davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Cost Still Mounts

One of our favorite diversions several years ago was commenting on the stead- ily-rising cost of the Merritt Parkway. It was then very much in the nebulous stage, although at that time 1t was fairly positive that the road would ultimately be built. However, there were all sorts of rivers to be crossed, fences to be jumped and the resulting publicity made the entire project well-worth the com ment that was forthcoming all through the state. It is as nothing compared to the publicity now being heaped high at each end of the road.
 It IS too bad that the road, intended as a memorial to prominent republican legislator, who gave good many years of his life to public service, should be so wound up with political goings-on that 1t becomes a mere football. Certainly the Merritt Parkway, if charges now made are proved, will not be a fitting memorial to Schuyler Merritt. It will always be remembered by Connecticut citizens as the highway project which created such . storm of protest over its very little fea. tslre and which ultimately proved to be the most expensive road ever built In the state.
 From the outcome 1t was obvious that the roadway was to cost a pretty penny. That's why 1t was always hard to settle on a definite cost for 1t. But no one ever dreamed that one of the main objections to setting high" for construction costs was the fact that such situation would mean that the state would have to con- demn much of the land it was obliged to acquire for rights of way. Too bad the state wasn't forced into acquiring land in this fashion. Judging by the revela- tions of this week Christmas presents were enjoyed in profuSion by land-ownels in the last few years.
 It Is to say that any future projects such as this, involving wholesale pur- chases of land, will not result in the ex. ploitation that is so obvious from mere Contemplation of prices paid by the state as compared to assessed valuations. True the mark-ups in many instances may have been Justified by the fact that loss of the land isolated other property or made its commercial value small, but the average man will conclude that the state has played fairy godmother in Fairfield County. We should have known that things were going too peaceful along the Merritt Parkway. It was fated to provoke trouble and pickering from the very out. set. Its name should have been changed long since, SO that the man 1t is supposed to honor will not be touched by any scan- dal connected with 1t.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Republicans Rule Office

Controller Elect Sherwood L. Rowland will be "boss" of his own department. The Superior Court has ruled that the Chat ter of the City of Waterbury gives him the right to hire and fire his own depart mental employees. It states, however, that for cause employees may be removed at the instigation or order of the Mayor. whether or not Mayor Frank Hayes will seek further court action on this Charter question remains to be seen. It is very likely that he will accept the decision as rendered yesterday and allow the new controller to make whatsoever changes he may think are necessary.
 There were a number of different considerations of this court battle. A good many people believed that 1t was brought primarily to freeze in" office present department employees, all named during the Democratic administration. That's quite possible, but there is also the other very important and vital point which Mayor Hayes continually stressed. He declared that the Charter provisions gave him the right to fill departmental positions and that as he had exercised this right in the past, he saw no reason to change in the future.
 On the strength of precedent, 1t would seem that even change in the political complexion of the departmental head had no bearing on the matter. But evil dently the court figured that 1t had and that virtual decision by the electorate of the city to change the departmental head also indicated that a complete change was in order. It is barely possible that the ruling may necessitate changes or alterations in the existing charter of the city, SO that officials may know on what ground they stand If 1t may have been rnisinterpreted in one place, it's pos sible other clauses, too, may have been read wrong.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Dust Bo1OlS Future
Scientific Methods Are Binding Down Soil, Thus
 Repairing Damage Done.
HARTFORD CouRANT

earth. The face of the land was covered with brown dust, AB barren as the pumice on the moon.
 Can the dust bowl Do restored Go fertility, or at least to Q state where it does not threaten neighborlng regions? Tn on informed article in the Saturday Evening Post, Ben Hihbs discusses what progress hes been made in binding down the sol in the dust bowl. on the whole, it is on encouraging report By strip and contour farming, by Q cAreful choice of soll.eonservlng crops, by Q restoration of the old cover and, not the least important, by Q normal rainfall, some of the damage hAa already been repaired. But there are still great regions where the dry and shifting soil waits only . strong breeze to blow up Q dust storm.
 Much of what has been dene hes been experimental. The adoption ol the new agricultural methods and the installation of the new economy that new and dlverslfled crops rAake necessary on Q wide scale remain te be accomplished. The technical knowledge of how bo restore the dust bowl exists, but that knowledge must be palnstaklngly taught % thousands of independent indlvld. uals. new ways of life must be wlde- ly adopted and, not improbably, . new kind Of landowner must take over the large absentee holdings. J the dust bowl is to Do rescued from the fate that . year or 90 ego seemed inevitable.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Housing in cuassmaIa

