davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-01-16
Ignoring the Issue

Most Of the citizens who testified
on the Commissioners reorganization
plan last year made 1t plain that
unless reorganization provided the
Washingtonian with voice in his
government, the measure would lack
local support.
The Commissioners move in this
direction-by advocating an ap-
pointed advisory council" of nine
members-is a gesture that will
please nobody. Nor is there any
reason why it should please anybody.
Nine f1fty-dollar-a-month advisers"
to the Commissioners is not rep
resentation and is impractical as
an improvement of the municipal
government machinery. The ex-
pertinent some years ago with an
advisory council elected by the
citizens associations was a failure.
There is no point in trying the same
thing with an appointed council.
1t is well to keep in mind the
fact that while a mechanical re-
shuft1ing OF municipal departments
and functions may bring-but by no
means assures-some improvement
in efficiency and economy. the re-
suits can be Of no great benefit as
long as the vital need of the Wash
ingtonian Is ignored.
What the Washingtonian needs,
and by every principle of American
Government should have, is the full
right Of participation in the Con-
gress which, under the Constitution,
exercises exclusively the right of
legislative control in the District of
Columbia-a right not apt to be sur
rendered by Congress to any form of
municipal machinery set up. Coupled
with the right of voice in Congress
are the complementary right of par
ticipation in the electoral college and
the full rights of Americans land
even aliens) before the Federal
courts.
Resolutions for amendments of
the Constitution which would spe-
cif1cally recognize these rights are
before Congress now. Their passage
should precede any serious attempt
to increase economy or efficiency by
drastically reorganizing the system
Of municipal government.
Ignoring this basic issue, or the
substitution of specious forms of suf-
frage for the legitimate article, will
produce little Improvement Of any
consequence in the municipal gov
ernment Of the District or in the
welfare Of those who live under this
government.
Evening star., 1940-01-16
Tuxicub Limitation

For some fifteen years Washington
has had the doubtful distinction Of
having more taxicabs per capita
than any city in the country. Early
in the fall Of 1884 survey showed
three thousand three hundred, or
one for every one hundred and fifty
persons, operating here. Three years
later the number had risen to more
than four thousand eight hundred.
Since that time it has fuctuated,
with an average of about four thou
sand five hundred.
A new effort has been made to
correct the unfortunate results Of
this condition through bill, spon-
sored by the Commissioners, which
has been sent to Congress, to grad
ually limit the number of cabs. A
year ago last November, after much
effort, the Utilities Commission sug-
gested such a bill, which was ap-
proved by the Commissioners within
three days. It was introduced just
year ago. At hearings held last
spring the plan was approved by
most Of the citizens, drivers and op-
Grating associations testifying, but
was opposed by some members of
Congress, who felt limitation unnec-
essary. Last May another bill was
introduced freezing" new licenses
until a limit of four hundred cabs
per hundred thousand population
had been reached. This was ap-
proved, with slight notifications, by
the House District Committee, but
was passed over on the final District
day Of the last session.
One of the more controversial of
local issues, the taxicab problem has
been subject for years to confusion.
due to selfish action on the part Of
those whose interest lies neither in
the provision of an adequate trans
portation service nor the welfare of
the men who operate the cabs. II
has led to many well-meaning but
impossible suggestions, such as one
two years ago wherein it was pro-
posed to eliminate the "outmoded
street car system" and establish cab
lines operating at reduced rates
along scheduled routes, with q trans
fer system for "semi-private" mass
transportation.
While congestion of the streets is
factor, safety is not major issue.
Last years record of taxicabs figur-
ing in fatal accidents placed them
at the bottom Of the list, on a par
with private automobiles. Public
service and economic use Of street
facilities are the principal questions
involved. SO long as owner-drivers
or employees Of owners are obliged
Evening star., 1940-01-16

who are trying to take away our freedom
and possessions?. A true American will
not disapprove of a committee that is
out to expose un-American activities.
The Communists, Nazis, Fascists and
their sympathizers do not want the Dies
Committee continued for fear of more
exposure. True Americans want 1t con-
tinued. MRS. 3. L. WARD
January IL.
Evening star., 1940-01-16
THIS AND THAT
BY Ch1rles z. Trace4oen.

