davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-12-27

please. The Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, which is studying the prob
lem in Montgomery, is aware of this
difficulty. II is considering several
methods of regulation, including the
restriction of tourist homes to areas
where apartments are permitted. 1t
also is considering county licensing
system for tourist homes and re-
quirements covering an inspection
service to supervise sanitary and
building regulations.
The care with which the matter is
being studied indicates that equitable
regulations will be adopted. Once
on the books, the rules should be
vigorously enforced. A regrettable
feature of the present situation is
that some existing provisions, in
cluding the one limiting the signs
advertising rooms for rent to three
square feet in area, are not being
strictly observed.
Evening star., 1940-12-27
One More Year

To discourage unwarranted hope
in the hearts of Britain's beleaguer-
ed people, Sir Walter Layton, of the
British Ministry of Supply, has
found it necessary to warn them
that they must wait another year
before receiving important aid from
America.
1t is difficult for those who have
never heard the scream of falling
bomb, who have never seen homes
and loved ones destroyed by its ex-
plosion, to grasp the full implica-
tions of that warning. In one sense
it is an appeal for even greater cour-
age and fortitude than has been
shown in the past, call on a brave
people to endure for one more long
year the frightful punishment that
will be visited upon them. But it is
more than that. In effect, a death
sentence has been passed on un-
known hundreds of men, women and
children-the innocent victims of a
modern barbarism which, hiding be-
hind the euphemism of total war,
strikes hardest at those who are in
capable of defending themselves.
II Britain had the planes to destroy
the raiders and to strike effectively
at the bases from which they start
on their errands of death many Of
these people could be saved. But she
does not have them, first, because Of
Britain's own past negligence, and,
secondarily, because the American
people, as Sir Walter said, do not yet
realize the scale of the war effort
which they must make if the Ger
mans are to be turned back.
1t is this lack of understanding
which, more than any other single
factor, has retarded our military
production. We were late in starting
because there was no real compre-
hension of the magnitude of the task,
and we are far behind schedule today
because of a persistent refusal to
face the fact that force is the only
answer to force. There is little doubt
that we will be capable of helping the
British in decisive fashion a year
from now, if they can hold out that
long. But It is equally true that we
can cut down that interval If we
will but make up our minds to do So
Perhaps this greater effort would
be made if we could think of delay in
terms of human values; If we would
but comprehend the fact that each
wasted day on our part must be
compensated for by the deaths Of
men, women and children very like
ourselves who could have been saved.
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Tourist Homes

officials of Montgomery County.
Maryland, are taking a progressive
step in drafting new regulations
governing tourist homes. The senti-
ment of many individuals and groups
regarding the operation of such
establishments in high class districts
Is contained in a statement by the
Chevy Chase Terrace Citizens As
sociation that it opposes any and all
tourist houses within the limits of
its subdivision and Immediately adja-
cent communities.
Practically all of the highways
leading into Washington are cluttered
with tourist homes, many of them
of the unattractive variety. Mont
gomery has not escaped this type OF
roadside blight and its organized
citizenry is to be commended for
being alert to the undesirable char
acter of unrestricted tourist homes.
1t cannot be denied that the tourist
homes have filled a need for low-cost
overnight accommodations for the
travelling public. Tourist homes will
be part of the American scene for
many years to come. Some of them
are attractive and located in areas
where they are not Objectionable.
Any community that tries to regu-
late them runs up against the difficult
task of dealing with individual house
holders who are jealous of their
rights to use their property as they
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Appeal From ireland

Prime Minister de Valera's Christ
mas appeal to friends of Ireland
in America for help in obtaining
weapons and foodstuffs is in need of
clarification.
The message, as recorded by the
Columbia Broadcasting System, con-
tains this passage: THE overshadow-
ing anxiety at the moment seems to
be today's possibility of incitement
which would force our people once
more to battle against Britain and
the British" Standing alone, that
sentence gives the impression that
the appeal for weapons is predicated
on the assumption that they may be
used against the British, and if that
inference be correct it is a foregone
conclusion that the Prime Minister'S
appeal will be little needed by an
American people overwhelmingly de-
termined to support the British cause.
From the tenor of the whole mes
sage, however, it does not appear that
Mr.. de Valera is anti-British in this
conflict. He acknowledges in specific
terms that the war now must be
fought to finish, and in that fight
to the end there can be no doubt
that Ireland's interests lie with a
British victory. If any other view
is held by responsible officials in
Dublin, there should be no misunder-
standing concerning it in connection
with the Prime Minister'S request for
helm
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Committee on Legal Aid

