davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-02-05
To q House Cot

You lie upon my hearth in supple
grace,
With round, unblinking eyes upon
the blaze;
Beyond the span of time, the bounds
OF space,
Your spirit 1Uanders to those tar-of
days,
When you, UbaSti, walked along the
Nile
With Isis and Osiris (bHsstul
dreamU.
All this you oraUely contemplate.
the ,Uhile
You graciouSly accept my bowl OF
cream.
Rise, august one, and arch your back
and ya1Dn,
Remembering Pharaoh in the days
of old,
And ho1O he Stroked your fur. Aloof,
withdrawn,
You reach the door, outside, the air
is cold.
I Uait, you hesitate. o sacred Cat,
Forego your dignity for once, and
scat!
HAZEL sCAIFE DETWLER.
Evening star., 1941-02-05
Shortsiqhted Economy

Two items in the current bulletin
of the Washington Social Hygiene
Society deserve the attention of Con-
gress in connection with forthcom-
ing consideration of the health
budget for the District of Columbia.
One of the items evaluateS preven-
ton in terms of dollars saved, while
the other discusses it in terms of
human values-of physical and men
tai suffering.
The bulletin points out that al
though it costs the Nation more than
S2O0,000,000 year to maintain men
tai cases in institutions, slight atten-
ton is being paid by cities generally
to the economics that could be ef-
fected through clinical preventive
work Washington is no exception.
Studies have shown that it costs the
community approximately $1,000 for
every person admitted to mental
hospital. 1t has also been demon
Strated that clinics for preventive
and early treatment procedures keep
many persons from developing into
hospital patients. Washington OBJ
viously would be making a good in
vestment, judged from the economy
angle alone, if the District Health
Department we're to spend for pre-
vention only two or three times the
cost of hospitalizing one mental pa.
tient. Such a sum, according to the
society, could start mental hy-
giene unit here.
The other item has to do with the
strange case of the medical labora-
tory at Lorton Reformatory with no
one assigned to run it, because of
the lack of an $1,000 appropriation
for a laboratory technician. The serv-
ices of this laboratory are urgently
needed, especially for the testing Of
Evening star., 1941-02-05

Importance Of anti-leak tanks, OF
armored cockpits, of powerful can
non.
Our planes have rendered good
service to England for training, OBJ
servation and other purposes. The
British were well satisfied with their
bargain. So should we be, for our
production capacity has been stepped
up steadily and we have been given
time to redesign our ships, with the
result that the new planes coming
to our fighting forces now are being
equipped with every possible i'm
provement known to aircraft design
ers. And if we, through the lease
lend bill, enable Britain to continue
her purchases in this country, our
production of up-to-date warplanes
will rise gratifyingly, Britain will be
better able to hold off the forces
which threaten her-and uS-and we
will have golden opportunity to
build up our own air power in line
with present-day needs.
Evening star., 1941-02-05

spinal fluids Of suspected victims of
venereal diseases. Without these
tests it is impossible to make proper
diagnosis and give treatment at the
reformatory. The psysician at Lor-
ton makes some use of the X-ray
and other diagnostic equipment in
special cases, but he does not have
time to conduct routine laboratory
infections. AS a direct result, the
bulletin claims, diseases sometimes
remain unchecked until too late to
prevent mental or physical collapse,
necessitating transfer of the unfortu-
nate, permanently disabled inmates
to Saint Elizabeth'S Hospital. The
superintendent of penal institutions
and the Board of Public Welfare
urged that provision be made in next
years budget for a laboratory tech
nician, but the Commissioners, it is
said, eliminated the request during
their budget-balancing operations.
The two matters to which reference
is made in the hygiene bulletin are
in the same class as Health Officer
Ruhland's public clinic program. All
are important to the public welfare,
yet all are handicapped by lack of
funds. Overlooked, it seems, is the
fact that human lives may be saved,
human suffering alleviated and long
view economies effected by modest
appropriations now for preventive
work
Evening star., 1941-02-05
Discusses Aiding Britain
In Terms of Resisting Gangsters.
To the Editor of :

