davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-12-29
THIS AND THAT
By Charles Z. TrdceUeH.

Anything the birds will eat is good
for them.
Leftovers of many kinds may be used.
Even in wartime, there will be crumbs
for the birds, let us feel sure, for birds
are great helpers and aids to agriculture.
Mixed cracked grains, usually sold as
baby chick feed" may be purchased at
feed stores and at many hardware stores.
While this does not make the best sort
Of bird food, it is very acceptable, and
may be mixed with higher priced mix
lures, usually known as wild bird food"
AS matter of fact, If plenty Of sun
flower seed is mixed with the baby chick
feed, it makes a good mixture for most
of the birds. Squirrels like it, too.
The squirrel is often frowned upon by
newcomers to bird feeding
He is, they say, no bird, and besides,
he eats too much.
1t will be found, however, that he is
only after the sunfower seed.
That is one of the best reasons for
supplying it, that 1t feeds the squirrels.
To leave it out because it draws these
rodents is TO miss the best part of bird
feeding. This best part, undoubtedly is
the tolerance 1t brings.
To be at war with squirrels is to waste
ones feelings.
Let us conserve our hard feelings for
our real enemies.
The New Year is good time to begin
feeding the songsters that winter with
US.
Many persons have received feeding
stations as gifts.
The birds have had remarkably open
fall and winter TO date
The real weather is to come.
From now on they will need the help
Of man, especially if snow falls
1t is a good idea however. not to wait
Just little food. put out regularly, will
draw them to the yard. and get them
into the habit of knowing where to come.
When bitter weather arrives, the win
tering songsters will not fail to be on
hand for "handout."
See to it that water is supplied Even
persons interested in bird life often fail
to realize that cold weather is dry
weather, too. Small pans of water may
be put out in the sun, in the afternoon,
and the birds will enjoy them for bath
ing and drinking.
A little sand or ashes, spread beneath
hedges and shrubs, will give the birds
demands.
In these ways, any one may help crea-
lures which deserve help. and at the
same time keep alive wise tolerance
for our friends
Evening star., 1941-12-29
concentrations for the elimination Of
waste and inefficiency In administra-

concentrations for the elimination of
waste and inefficiency IN administra-
ton.
In no case will it be easy to trans
late these recommendations into
actual economies. But against the
difficulty of retrenchment there
stands the hard fact that, at the
very outset of our own war effort,
some s750OO,0OO, 900 of new debt in
the form of appropriations and au-
thorizations has been added to the
$55 900, 900, 900 of national debt which
already had been incurred. No one
can say what the ultimate total Of
the Nations Indebtedness will be, but
it is certain to be so high that every
possible economy becomes a matter
of greatest urgency.
1t is necessary. however, to face
the fact that a recommendation is
not saving. And there is very little
chance that there will be any re-
trenchment unless the President
lends his active support to the recon-
mendations which the committee
has made. At time when people in
all walks of life are being called upon
for heavy sacrifices, when our do
mestic economy no less than our ma
tional existence is gravely menaced,
it is to be hoped that this support
will be Forthcoming.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
The Byrd Report

SPECIFIC communications looking
toward a total saving of $1,716,965,061
in non-defense outlays during the
coming fiscal year have been submit
ted to the President by Joint con-
gressional and departmental COM
mittee headed by Senator Byrd of
Virginia.
In addition to the recovery of some
$4o0 100000 in impounded funds
funds previously appropriated but
not spent-the saving would come
primarily through the abolition of
the Civilian Conservation Corps and
the National Youth Administration,
and by large reductions in expendi-
lures under the farm program, by the
Work Projects Administration and
for highway and public works prof.
ects. After advancing these pro-
posals, the committee also made it
clear that 1t intends to examine de-
Tense as we'll as non-defense expen-
6itVes with view to making rec
Evening star., 1941-12-29
The Walled City

1t is the ancient Spanish quarter
of Manila that the japanese raiders
are making their particular target.
But the old Walled City has no
military significance. Fort Santiago,
facing the Pasig River, is a monu-
ment rather than work of any real
defensive consequence. It was a
stronghold of the Malay rajahs be-
fore Captain Juan de Salcedo arrived
in 1870. His grandfather, Governor
General Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, was
the actual founder of the capital. To
him were credited the most beauti-
full examples of medieval architec-
ture to be seen in the Philippines.
The walls constructed by Gomez
Perez Dasmarinas in the last years
of the 18th century were meant to
endure. Between two and three
miles In circumference and from
twenty to Thirty feet wide and
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Deplores
"Wishful WONDERING
w. MERRIAM.

