davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Alarming SHORTAGE

For the habit of viewing with
alarm. there is nothing to beat the
financial expert. He leads a sad life.
His heart is never gladdened when
he gets dollar BILL as is that of the
average citizen. There are too MANY
things wrong with it. and he knows
them all. 1t is payable in silver, not
gold. Furthermore, in some mys-
ferrous way it is worth only So cents,
and the fact that he gets Al cents
change If he uses it to pay a 59-cent
debt does not cheer him.
The latest thing to worry this
easily worried species is a truly
alarming shortage of ten-thousand-
dollar bills. 1t seems that there are
only 1900 of them outstanding, and
that is not good. For some reason
the thoughtless nontechnical public
does not use them. but lets great
quantities lie idly in the Treasury,
accommodating dust, thus defeating
the true destiny of currency, to flow
forever backward and forward like
tidal river stimulating commerce
and bringing Joy. Some experts are
in a positive swivet over the un-
healthy financial stagnation. No one
ever really knows whether financial
expert is right or wrong, but it would
be terrible If they happened to be
right this time and the public in
advertently let them down. To play
safe, patriotic citizens are invited to
call at Mr.. Morgenthau's celebrated
den on Pennsylvania avenue and buy
a few more ten thousand dollar bills.
They are not rationed. and all you
will need is mere million pennies
the kind that look like dimes.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
The Bovingdon Custer

In dismisSing John Bovingdon,
accused by Representative Martin
Dies of being a former ballet dancer,
from the Office of Economic War
fare, Director Leo T. Crowley seems
to have taken the only reasonable
course that was open to him.
Mr. Bovingdon has denied that he
ever was ballet dancer, explaining
that he had taken up a form of
rhythmic dance some years ago to
improve his health. But even if he
had been a ballet dancer, that fact,
of itself, would not necessarily have
disqualified him for the position that
he held with DEW. The thing that
does appear to justify Mr.. Crowley's
action is the mental atmosphere in
which Mr.. Bovingdon pursued his
dancing career. The character of
this atmosphere is reflected in the
following statement attributed to
Mr.. Bovingdon, the accuracy Of
which he has not disputed: When
you conceive of a community, all
members of which are sWayed by
kindred emotions of awe and wonder,
expressing themselves through plas-
tic bodies moving rhythmically, the
picture Is staggering"
Mr.. Bovingdon did not exaggerate.
The picture which he suggests LIS only
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Impending Storm

The flood of rumors coming out of
Italy since Mussolini's fall is like the
FIRST roll Of thunder which warns of
an approaching storm. The storm
itself may be a relatively inconse-
quential downpour, cooling and
clarifying the atmosphere. Or it may
be a tornado Of destruction, taking
a path that no one can chart in ad-
vance, uprooting everything it strikes.
following files in newspaper Offices
remind us of other faint rolls of
thunder that reached the world
from Russia, in 1917 with hints of
food riots in Petrograd and of an i'm
perial decree dissolving the Russian
Parliament. Not until five days
after Russian soldiers had rioted in
Petrograd and overthrown the Car
did word Of that event get out of
Russia. 1t was received with various
emotions In the capitals of the world.
London and Paris saw in this
beneficent revolution a cleaning out
of pro-German elements around the
Russian throne, the triumph of a
patriotic war element intent on re-
moving every obstruction to con-
tinuing the war against Germany.
Berlin was repeatedly sunk in gloom.
IAN authoritative source" in London
saw in Prince Lvov, who had taken
command, the most popular man in
Russia, possessing the confidence of
all Russians-high and low. New
York bankers thought that now Rus
sian finances would be handled more
efficiently.
An unknown Russian, 1t is true,
was interviewed in the office Of a
small Russian language Socialist
newspaper In New York. His views
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Wartime Prison Labor
From the Toronto Star,

