davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Scouting Skirmishes
Renewed in Saar Area
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, Dec. 21.-French military
authorities reported today renewal
of scouting skirmishes in the Saar
River sector of the western front.
There was a 45-minute AFRAID
alarm in Western France last night,
with anti-aircraft guns in action.
The French said British seizures
of &c, $50 tons in the week raised the
British total to sos, $50.
I This mornings communique of the
allied high command said: Patrol
activity on both sides along the Saar
River"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
By the Associated Press.

by tHe hSSOCldleQ fEeSS.
AMSTERDAM, Dec. 21.-Nether-
lands planes fought an air battle
with aircraft of undetermined for
eign nationality today in full view of
hundreds of residents of Utrecht.
The engagement started about
noon.
The invaders were reported to
have come from the east, where the
Netherlands borders Germany.
A smoke curtain was dropped by
the foreign fighters. who escaped
under this protection.
Heavy firing was heard from anti
aircraft guns and plumes of smoke
from shells were seen.
An official of a nearby village re-
ported sighting eight or nine planes
but other reports told of only two or
three
A short time earlier three foreign
military planes had been sighted
over Veluwe. in the border province
of Gelderland. which is north OF
Essen, Germany. Netherlands anti
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
SpitaIe Branded as Force
Behind Diamonds KiIIinq
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Dec. 21-Salvatore
Spitale was declared today, in a re-
port of the probation Office of the
Court of General Sessions, to have
been the moving force behind the
assassination some years ago of
Jack Legs Diamond, notorious
gangster.
In the report, made public in
connection with the sentencing to-
day of Spitale to from 5 to 10 years
in Sing Sing for grand larceny
Irving Halpern, the chief proba-
ton officer, declared an inquiry by
his office had indicated Diamond
was shot by order of Spitale and
Irving Bitz.
Involved. Halpern added was a
refusal of Diamond TO pay back
100000 given to him for & ship
ment of drugs from Germany.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Gordon Junior High

Members of the several
choruses that took part in the
colorful Gordon Junior High
"A Pageant of Christmas
Music" at the school auditor
ium this week will bring to the
radio audience musical ex-
cerpts from that production
during the junior high school
broadcast at 4 pm. over
WMAL.
The junior high school
broadcasts are sponsored by
The Star with the co-opera-
ton of the National Broad
casting Co. and the Board Of
Education.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
B U | etin

NEW YORK, Dec. 81 (P.-Dis-
trict Attorney Thomas E. Deweys
Office announced today the ar
rest of IS members of Local $50,
United Machinists of the Needle
Industries &C. I. o. on a charge
of conspiracy to commit violence
during a 12-week strike in 1888.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Netherlands Air Patrol Fiqhts
Battle With Foreign Planes
Utrecht Residents Watch as Invaders
Escape Behind Smoke Screen

aircraft batteries fired on the planes
and they were chased by Neither
lands air patrols.
An announcement of the govern
ment press service said the planes
had escaped from Netherlands
territory but did not give their
nationality.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Christmas Heart Checks Enter
And Brighten Drob Homes
Go Out by Mail to Selected List Of
Families, but More Funds Are Needed

The postmans ring carried the the sleigh
bells Santa Claus today thousands needy
found Christmas checks in their mail.
The checks possible contributions The
Heart Fund will spell Clothes Christmas
dinner to those who otherwise would have desoate Yued
The Christmas Committee of the Council
which handling the distribution Of the Christmas mailed
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
ID Foreign WorpIones
Siqhted From Norway

FARSUND, Norway, Dec. 81 (P).-
TWenty-four foreign warplanes ap-
preached Norways extreme SOUTH
western coast near Lister Fjord to-
day, coming in from the North Sea
following northerly route.
Reaching Norways territorial
limits, however. they wheeled and
headed southwest. Later they were
seen near Stavanger, travelling north
once more
The planes flew very low They
were painted gray, but their ma
tionality was not discernible.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Wallace Parity
Plan Opposed
ByMorgenthau
Consumer Tax Rise
AssoiIed;; White House
Talks Set Today
BACKGROUND

