davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1934-07-26

pledge to cooperate TO the fullest
extent with the housing program.
An unusual feature in connection
with the housing program Is empfa-
sized by the Asbury Park Evening Press
with the statement: President Roose-
velt proposes to put to q test the
theory of the elder Morgan that the
best collateral and the biggest part
Of credit is character. Under the act
there is no stipulation as to the Sc
curity to be furnished for loans for
home repairs, SO the administration
plans to ask no better security than
a good credit rating. There Is no
better guarantee for repayment of a
loan than the fact that the borrower
has a good Job, steady employment
and reputation for paying his bills"
The Dayton Herald advises that
"the wise property owner with money
to spend is beginning to realize that
this is really the time to build and
repair, while bargain prices still exist"
The Topeka Daily Capital declares:
IF rents rise substantially, this will
stimulate the housing project in two
ways-both by offering better returns
on the investment and by inducing
renters to build homes of their own.
If taxes on real estate can be re-
duced it will be an important added
stimulus
Evening star., 1934-07-26
Doumergue Saves His Cabinet.

Frances non-partisan ministry of
national union, which was on the
rocks for a week, has been saved at
the eleventh hour and a threatened
crisis avoided. For at least another
three months the political truce will
continue, permitting French economic
recovery to progress without inter-
ruption by party strife and all the
perilS inseparable from such conflict.
For this happy ending of what
seemed likely to eventuate in diSaS-
trous turmoil "Pere CASTOR" Dou-
mergue, the venerable premier. is re-
sponSible, Using the big stick with
that tact and good humor which stood
him in such good stead while Presi-
dent of the republic, NJ Doumergue
took the warning elements firmly in
hand and induced them to realize
that a perpetuation of their feuds
would mean the downfall of the cab
met and in its wake incalculable
economic and political chaos. These
arguments persuaded both NJ Tardieu,
Right wing minister without portfolio,
and NJ. Herriot, Radical Socialist
member of the cabinet of similar
rank, TO withdraw their respective
designations in the interest OF con-
tinued unity.
After prevailing upon these two
powerful leaders to bury the hatchet,
Premier Doumergue rehuked the tenn
peramental NJ. Tardieu for his "ex-
ceSSiye ardor" in charging former
Premier Camille Chautemps with
completely in the Stavisky bank scan
dalS, NJ Tsrdieu had already an
| nouneed that he had not intended to
traduce the entire Radical Socialist
party. with which NJ. ChautempS is
identified. NJ. Herriot, on his part.
accepted NJ. Tardieus explanation, '
| but declared that the whole situation
would be presented to the Radical
Socisliss convention In October. II
will be tor the party then to decide
! whether its six Representatives now
Evening star., 1934-07-26
Only the ''Pen'' Will
Cure the Traffic Hog

To the Editor of The Star:
The returns from the watchers for
traffic violations seem rather small for
the opportunities. One can ride from
Fourteenth to Ninth street eastward
on a street car and pick up more vio-
lations than Is in that quarter-mile.
Every time an auto, especially notice.
able are those yellow taxis. that run
out from behind the stream to get
ahead of the others and block the
street car, a violation by driving on
the wrong side of the street.
This condition, which is onerous
and unfair to traffic and travellers in
both directions, should have been
cured long ago, just as the disregard
for the traffic lights at the corners of
Thirteenth, Twelfth. etc. along <
street, which produces the jams at
those corners. AutoiStS who close in
on traffic ahead when it is jammed to
the curb on the farther side know very
well that they are going to stop traffic
in the cross street, but, hog -in-the-
trough like, they care not, because the
traffic police do not enforce the rules
to any extent. They would lose very
little by obeying the law and stopping
when the light changes to yellow, as
they would still be at the head of the
next batch to cross and easily catch
up to those passing to the next block.
But you can't reason with hog. Only
the pen will cure the habit.
w. E. ALLEN.
Evening star., 1934-07-26

