davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-08-16
The Broader Question

The Senate District Committee
bearings now in progress should
result in needed clarifcation of
statutes affecting tax exemption of
real property In the District. Some
institutions which have enjoyed tax
exemption for many years, under
previous Interpretation of the laws,
may be placed back on the tax lists.
Others, with tax status which is
questionable under this same strict
Interpretation but which so obviously
should be tax exempt, will have their
status explicitly defined. The result
ing legislation should be beneficial,
not merely in clearing up the status
of existing properties but in defining
a policy for the future.
Corporation Counsel Keech prop
erly mentioned the fact that tax
exempt property in the District of
Columbia Is an important subject,
with vital bearing on the burdens
carried by the local taxpayer. But
1t would be a mistake to regard the
present inquiries into the subject as
having any very important bearing
on the broader aspects of tax exemp-
tion in the Capital as it affects the
local taxpayer.
Mr.. Keech presented recent figures
placing tax-exempt property in the
District at 40S per cent of the total
value of all real estate and improve
ments. That ratio of taX-exempt
property is far higher than in any
other city Of the United States But
the properties now under examina-
ton by the Senate committee
valued at $24 ,S55 ,000-constitute less
than per cent of this tax-exempt
property. If all of it were put back
on the tax rolls, which is not probable
nor even desirable, it would make
very little difference as far as the
broader aspects of tax-exempt prop
erty are concerned.
The great volume of tax exempt
property in the District is owned by
the National Government, foreign
governments and by national institu-
tions. 1t Is unthinkable that this
property should be taxed. But the
fact that it is untaxable and that it
represents almost half of the real
estate in the District does have a
very direct bearing on the question
of how much the National Govern
ment should appropriate each year
as it's share of the cost of maintain
Ing and developing its Capital City.
That is the vitally important part of
the tax-exempt problem which di-
rectly affects the local taxpayer, be-
cause the National Government has
not given the problem the considera-
ton which it deserves.
Evening star., 1942-08-16
Air Raid

The scene was a front lawn In
Brockton, Mass. Although not too
far from Plymouth Rock, the symbol
of liberty, slave was moving it. He
was, it is true, not legally slave; but
a slave just the same, chained to his
toll by the iron bonds of matrimony.
All reflections that the Constitu-
tion did not compel him to NOV that
lawn were useless; his wife had been
after him for three weeks to do 1t,
and there was no escape.
Just when life seemed blacklist and
freedom most distant, practice raid
alarm was sounded At first he paid
no attention, until a warden hustled
up and ordered him indoors.
Brother" said the slave, you don't
know my wife Even If this attack
were real, I'd be safer out here than
indoors with this job unfinished.
If you think America will be any bet
ter off, or you any happier, with me
inside, you 60 there yourself and
pave the Way-and I would advise
you to take policeman with you"
The warden took the advice, the
mower continuing with his task, un-
til the policeman arrived. Then,
and not until then, was the slave
temporarily emancipated from his
bondage, with new and hopeful
outlook on a war which brought him
such air aid.
Evening star., 1942-08-16
a PAIN IN THE MIND
By the Right James E. Freeman D, d. L. d. D. c. L.
Bishop OF Washington.

THE thing was too painful for me-" so
wrote one who was deeply troubled in
mind. AS he looked out upon the world,
there seemed so much of strife. so much
of inequity that in his confusion he
could see nothing of design or purpose
in the sorry scheme of things. Then
better mood and a new and reassuring
experience befell him and he completes
his sentence with the words, until I
went in the temple of God. then under
stood l." A painful and confused mind
finds its comfort and the solution of its
problems in silent contemplation in the
house of God. Was the writer's expert
ence unique, is his statement the ex-
preston of a mystic, a visionary? We
do not believe it. His experience is one
that repeats itself again and again in
human life. At times an excess of self
confidence, an assurance both Of physical
and mental ability prompts men to seek
for satisfaction in what they them
selves possess. They are sufficient unto
themselves. This self satisfaction seems
quite adequate in days when the prob
lens of life are small The situation
changes when larger problems and more
pressing are at hand.
The whole world finds itself today
facing the greatest and gravest of prob
1ems-problems that touch vitality the
most cherished things in life Can these
problems find their ultimate solution
through superiority of arms and men?
If suddenly the titanic struggle should
cease, another armistice should come
would that be the end of this terrible
business? Would life resume its normal,
free way with business as usual? No
reflective person can believe it. When
we come to appraise some of the causes
that have brought this awful condition
upon the world we have to reckon with
the arrogance, conceit and selfshncss
that have been the marked charac-
terlstics of our time. The house Of God.
prayer and worship have occupied an
inconspicuous place in the life Of men.
Mans will was superior to Gods will
What part could religious profession and
practice play in a world of sharp compe-
tition? For the painful problems we
had science and the expanding wisdom
Of men. This was an age of advanced
thinking; mass production, the creating
Evening star., 1942-08-16

