davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
But What of Nepotism?

States Attorney William H. Blodgett last week took occasion to deny that he was interested in any candidacy on the Republican ticket this fall Shortly thereafter he delivered himself of another "hot" attack on the administration of Governor Wilbur L. Cross, singing out this time his successor in the State Tax Department, Commissioner William H. Hackett. Various charges were hurled at the department head, among them be- ing nepotism and buying a new automo- olle right alter he had been appointed
 The former might be taken seriously if only Attorney Blodgett had gone to the trouble of pointing out instances where Commissioner Racket had indulged in nepotism Incidentally that means pro- viding jobs for relatives In recent years no two persons have shown up more cases of nepotism in Congress than the con- ductors of the Washington Merry-Go- Round. but we recall that Messrs Allen and Pearson accompanied their charges with the proof - names and figures. The Litchfield County prosecutor failed to do this, at least in the accounts of his recent address that we saw.
 The propriety of court official engag- ing so hotly in political campaign that has not really started is another thing which might be of some concern to the voters. Attorney Blodgett was good official when he served the state as Tax Commissioner We think that he was succeeded by another good official when Commissioner Hackett took over the job. He hasn't fallen down on the job and he has been forced to enlarge his depart ment to care for the new taxes that the state has seen fit to levy since the Blod-
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
Current Comment

If democracy can supply security, 1t will survive; otherwise 1t will go down before the incessant demand for bread and butter. -President Frank Kingdom of Newark University.
 
 The hardest thing in the world Is to preach the gospel to a rich man. Rich men can always ration alize their position. -Bisghop Francis J. Mcconnell of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
  Since fantasy B the incredible mixed with the real in such . fash- ion as to seem plausible. New York provides the perfect stage for fanstasy.
 Prof. Lennox Gray of Teachers College. New York.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
In New York
By GEORGE ROSS

New York.-Add notes on re- cent excursion to filmland:
 Hollywood frequently has been &C., cused of mangling Broadway plays when transcribing them for the screen. They tell us, though, that the fault lies less with Hollywood than with the censor boards throughout the world. Movie producers are hog-tied by taboos, by police officials, reformers and amateur critics.
 In converting Boy Meets Girl" to the screen, the producers were warned by the Hays office that they mustn't show any suggestion of Susie waiting or collapsing because of imminent maternity-and the best gags and situations in the script went into limbo.
 All humorous references to Con- gressmen, Supreme Court Justices and other public officials had to bc omitted from the shooting script Of First Lady"
 Samuel Goldwyn had to submit to official and unofficial pressure and to shelve a story about politi- cal refugees which he had planned | to film.
 Paramount owns a reporterly magnificent anti-war screen play by Liam OFlaherty which may never reach the screen until the bars are let down, and there arc innumerable other instances of sup pression of ideas in the motion pie ture studios.
 Twisting Situations
 One of the most fragrant cases Of play-to-screen distortion Is "The Amazing pr. Clitterhouse." In the stage version, the doctor who cx- perimented with crime research pur- poses and became involved in mur- der pleaded insanity 50 as to evade punishment by the law. The mo- ton picture producers code, how ever, doesn't permit the showing on the screen of criminal evading punishment. So, for the screen yer sion, the doctors entire character had to be changed. He had to be actually proved insane.
 Other taboos this film had to ob- serve; the criminals couldn't be shown wearing gloves because 1t would teach crooks how to evade discovery of fingcrprints. They couldn't be shown overpowering a night watchman, on which an im- portant scene depended. And an acetylene torch was considered con- traband while camera was around. Woes Aplenty
 Nor are those the only ccnsorial woes. I was shown letter sent by the president of a women's organ ization, which took up another as- pect of film going.
 Every theatcr in the United States" she wrote, should be di- vided. The women should sit on one side and the men on the other. The darkened interior of movie houses creates a spell for unguided per- sons."
 The lady received polite reply. Talkie producers don't take chances snubbing a lady crusader.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
A Book a Day
Sinclair Looks At Christianity
BY BRUCE CATION

It Is a strange and fantastic book that Upton Sinclair has written, in Our Lady" (Rodale Publications: $l.50). Some readers may find 1t irrevercnt. even sacrilcgious; yet that. obviously. was not MT. Sin clair's intention, and believe that he has handled his unusual story deftly enough to avoid giving of- fenge.
 Briefly, the story is this:
 The Virgin Mary reappears on earth today. in Los Angeles. She meets and talks with learned priest. who is able to speak the archaic Aramaic dialect spoken in Palestine 2,000 years ago, and he serves as her guide during her visit.
 And although he explains every thing to her, she does not recognize anything in modern American civ- ilization as having the most remote connection with herself or r Son 1
 How the story ends is something you had best learn for yourself If the thing interests you--by read ing Mir. Sinclair'g book; to sum marize 1t here would be, probably, to distort 1t and convey a wrong impression of the book.
 can only say that MT. Sinclair has written an engrossing and urbane satire; book which is more than little in the vein of Anatole France. and which puts under the microscope what we arc pleased to call our Christian civili- zation and calmly remarks that there is precious litlte in 1t which the Founder of Christianity would recognize.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09

