davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
Plagiarism Suits.

Nearly every author who wins literary
fame is subject to plagiarism suits, in
stituted by those with either an actual
or a pretended grievance. An actual
grievance, however. does not necessarily
mean an actual case of plagiarism, but
merely the sincere belief that ones
ideas have been stolen, which is COM
mon enough deIusion. The author often
gets the worst OF 1t, not from adverse
court decisions, but from the worry and
expense that threats or suits entail.
Some OF these take the form of black
mail.
Thsre may be nothing to do about it,
but Federal Judge Woolsey, presiding in
a suit against Eugene o'Neill accused
by Miss Georges Lewys of having taken
the play, Strange Interlude," from a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Old books achieve their greatest
charm when they are devoted to gar
dening.
The older a garden book is the great
er its appeal to many Of U.S.
Its information may be obsolete, but
we get real pleasure from reading about
flowers once popular.
If an old book gives quaint garden
practice, no longer in favor, the flavor
of the work is enhanced.
The appeal of all old books is here.
with peculiar one added, that of time
lessness.
There is no subject more timeless
than that of gardening. none in which
the passage OF time counts for so little
Gardening, as practiced in small or
large places comes down through the
centuries.
What men did once, in relation to
their flowers. is of interest still
The variety of roses they preferred in
days gone by gives the amateur of today
something Of a thrill as he reads.
Here is Gen. Jacqueminot. great
t-great-grandfather of today'S tri-
umphant rose sisters, Radiance and Red
Radiance.
How interesting to run across their
parentage as presented in this old work
and to realize that rosarians Of today
are linked so closely with the rosarians
Of yesteryear!
He who reads garden literature for
information alone is making serious
mistake
Indeed one may question whether any
reading done for profit solely is not a
mistake
We have known several very inter-
ccff ,,-1,~ Il
in this fashion.
The appearance of a book meant
nothing to them. It's age was a matter
OF no concern. It's binding might be of
leather, cloth or paper; 1t made no
difference to them.
Even the name Of the author made
no difference! All they desired was
what the book could give them
Usually they demanded tangible re-
turns, which they. in kind, could turn
into money for themselves.
Such people. no matter how interest
ing or estimable. cannot be said to be
booklovers. That glorious title Is not
for them. Call them successful, If you
will: bright, witty or clever, but do not
add that they are booklovers.
No. he who loves books finds every
feature of them interesting in their own
right, just as the real lover of roses
discovers matter Tor speculation IN tne
thorns and interest in fighting the vari-
Gus pests and diseases which afflict his
bushes.
The Booklover-and let us write It
with a capital "B"-knoWs instinctively
the names of his authors. It would not
be possible for him to select a volume
without instinctively looking at the
name Of the author, both on the cover
and on the title page.
He is that rare bird, he who reads
prefaces. No matter how many thou
sands of prefaces or introductions the
superficial reader may skip, the Book
lover reads every one of them. solemnly
and sedately, before he enters into the
book itself
Has the author not put the preface
there to be read. and would it not be
showing disrespect for him to omit this
necessary bit of reading?
Contrary to popular ideas. many
prefaces are highly interesting. The
hundreds OF thousands of readers of
Axel Munthe's STORY of San Michele"
know how good prefaces can be.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
Pan-American Highway.
the Albany evening News.

From the Albany Evening News
T. H. Macdonald, chief of the Federal
Bureau of Public Roads, has predicted
that within five years highway will be
open to motorists between the Panama
Canal and the Rio Grande. The more
roads connecting the United States with
its Central and South American neigh
bors the better, and they ought to be
opened as soon as can be.
Some day there will be a highway to
the Argentine Republic and we shall
ride from our homes in our own cars.
On May ! a touring car and two
trucks will begin journey from Seattle
down the Pacific Coast, through Mexico
and South America to Rio de Janeiro.
Advocates of pan-American highway
and others interested in assembling
scientific data are sponsoring this
motor trip Of 10000 miles. 1t will be
known as the Pan-American-Pacif
Overland Expedition, and probably will
consume two years.
Perhaps within or 10 years that will
be far easier journey and be made
within a short space of time We of to-
day may yet make the journey by motor
to South American countries, and tour
lists from there may come to learn more
about the people of this country and
all that will make for better under
standing.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23

