davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-12-11
Defends Red Russia
In Baltic Drive
Says Firms Are MisIed
In Resisting Soviet
Aggression
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
man, was presented with no greater diff
Guilty than that which confronts the dis
eliminating citizen of the United States
OF America, who is today searching for
light through the murk of unreliable
propaganda respecting foreign condi-
tions.
So effective has been this avalanche of
half-truth, distortion and misrepresenta-
ton, that quite likely many of your good
readers will decide after they have read
the observations which follow motwith-
standing our revered constitutional
guarantees) that the writer should be
shot at sunrise. Those observations con-
Germ the relations between Russia on
the one hand, and Latvia, Estonia, Lith-
uania and Finland on the other
The four last-named countries were
for many years prior to 1919 parts of the
Russian empire; then they were taken
from that country by the war lords of
Versailles. These four countries control
the approach by sea to Leningrad, and
the primary purpose of their separation
was to cripple Russian defense. Had
Russia stayed in the crusade to make
the world safe for democracy, these areas
would still be part of the Russian do
main.
1t Is well-established custom for
countries which have lost territory
countries which have lost territory to
take steps to get it back The French
erected monument in Paris to- keep
green the demand for return of Alsace
and Lorraine. We waged bloody war
to retain the Southern States, notwith-
standing their people had democratically
decided they wanted to be by themselves
and had good, constitutional argument
for their position. Why not give a little
credit to Russia for not taking these
four countries, bag and baggage, back
where they were before? Also, a little
more credit for restoring to Lithuania
her ancient capital which had been
stolen by the Poles?
NO naval or military authority will
deny that for reasonable purposes of
national defense, Russia needs the rights
requested of these four countries. Her
need is comparable to that of Great Brit
ain at Gibraltar and the United States
at Panama. The morality Of her posi-
ton certainly can be defended as we'll as
the morality of Great Britain and the
United States in the cases mentioned.
In fact, it can be better defended be-
cause the rights demanded nv PucSjo
were once her own and were taken from
her.
The Firms are deserving people, but
their stubborn leaders are today per-
forming for them and for the world a
distinct disservice. Fighting when there
is no reasonable chance of securing a
single satisfactory result is 100 per cent
foolishness. SEARCHER FOR TRUTH.
December T.
Evening star., 1939-12-11
December 5.
Wants Improvements in
Safety Zones.

Safety Zones.
To the Editor of The Star
According to a recent article in The
Star, the operator of a motorcycle re-
ceived fractured skull when his vehicle
collided with a raised safety zone-a
device intended to insure safety.
I think the Commissioners are unwise
in permitting these so-called safety
islands" to be erected in the middle of
heavily travelled downtown streets. Nu-
merous experiences have shown that, in
their present form, they are anything but
safety islands" In the first place, they
are built too low to be effective. To pro-
vide genuine safety they should be well
raised off the street, at least two or three
feet high, so that car drivers could not
accidentally run over them and injure
the pedestrians and so bicyclists and
motorcyclists would not run into them
accidentally as did the operator in the
above instance. Moreover, each one
should be brightly Illuminated, so as to
leave no doubt that it is a safety zone
and one that is to be respected and re-
garded 1t should be clearly discernible
at distance. Last night we passed one
at Sixteenth and U streets NV. and the
driver did not know there was a safety
zone there until he was almost on top
of it. I am sure the intentions of the
responsible officials are good, but the
results are definitely bad. And I think
it is time we took stock of the situation.
What We need is not more safety zones,
but better ones!
JOSEPH D. AMBROSE.
December
Evening star., 1939-12-11
Dark Grace

In an old garden, ringed with SALIVA
flames,
An ancient sun diars weathered stone
proclaims
Its motto: Il count only sunny hours"
read it as I stood knee deep in flowers
That grew from dark, rain fed, frost
mellowed earth,
And asked its meaning, questioning it,
worth.
Not count the wild sweet hours of velvet
night?
The soothing dimness of spring twi-
light?
Not count impetuous rainfall, nor the
slow,
Cathedral quietness Of sitting snow?
Not April morning walks-mist in the
face?
Fresh scent Of frst raindropsq The
storms dark grace?
Shall not count my own souls darkened
days.
When friends draw nearer, and my heart
learns praise
For simple kindness; when recognize
Deep understanding in q loved ones
eyes?
Count only those brief hours blessed by
the sun?
III count them all! And thank God for
each one.
NELLIE GRAY souRpxAux.
Evening star., 1939-12-11
Help for Finland

