davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1932-01-12

why not? It'd be a great
novelty and, once they got used
to it, the kids would have a
lot of fun around Vinegar Bill.
I think we ought to ask him."
Bill Becomes Santa
They agreed it might not be
a bad idea-but they doubted
very much whether Bill would
do it. So the garage man went
over to find out. And he did
it very cleverly.
IT know you don't like a lot
of those children, Bill" he as
serted, land this is your big
chance to make them stop
haunting you. Once you've played
Santa Claus for them, they'll
never dare annoy you again.
More than that, you'll really be
an actor who's playing part.
Don't you see. Bill, that it's a
good idea all around?"
Bill finally said he'd do it.
Why, don't know. Maybe he
figured he could get in a good
kick or two while the children
we're gathered around him.
Christmas Eve. The vestry
room held the largest crowd
it had ever had. Excited chill
dren danced around the tree
again and again. Parents urged
them to Stop-and wished at
the same time they were young
enough again to do the same.
Soon there was a hush. The
door opened. In walked Santa
Claus - costume beard and all.
One youngster broke the ten
sion. He laughed loudly.
THAT amt Santa Claus" he
howled decisively. That's Vine
gar Bill"
Penetrate Disguise
The others took it up. Soon
the room resounded with mock
cry.
Look who wants to be Santa
Claus! Old lemonface! What a
Santa Claus! Raspberries!"
Bills face was groteSque. He
started to say something. The
garage man stepped forward and
gripped his arm.
"You forget something. boys
and girls" he said. "You forget
this is Christmas Eve. Bills
doing this all for you. He's
been lonesome all his life, that's
all. He really wants to be your
friend. But how can he be If
you don't give him the chance?
Hes my pal, kids. Make
him yours, too. What do you
say?"
The appeal met with instant
success. One little girl reached
up to kiss Bill. He drew back
as though he were frightened.
Another child held his hand.
Soon they were all around him,
dancing and singing and push
ing him toward the tree. Sud-
denly he spoke.
"No more Vinegar Bill" he
muttered over and over. "JuSt
Bill now"
Final Happiness
rs he neared the tree, he
tripped and fell. The children
laughed. Bill was really play
ing now. The parents laughed.
Eager hands went out to help
Bill to his feet. And then the
laughter stopped.
For Bill was dead. His heart
had failed him, the town doc
tor said later. They carried
him inside and removed the
costume. And then they saw
a strange thing.
In all the town, there was no
one who had ever seen Vinegar
Bill laugh. Now, in death, there
was a smile on his face.
MnmR T0nAV
The Washington times., 1932-01-12
A Perpetual Crouch

The man must have had
vinegar in his soul. His ex-
preston was invariably sour,
and there was no one who had
ever seen him smile. He
growled his words instead of
speaking them, and you needed
no detective to tell you that
this was man who not only
hated the world, but also had a
strong dislike for everything
in it.
Understand, then, this char
acter. Living the life of a her
NIT in his little hut on the out
skirts of the tiny town. An old
man through the years. And
sour, on everything-especially
children.
It was the kids in the town
who gave him the most misery.
When he walked down the road
those children would fling
taunt after taunt in his direc-
ton.
Hello, old lemon face" they
would cry. Where you going,
Vinegar Bill? If you ever
looked in a mirror, I'll bet you'd
crack it. Watch your step,
sourpuss!"
Time and again Bill COM
planned to the justice of the
peace
The Washington times., 1932-01-12
Mayor Tells Story

Mayor Tells Story
Frank" I said, you haven't
told me a yarn in a long time.
Haven't you got good, human
interest story lurking some
where in a corner Of your
mind?"
He unused for a moment.
Then he nodded.
Its about character" he
said, "a character named Vim
egar Bill. Did I ever tell you
about him?"
I replied that he hadn't.
WELL" he went on, 1T be-
gins this way E"
And he told me a wistful and
strange little story. The story
Of Vinegar Bill -.
The Washington times., 1932-01-12