Isle of Pines, and perhaps . score
of others in Cuba proper. These
numbers have been fairly constant for
years. The excessively low wage scale
prevailing in Cuba. to say nothing of
the economic depression from which
the island, with the rest of the
world, is suffering, is factor designed
to deprive the island of attractiveness
for japanese workers in quest of better
conditions than exist in their own
country.
The United States has no reason to
question, the desirability of Japanese
Cuban diploma tic and commercial inter-
course. Is 1t a certainty that our
segacious friends in the Toxic govern
ment would never countenance anything
so obtuse as the circumvention of our
irert exclusion law by bootlegging Jap
anese into this country through Cuba.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
Cuba and Japan.

With the Plat amendment giving the
United States certain supervisory in
fluence in Cuba's foreign relations, we
naturally are concerned in the establish
ment of diplomatic intercourse between
the island republic of the Caribbean
and the island empire OF Japan.
Provided for by an exchange Of rates
between Havana and Toxic in December,
1929 these relations are about TO be
formally inaugurated through the open
ing of Cuban legation in Japan.
Washington takes more than ordinary
interest in that event because Cuba IS
accomplished and astute Ambassador in
this Capital, DR.. Orestes Ferrars. has
been accredited as Minister TO Japan.
He has just started for Toxic to present
his credentials. After leaving the lega-
ton TO be conducted by charge DAT
flares DR.. Ferrara will resume his post
in this country.
The Plat amendment imposes upon
Cuba the obligation to enter into no
compact with foreign power that
would impair Cuban independence. The
identical notes which passed between
the Havana and Toxic governments a
year and half ago were intended to
take the place Of a commercial treaty
ard extend reciprocity.
At the time the notes were exchanged
some skepticsl eyebrows were raised in
this country relative to their first article
The two countries therein agree TO
accord reciprocally TO Japanese sub
jects and Cuban citizens, respectively.
liberty in entering and residing in the
territories of Cuba and Japan" II was
feared, in some quarters, that under this
arrangement japanese might, after a
period OF domicile in Cuba, contrive to
enter the United States in contravention
of our immigration restrictions against
Asiatics.
On the eve of his departure from
Washington this week, Ambassador Fer
rara explained that mutual immigration
facilities had in fact existed. as between
Cuba and Japan, for years previous to
the formal pact of 1929, and resulted in
no influx whatever OF Japanese into
Cuba. At present there are about one
hundred and nifty Japanese employed
es fruit plantation laborers in the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23

The gardener who clears his mind.
| therefore, of any particular idea of
receiving either information or profit
| from gardening manuals will be in the
best position to enjoy them.
Profit and loss is too much with us,
after ALL The wheels of everything,
| not only of industry, whirr to their
music. We tend to whirl with them.
The man who clears his mind and
heart occasionally of this universal
music of the whirling wheels will be in
better position to listen to the small
voices which still chirp their music to
waiting ears.
This applies with peculiar force to
books which are-or at least ought to
behring's of the spirit. Though tan
gible things in themselves and of ire
mendous interest in that right, books
are among the most evanescent produc-
tions of mankind.
Music alone can compete with them
on the basis of intangibility. A melody,
played by master violinist, is no SOON
er gone, when ended, than a good book
fresh from the mind of master writer.
disappears upon reading.
These characters, these bits of seem
cry, these emotions. these actions and
reactions, now disappear with the closing
of the last page. They are as If they
Ildu never DGeIl, III d SENSE, Out IN an
other abide firmly in the mind and
motion pictures, objective in character,
succeed in meeting the appreciation Of
the best readers. For out Of a book
they have made. with the authors CO.
operation, new book OF their own.
Xxx
So must the reader of old garden
books enjoy them for themselves, for
their quaintness, as we call it, making
new book of his own out of this old
one which the author and publisher
furnish.
He will smile delightedly at the chap
ter devoted to Garden Animals" When
he saw this title in the index he rather
suspected that the author could have
no love for cats Nor has he.
The worst animal in the garden Is
the domestic cat" solemnly ayers our
author. 1T would seem that a we'll kept
garden has a peculiar interest for these
brutes."
Surely the author knows his cats,
even If he does not give them credit
for their taste. 1t is true that all hon.
est cats like nice gardens. And they
prefer them for precisely the same rea-
sons their owners do, that they are good
gardens.
SdAo, uAllihC IdiLIlIul TIQOS anu
Royers. duly appreciate the fine points
Of good garden. The better garden it
is the better they like it, just as the
cleaner a bedspread is, the more they
prefer to lie upon It,
The softest, easiest chair in the house
Is none too good for honest Tom; sim
Harry, he knows a properly cared for
garden when he sees one, and will come
blocks to visit it.
Hence garden owners should feel
complimented when cats come around
The slight damage they may do is
quickly remedied by Mother Nature
who understands the ways of cats. and
knows their treSpaSses are more easily
handled than the rough damage done
by careless and indifferent dogs
This IS but one example, found in an
old garden book. picked up on book
stand. That 1t was printed IN England
many years ago, and speaks Familiarity
of Kew Gardens, is one Of its main
charms
Collect old garden books, rather than
new ones, If you want sheer enjoyment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
The New Traffic Rules.