In the Doumergue cabinet shall con-
tfnue to take part In national union
government.
NJ Doumergue's common sense VIC
tory Is not only q triumph for his
own political skill and striking trib-
ute TO his personal prestige. but is q
boon to the whole country While
the sTerted cabinet crisis had its IN
ception In the stavisky scandals, the
political ferment In France is deeper
seated. Unrest has been aggravated
by the increasing severity Of economic
conditions. The Doumergue govern
ment has grappled more effectively
than it's predecessors with the prob
lens besetting the Nation, but these
are far from settled Along with
purely commercial. financial and
fiscal difficulties. France faces a riS-
ing tide Of political unrest, due to
semi-Fascist movements, which openly
challenge parliamentary rule and de-
mand drastic changes in the entire
governmental system.
From every standpoint, M. Dou-
mergue's success in saving his csbi-
net is salutary thing 1t preserves
not only France, but Europe. at least
for the time being from developments
that could easily have led to serious
and far-f1ung complications.
Evening star., 1934-07-26
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEFELL.

animal as something very fine in the
fish line, like to feed 1t more than
once day. the time accepted manner.
Once a day viii do. especially for
matured fishes. but twice a day Is
better. II no more Is given at both
feelings than would be fed at once.
While this may be said to apply
with equal force to all the tiny trop-
ical fishes kept as pets, It seems par
ticularly true Of the guppy. which
accords its meals a reception not
always given them.
Even when the denizens Of the mod
ern home aquarium are fed properly.
so that they are always on the look
out for more, they may take their food
without any particular scramble.
This differs with fishes. of course
Some of them strike, others glide up,
some snap. others feed leisurely. as
If in none too great a hurry. although
close watch will reveal that they man
age to get away with their full share.
Old friend guppy. however. fairly
waters at the mouth at the very sight
of food
He comes to know the hand that
feeds him, and accords it-and its
owner-a reception which grstifies
the pride Of man
For. truly enough. mankind expects
and relishes gratitude, especially when
it dispenses foodstuffs. The old prov
erb about the dog biting the hand
that feeds it shows this plainly
enough.
The guppy cannot, and surely will
not. bite the feeding hand; it will.
however. accord it reception unique.
Even when the owner merely stands
in front OF the tank, the guppy con-
gregation will begin to swim excitedly
up and down the aquarium.
At the least raising of the hand,
the little fellows appear to go mad.
They race back and forth, in a
frantic huddle at the surface of the
water.
Some squirm, some swim, some wig
gle, some race up and down, others
backwards and forwards.
The miracle is, with such a traffic
jam, why no two of them ever collide.
But they never do. they flash in and
out, around and by each other, so
close that the observer marvelS at
their skill.
This ability to avoid humping into
each other in the small aquarium is
one possessed by all fishes. it would
seem. not by the guppy alone.
Even creatures as large as the
three-spot gourami. an ever-popular
favorite, never touch another fish in
their swimming. although the tank
may be overcrowded. as they most
often are, and the amount of room per
fish very small.
In much watching of aquarium life
the writer has never seen but one
smash-up, and that was after the in
PRODUCTION of air by artificial means,
resulting in a supersaturation of the
water with oxygen. with the resulting
popping up" of the inmates.
A tiny zebra fish ran squarely into
the side of one of the aforementioned
gouramis. heavily built fish about
inches long.
The latter dashed itself into the
sand, and swan wildly to and fro in
the aquarium, communicating a sort
of panic terror to the other animals.
This state of affairs lasted for per-
haps half minute, after which the
tank Gained down and life went on
as usual
The guppies. although crowded as
no other fishes are, have never been
known to run into each other. They
are, truly, fish of which Charles
Dickens would have been proud.
Evening star., 1934-07-26
Why Utilities Fail
To Earn Dividends
To the Editor Of The Star:

10 the EQltor OF Inc star.
In The Star several days ago one
of your correspondents complained Of
the attitude of the public toward
public utilities and blamed this atti
tude for the failure of many of these
utilities to earn fair return for
their stockholders.
There is no denying that good will
is a valuable asset, sometimes ignored
by utilities. but, regardless of public
favor under a constitutional gov
ernment, money or goods belonging
TO Peter cannot be given to Paul.
Whatever rates are fixed by regu-
lating body must be such as to enable
the utility to earn a fair return on
fair investment. Regulatory bodies
are not seers, however, and can only
deal in fair approximations. The In
terState Commerce Commission has
more than once fixed such rates and
charges as it was expected would
enable the carriers to earn a pre-
Scribed return. but without avail. If
rates are so high as to carry of traffic
to other competing sources, or if
service is poor. or times are bad. or
the capitalization is exceSSive-all
these are bound to affect earning
power. It is to be deplored that
many persons who have invested their
money in utilities secure no return at
the present time. But that Is not
so much the fault of the public as
1t IS of abnormal. widespread condi-
tions. The public realizes that its
own well-being depends in large meas
ure upon the prosperity of the job
dispensing and money-earning utility
and corporation.
HERMAN FELTER.
Evening star., 1934-07-26
Liquor Not Major Cause
Of Increased Accidents

To the Editor of The Star:
In a recent issue of your paper I
note what Mr.. J. T. Davis states re-
garding the alarming increase in the
number of traffic accidents subsequent
to the prohibition era. He asks the
question: IF there was more drink
ing during prohibition and as many
bootleggers as claimed. why were there
fewer traffic accidents and fewer al
coholic patients in our hospitals
them"
Investigations made by one of the
largest automobile insurers of the
country sum up the situation as
follows:
CarelessneSs and inattention are re-
sponsible for most of the accidents.
The majority of accidents happened in
daylight, when weather was clear and
streets dry, drivers sober and brakes
and steering gear in good order. There
were 692, 1872 more cars and trucks
built this year than last, up TO June J..
Car registrations increased 25 per cent
and gasoline consumption reports
show a per cent increase in the
operating mileage of each car.
New cars are faster and more pow
erful and a new technique is re-
quired to drive them. Before this
technique is mastered many accidents
occur. There are many old cars with
ineffective brakes. tires and steering
gears being operated. Summer heat
is not conducive to safe and sane driv-
ing on the part Of all of US.
II is undeniably true that John
Barleycorn is responsible for a pro-
portion of accidents Severe punish
ment for drunken driving I heartily
commend. But investigations up to
the present time do not warrant the
assumption that John Barleycorn is
public enemy No. TO the motor
loving American. It just is not so.
r. SERRELL w. WALKER.
Evening star., 1934-07-26
An Indecent Spectacle.

The manner Of Dillinger's death
was as brutal and ruthless as the
reputation he achieved for himself
in life. It may have been necessary
and unavoidable. But it remained for
the Chicago authorities to write the
final, revolving chapter of an ugly
story. The scene at the morgue.
where the outlaws body was placed
on exhibition for the entertainment
OF every msudlin hslf-wit who wanted
3 free peek, may have been fitting
commentary on the civilization that
produced the chief attraction, but it
was outrageouSly indecent
A government must be firm and
unbending and unyielding in its pur-
suit of such men as Dillinger. But
Evening star., 1934-07-26
Loud Radios Worse
Than the Street Cars

To the Editor of The Star;
have noticed in the daily papers,
recently, little controversy going on
between two property owners as to
where a certain car stop should be.
The contention is that the street
cars make so much noise that they
are driving tenants from this par
ticulsr piece of property. Maybe this
is SO, but know of noise which, to
my mind, is much worse. and that is
the loud radios to which people are
obliged to listen. Some people seem
to think that no one else has a radio
and that they must supply the music
for the entire neighborhood. It lis
very exasperating to come home these
hot Summer evenings and try TO relax
and keep quiet, and possibly cool,
with all that noise in the air.
MARCIA BARRON.
Evening star., 1934-07-26

Il cannot be these things and yield
It's dignity and become partner In
such disgTzceful proceedings as
marked the aftermath Of the Dillinger
execution The Federal men and the
Federal Government apparently had
nothing 70 do with the exhibition Of
DiIlinEers body But IT is unfortu-
nate that this poor relic could not
have been consigned to the grave
without the morbid exhibition which
preceded its final surrender by the
local authorities 70 those who had a
rlghtful claim 70 It's possession.
Evening star., 1934-07-26

