davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1937-06-05

Man Behind Griled Window Must Be Manv Kinds ,+
Once-Diplomat, Financial Adviser, News
Commentators, Patient Listener.

weather, that hardy perennial of all
conversations; about news of the day
and what Congress is doing. When
the conversation gets on to politics,
he has to let the customer do most
Of the talking, and not get in an argu-
ment. He has to listen to stories that
he heard years ago-listen and laugh;
he has to brace himself to endure the
conversation OF bores whose "line" he
has heard dozen times before. And
he has to keep q straight face when
eccentric depositors appear at the
window-people who are well-known
characters to the sta1 Of the bank.
For example, there's the woman
with the false teeth. They're very
false, and fit very badly-and she Is
very talkative. She likes to anchor
herself at Bills window and converse
for 10 minutes, oblivious to the i'm
patient line OF people waiting behind
her, with her teeth working up and
down At a great rate.
They sort OF fascinate me-" says
Bill. Il can't take my eyes of them.
l have haunting fear that some day
they'll get completely out of control
and leap through the window and bite
me. 1t hasn't happened yet, but I'm
always on guard"
Then there's the man who stutters-
shutters like Roscoe Ates in the movies.
Hes 4 great base ball fan, and Bill
likes to ask him what he thinks Of the
Washington team this year, and then
SIT back and listen while his synco-
pated dialogue resounds through the
bank. Bill admits that this Is rather
malicious, but the man really enjoys
talking about base ball, in spite OF
his shutters. Anyhow, 4 bank teller
has to have = little Amusement occa-
sionally.
He also has to be ready to give peo-
pie advice and information on all
sorts Of subjects, financial and other
wfse. During the FIRST part of March
he Is expected to be an income-tax
expert and to advise distraught de-
positors on how much exemption they
should claim and under what schedule.
He also has to be an investment coun-
selor and give his opinion on whether
K. Y. z. Railroad stock Is 4 good buy
ana where is . good place to invest
4 thousand dollars. The public seems
to think that because 4 man works in
bank he should have = fund Of finan-
cial knowledge at his fingertips. Bill
answers these questions a. noncom-
mttany - po1sfblas but Il axked 4
Evening star., 1937-06-05

Our newspapers stepped In But labor
legislation has fixed the wage factor.
The basic wage now is $3.50 q day.
Some miners earn as much as 81 .
day, or 70 cents ton, as against the
time when they we're paid IL cents .
ton. Likewise the railroad rates are
. liked factor. Now the price Of
coal must be fixed at q decent wAse.
level, for, despite improvement In con-
dttious, the present wage level Is not
nearly high enough to eliminate the
social factor.
1T Is here tho nth 'ponderable'
enters the picture-the public. For
years these mining communities that
cot this country from the Atlantic to
the Pacific were uncertain Of pay days.
The miner had been subtracted from
until he no longer counted in the
community. He was no longer . fac ,
tor, capable Of purchasing food or
clothing or items. Some idea Of tho
picture can be gained from q SUD-
position. Suppose, for q moment, that
some Federal pay day here in Wash. :
ington checks were not distributed.
This city exists upon the Federal pay
checks. Homes are maintained on
the Federal pay checks. Children are
educated, clothed and fed and lux.s
uries are bought with Federal pay
checks. Once they stopped coming
you can imagine the confusion and
dread and misery that would VISIT
Washington.
Something like that happened In
these mining communities where the
pay rolls from the mines could no
longer be depended upon to support
the residents Of the community. There
was social disintegration. The effect
was demoralizing beyond description,
With recent labor legislation these
dire conditions were ren,edied. But
they must be remedied still further.
The miner must become even moro
OF factor in the community He
must be able to buy a fair share Of
luxurles as well as necessities and Be
able to live in accordance with stand
ards other working men enjoy.
This means that q price for coal
tnAt H lalr 10 the miner as well as the
others involved must be paid by the
consumer. But the interests Of the
consumer must also be protected. The
Consumers Council, set up by Presi-
dent Roosevelt, is charged with the
duty of caring for the inter-
ests OF this group. Whatever price for
coal Is determined upon, the consumer
Is assured that he has been considered
with the same impartial Judgment and
Interest that producer, miner or rail-.
road have received"
POINTING out initial efforts made
to correct the evils In connection
With miners wages, Hosford explained,
When legislation was first started
Along this line it was, frankly, labor
sponsored by the United
Mine Workers' Association. When
the N. r. A. entered the picture, TOR
The first time In 10 years the industry
Knew = reasonable peace and pros.
perity.
The first bill-the GufYey-snyder
pill Of 1935-was modelled after thu
Na A. That Is, 1t provided for the
lnduSoH's regulation of its own aflairx,
under - direction Of the commission.
BetweenH s35 and 1887 We began to sse
(Cd nued on Page By
Evening star., 1937-06-05
By Eugene S. Guild.

