davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1934-04-13
Is School-Attendance
Law Forgotten in d. c.?

To the Editor Of The Star:
There Is q school attendance law in
the District Of Columbia. Children
between the ages Of z and 16 years
must be regularly instructed In q
school-public, private or parochial-
or regularly instructed privately dur
ing the school term. The parent,
guardian or other person having
charge OF such children Is subject to
fine Of $40 for each two days child
unlawfully shall remain away from
school or to commitment to jail for
five days, or both.
Some rash persons attempted once
to organize strike against the school
authorities. and started to 60 50 far as
to counsel parents to keep their chill
dren out of school. But when they
were informed that penalty Of fine
or Imprisonment might be visited
upon those who violated this law they
caved in precipitately and with ex-
tremely sudden haste.
Yet one may wonder what would
happen II the law is the other way
around-if school officials keep chill
dren out Of school when the law says
they shall be in school.
At the commencement Of the school
term q child is sent to school by his
parents. He begins his schooling at
9 o'clock. He is kept in school until
/ o'clock and then sent home by the
teacher for the remainder Of the day.
The mother tells the father what has
happened. The father calls the child
and tells him this: "You tell your
teacher to let you out for IL o'clock
recess. You tell her that you are
coming back at 1 o'clock to stay in
school until 8. II your teacher tells
you that you cannot do that, then you
tell her that your father will not let
you go to school,"
: Has the father any right to say
that? BY authority Of law, it is de-
clared that ION and after July 1st,
1906, all children of school age being
instructed in the schools Of the Dis,
trict beyond the second grade shall
be given a whole day school session"
This still must be the law, for it Is
found as Section 241, Title Z, Educa-
ton, Page 81, in the 1929 Code Of
Law for the District of Columbia.
There seems to be no justification in
statute law for part-time classes for
children beyond the second grade.
When mandatory law meets penalty
law, which is supreme?
The just view Is that the right Of
the child to his full, legal measure Of
educational time during the few years
he has to get a public school educa-
ton Is greater than any power arbi-
trarily to compel him to do anything
that conflicts with this higher law OF
greater importance.
The fair conclusion Is that no part
time classes are morally right or law
fully in existence beyond the second
grade. They should be discontinued
at once and sufficient provision should
be made to compel school officials to
conform to and obey the paramount
and immeasurably greater law pro-
viding for whole-day school session
for all children entitled to have it.
1t will be time enough then for the
compulsory school attendance law TO
be invoked and enforced.
JOSEPH w. CHENEY.
Evening star., 1934-04-13
POlicemen's Pistols
And Harmless Pets
To the Editor Of The Star;

10 Inc EQltOr OF lue 6tar.
Your editorial suggestion in The
Evening Star of the 10th that police
officers Of this city be taken in groups
to the local Zoo to familiarize them
with various kinds Of local pets in
digenous to Washington, in order that
such near tragedies as the recent
shooting Of a harmless pet kinkajou
might hereafter be avoided. might we'll
be supplemented by the further sug-
gestion that the particular third pre-.
cinct policeman who wantonly shot
the young lady's harmless pet be dis
missed fortnight from the force. This
brave gunman might next time try his
craftsmanship on q pet canary, or a
poodle dog or even crippled child.
The respect of our people for the
Washington police force is not en-
HANGED BY so disgusting an incident.
RExFORD L. HOLMES.
Evening star., 1934-04-13