The annual report Of the District
Bar Associations Committee on
Legal Aid, which has just been sub
mitted to President Francis w. Hill,
serves to direct attention to little
publicized but nevertheless impor-
tant contribution which the associa-
ton is making to the welfare of the
community.
This committees chief function,
according to Chairman Robert M.
Gray, is to supervise arrangements
made by the bar association to fur
nish free legal assistance to INDECENT
litigants in the Municipal Court. In
1889, there were 1925 new applica-
tions for this assistance, and as of
September 30, 1910, 1854 such appli-
cations had been received. The aSso-
citation employs two of its younger
members to carry on this work, pay
ing all expenses out of its own funds.
Virtually all of the litigants who
apply for this assistance are persons
W1IOSC COo1Ollo Va Jul oycVSAll VI
justice are based on their own indi-
vidual experiences. 1t seems self
evident, therefore, that the service
which the association is rendering
has a value beyond that of merely
making professional advice avail
able to those who are financially
unable to retain counsel in their own
right. If the $500 men and women
who applied for and received the
benefits OF this service during the
twenty-one months covered by the
report were left with a better under
standing of and higher respect for
the workings of the law, it can
hardly be doubted that the entire
community, in the broad sense, is
the real beneficiary of the associa-
tion's effort.
In times like these, when the con-
cept of even-handed justice which
forms the basis of the democratic
system is under heavy assault, it is
all the more imperative to maintain
and extend public services such as
that being rendered by the bar
association.
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Billy Hill

Dying at forty-two, William Joseph
Hill was legend while yet he lived
and there is every reason to believe
that his fame will flourish in the
years that lie ahead. He worked in
a medium which is the valued pos
session of the common people Mil
lions have sung, are singing, will sing
his songs. He is closer to the folk
than Victor Herbert and George
Gershwin were. Like Stephen Collins
Foster, he was master of the art
which above all others is artless, yet
for that very reason, supremely diff
ficult. The paradox is obvious. For
such composition as "The Last
Round-Up' the greatest skill is
needed, but it is imperative that it
should be concealed with the most
scrupulous care.
Billy" Hill, incontrovertibly, was
true musician. Perhaps no other
American of his generation had a
more competent ear. He heard the
rhythm of his native land, took it
into his heart, glorified it. Even the
casual listener can detect the "clop-
clop" of the horses hooves in Wagon
Wheels" and the whirr in 1.-THE Old
Spinning Wheel" But the spiritual
overtone of America also may be
discovered in these interpretations of
the life of the Nation Something of
the melancholy of the "open spaces"
of the unspoiled West is preserved
in Empty Saddles" something of
the languor of the South in There's
a Cabin in the Pines" The brain that
conceived "The Call of the Canyon" !"
Colorado Moon" and "A Home In
Wyomin' understood the public that
would understand ballads SO simple,
so unpretending, yet so appealing to
the native soul.
But it was not merely his genius
of perception that endowed the
creative efforts Of Billy" Hill. His
Evening star., 1940-12-27
ACurious WARNING

