davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-06-20
A Milk Bill

Following weeks Of wrangling and
depression, the action of the House
District Committee IN reporting
favorably the Schultz bill to open the
Washington market to outside milk
and cream producers may be re-
garded as progressive step. In
recommending the removal of bar
riers to milk produced outside the
local milk shed"-Maryland and
parts of Virginia and West Virginia.
the committee has taken action
which should assist in correcting
some Of the conditions which aid
materially in maintaining an unusu-
ally high consumer-cost in the Ma
tional Capital. At the same time, in
recommending adoption Of the model
code of the United States Public
Health Service, the proposal should
not arouse fears of distribution of
an impure product.
This proposal has many public
advantages in spite OF the obvious
disadvantages to individual produc-
ers and distributors. There has
never been quarrel with the high
standards demanded for milk sold
in Washington except insofar as
these requirements have served to
maintain a system which bore many
of the earmarks of restraint upon
competition, If not of an actual
monopoly. There has been a definite
and well-justitied complaint against
the prices maintained by distributors
in the city. If other large metro
politan centers, some of them. such
as the State of Rhode Island and
the city of Boston, much farther
from their main source of supply,
can obtain a product of purity and
quality which make it an acceptable
food at a price as much as twenty
per cent lower than Washington
pays, there is just cause to seek out
the reasons.
Over a period of nearly fifteen
years this situation and it's wide
ramifications have led to many in
vestigations. These have involved
local officials, committees of Con-
gress and various agencies of the
Department of Agriculture. In more
than a decade virtually nothing has
resulted so far as the consumer is
concerned. If present indications of
success are borne out, the House
committee has taken a step which
should bring an improvement. All
OF the details Of the program may
not be perfect. Should it be shown
that some of the proposals are apt to
result in the introduction of impure
milk they will have to be revised. But
at least, for the first time in years,
action has been taken which should
give the consumer an opportunity to
buy sufficient good milk at a price
which will enable many families in
the lower income brackets to obtain
an amount adequate for the health
needs of their children.
Evening star., 1939-06-20
Shipping Trouble

An astounding picture is presented
on the West Coast where defiant
maritime unions have served no.
tice that the tranS-Pacific ship
ping service being inaugurated by
the Government will be operated
under union conditions or not at all,
and where the unions have delayed
the sailing of the steamer Coldbrook
from Seattle because the Maritime
Commission refuses to accede to this
fiat.
The commission, conforming to
regular procedure based on a law of
1873, is proposing to staff the Cold
brook from employment lists MAIN
tanned by the United States shipping
commissioner and open to any reg
istrant. The unions are insisting
that the men be taken from their
hiring halls.
The rival A. F. of L. and c. l. o.
are joining hands against the Gov
ernment on this issue, according to
the commission, though the leader is
Harry Lundberg, secretary treasurer
of the Sailors Union of the Pacific,
an A. F. of L. affiliate, whose men,
bers include the deck crews.
Mr.. Lundberg, who accuses the
commission of anti-union bias,
served notice that sailor pickets who
have been active since June 2 would
prevent men signed by the commits
sion from going aboard the Cold
brook, and the upshot was that the
vessel, due to sail Friday, has been
tied up at least until Tuesday, in the
hopes of an amicable settlement.
The, condition, of course, is one
that cannot be permitted to con-
tinue, and responsible leaders of both
union groups should intervene, for
certainly the cause of organized Gov
ernment employees generally is not
being helped.
Evening star., 1939-06-20
Veto Victory

