davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1931-11-25
Shifting Government Ofices.

For o good many years Government
Offices have been moving around from
place TO place in this city, now into
tardily provided permanent buildings,
more often into rented quarters. As
fast as one Of the rarely provided per-
manent units Of the Federal housing
system has been completed and occu-
pied the premises which the fortunate
organization has been filing is allocated
b another one, or perhaps to q group
Of more or less related bureaus. To
effect these shifts without demoraliZing
the ONCE forces and seriously retarding
the public work has been q difficult task.
The Government has, with all care in
this respect, lost seriously In admins
trative efficiency. Gradually, as new
structures have been put into commits
sion, the pressure has decreased, and
now at last final relief is in sight from
the congestion Of inadequate quarters
and the confusion Of constant change.
With the completion OF the Depart
ment Of Commerce and its occupation
by the numerous bureaus Of that great
organization, there will be another gen.
eral shift. absorbing the quarters that
have been used for some years past by
these units. This will In turn be fol-
lowed by other moves into permanent
homes rs additional structures In the
Mall-Ayenue triangle space now under
way are completed. This move viii
take place on the first of January, and
for a short time after that date there
viii be considerable confusion. 1t will
be dificult for one not provided with q
chart Of the new ALLEGATION Of Offices ia
md the way about in the transaction
Of public business.
Within the next two years, in al
likelihood, there will be another gen.
eral shift as the buildings for the De.
partment Of Labor and the Interstate
Commerce Commission, the Post Ofnct
Department and the Department o.
Justice, for which foundations are nov
being prepared, are ready for use. Thes'
will absorb many Of the Offices nov
housed In temporary quarters. Tn
Post once Department win replace tn
structure which stands Immediately h
the east, which will then be razed Il
permit the completion Of the building
2eW 1nuwn IS the Internal Revenue
once, which occupies the southern por'
tion Of the site. That In turn, will &C
Evening star., 1931-11-25

OF commemoration IL being arranged
with the prospect Of providing . digni-
ned, impressive and suitable observance.
Probably no other community will
be the host Of such = throng as that
which will come 10 washington during
the year. The washington area, in
cluding the nearby portions Of Virginia
in which George Washington lived and
with which he was intimately identi-
fed throughout his career, will be
naturally the focus Of national atten-
ton. Certain places viii be particular
objectives of pilgrimages, the birth
place, the scene Of his long residence
and of his death, the churches which
he attended, the scenes Of his early
labors as surveyor and particularly the
city which he founded and which with
the aid Of LEnfant he planned in
detail, the city which bears his name.
To these the millions win come from
every State.
Organization of the work Of accom-
modating these visitors has been al
ready undertaken. That 1t will be
successfully carried through Is not to
be doubted. Washingtonians must ex-
pect to suffer some Inconvenience in
adjusting to this inflow Of guests. In
large degree their part in the celebra-
ton will be cooperation to make the
stay of the millions of visitors COM
Portable and profitable in the stimula-
ton of patriotic pride.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

commodate numerous bureaus that win
stfll be awaiting permanent housing.
Meanwhile. the Department Of Agricul-
ture viii have found adequate accom-
mediation In Q home Of It's own.
When the great program as now con-
templated is completed, including the
buildings for the War and Navy De-
partments, for which sites have not YET
been definitely chosen, the Government
win have for the first time In its his
tory complete equipment The Su-
preme Court will have been finished
and occupied by then as we'll Decision
will probably have meanwhile been
reached as to use of the space at the
northwest corner Of the section which
lies directly east of the Commerce
Building, including a replacement Of the
old Southern Railway Office and per-
haps some treatment of the now Mi
nicipal Building, which is to become
Federal Government property, the Dis
trict government having taken posses
sion Of IT'S permanent establishment.
Just when all this will be finished
and the moves Of Government ofnces
that have been the characteristic fea-
ture of administrative work in Washing
ton for a cntury and q third are ended
cannot be definitely foretold. If no in
terruptions occur, this happy day should
fall within the next decade. Then at
last, unless other administrative needs
have arisen, With the creation of new
departments or bureaus not now in con-
temptation, the Federal service will have
its own home, adequate and attractive
Evening star., 1931-11-25
Idealism and Coercion.