A source of Canadian manpower which
seems to have been overlooked is the
1ails and penitentiaries. The warden of
Kingston Penitentiary recently reported
that the prisoners were to some extent
being employed at war work, but obvi-
ously not to the full extent of their
capacities. The report stated: The pris-
oners were so enthusiastic about doing
war work many volunteered to work
overtime" The contribution which pris-
oners could make to the war effort de-
pends upon their workshop facilities and
OF course upon a plan to integrate their
work with the country's production
schedules. This has been done In the
United States, where prison institutions
in practically every State have become
centers of production of war materials.
An article in the Wall Street journal
stated that in more than 100 institutions
In the United States production for war
has grown to large volume.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
THIS AND THAT
By Charles Z. Trace,rells

spite the fact that some persons claim
1t has only harsh chirp" Not only
has it throat muscles which entitle it
to the scientific designation of song
Bird but its actual song, in chorus,
is very pretty.
One of the best features of winter
bird feeding Is the afternoon chorus OF
the sparrows.
After they have eaten all day, they
take time out, about o'clock In the
afternoon. to perch in some vine and
sing.
This Is pretty music. one which always
attracts attention from passersby, who
are amazed at so much singing in the
cold.
Robins occasionally receive the death
sentence from worms, as part of the acci-
dents which are continually happening,
both in the bird and human worlds.
We believe that the birds have much
better accident-prevention record than
mankind. OF course, they do not have
machines to cause accidents, but are al
ways getting themselves entangled IN
vines and the like
Carrying pieces of twine and string for
nests is another way the birds get into
trouble,
Once they are entangled, they do not
know how to get loose, and their mates
never know what to do for them.
Occasionally birds get trapped in ga
RACES or woodsheds
II they happen to fly down behind
some piece of old furniture stored away
or behind large box, when they get
tired OF sleeping they find they cannot
get out, because there is not enough
space for the take-off.
The wings were being folded. as the
bird came down. but when 1t tries to 20
up, there Is not enough room for the
Widespread.
Speaking OF vines, one Of the finest,
from the bird standpoint, Is the trumpet
vine.
This is a tremendous grower. with long
orange blossoms resembling small trum-
pets.
Both the color of the flowers, now In
bloom. and the shape of the long "trum-
pet" make an especial appeal to hum
mingbirds.
1t is good thing to train a trumpet
vine on tree which Is close to the
house.
Then the homeowner may look out at
his ease and have a grandstand seat for
watching the hummers.
The ruby -throated hummingbird Is
the only species to come to Washington
and locality.
If you see another "hummingbird," you
can feel sure that you are looking at the
Thisbe, or sphinx moth in one of It's
forms.
This moth so much resembles the hum
mingbird that some observers think they
have found new species of hummer.
Close observation-and this is very easy,
because the sphinx moth is fearless
shows that 1t is not bird at all, al
though specifically resembling the
ruby throat at little distance, especially
in its habit of poising motionless over
flowers. The phlox is favorite of this
insect.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
More Historic Data
On Soldiers Home.

TO the Editor OF Inc Star.
AS usual found John Clagett Proc
tors article in last Sundays Star very
interesting. Nevertheless, I wondered If
he had access to Col Woods History of
the Soldiers Home which he was COM
piling when an executive there.
The oldest house on the grounds dates
back perhaps $50 years. 1t was old
when my English grandfather bought 1t
100 years ago this coming autumn. Col.
Woods photograph of it taken over 20
years ago is labeled The Wood Farm
House" His name being Wood and my
uncles bearing the same name and titles
in the British army added to his inter-
est and the fact that it had been oc
cupied earlier by William H. Crawford,
when a candidate for the presidency.
Robert Serrell Wood, the erstwhile new
owner. added to the house and had
Saul landscape the grounds.
When Mr. Riggs sold his property and
moved further into the country. his
peacock failed to like the new location
and strolled down to Mount Hermon,"
so-called because of the little hill'
upon which the house Is situated After
being returned several times. Mr.. Riggs
insisted upon Mr.. Wood keeping 1t.
Later the bird died of old age, fell of its
perch when in full plumage; and the
Smithsonian has so mounted 1t.
Mr.. Corcoran bought 'Harewood" with
its entrance, also on the Hardwood road
shortly before the War Between the
States and had erected his Lodge" but
was collecting wood to season for his
house. That wood proved too tempting
and the Soldiers Home, needing to ex-
pand because Of the war; he sold the
property to that institution and ad-
vised his widowed neighbor and daugh-
ters to do likewise Mrs Elizabeth Wood
and family were then in Paris but they
returned for that purpose.
The property had been cared for by
their English servants (Americans have
degraded the meaning OF that worO
whose eldest son later laid the wonder
full cobblestone cutters which bordered
the miles OF gravel roads. all of which
matched the pebble-dashed Riggs cot
tage.
Their otherwise charming neighbors
refusing to take the terms offered by the
Evening star., 1943-08-05