While the Firms heroically defend
their territory against the Red hordes.
people and governments outraged by
the brutality of the Soviet invasion
are rallying to their support.
So, Throughout the democratic world
and part of the totalitarian sphere
too-sympathy for Finland is being
tangibly expressed. The world is
awakening to the menace of Soviet
Russia, and is rising to smite it.
The United States significantly is
participating in this defense of Fin
land, just as 1t is doing for China.
Former President Hoover is directing
a campaign for funds to provide vic
tins of Russian aggression with food
and clothing. This humanitarian ef-
fort is being made through many
American newspapers, of which The
Star is one, and is worthy of the
hearty support of all those who
realize the Importance of Finland's
preservation.
Just as meritorious is the decision
of the American Government to
grant Finland credits up to ten mil
lion dollars for the purchase of agri-
cultural supplies and other badly
needed articles for civilian relief.
Such loan is fully justified, in spite
OF the certainty that If Soviet Russia
triumphs there will be no Finnish
government to repay the loan. 1t is
justified not only by the clean record
Finland enjoys on Americans books,
but by the direct interest this Gov
ernment has in the defeat of lawless-
ness and aggression wherever it
occurs.
Other countries are providing arms
to bolster Finland's fighting forces.
In this Italy and Great Britain find
themselves allied, for the first time
since the Rome-Berlin axis was
formed. Both British and Italian
fighting planes-the latter aug
mented by Italian personnel-have
arrived to join the Finnish air force.
Italy thus is reviving the cause for
which she fought in Spain-the de-
feat OF the Russian menace-and If
she carries her support of the Firms
as far as she did the support of Gen.
eral Franco the Firms may be able
TO resist a considerable time.
Finland also enjoys the moral
backing of her Scandinavian neigh
bors and practically the whole of
Latin America, which is leading the
movement in the League of Nations
Tor expulsion of the Soviet from
Geneva.
Finland is the second small country
IN Europe which within the past four
months has elected to resist aggres-
sion, and the widespread demonstra-
ton OF support in that resistance is
convincing proof that the cause of
democracy is not yet lost.
Evening star., 1939-12-11

this true so far as the selection Of
employes.i is concerned, for any per-
sonnel program starts right here.
Additional emphasis is lent to this
point because 1t is proposed now to
bring under civil service the higher
grade technical, professional and
scientific positions which custom
arily have not been subject to COM
petition.
This has resulted in arguments
from some quarters for more spe-
cialized selective process than is
provided by normal civil service pro-
cedure. For example, some of the
principal legal officers of the Gov
ernment favor creation of an inter-
departmental committee to regulate
the appointment of attorneys. The
Presidents committee, however, no
doubt will weigh carefully all pro-
posals to depart from principles that
time has proven to be basically
sound.
It is only natural that the spread
Of government into new fields
would create the need for personnel
trained along lines that were un-
thought of just a little while ago,
and that, of course, demands meth
ods of selection designed to obtain
men and women best fitted for the
jobs. But the corner stone of any
civil service program must be free
competition, and appointment on
merit, and that IS not going to be
safeguarded without the controls
provided by civil service law, and
applied through an independent Civil
Service Commission. Any other ap-
proach is not civil service.
Evening star., 1939-12-11

was commended by Congress for his
daring exploit and was promoted to
lieutenant commander.
Torpedoes of Civil War days were
forerunners Of modern mines. The
self-propelled, or automobile, torpedo
was developed after the Civil War by
Robert Whitehead, an Englishman-
and the Whitehead type of torpedo
is still extensively used by torpedo
boats and submarines of today. The
Italian Navy was the first to boast
torpedo boat carrying a Whitehead
torpedo. This 1877 vessel launched
the torpedo by means of a cradle.
The British followed in 1873 with
the Lightning, which substituted a
torpedo tube for the crude launching
cradle. Ten years later the United
States ordered it's first full -fedged
torpedo boat-and it was christened,
appropriately, the Cushing. This
ship was of only los tons, but in the
next few years naval science, seeking
means Of defense against the torpedo
boat and the increasingly dangerous
submarine, turned to the heavier.
speedier and more powerfully armed
torpedo boat destroyer. With the ad-
vent of the destroyer, the small tor
pedo boat lost popularity. But dur
ing the World War the mosquito"
boat was found extremely useful for
defensive patrol work in shallow
coastal waters and there has been a
distinct revival of interest in this
type of craft since the outbreak Of
the current European war. The
United States plans to add the new
high-speed torpedo boats and sub
chasers to it's present neutrality pa
troll" fleet in the Atlantic. They will
be tiny but highly effective links in
the chain Of defenses which this
country is stretching along its coasts
in prudent preparation for any emer-
gency.
Evening star., 1939-12-11
TAKOMA PARK, MD.


