davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-03-29
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Tracewell.

Plenty of hard-coal ashes, mixed in
with clay, will give good planting me-
dium. Ashes or sand break up the clay,
and allow such fertility as it possesses
to 60 into action.
Air and moisture are able to get to
the rootlets, and thus the fine feeding
roots can take up the necessary chemi-
Gals In solution.
Our correspondents structures as to
garden writer's have basis in fact, but
certainly not all such writer's are as bad
as he pictures them. Many of them
are very good.
Where some Of them fall down is in
knowing too much. That is, they fail to
understand just how much the amateur
does not know, and so they leave out
some OF the necessary steps. 1t is just
these steps which the reader wants to
know. Every one who has tried to write
knows how difficult 1t is to put in every
step, and even then there is no way of
knowing whether the reader reads
Alright.
Garden writing Is not easy, any more
than writing about music is easy. Many
books have been written on pruning,
for instance, but we defy any one to act
upon their instruction with success, any
more than one can understand" Mozart
by reading a book about him. The
| gardener must actually learn for him
| self, how to prune; and the listener must
| listen to Mozart, when he will find that
understanding" Is not so necessary as
| appreciation.
| No doubt there will be hundreds OF
disappointed gardeners this spring and
summer, but also there will be some
pleased ones, and many thousands OF
tons of vegetables grown which other
| wise would never see the light of day.
How bravely many begin!
But when the hot days come, en-
thusiasm lags. This is such common
phenomenon that perhaps it is worth
while to mention it in advance, so that
one may be looking for it, in order to
resist it.
Then there will be those gardeners
who Just quit. They will raise a few
pathetic vegetables, and will confess to
themselves that they had better stick to
flowers.
A garden, Victory or otherwise, Is an
experience.
Until one gardens, even in a small
way, one never realizes how many en-
emies there are in any constructive un-
dertaking.
Insect pests, scale insects, worms,
| mildews-these and many others COM
| bine to take their toll of plant life.
| Professional vegetable growers know
all about them, but many beginning
amateur gardeners have yet to make
their acquaintance. 1t won't be Ions
now. But do not rush into a drippine
wet yard and try to plant vegetabl,
seeds in soil that resembles wet sponge
Take your time. Nature will not be II
as much of hurry as you are.
Evening star., 1943-03-29

the coinage of the United States as
a penny, but numismatis know bet
ter. When an American uses the
phrase in reference to cent he re-
peats ian old slang term" True
enough, the word in a multitude of
different forms, is very old, universal
in application, common in score or
more Of languages. According to the
Century Dictionary" the traditional
meaning Is: "A silver coin weighing
221z grains or the 240th part of a
Tower pound. It corresponded to the
Roman denarius and was also called
'easterling.' In 1346 its weight was
reduced to 20 grains. Similar coins
called pennies were in use in Scot
land and Ireland. In early times any
coin could be called a penny Thus
the gold coins called 'horins,' struck
by order of Edward III in 1343, were
called by the people gold pennies,
and the half-florins and quarter
florins, respectively, gold halfpen-
MES and gold farthings.'"
More recently, the same authority
declares, penny has been "in Great
Britain, copper (since 1860 bronze)
token coin, of which IL are equal to
a shilling. It weighs 145.833
grains troy and is worth in metal
about one-fourth of its face value.
Copper pennies were first
struck in the time of James (about
16O0." Lord Baltimore, it is added,
established a Maryland mint in Lon
don in 1859 for the manufacture of
pennies for his American colony.
Only one specimen of his production
is known to be extant.
The United States cent, on the
other hand, says James D. Magee in
the Dictionary of American His
tory" "came from the adoption OF
the dollar as the unit and it's division
decimally" in 1892. Colonial ac-
counts were kept in pounds, shillings
and pence but the circulation was
mostly in Spanish dollars. A privately
issued coin dated 1888 (called the
Washington cent? had the word
cent on it. Vermont and Connect
cut in 1785 coined cents, but Massa-
chusetts, in 1887, was the first State
to have the word on its coin. The
'Fugio' cent in 1887 was the first cent
issued under the authority OF the
United States. Cents were minted
regularly by the Federal Government
starting with 1893"
Amateur enthusiasts, patriotically
breaking up their piggy banks to lend
the contents to their country, are re-
ferred to little book entitled "Coin
Collecting" by Joseph Coffin, avail
able in the public libraries, for data
on the premium values of both
large" and small cents in the
numismatic market.
Evening star., 1943-03-29