Home, II years elapsed before the
Home was willing to take the smaller
property alone and then at loss to
Mrs. Wood and her daughters of $4,000
The son had received his fathers Eng
lish estates.
I have reason to believe that Mr..
Agg's father-in-law, Mr.. Blackburn, and
not Mr.. Agg, was former owner of the
property. His house stood where are
the present greenhouses. Also the Glebe
nuded of very small portion when the
road bordering the church property was
built now known as Rock Creek Church
road. e. BERTHA CHINN.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
FAIRFAX DRIVE.

Dear Sir.
"A few days ago heard story
something like the man-bite- dog story,
only this was worm bite robin, or some
what like that.
Two men stopped their car to watch
a robin trying to swallow a large worm
The robin seemed to be having quite
time of it.
After awhile the robin seemed ex-
hausted, and the men went to its rescue
and removed the worm from its mouth,
but the robin fell over dead.
Evidently the worm had entered the
robins wind pipe and choked 1t to
death. know one of these men well
and will vouch for his veracity.
Another story I heard recently was
about an English sparrow standing guard
near a hole in the ground, made by
those big yellow hornets Il call them
bull hornets.
Every time a hornet came back with
an insect in its mouth, the sparrow
would pounce on it. causing the insect
to be dropped, which the sparrow
promptly grabbed and ate.
This was repeated several times.
Another story is one witnessed my
self from my dining room window. I
saw a redbird spiraling in the willow
tree, then falling to the lawn below with
leaf in its bill
This was repeated several times. The
bird jumped from limb to limb. then
sighting a worm, it would take the long
slender leaf in its beak.
Then letting the weight of its body
swing until the leaf finally broke of.
Then when 1t reached the ground, it
secured the worm
I'm regard to redbird bathing, ! have
never. never seen one bathe.
"Very truly yours, w. H. w"
II we read our correspondent Alright,
the cardinal sighted a worm on a leaf,
and then seized the leaf and swung onto
1t with his full body weight until it
broke away
Then, with the leaf in its bill, the
redbird flew down to the ground, where
it picked off the worm. Clever, We call
1t.
The question is why the bird didn't
just pick the worm off the leaf on the
tree?
Perhaps the worm was Of the sticky
variety, or held tightly to the leaf in
some other way.
This seems to be bad summer for
trees. Leaf-miners are at work on va
rious species, especially the locusts.
These insects are tenacious in their
holds on the leaf.
The story of the English sparrow
compelling the hornet to drop its prey
is typical of this bird.
Although its tactics at times resemble
those of the human gangster, in the
main it is an intelligent, resourceful and
persistent bird, one we'll worth watch
ing.
We have always said that any one,
by watching these songsters, will work
up an admiration for them.
This sparrow is true songbird, de-
Evening star., 1943-08-05
The New Mr.. Lewis

