davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1936-02-15

most tenuouS vacuum ever achieved on
earth is practically solid in comparison.
Yet recent astronomical investigations
have shown that there is no absolutely
empty space. Tiny dust particles con-
tinually are escaping from the atmos-
pheres of the stars and planets and be-
coming diffused in the vast emptiness.
The sun picks up such particles as lie
in its path.
At present, DR.. Moulton believes. more
mass is being lost through radiation than
is gained by capture of the space par
ticles. At present the sun seems to be
traversing a region of relative emptiness.
But there are vast cosnic dust clouds
in some parts of space. Sooner or later
the sun is bound to pass through one of
them and will probably accumulate
enough mass in the passage to make
up for all that it has lost in millions of
years. The nearest nebulous clouds now
known are about 100 light years away
from the present position of the sun.
Consequently, in spite of the radiation
loss. the sun and all the other stars
might be expected to retain their present
masses indefinitely is the vast galaxy OF
which they form a part was closed
system. 1t is not There are vast region
of space-So extensive that light re-
quireS million years moving at its fixed
rate of lS6, 900 miles second to get across
them-between this galaxy and other
galaxies. Into this space radiation, elec-
irons and dust particles continually are
escaping. The stars never enter these
regions and consequently the escaped
material is lost forever.
Still another possibility, likewise very
remote, is found in the mechanics of the
earth's own motion. Slowly its rate of
rotation on its axis is decreasing, due to
the drag of tides and ocean bottoms
and other causes. During the past
10000 years, for example, the length of
the day has increased by about one
second. The effect of such a decrease
or rotation rate over long periods may
be considerable. In 900 million years,
1t may be expected, the length of the
day would be Is instead of "A hours.
This would mean longer periods of dark
ness and, in consequence, froSts through
out the temperate zone every month in
the year. The effects on vegetation GER
tainly would require considerable changes
in ways of life.
The results of astronomical research,
DR.. Moulton points out, continually are
setting ahead the time when the earth
will no longer be suitable abode for life.
1t may be expected. he says, that re-
curing cycles Of glaciation and of noun
tain building from time to time will
wipe out many Of the present forms OF
life, but others will survive as they have
In the past. 1t may be, he points out,
that the earth has become more stable
and that such cataclysms viii be rarer
in the future.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
A Nationwide Racket.

The numbers game" which local
police declare takes $1,50O,OOO annually
. from the pockets of the people of Wash
ington, is described by j. Edgar Hoover,
director of the Federal Bureau of In
vestigation, as one of the greatest
rackets in the country" The coun-
try-wide extent of this pernieious
gambling device can only be i'm
agined. There are no dependable sta
tistics. Yet it is known that the game
is played from coast to coast, with wide
range of variations in detailed procedure.
That there is central direction is be-
lieved. That there are rivalries for this
rich field of public cupidity is known.
These rivalries occasionally result in
conflicts that end in murder. Last Fall
the reputed head of the general racket
was slain by jealous competitors, and
this punishment is about all that is
meted out to these leeches who, as Mr..
Hoover says, are sucking at the coun-
try's business life"
So divided and subdivided are the
operatives in this swindle-for it is no
less than that, inasrnuch as it is not
even an honest gamble-that the pursuit
of the promoters is one of the greatest
difdculty. Those who are caught are
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Shooting Stars.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
The World and the Egoist,

The World and the Egoist.
Sometimes a man of lofty pose
Adopts wise, assertive tone,
Which nearly everybody knows
Fate never meant to be his own.
And yet the world, with face quite
straight,
Insists on letting him crate.
He never lets a chance 60 by
To offer all his wisdom free;
And when he isn't saying Il"
He's generally saying "Me."
And yet the world says. Bring him out.
1t cheers me up to hear him shout.
"For jokes are scarce and laughs are
few.
OF all the jests upon the list,
The best arise, twixt me and you,
From the unconscious humorist.
Thanks to this man, oft relieve
Dull care by laughing in my sleeve"
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Baltimore to Germany at
A Cost of Twenty Dollars

