davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
Moscow Letter

Moscow (UP)-The desire of Soviet leaders to provide children here with suitable substitute for the old-fashioned fairy tales has led to many curious experiments in juvenile fiction.
 One of the most curious of them carries the title "The Tale of Aliosha and Uncle White-Sea," and was given the unusual honor of full publication in the official or gan of the government, Izvestia.
 The author, a gifted young jour- nalist named Leo Kassil, proved his audacity, if nothing else, by the choice of subject matter for his story. Written in the style of a fairy tale, this story is based on the recent construction of the White Sea Canal by more than 100000 convicts.
 Unpleasant Theme.
 The convict-made canal is not in itself a pleasant theme for bed time recounting in the nursery. It is, in fact, a rather grusome busi- ness.
 The sero is a homeless lad, AliOsha of RiaZan. The good fairy, as it were, is stern Chekist." AL most as good a fairy is Uncle White-Sea, who directs some of the construction work in the bleak North.
 Aliosha. dirty and wild, is ,rst taken in by 8 kind hearted young artist lady. She tires to make him wash and feeds him sweets. But he can't stand her gentleness. Like every red-bloded hero of Soviet juvenile fiction, he craves more solid stuff. So he runs away, talk ing some of his hostess's belong ing with him.
 When the stern Checklist, with offices in the G.P.U. building in Moscow, catches Aliosha some years later the homeless boy has grown into a full-fiedged thief.
 From that point forward tho plot is simple enough. Aliosha is taken in hand by Uncle White-Sea. He gradually acustoms himself to work, becomes a shock-brigader and wins an Order of Lenin for his fine services. He returns to society as useful citizen.
 Such are the substitutes for Cin- derella and Jack the Giant-Killer Whether the -kiddies like it is not vet known, but that the eit0rs of Izvestia like it is already fact.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
A Book a Day by BRUCE CATION
Book Tells Secrets of the Railroads

The first cow-catcher on an American locomotive was a hori- zontal bar studded with 10-inch spikes. The first time it hit COW they had to get another engine to come and pull the unfortunate COW off the spikes, so the gadget had to be abandoned.
 Buffaloes interrupted service on the first continental railways by using the telegraph poles as back scratchers and, in time, breaking them. A smart maintenance Of way man studded the poles with shoe makers awls. But this simply made the poles better backscratchers than ever and pleased the buffaloes enormously.
 So the railroad had to put up with the breakages and wait for the buffaloes to be exterminated.
 These are two of the odd little items of railway lore to be found in "SteeI Trails,'' By Martin D. Stevens. It is a book about Amer ican railroads-their past, their present, their future, their methods of operating, their finances. and their perSonalttteS-and 10 anyone who has any feeling at all for the thrilling and romantic story of railroading it will be intensely in- teresting.
 MT Stevers reveals lot of the mysteries of the profession. How is a passenger train made up? What happens when a big freight arrives in the yards? Why do rail roads spend millions to eliminate seemingly unimportant grades and curves? How is the complicated business of dispatching trains ham, dled?
 And if you're the kind that gets a kick out of trains, and stations and locomotives and such like you'll enjoy it immensely. Published by Minton. Balch & Co if aaIIa for S37k
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

