davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1932-04-26
A Fillip for Geneva.

Geneva, it is sad to reflect is steadily
degenerating into a community where
there is conference but no disarmament.
The perspicacious premier of Italy,
Signor Mussolini, from his close point
Of observation, discerns the doldrums
into which the conference has drifted-
the French elections and the approach
ing Whitsuntide holiday are about to
bring another period Of idleness-and
seeks to pump life into a semi-moribund
situation. To that end II Duce has
ordered the Italian navy department to
present no construction program to Par
lament for the fiscal year beginning
July l.
His action is in line with the cne-year
building holiday first proposed by Signor
Grand, the Italian foreign minister,
and adhered to by the other principal
naval powers, whereby they agreed to
lay no new keels during the year end
ing November l, 1882. Signor Musso-
lini seeks to prolong the psychological
atmosphere" in which Geneva is labo-
riously celebrating, although it can
hardly be maintained that this original
purpose of the Grandi holiday has been
crowned by any visible results.
In announcing the premiers order in
the Chamber of Deputies, at Rome, Sig
nor Sirianni, minister of marine, ex-
planned that IF Italy today presented
program to be carried out in future
years it could be interpreted as mean
ing that We were losing faith in the
conference of nations now meeting at
Geneva" There is commendable con-
sistency in Mussolinis plan to practice
continued naval self-restraint while the
arms conference is cropping and milling,
world without end. From the outset at
Geneva, Italy has indicated a readiness
to go to extremes to relieve the world
OF excessive armament burdens. Barring
Soviet Russias impractical demand for
total, general and immediate disarma-
ment," the Italians program for sweep
ing abolition of offensive land and sea
weapons goes further than any scheme
thus far laid before the conference.
With baffing political problems star
ing Europe in the face, in whichever
direction that distracted continent to-
day looks, it seems almost hopeless to
expect that Geneva is going to get any
where. But Signor Mussolini has at
least made gesture which is helpful
and given the conference a sorely
needed fillip. Whether it can counter
balance the new European fears en-
gendered by Hitler's successes in Ger
many is, unfortunately. seriously to be
doubted.
Evening star., 1932-04-26
Goodbye to the Police Bicycle.

Gone are the Summer days of 1912 in
Washington with the twelve-mile speed
limit and painting and overheated bicycle
policemen catching their breath after
overhauling motorist for the reckless
speed Of fourteen miles an hour before
asking him for his permit and writing
out the ticket for an appearance in
court. They are no more. And now in
the year 1892 with a speed limit of
twenty-five miles an hour, the Police
Department has reached the conclu-
sion that its roster possesses no men,
bers capable of entering the six-day
bicycle races in New York, and conse-
quently twenty-five meny-all that re-
main OF the squad of bygone days-will
be relieved of their mounts the first of
July, probably to pound the hot Sum-
mer pavement with many longing
look at their more fortunate brothers
who whiz by on modern motor cycles
or in the agile police scouting cars.
1t is tough life. unquestionably, but
even the former wheelers must realize,
as they put the old bikes lovingly in
cellars or attics for their last resting
places, that. in SO far as traffic regu-
lation is concerned. they have become
obsolete. Whether some of them can
boast of speed pedaling honors and say
triumphantly to their comrades, Il got
one at twenty-one miles an hour, twenty
years ago come next Thursday" is be-
side the point. Twenty miles an hour
today is strictly legal, and what is the
sense, anyway, Of any policeman imag-
lining himself bicycle racer?
So on the first of July the old bicycle
will be gone forever from the Metropon-
tan Police Department 1t is sad
parting, but necessary one. Times
have changed, and SO must equipment.
Like the old fire horse, bicycles are
relegated to the limbo of forgotten
things.
Evening star., 1932-04-26

