davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-07-01
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Tracf,UeN.

but difficult for persons of good will
to do.
1t is true that they do much mischief.
But at the same time they are highly
diverting and instructive.
Most persons who protest things squir-
rels do manage to get great deal Of
fun out of the experiences. just the same.
1t is easy to see that our correspondent
is actually proud of her squirrel who
planted an acorn in a 1owerpot.
Who wouldn't be?
No. we have never heard OF a similar
planting.
To take out the flower, and put in the
acorn, shows real brains
The closest to it We ever come was
to stand not four feet from a squirrel
while he dug up an iris rhizoHlp.
Looking as impudent as possible, and
that is very impudent, indeed. he pro-
ceeded to hold the rhizome in his paws,
as they do, standing up, and gnaWing
away.
He was having such a good time that
we found it impossible to be angry at
him.
The impudence Of squirrels is q diff
ferent impudence from that of monkeys
or even small boys 1t is a special sort
which carries with 1t a rougsh desire for
approval. Usually it is impossible not to
give it.
Gray squirrels are very fond of eating
small bulbs and corms of all types.
They specialize on the crocus and
tulip
In some neighborhoods they seem to
be worse than in others.
Wire protectors may be secured to put
around bulbs. These are usually used
to keep out mice.
A better way is to establish a feed
Ing station which is kept well stocked
with sunf1over seed and peanuts.
Our guess is that our correspondents
neighbor does not put out SunfoWer
seed, This is the great favorte of the
squirrels, as 1t is OF the various birds
Nothing, not even a peanut, appeals
to a squirrel as much as a sunf1ower
seed
The average American squirrel likes
sunf1oWer seed Just a little better than
the average citizen of Soviet Russia.
Over there they have, or had great fields
Of special types of sunfowers. The nut
like product is sold in the streets and
is munched as We do popcorn.
Often the squirrels plant sunf1ower
seed, so a watch must be kept for plants
| coming up in the most unlikely places
They also plant walnut and other trees,
! and these. too, will be found coming up
| in corners, behind shrubbery and in
| fence corners.
! The excuse for the squirrel must be
that he doesn't know what he is doing.
| He just does it, Heaven help the subur-
ban dWeler if he ever finds out what he
is doing!
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Ind0rses Conclusions
OF Writer on Population Problems.

To the Editor of The Star:
1t is encouraging to those of us who
have been thinking In terms of peace
and population control to see the article
in your paper by Guy Irving Burch on
Feeding the World to Be Prodigious
Task" June ID.
The writer is certainly more familiar
with facts regarding our natural re-
sources than most Congressman or
wouldbe statesmen.
Freedom from want" will be one OF
those promises OF our President As i'm
possible OF fulfillment as was Mr. Wilson S
Freedom of the Seas" in the last World
War
All the people of the world can never
be freed from want today so long as that
want depends upon the produce from our
land. Our own Department of Agricul-
ture has stated that three acres OF
tillable land are essential for the proper
nourishment of each adult, according to
American standards of living.
1t takes 100 acres Of good grazing land
to provide 40 children with a quart of
milk each day and another 100 of good
grazing land to provide people with
meat every day, while 100 acres OF good
tillable soil must supply over 200 persons
with bread or cereals each day.
So-is not this food for thought,
MARGARET SANGER.
Evening star., 1942-07-01
SILVER SPRING, Md.

