davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1937-11-29
Washington's Heroic
Pedestrians Admired
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
May visitor to Washington express
profound admiration for an outstanding
and outdaring group. Of its residents
It's heroic pedestrians? With gay nom
chalance, with intrepid gallantry, they
stoutly refuse to be intimidated, even
influenced, by the threat OF rapid motor
trafhc and the possible imperfection
OF drivers. Hour after hour, minute
after minute, they boldly contend for
the right of way, red light or green
light, standing in the street outside
the curb or, with an assurance and a
seeming indifference to bodily safety that
is aWesome, calmly, unhurriedly, traverse
crossings in manner which must make
the angels hold their breaths.
I walk down Sixteenth street in the
morning, timid, hesitant, eyes on the
signals, and marvel at Washington's
walking hosts pursuing their blithe way
as If automobiles didn't exist or were
invisible. Let the automobiles look out
for themselves, let them weave in and
out and pull up on rear wheels, it is
their own fault if they get walked into
and get damaged. Washingtons doughty
pedestrians do not concede one inch,
They believe they have the right of way
at all times and act on that belief. 1t
is appalling, but it is sublime.
Fear not concentration of power in
the executive, fear not the subordination
OF the States to the National Govern
ment, fear not restriction of the press,
fear not ctatorship-democracy in
America is safe when the Capitals walk
ing population, representative of q
cross section of all the people, retains,
IN infant and grandparent, the old in
dependent spirit and willingly, fore
thoughtedly, continually faces manning
or death in maintenance of its right to
90 as 1t pleases and 60 as it pleases so
long as 1t Injuries no man in his person
or his property through fault of its own.
Of course, II car does happen to
make contact with a pedestrian-but
that Is the cars lookout.
THOMAS j. MALONE,
Evening star., 1937-11-29
Defective Legislation
On Realty Licensing
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
The Star of November 81 carried an
article on the subject of realty licensing
that doubtless brought CONSERVATION to
hundreds who knew nothing about the
subject before. and who are disastrously
affected by this cock-eyed monstrosity.
Your November 20 paper carried one
or more ads of positions offered, which
II accepted by your readers, any one of
them, will subject them to penalties of
this law.
Quoting from Sundays Star:
"A reader suggested to The Star that
a janitor paid in cash or living quarters
or both. who showed people apartments
and perhaps received rent payments for
the owner or agent would require q
license as real estate salesman.
"Of6cials pointed out, however, this
section of the act:
Persons employed by licensed real
estate broker in a clerical capacity, as
collectors or in similar subordinate and
administrative positions shall not be re-
Quired to obtain licenses
This apparently covers the case OF
the janitor who helps out the agent, but
whether it also would exempt the resi-
dent manager who devoted all his time
to such transactions is question passed
up to corporation counsel"
1t would appear that a schoolboy
should be able to interpret this plainly
stated law, to say nothing of the admin
istrator of the law. The exception
quoted above from the law, is very plain.
Is the employer the man who hires a
man or the man who pays him? The
yardmaster hires spike driver; who is
that mans employer, the yardmaster or
the railroad company which pays both?
Is it hard to determine whose employe
the janitor is? Does the licensed rent
collector pay the janitor out of his earn
ings? If not, is the janitor an employe
OF the rent collector? Ask the apart
ment house owner who pays the janitor,
and if he has brokers' license?
This realty law was lobbied through
the past Congress by the Washington
Real Estate Board and the Better Busi-
ness Bureau, and according to investiga-
tions so far, 1t is the opinion of many
that misstatement of facts and discred-
table representations were made in the
effort to secure its passage. Now, they
have the law; let them and all others
live strictly up to it. Perhaps there are
those who will gladly assist, if necessary,
in seeing to 1t that it is lived up to.
E. M. PETERSON.
Evening star., 1937-11-29
Parole Administration

