davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
SeIf-Interest Rules

1t has been suggested in official
quarters here that Grand Admiral
Erich Readers blunt statement Of
the German attitude on the posi-
bility Of American naval conveys
and what he termed our "so-called
neutrality patrol" is a trick to con-
fuse the people of this country on
the eve of President Roosevelt's
eagerly awaited fireside chat. 1t Is
quite possible, especially in view Of
the timing of Admiral Raeder's COM
ment, that there is some basis for
the suggestion, but 1t would not
seem to be the part of wisdom to as
sumo that this is just another bit Of
Nazi propaganda, and nothing more.
After all, 1t is not what Admiral
Raeder says or refrains from saying
that is important. The words Of
German spokesman, be they bel
ligerent or conciliatory, are mean
ingless of themselves, and the Nazis
always have gone to either extreme
whenever it suited their purpose to
do so.
The one fundamental truth which
We should keep in mind Is that the
Germans, in their decisions involving
acts affecting this country, are 60
ing to be guided by what they deem
to be their own best interests. II we
should decide to convoy merchant
ships to England, and If at that time
the Germans should conclude that
their interests would be served by
attacking the conveys, there is every
reason to suppose that the attacks
would be forthcoming. And, con-
versely, If they should deem it ad-
vantageous to avoid full-fiedged war
with America, the probabilities are
that there would be no attack.
In our approach to the problem
which confronts us we should be
similarly guided. This Nation, after
long elaboration, has adopted = pol
Icy of giving all necessary aid to
England, not for sentimental rea-
sons but because We believe 1t is to
our advantage to do so. Yet II this
policy is to be implemented, the ma
terial assistance we propose to rem
der must reach England. Our prob
lem is to make certain that the goods
are transported safely across the At
lantic, and in deciding what steps
we should take to insure safe de-
livery We, too, must be Influenced by
what seems to be in our own inter-
ests, both now and in the future, and
not by what Admiral Raeder or some
other Nazi may say.
That is a simple and a funda-
mental truth, and it is for those
very reasons that it is In danger Of
being forgotten.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
q. Please describe Fort McHenry.
The Euqle

King OF the afr, lord OF untrnmreled
space,
Free as the Dind Uhtch cures
against your toir1c
Bearing you up, triumphdntlv you
fling
Great arcs OF beauty, and your
pirions trace
Geometry tn lines OF powerful grace,
40 up you soar past srsry HotqQ
thing,
Steel-iDinged and proud, meeting
the pibrant sting
OF Shdrp, thin air, the cold sun In
your face.
What hdrmonies OF crystal sound
you knotD,
Springs first soft break OF ice on
mountain peak;
Your eyes haze read on barren rock
the scroll
OF glacial records tpritten long ago;
Your heart holds knowledge Which
you cannot speak,
Lord OF the afr, bird OF my kindred
souli "a
HELEN ROWE HENZE.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
America Is HunuN

At first glance the statement seems
absurd. The bins and barns of the
Nation are overflowing. Relatively
few feel the pangs of empty stom-
achs. The population is far better
fed, by and large, than any other in
the history of the world-unless pos
sibly the pioneers of this Nation
itself
And yet America is hungry. A
quarter of it's people are living on
diets which scientists soberly declare
are below the minimum standard of
nutrition. The diet of three-quar-
tiers is only fair"
To some extent this is due to pow
erty. To greater degree it is due
to ignorance. The Nation is harassed
with hidden hungerS which manifest
themselves in reduced efficiency, an
undue burden of sickness, general i'll
temper.
Within the past decade there have
been enormous advances in the SCI
ence of nutrition. 1t has been found
that men and women in many in
stances can be transformed from I'M
happy, Intellectual drifters to happy,
efficient workers merely by adding
TO their diets minute amounts of
chemical substances the very exist
ence of which was unknown before.
If everybody in the United States
had enough of the right kinds of
foods to eat the improvement in the
national efficiency and morale would
be incalculable. But the findings of
science must be applied to the FAM
lily tables. An army of volunteer
workers all over the Nation is about
to undertake this task.
That is the purpose Of the Ma
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
A Needed Review