Dear Sir:
Il read your very interesting article
in The Star paper yesterday about the
squirrels, and since weshave had what
I believe to be an unusual experience
with the squirrels since moving here
two years ago. I'd like very much to
tell you about it.
When we moved here T put out
large bunch OF ionquil bulbs all In one
bunch. That was in July almost two
years ago. The next spring I had four
punches to come up. 1t puzzled me
lot.
Then this spring I put out one quart
Of onion sets in the back yard and
when I would be at my kitchen sink
I would notice the squirrels digging and
digging near the onions or in the
bed of onions.
We'll, when the onions began to
grow, they we're scattered all over the
back lot, and I knew then that they
had dug up and planted the onions and
also the bulbs.
Then when the weather got warm, I
put my house plants out in the ground
to keep from having to tend to them
inside during the summer.
There were three plants that were
small, so I left them in the pots, but
set them near the ones I had put in
the ground. so that I could water them
all with the hose at once
The very next day after returning
from a few hours in the country, I
found one of my beautiful small plants
pulled up and lying on the ground
couple of feet from the pot.
Il picked it up and started to plant
it in the pot and when I dug down in
the pot to make hole, there was an
acorn buried there.
Have you ever known Of squirrels
doing things like that?
The lady next door puts out feed for
them all the time and l feel sure that
they aren't hungry. There are or 10
that play in our back yard most of the
time and they are getting to be bad
about digging around my flowers in
the soft dirt.
Il like squirrels but wish they would
not do things like that. Is there any
way of stopping their meddling?
Il am very interested in the whip
poor wills and hope that you will soon
print an article on them.
Il shall keep reading your interesting
articles.
Thank you kindly.
Cordially, I. M E."
Shoot them, madam. shoot them
If you do not like that advice, as we do
not. then put up with them.
There is nothing else for the true
nature lover to do
It is easy to talk of harming squirrels,
Evening star., 1942-07-01
New Fiscal Year

The new fiscal year, which opens
today. comes at a time when Gov
ernment expenditures have reached
a point where they cease to have
any real meaning to most people.
The appropriation and the eXpendl-
ture of billions of dollars, except as
they may be interpreted in terms of
tanks, guns, planes and ships, are
declining in news value Nor is this
surprising, for the American people,
faced with war on a scale that they
have never known before. are in no
mood to count the cost. Despite the
great and increasing pressure Of
wartime needs. however, we can
hardly afford to ignore entirely the
fiscal reckoning that must come in
the future.
Between the declaration of war
on April g. 1917, and the armiStice
of November II, 1918, a period of a
little more than nineteen months,
the total expenditures of the United
States were S21 ,0OO,00O,000. 1t has
been less than seven months since
Pearl Harbor, but we have already
spent more than $22 000,000000 on
this war, and before it is over the
Government expects the cost to run
to 100000 900, 900 or more. Obviously,
Evening star., 1942-07-01

1t Is almost impossible to grasp the
meaning of expenditures on such
scale. Some idea of what the war
is going to mean may be obtained,
however, by comparing the present
o-hundred- -billion-dollar cost esti
mate with the total cost of main
tanning the Army in peace and war
from 1889 to 1899. inclusive, which
was $145 100000
To cite these astronomical totals,
of course, is not to imply that we
should hesitate to meet the neceS-
sary price Of victory. Nothing could
be more costly and more disastrous
than defeat, and with that fact in
mind this country will pay the price
of success, whatever it may be.
At the beginning of this new fiscal
year, however, when we will spend
money and incur debts on scale
never dreamed of before, we can i'll
afford to ignore such opportunities
for savings as may present them
selves. War is essentially a Wasteful
business, but if several hundred
million or few billion dollars can be
saved here and there without i'm
pairing the war effort we will be
grateful for the economy when the
time comes to settle accounts. And
in this connection it cannot be too
strongly emphasized that the great
est field for pairing costs lies in the
prevention of imitation. To permit
prices to get out Of hand would
mean that the Government as we'll
as the individual citizens would have
to pay great deal more for the
things that they must buy. If prices
break through the restraints that
now are being imposed, and in all
candor we should recognize the fact
that our present anti-infationary
efforts are headed toward failure,
it will hardly be worth while to keep
a record of the national debt.
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Pays Tribute to Gen. Meade
For Victory at Gettysburg.

