davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-09-15

not because OF any unneutral act on
the part Of this country.
In the concluding paragraph Of
his address, Senator Borah very
properly asked why we should be
interested in aiding the European
democracies to that extent. I'm
what possible way" he asked, "can
The United States be benefited by
permitting the sale? In what respect
is this country threatened by reason
of the fact that no sale of arms is
being made?"
Fortunately, he inadvertently
answered those questions himself.
In the second paragraph OF his talk
he said: Force is gradually under
mining and destroying freedom
everywhere" With that statement
The Star is in full agreement. Nazi
Germany has undermined the peace
and freedom of Europe by the use Of
force, and the doctrine that might
makes right is spreading to all quar-
ters Of the world. France and
Britain, with their own security at
stake, have taken a stand against
the spread of that doctrine, and it
is definitely to the advantage of this
country by methods short OF war,
to do what 1t can to support them.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
Bridge Compromise

The agreement reached between
the District Highway Department
and the Public Roads Administration
which will result in a restriction of
traffic over Key Bridge beginning
Monday, is a reasonable solution of
troublesome problem.
The difficulty was foreseen eight
months ago, when the contractors
constructing new span to extend
the bridge over the memorial park
way found they could not carry out
their work without cutting down the
heavy flow of traffic. The original
order was to close the bridge entirely
to passenger automobiles, allowing
the much smaller volume of street
cars, busses and trucks to continue.
Protests, not without justification,
were immediate. Businessmen in
Georgetown, who depend heavily on
those customers who drive in from
Virginia or traverse Georgetown on
their way to and from work in the
city, held the limitation would cost
them thousands of dollars weekly.
The contractor pointed out the
tremendous increase in the cost of
the project if the work was to be
curtailed for the convenience of
traffic. The matter was settled by
the construction of a orty-thousand-
dollar ramp which permitted the
work to progress with the bridge
open to traffic.
But the project has now reached a
point where this traffic would 'seri-
ously interfere with the remaining
stages of construction. An impasse
seemed probable until the compro-
mise to restrict traffic to Virginia.
bound cars was reached. AS result
double-shift of workmen will be
employed to speed up the job so the
restriction will be continued no
longer than necessary, and the re-
designing of the Rosslyn plaza will
be rushed to completion by the time
the bridge is opened.
The result is that Georgetown and
Rosslyn businessmen will suffer a
minimum loss of trade, there will be
less congestion at the other portals
of the Capital during the busy hours,
and the whole job will be completed
sooner than would have been the
case otherwise.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
II. STREET.

Dear Sir:
Having read a number of interesting
articles in your column, This and That,
I would like to tell you what a helpful
influence they have on me-
after reading the first page of The
Star with accounts of war, murder,
strikes, wrecks and accidents, I turn a
few pages and perhaps your story begins,
Now Is the time to SOW grass seed,' and
stop and think, yes, We have place to
SOW grass seed and some left to SOW 1t,
and feel that we are not all dead or
unhappy.
Thank you for those beautiful and
peaceful paragraphs So many have in
terested me, but select three-frst the
one on memory, in which you had some
thing good to say of those who have poor
memories I am one of these.
Il remember complimenting my sister
on her good memory, and she said 7
would give much to have your forgetory. ,
'The article on the althea is descrip-
ton know well. AS am writing this I
can look from the dining room window
and see number of bushes and trees of
this think, wonderful shrub. Some of
these are 10 feet high.
"Our family came to this house in 1878
and 1t seems the althea has always been
here.
I'VE have the three colors you men,
toned. All you have said in praise of it
I echo. Our altheas lived through the
blizzard of 1899, the unusual freeze of
1912 and the almost unheard-of drought
a few summers ago.
1T blooms right along for three
months, and seems to be almost a mem
Der of our family.
Those articles on music are also
touching home, as I was a teacher of
piano for number of years. II I could
write my theme would be the study of
music. Very truly, M. F. P"
Something good to say of those who
have poor memories"
The point Is, what is one willing to
forget?
Good memory is cherishable, indeed,
but there is such thing as good, poor
memory, and by that one doesn't mean
simply all those things which cause
misery in the recollection, which stir the
fires Of hate and vengeance.
No, the trivial, while not as bad, is
just as great nuisance.
One with poor memory may felicitate
himself if he has dropped out Of the
hoppers and bins of his mind the thou
sand and one inconsequential and wholly
unnecessary recollections.
u
This leaves the mind free to be stored
again, If the world in unheaval will give
permission.
1t is strange thing, the human mind,
Evening star., 1939-09-15
Sound Advice

