davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1932-02-12
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

day and outgoing calls more than 3O(
daily.
The rise in postal receipts was one
of President Coolidge's favorite cita-
tions as proof of prosperity. Scarcely
a month passed but the White House
found occasion to mention the monthly
report of postal receipts. The figures
tell a different story now, and con-
tinue bearish. Indeed. the decline ir
postal receipts for the past year has
been progressive and continuous and
are no longer broadcast. Washington
was the only city in the list of the
so largest cities of the country to make
a good showing in January and that
was attributed to the big sale Of BIZ
centennial commemorative stamps here
to philatelists. Every other city ;howed
smart decrease as compared with
January a year ago. In the 50-city
total the drop was $500 .085, or around
l3 per cent.
In the welter of war news from the
Far East the assassination this week oi
Junnosuke Inouye, former finance min
lister of Japan, came in for only passing
notice The economic implications oi
his violent removal from the scene OF
japanese affairs are of major import
A former president Of the nation
largest financial institution, the Yoko-
hama Specie Bank. Mr.. Inouye hac
served twice as governor Of the Bank
of Japan and twice as finance minis
ter From 1927 until the MinseitC
cabinet was overthrown last November
Mr.. Inouye was virtually the financia,
and economic dictator of Japan. His
realistic attitude in the face of Japan's
economic difficulties may be judged by
the following extract from one of his
public addresses: The financial hori-
zon. gentlemen. is black: it is very
black indeed, and in the clouds which
ENCOMPASS it l see no riff, no Sleam o'
sunlight. and in their shadow We wall
state of affairs is no ephemeral phase
no transient outcome Of chance 1t /.
a persistent feature of the economic
life of this country
~
The A. r. A. (the American Re.
lief ASsociation) will hold its eighth
annual reunion in New York City a.
the Army-Navy Club early next month
The association came into existenc,
in 1924 of men who had once callee
Herbert Hoover chief" Its member.
have rendered yoeman service IL
spreading the Hoover gospel and in re.
spending to draft calls for govern.
mental duty in the Hoover administra
ton. George Akerson. George Bar
Baker. Paul S. Clapp. Lawrence Richey
and Edgar Rickard are among tn,
friends OF the President on the A. r. A
roster. The current issue of the asso.
cations bulletin, commenting on tn,
depression, remarks that everybody
is getting blamed today, including
some Of the best members of the Amer
ican Relief Association
(Copyrieht. 1927
Evening star., 1932-02-12
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

tend class in . neat and cool one-piece
bathing suit.
Isn't Shakespeare the greatest dram
atist who ever lived? Have the French
any real right to believe that Racine or
Moliere can equal him? Surely tnat Is
only their national pride.
One thing the teachers can teach
without stopping to consider their own
minds is the nature lore which abounds
III the class room.
The children like to know about the
animals, the birds. the trees, the but.
terfiies. In this happy work our old
friends, the seasons, play . prime part.
- r
The seasons, too, are teachers OF q
sort. Without their happy aid mankind
(at least in the temperate zone) would
be more bored with itself than it is.
How sad a thing, this thing known as
killing time!
The thoughtful may well ask them
selves how such phrase ever grew into
being. With the life Of every living
creature strictly limited on this globe, 1t
would seem. at least 1T flrst blush, that
no conscious creature ought to want
time to 60 any faster than 1t does.
He might even desire 1t to slow down,
so that he could revel in its lack Of mo-
ton. Yet nothing Is surer than that
most human beings, granted certain
amount Of comparative safety and affu-
ence, seem to find time goes too slow
for them.
They want to hurry 1t up. They find
life monotonouS. Some philosophers
even go to the extent Of saying that the
popularity Of warfare is based largely
upon boredom.
Certainly the coming and going Of
the seasons do a great deal to keep the
nature lover satisfied with life as he
finds it. Of that isn't being philoso-
pher, We do not know what isl
No sooner does one become tired Of
Winter than along comes Spring, clad in
greenery. with cherry blossoms in her
hair and gay blooms of yellow over her
shoulders. She brings a whole new
world of experience, the outside world
of gardening.
This annual experience Is all the hap
pier, many think, because it comes
bearing memories. These reach down
to the very beginnings of humanity.
The garden Is no new thing in the
world 1t is as old as the eternal hills
The planting of flowers and vege-
tables, the care Of trees and shrubs and
evergreenS-theSe occupations are nor
NAL and natural, and most human
beings find them SO If given the chance.
X *
There comes time, however, when
gardening tends to grow tiresome.
That time is Autumn.
How happily the Fall comes, then
with its golden and red leaves and its
incense and its shut doors and win
dows!
Not Summer, not yet Winter, the Au-
tumn would become tiresome In its
turn If it were not for Winter.
The joys Of Winter are all things to
all men. One may find it In "bracing"
weather. Another in books. Another in
sitting by the fire.
Temperamental creature that he Is,
man becomes tired at last of Winter.
And there Is beautiful Spring again
waiting just around the corner!
Hoo-oo!
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Careful Study Urged
Before Car Merger
To the Editor Of The Star:

10 the EDITOR OF Inc star.
The new street car merger bill now
being considered by Congress appears
to be very hasty piece of work, and
certainly any measure relating to so
vital an issue as Washingtons trans
portation system demands careful scru-
tiny before passage. think that nearly
every one will agree that the primary
purpose of such legislation should be to
provide better service for the municipal
ity. yet this bill, if passed in its present
form, will merely enable the continued
prosecution of poor methods at lower
cost. In other words, whereas our two
Toonerville Trollies recently seem to
have been prodded into some degree of
wakefulnesS by the sharp competition
of low-rate taxis, upon passage of this
bill they will Immediately relapse into
their former lethargy-with this diff
ference: they will then have a strangle-
hold upon the city's transport system
Let's not have a merger simply for the
mergers sake.
In my opinion the street car service
of the District is rotten. am quite
aware that local railway officials con-
slider their companies the equal of any
in the United States, prating long and
loudly of the good. faithful service they
have rendered, but facts are facts,
whether their existence is admitted or
not. The result is, Washingtonians are
going to have poor transportation just
as long as they'll stand for it, the only
way they can obtain better is to take
matters into their own hands and pro-
vide it themselves, either through pub
lie ownership. public ownership with
private operation, or public control. Any
bill authorizing merger should contain
a specific service" clause to protect
the public. We all know what present
conditions are Do you think the touch
of the magic hand Of Congress is going
to work some marvellous cure? The
traction companies are looking out for
their interests, but who's taking care
of ours?
The only known standard we have
with which to gauge coming events is
that of past performances, and appi-
cation of this yardstick to the merger
bill certainly augurs i'll for the future.
1t is high time the people Of the Dis
trict chucked their policy Of 'laissez
faire" into the waste basket and sought
a solution to their transit problem
themselves. Oh. undoubtedly Washing
ton must eventually have good car
line some day, but what good will that
do the dead? We need one now.
WILLIAM DOYLE JOHNSON.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
"Get Your Man.

The slogan of the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police is Get your man."
And more often than not they get
their men even in the face OF appar-
emily insurmountable difficulties. In their
latest man hunt, however, they are
having hard time Of it. Albert john
son, bush crazy trapper, has sue
ceeded so far in defying them. Some
months ago it was reported that John
son was tampering with the traps of
Indians near Rat River in Northwest
Territory. Two troopers from the
nearest station were sent out to bring
him in. johnson, however, did not
intend to be taken, and fired through
the window of his cabin, seriously
injuring one Of the approaching po-
licemen. His brother officer thereupon
began a grueling eighty-mile dog sled
dash to bring reinforcements and to
give the wounded trooper the medical
attention that was needed to save his
life. An expedition was hurriedly or
ganized and in forty -degree-below-zero
weather laid siege to the trapper's
cabin. A constant exchange Of shots
ensued for the next few days. Finally.
when johnson appeared to run out Of
ammunition an officer cautiously ap-
preached the door only to be met by
hail Of lead that killed him instantly.
Weary and cold and with. their food
supply almost exhausted, the mounties
were forced to give up the fight and
return to the nearest station with their
dead comrade. Another expedition was
then organized and amply equipped for
an extended siege. To this squad was
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Sincerity Seen Need
In DepressiOn's Din

