davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-05-17
Housing More Important
Than Recreation, He Asserts.


Strange fellows, these men Of power
In our Federal Government! Confronted
with the serious problem of housing and
slum clearance, they created the Alley
Dwelling Authority to make solution.
This observer doubts the sincerity OF the
Federal Government in this matter Of
housing because of the following reasons:
First, the limitations and restrictions
placed upon the A. D. A. interfere too
much with the proper, effective function
ing of this agency.
Second, the greatest offender in the
creation Of housing congestion is the
Federal Government itself. Hundreds OF
families are de-housed to make room
for Federal Buildings, thereby adding in
suit to an already injured public.
Third, no limit is set on the price to be
paid for property purchased for the adj
vancement Of recreational facilities and
"nit-wit" can zee and understand that
. place to i've ID far more important than
. place to play.
g. HERBERT MARSHALL, Jr.
May -.
Evening star., 1940-05-17
Excuse II, Please

Spring may have been late in COM
Ing this year. but it has still brought
with 1t such by-products as excuses
to get away. The weather, especially
when aided by q ball team playing
on the home grounds, has caused
an alarming rise in mortality rate
Of Office boys grandmothers-a
rather tough species, usually with
more lives than q cat. In schools
there is a strange reluctance to put
down six and carry two. and an
inability to remember when william
the Conqueror invaded England or
even to guess when Adolph the con-
queror viii do it again. All that Is
wanted Is z good ironclad, foolproof
alibi; powers of invention are slim
ulated to combat the appalling skep-
ticism OF teacher who has heard
them all.
Occasionally one is found, Is re-
Gently was the case in South Caro-
lima. Upon putting up his hand, one
Of the older pupils got the nod,
marched up. and rendered his reason
for absence from classes the day be-
fore. It was = breathless moment.
Would he get away with it or would
he get licking and be kept In and
made to write insufficient excuse"
five hundred times on the black
board? He sighed with relief rs the
teachers face softened. while ex-
pressing the hope that the pupils
wife was doing well and congratu-
latiug him on thu birth o& \ son.
Evening star., 1940-05-17
Enemies Within

During the Spanish Civil War the
late General Emilio Mola broadcast
to the world the statement: 1--WE
have four columns advancing upon
Madrid. The nth column will rise
At the proper time" His reference,
obviously, was to Franco sympa-
thizers in the capital who could be
relied upon to receive the Nationalist
rebels as friends. These ''borers
from within" were enemies of the
radical, or Loyalist, government.
But Mola's premature disclosure of
their existence cost the victims Of his
indiscretion their lives. Wholesale
executions halted whatever activity
they might have attempted in aid Of
the besiegers. The taking of Madrid
was delayed for months. Yet the
phrase applied to the disaffected
portion Of the city's population as
sumed 4 convenient immortality. 1t
is common now In discussion of the
conflict to which the internecine
strife in Spain was a curtain raiser"
The fifth column" however, is not
new. On the contrary, 1t is ages old.
. The Bible and the Greek classics
report it repeatedly. For scores OF
centuries treason has been regarded
as "the highest crime known to
society - a crime directed against
the very existence of the state ITSELF"
In a vast majority of cases the in
stinct of the human race is resentful
Of any endeavor to assist an organ
lied foe. But there are exceptions to
the rule-Nathan Hale, for example,
i was a traitor In fact yet not in the
theory of the American people.
Fifth column" enterprises require
understanding II they are to be
Judged. The secret German opposi-
ton to Hitler is a "fifth column" Of
sort. On the other hand, Norwegians
Evening star., 1940-05-17