John ]. Pershing, fifth general OF
the armies" in American history, in
observance Of his seventy-ninth
birthday anniversary, has expressed
himself with vigor on the need for
building up our national defenses.
The Nation should be grateful for
such an expression from the man
who led our armies in the World War
and who, better than any other,
should know what penalties we paid
for our lack of preparedness in 1917.
With a world in flames, the Nation
can do no better today than heed
the advice of General Pershing to
bring the Army up to its fully au-
thorized strength, to give that Army
proper training, to build up and
train the National Guard and to
maintain a general staff capable Of
undertaking at once an emergency
war effort
Recent large-scale maneuverS of
the Regular and National Guard
troops of the first Army, conducted
at Manassas, Va, and Plattsburg,
N. Y, demonstrated clearly the need
for additional training and equip
ment for these So-called "M-day"
forces to put them in condition to
protect our Nation with twenty-four
hours notice.
The Federal Government is TAX
ing steps to apply the advice of Cen
eral Pershing. To the limit of avail
able funds the War Department is
carrying out large-scale field train
ing exercises for the Army and
Guard Additional funds for this
purpose probably will be asked and
should be granted.
President Roosevelt, by proclama-
tion establishing a limited national
emergency because-of the European
war, has authorized the early in
crease in strength of the Army to
$4,000. General Pershing has rec
commended that Congress provide
funds for bringing the Army to full
strength under terms of the National
DEFENSE Act of 1920. This total is
100000.
The fullest possible training and
complete equipment should be given
the National Guard SO that it may fill
its intended function as an initial
protective force" in case of emer-
gency. Congressional action also is
required if this is to be accomplished.
Congress could pay no better
tribute to the gallant, able World
War leader than to carry out to the
full his moderate, sane recommended
tions for the insurance of our
Nation against the threat of foreign
aggression.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
Defends Position of Germany
In World History.
tn .bs EJ{to- of IT, c+ar.

In World History.
To the Editor of The Star:
I am a teacher of history and civics
European history.
The recent letter to The Star from r.
L. Muckley criticizing an address by Sem
ator Walsh amused and irritated me.
About 10 years ago at an institute"
I asked the eminent historian who was
In charge if democratic form of gov
ernment was really necessary in order
to have good and just government and
he smiled quickly and said, mo, that in
the early l900s, up to the World War,
probably the best government in Europe
was that of Germany"
A political science professor said it
wouldn't be at all surprising if hundred
years from now, when all this has blown
over Kaiser Wilhelm would be known as
Wilhelm II the Great, because he and his
government did more for the good of his
people than any other nation did.
In the discussion, number of people
considered that the world would have
been vastly better off if Germany had
won before Christmas" that the nation
that was responsible for its being a World
War was England, and the one man most
directly responsible was Sir Edward Grey.
r. L. Muckley might do well to use his
intelligence on those ideas. AS our old
friend AL Smith used to say, Lets look
at the record" NJ S.
September IL.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
FriqhtfuIness as Usual

One of pre-Hitler Germany's leg
endary military heroes is credited
with the maxim that a vanquished
foe should be left nothing but eyes
to weep with" The German legions
now burning, bombing and blasting
their way across Poland appear to be
living up to that ruthless injunction.
AS far as the invaders air force is
concerned, they are doing so in
accordance with specific orders from
the NaZi all-highest.
Chancellor Hitler has violated his
pledge to President Roosevelt against
bombardment Of civilian populations
In open towns. Henceforth, virtually
unrestricted air warfare will be the
rule. The justification for this latest
abandonment of Nazi promises is the
charge that the Polish government
and army have called upon the in
habitants of open cities to resist in
vading German troops within the
environs Of cities, market places and
villages. In Warsaw the population
has been told to resort to guerrilla
war" All signs now point to a
campaign of "frightfulness.
Coincident with the unabashed
proclamation of unrestricted air war
are two independent combinations
that it was already in progress. The
State Department issues the sum-
mary of dispatch from Mr.. Biddle,
the American Ambassador to Poland,
in which he expresses the opinion
that "the German air forces are
taking advantage of every opportu-
nifty, without regard to the danger
to civilian population which may be
involved in their air bombardment,
though this is ostensibly limited to
military detectives" AS a case in
point, Mr.. Biddle cites the recent
attacks on his suburban villa and
that of neighbor; on modern apart
ment houses in the suburbs of War
saw and the destruction of a sani-
tarium in the woods near Otwock,
resulting in the death of ten
children.
From the Associated Press CORE
spondent at Sniatyn, Poland, at the
Rumanian border, comes a dispatch
with almost sickening details of the
human wreckage caused by CON
tinual fire of German planes using
bombs and machine guns" The
correspondent reports that every
train, railroad station and automo-
bile in the area through which weary
thousands Of refugees are trudging
along the main highways of South
eastern Poland Is an actual or poten-
Evening star., 1939-09-15
DeruiIed

