davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1938-10-26

some Of the imaginative versions of this
suggestion that have appeared in public
print ! believe that worthwhile prog
ress along this line can be made through
the active cooperation of these groups.
and without any great disturbance Of
the existing distributive system"
That reinsurance from the Secretary
of Agriculture would be comforting were
it not for the Interpretation he appar-
emily places on "active cooperation"
BY way of illustration, he said there
will be surplus of eleven million boxes
of grapefruit this year. That surplus
will be wasted, he believes, unless it can
be made available to the needy at q
price they can afford to pay. But, Mr..
Wallace said, II the growers gave these
grapefruit away the ordinary freight
and handling charges would make the
retail price about five cents each. Be-
lieving that to be too high, he proposed
that the producer be paid one-third
OF a cent per grapefruit, and that the
railroads, handlers and retailers CO.
operate in reducing their charges to q
point which would permit the sale Of the
grapefruit to the consumer at two cents
each.
In other words, Mr.. Wallace seeks the
ACTIVE cooperation" of these agencies
fn tho eYfept of raduct{ox, ~ .o,,,o
sixty per cent in their charges. II that
is to be applicable to the whole range
Of agricultural surpluses, there would
seem to be a rather serious question as
to how the hard-pressed railroads and
other agencies can give the desired CO.
operation and still stay in business
themselves, unless, Of course, they, too,
are to be subsidized by the Government.
Evening star., 1938-10-26

as he watches the sparrows and other
birds getting their share.
Only controlled experiments indoors
would be able to test this or other seed
properly.
The main thing to keep in mind is
that good grass seed, honestly boxed and
labeled-and, therefore, sold at a price
consistent with quality-will keep in
condition for a long, long time.
~
This makes it possible for the home
owner to repair his grass at any time
Of the year, just as he would have his
shoes half-soled II they needed it.
Putting in patches would be a better
way to say it. After all, lawn does not
have to be whole or half soled very often.
The important matter is to take care
Of the patches, which occur in any lawn,
and from a variety Of reasons.
Stones are always working their way
up in some yards. These may have been
dumped in during the lawn building
process at first. At the time they seemed
far enough down, but gradually they
worked their way up, until, few inches
from the surface, they killed out the
grass above them.
die out In irregular patches for no ap-
parent reason 1t Is a good thing to think
OF underlying small stones, ranging from
few inches to few feet in diameter.
once IN Georgetown q family found
the grass dying out in very large
place every time the weather got hot.
Investigation showed what seemed to
be complete substratum Of rock for a
space OF about feet long and feet
wide.
Further investigation with pick and
shovel revealed great stone of ap-
proximately those dimensions which had
managed to work its way gradually to
the surface.
Lawns in which crab grass abounds
often become mushy and bare in wet
winter weather.
This is good opportunity to put in
the seeds OF desirable grasses, with the
hope that they will sprout and get an
early start in spring before the crab
grass does.
Let us say word in defense Of this
always abused grass.
1t is not altogether undesirable Many
lawns would be mere mud holes without
it. 1t sometimes serves a useful purpose
in holding the sod together.
1t is, ir other words, better than no
grass at all.
Once it gets hold in a yard, 1t is al
most impossible to get it out entirely.
The lawn maker might as we'll recog-
nize this, and merely try to keep its
percentage of space down to the mini
mum.
The best way to do this. all things
considered, is to plant good grasses at
any time of year there are plain patches
visible. If this is done, maybe Fido has
his uses, after all.
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Dirigibles Urged
For Defense Equipment.

