davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16

Jack Frosts first appearance is real
news for any one with appreciation Of
the common things Of the everyday life.
It Is not statescraft; 1t Is world
craft.
It is not politics. but Is part of the
Before man was, old Jack Frost was
busy splitting rocks with his little ham,
mers and cracking the soil and setting
up his natural test tubes.
Or should one say natural chemistry?
Chemistry is the most natural thing
| in the world.
Chemistry is Nature, If anything is
And Jack Frost, as men have per-
sonalized this pre-freezing factor, is
one Of Natures busiest little agents.
He takes the clods of dirt, If the
gardener has been energetic enough to
| dig up his beds, and does things to
them in the mellowing way.
The time for the gardener to take
a hand in this interesting process Is a
| little later, after several Gpod frostS
have hardened the ground.
Insert the spade and dig down as far
as possible, or feasible, which is about
the same thing.
Then lift the spadeful and carefully
turn 1t over.
Dump the soil back on the earth, but
go to no pains to pulverize it.
Permit it to remain in the clodlike
| form in which it comes to the spade.
This permits Jack to get in his work
on all sides at once.
He splits 'em and cracks 'em and
| freezes EN-; he throws assures into EN-
and breaks down their molecules.
So that when Spring comes around
again the gardener won't know his
earth, so much has Jack Frost done
to 1t.
In the old days. before the advent Of
central heating, Mr.. Frost went around
painting the most glorious pictures on
window panes.
In those days people heated their
homes or tried to think they did, with
flreplaces and the like. mo doubt they
| turned on the gas oven, too
The ladies sat in wing-backed chairs,
with wings on each side, not for orna-
ment, as the foolish suppose, but to
keep Off the drafts.
| Snugly seated in one Of those big
chairs, dainty feet Gall women had
dainty feet them on a stool of needle
point, the ladies managed to keep fairly
| comfortable.
1t was only when one went upstairs
to go to bed. that the cold grabbed one
| by ones dainty big toes, and maze
itself felt in general.
But there was one big advantage
the people had in those eras. and that
was the artistic work OF Jack Frost,
himself
He could paint castles. and great for
ests and cliffs, and mountains, and
! such scenes as no child ever saw on
land or sea, but only on windowpaneS
The panes were not warm enough,
then, to melt him away. but were icy.
fine canvas for Jack to dabble with
his whites and his frosty blues. shot
through and through with touches of
deep red. as the morning sun rose high
! in the heavens.
| r
The frost still succeeds in depositing
! its color on grass and leaves.
The exact combination Of moisture
must be present in the earth, together
with the proper degree Of tempera-
ture, before frost settled down. Tco
much water, however, will drive it
away One good way to combat 1t, it
! is said, is to sprinkle late in the eve
ming before 1t Is expected. 1t is rem
edy, however. which only the adven-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16

Alphoze Capone, Shorty Capone. Scar
face Capone; then there are others,
such as Al Brown and Aphonse Costa.
Names have meant nothing to the ro-
tund person who now sits in court
Sinking at Judge, jury. witnesses and
counsel. Names, it would seem. meant
nothing to his followers. At one ses-
sion Of the court the clerk at certain
hotel managed to recall that about three
years ago Capone and some ten or fif-
teen, maybe twenty" Of his friends
went to the establishment and took
rooms which became the headquarters
and home Of the organization. Capone s
name on the register was George Phil
lips" and a portion Of this group was
listed as Joseph Jacobs and family.
Judge Wilkerson became impatient with
the hesitation of the witness and did
some questioning on his own account,
and the evidently embarrassed clerk
finally said:
I cont know who paid for the rooms
ButTsky came down and paid the olilS
And those names on the regsCSl-al
;ust made 'em up because l coulon
get nobody in that crowd TO sign.
The same thread runs through the
testimony, names at random, Capone
in the background, his underlings sign
ing for him, paying his bills IN cash.
transacting the business for him under
cover. But tradesmen who have just
recently testified have had no difficulty
in identifying him as the purchaser OF
furniture, clothing, articles OF decora-
ton, china bowls, bronze elephants
and lamps, $l2,50O special-built motor
! cars, chests Of silver, thirty diamond
belt buckles at $275 each-these Tor
souvenir gifts to favored friends-five-
dollar silk undergarments. A review OF
the purchases brought to light in the
course of the testimony discloses
Brown Phillips Costa Capone as per-
son of luxurious tastes. veritable
sybarite. Indeed it would seem that q
check-up OF his own personal wardrobe
and accessories alone would reveal
enough of an. undeclared income to
land him in jail as q tax-dodger.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
Mr.. Delano's Suggestion.

