davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-01-20
DostordIy Plot

With the Senate preparing to ex-
anime the qualifications of Edward
j. Flynn to be Minister to Australia
attention ought to center on whether
he Is or Is not competent man for
the job. And factual determina-
ton OF that question ought not to be
too difficult to make.
But there is danger that this basic
issue will become submerged in a lot
of colorful irrelevancies. Supporters
Of the President and friends of Mr..
Flynn have charged that critics are
trying to make political capital out
OF the nomination, and there is
probably truth to the complaint. Yet
the critics, even the most partisan
among them, have been put to shame
by the Democratic National Com
mittee.
That body, in a resolution support
ing Mr.. Flynn, It's retiring chairman,
has characterized the Senate criti-
cism of him as "a dastardly, treason
able plot to hamper the Commander
in Chief by seeking to destroy conf
dence in the President"
Here is a new record of some sort
in political extravaganza. Fortu-
nately, 1t speaks for itself.
Evening star., 1943-01-20
Emergency Medical Plan

The whole community OF the
Nations Capital, it became known
yesterday, is to be the beneficiary
of a program framed by the newly
organized Committee on Medical
Service for the District Of Columbia
Six different objectives are listed in
the preliminary announcement pub
lished yesterday. They include: A
canvass Of all local physicians to
ascertain the patient load, establish
ment of panels Of physicians to serve
In emergencies, inquiry into the pre-
vailing system OF gasoline and tire
rationing as it affects medical prac-
titioners, an adequate educational
campaign, preventive medical work
and postwar planning. Representa-
tives Of the United States Public
Health Service, the Health Security
Administration, the Emergency Med
ical Service for Civilian Defense, the
District Health Department and
the Medico- Chirurgical Society have
joined the officers Of the District
Medical Society in the enterprise.
DR.. A. Magruder Macdonald is chair
man.
For the laity the meaning OF the
committees proposals necessarily
must be that Of preparedness for any
Evening star., 1943-01-20
The President Acts

President Roosevelt has delivered
his expected ultimatum to the an
thracite coal strikers-a demand that
they return to work within forty
eight hours or face the certainty of
governmental action necessary to
protect the security Of the Nation
against a strike which Is doing Sc
rious injury to the war effort"
This morning some of the miners
a few thousand at least-stood in
defiant disobedience of the order.
Let the troops come" was their war
cry. Wed rather work under the
Army than for John L. Lewis" 1t
remains to be seen how extensive and
how persistant this defiance will be.
Perhaps some of the miners will
force the Government to take over
the mines and operate them. their
motive being to undermine the posi-
ton OF Mr.. Lewis president of the
United Mine Workers. Perhaps,
upon due reflection, they will recog-
nize the untenable character of their
position and go back to work. But
this is not the important question.
what the people should face is the
TACT that here is an illegal strike,
called in violation of contract and
over the protests of the union off,
cials. 1t has been dragging on for
weeks, depriving the country of up
ward Of million tons of coal needed
to heat homes and keep certain war
industries running. The War Labor
Board has shown itself wholly in
capable of dealing with the situation.
and now the President has been
forced to intervene. What is the
explanation?
obviously, 1t lies in the fact that
under the existing setup, strikes,
illegal or otherwise, can be called in
wartime with impunity, and all
strikers and potential strikers know
1t. At no time has the board been
willing to sanction any real penalty
Tor strikes, although it has been
severe enough in its dealings with
obstructive employers. And now
this one-sided policy Is producing
It's logical consequences. How much
longer does the Government intend
to walk softly in the presence of
these outlaw strikes? The answer to
this question ought to be set forth,
for 1t seems clear enough that until
there Is change in official policy
there will be no end to these in
excusable disruptions of our war
effort.
Evening star., 1943-01-20
SHEPHERD STREET.