dow, and whistl It's empty In two min.
utes.
80 far they have left the grain alone,
but I've been watching them busily
feeding on the red seed cases of q row
Of sumac. so perhaps their visit is Just
postponed.
ITO me the starting is the most
disagreeable Of all birds, unless It's
the whippoorwill. They have no sleek
beauty like the blue jays to- excuse their
bad manners.
"As to the experiment, the whole
difficulty seems to lies In the term
table scraps That was poor choice
Of words and hereby withdraw it.
Articles Of food, let us say, which
I've found most Of the birds particularly
like are bread in all forms (and lack
Ing that, along with Marie Antoinette,
cake). fat in any shape whatsoever-
it's warming.
"A good cook once asked me What
do you do with the bacon fat that
accumulates so rapidly?' OF course, a
good cook can work this into her dishes
in many excellent ways, but there may
still be some left over, and this stirred
into breadcrumbs and put outside, the
birds rush to devour.
There is no form of meat in grain,
and many types Of birds definitely enjoy
meat and fat meat-titmice, nuthatches,
and all the woodpeckers.
1T does seem ridiculous that any of
them could like cooked squash or pump
kin. but encouraged by experimenting,
I put out two cupfuls week or so ago
and there's no trace of it left.
"The sight of nuthatch carrying
of squash seed in his beak is some-
thing to enjoy.
"The only different variety of bird
observed definitely to prefer grain feed
ing Is the cardinal-and he's a crumb
eater on occasion.
THE best feature of grain feeding
is its uniformity for looks, its clean
illness (but 1t does get moldy in warm
weather) and the lack of bother for
the feeder. So I say feed the birds
what they like-but feed them.
"Yours sincerely, E. G. T."
4
The best plan of feeding is to give
the winter birds everything they will
eat.
This will include an amazing num-
ber Of foodstuffs.
AS our correspondent has pointed
out-twice-and others before, utiliza-
ton well may be made Of bits of food
which otherwise would go into the
garbage can.
Mixed seeds and grains, with emphasis
on the seeds, rather than the grain,
necessarily must be the basic mixture
used, If there are any particular num-
Der Of birds. Some mixtures are better
than others. Nothing but experience will
show what the birds eat, what they
reject. Mixtures are often padded with
Canada peas, which few birds will eat.
All birds-and squirrels, too-like SUM-
flower seed, and many others. Some
cracked corn, oats, etc., are usually put
In all good mixtures, but they are not so
good by themselves. .,
Feeding the birds may be as simple
as putting out breadcrumbs. But, like
most human activities, it may be COM
plicated, sometimes needlessly so. The
best thing is to experiment, and stand
on your own findings.
Evening star., 1940-01-16

the unfortunate driver In your drawing
has thrust home to many hearts its
appalling lesson.
These immense efforts in cooperation
with the national safety movement have
an incalculable. but nevertheless yerv
definite. influence In lowering the
casualty rates. I am continually inn
pressed with the spirit and the willing
helpfulness of the men, all over our
country, who are contributing to this
influence w. n cA1rpoN
Managing Director, National safety
Council.
January Q.
Evening star., 1940-01-16

to drive unreasonably long hours to
exc out two or three dollars more
than their daily expenses the public
convenience is not being served.
Every effort has been made by the
ofhcials OF the city to correct the
situation. but the limits OF their
powers were reached years ago. Only
Congress can make further correc-
ton and that body should not delay
longer In doing 80.
Evening star., 1940-01-16
"RoesLYN. Va.


