davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Communist Leader Wants
Housing Code.

To the Editor OF The Star:
AS chairman of the West End branch
of the Communist party, was a mem
Der Of the Housing Committee Of the
District Communist party which last
week visited Commissioner Hazen on the
question of housing code for the city.
The results of this interview were sub
mitted to the local press, but were almost
entirely ignored, for reasons of which I
have no knowledge.
should therefore like to submit to
you the important facts that we cleaned
from our interesting discussion with
Commissioner Hazen
The Commissioner first of all, ad-
mitted for the first time the existence of
a housing code for the District, code
which was drawn up over a year ago
under the Commissioners direction Mr..
Hazen stated that this code is still being
studied by the Washington Housing
Association, and suggested that we get
in touch with this organization in order
to hasten the completion of. its "investi-
CATION" He said further that he, for one.
favors public hearings on the code once
1t has been submitted to the Commits
sioners and checked for possible uncon-
stitutional points.
The question of rent commission was
also discussed at the conference, and
Mr. Hazen told us that he favors such a
commission and believes that it might
help to alleviate the great problem of
high rentals in the city.
Martin Chancey, city secretary of the
Communist party, who headed the dele
cation, expressed himself as satisfied
with the results of the conference, pro-
vided that the Commissioners express
sions do not remain mere words and
that immediate action is taken to i'm
prove the housing situation in the Dis
trict /" = -
We believe that 65O00O Washingtonians
are vitality concerned with these ques-
tions, and want publicity on them We
believe that Washingtonians want to
know why there are scarcely any hous-
ing regulations, why rents here are
nearly the highest in the United States,
and so forth.
We, therefore, intend to do all in our
power to help the people of our city
and to familiarize them with the con-
ditions that exist here and especially
with the steps that must be taken if
we are to eradicate the disgraceful
slums that abound in Washington and
lower the disgraceful rents that most of
us have to pay. Washington must cease
being the only large city in the United
States that has no housing CODE
CARL GILBERT,
Chairman West End branch of the
Communist party.
August 5.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Community Spirit

Often the statement is made that
Washington has no community
spirit, that there are so many ele-
ments here, international, national,
sectional and local that they have
no common denominator Hence,
instead of pulling together they tend
to fly apart. That is the sum and
substance of most snap judgments.
They come usually from those who
do not know Washington.
At gathering yesterday of men
from all parts of the city on the old
est playground in Washington-Gar-
field-the spirit of the District of
Columbia went out for an airing.
Proof that Washington has a keen
community spirit was evidenced by
the home-c coming held within the
shadow of the Capitol. There, clergy
men Of many denominations, bank
ers and brokers, business and pro-
fessional men, including doctors,
dentists, lawyers, writer's and artists,
went back to the scenes of their boy
hood. AS youngsters they all had
played on the old sandlot. Several
big league ball players came out of
the neighborhood. AS successful men
in varied walks of life they got out
gloves and bats and entered again
into the pastures of youth
That get-together was real Wash
ington. Those boys of other days
came from the oldest part of town,
Capitol Hill. Like Southwest Wash
ington, or the Island, there is where
the Nations Capital was born. Gen.
erations carry the traditions, exem-
plified in the urge to go back home.
There Is a community spirit in
Washington. Garfield Playground by
holding what is now called the An
nual homecoming proves it-even to
the skeptical.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Constituents First

In explaining the defeat of some
administration measures in the last
session of Congress, House Majority
Leader Rayburn said one of the i'm
portant contributing causes was the
fact that many Congressman felt
obliged to run errands" for their
constituents while the voting was
under way. That is a sad but accu-
rate comment on the inner workings
OF our governmental machinery.
1t Is no secret, of course, that
most members of Congress from time
to time are harassed by an infinite
variety of demands on their time
from the folks back home" but
when the Majority Leader places a
substantial portion of the blame for
defeat of legislation on that fact it
is worthy of more than casual notice.
Mr.. Rayburn said one of his big
gest jobs during the session Just
closed was to get Democrats to at
tend the House sessions. Frequently,
he said, on secondary matters, the
Republicans won simply because the
Democrats were absent.
That" he added, was because the
Republicans had no errands to run
for their constituents-minority par
ties never have to do that-While our
fellows sometimes had important ap-
pointments with cabinet officers in
the middle of the afternoon when
we needed them most"
1t does not follow from that anal
ysis that "errand-running" neces-
sarily figured Importantly in the de-
feat of such measures as the housing
bill and the lending-spending pro-
gram. The chances are that they
would have been killed had a full
House been in attendance, and there
is reason to suppose that many alb
sentees stayed away because they
were not in sympathy with the bills,
but did not want to go on record as
voting against consideration of them.
The fact remains, however, that
Mr.. Rayburn has made out a good
case against legislators who place
the personal interests of their con-
stituents and their own political for
tunes ahead of matters affecting the
whole country. In all candor, it
should be recognized that the rem
edy is by no means clear, politics
being what it is, but there is reason
to hope that the recently enacted
Hatch bill will eliminate some of this
pressure.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
"MUNsEY BLDG"

