davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1934-05-11
Answers Critic of
Capitals Hospitals

To the Editor OF The Star:
While reading Margaret L. Nagle's
letter, appearing in The Star May 8,
could not but think of the III effect
that her letter would have on the
general public who read it. While the
letter may contain a strain Of fact, 1t
most certainly aboundS with misin-
formation of a demoralizing and hurt
full character.
Hospitals have their shortcomings
and the general wards of hospitals
are no exceptions. But wish to en-
phasiZe here that the ward has def
mite advantages over rooms-that is,
private rooms or private wards. or
course, the wards are governed by
rules. A ward is an integral part of
the institution. And who will deny
that all institutions, medical or other
wise, are governed and operated by
some code of rules and regulations?
The ward Is not desirable for critically
i'll patients. but for the chronic or
convalescing patients it is perhaps un-
surpassed. Here a patient has social
contacts. He may chat. play cards or
other games. and join in with the
routine. These do not make for lone
illness and introspection that private
rooms inevitably do. For psychological
effect and renewed morale. it is OBJ
vious that the general ward is not
i'll adapted TO the needs of the aver
are patient.
AS regards the hit-or-miSs PROPOSE
ton that Miss (or Mrs. Nagle al
leges the ward patient lets himself in
| for. the statement Is ridiculous and
without fact. The average person has
his same physician in attendance.
whether he be In ward or In a
private room. Further. if the patient
has no personal physician, he is placed
| under the care of the chief of the
service his condition requires, as, for
example, medical, surgical or ortho-
pedic service. 1t almost invariably
happens that this chief is old in ex-
perience and expert in ability. To be
sure. he is leading physician in his
speciality. Further, he is most prob
ably both philosophical and charitable
II ne were not serious and resourceful
in effort, he would not be a chief
of service"
AS to nurses being "fappers" whose
chief aim it is to firt with doctors
and internes doctors, tooD, who
would. who could. believe such? Poor
! doctor! Poor inferno! Strictly speak
ing. it is not essential that the nurse
understand the patients condition
Such is not required of her. The one
| demand made of her is that she exc
cute orders efficiently.
The donations that are made from
time to time for establishing or ex-
panding hospital wards serve a def
! mite and needed purpose. Hospitals
are costly to operate. but are invalu-
able in service. So to you who make
the donations that perpetuate this
great good that wards serve, our hats
| are off. Let us hope that you con-
tinue to serve your community so well.
May l add that this note is based
on observations and impressions that
have come to me during the past eight
| years. during which time my technical
duties have intimately exposed me 10
practically every hospital in the Dis
trict of Columbia and Virginia?
F.. DAN SUTTENFIELD.
Evening star., 1934-05-11
Widow of Dead Fireman
Awaits Act of Justice

To the Editor of The Star:
On Wednesday the Senate District
Committee passed (for the fourth
time now and the Senate twice. s..
TAI. for the relief Of the widow OF
Lieut.. Samuel L. Callahan, killed
June. 1927, when lin line of duty" by
a District police car. H. r. 2O35, to
the same effect, has passed the House
District Committee also for the fourth
time. The District Commissioners
paid in 1881 $4,000 to the widow of
a civilian killed by a District police
Car that year. Chicago pays $4,000;
Detroit, $1,000; State of Kansas,
$7,400, and many other United States
cities and States pay various sums
of money to the widows of policemen
and firemen who meet with violent
death 'in line of duty" One widow.
whose husband was a civilian killed
by a police car of the District in
1881. was paid $1,000 in 1881 The
widow of lieutenant of the District
Fire Department. with 18 years Of
most efficient service, and with no
demerit mark in those l8 years. killed
''in line of duty" in 1927 by 0 District
police car. still is awaiting relief. Is
this right? No! 1t is q cruel wrong.
w. E. RYAN.
Evening star., 1934-05-11
Washington Backward
In Respect to Parking