bier. yellow palm warbler. prairie warbler.
ovenbird.
Northern water thrush, Grinnell's
vater-thrush, Louisiana water-thrush.
Kentucky warbler. Connecticut warbler,
mourning warbler, Maryland yellow
throat, Northern yellow-throat, yellow
breasted chat, hooded warbler. Wilson's
warbler, Canadian warbler, American
redstart, American pipit.
Mockingbird, catbird, brown thrasher.
Carolina wren, Bewick's wren, house
wren, winter wren, short billed marsh
wren, long-buled marsh wren, brown
creeper, .white-breasted nuthatch, red
breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse,
black-capped chickadee, Carolina chick
adee, golden-clowned kinglet, ruby
crowned kinglet, blue-gray gnatcatcher.
Wood thrush, Wilson's thrush (veery) ,
willow thrush, gray-cheeked thrush,
Bicknells thrush, olive-backed thrush,
hermit thrush, Northern robin, South
ern robin, bluebird.
No reader could be more tired reading
this list than the writer here In
copying It'll
But 1t was done for . purpose, to show
graphically just how many birds have
been seen in what is known as the Wash
ington area, which comprises some 20
miles in all directions from the Cap
itol Building.
1t must be kept in mind that out Of
this long list, many species have been
seen but one or two times. A few have
beer seen in the past, but no longer
come here.
Many accidental visitors are included,
such as the Hawaiian petrol, which was
blown in on a severe storm.
Truly, we do not see many American
eagles hereabouts, and most OF US never
sight the bald eagle, which is listed IS 4
permanent resident, more commonly OBJ
served in summer. They are said to
breed near Mount Vernon and Great
Falls.
The Carolina paroquet, sighted In Sep
tember, 1855 land greeted with . burst
Of sunfre, mans welcome to the animal
world, Is now extinct.
The famous pileated woodpecker will
not be seen by most OF U.s. Experts ques-
ton whether there are any left at all.
OF all these birds, which are the ones
likely to be seen in home gardens?
II you are fortunate, you will identify
the following:
Red-headed Woodpecker, red-bellied
woodpecker, flicker, whippoorwill, night
hawk, chimney swift, ruby-throated
hummingbird, phoebe, peewee, bluejay
crow, starting, cowbird, blackbird, Bal
timore oriole, purple grackle, English
sparrow. purple finch. goldfinch, snow
bunting, white-throated sparrow, tree
sparrow. chipping sparrow, field sparrow
junco, song sparrow. fox sparrow, car
dinal, scarlet tanager, indigo bunting
purple martin, barn swallow, cedar wax
wing, black-and-white warbler, ovenbird
Maryland yellow-throat. yellow-breasted
chat, mockingbird, catbird, brown
thrasher, Carolina wren, house wren
winter wren, brown creepcr, white
breasted nuthatchsn red-breasted nut
hatch, chickadee, blue-sray gnatcatcher,
wood thrush. robin. bluebird.
Evening star., 1940-05-17
The W. P. A. Report

- 'AAo VoAPdyA16 puUllC can QcIlVe
any satisfaction from the report on
= the w. P. A. investigation submitted
by the House Appropriations Com
mittee In asking for nearly billion
dollars for relief to start the next
: fiscal year, it must be found in the
committees assurance that relief ad-
rninistration "abuses" are lessening,
Beyond that, the principal impress
sion left by the report is that there
are numerous cases to be catalogued
along with the half million dollar
race track venture in California,
which prompted Work Projects Com
missioner Harrlngton'S comment
that I'VE were taken for q ride on
that"
A certain amount of poor admins
tration-or MISUNDERSTANDING
be expected when vast sums of Gov
ernment money are being spent, even
though common decency does dictate
that no effort be spared to make GER
tain that every cent intended for re-
lief goes into proper channels, and
some Of the derelictions uncovered
by the fourteen-State investigation
conducted by an appropriations sub
committee undoubtedly were due to
carelessness. But there are gross
evils whose cause lies deeper, and the
committee observation that 1t was
'tncomprehensible" that Federal Of
dcials were unaware of the waste and
nnisapplication of funds in Louisiana,
where indictments and prison terms
are now the order of the day, raises a
grave doubt as to whether the Fed
eral administration was not uhduly
remiss there and in other States
where similar conditions prevailed.
Because of disclosures from time
to time over the past two or three
years, the nature of the report was
not surprising. It is noteworthy,
however, that the improvement in
administration which the committee
said coincided with the start of the
inquiry has paralleled the service of
Colonel Harrington as head of the w.
p. A., and consequently this encour-
aging trend may be expected to con-
tinue. Nothing could be more I'M
portant, for there is no end in sight
to work relief, in the opinion Of those
directing 1t, and such a situation de-
mands that the fullest return be re-
ceived for every dollar appropriated.
A disturbing factor barred by the
inquiry was the cleft wing" activities
reported by the subcommittee coun-
Sci, ]. O'Connor Roberts, whose And
ings in this respect were borne out by
Colonel Harrington's statement that
a"good many nests" of Communists
have been rooted out of the w. P. A.
Colonel Harrington, while opposed to
q law that would bar Communists
from works jobs, favors a declaration
of policy on the question by Congress.
That problem, however, could be met
simply by enforcing the section Of
the Hatch Act which calls for re-
moval from service of any Govern
ment employe who holds member
ship "in any political party or organ
ization which advocates the over
throw Of our constitutional form of
government in the United States"
Evening star., 1940-05-17
THIS AND THAT
By Charles Z. Trace,ccu.