Washington, Dec. 20-It looks as if old John Public, the guy who has been taking MIRA price boosts on the chin and saying nothing, has finally awakened.
 In the hearing on the retail coal code the other day an un- obtrusive individual got to his feet and asked for the floor. ''I represent the consumer" he said.
 COAL DEALERS ALARMED
 Coal dealers and MIRA officials gasped. Never before had any, thing like this happened. They let the intruder-Fred Hoising- ton of New York-make his spiel, and afterward jumped on him with all their feet.
 This, however, was just the be- ginning. Various consumers and consumer organizations had been getting up steam. Among these was Mrs Roosevelt. The First Lady of the Land is a careful buyer. During the early years of her married life she kept house on a strict budget; and whom IlcE kAhAlGb EOO AAhAkAANAAf Mrs Roosevelt gave her the household books as a wedding present.
 So Mrs Roosevelt helped to sponsor meeting of consumer organizations last week. One of the most healthy achievements of this conference was the reali- zation that the consumers ad- visory board of the MIRA had been a complete flop. Mrs Mary Hartman Rumsey, the chair man, is well-meaning and de- lightful, but completely made quate. An inheritor of the Harri- man roalroad millions, she has little realization of the consum- ers' problem.
 ON THE SPOT
 At last weeks consumers con- ference, she was put on the spot. Professor Colston Warren of Amherst, among others, grilled her for her boards failure.
 "Yes, yes," replied Mrs Rum- sey, q fully agree. But what would you have the consumers advisory board do about it?'
 Professor Warren is tall and slow-spoken. He blinked at Mrs Rumsey for a moment, finally drawled: You could take a po- sition, and then if it wasn't adopted, you could resign"
 This is what Professor w. F. Ogburn. first head of the cOn- sumers' board, did. but it is the last thing Mrs Rumsey wants to do. Appointed through her old friend, Professor MOley. Mrs Rumsey is having the time of her life and would not give up her job for worlds.
 Tn a slightly different category is Dexter Keezer, most forth right member of the MIRA con- sumers' board. He has had sev- eral brushes with General John son has been told to keep in his place, and now generally does so. His policy is the gradualist one of making small dents in favor of the consumer in each
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
In New York

Washington. = Apparently the Alice Roosevelt Longworth myth still persists in the Nations Capi- tol.
 At a luncheon of cabinet wives the other day someone referred to Mrs Longworth's present "politi- cal obscurity" From that mo- ment until the party broke up an hour and a half later, nothing was talked about by the democratic ladies save this so-called "obscur- ity"
 This week when the Women's National Press Club had Alice Roosevelt Longworth as the guest of honor at luncheon, there were more reservations made than for any luncheon the group had had in years-and they make a prac- tice of having celebrities!
 Mrs LOngwOrth didn't
 speak. She never does. But
 her very presence is exciting
 and she is the kind of woman
 who looks as if she would be
 a marvelOus1y amusing per-
 son if she ever did break
 down and talk. ' Cabbage in the Air
 At the press conference at the White House the other day, a dis tinct odor Of good, old American boiled cabbage scented the air as you came down the second floor hall.
 The living room which Mrs Roosevelt mad eof the end of the hall where Mrs Hoover had her conservatory, looks very lived-in now. Groups of six or eight small pictures hang over the davenport, the tables and the long bookcases which are filled with the latest books in their gay jackets .. Most of the pictures on the walls are sea scenes or ships A huge low Indian pottery bowl, holding a cactus garden, stands on the table beside the big chintz-covered davenport where Mrs Roosevelt always sits while being interview ed by the press. Cups for the Roosevelts
 Last. summer. when. Valentine Thomson, French political writer, was a guest at the White House, Mrs Roosevelt complained one morning of the way she had to fill guests coffee cups so often because they were such tiny cups.
 The other day, back from France, Madame Thomson called at the White House laden with a big carton containing a dozen of those huge French coffee cups and the urr, in a blue field flower de- sign, which she brought from Paris as gift for the First Lady.
 The guards at the door stopped her. All her explaining was in vain. She Had to send for Mrs Roosevelt's tsecretary, Tommy" to come out and rescue her-and the French china. Our Busy Labor Secretary
 Secretary of Labor Frances Per- kins, and Mrs Mary Rumsey, chair man of the Consumers Advisory board of the MIRA, share house in Georgetown.
 Miss Perkins refuses practically all social invitations-'too busy" Nor does She entertain =.
 Mime Boncesco, charming wife of the. financial counsel of the Rnmanian legation, wears a monocle George Creel, head of the California MIRA, flew here last week for conference, transacted his business Saturday and spent the entire day Sunday at the Zoo. .. Senator Robert F. Wagner. chairman of the labor board, wears pink checked shirts, red and blue brocaded ties, double-breast- ed blue suits and Is natty-plump, squat little figure, with rugged, kindly features that sculptor would like to work in stone. ..
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
Selected Poem
GREAT EXPECTATIONS