To the Editor of The Star:
What sort of Americanism is to be
understood by the term America first?"
II Germany and Britain are merely two
powers fighting for supremacy, the
original neutrality measure should have
stood. But most Americans seem to
agree that Germany is the aggressor,
that Britain is protecting the demo-
cratic way of life, and that we must
give her "all aid short of war'-meaning
all aid that she can pay for. Bandits
having attacked my neighbor I am to
sell him weapons with which to defend
himself, possibly at bargain rates but
in any case strictly for cash. There is
a good chance that, after these gentle
men have murdered my neighbor and
gone through his pockets. they will attack
me. But no matter. 1 must remain
strictly neutral and give the intended
victim all aid from a safe distance
and at a reasonable profit. If he fights
off the bandits. I promise to crawl out
from under the bed and help him clean
up the place. What a heroic rolel How
proud the fathers of our country must
be of us!
And why all this dither about declar-
ing war? Such declarations are out of
fashion, the totalitarians aren't addicted
to the practice, and they will take us
Evening star., 1941-02-05
Reduced Power Rutes

For the sixteenth consecutive year
since the consent decree was placed
into operation, consumer rates of the
Potomac Electric Power Company
are being reduced by direction of the
Public Utilities Commission, giving
power users of the National Capital
the benefit of successful operation
of the company.
This is probably a unique record
among power companies of the
country and rebounds to the credit
of both the company and the District
regulatory agency.
An issue was raised this year over
the proper method of accounting for
revenues and expenses of the COM
pany for the January lag" month
between annual adjustments of old
and new rates, which at one time
threatened to carry the case to the
courts for solution, but this was
avoided by the adoption of a new
formula, agreed upon by both the
commission and the company
This agreement should be for the
good of all concerned, since litigation
would be unfortunate, assuming that
both the company and the commits
sion were reasonable in their atti-
tude and accurate in their figures.
Therefore who was right in the cur
rent issue now is of no great conSe-
quence.
The amount of rate reduction to
be accorded the average consumer
this year is small, though the total
exceeds $338,OO0 However, the &C
cumulated total since the consent
decree of December 1924, settling the
old court fight, is almost S9,000,000.
1t bespeaks both increasing efficiency
in the operation of the company and
determined consideration of public
welfare on the part of the commits
sion.
Evening star., 1941-02-05
Disturbance in Cubu

President Fulgencio BatiSta, Cuba S
strong man." emerges from the
threat to his government even
stronger than before He now has
around him body of aides who are
loyal to his administration in the
place of a group, led by the army,
navy and police chiefs, which al
legedly was striving to replace him.
There is no evidence that the
Cuban affair goes beyond that-an
internal disturbance by small group
in the upper ranks of the army lead
erShip which came to power with
Batista in 1888. 1t was, it seems, a
personal challenge from within
Batista's own ranks and not the
challenge of the opposition.
Suspension of constitutional guar
antees for limited time does not
necessarily mean that the President
has launched a regime of personal
dictatorship. Such step is common
in Latin American countries in times
of crisis. What is disturbing about
the Cuban affair is the reminder it
gives Americans that at least parts
of Latin America, with its sporadic
conflicts of personal jealousieS and
ambitions, remain highly unstable
politically at this critical time, when
stability and unity of the Americas
is so essential to hemisphere defense.
Fortunately, Cuba has adopted dras-
tic measures against totalitarian ac-
tivities and has taken strong stand
for Pan-American cooperation in
the interest of security. 1t Is to be
expected, therefore, that President
Batista will look to the future with
a feeling of confidence in his ability
to maintain order against both in
ternal and external enemies.
Evening star., 1941-02-05