The decision of the Supreme
Court to pass upon the validity Of
the Districts income tax law as ap-
piled to residents claiming domicile
in the States presents that tribunal
with something in the nature OF a
politico-legal dilemma.
Generally speaking, the Supreme
Court considers itself bound by the
legislative intent Of Congress when
ever that intent is clear. And in
this matter, there can be but little
doubt that Congress, in enacting the
local income tax law, intended-for
purely political reasons-to leave a
loophole for the benefit of those who
claim domicile and vote in the States.
On the other hand, the court has
been extremely reluctant to sanction
what have been described as little
islands" of tax immunity. And that
is precisely what the local statute
accomplishes, except that the island
here is not small in relation to the
total of taxpayers.
The law, as presently interpreted, is
flagrantly inequitable. In one of the
cases before the court the taxpayer
came to Washington to work for the
Federal Government twenty-seven
years ago, married, bought home
which he still owns, and had planned
to spend the years after his retire
ment at Chesapeake Bay. But now,
because he asserts an intent upon
retirement to return to Pennsylvania,
where he votes and where his child
hood toys are kept, he is declared
exempt from the payment of the
local tax. There are many thousands
Of persons in the District who are
similarly situated, and, in addition,
a claim to exemption now is being
made on behalf of persons in private
employment who assert domicile
elsewhere.
These persons, of course, receive
all municipal services, the only dis
tinction being that the services, so
far as the income tax is concerned,
are paid for by others. Clearly, the
law has become vehicle of gross
injustice, rejecting the abuses which
attend violation of the American
tradition against the imposition Of
taxes by assemblies in which the tax
payers are not represented. Under
the circumstances, it is to be hoped
that the Supreme Court, in deciding
this controversy, will look to the
fundamental equities involved in
stead of the patiently political intent
of Congress.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles Z. Trdcescell.

They have way with them, I'M
doubtedly.
But in the home yard where feeding
of the small songbirds Is carried on,
the pigeons are merely nuisance, and
even more, an added expense.
They are large, and have husky ap-
petites.
They can clean out several pounds OF
mixed grains in . few minutes.
When the number arises to dozen
or more, the food really begins to dis
appear. What they eat In an hour
would supply scores Of songsters al day
long. ......
There is another angle to feeding
somebody else's pigeons-for that Is
what 1t Is, In most cases-and this is
the way they have Of perching on
house before landing in the yard.
They are worse than starlings.
Usually they fly in, in great circles,
from their home base. 1t Is impossible
to tell, Of course, whether they are
simply wild birds, abandoned by some
one, or pets. In the latter case, they
have plenty to eat at home, but prefer
to rustic up food for themselves.
They never harm other birds, but are
so large that they push the smaller
ones out Of the way, and thus bodily
prevent them from getting at the food
The contrast between their actions in
the downtown sections and In the
suburbs is amazing.
Down where the trafhc is worst, they
seem utterly. fearless, As stated, but out
in the suburban areas they ny up, while
feeding in . yard, at the slightest noise
from the house. ,...
This does not mean that they leave
the neighborhood. Far from it! They
back to rest on the top of house.
Usually their approach Is by two
steps, first to . house roof, then down
to the peak Of THE garage and then
to earth.
This is the approach Of caution, used
by many birds.
1ue DUO jay lafOIH IL.
We have never seen jay ny directly
into . feeding station, rs do the spar
rows, cardinals and many others.
A jay always hys to the roof Of the
feeder, then down to . shrub boush
about on . level with the food 1t seeks.
Then in.
1t fiys away in the same way, but not
always. Mostly 1t hops out onto =
shrub, where it cracks its seed with
its bill.
Occasionally it will fly directly out and
away. But We have never seen . jay
make . bold frontal attack on q feed
ing station, no matter how many times
1t has been there before.
1t always hys to the roof, then to
the shrub, then in.
II pigeons would eonfne themselves
to more moderate numbers, In visiting
bird feeding places, they would not be
unwelcome. But perhaps they, too, are
examples Of the revolt Of the masses,
Is Senior Ortega explained 30 well.
The streets are crowded with people,
the elevators full, the places Of amuse-
ment crammed TO overfiowing, and If
We ind the pigeons doing the same, no
one can blame them. It Is Just the
modern way.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
Wants Ireland to "Collabsfate"
With England and America.
tn the Editor Of Ths 8&ar.

