davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-12-02
is representative point Of view, 1t
betokens a very significant change
of heart IN the po rt of the pjI mon

is representative point of view, 1t
betokens a very significant change
of heart on the part of the oil men.
In similar vein were the recent
remarks of Alfred M. Landon, the
COP presidential candidate in 1886.
Mr.. Landon was deploring the failure
to drill more oil wells and the dumb
bureaucracy" of Washington in gen.
eral. But he made a notable excep-
ton in the case of Mr.. Ickes, who. he
said, has recognized from the begin
ming that expansion of the oil indus
try was necessary to supply our do
mestic and war needs.
1t should not be supposed that
these mutual expressions of good will
and confidence mean that there will
be no more harsh words exchanged
between Mr.. Ickes and those who do
not see eye to eye with him on po-
litical and economic questions. But
they do suggest that many ground
less distruSts and suspicious can be
cleared away when reasonable men
get together in earnest to discuss a
common problem. And the prob
ability is that there are others on
both sides who could profit from this
exannle
Evening star., 1942-12-02
Cove Cellar

Though the knock OF frost Is arro-
CANT, austere
Upon the odken door oil Uinter. here
Frost cannot enter. Arch OF uhtte-
UaShed brick,
With covering of sod made still more
thick,
Defes the norther bloUing sharp and
thin
And keeps from cold all goodness
stored nithin
Upon the stone floor, barrels In
Shoto Jonathan and Bartlett In the
glo,D
OF lantern light. Potatoes, turnips.
The ample. garden gathered in the
taH
Are here together NTH the ksnoly
pride
OF squash and pumpkin side by
amber side.
While acres rest from pruning hook
and ploip,
Man ,pinters on his summer labors
fotr.
ROSE MYRA PHILLIPS.
Evening star., 1942-12-02
A Second Wornino

Many of our fire regulations today
date from the Iroquois Theater dis
aster In Chicago in 1908. 1t can be
taken for granted that the Cocoanut
Grove tragedy in Boston will lead to
a review of fire and building regula-
tlons In most of the municipalities
In the country. Such dreadful lessons
seem to be needed from time to time.
But sometimes these lessons go un-
needed. About year and a half
ago three persons were burned to
death in fire which destroyed the
White Court Apartments on o street.
There were two separate inveStiga-
tions. A coroner's jury found there
had been no criminal negligence,
while special committee appointed
by the Commissioners placed the
blame primarily on faulty construc-
ton and lax building inspecting. No
one was punished. But it was de-,
cided that legislation relating to fire
protection should be strengthened
and there should be more inspectors.
1t is revealing to discover now that
the legislation, pushed SO vigorously
at the time, is still reposing in the
Senate District Committee and that
instead Of seven fire escape in
spectors-who inspect installation of
all safety equipment, such as exits,
lights, fire escapes, etc.--there are
only three. The war has reduced the
force Of inspectors below what it was
year and half ago, although stat
utory increases In the force were
provided.
Corporation Counsel Keech has
written to Chairman McCarran Of
the Senate District Committee asking
for immediate consideration of the
legislation and suggesting that at
least two of its controversial fea-
lures be eliminated, so that enact
ment can be expedited. One Of these
relates to installation of fire alarms
connected directly with the Fire De-
partment system, suggestion that
has been fought by some interests
on the ground that the regulation
would create a monopoly in alarm
devices to be used. The other con-
Germs fire escapes, difficult to provide
under war restrictions. But even
without these provisions, the legisla
ton still would enable the Commis-
sioners to modernize fire and build
ing regulations, and if it is possible
through regulations to increase the
public safety in any degree, the nee
essary legislation should be COM
pleted now before another tragedy
calls attention to the need
Evening star., 1942-12-02
Mr.. Ickes Wins Friends

1t is not likely that Secretary
Ickes has been making any special
effort to win Republican friends and
influence industrialiSts, but, pur-
poSefully or otherwise he is enjoying
a considerable measure of success.
Some few months ago the relations
between Mr.. Ickes and the industrial
world were anything but cordial. The
same thing was true of his exchanges
with most of the Republican party
leaders. Then the Secretary of the
Interior was designated as petroleum
co-ordinator. He got to know the
leading figures in the oil indus try,
and they got to know him.
Soon thereafter Mr.. Ickes made a
speech in Baltimore, in which he paid
tribute to the oil men for the pa
triotic cooperation that he had re-
ceived from them. Instead of the
stiff compliments which might have
been dictated by good taste, Mr.
Ickes spoke with evident sincerity.
And now a voice has been heard
from in the oil industry.
Echoing the sentiments of a great
many of his associates, w. G. Skelly
president of the Skelly Oil Company,
has appealed to the President to keep
Mr.. Ickes as petroleum co-ordinator.
To remove Mr.. Ickes as Oil co-ordi-
nator, he said, would be "a big loss
to the industry and to the war effort. "
He's done a whale of job" If that
Evening star., 1942-12-02