Continuing the list Of Birds Of the
Warrington. D. O.. Region" - presented
BY May Thatcher Cooke, In her book Of
that title. We olfsr the following species.
With this list, and any reasonably good
bird guide, with illustrations, one has
the means Of Identifying all species to
be seen hereabouts.
Today's installment of the 3ol species
contains the following birds:
Mourning dove, ground dove, turkey
vulture (buzzard), black vulture, swallow
tailed kite, marsh hawk, sharp Skinned
hawk, Coopers hawk, American gros-
hawk, red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered
hawk, broad-winged hawk, American
rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, bald
eagle, duck hawk, pigeon hawk, Ameri-
can sparrow hawk, fish hawk.
Barn owl. American long -eared owl,
short-eared owl, barred owl, saw-whet
owl, screech owl, great horned owl, snowy
owl, Carolina paroQuet (extincO, yellow
billed cuckoo, belted kingfisher, hairy
,woodpecker, downy woodpecker, yellow
bellied sapsucker, pileated woodpecker.
red-headed woodpecker, red-bellied wood
pecker, Northern flicker, hybrid flicker,
whippoorwill, nighthawk, chimney swift.
Ruby-throated hummingbird, kingbird,
Arkansas kingbird, crested nycatcher,
phoebe, olive-sided flycatcher, wood pee
wee, yellow-bellied flycatcher, Acadian
nycatcher, alder nycatcher, least fly
catcher, horned lark, prairie horned lark,
blue jay, crow, Southern crow, fish crow,
starting, bobolink, cowbird, yellow-headed
blackbird, red-winged blackbird. mea-
dowlark, orchard oriole,, Baltimore oriole,
rusty blackbird, purple grackle, bronzed
grackle, English sparrow, purple finch,
American crossbill, Newfoundland cross
bill. white-winged crossbill, redpoll.
American goldnnch, pine siskin, snow
bunting, Lapland lonsspur, vesper SPAR
row, Savannah sparrow, grasshopper
sparrow, Henslow's sparrow, Nelson 8
sparrow. lark sparrow, white-crowned
sparrowA white-throated sparrow, tree
sparrow chipping sparrow, field sparrow,
slate-colored junco (snowbird), Montana
junco, Bachman's sparrow, song sparrow,
Lincolns sparrow, swamp sparrow, fox
sparrow.
Towhee, cardinal, rose-breasted gros-
beak, blue grosbeak, indigo bunting. dick
cissel, scarlet tanager, summer tanager,
purple martin, cliff swallow, barn swal-
low, tree swallow, bank swallow, rough
breasted swallow, cedar waxwing, North
ern shrike, migrant shrike, red-eyed
vireo. Philadelphia vireo, warbling vireo
yellow-throated vireo, solitary vireo
white-eyed vireo, black-and-white war
bier, prothonotary warbler, worm-eatina
warbler, blue winged warbler, Brewster's
warbler, Lawrence's warbler, golden
winged warbler, Nashville warbler
orange crowned warbler. Tennessee war
bier. parula warbler, Northern parula
warbler, Cape May warbler. yellow
warbler, black-throated blue warbler
myrtle warbler, magnolia warbler, ceru-
lean warbler, chestnut-sided warbler
bay-breasted warbler, blackpoll warbler
Blackburnian warbler, yellow-throated
warbler, black -throated warbler. Kirt-
land's warbler. pine warbler, palm war;
Evening star., 1940-05-17

who betrayed their country, Hol-
landers who facilitated the occupa-,
tion OF the Netherlands and all such
imitators as they may have in Great
Britain or In France or In the United
States can expect little mercy when
they are caught ct their odious work.
Evening star., 1940-05-17
Reckless Language

