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

Beginning today the municipa,
government declines 10 presume that
every automobile owner Is honest enough
to pay his personal property tax without
persuasion. Beginning tomorrow the
municipal government will effect that
persuasion by Withholding automobile
tags until personal property taxes have
been paid.
AS a generous sum in personal tax
payments will accrue to the municipal
ity because Of this change of attitude
the taxpayer will not rebel against the
principle and will be as glad to pay his
| share of taxes as any citizen can be-
That does not connote great and bub-
bling enthusiasm on the part of the
taxpayer, but it does mean that nc
justihable complaint can be lodged
against the municipality for its change
of attitude. 1t is one thing to levy
taxes and another thing to collect them
An eficient collection system is alto
gether desirable.
But while the automobile owner will
not, or cannot logically, object to pay
ing his taxes, he can object strenuouslS
and no doubt he will rebel against being
! forced to stand In line for an hour o:
so and go through a lot of red tape
while he subjects himself to the process.
Of having his taxes extracted.
Beginning tomorrow and continuing
up to the last day of grace-February
There will be three long lines Of citi-
zens at the District Building. One line
will be engaged in the task of having
automobiles and other personal prop
erty assessed for taxation. Another line
will be paying personal property taxes
on this assessment and paying the 81
tag fee. Another line will be receiving
the nice new tags.
Because Of the wording of the law
the District Commissioners were no
able to begin the standing-in- line proc
ess until the first of the year. Next
year they hope to have the law amended
to permit the issuance Of tags durinr
December. They should 60 even further
They should obtain legislative authorit,
to do as the States do and issue tag.
through the mail. There Is no COOK
reason why a taxpayer should have tt
go to the District Building and stanc
in line. He should be able to transact
this business with his municipal gov.
eminent as he transacts other bushes.
through the mail.
The States have inaugurated systems
that relieve the automobile owner of the
task Of standing in line and paying his
taxes when he reaches the grilled win
dow. They put the taxpayer through
the mill with the least Of inconvenience
The District should do the same thing
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
Resolves.

This business Of making good reSo.
lutions on the eve of the New Year, OIL
at its dawn, is not altogether a joke
1t may not result in permanent i'm
provement and the failure of resolves
often repeated, has given rise to the jest
about eggshell wills. Yet the striving
however futile, for betterment is ir
itself beneficial. It is at least an indi-
cation Of an arousal of conscience.
1t has often been remarked that there
Is nothing especially sacrosanct about
New Year day as time for the turn
ing over Of new leaves. Every day in
the year Is as good as January fol
the beginning Of an effort for reforma-
ton, in some particular or some degree
The man with habit of indulgence can
stop, or try to stop, as we'll on the sew
enteenth Of May as on the initial day OF
the year. The woman given to sharp
speech can start the softening of her
tongue as sincerely and perhaps as
effectively on the ninth of November as
on the New Year.
Most of the good resolutions" that
are made by those who wish themselves
well on the first day Of the year relate to
minor faults, to individual peculiarities,
to habits" that impinge upon the COM
fort and the serenity of others. Rarely
does good resolver' Of the New Year
season turn over q very dark leaf. If
the thing that ought not to be done is
something particularly grave, 1t is not
made a matter OF attempted seasonal
reformation.
So In the main the good resolutions OF
the New Year time are almost exclu-
| sively minor in character, relating to
peccadilloes and idiosyncrasies. And
for that very reason they are not often
effective, for these minor manners are
just as deeply rooted as the major ones,
They. are part Of the personality.
Man cannot altogether make himself
over by sheer will. He may work some
changes for the better. He may cure
some bad habit Of speech or conduct OF
! thought, but he cannot transform him
! self, by simple reference to the calen-
dar and good resolutions" on the first
of January. Indeed, the very postpone
ment of q resolve 10 do and to be better
to the conventional date is confession
Of weakness of will in this very respect
Still the battle goes on, between the
forces Of good and the forces Of evil
Each human being is a battle ground
There is no governing calendar. The
, fight RACES hourly, daily, weekly, month
ly, yearly, for the whole span Of life
And those who resolve and fail, who fall
by the wayside," as the old-fashioned
phrase runs, are still in the fight, what
ever may be their record Of defeats.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
Indian Independence