A good many idealists have gone to
great lengths to express the belief that
there should be no coercion in any
form In connection with the effort to
obtain q contribution to the Commu-
nifty Chest and the charitable agencies
Of nearby communities from each OF
the Government employees.
AS much If not more space has been
utilized in thus calculating the obvious
than in describing the importance Of
the campaign.
OF course, all Of us would like to
live in q world where the appeals for
money to feed and clothe the hungry
would be nothing more than provision
Of the proper channels into which might
dow the sweet spirit Of charity.
Unfortunately, we do not live in such
b world. The spirit Of charity needs
4 pamp. The business Of raising money
for charity Is q realistic one. Because
there ts 30 much altruism and 1dealism
connected with the reasons prompting
the raising of such money, one is apt
to lose sight Of the materialistic meth
DDS that must be adopted to raise It,.
These methods use, to advantage, the
force of public opinion. The organi-
wation Of that public opinion Is such
that 1t amounts to . sort Of coercion.
without its use-and the fact might
"a well be faced-charitable organiza-
tions, and those to whom they cater,
would starve.
In the Government departments
there is another type Of coercion pos
eibIe. But this should be called by It's
right name, and the right name Is
tyranny. There must not be threats
of material reprisal against the em-
ploye who refuses to contribute, such
as denying to that ernploye the right
to the expectation of merited promo
tion or other perquisites Of his job.
II such cases are proved, they should
be sunmariIy dealt with.
The individual employe has this mat
Ter in his own hands. If he is opposed
In principle to making contribution
ne 8uOulu GOk BuEASAAACA AAAo PAAASAPASD'
II he is opposed in principle, and makes
his contribution, he viii find that for
the sake Of preserving his own dignity
he should keep quiet.
Those who do not want to give need
not. Let the matter end there. Do
not let the molehill Of coercion" be-
come q mountain that obscures the
view Of the hne objective before US.
Let us admit that n large part Of the
coercion Is exercised by that mysteri-
tcus, spiritual force within US that i'm
pels Us to seek the right thing. If one
feels that the right thing is to share,
In some proportion, ones bounties with
the unfortunate, the opportunity is
here. The spirit Of the "drive for
funds" - merely . part of the neces-
sAry machinery that should not be con-
demned because It's noise may be OBJ
dectionable TO some ears.
Evening star., 1931-11-25
Part.Time Employment
Helps and Does No Harm

To the Editor Of The Star:
As q regular reader Of your excellent
paper, I desire space to reply to q let
ter appearing in your paper, under date
of November 10, entitled Protest
Against Hiring Of Incompetent Help"
written by Charles A. Crete.
The particular part Of this letter
wish to answer is that criticizing O GER
tain local school for securing part-time
positions for its students to enable them
to attend school. Possibly Mr.. Crete
has never had the problem of having
on his hands recent high school boy
or girl who cannot find a job. When
the plan he criticizes in his letter was
called to my attention, congratulated
myself on having the opportunity Of
cooperating. The idea Of combining
theory and practice is an ideal plan
and ought to receive the hearty CO.
operation Of every business firm in the
city, Mr.. Grefe's letter to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
The plan appeals to me for the fol-
~ It does not displace regular en-
ployes, but furnishes help to those, like
myself, who are unable to employ q
full-time office worker.
CD The help is not incompetent, as
Mr.. Crete indicated in his letter, as
they are high school graduates and
have ambition to help themselves.
90 BY this plan no one Is "duped," !"
as Mr. Crete suggests, as all four parties
concerned get full value: (a) The
parent gets his son or daughter trained
for a lifetime position at no cost for
tuition; (b) the student gets real busi-
ness training In the school and an op-
portunity to put this into practice in
vollr office or mine: (c) the emnlover
gets full value, for If a high school
graduate cannot earn $5 a week in an
office in six half days week it is be-
cause there is nothing to do in that
office: I'd the school gets its regular
tuition rate, 50 no one Is "duped."
Then, Mr.. Crete, where Is your kick?
JOHN r. STEWART.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

