davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-01-22
COURAGE ON CRUTCHES
Written for the Presidents Birthday Celebration
by Robert Davidson

by Robert Davidson
Why should crippled boy lose heart
And quit before he makes a start?
No matter II he's weak and lame,
fellows got to play the game;
And lots OF men have won success
With weaker legs than mine, guess
My mother says she doesn't know
How she could ever make things 20
Around the house, unless she had
certain cheerful, willing lad
To fetch her sewing things and such,
And do her errands on his crutch
And dad declares he's glad that he
Can have little boy like me,
Who maybe needs to wear a brace
To keep each wobbly leg in place,
But who will always get along
Because his backbone's extra strong.
There may be, so the doctors say,
chance that can walk some day;
But will make the best of things
No matter what the future brings
And, walk or not, just wait and see,
My folksn still be proud Of me!
Evening star., 1939-07-09
LOST PARADISE FOR BOYS

ALTHOUGH the eighteenth century
A was as much an era of elegance
in dress in America as in the
Old World. personal cleanliness, as We
understand it, was relatively negligible.
The regular bathing habits and the
frequent washing of faces and hands,
which we moderns consider essential
to common decency, were undreamed
of. Naturally there we're none of the
modern facilities that we regard as
Evening star., 1939-07-09

absolutely requisite to cleanliness.
In old records the references to even
wash basins are scant indeed. Evidently
any habits of self-ablution faded con-
siderably during the winter months
for the simple reason that homes were
so inadequately heated. Ice in ones
wash basin on wintry mornings was
hardly conducive to even the hastiest
of toilets
However, detergent known as the
Evening star., 1939-07-09
FoR Coop VACATION PICTURES

lens aperture as possible. throwing the
background out of focus.
There are so many superfast films
on the market today that the casual
snapshooter is apt to get over his head
in the welter of available emulsions.
These unbelievably speedy films are
the result of marvellous technical de-
velopments, superb in their place, and
fill long felt need - but they are not
Evening star., 1939-07-09
THIS WEEK MAGAZINE,

for tyros! The weekend amateur
should never forget the vital point
that the faster a film is, the less margin
it affords for exposure error. For typical
vacation shots in daylight, then. it
will pay you to stick to ordinary or
medium-fast material on which you
can miscalculate an exposure fifty per
cent or even more and still get
printable negative.
You've seen those lovely shots
made in the woods that show bands
of brilliant sunlight streaming in be-
tween the trees? With the sun at the
proper angle you can enhance that
effect nicely by stirring up a lot of dust
just before you shoot the picture.
1t is better to shoot street scenes
and nearby views from eye level than
from waist level, thus eliminating
some OF the close foreground that mars
many amateur snapshots by being dis
tractingly out of focus.
Don't shoot breaking surf or tum-
bling waterfalls faster than l /25 of
second, bearing in mind what has al
ready been said about camera move
ment. This exposure time will allow
just enough blur in the moving water
to avoid that frozen, artificial look of
many such Shots In making pictures
that include placid ponds or lakes it is
also good hunch to throw rock in the
water so the ripples will relieve the
dead monotony of mirrorlike reflec-
tions
Landscapes and pictorial views are
often rendered more pleasing in So
called soft focus" If you like this
treatment you can buy a diffusion
disk for your roll-flm camera for
around ST. in the f6. 3 lens diameter.
Cheaper, and quite effective, is the
ancient dodge of binding piece of
black chiffon securely across the lens
front.
Try shot of suitable subject with
and without diffusion and see which
you prefer. FULTON WILLIAMS
Evening star., 1939-07-09

wash ball" was commonly used
throughout the colonies. The chief in
gradients of this substitute for soap
and water were rice powder, fine flour,
starch and white lead. They we're
generally mixed together with rose
water and rubbed on the skin to slough
off the dirt. "A. R. ARMSTRONG
Evening star., 1939-07-09

