davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1936-02-25
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES e. TRAcEwELL.

A single mourning dove is the latest
addition to the number of birds which
daily partake of seeds and grains at
the three feeders in the garden.
Great excitement was caused behind
the dining room window, when the speci-
men fiew down and begsn to eat as II
it had always been there. .....
No excitement was created at all In
the garden; the other birds, including
the multitudes Of English sparrows,
went right ahead with their exacting
business Of transferring food from out
side to inside themselves.
The dove was accepted, as friend
and equal by the birds, but he was q
mystery to those on the other side OF
the window pane. @
At first he was proclaimed some sort
of aquatic bird.
Look at that long TAIL. and at that
curious hump on his back!
The hump, however, shortly disap.
peared, and closer inspection revealed
exceedingly short legs. The creature
seemed, In fact, to have no legs at oil.
Recourse to glasses showed small black
spots, or blotches, on the cheeks below
the bill.
More blobs Of black were on the wings.
Other markings Tailed with those IN
the illustration of the mourning dove,
Carolina dove, turtle dove, take your
choice Of popular names.
This fellow walked around IN most
sedate fashion, nor was afraid to rooSt
for several minutes on the roof OF a
feeder on q stake.
He was quite sedate about 1t.
He even rested for time on top OF
the fence amid the branches OF the DR..
Van Fleet rose.
This widespread climber, by the way,
has been vastly favored by all the birds,
especially the sparrows.
Any time there Is an alarm in the
ward, the sparrows fly up and into the
vine. usually arranging themselves into
veritable sprays Of bird life.
Several Of the canes droop across the
front of the feeding device, and the
birds love to perch on them, before hop
ping to the trough.
The best place to put feeder. where
the birds feels the safest and the most
at home, is In flower border, prefer
ably backed by a fence, on which vines
Chamber.
A few evergreens also help to make
them feel very much at home.
With these additions to the border,
the birds will have most OF the things
they like and not feel inclined to fly
far, when anything disturbs them.
The markings on the mourning dove
do look a great deal like those on a
turtle.
AS for the mournful quality Of its
voice, it does not strike this ear as any
more so than the average pigeon.
The four "steadies" of the pigeon
family at the feeders did not in the
least resent the presence Of the dove,
but accepted him without question, NOV
ing around in their curious way.
For all their weight, pigeons are most
graceful flyers, and this dove even out
does them at this favorite outdoor sport
of the birds.
We are convinced that all birds get
a great deal of pleasure simply out OF
flying around, else they would not do so
much of 1t.
Pigeons and sparrows, if too many OF
them, tend to keep other varieties away
| from feeding stations.
The way the English sparrows
| gradually take possession OF garden
Evening star., 1936-02-25
Courtesy and Helpfulness
Accorded Strangers in Cuba
To the Editor Of the star:

To the Editor Of the star: -
There have been SO many conflicting
tales and erroneous statements about
the unsettled conditions existing in Cuba
that think it would be of interest to
describe the true status OF affairs as I
found them. Everybody knows that Cuba
is replete with q militaristic system, but
1t is just this element Of militarism
which insures the safety of natives and
foreigners alike. I have Travelled ex-
tensively, but in no country have I
observed the efficiency and courtesy
which seem to be the inherent qualities
of every policeman and soldier through
out the island.
Just before my return home I had
occasion to make use Of this efficiency.
Certain valuable papers were stolen from
me which, II they were not recovered,
would have necessitated my staying in
Cuba. Mr.. Antonio Sanchez Ferrer, COM
mander Of the National Police, together
with a sergeant named Jose M. Valdes
Machado, in conjunction with others who
freely offered their services, made 1t pos
sible for me to obtain document which
would allow me to take certain of my
possessions from the island.
1t happened that the day left was
q national holiday, with result that It
was particularly dificult to obtain legal
documents Of any type. Despite this
fact. these men gave freely of their time
and efforts and, as consequence, OBJ
tanned the necessary papers for me. The
amusing, or rather I should say, dis
gusting point about the whole affair was
that the American consul was celebrating
the Cuban holiday and could not be
located. but the natives, holiday or no
holiday, were sincerely glad to be Of
assistance. I have always heard that
II one Is in trouble in any foreign coun-
try, he should 60 to the British consul.
This statement has certainly been proved
In my case, only I should like to aug
ment 1t by saying that one should try
the Cuban consul, too!
have mentioned the names of the
policemen involved in this matter be-
cause am sincerely appreciative of their
efforts in my behalf and I hope that the
proper authorities will give them the
recompense which they Justly deserve.
1t Is due to these men. their superiors
and their associates that the streets Of
any Cuban city or town are just as safe
(or more SOD as any American CITY.
MARTIN F. RHEINHARDT. JR,
Baltimore, Md.
Evening star., 1936-02-25
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

