davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Says Average Person
Is Railroad "Owner."
To the Editor Of The Star:


AS depositor in savings banks and
holder of several insurance policies, the
writer a civil engineer, aged 10 years,
believes that he has a real, even If small
and indirect interest in the railroads of
this country, and expresses his opinion
as matter of right.
Should the tail wag the dog? 1t is
natural to suppose that the dog would
wag the tail; but listen to this:
There are about one million railroad
employees in this country, while the direct
and indirect railroad owners number
more than seventy million. When
railroad matters come before Congress,
which of these groups is the dog and
which is the tail?
The railroad owners, large and small,
constitute majority of all the voters in
the United States; enough to elect a
President and a majority in Congress.
Why should the railroad representa-
tives go, hat in hand, before the commit
tees of Congress and ask for a few
crumbs Of comfort while the representa-
tiyes of labor tell Congress what to do?
The answer is simple and sinister.
The votes behind the labor representa-
tives are well organized; while most OF
the depositors and policyholders are un-
aware Of their interests IN the railroads
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Blames Allies
For Rise of Hitler,

To the Editor Of The Star:
William Force Stead dwells upon Hit
ler's broken promises, in your columns.
but he fails to touch upon the greed of
John Bull, and the other allies, in strip
ping" Germany at the termination of
the World War. If indeed the spirit of
the Good Samaritan had been applied to
the bleeding German populace, not re-
sponsible for the conflict back in 1917,
Hitler would doubtless be house painter
today and peace would prevail.
Assuming that Britain wins the present
war and again imposes such devastating
terms that the people are once more left
impoverished, what may we expect? An
other Hitler" will make his appearance
within few years and still another
bloody conflict sooner or later will ensue
Grapes are not grown from thorns, nor
has peace ever been promoted by sowing
seeds of hatred, greed and domination.
AS the 'clenched fist" has utterly failed
through sad centuries to establish peace,
why not make some feeble attempt at
least to love our enemies and in so doing
Danish these ever recurring wars and
make practical the Christian command
all but forgotten-"Let us love one an
other? Perhaps this is expecting too
much from self-seeking and hypocritical
human beings. ACRY FOR JUSTICE.
March 10.
Evening star., 1940-03-21

and know nothing of what is going on
In Washington to hurt them.
Instead of asking Congress to increase
bureaucratic control over Transportation.
and asking for five more Federal Judges
Coroner, undertaken, embalmer and
two grave diggers) to help inter the in
terests of railroad owners, would it not
be better for the railroad presidents to
determine themselves what is needed and
then to explain it to all railroad owners,
asking them to tell Congress, in no un-
certain terms, what to do?
1 have sat for hours at committee
hearings in Congress and have read
voluminous printed records of hearings
on legislation affecting the railroads:
all OF which has strengthened my belief
that votes are very eloquent in WASH
ington.
The railroad presidents have done a
magnificent piece of work in increasing
the efficiency of the railroads and bet
terlng their services to the public, but
they have not made millions of people
railroad owner" conscious.
I visited Railroads on Parade" at the
Worlds Fair in New York City several
times IN 1889 There was one thing
lacking, however. very serious omission
to my mind. There was nothing to show
who owned the railroads. Nothing to
tell the visitors that to very large ex-
tent 1t was their show; that they were
the owners; that they were paying the
million dollars day taxes, and that they
were personally concerned with the well
fare of the railroads.
I believe that great majority of these
visitors carried home with them their
long cherished idea, that railroads are
owned by a lot of rich old rascals in
Wall Street.
JAMES EMERY BROOKS.
Glen Ridge, N. j.
March 2.
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Soul Suvinq

Four years ago an American trans
port pilot saved the life of Chinese
girl who was drowning in the Yangtze
River, thought no more about it and
flew away. On his return seven
months later he was presented with
bill for $1.59 "for board and lodg-
ing one rescued soul, responsibility
Pilot Vaughn" Then, and then only,
did he learn that according to Chi
nese law, the girl was so near drown
ing that she officially had quit this
life; that he, interfering with fate,
had brought her back and therefore
she was his charge until she got
married.
He had to admit that the cost of
saving soul-six cents a week-was
more than reasonable, and that
there were not many countries in
which it could be done But he still
failed to see what he had to do with
it. He protested, but in vain. The
steady drain of six cents week has
worn him down. All efforts at
matchmaking have failed, and he is
voicing one last desperate appeal. If
Dan Cupid knows of an eligible young
bachelor on the Yangtze. able to-
guarantee wife six cents week, let
him shoot.
Evening star., 1940-03-21
The Farm Bill