bedr Slr.
Hunting Creek. just below Alexandria.
appears to be a favorite rendezvous for
the graceful white heron.
During the past few mornings I have
seen several hundred of these beautiful
birds roosting in the trees bordering the
shore, while scores more stood notion
less on the floating masses of water
chestnuts.
Mixed IN with the white heron was
an occasional blue one-at least they
looked blue to me.
"Of course neither the white nor blue
herons are curiosities along the Potomac
But 1t is unusual to see several hundred
gathered together in one spot.
1T is possible that construction of the
National Airport has deprived these
bids OF feeding grounds they used to
enjoy at the mouths of Four Mile Run
and Reaches Run
Hunting Creek is an ideal place for
them and their presence gives the one
time arm of the Potomac tropical
flavor.
Sincerely yours, A. M"
Hunting Greek is an old hang-out of
the heron family.
There was once an occupied heronry
on the creek, another near Ballston
This was some time in the 80s. Here
was seen the black k-crowned night heron
May Thatcher Cooke tells us that for
many years there was a nesting place
heronry) at the east side OF the Dale
carlia Reservoir. Night herons some
times winter in the Geological Park,
near the flying cage which contains in
dlv!duals of the species"
Other herons seen along the river are
the great blue heron, the American
egret, the snowy heron, the Louisiana
heron, the little blue heron, the green
heron and the yellow crowned heron.
Some of these are in numbers, others
only occasionally.
Dredging operations for the airport
have drawn many birds, especially gulls,
which find easy picking in the turnup
of the dredges
The gulls fly in fearlessly and dive
4IiIo VIC LNuu before
it is dumped. This is a real sight for
those interested in birds.
The little blue heron is mostly seen
In the white phase of its feathers.
Many water birds and others seen
along the river seldom manage to get to
the city, although a Florida gallinule was
seen one day in local back yard, as
reported here several years ago.
Birds which have been seen along the
river include Holboells grebe, the horned
grebe, the pied-billed grebe, the COM
mon loon, red-throated loon, herring
gull, red-billed gull, laughing gull, Bona
parties gull, Coues' Caspian tern, For
ster's tern, common tern, least tern,
black tern and many others.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
A Clean Sweep

Any one who claims that the
United States is no longer a land of
opportunity should study the case of
peddler Barad, recently reported in
press dispatches as having left Ru-
mania thirty-tive years ago to sell
brooms here, making sweeping sue
cess out of lucrative side line. For
fee, he signed mortgages and other
real estate papers for individuals
who had fairly good reasons for not
wanting their own names used. The
whole case is extremely confused,
but apparently everything he signed
went into default, and he accumu-
lated an imposing array of debts,
bills for back interest, and unpaid
taxes, totaling well ever a million
dollars, many thousand times more
than he could possibly have owed in
Rumania, an old-fashioned country
of limited enterprise.
In spite of his startling success he
remained simple man and never
became a real financier as the term
is understood today. He never ac-
quired the knack of buying groceries
with impressive looking IOUs, and
was compelled to waste great deal
of his valuable time selling brooms.
The other day he retired from busi-
ness in a burst of glory, declaring
liabilities of $1,295,550 and assets
consisting of three suits of clothes,
some underwear, few brooms, and
1922 earmarked for his social secu-
rity retirement fund.
Treasury experts, reviewing the
case, were absolutely disgusted. "He
was doing fine" they said. "All he
had to do was to keep it up for a
while longer, until he owed about
forty-five billion dollars. BY then he
would have forced prosperity to re-
turn, and could easily have sold off
enough brooms to pay the entire
debt"
Evening star., 1939-08-10

