davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-06-25
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. TroceDell.

singing at their back doors all night, or
If they do are not particularly interested
In this bird, which, to my mind, is one
Of the most interesting of all birds.
very truly, j. DE w."
X xx
Mockingbirds are born with a certain
number of songs, but during their first
few years they pick up great many
more, mainly their own Interpretation of
the songs of other birds.
This means that the mocker is a real
musician.
Washington is fortunate in being just
on the border of the South, so that few
specimens stay here with us all winter.
Perhaps no bird has been written
about more. than the hnockingbird. This
column has printed an unending sue
cession of letters, of which the present
sample is one, dealing with this bird.
~
The mockingbird can only learn other
. songs where he is during the singing
season, so that If he stays here all win
ter, and chooses to nest here, his reper-
toire consists of songs he has heard here
abouts.
If the specimen in a local garden in
the summer has just flown up from the
South, it may have many songs of birds
peculiar to that region.
Usually the male remains here, the
female not being seen until spring.
Every mockingbirds repertoire consists
OF all the songs it has ever heard, at least
those which somehow made an impress
sion on it.
Nobody knows just why it tries to imi-
tate some one bird, does not try to imi-
tate the song of another, but no doubt
this depends upon its range of notes,
and whether it finds the. imitation easy
or difficult.
There can be little question that we
often hear the mocker learning some
new song, but we do not realize this
since this fellow is always making
sounds, as our correspondent notes.
They like to sing on moonlight nights
Although they are the most persistent
night singers in this vicinity, they are
not the only ones. Sometimes deep in
the night robin will "cut loose" with
few strains. Sometimes the song SPAR
rows chime up long before the magic
hour of dawn. These singings, however,
are merely in phrases; the bird i'm
mediately goes back to sleep.
Not so the mockingbird When he is
going good, he keeps it up for hours at
time, as If possessed
He Is able to get along with less sleep
than most birds. evidently. There is no
reason, after all, why birds need sleep
from dusk to dawn, except that it is the
custom.
The moclIingbird, as one would expect
of him, is a pioneer, trying to lead tire
other birds away from their stuffy old
ideas of sleeping according to the ways
of the centuries.
Wake up!" he chortles. BE modern!
Don't you know that we are tearing down
all the old standards and setting up new
ones? Get going!"
Evening star., 1940-06-25
Blames American Delay
For Allies Defeats.

To the Editor of The Star:
If our Nation is forced into a war to
defend our soil, the blame for it will lie
squarely at the door of the isolationists
and the pacihsts. From the first, any
one with vision could see-and many did
that their course would get us into war,
instead of keeping us out of it. The
way to keep out was to help the Allies
win. They were perfectly willing to do
all the fighting. We had only to sell
them sufficient planes and munitions for
which they were ready to pay. We we're
not expected to shed a drop of blood.
1t would have been easy for us.
But the isolationists would not have it
so. Congress wrangled and dawdled
about help for the Allies Gas for Finland)
till too late.
So the Allies had to fight, half armed,
an enemy armed to the teeth.
Today, gallant France is beaten to her
knees. And Britain is facing destruction.
Possibly, now that she has a man for
Premier, instead of mouse, she may
survive. But the odds are terrific.
We could have prevented this and pro-
tected ourselves at the same time.
The Allies victorious, we could have
Kept on our easy going, vulnerable way,
with nobody to attack us. But the Allies
defeated! Even the isolationists now are
beginning to see-too late-that when
Hitler gets through mopping up Europe,
he will come over after us. Hence this
frenzied defense program, which bids
fair to bankrupt us, but which, due to
the blindness of the pacifists, has be-
come urgently necessary.
am for peace. Every woman is. But
not at any price. There are some things
worse even than the horrors of modern
war.
I am not one of those who fear the
utter collapse OF all civilization in Hitler's
wake. That will never be. Such a man,
with absolutely no inhibitions, and no
honor to lose. can go far, for a time.
But an empire, founded on lies, treach-
cry, greed and hatred, cannot endure.
The Allies would have fought the bat
tie, If we had given them the weapons
they so desperately needed. But we
did not.
And so I fear now that finally our
Nation, as the last of the democracies.
may have to be the one to overthrow
that evil.
NELLA FoUNTA1NE BR1NcKLEY.
June 18.
Evening star., 1940-06-25