The John L. Lewis who appeared
before the War Labor Board to ask
for approval of the United Mine
Workers contract with the Illinois
Coal Operators bore little re-
semblance to the John L. Lewis who
has been indulging in the most un-
restrained denunciations of the
board and its individual members
during recent weeks.
When he entered the hearing room
Tuesday, Mr.. Lewis checked his
critical vocabulary at the door. His
demeanor before the board was
dignihed and respectful, his brief
comments were directed to the
points at issue and his recognition
OF the boards authority was not
qualified. All Of these things, GER
tainly, should facilitate settle
ment of his case.
But it does not follow that the
contract which Mr.. Lewis asked the
board to approve represents an
equitable adjustment of the portal
to-portal controversy, which is the
principal point at issue. Some six
weeks ago the board refused to rule
on the portal portal question,
taking the position that this was
matter to be settled in the courts
under the wage-hour law or through
collective bargaining.
The proposal which Mr.. Lewis now
has put before the board is a settle
ment arrived at through collective
bargaining. the Illinois operators
having offered to pay the miners
SIPS day travel time" for the next
two years to compromise the unions
claim for portal-to-portal pay since
enactment of the wage hour law
some six years ago. In effect, the
operators are saying that the miners
have a legal claim which, in their
judgment, is of sufficient validity to
justify them in making a COM
promise settlement to avoid the risk
OF mourning heavier liability
through court proceedings. On its
face, this clearly is not disguised"
pay increase, and, if nothing more
were involved, it would be difficult
to see how the board could refuse
to approve the contract.
But something more is involved.
The contract is made contingent
upon the willingness of the Office of
Price Administration to raise the
price of coal to cover the increased
costs. In other words, the Illinois
operators are willing to settle their
alleged legal obligation to the miners
If the Government will require the
coal-buying public to foot the bill
This presumably is an adjustment
of the portal-to-portal controversy
which would be accepted willingly
by all Of the coal operators. But,
assuming that the operators have
been in violation of the law and are
therefore legally in debt to the
miners, the consumers will want to
know why they, and not the opera
tors, should be called upon to pay the
penalty prescribed by the statute,
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Pulominos

/ hare seen them here on these uide
green plains:
The gold palominos tOith milk-Dhits
names,
And snotDy tails that ,Dhip and lash
Like STEEL blue northers, and hooues
that crash
Their laundering ,Day to the resa's
face
/ haze seen them stop their mad Dild
race
And rear alott-to stand quite still
Like golden statues upon a hill.
A sculptured grandeur against the
sky,
As yello,O as flame, as sharp as q cry,
Their noStrilS fartng, their eyes on
fire,
And there, kne,U, toas my hearts
desire % ss
For beauty, keen as q saber blade
That Dild, sun-colored colts had
made.
GRACE NOLL CROWELL.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Sphinx of Egypt
Denied Traditional Mystery.

10 the Edltor OF The star:
In The Star of July 81 the Egyptian
Sphinx was referred to in these words:
Everybody knows the Egyptian Sphinx,
ageless emblem of mystery, which
erouches inscrutable in the desert near
the great pyramids"
But there Is now nothing mysterious,
mystical or occult about the Sphinx. 1t
Is the portrait head Of Khafre, about
1869 BIC, upon the body of lion.
AS the lion is king of the beasts. so
Khafre wished to emphasize his king
ship over Egypt.
This meaning of the Sphinx was dis
covered some years ago by an eminent
Egyptologist. DR.. George A. Reisner,
1s67-1942. All other interpretations OF
the Sphinx should be relegated to the
scrapbook of ignorance. as being mere
speculation without any basis in fact.
DR.. GEORGE S. DUNCAN.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Criticism of Washington

