davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-12-24
ARLINGTON, Va.

Dear Sir:
You mention that birds are fond OF
using coconut shells for homes. have
a coconut in the outer wrinkled shell just
from Florida. Is it this shell or the inner
shell we are used to seeing. Please pub
lish directions for carving birdhouse.
would appreciate it very much. Your
articles are very helpful
VERY truly yours, G. D."
Coconut shells make far better bird
feeders than bird houses. They may be
used for the latter, of course, If hole
about an inch in diameter is bored about
inches from the top.
There are two ways of preparing the
shell. I'VE mean the hard shell, not the
outer wrapping An attempt may be
made to extract the meat from the hole
so bored. This is not an easy thing. 1t
is better to saw the coconut in half, re-
move the meat, and then put it together
again. This putting together must be
left to the ingenuity of the operator,
but one way would be to use adhesive
tape. Another would be to put the two
halves together with cleats of some sort
The best use of coconut shells is as
combined bird feeding stations and squlr-
rel gymnasums.
Properly displayed, such a coconut can
give the birds and squirrels much food,
at the same time it permits the squirrels
to get great deal of exercise.
To be used in this way, the shell should
have a slit cut in it about half way down.
This slit, or opening, is big enough to
permit bird to get its head in II 1t is
a very small bird, such as a chickadee or
even nuthatch, it can go in bodily.
In the spring. such an opened coconut
will be cleaned out by the birds them
selves. Many of them like the coconut
meat.
In the fall or winter II probably is
best to clean it out with knife.
Then a strong wire is run through the
"eyes." and the shell is hung up by this
wire. either TO a branch OF tree or TO
an arch or gate.
Some consideration must be given to
affording the squirrels access to it, but
still it should be so placed that they
must leap for it.
A good place is the center of an arch
with the wire of just the proper length
to make the squirrel use his brains to
get at the seeds. mostly sunfioWer, with
which the shell is loaded.
If this seems to be making squirrel
! feeder, rather than a bird feeder this
is about the truth of it: in the suburbs
/ the squirrels appear in the fall ano
| often take over" the bird feeding sta.
| tions.
At first the alarmed householder, in
| terested IN his birds. will resent the pres
ence of the bushy tailed rodents. Ir
time he Will come TO understand that
! the squirrels are so restless that they
cannot stay still very long at time.
This incessant movement on their part
Evening star., 1941-12-24
War Correspondent Says
Young Men Make Best Soldiers.
To the Editor Of The Star;

In fairness to the members OF Con-
gress it must be assumed that they
acted in spirit of kindness and hu-
manity in their refusal to lower the
draft age TO the level recommended by
the War Department. This writer. since
he was 25 years old, has been associated
with 20 different armies and covered
nearly 100 battles in five trips around
the world His opportunities for study
ing troops have been so ample that it
seems iustihable to present certain con-
clusions as to the best age for soldiers.
BRIEFLY. the experience of this writer
has forced upon him the following
opinions:
First: The best soldiers are from
II to %. if they are physically fit. for
the following reasons: ta) Few have
any home responsibilities. tbD They
are better risks against disease and
infection than older men. Co They can
take more physical hardshlps. cd They
have not yet been worked into the in
dustrial and economic life Of the coun-
try. Although it is sad that anybody has
to be killed, war must be approached
with some sense of reality. Any death is
a human loss, but we must consider
equally the economic loss of withdraw
ing men from industrial life in the
country if we can get ones who are not
vet an economic asset to the Nation.
Second: It is most important to get
men as young as possible because 1t
takes a year at least of hard training
to toughen an individual, no matter
how brave he may be, to the phys1caa
endurance necessary in modern war.
The idea that seems prevalent among
laymen that it is only necessary to put
a man in a uniform, give him gun
and he is forthwith a soldier is far from
reality. 1t is working and training to-
pether with the same officers that
shakes an organization down to become
shock troops.
Long observation indicates that cas-
ualties are much greater among un-
trained troops. They do not know how
to take cover, and they have not
achieved that confidence in their Of
ficers and each other which is so es-
sential to morale. In the last war this
writer saw many fresh levies COM
ing into the German Austrian, Hunga-
rian, and American armies and he
sensed at that time that their casual
ties would be twice as great as trained
troops who knew what to do when they
came under direct fire. Obviously it is
equally important that men and boys
Evening star., 1941-12-24
Frinqe Purkinq Bill

