davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-03-12
Continued From First Page)

tack described the ship only as q
Cruiser of the Prinz Eugen class" ,"
The News Chronicles correspond
ent said many bodies were found
floating In the cruisers flooded COM
partments when she managed to
reach port.
The Admiralty announced last
night that the SO, 0,000-ton Tirpitz had
been chased to refuge in Norway
after being attacked by torpedo
planes.
The bare facts of this first known
battle with Germany's newest and
finest battleship we're contained in
a five-sentence communique which
suggested that strong naval forces
of both sides were operating OH Nor
way in the opening phases Of what
Is expected to become a prolonged
battle for control of the supply lane
to Russia.
Probably Risked Others.
The NaZis in this case rlsked the
Tirpitz and probably others OF their
best warships in the futile attempt tc
attack the British convoy. Qualified
sources said the convoy was a large
one carrying war materials to
Russia.
The Admiralty communique said
"As a result of reconnaissance 1t
became known that the German
battleship Tirpitz had left Trond-
heirn (Norway) and was proceeding
in q northerly direction up the
coast of Norway.
"On the morning OF Monday,
March 9, the Tirpitz was located and
attacked with torpedoes by naval
aircraft.
1T was not possible to observe In
detail the result of this attack, but
the Tirpitz was last seen retiring
under cover Of heavy smoke screen
towards the Norwegian coast.
"Our surface forces did not sue
eeed in making contact with the
enemy, but any attempt to attack
our convoy was frustrated.
Two of our aircraft did not return
from the attack on the Tirpitz."
Came From Carrier.
Undoubtedly the British planes
came from an aircraft carrier since
the distance from Britain would be
difficult for land-based craft.
Informed British sources said the
fight probably was the same action
mentioned in German communlQue
Yesterday, which reported Nazi naval
forces sank a Soviet merchantmen
and shot down three British planes
OIL Bear Island. between Spitzbergen
and Northern Norway.
The Germans might we'll have
falsifed the location. since Bear
Island is more than 800 miles north
Of Trondheim and out Of the way OF
normal sea lanes from Britain to
Northern Russia.
The Admiralty did not say whether
the British surface forces included
major units, but unofficial sources
said, I'VE certainly would not be
sending along any little ships to
swap punches with the Tirpitz."
(The Germans, on the other
hand, are unlikely to have sent
OllC 4A blpL OuU dloAlCt uO
least three other important Nazi
ships have been reported at
Trondheim)
Know Whereabouts.
The British implied that they nov
knew the whereabouts OF tn
Tirpitz. which has been a myster,
ship, often reported and never posi-
lively located almost from the mo
ment she slid down the Wilhelms
haven ways with Adolf Hitler's per
sonal blessing on April /, 1899.
The battleship named for the lat
Admiral Alfred Won Tirpitz was ru
mored to have been with the Bis
marck when the Bismarck sank tn
British battle cruiser Hood last Ma
and was In turn sunk.
On February 81 Stockholm dis
Evening star., 1942-03-12
Argentina Would Declare
Brazil kon-BeIIiqerent

BUENOS AIRES, March IL lHD.-
A high government source declared
last night that in case Of war be-
tween Brazil and the Axis powers
Argentina would give reciprocal
assistance" to her neighbor nation,
meaning that Brazil would be de-
clared acknowledgement
Foreign Minister Enrique Ruiz
Guinazu, In close touch with the
situation, obtained first-hand in
formation on Brazils attitude in a
talk with the Argentine Ambassador
to Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Labougle
who arrived here for q short vaca-
ton.
Evening star., 1942-03-12

ton are not available. But they are
presumed TO have included barracks
and stores Of war equipment. Among
the civil installations dynamited
were power and light plants. harbor
installations, docks, railway equip
ment, motor transport, and the tele-
phone, telegraph and wireless sys-
tens.
Rangoon and Syrian, where most
Of the refineries were situated, soon
were ringed by fires. The flames
could be seen 40 miles away. One
British officer said that when the
fires were at their height the scene
was not unlike that at Dunkerque.
Evening star., 1942-03-12

