davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-12-30
cent were assigned for trial when

cent were assigned for trial when
the report was completed.
Under the practice instituted when
the court was set up, Chief Judge
Barse explains, demand for jury trial
is followed by immediate assignment
on definite future date, ranging
from three days to a month. This
schedule has been adhered to rigidly,
and as a result, the criminal jury
calendar is current.
In addition, the court has been
keeping abreast of the non-jury
criminal cases, and Of the civil
actions, as we'll as other business.
"The foregoing results" Chief
Judge Barse says, could not have
been accomplished without the
wholehearted cooperation and the
persistent efforts of all of the judges
of the court and of the prosecutors
the United States attorney and the
corporation counsel and their as
sistants and the clerk of the court
and his assistants"
Leaders of the bar and bench here
had expressed the conviction that the
new Municipal Court and Municipal
Court Of Appeals would work
material improvement in court pro-
cedure here. The record justifies
that belief.
Evening star., 1942-12-30
Municipal Court Report

Chief Judge George P. Barse and
his associates have reason to take
pride in the showing OF Municipal
Court since the reconstructed tri-
bunal, combining the functions Of
the old Police and Municipal Courts,
began to operate early in July.
Reporting to Attorney General
Biddle. the chief Judge recalls that
the Attorney General had expressed
the desire that the new court give
first attention to clearing up the
backlog of criminal jury cases, then
numbering 889. Just how we'll this
task was discharged may be judged
from the fact that but 1876 cases were
pending December /, while in the
five-month interval, 1871 had been
disposed Of, including several hun
dred that arose during that time.
And Of the pending cases, 80 per
Evening star., 1942-12-30
Somber-Hued

Earth etches nop in careful mono.
tones,
Abandoning reckless gypsy mood.
Her color scheme Is found In
Deathered stones
Or ash of autumn fires. somber-
hued.
Euen her skies are done In minor
key,
Opal and pearl and gray, but uith
blend
OF reds and Colds, unmatched in bril-
Iidncy,
Along the Destern hills at day.
lights end.
But after moonrise, she engraues IN
steel; =
So sharp the contrasts are of dark
and bright, Z.
One sees the rapter shadow and can
feel =.
The frosty glitter OF that silper
light =
Reuealing purity lines and form /.
That one may miss tohen ttnts are
rich and todrm.
MEz BARCLAY KIRBY.
Evening star., 1942-12-30
Great Event of 1912

Each year at Christmas the editors
Of the Associated Press carefully
appraise the "big news" of the
twelve-month period then closing.
Their selections" of important
stories serviced during 1912 include:
The American expedition to North
Africa, the American offensive in the
Pacific, the Russian counterattack,
Japan's conquest Of the Philippines,
the Malay States, the Neither
lands East Indies and Burma; the
bombing Of Toxic, April 10; wartime
price controls, rationing, etc; the
Republican victories, November 3;
the execution of six German sabo-
teurs, August 8; the rescue Of Eddie
Rickenbacker and his companions,
November Ia; the Canadian raid on
Dieppe, August 10; British and Amer
ican aerial bombardment of Nazi
Europe, and the Cocoanut Grove fire
In Boston, November %.
Among somewhat less impressive
Incidents considered by the experts
were: The burning of the Normandie,
the visit of Prime Minister Churchill
to President Roosevelt and Wendell
WILKES tour of the globe.
OF course, the Associated Press edi-
tors necessarily judge contemporary
history as it comes to their hands. 1t
is not within their province to make
news or to attempt to alter the
fundamental character OF news when
1t has been made. They limit their
comment to the evaluation Of facts
without regard to cause or effect.
Beyond the boundaries Of reality as
it is demonstrated to them, they
cannot go. For example: They know
as well as any other group can know
that the greatest story Of 1912 is the
story of the survival Of civilization.
The banner heading on their ap-
praisal Of the year very we'll might
have read: "Axis Fails to Triumph
Over United Nations" Looking back
from the vantage point Of two or
three centuries hence. 1t probably
Evening star., 1942-12-30
THIS AND THAT
By Charles Z. TrdceUell.

