davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
Left-Turn Ambiguity Is
Cleared to QuestiOner
To the Editor of The star:

TO the EolLor OF me- Otar.
I have just read the question pro-
pounded by Mr.. Henry s. Coe in last
nights Star. Where has he been that
he does not know the answer? Mr.. Van
Duzer, Mai. Pratt and the regulation
give three different answers, and "
Mr.. Coe cannot find an answer to suit
him with that choice, he certainly is
hard to please.
The right Of way belongs to neither
vehicle. but to the pink-eyed aborigines
of Atlantis. To the swiftest belongs
the race First come, first hit. The in
side turn was installed to give the Po-
dunkers the kind of turn they are
accustomed to at home. That Is why
the three cardinal principles OF sane
driving and traffic control were scrap
ped That is why the right of way goes
to the vehicle from the left. the turn
ing vehicle, and also why two moving
lanes of traffic are crossed under NOM
inal control.
Please also note that tucked away
in the ambiguous language of the reg
ulation is a provision that the pedes-
TRAN has the right of way with or
against the lights But no chance to
cross streets. That's the way they do
it in Pcdunk. But in Podunk they turn
around in the center. We turn short
to be different only. Haven't you no.
ticed how much more confused visitors
are already than they ever were with
the rotary turn?
And it is such great fun to travel
through the downtown area in low,
stopping every three feet. You couldn't
do it under the old system without
some one behind you objecting, but now
you have such a nice excuse in the
traffic jam always ahead Of you. And
that is what our Pennsylvania Dutch
uncle calls SO naively "expediting traf-
fic." Besides, look at the nice news
stories there were in those two people
getting hurt from the new left turn.
New? Pardon, the obsolete turn busted
on and corners trimmed
Please, now, since we've proved we
can do the phoney hit-and-run turn,
can't We somehow get back to the safe
and sane Washington turn that we and
our visitors can do so conveniently and
all? Is another reign of blood such
as that of pre- Eldridge days necessary
in order to pacify a few-a very few
who can't stand a 20-second wait for
the sake of safety? Is our overwhelm-
ing choice Of the rotary turn the only
time we had chance to voice 1t all
for nought2
And a few more questions Of the
same ilk.
For red light does not mean stop"
q BACSAA AAeAAI 0uCo AtOL mean go. NO
left turns" are already poisoning forth,
rush-hour traffic is at a standstill,
fender mechanics reap the profit and
all is lovely in the land of night-nying
purple whales, but not in washington.
Will the traffic director please tell us
whether or no left turns at non-con-
trolled intersections are subject to the
same antiquities as at controlled. and
whether they are to be made beyond
or short of the center, and the name
of good, legal nerve tonic to be shaken
well before entering and after leaving
an intersection?
LAWRENCE D. BATsON.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
curved and is divided in two BY parti-

curved and is divided in two by parti-
ton of concrete.
The approach to the Taft Bridge is
almost precisely similar. The small park
now being questioned forces northbound
traffic to head directly for the side of
the bridge, facing sheer drop of IS
feet, before 1t can become headed prop
erly to get onto the bridge.
Such situations are unnecessary and
dangerous, although, fortunately. no
serious accidents have as yet taken
place because of them. The possibility
is there, however.
The approaches to such bridges should
be absolutely protected by heavy guards
at both sides. But further than this,
approaches should be so laid out that
oncoming cars may head directly for
the bridge entries.
At the Dumbarton Bridge the only
adequate solution for the problem is to
put in compulsory stop for vehicles
coming from the east.
At the Taft Bridge the removal Of the
small park would do much to right mat
tiers. The protest that the park would
be missed is not very serious, as there is
a much larger and more beautiful small
park Immediately to the south.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

