davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1934-01-16
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

! prise at the heat over what seems to
him to be nothing.
He will listen gravely, as II accept
| ing at their face value every word
uttered by the other.
| He knows that, although words are
great, when fitted to the occasion, often
| enough they mean little when used to
| express mere opinion.
He has asked the opinion Of the in
dignant one on q certain book, book
unknown to him, but which seemed to
possess certain aspects Of attractiveness.
The indignant one launches into a
veritab!e TRADE against the work, its
| author. its publisher and all readers.
The author is fool, the publishers
worse, and tae readers totally deluded.
well. maybe" SO the wise hearer
| tells himself.
He contrasts the petty indignation Of
| this man with the great indignations
of history which, though leaving life
behind, dowered in ceaseless good to
mankind.
He recalls the tremendous heat Of
this little man, over this tiny issue,
and then pictures against it the far
reaching indignation Of those great
Hell, IuQlbLldIlUll WlJllout bOuiiAo, ASeH
ing on through the centuries but
which may have been expressed at the
| time in ordinary tones. without the
aid of gestures, even. -.
Yes, one must be suspicious OF all
words and ways Of utterance which
suddenly strike one as too big, too
florid. for the theme, the occasion,
the time and place.
Wherefore it might be profitable for
those given to this false sort of indig-
nation to consider the impression 1t
makes.
1t should be said again that such a
person seldom will be able to tell about
this from watching the expression OF
the listener. The listener may seem 10
agree with him. but at the same time
really be more and more in opposition
every minute.
The indignant soul will best come
10 a realization of himself by finding
himself, some day, in the same posi-
ton, that is. of the listener to some
suddenly fiery opponent.
He, In his turn, will like 1t no better
than the rest Of us; he. too, will be
inclined to accept the challenge OF
raised voice and cleaning eye: then
ne Will suddenly lllilk w Iiiiioe'As
whats the use?"
He will see. in his good time: that
there some good. undoubtedly, in
the attitudes of the calm ones OF
earth, the phlegmatic persons who re-
fuse TO become excited about anything
apparently.
Every one becomes excited. but every
one does not show 1t too much.
To wear ones mind on ones sleeve
is almost as bad as wearing ones heart
there.
1t lays very tender organ too open
to the public gaze for comfort.
The great silent men" of time and
! history knew a thing or two.
! Whether one is able to emulate them
or not is another matter but surely
most of us could do 1t just little
better than We do!
| A good way to begin is to become
suspicious of our own indignations. to
test them by facts, or such facts as
| we have. and to see whether they
voice truth. in so far as We are given
| to know truth, or merely are petrifled
J opinions which never were based on
anything much.
Evening star., 1934-01-16
A Few Remarks in
Behalf of Lenders

To the Editor Of The Star:
In view Of recent insinuatiops re-
| garding the respective merits Of mutual
relations OF home owners and mort
cages. feel constrained to register
| few remarks.
Is the man who lends money on
mortgage really a reprehensible Shy
| lock?
! I have as much sympathy for my
| financially distressed fellow mortals as
| the next one, indeed have come of the
worse for such sympathy in several in
| stances, but rise to object when some
unreasoning demagogue threatens that
legislation will be enacted to take
money from those who never earned
| it" (meaning, mainly, mortgagees), and
| give it to those who did" AS matter
of fact, is this thesis correct, or is it not
rather doubly false? When a man not
| has he not in sense doubly earned
it, and where did the paradox take root
| that one who merely borrows money
has earned it even singly? Is resisting
| the temptation to spend all, and laying
| something aside instead. so immer1tori-
GUS an act as to reap reproach? Is 1t
not fact that money lent is put into
| circulation quite as effectively as II
| spent to satisfy desires beyond actual
| needs? II no money were ever saved,
| would any capital ever accrue? And
| without capital. would there be any
enterprise, construction, property, prog
ress?
An unwarranted degree of partiality
seems to prevail in behalf OF home
| owners at the expense OF those who
have furnished them the wherewithal
| to reach that category. Not to men
tion the fact that 1t often occurs that
the man who borrows on his home lives
| higher than his lender. or has borrowed
the money for use in business at a
| considerable profit over the interest
| paid, is it not a fact that millions
OF home owners would never have be-
come such had they not obtained loans
with which to buy? And is it of record
that money lenders are wont to use
undue art for the sake of persuading
people TO borrow money In order TO
invest in a home? What really actu-
ates most persons in borrowing funds
| for a home instead of waiting till they
have the full amount of cash? Most
| doubtless buy because they see ad-
vantage, material tpecuniary) or moral
(sentimentaD, in being master OF their
own firesides; others do so because
mistrustful Of their ability to let bank
deposits alone till they have accumu-
lated to the adequate amount and l
venture to aver that the vast majority
| of sane and sensible mortgagors do not
look upon their domestic f1nanciers as
malefactors but rather realize that
without such they would still be NOV
ing about as of yore at the behest
or whim of landlords.
If this or any other administration
actually undertook to compel mort
gagees to accept bonds at a loss IN
| stead of resorting to the procedure
provided by law to safeguard tnelr
! lepitimate interests. it would be a clear
| example of robbing Peter to pay Paul
| and manifestly unconstitutional. Ap-
parently such compulsory action. though
intimated at first. can not yet be taken
so beth home owner and lender are
| still protected in their rights.
| WILFRED STEVENS.
Evening star., 1934-01-16
Startling Once Called
''LOve's Messenger

