davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-02-23
Automobile Toxution

That hundreds OF Washington
motor vehicle owners are disturbed
to learn suddenly that new policy
on assessing the values Of their cars
has been adopted by District officials
Is not surprising. In many cases,
though not all. the owners find they
will get no tax reduction by reason
of the wear and tear that deprecated
the value" Of their cars in the past
year Their personal property tax on
the old machine will remain the same,
If 1t Is not actually increased. Per-
haps the Board of Personal Tax Ap-
praisers has good reasons for the
change in policy. In past years 1t
seemed best to use the valuation fig-
ures set down in the Red Book
National Used Car Market Report as
a measure of values. This publica-
ton, used in many cities as guide
to assessors. purports to give the
results of a national survey, by vari-
Gus makes and ages of cars, on the
basis OF market experience through
out the country.
This year the market report con-
tanned additional data. In addition
to stating as usual the loan or cash"
values, such as the amounts that will
be advanced by finance companies,
it also contained retail sales valua-
tions," which were higher than the
loan value figures. Meeting the new
situation, the District assessors de-
cided that an average between these
two sets of figures would represent
most nearly the actual vaire of the
car for tax purposes.
It should be remembered that this
type of property evaluation for tax
purposes depends ultimately on judg-
ment. There is no exact yardstick by
which to measure the full value Of
a car. one, two or more years old.
And, in all Difference to the tax asses
sor, he is charged in law to arrive at
the full and true value" of the car.
Even if all this be granted, how
ever, there still was something miss
ing. The change in policy Of assess
ment should have been announced
frankly before it was put into force,
instead Of permitting it to become
known incidentally a month or two
later. Tax Assessor Edward A. Dent
who just recently assumed the post
states that he realizes this was a
mistake, and one he does not propose
to make again.
Evening star., 1940-02-23

coal shipped through Dutch ports.
The first test Of the allies new
policy toward italy will come when
some of the sixteen italian ships now
loading at Rotterdam attempt to sail
through the blockade.
It is not foregone conclusion that
Italy will not yet yield to the allies
wishes, and accept their terms of
British coal in exchange for Italian
war materials, particularly planes.
Germany ard Great Britain are the
two largest sources of foreign coal
in Europe. II Great Britain refuses
to send Italy her own and stops the
shipment of German fuel by sea,
Italy would have to depend on what
little she can import by rail from
Germany and her production of lig-
mite. 1taly's plight might easily be-
come critical So that although the
allied trade negotiators have left
Rome their departure may be only
one OF the final cards played in a stiff
game Of barter.
Evening star., 1940-02-23

required to become skilled in the work
carried on at the Navy Yard being from
four to twenty years or even a lifetime
Men are not drafted to the service in
time Of war regardless of where they
may be employed provided they are with
in the age limit. Navy Yard workers
were in class in the last draft.
~ belonged to the National Guard at
the time of the Villa uprising in Mexico
in 1916, was mustered into the Regular
Army at that time, and was almost i'm
mediately honorably discharged to re-
sumo employment at the Navy Yard. A
special order Of Secretary of War Baker
sent $50 Navy Yard members of the Ma
tional Guard back to their jobs in the
Navy Yard where they were deemed of
more vital service to their country.
Therefore, the ruling is not new one
and certainly must be a sound one, else
the captain of the Navy Yard and the
Secretary of War would not use their
power to back up such regulation if it
hindered our defense and was unjust.
The National Guard cannot take men
from the Navy Yard in wartime, but the
Navy Yard can lift Navy Yard men out
of the Guard. So, after all, 1t is the Ma
tional Guard organization that loses If
1t trains key men only to have them
taken away when they are most wanted.
I might say that Navy Yard workers are
free to resign from the Navy Yard to re-
enlist and 60 to the front with their units
If they so desire.
I think this proves that everything
Mr.. Eckert had to say arises from look
ing at the regulation in the wrong
light, but I admire him Tor speaking up
just the same ROBERT l.. DAVIS.
Arlington, Va.
February 81.
Evening star., 1940-02-23
Spinach

