davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-08-22

A correspondent sends us the follow
ing item from the shepherdstown, w.
Va, Register:
Rural Mail Carrier John Skinner
came In with . good snake story the
other day, and he says that you don t
have to believe 1t II you don't want to-,
but that this one actually happened.
He was driving up the river road the
other day when he saw big yellow house
cat trying to pull something like .
piece Of rope out of the bushes.
John said he stopped and then he
saw that the cat had hold OF the tail
Of black snake, and that the cat was
back on its launches pulling for all 1t
was worth.
Finally the snake let 60 and the cat
dragged 1t out into the road. He said
the cat played with the 5-foot snake
just like 1t might have been a mouse.
"Once the cat took the snakes tail
In Its mouth and started down the road,
but when the head Of the reptile hit
the cats hind legs, he dropped 1t.
Several times the snake tried to get
into the bushes but the cat always
caught it and after mighty heaving
dragged it back into the road.
THE snake also tried to wrap itself
around the cat, but the animal was too
wary for that and would rake the
snake with its claws.
After quite struggle, John said the
only idea the snake had was to get
away, but 1t finally curled up and the
cat picked it up by the middle and
went oil into some underbrush nearby.
That Is one for the book"
The prowess Of the cat with the snake
is we'll known, and probably helps ac-
count for the fact that the world is not
overrun with reptiles.
1t is evident that In places where
there are many pet cats there are few
snakes. Thus the density of snakes is at
its height in the forest, somewhat less
on farms and In fields. less still in subur-
ban sections. and practically nil In the
city.
Some persons might not give the
house cat credit for this result, out
neither would they admit that the
cats have anything to do with the con-
troll Of rats and mice.
Agricultural experts, on the other
hand. are ready to admit that If 1t were
not for the house cat, there might not
be any agriculture as we know it.
Mice and rats are ready at all times
to eat the farmer out Of his barns, pro-
vided there were no natural controls to
keep then in check.
See what has happened when birds
such as the startling. are brought tc
lands where their natural controls are
absent In England there are enough
owls and hawks Of various sorts to prey
upon the young starlings, and to keep
the tribe down to point where no one
minds them.
In this country. where the controls are
lacking. the starlings have gone to town.
literally and figuratively, with the re.
suit that they are becoming a nuisance,
Evening star., 1940-08-22

their toes for their foreign masters. The
enemies of the republic would not need
to spend q cent on parachutists because
their kind are already, to large extent.
safely beyond ordinary suspicion.
Everything depends on the outcome
Of the blitzkrieg now directed against
Great Britain. 1t seems almost i'm
possible for them to hold out against
such superior numbers and equipment
without substantial help from us. The
British are our first line of defense. We
can serve our Nation and the entire
Western Hemisphere only if we back
them to the limit with all of our re-
sources.
Right now with scores of destroyers
lying idle in dock we are withholding
instead Of sending them where they are
badly needed. For humanity's sake let
us send these destroyers to the Churchill
government with all possible speed. We
have everything to gain by acting
quickly. ALFRED D. CALVERT.
August Is.
Evening star., 1940-08-22
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles Z. Trdce1peH.

