davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Hatch Bill Opposition

As the Senate prepares to start de-
bate on the new Hatch bill, extending
to thousands of State employees and
District personnel the ban already
placed on political activity by Fed
eral workers, advance indications are
that the measure will encounter
opposition, the extent of which has
not been fully revealed. But unless
the opponents present more con-
vincing arguments than have been
raised thus far, the Senate should
not hesitate to take this additional
step to erect a barrier between
public service and political cam
paigns.
The Hatch bill will not do the Job
completely, because 1t applies only to
administrative employees Of State
paid partly from Federal aid funds,
but every important reform In gov
ernment must be won step at a
time. II each step is deferred to
await one all-inclusive Jump, the
goal will never be reached.
A bill which says merely that Uncle
Sam will not give Federal money
to State to be paid to employees who
roll up their sleeves and get into the
thick of an election flght cannot be
condemned as an invasion of State
rights. It is nothing more than a
condition the Government may
properly attach to the money it dis
tributes, especially since 1t has al
ready applied the same rule to its
own employees.
There have been reports that an
effort may be made to attach the
anti-lynching bill to the Hatch
Evening star., 1940-03-04

measure. Both ars praiseworthy
pieces Of legislation, but tying them
together would serve no other pur-
pose than to scuttle the Hatch bill
without advancing the cause Of the
anti-lynchii1g bill, and It liz to be
hoped this parliamentary maneuver
will not be resorted to.
The anti-lynching bill Is entitled
to consideration and should be taken
up on It's merits. But the Hatch bill
is equally entitled to be submitted to
a vote on its merits. and should be
passed In time to be effective In the
approaching national election cam
paign.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Criticizes Zoning Appeal
To Mrs. Roosevelt.

To the Editor Of The Star:
The Sunday issue Of The Star pub
fishes an article entitled Mrs. Roose-
velt's Aid Asked to Block Department
Store"
For seven long years we have read of
the desire Of President Roosevelt to aid
the unemployed. Surely the establish
ment of a new department store would
furnish employment to many persons.
When was Mrs. Roosevelt appointed
as member of the Zoning Commission7
Why should she exert more influence
with that body than the wishes Of any
individual voteless citizen OF the District
of Columbia? The establishment of q
department store in any section of the
city should depend upon the wishes of
the residents Of the particular section tn
which. the store is to be located
A HOOsIER DEMOCRAT.
=, February as.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Queryinq japan

AHe american request TO TOXIC Tor
information on Japan's intentions in
regard to submission to this Gov
ernment of report on administra-
ton of the inundated Pacific islands
Is more than merely formal
inquiry; it evidences the deep-seated
American interest-based on exigen-
cies of national defense-in what
Japan is doing with the territories
awarded to her after the first World
War.
Three groups of islands-the Car
olines, Marianas and Marshalls-
which Japan holds in trust for the
League of Nations bear direct rela-
tionship to the question of whether
this country should fortify Guam
and take other steps that will secure
the United States position in the
Western Pacific. They not only flank
Guam, but lie on both sides OF Amer
ican communication lines to the
Philippines and other parts of the
Far East.
These Northern Pacific islands
which formerly were Germanys
were allocated to Japan in a secret
treaty with Great Britain on Febru-
ary l6, 1917. Japan's part of the deal
was to dispatch naval forces to the
Mediterranean to assist the allies
there in conveying ships and block
aiding the Dardanelles and the Ad-
riatic. Britain, France and Italy
stood by the promises to Japan at the
peace conference, and the islands
were inundated to the Toxic govern
ment on December II, 1920.
One of the conditions of the man.
date was the obligation to report
annually to the League Mandates
Commission on the administration
OF the islands, and by treaty in
1922 Japan undertook to furnish to
the United States a copy Of that
report. In 1888 Japan Withdrew
from the League. but has continued
to report to the League on the ad-
ministration Of the islands, although
the report for 1887 was made only
last year. There has been, as yet,
no report for 1898 or 1899.
Japan has been extremely reticent
about what goes on in the islands.
She has reported to the League some
improvements In harbor facilities,
but has refused to discuss the COM
mon reports of fortif1cation, In which
the American Government is partic-
ularly interested. Travel by foreign
ers to the islands is virtually pro-
hibited, and the exact nature Of the
military and naval work being
carried on remains conjectural.
The answer to the American in
quiry will determine whether Japan
plans to respect her treaty obliga-
tions of reporting to the League and
to the United States on her admin
istration of the islands, or whether
another issue is to be added to the
already imposing list of disputes
between the two governments.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the Urtter although the use OF
a pseudonym for publication is
permissible. Please be brief!

