davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1932-01-27

mony of its worth than has already been
given them. At hearings conducted last
year before the two committees motor
vehicle commissioners from the various
States told the legislators Of the excel
lent work performed by this statute in
sweeping the streets and highways
clean Of that dread menace, the reck-
less-insolvent motor car driver. They
came to Washington because they were
interested in seeing this model law,
which had worked SO well for them. in
effect in the National Capital.
The safety-responsib law is one
of the most important pieces Of legisla-
ton affecting the District. The city is
united in approval of IL. Congress
should delay no longer.
Evening star., 1932-01-27
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

tors Of great wealth, and ready to sit
in the White House if the call comes.
x
The Republican Senatorial Campaign
Committee, Just appointed is facing
plenty of grief. The most cursory in
speCtion reveals the prospect that the
next Senate will be Democratic almost
to a certainty. The Democrats already
have forty-seven Of the ninety-six mem
bers. Just two short of majority. In
the election this year the seats of eight
cen Republican Senators and fifteen
Democrats are to be filled. Of the flf-
teen Democratic seats to be filled all
save four are from the South. The
only Democratic seats about which there
is the least veStige of doubt are those
now filled by Halves of Missouri, Wag-
ner of New York, McGill of Kansas and
Bulkley of Ohio. A Hoover landslide, of
which there is as yet no sign, might
redeem" the Missouri and Kansas
seats. Wagner and Bulkley look to be
safe under the most adverse contingen-
cies. On the other hand, of the eighteen
Republican seats in contest this year
there are not more than half dozen
which are considered truly safe. 1t is
pretty well conceded that the Demo-
CTdLS Will eIeCG LllSlT CdIluludIG Ill We"
Jersey, and Democratic hopes in In
diana and Illinois and Connecticut are
high.
Il
The magnificent landScaping of Capt.
tol Hill and its approaches on the side
facing the Union Station Plaza is now
nearing completion. The basins for the
series of terraced pools and fountains
are now in place, masking the electric
car line underpaSs and the subterranean
senatorial garage The dreams of David
Lynn, Capitol architect, and his asso-
ciates. and the Fine Arts Commission
and the congressional sponsors of the
Identification plans are now at last
being realized. In its finished state
there will be probably nothing quite like
the Capitol Hill vista, outside of India,
where the celebrated Tai Mahal, rated
the worlds most beautiful edifice. has a
similar setting If all goes well, the last
sod of turf will have been laid, the
pools will be filled and the fountains
playing by the time the Easter thrush
of Washington visitors arrive.
(Copyright, 1922
Evening star., 1932-01-27
Washington's Petition.

Citizens of Washington, deprived OF
the traditional American right of self
government and sclf-taxation, resort to
the only method Of expression remain
ing to them and in formal petition to
Congress plead for careful consideration
and equitable disposition of matters
directly affecting their welfare.
Elsewhere in the columns OF today's
Star appears the text Of this petition
and of the supporting argument. The
petition includes the platform OF prln-
ciples laid down and adhered to by the
Citizens Joint Committee on Fiscal
Relations Between the United States
and the District of Columbia in 1918,
in 1919 and in 1920, and modified by
tie Districts new organic act OF 1922,
which follows:
We contend. first, that the United
States should contribute largely to the
maintenance and upbuilding of the
National Capital; second, that this
contribution should be a fixed and
definite proportion; third, that TINS
proportion should be Xty-torty-SlXty
by the District taxpayers and forty by
the United States.
Recalling that Congress has refused
proposals to amend existing substantive
law. but has followed since the fiscal
war 1925 the annual temporary prac-
tice Of providing lump sum approprla-
ton In wholesale exception to the flxec
ratio law, the petition urges that the
House bill to repeal the fixed ratio and
the tax bills accompanying it be de-
feated, and prays for opportunity
10 show, through the presentation
OF facts and reasoning, that District
taXpavers are reasonably taxed at pres
ent, and that without clear demon
stration of the absolute necessity to
meet urgent municipal needs there
should be no increase in the local tax
burden.
AS long as the lump-sum payment
represents appropriation practice tenn
porarily on appropriation bills, the pc
tttioners plead that Congress should
D increase substantially, both on
general and specific grounds, the basic
Iump-sum payment; ~ exclude great
national and semi national projects
from the District bill and finance them
on some other supply bill, so wording
the items thus excluded as to set forth
the exact method of financing in rela-
tion to the amounts of contribution by
Nation and Capital that is thought 10
he lust, or C3) provide for local as well
a. a national maximum Of contribution
on the assumption that it is the impo-
tent local partner who alone needs TINS
protection, or az by referendum or
otherwise permit the local taxpayers TO
have some effective say in regard to the
amount of local taxes and the purposes
for which the tax money is to be e1-
pended"
The power of exclusive control over
the District, conferred upon Congress
bv the Constitution, carries with 1t
sacred obligation for the wise, consld-
crate and just exercise Of that power.
The Districts petition to Congress
does not extend beyond plea for wis
dom, consideration and justice at the
hands of its rulers.
Evening star., 1932-01-27