left out Of previous pay legislation,
but veto Is forecast for the postal
measure. which would give its bene-
f1ciaries the advantage OF both the
lump sum raise and overtime rates
after 40 hours, for combined in
crease over basic rates estimated as
high as IS per cent. The postal
workers are included in the tempo
rary pay legislation expiring April 80,
which applies generally to white
collar" personnel, but they succeeded
in pushing through bill of their own
instead of remaining under the
omnibus measure, which is to be re-
enacted, and which gives other en-
ployes a bonus or overtime pay-but
not both.
The bill approved by the Senate
Civil Service Committee continues
the overtime rates in the classified
service, amounting to a 216 per cent
advance over base pay in a 48-hour
week, and provides a $500 fiat in
crease for those groups which cannot
work an overtime schedule. It has
the support Of the administration,
and quick passage by the Senate is
in prospect. It is possible that an
effort will be made to liberalize the
measure in the Senate or House
which also is considering the pay
question-as the White House has
indicated approval Of a higher scale
and employe organizations are ar
guing for a rate approximating 80
per cent over base pay, contending
that departmental hours have been
increased more than 20 per cent, and
that the current wage is no raise at
all but simply more money for
longer work week.
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Report Of War Stamp Sale
BY Newspaper Carrier Challenged.

To the Editor of The Star:
Hearing your slogan on the radio TO-
day, If you see it in The Star, it's true
am taking the liberty of asking if you
really believe the hokum in the story
printed in The Star from Albany, N. Y,
that Harvey Coloney, newspaper car
rier, has sold more than $4,000, 900 worth
of 10-cent War savings stamps.
Two million dollars worth of 10-cent
stamps is 100000 stamps. At the rate
Of 10000 stamps per day it would take
nearly five and one-half years, including
Sundays, to accomplish this feat. Since
the only purpose in making 1O-cent
stamps available is to enable the small
purchaser to accumulate money for
bonds, there cannot possibly be any mo-
tive for large purchases except as pub
licity stunt. One hundred and eighty
seven 10-cent stamps and Scent stamp
are exchangeable for bond with a ma
turity value Of $25, the smallest bond
issued. Hence, any one able to buy as
many as 200 stamps at q time would
naturally buy bond-so there Is no ra-
tional explanation Of the story.
This is the type Of propaganda that
is undermining the faith of all intelh-
gent thinking people and there are none
too many Of them.
FABIAN FRANKLIN LEVY.
Editors note-The War savings
stan Of the Treasury Department re-
ports that Newspaper Carrier Coloney
sold 215,247 stamps, valued at $2l,-
52f70. The Associated Press and
Star erred in failing to note the In
consistency In the statement Of .
New York Assemblyman who intro
duced Coloney. 70 the Assembly.
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Editorial on Alfred Case
Found Characterized by "Naivette."

Found Characterized by "Naivette."
To the Editor of The Star:
The exquisite naivette of the edi-
torial on the Alfred Nomination" is
fascinating
The vast majority Of politicians in
and about Texas have been discussing
the deal by which Alfred left his sure
job on the Federal Court to make a
sorry run against Senator O'Daniel for
the seat in the Senate which was won by
ODaniel.
The Star declines to pay attention to
the story, believed to be true by most
men in politics, and in its delightful
innocence says "the story was not sub
stantiated, but on the contrary was de-
MED by Attorney General Biddle,"
thereby causing a waistline laugh.
How could Biddle know anything
about the matter? No one for second
limited that Biddle was a party to the
deal. Then how could he deny it?
Deals such as Alfred is suspected Of
having made are never entered into In
the presence Of a notary public with
witnesses.
They never can be proved by direct
evidence. They of necessity are matters
for circumstantial evidence to establish.
Reaching the serious part of The Star
editorial, the qualifications Of Judge ALI
red until this adventure were beyond all
dispute. He had been confirmed by the
Senate under previous appointment
and had given satisfaction while on the
bench.
But unhappily the people Of Texas now
believe that his only reason for resign
ing from the bench was to make the run
against ODaniel, opposed by the New
Deal at the behest Of these close to the
top with generous assurances that he
would ~ cared for m the event Of de-
Evening star., 1943-03-29
GEORGETOWN.