were alike representatives of organized
Federal employees. 1t does not appear
that any other class was present.
BY all means let the unwisdom of those
opposing the small increase in salary
deduction be demonstrated; but it is one
thing to correct mistake in the course
of vessel and quite another to advise
the vessels destruction or abandonment.
1t is scarcely too much to say that the
present civil service retirement system
Is the child of union activity, and this
without detracting in the smallest re-
spect from the splendid records OF an
imposing array of Senators and Repre-
sentatives, every one of whom has at
one time or another admitted his obliga-
ton to organizations Of Federal workers
called UNIONS"
GEORGE A. WARREN.
February 20.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Nations vs.. individuals

It Is customary to personify ma
tions as observation-disclosures the ex-
istence Of such quaint characters as
Uncle Sam, John Bull and others.
The practice comes in handy for
terse writing and is a boon to car
toonists, but it must not be forgotten
that 1t is a mere fiction, and in many
respects not a particularly accurate
one. Nations and individuals are
separate entities, each having it's
own advantages and disadvantages
not shared with the other. It Is
hard to say which has the better of
1t in Europe.
In matters of finance nations
would seem to get the call. If they
happen to run short of money they
can always get it by taxes, the sale
of bonds, kidding some other nation
out Of it, or just outright grabbing.
The poor benighted individual must
work for it or do without or even
both, being careful not to make the
fatal mistake of employing tactics
similar to those of governments.
When this is done it is called obtain
ing money under false pretenses, or
banditry, as the case may be, and
the practitioner is apt to find him.
self behind the eight ball with little
chance to earn anything except time
off for good behavior.
On the other hand, many nation
wanting to buy such items as coal,
oil, or cotton Is up against 1t, due to
the fact that 1t Is unethical to use
cash except as last desperate
gesture. This makes the purchase
OF commodities q fearfully complex
matter, involving the use OF trick
currencies, reciprocal trade agree
ments, and the like. II unable to
export In return a SUFFICIENT number
Of machine guns or poison gas, the
whole deal will mop. In this matter
the individual is better OF; he can
take his two dollars up to the counter
and buy what he pleases without
consulting parliament, and II he hap
pens to spend it on q winning mutuel
ticket. will get paid OF in real cash
long before either he or the horse
have died Of old age.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Youth Council Leader
Answers Criticism.

To the Editor of The Star:
May comment on the rather amusing
letter OF Mrs. Pearson G. Conlyn which
appeared in The Star of February 18?
Mrs. Conlyn asks If my comment to
the National Assembly of the American
Youth Congress to the effect that if the
District had vote there would be a
greater likelihood Of our having a mu-
nicipal auditorium of sufficient size to
care for at least medium size conventions
means that the American Youth Con-
gress and the Washington Youth Coun-
Gil are merely interested in suffrage from
a selfish point of view.
Mrs. Conlyn has, fear, overstepped
the bounds imposed by President Roose-
velt when he admonished youth not to
speak if it didn't know all about the
subject. The reason I say this is that
the record is clear why the American
Youth Congress supports suffrage for
Washington. America cannot be a de-
mocracy while 100000 persons are de-
MED the fundamental instrument Of
democracy. The Washington Youth
Council. for which speak, has always
made its position on suffrage and other
local problems clear.
We want suffrage because we think
that responsible city government will
govern the city better-and if it does
not it will be the citizens own fault.
We want suffrage because we want a
chance to play our role as full-fedged
citizens in democracy-and we can't
do that while the ballot box is chained
against us. We want suffrage because
we want to do more than we can now
to improve the economic position of
Washington, to clean up the slums, to
provide better recreational facilities, to
grow stronger children-in. short, we
want suffrage so we can help build q
better Washington for young and old.
Too often the practical, solid pro-
grams and activities Of the American
Youth Congress and the Washington
Youth Council-an independent fedora
ton Of youth groups which co-operates,
however, with youth all over the Nation
through the American Youth Congress
become submerged to more news
worthy" items Of charge and conjecture
by those who would hold back progress.
HOWARD ENNES,
Chairman, Washington Youth Council.
February as.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Expediency in Palestine

