davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
Gracious Acceptance

TT IS to be hoped that the Congressional committees
to which have been referred the bills to enable the
Government to accept the art gift which Mr.. Andrew
W. Mellon has offered the Nation will expedite action
the measures
There is of course, doubt that Congress will carry
out the wishes of the country expressed by President
Roosevelt that the gift should be accepted.
But even the normal Congressional delay might make
the acceptance of the great gift look less gracious than
the patriotic offer by the former Secretary of the
Treasury.
The manner in which Mr.. Mellon proposes to make
the gift leaves problem which should evoke delay
Not only will the invaluable collection of master
pieces be given to the Nation but Mr. Mellon will build
at his own expense the gallery to house the collection
Further than that he will set up endowment which
will largely provide for the and maintenance of
the collection
Seldom in the history of the country has any citizen
ever offered to his Government more complete and
outstanding gift than this.
The acceptance should be made in the same spirit and
that calls for early and prompt action.
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

'gies into play each day. He found
it in his odd bit of interior decora-
tion, as Briere, the French lyric
writer of the Eighteenth century,
found it in a room full of gro
teSque masks.
In those days, there was a store
in New York city where you
could buy those Oriente Shrunken
heads. Down in Panama, they
were carried regularly in stock at
Gordil'S hat store on the Avenida
Central, comparable to Broadway
They cost anywhere from 5000 to
$500, but sometimes a tourist
would pick up a bargain for $125.
Gordil's brother used to get the
heads down in Ecuador. Down in
the Oriente jungles, prices OF
heads went up.
The Yumbos, a neighboring
tribe Of the go-getting Jivaros,
were a slack, abject lot and easy
prey for the head-hunters. Ten
or IL years ago, tourists and per-
sons with a macabre taste in
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

TO do much to- Edwin c. Hill
warl restraining the Dykas, their
Borneo head-hunters, but now
they have hope that they can get
them under control.
Their method is ingenious.
They help the natives work up a
new, elaborate ceremony over a
used skull and somehow persuade
them to get along with the old
model for another year, instead
of getting a new one.
Head-hunting, still practiced in
at least a half dozen countries, is
all bound up with tradition, an
ceStor worship, primitive magic,
jinx-chasing, spells, charms, re-
ligion and what not.
The shreWd Dutch colonists
managed to join this hocuS-pocus
cleverly, and hold the DyakS to
their still Serviceable symbols. One
wonders whether they couldn't
get in Europe's theological devil
dance and persuade them to get
along with few used wars, with
out starting new one.
HEAD HUNTERS
To the Man from Mars, Europe
and the head-hunters might look
quite a bit alike. The late Jack
London had a frieze of human
heads in his study, at Glynn Ellyn,
in the Valley of the Moon, where
he wrote many of his greateSt
books. There was a pole across
the room, like the pole which
holds the coathangers in closet,
and from this were suspended the
heads, by their foot-long hair.
These heads were the workman
ship of the Jivaro Indians of the
Oriente jungles of Ecuador. Each
had been Shrunken to the size OF
an apple, features and facial eX
preston preserved perfectly.
I once had occasion to find out
just how the Jivaros do this, anc
could only supply the details here
but even anthropology can become
unpleasantly clinical at times, a.
we'll skip that. Any one who
wants to know can find out at the
Museum of Natural History or the
Heye Foundation for the Amer
ican Indian, in New York city
Each institution used to have az
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

Already, most of us are begin
ming to lay aside a little fund with
which to meet the deluge Of spring
wedding invitations which will
soon burst upon us.
Just why the bride, who is about
to get the man she wanted, the
trousSeau, the showers" and the
trip to Bermuda, should get all
the wedding presents too, is mys-
terry. They should go to the girl
who DIDN'T get him! But life is
like that.
And there is one thing to be
thankful for. Weddings are no
longer the funereal
once were, with the women weep
ing into the punch U. -
and the brides mother Frustrated
with grief at losing her little baby
girl"
In these days, any sane mother
heaVeS a sigh of relief instead of
a sigh of regret when her daugh-
ter goes to the altar. At last she
can exchange that anxious What
next!" feeling for the THANK
heaven-THATS-over!" feeling, and
stop jumping every time the tele-
phone rings.
She has, at least, the consoling
knowledge that she'll know "who'S
kissing her now" And there is
always the optimistic hope that
it MAY last-for quite a while!
Oh yes, a modern wedding is a
gay and joyous affair, and Mother
feels more like running up a flag
and singing Hail Columbia" than
like staging Niobe.
Father doesn't ask the pros
pective bridegroom if he can make
his little girl happy. He asks him
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