The overwhelming vote by which
the Senate added to the farm bill
yesterday $212,0O0,0O0 parity pay
ment fund that was not in the Presi-
dents budget makes it evident that
when the measure passes it will have
wiped out nearly all of the $3OO,OO0,-
600 saved to date on the other supply
bills. An $85,OO0,O0O increase over
the House bill for disposal of surplus
commodities remains to be voted on.
OF course, any increases must go
through the House, which did not
include them originally, but with the
entire membership of that body fac
ing reelection this fall, it will be no
easy task to hold a majority in that
branch against these farm items in
the light of the Senate's action.
This effort to raise the economic
level of the farm population comes
at time when the fiscal affairs of
the Government are approaching the
point where Congress soon must de-
eide either to retrench, levy new
taxes or raise the statutory debt
limit.
On the eve of a national campaign
Congress will be reluctant to enact a
tax bill or lift the debt limit. Presi-
dent Roosevelt has taken the sound
position that if parity payments are
to be appropriated, Congress should
provide the revenue to cover them.
When Mr.. Roosevelt asked for en-
largement of the national defense
program in January he also wisely
recommended that $3.50, 100000 of
additional taxes be levied, to avoid
going above the present debt limit.
It is to be hoped that administra-
ton leaders will not make the mis-
take Of needing appeals to Offset the
farm increases by cutting national
defense appropriations, which are yet
Evening star., 1940-03-21
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles E. TraceUell.

Spring came to our yard on the morn
ing of March 13.
1t came, specifically, in the forms Of
three robins.
Penny, the cat. discovered them.
Penny is cat which 10 out OF 10 per-
sons refer to instinctively as cute"
Like all female cats, she would make a
great mouser
If she had the chance, she would not
be bird lover, either.
There sat Penny, glaring out the VIM
dow
Idly we wandered over, to see what was
interesting her so.
Robins, sure enough!
The trio was spread out over dis
tance of some 20 feet.
There they were, rusty breasts and all,
just as if they had never been away.
So our first sight of robins was some
two months later than that of many OF
our correspondents.
Ones first robin, of course, Is just ex-
actly that-ones own, seen with ones
own eyes, appreciated with ones own
heart.
What difference does it make how
many other persons have seen robins, so
long as one has not seen them in the
home yard?
For that is exactly where a robin be-
longs, not on the Washington Monument
grounds, or in Rock Creek Park, al
though there, too, but rather in the small
back yard we SO often dignity by the good
name of garden.
Even the best of persons at times be-
come fed up on that term, garden.
Why garden, they want to know, or ask
themselves? Isn't simply back yard"
good enough? Somehow they get the
idea that there is something hoity-toity
about the word and its application to
most peoples postage stamp lawns.
There isn't, of course. The word lust
means garth, or inclosed space.
Any yard, no matter how small, which
is inclosed, either with a fence, or a
hedge, or flower borders, is garden.
Sometimes we may feel that any yard
which is inclosed by the protective and
often anxious thought of the owner and
worker is as much Of a true garden as
any.
An open field cannot be called exactly
garden, however. in most cases, even if
fenced.
Yet huge plantation of peonies, in the
best commercial manner, may be def
nitely garden.
Perhaps, after ALL 1t is mostly matter
of mind.
If one has yard" and yet chooses to
think of it as garden" we'll so it must
be, for nothing is either good or bad, as
We have all been told, but thinking makes
it SO.
Evening star., 1940-03-21

