davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
This Insecurity

There is still a surprising amount of insecurity in this richest of countries. At insecurity in this richest of countries. A recent Gallup poll indicates that more than half of the American working classes would have to apply for relief within six months if they lost their jobs Of this group IT per cent are actually jobless and on relief There are 19 per cent more who say that, if they were unemployed, they could not hold out for more than a month. And 16 per cent, only little better off, think they could hold out for one to six months.
 Unfortunately there are no statistics on such matters for what we like to call normal times" There have been times when working people were better off than they are now, for considerable periods. There have also been many periods of hardship. But there seems never to have been period of so much unemployment, lasting for so long. time, as there has been in these last nine or ten years. When is it going to end?
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
Gone, Also Forgotten

The forgotten man of the 1889 Legisla- ture might well be the Legislative Coun- cil. Created two years ago this body is supposed to perform in minor fashion the functions of the Legislature during the 19 months that the Legislature isn't in session. In short when a session ends the Legislative Council starts to work. It looks over the finished product of legis- Iative session and decides that something was done that shouldn't have been done or that something wasn't done that should have. So just before the next legis- lative session begins, it prepares and pre- sents program of activities. The first program so presented wasn't followed.
 That may account for the action, so re- ported late last week, of the appropria- tons committee of the General Assembly in looping off the budget of $40,000 item for the Governors Legislative Council. This will just about spell the end of the council if the appropriation elimination Is accepted and judging by the way legis- lators at Hartford are shivering over pros poets of the budget the end IS near. The Legislative Council came into being as part of our state government reorganiza- Hon which Is still problem, so far as we can sec, and one that won't be solved by
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
Many Are Called, Few Refuse

It is high tribute to the character and ability of Superior Court Judge P. B. O'Sullivan that he was first on the list of those eligible for the federal court judge ship, now vacated in the Connecticut dis trict. Judge O'Sullivan is not and was not a candidate for this office and does not care to be elevated to this tribunal, he an- nounced very emphatically last week. Connecticut judiciary can well be proud of him and hold the highest respect for his opinion and decision.
 There are many in Connecticut who would like to be named to the federal court and such an ambition is not to be critized for it is but natural. Among those who have been mentioned for the office are men of considerable ability. They no doubt would prove to be excellent presid- ing justices if honored with the appoint ment. We have commented upon a num- Der of them and their respective qualifi- cations in the past.
 But the state can we'll regard today the firmness of purpose of one of its popular and well-regarded judges who prefers to c.eave to his present rank in the judiciary rather than to venture into another plane We have no qualms about Judge O'Sullivan being qualified to advance to the federal court, but we certainly admire him for having turned down something that was not sought by him and to which he does not have aspirations. Few men would do that.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
Thinking at Night

DO your heavy thinking at night" advises Dr. Alexander Randall of the Uni versity of Pennsylvania. "The brain works best in those lucid, peaceful mo- ments just before you go to sleep" Yes, many of us have noticed that. Lying comfortably in bed, in the dark, with the mird floating in empty space, it's re- markable what brilliant ideas fellow can have Problems often seem to clear up miraculously. A business man can think of clever way to make fortune. A writing man finds himself full of noble ideas and language.
 Half way between waking and dream ing, but not realizing it, the drowSy genius will say to himself: "Now I'll write this down the first thing when I get up in the morning." or "I'll do so and so the minute I get to the office". But alas! Next morning the beautiful dreams are gone and the old brain-box is as dumb as ever.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
A Thought for Today
Frank Moulan

