davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-02-01
Tex Cut Needed

The decision of the District Unem-
ployment Compensation Board to
seek a drastic" reduction in the local
unemployment compensation tax
rate is an eminently proper one.
As the board points out in its an
nual report to Congress for the year
1910, the tax rate in the District is
absurdly high in relation to legiti-
mate unemployment needs, and this,
obviously, works a great injustice on
employers-the only ones to pay the
tax. Despite the reduction in the
local tax rate last year from 3 to 2.7
per cent, plus substantial liberali-
cation of benefits to the unemployed,
a total of SIS, ,753, 1853 was collected, as
against disbursements for benefits in
the total sum of $2,117,241. In other
words, after allowance is made for
administrative expenses, well over
S3,OOO,O0O was added to the already
excessive reserve fund, which
amounted to $685. ,948 on Decem-
Der 81. At the present rate of dis
bursements for benefits, and this is
apt to decrease rather than increase
in the near future, the present re-
serve fund would be. adequate for
payment of benefits for nine years
without the collection of another dol
lar in taxes.
The board also recommended in
It's report that the Social Security
Act be amended, if a tax cut is ap-
proved, to minimize discrimination
against employers of eight or more
persons. This is important in view of
the fact that the Federal tax, as dis
tinct from the local tax, is levied
only on employers of eight or more
persons. Under a section of the Fed
eral law the larger employers are
given a credit of ninety per cent of
their local tax against their Federal
tax, but the effect of this concession
would diminish as the local tax is
decreased, thereby placing larger en-
ployers at a serious disadvantage in
competing with the smaller en-
ployers who do not pay any Federal
tax.
The case in support of the two
changes recommended by the board
Is so overwhelming that one might
almost expect Congress to approve
them without serious opposition.
Past experience, however, does not
justify any such optimistic expecta-
ton, and it behooves all interested
parties to take united stand behind
the recommendations of the board
In determined effort to secure ia
vorable congressional action at this
session.
Evening star., 1941-02-01
THIS AND THAT
BY Charles +. Tfdceicsu.

win not hear that famous spring song"
until February.
The most the songbirds give us dur
ing winter. even at well-stocked feeding
stations, Is . sort of whistle or chirp.
English sparrows and starlings fur
nish the best winter music in this vicin-
ity. They chirp and whistle at all times
they are happy.
A bird, Of course, is very happy when
1t Is eating.
Maybe they are not 50 much different
from human beings In that respect. after
all!
If the organs of digestion are in good
shape, or even In halfway good shape,
eating Is . pleasure as well az q neces-
sity.
Few persons realize just how much
truth there is in such q statement until
they attempt to diet.
Then they know better than they did
before just how much pleasure there is
in a good meal, when they are forced to
stop eating long before they would like TO.
Often we fail to understand just how
close we are to the animals. We have
been told we are just little lower than
the angels, until we cease TO understand
that we are just little higher than the
brute creatures.
Yet such matters as fighting and eat
ing show US plainly how akin to them
we are. Politicians, schemers whom ma
tons elevate from among themselves
to bankrupt, first, nations, and then
entire populations, may think they are
vastly clever and more "go-getters" than
ordinary men. but all they are doing, as
a matter of cold fact, Is reverting to the
tiger. The tiger, In q world view, may
be regarded as distinctly less disagree
able, since it does not first suffuse Its
victims with words.
Well-stocked bird feeding stations will
give garden more bird sounds in win
ter than 1t ever will have in summer.
Some persons have not stopped to
realize this. In spring and summer the
birds operate on the so-called terri
torial theory, that is, they spread them
selves out over a neighborhood, in order
that they may not meet too much COM
petition in finding food for their fiedg-
ings.
Although the songs they make then
are their real songs, actually they do not
give us as much singing as In winter.
1t may be Of . higher class, judged as
song, but 1t Is not In the volume which
they give in winter when scores OF them
are congregated at q bird feeding sta
ton.
This will be truth, of course provided
that the listener is willing to accept
chirps and calls and whistles as bird
music.
The old starting has as pleasant and
sweet q whistle as any one would want
to hear. The jays have, IN addition to
their raucous screams, several sweet
notes which they utter upon occasion.
The song sparrow sings delightfully."-
from fence post In the cold. We have
spoken here often OF the choral music
Of the English sparows, rs they sit In
the vines in the sun in the afternoon
after eating all morning.
These are all true bird music which no
good friend Of the feathered folk will be
willing to overlook.
Evening star., 1941-02-01
Defense Contracts

