davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1935-04-11

Another reason; perhaps, b the IN
crease Of high-tension wires. We have
never seen this matter touched, but
cannot but believe that thousands OF
birds are killed every year through
alighting on these wires. There Ii no
way o bird would have Of being
warned away from them. Nor do we
think II possible that their claws
would have enough insulating power
to protect them.
II there are fewer birds, certainly
those that are with us are just as fat
Is ever.
Never in history have fatter robins
hoped around in local yards.
Last Sunday two of these chesty
fellows spent the entire day fighting.
| The few moments they were not
hopping into the air to peck at each
other were occupied In searching for
worms, and there was not much
searching to 1t, since the earth was
fairly soaked with water.
| 1t is always interesting to see .
robin-the one bird every one knows
tug at q worm In the ground.
Just how he manages to find the
food Is not entirely known to us, but
| after watching him at it for a long
time we believe he uses both sight and
hearing.
Often . watcher will see a robin
cock his head over on one side, as II
listening, then suddenly dive forward.
Perhaps that Is why he Is called Cock
/ Robin.
Evidently the worm has some way
of holding fast to the ground. for
bitten the robin has to brace himself
. nth his sturdy legs, and pull with
Les 60.
hen the robin falls backward, al
moe upon his tail, before he can
righ himself and devour the food In
twakling of his eye.
II
Newsardeners, in particular, should
not pemit their activities to be
spoiled because of oversolicitude for
, birds.
Cats reilly catch far less than they
are creded with; modern cats
are far to busy watching out for
other cats nd the hereditary enemy,
the dog, tobother much with birds
, any more.
Similarly. he newcomer to the
|, gardening wdld-and how much
, more u writer for him today than
decade ago!-hould not permit the
lntrusions OF CAT and dogs into his
? garden to upset hm much.
There are man home gardeners
who persist In the mild insanity of
, worrying overmuch whenever a dog
or cat comes around.
Some worry, at Tins may be nee
|. essary. and often hasine of the
, offender from the sacsd precints is
in order but in the aain far too
much attention is paid these crea-
, lures. They will take cae of them
, selves, If let alone, and not harm
gardens. either one of then one.fifth
as much as the worrying gardener
gives them credit for.
If plants have q wide latude in
a matter of temperature, in which
; they can grow. they also have, lati.
tude In regard to the harm the may
receive without particular daiaRe.
, The beginner should never forgetthat
; Nature knows a thing or two, md
provided her anchored children With
powers to resist when she failed o
give them movement and q chance ,
get away At will. They still have tha
, power; usually they can put up wit
q dog or two much better than thei
owners. Home gardeners can take
I tip from their plants; they can &C
/ cept conditions, whether rain o
, animals, and make the best of them
! they can be satisfied with rain, II
: place Of dust storms, Just as thei
flowers are.
Evening star., 1935-04-11

Standards physicists are gathering new
information about the ionosphere-
the region Of the atmosphere starting
about 10 miles above the earth sur
face, where most Of the atoms are
ionized.
This is the region by way of which
distant transmission of short-wave
radio impulses Is possible. Ordinarily
these waves cannot pass through the
ionized atmosphere and are bent
back to earth. From the time it takes
them to return the height of the
ionoSphere can be calculated.
The experiments show three iono-
sphere layers. The first Is about 10
miles high. the second from ITO to
$50 and the third about ITO. The
ionized condition of the atmosphere
In these layers is due chiefly to the
violet light of the sun. It knocks
electrons loose from the oxygen and
nitrogen atoms. In the higher strata
Of the ionosphere, the Bureau of
Standards physicists claim, 1t Is these
free electrons that turn back the radio
waves. In the lower strata it is the
heavier IONS" the atoms from which
the free electrons have been detached.
The work at the Bureau of Stand
ards is concerned primarily with de-
termining the density Of ionizatiUn
and its changes with time Of day and
season. Results covering q year have
been tabulated. AS was expected, the
density of ionization follows closely
the course of the sun and the amount
Of ultraviolet light coming into the
atmosphere.
One result, however, Is peculiarly
puzzling. In the second layer, it Is
found, the ionization drops steadily
on q Winter night until 1t reaches
a minimum at about midnight Then
1t starts to rise until about 4 am,
when 1t drops again and reaches Q
second minimum Just before sunrise.
Another curious finding is that ra-
do impulses sometimes 60 through the
ionosphere altogether, escape entirely
from the earth's atmosphere and, more
than 1000 miles distant In space,
encounter some unknown obstacle
which turns them back to earth again.
AWV uuu0ual u1CtCUllJCc, UOlIl seen
to strike the earth tn North Carolina.
have just been received by the Smith
sonian Institution, which will Coop
crate with the North Carolina State
Museum In their analysis
The largest, which fell near Farm
vile, N. c.. about / pm. December 4,
1884, was picked up in two pieces,
more than . mile apart. 1t had ex-
ploded In the air. One weighed Ill
pounds and the other IL pounds. 1t is
q stony meteorite of the type which
usually are consumed before they
strike the earth. Residents of the
neighborhod describe q ball Of flame
hurting through the air with q noise
like that of an airplane propeller.
The second, also stony meteorite,
was seen to fall In 1918 near Carthage.
Moore County, N. G. It caused con-
siderable excitement at the time 1t
fell In q field where Haig Cockman
was plowing. The farmer first heard
. "rumbling, 1ooming" sound over
head. which was audible for 5 or 6
miles around. Looking up, he saw
over his head . red fireban with q
15-foot trailer Of bluish-black smoke.
It was sending out, he says, shower
Of bright "sparklers" In front. The
two farmhands ct work In the field
fed in terror. The piece of stone was
afterward removed to the village store.
where 1t was m object OF great Gu
riostty e the local people,
Evening star., 1935-04-11
Plenty of Advice.