Usually the first reaction Of the owner
after putting up bird feeding station
is to try to run the squirrels away.
In time he comes to see that they are
as much part of his home outdoor
scene as the birds.
He stops trying to invent squirrel
proof" feeding stations
He permits the rodents to win.
They are cousins to the rat, it is true,
but possess traits which set them far
apart from their harmful relatives
Despite much study, very little has been
dug up against the squirrel.
Ordinarily 1t minds its own business
very well If we let it alone it will let
us alone. This is more than can be
said for many creatures nowadays, both
two-legged and fourlegged
Only those persons who feed the birds
and squirrels every day and who thus
watch them constantly, know how the
squirrel population of a given garden
falls of during heavy snow.
Whereas before the snow there may
have been as many as a dozen festive
rodents, after the ground is covered to a
depth of several inches there will not
be more than one or two.
The remainder are up in the trees,
hanging desperately to limb until the
snow melts.
They could come down if they wanted
IN hut @f L.
They like trees, above everything on
earth, and hate getting wet even more
than cat does.
Occasionally squirrel will descend to
the ground, but his tail will be limp
and bedraggled and he will scurry back
to his refuge as fast as he can, and that
is pretty fast.
The tracks left by various animals in
the snow are always of great interest to
nature lovers.
Since the earliest days. such tracks
have excited men, not only because they
pointed to the presence of game and
showed exactly where the animals had
gone, but also by reason of their beauty.
Something about the impressions, with
their varying patterns, is intriguing to
the mind of man.
1t is, of course, pattern.
Pattern, or design, is something which
came into existence when God first made
the world.
1t came with the snowfakes, and with
the boughs of trees and the arrangement
of spines and other parts of the body.
Two eyes, two ears, two hands and
so on-these are all part of the great
universal design.
The animal track in the snow shows
the acute observer not only which way
the animal went, but what the animal is.
Often on otherwise unbroken expanses
Of snowy field the tracks of some animal
offer beautiful and fascinating picture
In the city, right after one car has
been along, the tread of an automobile
tire leaves unmistakable tracks. 1t is
always too bad when another car comes
along and spoils them. Will automobile
tire treads be among the vanishing pat
terms of mankind?
Evening star., 1942-12-30
'TAKOMA PARK.

Dear Sir:
"The squirrels in my yard have given
me a great deal of pleasure, but never
so much as when it SHOWS.
squirrels do not like snow. Many
of them retire to the trees to sit it out
There are always few left, and these
come to our bird feeding station, being
the very first to arrive on cold snowy
mornings.
''The other day other members of the
family wondered what made the odd
tracks across the otherwise unbroken
expanse of the snow across the yard.
Since I had watched squirrel go
across, knew what had made them.
The squirrel made great hops, as few as
he could, because he did not like to
get his paws wet.
Gold always strikes children and ami
mails as wet.
This squirrel resented the snow, but
there was nothing he could do about
it, so he gave long leaps, each time COM
ing down through the soft snow.
The result was q series of tracks al
most as if made by giant walking in
straight line across the yard.
Il have often wondered how the squir-
rels get something to eat in the snow.
According to my observations, the gray
squirrels of this vicinity are not at all
provident. They do not lay up food for
the winter season, as the proverb has it..
In communities where very little bird
feeding is carried on, the squirrels as
we'll as the birds must be hard put to
1t to find anything to eat.
1T is always helpful when people put
out grains and bread for the birds, since
the squirrels also will eat them. I mean
the grains. Usually they do not care for
bread.
when snow is on the ground the
quail come in from the farms and at
times will eat with the songsters at our
feeding station. Mostly they scurry
around under shrubs and hedges. What
they find to eet there do not know
Sincerely yours, T. v. B."
y
1t is the red squirrel, not found here
abouts, which gathers food for the winter.
1ltSc IcU ones are muCl more lntelll-
gent than the ordinary gray form of
this vicinity.
They also are meaner Out in the
West and Middle West, where they
abound, many persons tell of their in
telligence.
One way they show it is to load their
nests with food, particularly nuts and
acorns.
The gray forms found hereabouts live
in the trees in winter, but are not par
ticular about nests. They do not store
away food, but depend upon what they
have hidden in the ground When snow
is deep it prevents them from getting
to the buried food So they 20 hungry.
A bird feeding station always attracts
squirrels, and no wonder, since no crea-
ture is fonder of sunfower seed.
Every mixture of seed and grains for
birds should contain some sunf1ower seed,
if for no other reason than to help the
squirrels.
Evening star., 1942-12-30
Improvements at Circle
Called for to Save Lives.

