davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Horotio AIger

At least among So-called liberal
critics, it recently has been the FASH
ion to refer to his books with con-
tempt, but Vice President Henry A.
Wallace nevertheless is quite correct
in his opinion that: "Horatio Alger
is not dead in America and never will
be-" The abuse piled upon his name
by radicals who identified the phi
losophy of Ragged Dick" and "Tat-
tered Tom" with the hated profit
system" has not buried their author
beyond the reach of that portion of
the public which does not have a
vested interest in revolution. He
remains, according to the Dictionary
of American Biography, "the most
successful writer of boys stories in
the whole of American literature"
But even those oldsters who first
made Mr. Alger's acquaintance when
they were young do not know
very much about him. The facts,
briefly stated, are: He was born at
Revere, Massachusetts,, January 13,
1884; was educated at Harvard;
served for a while as minister of a
Unitarian congregation at Brewster:
began to produce fiction in 1856;
turned out l19 works, most of which
sold widely; earned an enormous
income" with which he was "gener-
Gus to the point OF prodigality." and
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Skinninq the Cat

The other day the United States
Employment Service sent out an
appeal all over the State of New York
for fifty women to work as cat skim
ners, possibly in the CatskiIl Noun
tains. to relieve that many men for
the war. The news is not confiden-
tial, and it will be interesting to note
If it reaches Herr Goebbels. II so, he
could make a pretty good thing of it,
at time when he is badly in need of
good things. He could paint a. glow
ing picture Of the straits to which
America has been reduced-a picture
OF nation on the brink OF starvation,
turning frantically to cat meat, and
on the verge of freezing, using cat
skins for clothing, with no manpower
left even for this final act of despair.
1t would come in handy for the next
period of official mourning. Goebbels
would, OF course, have to refrain
from explaining that in the pictur-
esque parlance of the employment
service cat skinner is a close rela-
tive of the mule skinner, only mech
anized. He, or in this case she, Is a
tractor operator. 1t seems that there
is more than one way Of skinning
a cat.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
General Huyushi

One of the principal architects of
the prevailing global conflict has died
at Toxic. His name, hitherto almost
entirely unknown in the United
States, was Senjuro HayaShi and he
was a typical representative of the
Japanese political and military class,
grimly determined to make his coun-
try the dominant force in Asia if not
In the world at large. Belonging to
a Samurai family long identified with
public affairs, he was educated for
the army and rose through the
grades to be inspector of military
education and, in 1887, Prime Min
lister of the empire.
Known as "the strong and silent
man" and supposedly regarded as a
moderate" by the extremists, Gen
eral Hayashi anticipated the invasion
of China and an eventual clash with
America many years before those de-
velopments at last occurred He was
an expansionist by conviction and
exercised particular genius for per-
suading his contemporaries to spend
money on preparation for hostilities.
To him the japanese Army owed its
modernizatlon. He extracted from
the Diet the funds for the guns,
tanks, airplanes and other equipment
with which Manchuria was taken
over" and the operations around
Peiping begun. More recently he had
been head of the East Asia League,
established to further exploitation of
conquered territories.
General Hayashi's tenure of Office
as Premier lasted only 1l8 days. He,
therefore, could not be credited with
having been successful partisan
leader. 1t commonly was said of
him that he lacked political skill and
was at his best when he did not
pretend to compromise. His enemies
were numerous and he especially
feared fanatical group of young
patriots" whose method was assas-
Evening star., 1943-02-06
finally died poor at the home of his
sister in Natick. JULY IL 1899

finally died poor at the home of his
sister in Natick, July 18, 1899.
One interpreter finds Mr.. Alger, in
the jargon of psychoanalysis, "tor-
tured by sense of Illustration" yet
such narratives as From Farm Boy
to Senator" and From Canal Boy to
President" are evidence of his sincere
belief that virtue is always re-
warded.' His heroes start in poverty,
rise through their own arduous labor
to positions of wealth and power and.
having attained good fortune honor
ably share it with their necessitous
neighbors. Many of his characters,
admittedly were drawn from boys he
met when he was associated with the
Newsboys' Lodging House in New
York. Much of his fame accrued from
the fact that thousands of his con-
temporaries had experienced similar
hardships, achieved like victories.
Mr.. Wallace is not alone in his conf
dence in his capacity to survive
indefinitely.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Shuke-up at WPB

