davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
Capital Trunsit's Plea

Thousands of Washington street.
car patrons will support the Capital
Transit Company's special appeal to
motorists to keep off the car tracks,
especially in rush hours. Such plea
is timely and reasonable. Daily in
stances are countless in which a
single occupant of an automobile, by
unnecessarily driving on the car
tracks, delays streetcars carrying
fifty or sixty people, preventing them
from reaching Government Offices on
time in the morning or making quick
journeys homeward at night.
Many cities have ordinances re-
quiring motorists to shun all car
tracks In the Capital, except in
places marked by signs, the motorist
may use his discretion. A great ma
jority of drivers avoid using the
streetcar rights of way. Others, how
ever, seem to disregard deliberately
the motormans gong, and to these
self-centered drivers the company's
appeal is directed Allowing street.
cars full use Of the tracks would prove
beneficial to a multitude of street.
car patrons, and automobile drivers
would lose little if any time by
keeping to the right Of the street
whenever possible.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
Decries War Materials Sale
To Foes Of Democracy.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
In a recent issue Of The Star one Of
your correspondents highly commends
your belief that the United States should
do much more to aid Great Britain and
China. Your correspondent further
states we should Immediately declare
war against Germany, Italy and Japan.
Why should we declare war against
Japan, and give more aid to China,
when Great Britain is giving aid to
Japan? I quote from a recent news
report from the Daily Mirror as fol-
lows: Richard Butler, Parliamentary
Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, an
nounced in Commons today that prog
ress is being made in negotiations for
sale of oil to Japan by British-Dutch-
American companies" The same thing
is going on with war material being sent
to Russia from the United States, and
re-exported from Russia to Germany,
from which huge profits have been
made. These are facts and not mere
fabrications. 1t is an outrage against
all human decency, and these are the
very persons who proclaim to be friends
Of Great Britain, when as Q matter Of
fact they are taking money with both
hands from friend and foe alike. 1t Is
nothing new. this warmonger game. I
saw war material in the first Great War
that was exported via Switzerland and
thence to Germany that was used to
kill and MAIN our own soldiers. Cot
ton, rubber and cotton produced in the
United States helped to destroy the sons
that were fighting for that much abused
word democracy, which We hear 50
much about these days. cannot be
a party to such colossal crime against
the human race The first betrayal has
convinced me that the second betrayal
has Q future too awful to contemplate,
L. r. D.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
McNutt's New Job

IN creating a new post, that OF
co-ordinator of health and recrea-
ton for the preparedness program,
the National Defense Council has evil
denced an appropriate recognition
of the Importance of these activities
in our rearmament effort. To secure
a high degree of efficiency among
those employed in defense plants,
adequate health services are essen
tial. 1t is no less essential that
workers in areas of expanding de-
Tense production be provided with
opportunities for play. The respon-
sibility of the Federal Government,
in the fields of health and welfare,
is not limited to members OF the
armed forces.
Paul v. McNutt, Federal security
administrator, who has been desig-
mated to coordinate defense welfare
work, seems we'll qualified for his
new post. A World War veteran and
former national commander of
the American Legion, he knows by
practical experience the value Of
health and morale in national de-
tense. In directing welfare work he
will have at his disposal the facilities
of the Federal Security Agency, of
which he remains the administrator
Through the Health and Medical
Committee, established by the Ma
tional Defense Council in September
and now transferred to the Federal
Security Agency, he will direct the
mobilization of the medical resources
of the country to meet the needs of
the defense program.
Mr.. McNutt's new duties will not
cover recreational activities in Army
camps and environments. These will
remain in the hands of the Army,
where they belong, and will continue
under the direct supervision of the
Morale Division. BY raising the
standards of health in the Nation,
by giving American youths an oppor-
tunity to tougher up" before en-
tering the Army, and by helping to
maintain at a high level the morale
of workers in the defense industries,
Mr.. McNutt can contribute much to
strengthen the Nations fighting
forces.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
Anti-Spy Compaiqn

