davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-10-17

There was one excuse: Some one had
seen to 1t that the old suit was cleaned
and put away in a neat bag for the
winter.
Should 1t be hauled forth for Just @
few days after all that scrubbing and
Tubing?
Well, many decided against 1t, and
later wished they hadn't.
Regardless of season, the clothes
should fit the weather.
This Is the common sense of 1t, but, Of
course, there Is no common sense In
clothing, and never has been.
Custom still holds the upper hand. It
always has been struggle between GUS
tom on the one foot, and comfort on
the other, with custom usually winning,
as this October.
Despite the drought, or near-drought,
broken by one unusually heavy rain, the
trees, lawns, shrubs and flowers Of the
city and suburbs looked we'll
The distinct heat wave presaged no
good Tor any Of these. It was too hot.
After it had passed, everybody knew on
oming cold weather would hit hard.
There would be. among the plants, no
opportunity to get used to changes
This Is thing which has been hap
pening to plants for centuries, however.
They are not mollycoddles, in any sense
OF much-abused word.
Plant life knows how to take it.
~ ~
The suburban gardener found himself
slightly nonplussed by the unusual
season.
Ought he to treat his grounds as If
1t were summer or fall?
Ordinarily, he would be raking up
leaves, and getting ready for the much
loved chore of tidying up the old place.
This mid-October his heart was not
in it. As the doleful poem said, "And
no birds sing"
Where were his birds?
Aside from new one, whose unknown
song chortled merrily at him every
morning and evening" he had few birds,
whereas all summer long he had lux
uriated In scores of them.
Even the robins had deserted him. He
knew that in the last week of October.
and maybe in early November, small
bands OF robins would fly down to scatter
over his lawn before going on south.
How far do migrating birds fly in a
day?
Probably 200 to 300 miles is an aver
age "a hours, for most songsters, al
though, some species do much better.
and some slower, according to circum-
stances.
Stormy weather slows up the speediest
migrators. And do not believe that tall
one about hummingbirds travelling south
on the backs of larger birds, notably
pigeons. It's pretty story, but it isn't
true.
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Policemun's Lot

Messrs. Gilbert and Sullivan in
The Pirates Of Penzance" explain
liltingly that the policeman's lot is
not happy one. It may have been
true in Britain, then at peace. but
present evidence from wartime
France tends to refute the notion.
1t seems that Partisan cops are suf-
fering more from boredom than any,
thing elsa surprising state of af-
fairs when one considers that nightly
blackouts should offer unparalleled
business opportunities to pickpockets,
burglars and holdup artists in the
same fashion that the blackout of
civilization has allowed the main
Moscow office of the United Burglars
OF the World such full scope.
1t is love of country that has
turned the trick. A stirring appeal
was made to all Parisians, including
the less particular, more broad
minded groups, to unite against the
common enemy, and, while remain
Ing calm, not to take things too
easily, especially during blackouts.
The appeal proclaimed that those
neglecting this advice would be Sc
riously inconvenienced by the pinch
OF war, as said pinch would be
promptly followed by a sufficient
number Of bullets to make them i'm
mediately and unquestionably eligi-
BILE for the graveyard. Such a wave
OF patriotism ensued that ever since
gendarmes have had to twiddle their
thumbs to pass the time.
Evening star., 1939-10-17
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Trace,DeH.

That famous line, "Oh. what Is so rare
% day In June7" had to be changed
to read what is 10 rare as day in
October?"
Surely those recent blissful days,
despite the unreasonable heat, deserved
some sort Of Immortality in print.
October always has been q great
month. Usually 1t has haze and GOODNESS
and rustlins leaves and smell Of wood
smoke.
This time, for q few days, 1t had haze
aplenty. more heat than cold and most
unusual degree Of It,
It has been interesting to watch the
leaves turn yellow on the trees with
out the slightest aid from Jack Frost.
Most people think frost Is necessary
for the leaves to begin to turn. Appar-
emily this is not true.
Time, evidently, is what decides the
turning. not the degree Of temperature.
Here would be an entire tree with fine
yellow leaves. Here would be one with
just few branches showing yellow amid
the green.
And here would be some fne specimen
without siagle yellow leaf, sere or
otherwise.
It was difncult to think Of autumn
when one was as hot as In particularly
humid summer.
Just few days. comparatively speak
ing, Of cooler weather-and here 1t was
back In summer again!
Women, with their greater freedom in
matter Of clothes, had much the better
Of 1t.
They could switch from knits to silks
IN the twinkling Of an eye, but men had
to stick by their newly adopted wool
SUITS
Men, creatures Of custom, long ago
decreed that after September is neither
straw hat nor . light suit could be
worn until next spring.
This unwritten law was followed
slavishly.
Though the thermometer stood at 30
degrees that afternoon, 1t was not
enough to drive the generality of men
to their summer togs.
1t was summer, all right-but the men
wouldn't admit It!
Only . brave fellow, here and there,
decided that there was common sense as
well As comfort in the light suit which
did such good service all through muggy
summer.
Few men were quite brave enough to
60 into cream-colored suit; mostly, they
fell back on dark cloth.
And no straw hats.
A few gave In to the weather to the
extent Of donning old light suits, but no
man in the National Capital came out
in q straw hat.
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Administration Concession