To the Editor of The Star:
Anent the starlings: Some OF them
still remain Washingtons unlnvlted
guests, all the methods proposed to
hasten their departure seeming to no
purpose.
When I was small girl an older
brother with a golden voice would go
about the house singing. and a stanza
I of one of his songs has just come to
me- It ran, as I recall It,
Last night I dreamed a pretty little
Came anne. Softly tapping at my window
And in its bill a message from my
darling
Which said that you will call me
back again.
Call me back again!
Call me back again!
And in its bill message from my
darling
Which said that you will call me
back again.
And the calling back did not refer
to the telephone, for there was none
in home use. 1t seems rather strange,
with the warfare now waged against
the startling, that at one time he should
have been used as loves messenger
at least in the song. How the times
change, and we with them!
HARRIET B. FAGAN.
Evening star., 1934-01-16
Armed Services and
The ECONOMY" Cuts

To the Editor OF The Star
Considerable publicity in the form
of letters from your readers re8arolng
so-called preferential treatment 1or
the Army. Navy and Marine Corps was
presented recently in the columns OF
vour wide-read paper. The bone Of
contention was that part of the Presl-
dents message to the Congress re-
ouesting exemption for the Army, Navy
and Marine Corps from the pay
freeze" resulting from last years legis..
Iation which prohibits disbursement OF
the increased pay consistent with the
rank to which promoted.
All of those letters expressing oppo-
sition to the Presidents proposal are
the results Of either ignorance or will
full misrepresentation; they are mis-
leading because they do not tell the
whole story: they are not truthful pc
cause they do not state the facts. Inc
facts as they affect the civil service
are:
/. There was no wholesale reduction
in nav or allowances after the war for
persons employed in the civil service.
2 There were two increases in pay
after the war to the majority OF those
in the civil service, due to the WeSn
and Brookhart acts.
8. Civil service employees are not
called upon for duty at any time, day
or night, Sundays or holidays.
The facts as they affect the armed
forces are:
| There were several reductions In
paw or allowances after the war 10
members in the armed servlces-ln the
case of privates. constituting the pui-
wark of the Army. 80 per cent, not II,
Guiding the Is per cent additional
economy cut. making a total of nearly
one-half of the original $50 which they
received per month.
. There was no increase in pay TO
any one in the armed services due to
the provisions of the Welsh and Brook
hart acts.
8 ANY one serving with the Army
Navy or Marine Corps is subject to CALL
and nearly every one at one time or
the other is called upon to perform
duties that restrict him not only dur
ing the day. but during nights and sun
days and holidays as well.
An impartial comparison of the above
stated facts should quickly dispel from
the mind of any intelligent reader the
idea that those connected with the
armed forces of the United States
would be accorded preferential treat
ment because of the enactment into law
of the Presidents thoughtful suggestion
that the Congress wipe out at least
some of the unintentioned injustice
shouldered, inadvertently by almost
super-human legislative activity, last
year on those who were forgotten when
the benefits of the Welsh and Brook
| hart acts became available to civil
service employees only. And because OF
the glaring inconsistencies OF the above
stated facts as they affect the civil serV-
I ice EMPLOYEES in a much lesser degree as
the armed services it would not even be
preferential treatment. but only fair
treatment" if the armed services were
exempted entirely from the proposed 10
per cent economy cut.
MRS. F.. HEITMANN.
Evening star., 1934-01-16
Figures in Budget Message
Subjected to Keen Analysis