collection of these
trophies.
Jack London used to rise early
and enter his cell-like study at
exactly 6 o'clock every morning.
Steadily, he wrote long-hand copy
until IL, under the unchanging,
CLASSY stare of those unSeeing
eyes. At noon, he would emerge
buoyant and happy, to join a
houseful of guests. The after
noon would be spent on pilgrim
ages back and forth to Glenn
Ellyn, to get "shandy-gaff" for
all hands, with Jack a genial, peri
patetic philosopher. The evening
would be a roaring seminar, a
gale of argument about every
thing under the sun.
Jack was gregariouS. He loved
companionship, song, arguments
and tippling. A merely gregari-
GUS man is eaten alive by human
insects. Jack knew it. Some.
thing grim, stark, ineluctable was
needed to shock his creative ener-
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
The Human Side of the News = By Edwin c. Hill

'knick-knacks were paying as high
as $500 for a head. The Ecua-
dorian government made deter
mined efforts to stop the practice,
sending out many army expedi-
tions, but so deep and savage and
all but impenetrable is this wilder
ness that they were only partially
successful.
Here's an odd note bobbing up
in my dossier on ead-hunters. A
journeyman head-hunter is apt to
be hen-pecked man. In Borneo,
Ecuador, the Philippine Islands
and particularly among the Nagas
of northern Burma, in the Upper
Chindwin, the women of head
hunting tribes are usually the
dominant sex, controlling the
tribal organization. They also
are larger and stronger.
The men usually are squat and
scrubby, perhaps feeling their in
feriority and anxious to piece
themselves out with the magic
kudos which comes from taking
the head of better man.
ANCIENT CEREMONIAL
Such a desire-the enhance
ment of physical powers-does in
deed figure strongly in all this,
according to scientists. Usually it
is a gang of 80 or 40 which goes
out head-snatching, always scout
ing some lone and helpless indi-
vidual. It seems to be an estab-
llshed custom in the jungle coun-
tries, for it is accompanied by
most elaborate ceremonial, unques-
tionably ancient.
In the mountain province Of
the Philippines, you may see a
head-hunter Of 20 or 80 years ago
now wearing a nice white duck
suit and straw hat with a string
on it, as he eats ice cream soda
at the drug store. There are
many thousands Of reformed
head-hunters in the Philippines.
The late Joseph c. Early, who
died in 1882 after nearly 80 years
as school teacher and public
official in the once ferocious
mountain province, found a lot
of them were nice people, after
they sWore off the snicker-snee
Younger children Of this genera
tion have an intelligence quo
tient about like ours. It seems
the head-hunters were just a bit
old fashioned-that was all.
Scientists are still pondering
the physical basis of civilization
and savagery, and the dividing
line between them. The business
in heads, established through
American dealers a few years ago
seems to have been the only in
stance in which this quaint prim
tive health fad has been de
graded to the level Of modern
commercialism. However, that has
been frowned upon, and now the
more predatory elements among
us again may look up to the in
nocent head-hunters Of the Ori
ente jungles.
Copyright, 1887. by King Features
! Syndicate. Inc.)
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
A SHOCK

Representative Hatton W. Sum
ners, addressed usually as
judge who is another of these
Texans that are practically run
ming Congress. has a wit that
rivals that Of Vice President Gar
ner.
Judge" Summers was invited
over to a Senate Committee to
explain a bill that his House
Judiciary Committee had pre-
viously passed on.
When he came out Of the
meeting which was held in ex-
ecutive session, the reporters
pounced on him and asked what
had happened. The Judge" hes
itated and then said:
II think you'd better wait
and ask the ones inside. You
see the members Of the Senate
have to confer with the House
to find out how to run their
business but they are very SEN
Sitive about it and 1 think
you'd better ask them"
Chatting with newspapermen
he revealed that he was very
much upset about the fact that
he had been told a friend of his
had died this morning and he
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

of wsm e n Sen. Pat McCarran
bounced into the Senator's office
and asked him how about it.
The Nevadan waited until they
had all seated themselves, got out
their paper and had their pencils
poised. Then very gravely he
picked up his glasses, touched
them to his nose, wrinkled his brow
and said:
1--WE think the tariff provision
as regards Brazil"
He stopped and looked up still
gravely to find the eyes of all the
newsmen on him in questioning
stares. Then one Of them added:
"NutS."
The Senator's face broke into a
smile and he said:
eyes, that's it; Brazil nuts.
What do you want anyway"
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

