davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Experiment

Prof. Allan Nevins of Columbia Uni versity, telling London audience about the American campaign against depres- sion, sums it up like this: "The spectacle of nation trying several vast experiments at once is painful to rooted conservatives, tired minds and beneficiaries of the old order, who would like to enjoy special privilege and peace. But the consequences of deferring the experiment would have proved much more painful to much larger numbers
 Some of us may not like the way he says it, but the facts are fairly clear by this time It is all right to "let nature take her course" when you're sur that human na- ture can stand the gaff. There's limit to the defation that business meen them- selves can stand. Business interests couldn', or wouldn't, endure the complete deflation that would have meant drastic lowering of utility and interest rates and partial debt cancellation. It's anyones guess what let-alone policy, instead ot the R. F. C., MIRA, PWA, and so on, would have done to the masses, as they lost jobs and homes and grew hungrier and fiercer in their blind resentment.
 Anyway, we've come so far now With out catastrophe, and things begin to LOOK brighter. The economic tide seems to be with us at last. It's question of modify ing plans and compromising conflicts be- tween labor and capital, between public effort and private enterprise, and going on from here more evenly.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17

these wild, whirling words?" They dOn't seef to make sense.
 The apparent explanation is that Japan really isn't interested in aggressive naval power, with regard to America and Eu- rope-that she doesn't want to bother us if we don't bother her. What she wants IS power to protect her own position while she goes ahead and works out her plan for a military and economic empire Tn eastern Asia, chiefly. at China's expense For that purpose she requires navy strong enough to keep out foreign inter- ference.
 At the same time she insists that she IS not closing or threatening the "open door in China" which is a cardinal point of Am erican and British foreign policy. We have our own ideas about that. Japan seems,to be slamming the Manchurian door in our faces and apparently wants to do likewise in China. We will build whatever navy we think proper. But would we fight for the "open door?" It would be hard to arouse national enthusiasm for that.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Those Blamed War Debts

Another debt-collecting date comes and goes, and it's just another day for Uncle Sam. Finland comes across as usual, but the big fellows are very busy forgetting about it. Britain, which used to be a model debtor, and has paid us far more than all of the rest together, is courteous but firm. France. which never really began to pay, lacks even Gallic courtesy. Nearly all these governmental debtors act as if they thought we had sublime nerve to ask for any further payment. Very likely they do think so.
 The present point is that we might as well face facts, now or soon, and make the best of an awkward situation. The Adebtors won't pay in full. The may pay in part. The most practical policy is to take what we can get, preferably in lump settlement payable while we need it most, plus whatever trade concessions and other valuable considerations we can wangle out of the debtors. When that's done, every . body will feel relieved and our relations with the world will be pleasanter and more profitable.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
To Stop River Pollution

A committee of sportsmen and engineers, appointed by Secretary of War Dern, IS trying to evolve nationwide plan for the elimination of pollution from American rivers. Here is program long overdue No one who lives in or near any American city can have failed to notice the atrocious way in which we have permitted indus trial and other wastes to turn once sparkling rivers into befouled, oily streams that are an offense to the eye, frequently to the nostrils and occasionally to health itself
 Nobody can fish in such rivers, for the fish are all dead. Nobody in his senses would swim in them; even to go boating upon them is no fun. But it should be possible to restore many of them to some thing like their original condition, and if that could be done both our recreational facilities and the looks of our countryside would be vastly improved.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17

