davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-11-29
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Tr1ce1uell.

that they intrigue the fancy Of the male
members of the household.
There is something about the spines,
and the fact that the things can go for
a long time with very little water, which
appeals to the male fancy.
One may feel that 1t is the watering,
after all which makes the whole sub
ject Of indoor plants difncult one, both
for men and women.
: Even the experienced indoor expert
will seldom be able to tell you how she
knows when to water a potted plant.
1t Is more a matter of instinct than
anything else.
The most famous cultivators Of house
plants were and are the small-town
women OF America.
1t was the thing to do, in the first
place, and the houses were colder.
You couldn't call up the florist and
get cut flowers.
Another thing. they liked to have
plants for bedding in the spring, and
the best way was to grow their own.
The cool house air just suited such
plants. Mostly homes were heated by
drum stoves-coming in again, due to
the war-and these did not dry out the
moisture as modern central heating
tends to do.
1t must never be forgotten that many
modern home has air as dry as the
Sahara.
The higher the temperature, the
drier the air, everything else being equal.
which it usually isn't.
1t is difficult to tell how much water
to give plants, because 1t is impossible
for the average person to know ac-
curately the moisture content Of the
air
Lack of moisture combines with va
rious small insect pests to make home
growing OF indoor plants trial and a
tribulation liked only by the most hardy
spirit
1t somewhat resembles hiking, or
mountain climbing. One really has to
like it.
Older homes had more room in them,
and hence the banks and ranks OF
potted flowers and vines did not seem
to take up so much room.
Potted plants, as an American indoor
pastime, went out with the modern small
sixroom house and apartments
Gradually the fancy ferneries and the
like gave way to the snappy glass
shelves bearing smaller gayly colored
pots and jars in front of large windows.
This Hollywood idea has driven the
old-fashioned tubs of umbrella plants
to the wall, but there may be a change,
some day, since all these things run in
cycles.
Mother has her glass shelves, but
daughter will remember grandmother
plants, and will think them too cute
for anything in memory, and will bring
them back again.
Then the returning soldiers will again
drop cigar ashes into the plants, and
again there will be shrieks of protest
There Is, really, nothing new under the
sun.
Evening star., 1943-11-29
Colombia On AIIy

The Republic of Colombia, latest
Latin American nation to recognize
state Of belligerency with Ger
many, Is a country almost as large
as the traditional Reich. It for
merly had an aggressive German
colony and was regarded in Berlin
as a market of considerable poten-
tial value as we'll as a source of
such raw materials as platinum
first discovered in Colombia in 1735
and crude petroleum.
But the Colombian people were
distrustful OF German procedures.
1t happens that they long have
nourished particular zeal for hu-
man liberty. Revolt against the
tyranny of Spain began in what
then was called the vice royalty of
New Granada in 1910 and ended
only with the achievement of COM
plete independence in 1924. British
volunteers aided Simon Bolivar in
campaign which eliminated in the
defeat of the Spanish Army on the
Boyaca River. The congress at
Cucuta which drew up the basic
national constitution in 1921 re-
hected liberalistic Anglo-Saxon
ideals. 1t abolished the Inquisition,
decreed religious tolerance, prohib-
tied the collection of tribute from
the Indians, halted the trade in
African slaves and took steps to-
ward the gradual elimination of
chattel serfdom. Laws were passed
encouraging immigration and estab-
fishing public schools. The United
States Government was the leader
among the powers recognizing the
new order.
Colombian appreciation of the
friendship of both British and
American statesmen took the form
of the adoption of many aspects of
the culture of the English-speaking
communities. English methods of
instruction were accepted; and base
ball, as played in the United States,
became popular sport. Even in
seasons Of conflict and distress, the
population commonly has inclined
in the direction of Britain and
America.
Trade with the United States in
cinchona, coffee and bananas has
prospered. The endeavor of a Ger
man group, known as Scadta, to
monopolize air transport in Co.
1ombia commenced In 1919 but COL
Evening star., 1943-11-29
SIXTEENTH STREET.