With the traffic problem becoming
increasingly serious as governmental
agencies continue to expand under
the impetus of war requirements, the
need for spacious additional Off
street parking facilities to serve the
downtown section of Washington
has grown apace. Emergency office
buildings are springing up almost
overnight on the Mall and in other
available locations. 1t is estimated
that some 10000 new war workers
will pour into the city within the next
several months Traffic officials, no
less than public buildings and hous-
Ing authorities, have cause to view
the situation with perplexity and
misgivings. Thousands of additional
automobiles will be vying for freeWay
In the already congested thorough
fares leading to the heart of the city
and for parking places convenient to
Federal offices, including the new
temporary buildings. There just is
not room enough on the streets of
Washington for all who wish to use
the streets for public garage pur-
poses, nor is it desirable that the
channels of traffic should be turned
into bottlenecks by those who are
lucky enough to find parking places
In unrestricted zones.
l;cf,,rhiy3n f,ip
ture of conditions in mind, the
Traffic Subcommittee of the Senate
District Committee wisely has re-
ported favorably the bill to provide
for municipality operated parking
areas on the outskirts OF the bust
ness district. This legislation would
set up a special parking agency, en-
powered to select sites-with the ap-
proval of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission-and to
operate the parking facilities for the
city. This plan is the one recon-
mended by Highway Director White
hurst and his co-authors OF the
Whitehurst traffic report.
Action of the Senate subcommittee
Is in marked contrast with the de-
plorable situation in the House
District Committee, where the fringe
parking bill seems to have been
pigeon -holed by the expedient OF
recommending a wholly impractical
BILE substitute 1t is surprising and
disappointing that the full member
ship of this committee has lacka-
daisically permitted this time-Wast-
ing maneuver. The Senate District
Committee should lose no time in
reporting the fringe parking bill to
the Senate. Congress would do we'll
to concentrate on this emergency
parking measure and leave for less
urgent times the study of major
engineering projects like subter-
ranean garages.
Evening star., 1941-12-24
Reports Inability to Hear
Test Afraid Siren.
To the Editor OF The Star:


Sunday morning. December 20. l941,
the initial air-raid test and what joke
happen to live on Upshur street NV,
and if there was such a thing as a
warning of some sort I still would like
to know who heard 1t. I have not as
yet come across any one person in our
neighborhood who heard it. After wait
ing for some time for the siren and out
in the street, finally called the Police
Department to find out if we had had
an alarm and they politely told me it
was all over.
If the basic principle of warning the
people is not accomplished successfully
then what good is all the other work?
At least if 1 could hear the siren, I
would have an opportunity to make .
mad rush to the basement with my wife
and two children. If I cannot hear 1t
when knowing and waiting for 1t, how
am 1 going to be awakened If We have
q real raid?
II 1t Is money that is holding up the
sirens, for one am willing to contribute
and / am sure q lot Of others would
] also. EDWARD STRAUSS.
Evening star., 1941-12-24
Hoskin's Answers
To Questions
Bv Frederic J. HdSkin.

A reader can get the dnSWer TO any
question OF tact by ,Crittng The Ere-
ming Star Information Bureau. Fred
eric J. Hdskin, director Washington,
D. c. Please incloSe stamp for reply.
O. How many women are licensed 10
fly airplanes?-P. v.
A. The Civil Aeronautics Administra-
ton says that as Of october /, l94l, there
were 1888 licensed woman pilots in the
United States.
@. Please give the origin Of Christmas
candles.-A j. B.
A. The custom Of using candles at
Christmas time was introduced from Eu-
rope In Scandinavia, particularly, 1t Is
usual on Christmas eve TO place candles
In the windows TO light Kristine, who
brings the gifts.
@. Was smoking ever permitted IN
churches?-T. c. J.
A. 1t was quite common custom dur
ing the early days Of the use Of tobacco.
and finally was forbidden only because
the use OF flint and steel was 30 noisy.
G. Who wrote THE Man Who Married
q Dumb Wife"?-E JB
A. This famous short story was written
by Anatole France.
Evening star., 1941-12-24