eve just won't spend what we
haven't got"
Such words, should they come
from the mother of a large family
foregoing vacation trip, would
sound merely like commendable
common sense. But when they are
voiced by chief executive in 1899
they have the ring of political heresy.
Yet such was the comment of Gov
ernor Fred P. Cone of Florida as he
vetoed five million dollars of appro-
priations which the Legislature left
on his desk just before adjourning
without providing additional revenue
to meet them. While he was about
it, the Governor also vetoed an act
which would have cut off an addi-
tional two million dollars of revenue
by repeating the States gross receipts
tax. When the Legislature quit work
week ago all signs pointed to
deficit estimated at four million dol
lars or more. When Governor Cone
laid aside his pen he was able to
announce: THE States going to be
all right"
AS a chief executive, he does not
run true to form. In national mat
ters, so far as Florida is concerned,
it has been the legislative branch
which has practiced economy on the
proposals Of the executive arm of
government. 1t was Congress which
refused to proceed further with the
ship canal which, at a cost of hun
dreds of millions of dollars, would
have provided the State with a
waterway of doubtful value conect-
ing its Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Even as politician demanding
economy, Governor Cone is off the
reservation. Some one certainly will
whisper in his ear that members of
economy blocs never, never insist on
saving too much SO close to home.
1t is possible the Governor is a sur
vivor of the horse and buggy days
when States as well as mems bonds
were as good as the honey of their
words. But it is more likely that
here is an apostle of a new day in
American statecraft. 1t requires
courage OF higher sort to retain
general taxes, and reject opportuni-
ties of spending just because the
outlays will have to be paid some day.
If he is called to such an apostolic
mission, the prayer of the taxpayer
should be: May his numbers in
crease" But all too often such
rising prophets prove to be mere
voices crNing in the wilderness.
Evening star., 1939-06-20
Limiting Tuxicubs

The action of the House District
Committee in approving bill to
limit the number of taXicabs and
drivers in the city should bring sub
stantial encouragement to those who
have wrestled with this vexing prob
lem for many years.
Under the bill, as approved by the
committee, the Public Utilities Com
mission can reduce the number of
cabs in operation to 5000 and the
number of drivers to $500. While
these fall short of the figures sought
by the commission, they do afford
a means through which some SEM
blance of order can be brought to
the chaotic taxicab industry.
The inability of the commission to
regulate the number of cabs had
resulted in there being at one time
nearly 5000 of these vehicles on the
streets, far more than in any other
city of comparable size. This had
the effect not only of seriously con-
gesting downtown traffic, but meant
also that relatively few of the drivers
could earn a decent livelihood.
When the measure comes before
the House and Senate, those bodies
should remember that the bill pro-
vides painless" method of effecting
the reduction, providing simply that
Evening star., 1939-06-20
DeplOreS Threat to
w. p. A. Art Projects.
To the Editor of The Star

To the Editor of The Star:
Civilizations are remembered by the
culture they leave behind them, as truly
representative of what they were. When
we think of ancient Greece, we think of
their noble sculpture, their great plays,
and their beautiful buildings. When we
think of medieval Italy, the thing that
comes to mind first is their wonderful
paintings, and the eternal poetry which
they left for all ages.
We, too, will be thought of and re-
membered by the cultural heritage we
leave to future generations. BY that
they will know what we were, how we
lived, and those things which we held
dear
In the last few years Americas culture
has been recorded, nurtured, and greatly
enhanced both in quantity and in quality
by the work of the Works Project Ad-
ministration Art Projects Any attempt
to hinder the work of the white collar
projects is a direct blow to the civiliza-
ton of our country, and a reflection on
our intellectual and cultural level. A
country that would leave its artists to
starve is a country that would let its
heritage and life's blood to flow into
grave.
At present there is pending before
Congress a bill that would do just that
I hope that the people of the United
States will take a determined stand
against it, and insist that Congress defeat
this bill BEVERLY GOODMAN,
June a.
Evening star., 1939-06-20
Slovukiu in Transition

Evidence that Central Europes
troubles were far from settled by the
absorption of Bohemia -Moravia by
Germany and establishment of the
Reich's protectoete over "inde-
pendent" Slovakia is contained in
comprehensive reports of the plight
Of the little country which Reichs-
fuehrer Hitler set adrift on the sea
of statehood in March.
Without cash and credit for pur-
chasing abroad the things she needs,
and with her industrial and agricul-
tural output being drained into Ger
many by an artificially low price level
fixed by the German military COM
mand, Slovakia is economically en-
slaved by the Reich and unable to
throw off her shackles, while her
officials talk about complete shut
Evening star., 1939-06-20
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Trnceuell.