AV ohtTtO"tN wy tH NoCCVtOCT
Secretary Wallace urged in
speech the establishment of some
system that Mould propide a con-
ttnning source OF funds OF farm
parity payments under the NeD
Deal agriculture program. At
present the parity payments are
provided in the general Agricul-
ture Department appropriation.
Mr.. Wallace has said he taDors
the certificate plan as the con-
tinuing money proUider.
By the Associated Press.
Secretary of the Treasury Nor
genthau, saying he was opposed to
further taxes on consumers, indicat-
ed today he was opposed to the pro-
posed certificate plan to raise
farm parity benefits.
The Treasury head added, how
ever. the administration had not
made final decision on the certifi-
cate plan proposed by Secretary Of
Agriculture Wallace. Mr.. Wallace
has been asked to attend second
meeting of President Rooseevlt's
Fiscal and Monetary Committee this
afternoon to talk about the idea.
Mr. Morgenthau said he did not
know whether this meeting would
produce any decision, but if it did, he
said the verdict would be communi-
Gated 10 the President and not made
public.
Mr.. Wallace's certificate plan pro-
poses transferring from the Treas
ury to farm products professors and
perhaps, in turn, consumers the bur-
den Of farm parity payments, which
cost 1925, 100000 last year.
Money Directly to Farmer.
Instead of the Treasury paying
farmers the difference between mar
ket prices and so-called parity
prices. elevators and others buying
major crops from farmers would
pay the full parity price directly to
the farmer. taking a certificate,
provided the farmer by the Agricul-
ture Department. for the difference
between market and parity value.
Every subsequent purchaser Of
the crop also would have to buy
the certificate until the crop reached ,
a professor. who would have to
| absorb it's cost in his general
processing expenses. Thus, critics
of the plan argue. the cost would be
passed on to consumers in the form
of higher prices for bread, cloth and
other articles made from the crops.
Mr.. Wallace will meet this after
noon with the same group to whom
he explained the proposal Monday
Harold D. Smith. budget director;
Mariner S. Eccles. Federal Reserve
Board chairman: Mr.. Morgenthau;
Frederic A. Delano chairman Of the
| National Resources Committee. and
Lauchlin Currie. executive assistant
to the President.
Hasn't Changed Mind.
Mr.. Morgenthau declined to dis
cuss the certificate plan specifically.
but said I haven't changed my
mind" from his anti-consumer tax
/ statements of a year ago, when the
issue of direct farm processing tax
was considered
Taxes on consumers are now
about 60 per cent, and think they
are high enough the Secretary
told reporters.
He did not explain how he calcu-
lated the so per cent, but aides in
dicated he was including various
Federal excise taxes, such as those
on liquor, tobacco, automobiles and
theater admissions.
Other members of the committee
have declined open comment on the
Wallace proposal. but also have been
reported cool to it.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Soviet ButtIeship
Reported Hit by
Coastal Guns
BULLETIN.

HELSINKI, Dec. q P).-The
destruction of a Russian bat
talon and destruction or capture
of large quantities of Russian
tanks, machine guns and other
weapons in successes along the
eastern front were reported to-
day by the Finnish Army COM
munique.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Summary Of Todoy's Star

Two dead as result of traffic acct
dents in D. c. area. Page B-1
D. C. income tax forms being pre-
pared for mailing. Page B-1
Sports
Vols build bowl plans on Cafego
despite his injury Page d.
Bensinger, D. c. lad, picked to win
national net title ~ Page d.
Pin leaders ponder of profits in Star
tournament Page d.
Poor fielding Mats glazing fault in
1899 season. Page D-3
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21

Foreign.
Dutch air patrol fights battle with
foreign planes. Page Al
Red troops moving northward in
Petsamo sector. Page Al
Soviet Russia celebrates Stains 6Oth
birthday anniversary. Page Al
Germany protests to Argentina on
internment. Page Al
National
Ickes foresees pre-campaign conven-
lions of liberals" Page Al
Two U. s. doctors sent to help in
Finn epidemic. Page A
Ramspeck calls for designations of
Smith and Madden. Page Az
Washington and Vicinity.
D. c. Christmas mail reaches all
time high. Page Al
Burglar batters safe, takes coins,
but leaves bills. Page Az
Decoration of Nations Yule tree to
begin tomorrow. Page Az
$4,000, 900 to $4,000, 900 needed to
solve trafic here. Page ALI
Missing woman found with shot
wound in chest. Page All
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21

(See ICKES, Page A-l6.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Weather Forecast