Recent developments in two kidnapping
cases serve to focus attention again on
the parole problem.
In West Virginia three men are await
ing trial for the ruthless abduction and
Staying OF an aged clergyman. Finger
printed by G-men, 1t was found two
OF them were on parole and the third
had been pardoned early this year after
serving ten months Of a five-year SEN
tence for attempted rape.
In New York, three desperadoes are
back in jail, under long KIDNAPPING
sentences, after sensational break for
freedom that netted them a brief period
OF liberty. One of the trio, with a
twenty-year record Of crime, has been
freed by parole boards at least three
times. His companions have records
showing many arrests and convictions,
but relatively few years behind bars.
Only few days before these two
cases broke into the news, j. Edgar
Hoover, Director OF the Federal Bureau
OF Investigation, had delivered q speech
citing some significant figures with
respect to the parole problem.
He disclosed that the Public Enemy
File, in which the F. B. T. keeps finger
prints of nearly $4,000 of the more dam
gerous criminals, shows that thirty per
cent OF these men-kidnapers, bank rob-
bers, racketeers and other notorious
hoodlums-have been recipients Of clem-
ency from one to as many as ten times.
Evening star., 1937-11-29
Crisis on the Rails.

Spearhead in move by transporta-
ton agencies generally to improve their
finances, the railroads today began to
offer argument before the Interstate
Commerce Commission in behalf of their
application to raise freight and pas
senger charges by approximately $685.
100000 annually.
Intervening in this case, the inter-
coastal ship lines, Government-operate
barge lines and American Transit As
sociation, spokesman for electric rail-
ways, ask increases proportionate to
those sought by the rails, while cor
responding action is looked for from
the American Trucking Associations,
Inc, representing the highway carriers,
who also have entered an appearance.
In a separate proceeding, the Pullman
Company seeks ten per cent increase
in all charges.
The railroads, asserting their plight
is critical, bolster the plea with impress
sive figures.
Prices of necessary supplies, 1t Is
pointed out, have gone up forty per cent:
taxes, twenty-five per cent, and wages,
eighteen per cent.
The other side of the picture pre-
sented is decline in freight and pas
senger rates to the point where the
revenue for hauling ton of freight one
mile is less than one cent, and for
carrying a passenger a mile, less than
two cents. The same story, more or
less, is told by other carriers.
To meet this situation, the railroads
ask fifteen per cent horizontal increase
in freight rates, with special charges
on coal and a few other items designed
to raise an aggregate of $3.50, 900 600.
An advance from two to two and one
half cents per mile for coach fares is
proposed by Eastern lines, while those
in the South and West intend to take
advantage of the present two-cent
maximum, previously having charged
less. The additional passenger revenues
are estimated at $4s,O0O,000.
The commission undoubtedly will ex-
pedite the matter as much as possible,
but at the best, three or four months
will elapse before decision is reached.
Exhaustive hearings are in prospect,
with all who have an interest afforded
full opportunity to present their views,
and the wide attention that the case
is attracting is evidenced by the flood
of communications that has descended
on the commission since the rail appli-
cation was filed three weeks ago. Much
of this has been favorable to the car
riers, but with so much added cost at
stake, vigorous opposition is inevitable
The l. C. C. adopted a sympathetic
attitude toward the railroads when
granting recent increases in heavy COM
modify rates calculated to produce Sat-
100000 annually, and can be counted on
to weigh carefully all the elements enter
ing into this case. It is not far-fetched
to say that the future Of the industry
easily may turn on the findings.
Evening star., 1937-11-29
without meeting . single car, and 1t Is {
great day when that happens.

WltnOuC meeung q single car, ana 1t u
great day when that happens.
It was 20 that morning.
The thermometer on Jones' porch reg
istered exactly 20 degrees. Always about
degrees lower, summer and winter,
than in the city.
Jones carefully took two steps to q
second. He had on his pedometer, which
he had purchased 20 years ago for
his famous vacation in the Zoo. That
summer he covered considerably more
than 100 miles walking in the park dur
ing his two weeks vacation.
pedometer is an interesting instru-
ment which measures the distance one
walks, provided it is set correctly to cor
respond with the length OF step one
takes.
Once set properly, it measures OF the
miles and divisions thereof accurately,
also provided the walker takes the same
length step.
That is where . good, swinging walk
comes in.
Walking about two steps per second,
at whatever is ones natural stride, sends
one over the ground at a pace which is
called standard, and which, kept up for
mile or more causes a slight perspira-
tion coursing blood and general elation
of spirits.
The road was still in semi-darkness
when Templeton Jones set out.
His fate, in past years, when he went
on his walk, was that no sooner had he
hit the road than some kind motorist
picked him up.
If he really wanted lift, nobody Of
fered it. He had stood in the cold and
snow and sleet for hours, without ever an
offer, but let him start on his walk down
the road, somebody was sure to stop and
offer him lift.
1t was the same this morning.
Just as he had hit his stride, and begun
to feel the elation of the open road, then
along came fellow in big, shiny car.
He slowed down, in pity. Jones thought,
for it was cold, and the frost was smok-
ing from his nose like a chimney, he
knew full we'll
The motorist wanted to do him 4
favor.
Should he succumb
No, he should not He was going to
walk, and nothing should stop him.
He pointed down the road, and shook
his head.
That way; that way" he gestured.
The motorist grinned, and went his
way.
Jones went on.
The great trees sighed and snapped
above him.
The shoulder Of the road, in lieu Of
sidewalk, did very well, since few cars
were abroad that early.
Jones was glad it still was possible for
one to get ahead of them.
He walked briskly. and at the end Of
his mile. to the rhythmic took -tock-tock-
took Of his pedometer, was warm
through.
Too warm. in fact. Jones constitution
was that way. Too warm. Walking was
all right. but it got hjr- too warm.
Whew!
Evening star., 1937-11-29
New Deal Control of Crop
Of Cinkgo Trees Suggested