~ o ANY OF you who transact
business in banks ever stop
to consider what bank
teller thinks about? He's
a pleasant fellow IN a linen coat who
sits behind a grilled window and takes
your deposit, or cashes your check, and
agrees with you that its q nice day
and we've been having some wonf'. .-ful
weather lately You leave the Wi. dow
with the mellow glow which always
comes from handling money, and the
recollection OF a moment or two Of
friendly conversation. But it prob
ably doesn't occur to you that the
teller has been sizing you up, that he
knows more about you and your AZ
fairs than you think. And you may
not realize also that q bank teller's
job doesn't Just consist OF taking in
and handing out money. He has to
be a conversationalist, a diplomat, 4
confidential adviser, a bureau OF in
formation and 4 financial expert. He
usually does very we'll at all Of them
and manages to get quite a few laughs
in the process.
Let's hear Bill Smith tell about it.
That's not his name. OF course, but 1t
will do. Bill has been employed for
the past 10 years in one of the cost
Hest marble financial palaces fronting
on Washingtons Wall street" He
and his wife have . little cottage out
IN Virginia, near . golf links which
Bill manages to get around on two or
three times . week, due to those we'll
known bankers hours. And every day
ne sits at his window in the bank,
from $50 until 2, and handles money
lots OF 1t. 1t would scare you and
me to touch a tenth OF the money that
comes through his window in = day,
but it's all part of the job to Bill A
messenger from big corporation with
$4,000 deposit looks just the same
TO him as we do when We step up with
our little mite.
The ordinary routine Of Bills lob
s fairly we'll known to every one. But
what about the extras? His work
brings him in constant contact With
the public and when you're dealing
with the public all sorts Of Unforeseen
angles are likely TO develop.
EOR one thing. he has to Be polite.
Nobody likes . surly bank teller,
any more than they like . suriy hotel
clerk. h has to talk about ths
Evening star., 1937-06-05

which will be the smooth functioning
OF completely new organization. Ap-
pointments were made on May and
members Of the commission were
qualified for work on the 17th. Al
ready the industry is demanding that
prices be fixed to regulate commerce
IN coal and start the ball rolling in
the direction Of the hoped-for pros
porous bituminous era.
But you can't announce anything
As vital as the flxed price OF such a
commodity" states the chairman.
Evening star., 1937-06-05
PICKING EXPERT PERSONNEL is FIRST TAS
seven Empowered BY Vson Induys
Troubles Seek Solution
Factors n Naton's Fuels Source

