davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-10-20
Once Upon q Time

Hans Christian Andersen, famous
writer Of fairy tales, often had his
hero, the kings only son, become
hopelessly enamored of lowly shep-
herdeSs, much to the disgust of his
courtiers. These gentlemen, feeling
that their racket would be endan-
gered by the alliance, cooked up foul
schemes to break it up, but in the end
they failed and were either exiled or
boiled in oil, depending upon how Mr..
Andersen was feeling at the time he
wrote the story. But he never got
around to claiming that world war
could be started in such fashion.
The fairy tale department of the
British government has just done its
best to rectify the omission. One of
their white papers tells that once
upon a time the Fuehrer was sur
rounded by reasonably prudent ad-
visers who did the best they could,
considering the material with which
they had to work, to keep him out of
the soup. Then one day they strayed
off matters of statecraft and snob-
bishly protested against the marriage
of General Won Blomberg to a car
penter's daughter, Erika.
The Fuehrer was cold to their pro-
test. Had not he himself once been
an Austrian paper hanger, and
Yoiohfv yooor oro ~ +bo+O IJ;c loor%
warmed to the romance of Erika.
She was only carpenters daughter,
but she knew how to nail her man.
He showed his advisers the door. In
his preoccupation he forgot to close
it, and consequently was soon up to
his neck in "ja men," with each of
the gang eager to re-establish him.
self in the good graces of the great
Adolf. Unfortunately, at that time
he was engaged in a fascinating lit
tie puzzle concerning the number of
knots that could be tied in a lions
tail without waking it up, and won-
dered If there were room for one
more. The chorus, according to the
British white fairy book, anxious to
hold their jobs, answered "ja," and
instead Of every one living happily
thereafter, thus brought on war
that could have been avoided if the
love bug had not bitten Won
Blomberg.
No, Willie, that's all there is to the
story. Run along to bed now!
Evening star., 1939-10-20

Some may wonder why the nuthatch
is called songbird, when 1t never sings,
In any true sense.
1t Is ranked with the Oscines, or true
songbirds. because it has vocal organs
1t Is not a real singer, in the sense that
the wood thrush or the mockingbird is
singer.
Perhaps 1t may prove interesting to
some to digress here for q moment, to
point out that in the trade papers dealing
with the popular dance bands the girl
singers usually included in most Of the
orchestras are termed canaries, thrushes
or sparrows.
This is interesting mainly because the
boys have their ornithology down better
than you might expect them to. The
canary is a real singer, and so is the
thrush. The members of the sparrow
family, especially the song sparrow, have
really very pretty songs, once you stop
to listen to them. Even the English SPAR
row can be classed as a songbird, prob
ably better in choral singing than as a
soloist.
This aspect of bird song must not be
overlooked.
The usual attitude is to listen to each
and every bird as if it were soloist on
parade.
This Is scarcely fair. Birds, too like
humans, have different ways of making
music.
There are some birds which, like the
famous skylark, and the nightingale,
shine as solo performers, whereas there
are others, notably the sparrows and
starlings which make pretty music as
congregation.
Listeners will expect too much if they
demand of every bird that it be Caruso.
(Still the standard)
The typical nuthatch utterance is a
short cultural "yank" which is so char
acteristic that most listeners soon come
to like it, and to look forward to hear
ing it.
The birds no less than human singers.
have right to expect listeners to make
real effort to correlate the song with
the singer, and to try to find it pleasing
in regard to that relationship.
In this way. the cav of the crow sounds
as felicitous in its time and place, as the
undoubtedly sweeter strains of the wood
thrush or the mockingbird.
The nuthatch has bright eye, like an
old-fashioned shoe button.
II you want to see it, stand real still
at the base of some tree on which a
nuthatch is performing.
The chances are 10 to l that the bird
will come down, head first to see if YOU
are still there.
Once he has determined you are, he
Will walk sedately up again, disappearing
around the trunk as he goes. And if
you provide for him he probably will stay
with you all winter long.
Evening star., 1939-10-20
Neutrality Problem of
1871 Noted,