demand" Quoting G. ,. Denman Of
the Board Is seeing "signs that soTile-
thing is being accomplished in the
desperate efforts that are being pub
forth by the enemies Of cooperative
marketing to destroy the marketing acc
and the Farm Beard" the Port HuroDr
Times Herald concludes: 'Tt does, iE-
be accomplishing more than perhap9
its friends realize"
Whether reason will prevail when
Congress comes to consideration Of the
farm relief question" according to tho
Chattanooga Times, remains to b.
seen. The matter Is now In the llandL
OF bureaucrats, who 40 q class are no.
torious for the tenacity with which,
they hold ON to their jobs and seeD
to magnify their importance. and %
notorious for refusal to abandon an
idea with which they may conjurh
votes. Chairman Stone, predicting thai
EFFORTS to abolish the board viii not
get very far, says he Is not bothered
BY the quibbling Of peanut brains
There is no reason why he should BE-
IL Is the country which has reason to
be bothered by their quibbling, even to
become alarmed over t.
~%eASoo VIC QGAb AlHt1lb WIFI SOCloH
Ism, many perils are ahead" conterldr
the Rock Island Argus, advising thai
the business men Of the countrS
should voice their demands to both o.
the major political parties in no rn.
certain terms" and that 1.-The genera,
position taken by CONGRESSMAN Bech
seems to be unassailable." The Wal
street Journal comments: "The func1
tic tion OF government is to assure thu
citizen Of his personal safety, to pro.
mote justice and. 30 far as possible
give every person an equal opportunity
rms never can be where the govern
ment enters into competition with the
individual; once let individualism BE-
destroyed and the road Is opened t.
socialism or perhaps something worse.H
Viewing the board as a source OF
jobs, the Yakima Morning Herald ada
vises that it will probably remain. nn
adjunct Of the Federal Government for
many years, although everything 10
does could be done better by the De.
partment Of Agriculture" The Baltia
more Evening Sun concludes: "Ever5
one knows that breaking the grip of
dead man is difficult In the extreme
II not impossible. The Farm Board, a.
q factor In farm relief, Is dead; but
that Is no guarantee that its clutch o..
the Treasury will be easily, or soon, re-
moved"
Evening star., 1931-11-25
Americas Mecca in 1892.


Evidence that Washington is to be
the mecca of the American people dur
ing the coming year, when the Bicen-
tennial of George Washington's birth will
be celebrated, is furnished by the fact,
just announced, that every hotel room in
the city has been reserved for February
%, which is the formal opening day of
the protracted ceremonies. DR.. George
G. Havenner. executive vice president of
the Districts Bicentennial Commission
in making this statement to a citizens
association the other night, estimated
the crowd Of visitors who will flock to
the Capital during the year at eight
million. To care for this throng ade-
quately will be q heavy task. Accom-
modations will be taxed to the limit
throughout the year. Housing space for
them will be at a premium. Parking
space for the motor cars in which many
Of them will come, perhaps the ma.
jority, will be filled, with an overflow
that may at times spread into adjacent
States.
The magnitude of this task of en-
tertainment and accommodation Is prob
ably not fully realized by the citizens oi
Washington at this time. Attention llas
been somewhat distracted by the dis.
putation concerning jurisdiction ovel
the Capitals celebration between thu
local commission and the national com.
mission, which has been happily ad.
justed to effect working arrangement
under which both bodies will function
effectively and without further friction
The plans fox the program Of event
which viii successfully mark the yea
Evening star., 1931-11-25
Raskoh's Ouibble.

John ]. Raskob, chairman OF the
Democratic National Committee, IN
public statement regarding prohibition
declares: II strongly feel the party
should take neither the wet nor the
dry side of this highly controversial
question" If Mr.. Raskob had con-
tended himself with this assertion and
not added to it, the dry members of the
Democratic party would have hailed it
with joy and have claimed that the
wet citadel of the party had fallen.
But Mr.. Raskob did not stop there.
He added: But that its platform
should definitely commit the Democratic
members of Congress to vote in favor
of some resolution which will give the
people themselves opportunity to vote on
the question as to whether they wish
the eighteenth amendment retained,
repealed or modified" Mr.. Raskob,
gentleman of considerable intelligence,
does not have to be told that any pro-
posal to resubmit the eighteenth amend
nent to the people is not dry move.
II the drys are to be believed, 1t is
wet move and sponsored only by those
who would upset the prohibition amend
ment. So the concluding part OF Mr..
Raskob's assertion runs in violent OPP
position to his assertion that he feels
strongly that the party should take
neither the wet nor the dry side OF this
t,,ot,Ix, controversial rnattar
Mr.. Raskob can be assured OF one
thing. If the Democratic national plat
form undertakes to commit Democratic
members of Congress to vote for sub
mitting the eighteenth amendment to
the people for another vote, 1t viii be
dubbed a wet platform by every sup
porter of prohibition in the country.
The same kind Of proposal advanced
by Mr.. Raskob for referendum to
State conventions, elected specially to
pass upon the prohibition amendment,
has been put forward recently by for
mer Senator James w. WadSworth, Jr.,
of New York, Republican, and as ar
dent an opponent Of prohibition as Mr..
Raskob himself. The vets are intent
upon getting such plank into the
party platforms Of both Republican
and Democratic parties. It would ap-
pear that they have no chance Of ac-
complishing this end, 50 far as the
q. o. p. platform is concerned. SEN
ator Fess Of Ohio, the chairman Of the
Republican National Committee, Is as
dry as Mr.. Raskob is wet Mr.. Raskob
is turning every wheel to bring his
party to adopt a referendum plank;
Mr.. Fess will do his utmost to keep
the Republicans from such action.
The argument Of the vets, including
both Mr.. Raskob and Senator Wads-
worth, Is that a vote to resubmit the
eighteenth amendment to the voters is
neither q wet vote nor dry vote; that
it merely is neutral vote. II Mr.. Ras-
kob can find any one who holds q neu-
trail attitude on the prohibition ques-
ton in this country today he is a
wizard. His assertion that the Demo-
cratic party, by pledging its members
Of Congress to vote for resubmission Of
the eighteenth amendment, can take q
neutral stand on this highly con-
troversial question is Just a polite f1c-
ton. 1t is not likely to please the
Democratic drys.
Evening star., 1931-11-25
Traffic Lights and
The Pedestrians

