davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
Finds the American
Stage in Sorry State

To the Editor Of The Star:
Mr. de Melcher's comments in The
Star on theatrical offerings are re-
freshingly honest and really helpful to
those many readers who love q good
play, but have no time for the trivial
and no taste for the vulgar.
In my opinion, the American public
Is today very poorly served by the
theater. and this is particularly true OF
such q town as Washington, where
there Is high average Of intelligence,
and where the exotic, not to say erotic,
likings Of Broadway are noticeably nom
existent.
During the recent season, many of the
plays offered to the Washington public
attempted to substitute Rabelaisian
dialogue and horse play for more con-
vincing and appealing entertainment
/ left two plays before they were over
and, discussing one OF them with an at
tendant, had him comment upon my
protest against the language being used
upon the stage by saying. you don't
realize that all the people are like
that now" Inasmuch as the female
characters in the piece were all crooked
and the male characters largely re-
stricted IN their knowledge of the
obScenity. could not agree with him
Discussing the matter with q group of
others sometime afterward, several of
them said that they had also left pf4ys
before the final curtain during the
present season, and in no case were
they unsophisticated and certainly they
were in every case competent Judges
OF what Is good in drama.
l wonder II 1t would not be possible
for the legitimate stage during the next
Winter season to offer Washington
people some plays in which the desir-
ability OF chastity and fidelity in women
Is at least tacitly recognized and where
the use OF profanity Is reduced to a
minimum, and where all of the char
acters do not drink bootleg liquor all
OF the time. While oaths are perhaps
heard more frequently than in former
days, even when women are present,
am convinced that gentlemen, as a rule,
Still put little restraint upon their
conversation, at least when the COM
pany Is mixed, and / am further con-
Vlnced that there are literally thousands
OF people who have practically aban-
doned the theater who would again
appear at the box Office If they were
sure that their sense of decency would
not be offended by what they had paid
70 see. surely the young women who
ma II necessary to present some Of
these Objectionable roles must feel that
they are very unhappily imposed upon.
AS for the motion pictures, they are
not so bad as the legitimate stage, but
fully believe that censorship. obiec-
tionable as it is, will certainly come un-
less they are made less vulgar and less
morally subversive
DEETS PICKETT.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
Religion as a World Factor.

1Eom tne OnlCaBo Daily news.
writer in a religious publication
remarks: If by some unimaginable
catastrophe the Christian Church were
to be obliterated in the entire Western
World-as ruthless Communists are at
tempting to obliterate it in Russia-it
would still live on as an indigenous,
self-directing unit In Africa. in the
Near East, in India, in Malaysia, in
the Far East, in the isles Of the sea.
This was not true hundred years ago:
today it is too clear to be doubted"
Whatever opinion one may entertain
concerning that form of religious prop
uganda which has been known as for
eign missions, this result of its activity
Is noteworthy and important 1t has
both spiritual and social significance.
1t will play its part In the future affairs
OF the world. 1t denotes the develop
ment of q new capacity on the part
of peoples of many lands and many
races to think and communicate in
terms Of common understanding con-
corning principles and ideals Of life
commonly held.
In the process which has brought
this about there has come a striking
modification OF points OF veiw on the
part OF the missionary toward the
thought and faith of those to whom he
carries MS message. 1t Is best indicated,
perhaps, by the practical disappearance
of the term heather" from the vo-
cabulary Of modern missions. more
intimate knowledge. q more intelligent
understanding Of the religions of other
peoples. has led many to realize that
the spiritual values are not monop-
olized by Occidental faith. and that
approaches to ultimate truth may be
found along other roads than those
marked by the hngerprints Of churches
and SynagogueS.
The re-energizing Of altruistic mo-
tive and its better direction toward
effective human service has been a
great contribution Of the missionary
movement to Christian lands.
Schools, colleges. hospitals, better hous-
ing, hygiene and sanitation are in
many cases as much the results Of
missionary efforts as are churches.
That movement, now growing in far
lands from native roots and with in
herent vitality, may yet recoil upon
its Western source with q spiritual
quickening. For the faith which Occi-
dental propaganda has carried abroad
was born in the East, and may come
back to us reinterpreted by those who
recognize 1t as their own.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
PREPARING for Winter.