To the Editor Of The Star: ..
In The Sunday Star of October 8, 1899.
Frederic j. Haskn reviews History of
Neutrality Edicts" Regarding the Grant
administration he writes:
Now we come all the way down to
President Grant. On August %, 1870, he
issued neutrality proclamation on the
occasion of the nco-Prussian War.
Hamilton Fish, an ancestor of the pres
ent Representative Hamilton Fish of New
York, who has been so active in behalf
Of neutrality legislation, attested as Sec
retary OF State. There was no German
Empire then, OF course. The war was
between France and the North German
Federation and her allies. The President
declared, I do hereby give notice to all
citizens OF the United States and others
who may claim the protection of the
Government, who may misconduct them
selves in the premises, will do so at their
peril and that they can in no wise obtain
any protection from the Government OF
the United States against the conse-
quences of such misconduct"
However, it is little-known historical
fact that President Grant permitted his
Secretary of War, William Worth BEL
KNAPP, to sell more than nine million
dollars worth of arms, ammunition and
supplies to the French government This
violation of the neutrality laws caused
much comment among the German
adopted citizens Of our country, and on
January %, 1871, Mr.. Louis Schade, q
young lawyer of our city, wrote petition
to Congress, asking for the revocation of
the sale of Government arms and NUM-
tions of war to the agents of the French
government and procured the signatures
OF a number of Washingtonians Of Ger
man descent. Next day Mr.. Schade
handed the petition to Representative
Boyd OF Missouri and also saw an old
friend, Gen. John A. Logan, who ad-
vised Mr.. Boyd to have the petition
referred to the Military Committee, of
which he Uogam was chairman. This
was done. About o'clock in the after
noon Of the same day. January %, 1871,
Representative Boyd and Logan were in
formed by messenger that the President
had stopped the sale of arms to France
and that no further steps need be taken
by the Military Committee regarding the
petition. A, ,WASHINGToNIAN. ,
Evening star., 1939-10-20
Deplores Senator Lundeen's
Forced Annexation Proposal.

Az tAie AuAtOK u AOe Sttf:
The American people deplore the
thought that one of its members, q Sena-
tor from Minnesota, could make a
proposal that we should seize British
and French possessions. It's not only
un-American but disgraceful. What II
the unpaid war debt Of England is q sore
point? There are others, Finland ex-
cepted, who have not paid their debts to
us, but to collect from q sister nation
in such manner when she is in such
trouble is indeed not the American way.
Words are inadequate to express the
contempt we should feel.
Minnesota, am sure, would never
sponsor this proposal, but win realize
that instead Of picking the cream of the
crop it chose Just bad seed. am proud
that Senator Connally Of Texas answered
just the way true American should.
We must do things the American way
not the axis way. INDIGNANT.
October Is.
Evening star., 1939-10-20
Submarine Bon

President Roosevelts proclamation
closing American ports and territorial
waters to belligerent submarines ex-
cept as they may be obliged to seek
refuge by force majeure" will be
welcomed by the American people
as an important phase of efforts
being made to preserve our neu-
trality from violation by the mari
time forces of the warning powers.
1t is obvious that the effects of the
edict will be felt principally by Ger
many, since there would be little
reason for French or British sub
marines to be operating in our
waters. The surface warcraft of the
allies are maintaining their blockade
of Germany in European waters and
they could gain nothing by detaching
submarines for patrol duty on this
side of the Atlantic. For the Ger
mans, however, submarine block
ade against British and French ship
ping near our ports would be advan-
tageous, especially if the arms en-
barge is to be repealed and cash.
and-carry plan provided. There is
also the possibility that the Reich
might endeavor to purchase supplies
here and transport them to home
ports in large commercial subma-
rines The conduct Of such trade
would be impossible under the Pres
ident's edict, however, and the diff
culties Of maintaining blockade
force would be greatly increased as
no American port could be used for
refueling or provisioning purposes.
But the mere fact that the ban on
submarines will operate to Hitler's
disadvantage is no argument against
its desirability from an American
viewpoint, and the question OF
whether it serves our own interests
should be the controlling factor. The
great majority of Americans would
not look with favor on the acquisl-
ton by Germany of war supplies in
this country, and our own welfare
would be put in jeopardy to the eX-
tent that such supplies might con-
tribute to victory for the military
forces of the Reich. Nor would the
presence of a blockading force of
German submarines off our coast be
conducive to our own peace and
safety, for, in the process of sinking
French and British merchantmen, it
is quite possible that some of these
submarines would torpedo American
ships engaged in trading with other
neutrals.
1t should be noted that the Presi-
dents proclamation is not altogether
specific in its terms. Some uncer-
tainty is created by his use of the
phrase territorial waters" which he
has defined as reaching "as far as
our interests extend" The ineXact-
ness of the Presidents language in
this respect is somewhat modified,
however, by Secretary Hull's state
ment that he understands the term
to refer in this case to the old three
mile limit. Nor is it entirely clear
what Mr. Roosevelt means by force
majeure." Other officials of the
Government are not in agreement as
to the precise meaning of fthis term
and under the circumstances it is
not unreasonable to suppose that
the President purposely avoided
hard and fast definitions, wisely
preferring to refrain from commit
ting himself until particular cases
arise.
Evening star., 1939-10-20

