davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-09-04

Reggie. The other principal towns
are Cosenza and Catanzaro, the
former Of which Is remembered in
connection with one of the immortal
legends of Gothic history.
To the Calabrian metropolis of 412
AID. came Alaric the Conqueror,
fresh from the sack Of Rome and
planning the seizure of Sicily then
the subsection of all Africa. A strange
fever, however, destroyed him. His
body, according to familiar tradition.
was buried under the river bed of
the BuSento, "the stream being tenn
porarily turned aside from it's course
while the grave was dug wherein the
dead chief and some of his most
precious spoils were inferred" When
the work was finished and the water
had been guided back into it's usual
channel, the "captives by whose
hands the labor had been accom-
plished were put to death that none
might learn their secret" The story
is told by Crosius and Claudian. both
strictly contemporary" Search for
the hidden tomb has been pursued at
intervals for generations-in vain.
Perhaps it now may be found by
accident by some British or Canadian
engineer. Stranger things have hap
pened in the chance of war.
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Trout Stream

Search for your brook trout Uhen
This summer glen
Is redolent 1Dith Dind and AUGUST
cloUer;
Tell oDer and oUer
Your beads OF bird-song, stream song
and ,oind-song-
They are not here for long.
The speckled trout Is yours; and so
today
Let the line play
Ouer these pebbly shallo,os, warm in
sun,
Let the line run,
Match speed t0ith skill
And feel
The sudden, tueging thrill
OF 1Uater at your heel.
Search for your brook trout, kno,o
Tomorrow you may 90
With bare bro10n feet upstream.
Ldze on bank and dream
OF placid earth, ,parm to the touch
as sand
Under your hand.
In such a toorld OF stress, hold fast
the hours,
Wind, stream and sho,Ders,
Hillside and tpoodland, talIop field
and cloUer-
Tell them, as one tells beads, oper
and oUer.
MARGUERITE JANVRIN ADAMS.
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Freedom at q Price
From the New York Times.

from the New York Times.
The history of France, of Britain, OF
America, even of Germany, contains
many examples of the struggle for free
dom of speech and of the press. In pre-
revolutionary France Voltaire boldly
defended the rights of men with whom
he vehemently disagreed. German
bookseller in Napoleon's time sold book
Napoleon didn't like. Napoleon caused
him to be shot. In the England of
Queen Elizabeth and the Stuarts a man
could get his ears cropped or languish
In Jail for saying things government
didn't like. AS late as the presidency OF
John Adams Americans were sent to
prison for expressing opinions, and as
late as the Civil War newspapers were
temporarily suspended on the same
grounds. We still have to be watchful,
for neither this nor any other liberty Is
safe unless there are those who will
stand up for it.
Yet 1t takes a shock such as is con-
tanned in current dispatch from Lon
don to make one realize what a priceless
boon this freedom to think, talk and
publish Is. Europe is honeycombed with
underground newspapers. One of them
isis Still-Glos Polski, the Voice of
Poland. A Czechoslovakian printer, now
safe in London, tells what happened
when the Gestapo discovered the edito-
rial offices of this publication Every
one in the house, every one in the sd-
joining houses, men, women and chill
dren, was killed. Shortly afterward the
paper resumed publication-on of 80
in Poland, 200 in Norway, 80 in Belgium.
which the NaZis cannot permanently
suppress.
Is freedom of the press worth the
lives 1t costs? 1t Is. 1t would be worth
them here if this was an occupied coun-
try. And it Is our battle that is being
fought by the most heroic newspaper
men of all history throughout occupied
but not conquered Europe.
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Culubriu