Practically from the beginning the
railroad was regarded as a legitimate
source of revenue for the Nation to
such an extent that it was, and is,
continually on the defensive. On
one front it fights off the raids of
intrenched politicians armed with
taxes, and on another, irregular
guerrilla bands sniping at it with
lawsuits. The iron horse was fair
game with no closed season, but, un-
like the buffalo, it managed to sur
vive and multiply by protecting
itself with corps Of lawyers.
Usually its job is dull routine, con-
sisting of such matters as fighting
the claims of shippers for damage in
transit. Occasionally it gets an in
teresting problem like that of Mr..
Howard of San Bernardno, who
gave 1884 to the Union Pacific
station agent there for a ticket to
enable his fiancee Donna to join
him from Idaho. He received neither
ticket nor f1ancee, and was even
tually forced to go to Idaho himself,
where he found that the money had
never been received and that the
engagement was off. Stunned, he
made a counterattack on the rail-
road and sued for $5,63668 damages,
with the odd siXty-eight cents off
for quick settlement. He does not
want this sum just for nothing; he
says he invested in a lot and some
furniture, all of which are rendered
useless to him by Union Pacific
negligence" 1t is now up to the
courts to decide if the railroad Is
responsible for wrecking his honey
moon express
Evening star., 1939-09-15

tial target Of the swarming aerial
invaders"
This may be war, but 1t is far from
magnificent; it is Mars in his most.
hideous aspect. 1t is not surprising
to hear Prime Minister Chamberlain
telling Parliament that If Germany
continues to bomb civilians in Po-
land, 1t will strengthen the resolve
of Britain ito insure that the menace
we are now fighting is finally re-
moved" Mr.. Chamberlain declares
that if air frightfulness in Poland
persists, England will claim a free
hand to take Inappropriate action"
The hour would seem, at this long
range, to be at hand for that threat
ened retaliation.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
THIS AND THAT
BY Charles Z. TraceUeH.

how strange we are only beginning to
find out.
Investigators seem to have proved, at
least in part, that many mature ways of
thinking are the result Of nothing more
serious than chance in the past.
Endless chains of bad thinking flow
from sheer accidents, but the question
remains, should they?
Capricious happenings and we take
them to our hearts, we say, but really
to our minds, and relentlessly hold onto
them through life.
The mind has its own cure, happily,
in forgetting, If it can be done.
How 1t is done, that is another ques-
ton. Maybe it, too, Is gift, this good
forgetting, along with genius and daring.
1t takes a man to go up in a plane
when he knows that the enemy is wait
ing to shoot at him, and it takes man
to think happily when all his blood and
fibers cry out in the other direction.
Even in pain and unhappiness men
have somehow managed it, Epictetus
held the highest thought aloft in his own
mind and the minds of all who would
listen to him. (He is doing it YETI
And there are greater instances.
Fortunately the average person is not
called upon for any great thinking.
Perhaps there Is some satisfaction in
that
Until his turn at great affairs comes,
if it should, he meanders along in the
daily routine.
In this routine there is such a thing
as carrying too much baggage
There is no tyranny like that of ma
terial things, some one has said, but
there might be an amendment offered
Or like the tyranny of useless recol-
lections.
Every time we hear one of these
"reminiscences going on-you know the
type-"noW it was in the year of the
blizzard, and was standing on the
corner of Fourteenth and F streets
no, let me see, it was Thirteenth and F,
I believe" well, we feel like yelling,
ti, WiAdl diiiCiCiiSC QOCo ~ Hldhe!
1t may be argued, and correctly, that
these innumerable details make little
difference, one way or the other.
That is right but at the same time,
the mind which so relentlessly holds
such details probably keeps guard over
many others which are not so good,
which it would be much better to let 20.
The how of this letting go, it must
be admitted, is a personal matter. The
best 'forgetters" are those who have
poor memories-let us admit that, once
and for all. 1t is probable that they
do not forget anything of Importance
but are skillful in dropping out the
thousand and one unessentials of men,
ory which might as well be permitted to
go. Their very weakness is their
strength.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
Defends Writings of
Frederic William Vile.
To the Editor of The Star;