the Capitol until his pension Legislation is passed.
 MOSES, THE SECOND
 Called by aged admirers "a second Noses" Dr Townsend is a man of lowly origin. Born in log cabin on the Wabash, he practiced medicine among the sheep and cattle ranchers of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Moving to California, he took a job in the Long Beach health department, attending indigent patients, whose needs touched his sympathies.
 Ousted from his, job by politi- cal reorganization a year ago, he had plenty of time to ponder the miseries he had seen about him. The pension plan, called by some "crack-brained" and "chimerical," and by others "the way out of the depression" was the result of his meditations.
 The element in his speeches which gets the biggest hand is the assurance that now no longer will old folks have to be taken care of by their children. SIGNIFICANT SILENCE
 Senator" asked a newsman of Carter Glass as he emerged from a conference with the president, what do you think of the appointment of MT Eccles as head of the federal reserve board? ?''
 "Get me a taxi," growled the pcppcry Virginia die-hard.
 NOTE: - Utah's young, force- full Mariner s. Eccles, new goy- ernor of the federal reserve board, holds social, economic. and financial views which are anathema to the aged Glass, who was one of the authors of the reserve system and is vio- lently opposed to any tampering with it.
 AUTO SHOWDOWN
 A showdown impends in or- ganized labor's fight against the presidents auto labor board.
 So far, the unionites have been waging their war behind the scenes, with pleas to Secretary Perkins and other administra- ton leaders that the auto board be abolished on the grounds of bias and inefficiency.
 But the action of Chairman Leo WOlman in ordering emplOye elections on company and A. F.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Informative Ads

The American Marketing Society, at It's first annual convention at Atlantic City, heard a good deal of talk ill behalf ot definite information" in advertising. The consumer, according to more than one speaker, is becoming critical of advertls- ing and less susceptible to merely colorful appeal. He wants honest information. Speakers who disagreed on other points were unanimous in stressing the fact that the consumer is taking over the control of advertising by his growing ability to ignore products advertised in ways that do not inspire his confidence.
 Miss Ruth O'Brien, chief of the division of textiles and clothing of the federal bu- reau of home economics, told of her experl- ences with farm organization women, Leagues of Women Voters, Parent-Teach- CT Associations and other groups. These buyers of the nations home-consumed goods "are digging in against the bar rage" of high-pressure advertising. They have grown tired of romantic words. They demand the same kind of specific ln- formation about the things they buy for their families that business men insist on having before they buy their materials.
 Much newspaper advertising is of this constructive type, which helps to account for the fact that the daily newspaper IS proing to be the most satisfactory medium for advertising widely varied products. The change from the colossal, superb, magnificent, supreme, sophisticated, eX- elusive" etc., blurb to the ad giving ac- curate, definite information may be pain ful transition for some writers of adver- Using copy. In the end it will benefit them as we'll as the consumer.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17

Washington, Dec. IT Presi- sulting General Hugh Johnson on the future fate of the MIRA.
 He has had one secret confer ence with the former Blue Eagle ruler on the matter, indicated he expects to talk with him again before final decision is reached.
 At the first closely guarded meeting, Johnson reiterated his old objection to the idea of board in charge of MIRA affairs.
 The one-time army officer told the president that multi-com- mand was unsuited for the MIRA. He held that effective admins trative control could only be ob- tained by vesting responsibility in one individual.
 Johnson urged that in the permanent MIRA set-up an execu- tive be installed at the top with an advisory board of assistants under him.
 This is exactly the reverse of the present MIRA administrative structure.
 Furthermore, Johnson's plan was rejected by the president as early as last summer when he accepted the Perkins-Ri fomula of board to be i'll charge, plus an administrative officer functioning under it. NOT GUILTY
 Officials of the treasury de- treasury department were dis cussing the importance of having as district attorney for southern New York an Al man who would know how to prosecute the many cases which the treas ury has before the courts.
 Sixty per cent of all the criminal cases in New York dope, boot-leggings, smuggling originate with us," remarked Guy T. Hclvering, commissioner of internal revenue.
 "Of course," he added quick ly, that doesn't mean the crimes involve treasury officers" OLD, AGE :.
 One of the highest powered lobbying influences that congress will feel this winter is that of a mild hammered, soft-spoken, re- tired country doctor, 6S years old.
 F. E. Townsend, author of the plan for old age revolving pen-I sions, has moved from Long Beach, Calif., to Washington, bringing along evidence to show that twelve million people r e behind him.
 That many names have been signed by oldsters. all over the country to Townsend petitions. The lean-faced physician de- clares:
 "Our organization is one of the most potent political clubs i'm the world. A word from headquarters to our various centers is all that's necessary to smother congress with petitions and tclegrams."
 Beginning with the west coast congressman. who. he says, are already in the bag, Townsend expects to camp on the steps of
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Chuckle Corner
s ITS By 0. l.. Doelling