EDUCATIONAL.
Evening star., 1942-03-12

are close to tk0 Capitol and the
old House ONCE Building.
Advantages OF reconstructing the
Southwest area are many, Mr.. Good
willie testified. He mentioned among
them the close proximity Of the
section to Federal office buildings
the economy Of rebuilding old houses
instead OF constructing new ones
and the resultant saving Of critical
materials and such utilities as water
and sewer services that are already
in place.
Low Cost Construction.
Further, he said, the project
would be economical because much
of the existing wasted interior"
land could be used for housing IA
cilities.
The rehabilitation program. Mr.
Goodwillie' explained, contemplates
not only the reconstruction Of some
of the existing houses, but con-
struction of new three-story apart
ments. He estimated many of the
houses in the area could be rebuilt
at an average cost Of $815 per room
That, he declared, Is from IS to so
per cent lower than new construc-
ton would cost elsewhere
The appraised value Of the prop
erty in the nine-block area, Mr.
Goodwillie said, is $904, 900, which is
II per cent higher than the assessed
value. He stressed that the Gov
ernment could acquire the property
rapidly.
Chairman Lanham advised the
witness that a few years ago Con-
gress appropriated $500. 900 900 for
the United States Housing Author
lty to use in slum clearance through
out the Nation.
How could the U. S. II. A. have
overlooked such a lum-clearance
project right at its very doors?" he
asked. ., 49,
Mr.. Goodwiliie replied he did not
know.
Reconstruction Held Cheaper.
Representative Lanham also in
quired If temporary dormitories
could be constructed cheaper than
the rebuilding Of old homes. Mr.
Goodwillie insisted that new struc-
lures could not be built cheaper than
the rehabilitation Of old ones.
Mrs. Helen Duey Hoffman OF the
Washington Housing Association de-
scrlbed the lack of sanitary facilities
Evening star., 1942-03-12
HOUSING
Continued From First Page.

planned, rs Of which are "suscepti-
ble' to the rehabilitation treatment
he proposes. The other 10. he
pointed out, are not Of a slum
character.
The nine blocks selected as the
initial unit or demonstration
area in the rehabilitation program
Evening star., 1942-03-12

Confucius say: Buy Defense bonds
and stamps.
Evening star., 1942-02-20
Vitumin O?

Scientists are perpetually DOCTOR
ing gasoline with concentrates to i'm
prove its octane rating-very i'm
portant in gasoline war such as the
present, but, for all that, Napoleon
was right when he said that an army
travels on its stomach. It is Just as
important to improve the rating of
food, the soldiers fuel and scien-
lists are trying to do that by adding
vitaminS, which perform for food
the same function that tetraethyl
lead land other jawbreakers do for
gasoline.
A Los Angeles nutritional expert
proposes to capture vast hordeS of
ali kinds Of vitamins from A to z,
squeeze them into little pills, and
issue them to the Army. Such cap
sules, he naively says, will prob
ably be welcomed because they will
permit soldiers to eat almost any,
thing they please" From this re-
mark, it would need no Sherlock
Holmes to deduce that the nutrition
al expert had never been in the
Army. If he had, he might have set
to work from the other end, and
tried to develop vitamin @, the mys-
teriouS and virtually impossible sub
stance designed to make the soldier
pleased with almost everything he
ate.
Evening star., 1942-02-20
Mall Purkinq

The determination of Secretary
Ickes to resist vigorously the pro-
posal to turn the central Mall area
into a huge parking lot for auto
mobiles will be welcomed by Wash
ingtonians who cling to the belief
that there is a place for orderly
planning even in the hysteria OF
wartime. 1t is quite clear that the
plan to scoop up acres of expensive
sod in the plaza extending from the
Monument Grounds almost to the
Capitol and to replace it with acres
of asphalt did not result from care
full study on the part of any quail
fed expert. AS Associate Director
Demaray of the National Park Serv-
ice pointed out in a memorandum to
Mr.. Ickes, there are serious practical
objections to such drastic opera
ton, to say nothing of esthetic con-
siderationS.
1t is Immediately apparent that
the proposal is in sharp conflict with
the legislation, just enacted, for es-
tablishment of so-called fringe park
ing lots. If the Mall is to be confis-
Gated for a downtown parking area,
the we'll thought out WhitehurSt
program for reducing downtown con-
gestion by parking thousands of cars
in municipality operated lots on the
outskirts of the business district will
be rendered virtually useless. Ger
tainly Congress is not likely to ap-
propriate funds for fringe parking
if the decentralization policy is to
be scrapped in favor of policy of
concentration of parking on the
Mall.
The long-view implications of the
scheme are even more disturbing.
Once the Mall is converted into a
grand central terminal for automo-
biles, the prospects that it will be re-
stored within a reasonable time-if
at ALTO its original status after
the war has ended will be slim in
deed. Experience has demonstrated
that mistakes committed in the
hustle and hustle of an emergency
usually are difficult to correct at a
later date. The necessity for the
Evening star., 1942-02-20
Member of the Associated Press.
Pension Repeal

