davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-07-24
Senate was allowed to die in the

Senate was allowed to die in the
lower chamber at adjournment.
AS q means Of raising the moral
tone Of motion pictures, particularly
those available to patrons Of neigh
borhood' theaters, the bill is i'm
portant. A campaign for legislation
of this type las been Carried on for
more than ten years, and while
literal success remains to be achieved,
progress has been made through
notifications from within the movie
industry.
Under the system of block-booking
theater operators were required to
take a certain proportion of the pic
lures offered them during the con-
tract period. Their choice was
necessarily limited, and the posi-
bility Of rejecting films considered
unsuitable for their communities
was almost nonresident. Closely
linked with this is the practice of
blind-booking, by which the operator
has no opportunity of seeing either
the picture before he shows it nor
obtaining synopsis Of the story.
Those methods have tended to shut
out competition and have forced upon
many honest managers the choice
OF showing a picture they knew to
be unsuitable or endangering their
investment. They have hampered
direct censorship by patrons through
this limitation of choice. From time
to time charges have been made by
independent operators that the sys-
tenn was used by the large companies
to force the independents out of
business to make way for distributor
controlled chains.
During recent years somewhat
more leeway has been given operators
in their choice, although this choice
remains limited and they still must
take a comparatively large number
OF films, some good some bad, and
many Indifferent, whether they want
them or not, often without knowing
just what they are to show.
In view Of the progress which has
been made in regard to the moral
aspects Of the motion picture,
through the efforts of such organ
izations as the Legion of Decency,
a measure which has such wide
spread support among those who are
interested in preserving the ideals
OF the American home should be
given serious consideration by the
House. This bill should not be
lightly dismissed, nor forgotten as
1t was last year.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
Sofety Enforcement

An encouraging note IN the cam
paign to make the streets of WASH
ington safer for motorists and pedes-
trianS is sounded in two proposals
recently made to traffic officials.
The first resulted from a confer
ence of Corporation Counsel Elwood
H. Seal with the Traffic Advisory
Council. The second is a suggestion
made by James v. McClintock, newly
appointed administrative assistant to
the director Of traffic, that photo
graphs be required on all drivers
permits.
In the case of the first, the problem
OF obtaining adequate information
to warrant trials on traffic charges
was studied. At present a number
Of discouraging factors contribute to
an apparent failure in securing con-
victions of many offenders involved
in accidents. The prime fault lies
in the difficulty of inducing eye
witnesses to testify, a condition re-
sulting from natural reticence on
the part of many citizens to enter
disputes unnecessarily, as they feel.
The inconvenience attendant upon
going to court add to this feel
ing. The burden is thus thrown upon
investigating officers, who are seldom
eye-witnesses, and leaving them
liable, individually, to charges of
false arrest in event an acquittal re-
suits. The active assistance of the
Corporation Counsel's Office and pro-
posed changes in procedure there
promise to do much to correct this
condition, and Mr.. Seals offer Of
continued assistance to the Advisory
Council is gratifying.
In regard to the additional identi-
fication of drivers through photo
graphs on their permits, the first
reaction is apt to be negative. So
far as is known by proponents of
the idea, no other Jurisdiction re-
quires such identification for drivers
other than those Of public convey
ances, although a number of States
demand fingerprints on permit ap-
plications. But excellent reasons are
to be found for some steps which
would prevent the misuse of these
permits. Police courts are familiar
with cases of unqualified drivers
using borrowed permits. And the
average annual turnover of lost,
stolen, borrowed and otherwise mis-
used drivers licenses amounts to
more than seven thousand. The
plan would be a decided protection
to the honest driver whose lost
permit might otherwise fall into
irresponsible hands.
Whether or not either of the pro-
posals is found to be acceptable in
its original form, or whether modi-
f1cations, extensions, or variations
may be found necessary, both repre-
sent progress. Accompanying the
serious efforts of various bodies of
citizens to educate every person to
the problems of traffic safety, these
moves toward improved enforcement
are most welcome.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
BiIIboords q Menace