To the Editor of The Star:
Conditions at the bus loading station
at Barney Circle during the rush hours
are so deplorable that something should
be done about them Immediately.
The situation is bad at the start be-
cause, since there is double line of
buses, it is necessary for people boarding
the outer line to stand in the middle Of
the street, crossing in front of the buses
driving up next to the curb. There is
no loading platform, nor even a safety
zone marked to keep the crowds within
bounds. Drivers have to watch out con-
stantly for people darting in front OF
them or being pushed by the crowds into
their path.
Much worse than this, however, is the
pushing, showing and fighting that goes
on among those boarding the buses.
The disgraceful exhibition of selfish
ness, disregard for the rights and safety
of others and plain bad manners that
goes on every morning and evening dur
ing the rush hours hardly can be de-
scribed to any one who has not expert
enced it, About half Of the crowd are
natural-born showers who apparently
have had no upbringing to start with,
and the remainder push because they
have to- The task of getting on bus
under such conditions is an ordeal for
strong person in good health; one
wonders how the elderly and less robust
people can stand 1t, and how long it
will be before some of them are knocked
over in the rush and trampled to DEATH
Immediate steps should be taken, first,
to mark safety zone in the street to
protect those waiting for buses, and,
second, to detail policemen or employees
of the bus companies to handle the
crowds. This should be done before
some unfortunate is run over or knocked
down and possibly killed by the crowds
LOUISE B. THOMAS.
Evening star., 1942-12-30
But Who Is RIGHT?

The Facility Review Committee OF
the War Production Board-an
agency hitherto not heard from
has halted all recreational develop
ment in the District on the general
ground that such work detracts from
the war effort.
The committee evidently is not
concerned with the history of this
development, what brought it about
or what general purpose it will serve.
Nor has it made any inquiry to de-
termipe whether the men and mate
rials used in these jobs in the District
are needed in some specific work
more closely connected with the war
effort. The committee Is merely
applying a general policy for the
country at large.
But the arbitrary application of
such a general policy to these par
ticular undertakings in the District
Is peculiarly unfortunate. The Fed
eral Government has taken many
acres OF recreational area in this
crowded city as temporary building
sites. Some of the work, now halted
by WPB, was to provide substitute
areas, financed by Federal appropria-
tions made for that purpose. The
need was carefully examined by the
Federal Works Agency and the con-
struction work scaled down to the
use Of men and machines in clearing
and grading land. No vital" mate
rials were used.
The difficulty in dealing with a
situation of this sort Is in the fact
that this Facility Review Committee
of the WPB suddenly turns up in
possession of a broad authority to
stop anything 1t chooses to stop,
without any consideration Of the
local conditions which made the work
necessary, and without any response
bility to prove that its decision is the
correct decision. If the Facility Re-
view Committee could show that the
men working on these projects, or
their machines, are needed on some
particular war job somewhere else
and that the work they now are
doing actually detracted from the
war effort, 1t would have all the justi-
hcation it needed for its orders. But
the committee does not have to show
anything of that sort, nor can it
show anything Of that sort. 1t
merely says the work must stop, and
1t will involve delay to have its pro-
nouncements changed or modified.
This is the sort of bureaucratic
muddling that hampers, rather than
aids, the war effort. 1t is merely an
other manifestation of the phenom-
enon which finds great numbers of
men and agencies possessing almost
unlimited authority to act, but none
of them with the authority to step
In and decide what acts are justified
and what acts are merely the capri
cious notions of newly formed
agencies looking for new worlds to
conquer.
Evening star., 1942-12-30