II know I have no other claim on
your time than the fact that I like your
column immensely and never miss it.
For 10 or IL years have been your
faithful reader, and found it always
interesting and instructive.
And now for my problem: How should
geraniums be cared for? Mine are not
the flower ones with the rounded leaf,
but the deeper green and velvety leaf.
I place them out in the window where
the morning sun shines.
water it every two or three days.
But 1t seems to me the leaves are start
ing to look yellowish and some are de-
cidedly so. Should they be indoors all
the time? Is the sun good for them?
How often should they be watered?
II am,
Yours very truly, D. A. G."
Geraniums are best kept on the dry
side.
This means that they should be wa
tered not more than once or twice a
week.
Foliage geraniums do not need as in
tense light or as much sun as the flower
ing sort.
Watering is always a great problem
in relation to growing plants. Men
seldom make good caretakers of such
plants. They seem to be the special
province of women.
Women, in fact, have a much greater
admiration for house plants than men.
The latter regard them as fussy. In
the old days 1t was a favorite diversion
of the wag OF the family to drop his
cigar ashes into the potted plants.
1t is probable that men will never
understand the liking which women
have for house plants.
There is one department, however, in
which men share admiration, and this
is in that OF the cacti.
These odd plants, desert specimens
but small size, often make great appeal
to men.
They find out, through trying to grow
them. that house plants, as a race OF
living things, are not as easy to handle
as they look.
The cactus, with its spines, and spe-
cial watering requirements, makes de-
mands upon the indoor cultivator which
often drive him to books
There is quite literature on the sub
ject OF the cactus. The Public Library
can supply the interested person with
many Interesting and helpful items.
Much scientific study has been put
upon the cacti.
These curious plants have been cata-
logued and pictured. The latter number
into.the thousands.
Only a comparatively small list, how
ever, is advised for home cultivation
Some of the smallest are often seen in
the dish-gardens, so-called.
These intrigue the laity, and give its
members a start in a fascinating hobby,
not the least good part, as stated, being
Evening star., 1943-11-29
As in july

Here In this rocky cove the green
pines reach
ToUard skies as blue as in Ja'y.
Alott
A Uhite gull hoDers. Ripples lap
the beach
In long familiar rhythm, slotp
and soft. ~
With undimmed radiance the noon.-
day sun 7.
Sprinkles a rop of sequins on tho
bay s.
And here, ,Dell-sheltered from No
Denrber, one
May profit by a healing summer
day.
Prone on rock noU, let the sun
sink In
And loose the tautness! Then look
up! Lie there
And gaze until blue distances beotn
To be reality, and all despair
Over d muddled ,Dorld has been dis
PEELED
In that bright ponder at & sphers,
upheld.
ELo1sE WADE HAcKErT. -
Evening star., 1943-11-29
No Guarantee
From the Topeka Capitai.

FTom the Topeka Capital.
Who knows the real strength of Ger
many's armed forces? Perhaps not
even Hitler himself, for military
strength is based on morale-that in
def1nable something which gets down
to the individual human being, with his
hopes and his fears and his uncertainty.
Since no one actually has any ability to
estimate accurately the length of time
1t will take to bring about unconditional
surrender of the Nazis, the United States
and her Allies must necessarily prose-
cute the war in Europe as If it might
last for years. And 1t may. There is
no real guarantee that 1t wtll-1ot.
Evening star., 1943-11-29

lapsed In 1899 under the impact Of
the Second World War.
Military service is compulsory in
Colombia, recruits being assigned to
one or another OF six brigades. Re-
tired British naval officers reorgan-
lied the Colombian Navy in 1884.
1t is not contemplated that troops
from Colombia will share in the
fighting in Europe, but the action of
the Senate at Bogota on Saturday
definitely places the Colombian Re-
public in association with the United
Nations.
Evening star., 1943-11-29
To Tide Them Over