While the United States studies the low-cost housing plans of England and some other European countries, a neigh Dor to the South looks to us for It's model. Guatemala is getting ready to attack its own housing problem and has decided to begin with our type of small, up-to-date but moderately priced houses.
 The flattering imitation includes every thing. The business men backing the project have written to the United States for catalogs from the makers of bathroom fixture, metal sinks and other kitchen equipment, electric washing machines, metal furniture, and wall, door and recess beds.
 Guatemala City was practically de- stroyed by earthquake in 1918 and rebuilt in 1920, so wholesale remodeling is not a new thing to it's citizens. In taking over house plans from us their architects and builders will doubtless keep their own peculiar problems in mind and make adaptations accordingly. We hope, too, that they will not sacrifice any features of their older construction which were distinctive and beautiful. It would be too bad to have all the cities of the continent come to look just alike.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Africa Grows Dull

Africa is becoming much less interest ing, says Windsor T. White, a returning game hunter. It's too civilized. "For one thing" he complains, natives are wearing more clothes. That may help business but doesn't add to the interest of the country. It isn't picturesque"
 Even the animals seem less interesting. There are so many of them, and they are so approachable. In couple of weeks travel he saw 50,000 to 100000 zebras, antelope and other circus beasts Great herds of them roam the plains as our buffaloes used to.
 It must spoil the illusion, too, when you travel almost anywhere by airplane or motor car. MT. White covered 1000 miles by automobile. Other travellers have reported that it's a common thing now to shoot lions from an auto. Anyway, there's still some glamor there for us stay. at-homes, and the specimens are inter- esting. But to our children or grand children, horse or COW or pig will prob- ably attract as much attention in the ZOO as these African irnportations.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23

Just because we have partially trained some 100000 American youths in the last few years by placing them in eco camps is no reason for any statesmen to believe we are so well prepared for war that there is nothing left to do but in- volve us in world mess. While the boys who have been in the eco camps and those who still man them are trained to a certain extent and would make fine n1il- itary prospects, we hope that the likeli- hood of calling upon them for such a purpose is far away. Robert Fechner, director of the eco, has just called atten- ton to the availability of 2,300, ,000 youths in the United States for military service. When the CCC was started, 1t was claimed that its purpose, underlying the main one, was to form just such semi military organization that in event of an emergency could be quickly trained for immediate service. Judging by life in the eco camps in the past, the military aspects have not been overenphasized, but have merely been employed for eff. ciency and disciplinary purposes.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23

several days later, he called on the Treasury chief and after q chat emerged with an order for 1000 Stark Delicious trees which Morgenthan plans to plant In hls orchards.
 HulI's Public Opinion
 lt is still e matter cf behind- the scenes consideration, but Ncr- man Armour, now D. g. Minister of Canada, may soon become as- sistant secretary of state. in which capacity he would give special ct. tention Go public relations.
 This appointment is Inotivated by the fact that Secretary Hull feels more should he done to mo- hilize public opinion behind hts foreign policies.
 Norman Armour 6 one of the ahler career diplomats. and doubtless win be able Co influ- enoe public opinion somewhat. However. these who make Q speciality of studying public opinion could tell Mir. Hull that offloiaA who always walt until they have public opinion with them before they act, never have public opinion with them.
 Those who act both wisely and feareleSsly, on the other hand, never have to worry about public opinion. It comes along by It. self. f.,
 NOTE-Mr. Hun has been par. tioularly concerned because the public has not grasped tho long- term significance of Far Eastern events and the effect upon the United states 2S years hence. !n ease Japan takes over China.
 Ambassador Davies
 If and when Norman Armour $ switched from Aie Canadian post, it is not At all unlikely that Joe Davis, now Ambassador Go Russia, will take his place.
 Although Ottawa rates Q Ulinis- ter rather than an ambassador. !t is one of the most important posts in the entire diplomatic service. and would be no demotion. To Joe 1t would have the real advantage of being within committing dis- tance of New York--no insignifl. cant point to his glamorous new bride, the former Marjorie Post Hutton, N
 NOTE-lf he doesn't like otta- wa, Joe iS sure to get A fairly good diplomatic joh some place else tf he waits for tt. He contributed to the campaign funds of 1e different senators. (Thls ts Q less public way of donating to tho party. since gifts to senate campaigns are not always made puhlicl
 Copyright. le07, by United
 Feature Syndicate. Incl
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Selected Poem
ISLAND HELD
tJohn Ritchey in the New York Times)