Selection of cities" Is the crux Of the
matter. The investigator gives the fol-
lowing summary Of the reasons most
frequently advanced for the selection Of
specific books:
We need this book to balance our
list.
Some day the author of this book will
write a best seller.
This author isn't 80 good, but his
best friend is conner and our net
will get him for us.
You ought to see the pictureSl
Our sales manager read the nrst
two pages Of the manuscript and ne
liked it.
There is a scene In this story where
This is a fine book and we'll publish
1t even II we don't sell two copies.
Everybody's playing post office" and
we have to have a small book OF official
rules by an expert
Here we are without single book
on Russia on our new list.
The investigator finds that many
books fail because they are badly writ
ten, as well as badly chosen. He finds
that there is "sales resistance" on
the part of the younger generation
OF readers, Just out of school, where
they have developed a resentment
against books in general. He finds
that the publishers do not profit by
experience, neglecting to ascertain why
books fail and to avoid the repetition
of errors of judgment in subsequent
publications. He attributes some OF the
troubles of the trade to the lack Of CO.
operation on the part Of the publishers
with the book sellers, who in turn know
virtually nothing about their customers. j"
Book clubs have not demonstrably hurt
the publishers. While they are not
helping appreciably to widen book dis
tribution, they have probably reached
the limits of their economic and oper-
ating development.
Where lies the remedy? Revision OF
the publishing lists, in all probability
Demonstration and the exercise OF
sounder judgment in the selection OF
manuscripts. The elimination OF the
trash that pours forth in ceaseless
stream from the book presses, to abase
the public taste and to lessen the field
for the books that are worth While
Application of sound business principles
to the production of commodity that
the public requires and will appreciate
the more highly as the standard OF
quality is raised. OF the making OF
books there is no end, but OF the
makers of books who lack discrimina-
ton there is assuredly a definite and
lamentable end.
Evening star., 1932-01-27
Baker and the League.

Newton D. Baker is reported TO have
barred" the League Of Nations as an
issue in the coming national campaign
It was already barred as an issue
as between the two great political par
ties, for neither one will espouSe the
cause of the League. Mr.. Bakers
statement also declared that he per-
sonally held the view that the United
States should eventually go into the
League Under these circumstances,
should the Democratic party nominate
Mr.. Baker for President this year, the
League of Nations would necessarily
become an issue And that Is one
thing the Democratic party is not aim
ing to have as an issue between 1t and
the @. Q. P. 1t follows, therefore, that
unless Mr.. Baker recants, unless he de-
clare his personal belief to be that the
United States should not go into the
League, he will in all probability not
be nominated for President by the
Democratic party this year.
Those who hold Mr.. Bakers deelara-
ton that the League Of Nations should
not be an issue in the coming cam
paign, while he at the same time
praises the League and insists that
some day the United States will be-
come member of the League makes
him available for nomination for Presi-
dent by the Democrats, do not appear
to have considered the situation. 1t Is
on a parallel, for example, with the
situation that would be created If Al
fred z. Smith should declare himself
personally for the repeal of the eight
eenth amendment and at the same
time say that prohibition was barred
as an issue in the national campaign
if he became the party nominee for
President
Mr.. Bakers statement that the ques-
ton Of Americas joining the League
Of Nations is at present not a matter
In the field Of practical politics Is
obviously true. But let Mr.. Baker be-
come a presidential nominee this year
and there will be an entirely different
situation. The League OF Nations as
an important issue will be dragged out
and busted off by the Republican party
and FURNISHED up until it shines as IT
did in the days of 1920 and, to lesser
degree, in the days of 1924. Mr.. Baker
also is quoted as saying that he would
not take the United States into the
League of Nations until majority OF
the people favored such action. The
obvious comment in connection with
this statement is that he could not
do so.
Nevertheless, it must be admitted that
Mr.. Bakers statement looks like a bid
for the Democratic nomination for
President. 1t Is true he said in his
interview with the press that he is not
a candidate. But he did not close the
door finally to becoming a candidate
And his declaration that there should
be no attempt to make the League a
political issue in the coming campaign
must be interpreted as meaning that II
he becomes a candidate and a pres
dental nominee, his fondneSs for the
League shall not be held up against him.
If Mr.. Baker is nominated for Presi-
dent by the Democrats he must run,
however, as a pro-leaguer, unless ne
specifically declares against the entry
of the United States into the League
of Nations. He has been far too prom
inently identified with the League cause
to permit his evading this issue, even
If he desired to do so.
Evening star., 1932-01-27
Wants Drivers Bonded
As Public Protection