And then falls to with an appetite E"
These were the last written words
Of Charles Dickens. ending the famous
unfinished chapter Of Edwin brood p"
They might be applied today TO the
equally famous guppy. or Lebistes
reticuIatis. favorfte of the modern
home aquarium
For no other fish kept By the anna
teur culturist has better appetite
than the guppy, and none seems to
appreciate its meals more.
This would have delighted Dickens,
man who loved 10 write about eating
and drinking. and who. no doubt.
could stow away good portion of
both himself. as well as the next man.
Perhaps it is not fair TO think that
because a writer loves to write about
eating and drinking he is a great
hand himself at those indoor sports.
Yet the works OF Dickens are so
saturated with such items. described
in such glowing terms. that it is i'm
possible 10 think otherwise. even when
some of the biographies state to the
contrary.
Dickens was a hearty fellow. no
doubt of that. much given to long
walks. not what modern American
thinks Of as long walk. perhaps 5
miles. but Is miles, his favorite stint.
1t may be presumed that a man
capable of tossing of 5 miles at a
stretch-indeed, biographers unite in
declaring that he considered this a
mere nothing-iust a short before
dinner Stroll-would have a good ap-
petite when he came in.
- -
The thousands of modernS Who have
small tanks Of guppieS in their living
quarters will be interested to know
that Charles Dickens, just as he de-
scribed the appetite of this tiny fish,
without meaning to, also named the
little fellow without knowing it.
Before scientists dubbed it Girar-
dinus guppyi, the old scientific name
(the latter part Of which still sticks
in popular nomenclature), Dickens
wrote his Bleak House" In 1t he had
an unforgettable character, Mr
Guppy
Guppy is an old English name
which must have appealed to Dickens
on account of its humorous twist. 1t
is name. like Chupp or Chubb, which
somehow appeals to the sense of fun.
Friends Of Dickens will remember
the scene in which one of the young
Jellybys gets its head stuck through
an iron railing, from which position it
was extricated, or rather pushed.
Don't be frightened" said Mr..
Guppy. looking in at the coach win
dow. "One of the young Jellybys been
and got his head through the area
railings."
20 poor child" said I. Let me
out, If you please"
Pray be careful of yourself, miss
The young Jellybys are always up to
something" said Mr.. Guppy.
~
An English gentleman by the name
of Lechemere Guppy sent a few speci-
mems of a little fish to the London
Museum. and these were at first iden-
tilted as Girardinus guppyi, the latter
name honoring the man who sent in
the specimens, but this name was
changed, according to system Of
priority in use among scientists.
The "guppy" part of it stuck, how
ever, and so guppy it is today to mil
lions of persons who do not know or
care about the scientific name.
OF all the fishes kept in home tanks,
the guppy seems to enjoy its food
most.
That is why many aquarists, who
have at last come to see this little
Evening star., 1934-07-26
Ocean Mail Contracts.


ceeding IN a more orderly and con-
vincing fashion toward its proposed
overhaul Of ocean mail contracts than
1t did IN canceling the airnlan con-
tracts. Thirty-two ocean mail line
operators and four aviation companies
which enjoy Government contracts for
flying mail over foreign routes have
been notified 10 appear In Washing
ton October and defend" their
contrscts-that is. to show cause why
their contracts for carrying the ocean
mail should not be Cancelled or modi-
fed
That is a better way OF going about
the business of establishing a new
policy In regard 10 mail subsidies. or
to discover where there has been any
waste or abuse under existing policy
than to charge the contractors with
fraud and without hearing 10 cancel
the contracts and make new ones
The airmail is now being carried
at great saving to the Government.
which reduced the contract rates in
awarding new contracts. 1t is too
early to know definitely, but CONNER
cial aviation may have reached the
stage of development where former
SubsidieS-given 10 commercial mail
carriers in the name OF mail contracts
are no longer necessary.
But the ocean mail rates offer
more involved problem. 1t is entirely
irrelevant TO point out, as postal
authorities have done. that the Gov
eminent could have the same volume
Of ocean mail carried for about
$4,000 900, on a straight poundage
basis. that is now carried under con-
tract for about S26,O00.000 For the
ocean mail contract rates, of course.
were not designed to cover the cost,
alone Of carrying the mails. They
we're evolved on the principle OF a
subsidy. making up the difference be-
tween what 1t costs to construct and
TO operate ships in this country and
abroad. with the intention of building
up the American merchant marine.
The Jones' White act of 1928, under
which the system of mail contracts
and contract rates was established,
was intended, first, to get Govern
and, secondly, to insure a modern
ized program Of merchant ship con-
struction. Mail contracts were the
rewards and represented the Gov
ernment's subsidy or Subventions, fur
nishing a large portion of the means
toward reaching these objectives.
There doubtless have been abuses
under this policy, such as were point
ed out year and half ago by
Irving Glover, Second Assistant POST
master General, in discussing the lack
of adequate safeguards against con-
trayention of the spirit and intent
Of the law through the operation of
coastwise shipping in connection with
foreign shipping. An investigation
such as the Post Office Department
now contemplates should also reveal
the extent of large salary payments,
with Government subsidies, to ship
ping executives Other weaknesses
or faults in the law and its admins
tration may also be revealed.
But the operators are being given
the opportunity to defend themselves.
And the investigation will funda-
mentally determine the success of a
policy of granting Government aid
through mail-carrying subsidies-not
the cost of carrying the mail on
straight poundage basis, which every
body knows is cheaper If the subsidy
is unnecessary.
Evening star., 1934-07-26
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