The portion of Italy into which
Allied troops smashed yesterday is
an area of granite mountains not
easily penetrated. If the native
Calabrians were to wish to fight, they
probably could maintain relatively
effective resistance for weeks or
months. The whole peninsula is wild
and treacherous in its physical char
acter. 1t has reputation for sudden
earthquakes and brigandage dating
back for centuries. Even in remote
antiquity it was terrain mysterious
and fearful Travellers avoided its
forbidding coasts.
Yet there was time when, as a
part of Magma Graecia, the toe" of
the Italian boot" experienced an era
of notable prosperity. Four cities
Croton, Sybaris, Locri and Rhegion--
were fiourishing centers of Hellenic
culture. Under the Romans the
country was called Bruttium. 1t had
many nominal rulers, including the
Byzantine emperorS, the NormanS
and the Swabians. But all the glory
OF the past has disappeared under
the devastating touch of periodic
tremors. The best cultivated land is
held by hereditary proprietors &C
cording to the 'majorat" system "in
which peasant owners have no place !"
Some small farms have been pur-
chased by emigrants to America who
have returned to the riviera" of
Evening star., 1943-09-04
THIS AND THAT
By Charles Z. Trdcetcell.

vent even larger numbers from coming
into being.
Some people think that If the birds
were not fed "by hand" they would be
all the keener to search out and destroy
the weed seeds and insects inimical to
agriculture.
Nothing could be farther from the
truth.
If the birds had radios and newspapers
OF their own, and could read and listen
to them, as humans do, they might tell
each other about the location of bird
feeding stations, erected by kind hearted
people who have enough sense to MAIN
tain something interesting beautiful and
helpful.
But the birds do not operate according
to man-made plans.
They are on the old original plan OF
nature.
This means that no one, nor any COM
bination of somebodies, can throw them
of the plan, or spoil" them in any
way whatsoever
They will accept food put out for them,
naturally enough, and often 1t will help
them to go through severe winter, but
at the same time they are eager for
natural foods, such as worms, caterpil-
lars, weed seeds, ETC., and will spend
much of their time seeking it.
Every one who has maintained bird
feeding station for any length of time
Is familiar with the fact that at certain
times, and even for whole days, there
will be very few birds present although
quantities of sunflower seed and other
things very much liked by them are
stocking the station.
There are several reasons for this, and
one of them is that the songsters simply
are away, doing their ancestral chores
OF cleaning up the neighborhood.
We need never fear that anything we
can do to help them will swerve them
from being pure bird, all through.
Humans, supplied with food, may grow
lazy, but not birds. They are so full of
vitality, and so much in need of food to
keep their motors warm, that they can
never get too much of 1t at any time or
in any way.
The help we give them is but drop in
the bucket Of their daily needs, but often
1t is very necessary drop, one which
may make all the difference between
defeat and survival
Waste fats should be saved for the
Government, but there will remain many
leftovers which can be put out for the
birds. We are still Nation of plenty,
compared with many nations, and some
of what we have can just as we'll 90 to
the birds as not
Birds are not pigs, however, and so
should not be given garbage, the display
OF which is always insanitary. If left
overs are used for the birds, they should
be good clean leftovers, and they should
be offered in ways beftting such guests
In our yards as our own birds, America S
loyal flyers for Victory. aids and in
spirations for our marvellous flying men
the world around
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Share the Ride

All patriotic citizens should, If
possible, share rides with others,
and in consequence new rules of con-
duct, believed SO far to be uncovered
by any handbook of etiquette, have
automatically developed. The pas
senger should sit where told, suit his
hours to those of the driver, and not
request to be taken out of the way.
What could be more thoughtless,
then, than the actions of a passenger
picked up by Mr.. Howell of Boise,
Idaho. Just as he was about to close
the hood of his car and start, a skunk
appeared, nestled against the engine
and refused to bulge; nor would he
announce his destination maintain
ing an obstinate and ominous silence.
and forcing Mr.. Howell to make a
guess and choose a likely goal. His
first choice, the State fish and game
department, proved wrong. Quickly
and in no uncertain tones he was
informed that the passenger was
neither fish nor game, and that they
wanted no part of him. For that
matter, neither did the fire depart
ment, the next port of call, but they
were gamer than the game commits
sion. and worked out a solution-a
solution of ammonia. to be precise.
Presumably another solution was
obtained, namely. a solution to the
share the ride" problem for some
time to come. If this driver is on a
hunt for any other passengers. he
must, by paradox, wait until the
scent Is cold.
Evening star., 1943-09-04
New Soviet Line