To the Editor of The Star:
Fare of $50 for Atlantic Trip Is Seen"
Headline in Sunday Star. Well, in the
Fall of 1892 this writer walked into a
ticket agency in Baltimore, Md. Putting
down twenty dollar bill, received a
ticket which entitled me to railway fare
Baltimore-New York (midnight train),
steamboat (steerage) New York-Ant-
werp, Belgium; railroad fare again Ant
werp- Mannheim, Baden, Germany-a
day and a half's distance by rail. GER
tainly got my moneys worth that trip.
The late Otto Kuhn, who also visited
Mannheim, his old home town, on oc-
casion, no doubt paid little more.
A few years before there was spir-
tied rate war on between the English,
French and German lines. Steerage
passage could be had from port to port
for $40. During the middle 80s the pas
Senger traffic on one line fell off to such
an extent that its bonus quota" was
becoming endangered. In order to re-
ceive this very sizable government sub
sidy the line had to carry stipulated
number of passengers during any given
year. And so advertisements in the
papers announced free steerage round
trips (BaltimoresBremen and back plus
a bounty of S. for spending money.
Walking through Baltimore's far-famed
Marsh Market that Summer you would
find the booze joints deserted. Most of
the "rumhounds" were SOLDERING up on
the high seas as paid guests of the
steamship line. Leading citizens like
"Brocky" Kelly, "Baldy" Thompson,
Dutch" Hoffman were either on the
way to Germany or else were expected
to be back any day. This splendor, of
course, didn't last very long. The Marsh
Market once more returned to normalcy.
Splitting adventure tales all over the
place, the "bums" hoisted big ones and
the bartenders found renewed use for
their bungstarters. And this was para
disc anew" Those were the days. Eheu
fugaceS! FRED VETTER.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

merely the small fry peddlers Of tickets.
who if taken are restrained from the
impeachment of those higher up by fear
of death. Terrorism is the rule Of the
racket. There is no honor among these
thieves, contrary to the adage. They
take the pennies, nickels, dimes and
quarters of their patrons and make their
returns with the knowledge that they
are watched and checked upon, each rank
of the army of grafters subject to re-
morseless inquisition.
If the contributors, the deluded patrons
of this racket, could be made to realize
that the percentage is heavily against
them in this game, almost prohibitively
so, they would perhaps cease their de-
luded efforts to get something for little
or nothing. But that seems to be i'm
possible. The few winnings that are
scored continue the temptation, with the
result of the annual loss of a million and
half dollars annually, in the local
community alone, loss which is
borne by legitimate business. 1t is a
veritable disease and the national cost
reaches an appalling figure, not to speak
Of the generalization that results.
Certain centers from which this racket
is locally managed are known to exist,
yet they seem to be immune. The sus-
picion of corrupt relations with author
tiles is entertained but cannot be demon
strated. The Federal jurisdiction is lin
tied, and only when incidental crimes
are committed and State boundaries are
crossed can it be invoked. Verify this is
sad state of affairs which is reflection
upon the intelligence of the citizenship
of America.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
The Bus Line Purchase.