Inc announcement by senator
Pittman that he will abandon the
provision of the pending neutrality
law permitting the President under
certain circumstances to authorize
ninety-day, non-renewable credits to
belligerent purchasers of American
goods represents a sensible conces-
sion on the part of the administra-
ton.
Although there has been nothing
to show that the ninety-day provi-
sion, limited as it was to ordinary
commercial credits and short-time
obligations in aid of legal transac-
tions, and of character customarily
used in normal peace-time CONNER
cial transactions" was in any manner
calculated to involve this country
in the European war, the fact re-
mains that it was strongly opposed
by some Senators who were other
wise in general sympathy with the
administrations program. And it is
also true that it has been used as
talking point by those who have
expended their energies in a mis-
guided attempt to create the belief
that embargo repeal would be tanta-
mount to participation in the war.
The dropping of the limited credit
provision may interfere to some ex-
tent with the normal processes of
conducting our export trade, but
there is no reason to believe at this
time that it would seriously affect
the capacity of the British and the
French to buy in this market the
supplies they need to bring the war
to a successful conclusion. Thus,
If abandonment of the ninety-day
clause will remove honest doubts
from the minds of some Senators
and deprive others Of a much abused
talking point, without working undue
hardship in any direction, it would
seem that the administration has
shown good judgment in yielding on
this point.
The only remaining valid objection
to the administration measure con-
Germs the stringency of some OF its
carry" provisions. Senators Pitt
man and Bailey are now working on
amendments in this connection
which, while not sacrificing any real
protection for American shipping,
would permit our vessels to trade in
areas where there is little, if any.
danger from belligerent forces.
When this matter has been satis-
factorily adjusted there will be no
reason why the Senate cannot come
to an early vote on the repeal of the
embargo and the adoption of the
cash and carry" plan. The opposi-
ton Senators have said they will be
IN mo hurry" to reach a final vote
but II they resort to dilatory tactics
after the proper modification of the
bill, they will have to assume full
responsibility for needlessly delaying
legislative reform which is clearly
designed to protect American lives
and property and to shield this
country from the war.
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Objects to Views Of
Frederic william VILE,

TO the Editor OF The Star:
The state Of mind Of your columnist,
Frederic william Vile, is alarming to
many Of your readers. In his column
of October 2 he says, ITO this observer
there appears to be . sense OF almost
incredible unreality about the spectacle
which the United States Congress u
about to stage before an Unlocking and
distracted Europe. Here Is the world fall
Ing apart at . rate which can only be
described as dizzy" and "America
deliberately preparing to do nothing
about 1t but talk and talk endlessly."
Since when did the American law.
making body begin to set its stage before
Europe? For 100 years prior to 1914
what Congress did was matter Of utter
indifference to Europe. Up to the Span
ish-American War only one English
newspaper maintained correspondent
in the United States. It. is only since
the United States became war base and
an actual or potential belligerent In
European wars that Europe manifested
an interest in the acts Of the American
Congress. Tough old Europe Of q thou
sand wars is not falling to pieces, either.
It did not fall to pieces in the Thirty
Years War. Europes "democracies' are
in no such straits now as In the Napo-
leonic wars, II the historic records can be
relied upon.
Mr.. vile speaks Of the "abysmal ignor-
ance" Of 80 per cent Of those who have
written to Congress, protesting against
any act leading toward war. He con-
demns the "anti-repeal xealots and their
epistolary stooges." He calls on Patrick
Henry to rise and speak with "logic
on IRE" and put It to the American
people in terms Of burning simplicity, !"
then quotes from the "matriculation
sermon" by the president Of one Of Amer
teas great universities as providing 4
suitable text for such . historic grafton,
and remember, moreover" says Mr..
VILE "that he was talking to group Of
our boys probably 80 per cent Of whom
would be fighting Il we went to war"
I know that there are mothers and
fathers who have sons In this university
who do not view the contingency which
Mr.. VILE depicts - lightly or With the
same cold detachment that he does.
:. October .. W.. WukoTA
Evening star., 1939-10-17