The propaganda artists, ever fast
on their feet, are becoming more
nimble than ever as the debate over
our relations with Russia moves into
the home stretch.
We have our own fair share of
propagandists who have been hard
at work in this fertile field But
most of them are known, and we are
familiar with their techniqueS. Gen
arally speaking, it is not too difficult
to detect their handiwork and the
motives behind it.
But the Russians have come out
with a new propaganda and a new
line, which Is battling to say the
least. The propagandist is identified
as Major General NJ Galaktinov,
whose medium is an article written
for the Soviet magazine, War and the
Working Glass. The new line con-
sists of the complaint that "notwith-
standing repeated Soviet offers, the
Allies never once expressed a desire
to have troops side by side with our
armies on the Soviet-German front"
This will come as surprise to
most Americans, who have been
under the impression that the Sow
lets have been very particular about
letting any foreigner visit an active
front in Russia. In fact, the people
of this country have been given to
understand that not even Allied
military observers have been allowed
to 60 to the front. But now, if one
is to believe General Galaktinov, it
appears that Britain and the United
States have turned down numerous
Soviet invitations to send troops into
Russia.
There must be some meaning,
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Overoqe Officers

"A 'iewo altlCle III thursday Sgar
spoke OF the resentment" among
overage Army officers who will lose
their active status as a result of the
War Departments decision to revert
to the practice of retiring them.
Some of them may feel resentment,
but for most of them the feeling
must be one of chagrin that their
services can no longer be made use
ful, in the opinion of the responsible
authorities, in the expanded army.
The decision to retire overage
officers, with some exceptions in the
case of officers who meet the strict
standards imposed for retention be-
yond retirement age, must have been
a difficult one to make. One esti-
mate is that there are 900 officers,
most of them in the regular service
and most of them colonies, who will
be affected. These officers, when war
came, were called back or retained
beyond the retirement age to help
whip the new Army into shape. They
responded proudly and only too
gladly. And now many of them
doubtless feel that, though still able
to be of great use, they are being cast
aside to make room for younger men
who lack their long professional ex-
perience as soldiers.
1t is possible to respect this senti-
ment, however, without disagreeing
with the policy of the War Depart
ment. Young, vigorous officers are
needed to push this war along. If
experienced men who have lost their
vigor and the freshness of their out
look stand in the way of advance
ment of the younger men, sentiment
cannot be permitted to retain them
in the service. The suggestion has
been made that to retire them is an
economic waste. There is an even
greater form of waste in holding back
the advancement of younger men,
who may lack the experience of their
elders but whose physical condition
and mental energy enable them to
get things done.
Promotion in the air service has
been rapid, as it should have been.
1t Is primarily service for young
men, and the tremendous expansion
forced advancement in rank out of
all peacetime relation to length of
service. Promotion in the ground
forces, especially in the field, is also
relatively rapid. The men who show
their aptitude for battle command
are being pushed along, as they
should be. The greatest stagnation
is found in the Army Service Forces,
and that is where most of the over
age officers are found today. They
have served Loyalty and faithfully.
But they are getting older AS the
expansion of the Army begins to
level off there are younger men in
the lower ranks, of demonstrated
ability, who are pushing from below
and who must be given opportunities
commensurate with their ability to
advance.
1t is possible that among the over
age officers there are some who will
seek to make an issue of the matter
and take their troubles to Congress.
There is apt to be political pressure,
perhaps attempted legislation, for
retention of some officers. That
would be unfortunate and for the
good of the Army should be dis
Evening star., 1943-09-04
"HYATTSvILLE, Nd,