To the Editor of The Star
The first half of Mr.. Gordon Haines'
letter printed in The Star OF September
13 is devoted to pointing out the weak
nesses and Inconsistencies in Mr.. Wiles
arguments and contentious in the pres
ent world struggle, and against reasons
advanced by Mr.. Vile why the country
should rally to the aid of our President
in his leadership. Mr.. Haines ends that
part of his letter by saying that until
Mr.. Vile knows correct answers he should
refrain from specializing on possible
eventualities and by inference deprive
the readers of plausible analysis.
In the second half of his letter Mr..
Haines does bit of speculating himself
by saying that even if Hitler wins he will
be too weak 10 trot across 5000 miles of
ocean and fight us; that Hitler will have
his hands full in Germany in the noble
art of reconstruction, that after all Eng
land and France are not fighting for
principle, but to protect their selfish
trade interests in the Balkans and other
lands. Finally Mr.. Haines admonishes
the commentator and the American
people to mind our own business, to close
our eyes, ears and hearts to what is
happening across the seas and put our
own house in order.
Fortunately for America and Ameri-
cans the issue in this world struggle is
quite clear to some 90 per cent of our
citizens. 1t is not Germany that has
ventured in its present death grapple
with civilization, but Hitlerism and the
Hitler creed. Branches of that creed
have been established throughout the
world in conformity with the present
Hitler slogan: Today Germany: tomor-
row the entire world: Gillette Deutsch-
land-Morgen die game Weltd"D. It won't
Evening star., 1939-09-15

do win this war, but there seems to be
no question that the situation in the
Reich in such case will be desperate.
There was the greatest difficulty among
the Allies in reaching the agreement con-
tanned in the Versailles treaty. Since
then Communism has become a much
greater force in the world. In the event
of the conquest of Germany will the
Allies be able to establish a government
there that will keep Communism from
again becoming rife? Will the Allies
profit any by their mistakes when they
conquered Germany before? Americans,
who are so bitter against Hitler should
ask themselves whether even Hitlerisrn is
not better than Communism.
HENRY A. HAYWARD.
September H.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
Sees Communist Germany
If Hitler Loses.

III Hltler Loses.
To the Editor of The Star:
The sympathy of most Americans, in
cluding myself, Is with Britain and
France in their war with Germany but
lest that sympathy grow to a stampede
toward joining them in case they meet
with reverses it may be we'll to temper
our sympathy by looking into the past
and considering the possibilities of the
future.
I think it will be generally conceded in
this country that the present war is the
outgroWth of the immoderately repres-
sive provisions of the Versailles treaty
that Britain and France in that treaty
over reached themselves in their hatred
and greed. President Wilson was in
favor of more moderation and if the
treaty had been tempered with mercy
and some encouragement to Germany
shown there seems no doubt that not
only Britain and France but this country
also would have profited greatly in every
way. The amount of the reparation pay
ments demanded should have been great
ly reduced and Germany should have
been left with some colonial possessions.
Large German minorities should not have
been included in the new nations founded
by the treaty.
AS it has turned out Britain and France
have received comparatively little repara-
tion money and they have fresh war,
in which they stand to lose all that they
thought they had gained by the treaty
and infinitely more besides.
The undue oppression shown by the
Versailles treaty left the Germans with a
sense of great injustice and feeling of
deep bitterness that needed only the
ability of Hitler to capitalize and fan
into thirst for remedial action and for
revenge. There cannot be the slightest
doubt that Mr.. Hitler accomplished won-
ders in the rehabilitation of Germany.
The German republic was very weak and
without Mr.. Hitler's ability for organiza-
ton and leadership there can be no ques-
ton that Germany would soon have come
under Communist control
So far there seems to have been very
little public consideration of what will
happen to Germany In case the Allies
Evening star., 1939-09-15
Reader Wants More
Peace Propaganda"
September 13.