Chairman Donald Nelson, COM
menting on his most recent re-
shuft1ing Of the War Production
Board, said that the changes are
designed to bring about better pro-
duction scheduling, which, in turn,
should expedite the Government S
several high-priority programs with
out serious injury to any of them. It
is to be hoped that he is correct in
this estimate.
The key programs are those for
synthetic rubber. escort vessels, high
octane gasoline, merchant shipping
and aviation. To considerable ex-
tent, the same component equip
ment is needed in all of these pro-
grams, and the problem is to work
out schedules for the manufacture
and delivery of these components
when they are needed. Suppose, for
instance, that the same type of valve
is needed both for the manufacture
OF rubber and the production Of
high-octane gasoline. If both plants
get the valves they need when they
need them each program should 70
along smoothly. But if the high -oc-
tame gasoline producer receives valves
IN February that he does not need
before May, and if the synthetic
rubber plant, meanwhile, runs short
OF valves needed in February, it is
obvious that the latter program
would be needlessly retarded.
This is the sort of thing that Mr..
Nelson wants to avoid, and he pro-
poses to do it by placing an as yet
unspecified number of WPB divisions
under the jurisdiction of Charles E..
Wilson, former president OF the
General Electric Company, and now
production vice chairman of WPB.
Undoubtedly, Mr.. Wilson is an able
executive, and it is understandable
that Mr.. Nelson should have conf
dence in him. At the same time,
however, it should be recognized that
the transferred divisions are being
taken away from Ferdinand Eber-
stadt, the other WPB vice chairman,
who also has shown himself to be a
man of unusual ability.
1t was largely due to Mr.. Eber-
stadt's efforts that the earlier def
ciencies in materials supply and
ALLEGATION were overcome, and 1t is
only natural that Mr.. Nelson should
have hesitated to diveSt him of any
authority. Experience may show
that the new setup, with Mr.. Wilson
at the helm, will prove to be better
arrangement, but 1t would be we'll
to withhold judgment until evidence
in the form Of positive results is at
hand. It is results that count, not
who gets them or how.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
THIS AND THAT
BY Charles Z. Trace,oell.

pet shops. and at many hardware stores.
will do nicely
Suet, when 1t can be obtained, is good
Clean bits Of garbage and scraps from
the table will fill in, when nothing else
can be secured. 1t is well. II such mate
rial is used, to clean up all that is left
at night, so that there will be nothing
left over for wandering rats.
There remain the thousands Of per-
manent friends of birds. who need no
special storm to induce them to put out
food. They usually begin in the fall and
keep it up all winter. In this way they
have never-ending source of interest
and entertainment. Their numbers have
increased by thousands in recent years.
Cities and towns have been the centers
OF these activities especially suburban
districts. Persons living in these places
usually have moved from apartments in
the city. and they find the birds one OF
the most attractive features of their new
homes. They discover, il they take up
feeding, that they can have more birds
in the cold months than In the warm
ones. This is always source Of surprise.
There will not be as many different
kinds, or species, but there will be many
more birds in each garden where feeding
is carried on. This comes about because
In winter there Is no competition in
nesting During the warm months, only
few birds nest in any given yard.
Nature takes care of this. Each bird
stakes out territory. Some naturalists
think that part of the reason for bird
song is this very thing That is, in sing
ing they notify other birds not to come
too close. The reason for this Is food
Small worms and insects form the first
food Of baby birds, just as milk is the
first food of human babies. These protein
foods are fed to baby birds whose natu-
raj food Is Seeds and, of course, to all
nsect-eating birds. II there are too many
birds In too small territory, the COM
petition for food for the hungry mouths
will be enormous. 1t Is bad enough, at
best.
In winter, il food Is put out, single
back yard will support several hundred
birds, including English sparrows, star
LIl8S Pl6COllS. NAdlly PclSOAlS 4cSCIlt
the presence of these particular birds,
but they have their good points, after all.
Certainly, the English sparrows, in
flocks, winging their way across yard
make a beautiful picture. And snow
brings out the beauty Of pigeons, as even
a green lawn will not do Tan and blue
pigeons, especially, look well In the snow.
The merry whistles of the starlings. and
their comic battles with each other, are
well worth all the food they eat.
Those who feed the birds every day
have the best Of 1t, and are doing the
most for the birds They Will be repaid
when they plant their Victory gardens
But persons who throw out crumbs for
the birds during particularly bad
weather are doing their share, too. Some
Of them will become interested, and keep
it up, to their own benefit and the good
of Americas songsters. who are also
Americas weed seed eaters and Destroy
ers Of inimical insects.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Judgment Day