Had working and economic conditions been better throughout New England this summer, this would have been one of the best seasons for resorts to be enjoyed in good many years. And the main req son for this would have been the weather. Strike out the bad week in July when rain flooded every section of the country and we've had mighty fine season. It's been hot, but heat is one thing you're apt to crave when you're away on vaca- tion. Most vacationers go prepared for don't know just how the season will compare with past ones from an economic standpoint, but from ideal weather con- ditions, it's been pretty good
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09

Now that most of us have learned where to go to cast our ballots, whether it was for local, state or national elec- tions, we'll have to learn all over again. With the creation of new voting districts - 32 now most voters will find them selves going to new polling place, although there will be quite few who can return to the old stand There is ample time to acquaint yourself with the new outline of voting districts as the fate full day isn't until November.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09

NOTE-B0ettiger, while a member of the Washington staff of the arch anti-New Deal Chi- cago Tribune, was one of the severcst critics of the President. Today, the P-I continues this policy, sharply assailing . num- Der of Administration policies, particularly in the labor field. The OREGONIAN recently waged a militant campaign that led to the disbanding of a se- cret police force fred squad" that had issued bulletins viciously assailing the Adminis- tration.
 New Deal Expansion
 The Coca Cola building in Bal- timore and the Negro Masonic Temple in Washington stand as dramatic evidence of the ever ex- banding forces of the federal gov- ernment. The people who work in the Coca Cola building do not make Coca Cola, and the people who work in te Negro Masonic Temple do not wear solemn robes or perform rituals. They all are government workers with no place else to go.
 The Baltimore building provides 100000 square feet or office space for work of the Social Security Board which should properly be done in Washington. But there are no more buildings available.
 The Masonic Temple provides 45,000 square feet of office space for the Railroad Retirement Board which also uses 55,000 square feet in the privately owned LaSalle building, and would use another 50,000 sequare feet in any build ing, public or private, If 1t could be found.
 Social Security, in addition to being bottled up in Baltimore, oc- cupies two converted apartment houses in Washington (Rocham- beau and Potomac) and two other office buildings tthe old Labor De- pertinent building and the old Civil Service Commission build ing).
 The expansion which began in 1883, then receded with eviction of NRA and contraction of PWA and WPA, has set In again with mighty sweep The government now occupies 250 buildings in the District of Columbia, and only half of them are government owned.
 The government pays $3,000,006 a year in rent to owners of pri- vate office space, plus another million for maintenance.
 Every day is moving day in the government. The most moved agency IS the Indian office, which has had a life as migatory as the race 1t serves.
 That office, in whole or in part, has tenanted, In order, the following establishments: In- terior North Building, New Post Post Offlce building, Hurley Wright building, Interior South building, Interior North building and McGiII building.
 Clay Guthridge, the official house hunter, says the govern ment Is growing so fast and build Ing 90 slowly that office space will never catch up with demard.
 All Of which Is good news fer the owners of office buildings. They command top pricc-as in the Washington building and Shoreham building-of $2.50 per square foot per year.
 Copyright, 1938 by United
 Feature Syndicate, Incl
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
Selected Poem
FAIRY TALE


 (Bercn Van slyke in the New York Times Ding dong crier Crier, ring your bell! Cry into the staring street How l lost my laughter, Lost my youngest daughter To the witch of sorrow. Sorrow beckoned, "Smiling child, Come eat my salted fruit" Sorrow threw smoke Of signing round her, Called the rain into her eyes: Sorrow laid dark hands upon her then. Ding dong, crlerl Ring bell for laughtcrl Is Ice the slipper for her small lost foot Snow the cloak upon her shoulder2 Did sorrow change her to a bird Startling dumb and frieving? Cage her fast and slit her tongue, fnStruct the desperate entertainment Upon the monotone of sorrow? Ding dong,
 Ring mountain bell, Ring dirge for laughter and her mother Cricr, toss your bell! Tell how sorrow stole my laughter, Stole my dearest daughter, CloSed the smooth pink palm of maiden laughter Into her scared black hand.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
The People Will Decide

