davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
IN THE LINE NE FIRE

If Japan and China start a first
class war, what will become of
Americans in the danger zone? If
some of those Americans were killed
in such fighting, would our people
blow up. and demand war, as they
did when the battleship Maine was
blown up in Havana harbor in 1898?
The American people are not so
easily swept off their feet now. They
know thai for a generation to come.
their backs will groan under the
burdens which the World War laid
or them. Their opinion will be, that
if Americans are in danger in China,
they should resort to the nearest
safe place. and not expect their fell
low countrymen to fight a war to
protect them.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
POLICE DON'Ts

Don't fail to leave light burning
in your house when you go out for
the evening" This is one of a lang
series of 'donts" issued by police
departments. Our country is infest-
ed with probably more than a mil
lion people who are watching the
moves that honest folks make, with
the hope of observing some careless
act that will make theft cary.
In former days you could leave
coat or suitcase on a railroad train
while you went for an hour into an
other car. 1t is no longer safe to
do so. Stealthy eyes are watching
just such chances. The world is full
of yellow people. who plan to love
on the fruits of other folks toll,
rather than do any useful work
themselves.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
OUTSIDE THE PROCESSION

An Associated Press dispatch tells
of a man in Arkansas, who recently
celebrated his Sind wedding ami
vcrsary, who had never been out of
his state, never seen a movie or ball
game, and never hunted or fished.
Such a man is a warked contract
to the prevailing sentiment, which
is that people must do the things
their neighbors do. So the world
follows the crowd like little copy
cats, do things they don't really care
about, which cost them too much
and run them into debt. One
rather admires man like our Ar
kansas friend, who is Independent
enough to do just what he wants to.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13

to continue at work and would be
definitely taking Sides"
There is nothing far fetched in
this. For the first time In our his
tory, the post office has refused to
deliver mail when 1t was possible to
do so. Electric power is today the
sole source of energy in the great
bulk Of industries of all kinds
without power, all operations auto
matically come to a stop. II the post
office feels that the delivery of mail
to strike-bound plant shows pref
udice in favor of one side, certainly
tie delivery of power would show
prejudice to a far greater extent.
This little incident shows the stag
gering amount of control over all
our lives and industries achieved by
government when 1t controls and
operates basic Industries and ser
vices. Let government go far enough
into business, and 1t will become the
decisive factor in differences Of all
kinds, with the power to make or
break any industry, any movement,
any enterprise.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
CHAMPI0N PORCH sIrrERs

A special correspondent of the
New York Herald Tribune believes
that the people of Saratoga Springs
N Y. carry on the habit of sitting
on porches with an intensity and en-
durance equaled nowhere else in this
country. He speaks of the porches
on hotels. ON boarding houses, and
oil private homes in that noted city,
all well filled. There are porches
on the fronts and the sides Of build
ings even on inner courts. He
found people sitting on porches late
at night. also at dawn in the morn
ing.
In the early days of the country,
the people were necessarily occu-
pied with toll, and they probably
found little time to sit on porches.
AS families grew smaller. and hours
os work shorter. the habit of sitting
OH porches grew.
II was probably at its height at
the beginning of this century. A
porch was then considered about as
necessary as any room in the house.
People enjoyed the quiet peace of
their home neighborhoors, as they
watched the neighborhood doings,
and gained simple pleasure as they
observed vehicles and pedestrians
pass.
The advent of the automobile was
a severe blow to the porch sitting
habit. The porch sitters were lured
away by the gas buggy. Rocking
the rocking chair began to seem
tame, compared with 25 miles an
hour on the roads. which at that |
time seemed thrilling rate of speed. |
the habit of porch sitting |
has declined, until many home build
ers now feel that an outdoor porch
is no longer necessary.
The habit of porch sitting still has
high values. 1t aids calm ref1ec-
Iion and quiet rest. il encourages
the neighbors to call and thus pro-
notes friendship. The people who
sit on porches Sunday afternoon are
apt TO return to work Monday morn
ng quite as well refreshed as those
who burned gasoline over a 200 mile
,un.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
LATENT POWER