1t Is something like loaning books.
What booklover would not love to
share his books?
He remembers the classic bookplate
This book belongs to DR.. - and
| his friends"
There is an ideal for you, and a beau
tiful one, one which stirs the heart OF
all true friends Of books.
But try to put 1t into practice, and
learn the perf1dy of man-and woman
Soon the book belongs to nobody but
| friends"
| Now 1t Is the same way with plants
Giving ones surplus to friends ought
to be the most pleasant thing In the
world. There they are, hundreds OF
fine little plantlets just spelling for q
good home. They ought to be replanted
OF course. What fine busy plants they
would grow to be! Here in their present
quarters they are too crowded.
| The natural solution is to give them
to friends and acquaintance.
But, alas, most people seem to want
you to dig the plants up for them.
They would prefer that you deliver
them, too, neatly wrapped with moisture
| at the roots.
| This IS not ALL
They really would like you to plant
them for them too.
| RIGHT there ", hot loL
| You may find some rocks, and even
boulders, down few inches but getting
them out will be nothing for a strong
fellow. There is crowbar in the
garage.
Ever afterward, you are responsible
for growth. The old disclaimer of the
seed trade, to the effect that they are
not responsible for growth, crop or any
other matter, does not go for ones dear
| friends.
One will forever be hearing how poorly
the plants did.
One Will not hear, of course. about
the shallow paintings, or the fact that
the plants remained on the back porch
in the wind, for more than a week.
One will not hear, either, about the
failure to protect from the sun for q
few days.
Nor about the generous lack of waite,
during the difficult period in which the
roots were trying to readjust them
selves to new conditions.
The solution?
Perhaps there isn't any. Too much
depends upon human nature, and thai
is something notoriously difficult tc
handle
Keep your surplus plants, sell then
If you can, dig them up and present
them to your friends. or dig them up anc
throw them away, but don't invite people
| to come and get them for themselves
Evening star., 1939-06-20
Says Roosevelt Has
AntagOnized Librarians.



Time was when his friends could insist
with some reason that President Roose-
velt was "a smart politician" but it no
longer can be argued that he is pos
sessed of any special genius of that
variety. A survey Of his record in the
White House shows that he has antag-
onized great many lawyers, physicians,
teachers, business and professional men
and women. The latest group to be
offended is the librarians. Appointment
of Archibald MacLeish to be librarian
of Congress makes it plain that the
advice of the American Library Associa-
ton has been ignored. Confirmation by
the Senate will not alter the effect of
the mistake. The growing army of
American voters who distrust the Chief
Executives judgment has been increased
by 10000. When third term is pro-
posed. it will be we'll for the Democratic
party to remember these facts.
ALDEN WARD.
June 49,
Evening star., 1939-06-20
down OF the industries and imitation

down of the industries and imitation
OF the currency.
What foreign markets Slovakia de-
veloped in twenty years as part Of
Czecho-Slovakia are disappearing
the result, she fears, of boycott be-
cause of her political link to Ger
many. Under necessity she is
striving to adjust her economy to
that of Germany, but with little sue
cess, because while she exports much
to the Reich she imports far less
from Germany, taking her balance of
trade in frozen" marks, which are
next to worthless.
Politically, too, Slovakia's position
is precarious, which deprives her Of
solid basis for readjustment Of
her economy Although ostensibly
under the protection of Germany for
twenty-five years, after the events Of
March Slovakia engaged in an unde-
clared war with Hungary which re-
suited in fresh losses of territory.
Germany raised not a finger in her
defense. Nor is to be ignored that
Hungary's aspira tions for recovery of
all Slovakia, which Budapest ruled
for hundreds of years, are still unsat-
isfied.
Slovakia came into existence under
an evil star and with certain con-
genital weaknesses which may have
foredoomed her to failure as an in
dependent state. There was none of
the machinery for national govern
ment at Bratislava, none of the eco
nomic sineWs which give vitality to
government. While Slovakia was the
protege of Germany, Berlin took
none of the responsibility for internal
organization, seeking only to exploit
the country economically by decree
ing an arbitrary and unfair exchange
rate of the mark against the kronen.
Slovakia, it is clear, is going down
under the political and economic
buffeting she has taken since March,
and is a state in transition. But to
what that transition is leading is
not SO clear. Perhaps dismember-
ment between Germany and Hun
gary will be the final result.
Evening star., 1939-06-20
Father Tells of Visit
To Jailed Son.