Harbor Beach is a small town
In Michigan. A population OF
some $500 people-perhaps
few more, perhaps a few less.
Where each man is friendly to
his neighbor; where each wom-
an keeps struggling for her man.
A place where they have no
Broadway-and they don't know
how lucky they are.
There wasn't a soul in Har-
Dor Beach who didn't know
Vinegar Bill. Funny about that
nickname; it was the only thing
he had been called for many,
many years. Bill was more
than 10 years of age, and even
the oldest inhabitants Of the
town couldn't remember when
the nickname had been slapped
on him. They merely knew the
reason for it-and the reason
was a simple one.
Evening star., 1932-02-27
'WAR-NAW MERGER
BILL IS BLOCKED
Heads of Government De-
partments Asked to Suggest
Expense Cut Means.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
For a second time, the House EX-
penditures Committee today failed to
approve the Democratic-sponsor bill
to consolidate the War and Navy De-
partments.
Instead of favoring the measure, it
voted IL to to adjourn. Date for
further consideration was not agreed
upon.
Meanwhile, the heads of all Govern
ment departments we're asked by Chair
man Byrns of the special House
Economy Committee to submit specific
suggestions for reductions of Federal
activities to reduce expenditures.
Byrns also notified the cabinet
members that their presence would be
desired by the committee in its in
vestigation. He urged them soon to
submit their recommendations so the
committee can report by April IS.
Byrns' move came less than "a hours
after four members of President Hoover S
cabinet had been charged with being
"obstructionists" in the move to reduce
made late yesterday by Chairman Coch-
ran Of the House Expenditures Com
mittee.
He said the "obstructionists" are
Secretaries Mills, Hurley, Hyde and
Wilbur
Mills, Cochran said off the floor, de-
clined to express a detailed opinion on
the merit of bill to abolish the Bureau
of Efficiency because of President Hoo
ver's message suggesting the power to
reorganize be given to the Chief Ex-
ecutive.
Replies to Mills.
The Treasury Secretary wrote to
/ Cochran that he thought the reorgani-
Zation should be effected through the
medium of an executive order" That
would be a more orderly procedure, -
Mills said.
Cochran replied yesterday with let
ter that If Mills is adopting the policy
of declining to discuss such measures
because of the Presidents message 'it
will be unnecessary for the committee
to send any communications to your
department asking for comment in the
future"
The Missouri Democrat once more
charged Secretary of War Hurley with
having refused" to appear before the
committee Thursday on the public
works bills. He said his letter Of invi-
tation read this way
"The committee directed the chair
man to invite the Secretary of War to
be present and make a statement or to
designate a representative of the de-
partment whom he wishes to be heard" "
IF that isn't an invitation, what
is it?"
Quotes From Answer.
Quoting from Hurleys answer to that
letter, holding he thought it ''unneces-
to make any further Statement"
other than that he disapproved of some
portions of the bills and thought Presi-
dent Hoover's plan superior, Cochran
said:
IF that is not refusal to testify,
what is it?"
Cochran asserted Secretary Wilbur
had attempted to 'obstruct' the Demo-
cratic efforts to reduce expenditures by
issuing a statement objecting to a cut
In the appropriation bill for the Inter
ior Department. Secretary Hyde he
added. went before a Senate committee
and opposed a provision in the Agri-
cultural appropriation bill, which would
prevent salary increases and the filling
of vacant positions.
Evening star., 1932-02-27
HEADS
ARMS COMMISSION
Elected President of the Dis
armament Conference
Political Body.
BY the Associated Press.


GENEVA, February 27.-The French
delegation to the World Disarmament
Conference suffered another organization
defeat today when the delegations of the
United States Great Britain, Germany
and Italy engineered the election of
Arthur Henderson of Great Britain as
president of the political commission of
the conference.
The French delegation, after having
been blocked on several other organiza-
ton choices, had made a strenuous
effort to secure the election of their
candidate, Nicholas Titulescu of Ru-
mania, to head the political commission,
which will consider the French Sc
curity proposal
The election of Mr.. Henderson, who
is president of the General Conference,
was proposed by Hugh Gibson. acting
chief of the United States delegation.
Opposes French Plans.
Henderson has been the chief leader
of the movement in opposition to the
French plans. After he was chosen
president of the Conference the French
delegates sought to place great author
ity in the Conference Bureau, but
Henderson was also chosen to head
this organization. Then the French
delegates, over the protest of the Amer
leans succeeded in depriving the bu-
reau Of what was expected to be its
dominant role by referring the de-
termination of procedure to a general
commission.
Henderson then was elected president
of the General Commission and M.
Tardieu, French delegation head, moved
to create a new commission to deal
with political questions, originally ex-
pected by other delegations to be han
died by the General Commission.
For chief Of this political commission
the French then chose as their candi-
date M. Titulescu, who was defeated by
Henderson today.
Positions of American Delegates.
Under the present arrangement Of
American delegates, Mr.. Gibson is on
the political commission, Hugh Wilson
on the land forces commission, Senator
Claude A. Swanson, naval forces; Nor
man Davis, air forces, and DR.. Mary
Emma Woolley on the budgetary COM
mission.
With Mr. Henderson as president Of
the conference and its three most i'm
portant subdivisions, his health becomes
increasingly important. His staff say
he is better now than when the con-
ference began, but he looks very thin.
Evening star., 1932-02-27
COMPOSER DENIES
RACKET CHARGE
Gene Buck Holds Caliber of
Society's Membership Is
Sufficient Reply.

