakerlein Insane &?

Upon the arrival in New York of
James Baserlein, which is said to be
the real name of the wholesale muir
derer recently arrested in Michigan he
was examined by two physicians rep
resenting the law organization of New
York City and was pronounced legally
sane. That, however, does not settle
matters. 1t is inconceivable that this
MAJ will be tried for his crimes-or
thai sae which it is reasonably certain
he rfnmitted in New York State
wi ;hout the interposition of the plea OF
ineanity, without the services of ex-
perts on mental conditions. His con-
LESSONS build up an ideal case for such
plee. If he has in fact committed
the murders which he has not merely
admitted, but has boastfully claimed,
he is surely abnormal. If he has
imagined them, or now recites them in
a vainglorious spirit, he is assuredly
unusual, to say the least.
Unfortunately New York has no sys-
tenn of determining the sanity of per-
sons accused of crime other than
through the competitive testimony of
alienists called for the State and for
the defense, with jury rendering judg-
ment without any technical training in
such matters. This is a poor method,
uncertain in its results, expensive, pro-
tracted and harmful to the prestige of
the law. In this case the accused is
not a person of wealth. There will be
no large expenditure for experts for the
defense. But that does not necessarily
mean lack Of talent on that side. Alien
lists have been known before to offer
their services in notable cases. Though
the medical profession does not adj
vertise, some members of it are not
averse to inexpensive publicity.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26

in it. It can have no part, inasmuch
as it has refused to recognize the Soviet
government at Moscow.
Declarations by the supreme head of
the Russian Orthodox Church to the
effect that there are no prosecutions do
are two divisions of the Russian church,
one of which has gained recognition by
the Moscow commissars and holds a
precarious tenure through careful OBJ
servance of Soviet rules of repression
and control. The other is the real
fundamental faith of the people, under
ban, harried, prosecuted and even
slaughtered.
It is hard to get at the truth regard
ing conditions in Russia. There are lies
and counter-lies about the Soviet and
the anti-Soviet forces, about the Com
munist plan for collective farming and
the "Kulak" movement in resistance.
But all the lying is not on the anti
Soviet side nor probably is all the truth
on that side Certain facts, however,
are known, and it is on the strength
Of this knowledge that prosecutions
have been and are being conducted by
the commissars constituting the SUI
preme authority at Moscow against the
religionists of the old church, that pro-
tests are now arising from every other
land. not in call for war, not in demand
for a change of economic and political
policy at Moscow. but in the hope of
preventing the hideous tragedy of the
bloody subversion of religious faith in
Russia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26

are no cranks, no malevolent plotters,
no potential assassins and bomb throw
ers. There is no known insurance
against them. Eternal vigilance on the
part of the guardians of public Offices
and personages is the best that can
be had.
AS for espionage. desk-searching,
shadowing and that sort of thing, it is
rather too much to expect the public
to believe that the administration or
any interest is engaging in such silly
procedure, After the ridiculous jury
spotting that occurred during the Sinclair
trial there is such an emphatic distaste
for such practices that no one with a
reasonable amount of common sense
would dare to indulge in it.
1t all goes back to nervous tension.
There is a cure for such a condition.
Strangely enough, it lies in more hard
work, in work that yields quick results.
An early adjournment with all tasks ac-
complished would put an end to this
nonsense about bomb plots.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
Nervous Tension