What seems to worry the oppO-
nents of the Ruml pay-as-you- go
income tax collecting plan is the
idea of "forgiving" whole year S
taxes. Mr.. Ruml steadfastly and
with much logic contends that this
Is, distorted conception of the plan.
Nothing is forgiven. Taxes are paid
and collected without a pause. The
plan is merely to transfer assess
ment of taxes from last years to
current income.
A more picturesque description lies
In Mr.. Rumls suggestion that we
look forward to some judgment day,
when all the books would be balanced
and closed. For the purpose of illus
tration, let us suppose that judgment
day falls on March IA, 1000 AID.
Before closing the ledger, st. Peter,
assisted by former Secretaries of the
Treasury fitting about on wings that
Ill become them, will have asked
Uncle Sam to state the condition of
the income tax balance sheet. Uncle
Sam, under the present system of
collecting taxes on last years income,
will confess regretfully that his tax
payers are billions of dollars in debt
to him and that he is billions Of
dollars short because he was not
planning to begin collecting until
March Is.
But imagine Uncle Sans delight,
under the Ruml system, of being able
to say that when the books were
closed his taxpayers were current
with their Government obligations
and he had in his pocket all income
taxes due. He might be asked about
that year he skipped. back in 1912.
He could explain simply that he
wiped 1t of the books, and he was no
more out of pocket than he would
have been had he continued the
practice of always being one year
behind In his collections.
There is judgment day coming
on March is of this year, when some
thirty-nine or forty million taxpayers
will be asked to pay at least the first
quarter on their last years tax in
debtedness. Many of them will be
unable to do so. without cashing
defense bonds or borrowing from loan
sharks. And while paying this debt,
they are accumulating another one.
They are perpetually consigned to
debt to the Government, followed to
the grave by the tax collector, who
demands his portion before the
widow and children get their share
Of what is left.
The proximity of this judgment
day on March IS makes it all the
more difficult to understand the
rather hostile reception of Mr.. Ruml
by the House Ways and Means Com
mittee. and the attempt of some of
its members, at least, to ridicule his
plan. He at least has one that will
work, that people want and that
stands up in the face of efforts to
tear 1t down. And that is more than
can be said, to date, of any proposal
emanating from the Treasury or the
Ways and Means Committee.
Evening star., 1943-02-06

Sination. The house he built for
himself contained bombproof rooms
in which he hid during occasional
crises. But the differences between
his dreams of victory for Japan and
those of the more conspicuously vio-
lent of his contemporaries were diff
ferences only in degree. He plotted
what happened on December 7, 194l,
and what followed in 1912. In that
connection he should be remembered,
and he will be.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Red Bird

Upon the blackly anoled branch
Where yesterday the sparrou
co1Dered,
Abruptly, IN red arrogance,
The cardinal has fo,cered.
The rose Is htped IN yelloso stydu.
The plane trees ochye ball Il
s,Utngino;;
MuteIy the s,,oDbtrd seeks the ham
What time Il this for stn1tno9
once IN a wood Of chrysophase.
When spring irds yet en earl,
conner,
Within ledty choral maze,
I heard that potce of summer.
oh, heart, this is the ruddv fruit
OF ,Dtnter by a lost spring seeded!
We must not let the argent futs
Go BY vnhssdsd.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
CATHEDRAL AVENUE.