Fair, colder tonight, minimum tempera-
ture about Is degrees; tomorrow fair,
cold; moderate winds, Temperatures
today-Highest, 80, at l pm; lowest,
"a, at $50 am.
From the United States Weather Bureau report.
Full details on Page Az
Evening star., 1939-10-24

has to get their permission first.
Bette and her bosses are not on good
terms right now. And the answer
is no" Ronald Colman is the
most in-demand of Hollywood actors
for solo broadcast, but his price
of $4,000 makes his income tax too
high-so he refuses most of the
offers He is afraid that, if he
lowered it, they would say he was
slipping! Norma Shearer and
Joan Crawford are the most difficult
Of screen ladies who broadcast. But
Norma is difficult in ladylike way
OF you know what I mean. Joan
usually rips her script to pieces.
4 \
Emily Posts nephew, Rex Post,
is acting in "The Fighting 69th."
I'VE now know" says Frank Nc
Hugh. "how to use bayonet with
the right etiquette" Shirley
Temple did such good job of her
meanie scenes in The Bluebird"
that she was hissed by every one on
the set. Shirley shrieked-but with
delight. She says she is tired of
ingenue roles. She wants to play
character parts Charles Laugh
ton is not exactly popular with
studio executives. To one of them
in the press department-he re-
Gently said-"If you ask me any
more silly questions. I'll want to
kick you" Which is not the way to
win friends and influence publicity
in Hollywood.
Overheard on the lot David
Selznick to Joan Fontaine-"I don't
like the way you carry your legs"
For heavens sake, what does he
want her to do with them?
Bob Hope, after seeing a picture
in which one of our frozen-faced
glamour boys merely utters crisp
sentences, said-"He should have
stayed home and phoned in his
part"
(Released By the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Inc.)
Evening star., 1939-10-24
Screen Tests Today
More Expensive,
Thus Are Fewer

What are the chances of a youth
with screen ambitions getting that
coveted screen test? About one
chance in 125. This is the estimate
of the talent department at the
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. This
department averages Is interviews q
day-a newcomer is, at least, assured
a chance to talk with some one with
in studio. From these, an average
OF two get dramatic coaching for an
addition. Only one of ten of the
latter gets that screen test. Even
then, they may get no contract.
The reason is that gone arb the
days of many, quickie tests. Today,
M-G-M spends from $3.50 to $500
on a test Of 500 feet. Candidates
are coached and do their scenes on a
well-eQuipped set and with an ex-
perienced cameraman and director,
Because these tests are well done,
a tested youth always has hope.
Brenda Marshall, featured in
Espionage Agent" was signed by
Warmers as a result of test made
by Paramount.
And today's tests are not likely
ever to haunt the player as early
tests have done with Clark Gable
and Robert Taylor. Cables first test
had him with curled hair and loin-
cloth for q South Sea Island role.
Recently, 1t was screened at a party
where Gable was and had the as
semblage in mysteries. TaylorIs first
test showed him as q thin youth
wearing toga and q head band.
His first talking test was to repeat
one line: Goodness, I'm shot" He
still blushes when he thinks of 1t.
Evening star., 1939-10-24
Where and When
Current TheaterA Attractions
and Time of Showing

National-"Very Warm for May
new musical by Jerome Kern and
Oscar Hammerstein, I'd: $3.50 pm.
Earle-"Mr. Smith Goes to Wash
ington," Frank Capra looks at the
local scene: 10 am, 1880, 3:45, 6:40
and $40 pm. Stage shows: 1915
3:15, 6:10 and 9:05 pm.
Capitol 10000 Men a Year.
young men grow wings: 1O:45 am.
1885, 4:25, 7:20 and 1910 pm. Stage
shows, with Ann Rutherford: 1920
$40, 6 and 8:55 pm.
Metropolitan 900 a Touch
down." Joe E. Brown runs interfer-
ence for Martha Raye, or vice versa
HAS am, las, 3:45, 5:45, 7:45 and
9:45 pm.
Keith's-"Rio," Basil Rathbone
and Sigrid Gurie in a dramatic tri-
angle: HAS am, 1:50, $50. $50,
7:55 and 9:55 pm.
Palace-'The Rains Came" screen
version of the Louis Bromfield novel:
1905, 2:30, 4:50, 7:l0 and $50 pm
Columbia-"The Women" with
claws unfurled and fangs dripping
acid: 11:10 am, las, 4:20, 6:55 and
$50 pm.
Little-"Heart of Paris" droll
French tale with Raimu as a man
whose head is carried away by his
heart: II am, 1855, 2:55, Ass, $50
and $50 pm. "A Man to Remem-
ber." q picture to remember: 1910
pm.
Belasco- Unashamed," life in
. nature camp: 1880 am, l:30,
$3.50, $50, 7:30 and $50 pm.
Trsns.Lux-News and shorts; con-
tiuuous from 10 am.
Evening star., 1939-10-24
Even Acting
Fails, There's
Still Gold
Charles BickfOrd
Can Make a Living
From Gravel
BY the Associated Press.