fight against such legion, even If re-
cruited from America
For us Hapsburg Austria means only
one thing, oppression within the next 10
years and war within 90 The same pan
Germanic maniacs who accepted Hitler
as a standardized after the defeat of
the Kaiser as readily would welcome a
Hapsburg fgurehead after Hitler's de-
feat. For any Hapsburg an Austrian
legion does not mean an army to fight
for freedom, but an instrument for pan
Germanic Imperialism.
Our nations which are fighting and
have been fighting for the United Ma
army, but they will not welcome a
mummy" dug up from the bitter past.
The people of Central Europe can see
all too cleary how the name of Hapsburg
could become a rallyng cry for all
bankrupt Fascists and an emergency
exit for all the Axis criminals.
The Yugoslavs and especially the
Serbs have sacrificed in this war as
much as any other nation But they are
ready to sacrifice still more to prevent
the creation of new Hapsburg Austria.
The record of the Hapsburgs is written
indelibly in history. Hapsburg Austria
Hungary stood for the oppression of half
a score of civilized nations. Slovenian
history tells story of thousand year
fight against Germanization campaign
led by the HapSburgs and continued bv
Hitler. Croatian history contains the
names of Hungarian stooges of the
Hapsburgs who kept a nation in igno-
rance, so that they could maintain power
over it.
Would it be surprising If the Serbs,
Croats, Slovenians, Poles and Czechs
questioned the four freedoms and asked
themselves what they have been fighting
for?
DIR. SVETISKAV-SVET
PETROVITCH.
Evening star., 1942-12-02
Horizon of New Hope

Yesterdays Star reported the dis
cOvery of a three story apartment
house within few blocks of the Cap
itol, standing vacant and forlorn
since August, 194l. At that time the
purchaser Uncle Sam, evicted the
tenants, planning to convert the
building to office use. Then it was
found that the structure might not
support the heavy files needed in a
Government office. So the plan to
use it for offices evidently was aban-
doned and the building was forgot
ten. Now that it has been found
again perhaps it will be reconverted
to an apartment house, providing
thirty eight housing units-a veri-
table gold mine in crowded WASH
ington.
But why are Government files so
heavy? The answer, of course, is
that they are filled with question
naires, weighted down with the sweat
and tears of haraSSed citizens. And
why are these questionnaires neces-
sary? To give employment to those
who send them out. And why must
they be sent out? To give employ
ment to those who store them away
when they are returned. And why
must they be stored away?
Aye-perhaps we have something
there! Perhaps Senator Byrd's COM
mittee, which yesterday began an in
vestigation of questionnares, may
make discovery that will benefit
uncounted generations of taxpayers
for years to come. Perhaps it is not
necessary, after all, to store away
the questionnaireS. And if it is not
necessary to store away the oues-
tionnaireS, it may be unnecessary to
hire people to store them away. And
if it is unnecessary to hire people to
store them away it may be unneces-
sary to hire people to send them out.
And If it is unnecessary to hire peo-
pie to send them out, the housing
shortage, the office-space shortage,
the shortage of tempers, the shortage
of breath, the shortage of national
unity-many, many shortages can be
ended, and our people will march on
to quick victory, unimpeded.
Evening star., 1942-12-02
New Wage PIon