ton Of the terminating generation of
insects is a task Of enormous difficulty.
If the breeding grounds" can be iden-
tifled, which Is dificult in itself, pro-
tective measures may be applied, though
at the cost of great labor and funds.
In this sorrowful experience of the
African farmers, which reacts upon vir-
tually the entire population of South
Africa, they have the warmest SYM
pathy Of the American cultivators of
the soil. The American agriculturists
are in difficulties enough without the
addition Of locustS, or "grasshoppers" as
they are chiefly known here. The corn
borer has been fought to a standstill In
most of the areas which it has infested
and other bhghts and pests have been
scientifically combated with great sue
cess. The flying evil that strips the
ground Of every shred of green and de-
YOURS millions of values in single day
Will in its turn be mastered, but the
prayer Of all today is that it may not
develop in this year of general difficulty.
Evening star., 1932-04-26
Assails HolbroOk's Charge
Of Department Idleness
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
I should like to make few COM
ments on A. J. Holbrook's letter in
Fridays Star. He says many Govern
ment employees do not have enough to
do That may be true in some depart
ments, but in our entire division Of the
Treasury we are busy 95 per cent OF
the day the year around. Our busiest
season is during the hottest months OF
the year. Mr.. Holbrook says living ex-
penses are much lower. That may be
true outside of Washington, but is not
entirely true here. am single man
and can say that expenses for single
people are not down at all to speak of,
except on a few items, like clothing.
If the Government cuts our salaries
much more than Is proposed, how are
we going to live?
Mr.. Holbrook sounds to the most OF
us like large payer of income taxes
and is interested in cutting his taxes.
Does Mr.. Holbrook consider the fact
that living expenses might be much
cheaper in this fair city If he and a
lot Of retired people did not come here
to live in their luxury, thus forcing real
estate values to the sky and making it
impossible for the most of US poor Gov
ernment employees who are forced to
live here to own their ewn honest
D. =. McGH1s
Evening star., 1932-04-26
Shadow Boxing.

The tariff" items in the revenue
bill levying import taxes on coal and
oil are to remain in the bill If the
Senate Finance Committee has its way
Furthermore, the committee approved a
plan to place in the revenue measure
an import tax on copper. These tar
III" items were placed originally in
the revenue bill by the Democratic
House. 1t appears likely that they will
stay in the bill during its consideration
in the Senate through the aid Of Demo-
cratic senatorial votes.
In the light of such a record, the
shadow boxing of the Democrats against
the Republican protective tariff be-
comes once more visible to the public
eye. The injustice, the iniquities and
the outrages Of the Republican pro-
tective tariff system have been themes
for millions and billions of Democratic
words of denunciation. The Democrats
plan this year TO make the tariff a
major engagement in the coming ma
tional campaign. Their speakers, their
candidates for the presidential nomi-
nation and the Publicity Bureau Of the
Democratic National Committee have
Joined in an ever-swelling chorus of at
tack on the Smoot- t-Hawley tariff act.
And yet when the Democrats have a
chance to hit at this tariff system what
do they do? In this Congress the
Democrats took control Of the House.
When it became apparent that they
were to have a majority Of that body
predictions were made by party leaders
that taTiff bill showing W thej weak
Evening star., 1932-04-26

nesses of the Smoot-Hawley act would
be forthcoming and would be put
through the House. What actually oc-
curred7 The House Ways and Means
Committee and the House itself, Demo-
cratically controlled, brought out and
passed tariff bill" that changed not
a single rate Of duty in the existing
Republican law. The bill sought to
take from the President his authority
to change tariff duties under the flexible
provisions Of the law and to bring about
an international conference on tariffs.
That, in effect, is all.
Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt of New
York, leading Democratic candidate for
the presidential nomination, and Alfred
E. Smith, the outstanding Democrat In
the fight today to defeat Roosevelt for
the nomination, both have recently
made addresses assailing the Republi-
can tariff. Gov. Roosevelt, like other
Democrats, attributed many Of the ills
of the country to the high protective
tariff, which, he insisted, has worked
evil for the American farmers. But
outside of these words of attack, the
New York Governor offered little. Mr..
Smith went back to his old formula of
the 1928 campaign. He proposed the
appointment Of ''non-partisan" tariff
commission and that the tariff should
"be taken out of politics. If Mr.. Smith
does not realize the impossibility of hts
proposal, at least his Democratic friends
in Congress realize it. One of the most
idle dreams indulged in by those who
should know better is tariff system
devoid of politics, or vice versa.
Like prohibition, the tariff is fire.
quently a local ISSUE" but it promises
to remain an issue in politics. Demo-
Gratis from Texas and Oklahoma in the
Senate Finance Committee were found
voting for the tariff" taxes on oil and
coal. while Republicans from the At
lantic seaboard, an6 particularly New
England. were recorded in opposition to
these taxes. The Democrats from the
oil fields were voting In the interest, as
they saw it, of their constituents who
produce oil The New Englanders. on
the other hand were voting the de-
nands Of their constituents, who do not
produce oil or coal but must buy it as
cheaply as possible.