davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-07-26
A Liqht Discussion

The Biblical injunction to let your
light shine before all men has had
to be modified in Europe, where if
it shines at all brightly it is apt to
be blown out by a bomb, along with
the lamplighter. Man-made light
is out, almost literally.
Not so Mother Natures most ex-
traordinary illumination, the firef1y.
Ignorant of mans death struggle,
Wah Wah Tay See, Hiawatha's little
fitting white fire insects, continue
to defy regimentation, especially at
Kingston, Jamaica, where they are
numerous, large and glowing with
tropical brilliance. Kingstonians are
fearful that they will betray the city
to enemy raiders, and means are
being sought to make them put out
their lights and go to sleep, or at
least put out their lights.
Like other undesirables, they seem
to enjoy coming to town just to get
lit and paint it white. OF course,
they are not really traitors, but they
might as we'll be, as long as it is
impossible to tell them about Hitler
and get them to cooperate in a
voluntary blackout.
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Rise in Living Costs

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, in
a report made public this week,
estimates that living costs in the
United States advanced "a per cent
between mid-March and mid-June.
Though the increase seems to lndl-
cate a trend toward price imitation,
the bureaus cost of living index is
only Al per cent higher than that of
June, 1910, and per cent above the
September, 1887, peak, year of ex-
panding industrial activity and rising
national income 1t is clear, there
fore, that living costs have not yet
reached an unreaSonably high level.
Continuing the advance which be-
gan last November, retail food costs
increased 76 per cent during the
quarter. BY mid-June food prices
were 104 per cent above the Novem-
Der level. Between May and June all
of the fifty-one large cities included
in the bureaus food cost index re-
ported higher food prices. Though
in part attributable to seasonal fac
tors, speculative buying and a short
age of supplies, the principal cause
of the increase, according to the
bureau, was larger purchases, both
by the Government and by in
dividuals.
All cities reported higher prices
for furniture and household fur
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Reports Heroism Of Man
Who Saved Drowning Boy.


We ate our lunch on Saturday on the
rocks of Occoquan River. Near us sat
a mother and three children. Just as
we were about to leave the place, we
heard a splash and a scream, and saw
that one of the children, a boy or 10
years old had slipped from the rock on
which he had been sitting into the
river, which is very deep of those rocks
The boy kept himself afloat for a minute
or so by padding his arms and feet but
before we could get down to the edge of
the rocks he sank
Just at that moment two men came
along the path. Evidently they had wit
messed the accident. One of them had
his coat off and had jumped into the
water before any one else had had time
to collect his wits and do anything.
He swan out and grabbed the boy as he
came up. AS usual in such cases, the
boy grabbed the man around the neck
and almost choked him, but a safe land
ing was made.
When I praised the mans act, he
simply said, There wasn't any thing else
for me to do. I had to get that boy"
asked him his name and where he
lived, and feel that some notice should
be taken of the brave deed of Perry
Davis of Springfield, Va. His quick ac-
ton saved a boys life.
ELLENOR B. WHITNEY.
Evening star., 1941-07-26
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles Z. Trdce1cell.

The truth Is that pest control is
speciality, and the average home garden
er Is not a specialist
He merely wants nice looking yard,
q few flowers and maybe some vegeta-
bles.
The vegetable garden, by the way, Is
sure to come into its own again, as it did
in World War I. 1t offers great rewards,
both in interest and food, to the ambi-
tious home owner.
Vegetables, properly grown, can be
ornamental, too While there always
should be room for flowers, there ought
to be room for vegetables, as well. The
| time will come when the home vegetable
garden, no matter how small, will offer
| real help to families. We might as well
begin to prepare for that time.
The truth is, that it is no way near
as easy to have small garden today IS
1t was 20 years ago.
The growth of pests of all kinds has
been amazing.
| Once upon a time it was an easy
matter for the home gardener to have
a garden full of beautiful asters-Chi-
nese asters, they were called.
Then the willis struck them.
Today, very few home gardeners have
the asters, yet at one time they were the
easiest of all flowers to grow. Certainly
they are among the most beautiful of all
the ANIMALS
Sweet peas once were grown in every
garden, but you rarely see them today.
Consider what happened to the glad
iolus
And this within the past Is years.
Twenty years ago it was a retire
beauty.
Then the thrips got after them. To-
eladiouses. You have to use sprays and
special cultures, and even then your ex-
pensive crop may be failure.
- -
Just what has happened to make
amateur gardening a nuisance is difficult
to say.
Plant hygiene is more diffcult, un-
uOuDlculS
So much can be said The pests have
| increased to the point where constant
| spraying and busting must be kept up
| The vogue for trees has caused plants to
be grown in shady places when they
should be in full sun. This has helped
the pests.
To have good garden today. one
must be not only good gardener, but
also a research expert and something
! OF chemist to boot.
This is all very we'll for the analytical
mind. but 1t makes home gardening un-
! pleasant for the other types
After all, gardening ought to be mind
easing. 1t should rest the mind, not
cause 1t to go into convulsions over
| Japanese beetles
Evening star., 1941-07-26