The appointment by Secretary Ickes
Of an advisory committee of promi-
nent washingtonians for cooperation
with the Public Works Administration
In slum-clearance projects for the
District might be viewed hopefully as
indicating renewed interest in such an
important undertaking. But the OBJ
server of efforts in slum clearance or
alley clearance in Washington will
conclude that such work has not been
delayed because Of any lack Of agen-
cies or committees. In addition to
the new committee, Of which Mrs.
Roosevelt is the honorary chairman,
there Is the existing Washington Com
mittee on Housing, of which Mrs.
Roosevelt is also honorary chairman
There Is the Alley Authority for the
District. established under recent leg
islation. There is the Housing Com
mittee of the Public Works Admins
tration, and there are, In addition, the
District Commissioners. the Park and
Planning Commission, the Commission
of Fine Arts, as well as the Senate
and House District Committees-an Of
which are directly or indirectly con.
cerned In alley elimination
The recently created District Alley
Authority, with limited funds and with
limited personnel, has made good prog
ress SO far in laying the groundwork
for program which may be carried
out over a period of years and which
sensibly takes into consideration the
important fact that before an alley
dwelling Is razed or converted to other
use another habitation must be pro-
vided for the alley dwellers. But the
Public Works Administration housing
agency, provided at the outset with a
tentatively earmarked fund of s4,300,-
600 for slum clearance or model hous-
ing development in the District, has
little to show, publicly at least, for its
work OF. the past year and half.
Projects have been undertaken, only to
be abandoned because Of the cost Of
the land. and some projects are now
in the process of development-in land
buying. But what they will be and
when they will start are unknown
to the Washington public.
There cannot be too many organiza-
tions interested in and keeping alive.
by intelligent discussion. the subject
of "slum clearance" Accompanying
the discussion, however, there should
be some signs of activity.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