Dear Sir: I am much interested in
the This and That column of The
Evening Star, especially the articles on
wild bird life.
Il lived in Florida for IA years, and it
was there decided to get better &C
quainted with my feathered friends Of
the Southland.
so placed bird cafeteria and bath
near my dining room windows, where I
had an excellent view if any transients
should happen to come my way.
Before the day was over several beau
tiful birds had helped themselves to such
as they liked best and they proved to
be good advertisement, for it wasn't
long before had quite few different
kinds making daily calls, and the strang-
ers began to appear with the rest and as
I had no way of finding out who or
what they were, I purchased a three
volume set Of bird books by Julius King
at 10-cent store.
illustrated. in natural color, with
short descriptions of size and habits,
these inexpensive manuals were very
helpful to me, and learned much that
I did not know before.
Later I spent 13 months in California,
and while there I met many of the
Western bird beauties
For the last year and half I've been
getting acquainted with the birds of Ia
koma Park, and found so many strang-
ers here that purchased another three
volume set of books by Frank G. Ash
brook, and they have never failed to set
me straight on every new bird that has
arrived SO far.
I'm summertime I have both the
bronze and purple grackles, and it is
amusing to watch them carry their bread
from the feeding board to the bath and
soak it there before eating it.
Il really believe that some of the birds
enjoy the bath even better than the
board.
L have one tray on willow tree near
several windows and I try to keep a
piece OF suet on nail near the tree.
for many Of the birds enjoy it very much.
I had much trouble with its crum-
bling and losing lot that way, so I
crocheted a little mesh bag of coarse
cotton and hung that on the nail and 7
haven't had bit of trouble since.
*4 ~
I also have an emergency board on
the railing of the back porch, so in case
OF an unexpected snow storm I can
sweep the board, which is only feet
from glass door, put out some food,
and watch the bird circus.
The mockingbird is very fond of
apple, banana, bread pie and seeds.
The nuthatch is looking for his SUM-
flower seeds, and the titmouse likes them.
too. The chickadee is after his suet and
fresh drink
Carolina wren and the sparrows are
looking for their favorite seeds in the
wild bird mixture. The downy wood
pecker is after his suet, and combine
the willow tree for insects.
Evening star., 1939-12-11
Conscience Preferred

A college graduate, realizing that
he was now out on the cold, cold
world without a job, very cleverly
solved his problem. Pausing only
long enough to write out check for
eighty-two thousand dollars he went
to Wall Street, shopped around a bit,
and bought himself a nice quiet seat
on the stock exchange. It was not
the best in the house, perhaps, but
it was at least parking space and
gave him an opportunity to sit down
and rest at intervals during a hard
day of trading. And, of course, it
gave him job
Hardly had he taken it when a dis
aster occurred. His conscience began
to bother him until in his own words
and also, curiously enough, in those
OF the worlds greatest altruist, Josef
Stain, he felt that making money
in Wall Street meant taking bread
out of the mouths of Others"
oCAoAA6SAy SAAOu6AA, 1IOIIc VI Ills COl-
leagues agreed with him. They said
that the surest way they knew to take
bread from the mouths of the people
would be to abolish the stock ex-
change, thereby cutting business off
from access to the money market
and wage earners from access to pay
envelopes. AS for conscience, they
said, there was plenty OF it on the big
board, and that it was not only COM
mon but preferred.
The young man, however, found
that there was no market for his
particular variety, so he reluctantly
asked for bids on one seat on the
exchange, only slightly used and still
in good order. He closed out for
loss OF twenty-one thousand, and Is
now in the pipe foundry business
earning his bread as a day laborer,
the proud possessor Of some grand
Observation-Disclosures grand to be
exact-and Of a conscience so expen-
sive that few could afford 1t.
Evening star., 1939-12-11
Finds Grounds for Hope
In Dewey'S Speech.

