davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1937-03-20

drizzle. The night was black as the
pit from pole to pole" and the rain
did nothing to improve the visibility
But what made hair rise on the
photographers necks and goose pim-
Piles prickle their skin was their COM
pany in the back seat-tWo boxes OF
dynamite!
Mueller said their safe arrival in
Marlboro was like being granted a
reprieve when just about to step into
the electric chair.
The photographers feeling of relief
was short-lived, however. With drawn
guns the revenue men started on foot
through some woods toward the spot
where the still had been located.
Mueller and Perkins stumbled along
behind. 1t was about am. and still
raining. At each crackle of twig or
crunch of rotted log the photogra-
pliers chewed little pieces out of their
hearts, now held continually between
their teeth.
WHEN the still was reached none
Of its operators was there, but a
few minutes later lookout whom the
raiding party had left on the road was
Continued on Page B-3)
Evening star., 1937-03-20

Of the catastrophe knows, there was
% inches of snow on the ground
Shivering and blue with cold, Prid-
geon remained on that roof for three
hours until he attracted colleague
to whom he dropped his negatives for
delivery to The Star, along with all
S. o. S. for the cash that would obtain
his release. Soon the necessary bond
arrived and the roof prisoner was re-
leased.
TWENTY-SIx years ago, while
working for Clinedinst's, a COM
mercial Photographic agency at Four
teenth and H streets, under contract
to The Star, Pridgeon had a profess
sional encounter with DR.. Mary
Walker, famous but eccentric Civil
War nurse in whose behalf Congress
passed a law permitting her to wear
male garb in order to facilitate her
work among the troops. The war
over, DR.. Walker continued to affect
masculine attire-trousers silk hat,
cane. etc. Her favorite costume was
full evening dress, stiff -bosomed shirt
and all, and one fine day in she
marched to Clinedinst's studio, tiny
but arresting figure in mems formal
party clothes. When she stated her
business, the studio personnel was
astonished, if not aghast. 1t was that
she wanted to be photographed lying
in a coffin so that she might see her.
self as she would look when dead.
Importing rented or borrowed cas-
ket, the studio posed DR.. Walker
therein. Around one of her fingers,
at her insiStence, was twisted a wire
which held stuffed canary, pet of
her nursing days. The canary was
arranged to give the appearance of
kissing the eccentric woman on lips
"silenced by death"
Ten or IS pictures were taken, and
upon development seemed satisfac-
tory and were sent to DR.. Walker.
In a few days." says Pridgeon,
"she came in raving like maniac.
She stormed that here We had gone
and taken so many pictures of her
lying in a casket and what had we
done!
I'VE said: 'What?'
"Well, it seems we had neglected
to remove her spectacles."
John MUELLER, 16 years with The
" Star Photographic staff, still trem-
bles, he says, when he thinks Of the
wild ride that constituted his most
terrifying experience.
In company with Perkins, a COL
league, Mueller was sent to accom-
pany a force Of "revenooers" which
was to raid a still near Marlboro, Md.
The chief of the raiding party picked
up the photographers in his car and
set out.
Frightening enough were the speed
of the car and the driving conditions.
At IS, 70 and IS miles an hour, the
revenue officer drove over narrow
roads made CLASSY by steady. cold
Evening star., 1937-03-20