IL " w v
through One Of Those Days when
you feel like last weeks sponge
cake, but have got to keep going
regardless.
Have I ever had days like that?
And if so, won't I give her a teW
tips?
Have 1? Don't bring on
one of my Spells by fool questions
like that, sister. "One OF Those
Days" are my speciality. In fact
I invented 'em. And here's how
I handle the cantankerous con-
traptionS.
First place, when I wake
knowing such an ornery era Is
upon me, no longer try to kid
myself that it isn't. don't bounce
blithely out of bed, assuring my
self that Every Cloud Has silver
Lining. To the contrary, draw
a long breath, grit my teeth, arise
slowly with murder in my heart'
and proceed to brush my teeth.
CHORES
I brush my teeth with furious
intensity. After which, I proceed
to do all my other chores with
the same poisonous precision
the reason for which I'll explain
carefully. And as proceed, I con-
verse with myself.
"Elsie, old GIRL" says I to me,
keep your shirt on. There's moth
ing unusual about this day. It's
just one of those times. If you
feel blue, bored, discouraged, and
fed up with life generally, you
have nothing whatever on the
corner cop, the grocer, the phone
girl, in all probability, the Presi'
dent of these United States.
eyes, know, you're all set for
one of your tantrumS. You'd like
to get down n wallow in a swell
orgy of self-pity m blame every,
one n threaten to kill yourself
:. N raise Cain generally. Bul
nix, kid-NIX! you've no more
right to indulge in such shoW-o1l
than you would have to go out anc
get plastered. So wipe your cnlr
and snap out Of it.
"It doesn't really matter a hoot
whether you're sad or merry
there are jobs to be done and It's
up to you to do them. so get busy
Stop thinking how you feel. Graz
each job in turn and give 1t tne
best you have. Then, even Il
you haven't produced q master
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

h We to be
versatile these
i a VS.. Here's
Holland, for in
stance, worry
ing, lik e all
European coun-
tries, over the
wholesale kill
ing of war at
one ex t e m e
and the retail
b u S i n e SIS of
headhunting on
the other. The
Dutch eV er
have been able
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

happy look
out.
He had Just
finished a meet
ing Of his sub
committee on a
bill concerning
retirement Of
judges. Since
it's all tied up
in the general
C on row e rSy
over the PreSi-
dents proposed
r e o rganization
of the judiciary,
uTIite a prolln
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

piece, you will at least have saved
your Self-reSpect. Which is some
thing"
That's what I say to Elsie, as
I plug along through One Of
Those Days. Generally speaking, I
try to limit my conversation to
the old gal alone, knowing, from
embarrassing experience, that u
I can grab myself an audience, ]
forthwith bust into enough bleats.
wheezes and sniffles for hundred
head of sheep. Silence, on One
of Those Days, is not only golden.
It's tax-exempt Government bonds.
So, speaking together, and
myself, we plug through the day.
Keeping the old mouth shut and
the hoof on the move. Using
what spunk God gave us, and Bit
ing the kitchen range what that
gives out.
DAYS END
Then, when it's all over. and
the little tyke's in bed. and the
supper dishes are put away I
ease up on the spur a bit. And
I go off in a quiet corner, with
picture of the Boy and an old
book, and begin to read. My
mouth moves slowly my face
feels like a bent bumper-there'S
a lump in my throat that would
choke Boulder Dam. And at first.
what I say are only WordS-IneaIlo
ingleSS.
"The Lord is my shepherd II
shall not want
He maketh me to lie down In
green pastures
He Ieadeth me beside the stilI
waters"
Slowly, wearily, the dry words
slip between my mumbling lips.
Then, far off, a warmth starts :. {.
quickening. Like strong hands
lifting a tired child, I feel Pres.
ence supporting me. MY lips stop
moving. Deep in my heart, the
lovely song takes on:
YEA, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow Of death
I will fear no evil; for Thou art
with me will dwell in the
house of the Lord forever"
One of Those Days is over. !
have made no masterpiece 4.
established no record. But He
knows I have tried-to keep the
faith.
(ThiS column tDelcomeS and
requests comments. Letters pre-
Senting personal problems may
also be sent. All letters tOiI be
handled contidentially and an.
sDered promptly if stamped,
addressed, envelope are in.
cIudeG.
Copyright, 1887, by King Features
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

body from the
vegetable dealer
to your neigh
boris cat. and
achieve Power
against S ou J.
S h a t t e rim G
Odds.
Somehow, be-
ing just a n
ordinary body,
these dramatic
cris eS don't
seem to come
her way. What
cba'd like tn
KIN ow is just
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
Signs of Stability