To the Editor OF The Star:
In your paper the other day there
appeared several articles on the traf-
fic situation. one headed Parking
Bans and Private Car Owners" I
do not doubt that the private car
owners do object to putting their cars
in a garage after 2 am. after this
backward city has allowed them to use
the fronts of taxpayers homes for so
many years.
There is no city in America where
the people make such a complete
garage out Of the streets as here: l
cannot see how any one can be so
destructive as to leave their car out
on the streets in all kinds of weather
A car should last the average person
several years.
In the past few years the parking
OF automobiles on the streets has be-
come so great that one can hardly
ever get in front of his own home.
Any one that has car and can't
afford to pay Is cents q day for a
garage and a few pennies for insur-
ance on the car is a menace to the
city. S. r. CANDANO.
Evening star., 1934-05-11
Music Is Good for Us
Only When We Want 1t

To the Editor Of The Star:
The article by Dorothy A. Davis in
your issue of The Star Of May 8. en-
titled Music Is the Solvent of HUI
manity's Ills" might have some good
points were it not that we have en-
tirely too much music in our ears
now. or what is termed music" these
days. II the situation were such that
We could go and hear music only when
We want it-which should not be too
often, because too much OF anything
is bad. even good music-and then
only good music emanating from an
instrument or throat which we our
selves like, and not what some one
else wants us to have. such as the
abominable noise coming from radios
saXophones, and the like, then music
is good to have. But when we must
be forced to listen to noise all hours
of the day or night, which is called
music" by many people today, then
so-called music Is nothing but a men,
ace to health. and many of our ills
Of today are the result of lack Of rest
brought on by music noise at the
hands of those who say that music
is good for you" while what we need
is quiet to rest our tangled ears and
nerves. ELLEN M. SMITH.
Evening star., 1934-05-11
City Bankruptcy Measure
Faces Differing Judgments

applicable to municipalities
ing units and actual creatures Of the
sovereign States-is justiflable only
in last-ditch emergency. Wisely, in
this instance it is limited strictly TO
two years. Better. far. that the dis
treSsed municipalities be left stewing
in their own juice than that the
bankruptcy principle be extended
permanently to the smaller govern
mental units. For municipal debt
evasion, in principle. is State repudi-
alton, no less, since the taxing powers
of the municipalities are delegated
by the States"
1T may be doubted" thinks the
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin,
whether resort to the bankruptcy
court is needed. If it were to be
authorized. its services ought to be
an absolutely last resort. And, if it
is not matter of actual necessity, it
were better to be avoided. Municipal
securities now command a good mar
ket, and it would be a misfortune
for every city, the well-managed ad-
ministrations along with those poorly
managed, if way were to be opened
to make reputation Of municipal
obligations easier and perhaps suggest
this easier way to irresponsible think
ing governments"
Evening star., 1934-05-11

Proposed legislation for the use of
the bankruptcy courts by cities and
other small government units which
are heavily in debt arouses strongly
differing opinions. Advocates are
convinced that no alternative appears
except plain reputation. In answer
to this view opponents Of the legis-
lation declare that it is possible for
municipal governments to meet their
obligations by better management and
the practice of economy.
While conceding that "such
method would entail a penalty in
the form of impaired credit" the
Lowell Courier Citizen concludes that,
''as a matter of fact, If city really
does go broke. it isn't going to pay in
full anyhow. and the question be-
comes one Of finding a method that
will help most while doing the least
HARM The Brooklyn Times-Union
feels that 1T is gratifying cities are
to be aided by this legislation" OBJ
serving that it follows the procedure
applying to ordinary business" The
Miami Herald sees relief for hard
pressed Florida communities, and the
Toledo Blade, recognizing the condi-
tionS in its own community, adds:
1T is true that the city's future credit
might be impaired by recourse to a
municipal bankruptcy act Bankers
or bond dealers who lend large sums
of money to put up city buildings and
bridges and pave city streets will give
preference in future to those creditors
who pay them in full, and yet when
the tax collection limit is reached,
and wages of city employees are re-
duced, some concessions may be fairly
expected of the bondholders also"
THE total municipal debt of the
Nation" says the Austin (Tex)
American, has been estimated be-
tween Is and l9 billions of dollars
and that paper records more than
1000 taxing units which are said to
be in default.
The New York Times voices the
judgment: "Unquestionably there
would be some scaling down Of obli-
cations. This is frankly the purpose.
would seem to some observers to con-
done extravagances and wastes in
CURED in the past and perhaps to
encourage them in future. Neverthe-
less. the fact remains that at least
5000 900 900 of principal and interest
payments owed by more than a thou
sand local governmental units is now
in default, that this situation results
in frozen assets for banks, insur-
ance companies and other lenders and
that many creditors would willingly
compromise their claims for the sake
of greater liquidity, if such action
were not blocked by the opposition OF
q minority. It Is important 10 note
that what is proposed is not unilateral
reputation, but action which can be
taken only with the approval of
great majority Of the creditors whose
interests are involved In this respect
the Senate bill, with its more strict
requirements, is clearly preferable"
Criticizing the scheme, the South
Bend Tribune says that support has
come largely from cities that doomed
in the postwar decade" while the
Providence Bulletin holds that it "is in
lire with a general policy Of taking
care of the debtors who overextended
themselves in the fat, happy and
prosperous times at the expense of
the creditors" and the Newark Eve
ming News argues: Resort to the
Federal bankruptcy act to make It
Evening star., 1934-05-11
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