Most extraordinary in its implica-
tions was the editorial statement"
issued by Verne Marshall, Iowa news
paper publisher and chairman of the
No Foreign War Committee. Mr..
Marshall warned President Roosevelt
not to "belittle" the committee in
his f1reside radio chat next Sunday
night and coupled with this admoni-
ton a cryptic declaration that his
anti-war group might release docu-
ment relating to certain "conspira-
cies" and "deceptions" which have
forced nations into war. Mr.. Mar
shall expressed the opinion that the
present war would not have broken
out last year but for "unwritten"
foreign commitments made by the
American Government. He threat
ened to make public the committees
secret information If attempts to
Illustrate, defeat or in any way in
jure" his organization are "con-
tinued" and he said he would demand
radio time for an answer If the
President should "even family criti-
cize the objectives Of the No Foreign
War Committee"
This is a statement which plainly
leaves the impression that the price
of suppressing the allegedly i'm
portant data in his possession is
presidential or administration silence
on the subject of his committees
activities. Under those circumstances,
it may well be wondered why this
committee, which Mr.. Marshall as
serts is 100 per cent American"
should object to free and full discus
sion-and criticism if deemed advis-
able-of any public issue, or the par
tisans of any issue. Certainly, his
committee to date has not been loath
to indulge in outspoken criticism of
those who espouse ideas opposed to
its own.
If the No Foreign War Committee
has information important enough
to make public on an cor else" basis
and especially if 1t has documented
evidence of improper commitments
by this Government bearing on war
involvement, or "conspiracies," or
"deceptions," it is the duty of Chair
man Marshall to make public this
knowledge at once, irrespective Of
whether or not any one criticizes the
committee, family or otherwise.
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Thinks Hitler's Success
Supreme Event Of 1910.

To the Editor Of The Star:
The Associated Press considers the re-
election of President Franklin D. Roose-
welt the leading news event OF the
year 1910.
But an ordinary newspaper reader
might make different choice. The f1rst
American to aspire to~a third term as
Chief Magistrate was retained in that
Office by the will Of an electorate which
approved his domestic policies. His rival
agreed with him in matters of interna-
tional significance Therefore, 1t is fair
: to say that the Presidents success on
November was not supremely impor-
tant in its relation to world history.
Meanwhile, Adolf Hitler occupied Dem
mark, took Norway, conquered the
Evening star., 1940-12-27
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles Z. Trdce1Uell.

the male, with his flashing red feathers
and black around his bill and crest, the
real beauty Of the family is the other
one.
She is delicate with subdued colorings
where he is distinctly on the challenging
side. Maybe that is good for him. but
his mate is the real "looks" Of the aggre-
CATION.
She has all the delicacy Of water
color painting, or a Paisley shawl Of
the best old-fashioned sort. We don't
mean one of the really colorful ones,
but one of the older ones which seems
slightly faded.
The mother cardinal is faded only in
comparison with her mate Actually she
is symphony of soft greens and coral
hues, with a bit Of brown and bit of
gray, with some salmon.
It is to observe these colorings that
one must have feeding station either
at the window or very near it.
In this view the colorings of the
female cardinal are easily seen, and ap-
preciated in all their beauty. At some
they tend to fade into monotone.
If feeding station is at the window,
however, it provides exactly the right
stage for the lovely mother cardinal.
Like a wood thrush, she does not look
quite so bird-like as some birds, if you
get what we mean.
Certainly bird should look like a
bird-and most of them do, of course
but now and then we run into one
which at the same time seems to be at
tempting, in time and space, to become
something else. With us, we call it
progress. With the birds, how can we
look at it any other way?
The wood thrushes and the mother
cardinals, at least, among the scores and
scores of birds, seem to be standing tip
toe on the misty mountain top.
Other birds are looking for something
to eat. that is all.
Not so those paragons, the wood
thrushes. Although they are hungry
too, they do not approach food in the
Grass manner Of English sparrows or
hawks which make meals of sparrows.
No, thrushes and cardinals-female-
want to progress into realms unknown
They seek education, or something.
They are dreamers.
They have something most birds lack
Even the "old man" of the cardinal
family stands on the outside, looking in
when his beautiful wife returns for the
day.
She has been to the club, sopping up
culture, whereas her tough old partner
has been willing to stop with the boys
smoking strong cigars.
Well that is life.
There she is, what beauty, in her old
lace and lavender, but with hat which
Is right up to date.
Like true woman. she is first and
last at the dinner table. She comes just
before light. and may be seen peckine
daintily at her salad long after all the
other birds are gone
Evening star., 1940-12-27

