davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21
The Curbstone Merchants.

As it is now understood. the convic-
ton Of the apple and flower vendors
for blocking the sidewalk" on F street
Is intended as warning that IN future
they must keep moving. During the
Winter they were permitted to place
their baskets on the sidewalk, or on
boxes, and station themselves in one
spot. This was contrary to regulations,
but in keeping with the spirit Of human
kindness. It was a hard Winter.
With the coming Of Spring, there has
been no noticeable decrease in the ranks
of the apple men and there have been
many recruits with flowers TO sell Side
walk trafic has been impeded. In some
places the mere numbers of vendors
constituted what the judge called a
public nuisance. The pedestrians, with
a thought TO the reasons why some Of
the apple men were selling apples in
stead Of performing other forms OF
labor, might never have protested But
some taxpaying merchants have already
voiced the traditional complaint over
this tax-free form of competition, which
has increased. And it is admitted that
the situation, here and in other cities
has shown signs of getting beyond con-
troll
There ought TO be some way Of solving
the problem without arbitrarily ruling
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21
Adds Voice to Protests
Against Child ''Vandals''
10 HE Editor of T'he Star

10 the EDITOR OF Inc star. =,
In your Evening Star of yesterdays
date read a communication signed by
Henry Davis, which touched so respon-
sive chord that am impelled to add
my protest to his on the subject of ILL
trained and. vandal children, who are
allowed to run riot over the property of
others, and for which evil there seems
to be no real remedy.
Living in the City of Washington for
number of years and being tortured
by these young vandals, we finally sought
peace by moving out of the city where
the houses are far apart and where we
thought we would escape this dis
tresSing condition. But no! while there
are acres of vacant ground the same
pests continue to congregate about us
and it is continual struggle to keep
them off our grounds. First We put up
fence on the rear, then a tall hedge
and trelliS on the lower side, but the
front and upper part are terraced and
the parking is open to the vandals.
The last year we were in the city we
appealed to the police, for these
neighborhood pests would come right up
on our lawn while we were sitting on
our front porch. The police finally
called on the parents of the various
groups of children and laid down the
law for them to keep their young ones
off our place and from that time on We
enjoyed partial comfort But the police
have enough TO do without being called
upon to do this sort of thing. The whole
proposition is the parents-they are the
ones entirely at fault. Decently brought
up children are in their homes by 8
O'Clock at the latest, but Washington
children are allowed in the streets until
1890 and IL O'Clock, and the world
me- rfyIOF IL owl q
among the youngest. Perhaps nowhere
in the world are the children so i'm
pudent, SO poorly trained as in Wash
ington, where the majority of the
parents are Americans. One does not
wonder at the ignorance and vicious
proclivities of the children of poor
foreigners, but surely if there is any
culture. any breeding. any education
among Americans it surely would show
in the way they bring up their young.
Nothing is more interesting. more at
tractive. more enjoyable than to meet
well bred, mannerly children, and yet
how often can one have this experience?
Not one in a thousand.
Mr.. Davis and / are not the only
sufferers. How often have I heard
these bitter complaints made by those
who wish to keep their homes at
tractive, to have the pleasure of flower
gardens, shrubbery, terraces, parking
and the many features which beautify
ones grounds! 1 have known grown
ups to sell their pretty homes and coop
themselves up in apartments just to
escape these pests.
Surely there must be some way to
handle this situation. if people would
protest long and loudly against this
evil. The parents surely pay in the
end when their children go wrong in
evil ways but they are the ones at
fault and they deserve all the heart
ache they receive through the careless
upbringing of their young.
E. B. NEWMAN.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

the vendors on the street, but without
permitting everybody who has basket
Of apples or q bunch Of flowers the
unrestricted privilege of using the side
walks for his place of business. The
solution might rest in controlling the
number of these vendors by the issuance
of permits, at nominal fee, and only
after an investigation into the circm-
stances and the character of the ap-
plicant. If the sale of apples or flowers
means needed employment for those out
of work, and If it can be controlled to
prevent the creation Of a new racket"
with all that the term implies-there
is no. reason why 1t should not be per-
mitted.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