@. Is 1t true that Russia Is building
the largest airplane in the world?-
D. B.
A. The Maxim Cork, nearing COM
pletion in Moscow, is said to be the
largest in the world. 1t will carry
seventy-six persons and will contain.
in addition to a complete printing
plant, a movie auditorium and radio
transmitters. The plane will be used
to disseminate the principles Of Com
munism to the most remote parts OF
the U. S. S. r.
@. When is National Maritime
day?-A. E. M.
A. May % was so designated last
year by Congress. 1t is to be OBJ
served each year by display of the
flag on all Government buildings and
citizens are called upon to display the
flag at their homes. This day was
chosen because in 1919, on May %,
the steamship The Savannah set sail
from Savannah. Ga. on the first sue
cessful transoceanic voyage under
steam propulsion.
@. What obligation is there on the
part of a person who uses your
service?-L. G.
A. There is none whatever This
newspaper offers the service free to
its readers. You are entitled to all
| benefits to be derived from its fire.
quent use. There is no charge, except
! coin or stamps for return postage.
| Address Frederic j. HaSkin, Director,
Washington, D. C.
@. How thick are the walls Of the
Washington Monument?-A r. s.
A. The walls are Is feet thick at
the base and taper TO 10 inches at
500 feet.
Q. What Negro first became famous
in the part of Othello?-O. E. S.
A. Ira Aldridge. He was born
about 1910 at Bel Air. Md. and died
| at Lodz. Poland, 1867. He has had
few equals in the part of Othello, the
Moor. Aldridge's grandfather, who
was a ruling prince in the Senegal
Country, in Africa, was, with all his
family except one son. murdered in
| an uprising This son came to the
United States and was educated for
the ministry. The grandson, Ira,
made his debut on the stage at the
Royal Theater. London, England. as
| Othello.
@. Who received the Gottheil medal
| for l933?-W. w.
| A. The Pilgrimage Team, composed
! of Rev. Everett R. Clinchy, Father
j. Elliot Ross and Rabbi Morris S.
Lazaron, share the award. 1t is
made each year by Zeta Beta Tau,
the Oldest and largest national Jewish
college fraternity. to the American
who has done the most for Jewry
/ during the year. The medal. for this
J occasion, was cast in triplicate.
Q. What treaty was called the Dis
( aStrouS Peace?-H. r.
/ A. The treaty of Cateau Cambresis,
1859. following the battle of Grave
| lines. 1t was signed by France,
/ Spain and England, and by it France
ceded the Low Countries to Spain.
and Savoy, Corisca, and 200 forts TO
, Italy.
! q. what helght must man and
woman be to be considered /tall?-
I D. j.
! A. A man is usually considered tall
when ne is above feet 10 inches, a
woman is considered tall when she is
above feet inches.
G. What was the inception of Mil
| tons Paradise Lost"?-J K. L.
| A. Halleck says: Cambridge Uni
versity has a list, written by Milton
before he was IS, of about 100 pos
sible subjects for the great poem
| which he felt it was his life's mission
TO give the world. He once thought
of selecting Arthur and his Knights
Evening star., 1934-05-11