Dear Sir:
do you think that 1t is right to steal
food and hoard it in these days Of ration
ing?
1T was showing on Sunday and I put
out pieces of bread for the juncos and
sparrows.
They came quickly to the seed box
but were followed by a nuthatch, who
drove them all away with his long. sharp
bill.
Then he took pieces Of bread, few to
nearby oak, and hid the bread under
the bark, some so carelessly that it stuck
out
Then he returned and repeated the
operation several dozen times And II
junco or a sparrow entered the box he
hurried back to oust them.
Should this be reported?
Sincerely. B. J. L."
Birds which hide food are not steal
ing" it, in any real sense.
Whether they are boarding 1t, is an
other matter. 1t is only in times OF
stringency, natural or induced, that
boarding becomes q crime.
In nature, the creature which Is wise
enough to lay up stores is looked upon by
man as very wise, indeed.
The busy bee, the industrious beaver
and the ants have been held up as
models of department.
Squirrels, too, have received mans
accolade for this very thing
Lazy people, so-called, have been re-
proved with these creatures since man
learned TO talk
Today it Is being increasingly realized
that there really are no lazy people
Those who seem so are known TO be
suffering from some glandular deficiency,
Or from a focal infection Of some sort.
The blue jays are past masters when 1t
comes to hiding food
They carry away nuts, peanuts and
seeds in their cheek pouches, and then
cram the material under pieces of bark,
or even hide it in the ground
In this way they help many smaller
birds, especially the brown creeper No
doubt they help ants, too, and perhaps
other insects.
Nature is a curious miXup.
Her children and ways are so inter-
related that man NEEDLES with them
only to his and their sorrow.
Thus, in bringing birds to a new land,
the whole balance of nature, as 1t Is
called, Is upset. often the creatures
thrive since the natural controls of the
home region are lacking in the new
Beavers once were shot without mercy
for their coats, but in time it was dis
covered that these interesting animals
did good work in keeping the land
properly watered.
SO beavers are being put back where
they belong, not for their sake so much
as for our own.
1t may be imagined that man. in his
long and selfish years, has violated many
Evening star., 1943-01-20

will die for their country. But, with
thousands of others In and out Of
labor unions, they have a long way
to go before they will be able to see
the war through the eyes OF the Mrs.
Sullivans.
1t may be that we are strong
enough to win with a divided ma
tional mind, with some men laying
down their lives while others strive
for personal gain and remain indif-
ferent to the knowledge that they are
prejudicing their country's chances.
But If this self1shness persists, II we
come to the end Of the struggle with
out a broad willingness to subordi-
nate personal ambitions to the ma
tional welfare, our victory is going to
bring bitter disappointment.
Evening star., 1943-01-20
THIS AND THAT
By Charles L. Tracetpell.

an unwritten injunction OF Mother
Nature.
Who can say that mans wars, from
Of Is years-or less-sre not the result
Of the killing of all the passenger pi-
geons, let us say?
Stranger things have happened.
II we search our hearts, and ask what
makes mankind war ceaselessly, We find
countless answers. but these are only
answers to questions which have been
posed before.
Let us ask new question:
Can 1t be possible that man, in killing
millions upon millions of passenger pi-
geons, has brought upon himself the
dire vengeance Of that Power which sees
every sparrow fall?
Or can it be that the ceaseless slaugh-
ter Of meat animals, with attendant suf-
fering and cruelty, has brought wars
upon us?
responsible?
In hiding food, the birds and animals
are responding to natural urge
All the superficial planning In the
world will not do away with common
sense, nor with Natures plan.
Surely an American may be forgiven
for not wanting to send his butter
abroad to his own lack. or for not
desiring to deprive himself OF milk IN
order that the children of North Africa
may be fed.
Once upon time we fed and clothed
the Japanese, after their great earth
quake, and their leaders declared that
they would never forget It,
Well, we know now how they remem-
ber!
The birds and beasts have no unholy
longing to play the Lady Bountiful to
each other
What they aim to do Is take care Of
themselves. That's natures plan.
When they hide food, they must have
some idea in their little minds of going
back to 1t.
This works out very WELL because all
the other food-hiding creatures have the
same idea, and all find what all hide
away
Telltale traces are left, as our CORE
spondent points out, by pieces Of bread
and ends of seeds sticking out from
beneath the bark.
The nuthatch is one Of our most beau
tiful winter birds.
He usually is not as belligerent as our
| correspondents specimen.
Most often he is model bird in every
way, liking to fly in, seize seed, and fly
| away with it to eat at his leisure.
| The nuthatch is one of our most socia
BILE birds. If he is on a tree, searching
the bark, he will just retreat up the
| trunk, If you walk up slowly.
Then, If you stand real still, he finally
will walk head-down and peer around
the trunk at you with his sharp little
eyes
Evening star., 1943-01-20

