davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1931-08-11
NEW PRACTICE
PLANNED BY y
DR.. PRATT
Children Often Too Young to
Appreciate Honor Badges,
Is Health Officers View

A departure from the practice
OF awarding emblems to preschool
children is about to be inaug,
urated in Montgomery county by
DR.. William T. Pratt, county
health officer, dependent upon
the action of the county COM
missioners.
Instead Of giving small chill
dren recognition when they are
found to be in perfect health;
DR.. Pratt would have their
mothers the recipients, believing
that the children are too young
to know the meaning Of the
honor and that the mothers de.
serve credit for protecting the
health Of the small ones.
Strive for Medals
At the present time, school
children are given badges SYM
bolic of perfect health. 1t is
found that the children strive
for these medals and work toward
correcting the defects which may
prevent their winning the en-
blem. DR.. Pratt believes many
Of the parents are always "going
to take the child to the doctors"
but never do. ...
He says IS per cent of the chill
dren suffer from bad teeth and
so per cent from diseased tOnsils.
IL the new medals can make the
children worry their parents into
haying the condition remedied, he
believes much will be accom-
plished.
To Teach Mothers
Similarly, he contends, the
mothers must be educated. The
mothers who have healthy chill
dren would be rewarded with a
medal having the seal of Mary
land, encircled with a ring. bear
ing the words montgomery
County Health Service" Attached
TO the medallion would be a bar.
suitably inscribed. bearing the
child's name on the reverse. For
each child of preschool age, meet
ing the health departments re-
uuirements, an additional bar
would be attached.
The object would be to dis
tinguish careful mothers among
mothers. This is not undertaken
solely with the purpose of curing
illness, but rather to teach the
mother to have her child ex-
amined regularly and prevent its
becoming sick.
DR.. Pratt's ambition is to see
the day when all people abandon
the habit of going to see doctor
when they get sick and instead
visit him periodically for the pur'
pose of preventing illness.
The Washington times., 1931-08-11
Cook Accidentally
Receives Knife Cut

Peter Thaddis, restaurant cook
at 1O7 North Royal ST., Alexan-
dria, was treated at the Alex
andria Hospital last night for a
severe cut on his arm received
accidentally from butcher knife.
The Washington times., 1931-08-11
Alexandria Police
Patrol Car in Crash

An Alexandria police car
operated by Patrolman George
Roberts and a car driven by Miss
Mary jackson, of Austinville, Va,
collided last night at Washington
and Wolfe Streets. Neither
Roberts nor Miss Jackson was
injured,
The Washington times., 1931-08-11
Lightning Destroys
G0ithersburg Barns
Times staff Photo

GAITHERSBURG, Md, Aug.
1.-Two barns we're struck by
lightning and destroyed during
the severe storm yesterday after
noon. One was owned by Crom-
we'll King, near Damascus, and
the other was the property of
Clyde Thomas, on the outskirts of
this town.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

bore no name plate, but most though
not all of the Senators and their once
STATS recognized the identity of the
subject. Nor was there anything to
denote whence the statuary came
or why. The general deduction was
busy prcmotional activity Of the George
Washington Bicentenary Commission,
an unsolicited advance souvenir OF the
celebration. It was recalled that last
year auto spare tire covers with Gen.
Washington's profile in gaudy colors
were promoted to advertise the b.
centenary.
Entry Of women into the political
arena on equal terms with their broth
ers and husbands has altered many ira
ditions and banished many superstl-
lions. One such is the fetish that a
woman's age is taboo. 1t is worth moth
ing that five of the eight women at the
moment comprising the House feminine
bloc have no hesitation about bulleting
their birth date at the opening of their
congressional biographies. Mrs. Langley
of Kentucky was born in 1888, Mrs.
Mccormick of Illinois in 1880, Mrs.
Norton of New Jersey in 1875, Mrs.
owen of Florida in 1885 and Mrs. Rog-
ers of Massachusetts in 1881. The
Llree WIDOWS, WHO IIldke IlO oIoClO0ulC
of their age, are Mrs. Kahn Of Califor-
mia. Mrs. Oldfield of Arkansas and Mrs.
Pratt of New York. 1t is often recalled
that prominent Senator of the not-so-
distant past, who was ever vain when
it came to the fair sex, revised his
birth date with almost every issue of
the Congressional Directory, with dis
parity of nearly 20 years between his
lowest-age figure and his highest-age
figure. This resulted in making it ap-
pear that he must have been attend
ing high school while still babe in
arms.
X X
When Congress returns next Au-
tumn members will scarcely recognize
the familiar landscape of Capitol Hill.
On the House side of the hill will be
towering the steel framework of the new
$4,000, 900 House ONCE Building, which
is Just now emerging from the founda-
tions. On the Senate side the Senate
Office Building facade will have been
transformed by the massive columns
which are to line the west side. Across
the Plaza the new Supreme Court
Building will be taking form. And
green grass will be growing and young
trees starting on the Is acres of ground
which lie between the Capitol and the
Union Station, where so recently stood
the wartime dormitories and which, at
the moment, is vast expanse of gravel
and pit.
(Copyright, 1917
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