Dear Sir:
Have you ever told your readers to
put out watermelon, cantaloupe and
honeydew melon seed for the birds2
The cardinals seem to like them as
we'll as they do sunfower seed.
They can be put out now or dried for
winter.
Thanks for your articles. We enjoy
them a lot.
Sincerely, A. c."
Squash seeds, ground up, may be tried.
These, with the seeds mentioned by
our correspondent, will help out the birds
larder.
Scarcity and rising prices. which al
ways 60 with q war, affect the birds as
we'll as their friends.
From now on 1t will be increasingly
dificult for the latter to provide the
songsters with grain and seed which they
like
No one need worry too much about
this, for there are always eftovers which
the feathered folk will eat.
1t is now more important than ever
to see that they have added food, in
addition to natures bounty.
We may have q severe winter. This
will mean that many weed seeds and
berries will be covered up, at least for
some weeks.
1t is common belief that hot summer
means cold winter. This is held to be
q sort of balancing proposition, so that
the mean temperature" will stay close
to normal, over the entire year.
Nature believes in balance, and this is
one of her ways, evidently, of attaining
1t, and of making it stick.
In preparing for cold winter, Ameri-
cans should give some thought to the
birds.
They are, after all, among the Nations
real treasures, and SO accepted by most
persons, even by those who commonly,
for one reason or other, give them little
thought.
Liking for the birds is not just hobby.
well as esthetic nature. without the
first flyers. we would be the poorer, and
agriculture almost impossible.
There is no real way of knowing ex-
actly our Indebtedness, as = Nation, to
the birds. They eat SO many weed seeds,
and so many inimical insects, that only
an approximation OF their work in this
line can be made
If we were to say that millions of tons
OF weed seeds, and an equal number of
tons OF insects are consumed by birds
each year, we probably would be as about
as close to it rs possible
And each one Of these seeds, and each
one of these insects, unmolested, would
have grown into hundreds and thousands
more!
Thus the birds, In their never-ceasing
search for food, not only clean up vast
amounts Of mans enemies, but also pre-
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Public Library PIonnino

OnaVailability of materials elimi-
mated almost all construction prof.
ects from last years District budget
and the Commissioners very wisely
utilized revenues, which normally
would have been spent for building.
on debt reduction. Substantially the
same situation undoubtedly will exist
In relation to next years budget,
preliminary estimates of which are
now being submitted to the Com
missioners by the department heads.
judged on the recommendations
already made, however, next years
budget will include number of post
war projects for which plans should
be made now.
Estimates for the Free Public Lii
brary furnish a case in point. 1t is
impossible now to carry forward the
construction program for branch Ii
braries. But there is every reason to
plan for that construction by pur-
chase of sites and preparation of
the designs. The Board of Trustees
has recommended site purchase and
plans for four new branch libraries.
eventually to be built in Cleveland
Park, Brookland, Pleasant Valley and
Congress Heights The trustees
point out that in the established
sections of the city. strategically To-
Gated sites are becoming increasingly
scarce and costly, making early ac-
QUESTION of sites urgent" 1t is not
only urgent. but it is economical as
we'll to obtain and hold these sites
for development which postwar con-
struction will make possible.
There are other actions recon-
mended in the estimates which
should be taken now. An important
one relates to increasing the book
purchase fund from 100000 to
$4,000. This fund has fallen far
behind population growth. 1t is less
than in the depression years, al
though the number of registered
borrowers has more than doubled
and the agencies served with books
by the library have increased SIS per
cent.
The book fund in Washington now
is only rs cents per capita, COM
pared with desirable standard of
IL cents. The proposed increase
would bring it up to about 10 cents.
This substandard level in relation
to the book fund reflects the condi-
ton of library maintenance funds in
general. A study by the American
Library Association, based on average
costs Of operation of libraries
throughout the country, reached the
conclusion that 81 per capita in
library operation cost represents a
minimum; $3.50 is reasonably good
and 81 is superior" Our public
library operation cost is only 76 cents.
While there may be offsetting factors
in the economy of operation of our
own system, and the presence in
Washington of many Government
libraries (Which augment but do not
duplicate the Free Public Library
service), it is obvious that mainte-
nance funds should be increased in
keeping with the Importance of the
library services in the welfare of the
community
Evening star., 1943-09-04

some rational explanation, of this
new propaganda line, but it is beyond
ordinary comprehension. Presum-
ably, General Galaktinov knows. for
his article is entitled: What Is the
Real Situation?" Since there is no
answer to that one in the back of
the book, however, our reply would
have to be: Your guess is as good as
mine.
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the aoriter, although the use of
a pSeudo71ynl for publication is
permissible. The Star reserDes
the right to edit all letters Uith
Uieto to condensation.
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Commentator for Editorial
On Housing Problem.

