davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-04-24

German point of view. Darlan does
not fill the bill. While bitterly anti
English, he does not appear to be
pro-German and he seems to be
thoroughly loyal to the aged marshal,
who is patriotic Frenchman. Laval
is so distrusted and detested by the
bulk of the French people that Ber-
lin has cleverly refrained from trying
to thrust him down French throatS.
While showdown appears to be
imminent, it may not be immediate.
German StrategiStS have not hitherto
waged two major campaigns at once.
The likelihood is that Greece will be
subdued and Turkey "softened" be-
fore actual military operations will
begin in the west. Nevertheless, the
stage is being set. And French Co
operation" appears to be a prelimi-
nary which must soon be settled.
Evening star., 1941-04-24
Quotes "Crushing Indictment"
OF Advocates of Isolation.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
Robert Nathans new book. They
Went on Together should be required
reading by all members of the America
First Committee and similar organiza-
tions.
For the benefit of those who will not
read this story of refugees world
through a Child's eyes I should like to
quote one keen and penetrating obser-
vation by a character which transcendS
any analysis I have ever read covering
the tragic sequence of events in Europe:
Its the cynics who have lost this war,
the men who wouldn't fight for what
they believed. Pious men, too, mostly;
but they wouldn't fight for God or for
their neighbors Only for themselves. in
self-defense, and after they'd been
struck. I've watched this war come
upon us. Nobody wanted it, and so
nobody thinks he's to blame. But say
that those are to blame who wouldn't
step out and fight when the first in
justice was done. I say those are to
blame who went into their houses and
hid when the alarm bells rang far away
in another country. I hear them say it
was no war of theirs, and my heart was
sick for them and for the world"
This, I submit is a crushing indict-
ment of the cause of isolationism.
FREDERICK I. ORDWAY. Jr.
Bronxville, N. Y.
Evening star., 1941-04-24
Quotes Great Libertarian
On the Issues of Today.
To the Editor of The Star:

10 IHe EQltOI OF Inc StdI
Thomas Paines stirring words, written
at Valley Forge to instl hope and con-
fidence in Washington's despairing SOL
diers, are just as true today as when he
first penned them.
Liberty is now being hunted around
the world as it was when Paine first
wrote his Common Sense The United
States of America should not only pre-
pare an asylum for her" but also an
arsenal for her deLyerance from the
brutality of a fanat tical tyrant
Paine's immortal words: These are
the times that try mems souls. The sum-
mer soldier and the sunshine patriot
will, in this crisis, shrink from the serv-
ice'o their country; but he that stands
it now, deserves the love and thanks Of
man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is
not easily conquered yet we have this
consolation with us. that the harder the
conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
What We obtain too cheap, we esteem too
lightly: it is dearness only that gives
everything its value. Heaven knows how
to put proper price upon its goods;
and it would be strange indeed if so
celestial an article as freedom should not
be highly rated should be the
clarion call for all hberty-loving people
today as they were during the crisis for
American independence.
Purdys, N. Y. JOSEPH LEWIS.
Evening star., 1941-04-24
The Red Cross Today

If ever the American Red Cross
were needed, it certainly is required
today. Such, in different language,
was the motif of the addresses
delivered at the annual convention
Of the organization. Viscount Hall
fax, British Ambassador to the
United States, summed up the obvious
truth when he declared that "one of
the brightest pages in these fateful
times" is constituted by the efforts
of little groups of men and women"
throughout this country, sometimes
working in their own homes, some
times in the homes of others, but all
inspired with the one idea-to relieve
the suffering of those who are quite
unknown to them"
OF course that "one idea" is not
new. 1t has been tried and tested
and found useful and helpful in
long series of emergencies of differ
ent Sorts-Wars, revolutions, epi-
denies, earthquakes, fires, floods,
cataclySmS of every variety. In the
imagination of Henri Dunant in
Switzerland and Clara Barton on the
Western side of the Atlantic the
example of the Good Samaritan was
an active force. He, too, was a
stranger to the man who had fallen
among thieves and been left by the
roadside to die. His own people
passed without offering to aid him.
Possibly there were valid reasons for
their neglect. In any case, it was a
person who was, in effect, an out
cast" who came to the rescue. The
lesson of the parable is plain. 1t
should be learned and re-learned so
long as there is any occasion for its
application.
Specifically, it has been announced
that "aS an absolute minimum, it
will be necessary to assure an in
crease of at least fifty per cent in
the membership, with a correspond
ing increase in the larger gifts for
financing the work of the Red Cross"
More than six million dollars is
wanted for activities already under
taken or soon to be attempted under
the stress of the prevailing crisis.
No worthier humanitarian cause is
known to living generations. It
should be the wish of every citizen
to take a generous part in so good
an enterprise.
Evening star., 1941-04-24
Municipal Center

