davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Milford chronicle., 1941-12-19
3. PUT OUT LIGHTS

Whether bacout is ordered don't show light
than necessary. If planes over put out all
lights wait for the back-out order The light
that can't be will guide JAP Remember candle
light may be for miles from the air.
IF you have portieres overdrapes curtains, arrange
double thickness windows. Blankets Wild Hyou
have heavy black paper, paste your windows Don't
crowd stampede stores to get it. however You probably
have everything you need at home Be ingenious mprovse
Should you get araid warning remember to shut off
gas stoves gas furnaces and pilot lights BOTH Bomb
explosions may blow them from blast effect Gas that
collects may be explosive later.
Prepare the with the least window glass; in the
strongest part of house. for refuge Put food and
drinking water in it. Put sturdy table in it. Put mattresses
and chairs in it, Take magazine and deck of cards
into it. Take things like eyeglasses and dentures with you
when you go into it. Take toilet facilities paper
you have portable RADIO take that too Above ALL keep
calm. Stay at home. Put out lights.
Milford chronicle., 1941-12-19

If bombs start fall you, lie down. You will feel the
blast least that way escape fragments splinters
The safest place under good stronger the
legs the better
The enemy may explosive bombs ncenday bombs or
both If incendiaries used it's important to deal with
them to be safe from blast So defeat the ncediary with
spray never splash stream of water then go back to safety
under table in a refuge room
Most raids will likely be your immediate neigh
borhood in short time However stay under cover till the
s.al clear is sounded.
Know your raid alarms Know the AL clear Clclai news
believe ruors Watch this paper Tor ar rad alarm Description
Ask the warden when he comes
Should your house be hit keep COOL Answer appings from
rescue crews if you trapped (You most likely won't be
either hit or trapped but you can depend on rescue
o,ads TO 90 after you) Agankeep cool and wait Don't
veil after YOU hear coming unless they tell you to-
Keep COOL
Just keeping cool hurts the enemy more than anything ee
Lie down.
Evening star., 1941-10-14

disseminating information to coun-
ter Axis propaganda throughout the
world was recognized in the reor-
ganizat ton program by assignment of
liaison duties to Michael J. Nc
Dermott, veteran chief of the de-
partment's Current Information
Division, and enlargement of his
staff. Creation of Caribbean
office to function more or less in
dependently under the American
Republics and European Affairs Di-
vision properly puts added emphasis
on relations with other nations in
the Caribbean area so vital to Ameri-
can security.
All Of these changes in the depart
mental organization do not appear to
mean that the State Department is
taking on any added functions that
it has not been performing for some
time. They signify, however, a
"streamlining," regrouping of func-
tionS and personnel to make possible
more effective handling of activities
that have been added gradually to a
Setup that was not planned originally
to deal with them.
Evening star., 1941-10-14
HASTINGS

Eight hundred and seventy-fve
years ago today the Battle of Hast
ings was fought and won by William
the Conqueror. His adversary was
the lawful King of England, Harold,
son Of Goodwin, duly elected by the
witan, "the fittest to. reign" The
Norman's claim to the crown was an
illegal promise allegedly given by
Edward the Confessor, pious but
feeble ruler who had died childless.
AS soon as news that the throne
was empty reached the Continent,
Duke William gathered an army Of
adventures and, favored by a fair
wind, crossed the Channel. The
place of his landing was Pevensey,
the date September g. 1866. No
resistance was offered to the invasion.
The new sovereign was in Yorkshire,
defeating his brother, the rebel Tos-
tig, and his ally, Hardrada, the fierce
Norwegian sea rover, at Stamford
Bridge. "For the last time an Eng
lish King overthrew a foreign host
in battle on English soil" The win
ner, says the historian Gardiner,
had to hurry back to defend Sussex
without a single man from the north
or the Midlands, except those whom
he collected on his line of march"
Harold's especial handicap, how
ever, was that he was forced to fight
while his men were weary. The
Dukes legions had had ample oppor-
tunity to rest and to prepare for the
decisive contest. Provided with
horses and equipped with arms and
armor of the latest patterns, they
should have swept over the half
naked English like an autumn gale.
Instead, it was only at the last that
they achieved their triumph. The
battle began at nine o'clock on the
morning of October IA. William
in person charged at the head
of his cavalry, "but all was
vain; the English kept their
strong ground; the Normans had to
fall back; the Bretons on the left
actually turned and fled. Then the
worse-armed and less-disciplined
English troops could not withstand
the temptation to come down from
the hill and chase them" Not once
but twice was that fatal mistake
turned to the Norman advantage.
On the second occasion the Duke
deliberately invited the sortie. BY
his orders the men to the right pre-
tended to retreat. 'The irregular
levies of the English again broke
their line; they ran down the hill,
and left the part where its ascent
was most easy open to the invaders.
The Normahs now turned on their
pursuers, put most of them to flight,
Evening star., 1941-10-14