Following closely on the War De-
partment's rejection of the Ford
Motor Company's low bid for a $10,-
100000 Army truck contract, because
the company refused to accept a
clause requiring compliance with all
labor laws, Undersecretary Of War
Robert P. Patterson has informed
the House Military Affairs Commit
tee that his department is consid-
ering inclusion of such a clause in
every defense contract. The War
Department is not ready, however,
Mr.. Patterson testified, to recon-
mend 'coercive" legislation to pre-
vent labor disputes from interfer-
ing with production of war supplies.
Mr.. Patterson commented, Incl
dentally, that the Ford case is one
of his particular headaches"
Mr. Patterson's headache can be
traced to the increasing pressure
which organized labor has been put
ting on the War and Navy Depart
ments and on the National Defense
Commission for a fiat ban on defense
contracts to firms failing to abide
by the National Labor Relations Act,
the Wage-Hour Act and other labor
laws. The chief target Of this drive
has been the Ford Company, which
has been held by the Labor Board
to be in violation of the National
Labor Relations Act. A Circuit
Court has upheld the boards ruling
and the company's appeal is now
before the Supreme Court. Despite
objections by the Congress OF. Indus
trial Organizations, Ford has been
awarded two negotiated defense
contracts containing no labor clause
Objectionable to him. Defense Com
missioner Knudsen has contended
that the sole fact that the Labor
Board has ruled against a firm
should not bar 1t from Federal con-
tracts, pending final adjudication of
the case in the courts. Last Decem-
ber, however, the commission de-
cided to include in every competi-
tive contract proviso that all work
must be carried out Gin compliance
with Federal statutory provisions af-
fecting labor as well as with SIM
liar State and local statutes. 1t is
this agreement which Mr.. Ford re-
fused to sign and which Mr.. Pat
terson says is being considered for
inclusion in all contracts, negotiated
as well as those awarded through
competitive bidding.
Without attempting 10 pass on the
Evening star., 1941-02-01
Letters to the Editor
Enforcement Plan Outlined
To Curb Speeding.

To Curb Speeding.
TO the Editor Ct The star:
1t is my belief that the superin-
tendent of Police and the Director Of
TRAFFIC have very easy job before
them If they really want to make WASH
ington's streets safer. I feel certain
that could bring about big change
in the driving habits of washington's
fast and reckless drivers within 10 days
time.
And here is how would do the Job:
I would need but 20 good officers. I
would pick out certain streets and sta
ton my men ready for action one
day they would be on Connecticut ave-
nue., the next day they would be on
Sixteenth street. the next on Georgia
avenue, the next on Wisconsin avenue,
the next on. Thirteenth street. might
jump them right back on Sixteenth
street. but wherever they might be or
not be would know that Mr.. Motorist
was behaving himself, and I would also
know that the motorists would be driv-
ing carefully all over the city because
Just expecting my men to be on their
street when they get to the next corner
would do the job.
And I would not make too many ar
rests. I would simply have my men
stop the reckless and fast driver and
give him a mild warning. However,
each motorist stopped would know that
his number was taken at the time he
was stopped to be reported to head
quarters. His second offense would mean
a line. and perhaps the loss Of his driv-
ing permit. WILL LINDIEY.
Evening star., 1941-02-01
Improvement Suggested
For walk" Signs.

To the Editor Of The Star:
In the matter of the neon signs which
flash the Don't Walk" and walk"
directions, the writer has taken par
ticular notice as to the actions Of pedes-
trians-those who obey such signs
when the Walk" sign appears. Almost
invariably men and women alike, but
particularly women, start full speed
ahead, without first glancing to the left,
or right, just as though the sign said
to them: "All's well, the way is clear,
just go right on over"
Never does IL seem to enter their minds
that the sign cannot see what is occur
ring within the block covered by the
sign; that it is merely operated auto
matically; that regardless Of the sign
itself, vehicle may be approaching,
out Of control Of the driver, or that It
may be driven by q drunken driver whose
only object is to beat the light, espe-
cially when he sees that there Is no
officer nearby.
Would it not be well to have an added
sign, just beneath the walk" sign, to
read: "But first look to the right"-or
left, as the direction may be? Person.
ally, I believe that the majority, for
their own protection, would heed such
a warning. Could not the Traffic De-
partment have such sign-either neon,
Evening star., 1941-02-01
General Van Ness