Entirely aside from the basic ques-
ton of whether members Of Congress
under normal circumstances should
be granted retirement privileges,
there was no shadow of a doubt that
this Is not the time to confer them.
The Senate's vote to repeal the pen
sion legislation reflected the mount
ing tide of protests from a conStitu-
ency that was mad-clear through
at the spectacle of Representatives
and Senators voting themselves spe-
ciaI favors of any kind at an hour
in the Nations history when all the
citizens are being called upon to
make further and further sacrifices.
One of the potential dangers which
Congress let itself in for by passing
the retirement measure-pressure by
other pension blocs for similar priv
Ieges-became a reality during last
nights debate on Senator Byrd's re-
peal amendment to the Civil Service
Retirement Act. Senator Downey OF
California and a few supporters
sought to use the occasion to push
through Congress the discredited
Townsendite plan to provide Federal
pensions of $50 a month for every
needy person of sixty or older. 1t
required lengthy and persuasive ora
tory to defeat the Downey proposal.
The House has more reason to vote
repeal of the congressional annuity
plan than the Senate. Whereas there
was some discussion of the legislation
in the Senate when it first acted on
the bill, there was no debate at all on
the House side. Indeed, several
Representatives have asserted that
they had no idea the plan had been
inserted in the civil service retire
ment legislation when they voted to
pass the liberalized pension program.
The House on Monday will have an
opportunity to do what the Senate
has done.
Evening star., 1942-02-20
BETHESDA, Nd.

Dear Sir:
lone of the first things we look for in
the evening paper is your very interest
ing and informative column. In fact, I
think you started us on our way to try
to identify the birds which visit our
very small back yard here In Bethesda,
I'VE have feeding trays on a dining
room bay window sill, on the kitchen
window and recently have put one on
an upper bedroom sill.
"All winter we have had as many as
six pairs of cardinals, a pair of titmice.
two pairs Of chickadees and nuthatches
and downy woodpeckers. Also 4 Carolina
wren and two mockingbirds. There have
been many juncos and several varieties
of sparrows. Also q blue Jay.
zone day about q month ago new
bird came which we identified as q
purple finch. Soon there was q large
flock Of both male and female f1nches.
We have had IL at one time on the
feeding station.
1--WE also have coconut shell hanging
by the kitchen window and resting on
the sill. The nuthatch and titmouse
and chickadee all 60 inside of the shell
for peanuts and do not seem to fear us
at the window.
Recently you said the titmouse and
chickadee did not come every day, but
they have come every day to our sta
tions and many times day, since we
always keep them filled. Today we tried
peanut butter and the titmouse i'm
mediately found 1t and sat and ate 1t on
the station. Our little chickadees often
take sunhower seed and hold 1t be-
tween their feet and hack at 1t on the
station until they get the shell of.
"At your suggestion we keep a pan Of
water in the yard and the birds seem
very grateful for it.
"Our neighbor has two warehouses; on
the side OF his garage and today the
sparrows and even the starlings have
spent the day trying to get in these
houses. We are curious to know why.
Can you tell us? Thank you.
very truly yours, J. c. B."
It's Just little touch Of spring which
makes the sparrows and starlings try
to get into warehouses;.
Both of these species nest early. The
English sparrow often begins as early
as the middle of February, or sooner.
Records show that a female has been
seen carrying straws as early as Febru-
ary IA. CThis was in 1894)
Usually, however, the nesting is a
little later.
This early investigation Of a possible
nesting site, in February, is often wit
messed. These two emigrants look around
for sites, and, finding the warehouses;,
think they look good.
Each tries to get In, but II the wren
house door is made no larger than
seven-eighths of an inch In diameter.
they cannot do 1t.
The starting, of course, has no chance
at all of getting into a wrenhouse, If
the entrance hole has been made small
enough, and the sparrows mostly find it
impossible.
Many builders, however, insist on
thinking seven-eighths of an inch too
narrow. so they widen 1t an eighth Of an
Evening star., 1942-02-20
THIS AND THAT
By Charles Z. Trdce1cell.