To the Editor of The Star:
Thomas Dewey's speech was a ray of
light in land darkened by debt, dis
trust and "defeatism." This mans mis-
sion may be to arouse the Nation from
its present torpor, and the incredible
gloom which pervades practically every
thing and everybody gradually may be
dispersed.
Despite the fact that the national debt
has been doubled since Mr.. Roosevelt
took over the reins, who can DENY that
we are still submerged in veritable sea
OF financial and industrial difficulty?
Certainly no one but the most biased
would maintain that the effort to bor-
row our way out of debt has met with
success Fortunately, there are increas-
ing signs that our political pendulum is
destined to swing in a new and better
direction in 1910. 1t is already apparent
that Mr.. Dewey will have hand in mov-
ing it.
EDMUND K. GOLDsBORoUGH.
December Z,
Evening star., 1939-12-11
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. TrQceueU,

'The cardinals want their share Of
the seeds. and the noisy Jay comes in
with shout and grabs most anything
he sees about. Many nested in our bird
houses or nearby trees, and it sure is
interesting when they bring their young
to the board and feed them.
"The e-throated sparrows came in
a few weeks ago, and some of them at
least are still here.
I'm wondering where the banded
birds, the jays and titmice, are coming
from, that have been at the feeding
board for few days now.
Il have listed A different kinds of
birds and 81 have visited the feeding
board.
II look forward with much pleasure
to the return of the birds in springtime
also to our winter birds in the fall, and
hope am giving them as much pleas
ure as they are giving me.
Sincerely, I. L. c."
The apparent preference of some birds
for the bath over the food is explained
by our correspondent in the figures
given which are a good average for
birds in this vicinity.
OF the A species seen, 81 have visited
the food, and of these 81, certainly a
dozen or more are seen at 1t only occa-
sionally.
Some birds are very shy at feeding
stations, visiting it seldom if ever. Others
DO not like what is put out. Still others
make what might be called flying visits.
seizing seed and darting away to q
nearby tree to eat it,
The bird bath will do excellent serv-
ice all the year around, provided it is
kept filled, and provided it does not
crack in freezing weather. Some baths
are guaranteed not to split in winter,
put at best 1t is rather doubtful that
Is why some owners of expensive ones
see fit to take them in during the cold
Small pans, even of tin, sunk into the
earth. will give the birds excellent bath
ing facilities. It is difficult to tell which
way birds like to bathe best, up in the
air, as in bath on pedestal, or down
SAA eA'S SAOuAlO, Ill SUllke1l pan or
shallow dish.
No matter the medium, the important
thing is to see that the bathing place.
which is also drinking place, is not
more than an inch or two deep. and
that it is kept filled Winter winds dry
up such shallow water places very
quickly.
Freezing also dries" UP the bathing
spot by making ice there. Usually this
thaWs out in the middle of the after
noon, which is the best time for the
birds to take their baths, anyway.
An excellent feature Of some feeding
stations is shallow copper tray or pan,
which is fixed as sort of landing place
The drawback is that it quickly becomes
soiled by the husks which the birds
drop into the water after shelling out
the kernel. They do not mind this in
the least, however; if the human ele-
ment in the scene is not inicky the
songsters certainly are not.
Evening star., 1939-12-11
MOSQUITO Fleet