To the Editor Of The Star:
Seventy y-nine years ago this week the
Battle of Gettysburg was fought not far
from the city Of Washington.
But few who recall the first three DAYS
of July 1868, give sufficient credit to the
splendid achievement of George Cor
don Meade.
The more Gettysburg is studied. the
more illustrious grows the name of the
newly appointed commander of the
Army of the Potomac.
From either side of the Blue Ridge
Mountains the armies of both North
and South marched up the trails. The
Army Of Northern Virginia, flush with
many victories, having suffered no set
backs in two years, was invading Penn
sylvania-a bold stroke. No one ever
will know what Gen. Robert E. Lee had
in mind, but there can be no doubt that
he was aiming at Harrisburg and pos
sibly Philadelphia.
Seeing the peril of the impending clash,
President Lincoln relieved Gen. Joseph
CFighting Joep Hooker of the command
of the Potomac Army and named in his
stead Meade, a divisional commander.
1t was a mighty responsibility. but
Meade accepted the challenge. He met
the enemy on the fields of Gettysburg,
a site neither side would have selected
had fate not intervened.
They met at twilight and there was
little actual fighting at the start-enough,
however, to cause the death of Gen.
Reynolds. one of the best officers on
Meade's staff. incidentally, also, Jennie
Wade went to the Great Beyond because
Of stray bullet on the first night.
On the second day, the fighting was
about even. The third day the odds
began to favor the invader, and the
Union generals held a council of war.
Meade was steadfast against retreat, and
it was decided to fight it out.
In the end, the invading host was
turned back. Enough was accomplished.
No Southern army again attempted to
annex" Pennsylvania. The Union armies
had found great leader, real fighter.
But now too often Gettysburg is men
toned without adequate credit to George
Gordon Meade, who won a splendid VIC
tory only four days after accepting the
solemn responsibility for stopping the
invasion of Pennsylvania.
TIMOTHY r. MCCARTHY.
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Glenn Dale Inquiry

The Senate District Committee has
rendered the people Of the District
distinct service by investigating con-
ditions at the Glenn Dale Tubercu-
losis Sanitorium. The report by
Committee Counsel r. F. Camalier
shows clearly that all is not well at
this municipal institution. What is
particularly disturbing about the
case is that the conditions relating
to unsavory food and faulty service
were disclosed not by routine inSpec-
ton of supervisory authorities but by
the extraordinary process Of direct
appeal to Chairman McCarran and
his colleagues.
Mr.. Camalier correctly emphasizes
that most of the conditions OF which
inmates complained in letter TO the
committee were the result not Of IN
ADEQUATE facilities but Of defective
service. Unlike the Home for the
Aged where complaints have been
frequent in the past, Glenn Dale has
modern equipment. The trouble,
then. seems to lie in the administra-
tive field. That the administrative
setup is short Of personnel is lndl-
Gated by Mr.. Camalier's report and
bv the fact that the new District
supply measure calls for an admins
trative assistant to relieve the super
intendent of some of his duties Mr..
Camalier recommends that this relief
be granted the superintendent as,
soon as possible, SO that he may
devote more time to supervision of
Evening star., 1942-07-01

visioned by the League Selfish DOM
nance, particularly by the then French
diplomats, who received support from
British diplomats at the peace conference
and afterWard, made the realization of
these ideals impossible
British diplomats supported the French
diplomats only because pressure con-
vinced them that their own interests
would be doubly secure if they sided with
France. The events that have transpred
since 1888 show that France was not such
bulwark after all. but then one must be
fair, since France did not receive armed
support from its ally across the Channel
IN time to thwart the enemy from
the west
Still it is evident that selfshness nearly
brought both of them into complete dis
aster. When the next peace is written,
world leaders should remember the les
sons of the past. F. G.F.
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Favors Memorable Celebra ton
OF Fourth Of July.

