davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-05-11

arrested Messrs. Mason and Slidell, who
were personally known to him.
George Eustis, jr., secretary to Mr..
Slidell, had previously served as Rep
resentative in Congress from Louisiana,
and was the son-in-law of the late w. w.
Corcoren having married his daughter
LOU :, the Christian name also borne by
tI.e wife of Mr.. Corcoran, and thus he
memorialized both when he founded the
Louise Home, on Massachusetts, avenue.
In the District, as elsewhere, there
are many beautiful legends relating to
certain tracts of land, for instance, the
one about the Treaty Oak on Temple
Heights, for which there is no foundation
in fact. In looking up the history OF
Analostan Island, we find it, too, has
lovely little legend we'll worth repeating,
which naturally has its setting at time
many years before it was owned by the
Mason family. 1t will be given here as 1T
appeared in print go years ago:
Bought Analostan Island.
Toward the close of the last century
there arrived in Georgetown, per
schooner Albatross, from Liverpool an
English gentleman, accompanied by his
wife and two daughters. He was un-
known here, and from his reticent man
ner it was evident he did not care about
forming new acquaintances. Arrivals
from abroad were not as frequent then
as now, and people of an inquisitive
nature were considerably disappointed
at not being able to learn something of
his history
To be sure, there were his name and
residence registered at the hotel-'Mar-
vim Strathmore and family, London,
England'-but that was not sufficient;
Evening star., 1941-05-11

The Rock of Gibraltar Is Ready

Many huge air raid shelters are cut into
the rock.
The fortress is said to be well-provi-
sioned-women and children have been
sent away to ease the drain on supplies
and there are said to be underground
reservoirs, carved from solid rock, hold
ing millions of gallons Of water.
The Rock has new Governor now. He
is Viscount Gort, formerly head Of the
British expeditionary force in France,
former chief of the imperial staff who
more recently has been inspector gen.
eral of the home forces.
OF him, Gen Liddell declared upon
retiring:
Il know the safety Of the fortress could
not be in better hands"
Gibraltar-the name came from Jebel
was first fortified in 711-has been in
British hands since 1704, when landing
party of 1900 marines cult it of under
the protecting fire of the feet.
Before that it had been in Spanish
hands for nearly three centuries. The
Spaniards tried TO win it back in 17O4,
1720 and 1925. Finally in 1779 they mads
their most valiant effort to seize it from
the British.
With the help Of the French, they be-
sieged 1t for almost four years, during
which the town was destroyed and the
British garrison almost starved out, but
the fleet succeeded three times in carry.
ing supplies and relief to the fortress.
The harbor of Gibraltar, inclosed from
attacks of torpedo boats. is an important
coaling station for the British fleet, and
served the same function in the World
War. 1t is equipped to handle the coalirg
and ordinary repairs of large fleet
The mole-inclosed harbor covers about
440 acres. $50 of which have minimum
depth of 80 feet at low water.
Just how much use the harbor would
have in the event of heavy bombard-
ments was question, but for the con-
tingency of attack Gibraltar is ready.
"All of the garrison and civilians" said
Gen. Liddell have worked necessarily
in making it most difficult for any at
tacker to take the naval base or fortress"
Now it is somebody elses move.
Evening star., 1941-05-11

To those who seem so surprised when
they meet some one born in the District,
it may add to their amazement to know
that quite a number of these natives
also have had the privilege of serving in
Congress from one of the States to
which they, most naturally, had trans
ferred their residence. So it happened
in 1916 that Maj. George Peter, who was
born in Georgetown in 1779, was elected
a member of the United States House of
Representatives from Maryland and
served as such for three years.
Subsequent to this, the following have
served in the Federal Congress in the
order given: James A. Pearce, James
Murray Mason, Frederick Perry Stanton,
Richard H. Stanton, Richard Johns
Bowie, Henry May, David Colbreth
Broderick, Henry Watterson, William
Lawrence Scott, William Henry Fitz-
hugh Lee, Davis Elkins, Richard Steers
Aldrich, Henry r. Rathbone and Will
liam r. Coyle.
Mai. Peter-if one wants to be tech
intellectually was born in Montgomery
County, Md, for Georgetown, his birth
place, was in that county when he first
saw the light of day, but II years later it
became a part of the District and still
is He was of a well-known George
town family. his father, Robert Peter
having been the first mayor of that town
after it was incorporated in 1889 Maj.
Peter married Martha Parke Gusts,
daughter of John Parke Gusts and
granddaughter of Martha Washington.
Offered Colonelcy.
Maj. Peter seems to have been born
soldier and at the early age of Is we find
him joining the Maryland troops to put
Evening star., 1941-05-11
By Arthur Volt.

