davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Confidence i'm New Deal Plans
Seen in i. S. Bonds Success

the New York Herald Tribune, ais
desperately of for some place to put
its funds, so that 1t will get at least
some yield. How great the pressure is
may be seen from the fact that excess
reserves Of the member banks of the
Reserve system stand today at nearly
81, 900, 600, 900 and from the fact that
savings deposits currently yield but
"a per cent, a record low. Finally,
there is little doubt that the average
investor has been persuaded in the
last few weeks that the tendency of
the administration was away from
further experiments with the Nations
money. All of which makes one Won
der on what terms the Government
would be able to do its financing if it
committed itself, once and for all, to
stable currency and q balanced
budget"
Tangible expression of the recently
pledged cooperation of the banks" is
seen by the Davenport Gowa) Times.
The Asbury Park Evening Press halls
"the supreme test of the Govern
ment's credit" The Manchester IN
H. Union feels that 80 long as a
disposition is shown to taper off eX-
penditures and achieve a balanced
budget as soon as possible, public
confidence will continue" The Wichita
Eagle concludes: while the recent
borrowings have pushed the peak until
it is now sky high, the bulk of Gov
ernment paper is still above par, the
capacity Of the Nation to absorb is
undiminished and credit remains in
comparable"
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Toy Time.

Toy time has come again, and
adults perforce must think of the oc-
casion. 1t is an aspect of Christmas,
and its importance to the Junior ele-
ment of the population cannot be
overestimated. Children, as parents
again and again have observed, would
rather play than eat, and uncounted
centuries of tradition support their
instructive preference for amusement.
But the problem of which toys to
choose for the qualification of the
youngsters instinct remains unsolved.
Each year the difficulty recurs, and
fathers and mothers wrestle with it
more or less vainly.
For example, what is to be done
about boy who has requisitioned
from Santa Claus a rifle like dads?
Half dozen other lads in the neigh
borhood already have weapons, and
nothing very dreadful has happened
in consequence. But, on the other
hand, there have been cases of fatal
accidents in other communities, and
mother "views with alarm" the pros
pect of Junior experimentally shoot
ing up the general landscape. Sub
stitute gifts are suggested, but the
proposed recipient sticks to his point,
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Mob Violence at Its Worst.

The acme of the lynching evil was
reached yesterday at ShelbyVille,
Tenn, when q mob undertook to seize
and lynch q man on trial for his life
for the crime of rape. There had been
no delay in the prosecution. The trial
started in the morning with the
prospect Of an early completion, with
in the day, with verdict OF guilty.
There was no provocation on the
ground of dilatory justice. The mob
challenged the law. The challenge
was accepted, troops were summoned,
the court house was defended, the
prisoner was taken away to a place
Of greater security, lives were lost in
the melee and later in vengeance the
mob burned the court house. A more
shocking chapter of lawlessness has
never been written in American
history.
Mob violence is a crime, no matter
what the cause of its Indictment may
be. 1t is possible to condone that
crime when 1t is induced by rage
against a failure of the law in the ad-
ministration of justice. But only in
extreme cases Of fragrant failure. and
then with fear lest the replacement
Of the law by an irresponsible crowd
may breed unwarranted atrocities.
When the mob demands the right of
trial and execution in replacement of
the court in the very act Of func-
tioning, with assurance Of speedy JUS
tice, the climax of abomination is
reached. When in its disappointment
the mob destroys the very hall Of
justice it confesses its possession by
q criminal impulse more shocking
and more menacing than the crime
that inflamed its passions.
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Failure to Think Is the Principal
Cause of Frigh Traffic Carnage