Threatening letters to Senators, warn
ings to stay away from the Capitol lest
they be caught in an explosion destroy
ing the structure, hints of diabolical
plots against the Government, SUCCESS
tons that water buckets be kept on
hand in the Senate Chamber for the
exttnguishment Of the fuses of bombs
dropped over the gallery ratings,
charges that administration agents are
spying on Senators, searching their
desks and Shadowing their movements
Were this in truth Midsummer instead
Of merely a breath of premature late
Winter heat the caloric qualities of the
atmosphere might account for the
nervous condition of the legislators. But
there is no genuine Misunderstanding
quality in the air at present, as there is
at times in the midmonths Of the year.
Can this be the result of fatigue, of
long, hard labor at the legislative task?
The Senate has been in session now for
nine months, with bit of a recess now
and then, toiling on two big "propoIi-
tions relief and the tariff. It
has not yet finished work on the latter.
The big business men" of the Upper
House, furthermore, are as individuals
and citizens in the throes of making out
their income tax returns. Life is hard
and strenuous in the Senate. Nerves
have their limits of endurance, and it
would seem that those limits have now
been reached.
Crank letters? They are being mailed
and received all the time. And it Is a
generally accepted axiom that the crank
who writes letter rarely goes further.
His malevolent thought is expended in
the writing. OF course, it is the rare
exception that makes the trouble, and
the rarely exceptional crank who writes
sometimes delivers the explosive goods
Ordinary precaution against such q
chance is always to be taken. Thorough
housekeeping at the Capitol and ordi-
narily efficient police service ought to
afford the necessary degree of protec-
ton, perhaps with waterSpuckets thrown
in as good measure for emergencies.
Time win never come when there
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
Comedians Desire
For Tragedy Pathetic

From the Kansas City Times
There seems to be no doubt at all
that Charlie Chaplin, comedian, would
like to be Charles Spencer Chaplin
tragedian. The story of the comedians
aspira tions, at least his yearningS, has
persisted until it has outlived the dis
trust that so often attends the gossip
about people of the stage. There is
nothing new in the fact that a comedian
would like to do something serious"
Besides, there has been serious I'M
dercurrent in much of Chaplin's come
dy, even when his comedy has been most
farcical The very soul of his humor
has been in his seeming gravity, his
apparent Inconsistencies or oblivious-
ness to his own absurdities.
Perhaps it was fortunate that
Chaplin'S friends talked him out of a
determination to play Hamlet, not that
we should say he could not play the
great role acceptably, or in time even
with distinction. Who knows? Now,
We are told, he is thinking of Svengali,
in talkie made of ''Trilby." This Sc
lection, we believe, would be unfortu-
nate. 1t was hard enough for even so
good an actor as Wilton Lackaye to
make the rascally hypnotist real for
his audiences. We fear the Chaplin
followers might refuse to regard his
Svengali as anything except a graphic
caricature, no matter how well he might
act the part. But Chaplin should have
his chance. He wants to show that he
can be truly sad, even tragic; that he
harborS emotions worthy of revelation
which have not been sounded in the
comic parts he has played. He has an
ambition to make people cry or shudder
as well as laugh.
There have been other comedians
with similar aspirations. Nat Goodwin
nursed his until he made a f1zzle OF
Shylock. E. H. Sothern turned from
light comedy. to the disappointment OF
his large following, went into the TO-
mances and finally into the Shake
spearean tragedies as we'll as comedies
and fully justified his judgment. Even
Eddie Foy, the greatest clown our come
dy stage has known, wanted to play
Hamlet, and to satisfy him he was per-
mitted to do" travesty of the char
acter. 1t was Belasco rather than the
actor himself who turned David War;