There were our first three robins,
bringing spring, no matter If the Weather
Bureau predicted light snow and sleet,
followed by rain.
1t didn't make any difference, that pre-
diction, for there were springs real
harbingers, definitely announcing their
own arrival, as we'll as springs.
What a pleasure it was to see them,
not only for their sure prediction, but
also just for themselves!
1t is no wonder that they are Amer
ica's favorite birds. Not the prettiest, in
coloration, by any means. Not the most
interesting, either No one could really
call them cute, as they do the chicka-
decor Penny. We feel slte that Penny
would see nothing cute or charming in
chickadee, any more than she would
in squirrel. How she hates squirrels!
Minute after minute she will crouch be-
hind the pane, chattering at the bushy-
tailed rodents She has never been out
In her life, either in her penthouse days
In New York, or here, but she knows
exactly what squirrel is good for, Just
the same, and that, in cat language, is
exactly nothing. She would not admit
for an instant, we feel sure, that squir-
rel would be good even for chasing. She
would not think of it second; what she
would do, If she could, would be to
streak after it until all her fine tiger
stripes, her white Whiskers, her two little
ears and her fine long tail were lost in a
flash of mingled gray and white Few
cats ever catch squirrels, but we believe
Penny might.
Our first three robins ran toward the
back of the yard-er, garden.
No other bird runs in quite the same
way. 1t is part of their perennial
appeal.
You know what they were after, OF
course. Robins seem to have single track
minds, with worms occupying the middle
and both sides of the track.
Just as men think beef, at dinner time,
and cats think salmon or beef, so robins
think worms, worms, worms.
When the famous 17-year locusts were
here they stopped thinking worms long
SliouSll W tll1llh SIIdddo lOl d lew QdSo
but ever since that year they have been
seeing worms all the time
Our robins found some, evidently
there in the back yard, for we could see
that famous stance, that sudden tug, BY
| means of neck and head, time after
time.
There is no bird quite like a robin
after all. We are glad it is a member
of the thrush family, for there is no bird
| quite as fine as the wood thrush, every
thing taken into consideration. In
comparison, the robin seems like a good
honest fellow but not quite-well, let us
forget such snobbery for there are three
robins in the yard, the first robins of the
year for one yard, and that is enough
! surely for any garden.
Evening star., 1940-03-21
The Commissionership

George E. Allen, Washington's in
again-out-again Commissioner, has
resigned again and President Roose-
velt reluctantly has accepted the
resignation. A previous severance
proved to be temporary, due to the
Presidents insistence that his friend
return to the District Building to
assist in plans for reorganization of
the local government. The return
engagement was in the nature Of
what MIR. Roosevelt called short
term loan" by the insurance COM
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Author of collars Plan"
Seeks Recognition.
To the Editor of The Star.

To the Editor Of The Star
Senator Wagner recently sponsored
bill to set up Federal mediation board
to promote and mediate agreements of
industry and labor. The writer for five
years has worked upon proposal which
The washington Star of December 5,
1887, designated the collars Plan"
which seems to differ in only one major
particular from the Senator's proposal
The latter would enlarge the existing
Cancellation Service, while the former
proposes separate Federal mediation
body.
The writer's plan was first conceived
in June, 1885, while she was still en-
ployed in N. R. A. She has consistently
and actively promoted consideration of
the idea since that time, laying the pro-
posal before representative men in both
legislative and executive branches of the
Government, before trade groups, ad-
visory boards, labor men; in fact, every
one who might be interested in finding
solution to present-day industrial and
labor problems The plan was presented
pei 1SolldAly W SdCll illCIllUCl Ol tllC 11OuSc
Labor Committee in 1888 and elected
favorable comment from member of the
National Mediation Board.
Moreover, during the past two years,
the writer has collected the material and
data in her possession upon the general
subject of governmental supervision of
industry into manuscript of book
length the last chapter of which is an
exposition of the plan, entitled God or
Government" which has received favor
able attention from the University of
Chicago Press.
It does not seem too unreasonable an
Inference that much of this work may
have contributed to the thinking of
others. 1t sometimes happens that the
missionaries are lost sight of when an
idea grows to the point of possible public
acceptance, even though these signs of
public interest are most welcome The
writer seeks to re-establish her identity
with, the work she has performed, feeling
sure that the Senator would be among
the first to generously accord her recog-
milton for the spade work that must
necessarily precede acceptance of any
idea. EDNA M. COLLARS.
March 15.
Evening star., 1940-03-21
pany with which Mr.. Allen 1
oaa1{ofad