A reader con get the answer to
any question OF fact by ,erttino The
Washington EreHino Star IRjoFHld-
ton Bureau. Frederic J. Hdskin.
Director. Washington. d. c. Please
tHcIose stamp for reply.
@. How many people in the United
States hive in inSanitary homes?-
r. p. F.
A. It has been estimated that So
100000 persons are housed In in
sanitary or other undesirable homes
@. What is an innate idea2-N, G.
A. The modern psychologist be-
lieves the phrase is meaningless. Some
philosophers believed that innate ideas
formed part OF the actual equipment
or content of consciousness at birth.
not due to experience within the life
of the individual.
@. When was influenza brought to
America Pr. S.
A. 1t is believed TO have reached
this country in 1857. The epidemics
! of 1889 and lei8-191e were especially
severe.
@. Is IL possible for a python to
swallow a hundred-pound pig2-I. A.
A, The python, because of the
great expansiveness Of its Jaws, is
able to swallow animals many times
its own diameter. 1t is perfectly pos
sible for large python to swallow
hundred-pound pig.
@. What are the so-called climac-
teric years of a mans hfe?-T. r. (
A. Ancient Greek psychologists be-
lieved the climacteric years TO be the
7th, 21st, 49th, SD. and 6lst.
@. Are many weddings performed
at the Little Church Around the
Corner in New York?--C. L.
A. During the eleven years Of Rev
Randolph Rays rectorship. more than
10000 weddings have teen performed
there.
@, Did the automobile industry
show an increase or decrease last
year?-K. D.
A. 1t showed an increase of Ala per
cent in 1898 over 1882, according To
statistics of the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce.
O. How many children are cared
for at Mooseheart, Il.?-J. F.
A. From 1900 to 1.400 children,
ranging in age from one TO eighteen
years, are cared for at this home for
orphans maintained by the Loyal
Order of Moose.
@. What is pemmican?-C. L. H.
A. 1t consisted originally of lean
meat cut in thin slices, dried in the
sun, pounded fine, mixed with melted
fat, and packed. 1t was much used
in that form by North American In
dians as a convenient food to be car
ried. The term is how applied TO q
similar preparation to which dried
fruit is sometimes added and which
is compressed into cakes. 1t Is much
used by explorers.
O. What picture was selected as
the most popular in the Chicago Art
Institute contest?--C. M. r.
A. The Song of the Lark, by Jules
Breton, received the highest number
of votes in the contest in which
visitors to the Art Institute were
asked to choose the most popular
painting in the country.
@. When were artificial pearls first
produced in America2-A. r.
A. The Bureau of Fisheries says
that apparently the first American
work donesregarding the production OF
artificial pearls was in the Bureau
of Fisheries In 1914. Commercial
production began shortly after by sew
eral American concerns. but it is un-