davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-11-17
The Right Approach

1t Is reassuring to know that the
special Senate subcommittee as
signed to report on the House pro-
posal for 100 per cent increase in
the local gasoline tax-from two to
four cents per gallon-intends to
base its decision on practical and
relevant considerations rather than
on meaningless comparison between
the tax here and that prevailing in
various States. In following this
course, the Senate group, of which
Senator Burton of Ohio is chairman,
is taking the same sensible and log
ical approach to the matter as that
adhered to by the House District
Committee. The, latter committee,
after lengthy hearings and careful
study, reported bill providing for
a one-cent increase in the tax. 1t
rejected suggestions for a tWo-cent
boost because it was convinced there
is no need at this time for a greater
increase in gasoline tax revenues.
When the bill reached the floor, how
ever, the House vetoed the recon-
mendations of it's committee and
voted to double the levy. This ar
bitrary action was taken after q
number of Representatives had
argued that gasoline taxes in some
other Jurisdictions were higher than
in Washington.
The House completely .ignored
cogent arguments by several of its
members that even if more revenue
were collected from gasoline taxes
at this time, it was extremely doubt
full that the extra money could be
expended on highway construction,
in view of the drastic priority re-
Strictions put on such projects by
defense authorities. Moreover, no
thought seems to have been given
on the floor of the House to the fact
that the Federal Government, not
the District of Columbia, should bear
the major part Of the financing bur-
den for most, if not all, of the emer-
gency highway program necessitated
here by defense activities. There is
little likelihood that any consider
able amount of other highway work
proposed in the Whitehurst report
can get right of way. Thus there
is every reason to believe that
four-cent gasoline tax merely would
pile up surplus Of revenue that is
not Immediately needed. Certainly
this is no time to impose unneces-
sary additional taxes of any kind
on the citizens of Washington.
Evening star., 1941-11-17

button he might make toward a
proper investigation Of the matter
pending before the special grand
Jury. ...
This question of whether a men,
Der Of Congress, in the absence of
any abuse Of the subpoena power,
should be placed beyond the reach
Of grand jury when any other citi-
zen would have to appear, is one of
fundamental Importance, and it is
to be hoped that the whole House,
when it takes up the matter, will
balance the theoretical objections
raised by the committee against the
practical considerations of sound
public policy which are clearly in
volved.
Evening star., 1941-11-17
-GEORGEToWN.

Dear Str:
IT wonder II your readers know what
q good pet the raccoon makes? It has
been Q long time 9ince I had one, but
the memory of that beast fingers yet.
II am sure no dog or cat is remem-
bered longer and this is because of its
many fine habits, its docility in captivity,
and its good looks. There are many
dogs which are not In the same class
with a good coon.
mo wonder the early settlers accept
ed raccoon skins as money. The skins
are nice, the fur is good, though wiry,
the wearing quality excellent But it is
as a household pet that the animal
shines today, and I am convinced, from
inquiry among my friends, that practi-
cally no one NOWADAYS suspects this.
They could be elsily gotten from
hunters and trappers and assure you,
if you have never had a pet coon that
you have missed something in the pet
line, because this is fine animal I
admit that it grows rather tiresome, in
slime, because it is SO willy, but in that
case 1t would be a very easy thing to
get rid of it, either by selling it or taking
1t back to the woods and turning 1t
loose.
1T seems to me that if more people
knew about this beast. they would con-
slider it, when thinking of getting pets
for children. 1t is among the cleanest
OF all animals, and its habits would
offer good examples to dirty children.
No raccoon thinks of eating food with
out washing it first.
mo, have no raccoons for sale. I
just happened to see one the other dav.
and it reminded me of good thing.
Sincerely, L. T."
One Of our earliest memories is Of Jim,
the raccoon.
There Is, among the archives of our
family, faded photograph of the writer
OF this column, at the age of years,
seated with the cat Jumbo In his arms.
jun, as he was called, was named after
the famous elephant.
The photo shows a small boy with
large cat. The boy is seated on a horse
DiOck. MAYBE InOQeTn CITY OWellerS 90
not know what horse block is. It is
or at least was, block of stone in two
steps, from which one mounted to the
back or a horse.
1t made perfect seat.
We have no recollection whatever of
the cat, Jum but remember vividly the
raccoon, Jim.
And no wonder.
Jim was, in the modern slang card
He was always up to tricks, from
climbing up the screen door, to eating
soft coal in the cellar
He was activity, itself. with wonder
full habit of washing both his hands and
his food
This habit indeed would make 8
great impression on any child. There
would be no need for ,lecturing. or point
ing 1t out. Any youngster could notice
it for himself.
Evening star., 1941-11-17