British imperial exigencies once
again appear to be working hardship
on the Jews In Palestine. In order
still further to propitiate Arab senti-
ment in the Holy Land and adjacent
Moslem territories, Colonial Secre-
tary Macdonald announces drastic
new land-sale restrictions, which the
Zionist organization criticizes not
only as a violation of the British
covenant to establish a Jewish ma
tional home, but as delivering almost
death blow to that project.
Following upon the white paper
policy of partition and segregation,
whereby not only the Jewish sector
Of the country would be greatly re-
duced in dimensions, but the Zionist
community sentenced to perpetual
minority status, Britain's latest ma
neuver evokes protests from the Jews
already in Palestine and their millions
of co-religionists and supporters
throughout the world, especially in
the United States. It also incurs the
indignation OF powerful political
groups in Great Britain. That will
be made manifest when the Labor
opposition next Wednesday seeks a
House Of Commons vote of censure
against the government. The pro-
posed regulations, which would pre-
vent further transfer OF Palestinian
land from Arab to Jewish ownership,
are roundly denounced by the Labor
party as Inconsistent with the
terms of Britain's League of Nations
mandate, promulgated without
League authority and discriminating
unjustly against a single section OF
the inhabitants Of Palestine"
The suddenness of Britain's action
suggests there may be deeper seated
reasons for it than so far disclosed.
Since outbreak OF the European war
Arab-Jewish friction has virtually
ceased, under q truce arranged in
order that both groups might do
their utmost for tho British cause.
Thousands Of Palestinian Jews,
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Reviews History
OF Civil Service Retirement,
70 the Editor Of The q,

10 the EDITOR OF Inc Star:
In The Star Of February 29 a writer,
signing his contribution Common
Sense" after deploring the action of
certain organizations of Federal en-
ployes in opposing an increase in the
salary deduction for retirement purposes
from 81 per cent to ~ per cent, as ad-
vocated by Congressman Ramspeck.
concludes as follows:
1T is hoped that Congress will dis
regard suggestions made by employe
unions in the future and give the Gov
ernment and its employees the benefit Of
the hberalized retirement law sponsored
by Representative Ramspeck"
To many thousands of Federal en-
ployes the opposition of these dissenting
organizations to an increase of only /
per cent in the rate Of salary deduction
is q matter of profound regret; but this
should not cause us to condemn, much
less discard, the agency mainly respon-
sible for the creation of the Federal re-
tirement system, its liberalization from
time to time, and upon which, judging
from the past, the future largely de-
pends.
Civil service retirement was a very
puny child until sponsored and sup
ported by organizations of Government
workers-"employe unions" If you pre-
fer. Its effectiveness dates from the
enactment of the La Toilette amendment
to the Postal Appropriation Act of Au-
gust "a, 1912, permitting Federal en-
ployes to petition Congress directly,
without requiring the permission of off,
cials under whom they served. The
amendment is said to have been drafted
by Mr.. Frank Morrison, then secretary
of the American Federation of Labor.
and introduced at his request.
Realizing that the efforts of indi-
viduals as such would be of little avail,
numerous organizations Of Federal em-
ployes sprang up, and these soon formed
federation with the title "Joint Con-
ference on Retirement" The delegates
from the organizations so affiliating
were, almost without exception, members
of organized labor, and at the annual
convention of the American Federation
of Labor held In Buffalo, N. Y, in 1917,
prevailed upon that organization to in
clude in Its program advocacy of civil
service retirement system. From that
day to this the American Federation Of
Labor has supported the civil service re-
tirement movement.
Just as Congress looks to medical as
sociations to learn the needs Of the pub
lie regarding medicine In its Federal
aspects to bar associations IN matters Of
legal procedure and engineer societies
when the question is one Of engineering.
1t looks to organizations OF Federal em-
ployes In such matters as Federal re-
tirement law. At the very meeting
/, where the action complained Of by
Common Sense" was taken. those not
opposing the increase In deduction were
members Of organizations Of Federal
employees, Just - were those who did
oppose 1t. The advocates and opponents
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Spanish War Volunteers
Shun Fighting in Finland.

