davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1934-09-07
Asks Sinclair's Critic
To Submit Better Plan

To the Editor of The Star:
Upton Sinclair, Democratic nominee
for Governor of California, has pro-
posed practical solution Of the acute
unemployment problem in his State.
His plan Is, in brief, to remove the
1,250,000 unemployed from the relief
rolls Of California by placing part Of
them in factories which are now idle
and which the owners would doubt
less be glad to rent to the State, ac-
cepting tax receipts as part of rent
payment; he also advocates putting
idle mechanics at work erecting
homes, Outbuildings, ETC., on the un-
improved, State-owned lands and
placing all the unemployed who
qualify as farmers on the vacant farms
and unused tracts Of agricultural land
now owned by California, having been
acquired through tax forfeiture, etc.
The farmers thus put to work will
produce food, wool, lumber and other
by-products Of the soil for the me-
chanics and factory workers, who in
turn will build houses and produce
clothing, shoes. furniture, etc, for
the farmers, without necessarily COM
peting with outside private business.
The financing Of this cooperative
system OF exchange of commodities
would be facilitated mainly by issu-
snce by the State Of legal scrip,
thereby avoiding direct appropriation
Of funds by the State government, in
all probability, except for purchase of
the necessary seed, tools and some of
the raw materials at first, also factory
rents. etc. until the plan became en-
tirely self-supporting or the indus
trial workers became reabsorbed in
private industry. should the depression
finally pass away.
The net results of the success Of
this common-sense plan would be to
change one and quarter millions Of
discouraged and demoralized objects
of charity into self-supporting and
self-respecting citizens and simultane-
ously take them of the backs Of the
taxpayers of California, who are now
compelled to support these unem-
ployed and their families In idleness.
If Mr.. Alexander Sidney Lanier,
who so unfairly criticized Mr.. Sinclair
in the August 81 issue of The Eve
ming Star, has better plan than Sin
clair's for solving the unemployment
problem in California or elsewhere. 1t
surely Is his patriotic duty to submit
it at once, and II he Is unable to do
SO, he should refrain from condemn
ing the efforts Of such a trained and
practical economist as Upton Sinclair
admittedly Is.
WILLIAM v. MAHONEY.
Evening star., 1934-09-07

fashion in government, the other q
fashion in expression. Elizabeth dis
covered the middle classes of society
and based her policy upon their needs
and their power almost exactly as
George Washington and Alexander
Hamilton later framed the philosophy
Of practical democracy in the United
States, and johnson, grand cham of
literature, invented the mold in which
American letters, including American
journalism, has run.
Perhaps it may be this continuity,
this moving stream Of ideas which
prompts the interest which millions
entertain for the woman born Septem-
Der Z, 1888. and the man born Sep
tember z, 1909. Normally, time would
remove them from consideration. They
persist, it seems. because modern peo-
pie are not unlike them.
Evening star., 1934-09-07
Unsightly Railroad
Approach to Capital
To the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor Of The Star:
Something should be done, either
by the Washington Terminal Co., the
Federal Government or the District
of Columbia, to remedy the unsiRhtly
clay hills on the right of way Of our
railroads entering the city. Alexan.
dria has better approaches than we
have here.
In my estimation trees should be
planted on each side to hide the un-
slightly objects from New York ave.
nue. down. Washington, the Citv
Beautiful, will never impress visitors
unless something Is done In this
respect. They will wonder In dis
gust when they see these eyesores.
We boast the finst union station
south of New York, and q population
of over 100000. Why not get rid of
the eyesores before you enter the
City Beautiful?
I suggest that the District prom
erty yard be removed as one OF the
things to go. There is plenty of
space at Second and I streets SOUTH
east, on the Pennsylvania freight
system.
I cannot see why the railroads
that use these tracks do not come
together and do something worth
while to remedy this situation at
once. FRANK @. HELL.
Evening star., 1934-09-07