The decision to allOt approximately
half of the space in the east building
of the new Municipal Center to the
War Department for emergency uses
marks another setback to an effort
begun twelve years ago to secure ap-
propriate housing for the Districts
governmental establishment.
Recognizing the paramount neCeS-
sity of securing quarters for those
engaged in the national defense pro-
gram, District officials quite properly
have not opposed this requisitioning
Of office space which was intended
for their use. But at the same time,
it is not amiSS to express the hope
that there will be no delay in pro-
viding other accommodations for the
War Department to the end that the
east building soon may be available
in its entirety for the purpose for
which it vas intended and for which
1t Is so badly needed.
The Commissioners, upon being
advised in 1929 that the present mu-
nicipal quarters on Fourteenth
street would be needed by the Fed
eral Government in its triangle de-
velopment, sought at that time to
obtain permission of Congress to
purchase a site for a new municipal
building. The total estimated cost
of land and buildings was S12,0O0000,
but Congress, acting on the theory
that new District structures should
conform in scale and grandeur to
the Federal development, changed
the plan and ordered the Commits
Sioners to purchase additional land
and to plan for a municipal center
development estimated to cost in ex-
cess of $220O0,000. Initial funds
were made available through P w.
A. loan, and the east building was
erected at a cost of $5,750,000.
In view Of the difficulties which
have been encountered in the past
In connection with this project, it is
gratifying that the District will be
able 10 retain for itself those offices
in the new building in which special
facilities have been provided And
1t is to be hoped that nothing will
arise to interfere with the assurance
which has been given by the War
Department that the period of its
need for the balance of the space
will not exceed six months.
Evening star., 1941-04-24
Spotlight on Vichy

Once more Hitler is turning the
heat on Vichy, and another crisis in
FranCo-Gernan relations seems to be
in the off1ng. Berlin is using its
familiar technique of mingled blan-
diShmentS and threats. Offers of
contingent concessions are coupled
with a sinister cor else" The Ger
man dominated Paris press breathes
abuse and threats toward the men
of Vichy," going so far as to hint at
violent revolution. Admiral Darlan,
right-hand man of Marshal Petain,
prepares to tread the well-worn path
to Paris for consultations with Otto
Abetz, Reich representative in
France.
1t is all very familiar. The only
noteworthy aspects are a renewed
insistence on the return of Laval to
prominence in the Vichy regime,
and the mysterious disappearance of
Jean Fontenoy, a prominent Laval
henchman. RunorS are rife that
Fontenoy has been kidnapped and
murdered, while Laval himself is said
to fear a similar fate. But such talk
sounds rather thin. Bearing in mind
the unScrupulOuS methods Of these
German partisans, all this may well
be propaganda maneuvering.
Why Berlin is pushing Laval to
ic 70 toY W
The time seems to be at hand when
Hitler will stage a combined diplo-
matte and military campaign in the
Western Mediterranean region, en-
bracing France, Spain and North
Africa. This will require a much
greater measure of French "co-opera-
ton" than Marshal Petain has been
ready to grant. During the winter
months, Germany was willing to
avoid a showdown with Vichy be-
cause German efforts we're centered
either on direct action against Brit
ain or in the Balkans. Britain has
withStood German air and sea attacks
so successfully that an invasion still
appears to be remote. But German
efforts have met with success in
Greece and have gone very we'll in
Libya. A German drive in the West
ern Mediterranean thereby has
much better chance of success. And,
In such a movement, a ViChy gov
ernment willing to acquiesce in al
most any German demands would be
a trump card.
However, before starting so far
reaching an operation, Berlin must
be sure that Vichy will play the game.
And Berlin cannot be sure until a
dependable pro-German' is in control
of unoccupied France. Pierre Laval
seems to be the ideal choice, from the
Evening star., 1941-04-24
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles E. Trdce1UeU.

