davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1934-12-21
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES I. TRACEWELL.

At the back Of the Townsend plan
for giving q pension of $500 Q month
to every person who reaches the age
Of 90 years must be the idea that 1t
is, after an, considerable Of q feat to
keep the personality intact for that
long Q time.
Any one who can resist the buffets
Of the crowd for conformity for go
years, and still keep himself Henry
Jones, or Tom Smith, Is surely deserv-
ing Of some reward in this nfei
Surely some such idea q that 1t is
at the bottom Of this thoroughly
Utopian scheme, one may feel sure.
Truly 1t Is an accomplishment, to
keep intact . human personality over
any extended term Of years. Every
one knows some young man who fails
to achieve 1t after the absolute juvenile
term Of IL years. He is rs marked
with the brand Of the crowd at that
age as II he had lived o hundred. He
wears the same clothes, talks the same
lingo, eats the same things, and, above
all, drinks the same things. He darex
not wear, talk. eat, drink other than
as his. companions do.
He is about as original as O ground
hog. each grounding looking like every
other grounding that ever was born.
Then there are much older men who
put up q big bluff ct being individual
personalities, but II you pin them down
you find them about as individual as
woodchuck. which looks, acts, eats
and moves as all other woodchucks
that ever trod earth.
The genius Of man calls for orig
inality.
At the same time something In him
insistently demands that originality In
others be frowned upon.
This latter trait most often pre.
dominates. especially in persons who
have no originality Of their own.
One would think that those who
have no originality Of their own would
admire 1t in others, but often 1t n
just the other way around.
Those without 1t resent Il in Others.
They are forever asking that these
others remake themselys to conform to
commonplace habits and thoughts.
The most ordinary form this desire
takes, In everyday life. IL anger.
Some one is forever mad" ut some
one elsel
1t Is such q common situation. in
deed, that 1t would have no interest
for any one II there were not some
hope that by pointing the thing out
as plainly as one can the offender
will be led to realize the sheer in
sanity Of becoming angry at another
human being.
Especially as often Is Is commonly
observedl
I'm mad at you" u not Just q
childish phrase.
1t represents the thought pattern Of
thousands Of so-called adults 10 thou
sands Of other adults.
And 1t Is oil 30 silly.
So useless, 20 essentially juvenilel
Only the rare person manages to get
something unique out Of life by taking
words or actions that seem to offend
him and turning them into words or
actions which reveal to him the essen
tial personality, the unique quality, of
the other.
Such q person is commonly called
q philosopher, mostly, one may sus-
pect, because his action Is so ut
variance with the commonplace action,
called anger, ire, choler, or what you
please.
One does not have to be q philoso-
pher, however, to play fair with others;
and that is all refraining from becom-
ing angry over nothing much really
is, in the last analysis.
Evening star., 1934-12-21
Pistol Waivers and
Automobile Weavers
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
A pedestrian waving q revolver In
the streets Is soon overhauled and
examined, but daily we see hundreds
Of auto drivers weaving madly
through the streets Of our cities, ahso-
lutely regardless Of the safety Of
pedestrians, not to mention that Of
other, more careful drivers. Yet, an
automobile with Q careless driver at
the wheel Is far more deadly than q
revolver, even in the hands Of an idiot
A revolver, fred into Q crowd, will
kill or injure only one or two, but
an auto, driven into the same crowd,
would surely slay or MAIN Q far
greater number.
Every auto Is q potential engine Of
destruction and every driver thus be-
comes q potential killer. AZ soon q
this fact is understood and acknowl-
edged by drivers, The toll Of dead and
injured from this source will be
quickly decreased. II q careless driver
risked only his own life and property,
1t might prove something Of . boon
to the rest Of humanity, but, unfortu-
nately, the innocent and law-abiding
are too often the victims.
The mounting death and injury
rate from this absolutely unnecessary
cause-careless driving-is appalling,
but apparently each driver seems to
be . law unto himself, absolutely
Evening star., 1934-12-21
ignoring or defying all written and
moral rules for safety.