(By Paul Rayson in the New York
 Sun) With the approach of Santa Claus The sternest individual thaws; Parental discipline demands Less, and the heart again expands. Angelic faces, all scrubbed clean Enliven the domestic scene. It's Father this and Mother that They have their manners now
 down pat.
 Eager to please our every whim, A flock of perfect cherubim! And one must be obtuse indeed Who gives these many hints no heed.
 We'll, We must look around before Sleigh bells start jingling at the door. Next Saturday perhaps we'll do Some window-shopping; Junior, too, Might like to see what kind of toys Have been devised for little boys. That model motor boat, I feel, Should have positive appeal. Skates or a bike? Get out that list And jot down anything we've missed! Meanwhile, I'm hardly reconciled To so much virtue in g child!
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
Know Your Waterbury Its History, Facts and General Information
HISTORY.

A lake might have been in evil
 dence where the city of Waterbury now stands under certain condi- lions, through the possible closing
 of the gorge below Naugatuck. On
 the surface of most of the local
 and adjacent hills was noted a thin layer of drift, not in most cases more than one or two feet in thick ness. A river current of enough strength would have demolished
 these hills.
 There were certain kettle holes" in the vicinity of Waterbury which puzzled geologists but eventually
 the solution was reached that they
 mark place where detached masses
 of ice of moderate extent, but of
 great thickness were surrounded by and covered over with drift at the
 close of the ice period" Our histor- ian who has gone into the geolog- ical formation of Waterbury believ-
 ed that this region demonstrated very definitely the outstanding feat
 ures of the ice age, which is study
 in itself and which we have not
 the time nor space to write of in
 any complete or adequate manner.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
Child Labor Amendment

Eighteen states have now ratified the child labor amendment to the Constitu- tion. Advocates of the amendment are more hopeful than they have been for long time. There are many people who think that the need for the amendment is past. They are aware of the remarkable stride towards elimination of child labor which has been made in many of the in- Dustrial codes. The codes are supposed to hve solved the whole child labor problem.
 The National Child Labor Committee points out that the codes are temporary md that the amendment must be ratified
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

O. Where is James G. Blaine buried?
 ington, D. c. c. When was Donati's Comet i discovered and how did the name originate? A. It was first seen by Giom- fanni Donati at Florence, Italy, on June 2, 1858; and remained visible until March 1859. Its period is D. 900 years. 70. What does anchor aweigh mean? A. When the flukes of an an- chor are just clear of the bottom the anchor is said to be aweigh. o. Do all coins, minted by the United States. bear the date of mintage? r.ars A. Yes.
 Q. Which are the evening planets of the western sky for De- | cember?
 A. Venus, Mars and Saturn. c. When was the motion pie ture "Show Boat" released? A. In the spring of 1929. Q. Name some foods rich in Iodine. A. Shell fish such as Holsters. l oysters, and shrimp. O. What is "Nansen" pass port?
 A. A certificate issued under the auspices of the League of Na- lions to persons who are unable to obtain passports from their native or adopted country. It is a sort of standard identity card known as the "Nansen Identity Certificate" Q. How many chemical ele- ments have been discovered? A. Ninety-two. Q. Is Pittsburgh. Pa, spelled with or without a final H? A. The official spelling is Pittsburgh.
 0. Name the river that flows through Mammoth Cave, Ken lucky. E.
 A. Green River. l c. Are the characters in Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer" taken from real life?
 A. They are largely fictional although Tom Sawyer. is, to a slight degree, a picture of Mark Twain's own boyhood, and Becky Thatcher, Tom Sawyer's sweet heart. was in real life ' Laura flaw kins.
 O.. Where will the Olympic games be held in 1886?
 A. They are scheduled for Der lin, Germany.
 Q. How long has Ruby Keeler been married to Al Jolson?
 A. Since September 2l, 1928.
 Q. How is evaporated milk made?
 A. By evaporation of . consid- erable portion of the water from whole milk. or from milk with ad- justment. if necessary. of the ratio
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
TO BE DONE IN THE OPEN
 (NeW Haven Register0