the Mediterranean and the Adriatic.
Against the British, the French and
the Turks, Italy henceforth faces a
grouping Of armed strength, the
mere existence of which is a hostage
for her good behavior toward the
western powers and toward the Near
East.
Evening star., 1939-10-20

Won Ribbentrop is a rather apt
crosser and double-crosser, but he,
may some day learn new wrinkles
from Foreign Minister Molotoff, SUI
preme master of the triple-cross.
Evening star., 1939-10-20

The Associated Press Is exclusively entitled to
the use for republication of all dispatches
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 reserved
Evening star., 1939-10-20

When Russia invited Finland to a
conference" the people who were
not reminded Of the childhood poem
beginning "'Won't you come into my
parlor? said the spider to the fly"
could all have been put into one large
room.
Evening star., 1939-10-20
Pink Slips for Reds

From the winston Salem Journal
The Dies committee should be happier
now that the "reds" In the W. p. A.
have drawn some Of those mink slips.
Evening star., 1939-10-20

Here is hoping you live until Adolf
Hitler has made his really last last
peace Offer" =
Evening star., 1939-10-20
All Other States and Canada.
Member of the Associated Press

Entered as second-class matter post ONCE.
WaShington D C.
Evening star., 1939-10-20
People Urged to Be
PrO-American.

frO- american.
To the Editor of The Star:
On October 6 Frederic William Vile
wrote In The Star: AN excellent op-
portunity goes begging for great speech
on real reasons for arms ban repeal" He
made reference to former great speeches
such as Bryans Gross of Gold" grafton
at Chicago, and asks the repealists to
come out into the open and admit that
they do not want real neutrality, but
want to help England and France.
I, too, wish they would come out into
the open. Ninety per cent of the people
know that selling arms destroys real
neutrality. Mr.. Wiles article shows up
the untenable position of the arms ban
repealists in claiming that real neu-
trality' is their aim. They know that a
frank admission of their object would
spell the doom Of repeal. In my opinion
we should have 100 per cent embargo
on raw materials and everything else,
as most of 1t Is going to the allies in
stead Of to Germany.
The argument that the British are
fighting our battles is ridiculous since
they never fight any ones battles but
their own and have been just as guilty
Of aggression as Germany in the past
and would be in the future if given the
chance. When they fight to help an
other nation it is in reality only to
maintain balance of power for their
own protection. Therefore I think we
should play fair and stay out of the Eu-
ropean war altogether. Remember that
we owe just as much Of a debt of graft
tude to Steuben, de Kalb and Siegel as
We do to Kosciusko, Pulaski and Lafay-
ette for our existence as free Nation.
Let us not be pro-British, but pro-
American. F.W. SCHUMACHER
October IA.
Evening star., 1939-10-20

our idle merchant marine could be quick
ly absorbed by factories at much higher
wages. Economists tell us that we would
be kings for day" with a crash fol-
lowing, but is that not better than never
having been king-and still in a crash?
Let me close with Decatur's own words:
Our country! In her intercourse with
foreign nations may she always be in
the right; but our country right or
wrong" DANIEL ]. CARR. Jr.
October 10.
Evening star., 1939-10-20

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Evening star., 1939-10-20
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
Dear the name and address OF
the tDriter although the use OF
a pseudonyna tor publication Is
permissible. Please be brie!
Evening star., 1939-10-20
WASHING TON, D. C.
FRIDAY October 20, 1889
The Evening Star Newspaper Company.

