davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1935-01-31
A New Peace Pact.
ON the Los Angeles Times.

From the Los Angeles Times
1t is. perhaps, too easy to be peSsi-
miStic over the proposed new European
peace pact designed to arrange for
amicable. or at least unwarlike, settle
ment of Europe's outstanding disputes.
The new arrangement proposed by
Britain will, it is forecast, end Franco
German hostility, provide for the in
dependence of Austria and settle the
Hungarian-Serb controversy over ter
rorism.
The agreement between France and
Italy concerning Austria and the
latter'S promised gesture Of friendship
toward Yugoslavia are evidently pre-
liminary to the new pact.
Franco-German hostility has been
almost unbroken since the time Of
Charlemagne. Until Austria becomes
a self-sustaining economic unit it can
hardly be a really independent politi-
cal unit And if the Hungarians and
YugoSlavs are ready to dwell together
in amity, 1t will be the first time in
several centuries. It Is difficult to see
how a scrap of paper can accomplish
these results.
On the other hand, the forces work.
ing for peace in Europe are actually
powerful. In addition to formal ma
chinery such as the League and World
Court, there is a profound diSinclina-
ton of the European peoples for war,
which probably will persist until most
of those who knew 1914-18 have passed
on. The new pact will at least do
no harm.
Evening star., 1935-01-31
DR.. Augustus o. Thomas.

The sudden death of DR.. Augustus
o. Thomas yesterday brought sorrow
to a large public. He had many
close and intimate friends who loved
him deeply and will mourn him sin
cerely, but he also had a numerous
following among people who could
not claim his personal acquaintance
and yet admired his work for educa-
ton and were influenced by his de-
voted example.
An elemental law of life, it seems,
was responsible for the success of DR..
Thomas career. Pedagogy was his
principal interest from boyhood, and
he dedicated to its advancement all
his gifts, his talents and his energies.
Everything that had to do with
schools appealed to him, and was, in
his judgment, worthy of study. And,
as the years passed and his mind
matured, he found that there was
practically nothing in the world that
did not have some bearing upon his
chosen subject and field. Also, CO.
incidentally, his sphere of operation
widened from the area of village in
Mercer County, ILL.,, to that of the
whole earth. He was successfully State
superintendent of public instruction
in Nebraska, State commissioner of
education in Maine, president of the
Normal Schools Department and
chairman of the Foreign Relations
Committee Of the National Educa-
ton Association and organizer and
Evening star., 1935-01-31
Winter Rescues,

A few decades ago a Winter storm
might have cut off many little settle
ments OF people and families from
aid when food supplies ran low. There
would be no way to learn of their
plight, no way to relieve them, while
the snow drifts piled high to blockade
the roads. In those times the dwell
ers in the remote places had to en-
sure against starvation by laying in
stocks of food sufficient to last through
the months of climatic adversely.
But now, with better roads, and with
airplanes, there is no isolation and
if news of the plight of beleaguered
group can be had it is possible to
effect rescue. That is what has just
happened in the "wilds" of New Jer-
sey, where a starving family has been
kept alive by food dropped from a
plane. The marooned farmhouse is
only four miles from the Naval Air
Station at Lakehurst, but as far as
land transport is concerned it might
have been forty or four hundred miles
Evening star., 1935-01-31
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

of a man whose completely clothed
skeleton was found in the river, but
with hardly a remnant of flesh on
the bones. Apparently the victim had
fallen in the water and the ferocious
fish had gotten under his garments
without disturbing them, and slashed
away his flesh. Whether he was dead
or alive at the time is unknown.
There is considerable range of size
shown by various species of piranhas
Some are about Is inches long. The
fish are notable for their exceedingly
rapid movements and their strong
sharp teeth. They are apt to bite off
the end of a finger if it is carelessly
dipped into the water from a boat
Toeless ducks and geese are common
around waters which they inhabit.
Fortunately they have a localized
distribution, and nobody will 60 SWIM
ming in river where they are known
to exist A swimmer attacked by a
school Of them would have little
chance for life. He would be a skeleton
in few moments.
These piranhas-none representing
species unknown to science-are part
of collection made by B. A. Krukoff
American botanical collector, who has
just returned from the Amazon coun-
try, which has been divided between
the Smithsonian Institution and the
American Museum of Natural History
The Smithsonian and Stanford Uni
versity have just received another fish
collection. made by Dr.. Albert w.
HERE Of the California Institution, in
the Malay Peninsula This collection
includes some of the celebrated archer
fish," which brings down an insect
within reach of its mouth by splitting
drop of water at it with deadly aim
and stunning force.
Evening star., 1935-01-31