of new and strange mechanisms and de-
vices for comfortable living these bore
no rela alton to religious convictions or
religious practice. No. the house Of God
was not the place to go for the solving
of problems or the easing Of Lfe's bur-
dens. So men thou2ht-and then their
house of cards crashed, When will it be
mended and its way of life be resumed?
Who is wise enough to answer this cues
tion? The statesman? The scientist?
The man of large affairs? Does it not
seem to the most superficial observer of
events that something had gone out of
the life of our time?
And that great something is what re-
N9ion alone is designed to give-give to
home and family life; give to business
and the worker, give to the planners of
big policies for the common good. The
thing was too painful for me. until
went into the Temple of God" This
was the conclusion of the Psalmist. A
modern writer has we'll said that, "A
pain in the mind Is the first requisite
to all discovery There is a revived pain
Go to ease it? Write more laws? Hold
more conferences? Build bigger enter
priSes? All this has been tried and failed
Here is homely. true incident, it comes
to me from naval chaplain He tells
me that his wife and children have
never been reconciled to his volunteer
ing for service, that every letter from
home is filled with deep sorrow over
his absence. As his letter goes on he
says: when I returned from Honolulu
this week, I found a letter from my wife
which has a section in it I feel in honor
bound to quote to you" He then sub
mits this sentence from his wifes letter:
To-day went to church, sometimes my
loneliness overcones me and think you
are doing such a wrong thing to give
your life for war, which we all hate
After my experience in church today and
after the kind of sermon I heard that
was so Strengthening, I can straighten
up again and keep my chin up for the
duration" Life was too painful for her
until she went into the house of God
Here is a common. everyday experience,
the kind Of experience that awaits every
man and woman; quiet, reflective, rev.
erent hour in fellowship with others,
Worshiping in the house of God
Evening star., 1942-08-16
Personnel Transfer Bill

Senator Tydings' bill to facilitate
personnel transfers in the interest
Of the war program is a laudable
effort to increase Government eff
cheney. In its present form, how
ever, the measure, which aims basic
ally at bringing employees from nom
war to war agencies, seems to pose
an extremely difficult problem for the
Civil Service Commission.
AS preliminary to the projected
transfers, the commission is directed
to ascertain relative personnel needs
and requirements of the several
agencies, with due regard for their
place in the war effort as fixed by
the Budget Bureau priority list.
This presumably would permit the
commission to control the size of the
staff of any establishment, giving it
powers akin to those of the Cana
dian Civil Service Commission. The
Budget Bureau exercises this func-
ton at present, and the commission
hardly is equipped to undertake it.
The bill proposes to transfer en-
ployes with or without their per-
mission but wherever possible" the
commission is required to make
shifts that will result in promotion,
and mandatory changes entailing
demotion are prohibited.
The measure no doubt will call for
@=tersive hearings, and it will serve
an extremely valuable purpose in
focusing the attention of Congress
on a personnel situation which is SO
obviously in need of improvement.
Evening star., 1942-08-16
War Population Changes

