davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1934-04-17
By EdWin C.. Hill

DR.. Raymond L. Ditmars, who
gracefully supports the some
what ponderous title of "Cura-
tor of Mammals and Reptiles in
the New York Geological Park"
is gentleman of indefatigable
activity. When he isn't chasing
down to the Panamanian
jungles to snare one of those
evil serpents called bushmaster,
or shopping along the Hudson
Palisades to grab himself first
class rattler or copperhead Che
is the greatest living authority
on snakeS, he is writing books
or making motion pictures, or
lecturing to pop-eyed audiences
and illustrating his talks with
living rattlesnakes and cobras.
Now he's out to give back to
the boys of America the kind of
red-blooded books he liked to
read when he was kid-to fill
a gap in the literature of boy
hood. A very interesting gentle
man, DR.. Ditmars, and, without
doubt, the greatest authority in
the world on mans ancient
enemy, the old evil that cost
us the Garden of Eden and
gave us men a chance to blame
the ladies for our hard luck.
Lances of Death
I have seen Ray Ditmars do
things with these lances of
death that are simply incredi-
able. He takes a suitcase full Of
diamond back rattlers and In.
dian cobras and uses them to
illustrate as calmly as you would
lift a rabbit by the ears. He not
only knows exactly how to han
die them, and has no fear of
them, but has a positive liking
for them.
He tells me a curious thing:
that our dread of serpents is a
thing acquired by reading and
listening to snake stories. That
it isn't inherited at all, and that
small children usually have no
fear of snakes whatever if older
people haven't warned and
frightened the youngsters. Big
ger, better and more poisonous
snakeS-that is the life work of
this slight, fifty-six year old,
pleaSant-mannered scientist who
goes to Panama now to nunt
down and take with his bare
hands that beady-eyed terror Of
the jungle, the twelve-foot bush:
master and the granddaddy OF
our rattlers. It's poison kills in
five minutes.
DR.. Ditmars has been told
many times that some day his
hand would slip and that one Of
his deadly pets would nail him
in a flash. But he smiles in his
pleasant way and goes right on
pulling the whiskers of death.
Don't believe for a minute
that he, and such as he, run
no risk. The most expert take
their lives in their hands. It
has only been four years since
Charley Snyder. for years
head-keeper of the New York
Zoo, went out in the Ramapo
The Washington times., 1934-04-17

) Mountains in New Jersey to
get himself a mess of rattlers.
He was fumbling in the brush
when one struck. He knew
what he was in for, and cut
his thumb off with a pocket
knife as he ran for the nearest
town. DR.. Ditmars rushed to
the hospital where Charley
Snyder lay gasping for breath.
He injected the Brazilian Sc.
rum, but it was too late. The
poison had been working for "a
hours. It was the end of poor
Charley.
Narrow Escape
Time and time again, Ditmars
has flown by plane or taken
fast trains to save the lives Of
men, women and children, a
kind of one-lnan Red Cross.
But the gamest thing I ever
saw him do took place one
afternoon years ago in the
reptile house in the ZOO. was
talking in there with DitmarS
and DR.. William T. Hornaday,
the great naturalist. We were
watching the big pythons when
a keeper let out a yell of terror
that sent the cold chills up
my back.
Look out!" He shouted.
'The cobra is out of his cage!
Rum" We whirled about, and
there on the open floor, not ten
feet way, was Rex, the great
king cobra. His hood was
spread and his eyes blazed
like rubies with the ferocity
that was in him. He poised
there, like terror itself, his
great head swaying over a
body coiled like a steel spring.
Then he lashed out and made
for us, and though my legs
were like lead, I ran for the
door, for I knew that death
was at my heels.
But Ray Ditmars didn't run.
His eyes glinted with the joy
of battle. He sprang forward,
snatching up a tarpaulin as
he leapeG. The cobra struck
at him, but he stepped aside
and flung the tarpaulin over
the cobra's body. He held it
there until a keeper brought
him a forked stick. And then,
swiftly, but with the utmost
care, he worked the fork Of
the stick up to a point just
behind the great cobra's head
and jammed it down.
He pionioned the deadly
head and held it to the floor
unit. a keeper got a firm grip
on the writhing body. And
then, as coolly as you please,
that man Ditmars, with light
ming speed, caught the snake
behind the head with his bare
right hand, gripped the neck
like a vice, and with the keep
er picked it up and slammed
it into the cage from which it
had escaped. Almost, I think
that was the pluckiest thing I
ever saw.
Copyright. 1884. King Features
Syndicate Incl
The Washington times., 1934-04-17