Main once, llth St and Pennsylvania Ave.
New York Once. | 10 East 4cnd St
Chicago Ofice: 435 North Michigan Ave
Evening star., 1939-10-20
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.

Maryland and Virginia.
Evening star., 1939-10-20

Ihc "oTu administration With reference
to his term of of1ce?-W. C. B.
A. George Washington introduced ad-
mlnistration in its United States political
sense in his farewell address in 1876.
@. How can grease be removed from
wall paper?-T. j. D.
A. paste of cornstarch and carbon
tetrachloride will remove most grease
stains. Two or three applications may
be necessary. :.
@. Is there FREELY that flashes a red
and green lights. B. r.
A. In Paraguay there is remarkable
form Of FREELY called the railway beetle
which flashes red light at the ends Of
the body and green light along the
sides.
@. How early was Indianas steriliya:
ton law passed?-M. C. r.
A. Indiana In 1907 legalized operations
on any inmates Of institutions, insane,
idiotic, imbecile feeble-minded or epi.
leptic, who by the laws of heredity are
potential parents Of socially inadequate
offspring.
9. Please give some information about
the Melungeons.-D. G.
A. There is little authentic knowledge
OF the Melungeons, people found in GER,
tain parts Of Tennessee and Virginia.
They are about the same color as mulat!
toes, with no other discernible Negro
traits. According to their own tradition
they are Of Moorish descent, probably
descendants Of the ancient Phoenicians.
They settled IN Portugal and later crossed
the Atlantic before the Revolutionary
War, settling in South Carolina. Due to
discriminatory taxes and ostracism they
emigrated tn body and settled In Han!
clk County, Tenn. 4
Evening star., 1939-10-20


against her because of her failure to
evacuate her military posts along the
Canadian border in violation of the
treaty of 1888 and the suspicion, finally
confirmed, that the British were arming
the Indians and inciting them against
our settlers in the Northwest Territory.
All this had brought us to the fight
ing pitch and presented us the long
desired pretext to attempt to capture
Canada from the British. Henry Clay,
then leader Of new generation In Con-
gress called the War Hawks" made
perhaps the most compelling appeal for
war against England stating that the
militia of Kentucky alone could capture
Canada. He said that 1t would be only
a matter of marching and that peace
would be dictated in Quebec. So on.
June 18, 1872, the Congress declared
war against England, not as conse-
quence of the embargo, but largely as
result of the conditions caused by its
repeal due to the persistent clamor and
high pressure of the shipping interests
that were willing to risk the peace of
their country for the profits Of their
trade and succeeded with the Congress
and the President.
The Capitol at Washington was burned
by the British as an act of retaliation of
our having burned the Parliament and
other public buildings at Ottawa.
This does not purport to be complete
statement Of the causes of the War of
1912, but only to show that the state
ment of the President Is not warranted
by the facts Of history.
October 16. FRED p. MYERS.
Evening star., 1939-03-21
STAR, WASHINGTON c., TUESDAY,
Mrs. Douglas Will Continue
Housekeeping Duties as Usual
Wife Of Newly Appointed Justice
Certain Husband Will Like Post

Mrs. William o. Douglas thinks
her husband is going to like" being
q member Of the Supreme Court, to
which he was appointed yesterday
by President Roosevelt.
Everything he has done he has
loved to do," the youthful and
charming wife Of the new appointee
explained today. He eats work up,
and I think he Is going to like this"
Slender, blond, blue-eyed and the
mother Of two children, Mrs. Doug
las made it clear that elevation of
the family to the Supreme Court
circle will force no great change in
their present informal and casually
gracious way Of living.
Busy Housekeeping.
Most of my time goes to keeping
house and being with the children, ]"
she explained, and those who know
Of the close companionship between
Mildred, 8: William, I'd, 6, and Mrs.
Douglas believe this new step in the
family fortunes will not affect 1t.
Modesty and gentleness are a part
Of the personality of this newcomer
among the hostess of the Supreme
Court circle. She cares little for
society-that is the large and formal
entertainments which are so much
a part Of of1cial life in the Capital,
Evening star., 1939-03-21
Elliott Roosevelt Sees
Garner as 40 Candidate
b. the Associated Press