Every home ought to have its picture
straightener.
A picture straightener, in case 20,
do not know, Is one who sees to 1t tina
the paintings are hanging straight or
the wall.
This important parsonage may b
Perhaps men make the best straight
eners.
Their "eye" for such things is 9
| trifle better. and, if their minds are Sc
inclined, usually they are more 'fussy'
than any housewife.
+ \
Often there is some one wall in q
home where framed portrait or othel
picture refuses to stay put.
Perhaps it is over a mantel, or or
street wall which receives the vibra-
ton of passing trucks.
1t Is seldom that a picture can hang
straight more than day in such 9
location.
Most of the time it has list to one
side or other, immaterial to most in
mates, but most Objectionable to some
one person.
He-or she-is the straightener.
Visitors never fail to spot pictures
hanging askew.
Crooked hanging pictures are the
first things they see on arrival and the
| last on departing.
Maybe theiy indicate it only by Q
glance, or a raised eyebrow, but they
never fail to see.
In their own homes pictures may
hang at all angles, so that they become
used to it, but they Immediately spot
such offenses against good taste in the
home of another.
That is why, of course, good picture
straightener is nice to have around.
x X X
He gets real JOY out Of his work.
He is an artist, at bottom, perhaps
without any ability to paint in oils OF
water colors but an artist, nevertheless
one who appreciates that fundamental
necessity, rightneSs.
A wall is one place in the world
where Journalism has right beyond
doubt.
Few are the walls which are not rect
angular, and there is something about
the rectangular which demands the
formal.
The straight is the essence of the
formal.
The square, the rectangle, the tri-
angle-theSe are composed Of straight
When they are used in decoration
any two of them which are alike should
have their like lines parallel. and these
in turn should be parallel with the CELL
ing and sidewall lines.
4 X X
The duty of the straightener is to
see that this written and unwritten law
of picture hanging is carried out.
He is the traffic cop of the home walls.
He has mural duty to perform.
Perform it he will, despite the jeers
of the thoughtless and careless.
There he goes, Strengthening those
pictures again." some one says.
The straightener sights loftily along
the left side of his nose.
Such crude indifference leaves him
unmoved. Duty calls. He responds.
The first move, in proper picture
Strengthening, is to catch the angle of
variance
This Is a gift, of course, one which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

this artist possesses in common with
all artists, past and present.
His eye Is good.
He sees the perfect wall in every wall
and his mind and heart recoil from
the surface hung with lop-sided frames
He realizes that often this fault is
not man-made, but Is due solely to the
laws of physics.
Yet sometimes, he knows, faulty
hanging is common. Many persons
who ought to know better do not give
a rap whether hung picture Is straight
or crooked on the WALL
To them, the frame which is two OF
three inches farther west on the bot
tom than at the top is just as slightly
as if it were hung properly.
The picture straightener, once he
sees the deviation, walks forward quick
ly, one eye on the guiding line to left
or right, whatever it may be, and the
other on the deviation or list of the
| frame.
The guiding line may be the side OF
a window frame, or the upright line
formed by the meeting of two walls
1t may be anything or everything which
gives the Straightener an opportunity
for comparison.
His eyes fixed firmly on his objective,
he walks to the wall, and then the fun
begins. 1t is here that the true artist
in his nature asserts itself
He does not go at the picture as il it
we're made of cast iron, but approaches
it with reverence. He handles it as
gently as a cat a flower nodding on a
stalk.
He knows, from past experience, that
a mere touch is often sufficient to
right the picture.
| 4 \ X
He touches 1t.
Immediately the frame swings too far
| the other way.
Pictures have a habit of being con-
trary. Listing to the right, they swing
left, If touched; to the left, then right.
! This obstinacy does not worry the
straightener in the least, so long as
! some other member of the household
does not seek to give oral assistance.
/ Such unnecessary aid throws the
! temper of the balancer off its orbit, as
it were. and tends to irritate him
immensely.
If you will just shut up" he counters,
II can do this better"
He touches the frame gingerly.
1t swings over, and seems about right.
4
1t is at this point that the real pic
He knows that any ordinary person
would let well enough alone. Only
few chosen souls would realize that
the picture was still crooked.
He, alas, is one of those souls, and,
until the lines are in perfect accord,
he must labor on the wall
The affair is now critical
He gives the picture the slightest list
to the right.
A feather touch more-it Is done!
The picture is straight at last.
He backs away, well satisfied, happy
/ in meritorious performance which
may bring satisfaction only to his own
soul, but pleases it tremendously.
Perhaps there might be slight ad-
justment possible, but only few great
experts would know the difference, so
he will let well enough alone at last.
A big truck might come along at any
moment, and throw the whole frame
back into its old slant. The picture
straightener knows that nothing can be
perfect in this world.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21
Failure of Appeal in Fall Case
Is Reminder of Legal Delays