No creature Smarts so little
as a fool.
Wise to resolve, and patient
to perform.
Experience keeps a dear
school, but fools will learn in
no other.
It is hard for an empty bag
to stand upright.
There never was a good war
or a bad peace.
Trust that man in nothing
who has not q conscience in
everything.
The Washington times., 1934-04-17
U. S. Naval Academy Needs
Substantial Expansion
By James T. Williams. Jr.

Every year the President and
the Congress appoint a board of
visitors to inspect and report
upon the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis. A SINH
lar board visits the United
States Military Academy at
West Point and inspects and re-
ports upon that institution.
When the board of visitors be-
gins it's annual inspection of
the Naval Academy at Annapolis
on April % it will find how
badly needed are additional
grounds and buildings for that
institution.
Buildings Inadequate
At the present time the build
ingS most needed at Annapolis
are the following:
An auditorium capable of ac-
commodating the entire student
body of the Academy, and suit
able for lectures, graduating ex-
ercises and other meetings at
which it is desirable for all the
midShipmen to be present. So
small is the auditorium now in
use that not more than two of
the four classes Of Midshipmen
can be seated at one time and
even this number taxes the
capacity of the hall.
The present administration
building was large enough when
the Midshipmen numbered only
500 or 600. AS the numbers now
total some 1000, the admins
trative activities of the Acad-
emy require a larger building.
Another most important in
sitution in the life OF the Acad-
emy is the library. It is much
too small to meet present needs.
There is not nearly enough
space to store and handle books.
The space available for the H.
brary is much too small to &C.
commodate what ought to be
the needs of all the Midship-
men.
Additional recitation rooms
are badly needed now that the
Midshipmen have increased in
numbers to more than twice the
strength of the Academy when
the present building were COM
pleted.
Additional laboratory space is
needed, especially by the depart
ment of electrical engineering
The Washington times., 1934-04-17
ONCE OVERS

as never before in the history Of
the world.
The majority of people have
become more liberal in their
views and ideas.
But the steps seem to be too
long for most of us.
The situation must be ac-
cepted as it stands and the steps
taken to meet it.
The fact that you accept it is
not evidence that you approve
it, but what are you going to do
about it?
You can't offset it by stand.
ing as an individual force.
You must combine with others
for innovations.
Meantime, attune yourself to
what exists.
Copyright. 1854, King Features
Syndicate, Incl
The Washington times., 1934-04-17
WORDS OF WISE MEN

Few things are impossible to
diligence and skill.
The first years of man must
make provisions for the last.
Example is always more efti'
caciouS than precept.
He is no wise man that will
quit a certainty for an uncer'
tainty.
Patriotism is the last refuge
of a scoundrel.
The applause OF a single
human being is Of great conSe'
quence.
The Washington times., 1934-04-17
Keep Up-tO-Date

The old ways won't do any
more.
If you don't change with the
changing world, you'll find your
self far in the rear.
It is easy to look back a few
years and think how much
better conditions were.
Procedure, as followed then,
was fruitful and satisfactory,
but since then great changes
have taken place.
If you are not modern enough
TO keep abreast of today'S de-
mandS you'll be lost in the
shuttle.
Many rapid and radical
changes have taken place in
nearly every line Of effort and
The Washington times., 1934-04-17
By Nelson Harding

probably Gus, replied: Wei,
sire, why not let's call it Ham.
burger?' There being no good
reason why not, such has be-
come its appellation through
the ages"
The Washington times., 1934-04-17

WASHINGTON s
u '~ ~ "
i. j. Fitzpatrick, ' ' -1"~e'''
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
Safeguards Against Disaster