b the Associated Press.
FORT WORTH, Tex. March 2l.-
Elliott Roosevelt, son of the Presi-
dent. says Vice President John N.
Garner is "in the drivers seat right
now" as a likely Democratic candi-
date for the presidency in 1910.
In radio broadcast, young RooSe-
welt said last night there is little
room to doubt that Mr.. Garner and
the President Of the United States
have travelled separate roads since
the winter of 1887. Reports have it
that the Vice President became SO
incensed over the administration S
handling of the sit-doWn strike sit
uation that he quit Washington and
returned to Uvalde for Six-month
vacation. Since his return, his opin-
ions have been at variance with the
presidents as to the path being
taken by the Democratic party
Terming Mr. Garner "a party
man." the speaker said Mr.. Garner
saw In last falls elections a return
to conservatism and that Mr.. Garner
was reported to have requested fire.
quently that the administration
sense the trend and bring the Demo-
cratic party into more conserva-
Mve alignment"
Mr.. Roosevelt declared, however,
II do not feel qualified to voice an
opinion as to the results thus far
and the future attainments of the
conservative element as opposed to
the New Deal"
Evening star., 1939-03-21

yet she Is far from an unsocial lady
for she and the newly appointed
justice enjoy their friends and fire.
quently entertain small groups at
their home at Silver Spring, Md.
Mrs. Douglas said she expects to
continue living at their present ad-
dress, the spacious brick home being
located on the estate of former
Senator Blair Lee. The Douglas
rent the home.
BadmintOn Devotee.
Mrs. Douglas has a 1.-the and we'll
proportioned figure and keeps her.
self in trim by playing badminton
three or four times each week. Her
husbands appointment yesterday
was not allowed to interfere with a
scheduled match. and she said today
she would continue playing regu-
larly.
Although describing herself as not
working member" Of any organi-
zation, Mrs. Douglas belongs to the
League OF Women Shoppers and as
sisted other members last week in
preparing lunches for some of the
picketing hotel strikers.
Mr.. and Mrs. Douglas were mar
ried in 1923. when both were high
school teachers in the State ol
Washington.
Evening star., 1939-03-21
Wife and Neighbor
Charged With Murder
In Dynamite Death
N. Y. A. Superintendent
Killed, Girl Of 19
Manned by BIost
BY the Associated Press,

By the ASSOCIATED PreSb.
CAVE IN ROCK, Ill, March 2l.-
States Attorney Clarence E. Seward
said today he would question . man
and woman held In the Saline Coun-
ty Jail at Hardin in an attempt
to unravel the mystery surrounding
the dynamite death of Earl Austin,
46-year old National Youth Admin
istration superintendent.
The States attorney said the
couple, charged jointly with murder.
were Mrs Alice Austin, IS, the VIC
tins estranged wife. and Theodore
Simmons, 30. her neighbor.
The two were moved from the
Harrisburg Jail last night, Sheriff
j. T. Gram said. because there
was quite bit of excitement" at
Elizabethtown, seat of Hardin
County.
Mr.. Austin died few hours after
an unknown quantity of dynamite
exploded beneath the floorboards of
his truck here. His right foot was
blown of and his left leg ripped
open.
A companion, Miss Lucine Nc
Dowell. 10, was in a hospital at
Elizabethtown. Surgeons amputat ted
her left leg. mangled in the blast.
Miss Mcdowell told officers the
explosion, which ripped the truck
apart, occurred when. they were
about 100 yards from their destina.
! ton.
Evening star., 1939-03-21
| Miss Spring
Shivers Upon
Arrival Today

According to the United States
Naval Observatory, the vernal equi-
nOx occurred at 7:29 this morning,
and Spring came to the Capital. Old
Man Winter stubbornly refused to
recognize her presence, however, and
the Weather Bureau was recording
below-freezing temperatures at the
time Of her arrival. A low Of 26 was
registered at am. and the .mercu/,
reached IS at 10 am.
Fair and continued cold weather
was predicted for today and tonight,
with low of 80 expected for to-
morrow morning. The gentle north
and northeast winds will become
southerly tomorrow, the weather