guarded military secret. but generally
believed to number more than $4,000 men.
since the defenses are built deep inside,
the British said.
If Hitler really wants Gibraltar, mill
tary experts say, he will have to send his
troops across narrow, sandy strip of
land which is covered by machine
gunners protected by 200 feet of solid
rock.
The forces engaged in such frontal
assault would have to cross a channel
dug by British engineers in the last years
as means of serving the whole colony
from the Spanish Misunderstanding to
make an island of the peninsula, which
is 21a miles long and less than a mile
wide
This channel would make it difficult
for motorized forces to engage in an
attack on Gibraltar, the experts said, and
buildings which impeded the gunners'
view of this area have been razed, partly
by the British and partly by Italian and
French bonbers attacking the Rock.
The size and number of British guns at
the fort have, of course, never been
divulged, but great quantities of weapons,
including anti-aircraft guns, have been
poured into it since 1888.
-. The Rock is labyrinth of subterra-
mean galleries and gun emplacements
carved from solid limestone.
There have been rumors that the
Germans have big guns at Algeciras,
Spain. miles across the bay to the west.
and at Ceuta, Spanish Morocco, IS miles
across the Strait of Gibraltar, which
could hammer the fort with ease. But
Gibraltar's protected guns could fire
back just as easily.
Command of the air over the fort,
unless the garrison got help from air
craft carriers at sea. probably would rest
with the attackers, since the small size
of the peninsula apparently rules out any
extensive concentration of planes there.
Evening star., 1941-05-11

they wanted to know all about him, and
how to get this information was the sub
ject of daily conversation.
About month after his arrival he
purchased the property now known as
Analostan Island, and during the six
months that followed it was the scene
of wonderful transformations. Vessels
were dispatched for lumber upon the the
arrival of which building commenced
at once. Men were put to work clearing
the wild growth of timber, laying out
walks and drives, digging a well and
cistern, making an ice house, landing
for boats and such other improvements
as the owner desired.
Wife Was MatrOnly Brunette.
"Of course, this sudden and seemingly
eXtravagant expenditure of so much
money was the topic of general comment.
Some remarked with very wise ex
preston that there was something
wrong, and when he gave orders to
the carpenter to build close board
fence, II feet high, around the entire
island with only one gate near the boat
landing, the majority of those who had
been in doubt regarding his character
decided at once he was a criminal Of
some kind.
"One evening in the early part of De-
cember crowd of men were sitting IN
the little tavern in Georgetown awaiting
the arrival 81 the Baltimore stage coach.
AS usual, their conversation was con-
fined to the current subject-the Strath-
mores. Each one in his turn had some
startling piece of news as to what had
transpired lately on the island. One
man was relating what Mrs. So-and-So
had heard from somebody's Negro, who
was we'll acquainted with the man who
helped build Mr.. Strathmore's ferry boat.
When the coach arrived there was but
one passenger man not more than 30
of fair complexion, golden curly hair,
heavy mustache, merry blue eyes with
long dark lashes, exQuisitely curved eye
broWs, and in stature above the medium
height, erect as an Indian, with every
indication of herculean strength. The
people stepped aside as he walked up
to the register and wrote in plain bold
hand Carlos Savoy, Twickenham Park,
England
Never Forgotten Night.
During the 10 days that followed, Mr.
Savoy remained at the hotel, talking
with no one and exhibiting no interest in
anything or any person except the in
terpreter. In company with him he
would drive to the Indian camp every
night, often not returning until nearly
Evening star., 1941-05-11
THE Rock is ready"