A plan to relieve unemployment by
literally mastering the Army OF the
Unemployed" is suggested by Frederic
A. Delano in an article appearing else
where in today's Star. Mr.. Delanos
service as the chairman OF the Dis
trict's committee organized to deal with
unemployment in this city enables him
to speak with authority on some OF the
schemes advanced and efforts that have
been made to solve the problem, and
his eminence as a citizen always en-
titles him to q respectful audience.
One OF the most interesting things
about his plan IS the conclusion, coming
from such q source, that no less drastic
and revolutionary method of dealing
with widespread unemployment is going
to achieve much success.
The practical objections to Mr. Del
amos plan are, Of course. obvious. In
the FIRST place, such thing has never
been seriously considered before. In
the second place, the maintenance OF
such an army as we'll as the nominal
pay Of recruits would impose ire
mendous financial burden on the Gov
eminent that Is now struggling to de-
wise ways and means of balancing its
budget And even were the manifest
difficulties of assembling and housing
the Army of the Unemployed overcome,
as grave q problem would be raised in
utilizing 1t properly and-later still-in
disbanding it.
But 1t is true that there is always
a tendency to spend more effort on
criticism and in marshalng objections
to plans and suggestions than in get
ting down to bedrock and utilizing the
germ Of a good idea to work something
out And it is entirely logical to argue
that II, in time of war, the Nation
can muster a great army and train
it in methods of destruction, it should
be able, in time of peace, to muster
another great army and train it in
methods Of construction. And it is idle
to assume that an emergency of war
can be more threatening than some of
the emergencies presented in time of
peace.
The Star does not believe that pres
ent conditions warrant any such step
as Mr.. Delano proposes. But no one
can forecast with any real degree of
accuracy what the future will bring
Every Nation has its war plans diyi-
sion" Of the military establishment.
Why not a peace plans division" of
government, with its red plan its
white plan" and its blue plan" to be
made effective when the emergency is
declared?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
''Cheap Politics. Held
MisnOmer in Scandals
From the Savannah Morning News.

From the Savannah Morning News.
inexpensive" and cheap" are by no
means synonymous. A thing may be
inexpensive and not be cheap at all
it may be invaluable, beyond value by
usual material standards. And a bar
gain isn't always cheap"
Cheap" has two SignificanceS; one
applies to price or cost and the other to
quality. so politics" has had two mean
ings. 1t was once most respectable
word. like craftsmanship: later it
came to mean the practices of those
who seek public favor in demagoguery
and after being in Office play the game
for popular favor to retain Office rather
than serve along the lines of good gov
eminent business principles.
Politics has SO degenerated as an
expression that We almost universally
when the word is mentioned. And in
this sense there iSS no such thing as
cheap politics" Cheap" being used to
indicate the low cost, the small expense,
ard politics" used in its current, rather
unfortunate sense.
This sort of politics is always ex-
pensive, high in cost, attended by waste
and extravaganza and often by crooked
ness, corruption and graft. The meth
DDS may be simple, trite, commonplace,
silly-the effect is expensive. There is
10 really cheap" politics" of the sort
that we usually talk about in connec-
ton with the practical game dema-
gogues play.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
Action on Farm Market
Site Is Held Illegal