affiliated.
The arrangement has not worked
out to the satisfaction of Mr.. Allen
because of the call of private affairs,
and the reorganization plans have
not won the local confidence for
which Mr.. Allen may have hoped. He
undoubtedly realized, moreover, that
the proposed reorganization of the
District government is task not
easily accomplished on a "short term"
basis of attack. Temporary Commits
sioners naturally can give little more
than cursory attention to this and
other important. burdens devolving
upon the heads of the municipal
government. AS one who is familiar
with the District and it's problems,
Commissioner Allen can render
real service by impressing upon
the President the urgent need for
prompt appointment of a successor
who, in addition to being bona fide
resident, knows Washington and is
willing to devote his energies on a
full time basis to the job.
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Understanding
(ROndel.)


Could we more often pause and try to
mend,
The thoughtless deed-the careless word
we say.
Our lives might grow more kindly day
by day,
And we acquire more patience-less
offend,
And some new Joy our effort might
attend
AS sunlight comes through shadow
clouds Of gray
And we might see love is the broader way.
And we might gain, not lose a treasured
friend,
Could we more often pause and try To
mend.
The thoughtless deed-the careless word
we say.
And things there are we may not COM
prehend
Until we look within our heart and weigh.
The hidden cause, and then If we obey.
The still small voice our griefs would
sooner end,
Could we more often pause and try to
mend, Mt
The thoughtless deed-the careless word
we say.
MONICA WILLIAMS.
Evening star., 1940-03-21
A TunqIed Skein

Inc silence OF PreSlQenC ROOSe-
velt-on the third term-is winding
a more and more tangled skein. Ap-
parently it has brought almost to
the parting of the ways the prin-
cipals in the old Roosevelt-Farley
combination. The Postmaster Gen.
eral has announced that he will be
candidate without reservation"
and his name will be so presented to
the Democratic National Convention.
If this means anything it is that
he will be candidate against Mr..
Roosevelt if the latter seeks a third
term nomination. Seemingly it puts
Mr.. Farley in opposition to his chief
if the latter wishes to run. But no
one knows whether the President
wishes to run or will run. He has just
issued denial of story that he told
a member of Congress he did not
wish to run, that he favored Secre-
tary of State Cordell Hull for the
presidential nomination and that Mr..
Farley would not do for a place on
sthe Democratic national ticket be-
cause of his membership in the
Catholic church. The President was
denying primarily his reported at
titude against Mr.. Farley, but at the
same time his denial gave the lie to
the whole story.
1t is easy to believe that the sup
porters of Vice President Garner for
the presidential nomination will hail
Mr.. Farley's without reservation"
entry into the race. Up to the pres
ent time, Mr.. Garner has been going
it alone against the third-term band
wagon. Of the whole field of Demo-
cratic candidates, only he has been
willing to say that he would contest
the President if his name were pre-
sented to the Democratic National
Convention. There have been many
rumors that the Garnerites were
seeking an alliance with Mr.. Farley,
who has been supposed to be anti
third term on principle, but the Post
master General denied he was plan
ming to team up with any other
candidate
In the light of Mr.. Farley's with
out reservation" statement, any move
to displace him from his present
cabinet office would be regarded as
clear proof that the President will
run again. The silence of Mr.. Roose-
velt, If it is to be preserved, seems
to preclude any activity on the part
OF the administration against Mr..
Farley.
The way In which third term advo-
Gates grasp at straws was demon
strated again yesterday when Secre-
tary of the Navy Charles Edison
announced his candidacy for the
Democratic nomination for Governor
OF New Jersey. 1t was Immediately
argued that Mr.. Edison was taking
this step to help his chief carry New
Jersey, battle ground in the COM
ing elections. It was argued, too,
that Mr.. Edison, had he not been
reasonably assured that the Presi-
dent would head the ticket, would
not have entered the gubernatorial
race.
Nothing. however, is certain except
that the third-term fog still con-
tinues thick enough to cut with a
knife
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Exit DuIudier

