davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1932-12-27

about which NO one can feel anything
but deep regret-the great number Of
serious accidents which, according to
press reports, marred the holidays. No
less than one hundred and five persons
were killed in automobile accidents,
and at least nfty-four persons lost their
lives In drownings, flres, train accidents
and other mishaps. Three homicides
were listed as having been promoted
by Christmas intemperance. Doubt
less q complete roster Of the major
and minor tragedies OF the YuIetide
period would run into thousands.
The phenomenon is characteristic Of
each national holiday. New Year. the
Fourth Of July, Labor day, Thsnkssiv-
ing, even Easter and Armistice ds.y cost
something In human life and wellbeing
The cause is not far to seek. Exuber-
ant spirits imply carelessness and care
lessness Is the explanation Of most ac-
cidents. People get excited" or get
rattled." and normal caution Is thrown
to the winds.
So it happens that there must be
many whose Christmas memories are
sad. That is a fact about which a
certain indignation properly may be
felt Human life IS too precious, too
valuable, to be wasted, and it Is pity
that death should be permitted to lay
its hand upon occasions which normal
" ought to be exempt from such .
blight.
Is it too much to hops that next
year there may be fewer sorrowful
memories and more really joyful ones?
Evening star., 1932-12-27
ssMiss'' Will Be Missed
From the Phone Books
70 the Editor Of The star:

Az VIC 1uieoi Va Auo Cseis
I have noted your editorial miss"
and find it rather amusing. On OPEN
ing the Washington telephone book
and opening it at random on page 73-
I found in the middle column just three
women with the title Of Miss" II that
page is typical, Washington would not
save much space by clipping on that
title.
But why strike out the Miss? There
are a great many more MIS-" and q
great many full names given. Cut on
all titles. Why not?
I agree with the New York Telephone
Co. that the title of Miss" should
go. but not as they propose. Just why
there should be two titles for women
is not clear to me. Men have only
one and get along very well, and why
not women? It Is no ones business
whether a woman is single or married;
parade its
Both titles are abbreviations Of Mis-
tress. which was the title used by single
women long ago. Married women were
called Madame. But why two titles at
all? Boys are called Master, but they
are eager to drop 1t and take the
grown-up title. Why don't girls do like
the New York Telephone Co.-and
women would be all the better Of for
dropping the Miss as boys are BY drop
pins the Master. Many women crave
equality with men. That would be
step toward equality. Is this idea new
to YOU? If so, send this on to New
York and let them make 1t public. II
is q good idea-not my own. got IL
from the French women, and from the
women of Sweden, who are tired OF
wearing the childish title just because
they remain single. Why not go back
to the title Mistress" Or its abbrcvia-
tion "llfS"2 1uRA !. .. JENONG
Evening star., 1932-12-27
Standardization.


The Saturday Evening Post holds .
brief for Standardization. It declares:
"It Is the one process by which some Of
the finer things Of life can be stepped
down to the masses, and the sole method
Of distributing the direct benefits OF
progress to every one"
Superficially, the sentiment appears
1armlessly commonplace. But will it
stand close critical examination? Is 1t
true that Standardization is "the one
process" or "the sole method" for the
demonstration of the fruits Of inven-
ton and labor? There are whole
schools Of thought which return a mega
tive answer.
It is a matter Of history and fact OF
science that the instinct toward imita-
ton which is the psychological basis OF
Standardization has for its concom-
nitant an instinct toward variation.
Forms survive and prosper by being
IKE or nearly like other forms. but
they also survive and prosper by being
unlike others. Conformity has q prac-
tical value, but 90 has non-conformity.
It Is good to be Of type. but it just as
truly is good to be different. The Post
states only a half-truth when it speaks
of what is so clearly one of the ear
lest impulses Of the human race-the
tendency and preference Of man to eat.
Cress, act and think as much as posi-
BILE like his fellow men" A cardinal
principle of socialism, that notion Is
fundamentally unscientihc. It presun1es
altogether too much. In point OF fact,
one Of the earliest impulses Of the hu-
Evening star., 1932-12-27
That Thin Gray Line.
Prom the Oklahoma city Daily oklahoman.