Deplores
"Wishful Wondering"
To the Editor OF The Star:
Let us not be too sure that Hitler has
dismissed Brauchitsch. That military
gentleman may yet turn up in Africa,
Spain or Turkey.
And I would not count very much on
a cracking morale in Germany. The
home folks may not be enthusiastic"
about the war, but the men in the Hitler
armies aren't home folks" Nothing yet
has happened to convince them that they
are not invincible. They have been
taught little that did not tie up with
the ''injustices" of Versailles; and they
have been made very much aware Of
the need for correcting those injustices,
and stepped to the brim with hatred
for those who perpetrated the iniustices
upon them. Moreover. no enemy has yet
appeared on German soil
Hitler knows that America does not
scare easily; but he also knows that
we get mighty cocky" at times Until
Japan and Italy are definitely out of the
way, let us forget wishful wondering
about when or how Germany is going
to crack up" R. E. w.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
VitoI Singapore

The poignant tragedy Of burning
Manila and the Philippines should
not distract our attention from the
Japanese threat to Malaga with its
stronghold of Singapore. Every
student of the Far East rates Singa-
pore as the keystone Of the entire
Allied defensive arch in the Orient.
If Singapore is lost. the whole
strategic situation would be trans
formed overnight. The Dutch Indies
would be in deadly peril and Japan
could menace simultaneously both
Australia and India
The threat to Singapore is not re-
mote. 1t becomes imminent when,
in three weeks, japanese troops have
forced their way fully half the dis
tance between the Thailand border
and the outworks of Singapore itself.
The japanese appear to have local
command of the air as we'll as a pre-
ponderance of ground forces that has
driven the British lines back almost
$50 miles through difficult country
which was supposed to have been an
effective barrier to enemy progress.
Also, latest dispatches indicate ef1ec-
tive fifth column work. Stories are
coming out of Japanese, long resident
in the jungles, who have bribed the
aborigines to show the invaders
secret trails.
Severe criticisms Of the Malayan
high command have been voiced in
authoritative British quarters. Sir
Charles Vyner Brooke. white Rajah
of Sarawak, caught away from home
in Australia when the japanese mas
tered his principality in North Bor-
neo, declares that the reverses in
Malaga are due to gross incompe-
tence and almost criminal negli-
gence." He brands the Singapore
authorities as brass hats, lah-de-
dab, ld-school-tie incompetents
who should be sacked Immediately"
This has been done with the re-
placement of Sir Robert Brooke
Popham by General Sir Henry Pow
nall, younger man with a brilliant
record. Let us hope it has been done
in time.
One thing seems certain-the easy
optimism of those who considered
the war with Japan a sideshoW which
could be contained" until Hitler was
beaten has been pretty we'll exploded.
1t is vital that Singapore be held
and the japanese kept out OF the
Dutch Indies with their limitless
wealth in oil, rubber and other nat
ural resources which would enable
them to wage war for years. At such
an hour, risks must be taken.
This does not mean that America
should be panicked into concen-
trating exclusively against Japan.
Every intelligent observer realizes
that the defense of Britain and aid to
our other associates in the common
struggle against the Axis are vital
considerations. But it is also
essential to prevent Japan from
mastering the Far East. We cannot
afford to blink the fact that the loss
of Singapore would be disaster of
the first magnitude-a disaster which
certainly would have the effect of
prolonging the war for many years.
Evening star., 1941-12-29