AMERA movement has long been
prolific picture spoiler for
~ amateurs, and today it is more
of a menace than ever because of the
wide use of miniature cameras. which
are harder to hold still than bulkier
equipment. The stock rule for years
has fixed the basic exposure" at l /25
of a second at IL. Now manufac-
turers are tending to recommend l $50
at + 8 or even 400 at 6.3 as basic"
in an effort to lessen the number of
films spoiled by cameras moved during
the exposure.
In any case, remember to: QD Hold
your breath when you shoot. (2) Press
the camera firmly against your cheek
or chest to steady it (3) Don't jab the
shutter release, but squeeze it grad
ually until it goes off.
Scrutinize your outdoor back
grounds with a wary eye before you
snapshoot groups or individuals. Jane
may look cute in her bathing suit at
the beach - but when the print comes
back it may look as if she were carry
ing bathhouse on her back!
On those occasions when you can't
avoid a confusing background. the
next-best expedient is to use as wide a
Evening star., 1939-07-09
WHY DO YOU
SAY
~ AMERA movement has long been
prolific picture spoiler for
amateurs. and today it is more

THERE S lot of red tape in that
DEAL"
English lawyers used to tie legal
documents with red tape. Public
officials used it on important papers.
Ifa transaction requires lot of pro-
cedure it is said to involve red tape.
EVERYONE for himself and the
deril catch the hindnost."
According to an ancient Spanish
tale the devil had school of magic at
Toledo. At the end of each semester
the pupils we're forced to run through
a long hall. The devil tried to catch
the slowest pupil. and. if he succeeded.
the pupil was obliged to remain in
school for another semester. Sup
posedly, this would make the pupil
smarter, but he would have to forfeit
his soul to the devil forever in payment.
The phrase is often used now in a
briefer form, Every man for HIM
SELF" and generally carries the idea OF
the survival of the fittest.
THAT'S a feather in his cdb.'
In olden days hunters showed their
skill by wearing a feather in their
caps, which was pulled from a bird
they had killed. In parts of Scotland,
even today. it is customary for
hunter to pull feather from the first
woodcock shot and place the feather
in his cap.
Today the phrase "A feather in his
cap refers to some special, outstand-
ing achievement.
GERALD CAMPtik
Evening star., 1939-07-09
Cleans, Br;ghten.> thus Beauties Teeth
Contains No Pvmice> No Grit No Abrosives4

Cannot Scratch Tooth Enamel
THROUGH the discovery of an amazing den
L tai cleansing agent, 4 revolutionary denti.
frice has been developed which seems destined
to start new era in the daily care of teeth.
We called on home after home where II had
been tried against popular dentifrices, and more
of these people preferred this new marvel than
all tooth pastes and powders they were using.
combined.
Teel is the name of this remarkable dentifrice,
developed by Proctor & Gamble after four years
of research. 1t is utterly different-not paste
Evening star., 1939-10-26
Excessive Taxes Blamed
For Failures,

To the Editor Of The Star
College professors and others who
blame the business depression upon
greedy businessmen, particularly those
VINO deal IN building material, would
DO well to investigate this problem
thoroughly They will find, I believe,
that the primary cause of hard times
is the monstrous system of taxation now
IN force aggravated, of course, by ex-
travagant expenditures of public money
at Washington. The businessman Is
not to blame. He operates with a small
margin Of profit and with more hazards
than ever before.
My contention can be readily proved bv
investigation in any community. An
illustration of this was recently fur
nished here in Wichita where a good
businessman. the leader in his line, one
who always supported Loyalty every COM
munity activity, was forced into bank
ruptcy, victim of the business depres-
sion. During the past few years he paid
over $4,000 in income taxes. Another
example: have before me letter dated
October 4, 1899, from large dealers in
building material reading, in part, as
follows: Due to pressure exerted by
two tax bureaus with whom we have
conferred and failed in our efforts to
secure extension of time, we have been
forced to petition the court for an adju-
dication of voluntary Bankruptcy" In
vestigation will show that these critics
have been barking up the wrong tree.
HENRY WARE ALLEN.
Wichita, Kans
October II.
Evening star., 1939-10-26
Morbid Remorse