but is due to the fact that they keep an
idea because of lack of other interfering
associations. Being wrongly judged
stupid, these children often are not given
sufficient opportunity to satisfy their
intellectual interests. They either are
scolded for not keeping up with their
classes, or they spend too much time IN
study because it takes them so much
longer to learn things than 1t does others
of the same intelligence.
These two types of children, in their
scores on the tests we are using, show
two distinct and opposite tendencies.
The group which has quick associative
functioning gets very high scores on easy
timed tests. They also score high on
easy learning tests, but they score low
on repetition tests, such as digits. The
other group is slower in understanding
the questions and in warming up to the
examination as a whole. They may do
worse on the first easy test than on the
next one which is harder. They fall
learning tests and are high in digit and
sentence repetition
These two groups DR.. Babcock points
out, show the basic trends Of mental
functioning which, when exaggerated in
later life, result in the manic and de-
naentia precox types Of insanity. This
comes, however, only with extreme ex-
aggeration. Nearly every one falls on
one side of the line or the other.
Evidence is emerging, she says OF still
a third group which thus far has not
been studied separately. Children OF
this group are at their worst on easy
motor tests and on learning tests. This
is apparently due to dihiculty IN trans
ferring an idea into action.
Children of this group" says DIR. Bab-
cock, may have functional incapacity
greater than that of any other group
without its being detected. They show
that they have understanding, but they
are surprisingly long in doing things.
They may respond to some very strong
stimulus, even getting up very early OF
their own accord to try to get work, and
yet fail to be interested in much Of any
thing else. They get seedlings and
naggings when they really need help.
These children can be so incapacitated
without their parents or teachers know
ing that there is anything wrong except
lack of will that they can scarcely score
at all on standard tests to which there
must be some limit. They are usually
brought to a clinic because they are
stubborn When this condition Of not
being able to carry over an idea into
action is very bad we recognize the con-
dition as catatonic dementia precox."
It often has been the practice in the
past, DR.. Babcock points out, to classify
these children primarily as emotional
types," the characteristic emotional re-
action being considered the cause Of the
divergent mental function. Actually, she
saws, the characteristic way in which the
mind functions is in the cause, not the
effect, of the emotion, for emotional re-
sponses usually are made when there
is no other adequate response to be made
to a situation. She urges that the edu-
cational method used with each child
be selected In accordance with the SUBJ
iects mind-functioning type.
Evening star., 1936-02-25