through sheer numbers. II there were
fewer Of them, perhaps many persons
who now hate them would not mind
them in the least.
America has been unfortunate In
adopting creatures which have found
food so abundant here, combined with
a lack of natural controls, that they have
become economic threats instead Of aids.
*+*
The house cat is an adopted animal
which has more than paid for itself In
respect to rodent and snake control.
No doubt for every snake which some
one has seen caught by a cat, hundreds
Of reptiles are dispatched In this way
in the woods near small towns without
any human seeing the set-to.
The cat is formed by nature for just
this work. You might think an ordinary
sized tomcat would be afraid. but in
most cases 1t is not; occasionally cat
is inclined to be extremely wary when
confronted with q snake. We have seen
cat stalk small garter snake through
cabbage patch, its ears erect. never
losing sight of the wriggler, but never
coming to grips with it. 1t may be that
every cat has to 60 through this ap-
premiership, in regard to snakes, before
1t realizes that there is little danger.
This is natures way. There is little
heroic in nature when it comes to at
tacks. Perhaps recent historical develop
ments are just the animal in man coming
to the fore. Natures way is for the
larger to attack the smaller, without
sentiment, and never to attack the
larger, once 1t is convinced that the
smaller is weaker and the larger stronger.
The cat soon finds out that the snake
cannot harm it, and is too slow to strike
1t successfully, or to wrap 1t In its coils.
One may wonder what a cat would
do with a rattler. No doubt instinct
would tell it to be extremely wary.
The feline plan of attack is to seize
the snake by the back of the neck and
break its backbone by quick shakes.
In this it does the snake much as a
big, strong dog might do it. the cat.
There is little chivalry in nature, ex-
cept as manifested by man, and now
even man seems to be giving 1t up.
Today nature seems to have won all
along the line. and everywhere 1t is
fashionable for the strong to hop the
weak.
The animals know no better. 1t is
Just instinct with them, the instinct
which shows them sure thing" while
leading them away from some attempt
which might be hazardous to them.
1t is probably true that yellow cats
are better snake catchers than speci-
mems of any other color, although they
are not noted for their mousing
When it comes to catching mice. the
tiger cats are the best.
The females, as is well known, are by
far the best mousers. This is the origin
Of the saying that the female of the
species is more deadly than the male.
This. in the strict animal world, IS
merely saying that the female Of the
species is the more eficient.
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Would Send Destroyer
To Great Britain.

To the Editor Of The Star:
Civilization has broken down." That
ominious ouartette of words headlined
page advertisement Of the Red Cross IN
many big city dailies all over the land in
the summer of 1914, when the World
War was in its early stages.
To many, today, the statement is as
meaningless as it was then. Others had
its truth burned deeply into their minds.
to eat, drink and be merry, with an
after-us-the-deluge complex.
Whether we like to admit it or not.
civilization has broken down. The most
relentlessly cruel, the most hendishly
brutal, the most criminally selfish crea.
lures Of all time are now in the saddle.
World domination Is the ambition Of the
four leaders. Today they are spreading
death and chaos in the Eastern Hemi-
sphere. The Western Hemisphere IL
next on their agenda-and one country
at . time, gentlemen, II you please.
While we on this side Of the Atlantic
were playing, the totalitarian group was
perfecting its organization on both con-
ttnents. Before the summer Of 1914
Germany, Italy and Japan all had our
country honeycomb4d with spies who
have never yet slackened their efforts.
These spies know more Of our defenses
than we do ourselves, and We might -
well realize 1t. The inclusion Of Russia
In the group only intensifies the danger.
BY conservative estimate . million Of
these false friends are comfortably en-
sconced In every line Of business and
every branch Of the Government. not
excepting the armed feaces. and are on
Evening star., 1940-08-22
From Geneva to Montreal

On invitation Of the Canadian
government, the international Labor
ONCE. which has had its headquar-
ters at Geneva for twenty years, is
sending most Of its personnel to
Montreal, where McGill University
will provide accommodations for the
staff, Director John G. Winant has
announced. In Montreal, free from
the restrictions of totalitarian Eu-
rope, the I. L. o. will be able to con-
tinue its efforts, through the CO.
operation of government, workers
and employers, to raise labor stand
ards and extend the social frontiers
of democracy.
Though Switzerland remains loyal
to its ancient democratic traditions,
the mountain republic today is sur
rounded by totalitarian states, un-
friendly, If not hostile, to the demo-
cratic processes through which the
I. L. o. operates. With the Nazi con-
quests in Europe, trade unions have
been dealt devastating blow. In
Poland, Czecho- -Slovakia and several
other countries trade unions have
disappeared. Under the conditions
that unhappily now prevail on the
continent, the I. L. O. has found
it increasingly difficult to maintain
its essential services. Hence the de-
cision to accept the invitation Of
the Canadian government and estab-
lish a temporary home in the New
World
OF the twenty-one nations Of the
Western Hemisphere, nineteen, in
cluding the United States and Can
ada, are members OF the I. L. O..
In the New World, therefore, 1t has a
wide field for It's research and other
activities. During recent years 1t has
assisted many governments Of South
and Central American countries in
drafting social security and labor
legislation. It also has provided them
with expert advice on the technique
Of administration.
In so far as the I. L. o. succeeds in
raising social standards and improv-
ing economic conditions in the New
World, It will contribute to strength.
ening the institutions Of democracy
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Fair Exchange