O1S1lO VI OUCIOAAAOV
rrEALTHY signs of the stability of employment in
ii WASHINGTON particularly in the Government
service, are abundant on every hand and should be
giving announcement to our expanding population
ANY FEARS WHICH MAY HAVE EXISTED AS
TO THE POSSIBILITY OF LARGE TURNOVER
IN GOVERNMENT JOBS OR SEVERE SHRINKAGE
IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF JOBS HAVE BEEN
PROVEN TO BE GROUNDLESS BY DEVELOP
MENTs OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
The elimination of the job fear which always comes
to WASHINGTON around election time should enable the
c+v and it's residents to 90 steadily forward along the
paths of improved business and greater prosperity
It has become obvious that instead of there being any
likelihood Of contraction of the Government service
in the near future there will be- if anything, gradual
expansion.
THIS CAN MEAN NOTHING BUT MORE AND
BETTER JOBS, WITH CONSEQUENT IMPROVE
MENT IN CONDITIONS WHICH ALREADY ARE
ENVIABLE.
Those Washngtonians who seldom stop to see the
SIGNS of promise which are the horizon would do
we'll to study recent developments in order that they
NAV participate in the widespread satisfaction
Tn the first place there is the announcement that
President Roosevelt is having a survey made OF the
classification system with view to improving the pay
ard working conditions of Government personnel.
Secondly there is the announcement that Commis-
sion has been appointed for the purpose of studying
the increasing needs Of Government agencies for
space-A CERTAIN INDICATION THAT EXPAN-
SION AND NOT CONTRACTION IS CONTEM-
PLATED.
In the third place have the recent report over
time conditions in the Government offices which shows
that instead of being overstafed the Federal Govern
ment as matter of fact has far less than the number of
employees necessary.
Action on this report and on the establishment of
standard hours for all Government employees will make
essential the employment of additional men and women
rather than the dismissal of those at present employed
The determination voiced by many Representatives
and Senator's led by Senator Pat McCarran and Rep
resentatve William P Connery, to increase salaries of
Government employees and generally to improve their
condition. is fourth and important factor in develop
ing the optimism with which accurate observers view the
Washington scene.
fifth item tending to stabilize Washington condi-
tions not only for the present and immediate future
but indefinitely is the probability of general extension
of the Civil Service system to all Government positions
by the present Congress.
These are just few of the many indications which
now appear on the surface to guarantee the stability
of the economic life of the National Capital.
They give encouragement to all of citizens, not
only those who employed by the Government and
therefore directly affected but to those who
gagged in local industries which in large
dependent upon those in Government employ for sup
port.
JUDGING FROM ALL SIGNS THIS SHOULD BE
A BANNER YEAR FOR THE PROGRESS OF THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL AND THOSE WHO ARE so
FORTUNATE AS TO LIVE HERE.
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
Wise Words

I will not be as those who spend
the day in complaining of the
headache, and the night in drink.
ing the wine that gives the head
ache.-Goethe.
A proper secrecy is the only
mystery of able men; mystery ID
the only secrecy of weak and Gun.
ming oneS.-Chesterfield
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
SIGNS

believe in signs walked into the
office of Representative Alfred
N. Phillips. jr., Of Connecticut.
Representatives Phillips as you
may remember is serving his
first term. One of the new
wrinkles he put into effect was a
sign on his door that everyone
was welcome except professional
lobbyists.
The hint was enough for all Of
them, it seemed, until recently
when the door was opened and
in walked an elderly man who
planted himself firmly before
Representative Phillips and an
nounced:
II am a professional lobby.
ist."
Representative Phillips looked
at him without a CLINT Of fear
in his eyes and more amusement
and amazement than anger. The
gentleman then demanded in Q
stern voice:
DO you ever think Of the
monetary prOblem?"
The Representative replied
frigidly.
eyes, I think Of it."
The intrepid soul who had
crashed the gate exclaimed:
"Fine."
And therefore having put over
his campaign he turned on his
heel and left the room. Mr..
Phillips stood for a moment quite
nonplussed and then returned to
his work. Perhaps he'll take the
sign down now if he doesn't find
that the lobbyists are any more
dangerous than this visitor.
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