apolis Star maintains that even nnal
punishment will not end the story OF
Teapot Dome: that such depray1ty
goes down in history"
Il
Somehow it would SEEM" In the
Judgment of the Danbury News, as
though Albert B. Fall would be relieved
to get even into prison, out OF the sight
of his normal fellow citizens. Since the
accusations were brought against him
he has hidden, shamed and shameful, in
his ranch, denying himself to visitors,
furtive, haunted and bounded, every
recollection of his former high position
a hammer blow to his pride, and In
awful contrast to his present situation.
Nobody can take any pleasure in con-
templating this sad wreck Of what was
once a successful career. A look in Falls
direction, however, might strengthen be-
lief in the old and sometimes forgotten
saying concerning the wages OF sin"
IAN enlivened public interest in bring
ing highly placed offenders to justice" is
emphasized by the Detroit Free Press,
with the explanation: THE ethics OF
business and public life in this country,
which may be arrived at by multiplying
the human equation by opportunity to
indulge ones cupidity are perhaps no
higher today than they have averaged
during the past but 1t seems clear that
the public is maintaining more vigilant
watch upon men in high places and in
sisting more vigorously on their playing
the game honestly or taking the conse-
Quences. A little knowledge Of what has
gone before sometimes makes the pres.
ent less appalling and the future less
disconcerting.
For this transgressor," says the
Omaha World Herald, the way has
been made hard. Old, weary, feeble.
disgraced-and once he was a mighty
cattle king of the great Southwest. AFRO
CANT and ruthless in the exercise OF
political power. Then he became a
United States Senator, proud and bold
leader in the upper chamber of our
Congress, and from there passed to sit
at the right hand of a President of the
United States as one of his chosen coun-
selors. The mighty, when they fall, fall
far. Jail would be little farther. How
much better it would have been for Fall
had he realized, with Grover Cleveland,
that a public Office is public trust and
conducted himself accordingly"
What a judgment 1t is" exclatms
the Kansas City Times, "for a man adj
vanced in years and broken in health;
man who, for the greater part of his
life, was accustomed to high honors and
positions of great public trust. But here
was a man who already had been twice
branded by the Federal Supreme Court
as 'faithless public Official man who
had been a party to the making of the
Teapot Dome lease by means of COL
fusion and conspiracy Such Is the
course of true justice with the wrong
doer; such is the tragedy Of a public
trust, shamefully abused"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

father Of the late Miss Ella" Others
aver that they are connected with the
family-and the estate-through Their
great-grandfather.
Probably others will come forward
all with more or less tangible links with
the founder of the Wendell fortune, but
all collaterals and, in view of the fact
that the undisputed holder of the for
tune and the father Of the final heirs,
the sisters and brother who have in
recent years passed on, ignored their
claims and even their existence, quite
unlikely to establish any lien upon the
estate. This is not an unusual circum-
stance. 1t is, indeed, almost the regular
thing in the case of the extinguishment
of a wealthy family. Remote side
branches of the original stock disclose
themselves, though they have in practi-
cally all instances been discredited or
disowned or, for the purposes of in
heritance. ignored long before.
Sometimes these claims are put forth
in perfect honesty of thought, the self
discovered heirs" being, in their igno-
rance of the laws Of inheritance, salts
fed that they are rightfully entitled to
share in the estates. Again, there Is less
than honesty in the adventure. Some
times the offense known as champerty
is committed, the promotion of the claim
by an attorney on the basis of what
may be termed pernicious contingent
fee. In only the rarest cases do these
claims result in awards
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