To the Editor OF The star
AS lowly descendant OF the men and
women who came to this country fought
and died to make 1t free, should like
to ask one question: Are we afraid to
stand up and celebrate the freedom so
costly won? II not, why are the Gov
ernment agencies not directly connected
with defense asked to work on indie
pendence Day?
The present war is being fought to
prove that free men can remain free.
If after six months we are afraid to
proclaim our freedom. then we are
waging losing fight. This cannot be
true, so let us make this Independence
Day one to be long remembered and
not bury it under the false name Of
wars necessity or international unity.
ALICE S. HANSON.
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Nusturtiums
Perched along the fence to

Perched along the fence top,
Leaning on the ld,Dn-
Green SpOked discs, and blossoms
Bright as sun at da,un.
Yello1O, red, and orange,
Scented S1Deet NTH spice.
Stems as crisp and tanqy
As mater creSS on ice.
Some fo,0ers are for lurtrp,
And some for heart or soul,
But for gay contentment--
Ndsturttuns IN botrl.
HORTENsE ROBERTA ROBERTS.
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Correcting q Mistake

The War and Navy Departments
100000 super parking lot in West
Potomac Park, a ten-acre asphalt
slab marking the remains Of part Of
the old polo field. is dismal mOnu-
ment to a type Of hasty and planleSs
emergency construction that has
been all too prevalent in Washington
for the past year or so. This is not
an isolated instance of official
thoughtlessnes or shortSightednes
or whatever one may wish to call it,
Other developments in receHt
months have indicated a general
tendency especially in the War and
Navy Departments, to bypass eStab-
lished planning agencies in the desire
of itself underStandable-to eX-
pedite action on war-related prof.
ects. Haste, of course, is necessary
In furthering the war program, but
1t has become increasingly evident
that some of the decisions made have
been altogether too haSty and that
little planning, even in abbreviated
form, would have facilitated the war
effort, rather than impeded it..
The shocking lack of preparatory
study and planning which marked
the decision last January to convert
the polo field into an Army-Navy
parking area for $500 cars is appar-
ent to any observer. This rush paving
lob was represented to the Park and
Planning Commission as an under
taking vital to the war effort. A
commission official, in announcing
that reluctant approval had been
given to the plan, explained that the
Army and Navy told the commission
they "just could not get along with
out the polo field" A picture was
presented of thousands Of war work.
ers clamoring to find places to park
their cars In the Constitution avenue
area.
But at no time since the asphalt
was hurriedly laid-in an apparent
effort to get the job done before the
press and public knew what was
going on-have more than twenty
five automobiles been parked on the
huge War Department section of the
lot, where there are two attendants
and spaces for 1903 cars, Eight or
ten is the daily average. The Navy's
part of the field has more customers,
but only about half Of the l 1903 which
were expected to use it.
Fortunately, there is way to atone
for the polo field miStake-and pos
sibly to avoid another one at the
same time Instead Of proceeding
with construction of temporary dor
mitories for war workers on recrea-
tional areas in East Potomac Park,
why not build at least some of them
on unused portions of the polo field
parking lot? 1t is understood that
plans have been approved for erec-
ton of three such structures on the
southern end of the field Probably
more could be built there if the Navy
would agree to surrender part Of its
parking area. The polo field would
be a more convenient site for Army
and Navy workers than East Potomac
Park, and further encroachment on
the Capitals recreational areas would
be avoided Certainly some wartime
rnaIilI no no Nf tho
less portions of the polo fields acres
OF asphalt.
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Quotes Novel Interpretation
OF Famous Idealism

Z o 7 n
David Lawrences interesting piece
concerning the absence OF certain
comma in the sso-United Nations
agreement is reminiscent of the point
dent Wilson's I'VE are too proud to
fight" He wrote that 1t was merely a
matter Of punctuation; that If commas
were placed Immediately after the words
are" and too" it would reflect Mr..
Wilson's thought.
History justified the Briton's conten-
ton. G.. w. McENTEE.
Evening star., 1942-07-01
End of the Greenhouses

