davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
Some Questions as to
Clerks Retirement
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
Why should the retirement of Fed
eral employees be so complicated? There
are at present more than so kinds of
employment in one group in the me-
chanical trades mentioned in the re-
tirennent handbook to determine the
age of retirement.
Why not simplify the system by CIV
ing optional retirement to all EMPLOYEES
on service at so years of age after 90
years and make the retirement uniform
for all employees? The matter of dis
ability can remain the same in the
handbook. and the simple change in
the retirement bill to so years of age
after 80 years of service optional will
make quite difference in disability
examinations each year and lower the
disability retirement considerable and
relieve the situation of keeping numbers
of positions open for those out on dis
ability.
Why is not the strain upon nerves.
eyes and muscles as great on the clerk
in seated capacity as upon the me-
chanic? I dare say that most of the
disability retirement is in the clerical
forces rather than the mechanic at the
present time. j. ERWIN LATIMER,.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
Great Smoky Park
Progress.
From the Rochester Times Union.


Plans for creation of Great Smoky
Mountains National Park were ad-
vanced toward realization by presenta-
ton to the Federal Government re-
Gently of deeds to an additional 1873 843
acres of land. On February 6. 1890.
the Governors of North Carolina and
Tennessee made the first gift of deeds
to 156,876 acres in the same region
Congress has provided that when a
maximum total of 427,0OO acres shall
have been decided to the Government.
the, area Will be developed as national
park
Although one peak east Of the
Mississippi, Mount MITCHELL, Is slightly
higher than any in the Great Smokes.
these mountains as a whole are the
highest in the eastern part of the
United States. They are in a region
of heavy rainfall and mild climate, are
clothed with heavy forests. The forests
were about to fall before the ak of
the lumbermen when private citizens
of North Carolina and Tennessee in
duced their Legislatures to back the
idea of a national park
National parks. as rule, have been
carved out Of the national domain. The
Government does not buy the land.
though 1t expends money for roads and
other purposes in the parks. Great help
in acquiring this land has been re-
ceived from the Rockefellers. Through
the interest OF John D. Rockefeller, IT..
the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Me-
mortal Foundation agreed to duplicate
contributions from other sources I'D to
SIS. 100000. There Is every reason to
expect that the $4,000 acres will be
acquired.
thus one of the finest national parks
will be within reach of the people of
the Eastern States.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
Parking Pits in Parks as
Solution of Problem
To the Editor of The Star.

To the Editor of The Star:
In view of the existing parking con-
ditions and the need of correcting the
eVer-increasing evils, as outlined BY
the Fine Arts Commission, it might
be well to consider the following plan
Reserve certain downtown public
park areaS-for instance the Ellipse-
for parking pits"
BY means of tunneling under at the
walls or edges of same and erecting
suitable and more or less ornamental
exits and entrances at either or both
ENDS, simple solution of the problem
might be found.
The city could build these pits from
time to time as needed and lease them
Tor term Of years to individual firms.
Certain areas might be reserved for
free parking for Government employees.
1t Is well known that historic Bos-
ton Common has a tunnel under il
(Which is leased to the Boston Elevated
RailroadD at the fremont street mall
Some such idea Is bound to come
sooner or later.
"a JOSEPH A. GOLDEN,
Hyattsville, Md.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
Public Garage Space.