The efforts of those who are trying sincerely to bring harmony and unity into the ranks and deliberations Of the local Democratic party should be encour- aged regardless of whether some of the parties to the reorganization may be interested in their own political status and may have no desire to get together because they may feel they have more strength and nuisance value by dlsaf- lection. In the last analysis it will be the rank and file of the people who Will decide and it is up to the leaders Of all fac- tions to find a common ground of sound principles of good government for city, state, and nation, supported by good candidates of ability, experience, and trustworthiness Thereafter any party disloyalty will be punished by the people themselves.
 We have a firm conviction that the great majority of the members of the Democratic party locally, people who are not actively engaged in politics but who are interested in their party and in sound government and good candidates will do the following:
 l.. lIlGy VIII uloll DCIWCCil those who are trying sincerely to pro- mote the interests of the party as vehicle for good government and those who, having a selfish interest, put their selfishness and self-seeking ahead of party loyalty and welfare,
 2. They will not tolerate the elim- ination of many good citizens who without any political aspirations of
 
 committeeman and as members of conventions and who because of their character and loyalty and good repu- tations in their own sections will be listened to by hundreds of voters seeking enlightenment on the pres ent problems of city, state, and nation;
 3. They will differentiate between those who have and those who have not been faithful to the public trust and they will not condemn large group of citizens and public servants as whole merely because of any association with anyone who may have been charged and may or may not be guilty of civic wrong doing;
 4. They will not support poorly selected candidates who seek office and personal enrichment far beyond their abilities and just deserts merely because those candidates may have small following and nuisance value as troublemakers. Better to go down fighting for sound principles and party loyalty than yield to those who are interested only in themselves and only have political strength as dis loyal troublemakers;
 5 They will only support a plat form of honest government, of value Tor their tax money, and of sound political economy, generally, with sincere and able candidates to up- hold it.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
Daily Almanac

Moon gets 4:29 a. m. (daylight time).
 Sun ri&es 555 a. m; sets 800 D. m. (day- light time).
 All vehicles must be lighted thirty minutes after sunset.
 High tide at Milford Wednesday, Aug. 10, ll;Ss a. m: low tidc 6:ll p. m. (daylight time).
 Thb is the season of the year to get the nrst of your contrasting pictures. Snap your IaVorl1 landscape or roadside scene with Nature In full bloom; wait six montkz. then snap the same scene, preferably with <now on the ground
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
TODAY'S COMMON ERROR Gala is pronounced gay'-Iah;
 not gaI-ah.

feited 1t in wartime and had served sentences for conspiring to defeat the draft, or for violating the es- pionage act
 A. Christmas, 1883.
 c. Where and when was H. B. Warner, the film actor, born and educated?
 A. Born in Londong Eng, Octo- Der %, 1877, son Of Charles and Fanchette (Hardes) Warner. Edu- cated at University college, and be- gan his stage career in 1883, with his father. in Streets of London" Ills initial professional appearance was as "Rev. MT. Eden" in Never Too Late to Mend" in 1897.
 Q. Are there any institutions in the United States that offer graduate work for advanced stu dents in wildlife management
 A. Fifteen institutions offer such courses.
 O. When windows are broken by an explosion outside the building, are they blown in or out?
 A. They are blown out by the air inside the building trying to rush out to All the partial vacuum mo- mentarily get up in the area of the explosion.
 C. Does the New York stock exchange offer any courses of in- struction to It's employees?
 A. Since 1922. 1t has maintained the New York Stock Exchange in- stitute, which offers security brok- craze courses to the exchange em- ployes Since 1880, employees of member firms have been admitted to the institute.
 If you want a copy of our book let HOT WEATHER COOKERY" write 10 The Waterbury Demo- crats Washington Bureau, 1913 Thirteenth Street. Washington, D. c. Enclose 25 cents in postage.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09

One of the proposals made at the annual outing of the Fairfield County Planning Association was that the state immediately con- sider the purchase of some 50,000 acres Of land to protect the unspoiled beauty of the Housatonic Valley and preserve 1t for the ben- eft of the general public.
 Anyone who has watched western Connecticut develop for the past few years has an idea of the urgency of this proposal. Fairfield County. in particular, has only so much un- spoiled land. For some of 1t there is a struggle on between the Bridge
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09

1. How many stripes are there in the American Flag?
 2. Between which two of the Great Lakes does the Niagara Ri- yer flow?
 3. Tn which city was the 1888 Major League All-Star game play ed?
 4. What does ad valorem mean?
 5. Will water glass dissolve in water?
 c. Name the bay in the northeast section of Lake Huron.
 2. What relation was President John Quincy Adams to President John Adams?
 6. Has Adolf Hitler ever visited the United States?
 9. In which South American country is the city of Lima?
 10. Who won the P. c. A. golf championship in 1897?
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
ROOSTER" LAYS EGGS

Lynden, Ont CUP) "A rooster" that lays eggs has been discovered among a flock of leghorns oil the farm Of a local man. The phcncme- non was discovered when three of the flock. including the rooster. were isolated and started producing three eggs daily.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09