10 inc Edltor OF The Star:
The letter by Jesse E. Aiken in last
nights paper CTuesday, September 12)
appealed to me very strongly. I feel with
the writer that America Omitted States
does have mission in the world today
Going into war and fighting against
Germany will never accomplish that mis-
sion; our entrance into the World War
brought no good to us or any other
nation.
Such ideas as those expressed in Mr.
Aiken's letter deserve to be disseminated
We have been deluged with hate propa-
ganda for years, is 1t not our duty now
to increase our will to peace" before II
Is too late? MISS r. e. THONSSEN.
September 13.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
Asks Determination of
japanese Aggression.

To the Editor of The Star:
ACTIONS speak louder than words" :"
Japan has been waging war against
China, an aggressive war. The fact that
Nippon has not declared war does not
alter the fact that she is belligerent.
And yet it is said that the United States
has been supplying Japan with NUM-
tions, etc. Is this an instance of the
truth that law and justice are not always
synonyms? Actually, Japan is at war.
Legally, she is not at war Can coun-
try be at war and not at war, simul-
taneously, with the same opponent. Is
this consistent? Is it common sense?
STERLING BRANNEN.
Fredericton, N. B., Canada.
Sept. 8.
Evening star., 1939-09-15

be necessary for Hitler to travel any
where because the nucleus of Nazi lead
ership, such as we have here In the bund
and Fritz Kuhn, will Immediately pro-
ceed to carry out the formula of that
creed. With Hitler victory and the
defeat of civilization the morale OF all
democracies will slump and the dark
forces will certainly engulf our own lucky
land and other democracies. So 1t be-
hooves us to listen to our own commen-
tators as long as they are free to write
and We are free to read and to beware
of that sort of propaganda as Mr.. Gordon
Haines' letter. ISAAC TEPPER.
September u.
Evening star., 1939-09-15

Paris has released an artificial fog
for air raid protection. If only that
little neutrality matter can be ad-
justed, there is commodity our Con-
gress could export in quantity, and
Indefinitely.
Evening star., 1939-09-15

Both Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Green, in
view of the present situation and
what may come later, might well re-
member the words o. Mr.. Gompers
under similar circumstances about
twenty-five years ago: '"The best way
for labor to function is for labor to
function"
Evening star., 1939-09-15

Compared to the stored-up venom
in certain Fuehrer, that accumu-
lated by a six-foot king cobra is as
balm of Gilead.
Evening star., 1939-09-15

Just to think: George Bernard
Shaw may soon have been broad
casting through his whiskers during
two world wars.
Evening star., 1939-09-15

One wonders just how much Fire
today is relishing her long-hoped-
for "entire independence"
Evening star., 1939-09-15

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
credited TO 1t or not otherwise credited In this
paper and also the local news published herein
All rights of publication OF special dispatches
herein also are reserved
Evening star., 1939-09-15
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the prtter, although the use OF
q pSeudonyna for publication is
permissible. Please be brief!
Evening star., 1939-09-15

@. To how much annual leave Is .
Government worker entitled?-C. c., M.
A. All Government employees are en-.
titled to IS days sick leave and 26 days
annual leave at the discretion Of their
chief clerk.
Evening star., 1939-09-15

G. How tall is Representative Hamil.
ton Fish, jr.?-H. B. D.
A. He Is 6 feet 3 inches In height.
Evening star., 1939-09-15

@. How much seal skin comes from
the Pribilof Islands?-J. w. G.
A. This year fur seals at Pribilof
Islands yielded total of 60,473 skins.
This Is the largest supply since 1889.
Evening star., 1939-09-15

@. Please give the height and weight
Of President Calvin Coolidge.-F. H.
A. President Coolidge was feet 10
inches tall and weighed 1852 pounds.
Evening star., 1939-09-15
The Evening Star Newspaper Company.

Main once: 11th st. and Pennsylvsnia Ave
New York once: ITO East 42nd st.
Chicago once: 435 North Michigan Ave
Evening star., 1939-09-15

WASHING GTON, D. @.
FRIDAY Y--Sep September Is, 1889