The tentative agreement between
the Department of Justice and the
Dies Committee regarding investiga-
ton of the influx of Nazi and Fascist
propaganda under mailing privileges
OF the International Postal Conven-
ton is an excellent Illustration of
how these administrative and legis-
latlve agencies can work in harmony
to good advantage. Attorney General
Jackson says that this flow of mailed
totalitarian literature contravenes no
laws or regulations and hence can
not be dealt with by prosecution
although certain steps are
planned from an administrative
angle. Mr.. Jackson advised Repre-
sentative Jerry Voorhis of the Dies
Committee that the departments
inquiry into this matter would not
be prejudiced by any publicity which
the committee sees fit to give the
situation.
There are certain subverSive activ-
tiles which can best be controlled
through relentless publicity, and this
is where the Dies Committee can be
of incalculable service to the country.
The job of investigating and round
ing up professional spies and sabo-
teurs-as distinct from propagandists
is one for counterespionage ex-
pertS, and this is where the Federal
Bureau of Investigation should be
given free rein, unhampered by
premature publicity and ill-advised
criticism from legislative or other
sources, by overlapping prohibitions
or by inadvisable restrictions of any
kind. 1t had been hoped that the
conference between Mr.. Jackson and
Representative Voorhis would result
in a definite and complete working
agreement between the Department
of Justice and the Dies Committee,
but it seems that further under
standings are necessary. These un-
derstandingS should be reached at
the earliest possible moment. lest the
drive on Subversive groups and move
mentS suffer from lack of co-ordina-
ton and from tagging public con-
fidence in the campaign.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07

full of Napoleonic stature, being careful,
meanwhile. to escape the latters tragic
end.
In everyday life, in our personal rela-
tons, one of the very highest tributes
we can pay to a man is to say Of him
that Ibis word is as good as his bond"
first heard this old adage as a child
while at school and it has always epito-
mized my idea of honor. personal honor
The word, as Webster defines it, means
reverence, veneration. dignity esteem
paid to worth, respect" etc. With this
definition in mind how should we char
acterize the man whose offenses have
described? Men whose pledged word is
not only personal, but represents also the
pledged word and honor of the millions
Of their people. Evidently there is very
definite distinction between personal
honor and national honor.
N. H. ROBBINS.
San Antonio, Tex.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07

ternal economic pinch will be relaxed
if Argentina has s50,000,0 900 from the
Export Import Bank. If the loan
and the sterilization fund arrange
ment do result in knitting relations
between the two countries, the $780,
100000 will have been wisely invested.
In the long run, however, any perma-
nent solution of our hemisphere eco
nomic problem must flow from an
increased volume of two-way trade,
a point which was quite properly
stressed by Lynn R. Edminster, spe-
cial assistant to the Secretary of
State, in recent address to an
Oregon audience.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles Z. TrdcetDeH.