THE Rock is ready"
British defenders of Gibraltar, age-old
symbol Of strength, have labored since
the war began to prepare it for attack
from lard. sea or air. And now they
are ready.
IT do not intend to give an opinion on
the impregnability of the Rock" Maj.
Gen. Give Gerard Liddell, retiring Gov
ernor of Gibraltar, declared in welcom-
ing his successor early this month. Let
Hitler send his mauraders and bandits
and find that out"
The British expect German attack
on Gibraltar, have expected It for
months.
Ninety per cent of the people of Spain
10 not wish to be dragged into war but
Iitler . = has managed to find GER
ain number of Quislings in that coun-
ry," Gen Liddell asserted.
That is why We have carried out the
most extensive work of preparation at
Gibraltar for insuring that If the gang
sters bands attack the Rock from air,
sea or land, We shall be ready to destroy
them"
His references to Spain underscored
British military beliefs that any assault
on the stronghold, which holds the key
to the Western Mediterranean and thus
to North Africa. would come from the
land or the sky.
These circles dismissed the possibility
of an attack from the sea 80 long as the
British feet is not On the bottom of the
ocean"
They conceded that the town of Gil
braltar and the naval base might be
smashed by bombers and long-range
guns to such an extent as to be useless.
but declared that the 1,396-foot-h
lock itself could hold out for a year with
out outside supplies.
Air bombs and shells exploding on the
Rock woulc have little effect on the gar
rison, the size of which is a closely
Evening star., 1941-05-11
District Natives Who Served in Congress

Another native Washingtonian who
had to leave home to enter Congress was
Henry May, born here in 1916 and said
to have attended Columbia College. He,
too, went to Maryland, where his attain
ments were appreciated with seat in
Congress- where he served from 1853 to
1855 and from 1861 to 1868.
StOnecutter's Son.
Ancestry, no doubt is an assisting
factor in the making of great people, and
environment unquestionably is of even
greater value. But many native-born
residents of the District and citizens of
the United States who never had great
name to start with, and whose environ
ment was of the lowly, have been able to
make their mark in this world, as did
David Colbreth Broderick, an early Sena-
tor from California.
Senator Broderick was born in Wash.
ington on February 4, 1920, and the
city directory of 1922 shows that his
father, Thomas Broderick, was then a
stonecutter, residing On the north side
Of East Capitol street. between Second
and Third streets, within almost stones
throw of the building in which his son
was later to sit as a Senator and upon
which the father worked when he
emigrated from Ireland to this city.
When the gold rush was on in 1849,
he went to California and engaged in
smelling and aSsaying gold. He carried
with him to the Pacific Coast the political
experience gained in New York, and in
1850, when California was taken into the
Union, he became member of the State
Senate, serving as president of that body
in 1851. Six years later he was elected to
the United States Senate, and served
Evening star., 1941-05-11

the river, at the little blacksmith shop.
fore the time; I will be there with
lady. I shall then drive to the church,
and from there to Alexandria, where
you can send for your team tomorrow.
Can depend upon you?'
"'You sartinly kin, stranger. but you
haint tole me that ar secret yet
MY good man, you have heard all
the secret care to tell you. See that you
keep your word to me and here is proof
that I will keep mine. and Mr.. Savor
took from his valise the promised flO0
and handed it to him.
Mania for Royalty.
"At exactly II o'clock the carriage was
at the blacksmith shop, and SO were
Eileen Strathmore and Carlos Savoy.
They drove to the rector's house, near
the old church, were married and then
proceeded to Alexandria, where vessel
was waiting to take them to Boston.
From Mr. Hartwood's diary" it was
found, that several years before Mr..
Strathmore came to this country, his
daughter Eileen was engaged to Mr..
Savoy, the only son Of wealthy London
banker. But few weeks before the
marriage was to have taken place, MIR.
Strathmore became insane upon that
one subject. His mania was that she
should marry member of the royal
family or remain single. He would not
listen to reason, and his physicians ad-
vised him to travel. This he did, pleased
with the idea that he had broken off the
engagement forever
But since love laughs at locksmiths,
so did love win out in this case, and it is
supposed the couple lived happily there
after.
The Stanton brothers were born in
Alexandria, when that city was part
of the District of Columbia, Richard
Henry being born in 1872 and Frederick
Perry in 1914. Richard Henry Stanton
served in the House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania from 1876 to 1877,
and Frederick Perry Stanton repre-
sented Tennessee In the House from 1845
to 1885, and was Governor of Kansas
Territory from 1858 to 1861. Both men
were educated in Washington. Fred
erick received his A. B. degree from Co.
lumbia College (now George Washington
University in 1888
Richard Johns Bowie was born in
Georgetown in 1907 graduated in law
from Georgetown University, 1926. and
represented Maryland in the House from
1849 to 1853. Later he had a distin-
guished judicial career.
Evening star., 1941-05-11
By John CIaeeh Proctor.