might divert us from the supreme
objective of an all-out defeat Of the
Axis powers. The enemy still Is
strong. The Prime Minister pointed
out that he is not depending on an
internal collapse for a victory over
HitleriSm. He is convinced the
knockout blow must come from with
out. How best to deliver that blow
is the subject of the present confer
ences among American and British
military, naval and diplomatic repre-
SentativeS. More than likely it will
be succession of co-ordinated
blows, properly timed and admins
tered in far sectors, that will bring
about the eventual collapse OF the
combination seeking to crush us.
Russia already is delivering telling
blow on the plains around Moscow.
So is the British armored force in
Libya The Americans. the Chinese,
the British and the Dutch all are
striking hard IN the Far East.
With such a broad battle-ground, it
has become imperative that the
Allies pursue policy of broad
strategy. The foundations for this
unified attack are being laid at the
White House. Eventually, repre-
sentatives of all Allied powers will
participate in the overall considera-
ton of plans. 1t is heartening at
this time of extreme peril to know
that essential unity-military as well
as economic-is being achieved; that
there is common determination to
fight side by side until the last threat
to freedom has been eliminated.
Evening star., 1941-12-24

volved in transferring old and permanent
offices while continuing to bring thou
sands of temporary employees into the
city certainly should be considered.
And if we are to make an honest ef-
fort to relieve the congested condition of
Washington, why not start by exiling
"for the duration" the hordes of lobby
lists who use valuable hotel and office
space? That is the place to begin.
washington could do without all these
middlemen. like Mr.. Corcoran. who get
such large fees for explaining" the Gov
ernment to rich clients. Let them do
their explaining in New York. 1t might
save the taxpayers quite lot Of money
and at the same time gives breathing
space to Washingtonians.
STILL UNMOvED.
Evening star., 1941-12-24
Wake Island Epic

Whatever the final outcome OF the
battle for Wake Island, our Ma
rines have added another glorious
chapter to the long history OF heroic
achievements for which Americas
sea-going soldiers are acclaimed IN
song and story. 1t is little short OF
miracle that the doughty leather
neck garrison on the lonely Pacific
outpost has been able to hold
out so long against the repeated
assaults of an enemy overwhelm-
ingly superior in numbers and
equipment Our military and naval
experts. aware of the lack of per-
manent Notifications and of the
necessarily small force assigned to
the tiny cluster of coral reefs 1000
miles west of Hawaii. have been
expecting to hear of the fall of the
island every day since the japanese
launched their beloWthe- belt at
tack on Pearl Harbor In fact, Pres
ident Roosevelt more than two
weeks ago warned the American
people to be prepared for an an
nouncement that Guam. Wake and
Midway Islands had been seized by
the enemy. Guam, indeed, did fall,
but Wake and Midway have con-
tinued to put up an amazing, mag
nificent resistance.
1t is impossible, Of course, from
the terse communicates on the sit
uation at Wake, to form more than
sketchy idea as to what has been
happening during the past sixteen
days at the remote air station. About
all that is known is that the Japa-
nese have made almost daily at
temptS to reduce the island by
combined assaults from the air and
by sea. Time after time they have
been repulsed. In an early landing
attempt the Marines sank two enemy
warships. a cruiser and destroyer.
Yesterday, in asserting that the
island finally had been captured,
the japanese admitted the loss of
two more destroyers. Day after day
the Navy announced Wake Island
continues to resist" Yesterday the
ccmmunique contained the news
that every one has dreaded but
which all regarded as inevitable
IAN enemy force effected a landing"
Since then there has been only ST.
lence from the islands defenders.
Perhaps this is because the garrison
is too much occupied with the grim
business of trying to beat back the
landing party. 1t might have a more
tragic implication. Unfortunately
there seems to be little chance of
immediate relief for the beleaguered
Americans, for the Navy doubtless
has it's hands full elsewhere.
Wake may have fallen at last, but
the extraordinary fight made by the
Marine defenders has served two
fold purpose. 1t has kept consid.
cradle portion Of Japanese forces
diverted and thus aided the defense
of our other possessions in the Pa
cific And it has been a thrilling
inspiration to all other defender.
Of freedom, with corollary repercus-
sions at busy recruiting stations
The Nation, indeed the entire Alliee
world, owes debt of deep gratitude
to the heroes of Wake Island.
Evening star., 1941-12-24
Christmas Eve Blessing

God bless the roof that shelters you
Tonioht, ho,Deper grand it be;
or If your roof lets ,oeather through,
God bless you for the stars you see3
or II you hare no root-then do
You, too, be blest-no more had He!
DOROTHY BROWN THOMPSON.
Evening star., 1941-12-24
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the 1Uriter, although the use OF
q pSeudonym for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters lrith
q rie7U to condensation.
Evening star., 1941-12-24