and were able to ride up the part
Of the hill which was left undefended.
Still Harold fought, land new de-
vice of the Dukes was needed to
bring the battle to an end" He bade
his archers to shoot in the air, that
their arrows might fall like
bolts from heaven" The King was
struck in his right eye and sank
down by the standard. 1t was
now evening" The Duke, according
to Freeman, "came back to the hill,
pitched his tent there, held his mid
night feast, and watched there with
his host all night"
Reading the story in 1941, the
people of embattled Britain will be
resolved that Hastings shall remain
what it has been for nearly nine
centurieS-the final victory of an
invader of their "scepter'd isle"
Evening star., 1941-10-14
She'll Come

There is a Biblical Injunction not
to cast pearls before swine. and it
now develops that it is also unWiSe to
cast them before restaurant patrons,
if the pearls are still in their cozy
little home. A San Francisco res
taurateur has just Snatched $3.50
pearl from a patron, who in turn had
snatched it from an oyster.
The proprietor's argument, funda-
mentally, was the ancient one-What
do you expect for nickel? More
specifically he contends that the
hardware belongs to the manage
ment, and that even at banquets for
ten dollars plate, the plate itself is
merely rented for the duration of
the meal. The customer is only en-
titled to what he ordered, which was
not pearls on the half-shell. The
customer, however, contends that
when he got those oysters, he owned
them body and shell, including all
long-shot sweepstake privileges.
These same arguments will soon
come up in court, in highbrow form,
garnished with Greek and Latin and
a string of whereases. The case will
be a variation of the old shell game.
Instead of guessing which shell the
little pea is under, Judge and jury
must decide who owns the shell and
contents.
Evening star., 1941-10-14
Traffic Problems

While much has been said in recent
weeks concerning the problem of
traffic and safety with which Wash
ington is faced. surprisingly few of
the many words have been translated
into action. Outstanding among. tan
gible steps taken has been the order
of the Commissioners approving i'm
mediate replacement of all painted
Streetcar loading zones with raiSeS
concrete platforms and yesterdays
decision by the House District Com
mittee to start hearings on another
of the Whitehurst reports proposals,
namely, establishment of a system of
municipality owned parking lots
around the fringe of the congested
area.
These are vital steps which will
contribute to the solution of the
closely linked problems of traffic:
safety and public convenience. But
great as that contribution may be, it
reaches only part of the whole
difficulty. These steps concern only a
part of the engineering needs. Re-
cent additions of motorcycle police
men and requests for 100 more Off
GERS will assist in correcting some Of
the faults of enforcement. Within a
short time the District Chapter of
the Red Cross will inaugurate
courses in accident prevention which
will assist in education.
But no unified plan of action, no
basic program of correction, has
been considered. Merely holding con-
ferences, no matter how important
the conferees may be, will solve
nothing. Taking up so complicated a
problem piecemeal means only par
tial success and many disappoint-
mentS. Only unified plan can make
Washington safe city
Such plan must include a COM
prehensive program of improvement
CT enforcement, from the arresting
officer to Traffic Court, and an off,
cially sponsored educational pro-
gram assisted by all types of
organizations of citizens. These
programs must be as comprehensive
as the Whitehurst plan for engineer
ing improvement and must be inte-
grated with each other. Once such
method of approach to the traffic
problem has been developed its de-
tails may be put into effect progress
sively as funds and facilities warrant.
Evening star., 1941-10-14
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles E. Trdce1DeH.