There is enough latent power ii
any community to accomplish
growth, II 1t is only set to work
People are usually willing to per.
form a certain amount OF service
for their home town and for the
general good. II they are asked to
do so. and if they feel the movement
is well organized so it stands a
chance for success.
If no one ever asks them to do
any such thing. this potential
power goes unused. II is like some
river that could turn the wheels of
a hundred mills, which has never
been developed, so that the power
goes to waste. If people are called
on in some systematic way to do the
things that need to be done. improve
ments can be obtained. money can
be raised. new business can be Sc
cured. and old business enlarged and
aided. This is the way towns go on
to success and progress.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
Milford, Friday, August 1s. 1887
OVER A LONG PERIOD of year,

OVER A LONG PERIOD of years
the Milford Emergency Hospital has
demonstrated it's need to this section
of lower Delaware-and has filled
this need in a worthwhile manner.
Never in it's long history of service
to Kent and Sussex Countians has it
failed to render succor when asked
After years of steady growth and
broadening of its activities those in
charge of it's management recognized
the need OF expansion in order that
it might increase the scope of its
usefulness to humanity. After care
ful consideration and long hours OF
preparation, the building operations
were started on the large lot which
had been acquired for the new hos
pital building.
With the starting of building OPP
erations came a change in the name
OF the new hospital. 1t became the
Milford Memorial Hospital; but the
same management is retained. Since
the new building was started steady
progress has been made. The brick
work is now completed and the roof
ia being constructed. With this
rapid building has come a demand
for increasing funds-and ample
finds are required in building op-
Grafton of the magnitude and scope
of that now under way. Those in
charge of building operations have
gone ahead steadily with the build
ing with the knowledge that those
who have pledged themselves to aid |
in financing the project will not
renig upon their obligations. They
have drawn steadily upon their orig
inal fund in order that the work
shall not be held up. At this time,
however, they find themselves in
need of money in order that the rapid
grogress shall be maintained. AS
A result of their needs, the president
of the hospital, Dr. 6. Layton Grier,
has felt it necessary to send a let
ter to each delinquent contributor
asking that they Immediately pay
their overdue pledge. This is GER
tainly a fair demand. Those now in
arrears should come forward with
their contribution, and by so doing
aid in the completion of worthy
and much needed hospital in Mil
ford, which. when completed, will
be the equal or peer of any hospital
Of its size in the entire nation. Send
in your pledges now that the good
work may be continued.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
THE POST OFFICE
WON'T TAKE SIDES?'

At the present time, the govern
ment is in the power business on a
wide scale. II is proposed that this
scale be immensely broadened in the
future. with government plants op-
Grating in every section of the coun-
try.
In view of the governments ac-
tion, through the post Office depart
ment, in recent strikes, possible re-
suits of this are interesting and i'm
portant.
The post Office refused to deliver
parcel post packages addressed to
workers within picketed steel
plants on the grounds that 1t would
not take sides" in an industrial dis
pute. Suppose the government like
wise supplied the electric power to
such plants. With the mail preced-
ent in view, could it not decline to
deliver current? By supplying cleo
triicty 1t would enable men at work
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
WHERE THE TALL CORN GROWS

Iowa is said to have won the cham
pionship for raising the tallest corn.
Az least a farmer from Batavia in
that state produced stalk measur-
ing. over 16 feet and five inches. If
any state can beat it. let it now
speak or forever hold its peace.
A sixteen foot corn stalk is some
thing for the poets to sing about. 1t
reaches to the top of the second
story of some houses. 1t is a re-
minder of the wonderful richness of
American soil. A country that has
land that will grow such a noble
plant is somehow to blame il it can
not produce comfort for every in
dustriOus family.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
BIG FAMILIES FEARED