At time when the United States,
facing q serious threat to its national
security. is preparing to spend vast
additional sums Of mohey for de-
tense purposes the country is told
by Senator Clark OF Missouri that
$1,000, 100000 appropriated for mill
tary purposes dur past six
years has been "pou. ~ down a rat
hole"
II true. the making of that charge
could be justified, despite its tend
ency to undermine public morale,
by the imperative necessity of recti-
flying what would be truly shocking
and alarming situation. But II the
accusation is not correct-and The
Star is convinced that it has no sup
port whatsoever in fact-the use Of
such reckless language at this criti-
cal time by responsible public
official is matter Of gravest
concern.
The Missouri Senator, a leader of
the isolationist bloc, was saying In
effect that no present benefit has
been derived from the billions OF
dollars which we have spent on
national defense-that we stand to-
day in no better position than we
did six years ago. II accepted at its
face value such statement, coming
a few hours before the Presidents
request for additional funds to meet
the growing emergency and made in
the knowledge that such a request
was in contemplation. could serve
only to shake public confidence in
the uses to which the new money
might be put. But 1t Is essential now,
as never before, that this country
present a determined and united
front to the savage forces which
have been turned loose on the world.
We have no choice but to prepare
ourselves for every conceivable con-
tingency, whatever the cost, and In
the making Of those preparations
there is no place for any criticisms
which are not fully supported by
the facts.
Examination Of the record shows
that the $1,000, 900 900 mentioned by
Senator Clark-an exaggeration in
itself-has not been poured down q
rat hole" Actually something under
$4,000 ,0o0, 900 has been spent on the
Army and Navy during the first six
years Of the Roosevelt administra-
ton. The greater part of this money
has gone for salaries, food and main
tenance Of the armed services
surely not a usage such as that sug-
gested by the Senator from Missouri.
But there have been gains as we'll.
Expenditure of the $4,000, 900, 900 has
increased the strength of the Army
by at least 1900 airplanes, 10000
regular troops and reserves, 5000
motor vehicles, TOO tanks, armored
cars and combat cars, 400 anti-air-
craft guns and 750 anti-tank guns.
The Navy, with other things, has
gained 1S0 new ships and there are
sixty-six now on the building ways.
But this increment in our armed
strength, unhappily, Is not enough in
the world Of today, to say nothing
Of tomorrow. We must go forward
and our progress should not be In
peded by careless complaints.
We can prepare ourselves for the
worst that may come if we choose
to do 80. That we ought now to
devote every energy to that end is
abundantly attested by the fate
which has overtaken or is immi-
nently threatening China, Austria,
Czecho- o-Slovakia, Poland, Finland,
Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium,
France and England-nations that
could not or would not prepare
themselves in time to meet the
Evening star., 1940-05-17
May -.
Presidents Comment on
Aggression Approved.
n the lditer Of The star:

1to9l0enco C006aeat on
Aggression Approved.
- the 1ditss Of The Star:
I was among the millions Of Americans
who last Friday night listened with en-
thusiasm and appreciation to President
Roosevelts masterful condemnation Of
the unwarranted aggression Of Germany
against the Low Countries and his deter
mination to keep the United States at
peace. It was particularly satisfactory to
hear him expressing his own anger,
which no doubt Is shared by the great
majority Of the American people. Il am
m American citissn Of Hungarian sx-
traction, Whose native land d thrsatsnsd
hy the same fateJ
e Nay ~ xnAu1U vA1vA1Y.
Evening star., 1940-05-17

est tragedy in Holland, the sent
'nts OF the poem seem to opp
udlly today"
What Is q cross
But two sticks and q nailp
What is q flag
But q painted rag?
And . man, mortal flesh
That will fail?
What is the light
Shining over the world
Wherever the nag
OF freedoms unfurledp
And whence comes
Tho greatness OF lnanf
Whatever the color,
Whatever the shade,
The number Of stsipeA
Or the way It's made.
Freedoms nag
Is the nag OF the free.
Wherever their country,
Whatever their race,
They are kin.
And the brute from the North.
Who has sprung from his lair
With the threat that this nag
From Its stan he will tear,
Threatens all. The world PALS
At the growl Of the bear.
Should brother to brother ery.
Stand you alone;
Retreat inch by inch
AZ the beast presses On:
We VIII come when NJ learn
What the ancient laws say-
All then, but too lats,
He VIII rue the dark day
When the standard liee law.
Dishonored. bsfouled,
IN the orpss-bestrewn snow:
That their nag d our nas
AT last he VIII know.
What ts . cross
But two sticks and Q nail, >.
What u = nag
But . painted ragf
And . man, mortal hesh
That win fall?
All! what is that shadow
That stalks through the worldS
And why those saunt posts
Where the nag ofaoe tnfurisd.
And it, gleam
Told the greatness e mani
= o01oE4
Evening star., 1940-05-17
Finlund

The Star has been requested to ~
print this poem on Finland BY one
Uho points out that "while Finldnd's
cause u perhaps forgotten In the
latest tragedy in Holland, the ssntt-
n1ents OF the poem seem to apply
equally today"
Evening star., 1940-05-17