"But he assured me that 1t was quite
possible that could pull the pipe apart,
told me just how to 60 about 1t, and
that should cali him again If couldn't
manage it.
Back at the furnace again, began
cutting through the covering of the pipe
to get at the joint when the bird started
fluttering again-in the adjoining pipe
leading into the dining room.
TT was then 1 shouted for assistance
for that pipe was really hot. AS the
thermostat was being turned back up
stairs there was another great commo-
ton OF swishing wings-inside the top
of the furnace where we had imagined
nothing could be and live.
Then there was silence again.
"Experimentally, we opened the doors
at the base of the furnace and removed
some sliding grating within these that
looked as though they might lead into
the upper area.
Then I again made my report to the
furnace people. They told me that our
surmise was correct and advised me to
put strong light inside one of the
doors and perhaps the bird would fly
down toward it If it were still alive.
= y
That was one of the things tried yes
terday afternoon at the other end of
the pipe, so was skeptical.
However, I meant to try it, and was
just reaching for an extension cord when
the cry, It's outr rang from the base
ment.
Some little light or fresh air must
have guided Lady Sparrow down to the
doors, for, sure enough, out she flew
and up as doors and windows were
swiftly opened before her; and as she
hung for a moment beside me on the
wire Of the screened porch, before max
ing a final dash for freedom, she ap-
peared little the worse for her experience
in the fiery furnace'-nothing in fact
to show for it but some rather frayed
tips to her tail feathers with which
she had braced herself inside the slippery
pipes.
I'm fact, she looked very fit and poppy
and no doubt made a round of katie
klatsches this afternoon as the heroine
of the occasion.
Certainly there was an exceptionally
large gathering of her kindred on the
yard feeding stand, while two of her
black-chested SWANS had spirited
pecking argument just outside my win
dow in the little glass rooted feeding sta
ton.
II always love to watch a flock of
sparrows, dehghting particularly in their
artistic grouping of themselves among
the bamboo canes
1T had never occurred to me that
these could ever prove a menace. Per-
haps it was just the one chance in a
hundred, but am very glad I hap
pened to look out of the window yeSter-
day morning in time to save little Mrs
Sparrow from a garroting even though
it almost led to a worse death.
This little bird really has something
to tell!
with all best wishes.
Sincerely, M. J. r. r."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
"TAKOMA PARK, D. G.


IF little birds tell, there is one lady
sparrow busy among the feeding stations
of Takoma today who might match ex-
periences with Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego and possibly Absalom as well.
1T began yesterday morning when
found her feebly fluttering in clump
of bamboo, her neck firmly held between
a cane and one of the tough leaf covers
jutting from it at very acute angle.
"She was choking, gasping and oozing
from her beak when lifted her free and
took her indoors, but seemed to feel
much better after swallowing a little
warm water from a dropper.
However, she was chilled, so we folded
her in a cloth, placed her in basket
in the sunroom and left her alone to
recover.
Nearly two hours later heard a
slight noise and thought, Horrors! sup
pose Butch has found her!
But no, there was that pampered
feline sound asleep on the new chair
covers in the front room. But Lady
Sparrow was very much awake and rartn'
to go right through the sunroom win
dows when she saw me coming.
Several plants would have to be moved
before I could pull the window open for
her, and knowing that Butch would be
right there for any commotion, rushed
back to eject him first, only to find an
empty chair and hear crash behind me.
Butch had passed me by short cut,
had taken in the situation at fraction
of a glance, and leaped for the sparrow,
upsetting large plant-hence the crash.
THE sparrow had made dive for
safety into, of all places, the hot-air
register opening into the sunroom.
The large pipe from this runs hori-
zontallv under the dining room into the
furnace and somewhere in there was
Nine Sparrow, scared stiff.
I'VE crumbled some soft bread into
the opening, shut of the damper and
retired to wait results, first having
cleared the house of cats, Of course.
There were no results. After about
an hour of studied quiet, the sparrow
vertured to move and We could hear
that it was about midway in the pipe,
but after any little noise it would go
silent, and, as the dark and drizzly after
noon advanced, it apparently tucked its
head under it's wing and signed of for
the night, leaving us to discuss what
one did with a dead sparrow in one's
heating system
This morning, however, we had the
melancholy pleasure of hearing that it
was very much alive, but was now prac-
tically against the furnace, in the pocket
formed by the down slope of the pipe.
Obviously the only thing to do now
was to disconnect that pipe.
80 I called up the furnace people
to discuss ways and means. The man
at the phone listened to my tale of woe
and started to advise-then said, What
did you say was in your pipe-a-what?
Did you say bird?-Well, that's new
one
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
AbsoIvinq the BeIqiuns