daybreak. The afternoon of the eleventh
day an Indian sauntered into the hotel
and inquired for the half-breed, who,
after few words with him, took him to
the Englishman's apartments.
"The night was one probably never
forgotten by the old residents of George
town. Soon after dark a servant in
formed the landlord that Mr.. Savoy
wished to see him In his room. Upon
entering he was requested to take seat
near the fireplace, while his guest, after
locking the door, drew a chair close to
his and in low tone inquired: Can you
keep a secret?'
at rekon I kin if choose
Suppose I was to loan you 100
pounds, without security, for an indefl-
mite period, would that strengthen your
resolution to keep my secret?'
"Wal, stranger, times is pretty hard
just now; I think 1t would
Promise me then, that you will, so
far as lies in your power, do everything
I ask tonight, and that what am about
to tell you shall not be spoken of by you
for one month
"'I swar,' replied the landlord, clapping
his right hand over his heart, and hold
ing the left high in the air.
Now continued Mr.. Savoy, tell me
first, is there a minister or priest be-
tween here and Alexandria, near the
main road?'
"None that knows of, 'cept the one
to Falls Church, leetle morn miles
outer your way
"'Very WELL I want a carriage, the
best you have, with two of your fastest
horses, to meet me at precisely II
o'clock tonight on the opposite side of
Evening star., 1941-05-11

Editors Note-Wlde Werner spent
seren eventtul years in Germany and
Austria, 1898, and matched the rise
of Hitler and his Nazis at close quar-
terS. Werner went to Vienna with
the German armies to coUer the
"anSchluss" in March, 1888. Later he
was stationed in MoSco1U and still
later helped couer the Russian-Fin-
niSh 1Ddr from the Finnish side.)
Ever since Adolf Hitler dropped the
remark that he had a secret weapon"
there has been no end of discussion over
what that weapon might be.
Hitler himself offered no explanation,
and meanwhile his armed forces have
smashed their way through country after
country with such obviously non-secret
weapons as tanks, planes, cannon and
machine guns
In his preparation for the war, how
ever, he used psychological weapon
which has been mentioned so seldom it
might almost be called a secret" weapon.
This was the we-are- -alone-against-
the-world slogan.
So regularly did he hammer home this
theme of Germany's isolation in an un-
friendly world, in countless speeches
during his long struggle toward Dictator
ship and in many speeches thereafter,
that people outside Germany got used to
regarding it as merely tiresome repeti-
ton of the argument that some one else
not Germany-was responsible for all of
Germany's troubles.
Inside Germany, however, the function
of this constant repetition was to drum
into the minds of Germany's millions the
futility of depending on any one but
themselves and their own strength.
This in itself was not such tremen-
dous undertaking. Millions Of Germans
already felt that the outside world was
trying to keep Germany forever weak
and poverty-stricken, and Hitler simply
made the feeling more nearly unanimous.
But he did not let it go at that. He
added that Germans nevertheless had it
in them to develop out of their own, ur-
aided efforts. strength sufficient to re-
store their position as great power even
in the face of hostile world.
He preached the doctrine that a ma
tion's wealth was based not on gold or
the capacity to obtain foreign credits, but
on the skill and productive capacity of its
people He preached that doctrine even
in the field of national rearmament.
In November, 1880, when Germany had
no warplanes, no submarines, no tanks,
and only token" army of 100000 men,
the ex-corporal who was trying to be-
come chief Of the German state declared
that:
IT onIy 0o,ooo,ooo people were n
Evening star., 1941-05-11
Hitler'S Real Secret Weapon
By Wade Werner.