To the Editor of The Star:
The article in The Evening Star. Oc-
tober IL, stating that the defense budget
is to be increased $50, 900 for needed
naval vessels Is an item of interest re-
lating to national defense.
Our country has a longer coast line to
defend than any other country which, in
the past, in time of war, has been pa
trolled by fast cruisers and destroyers
for the purpose of detecting and giving
warning of the approach of enemy ma
val vessels that they might be repelled
or destroyed before they got within
striking distance of our shores.
For this service the dirigible is now
very essential as in clear or fair weather
lookouts at an altitude of about 1000
feet can scan about 10000 square miles
OF the surface of the ocean, and with
the speed of a dirlgble greater distances
can more quickly be surveyed at far less
expense than can be surveyed by several
fast naval cruisers or destroyers.
With their speed and capable of flying
at high attitudes when necessary, and
with the sub-cloud car for use in low
ceiling clouds or fog the dirigible would
be an integral part for adequate opera
tions, the eyes and intelligence of our
coast defense.
dirigible costs about 50 600, 900 and
a light cruiser about $l2,OOO,OOO. Our
Navy is now provided with a number
OF light cruisers. and for the cost of one
more light cruiser our Nation could be
provided with three dirigibles which
are far more essential and effective for
adequate defense operations than would
be the services of one more cruiser. We
still have the Lakehurst and Sunnyvale
hangars. with the necessary equipment
at these bases, and a supply of helium
gas for their maintenance and operation.
Due to the loss of the Akron and the
Macon our country has been discouraged
from further construction of dirigibles.
This should not be. The Germans have
operated dirigibles for years. at times
under very trying weather conditions,
without the loss of an airship or a life
until the Hindenburg disaster, and this
would have been avoided had the air
ship been provided with helium gas.
AS it is the desire of the administra-
ton to provide adequate equipment, a
part OF the expenditure should be for
the construction of two or more dirigi-
bles. which are essential now for ade-
quate national defense.
JOHN w. CURRELL.
October "a, 1885,
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Pleasing Teacher.
"a True Incident)

GA True 1ncident)
We discipline and train our young,
We may be harsh or mild;
But who of us can really know
The heart of any child
NV smallest girl came home one day,
A little late from school;
I asked if she had been kept in,"
For breaking some slight rule.
"Oh Just five minutes" she announced,
For someone-on the walk
That goes up to the big front door
Had scribbled with red chalk"
And was it you?" questioned her,
With rather puzzled frown;
Because she spoke so casually,
And not bit cast-down.
"Oh no indeed" said she-"not r.
With happy smile and bland
"But when the teacher asks who did,
always raise my hand"
"For don't you see," said 'six-years-
DID,
Here eyes so clear and blue
II always say, I did'-because
Ny teacher likes us to!" D. A. G.
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Twenty-Year Resident
Urged for Commissioner.

ClSCu AOL NOIHhlASSlOHCIs
To the Editor Of The Star:
Kindly grant me space in your valu-
able paper to urge that the District
Commissioner to be chosen in the near
future be bona fide resident OF the
District of Columbia for at least 20
years. In my opinion such require
nent would prove most popular wise
and advantageous to all citizens and
property owners of the District of Co.
lumbia and adjoining suburbs under the
jurisdiction Of District authorities.
The choosing Of man or woman Of
the type mentioned, along with the many
other exacted qualifications required,
will, I most assuredly believe. prove be-
yond any doubt pleasing and satisfactory
to all those who have the interests Of
the District at heart.
If the President names such a person
as mention I firmly believe more sat
isfaction will prevail and that better
results in every respect will ensue.
again stress such a selection for the ex-
acting position Of District Commissioner.
Let everybody put forth their best ef-
forts toward accomplishing this end.
October "a. HENRY r. ASH.
Evening star., 1938-10-26
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Those to whom the growth Of lawn
grass seems a consequential matter. not
a trivial one, will be glad to hear that
local experiments with October planted
seed have been success.
This happy result was due to the mild
weather, in part, but even more to the
determination in the mind of the
planter.
When Fido, the dog, scratched out
about a square yard of turf, he did a
grievous thing, according to the turf
owner.
An absolutely inconsequential thing.
according to the dog owner.
1t all depends upon whose lawn is
scratched.
No longer is it fashionable to foam at
the mouth, paw the air with rage, and
kick the dog.
The thing to do is to pretend that you
don't mind, say "Oh, that's all right"
and proceed to the seed store for re.
refreshments.
Upon this meat doth feed our in
glorious Caesars of this day and age,
with the result that few determined
men are able to rule them all.
Oh, determination. what might we not
give to have you in the right direction!
4
An easy application of determination
lies in grass seed,
Every time the grass goes out, put
some in. and keep at it, no matter what
time of the year.
In such a fall as this, every one can
see the possibilities in freshly sprouting
blades, but when the winds do blow,
and the earth is cold and dry, few reckon
with the possibilities. Even then, how
ever, there is some chance of getting
grass, if diligence is used in combina-
ton with firm seizure OF the precious
moment brought about by a sudden
change in the wind
Selling the bull by the horns is small
matter, compared with taking advantage
of the best days for grass seed planting.
These occur in sequence at all times of
year.
There. are some ardent advocates of
March.
Sow your seeds on the snow, and let
the melting thereof carry them into the
ground"
Such Is their advice. Probably few
persons have had the heart to do it.
Good grass seed costs money, after ALL
There is not much point in merely put
ting 1t into the snow to have it washed
away down the gutter.
\ X
Fortunately, seed keeps very WELL
A box or bag of it lasts long time,
with not much loss in fertility over the
months.
termination up to a certain percent
age is marked on the container accord
ing to law.
Just how much OF falling of there
will be over the weeks is impossible to
say; the planter may feel sure of this,
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Says Japanese Threaten
To Dominate Hawaii.