Lear SIT.
The recent rain-sleet storm froze the
tail of my favorite mocking bird.
"A thin but compact covering OF ice.
extending from side to side and about
3 inches in length, securely incased the
tail feathers. All day the bird has sat
forlorn and disconsolate at my window
sill feeding station, unable to fly, unable
to hold his tail erect. apparently.
Il have left the window open In the
hope that warm air passing out would
melt the ice, thus releasing the feathers;
or, If possibly. that he would enter the
room. In the months that he has fed at
my window this bird has become quite
tame. I am distressed over his present
dilemma. Sincerely, l.. K. W."
Sleet offers one of the greatest OF all
natural hazards to bird life.
During the great storm of the winter
OF 1912, thousands upon thousands of
birds lost their lives through sleet.
Among them were many bluebirds.
1t has taken all these years for these
beautiful birds to work their way back,
and they are still far short OF their old
numbers.
Even the thinnest covering OF sleet
is great handicap to bird, especially if
its falls during the night, when the bird
is asleep.
Normally, the high temperature Of
BIRDS often as high as LOG degrees, and
usually around 103 degrees, Is SUFFICIENT
to keep the creatures from permanent
harm.
Frozen birds, If discovered should be
taken indoors, but not placed close to
artificial heat
Aside from this, very little can be done
to help them.
The big aid they get in winter is food
put out for them by the increasing
band Of persons interested in them.
Appeals from press and radio, during
storms, have particular place in calling
the attention Of the great mass Of the
people.
Not every person feels the interest Of
watching the birds. any more than every
person is interested in dogs.
Still, few can resist the appeal for food
for the birds, when they see snow and
ice over everything.
The recent sleet covered not only the
ground but also all bushes with berries
on them, and the berries on those bushes
Old annual plants, still standing with
seeds, were covered as completely, SO
that there was no natural food.
At all such times, Government ofices
issue appeals for the birds, and there is
always great response.
The best emergency ration is bread
which most households still possess, even
though they have to slice their own.
Most wildbirds like bread.
Starlings, in particular! Still, no one
would withhold food, during a storm
from these creatures.
Chickfeed, to be secured at feed stores
and wildbird seed mixtures, to be got at
Evening star., 1943-02-06

Another rescue in the Pacific Of
men floating In rubber boat, and
another case of loss OF the entire
food ration from the grasp Of one OF
the party. It seems as though some
inventive American could incorporate
emergency sustenance Of food and
perhaps water in a special pocket
somewhere in these inflatable craft.
Evening star., 1943-02-06

PROPHECIES - Perhaps the most
celebrated of all the prophets, and
certainly the most discussed at the
present time is Michel de Notredame,
better known as Nostradamus. This
16th-century doctor made some
strangely accurate prophecies con-
corning the French Revolution, Ma
poleon's career, and the first World
War. That he saw ahead to the
present conflict and looked across
the ocean to the newly discovered
continent of America Is now revealed,
according to some Of his many in
terpreters. His predictions, together
with those of other noted prophets,
are included in new 32-page booklet.
To secure your copy inclose 10 cents
in coin, wrapped in this clipping,
and mail to The Star Information
Bureau.
Name
Address
Evening star., 1943-02-06

Soviet scientists have succeeded
in producing black cotton. That may
be all very we'll from a textile stand
point, but a song writer or scenery
painter would be completely stymied
by anything but white.
Evening star., 1943-02-06

Military insignia increase in bril-
lance with rank. stripe upon stripe
and star upon star, until full ad-
miral, for example, wears a sleeve
that is nearly half gold bullion. And
yet all of them are commanded by a
plain sleeve Of pin-stripe blue serge
or gray flannel.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Complains About patriots"
Who Want Wage Increases.