In his message calling upon Con-
gress to enact legislation to ease the
transitional problems to be faced by
millions Of men and women on their
eventual rehabilitation from the
armed forces President Roosevelt
stresses central fact that is beyond
argument What these millions will
want more than anything else" he
says, "iS the assurance of satisfactory
employment upon their return to
civil life" but because they will be
leaving the services at time when
industry will be in the "throes of
reconversion," great numbers Of
them will be unable to find jobs i'm
mediately, and we must therefore
make provision now to help them
through any difficult period.
To this end, Senate and House are
moving promptly to adopt a three
point program-first, to provide a
uniform, reasonable mastering out
pay" on monthly installment basis,
for all service men or women honor
ably discharged or placed on the in
active list; second, to establish spe-
cial system OF unemployment allow
ances to take care of those members
Of the armed forces who may not be
able to obtain jobs within a reason
able time after returning to civil
life, and third. to give every one
credit under the Federal Old-Age
and Survivors Insurance Law for
time spent in the Army, Navy or
any other military branch. The last
point is designed not so much to
ease the transitional period as to
correct an inequity; under the
present Social Security set-up, SOL
diers. sailors, marines and others
in the service personnel are in jobs
not covered by the law, a fact which
the President considers unfair since
the size Of ultimate insurance and
retirement benefits depends upon
the total number of years in which
credits are obtained.
Points one and two are addressed
directly to the problems Immediately
incident to demobilization. Both the
mastering pay and the unem-
ployment allowances are primarily
designed to make the change from
military to civilian life as smooth
and painless as possible. AS a
safeguard against abuses, the
mustering-out pay would not be
awarded in lump sum as tempta-
ton to spendthrifts, and the unem-
ployment allowances would be made
only to those registering with the
United States Unemployment Service
on the basis of their willingness to
accept suitable jobs as they become
available, or to engage in training
courses to equip themselves for such
jobs. Allowances of this kind will
be imperative, in the Presidents
opinion, because it may take a long
time for many to find work, and
under the present system an esti-
mated fifty per cent of those in
service will not otherwise have pro-
lection against unemployment when
demobilized.
In principle, certainly, such a
program seems both necessary and
wholly unobjectionable. When they
are demobilized, the millions in
the armed forces cannot be dis
missed with nothing but a small
bonus and a ticket home. They
want and they need, as Mr. Roosevelt
says, the assurance of decent job,
and to help them in this, the Nation
will have to plan and act now to
cushion the problems their demobi-
lization will create. Any other course
would be at once ungenerous and
economically unwise.
Evening star., 1943-11-29
Concession Looic
r. G. BARTON.
l.. v. ADAMS,
From the New York Sun

From the New York Sun,
So many little pigs went to market
that the housewives are getting q divi-
dend in ration points. 1t will be all
right II they are not asked to give up
more for the butter which might have
been churned from the milk that might
have come from the cows If there had
been more Of the corn which prepared
the pigs for their fate.
Evening star., 1943-11-29
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the 1Driter, although the use OF
a pseudonyna for publication Is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters Nth
a UieW to condensation.
Evening star., 1943-11-29

The cost of whisky is high. Still
higher, however, is the cost Of the
stuff that is represented to be whisky
and sends its buyers to hospitals or
graveyards.
Evening star., 1943-11-29

Grocery firms that failed to order
turkeys in time are now kicking
themselves. They should have known
that the early arm gets the bird. -
Evening star., 1943-11-29
Readers Debate
The Patton Incident.

The Patton Incident.
To the Editor of The Star:
Headline news for the past few days
has been the story Of Gen. Patton hit
ting sheu-shocked soldier in a field
hospital last Augusta most unfortu-
nate and regrettable incident Even
more regrettable is the fact that Drew
Pearson releases it three months after
it happened. Certainly Gen. Eisen-
hover, commanding our forces in the
European theater of operations, had not
seen fit to institute court-martial, nor
even formal reprimand-apparently
satisfied that Gen. Patton's apology to
both the soldier and to the officers of
the various divisions had closed the case.
Obviously the incident had no Ill effects
on the soldier-if anything. the exact
opposite, for he was back at the front
in a week
Is the career of valuable Officer
the general who commanded the VIC
torious 7th Army in North Africa and
Sicily-to be sacrificed for momentary
breach Of Army regulations? Assuredly,
other newspapermen covering the Euro
pean war zones must have known of
the matter. Why is Mr.. Pearson the
only one to report this affair and make
trouble and confusion at this late date?
INDIGNANT WAR WORKER.
TO the Editor of The Star:
Apparently Drew Pearson has taken
upon himself the task of destroying the
American peoples confidence in their
leaders. He searches out one single act
detrimental to those in authority and
uses his access to the newspapers and
the radio to give 1t emphasis.
From the safe angle of Mr.. Pearson's
desk, 1t may be easy for him to Judge
and to expose" happenings on the
front line, but the recently publicized
action of Gen. Patton was dealt with,
promptly, on the spot, by the command
ing officer, Gen. Eisenhower. Mr.. Pear
son, 1000 miles from the front, casts
aspersions on Gen. Patton, and, what is
far more grave, thus tends to shake
confidence in the commanding generals
handling of the matter, as well. That,
in wartime, is serious.
1t is obvious that Gen. Patton's judg-
ment and courage undoubtedly have
saved the lives of thousands of men in
battle; naturally that does not excuse
him in this present instance But to
hunt out single act in the life OF any
man, and make it outweigh all his years
of usefulness, should make us all pause
and consider.
This is not the first time that Mr..
Pearson has tried this method of dis
paraging those in authority. In a des-
perate war for survival his persistent
effort to destroy trust, where there
should be concerted action, is of doubt
full value to our Nation.
JUST AN AMERICAN.
To the Editor of The Star:
I am an American mother with an
only son in the service of his country.
would be one of the first to criticize
any harsh or cruel treatment of one of
our boys by an off1cer.
The episode of Gen. George S. Patton,
jr., slapping an American soldier in
mt OF temper was most unfortunate and
very wrong to say the least.
But are there any of us who at one
time or another in our lives have not
lost our tempers?
Gen. Patton measured out his own
medicine and took it when he apologized
to his officers and men and particularly
to the soldier he had damned
Evening star., 1943-08-01