From the Gary-Post Tribune.
There are few motorists who have not
been exasperated at some time by sud-
denly coming upon billboard that ef-
fectively screened a scene Of natural
beauty.
Nature has been supplanted along too
many highways by these man-made sight
blockades. In their effort to obtain the
best settings the billboard owners seek
out the most beautiful spots and the most
strategic curves and intersections.
AS a result trip through any part Of
Indiana today leaves one with an i'm
preston of luscious lips, shapely legs,
necks of alabaster and eyes with foot
long lashes. And often that picture is
SUFFICIENT to divert attention from the
very serious business of driving.
There was a. time when journey
meant visions of natural beauty, fields
pretty little homes in settings of green
loveliness. They are still there. Bill
boards are far enough apart In most
places to permit the motorist to see many
of those beauty spots-maybe all Of
them. But they are framed between the
closer blatant billboards.
The Bureau of Public Roads, in re-
port recommending Nationwide sys-
tenn of highways for defense, groups bill
boards and roadside stands together as
positive menaces" to driving safety
which must be controlled.
Official Federal recognition of that
menace was couched in the following
words:
1.-The mere presence of these numerous,
close -crowding objects and establish
ments Is a distraction to drivers Of
vehicles. Some of them, by every con-
ceivable device, endeavor to attract the
attention of drivers Of vehicles from their
primary responsibility; most of them
contribute largely to the hazards OF un-
expected stopping, turning and emer-
gence upon the highways of both vehicles
and pedestrians.
"All are positive menaces and must
be controlled, and the only probability
of material improvement lies in a gen.
eral and substantial widening Of the
right OF way Of the more important
roads, together with effective border
control"
Billboards erected at intersections,
where they are frequently placed to
command attention, are especially
dangerous trafi1c hazard. They block
the vision of motorists and the blame
for many serious accidents can be laid
directly at their door.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles z. Trace1DeH.

trunks Of trees, with branches, to make
the songsters feel perfectly at home.
The birds could be watched through
the glass, without upsetting them in any
way. Quick movements should be
avoided.
But the best way, no doubt, is as our
correspondent says, If you want to have
birds indoors.
Not all friends of birds will be able
to secure this result. There is required
a certain patience, and a subtle quality
which is hard to describe and impossible
to acquire. One must be born with it, in
order to make the birds feel perfectly at
their ease.
This leaves the great outdoors as the
main feeding place.
1t is interesting to know about persons
who invite them in, but most of us will
have to be content with having them In
the yard.
Either way, the songsters are lot OF
fun, as the expression has it. They are a
fund of perpetual interest, once you. be-
gin to notice them. They are always
doing something new, not small fea-
ture when real interest is concerned
Consider the one-tune pianist. No mat
ter how we'll he plays his one tune, II
finally grows tiresome. But the birds
not only have many tunes, but they have
an engaging repertoire of small deeds
which they are forever changing
There is always something to see which
the watcher has not seen before, no mat
ter how long he has been watching.
That baby song sparrow, for instance
which few out of the garage and landed
squarely on the cats back.
1t was impossible to tell which was
the most surprised, the bird or the cat.
The sparrow had hoped in to investi.
gate the large bag of sunflower seed.
Some enterprising bird had been be-
fore him, we think it was a cardinal
which had pecked a hole in the lower
corner.
From this stream Of seed poured out
onto the concrete.
The young sparrow pecked at the food
until he happened to see the large cat.
The bird didn't know that smudgy was
blind
Old Smudge, in his turn, didn't know
the bird was there.
In its fright, the baby sparrow few up
but could 60 no farther.
Down he came squarely between the
cats shoulders.
1t was puzzled lock which came into
those sightless eyes.
The cat shook himself to free himself
and the sparrow flew of.
Which Of them was the most sur
prised it was impossible to say.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
Is Chamberlain StuI|inq?