To the Editor Of The Star:
This morning upon my way to work
found traffic lights turned, on the
Thomas Circle, toward the sidewalk, so
that all automobile traffic on the circle
might be free to get on the circle.
have always maintained that the pro-
lection offered pedestrians in Washing
ton was less than none-and this is
adding the last straw.
Several months ago I wrote to Mr..
Van Duzer, director of traffic, concern
ing the protection of pedestrians and
In substance this Is the answer he gave
me: Pedestrians have the right of way
over all traffic, but the lights are for
automobile traf1c, and to put in a long
caution light would slow up said auto
mobile traffic too much" In other
words. motorists, who have no good
reason to hurry, have the right to make
the cross walks dangerous for the pc
destrian.
It seemed to me, and still seems to me.
that the Merchants Association and
others should get together and get a
man in the traffic directors office who
will look after the safety of human life
and not for speed in killing them of.
WALKER CHAPMAN.
Evening star., 1931-11-25
Raskob's Questions
And ID. C.. NOn-VOters
To the Editor of The Star:


Mr.. John J. Raskob has requested the
views of some 1882 voteless Democrats
of the District of Columbia as to the
policy of that party in the coming Con-
ereSS and the national campaign. In
the questions asked and to be answered
the matter of home rule is prominent
and conspicuous in nearly all of the
interrogations.
am appealing to those who receive
and answer this hollow-to the District
of Columbia citizen-questionnai that
they emphasize the fact that we need
"home rule here very badly to see
what it feels like and that suffrage in
the District Of Columbia might be con-
sistentiy made one Of the planks of the
democratic platform, especially when
the people Of the District furnished
more contributors to the campaign fund
of the party three years ago than any
of some 80 States or two-thirds
of the different States of the Union,
soYfe of which have solid Democratic
delegates to CONGRESS.
JAMES r. DUHAMEL.
Evening star., 1931-11-25
SHOOTING STARS.
~ PHILANDER JOHNSON.

The Rapid Pace.
Dodgin' through the cityg
Where they rush pell mel!
First they blow q whistle
And next they ring bell.
Dodgin' in the country, too,
Where the steam cars scurry.
II you live the season through,
You've surely got to hurry.
Dcdgin' various engines
That go whizzfn' by;
Next Wen dodge the airships
A-droppin' from the sky.
This good old world is bright an gay;
I'm glad 1t gives me lodgin'-
But jes' the same, I'm free to say
It's got your uncle dodgini.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