To the Editor Of The Star:
I witnessed a most distressing acci-
dent the other evening.
I was walking down the street With my
wife and son when q car streaked past
us at terrific speed. My wife remarked,
That car must be going at least 80
miles an hour" Suddenly the car put
on brakes and came to sudden stop.
My wife exclaimed, 1T looks as If some
one had fallen out Of the car"
rushed up and found young
woman under the front wheel. She was
screaming with pain, and I helped to
shove the wheel of her leg. A
cab was near, and out of the
crowd a young lady stepped, who
knew her and took her to Emergency
found her shoe, which l gave to an OFF,
Ger. This shows that she was struck
and carried some distance before the
car could be stopped.
I feel strongly that there should be
a law enacted whereby all drivers Of
automobiles should be bonded. In ac-
cidentS of this kind the insurance COM
panieS should be responsible to in
jured parties for damages. The driver
Of this car apparently is a man Of
small means, yet he can injure this
beautiful young woman, perhaps cause
her death, and it will be ''just too bad" !"
He will get off scot free, and the next
victim may be your wife or mine, or
my child or yours, and this slaughter
keeps up ad lib.
I hope you will advocate and help to
push such legislation as will compel
irresponsible motorists to be bonded
that such unfortunates as the victim
IF ont nf
some compensation for such unwar-
ranted injuries
In this connection I call your atten-
ton to the motor cycles which are per-
mitted to tear through the streets at
40 and so miles an hour and get by
with it. Will The Star not lend its aid
to find some way Of curbing these reck-
less drivers and of making the streets
Of our city safe for CUR children and
for those pedestrians who travel on our
streets? ALBERT J. OSGOOD.
Evening star., 1932-01-27
ID. c. transportation
Problem Outlined

To the Editor of THE Star:
Read your editorial January 7, COM
menting on report of Interstate Com
merce Commission examiner proposing
highway transport regulations.
1 called your attention about year
ago to our local transportation sltua-
tion, especially as to its likeness TO
railroad vs. bus, truck problem.
now quote some proposed provisions
from Interstate Commerce Commission
report, which feel are applicable to
,, District of Columbia transportation
situation, hoping you will study same
and accord q local situation as FAVOR
able an editorial as you did when you
considered provisions as natlonai
problem.
Interstate Commerce Commission re-
port says:
/. Contract carriers should have
minimum rate fixed, to be not less than
the mileage cost Of haul, regardless OF
extra pay for extra services.
2. Employees of--trucks, busses--should
| compare, as to pay quanncauons, 10
employees Of railroads.
8. An investigation should determine
value Of highway to trucks, ousses ano
! they should pay accordingly.
T. No permit should issue Tor bus,
truck until public utility was shown.
S. All buses and trucks should have
| full financial responsibility.
Quoting from testimony at recent
taxicab hearing, also from case now In
court-test case on installation Of taxi
meters:
Mr.. Bachman--
Cost Of operation for lightweight
cabs, less driver and administratlon-
| per mile-495 cents.
- nv 30 nF1r1a1
| his cabs Cight weighD cost per mile,
administration included Qess driver,
-6 cents.
Mr.. Bachman-
Digest OF operators reports show;
Average haul-2 miles.
| Average run-of-oVer miles.
| Mr.. Bachman-
| Minimum wage for driver average
run of 100 miles per day. to compare
| with city street car and bus pay
| per mile-5 cents.
| From above figures; cost OF operation
| Passenger hauled miles ....... l2c
| Run-od-over 2 miles. ......... l2c
Drivers pay miles. .....'.... 20c
Cost for 2 miles ............. 44c
! Cost for l mile .............. Z[C
Rates fixed by Public Utility Commis-
! SlOIl, 40 CcIlIo AiiA4S~' 49, ~~-ND
mile thereafter.
No. 3 and No. Of Interstate Com
merce Commission report have had no
consideration as yet In District OF Co
| lumbia.
No 5. Insurance is favored by every
| body.
| The point of this letter is that above
facts and figures are open to all, in fact
known by everybody. Still, when the
| Public Utility Commission starts TO reg
ulate taxi service on sound economic
basis, verybody-meaning large portion
of citizens associations, peoples counsel,
! citizens associations, public utility
corporation representatives and some
others rush to court to oppose the
Public Utility Commission.
Certainly all the figures produced at
taxi hearing and in court show that
somebody is being exploited because
taxi service Is now being offered at less
than cost, w. l.. DAVIS.
Evening star., 1932-01-27
The Literary" Depression.