Despite some confusion of details in
the dispatches from Lahore, describing
the proceedings Of the Indian Nation
alist Congress, it is evident that serious
independence movement has been start
ed and that the British rule Is Sravelv
menaced. 1t does not follow that the
movement will succeed quickly, or per-
haps at all. 1t does not follow, either,
that conflict will result from the
declarations adopted yesterday at La
hore. But it is clear that the Nationalist
movement has gained Roadway In con-
sequence OF this meeting, attended by
immense numbers Of people from all
parts of India and marked by scenes of
the widest enthusiasm and even fanati-
cal spirit.
The significance of this action by the
Nationalist Congress at Lahore is the
greater because of the fact that the
Simon commission, which recently con-
Quoted a survey of the Indian situation
with a view to the adoption Of reforms
in the British administration of Indian
affairs, has not yet been submitted. II
Is evident that the Nationalist of India
are not disposed to wait for reforms
are not inclined to be satisfied with
moderate measures.
It is significant that Mahatma
Ghandi, who has for some time been
preaching patience and quiescent pro-
test, has in this new situation taken q
more advanced stand. While he recently
favored British dominion status fol
India, he now advocates as a first ster
in the direction Of independence the
boycotting Of all councils or cabinets
set up for the country and its constit-
uent states. Such a boycott would b.
far more serious in its effects thar
the commodity boycott proclaimed by
Ghandi some years ago and maintained
by his followers to large number with
a serious effect upon British trade.
A completely independent Indian
state would seem, at present reckoning
not merely anomalous, but impossible
The elements of native discord are toe
numerous and too positive to permit tn,
Establishment Of an absolutely autono.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Old Year.
And must you so so soon, Old Year,
To hurry on your way
Out there among the stars, Old Dear,
Beyond the Milky wayl
It Is a very little while
Since you q stranger seemed,
Who met us with a happy smile
Where lights SO gayly cleaned.
With you we'd share the hope so fair
You saw the trembling tear.
You brought us many an hour Of care
And many day Of cheer.
You leave us, never to return,
The parting brings a sigh.
You helped us all to live and learn,
Old Year-Old Dear-Good-by!
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
The Paisley Tragedy,

One Of the most CHASTITY Of all TRACE
dies in the history of human disaster
was enacted yesterday at Paisley, Scot
land, when seventy-two children were
killed In q panic in rushing at an alarm
Of fire from motion picture theater,
packed to the doors at q special holiday
performance. There was but little FIRE,
burning reel having been thrown from
the building almost Immediately after
the outburst of flame. But the fumes
from the combustion Of the celluloid
film added seriously to the casualties.
No mention is made in the dispatches
Of the condition of the building, its fire.
resisting qualities or its arrangement of
exits. There would seem, however, to be
no ground for criticism on this score.
The panic was such as might have &C.
CURED In any place Of amusement
where a great many children were as
sembled, with few adults as escorts.
A little over three years ago forty
nine people were killed in the most dis
astrous motion picture fire hitherto in
the British Isles. This was in the VIII
lage Of Drumcolollagher in ireland.
The film was being shown in a large
loft over an automobile garage, from
which there was but one narrow exit by
a ladder to the ground floor. Two hun
dred persons we're packed into this
room. burning candle fell on a Toll
Of film near the doorway and started
holocaust.
The Paisley performance was in cele-
bration Of the "Hogmanay," or Scot
fish New Year eve. According to one
dispatch, the theater offered $50 seats
and another states that 1000 children
had crowded their way into the build
! ing. 1t was "tuppenny" show, the adj
mission being q little less than i've
cents in American money, o specially
low price in consideration OF the holi-
day. The youngsters were mostly chill
dren Of mill operatives.
There Is no known way to prevent
panic. Fire risks can be reduced, safe
guards can be adopted. all the precau-
tions for preventing the beginning and
spreading Of flames may be installed,
but the panic spirit Is beyond control
Perhaps in case like that of Paisley
the fault lay In allowing so many chill
dren to assemble without grown-ups in
charge. In some American cities the
attendance Of young children at places
Of public entertainment without adult
escort Is prohibited, partly IS . pre-
caution against disaster.
A possible explanation Of the SEEM
ingly instant development Of panic al
the Paisley theater Is to be found In
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