in on the same terms with the other
nations whenever it suits their conven-
ience. No one has accused the powers
in question of quibblng over little
thing like provocation. Provocations
are made over night.
War is horrible and horribly expensive e
but it is less horrible and less horribly
expensive to finish on top of the heap
than on the bottom. And possibly if
we now have sense enough to complete
the work Woodrow Wilson began and
which our America first friends
ditched, it need not happen again.
A declaration of war by the United
States should turn solely on the ques-
ton whether We can do Britain more
good by going in or by staying out. There
is one thing we could do for her, namely:
Convoy supplies to her shores.
JOHN R. SWANTON.
Evening star., 1941-02-05
Invites Japan to Return
To Society of Honorable Nations,

To the Editor of The Star:
The ignored" representations of the
United States to the government of
Japan concerning treaties respecting the
status quo in Eastern Asia and the
regions of the Pacific Ocean, which were
presented three years ago, might reason
ably be construed to constitute a con-
siderate moral in contradistinction to
formal ultimatum.
While these representations did not
specify, and were not intended to sug-
gest, an instant when the tolerance of
the United States would expire, they did
place period to debate. The position of
America in regard to treaties is that the
unequivocal and indiSputable provisions
of such solemn agreements cannot be
subject of debate among respectable gov
ernments for were they such the COM
plete fabric of international relations,
arising from concepts of responsibility
and justice and trust, would dissolve and
vanish. The prevailing concept of the
totalitarian camp is that treaties with
law-abiding nations are null and that
only those among predatory governments
are binding.
However, the longevity of such en-
gagements is most uncertain. Germany
traditionally is an antagonist of the ma
ton that her convenience now would
engage as companion in international
piracy, which would be disastrous to
Japan for an indeterminate period in
the future. Germany intervened in
Japans first war since the Restoration
to deny her the selectest fruit of tri-
umph and Immediately sought the par
titioning of China. Actually the preda-
tory interests of Japan and Germany
are so conflicting, that did not America
and England stand guard to restrain,
Germany would eXpulSe, or participate
in the expulsion of Japan from the con-
tinent of Asia and from the Pacific ex-
cepting only the native isles of Nippon.
Were England to be defeated, and Japan
enfeebled by a war with the United
States, Germany, if not opposed by
America, would demolish the japanese
Empire. Were Japan to battle with
Russia to assist the German arms in
Europe, the ultimate result most logical
to suppose would be the erection of a
German shadow government in Russia
that would be required, in collaboration
with Germany, to eliminate Japan from
international politics. Germany is fight
ing less for territories in Europe than
for an empire in Asia, scheme to
which the Japanese forces in China are
contributing by endeavoring to open
wide the roads to conquest.
None of these dreadful hypothesis will
be realized, for the simple reason that
Germany is going to be decisively de-
feated, and in the reconstructed Europe,
Germanys will not be among the domi-
nant voices, Germany's arm not OF the
mighty For generations, at least, Ger
many will be prohibited, legally and
physically. from disturbing the peace of
Europe and of the earth. For these,
among an infinity of reasons, the gov.
ernment of Japan would best return to
Evening star., 1941-02-05
HALL PLACE.