from the Oklahoma City Daily Oklahoman.
Something Of the tragedy Of time Is
written into the passing of that vener-
able magazine the Confederate Veteran,
which folded UP and ceased to be with
It's last issue. forced to discontinue be-
cause Of economic pressure. Probably
the depression had something to DO
with It's finish, as has been the case
with better known periodicals that have
passed from the picture during these
recent lean years. But there Is more
than that In the decline and fall Of the
Confederate Veteran. The dwindltns
ranks Of gray are fading before the
inexorable march of time.
The proud traditions Of these vet
Grams win not die while 1t Is In the race
to appreciate the worth of valor, but
the retelling Of their brave tales; after
all, was of most interest to the veterans
themselves, and there aren't so many
Of them surviving Sons and Daughters
Of the Confederacy cherish the record
Of thoec Dixie legions, but that record
must Inevitably be less vivid to them
than to the men who made 1t. The
masaxine that was for the veterans
chiefly could not hope to prosper - In
the past with most Of those veterans
gone.
Evening star., 1932-12-27
Christmas Memories.

Thomas Edison once said that In the
course Of long life he could recall
only very few days Of genuine hap
piness. Obviously, he meant that to a
sensitive, sympathetic soul personal
joys inevitably are tinctured by thought
Of the sorrows Of others. Only an utterly
selfish person could so far divorce him
self from the race of which he is part
to be absolutely or unquahfiedly happy
at any single moment OF his career
But approximate happiness, certainly,
must come to almost every man and
woman, and surely to every child, now
and again.
Today thousands of people who work
together In Offices, stores, banks, FAC
tories and mills are reassembling after
two days of Christmas festivity, ano
they are telling one another Of the
simple but gratifying joys Of the an
nual feast. For forty-eisht hours they
have put aside cares and worries and
each in his own way, they have been
translating into action the loeaS o'
human fellowship and love which the
Great Teacher Of Galilee preached
nineteen hundred years ago. It has
been an experience worth talking about
and the subject rnquestionably is ths
principal theme Of conversation wher'
ever groups which were scattered ovel
Sunday and yesterday now are gathered
again for the duties Of their positions
in the work-a-day world. Each indi'
vidual has some note of pleasant re-
membrance to contribute to the chorus
Of relative, If not absolute. Joy. Alto
gether it seems to have been gooo
Christmas. Granted that It was damp
ened by the effects Of the depression
It appears to have been in certain re.
spects all the more memorable on that
account It was a Christmas of sacri'
fee and self denial, but that may bt
one teason why it was succ 5.
However. there Is one circumstance
Evening star., 1932-12-27
High Lights on the Wide World
Excerpts From Newspapers of Other Lands
It's the government