Frank Aiken, Irish Minister Of De-
tense, has returned to Washington after
tour Of America in which he told the
American people his reasons for ap-
preaching the President for the purpose
Of buying arms and ammunition for Fire,
. neutral country. s
He also. alleged that Fire wanted to
buy wheat and other foodstuffs, as well
as medicine. Gen. Aiken was not able
to convince any one in America that
Fire, . neutral country, was In greater
need Of rifles than the countries actu-
ally engaged in war.
During his campaign across the coun-
try he was fond Of repeating, "One Of
the first principles Of democracy is that
the people concerned shall have the right
to decide for themselves the vital cues.
ton Of war and peace"
This right which he claims for Ere he
would deny to Ulster. ::
According to an article in The Star,
Aiken stated: THE Ulster government
Of the SIX northern counties Of Ireland
favored consciption for the British
armed forces" something which Aiken
denounces as . "monstrous OUTRAGE"
In America, Congress voted by great
majority in favor Of consumption q the
equitable method Of raising . military
force.
American sympathies are with Eng
land In the present struggle by ten to
one. Gen. Aiken appears anxious to
place obstacles in the way Of England,
refusing the use Of Irish ports for British
ships and now by condemning q right
eous proposal to strengthen the British
Army.
America is for England. Ireland
should "collaborate" with America OPEN
" and vigorously with all the fighting
spirit and strength characteristic Of Ire
land q the past.
AIA2n0 I. n .AUyY.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
An ENDURING Overtone

In aff1xing his signature to the
farm loan bill, which raises the man
datory crop loan rate from seventy
five to eighty-five per cent of the So
called parity prices, President Roose-
welt gave new life to an agricultural
policy which has worked wonders
politically but which continues to
defy sound economic and fiscal
precepts.
The avowed objective of the parity
price program is to establish as
of this time the same relationship
between farm and other prices that
existed from 1909 to 1s14-perhaps
the most prosperous flve-year period
that American agriculture has en-
joyed. In other words, it is an I'M
disguised effort to guarantee that the
farmer shall always receive the
highest relative income that he has
ever had, with consumers and tax
payers generally footing the bill.
Passage of the eighty-five per
cent loan provision, which with other
farm subsidies approved by Congress
will assure to the farmer his full one
hundred per cent parity price, come
what may, was achieved by methods
that bear eloquent witness to the
potency of the farm lobby. Last
March, for instance, when Secretary
of Agriculture Wickard was protest.
ing that farm income last year was
more than $4,000, 100000 and that it
probably would be increased by at
least another half billion this year,
two Senators publicly suggested a
general strike by farmers as a means
Of obtaining larger subsidies. The
bill which is now law finally passed
the House by a four-to-one margin
and the Senate by the astonishing
vote OF seventy-flve to two.
If the New Deals farm program
had brought any real and lasting
improvement in the agricultural pic
ture the case woul6 not be so bad.
But there has been no improvement
except in the sense that farmers
have benefited from one subsidy
after another. The case of cotton
affords a striking example. BY va
rious artificial devices the price Of
cotton in this country has been held
above the world level, and as a re-
suit of the loans made by the Gov
eminent there are now In storage
100000 bales Of cotton-the equiv
alent of a years crop. The Govern
ment already owns 5000, 900 Of these
bales and there is no evidence that
any one in the administration or
Congress has the slightest idea how
this huge surplus can be disposed Of
without sacrificing the vast sums of
money that have been sunk in it.
And yet, despite this deplorable his
tory, Congress few days ago raised
the loan value to thirteen and a half
cents pound-nearly cent above
the then prevailing market price
and the President has signed the bill.
The result undoubtedly will be a
substantial addition to an already
hopelessly unmanageable cotton sur
plus.
Under the circumstances there y
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
Control Of Primaries