To The Editor OF The Star:
Depression: Economists. Near econ.
omists. Doctrinaires Theories. Analyses
Executive ledgerdemain. Congressional
prestidigateurism. Talk. More talk
A babel Of voices bowling statically into
a cavernous void. Ineptitude rampant
And millions jobless
Remedies: Pay cuts The dole Bonds
Public works. Community Chests. o,
what have you!
Oh, for one clear voice of conviction
from out the dolorous din of discordant
diagnosticians, ringing with sincerity
and authority. with courage and with
faith, that will lead America back tc
its ancient philoSophy-that industry
plus frugality spells social content and
a prosperous, happy Nation. 1t can b.
done! GEO. w. McENTEE.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

The more or less weather uniformity
Of the past year has made Nature
lovers more keenly aware of the part
the seasons play in thfir lives.
The Greeks personifed them. made
Of thing.
We Of today have no hankering to do
aught except take the seasons as they
come-Spring, Summer, Autumn and
Winter.
The trouble has been that, broadly
speaking. they have all been alike dur
ing the past IL months.
There have been a succession OF warm
days In Winter, there were cool days
last August, the old-time snap and vim
of Autumn was lacking, and Summer
well, Summer was very like what 1t
should have been.
Ordinarily one does not stop to think
of the wholesome part which the sea-
sons play in the lives Of all Of us Of the
temperate zone.
An unusual year Is necessary; then
we see easily how much we are tn
debted to their orderly succession.
Occasionally one is inclined to lament
the absence Of perpetual Summer.
How happy the inhabitants OF the
tropics must be, one may think!
But they have various crawling things,
serpents and the like, centipedes, and
so on. They must be extremely careful
about the vegetables they eat. even dis
infect them before they cook them.
All in all. finicky persons do not feel
that they would like to live in such
heather places. Them that likes
them can have 'em. We will stay
home.
Give us. however, the land of Whit
tier, where Spring follows after Winter,
and Summer after Spring.
In a perpetual smiling land there
would be no poem called "Snowbound. ;"
If any one thinks that a poor piece OF
writing, let him take down the old
volume and read it over again.
He will discover that the teacher OF
the old days was right for once In her
life "Snowbound" is good!
The adult mind without coercion
places the stamp Of its approval on 1t.
Teacher had an adult mind, too-at
least we suppose she did-but the school
board was behind her approval.
Teacher alas for her, could not take
her pick of all possible poems. She
educational authorities" told her to
grow enthusiastic.
Poor teachers!
Sometimes one may grow very sorry
for them. A teacher finds herself con-
fronted. early in her scholastic career
with several bookfuls to teach.
That is her job.
What she may think, herself. about
what she has to teach has no legitimate
bearing on the problem before her.
Nobody, from the superintendent
down, would be interested in hearing
her personal opinions as to the worth or
non worth of any writer.
x x
We dare say that if any teacher
had the honest conviction that Edmund
Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" Is
greater play than any Shakespeare ever
wrote she would no more dare say as
much out loud than she would to at
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Curb Fruit Vendors
At Post Office Hit
70 the Editor Of The Star:

To The Editor OF The Star:
Washington has spent thousands Of
dollars in destroying eyesores and i'm
proving around the Union Station, yet
there remain two eyesores that will not
cost anything to remove. refer to the
two fruit venders' carts on the post Of
flee curb at Massachusetts, avenue and
First street northeast.
As Summer comes their appearance
will be worse, with soft drink bottles.
pals of ice, wooden boxes and filth
stacked around the two trees. Thou
sands of people, mostly visitors, pass
this spot daily. Why not remove them
to some other spot before the 22d.
ROBERT q. KYLE.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN,