To the Editor Of The Star:
read in The Star an article about
the five boys who were sentenced to
three years imprisonment each after
wrecking their cell in the Rockville, Md,
Jail.
One of those boys, Harding Mattera, is
my son. I went to see him last Satur-
day about II am. He was on the top
floor and was wearing only his pants
asked him why he wasn't wearing the
rest Of his clothes and he said, Papa,
it's too hot in here"
When the f1ve-minute period allowed
us for the visit was over my boy grasped
my hand tightly and 1 knew he wanted
to say something, but couldn't because
the guard was standing there.
asked the sheriff when their trial
would come up. He said he was trying
to get the grand jury back Ito consider
an indictmenD and that If he could not
get them back the trial would not be
reached until November Then I asked
him why the boys had not been separated
since one of them had escaped three
times from a reform school. He said
they could have been separated, but that
hadn't been done.
How could the boys hold out without
going crazy in that hot oven? And why
did they want to scare the boys by telling
them that the District police, as well as
police in Prince Georges, Baltimore and
Virginia, were looking for them? Under
such conditions anybody would get
crazy.
For food they gave them a pot of
beans every night.
JOHN MATTERA.
Capitol Heights Md.
June 16
Evening star., 1939-06-20
Bovine Dentistry

Prospective visitors to the agricul-
tural fair at Moscow next August are
warned in advance not to expect
trylons, perispheres, gardenias, or
fanless fan dancers. They will, how
ever, literally and truly see mouth
full in the persons of three Ukrainian
cows with false teeth, presumably
fitted under the direction of the
newly organized Soviet Commissar
of Dentistry and Dairy Economics.
These bovine citizens we're first
discovered by welfare agent of the
secret police who knew right away
that something was radically wrong,
or wrongly radical, when they failed
to give him the smile of health. For
a long time it has been known in
Russia that it Is very unhealthy not
to, smile in the presence of the
OGPU. When the reason was found,
however, dentist was summoned
to put in plates and allow them to
chew the communistic cud as of
yore. It turned out to be quite
job. The COWS kept milling about
and believing "Moo!" an Ukrainian
phrase meaning "Pooh!" Just when
it began to look as if a five-year plan
would have to be scheduled to COM
plete the job, the dentist got an
inspiration. Opening his kit, he pro-
duced a number of twenty-five-year-
old copies of the St. Petersburg
Dental Gazette for his patients to
devour. In this way they were kept
contented while he put the bite
on them
Evening star., 1939-06-20
Another Reader Approves
Moral Re-Armament Stories.
June 19.

To the Editor of The Star:
AS one of your subscribers I wish to
thank you for the news on Moral Re-
Armament presented in your paper
recently.
feel that on basis of Moral Re-
Armament the ordinary man can begin
to take responsibility for the needs of
America. I believe that the press by
continually reminding the public of M.
R.-A. will make an imprint on the con-
sciousness of the ordinary citizen which
will develop a new moral fiber" in
America
Some of us secretaries and clerks in
Government have begun to see that 1t
means for us the giving OF such attention
to the details of our job and assuming
such responsibility, that the persons we
work for are free to give their full crea-
tive energies to the job they do for the
Nation. EDITH M. INGALLS,.
June IL.
Evening star., 1939-06-20
"ALEXANDRIA. Va.