Governments, particularly those =
that are looking after the little
brown brother" IN remote iungles.
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
Keep This Pledge

ResoIved: That 1t be the of this contention
that committee should be appointed BY the Congress
of the United States to make study of and to report
on the granting to the residents of the District of
Columbia the right of suffrage Unanimously adopted
by the Democratic National Convention Philadelphia
June 26, 1886.
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
Greatest Show on Earth
By Frank Miller Smith

found out later much to his re.
lief that 1t was another person.
He said that reminded him OF
another experience he had had
along similar lines.
Sometime ago he had been
told that another dear friend Of
his had died and it saddened
him a great deal.
He said that about q month
and half later while he was
sitting at a table in a restaurant,
he looked up and there stood
his dead" friend. He said he
never had such a shock in his
life before.
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
HELPFUL

Senator Pat McCarran was in
high good humor the other morn
ing and when an Irishman feels
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
IN ITALICS

Representative Usher L. Bur.
dicks name is carried in the Con.
gressional Directory in italics,
which means, according to a leg
end at the top of the page that
he's a Republican. He told me
once that he was neither a Re-
publican nor a Democrat, but an
Independent.
And now look what happened.
He was a guest at the recent din
ner in honor of Jim Farley, Big
mogul of the Democrats.
The Washington times., 1937-02-18

She's so tired of all these smart
Success books! Clever Tones,
hat tell YOU how to analyZe every
The Washington times., 1937-02-18
Listen. World!
BH Elsie Robinson

HOW'LL YOU LIVE THROUGH GONE OF THOSE DAYS.?
Evening star., 1937-05-07
LIONS CLUB DISTRIBUTES
CODES TO CLASS ROOMS
y Stat1 Correspondent OF The Star.

BY Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
ARLINGTON, Va, May TN
keeping with the policy adopted by
Lions International, the Arlington
County Lions Club yesterday was dis
tributine a code to every class room
in the county schools with a view to
making happy. useful citizens"
George P. Grove, member of the
committee. also said the club will fur
nish white canes to all blind persons
in the county and that the club will
aid in the national drive by the Lions
Club to have universal laws to give
pedestrians the right Of way in traffic.
Presentation OF the codes, each one
attractively framed and engraved, was
made by Rev. George L. GreWnoW,
chairman Of the committee Other
members of the committee are John
j. Waddell, Charles O. Olmstead,
George c. Kicker, Emery N. Hosmer,
DR. Henry L. Bastian, Harry A. Grant
and Judge Walter IT. Mccarthy. Ac-
ceptance of the codes will be by Mrs.
Frances Bell, assistant principal at
Washington-Lee High Scho oil.
Evening star., 1937-05-07
&c. TAX TYRANNY
SCOREDBYC|T|zEN
Iortheast Conference Told
U. S. Is Striking Duty
on Expense Share.

Taxation without representation
tyranny" was the contention of
(. P Armstrong during a discussion
# the District tax situation at a
Meeting of the Northeast Conference
If Citizens Associations held last
hight.
A delegate from Burroughs Citizens
Association, Armstrong made his OBJ
ervation during the vote indorsing
several ways Of raising revenue that
nave been favored by the federation.
Armstrong hit the Government s
proposed appropria ton of only
$4,000, 100000 on the District budg-
It of approximately 100000"
If only statute now on the books
was enforced, the Government would
be paying 40 per cent Of the budget,
which would amount to about ST.
100000" he said
Comparing the Federal Government
10 a huge factory" he charged 1t
was dominating the District lust
like such a firm would dominate in
any other city, if the municipal au-
bllol ItltS UoOh llO SlSpS 10 CuTD lCS
power He then used the taxation
question as an argument for en-
Reimbursement of the citizens, point
ing out the situation was becoming
steadily worse with regard to levies
on the people
However, the conference went on
'ecord indorsing the federation's
stand on the proposed inheritance
AK, levy on insurance premiums,
AK on gross receipts of corporations,
md increased taxes on public utilities.
John P. Cahill. delegate from
oahlgren terrace, proposed a resolu-
ion which was passed unanimously
providing the school grounds be used
Is recreational centers during Sum-
ner months. Supervisors would be
Employed to direct the children under
he proposal.
Taking note of the recent crime
eport the conference went on rec
Td favoring stricter enforcement of
he laws.