payments, by August had risen to
95 per cent Of their pre-war parity.
This reflects also the drought's effect.
But Mr.. Richberg thinks that when
both high prices and smaller sales.
from the drought, are taken into ac-
count 1884 farm income will exceed
that for 1888 by about 10 per cent.
Here's progress, even II the figure still
Is far below the 1923-I929 levels. The
report brings out what Secretary WAL
lace has been repeating, that the
drought far from solving the surplus
problem will stimulate another over
production jag next year unless there
Is Government control. Next it ham,
mers home the truism that farm pros
perity still depends on city buying
power"
The Rochester Times Union con-
cedes' that 1--WE are assuredly better
on than we were In March, 1888" but
adds: Whether as much credit can
be given to the Governments indus
trial recovery policies as this report
indicates Is matter Of dispute"
Sharp criticism of Mr.. Richbergs
report Is offered by the Providence
Journal in the statement: HE re-
Trained from saying that the New
Deal Is responsible for the largest
public debt In the history Of the Ma
ton. Nor did he say that it has kept
the Federal budget unbalanced, as, in
deed. 1t promises to do for an in
definite time to come. Mr.. Richberg
might have mentioned also that the
list Of the New Deals achievements
is incomplete unless reference is made
to the fact that it has given us a de-
preciated and uncertain currency. It
Is responsible likewise for abundant
labor troubles, and, unfortunately
enough, for the fresh threats Of major
strikes ahead"
Evening star., 1934-09-07
Resort to Force.

Until yesterday the textile strike
leaders played their cards very well
They had previously indicated 9
willingness to join the feeble effort:
Of the National Labor Relations Board
to stop the strike before it was called
in contrast with the arbitrary refusal
Of the mill owners. But victory-for
they have made larger gains than were
anticipated-has flushed them, or else
they are weary from overwork. Yester-
days statement by Francis ]. German
chairman of the United Textile
Workers OF America, that the strikers
would agree to mediation by the
Presidents new board "only after we
have closed all the mills in all the
divisions Of the industry" is destined
to ALLEVIATE public sympathy. The
statement reflects an unreasonable
state Of mind that, 1t is hoped, will
change with more mature considera-
ton.
II the chief issue in this strike is
recognition Of the United Textile
Workers Of America, and that is one
Of the issues, 1t is an issue that can
be mediated. 1t is not one that is
going to be forced down the throats
Of either the public or the mill own
ers. Mr.. Germans unfortunate state
ment is nothing less than q declaration
Of violent war to force union recogni-
tion. The activities of the textile
workers flying squadrons" - repre-
sentative of new technique in strike
warfare-are already leading to blood
shed and a mounting toll of life. These
flying squadrons and the pickets they
organize may not be to blame, any more
than the mill owners, for the violence
that ensues. The fact Is that both
sides are and will continue to resort to
any acts Of intimidation" that lie
within their power, and under such
conditions bloodshed and loss of life
and later damage to property are in
evitable. Both sides are seeking to
fight intimidation with intimidation.
Blame rests on the side that will
not agree to the reasonable process of
mediation and possible arbitration.
Resort to force Is the sure sign OF
weakness. Force cannot win this
strike or any other strike. When Mr..
German says he will "close the mills"
he is throwing caution and strategy
to the winds and embarking on q
course that is foredoomed.
Evening star., 1934-09-07
Sinclair Out of Line
On Processing Taxes

To the Editor OF The Star:
The numerous readers Of The Star
are well aware Of the fact that have
always been an outspoken radical In
Government matters, and especially
in connection with the problems Of
taxation. / listened with interest to
Upton Sinclair's address at the Ma
tional Press Club Wednesday noon and
asked one question, as follows:
You state that your platform Is In
favor Of abolishing the heavy mer-
chandising tax now in force in Cali
fornia. Are you also opposed to proc
eSsing taxes?"
Mr.. Sinclair repeated my question
and then answered:
Il am opposed to all processing
taxes"
So this definitely places Mr.. Sinclair
out of line with the administrators S
program of processing taxes as applied
in the Agricultural Department to the
utilization of the principal food and
textile products. So we have radicals
like Upton Sinclair in line with a con-
servative business leader like George
Arthur Sloan, head Of the Cotton Tex
tile Institute. in opposing this form OF
taxation as both unScientif1c and un-
businesslike and destructive of the
object sought of extended employment
in the industry to follow the increased
demand of the consuming public.
Earlv in 1888, toward the end Of the
administration of President Hoover
when processing taxes were under
consideration, Mr.. Sloan declared:
The extensive price increases in
cotton goods necessitated by the proc
essing tax will decrease the consump-
tion of cotton and cause widespread
displacement Of workers in the cotton
textile industry"
But the cotton tax was imposed; the
cotton trade entered on a period OF
wide fluctuations; the output OF cot
ton goods was reduced rs per cent by
last December, and at the end of May
another heavy cut was ordered. Here
were the major elements which
brought on the strike. The mill own
ers, under the watchful eye Of the
N. r. A., could reduce hours, lay of
workmen or close down completely
but. with the reduction in the gross
wages paid, they failed to provide q
lay-off for their employees stomachs
and backs, for their rent and other
living requirements.
We have now had 10 months expert
mentation under the New Deal, and
there will be more out of work and
more mouths to be fed this Winter
than ever before. Here is q good
place to insert, copying congressional
custom, long established, "(hearty
laughter"
HERBERT JANvRIN BROWNE
Evening star., 1934-09-07
Back Home.