A8AOAAA VI ANAyA aA &A4
moral rules for safety.
The shortest distance between two
points often becomes the longest
through careless driving.
Had every one suffered the loss of
q loved one, struck down by o careless
or intoxicated driver, rs have I, every
one would, If normal, exercise far more
care In handling these engines Of
death and would show some slight
consideration for the lives and prop
erty Of their fellow men.
No pedestrian. unless intent upon
self destruction, willingly places him
self in the path Of danger from auto
mobiles, realizing that nothing but
death or injury would await him, nor
would any auto driver, unless intent
upon the same idea, purposely crash
into Q wall or other obstruction when
he must know that injury would re-
suit only to himself and car.
The driver Of . steam locomotive,
following . fixed track, often spends
the greater part Of his life In work.
Ing up to his position Of trust and re-
sponsibility, but any one capable Of
turning . wheel and answering o few
questions may secure . license to
operate an auto on our public high
ways, free to turn or twist In any
direction with no restriction other
than his own conscience.
Let us hope that every driver may
soon, come to realize that he Is in con-
troll Of an engine Of death and act
accordingly.
And, finally, let US pray that more
drivers may become conscience con-
scfouS. WALTER z. BIRCH,
Evening star., 1934-12-21
The Business Program.

The recovery program advanced by
leaders of American industry, after
their conference at White Sulphur
Springs, has struck sour note in off,
cisl Washington. While the President
has so far made no comment upon the
recommendations of the business con-
ference, it was the White House
secretariat who received the chairman
of the conference, c. B. Ames, when
he called at the Executive Mansion.
Harry L. Hopkins, national relief ad
ministrator, hippantly suggested that
the business men had made up
Christmas package-the dole as a sub
stitute for work relief-and "sent it
to the unemployed for Christmas
day." 1t was Mr.. Hopkins who well
coined the nomination Of Upton SIN
clair on the Democratic ticket for
Governor of California not so long
ago. On Capitol Hill, administration
members Of Congress dubbed the busi-
ness mems recommendations 'reac-
tionary," Astounding" "conserva-
tive" and the like.
1t is not long since administration
leaders, from the President down, were
telling American business that it must
take up the slack, must remove the
burden of caring for the unemployed
from the shoulders Of the Govern
ment. There was some suggestion
that there might and should be
measure Of real cooperation between
the Government and business to bring
about recovery. Perhaps the business
leaders of the country took the sug-
gestion seriously. It looks, however,
ss though any suggestion which was
not exactly in line with the program
Of the administration may receive lit
tie serious attention.
Furthermore. 1t begins to look as
though any suggestion, from any
Evening star., 1934-12-21
Drastic Measures Needed
To Correct Traffic Evils
70 the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star;
Tread with deep interest and convic-
ticn your timely editorial in The Star
Of December II anent the appalling
loss Of life due TO reckless automobile
driving. This ever-mounting casualty
list Is an Indictment of our trafIic lava
and their proper execution. May ]
offer the following recommendations
~ q curb to accidents:
(a) Either do away with the So
called caution" light (amber) en-
tirely or enact trafic regulations re-
quiring all movement in trafic to
cease when the amber light Is on;
stand ut any intersection of streets
and watch the motorists speed up
when the amber light is showing in
order to get ahead Of the change In
lights; this Is the rule, not the ex-
ception!
(b) When any two or more motor
lists Cor pedestrians) observe O na-
grant traffic violation they should take
the tag number Of the offender and
report in person to the Trafiic Bureau
In order that there could be no claim
Of "frame-up" or spite work." those
reporting the violations should be re-
quired to establish their responsibility
and reputability. Old offenders would
hesitate to violate traiic regulations
were they afraid they would be re-
ported. It II q we'll established fact
that fear Of punishment Ii the deter
rent Of crime, and with sure, swift
justice meted out by the proper court
these potential traffic killers would
think twice before they would take q
chance Of being caught in the act.
tc) Secure the cooperation Of all
employers in having 1t fully under
stood by their employees that should
they be convicted Of trafac violation
especially where injury or death en-
sues, they would automatically be dis
charged from employment and q
black list" be kept Of all thus dis
charged.