to look up soon. It's the government
ats to blame"
Today there are IS horse-drawn cabs
licensed in the municipal area Of Cape
Town In 1900 Cape Town had about
200 two or four wheelerS.
What has happened to all the "cab-
bies"?
Many. of course, have died. a number
have gone over to the motor vehicle
but there are still few on the ranks
in Cape Town today.
A few old "die-hards" who stick II
the cabs just because they prefer
them" They were stalwarts of the Cal
Owners and Cab Drivers Association
who, at Q meeting on April Is, 1908
fought so desperately against the in
PRODUCTION Of the taxi, motor cars
which, they felt. would ruin their trade
and eventually put them of the ranks
The introduction of the motor car
which is now the premier method Of
without serious misgivings on the par
Of citizens interested In the horse.
drawn vehicles.
Ecuador Disguised
BY Political Changes.
Ell TELEGRAPH, Guayaquil-The cam.
paign for the presidency Of the repub.
lie has been marked in the City Of Lola
with mutual recriminatiors on the part
Of both liberals and conservatives. mos
of these railings, 1t is scarcely necessary
to say, being anonymous
The people OF Lola in general havt
noted these interchanges with profoune
Indignation, and, except for the fac
that both parties have been accused
of identical defects and defaults, 1t Il
likely their votes would be cast for tht
candidate most assailed, without inquir'
ing too ninutely into the justification
for the charges. Citizens Of Lola have
always enjoyed an exalted reputation
for merit and morality, and are LITTLE
pleased to have such unworthy mtrlgue'
fomented in their midst.
One proceeding, particularly resented
was the distribution Of vaguely wordet
handbills advocating the candidacy O
Don Manuel Sotomayor Luna fol
the presidency of the republic. Thu
it was not signed by anybody. Win!
such secrecy? Those who have any
thing to assert regarding a candidate
favorable or otherwise, should not b.
ashamed to authenticate 1t with thei
| Signature, or verbal acknowledgment
whether they are Conservatives or LIB
erals. For anonymous attacks an,
equally rlamelesS Endorsements q yer.
alert intuition is never required to plac1
| the responsibility.
It is the opposition in the first cas-
and the timid supporters In the secont
that seek to influence the will Of tn
electorate In such contingencies. Criti
cism to be valid, and to be effective
should. particularly, always be specifi
and clear as to its source. Liberals II
the Province and City of Lola hav'
openly united in preference for the sue
cess of Don Juan Martinez Mera.
Evening star., 1932-12-27
Ryan Unduly Excited
Over British Gold
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
It seems to me that w. Z. Ryan, in
your issue Of the 21st instant, Is unduly
incensed because OF the earmarking OF
gold in tho vaults Of the Bank Of Eng.
land, rather than immediate physical
shipment Of the metal to the United
States,
While the legal minimum gold cover
age Of the money OF the United States
is 20 per cent, The Star in recent Issues
has told US that .Srs we h.gs is per sSn
menb ore being received; that there Is
less money In circulation, and that our
Government Is making frequent heavy
issues Of short-term notes, or certtfi-
Gates, at interest.
We have 1t, ON no less authority than
that OF the President Of the United
States, that the issuance OF United
States gold notes, based upon . part Of
our surplus gold coverage, would be the
end OF the gold standard, such money
being fiat n1oney-rubber dollars. Ger
tainly that Is plain to all, or Is it?
Also, it might be difncult to place
such fiat money, based upon gold, in
circulation unless It were used to pur-
chase outstanding tax-exempt Govern
ment bonds. such as the Liberty bonds.
That would be q bad thing Tor the
country, because It might force money
into industrial Investment channels, in
crease governmental income tax receipts
and decrease interest payments upon
the national debt created to make the
original loans. Why, the deficit itself
might become endangered, and then
what?
Bringing the gold here from Europe
in large, heavy bars and chucking It into
basement vaults will undoubtedly be
best for every one, because Europeans
will then mistrust their own currencies
and add to their present basement
hoardings Of United States paper and
gold coin by svappi.s more OF their un-
sound paper for United States notes
and coin. When all our currency Is
safely buried in European Easements
and fields and we have all the gold In
nice. large bars, boarded in vaults, with
the statistics showing plenty OF money
in circulation and more municipalities
issuing script based upon nothing, we
will all be sitting pretty, waiting for
more soup kitchens to open up.
Apparently Mr.. Ryan Is unnecessarily
excited about gold, which upon arrival
will be boarded In bars in vaults, with
out issuance Of currency based thereupon
or application Of the value thereof upon
the national debt. As Mr. Ryan. or the
general public, will not receive the
slightest service from the gold, why all
the excitement? CHAS. GALE.
Evening star., 1932-12-27
Court Decision on Texas Oil
Emphasizes Proration Fight

Said the court: Tt does not follow from
the fact that the executive has the
range Of discretion, deemed to be .
necessary incident Of his power to sup
press disorder. that every sort Of action
the Governor may take. no matter how
unjustifed sss Is conclusively support.
ed by mere executive fat. The contrary
Is well established In addition to the
important pronouncements of the court
upon the issues involved, the decision
comes before the public at q time when
q rededication Of public sentiment
possibly o revival in belief-that only
under our sound constitutional guaran-
ties can there be liberty regulated by
law without which there can be no
true liberty"
There Is no real opposition Of State
and Federal purposes in this case" ad-
vtses the Wall Street journal, with
the statement: 1T Is noteworthy that
the decision has no bearing upon the
ends the Governor sought to achieve,
but deals only with the appropriateness
under the law Of the means he chose to
achieve them. Although the court ex-
tends its hand to protect the Federally
guaranteed rights of the injured parties
1t broadly intimates that equivalent
protection was available under Texas
law" Reviewing the crisis and the effect
Of Texas law. the Wall Street Journal
observes: by way of explanation Of
Gov. Sterlng's action, though not Of
justification Of its Legality, it may be
said that the crisis which he sought to
meet was OF the nature of panic. East
Texas land owners were at the time
gripped by q mania to turn their oil
deposits into cash, as though oil were
about to lose all value forever Indeed,
the lowest prices which crude petroleum
reached in certain Texas fields in the
Summer OF 1881 were enough to con-
vince them that their fears were being
realized. The State itself as owner Of
oil lands had a direct interest in the
outcome. Although the Supreme Court
expressly based its decision upon the
rights Of the complaining land owners
under the Federal Constitution, 1t sees
Mt to recognize the force Of the observa-
tons OF the lower court that the con-
stitution OF Texas provides that the
nate to the civil authority and that ut
power OF suspending laws in this State
shall be exercised except by the Ler.s-
latre.' As to this aspect Of the case the
Supreme Court says The interpfe-arlon
Of the State constitution is still q mat
ter OF local law, as to which the courts
Of the State would in any event have
the final word The objection to the
Governors action, prompting the court
to set 1t aside. is that it sought to apply
his emergency powers where there was
no emergency to call them into being"
Evening star., 1932-12-27

