davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1937-04-03

they may seriously impair the ability
Of an interstate rail carrier to perform
its service to the public, is matter Of
public concern"
From this language many constitu-
tional lawyers believe the court will up
hold the Wagner act in the case of the
Washington Virginia-Maryland Coach
Company, one of the five controversies
awaiting decision. This case, apparently.
is on all fours with that of the railway
company. The other Wagner cases,
particularly the three involving manu-
featuring concerns, are expected to turn
on the courts Interpretation of the in
terstate commerce clause, the question
Of due process being secondary point.
But, whatever the ruling in the Wag-
ner cases, the decision in the railway
case should be an effective answer to
those Supreme Court critics who con-
tend that the justices. by placing too
narrow an Interpretation on the due
process clause, have denied Congress the
right to legislate In its proper sphere.
Evening star., 1937-04-03
FOrtieth Birthday.

Celebrating the fortieth anniversary
OF its organization, the League Of Amer
ican Pen Women merits word Of ap-
probation. 1t is still young enough to
be vigorous in behalf of cultural prog
ress, yet old enough to understand and
to wish to preserve traditional values in
the arts to which it is particularly de-
voted - letters, music, painting and
sculpture.
Mark Twain and numerous other OBJ
servers Of the national scene have
noticed that it is characteristic OF
Americans to band together, and the
Pen Women reflect the common impulse
for cooperation. It is the conviction
OF the founders and their followers that
civilization in the New World is demo-
cratic affair. To serve its high objectives
they encourage independent effort. but
they also foster the ideals Of fellowship
and mutuality. For such policy they
find inspiration in the fact that repub-
hcan institutions have made the popu-
lation of the United States the best
read and the most widely informed
public in the world.
During the past four decades women
have exercised powerful influence
upon the coupe which the arts every
where have t{oen, and the next four
Evening star., 1937-04-03
Tragedy Demonstrates Need
OF Schools for Mothers
To tho Editor of The Star

To the Editor Of The Star
Might I, as one who has the welfare
of all children at heart, express myself
in your valuable column for all parents
to see?
1 speak of the terrible tragedy that
came to the parents OF little one who
was killed by another little one. God
help him-the fault was not his.
What are we as parents thinking of
when we allow children to have fire.
arms-evey toy firearms? Question
yourselves how long will toy firearms
satisfy these children whose hand is
continually on the trigger of a gun in
their play hours, and stick 'em up" is
heard from little ones as you walk on
the street or sit in your car, and when
q mother knows and condones the fact
that her son has them in quantities at
his disposal that seems beyond all COM
prehension?
1t fills one with horror to know what
the outcome will be.
Surely we have come to the time when
we need not only schools for children
but schools for parents-especially
schools for mothers.
MARY E. CLARK.
Evening star., 1937-04-03
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

possible to think successfully ray
around the debacle OF lack of interest.
This lack must be caught red-handed,
as it were, and labeled for what it is,
once and for all.
It is easy for any one to tell himself
or herself that certain task, which is
found distasteful, is very useful, after all,
even absolutely necessary, completely
essential
Utility is one of the great hallmarks of
beauty and interest.
Our very furniture is beautiful as it is
useful. Attempts to divorce utility and
beauty seldom succeed 1t has been
tried, with what results a survey OF Ger
tain periods" shows.
The true beauty in all house furnish
ings lies close to the core Of daily use.
That is why we get an uneasy feeling
in visiting some Of these display places,
where there is no radio to be seen, no
books, no knitting on the living room
table.
Everything is ordered, just $3.50, with
out the human side being permitted to
lift its head.
Very beautiful we say, but rather
cold
AS a matter of fact, such place is not
even beautiful. 1t is, at bottom, essen
TALLY ugly, because 1t is not based on the
good human usage which has been
when the cave men and women started
to make real homes out of their denS.
The utility of thing, properly real
lied, is one Of its true beauties, but by
no means the only beauty.
1t also is the heart Of interest, for
as long as there is mind, in mankind,
1t will thrill to interest based on beauty,
which is utility.
When this small thrill of the every
day is missed out Of life, one ought to
think, What is the matter with me?"
and not What is the matter with some
one else" or something else.
A little-realized and seldom -spoken-o of
fault of human character-there are
many Of these, alas, and most of them
more picturesque-is the failure to think
at the time thinking is necessary.
When we are unhappy, disgruntled
with life, we normally are making
speeches, either to ourself or some one
else, mentally, or seeing pictures of our
SELVES III unhappy pOSltlO1S.
What we need is change of mental
habits, not in theory, but actually, and
at the very time they are needed.
One Of the best OF all times is when we
catch ourself being uninterested in
something or other which once we found
highly interesting.
Feeding the goldfish, for instance A
homely and little enough instance, truly,
but a good one, for it puts the whole
problem in the proverbial nutshell,
which in this case happens to be the
human brain.
BY taking thought, we may do great
many interesting, picturesque things,
and many unhappy, uninteresting things.
Let the small, oft-repeated duty be
what it may, it once was interesting, and
still may be. if we think it so, keeping in
mind its necessity, its sheer utility in
the daily program.
No heroics, or mock heroics, here, but
just plain duty, and what at times seems
menial duty, but which, seen in the light
OF reason, keeps pace with that best Of
heroes, ones precious self.
Evening star., 1937-04-03
High Cost to Depositors of
Small Checking Accounts