largely on erroneous impressions"
and urged that everything be done
"to dispel the idea that workers are
through at forty"
In the light OF the results claimed
for the Rochester experiment, 1t
would seem that there has been de-
veloped solution adaptable to wider
application where employers are
willing to give it a. chance,
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Stain Trims His Sails

Stalin's diplomatic Blitzkrieg, which
won speedy and extensive laurels in
Poland and the Baltic, appears to
have slackened its pace, If it has not
actually lost its momentum. Turkey,
for three weeks the object of high
pressure at Moscow, and Finland,
which was earmarked for Russian
domination are indicating a decided
reluctance to yield to the Kremlin's
demands. Compromise is now in the
air.
Turkeys foreign minister, M.
Saracoglu, who has been conferring
with Stain and Molotoff since the
end of September, has rejected their
three cardinal demands-recognition
of the partition of Poland, formation
of a neutral Balkan bloc under
Russo-German sponsorship, and vir-
tual partition of Rumania by re-
transfer of Bessarabia to Russia and
the Black Sea province of Dobrudja
to Bulgaria. The Ankara statesman,
after bluntly letting Moscow know
that if Italy joins Germany, Turkey
would fight with the allies, reminded
the Soviet that the Turks in a pinch
could put 100000 men in the field.
The Ankara government is under
stood to be agreeable to Moscow's
wish to close the Dardanelles to al
lied warships, thus shutting off the
possibility of an Anglo French
flank attack on Germany through
the Black Sea and Rumania. Ac-
cording to latest reports, Turco-
Russian accord, if any, will now fall
far short of Stalin's wishes. Ankara
clearly is in no mood to surrender
Turkeys historic guardianship of the
eastern end of the Mediterranean to
Red Russia and is as obviously de-
termined not to allow Nazi Germany
to extend it's dominance to the Gold
en- Horn, either.
Moscow plainly is impressed by the
solidarity of the four Scandinavian
countries to be symbolized to all the
world by tomorrow's conclave of their
rulers at Stockholm, while there is
no less doubt that the friendly but
firm representations Of the United
States against any dragooning of
Finland has also had it's effect at the
Kremlin. DR.. Paasikivi, the Finnish
envoy, who has been comforting at
Moscow, is back In Helsinki with re-
ports of Russia's claims. Formal
proclamation of Finland's attitude
toward them probably awaits the
outcome of the Stockholm confer
ence. The Firms are unwilling to
be drawn into the Soviet orbit as
completely as Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania have been, but seem ready
to consider the cession of certain
Baltic islands for Russian naval base
purposes. Any attempts to force
Finland into a Communist military
alliance or yield concessions on the
strategic Aaland Islands will be Wig
orously resisted. In such resistance
Sweden would unquestionably Join,
for Sovietized Aaland group would
be a pistol pointed straight at the
Swedes' heart. too.
Altogether the signs point to q
definite halt in Stains march to
hegemony alike In the Baltic and
the Balkans. That can only bring
comfort to the Germans, as well as
to the smaller states in the path Of
Russia's advance eastward and west
ward. Hitler, among his other
Evening star., 1939-10-17

They have loud-speakers playing
reveille at Army posts, and now a
Beltsville (Md) radio station sounds
"A" almost continuously for the ben
eft of bands and orchestras. Can
not science do something along this
line to make easier the singing of
''The Star Spangled Banner?
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Empty Hands