About this time every year they be-
gin trooping back to the city from the
country, where most OF them have
been since the end of last June. They
bring with them puppies and grown
dogs, cats and kittens, collections of
butterflies, small toads, lizards, ter
rapins and turtles, baby snakes, snake
eggs, used bird nests, the skulls and
the teeth Especially the teeth) OF
such prehistoric animals as cows and
horses; seashells, pieces Of cork, min
nows in bottles, tadpoles in bottles,
queer beetles in bottles, large, fat
ducks which developed in a most as
founding manner from the fluffy,
yellow little ducklings that mother
purchased in q weak moment last
Easter; one -bladed knives, the insides
Of an old alarm clock. slingshots, half
q canoe paddle and the framework Of
q kite.
At Union Station carefully laid
plans for careers as locomotive en-
gineers are apt to be ditched in the
impulsive adoption Of new plans for
something with a real future in it
like running those electric baggage
trucks. Once more at home the afore-
mentioned collections are temporarily
deposited on the divan In the living
room, in the middle Of the stairs, un-
der the piano and on the top Of
fathers bureau. Roller skates are in
great demand for five minutes, until
the discovery is made that the skate
key has been lost during the Summer.
Acquaintanceships broken OF two and
half months ago are renewed on the
sidewalk without preliminaries. by the
ejaculation Of the word "Hi!" Plans
are Immediately laid for some com
Evening star., 1934-09-07
Press Lauds and Questions
Richberg New Deal Reports

Comments on the reports of Donald
Richberg as head of the Executive
Council in the recovery program dis
close much satisfaction over the gains
shown for industry and agriculture,
though there is disagreement as to
what credit belongs to the N. r. A.
and A. A. A.
Mr.. Richberg properly points out
that "the exact contribution Of N. r.
A. to industrial recovery cannot be
established statistically," says the
Grand Rapids Press. 50" The gains
are scarcely to be disputed. They
have taken place and 1t is but natural
that the N. r. A. and other recovery
agencies should claim a lions share
Of the credit for any pickup. That
other countries, as the Foreign Policy
Association announces, have also
picked up In the same period Of time
without the benefit Of the New Deal
would suggest that additional, stronger
forces are at work: the governments
elsewhere are also citing their con-
tributions to the upturns."
Showing that the purchasing power
Of wage earners has increased Is per
cent" says the Newark Evening News,
Mr.. Richberg is fair enough to admit
that this is not because individual
wage earners are getting that much
more money, but because shorter
hours have made room for more
workers. Actually, as he frankly
points out, increases in pay of indi-
ha-
with the higher cost of living, but
more mouths are being fed. The figure
presented Of increased profits to cor
porations are of themselves impress
sive, but the number is not great
enough to be in any wise conclusive.
1t Is when the author of the report
tells Of the elimination of child labor
the improvement in the automobile
industry and the bringing of order
out of chaos in the oil business that
he Is most encouraging. Business
failures from February to May of this
year were 40 per cent lower than in
the same period of 1929, it Is set
forth, but this feature of the report
would be more effective If it showed
the gradual diminution of failures
was limited to the IA months of N.
r. A. activity"
Both the N. r. A. and the agricul-
ture reports are analyZed by the Ok
lahoma News, with the statement that
the latter sheds credit, If not luster,
upon the administrators efforts"
and that the former shows that the
New Deal has made long and rapid
mary of farm results shown by the
report, the News states: Largely
through the A. A. A. program and
marketing agreements, the prices Of
seven basic commodities, plus benefit
Evening star., 1934-09-07
Queen Elizabeth and DR.. Johnson