that it is. after all. merely a matter
OF one hand paying the other The
Government takes our own money. in
the form of taxes and loans. and then
repays 1t to us in Federal disburse-
mentS"
The Presidents faith" AYERS the
New York Herald Tribune lis one of his
strongest assets His confidence is con-
tagious. But St Paul's definition OF
faith as the substance of things hoped
for. the evidence of things unseen is
dangerous when the substance and evi-
dence depend on the whims of vote-get-
ting maneuvers of five hundred poll
ticians who believe that the way to save
is to spend. Theirs is the philosophy
of the gentleman who announced with
conviction that he was determined to
live within his income even if he had TO
borrow to do it,
The Presidents domination of the
money question is predicted by the
Salt Lage Deseret News; his painting
Of a clear picture of the cost of the
new deal" atteSted by the Boston Tran
script and the method to be employed
is analyzed by the Topeka Daily Capital
with the statement: The administra-
ton would look in vain for revenues
from taxation for the greater part of
the budget requirements. 1t has noted
also that while there is no capital ready
to go into private expansion of indus
try and business, there is abundant
capital for investment in Government
bonds"
LAS for the good credit of the Gov
ernment," states the Providence Journal.
''one earnestly hopes that the Presi-
dent realizes the stress to which it is
subjected" while the Springfield Union
holds that the proof of the pudding
is in the eating" and the Rock Island
Argus declares: "A total public debt of
about 80 billion is not alarming. con-
Sidering our resources, and the public
debt of other nations not as strong
financially as this Nation"
Evening star., 1934-01-16
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

stitute and 1t was he who coined the
term '4inoleum."
@. Which costs more, the Fire De-
partment or the Police Department for
the District Of Columbia w. J.
A. The Police Department. The total
operating cost of the Police Department
1R ~ fiscal year ending June 80, 1888,
was - ~ 600: for the Fire Department,
| s2,267, ,2s1.
@. When did the abbreviations AID.
and BIC. come into use for fixing time?
&C. E.
A. The fixing Of the date of the Chris
tian era and the commencement Of US
| ing the abbreviations BIC and AID. is
said to have originated with Dionysius
Exiguus, a learned monk of the sixth
century He was born Scythian, but
was a Roman by education and resi-
dence. He died about 555 AID.
@. Please explain the right Of emf
! nent domain-L. A.
A. Eminent domain is term ap-
piled in law to the sovereign right OF
| a State to appropriate private property
| to public uses, whether the owner con-
serts or not. The question whether
the element of compensation Is neces-
sarily involved in the idea OF eminent
domain has aroused much controversy
in modern times. This matter Is OF
great practical importance. for the
Federal Constitution prohibits the ex-
| ercise of the power without just COM
pensation," while in most Of the States
the State constitution or other legtsla-
ton has imposed upon it similar limi-
tation.
@. How much does water expand
when it freezes?-R. H. w.
A. 1t may expand as much as s.55
per cent of its bulk. This may cause
it to burst its container.
O. What is a kibitzer?-H. H T.
A kibitzer is Yiddish slang term
for one who NEEDLES with others af-
fairs. In bridge playing 1t is spe-
cifically person who, although not a
player makes suggestions and gives un-
asked advice to the players.
O. When and where did Gaby Deslys
die?-F A. l..
A. This well known French actress
was born in Marseille, France. and died
in Paris on February II, 1920, at the
age Of 36.
Q. With no untouard event. which
would live longer, a parrot or a tor
tOise?-B. T.
A. These are both long Lived. Either
one might live from 200 to 300 years.
Q. What is the longest national po-
litical convention held since 1902
w. r.
A. The Democratic National COnven-
! tion in 1924, when John w. Davis was
nominated. 1t lasted II days. The long
est Republican convention was that of
$3.50, when James A. Garfield was nom
mated. 1t lasted days
@. What surnames are the most COM
mon in the United States?-R. E. F.
A. Basing a reply on telephone direc-
tories of 1882. the ones which appeared
most frequently were Smith. johnson,
Brown. Jones. Williams. Miller, Davis,
Anderson, Wilson and Moore.
O. Is the first letter of the word
"episcopal' always capitalized?-N. A.
A. Not always. 1t is a common ad-
jective when used pertaining to or
vested in bishop; it is a proper ad-
iective when uesd pertaining to the
Episcopal and Anglican churches.
@. How many special authorized IS
sues of postage stamps were there in
| 1933?-H. S.
A. Four-Century of Progress. Kosci-
uszko, N r. A. and Byrd expedition
Evening star., 1934-01-16