An excursion among the foreign
magazines gives one a better opinion
of American publications.
It is something like a trip abroad.
With all due respect to those across
the waters-all wsterS-they manage
over there to permit many Americans
to come back singing combination OF
THE Star Spangled Banner" and
Home. Sweet Home"
Folks who went away in the Spring,
or maybe the Fall of a year ago,
breathing faint 96 pei, cent Ameri-
caniSm, come home at least 10 per
cent patriotic, If not full 200 per
cent.
Those of us who have not been so
fortunate may at least get some SEMI
blance to that thrill by going to the
nearest book store which stocks such
things and looking through the foreign
magazines.
They are good magazines.
It will be a pleasure for any one
interested in books to browze through
them, even when written in languages
which he cannot understand.
Many Of them have fine picturesl
1t should be said at this point that
the real booklover likes magazines and
newspapers.
There has been a tendency on the
part of some, during the past 10 years
or so, to sheer at reading papers and
magazines.
But you never heard a real book
lover do it.
He knows that newspapers and mag
azines of all sorts have their legitimate
places. Each supplements the other.
Each is interesting, in its way.
We spent a pleasant half hour the
other day looking over tablefull Of
foreign publications.
One goes sour, as it were, on the
homeland magazines at times.
We wanted something different, We
thought.
Well, we got i'll
And how, as the youngsters say. or
used to say.
Our principal interest lay in the
English field, one in which we were
not entirely a stranger, having long
been an admirer OF Punch.
AS child, we took a certain portion
of our spending money, we recall. and
sent it forth for one annual subscrip-
tion to Tid-Bits.
X X
The British sense of humor, one
sometimes hears, is rather curious, but
there is a great deal Of hocum to that
statement
AS matter of fact, no people in
the world have better sense of humor,
unless it is the American, for we are,
at our humorous best, appreciators of
the best fun of all nations.
Especially we are in a position to
understand and relish the typically
English spirit of fun. Many of US
have English blood in our veins. We
bear English names We have been
brought up on the "Pickwick Papers"
Sam Weller and his father are
cronies of ours. Honest Bottom and
old Peter Ounce are our pals. British
is the very foundation of American
humor.
4 + X
It was a satisfaction to go home
with an armful Of British publications,
then, honest in the faith that one was
going to discover just how magazines
should be put out, after all.
Here were the weekly editions Of two
of Englands greatest newspapers. One
wore a dun-colored cover, plastered
with advertisements, and the other a
similar coat of pinker hue.
This sort Of thing is not done to any
extent in the United States. Newspaper
readers over here want their dailieS hot
of the presses and are not content to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

assistant to the Attorney General in
charge of the Governments suit against
the radio trust" has just returned to
Washington to resume negotiations
with the defendants, whereby the
prosecution is to be withdrawn. They
the antitrust laws. The basis of
the Governments proposed dismiss
sal Of the suit is an agreement by
the Radio Corporation General Elec-
trio Westinghouse General Motors-A.
T. & T. group to form an open patent
pool" whereby all of their patents will
become available to the entire radio
industry on equal terms, the terms be-
ing fixed by independent trustees. Os-
valid F. Schuette, "the radio trust"
buster, claims the defendant interests
rate gross capital volume OF $7,437,-
100000.
James L. Wright, washington CORE
spondent of the Buffalo News, coined
an unemployment-relief slogan over
the radio the other night. Rugged
tndividualism, he said, must not
mean ragged individuals"
y X X
Two grandsons of famous Americans,
once contemporarieS-W H. Van
derbilt, I'd, and Col. Ulysses S. Grant,
3d-sat cheek by jowl at dinner in
Washington one evening this week.
Vanderbilt is the great-grandson Of
the man who said 1.-The public be
damned!' The younger, like his cele-
brated sire, has gone in for tranSporta-
ton, but as a bus magnate, not a rail-
road king. The present William II:
Vanderbilt is president of the Coastal
Transit Co., which operates a system OF
500 de luxe covered wagons over a
territory stretching between the Atlantic
Seaboard and the Mississippi Valley,
where it links up with other cross
country bus lines. AS an indication OF
the growth of the bus business, Wander
bilt narrates that he and a small group
OF associates began five years ago with
six buses plying between Newport ana
Providence, r. /. He is confident that
the future of highway transportation
by bus is assured and rosy.
4 X x r.
Ernest Lee Jahncke, Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy, whose signature re-
Zmbles the tail end Of smoke screen,
writes this observer anent reference
to resumption of the Army-Navy foot
ball game. The commodore deposes and
says that in recent address to the
midShipmen at Annapolis he strongly
advocated the renewal of the ancient
combat "The present misunderstand-
ing between the two academies"
Jahncke declared, "affects something
vastly more important and far-reaching
than eligibility rules for foot ball games.
Midshipmen should at the outset OF
their career in the Navy be imbued with
the idea that games, as we'll as battles,
are not to be won by clubbing over
rules, but by meeting a difficult situa-
ton face TO face and overcoming any
obstacles found to exist"
(Copyright, 1917
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
Bravo, the Legion!