harder work than those Of the re-
porters whose accounts they illustrate.
The endowment of the good photog-
rapher must include physical speed
and physical daring, mental speed
and mental daring.
Books could be filled with the ad-
ventures of newspaper photographers
books as absorbing as the small IL
brary of volumes currently being
turned out by autobiographically in
clined reporters and foreign CORE
spondents Since the principal me-
dium Of the news photographer is the
newspaper, and since the newspaper
is limited medium, this article will
content itself with a report of some
"reminiscences from our own back
yard"
COME Of the yarns go back to years
when photography was a slower
and more hazardous process than it is
today a circumstance which caused
episodes more amusing and OCCASION
ally more dangerous than those of the
new era of safer camera equipment.
There are any number Of stories about
accidents with flash powder, forerun-
ner of the flash bulb. Irwin Pridgeon,
veteran photographer Of The Star
staff, recalled several.
Among the best is his account of an
assignment to photograph new Con-
gresham, the picture to be used in
connection with a feature story about
the neophyte legislator.
The incident occurred about six
years ago-in the pre-fash bulb era.
"Pridge" went to the Congressman's
office in the old House Office Building,
posed his subject and poised his pow
der-loaded flint lamp. When he was
ready to make an exposure he pulled
trigger which should have spun a
flint wheel, struck a spark and caused
the powder to explode. The device
failed to operate. "Pridge," hurrying to
make his picture, dumped the powder
in a brass cuspidor, cleaned the lamp,
reloaded, took his picture and departed.
He had been back in The Star Of
flee only few minutes when his
phone rang. The caller, wroth, excited
and q little frightened, demanded to
know what the b "Pridge" had
done.
Some one had tossed cigar into the
cuspidor and touched off the flash
powder. The result: A roar, burst Of
flames and smoke and geyser Of to-
bacco juice, cigar and cigarette butts
and assorted debris. Woodwork, walls
and furniture were bombarded with
the mess. Greasy brown stains were
everywhere. The room had to be re-
finished completely.
A similar, but even more damaging,
flash powder incident is recalled by Cy
Perkins, another Star photographer of
long and varied experience. Andrew
Crawford, Cy recalls, was assigned to
photograph an election night crowd
watching bulletins being flashed On .
Evening star., 1937-03-20

screen in front Of The Star Building
some 19 or 20 years ago.
THE ingenious Andrew mounted to
the roof of an adjoining build
ing, no longer standing, although it's
not Crawford's fault that it isn't-and
heaped flash powder into a rain gut
ter running horizontally along the
roof edge. The more flash powder, the
more widely distributed, the better the
picture, Crawford reasoned, rigging up
a fuse.
When the charge was touched OF
you can imagine what happened. There
was a terrific flash, with "boom!" to
match, and the roof coping flew into
pieces, leaving piles Of twisted tin, per-
forated tin, splinters, etc. The collec-
tive feet Of the crowd below left the
pavement and there was a mighty
gasp, followed by some movement Of
hurried exit, until it was discovered
that the spectacular explosion above
had far more bark than bite.
Crawford's employers had to pay for
the damage to the roof next door, but
Crawford was unhurt-and he had his
picture, an excellent one!
Pridgeon gets . laugh now from the
flash powder cuspidor incident, but in
tervening years have done little to
soften his memory of another case of
accidentally discharge powder.
LIE HAD been asked by one of his
employers to photograph an Of
flee interior in The Star Building ad-
dition on Eleventh street, just COM
pleted at the time. While he was pre-
pairing flash powder to make an ex-
posure, his lamp kicked back" ignlt-
ing 2-ounce bottle of powder which
ne held in one hand. Virtually every
window pane on the sixth floor was
shattered by the explosion. Deafened
by the noise, blinded by the brief
Evening star., 1937-03-20