veloped from what was principally
marshland terminating in the in
dustrial "harbor" at Georgetown to
one Of which the city well may be
proud. The work done in the past
year, which was one o. the biggest
programs in the period Of nearly
three decades, still requires approx
mately half million dollars for
completion. This, like most of the
other programs of the past, has been
primarily of recreational nature,
although it does include some COM
mercial work. Little has been done,
aside from the necessary channel
dredging operations, to improve or
add to the industrial water facilities.
Now the members of the Inspect
ing Committee find the industrial
development to be most pressing.
They recommend that no further
work be done until a comprehensive
survey of the city's needs is made.
The recommendation is a wise one.
There are only two industrial sec
tions along the river front. That
in Georgetown, the committee re-
ports, is near the saturation point,
although important work in modern
izing and cleaning it up will con-
tribute to the beauty of the city. The
other area, near the Navy Yard, still
is largely undeveloped.
Washington, through the planning
and thought of citizens and admins
traitors of the present as we'll as the
past, has made large strides. So
much thought has been devoted to
the parks, the yacht basin, and the
boulevards that the commercial
needs are apt to be overlooked The
Capital is living city dependent for
it's daily life upon thousands of COM
modities and services which enter
into water-borne transportation
Far from being a detriment, the de-
velopment of modern commercial
wharves and terminal facilities would
contribute to the city's welfare. This
is especially true in the case of the
comparatively small and otherwise
isolated sections which SO long have
proved unsuitable for parkways or
for residential development.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Speedometer Club

All Washington motorists should
Join Traffic Court Judge John P. Nc
Mahon's Speedometer Club. Started
by the veteran jurist as Washington's
newest organization to promote traf-
f1c safety, the club is to be made up of
those who promise themselves to
keep an eye on the speedometer.
Judge Mcmahon conceived the need
for such a group as result of his
own observations while driving about
Washington streets and from hearing
defendants in case after case explain
that they did not realize how fast they
were driving. The judge realized,
too, that such explanations usually
are the truth. Both in the city and
on the open road drivers uncon-
sciously accelerate their speed be-
yond the limit imposed by law or
natural caution. Those who are ar
rested constitute only a small per-
Evening star., 1939-08-10
centage OF the motorists who exceed

centage Of the motorists who exceed
the limit.
Automobile manufacturers put
dials on the instrument panels be-
cause they should be watched. AL
most invariably the speedometer is
the predominant instrument on the
panel. 1t may be attractive but it is
not just an ornament.
Drivers who take their RESPONSE
bilities seriously will want to take
the moral and mental" pledge Of
Judge McMahon's club to watch their
speedometerS as their contribution
toward the crusade for safety on
Washington's streets. Unlike most
clubs, the Speedometer group costs
nothing to join, but those who fail to
affiliate or who backslide may be
assessed dues" by way of fines in
court. members and backsliders
may even have to pay the anguish
that is inflicted on drivers of cars
that cause injury and death.
The club deserves large member
ship,
Evening star., 1939-08-10
THIS AND THAT
By Charles +. TraceUell.