A parkway development program
which has the unusual advantage
OF costing the Government nothing
has just received the approval Of
the House Public Buildings and
Grounds Committee. Under this
plan, worked out by the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion in collaboration with the In
terror Department officials and Army
engineers, the Mount Vernon Memo
rial Highway would be widened in
the vicinity of Four Mile Run through
an exchange Of shore property for
certain gravel-dredging rights In the
Potomac River.
According to Chairman Frederic
A. Delano Of the commission, there
Is need for additional land along a
number of stretches of the highway
as a protection against possible
future private development of a type
not in harmony with the memorial
nature of the popular scenic drive.
The original project envisioned a
two hundred-foot boulevard from
Washington's home to the city which
bears his name, but this right Of
way has been expanded to include
large park areas along much Of
the thoroughfare, acquired not only
for their esthetic value but as a
guarantee against industrial and
other discordant encroachments.
The proposed swap" OF gravel for
land will greatly widen the boule-
ward and contiguous parkway in a
portion Of the boulevard close to
Washington and to the new airport.
The suggested arrangement seems to
be a highly meritorious one-and.
since 1t involves no appropriations,
there can be little doubt that Con-
gress will grant the necessary
authority with minimum of delay.
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Air Fields Needed

The fate Of Croydon Airport, at
London; Of Schiphol, at Amsterdam,
and of other famous European air
terminals which have been targets
for bombing attacks, would seem
to indicate that, no matter how es-
sential such great airports may be in
peacetime, they are apt to have
short lives in time Of war. Airports
are among the most important of all
targets for enemy airmen, whose
primary aim is to gain control of
the skies.
For this reason, the arguments Of
the National Aeronautic Association,
the Private F1iers' Association and
other aeronautical organizations and
individuals in behalf of the Federal
construction of hundreds of "air
fields, not airports," carry consider
able weight. From the military
standpoint, there can never be too
many landing fields. Safety for air.
craft on the ground lies in their
dispersion and concealment; their
concentration on large, easily located
airports could prove fatal In the
face Of aggressive enemy air attack.
Such dispersion must take place in
stantly in event Of danger. 1t. is
reported that the Polish air force
was bombed out of existence within
six hours by the Germans, who as
signed flights Of dive bombers to
every Polish airport to signal the
start of the invasion. To permit such
dispersion, air fields must be in ex-
istence before the start Of hostilities.
No elaborate expenditures OF funds
are necessary to prepare such tenn
porary military airdromes, since the
necessity for concealing them pre-
cludes clearing of runways and con-
struction Of buildings.
There also is urgent and increas-
Ing need for more peacetime flying
fields for the training Of pilots and
handling the operations Of the grow
ing army Of civilian pilots. Since the
Government is spending money for
the training Of civilian student
pilots, it obviously is to the advantage
Of the Nation to see that these pilots
are kept In condition after they
are trained. They can keep in con-
dition only by flying regularly. This
requires additional flying fields in
all parts Of the country. Nearly
year and half ago the then Civil
Evening star., 1940-08-22
johnson and Boswell
Quoted on Patriotism.
10 the Editor Of The Star:


Anent the present American rush into
conscription and thence into war-both
Of which issues, many feel. the American
people have not been given time to con-
slider calmly, nor even to debate with
even the dullest pretense Of reason, but
rather have been driven into-it may be
coeent to recall a remark of DR.. johnson
with, Of course, Boswell's commonplace
apology published In the year 179D:
Patriotism having become one of our
topicks, johnson suddenly uttered, in
q strong determined tone. an apothegm,
at which many will start: Patriotism Is
the last refuge of scoundrel.'"
Boswell amends this obvious truth by
saying that DR.. johnson referred not
to true patriotism, but to that pretended
patriotism which 80 many. in all ages
and countries, have made . cloak for
self-interest." VIRGINIAN.
August 20.
Evening star., 1940-08-22

on this side Of the Atlantic. AS q
part Of its good neighbor" policy,
the washington administration is
seeking to increase the purchasing
power Of Latin American countries
and bolster their defenses against
penetration by the totalitarian pow
ers. The International Labor Ofiice
Is working on lines that at many
points are closely parallel. Amer
leans, therefore, should welcome the
transfer Of its headquarters to the
New World,
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Puzzled by Diplomatic
DEVELOPMENTS.