A French scientist predicts that
within two generations, the popula-
ton of IL European countries will
be 100000 less. The high cost OF
living, unemployment. the higher
standards of care and expenditure,
the dislike of the modern world for
hard work, are quite likely to result
in smaller families, and hence popu-
lation decline in all countries.
People used to worry for fear pop
ulation would grow so fast that there
would not be food enough for every
body. The future worry may be as
to how the farmer can sell his prod
ucts with population falling of. The
modern world demands plenty Of
money and not SO much hard work.
Large populations can't be supported
on that basis.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
WORKER AND -
CONSUMER SOAKED

The Tax Policy League recently
published an analysis of special
chain store taxes. 1t demonstrates
vividly the amazing differences in
the taxing methods OF the various
states-differences that in many
cases have bred glaring injustices.
Twenty states now have gradual
ed chain store taxes. The Iowa and
Minnesota rates are the lightest for
chains with less than a hundred
stores, and Texas rates are the heav-
lest. Texas and Pennsylvania have
the steepest rates of progression.
A small chain of five stores pays
a total special tax of but 500 in Iowa
or Minnesota-but it must pay 1910
In Florida and s5O5 in Montana. A
chain of 20 stores pays $195 in Iowa
and Minnesota, and $4,000 in Idaho.
The top rate is in Texas, where $3.50
per store must be paid In class taxes
for each store over SO.
The results of excessive taxation
Of retail outlets are at last becoming
evident. A major chain was recently
forced to close a large number of
stores in Pennsylvania, where a
chain of 500 stores must pay spe-
cial tax of $184,0O0. This means that
employees were thrown out of work, |
property vacated and competition
the expense of the gen.
eral public.
The average chain store system
earns a net profit of but one or two
cents for each dollar of business
Some proposed taxes
would actually have cost the chains
more than their entire net earnings
in average years. Faced with dis
financial burden such as
this, the chain can do but one of two
its prices all along the
line or close its store.
The worker or consumer bears the
direct brunt of excessive chain store
taxation. Cost of living is inflated,
and persons with fixed incomes buy
less, which reduces national pur-
power. A Oppressive effect
S exerted over the entire nation.
Swat the -
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13
HISTORIC RACES

Someone remarks that the zach
races for the famous America Cup
which have been taking place neal
Newport, r. l., are feature of the
Oldest type of sporting events in the
world.
Back 5000 years ago, the Egyptions
built and navigated sailing ships.
Probably many rulers and others of
those times built such craft for plea
sure purposes. and competed with
each other to see which had the fast
est boat.
There is something in the art OF
sailing a ship on the seas that has
appealed deeply to the heart of man.
George Chapman. English poet, ex-
pressed the thrill of sailing 300 years
ago when he wrote:
Give me a spirit that on life's rough
sea
Loves to have his sails filled with a
Justly wind,
Even till his sail-yards tremble, his
masts crack.
And his rapt ship runs on her side
so low,
That she drinks water, and her keel
ploughs air"
The successful racing skipper
must have a marvellous eye for wind
and skies and seas, for estimating
the power of the forces which help
and hinder him.
The America cup was originally
won by the yacht America in the
year 1851, as the result of race
around the Isle of Wight in the Eng
lieh channel. Englishmen have come
over 16 times with their yachts in
the vain hope of winning the cup
back. The many defects they have
suffered may indicate that the chill
lenger in such a contest, who has !
to cross the ocean and sail his ship |
over course with which he is not
SO familiar, is under some disadvan-
tage. 1t is fine to see people engage
in a sport in such a fair and gentle
manly way, depending solely ON skill
and mastery of an art. If all sports
could be run on that basis. needed
lessons of fair play would be taught
hat would affect all human life.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13

PEOPLE OFTEN LOOK at distant
things as wonderful, and nearby
things as inferior. In so doing they
often make mistakes, as when they
pass by good stun in home stores
to buy the same things for more
money elsewhere.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13