10 the Edltor OF The star
The following excerpts from an ar
ticle in Hawaii Hochi "a Japanese news
paper of Honolulu and reprinted in the
japanese New World Sun of San Fran
cisco, September 26, 1898, indicate
situation that well merits the most seri-
Gus consideration.
The total japanese population Of
Hawaii at present 1938) is estimated at
l53,539, representing 373l per cent Of
the whole. Out of the total Japanese
population there are 1864 who are
American citizens. This is nearly rs
per cent of the entire racial bloc
alien Japanese make up only 9.2 per cent
Of the whole population of the territory
~ SO 1t would appear that the Japa-
nese bloc that could vote if it wanted
to DO so. that could register as quail
fed group of electors amounts to
about IS per cent of the total eligible
electorate.
That such a group would be in po-
sition to swing elections if it acted in
solid bloc is beyond question. The
japanese are in a position to hold the
balance of power and to use it effectively
if they choose. So far they have not
functioned as racial bloc, which is the
best proof of their Americanization.
But what if they should decide to use
their strength in the only truly Ameri-
can way in which mass solidarity can be
demonstrated-at the ballot box?
"On any issue that affected them as
racial group, affected their interests as
q particular section representing one
third of the citizenship, they would have
a perfect right to stick together and
fight for their own candidates. They
would be saps if they didn't.
Figures do not lie. American citizens
of japanese ancestry are approaching
the point of strength at which it will
be possible for them to challenge any
party, any candidate, any platform or
any policy"
Here is expressed in no uncertain
terms the threat of the Japanese to use
their racial plurality to dominate Ha-
waii. 1t is not stated, however, that
two-thirds of these American citizens
of japanese ancestry who have the
power to challenge any party, any
candidate, any platform or any policy
have failed to expatriate and are there
fore also citizens Of Japan, and bound
to obey her orders in peace and in war.
Should statehood be granted to Ha-
waii, and should the principle of self
determination become effective, what
may be the future of our western out
post, where large majority of American
citizens of the preponderant race, who
threaten openly to use their political
power for their own purposes, are,
through choice, citizens also of power
full and jealous nation which demands
and receives active loyalty from its SUBJ
jects in whatever portion of the world
they may reside.
DOROTHY KALTENBACH,
Secretary, California Joint Immi-
grafton Committee.
October 18, 1888.
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Crapefruit-Two Gents.

Secretary Wallace, discussing his two
price plan for disposing of agricultural
surpluses in a National Radio Forum
address Monday night, expressed the be-
lief it would be possible with proper Co
operation" to bring grapefruit at two
cents each into a million American
homes where that breakfast-table deli
cacy is now virtually unknown.
OF course, the crisis in the grapefruit
industry is not one of the major prob
lens of American agriculture, but Mr..
Wallace's remarks were important for
the light they threw on the two-price
proposal, through which he hopes to
make certain surplus farm products
available to persons in the low-income
groups at cost lower than the pre-
vailing domestic market price.
Two principal objections have been
raised to the plan. The first concerns
the difficulty of determining who would
pay the lower prices, and as yet there
has been no indication how that arbi-
trary determination might be made
The second relates to the manner in
which the surplus products would be
distributed - whether the consumers
would be reached through existing chan
nels or yet-to-be-created governmental
agencies. On that point Mr.. Wallace
said:
"Right here I want to say word to
reassure those retailers and other busi-
nessmen who have been frightened by
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Would Deny Employment
To Nom Americans,
To the Editor of Tn,