BY the Associated Press.
Charges of "racketeering" by the
American Society of Composers, Au-
thors and Publishers were denied yes
terday before the House Patents 7om-
mittee.
Gene Buck, Great Neck. Long Island.
president of the society, answering qles-
tionS of Chairman Sirovich, as the COM
mittee considered the patents and copy
right laws, held the membership of the
organization itself should be sufficient
answer to the charges.
He pointed to John Philip Sousa,
famed march composer, who was In the
committee room. He named as other
members George NJ Cohan, Carrie
Jacobs Bond, Jerome D. Kern, Obey
Speaks and Otto Harbach, and asked: :
DO they sound like a bunch OF
racketeers?"
Sirovich said the society had been
criticized and referred to as "racke-
teering organization" for the manner
in which it handled fees collected for
members. He objected to the fact the
125 members of the board Of directors
who represent composers are not
elected by the other members but by
the board.
You have got the finest organization
in the world, but I've known many or
ganizations to have a good 'front.'" Siro-
vich said. Yours is composed Of some
of the finest characters in the world.
But what opportunity do the wonderful
men and women you name have to
run it?"
Buck replied there unquestionably
was an indirect control over the board
that held it responsible to individual
members. Sirovich also objected to the
society's uniform charge of 10 cents a
seat a year which all motion picture
theaters must pay before they can play
copyrighted music.
THAT is a most unfair imposition on
the small man." the New York Demo-
crat said. If you can tell this COM
mittee by what right you can charge
the little man who plays one piece OF
music a year the same fee that you
charge Roxy's, where one million, two
million, three million pieces are played,
then go ahead"
Buck explained the blanket 10-cent
charge was established many years ago
and at that time was suggested by the
Motion Picture Owners Association.
We'll, are you willing for your Ex-
ecutive Committee to meet and see
what can be done now to give justice to
the small MANI" Sirovich asked.
YES" Buck replied.
Evening star., 1932-02-27
HOUSE VETS NEED
e VOTE S|GNERS
IL Names Added to Petition
for Considering State
Control Amendment.

The House wet blocs today lacked %
of the las signatures needed to obtain
vote on consideration of a State-con-
troll prohibition amendment.
During its second day on the clerks
desk IA names were added to the 108
first signers Of the discharge petition.
However, Representative Hornor,
Democrat, of West Virginia. who was
announced as among the original sign
ers, said yesterday he had not signed
the petition. 1t was learned the sigma
ture Of Representative Seger, RCpub-
lican, Of New jersey had been mistaken
for that of Hornor
Discussion Twice Started.
Twice yesterday prohibition was the
subject Of discussion on the floor of the
House
Representative Abernethy. Democrat,
of North Carolina, a prohibitions. told
the Republicans that, According to
what Old Man Raskob put up to
President Hoover this morning, think
you are going to have a great deal to
think about with reference to the
looks to me as though that question
"oS SOAAAb W NAoSAA6 JO0 SSAAbACAAAOAA a
great deal"
Il am from a country where have
to vote dry if I intend to stay in
Congress" he said I'VE have in nv
country both prohibition and liquor, so
why shouldn't we be satisfied"
Dry Agent Called Thief.
Representative Horr. Republican, OF
Washington, an anti prohibitionist.
later charged a Federal enforcement
agent in Seattle with being "a common
thief" He said the agent was run out
of the Territory of Alaska, came
down to Tacoma and was caught there
the other day by the sheriff"
IT asked Mr. Woodcock to fire him
and he would not" Horr said.
The IA new signers of the wet dis
charge petition we're: Democrats o.
Auf der Heide, Gambrill, Kleberg, Lea
and Montet. Republicans (9)-Aldrich,
Andrews of New York, Beck, Brumn,
Curry, Hooper, William E. Hull, Peavey
and White.
Evening star., 1932-02-27
BICENTENNIAL BOARD
TAKES new OFFICES
Three More Rooms in Press Build
ing Acquired for HaVenner
and Aides.