~u HVuSAn8 IIODitn.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Your excellent editorial, Housing
Problem Exhibit" August 81, brought
several telephone calls from indignant
employers OF household help-Negroes
who have suffered long and painfully
from Indifferent Or neglectful landlords.
For example: Mrs. C. says her cook
lives in house which is fire hazard.
Complaints to the landlord result in
abuse and threats of eviction She called
the National Capital Housing Authority
mentioned in the editorial, who referred
her to the Washington Housing Associa-
ton. We have notified the electrical in
spector, who is usually very prompt in
inspecting such property and ordering
the owner to comply with the law.
In your editorial, however, you quote
the Board for the Condemnation OF In
sanitary Buildings as reporting that no
health menace resulted from the action
OF the Water Department in shutting
off the water supply OF the two dwellings
charged with bill of more than $100
This opinion OF the board Is hard to
understand, since the tenants now must
depend upon the sanitary facilities of
neighbors, thereby increasing their
water charges until such time as the
neighbors rebel at the situation and for
bid such use
The fact that the Nations Capital
still has almost 10000 dwelling units
which do not have indoor toilets is an
extremely serious situation. The anti
quated outdoor toilets must be serviced
for reasons of health-not only that of
the tenants, but of the whole COM
munity
You understandingly have raised the
question, whether we are safe in wait
ing for the end Of the war to bring a
solution OF very serious problem"
HELEN DUEY HOFFMAN,,
Executive Director, Washington
Housing Association.
Discusses Manpower Problem
For Viewpoint Of Average Man.
To the Editor of The Star:
Paul v. McNutt and others seem to
think that the way to get men into
defense work is to shout THE Army will
gitcha!" and presto. Joe Doakes will
change jobs.
But let's look at the problem from
Joe's viewpoint. He has worked up from
errand boy to a foreman, stockroom
manager, buyer or laboratory assistant
and has good future in the organiza-
ton. If he gives that up and goes
to work in a defense job, he loses his
standing entirely in the old organiza-
ton. When the war Is over, he will
have to start new again. OF course,
some may be held in the new jobs after
the war, but certainly many will not
Suppose Joe stays on where he is
now: If he is drafted, then his posi-
tion will be held open for him until the
war is won. Who knows, maybe he
won't get drafted, anyway! If so, per-
haps the war will end before he goes
across. If not, he is willing to do his
part like the boy down the street.
II he gets that defense Job, he might
be called draft dodger-if the new
place is recognized as being draft-exempt
III there lis such a place. and If 1t is
not safe haven then when he does
get drafted he will not have 1t to come
Evening star., 1943-09-04
Neighbor Complains About
Four Corners Ghost Town."


Four Corners "GhOst Town."
To the Editor of The STAR
noted with special interest your re-
cent article on the ghost town" near
Four Corners, Md. Several members of
my family own homes which are vir-
tually surrounded by this monstrosity.
The authorities put this over" by
having the land condemned under the
the guise of war emergency and, despite
covenant in the deeds covering the
cost and character of the homes to be
built In this community, promised the
present home owners the following:
That these houses would conform in
general way to the cheaper homes al
ready built by private owners. That
they would be Handicapped adequately.
That they would be rented to Army and
Navy officers or Government officials.
That they would be torn down as soon as
the emergency is over and that this land
would be sold by the Government to
private parties at that time.
What actually has happened to date Is
this: Apparently the promoter who op-
toned this land and the person who
delivered and erected these houses are
the only ones to receive any benefit from
the deal. Although designed to be
erected in few days, months have gone
by and the majority of the houses still
are not sufficiently completed for occu-
pancy. There has been practically no
Andscaping done. The houses them
selves are built on concrete stills. and
have no arrangements for heating ex-
cept for stoves in the so-called living
rooms.
1t is now proposed to rent these houses
to an entirely different class of tenants,
and it is obvious that people who are
willing to live in them certainly will
be willing to accept very low standard
Of living.
The two neighborhood grade schools
are being remodeled to accommodate
the Officers" children who never will
come. Even the children In this COM
munity will have to suffer for the in
justice which has been done either de-
liberately or through abominably poor
judgment.
Is there any way that the tax-paying,
home owning, permanent residents who
have banked their future in this COM
munity can have some guarantee that
these houses will be removed as agreed
upon and that this land will again be
made available to those who wish to
live there in decent environment?
6. r. n.