There is no apparent reason why the
municipality should go into the bust
ness of constructing public garages, and
even with present conditions in mind 1t
is difficult to conceive the provision of
automobile parking space as a govern
mental function. Nevertheless, the
proposal by William A. Roberts, as
sistant corporation counsel, that the
next appropriation bill include funds
for the purchase of land and construc-
ton of public garages, to be privately
operated under lease, iS not to be dis
missed as fantastic and out of the
question. The more suggestions and
the more study that is put into the
complicated problems Of transportation
and automobile parking the sooner a
solution may be expected.
In the columns of The Star recently
there appeared an interview with A. B.
Mcdaniel, an engineer, who has made
o study of q plan whereby the con-
struction of public garages, by private
interests, was linked with condemna-
ton by the Government Of alley prop
critics, or, II not the alleys, certain
land within the center of blocks now
utilized for other purposes. His theory
was that as the Government has Sc
cured title to the public streets, so it
should proceed to obtain ownership OF
off-street land that could be utilized
for the storage of automobiles. Such
land, owned by the Government, would
be leased to private interests for the
erection of garages. If the location of
land within squares is such that the
garages erected thereon would be &C
cessible and convenient for all-day
storage purposes, this plan, too, de-
serves due consideration.
1t has been determined by accurate
investigation that Washington is lack
ing in garage space, although it is far
above normal in the registration of au-
tomobiles per capita Elsewhere in
today's Star appears a complaint from
a man who has gone into the business
of building garages and has lost money
because OF a shortage of tenants. But
as long as the public streets are utilized
for automobile storage, tenants for
: the garages already built are going to
be relatively scarce. and, furthermore,
little or no encouragement will be Of
fered to private interests to make the
heavy investments required in the con-
struction of public garages. There will
be no provision of off-street parking
space until the elimination of street
parking space creates the demand. The
question eventually to be decided by the
Commissioners is whether to eliminate
all day and all night street parking
by gradual process of extending the
forbidden areas, or to clamp on a ban
that will end it once and for all. The
reasonable step, it is believed, would be
the former, permitting a natural ad-
justment with the minimum of incon-
venience. The provision of adequate
public garage space would probably fol-
low in accordance with the tested laws
! OF supply and demand.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
If Russia Should Fight Japan.

Contemplation of the possibility of a
conflict between Japan and Russia, de-
spite the efforts now being made to
adjust the Manchurian situation peace
fully, involves a comparison between the
armed forces of those two countries.
On the bare figures alone, as far as
they are now available, japan will be
outnumbered in the field about two for
one. This is based upon the under
standing that the Russian army COM
prises roundly 100000 men of all arms
OF the service, while Japan, at its most
recently stated strength, has a little
less than 100000 men in the organ
ICED military establishment on a peace
basis. Statements have been made to
the effect of q much larger Russian
army, rising even as high as four mil
lion men. That, however, is not cred
tied in terms of a definite military Or
clared war upon Russia because Of the
latter country's refusal to evacuate
Manchuria, the occupation o. which
was viewed by Japan as inimical to ITS
security and 1lnwarranted by recognized
treaties, there was q similar heavy pre-
ponderance of Russian troops. Japan
however, won the war; The Russian
government found it impossible to sup
ply its army in the field adequately
The long haul from Russian bases il
Europe and the lack of supply source!
In Siberia at closer range kept thu
Cars field forces at fatal disad
vantage. Bad leadership led to numer
o. mistakes Of strstagy. 1he naeEAb
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
| Nations Interests Demand
United, Efficient Congress
To the Editor of The Star:

To the EDITOR OF The Star:
A new Congress is about 10 convene
in one Of the trying times Of our
national life. What win It dor MIL
lions are asking this question. and arc
looking to this Congress TO md and
apply remedy for the ills that
bset all
Seldom has more been expected Of
the national lawmakers. and yet there
Lower House. or swapping horses in the
stream. The Nation naturally expects
i more of the political party which hap
pens to be in power. II the admins
tration will not or can not come up
to expectations, whatever they may be,
then. the people will look TO the other
party. But this Is only the partisan
view. In the broader national interest
nothing could be more hazardous in
such a crisis than for the Democrats
to undertake to create a congressional
division that might obstruct a respOn-
sible administrations effort to. work out
cure. If both parties are going to
diSappoint the Nation, people will lose
confidence In their form of government.
That Is an end to be contemplated only
with dread.
The electorate can we'll settle q score
with one party but not with both with
satisfy in q time like this. The peo-
pie will be even less disposed to allow
either party with guilty hands to pass
the buck to the other. If the Demo-
Gratis feorganize the House and stall
the administrators effort to improve
these intolerable conditions they will
| not hear the end of 1t in long time.
Damage to party Is the least to fear.
We cannot shut our eyes to unem-
ployfnent with its barge Of woe and
discomfort. Millions of unemployed
will never take their eyes off those
| spots Of great wealth which dot the
business of the Government and all
| the unemployed with such comforts as
! can be provided, and employment is
the thing most wanted.
Partisan considerations are now most
/ stupid, and the administration and
| both political parties will do well to
deal honestly and effectively with the
public in this emergency.
II the Republican party, established
In ONCE with all its power, should in
this hour try to evade responsibility
by relinquishing control of the Lower
House, or If it should stoop to trade
with the opposition for its own parti-
san ends, it will deserve the scorn of an
outraged electorate. The least the in
trenched party can do with all its
levers OF power is to maintain its lead
ershlp at all hazards at least until this
unemployment is relieved If 1t fail
then let the ether party have its
opportunity, but in the meantime that
other party will twist and obStruct at
| It's own peril
CHARLES M. CLARK.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13

