davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
SEEKS PROBE OF
LIGHT co. RATES

BY F. D.
am a daily reader of your paper
and like it fine.
I'm writing you in regard to the
electric light rates here. Has the
light company any right to charge
two bills for the same meter?
Here in Greenwood, if more than
one family lives in the same house
they have to pay 81 for each fam
lily whether that amount of cleo
tricity is used or not.
Our bill had been running more
than 81 until this took effect lately.
Is this right?
We don't quite understand and
would like for you to investigate.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
TRAFFIC REFORM IS
SUGGESTED FOR CITY

BY Jimmy Cafouros.
We have inherited lot Of things
from the past. Among these are a
beautiful monument on the Circle,
utilities companies educated (by u.s.
to charge a maximum and give back
some small change in silver and a
traffic system that dates back to
Governor Morton.
In the days Of Mayor Reginald
Sullivan's father. and even when
Charlie Jewett was mayor here, such
a traffic system was practical. Where
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
HOW CAN SHE MEET
RISES IN LIVING COSTS?

By J. P. NJ.
I am sure j. Van Sickle's let
ter in The Times should be of great
interest to those of us who are
barely existing.
How can the government expect a
family of five to meet the rise in
prices Of food, clothing etc, on a
salary of $3.50 a week? That is
the code wage for a shoe clerk. Err
rand girls in department stores are
receiving the same amount-that is
considered sufficient for a man, no
matter how large his family, to live
comfortably on.
When is the middle class going to
get dectn wage? How about some
of our rich men giving up their
hundreds of thousands a year? After
all, we have our pride.
have a fair education. I am a
young, Woodworking housewife and
I resent seeing rich women with
their furs being so busy with their
various clubs, and philanthropic
work for we poor women who could
teach them how to live on $3.50 a.
week-lesS than they pay for one
pair of shoes.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
PROMISING OVERTURES

TINE notes recently exchanged between the
Il governments of Japan and the United
States have an encouraging ring to them.
The japanese government asserts that no
question exists between our two countries
that is fundamentally incapable of amicable
solution" and the American government in
dorses this statement Fundamentally. All in
all. the diplomats involved seem to have dis
played a genuine desire to end the troubled
situation that has existed.
Between honeyed words at the council
table and actual performance there is often.
of course, wide gulf. But the spirit of these
new exchanges is good one, and, if persisted
in, Il Is bound to have a good effect.
II we continue in the tenor of these notes.
we can avert disastrous conflict.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
EX-TREASURER POINTS
OUT LETTER ERROR

BY Timothy ?. Sexton,
In reference to a recent letter in
the Message Center, don't you think
it would be a good idea before you
print stuff about people that you
check up on same and report it COR
rectly?
For your information the records
of the Marion county courthouse
will show I only served as county
treasurer for one term, two years.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
HONEST LABOR DOESN'T
NBRING WEALTH, HE SAYS
By F. B.

BY r. b.
In answer to Colonel G. E. Woods
letter in your paper as well as mine
about Public Enemy No. l, it seems
as though most of the people have
one-track mind the same as yours.
You put all the strain on one man.
You do not have TO go to other
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
AN UNWISE TAN

MERE should be no compromise with the
proposed cocoanut oil tax in the pending
revenue bill
1t is tax that would mulct consumers of
many millions, and yield the government
little. The difference would flow into the
pockets of the cottonseed crushers, packers
and professors of dairy products.
1t is tax that would PROSTATE basic in
dustry in the Philippine islands and thus de-
stroy a profitable foreign market for Amer
lean farm products and manufacturers.
1t is tax that would violate the United
States three weeks-old independence pledge
to the Filipino people and endanger success
of our peace policy in the far east.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
The Message Center

(Ttmes readers are invited to cypress
their tiet0s in these columns. Make your
letters short, so al can have a chance.
Limit them to ESQ cords or Iess.)
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07

It's been discovered that half of your body's
energy is radiated in waves. That's what you
get for listening to crooners over the air.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07

marine and a navy pilot crashed $4,000
feet over San Diego, and when they landed
safely they probably argued over who had
the right of way.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07

Chemists soon will have drug that will
make supermen out of us, predicts Column
bia university professor. Stale stuff, any dope
peddler will tell him.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07

Nine. Zebra Couyoumdjoglou has been
helping insult in his fight against extradition,
grateful probably because he pronounced her
name correctly.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07

Most Of our profanity, says professor. was
In use 900 years ago. Golf isn't that old. is it?
> 8
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07