Dear Sir:
II read your column and enjoy 1t; we,
too, enjoy watching the birds.
But really do think you should add
q department to your column. A give
away department.
For instance, last year my mother
was with us, and cultivated the electric
right Of way that adjoins our place.
This year hundreds of touch-me- -nots
and ageratum are out there, and
cannot possibly have the time to reset
them.
II wish someone had them, someone
who would bring their own tools, and
baskets, and do their own digging.
And I imagine there are others in
my fix. think any flower lover hates
to see plants go to waste.
Nov, don't you think this Is a good
idea?
Yours truly, j. L. c."
~
Dear madam, no. we don't think this
is good idea.
Because here is what would happen:
They would come without the basket,
and borrow yours
They would ask for the loan of a
trowel and spade.
They would get dirt all over the side
walk. Their children would run all over
your flower beds, their dog would prove
unkind to your evergreens.
They would go away with your spade
and trowel, leaving mud and unsightli-
ness behind them.
II you knew where they went, and
called up about the tools, they would
probably be very indignant
What tools?" they would ask.
** x&
Within few weeks they would call
you up, and demand to know why the
plants hadn't done better.
Why, they were all faded and with
cred! Did they dig a nice deep hole
for them? Oh, no, they simply stuck
EN- IN the ground. Did they water
them? Oh, no. they thought the rains
would do that, but there hadn't been
any rains
Did they cover them against the hot
sun for several days?
Oh. no, they never heard of such a
thing-why, the plants seemed all right.
Weren't they all right, and if not, why
were they offered to others?
X
No, madam, you had better keep your
nice touch-me-nots and ageratum.
Enjoy them.
Let them remain. Frightening up the
neighborhood for all they are worth.
Sharing plants with others is dream,
beautiful dream, it is true, one doing
great credit to the generosity of the
would e-giver, but one which seldom
works out in practice.
Evening star., 1939-06-20

licenses lost through voluntary sur
render or operation Of law shall not
be renewed until the desired limita-
ton is reached. Thus, no man now
driving a cab will be thrown out Of
work against his will.
It Is to the advantage Of the city
as whole and the cab drivers in
particular that this bill be passed,
and it is hoped that Congress will
not neglect to give the measure final
approval at this session.
Evening star., 1939-06-20
The Broader Aspects

! Diplomacy chooses its language
carefully in these days. Misused
words can prove as explosive as
dynamite in an international situa-
ton heavily charged with high
tension. Because Cordell Hull is
statesman of meticulous caution, his
terse comment on the Anglo-Japa-
nese crisis at TientSin has a mean
ing not likely to be underestimated
at Toxic.
The United States Government is
not concerned, the Secretary of State
emphasizes, in the incident which
Japan has magnified into the basis
of wide controversy affecting
British policy in China. This coun-
try is concerned with the nature
and significance of subsequent de-
velopments, in their broader aspects,
coupled with other past and present
acts and utterances in other parts
of China" Because OF American
concern in issues totally unrelated to
Japan's requested delivery of four
Chinese accused of murder, the
United States is observing with spe-
cial interest all related developments
In China, as they occur from day to
day"
There could be no palmer warm
Ing to Japan that this country has
not resigned itself to the role of
disinterested bystander while the
fashioners Of new order in Asia
exploit the preoccupation of the
Western European powers with con-
ditions closer to their hand. The
Secretary of State clearly reflects
American anxiety that the extermi-
nation of Western economic interests
which has set in at Tientsin may
next spread to Shanghai, as it has
already spread to Annoy, and may
not stop until every vestige Of Euro
pean and American trading rights
in China has been swept away. MIR.
Hull, In effect, announces that the
United States is unwilling to have
the Open Door unilaterally closed.
As Washington repeatedly during
the past two years has protested to
Toxic against such pretensions, it
Is difficult to doubt that the time
may now be approaching when
methods short of war, but stronger
than mere words" may become un-
avoidable. When President Roosevelt
addressed that expression to Con-
gress last January, he may well have
had In mind such contingency as
has now arisen in the Far East. The
United States does not nave to send
It's fleet to Chinese waters to impress
Japan with our ability to command
respect for our rights. The poSsibil-
ity of an embargo on her silk exports,
or of an embargo on our exports OF
cotton to her, conjures up for the
Japanese people situation far more
persuasive than any language six
teen-inch guns can speak.
Great Britain, of course, has
equally potent reprisal possibilities at
her disposal. The announcement
that, until further notice, British
ports in the Pacific would be closed
to Japanese shipping would be an
argument carrying immense convic-
ton in Toxic. 1t would go far toward
making the militarist-ridden govern
ment of the Mikado realize that
something more than "a thousand
volts of electricity" was installed at
Tientsin when the army on Monday
set up "high-tension wires" around
the foreign concessions.