q bench, ready to pop out and take
care Of every case that comes up"
The matter of setting up the organ
ization once well on the way, the COM
mission will be ready to function in its
capacity as outlined by law.
The problems confronting it are
many and varied. As seen by Chair
man Hosford, Operators never could
handle operations in this industry,
The only cohesive force that has ex-
listed Is the United Mine Workers AS
sociation, but their activities are con-
nned to production and not to solving
marketing problems. The whole ques-
ton Is one OF marketing. The COM
mission Is invested with the exclusive
right to establish minimum prices in
the industry and, where ne .sary In
IN emergency. to establish maximum
prices.
Also, for the first time in the his
tory Of the industry, we have 4 Fed
eral agency empowered to gather COM
plete Statistics. This means that we
shall be able to conduct research into
the production and use Of bituminous
coal and, If available, find new uses for
the expansion OF the industry,
We are also empowered to inter-
vene in coal freight rate cases before
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
This Is . very important phase Of our
duties, for In the past the railroads
have imposed undue burdens for
transporting coal
Another important part of our ac-
tivities IS our power to approve and
regulate the operation Of marketing
agencies-that is to say, the volun-
tary agencies Of the producers for
marketing coal in the industries"
DIFFICULTIES will be encountered
In the solution OF these problems.
Hosford points out, not the least of
Evening star., 1937-06-05
Coal miner placing blasting charge preparatory to dyna
hitting operations

the miner. His wages were reduced
to an almost irreducible minimum.
know. for as editor and publisher OF
newspaper In Fairmont, w. Va, q
mining community. have had to
take care Of miners and their fam
lies who, though working, were un-
able to support their families In
even the barest necessities Of life.
Evening star., 1937-06-05

activities and an enforcement division.
Speaking Of the latter, Smith, who
Is also charged with protection Of the
consumers interests, remarks: This
division will be made up Of a dock Of
active, young lawyers. We're going
to keep them As busy as bellboys on
Evening star., 1937-06-05

wolves q thorough knowledge Of the
condition and rights Of the producers,
the miners, the railroads and the
public.
This means that we must set up
statistical bureaus that are equipped
to gather such knowledge. These sa-
tistical bureaus will be created in %
districts. With these bureaus every
producer Of coal will be required to
file copies OF every contract, every
order and every invoice he receives for
bituminous coal. The duty Of the
commission will be to check every rec
ord fled to see that every part Of the
act Is being carried out"
asked what effect he expected such
activities would have upon the price
the consumer will have to pay for coal,
Honord remarked, Now that Is 4
question, for you must remember that
here Is an industry that for years has
been selling Its product at less than
the actual cost Of production. Let Us
say that the steel industry has been
paying $l.80 ton for coal. That ton
OF coal has cost 81 to produce. The
20 cents loss has been taken out Of
the blood Of the coal industry"
Smith. vitality interested In the
humanitarian aspects OF the situation
and the maintenance Of human rights
in all judgments OF the commission,
gave here an Illuminating commentary
upon that 20 cents:
THERE have always been four
ponderables tn this industrial
problem-the miners, the producers,
the railroads and the consumers,
But there Is = fifth. That Is the
public. There was q time when the
one factor that was not 'nxed' was
the wage Of the miner, 30 necessary
adjustments to maintain producers'
profits were made 1T the expense OF
Evening star., 1937-04-30
OUR LETTER OF CREDIT

Allows you 3 months to pay for pur-
chases and requires no down payment
or no carrying charge. First payment.
due May Is. Apply
Credit Office .. Fifth Floor
The Washington times., 1937-11-01
Marry-GO-
Round
BY HELEN ROWLAND

You can't blame him-much:
because, once you start a man
going in any direction, he keeps
right on going that way. He
has a single-track mind, and it
may take a few years more as
well as a great deal of ingen-
uity for women to get men back
into the marrying mood again.
This is hard on the clear.
eyed young woman today, who
feels that she is living only a
half life-and wonders if she
is ever going to get the "better
half" To her, has fallen the
tough job of undoing the rough
work of the jazz decade.
Apparently, after a swift
whirl around the Primrose
Path, the girls have come right
back to where they started.
The girl of today wants a hus-
band of her own, not just a Dor.
rowed husband. She is not con-
tent with a temporary park
ing space in any mans life.
But getting this idea back
into a mans head is going to
be almost as much of a feat as
re-filling a non-refillable bottle.
Cheer up. Most of the psuedo-
cynical diatribes against the
gentler sex are merely the satiri-
cal reflections of the younger
Sophisticates, who are "whiS-
ting in the dark" because they
don't know what's waiting for
them.
I'll tell you what's waiting for
them. A nice girl, who will
teach them that woman is
neither a punishment, a pain
in-the-neck nor a temporary
amusement, but a very neces-
sary life-companion-one who
will train them to say Eyes.
dear"
The Washington times., 1937-11-01
Bates Bobs Up Again