In ruling that the Federal Govern
ment can police State congressional
primaries, the Supreme Court has
thrown a new and potent safeguard
around national election machinery.
The effect Of the decision Is to close
a gap that was left in the Hatch Act
when the Senate struck out 4 pro-
vision that would have brought
primaries and nominating conven-
lions directly within the scope OF the
"clean politics" law.
Significantly while the court split
four to three in deciding the issue
there was no difference as to the
principle involved. Dissenting, JUS
tice Douglas, Joined by Justices Black
and Murphy, agreed that Congress
has the right to control primaries,
but argued that the absence Of spe-
cific legislation-designedly so far as
the Hatch Act is conference.-the &C
complish this end, leaves regulation
with the States themselves. The
court majority, however, speaking
through Justice Stone, holds that the
protection of the integrity Of "elec-
tions" provided by Article One Of the
Constitution must be construed to
extend to primaries If the Constitu-
ton is not to be read with "stulti-
flying narrowness," and that when
this integrity is preached, prosecution
under the Criminal Code may follow.
The case in which the court
enunciates the new doctrine arose in
Louisiana where i've election COM
missioners were accused Of changing
ballots in the interest Of . congress
sional candidate. Demurrtng to the
indictment, they were sustained in
District Court, but the Supreme Court
ruling now forces them to trial.
Federal control Of primaries-how-
ever effected-is q logical Develop
ment. BY successive enactments
whose need has been demonstrated
by abuses, Congress has sought to
keep elections free from faint. These
reforms are weakened, however, If
the primary, the first step in the
elective process, is not equally pro-
tected.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27

reader can get the dnstDer to dry
question OF fact by tDritirg The Wash
ington EDening Star Information BIZ
redu, Frederic J. Haskin, director,
Washington, d. c. Please trclose
stamp for reply.
@. What class Of people travel the
most2-S. 6.
A. Passport statistics show that teach
ers are our most active travellers.
@. Which is more intelligent the cat
or the dog?-C. H.
A. The cat Is usually considered more
intelligent but this Is by no means
certain. The cat shows q remarkable
attachment to places but is not as
denonstrative or as loyal az the dog.
q. What is the country which derives
much OF its income from the sale Of
postage stamps7-D. G.
A. Liechtenstein, the tiny European
state, Is said to have derived almost
one-third Of its 1899 revenue from the
sale Of postage stamps to collectors all
over the world.
@. How old is Gen. Wavell?-J. T. H.
A. Gen. Sir Archibald Wavell, K. c.
B., cr., 1899, was born in 1883.
@. Are men convicted of a criminal
offense subject to conscription?-C. A.
A. Men with only one conviction on
their records, If otherwise qualified, may
now be indicted into service, with the
exception of those convicted of specified
heinous crimes, chronic petty offenders
with three or more convictions and
certain others, including persons on
parole whom the civil authorities are
unable or unwilling to release for mill
tary service.
@. Was there q canal connecting the
Mediterranean and Red Seas before tina
Suez Canal was built?-G. A. c.
A. There is evidence that canal was
built, connecting the Nile River and the
Red Sea, many centuries before Christ.
and the idea of joining the Red Sea ami
the Mediterranean may be traced to
the eighth century.
Q. What part of our national income
Is in the form of wages and salaries?
&C. 3. T.
A. OF our 1910 income about 81 per
cent was received as salaries and wages.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
Vengeance at SEQ