To the Editor of The Star:
should like to call attention to the
high cost of small checking accounts
Just as newspaper sells at a price
within the reach of everybody and thus
is an instrument of great public serv-
ice, so q bank can reach into wider
channels of service and usefulness by
making its charges so reasonable that
even the hod carrier can experience
that feeling of bloated Importance
which accompanies the carrying of
check book in his coat pocket. True,
no one can afford to do business at
loss, but the experience of Henry Ford
and others shows that reduction in
price does not of necessity mean dim
inished profits.
At present one who keeps an average
monthly balance of Sl00 is allowed ten
items at charge of 81. These items
include check deposits and check with
drawals. Since the majority of salary
and wage earners are paid twice a
month and have two check deposits to
make, it follows that for the 81 charge
eight checks can be drawn. This makes
the average cost of a check 1919 cents,
whether the check is for ST or more.
IL yOu lllCluuC, do you PioPSAAy may ,
the loss of interest on the deposit, it
becomes evident that the cost of each
check for the small depositor is con-
siderably greater than 1917 cents, and
therefore even more than the cost of a
money order.
Yes, depositor having over 500 aver
age balance is allowed eight items free,
but how many of the wage and salary
earners have in mind can keep such a
balance? 1t seems to me that some
such plan as cents for each check
would be as reasonable as 1t would be
far-sighted and public spirited
HERMAN FELTER.
Evening star., 1937-04-03

most convenient to use in measuring the
wave length of light.
Green light, Mr.. Hoover found, is
rather poor in its efficiency as an agent
OF photosynthesis. This was to have
been expected, since the carbon dioxide
assimilation requires the absorption of
the light by the molecules of the green
coloring matter of the leaves, chlorophyll.
Most of the green light is reflected by
the green leaves, which is why they ap-
pear green to the eye. Little of it is
absorbed.
Mr.. Hoover found that the photosyn-
thesis effect begins at the very limit of
the visible red, just as it verges into the
invisible infra-red. On the other end
of the spectrum however, a slight effect
is found just over the limits of the ultra
violet which is invisible to the human
eye.
AS result of the experiments the
$3.50 and the 400 Angstrom unit lines
of light appear to be the dominating
factors in the basis phenomenon of life
Evening star., 1937-04-03

The comments of Senator Joseph Rob-
inson on New Deal plans for remodeling
the United States Government bring
into picturesque interest the community
he represents. The pronunciation Of
Arkansas" is usually "Arkansaw"; es-
tablished in the annals Of legend and
song by Kit, the Akansaw traveller"
whose philosophy of makeshift expedi-
ency was told in his declaration that
in sunshine there was no need to mend
his roof and when 1t rained he could
not do the work. Its old French set
tiers probably ignored the terminal IS"
after the manner of their speech, and
it has been Arkansaw to this day. Sena-
tor Robinson will have the thanks of
many for indirectly calling attention
to interesting traditions that are often
overlooked.
Evening star., 1937-04-03