To the Editor Of The Star:
It appears our District Commissioners
are in a most awkward position regard
ing their action in reference to the
Southwest Farmers Market site. I'm
questionably the law as passed by the
Congress directing purchase Of the
land and organizing the market has
been violated.
The Congress, at its last session, after
many months devoted to hearings. ap-
propriated 100000 for the use of our
Commissioners to purchase two squares
of land In Southwest Washington for q
Farmers Market site, basing their ap-
preparations on statements made in COM
mittee hearings by those interested in
the 1te. The act provided the money
to be used in acquiring the land, level
ing, grading and in the developing Of
the market.
It now appears that the amount ap-
propriated is not sufficient to execute
the expressed will of Congress, not
Withstanding statements made to the
committee by those interested in the
Southwest site.
The usual and proper procedure would
be for the Commissioners to withhold
all operations, as Is customary, and is
certainly done in securing public school
sites, and return to Congress for addi-
tlonal funds with the statement that
the amount appropriated ($300 ,000) was
not sufficient to follow out their will.
Was this done? 1t certainly was not.
Instead, one of the land owners stepped
IN and agreed to permit the use Of part
OF the land until such time as the. Com
mlsSioners can secure additional appro-
pr1ation, which offer was apparently &C
cepted, Notwithstanding the act, which
expressly states that no operation shall
be commenced until full title to both
squares is secured. 1t seems, therefore.
that accepting use of the land would
be clearly in direct opposition to the
legislation and that under the present
circumstances it will be impossible to
secure clear title.
The entire transaction has been han
died in rather peculiar manner and
without the advice of the corporation
counsel, according to news reports. and
which appears should have been Sc
cured.
In the final analysis it seems the
Commissioners will have to appeal to
Congress for additional appropriation:
In just what light this will be received
by our friends on the hill It will be
rather difficult at this time to deter
mine. 1t Is natural to suppose, however
that taxpayers. the ones who will be
called upon to foot the bill. a great ma
lorlty Of whom were opposed to the
project in the first instance. will have
something to say in the matter at the
proper time.
In the meantime 1t may be well for
our officials TO proceed with caution in
the matter. A. j. DRISCOLL.
President Mid-City Citizens Association
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
Cotton Is Usurped
As Arkansas Cron

From the Texarkana Gazette
III is suggested by the Arkansas State
Chamoer OF Commerce that Arkansans
In devoting the most of their interest
10 the cotton situation, have lost sight
OF the large quantity of other agricul-
lure products converted into revenue so
lar this year Final reports, for ex-
ample, indicate that the State during
the last three months, shipped the as
founding total Of $500 cars of peaches
from its orchards. 1900 cars by rail and
the equivalent Of 1000 cars by motor
truck.
Up to July 81. 1868 cars Of cantaloupes
mad been forwarded, as against only 245
cars Tor all of last year, l09 cars of Gu
cumbers, 704 cars of potatoes, 1914 cars
or tomatoes and 173 cars of water
melons. Earlier in the year the State
shipped SIC cars OF stra Wberries. while
an additional quantity moved in small
shipments by express and by truck. and
at least l25 cars of radishes also were
moved. Here, says the chamber. Is
record Of 7,449 cars of fruits and vege-
tables already sold by Arkansas farmers
and orchardistS this season, not taking
into account the grape crop, now
moving. and the mamoth apple crop, to
move later in the year, nor is the heavy
Shipment OF raSpberries from the Crow
icy RlQge SecLlOn included.
While cotton is the big money" crop.
the State is producer Of other COM
moditieS worth millions Of dollars.
These crops this year are 50 far ahead
OF those OF last veal as to be almost
beyond comparison. The United States
Department of Agriculture recently
issued report on crop conditions as of
August 81, and not even the most pro-
nounced pessimist can find anything in
the statistics for Arkansas to feel blue
about, says the chamber.
When one seeks to buy an Arkansas
hog for fattening against slaughter later
III the Fall at what the purchaser would
term reasonable" price, says the
chamber. he quickly discovers that the
muchly maligned porker has taken on
the value of a blue ribbon winner
Buyers of live hogs invaded Arkansas
some time ago and quietly began picking
them up for shipment to nearby States
which, when feed became scarce during
the drought last year, butchered their
hogs rather than have them starve.
The result is that there is shortage
OF hogs in States adjacent to Arkansas
and buyers have been supplying the de-
ficiency with Arkansas hogs. One buyer
in the Clarendon area has shipped more
than 1900 hogs from the White River
bottoms to Tennessee within the last
three or four weeks. One plantation
owner in Lonoke county who sought to
purchase a dozen hogs few days ago
reported after trip through Eastern
Arkansas in search of them that the
farther he went the higher the price be-
came. with farmers asking as much as
cents a pound over the st. Louis
market quotations.
Surely King Cotton no longer is alb
solutely monarch in Arkansas.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
Mai. Pratt's Recommendations.