gifted. About five persons In 100 win
be found to be 20 below normal and
about i've 20 above normal.
@. Was LoweIl's poem, which was
read at the unwilling Of the statue.
THE Minute Man." composed for the oc-
Sion?-W. H. j.
A. James Russell Lowell composed
the ode read at Concord for the oc-
casion Of the celebration Of the hun.
dredth anniversary of the fght at
Concord Bridge, April 10, 1875.
O. If there were a special session of
Congress this Spring. would the mem
bers now sitting attend 1t or the ones
elected last November? How much
mileage do Congressman get?-P. NJ.
A. In the event Of special sessions
being called by the President, the new
| Congress. which was elected last No
vember, would convene. Twenty cents
| mile Is allowed to and from the
homes of members Of Congress.
O. Who Is Coon Sanders for whom
radio orchestra is named?-H. F. 8.
A. Coon Sanders Orchestra, which
plays over WGN. takes its name from
the drummer and the pianist. Carle-
ton Coon is the drummer and Joe SAM
ders Is the pianist.
Q. Who wrote the Arabian Nights p
w. D. B.
A. No one knows who wrote the
Arabian Nights" 1t is thought that the
stories were derived by the Arabians
from India, through Persia. They
were first introduced into Europe at the
beginning Of the eighteenth century,
through the medium Of the French
translator, Antoine Galland. Lane was
the first Englishman to translate them
worthily. The present form dates from
1900.
@. Why is Maryland called the Cock
ade State?-B. G.
A. Because Of the cockades worn by
the Maryland Revolutionary troops.
@. Who is at the head of the Rus
sian government now?-A. M.
A. The present government Of Rus
STA is a federation of Soviet repub-
lies, seven in number, with the Rus
sian Socialist Federated Soviet Re-
public at the head. The nominal heads
of this union are the chairmen Of the
| Council of Peoples CommisSars. but
the real head of the government Is the
dictator, Stain (real name. Joseph V1s-
sarionovitch DjushvillD, who heads the
| Central Executives Committee Of the
Soviet organization.
| @. How many motion picture thea
tiers are there in the world?-P. M.
A. The Department of Commerce
says that there were 82,259 motion pic
ture theaters throughout the world on
January / Of this year, of which 62,-
365 exhibited silent pictures, with 49,
894 equipped for the exhibition Of
sound motion pictures.
@. Who first used the expression,
1.-THE survival Of the fittest"?-G. O. ".
A. Herbert Spencer coined the
phrase.
@. Where was a monument erected
in France to Wilbur Wright, inventor
Of the airplane?-A. F. H.
| A. It was erected near the cathedral
in LIE Mans, and was dedicated July IL,
1920.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
Nation Finds Satisfaction
In Quashing of Butler Case