1t is a curious coincidence that
makes it possible for the English
speaking race to celebrate the birth
day of Queen Elizabeth and that Of
DR.. Samuel Johnson on the same date.
They were SO different; their lives
were governed by such widely different
circumstances. And yet fame brackets
them in utter disregard for variation.
The names Of both are household
words wherever the national culture
to which they belonged is operative.
They spoke the same tongue, were
motivated by much the same psy-
chology. Each was intensely British,
each was automatically human in
the British manner-egocentric per-
haps, but not utterly selfish; illib-
eral, but not completely reactionary;
courageous. but not inordinately ad-
venturous: brusque and rude, but not
incapable Of gentleness and mercy.
They signify much to Americans be-
cause each had a hand in shaping
the American mind. The one set q
Evening star., 1934-09-07
Regards Single Tax as
Sovereign Cure of Ills
To the Editor OF The Star:

10 the EDITOR OF Tne star.
Thinkers are agreed that the same
disintegrating influences which finally
overthrew other civilizations are ram
pant in our own time. Unmistakable
signs of social chaos. In the not far
distant future, are plainly visible to
the seeing eye.
Therefore it is the duty Of all loyal
Americans to put on their considering
caps to discover what really Is
basically wrong with our social order.
An error of any kind and the effects
thereof can never be eradicated with
out getting down to brass tacks.
There are. only two schools of
thought which are advancing O rem
edy for existing social ills. That
simplifies the task of choice. These
are the Socialist and the individualist
schools. The former Is represented
by the teachings of such men as
Marx and Lenin, and the latter by
Henry George "a clean-cut American)
and John Stewart Mill. Let other
countries tinker around with the So
cialist innovations and let Americans
familiarize themselves with what their
OWu I1C1Iy 1COAeC tduSAAt, hkl0 tAACtA
let us institute the single tax and be
done with these dangerous and revo-
lutionary experiments.
The great majority of Americans
stand In no mans land as far as
their knowledge Of social science Is
concerned, and God only knows
whether sufficient numbers, even now,
will take the trouble to make them
selves acquainted with the Henry
George school Of social science. And
while We dilly-dally on rush the tre-
mendous forces of bloody revolution.
The English-speaking peoples are
much too ENTHUSIASTICALLY minded to
thrive under any method Of spoon
feeding. They demand an equal right
to all the forces of nature (Which Is
their birthright), which will, In turn,
insure an equal right to life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness.
As q nation we are literally smoth-
cred with taxes. Every single thing
we eat, or drink, or wear Is taxed right
up to the hilt The institution Of the
single tax would abolish all fines
(taxes) on industry and enterprise.
Look what our system of taxation has
done for this wonderful country and
for this splendid people! Made US .
nation Of hilliouAires On the one hard
Evening star., 1934-09-07
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES f. TRACEWELL.

People who live in brick houses
should beware of planting Zinnias neeI
the walls, unless the latter are painted
white.
There are few poorer combinations
than the red of bricks and the RED
and yellow of zinnias. Despite the
work with zinnias, extending over @
comparatively long period, these colors
still predominant.
Reds and yellows in modern zinnias
run wide range of tints and shade
but still they are red and yelows
without doubt.
When these are thrown in close con-
traSt with red brick house wall the
effect is anything but pleasing.
The same applies to cannas. whose
wonderful reds fail to harmonic with
the brick house. The so-called Sum-
mer poinsettia, with its vivid red
comes in the same category. Likewise
the scarlet sage.
One often sees these combinations
1t is true, and their owners may find
them pleasing in every way. 1t is
here again as with foods, every man
to his own taste. What is one gar
dener's pleasure, in flowers, is an
others dislike.
Still, there are certain combinations
which simply do not go" Perhaps
they are to be felt.
This feeling, however, while it may
seem intangible to some. nevertheless
Is very potent in flower work, no mat
a uyh DO xHrhn hn f,iY -
a few blooms in ones own yard, OF
arranging them in vases for small or
large functions, or growing them for
large demand.
The feeling that certain factors
"go," and that others do not. Is very
tangible, after all. 1t Is built solidly
on a good eye for colors and their
combinations.
This Is a gift, which artists of all
sorts possess.
They must possess 1t.
The gift of being sensitive to color
combinations carries with it much
grief, at times.
One is no longer able to view the
world with ummitigated happiness, no
matter what exists.
What Is Is" as a motto, no longer
carries complete conviction.
1t Is as with the man sensitive to
odors. The latter may regret the day
he ever was given a most sensitive
nose. He finds disagreeable smells
where others find nothing at all. The
keen scent of burning leaves in the
Autumn for him is not pleasant. 1t
may be to others, but 1t is too sharp
for him.
The soul inclined to artistic dis
elimination of colors often finds him
self sadly Jared where other and per-
haps happier men find only some
thing good to look at.
He envies them.
Nor does he feel that he Is the
victim of the "clash" theory.
Have you ever heard two woman gar
deners talking about colors "claWsh-
ing?
That horrid, horrid magenta, for in
stance, which many flowers insist on
presenting to the world, will clawsh
with all the other flowers of the
garden.
So they say. II you listen too long
to them, you come away with the fixed
idea that all flowers clash.
X n
No, the discriminating color artist
never puts much stress on one color
"clashing" with another.
He prefers the term go" Maybe
1t is the same thing, but he does not
think so. 1t does not sound so
"snooty," for one thing, and he likes
to think that it has more common
sense to it.
Common sense, after all, whether in
regard to radio, or novels, or grand
Evening star., 1934-09-07