II hate all tls rain," said the home
IT Is . sreaS deal better than the
dust storms thy are having out
West" replied u home optimist.
She was righ as usual-except
when she Is wroH, as she sometimes
is, aS we oil are.
Surely, 1t is beter TO concentrate
On the good point Of the weather
rather than on thepersonal inimical
phases.
Wet weather in sp'hs is the plants
delight.
All one has to d. during this
rainy spell, is to look I the grass, to
see what plenty Of precipitation
means to the growing tlngs Of earth.
If the sight Of that goo green, that
loveliest of all hues, In tn right place
does not bring one out oiit, nothing
will, and one must 60 onlamenting
the sad state Of affairs.
*+++
It Is the same with the allsed hor-
rors cats commit on innocent ,irds.
The editor of the Flower Groer has
pointed out, In the number II this
month, that this supposed detruc-
ton is far, far less than manypre-
tend to believe.
He has been watching Nature for
many years, and says in all the the
he has seen much more harm doe
birds by other birds than ever hi
been done them by the house cat.
He feels that If ones interest Il
birds is simply to watch them Il
about the garden, and feed. one ha'
better make . genuine study Of them
standing of their lives.
Then, he believes, one will be abl
to see just what kills them, rathe
than arrive at a theory. based on
dislike.
He points out that the drought o
several years ago, and its continuanc
In various parts OF the country, ha
done more in few years to destro
bird life In this country than all tn
cats from the times Of the building
Of the pyramids down.
~ X
ANY one who moved into tn
suburban areas In the Spring of 1890
as did the present writer, knows tina
there are noticeably fewer birds now
Allowing for the difference betweel
the country and the city, the morning
din of the birds in the Spring o
1880 was simply terrific.
Allowing for the unexpectedneSs o
1t. the novelty of it, as contraStet
with the staid urban sunrise song
that morning symphony was reall
startling.
1t is impossible to believe tina
any one could get used to 1t" IL
such a way that he no longer notice,
1t at all
This might be possible, of course
II one were not interested in tn
birds, flowers and other things o
Nature.
The writer here happens to be yer,
much interested in them, in q pleas
ant, amateur way. a way which de
mands no particular stress and strain
but which does ask for a perpetua
and continuing interest.
Therefore, when he says that tn
morning song of the birds today
not one-tenth what it was in 1893
he believes that he Is stating . sim
pie truth.
The great drought in this area
shortly thereafter, is what did 1t, un
doubtedly.
This, coupled with the killing o
birds by birds, and the destruction
OF their eggs, is plainly part Of tn
reason for lessened bird life in wha
once was the veritable bird cente
Of the United States.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Joyous Prospects. =
So many cares we have today
That often we forget
The pleasures that are on their way
With smiling to be met.
It seems to put the gloom to rout
When I remember that
I'll presently be going out
To choose o new straw hat.
Far better than my old umbrella
That keeps the rain away,
More bright than daisies in the dell
Twill blossom in the May.
It's crown may be trifle high,
Or else 1t may be fiat,
No matter Soon I'm going to buy
Myself new straw hat.
Evening star., 1935-04-11

Most articles are popularized by
advertising, but no one is enthusiastic
in radio proclamation of bombing
planes and tanks as aids to the COM
forts of home except as a means of
keeping hostile specimens somewhere
out at sea.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.
To Remove a Disgrace"

While in general the District has
been given the same privileges of the
States and Territories to share in the
distribution of the work relief funds
provided under the legislation en-
acted this week, there remains one
marked difference. The District, along
with the States, may borrow work.
relief funds. But in the District there
must be specific legislation by Con-
gress authorizing the loan before
application for such loan may even
be made to the Public Works Admin
istration or to whatever authority the
President will designate. This fact
gives added importance to the bill
favorably reported from Senator Kings
committee on the District of Columbia
and suggests the need of similar early
action by Representative Norton's
committee in the House.
The Senate bill merely amends the
legislation enacted last year which
authorized the District to borrow a
maximum of Sl0,750000 for specified
projects, including the Childrens
tuberculosis Sanatorium at Glenn
Dale, the sewage disposal plant and the
wall at Lorton. The amendment adds
to these projects, however, the greatly
needed courts buildings and a build
ing for the recorder of deeds, these
structures to be erected in Judiciary
Square. The total to be borrowed
remains at S10,750,000 and the essen
tial purpose of the bill is really to
permit the District to use funds for
the courts buildings which originally
were set aside for the sewage disposal
plant.
Under the legislation of last year the
District has borrowed s1,500,000 for
the children's sanatorium and $4,000
900 for the sewage disposal plant, leav-
ing a balance of $5,25o.o00 of the
authorized total. The sewer plant as
originally contemplated was to cost
about s8,0O0.000. The Commissioners
cut this in half by decision to build
now a plant capable of enlargement
later on. OF the total funds which
Congress authorized the District to
borrow. therefore. enough remains to
finance the courts buildings. The
purpose of the amending legislation
is merely to specify that funds-esti-
mated at $4,000, 0,00O-may be borrowed
and used for construction of the courts
building.
Enactment of this legislation would
not assure the loan. For with the
authorizing legislation in hand, the
Commissioners would still have to con-
vince the Federal authorities of the
necessity for the project and of its
ability to supply relief in the form of
employment on construction. The
Senate Committee reported that 1T
was the unanimous view of all who ap-
peared that the Police Court, the
Municipal Court and the Juvenile
Court are wholly inadequate for the
needs of the District of Columbia and
are IN fact disgrace to the city"
This disgrace should not be per-
mitted to continue and it is impor-
tant that Congress take the steps
necessary, in amending the loan legis-
1ation, to place the District in a posi-
tion which will enable the authorities
to remove it by new and adequate con-
struction.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