For some time past it has been evi-
dent to the book-publishing business
and the book-selling industry that
something is wrong. The general de-
preston, which began a little more
than two years ago, accounted for some
of the misfortunes suffered by this
trade, but that there were other causes,
not attributable to the lessening Of in
comes, was believed by many engaged
In this branch of American enterprise.
Reluctantly they came to the con-
cIusion that q scientific research was
necessary to reach the causes OF the
slump. Some fifteen months ago a
group of publishers, representing the
largest output of books in America,
formed an association for investigation
and engaged the services OF an econ
omist of note. The report of that
survey has just been completed and is
about to be spread broadcast, for the
information of the trade and the read
ing public, which is to say the book
buying public.
According to an advance statement
of the case, the research lays the blame
directly upon the publishers for most
of the ills suffered by the literary in
dustry. The book business, 1t is stated
in the report, is managed chiefly by
economic illiterates and incurable ro-
mantics." The simple fact is that too
many books are being printed-that is
to say, too many books for which there
is no demand commensurate with the
cost Of production and distribution
The average publishing house receives
seventy-five per cent Of its income from
new books on the sale Of about ten
titles" In new fiction, while nine
books in ten sell more than 1000 copies
in their first year, only five in ten
sell more than 1000 copies, only two in
ten more than 10000 and only one in
ten more than 10000. In non-fiction
there are even greater risks, only six
in ten selling more than 1000, two in
ten more than 5000 and one in ten
over 5000.
The publisher frames his policy Of
selection, 1t would seem, upon the
chance of finding best seller" te
balance his losses from mediocre works
He IA gambling with the public taste
Evening star., 1932-01-27
A Reiterated Stand.

In reafirming its thorough approval
and earnest desire for enactment OF the
safety-responsibility bill Of the Amerl-
can Automobile ASSOCIATION, now before
both houses Of Congress, the Trathc
Committee Of the Washington Board OF
Trade is emphasizing to the legislators
on Capitol Hill the need for such a law
in washington. So little controversy
exists over the principles of the safety
responsibility bill, under which one
fourth of the motorists OF the United
States and one-third Of those in Can
ada are now operating, that it is diff
c,ut to understand why the bill did not
mass the Seventy-first Congress and
why it should be again necessary for
the various civic organizations to re-
lterate their approval in order to prod
the Congress into action.
rhe careful driver need never know
that such a law Is on the statute books.
He will never feel the effects OF 1t. II
is only the reckless who come WITHIN
its provisions. 1t is entirely supple
mental to traiflc regulations, is easy
10 administer and promotes safety on
che streets. Why, then, should Congress
hesitate to enact such desirable meas
ure for the District?
Eighteen State Legislatures and four
Legislatures of Canada have passed the
law and more States and Provinces are
virtually certain to join the rising tide
of approval of its principles. Maryland
was the last State to put it into effect,
and according to recent reports it is
operating satisfactorily. Certainly the
District Committees Of the House and
Senate or individual Senators and Rep
Tesentatives can want no more testi-
Evening star., 1932-01-27
Defends Sullivan's
Impeachment Article
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
In The Star Of Monday Harriet I.
Cooke questions the accuracy OF Marx
Sullivan's statement in your SUNDAY
paper that a President had been I'M
peached, stating that this term Is
synonymous with conviction.
According to Funk & WagnallS' DIS
tionary, the word "impeach" means 10
charge with crime or misdemeanor IN
office; to arraign a public official ne-
fore a competent tribunal on q charge
of malfeasance in Office" The 1mpeacn-
ment, then, is the charge, or nolct-
ment, brought by the House, rrespsc-
tive of the result of the trial by tne
Senate. Hence, President Johnson was
impeaehed, though not convicted, ana,
therefore, MIR. Sullivan's statement was
absolutely correct. TURIN 3. BOONE
Evening star., 1932-01-27
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHrLANDER JOHNSON.
The Fireside Hero.