III is nedVy price WIlIell 1cAH ioiiy
has paid for it's signal naval achieve
ment in sinking Britain'S great bat
tie cruiser, the Hood, last Saturday
in the North Atlantic. The loss OF
the powerful new Nazi battleShlp,
the Bismarck, whose fifteen-inch
guns exploded the Hoods powder
magazines and sent the pride OF the
ROYAL Navy to the bottom of the
Strait of Denmark, more than evens
the scales to date in the grim three
day naval battle off Iceland. With
out minimizing the Importance OF
the destruction of the Hood, it Is
obvious that the sinking OF the
recently commissioned 35,000-ton
German battleship must seriously
weaken the capital strength OF
Grand Admiral Erich Readers fleet.
The British Navy still has fifteen
capital ships in service-the same
number with which Britain started
the war, having commissioned two
new ones to offset loss of the Royal
Oak and the Hood-while Germany
now has only two or three full-size
battleships and two pocket ships of
the Inflated Graf Spec type. 1t Is
uncertain whether the Bismarck's
sister ship, the Tirpitz, actually is
in commission as yet. If not, Ger
many has only the Scharnhorst and
Gneisenau left, and the British Ad-
miralty claims that these dread
naughtS lie immobilized in harbor,
gravely damaged by repeated Royal
Air Force bombings.
Until more details of the history
making engagement which began
Saturday are available from both
sides, naval experts will be at a
disadvantage in attempting to
evaluate the factors which led to the
destruction of the Bismarck The
British are said to have had the
battleships Nelson and Rodney and
possibly one or two more modern
craft in the action. The Nelson and
Rodney are capable of making only
twenty-three knots, as compared
with the Bismarck's thirty knots.
But the Bismarck suffered a hit on
her prov during the fight with the
Hood, according to the German
announcement, which may have
slowed her down considerably. More
over, the British claim that a
torpedo-carrying plane scored a hit
on the Bismarck last night, which
may have prepared the crippled
vessel for finishing touches by naval
units or by aircraft, or both.
Aside from the military aspects,
the vengeance wreaked on the
Bismarck has tremendous psychology
ical potentialities. The loss of the
Hood was a shock to British morale
at most critical hour in the battle
of the Atlantic. The counter victory
against the Hoods nemesis is certain
to buoy the spirits of the British
people again, to give them new
courage to carry on. AS long as the
Bismarck was free to roam the sea
lanes of the North Atlantic, a dire
threat to England's lifeline existed.
With the Bismarck gone, at least one
formidable peril to the bridge of
ships" from America to England has
been eliminated. America has real
cause to rejoice with Britain over
her latest naval feat.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27

tional Nutrition Conference being
held here this week ut the call of
President Roosevelt. 1t may well
prove to be one OF the turning points
in the national history, for it seems
likely that, hereafter, as much intel
ligence will be applied to the feeding
Of human beings as to the feeding
of cows or pigs.
For national defense few milli-
grams day of thiamin chloride may
be worth a good many battleships.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27

g. Please name some favorits horses
Of famous generals.-C. I. r.
A. Casey, q famous World War horse.
was ridden by Gen. Archie Mcdonnell;
Wellington rode Copenhagen at the Bat
tale Of Waterloo; Marengo was Napol-
cons favorite mount; Grant had Egypt:
Lee had Traveller; Sheridan had Win
chester.
G. Did the submarine Deutschland
make one or two trips to the United
States before our entry in the World
War7-A. I.
A. The Deutschland made two trips
to the United States; once from Bremen
to Baltimore, Nd, June Il to July 10,
1916, and again crossed the Atlantic in
II days to New London, Conn, November
/, 1916.
Q. When was the first United States
mint established?-J. T. II.
A. The first mint Of the United States
was established in Philadelphia, Pa, by
resolution of Congress dated April 6,
1872, the first coins being struck on
March OF the following year.
@. How old are the Waverly Oaks
ut Waltham, Mass? How many are
there?-W. I.
A. They vary in size, and their ages
have been estimated as ranging be-
tween four and nine hundred years.
We do not know their number when first
named, but In 1897 there we're said to
be rs Of them. There are about a
dozen Of them left.
@. What filibustering tactics are pos
sible in the House Of Representatives.?
". A.
A. Forcing roll calls is about the only
method Of 11libustering left under the
rules Of the House, and when the Rules
Committee brings In . drastic rule pro-
hibiting the offering Of amendments or
considering the bill for more than a
certain number Of hours, even that
method Of hlibustering is impossible.
q. Please describe Fort McHenry.-
B. r. B.
A. This fort is star-shaped, with brick
walls 20 feet high. The detached bastion
protecting the entrance has . draw
bridge on each side, and was formerly
an island In the moat surrounding the
fort. On either side OF the entrance
are dungeons for prisoners.