terms: and IL was left for his exasper-
ated young aide, 1t Col Oliver Wendell
Holmes, to shout at the Chief Executive,
Get down, you fool!'"
If any one Is silly enough to believe
that the Harvard educated, polished
gentleman who was Oliver Wendell
Holmes, would have addressed such
language to Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States and his commander
in chief. then he, or she, is gullible
enough to believe almost anything
equally as preposterous.
Where, oh where, do such fantastic
tales originate? The lowliest private in
the ranks would have known better than
to shout" such words at Abraham Line
oln at such a time; much more so the
erudite Capt. Oliver Wendell Holmes of
Massachusetts,.
Furthermore, I seriously question If
Capt Oliver Wendell Holmes ever was
at Fort Stevens, at any time He had
been wounded at Characteristic in
May, 1862 and was invalided to Boston.
His biographer, Silas Bent, tells us that
that was the end of his actual fighting
BY that time he had several chunks of
lead in his body, some of which he car
ried to his grave. Silas Bent's book,
"Oliver Wendell Holmes" does not men,
ton Capt. Holmes being at Fort Stevens
in July, 1854, during Early's raid upon
the defenses Of Washington, although
he (Holmes) was at that time an aide
on the staff of Gen. Horatio G. Wright,
of the 9Th Corps, which Gen. Grant had
hastily sent to Washington by steam
boat to drive Early back into Virginia.
He was mustered out of the service on
July II of that year, according to his
biographer.
In conclusion, do believe that, If
Capt. Oliver Wendell Holmes had had
the temerity to shout" at the President
of the United States in the manner of
one horse wrangler to another-as al
leged-we should have heard about It
long before the advent Of "Reveille tn
Washington"
ENOCH AQUILA CHASE.
Evening star., 1941-11-17
THIS AND THAT
BY Charles z. Trdce1peH.

We recall wildly that Jim ate po-
tato pairings.
OF course, the coon didn't know they
contained essential elements. and that
human beings, too, probably would be
better of for eating them.
All he knew, in his animal way, was
that they tasted good.
There was scarcely q foodstuff he
wouldn't eat, II you gave him chance.
He spent most Of his time. we suspect,
in the coal cellar. hitched to the end Of
a long chain. He must have had COL
lar. although we cannot see it. The
chain, however. is perfectly plain.
Sometimes it is possible to wonder over
the remarkable memories of people as
children. Some claim to recall events
that happened when they were one
year old. Is it possible?
There are few persons, one may feel,
who actually remember anything in
their lives prior to the fourth year, and
probably not farther back than the
sixth. 1t is necessary to disengage the
things which are common family talk
from the things which one really recalls
for ones self.
The raccoon, or coon, as 1t is univer-
sally called, is about the size of small
dog, ranging from Is to Is pounds.
1t can be realized that this is nice
chunk Of an animal
1t has long hair. gray or yellowgray,
with h1chU rirUed toll Gka
mon tiger cat.
A black patch, or mask, about the
eyes, sort of slashed across them, gives
the creature a slightly comical ap-
pearance.
Although 1t nests in trees, and goes
into them at the slightest sound of
danger. 1t is not considered as an arbo-
real animal like the squirrel.
Coons will eat corn, nuts and fruit,
as we'll as common vegetables. but they
really prefer mice poultry birds and
birds eggs, fish, frogs and even in
sects.
As We have said, there are few things
they won't eat, or at least sample, with
all the curiosity of a human.
4itty dlC ana
may be seen in the National Geological
Park Their feet are not made for walk
ing in the snow hence they retire to a
hollow tree to sleep through the bad
weather
The raccoon is a fat, round animal,
much nicer in appearance than the
opossum. with which it is often grouped
in the popular mind. The possum is
Of course, marsupial, and bears its
young in pouch.
Both the coon and the 'poSsum are
nocturnal in habit. but the former easily
forgets this in captivity.
Many persons have kept raccoons. at
least for time. We suspect that they
are just a bit too wild. in the end. for
even the greatest pet lover. And then
too, it is impossible to really tame them:
they are too much a part of the forest
from which they came, to ever become
truly habituated to mans WAYS That
| for good or evil, is the prerogative OF
| but two animals. the dog and the cat.
Evening star., 1941-11-17
Challenges Historic Legends
About Lincoln at Fort Stevens.
To the Editor Of the Star:


Every once In a while, seemingly, we
are furnished with some new tid-bit OF
an alleged historical fact. An old lady
just recently deceased, apparently, was
her own authority for saying that Presi-
dent Lincoln had his plug hat" shot of
his head at Fort Stevens In July, 1854,
when he stood ON the parapet with Gen.
Horatio G. Wright and other Union Of
ficers to get better view Of the fight
ing out on tho Seventh Street Road"
where Gen. Jubel Early and his Con-
federate Army actually were attacking
the defenses Of Washington.
Except that President Lincoln did not
have his hat shot of at all, her story was
all right. He might have been shot, be-
cause there were Confederate sharp
shooters who had the range Of the fort
but he Just wasn't shot and his hat
wasn't disturbed.
Margaret Leecn, IN her new book
"Reveille in Washington" tells another
weird tale with respect to President
Lincoln standing on the parapet ut Fort
Stevens upon the same occasion. On
page 343 the author writes:
"A surgeon was killed by . sharp
shooters bullet within three feet Of
Lincoln The President remained after
Wright had cleared the parapet of every
one else, and the general ordered him to
withdraw. Wright's remonstranos was
eouched II 6snihed, Y pgempeosy
Evening star., 1941-11-17

@. What official is first In line of sue
cession to the Mayor of New York City,
e. P. J.
A. The president Of the CITY Council
who is actually the vice mayor.
@. Who invented Basic Englishf-T.
J. %.
A. The system was invented BY c. K.
Ogden and propagated by the Ortiro-
logical Institute of Cambridge, England.
@. Please compare the population at
the time of the first census with that at
present.. A. H.
A. When the first United States CEN
sus was taken in 1890, the population
was 3,92e.2l4. According to the census
Of 1910, the population was 131 500 ,275,
@. What is autarky?-S. H, p.
A. 1t is national economic self-suf-
ficiency: policy of establishing inde-
pendence of imports from other coun-
tries.
@. In what cemetery IN New York Is
there monument called the War Dog?
R. P. E.
A. In the animal cemetery at Harts-
dale, N, Y, there is monument in the
form Of German shepherd dog wear
ing Red Cross insignia, a water bottle
and leather helmet lying at his feet.
O. What is the value of steel by
products?-C. S. F.
A. By-products valued az approx
mately s16O,OOooO0 were produced by the
steel industry in 1910 in the manufac-
ture of coke from coal.
@. Who appeared with the late Mari
lyn Miller in Sunny" about 1925?-C C,
A. The cast included Joseph Cav
thorn. Clifton Webb, Jack Donahue,
Paul Frawley and Mary Hay.
@. What is the longest distance that
a baseball has ever been throvn?-M
B. O.
A. Sheldon Lejeune threw a baseball
to set the record-breaking distance of
426 feet 91a inches, at Cincinnati Oc.
tober II, 1910.
@. What Is the source Of the line
Yet each man kills the things he
loves"?-H. T. P.
A. 1t is from ''The Ballad of Reading
Gao1," by Oscar Wilde.
@. In what part Of the refrigerator
should beer be kept?-T. H r.
A. 1t should be placed on the bottom
shelf away from the cooling unit. II
should not be too cold. About 40 "a
a degrees r. Is the proper temperature
A& which TO serve beer
Evening star., 1941-11-17
Discusses Increased Fines"
For Parking Misdemeanors.


have been stung, too, and must say
that it doesn't set very we'll with me,
nor does it increase my respect for the
Metropolitan Police. 1t seems to me a
most unsportsmanlike gesture to in
crease the cost of fines on parking mis-
demeanors at this time when sky
rocketing prices already have the people
Of Washington on the ropes; it's like hit
ting fellow when he's down. Possibly
the Golfers of the city government are
in need of replenishing-at the expense
Of those who can Ill afford to pay Is
cents for parking much less the out
rageous fine of five dollars for parking
Certainly. such exorbitant fines are not
deemed necessary to supplement the
lenient taxation in this town for If ever
city populace were martyrized by back
breaking taxes, this place is the perfect
example. Possibly, the parks are in
need of additional maintenance funds.
Speaking of parks. if we could rid our
selves of some of them and replace them
with large parking facilities and charge
a reasonable price, this parking problem
would be reduced to minimum.
Perhaps there is some justification
for the increase in fines against motor
lists who are jeopardizing the lives of
other people. That angle should be
enforced up to the hilt, but fining motor
lists an absurd rate for parking, where
there is no interference with the access
sibility of fire hydrants or hampering
of vision where stop signs are concerned.
serves only to antagonize the public and
in the end will work as boomerang in
the medium Of i'll will. Until salts
factory off-street parking facilities are
provided. the present problem will re-
main in this abominable condition
R. P.
Evening star., 1941-11-17
Arrows

Bnder this slate blue ptedg a4starn
sky,
LIT by copper and gold hrs ~ Iedt
and leaf,
70 color TO shake NY MIND p>eh Nap
p4ness
And Drtng NY heart scSth sytet.
It's spIendor cannot Hoe hsyoHd thta
hour
Nor be saped against season ~
no suH,'
Thus am I torn by such brtet bsawty
And By this color am andons.
Fortunate you, soho on thts burning
day
Are armored as effectively and tUeh
As any stolid beetle In bro,on cara.
pace
or selt-sufactent turtle IN It's shsu
FREDERICK KDRIGHT.
Evening star., 1941-11-17
Tells Of the Going Wild
OF Samuel Mason Of Virginia.