Mayor Jasper McLevy of Bridgeport expressed the feelings of people of more than his own city when he declared the other night after difficulty in gaining entrance to a board of education meeting that conference or no conference, the public's business must be done in the open" While he is mayor he intends to see that open meetings are the practice and that's all there is to it."
 The executive session, the closed conference or the "star chamber" meeting or whatever else the phenomenon may be called is one thing which munich pal government can lose without its being missed by the public. While Bridgeport's experience with it in the past is not familiar knowledge here, New Haven has seen enough of it on it's own part to know most of it's faults and to know the troubles into which it can lead. Lately and happily the star chamber" session has been relatively innocuous in it's effects because of the absence of Una jor issues. As long as it persists, though. it remains potential evil and ever ready to cause trouble when the opportunity arises. The Bridgeport mayors position on the
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
So They Say

A pretty girl, dainty slipper, sparkling champagne, a toast =. they are like the curves of this era, natural, unaffected, genuine.
 Helen Morgan.
 Peace is preferable to a place in history Minister Benitez of Paraguay.
 like Chicago. It's attractive because it is purely masculine. Why, a woman looks ridiculous on the streets of Chicago.-Joseph Hergesheimer.
 One principle will stand out in clear relief-that recovery now has become 8 more pressing problem than reform.-Col Leonard P. Ayres, economist.
 There ought to be Q law against emotional actresses eating onions just before love scenes.-Donald Brian, actor.
 If you have friends, you can en- dure anything-Helen Keller.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
THE EDITOR.

of fat to non-fat solids, by the ad- dition or abstraction of cream.
 Q. Who wrote Bird in Space ?''
 A. Constantin Branousi.
 0. What was the public debt of the United States at the beginning of November 1883?
 A. $23.544, ,059,376.
 Q. Where was Loretta Young born? Is she married?
 A. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She Is divorced from Grant With CTS.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

Mrs. Roosevelt Leads in the AOGkeing Of Public On NRA Prices; Consumers Who HGve Been Taking tt Om the Chin No1O Shoao Fight; Johnson NoD Rushing Codes Through Regardless Of Buying Public; 10 Billion Dollar Food Code Hitting Every Home to Force ShosUdoson.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
Questions And Answers by The Democrats Washington Information Bureau
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

get writing Frederck Question Editor  C.. m 
  
  of this free service as often
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

Fifty per cent of the children of Pittsburg appearing before the juvenile court came from broken homes.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

It's hard to understand the report of 125 carloads of whiskey passing through Chicago in four days. How did Chicago ever let it get through?
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

Twenty six states now provide legisla- tive aid for indigent aged by means of old age statutes. Ohio was the last to do this. It is pleasure to note that in Ohio the statute was passed as direct result of a public referendum Thus it can be seen it Eas not necessary to invoke political means to pass the bill. It was the wish of the people expressed so in vote form. The law provides aid for needy persons reaching the age of 65, provided they have resided in Ohio and been citizens of the U. s. for at least 15 years. There is further provision for one years county residence. We are quite confident that Connecticut is going to swing away from the old almshouse system of caring for the indigent aged in few more years. We can see it coming in the reaction of our legisla- tors to the various proposals for it. There has been increasing sentiment in favor just in the past two sessions. We expect an even more definite stand from the 1885 Legislature with the chances of an old age pension law being enacted quite bright. It's forward step and one that foreign countries took years ago, but at which we shy for some unknown reason.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

All vehicles must be lighted not later than 4:56 o'clock tonight.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

The first men drafted in Water
 bury during the World war were Adelbert Auray, Allie Sely, and
 Rocco Lignofe.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

Maybe figures don't lie. But it's in- credible how many different kinds of bus mess statistics you can get from the same facts.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