Dear Sir:
81 read with interest your articles in
The Evening Star We have feeder
where we put wild-bird food, also put
out bread crumbs and in another part
of the yard put sunfower seed for the
cardinals.
There is mockingbird that sits on
the corner of the garage, or on the brick
wall or telephone wire and the minute
he sees a startling at the bread crumbs
he swoops down and frightens not only
the startling, but the cardinals and all the
other birds away.
'If the starlings defy him, he pecks
them
To-day we noticed a startling in the
feeder, and despite the fact that there
was plenty of bread on the ground he
stayed there eating the seeds for long
time
I'VE are visited by loads of sparrows;
many of them are the song sparrow,
and today we saw two juncos.
with the best of wishes,
Sincerely E. S B."
"And today we saw two juncos."
Snow usually brings the famous snow
bird, the plump little fellow in the dark
coat and white vest.
Called junco in the books, he is usually
called snowbird by plain folk who love
him best of all
1t is uncanny how often he appears
just before a snoWStorm.
While flock of them make the best
show, two or three are good, or maybe
only one is enough, if you really like
birds.
Just few hours before recent snow
single snowbird appeared with the
sparrows at the rose vine feeding place.
A band of English sparrows, accom-
panied by pigeons, squirrels, cardinals
and blue JAYS, was eating away con-
tenteGly, when all at once down flew
the junco.
Not a bird there paid the slightest
attention to the newcomer.
The junco joined in as if he had been
there all the time.
we tnouehI, as we saw nm, Yes, IL
is surely going to snow, now"
The man on the radio from up in
the mountains of West Virginia. had
said that it was showing there, and
we know from past experience that
whenever he says snow there we are
most likely 10 have it here
Although snow is always a nuisance
in the city and suburbs, especially as
regards traffic. it has its good points
and one of these is the general bright
ening of the bird feeding scene.
Both the individual birds and the
groups are set off as on a stage, when
the snow arrives.
Not only is their immediate back
ground made beautiful and given more
point, but the actors. the birds, them
selves, are set off splendidly.
Evening star., 1941-02-05
Poison Gas Held Old
Rather Than New Weapon.

To the Editor of The Star:
1t generally is assumed that poison-gas
as an effective weapon in modern war
fare was used for $he first time in World
War No. l. However this does not seem
to be the case, for historical records in
dicate that poison gas fired from cannon
was used in war more than four CEN
turies earlier.
Although the use of irritant and pois-
onous substances probably is as old as
organized warfare, and in the Pelopon-
neSian War; according to ThucydideS, the
Athenians and Spartans employed suf-
locating gaSes-produced from burning
sulphur and pitch-in siege operations
against fortified towns, it appears that
the Venetians were the first to employ
cannon for discharge of poison gas.
In the centuries preceding the diScov-
cry of America. Venice was not only the
leading sea power, but the Venetians
were also outstanding as the builders of
implements of war, particularly cannon.
At the same time, the VenetianS devel-
oped the art of poisoning in the political
field, which came to be referred to as
poison diplomacy, Poisoning was then
naturally transferred by them from the
diplomatic to the military sphere. Hence,
as Prof. Heinrich Kretschmayr points
out in his great work on the history of
Venice (Geschichte Won Venedig, Vol.
II, p. 10D, in the second war of Ferrara,
from 1882 to l4S4, the Venetians en-
ployed against their enemies cannon
with poison smoke" (Giftrauch).
ARTHUR LEON HORNIKER.
Evening star., 1941-02-05
THIS AND THAT
By Charles z. Trdce11eH.

They puff out their feathers, and
always look SO much darker and more
colorful
Then. too. they appear so happy to-
gether that it is impossible to see them
without sharing some of that happi-
ness.
1t is plain to see that, as long as the
food holds out, they will be both happy
and healthy.
This plain cheer, on their part, imparts
itself to the onlooker.
This is one of the best reasons why
there are few diversions which cheer
chronic invalids more than watching
birds at the window
For the best effect a window feeder
must be established for all such cases.
A simple board, with a raised edge,
will suffice
The edge gives the birds good perch
ing place and also prevents all the seed
from being swept off on the ground.
Newcomers to bird feeding do not
realize that many species eat by dash
ing their bills into the seed or grain,
as they select bite.
In this way often as much as a table
spoonful is dashed up and out, for
every seed the bird eats.
Jhe English SparrOWS are among the
worst offenders in this respect. It is
difficult to see just how they manage
to spray as much seed out and over
the edge as they do. IF they had a
teaspoon they could do it no better
These SparroWS are not the only birds
which eat in this way.
The StarlingS are untidy eaters, too.
Cardinals, titmice, Chickadees and
other of the smaller songsters which
winter here are very dainty and clean
feeders.
They select seed al a time without
dashing out any others
The cardinal even turns the head. as
1t cracks sunfloWer seed, so that the
shell will drop out on the ground.
You seldom see a cardinal in the
feeder walking around on the seed. as
the starting so often does.
The starting is a wise old bird no
matter how untidy he strikes observers.
He often pretendS to be eating when
he is bodily in feeding station. but if
you watch him closely you will see that
he is merely resting out of the weather.
He pretends TO take a seed every now
and then, but mostly he is Just pre-
tending, much as a daWdler over a cup
of morning coffee pretends to be drink
ing it.
Let the bird feeder. therefore. welcome
the snow. 1t brings him the best bird
pictures of the winter season. at the
same time it enables him to do the most
good.
Persons who do not usually feed the
birds should at least do so when snow
covers the ground, for then all the birds
find it difficult to get something to eat
from nature alone.
Evening star., 1941-02-05