In lonely house in Paris sits a
ninety -flve-year-old man in retire.
ment. He is Edouard Branly, physi-
cist. Although he did much pioneer
work in wireless telegraphy, no radio
is present to cheer his declining years.
1T bothers me-" he told friends, that
I had something to do with invent
ing it."
It is rare indeed in this hardboiled
world to find any one with such a
keen sense of remorse. One cannot
help but respect him, and at the same
time regret that he must suffer. A
psychiatrist should visit NJ Branly
and endeavor to correct his morbid
outlook on life. He should be told
that even If he had never monkeyed
with the modern miracle somebody
else would have, and the world would
have been in the same jam anyhow
in the end. What II he did play
around with oscillators and wave
lengths? He still is not responsible
for static or superheterodynes for q
dollar down and weekly installments
for life.
M. Branly should by all means get
himself a radio. If he is fond of the
French language, it may be fairly
expensive, as it must be capable of
picking up the daily war broadcast
from Berlin in French. If he can
afford only cheap short distance
instrument, he will get nothing but
the daily war broadcast from Paris
in German.
Evening star., 1939-10-26
Butt|eship Raiders

#, as reports indicate, the Germans
are using their famous pocket" bat
tleships as commerce raiders, the fact
may be regarded as evidence of an
call out" campaign against allied
shipping bordering on the verge OF
desperation.
Use of capital ships such as the
three Nazi battleships of the Deutsch-
land class against ocean commerce
is virtually without precedent. There
could not very we'll be any greater
dissipation of naval power than to
employ eleven -inch-gun battleships
to harry commercial shipping-a
function for which the light cruiser
is regarded as more than adequate.
II it is true that the German bat
tleships have run the blockade and
are on the high seas, the world may
witness a repetition of some of the
most colorful of the World War naval
history-the tracking down of lone
raiders by British flying squadrons.
For battleships, the German
"pocket" vessels are fast, with a rated
speed of 26 knots. To deal with them,
the British probably would have to
employ their battle cruisers, largest
of all their capital ships. The battle
cruisers alone possess both the neces-
sary speed and weight Of guns to
match the powerful little German
battleships, which couple the mo-
bility of cruisers with the hitting
power of the battleship. A single Nazi
hattleship probabM could handle
Evening star., 1939-10-26

concessions for Russia in sinkiang,
Western Chinese province bordering
Russian Turkestan.
That Russia should be increasing
her assistance to China at the same
time that she proceeds with negotia-
tions for settlement of her differ
ences with Japan is a paradox, but
one that is in keeping with the gen.
eral character Of Soviet foreign
policy.
1t is not a situation which is likely
to stimulate the expectations Of the
Japanese for any immediate windup
OF the Chinese campaign. for Japan
finds herself opposed on the diplo-
matte front by the United States and
on the military front by Russian
arms and technicians.
Evening star., 1939-10-26
Fears Allies May Lose
For Lack Of Planes.
October 10.

I
TO the Editor Of The Star:
In the days Of long ago, "for lack Of
a horse battle was lost" and with 1t
q kingdom. In these days Of lightning
war, when the fighting really starts on
the western front, control Of the air will
first be violently fought for. In the
space of few days 1t may be won or
lost by either side, and with it the war.
The lack Of American planes may cost
the British and French their supremacy
in the air, or their prompt shipment
may tip the scales in favor Of the Brit
ish and French.
There is no question as to where our
sympathies lie nor as to where our
interests lie.
The British and French Army, Navy
and Air Forces are important auxiliaries
to our isolation and to our defense Of
the Western Hemisphere. Though le-
gally separate and distinct, they, In
practical effect, broaden our oceans
now unfortunately none too broad and
growing narrower with every improve
ment in plane and ship.
They unquestionably help to. keep at
distance those nations Germany, Rus
sta and Japan-aow bent "a world DOM
Evening star., 1939-10-26
States Own Views
On Great War.