Dear Sir:
"I read your articles about birds each
day with the greatest interest and am
glad to say + have learned much by SO
doing
II live In the neighborhood of Soldiers
Home and for the first time I have
noticed what appears to be mocking-
bird and would appreciate any informa-
tion you may be able to give regarding
the habits of mockingbirds, as I know
next to nothing about them.
I'm fact, I am not sure that this bird
is mockingbird. 1t Is approximately
about the size of robin and when in
flight appears to have q whitish area or
spot in the wings.
HE perches on the top of an aerial,
the highest point in this vicinity, and
sings the whole time he is there. He will
frequently stay for a half or three
quarters of an hour, fly away and return
and repeat the performance.
"He sings different calls or songs, ap-
parently going through his whole list.
and then starts over and repeats.
What I would like to know is when
he sleeps, as I have heard him at all
hours of the night and most of the day.
have never seen his mate. am taking
it for granted that it is the male that
sings.
do mockingbirds initiate birds that
inhabit the section where they make
their home, or do they simply have GER
tain number of calls or songs regardless
Of the other birds in the neighborhoodp ?
II have heard this one going strong
at II pm, and again at 1:30 am, and
also as late as $3.50 a.m and evidently he
has been singing continuously all night.
His song is so loud and clear that sew
eral neighbors have complained that it
has kept them awake, as it sounds espe-
cially loud at or 3 in the morning.
Have you any data as to where they
stay in the winter, and If this bird Is
what we think he is do you think he and
his mate have nested here. and how long
do they usually remain in this climate?
ANY and all information you can give
me as to habits, ETC., of these birds will
be greatly appreciated
What am especially interested in Is
If and when they sleep. If they travel in
pairs. and most important, whether they
initiate the calls of birds of the same
section or if they are given these calls
by nature; in other words, do they start
out knowing all the calls they sing, or
do they learn others and add to their
list as they grow older, and will this bird
initiate calls of birds in Washington only
and if he were in Florida would he give
the calls of birds there, or would he use
the same in both places?
Il realize this letter is somewhat
rambling, but have tried to let you know
the points about this bird in which I
am most interested. I have been watch
ing your articles for some time, ever since
this bird showed up, for some informa-
ton as to their habits, but evidently per-
sons in Washington do not have them
Evening star., 1940-06-25
commodities to the needy through
out this hemisphere.

commodities to the needy through
out this hemisphere.
Government experts now are
drafting details of the -Ameri-
can trading project to be submitted
to our neighbor nations this week
and it is not likely that they will
overlook suggestions of the council
for total defense" There certainly
will be no lack of cooperation in the
main features of the program for
joint protective action b., all. the
Americas If the alternative dangers
outlined by Mr.. Berle and the coun-
cil's report are fully recognized.
German and Italian domination of
Europe will mean that unless the
Americas present united economic
front they will be exposed individu-
ally to the pressure trading" meth
ods of the totalitarian system, under
which "the weaker government is
virtually forced to give up its DO
litical independence" Mr.. Berle
warned: He recalled that normally
Europe takes more than half of
South Americas exports. This trade
has been disrupted by the war,
threatening economic disaster to the
Americas.
On the other hand, war-ravaged
Europe soon will be in desperate need
OF the goods which the Americas
have to sell. Hitler and Mussolini
undoubtedly would drive harsh bar
gains for those goods if they could
play one country against another.
Only the collective bargaining power
OF all the nations of this hemisphere
can meet them on terms of CONNER
clal equality, as the councils report
emphasized. 1t is to weld this power
into an effective unit that the United
States is asking the cooperation of
the twenty other American republics.
Evening star., 1940-06-25
Peace on the Continent?