field from the field of comedy, in which
he eXcelled, into the path of serious
drama. Warfield has one great sue
cess in tears, 1.-The Music Master" and
one quite respectable ShakeSpearean
impersonation, his Shylock, to his credit.
De Wolf Hopper once played Mark
Antony in a scene from Julius Caesar"
and has been unhappy ever since be-
cause he could not play the part in full
in formal production.
There is no telling what may lie I'M
revealed behind the comic mask. Our
old tragedians used to delight in the
farcical afterpieces in which they found
relief from the moods of drama and
tragedy. One of the fine things about
stock companies is that they develop
versatility. Continued service in such
an organization makes for fullness of
training, fullnesS of powers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
A Protest Against the
Protest Against SOviets
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Your editorial in last Mondays Star,
World Reaction Against Bolshevism, "
does not sound like The Star speaking.
The voice of tolerance which we are
wont to look for in The Star is lacking.
That broad appreciation Of other ma
tons struggles, political and religious,
is missing The Star should bear in mind
that the American Colonies once "sev-
cred the ties" which bound them to a
despotism not unlike that which, here
tofore, has reigned in Russia.
If Russia wishes to break loose from
her political, social and religious entan-
clements of the past, as England did in
the thirteenth century when she closed
all the monastic houses, what is that to
us? We are kind enough to refuse rec
ognition of her government, SO why
should we work ourselves up into a
fever over her method of handling her
own religious pfoblemS?
The supreme head of the Russian
Orthodox Church, in a carefully pre-
pared interview not many days ago, de-
clared most emphatically that religion
is not being prosecuted in Russia. 1t is
the political preacher" Gin her case the
political PRESTO who is being prose
cuted, not prosecuted"
am sure The Star ought to agree
that the Russians have a right to make
their own laws, and further right to
prosecute all those of their own people
who refuse to recognize those laws.
JEAN MONK.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
Retirement Amendment
Legislation Is Urgent
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
Much has been said as to the merits
of the Dale and Lehlbach bills relating
to retirement of civil service employees.
1t appears that the Lehlbach bill pro-
vides for all or most of the benefits
provided for in the Dale bill and greater
benefits in some instances, but the fact
remains that there is danger of being
unable to get the Lehlbach bill through
the Senate at this session of Congress,
even if it should be favorably acted
upon by the House. Many of those
now retired are badly in need of addi-
some should be taken as soon as practi-
cable. The provisions of the Dale bill
have been thoroughly considered and are
well understood and there seems to be
no good reason why prompt action
should not be taken on the bill by the
House. Surely the House would not
refuse to consider the bill on the ground
that the President might veto it, as
Congress has the constitutional right
to pass measure over his veto. Con-
gress might refuse to act on any bill
on such ground. Subsequently consider
alton could be given the Lehlbach bill.
The ground set forth that high
salaried employees contribute so much
more to the retirement fund than those
receiving lower salaries, as a reason
why the Dale bill should not be passed
at this time, is of minor Importance
when compared with the urgent need of
many now retired for immediate addi-
tional relief, however small. Many re-
ceiving the lower salaries, Just as COM
petent and meritorious in many in
stances as those receiving the higher
salaries often through favor or infiu-
ence, would willingly exchange places
with them and thereby relieve them of
contributing the larger sums to the re-
tirement fund. JNO. w. DAVIS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26