or trees, usually not more than 10 feet
high. This bird will nest close by the
house.
The blue-green color of the eggs is
much darker than the color of the rob-
ms eggs.
Close observers declare that other
birds do not trust the catbird II has
a reputation among them as nest
robber and they ought to know.
Yet mis- eye is cleaning, holding more
than a hint of humor.
Often he poses on a shrub. where he
preens himself and shakes his head as
if asking for little attention.
Then he will burst into song, a wild
medley of phrases, original and imita-
tive He does very well by the robins
song, the wood thrush, the song SPAR
row and many another. Unless one has
listened for many year, and, what is
more, spotted on high the singer in
each case, the listener will not be able
to tell his song from that of the mocker
or the thrasher. Experts place him
third, but at the same time praise him
almost as highly. Mostly he can be
picked out by the frequent utterance
of his characteristic cat-Hke cry, from
which comes his commonest of COM
mon names.
The name of snake bird is given to
him by Virginia farmers. who insist
that what most persons think Of as a
mewing noise is really the bird saying
"sna-a-ke,' to warn man of that enemy.
X
Onithologists say that the catbird
does more good than harm, in the food
it eats. About half of its daily food
consists of insects, the other Of vege-
table food, including some fruit.
This is a bird which many persons
must grow to like. There is such
persistent propaganda against the cat,
that anything which bears its name
will be suspect to many.
If they will really look at the cat
bird, and will watch it through the
summer. by the time it departs in the
fall they will come to like it. ard to miss
it, and especially TO look forward to it
next year.
But here we are now, at the beginning
| of spring and summer, and the cat
birds are back. The unseasonably hot
weather Of recent date brought them
just as it did the blossoms to many of
| the shrubs and the leaves to many others.
X
Persons of genuinely artistic natures
will like the Catbird best.
There is something unusually glossy
about the catbirds feathers. 1t is not
shiny, but gives a delicately oiled ap-
pearance which seems to set him apart
from most other birds.
This glistening quality is enhanced
by the constant curving of the bird S
head and neck, habit of his which
some observers do not like, but which
, is quite in character, for there is some
thing Of the wag and actor about the
catbird, as well as the pose of the genu-
inc singer.
Any one can build UP this admiration
by watching the bird carefully. In time
it extends even to the mewing sound
which Is his trade mark.
Evening star., 1941-04-24
Urges Immediate Action
On Convoy Question.


A distinguished retired general of the
United States Army, with the excellent
Judgment gained by wide experience,
has told me that it is not possible for
England to win this war without imme-
diate and powerful naval aid from the
United States He deplores the technl-
calities that delay the direct action by
our ships, which should begin at once.
Because of the dangers that the axis
powers have brought to the entire world
by shattering international law and the
formalities of declaring war, but just
proceeding to take what they wish by
force, he feels that we should not wait
for slow, out-dated congressional meth
ods at this critical time.
Naturally, opinions vary as to the
Presidents capacity to act alone, or
whether Congress should make the final
decision, but here is Europe, almost
wholly in the clutches of the Nazis. Not
one day now should be wasted-too many
have been used for discussion.
Let them decide this convoy question
at once, realizing that hosts of desperate,
intelligent people are supporting them'
who will forgive neither Congress nor
the President, if they allow prejudice,
narrow w-mindedness or party considera-
ton to prevent our doing our part during
this terrible crisis, instead of thinking
selfishly and cravenly only of our own
safety. ALICE E. BALL.
Tryop N q
Evening star., 1941-04-24
New Tax Proposals

The new tax program which the
Treasury has submitted to the House
Ways and Means Committee will
prove disappointing to those who
had hoped that the administration
at this time was going to come to
grips with the realities of the fiscal
problem presented by the cost of
the defense effort.
There had been intimations that
the new tax program, in one form
or another, would rest on a greatly
broadened base. This was considered
desirable for several reaSons-to
impress more citizens with the
gravity of our national position by
requiring them to pay direct taxes;
to act as brake on possible infla-
tionary trend by siphoning back into
the Treasury a portion of increased
earnings, and to prevent an undue
increase in consumer buying power
at time when the requirements Of
the Government are expected to
Evening star., 1941-04-24