The first day with the new restricted
parking regulations, which went into
effect yesterday morning, was marked
in the afternoon by one of the heaviest
traffic jams in the history of the city.
The two conditions, however. we're in
no way related, although many motor
lists, eager to criticize any change in
traffic regulation, laid the blame for the
congestion squarely at the door CT the
Traffic Bure23. There were four dis
tinct factors l yesterdays congestion.
These were a reception at the White
House, fire on Seventeenth street, a
heavy rain and the normal rush hour
trafic which was augmented in SINE
degree by additional parkers below the
Avenue.
In some quarters dissatisfaction has
been expressed with the establishment
of zones for parking and the abolition
of angle parking. This criticism had
made itself apparent even before the
congestion CT yesterday 1t should be
realized, however, that the changes
have been ordered after more than a
years study of the entire traffic situa-
ton and that Washington has long
since grown up to long trousers" in a
traffic way and should therefore bring
itself into uniformity with practices in
other cities of the same category.
Unquestionably, the regulations bring
inconvenience and discomfort to some.
That is inevitable with the enforcement
of any rule promulgated for the public
welfare. Much of the protest centers
around the ban on parking in a small
zone up to nine-thirty o'clock In the
morning This regulation is a frank at
tempt on the part of the city heads to
do away with the all-day parker who
gets away with it" more often than he
is caught and selhshly utilities curb
space to the exclusion of others who
theoretically have the same rights as
he. Besides that, it promotes a freer
flow of rush-kour traffic.
No city can turn over its curb space
to those who drive to work in the early
AAOl A4liie anu lcdFG AllelI cars parked IN
eongeSted section, not to use them again
until they drive home ct night. For
shoppers, for business men and for those
who must use their cars during the
day, the reasonable one hour parking
limit is in effect and in this respect
alone Washington is fortunate that it
can still permit this use OF parking
space which other cities have long since
found necessary to prohibit
When all the new regulations go into
effect, including the change to the
orthodox left turn and rules of the road,
Washington will be thoroughly in con-
formity with nationally accepted princi-
pies for the proper control of congested
traffic, standards that have been evolved
not through haphazard methods but
through study by experts in all parts
OF the United States. Conditions natu-
rally change from year to year and the
accepted practices Of today might be
obsolete in 1882, but it is dificult to
find fault with measures which can
command the approval OF those who
devote themselves TO the study OF the
ever perplexing traffic problem.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23