high, they rose originally from
a moat which now is sunk
en- garden. Public administration
buildings were grouped around a
little plaza named for William
Mckinley. The Ayuntamiento was
the City Hall, then the provisional
headquarters of the insular govern
ment. Nearby, In the Gale PoStigo,
stood the University of Santo Tomas,
alleged to be the oldest institution
of higher learning under the Ameri-
can flag, dating back to 1911. The
Dominican Church, beautiful
Gothic structure completed in 1870,
and the modern Cathedral of the I'M
maculate Conception, reminiscent
of st. Marks in Venice, were holy
places which merited the tolerance
if not the protection Of the invaders
in vain.
Other institutions of the Intremu-
ros neighborhood included: The In
tendencia or treasury, the Church OF
San Ignacio of Renaissance design,
the AuguStinian Church with wall
paintings Of the japanese Christian
martyrs and the tombs of Legaspi
and Salcedo. the Ateneo de Manila,
a thriving Jesuit college; the Audi
encia, high court Of justice; the Col
lege of Santa Isabel, founded in
1894; st. Pauls Hospital, the Philip
pine Library, containing historic
manuscripts and rare printed VOL
umes; the Franciscan Church, the
Hospital Of San Juan de Dios, the
Recoletos Church. the Bureau of Ed
ucation. the Aquarium, a number Of
art galleries, museums of science,
fine private homes.
How much of the Walled City
already has been destroyed is unre-
ported. Japanese bombs fell yester-
day to spread conflagration which
was started on Saturday. Among
the buildings known to have been
burned are the College OF San Juan
Letran and the Offices Of the Manila
Daily Herald. The barbarians re-
Sponsible for the destruction must
not complain il similar damage is
inflicted upon the residential centers
Of their own country.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
GERMANTOWN, Md.

Dear Sir:
Il have been an interested reader Of
your column for number of years, and
much entertained and instructed.
Il, too, have wondered how the birds
could 60 in and out of a barberry hedge
and not be harmed by the thorns. The
song sparrows have taken over ours for
an apartment. The robins nest in the
privet.
Just now when so much is said of
feeding the birds, and how to discourage
the undesirables, I am reminded of
poem I learned when a child. 1t was
called The Christmas Sheaf,' and the
idea was taken from the Morse custom of
putting a sheaf Of wheat on pole for
the birds at Christmas time.
"A little girl speaks to her father:
"Oh, father should we let
The kite and raven have
Such fine and dainty fare?
For if tomorrow from our store
We drive them not away.
The good little birds will get no more
Than the evil birds of prey"
NAY, nay, my child" he gravely said.
"You have spoken to your shame.
The good Father overhead
Feeds all the birds the same.
He hears the raven when it cries,
He feeds the fowl of the air,
And a single sparrow cannot fall
To the ground, without His care"
There is much more. but not about
the birds, but of a son and brother who
has gone astray.
Il did not know I remembered any Of
1t until I read the controversy in the
paper, and this seemed very good an
sWer.
who are We to judge?
IT hope to continue reading your ar
ticles, but as am up in the 70s, cannot
expect to do so much longer.
u hope have not bored you too much.
VERY truly yours, S. B. H."
Putting up a sheaf Of wheat for the
birds was one Of the beautiful old Gus
toms of the Europe that was. and, some
dav, God willing. viii be again
1t was. undoubtedly, the beginning Of
bird feeding. as such.
Today it would be difficult for city
dWeller to find sheaf Of wheat.
The feeding station on a stake has
taken its place.
Instead of the wheat We have mixed
grains and seeds or put beef suet in
container, or Just sprinkle bread crumbs
on the ground.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Warns Against
Enemies Within"

To the Editor OF The Star:
Not only are We at war. but for the
very first time in all our history we are
in total war.
This means that whether or not we
wage total war, total war is going to be
waged against us, by exceedingly tough
and determined foes. No form of hos
pitality, nc degree of kindliness will make
any of us immune from the basest
treacheries, wherever such treacheries
can weaken our Nation. or strengthen
the hand of our enemies.
This is not to say that all Axis aliens
should be put into concentration camps.
Well do we know that some of Hitler's
very worst enemies are Germans of the
purest sort, and the same goes for Mus
solini and for the Japanese militarists.
The whole point is that We need to be
fully on the alert everywhere till victory
is achieved.
BOILING SOMERVILLE.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Appeal for Right to Stay
In the Nations Capital.
TO the Editor Of The Sta,

10 the Editor Of The Star:
In these trying times We are told that
the American home is the backbone OF
defense-keep it together at any cost
and then right before Christmas we are
confronted with a wholesale transfer Of
10000 Federal employees which would
upset the lives of at least 10000 people
The little fellow who Is employed in
one Government bureau, his wife in an
other; the little fellow who has just
bought home after years of struggling
to get it and then has to put "for sale"
sign in front Of the house he loves so
we'll; the other couple down the block
who have children in scfool-they and
all the rest of these 10000 employees are
the ones who will feel 1t and will suffer
for it. They must either get transferred,
lose their seniority and take a cut or
resign.
We ask you and plead with you to
think of the real meaning of these trans
fers and let us remain where We belong
in our Nations Capital-in Washington,
D. C.
MR.. g. MRS. FEDERAL EMPLOYE.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Thinks Japanese Know
Americans-Only Too Well.