away. The drifts were entirely too
high and no vehicle could reach the
place. 1t was simply far frontier,
though in the near neighborhood
of aid.
Another case of great distress
caused by natures vagarieS has re-
Gently occurred in the sudden envel-
opment of a town on an island in the
lower Mississippi by food. Several
thousand people were cut off from
communication by the rising waters.
A desperate situation quickly devel-
oped, affecting at least $4,000 helpless
ones. Through prompt organization
of rescue work they were saved from
destruction, though more than a score
of lives were lost. The little town
thus menaced lies in the zone of per-
ennial danger, however. There is no
assurance from season to season.
Thanks to Red Cross efficiency, when
ever disaster Of this character men,
aces practical measures are speedily
adopted
Evening star., 1935-01-31
Noise.
From the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

From the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
A phenomenon we must tolerate in
our mechanical civilization as it
presses forward is the mounting volume
of noise. 1t seems the more inven-
tions science creates for our comfort,
the greater the din on our eardrums.
When the doughty Dutch gave few
trinketS to the Indians in exchange
for Manhattan the only sounds were
the singing birds, the wind among the
trees and the waves tapping the shore.
Today, 800 years after, Thirty fourth
street and Eighth avenue in New York
City is the noisieSt corner in the world.
E. E. Free, Gotham sound statistician,
says that if the clatter were 100000
times softer 1t could still be heard
clearly enough.
Late last Fall the British Medical
Association declared: ANY prevent
able noise between the hours of IL
pm. and 6 am. which Is injurious to
health should be regarded as a
nuisance within the meaning of the
public health acts"
Excessive and unnecessary noise is
palpably hurtful to both body and
mind. The cases of neurosis increase
every year, many of them directly
traceable to this cause. Even Office
workers who think they become ac-
customed to continuous noise actually
spend 20 to Is per cent of their energy
repelling the shock.
Now that Washington is doing so
much to regulate the affairs of the
States and citizens, people with sensi-
tive nerves the country over would
welcome a new N. R. A. (Noise Re-
moval ADMINISTRATOR, which would
crack down on such annoying nuis-
ances as bowling dogs, burping auto
horns, racing motors and other noe
turnal disturbers of peace and slum-
Der,
Evening star., 1935-01-31

Not q one of these, however, few
first to the feast.
The premier arrivals were birds
which had not been seen in the Vi
cinty since last Fall.
They were, of course. starlings.
Five minutes after the door was
shut, at least 20 Of these glossy. black
green birds were prancing over the
snow, seizing bits of bread, either de-
vouring them instantly, or flying up
to tree limbs with them.
Two birds, as habitual, Kept watch
from higher in great locust. These
we're the scouts. Just how they were
supposed to get any food the watcher
could not discover. Probably there
is a rotation in this duty, the two
birds being replaced at the next feed
ing place by two others, so that they
could, in their turn, fly down to the
feast.
** **
The observer remembered that he
had seen the same thing happen in
previous years.
Before an impromptu feast would be
put out, not a starting had been seen
in the neighborhood for days.
Once the crumbs were on the ground,
they promptly appeared, seemingly
from nowhere.
1t spoke volumes for their aptitude,
which, he believed, no one contested.
Since survival is, in the main, the
heritage of the fittest, its demonstra-
X Ha cforliY0uc ni1Ohf IN mako
all but their most unregenerate foes
give them the praise which is their
just due. 1t is difficult to see how any
one might say, as one did recently,
that the starlings are fit for nothing
on earth. They are very fit for star
lings. and. as far as starlings are con-
cerned, that is quite enough, is 1t not?
X X X X
Feeding the birds in the snow need
not be scholarly pursuit at all; al
most anything edible will do, although
the appreciation of old experienced
bird enthusiasts, who, as we have said,
study the needs and desires of the
birds down to the very sizes of seeds
and materials they prefer
This is all very well, for the expert
enced bird fancier, but the person
whose heart is touched at the plight
Of the Songsters during such weather
as this ought not to hold back a jot
because he is not acquainted with ex-
actly the types of foods each variety
likes best.
Let him go purchase chicken feed,
if he knows nothing better. Many of
the birds will eat it with gusto.
Even canned dog meat is liked by
some of them.
Large or small bread crumbs are
relished by most of them.
Probably it is not ideal provender,
by any means, but one may believe
that when the snow is over all the
ground and the seeds and chaf which
they like hard to to find, they are
glad enough to get white or brown
bread, biscuits and the like.
Seeds of the Clematis paniculata
seem to be favorite with such little
fellows as the sparrows, also among
the popularity deSpised birds, but in
tereSting creatures, nevertheless.
There seem to be great many more
sparrows in the suburban districts
this Winter than usual. Probably the
rough treatment given the starlings
in the city proper" has driven these
little birds out farther.
The most beautiful and certainly
most vivid birds with us this sea-
son are the bluejays and cardinals.
The sight of one of the latter against
the snow is breathtaking, if one hap
pens to be built that way.
Evening star., 1935-01-31
secretary general Of the World Feder-
alton of Education Associations.