Flaming indignation-is it q good
thing. or bad thing?
Resentment that flares over cruelty,
or injustice, must be worth while, but
| one may doubt the goodness of per-
sonal opinions which fiame into re-
volts OF words only.
Where there is much smoke. there
must be some fire, as the old saying so
truly puts it,
J Whenever an indignation beyond the
seeming importance of the subject sud-
denly appears in the light Of day, the
spectator may be forgiven for wonder
ing what 1t is all about
| X
| It will be found, in many such cases,
that the man given to these quick and
heady resentments somehow lacks q
handspring or balancer.
Can it be that he is afraid of that
which he so vehemently denies?
! Nothing is surer.
II he were not afraid of something,
would he be so heated, so eager to
wipe out opposition with words?
! Very few persons ever achieve such a
| feat, but that is what the indignant
man is trying to do.
Often he fools himself into believing
that he has been successful, because
the person he Is talking to seems to
agree with him.
Agreement, in such cases, means lit
| tie or nothing.
1t simply shows that the one who
agrees is saving his own breath.
Probably he but made some inquiry
| about something or other on which he
genuinely desired information.
He paid the other the compliment of
| II fatv FflIf n
he shows he scarce possesses.
| He who seems to agree is merely
saving himself the trouble of argument.
What lot of bother "argufying' is,
! to be surel
Especially when one Is suddenly sur
prised by the heat Of the reply to some
seeming innocent question.
How was one to know that precious
| toes had been trod upon?
u
In many instances the person who
gives way to instant Indignation in or
dinary conversation Immediately puts
| the questioner in the position Of enemy.
He dares him, In other words, to
| disagree.
This is an old situation. one from
which flow many battles, both wordy
and physical,
Many man who has no thought on
some issue suddenly finds himself tax
: ing sides" largely because he has an
| swered the unspoken challenge OF an
| indignant soul.
He pulls himself together after a
while. to find himself the heated cham
pion of a cause which few moments
before was nothing to him.
One may pause to wonder just how
many exponents Of causes are made
| this way.
Is this man who espouses this great
! cause" an accident?
No one will ever know. but there Is
! a chance that he may have been Gre
/ ated in some such fashion.
For there is a lure to a challenge. a
dare" as the boys say. which excites
some temperaments more than others.
The lethargic, the cynical may smile
up their sleeves at the heat of some
ones indignation. suddenly and fiercely
expressed but this other listener be-
comes irked and perhaps shows 1t in
his turn.
What will a really wise listener do?
X
No doubt he will disemble his sur
Evening star., 1934-01-16