should not have been published; that
"its publication was mischievous," and
that sit would not have been published
had all the members Of the Contempt
rary Club appreciated the obligation Of
one gentleman to another"
I've have no doubt" states the New
Orleans TimeS-Picayune, that the
incident now closed, but that should
have been closed good many days
earlier, will in the historical future
become one Of those cases, like the exc
cution of the Duke d'Enghien or the
affair of the Queens diamond necklace
and hundred lesser ones, that future
historians will dig up and decide this
way or that according to their tempera-
ments: Did MusSolini hit-and-run?'
Yes! No! Yesl MOI"
The result should have q very salu-
tary effect upon the fiery officer of the
Marines" according to the Hamilton
Evening Journal, while the Indianapolis
Star believes that "a hearing Of the case
would have developed unpleasant
angles" and the st. Louis Post-Dispatch
is impressed by the thought that "un-
the embarrassment caused by Gen.
Buffers speech would have been COM
pounded" by court-martial.
THE Secretary of the Navy might
have been constrained to let the trial
take place" according to the Chicago
Daily News, "had It not been for Gen.
Buffers admissions and explanations.
They enabled the Secretary to close the
disagreeable incident by a formal repri-
mand. Certainly neither the United
States nor Italy would have derived
benefit from a sensational trial. Both
countries now are relieved Of an en-
al1.nv a..
outcome should be q source Of salts
faction to the public, which has O
sincere regard for Gen. Butler because
Of his distinguished services and the
conspicuous courage shown by him In
battle"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20

were issued with machine-cut pages.
Thus the old, old story of the uncut
leaves, applied to so many previous In
stances of literary popularity. falls
rather fiat.
But this will not check the asperities
Of the perennial controversy regarding
the relative cultural merits of the two
peoples, or the abilities Of the two
schools Of English-language authorship.
The Priestley story will roll along and
find believers. the correction never quite
overtaking 1t. And similarly some
American critics Of British taste and
language use and literary quality will
spring something equally fallible, but
for the time serving to keep alive the
good old scrap that Is never to be
quieted so long as the same tongue
serves both peoples.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
Those Who Know Dogs.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Depending on how much one may
like dogs or, which is the same thing,
on how much one may know dogs, eX-
plantations will vary as to what hap
pened in a certain factory in New York.
1t appears that police dog was left
to guard the plant over Sunday. The
steam was turned off. the factory was
cold and the sun shone brightly outside
Along about midmorning telephone
operator at a central exchange saw a
signal on her board, plugged in and in
answer to her Number please" heard
loud and decidedly urgent barking.
The operator reported to the police,
who went to the designated number
and, with the aid of fire truck, let
the dog out to enjoy his Sunday after
noon.
OF course, certain sour folk will say
the dog romping about accidentally
tipped over the phone, thus calling
central. But that won't go down with
any one really dogwise. That pup
undoubtedly thought out his plan of
campaign, purposely signaled the opsr-
ator and was barking out the police
emergency call if the telephone girl
had only taken the trouble to count
the woofs.
Indeed we have no doubt the home
Of the factory owner would have been
called except that the dog wasn't sure
whether the central was Murray Hill
or Metropolitan.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
Statistics on Child Health.

It is very probable that some Of the
well intentioned members Of Congress
who are discussing bill to appropriate
$4,000 for free food for Washington
school children are under a naisappre-
hension concerning the Interpretation of
statistics relating to what has been
broadly described as "undernourish-
ment." To say that % per cent Of the
school children Of Washington are the
victims of nutrition defects" does not
mean, Of course, that % per cent Of
the children suffer from lack Of food.
The sons and daughters of millionaires,
as well as the sons and daughters Of
paupers, are affected by nutrition de-
fects, and bowl of soup and bottle of
milk are not, unfortunately, the rene
dies. In the same manner, 1t is possible
TO interpret the health officers statistic
relating to the prevalence of anemia as
indicating degree of poverty that re-
suits in sending children to school with
out breakfast, but that Interpretation
is obviously erroneous. To the 1ayman,
it might appear that 1000 children
labeled as suffering from pulmonary
defects" are tubercu1ar, but this mis-
understanding is clarified by the knowl-
edge that pulmonary defects" may in
clude whooping cough or a common
cold.
II Congress is determined, which is
by no means apparent, to appropriate
100000 for the health officer to COM
bat such health defects as have been
enumerated, the money could be well
spent in furthering the work Of clinics
and in the examination of school chill
dren, parental education in dietetics
and other lines of child-welfare work.
But an appropriation Of 5000 for the
purchase Of food for children in the
public and parochial schools Of the Dis
trict would serve no good purpose. even
II administered by the health officer.
It is necessary, however, that the sur
veys Of conditions In the schools now
being made by the school authorities
and by the health officer be as thorough
and as painstaking as a sincere desire
TO discover the facts can make them.
John J. Noonan, who appeared before
the congressional committees with his
plea for proper food for the school chill
dren, has served the community well In
bringing UP the subject. It is necessary
TO know how many children are coming
to school without breakfast, how many
children go without luncheon and why
they suffer from lack Of food. SYM
pathetic inquiry into the conditions Of
each case viii in all probability enable
the authorities to outline the problem
in such tangible form that its solution
VIII be a matter Of dollars and cents.
and this money viii not be hard to find.
The problem must not be minimized,
but it Is necessary that it be definitely
outlined
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
A Perennial Family Row.