Dr. Philip M. Hauser, assistant
director of the census, has directed
attention to the far-reaching effects
which the present war is likely to
have on the population of the United
States. His analysis Of this outlook
is timely, and of challenging in
terest. For the road to victory prob
ably will be long and hard, with the
lives of hundreds of thousands of
our young men as part of the price
of victory.
On the assumption that the strug-
gle will be prolonged one-an as
sumption that seems fully justified
in view of the strength of our
enemies-Dr. Hauser points out that
the population changes in the Unite
States may be expected TO parallel
closely those that occurred among
European belligerents during World
War I. Of the 1o8,794000 males in
European countries between the
ages of fifteen and forty-nine be-
fore the outbreak of the First World
War, approximately ll.6 per cent
were killed in military service.
Deaths attributable to the war
totaled Al $4,000, of which 13,055 900
were military, and the balance civil
ian-the latter figure including in
direct fatalities from disease and
undernourishment.
Despite this heavy loss of life, the
population of England and the Ger
man Empire increased during the
First World War. The population OF
France. however, declined by about
100000, and that of Russia, which
suffered from famine and revolution,
as well as from war, decreased by
nearly 100000 Between 1910 and
1920 European population declined
about 1O,4O0 900, or 3 per cent.
Though there is every reason to
believe that civilian deaths in this
country attributable to the war will
be comparatively few, and that the
toll from disease and undernourish-
ment also will be small, our military
deaths, II anywhere near the pro-
portion suffered by European bellig-
erents in the last war, obviously will
result In important changes in our
population pattern, and will present
serious postwar problems. A loss
Of 100000 men, according to Dr.
Evening star., 1942-08-16

as we'll as for the United Nations.
Such is the understanding and the
vision of the anti-Fascist assembly
at Montevideo. Out of the gather
ing it is expected that new Free
Italy movement will develop The
leaders include: Count Carlo Sforza
and Colonel Randolfo Pacciardi,
both creditably known to the Amer
ican public as, active foes of II Duce
and Of his system of tyrannical mis-
rule. In anticipation of the eventual
Axis defeat and the collapse of
Mussolini's regime, they strive to
prepare for democracy in practice
among Italians liberated and re-
educated.
The United States certainly should
welcome such an enterprise. Italian
antiFascists we'll may constitute a
companion body to the Free French
group of General De Gaulle with
which Americans are profoundly
sympathetic.
Evening star., 1942-08-16

are suffering from the necessity of NOV
ing men and materials half way around
the world to a wide range of scattered
battlefronts.
Right now the United States is be-
coming very powerful at home. 1t has
full-f1edged war industry. largely created
In 18 months of effort. 1t has a powerful
Army of growing size. 1t has Army air
forces that are of important and growing
strength. It has Navy that is large
and growing stronger In experience and
leadership.
Evening star., 1942-08-16

ner.' Dominick McCaffrey, who had
boxed with both opponents, said that it
would be pushover for the champion.
How wrong he was was painfully demon-
strated when Corbett knocked out Sui
Ivan.
Evening star., 1942-12-16
MiIIard K. ShaIer Dies;
Belgian Mining Leader
Hy the Associated Press.

6S tnS ASSOCldCS0 fIesS.
NEW YORK, Dec. 16.-The Bel
gian American Educational Founda-
ton, Inc, has announced the death
December II of Millard K. Shaler,
62. managing director of the Belgian
mining concern Forminiere, in Cape
Town, Union of South Africa.
A native of Ellsworth. Kans.. and
graduate of the University OF
Kansas, Mr.. Shaler served with the
United States Geological Survey and
the Guggenheim Exploration Co. of
New York before becoming a mining
engineer with the Societe Interna-
tionale Forestiere ct Miniere du
Congo, the so-called Forminiere of
diamond fame in Brussels.
He made several explorations and
surveys in the Belgian. Congo in
September, 1914 He was. the first
delegate sent out from Brussels to
inform the outside world of the food
shortage threatening the city. Her
bert Hoover appointed him secretary
of the American Commission for
Relief in Belgium and he served
with the commission in London from
1914 to 1919.
Mr.. Shaler was a vice president of
the Belgian Ame,ica Educational
Foundation and of the Foundation
UniverSitaire of Brussels.
Evening star., 1942-12-16