Dear Sir:
"Ho: For the Victory garden. with It's
disappointments, headaches, backaches
and pleasure!
Having acquired ribbon or two at
local flower shows, consider myself
above the average of gardeners, and,
fired with enthusiasm, planned a vege-
table garden last spring. And right here
let me warn all prospective gardeners
that most of the articles dealing with
gardening are obviously written by those
who not alone have never labored with
the soil but probably have never seen
garden.
I'm this locality, where the owls hoot
and the rabbits roam at night and the
flying squirrels preempt all the bird
houses, the soil consists of equal parts
of rock, clay and cussedness.
ANY one who ventures a garden in
this district is entitled to a congress
sional medal. However, there are COM
pensations. such as, when you have
paused to mop your brow and see blue
bird perched in a nearby bush watch
ing you with an appraising eye, or yoN
have to practically shove aside an in
quisitive chipping sparrow.
X X Xxx
well, the garden was dug, tons Of
rock removed, liberal applications of
lime and peat moss dug or racked in,
seeds planted, fertilizers applied, weeds
eliminated, and began to have visions
OF the bushels of vegetables was going
to harvest, and then one morning 1 went
out and behold! the rabbits had had a
Lucullian feast and the beans, lettuce,
carrots, etc., were about ruined So I
telephoned the Department of Agricul-
ture, told my tale of woe, and received
by early mail a pamphlet giving instruc-
tions how to deal with the rabbits.
1T told, among other things, to strew
around the garden choice bits of apples,
carrots ETC.. which the rabbits would
prefer to my vegetables. After careful
consideration I determined that before
I would submit to being blackmailed by
a rabbit would abandon the garden, but
finally inclosed the area within a tight
wire fence. That foiled the rabbits. pu.
it failed to daunt the beetles of treacher-
Gus, malodorus Oriental descent Only
Macarthur could lick them. Nor did
it Tease the moles. These pesky little
critters had cute way of cutting the
young corn stalks and dragging the ends
into their runways.
The results were disappointing, and
made solemn vow-never again, never
again. But rationing and taxes have
changed the picture and this year the
garden will be bigger and better-I hope.
Sincerely, r. D. M"
&k
1t is excellent to. see the fun and
foibles of gardening, but at the same
time to go on gardening.
Even a poor vegetable garden, this
year, will be better than none at ALL
We are familiar with the clay soil OF
Georgetown, and would advise this cor
respondent that what he needs is ashes
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Cents Not Pennies

The new one-cent pieces. appro-
priately made Of steel, are wartime
novelty to which the public shortly
ana painlessly will become accus-
toned. Each VIII buy more or less
Of = hundredth part Of q dollars
worth. Or, II they be invested In
War bonds, not spent needlessly dur
ing the prevailing crisis. each will
conduce both to the triumph Of free
dom and to the prosperity which
should follow the resultant peace.
People refer to the smallest unit Of
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Story Of Eight Bullets
Object of Criticism.

To the Editor of The Star:
I wonder how many of your readers
were as shocked as to read your story
OF Gen. Collins and the eight bullets he
used ito kill a Jap? I read it aloud to
two young men of draft age and was
startled by their expressions when I fin
ished. "A new low in war stories" was
the comment of one
I realize that atrocities are committed
IN war, but at least let us not try to
boost morale by making light of the
killing of human beings. Even Japanese
are not clay pigeons
EDITH j. STEEL.
Evening star., 1943-03-29