instituted such system several
years ago while city manager Of
Portsmouth, Virginia. The method
proved popular and attracted wide
spread interest because at that time
no other community afforded tax
payers such an opportunity, accord
ing to Mr.. Hanrahan. He seemed
somewhat doubtful as to whether
the system could be legally instituted
in Arlington, and proposed to have
the County Board refer his sugges-
ton to the CommonWealth's attor-
ney. If the latter found authority
lacking, the county manager planned
to seek the necessary legal power at
the next session of the State Legis-
lature.
County Treasurer John Locke
Green, however, has announced that
advance installment payment of
taxes has been practiced for some
years in Arlington. The system, he
said, was instituted by his predeceS-
sor in office. According to Mr.. Green,
a taxpayer can make payments on a
monthly, quarterly or Semi-annual
basis, or, in fact, at any time he
pleases, but his payments do not
draw interest He said that about
$4,000 has been paid in this way
during the current year.
Mr.. Hanrahan, claiming that fig
ure is comparatively small, said it
showed few taxpayers are aware Of
the opportunity to make installment
payments.
Mr. Hanrahan properly pointed
out that such an opportunity should
be given wide publicity. In view of
the huge tax boost in prospect be-
cause of defense outlays, the individ-
uals who must foot the bills deserve
every possible assistance that would
ease their burdens.
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Training School Bill.

Serious problems of discipline and
morale which confront the Depart
ment of Justice in connection with
it's administration of the National
Training School for Boys have been
revealed at hearings on bill which
would authorize transfer of certain
tough" inmates of the school to
other Federal penal institutions.
The school, which has been under
Jurisdiction of the Department of
Justice since July |, 1889, has long
since outgroWn its buildings and
grounds on BladenSburg road near
the District line. When first opened
as local reform school, the environ
ment was strictly rural and gener-
ally adapted to the purposes of such
an establishment Now, however, a
thickly settled residential commu-
nifty borders the unwalled grounds
"a circumstance that is not con-
ducive to maintenance of morale.
The buildings are out of date and
ill-suited to the requirements OF
an institution which, in recent years,
has become an important detention
center for hundreds of delinquent
youths from all parts of the country.
The schools population now includes
more than 300 inmates committed
from many Federal district courts.
in addition to 103 boys from the
District of Columbia.
According to testimony before a
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee by
Alexander Holtzoff, special assistant
to the Attorney General, trouble
some sociological situation has arisen
bv reason of the unavoidable COM
mingling of near-adult youths OF
incorrigible tendencies with first
offenders and other tractable boys.
1t has been found that some of the
worst of these youths cannot be
successfully disciplined and con-
trolled at the training school. More
over. there, have been several
escapes by dangerous inmates. The
Attorney General has authority to
transfer boys who have been sent
to the school by Federal courts out
side of Washington, but the District
Court of Appeals has ruled that he
does not have the power to transfer
boys committed to the school by the
Juvenile Court of the District Of
Columbia. In order to remedy this
defect, the Department of Justice
sponsored a bill to confer such
authority upon the Attorney Gen.
eral. This measure has just received
the approval of the judiciary group.
The requested authority seems rea-
sonable and deserving of passage by
Congress. Meanwhile, Congress well
might give consideration to the Fed
eral Prison Bureaus proposal that
a new home for the school be pro-
vided in more appropriate surround
ings outside of Washington. While
an early start on such a project may
not be feasible, in view of more
urgent defense needs, it is not too
soon to authorize studies for a long
range program of improvements.
Evening star., 1941-07-26