II a curious reader in quest of
historic parallels should care to con-
suit the files of The Star for 1871. he
would discover in the editorial page
for January 27 of that year these
solemn words: France is PROSTATE
and can no longer continue the con-
test with any possible hope of success
The situation is full of diff
culties, and no one knows what the
future has in store for France and
for Europe"
Something similar, it is obvious,
might be written now. Once more
France has been forced to submit
to the superior strength of her ira
ditional enemy, aided on this occa-
sion, as it happens, by an ally to
whom a supplementary surrender
necessarily was made. Again, as
nearly seven decades ago, hard
terms are inflicted upon the French
people by their conquerors. The
requirements of the armistice are
rigorous, If not Intentionally humili-
ating. Marshal Petain and his asso-
ciates submitted to them because they
had no other choice. 1t therefore is
useless to discuss alternative pro-
cedures. The fact which looms above
all possible theories of explanation
is that of the thoroughness of the
defeat which France has suffered,
One reason for the failure in the
field was an admitted weakness on
the home front"-a weakness which
probably is characteristic of all DEM
ocratic communities. "The living
system" of the country had not been
bulwarked by sacrifice Anne O'Hare
Mccormick, writing in the New York
Times, summarizes the trouble in
this judgment: "They (the citizens
of the French republic) were licked
because they demanded of their
political representatives only per-
sonal benehts-a local bridge, a
subsidy for wheat, bigger pensions,
paid vacations, the forty-hour week;
they exerted pressure for social
security but none for the sole basis
of that security, the safety of
France"
But the people who at this hour
have bowed their heads in mourning
for the country they temporarily
have yielded are learning the bitter
lesson of their experience. They
know that their ancestors were
obliged to kneel to alien foes, only
to rise to new powers of resistance.
Comfort for their present sorrows
perhaps they may find in the final
passage of Guizot's chronicles, where
it is declared: France has not lost,
and will not lose, courage. She is
laboring; she is hoping; and
she reckons upon the day " when
liberty with order will forever crown
the long and painful efforts of her
most faithful servants of every name
and every period"
Meanwhile, peace of a sort has
been restored to Western Europe-a
breathing spell" of tranquility be-
fore the opening of the long awaited
attack upon Great Britain and the
beginning of the horrors which.
almost inevitably will characterize it.
Yesterdays order cease fire" has no
meaning for which the world can
rejoice. 1t signified merely the close
of chapter in the book of human.
ity's agony.
Evening star., 1940-06-25
Quotes Ancient Dramatist
In Behalf of Peace.
To the Editor of The st,

To the Editor of The Star:
The following lines, written by the
Greek poet, Aristophanes, seem especially
applicable to the present barbaric period
in which bloody belligerency has all but
supplanted rest and peace:
From the outcry and subtlety of hatreds
Give us rest
Fuse again the kindreds of nations,
With nobler purposes touch our souls"
EDMUND X. GoLDsBoRouGH.
June 23.
Evening star., 1940-06-25
Unacceptable to Hitler?

An Associated Press story in Sun
days Star quoted an unidentified
member of the Senate Naval Affairs
Committee to the effect that had
vote been taken in committee Satur-
day on the nomination of Colonel
Frank Knox to be Secretary of the
Navy, the vote would have been
eleven to five against confirmation.
The unofficial poll revealing that
sentiment was doubtless indicative
OF the curiously hysterical defeatism
which has swept many politicians off
their feet since the capitulation of
France. 1t is hardly indicative of the
final vote on the confirmation of the
Knox appointment, when the Sena-
tors cool off and begin to think
nationally about their responsible
ties.
The hysteria following Germany's
crushing defeat of France has been
marked, in the pre-convention antics
OF the Republican delegates at Phila-
delphia as we'll as in Congress. But
its effect on sentiment toward the
Stlmson and Knox appointments has
been the more noteworthy because it
is so wholly illogical.
Here is the Naval Affairs Commit
tee, for instance, whose members have
taken a prominent part in helping to
appropriate over five thousand mil
lion dollars for defense within a few
short weeks, thus indicating their
appreciation of the seriousness of
the emergency with which this coun-
try is faced. And here is the same
committee giving every evidence of
nervous prostration over the thought
that distinguished and able citizen,
whose views on foreign policy happen
to be In accord with the Presidents
and those Of majority of his coun-
trymen, may inject his country into
war.
The Naval Affairs Committee.
after going through its solemn ritual
of summoning Colonel Knox and
asking whether he believes in Inter
vention," whatever so unqualified a
term may mean, will doubtless vote
for his confirmation and the Senate
will follow suit. A hasty examination
of the record indicates that only six
times in our history have cabinet
nominations been turned down in
the Senate; the last case, Incl
dentally, being the second defeat of
President Coolidge's nomination. of
the late Charles Beecher Warren of
Michigan to be Attorney General.
Vice President Dawes, it may be re-
called, was too late to cast the vote
which would have confirmed the
nominee. The choice of his cabinet
Is a peculiarly personal privilege of
the President with which the Senate
seldom interferes.
Aside from that, however, and with
the exception of some Republicans
who may feel that party interests
compel them to rise above principle.
the vote in committees and on the
floor OF the Senate on the Knox and
Stimson nominations should be
heavily In favor of confirmation.
After the tragic spectacle in Europe
of the incredible incompetence of the
politicians in their loose gambling
with the destinies of their people, this
country is in no mood to tolerate more
pompous dilly- -dallying over the alb
surd question whether Messrs. Knox
and Stimson, on the basis of their
past utterances, will lead us into
war"
Evening star., 1940-06-25
Discusses Means
OF Resisting Hitler.