BY a vote that Appropriated two to
one, the American Legion at Detroit
yesterday went on record against taxing
the American people another $4,000
600, 900 for immediate cash payment Of
the war bonus The World War soldiers
have justified the confidence OF their
friends that once cognizant of the
plight into which fresh compensation
demand would plunge the national
Treasury, the Legion would take the
only course that patriotism dictates.
OF the !, 400 delegates in the conven-
ton, COZ declared against additional
bonus grants at this time, and 507 ex-
pressed themselves in favor of them
The vote was not as decisive as might
have been hoped, but it was sufficient
1t honors the great organization that
cast 1t and proves, If proof were needed,
that the men who barred their breasts
to the foe thirteen years ago have not
forgotten that times of peace, too, can
test mems love of country.
President Hoover cannot be denied
the Nations gratitude, either, for his
part in staving of a disastrous drain
on its vital resources, which seldom
before, except in hours of war, needed
to be so zealously husbanded. When,
Paul Revere-like, he rode to Detroit
at the beginning Of this week to warn
the Legionnaires of impending financial
danger, If courisels of wisdom did not
prevail in their convention, the Presi-
dent embarked upon a venturesome
task. It called for a high order OF
courage 1t contained the seeds OF
possible failure. Mr.. Hoover risked
much in possible loss of prestige, and
ut q moment when he must conserve
every ounce of it that he possesses, in
boarding the Legion hon in his bonus
den. Stalking much, he has gained
much, not only for himself, but for
the Government and people whom he Is
guiding with fortitude and calm
through one of the, most tempestuous
periods Of their history.
The minority vote at Detroit is prob
ably large enough to encourage die-hard
bonus advocates In the belief that the
$4,000 900 900 proposition can be ram
med through Congress, despite the
Iegion's official disayowal OF 1t. 1t is
painfully clear In the country's memory
that within q few months after the
Leeionnaires at their Boston conyen-
ton of 1880 tabled q similar project
it bobbed up in Congress, was passed
by an overwhelming vote In both
Houses. and then, after White House
veto, was re-enacted over the Presi-
dents objections.
The Legions insistent explanation Is
that vote-chasing politicians, not the
Legion, instigated last years billion
dollar loan certificate raid on the
Treasury. The history of that sorry
episode must not be repeated at the
coming session Of Congress. Admitting
the exigency that confronts members
on the threshold of another national
election, with the political lives of ABS
Representatives and a third of the
Senate at stake, the Republics exigency
Is immeasurably greater. 1t outstrips
any possible contingency that confronts
a statesman hungering for self-perpet-
uation. The country will not tolerate
any bonus politics on Capitol Hill next
Winter. The Legion at least has done
its part to preserve the Government
from such a catastrophe.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.