Q. How large is Lake okeechobee in
Florida?-C. B.
A. Its area is TOO square miles. This
lake is so large that 1t Is treated legally
as salt water and comes under the same
fishing regulations as the ocean.
@. Who first made Camembert cheese2
H. G.
A. It's origin is attributed to French
| farm woman, Marie Harel, who made
the first cheese of this kind with the aid
of an escaped priest, during the revolu-
ton.
@. Are soldiers given extra pay for
flying time?-H. B.
A. Officers and enlisted men of the
per cent of their pay when by orders of
competent authority they are required
to participate regularly and frequently
in aerial flights.
@. What flowers are most widely cul-
tivated for commercial purposes?-
F. B. E.
A. The rose takes first place, followed
by carnation and violet.
@. How did the term "blarney" origi-
nate?-V. E. B.
A. The Irish Lord Of Blarney kept
putting off the fulfillment .of promise
to Queen Elizabeth. Exasperated, the
Queen finally exclaimed. This is all
Blarney; what he says he never means
@. Where was the first mortgage COM
pany in the United States?-F. C.
A. The Middlesex Banking Co. Of
Middletown, Conn, was the first mort
gage company in the country.
@. Is there an instrument that
matches colors?-H. H.
A. The colorscope is used for this
purpose. It is an electrical device which
employs photoelectric cell.
@. Does the President of the United
States exercise his powers regardless of
the place where he may be?-E. D. N.
A. Yes. The official actions Of the
President need not be taken at the Ma
tional Capital. He may exercise any
power at any place within the country,
or abroad
@. Please give the words of the Dean
of York's prayer for prisoners of war
G. M. 3.
A. Look, o Lord God, with the eyes
Of Thy mercy upon all prisoners OF war,
especially those known and loved by us.
Preserve them in bodily health and in
cheerful, undaunted spirit. Convey Thou
to them the support of our love on the
wings of Thine own, and hasten the day
of release through Him who hath made
us free eternally, Thy Son and Our
Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen"
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Freedom From Fear" Considered
In Relation to December 7, 1941.
To the Editor ~ rhs Qt,r.

In Relation to December I, 1941.
To the Editor OF The Star:
The seeming difference between Christ
and the modern reformer is that Christ
contended that If the inside were made
clean the outside would become clean of
itself, while the modern reformer con-
tends that If the outside is made clean
the inside will become clean of itself.
would not undertake to argue which
contention is correct. However, know
that even though . bears outside cov-
ering may be made white by placing him
in polar environment, the animal still
remains a bear inside.
also know that those who have free
dom OF religious worship and freedom Of
speech and from want will 20 to war
just as quickly and eagerly as those who
have not, when an occasion arises.
Japan went to war when she had free
dom from fear-at least from the Nation
she attacked at Pearl Harbor.
]. J. SPERRY.
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Ruchmoninoff

ualistic artist when Sergei Rach-
maninoff died. He was Muscovite
and as such nationalist, but more
particularly he was himself-a natu-
raj aristocrat, standing apart from
schools and movements, lonely yet
content with his isolation; brave but
not boastful, an authentic genius to
whom ordinary rules of CLASSIFICATION
and appraisal do not apply. Critics
on occasion speak of him as "a con-
Meeting link between the two main
branches of Russian music of the
nineteenth century" A truer judg-
ment, it would seem, is that he was
Influenced by Chopin and Tchaikow-
sky, but kept himself free from the
realistic" extravagances Of Nous
sorgsky and his followers.
Born at Novgorod, April l, 1873,
and educated at the Moscow Con-
servatory, Rachmaninoff attained a
European reputation when, in 1899,
he made his first appearance in Lon
don as conductor and pianist. The
government of the Car attempted to
keep him at home by providing that
he should be a member of the faculty
of the Maryinski Institute in Moscow
and chief director of the st. Peters,
burg opera, but from 1905 onward
the constantly growing demand for
recitals made him a cosmopolitan
virtuoso almost perpetually on tour
and greeted by capacity audiences
everywhere. In person, he was COM
manding-tall, slender, agile, with a
long, sharply modelled countenance,
close se-cropped hair, a proud nose,
deep and sorrowful eyes, a firm,
sad mouth, hands and fingers Of steel.
Seeing him makes it easy to under
stand how, at an early date, he might
have discovered his own aims and
ideals, as we'll as his limitations, and
how he might steadfastly have re-
fused for the rest of his creative life
to veer his course, regardless of how
the winds of musical fashion might
blow" He had no political views to
express The Soviets seized his es-
tates in 1917, and as recently as last
month he became an American citi-
zen.
The most widely popular Of Rach-
maninoff's compositions are his piano
preludes, unexcelled of their kind;
but he also wrote three majestic
symphonies, four piano concertos, a
brilliant Rhapsody on a Theme of
Paganini" for piano and orchestra,
a symphonic poem, "The Island of
the Dead" inspired by Boecklin's
mystic painting of the same name;
choral work, "The Bells" after the
poem of Edgar Allan Poe; six
choruses for women's voices, two
operas. "Aleko" and Francesca da
Rimini"; songs like I'm the ST.
lence Of Night" of haunting beauty,
and mass and other sacred themes
for the Orthodox Church.
Such achievementsh have immortality
as they are used by successive gen.
erations. The example of their spon-
sor-his high standards, his dignity,
his noble detachment from all that
was unworthy in his time-should be
an inspiration to younger melodists.
Rachmaninof, perhaps above each
and all Of his contemporaries, was a
musicians musician. That he at
tracted the general public in crowds
Is . fact to Be remembered to the
credit Of both the artist and his lis
tenerG.
Evening star., 1943-03-29

feat. His nomination should be with
drawn and a gentleman named as Judge
who Is lawyer, not political dealer in
any sense of that term.
HERBERT ALAMO WATKINS.
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Crematory Urged
For National Cemetery.
sro the Hattor NJ The atav.