The finding of the cornerstone Of
old st. Paul's English Lutheran
Church at Eleventh and H streets
northwest revives memories of John
Peter Van Ness, who "consecrated this
site 10 the worship Of Almighty God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy
Ghost" Departed nearly hundred
years, the donor of the ground thus
set apart is not altogether forgotten
by Washington people. He was a
native of New York State, born at
Ghent in ITO, who came to the Fed
eral Town first as a member of the
Seventh Congress, appointed to fill
the vacancy caused by the resigna-
ton of John Bird. In the House of
Representative he served from Octo-
Der 6, 1901, to January II, 1868. On
the latter date his seat was declared
forfeited due to his acceptance of
the Office of major of militia in the
District of Columbia.
Major Van Ness became lieutenant
colonel in 1905, brigadier general in
1911, major general in 1918. Mean
while, he had married in May, 1902,
Marcia Burnes, only daughter of the
widow of David Burnes, heir to the
expansive property left by that
worthy "for the most part in that
section of the city which even at the
time of her marriage was drawing to
1t the principal business and popula-
ton" of the Capital. When Mrs.
Burnes died in the winter of 1907,
her real estate passed to the man
agement of her son-in-law. His
friend Washington Irving visited him
at his new house on the south side
of D street, adjoining the southwest
corner of Twelfth street northwest,
In 1911. The famous essayist and
historian found the wife of his host
"a pretty, pleasant little woman and
quite gay" Her husband was presi-
dent of the local branch of the United
States Bank. He was an Alderman in
1929 and Mayor from 1880 to 1884,
and his interest in the development
of the community was an active
force until his death on March 7, 1846.
The gift of the land for the original
st. Paul's was but one single proof of
the generosity of General Van Ness.
He had been a commissioner for the
rebuilding of Washington after the
raid of the British in 1914. His wealth
and his eminence qualified him for
the position; and he gave OF his
energies. his time and his personal
Evening star., 1941-02-01
FumiIiur Puths

Only the ones ,oho plant thu harvest
knoD
The lunging eagerness trside the
breast.
He uho iDds filled Nth yoah must
bear the sroU
OF many tDfnters IN his hdf, must
rest
The hvelong day. Al, true psso4ch
he has
IN easy place before TIE Hsy irons
phere
Hs vieps the frequent and tnstlsds
paths
And casts on them gentle long
ing stare -.
Paths to the barn, the corn cHb and
the field.
He hears the dnsUeriro edtth be-
meath his tread,
He dreams of many yelloto d4tur1n
yield
And sees the grateful look q beast
iDeH ted;.
Then clutches tight the char arms
and somehow
ne feels again smooth handles Of
the plotD.
ROSE MYRA PHILLIPS.
Evening star., 1941-02-01

merits Of the case for or against
Henry Ford, 1t Is pertinent to sug-
gest that Federal officials give care
full consideration TO several ques-
tions before formulating a definite
labor relations policy with respect to
all defense contracts. First, there
Is the question Of the propriety of
attempting to use defense orders as
a club to enforce labor laws or
rulings, in view of the fact that Con-
gress has set up special enforcement
machinery for that specific purpose.
Second, 1t is to be doubted whether
the Defense Commission or the War
Department should undertake to in
sert in negotiated contracts a labor
proviso not authorized by Con-
gress in the legislation approving
such contracts. The ostensible pur-
pose of negotiated contract. is to
speed defense by cutting corners, by
eliminating red tape; but this pur-
pose would not be served by tying
new strings to the contract. A
third-and very important-ques-
tion is raised by Mr.. Patterson's as
sertion that he is not prepared to
urge legislation to outlaw defense
delaying labor disputes. If, presum-
ably in the interest of national de-
fense, the Government is willing to
penalize employers for refusal to
sign a pledge to obey labor laws,
why should it not be equally vigorous
in curbing strikes on emergency jobs?
Defense production requires the un-
remitting efforts of management and
workers alike-and when national
security is at stake, the Government
should demand of both parties a
maximum Of cooperation.
Evening star., 1941-02-01
q STREET.