the year via airplane from Fairbanks,
Anchorage or Seward.
Q. Are women often color blind7-
A. The Public Health Service says
that the condition of color blindness Is
much more prevalent among men than
women. approximately 2 per cent OF
men being affected. Relatively few
women are color blind.
@. what is pinchbeck7-L. r. O.
A. Pinchbeck Is an alloy Of three or
four parts of copper with one part Of
zinc. 1t is used In cheap tewelry. The
term 'pinchbeck" is also used to mean
that which is spurious.
O. About what does It cost to keep
the world in a continual state OF pre-
paredness for war?--L. w.
A. It has been estimated that nearly
$4,000, 100000 is thus expended yearly.
O. How long did it take to build the
Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson
River?-D. j. c.
A. The construction was begun IN
May, 1928. 1t was opened to general
trafic November 81, 1924.
O. Is toadstool poisonous and
mushroom non-poisonous?-H. A.
A. The terms "toadstool" and "mtlSh-
room" in popular usage refer indis-
criminately to any type Of fungus cor
rectly known as mushroom. Toadstool
is really a nickname, and although 1t Is
used by some people to refer 10 poison
Gus varieties, it actually has no such
distinction.
O. How long has, DR.. John r. Mott
been in Y. M. c. A. work?-D. r..
A. DR. Mott, now president OF the
World Alliance Of Young Mems Chris
tian Associations, has been Identified
with Y. NJ. C. A. work for 40 years.
@. When was heltum discovered
H. P. T.
A. It was first discovered in the
SUMS atmosphere in 1868 by Jensen
and Iockyer 1t was discovered on the
earth in 1895.
O. How long will there be pilgrim
.,es for cold Star Mothers?-N. r. G.
A It is planned that the pfgrinnages
will continue until october 81, 1888.
O. How long does it take to 30 from
Cairo to Cape Town by river ana xenF
ID. E.
started in 1857. Many miles OF the rail-
road nave been COIlSJIuCtcus pub ~ ~ -
vet not completed. The longest section
completed is from Cape Town to Fort
Francuui, $500 miles, over which there
is fortnightly train service. 1t Is pos
sible to travel from Juba Terminus OF
the Nile steamers to Cape Town by bus.
The entire trip takes about eight weeks.
@. What was the occupation OF
Charles Carroll, signer Of the Declara-
ton of Independence?-S.N N.
A. He was a lawyer, as were Is OF
the other signers.
O. When and by whom was the
commonwealth Of Australia inaugu-
rated?-M. H.
A. Thirty years ago the Duke Of
York, now George v, King OF Great
Britain, went to Australia and there
proclaimed to the world the birth OF the
commonwealth. In the same year ne
opened in Sydney the first Federal Par
lament.
O. Did Abraham Lincoln ever take
out a patent?-N. T. H.
A. Abraham Lincoln received pat
ent, No. 6469, on Camel and Floating
Dock on May %, l849.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

This newspaper puts at your disposal
a corps OF trained researchers in WASH
ington who will answer questions for
you. They have access to the Govern
ment departments, the libraries. smu-
seums, galleries and public buildings and
to the numerous associations which
maintain headquarters in the Nations
Capital. II they can be of assistance to
you write your question plainly and send
with cents in coin or stamps TO The
Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic j. Haskin, director, Washing
ton, d. G.
@. Was the Spirit Of st. Louis stock
model plane?-M. F. B.
A. 1t was except that 10 feet more
wing spread was added to carry the
extra fuel.
Q. How many dogs are there in the
United StateS?--J. e. @.
A. 1t is estimated that there are
about 100000 dogs, or approximately
one dog for every 25 people In the
United States.
Q. Has a stenographer ever received
a rating of 100 per cent in q civil serv-
Ice examination, exclusive OF disability
preference H.
A. The United States Civil Service
ceived a 100 per cent rating, exclusive
OF disability preference.
@. Who chose the site for Fort Wash
ington?-N. r. s.
A. Fort Washington is on o site rec
commended by George washington. The
original plans were drawn up by Maj.
L'Enfant. The first fort was constructed
In 1903. 1t was destroyed by the British
in 1914. The present Notifications were
built in 1898.
@. Can American radios be used
abroad?-L. G.
A. The Department of Commerce says
that in addition to the radio band for
which American radios are manufac-
tured foreign countries have from l $40
to 1920 wave lengths. All standard
American sets are manufactured for 200
to 545 meters only. To adapt them 1t
is necessary to put additional coils in
the SET. Any American manufactured
set can be used satisfactorily in foreign
countries with the additional coils.
Q. Is there plant which bears blue
flowers which will grow and bloom In
water?--D. M. T.
A. The water hyacinth (Eichhornia
craSsipeS) is a type of water plant that
floats on the surface and sends out
AOObo Which, COuIdui ar SdCS, IuuS ell
abling the plant to float and not depend
on an anchor. The flowers are blue or
lavender and resemble the flowers of the
hyacinth-hence the name.
@. What are the duties of receiver?
F. B.
A. A receiver is appointed by the
court to take over the affairs of an
insolvent company in the interest of
stockholders and creditors. It is his
duty to collect as much as possible
either by operation or liquidation, and
then to turn it over to the stockholders
or creditors in proper Tomato amounts
@. How is mail sent to Alaska?-E.
q. N.
A. All mails for Alaska are dis
patched from Seattle, Wash. During
the season Of navigation all classes of
mail are forwarded. During the Win
ter season (from about October l to
May -, on account OF the difficulty of
transportation to remote sections, the
dispatch of mail for Alaska, except for
offices on the southern coast and those
located along the railroads and ad-
jacent thereto, is limited. Valuable
parcels can be taken by express to
Nome and other points at all times OF
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
A Shameful Waste.