Frank Moulan would hardly be recog- nized out of character. So much of his life was spent in the makeup of Gilbert and Sullivan role that formal photographs of him in the newspapers since his death last Saturday seemed entirely unfamiliar. MT. Moulan was one of our topnotch comedians; he was born i'll Greenwich village; thus we had native New Yorker singing part that one more often hears sung with typically British accent even though it happens to be the role ot the laughable and lovable Ko-Ko, lord hlgh executioner in 'The Mikado." MT. Moulan, at the time of his death, was only sixty three years old.
 Following a career in his younger days as church soloist it was not long before he fitted into some of those parts TOT which he later became famous Looking back at the light and comic opera record of another day we find that Moulan dis tinguished himself in the late 1890's as Don Quixote in "The Queens Lace Handkerchief" and later in 'The Sultan of Sulu" This last named vehicle, by the way, made the Waterbury boards in the early part of the century, so perhaps Moulan appeared here.
 But principally Moulan was associated with Gilbert and Sullivan operas, ana played Sir Joseph Porter, in "Pinafore," the Duke of Plaza-Toro in "The Condo Eers," and as many other famous DOT trayals in the other Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. The years in between when he was not engaged in these light operas he was appearing in many of the well known comic operas and musical comedies Of the day, such as "The Count of Luxem- bourg," "The Siren,''' "The Arcadians," and others.
 Frank Moulan was a comedian of the first rank, and like Martyr Greene of the DOyley Carte opera company, did a neat piece of acting behind grotesque makeup There are too few of this type comedian left on the American stage to- day. The De Wolf HopperS and the Frank Moulans are gone, but we will not say they are forgotten.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

the Republicans, any more than it was by the Democrats.
 The council consists of the majority and minority leaders of both houses of the Legislature; the governor is its chair man; and there is paid secretary. As to the value of the work it can do there should be no question whatsoever. And certainly the leaders of past legislative session are the ones who know just what type of program to present to the follow ing Legislature. It's evident, though, that Legislatures are not amenable to sugges- tions, based on previous experience Ger tainly if ever legislative program was needed it was this spring. Look what we
 have at Hartford now?
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

Down in New London the folks are all excited They had group of legislators down from Hartford last week and out lined to them the plans for the new high way bridge across the Thames River, link ing the Whaling City with Groton. The structure, if and when built, would be paid for by tolls. We hope that New Lon don succeeded in selling the, idea to the representatives of the General Assembly, but the next row that must be hoed is even tougher Getting the Legislature to agree on the bridge project may be like pulling teeth, although there is better than even chance of their doing so due to the fact that the state is now toll-con- scious and the Legislature is apt to break out in rash of toll bridges and highways before it closes its desk on the end of this unforgettable session.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
. HIGHLlGHTS FROM
 LATEST BOOKS

This is how Nat Ferber describes
 an incident in the Fuller-Mc-
 Gee case during the celebrated
 drive against the New York
 bucketshop rackets. The epi-
 sode is from Ferber's book, q
 Found Out" (Dial Press: $3).
 I was as the John Street office of Referee Terrence Farley. Watson (victor Watson, Ferber's managing editor) and I attended all hearing. it was known. The star witness this day, Arnold Rothstein was to be ex- amined, as usual, concerning the disappearance of a plundered firms assets.
 I paused at a window and looked down at the street. In doorway I saw a loiterer, a mobster beyond a doubt but couldn't t identify him as someone I had seen before. Suddenly realized that every doorway within range of my vantage point harbored man. There might have been dozen on that street. I signaled Victor and he joined me at the window.
 "You see what I see?" I asked
 They're not New Workers" he unused. Then he came to life That's Joe Maroni from Chicago "a killer!" He was excited now. The New York mob wanted no mart of liS
 called the once Fifteen minutes later I again signaled Watson. Again he hurried to my side. I pointed to the street. There we saw not a dozen, but more than @ score of men hurry- ing of. Some were shaking their fists at their pursuers, but all were in full flight =.
 Victor laughed And laugh- ed, to. for knew that henceforttl none of us need fear harm. l knew that 1t would be to the life-and. death interest of the Chicago boyi to keep us from getting hurt. for il anyone took c pot-shot ct us tht mob would automatically become liable to thet rap.
 My device had been simple. ] had merely substituted cameras for guns. opposed guns with cam eras. 1 had, ln Watsons name ordered every cameraman in thl loface to the street.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
In Today's Mail