To the 1ditor Of The Star:
Little Harpe, . member of Samuel
Mason's band Of cutthroAts was hung
In 1904" SO note in Mr.. Haskins col
umn
After serving with distinction -
captain In the Revolutionary War, this
Samuel Mason became the black sheep
or the maverick Of the eminent Virginia
Mason family-F. r. VS., ranking with
the Montagues, Warnelds, Fairfaxes,
Byrds and such; practically in the hunt
ing set, away up, sky high.
Now Sam, 1t seems, had his own ideas.
No social fummery for him. Breaking
away from his hightoned relations, he
learned the trade Of . yegg and prac-
ticed 1t In various localities. In 1903 he
was murdered by two of his associates.
But there was some good in Sam. Like
Hitler, "he only killed when killing was
absolutely necessary"
PRED vBITEA
Evening star., 1941-11-17
No Protection. Anyway

From the Providence Evening Bulletin.
The imaginary line that divides the
hemispheres is just that and nothing
1t is not wall, not
barrier, not something hard and tan
gible. 1t is merely geographical idea,
without any force or effect in retarding
the spread a physical war
Evening star., 1941-11-17
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the priter, although the use of
a pSeudonyn for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters NTH
q uie1U to condensation.
Evening star., 1941-11-17
Everybody's Cook Book -

Eyerybody's Cook Book - Con-
tains nearly 300 recipes, tested and
approved. This practical booklet
will be a constant source Of de-
light to the user. It contains 64
pages. fully indexed, heavy,
durable cover, special sections on
laying the tables, rules for smart
service, marketing advice, time ta-
bles for cooking and baking-the
last word in scientific culinary
aids. To secure your copy inclose
Is cents in coin, wrapped in this
clipping, and mail 70 The Star
Information Bureau.
Name
-------
Address
Evening star., 1941-11-17

c. Is there an estimate OF the total
amount of oil that has been produced
in nlinois?-P. w. F.
A. The total production of Illinois oil
wells on January l, 1941, approximated
700000,000 barrels. Estimated reserves
in proved fields are about 5OO,oO0,oOO
barrels.
@. What college football teams make
up the Big Six?-C. T. j.
A. 1t consists of the Universities of
Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa
State, Kansas State and Kansas.
Q. Is there any record of which o.
Tschaikowsky's compositions he consid-
cred the best?-L. H.
A. In the opinion of TschaikoVsky his
Sixth Symphony" was "the best thing
he ever had composed or ever should
compose"
@. What Is the per capita national IN
come OF Mexlcot-T. J. H.
A. 1t is s36 year.
O. Who is Max Brand?-G. S. H.
A. This is the pen name of Frederick
Faust, the most prolific writer of West
ern fiction.
Evening star., 1941-11-17
Member of the Associated Press.

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
the for republication of ali news dispatches
credited 10 it or not otherwise credited in this
paper and also the local news published herein
All rights Of publication OF special dispatches
herein also reserved.
Evening star., 1941-11-17

Q. What are the odds against receiv-
Ing a 29-hand, the perfect hand at
cribbage?-W. T. E.
A. They are 812,175 to /.
Evening star., 1941-11-17

@. How many States have laws against
the mutilation Of foreign fags?-K.
M. M.
A. Massachusetts, Is the only State
that has law against the desecration
or mutilation Of foreign national flags.
Evening star., 1941-11-17
Huskin's Answers
To Questions
BY Frederic J. Hdskin.