10 the Editor Of The Star:
Recent developments In our diplomatic
division are rather perplexing to me.
Our Undersecretary Of State on July
a in sharply worded message accused
the U. S. s. r. of brutal treatment Of
small unprotected republics. August the
soviets Foreign Commissar censured US
viciously and called us "misers." Who
fed Russia's famished people after their
bloody revolution? Who violated the
pledge not to encourage Communistic
dogma to Alter into the United States?
August Z we renewed the treaty with
Russia for . mere $4o,000,000 worth of
exports per year. Our Maritime Com
mission on the same day sanctioned
American tanker motor gasoline .,hip-
ments to Siberia whereas privileges were
denied to Japan and other countries
This procedure cannot impress the ma
jority Of our citizens. q. NJ. G.
Laurel Beach. Conn.
August 10.
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Grateful for Treatment
At Freedmen's Hospital.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
With so much current discussion rela-
tive to ambulance service in Washing
ton, I should like to make this public
statement of services received in . 10
cal hospital.
For several days recently ! was . pa
tient at Freedmens Hospital. During
my stay there received every possible
consideration-doctor nurses. tnternes
the whole personnel seemed to have
one goal, and that was the comfort and
well.being Of the patients.
August q. PERRY WILLIAMS.
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Aftermath of War

Even the mock wars of maneuvers
have their aftermaths of unexpected
costs. The California National
Guard recently got stuck for twenty
one dollars damages, awarded to one
Joe Mikulich for the accidental use
Of his chicken coop as target for
37-mm. shell. It must have been a
beautiful shot. Fortunately there
was no one home but the chickens,
and fourteen Of them, and part of
their dwelling, were wiped out. Joe
put in a higher claim, on the ground
that the survivors were driven crazy
with shell shock and laid nothing
but "unmarketable" eggs, presum-
ably scrambled, but the State Board
Of Control denied the petition.
Unquestionably they acted wisely.
Alienists working on humans fire.
quently have q tough time, but their
task Is simple compared to that OF
certifying a hen, who at best has an
I. @. barely discernible with delicate
instruments. No one could doubt
this who has ever observed one sit
ting all summer on a china door
knob eagerly waiting for it to hatch
out. Another evidence of her lack
of judgment is her firm conviction
that the best way to escape disaster
from an automobile is to remain in
front and attempt to outrun 1t. Nor
is this all; even her choice Of the
fatal spot is wrong. Almost every
time, the tragedy occurs right where
her owner can, and does, see it, in
stead of around the corner, where
the motorist can get an unimpeded
chance to recover the corpus delicti.
take It home and give 1t . decent
burial IN the bosom Of his family.
Evening star., 1940-08-22

Aeronautics Authority recommended
to Congress a comprehensive pro-
gram OF airport construction to care
for these military and civil needs.
The c. A. A. plan deserves study
and action,
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Deplores Laxity in Regard
To Subverxive Elements.
To the Editor Of The Star:

have been puzzled Is to Just why our
Government has allowed such freedom
to the German-American Bund and the
Communist party in America. Is 1t be-
cause our forefathers guaranteed free
speech, free press and free assembly?
Were the men who gave us these great
privileges alive today, I think they
would reprimand us sharply for our
carelessness in the use Of their gifts,
by opening them to those whose chief
purpose In using them Is to destroy them.
Free institutions can endure only so long
as proper care is taken to guard them.
Had this care been taken, the subver.
sive elements in our country would not
already have made such progress in
boring from within
Despite the danger to which we have
opened ourselves from these forces,
there are many who will insist on inter-
preting the letter and not the spirit OF
the Constitution ard the bill Of rights.
And they probably will refuse to see
that freedom itself is possible only under
certain restraints. (Were this not SO
We would have no laws and no police)
At present we are in the position of
kind-hearted but slightly weak-in-the-
head landlord who has opened his home
to those who have come to plunder and
take from him his substance-ustng
treAchery, trickery and deceit as their
weapons. And we must expect the
same thanks that he would get from
then-ridicule and q knife in the back
the thanks that We are getting right
now. E. r. BOWLING.
New York City.
August 49,
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the ,Driter, although the use OF
a pSeudonun for publication Is
permissible. The Star reserUes
the right to edit all letters 1Otth
q Dte1D to condensation.
Evening star., 1940-08-22
The Star Answers
Are Free to All