spired by the single will to be fanat-
ically nationalistic, the weapons would
fairly ooze forth from their fists
At the time, that seemed so far
fetched. But after he came to power
he demonstrated how it could be done.
That was the beginning of the guns
instead of butter" era.
This was a dangerous course. Hitlers
critics in Germany pointed out the dan
gers until they were suppressed: and
even many of his most devoted followers
began to share the uneasy feeling that
rearmament, instead of leading to rel
atively easy reconquest of lost territories,
was likely to plunge them into the big
gest war and perhaps the greatest ca
tastrophe in German history.
But the psychological effect of this sit
uation on many an ordinary German of
military age was to convince him that
if war came to Germany again, the world
would be out to crush him utterly, and
that, therefore, he would have to fight
harder than Germans had ever fought
before-if only to save his own skin.
This "therell be no mercy for us next
time" feeling was fostered in the train
ing of German recruits.
One heard it from army men and ci-
villains, from veterans of the last war and
youngsters in their first year of compul-
sorry service.
I'VE officers have it easy nowadays"
said typical captain of typical Ger
In, hafpro
the war began, "our recruits work hard
and are eager to learn. We don't have to
drive them. They know that If we get
into another war, there will be no mercy
for us If we lose."
In 1888 a middle-aged professor who
had been wounded five times in the last
war and now was devoting his Sundays
to long hardening" marches across
country with other veterans, said he
toughened himself willingly because IF
we lose next time we might as well be
dead"
Even before the new war began, how
ever, Hitler moved to alleviate the isola-
ton of Germany to which he had been
calling Germans attention for so many
years. He unhesitatingly allied himself
with Mussolini, and even buried the
hatchet with Stain.
But when his troops marched into Po-
land they marched in alone. Not until
after they had conquered there did
Stains Red Army move In to share the
victory.
When they marched into the Low
lands and broke through into France,
they were still alone. Not until France
was broken did ku1solini join his ally
In open war.
Evening star., 1941-05-11

from March 4, 1857, until mortally
wounded in duel with David S. Terry.
chief justice of the Supreme Court of
California, near San Francisco. on
September 13. 1859. which caused his
death three days later.
Recently. the writer heard a former
Senator refer to Henry Watterson as a
native of Kentucky. But this was pos
sibly slip of the tongue, for the record
shows that "Marse Henry" was really
born at 235 Pennsylvania avenue, now a
part of the Municipal Center and vacant
ground.
Henry Watterson served in Congresa
less than a year. and declined renomi-
nation. He was filling out the unexpired
term of Edward Y. Parsons Of Kentucky.
The first reporting work ever done by
this noted Kentucky editor was for The
Star.
Evening star., 1941-05-11

there will be no mercy for them If they
lose; that notwithstanding the help of
new-found allies they are essentially
alone against the world and that "if we
lose this time we might as well be dead"
Such soldiers are likely to be tough
customers so long as there is any chance
Of Britain and her allies getting . firm
foothold on the continent and marching
toward Berlin, brirci-~ ve-----"e.
Evening star., 1941-05-11

When they hurled themselves against
the British lines on Mount Olympus,
eyewitnesses said the Germans came
forward in unending waves and were
slaughtered until the British ran out of
ammunition.
Why this morale? Sheer Nazi fanati-
cism?
Or was It the widespread feeling
among German soldiers that, this time,
Evening star., 1941-03-15
Three Navy Selection
Bourds to Meet

Three selection boards will con-
vene at the Navy Department this
month to recommend officers of the
Naval Reserve, the Medical Corps
and the Supply Corps for promo
ton.
Capt. Neal 3. Farwell Is president
of the Supply Corps Board to select
officers for promotion to lieutenant
commander and lieutenant. 1t.
Thomas j. Montgomery is recorder
The board will meet March "a, the
department announcement said.
On the same day a Medical Corps
board will meet to selec+ lieutenant
commanders and lieutenants for
promotion. Capt. Richard A. War
ner is president and Comdr. Joseph
J. Kaveney is recorder.
A board will meet Monday to
name Reserve commanders, with
Capt. Thomas E. Van Metre as
president. 1t. Comdr. Phillip T
Stonemetz is recorder.