harm Mild nature taking, it may be
added, is helpful not harmful, since it
reaches out to the pure animal word and
attributes to the creatures a bit of
humanity. This, in its turn, helps to
draw many humans who must have this
bit of humanity served up to them.
Lacking it, the creatures do not appeal
to them. Such is the helpful conceit
of the human, that normally a man or
woman finds pure nature not to the
personal liking. If something of hui
manity is added, even in fancy, it helps
such persons overcome the dislike, and
gives them chance to begin to admire.
-
AS to how far afield listener to bird
songs may go, if he lets his imagination
run away with him, there is no better
instance than the one given by Stewart
Edward White.
The white-throated sparrow" he
writes, "sings nine different variations
of the same song. He may sing more,
but that is all I have counted. One man
I knew he nearly drove crazy. To that
HldIl IlC "dS always Say 4llS, 1ilO lIC
never heard the man say drink and
the Toward the last my friend used
wildly to offer a thousand dollars if
he would, If he only would finish that
sentence.
occasionally, in just the proper cir
cumstances, he forgets his stump cor
ners, his vines, his jolly sunlight, and
his delightful bugs to become an inti-
mate voice of the wilds. 1t is night,
very still, very dark The subdued
murmur of the forest ebbs and flows
with the voices of the furtive folk an
undertone fearful to break the night
calm. Suddenly across the dusk of
silence flashes a single thread of silver,
vibrating, trembling with some un-
guessed ectasy Of emotion. All Poor
Canada, Canada, Canada it mourns
passionately, and falls silent. That is
all"
And that is enough! Our author falls
into the very error he laments. and
maybe in time might have offered a
million dollars to find out what the
bird was mourning over Canada about.
Canada still seems to be doing very
nicely, thank you.
The white-throat is that sort of
bird.
1t is everything to all observers and
listeners.
There is nothing surer, however, than
that it is very fond of vines of all de-
scriptions, but especially the rose vine
such great climbers as the Dr.. Van
Fleet, above everything else.
Each garden should have at least one
Van Fleet, if for no other reason than
that the white-throated sparrows like it.
All sparrows, as a matter of fact, are
desperately fond of this climbing rose.
The large canes, often grown across
like rods, offer splendid perching for
members of the great finch family.
So plant climbing roses, and then keep
an eye open in early autumn for the
return of the white-throated sparrows
Remember. this bird has no splotches
underneath, as has the song sparrow,
and 1t is considerably larger.
Evening star., 1941-10-14
Indian Summer

The pale, departed ghosts OF summer
foUers
Are noU returned, a stluer, floating
Upon the autumn air, and through
the hours
They roam across the tired, droWsy
land.
Blue scarves OF smoke from, leaf fires
rise and drift
And fade a,Uay in SpirdlS over trees,
As long ago, the Indian smoke ,oould
lift
To carry messages upon the breeze,
or seal a brief, perhaps reluctant
peace.
Euen the sun, lately t0Grrior hot
Upon the trail of day, tOould softly
cease
And rest along the path, his aim
forgot.
This is an tnterlude bettDeen the heat
OF summer and the Uhistling hiss
Hot sleet.
MARY WILLIS SHELBURNE.
Evening star., 1941-10-14
Stute Department Grows

The internal reorganization an
nounced by the State Department
last week gives encouraging evidence
of an alertnesS to changing condi-
tions and a readiness to adapt the
departments machinery to cope with
new problems. Progress of the war
has brought tremendous expansion
in the departments work. AS the
mentor Of American foreign policy,
It's interest has been extended into
many fields with which it previously
had little direct concern. For some
time, the department has been deal
ing with most of its emergency-born
problems through an organization
set up long before they were fore
seen. The organization has been
changed now in q manner designed
to integrate the new activities more
closely within the department and
coordinate them effectively with
related activities of other Govern
ment agencies.
War conditions have multiplied the
departments interests in the eco
nomic field particularly. With the
Nation now embarked on program
Of full cooperation with Great Brit
ain in economic warfare against the
Axis, most steps taken in this field
have some sort of bearing on foreign
policy. The State Department is
concerned to keep a guiding hand on
matters affecting foreign policy.
There is resulting need for close in
tegration of policy-making functions
of the department and liaison with
other agencies administering various
phases of the economic defense pro-
gram. To meet this need, Board
of Economic Operations was set up
within the department. Under it, a
number of new units-Divisions of
Exports and Defense Aid, Defense
Materials, Foreign Funds and Finan-
cial, and Studies and StatiStics-were
created to deal with particular prob
lens.
The Importance of seeing to it that
the Governments foreign policy is
interpreted properly and not dis
turbed by new agencies engaged In
Evening star., 1941-10-14
Defeating Ourselves