DON'T EXPECT your home town
is going to do all it could for you
unless you make some valuable con-
tribution to home town life by your
own effort.
Milford chronicle., 1937-08-13

ONE STRANGE THING about COM
munity life. is that many people who
are always careful to dress neatly,
will tolerate ugly disorder in and
around their home places.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
NAVY MEDICAL
BILL FAVORED

The bill authorizing conStruc-
ton of a new Navy medical cen
ter in the District or immediate
vicinity was reported favorably to-
day by the Senate Naval Affairs
Committee.
1t is planned to replace the pres
ent Naval Hospital and to include
the medical center and the Naval
Dental School. The cost is not to
exceed $4,s5O,O00.
In 1881 the Secretary of the
Navy was authorized to remodel
the Naval Hospital at a cost Of
$3,200,000. Since then it has been
decided that the center should be
moved to better location and
new buildings erected. In the re-
port Senator David L. Walsh CD
of Massachusetts said the present
location is noisy, both because of
its situation near arterial high
ways and because of airplane
routes Immediately overhead.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
POISON DEATH
|SPR0BED

An inquest was ordered today
in the case of Mrs.. Irma Dean
Klatt, IS, who was pronounced
dead last night at Casualty Hos
pital after she had called for help,
saying she had swallowed a bottle
of caustic poison.
Mrs Klatt was alone in her
apartment at 10 Maryland Ave.
N. E. when she called the colored
elevator boy, Arthur Burke, telling
him she had taken poison. He
summoned an ambulance and she
vas taken to the hospital where
she Was pronounced de44.
Fred G.. Klatt, her husband and
engineer in the building, mad left
the apartment with their 14-year-
old daughter, Patsy, short time
before she took the poison.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
Coke Union TO Talk
Further Organization

Further organization activities
among employees OF the Washing.
ton Gaslight Company will be dis
cusSed at a meeting tomorrow
night of the gas and coke workers
division, United Mine Workers.
The union, which claims juris.
diction over all gas company EN-.
ployes, will meet at its new head
quarters, the old Jockey Club at
Fifth and Morse Streets Northeast.
John Kelley, bushes agent for the
local union, announced the head.
quarters would be open night and
day henceforward.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
MISSING BOYS
JUST WORKING

Band music and the pleasurable
solitude Of q night watchman's job
lured Charles Keefe, IL, and his
brother, Earl, 10, from their home
at 483 G st. s. W., last night, they
explained to police this morning
after the latter finally found them
at their grandmother's home at
706 Seventh st. S. E.
Asked why they were missing, "
the boys said they went to the
Capitol Plaza to listen to the u. S.
Navy Band last night, and then
on their way home, a couple asked
them to watch over some furni-
ture stored in a garage on First
Street Southeast. They liked the
idea of playing Waterman, so de.
cided to stay in the garage over.
night.
Early this morning when their
vigil was ended, they went directly
to the home of their grandmother,
Mrs. Wilhelmenia Keefe, at the
Seventh Street address. The boys
mother, Mrs. Margaret Ballard. is
a nurse at st. Elizabeth's Hospital.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27

offense.
John F. Jensen, 1447 EaSt Capt.
tai ST., so miles.
George Sklar, 1347 Gallatin St.
N. W., so miles.
Gilbert N. Tanner, 345 Cedar
st. N. W., AZ miles, second offense.
Henry L. Thomas, 2422 Seven.
tenth st. N. W., A miles, second
offense.
George J. O'Hare, HyattSville,
Nd, so miles.
Those whose permits were Sus-
pended indefinitely pending ap-
peal and the charge at the time
of arrest are:
Clarence P. Butcher, 1914 Pat
terson st. N. w., so miles.
CONTINUED on Page II. Col. II
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
GROCERY AIDE
IS ROBBED