@. BY whom are generals appointed
T. H. H.
A. The War Department says that
the President non11nates for appoint
ment all general officers above the rank
OF colonel. Such nominations must be
confirmed by the Senate Below the rank
Of brigadier general the promotions are
automatic, being based on merit.
@. What is the inscription on the
Pope's crown2-H. v. E.
A. There are no letters whatever on
the present papal crown or the inter.
At one time it was reported that the
base of the crown contained the inscrip-
tion "Vicarius Fill Del meaning Vicar
of the Son of God"
@, Is the laughter that occurs during
many radio programs transcribed?-
T. E. B.
A. In most cases it is the actual
laughter Of the audience The audience
at the radio studio often is coached
before the program begins as to the
signals which will be given for them to
A"aeAA oAAA upPldud dilO W sup laughing
and applauding. Any Transcribed ma
terial that is used must be announced as
such over the program broadcast.
@. BY what tribunal was Napoleon
tried and sentenced to St. Helena?-
c. H. D.
A. Napoleon was not tried and sem
fenced The British government decided
to send him to st. Helena.
@. What is double talk"?-H. H.
A. 1t is syllables spoken very rapidly,
spaced and infected similar to real
speech, so that the general effect is that
OF lucid speech rendered so rapidly as to
be unintelligible. 1t is actually nothing
but nonsense syllables Double talk" Is
said to be the invention Of Clifford
Nazarro Of Hollywood
@. Where did Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow write his first work written
in Craigie House2-D. K L.
A. His first work written here was
Hyperion" Longfellow worked In the
Washington chamber.
@. In the ancient war galleys, where
did the crew sleep?-W 8.
A. War galleys beached at night to
enable the crew to sleep on shore.
@. What is the origin Of the term
"Davy Jones locker"?-S. T. L.
A. "Davy Jones' is said to be a cor
ruption Of Jonah the name given by
sailors to the evil spirit supposed to rule
over the sea demons Thus to 20 to
Davy Jones locker means to be drowned
or to be buried at sea.
@. Is the coach at Mount Vernon one
that was actually owned and used by
Washington?-L. Men
A. The Mount Vernon Ladies' Asso-
citation Of the Union says that the coach
exhibited in the coach house at Mount
Vernon is believed to have belonged to
Samuel Powell Of Philadelphia, con-
temporary and friend of Gen. and Mrs.
Washington. 1t is further believed that
Gen. Washington owned a coach which
was Of the same design and by the same
maker as the Powell coach
Evening star., 1942-12-30
Wants Explanation of Revolution"

Discussed by Vice President.
To the Editor of The Star:
The Vice President currently is being
featured in movie houses making
speech said to be one delivered before
the Free World Association. The movie
short is announced as a Pine-Thomas
production.
The Vice President outlines what he
terms the Peoples Revolution which
he states has been taking place during
the past $50 years: and he includes the
American Revolution, the French Revo-
luton, the German Revolution and the
Russian Revolution as facets leading to
the present World War and realization
of the peoples Revolution"
No distinction Is made between rebel
lions waged for class vengeance and
rebellion based upon ideals and prin-
ciples of good and just government.
Perhaps the Vice President and the little
intellectual coterie who have permeated
our universities with Europe worship
ers and the rest of the advanced in
telligentsia are unaware that dis
tinction exists Perhaps they think it
was the merest accident that European
revolutions have been characterized for
the most part by the guillotine and the
American Revolution gave no place to
the head-choppers.
Perhaps our progressives see no insult
and lack of appreciation of the real
achievements OF George Washington,
TbnrnoS loft A1ovorIar
and those other patriots who struggled
to throw off the yoke of European in
trigues, power politics, class, religious
and racial wars which have character
lied European quarrels for ages. Per-
haps they are not guilty of deliberate
blindness to twist the accomplishments
Of Abraham Lincoln into advocacy of
the very things he most abhorred. Per-
haps they see no difference between
the positive doctrine of justice to all
advocated by these men and the ven-
geance of Robespierre. Danton, Marx,
Lenin, Trotsky and Stain. Perhaps
they do not really know what we are
fighting to preserve, but then they must
be relegated to those blinded by their
own egotistical, materialistic intellects,
since spiritual values hold no meaning
for them. They are to be greatly pitied
If they have lost sight of the essence Of
America and what she symbolizes.
For the information of the Vice Pres
ident and his group of advanced think
ers the peoples Revolution" began
1000 years ago with the teachings Of
Jesus Christ.
Just what organizations support the
Free World Association? What are their
affiliations and who are the individuals
connected with them? What are the
Pine Thomas productions? What else
have they produced? Just how does 1t
happen that this agency successfully
introduces a movie short in all current
programs to propagandize the American
public? Surely Congress and the Amer
ican people ought to know.
EDNA M. COLLARS.
Evening star., 1942-12-30

The other services admittedly are
wonderful, but the Marines have an
advantage over them in the glorious
words and music of From the Halls
Of Montezuma to the Shores of
Tripoli."
Evening star., 1942-12-30
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the 1Oriter, although the use of
a pSeudonynl for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters Uith
q Uie1U to condensation.
Evening star., 1942-12-30