N. r. AS Blue Eagle now has a
mate It's a hyphenated bird re-
Gently Matched in New York City
and is the official emblem Of the
DeutSch- -Amerikanischer Wirtschafts-
Ausschuss, or German American
Protective Alliance" Standing Com
mittee Of the United German So
cieties. The organization. which. in
new deal alphabetical fashion. is
known as DAWA, issues its blue
eagle to persons who refuse to boy
colt German goods or who agree not
to patroniZe concerns that blacklist
them. A mass demonstration against
the German boycott will be held
under DAWA auspices in Madison
Square Garden on May II. The Ger
man American blue eagle is already
widely on display throughout the Ger
man sections of Greater New York
and Hoboken. The United German
Societies assert that the extension Of
the anti-Hitler boycott to German
American shops gave rise to the
DAWA as a defense movement. Sam
uel Untermyer, leader of the boycott,
denies it is aimed at German-Ameri-
cans. The anti-boycott emblem shows
q blue German eagle on top OF the
letters DAWA across the center and
a rising sun in the lower half.
anna. During q public discussion in
New York this week. when q speaker
aired the view that the emergency is
over, the First Lady interjected that
she didn't think there could be any
thought of such happy state Of af-
fairs. with 100000 Americans still
out of work. Her figures agree with
those just supplied to Congress by
William Green. president Of the
American Federation of Labor.
Washington counts that day lost
whose ow-descending sun views no
worthy suggestion TO- the Republican
National Committee craftsmanship. It's
now the Campbells who are coming
two Of them. One is former Gov.
Thomas E. Campbell OF Arizona and
President of the United States Civil
Service Commission from 1890 to 1888.
llc OtllcI ID AOIu \AHoAioo ~
Campbell, too, who farms 95. 900 acres
of wheat and max in Montana. Both
Campbells qualify geographically for
G. o. P. Reconstruction" purposes as
men of intimate knowledge Of the
Vests problems and with political
backgrounds devoid of factionalism.
The Montana Campbell is four years
younger than his namesake. 50 II
youth IS to have its fling in the new
leadership of the elephant, as is pretty
generally demanded, Tom D., may
have something on Tom E. in the
Craftsmanship race. If the National
Committee decides to 60 Campbell.
4 4
For some time the story has been
current that legislation might be
forthcoming whereby the United States
Government would seek control over
all patents issued by 1t and license
thet. use by any industries which de-
sired to avail themselves of them, in
stead Of permitting monopolistic ex-
ploitation. According to the reports
that were in circulation. no infringe
ment Of inventors rights or pTodts
vas contemplated By Uncle Sam, but
Evening star., 1934-05-11
Americas Greatest Problem.

President Roosevelt and Chief
Justice Hughes yesterday addressed
the American Law Institute meeting
in this city, the former by letter and
the latter in person, praising the
work of that organization, which is
engaged in a "restatement" of the
law to the end of its surer, speedier
and more effective administration.
This work has been under way for
several years. 1t is designed as q
means of clarifying and unifying and
Evening star., 1934-05-11
Debt Tokens and Default.