A correspondent speaks of the damage
done by Japanese beetles
These pests have settled in great
ginia. Sprays and traps are in order,
but Just how much good" is done by
their use is problematical, so far.
Where the control is attempted by
authorities, traps seem to be placed in
one block, but not in another.
And where individuals try to control
the Japanese beetle, even worse results
are secured, because it does little good
for one yard to get cleared when a
dozen gardens nearby are full Of them.
This is one of the hardest pests to get
rid OF, either by spraying or traps.
Nobody seems to know exactly what
he is doing, with all due respect to all
concerned
One year the traps are placed up by
the shrubbery at houses.
The next the position is changed to
the hedges, far from the houses.
AS for the good of sprays, it seems as
if much depends, as in all spraying, on
just how thoroughly the creature is
coated.
The hard shells of these beetles afford
them good protection.
Their rate of increase during the sea-
son is astronomical.
Several years ago clouds of them were
blown out to sea from New Jersey. and
the next day their dead bodies were
washed up on the shore.
Millions upon millions of the beetles
were swept up, and they kept coming
in for days, resulting in drifts of the
dead insects
The damage to plants, however,
seemed to be just as bad that year as
the one before, despite the slaughter.
This is undoubtedly one of the worst
OF all pests, especially as regards orna-
mental plants and grass.
Insect pests and blights and fungi
have all grown worse in recent years.
While Government control experts
have done heroic work, and are to be
highly commended. the trouble is that
the average gardener does not know as
much about their work as he should.
Therefore. he fails to get the results
in control that he would like. The fault,
of course, is his own, but he must first
recognize what he has and then find out
what to do about it,
Between these two steps there IS a
gulf which many home gardeners never
bridge. 1t is perfectly possible, for in
stance, to 60 into a friends yard where
the Japanese beetles have done deadly
work, and have him tell you that he has
not seen single beetle.
The ravages of these creatures are all
around him, but he keeps on insisting
that there is not one beetle in his yard
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Tropical Street Scene

The scarlet Of hibiscus bloom
framed
Against a tUhite,uaShed wdH.
balconies,
Old men, in picker chairs, are 81
asleep.
Needless OF clatter in the 81
belop,
Where donkieS, laden heartily
tea,
With spice and manooeS and }
calico
Moue doUn the road, amid a clot
dust. !
Tall palms cast shade upon the !
tiled roofs,
Beneath the mdssiue trees, bi
porters pass
Along the narrow street. Upon Il
heads
Are baskets filed NTH ool
oranges.
PeddlerS bear trays OF SUeets
frosted drinks;
Still others call their ,0ares, 10
children cro1Ud
Around to buy toy birds and o,
balloons.
From some cool, dim interior
heard
The strains of guitar. A dt
haired girl,
Whose cotton sarong bears a ole,
ing clasp
OF imitation sapphireS set in sill
Holds, in a cage, a blue and ye
parrot
That cries in Spanish at the d
erSbv. H. P. STODDAR'
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Arlington Taxes

Taxpayers of Arlington County,
Virginia, have a considerable stake
In the proposal discussed in the press
by two county officials regarding in
stallment payment of taxes. County
Manager Frank c. Hanrahan started
the discussion by announcing he
would recommend that the County
Board authorize the advance pay
ment of taxes in monthly install
ments on which interest would
accrue.
Mr.. Hanrahan said that he had
Evening star., 1941-07-26
CommendobIe Agreement