secretary general Of the World Feder-
alton of Education Associations.
Mild of temperament, optimistic and
hopeful, liberal and courageous, DR..
Thomas, 1t may be said, was a prac-
tical philosopher. He believed in
doing things and had an ardent faith
in cooperation as the most efficient
policy for the attainment of desirable
ends His custom was to approach
each problem from its social angle
and to endeavor to find its social solu-
ton. Education was to him a demo-
cratic goal, and its prosperity, he
believed, could best be ensured by
democratic endeavor. Hence, it hap
pened that he was rarely alone
Wherever one found him, be 1t
Washington or Timbuctoo, he was in
company. But, perhaps for that very
reason, he was a leader, and as such
he will be missed but long remembered.
If the Chinese should one day unite
with the japanese against the rest
of the world the result would be an
opportunity to settle the main ques-
ton of prestige without trouble about
local dissensions.
Evening star., 1935-01-31
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Feeding the birds when snow is on
the ground should not be neglected
by ordinary friends of Nature.
Not every one who admires the
feathered visitors to our gardens Is in
the class with those devoted souls who
consistently put out seed and crumbs.
Yet the 0nce-in-awhile bird lover
is very much to be praised, If he will
go to the extent of giving food when
snow and ice cover both ground and
bushes.
Fortunately the beautiful desolation
of such scenes makes silent appeal
to thousands of persons, men and
women, who leave Nature to take care
of the birds during most of the year,
but who find a tender spot in their
hearts for the little fellows when all
is white around.
Surely bread crumbs of all kinds,
grains. seeds, chicken feed, even
canned dog meats, will find greedy re-
ception at the bills of such birds as
Winter here.
No one should forget this task just
because the birds are not everywhere
apparent.
It will be amazing and intriguing,
to the average person, to watch the
way the birds will gather after food
is put out in the yard, preferably at
some distance from the house.
This is not instantly, of course.
Sometimes many minutes will go by
without the sign Of any creature what
soever.
Probably the adage of the watched
Dot. which is supposed never to boil
while one is looking at 1t. applies here
with peculiar force.
***
It must be remembered by the per-
son who is not steady in his devotion
to the birds that his very infrequency
in putting out food is against a ready
acceptance of it.
The feathered creatures have not
come to expect food in his yard.
They are as much things of habit as
humans!
Those who persistently make foods
available know from long experience
that the birds come to look for dinner
at certain places.
Those who do not make this good
deed habit must wait patiently for
acceptance Of their offering, until the
various birds overcome their natural
fear and lack Of habit in the matter.
II
No doubt many persons have voted
against feeding the birds, even in times
of snow, because the first guests are
the Starlings.
The local world is divided into two
camps in regard to these big, husky
fellows.
There are those who have nothing
good to say for them, and then those
who find them birds as well as any,
and very interesting ones, too.
These two classes will not agree. Of
course. but it will do no good for the
members of the former to call the
members of the latter Sentimentalists.
There is nothing sentimental at all
about admiration for creature, what
ever it may be, which is able to take
care Of itself.
One local householder, who cannot
be said to be much of an admirer Of
starlings, nevertheless had to give
them a hand the other day.
Placing crumbs on the snow, he set
tied down to wait for birds to appear.
There were in his neighborhood at
least three pairs of cardinals and
many pairs of bluejays, to say nothing
of more sparrows this year than usual,
plenty of mocking birds and several
woodpeckers.
Evening star., 1935-01-31
A Labor Shortage!
Prom the Des Moines Tribune.