Torpedo boats, which first ap-
peared in naval combat during the
Civil War and which largely had
been superseded by the heavier,
faster and more formidable torpedo
boat destroyers, are staging a re-
markable comeback. The Navy De-
partment has let a five-million-
dollar contract for a coastal defense
mosquito fleet" to be composed of
twenty three high speed torpedo
boats and submarine chasers similar
to vessels now being used effectively
by the British in their war on Ger
man U-boats. Ships of this highly
specialized design have been tested
successfully also by the French, Ger
man, Italian and other navies. Pres
ent torpedo boats of the American
Navy are slower than the "hit and
run" type developed by Great Britain.
Speeds up to fifty miles an hour have
been reported for British torpedo
boats designed by Hubert Scott
Paine. The new ships for the United
States Navy will be built in American
yards from Scott-Paine plans.
Americas first successful torpedo
boats were nothing more than steam
launches carrying a dozen or so
men and armed with one hoWitzer
and one or two torpedoes, each.
Sometimes the torpedo was fastened
to long spar which extended far
over the bow Of the vessel and which
exploded when rammed against the
side of the enemy craft. In other
sortieS the torpedo was dropped over
board and dragged toward the
enemy by means of a long cable.
Lieutenant William B. Cushing of
the United States Navy made naval
history on the night of October 81,
1864, when he sailed a mosquito
fleet" of two steam launches, each
carrying a hoWitzer and a torpedo,
into the harbor of Plymouth, North
Carolina, and sank the Confederate
ram, the Al5emarle, by exploding a
torpedo against her hull. Cushing
Evening star., 1939-12-11
The Fire Survey

The report of the special board to
survey the Districts flrefighting
facilities reflects a thorough and in
telligent job.
Two outstanding findings are:
First, that a substantial savings can
be made by consolidating engine and
truck companies that are in the same
neighborhood; second, that Wash
ington property owners are entitled
to reduction in fire insurance rates,
in view of the small losses paid here
in relation to premiums collected
No thoughtful person would want
to economic at the risk of weakening
the citys present degree of fire pro-
lection, but the officials who made
the survey state without hesitation
that the relocation of stations would
involve no compromise with public
safety" The fact that they had the
assistance of nineteen national
authorities on fire prevention lends
force to this assertion.
A glance at the list of stations to
be combined shows that most of
them are within few blocks of each
other. Established in the horse
drawn era, it was no doubt essential
to have these firehouses close to-
gether. Motorized apparatus has
shortened distances, and the plan
merely proposes to bring more ap-
paratus under one roof in certain
neighborhoods.
In addition to the reduction in an
nual maintenance costs, the District
could sell the abandoned sites. There
would be further saving in elm
mating the necessity of rebuilding in
the near future some of these sta
tions, which are forty or fifty years
old.
AS to insurance rates, the statistics
cited in the report give convincing
weight to the conclusion reached by
those who made the survey, namely:
TN spite Of the relatively low fire
insurance rates in Washington, cur
rent fire losses and defense seem to
justify further reduction in rates."
Data for five-year period 1884
1889 is presented in support of this
recommendation. And, while it
shows that the average rate or pre-
MUM per $100 of insurance was A
cents in Washington, as against an
average of 70 cents for the country,
it also shows that in the same period
the fire losses paid in Washington
amounted to only 23.1 per cent of
the premiums. This, the report
points out, was a lower loss ratio
than in any Of the States and 14.7
per cent below the average for all
the States and Hawaii.
The recommendation that the
hours of Government personnel be
staggered by legislation to facilitate
the movement of emergency ap-
paratus during rush hours injects
into the report very broad question.
Staggered hours is not a new idea.
and undoubtedly would spread out
the peak traffic jams, but it should
be considered in its practical aspects,
and with due consideration given to
the views of Government officials and
employees.
Evening star., 1939-12-11
Thoughts on the japanese
Whisker- Growing Contest.

To the Editor Of The Star:
Local papers recently published pic
lures of the beard-growing contest in
Japan. The Japanese, the worlds most
active imitators, may have copied the
custom Of American students who some
times swear of shaving until their team
wins game. Possibly these gentlemen
said, I'VE won't shave until China is con-
quered."
IT this is the case, all existing records
for beard lengths may be broken. In any
event, the contestants can only win by q
hair, and Chinese swords may give them
a close shave. NEAL BOYKIN.
December f.
Evening star., 1939-12-11
December Z.
Asks Advertisers to
Quote Prices.

To the Editor of The Star:
Why do advertisers spend thousands
OF dollars in telling prospective pur-
chasers everything under Heaven about
their products while omitting the one
thing in which the purchaser is most
interested, namely, the price of the
article?
Advertisers lose many thousands of
dollars in sales from that practice. Why
so carefully conceal the price and make
the public feel that it must be unreason-
able or otherwise it would be stated?
December S. F.. G. CAMPBELL.