book she wrote in 1917, has at least
pointed the way. In a 2o,o00-word re-
view and opinion, Judge Woolsey termed
the suit "preposterous" and ordered the
costs, involving counsel fees and
amounting in all to $l7,500. assessed
against the plaintiff. He rebuked the
plaintiff for having succumbed to an
"obseSsion."
Miss Lewys may have been sincere in
her beliefs, which were obviously ridicu-
lous. But too often such plaintiffs are
actuated either through the motives of
blackmail or from love of the resulting
publicity. Authors are not the only
victims. Members. of the various pro-
LESSONS, especially physicians, have to
contend with the same sort of attack.
If every crank or schemer were given
to understand at the outset that filing
suit would be followed by trial, with
an ample assessment of costs to follow
an adverse decision, there would be
fewer suits filed and the temptation
thus to seek cheap notoriety would be
effectively curbed.
An amendment to the copyright law,
suggested by Representative La Guardia
of New York, would permit an au-
thor, in filing a sworn affidavit denying
charge of plagiarism, to make a mo-
ton at the same time to compel the
plaintiff to file security for payment
of costs and counsel fee. AS it now is,
the author cannot retaliate by a suit
for libel, and even if assessed, the costs
cannot always be collected from the
plaintiff
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

The answers to questions printed here
each day are specimens picked from
the mass OF inquiries handled by our
great Information Bureau maintained
in Washington, d. C. This valuable
service Is for the free use OF the public.
Ask any question of fact you may want
to know and you will get an immediate
reply. Write plainly, inclose cents in
coin or stamps for return postage, and
address The Evening Star Informa-
ton Bureau, Frederic j. Haskin, direc-
tor, Washington, D. c.
@. How many steamship lines operate
under the American flag?-A. r.
A. There are 81, besides tanker and
tramp services.
Q. How are the colored lights ar
ranged on an airplane at night?-L S.
A. green light Is placed on the
right side Of an airplane and a red light
on the left. On the tail, a white light
Is placed.
@. How much sugar does an Ameri-
can consume in a year?-O. w.
A. In 1928 the per capita consump-
tlon OF sugar in the United States was
l04.27 pounds.
Q. What recent murder was consid-
cred by authorities as the perfect crime
or perfect mystery?-H. J. D.
A. The murder or suicide Of Isadore
Fink, Harlem, N. Y. laundry
man. in 1880, is called by Joseph Col
Tomb in his Crimes of the Year" the
perfect mystery" Fink was found in
his laundry, dead of three gunshot
wounds. The police had to break into
the room. It appeared that no one
could have committed the crime and
left the room and that Fink himself
could not have fired the shots. No
weapon was found.
C. g Who invented Oif0e"l 'Deot"oles'
A. Benjamin Franklin invented BIZ
locals From the context OF a letter
addressed to George Whatley OF Lon
don dated May %. 1875, 1t may be in
ferred that he invented them before he
went to France, which was in the latter
part of 1875.
Q. Is there helium In the atmos-
phere?-B. z. S.
A. There is to the extent OF one part
to 185, 900.
@. What causes back firing in an au-
tomobile engine?-E E. S
80 SSiNANiJ oPNohAik, DdCk-llIIIlR Is
caused by weak mixture which burns
so slowly that the flame continues until
the opening of the admission valve
again, when 1t ignites the incoming
charge in the intake pipe and shoots
back to the carburetor.
@. At what time OF year is the Pa
ctflc at the same level as the Atlantic
Ocean at the Panama Canal?-E. D,
A. The mean level of the Pacific at
the Isthmus of Panama has been found
to be about eight inches higher than
the mean level of the Atlantic. In the
month of February the levels are the
same, but throughout the rest of the
year. on account of current, tidal and
wind influences. the mean level of the
Pacific ranges above that of the At
lantic. 1t is as much as one foot higher
in October.
@. How many people suffer from sick
headaches?--V. A. L.
A. About 100000 people in the
United States suffer from migraine.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
How Did It Happen?