Original terms for purchase of the
Washington Rapid Transit Co., or Six
teenth street bus line, by the Capital
Transit Co. named the purchase price
as $843,000. That was in September Of
1884, and the Public Utilities Commits
sion very properly turned it down as
being too high. After threatened court
fight the street car company decided to
submit new offer, in which it names
$539, ,0O0-a reduction of $304,000.
That is a considerable come-down.
But as this deal involves transaction
in which the North American Co. is
selling one Of its properties to another,
it still deserves careful examination
by the Public Utilities Commission and
the peoples counsel, both protecting the
interests of the street car and bus
riding public.
These interests are two-fold. The
first relates to the matter of fares, which
might be affected, though indirectly, in
the assumption of new obligations by
the street car company. In this con-
nection it is necessary that the terms
of the purchase be fixed on the basis
of fair value" only, as provided in the
merger act.
The second consideration is to assure
continued benefits to the public from
the physical merger of the two proper
ties. This merger is, of course. in prin-
ciple desirable. When it is finally
effected the commission should insist
on such practical benefits as free trans
fers between the bus and street car
lines and the maintenance of proper
schedules and routes, adding to the
convenience of the public.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Doomsday is certain-but in the normal
course of events it need not be expected
for several hundred billions of years.
Various coSnic processes which eventu-
ally will make the earth uninhabitable
are described by DR.. Forest Ray Moul-
ton, former professor of astronomy at the
University of Chicago and associate of
the Carnegie Institution of Washington,
in his comprehensive volume, Consider
the Heavens" which has just been
issued
First comes the gradual melting away
of the sun. 1t now is an accepted die
tum of physics that there is an equiva-
lence of mass and energy. All the heat
and light received from the sun means
the elimination of the great stars ma
terial body. The sun is losing more than
a hundred trillion tons a day. But. DR..
Moulton points out, this is really incon-
sequential, relative to the enormous mass
from which it is subtracted. In so million
years it will lose mass equivalent to the
weight of the earth 1t will be / per
cent lighter in $50 billion years There
are possibilities of destruction closer at
hand. however remote they may be rela-
tive to the span OF human history.
One such possibility is the collision be-
tween the solar system and some other
star. This certainly would wreck the
planetary system which probably would
be reformed on some other pattern. In
the long run this is practically certain
to happen. But there is only one chance
in a million that it will happen in
billion years. Mankind should feel fairly
safe on this score, for the chance Of
such celestial smash-up in any single
year is one in million billions. Con-
versely, it is reasonably sure to happen
in million billion years providing that
the galactic system continues in its pres
ent pattern.
A third possibility pointed out by DR..
Moulton is the eventual exhaustion of
oxygen. This element is necessary to
life as it now exists on earth. Whether
there could be any oxygenless life under
any circumstances is another question.
There can be little doubt that oxygen is
escaping from the atmosphere Some
of the light atoms Of this gas are getting
out of the gravitational field of the earth
and becoming lost in space. More of
them are being combined with iron and
silicon by natural chemical processes,
so that they are lost to the atmosphere.
This process Is believed to have pro-
ceeded almost to the point of atmospheric
exhaustion on the planet Mars. DR..
Moulton stresses, however, that the earth
in its perpetual journey through space
collects some of the oxygen. atoms in its
path, so that the gain may almost bal
ance the loss.
As the sun loses its mass through the
process of radiation, DR.. Moulton ex.
plains, it Is to be expected that its gravi-
rational pull upon the planets Of the
solar system win become weaker. Con-
sequently they win spiral outward In
ever increasing orbits. with the amount
of heat and light they receive con-
tinually declining. Yet this is by no
means a certain conclusion. The sun Is
moving through the galaxy at an enor-
nous speed. Its path lies through rela-
lively empty space-sQ empty that the
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Elaboration of Answer on
First Capital of England

10 the Eoitor OF Inc star.
Mr.. Haskin's answer, in your issue
of February 10, to the question as to
whether London has always been the
capital of England sounds as though he
means that Colchester was Saxon
city prior to the Roman occupation. OF
course, the Saxon invasion took place
over three centuries after the Romans
established themselves in Britain. Prior
to the Roman conquest Colchester
(then Camulodunum) seems to have
been the capital of the British King
Cunobeline, the father of Caratacus,
but it was not the capital of all Britain.
1t was an important Roman municipality
after Claudius established there colony
of discharged Roman soldiers. Foord
says that London was unquestionably
the capital Of Roman Britain toward
the end of the third century and that
"there is ample reason to believe that
it was by far the greatest and wealthiest
Of the cities" PAUL r. xBIRGE.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Who Did and Who Did Not
Receive Gold Certificates :?

To the Editor OF The Star:
On calendar day, February 6, 1896,
Senator Shipstead introduced S. Reso-
luton 228, Resolved, That the Attorney
General be requested to furnish the
Senate with a formal opinion as to the
ownership of, and incumbrance on,
the gold stock of s10,182, ,372, ,58054 re-
ported on February /, 1886, by the
Treasury Of the United States as among
its assets, with particular reference to
the status of the gold taken from the
Federal Reserve banks"
read in The Star that Senator Ship
stead stated that the Federal Reserve
banks had received for gold they handed
over to the United States Government,
gold certificates" That being a fact
did the banks affiliated with the Fed
eral Reserve banks also receive gold
certificates for the gold they turned over
to the United States?
Is not the Federal Reserve Bank
Board and the Federal Reserve Banks
a corporation? But not United States
corporation. If this corporation is not a
United States corporation, is it the fiscal
agent of the United States, entitled to
receive gold certificates for the gold
it turned over to the United States?
Did any State, or private banking cor
poration, or trust corporation of the
United States other than the Federal
Reserve Bank Corporation receive gold
certificates for the gold it turned over
to the United States Government?
Private citizens who turned over their
own money-gold-to the United States
are interested, for they did not receive
gold certificates for their gold turned
over to their Government.
w. E. RYAN.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Correcting Star Report on
Forty-Hour Law Hearing