An Hawaiian petrol was among the
most unusual birds ever to fly into
washington, on the heels of a storm
along the coast. In Miss Cookies book,
Birds of the Washington, D. C Region"
this bird is listed as an accidental yisi-
tant, SO accidental, in fact, that it con-
stituted the first record for the entire
country
"One was shot from a flock of three
or four, August %, 1882 she informs us.
Another was captured in a house on
Capitol Hill where it had taken refuge"
This author has the following in
teresting matter for us about the
famous Whistling swan:
In recent years a flock has Wintered
nearly every year at Whitewater, Va,
about 40 miles below Washington.
January IA, 1881, one that had been
stunned from flying against wire was
caught in the grounds of the Louise
Home at Fifteenth street and Massa-
chusetts avenue
March o. 1907, a flock of 1920 was
reported below Alexandria, and on
April flying over Falls Church. A
flock of IA near Alexandria, March II.
1916; some on Occoquan Bay, March %,
1920: six or seven over Potomac Park,
March 20, 1927"
They are having terrible time with
the water chestnuts In the river.
They grow SO thick and fast that
navigation is impeded.
The only remedy, of plain difficulty,
Is TO tear them out
The water chestnut makes nice
specimen plant for a small pool, but
even there it will take the place" if it
is permitted to do So
Cattails, favorite water plants, orna-
ment the center of pool, but unless the
owner is very careful to keep them
thinned down, he will wake up in the
fall to find that he has cattails and
nothing else
1t is no wonder Of course, that water
plants thrlVe-they have all the water
they need at all times, a state of affairs
which few plants enjoy.
Modern tank gardening, as it might
be called, the growing of vegetables and
the like in solutions of chemicals, is
based solidly on the culture of aquatic
plants.
Anacharis is another plant which
grows out of all bounds 1t is said that
some of the English rivers are almost
choked by this plant. Those who have
used it in an aquarium will understand,
Water plants, water birds, and water
where find happier combination?
Let us be sure to include the water.
Those who go to town and home every
day along the banks of the Potomac
nave a source of pleasure and insplra-
ton denied to the rest of us. There Is
something elemental. right, about
river; 1t gets into you and makes your
world saner
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Adolescence

Dear, ardent youth at life's half open
gate,
with all the hopes of ages in your ewes.
900 only knows the rugged road that lies
Before those feet, eager for tryst with
Fate,
impatient only that she comes so late
10 test your strength In battle for lfe,s
prize;
YET who shall say your longing is unwise.
Or ch1de your gallant heart that scarce
can wait?
FOR you have heard the music of the
spheres,
Wnere Inspirations consultations shine:
Fate cannot conquer while the spirit
steers;
You Know life holds for you gift divine:
your earnest faith is wiser than our
fears;
Under its banners reach your goal
benign!
LOUISE WILSON DUNwEIL.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Recalls Early National
Guard Encampments.
To the Editor Of The Star;

May I express my pleasure derived in
reading the very vivid and interesting
accounts of the National Guardsmen en-
campment and war games, written by
The Star staff correspondent, Mr.. Rob-
ert A. Erwin.
1t brings back many memories of
other days of the old National Guards
and their encampments. Those of us
of the old 1st Infantry will recall the
names of those fine old soldiers and gen.
tlemen, such as the late Col. Charlie
Luce, Maj. Lucien Young, Maj. TAFT and
Capt. Cook. Many of these former
Guardsmen have since gone west" The
backbone of the grand old A. E. F. was
made up of many of the boys from the
Guardsmen outfits. I shall get much
pleasure reading about the National
Guardsmen of today. The love of the
outfit remains
ERNEST CHARLES RICK.
August
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Beauty and Utility

The formulation of an ambitious
program for the proper development
of Washington's water front is to be
sought next month by the Rivers and
Harbors Committee of the Board of
Trade as result of its annual tour
OF inspection of the Potomac this
week. Far from being mere pleas
ant summer outing, this annual tour
has been one of the important fac
tors in the work which has progressed
so far in recent years.
Since 1911 the water front has de-
Evening star., 1939-08-10