lators whose interest should be to serve
all the people, have been familiar part
of the scene since the last war. To gain
their own ends others preach change of
Government. Our present form of Gov
ernment seeks to check and balance"
these traits of human nature, the effect
of which our forefathers had expert
enced. Change of Government won't
change the self-seeking of human ma
ture, in whatever strata of life it is
found. When human nature is willing
to admit that the alternative to fair play
is chaos and that civilization is capable
Of existing only because men agree to
principles Of fairness and justice and
practice them, will the NTH column"
no longer find fodder upon which to
feed.
Men have been willing enough to see
the wrong in others and to excuse it In
themselves. So long ~ political and in
dividual expediency is more important
than subscription to the fundamental
doctrines of liberty, subscription that
means more than lip service, the fifth
column" will be As successful in America
as it has been in Europe.
The demands of special interests has
run up an all-time high of debt in Amer
lea at the very moment when Europe
has been demonstrating that every
American resource should be used to pro-
tect her very life. Why should we feel
that the parallel road of policies which
sorely affiicted England and France and
which we have followed so closely will
be less hampering to US in our hour Of
need.
The "fifth column" Is made up Of
those who follow policy Of expediency
In place Of principle, even though the
skeptic laughs at principles" as old
fashioned, for he Is propasandizing for
the "fifth column" consciously with
malice. or unconsciously in pursuit Of So
called new and liberal PHILOSOPHERS.
May Is. EDNA MARSHALL.
Unfairness Alleged
In "Ticket Fixing"
- the Editor Of The Star:
wonder II there are other Washing-
tonians who are as perplexed about the
liking Of parking tickets ~ n
What makes the relatives or friends Of
Congressman or Of q Government ON
cial any less able to interpret parking
signs than T?
Why must others pay while thsy ere
given warninssi
just this week heard Of District
school teacher who slightly over-stayed
the I O'Clock parking limit while ex-
changing necessary uniforms for her
schools boy patrol. She received ticket.
She was on school business. Was the
ticket retracted and Z warning givsnf
No. She paid because she was just
servant Of the public with no congress
stonal relations and because she would
have had to pay a substitute she
taken the time OF to appear In court
II any one can explain this situation
there are many Of M who would really
appreciate II q. ,. WILLIAMS.
Nay u
Evening star., 1940-05-17
U. 3. Pacihsts Seen ~
Consolation to Dictators.
ro the Hditor of The star.


To the Editor Of The Star:
When Hitler left the League Of Ma
tions and commenced to rearm, France
and Belgium, remembering their recent
bitter experiences, asked England to
Join IN the occupation Of Germany. un-
less she renounced her intention Of
building another formidable military
machine for conquest. Unfortunately
for the peace of Europe, the deluded
pacifists who ruled England at that time
not only refused to take this step, but
also prevented the taking Of adequate
measures Of defense, and thus uninten-
tionally contributed more to the success
of the ruthless aggressor than any other
factor, more even than the paid traitors
In Norway and Holland.
With their diabolical gangster methods
Of warfare, the dictators seek to exter-
inmate rather than to conquer the "lib-
erty and peace-loving countries" Moth
ing could possibly give them more genu-
Inc pleasure and actual encouragement
than the efforts Of our peace at any
price" isolationists in the United States,
They should know that when people
express such opinions in Germany, italy
and Russia today they are shot.
It is now becoming evident to most
intelligent Americans that the allies
are fighting our war as well as their
own. For the preservation of civiliza-
ton in the world and for the sake of
humanity We should not fail to do our
full share in this noble cause now.
May IL DORE WALTEN.
Evening star., 1940-05-17
Thinks America Should Look
Into Fifth Column Activities.


To the Editor Of The Star:
Much has been published Of late
about fifth column" operations in
Norway, Holland and Belgium. Spy sys-
TENS ~ pictured in popular movie ver-
sions would lead US to believe that "fifth
columns" are made up of daring, CLAM
orous people with access to strategic in
formation. Actually, such groups are
numerically small and Of little effect
when their activities are known, but the
fifth column" may be numerically tre-
mendous in q country and there is every
reason to believe that such column Is
active in America. Instead Of seeking
information 1t seeks to spread discomfort.
disunity, and dissatisfaction. Many Of
the country's citizens who would bitterly
resent being called traitor" will will
ingly and sleefully support the col
umn's" activities. because they expect to
gain personally ut their brothers ex-
pense. America should begin to be
aware Of the columns" activities In her
own country.
While We watch with horrifed eyes
upon the European scene, we approve
pensions running to millions, yes billions,
Of dollars to able-bodisd people in the
name Of sentimentality and to buy votes;
We approve nearly $3.50 900 900 additional
subsidies for farm votes; We authoriss
Organised labor to run Government
Departments for the purpose Of estab-
fishing 4 national closed shop and Grip
pie industrial activities; We allow indus
trial combinations to form to seek con-
troll Of Governmental processes and
special legislation. All these special
interest groups. seeking only TO milk the
Government treasury g control legis-
Evening star., 1940-05-17
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the ,oriter although the use OF
a pseudonyrn for publication Is
permissible. Please be brietl