To the Editor of The Star:
After reading so much in the past few
years about crop control" I would
suggest that the Powers that Be should
set out to control the crop from the
Ginkgo trees. those beautiful trees that
line our curbs and sidewalks in many
sections of our city. These Ginkgo
trees are most beautiful in the spring
and the summer, but oh!-the fruit
thereof!
Just at this time of the year this
fruit that hangs on the tree like small
pluns, is beginning to fall, covering the
sidewalks and street, making a disagree
able and offsensive deposit; but the
worst of the matter is that as the
pedestrians trample and crush the soft,
ripe fruit it emits 4 stencil to such a
degree that many people hold their
noses until they get past the droppings
from the trees: so disgusting is the
smell that the neighborhood "kids" call
the fruit stink balls
would suggest that the A. A. A. try
to correct and abate this disagreeable
nuisance. They might study way and
means Of sterilizing, SO that these beau
tiful trees may blossom without fruiting.
have wondered II Mother Nature, in
giving this Ginkso fruit suckAn odor.
Evening star., 1937-11-29
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES g. TRAcEWELL.

About this time every year Templeton
Jones steps out for his annual walk.
Jones is great believer in walking for
other people.
Nothing is better for the health of
body and mind, he says, than . nice,
long walk.
Especially, he says. when autumn
brings brisk days.
No time of the day is better than early
morning, the earlier the better.
Jones says that shortly before am
is the best time to begin this self-pro-
PEELED journey into the familiar.
At least once a year he manages to
work up enough stamina to really try it
himself.
1t is great for the circulation, he con-
tends, as well as for the disposition.
People who walk great deal are likely
to be sweet tempered-or are they?
Temperament, alas, isn't as simple as
that, else marching soldiers would be the
best men alive.
Templeton Jones is such mild man.
nered, calm fellow, that he needs no
walking at all, as far as such qualities
are concerned.
Sweetness and light beam from his
eyes.
A little walk is good for the soul.
Also for those famous liver and lights
Many people, realizing these benefits,
determine to walk as often as they can.
Doctors often prescribe walking, just
as they do medicine.
The drawback to the prescription of
pedestrianism is the obvious fact that
patients do not have to take it if they do
not want to. 1t is easily seen, too, how
often the other affairs OF life interfere
with this prescription.
Something is always coming up. One
means to get in the daily walk, but
something more important arises which
prevents it.
The next day one does not feel in the
mood.
Ones precious mood, evidently, is a
caprcious thing, but never any better
than in getting one out of that vaunted
but really tiresome daily walk
The first thing one knows the walk
Ing prescription, with the best will in the
world, has gone by the board. The doc
tors medicine out of bottle is easy, but
this pedestrianism business takes too
much leg work
\
Jones was about to begin his annual
walk
Down the road. the beautiful road he
loved SO much, but saw 50 little Of thanks
to the constant threat of the whizzing
automobiles.
1t used to be fun to walk down the
road
Even seven years ago it was a pleas
ure. Then. day by day, trafiic got worse.
In time it became danger to walk
that road.
Occasionally now it is possible to catch
the road in one of its minor moods,
stretching away in its pleasant curves,
beneath its great trees, bordered by man
Sions and homes
Occasionally one may walk its mile
Evening star., 1937-11-29
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