the society of treaty-reSpecting nations,
who are Japans only actual friends, for
that society is going to endure, and gov
ernments that exclude their nations
from that society subject them to the
fate of outlaws
Japan is a theocracy, her Emperor
deemed to be divinity. The consti-
tuition is a free grant from the throne
and may be annulled at the sovereign's
pleasure. A totalitarian regime is un-
constitutional and may exist only with
the acquiescence of the emperor or by
nugifying his prerogatives To inquire
concerning an independent powers in
ternal economy is not within the prov
ince of foreign nations. The certainty
is that the throne of Japan is being ma
neuvered into position quite near to
disrepute. In Germany's camp are GER
tain humiliation and dissolution; in the
lawful society of nations, Japan may
live forever. EDWARD CONN.
Evening star., 1941-02-05
Chides Secretary Knox
For Comment on "Arousing War Spirit.

ToI SofHHhent on AFOuSlng w ar spirit.
To the Editor of The Star:
That was an interesting revelati ton by
Secretary KnoX-his smiling admission
before the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee in response to questioning
by Senator Nye-that saving democ-
racy' in the first World War was merely
"one of the shibboleths employed to
arouse our war spirit
The genial Secretary apparently
seemed to feel that "arousing the war
spirit constituted in itself a sufficient
end ard achievement to justify the
blowing under of thousands of young
men in that war.
wonder if the Gold Star mothers
feel the same?
And the countless veterans of that
war who are still dragging their manned
land mutilated bodies and those that
will never walk or see again?
And one cannot help wondering also
how long it will be this time before our
current slogans of defending democ-
racy,' preserving the American way of
life" etc, may perhaps likewise be re-
vealed as merely "shibboleths employed
to arouse our war spirit"
I T. H. RUSSELL.
Evening star., 1941-02-05
WurpIone Efficiency

II the interview which Senator
Wheeler gave yesterday on the
Arnys lack of warplanes suitable
for combat service in modern war
fare" was intended as criticism of
the administrations policy of all-out
aid to Britain, it is hard to see the
logic of his argument. Senator
Wheeler, a confirmed iSolationiSt,
was quoted as saying that of 639
planes which the Army had on jan
uary l, none is capable of first-line
fighting service, because Of absence
of self-sealing gas tanks, adequate
armor and latest developments in fire
power. He said that of 1884 war
planes delivered last year, 2,308 went
TO Great Britain and other countries
and 576 to our Army and Navy
Had Senator Wheeler wished to
carry the discussion further, he
might have pointed out that the
planes which our Government re-
leased to Great Britain also lacked
the defensive and offensive qualities
of which the Senator speaks-and
that the DEFICIENCIES were discovered
not in our laboratories and peace
time maneuvers, but on the proving
ground of actual war. In other
words. by sending those warplanes
abroad, instead of keeping them for
ourselves, we have learned invaluable
lessons about them, lessons which
well could mean the difference be-
tween victory and defeat in the
event of an attack on this contl-
nent II was over the battlef1elds
of Europe that flyers discovered the