To the Editor Of The Star:
There is so much in the paper today
about spies. dictators, COMMUNISTS, etc,
that 1t leads me to wonder why our
Government should employ any one,
man or woman, who is not naturalized
citizen. know personally of a great
many Germans, Italians and Japs who
are employed by the Government and
have been here for years, and yet they
are not American citizens, but owe their
allegiance to country whose ideals and
government are directly opposed to ours
We have enough unemployed men and
women Of our own. Why not give them
the jobs instead of these foreigners?
venture to say II an American were to
go to Germany and try for position it
might land him in a concentration camp.
October %, 1898. FOREST HENRY.
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Remember Hankow!

Fall of Hankow and tomorroW's an
nual celebration of Navy Day may seem
on casual thought to be utterly disasso-
ciated. But the apparent collapse of
China's major military resistance, simul-
taneous with Americas commemoration
of the eightieth birthday anniversary of
the President who fired his generation
with appreciation of sea power-Theo-
dore acknowledgements no empty
coincidence. They are on the contrary
juxtaposition of events that gives the
American people unique occasion to con-
slider the indispensability of maintaining
the United States first line of defense
at the pitch of invulnerability.
For many years the words ito Chinafy"
have been used to describe nations
neglect of measures for its self-protec-
tion China through the ages gloried
in her pacifism. Until the establishment
of the republic on the ruins of the
Manchu dynasty in 1911, the Chinese
looked upon the maintenance of a
defensive establishment, on anything
savoring of modern lines, as almost
immoral. Even the defeat by Japan in
1884 did rot stir the sleeping giant.
Nor did the systematic territorial spoil
alton by the Western powers Except
the United States), and Russia and
Japan, to which the old empire was
subjected in the guise of treaty ports"
concessions and spheres of influence"
spur the ancient Empire into adoption
Of national policy which might have
enabled it to combat, if not overcome,
force with force. Today's triumphant
presence of the banner of the Rising Sun
at Peiping, Tientsin, Shanghai, Nam
king, Hangchow, Soochow, Canton
and Hankow-the occupation of hun
dreds of thousands of square miles of
China's domain by the japanese army,
after fifteen months OF undeclared war
these things tell what "Chinafied"
means. 1t means helplessness against
external danger. 1t means inevitable
submission to force. 1t means invitation
to national disaster.
AS the hour of China's subjugation
draws near with remorseless certainty,
Navy Day comes along as a grim admo-
milton to this peace-loving country
never to let it's craving for a warless
civilization, for democratic processes and
for the prevalence Of the rule Of reason
over the law of force lead it to become
"Chinafled." President Roosevelt plans
to ask Congress in January for fun
damental revamping Of the national de-
fense program. It is authoritatively sug-
gested that immense new burdens may
eventually have to be placed upon the
already heavy-laden backs of American
taxpayers. But Munich, Canton and
Hankow will be sufficiently fresh in the
Nations memory, let it be hoped, to in
duce Congress, in the peoples name, to
give prompt and sympathetic attention
to the requirements Of the Army, the
Navy and the air force-especially the
air force.
We need a modernized and expanded
land establishment. We need more and
stronger naval bases. We need a SUBJ
stantial increase in fighting planes. We
need to mobilize our industrial structure
so that it will be instantly prepared for
large-scale defensive operations and
equipped to carry them on as long as
necessary.
Let America highly resolve on Navy
Day, 1898, not ever to be "Chinafied."
Let her remember Munich, Canton and
Hankow.
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Twenty Years Ago
The World Var Day BY Day
October 26, 1918.