After the surrender OF the Belgian
Army, when King Leopold was made
the target of bitter recriminatory
statements both in England and
France, Prime Minister Churchill ap-
pealed for reservation of judgment
of the Belgian monarch's action until
all the facts were known.
History finally will unfold the COM
plete story of the collapse of the
French Ninth Army at Sedan, the
crossing by the Germans of the Mouse
River, and the failure Of the British
and French air forces to lend ade-
quate assistance to their Belgian al
lies, who were holding the major por-
ton of the line against the Germans
But, meanwhile, we are given a
limited insight into the truth through
the publication by the Belgian Amer
lean Educational Foundation headed
by Herbert Hoover, of certain docu-
ments which go far toward absolving
the Belgians of the charge that they
"let down" their allies.
These documents show that the
stubborn resistance of the Belgians
and British in their respective sail
ents was undermined by the virtual
rout of the French Ninth Army,
which was holding the extreme south
ern end of the line in Belgium. This
was the army commanded by General
Corap, who was later removed from
his command along with the Allied
commander-in-ch chief, General Game
lin.
The Belgians and British were hold
ing their portions of the line credit
ably, it appears, when the order to
retreat was given as a result of the
break through at Sedan and the Ger
man march to the sea. The French
bear the burden of accusation also
for their failure effectively to launch
their counter offensive against the
German panhandle in order to re-
unite the Allied line between Cam
brai and Peronne.
1t was clear to the Belgian and
British commanders, after the failure
of the counter offensive, that their
armies would be trapped in Flanders,
and that only evacuation was left.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
Deplores Passing Of
National Honor.

To the Editor of Tn. Star:
From time immemorial the nations Of
the world, the civilized nations, have
asserted principle termed the national
honor, a principle most frequently pro-
claimed at those times when disputes
between them were in contemplation or
in process of adjustment; but we hear
little of it these days and we wonder
whether the principle has become obso-
lete and has passed permanently into
the discard.
1t is recalled that Italy several years
ago invaded that partly civilized domain
in Africa now known as Ethiopia, and
assumed forcible possession of the same
for the glory and, honor of the Italian
crown, and incidentally to create an
Italian empire and restore the ancient
glory Of Rome. 1t was not claimed that
Ethiopia in any way had impinged upon
the sovereignty of or had committed any
act of hostility towards Italy or any OF
it's nationals; in short there was no overt
act by those poor natives or their govern
ment against the powerful and civilized
country which so ruthlessly attacked
them, destroying in the process the lives
of women, children and other non-com-
batants. Equally ruthless was the repu-
diation by Italy, civilized Italy, of its
obligations as a signa-ory member OF the
League of Nations, and its truculent atti-
tude towards the world which almost
universally denounced the invasion and
demanded the imposition Of penalties
provided by the League.
While later events have somewhat
dirnmed the recollection of this outrage
upon friendly nation and fellow-mem-
Der of the League, it has by no means
been wholly forgotten, nor has its insti-
gator and his personal ambition.
And now, for more than year the
world has been involved. directly or in
directly, in another great and calamitous
conflict precipitated py another dictator
who is also in quest of additional honor
and glory for his country and himself.
But he is immeasurap)y more ambitious
than his warlike predecessor, and far
more ruthless; he knows not the mean
ing of compassion; all that is holy and
sacred and honorable and just must give
way for him as though they had never
been. Without any legitimate cause
whatever he invades his neighbors,
bombing, machine cunning all alike,
women, little children, old men, the sick,
the aged, the infirm, all without regret
and without mercy; fires private homes.
hospitals and churches Unfortunately.
He subjugates these trustful neighbors
one by one, takes forcible possession Of
their all, robs them Of their very food,
elects their governments and substitutes
his own radical aims and purposes. All
for the honor and glory" Of Germany,
yet the while. deliberately and premed-
itatedly breaking the promises he makes
diSregarding all honor, justice and hu-
mainly, and stultifying himself in the
eyes of a world otherwise Of peaceful
intent and purpose. He aims high, so
high in fact, that when he falls as fall
he eventually will, the drop will be so
much the greater-in universal detesta-
ton and oblivion. Like Mussolini, who
aspires to the title Of Caesar. he Is hope
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
My Daughters Hope Chest