Two of the recommendations OF MAJ.
Henry G.. Pratt, superintendent Of police,
In his annual report to the Commission
ers should be given especially serious
consideration by the District heads.
They concern an increase in the num-
Der of policemen and the addition OF
eight radio cars to the cruising force.
The Commissioners will undoubtedly
STUDY all the recommendations made by
the rolice chief, but these two appear
to be C. exceptional merit.
The National Capital unquestionably
needs an addition to its police force.
The demands of traffic are constantly
Increasing, new sections of dwellings
are being built, many of which are at
present inadequately patrolled, and the
situation has reached the point where
this oft-repeated recommendation for an
increase in the force should be needed.
In asking for total of fifteen hundred
policemen-the present force comprises
about thirteen hundred and fifty-snd
one hundred detectives, an increase Of
forty to the present department, Mai.
Pratt is not unreasonable, and If the
recommendation is granted all Of
Washington will benefit.
Since the establishment of radio pa
troll cars, which followed the practice
in almost every other large city, this
mobile branch of the department has
proved of great value. These small
automobiles, each carrying two police
sasA and equipped With receiving sst.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
A Tariff Straw.

History may one day record that a
proposal adopted Friday at the
Fourth Pan-American Commercial Con-
ference paved the way to saner view
of tariffs as they affect international
relations. A resolution, which received
the all-important assent Of the United
States, recommended to the govern
ments Of the twenty-one Americas
that "they grant each other, as soon
as conditions Of their domestic economy
may permit. the greatest tariff advan-
tages and the reduction of domestic
taxes on natural products, whether
manufactured or not, of the soil or
industry Of the national territory of the
others, either through multi-lateral
conventions or special treaties.
Stripped of excess verbal baggage this
means that the United States is ready
to consider revision of its tariff system,
in so far as it relates to Latin America.
1t goes without saying that 1t does not
bind the Colossus of the North to make
tariff concessions. 1t only pledges the
United States, when its own economic
affairs justify such a review. to survey
the possibilities of concessions. Even
that Is an advance. and a welcome one.
It is q gesture which should go far to
assure our sister republics to the south
that the spirit Of the square deal is
abroad In the northern land. Nothing
of the sort has ever before emanated
from Washington. The rest, in due
course, will be up to some future Con-
gress.
Senior Federico Llaverias of the
Dominican Republic expressed the view
that eventually found expression in the
tariff resolution. Latin America, he
said, hopes that the United States will
take the lead in economic disarmament
with the same noble spirit in which 1t
initiated naval disarmament" adding
that "such a step would fill the hearts
of the peoples of the Americas with
true and sincere pride for this country"
If our perennially reiterated senti-
ments of brotherly love for our sister
states in the New World are ever to be
beaten from pious protestations into
tangible actualities, the way leads no
more surely than through generous
tariff attitude toward Latin American
products. A liberal extension of the
free list to the things South and Gen.
trail America have to sell us would
solidify Pan-American friendship in
terms more durable and understandable
than a thousand after-dinner glorif1ca-
fio,,S ~ Siynop Bolivar
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16

used from about 1850 to 1900. Old
English or Anglo-Saxon was In use
before 1850.
9. Can popcorn be used for a break
fast food?-W. c. a
| A UnsaHed. unbuttered popcorn
may be served with sugar and crvarn.
with salt and cream or with cream
alone. Or the parched unpopped keT-
nels when ground like coffee mare a
good breakfast food for eating with
cream and sugar or for boiling IN
water and serving like oatmeal
O. Who was the first to propose aAy-
light sav1ng2-S. ".
A. Benjamin PrA'skrfn.
O. How much air Is required 10 burn
a gallon of fuel oil in an oil-burT1nA
type of heater?-C. H. c.
A. The Bureau of Mines says that
1t takes 1894 pounds of air.
@. How long has the capital letter
been used TO designate the first person
| singular?-B P. A.
A. At the introduction of printing
the various forms in use to indicate
the first person singular settled down
to the capital l. This is probably due
to the fact that the small letter lacks
4
adequate when printed.
@. Has the mantle or cloak worn
with British court dress any signifi-
canoe with regard to rank?-E. M.
A. In formal court functions the ma
terial and trimming. such as bands OF
fur, etc, on NANTES Of royalty and
the higher nobility is strictly regr-'
lated by law and custom with respect
to the rank
Q. What is meant by q gadEst7-
e. T. R.
A. Gadget Is a slang term, the mean
ing Of which is so broad that IL SEEM
ingly can be applied almost without
reservation. 1t is practically the equiv
alent of our expression, thing. Gadget
may be applied to any object! from
can opener to vanity case.
@. Why do gasoline and oil trucks
have chains hanging down and touch
ing the ground?-W. B.
A. A chain is allowed tq drag On
the ground to conduct TO the ground
static that accumulates while the truck
is moving and thereby prevent ignition
OF the gasoline.
@. Why was the disaster IN San
Francisco in 1906 spoken OF as q fire
instead OF an earthquake?-H T. 8.
A. The earthquake was a minor
shock. not above sixth or se4enth mag
nitude. Only decrepit frame buildings
were shaken down. The damage was
only indirectly caused by 5he earth
quake. 1t broke rusty water mains.
When fire caught in an old\ building,
there was no water to check it,iand half
Of San Francisco was consumed before
the fire was under control.
@. Was the Marquis Of Queensberry
who interested himself II in boxing the
A. John Sholto Douglas was the
eighth Marquis Of Queensberry and sat
in the House Of Lords from 1872 to- $50.
@. How many people live in Valdez.
Alaska ?-D. B. II.
A. About 500 Valdez Is the ,host
northerly port in Alaska which Is open
during the Winter. 1t is also on 1.-THE
great interior stage route.
@. What portrait Of Washington hp-
pears on the current 2-cent stamps!?-
j. E. P
A. This portrait of Washington vas
engraved from painting Of the HoA-
don bust The Bicentennial issue oS
2-cent stamps will bear reproduction\
OF the Gilbert Stuart portrait Of Wash
ington
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKTN.