The wood thrush and the catbird came
in that hot Sunday morning. The for
mer flew away, but the catbird went
up into tree and started to sing
What real singer the catbird is!
Too often his offering is neglected by
those who remember only his mewing
cry which gives him his name.
He belongs to famous musical family,
however, and is often mistaken for the
mocking bird.
That Sunday morning he remained
aloft for more than an hour, during
which time he never stopped singing
once, but poured forth a veritable cas-
cade of notes.
1t is impossible to describe such music.
1t possesses something of the famous
Italian bel canUo style, but it is not hu-
man; it is bird music, pure and simple,
rather more pure than simple.
ways.
Far too little praise is heard of his
coat and much too little of his good
manners.
He is not an angel, it is true, but con-
trasted with the really villainous grackle.
his record is clean.
He is symphony of grays and blacks.
It takes bird feathers TO make such
blends. Grays and blacks do not sound
very exciting, especially when not re-
lieved by touches of white, perhaps.
In a catbird, though, they amount to
something.
Here is as graceful a bird as any in
the world 1t seems 10 some persons,
who observe it carelessly, that it is a
sneaking sort of gracefulness, but per-
haps in that judgment they are in
fluenced by its popular name.
In various parts of the country the
catbird goes by such common names as
chicken bird, cat flycatcher, black
capped thrush, slate-colored mocking
bird and snake bird
The bird is almost inches long, its
plumage slate-gray with black on wings,
crown and tail. The bill is shorter than
tllC llCdu anu Sll dISIlG W liCd1 lIIe tlpI
where it curves downward. The tail is
rounded
This is a widely distributed bird,
known to almost everyone, but many
observers know only its mewing noise.
They do not take the trouble to listen
for its real songs, or, if they near them,
attribute them to some other bird, US
ually its cousin, the mockingbrd.
The brown thrasher is a cousin, too,
and it also suffers because people will
not look for the bird high up which is
making such pretty music. Mostly the
thrasher's song is attributed to the
mocking bird.
But the genius of the catbird is shown
in those popular names, slate-colored
mocking bird and black-capped thrush.
To say that bird sings as we'll as a
thrush or mocking bird, is to say. that
it sings pretty well.
The caJbird begins nesting in May.
-Four to eggs, deep blue-green, are laid
on good-sized nest placed in bushes
Evening star., 1941-04-24
Suggests Union Now"
OF North and South America

With full collaboration between North
and South America so vital TO our
scheme of hemisphere defense, why
does agreement between the two con-
tinents loom so difficult? For the answer
we must 60 back to pre-l914 days.
Ignoring exceptions, South America
produces a surplus Of raw materials
which normally it ships to Europe, en-
ploying resultant exchange to buy from
Europe the manufactured goods it needs.
The United States never has imported
South Americas surpluses because its
people likewise produce these same raw
materials, also for export. Far from
appearing as a customer of South
America, the United States operates as
its competitor in world markets.
When the first World War shut off
South America from European sources, it
could only turn to the United States for
needed manufactured goods. Nor did
this dependence upon the United States
halt with the end of the war, for Europe
came back slowly. Meanwhile South
Americans, having now experienced the
superiority of such Yankee products as
the automobile and the movie, declined
to return to the European brands.
Since the United States still would not
accept its raw materials, South America,
in payment for these imports, shipped
gold. But, one by one. the Latin republics
left the gold standard and watched their
currencieS sink to a fraction of par
values Exchange embargos and de-
faulted dollar debt services followed;
blocked funds for a decade have topped
the hist of problems between North and
South America begging solution.
Over this already gray sky rushed the
black storm clouds of the second World
War. Each Hitler conquest has re-
moved another of South America S
sources of manufactured goods. Once
more South America depends upon the
United States, a dependence more
onerous than before, for now it faces
its northern neighbor with gold re-
serves exhausted, exchanges down and
credit impaired.
If the British Navy fails, a bloooless
absorption of the lower half of South
America by the Nazis will follow quickly.
With Hitler the master of their only
market, the southern republics will find
themselves in no position to contest his
demands. Nor will victory by Britain
do more than restore The already un-
satisfactory pre-war hemisphere status
quo.
Assuming British victory, the al
ternatives that face this country in fix
ing it's South American policy, If dis
tasteful, at least stand clear cut. The
United States must either abandon the
South American market to Europe or
make possible the entry of South Ameri-
can raw materials into our home mar
kets. A union of Western Hemisphere
republics along the lines of Clarence K.
Streit's Federal Union" plan, in which
each nation subordinates its sovereignty
over tariffs, currencies and foreign pol
icy to a larger Federal entity suggests
itself as a solution nearest the ideal.
Failing that, there remains possible a
customs union providing for trade reci-
procity. Either of these plans must en-
tail acute economic dislocation in the
United States. But such dislocation
should prove but transient. the long
Evening star., 1941-04-24