Drastic measures? Yes, but 1t re-
quires drastic measures to meet this
distressful situation, where daily injury
and death result from reckless and
- NAAAtA WAFhAk VI eutozASBiICb. re-
oostrtans, too, should come under some
ban In their crossing Of streets.
Outstanding violations Of trafic on
the part Of motorists are excessive
speeding, speeding up on the amber
("caution') light to get across the in
tersection, weaving in and out OF
trafhc lanes in order to gain distance
failure to give signals when about to
make q turn or stop, when making q
left turn, speeding across trafic from
the opposite direction, efYecting q
hold-up Of the latter. Stand on -.
eorneS and see this violation daily. At
the upper end Of the Taft Bridge that
ID carried on almost continually; q visit
there will confirm my statement.
The activities of the so-called "One
Hundred" in their efforts to educate
the public are but q small scratch of
the surface. As matter Of fact, trying
to educate" certain people along
safety lines In driving an automobile
is time and labor wasted; the only
law these old offenders know Is fear
Of punishment.
WALLACE M. CRAIGIE.
Evening star., 1934-12-21
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Mrs. Roosevelt and Secretary Of Labor
Perkins in Q variety of fields reflect
ing women's capacity for public serv-
ice, especially welfare work. The dy-
manic daughter of Z. II. Hartman in
herited the late railroad kings flair
for business. In recent times she had
been credited with an ambition to
enter diplomacy, in emulation Of Ruth
Bryan owen, and to be appointed
American Minister to the Irish Free
State.
DR.. Hugh S. Cumming. surgeon
general Of the United States Public
Health Service, has just returned
from the ninth annual Pan-American
Sanitary Conference in BuenoS Aires.
On January ~, 1885, Gen. Cumming
will have completed Is consecutive
years as head Of the Public Health
Service. The main achievement Of
the conference in Argentina was the
adoption Of international health reg
ulations for aviation, including the
quarantining and medical Observable
system long in effect on the seas. Be-
cause of the Importance Of speed in
air travel. the conference recognized
the necessity Of expediting health in
spections aboard planes ana ut air.
ports.
One Of President Roosevelt,s callers
the other day suggested that even
specimens Of "singer. bread" archi-
lecture In Washington, like the Lii
brary Of Congress and the State, War
and Navy Building, are better than
"n.onotony," 1. G., reeimenting the
Capitals Federal structures on one
universal pattern. Apropos all this.
it's recalled that Mark Twain once
demonstrated with an Englishman
who alleged that America had no
distinctive school of architecture
you're wrong" quoth Mark. we
have three different schools-early
Indian, Missouri renaissance and
modern Pullman!"
During the recent farewell reception
given by Attorney General Cummings
for the Crime Conference, the Navy
Band Orchestra, under the direction
Of Lieut.. Charles Benter, played "The
Prisoners Song" which once was as
popular ballad as THE Last Round
Up" or "The Man on the Flying
Trapeze" In latter-day times. when
Lieut.. Benter set about to select q
program for >the soiree, he scratched
his head for appropriate numbers and
decided that THE Prisoners Song"
ideally fitted the occasion.
DR.. Orville Wright did not take to
the air on December II In celebra-
tion Of the historic pioneer flight he
and his late brother Wilbur made ut
Kitty Hawk, N. c., 81 years ago. For
some time he has suffered somewhat
from the after effects Of an airplane
accident that befell him about the
year 1909, and he has been ground
ed" almost ever since. Although he
does no more nying, DR.. Wright re-
tains an animated interest in every
thing connected with aviation, is con-
stantly engaged In research work ut
Dayton, and periodically turns up in
washington for meetings Of the Ma
tional Advisory Committee for Aero
nautics. He has incessant importu-
mites to write the memoirs of him
self and his brother, but 50 far has
resisted the literary lure.