man race wNs to do quite the con-
trary, to refuse to eat, dress, oct and
think like others. Upon that refusal
Ill early progress depended.
The invention Of the stone Ak prob
ably was the most important achieve
ment IN AL the long ages OF pfehis-
tory. Was It Z manifestation OF the
tendency to conform or was It = radi-
cal departure from ordinary custom?
Unquestionably, Il was the latter. And
when stone axes had been stepped
down" to the masses. some Individual
genius. dissatisfied with . stone az.
designed . better implement, the bronze
sword. The latter In turn gave place
to the steel sword. and the steel sword
to the rifle shot. In such q genealogy
the quest for something more effective
Is the important thing. The analogy
prevails throughout the whole of life.
Wanting what the other fellow has IL
all very well, but wanting something
still finer Is quite AZ common an am
bition.
The search for novelty IS the major
motive power Of human advancement.
It is the function Of genius to find what
Is wanted; and the business OF manu-
featuring and trade Is that of convey
Ing the discovery to the rank and file
Of mankind. But mankind Is never
satisfied. No sooner has 1t received the
object Of Its longing than it begins to
hope for something more satisfying.
Hence authentic progress. Standariza-
ton would halt the procession.
No trustworthy critic of regimentation
Of life wishes for humanity dead-level
medlocrity. Its appeal is against any
arbitrary pattern, against all risidity,
against all fixity. II that attitude Is
un-American, as the Post seems to
believe, let the most be made Of It.
Emerson was correct when he specified
"a better niousetrap." It is mistake to
make fetish Of standardization. It has
been by progressive policies that the
United States has grown great and
strong, not by unfaltering adherence to
stand-pat dogmas Of defective I'm
portance.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

The resources OF our free Information
Bureau Are Ut your service. You are
invited to call upon 1t as often as you
please It Is being maintained solely to
serve you. What question can we an
swer for you? There Is no charge at al
except 8 cents in coins or stamps for
return postage. Do not use post cards.
Address your letter TO The Evening Star
Director, Washington, D. 9.
Q. Are there any statistics showing
the cost Of fox hunting in England?
p. J.
says that the annual cost Of this sport
$50 900, 900. This includes the perma-
nent maintenance Of homes In the
country the keep Of grooms and hunt
servants, horses, dogs and the elaborate
equipment necessary for this coiorful
sport.
@. What stamp Is It that has an en-
craving Of q waterfall that has now be-
come Of value to stamp collectors?-
F. T.
A. It is . stamp Of 10 centAvos de-
nomination made for the Philippine
eOFCiuulcuts AuC WhIc1Adn - 1oSeiCo
'The Falls Of Pagsanjan"-A pictur-
Through an error, vernal Falls in Yo-
semitic Valley, Calf, Is depicted. For
this reason the stamps have been with
drawn from circulation and are worth
more than their face value to collectors.
@. How much money was lent to the
allies during the World War, and how
much afterWard?-J. A. H.
A. According to the annual report Of
the World War Foreign Debt Connis-
sion, the total amount OF pre-armistice
cash loans was over $1,000 900 600.
Seven countries were granted these
loans. The total post-armistice cash
loans totaled over 81, 900 900 900. and
war supplies and relief supplies over
$739 900, 900. These post-armistice loans
and relief supplies were granted to 1s
countries.
@. When speaking 10 the President Of
the United States. what form does one
use?-A. 8. NJ.
A. One says "Mr. President" and
usually adds sir" later In the CONVEX
sation.
Q. What DO basket ball players use
on shoes to keep them from slipping
on highly polished or waxed fioors?-
H. C.
A. II Is q common practice for basket
ball players to use castor oil, gasoline
and kerosene oil on the soles Of basket
ball shoes to hold to a slippery or
highly polished waxed floor. There is
no doubt that all these substances de-
stroy the wearing qualities Of the shoe
and greatly tnjure the rubber.
@. Is Gertrude Atherton d descendant
of Benjamin Franklin?-B C. r.
A. Not a direct descendant. Mrs
Atherton says that her mother was de-
scended from . brother Of Benjamin
Franklin.
@. Is the capacity Of the Panama
Canal suficient to handle the COM
merce at present ?-R. S.
A. The present capacity Of the Pana-
ma Canal is ample for the handling Of
any traffic likely to develop in many
years to come, according to the annual
report OF the Governor Of the Panama
Canal for the fiscal year ended June,
1882.
q. Why had the Confederate nas -
stars?-H. E.
A. The South claimed the States Of
Missouri and Kentucky. since these
States elected delegates to the Confed-
crate Congress as well as to the North
! ern CONGRESS,
Evening star., 1932-12-27