Happen-They're Caused" appearing
in the November issue of The Ameri-
can Legion" 1t is written by q man
who. through wide experience. knows
whereof he speaks-the first vice pres
ident Of the Greyhound Bus Lines. I
suggest that as a civic aid The Star
could print nothing more timely or
helpful than that article in its en-
tirety.
Accidents don't happen!" Think
that over. Not one accident in
thousand 'just happens" If a NOV
ing car were struck by a falling tree
In a hurricane, or II a collision oc-
Cured during sudden earthquake,
there would be an unavoidable acci-
dent; but nearly all other accidents"
are really due to haste, negligence or
self1Shness Of the driver.
Mr.. Snug, Self-satisfied Driver,
you get up 20 minutes late, grab your
breakfast. and then. get behind your
wheel hel-bent-for- election. You
jump the amber light, chuckle as YOU
honk your horn and startle some un-
wary walker, and cuSs beneath your
breath as some other driver, approach
ing on the right, beats you to the
right Of way. Isn't that true? As a
driver myself, I think I know a lit
tie about drivers psychology.
That attitude is all wrong. Get up
a little earlier, as Ben Franklin ad-
vised. Some men will f1guratively
'break their neck" in clipping off a
minute or two il their driving time,
and then waste hours during the rest
of the day.
There has long been a maxim in
our common law, $50 use your own as
not to endanger the rights or prop
erty of Others" Unfortunately, In our
mad scramble for wealth and amuse-
ment, this rule, along with many
others, Is now little known and less
regarded-in our naive reliance upon
more up-to-date cure-alls.
Drivers! One and all, in the name
of God, and for the sake of that
more abundant life" of which we
have heard so much today, try being
thoughtful, considerate and generous
when on the road. 1t pays; it pays in
miles and smiles, better nerves, fewer
accidents and self-respect. More peo-
pie have missed appointments through
bull-headed selfish driving than
through safe driving, and respect for
law and the feelings of others.
L. B. DUNN.
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Eugene R. Black.

One Of the mysteries of life is that
OF the sudden termination of careers
which, it might be supposed, should be
prolonged. The case of Eugene R..
Black is an example. Only a few
weeks ago he was familiar figure in
Washington-active, energetic, force
ful, definite personality, instinct
with vitality. None of his friends
would have supposed that his course
was so soon to finish. 1t appears in
credible that he should have passed
from the world just at the moment
when, with all his powers matured and
disciplined by experience, he had
reached the apex of achievement.
News of his death, therefore, comes
with sense of shock to his friends.
He seemed destined to enjoy far
greater length of days, and it is a pity
that he has been denied fulf1lment of
that promise. But it should not be
forgotten that he packed into his
sixty-one years of existence an ex-
traordinary measure of activity. He
was an enthusiast, militant in his ap-
proach to the things which engaged
his interest, vigorous in his handling
Of affairs, quick to comprehend and
fortnight to complete any business to
which he set his hand. His mind was
progressive He believed in going
ahead" and was courageous in his will
ingness to try new PHILOSOPHERS and
new methods. To a large extent he
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Ludwig Halberg Was
Norwegian, Not Dane
To the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor OF The star;
Among the notes on stamps by
James Waldo Fawcett in The Star for
December 16, 1894, is mentioned
Norwegian stamp in commemoration
of "a Danish humorist, Ludwig Won
Halberg"
Ludwig Halberg was 9 Norwegian
and not a Dane. He was born and
reared in Norway by Norwegian par
ents. As a young man he made sew
eral journeys abroad and studied at a
number of European universities. He
was also more than a common hu-
morist. He was a scientist with broad
knowledge.
Halberg lived during a time when
Norway and Denmark were united un-
der the same king. Copenhagen was
at that time the center Of culture Tor
these countries and q natural place Of
residence for man of Halberg's quail
lfications. And although he lived there
during his later years, he always re-
mained Norwegian in spirit. That
he also considered himself a Nor
wegian can be seen from his own writ
ings. as, for example. his description Of
his countrymen, in which he refers to
the Norwegians as my people"
On account of his fathers rank In
the Norwegian Army Ludwig Halberg
inherited some kind of nobility. But
he did not write his name in the Ger
man fashion with the proposition
"yon." ALFRED EINHAUG.
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Seamen Do Not Vote Red.
rror, Tho San Francisco Chronicle