The "no-Strike" agreement entered
into by the American Federation of
Labor and the Office of Production
Management may be expected to
mark an important turn for the
better in labor relations on defense
construction projects.
Under the agreement, the A. F.
of L., on behalf of 100000 workers,
agrees that for the duration of the
emergency there shall be no stoppage
of work on account of jurisdictional
disputes, or for any other cause.
Such disputes as arise are to be
settled by mediation or arbitration.
That, of itself, is an extremely i'm
portant contribution to the cause Of
national defense
Other clauses, however, call for the
waving of union rules requiring
punitive" overtime pay at the rate
of double time for work on Saturdays
and Sundays, and also provide for
elimination of penalty wage scales
on second and third shifts. For Sat-
urday and Sunday work, the standard
rate of time and one-half will be
paid. In its turn, the Government
agrees that in pre- e-determining min
imum wages on a particular job,
consideration will be given to the
rates prevailing in the area from
which labor must be drawn, and to
new wage rates which have been
negotiated through collective bar
gaining, but which will become
effective at some future date
The announcement of the agree
ment, made public by Sidney Hill
man, o. P. M. associate director, also
urgently requested that legislative
and administrative action be sought
at once to eliminate Work Projects
Administration labor on jobs where
A. F. of L. men are employed This
question has long been a sore spot in
| labor relations on defense construc-
tion, and, while the request marks
a far-reaching concession to the
A. F. of L., it seems to be more
than balanced by the concessions
which have been made by the labor
organization.
On the whole, this is an agreement
which reflects great credit on both
the A. F. of L. and the negotiators
representing the Government. I'm
doubtedly, both have made a real
effort to sweep aside some of the OBJ
stacles which have been so needlessly
and dangerously impeding the ma
tional defense effort
But in this instance, as in the case
of any other such agreement, it is
helpful only to the extent that re-
SpOnSible union leaders can and will
control the rank and file. In the
past both A. F. of L. and c. I. o.
workers have openly defied their
leaders, and the A. F. of L. is con-
fronted with somewhat similar
situation now in the strike of laborers
on important defense projects at Key
West, Florida.
Without seeking to borrow trouble
and without questioning the good
faith of the A. F. of l.. leaders who
have subscribed to the agreement, it
is appropriate nevertheless to point
out that it will have to prove itself
in practice, and to suggest that the
results are not apt to be satisfactory
unless these leaders are resolved to
deal more firmly than in the past
with dissident minority groups who
subordinate all sense of responsibility
and obligation to their own selfish
ambitions
Evening star., 1941-07-26

@. When will the beauty pageant take
place at Atlantic City?-C. r.
A. The l941 Miss America Pageant VIII
be held there from September l to I
inclusive.
lis Constantine Oumansky. tn.
Soviet Ambassador to the United States
a former newspaperman?-H T. r.
A. For IA years Mr. Oumansky was =
correspondent for Tass, the official Rus
sian news agency. and for five wears \
was chief of the press bureau at Moscow
@. How many miles of fence has tn
C. C. c. built on the public grazing land
of the West?-T. G. A.
A. About 1000 miles have been buiE
O. When was the final date for apply
ing for a soldiers World War bonus
Il. B.
A. The time for filing an original an
plication for bonus certificate explrs
by law on January 2. 1910.
O. What is the total value of mlnera
produced in Alaska since its acquisitlc
by the United States?-F M. A.
A. Alaska has produced more the
three quarters of a billion dollars worf
of minerals or more than 100 times =
price Russia received for it.
@ Where is the roof of the world.
E. B. c.
A. This is the native name for
Pamirs. high plateau of from 11.oN
25 900 feet in Central Asia. The SO
Union has constructed road $50 n
long over these mountains.
@ Has San Francisco an undergr
parking lot?-T. B. H.
A. Construction is now in progrei
Union Square Garage in that city.
subsurface structure, when comp
will be four stories in depth ano
have a capacity of 400 cars.
@. How much salmon comes from
ish Columbia?-R. M. A.
A. The Department of Commert
ports that this seasons pack Will
approximately 100000 cases.
@. Do the members of the Amt
Youth Congress pledge allegiani
the f1ag?-H. L. r.
A. The pledge to the flag is pi
the organizations creed.
Evening star., 1941-07-26

on so blatantly before their very eyes
helpless to prevent it, because the cause
of progress" must be served.
Why can't some one with vision and
genuine patriotism come forward and
lead the battle for our beautiful city?
If leader would but come forward,
am sure there would be many followers
and also am certain that there would
be enough noise" produced so that 1t
would be heard in the halls of Congress
and they would have to listen.
MRS EDWARD r. SEAL.
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Wants Hitler Stopped
In Russia, China and Britain.