Duty, as outlined for grand occasions
In Conrads Lord Jim," is one thing.
Duty, as demanded daily in innumer-
able small tasks, is another.
For every person confronted by the
| first sort of duty, duty which assumes
the proportions of the grand, there will
| be million plain persons confronted by
| the unheroic daily duty.
1t may be nothing more than the ne
cessity OF feeding the goldfish, but 1t is
duty and one which in time grows dis
| agreeable.
1t is the inevitable quality OF the
daily duty, whatever it is, which becomes
distasteful.
This inevitableness is what makes it
duty, perhaps.
| There is prior shrinking, in many
cases, occasioned every time one thinks
about the necessity. Here we are not
dealing with herocs, but with very un-
heroic, but very necessary deeds, such
as washing dishes, and making the daily
trip downtown and the like.
| These tasks apply to men and women
and are no more heroic than an old
shoe, and yet the daily life Of mankind
is bound up in them.
| Few dlSServiceS are greater than that
| of plays stories and other portrayals,
| in their covert insinuation that every
| life must contain some Of the grander
| heroics.
1t is not true-but we all like to think
it is. What it does against happiness is
simply this, that it tends to make us
think the prosaic uninteresting.
+E+
It is interest, then, that lies at the nub
| OF it all.
We are supposed to find duty delight
| full il it is interesting, but rather bore
some if it is not
We must be thrilled" else we will not
play.
Well, candidly, the thing to do, then
| is it not, is to make everything interest
ing, as we 60 along?
Most persons do not even try.
Here is splendid opportunity for the
! least conspicuous of us to assert our
selves in very heroic way, by making
intelligence play real role in the every
day life.
| But do we do it?
| Most, unfortunately. never think to
do SO. They go out of their way to be-
moan the fact, as they like to call it,
that their lives contain absolutely moth
ing of the romantic, the unusual, the
colorful, the interesting
If we seek the cruX of the whole mat
ter, perhaps it lies in the need for the
repetition of a daily task This is the
feature we do not care for, the part that
| puts it in the light of work, and nothing
| else.
! A thousand and one small deeds 1orrn
part Of the daily lie. Each one of these
as worked out over the centuries, has its
part to play. At one extreme Is the
mountaineer boy, who, watching the city
guest make his toilet, finally said, Yer
a lot O trouble to yerself, amt you
mister?"
One does not have to be in that cate
CORY to manifest exactly the same atti-
tude. 1t is here that the conscious use
OF mentality comes in. One person
| shrinks from suffering and death as in
| deed any one might, and SO thinks way
| around the twin debacles of life.
In the everyday in regard to all the
lesser duties that go to make it up. it is
Evening star., 1937-04-03

decades are likely to see that influence
grow in strength and usefulness. 1t
would be a vast pity, indeed, If the
present promise were not fulfilled.
Thoughtful citizens, conscious of the
effect Of creative intelligence upon
human destiny, are anxious to support
all individuals and groups engaged in
the business OF education. Hence the
good will Of thousands for the Pen
Women and their contemporary pro-
fessional societies of every kind. It is
clear from the record that they already
have been Of service to the people, and
the future is largely In their hands.
They have been, they are and they will
be teachers, and in that role they de-
serve a sincere salute Of gratitude
Evening star., 1937-04-03
Automatic Speed Control
Essential to Traffic Safety

To the Editor of The Star:
Apropos my previous letter on speed
"a universal, radical and compulsory
reduction in the maximum authorized
speed limit to 80 miles per hour for all
motor propelled highway vehicles in the
United States by equipping them with
adequate speed governors, SO arranged
that it would be impossible to even
coast downhill faster than the pre-
scribed rate of speed, will result in the
saving of thousands of lives and per-
sonal injuries every year, not to men
tion the saving of thousands OF dollars
worth of property damage. thousands of
productive man-hours, untold sorrow
and grief, and also the material lessening
OF the burden of thousands of police
officers in SO far as traffic is concerned
and permit them to devote considerably
more time to other important duties.
ERNEST j. KENDRICK.
Evening star., 1937-04-03
Legislative Field BrOadened