With the World Court protocols
again before the Senate for discussion,
editorial observers line up almost
solidly in favor of ratification. 1t Is
felt that American adherence to the
tribunal would be a timely move in
the direction of international accord.
Both the Republican and Demo-
cratic parties are pledged in their
platforms to support the protocols. u
reminds the Hartford Times. Every
President since Wilson has favored
adherence to the court. Adherence
at this time would be particularly
valuable, in view Of the international
situation and the recent revival of a
menacing naval armament race. Ad-
herence to the court implies no dam
ger to American interests, but rather
their better protection. The cause of
world peace needs every fraction OF
substantial assistance which American
action can give it,
The Yakima Daily Republic, on the
other hand, holds that 1.-The establish
ment of a world tribunal was a beau
tiful theory, one of those visions for
the future, when all men are to be
honorable and nations will become
amenable to reason" and adds that
"one thing for which our people have
been thankful Is that they have not
been subjected to the political ma
chinations of the intriguing group
which is running international affairs
in Europe-at least not to the extent
they would have been had the United
States been member of the court" "
The San Jose Mercury Herald takes
exception to this point of view and
declares: Opposition to adherence to
the court is put upon the ground that
our interests require us to keep aloof
from Europe and establish closer re-
lations with American nations. We
should consult our interests in de-
termining foreign policy, and one of
them Is friendly intercourse with our
American neighbors. The effect of
our anti-court, anti-league policy on
them Is therefore an important con-
stderation. Their reaction to it has
been pronounced. Everybody who has
kept In touch with Latin American
opinion knows that it has alieniated
them from US and driven them into
the arms of Europe"
America, pioneer in the move to
bring the nations together in peace
ful consideration of their differences" /"
says the OwenSboro (Ky) Messenger,
should, as a matter Of consistency
with her oft-repeated pretensions,
and to testify to her own sincerity for
peace, become q member of the World
Court at an early date" while the
Houston Chronicle is Of the opinion
that cit Is surely time we do this bit
for world peace" The same paper
continues: I'VE have talked a great
deal about It; we have insisted that
we are the worlds chief friends Of
peace; and yet when it comes to
showing little spirit Of cooperation
with other nations we hang back
more determinedly, perhaps, than any
other country In the world"
It seems to the Pontiac (Mich)
Daily Press that "there Is little In the
attitude of the United States Senate
toward the World Court that viii af-
ford American citizens an opportunity
for rejoicing" in view of the fact
that "there Is little reason to believe
that any action will be taken at this
session of Congress" The Buffalo
Times, however. thinks that ut Is
quite possible that public sentiment
- 20 strong ut this time In favor Of
Evening star., 1934-04-13

fic accidents for the first half of
March, 1884, with the corresponding
period Of 1888, without any mention
Of weather conditions In the two years
or Of the fact that Washington took
care of q great Inauguration crowd in
early March Of last year.
I should be glad to believe that
whisky had lost its character and
that the temperance wave that Is now
sweeping the country Is proving bene.
fetal. However, ] must withhold my
Judgment for better proof.
CHARLES v. BURNSIDE.
Evening star., 1934-04-13
More War in South America.

Thanks once again to demonstrated
League of Nations futilty in the realm
Of war prevention, Colombia and Peru
are on the verge of resuming hostili-
ties over the Leticia dispute. Open
but undeclared warfare was in prog
ress In February, after many months
OF snoldering conflict, but under
League auspices a truce was arranged,
whereby Geneva undertook to ad-
minister the disputed border area
until June, when the Leagues man
date expires and by which time 1t
was expected the two countries would
have patched up their differences.
Yesterday the League was formally
notified that both Colombia and Peru
are actively preparing for war, while
the Colombian representative at Ge-
neva presented a note demanding a
decision giving Colombia full SOW
ereignty over Leticia by June. He
warned of the serious consequences"
which would ensue if Colombia's
claims are denied.
Evidence that Colombia means busi-
ness is supplied by the fact that
party Of twenty-five American air
pilots and as many mechanics has
Just sailed for Colombia to enter that
country's service as an aviation train
ing unit. The State Department si-
multaneously announced that the
United States disapproved of Ameri-
can citizens taking service in the
armed forces Of any foreign govern
ment. and If they do so, 1t Is on their
sole responsibility and with full
knowledge that they cannot look to
their own government for protection
while in such service.
This country's sole interest in such
controversies as the one now again
threatening q sanguinary clash be-
Evening star., 1934-04-13
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES Z. TRACEHELL.