Dear Sir:
"Here comes that advocate for table
scrap bird feeding againl
II felt quite rebuked at the reproach-
full iibes Of the Maryland reader who
stated that we'd soon lose our winter
bird boarders II we fed them anything
but selected assortment Of CONNER
cial grains, and shame to the table,
scrap ideal
80 out came . bagful from the store
and repentantly We put several tray
fuls Of grain about the place after the
last snow.
II determined to watch for taste pref
erences. am fond Of the birds. The
snow was deep, the weather cold. This
should bring them out II anything
would.
'The farthest tray was put down
under the hickory tree 100 feet away, but
within full view Of the house. Perhaps
hoped to see the trail Of bobwhites
that pattered out Of the woods and
across the garden last year.
mo table scraps this time; commercial
feed, pure and simple.
- + =.
my conclusions?
None; Just observations.
conditions of birddom seem to be
too varied to draw hard -and-fast con-
clusions. The mocker came to the
window as usual, gulped a grain Of corn
and flew away.
when there had been bread and
squash there. he had returned again
and again.
mo woodpeckers, no nuthatches, who
greedily have come after bird pud-
ding have served them heretofore.
"Chickadees come to the grain and
peck disconsolately. They're meat eat
ers. Better than nothing is the verdict.
THE titmice have disappeared alto
gether for few days. A tray Is feet
away the cardinals and blue jays have
emptied Of its grain, though.
Blue jays eat everything, I believe. A
cardinal loves to turn bit of corn leis-
urely In Its beak. And always the snow
birds are munching at all trays and
beneath them. They can be depended
upon to clear up all waste. The Caro-
lima wren likes the grain, too, but we've
had her at breadcrumb meals on other
occasions. We miss the cheerful tit
mice and the downy woodpecker since
the grain experiment, but many other
reasons might account for their absence
besides the change Of menu.
Certainly, conditions change from
year to year. One season our most
frequent winter feeders were goldf1nches,
their yellow summer feathers changed.
OF course, to the dull-colored ones they
assume for the winter.
Another year we had a visit from q
red-bellied woodpecker-a large, strik-
ingly mottled black and white figure,
amazing to view at close range; and
from the bob whites, trailing across our
lawns like chickens, but ready to take
to cover in the woods at the approach
Of a car up the road or even at the
slam Of nearby door. -.
This year the bluebirds whistle about
the trees and lawn. but never are they
seen to share In the winter feeding.
"Starlings are plentiful. They settle
on painful Of breadcrumbs by the win
Evening star., 1940-01-16

Announcement Is made Of the ad.
dition to the United States Army Air
Corps Of flfty-two new squadrons for
national defense. Fine; that is one
for every week In 1910. And how
about doing the same thing for
1941?
Evening star., 1940-01-16

Ancient Rome skillfully weakened
her enemies by setting tribe against
tribe, in a fashion similar to modern
Nazi tactics. Yes. and we all know
what the tribes did to Rome in
the end.
Evening star., 1940-01-16

A reading Of the proffered "pact Of
mutual assistance and friendship"
between Soviet Russia and the Fin
nish peoples government makes one
think of a premature comic valentine.
Evening star., 1940-01-16
West virginia Official
Commends Star Articles.
To the Editor Of The Star:

Considerable favorable comment
among safety organizations and officials
In West Virginia has resulted from The
Stars excellent portrayal of the trafic
fatality situation as presented in its
1889 review on January /.
Col. G. G. Tallman, superintendent of
West Virginia's Department of Public
Safety, has asked me to write you re-
garding the possibility of distributing
some Of its art work, particularly Mr..
Sudduth's pedestrian sketch, through
our mat service to State dailies.
You are to be congratulated on the
fine work you are doing.
FRANK A. KNIGHT,
Public Relations, Department Of
Public Safety, State of West vir-
ginia.
January 8.
Evening star., 1940-01-16

CaI11eIDs III OTOeI 70 pIOMOCe elu~
cheney and do away with destruc-
tive competition.
An agency Of this sort undoubt-
edly could perform q very useful
function, but unleN there was some
assurance that recommendations it
might make. II well-founded, could
be put into effect. its creation would
be futile, and the country would be
subjected to unnecessary expense.
The purposes now proposed to be
carried out led to the establish
ment a half dozen years ago Of the
of1ce Of co-ordinator of transporta-
ton, which enjoyed but brief life
due to the opposition Of rail man
agement and labor. Both groups
objected vigorously to the modest
economies suggested at that time by
the co-ordinator, Joseph B. East
man, giving an indication Of what
might be expected in connection
with any large-scale operation that
would subordinate the position Of
carriers In some instances and dis
place manpower.
That the congressional commit
tees should work toward a plan that
gives promise of beneficial results
to the transportation structure as a
whole, goes without saying. It has
been nearly two years since dwin-
ding rail revenues led President
Roosevelt to inaugurate the study of
which the pending legislation is the
outgrowth, and while the position
OF the carriers has improved, the
need for action has not lessened.
Evening star., 1940-01-16
Coroner Macdonald Commends
Star Traffic Articles,
To the Editor of Tha Star.