a business directorate-the Federal
Farm Board. But the success of the
venture will depend quite as much upon
the support 1t receives from the farmers
as upon the sound business policies I'd
be followed by the Farm Board With
out the willing support of farmers the
board cannot hope to succeed in per-
fecting an organization which will &C
complish the purpose of the agricultural
marketing act" Secretary Hyde doesn't
discuss the grain commission mems al
legged vendetta against the Farm Board,
though he does acclaim the more IA
vorable credit conditions" which now
exist ard which julius Barnes and his
confreres look upon as unfair competi-
ton.
\
One Of the first fruits Of the visit Of
President-elect Ortiz Rubio of Mexico
is the decision Of a representative grour
Of American business men to attend his
Inauguration on February S. A COM
mittee, headed by James w. Gerard
former Ambassador to Germany, has
been formed to organize the expedition
The Mexican American Chamber OF
Commerce of New York Is sponsoring
the goodwill tour"
* X y
New honors have just come to q
couple OF young men who were IN the
thick Of things at Washington during
the World War. Ralph Hayes, private
secretary to Newton D. Baker. Secre-
tary of War, has been appointed Sec
ond vice president and executive as
siStant to Ralph Pulitzer, publisher OF
the New York World. The government
Of Czechoslovakia has bestowed one OF
its highest civilian decorations upon
Lewis K. Strauss. a member Of Kuhn
Loeb & Co., bankers, and private Sec
rotary to Herbert Hoover at the United
States Food Administration.
(Copyright, 1900
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
Postmaster General
FrOwns on Stamp Fad
From the Schenectady Gazette.

From the Schenectady Gazette.
Postmaster General Brown does we'll
to decide there shall not be commemo.
rative issues of postage stamps on every
conceivable occasion-there have been
too many of them in the past few years.
one can understand the delight of
stamp collectors at frequent new issues
they enlarge collections at slight cost.
And as a rule commemorative stamp
is more attractive in appearance than q
regular one.
But why should there be a special
issue for the 34lst anniversary Of the
discovery of the Schoharie River, In
stead of the 350th or 400th? or for
any such anniversary?
The 500th or 600th anniversary of
the discovery Of America might possibly
be interpreted as o hitting occasion, for
that was an event of worldwide irnpor-
lance. But so far as most of the sus-
gestions for special issues 90, they have
dealt with local events, or with those
Of passing national interest.
Groups are at work constantly seek
ing sanction for commemorative stamps.
They are active and persistent. Post
master General Brown may have made
some enemies by his decision. On the
other hand, the unquestioned majority
Of our body polite frowns upon fads
OF this kind.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Did you ever write letter to Fred
eric j. HaSkin? You can ask him any
| question of fact and get the answer
| In a personal letter. Here is a great
! educational idea, introduced into the
| lives of the most intelligent people in
the world-American newspaper read
| ers. 1t is a part of that best purpose
OF newspaper-service. There is no
charge except cents in coin or
stamps for return postage. Address
Frederic j. Haskin, director, The Eve
ming Star Information Bureau, Wash
ington, D. C.
Q. What is the largest Christmas
wreath ever uSed?-N. Men.
A. The largest of which we have
record is the wreath in New York,
weighing ton, 90 feet in diameter,
which is in the Grand Central Ter
minal. Fifty yards of red satin rib
bon are tied on it and 1913 lights are
used.
@. How far does the average 2-cent
stamp travel?-W w. F.
A. Seven hundred miles has been
approxima.ed IS the average trip OF
a 2-cent stamp. There has been no
survey resulting In an exact figure.
@. Has Russia navy and airplanes
available for military use?-B. H. H.
A. While it is known that Russia
has both, there are no figures available
on either.
Q. Was the telephone included in the
exhibits of the Centennial Exposition
in Philadelphia in 1876?-G. B.
A. Beginning of Telephony" says
that 1t was exhibited and demonstrated
at the exposition that Summer. The
experiments Of Alexander Graham Bell
had been crowned with definite achieve
ment when in March, 1876. he made
himself heard over telephone wire for
the flrSt time.
@. Do porcupines throw their uuills
when frightened or fghting?-C. O'Q.
A. Porcupines do not throw of quilts
IN fighting. The quilts are loosely in
serted in the skin, and may when vio-
lently shaken become detached--a cir
cumstance which probably gave rise to
the purely fabulous statement that the
animal can eject its quilts.
Q. Do Eskimos live in snow houses?
j. p.
A. One-half of the Eskimos in the
world have never seen a snow house
and only about one-fourth of them are
in the habit of using them as common
dwellings in Winter. Snow houses are
almost wholly absent from Alaska. In
the Mckenzie Delta they were used only
in emergencies. From there eastward
to the Atlantic they are the usual Win
ter dwellings, except in parts of I.abra-
dor. OF nearly $4,000 Eskimos in Green
land today less than 500 have ever seen
a snow house. The only Greenlandic
snow house users are the small group
around Cape York. These people even
more commonly dwell in houses of
earth, raftered with slabs OF stone or
with the bones Of large animals.
Q. How many of the Chinese popu-
lation live on the water?-J. A. N.
A. Something more than 1000 900
Of the Chinese population of $4,000, 900
live on water.
@. Where was Phillips Brooks when
he wrote 20 Little Town of Bethlehem?
Il. w. S.
A. DR.. Brooks wrote 20 Little Town
Of Bethlehem" while living in Philadel-
phia. The organist of his church set
the hymn to music. The inspiration
for the composition came to the organ
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01