HOLLYWOOD.
When, and If, Charles Bickford
finds diminishing supply of movie
gold, he can continue eating regu-
larly with the aid of the real variety.
Bickford, an ex-civil engineer and
one Of the busiest of the movie
"heavies," is president Of two COM
panies owning and operating a pro-
cessing system to recoved fine gold
from black sand and metal-bearing
concentrates which miners usually
discard.
But first of, he wants it under
stood, he's not trying to sell stock.
He thinks it's such a good thing
he's not interested in letting any,
body else in on it. Let him explain: !:
'Ten years ago I was approached
with plan for process to recover
fine gold that's left when the refiners
finish with the gold-bearing ore and
gravel.
I'D heard of thousands of such
plans-the Patent Office is cluttered
up with them, but the best recover
only up to so per cent. This sounded
practical, however, 50 I put in q
little money. After five years we
Evening star., 1939-10-24

when the composer and his lyricist
cut loose in q fashion which shows
thai the young whippersnappers Of
melody are not the only masters Of
attractive dissonance.
The show, indeed, starts right of
In a modern groove, with a number
(not too good) called Me and the
Roll and You" The two big songs
most likely destined for the hit pa
rade, and eventually the album OF
nostalgia melodies, are a pair called
"All the Things You Are" and In
the Heart of the Dark" AS their
titles imply, they are in the tradi-
tional Kern tempo and quite worthy
of 1t.
The break with the past, which
the show represents, manifests itself
most definitely in its ballets, staged
by Harry Losee. For all their flaws,
and they had them, they reflect
the bright irony of the modern
dance, its power to reduce the follies
of the present and the past to some
thing entertaining and satirical.
'"The Strange Case of Adam STAN
dish," caricature of psychoanaly-
sis, Is the most ironically humorous
ballet, but a close second is the
Dance Dada" which takes lusty
wallop at the dance itself, all the
way from the classical to the mod
ern. Ray Mayer, Don Loper and
Maxine Barrett are the principal
performers in this very impressive
phase of Mr.. Gordon's production.
The ensemble which assists (the
show has no chorus) is quite facile
group, which would achieve better
results If it avoided those effects
that football writer's refer to as
power plays.
Miss Mercer and Miss Shaw, the
pretty, fresh young ladies employed
to do right by Mr.. Kern's music, are
eminently satisfactory choices. Miss
Arden is in charge of comedy, FEM
inine section, and does her usual
deft job of it, with capable assist
ance from the impish Miss McDon-
aid. Miss Mcdonald also turns in
an occasional dance and vocal spe-
cialty. On the masculine side, Mr..
Whiting is outstanding in his vocal,
dancing and comedy contributions,
but Mr.. Sherman also is an adroit
fellow in his portrait of chap who
writes, produces, directs and acts
abstract drama.
Vincent Minnelli is responsible for
the beauty of Very Warm for May"
beauty that never fades. If only
the same thing could be said for in
terest in the long, drawn-out story,
Mr.. Gordon would have something.
Evening star., 1939-10-24
Betty Field Marries
With Same Ring
Always, for Luck

Betty Field, who's little super
stitious about stage weddings,
always wants to get married with
the same ring.
She bought the ring in a fve-and-
dime store years ago, and wore it
in four Broadway productions-she
was married in each-which turned
out to be hits.
So when the property man started
to hunt for a ring for the familiar
ceremony-this time in the film
version of "Of Mice and Men
Betty flshed out the ring she last
used in the play Three Men on a
Horse"
Evening star., 1939-10-24
,e Associated Press.
HOLLYWOOD.

HOLLYWOOD.
Take a tip from the movies, you
ardent swains who want to tell the
light of your life of your undying
affection:
Don't do it in any such prosaic
manner as kneeling, gazing into her
eyes and murmurming, Il love you. J"
Such procedure is old-fashioned
and taboo-for pictures. In fact,
mention of the word love" in con-
nection with the business of wooing
is passe. The buildup is more subtle,
and very flexible.
Constant repetition of II love you, {"
say screen writer's, made them wary
and the audiences weary. Instead,
a variety of artifices are employed.
John Taintor Foote, who helped
write the script for "Sewanee
River" explains the general feeling:
1T may be love that makes the
world go round, but it's best not to
be too explicit about it on the screen.
Audiences are too intelligent to have
love rammed down their throats.
They prefer it done by indirection.
as the circumstances of the moment
dictate. That's the way it happens
Evening star., 1939-10-24