Hoover might be the 131st instead of
the 31st< Chief Magistrate of the Re
public. The Californian himself, be-
cause the soldiers bonus loan legisla-
ton was enacted over his protest,
would according to the Paris rule, to-
day be a statesman out of job
A more genuine test of Premier
Lavals parliamentary strength will be
forthcoming next Tuesday To that
day, at his request. has been postponed
the report to the Chamber Of Deputies
on his recent trip to the United States
In America and in wide sections of his
own country the view prevails that the
astute head of the French government
returned to Paris with political laurels
OF which he at least has no cause to
be ashamed. The Young plan was re-
anirmed at Washington as the binding
financial-economic law of Europe. The
American Government pledged itself
to spring no more moratorium sur
prises upon France. NJ. Laval did not
yield an inch of the position that dis
armament without security is unde-
batable from Frances standpoint.
Yet politics, and especially French
politics, being what it is. even the shield
M. Laval brought back from the United
States is not held by some elements in
France to be wholly untarnished The
premier is about to sally bravely forth
with it and fight for his masters ap-
probation. Like the warrior of anti
guilty Of whom it was said, NJ. Laval
will either leave the Chamber with his
shield-or on it,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13

A day in the life of an average man
under civilization:
Gets I'D at the sound of the alarm
clock. a nuisance, but necessity
Arises, that is, about IS or 20 min
utes after the clock sounds.
What is more luxurious, in the aver
age life, than the few minutes, caught
from the active day, smuggling down
beneath the covers before arising?
Looks around at last for slippers and
bath robe, and has difficulty in finding
the right armh0le.
Why the right sleeve Is recalcitrant
he never thinks about.
1t just is. that is all.
X X
So much of the daily life is that way.
1t just is. One accepts it. To be diff
ferent is to be rebel, and the man
under civilization hates revolutions, in
ternal and external.
Shaving, and taking bath, and put
ting on Cne's clothes, and eating break
last, ana SO on-these are customary
to him, and he does not think or rebel
ling.
Occasionally he may GO without a
shave, and invariably on that very day
he is called into an important confer
ence. Somehow 1t always seems to work
out so.
puJo vi LIlc lelJ Ildt,
badge of the American male, and his
topcoat, and sallies out. either to the
garage, to make his personal convey
ance snort a few Snorts, or to the line
of some public vehicle.
II to the latter. usually he must walk
few blocks, and as he does SO he looks
at the houses along the way. He ad-
mires anew a white picket gate which
he has always liked, and thinks that
yonder householder WoulG have done
better. at least architectdrally, to have
left the new garage off. Every one to
his taste, however, in architecture as in
other matters.
In the public conveyance, he is in
terested in his fellow passengers and
the sights along the way
Fellow riders fall into two classes,
those pleasing to him and those dis
pleasing to him.
Among the former may be some old
fellow who walks to work with his hat
in his hand, the wind ruffling his long
gray hair and his square-trimmed
beard.
Our hero wishes he had the energy
to walk to Office, but doubts the wisdom
of the procedure, especially hat in hand
on snappy Autumn morning
That may do very well for these
young fellows-and these rare old boys
with square-cut beards-but the great
average man, whose name is truly
Legion, will prefer to wear hat when
it is cold.
The hat-what an absurd thing it is,
after all
Mans clothing at all points is rather
ridiculous, but at no point worse than
at the top of his head.
He needs no protection there.
Nature saw to that by giving him a
suit of hair, as 1t is called.
The young fellows prove it. High
school and college lads go around Sum
mer and Winter with no covering ex-
cept the hair on the top of their heads.
They find it enough.
Probably middle-aged men need hats
to protect them, because they have got
into the habit of wearing them.
The hat is a badge, and no doubt
had its origin, not in a necessity but
in the primitive desire to shine, which
is with US yet.
n 4 Il r
And here at the elevator Is Old Bill,
with his shining morning face.
Bill has been running an elevator
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