Description Of the great new liner
launched yesterday at Clydebank,
Scotland. contains one item Of par
ticular interest Just at this time, when
the circumstances of the MORO Castle
horror are being disclosed. This para
graph appears in the account:
For safety's sake the ship is divided
by eighteen Watertight bulkheadS and
has complete double bottom, with a
space OF nearly six feet between the
inner and outer skins Of the bottom.
In all. the hull is cut into seventy
watertight subdivisions. Elaborate
systems for the detection of smoke OF
fire and a carbon dioxide extinguish-
ing system guard against FIRE, most
dreaded of sea perilS.
The testimony that has been given
In the Moro Castle case before the
Bureau of Navigation Board of In
vestigation has indicated that none Of
the safeguards against fire, and par
ticularly against its spread and con-
quest, worked. There were no auto
matte alarms. there were no effective
efforts to keep the blaze in its place
Of origin and, seemingly, an utter
Generalization on the part of officers
and crew. No satisfactory explsna-
ton has been given Of the delay In the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
Sinclair "Epic' Plan Step Forward
From the New Deal, but Not Radical

as is usual with all reform proposals
attempted within the framework of
decaying and dying capitalism. The
people have tested out the two old
parties repeatedly. Always they fail
you. but they do not fail the aristoc-
racy of the money bags! They serve
them faithfully. But they cannot
serve faithfully two masters. since the
interests of the aristocracy are entirely
opposed to the interests of the average
worker of hand and brain. Study real
Socialism. come into the Socialist
party, and help us to operate it, and
We will show you how to do the job
right, once and for all, the nation
overl" You know what the American
people Will do, under the present chaos
will rush into Socialism with the
natural inspiration of our pioneer an
cestors and you capitalist newspapers
and hangers-on who try to stop the
tidal wave will find yourselves
deserted.
1t is sometimes said that Socialism
Is q foreign or alien system" That's
4 SOOQ Joke. DO Is our own SOIlSllIu-
ton? Where did We get most of the
ideas from to adopt our own Con-
Stitution? We got them from Europe.
Our Constitutional Convention sent q
committee to Europe to study the con-
situations in those nations. When
they finally got our present Constitu-
ton together it was merely hodge
podge OF the liberal ideas that pre-
vailed in Europe at that time! Most
OF US are foreigners. or are the sons or
grandsons of foreigners. The Amer
lean Indian Is the only real 100 per
cent American, so these sentimental,
reactionary Constitution worShipers
should remember that! The writer
is a descendant of William Penn, but
realizes that Christianity is also q
foreign institution. Should We send
all the church members home whence
they came? Such idiocy! No wonder
the older nations Of Europe wonder
II we are degenerating into morons.
with such silly sophistries.
The English bill Of rights Is part
OF our Constitution. Do the Liberty
Leaguers want to remove 1t there
from? Do the patrioteers want to
repeal the English bill Of rights which
we have adopted? s. r. RANDELL.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
Taxes and Policy.
4 the Newark Evening News.

From the Newark Evening News.
A Senate committee brings up again
the manner in which wealthy men in
other years avoided all income taxes
by realizing losses on securities. The
process was perfectly legal. hardly
ethical, and not taking ones fair share
of the burden. But it is perhaps
equally questionable whether the law
as corrected, so as to make capital
gains taxable while capital losses can
only be taken after two years and
then only In graduated amounts, is
any fairer to the citizen.
The ordinary citizen Is likely to
argue that so long as gain is tax
able loss ought to be deductible.
but, so long as the provision remained.
there was opportunity for unreason-
able evasion. The British system OF
taxation does not recognize capital
gains as income and consequently
does not recognize capital losses as
deductible. It is an open question
among economists whether our taxes
as they now stand are not really
higher and more burdensome than
the British.
As we go on our way to a new re-
covery and seek to put our economic
structure on firm ground this capital
gain tax should be studied anew.
There is no doubt that in the boom
years it was one great contributing
cause which led up to the collapse in
1929. The reason is In human nature.
Men. particularly in the stock market
or in real estate, hesitated to accept
o turnover at q reasonable profit be-
cause they mentally deducted the
capital gains tax.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
Press Agrees That States
Should Share Relief Burden