10 tlIe EoItor OF Ihe Star:
I wish to take this opportunity to COM
mend your reporters who attend our
inquests, and your paper, for publishing
their accurate reports of the same. I
feel that those who have read and will
reao The Stars analysis of traffic acci-
dents Will profit, and cooperate with
the officials in lowering the number
OF deaths that arise as the result of
collisions between automobiles and pc
destrians and collisions between auto
mobiles and other vehicles.
A. MAGRUDER MACDONALD, MD,
Coroner of the District of Columbia.
January 13.
Evening star., 1940-01-16

Morocco Is now unusually quiet.
according to foreign dispatches. Re-
lax, glamour girls-they said Mo-
rocco, not Fl Morocco.
Evening star., 1940-01-16
Urges Continuance Of
Dies Committee.

To the Editor Of The Star:
The Dies Committee was appointed
by our Congress to investigate un-Ameri-
can activities. The committee has ex-
posed quite few Of our leaders and
some prominent persons. Because they
have exposed their activities the COM
mittee has been severely criticized by
some Of our administration leaders. One
OF our Representatives recently said It
was = waste Of money to continue this
committee. The committee has done too
good job to suit some people. Can We
call It waste Of money to expose those
Evening star., 1940-01-16
Discusses Educational Value
OF Safety Analysis.
To the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor Of The Star:
I do not remember ever to have seen
more comprehensive, graphic ana
forceful presentation Of the safety prob
lem In any single issue Of daily news
paper than that in your pages of jan
uary /.
This Is splendid work. No one-even
the most casual reader-could fail to
be impressed, and over the wide cross
section Of Washington homes which
your paper serves, this elaborate
spread" must have had an enormous
educational effect. You have picked out
for emphasis precisely the most vulner-
able weaknesses Of both drivers and
pedestrians Surely the very face Of
Evening star., 1940-01-16
Quotes Francois
On Economy.

OA GCUuOu1ys
To the Editor of The Star:
In speaking of economy we find 4
striking example of wisdom which oc-
Cured during the unhappy reign OF
Louis XIV, in which it became neces-
sary, owing to the bankruptcy of the
state, to dispose of the horses of the
royal stables. I quote the following
from Buckles "Rise of Civilization in
England:
when the regent for economy sold
all horses that filled the royal stables,
Francois remarked how much more
sensible 1t would have been to dismiss
halt the asses that filled the royal
court"
Governments Of the world please take
notice Of this wisdom Of old FRANCOIS.
January II. LOUIS F. DILGER.
Evening star., 1940-01-16
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the ,Ortter, although the use OF
a pseudonyn1 for publication is
permissible. Please be brier
The voice of labor., 1940-02-01