Enjoying more or less a COM
placent existence, no doubt,
since severing his ties with the
U. S. Government, Sanford
Bates, former director of Fed
eral Prisons, is again in the ma
tional spotlight. This time,
however, the former penal chief
tain seeks the office of mediator
for the American Unitarian AS.
sociation. Such a position is
more to sanford's calling rather
than being the "whip-cracker"
supervising our Uncle's GALA
booses.
And further, we hope that
Sanford lands the job, being as
he is such an altruistic person.
While in the service Of the
Govern ent it seemed Mr.. Bates
enjoyed a very unusual hobby,
that of freeing dangerous crimi-
nails after the law enforcement
agencies had gone to great
lengths to bring them before
the bar of justice.
Paraphrasing Shakespeare
bit, according !. to the Bates
theory, it was, "The parole was
the thing" and possibly to this
cause may be traced his abrupt
departure from the Federal SER
vice.
Under the Bates regime the
proposition worked out some
thing like this: The FBI,
The Washington times., 1937-11-01
Voice of the People

Treasury, and Internal Revenue
would, at the risk of loss Of lives
by their agents in the appre'
hension Of some criminal, finally
land their quarry behind bars.
Here it seemed the Bates theory
would assert itself.
After a brief incarceration
one of these "bad men" would
make application for a parole
which in turn would be reviewed
by some supine board governing
this phase Of social uplift.
Through some devious channel,
it seemed they managed to gain
their freedom. And once again
they would be wished upon
society to carry on where they
left off before being jailed.
It is a matter of record that
similar Incidents happened a
good many times. One case in
particular that drew the ire Of
the higher-ups in the Govern
ment concerned a certain Okla
homa criminal, who had four
killings to his record, but due
to certain influences only served
a partial term for each crime.
Of course Mr.. Bates vas not
wholly responsible for these in
cidents cited above, where a lax.
ity of enforcement and e trav-
esty of justice occurred, but
the fact still remains that it
was during his administration
this appalling condition existed.
c. j. w.
The Washington times., 1937-11-01
Roosevelt Magic

{ ut Is apparent in dispatches from Hyde Park that
President Roosevelt has not forgotten in which hat
he keeps his rabbits
'See how Big Business trembes" exclaims the
servative member of the Presidents official family ut
els afraid to expand because it is being robbed of its
energy bv these vitiating taxes undivided surpus'
saGYes, I know answers the President Business
docs need hep-and imagine Congress will let up
little But what Big Business needs is nurse to tell
rot it bedtime story The really
OO'o"' "0" ~ important problem is how to
Money For People oct more money for the bulk
of the American people. Bring up THAT income and
Increase THAT purchasing power and Big Business will
/ be almost bowled over in the rush to buy"
In talks with visitors and advisers in the past few
Edavs the President finds something encouraging to say
to everyone.
He saves the corn-hog farmers of the Midwest from
despair by financing their crops out of Recon
structon Finance Corporations funds-a device which
uses no Treasury money and does not bog down the
budget.
he looks about to find way to reimburse farmers
for controlling their crops-without straining the
! Treasury.
He tells Big Business there are tremendous days
sahead.
Troubles which appear TO each group 10 be so large
they approach Hyde Park disappear in the general
New Deal optimism.
One of the Roosevelt characteristics the ability to
stick to an idea. He explained in the beginning that
taxes on undivided surpuses part Of device to
-, level off economic peaks and
49, spread wealth more equally.
.HOpe " T'"" He returns to that explana-
ton in talking things with his official family
at the time showing business hope of profit
lin increased income in mass distribution.
Whenever the general public begins to sympathize
.Eth the weeping U. S. Chamber of Commerce, Mr..
Roosevelt brings out the tattered figure of the For
gotten Mainland the New Deal marches on.
Recently Messrs Landon and Hoover told the Roose-
welt opposition what it needed in half minute Mr..
Roosevelt told the crowd what he's going to give it,
You just can't beat him.
The Washington times., 1937-11-01
Child Delinquency