Pearl Harbor. What are the
leading causes for dismissal?
Psychoneurosisl leads the list
with ulcers. asthma and heart
ailments next.
8. SUBSTITUTE We
usually think of rosin as being
used by prize fighters to make
then, sure-footed, or for the
conditioning of rioiin bo,rs.
Nor, hOnerer. it is becoming
one of the important items in
fores falling a national short
age of a necessary product.
What is the product?
Soap. Rosin can be used in
both laundry and toilet soaps
instead of fats and oils.
8. DEPEND ENCY
What steps can the millions of
people ,cho are dependent on
monthly government checks
Oron, the armed fOrces) take
to insure their proper deiirery?
There are eight good rules to
follow. (See page l3.)
NOTE: We will pay 81 in War
Savings Stamps for each question
and answer accepted for use in this
column. Proof must accompany
answer. Address: Tom Henry, THIS
WEEK, 24OO Craybar Building, 40
Lexington Ave-. New York II. n. Y.
Unaccepted contributions cannot
be acknowledged or returned.
Evening star., 1943-08-01

/. SALUTES What is the
proper ,cay for ciriiians to
salute the flag during the
pledge of allegiance?
Stand at attention, right
hand over heart. Only persons
in uniform need render the
military salute.
Mrs. NJ. p, Mil J alley, Cal.
z. MIDGET AIR FORCE
At the beginning of World War
I, horr many airpianes do you
think our armed forces had?
Only SIS and that was 20
more planes than flying Off
GERS! T.. Weogufka, Aid.
3. LETTERS Why should
letters to prisoners held by the
Japanese be typed in capitals
or printed in block ietters9
In order to expedite censor
ships. The Japs have few people
available for censorship who
can read English readily.
4. SUB LANGUAGE -.
What does a broom carried
atop a submarine mean?
When subs come in from a
patrol, they carry broom to
indicate a clean sweep of the
waters patrolled.
J. C., Troy, y. Y.
S. WASTE Hou is raste
controlled in tcarfinne Britain?
1t is illegal to throw away
any paper. destroy, throw
away or abandon rags, rope.
string or rubber. All these are
collected for salvage.
f. NJ. H., Odkddte, Cal.
S. MUSIC Phonosraph
music is in great demand
among our armed forces
abroad. In GuadaIcanoI, trIien
The CIO news. (Cumberland, Md.) 1942-????, 1943-03-29
Labor Draft Useless

OF what conceivable use Is 1t to
draft manpower when we have
people who have been laid off and
anxious to work? We have firms
still producing unessential goods.
OF what conceivable use Is
1t to draft manpower when there
are still available people to 60
from nonessential plants to essen
tial industry? We still have q
chaotic wage condition with In
equalities and inequities. How can
we continue to maintain a high
degree of morale and freeze work.
'ers with all such prevailing In
equalities?
We still have areas which need
more manpower, but where there
aren't sufficient homes to take
care of them or any health facili-
ties or transportation facilities.
Some people may call 1t "codd-
The CIO news. (Cumberland, Md.) 1942-????, 1943-03-29