Bathing suits for instance. When you're in you're very much out.
 Backed by bare figures, brevity is the soul of fashion. Man pro- poses-woman discloses.
 Dress suits may make man look fit to kill, and sometimes he does die by decrees.
 women's suits are shocking. when charged.
 It isn't the cleaner who does the dirty work, it's the Reno-vator. In fact, many man is left flat af- ter suit is pressed.
 Unlike the bathing suit, a law suit is often to recover. And, once in, you wish you were out. If you lose, your suit may be lined fifty dollars. It's simply awful if in clothes you don't find check. Then comes the pause that enemshes.
 In divorce suit there's always a touching seen. A man hasn't a chance with anaexperienced widow trimmer.
 Short suits sometimes win Q hand, but the long suit expresses a good deal.
 Love is sometimes short suited. The girl may be beauty but it's the man who gets fieeced.
 After all. suits are maid to mea- sure.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
A Book a Day
Crawled Into Cave To Catch Vampires
By BRUCE CAPTION

Raymond l.. Ditmars, the ener- getic gentleman who rounds up and looks after all kinds of creeping and crawling things for the Bronx Zoo, is as full of good stories as travelang SaieSman-not the same sort of stories, of course. Every so often he lets some of his stories bubble over into hook, and the book is usually very interesting. His newest one is Confessions of a Scientist" and it makes fine reading.
 Here you may learn how Dr Ditmars went on a rather appalf- ing hunt for vampire bats in the Panama jungles-he had to crawl into eerie caves where the walls were alive with horrible insects and the ceilings were festooned with thousands of bats-and how he brought one of these blood thirsty little animals back to New York and made a detailed study of it.
 He also tells of chasing rattle snakes over rocky hills in the Berkshires, of the difficulties of getting the deadly African mamba to pose for the moving picture camera, and of the things that can happen when you go hunting for the bushmaster in Central America.
 His book incidentally contains an amazing account of new medical experiment by which venom of the corba issued to re- duce cancer. This work is still In It's early stages. but enough has been done to indicate that a most promising field for research has been opened here. Dr Ditmara gives q graphic description Of it.
 Published by Macmillan. the book sells for e3.6O.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17

father or mother of a growing family; or had a kid brother or sister in the adolescent stage of life where contact and example are so efficacious in forming the charac- ter to guide them for a life time. Had he but the one bitter hour of every mother or father where the bangs of doubt and wonder streak through their minds and
 make them ponder on the grave question ''Is John true to himself ?"
 or ''Is Mary all that we think she is?" he, a supposed member of the Legion of Decency would stand shoulder to shoulder to a man in
 ratifying anything that might smack of indecency towards the
 home, woman, or child.
 Is this committee to be branded
 as a group of Back Patters?" or shall we justly say that they are a group of "Standeruppers" in that they had the intestinal fortitude to stand up for the things that were right and openly and cleanly, fight the things that were wrong. There was no subterfuge employed what ever. And instead of being the
 laughing stock of Waterbury to- night, there are thousands of grate- full mothers and fathers who sit by the fireplace and enjoy their per-
 usals of the evening paper without
 mental static of Johnny's or Mary's welfare.
 The puerile argument of censor
 ship that was offered is like tho stuff that initiates the balloon.
 suppose this fellow would let c child play with q gun because he didn't believe In Interfering with
 persons business. How sillyl Just
 because his mind is insulated o.
 gainst the faults of this type of
 amusement ho foolu that every
 little mind in Waterbury is in thc
 same category. And Bo far Into the
 night, we could go with our argu
 ment, but the best ono of all al
 sec il, Is the unan'tnoud refdIcl
 of every ettenddnt "shos Ara ~rnii I Rhty. bat nicf.', siav conclude fy
 snylng thgt brt;ss vsnil'a,
 PURITY
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17