A red-faced, sandy-haired bandit
today held up a Sanitary Grocery
messenger at Tenth and K Streets
Northwest, and robbed him Of sew
eral hundred dollars Of the COM
pany's funds destined for bank
deposit.
The messenger, Charles Harvey
of 3112 Mt. Pleasant st. N. W.,
told police he had collected funds
from two of the company stores,
one of which is in the 1000 block
Eleventh Street, a short distance
from where the holdup occurred.
The bandit approached the mes
Senger and asked him where the
company's employment officers
were. located. Then revealing a
gun he had kept concealed be-
meath a coat he carried on his arm,
he demanded the money. The
bandit threatened Harvey.
eff you try and run, there are
men on the next corner who
will get yOu."
Detective Captain Ira Keck said
Of the bandit:
Gle must be a new man. His
description Offhand does not cor
respond to anyone who has been
operating in town recently"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
BLOCKS SPEED
HOME PLANS

Washington architects today
were considering predictions that
prefabrication of houses will be
developed to such an extent in the
future that home builders will be
able to model their homes from
blocks, instead of the boresome
process of porting over blueprints.
Leaders in the building industry
have long been talking Of prefabri-
cation, but the latest on the con-
struction mart is that honeymoon
ers will be able to plan their home
with toy blocks, and that mass
production will greatly reduce
building costs.
Houses will be made larger by
adding sections.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
7. B. Camp Donations
Are Showing Gains

Additional gifts of money to the
District tuberculosis Association
today enabled the one hundredth
child to be given six weeks of care
at the Bald Eagle Camp.
Mrs. Ernest w. Grant, director
Of the association, announced
$121.02 had been contributed to-
day, thereby providing a chance
for life to one unfortunate local
youngster and leaving $50.77 to-
ward the $50 necessary to provide
for the one hundred and first
child.
Capacity of the camp. main
tanned by the association for
Washington children suffering
from tuberculosis, is 1875. With
room for Is more children, the
association is pressing its cam
paign for funds.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
DIVORCE SUITS
TANGLED

Although two divorce DEGREES
had been issued in other courts dis.
solving her previous marriage, Mrs.
Teresa H. Sears, wife of John R.
Sears, former pin ball king"
found they were not sufficient to
support her limited divorce suit
against her present husband.
The Court of Appeals ruled that
the decree obtained by her first
husband, Ernest G.. Hargett, in
North Carolina in 1924 and the
decree she obtained against Har-
gett in Virginia the same year
were invalid, since neither she nor
Hargett were legal residents Of the
States in which they obtained the
divorces.
Complaining results, according
to the higher court ruling are:
Mrs. Sears, who married the one
time head Of the Pioneer Novelty
Distributing Company in 1927, lost
her suit for limited divorce. and
Sears is granted an annulment on
his croSS-bill.
Attorneys Raymond Neudecker
and James e. Shifflette. who rep
resent Sears, say that Hargett, the
first husband of Mrs. Sears, has
remarked since their divorce de-
creeS were obtained and has two
children by his present wife.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27
ID. {. Traffic Toll
Climbs 1913

Traffic fatalities in Washington
since January l increased to So
today when Claude A. Neville, col.
ored truck helper, was crushed be-
tween a truck and its trailer.
The accident occurred in front
of 5404 First Pl. N. w. Neville,
who was 80 and lived at 634 Forty
ninth st. N. E., was an employe
of the Potomac Electric Power
Company.
At this time last year the death
record stood at 40.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-27

Those whose permits were re-
voked and the charges at time of
arrest:
Oswald P. Garner, 1925 Kenyon
st. N. W., so miles.
Samuel E. Tate, 4615 J st. N.
E., so miles.
The permit of Jacob Mehlman,
of 4506 Georgia Ave. N. W., was
suspended for period of As days
for speeding 46 miles on a second
offenSe.
Those whose permits were sus-
pended for a period of 80 days
and the charges at time of arrest
are:
William E. Branford, 1908 Sew
enth st. N. W., AZ miles, second
offense.
Wilbur M. Gerhart, 1927 Twenty
seventh st. N. w. 80 miles, second