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
The first vote announced in the bal
loting of the seamen as to which Or
ganization they wished to represent
them for collective bargaining with
employers at least lays the ghost OF
Communist domination among the
maritime workers.
This vote was of the personnel Of
the Pacific Coast oil tankers. OF the
GIT votes cast only "a were for the
Marine Workers Union, regarded as q
radical organization. The Interna-
tional Seamen's Union, the regular
American Federation body, received
709 votes, and the. company unions
22O, practically all from the employees
of one company In which such union
is already established. There was no
expression of q desire by the en-
ployeS of other companies TO establish
such a union, and the Communist
minority was so small as to be negligi-
BILE.
The chief point to the whole result
was that it was obtained peaceably, by
vote, and that it showed that the
workers, in overwhelming majority,
want to be represented by the regular
established and responsible unions. 1t
is better to find this out by vote than
to establish it by. or to yield to 1t
after, fighting.
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Midblock Crossings
For Pedestrians Urged
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
Protection for the pedestrian, may
7 suggest to the city fathers, might
be procured by denying to them right
of a crossing at any street inter-
section at all times. Provide for
them q path, well defined by two
white strips, as near the center of
all blocks as possible, and transfer
the traffic "cop" to this particular
spot, leaving the automatic signal
as at present for the guidance of
vehicular traffic at all intersections
and have all of this traffic come to
full stop before proceeding to cross
the pedestrian strips between street
crossings.
The objection to this plan will
naturally be that congestion and q
slowing down for traffic will result,
but is it not exactly this halting Of
speed that the fathers" desire?
Human life, 1t seems to me, sir,
should be the first consideration. Dis
tances are not so vast and time so
important as to weigh against some
slight sacrifice in the protection of
life within the few square miles OF
any city's boundaries.
I. r. GRIMES.
Evening star., 1934-12-20
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON,
Madam Santa Claus

Madam Santa Claus.
OF course, there Is gentle saint,
Who comes from realms where all Is
cold,
To share with us In humor quaint
A wreath Of kindliness untold.
But life will lose its usefulness
As we for modern manners pause
We'd all be happier, more or less,
Were there Mrs. Santa Claus.
For she the sweetmeats could design
For which at holidays we sigh,
And then, arrayed in ermine fine,
Ride with him from the frosty sky
Arts feminine, we all agree,
Are needed when we crave applause
There can't be any doubt, you see,
We need Mrs. Santa Claus.
Evening star., 1934-12-20
personified the "new South" toward

personified the new South" toward
which he contributed his genius.
Charitable, tolerant, witty and kind
ly in manner, he was welcome In any
company. His talents as raconteur
were deservedly famous, and the
stories he preferred were those which
gently and not too obviously pointed
a moral. He travelled widely and with
appreciation, cultivated a liking for
other countries and other cities, but
it was to Atlanta that he returned
the town in which his neighbors were
proud to call him FIRST citizen" His
service, however, as Secretary Nor
genthau has said, was for the Nation.
He was drafted to the Craftsmanship
of the Federal Reserve Board at a
time when a man whom people could
trust was required for that post, and he
was that man. Hence it is that he
is mourned by men and women who
never knew his smile or saw the
quick flash of his eyes-a patriot, a
leader and yet a servant of the COM
mon good.
Evening star., 1934-12-20