A reader oon get the ans,oer to ary
question OF fact by wittnp The Eue-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Hdskin, director, Washington,
D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. How many United States Army
officers are West Point graduatesp-
J. G. H.
A. Out Of 111,000 officers on active
duty in the Army, there are $500 who
are graduates of the United States Mill
tary Academy.
Evening star., 1941-11-17

@. What official is first In line of sue
cession to the Mayor of New York City,
e. P. ].
A. The president Of the CITY Council
who is actually the vice mayor.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-02-06

Associated Women students cab
met offices. Shirley Robbins. $50
No. Stadium way VAS elected
president. and Charlotte Ann
Thompson. 1917 No. Cakes st.
was chosen treasurer.
This vas the second election 10
be held. The first. last Wednesday.
was declared no contest when il
WAS found that ballot boxes had
been left uneuarded during the
day Voting machines were used
in the Tuesday election.
Miss Robbins has served as
Avs activity chairman. head Of
organization week and sdministra.
ton chairman for Freshman
Standards. a junior. she Is a
graduate of Annie Wright SEM
mary and a member of Alpha Ep-
silon Phi sorority.
Miss Thompson has been active
on many Avs committees during
the past year. A sophomore, she
is r graduate of Stadium high
school snd a member of III Beta
Phi sorority.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-02-06
Rev. 0ran Smith
To Serve Again

Returned - The presidency ef
Tacoma district q Christian In.
desvor. the Rev oran II Smith
Vas Installed. along With other
elected officers e The group. dur
ing the closing session Of the re.
cent convention in First freshy.
terrain church.
Other officers were Ms Louise
Miner. vice president. Los simp-
son. secretary: William Miller.
treasurer Mrs. Virginia Rrozovieh
and Francis Rushy. mailing list
secretaries: George jackson. pub
licity. and Jerry Wilson. assistant
publicity
The following superintendent
we're named
Edwin Knapp. lookout ksye
Rel. missionary. Mrs Ruth Rsiles
recreation: Erms Larson. devotion
al. Mrs Jsnetta lee. junior
Wanda Ross. high school. Jean
Shining. program. Dick Ross, evan.
gelism. Carlisle sohafer. quiet
hour. the Rev Walter Johnson
life work recruits. the Rev Pau
Dcane Hill. stewardship. Janet
Smith. citizenship. and the Rev. A
Jackson Bales. pastor adviser
The Rev I RsnWirk Mefsuliaurh
served as host pastor.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-02-06
Assets Of Company
More Than Doubled

Assets NJ Oregon Mutual Life
Insurance Co have teen more than
doubled since 1879. With : - per
cent gain in tho total amount NJ
insurance In force. according 10
the eomranys asth annual report
received here "Wednesday BY } J.
Patterson. general agent
Patterson said the report dis.
closed that At IN. end Of ipso. tho
company had se7 .oso.oi. insurance
on It's books. an increase Of t7.7oa..
loo for tho year.
Assets owned by the eompany's
policy holders grew substantially.
he said. 10 beach a new sIl-tlms
high of s2o.osa.a7a. comparing
with ,e.aoi is2 al the end Of De.
eember. 1p2p
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-02-06
Quick.acting Bayer Aspirin does 1t.

Don't vat II vou even suspect YOU
ere catching q cold. At the first sign.
follow the directions IN the pictures
sboye-the simplest and among the
most effective methods known to
modern science.
Ser Your Doctor. Even though
he may wholehesrtedlv approve
using Bsyer Aspirin to relieve pain
ful symptoms. YOU should not fail
10 see your family physician. be-
cause many colds may lead to
serious consequences. Largely with
medical approval. this simple. scien-
tifc method Of relief has taken the
place of old-fashioned strong medi-
cine for colds. which NAV upset the
system. Literally millions have
adopted it.
Try this way. You will say il is
unequalled. We are sure. When you
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-02-06
FUNERAL SERVICES

Mrs. Petra Marie I.arsen-Thurs-
day. p m. from the Wrigley d
Clements chapel Puyallup. Rev. r.
Tollefson officiating burial Sum
ner cemetery.
John MeNei,-Thursday. ! p. m,
from the Buckley-king chapel,
Rev. Robert pfeiffer officiating.
After local services, the body will
be sent to Portland. Ore. whore
services will he held Friday Al ;
p. m At the st. Johns Funeral
home. with burial following in
Riverview cemetery
barley Hu.ton-Friday. p m.
from the Lynn chapel. Rev. 2. p.
Hoff officiating, burial New Ia
coma cemetery.
Dale Howard Clark - Graveside
services Wednesday. Mountain
View burial park. cortege leaving
Buckley-King's al 3 p m: Bishop
James II. Pike officiating. Be-
sides parents. the infant is sur
yived BY a sister. Sandra Mae
Clark
Mrs. NAV VI. Clarkson Thurs
day. 2.l5 p. m from Melhnger's
chapel. Rev Henry Y Morgan Of
fieiating Pallbearers Will be Alfred
Berntsen. Charles Rose. Otto Mel
son. Paul sorensen. Andrew Felt.
and Peter Andreff Burial in
Mountain View cemetery.