The aftermath of any calamity Is
often as serious and as much to be
dreaded as the agent of destruction it.
self. And regardless of the course Of
business from now on 1t is foregone
conclusion that the coming Winter will
find widespread suffering and hardship
resulting from the extended period Of
world wide depression. The one cheer
full prospect in view Is that the facts
are being recognized and acknowledged
and extensive preparations are under
way for dealing with them. The coun-
try is not going to be caught UMPIRE
pared.
AS always, the problems of unem-
ployment and kindred social malad-
justments must be solved by the indi-
vidual communities. No one can &C
curately forecast the shape of demands
for the expenditure Of public funds
from the National, State or Municipa,
treasures, toward affording relief tC
those who need 1t most, or the amount
and the nature of money that will bt
appropriated. And regardless Of thu:
form of aid. the Presidents Emergency
Committee for Employment has chosen
the Association of Community Chests
and Councils as the one national
agency best fitted to direct the work
of raising the money for the support
of the countless charities upon which
the brunt of the burden next Winter
will fall, and the community chest
organization has responded by piedg-
ing itself to the work.
There are $50 Community Chests in
as many cities of forty-four of the
forty eight States. Each, of course, !:
separate organization. Their mem
bership in a national association will
be utilized merely for the benefits tc
result from coordinate action and the
interchange Of helpful suggestions. Nc
national goal Of total funds to be raised
will be set. Each chest organization
familiar with the demands that will
face its own community, will write its
own budget. While their campaigns
will be conducted simultaneously, thu,
giving the stimulus of united action
and the impetus of governmental in
terest, encouragement and co-opera-
ton, each campaign will be separate
In the case Of municipalities which
lack the chest system of supporting
organized charity the Presidents
Emergency Committee will seek the or.
ganization of local committees some.
what similar to those which are set UP
to govern the Community Chest. Thi.
work OF organization is now going for.
ward.
In the meantime each Community
Chest is carefully investigating the fielc
Of need that will be entered next VIM
ter. BY the time the national cam
paign begins an accurate statement oil
actual conditions will have been pre-.
pared.
Plans are thus being shaped foi
Americas greatest effort to deal ad.
equately with an unparalleled emer.
gency. 1t is significant that the effort
Is to be made by Nation of self-sup-
porting communities on the principle
Of local responsibility for local needs,
and that for the first time the Com
munity Chests, which have thrived or
that principle, have been summoned
collectively for the task Their past
success as fact-f1nding and relief-dis-
pensing agencies fits them we'll for g
new role.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
The Conquest of Mount Kamet.


The British have again triumphed in
the hazardous art Of mountain climb
Ing. Word has just reached this coun-
try that Mount Kamet, twenty-five
thousand, four hundred and forty-sevsn
feet in height, has been conquered b.
that intrepid band of youthful English
explorers headed by Frank s. Smythe.
The age OF the eldest is under thirty
three years. They succeeded where nine
previous expeditions to scale this al
most insurmountable Himalayan peak
had failed Only once before in the mis-
tory OF mountain climbing has the more
Of the Kamet expedition been reached.
That was in one Of the futile attempts
Of the British to reach the top of Mount
Everest, which rears twenty-nine thou
sand feet into the sky and is the high
est mountain in the world. Two mem
bers Of that Inflated expedition sue
ceeded in climbing to within two thou
sand feet of the peak but in the effort
one Of them was killed and the other
died soon after making his perilous
journey back to o base camp from the
result of injuries sustained in a slide.
So, Mount Kamet is the highest peak
ever reached by an organized party. AL
though details are still lacking, it cannot
be questioned that this triumph was won
only by the most heart-breaking efforts,
and great credit must go to the little
band which kept persistently at 1t until
the reward was theirs. Mountain climb
ing is an extra hazardous undertaking,
especially In the wild and uncivilized
Himalayan chain. Supplies must be
wansported hundreds Of miles by the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