Certain negotiations are at . stand
still. President Hoover will not tell
the President-elect Roosevelt what to
do for the four years after Inaugural
ton and the President elect will not tell
the President what to do for the next
two months.
Evening star., 1932-12-27
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Encore.
The Christmas tree was q success.
It left US with smile,
And 70 we're making bold to guess
We're going to have another. after
while.
Springtime and Summer soon will yield
To Autumns Haunting style
And evergreens grow In the field
We're going to have another. after
while.
The world will travel brave and strong
Through many . weary mile.
But we can't go wrong with the Christ
mas song
And we're going to have another, after
while.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

The man who describes himself as
fugitive from chain gang Is wanted by
the authorities, who seem willing to take
chance on even more startling mate
rial for publication.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

Another admirable trait Of Santa
Claus is that by limiting himself to
home territory he can represent
spirit Of generosity that requires no
bookkeeping.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

As an aid to business the Reconstruc-
ton Finance Corporation has set q pace
to be admired by engaging in q number
OF transactions with no threat as yet Of
going into the red"
Evening star., 1932-12-27

Stain might get favorable attention
from China for five-year plan as a re-
lief from the Jananese idea Of causing
extraordinary things to take place all Of
q sudden.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

II enough European professors come
over here there may be decreased
sense Of need on the part OF tourists
to go over there in quest Of culture.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

Holiday songs have interrupted a
current musical tendency A good old
Christmas carol is not for the crooner.
Evening star., 1932-12-27
Who Will Be Red?

From the Boston Evenins Transcript.
Question Is, would Americas recog-
milton help Russia to get out Of the
red? Or US into It?
Evening star., 1932-12-27
When to Stop Drinking.
= the Boston ryening Transcript,

From the Boston Evening Transcript.
A professor in the West thinks that
people ought to be taught the art Of
drinking, but It's even more important
to teach them the art of knowing when
to stop.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

Commentaries on the Bible are still
offered with new touches Of originality.
Many continue to regard the Book of
Books as all-suficient unto itself.
Evening star., 1932-12-27
Future Scholarship.

From the Cincinnati Times-Star.
We suspect that the next generation
of college students will be studying
courses on How to Pay War Debts"
Evening star., 1932-12-27

One reason why stocks do not get up
more steam may be that there is not
enough water" left In them.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

Tall Corn and Long Green.
From the Omaha World.Herald.
Iowan quits farm to make more money
pitching horseshoes. Forsakes tall corn
Tor long green.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

1All Quiet Along the Potomac"
From the Omaha Evening world-Herald.
The Civil War veteran who fought
the war over while sleep-walking must
belong to the IAN Quiet Along the Po-
ton1ac" corps.
Evening star., 1932-12-27
All Set.

From the Cleveland News.
subterranean lake, five times as salty
as the sea, ID found under Moscow. The
Russians will have plenty Of salt for
their meat, II they can get the meat.
Evening star., 1932-12-27

Calling on Science.
What do you think should be the
proper percentage Of alcohol In beer?"
II haven't thought 1t out" answered
Uncle Bill Bcttletop. Science ought
to intervene and invent an intoxi-
cemeter."
I'VE would all be surprised" said HI
He, the sage Of Chinatown, III We
could know how many enemies are
creations of our imsginationa"
Evening star., 1932-12-27

The Five-Day Week.
As Genesis again we scan
With reverence unabated,
We find, with less than six days, man
Would not have been created.
Evening star., 1932-12-27
Ducking Lame Ducks.

From the Newark Evening News.
Among the things q lame duck ducks
is responsibility to itis party and the
| people. as. .s----,.-.