of l.. unions has forced the bat. tie into the open.
 The union forces have accept ed the challenge. They have in- structed their members to ab- stain from the polling.
 This brings the controversy to a head-on clash and the show down which. so long has threat ened.
 MAIL BAG
 F. G., Tulsa, Okla.-AH indica- tions point to the election of Representative Joe Byrns, of Tennessee, as the next speaker. The action of the Pennsylvania democratic delegation, second largest in the house, in pledging to support him decided the con- test in his favor. w. L., Ft. Wayne, Ind.-There is nothing in the law preventing a member of Congress from putting a relative on the Congressional payroll. Re- peated attempts to enact such restriction have been made, but got nowhere c. H. Galax, Va-Mrs Roosevelt's personal car is a light-blue, two-seater, sport model roadster, and is her own property. When she uses it, she does her own driving. Mrs Hoover did not drive an automobile s. O. O., Ogden, Utah-Lieuten- ant Pat" Johnston, son of Gen. eral Hugh Johnson, is still con- nected with the MIRA. He is a Divisional Administrator, having been promoted to the post when his father retired. NOTE: Father and son spell their family name differently c. M., Lamar, COl0.---The President is fond of moving pictures, but does not go to the theater. The pictures are shown by the private machine in the White House. The Presi- dent particularly likes news reels. sees them frequently. F. O. O., Raleigh, N. C.-It appears almost certain that Judge James c. Biggs, the Solicitor General, is slated for another post. He is much loved in the Justice De- partment, but is not regarded elsewhere as highly .. l.. P. w., Tulsa, Okla.-Most government documents such as the Army Record, may be distributed with cost to Congressmen, but each Congressman is allowed only a limited number of copies of the Congressional Record.
 (Copyright, 1884, by United Feat
 ure Syndicate, Inc.)
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
So They Say

We are improving and repairing and mak- ing humanly tolerable the old system are not building a new one.
 Raymond Moley. What would become of German music If political denunciation should interfere with artF Wilhelm Furtwaengler, resigned leader Of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
 We should make of Back to the Land" really one of "Forward to the Land,' be- cause of the eectrhcation and of the auto- mobile which facilitates travel.
 Frank Lloyd Wright famous architect. While admiring President Roosevelt I feel that need someone who can diagnose our ills and surgeons i;nife-someone who is not eighteenth century family doctor.
 Max Eastman, poet and philosopher.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Dictators' Troubles

Dictators, too, have their troubles. Even Germany, with Minister of Propaganda and Enlightenment, has public less keen on being enlightened than outsiders have imagined. Two Berlin newspapers closely connected with the government and carry ing supposedly the most approved Nazi news and editorial comment have been steadily losing circulation. One of them has dropped from 100000 to 67,00O.
 That fact alone might be credited to thriftiness on the part of former readers. With little money to spend, they might be cutting down on their daily papers. But another Berlin daily, not so close to Hit Ter and Goebbels, has gained circulation and recently passed the circulation of Hit ler's special organ. We'll, it's only to be ex- pected that while people are human, dlc- tators must suffer their minor failures
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Mothers and Fathers Glad of Demand for Clean
 Shows

Dear Editor: For a long time Waterbury has
 been proud of it's slogan, Water bury has something on everybody and it is quite in harmony with our best traditions that she main- tain that pride in spite of any, thing that might De said or done to depreciate the true value of the
 rich spirit embodied in those few words. To those who care for the good name of our fair city, we can easily connote the high mind- edness and upright character all
 luded to in the two words "has
 something" In no sense of the word are we to construe that this means Waterbury is to just have some material thing that no other community can boast. It is ex- tremely desirable that this refer and include nothing but the best things in life and only these things
 are to be considered when we list them among the assets of which
 her superiority.
 May I leave my introductory
 preface to assure ~"Irair Play" the
 writer of your letter in Fridays issue, that the subject matter on
 his wordy missive Is one of the
 liabilities our fair town is quite proud to point to tonight as being
 washed off the balance sheet and
 in its place the sweetness of con.
 solution in knowing that once more the sewer pipe in her channel Of amusement has been flushed by the
 age old solvent of common senss and decency.
 1t is too bad that "Fair Play
 who claims he has a mind of hli own and impliedly asserts his cap. abilities in thinking power was mol fair enough to express his opinioni without using the velvet hammer on . group. who should receive th. accoiade Of every decent man nlld woman Go Waterbury. It Isn't ths ! slightest blt preuumptious te con clude that the writer wea not the
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Japanese Policy