| @. What is infringement Of q pat
ent?-E. v. z.
! A. Rogers on Patents says: In
fringement is the unauthorized making,
using, or selling for practical use, or for
profit, of an invention covered by o
valid claim OF patent during the life
Of the patent. It may involve any one
or all OF the acts of making, using and
selling. 1t is therefore an infringement
for an unauthorized person to maze a
patented machine for use or for sale.
though in fact 1t Is neither used nor
| scld."
q. Does raw cane sugar contain salx
and minerals which are lost in refining?
| m. N.
A. The Bureau of Plant Industry says
that in raw cane sugar there are traces
of molasses in which are found certain
salts and minerals. In refined sugar all
| the molasseS salts and minerals con-
tanned in it are removed.
@. What is the epitaph on a tonic
stone at Mount Vernon which speaks
/ OF the beauty and brains Of the de-
| A. It Is part of the inscription on the
shaft over the grave of Nelly Gusts and
reads: This Lady was not more re-
markable for the beauty of her person
than for the superiority OF her mind"
@. How can leather be cleaned?-R. E.
| A. A solution of soap and water TO
| which oil and alcohol have been added
| will give a good cleaner for leather To
prepare, use one bar of white soap dis
solved in one cup of water; then add
one cup of alcohol and two cups OF light
oil. This will not only clean the leather,
but will help to supply some OF the Oil
it naturally requires.
@. Is it. known how many icebergs
there will be in the North Atlantic this
| Summer?-B. M
A. The United States Coast Guard
saws that II Is anticipated that 80 Ice
bergs will come down into the Atlantic
this Summer. This is not great num-
Der in comparison with 1929, When
there were 1900.
O. What was the largest purse ever
Maid for a wrestling bout?--W. j. l..
A. Jack Curley of Madison Square
Garden. New York City, says that 1t
was s36 600. which he paid for Gotch-
Hackenschmidt. Thirty thousand paid
admission to this bout and the receipts
were $4,000.
q. Please describe the Hanging Gar
QenS Oh bhOy1 ~ -.
A They are said to have formed q
square with an area of neary four
acres and rose in terraces, supported on
masonry arches. to height Of Is feet.
They were irrigated from a reservoir
built at the top, to which water was
lifted from the Euphrates by a screw
FOUNTAINS and banqueting rooms we're
distributed throughout the numerous
terraces; groves and avenues OF trees.
as well as parterres Of flowers, diver:i-
fed the scene. while the view OF the
city and neighborhood was extensive
and magnificent.
@. Who said Defend me from my
friends; 1 can defend myself from my
enemies" p. z. G.
A. 1t is ascribed by the French TO
Marechal Villars. He is said to have
used this aphorism when taking leave
of Louis XIV.
@. At oxford or Cambridge do any
of the colleges conduct examinations?-
S. w.
A. At these universities none OF the
colleges ccnfers a degree or conducts
examinations. These functions are ex-
ercised by the university.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