Members Of United Press,
Scripps Howard Newspaper
Alliance. Newspaper Enter
prise Association, Newspaper
Information Service and Au-
dit Bureau of Calculations.
Owned and published daily
Except Sunday by The In
diauapohs Times Publishing
Company. 214-220 West Mary
land street, Indianapolis. Ind.
Price in Marion county, 2
cents copy; elsewhere. 3
cents-delivered by carrier. II
cents a week. Mail subscrip-
ton rates in Indiana, 3
year: outside Of Indiana, Is
cents q month.
CsH{ff .ssi.7a'sst8
Evening star., 1934-12-25
Night Parking Ban
An Entering Wedge
10 the Editor of The Star:

There is not very much time left
before the parking ban on so miles Of
Washington streets is scheduled to go
into effect. I should like to make the
following comments on this topic be-
fore final action is taken and request
that I be extended limited space in
The Star to do this.
After the proposal of eliminating
all-night parking on miles OF Wash
ington streets seemed about to be re-
scinded the District Commissioners
suddenly decided to adhere to their
original position.
Some of the arguments, or rather
reasons assigned, don't appear very
plausible. Washington does have some
cold weather, but there are never
more than five or six SHOWS of any
considerable depth. Hence it appears
too much Of a penalty to exact where
only 8 to 10 days at the most are
within the span of these months.
It is further even more difficult to
conceive just why parked cars should
be responsible in any way for the IA
talities which have been rather rlu-
merous in this city. Possibly too much
stress is placed on minor traffic in
fringements and not sufficient en-
phasis on reckless driving.
Furthermore, Washington Is not on
the same footing as some of the other
large or medium sized cities. The
streets here are much wider tnan
Evening star., 1934-12-25

Elementary, such system as that Tor
which the rail lines contended
throughout the period when this ques-
ton was agitated, prior to the adop-
ton of a safety rule by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The whole
matter of this step toward railroad
safety has been confused in recent
years, for the railroads, handicapped
by their poor financial condition, have
been given considerable margin in the
observance Of the safety rules on the
ground Of compulsory economy.
For a long period the usual expla-
nation of railroad wreck was that
the engineer blundered. The signals
were obscured by fog, or deranged by
bad weather, or the man at the throt-
tie was overborne with fatigue or was
simply inattentive or incompetent.
These excuses did not satisfy the trav-
cling public, and finally in response
to an insistent demand for greater Sc
curity the automatic signal require
ment was made. Now it seems to be
in allegiance.
The railroads are making a bid for
lost patronage, by installing more
comfortable, faster trains, with greater
luxuries of travel. Their percentage
of safety remains high, perhaps
higher than that of the highway
motor or the airplane, both Of which
have taken toll of the rail lines in
serious depletion of custom. Still the
accidents continue, now a broken rail,
now a misplaced switch, again an OBJ
scured or disregarded signal. With
an established right of way, safe
guarded from intrusion, save at oc-
casional grade crossings, which should
have been abolished long ago, with
constant and vigilant inspection, it
would seem that the factor of safety
would run steadily higher than that
OF the competing agencies of travel.
Certainly hundred per cent adoption
and use of the automatic stop, even at
the cost of slower headway, would be
bid for trade worth considering. The
railroad that can say to the public
Our engineers cannot make mistakes
because dependable machine will not
permit them to do So" will invite
patronage even as against the rail-
road that merely stresses the speed
of its trains.
Evening star., 1934-12-25
Suggests Removal of
The Post Office Tower
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
hope, with many others, that some
day in the future the Government Will
remove the old Post Office on PENN
sylvania avenue and erect building
in harmony with the structures now
under construction or already COM
pleted in the triangle.
Accepting the reported attitude OF
the President that he does not favor
tearing down at this time buildings
that are useful in supplying the Gov
ernment with much needed floor space,
I wish to call the attention of your
readers to a suggestion given to me
by my friend, Col. Martin OF the
Library of Congress, who said: "The
chief objection to the old Post Office
is the way the tower cuts across the
skyline of the triangle group. Why
not remove the tower? The resulting
mass, while still out of harmony in
architectural details, would fill the
space more acceptably and the omls-
sion of the tower would permit the
building to fill the space without dis
turbance to the general skyline. l
took occasion recently to examine the
building from Pennsylvania avenue
and Eleventh street and concluded
that the tower could readily be cut
off at the level of the main cornice.
The roof behind the tower could be
filled in, with, perhaps, a couple OF
dormer windows added in the new
portion of the roof. A glance at the
building would, I believe, convince
any one interested in the subject that
this change could easily be made and
without great expense.
ALEXANDER B. TROWBRIDGE.
Evening star., 1934-12-25