Dear Sir:
"It is almost uncanny the way you
answer my questions before they are
asked. I am referring to the articles
on the rat situation; the gulls on the
War College grounds, and the courage
of the female cardinal.
For the past few days have heard
agitated cawing of crows and with the
aid of binoculars located six crows fly
ing from limb to limb, occasionally
swooping down toward a much larger
bird-from point of observation appear
ing gray In color, entirely different in
contour and completely oblivious to the
crows nagging.
Gould this bs hawk, and do crows
act as escorts for the larger bird, or as
scouts for the defenseless ones?
when can I expect to hear the de-
lightful Bob White whistle Of the quail?
They are numerous in the wooded areas
Of the park, but have not heard that
distinguishing call since August.
IT have always loved birds, but your
articles have stimulated a more under
standing interest.
Sincerely, G.. G."
Gould this be a .hawk?" our corre-
spondent wants to know, and the answer,
In the best modern language, Is:
Could bel
No birds like the hawks.
Even the smallest hawk the so-called
sparrow hawk, is greeted with great out
cries every time it appears in q neigh
borhood.
Jay birds are among the best Defend
ers of smaller birds, in this respect;
they set up such q clamor, at the sight
Of a hawk, that all the smaller birds
fly away at once.
AS far as we know. hawk has very
little chance to catch a smaller bird
while it is in flight.
Most of the assaults are made upon q
perching bird.
Crows, too, do not like hawks, and
they harass them every chance they get
1t is safe to say that no crow acts as
an escort for hawk
4AC4C diC ACW So~ORCi dkAFS dNto dAllOilk
birds Of different species.
- 4
Nesting Of the quail begins early IN
May, so the whistle will be heard about
that time or a little before
The first real spring whistle, however,
will be that OF the cardinal
He gives his distinctive spring song
as early as February, and this no matter
what the weather is.
When he rolls out his cheer, cheer,
cheer" over a neighborhood, the lis
tener may be sure that spring Is at
hand.
Why do we say thing is "at hand?
Is it because the human hand plays
such large part in our lives that al
most everything, in q manner Of speak.
ing, Is at hand?
Or is it, in this particular connection,
because spring makes the hand come into
use with raking and planting and out
door sports?
Even homeowners who have eight pairs
Of cardinals In the garden all winter
Evening star., 1941-02-01
Unfinished Symphony

The other day when sixteen men
in Hazard, Kentucky, started an i'm
promptu songfest, 1t Is likely that a
real critic of music would have de-
tected sour notes which might have
tempted him to accuse the songsters
of disturbing the peace. He would
not have been able to get the par
ticipants locked up, however, for dis
turbing the peace; the musical six
teen were already in jail and at
tempting to kill time, a surplus COM
modify there.
One of the jailers, who knew his
jug, began to wonder what was in it
to make them feel so happy. 1t had
certainly not been built for amuse-
ment and his curiosity was piqued.
Sneaking up on them, he discovered
the reason. The music was not en-
tirely vocal; two of the performers
were doing an instrumental accom-
paniment on hacksaw blades. AS the
singers would go through few bars,
so would the orchestra. The hack
saw harmony was complete, detect
able by the eye alone and not the ear.
But 1t was detachable, and the art
lists had the same trouble that Franz
Schubert experienced years before
their symphony was unfinished. In
compensation they were given extra
time to compose another, but the
leader is not encouraged. He does
not see how he can make a good job
of it if he is arbitrarily denied the
use of his favorite instrument, the
musical saw.
Evening star., 1941-02-01