CfemAtofy Urged
For National Cemetery.
TO the Editor OF The Star:
As the question Of enlarging Arlington
National Cemetery Is before the public.
this should be suitable time to con-
slider the advisability of building .
crematory in that lovely resting place Of
the Nations heroes.
Even If the, size Of Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery is greatly enlarged
and 1t should be-a crematory eventually
will have to be erected. Why not now2
A VETERAN.
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Franklin Quoted
On Philosophers Country.

To the Editor OF The Star:
The Importance of liberty and peace
are being impressed on the world at this
time, but very little is being said as to
the Importance of all nations acknowl-
edging the rights of man.
quote what Ben Franklin said on this
subject: God grant that not only the
love OF liberty, but thorough knowl-
edge OF the rights of man may pervade
all nations of the earth, so that philos-
opher may set his foot anywhere and
say. This is my country"
ALICE H. WOODWARD.
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Appeals for Release
OF Conscientious Objectors.

u the Editor Of The Star
The hunger strike of two conscientious
objectors in Danbury prison, Connecti-
cut, reached its 40th day on Tuesday,
March %. Since entering prison on
February II, Stanley Murphy and Louis
Taylor have refused all food and they
and companion, George Kingsley, have
refused to perform prison labor. For
nearly three weeks the hunger strikers
have been kept alive by forced feelings.
They are asking for freedom of con-
science and for the opportunity to do
worthwhile work of civilian nature
conscientious objectors to conscription
for war, of whom there now are more
than 1000 in Federal prisons.
Tragic developments of this nature are
not what we wanted or intended for
America-the land of the free. We put
clauses in the Selective Training and
Service Act which were supposed to pre-
vent things of this sort by providing that
men with sincere objection to con-
scription for war, based on religious
training or belief, should be allowed to
do civilian work of national impor-
tance." Since we now can see that this
is not sufficient safeguard for freedom
of conscience, we must change it-and
quickly We must release these brave
young men to useful. work-before they
are released by death. And we must see
that means are found to use the ability,
training and social devotion of the hum
dreds of war objectors now wasting their
energies in Federal prisons or frittering
away their time on "boondoggling' jobs
in CPS camps and to use them in peace
full and constructive ways even in the
midst of war. MIRIAM CORNELIUS.
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Huskin's Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Haskin.

A reader can get the answer to ary
question OF fact By iDriting The Epe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred.
eric j. Hdskin, director, Washington.
D. c. Please inclose stamp for return ;.
postage.
Q. Please give the correct term for
members of the merchant marine?-
A. B. L.
A. The United States Maritime Com
mission says that member of the mer-
chant marine is called q merchant sailor.
@. What is considered to be the finer
caviar, the black or gray?-S. Y.
A. The finest grade of caviar is called
fresh" and is grayish in color, liquid
and unsalted.
Q. When were figureheads last used on
war vessels?-E.lL L. H.
A. The Navy Department says that ths
use Of flgureheads on United States
naval vessels was discontinued In 1909
with the exception of the one on the
U. S. s. Olympia, Admiral Dewey's flag
ship.
@. How many slaves did Mrs. Thomas
Jefferson inherit from her father?-E.
G. E.
A. She inherited some 10000 acres Of
land and 135 slaves valued at about
| $100, 1000.
@. Where is the largest statue in
| Egypt?-G. N. B.
A. According to the National Geo.
graphic Magazine, the largest is the
statue of Rameses II, which weighs 1000
tons. The ears are 3la feet long and the
| feet AZ feet broad.
@. Is there simple way to compute
the amount of blood in an average per-
son?-D. D.
A. The amount of blood in the average
man. measured in pints, can be com.
puted approximately by dividing the
weight in pounds by IA.
Evening star., 1943-03-29
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the 1Oriter, although the use of
a pseudonynl for publication is
permissible. The Star reserues
the right to edit all letters Nth
a Uie1U to condensation.