where feeding is going on Is most
interesting thing to watch.
Day by day, in every way, they grow
in numbers, until one fine day the
human agent in the feeding wakes up
to the fact that he has more Of these
little fellows than he might desire.
This is true, even in the suburbs, where
many more varieties of wild birds come
than to feeders in town.
Yet the lover Of birds can say nay to
nothing that comes, so accepts the spar
rows with the best grace possible.
It is not very difiicult for the English
sparrow in an engaging bird personality,
after all.
Despite the far-fung accusations
made against him, this sparrow knows
how to get along and never misses q
chance to find ready food in q cold
Winter.
While woodpeckers and the like refuse
to come, except their favorite dishes are
put out for them, the sparrows are not
particular and will take anything which
will 60 down.
After several months spent watching
vast numbers of these sparrows, we can
see nothing really bad about them, at
least not to the extent that they are
inimitably portrayed in some books we
have read.
No doubt they do oust bluebirds from
homes and indulge in other despicable
tricks, but as far as we can see at this
time, beneath the feeders in the garden,
they are as decent little fellows as the
rest of them.
There can be little doubt, however
that when the English sparrows come
every day in large numbers, the other
and more desirable birds tend to stay
away.
Not the cardinals, fortunately These
finest of Wintering birds here seem to
like to be with the sparrows and will
eat with them all day long in the great
est of harmony.
These redbirds teach human observers
a valuable lesson. If we were an early
American poet, one who specialized in
watching Nature, and then drawing
lessons" from what he saw, as Bryant
did, we might attempt poem on the
redbird and what he teaches us by being
so chummy with the English sparrows.
All persons interested in feeding the
birds at last come to a very practical
philosophy, that one must accept the
birds and other creatures that feed at
the stations as they come, and for what
they are, not become obsessed with the
idea of driving away any one creature
in order that some other one may eat.
According to ones temperament, this
will be an easy or difficult lesson. There
are some who resent the squirrels greatly
and even go to the extent of snowballing
them out of feeders. This is wasted
energy. The squirrels think it Is game.
We take them as they come, now, nor
run out after squirrels, or pigeons, or
even hawks.
Some of the most heralded birds are
! not so hot" as the young people say.
Woodpeckers, for instance.
| Actually, woodpeckers are not so de-
siderable, but it is almost lese majesty to
say SO.
English sparrows are better!
One of the real interests Of bird feed
ing is to see what comes, and how they
come, and when.
Today we have the mourning dove
and tomorrow probably its mate. Spring
is on the way. Day by day new birds
will arrive. Spring will be here before
we know it. The birds have told us so.
What is the use watching birds unless
they tell you something?
Evening star., 1936-02-25
The japanese Elections.

Elements representing liberalism" in
Japanese politics triumphed in the
recent quadrennial elections for the
lower house of the Imperial Parliament.
The Minseito party, with which Premier
Okada identified himself, substantially
increased its strength, so continuance
in ofice Of his national government" is
assured. Seiyukai, the conservative
party, lost heavily, but retains sufh-
cient number of seats to remain a Wig
orous opposition.
Although Premier Okada is a former
admiral, his ministry has rated on the
whole as moderate influence in Japans
foreign relations. In face Of the aggres-
sive tactics Of the militarist-imperialist
clique, the Okada cabinet, to the extent
of its restricted ability, has espoused
peace, Cancellation and international CO.
operation. The Minseito group especially
sought to oppose excessive appropria-
tions looking to naval building compe-
tition with the United States. Ever since
the Manchurian adventure began five
years ago, successive Toxic governments
have been swept along by waves Of
patriotic emotion into acquiescing in the
army's aggressive program on the main
land Of Asia, though now and then they
made q pretense Of restraining the
maneuvers engineered by the Ayakis and
the Doiharas In recent times the Okada
cabinet sought to concentrate on domes-
tic issues looking to economic recovery,
Evening star., 1936-02-25
Punishment, Not Mercy, Is
Cure for Drunken Drivers

TO the Editor Of The star:
In The Star Of February Is, under
"Trafic Convictions" gained the fol-
six months 90 persons were convicted
Of the crime Of driving while drunk,
IS Of whom. were placed on probation.
just why these persons who had de-
Mberately endangered the lives Of inno-
cent persons on the streets and high
ways received no more severe penalties,
I fail to see.
Any person who Is convicted Of this
crime should be deprived Of his license
for at least year and obliged to serve
the maximum jail sentence.
There can be no extenuating circum-
stances for person who deliberately
partakes Of any alcoholic beverage and
Evening star., 1936-02-25
Hospitality Gone Astray i?

Thousands Of boys in their teens are
smitten by the urge to wander, and
thousands Of them run away from home
every year. But the story Of Robert L.
Cohen, Western High School boy, who
left home last May and was located only
this month, in South Dakota, produces
q new chapter in such sagas. Young
Cohen tells how well he was treated at
the various transient camps, established
by beneficent Federal Government in
It's efforts to deal with the tragic problem
of lost youth. The remarkable fact about
his experience in these camps is the
apparent lack Of any coordination be-
tween the transient camp authorities
and the police in locating lost boys and
Evening star., 1936-02-25
Adequate Funds Urged
To Meet Health Needs