in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Bos-
ton. So even with cars parked there
Is still more room for traffic than in
these and other cities. The writer has
lived in and visited most of the large
cities in this country and has never
witnessed as much discussion of traf-
fic and transportation difficulties as
in this city of about 100000 people.
Washington is now very congested
as to the housing of its present popu-
lace. The hotels, the apartments and
rooming houses are full to capacity.
Many of these people have purchased
cars. There are not available at any
price, much less moderate price, ia
cilities in the downtown areas to house
these cars now on the streets. Many
of these people are of moderate means
and they should be considered in
making regulations. They are now
portion of the population. My view
and that of those with whom ! have
talked is that, regardless of the state
ment made by the officials, this move
to ban parking in these next months
is simply an entering wedge, If 1t Is
evoked, and that it will be perpetu-
ated. The effect beforehand has prob
ably been decided to be beneficial and
the traffic officials will demand its
continuance. PAUL BOONE.
Evening star., 1934-12-25
Vote for Cotton Curtailment
Accepted as Matter of Course

only 40 per cent took the trouble to
express their opinions" and the Man
chester IN. h Union likewise re-
marks on this Indifference" The
Providence Evening Bulletin, never
theless, regards the vote as decisive. :"
In speaking of the benefits derived
from the act the Birmingham News
reports that in Alabama farmers are
said to have large quantities of peas,
potatoes and sorghum on hand" grown
on the land retired from cotton. I'm
other words, the Federal program, in
many cases, has :ucceeded in bring
ing about a commendable rotation
and diversification of crops" adds
this paper.
How long curtailment Of acreage
can be continued without an irrepar-
able loss of foreign markets is a dis
puted question:" says the New York
Times. and the Columbia Is. c. Rec
ord, the South Bend Tribune and the
Lowell Courier-C Citizen are also con-
cerned about this point
In this connection the ASbury Park
Evening Press calls attention to the
fact that cotton exports fell '101a per
cent in quantity, but increased % per
cent in value" The Wall Street Jour-
nal quotes Mr.. Davis as blaming cur
tailment of exports on exchange re-
strictions, loss of purchasing power
abroad and nationalism."
Evening star., 1934-12-25
Must Pay for Stolen
Goods in Pawnshops
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
About 10 days ago had a watch
stolen, which was found in a pawn
shop.
I have been informed by the police
department that in order to recover
nv watch I must pay the amount
which the pawnshop man loaned on
this watch. Inasmuch as the owner
of this pawnshop can certainly get
no title to the watch, since 1t was
stolen property, it seems outrageous
to me to have to pay this man any
money for the return of my own
watch.
1t certainly seems very bad policy
to refund pawnshop dealers in the
District of Columbia money which
they may lend on jewelry. watches,
etc., brought in to them by colored
people. In view of the fact that the
Police Department co-operates in this
way with the pawnshop dealers, it
makes it very easy to dispose of stolen
property, inasmuch as the man max
ing loan on stolen property Is prac-
tically guaranteed by the Police De-
money he loaned on the property.
I have taken up this matter with
both Maj. Brown, superintendent of
the Police Department, and the dis
trict attorneys Office, and both in
form me that if want my watch
back I must pay the pawnshop man
the amount he loaned on same.
This situation should certainly be
corrected.
GEORGE W. EASTAENT.
Evening star., 1934-12-25
Ri ght to Survive Is of Higher
Order Than the Right to Live

II then, this medium, for any reason,
distorts this delicate balance of fair
ness and mutually in benefit, some
ones ability to discharge his prime So
cial duty of seif-care is curtailed and
his motives become miSdirected from
those practices of industry and thrift
that are necessary to trade system,
toward other, non-social means of sur
vival.
There is thus not a single human
problem that can be approached with
the hope of successful solution while
the medium of exchange is not wisely
conducted in the interest of fair play.
Good "wishful thinking
in this respect cannot suffice, for they
can too easily pave the road to hell"
Nothing short of adequate social ma
chinery can yield proper motiyes-can
direct our Interchangeable, cosmic urge
into the proper social channels. The
rules of the game must be framed
wisely and administered well. not on
the supposition that the selfish pur-
pose Of winning will not be ever pres
ent, but with the certainty that such
selfishness must always exist as the
very reason for the existence of rules
and officials to enforce them, or, in
deed, of the game itself.
Nor can We play this game OF life
by the lazy minded device of turn
ing the whole thing over to the
umpire to let him make up the rules
as he sees fit while the game pro-
crosses. We all must understand and
agree on the rules before we play,
if we don't want to wind up in a
fist fight after killing the umpire.
If we want to get anywhere we
shall have to get the horse around
in front of our cart again and face
squarely the problem of changing our
money and banking system. This
means that we must cease confusing
traditions with actual conditions and
requirements in this matter of living
together, here and now. We have
allowed the private activity of lending
and borrowing at interest to become
involved in the public or social busi-
ness of issuing money and fixing the
value thereof. This can and must
be stopped. 1t is, indeed, the only
political issue around which a new
party can and will, if need be, sue
cessfully develop.
ALDEN A. POTTER.
Evening star., 1934-12-25
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