Through misty waves Of pain saw you
spread
Your empty hands upon my high. white
bed
Il did not bring you anything" you said.
You stayed . while, and after you had
gone
I took your gifts from out my heart
They shone
Like star CLEANS In the hour be6oes tho
dawn.
These are your gifts-this shining, goldp
spun laughter:
Cheer like silver song:
Courage and hope-sem fires to light mo
after
Dark fingers overlong.
The ermine Of your warming friendii.
ness is
A cloak to comfort me;
And velvet-soft - little gray doves
breast is
Your tender sympathy
No galleon sailing from the palm-frinsed
lands
Held such prize. The sore heart undsr-
stands
What treasure you have brought with
empty hands
NELLIE q. BouRDEAux.
Evening star., 1939-10-17

A 1888 woman's hat was among
the articles placed in the "time cap
sule" at the New York fair. There is
thus laid away an assured merry
guffaw for whichever Of your de-
scendants are around in the year
$3.50.
Evening star., 1939-10-17
The Argentine Agreement

OF all the countries in the Western
Hemisphere, Argentina is the only
one which has resolutely resisted the
policy of solidarity and unity which
the United States has preached since
1888. 1t has its own good reasons
tor taking its independent stand,
but the United States long has been
seeking the means of turning the
South American republic toward a
more friendly feeling for its far
northern neighbor. A milestone in
the development of more friendly
relations between Argentina and the
United States is the proposed Ar
gentina trade agreement on which
hearings opened yesterday at the
Tariff Commission. OF course, the
agreement and the proposed Ameri-
can tariff concessions to Argentinian
goods will be discussed Immediately
in the light of their commercial and
economic implications. In the long
run, however, the agreement will be
regarded as political document,
strengthener of the Argentine Amer
lean tie.
Members of Congress from the
Western agricultural States have
raised the objection that the agree
ment with its proposed concessions
will work great harm on the Ameri-
can cattle industry, the American
flax growers, the wool growers, in
deed, the American raisers of all the
agricultural commodities on which
concessions are contemplated to Ar
gentina-and to the rest of the
world, under the most-favored-na-
ton policy Of the agreement. This
cry is good deal like the protest
raised against the trade agreements
with Canada. In both instances, the
spokesmen for agriculture contend
that the reciprocal trade agreements
program harms the farmer in order
to provide a larger foreign market
for the industrialist.
The same Government which
frames the agreement has been pur-
suing a most lavish policy of sub
sidizing agriculture during the past
six years. Only this spring Congress
voted more than 100000, 900 of spe-
cial payments for the farmers. It
does not seem probable that the Gov
eminent would deliberately nullify
its subsidies by embarking on a pro-
gram aimed at the farmers ruina-
tion. Perhaps the farmer will suffer
slightly from the Argentine competi-
tion. But his benefit is likely to be
larger in the end, because the Ar
gentine agreement will, if it is signed,
improve the American industrial
market and enhance the purse Of the
domestic buyers of American farm
commodities.
The larger commercial question
involved in the Argentine agreement
is that it can serve to break down
Argentina's discrimination against
American goods. In recent years,
Argentina has favored the British
through the Rocca agreement and
frowned on American traders through
import quotas and exchange dis
elimination. This attitude is re-
Election of a political antipathy to-
ward the United States. In times of
peace the United States wants the
active friendship of Argentina. In
the present time of war, the United
States needs that friendship, for it
is becoming more apparent every day
that the New World will be, for
while anyway, almost the whole of
our world, commercially speaking.
Evening star., 1939-10-17

Winston Churchill, Britain,s first
lord Of the admiralty, Is said to own
one Of the largest private collections
OF headwear, both military and civil,
in existence. He wears, or has worn,
a good many OF them, but seldom has
talked through any.
Evening star., 1939-10-17

troubles. domestic and interna.
tional, can hardly be pointing with
pride to the results Of his deal with
his new red brother. Der Fuehrer
can only view them with alarm.
Evening star., 1939-10-17

Photographs of Hitler grouped with
and apparently lecturing real, hon
est-to-gosh generals somehow re-
minds one of Herman Hoosegow.
Evening star., 1939-10-17

Twain, who said of 1t: IT have told the
whole truth in that, and only dead men
can tell the whole truth in this world.
1t can be published after am dead"
And it was.
During the last great war such pray
ers could be heard from almost any pull
pit IN Europe. LOUIS F. DILGER,
October IL.
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Mark Twain's Prayer Cited
In the Cause of Peace.
To the Editor Of The Star:

Mark Twain's Prayer Cited
In the Cause ef Peace.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Your correspondent, Mr.. Edmund K.
0oldsborough, is to be praised on re-
calling at this critical time Mark
Twain's Concept of War" as being ap-
plicable today. It is certain that Mark
Twain was type Of American that we
hold affectionately in our hearts. No
one with any intelligence would be bold
enough to ignore what this great Ameri-
can philosopher had to say about this
war business. His 'War Prayer" is no
less great contribution in the cause of
truth, and for your information I sub
NIT herewith the text in full:
"A WAR PRAYER.
20 Lord our God, help US to tear their
soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells;
help us to cover their smiling fields with
the pale forms Of their patriot dead;
help us to drown the thunder of the guns
with the cries Of the wounded, writhing
In pain; help us to lay waste their hum
bic homes with hurricane Of fire; help
US to wiring the hearts Of their unoffend-
ing widows with unavailing grief; help us
10 turn them out roofless, with their
little children to wander rnfriended
through wastes Of their desolated lands
in rags and hunger and thirst, sport Of
the sun flames Of summer and the icy
winds Of winter, broken in spirit, worn
with travail, imploring Thee for the
refuge of the grave and denied it-for
our sakes, who adore Thee, Lord, blast
their hopes, blight their lives, protract
their bitter pilgrimage. make heavy their
steps. water their way with their tears,
stain the white snow with blood Of their
wounded feeti We ask Of One who IL
the spirit Of love and who Is the ever.
faithful refuge and friend Of al that are
sore beset and seek His aid With humble
and contrite hearts. Grant our prayer,
o Lord, and Thine shall b the praise
and honor and glory now and ever.
Amen"
Ihis prayss was written b Mazk
Evening star., 1939-10-17

A.. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
tne use Tor republication Of all news dispatches
credited to 1t or not otherwise credited in this
paper and also the local news published herein
herein also are reserved
Evening star., 1939-10-17

Many Of us wondered, when Roose-
welt was asked to serve as peace me-
diator, II Hitler had forgotten what
q "warmonger" our PreAdent q.
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
oedr the name and address OF
the ,Ortter although the use OF
q psetdonym for publication Is
permissible. Please be brieN
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Recalls Desertions
In Great War.
~, &h EA2x

In Great War.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Could there be in Hitler's mind in his
bid for peace doubt of the loyalty of
the German soldiers? He knows how
many were glad to desert in the last war
and conditions at home were nothing like
they are today.
He must know when the war gets 60
ing full blast that there will be thou
sands of soldiers glad to get away from
the barbarity, hunger and misery of
Germany where their kinfolks were
slaughtered like cattle.
October 10. JOHN RIGGLES.
Evening star., 1939-10-17
Upholds Massschusetts'
Claim to Constitution.


The plan Of the President to have his
toric old naval vessels brought to WASH
ington to become part Of q naval mari
time museum will undoubtedly meet
with the approval Of most of our citizens.
I, for one, am heartily in accord with
the proposition, but am nevertheless
amazed at the item appearing in the
editorial page Of Thursdays Star with
reference to the U. s. S. Constitution,
which says in part:
when does the Constitution, first and
foremost Of our national relics, start this
way? Or will Massachusetts,, with no
valid claim to her, continue to bluff
Uncle Sam and keep her up in Boston?"
In my opinion, the claim of Massa-
chusetts Is infinitely more valid than
that Of Washington. In the first place,
she was built in Boston by New England
shipwrights and launched In 1877, several
years before Washington even existed.
Her bolts and sheathing were made by
Paul Revere at his foundry In Boston
and she sailed from Boston on many of
her historic voyages.
When originally threatened with de-
struction, she was saved as q result of
the feeling aroused by the poem "Old
1ronsides," written by DR.. Oliver Wendell
Holmes, citizen of Massachusetts. SUBJ
sequently she was rebuilt with funds
raised by national public subscription
but largely contributed by New Eng
landers.
No museum of American naval vessels
would be complete without her, but to
state that Massachusetts has no claim to
her Is certainly open to serious question.
October Is. DEAN j, ALMY.
Evening star., 1939-10-17

Halls End Of @
British Domination.
10 the Editor Of The Star:
I hail with great acclaim and en-
thusiam the alliance between Germany
and Russia. It was . master stroke Of
statemanship and shows the genius Of
Adolf Hitler. At last man has arisen
to terminate British domination Of the
world. FRANK BRIGGS.
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