The right of Congress to compel COL
lective bargaining in field in which
it may properly legislate seems assured
by the decision of the Supreme Court
last Monday in the case of the Vir-
ginian Railway Company. This de-
cision, upholding section of the Rail-
way Labor Act requiring the company
to treat" with the duly elected repre-
sentatives of its employees, may have an
important bearing on the outcome OF
five cases attacking validity of the Wag-
ner Labor Relations Act, now awaiting
final decision by the high court.
In the railway case the company con-
tended the act imposed no legally en-
forcible' obligation upon the carrier to
negotiate with the duly elected repre-
sentatives of it's employees, and that in
any case the statute imposed no obliga-
ton to treat or negotiate which could
be appropriately enforced by court OF
equity. Such enforcement, it was
argued, violated the due process clause
of the fifth amendment.
Refusing to accept this view, the
courts opinion said:
Even though Congress, in the choice
of means to effect a permissible regula-
ton of commerce, must conform to due
process, it is evident that where, as
here, the means chosen are appropriate
to the permissible end, there is little
scope for the operation OF the due
process clause.
Holding, then, that the company
must bargain (though not necessarily
reach an agreemenD with the repre-
sentatives OF the majority of Its en-
ployes, and could treat otherwise only
with individuals, the court expressed the
additional belief that the obligation
could be enforced by court of equity
since: 'The peaceaP pie settlement Of
labor controversies Especially where
Evening star., 1937-04-03
The Textile Conference.

Like the British Empire, the textile
industry is one on which the sun never
sets. Ocular demonstration of that fact
is supplied by the presence in Washington
Of the spokesmen Of twenty three coun-
tries, in all of which textiles are vital
factor in the national industrial struc-
ture. To pool expert minds in evolving
improvement for an industry which Is
ailing nearly everywhere, the Interna-
tional Labor Organization at Geneva
summoned the World Textile Confer
ence which began its sessions yesterday.
Besides the United States, Great
Britain and Japan, the worlds leading
textile countries, there are represented
here Belgium, Canada, China, Cuba,
Czechoslovakia, Ecuador Finland,
France, Guatemala, India, Latvia, Mex
leo, the Netherlands, Poland, Rumania,
Sweden, Turkey, Uruguay and Yugo-
slavia. Germany is not an official partici-
pant, but has sent duly credentialed
observer. Altogether, some two hundred
delegates and technical advisers, acting
for governments, private employers or
workers, will devote the next two weeks
to frank and friendly discussion OF the
host of thorny problems besetting the
great trade in which they are jointly
interested. The conference is unique in
many respects. 1t is almost the first
attempt on record to tackle a compli-
Gated industrial proposition of world
wide ramif1cations in an unselfsh spirit
of mutual benefit Washington is ap-
propriately the scene of such an effort,
for it accords with the foreign policy
to which the United States is now
conspicuously dedicated-namely, reci-
procity in trade as the soundest guar
antee of peaceful and profitable interna-
tional relations.
The textile industry is afflicted by the
triple evils of overproduction, antiquated
methods and ruthless rivalry. These
conditions are more or less universal.
Conflicting working hours and wage
levels are fundamental issues which
clamor for adjustment and overflow ma
tional borders Production costs, alb
normally low in countries like Japan and
permitting ruinous dumping in markets
with higher labor standards, are mat
ters of pressing concern. During the
postwar depression era, various govern
ments have persistently attempted to
grapple domestically with developments
that have turned textiles into "sick"
industry, but research by the Interna-
tional Labor Organization established
that only international action is capable
of creating reforms of generally equitable
advantage. It is to explore collectively
the full possibilities of the situation that
the World Textile Conference has en-
barked upon its meritorious but diff
cult task. The welfare of millions of
workers throughout the world and the
economic stability of many lands de-
pend to no small extent on conclusions
reached and measures to be urged here.
Washington is proud to be the locale OF
so comprehensive and constructive q
venture in the field Of industrial states
manship and wishes for it full measure
of success.
Evening star., 1937-04-03
Member of the Associated Press.
MIR. Collins and the District.