From the Providence Journal
Losses by fire in Pennsylvania last
year reached total Of SIS, 1000, 900.
These are figures gathered by the Bu-
reau Of Fire Protection
Moreover, 80 per cent Of the nres
were preventable. q tragic commentary
on human neglect Civilization, IN spite
OF its Wanted progress, has not yet
solved some Of its major problems
foremost among them the doing away
with criminal careleSSness. Think OF
what SIS, 900 900 would do for Penn
sylvania at this time-the $4,000, 900
that went up in flames and smoke in
1880!
The fire-prevention problem parallels
that of motor car accident prevention.
If we could solve these two, we should
be far. on the way to making this mod
ern social and economic system OF ours
the kind it ought to be. 1t would stu
be infinitely far from 100 per cent ex-
cellent. but vast Improvement would
be achieved, 49,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
Washington Circle
In Shabby Condition

To the Editor Of The Star:
In going through Washington Circle
few days ago was struck with the
dilapidated condition of the circle and
it occurred to me that the only circle
in washington named after Gen. WASH
ington should not be SO neglected, es-
pecially at this time. 1t certainly
Should be made as attractive as possible,
M M. CRENSHAW.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Inevitable.
A little bit O. sorrow,
An a little bit o. song,
Today an then tomorrow,
AS the old world bumps along;
A little bit o. kickin'
Over things misunderstood.
Somebody gets lickin'-
But it won't do any good.
Even back in Eden's gladness
There were songs and sorrows mixed.
Life is always bringin' sadness,
An we try to have it fixed.
But we may as well look pleasant,
For each day we must agree
That the way it is at present
Is the way it's got to be.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

Names are not always essential to
news. The old Kiosk on Pennsylvania
avenue makes temperature announce
ments that find startled attention, even
though observers are too much over
come to stop and call it names.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

A friendly understanding between
France and Germany is regarded as the
way to establish world peace. Each is
valiant and spectacular. The great
task of intelligent diplomacy is to keep
them out of the hands Of political fight
promoters.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

The mayor of Chicago struck a key
note when he reminded the visitors at
Detroit that one of the most important
features of any great gathering is the
selection of the city that will next en-
joy the honor of entertaining it. With
characteristic enterprise Chicago had
her bid presented in eloquent terms al
most before the convention was really
under way.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

Predictions that United States money
will now be the standard of financial
measurement will cause that old phrase
The Almighty Dollar" to be removed
from the realms of comedy and be en-
ployed with the greatest possible re-
sponSibility.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

1t was all fair enough for English
craftsmanship to select time when
Lady Astor and C. Bernard Shaw were
on tour entertaining Soviet Russia to
formulate the momentous policy Of gold
standard suspension. That they were
not able to be on hand to volun-
teer profound advice was only mat
ter of accident. 1t must be assumed
that no slight was intended.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

Duties of the President of the United
States become heavier with each sue
ceeding term. The presidency will
never become so hard a job as to pre-
vent every man mentioned as a pos
sible candidate from smiling into the
camera with the patient grace of one
who fears no martyrdom.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

1t is said that sailors wives influenced
the English seamen in making a stand
to keep the pay roll steady. If there
is any truth in the adsge, "A sailor has
wife in every port" the feminine in
fluence exerted was obviously over
whelming.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
Silence at the Crossings.

From the Hamilton (ontario) Spectator.
Rubber tired trains in France are
said to be so quiet in operation they
can scarcely be heard approaching.
This undoubtedly viii add zest to that
thrilling game played ct level crossings.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
Still in the Race.

From the Dayton Daily News.
BY announcing that he is not gong
To retire rs a candidate for President,
ex-senator France has informed a good
many people that he u candidate'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
Excuse Ii. Pleased

From the Detroit News.
It may be entirely true that Chicago
telephone employees refused a raise in
wages, but it sounds to us as If they
had been cut off in the middle of a
conversation.