To the Editor of The Star:
Winston Churchill asked: What kind
Of people do they the Japanese think
we are?" Here is the answer: They
think we are the kind of people who will
declare Manila an open city and disarm
it, so that they can destroy it without
the loss of a plane. And then when it
comes to Toxic, they will declare that
an open city; and they think we are
the kind of people who will believe what
they say and refrain. And they are
right. The smoke of Manila will teach
us no more than the treachery of Pearl
Harbor. They know what kind of peo-
pie in Congress voted against fortifying
Guam. They know what kind of people
sold them whatever they needed to con-
quer China with. I say with sorrow
that they know us very well.
RALPH ALBERTSON.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Says Little Space Would Be Gained
BY Removing Patent Office.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
One of the greatest weaknesses in the
position of those who have been urging
the eviction of the Patent Office from
its present quarters is that the Office
space to be gained by such removal is
out of all proportion, mere trifle, in
comparison to the extent of the up
heaval which the move will cause.
The present quarters of the Patent Office
are in part seini-monumental, mon
ument to the patent system and its i'm
portance to the industry of this country,
and in even larger part specially de-
signed to meet the pecularities of the
operation Of the Patent Fomce. Those
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Holds Parents To Blame
For Tragedy Affecting Youth.
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor OF The star:
Dean Henry Grafton Doyle's letter
decrying the recent effort of Left Wing
educators TO substitute the so-called
Captivating education for our tradl-
tional au-American curriculum is par
ticularly timely. He very properly re-
CARDS the present emergency as a prov
ing ground which conclusively will dem
onstrate the superiority Of our traditional
methods of pedagogy as dependable
character builders for our youth during
formative and impressionable years. With
equal logic he voices the hope that hence
forth we will repudiate that "lunatic
fringe" Of iconoclastic educators who
would make our youth Spineless intellec-
tual parasites. instead of virile, self-re-
liant masters of their social destiny.
But if We as parents are honest with
ourselves there Is more to Dean Doyles
letter than timely indictment of the
proclivities of certain coddling educators.
1t is the most natural thing in the world,
in times of public calamity and world
wide grief to look for sCapegoat. 1t is
human nature to go witch hunting when
we humbly should drop on our knees and
ask the grace and strength which comes
from honest confession. This has been
the futile, frustrating method OF the
past to blame others for that in which
we are equal partners in guilt. This
time let us be honest with ourselves and
humbly confess that each and every one
Of us, by our collective sins Of omission
and commission, has helped to bring this
tragic Christmas season to the children
OF the world. The blame is no one per-
sons. Each and every one of us has con-
tributed to the undoing of all Of us.
Those educators who would indulge the
natural laziness and caprice of our youth
were but expressing the general attitude
of parents whose inner character was
suffering the consuming erosion of moral
compromise and cultural decay. They
called us flaming youth. Our economic
ideal was gambling and nationwide spec
ulation, our respect for law and order had
the triumphant gangster as its symbol,
our art was the fantastic and bizarre,
and our god was the Golden Calf. Is it
any WOIlQcT tlldG Tie Slll SCdoOll
finds us in such sad and fearful plight?
And what one of us dare throw the first
stone?
Let us tell our children why We failed,
lest they as parents will fail as we have
done. Let them know that the true
strength of nation is in its heart and
character. Tell them that the Golden
Rule is the true charter of human rights
and until its dominion comes to pass,
there will be no peace on earth. Tell them
that when false leaders and prophets
arise, they only prosper so long as We
ourselves acclaim and support them. Let
us not blame others for our own COL
lective shortcomings and transgressions.
Rather in the spirit of Christmas let us
humbly confess our sins and rededicate
our hearts to the glorious and happy
task of Christ's eternal reign of right
eousness, justice and security.
THOMAS E. MATTINGLY, M. D.
Evening star., 1941-12-29