(John Ritchey In the New York TimeO A man beset by islands well may dream To stand with sun, to balance on the air Ills sturdy weight to watch the misty stream Of flashing sea birds climb the luminous stair Of sky above the reaches of the salty sound That marks, for him. the boundary of the seq; Ills b the contemplation of the ground, The rocks, the wind, the wave's imn1ensity. A man beset by islands will forego All company not concerned with tide and foam; The fog becomes his clement, the blow Of shattered spume his messenger of home. This man must stand q sentinel apart Who shelters islands even in his heart.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23

The Merritt Parkway revelations of the last>week or so may have more far-reach- ing effects than can be imagined. This was really to be the first of series of great boulevards that the state was to build. Whether or not 1t will carry on remains to be seen. But if the state does go along with It's proposed parkway from Hartford across to Litchfield County and the $100, 100000 parkway from the south western corner to the northeastern, we rather imagine that some supervisory agency will be set up to take care of the entire project.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Feet Youe
 Knowledge

Can yeA answer seven eR these eese eNeatloMn% INFM Co lAst page eeF eMe AMswess. l. Where ere the plemeae M. lAn0SR
 q what is . pseNaonytMe
 S. Name the eldest university iE Germany.
 (. m lntlzAe. what lA a pFeAA4ee 8 WhAA b haeENupMlllAt
 G WhieM state AOea Senator Wil, Ham N. king represent m the D. Q @eNAtep Z V WAaa was the theme song el aisel"
 S. WhO wese tAe novel ~AllAs 0NaEteElAMMp~
 Q 0M WAat boy b Miami FaA.e lN When win tho next popNlA' ton census 0s the Q. q he eaesMe
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
A Book a Day
A Darker Chapter
 From Pioneer Life
ny NRUCE CATION

Usually we celebrate our pionsers as heroic. other worldly folk who had their eyes on some mystic vis. ion. endured greatly for tt, and lived dAuntless lives of Christian self-sAerifice for the sake of their children.
 There were some like that. proh- Ahlys but there were other kinds. too - greedy, listed. unsertip- WloNs people who were strictly on the make, who sew the ironties aa a place where only tho strong asir- vived end who adapted themselves to 1t with q grim determination to survive at Any price.
 Ik is the latter kind of pioneer that gets between the covers of Mart SAn00aA grim novel. "9loauxn House" (lAtkle. Droxsns @2A0l.
 This book tells about the setaler4 ot the sAndhill NehEAskA country and deals principally with the elo- gun family. which ta dominated by lawleSs. determined Qulla SloguIn.
 0ulla k pure greed. She was q nobody. back in 0htos her one Idea iS O become a somebody. SO that she can at last 60 back to Ohio. buy Q fine house on c hin. end snWh tho somehodies who once snNhhed her. She stops at nothing to achieve thia eoal and she forces her family to help.
 So sloguin house is q dark end horrible plAee--a scene 0t cruelty end murder. of theft and deceit. ot oola viciousness applied to the art ot setting and keeping money. And the book which describes this house is not pleasant reAdin9s it calls q spade q spade. very hluntlN over and oveR
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
In New York
By GEORGE ROSS