The Rochester Times Union states that
the debt commission has gone as fast
and as far in liberalizing settlements as
public sentiment would permit" and the
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel and the
Kansas City Star emphasize the point
that German separations more than
take care Of the French payments to
the United States and Great Britain.
The Fargo Forum says Just as It
was desirable from an economic stand
point to bring about a final reparation
settlement it has been desirable for
some time past to bring about final re-
funding settlements. Each nation in
volved is better able to take stock Of its
finances and to plan its future"
4 X
The Fort Worth Star Telegram offers
the verdict on the dispute now settled:
, The European grouSerS who complain
that the United States is demanding
the last dollar in blood money from
France and the Americans who con-
graduate themselves that our Govern
ment is making the French pay in full
are equally wrong. On a conservative
financing basis we have forgiven France
three-f1fths of the sum she owes u.s.
Taking up the same topic, the Syra-
cuse Herald is emphatic in the state
ment: France bore the military brllnt
of the World War. One-third OF her
territory was devastated; the total of
her dead exceeded 100000. Today, as
Senator, Smoot, chairman of the
finance committee, pointed out, her
burden Of taxation, chiefly due to the
war, is equal to SO per cent OF the ma
tional income, as against our own 10
per cent"
The concessions made in the spirit
OF friendship and accommodation have
popular approval here" according to
the Newark Evening News. France,
sorely stricken by the great conflict,
| turning a third of her national income
over TO the tax gatherer, can accept the
concessions without reproach. The
chapter Is one the closing of which
should bring mutual satisfaction"
ITO say that the debts have ceased
to be an issue in international politics"
| in the judgment Of the Hartford Cou-
rant would be far from the truth. On
the contrary, their justice and wisdom
is stIll matter Of dispute, and will be
! perhaps until they are superseded by
an arrangement for liquidating all the
| financial obligations created by the war.
! reparations as we'll as debts. With the
agreements completed, the time may
not be far of when the whole matter
will demand resettlement in a new
! light"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
Prosperity Prospect for 1880.