are group of training courses oper-
ated on a concurrent" basis-that is,
partly on the employees time and partly
on that of the Government. The sub
ject matter Of these courses is more in
line with the needs of most Govern
ment employees. Few Of them are going
to be foreign service officers or G-men,
but there are many thousands who
would find much of value in training
like that given through the courses in
statistics recently established by the
Bureau of the Census.
This bureau employs large number
of people at the lower clerical levels,
and it was recognized that they might
be better able to perform their tasks in
statistical bureau if they received
some instruction in the subject. Then,
too, with this additional learning some
of them might be able to advance to
( better paying positions. SO an ele-
mentary course in statistics was quietly
/ announced. with the idea that about
| 100 employees might want to take ad-
vantage Of it. When the applications
were counted it was found that there
were 500 persons who wanted to take
the course
The bureau was not prepared to
/ handle this large number and was
forced to limit enrolment to 264.
These were divided into class sections
OF approximately So The classes were
taught by expert statisticians on the
staff of the bureau, and no tuition fee
was charged. Each group met three
times week for a Six-week period
Problems were assigned at every class
meeting and discussed in the following
class. The work began with simple
arithmetic and gradually introduced
| the student to statistical methods. The
classes were held from to in the
| afternoon, half of the time being the
! Governments, and this gesture of fair
ness on the part of the bureau did
much to increase the popularity of the
courses.
They proved so popular, in fact that
it was decided to give them in CO.
operation with the School of Public
| Affairs of American University. so that
the students could get academic credit
| for the work. The classes are still held
at the Bureau of the Census or the
Commerce Building, but extend
throughout a semester, and are now
| expanded into an elementary course in
statistical and calculation. and ad-
vanced courses on census data and the
principles of statistical research. The
instructors are drawn from the staff
Of the bureau as before
The spread of the in-service train
ing idea is shown by the fact that the
Social Security Board, newest of per-
manent Government agencies. in
stalled work of this kind at the very
beginning of its existence. It's leading
officials believed that a training pro-
gram was necessary equipment in
building up an organization on the
basis of merit and efficiency-an Or
ganization, moreover, that was in
trusted with administering pioneer
piece of social legislation.
Evening star., 1937-03-20

some very practical instruction, and
that Is what the school tries to give
them. Some of the subjects, which
are presented to the class are: Off
cial accounts and returns, State De-
partment codes and international
communications, United States immi-
grafton laws, passport and registration
work, international law and treaty
procedure.
THE men teaching in the school
are experts in their field, drawn
from the State Department in WASH
ington. They do not devote all their
time to the occupation, but leave their
regular positions only long enough to
present the material to the class On
the other hand, the school work is
full-time affair for the students
Throughout the period of instruction
they are on their regular salary and
are expected to give their undivided
attention to the school,
AS each instructor finishes his part
of the course he submits an evaluation
Of the student along with that stu
Evening star., 1937-03-20

blaze Of white light, "Pridge"
stood stunned and blinking, uncertain
as to whether he had been blown to
kingdom come or was still in the COM
paratively mortal precincts of The
Star Building. A sharp pain in the
hand that had been holding the pow
der bottle soon convinced him. En-
ployes of the Washington Herald, then
located across the street, thought a
competing newspaper had been erased
from the face of the earth. People
came running. Pridgeon, much to
every ones surprise, including his own,
was relatively intact Injuries to his
hand laid him up for three weeks,
however.
periences is this episode in connection
with picture coverage of the Knicker-
booker Theater disaster:
Wishing to get "shot" looking
down into the ruins of the theater's
interior, "Pridge" negotiated with the
owner of an adjoining four-story
building, an apartment house with
delicatessen on the ground floor, to
allow him on the roof The building
owner said the privilege would cost IS.
Without pausing to take inventory Of
his wallet, Pridgeon said that would
be all right, and assembled to the roof
through trapdoor.
When he had taken the desired pic
lures, "Pridge" sought to descend.
The building owner demanded his
pound of flesh" The photographer
discovered to his dismay that he had
only so cents.
Then you'll not get down." said
the owner, pulling shut the trapdoor
from below and locking it.
In vain did Pridgeon call down that
his Office would repay the man imme-
diately If he would please just listen
to reason. The temperature was con-
siderably below freezing, and, as every
one familiar with the circumstances
Evening star., 1937-03-20
By William 4. Bell, T.
ND take along a photog-
rainier

~ rapner.
~ It's routine instruction
to the newspaper reporter
nowadays. The picture is necessary
complement to the story. Often, in
deed, the story is of secondary i'm
portance, and there may come a day
when a photographer will be told to
take along reporter, instead of vice
versa
The current popularity of news
picture magazines, newsreels, picture
supplements and newspapers which
give their "write-ups" liberal ac-
compartment of illustrations suggests
the demand for Photographic record
ings of the activities of this planet is
still elastic
In the pursuit of material to satiate
this public appetite photographers
have experiences which seldom get a
recital outside newspaper Offices, un-
less it is to wide-eyed children or
grandchildren. The boys with the
black boxes, familiar wherever there
are events of enough importance to
merit newspaper mention, are among
the most anonymous of workmen in
an anonymous work Seldom the re-
clplents OF "by-lines," their assign
ments often require longer hours,
Evening star., 1937-03-20