Thomas G. Corcoran has told a
congressional committee that his
principal activity has been to give
advice as to what the Government
does and does not like. There are
those who may wonder II his own
activities do not belong in the second
category.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the 1Uriter. although the use of
a pSeudonynl for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters nth
q Tie1U to condensation.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
The Germans admit that they ar

The Germans admit that they are
"astonished" at Red resistance and
declare that their enemies ap-
pear "unimpreSsed" at the former
achievements of Nazi forces. It
makes one think of the advice given
by the late Knute Rockne to his all
American who was being outplayed.
Did you show him your press clip
pingS?" queried the coach.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Denies That IsolatiOnists
Opposed National Defense.

To the Editor of The Star:
On December 25 you published letter
from ]. A. MCGEE in which the author
attempted to place the blame for the
Pearl Harbor debacle on those members
of Congress who had opposed the for
eign policy of the administration.
I believe that the accusation is most
unfair. The non-interventionist group
In Congress at no time advocated any
thing but the very strongest national
defense
PHILIP L. WoRAlNIY. eth.
Evening star., 1941-12-29

Fortune Telling-How to read
fortunes in variety of ways. Tells
what the stars predict; what the
lines of your hand foretell, what
your dreams mean; how 10 read
cards; how to interpret tea leaves
and coffee grounds; also interest
ing facts on signs. omens and su-
perstitions. This booklet will prove
endless amusement at any party.
It's good fun. To secure your copy
inclose 10 cents in coin, wrapped
in this clipping. End mail to The
Star Information Bureau.
-----------------
Name
Address
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Declares Yeast
Is Not an Engine.

Is Not an Engine.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Attention is drawn to the definition of
an engine given in Haskin's column
of December a. Particularly, yeast is
not an engine as stated in the column,
although yeast secretes numerous en-
zymes Of various activity, as does the
human body.
An engine is catalyst, as fully stated
in the column, but particularly an or
ganic chemical substance found in the
living cell. plant or animal, but active
either within or without the cell to
catalyze chemical reactions.
CHARLES 3. PARKER.
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Proposes Early Closing

Proposes Early Closing
For Stores and ShOwrOOmS.
To the Editor of The Star:
I suggest for the purpose of an effective
blackout and also to conserve light that
all stores, particularly automobile show
rooms and lots brilliantly lit with flood
lights and strings Of electric bulbs),
should close at pm.
Joseph SILVERSTONE.
Evening star., 1941-12-29

parts of the building would require ex-
tensive and time-consuming alterations
to adapt them for the purposes of an
ordinary Office building.
w MERRIAM
Evening star., 1941-12-29

No matter which way the Germans
look-ahead, back or sideways-there
Is q long, hard war. 4
Evening star., 1941-12-29
Huskin's Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. HdSktn.

A reader can get the ansUer to any
question of fact By tDrtting The EUe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. HaSktn, dreCtOr, Washington,
D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply.
Q. When does an Army parachutist
begin getting $50 month extra pay?-
c. F. j.
A. A parachutiSt in the United States
Army receives $50 per month extra pay
after he completes the period Of pre-
liminary training. The extra pay starts
when he begins his jump training.
@. How many persons are needed for
civilian defense?-A. G. H
A The Office Of Civilian Defense esti-
mates that at least 100000 people Will
be needed even for limited defense
program.
@. OF what is air composed7-L r.
A. Air is an invisible mixture Of gases
composed of about 10 per cent nitrogen
and nearly 81 per cent oxygen
@. How far up the St. Lawrence River
can ocean ships sal?-E. P. J.
A. AS far as Montreal
@. What became Of the commander OF
the Admiral Graf Spee?-J. M. o.
A. Hans Langsdorff. the commander.
committed suicide on December 20, 1899.
@. How many patents did Carleton
Ellis obtain?-C. J. H
A. At the time Of his death last year
he held 80 patents, more than any
other living inventor.
@. What percentage Of the prisoners
at Sing Sing are there on account Of
drinking?-T c. Z.
A. According to survey, Is per cent
of the inmates blame alcohol for direct
connection with their crimes.