PrOSpeCCS 1Or pay raise Tor Gov
ernment workers have frightened
considerably in the past few days as
the result of efforts of Senator Mead
and Chairman Ramspeck of the
House Civil Service Committee to
work out compromise that will
satisfy all employe groups and end
the conflict over the form the in
crease should take.
The general overtime legislation
sponsored by the administration,
which would have benefited prin-
cipally the white collar" employees
who are not compensated for extra
work, has been shelved, and it now
seems likely that fiat 20, per cent
increase, applying up to a maximum
of the first $4,000 of annual wages,
will be proposed for all personnel.
At the same time, the Saturday half
holiday law would be shelved for the
duration of the war, permitting ad-
minlstrative officers to fix the work
week at 48 hours if desired.
This arrangement, modelled some
what along the lines of the COST Of
living bonus granted in the First
World War, seems fair. It assures a
sizable increase to employees who
could not benefit by an overtime
plan because of the manner in which
their hours are regulated. Core
spondingly, the thousands of depart
mental workers whose hours long
have been in excess of the statutory
39-hour work week would be COM
pensated for the additional time.
Work for which the wage is fixed by
boards or other authorities Is not
affected.
Pay legislation has been hanging
fire for months, primarily because
postal workers were dissatisfied with
the two measures that have been
proposed-one a straight overtime
bill, and the other combination
bill providing for overtime or a 10
per cent increase for those to whom
the overtime provision would not
apply
From all indications, the new COM
promise has fair chance of passage
if discussion is held to a minimum.
Further controversy, however, can
only spell defeat, with Congress so
near the end of the session, This
would be unfortunate, particularly
where lower bracket workers are
concerned.
Evening star., 1942-12-02
The Hupsburqs

Whether it be spelled Habsburg or
Hapsburg, the name of the royal and
imperial family of Austria has re-
turned to the news. An effort on
the part of the Archduke Otto to
participate in the organization OF a
so-called Austrian Legion" to CO.
operate with United Nations forces
has brought forth a storm Of protest
from representatives Of European
minorities to whom his pretensions
to his fathers dual throne and crown
are offensive. The famous house to
which he belongs has been "out of
power" since April 2, 1919, and
spokesmen for the Czechs, the Yugo-
slavs and the Poles agree In eX-
pressing the wish that it may remain
so.
Yet not even the bitterest of their
critics would deny to the Hapsburgs
the place which they reasonably and
Justly occupy in the history of the
Old World. The narrative of their
rise and fall begins at the Hawks
Castle on the Aar, near its junction
with the Rhine, in the eleventh CEN
tury. Count Guntram the Rich was
the father Of the clan. The family
through successive generations in
creased its dominionS and dignitieS
until at last it was the most i'm
portant group of its kind in the
world. From 1882 onward it provided
dukes and archdukes for Austria;
after 1928 it furnished kings for
Hungary and Bohemia. Meanwhile,
HapsburgS were Roman emperors be-
tween 1888 and 1906, and kings of
Spain between 1915 and 1900 The
greatest of the rulers produced by
the clan probably was Charles V,
who held sway over the Netherlands.
much of Italy. some of France and
numerous colonies in America.
Considerable mystery surrounds
the more recent annals of the family.
Some OF the most prominent mem
bers came to strange and sudden
ends. The Crown Prince Rudolph and
his sweetheart Marie VetSera died at
Meyerling in 1889 under circum-
stances which never has been ex-
plained satisfactorily; the Archduke
Francis Ferdinand and his wife were
sssassinated at Serajevo in 1914 un-
der conditions which brought about
the First World War. But the Haps-
hurrs undeniably still are factor in
rrodern times. One Of Otto's distin-
Evening star., 1942-12-02
THIS AND THAT
Bu Charles E. Trdce,peH.

In they flew, ready to wrest the bread
from the smaller sparrows.
Ak
Our experience with starlings shows
that, as rule, they are not mean birds.
There are, unfortunately, some excep-
tions.
On the whole, they get along very
we'll with other birds at feeding stations.
Often in the fall and winter bands of
them will leave the downtown areas
and search far and wide over nearby
Maryland and Virginia.
In recent years the increase in the
number of feeding stations has been
large.
Fortunately such stations do not at
tract the starlings in such numbers as
might be imagined Nor with such reg
ularity. The starting is large and
powerful bird, something like the blue
jay in its air of independence. Instead
of coming back to the place it has found
food every day. 1t evidently prefers to
seek for new fields
This is good thing, from the every
day standpoint of feeding the wintering
birds, because if these large creatures
came regularly, the cost of feeding would
rise by leaps and bounds.
Smaller birds would have to eat off
the ground beneath the feeder. This is
not so bad, from the birds standpoint,
because they do not mind it, but the
observer who is setting up the free meal
would miss the better sight of his favor
ties which he gets when they eat off the
feeding shelf.
Starlings often seek shelter from rain
and wind by going into feeding stations.
There they merely perch on the food
often without eating any of it.
We have watched them do this, and
have marveled at their apparent lack
of appetite. Or maybe it is a sickly
startling which so seeks shelter.
Our correspondent S observations show
very we'll what a lure bread Is for star
lings.
Although it will seldom attract them
so quickly. it always will do it.
If friend of birds does not wish to
attract starlings he or she should be
very careful not to use slices of bread.
Meat in any form, in fall and winter,
will lure them.
In spring and summer the few star
| hngS which remain here may bring
their young for ground meat, but they
will never be in sufficient numbers to
cause much trouble
In the cold months meat will attract
starlings in too great numbers. While
there is not much likelihood that much
meat will be used for this purpose from
now on it is good Idea to keep in mind
especially by persons who do not like
these birds.
| We will never forget the time, when
salmon was plentiful, and a platter OF
it had been placed on the back porch fol
| the cat. A band of a dozen starlings
found it first, and were ringed arounc
the plate, eating away, when suddenly
the cats head appeared over the porch
floor. Such futtering of wings was
seldom heard. 1t was dificut to tell
which was frightened the most, the band
! OF starlings or the cat
Evening star., 1942-12-02
Tells Reasons Why Chapel
Should Be Spared Unspoiled.