There Is no other agency in tire world
| that can answer as many legitimate
questions as our free Information Blu
l reau In Washington, D. c. This highly
| organized institution has been built ur
and is under the personal direction OF
! Frederic J. Haskin. BY keeping in con-
/ slant touch with Federal Bureaus and
other educational enterprises it is in a
position to pass on to you authoritative
information of the highest order. Sub
nit your queries to the staff of experts
whose services are put at your free dis
1 posal. There Is no charge except two
| cents in coin or stamps for return post
age. Address The Evening Star, In
| formation Bureau, Frederic j. Haskin,
Director, Washington, D. c.
Q. When did foot ball attain a form
in general use In this country?-W.
L. w.
/ A. In 1894 the University Athletic
Club of New York invited Harvard,
| Pennsylvania, Princeton and Yale TO
form a Rules Committee, and since that
time the game has gradually changed
until it attained the height of the game
played today.
@. How much tobacco was raised in
the United States last year?-A. ].
! A. There was a production of 1870
| 308, 900 pounds in 1880, and 2,110,300
acres Of land were planted In tobacco.
@. What was the early name for CAL
cutta, India?-D. T.
A. The first trading station, set up
by Job Charnock in 1909, was known
as Kalikuta.
q. What will keep yeast from working
In liqdid?-J. T.
A. The Bureau Of Chemistry says
| that there Is nothing that will destroy
yeast entirely except boiling. A low
temperature will keep The yeast from
acting as rapidly, but will not stop 1t
altogether.
@. Where are the battleships Arkan-
sas and Wyoming?-A. j. p.
A. They are both at the Naval Acad-
envy, in Annapolis, Md.
@. When was Greenwich Observatory
founded?-T. N. A.
A. 1t was established by.King Charles
II in 1875. The direction Of the OBJ
servatory Is under the charge Of the As
tronomer Royal, who Is assisted by
eight astronomers and staff Of COM
puters.
@. When was the first lighthouse es-
4NCh ANAN wy 49,
G. H
A. The earliest in that district was
at Sandy Hook in 1854.
@. When was the first seaplane made?
d. D.
A. The first seaplane, the Loon, was
constructed by Glenn Curtiss and tried
out by him in 1908. 1t was not until
1911, however, that the pontoon attach
ment was perfected.
@. How did the rattlesnake flag orig
mate in our colonies?-R. McF.
A. 1t has been stated that its use
grew out of a humorous suggestion
made by a writer in Franklin's pa
per-the Pennsylvania GaZette-that,
in return for the wrongs which Eng
land was forcing upon the colonists, a
cargo of rattlesnakes should be sent
to the mother country and distributed
in st. James Park, Spring Garden
and other places of pleasure" Col.
Gadsden, one of the Marine Commit
tee. presented TO Congress on Febru-
airy 8, 1776, IAN elegant standard,
such as Is to be used by the COM
mander in chief Of the American Navy,
being a yellow flag with representa-
ton of a rattlesnake cooled for attack"
@. To what time does middle Eng
fish belong and old English?-T. H.
A. Middle English is the language as