Premier Daladier, who held office
from September, 1888, quits the Quai
d'Orsay not because Frenchmen are
in defeatist mood or tired of the war,
but because they are dissatisfied that
1t has not been prosecuted with
greater vigor. The Premier's resig-
nation was forced by a minority
vote" of lack of confidence, more
than three hundred members out of
a total Chamber membership of five
hundred and f1fty-one having chosen
to abstain from voting, thus regis
tering their disapproval of M. Da-
LADDERS government. Actually, on the
basis of votes cast-two hundred and
thirty-nine for the Premier and only
one against-he was technically
vindicated.
M. Paul Reynaud, Finance Minis
ter, who has handled Frances war
finances with universally acknowl-
edged ability, was entrusted by
President Lebrun with the task of
forming a new government. He was
to say today whether he would
undertake it. A member of the
Republican Left party, it was
thought in Paris last night that M.
Reynaud, whose political position is
slightly to the right of center, could
speedily construct the action" gov
ernment for which practically all Of
French public opinion has been
clamoring
1t would be mistake to interpret
M. Daladier's fall as having been
brought about exclusively by popular
dissatisfaction with sit-down cam
paign on the western front and gen.
eral lack of allied initiative. There
were undoubtedly other causes for
the dictator -premier's resignation.
The strict censorship, which has been
in effect In France since the wars
outbreak, has drawn a curtain around
the republic, but through it has
seeped to the outside world from time
to time inklings Of what is going on
behind 1t.
For one thing the government, as
M. Daladier indicated in radio ad-
dress on January 20, had endlessly
to combat a whispering campaign"
designed to undermine his regime.
He described it as two-winged
conspiracy" at which he proposed
to strike without mercy"-the prop
agandists who spread the Nazi doc
trine in the salons of the Right wing
opposition, and the Communist prop
agandists who circulated among the
workers in the fields and factories.
In the course of ruthless suppression
of these subversive elements, on the
one hand, and, on the other, in con-
sequence of full use of his autocratic
authority in prosecution of the war,
M. Daladier irresistibly set in motion
forces which have tended to under
mine parliamentary rule. The very
intensity with which the government
rose to the occasion-to the twin
duties confronting it-combined to
bring about Frances ministerial
crisis.
Well-wishers of the allies hope that
France is not in mood for or on the
verge of reckless war program.
They discern words of wisdom in
Prime Minister Chamberlains ad-
dress on Tuesday to a House OF Com
mons also clamoring for action"
when he said:
with the responsibility resting
upon the shoulders of the govern
ment, we cannot be hustled into
adventures which appear to us to
present little chance Of success and
much chance of danger, perhaps
even of disaster"
Evening star., 1940-03-21

Expresses Thanks
For Rainbow Division News,
To the Editor Of The Star:
1t affords me pleasure to send you
line in gratitude for the splendid help
the generous hospitality of the columns
OF The Evening and Sunday Star relative
to the various activities of the Rainbow
Division Veterans, District of Columbia
Chapter, has proved to be to us.
AS consequence we have added to our
membership and there is a larger at
tendance at our meetings and social fes-
tivities.
We, as well as our families and friends,
remain most appreciative.
JAMES E. WITHERITE,
President District of Columbia
Chapter. Rainbow Division Veterans.
March 10.
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Accusation Against Senator.
Provokes Question.
To the Editor

% the Editor OF The Star:
1t appears that United States Sena-
tor is being pointed out by President of
the United States as the first Senator in
the history of the country to undertake
to advise the people to violate the "law."
When and how did the matters to
which the Senator referred become
claw?
What is the fundamental law?
Who is the first President of the
United States who undertook to misdirect
Congress to enact Legislation" of his
suggestion regardless of doubts as to its
constitutionality?
HARRISON TILGHMAN.
March Is
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the tDriter although the use OF
a pseudonym for publication IS
permissible. Please be brief!
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Member of the Associated Press.

A., The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
the use for republication Of sll news dispatches
credited to It or not otherwise credited in this
paper md also the local news published herein
Az rights Of publication Of special dispatches
herein also are reserved
Evening star., 1940-03-21
Expresses Thanks
For Rainbow Division News.

March Is.