from war, such as might accidentally happen to any nation. She contin- ued to enjoy it for more than 70 years, and subsisted in the midst of six nations, without so much as militia for her defense. The Qua- kers became armed without arms;
 they became strong, though with out strength; they became safe, without the ordinary means of safe- ty. The constable's staff was the only instrument of authority amongst them for the greater part of hundred years, ana never dur ing the administration of William Penn, or that of his proper success sors, was there a quarrel or a war!
 A nation living without arms among nations of warriors. Who would attack a people such as this? There are few men so abandoned as not to respect such confidence. And when was the security of Pennsyl- vania neglected, and its peace de-. stroyed? When the men who had directed its counsels, and who would not engage in war, were outvoted in
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

its legislature: when they who hao maintained that there was a greater security in the sword than in Christ ianity, became the predominating body. Such is the evidence, derived from a national example, Of the consequence of a pursuit or the Christian policy in relation to war. So the society of friends was stead: fast to their principles. They hveo in security and peace without either arms for attack or defense. The habitation, which, to his armed neighbor, was the scene Of murder and of the scalping knife, was to tho unarmed Quaker place Of safety and peace. The only sect in the worlds history who obeyed the mandate, "Have peace one with ari' .other!" and to this day have proven what Christianity can accomplish "Thou shalt not kill;" to the Quae ker means just that, and he lives up
 to it.-IRON QUILL.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

We hope that there won't be any at tempt now to rip up the old trolley rails in Waterbury streets until the fall. More cars are driven at this time of the year than any other It would be mistake to tie up a lot of central streets, although they do demand attention in places, at the height of summer traffic. What Wat erbury might do, though, is to concen- trate on improving it's avenue of approach so that the Worlds Fair visitors who get up into the Naugatuck Valley will like their impressions of the town entering and leaving it.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
PENN. QUAKERS ARE LIVING EXAMPLES OF PEACE-LOvING
 PEOPLES
Editor of The Democrat:

Editor of The Democrat:
 In the beginning of the last cen- tury is was the custom of European nations who had already established the pactice of seeking colonies in the new world, to force footing, and to maintain 1t with the sword. One of the first objects was to build 8 fort and to provide military bodies to defend the invaders from attack by the Indians. So the adventurers became soldiers, and the colony garrison. Pennsylvania, however, was colonized by men who believed that war was absolutely incompat- ible with Christianity. and who therefore, resovled not to practice 1t. Having determined not to fight, they maintained no soldiers and possessed no arms. They planted themselves in a country that was surrounded by savages, and by savages who knew they wee unarmed. If easmess of conquest. or incapability of de- fense, could subject them to out rages, the Pennsylvaniaians might have been the very sport of violence. Plunderers might have robbed them without retaliation, and armies might have slaughtered them with out resistance. If they did not give temptation to outrage, no tempta- ton could be given. But these were the people who possessed their coun- try in security, while those around them were trembling for their exist ence. This was a land of peace. while every other was land of war. The conclusion is inevitable. although it is extraordinary: they were in no need of arms, because they would not use them.
 The Indians were sufficiently ready to commit ourrages upon oth- CT states, and often visited them with desolation and slaughter which might be expected from mer whom civilization had not reclaimed from cruelty, and whom religion hac not awed into forebearancc. But whatever the quarrels of the Penn ylvania Indians were with others they uniformly respected and hels as 1t were sacred, the territories O William Penn.
 The Pennsylvania colonists reve, lost man, woman or child by thu Indians: which neither colony oi Maryland, nor that of Virginia ccult say. no more than the great colony of New England.
 The security and quiet Of Pennsyi- lvania uss nnt c transient freedonl
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