Let us pause moment and ex-
anime into the modern business
methods" Of William Mines Ma
10y. chairman OF the State I'm
employment Compensation Board,
who receives a comfortable salary
OF $500 year.
am not at all impressed with
his modernity. The writer is pre-
pairing a review OF the work and
administration OF the State board
for publication in a national Jour-
nal. wrote to Mr.. Maloy OH jan
uary 4, 1910. and asked II any
local advisory councils have yet
been appointed by the Board.
On January IL. 1910, Mr.. Maloy
got around to answering the let
ter, but not to answering the CUES
tion I raised.
His four line effort read. Your
letter OF January 4. 1910. has been
received. AS you know. our Board
has a State Advisory Council. Mr..
Ralph c. Beard Of Cumberland is
q member. He has been desienat-
ed as our Local Advisory Council
lor in your CITY,"
Yes, we knew as Mr. Maloy stat
ed. that the Board has a State
Advisory Council. Mr.. Maloy
wrote that he knew we were aware
Of the fact.
But. strangely enough. Mr.. Ma
10y did not answer my question
asking If the Board had appointed
the local advisory councils as re-
quired. I read my letter again. It
seemed perfectly plain. This Is
what ! wrote
"Dear MIR. Maloy:
"The Voice OF Labor Is pre-
pairing a review Of operations of
the Unemployment Compensa-
ton Law Of Maryland for pub
hcation In national labor jour-
nal.
"You may recall that I spoke
70 you on your visit TO Cumber-
land at the Celanese hearings
on the appointment of local ad-
visory councils as required un-
der the Act.
IL am writing 10 enquire II
The voice of labor., 1940-02-01

any local advisory councils have
yet been appointed by the Board.
Thanking you in advance for
your attention"
No Answer
Well. as you read above Chair
man Maloy did not answer the
question. Perhaps. we thought,
we had not asked our question
plainly (what do you think0 so
l sat down and wrote another let
ter to Chairman Maloy on Janu-
airy 18th. The results have not
given ample evidence that Mary
lands affairs are In capable hands
and being conducted according TO
the most approved. modern bus
iness methods" The system
must have broken down. because
Maloy has not even answered our
letter which read:
My dear Mr.. Maloy:
II have received your letter Of
January l2, 1910, in response to
mine Of January 4. 1910. Unfor-
tunately your letter does not give
me the information which I re-
quested.
However. from other sources l
have since learned that your Board
has not appointed local advisory
councils as required by Section
llte) OF Administration, in the
law.
The Maryland General AS
sembly requires the appointment
of local advisory councils to aid
the Board in formulating policies
and discussing problems related to
the administration OF the Act and
The voice of labor., 1940-02-01
Refuse To Name Local
Advisory Council
O'COnOr 'MtereSted" But
Makes No Proposals For
Law Observance
Chairman Maloy Afraid TO
Answer His Mail
BY JAMES BLACKWELL

Members of the Maryland General Assembly passed the
provisions Of the Unemployment Compensation Board but the
political hacks who comprise the administrative body known
the Unemployment Compensation Board have their
of ignoring the will of the Legislature and running things to
suit themselves.
The o. State Convention hit out at the ad-
runation of the law and demanded that the situation be
cleaned up But steps have been taken to remedy the
abuses In fact Board Chairman Maoy is dsnterested that
he refuses letter Of the Voice of Labor asking for
information.
Governor Herbert OConor whose publicity department
has been sending this writer of assertions the
eeent job Of administration which the Governor has perform
ed, is not at all concerned at the situation.
Labor man" Mccurdy, who allegedy holds ful time"
job member of the three board keeps silent labor
throughout the State denied representation local advisory
councils by the simple expeent of the Board refusing to set
up any local councils as required by law
Until the situation clears hereby publicly request the
Governors publicity department off the mailing list
for receipt any msgnngs that Marylands affairs
capable hands and being conducted according the most
approved, modern business methods"
The voice of labor., 1940-02-01

and freedom from political in
tluenceS." II is apparently this
proviso which the politicians
hate They want to continue to
run the Job in their present IN
efficient manner. Il IS important
20 note Governor O'Conors i'm
mediate and deep concern over
the plight OF Maryland employer
when IL was announced that IL
seemed probable they would have
to pay an additional one million
dollars into the fund for the use
OF jobless workers. We note the
lack Of interest. though. In hav-
ing the Unemployment Compcn-
sation Board name advisory coun-
ellis to make a realistic attack on
the problems OF unemployment.
vocational training and guidance
and the other necessary duties
outlined in the Act
Ask Washington
What must be done. We wonder
to have the law obeyed? II Stems
that no force within the State is
able to make the politicians
bulge. The CIO Convention reso-
lutions are ignored The Board
chairman refuses to answer q
letter. Board member McCurdy
can safely be depended OH to keep
the AFL quiet