To the Editor Of The Starr
May call your attention to two errors
one direct and one impHed-in your
reporters story of the recent hearing on
the 40-hour work week law for women
only in the District of Columbia.
He stated, enormously, that profess
sional and executive women were ex-
empted from the restrictions Of the law.
They are not.
The proposed law specifically exempts
only domestic servants, graduate nurses,
farm women and maintenance workers
in utilities during periods of emergency.
AL other females Of sixteen years Of
age and over come under the 40-hour
law, with the provision that professional
women, executives, secretaries, superin-
tendents, managers and other women
working in these capacities may be ex-
empted II, in the opinion Of an appointed,
unpaid board of three persons, their
work is not harmful to their health or
welfare.
1t is entirely within the discretion of
this board to refuse exemption to any
woman Except the four specifically ex-
empted classes), this refusal being based
solely on the personal opinions of the
board as to what welfare" means.
Would any man be willing to allow
such board to decide for him how long
he might work at any lawful and health
full occupation or profession?
We regard this proposed law as fla
grant and indefensible infringement of
the constitutional liberties of adult
women, and we oppose it on that ground.
1t would result-as all such laws ap-
plying to women but not to their male
competitors have operated-in eliminat-
ing women from remunerative jobs and
turning them over to men. This is the
real objective of the law.
The implied error was the statement
that "the laundries and the National
Woman's Party also opposed the law"
This would indicate that the two groups
were acting together, whereas We are
entirely apart in our opposition.
The proponents of this bill do not
claim that it is health measure, and
1t is not. 1t merely restricts the work
of women but not that of the men en-
gagged in the same work, and as such, is
in conflict-we believe-with the estab-
hshed right of adult women to contract
for their own labor in engaging in any
lawful occupation.
BETTY GRAM SWING,
Acting chairman of the Legislative
Committee, National Woman's Party.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Respect for the President.

Postmaster General James A. Farley
complains of lack of respect for Presi-
dent Roosevelt on the part of his po-
litical critics. He says that Republican
and disaffected Democratic spokesmen
have forgotten that both the Chief
Executive personally and the office
which he occupies are entitled to spe-
cial consideration at the hands of pri-
vate citizens. And the protest has
certain merit, involving as it does the
attitude of the public toward an insti-
tuition of Government.
But it is fair to ask if Mr.. Farley has
considered the effect of such doctrine
upon fundamental democratic philos-
ophy and practice. In the past, it has
been symptomatic OF the theory of
democracy that all rnel1 are equal and
should be- treated ahke, that poll
tician in power is no more exempt from
attack than a politician out of power.
Herbert Hoover was not spared misrep-
resentation and insult in 1892. Indeed,
a professional propaganda was en-
gagged, as early as 1929. to smear" him;
and the efficiency of the "smearing"
had good deal to do with Mr.. Roose-
velt's election.
Also, Mr.. Farley should remember that,
beginning with his inaugural address,
March 4, 1885, the incumbent of the
White House has employed his un-
doubted gifts of sarcasm without mercy
on all who have ventured to disagree
with him. Again and again Mr.. Roose-
velt has expressed himself with pas
sionate vehemence concerning money
changers" :.chiselers" and other sup
posedly wicked individuals opposed to
the New Deal. Is it unnatural that a
few of those thus indicted should wish
to strike back?
But Mr.. Farley does not stand alone.
Mr.. Hoover likewise believes in mod
Grafton in political debate, In his Lin
coin day speech at Portland, Greg, he
said: Personalities and mud-slinging
never clarified a national issue"
Courtesy, good humor and intellectual
honesty, he argued, are wanted 'if the
truth and right decisions are to
be found"
Yet no campaign In American history
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Greatness Gone Before.