n WOl llWlllle eCollOI1y III ll6 HeW
fiscal year should result from the de-
cision not to replace the thirty-three
white House" greenhouses which
will be razed by extension of indie
pendence avenue The decision is emf
nently wise, and is the result Of
thorough consideration by the
Budget Bureau and park officials,
whose recommendation have been
approved by the President. Much of
the money previously devoted to these
greenhouses can be better spent on
park maintenance. And as already
suggested, the White House will be
able to obtain flowers for official
functions on the open market at less
cost than by expensive maintenance
of the greenhouses.
Park officials some years ago
adopted the recommendations of
landscape architects and others for
greater use of shrubbery and fewer
seasonal flowers, in the parks. This
for some of the greenhouses. But
while the park system was placed
under jurisdiction of the Interior
Department, the greenhouses re-
tanned their connection with the
White House. They were thus sacro-
Sanct and to certain extent de1ed,
without the Presidents knowledge,
the usual strict examination given
annually to normal appropriations
for maintenance. Money in the
District bill and in the Department Of
Interior bill appropriated for park
maintenance" was used to supple
ment funds for maintenance of the
greenhouses And the expense grew
beyond any reasonable proportion to
actual needs for White House and
park flowers.
Two years ago Budget Director
Smith undertook an examination
which resulted in his ending the
inequity Of diverting District funds,
for park maintenance" to the sup
port of White House greenhouses.
And now that White House flowers,
for official functions, are to be pur-
| chased on the open market, there is
really no need for retaining the
| greenhouses any longer. Their MAIN
| tenance cost has greatly increased In
| recent years. They were built when
| gardeners salaries averaged $75. in
| stead of $3.50, a month"; and when
laborers were paid 81 instead of 81 so
! per day. And they originally served
small park area, where the tastes
! Of the day demanded lavish displays
Of bedding out plants in intricately
designed arrangement rather than
| adequate maintenance for TOO small
| parks, circles and triangles which are
part Of the park system now.
! Today the need, as far as the parks
are concerned, is for more careful
| planning and more expert super
vision of park planting. 1t is un-
wise merely to acquire areas for
! parks, large and small, and then
to neglect them, so that the effect
is Of a shabby city, run down
at the heels, Great progress has
been made in acquiring park areas,
but the justified complaint Of the
park authorities has been over the
lack of funds properly to maintain
| the parks that are acquired. One
might hope that the final end of the
greenhouses, even associated as thev
are with pretty sentiment of the
| past, Symbolizes a determination to
develop adequately the parks that
we have so that all the people can
enjoy them the year round rather
than waste money on hothouse
| plants, fit mainly for somewhat
| gaudy and passing show.
Evening star., 1942-07-01

his staff and inspection Of the estab-
ushment.
Glenn Dale, relatively new insu-
tuition, should not be permitted, be-
cause of inadequate administration
to begin that process of deterioration
that has been too closely identified
with some other municipal institu-
tiopS
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the 1Uriter, although the use of
a pSeudonyn, for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters Nth
a DieD to condensation.
Evening star., 1942-07-01

To faithful Washington fans who
have had to watch the present dia-
mond aggregation perform, those
recent pictures of Griffith surrounded
by his infielders of 1924 -1925-Joe,
Bucky, Roger and Ossie-were tear
jerkerS, all right.
Evening star., 1942-07-01

the war aims of the United Nations
would be to make this country an instru-
ment of Europe's liberation. Let her
fight on our second front
DIR. wILLIBALD M. PLOECM.
Evening star., 1942-07-01

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
the use for republics tion of all news dispatches
credited to 1t or not otherwise credited in this
paper and also the local news published herein.
All rights of publication of special dispatches
herein also reserved
Evening star., 1942-07-01
Common Household Pests

Common Household Pests
Even the best of housewives may
find 20 her horror that some
obnoxious pest has invaded her
home. 1t may be an army OF ants
or cockroaches, moths. termites,
or a mouse or two. The surest
way to keep the house free OF
them is to know what to do and
to do it quickly and thoroughly.
Our 32-page booklet on household
pests gives this information
briefly but adequately. To Sc
cure your copy of this publication
incloSe 10 cents in coin, wrapped
in this clipping, and mail to The
Star Information Bureau.
Name
Address
Evening star., 1942-07-01

For home consumption, Toxic
should insist that the affair at Mid
way was merely routine flee ma
neuVer.