munity undertaking, like digging q
cave in the woods and preliminary
surveys are started. The survey party,
before reaching the site of the pro-
posed cave. becomes a foot ball game.
Later, they troop back home and
tentatively test the new wall paper to
see If it smears-like the old paper
did. 1t does. And after dinner-too
long after dinner-they go protestingly
to bed and, finally, to sleep.
Yes, they are back again. Life re-
turns to normal. If no sweeter than
in the blissfui months Of Summer, it
Is more exciting.
Evening star., 1934-09-07
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

A reader can get the anstoer to
any question Of fact BY ipriting The
Washington Evening Star Information
Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director,
Washington, d. c. Please tHciose
stamp for reply.
@. How long will it take to clean
and repair the Washington Monu-
ment?-D. r.
A. It Is estimated that 1t win take
140 days. The repairing will be done
first, working upward from the l50-
foot level. The cleaning will come last,
and will be done from the top down.
ward. 1t is the first time that the
Monument has been cleaned.
@. How many copies Of Upton Sin
clair's pamphlet, Il. Governor of
California" have been sold?-J. M. X
A. More than 180, 900 copies Of the
pamphlet have been sold.
@. What was the name Of the
minister who let a rattlesnake bite
him to prove his faith?-W. A.
A. Albert Teester. Holiness
preacher in the Great Smoky Noun
tains near Sylvia, N. c., allowed q
snake to bite him and refused medical
care. He recovered in few days
and held services in his cabin to
give thanks.
@. Is carrene dangerous as q re-
| frigerant?-A. l.. s.
A. The National Bureau Of Stand
ards says, "It is very improbable. in
single unit domestic installation
that conditions will be produced that
would make the use of carrene dan
gerous" Carrene has been tasted
smelled and handled by thousands OF
people in store tests throughout the
country without any Ill effects being
noticeable.
@. How long were the Army airmen
gone on the trip to A1aska?-T. s. A
A. The Alaskan flight started on
July 10 and the planes returned on
August 20.
@. How Is the air in the Holland
Tunnel kept fresh?-H. B.
A. In the Holland Tunnel ventilat-
ing arrangements provide that under
| each of the two roadways is fresh
| air duct, at its maximum dimensions
20 feet wide and 6 feet deep. Enter
ing this duct at the rate of about 9
mile a minute the air Is diverted into
an expansion chamber, the sides oi
which run the whole length of the
tunnel. About IL inches above the
surface of the roadway is continuous
series of slots which allows the air tc
enter the tunnel proper. The in
coming air passes into the tubes In
waves. At the top of each tunnel Is
| duct into which the vitiated all
passes, the whole ventilating current
being accelerated by huge exhaust
fans venting through tall chimneys
in the ventilating buildings at each
end Of the tunnel.
@. What Is meant by the divine
aff1atus?-T. v. A.
A. 1t is q term POLITICALLY used to
express either Divine importation
of knowledge, an overmastery or su-
pernatural impulse, or the more COM
mon term, inspiration. 1t was used
by John Greenleaf Whittier in 1.-THE
Preacher" and by Thomas Carlyle,
historian.
@. How many cases Of kidnapping for
ransom have there been In Canada?-
w. w. A.
A. The abduction Of John s. Labatt,
wealthy brewer of London, Ontario,
Is said to be Canada's first major
kidnapping for ransom. Mr.. Labatt
was released unharmed on August l6.
@. Were lotteries permitted in Eng
land by law previous to the sixteenth
century?-S. D. A.
A. According to Haydn's Dictionary
OF Dates, the first mention of lottery
In English history is of one which