In reckoning the historic values of
the events of 1929 in this country great
est weight will probably be given to the
financial disturbance which marked the
final quarter. This disturbance was only
another Stock Exchange reversal yet 1t
has its place in American history be-
cause of the fact that it did not lead to
Nationwide misfortune, to acute bust
ness depression or severe industrial re-
action. The significance of the panic"
in Wall Street was chiefly that it did not
lead to a panic in the country at large.
The series Of sharp declines in the
price list of stocks and other securities
which began in October was an al
together natural result of long contin-
ued unrestrained speculation and price
boosting. The averages of quotations
had reached a point far above actual
were involved in a volume of transac-
tons greatly exceeding all records. The
stock market had been in a buying
frenzy for many months.
OF course, this process could not con-
tinue indefinitely. All the known checks
and balances had failed to bring about
a normal recession, and then financial
nature took its course, as it were. The
speculative bubble broke. Paper" for
tunes were swept away in terms of hun
greatly diminished. Spectators were
cleaned out by sales which carried away
their margins. An untold number CT
people lost their savings of years. But
all this money was, so to speak, merely
shifted from one set of pockets to an
other. There was no real loss in the
sense of destruction of values.
Business conditions and, outside of
the speculative exchanges, financial
conditions were fundamentally sound
The country was in good economic
health. There was danger nevertheless
OF the panic spirit spreading from the
speculative markets to the actual mar
kets, the commodity field, the indus
tries, the mercantile lines. At the So
called psychological moment the Presi-
dent Of the United States acted to sta
billie conditions, and called conferences
of leaders of industry, labor, finance,
trade and transportation and from their
meetings came assurances that the Ma
tons business would be carried on as
usual, that indeed large programs of
expansion would be instituted to guar
antee continued employment.
The New Year opens therefore with a
bright prospect for the Nations mate
rial well-being. Conditions are funda-
mentally sound, the panic spirit that
led to the sensational spasmodic re-
action in Wall Street has passed, the
folly of extended speculation is real
lied. Capital that was employed last
year in unproductive enterprise is re-
stored to its proper service. Prosperity
should continue, to make 1880 notable
In American history
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01

list the night before the HYMN was 10
oe USED IN a Christmas program.
Q. How many Sing Sing prisoners
are serving sentences under the Baumes
laws?-S. A. S.
are now los prisoners in Sing Sing
serving terms of life Imprisonment un-
de- the Baumes laws.
w. M. ~ ''
A. 1t takes its name from a combi-
nation OF alpha and beta, the first let
ters IN the Greek alphabet.
K. D r fa' n'pp0p0'Smus OF any uSe'
A. 1t tears up and eats the great
plants and weeds that grow in rivers.
thus acting as one Of natures great
dredges.
o: Are women more susceptible to
seaSlckneSS than men are?-O, C,
a. Women as a rule suffer from sea
sickness more often than men. Young
children and old people possess com.
paratiVe immunity from this affection.
@. Is there any nourishment in edi-
BILE mushroomS?-H. N.
"A. Mushrooms are good source OF
vitamin B. Aside from the vitamin
content. the nutritive value OF mush-
rooms is small.
Q. What country has the oldest folk
songS?-C. r.
A. This cannot be stated definitely.
but the songs Of Piedmont, Lombardy
and Tuscany, northern provinces in
Italy, are probably the oldest folk songs
in the world
9; What is the aurora bOrealis?-
! A. The aurora borealis is a luminous
| phenomenon seen usually at night ia
the Northern ATTITUDES. 1t consists for
the most part of long. slender beams OF
light OF various colors, which form an
arc in the heavens. Scientists believe
that the aurora borcalis is the result OF
electrical discharge through the upper
regions Of the atmosphere. though under
conditions not yet entirely understood.
@. How did the phrase The Lost
Cause" become associated with the Con-
federacy?-T. M.
A. The Lost Cause" is a phrase
which became current through the title
of history Of the Civil War lsS6) by
E. A. Pollard 1t is used as an expres
sion designanve for the purposes and
through the war, vainly sought to real.
lie in the permanent establishment OF
the Confederate States OF America.
@. Please define the riding terms
military seat" hunting seat" and
park Seat.'-F. S.
A. Military, straight seat, with long
stirrup; hunting, open seat, with a
shorter Stirrup: park, the best-lookinR
seat, more like a chair, riding easily
with weight poised on ball of feet and
no stiffness.
@. When Washington was planned.
had any city been built according to q
i-preconceiVed PLANS. ].
A. No modern city has been designed
and executed on an unoccupied site.
The vision Of Washington and LIN
FAINT was of city for 100000 people.
the population at that time of London.
@. How did the term French leave"
originate?-A. H.
A. This phrase came into use from
the French custom Of the eighteenth
century Of departing from a social gath
ering without taking leave of the host
or hostess.