AS rule youth is scornful Of the
opinions Of age and authority. It is,
however, backing in full DR.. Roger
Truesdale, nationally known food
chemist, in his surprise attack
against spinach, that bette noir Of
the nursery and subsequent periods
of adolescence. Spinach, says the
doctor, is just great big fake. He
accuses 1t Of having only twenty
per cent of useful iron content, and
of having no calcium properties
available for the human system. Not
content with that, this dietetic vii
lain contains predatory oxilate radi-
Gals which reach out, precipitate
calcium from other foods, kidnap it
and carry 1t away.
Faced with the appalling disaster
of having to live with children who
have been exactly right for years
and are only just able to prove it,
the parents of America are in a sad
state of filters. Cursed as this coun-
try Is with free press, it has not
been possible to suppress this heresy;
the secret is out, and more vigorous
measures are needed. The first move
OF the parents board Of strategy has
been wise one. Popeye has been
made an honorary member and his
advice sought. The great spinach
booster has promised to help, but
admits that the outlook is gloomy.
II yam disgustipated," he is reported
to have said. wit spinach, kin
lick anything alive, but not all de kids
In de New Nited States. yam what
I yam and dat's Ill I yam."
Evening star., 1940-02-23
American Artists

The gift to the National Gallery
of Art by the A. w. Mellon Educa-
tional and Charitable Trust, an
nounced yesterday, has a signifi-
canoe which perhaps may not be
appreciated at once. Only when it
is remembered that the pictures first
donated by the late Secretary Of
the Treasury were works by foreign
painters does the meaning of the
most recent presentation become
clear. Seven great American artists,
1t now is known, will be included in
the list of masters whose works are
to be displayed in the magnificent
building currently approaching COM
pletion in Constitution avenue be-
tween Fourth and Seventh streets.
Mr.. Mellon had intended from the
start that the esthetic genius of his
own country should not be neglected.
From the Thomas B. Clarke collec-
ton he purchased some very no.
table canvases. Gilbert Stuart,
John Trumbull, John Singleton Cop
ley, Chester Harding, Mather Brown
and Edward Savage were the authors
of the best of these pictures. With
the exception of Harding. self-taught
in poverty, all were pupils of Benja-
min West; and he, too, naturally
enough, is "of the company" The
group without violence to the truth
might be called "the West school,"
He was the father of American paint
ing in the eighteenth century and
surely is entitled to credit for the
zeal with which he inspired his
younger contemporaries.
Likewise worthy of mention is the
fact that, though they lived and
worked abroad, principally in Eng
land, the Americans remained Amer
lean. Their pictures are native prod
ucts even when they are created
under alien skies. It is not too much
to claim for them that they are "our
Holbeins and Rembrandts." They
certainly deserve to stand with Rom
ney and Raeburn, the British and
the Scottish portraitists whom Mr..
Mellon so much admired.
Additional American paintings
probably will be acquired for the
gallery from time to time in the
future. The living endowment which
the donor provided should furnish
means for expansion. But even
If no further gains were made, the
showing of the artistic achievement
of the United States already assured
is something to rejoice about. Each
of the pictures publicized yesterday
Is masterpiece. They will delight
and please a grateful Nation in the
years that lie ahead.
Evening star., 1940-02-23
Trade Agreement Debote

In the House debate on the trade
agreements, the opposition has rested
It's case on criticisms already proved
groundless by dispassionate presenta-
ton OF facts and figures. During six
years of operation, the administra-
tion's authority to reach these agree
ments without congressional ratifica-
ton has been accompanied by an
increase in our export trade which we
never would have enjoyed had the
country continued to barricade itself
against commerce with the world.
The high duties of the Smoot- -Haw-
ley tariff are well leveled.
Some detractors of the agreements
are crying havoc because they feel
that whatever merit these agree
ments might have had before Sep
tember 8, 1889, they have none at all
now in the light of the European
war. What value, men of this opin-
ion want to know, can be tariff con-
cessions granted to our goods by the
United Kingdom, Belgium or France
when the emergency demands of war
or neutrality eliminate those con-
cessions?
Their attitude implies that the
earth consists of Europe and the
United States. Because of the agree
ments, our goods find expanded mar
kets in South and Central America,
in Canada, in Asia. Our exports to
our hemisphere neighbors to the
south advanced during 1899 to total
of 33,42l 900 from 1854, 1877 900 the
year before. Our exports to Canada
in 1899 were $493, 100000 compared
with $467 ,767,00O in 1888. Our sales
to Asia rose from 6,777 900 in 1898
to $56O,796, 900 in 1899, despite a
slump in our chief Asian market,
Japan. The war harms our COM
merce, but the trade agreements
mitigate the harm.
Evening star., 1940-02-23
Believes Herbert Hoover
May BE Next President.
To tha Hdttor ~ The Efsr.