1t held her toys, that little painted chest
Of white and blue;
Such a short time ago it seems,
And now with tissue lined and sachet
sweet
It holds her dreams.
Each week she adds some little treasure
to her store.
A silken negligee of palest blue,
Bills favorite color, and blue slippers,
too,
And little guest. towels worked with
loving care,
A damask cloth, a spread, some silver
spoons
Or rainbow lingerie made for honey
moons
And often kneeling on her bedroom floor
I find her dreaming as she counts
them DER
I, too, could kneel and offer thanks for
those two souls
Who through the miracle Of love, or
50 1t seems,
Are each the fulnllment Of the others
dreams. PHYLLIS WRIGHT.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
Help for Argentina

Statements issued by Secretary OF
the Treasury Morgenthau and Presi-
dent Pierson of the Export-Import
Bank make it clear that the admin
istration has entered upon policy
of fiscal assistance to Argentina.
Mr.. Morgenthau plans to use $780,
100000 in the currency sterilization
fund to provide our southern neigh
Dor with more dollar exchange. Mr..
Pierson stands ready to lend Argen-
tina 100000 from his bank, pre-
sumably in addition to the 10000, 900
credit already made available to
Argentina. The negotiations for the
transfer of funds are incomplete, but
they are said to be running a
smooth course.
These financial moves have a
political basis-the improvement Of
Western Hemisphere defense through
Increased Pan-American solidarity.
One of the chief obstacles to the
good neighbor" policy of inter-
American relations In the past has
been the reluctance of Argentina to
Join her fellow American republics in
perfecting a program of unified New
World action. Argentina's chief de-
tense of her aloof position has been
based on economic arguments. She
Is a producer of foodstuffs and raw
materials which have their best mar
ket in Europe. She buys much more
from us than we buy from her. She
has her own special economic prob
lens that inter-American amity
alone cannot solve-chiefly, the prob
lem of markets lost since the wars
outbreak.
Argentina will have the dollars
with which to buy our goods when
she receives $5O,OOO,OOO from the
sterilization fund. Argentina's in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-07
Typhus in France

One of the most disturbing stories
of the war is seeping through the
walls of censorship, which have been
set up around occupied France
Two weeks ago there was released
in Berlin a short statement to the
effect that an outbreak of typhus in
the occupied territory had been
stamped out. This week German
physician, himself a refugee, landed
at New York with a gruesome story
Of witnessing many cases of typhoid
and cholera.
Pestilence has come with the winter
rains. 1t was predicted by Surgeon
General Parran last spring, on the
eve of the German invasion of the
Low Countries, when nobody dreamed
of the turn events have taken.
That the Germans acted promptly
to stop an epidemic of typhus in
France is almost assuredly true.
There need have been no humani-
tartan motives involved. This is the
most terrible of war diseases. 1t
killed, according to various estimates,
between 100000 and 100000 in
Eastern Europe just after the first
World War. Once it gets fair start
it sweeps over countryside like a
forest fire. France is too close to
Germany for the conquerors to take
any chances. Efficiency Of the Ger
man medical and sanitary services is
unquestionably high-well on a par
with the rest of the military machine.
And for the next few months the
more efficient these services are the
better for all of us. They face war
in which everybody may well wish
them unqualified success. Typhus is
more terrible than Hitler.
Twenty years ago the German doc
tors would have gone into such war
practically unarmed. Today they
probably have a potent weapon
typhus vaccine. There are three
types of this vaccine. One was pro-
duced by a Frenchman. Two were
produced by Americans-one by the
late DR.. Hans Zinsser of Harvard and
the other by the Public Health Serv-
ice here in Washington. The Public
Health Service also devised a way by
which this vaccine could be manu-
featured in unlimited quantities at a
very low cost.
The details Of all this work were
given to the world through publica-
ton in medical journals. There are
no secrets in medicine in peacetime.
The Germans doubtless have these
journals on file. The technique Of
preparing the vaccines is not difficult,
Public Health doctors say. But I'M
fortunately none of the three has
been thoroughly tested. Theoretical
ly there is every reason to believe that
any one Of them would be very ef-
fective agent in keeping typhus under
control-but nobody can assert that
they will with any great conviction.