There apparently Is q geographical
differential IN the growth Of children
in the United States.
This Is shown by Public Health
Service measurements Of height
weight, chest circumference and votal
capacity Of more than 10000 school
children-divided into sex and age
classifications- all parts Of the
United States.
Analysis of the data shows con-
sistent differences in the mean meas
urements of the different sections
when compared to the average for the
country as q whole.
"On the whole" says the report OF
the work, children from the North
eastern section tend to be largest
those from the North Central area
next. those from the South Central
region third and those from the
Western section the smallest"
The reason for this geographical
differential, shown for children BE-
tween and is years Of age. is un.
known. So far as can be determined
from the data. the comparative rates
Of growth show no consistent differ.
ences.
Within 10 years-due largely to re-
search on the physical and chemical
properties of rubber-the life Of an
automobile tire has increased from
to 10 times. according to q state
ment from the American Chemical
Society. From 1915 to 1925 1t was
estimated that q car would need about
five new tires a year. Now the aver
age Is less than one-and-a- half. Still
further improvement. the chemists
believe, is in sight.
This increased life of the tire, 1t
is pointed out, was one cause Of the
market collapse. During the period
from 1915 to 1925 the tire makers
calculated on the future demands Of
the industry from the anticipated in
crease In the number Of automobiles
and the average rate Of tire replace
ment. They bought machinery and
built factories to meet this expected
demand. They did not anticipate
that the chemist would cut their
business in half
\ -
A colony of that strange meat-eat-
ing plant, the Venus fly trap, Is -four
ishing at Branchville, Md, just OUT
side the District. Normally II grows
only in a swamp area about 100 miles
in radius around Wilmington, N. c.
The popularity of this plant Is that
It captures tiny animals, chiefly in
sects, browns them, and supposedly
digests them In some way.
The Maryland colony is being stud
led by Prof. Robert F. Griggs Of
George Washington University. He
finds that its MOST frequent captives
are spiders, with flies second. But it
sometimes captures such diverse crea-
lures IS tiny toads and snails.' The
reason for the behavior is mysterious,
for, Prof. Griggs finds, those deprived
Of any opportunity to catch any prey
and those actually fed insects show
no difference In growth-son and
moisture conditions being equal. Ap-
parently the plant does not need the
animals for food.
One remarkable fact Is that this
colony withstood well the bitter Win
ter Of 1933-34-the coolest any of the
family had known for thousands Of
years.
working with short-wave radio i'm
pulses and time intervals of less than
= thousandth Of . second. Bureau Of
Evening star., 1935-04-11
. Rhyme at Twilight
\ By
Ceurude Brooke Hamilton
Transition

Would we know the worth of patience
Would we learn the skill of art,
Watch the gradual unfolding
As flower hares its heart.
Would we gain the gift of wisdom.
Would we clarity our sight,
Watch the lucent hues of sunset
Give thar colon TO the riighk
Evening star., 1935-04-11

The alleged double assassination plot
in the suburbs is said to have drifted
into politics. Keeping crime out of
politics has for some time been the
great reform problem.
Evening star., 1935-04-11