New York, Dec. 23.-(Ur)-The tourist mating" agencies are doing c flourishing business, now that the season is brisk and the snow clouds loom over New York.
 "Mating" tourists for Q trip b 0 special kind of business. These travel agencies serve their pur. pose in making up Q congenial group for trips to Chicago and points west. They do not provide the means of transportation. If you have Q car and are seeking Q few fellow passengers to share expenses, the agency will round them up for you, for a reasonable commission. If you don't have Q car of your own, the agency VIII introduce you to people who do; and who happen to be going your
 The tariffs are not high. They run, generally, from s2o to e40 for an auto trip to Chicago and from $40 to S60 for Q transcontlnental hop to California. Or just enough to pay for half the gas and oll, with Q little over for the folk who've introduced you to the other party. The agency people confide that old ladies with dogs are the most popular passengers, since animals aren't permitted to travel with their owners by rAll.
 On almost any day of the week, amusing problems come up With which these tourists mating" agencies must grapple. For m. stance, two men got together ln the agency one day and seeme6 to be favorably impressed with each other from the start. They went out Co lunch with the firms blessings. But the trip was never made. Seems that the luncheon chat got around to baseball and one was Q National league fan, the other 6 devotee Of the Yankee division. The meal wound up with a cancellation oI their travelling plans and bFlef
 on another occasion, the agency grew ieary of placing certain i,eople together. Two of them were chorus girls who were breaking In q sister act and were booked Tor a night club In Los Angeles. And one of the other pAssengers was a prlm Dakota school teacher on her way back home. Some weeks later, she wrote the agency and comment ed ,inon the charms Of the two ehors ines. She asked the agency how she might secure newspaper clip. ping telling of thelr progress M the show world.
 one of the agencies feels pretty good because . young man once set out to c job In a Texas law oliice with his uncle and was thrown ln with Q young lady on her way to the coast Co visit an aunt. She never reached the other coast because the boy pro posed Co her somewhere near Bt. Eouls and she bllthely accepted. The uncle and aunt have declared ehemselves pleased since then.
 Noel: Two department store Kris lSPingles comparing notes Nt the corner luncheonette h an oif.hoNf.
 "f coulda kicked that bFatS teeth down hb throat" mNtters the more dlsgruntlea Santa 0laUs.
 And the other, rubbing . rough chin laments, 'They bawled mo out th.y morning for coming ln tO the store without c shave. And with AM those whlskeFe b hid ln"
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Press Common
STATE REVENUES (FlAFtfoFa Tlmes)

Ans informing statement was Issued by the State Tax Department recently with regard Co the sources from which the State derives ies revenues.
 There ere % such sources. Nine of these each produce more than | Sl,00o.000.
 The total Income for the last fiscal year, ending last June %, was S5l, ,447,Se0.
 It is noteworthy that nearly halk the total Income came from three sources. They are special sales taxes to Wits
 Gasoline Se,2s0,Syv Cigarettes 9,0a,001y Liquor &,SJ2,SSS
 The last two are gulte largely so. called luxury taxes. Folk do not need cigarettes and llqNor In the strict sense os the term. Also much gaSo. line ls consumed for purposes oR pleasure. m this respect these items offer not only much revenue but much room for argument, A SnAoke, As the doNghboys discovered, may be more important, for the moment than a brigade M the reserve trenches.
 The other mllllon-dollaF sources of revenue Ares
 Corporation business tax eS,Aee. 60 Inheritance 1.SeAS9S
 fnsNFance-Aomeslle 4,elN,e22
 Insurance oe-lorelgA l,04l,0s4 old age assistance Al0N00O Tax on towns l,2eOO00
 The nlne mllllen.aollaF .oF~moFe sources aggregate fully $ae,o00. .0e0 of the sal, ,ASo,0oo total received hv the state. N <
 Taxation is very much Of . live subject even though for the moment ls may be QNlesceAk % far @ tAe State ls concerned. We are now sMl0~ way between two sessions os the FseslslaeOFe.
 The next aessloM wlA have the subject before ie As dla tho last ere although not in quite the same fern. The leS7 session postponed tax action by financing the accumulated deficit Of @lA,O0O, ,o00 and . 0ll, ,oeo, ,eo0 new building program out os q 9a1, 0,OO0 bond Issue. Borrowing probably was justified for i've seAs sons, the large sum needed AlA0 the very loW interest rates At which money cen ee obtained But borrowing cannot ee the permanent policy for avoiding new eANeA Either reduced expenditures Os ln~ creased taxation b tho alternative before the next IeslslANEA
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23

Waterbury's holiday appearance cer. tainly must meet with general approval. The latest touch was the construction of a Santa Claus atop the clock on the Green. This is something new locally, but the comments are entirely favorable and reflect considerably on our officials. In view of all the circumstances we cer- tainly can be proud of our city's appear. ance this Christmas.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
T0DAx's COMMON ERROR Rstallee b pronounced either
 retailer or Fe'.ta.leN