The great man who has passed away
Leaves many books behind
Whereby the present public may
Know what was in his mind.
Yet all these books were writ in vain,
And we, on pleasure bent,
Let various orators explain
Just what these great men meant.
We gather round in glad array
And eat the festive lunch.
Fen while. the speaker has his say
We do not cease to MUNICH.
Although the great mans mind was
grand,
With wisdom ever pat,
We celebrate his birthday and
We let it go at that.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

has been notably polite. Rather, the
contrary has been the rule ever since
the beginning of the Republic. George
washington once said that he would
have preferred death to the abuse to
which he was subjected. 1t seems in
herent in the psychology OF those who
care about freedom to be more con-
cerned with liberty in its negative than
in its positive aspect. Perhaps after
thousand years it will be different.
BY that time the United States no
longer will be either SO young or so
militant.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Obliging.

do you think you can explain to your
constituents how you became so prosper
ous?"
Certainly" replied Senator Sorghum.
cit was due to my desire to ease the
burdens of my fellow man. made life
a little happier for some of the multi
millionaires who say they want to get
rid of their money"
Evening star., 1936-02-15

Society is sadly disorganized by a
blizzard. Means may be discovered to
protect civilization from war, but 1t
may be doubted whether a way can
ever be found to weatherproof it.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

Perhaps time will never come when
there are no lobbyists in this city. The
lobbyist used to be transient bird. OF
late it has been his tendency to estab-
lish permanent roost in one of the tall
buildings.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

Undersecretary Tugwen is having
towns named after him. AS a rapid
constructionist Tugwell has a distinct
advantage over Alladin in being a real
parsonage with access to tax collections.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
A Rhyme at Twilight
BY
Gertrude Brooke Hamilton
. A Big Man.

With tempered pace and quiet zest
He treads the cluttered stair of life,
Taking no notice as he mounts
OF trashy things that lead to strife;
Steps over them in his ascent,
Nor lets them swerve him from his bent.
The stair is steep; it tests his wind.
His foes deride With full breath
He makes higher step, and throws
A challenge-nothing halts but deathl
Ignoring all the rubbish there,
In calm ascent, he takes life's stair.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

One difficulty with craftsmanship,
local and international, is the tendency
to substitute personal antipathies for
public policies.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

: Neutrality is largely a state of mind,
which, like prohibitions, must defy many
bootleg temptations.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

A campaign of invective must soon
exhaust itself. There is, after all,
limit to the vocabulary of expletives
and epithets.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

ziegfeld glorified many actors. 1t is
only fair that actors should bring to the
movies an effort to glorify ziegfeld.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Practical Needs.

81 shall sweep everything before me,
remarked the, boastful candidate.
"well," replied the snow-weary citi-
zen, ST wish they'd take you out of ma
tional politics and put you at the head
of the street cleaning department"
Evening star., 1936-02-15

'T don't like to hurt fellow mans
feelings" remarked Three-finger Sam,
sebut occasionally you've got to do it to
keep him from dealin' of the bottom Of
the deck"
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Old Age.

From the Saginaw News.
Chicago man who says he Is 125 years
old advises people to forget their age.
But people who do that never get to
Evening star., 1936-02-15
The Modern Prisoner.

The convict vows reform is great.
He doesn't fret or hurry.
He watches them investigate
And lets the warden worry.
Evening star., 1936-02-15

"De reason some men is obstinate"
said Uncle Eben, is dat it's such hard
work fur 'em to think up any kind of
an idea dat dey hates to waste de labQf"
Evening star., 1936-02-15
Dragging.

Dragging.
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
From Adds Ababa: What a wal
lon we gave Mussolini!" From Rome:
"You ought to see Halle Selassie's eyes!"
Evening star., 1936-02-15

Collars and Cash.
From the Lowell Leader.
One problem of the day is how to get
a fur-collared coat on white-collar pay.
Evening star., 1936-02-15
NiKht Final Edition.

NiEht Final and Sunday star---7ec per montt ,ontt
NFh5 epal ade AZ the end q eaeh month
Orders may be sent BY mail or telephone Ma
finnal 5000
Evening star., 1936-02-15

Rate by Carrier Within he City.
Regular Edition.