When you stop to think Of it, Tenn
pleton Jones thought, those words are
almost all there Is to weather changes.
Fair" speaks for itself.
As for change" that may mean
cloudy, or even fair.
Stormy" includes everything from
rain, snow and hail to windstorms,
hurricanes and the like.
| The unknown inventor Of this in
strument may not have been a COM
plete scientist, but he was a good
psychologist.
He realized the impossibility of
precise prediction.
If you came somewhere near 1t, he
must have figured, you did about as
well as could be expected.
4 n 4
When Jones opened his new toy, he
found the Snowlike substance in the
tube CONCEALED at the bottom, where
it unmistakably predicted fair"
The moment he put 1t outdoors, on
the north side of the house, the flakes
began to rise, and soon were abreast
the change" designation.
No doubt cold had some effect on
the thing.
Jones looked at the tube.
Not only was it an interesting
antique, as such things 60, having
been invented" prior to 1900, and
very popular in Colonial America, but
he saw something else in it.
This was the fact that it was one
of the earliest uses of alcohol to pre-
vent freezing.
The usual formula for these glasses
was ounces OF absolute alcohol mixed
with ounces of distilled water.
The latter would have frozen, If it
had not been for the alcohol
In this total amount of liquid it
was customary to dissolve 2 drains of
camphor. half dram of chlorate of
ammonium and a like quantity of
nitrate of potassium.
The tube was then sealed. -
The ability of camphor TO crystalize
evidently according to air pressure,
the effects of temperature, winds and
probably obscure electrical currents,
was what made the storm glass func-
ton. Camphor is soluble in alcohol
but not in water. Alcohol and water
being present in equal quantities. the
poor camphor was up against it as
to what to do, whether to CONCEAL,
or to dissolve. That was the way
Jones figured it out. at any rate.
| X
He did not know whether he would
ever be ambitious enough to attempt
to follow out the ancient rules for
telling the weather by the thing.
One could go by the scale, he knew,
but in the old times there appears to
have been more to it than that.
Cold weather was indicated by the
formation of feathery crystals at the
top OF the tube, and occasionally
throughout the liquid.
The crystals dissolved during warm
weather, the greater part of the LIQUID
being clear.
| Increasing wind and stormy weather
indicated by upper portion Of liquid
remaining clear and flakes rising to
the top.
Approach of rain is indicated in
cold weather if top of liquid becomes
cloudy and thick.
Rain is predicted in warm weather
II crystals rise in otherwise clear
liquid.
Even the comparative sharpness of
the crystals was studied, this being
a sign of clear weather. Breaking
up of the points was held to mean
| unsettled weather.
Evening star., 1934-12-25
The SOft-Coal
Smoke Nuisance

To the Editor OF The Star:
I note by The Star that Congress
will be asked to enact law with teeth
in it to enforce the law and eliminate
the smoke nuisance in the District.
This POUNDS very good, but upon
reading Just what sort of bill is
about to be presented, it would seem
that a large force of inspectors would
diagnose the heating equipment OF all
buildings, including private residences,
and make a charge for it, compelling
the owners to put their heating plants
in order.
This is very good, but Just as long
as soft coal IS burned there will be
the SCOT and smoke.
Rail locomotives are given the most
scrupulous inspections and economical
remedies applied, yet the soft coal
produces smoke.
Scientific firing may reduce the
amount of smoke. but much Of the
private residence firing is done by the
housewife. and her knowledge OF
housekeeping does not require her TO
take a course in smoke elimination.
1t IS no secret that all buildings in
the District are being ruined by the
smoke and SCOT, even the sidewalks
and streets are covered
According to Mrs. Pitney and per-
sonal experience, before the war
soft coal could not be used in the
District" Now that the war is over
let us return to the good old days and
keep out the roft coal and the smoke
nuisance will De obsolete.
Much of the agitation depicted in
your paper is directed against the
locomotives.
This might be called a necessary
evil. but the locomotives do not fire.
uuent the residential sections or the
location of expensive Government
buildings.
Besides, the principal road running
into the District will be electrically
operated in a short time.
The only solution is to strike at the
source, and make it misdemeanor
to burn soft coal. PAUL SWEET.
Evening star., 1934-12-25
ireland and Finland.

Santa Claus arrived in the United
States a day or two ago in unex-
pected guise, laden with gift from
the Emerald Isle. He comes in the
person Of Sean O'Kelly. vice presi-
dent Of the Irish Free State executive
council and second in command,
under President de Valera, of John
Bulls other island.
The present which Vice President
OKelly brings is the announcement
that the Dublin government has de-
cided to take its place alongside Fin
land and pay Irish debts in the
United States. The obligations con-
sist of the $4,000, 900 which was ad-