To the Editor Of The Star
In recent news items from Finland In
your paper there have been several ref.
erences made to the international
brigades" fighting with the Manner
helm forces. In order to avoid confusing
the public mind between the progressive
ideals for which the international
brigades IN Spain fought. and the reac-
tionary, anti-working class policies which
the volunteers" with Mannerheim are
hghting for. we wish to publicly dis
sociate ourselves. and emphatically so,
from the so-called international brieades
in Finland EDWARD YOUNG
Secretary. Washington Post, Veterans
Of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.
February 20.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Letters to the Editor
Says Convictions Are
What People Expect.
To the Editor Of The Star:

I see the police are to stamp out crime
in the District of Columbia again. An
other murder has been committed
Have any murders been avenged dur
ing the last 5-yes 10-years through
prosecution and conviction?
Crime cannot be stopped. But a rea-
sonable percentage Of. convictions Is
expected. D. D.
February 81.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Seventh Anniversary

Seven years ago today President
Roosevelt took the oath of Office
prescribed by the Constitution, and
the New Deal began. The anniver-
sary would seem to provide oppor-
tunity for appraisal of his work and
of the reforms for which he has been
the principal sponsor; but it may he
wondered If the time really is ripe
for impartial judgment. Fair-minded
historians realize that the plus and
the minus values Of the changes of
the recent past are not yet altogether
clear. Some of the liberal legislation
passed since March 4, 1888, was
frankly experimental in character.
Much of it was designed for emer-
gency application only. The same
observation may be offered with re-
gard to certain executive policies. 1t
follows that the permanent effect of
these expedients may be inconse-
quential. They were meant for tenn
porary purposes and will be aban-
doned when conditions again are
normal.
On the other hand it is plain that
many of the New Deal innovations
definitely have become part of the
pattern of American life. A few of
Mr. Roosevelt's more ardent and dog
matte apologists-Paul v. McNutt in
the American Mercury, for example
believe that the Republican party,
If it were restored to power, would
wreck the Wagner Act, Social
Security, the Civilian Conserva-
ton Corps, the National Youth
Administration, the Securities and
Exchange Commission, ETC., but there
is no indication of any such reaction.
Instead, the program submitted by
DR.. Glenn Frank and his committee
is liberal enough to satisfy any rea-
sonable doubter.
The Presidents major achievement,
then, is to be discovered in the trend
of thought into which he has led his
countrymen. 1t justly may be claimed
for him that he has created new
social psychology in the United
States. True, there has been re-
sistance. 1t was inevitable that he
should have critics. Also, it was
patent from the start that he would
make mistakes-and defend them.
The costs of his reforms admittedly
have been prodigious, and recovery
has not been result of his spending
proclivities. Millions of workers are
workless, business still Is staggering
from the punishment 1t received dur
ing the depression and under the
New Deals campaign of correction,
taxes are heavily hurdensome, class
strife persists, and one third Of the
populatic, remains in distress.
But neither Mr.. Roosevelt's par
tisans nor their opposition have cause
to despair. Next November the voters
may halt the further progress of the
New Deal If so, what has been &C
complished constructively will sur
vive. The Presidents place among
the great leaders of the people is
secure. He need not seek a third
term in order to protect his fame
and his influence. So long as he
lives and indeed when at last he has
finished his pilgrimage through this
troubled earth he will have power
over the minds and the hearts of
Americans who, reserving always
the right to dissent, usually give
generous credit where 1t is due.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Wants All Nations TO Send
Spare Planes to Finland.