ing with about as sure quantity as
there is.
The factors, to q certain extent, are
known. II you plant a peach, you will
get peach.
There Is always this surety, based
on the hope Of the garden.
This hope flowers in expectation of
the best. Often we do not get it, but
before we find that out we look for
ward to the best certainly.
In failure we have renewed hope in
the pleasant work Of gardening; that
is something which strictly human
failure cannot look forward to in all
cases.
r n n X
One forever hopes to become a bet
ter gardener, and even when one
doesn't, there is no bitterness attached
to failure.
Perhaps that is a good lesson-to
learn how to take failure without Bit
terness as far as possible. One would
say nothing against the defeat which
spurs one on to renewed effort. That
Is q popular way to look at it, espe-
cially for the other fellow, but some
times defeat is defeat, failure is fail
ure. incompetence is seen to be ex-
actly what the word means.
Well, he or she is happy who can
take such failure without the bitter
ness which SO often wrecks the lives
OF other human beings. A touch of
indifferency, maybe, will do the trick,
or even certain callousness. In all
such achievements-for such they are
more mental caliber is required than
others will give one credit for. This
Is the glory Of successful failure. The
world too long has regarded only sue
cessful success. Nothing succeeds
like success" runs the slogan. There
Is such thing as successful failure,
too. Perhaps every one knows some
particular example or even may have
been such.
Hope in the garden runs to such
trivial things. Hope need not be tre-
mendous.
Here Is certain green paint put on
fence posts and wires two years ago.
One hopes now that it will last an
other two years-and 1t looks for all
the world as II 1t will. This is a fine
dark green. Most such turn paler and
paler, but this becomes darker and
darker with age.
The result Is that In two years the
color Is a very pleasing one, indeed,
blending perfectly with the greens of
shrubs, grass and leaves Of all types.
It Is, in word, natural.
One Is hopeful about this lawn
mower. too. Just how old it is no.
body knows, but 1t still runs.
One even had hoped, upon occasion.
that this year 1t would refuse to run.
But nothing of the sort.
1t runs very well, although some
what YEARLY.
What is to be done with a mower
which refuses to wear out?
Oil it up again and let it run, of
course.
There is nothing else to do with it.
1t was always too heavy: there never
was much sense in making a lawn
mower as heavy as this. Weight is
not essential In such a machine. 1t Is
cutting power that is desirable; sharp
ness rather than heaviness.
The hope Of the garden includes the
final elimination of this flendishly
perfect contraption. Some day, no
doubt, it will refuse to run a foot. 1t
will stop. Its mileage will come to an
end. 1t will be through, piece of
junk, which, alas, is almost all that it
Is now-but 1t runs. How 1t runsI
Evening star., 1934-04-13
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Laugh Power.
II there's anything unpleasant that
suspicion has portrayed
Gently scof1.
If fisherman's small catch is leaving
hopeful friends dismayed
Laugh 1t on.
A laugh is something to be learned
like tennis or like chess,
It needs artistic management in mo-
mentS of distress.
But when you find your argument is
swiftly growing less
Laugh 1t of.
When you find the pigs are crowding,
each expecting to be first
At the trough;
When anybody tells you to "cheer up
and fear the worst"
Laugh 1t of.
When problem gets so deep that not
q soul can make 1t out
Your tears, however generous, can
never solve the doubt.
If high hat looms before you that is
leaving you In doubt
Laugh 1t of!
Evening star., 1934-04-13