They say that one swallow doesn't make spring, but certainly the first cir GUS means that summer is here. And sure enough next week finds the first of the wandering tent-shows playing Water bury. The season is definitely pointing to- wards white dresses, ice-cream pants and graduations. Just the mention of a circus arouses the memory of the day when you first pushed timidly into scene of what first seemed confusion, then resolved into beautiful colors and animation, plus lots of pungent odors.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

shire presidential aspirant, the other day put on an interesting exhibition of his senatorial pre- negatives.
 One of the. oldest and strictest rules of the senate is the injunc- ton against gallery visitors lean- ing with their arms on the wide balustrade overhanging the cham Der. Escorting two women to seats in the front row of one of the galleries, Bridges pumped his hefty arms on the baluStrade and began pointing out various cool leagues.
 A guard promptly dashed down the steps and asked him to re- move his arms.
 'T'm Senator Bridges" was the naughty reply.
 Abashed, the guard reported to superior, who returned with him. Bridges still had his arms on the balustrade and was still pointing out senators. But the older guard made no move to admonish him.
 That's Bridges, all right" he remarked, 'T guess we'd bet ter let 1t go. He's senator and if he wants to break the rules who are we to stop him?'
 NOTE-The two COP congress men from New Hampshire have joined a Bridges-for-President club launched in the state, but senator Charles w. Tobey, Bridges freshman colleague, has made no move to sign up.
 BYRD'S BOOK
 Senator Harry F. Byrd doesn't know 1t, but he is directly respon-
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

sible for a pro-New Deal book being published in New York.
 Inspiration for the book was a rip-snorting speech in which the Virginia senator assailed Roose- velt's spending policies, and which was read by Mrs. Rodelle Sawyers. 25-year old wife of a CCC typist and mother of two children.
 She sat down and wrote Byrd a 2O-page letter answering his charges and denouncing him as a "Tory". Through pure luck, she also sent copy of the let ter to Reserve Board Chairman Mariner Eccles, because he had been engaged in running scrap with Byrd over spending.
 Eccles was so impressed with Mrs. Sawyer's vigorous style and logic thatt he letter was sent to the publishing house, which promptly engaged Mrs. Sawyer to write a book giving the house. wife's slant on the New Deal. OFF-THE-RECORD SNACK
 In the House of Representatives the other day, husky Congress- man L. L. Marshall of Ohio was sitting alone on the Republican side listening to the debate. In walked Congresswoman Jessie Sumner of Illinois.
 Sliding into a seat next to Mar shall, she silly passed him a bag of salted peanuts and like school children afraid of teachers detec- ton, they munched covertly with their eyes fixed on the speaker.
 Copyright, 1899, by United
 Feature Syndicate, Incl
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
Questions
 and Answers
By RRRDERICK aL HEREBY

" Ss~a@eS~a~se- -
 Enclose a three.ceut stamp for rcply when addressing any ques. tiOn OR fact or information Co the Waterbury Democratic Service Blu. reau at Washington. Legal and medical advice cannot be given, nor can extended research be un. dertaken. Be sure all mail is ad- dressed to the WATERBURY DEMOCRATS SERVICE BD- REAU. lOl? Thirteenth Street. Washington, D. c.
 O. What is name of the official organ of the German = American. Bund?
 A. "Deutscher Weckruf und Beo- bachter," published in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadel- phia, and owned by the A. V. Pub fishing Corp. of Which Fritz Kuhn is president.
 o. Please describe the state lag of South Carolina.
 A. Blue with a white palmetto in the center and 8 white crescent in the upper left hand corner.
 o. I am a teacher in rural school composed of many different nationalities. How can I use the program Americans All; Immi-
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

1. What Is the name for the earliest inhabitants of a country?
 ?. Does gravity affect articles m a vacuum?
 3, Into what body of water does the Ganges river empty? AIS a child born in the D. 5. oi alien parents an American citizen?
 s. Name the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Commit tee.
 6. What famous address contains the words: Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth?"
 T. What is the correct pronuncia- ton of the word demonstrative?
 8. What is the name for the cavity at the mouth of volcano?
 g. How many square rods are Ill an acre?
 10. What is the nickname TOT South Dakota?
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
Selected Poem
THE DRUG STORE