result in scarcity of some COM
moditieS.
But the Treasury'S proposals fall
far short Of attaining any of these
objectiVeS. There are some hidden
or indirect tax increases which may
be expected, generally speaking, to
reach all of the people, but for the
most part the burden of financing
the defense program is placed on a
relatively small percentage of the
population. This is most evident in
the personal income tax increases,
which are designed to effect a great
increase in the taxes paid by persons
in the middle and lower taXpaying
brackets, but which carefully avoid
any levy on those who have never
paid a Federal income tax Under
the pending proposal, the $4,000
exemption for a married person, plus
S400 for each child, is retained That,
from political standpoint, may have
certain advantages, but it cannot be
defended on economic or equitable
grounds.
AS matters now stand, if the tax
program is to be improved it will
have to be done by the Ways and
Means Committee. And it is to be
hoped that that committee, instead
of following the course taken by the
Treasury, will approach the problem
with the purpose of drafting a tax
bill which, while raising the revenue
needed, will spread the burden more
evenly and according to a more real
iStic concept of ability to pay.
Evening star., 1941-04-24

O. Is there an opera based upon one
of Edna st. Vincent Millays works.
J. F L.
A Edna St Vincent Millav was COM
missioned by the directors of the Metro
politan Opera to write the book of an
opera for which Deems Taylor would
compose the music. The result was
The Kings Henchman first produced
on February II. 1927.
O. Who performed the first vaccina-
ton for smallpox in this country7-
j. H. D.
A. DR. Zabdiel Boylston of Boston
during an epidemic in 1921 inoculated
his son and two slaves, Before the end
of the epidemic he had inoculated 244
persons, arousing great opposition and
even threats of hanging.
@, Is the polar bear a warm or a cold
bloodad snimal?-S. T.
A. Warm-blooded. It's ability to resist
cold is one of natures wonders.
@. What are the best known conduc-
IOlS VI CItC s--T- i. M.
A. The best conductors of electricity
are pure silver. pure copper, pure gold.
pure zinc, Swedish iron and tin.
@. What is meant by first and second
class lines of railroads.&c.. E.
A. The railroads in class one are those
having operating revenues above $1,000
600 year Those in class two have
operating revenues above 100000 a
year and not exceeding 81 100000 year.
@. For whom was Bering Strait namsd7
L. M.
A. Vitus Bering, Danish navigator.
In 1921 Peter the Great appointed him
to conduct an expedition to North
eastern Siberia with the object of dis
covering whether Asia and America
were divided,
@. What was the golden age of English
fuTniture?-M. M.
A. The Georgian period is known as
the golden age of English furniture 1t
was marked by the influence of such
great designers as Thomas Chippendale,
Robert and James Adam, George Hepple-
white and Thomas Sheraton.
@. Where is Abraham Lincoln's mar
riage license?-M. K, H.
A. 1t is in the library of the Illinois
State Historical Society.
Evening star., 1941-04-24
Appreciates Liberty
To Write Freely.
To the Editor of The Star

Thank you for printing the letter by
Eric Underwood in answer to George
Sullivans. Although we know these
facts about Britain, it is good to have
them reviewed so ably
How fortunate we are to be able to
enjoy the privilege, in common with
Britain, to write our opinions to the
editors of our newspapers. May this
freedom be preserved to all liberty
loving nations! j. c.
Springfield, Va.
Evening star., 1941-04-24
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the 1Criter, although the use o.
q pSeudonynl for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters 1Cith
q Uien to condensation.