60 to ODT and get more gas, but
they have anticipated no dif1iculty
along this line"
Discusses Other Steps.
On the extension of the over
tapping period between heating
periods, the second step mentioned
in the statement, he commented:
Il sent bulletin to all of the AZ
dealers on November % informing
them that OPA had extended the
overlapping period between heating
periods. 1t helps some, but it does
not overcome the present situation"
I'm a member of one of the sub
committees" he said in discussing
the third point, 'and have spent
many hours during the past almost
two months trying to aid in work.
ing out some plan for the elimina-
tion OF waste mileage. The only plan
we settled on was turned down
unanimously by the dealers because
of complications which already had
developed under the rationing pro-
gram and because Of financial and
legal questions involved in the pool
ing system on which our plan was
based"
Increasingly alarmed over devel-
opments, Mr.. Scott yesterday is
sued formal statement in which
he charged that Mr.. Ickes, Mr..
Eastman and Mr.. Henderson have
failed to coordinate their efforts
to minimize the suffering that is
being brought to thousands of peo-
pie unnecessarily
Says Situation is "Intolerable."
He said dealer distribution to con-
sumers already has broken down
under ration regulations and that
there is no possibility of dealers
maintaining distribution as regula-
tions now stand.
IF there is no oil today" said Mr..
Scott, "all Of us will take it on the
chin and do the best we can. But
to have oil at hand and. because of
burdensome OPA regulations, not
be able to deliver it to people who
need it for heat is intolerable.'
In another move to control the
heating situation, the OPA an
nounced yesterday that coal and oil
heating stoves for private dwellings
in the 30-State fuel oil rationing
area will be rationed beginning Fri
day. This order, it was explained,
resulted from an emergency request
of the War Production Board.
Sees 45-Day Delay.
The order, it further was pointed
out, virtually suspends sales of oil
heaters, but makes coal heaters
readily available to householders
who wish to convert from oil to coal.
At Baltimore, supply house an
nounced that orders for bars and
Evening star., 1942-12-16
Inheritance Taxes Given
As Reason for Sale

BOSTON. Dec. Is (P).-Decision
to sell the Yankee and Colonial net
works, serving 81 New England sta
tions. and to transfer ownership OF
five stations to the General Tire &
Ruber Co.. was based on a require
ment for cash to meet future in
heritance taxes, President John
Shepard III said today.
Mr.. Shepard said that the lone
and only reason for the proposed
sale of the Yankee network and the
Colonial network to the General
Tire & Rubber Co. of Akron, Ohio,
was future inheritance tax prob
lens"
His father, John Shepard. j.. who
is now the owner of the networks
and of the Shepard stores in Provi-
dence, will~be 86 years old on jan
uary 2, Mr.. Shepard said, and de-
cision had been reached that it was
desirable at this time for the estate
to have a substantial amount of
cash. partly to meet inheritance
taxes in the future.
Evening star., 1942-12-16
Oil Deliveries
Continued From First Page !