Making due allowance for the fact
that "the little Welshman" is now
In his majesty's loyal-and almost
lone-opposition, Mr.. Lloyd Georges
Indictment of Chamberlain's tactics
with Soviet Russia, published in The
Sunday Star, is an arresting contri-
button to the current miasma- Of
European power politics.
Britain's World War Prime Min
lister categorically charges Cham
berlain, Lord Halifax and Sir John
Simon, the triumvirate in control in
Downing Street, with wanting no
association with Russia" and with
unconscionably delaying and sabo-
tagging the negotiations In progress
since last April to bring the u S. S. r.
into the non-aggression anti-axis
bloc.
81. G." asserts that failure to
reach an agreement is calculated
procrastination, to enable Mr.. Cham
berlain to get out of the pledge to
Eastern Europe, which he inconsid-
erately gave as an escape from a
temporary embarrassment" The
Prime Minister'S mind, Lloyd George
contends, 'is once more on appease-
ment" and is trending to another
Surrender" to Hitler on the model
of "the betrayal of Czecho-Slovakia." +"
More convincing than his partisan
diatribe against Mr.. Chamberlain is
Lloyd Georges accusation that the
British government gave its head
long guarantee" to Poland, Rumania
and Greece against attack by Ger
many before acquainting itself with
strategic imponderables that "a
schoolchild's atlas" would have
disclosed. Chamberlain acted, more
over, it is alleged, without consulta-
tion with his general stats or the
Committee of Imperial Defense.
Any military authority worth his
salt, 81. G." argues, would have
shown the Prime Minister that if the
Germans marched into Danzig or the
Corridor, neither Britain nor France
could throw in single battalion to
aid Poland until the Western powers
"had first overcome every German
fortress and marched their armies
across Germany from the Rhine
practically to the Vistula." Nor, as
1914-1S proved, could even the su-
preme British Navy get into the
Baltic.
Yet from the outset of negotiations
with Russia, looking to triple en-
tente which would alter the whole
face Of the military insuperables that
otherwise would prevail, Chamber
lain, to believe his venerable critic,
has dillied, dallied and lodged with
Moscow until there is grave danger Of
driving Russia into hostility
which would suit the dictators, but
would be fatal to the empires of
France and Britain"
Evening star., 1939-07-24
little Axis"

Despite the effort of Balkan states
men to free Southeastern Europe Of
the stresses and strains of great
power politics the little states of this
region find themselves convulsed
again, this time by Chancellor Hitler's
efforts to split the Anglo-French
peace front by drawing Yugoslavia
and Bulgaria into the Rome-Berlin
system.
This "little axis" which would tie
Belgrade and Sofia to the main axis
through Hungary is already one step
toward realization in the formation
of a Bulgarian-Yugoslav neutral"
bloc. Beyond this the questions of a
Bulgarian-Yugoslav customs union,
a common policy of the two govern
ments in foreign affairs, collabora-
tion in the development of foreign
trade, and possible return to Bulgaria
OF territory lost to Yugoslavia after
the war are being broached. Adher-
ence by Belgrade and Sofia to the
anti-comintern pact would cap the
edifice.
The whole process strikes at the
heart of the Balkan Entente, the last
hope of united Balkan resistance to
axis penetration, for with Yugoslavia
engaged in a rapprochement with
Bulgaria-even If only for neutrality
In Balkan affairs-the efficacy of the
entente as means of preserving the
Balkans for the Balkans and Of
maintaining the status quo as re-
CARDS Bulgaria evaporates. An en-
tente between Greece, Turkey and
Rumania is weakened without Yugo-
slavia.
But more important than the fate
Of the Balkan Entente is the dis
astrous effect Hungarian -Yugoslav-
Bulgarian axis, ancillary to that be-
tween Rome and Berlin, would have
upon the balance Of power in Europe.
The axis and its affiliates would
Evening star., 1939-07-24
Letters to the Editor
Hopes for Continuance
OF Soap Box Derby.

To the Editor OF The Star:
In re the running OF the Soap Box
Derby in 1910.
I sincerely hope that this Derby will
be run next year. Outside of the enter
tainment that was furnished to the peo-
pie of Washington, the Derby taught the
boys a valuable lesson in good sports
manship and self-reliance. 1t is unfor-
tunate that several accidents occurred,
but I believe that most of them could
have been avoided if every one, including
policemen, had been obliged to stay be-
hind the ropes.
Your paper deserves a great deal Of
credit for its help, and sincerely hope
that it will be possible to make the Derby
yearly event. ]. B. LYON.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
Grateful for Letter
On Neutrality.