Aid in the drive toward recovery Is
recognized by the public in the large
subscription to the latest offering of
Government securities. New issues
in the December Is Treasury flnan-
cling were oversubscribed seven and
five times, afiording evidence that
Government credit is unimpaired.
The general Interpretation is that
financial circles are convinced that
moderate policies are to be followed
by the administration. The spon-
taneous cooperation of the banks is
also a subject of comment.
IF We were engaged in a great
war" says the Green Bay (Wis.)
Press Gazette, this tremendous over
subscription would be heralded as an
unmistakable evidence of patriotism
and the national will to win. And
yet today, without fife or drum, the
Nation abSorbS this loan and pre-
pares for more with the same lack
of formality that it drinks its break
fast coffee. There are many points
of similarity between period of busi-
ness stagnation and a war. Each de-
mands huge expenditures. But things
that are commonplace in the one be-
come indispensable in the other" The
Press Gazette advises that this sue
cess should not encourage the admin
istration to waste its substance"
The New York Times finds un-
mistakable proof Of 'the belief of the
financial community that the danger
of wholesale imitation of the cur
rency has passed" while the Youngs-
town Vindicator points out that sub
scribing banks do not expect the
Governments credit to be impaired
during the life Of the bonds" and
that "the prospect of future Govern
ment expenditures for relief does not
frighten the bankers" The Kansas
City Star emphasizes "the prospect
of more moderate spending policy"
and the "superabundance of bank
credit" The San Francisco Chronicle
observes that while the Government
'has been borrowing on short-term
notes." it has now taken a flyer in
the long-term market"
"It speaks well for the national
confidence and sense Of ultimate Sc
curity," thinks the Knoxville (Tenn.)
Journal. The Syracuse Herald finds
"eagerness of the market for Govern
ment securities, in apparent disre-
gard for the interest rates." and gives
this summary of the financing: ION
December Is $s92, ,O00, 900 of Treasury
certificates bearing 21a per cent in
terest matured. Holders were pre-
sented with the option Of converting
them either in rs per cent short
term notes or four-year bonds yield
ing 21s per cent. The conversion
terms were accepted all along the
line, the cash alternatives being re-
jected. Next came the Government
offerings for cash subscription of
$3.50, 100000 in Is per cent short
term notes and $3.50. 0.000, 900 in 31s
per cent 18-year bonds, with the result
that they were respectively seven and
five times oversubscribed. Concur
rently the quotations for United States
bonds reach nearly the highest point
for the year in the Stock Exchange
along with an average advance In
stocks. The bonding and conversion
records at Washington are generally
interpreted as an index to a con-
tinued lowering of the interest charges
on the public debt-an incidental
cause of comfort in view Of the
mounting size Of the principal"
!. The investment community" says
Evening star., 1934-12-20
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
The enormous and tragic toll Of
lives taken by reckless auto drivers
has apparently failed to make much
impression on the public. The fact,
as recently shown in your paper, that
in the past five years more people have
been killed in auto accidents in Mary
land than the total number killed In
the World War from that State
should cause us to stop. look and
listen. But no. The public still is
more interested in the story Of the
man that bit a dog or in the exploits
Of some moron.
II may venture an opinion which I
believe to be true and helpful. would
say first, last and all the time that
the principal cause of this frtghtful
carnage, with its unseen aftermath of
cripples and suffering, is self1shneSs;
or, in other words, the failure TO think.
Not merely the other fellows selfish
ness, but your self1shness and mine
We take the attitude that improved
mechanism, automatic chokes, traffic
devices, laws and more laws, are what
are needed. But with a fool behind
the wheel all the laws and safety de-
vices Ii the world are utterly futile.
Small satisfaction to be gained from
saying that the law will eventually
catch the fool. What about the inno-
cent lives he has snuffed out under
cover Of darkness and his hit-and-
run escape? Not until we, the re-
sponsible driving public, drive with
the attitude that the little girl at the
next intersection may be our own
little girl, or that feeble old gentleman
may be our grandfather, will there
be any appreciable diminution Of the
frightful toll.
So many people, educated ones, too,
take the attitude that accidents will
happen" How often we see that atti-
tude adopted, even by the courts, in
their reports Of unavoidable acci-
dents" What was really meant was
that the court was unable to decide
which party was most responsible.
What should be done in many such
cases Is to fine or imprison both
drivers.
I wish every driver might read an
article on driving, the best have ever
read. 1t is entitled Accidents Don't
Evening star., 1934-12-20