To the Editor Of The Star:
Health is wealth not only to those who
can go to the different climates during
the year, but also to those who are not
in financial position to do SO. Some
times we do not weigh and measure the
reasons that cause more sickness in
different cities, towns and rural sections
of our country.
When you are undernourished from
lack of the right. kind of food. take q
child, for example, can she play like
other children? No, she cannot. When
you live in city, with it's closely con-
gested areas, where the largest percent
age live in apartments, houses that only
have a front and a. rear exposure, you
cannot get the proper light and sunshine
unless you 60 outside-the average per-
son needs plenty of fresh air. On the
other hand, the person who lives in the
suburbs and outside of the dense popu-
lation has better chance to fight off
disease. In other words, it Is a proven
fact that those who live on q farm in
this country are the healthiest people.
What the writer wants to bring out to
those most interested Is that If any one
Is against helping those who have not
the money to live where it is more Sani-
tary and healthy, then something must
be done to keep disease down to the
lowest possible point by providing
enough funds to administer to those
who need health clinic and hospital
service
If those who are in position to help
the City of Washington from a health
standpoint would stop to realize that
where they live. they no doubt have a
home with plenty of frontage and depth
to their lawn, with flowers and shade
trees, with house with four exposures
which means plenty of fresh air and
sunlight, and that is what is most needed,
no matter where you reside, for better
health, happiness and which means a
longer and contented life. The Dis
trict of Columbia needs all the co-opera-
ton possible for the sake of not only
their children, but the grown folks,
as well. FELIX A. URY.
Evening star., 1936-02-25

and the Minseito party went to the
country mainly on that platform. The
Seiyukai also advocated certain internal
reforms, but supported the Manchurian
and Mongolian programs.
Political alignments being what they
are, the election results on their face
hint at something like popular revolt
against military and reactionary pre-
dominance. Premier Okada and his col
leagues had refused to sanction the seiz-
ure of the five northern Chinese prov
inces. The voters would appear to have
approved that attitude. Informed foreign
observers at Toxic warn nevertheless
against the temptation to conclude that
japanese liberalism is now ascendant
and that the sun Of the militarists has
set. The Okada government recently
authorized the uncompromising demand
at London for Japanese naval equality
with Great Britain and the United
States. That circumstance alone sug-
gests that the influences which favor
steady expansion Of Japanese power are
by no means extinct.
Current developments on the Mon
golian -Manchukuoan border clearly
establish that despite the swing of the
political pendulum, the island empires
ambitions in the Far East are far from
suppressed. No matter what label may
be worn by the party temporarily in
power, Japan's longings for mastery of
Asia are factor with which the western
world is likely to have to reckon for the
immeasurable future.
Evening star., 1936-02-25

Division OF children into mind-func-
tioning types as an aid to education is
proposed by DR.. Harriet Babcock, direc-
tor of research in abnormal psychology
at the Woods School at Langhorne, Pa,
in the proceedings of the Institute on
the Exceptional Child. just issued.
Children regardless of their degree OF
intelligence, fall into at least two-prob-
ably three-reaction types. she says,
and she has devised test technique
which will properly classify them. When
thev are studied without consideration
of this factor of notwithstanding, she
claims. little headway can be made. The
way of using the intelligence is just as
significant as the degree of intelligence.
The two types, DR.. Babcock claims,
persist through life. The characteristic
reaction tends to become crystallized
with age and form the basis Of two fun
damental types of human beings which
are found in every sort of society. Each
type may be further subdivided into
minor types.
, Nearly everybody falls on one side or
another of the line, and only when there
Is considerable divergence from the
hypothetical average Is the individual
apt to be considered peculiar. As soon
as the divergence becomes pronounced,
however, a person has greater and
greater difficulty in adjusting. pecu-
liarity Is that one type has very great
difficulty in understanding the other.
The first group Is characterized by DR..
Babcock as the "impulsive type"
It is composed Of children with quick
associations and a tendency to respond
30 hAfnya av1nl1oh QSSnCt0t1lnS
can function to give meaning to what
they hear and to bring about pertinent
response. They usually learn quickly,
in q superficial way, but because of over
quick interfering association and over
readiness they tend to fail repetition
tests and to make many careless errors.
Such children score high on tests OF
mental functioning up to a certain point,
but II their speed of association becomes
too great they pass critical point, lose
control, and from sheer inability to hold
their associations in check long enough
for pertinent ideas to function before
they answer score lower than children
of inferior intelligence.
"Children of this type" says DR.. Bab-
cock, "are usually socially attractive.
They give an impression of great alert
ness and better intelligence than they
really have. Because of their speed and
hitting the -high-spots method Of doing
tests, timed group tests Of intelligence
often overrate them. They are apt to
be promoted and pushed beyond their
real capacity in school,"
Children Of the other major type. she
found, are slow in associations and
learning. They are apt to seem uninter-
~.<Ad opd sf,ay,td even when thew haVe
an excellent ability to grasp scholastic
work. They are said to be inattentive.
II they deteriorate in later stages, the
deterioration is interpreted as due to
their inner thoughts, which inhibit their
expression.
saws Dr. Babcock: children Of this
type get credit for greater concentration
than they are capable Of, just q the
other type gets credit for undue mental
brilliancy. It is not true concentration,
Evening star., 1936-02-25