(Copyrisht. 1934)
Evening star., 1934-12-21
Tagging Parked Cars Not
A Solution of Traffic Evil
To the Editor Of The Star:

10 the Editor OF The star:
Right here in the shadow of the
Capitol dome, where laws are made
for our entire Nation, the busting
City Of Washington seems powerless
to make its own population observe
trafic regulations. To make matters
even worse, those in charge also ap-
pear unable to enforce them. This
does not apply to overtime parking.
Oh. no! II you have some important
mission or constructive business which
brings you downtown and 1t 30 hap
pens that you may be detained while
so engaged, when you return to your
parked car q ticket will greet you on
your arrival. Police are very alert
in enforcing this overtime parking law,
and We can understand why. 1t pro-
duces revenue and must be worked
to the limit!
Our local newspapers inform US
about the terrible death toll for 1894
to date. I have yet to see q parked
car jump out on q pedestrian and kill
or main him. It Is q mistake in my
opinion to watch the parked car so
closely. 1t Is the moving vehicle that
at all times does the damage.
I am not losing sight Of the IA
vorable feature Of the parked car,
however. 1t takes more effort to catch
speed law violators. But why get ex-
cited over this type Of lawbreaker,
even though they scatter cripples,
sorrow and death into many homes,
when 1t is better financial meat and
easier to snare . car at the curb
without an occupant?
The pedestrian does not seem to
have q chance. Drivers should be
compelled to approach intersections ut
q moderate speed. Ninety per cent Of
them seem to get kick out Of q quick,
short stop. They dash to the corner
so swiftly, 1t Is indeed q miracle that
some pedestrians do not die right there
and then from fright or heart failure.
Police stationed at busy intersec-
tions would be Of more service to our
people than driving or walking around
distributing parking tickets. The
revenue from this type Of violation
would be decidedly decreased, but so
would the accident rate, II police
would watch these speed demons In an
effort to save human lives
Another delight Of the Washington
auto driver Is to blow his horn for or
ut any little pretense. Blowing ut an
automatic signal which Is red In an
effort to change it to green seems quite
. pastime for the local driver. Re-
minds one Of the dog barking at the
moon few arrests for ~, O binu Loud
and unseemly noises would put q stop
to this practice. The horn should be
used only when absolutely necessary.
A good driver very rarely needs to use
his horn. You can't blow people out
Of the way. You must, instead, use
care and judgment when driving in
city trafiic.
Let's make the driver behave while
ne or she Is driving. Don't let the
question of overtime parking get the
most Important spot in our law en-
forcement. ERNEST o. ULRICH.
Evening star., 1934-12-21
Unfair, Vicious, Unworkable.

The Civil Service Commission places
correct emphasis, in its annual report
made public today, on the necessity for
obtaining the highest type of person.
mel In the interest of efficient Govern
ment operation.
In the Treasury $50 clerks are being
dismissed for no other reason than
that they happen to hail from the Dis
trict of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia,
West Virginia, or some other State
which has more than its quota" of
employment in the Federal service.
Once again, the absurdity and
viciousness of the apportionment law
Is demonstrated.
There is no question whatever as to
the fitness or ability of the luckless
$50 Treasury employees. All Of them
were chosen by competitive civil serv-
ice test; they ranked at the top of their
respective employment registers, and
because of their efficiency they have
survived q weeding-out process in
which others, not so well equipped for
the work, have fallen by the wayside.
Secretary Morgenthau would like to
retain them. But the law steps in and
says they must 60, even though their
discharge disrupts Treasury functions
by replacing them with an inexperi-
enced group which must be tnAined
In the work from the ground up.
That is the waSteful, uneconomic
side of the matter. In addition there
is the injustice.
When these employees were hired
about a year ago there was pressing
demand for their services, as the
Treasury was loaded down with work.