To the Eoltor of The Star:
In The Star of November 30 read
with nothing less than horror Of the
suggestion that the Chapel Of Mount
Vernon Seminary may be remodeled to
become an Office building of the United
States Government.
l am a graduate of Mount Vernon
Seminary and 1 was one of the alumnae
who contributed toward the $50 900 that
went into the building of that chapel.
The chapel is an exquisite piece of
Colonial architecture, designed by
well-knoVn architect, and every detail
is simple and beautiful and fitting There
are many memorial gifts, among the
most impressive being the fine-toned
organ and the hand wrought pulpit and
chancel furniture In the belfry hangs
a bell, inscribed For trinity, for liberty
for truth and beauty, ring ever, o bell"
The latter was gift of appreciation
in honor of Anne Seymour Ames, one
time librarian at the school, who made
naught of great physical affliction as
she performed the arduous duties of
chairman of the Chapel Committee.
When the building was finished Miss
Ames could see" it only as her hands
could touch its surfaces, but the look on
her face when her bell rings is some
thing unforgettable.
1 was present on the chapels first
Christmas eve. Back of the chancel are
great windows with panes of clear glass
through which can be seen the tips of
pine trees. Daylight turned to dusk,
the chapel was unlighted, and just as
darkness fell over the top of tree out
side there suddenly shone a great star.
Christmas eve!
If it were imperative-few of us be-
lieve that it is-to sacrifice our beautiful
school, none among us is disloyal enough
to wish to withhold it, but surely, surely,
with 80 acres of ground about it, it
cannot be necessary to ruin that gem
OF chapel so dear to so many of u.s.
We are having worldwide examples of
the ruthless DETACHMENT of what man
has held dear. Is it possible that we,
too must sin against source of spiritual
strength and against physical beauty to
build an Office for which walls and a roof
would suffice? FAITH BRADFORD.
Evening star., 1942-12-02

guished progenitors-the good Count
Albert-established for him and for
his contemporaries of the Hawks
brood doctrine which retains GER
tain attraction even now. 1t reads:
MY sons, cultivate piety; give no
ear to evil counselors, never engage
IN unnecessary war, but when you
are involved in war be strong and
brave. Love peace even better than
your own personal interests. Re
member that the counts of Hapsburg
did not attain their heights of repu-
tatlon and glory by fraud. inSolence
and self1shness, but by courage and
devotion to the public veal" The
date of these words is 1882.
Evening star., 1942-12-02
CHEVY CHASE, Nd.