inch, and this often permits the spar
rows to get in.
These early February investigations
usually are conducted on warm days.
Often in this vicinity February is
beautiful month, with many sunshiny
days. Especially in the afternoons do
the thoughts of the birds turn to nest
ing.
1t must be kept In mind that the
birdhouses already up tend to attract
these early-bird birds. 1t cannot be
helped. Sparrows look over bluebird
houses. which are ideally suited to them,
and occupy them long before the house
wrens arrive in April or early May, or
the bluebirds in March.
On the other hand, English sparrows
do not prefer such houses. They like
better to nest in steady places such as
troughs and under the caves Of houses
and barns.
Yet nice bluebird house, with en-
trance hole Of 1k inches, will attract
q sparrow and suit her nicely.
Proper doors to birdhouses are as fol-
lows: Bluebird. III inches in diameter;
chickadee. 11s inches; titmouse, ~
inches; nuthatch, IA inches; wren,
B inch; tree swallow, IL inches;
crested flycatcher, 2 inches; flicker,
21a inches; red-headed and hairy
woodpeckers, inches; downy wood
pecker, IL inches; screech owl, inches;
sparrow hawk, inches. Few persons,
probably, would want to build nesting
site just to attract hawk, but it might
be feasible in certain neighborhoods.
since this is very attractive bird, and
one which does not kill many sparrows,
despite its name. A screech owl is a
wonderful bird, well worth cultivating
1t must be kept In mind that to build
a certain sized house. with a door Of
the proper size, does not mean that it
i. invariably will attract the very bird for
which it was designed. The size of
the entrance simply means that this
Is the smallest hole through which the
desired bird can get; the smaller this
hole. the better chance there is of some
other bird not being able to get in.
1t may be realized that few birds
can get in q wrenhouse, but that many
can gain entrance to the flicker's den,
with its entrance Of 2 inches. Indeed,
the starlings often chase flickers away
and seize their nests. They do this by
sheer force Of numbers, in a way which
is being exemplified today the world
around.
= -
Our correspondents letter shows very
we'll the fact that bird watching Is a
family interest.
1t is seldom that just one member
of family is interested alone; even
the member who may not be at first
much interested, in time finds that the
sport is fascinating.
1t may be adopted without knowledge,
and offers an opportunity to progress by
easy stages into some knowledge of one
of the most important life groups.
Sometimes people tend to think Of
birds as unimportant, but with all the
world Of men at war, it may come to
the point where mankind wipes itself
out, and the birds and beasts take over
again the dominion of the world.
Whether this would be a good or bad
thing it is difficult to say, but we have
our own opinion.
Evening star., 1942-02-20
The Trial at Riom

Pierre Cot, safe IN washington, has
referred to the trial of his associates
at Riom as a judicial comedy" but
to the world public that phrase Is not
properly applicable to the proceed
ings instituted by the Vichy regime
against the men allegedly responsible
for the defeat of France in 1910.
Those haled before the Supreme
Court Of Justice organized for the
purpose are the former Premiers.
Leon Blum and Edouard Daladier;
the former commander in chief, Gen
eral Maurice Gustave Gamelin, and
two subordinates, Guy La >Chambre,
erstwhile Air Minister, and Pierre
Jacomet, sometime administrator OF
national defense industries. The
charges filed against them by the
government of Marshal Petain are
believed with reason to have been
prepared in Berlin. 1t is reported
that the laws under which the prose-
cution is to be conducted are Of
German origin, and it is understood
that the pattern or routine to be
followed by the judges in their
examination of the defendants and
of witnesses is a Nazi invention.
But even If native philosophy
of jurisprudence were represented in
the case, the trial at Riom would be
suspect to a fair minded observer.
It is plain to any honest eye that an
impartial hearing is infeasible in
France so long as prevailing condi-
tions remain unreformed. The Vichy
administration itself is prisoner. 1t
therefore is not qualified to function
equitably. And the history of the
French people contains abundant
evidence Of the dangers involved in
all such hazardous adventures.
Petain and his counselors need not
be reminded of the verdict of con-
demnation which humanity has
rendered against the prosecutors of
Joan of Arc. Her trial in 1431 and
the trials of Louis XVI and
Marie Antoinette, Charlotte Corday,
Madame Roland and the Girondists
in 179s: the proceedings against the
Due dEnghien in 1904, Marshal Ney
in 1915, Comte de Montalembert in
1858, Rochefort in 1868, Gambetta
and Murat in 1877, General Bou-
LANCER in 1899 and Ferdinand and
Charles De Lesseps in 1898: What are
they but warning which Vichy
should heed? "Expedient justice"
was dealt out to Marshal Achille
Bazaine in 1873, to Alfred Dreyfus in
1894 and to Emile Zola in 1898-with
results discreditable to the reputation
OF all persons concerned with the
bringing of charges against them.
Civilized society is not deceived by
the use of the trappings and the
formulas of courts for the achieve
ment of unworthy ends. The annals
OF the human race are filled with
examples of the instructive reaction
which develops from the betrayal of
Justice even when a defendant may
be guilty beyond doubt.
Perhaps Blum and Daladier and
their colleagues were at fault in their
management Of the military affairs
OF their country. If so, the facts will
be brought to light by unprejudiced
Evening star., 1942-02-20
Sheep