crisis involving the health Of Wash
ington that may develop during the
years Immediately ahead It is con-
ceivable that the civilian public is
liable to suffer some acute physical
disability resulting from the strains
and tensions, the sacrifices and un-
avoidable perils of armed conflict,
Many citizens remember only too
vividly the plaques of pneumonia and
so-called Spanish flu which swept
over the United States in 1917, 1918
and 1919. Shortages of doctors,
nurses, hospital accommodations
medicines and other supplies already
have been reported since Pearl Har-
Dor. Numerous adjustments of facil-
tiles and personnel are in process of
performance. Fortunately, there has
been as yet no sudden crisis in the
District.
But the whole Nation, Washington
not excluded, has had dramatic
warning in the instance of the Cocoa
nut Grove disaster in Boston, No
vember g. Any such catastrophe
makes demands upon physicians
which cannot be anticipated in detail
but which, nevertheless, can be pro-
vided for at least In outline. Equally
compelling also are the conditions
which come into existence quietly
and unnoticed-like the infantile
paralysis epidemics Of 1918 and sub
sequent years. The experience Of
the members Of the new committee
has taught them to be actively on
guard. 1t goes without saying that
they should have the wholehearted
and sincere support of the lay public
IN their endeavor to safeguard the
health OF the people Of the District.
Evening star., 1943-01-20
Considers Economic Condition
OF Britain After Wars End.
To the Editor Of The Star.

To the Editor Of The Star.
1t is not easy to follow the reasoning
Of Samuel Grafton in his recent article,
Britain Toying With Social Security
Plan Because Her Financial Future Is
Insecure. He appears to argue that be-
cause England will be poorer after the
war, therefore she will have to adopt the
new Beveridge plan, which looks like
doubling the present cost OF the social
services. Having much less to spend,
Mr.. Grafton suggests, she is planning to
spend twice as much.
Well it Is difficult to see how this is
going to be done, and it is safe to say it
will not be done unless other countries
increase their social benefits to some
thing like the same extent: and certainly
not unless unemployment is kept well
down.
But Mr.. Grafton's superstition Is not
the reason for the Beveridge plan
which, incidentally, Is only a plan. 1t
has yet to be seen what the country and
the government will do about 1t.
The real reason lies In the Atlantic
Charter, with its freedom from fear"
and freedom from want" Many people
have been asking when the vague ex-
pressions of good will in that document
are to be translated into specific pro-
posals, and this has national as we'll as
international implications.
But besides this in the view of all
parties in the British Parliament. the
1f
less than the proposed benefits and in
deed shall have them If it possibly can
be done.
But will England after the war be
SO much worse off? Relatively, it would
seem that her position will be much the
same as that Of other nations 1t is
possible also that, through certain
changes which have come into effect
during the war. her economic conditions
may be very different from what they
have been for half a century past.
To take one change only: England,
with a population virtually stable, may
become much less dependent on other
countries for her food. There has been a
vast increase in agriculture: Some
1000, 900 more acres are under cultiva-
ton than in 1899, and there has been
an increase OF so per cent in grain pro-
duction.
But If the world is wise and there Is
cooperation among the nations, the i'm
mense need for rebuilding and for rails
ing the standard OF life in eastern
countries should give work and profit to
many. especially to the United States
and to Britain with their immense
manufacturing facilities. for many years
ahead. ERIC UNDERWOOD.
Evening star., 1943-01-20
Intrepid Songs

This tender, early morning melody
From hedge and thtcket and the
frosty ground
Steals through the darkness reassur-
ingly
With the same casual, untrtohtened
sound
That marked the music OF midsum-
mer birds
These latter minstrels flute before
the ddtDn,
Seeming to utter soft, untroubled
words,
Though moods are bleak and leatv
shelters gone.
/ lore the raptuous anthem, loudly
choruSed
On Mays tohite mornings, ,oeu 7
loUe the song
That hits aboUe the meado,rlund ond
forest
When the 10arm touch OF SUNLIGHT
fingers long,
But bird notes on this graz and bite,
air.
Speak bright parable uoa,nst de-
SPAR.
NEz BARCLAY KIRBY.
Evening star., 1943-01-20
Discusses Difficulties Of Taxpayers
With Irregular" Income.