You can ask our Information Bureau
any question Of fact and get the answer
back In . personal letter. 1t Is q great
educational idea introduced into the
lives Of the most intelligent people in
the world-American newspaper readers.
It is . part Of that best purpose Of .
newspaper-setvice. There is no charge
for answering questions except return
postage. What do you want to known
Canning Season Is Ripe
The canning season Is at its peak
take advantage Of the bargains in fruits
and vegetables and stock up your pantry
against the time when these foodstufis
are out of season. Get yourself . copy
Of our Canning and Preserving booklet.
It is an up-to-date publication on can.
ming, picking and preserving. Contains
more than 100 tested recipes. To secure
your copy inclose 10 cents In coin,
wrapped in this clipping.
Name
.------..--............
Street
-----------------------
City
.----------------.----.
State
Evening star., 1940-08-22

@. How near does the sun approach
the earth IN winter and summer?-E. s.
A. On January the distance is about
91,30oy000 miles, while on July 1t Is
"a, 400 900 miles.
Evening star., 1940-08-22
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.
Member of the Associated Press,

Entered as second-class matter post once.
WaShinRton. D. c.
Evening star., 1940-03-18
Boston Weather Station
Asked Because Of DAMAGE
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BOSTON, March 18.-Declaring
tremendous property damage and
even loss of lives" have resulted from
Boston weather forecasts that "have
been becoming more uncertain and
inaccurate" Representative McCor-
mack, Democrat, of Massachusetts
yesterday urged establishment of an
independent forecast station here.
In a telegram to Secretary Wall
lace, Mr.. Mccormack said the FORE
casts for an area of nearly 361 900
square miles from Maine to Virginia
"are made in Washington by a single
forecaster who has less than an
hour to analyze the weather map,
perform computations and prepare
the forecasts for 16 different States" "
He said Boston had no advance
warning of the September, 1888, hur-
ricane, nor did we have warning
this year of the February blizzard
which tied up Boston streets and
caused heavy loss to business"
Evening star., 1940-03-18
Chicago Grain
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, March 15-Sellirg
based on peace talk and trade un-
certainty following the meeting of
Hitler and Mussolini lowered wheat
prices as much as IS cents at times
today, but the market recovered
most of this loss later.
Some early sellers took the buy
ing side on the rally, due to the
various unconfirmed rumors circu-
lated on international cables follow
ing the conference. At times the
early loss was entirely wiped out,
with pessimistic crop reports at
tracing attention.
Wheat closed A4-5s lower than
Saturday; May, 101l2-ss: July,
SEAS; corn unchanged to "a down;
May, 55&a-7s; July, SOS; oats, IA
g lower.
Cash wheat, corn and oats were
14-l2 lower; basis unchanged; wheat
receipts, l8 cars; corn, SO cars; corn
booked To arrive II 000
Evening star., 1940-03-18
Stock Averages
BY VICTOR EUBANK.

Associated Press Financial Writer
, NEW YORK, March 18.-Thoughts
of new European peace drive.
given further emphasis by the
Hitler-M -Mussolini conference, today
helped chill stock market sentiment.
Leading issues fell fractions to a
point or so in the first hour, but
offerings soon dried up and losses
subsequently were cut, or trans
formed into minor advances in some
cases. Closing prices, however, were
definitely irregular.
Negative comfort was found in
the fact volume dwindled appre-
clably on the downtrend. At the
same time, there was little or no
pickup when pressure lifted. Trans
ters for the full session were under
100000 shares.
Many traders stood aside while
awaiting more concrete information
regarding decisions which may have
been reached by the dictators at
their secret Brenner Pass meeting.
ALtiC "CIC d lew ulOubTdlPIY
bright business items in the news,
but these were without much in
f1uence on the market Steels, espe-
cially, had to contend with the Of
flclal estimate putting mill opera
tions this week down more than
had been looked for.
Ahead at one time or another were
Kroger Grocery, Loft, Douglas Air
craft, Glenn Martin, Curtiss- Wright
"A Consolidated Edison, Chrysler.
Dow Chemical and Montgomery
Ward
Behind the greater part Of the
day were United States Steel, Beth
lehem, Western Union, Sears Roe
buck, United States Rubber, New
York Central, Texas Corp, Union
Carbide, Anaconda and American
Can.