At the outset of his service as chair
man of the Subcommittee on District
Appropriations Representative Collins Of
Mississippi promised the District
new deal" The passage by the House
yesterday of his bill provides oppor-
tunity for an expression of appreciation
over the manner in which Mr.. Collins
fulfilled his promise.
The most significant part Of the new
deal' has been in the attitude of the
chairman and those who shared his
labors on the subcommittee toward the
people of the District. Gone is the
animosity, the spirit which sometimes
approached vindictiveness, which on
past occasions has marked the attitude
of this committee and of many members
of the House toward the District. In
its place there was substituted spirit
of friendly and helpful interest in local
affairs, manifest desire to be fair to
the people Of the District and an in
telligent effort to propose remedies for
conditions which, in the opinion of the
chairman and his colleagues on the COM
mittee, were not conducive to the most
efficient local government
AS shown in the treatment of the
bill by the House yesterday, in which
legislative rider after legislative rider was
thrown out on points of order, there is
strong and overpowering sentiment in
no
to the expedient of legislating on an
appropriation bill So closely linked were
some of the riders to the actual appro-
priation of funds that some sections of
the bill were emasculated when the
points of order were sustained, leaving
certain services in the District deprived
of all revenue. These matters will be
adjusted when the bill goes to the Senate.
But because he was defeated in his
attempt to enact extensive legislation
in the appropriation bill, Mr.. Collins
has no reason to feel that he has
suffered anything like a personal defeat.
The fight over the legislative riders
was on principle alone. The victory rep
resented in throwing them out Of the
bill was a victory based on the prin-
ciple that legislation for the District
should be handled by the appropriate
committee established for that purpose.
The principle was worth preserving and
should be preserved. But objection was
to the process of legislating, not to the
purpose of the legislation. Although
there was plain disagreement with the
method, nothing was said that reflected
on Mr. Collins sincerity of purpose or on
the merits of the proposals which he
sponsored.
Mr.. Collins proposals for legislation
were based on his own investigations,
prompted by his desire to do as much
for the District as his position as chair
man of the subcommittee would permit.
If he has lost on a principle, he has not
suffered in the estimation of the COM
munity And many parts of the bill
which remained unchanged are so mani
festly beneficial to the District that Mr..
Collins has earned the communitys
gratitude.
Evening star., 1937-04-03
Waddy B. Wood Corrected
On A. /. A. Membership

To the Editor OF The Star:
Mr.. Waddy B. Wood recently in your
columns made the statement that the
majority of reputable architects are
members of the A. I. A. It is perhaps
true that the majority of A. I. A. men,
bers are reputable, but it is by no means
true that the majority OF reputable
architects are members of the A. I. A.
AS matter of fact, the institute repre-
sents only very small minority of the
architects of the country.
AS to the rest of Mr.. Woods letter,
I agree that there should be no criticism
of Official architecture. De mortuis
nil nisi bonum.
HENRY S. CHURCHILL, A. I. A.
Evening star., 1937-04-03

While avoiding partisan expression
even in his fun, the late Will Rogers once
sent telegram to Carter Glass after
one of his heated debates, "You have
nothing on your side but the right"
Rogers said that he only knew what he
read in the papers, which was enough
to demonstrate to the world the dis
tinct advantages of a free press.
Evening star., 1937-04-03
Shooting Stars.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
The Seasons Melodies.

The Seasons Melodies.
When of merry Spring you carol,
With the blossoms on the trees,
Always don your thick apparel,
Lest you shiver at the knees.
Though you hear with vast elation
All the melodies afloat,
When you try an imitation
Keep a cough-drop in your throat.
When you hear a robin trilling,
With spirit wondrous bright,
While the sunshine gay is filling
All the landscape with delight,
Curb the effort to unravel
Outdoor tunes with vernal glee
Till you learn dry-shod to travel
Like bird from tree to tree.
Evening star., 1937-04-03

Patriotic demonstrations of American
progress include tribute to j. Fenimore
Cooper. The spirit of American citizen
ship remains the same, even though it is
a far cry from the old leather stocking
to modern silk hosiery.
Evening star., 1937-04-03

A large Philadelphia publishing house
threatens to move out of Pennsylvania
because OF heavy taxes The observa-
tion has often been made that the
people who can best afford to pay taxes
are also best equipped to fight them.
Evening star., 1937-04-03

The laundry facilities are limited in
Moscow and 1t may take weeks to have
linen returned. Shirt-sleeve diplomacy
has sometimes been successful, but q
diplomat with no shirt at all is likely to
be at disadvantage.