The increasing activities of the Dis
trict Bicentennial Commission incident
to the progress Of the anniversary cele-
bration in the Capital have made it
necessary for the commission to acquire
additional space in the. National Press
Building where the headquarters of the
body is located.
Three additional rooms. representing
approximately 1000 square feet of extra
floor space, were taken over by the
commission today. The body now oc-
cupies about $500 square feet Of Office
space in the building.
The three new Offices are for DR..
George c. Havenner, executive vice
chairman of the commission; his chief
assistant William D. Hassett, and the
secretaries to both. Champ Pickens, in
charge of Bicentennial athletic activi-
ties, and Charles l. Stengle, in charge
Of publicity, have moved into the rooms
vacated by DR.. Havenner, while addi-
tional space has been allocated to Mrs.
Marie NJ. Forrest and her staff, in
charge Of pageantry and other like ac-
tivities
Plans are rapidly going forward for
the presentation Of the George WASH
ington pageant-play to be staged on
the Monument Grounds June %, %, "a
and 25, under auspices of the District
Commission.
Evening star., 1932-02-27
IS DEAD IN FLOODS
ALONG WEST COAST
Washington Faces Greatest
Water and Avalanche
Peril in Years.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
SEATTLE, February 27.-On the
heels of warm Chinook winds and
heavy rains, Western Washington was
in the grip tohaylof the greatest menace
from floods and earth and snow slides
in years, with 13 lives already taken.
In the mountains of the Western
Cascades, q death-dealing torrent of
water and mud swept away part of
the little community Of Edgewick yes
terday afternoon. -Four women, two
children and one man were lost. The
debris was searched today for two
bodies.
The melting snow fields in the noun
tains, in addition to threatening slides
and devastation to whatever might be
in their path, also filled rivers. In
Western Washington, the Stillaguamish,
Snoqualmie, Green, Puyallup, Raging
and Stuck rivers were bank full, or
overfowing.
Rail Lines Blocked.
From the Canadian line south to the
COluHIDld plVcI, highways anu IdllTOdO
lines were blocked by washouts, wire
service was handicapped, and many
families were marooned or fleeing from
river valleys to higher ground.
Those killed at Edgewick, when a
wall of water $50 yards wide and Is
feet deep broke loose from a natural
basin, were:
Ira Moore, so; Mrs. Ermadie Moore
his wife; Mrs Elwood Clagett, 20; Mrs
William Blade and her two children,
Rosemary, 3, and Margaret, months
Mrs. Gust Balder.
Other Lives Lost.
The others who lost their lives in
the past two days were two victims OF
a food at High Point, three miles east
of Issaquam, George Johnson and his
son Gusta, 10, and four men entombed
by an avalanche Of snow in the Skagit
River canyon.
Workmen still tlInneled and bur-
rowed into the fast-melting snow-bed
left by the avalanche for bodies Of the
workmen.
Evening star., 1932-02-27
BAND CONCERT.

BY the United States Soldiers Home
Band Orchestra this evening at Stanley
Hall at $50 O'Clock; John S. M. Zim-
mermann, bandmaster; Anton Pointner,
assistant, conducting:
March, "On the Step. ....... Charles
Overture, Ben Venuto Cellini" q. Berlioz
Suite de ballet, La Source" No. /,
Delibes
l. Scarf Dance"
2 Scene dAmour."
3. Variation"
T. "Danse Circassienne."
Potpourri, Popular Songs Of Hawaii"
Lake
Fox trot, Dance Of the Wooden
Dolls" Observation-Disclosures. Stevens
Popular waltz song, Tears" .Capano
Finale, "Maybe-Who Knows?"
Schuster
THE Star Spangled Banner"
Evening star., 1932-02-27
BANKRUPTCY CURB
SOUGHT BY HOOVER
Special Message to Congress
Will Recommend Legis-
Iative Reforms.