do not agree with certain editorials
and articles published in The Star which
claim that America Is obligated to aid
the French and English in their war
against Hitler. The present war Is no
more than q continuation of the last
one, which was in fact started by French
and Russian statesmen. Russia, in order
to get the warm water port Of Constan-
tinople, involved all Europe in war, with
the aid of France, who wanted to defeat
Germany in revenge for 1870 and to re-
gain Alsace Lorraine. France and Russia
mobilized before Germany, and, in fact,
when the Kaiser was forced to sign the
order for war, regretted that he had given
Austria q blank check in dealings with
Servia. The tale that France and Russia
tried to stop the debacle before 1t started
was just propaganda, and I for one will
not turn a hand to help any foreign
nation In this war, which, instead Of being
fought for democracy, is In reality being
fought for adjustment Of territory.
octohar 20. NDlVDUALIST.
Evening star., 1939-10-26
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Trace1Dell.

in bird life have these two beauties with
out realizing 1t.
Both titmouse and chickadee are
smaller than English sparrows, with the
latter the smallest.
The titmouse has q crest, and patches
Of rusty color under the wings: the
chickadee Is the little fellow with the
black cap.
1t Is really good idea to provide .
small station just for chickadees and
titmice alone If this can be managed.
One way Of doing it, or at least trying
to do 1t, is to set up small station close
to the house, with a larger one at a
distance. This strategy should work out
in the following manner: The larger
birds, and especially the band Of English
sparrows, will 60 to the larger feeder,
because there plainly is more food there.
The smaller birds, such as titmouse,
chickadee and nuthatch, will shrink from
joining the mob, and will find the
smaller station.
It may not work out this nicely, and
then again it may: in bird feeding there
Is no telling exactly what will come up.
That is part of the fun.
Blue jays are not altruists, hence they
do not take away and hide peanuts or
sunflower seeds for the purpose of pro-
viding for their dear friends, the squir-
rels and chipmunks
But If the latter manage to find, as
they often do, the food stored by the
jays, perhaps 1t works out the same in
the end.
Our correspondent speaks of cardinals
feeding before daylight Really they
do not begin until light, but usually so
far ahead of most birds that it seems
before.
The early and late feeding of the men,
ters of the cardinal family is one of
their most distinctive features.
The other evening, at almost dark,
there were seven or eight cardinals lined
up around the feeder, fan-shaped, their
tails sticking out TO all points of the
compass.
Partridges are fond of Canadian peas,
"AASAA ColI NC pun CIldScQ AT pet stores,
and which sometimes are included in
wildbird seed mixtures, where they most
ly act as adulterants, because few of the
smaller birds will eat them.
Dried Canadian peas are hard, but
appeal to partridges and the like. Since
they keep well. small supply might be
on hand for use in the event a covey
walks in. Usually partridges show up in
built-up suburban sections only when
snow is on the ground. Since they like
TO scratch beneath shrubbery, this is a
good place to put some of the peas dur
Ing deep snow. Wild rabbits too,
might find them to their liking, although
we are not sure about this; rabbits are
queer animals, as witness that lone speci.
men which slept all day last winter under
the overhang of the garage, but abso-
lutely refused to touch some rabbit
food" containing alfalfa.
Evening star., 1939-10-26
EAST FALLS CHURCH, VA.


Il have experienced lull in the feed
ing activities Of the birds, as reported by
another correspondent, within the past
week or so. but since Sunday there
seem to have returned not only my regu-
lar guests, jays, cardinals and towhees.
but an unusual number of the titmouse,
q bird which have not seen since early
summer. and since I am not familiar
with the migratory habits of the latter
Is 1t possible he, too, will remain in the
nearby woods the entire year?
I am glad some one has come to the
defense Of the blue jay, since I have
always had a number of them, being 50
close to the tall pines While he Is a
gluttonous feeder, gulping down the sun
Hover seed intended for the cardinal, he
is also a thrifty bird. I watched him
carry OIL one peanut after the other,
which he placed for the chipmunks and
squirrels, and presumably stored for
future use.
Hereafter shall place the sunflower
seed later in the day. as the cardinals
iced often before daylight and very late
In the evening.
I should like to know how to cater to
the covey OF partridges which have
seen almost each afternoon within a
stones throw Of my home, and it is ap-
parent that they are strictly ground
birds. They will never be disturbed bv
huntsmen In my woods and I should
ike to know If they are interested In the
ripened dogwood berries which the robins
are teasting on at this time
Respectfully yours, o. E. c."
Titmice, chickadees and nuthatches
90 not migrate, but stay with us the year
around, although they usually take to
nearby woods in the summer.
1t is most interesting, after one has
had titmice at feeding station in win
ter to watch the small birds return
occasionally, during the warm months,
1or all the world as If they wanted to
make sure that the station was still there.
II the watcher is fortunate he will see
tne little birds on these spying journeys.
surely they give the impression that
they have come back for nothing else
Ihey are very fond of the fancy seeds
generally sold under the name of wild
bird mixture. They are not so in
trigued with the common grain and seed
mixes sold as chickfeed.
III you want to be fairly sure of hav-
Ing both chickadees and titmice, provide
your feeding station with some of the
better grade mixtures Be sure to in i.
clude sprinkling Of sunflower seed. as
there are few birds which do not like it.
Very close watch must be kept, for
these smaller birds are both fast and
small, and do not eat at the the station.
This means that they must be caught
IN the act, as 1t were, before they have
carried their seed to nearby tree.
No doubt many homeowners interested
Evening star., 1939-10-26
Takes Issue With Editorial
On Polish Agreement.