A Yes; "Ths Eehe." puhlished every Saturday
 e. How many .. 6. postotneas were there In 1900 and lsoos
 A. There were o0S poseofAees In 1900 and vs,ees In leo0
 e. Who publishes . biography ot WM Nogerss
 A. Patrick ,. o'DrienS Biography k published by John Q. Winston Oo. Philadelphia, Pa. Jack LAitS is pNh- llshed hy oFeenberg, Inc. New York city,
 e. Where was tho molten pie tNre "Dead End," lalme0p
 A. n studies at Hollywood. The SlNm scene Was specially constructed end was . copy oe East S3nA street. New YoEk. This set wAs 800 feet lonR and lS0 feet wide, and the eVlldlnss were Ss feet high
 a. N muskFat flesh edihlep
 A. 10 ls one of the most pAlat. able oe game meats, providing the scent glands ere not broken during the sklnnMg process.
 e. Name the first states te seeede from the Unlon. ,
 A. South Carolina, Georgia, Flor ida, Alabama, Mississippi losis- laMa, and Texas. The following states 1olned the ContedeFaey lAters Virginia, North Carolina. Tennessee. and Arkansas.
 e. Describe the pelts of the black monkeys Of the west coast of AfrlcAH
 A. They are about 10 by 10 lnehes. The hair lS very long. very black, and bright, with no under wool end the pelt ct the base o3 the hair, hv reason oe contrast, iS very nokleeANle.
 'le yea waMs a eapy ee sNE Assk- lse THE PARTY NOOK,~ write tMe Waterbury OeMeesAtN WasA~ lMglOM Bureau, 1elS Thirteenth street. Washington, w. O Enclose le cents lA' pssAage
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23

Ruthless and uninformed farming methods produced the Great Amer. ican Dust Bowl, which in recent years has attracted the same awed attention that the Great American Desert once received. The land was pulled into over-production, It's natural cover was stripped off and such non binding crops as wheat planted in It's place. When the drought set in, the heart-breaking dust storms that have become 90 familiar in recent years followed once fertile fields were piled with windrows of dust and sand. Houses were half buried in the drifting
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Daily Almanac
Moon rises ii:Ss p. m.

Moon rises 1l:JB D. m.
 Sun rises 7:i4 Q. in.; sets 4:28 ?. m.
 All vehicles must be lighted thirty minutes after sunset.
 This b the time of the year when the hoanely customs of man years standing come to the fore. Every household has It's own generations. They are the conglomeration of racial customs handed down and changed around shy time and pircumstances.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
Questions and
 Answers
YouR oURsTTONs ANsWRREn
Q, Frederick M Kerbs

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Enclose a three.cent stamp soF reply when addressing any cues. tlon oe feet oP information Co Che Waterbury DemooFAts Service Bu. reAu at Washington. Legal and medical advice cannot he given. nor can extended research be un. dertaken. Dc sure an mall ls cd. dressed % Che WATERBURY DEMOCRATS SERVICE BU. REAU, loiS Thirteenth Street. Washington, D. c
 TME EDITOM e. When was the American Labor party organised. and is it nAtion-WldeS
 A. It was organized in July, leSe, by John L. Lewis and George Berry. Ie iB confined At present to the state oe New York.
 e. h there Q negro newspaper in Augusta, 0eorglal
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23

The Rome-Berlin "axis' and various other such axes naturally imply wheels wheels within wheels and wheels with in heads.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
pr. Frank, New COP. Skipper, Faces III Will of Congressmen;
 Leaders Resent Pedagogue At.
 COP. Helm, Col. Knox Ignored
70 QoN.R . MAl
n - RAmDo9

WASHINGTON December 2S -- Dr. Glenn Frank chairman of the Republican committee to draft new declaration of principles has one job on his hands not mentioned when he was appointed last week. ---.-
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23

You can't blame the towns with full community chests for feeling chesty.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-23
A Thought for Today

And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loOsed, and he spake, and praised Ood.-Luke 1:eA
 eETT
 miracle take to be sensible operation, which being above the comprehension of the spectator and in his opinion contrary to the established course of nature, Is taken by him to be divine--Locke