O. How long did Mcintyre and Heath
play in The Georgia Minstrels"? IN.
c. r.
A. They played 80 years and gave H.
900 performances in that production.
@. What is an enzyme?-J. B. J.
A. 1t is substance which produces a
change in other substances without being
changed itself. Yeast is an example.
@. Why is Westminster Abbey so
called Wv w.
A. 1t took its name from being the
church minister west of St Paul's.
@. What was Joffre's order to the
troops before the Battle of the Marne?-
&c R
A. He said. Troops unable TO advance
should die where they stand rather than
give ground TO the enemy"
@. How much does water expand in
freezing?-L. T. K.
A. Under ordinary conditions. water
freezes at 80 degrees F. and expands
about one-eleventh of its volume II
confined. it exerts great force, such as
bursting pipes.
| @. What is yakalo?-F JD
A. 1t is the hybrid offspring Of the yak
! and buffalo.
@. II the newspaper field is the fourth
estate what are the others?-C DE
A. The clergy. mobiles and Commons
composed the three estates. Edmund
Burke referred to the press gallery of the
Commons as representing the fourth
estate. The expression fifth estate is
sometimes used to represent that branch
Of organized knowledge known as science.
@. Can a person become a citizen OF
the United States who can neither speak
English nor write his name?-E B.
A. Section 304 OF the Naturalization
Act provides that no person shall here
after be naturalized who cannot speak
English An applicant for naturalization
must also be able to sign his own name.
c. Can fish heart. JH.
A. Fish cannot hear and are affected
only by sounds that cause vibrations in
the water.
@. Who wrote the music for the motion
picture 'Lydia"?-I M o.
A. All music for the production Lydia"
originally was written for the picture by
Kiklos Rosa with the exception OF
short bit of Mozart that was played by
the blind pianist in one sequence in the
children's school,
@. From what poem is the quotation
"Breathes there the man, with soul 50
dead, Who never to himself hath said
This Is my own, my native land"?-A.
EF
A. The lines are from The Lay of the
Last Minstrel by Sir Walter Scott.
@. In what year was AL Capone sent to
prison?-W. T. M.
A. AL Capone was taken to the Atlanta
Penitentiary on May 3, 1882.
try had a detachment of woman soldiers
who took poison if they were captured?-
r. D. P.
A. The Battalion of Death" was COM
posed OF Russian women who took VOW
ito conquer or to die" Each woman car
ried ration of cyanide of potassium to
use in case of capture
@. Where are high school, horses
trained for the Army?-M T E.
A. They are trained at Fort Riley,
Kans.
Q. Please give the name Of the prin-
cipal street in Montreal-T r. E.
A. St. Catherine Street is the principal
street, while st. Lawrence Boulevard
forms the division OF the city from which
the intersecting streets are numbered
least" and west"
@. How many State and Federal pris-
oners are there?-L. w. J.
A. In 1910 there were $4,000 prisoners
IN Federal and State prisons.
Evening star., 1941-12-24
New TestAment-Peace on Earth,
Good Will Toward Men-These glad

New Testsment-Peace on Earth,
Good viii Toward Men-These glad
Christmas tidings seem far removed
in this chaotic world-a world which
is involved in war. The need for
religion-right thinking and right
doing-seems to be the only hope
of mankind. The New Testament
with the words of the Saviour
printed in red is the beacon light
for all who are oppressed. What
is more in keeping with the spirit
of Christmas than the Christian
doctrines set down by the Prince
Of Peace? To secure your copy OF
the Testament inclose 20 cents in
coin. wrapped in this clipping, and
mail to The Star Information
Bureau.
------------
Name
---------
Address
Evening star., 1941-12-24
WILLIAM P. MCDOWELL.