Anglo-American asperities have been
seems TO be a chronic disposition on
the part Of both peoples TO criticize
and rasp one another, especially in
cultural matters. Just at present a
caustic conversation is in progress over
the seas respecting the validities of
pronunciation Of the English language,
in England and in America. Leading
photographers Of both countries are
hard at it to prove that Englsh-English
Is more purely spoken than American
English, and vice versa. AS to such a
contention. obviously there can be no
conclusion.
As for the matter OF literature, there
Is o latent and sometimes outspoken
spirit Of disregard back and forth.
British authors look upon American
writings as amateurish or boorish,
puerile limitations Of the best In British
letters. American writer's are prone TO
consider English authorship as decadent
and dull. This, of course, refers TO
current literature, and not to the
classics of the two lands. 1t is ever
thus-the immediate producers and
consumers constitute the controversy.
Apropos Of the honoring Of Sinclair
Lewis by the award OF an international
prize for literature, which did not set
very well with the British - and was
likewise somewhat distaSteful TO a num-
Der Of Americans - one of Britains
leading authors, J. 3. Priestley, who has
just landed In this country for the
usual lecture tour, has taken occasion
TO remark upon the avidity with which
American book consumers absorb the
editions Of best sellers" regardless OF
worth. He refers to Main Street,
which was Lewis first success. At the
time it was selling at the rate Of 10000
copies week, he says, a literary friend
Of hiS-that inevitable third party such
as figured recently in certain interna-
tional-marine episode-told him that
he had seen a copy Of the novel in
every American home he visited, and
found that In a majority Of cases the
pages were uncut. and In many others
Dnly the hrst few pages were cut. Leav-
ing out the question Of the good man.
ners Of q guest going around lingering
the leaves Of books In the homes Of
his hosts to see how valid are the liter
airy claims Of the latter, it is new Of
considerable interest to note, as Ia.
been pointed out In reioinder, that thu
uEme.66 editions a Main street
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
with the greatest care and slowly TO
avoid collision and disahlenent

with the greatest care and slowly 10
avoid collision and disablement.
There remain now several stub-end car
terminals in the city, at points Of con-
siderable trafflc. One Of these is at the
corner Of Fifteenth street and New York
avenue; another is a short block to the
south, at q street. Until a few years
ago the former Of these was rendered
particularly dangerous by the use Of the
tracks by the Washington Baltimore
cars, which later were shifted to a
loop terminal few blocks to the East,
the operating company buying land for
a station.
But there is quite as serious an OBJ
lection to the maintenance Of a bus
terminal In the streets. These vehicles,
occupying a great amount Of space,
block the traffic when they are halted
for the taking on and discharging of
passengers. A bus terminal in the
street IS q menace to public safety.
There should in every instance be a
housing for the waiting vehicles, the
loading and unloading Of which should
take place of the streets, preferably
under shelter.
Eventually some adjustment must be
made Of this problem Of bus terminals.
The District authorities should move
to clear the streets of the danger that
is unacceptable in every case of the
maintenance of public transit lines,
where there are no accommodations for
the comfort and safety of passengers
and the loading and unloading of the
cars. Postponement by the bus COM
panies themselves of the provision of
proper facilities for their accommcda-
ton only adds to the eventual cost.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
Cats of Mall Triangle
Should Be Rescued
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
As a result Of the Vacating Of groups
Of buildings for destruction in the Fed
eral and municipal Government I'M
provement areas, especially those hous-
ing businesses handling foodstuffs, cats
and kittens by the scores and perhaps
hundreds, which have been l1arbored
and allowed to multiply, chiefly for
their valuable services IN propertv pro-
lection AGAINST the inroads of rats and
mice. will be suddenly abandoned to
starvation and exposure by the cutting
on OF their entire food supplies and
removing Of their shelters. The best
fare, at most, for many of them. con-
sists only Of garbage scraps, supple
mented by the rats and mice they
catch, which will be driven of or killed
by workmen in the raZing.
One OF the most IMPORTANT duties
NJ the Animal Rescue League Is the
humane rescue and disposal Of such
abandoned. voiceless friends and help
ers OF mankind. In my fifteen years Of
active small animal rescue work have
used several humane methods Of
rescuine frightened dogs sud cats. As
an active member also of the Ieap1,n.
with the aid Of its matrnn end agent
have started the. interviewing of
vacatlng occupants. urging them to he
faithful to their little nets. offering n
take any thew cannot remove with
them. or to lend the leagues or nv
equipment for the humane capture of
untarned stravs visiting their premises.
thus seeking to prevent much needless
suffering Of the animals themselves.
and also Of certain tender-hesrted
people, who, rather than have them
suffer, take upon themselves the burden
and expense Of gently coaxing and
feeding them, in their fright and de-
sertion, day after day, employing every
means possible to rescue them from
their fate. Having spent many. MANY
hours this week myself. I know that II
each vacating occupant would but CO.
operate in performing his civic duty
and showing bit Of gratitude to these
four-footed friends in providing for
their future in one Of the suggested
ways, it would be appreciated by both
them and his human kind. Then the
stately beauty and whiteness of the
great buildings arising from the ruins
of the shelters of these humble help
ers of man will not be darkened and
haunted by their tragic deaths, and can
be rightfully enjoyed by the Capitals
citizens.
NRGMAA lARoW :,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