screen in front Of The Star Building
some 19 or 20 years ago.
Evening star., 1937-03-20

dents grade. These evaluations are
grades count heavily toward the ap-
pointment which the student will re-
ceive when he finishes the course. The
State Department has developed the
school as final testing ground for its
foreign service officers, and has been
careful to have a school in keeping
with the Importance of the task.
A MOTHER school Of the same type
= is the Federal Bureau of Investi-
cation School in the Department of
Justice, where fiedgling special agents
are put through a course OF sprouts
from which they emerge as we'll
qualified G-men. This school has been
operating since 1924 and has left a
deep impression on the whole per-
sonnel of the bureau, for it puts its
stamp on every one of its alumni. In
a survey of the in-service training
Evening star., 1937-03-20

problem prepared by John E. Devine
for the National Institute of Public
Affairs it is referred to as "the most
compact, the most effective and best
equipped training school in Washing
ton"
Housed in three large class rooms in
the new Department of Justice Build
ing, the school also has the use Of the
departments library, its fingerprlnt
collection and its laboratories There
are five instructors, who have all had
previous experience in academic pur-
suits and in the field of criminology.
and who are at all times on call to go
back to the active investigative
service.
After his appointment as special
agent new man comes to Washing
ton and enters the training school.
He is there 10 hours a day and six
days week for three-month period.
Evening star., 1937-03-20

CD There's college atmosphere in the ancient spires
of the Smithsonian Institute. (2) Special schooling
the urge for higher education the Internal Reve
Bureau where this class is taking experts
lecture 3) Instruction in the of glass blowing being
given the Smithsonian Dr. Leland is the "prof. (4)
Students plying comparative nemaolosy, the study of
insect pests, the Department of Agriculture 5) The
Administration Building of the Department of A9ricul
ture, where classes are held regularly.
Evening star., 1937-03-20

Continued on Page B-3l
Evening star., 1937-10-10
COnSlllS Told
ToBe "Replicas"
Of"UncIe SAM
a n, bassadOr b Daniels
Says Day of Spats Type
Is Ended.
ES the lated Press.

.
MEXICO CITY, October 9.-Ambas-
sador Jesephus Daniels told United
States Consuls in Mexico, assembled
here today for their annual meeting,
that each ought to be replica of
Uncle Sam-that self-respecting, un-
assuming gentleman who asks moth
ing for himself or his nationals which
he is not ready to grant to others"
He lamented the popular view that
diplomacy is static, that it is gov
erned by ancient tradition, often out
moded, and that it's usefulness Is Inn,
peded by slavish adherence to hoaxy
precedents."
He said that despite school that
resists change, even to the point of
regretting the abandonment of spats,
mufflers and canes, we have come to
the time when the best equipment for
q diplomat is sincerity. frankness.
common sense and adoption of the
golden rule, plus knowledge and
courtesy, as guiding stars"
Eighteen ConSuls and Vice Consuls
In charge of offices, in addition to the
staffs of the Consulate General and
Embassy here, attended the initial
session at which were Lawrence Dug
gan, chief of the Consular Division,
and John F. Simmons, chief of the
Visa Division Of the State Department.
Various Mexican foreign ministry
ofncials have been invited to address
the consular ofncials during their six
day meeting.
Evening star., 1937-10-10
A|RP[ANE MAKING
VIEWED AS CIRCUS
Session of Production Meet
ing EnIivened by Witty
Discussion of Problems.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, October "a sar-
donic. witty view Of airplane making
as three-ring circus. full OF excite
ment and goggle-eyed surmise, stimu-
lated the final session of the national
aircraft production meeting today
D. M. Carpenter, Consolidated Air
craft Corp, San Diego. Calf, said
general inadequacy" is the most
outstanding feature to be noted in
connection with aircraft factory equip
ment and tooling," because OF the
rapid succession of new designs in
planes, limited production quantities,
and the like.
That was the general theme. Then
Carpenter got down to the circus
angle
THE customer" he said, naturally
wants his purchase to be ultra modern
in every respect. He occupies the CEN
tral ring Of the tfxee-ring circus typi-
flying all aircraft manufacture.
With the agile mind typical of
dfidVOAo, lac SpCIluo SlCCplcoS IliSIlLS III
jecting changes into the picture until
design which started into produc-
ton as training plane may emerge
from the factory as long-range
bomber.
Not to be outdone, the engineers
enact the stellar role in the second
ring. Inspired by the customer and
harassed by the shops, they issue
change notices. new drawings, etc,
with wild abandon and enhanced with
trimmings marvellous TO behold.
THE number Of pieces In a large
modern airplane reads something like
the national debt.
In the third ring of the circus we
have the shops. OF course, the
shops are not in position to confuse
the issue by originating changes, as do
the customers and engineers They
have, however, splendid weapon
against smooth production economy
merely by making mistakes
Evening star., 1937-10-10
BY the Associated Press.