To the Editor OF The Star:
am wondering If the New Dealers are
not really afraid that Herbert Hoover
may be our next President, after all their
efforts to discredit and malign him.
In the first place, Mr.. Hoover was no
more responsible for the depression than
was. People generally realize that now
and can see that the depression was the
result of the World War and the said
war was Democrat war.
Yes, was voter, though independ-
ent, and noticed that we heard lot
about the Democrat war and that the
Democratic party was winning the war
Indeed, IN the election of 1918, read in
the paper woodrow, Wilson's public re-
quest to the voters that they return
Democratic Congress so that he could
carry his plans to successful conclusion.
Oh, yes, when the war was popular the
Democrats wanted to take all credit.
Now 1t is different! The old World
War Is not so popular and the New
Dealers are only too anxious to saddle
the Republicans with the bad results
Of said war.
Smart stuff, but not smart enough to
fool all the people all the time. The
people, who are really doing some think
ing these days and keeping their own
counsel" may decide for themselves and
vote to give Mr. Hoover another four
years. He did the most efficient Job at
getting relief money to people who
actually needed it, in spite of the opposi-
ton Of hostile Congress, intent on play
ing politics with human misery-so-
called statesmen, who could only see
their duty to be: Anything to put
Hoover In a hole" A BYsTANDER.
LAndover, Md.
February Al.
Evening star., 1940-02-23

islators prating of risks in on-mllitary
: aid to Finland would he not, with Doro-
thy Thompson, tell Americans to "come
out from under the bed and look
around? AS for the aggressive course
urged by Miss Thompson, by Henry Stim-
son and by Franklin Roosevelt-it does
not involve excessive dislike" for the
German nation. It does involve wish
to rescue the German people from
f1endish Hitlerism.
Regarding the third point, Washington
gave the young Nation advice he would
not give the Nation Of later day. He
said: Attachment Of small or weak to-
ward great and powerful nation, dooms
the former to be the satellite Of the lat
ter" He feared that our weak Republic
would be the satellite Of France. Need
we have this fear today, regarding at
tachment to France, to England Or to
Finland? Washington went on to say:
I'VE may safely trust to temporary al
hances for extraordinary emergencies" :"
Washington would probably want us
in this extraordinary emergency-to aid
the allies as mon -combatant belligerent"
(the phrase Of r. de r. des Sales, if we
may Judge by the nature of the man, and
by these words Of his: 1T will be worthy
OF free, enlightened and at no distant
period Of great Nation, to give to man
kind the magnanimous and too novel ex-
ample OF q people always guided by an
exalted Justice and benevolence
The period is not far on when
We may choose peace or war, as our inter.
est guided by our Justice shall counsel"
Evening star., 1940-02-23
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Trace,cell.

Reminds us, sometime we are going
to try bit Of lard on the birds.
Out in the cold, lard would hold up
nice and firm.
And how about butter, and peanut
butter? The latter, probably as nice
experiment with the squirrels.
What would squirrel do with chunk
Of peanut butter2
He could not help being intrigued with
the smell, but no doubt the consistency
and lack Of form would puzzle him.
xH%E
Speaking of squirrels, and why not,
have you ever watched their crazy antics
sometimes when they bury seeds from q
feeding station?
One was doing 1t In the yard about 20
feet from the feeding birds.
He would paw at the ground, then leap
into the air about feet high, turning
while aloft, alighting about a foot from
where he had dug.
Then he would race across the yard,
turn suddenly race back to the feeder,
seize sunflower seed, run into the yard,
start to dig, leap, turn, and run rapidly
forward again.
To get back to the soap dish feeder
and the big woody dog:
The wire was placed on a locust tree,
but, unfortunately, too far down.
Events proved that it should have been
at least II feet high, rather than or g.
For no sooner had we retired to the
house, to watch the arrival of the birds,
than here came dog. Yes, these crea-
lures are often great nuisances in the
sport of bird feeding.
Suet, of course, is really dog food You
cannot blame them at all.
This big black dog came as straight
as an arrow to the tree, reared up on his
hind paws, struck at the suet receptacle,
and dragged it of the tree.
Then he seized the wire arrangement
in his mouth, suet and all, and made
of around the back OF the garage
We had not paid 65 cents, we think 1t
was, for that big soap dish just to amuse
somebody's dog
aCIe, Ooy, CoIIle OdCk WltIl tlldt! we
yelled.
But boy paid not the slightest bit OF
attention.
Hey, Bozo," we called. thinking maybe
we, had not hit on the right name.
The black dog answered no better &c
this name than to the other.
Drop that, sir!" We screamed, in the
best tradition.
It must have been that "sir," for he
dropped it.
But so few birds ate our suet that we
have always regretted that we did not
permit Bozo to get away with it.
He was having such a grand time.
Evening star., 1940-02-23
VIENNA, Va.