Crane in the New York Times) Lulled by snow-brimmed sundae, Musing, I watch the scene; There. at the end of the onyx, Ruth, as she stopped to glean. Near her, arrayed in spices,
 Still as the soul of awe, Loiters the Queen of Egypt
 Clutching 8 paper straw. Showing above the counter,
 Wearing a dwarf's disguise, Thanking the gods for highchair-- Some one with Aesop's eye.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16
Daily Almanac

Moon rises 2:6s a. m. daylight time).
 Sun rises b:34 a. in.: sets 8:03 p. m. (day- light time).
 All vehicles must be lighted thirty minutes after sunset.
 It's hard to get the smell of the good earth out of ones memory. There is a certain quality about it that brings it back every time c ciod of dirt is turned Dycr. Warm. rich, nourishing, what would we do without il7
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

sally, they al- ways list Joe E. Le wis som e. where near the top. Joe is at h ome in the rough-and-tum- ble give and take of the floor and, at the moment, he is wowing them on the shore oppo- site Manhattan.
 But the most
 amazing part of Lewis story is
The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

the undeniable tocJ Lnat nlS SeilSe of humor proved almost literally killinq--and Lewis is the boy It al- most literally killed. Back m the Chicago of the Terrible Twenties, when night clubs flourished under the benign supervision of citizens now summering in Alcatraz, LeWis got a job as funny man at the Green Hill Club.
 The Green Hill was run by a dapper. smooth faced fellow nam- ed Vincent Gebardi. Lewis found out later-much later-that the late MT. Gebardi was known more familiarly as Machine Gun, Mo- Gurn and had the dubious honor of being called the most desper- ate, learned trigger-man in a town which offered plenty of competi- tion.
 CAN'T
 QUIT
 It really made no difference nearly all the night clubs were run by shady characters in those halcyon Prohibition days. The mistake Lewis made was not In going to work at the Green Hill- but in trying to leave.
 Beginning at $100 a week, Lew is was pulling down ten times that sum in the course of year. He was drawing capacity crowds every night from a neighboring club called The Rendezvous.
 John Fogarthy, the owner of the Rendezvous, tried to stem the tide. He offered Lewis a job at the Rendezvous at an even higher salary that he was getting. Lewis VOWS he was only going to tell McGurn of the offer with the ob- ject of getting a raise-but the Machine Gun" never let him get that far. He told him flatly that he would never open at the Rem dezvous. And there Lewis made his greatest mistake. He blew up and handed in his notice, effective at the end of that week. CAREERS
 ECLIPSE
 For a week before his scheduled debut at the rival club, Lewis was called on the phone every day and told quietly that he never would live to open at the Rendez. vous. He was assigned a beefy bodyguard by Fogarty and warn- ed never to stir without that bur. ly shadow in his wake. It daWned on him by this time that even if he made a fortune, he would never find the time to enjoy 1t.
 The night of the opening was a narrowing one. Plainclothesn1en were sprinkled erously throughout the house, but Lewis kept thinking what wonderful target his white shirtfront would make in the spotlight.
 Nothing happened.
 A week later, when he thought the worst was over, he answered a knock at his hotel room door. Three of McGurn's boys walked in. Lewis is convinced that if he had not had his pyjamas on, he would have been walked out of the hotel at pistol point and taken for the inevitable ride" AS 1t was, they decided to kill him then and there. Struggling vainly to avoid a knife thrust at his throat. Lewis went down under a blow from a gun butt. The blade of the knife missed his jugular, but pierced his cheek and severed his tongue. He was left for dead.
 When the manager and a police man discovered him, he couldn't utter a word--not a sound. For three months he lay, unable to speak, to write or even to move It took him even longer to re- cover. He had to learn to talk all over again as a child does-he whose livelihood depended upon a lively wit and amusing speech.