This great service Is maintained by
The Evening Star for the benefit OF
its readers, who may use 1t every day
without cost to themselves AL they
have to do is ask for any information
desired and they will receive prompt
answers by mail. Questions must be
clearly written and stated as briefly as
possible. Inclose 2-cent stamp for re-
turn postage and address The Evening
Star Information Bureau. Frederic j.
Haskin. director, Washington. D. c.
q. How did the game Of rogue get
its name?-K. D. T.
A. Rogue, the evolution Of croquet.
gets its name by dropping the first
and last letter from croquet. Rogue,
as played today, is one of the most
scientific games in the list Of sports.
@. How does Japan compare in size
with Great Britain and Ireland?-B. S.
A. Japan proper contains 148,756
square miles, while Great Britain and
Ireland contain 121 ,633 square miles.
the United Kingdom has 46,500, 900.
@. Who divided the ages Of man into
seven?-G. w.
A. Hippocrates did so, and the ar
rangement was adopted by Shakespeare,
@. Who gave the name Empire to
New York Staten. A. l.
A. 1t is attributed to George Wash
ington, who, in an address in 1784,
said 80 your State lat present the
seat Of Empire) ."
@. How many people were present
when the Statue Of Liberty was un-
veiled?-H B.
A. 1t was unveiled on October 20,
1895, IN the presence Of 1,0O0, 900 peo-
pie.
@. Where do you enlist in the French
Foreign Legion?-H. L.
A. 1t is necessary that the applicant
be on French soil. He would go to the
nearest recruiting station.
O. Why doesn't Floyd Gibbons wear
glass eye?-C. o.
A. Floyd Gibbons eye was injured
during the World War and then re-
moved The socket was injured in
such a way that he could not use q
glass eye.
9. How can locate the North Starr
&C. A. P
A. The Naval Observatory says that
the North Star may be found by OBJ
serving the direction of the pointers
or two end stars of the Big Dipper;
also by remembering that the North
Star is the last star in the handle of
the Little Dipper.
@. Do We own embassies in London,
Berlin and PariS?-J. H. L.
A. This country has built embassies
in Berlin and Paris and purchased one
in London.
O. What Is the derivation Of the
word, martyr?-J. L. A.
A. 1t comes from the Greek word
watch literally means one who remem-
bers, and thus signifies witness or one
who by his death bore witness to the
Christian faith.
@. What will remove the odor of
onions from the hands?-R. NJ.
A. The Public Health Service says
that there is no preparation on the
market which will remove the odor of
onicns from the hands. other than
natural lemon juice. which will cut it
to some extent. If the onions are
skinned or sliced under running cold
water, there is very little, if any, odor
on the hands.
@. Who invented cellophane. and
when?-F. T. r.
A. Cellophane was developed in 1908.
b. q Frenchman named Brandenberger
and perfected by 1912. The French
government took the entire output dur
ing the World War. using it to make
Evening star., 1932-02-12
The Wet Republican Drive.

Two years ago the late Senator
Dwight w. Morrow of New Jersey,
demanding q return of the control OF
the liquor traffic to the StGtes, gave
the Republican party in that State the
final shove toward the wet side Of the
prohibition controversy. In that year,
despite the fact that there have been and
continue to be many drys in New Jersey,
the Republican State Committee and
State Convention put a wet plank in
the party platform. And now the Re-
publican powers that be in the State
are intent upon keeping in the wet path.
The two SenatorA Hamilton F. Kean
and w. Warren BcSoaD. and Ambas
sador Walter E. Edge, who gave up a
seat in the Senate to go to Paris as
Americas diplomatic representative. at
a meeting here have decreed that the
State platform shall be wet this year.
They have gone further, however. and
planned for a wet delegation to the
Republican National Convention to fight
for wet plank in the Republican ma
tional platform. The New Jersey dele
CATION is to become the rallying post
of the wet Republicans. if such rally
ing post should be necessary.
The Republican high command this
year has not looked with favor, SO far,
on any proposal to make the national
platform wet or even slightly moist.It will
have to meet the drive Of the New Jersey
Republicans, however. when the conven-
ton assemblies. And the New Jersey Re
publlcans will probably be Joined by
delegates from considerable number
of other States in their demands for a
plank proposing some kind of modifica-
ton of the prohibition laws, or at least
a so-called referendum plank.
There is, of course, desire on the
part of Republicans from wet States
like New Jersey, Massachusetts, and
New York to put themselves right with
their own people. Some of these Re-
publicans have to run for Office this
year, and they wish to run as vets.
They must make play to bring the
G. o. P. to the water even if 1t cannot
be made to take drink.
The New Jersey leaders are prompt
to declare their support of President
Hoover and to favor his denomination
and reelection. This does not mean
that they have had any assurance from
the President that he favors their pro-
gram Of putting a wet plank in the na-
tional platform. But it has been OBJ
vious for some time that the Republican
national platform will in all probability
not be. on all fours with some of the
Republican State platforms in regard
to the prohibition question. This may
be an unfortunate situation, but there
seems to be no remedy for it. 1t is
obvious that if the Republican national
platform should contain a wet plank,
many of the Republican State plat
forms-for example, in Maine and
Kansas-would bear dry planks. In the
past, while the Democratic national
platform has been sufficiently dry to
please prohibition leaders, Democratic
State platforms in the North and East
have been decidedly wet. The situation,
with prohibition cutting across both
political parties, leaves the voters in
many States voting dry in the national
election and wet in their State elec-
tions. There seems to be no way out
Of this anomalous position at present.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