troleum Transport Advisory Com
mittee and directed them to draw
up and submit for approval local
lied plans for the elimination of
waste mileage in the local distribu-
ton of fuel oil and other petroleum
products.
Temporary Transport Ration.
Discussing the first of these steps,
the statement said that, until trucks
became adjusted to the mileage ra-
tioning program, operators can OBJ
tain temporary motor transport
ration simply by applying to his
local war price and rationing board
The temporary transport ration
will be based on the applicants own
estimate of his requirements for
operations through January 81" the
statement added, land the ration
will be issued without delay"
Elimination of small deliveries, it
was explained. is expected to result
from the extension to two weeks OF
the overlapping period during which
coupons are good.
The overlap in dates, which is
especially designed to prevent an
accumulation of orders at the end
Of a period" the statement said.
makes coupons for period l, for ex-
ample. valid for purchases during a
portion of period g. Thus, a con-
sumner with so gallons Of his period
l ration still unused at the end OF
the period may use these coupons
together with coupons for period 2
in buying a larger delivery during
the initial weeks of period g."
'Nothing New" Says Scott.
When the statement was read to
Lester Scott, director Of the oil heat
ing division of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association, he said
it involved nothing new and nothing
that would relieve the situation as it
is today.
1T just misleadi the consumer
into believing he Will get deliveries
that dealers are uEaLle to make" he
added
In support Of his charge that
there was nothing new in the joint
statement, Mr.. Scott recalled that
the arrangement to give dealers
more gasoline had been in effect
since early this month.
"All this does is give the dealers
additional gasoline for their trucks,
he explained. 1T does not increase
the efficiency of deliveries. The ar
rangement has been in effect for at
least two weeks. Dealers have known
during this period that they could
Evening star., 1942-12-16
Liberty Ship Output
68 During November;
Yards Set Speed Mark
Average Completion Time
Of Sc Doys Surposses
October Record by 10
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
American shipyards required an
average of only Sc days from keel
laying to completion in delivering 68
Liberty ships in November, the Mari
time Commission announced today.
This was an improvement Of 10
days over the october period. Lib
erty ships, emergency freighters of
10,500 tons deadweight, now are be-
ing constructed in one-fourth the
time required last January, when
the program got under way.
West Coast shipyards continued
to lead the way in building the ships.
Henry J. Kaisers Oregon Ship
building Corp. delivered l3 ships into
service in an average of 375 days,
while another Kaiser yard, Rich
mond No. 2, delivered 10 ships in an
average of 43.8 days. The Bethle-
hem Fairfield Shipvard, Baltimore,
delivered three ships in an average
OF 46.3 days for third place.
Deliveries by other yards IN
cluded:
Richmond No. /, Richmond, Calf.
(Kaiser), 8 ships, 49.9 days average;
California Shipbuilding, Whining
ton, Calf. (McCone-BechteD, 13
ships, 508 days; North Carolina
Shipbuilding, Wilmington, N. c..
Newport News, ships. Sc days;
Delta Shipbuilding, New Orleans
(American). S ships, 8l.2 days, and
Houston Shipbuilding. New Orleans
(Todd), 5 ships, 1876 days.
Evening star., 1942-12-16
1axicab Insurance Bill
Signed by President

President Roosevelt yesterday
siCned the bill giving the District
superintendent of insurance broader
power to regulate the writing of
taEicab insurance in Washington.
The new law is intended to give
the superintendent explicit authority
to require all such companies to
MAINTAIN reserves for losses, un-
earned premiums and all other
liabilities as will meet the require
ments OF any regulation promul-
gated by the superintendent.
The Commissioners recommended
the measure to meet a court de-
cision, which held the original taxi
cab insurance law was not sufficient
to cover some of the regulations
issued by the Insurance Department.
Evening star., 1942-12-16

plOyes in their respective depart
mentS or agencies. If any such
department or agency fails to
present such information or it.,
in the opinion of the director,
the information so presented
fails to disclose that the number
OF such employees in any depart
ment or agency is necessary to
the proper and efficient exercise
OF its functions, the personnel of
such department or agency shall
be reduced, upon the order of the
director. by such number as the
director finds to be in excess of
the minimum requirements of
such department or agency.
On the expiration of 80 davs
from the date of issuance. of
such order by the Director of
d the Bureau of the Budget the
provisions of the first section of
this joint resolution shall cease
to be applicable to the employees
VAN oSShSy ahCStCO Uy SUCH
order, unless and until the head
thereof has certified to the Di-
rector of the Bureau of the
Budget that such order has been
complied with. The Civil Serv-
Ice Commission is authorized to
transfer to other departments or
agencies any employees released
pursuant to this section. whose
services are needed in and can
be effectively utilized by such
other departments or agencies.
Section 8. The provisions of
the Saturday half lf-holiday law of
March 3, 1881 (46 Stat. 1882;
U. S. c. title S. section 26 ,a). are
hereby suspended for the period
during which this joint resolu-
ton is in effect.
Section 4. This joint resolu-
ton shall take effect as Of
December l, 1912 and shall ter
inmate on April 80. l943 or such
earlier date as the Congress bv
concurrent resolution may pre-
scribe.
Evening star., 1942-12-16

CRATES to convert ol burners into
coal furnaces probably cannot be
filled before 30-to-45-day period
has elapsed. An official explained
that the delay was due to the present
tremendous volume" of conversion
and repair work which manufac-
turers are not equipped to handle.
either from a manufacturing or
shipping standpoint.
An OPA spokesman. however, said
the fact that CRATES had been ordered
by managers of public buildings
would entitle them to receive fuel
oil allowances for the third ration
period. During the first two periods,
he added, it must be proved that oil
burners in buildings other than
private dwellings cannot be con-
verted into coal-burning heating
plants.