1t is TO be presumed that the en-
gineering authorities of the municipal
government will order an immediate
and thorough investigation of the COL
lapse Of part Of the steel structure work
on the Roosevelt High School during
the moderately heavy windstorm last
night. And it is as important that as
thoroughly an explanatory report to
the public should follow the investi-
cation.
The failure Of the steelwork to with
stand windstorm that did not exceed
forty miles an hour, according to
Weather Bureau reports, might be con-
sidered private affair between the
contractor and the subcontractor. It
might be explained by the fact that
some of the truss beams had been
loosely bolted, merely held in place
temporarily until the rivet work would
begin and the bracing completed. And
the loss, Of course, will have to be
borne by the contractors.
But 1t is seriously to be doubted.
without waiting for the opinion of the
experts, that properly prepared steel
work is going to collapse in a gust Of
wind, whether or not the JOB had been
finished. Those twisted and bent steel
beams represent good deal of some
body'S money. II is probable that all
of the steelwork involved in the wreck
will either have to be discarded or
tested again 70 preclude the possibility
Of hidden damage. And if shoddy or
careless work accounted for the COL
lapse, every precaution should be taken
TO prevent future shoddy or careless
work.
District OF Columbia inspectors have
an office on the construction site, and
every step in the work is subject to
their official approval. The Windstorm
was an act Of God, but the public must
be authoritatively assured that the re-
mainder OF the building is being con-
structed with such contingencies in
mind
In Reno every town booster
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
A Liberator Approaches.

A LiberatOr Approaches.
Oh, Mr.. Van DuZer,
Each motor car user
Awaits to hear what you will say.
Our lamps well keep burning.
New rules we'll be learning
And no one will walk la Jay.
oh, Mr. Van Duzer,
It's now up to you, sir,
To keep all the traffic correct.
New rules we're applying.
Experiments trying,
From which you'll be free TO select.
Oh. Mr.. Van Duzer,
You won't be the loser,
If you will at last see us through
The foot crossings marking
And problems of parking.
Oh. Mr.. Van Duzer, please dol
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23

@. Who presented the Virginia Plan
S. c. '''1''O"i o'i'eh'i0hf-
| A. The Virginia delegates had framed
form Of government which was known
as the Virginia Plan. This had been
drawn up by Madison after consulting
with others and was presented to the
convention by Gov. Randolph.
@. How many lines are there in the
translation of the odyssey? In "Beo-
/ wulf?-K S. c.
| A. In the translation of the "Odys-
Ssey' by Alexander Pope, there are 631
INES. "Beowulf" has over 5000 lines
According to the former method of
/ printing this poem, it has about $685.
lines. 1t was written in half lines.
Q. What is the Government depart
ment called which deals with drug
addicts?--N. D.
A. 1t is the Division Of Mental Hy-
gtene Of the Public Health Service.
@. When was the German cruiser
Essen destroyed in a river in Africa?
B. w.
A, 1t was the Konigsberg which took
refuge up the Ruff River on the
East Coast Of Africa. British ships
kept strict watch and eventually sunk
vessel to make blockade. On July
&, 1915, an attack was made and the
konigSberg was damaged. On July IL
the attack was renewed and the vessel
destroyed.
g. How long ago was tea discoveredp
Il. c.
A According to Chinese legend,
tea was discovered by the Emperor
Chinnung, 2737 BIC.
Q. How. many bottles of soft drinks
are made in year?-M. c.
A. In recent year the number Of
half-pint bottles OF carbonated bev-
erages reached 1900. 100000.
Q. Did the Romans celebrate a
Mothers day"?-J. w. s.
A. The worship OF mothers was in
troduced through Greece into Rome
about $50 BIC. There it was known as
the festival OF Hilaria and was held
on the Ides of March, when the people
made offerings in the temple.
@. When was william Maxwell
Aiken elevated to the peerase7-c.
A. In 1917. He was created knight
In 1911. He was born in Canada in
1879 and took up his residence In
Great Britain in 1910. He is the first
Baron Beaverbrook
O. In sending wedding announce
| ments, should they be sent to ones
neighbors?-C. r.
A. Wedding announcements are sent
to friends and relatives. Near neigh
bors Of the bride and groom are In
cluded in the announcement list II
the neighbors are also friends.
c. How much hay does an elephant
eat in day?-J. Med.
A. Approximately 100 pounds
@. On what day will the Preakness
be run at Pimlico this year?-E. s.
A. Saturday, May 9.
@. Did the late Stilson Hutchins
ever publish the Washington Post?
When did he die?-W. H.
A. He founded the Washington Post
December 6, 1877, and sold it January
1870 died