To the Editor of The Star:
The letter by r. o. Marchetti in re-
cent issue of The Star is hailed with
thanks for his straightforward, fearless
and absolutely correct Interpretation of
the term neutrality" He modestly and
quite enormously thinks that he is the
only person in the United States who
approves of the action taken by the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
the so-called neutrality legislation. We
feel sure he is wrong, for there are
thousands of Americans who think
exactly as he does on this vital SUBJ
ject, but have not had the nerve or
the ability to make such thoroughly
satisfactory and correct explanation of
just what the term neutrality means.
Are we, the people, actually expected
to believe that the President and Sec
retary Hull think otherwise? Let us
be fervently thankful that we still have
such men as Senator Borah with us,
and Mr.. Marchetti, who had the courage
of his convictions. A. nc.
July 81.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
Appreciates Letter
BY Prof. Otto Torney Simon.


To the Editor of The Star:
You are too busy to do much wonder
ing as to where the light of The Star
may penetrate and what remote depths
it may illume. You know it shines so
that he who runs may read and hitch
the wagon Of his thoughts thereto if he
be minded to travel more safely in a
wicked world.
This is written to thank you and to
commend your judgment in giving the
space you did to Prof. Otto Torney
Simon, in publishing his admirable let
ter commenting on the vicious and
wholly uncalled-for stories going
through the press tending to scandalize
and defame the reputation and character
of one of the most beloved of writer's
Charles Dickens. All who know their
Dickens will feel grateful to you for that
letter of Prof. Simon and that space on
your editorial page.
Again, thank you.
HORACE MARKLEY.
Saddle River, N. j.
July 20.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
CHEVY CHASE, MD.

SI1EN1 I Sk1ASII, NIL.
Dear Sir: Your article induces me to
send my appreciation of that glorious
artist, the wood thrush.
"One of them is now standing on my
dining room radiator waiting for the
grocery man to deliver the cheese he
loves SO passionately, as do his compan-
ions of the radiator Il use no window
screens), the song sparrow, robin, catbird
and cardinal, the gentlemen among birds.
by feeding them inside we escape
the grackle, startling, pigeon and jay.
Yet must confess that from an opposite
window 60 out foods for all of them, not,
however, California cherries and cheese.
"The most engaging of my summer
guests Is without question the wood
thrush.
"The hermit thrush I have never seen.
A scarlet tanager was an onlooker this
morning. hope he joins our breakfast.
Cordially, L. p"
Having thrush indoors must be a
treat, indeed
Here is one of the real princes of bird
land, clean, happy, interesting, engaging,
glorious, high minded, intelligent.
Usually we have 1t in the gardens,
but seldom inside.
Our correspondent has good idea.
Perhaps some of us could lure this
matchless melody maker indoors If we
went at it the right way.
II uoII1d ho jy,t torocfioo fo Lpou, wi, a.
er 1t ever sings, while perched on the
dining room radiator.
Probably not-it is too busy eating.
A way to obviate unscreened windows,
and still have your birds in the room, has
been explained here before.
1t is to build large, box like, screened
affair to place in a window, but sticking
back into the room with the front en-
tirely open.
This would permit the birds to fly in,
so that to all intent they would be &C
tually in the room, yet still outside.
The drawback would be that the
pigeons and others would come, too.
One way to get around this would be to
screen the outer face with large-meshed
chicken wire, which would permit the
smaller songsters, but keep out the larger
ones.
If the windowsill is used as place for
feed. the entire window outside might be
covered with chicken wire, thus keeping
out pigeons and squirrels.
Another way to have birds inside would
be to use small room as birdroom,
and place a glass inside door in it, lead
ing into the remainder of the house
This birdroom could be furnished with
Evening star., 1939-07-24
July 81.
Defeat of Anti-Alien
Bills Urged.