70 the Editor of The Star
Ten thousand planes for the Finnsl
Why may not the liberty Lowing ma
tions Of the world send Finland ali she
needs? They have the planes, and most
are not In Use. Can the nations which
value their own freedom afford to slow
Russia to over-run Finland. where it
may be that liberty Is making It's last
stand? Is mans irhumanity to man"
now becoming more Of . reality In our
world than ever before?
A. B. CANADAY,
Crescent City, Fla.
February a.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
The National Zoo

AWO leIIeTS TO Cne eQlIof OF Tne
Star recently have contained va
riety Of views regarding the cost Of
running the National Geological Park
and the value received from the in
vestment.
The Star disagrees with those who
doubt the worth Of the National
Geological Park. It concurs heartily
with those who regard the Zoo as a
public institution peculiarly rich in
cultural and recreational values. The
more than twenty-e eight hundred
animals exhibited within its one hum
dred and seventy-flve acres of rolling
park land are seen annually by nearly
three million persons from all forty
eight States and United States pos
sessions and from sundry foreign ma
tions. And this very widespread in
terest in the local Zoo prompts The
Star again to call attention to an
important fact which neither of the
recent letter. writer's mentioned-that
although the National Geological
Park is, as it's name implies, ZOO for
all the United States, the bill for
operating 1t Is sent to the District
government.
At the outset of it's career the Zoo,
as branch of the Smithsonian In
stitution; was Federal rather than
a local municipal charge-except, of
course, insofar as local taxpayers
contributed to 1t through national
taxes. With the purchase of park
grounds for the Zoo. the principle of
dividing the maintenance costs be-
tween the Federal Government and
the District on fifty fifty basis was
adopted. But after the adoption OF
the lump sum principle the national
participation in Zoo expenses went
down as local participation went
up, and since that time most of the
burden of operating the Zoo has
been borne by the people of the
District OF Columbia. The budget
for 1910 was slightly in excess Of two
hundred and thirty-seven thousand
dollars.
How unjust it is to saddle this
burden on the District may be
cleaned from these facts, cited by
DR.. William M. Mann, director of the
Zoo, In testifying on the 1910 appro-
priation bill: /. OF the more than
seventy thousand children from one
thousand and three hundred schools
in twenty-three States and the Dis
trict who visited the Zoo in 1898,
nearly four-fifths were from outside
the District; 2, half of the more than
thirty-one thousand automobiles and
buses which visited the park that
year were from out of the city. with
license plates from all of the States
OF the Union and several foreign
countries; 8. scientists from many
parts of the Nation avail themselves
of the facilities of the Zoo for study
ing natural history; 4. the Zoo re-
ceives letters from all over the world
from persons who consider it the Ma
tional Zoo of the United States.
Summing up, DR.. Mann declared:
1--WE are national institution, al
though we are placed In the District
bill" Any fair minded person who
ponders the foregoing data will agree
with DR.. Mann that the National
Geological Park belongs to the Ma
tion-not to the people of the District
Of Columbia. To impose upon local
residents the bulk of the costs of
running this highly desirable and
useful, but somewhat expensive ma
tional institution, is clearly discrim-
inatory and unfair.
Evening star., 1940-03-04
Member Of the Associated Press

=. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
the use for republication Of ell news DISPATCHES
credited to It or not otherwise credited in this
paper and also the local news published herein.
Al rights OF publication Of special dispatches
Evening star., 1940-03-04

February 81.