Our great patriots, John l.. Lewis,
Philip Murray, William Green and David
Dubipsky are in there pitching to win
the war by demanding greater and
greater wage increases to meet an up
ward spiral OF the cost OF living touched
OH by similar amalgamation Of politi-
cal power during strikes in the midst Of
preparation for national defense-a de-
fense found woefully lacking at Pearl
Harbor, but that's matter of no concern
to our patriots. The complete repudia-
ton Of any doctrine whatever OF union
responsibility toward non-union workers,
union workers themselves. the rest Of
the country and now OF the war effort Is
sufficient testimony as to the motives
actuating these patriots.
Such spectacle Of governmental sup
port supplied by our liberals" in Gov
ernment departments to these demands
is sufncient testimony as to the type and
kind Of moral fiber In public ONCE today.
Undoubtedly, the mothers and fathers,
the wives and the men themselves Tight
ing in the Solomons and North Africa
will be cheered by this spectacle. After
all, why worry. let the other fellow win
the war-or lose It.
EDNA M. COLLARS.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the ,oriter, although the use of
a pseudonyna for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters 1Dith
a UteU to condensation.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Continues Discussion
OF Efficiency Rating Problem.

OF Efficiency Rating Problem.
To the Editor Of The Star:
The letter of H. Ritzenberg in The
Star for February 2 Is typical OF those
supervisors in the civil service, particu-
larly lesser lights, who seek to answer
rightful remonstrances by bullying. I
am not down" on supervisors. know
q number of them who are fine, con-
scientious employees, but that does not
blind me to their shortcomings as group
or the shortcomings Of system they
are required to administer For some
time have been studying the efficiency
rating system in an earnest effort to
promote a movement that will remove
some of its worst features and I know
whereof I speak. The ratings in many
instances are cruel insults to the victims
Discussing Mr.. Ritzenberg's letter item
by items, 1t may be assumed that super
visors are average persons and only
average. Taking the population As q
whole, the average is not enough for
those supervisory positions. That the
present standard Of supervisors Is too low
Is evidenced by the fact that the subject
is receiving the consideration OF Con-
gress and the comment Of the public.
My observations are that few are quail
fed to pass judgment on fellow workers,
but many rush in with aplomb and nom
chalance where angels fear to tread"
1t would remind Mr.. Ritzenberg that
the stated purpose Of the efficiency rat
ing system is not to enforce discipline,
but to determine the relative values of
the services of employees. Too often it
has been used to punish those who had
displeased the supervisors. However,
think what diverts the system from its
purpose most is the fact that chiefs from
top to bottom have those in the service
whom they wish to favor. When these
accumulated favors finally reach the
lowest supervisor to be bestowed on the
benehciaries they practically absorb the
available promotions. In the old days
the promotions were given to the favor
ties and that ended it. Now with the
efficiency rating system in existence the
promotions must be justified, therefore
the favorites receive the high ratings
and the unblessed the low.
II Mr.. Ritzenberg will permit the cor
rection, civil service examinations reveal
tentatively the qualifications Of the ap-
plicant. His ability, based on natural
aptitude. training and experience, is
shown on the Job. And his ratings and
promotions should reflect that ability.
However, at the present time the factors
Of merit apparently are Of importance
in the order name: Pulchritude, servility.
reciprocity, church and lodge member
ship, bridge playing, etc. A.
Evening star., 1943-02-06
Butter Problem
Discussed BY . Mother.
To the Dditor OF The Star:

wonder why there is nothing done
about the butter problem in Washington.
On several occasions have been told !:
mo. you can't buy . pound Of butter
without buying . dozen eggs" But I
have eggs sent to me by my daughter
who lives on . farm In Virginia She
would send butter also. but she does not
have 1t always.
My means are limited-I am . widow
trying to put three boys through school
and cannot afford to buy everything I
would like. II 1t . law that We have to
buy eggs In order to get butter7
am willing to eat my dry bread and
not murmur II have to do 20 In order
to feed the soldiers. One Of my sons Is
in the Army, another In the Navy. But
let US have fair deal about this thing.
MRS. L. W. l..