In calling for an end to the ma
tional hypocrisy" inherent in reten-
ton of the Neutrality Act, Secretary
of the Navy Knox has directed atten-
ton to a fundamental and danger
our flaw in the American attitude
toward the war.
1t seems perfectly clear that
Americans as a whole have failed to
make a proper distinction between
a state of legislated neutrality and
national security. Nor is it surpriS-
ing that this should be the case, for
the Neutrality Act at the time of its
adoption was widely acclaimed as an
instrument that would keep us out
of war;" and those opposed to its
repeal have never Slackened their
efforts to strengthen this belief,
This is an assumption, however,
which simply does not square with
the inescapable facts that have so
profoundly influenced the course of
our foreign policy during the past
year or more.
Gradually, by implication, though
not in express terms, we have come
to recognize the truth that legiS-
lative pronouncement Of neutrality
is no guarantee against involvement
in war and no protection against the
consequences of war when waged by
other nations. AS the threat to our
national interests has become plain
er, we have moved farther and far
ther away from the conventional
status of neutrality until, today, the
United States, in all but combatant
sense, is an active participant in the
war.
There is not the slightest doubt
that, for practical purposes, we have
abandoned our neutrality in the
earnest belief that it is vitality to
our interest to prevent totalitarian
triumph. Yet still we cling to the
fiction of a Neutrality Act which has
never had any relation to reality.
b6SDlUe 4GO lly pOS44G4SoA SAle1A oSCNAb
however, this statute is not without
It's effect, for it acts as heavy drag
on our efforts in behalf of Britain
and her allies.
In other words, we have ceased to
be neutral because the danger to our
national security made neutrality
impossible. But we have refused to
abandon the outer trappings of neu-
trality because we have not quite
been able to shake off the fanciful
belief that national security in a
world at war is to be found in an
act Of Congress. The net effect, OF
course, is that we are endeavoring
to aid the opponents of aggression
with one hand while crippling our
own effort with the other. 1t is
self-defeating process which should
be clearly understood, and the sooner
we understand 1t the better it will be
for us
Evening star., 1941-10-14

The white throated sparrows are just
beginning to arrive in Washington and
vicinity
Running or flying squarely into
temperatures of 80 degrees and up, these
fine sparrows must have thought the
world was upsidedown, as it really is.
There was splendid specimen seated
in the great rose vine on the fence,
favorite refuge for newcomers.
He was full size, slightly more than
seven inches long, with, his neat white
patch beneath his chin, and his hand
somely striped head in black, white and
yellow.
He will be with us all winter. In the
spring the yellow stripes on his head
will take on added prominence.
~
There is scarcely better bird which
winters with u.s.
Yes, the cardinal is more snowy 1t
is a wonderful creature as is the blue
jay and the dainty song sparrow. And
many another.
But when it comes down to true bird
worth, few if any can surpass the
white-throated sparrow
This bird is often missed by persons
who are not very experienced in bird
watching.
Just sparrow" they say, if they see
it at all.
BY the term "juSt sparrow" they
unfortunately mean English sparrow.
u,lo;
all like an English sparrow. But he is
so indubitably of the sparrow tribes that
he is Jumped off with them.
Care should be taken, therefore, to
see and identify this one correctly.
Their average stay with us is from
October to May % or thereabouts.
Many specimens fly through in migra-
ton and keep on going. Look for the
migrators from April Is to May 7.
The hite-throat, as it is commonly
called by its admirers, is a great sing
ing bird, but 1t does not sing in this
locality as much as the song sparrow.
In the north, where its song is heard
at its sweetest. it is commonly classed
With the sweetest blrd singers.
In New England, where it is a great
favorite, the song has been put into
famous words. odd Sam Peabody, Pea
body, Peabody" the bird is said to sing
OF course, it says nothing Of the sort.
Another explanation is that it says
Sow wheat, Peverly, Peverly. Peverly."
The latter rending comes from fanci-
full story. A farmer of that name was
wondering If he should sow wheat.
Suddenly small bird seemed to answer
him. This is perhaps as good as any
answer as to the way popular bird
song explanations come into being. The
heated imagination of the farmer, Won
dering what he should do, readily seized
upon an answer. To him, truly. the bird
seemed a sort of a prophet. But to the
rest of us, without the special reason
for Interpretation, the bird just makes
musical notes.
In this way, all our bird songs which
seem to be saying English words have
arisen. 1t is favorite way of keeping
them in mind, and certainly does no
Evening star., 1941-10-14
Objects to Large Expenditure
For War Department Building.
% the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
1t is not going to sit well with a great
many people to see a S31 900 900 War De-
partnent building being erected with
every comfort, convenience and elegance
at time when We are being told that
we cannot realize how grave is our peril
and that for long time to come we
must expect, and, indeed, we already
have begun, to expend blood, sweat and
tears" How are We to tighten our
BELTS" buy Defense bonds to the limit"
meet as best we can the challenge of
rising prices and the threat of infla-
tion, practice self-denial and bear hard
ship in camp and at home when We wit
ness the extravagant outpouring of
money for non-essential purposes?
DISTRESSED.
Evening star., 1941-10-14
Declares Legal Justification"
Demands American Intervention.
To the Editor Of The Star:


Supreme international interests of the
United States can best be subserved by
complete respect for the law, which, while
recognizing force as the paramount
arbiter, is nevertheless fully adequate to
sanction any legitimate requirement of
any nations defense.
The claim that America Is practicing
"the right of self-defense against Ger
man piracy" probably would not be con-
sidered by any court for the reason that
nations duty is to deny recognition to
a pirate, to extirpate piracy and not to
interfere in an international armed con-
flict except to engage in the war.
A policy of partiality by a neutral in
war being denied inclusion in any defini-
ton of the right of self-defenSe, our Gov
ernment's doctrine must be so revised as
to conform to the law or be impeached
as irrational, mischievous and illegal.
That Germany is waging a war for
universal conquest is a hypothesis and
not an established fact which was
prophesied originally when Czecho-Slo-
vakia was sacrificed by England and
France in a desire to avert war, a pre-
diction that included proposal that as
the most reasonable measure to defeat
the aggressor's intentions, our Govern
ment invite each independent nation to
guarantee for period of 10 years the
then existing universal territorial
status quo.
Courts do not grant hospitality to such
speculations.
The law, if any exists, of geopolitics is
not the same as the law of physics: In
the sciences, acceptance Of hypothesis
is legitimate, privilege which, however,
if exercised by a government with the
purpose of defining and resolving seri-
GUS condition, cannot abrogate syllable
of the recognized law nor absolve the
nation from the consequences.
Empiricism, which is not respected by
science, not unseldom is applauded in
governments, to the sorrow of nations,
and biblical admonitions are frequently
ignored or regarded as if voiced by
fanatical superstition. Russia and Ger
many especially are illustrations of
that truth.
The hypothesis that Germany is en-
deavoring to exclude America from the
seas, however reasonable, is ex parte and
not judicial and the only virtue in the
attribution to Germany of determina-
ton so impossible of realization is the
emphasizing of our illogical position and
of the fact that the law of nations toll
crates no hybrid in time of war That
the law refutes our Governments i'm
piled argument, namely, that England,
as our champion, fighting for our defense
a war that We ourselves will not fight,
can be sustained in such war by us
against an enemy at whose challenge
we abdicate the right and duty of self
defense, against the law, and against the
public bona fldes.
Neutrality" is deprived of significance
by our present official notion.
The total advantages to be pleasured
by noncompliance with the law, which
in this instance is a neglect to establish
legal justification Of our purposed in
juries to the German Reich, are trivial
in contrast to the potential dangers to
England and America that some of our
pretentions erect.
A legal justification Of our position,
Evening star., 1941-10-14
Proposes Closing Stores
On Wednesday Afternoons.
To the Editor of II

To the Editor of The Star:
May have the privilege of comment
ing on letter to The Star for October
10, signed M. Edith Williams?
She would like to see the Washington
department stores kept open one night
a week so that the Government workers
may have time to buy the things which
they need. 1t seems to me that such an
arrangement would help great many
people and would like to see the plan
put in operation, provided that those
same stores were closed one afternoon
a week so that the girls and men who
had to do the night duty would have
time of to do their shopping. All stores
closed Wednesday afternoons would not
hurt any one. LAURA K. POLLOCK.