On the serre, the French broke through
for two miles. crossing the river, and
beating of many counter-attacks. With
tank support, they pushed farther up
between the Disc and the Serre, driving
the enemy northeast. Americans con-
tinued to advance slowly.
In sweeping drive, Italians reached
the Bulgarian frontier The British took
Aleppo. thereby cutting the Constan-
tinople- -Bagdad railroad. This was
enough for Turkey. The government
made an offer Of peace whose tArms vere
virtually equivalent to surrender.
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Shooting Stars.
InexhaustibIe,
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Inexhaustible.
The stories have not all been told,
Nor have the songs as yet been sung.
Although the themes seem very old,
There are new changes to be rung.
OF words the dictionarys full,
Some overworked, some seldom used;
A little literary pull,
And still we're startled or amused.
And so at dawn of every day
With expectations gay we rise,
To find there's yet some brand-new way
To tell man he falsifes.
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Death AfOOt.

The District Commissioners have de-
cided to call public hearing to sound
out public sentiment on the matter of
instituting control of pedestrian traffic
in Washington. There is no doubt that
winning the public over to the idea of
effective control will materially assist in
solving the problem. But with or with
out public approval, the fact remains
the citys officials have ample authority
and responsibility for enforcing such
control. With records to show that
large percentage of deaths and injuries
due to traffic accidents have been caused
by the carelessness of the pedestrian,
enforcement of now dormant regulations
Is as necessary as the enforcement Of
any law relating to traffic.
There is no doubt the Commissioners
do have the power to require pedestrians
to govern their actions for their own
safety and that of others. The protest
that enough policemen are not available
to enforce such regulations is begging
the point.
The matter is not one primarily of
enforcement, but of education. No
thinking person would imagine that the
invocation of the powers already existing
would mean the stationing of policemen
In every block at all hours of the day,
or that every careless pedestrian would
ho tako,o iroy, oIi iofo oil {o fho
station in the patrol wagon.
The primary fault for Washington's
confused pedestrian conditions lies
with neither the citizens nor with the
police assigned to traffic and crossing
duty. 1t rests with the authorities who,
having the power to control pedestrians,
for years have given the individual officer
no support, and who have educated the
residents of the city to the idea that the
pedestrian was always right so long as
he stayed within the cross walks. This
has been reflected not only in the
handling of rush hour crowds at busy
downtown corners, where policemen and
lights alike are ignored consistently by
pedestrians, but in verdicts rendered
after fatal accidents. Where a pedes-
trian is killed and the motorist is found
blameless, the finding almost invariably
Is that the accident was unavoidable"
But there are very few unavoidable acci-
dents and the word has become a
regrettable euphemism for self-destruc-
ton. There is no record of a pedestrian
In Washington being swept into the path
OF an automobile by tidal wave.
Once sincere effort is made toward
the education of the individual, an
effort which will teach him that he. as
well as the motorist, must observe rea-
sonable safety regulations, decided drop
IN the Districts accident record will
result. There are plenty of policemen
on duty each day to make an impressive
start in this educational movement,
Thee average citizen is well enough
equipped with civic consciousness and a
sense OF self-preservation to fall into
line with the idea. This has been proved,
IN the schools over period of many
years by the success of the schoolbov
patrol system And there are enough
o1ncers on duty at congested points to
arrest the few fragrant violators who
would be incapable of learning otherwise
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Confession.

why are you so bitter toward wealth?"
"Well," answered the economic theo-
rist, perhaps the instructive aversion
that many intellectual people feel toward
strangers influences me. I might feel
more kindly toward wealth II were
better acquainted with It,"
Evening star., 1938-10-26

Jesse H. Jones, chief Of the lending
part OF the administrators spending
program, who recently gave the Ma
tlon's bankers pat on the back for in
creasing their industrial loans, re-
marked: Bankers don't jump through
hoops" Some bankers, however. will
contend that they have to, and blazing
ones at that.
Evening star., 1938-10-26

In this country people living out in
fields with no covering and very little
to eat are hoboes. In many sections of
Europe they are educated and indus
trious Jews.
Evening star., 1938-10-26

Admiral Leahy, chief of naval opera
tions, wants the Navy to conform to the
spirit of the popular spiritual, III be
ready when the great day comes" The
great difference is that if it does get
ready, the great day will probably never
come.
Evening star., 1938-10-26

To paraphrase and bring up to date
the famous dictum of Madame Roland.
it might be written, "Oh, prosperity,
how many crimes are committed in thy
name!"
Evening star., 1938-10-26
Letters to The Star

Letters to the Editor must bear
the name and address OF the uriter.
although the use OF pseudonym for
publication is permissible. Please be
briet!