To the Editor of The Star:
If there are isolationists left among
your readers, do they realize, I wonder,
what our position would be should Hitler
break through in Russia and gain the
objectives he is after, namely: grain and
oil, and forced labor to turn out more
machines of war?
We have got to give Britain, China and
Russia lot more help than We have SO
far if Hitler is to be stopped! Let us
back up the President and Gen. Mar
shall in their efforts to increase our ma
terial aid to Britain, to see that it gets
there and that we are ready for any
emergency. E. s.
Lincoln r
Evening star., 1941-07-26

Britain is said to be using women
possessing advanced mathematical
knowledge to take charge of range
finders and make needed calcula-
tions. A case of Molly Pitcher gone
high-brow.
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Huskin's Answers
To Questions
BIZ Frederic J. HdSkin.

by FTeueTtC y. HuShW
A reader can get the dnsper TO any
question OF fact by ,1rittno The Ere
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Hdskin, director, Washington,
D. C. Please inclose stamp tor reply.
@. What percentage Of weekend auto
mobile trips are for business purposes?I
E. B. H.
A. Sixty per cent of weekend trsvs
is for business or necessary transpor
tation.
@. How many people were marie,
last year?-J. B. w.
A. According to recent report fror
the Census Bureau, marriages in 1874
numbered an all-time record Of 500 00t
or lib marriages for every 1000 pop
uiation
@. How much does the average perso,
perspire?-S. L. G.
A. The amount of perspiration nor
mally discharged by q healthy perso
varies from about II. to S pints per day
increasing with exercise and higl
temperature.
@. When was Col. Lindbergh at Kell
Field in Texas?-S. M H.
A. On March 9, 1924, he enlisted as F.:
flying cadet in the air service at Kell
Field, and in the spring of 1925 va
commissioned second lieutenant.
@. Is it true that Texas has the righ
to subdivide into several States?-M. H
A. Under the joint resolution of Con
gress for its annexation. approved MarCf
!, l845, Texas may subdivide its area
into any number not exceeding foul
additional States of convenient slzs
having sufficient population, which shal
be entitled to admission to the Union
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Grimes Of Migrants Seen
As Unfair Reflection Upon Residents.

AS onialr hfneCtOn upon Residents
To the Editor OF The Star:
Recent news articles disclose the fact
that local civic organization expressed
its belief that the much-heralded crime
wave in Washington may be attributed
to Negroes coming here from other local
tiles. In view of this fact, the civic group
conveyed the notion that criminal Of
fenSes committed by such vagrants reflect
respect
Many observers dismissed this conten-
ton with shrug of the shoulders while
others had no comment. subsequently,
the entire matter was forgotten.
Sometimes routine statements are more
truth than poetry. On the basis of cur
rent news stories, more than 80 per cent
Of offenses perpetrated by Negroes are
those of persons who have been here a
relatively short period of time. In a
most recent case, the offender had lived
in Washington only week. There are
those who will assert without reservation
that many confessions are forced" This
We must not close our eyes to the
truth that there are too many malicious
crimes on record that are of piratical
and predatory nature.
1t is note of tragedy that we have in
the Capital several Negro organizations
seeking for better race relations, equality
in jobs and better housing facilities,
while protesting against brutal police
tactics and determinations of several
varieties, while the crime wave in the
city is on the uptrend among Negroes.
Ultimately, we will have to resort to
the old English method. hue and cry"
whereby each respectable citizen makes
himself committee OF one to help au-
thorities apprehend the culprits. Con-
gresS may pass laws by thousands, but
it takes public cooperation to make
them effective. Let's fall in line!
COLORED CITIZEN,
Evening star., 1941-07-26

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the ,oriter, although the use OF
a pseudonyn, for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters NTH
q UieD TO condensation.
Evening star., 1941-07-26
Praises placing"
OF Stories About Boys.

To the Editor of The Star:
This Is one readers effort to express
her pleasure with certain detail in
The Star for July 90. 1t may have been
only coincidental, but it seemed excellent
taste to place that story about the fine
young graduate Of Boys Town on Page
A-3 after the sordid details of another
youths unbalanced jealousy. Realizing
how easily the 14-year-old Sam Breci
could have developed into boy of ami
NAL temperament under less sane in
fluences, the contrast between the stories
is significant comment in favor OF such
social efforts as Boys Town
That was such good placing I hope 1t
wasn't coincidence.
HELEN BOVARD.
Evening star., 1941-07-26

The Associated Pres is exclusively entitled
the use fOI repubCa Ion of all news dispatches
credited &c IT O. not otherwise credited IN this
paper and alSJ the local news published herein
AL rights of publication OF special dispatches
herein also reserved