Reforms in the bankruptcy laws and
procedure of the Federal Courts in
criminal cases will be recommended by
President Hoover in a special message
to Congress early next week.
An investigation of the bankruptcy
laws, undertaken two years ago by the
Justice and Commerce Departments,
has just been completed. It has con-
vinced the President the bankruptcy
act as it now stands is highly defective,
specially as it permits too many loop
holes.
Discussing the subject yesterday
afternoon at his semi-weekly press con-
ference, Mr.. Hoover, after announcing
he would send the special message to
Congress, said the inquiry conducted
by the Justice and Commerce Depart
ments disclosed that the number Of
cases of bankruptcy steadily increased
from % 900 in 1921 to $4,000 in 1928
and TO $1,000 In 1881. He said losses
to creditors have increased from $l44,-
00o,oO in 1921 to 100000 in 1928
and $e11 100000 in 1881.
Deeper Causes Blamed.
1t was his contention the increases
are not due TO the economic situation
| but, as he expressed it, to deeper causes,
as the largest portion of these increases
happened during times Of prosperity.
The text of the Presidents statement
follows:
IT shall be sending to the Congress
early next week q message on the sub
ject of reform Of the bankruptcy laws
and procedure of the Federal Courts in
criminal cases.
Two years ago, directed that a
searching investigation be undertaken
in the matter of bankruptcy laws by
the Department of Justice and the
Department Of Commerce; that inves-
tigation has been completed. The De-
partments have had the able co-opera-
ton of different private bodies.
THE present bankruptcy laws proved,
In this investigation, to be defective
and to hold out inducements for waste
Of assets and to permit exploitation and
disregard of the rights of creditors and
many injustices to bankrupts them
| selves.
Groups Agree on Reforms.
In the matter of criminal procedure
in the Federal Courts, the investiga-
tons by the Department Of Justice, the
Law Enforcement Commission and diff
ferent bar associations agree on rec
concentrations of certain reforms in
the matter of permitting accused per-
sons to waive indictment by grand
| juries If they wished to plead guilty; to
overcome technicalities in the consti-
tuition Of grand iuries; to simplify the
! procedure of the District Courts and
! appeals in criminal cases to the higher
! courts-the object of all these reforms
| being to expedite criminal trials and
appeals and thus add deterrent to
crime by diminishing technicalHies OF
which convicted persons can take ad-
vantage to produce long delays
THE message will also contain some
recommendations as to questions of
diversity of citizenship in the Federal
! Courts and some recommendation for
relief of congestion in the courts by
the addition of certain judges as rec
commended by the judicial council"
Evening star., 1932-02-27
WALCOTT DEMANDS
OPEN HEARINGS ON
"BEAR-RAID" CHARGES
Continued From First Page.)


is to find the culprits and determine
the extent of their operations and it
Is proposed to do this at once by hold
ing open hearings before the Commit
tee on Banking and Currency, COM
mencing early next week"
After the Walcott statement had been
read into the record the committee
adjourned to next week, when 1t will
consider the making of a full inquiry
into activities by bear operators. There
was no comment on the probable course.
Authors of measures to curb the &C
tivities of the Stock Exchange operators
were called first at today's hearing.
Senator Hastings, Republican, of
Delaware, author of a resolution for a
reaching investigation, spoke first
before the committ>c.
"The public is under the impression, I"
he said. that great injustice is being
done through the practice of short SELL
ing"
Hastings made no accusations him
self and insisted he Just wanted the
facts for public information.
Hundreds of Complaints.
1T may very we'll result in a decision
that nothing need be done" conceded
the Senator. Il have hundreds OF let
tiers of complaint. Some very intelli-
gent people believe great crimes are
being committed in short selling"
Hastings didn't think 1t necessary to
inquire into the Stock Exchange as a
whole.
Senator Blaine, Republican of Wis
consin. said an investigation into the
whole gamut of stock market opera
tions leading up to the 1927-l929 specu-
lation "orgy" and subsequent collapse
was imperative, adding I'VE ought to
find out about the bulls who inflated
security prices as well as those who are
now debating prices"
Senator Buckley, Democrat. Ohio,
asked how the value of stocks was to be
determined to know whether bear
raids" were actually driving security
prices below value.
Gauged on Book Values.
Hastings proposed that they be
gauged on their book values. He said
some one who ought to know" had
reported that III stocks on the ex-
change were selling at about one half
Of their book value based on liquid
assets alone.
Senator Brookhart. Republican, Iowa,
unfolded a chart and contended 1t
showed that stocks ARE still too high. -
He hit the shorts but also proposed
an inquiry Of the longs"
Taking the floor before the commit
tee. Senator Watson of Indiana said,
If we can't regulate them let us throw
the light OF day on the whole PROPOSE
ton"
"I think we can regulate" h. con-