To the Editor Of The Star.
Thank you for your fine news coverage
and editorials relating to the proposed
removal of the Patent Office to New
York
1t seems to me that there are no valid
arguments In support of the order for
removal and many that can be brought
forward against 1t. The expenses of
removing the Patent ONCE records and
its personnel would be far more than the
costs of building temporary buildings
which would hold many times the
number of people now employed in the
Patent Office.
Furthermore, most of the thousands
of examiners-especially the more ex-
perienced ones in the higher brackets
attorneys, engineers, craftsmen and
members of their Office forces are resi-
dents and property owners of long stand
ing in Washington. If the proposal
goes through many deserving and patrl-
otic people are going to lose their means
of making livelihood, families are going
to be broken up and much suffering and
loss of morale will ensue.
1t certainly would seem that, even aside
from the tremendous costs and mechanl-
cal difficulties involved in moving the
Patent Office and its effect on SO many
people outside of the Office, the Govern
ment Offices in all fairness should be
moved out of Washington in inverse
order of their establishment; i.e. the
newer n-defense agencies to go first
and the oldest last.
If the absolute necessity of this move
as it affects the Patent Of6ce were not
so obscure and the unfairness and lack
of reasonable discrimination so apparent,
/ am sure that practically ali involved in
this change gladly would sacrifice their
personal feelings and make not the
slightest protest. 1t must be recalled
that many of the older employees and
attorneys did make such sacrifices and
proved their loyalty during the first
World War and they deserve some con-
sideration now. A. E. HUMMER.
To the Editor of The Star:
The community owes you a debt OF
| gratitude for having the courage te
speak up and the judgment to speak
wisely about the proposed transfer o.
the Patent once to New York.
The reckless expenditure OF money IN
Evening star., 1941-12-24

Lakewood, N. j.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-05-22
Plan Dinner In Honor
Of LeCOmpte, Md. Game
Warden For Is Years

Governor O'Conor, Federal and
State officials, sportsmen and con.
servationists of Maryland and
nearby States will gather at din.
ner on Saturday evening, May 81,
at the Lord Baltimore Hotel to
honor E. Lee LeCompte, who will
observe his 18th anniversary as
Game Warden of Maryland or
June 1.
The dinner will be under the
auspices of the Maryland State
Game and Fish Protective Associa-
ton. J. Hammond Brown, presi-
dent of the conservation body, will
open the ceremonies, and Talbot
Denmead of the U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service will be the toast
master. Former Senator Fred C.
Walcott of Connecticut will make
the principal address.
Reservations for the affair
should be made by Monday, May
26, with Richard T. Norris, 514
Munsey Building, Baltimore.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-05-22
By VIRGINIA VALE

tneieasco Dy western newspaper Un1on.)
MARCH OF TIME camera
1VA men went on a long and
perilous voyage to film some
of the material used in "Crisis
in the Atlantic" they went
from Canada to England
aboard a tanker in convoy.
The film also includes the first
pictures to arrive here from
Greenland since that strategic
island has become so impor-
tant.
Crisis in the Atlantic" vividly
portrays the many aspects of the
struggle to keep the sea lanes open
so that war materials and food can
be sent to Britain, and depicts as
well the joint U. S.-Canadian defense
efforts involving bases from the Arc
tic to the South Atlantic. It's film
scoop; don't miss it!
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-05-22

through Selective Service up to
March 1.
Leading the list of age groups
were the 22-year-olds, with 1856
per cent of all those indicted.
Next in order were: 23-year-olds,
14.18 per cent; 24-year-olds, 11.455
per cent; 21-year-olds, 9.47 per
cent, and 25-year-olds 9.S15 per
cent.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-05-22
NUTRITION

More than 700 experts in medi-
cine, public health, social work,
nursing, nutrition, farming, educa-
ton, industry, government and
labor have been invited to attend
conference on national nutrition
by Paul V. McNutt. The meeting
will be held in Washington the last
week Of May.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-05-22

headquarters. Only IL per cent of
the selectees were between 81 and
36 years of age, the report shows.
Young men of IS to 20 years, in
elusive, who elected to take their
training Immediately although
they were not subject to call, con-
stituted 1902 per cent of all men
indicted. The survey revealed
that 1898 had entered the Army
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-05-22
Laboratory Association
To Meet At Johns Hopkins

The spring meeting of the
Maryland Association of Medical
and Public Health Laboratories
will be held at Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Wednesday,
May 20.
The meeting will open with a
luncheon and a brief business
meeting, followed by a scientific
session to be held at Maryland
Hall, for which program of lee
lures, discussion and demonstra-
tions has been arranged.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-05-22

tank filed with wa
ter in her new pic
ture, Sunny" Back
in England she won
medals for SWIM
ming and diving, SO
she got into a
scanty sequin CO.'S
tune and combined
her talents as a
swimmer and a
dancer. The story's
laid in New Orleans
during the Mardi
Gras. and Raw Boil.