first time radio station has abandoned
the position Of political neutrality tradi-
tlonal In broadcasting. In the recent
Boston mayoralty campaign, resulting
IN the election of Maurice j. Tobin
democrat, the Yankee and Colonial
Networks are said to have given the
1ull support of their news service broad
casts to single candidate, who emerged
victorious. Question having arisen as
to whether this constituted violation of
section 315 of the 1884 Communications
Act, requiring equality of broadcasting
opportunity for all political nominees.
emcials OF the chains in question ex-
plain that "the party to which a candi-
date belongs is not a factor in our con-
slderations. Each contestant for hiph
ONCE is investigated to the best of our
ability and judged on his past record
as to honesty, ability and courageous ad-
herence to public duty. The decision as
TO whether or not to support particular
candidate Is based entirely upon the
1acts, as We are able to ascertain them.
In case two or more candidates seem
equally worthy, we do not attempt to
make any selection"
\ ** X
Bus strikes in sixteen States draw at
tention to the fact that since September
l all buses engaged in interstate traffic
nave had to obtain Interstate Commerce
Commission license tags at Washington
and display them, in addition to local
numbers. Some 16O 900 I. C. C. emblems
nave already been distributed. About
10000 are still to be given out. The
tags are designed to facilitate identifi-
cation. They cost twenty-five cents
apiece. President Roosevelt was asked
the other day whether he would utilize
the opportunity OF tomorrows message
TO Congress. recommending curtailment
OF bodybuilding programs, to remind
the country Of the mounting menace to
lie on the Nations highways. He said
II IS an awfully important subject"
put could hardly be dealt with adequately
on the present occasion. Last year there
were $500 highway fatalities of auto
mobile origin or cause, and roundly
100000 injuries. Both figures represent
peaks.
Mrs. Carroll Miller, a three-dimen-
sional New Deal resident of Washing
ton-sister of Senator Guffey, wife of
Interstate Commerce Commissioner Mil
40 s~AAN 0SAAAONA dGAS AldClOlld1 COINMlUCec.
woman from the Keystone State-stole
the show at repeal meeting in SYM
phony Hail. Boston, five or six years
ago. when she was supposed to play
second fiddle on the speaking program.
Ladies and gentlemen" she said, II
am Pennsylvania. PENNSYLVANIA has
presented the republic with two great
ons-Albert Gallatin of Switzerland and
Benjamin Franklin of Massachusetts. !"
That brought down the house, for it
appeared there were countless citizens
even OF the Hub, who didn't realize
that Franklin was not a native of
Penns Woods, but was born at Boston
4 X
One OF Washington's most incorripible
political wisecrackers, who calls himself
q Carter Glass Democrat, says that il
the White House doesn't watch its
step, it'll wake up some morning to dis
cover that Congress has quit being
Charlie Mccarthy and decided to be
Bergen.
Evening star., 1937-11-29
Too Many Taxicabs.

The fact that nearly 5000 taxicabs are
being operated daily on the streets of
Washington is striking commentary
on the plight of city that is not per-
mltted to regulate its own affairs. For
years, city officials, trade and civic Or
ganizations and the majority of taxicab
operators have urged that the number
OF taxicabs be reduced to a reasonable
figure and that those allowed to operate
be compelled to carry some form of
liability insurance. But Congress, the
only agency that can execute this badly
needed reform, has seen fit to do moth
ing.
1t may be that indifference and a
misconception of the facts is responsible
for the failure Of Congress to act. Per-
haps those members of the House and
Senate who seem content to keep hands,
off the problem do not feel that 5000
cabs is an unduly large number for a
city as big as Washington. If that be
the case, their attention should be
called to the fact that the District has
more taxicabs than the combined totals
of Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Pittsburgh, st. Louis, Richmond, San
Francisco and Los Angeles. In those
cities approximately 100000 persons
are served by about 4,750 taxicabs. In
Washington, with an estimated popula-
tion of $4,000, there are 4,818 taxicabs.
Can more be needed to convince Con-
gress that the proper District officials
should be given the power necessary to
effect reduction?
1t Is true, Of course, that Washington
needs more taxicabs than other cities
Of comparable size. The Capital is a
mecca for visitors from all sections of
the coL.ltry and they should have ade-
quate and cheap transportation to the
various places of interest in the city,
There is also the fact that Washington,
because Of its unusual physical layout,
makes the transportation of workers to
and from the downtown section difficult.
But the Public Utilities Commission has
not lost sight Of these and other factors,
and has recommended that 1t be author
lied to reduce the number of taxicabs
to 2,5o0 by means that would not work
any hardship on persons now driving
cabs. This would still leave the city
with about 1000 more cabs than are
operated in Chicago.
That this proposal is fair and reason
able cannot be disputed Nor can any
one deny that the existing situation is in
tolerable. But mere recognition of these
facts will accomplish nothing. Immediate
action is urgently needed, and this action
should take the form of a determined
and concerted effort on the part of
every one interested in the welfare of
Washington to secure enactment of the
needed legislation when Congress meets
next January-not at some vague future
time.
Evening star., 1937-11-29
"Tokio Slightly Shaken.''