for so many years that no one knows
when he began.
Before that, legend has it. he pre-
sided on an ice wagon, and in the
dim past, now almost forgotten, was
engineer of hanson cab.
Bill couldn't tell you to this day
where the hanson cab got its name
but ne could drive one. Just the same,
with It's reins going over the roof, and
the whole affair looking as II it would
tip over backward at any moment.
No, 1t wasn't called hanson because
1t was handsome, or anything alone
that line. but simply because the pat
entee $3.50 was a certain Mr.. Han
som.
Think Of it thousands of young
men have never even seen a hanson
cab--and even our, hero had never
ridden in one!
Old Bill, with his smiling morning
face, has actually driven one.
Our hero takes off his hat as he gets
into the elevator, ostensibly to the
beautiful lady, but in reality to a man
who could drive hanson cab.
x y
The days work, the days work
pshaw, what is there to say about
that?
The average man talks work all day
long but he does not say much about
! it, after all.
The joy of the club is in many a
mans work, and related subjects fill
his lunch-time conversation.
Here Is the interesting subject oil
Jim, fine fellow, but one who has
managed to rub every one the wrong
way.
jim was divinely unaware of this
until he happened to feel one DAY
that something was wrong.
SO he asked one-our hero-in whom
he had confidence, If he had heard
others call him high hat"
High Hat, in case one doesn't know
is enc of the great American crimes
And, at times, tragedies.
| Suddenly confronted by such a ques-
| ton, from an earnest fellow, the av-
erage man hedges ViSibly.
He wants to tell and yet he knows
the usual fate Of those who tell the
truth
He beats around the bush In fine
style.
He says enough, howeve., TO convince
Jim that something Is wrong in the
personal relations Of James with the
little world he works in.
He goes back and tells his office
force not to disturb him for severa
hours, he will be busy, very busy
He does not tell them what he will
be busy about, but it is about Jim, the
man, himself Poor old fellow, who
tries and tries so hard, but cannot see
himself as others see him
AS to that, who can?
X X X
1t is evening and our friend manages
to slip away a little early.
He is amazed at the tremendous
number of ladies and gentlemen who
evidently are doing the same thing
How do they all manage to get of
ahead of time?
1t is a standing mystery.
The streets are crowded with cars
and the buses with passengers
On the latter the portly gentlemen
in gray coats and gray hats are telling
one another about the wonderful things
they said and did at the last conven-
| ton.
And then I brought out my re-
port and said, Gentlemen, maybe this
will explain few things"
1t gets dark early these days. The
Winter solstice is coming nearer anc
nearer A squirrel bounds through the
leaves and scampers up a tree. Yondel
! CLEAN the lights of home.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13