referred by Mr.. Hoover to Senator Smoot,
which, surely, was an innocuous gesture,
perhaps no more than a courteous
method of being rid of an importunate
sutton.
Yet there is persistent effort being
made to give sinister cast to all of this
apparently futile endeavor to engage the
Presidents favor for the Cuban sugar
interest, based on nothing more anthem
tic than the Recommendation of
paid lobbyists. It is too insignificant and
puerile for any serious regard, and it is
becoming utterly weariSome and monot-
onous. If there is any politics in it the
engineers of such strategy had better
review their projects and change their
line of operations. The public will revolt
against this sort of thing before long
and the Intellectual assaults on the
President will flare back upon the as
sallants and induce sympathy for their
intended victim and an exaltation of
him to the role of good man unjustly
blamed, than which there is no more
popular figure.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

Rico, Cuba; Porto Rico, Philippine Is
lands, and Porto Rico, Central America.
One college graduate addressed me as
Ambassador Roosevelt, American En-
bassy, Porto Rico 1 have had many
requests for foreign stamps of Porto
Rico" To those who may wish to
know, Porto Rico is an island in the
West Indies, its capital is San Juan,
and it is a territory of the United States.
X X X X
The Sentinels of the Republic arrived
recently in Washington for their annual
conclave, and after it was over silently
folded their tents and departed. They
left behind a resolution of the follow
ing tenor: I'VE deplore the Presidents
practice of creating Semi-official COM
missioners and bodies, financed by pri-
vate individuals and organizations, to
investigate matters and activities pri-
marily related to the individual lives
of the people and to local communities
and having no relation to the limited
powers and proper scope of the Fedora
Government. Such activities tend not
only to misdirect the energies and abil-
tiles of Federal officials and employees
but to divert public attention and criti-
cism from their failure adequately II
perform the various functions that be-
long properly to the Federal Govern
ment."
X X X X
Among the Hoover proposals cited by
the Sentinels of the Republic as coming
under their blanket condemnation are
the following: Research committee or
social trends, to direct an extensive sur.
vey into the social changes in our ma.
tional life; proposed conference on bet
ter housing proposed conference or
recreation, planning committee for ma.
tional conference on child health anC
protection and national advisory
committee on education.
(Copyright. 1900
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
Why American Churohmsn Protest

American refusal to recognize the
Russian Soviet government is not in
spired by spirit of intolerance, nor
does 1t betoken any lack of sympathy
for the Russian people in their aspira-
ton to develop democracy. There
has never been from the beginning of
the present anti-imperialist reaction in
Russia any lack of regard for those who
have sought freedom from tyranny in
'Muscovy." Yet it is commonly urged
by critics Of this Governments policy,
which is supported by the American
people, that it is inconsistent with
American history, American struggles
for independence and the successful
establishment of democracy here.
The United States refuses to recog-
nize the Soviet government of Russia
for two reasons-fiirst, its persistence in
the prosecution Of campaign of Com
munistic subversion, and second, its
refusal to recognize financial obligations.
OF these two the former is the more
serious. If the government at Moscow
American people to Communism, would
disband the Third Internationale, would
effectively guarantee continued and
sincere abstention from all such prac-
tees aimed against the stability Of this
and other governments, recognition
might follow even though there were
still lacking guarantees as to the
assumption and liquidation of debts.
In this present protest of the churches
of not only America but other parts OF
the world, in fact the combined religious
organizations of virtually all lands
against the cruel policy and practice OF
the Russian government in persecution
of churchmen and religionists in Russia
there is no hint of intolerance. Amer.
lean churchmen are joining in this
protest as individuals and as groups. al
churches. The Government has no par
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
Attempts to Smirch
Hoover Are Attacked

From the Charleston IS. CO., Evening Post.
If there be any thought that all this
stuff about members of the sugar lobby
having private approach to President
Hoover and whispered words with him
concerning the tariff schedules applying
to the Cuban product will rebound to
the political advantage of Mr.. HooVer'S
enemies, it is bad reckoning. In the end
the whole business of seeking to smirch
the President will react to the confusion
and defeat of those engaged in 1t.
That agents of the Cuban sugar lobby
should have had access to the President
and been able to get their views on the
tariff schedules before him is entirely
possible, although their advertisement OF
claims to special avenues of approach
and particular influences is no EVIDENCE
of such thing No man in high POSI-
ton but is subject to numerous alega-
tions of intimacy on the part of in
dividuals who are quite unknown to
him, although they may, in one
way or another, have come into actual
contact with him. Also, there are many
acquaintance and even some friends of
the mighty who take service for inter-
eStS which engage them because OF such
association And there are some entirely
open and honorable representatives of
legitimate concern in governmental
policies who go straight to the point,
seek audience with the high official and
present an intelligent argument in sup
port of their pretension. The Cuban
sugar interests may have employed all
of these avenues of approach to Mr.
Hoover, in an endeavor to enlist his
sympathy for their cause. None of them
would reflect any discredit on the
President.
1t is quite possible that Mr.. Hoover
looks with favor upon the Cuban con-
tention. There is as matter of fact,
much OF justice and right in it. But
there has been nothing to indicate how
he was disposed toward the issue. No
one has claimed that he moved so much
as his little finger in behalf of the
Cuban interests. The only allegations
are of vague influences enabling certain
agents to get word with or to the Presi-
dent. and one report of an AGENT being