Governor Cross has played his hand we'll of recent months in discussing spe- cial legislative sessions. He is opposed to them. That fact is quite evident without the governor publicly announcing it. Yet on occasions he has stated that until the need was imperative he would not lift his voice to call the Legislature into extra ordinary sesison. In this view he is sup ported and attacked by prominent citi- zens. We think the majority, though, are with him. Two years ago he was criti- cized in wholesale lots by people who wanted the Legislature to pass on their municipal problems Yet these cities weathered the storm until the 1888 Gen. eral Assembly convened. Now there are more demands and the 1883 session is hardly adjourned: There are demands to amend the liquor control act, banking laws, and dozen other things In short the Legislature would assemble and then be flooded with as much work as in a normal session. That's not the purpose of special ones.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

No work on Waterbury's sewage
 disposal plant below South Leonard street has been done since 1907.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

institution is commended to the attention of both officials and pub- lie here.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
BRASS CITY FACTS.

Mount Tobe, the suggested site for a Waterbury airport, and which we have mentioned briefly in the history" was originally called "Mountobe'' which name is of In- dian origin. It was separated from Mount Taylor on the south by Spruce brook, and extended up wards three miles to One Pine Hill in Plymouth.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

In State Forester Austin F. Hawes Connecticut possesses a public official valuable in more ways than one. To him is entrusted the task or caring for such natural resources as are the states. And by the state we mean not merely the cor porate body, but the people, for without the people there would be no state. Such emergency provisions as have come our way from the PWA and CWA have been a godsend to MT Hawes and his aides. Our state forests and parks have received needed attention and will get more. Recre- ation is an important thing today to Americans. We should get more of it, because our lives are far too rapid.
 Connecticut is leading New England ill the number of banks applying for deposit insurance. There have been 49 applica- tions from banks in this state not affiI- lated with the Federal Reserve system to become members in the temporary insur- ance fund.- Since this virtually demands participation in permanent organization founded on the same principle it would seem as if Connecticut almost unanimous ly approves the deposit insurance, feature, one of the highlights of the new deal in banking.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

General concensus of local his-
 torians records 1736 as the date of construction of the first bridge over
 the Naugatuck river, somewhere
 near the present West Main street
 structure.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

Willow street from the West Main street corner on and upwards was once known as North" Willow
 street.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20
DAILY WASHINGTON
 MERRY-GO-ROUND
, By DREW PEARSON and ROBERT ALLEN

washnsOn Merry-Go-ROund. and -A1Ore
The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

Copyright, 1888, by United Feature Syndicate, Incl
The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-10-12

Is aworso o.
The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-10-12

healthy bootlegger who's taken bis
wife and family out for picnic" He
laughed, but didn't seem overwhelm-
ingly amused "Shall we go ONT"
They got back into the car, soon
making up the time lost In luaching.
Rocky's plan was to reach Vermont by
nightfall.
In the next town their car went
cautiously through the business street.
AS 1t passed a news stand, Doris
pushed her glasses above her eyes for
an instant. There was headline
The car lurched forward.
Don't be a fool, Doris" u6reason-
able words poured from Rocky: "This
is no time to strain your eyes trying
to read paper If you would only do
what / ask"
Doris, with the glasses slipped back
! into place. looked at Rocky. His lips
were tense In desperate sort of an
noyance. She wondered what had up
set him. His eyes moved with light
wariness across the road In front Of
them. He was quiet for while.
Towards nightfall, they neared the
Vermont border-line. A little before
dark. Rocky stopped the car and they
got out for picnic supper, Doris
asked him where they were going to
spend the night.
"In the car" he answered grimly.
"This trip doesn't end for nobody or
nothin' until we get to Canada"
You are In a hurry" she answered
II think you could at least have asked
me IL minded not going to hotel. :
Il could have he replied cheer
| fully, but had my plans all made
| to drive right through the night"
"And what you say goesi" She
gave him an unflinchlng glance.
Oh rlghtl' He began to whistle.
Ii was evident that he was begin
ming to feel pleased over the days
work.