Dear Sir:
"Your correspondent who has difficulty
In tying the suet to the tree 10 that It
stays may be interested in my old soap
dish method.
sIt works.
Take soap dish with two spring
handles on either side, the kind that is
hung on the two faucets in the kitchen
sink
"Tie 1t tight against the tree and stuff
large pieces Of suet between it and the
tree. Chickadees, red-headed wood
peckers, brown creepers, nuthatches, ETC.,
will be your regular boarders.
I'D never seen the snowbirds eat suet
until yesterday, the day Of the bad storm.
II had put some new suet in the soap
dish and had put some old pieces that
had been there in the feeding box
"A blue jay knocked chunk onto the
ground and the snowbirds were at it all
day. The last OF 1t was carried of by an
old beast Of dog today.
Can you tell me the name of round
ball-like bird that I call the squatter?
He gets in the box and seems to eat
very slowly Of the scratch feed and just
squats there. The other birds keep their
distance. He's about as large as robin
but not as long, hasn't much tail. His
markings remind me Of the mockingbird
except that he is brown and white where
mocker is gray and white. (Note: Il may
be female towhee)
MANY birds come that thought were
phoebes, as they look just like the sum-
mer bird that has that plaintive call
But so many people speak Of the tufted
titmouse that wonder If these birds
were titmice instead of phoebes.
THANK you for the many bird articles
you publish.
very sincerely yours, I. T. F."
Every time this column thinks of suet
for birds, 1t recalls that big black woody
dog, about three years ago, which ran
away with the new soap dish feeder.
It really wasn't soap dish, but wire
affair made purposely as q suet feeder.
1t was, however, constructed exactly
along the lines Of the homely article
which our correspondent suggests.
The only difference was that 1t had q
hinged door on the front which made
filling easy.
1t was, too, somewhat larger than a
soap dish.
4 y
A fine lot Of choice beef suet was
crammed into the wire box
Beef suet. OF course. not hog suet.
Birds are supposed to prefer the former,
although we wonder how they know the
difference.
Evening star., 1940-02-23
Juvenile Court Judqe

a vigorous campaign by their
friends is being waged in behalf of
at least two candidates for the judge
ship of the Juvenile Court, one of
them being the incumbent. Judge
Fay Bentley, whose term expires
today. According to the Washington
Daily News, a group OF responsible
citizens" has placed before Mrs.
Roosevelt = statement purportedly
evidencing the groups opinion Of
Judge Bentley's lack of qualification
for the position. To The Stars Ger
tain knowledge, another group Of
responsible citizens" has redoubled
its activity in support of Judge Bent
ley's qualifications.
The Star was active over a period
OF years in supporting the citizens
working for the new Juvenile Court
law and in championing the law. It
is law designed to protect children,
to shield them from the demoraiiz-
ing effects of criminal prosecution
in open court. 1t emphasizes correc-
tion above punishment. But it
confers broad discretionary powers
on the judge, powers which are not
duplicated in the machinery for
justice built up through the years for
dealing with adults.
The Star has no candidate for the
position of judge Of the Juvenile
Court and is backing none. The Star
is sympathetic with the principles of
the Juvenile Court law and would
regard it as most unfortunate for
the community if dissatisfaction over
the manner of their application
brought the law itself into disrepute.
The Star hopes that the appoint
ment of Juvenile Court judge will
not be dictated by any group of
Irresponsible citizens" but will be
made by those who, under the Con-
stitution, are charged with appoint
ments to the judiciary. The wise
procedure would be an investigation
of the administration of the law by
the Department of Justice; an inves-
tigation conducted carefully by in
formed persons with full access to
the records of the court and without
benefit of publicity. Its findings
should determine to the satisfaction
Of the President whether Judge Bent
ley, the logical candidate, is to be
reappointed or whether her own
record suggests the advisability of
selecting some other person whose
experience and qualifications are
adequate in meeting the demands of
difficult and exacting position.
The situation is such that con-
gresstonal investigation, with attend
ant publicity necessarily emphasizing
the views of aggrieved individuals,
would, in The Stars opinion, do more
harm than good.
Evening star., 1940-02-23
Traffic Court