Many shall curse, but some ad-
mire, the bright new dandelions.
And the gay little buttercups that
get in the grass and will not come
out.
The chickweed. too. handsome little
plants which sell for IS cents apiece.
In various catalogues. but which lawn
makers despise.
In q rockery, or on an otherwise
useless slope, the chickweed Is q very
desirable plant.
Even in q lawn it does little harm,
disappearing after the grass gets a
good start.
Happy is the home gardener who
is able to accept these things for
the good in them, nor be too much
upset by the bad.
Rightly viewed, the dandelion
flower Is as good as the next.
It Is impossible to say as much
for the leaves. of course. These
coarse sprawlers tend to spoil any
lawn.
BY keeping after them, however,
they may be eradicated in time. Many
gardeners try to take out the tap root,
and there are several good imple-
ments which may be used to this end.
If the lawn Is not too large the
best way Is to cut OF the leaves at
the ground. While this must be re-
peated from time to time, as new
leaves grow, each time they are
smaller.
Nothing discourages a dandelion
plant SO much as this persistent treat
ment.
It must be followed, or accom-
panied. by sowing of grass seed in
the space left by the removal of the
dentated leaves.
Flowers, like human beings, 1t
always seems to us, have distinct
characters.
That of the dandelion is hope.
Last December "a, which vas a
warm day, a single blossom sprang
up and bloomed between the crevices
Of two bricks in a sidewalk.
1t was a hopeful gesture, in view
- WAC sA oc VAAtCl Which, was W
follow.
Perhaps the cold has hurt the
dandelions, certainly we have not seen
many, but 1t is too early for them, in
the main.
They come later, with the real
flowers. That is why, perhaps, they
should be viewed as flowers, not Just
weeds, or pests.
1t Is undoubtedly true that all such
things are flowers, or pests, Just as
we choose to look at them.
\
This hopeful philosophy works out
better in the garden than many
another place.
do not worry" how many times
has every one been told that, but
how difficult 1t is, upon occasion, not
to worry!
Human life is one thing, floral life
quite another.
1t Is easier to be a philosopher in
relation to plants and grass and
shrubs and water lilies than in re-
gard to strictly human thoughts and
acts and their results.
And one Of the widest dlvergences
lies in the matter of hope itself.
Hope, in human affairs, depends
so much on other human beings, with
their wide differences. abilities, view-
points, standards, and so on
Hope. in Nature, depends upon
Nature.
X 4 X 4
He who works with Nature is work.
Evening star., 1934-04-13

The fact that literature has become
conspicuous means Of rewarding
political reputation has not yet caused
any Senator or Representative to sug-
gest that the Congressional Record
ought in fairness to pay magazine
rates.
Evening star., 1934-04-13
Disagreement on Relief Policy.

Although it has assumed RESPONSE
bility for emergency relief to an ex-
tent hitherto undreamed, the Ma
tional Government has never let up
for a minute on the importance of
local responsibility. In some cases
this harping on local responsibility
has become a matter of form only.
Some Of the States have shifted the
emergency relief problem entirely to
the National Government and the
National Government has not found
itself able, or has not found 1t eX-
pedient. to do anything but take it.
Here in the District of Columbia,
as everywhere else, every step taken
under the direction of the National
Government to supply the wants Of
the needy has been followed by an
: increased demand for relief. This
was true of the creation Of the c.
w. A., and it is true since the c.
W. A. was disbanded in favor of the
newly combined emergency relief and
emergency work plan. But here in
the District, where the National Gov
ernment Is in exclusive control, the
relief problem has assumed certain
complex elements not duplicated any
where else. As a National Legisla-
ture Congress has followed one policy
of emergency relief, but as local
Legislature Congress is not in favor
of that policy.
Alarmed at the increased demands
for relief, the Commissioners asked
the House Appropriations Committee
to increase the current years relief
appropriation of 1900, 900 to s4.000,-
COO for the next fiscal year. Increased
expenditures this fiscal year warranted
the increase, in the opinion of the
Commissioners, as necessary to sup
plement anticipated funds from the
National Government. But In re-
sponse to the request Chairman CAN
non of the Appropriations Subcommit-
tee read the local authorities a lee
ture on the demoralizing effects of the
very policy of public relief which Con-
gress has adopted for the Nation. In
speaking of relief, Mr.. Cannon said:
1t is an expenditure which, instead
Of producing some benefits to the city,
Is doing the city damage. Every dol
lar you are spending for that pur-
pose. in my opinion, is damaging the
city.
Mr.. Cannon suggested the answer
to the problem of emergency relief
lay i.l "bIck-to-the-farm movement"
But when it was suggested that the
insr ration of such a movement lay
bey nd the power of local officials,
wiz are dealing daily with a very
res istic problem of supplying people
Will feod and lodging, Mr.. Cannon sug-
ge; I'd that the appropriations should
be reduced. The sum for relief there
fore remains the same, in the face of
increased demands for relief. That
merely means that the National Gov
eminent must in effect continue the
financing Of all local relief, as it is
doing now. 1t is only to be hoped
that the national agencies will fully
meet the demands and not penalize
the local community on the ground
that it has failed in any local re-
sponsibility.
Evening star., 1934-04-13
InebriatiOn Statistics
Require Close Study
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
In Tuesdays Star, Immediately fol-
lowing the account of the Cannon
trial, I notice the heading Park
DrunH Fewer" Upon reading the
item I find that it compares the ar
rests for the month of March with
those for the months Of August, Sep
tember and October, 1888. This re-
minds me that the Washington papers
recently carried . comparison Of traf-
Evening star., 1934-04-13
The Presidents Return.