FaSclst-minded commanders upon all
units of the French fleet then in Dakar
and Toulon. He replied "Of course
not. Why should -" That was the
attitude of all press and radio commen-
tators though they believed unreservedly
in Darlan's treason
The rest of the world drew a different
conclusion from the same major premise:
Because we believed unreservedly in
Darlan's treachery we were absolutely
certain that all fleet units in Vichy GUS
tody were subject to Hitlers call. The
behavior of the French sailors in Toulon
Harbor falsified both conclusion and
premise.
We had erred because of our inability
to distinguish between a belief in Nazi
invincibility and a wish for a Nazi VIC
tory. Often, the two states of mind
would produce identical behavior reac-
tions. Yet we persisted in our condem-
nation of the man who had the French
Navy at his absolute disposal.
1t is conceded that Admiral Darlan
was an "opportunist." Has our con-
demnation of that trait been particu-
larly bitter because it never is exhibited
by our own public servants? Or, is 1t
the result of the operation of a defense
mechanism-like Satan's denunciation
of sin?
Until the character and conduct of
Darlan can be viewed effectively in the
clear cold light of proved facts we
emphatically should reject any evalua-
ton that does not give due preponder-
ance to the admiral's actions as the
supreme head of the French Navy.
The rejoicing over Admiral Darlan's
death has been as indecent as the
official apologies for Gen. Eisenhower's
action were silly and unnecessary. The
leaders of the Fighting French simply
blinded themselves to the fact that after
l25,000 French soldiers chose their own
leader, 1t would have been a futile inn
pertinence for us to have said: Discard
Darlan and take another or else - >"
The introversion of those who criti-
cized our method of enlisting the French
African army in our cause is shown bv
their complete disregard of the fact
that their attitude had the warm ap-
proval of all our Axis enemies.
HOWARD PITCHER OKIE.
Evening star., 1942-12-30

People complaining about. three
days OF rain ought to be glad that
what is falling out of the sky is not
frozen.
Evening star., 1942-12-30
Huskin's Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Huskin.

reader can get the dnswer to am
question OF fact by Driting The Eps-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Haskin, director, Washinoton.
d. c. Please inclose stamp for return
postage.
@. What is the present status of
Alsace e-Lorraine?-H H.
A. Lorraine was incorporated directly
into the Third Reich November 30, 1910.
Alsace is occupied by Germans and Is
ruled by German governor.
Q. How many major tax bills have
been passed since the beginning of the
New Deal?-B. N.
A. There have been Is.
@. Do small birds ever become en-
tangled in spiders web?-D. RIB.
A. Occasionally this happens to a
hummingbird. In South America there
exists a spider which, though it spins no
web, actually captures hummingbirds for
food.
@. Who was nicknamed the Grape
Juice Secretary?-F P. r.
A. William Jennings Bryan, who was
Secretary of State, received this nick
name because he refused to serve or par
take OF any intoxicants even at official
banquets, substituting grape juice.
Evening star., 1942-12-30

Appetizers-If you are planning any
parties We have just the menu sug-
gestions you will want to give your
get-together a new flavor. Our COL
lection of 300 tested recipes for salads,
sandwiches, soups, hors d'oeuvres and
appetizers is the answer to What
shall I serve?" You will be delighted
with the suggestions and different
recipes, especially suitable for small
parties, and all of which can be eco
nomica1y made from materials usu-
ally on hand in the kitchen. To Sc
cure your copy of this recipe booklet
inclose Is cents in coin, wrapped in
this clipping, and mail to The Star
Information Bureau.
Name
Address
Evening star., 1942-12-30
defective Brain" Held Cause
OF Assassin's Deed.


OF Assassin's Deed.
To the Editor of The Star:
In your editorial reference December
rs to the assassination Of Admiral Darlan
you offered the opinion that the mur-
derer was "a fanatic rather than hired
killer"
To my mind. and have had consid-
cradle experience in q long military
career, there can be little doubt that the
youthful assassin was fanatic who felt
1t patriotic duty to the vichy govern
ment to rid the world Of one whom he
considered an enemy of France.
His mistaken zeal will have the oppo-
site effect. The act, believe, was In
spired neither by the German govern
ment nor by France; It Just developed
out Of defective brain. g. D. T.
Evening star., 1942-12-30

Now Is the time for at least q few
old-timers to observe once more:
Resolutions? Yes, we make them,
not to keep them but to break them"