Did you ever write letter to Frederic
! J. Haskin? You can ask him any ques-
! ton of fact and get the answer in per-
sonal letter. Here Is great educational
idea introduced into the lives Of the
most intelligent people in the world
American newspaper readers. 1t is a
part of that best purpose q news
| paper-service There Is no charge ex-
| two cents in coin or stamps for return
postage. Do not use post cards. Ad-
dress Frederic j. HaSkin, Director, The
Evening Star Information Bureau,
Washington. D. C;
@. When was the first liquor license
issued in this country?-L. K.
| A. Probably it was the statute Of the
| colony of Pennsylvania which in 1914
made 1t lawful to sell liquors to Indians
as well as to whites.
Q. Is there any more weight on an
aqueduct when a 50,000-ton ship Is
passing over than there was before the
| ship arrived?-J. H. C.
A. There would be no extra weight
on the aqueduct as ship displaces its
own weight in water.
@. Did a bird called the roc" ever
| eX1St?-A. j. d.
A. No such bird ever existed. In the
Arabian Nights it is described as
white bird Of such enormous size and
| strength that it could truss elephants
in its talons" and carry them to its
mountain nest where it devoured them.
@. How many members composed the
original United States Supreme Court?
r. B. E.
A. According to the Judicial Code
organized by act Of the First Congress,
the first Supreme Court Q789) consist
ed Of one Chief Justice and five asso-
ciates. This was amended in 1902 to
one Chief Justice and six associates:
in 1887. to one Chief Justice and eight
associates; 1863 one Chief Justice and
nine associates; 1869, one Chief Justice
and eight associates; 1911, one Chief
Justice and eight associates. This was
a re-enactment Of the former statute.
O. How long was the Maya year?-
w. L. s.
A. 1t consisted of 1s months of 20
days each, with an additional short
month of 5 days, called Uayeb. Leap
years were calculated, but not interpo-
lated. There was also cycle or tzolkin.
Q. Where did Victor Herbert get his
musical educati0n?-L. S.
A: He was born in Dublin, Ireland,
but received his training in Germany
in the entire range OF music. He per-
| fected himself on the cello and received
his first important position as a cellist.
@. Who we're first called highbind-
ers?-F. A. M
A. Certain ruffians who committed
outrages on person or property in New
4, York and Baltimore about 1849 were
| first given this name. In California
| they appeared in the same year, and
the name still exists as applied to GER
tain Cinnamon Of low repute.
| @. How long has the King of England
been addressed as Majesty?-N. H.
A. In the reign Of Henry VIII the
title Highness or sometimes Kingly
Highness was superseded by Majesty.
O. Was oilcloth in existence 100 years
aeo?-W. F. G.
A. Oilcloth was first produced in Eng
| land, the earliest patent being dated
1886. Although there were several i'm
provements, it was not until 1874 that
the next great step toward the manu-
facture of oilcloth was taken by Elijah
Galloway. In 1860 Frederick Walton
invented a process for oxidizing linseed
oil to produce a cheap rubber-like SUBJ
Evening star., 1934-01-16
The Cuban Kaleidoscope,

Monday witnessed the accession to
Office of Cuba's third president since
last August-De Cespedes, Grau San
Martin. and now Carlos Hevia. The
otherthrow of the Grau San Martin
regime, after a feverish life of roundly
four months, appears to have been the
result of conflict between the physician
president and his supposedly loyal sup.
porter, Col Batista. head of the islands
military forces and hero of last Sum-
mer's notorious "sergeants' revolt"
Just what led to Batistas detection
from Grau San Martins cause is not
clear, but the army chief forthwith an
nounced that the troops would lend the
new government their most effective
support and enthusiastic aid" There
upon, after accepting, then rejecting
and finally re-accepting the offer of the
presidency from the junta that vaulted
Grau San Martin and Batista into con-
troll last September, Senor Hevia. Cuba's
only Annapolis graduate, who was sec
retary of agriculture under Grau San
Martin, was installed in the executive
palace at Havana. Machine gun bullets
ratified through the palace square as he
took possession, ominous sign that he Is
not quite the peoples choice" as the
fusillade was directed by Batistas troops
against a mob clamoring: "Grau San
Martin, stay!"
While early accounts of this latest
change in the Cuban kaleidoscope indi-
cate that leftist extremists. responsive
to the leadership of DR.. Antonio Cutie
raS late minister Of war and the lnle-
rior, maneuvered Senor Hevia into the
presidency, more may yet be heard of
ist leader. Ever since reports of Grau
San Martins impending departure
from the presidency cropped up at the
end of last year Col Mendieta has fig
ured prominently as eventual heir to
the Office One explanation is that he
did not aspire to succeed Grau San
Martin as provisional president. the
status now held by Senor Hevia be-
cause that would have debarred Mem
dieta from being a candidate for the
chief eXecutiveship at the later consti-
tutional election which is planned.
1t is all typically Cuban and char
acteristically chaotic. Senor Hevia' S
presidency is born amid the selfsame
violent factionalism within the army
and among rival political groups, that
accompanied de Cespedes and Grau
San Martin into Office. There can, of
course, be no question of American rec
ognition, at least now. of Cubas latest
government. Representatives of the
United States continue to observe de-
velopments," said Mr.. Cafferv at the
end Of Mondays turbulent events.
How utterly incalculable and unstable
conditions continue to be is illustrated
by the seizure of the property of the
American-owned Cuban Electric Co,
and the ousting of its administrative
officials, apparently with the sanction
of the newly-installed Hevia authori-
ties. If such high-handedness is SYM
Dol of the sort of conduct to be ex-
pected from Grau San Martins sue
cessors, it is sinister development
that does not augur well for that
American recognition indispensable to
the permanency of any government at
Havana. American waiting in Cuba
obviously has to be more "watchfuI"
than over