Various agencies studying traffic
safety conditions in Washington have
criticized the method of handling
fatal accident cases in the courts,
and numerous suggestions for i'm
provement have been made. Most
Of these suggestions have contem-
plated placing responsibility for con-
duct of trials on a relatively small
number Of judges, and the latest
proposal, which will be incorporated
In bill to be submitted to Congress,
is that one Judge be permanently
assigned to hear all trafiic cases.
As q point OF departure In study
ing the situation, such q bill would
Evening star., 1940-02-23
Blockade Hits Italy

New complications between the
allies and Italy are in prospect as
the result Of the failure of negotia-
tions for the exchange of British
coal for Italian war materials and
other manufactured goods.
The period of grace which the
British minister of economic warfare,
Ronald Cross, revealed was being
extended to Italy for the importa-
ton of German coal by way of Rot
terdam now appears to have ended
with the breakdown in the trade
discussions. The indication is that
the allies will now proceed to cut off
the traffic in German coal, which
hitherto has been permitted to pass
through the blockade in Difference to
Italy, whom the allies hope to keep
out OF the war.
The seriousness of allied applica-
ton of the blockade against 1taly's
vital imports of coal cannot be
ignored, and the reaction which 1t
may provoke in Rome may prejudice
the allied cause, perhaps forcing
Italy to modify-unfavorably for the
allies-her status as a non-belliger-
ent, unless Premier Mussolini thinks
better of his refusal to let war mate
rials go to Britain and France.
Although Italy can scarcely be
classed as a neutral, allied as she is
with Germany, she has not yet
entered the war, and has been the
special object of allied attentions
The effects of the blockade against
Germany-as respects both imports
and exports-have been cushioned
for Italy by allied efforts, denied to
other neutrals, to speed her ships
through contraband controls and by
refraining from a direct blockade of
italian ports, through which it is
known Germany's foreign trade has
continued to pass.
Italy has had little cause for COM
plant against the effects Of the
blockade. While the allies were
being drawn into controversies with
other neutrals over the blockade,
Italy enjoyed special exemptions,
particularly with respect to German
Evening star., 1940-02-23

have merit. The present Police Court
practice Of rotating trafilc judges
monthly undoubtedly accounts for
some Of the faults which have been
noticed. But the fact should be kept
in mind that fatalities are only q
small part, numerically, Of the whole
traffic problem. OF all traffic arrests,
more than ninety per cent result in
convictions, but the number Of driv-
ers convicted as a result of fatal ac-
cidents Is very small This Is due to
many factors. In more than half Of
the cases drivers have been found so
clearly blameless that they have
been released by the coroner's Jury.
In many other cases the grand
jury has ignored charges, or Police
Court judges have ordered directed
verdicts of not guilty. But even in
the remaining few which have been
brought to trial, convictions are COM
paratively rare. and usually are OBJ
tanned only after many delays.
Part OF the cause for this lies in a
legal ambiguity In the negligent hon.
icide law. which results in chronic
difference Of opinion between judges
and prosecutors on the definition Of
negligence. Other causes are the
difficulty Of obtaining accurate evi-
dence and the reluctance of iuries
to convict in such cases.
The district attorneys Office has
made a practice Of studying all evi-
dence presented before inquests and
shaS found no cases where it believed
generations were not justified. In
recent weeks transcripts of all negli-
gent homicide trials have been made
in Police Court In an effort to deter
mine the causes for such a low ratio
of convictions.
While concentration of RESPONSE
bility undoubtedly would be benef-
cial, 1t has been pointed out that one
Judge could not handle all traffic
cases. Although this is true, other
solutions are possible. Full term or
permanent assignments might re-
place monthly rotation, or separate
traffic court with an adequate num-
ber of judges might be even more
feasible.