The renewed demand Of Relief Ad-
ministrator Hopkins that States and
cities do their own part toward caring
for the needy before calling for Fed
eral aid is given general approval by
the press.
Washington cannot handle every
thing" declares the New York Sun.
More than a year ago Administrator
Hopkins made a general statement OF
policy, declaring that State admins
trationS should be expected to have
wide responsibilities He said, 1T is
impossible for Federal relief admin
iStrator to be acquainted with the de-
tails and needs of thousands OF COM
munities.' That is still true. There
will be work relief all Winter, there
fore, and its effectiveness will depend
largely on how towns and States di-
rect and support it. Whether it be
public works or other projects, the
whole problem cannot be left to the
F. E. R. A
In Pennsylvania, where Federal
funds were withheld because the State
did not supply its quota, the Pitts
burgh Post Gazette observed with sat-
isfaction that notification has been
given by Federal Relief Administrator
Hopkins that the Government will not
assume the entire relief burden in
New York City" and adds: Agree
ing, of course, that the States should
do their part, that no encouragement
should be given to any notion that
Federal funds were inexhaustible, this
newspaper emphasized that Pennsyl-
vania would take no exception to the
national administrations course IL it
felt that it were being applied to all
the other States. Then this question
was asked: is this policy Of the Fed
eral Government to apply only to
Pennsylvania, or will the same de-
mands be made of other States?' AS
far as it goes. the action in the New
York City case gives the proper an
swer to that question, and the most
should be made of the Pennsylvania
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
The Disarmament Fiasco.

Although Norman H. Davis is again
in conference with President Roose-
welt on the subject Of forthcoming
Naval Conference conversations in
London, current events indicate that
the whole question of disarmament
and limitation OF armaments has
reached a sorry pass.
As to naval arrangements, In which
the United States is primarily inter-
ested, it seems almost foregone con-
cMsion that Japan's insistence on an
upward revision OF her ratio to the
point Of parity with Great Britain
and this country dooms all hope Of
agreement upon treaty to replace
the one expiring next year. Neither
the British nor ourselves are enamored
of the idea OF granting Japan's de-
mands, even though failure to do 80
would make q renewal Of costly naval
competition inevitable. There Is still
hope that Japanese delegates now
en- route to England may be bearing
proposals that will admit of discus
sion and possible accord. But conf
dence on that score is not strong.
On Wednesday in Geneva the
League of Nations newest member,
the Soviet Union. sprang q surprise
by proposing that the World Disarma-
ment Conference, which is winding
up three years of AFFECT futility, be
declared formally at an end. and that
its chairman, Arthur Henderson Of
report ~ to the causes Of its practical
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
West Coast Plane Service.
From the Pasadena star-News.

From the Pasadena Star-News.
Southern California is building air
craft for service on the South Amer
lean west coast. A mail and passen-
ger air route, $500 miles in length,
extending from the Canal Zone to Az
gentina. will have new equipment.
Nine big planes have been shipped
from the Douglas factory at Santa
Monica for this purpose. These
planes will carry IL passengers, 2
pilots and a steward. as we'll as mail
and express. and will have = cruising
speed Of 200 miles and hour. Air.
minded Latin America must have the
best.
Lack Of railway and highway facili-
ties comparable with those enjoyed in
the United States encourages the de-
velopment of air lanes in that region,
and all the countries of the Southern
continent are thus served
That California manufacturers are
csAed on to supply this demand for
high-class aircraft is q pleasing trib-
ute to an industry that already is of
large dimensions here and which
promises TO become still more i'm
portant.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27