from the DeS MONIES tribune.
Several factors are present to indi-
cate an unseasonal upturn in business.
but none has quite the sound of old
times that is carried in a report from
Toledo.
That center suddenly finds itself
confronted with a distinct shortage Of
skilled labor Of such proportions that
several automobile plants are planning
to advertise for workers in other in
dustrial cities.
1t has been long time indeed since
industrial areas competed with each
other for laborers.
In this case it is perhaps only
regional and temporary development,
but its sudden and unheralded ap-
pearance even in a single city is
hint of the abrupt changes that can
come about in the employment
situation.
Evening star., 1935-01-31
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN,

A reader can get the ansUer to
any question OF fact by t0Ttting The
Washington Euening Star Information
Bureau, Frederic J. HGskin. Director,
Washington, D. c. Please incloSe
stamp for reply.
@. How many aviators now belong
to the Caterpillar Club?-R. H.
A. At the close Of 1884 there were
688 names on the register. OF these,
there were Is who had twice saved
their own lives by parachute jumps
from airplanes. One member has
made three jumps. and Col. Lindbergh
heads the list with four.
@. How does motor travel at night
compare in volume with day travel?-
P. s.
A. Night traffic is about one-ffth
that of daylight. However, more
than half the fatalities from acci-
dents occur while it is dark.
@. How old was the Russian who
died lately at a very advanced age?-
A. B.
a, W q ACNNAAS
article, Ivan Mashuphin, who died
this month in the Moscow Clinic OF
Patho-physiology, Moscow, Russia,
was 1913 years Of age. His age was
authenticated by documents.
@. How much did the Grand Cen
trail Station in New York City coSt?-
c. P.
A. It was completed, in 1918, at an
approximate cost Of $1o,000,oo0.
@. Where in Missouri is the statue
of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Saw
yer?-W. T. H.
A. The statue stands at the base of
Cardiff Hill, in Hannibal, Mo, where
the boys are supposed to have met.
@. Is heavy water expensive? Is
it a cure for cancer?-J. K.
A. Although it has no commercial
uses, heavy water sells in America
for $50 900 per gallon. In Norway
where there are large quantities OF
it, the price is $4,000 per gallon. DR..
Harold C. Urey, its discoverer, said
in a recent interview that it is not a
remedy for cancer and that there has
been no demonstration, so far, that
any heavy water compound has bene-
fetal results on human beings.
@. How long was Admiral Byrd
away from his party?-H. M.
A. He was alone for four and half
months at the advance base weather
station, at the Southernmost and cold
est spot ever inhabited by man.
@. What is meant by magic brain
of RADIOS. A.
A. This is a combined station moni-
toring and amplifying unit, placed in
the circuit following the antenna TO
sharpen tuning and increase amph-
fcation.
@. Is genius found more frequently
among boys than girls?-H. C.
A. In a study of the intelligence
and abilities of l4,149 boys and 13,493
girls, Prof. Paul A. Witty of the
psycho-medical clinic of Northwest
ern University found that girls pos
sess genius as often as boys. Out
of the students rated, Prof. Witty
found only AZ boys and 48 girls who
could be claSsed as geniuses. Next
came a gifted class of $50 boys and
244 girls, while the rest numbered
students of average ability.
@. How old is the new Governor
of New Jersey?-M. F.
A. Gov. Harold G. Hoffman is 80
years old.
@. Is it true that King of France
once visited in Bardstown, Ky.?-
H. F. B.
A. The Kentucky Progress maga-
zine says: "One Of the main things
Evening star., 1935-01-31