A reader can get the ansuF 10 0Ny
question OF fact by iDrttinp ne EDe.
ming Star Information BHren, Fred.
eric J. Hdskin, director, Warrington,
D. c. Please tnclose stamp pr reply.
@. What Senator and Representative
have served longest In ongress7-
w. II. c.
A. Senator Ellison D. Smith Of South
Carolina, who began his presht service
March 4, 1909, has had the logest rec
ord in the Senate. The oldst Repre-
sentative In point Of service Adolph
]. SABBATH of the 5th Illinos district,
who began his present serviceMarch 4.
1907, and has served Is cnsecutivs
terms
@. How many subjects has he Duke
Of Windsor as governor geneil Of the
Bahamas2-L. T. II.
A. His subjects number approximately
$1,000.
@. When is a song classified q a 'Thit"f
j. T. c.
A. The commercial definitionof a hit
song Is one that sells more thin $4,000
copies.
@. Did a woman ever go overNiagara
Falls in a barrel?-T. L. F.
A. Anna Edison Taylor pluned over
Horseshoe Falls in q barrel onOctober
"A, 1901.
Q. Where is the deepest plac in the
Atlantic Ocean?-A. G.
A. The deepest part OF the Atlantic
Ocean is Mares Deep, which isjust of
the coast of Haiti and Puerto Hco. The
depth at this point is 31,366 feel
@. What has become of Cora Sterling,
the pilot?-H. J. F.
A. The transport pilot was killed in a
plane crash in Seattle, Wash, q March
81, 1910. She had taken several children
for sightseeing trip and had been up
only Is minutes.
Q. When was Halleys comet ast vis-
ible?-C. A. L.
A. Halley's comet was last visible to
the naked eye in June, 1910. 1t was seen
at its best in the evening sky lat in
May and was first clearly visible to the
naked eye on May Il. 1t began to Iads
rapidly away after a period Of 10 day.
@. Who is the most popular COMEDIAN
on the air7-V. N. G.
A. According to the Nationwide poll
OF critics conducted by Radio Daily, Jack
Benny is the most popular entertiner
on the air, with Bob Hope second and
Fred Allen third.
Evening star., 1941-02-01
Frunco-Germun Tension

Latest reports from vichy, Paris
and Berlin all indicate that relations
between the Petain government and
that of its imperious conqueror,
Adolf Hitler, are getting decidedly
tense. When Petain and Pierre Laval
had their allegedly amicable chat
fortnight ago, rumor had it that this
was the forerunner of French sur
render to German demands-what-
ever these might be. But the stub
born old marshal seems to be sticking
to his original program, one of gen.
eral collaboration" with the Reich
within clearly defined limits, exclud-
ing the use of the French Navy,
Army or colonies for hostilities
against Britain, Frances former ally.
Laval, on the contrary, is practically
committed to much closer relations
with Germany and has been gen.
orally considered the apostle of full
compliance with German desires.
1t is against this background that
the anti-Vichy press campaigns at
Paris and Berlin must be judged. For
several days the German-controlled
Paris press has been full of bitter
attacks on the Petain government,
coupled with demands that the mar
shal's present advisers be changed
for new men," that cryptic phrase
obviously meaning partisans of Laval.
Now, the spokesman of the German
Foreign Office states that these at
tacks have Berlin's official approval.
Asked if he agreed with the Paris
newspaper demands that Laval be
restored to cabinet status, the
spokesman of the Wilhelmstrasse
replied: Laval is an exponent of
German French cooperation. There
fore we naturally consider this point
equally justified. When Laval left
the government we considered it no
more than an episode, to which no
permanent significance could be at
tached. But it has been steadily
losing the character of an episode"
What is the stumbling block which
has produced prolonged deadlock be-
tween Vichy and Berlin? BY a pro-
cess of elimination one might con-
clude that rumor is correct and that
the Reich is demanding at least
partial use of French naval, military
and colonial power in the supreme
campaign against Britain which now
seems to be at hand. There certainly
are no basic theological differences,
since Petain is frankly building up
an authoritarian regime, even though
it Smacks of the conservative, cleri-
cal governments in Spain and Portu-
gal rather than the Nazi brand
Economically, Vichy has shown every
disposition to collaborate with the
Reich, especially since the appoint
ment of Flandin as Foreign Minis
ter, Flandin being the mouthpiece of
French high finance and big busi-
ness with pro-German leanings.
With no quarrel between the two
regimes over ideologies or economics,
what is left except the field of naval
and military strategy? If this be so,
and If Berlin is really turning on the
heat, 1t looks as though Petain would
soon be forced either to give in and
do Germany's bidding to the utmost
or to stand rigidly by his original
program adopted last summer after
the armistice. But this would pre-
sumably mean hat defiance of Ger
many. And that would precipitate a
crisis Of the first magnitude.
Evening star., 1941-02-01

talents as well as Of his riches to
the Improvement of the District. So
he earned the gratitude of living
residents Of the city. 1t would please
him to think that his example Is a
present inspiration.