3IColOCuI ktOOSCtclt IctuItlcQ 10
Washington today to take up anew
the burden Of his duties, refreshed
by a two weeks trip in Southern
waters. The Chief Executive, who
has never been entirely free of heavy
responsibilities and tasks since he en-
tered the White House more than a
year ago, finds on his arrival here
that he must set his hand to the pillow
again with vigor. During his absence
the Congress has made comparatively
little progress with the legislative
program. The House, 1t is true, passed
the reciprocity tariff bill. but that
measure still fingers in the Senate
Finance Committee. The revenue
bill has occupied the attention of the
Senate for more than ten days. The
Upper House has loaded down the
bill with amendments. running rough
shod over the administration leaders
in boosting taxes. The Presidents
advice on these amendments, which
raise the total expected new revenue
to more than 100000, 900, will be
sought by the congressional leaders
before they are acted upon by the
House. Many of the legislators on
the Democratic side do not relish the
idea Of levying so many additional
taxes on the eve Of a congressional
election. However, these taxes, so far
as the income rates are concerned,
are not payable until next March IS.
When the President left Washing
ton two weeks ago it was with the
roar CT the House overriding his veto
Of the independent ohices bill and
its more liberal treatment of the vet
erans and Government workers ring
ing in his ears. Two days later the
Senate followed the House and made
the independent offices bill law, de-
spite the opposition Of President
Roosevelt. This was regarded as the
Presidents major legislative defeat at
the hands Of this Congress. In some
quarters it has been called a mere
forerunner Of serious opposition. But
whether the Congress will swing back
into line again and give the President
what he wants in the matter Of new
laws or not, there have been evidences
that the members of Congress are
giving freer rein to their own par
ticular ideas in recent weeks. Re-
sentiment has grown because the ad-
vice Of the brain trust" is relied
upon rather than the advice OF the
Democratic Congress.
The Presidents personal popularity
is proclaimed far and wide. Indi-
vidual members of the Congress will
find it difficult to Withstand the Chief
Executive. although collectively the
Democrats in the House and Senate
are in a position to make serious trou-
BILE for the President If they desire.
Today the Democratic leaders in Con-
gress led their colleagues in an un-
usual demonstration in honor Of the
President. Although they dubbed the
welcome given by Congress to the
President informal, still an appeal
was sent to every member of the
House and Senate to turn out to do
the President honor. It would appear,
on the surface at least, that the Con-
gress stands ready to follow Mr..
Roosevelt.
There is a long grind ahead, how
ever, before the legislative program
of the administration can be con-
cluded and Congress adjourn, unless
some of the measures which have
been listed on the program are al
lowed to go over to the next session.
Evening star., 1934-04-13

Some transcendental theorists have
claimed that in the highest impression
Of thought Truth and Beauty are the
same. There may yet be a demand
among some of the Senators for q
beauty contest.