A variant Of the old lines about the
saddest words of tongue or pen is the
IIealization that one isn't going to be
great, after all.
One had so devoutly wished to be
Certain persons In school days had
rather intimated that one might. you
know. II one were willing to pay the
price in hard labor and devotion to the
cause.
And here one is at last, he realizes
suddenly upon day, trudging manfully
ahead down the years, and no nearer
greatness than when one started.
This is the price OF life, and happy is
he who pays it cheerfully, without with
holding praise from those who some
how have managed to achieve greatness.
Now one joins, If even still with a
slight reluctance, the great crowd OF
honest bread earners. 1t is good COM
pany, II there are those who use the
word mediocrity with a sheer. d..
1t numbers most of ones friends, ac-
quaintances, associates. There Is little
the everyday, but plenty OF kindness,
happiness OF a sort, even heroism, upon
occasion.
The desire to be great seems to spring
fullgrown from the minds of children.
Yonder 8-year-old boy, 1t might
| amaze his parents to know, is contem-
plating it, even now.
He aSpires to be admired OF men, de-
spite the injunctions which would warn
him against 1t.
His ego. as the psychologists say,
seeks to be exalted, even as the esoS
OF others will combine to depress it.
This Is the seemingly eternal conflict
OF humanity within itself. for itself,
and by itself.
One may question himself on this
strange thing. this greatness. which he
loved awhile, and then lost in the well
ter of the Fears.
Even when one gives 1t over, he loves
1t STILL and it would take only a spark
| to kindle anew these fires, which never
die, but only seem to die, for conyen-
| fences sake.
Admiration Of others. that seemed to
be at the root OF 1t, but what was that
but a craving for respect?
Respect Is what the human spirit
most Graves. and what mankind some
| times seems most determined not to
| give, enc to another.
Every Man King" ran the title
of an inspirational book. but that was
only title, though good one.
Every man may be a King but for
centuries only the Kings received the
! respect every man longed for.
| 1t was as If the spirit of envy and
disccrd in human nature was not able
! to stand the free giving of this most
precious respect to all, but must needs
keep it as a selfish and browning glory
for one sole single human being.
We will make him." man seemed
| to say, the symbol of what every man
should be. and may be some day.
I'VE will put crown on his head
and seat him on throne higher than
We can aspire to.
we will speak kindly to him and
come into his presence with awe and
humility.
so would we seat all Of us on
thrones, and so put all Of us beneath
all, of US. but the thing is impossible,
is very contradiction OF terms in
itself
Wherefore We make unto ourselves
Kings. that the swelling envy OF our
silly hearts shall not suffocate US In
the days of our pride
It is q far cry from Kings to the
average young fellow who goes forth
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

sweat Of human labor. After the party
reaches the foot Of the mountain labo-
rious effort Is necessary to establish the
successive camps from which recon-
noitering is done to find the best pos
sible route to the summit. AS the ex-
petition wends its way slowly and pain.
fully to high attitudes, headaches, short
ness Of breath. inability to sleep well
and stomach disorders are prevalent.
Under these conditions 1t is Furnishing
work to climb higher. The Smythe
party is well deserving Of corgratula-
lions for its fortitude in the face OF
enormous difficulties.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
The Alternative.