To the Editor Of The Star:
The Bill of Rights sustained another
blow last week when the Senate Judiciary
the Hobbs bill, already passed by the
House, which provides concentration
camps for deportable aliens whose native
countries will not receive them. Add this
to the Reynolds stoppage of immigra-
ton and registration of aliens bill and
the Smith catch-all anti-alien bill re-
ported out recently by Senate and House
committees, respectively plus the Demp-
sey deportation for opinion bill, already
passed by the House. Here we have a
menacing collection of anti-alien bills
not equaled since the bitterly opposed
alien and sedition bills of 140 years ago,
whose passage led subsequently to the
destruction of the then dominant Fed
eralist party and the repeal of the bills
themselves
The National Emergency Conference
met two months ago at the call of some
go leaders of progressive American
thought and was attended by 200 dele
SdtCS VI 1UO VI SdIu1d tlOllS Will d HlclIl-
bership Of over 100000 persons. Con-
ference speakers-such as Senator Muir
ray, Msgr. Ryan, Vilhjalmur Stefansson,
etc.-analyzed these bills as an opening
wedge by which reactionaries were trying
to introduce into America the concen-
tration camps, redhunting and domestic
passports of the old world. They pre-
dicted that the drive against aliens
would soon be matched by drive against
American citizens who might be alleged
to entertain minority opinions or to be
engaged in labor activities. This prophecy
was unhappily realized within the past
six weeks by the passage of the w. p A.
bill with last minute rider of Repre-
sentative Walters attached which denies
relief to those who advocate the over
throw of the Government by force and
violence. This seemingly innocuous pro-
vision has been generally applied in the
past, however, only to union leaders
whose labor activities have disturbed
those who oppose labor's right to collec-
tive bargaining.
These bills are as un-American as Hit
Evening star., 1939-07-24

Ter. They run directly counter to our
tradition of hospitality to the refugees
of tyranny, who seek to regain their lost
freedom in free land. These bills
threaten the civil rights of all Americans.
They are SO extreme that they may seem
ridiculous, but their thus far successful
journey through Congress makes them q
real danger.
To insure that these measures do not
slip through Congress in the last days
of this session, all patriotic~ ~Americans
should write their Senators and Repre-
sentatives now and insist that they vote
against and help block the passage Of
these bills.
July 10. HENRY II. COLLINS n.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
BIock-Bookinq

A step toward success in the long
fight waged for clean motion pictures
by women's clubs, religious organ
izations and parent-teacher associa-
tions has been taken by the Senate
in passing the disputed bill which
would prevent block-booking and
blind booking. What action will fol-
low in the House Is problematical.
A year ago q similar bill from the
Evening star., 1939-07-24
Unreasonable Attitude on
Aliens Deplored.

To the Editor of The Star
Why should we wish to crack down on
the aliens who are resident among us?
We keep reading in the papers that the
departures of aliens are more numerous
than the arrivals. And they are not at
all bad lot anyway. So why worry?
For years we were proud of the fact
that this country was a Mecca for people
who were so unlucky as to be born in
other countries. They wanted to come
to America, and we said: AL right, come
along. Now some people want us to
turn around and say: Get out Of here.
This is unreasonable and unjust. The
aliens among US are as well-behaved as
Evening star., 1939-07-24

A st. Louis girl screeched so Justify
that she brought the cops. The rea-
son, she explained, was because my
boy friend wouldn't give me kiss"
Thirty years ago it would have been
because he would.
Evening star., 1939-07-24

Fifty sets Of twins all met at a
party held up in Maine. A man
crashing that affair would probably
have backed out hurriedly and has
tened to sign the pledge.
Evening star., 1939-07-24

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
the use for republication of all news dispatches
paper and also the local news published herein.
All rights OF publication Of special dispatches
herein also reserved
Evening star., 1939-07-24

II you cannot sleep, you might try
counting the Nazis infiltrating into
Danzig.
Evening star., 1939-07-24
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance
An Other States and Canada
Member of the Associated Press

Entered as second class matter post ONCE
WASHINGTON. D c
Evening star., 1939-07-24

Night Final Star - 60c per month
each week Orders may oe sent by mail or tele-
phone National 5000
Evening star., 1939-07-24
The Evening Star Newspaper Company

Main once: llth 81: snd Pen MPennsMyvania Wv Ave.
Chicago Once: 435 North Michigan Ave
Evening star., 1939-07-24

@. How may obtain information on
making the most of ones good looks and
personality?-P. K.
A. See Haskin's advertisement or
Page Az today.
Evening star., 1939-07-24

Q. How many babies in the United
1ates are delivered by midwives?-J,
M. L.
A. In 1887 there were 22o, ,344 births at.
tended by midwives.
Evening star., 1939-07-24

WASHING GTON. D. c.
MONDAy' July "a, 1889
Evening star., 1939-07-24
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