Things are very confusing and some people don't know whether to worry most about the record-breaking grain crop that is said to have cursed the country or the record-breaking swarms of grass hoppers that are ruiAing Montanas grain.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09

gett regime. Unless the Litchfield County official intends to become candidate of party this fall, we don't quite see how he can live up to the belief that there are certain offices, notably those connected with the courts of the state, which should not be linked to active political campaign ing, such as the popular Bill" is now engaging in.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
Daily
  Washington
Roosevelt Must FIoy Senator George to Elect New Dealer in Georgia Primary
 Administration Agencies Expand So Fast
 Sufficient Space Cont Be Found for Them
V nmgw PEARSON
esaa Dcs&Rr 9 AExm

Washington August 9-The President is due for some plain-talkng advice from the inner council eutenans he summoned to meet him at Pensacola where he debars
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
Questions and
 Answers
By Frederick M. Kerby

Enclose a three-cent stamp for reply when addressing any ques- ton of fact or information to the Waterbury Democrats Service Bu- reau at Washington. Legal and medical advice cannot be given. nor can extended research be un- dertaken. Be sure ali mail is ad- dressed to the WATERBURY DEMOCRATS SERVICE BU- REAU. 1913 Thirteenth Street, Washington. D. C.
 THE EDITOR
 o. I am an alien resident In the United States and I want to visit Hawaii; do need passport?
 A. Take proof of your legal entry to the U. s such as the passport on which you entered the country, and your head tax receipt.
 Q. When did President Roosevelt issue a proclamation of amnesty, restoring full privileges of Ameri- can citizenship to those who for
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
A Thought for Today

And the servants of Anon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house'-H Kings 2i:23.
 Every unpunished murder taxes away solhc- sea tbfno from the security of every mans life.- Daniel Webster.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-09
T est Y o UT Knowledge

Can you answer seven of these test questions? Turn to last page for the answers.
Evening star., 1938-06-26
THE KINGS ENGLISH 90 TAKEN FOR "A RIDE

as 'buncombe" From ''bmcombe" came
''bunkum." Finally we arrived at bunk
Not so long ago AL Smith gave us sub
stitute: "boloney" But Sir William only
includes words in common use before 1900.
Twentieth century upstarts can't crack his
social register. That's how he holds it down
to twenty-six sections.
Thousands of our Ameican-made words
have been adopted in England. You'll find
them in the Oxford dictionary. Many a
Colonel and his lady have written the London
Times objecting to "Americanisms." But no
army engineer can build Notifications which
will repel the attacks of a vigorous phrase.
Language changes to meet changing con-
ditions. If it didn't, people wouldn't be able
to say what they think. In time the art of
communication would break down.
So don't be afraid to use home made words
when they help you make yourself understood.
They may end up in the dictionary.
Evening star., 1938-06-26

a vivid picture. That s all language is - COL
lection of pictures. The clearer the picture,
the better the language.
Mark Twain was the daddy of pass the
buck" It made its bow in his book. Rough
ing It," published in 1882. George AIDE sired
"on the bum forty-two years ago. Teddy
Roosevelt was the first to write cattle
country"
Most of these phrases started as slang.
They spread by word of mouth. Then the
writers took them up. Thus they flowed
into the American language. They became
respectable.
The United States, the most inventive and
creative country in the world, is inventing and
creating its own rich language. We reject
English phrases that seem colorless or stuffy.
We roll our own"
Here are few. lifted from the published
sections of the new dictionary:
ITO go on bender" - Ito buttonhole
person" - "in cahoots wit" - buck fever"
- raise CAIN - take the cake" - card
sharp" - chip on the shoulder"
Slang? Sure. All of them were once slang
Some of them still are. SO is sure" the way
I've just used it, But listen to Sir William:
The real test of slang is its utility. If
slang phrase fills long felt want, it will get
into the language. Slang represents the oea-
tive instincts of the ordinary man. 1t is one
of the chief sources from which language is
being constantly enriched"
Sir Williams new dictionary tells the his
tory of each American word and phrase 1t
makes fascinating reading.
General Burnside, Civil War hero, wore
his whiskers in peculiar fashion. There was
no word for them. So the people called them
"burnsides." Then newspaper printed the
word, reversing the syllables. From then on
we had "sidebmns."
Back in 1927, Congressman Felix Walker
of Buncombe County, North Carolina. ha-
rangued his colleagues because he was bound
to make speech for Buncombe." The law
makers we're tired of speeches. They got in
the habit of referring to that kind of windiness
Evening star., 1938-06-26

DRIVEN almost out of his mind by other
mems snores. one inventor devised snore
muffler "a mouthpiece that prevents the
unearthly noises which are emitted nightly all
over the world. 1t consists of wood or horn
in the form of bit that fits comfortably into
the mouth A number of openings allow for
the passage of air and the contraption is held
in place by an elastic band around the head
Not bad gag!