KUSATSU, Japan, Nov. 27.-After
q five-year silence, volcanic Mount
Shlrane, in Central Honshu, broke
into rumbling eruption today, Toxic
was slightly shaken, but there were
heavier shocks in regions closer to
the volcano. Neither casualties nor
damage were reported.
Associated Press Dispatch.
This news from Japan is seismoeraphic.
not political. Yet the recorded event, in
Guiding the hour of it's occurrence and its
erects, have certain aspect not unlike
diplomatic eruptions in Washington and
London the same Gay. While volcanic
Mount Shirane was bursting forth, both
the United States and Great Britain
were lodging identical protests in Japan
ahirming that they could not look
with equanimity" on her attempts to
tamper with the Chinese maritime GUS
toms.
Secretary Hull directed Ambassador
Grew to notify the japanese that the
American Government would be very
OIL
Shanghai interfere with a service that
handles half of our annual commerce
with China. The United States is fur
ther disturbed by the possibility that
other coastal cities through which our
exports pass may now be treated like
the interior customs depots taken over
In the Japanese conquest of Manchuria.
Since then, foreign traders have been
able to enter the Manchurian market
only with minor categories of goods
which Japan herself cannot supply. The
open door" has been shut.
If Anglo-American protests regard
ing Shanghai are confined to formal
representations by Sir Robert Craigie
and Mr.. Grew, 1t may safely be assumed
that the effect will be precisely what
happened when Mount shirane vomited
Evening star., 1937-11-29

vacuously on Saturday. Toxic, no doubt,
will be slightly shaken" and neither
casualties nor damage" are likely. Mere
diplomatic eruptions, familiar manifesto
tions there, cause no Japanese political
earth to quake. There is even another
analogy between the volcanic "rumbling"
and the timing of the Hull -Eden remon-
STRANGE. 1t happens also to be five years
since Anglo-American craftsmanship
last "erupted" in Japan, anent Man
churia, when, likewise, Toxic was only
slightly shaken"
Until Toxic is shaken more than
slightly" by some rebuke of what Wis
count Cecil has just called international
brigandage," China's subjugation to the
Japanese yoke and complete obliteration
of Western rights in the Far East are
merely matters of the speed into which
the aggressor's juggernaut is thrown. Re-
ports have been published that the
directors of American naval strategy are
persuaded the dispatch of the United
States Fleet to Hawaii, If matched by
the sending of only four British capital
ships to Singapore, would not be with
out moral influence in Toxic. 1t would
be gesture carrying probably less peril
of warlike reprisals by Japan than eco
nomic sanctions. In any event, it would
indicate that Western patience with
Japanese pretensions might, after all,
reach the breaking point. Another
Roosevelt dared such tactics exactly
thirty years ago this winter, with his
toric results.
Evening star., 1937-11-29

At Lebanon, Pa, DR.. William M. Gull
ford celebrated his 105th birthday yes
terday by smoking an extra cigar. The
cigarette has been wholly relieved of an
ancient suspicion and radio is deemed
remiss in not being able to carry its
perfumes along with its cogitations.
Evening star., 1937-11-29
Shooting Stars.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON
Yearninx for Power.

Yearning for Power.
In early ambition
I envied position
Which called on the world to obey
I longed for station
Which brought admiration
Because Of my wonderful sway.
But now am humble,
No longer I grumble.
The man who is promptly obeyed
Is the cop at the crossing.
With arms wildly tossing.
I can't hold the job, I'm afraid.