It was not only not feasible to wait
until men and women could be
brought in from distant States which
did not happen to have full quotas
Of Federal employment, but to bring
men and women here from far away
was considered unwise. It was not
certain how long the jobs would last,
and there is disinclination to bring
people thousands of miles when they
can be given no more than temporary
status. Furthermore, the jobs are
low-paid-generally about $1,440 an
nually-and difficulty is always en-
countered in filling such posts from
the under quota States.
Because the employment was tenn
porary, it was possible to waive the
apportionment law. Now, however,
the Civil Service Commission holds
that the jobs must be considered as
being Of indefinite tenure, and con-
sequently the law must apply.
II the administration is really in
terested in efficiency in Government
and the absolute divorce of politics
from the classified civil service, it
might appropriately seek change in
an unavoidable, unfair law which
bases fitness for Office on place of res
idence and is absolutely contradictory
In the sr,irit of the y,arit svStar,
Evening star., 1934-12-21
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Who Is Santa CLAUSE

Who Is Santa Claus?
Who Is Santa Claus,
Working mostly for applause?
When the letters have been sent
That disclose the discomfort,
Who again his face will show,
Saying, Surely you must know
I am Santa Claus!"
Who is Santa Claus?
See the old taxpayer pause
To 60 down to his last cent,
Helping others pay the rent.
When relief calls are sent out
Hear him shout, with courage stout
Il am Santa Clausl"
Evening star., 1934-12-21

One of the greatest failures Of tn,
average human being lies In the per
sonal inability to accept other per-
sons for what they are.
If men snd women are never blesseC
now, but always are looking for ,
blessing in the future, rs the poe
averred, it is even more true that the!
cannot accept others Just as they are
They want others to change them
selves, in some mysterious way, q
that they will come nearer to SOM
one else's idea Of who and what the!
should be, how they should act ans
how they should look.
Instead Of accepting human being
as they are, they are forever in . stew
about something or other which the!
deem wrong in others.
Never will they learn, seemingly
that reform begins at home.
They want others to reform them
selves.
Therefore was another poet right
on another count, when he ASSERTED
that O great many persons willingl,
would tear the world to bits anC
mould 1t nearer to the hearts desire"
1t is probable that he did not hav,
in mind ut all the present century anc
the literal remaking process which Il
going on in governments.
No, the poet Of the quatrains wa.
concerned only with the single human
equation. at most its action and re.
action with one or two others.
Just few.
That is what life is, mostly. after all
At the center Of the few stands tn,
one.
Individualisml
We are born individuals, and die In.
dividuals, but all in between powerful
forces are bent on making the in
dividual human being q case" Jus
one Of many, thousands. millions.
In America we had thought to en-
Joy forever the triumph Of individual
ism, but gigantic forces, as old as hu
manity, seem determined at this hou
to take our precious heritage ava,
from US.
This is not governmental, solely. ol
at all, from one standpoint. The wors
tyranny comes from the ihdividua
man.
The ego In each one Of us forevel
wages q battle between q desire to b,
individual and q desire to follow tn,
crowd.
Far too often the herd instinct wins
1t wins, particularly, when some
thing in us asks that other people sa!
and do just what will please us.
This Is such o common feeling. on,
so possessed by SO many different type
of human beings. that at first many
will fail to recognize 1t.
Why, the reaction will be, always
accept people as they are! What els,
can one do?
Then the thought creeps in: II
had been willing to accept others q
they are, I would not now be angry
hurt, outraged in feelings, ut plair
statements Of truth. I would not 81
willingly fit myself into shoes which
were designed for others to wear, mol
so loudly proclaim to all who viii
listen that they fit me.
Such Is the upspoken dialogue ir
many q mind that recognizes it not
Angry fumes cloud the dialogue, unit
1t escapes observation. But the astutt
person, although he says nothing. sees
1t does not escape him. He viii know
better than you, just what goes on ir
your mind, because he knows, better
than you, what goes on in minds.