Washington, March 27-Anybody
who still has any illusions left
about the Ruml plan should study
CLIO Pres. Murray's letter analyz-
ing the plan sent to all Congress
men this week.
The letter was sent as debate on
the Ruml plan-which labor and
the administration are opposing as
a windfall for the rich and a seri-
Gus loss to the u. s. Treasury-be-
gan In Congress. with Republican
and Democratic reactionaries gang
ing together for passage.
Describing the Ruml plan as de
ceptively attractive" Murray cited
a few simple comparisons to show
how the rich would benefit eXclu-
sively under the plan. while the
low income groups received almost
no benefit, or at best a very small
rebate. on their 1912 taxes. Accord
ing to Murray's letter:
THE FACTS
I. The man with an income OF
100000 o year would be forgiv-
en- taxes amounting to s64, 900
one with 1900. 900 o year would
be forgiven $3.50, 900. For the 100
The CIO news. (Cumberland, Md.) 1942-????, 1943-03-29
Hits Unlimited Income

In the face Of this need, I assure
you II Is most discouraging TO the
workers and disastrous to morale
for best production and efficiency
to witness Congress run rampant
on the issue OF limiting salaries
after taxes and other liberal allow
ances-to a mere pittance" of $25,-
600 a year, while the workers have
voluntarily accepted a sterilization
Of their wages. The legal niceties
as to whether this limitation
should be imposed through Execu-
tive Order or through tax legis-
lation do not appeal TO those who
are meeting their sacrifices and
their burdens in the interests Of
furthering the war effort.
Absenteeism II but the result
Of o number Of causes to which
no attention has been addressed.
We know that because Of the un-
planned and chaotic issuance Of
contracts we have created large
areas of tremendous overcrowd-
ing of people. This has resulted
In appalling problems Of trans
portation, poor housing, condi-
lions giving rise to ill-health and
disease.
We have brought into Ameri-
can industry millions Of women,
many of whom have children who
need child care facilities while the
mothers are at work. But no
facilities have been created.
The CIO news. (Cumberland, Md.) 1942-????, 1943-03-29

ling the workers" to think Of
these problems, but you can
freeze, draft and assign workers
until you are blue In the face,
but will you get workers to these
places In the face Of these cOndi-
tons?
We know we have not utilized
all of the women manpower and
Negroes who are still available
for work. OF what use Is II to
talk about freezing or drafting
manpower until we have effective
~ broken down the discriminatory
practices which bar women and
Negroes or other minority groups
form obtaining work in essential
industries?
The CIO Is therefore necessarily
and unalterably opposed to the
Acknowledgements bill. 1t will
accomplish nothing except to in
ject the basis for dissension and
disunity and freeze chaos. whereas
what we now need are concrete
legislative steps for the accom-
plishment of total mobilization,
thereby assuring the forging of an
unshakeable national unity.
The CIO news. (Cumberland, Md.) 1942-????, 1943-03-29
Far Short of Coal

We are far short Of a complete
and total mobilization Of all our
resources and manpower.
For this reason, great as our &C
complishments have been, they are
not what they can and must be
through a total mobilization. On
the production front we still have
a confusing overlapping Of ad-
mlnistrative agencies with constant
recurring jurisdictional fights
among them and an absence OF
centralized and planned control Of
scheduling Of material, manpower
and plant facilities.
Agriculture remains the last
great industry uncOnverted to .
wartime basis. The individual
farmers of America are no more
to blame for this developing
food crisis than the city workers
who cannot buy meat or butter.
Our approach to date because
Of the pressure Of the alleged
farm bloc" has been confined to
the raising Of prices Of farm pro-
ducts with the hope that this
will result In increased produc-
ton.
But compare that type Of legis-
lation with the proposals that have
been submitted by the National
Farmers Union and supported by
the Clio (a) to provide incentive
payments to farmers for increasing
production of essential crops, and
(b) to provide adequate appropira-
lions for the Farm Security adj
ministration to assure maximum
production Of food crops by small
farmers and to continue its pro-
gram of training and transporting
farm workers wherever necessary