Ou 1OuSn Agreement.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Your editorial of October 81, 'The
Lion and the Bear" notes the Anglo
French understanding confirmed by the
fugitive Polish government, that in case
OF defeat Of Germany no demand will
be made for restoration to Poland of
that part now occupied by Russia.
Your comment upon such agreement
Is that lit may not be easy to UNDER
stand why the democratic allies are
ready in Eastern Poland to compound
a territorial felony which they refuse
to recognize in Western Poland"
1t may be less easy to understand
why you should characterize Russia s
occupation as territorial felony in
face OF the fact that it does not trans
gress the "Curzon line" laid down in
the boundary settlements of the World
War, but comprises only territory
wrested from Russia and Lithuania by
Poland under Pilsudski following that
war.
These successive Pilsudski raids were
without excuse Of predominant Polish
population or other Justification than
major force, and were strongly pro-
tested by the Supreme Allied Council
and the League Of Nations. All this
was plainly set forth in a recent article
by Lloyd George appearing in our Sum
day press. WALTER N. CAMPBELL.
October 81.
Evening star., 1939-10-26
Courage to Refuse

Public-spirited Washingtonians who
have waged a long and at times
disappointing fight to secure appro-
pirate consideration for District res
idents when appointments to local
offices were being made will welcome
the constructive suggestions offered
by District Court Justice Bolitha J.
Laws at the meeting of the Society
OF Natives Monday night, when that
organization, with the full approval
OF the jurist, recommended that
United States Attorney David A. Pine
be appointed to the vacancy on the
District Court bench.
The principal point made by JUS
tice Laws was that both individuals
and organizations should have the
courage to refuse to indorse un-
worthy candidates"
There have been numerous occa-
sions IN the past when individuals
and civic groups have given what
might be called good will" indorse-
ments to office seekers. In some cases
the worst that could be said of these
self-appointed candidates was that
they were not qualified. In other
cases, however, their. incompetency
or bad character has been such that
they were positively disqualified for
any office. Had the individuals or
organizations making the indorse-
ments selected their own candidates,
or had they even made an adequate
investigation of those seeking their
support, these defects could have
been discovered and the Districts
record of Endorsements would have
been better than is now the case.
1t may be thought that an indorse-
ment which is not acted upon, and
which perhaps was not intended to
be acted upon, can do no harm, and
that may be true in a particular case.
But If enough unwise Endorsements
are submitted to the White House or
the Department of Justice over
long period of time, it is inevitable
that their cumulative effect will be
to detract from the consideration
which might otherwise be given to
good Endorsements.
The people of the District are en-
tirely justified in their insistence that
fair proportion of Washington resi-
dents should be chosen to fill local
positions and there can be no dissent
from the contention that the tend
ency has been in the opposite direc-
ton in recent years. In the long run,
however, more consideration will be
given to the wishes of local residents
In this respect if they exercise greater
care in the selection of candidates
they are willing to support, and If
they make it clear to all parties that
they will refuse to support any can
didate who is not eminently qualified
for the post he is seeking.