stop a minute and think about this
fact You can ask our Information
Bureau any question Of fact and get
the answer back in personal letter.
II Is a great educational idea intro
duced into the lives of the most intel
ligent people in the world-American
| newspaper readers. 1t Is part OF
that best purpose Of Newspaper
service. There is no charge except two
postage. Get the habit Of asking
questions. Address your letter to The
Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic J. Haskin, Director, wash
ington, d. G.
Q. How could Herndon and Pang-
born drop their landing gear?-E. L.
A. They planned to do this before
| they started. The landing gear was
fastened on loosely and it was simple
/ for them to reach down through the
fuselage and pull out the pins holding
the gear.
! @. What is meant by a psychic bid
in contract bridge?-P. p.
A. 1t is bid without the values to
Justify it, made for the purpose Of con-
fusing adversaries.
9; What does Tuscaroras mean'-
r. W.
A. 1t is an Indian word for shirt
wearers. Indians moving into New
York from North Carolina were given
this name by the New York tribes be-
cause they wore white mems shirts In
stead of buckskin.
Q. How long did Hank O,Day UNI
pire in the National League?-G. v. H.
A. Henry O'Day umpired in the
/
@. Is water a food?-D. A.
A. The National Institute of Health
| says that 1t is necessary to define the
word food before attempting to say
| whether water Is food or not. If by
! food is meant an element which
nourishes the body, water would not be
considered food. If defined as an
/ element necessary to maintain life in
the body, water is food
@. How is the article the pro-
nounced2--C. C. j.
A. The is pronounced as II spelled
thee when used before word beginning
with a vowel It is pronounced as II
spelled thuh before a word besinnin 2
with a consonant.
Q. Is the United States Public
Health Service part of the United
States Government?-F. j. F.
A. It is.
Q. Who discovered the pygmies in
| Africa?-L. w.
A. The race of pygmies known as
| the Aka race was first seen by G.. A.
| Schweinfurth in 1870 In the Mang-
betIu country, northwest of Albert
| Nyanza.
@. What are words called which are
: spelled alike but have different mean
| :ngS?-L. D.
A. They are monographs While
identical in spelling, they are derived
| from different roots and have different
meanings; as lie, to prevaricate, and
| lie, to recline.
@. What are the names of the
Three Fates in Morse mythology
N. T.
A. They are With (Past), Verthandi
! PresenD and Skuld (F'uture). They
/ are similar to the Greek Fates-Clotho,
! Lachesis and AtropoS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
Recapturing Unearned
Profits.

From the Worcester Evening Gazette.
Daniel O. Willard, president of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, is one of
the business leaders who have risen
from the ranks to a place of exceptional
influence. He began at the bottom and
worked to the top in the field of rail
transportation. and at all times on the
way up he has made the most of his
powers OF observation and Judgment.
AS result. he Is consulted by many as
a man Of clear counsels.
Before the special committee of Con-
greSs which Is holding hearings on the
La Toilette proposal for a national
economic council, Mr. Willard made a
suggestion for helping the longtime
stability Of railroad operation and rail-
road credit He recommended that the
"recapture" clause of the transporta-
ton act be repealed. This is the pro-
vision that, when the carriers earnings
exceed 5A per cent, the excess shall be
set aside anp one-half of it returned to
the Government. Mr. Willard con-
coded that the plan was theoretical, for
the simple reason that the railroads as
a whole never have earned even as
much as 5A per cent since the trans
portation act was passed. But II tiny
should succeed in doing so, on rates
allowed by the I. C. c., then, he con-
tended, the carriers should be permit
ted to retain the whole Of any excess,
for use in duller times.
Force 10 given to this contention by
the ruling of the I. G. c. last month.
which permitted the carriers to increase
their rates on certain commodities and
shipments about 10 per cent, provided
they would pool the new money SO
added to their revenues and distribute
1t in such way that even the weakest
of the solvent roads could meet their
fixed charges. Insolvent roaGs, under
the ruling, would retain their gains
AID would not enter the pool.
While the reasoning is not precisely
the same, the burden of the logic is
closely similar when it is argued that
the carriers should be permitted to feed
the lean years out of the fat years. No
fundamental change in the making of
rates would be involved. The commits
sion would still retain authority to reg
ulate rates. But If, under the lawful
rates, duly allowed, the carriers could
set up a depression reserve, then the
effects Of any future depression could
be considerably mitigated.
The carriers use from IS to 80 per
cent of all steel, from 25 to 80 per cent
Of all coal, 80 per cent of all lumber
and huge quantities 0f other supplies.
Yet because Of the slump In traffic. the
Baltimore s. Ohio alone has had to cut
its pay Toll from $4,000 in 1929 to A.
000, or roughly one Third. II reserve
funds had permitted, the men might
have been kept at work in the shops
the supplies and fuel would have been
bought. and unemployment 10 thaS ex-
tent prevented.