Fossil cradles" of insects that
gathered pollen from the flowers Of
80 ,o0o, 900 year ago
Thus some curious bits of stone in
which have been a mystery to paleon-
tologists since they were first found in
Wyoming four years ago, have been
identified, tentatively at least. Specu-
lation as to their nature has suggested
a number of possible identif1cations,
among them cracked snake eggs and
date seeds.
The battling nature of the objects
challenged the scientific ingenuity of
DR.. Roland w. Brown, Geological Sur
vey paleontologist, and after tracing
down various clues he has accumu-
lated considerable evidence that they
originally were the larval chambers of
some dawn-age variety of mining bees,
probably dug in clay. and serving as
molds that we're filled with lime from
waters that came in contact with
them. Thus was preserved for the
reading of far-distant ages, DR.. Brown
deduces, the riddle of an ancient trag-
edy.
These larvae, as the story unfolds it
self, were sealed into these tiny sub
terranean chambers to undergo their
metamorphosis. For some reason or
other this never took place, perhaps
owing to the presence of some parasite,
and the cradles of the insects became
their coffins. But in a few years all
organic remains, representing the crea-
lures imprisoned inside, disappeared
through natural processes. The bur-
rows remained, awaiting the preserva-
tive action Of the waters laden with
calcium carbonate, which eventually
came in contact with them.
In some cases the tiny, cylindrical
objects are entirely of calcite. In others
the interior Is a mixture of calcite and
a greenish clay. Brown followed vari-
GUS clues in the plant and animal
kingdoms before he finally hit upon
an analogy between these objects and
the cylindrical larval chambers of
some of the species of mining bees liv-
ing today.
Obviously the ancient larvae never
came forth, because the chambers are
sealed. IF my identification is cor
rect" says Brown in his report to the
Washington Academy of Sciences, "the
unbroken specimens suggest tragic in
cidents in the insect world of 30,000,-
900 years ago. Then, as now, on &C
count of parasitism and other causes,
many bee larvae never matured to
break the seals of their earthern cham
bers and to emerge as adults. These
fossil molds are the only records of
their frustrated lives"
The preservation Of such fossils,
Brown points out, must have been
due to a peculiar series of geological
accidents which it is now impossible
to reconstruct completely.
Notable additions to the Smith
sonian Institution fish collections
some probably new to Science-have
Just been obtained from two little ex-
plored tributaries of the Amazon.
These include several members of
the family of piranhas, or man-eaters
perhaps the most dangerous fishes
extant, although they are responsible
for few fatalities, because natives
know enough to keep away from wa
tiers where they are found.
One of the few popular descrip-
tions of these creatures Is that Of
Theodore Roosevelt in his account of
his Brazilian travels. He records
several apparently authenticated
stnries of rersons being eaten alive
by the fishes. One instance was that
Evening star., 1935-01-31
Program for Social Security
Is Greeted Sympathetically

of the ABUSES inseparable from pen
sions."
The New Orleans Times-Picayune
believes that the details need search
ing study" The Muskegon CMich)
Chronicle. the Charleston IS. C) Eve
ming Post. the Syracuse Herald. the
Newark Evening News, the Tampa
Daily Times and the Lancaster New
Era all urge careful deliberation on
the part of Congress. Yet" concludes
the Birmingham Age-Herald, at can
not be regarded as in any sense a
dash into the dark. On the contrary,
there is reason to think that Mr..
Roosevelt has been abundantly cau-
tious. He is proceeding on the basis
Of an exhaustive study of the situa-
ton by great body of experts"
Evening star., 1935-01-31
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Mere Lucre.

Mere Lucre.
Oh, the dollars, how they mingle
And melli1uouSly jingle!
How they clatter!
How they chatter!
How they chide and how they fiatter!
AS they hurry on their way
Through the world from day to day;
How they rave and how they ravage
Till the rude, relentless savage
Seems as mild
AS a child
To their vagarieS so wild.
Now they're swarming
And Transforming
Scenes of calm to scenes of storming.
Then, with mystical persuasion,
They bring peace to some occasion
Which with anger fierce was warning
They can do most anything
They can overthrow king;
They can elevate churl
To the seeming of an earl.
Like the snowfakes they are fitting
Like the snowhakes swiftly quitting.
Men regard them when propitieus.
With worship superstitious
And give way to grim despair
If their portent be not fair.
Through our pockets, ever burning
They go creeping, twisting, turning
AS they fill our souls with yearning.
And we seek for fitting terms
To describe them. Are they germs
Some benign and some malignant
To make joyous or indignant
Men and women as they grow
Rich or poorer here below?
Maybe so.
Evening star., 1935-01-31
Out Of Season.

What I want to do," said the
economist, lis to persuade our young
people to stick to the farm
"It's a good idea," replied Farmer
Corntossel, "but it's out of season
Come around when gettin' up at 5
o'clock in the morning amt such cold
work"