To the Editor Of The Star:
Do we believe that Hitler intends to
dominate the world? submit that we
cannot afford to believe otherwise. It
is the only safe presumption. II it proves
correct, and we arm to prevent 1t, then
we shall live on as free Nation. Armed
to defy it, though it proves false, we
will have gained the power to subdue
other gangsterlike nations whom We
and most of the world have ample cause
to challenge.
So let us make this safe presumption,
and let us assume that it is desirable,
even from selfish viewpoint, to pre-
vent such domination. Then, it seems
to me, there are two general courses of
action available to us. Neither of these
may attain success, but If one, upon
analysis, appears better than the other.
1t behooves us to adopt It Immediately.
One Of the two courses Is. to 60 "all
Evening star., 1940-06-25

AS far as Britain is concerned, this
period, even with its regular bomb
ings of her shores, would appear to
be the lull before the storm. The
less she lets this lull lull her, the
better for her.
Evening star., 1940-06-25

Now the Navy wants a river chan
mel deepened SO it can get the new
45,0O0-ton battleship out to sea.
This is slightly reminiscent of the
man who builds boat in his cellar
and has to knock out the end of the
house
Evening star., 1940-06-25

Out in Ontario, Calf, at an all
States picnic, they spread a table
two miles long for fifty thousand
guests. One good point about such
feast is that the guests were spared
a presiding officer and toastmaster.
Evening star., 1940-06-25

A census enumerator out in Wash
ington State had to swim an icy
stream to get statistics from a trap
per. Along about midsummer Wash
ingtonians will think of him with
positive envy.
Evening star., 1940-06-25
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the 1Uriter, although the use OF
q pseudonyn1 for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters Nth
q UtetO to condensation.
Evening star., 1940-06-25

=. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
the use for republication of all news dispatches
credited to It or not otherwise credited in this
paper and al the local news published herein.
All rights OF publication of special dispatches
herein also are reserved
Evening star., 1940-06-25
Member of the Associated Press.

Entered as second-class matter post once.
washington. d. c.
Evening star., 1940-06-25
The Evening Star Newspaper Company

Main ONCE: 18th St and Pennsylvania Ave.
New York ONCE: 110 East 42nd st.
Chicago once: 435 North Michigan Ave.
Evening star., 1940-06-25
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.

Collection made at the end OF each month or
each week. Orders may be sent by mail or tele-
phone National 5000.
The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-12-12

Mrs. John Walthers spent last
week at the Reuben Schmidt home
in Sank Centre.
Mrs. Albert Borchert spent be-
tween trains in Sank Centre We'd
nesday of last week.
Will Riley attended a County
Commissioners meeting in Glen
wood last week.
Supt. Peterson and Mrs. Pine
visited school Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. A. j. Phillips and
Billy Simpson visited at the Can
non home in Sedan Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alfred Walther
spent Saturday evening at Miller
Hansen's at Sank Centre.
Mr.. and Mrs. Jack Hines and
family visited on Saturday evening
with Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. Bodeker.
Mr.. and Mrs. Floyd Norton and
family were entertained at dinner
Sunday at the Emil Carlson home
near Fairy Lake in honor Of Gene-
We've Carlson's birthday.
Mrs. Alfred Pfeninger, June and
Bob, spent Monday with Mrs.
Pfeninger's aunt, Mrs. Tom Killeen,
at st. Cloud. Mrs. Killeen has been
i'll for some time.
Ed Cakes, Of near Sedan, il
spending this week at Bill Bode-
ker's.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ernest Sell, Mr..
and Mrs. Elmer Starry and family
and Mrs. J. e. Hamilton were sup
per guests at Homer Hamilton's
Sunday.
The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-12-12