The Japanese Ambassador says his 1n,lnfry would gladly sink all it's warships 'f 1fhel nations did so. implying that Jap +n Iausi really interested in sea power. He .Iso says that. as long as there are navies, 'I1onn intends to have as big navy as S.<I Io1r. and will build up t0 equality w.h EZ< If4IiAd States and Great Britain. TT
 E- fas io fight them both" How explain
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17

The usual list has just been published of the best books of the year. And following this come the usual disagreements end why wasn't thus and so included. This selec- tion usually causes varying opinions, na- turally. Those who decide on the worlds best dressed women have a much easier job.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Daily Washington Merry Go Round
-BY DREW PEARSON and ROBERT ALLEN

Q Mery-G oRund"nd TT o NRA Former Blue m ToWn Old Age Pensom Lobby Union Elections m Auto M dusry FOrceLa
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Questions And Answers
 by The Democrats Washington information Bureau
Y0Up rUnsTlONs ANSWERED.

anewerahle aIese0n o nes of M Keby 9gssMo nns
 
 
 All other quesons will he cordially uervce often ns please ,,,,m,.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Selected Poem

WINTER MUSIC tBy William De Lise in Tho New York Sun) Frost in the ruined tree Sparkles and sings: A thousand phantom birds Preen ghostly wings Wings that murmur and hlt The dead leaves among The thousand phantom songs Have nll been Fung.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
Horoscope
By OCTAvINE

For persons who believe that human destiny is guided by the planets, the daily horoscope Is out lined by a noted astrOIoger. In ad- dition to information of general interests, it outlines information Oi special interest~tO persons born on the designated dates.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
MONDAY, DECEMBER IF, 1884
A Thought for Today

And He said unto him, Why callcst thou me Me good? there is none good but One, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.-St. Matthew, 1917.
 Be not merely good be good for some- fhinR-ThOreau.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
DECEMBER IS

DECEMBER IS
 Try to do a little concentrating today. It may be hard. but unless you make an effort along that line you may begin many things and finish none. The afternoon is very active. Do not break somebody's heart for today Is not time to come to conclusions, when 1t in- wolves love affairs.
 BiFthdnte
 You are apt to very sensitive to other peoples opinions. There may he q gain for you in an un- expected way from Oct i6 through 20, 1885. Be careful of accident, fire, or rash decisions or state- ments from Oct 2l through 24, 1885.
 Socially favorable July 2 through c, 1885.
 Write letters or do clerical work on Dec 22 and 2S. i034. Headers desiring additional in. formation regarding tIleIr hOfO' scopes are lnvltcd Co c0niinuhl' cato with OctnyIHc tn cure 0i iIsiN newspaper. Enclose 6 3.ccn ninmnrd seifsnddFnnBcG envelope.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17

As we begin the last week before Christ mas the Connecticut Company and city officials are desirous that the city maln- tains the best order possible in the matter of parking. Parking in Waterbury is a problem at all times, but during these last busy shopping days it is more or less gen. eral confusion everywhere no matter how you slice it. The layout of the city, the narrowness of some of the important streets where street cars add to the gen. eral confusion, make it almost impossible not to have jams and tieups But with the aid of the pedestrian, the more than helpful traffic policemen, and the coopera- ton of the automobile drivers, some sort of order may be possible You hear on all sides the complaints of drivers that 1t Is impossible to park near any store. Which is just too bad, because if you can't park you can't; so it behooves everyone to make the best of existing conditions and cooperate in the lessening, if not preven- tion of traffic jams this week.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-17
THn EDITOR

"I pledge by Head to clearer think ing, my Heart to greater loyalty, my Hands to larger service, and my Health to better living, for my Club. my Community, and my Country.
 0. Where is Ohio State univer- sity?
 A. Columbus, Ohio.
 If you want 8 copy of our bull. letin CHRISTMAS CUSTIMS, write to The Waterbury Democratic Washington Bureau, enclosing five cents in postage stamps.