DeaT Slr.
Il saw a most marvellous instance of
the intelligence Of the starting the
other day in my back yard. thought
would put out some bread for the SPAR
rows. There we're no birds Of any kind
around and l knew that any kind of
food would be bound to attract some
birds, sooner or later, didn't know
exactly how long.
mo sooner had put the bread down
and gone back into the house than q
band of sparrows flew in.
Then, like a black cloud of the sky,
down few at least 100 starlings.
This was all the more startling, since
I had looked around in the neighbor-
hood just before came into the house,
and had not seen any starlings
Il am sure that not more than one
minute could have elapsed before the
birds appeared
They chased the sparrows away, and
then went after the slices of bread.
There was a regular foot ball game going
on.
Every few minutes the starlings
would f1y into the trees. There was such
a clatter of wings that the very air
seemed filled with them.
Il knew starlings were large, but I
never realized before just how big they
were.
Il suppose they had some scout sta
toned somewhere in the neighborhood,
40
food
Il do not know, however, how he
managed to signal to the others, nor
how they could have arrived so instantly.
IF you can explain this sudden ap-
pearance of the starlingS I would appre-
ciate 1t very much, as this was one of
the best bird shows l have seen in a
long time.
Some of the starlines seized whole
slices of bread and few with them into
the trees. Some managed this very
easily, whereas others did not seem to be
able to carry the bread very far before
dropping It,
There must have been at least a
hundred birds in this flock. The strange
thing is that this was the first large
flock of these birds which I had seen
since the weather turned colder.
Il am not able to join the hue and
cry against this bird as so many people
do. 1t is very interesting, If only a few
of them come, but certainly I do not
want so many of them at once.
Very sincerely, B. L."
We hate to puncture our correspond
ent's opinion of the smartness of his
starlings.
The truth is, however, that no birds
could get wind of food as quickly as he
believes
There is usually very simple explain
alton for all such phenomena.
We believe in the present case tha
the starings Just happened to be fvins
over, and saw the preliminary sparrows
on the ground.
Since starlings are. indeed. among the
most intelligent of all birds. our cores
pondents hundred did not take long to
drop down.
Evening star., 1942-12-02
Dissents From Conception
OF Nation as "Cosmic Cow"
TO the Ed tor of The Star.

TO the Ed tor Of The Star
According to the starry-eyed lads, who
evidently regard the New Deal as per-
petual, America is destined to become
glorified, cosmic COW, supplying mankind
with milk or perchance a utopian hen,
sheltering countless beings beneath her
broad, beautiful wings.
1t must be a pleasant pastime to pic
ture benevolent Bossy chewing the cud
of contentment in universal New Deal
pastures during the postwar period. But
let us dismiss the dreams and face the
tragic fact that the destitute are crowd
ing our own doorstep. According to the
President, third of the American peo-
pie are ndernourished and underfed
We should do all within reason to
assist the stricken in foreign lands, but
always rember that charity begins at
home and that Uncle Sans purse
unfortunately cannot be stretched "ad
infnitum"
EDMUND K. GOLDsBOROUGH.
Evening star., 1942-12-02

@. Which are the largest and small
est birds?-C. S. E.
A. The ostrich is the largest. and the
humming bird the smallest. 1t would
take about 10000 humming birds to
weigh as much as one ostrich.
@. Does the flag fly continuously over
the White House?-U. N. E.
A. The flag flies on the White House
only when the President Is in residence.
@. Is it true that the popular tores-
doris song In Carmen" was interpolated?
p. s. J.
A. Bizet wrote another song for
Escamillo which was pronounced too
dignified for the bullfehter. The pres
ent toreador's song, therefore, was an
afterthought.
@. What States have prohibition
laws?-T. r.
A. Three States have state prohibi-
ton, Kansas Oklahoma and Mississippi.
@. Did Wendell L. Willkie pay his
own expenses on his recent trip around
the world?-M. A. e.
A. Mr.. Willkie paid his own expenses
on his recent world trip, although the
Government furnished an Army plane
and pilot.
@. Why was the caduceus chosen a.
symbol OF the medical professiori'-
r. P. A.
A. 1t Is based on the fact that in
mythology Esculapius, the god OF medi-
cine, was represented with knotty
stick in one hand and in the other a
staff with a serpent entwined. The
caduceus first appeared as the insignia
of the Medical Department of the United
States Army in 1851.
@. VINO is the Treasurer Of the
United States?-V. D. c.
A The Treasurer OF the United
States is William Alexander Julian.
@. Do the Scottish regiments wear
kits In battle?-M M. G.
A. All the regiments that have kits
wear them when in action. The. Cam
meron Highlanders and the Gordon
Highlanders had kits made the oficial
battle dress, and they wear the battle
dress tunic on top Of the kits.
@. Where do the minerals In the
ocean come from?-X. B.
A. Salt and other minerals are con-
tinuously washed into the sea at an
estimated rate of 3 billion tons year.
Q. Who invented the spinet7 R.
s. R.
A. The spinet came into use early In
the 18th century. No information Is
available as to the inventor or the exact
date of invention. The earliest spinet
extant is dated l490.
@. What Is the origin Of mess in ref
erence to persons eating together?--
r. r.
A. The original meaning Of mess"
was a portion Of food. 1t comes from
the French word NETS Wand or dish.
1t was used as early as 1886 for the
groups into which ships company or
a regiment is Systematically divided for
eating meals together AS early as 1920,
1t was used for small group of persons
eating together, generally four.