The Fireside Hero.
Oh, fathers wonderful man!
When he comes home at night
All the children delight
So mighty creature to scan.
They believe he is lofty and great,
Quite fit to be king
Or any old thing
That holds high place In the state.
OF course when he's striving downtown
He may scratch, kick and bite
And avoid fair fight,
Or be but clustering clown;
And his fellows may scoff his plan.
But nature is kind
And at home he will find
He Is always wonderful man.
Evening star., 1932-01-27

This is o special department devoted
to the handling Of inquiries. You have
at your disposal an extensive organ1za-
ton In Washington to serve you IN any
capacity that relates to information.
Write your question, your name and
your address clearly and inclose cents,
In stamps or coin, for reply. Send to
The Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic j. Haskin, director, Washing
ton. D. Q.
@. How many copies of the World
Almanac are sold annually?-M. w.
A. About 100000.
@. Has the letter postage of Canada
been increased?-H. T. H.
A. 1t has been changed from 2 to 3
cents. When letters are sent bearing
cnly cents, another 2 cents must be
collected, l cent for postage and cent
penalty.
@. Is electricity widely used in Porto
Rico?-C. r.
A. Porto Rico consumed, it is esti
mated, S0,000,000 kilowatt hours of
electric power in 1880 Ninety-Seven
per cent of all communities Of more
than 1000 inhabitants are served by
power lines and so per cent Of those
with $50 to 1000 inhabitants are
reached. Thirty-seven per cent Of all
homes, or about $4,000 out Of $4,000,
consume electricity.
@. What causes hair to turn grayP
Does fright ever cause it?-G. S. B
A Loss of pigment causes hair to
turn gray. Extremely severe shocks
have been known to cause loss Of pig
ment in the hair.
@. Was Queen Victoria of England
related to William the Conqueror?-
T. S.
A. She was a direct descendant.
Q. Please explain the expression,
The exception proves the gule. M. A.
A. This familiar saying s based on
the fact that so frequently deaS some
condition prevail that the few occasions
when it does not emphasize the fire.
quency of its occurrence.
G. What is abaca?-H. D.
A. 1t is Manila hemp.
@. Is there a collection Of the verses
OF the late Robert Morrill, Adams?-
D. w.
A. Bob Adams, author 2f "Rude Rural
Rhymes" and Hoe Handle Homilies," !"
had collected Sc of his rhymes in vol
ume called The Old-Tiner."
G Why are perSimmons astringent?-
A. M.
A. They are astringent when green
because Of tannin contained in the
| fruit.
@. Did Ebenezer D. BaSSett, the first
| colored man to represent the United
States abroad, hold any other public
positionS?-U. S. c..
A. Aside from his position as Min
lister to Haiti, he was consul general
| for Haiti for 10 years at New York and
also charge daffaireS Of Haiti at Wash
| ington.
G. What was the first territory ac-
quired by the United States?-P. T.
A. The Louisiana Purchase. It was
purchased from France in 1903 and
| comprised the Mississippi Rivers west
| side drainage basin, except that part
| held by Spain. 1t extended from Can
ada to the Gulf OF Mexico and in
cluded the areas now occupied by
Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa,
| Kansas Missouri, Nebraska, the Da--
| kotas, Montana, most Of Minnesota and
portions of Colorado and Wyoming
| The United States took formal posses
| sion Of the Louisiana Purchase regions
| on March 10, 1904, and Congress di-
vided into two parts-the Territory OF
| orleans Oater the State of Louislana)
| and the Territory of Louisiana
Evening star., 1932-01-27

People are funny. When they have
to live in the country they try to sur
round themselves with city conven-
fences. When they live in the city they
20 the limit in obtaining a touch OF
rural life, running the gamut between
a window-box geranium and pent
house estate" according to individual
means. And when designers plan their
Yachts, the main thought seems to be
the utmost possible prevention OF any
idea that they are afioat.