The United States Government has
oct out to relieve the economic situa-
tton which has had the world by the
throat and particularly to ease the
pressure on the weakest link in the
chain today. the run on Germany and
her credit. 1t has asked the co-opera-
ton OF Great Britain. France, Italy,
Belgium and all the other nations in
volved in the intergovernmental debts
growing out of the World War. With
the exception of France, all the nations
to whom the debt suspension proposal
was made by President Hoover have
accepted In principle. France, for rea-
sons Of Its own, has held out for
amendments to the plan which, in the
opinion OF this Government, 60 outside
the simple principle of the Hoover pro-
poSal. II France continues to adhere
to these proposed amendments to the
plan, what Is to happen?
Either the French counter proposals
must be accepted or there must be an
effort on the part of the rest Of the
the aid Of France. The Government
Of the United States is firm in its con-
tentions that some of the proposed
amendments of France be not accepted;
that they prevent in effect the opera
ton of the plan to the benefit Of the
rest of the world, and that they par
ticularly place on Germany a burden
which 1t is aimed to relieve. This Gov
eminent would be reluctant to go
ahead without the cooperation Of
France But If it must do So 1t must.
The United States, having generously
entered upon q course which calls for
greater sacrifice on the part of this
country than on the part of any other,
does not intend to turn back at this
stage. If France makes 1t necessary
by her adherence to amendments which
are outside the principle Of the Hoover
plan-s simple suspension of payments
for . year without the invalidation Of
any of the existing agreements, in
GLIDING the Young plan-for some
other plan to be worked out In which
France will not participate. it may be
expected that reluctantly that will be
done.
The negotiations are continuing in
Paris today and the hope of the ad-
ministration here is that France will
modify in some respects the amend
ments which she has so far presented.
The United States Government itself
IN prepared to come to an agreement
with certain changes in the plans de-
tails, but it is not prepared to agree
TO Frances proposal that the money
paid by Germany in unconditional
reparations this year be loaned back
not only TO Germany but to other
Central European countries. Nor is it
prepared to undertake to agree with
France that the guarantee given by
France that 1t will divide up with
other nations receiving reparations the
receipts already obtained by France,
the lions share, shall be shifted to
Germany, which is the effect Of one OF
the amendments proposed by France.
The United States holds that 1t has
nothing whatever to do with the Young
plan and the French guarantee, and
that IL France wishes to modifY that
agreement 1t must do so with the
nations which are party to that plan
and which collect reparations from
Germany.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Celestial Machinery.
Out in the heavens far away
We gaze with thought profound.
And wisely undertake to say
What makes the wheels 60 round.
They used to think the sky was fiat
And that the earth stood still;
They went on proving this or tina
With patience and with skill.
The universe runs up to date,
Mid thanks and some applause,
And does not undertake to wait
For man to make It's laws.
Though science often bids anew
Some startling thought to sound,
This fact with gratitude we view;
The wheels keep going round.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

9. Was Beethoven . Catholic on
Protestant?-C. Z.
A. Beethoven was q Catholic. just
before his death, he received the sacra-
naents of the church.
@. What causes Q line in the ocean.
On one side Of which the water Is
rough. while on the other it Is smooth?
"A j.
A. The United States Coast and
Geodetic> Survey says the phenomenon
Is one THAT is frequently observed at
sea. The cause Is usually ascribed to
currents. although there may be other
reasons invo1N ed. The edge of the Gulf
Stream is often marked by very def
mite line with al abrupt change In tenn
perature and cGlor Of water. If the
wind Is against the current the stream
will be rough ana choppy, while the
adjacent water Is comparatively smooth
fine film of oil produces q surface
known as slick" Along the edge OF
this Slick" there Is oAten distinct line.
Q. How much hay in the United
States is lost from spontaneous COM
buStion?-A. A.
A. Fully one-tenth of the harvested
hay crop Of the United States is lost
from the time 1t is cut until 1t Is used
as result OF spontaneous heating.
Q; What is the number of Masons In
A. There are 1880 Masons in Spain.
G. How many homes have bath
tubs?-G. M. s.
A. According TO Domestic Engineer.
ing, about AIT per cent OF the city
homes in the United States have bath
tubs.
O. What per cent of the United
States Olympic games teams are col
lego students?-L F. c.
A. In the makeup of the 1928 team
at Amsterdam, athletes who were COL
lege trained comprised 84l4 per cent;
high school athletes, 244 per cent; nom
school athletes, 1912 per cent.
@. How deeply sunk must a vessel be
to cease being menace to naYigation2
". N.
A. That depends on the condition Of
the ship. Recently q wire drag survey
Of the Coast and 0eodetie Survey dis
covered a sunken derelict on the en-.
trance to Greenwich Harbor on the
north shore Of Long Island. Although
the hulk was covered by 48 feet Of
water, a mast, still standing. came 10
within one foot OF the surface at low
water. In such cases, measures are
taken TO destroy the whole wreck.
Q. What does the French sign De-
tense blanche" mean?-O. o. H.
A. The English equivalent is No BILL
Posting"
Q. Was Johnny Appleseed a tramp
H. T. S.
A. John Chapman. universally known
as Johnny Appleseed, was reported to
have been q graduate of Harvard Uni
versity. He owned a home near Pitts
burgh, with a garden and nurseries.
@. What Is the width of the adhesive
tape used in bandaging the hands Of
professional boxers?-E. A. j.
A. 1t varies from one and one-han
inches to three inches. The one and
one-half inch tape is generally used.
Q. How Icing have ice cream cones
been on the market?-D. A. L.
A. The ice cream cone first made
its appearance at the World Fair In
st. Louis in 1904.
@. What kind of a car won the 0rst
race won on the indianapolis Speed
way?-G. T. j.
A. A Marmon won the nrst race, n
1911.
@. Did any OF the American colonists
leave the country when the United
States was formed?-M. K.
A. About 10000 "loyalists" are said
to have migrated to Nova Scotia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