with Irregular Income.
To the Editor OF The Star:
Collecting income tax at the source
would seem to make comparatively little
difference to the taxpayer. II those
charged with the responsibility for COL
lection think that the additional labor
involved is overbalanced by some ad-
vantages that is their business.
But it is otherwise with the question
of changing the year for which the tax
is reckoned. 1t is unfair to say that we
paid the 1910 tax in 194l. The tax in
194l was paid out of 1941 income, at
1941 rates; the amount was based on
1910 for convenience, and with such
reckoning every year was paid for, al
though small part of the total-and
small part only-came a year late.
II, however, this years tax is COM
puted for 1943 incomes, then all excep-
tionally high incomes of 1912 will escape
taxation forever What is much worse,
income for 1912 will have to pay series
Of taxes whose total more than CORES
ponds to his income.
There is one such injustice which
easily can be avoided. Taxpayers are
properly allowed to charge off from their
incomes bad debts and some similar
losses. They would lose that benefit if
any such loss applied to 1912 income
which was not counted. 1t would be
easy and fair to provide that such losses
could be charged to another year.
The whole public discussion has lodged
one OF the greatest faults in our reve-
nue. laws up to date namely, the in
justice to those who pay surtaxes when
a large part Of an irregular income comes
Evening star., 1943-01-20
WustefuI and Inefficient


War Production Board figures show
That by holding new construction to
minimum and placing more beds in
existing hospital buildings, even more
additional beds than actually are
needed con statistical basis will be
provided for Washington and the
vicinity. There is no disposition here
10 dispute the accuracy of the figures
themselves. But certainly the record
OF this program indicates an aston
lshing amount of waste, inefficiency
and delay resulting from lack of the
simplest sort Of coordination be-
tween responsible Government agen-
cies.
Long before Pearl Harbor, the Dis
erict Health Department made
study of available space for hospital
beds in Washington, concluding that
utilization of all available space in
existing hospital buildings and in
schools, auditoriums, ETC., would pro-
vide about 1000 additional beds in
case OF emergency. The report was
hled away, principally because 1t
contained information that would
be OF value in an emergency and be-
cause 1t had little bearing on the
normal requirements of the commu-
nifty. Everybody knew that more
beds could be placed in existing
hospital buildings, but no one sug-
gested that this was the answer to
Washington's hospital problem.
After much testimony on hospital
needs in Washington and vicinity,
money was provided in the Lanham
Act for use by the Federal Works
Agency to build the hospital addi-
tions in Washington and vicinity
found necessary or desirable. The
Federal Works Agency enlarged It's
plans from an original addition of
$50 beds to 1,l72 beds, making it plain
that new construction would not be
measured by what actually was
needed here, but by what the War
Production Board would approve, in
view of the shortage of materials.
The long discussion concerning
this program was printed extensively
In all the Washington papers, but
not until the Federal Works Agency
had obligated itself to an expendi-
ture of over 100000 for plans, etc,
and sent some of them to the War
Production Board for approval of
priorities, was it discovered that the
WPB was making another survey of
the FWA survey. Most of the new
construction was disallowed, on the
grounds that many additional beds
could be placed in existing struc-
lures. Only six of the FWA's four
teen projects have been approved or
recommended for approval at the
War Production Board, the remainder
being disapproved.
Had the War Production Board
tepped In at the beginning, when
the program was being discussed
every day, and said that as scarcities
"a A11SC1 &dA "Oo4O lIS 1CdIlDd-
tion impossible it should be aban-
aoned, everybody would have under
stood the decision. But to have
waited all these months, while money
was being spent to prepare plans,
purchase land, etc, and then to have
vetoed the major part of the pro-
gram on the contention that more
beds can be crowded into existing
space does not make good sense and,
furthermore, reflects an inefficient
and wasteful method OF doing busi-
ness for the taxpayer. The WPB's
solution of the hospital program is
not a reaSsuring one, from any
standpoint.
Evening star., 1943-01-20
Car Sharing Plan
Endorsed and Approved.