A reader cdn oct the ansuer to
any question of fact BY tCriting The
Warrington Evening Star Intorma-
tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin,
Director, Washington. D. C. Please
fsclose stamp for reply.
@. How many light fiction or pulp
magazines are being published in the
United States?-K. w.
A. According to a study conducted
by Columbia University, there are Ill.
@. What are some of the features
of the California Pacific international
Exposition?-E. w.
A. At the San Diego Exposition
there will be q House Of Pacific Re-
lations to represent the various ma
tions. A reproduction of the famous
leo Is now under construction. One
of the features Of the amusement
section will be Golden Gulch, a
mining town of the days Of 40. au-
thentic in every detail. The f1oral
displays will be outstanding and
among them will be q reproduction
of the famous Fl Casa Del Rey Moro
one of the loveliest examples of Span
ish- Moorish landscaping in the world.
@. How much dust is scattered
each year?-F. L. M.
A. 1t is estimated that $50 0.000, 900
tons of dust are moved more than
l.4OO miles every year.
@. What is the value of the White
House?-H. L. M.
A. The value Of the White House
and grounds is estimated at $2l,-
935,97 The land Is valued at
s19,685,9 ,975, or s25 per square foot,
and the building at $2,25O, 900.
@. What kind of plant is a monkey
puzzle?-G. M.
A. This Is the name given to the
Chile pine tAraucaria imbricata) in
troduced into Great Britain in 1896
and since widely cultivated through
out Europe and the Southern United
States, especially in California. The
tree grows to a height of $50 feet
in the Cordilleras of Chile.
@. What kind Of metal makes the
best chimes for mantel clocks and
grandfather clocks?-F. L.
A. High-grade bell metal consists
of approximately 10 parts of the
purest copper available and ~ parts
of imported tin. A great many
things included in the bellmaker's art
contribute to tonal qualities. One
of these is purity of metals used
another is method of suspension and,
finally, the precision with which the
parts are manufactured and tuned.
@. How many restaurants and tea
rooms are there in New York City?-
r. G.
A. There are 10000 licensed eating
places in that city.
@. What was the first American
locomotive with q steam whistler
T. r. C.
A. The Sandusky, built by Thomas
Rogers. was the first engine In this
country to be equipped with steam
whistle.
Q. Please give Q brief history of
the Meistersingers.-J. T.
A. Meistersinger is the name given
to the German poets belonging to
the artisan and trading classes in the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. They
professed to carry on the traditions
of the medieval MinneSingers, re-
garding as the founders of their guild
IL of the greater poets of the middle
high German period. They cultivated
their art in Meistersinger schools, the
oldest of which is said to have been
established at Mainz early IN the four
teenth century.
@. How many patents are credited
to Negroes?-M. z. D.
A. They hold patents to more than
1000 inventions. Among the most
prominent of recent Negro patentees
are Georve w. Carver, Tuskegee In
stitute. Alabama, and j. H. Montgom-
cry, Los Angeles, Calf.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
That Patient Public.

That Patient Public.
I'm friend of the people" said the
man with a large voice.
YES" said Senator Sorghum. But
are you the kind of friend who Is
always wanting to borrow money!"
Evening star., 1935-04-11

When another war is insisted on
one of the incidents is the tearing up
of scraps Of paper once regarded as
perfectly good I. o. Us.
Evening star., 1935-04-11

Promises of $1,000 cash to every
citizen would be as hard to keep as an
assurance of a winning ticket to every
lottery patron.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
Suggested Title.

From the Fort Worth star-TeleSram.
Montagu Norman, governor Of the
Bank of England, Is to be raised to
the peerage. Doubtless his title will
be Duke of Devaluation.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
Needless Reluctance.
From the Toledo Blade

From the Toledo Blade.
Mr.. insult might have been less re-
luctant to come home had he known
the juries were prepared to welcome
him,
Evening star., 1935-04-11

There are perhaps too many politi-
cal economists in the field who hope
to be loved for the enemies they have
made.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
Penguins.

Penguins.
The penguin is a curious bird
Who rather likes the snow.
It looks as II It saw and heard
What humans do not know.
"Tis like the people whom we see
With large but empty dreams.
The solemn-er 1t tries to be
The funnier 1t seems.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
Ancient Grudge.

Ancient Grudge.
Some controversies very old
We find on history's page.
The selfsame grievances unfold
Through many q passing age.
When methods we are looking for
That may be more polite
We say Here comes another wari"
When It's the same old tight.
-
Experience is q good teacher" said
Uncle Eben. but II you keep readin'
her lessons too long 1t shows you's q
dumb scholag."
Evening star., 1935-04-11
Preparedness.

From the Williamsport Pa.D Sun.
The United States Navy will reach
full treaty strength in four years, by
which time it should be ready for an
other "scrapping" treaty.
Evening star., 1935-04-11
Power.

why did that actress marry her
press agent?"
"She wanted security" said Miss
Cayenne. "She let him understand that
If his compliments did not continue to
please her, he'd lose his home and his
job both at once"
''The years bring WISDOM" said HI
Ho, the sage Of Chinatown, which
often serves only to make us envy the
thoughtlessness of youth"