Everybody who feeds the birds in
winter will have his or her favorite.
Ours Is the female cardinal.
Here is bird to welcome every day.
It's beauty grows upon the beholder.
until in time he is willing to state that
this is the most beautiful of all the
songsters.
The mother cardinal is true example
of the old saying that beauty is as
beauty does.
While we cannot expect drawing room
manners, in the human sense, from any
pure creature Of naJure, we find the
female cardinal really exemplifies them,
at least to q certain extent.
She is demure, yet more daring than
her mate.
She will fly into an elevated feeding
station, filled with some strange food,
hours before the brilliant red fellow
gets up enough nerve to try it.
1t is not generally known that birds
are cautious in sampling new sorts of
food
If they are used to seeing mixed grain
and seed at their favorite feeding
station, they tend to shy away from a
doughnut placed in the box.
This Is simply fear of the unknown,
not dislike for the new food. They
may like it, once they sample it, but
they are not going to sample it.
+***
Popcorn, placed in the yard by the
side of thriving station, scared away
all the birds for an entire afternoon.
Even the sensible mother cardinal
would not remain.
The popcorn was too much for her
And she is among the most sensible of
+ all the feathered folk. This is another
of her good traits. Few songsters strike
the beholder as such beauty, and at
the same time having so much brains,
as the female cardinal 1t Is common
place ar-.as humans to say that beauti-
full girls have no brains, which, of course,
is mostly hokum of the worst type. But
of the cardinals this certainly cannot
be said.
1NOiic VI UllC Wy way, WOuiO
eat the popped corn. Not even the
pigeons. And what pigeon won't eat
is few and far between" as the saying
has it.
A dachshund, wandering in. stuck his
nose into it, but would not eat it.
1t wasn't because it wasn't good pop
corn. 1t popped into great fluffy mounds
in few seconds. with wonderful
aroma. This despite the fact that the
grains had stood on the pantry shelf
for at least five years. They say that if
old corn won't pop, the way to make
it pop is to put little water in the
can or other container, and leave it shut
up all night. In this way the too-dry
corn absorbs water and gets back its
"popability."
The female cardinal has beauty no
end
While 1t is the thing to do to praise
Evening star., 1940-12-27

Netherlands, Belgium and France; be-
sieged Britain and, in effect dictated the
destinies of half dozen other countries
Hate him as much as we do, it neverthe-
less is necessary to concede the success
of mis- campaigns. The fruits of his
enterprises of conquest will be harvested
for generations to come-bitter fruits
which are developing from seeds sown
centuries ago.
Nothing much can be done at the
moment to change these facts of history.
1t follows that their influence is COM
pelling in drastic sense. The man of
the year." then, is the erstwhile Austrian
house painter, who might have lived and
died an inconspicuous architect had he
been encouraged to stick to the original
intention OF his youth. In comparison
with this modern Napoleon, the Country
Squire in the White House is a secondary
figure. His reelection may change the
course of American civilization. HitIer's
victories already have altered it.
F. W..
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Discusses Hitler's Problems
As an Empire-Ma

As an Empire Maker.
To the Editor Of The Star:
One fact that is clear to all is that Hit
Ter is able to destroy. In the art of de-
struction the Nazis are supreme. Some
of their leaders boast that they will de-
stroy not only Britain, but all free ma
tions that oppose them. Maybe so. Then
what? Are crushed nations assets or
liabilities? Hitler today Is facing his
first acid test. His country is already
surrounded by a group of small con-
quered nations and their millions of peo-
Before he launched his war Of conquest
these millions were friendly. He has
converted great asset into tre-
mendous liability.
Besides this adverse factor he is con-
fronted with the necessity of taking care
Of all these subject peoples. They must
have enough food to avoid actual starva-
ton else disease of epidemic proportions
is lust around the corner" If he per-
mits that arch enemy of mankind to
strike he will be up against a more pow
erful enemy than Britain, hurricane of
outraged nature that will sweep over
Germany with greater destruction than
a million r. A. F. bombers.
Widespread epidemics have depopu-
lated whole continents and can do 50
again.
The ancient Greek proverb, Whom
the gods would destroy they first make
mad" still holds good. 1t might be sup
plemented by this: A famished people.
neglected and abused to the point Of a
sweeping epidemic, is menace to the
entire world.
Destructionists always have an easier
task than the builders. Modern bombs
can wreck property in an hour that has
taken many years of hard work to build.
Hitler's quick conquest of many small
unarmed nations is not the whole story;
it is but the first and easy prelude to
the real drama. Have the Nazi con-
ouerors the wisdom and the shrewdness
to complete their victory? Can they Gre
ate an empire out of the wreckage OF
many free nations? To do so they must
first put up a defense against famine
and epidemic.
Hitler has struck down confidence, not
only in close neighbor nations but In all
free countries throughout the world.
And with confidence destroyed most hui
man activity is paralyzed.
The life of civilization itself is threat
ened in this ruthless total war Of the
Naz;s FRANKLIN BELT.
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Believes America Will Survive
Even If Britain Falls,