"what q beautiful day." he ex-
claimed, taking of his dripping top
coat in the kitchen. He always came
in the back way on rainy day.
wonderful weather." he continued,
removing his wet hat. He really
meant it.
There was no sarcasm in his tone
The lack of precipitation, as the
Weather Bureau says, has made all OF
us thankful for water in the air.
No wet day is as wet now as a rainy
day used to be.
Who remembers that famous three
day rain of the late Summer of 1928
when it poured cats and dogs hour
after hour, flooding the roads, pulling
down bridges, and even coming through
brick walls?
That was a rain!
Even in normal times there were few
such rains; and today the rains we have
are hesitant, backward and puerile, as
if afraid of themselves.
They are bashful rains, but are rains,
at any rate, and every one is thankful
for them, even if they show only a
trace of precipitation"
X X X X
Old-fashioned rains were different,
not only in themselves, but also in the
effect they had on the beholder.
Those who were rain conscious always
knew when a rain of several days
duration had set in. There was some
thing about the looks" CT the sky, the
feel of the wind. the sogginess Of the
whole proposition, which informed them
that there would be no ''let-up" for
hours.
In the old days, before the drought,
.,,aIa So ey,a1lc y1rpra 1SnkpI IIY10I1 with
disfavor by the city-wise, who felt that
their activities would be hurt, perhaps,
or their personal movements around
town made unpleasant.
Those conditions are gone. Today
every one with sense welcomes a rainy
day. and looks with peculiar favor upon
clouds and other phenomena which are
its harbingers.
Those interested in gardens are par
ticularly hopeful every time they see a
cloud the size of a mans hand upon
the horizon.
Will it rain?
It is the question of the day.
X X
Garden hopes and aspirations must
be tempered by the rain situation, no
matter how ambitious the gardener
may be.
If the use Of water for garden pur-
poses is forbidden this Summer, as 1T
was last in many areas, there will be
little use for the home owner to go IN
heavily for many new plants ana
shrubs.
All will depend upon whether Nature
supplies us with plenty of rain. If she
does, not only will the rains themselves
keep growing things alive and green,
thrifty and healthy, but there VIII be
plenty of water for artificial application
as needed.
If the drought prevails-and, alas,
there are no indications of its passing
not only will there be no water from
the heavens to assuage the thirst OF
grass, flowers, trees, shrubs, vegetables,
but even more-or lesS-there Will be
little, if any, water for sprinkling.
X X
This will be loss in more ways than
one. If the home garden is primarily
for beauty's sake, the eyes (and under
standing mind and heart) should be
sure to see the loneliness in all the
phases of gardening.
One OF these, and by no means the
least. is the fall of rain on grass and
flowers and through the overhanglng
trees.
1t is sheer pleasure for the garden