have just been informed at the State
Department that any token" pay
ments they may make on June IS
will not serve, as hitherto, to pre-
serve them from the stigma Of being
defaulters in American official eyes
The installments due must be paid
in full, or the countries failing to
make such payments will automat-
ically come under the ban Of the
johnson act. Thenceforward, as de-
faulters, they will be barred from
access to the American money mar
ket. There will be due to the United
States next month. under the terms
of existing funding agreements,
grand total of sl75,0O0,O00 in round
figures. The lions share is pay
able by Great Britain-S85 900 900.
Frances obligation OF $4,000, 900
(exclusive of previous defaults) is
the next largest. and then Italy's. OF
$l4,75000O. There is little prospect
that these payments on any con-
siderable scale will be forthcoming.
1t cannot be that the debt issue
will be left suspended in midair. To
permit it to remain in that posi-
ton would be deplorable confession
of incapacity by both American and
European craftsmanship. There is
hope in President Rooseyelts re-
iterated statement that a debtor al
ways has the right to present his
case to the creditor for review in the
calm, dispassionate light of all the
facts involved. Nothing will be gained
on the present occasion either by
stubborn refusal on our part to con-
slider concessions or by such bluster
as is coming from financial quarters
in London that Britain has already
decided to make either another token
payment or nothing on June Is"
All concerned probably do we'll to
await President Roosevelts message
to Congress on the war debts before
jumping to irrevocable conclusions.
That communication is supposed to be
imminent. The hour Is ripe for a
constructive solution OF the debts
problem and it will be a matter of
international disappointment if the
President fails to project proposals
designed to point the way out Of an
impasse that contains too many of
the ingredients of future conflict TO be
permitted to endure indefinitely.
The American people consider the
war debts just and honorable obliga-
tions. They are not disposed to
write them of the Treasury books as
unc0llectable. Congress accurately
reflects public sentiment when 1t as
sumes an attitude of hostility to the
idea OF cancellation.
The callous cynicism exhibited by
France and other debtors which have
followed her lead has not served to
modify the congressional view or the
feelings of the country in general
toward deliberate defaulters. The
debtor nations, II they are as right
minded as they profess to be, will i'm
prove their respective cases in Amer
lean estimation by more Vigorous and
substantial evidences of good will
than have hitherto been apparent.
To such manifestations of proper in
tent it is hard to believe that Amer
lean reaction would not be favorable.
Evening star., 1934-05-11

Of the Round Table, but his final
choice was Paradise Lost" which
stands first on this special list. There
are in addition four separate drafts
of the way in which he thought the
subject should be treated. All four
drafts show that his early intention
was to make the poem a drama, a
gigantic miracle play. The closing
Of the theaters and the prejudice felt
against them during the days of the
Puritan ascendancy may have in
fluenced Milton to forsake the dra-
matte for the epic form, but he seems
never to have shared the common
prejudice against the drama and the
stage.
Q. Why was a pickpocket called a
cutpurse?-M. r.
A. When the purse was hung sus-
pended from the girdle, thief cut
the string by which it was attached,
and thereby earned the name cut
purse. When pockets were adopted
the method of thieving changed, the
thief becoming pickpocket.
@. When will the Bayreuth Festival
be held this year?-E. c.
A. 1t is scheduled to begin July %
and close August %. There will be
six performances Of "Partisfal," with
Richard Strauss conducting, and four
! Of Die Meistersinger" and three OF
Der Ring des NiDelungen," with Karl
Elmendorf conducting.
@. 1t Is true that jurors were once
chosen in this country by turning a
wheel?-V. D.
The practice was to put the names
Of the persons from whom the Jurors
were TO be chosen on a wheel. This
wheel was revolved and names were
picked therefrom. This custom has
been practically abolished.
@. What is the Nations man power
IN terms of artificial strength?-R. w.
A. DR.. Karl T. Compton stated in
a recent address that engineering ad-
vances have made available in this
country 5000 0O0. 900 man power,
/ equivalent to so slaves for each man,
woman and child.
| @. Who was the Democratic Roose-
yelt who was Franklin D. Roosevelt's
ancestor?-W. j. B.
| A. The common ancestor Of the
Roosevelt families in America was
Claes Martensen Van Roosevelt, who
emigrated from Holland about 1886
| He landed in New Amsterdam, now
4 -
of the clan sprung from Jacobus, a
| grandson Of Claes.
@. Please name some well known
author who never had a manuscript
rejected.-M NJ.
A. This is said Of Frances Hodgson
Burnett, who was the author Of so
! books.
! Q. In whose territory is the Gran
Chaco placed on South American
maps?-H. V. S.
A. The Gran Chaco is now marked
on South American maps as 'Zona en-
Litigio'-that is, zone in litigation
since both Bolivia and Paraguay claim
the greater part of it.
@. What is the meaning Of o. N. T.
on Clark's cotton thread?-A. r.
A 1t stands for Our New Thread.
@. Where was Henry r. Luce. pub
Usher of Fortune Magazine. born?-
]. A.
A. He was born in Shantung, China,
of American parents, April 3. 1898.
O. Is the monocle worn abroad an
affectation or does it serve TO correct
sight?-F. M.
A. While some may wear monocles
because they consider them smart"
usually they are worn to correct sight
when only one eye needs a glass.