To the Editor Of The Star:
We constantly are being reminded that
the British Navy is our first line of de-
fense and that if Britain goes down we
will accompany her or at least be per-
manently disabled
Certainly, this Nation was not built
upon any such supposition of defeatism.
Today we are the wealthiest, most power
full country on earth, capable of meeting
and mastering any adverse situation,
even if compelled to carry on alone. Our
system of government was built on
courage, not cowardice.
Early America, faced with innumerable
obstacles, by degrees rose to a peak of
power. This was accomplished without
aid from others. Admitting that the
British Navy provides great measure
of defense, it nevertheless amounts to
unadulterated weakness to even suggest
that our great Nation, blessed with in
calculable resources, cannot survive with
out British assistance.
Not so long ago, retired American
general bluntly stated that we are not
fit to survive if we are compelled to rely
upon outside aid.
EDMUND K. GOLDSBOROUGH.
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Russo-Germun Tension

Ever since the sudden signing of
the Russo-German agreement in
August, 1889, which proved to be the
dramatic prologue to the present
war, rumors have been rife of an
impending split between Soviet Rus
sia and Nazi Germany. Thus far,
these reports have been baseless, in
the sense that no open rift has
occurred and that effective inter-
course between the two countries
has been maintained.
However, time has abundantly
shown that Russo German under
standing is very hard boiled in char
acter; that each government is
chronically suspicious of the other
and that certain conflicts of interest
exist which have been neither
mutually agreed upon nor COM
promised, The principal zone of dis
agreement is the Eastern Balkans,
running from the Danube delta to
Constantinople. And during the
past few days, streams of press re-
ports have been coming from many
sources which are too definite to
leave any doubt that a real clash
between German and Russian in
terests impends.
The current crisis seems to have
been precipitated by the breakdown
of lengthy negotiations among the
members of the Danube Navigation
Commission. Since the expulsion of
the former British and French dele
gates, its outstanding members have
been the delegates of Germany,
Russia, Italy and Rumania. What
caused the breakdown has not been
officially disclosed, but it is stated on
seemingly good authority that Soviet
Russia demanded control over all
three mouths of the Danube.
Since its seizure of Bessarabia, Rus
sia already controls the northern
mouth. Report has it that this pre-
cipitated violent quarrel between
the Russian delegation and that of
the axis. Certain it is that the dele
gates have gone home and that the
commissions sessions stand ad-
journed-ostensibly until the end of
January. All of which indicates
that something serious must have
happened.
Meanwhile, in Rumania, intensi-
fed prosecutions of local Commu-
nistS by the Iron Guard conceded
with one or more sharp Russian
diplomatic notes to the Rumanian
government complaining of alleged
"anti-Soviet activities" and warning
that these must stop Concurrently
there began the mass movement of
German troops and military equip
ment into Rumania via Hungary,
which is obviously swelling to gigan-
tic proportions. The Hungarian
Railway Administration has publicly
announced the suspension of regular
passenger service to allow the pas
sage of 1,160 German military trains.
1t is conservatively estimated that
this means the sending of 100000
troops and abundant materiel to
Rumania, to reinforce the 100000
German soldiers already there. With
picked Russian divisions reportedly
concentrating in Bessarabia, the
stage seems set for at least a dip
lomatic test between Hitler and
Stain, repercussions of which may
bring almost anything.
Evening star., 1940-12-27
Both Young in Spirit

From the New York Sun:
After the news that william s. Hart
has turned 10 it would be no surprise to
read that Peter Pan is eligible for the
draft.