INGLEWOOD, Calf. October O.
The grandson of James J. Hill, rail-
road builder, disclosed today his plans
for revolutionizing the industry with
a perpetually balanced passenger
swing" coach.
Courtlandt T Hill, former Yale stu
dent who served his apprenticeship
in the Great Northern shops. is hard
at work on a full-siZe model Of the
coach he and two associates believe
will take alle the jar and swerve out
of railroad travel. It will be ready
in about six weeks.
Strangely enough, the coach is
built along the principles of the $50
year-old horse drawn vehicle which
bore King George VI and Queen
Elizabeth to the coronation last
Spring. Constructed OF lightweight
steel and >duralumin, built close to
the rails, it will be suspended, fore
and aft. from strong uprights rising
from the wheel trucks. AS the coach
rounds a curve, it will swing, thus
maintaining all-time balance.
Standing still. the coach will al
ways hang" straight from its sup
porting posts. No more spilled cof-
fee in the dining cars; no more tilt
ing stops on curved track sections
Courtlandt Hills associates in the
venture are Dr. William Van Dorm
California Institute of Technology
engineer, and John K. Northrop, air.
plane manufacturer.
Evening star., 1937-10-10
CONVENTION ON COURT
MODERNIZATION CALLED
Ry the Associated Press.

Ry the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. October 9.-The Execu-
tive Committee Of the National
Lawyers Guild decided today to call
"deliberative convention" in Wash
ington to consider "modernization Of
the Supreme Court"
A committee was appointed to FIX
date and arrange details.
The decision followed 4 suggestion
by Morris Ernst. New York attorney,
who proposed that proponents and
opponents of the Presidents Supreme
Court program be given . chance to
express their views in a forum.
A statement from the Executive
Committee said it would invite
the scores of Senators and Represent
atives who favor some form of signif-
cant changes in the judicial depart
ment," professors. Government ex.
perts. consumer. labor and farm or
ganizations, and chambers Of COM
merce.
Evening star., 1937-10-10
PUBLISHERS WITHDRAW
LA GUARDIA'S BIOGRAPHY
John Franklin Carter's Book to
Be Reprinted After Objections
Are Overcome.
By the Associated Press


NEW YORK. October 9. - The
50,000-copy first edition Of John
Franklin Carriers biography of Mayor
Fiorello La Guardia. titled la Guar
dia," has been withdrawn because
of objections to several passa ges, Sam
uel H Craig, vice president of Modern
Age Books, said. tonight.
Lester Stone the Mayors secretary
said La Guardia had not objected to
the book, so far as he knew, but that
some one else in the city admins
tration might have protested.
The Mayor has been too busy these
days to sit around reading books, "
he said, referring to La Guardia S
campaign for reelection.
Copies of the biography received
by newspapers for review had six
lines of type cut out.
Craig said officials of his company
were friendly to La Guardia and
agreed to withhold the book, which
he described as sympathetic.
The volume, 176-paee paper
bound book, was scheduled for re-
lease yesterday.
The publishers said the edition
would be reprinted.