UVHE problem of dealing with juvenile denquents is
i in state of ferment in Washington and has been
for several years.
Recent events at the National Training School for
Girls eliminating in the dismissal of Dr. Carrie W.
Smith as superintendent will serve really useful pur
pose if they bring about thorough study of condi
{or1n o..y,. e tions not only there but at all
the institutions of the city deal
A"S'''"''O'0 "ee"e" ing with boys and girls.
The Board of Public Welfare, made up of respected
and respectable men and women of the community,
questionaby feels that it has done the right thing in
dismissing DR.. Smith.
Dr. Smith, on the other hand feels sincerely aggrieved
and unquesonably believes that the board acted hastily
and without proper investigation.
Washingtonians in general, believe, will not be
particularly concerned over the personalities that are
Involved
They are bound to be concerned, however, over the
question of whether these handicapped boys and girls
are receiving the best deal that the city give them
In trying to solve their problems.
It interesting to note that the day Dr. Smith
dismissed a suggestion made by Mrs. Mary G..
Roeblng, of the New Jersey Interstate Cooperation
commission that juvenile delinquency be taken up
-. =, ~ Federal matter with Fed
DsS eral agency to be established
TO Handle Problem to deal with it.
Such an agency might be of assistance from the stand
point of advice and aid but the general public would
probably resent the intrusion of the Federal Govern
nnent as an administrative unit in this field.
I The Federal Government has finger in the pie of
Washington's juvenile problem and the ugly rumors
which are extant do not indicate that the pie is in the
best possible condition.
The Washington times., 1937-11-01

a last resort.
TO d e p rive
a child Of
S o m e thing
that he really
wants will be
r e membered
much longer
Cnan a spank"
ing a n d it
will be more
impressive. A
S p anking is
usually some
The Washington times., 1937-11-01

It does n OF
a C C o m pliSh
d is CT pline,
but ere a tes
fear and re-
S e ntment in
tn e child'S
mind. AS I re-
m e m o e T,
when I was
a child and
G u i l t Y of
some wrong
d o / n G, I
The Washington times., 1937-11-01

goes m u C h
further. Too
often parents
strik e their
C hill d rem in
anger, t h u S
arou S ng a
feeling of re-
S e ntment on
the part of
the children.
There should
be the type Of
d i S pline
The Washington times., 1937-11-01

child. If a
C h i l d i S
trained from
the time it is
six W e e k s.
old, I do not
believe that it
W ould be
necessary to
r e S o r t to
S p a n k ing.
o b e d i ence
would CO m e
naturally +"
The Washington times., 1937-11-01

thing of the moment and might
cause children to wilfully disre-
gard their parents wish IS
rather than to foster obedience"
thing"
Miss Dorothy Dohan, 2107 S
st. N. W., bookkeeper:
"It depends entirely on the
The Washington times., 1937-11-01

"F or the
average chill
dren h re
re 9th e r
p u niShments
m o r e effec-
tive t h a n
S p an k i ng.
buG IOE GIlC
very unruly
child an oc-
caSional good
S p a hiking is
the o n ] y
thing IN max
The Washington times., 1937-11-01

rather appreciated it and felt
sorry if I got a lecture, but I
was terribly resentful toward
whippings."
J. Ward Perry, 1880 Park Rd.
N. w., wholesale florist:
mo. I think a good talking-to
The Washington times., 1937-11-01

"No. Chill
d re n should
be re asoned
W i h. T h e
child is the
man of the
future and if
you don't ra-
C1Onal1ZG WIN
the child you
can't have a
rational man.
If the child
is re a Soned
The Washington times., 1937-11-01
The Inquiring
Photographer
The Washington Times in
vites you to submit timely
and interesting questions to
be used in this column.
THE QUESTION

Should corporal punishment
be administered to children for
discipline?