With heavy Summer exodus to
Western dude ranches" the question
arises afresh of just what should the
well togged-out "dudette" wear. Well,
II would be hard TO improve on the
old. well established feminine outing
costume, consisting Of silk shirtwaist,
heavy wool knickerbockers, thin silk
stockings and leaky, high-heeled pumps.
With this, outfit everything gets break,
from mosquitoes to pneumonia germs.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

Emilio Aguinaldo former insurrecto
and later adherent OF United States
ownership of the Philippines. now
favors immediate independence of those
islands. Possibly his independent feel
ings could be assuaeed by making him
King of Guam.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

A Washington woman, awakening to
find a burglar In her room, talked him
out Of his purpose by delivering a lee
ture on the futility of looking for VAL
liable goods where they were not to be
had She wins recognition for her
nerve, her eloquence and her psy-
chology.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

work on his incandescent electric light.
Keeley's perpetual motion machine was
going into the discard of discredited
fantasies or fakes. A few men were
busy in machine shops and barns tink-
ering on the "horseless carriage" that
was not long later to come forth as
an actually. Nobody thought Of radio,
however.
AS the years passed and the con-
ventions multiplied the Bishops paid
no heed to the "new-fangleG' things
that were coming forth. They never
did, indeed, put in a telephone. In this
respect they were like the Wendells Of
Fifth avenue, the family whose last
member died recently without ever hav-
ing spoken over the phone in her life.
Four years ago Mr.. Bishop. then re-
tired from his long held post of stenog-
rapher for the Stock Exchange. reluc-
family consented to the installation Of
electric lights in his apartment Very
recently q loving friend presented him
with q radio, but 1t Is said that he
rarely used 1t.
1t is somewhat refreshing to con-
template such a career in these restless,
moving, stirring times when folk shift
about from one domicile to another.
The Bishops made q real home in
their apartment on 18th street, which
long ago was entirely surrounded by
business buildings, and from peace
full, quiet area had become q noisy,
busting section. 1t would be interest
ing to know what they paid for the
rent of their apartment in 1877 and
what in 1881. Therein would lie an
other story of a great change in values
in Manhattan and in the cost Of living
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01
New Mark for Scots.

From the ct. Louis Times.
An English factory has just set
record in making q suit Of clothes in
three hours from the time the wool was
taken from the sheep. saving of time
that would do credit to q Scotch
tailor.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

Former Senator Helm will probably
never get over the blow of not having
been the first to discover that the pres
ence Of the fasces on the United States
dime indicates the increasing headway
of the Fascist movement in this coun-
try. The imagination OF the Gentleman
from Alabama must be failing.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

An Englishman. sued for support,
pleads that he did not know he was
married because the ceremony was
performed by a foreign minister and in
strange language" One will won
der just what he did think the per-
Torrance was-a spelling match?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

A lot of WaShingtonians have read
wistfully of the party OF pleasure seek
ers making the first Summer trip in
the Russian ice-breaker out from
ArchanRel.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-01

Messrs. Post and Gatty may make
their globe-encircling trip on schedule.
But 1t is fairly safe to assume that,
along with all the honors that may
come to them. they will enjoy q lengthy
spell of indigestion.