Brand-new Senator Long Of Louisi.
ana, who recently devoted four days
to an exhaustive investigation Of ma
tional affairs here, speaks pityingly OF
political paralysis in Washington.
When that little advertised but highly
efficient "hazing committee" Of the
Senate gets a good crack at him hi,
ideas concerning paralysis and Its
symptoms are likely, to undergo .
marked change.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

: A business in which two and half
pounds of waste are produced for every
pound of product, namely, the grain
industry, is declared "a challenge to
science" Science will undoubtedly take
up this broad challenge in due time;
in the meanwhile a good sparring part
ner would be the artichoke.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

It costs about twenty-five per cent
less to build an average home today
than 1t did two and q half years ago
according to the chief statistican Of Q
great building company. The catch in
it is that the average would-be builder
has only about fifty per cent Of the
resources he then could command.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

This is the year during which a
thousand times as many people as
usual will gaze across the Potomac
instead Of the Rappahannock, where 1t
really happened, and say to themselves,
mo man could throw a silver dollar
mile"
Evening star., 1932-02-12

A recent news item from England
states that a grandfather clock made
In the time of William VIII" sold in
London for over $4,000 A somewhat
futuristic timepiece, if one may be per-
mitted to say so.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Irregulars Needed.

From the Hamilton tOnt) Spectator.
It was being explained that 1t was
Chinese irregulars who shot down q
Japanese plane the other day; there Is
an almost general belief now that what
China needs most Is q larger irregular
army.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

Among the nightly questions asked
by the Goddess Of Liberty, in addition
to Uncle Sam, have you locked up the
Treasury?" may be this one: And have
you folded up those Memorial Bridge
towers for the night?"
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Undaunted Gambler.
Cermanv's s Peril.

From the Worcester Daily Telegram.
Belgium, it seems, is terribly angry at
Germany over the reparations question.
1t is to be hoped that Belgium will not
get out Of hand and invade Germany
and sack Berlin.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Now to Increase Sales.

From the Cleveland News.
News that the Democrats program
will probably include a national sales
tax suggests the hope that it will also
advance some means of increasing the
sales.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Who Signed the Treaty?

From the NASHVILLE Banner.
The nine powers that signed the
treaty at the time being consist OF
Japan and eight ether fellows.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

This has been an easy Winter on
those extensively healthy faddists who
take a year round morning swim in
ocean, bay or river.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Chicago Motto.

From the Lynehburg News.
Chicago's motto: Millions for conven-
tions: not cent for teachers.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Double Handicap,

From the South Bend Tribune.
An inmate of the Leavenworth Pen
itentiary is 4 canary dealer. Perhaps
the canaries DO not realize that two sets
Of bars are double handicap.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

Almost every imaginable sport is now
on the Olympic games cal
endar. The United States should see
to it that. eventually a pie-eating con-
test Is included.
Evening star., 1932-02-12

The alleged record for distance Of
punted foot ball grows steadily, ac-
ccrding to the statements of sports
writer's and cartoonists. At the cur
rent rate no stadium, past or present,
will be able to hold it.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Coo Flat Quickly.

From the Minneapolis Journal.
John MassAeld says poetry is the
vine OF the universe. Too much of he
poetry todnv b home brew.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Firms Find Use for Ice.

From the Fort Worth Star-Telesram.
Tbs Firms probably figured they
ought to make some w Of Ill that
ice.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Tariff on Spats Suggested.

From the Buffalo Evening News.
II the idea Is to tax those most able
b pay, why II there no heavy tariff on
Evening star., 1932-02-12

The main trouble with free verse is
that, while it Is very free, it Is not verse.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Water Also Freezes.

From the Glendale News-Press.
Alas When you overdo the Job Of
squeezing water out of stocks they no
longer qualify as liquid assets.
Evening star., 1932-02-12
Expurxatien Demanded.

Did you read Homer in your youth?"
yes" answered the unwavering ad-
vocate of peace. Il objected then to
its fascinating fight descriptions. The
Iliad' is a beautiful literary work. But
it ought to be expurgated"