Few Americans realize how much
their Government does for them. Read
ers of The Evening Star can draw or
all Government activities through ouI
free information service. The worlds
greatest libraries, laboratories and ex-
perimental stations are at their COM
mand. Ask any question of fact and
1t will be answered, free. by mail direct
to you. IncloSe 2-cent stamp for reply
postage and address The Evening Star
Information Bureau. Frederic J. Haskin
director, Washington, D. G.
@. Why is Lewis Wilson of the Chi
cago National League team called Hack?
r. S.
A. The nickname was given him be-
cause his broad shoulders reminded
people of the famous strong man
Hackenschmidt.
@. What does the initial w in the
name Of Andrew w. Mellon stand for?
L. F. H.
A. The full name OF the astute Sec
rotary of the Treasury is Andrew Will
liam Mellon, but in signing his name
he uses only the initials A. w.
@. How many checks are being sent
out daily by the Veterans Bureau in
lending money to the soldiers?-E. B. K
A. The Veterans Bureau says that
approximately 5000 checks are being
mailed daily from the central once OF
the Veterans Bureau, washington
D. c. A veteran can expect his check
from 30 to 40 days after his application
has been received at the Veterans
Bureau.
@. How many bird-banding associa-
lions are there in the United States
H. B.
A. There are four: Eastern Bird
Banding Association. Northeastern
Bird Banding Association. Inland Bird
Banding Association and Western Bird
Banding Association.
@. At what ages are there the great
est number of deaths?-F. j. N.
A. The years in which the greatest
mortality rates occur are from birth
to / year of age. This period Is high
est until 70 years Of age. when, Of
course, the rate is very high.
@. What country won the greatest
number of points in the 1928 olympic
games?-H. P. r.
A. Germany was first with 45Ia
points and the United States second
with 80.
@. When can the milk OF the COCO
nut be drunk?-W. N.
A. The Bureau of Plant Industry
says that the milk from the coconut
is used as a drink Immediately after
the coconut is opened.
@. Please give a good method for
mending china and glassware at home.
d. D.
A. The Department Of Agriculture
recommends what is known as grand
mothers white lead process for mending
broken china. The cementing material
is white lead such as is used by artists
working with oil paints. 1t may be
rubbed with the finger on the raw edges
of the dish and the piece which is TO be
cemented into place, but before the
white lead cement is applied, it Is well
to rub down the edges very little with
emery paper to make room for the thin
layer of white lead, so that the dish
when completed will not be distorted in
shape.
@. Why are the sun and moon so
much larger when rising and setting?--
@. D. S.
A. They are not. They seem larger
because they can then be compared with
terrestrial objects.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
The New Genius.

The New Genius.
A Genius" once was thought to be
A parsonage erratic
And sometimes one so poor that he
Dwelt way up in an attic.
But now the genius we acclaim
With greetings most substantial
Has found in the commercial game
A great success financial.
He does not pose in poetry
Nor store up thoughts for stories.
New mechanisms greet the eye,
Reminders of his glories.
The title genius" is too strong,
AS modern wealth amazes,
For Poverty that plods along;
For pictures or for phrases.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

Diamonds are esteemed especially
appropriate for grand opera attire. The
underworld has discovered that by fol-
lowing an automobile load OF fashion,
able ladies harvest of jewels may be
reaped. Enough chiyalry remains 70
prevent bandits from stealing lady in
addition to her gems and holding her
for a ransom.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21
Citizen Hits Coney Island
Appearance of Avenue

To the Editor of The Star:
Permit me to register protest against
the character of the development along
Connecticut avenue south of Albemarle
street. This is one of our most beauti-
full avenues, leading from Chevy Chase
Circle almost to the White House, yet
it has been permitted to deteriorate in
such a way that at present it has dis
tinct Coney Island atmosphere, with
hot-dog stands, barbecues, miniature
golf courses. root beer stands, etc. Only
the merry-go-round is lacking.
1t has always been my understanding
that the very purpose of a zoning Com
mission is to protect the public against
this sort Of thing II those responsible
for coming in the District of Columbia
cannot protect the main avenues of the
National Capital against such inexcus-
able eyesores, it would apparently be
desirable to change either the law or
the personnel.
WILBUR LA ROE, Jr.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

Prior to the conviction in New York
OF vice squad policeman on frame-up
charges, the court said, "A stool pigeon
who frames women is the lowest form
of humanity" The so-called wise
crack" is still further advanced in re-
spect when it reaches the dignity of a
well considered judicial utterance.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

Owners of expensive "old masters" are
frequently disturbed by intimations that
they have been cherishing counterfeits.
The person who is content to enjoy
what he likes without going into the
question of value as affected by anthem
ITCHY is perhaps in a state of blissful
ignorance to be envied by those who
seek to qualify both as investors and
connoisseurs.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

When President Hoover goes fishing
he provides reminder that the season
for outdoor sport is here almost as sig
nificant as the ceremony of tossing the
first base ball into action for the open
ing game. Political interest is intense.
Recreation has risen to the dignity Of
necessity in order that the U. s. public
may continue the wholesome custom of
occasionally forgetting its cares.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-21

Recollections of long Summer
drought made the recent thunderstorm
a welcome visitor The suggestion that
more moisture will be available during
the coming season compensates even
for the loss of the early blossoms which
were so much priced.