Theirs Is quietude among the hills.
In the midst OF tDintry days they
n,eekly feed
Upon the scanty grass a5ove the
With none the less of that same
patient creed.
Fleece once acquainted Nth ,ourm
Southern totnds,
Laden toith scent of speet phite-
buckUheat bloom
And summer starlight, nop Is init
mate
With tDinter and the wild phite-
snotDy spun1e.
Hearken to Dapid's harp re-echoingi
1t sings OF blankets TOR the crib =.
And note
The song accompanied pith beat Of
hearts
While spindles hum to make
soldiers coat. $3.50
ROSE MYRA PHILLIPS.
Evening star., 1942-02-20

Mall parking project has not been
shown-and even II there should
be some need for such a terminal at
present, the declining use Of auto
mobiles in the months to come is
bound to relieve the parking crisis
without benefit of drastic emergency
measures. It is to be hoped that
Secretary Ickes and his aides win
succeed in holding the Mall against
any large-scale invasion of automo-
bile parkers.
Evening star., 1942-02-20

Far East, and we also are doing lots of
queer things to punish our own people
who are striving to aid their country.
If this daylight-saving move is at all
necessary. why apply it with longer
hours and an earlier start for workers
who have nothing to do with the defense
work? The Library Of Congress, for one
example; and there are several others
in the same class. Why punish our own
people?
Who was responsible for the $50 900 900
wasted in destruction at Pearl Harbor?
Who was responsible for the millions
lost by the Normandie burning and
turning over? If we keep on with such
incompetence as this we are in for long
war indeed.
1t Is well that we have some members
OF Congress who want to find out who is
responsible for this enormous waste while
the people are cautioned to conserve
everything. H. B. BRADFORD.
Evening star., 1942-02-20
Discusses Conditions
Affecting Public Morale.
TO the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor Of The Star:
have little patience with those who
constantly are ssecond guessing the
efforts Of others. Nor do I feel that
criticism at time like this is of value
unless it is constructive. But there are
two situations among the many facing
us that I would like to take crack at,
because I would really hate to see
public indignation drying up in regard
to those situations.
This pension our Congressman voted
Indictment of every Congressman who
voted for the bill; for it proves, that
despite q salary that less than one out
of each 100000 Americans earns, they
individually had failed to provide their
own private, personal, future pensions.
And now I would like to comment
on the Arts Council of the o. C. D.
Melvyn Hesselberg Douglas made very
sincere speech at the Press Club and
told how actors and actresses could con-
tribute to civilian morale, citing instances
where people in London were led in
. song at the time of German bombings.
This great attention being given to
civilian morale is without a doubt the
biggest waste Of effort imaginable. I
meet and talk with dozens of people each
day and have yet to meet any one who
needed lift for his morale" As
matter of fact, they are hopping mad
at the pitiful exhibition the Govern
ment is putting on.
The best morale tonic that could be
given to the people in this country is a
common sense approach to every prob
lem In a just manner. and from this
moment on efficiency and foresight that
have been miserably lacking to date.
BILL WERBER.
Evening star., 1942-02-20
Huskin's Answers
To Questions
BIZ Frederic J. Hdskir.

A reader can get the ans,rer to any
. question OF fact by trrtting The Epe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Hdsktn, director, Washington,
D. c. Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. On an average, how long does Q
soldiers uniform last?-B. L. B.
A. Army Quartermaster Corps stat
isticians have estimated that o soldiers
woolen coat lasts 80 months, his wooden
trousers 141a months, overcoat years,
service shoes S to months, wooden shirts
6 months and garrison cap 141l months.
@. Where in the world Is the longest
stretch Of straight railway track
B. K. o. ..
A. The longest piece of straight track
in the world is on the Trans-Australian
Railway. 1t extends across the Nullarbor
Plain and runs for $50 miles without q
curve.
@. Upon what occasion did noted
athlete race against a horse?-W. w.
A. On December 26, 1887, in Havana,
Cuba, Jesse Owens, the Negro athlete,
won a race against horse in special
100-yard dash featuring the opening of
Cuba's first international sports week.
Owens was clicked in 90 seconds, II
second behind the worlds record.