To the Editor of The Star:
The letter appearing In The Star of
January II, concerning signs to aid pro-
motion OF car sharing, is most worthy OF
serious consideration by those capable
Of acting
While I have been in Washington only
very short time, have had occasion
to observe that there is no organized
plan Of ride-sharing, and that attempt
ing to pick up load of passengers is
a hit-and-miss proposition. The writer
drives to work and tries to accommodate
passengers on the way without any
thought Of compensation but it is very
dlscouraging TO determine when and
when not to stop for passengers. Much
of the time the contemplated passengers
are going to some other part of town and
the stop has been in vain
The suggested plan of dividing the city
area, especially the Government work
ers' area, into districts identified by num-
Der, appeals to me as q most excellent
idea. Not only should identifying cards
be made available to the ride-seekers,
but also to the motorists having rides to
share. Thus when the motorist had
available accommodations, he would dis
play the identifying card on his wind
shield. The ride-seeker then could spot
the car travelling to his district as 1t
approached. and attract the attention
of the motorist in time sufficient for a
convenient stop.
Let's urge the plan. 1t is simple, wholly
voluntary, requires very little expense
to effect, and should prove relief to
the traffic problem. About all that is
needed is an organization to sponsor
the program, little newspaper pub
licity, and the expense OF printing and
distributing the cards.
LOUIS MONTOYA.
Evening star., 1943-01-20

within one year. The remedy, used by
the more intelligent English, is to allow
the. tax to be computed for the aver
age income over several years. II this
were done, then, incidentally, The chief
reason for computing on the basis of
the current year would disappear, since
this reason is to avoid the dif1culty Of
the man whose income falls OF so far
that he does not have money enough
to pay tax based on previous larger
income. WALTER P. WHITE.
Evening star., 1943-01-20

A dispatch from London states
that the German commissioners for
the Netherlands have forbidden the
wearing of Christmas crosses in pub
lie on the ground that this consti-
tutes "a hostile demonstration" You
bet it is, and some day the Nazis will
find out just how hostile.
Evening star., 1943-01-20

From Oslo, Norway, comes word
that a huge ammunition dump of
enormous value in that conquered
land blew up. killing many Nazi
soldiers. Probably spontaneous COM
bustion; it gets so hot in Norway
this time Of year.
Evening star., 1943-01-20

O. What is an approximate figure ~
to the number Of persons that are Ill
each day Of the year?-L. r. E.
A. 1t has been estimated by the So
cial Security Board that on an average
day of the year there are approximately
100000 persons temporarily or perma-
nentiy disabled by illness.
@. What Is mud-skipper7-C. o.
A. The name Is applied to several
kinds of gobies Of the tropics, which are
able to leave the water and skip about
actively over wet mud and sand, and
even to climb roots Of mangrove trees.
In fact, this fish Is so used to life on
land that it will drown If kept too long
in deep water.
Q. Who was Chief Of staff during the
First World War7-G L.
A. Gen. Tasker H. Bliss was Chief Of
Staff of the Army from October s, 1917
to May 10, 1918. Gen. Peyton C. March
served as Chief of Staff from May 40,
1918 to June 30, 1920.
O. How early were portions OF the
Bible translated into English7-R @. z.
A. Portions Of the Bible were trans
lated into English near the end Of the
9th century.
O. Which is the oldest nation In the
worldly. L.
A. China generally Is regarded as the
oldest Of the present-day nations.
Q. Where was Hattie Carnegie, the
dress designer born7-s RN.
A. She was born Henrietta Kanen-
geiser IN Vienna, Austria. In 1889. Her
name later was Anglicized into Carnegie.
@. When did Congress first enact
legislation for the relief OF suffering out
side this country?-M. @. @.
A. The act Of May 8, 1912, appropri-
ated $50 900 for the relief of citizens in
Venezuela who were In distress from
the late earthquake
@. Please explain exactly what is
implied when q garment Is labeled "All
WooI."-C. l..
A. The Federal Trade Commission
says the law requires that the fabric of
= garment which is labeled "All Wool
shall be composed wholly of wool with
out any "reprocessed WOOL or reused
wool" The fabric may contain decora-
tive flbers, as for example, silk or rayon,
or other material, not exceeding hve
per cent and still be labeled "All Wool
Exclusive of Ornamentation."
Q. Why are small people called Lii
liputians?-T. H
A. Lilliput is an imaginary country OF
Swift's "Guliver's Travels" whose tiny
inhabitants, the Lilliputians, have given
their name to anything diminutive.
Q. What animal has black tongue7
ID. D. L.
A. The chow chow dog and the polar
bear are said to be the only mammals
with this characteristic.
@. Do the Senator'S have individual
deskS?-T. M.
A. Each Senator has an individual
desk, and desirable seats are occupied
according to length of service. Thus
most Of the Senators with many years Of
service are seated along or near the
center aisle.