which is everywhere disturbing man.
KIND is able 20 clearly enunciate the
faith of the committee in the demo-
cratic system of private property" which
is poppycock. What, today is properly
private property? In 1860, human
beings were private property" and our
democratic system was far more demo-
cratic than today. A jobless man then
found opportunity to establish and
maintain himself as an independent
unit which is the inalenable right of
every man and for which nature has
made ample provision The few million
chattel slaves of 1860 were never hungry
and few OF them were abused, but today
many million economic slaves are, like
property, discarded, thrown upon
rubbish heap-homeless hungry, job
less, helpless.
Our wants, as distinguished from our
needs, are insatiate but our needs are
few and easily met. We are justified in
applauding the progress of science the
march OF invention, the diffusion of
knowledge, and the ends for which we
strive, but We are thoughtleSs, stupid and
wicked to ignore the lament of hungry
mlllonS, listening, meantime, to economic
discussion that starts in conjecture,
scars aimlessly, is sustained by words
without definition, and lands sparkling
with patriotic fervor.
Social progress makes the well-being
of all more and more the business of
each it binds us all closer and closer
together in bonds from which none can
escape and he who takes no thought for
the general welfare and gives no
thought to those who are trodden under
foot, save perhaps an occasional charity
contribution to doubtful administra-
ton, is not good citizen-nor a good
Individual.
1t would be weird conjecture to con-
template the existence of man before
our natural resources were established.
The primitive man had but to help him.
self to such of the natural products"
as his equipment enabled him to secure,
move, alter or combine This was the
necessity that confronted him and the
definition permits separation of what
we ordinarily refer to as God-given
things, to which, SO our common sense
assures us, all men have equal right, and
the man-made product, which common
sense suggests should belong to the
laborer who produced it. This separa-
ton of natures contribution and labor's
endeaVor in the production of wealth
has been skillfully avoided in economic
discussion to obscure the ethical in
validity in the title to much wealth.
The primitive man exercised his nat
ural right, which is not that of demand
ing employment and wages from another
man, but that of employing himself
that of applying his own labor in his
own behalf to the ineXhaustible store
house of sustenance and wealth which
nature provided for all men. The in
dividual today has that same natural
right and the economic adjustment that
permits the holding of land, vacant,
idle, and useless, monopolizing op-
portunity to promote speculative ven-
ture, is the one bad principle that
shelters innumerable bad facts, and the
wickedest thing humanity has to con-
tend with. J.B.C,
Kensington, Md.
August Z.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Wants Pedestrian Law
Amended,

To the Editor OF The Star:
I would like to add a word to the
letter, Pedestrian Regulation Held Un-
fair" by Mr.. Frank Smith.
I think his view is correct. I saw a
policeman leave his very busy intersec-
tion at Fourteenth and H streets NV. a
few days ago to follow man and stop
him to give him a ticket, when there
wasn't single sign of danger" to that
pedestrian. And I think the sooner the
pedestrian law is modified the better it
will be for all concerned.
MRS. MARY M. HENDERSON.
August 3.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Urges Serious Study
Of Ec0nomis Questions.
To the Editor Of The Star:


We, the people, to save the democracy
idea, must grasp the conviction that our
economic affairs are our individual and
very personal business and that we are
not equipped to give them the necessary
attention until we give the subject the
studious, thoughtful attention it de-
serves. While all the professions are
more or less a conspiracy to exploit the
laity the cooperation of the economists
with the politicians is the consummation
Of perfidy.
The primary report of The National
Economic Committee, after a whole
year of objective search (absorbing
lot Of the taxpayers meager wages) for
an answer to the economic question
Evening star., 1939-08-10

On exhibit at the New York
Worlds Fair is bronze trumpet used
in Denmark 5000 years ago. 1t is not
known whether it was used to urge
on the ancient Danes to battle or to
blow them into "smorgasbord."
Evening star., 1939-08-10

-, The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
the use for republication of all news 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., 1939-08-10
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
Dear the name and address OF
the Uriter, although the use OF
q pSeudonyna for publication is
permissible. Please be brieU
Evening star., 1939-08-10

WASHING TON, d. C.
THURSDAY August 10, 1889
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Member of the Associated Press.

Entered as second-cass matter post office.
Washington. D. c.
Evening star., 1939-08-10

The Evening Star Newspaper Company.
Main ONCE: 11th St and PENNSYLVANIA Ave.
New York once: ITO East 42nd st.
Chicago Office: 435 North Michigan Ave.
Evening star., 1939-08-10
Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Haski.1.

reader can get the answer to anu
question OF tact by writtng The Epe.
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred.
eric j. Hasktn, director, Washington,
d. c. Please tnclose stamp jor reply.
Q. Did the Three Wise Monkeys orig
mate in Japan?-V. j. r.
A. The carving, Little Apes of Nikko,
is in the Sacred Stable at Nikko. This is
an unpainted structure and is carved
with pines and monkeys. The Three
Wise Monkeys are in the second panel
from the left. They are Mizaru, who sees
no evil; Kikazaru, who hears no evil.
and Mazaru, who speaks no evil.
Evening star., 1939-08-10

@. What percentage of the inhabitants
of the Free City of Danzig are Ger
mans?-T
A. Ninety-three per cent of the popu-
lation are Germans.