Many persons give Christmas feasts
where they never intend them.
We speak Of the thousand and one
young people who scatter crumbs
along the downtown streets.
These bits Of food, from cookies,
cakes, buns, sandwiches, and the like.
are the sparrows' Christmas DINER.
It Is not fashionable nowadays to
praise these small Britishers, any more
than it's quite the thing to do to
say something nice about their fellows,
the starlings, but surely at this sea-
son even these feathered street gamins
may be included.
All those interested in the smaller
creatures have at times wondered Just
how sparrows exist.
Despite their vigor and gameness,
qualities praised in other living things,
the sparrows often strike a woeful note
in an otherwise cheerful city.
There are scores of human beings
looking out for misery among human
beings. The Government has come to
the rescue, to aid the agencies which
for years carried on the struggle.
Few persons, however, give the
sparrows a thought.
A glance along the sidewalk often
shows half a dozen or more Of these
birds feasting on bit of bread.
Their table is hard and bare, but
from it they manage to pick up .
precarious living.
Where they get water Is another
question. Evidently they are able to
go for long periods without any. And
then. too. there are always little pools
formed by rain, and especially by the
hoses Of janitors who wash of the
sidewalks. Perhaps never a thought
is given to the birds, in the course OF
these duties, but the sparrows can get
a drink just the same.
As for warmth, they have the CHM
neys of mercantile establishments to
middle near, and in this respect prob
ably fare better than the uptown and
suburban birds.
Those interested will wonder why
the downtown sparrows do not migrate
to the residential sections. There Is
no way, Of course. OF knowing whether
they do, but they probably do not &c
very far from the downtown areas.
Perhaps they fare better there than
most would think, owing to the steady
consumption Of foodstuffs by pedes-
trians at all hours Of the day.
Some choice bit or other is forever
falling down.
It may seem but few crumbs, still
it Is food, and the little birds are not
long in finding 1t.
Their existence depends upon 1t.
Whether 1t is scent or sight remains
a question. 1t is here as with fishes,
it is extremely difficult to tell whether
they smell their food or see it first.
Long observation Of aquarium In
mates scarcely enables an observer to
make a definite pronouncement.
Similarly. with birds. which in many
ways remind one Of fishes, it Is i'm
possible to tell whether they first see
food or smell it out.
Our belief is that mostly they see It.
Just how they can tell small bit
Of bread on snow, for instance, Is
another matter. but that they uli-
mstely do is a well known fact.
If there are any birds at all in q
vicinity, freshly laid patch of bread
crumbs will not remain unvisited very
long.
This Is such universal experience
that it lends support to the belief that
Evening star., 1934-12-20
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

the meal is seen. not smelled. It is
somewhat difficult to believe that the
birds can smell, on such cold morn
ings. Probably a better way to put 1t
would be that 1t is difficult to believe
that bread crumbs would throw of
enough fragrance in such cold.
The person fond of birds can sup
! ply Just little extra for their Christ
mas dinner, by deliberately throwing
down q few more crumbs in the
streets.
Even sedate persons at times do a
little eating as they go along.
Commonly this is called munching,
quite horrible word, but very ex-
pressive.
Apples, popcorn, cakes, cookies OF
all sorts, all are freely vended at what
used to be called cigar stands. but
| now are combined cigar, cigarette,
fruit and candy counters.
These are some of the foodStuffs
that downtown birds. particularly the
English sparrows, depend upon for
their living.
Banana skins are a great delicacy to
them.
Every one interested in the birds
and thousands of persons are who
never say much about twill have
seen dozen sparrows pecking away
at grimy old banana skin.
| The birds are getting vitamins from
the skin, as well as nutritious carbo-
hydrates. They have sense enough to
utilize what waSteful man, or per-
haps boy, throws away. They do not
know anything about it, they just
eat it.
One will not be dirtying up the
streets by dropping few more
crumbs of food at this season. The
streets are wide, and few more
crumbs will not hurt.
Nor will the friend Of birds be en-
couraging the sparrows, as some la
ment.
They need no encouragement
Il 4 Il
OF all the creatures of nature to
win the admiration of the fair per-
son, none outdoes the English sparrow
A nuisance, in a sense, yeS-but
not half the nuisance the startling.
The truth is that neither Of these
birds is bad bird.
Their faults are man-made, that
is. the birds had and have nothing to
do with the matter.
Neither has any business in Amer
lea, that is the gist of it.
Being here. each simply adopts the
American custom, and does the best
for itself it can.
Nothing bad about that, is there?
Those who were instrumental In
bringing the first sparrows and star
lings to America failed to think far
enough. They did not bring these
birds natural enemies with them.
Free from these enemies, the birds
have waxed and grown fat.
They are just another example OF
planning" gone wrong. Those who
brought them over weren't as smart
as they thought they were.
In England, where the population
Is kept down by natural means, the
startling is valued bird.
It has a place in literature over
there. The latest children's book
Mary Poppins," has a scene in which
one is q welcomed actor.
| What If sparrows and starlings get
some of the extra food put out for
the birds Christmas present?
Let them!
They like to eat, as much as any
no doubt Of 1t.
The real bird lover will not be-
grudge them their share
Evening star., 1934-12-20
Successful Parent.

do you feel that you are a success
full parent?"
II do" answered Senator Sorghum.
"1 have a son who knows more about
politics than I do"
How do you know"
''He keeps out of it."