getting $4,000. And I'm 5000, ,O00
happier" I wouldn't be at all sur
prised Says David Niven-"I
don't know why I'm going Ito war;
l suppose I'll have to live up to the
publicity. What do you get out of
war anyway" An echo answers
"What?" Says Judy Garland
The studio says must only go out
with boys in the news. They tel
me am now a young romantic
She's getting pretty cute, at that
Says Jack Timony, bodyguard
and manager of Mae West There
is no difficulty with the w. c. Fields
picture as far as Miss West is con-
cerneo. She'll get what she wants
as usual" Mae, by the way, is
changing her technique for re-
writing the script. She used to re-
write her stories in bed. Now she
Is doing 1t on a chaise Tongue.
+ X 4
FilmiteS-in-radio notes Mel
son Eddy's withdrawal from his
recent air program effected a saving
of $4,500 for his sponsor. Nelson
received $1,000 weekly. His singing
successor gets $500. Which was one
OF the reasons behind the switch.
Radio is having its own economy
wave -. Bing Crosby is the highest
paid of the movie stars-he gets
$1,000 a week Cecil B. De Mile
receives $4,000 week for his radio
M. c. job >. Tyrone Power recently
asked 5000 for one broadcast. He
was offered $500. And he is cur
rently effecting compromise
Bette Davis wants to do a radio
show, but, according to the terms
Of her contract with Warmers, she
Evening star., 1939-10-24

was dated with a lovely bore.
very Warm for May" really de-
serves & better fate. It aspires to
what might be miracle in musical
comedy development. AS every one
knows, musical comedy heretofore
has lived in the past, a kind of
empty atomizer retaining a charm
ing, almost forgotten fragrance.
The new Kern-Oscar Hammerstein,
I'd, show is futuristic. Accordingly,
should 1t become a success and
establish a new pattern, musical
comedy might 60 down in history
as the one form of entertainment
which never touched the present
(any PRESENT. at all. What q laugh
that would be for posterity!
In amazing contrast to the love-
in-Waltz-time musical comedy which
this one satirizes, VERY Warm for
May" introduces such ironic ma
terial as abstract drama in a barn
theater, swing music, even boogie-
woogie, Daliesque dancing, gavotte
danced by ballet in bathing trunks.
or trunks and bras, and big time
criminals being taken for a ride by
prainless cafe society blond. That
is the stuff out of which smart musi-
cal comedy could be made, but when
the effort takes until midnight the
fine edge of its wit must grow dull.
II II
The cast of this intimate musical
represents another meritorious break
with the conventions. Instead of
hiring moldy performers with big
names, and ennuis, Mr.. Gordon has
placed his faith in youth. Pretty
and talented are Frances Mercer,
Hollace Shaw and Grace Mcdonald,
three young ladies who handle prin-
cipal parts with an exuberance
which they communicate to the
older, but not too old. members of
the group. That includes suave Jack
Whiting, deliberately hammy YER
sion of Hirman Sherman, glib Eve
Arden. The real veteran, playing
a papa role of all things, is Donald
Brian, who goes all the way back
to THE Merry Widow" but is pleas
antly present in so futuristic an af-
fair as this.
Messrs. Kern and Hammerstein
have done one of their most ver-
satile bits of collaboration in the
music of VERY Warm for May
The tempt which made them IA
nous, and vice versa, is present in
large areas of the score. That shows
they have not lost the old Show
Boat" Roberta" Rose Marie" etc. :,
touch, but there are other moments
Evening star., 1939-10-24

perfected 1t 50 that we could recover
80 per cent plus, sometimes 50 micro
scopic that 1t floats on water. But
no matter how thin you cut 1t, it's
still gold"
Bickford and his associates buy
waste sand and gravel or work 1t on
q percentage basis.
For the last five years." says he,
we've been recovering 81, 900 to ST.
500 q ton. That's not doing badly"
Bickford plans Ito go down to
South America and set up contact
mill in the center Of gold mining
operations. But not permanently.
II don't expect to give up picture
work. That's my profession and If
all the gold in the world fell into
my lap I'd still go on acting"
Well, he sounded sincere.
Evening star., 1939-10-24
Pu9nacious Lads

Walter Brennan, twice winner Of
the Academy Award for best sup
porting player performances and SO
in demand that he was given time
of from Northwest Passage" to do
the mailman role in "A Call on the
President has little trouble re-
membering when he was an extra
and stunt man. His favorite yarn
Is about two young extras he en-
countered one day outside a studio.
The youngsters were strongly con-
sidering the idea of busting" the
casting director in the nose because
he wouldn't give them a $5-day's
work. Their names?" Brennan
repeats. "Oh, yes. They were Clark
Gable and Gary Cooper"
Evening star., 1939-10-24
Don't Just Say 'ILove YOU

most of the time in life and, after
all, pictures are meant to be a re-
Election of the normal"
In support of which he offered as
exhibit A the approach to love in
"SeWanee River"
Don Ameche lets Andrea Leeds
know how he feels by whistling to
her and playing on his violin.
The writer didn't ask If that was
"a reflection of the normal"