Mr.. and Mrs. Walter Hurtle and
Barbara Jean were dinner guests
at the Alvin Goodenbour home
Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ed Thorson Doro-
thy Krueger), Of Belgrade, spent
Sunday at the home Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Paul Kruger.
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Abraham,
Waldo, Noreen and Jane, spent
Sunday in Alexandria where they
helepd Mr.. Abraham's mother cele-
brate her 80th birthday anniver-
sary.
Alfred Sundin, who was confined
to the Glenwood hospital several
days, is home and getting along as
well as can be expected.
Lorraine Beecher and Cora and
Clifford Bakko, who attend high
school in Glenwood, spent the
weekend at their homes.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ben Huisanga and
family visited at the Kraft-Biedle-
man home Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Vern Beecher and
Lorraine spent Saturday evening
at the Richard Abraham home.
Harold Riley assisted Arthur
Domke with butchering Friday.
The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-12-12
State Highway 3-4

Mrs. Eva kennedy and son,
Martin, were callers at the Alfred
Bosl and George Ruehman homes
Wednesday.
Martin Gross was business call
er at the Ole Halverson home
Thursday forenoon.
J. E. Key returned Saturday
from Wadena, Mimi, after spend
ing a week at the home of his SON.
in-law and daughter, Mr.. and Mrs.
Bruce Wilcox.
Mr.. and Mrs. Anton FEELING and
sons, Romie and Bonnie, were call
ers at the Ole Halverson home
Wednesday morning.
Oscar Holmberg was a business
caller at the Ole Halverson home
Wednesday afternoon.
Frank Kortan was caller at the
Martin Gross home Saturday af-
ternoon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ole Halverson call
ed at the Martin Gross home
Thursday afternoon.
Miss Lauietta Botz spent the
weekend at the home Of her par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. G. F. Botz.
Miss Pearl Hanson visited at the
home Of her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
o. L. Hanson Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bruce Wilcox and
sons, of Wadena, visited a week
ago Sunday with Mr.. and Mrs.
Martin Gross and family. J. E. Key
accompanied them back to Wadena
for q visit.
Chris Warren, Ruebin Eckberg
and Oscar Holmberg visited with
Mr.. and Mrs. Ole Halverson Mon
day afternoon.
Miss Teasel Kennedy, Of Month
cello, visited over the weekend with
her mother, Mrs. Eva Kennedy and
brothers.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ole Halverson and
Jackie Halverson visited with Mr..
and Mrs. o. l.. Hansen and family
Thursday afternoon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Anton Telling and
son, Bonnie, and daughter, Virgin
la, were st. Cloud shoppers We'd
nesday afternoon.
Mrs. Martin Gross was a caller at
the Ole Haiverson home Saturday
afternoon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ray Walker were
st. Cloud callers Thursday.
Mr.. and Mrs. o. l.. Hanson and
daughters, Margaret and Dorothy,
Martin Gross ana son, Genie, and
Martin Kennedy called Friday af-
ternoon at the Ole Halverson home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bill Sieben were
Sunday afternoon visitors and sup
per guests of Mr.. and Mrs. c. f.
Botz.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ray Walker visited
Sunday afternoon with Mrs. George
Grundman and daughter, Dola.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Sukke and
sons, Norman and Leroy, and
daughter, Dona Mae, were Sunday
dinner guests and spent the after
The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-12-12
West Union

Mr.. and Mrs. Louis Macy and
children visited the formers par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. John Macy, in
the vicinity of Little Falls Sunday
Miss Veronica Schlicht, of Osakis
spent Sunday visiting home folks
Mrs. Andrew Radermacher enter
tanned the 500 club, Wednesday
afternoon, Mrs. AL Kleinfehn, of st.
Cloud, was an out of town guest.
There were 33 who went to the
polls on Tuesday, Dec. Bird, and re-
elected the following village offic.
ers: Leo Schlicht and George
Schmidt as trustees; J. J. Mar
thaler as recorder; B. L. Servatius
as treasurer.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ed Emmel, from
Staples, were here at the Al EN-
mel home the past week.
Mrs. AL Kleinfehn, of st. Cloud,
spent several days of last week at
the home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Theo.
Noeske.
Neil Burke visited his parents at
Staples Thursday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ed Rekow, of Long
Prairie, spent Thursday at the G..
III. Sohle home.
Mrs. Al Miller visited Mr.. and
Mrs. David Beck at st. Cloud
Thursday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Leo Schlicht NOV
ed from the Bentfield house Satur-
day into rooms of Mrs. Anna
Schlicht. Mr.. and Mrs. Bentfield
will move into their home after
the first of the year.
Mr.. and Mrs. Louis Macy and
Alois Marthaler spent Monday and
Tuesday on a combined business
and pleasure trip.