cent. In other words, the Panama
Canal pays for its urkeep.
@. How should the nag be flown on
ArmiStice day?-F. J. G.
A. 1t should be flown at full staff
from sunrise until sunset.
Q. Did the famous rrotter, Dan
Patch, die o natural death OF was he
shot by an attendant?-Y. L. H.
A. Dan Patch died . natural death
with every care which could be given
TO him.
@. How many brothers and sisters had
Mrs. George Washington?-H. c. C.
A. Martha Dandridge was the eldest
Of eight children. The children of John
and Frances Jones Dandridge we're:
Martha, John, william, Bartholomew,
Anna Maria, Frances, Elizabeth and
Mary.
q. What States have school ships
which train men for officers III the
merchant marfne?-J. L. F.
A. Massachusetts,, New York and
Pennsylvania have school ships. Only
residents Of the state may be trained
on its school ship.
q. How tall Is Mary oarden?-H.
A. The Chicago Civic Opera Co. says
that Mary Garden Is S feet 4 inches
tall.
@. How far from Tacoma, Wash, Is
Mcneil Island?-A. n. 8.
A. It is about miles from Tacoma
by ferry and about miles out IN
straight line from the mainland. It
covers an area Of between 1900 and
4.Soo acres.
Q. In how many cities Of the United
States are married women permitted to
teach?-E. Z. o.
A. In q recent survey made by the
National Education Association of 1882
cities having q population of over 1000,
of the number which reported 80 per
cent employ married women teachers.
@. Where is Crystal orotto in Mary
land?---C. 8. d.
A. Crystal GrottOes are about mile
south Of Boonsboro.
Q. Are artichokes eaten with the
fingers?-P. A.
A. Artichokes are always eaten with
on and the edible end dipped in the
sauce and then bitten on.
@. How did Harrington happen to
write Monsieur Beaucatre" e"?-E. M.
A. Booth Harrington drew illustra-
tions for o friends story, which was not
accepted by the publishers. Harrington
was. left with the illustrations and no
story. He, therefore, wrote tale
around his pictures. The story Is called
Monsieur Beaucaire."
@. How far above st. Louis does the
Illinois River empty into the Missis-
sippi?-F. F.
A. Forty-three miles.
O. What causes the report when an
electric light bulb is broken?--J. M. L.
A. The vacuum-type bulb produces
O report when 1t Is broken, this being
caused by the outside air rushing into
the vacuum.
@. How are workers protected from
| radium?--W. L.
| A. Radium Is kept in lead-lined
boxes and persons who work with
radium work behind lead screens In
order to protect themselves from the
radiation. AL radium Is handled with
forceps.
Q. How much did the population Of
Hawaii increase between 1920 ana
1930?-P. T.
A. About A per cent. In 1880 the
, total population was 366, $50, Of which
si.4 per cent was native born.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

One way in which small and un-
important town can put itself on the
map and, at the same time, attain
q comforting parity with larger COM
munities is to install visible-from-
the-air sign with letters twenty or
thirty feet long. The ''Podunk" of the
nineteenth century humorists had to
Just grin and bear Its inferiority
complex.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

Waiting lists at recruiting stations
are SO long that the Army has boosted
the standards for admission to its
ranks. Some there are who claim that
the executive branch Of the Govern
ment, by its efforts Of naval economies.
will eventually make the garb OF
the common "gob" as rare as . Phi
Beta Kappa key.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

A craze for tattooing has hit London,
affecting those of both high and low
degree. This will prove source of i'm
mense pride to what are left Of Eng
lands Maori subjects.
Evening star., 1931-11-25
A Censorious Observer.

"Of course" said the sentimentalist,
knowledge is power. But the heart is
more important than the head"
Very true" answered Miss Cayenne.
"If as many people died Of head failure
as die Of heart failure, the country
would lose an enormous element of its
population"
Evening star., 1931-11-25

Senator Capper predicts long, hard
and stormy session of Congress. With
all due respect to the Kansas states
man, less able and practiced prognos-
ticators can with almost utter certainty
make the same prophecy.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

Ranking equal with the intensive
search for elusive Element 85 should
be one for . specific for hiccups. In
fact, most persons would willingly
postpone the successful result OF the
former for Q triumphant outcome for
the latter.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

Plans made by George Washington
for a vestry house for old Pohick
Church are beginning to be put into
effect. George had some other pretty
good plans which might be worth try
ing some day.
Evening star., 1931-11-25

Count Won Bernstorf must be read
ing with relish the plans for salvaging
the riches of the Lusitania. How the
news items must bring back his mem
ories of these Jolly old daysl
Evening star., 1931-11-25
On Trial.

On Trial.
did you convince your audience that
your ideas were correct?"
"It wasn't case of convincing that
audience" replied Senator Sorghum.
"The people had their minds made up
and came around to get q line on
whether I agreed with them or not"
Evening star., 1931-11-25

Mahatma 0andhi decides not to visit
Ireland. That is bad break for the
natives Of the Emerald Isle; all those
who saw st. Patrick chase the serpents
are now dead,