It is useless to disparage the "wise
crack" as a means of molding public
opinion. Even the parsonage who
assumes supercilious disdain cannot be
kept out of the competition to determine
who can produce the best one. The
Nobel Prize plans might have produced
more enduring results by establishing a
series of rewards for the years greatest
wise crack.
Evening star., 1936-02-25
Little Red Riding Hood.

Once upon time group OF we'll
intentioned gentlemen put their sage
heads together and sent Little Red
Rider with basket full of goodies for
Old Granny, who lived all alone in a
tumble down cottage in the middle of
the deep, dark woods.
The idea was that Old Granny, living
as she did in the middle of the deep,
dark woods was urgently in need of
protection from the big, bad wolf, known
to some of them as communism" and
that Little Red Rider, with her basket
of goodies, would supply the protection
and chase the wolf away and everybody
would live happily ever afterward.
Well, it seemed that the minute Little
Red Rider started on her way, tripping
merrily along through the deep, dark
woods and picking nosegays as she trip
ped, another group of well-intentioned
men and women got their sage heads
together and urged that she be recalled.
Their argument has been that Little
Red Rider is relatively small and weak
little thing in the first place and could
not help Granny much under any con-
ditions, if Granny really needed that
sort of help. In the second place, they
argue that Granny is not as helpless as
she might seem. She is attended, for
instance, by about 10000 children, all
of whom have parents decidedly inter-
ested in what she is doing and how she
is getting along. Being in constant
communication with their children, it is
argued that these parents would grab
the nearest shotgun and proceed to a
united assault upon the big, bad wolf
the minute he poked his head in
Granny's doorway. And Granny her
self, 1t is to be remembered, lives not
alone-as the well-intentioned gentle
men who sent Little Red Rider through
the woods seemed to believe-but is
guarded and protected by a corps of
teachers who have sworn to uphold
Granny with the Constitution of the
United States. In addition, Board of
Education sits by her bedside night and
day. constantly on the lookout for big,
bad wolves of every description.
But what they seem to fear most is
that en- route to Granny's house, just
as she is STOPPING over to sniff a violet
or pick a dandelion, big, bad wolf
of another color will sneak up and grab
Little Red Rider from behind, gobble
her up in one swallow, quickly change
from sleeps clothing to the cute frock
worn by Little Red Rider and skip gayly
up to the tumble-down cottage of
Granny and knock softly at the door.
"Who is that?" Granny will ask.
Little Red Rider" will come the
reply in deep voice.
What makes your mouth so big?"
Granny will ask.
THE better to eat you WITH" growls
Little Red Rider, proceeding to gobble
up Granny, the children, the teachers
and the Board of Education. There
upon it will be found, after an autopsy
for indigestion will surely be. fataD 4,
that there Is more than one kind OF big,
had wolf-and this one happened to be
known as legislative tinkering with edu-
cation, sometimes known as political tin
kering With education, a wild and woolly
beast that has gobbled up more than
one school system and Board of Educa-
ton in his time and should be shot on
sight.