failure. Even countries like France,
which have been Jealous in desiring
to perpetuate the moribund confer
ence, are inclined to support Mr.. Lit
vinoff's plan. having reluctantly come
to the conclusion that there Is no
longer any virtue In preserving q
myth. The Soviet idea is that some
thing in the form Of q small, per-
manent. supervisory disarmament
commission, instead Of an unwieldy
debating society like the conference,
might eventually serve some useful
purpose.
There Is general agreement that
the hopeless fiasco into which the
European disarmament cause has
drifted Is mainly due to the fears
which NaA Germany has raised in
the breasts Of the French and others
Of the Reich's neighbors. The Hitler
governments rearmament maneuvers
and its maintained demand for arms
equality I'LL Europe with the convic-
ton that peace and security under
the circumstances rest on far too
unstable foundations to justify any
appreciable reduction of defensive
establishments.
Under French leadership. and espe-
cially under the astute direction of
Foreign Minister Barthou, Europe Is
now inclined to place faith in a far
flung network of interlocking security
pacts. plus international supervision
OF ornaments, rather than in an
unattainable general disarmament
agreement. This means a restoration
Of the supposedly discredited system
Of alliances and balances Of power,
but, having CROPPED in vain for other
solutions. European craftsmanship has
decided that there Is no alternative.
With both Japan and Germany dis
daining to acouiesce in plans for
stabilizing peace, the outlook is not
one to fill advocates of warless
world with encouragement or
enthusiasm.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
Treatment of Railways.
From the San Jose Mercury Herald

Sharply assailing the Governments
treatment OF the railways, the United
States Chamber of Commerce declares
public interest requires that they be
given a chance to get on their feet.
1t says the policy toward them should
embody these propositions:
The railroads should be freed from
Government interference with the
proper functions of management. The
Interstate Commerce Commission
should permit them to earn cost plus
q reasonable return. so that in time OF
business activity they will be able to
reduce Indebtedness and build up re-
serves. Rate policies should permit
greater flexibility in rates to meet
requirements of shippers and carriers.
Competing forms of transportation
should be reasonably regulated to
eliminate cutthroat competition and
to enable each type of transportation
to perform the service for which it is
best fitted. Voluntary consolidation,
subject to Government approval.
should be encouraged when justified
by economic efficiency.
There can be no full recovery from
the depression SO long as great key In
dustries are depressed. Every worker
has, therefore, an interest in meas
ures to revive railway business, for
this Is q great source of direct and In
direct employment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
Good Policy.
From the Richmond Times Dispatch.

From the Richmond Times Dispatch.
In an Associated Press dispatch
from Washington 1t is said that the
Virginia members of the House of
Representatives have decided by COM
mon consent to hold aloof from
commitments to the candidates. of
any of the several men who aspire to
the speakership, made vacant by the
recent death of Henry T. Rainey.
At the proper time. it is pointed out,
these foot-loose Virginians may get
together and determine whom they
will support as body. Meantime, as
individuals they are looking over the
field as interested spectators OF po-
litical battle which began Immediately
after the funeral Of Mr.. Rainey.
This is good policy. One Of the
candidates for Speaker is probably as
good. as prospective presiding oft-
Ger, as another. II the Virginia dele
cation, voting as a whole. chooses
wisely and happens to be on the win
ming side, it doubtless would be &C
corded more recognition in the next
Congress and would be better able to
look out for its several constituencies.
Besides, there Is the possibility that,
at the last moment, lightning will
strike Clifton A. Woodrum, who was
conspicuous in the last Congress and
Is very close to the Roosevelt admins
tration.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27

discovery of the fire and the incon1-
petence of the measures adopted for
its suppression.
Reference to the double bottom and
watertight subdivisions Of the hull Of
the Queen Mary revive memories OF
the Titanic, which on her maiden
voyage rammed an iceberg that rip
ped her outer skin and caused her u
sink SO quickly that more than If
teen hundred persons persisted. Per-
haps it was this catastrophe. which
cast such a cloud upon the splendid
record of British shipbuilding an6
seamanship, that led to the designing
of the Queen Mary in a manner seem.
ingly to Withstand such blows as that
which shocked the world in April
1912.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27
Contrast.

Amt it hard to say "good-bye"i
Tears come prowlin' round your eye
An your heart, it seems to pause,
Listenin' fur a minute, cause
It's afraid that from today
'Twont beat quite the same old way
'Tain't at all the thrill it knew
When old friends said "howdy dol
Mebbe though the shadows stay
over night to make the day
That much brighter when it's here
Mebbe the unbidden tear
That comes tremblin' to the eye
When folks have to say goodbye
Is what makes the "howdy do"
Ring SO hearty like an true.