In addressing the Rotary Club yes
terday on some of the recent criti-
cisns of Washington, Wilbur La Roe,
jr., made strong point in singing
out the lack of voting participation
in their Government by the people of
Washington as the primary weak
spot" in the city's structure. For it
is from this basic weakness that
others stem. And until it is rene
died, there is little hope for the cure
of ills which are specifically Gag
nosed as cause rather than as a
result.
Much OF the criticism of Washing
ton going out over the country these
days is resented locally not because
of what it reveals, but because it is
uninformed and incomplete. A con-
gressional committee, for instance,
has plenty of reason to point with
shame to the degradation of slum
areas in Washington. But its criti-
cism, minus unnecessary eXaggera-
tions, would be more effective if ac-
companied by some mention of the
long history of efforts by Washing
tonians, baked by congressional in
action or opposition, to clean up
these areas. 1t is probably accurate
to say that Washington is one of the
"wettest" cities of the country.
judged on statistical basis of per
capita consumption of liquor. But
this fact would be more significant if
1t were also pointed out that the
people OF Washington have nothing
TO do with the form of liquor control
chosen for them by the representa-
tives of every community in the
Nation except Washington, or with
the selection of the officials who
enforce the regulations.
Criticism of Washington makes
Interesting reading over the country,
and number of special correspond
ents have found in it good copy for
their papers back home. If they
would look to the causes of the
conditions OF which they complain,
pointing out that Washington is the
only city in the Nation governed by
all the people of the Nation except
those who live here, this criticism
would have the merit of being con-
structive. For people then would
begin to wonder why it is that the
citizens who live in Washington, the
fountain-head of noble expressions
regarding the postwar spread of
democratic principles throughout
the world, are denied the basic right
OF a voice in their government. Or
they might question how genuine
are our aspirations to lift the suffer-
Ing people of the world to a higher
level while concealing the neglected
portions OF the American Capital
behind the marble facade of official
Washington.
Mr.. La Roe brought some refresh
Ing good sense into his discussion of
the weaknesses of Washington, first
by pointing to the fine things about
the local community which are mat
ters OF pride to all of us; second, by
getting down to brass tacks about
the basic causes of conditions in the
American Capital, correctly subject
10 criticism so long as it is coupled
with some discriminatory discussion
Of the causes rather than the results,
Evening star., 1943-08-05

were interesting, though unimpor-
tant. He thought the new Russian
government was meaningless and
would not last long, for he saw in
the overthrow of the Car a move
ment that would carry much further
than the establishment of the new
regime, and that other forces soon
would be in control. His name was
Leon TrotSkX.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Name

@. What is the name Of the horse
Mussolini rode?-N. A. H.
A. On July AZ, 1910, Mussolini rode a
chestnut mare, Hanoverian cavalry
horse named Theme. This is the only
occasion where we find his horse referred
to by name.
@. Please furnish q list of books
which might include the great American
novel-B. l..
A. H. L. Mencken, the eminent au-
thority, says: 1T would be hard indeed
to pick out any American novels and say
that they were the best My own favor.
ite is 'Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
I believe that 1t is one of the best books
ever written. I also have q very high
opinion Of 'Babbit,' by Sinclair Lewis,
and of Jennie Gerhardt,' by Theodore
Dresser. Two other novels also suggest
themselves, to wit, Java Head by Jo-
seph Hergesheimer and Honey in the
Horn by H. L. Davis"
@. Did British troops remain In Ice
land after United States troops arrived?
"A. D. G.
A. After the arrival of United States
troops In Iceland, British troops were
gradually removed BY the fall Of 1912
United States troops were the sole oc-
cupying forces.
@. How many more automobiles were
there in the United States In 1912 than
in 1917?-L. o. M.
A. There were about six times as
many automobiles in the United States
in 1912 as in 1917.
@. What is the origin of Friendship
Day in Texas?-S. N. M.
A. For several years the Governors of
Texas have proclaimed as Friendship
Day, the birthday of Mary Eleanor
Breckenridge, March 7. She was a phi
lanthropist who gave many scholarships
to various schools throughout the
country.
@. What is the difference between
high and low German?-D. B. w.
A. The Teutonic language OF the Ger
mans is divided into the speech Of the
southern highlands, or high German,
and that of the northern highlands, or
low German, each comprising a number
of dialects.
@. What Is the relationship between
the Churchill who is the Duke of Marl-
borough and Winston Churchill?-E. L. H.
A. John Churchill, the 10th Duke OF
Marlborough, is the first cousin once
removed of the Prime Minister. His
father and Winston Churchill were
cousins.
Q. Where is the largest Army hospital
in the United States?-E. A.
A. Halloran General Hospital on Staten
Island is one of the largest Army hospi-
tails in the United States 1t occupies
383 acres and has 43 brick buildings.
@. Who dubbed Boston the Hub Of
the Universe?'-R. E. B.
A 1t was Oliver Wendell Holmes who
referred to Boston as the hub of the
solar system. This Is in chapter of the
"Autocrat of the Breakfast Table"
@. What happens to Government
bonds when the owner dies?-B. ND.
A. The Government bonds purchased
by an individual belong to him and at
his death became part of his estate If
no beneficiary is named on the bonds.
AS part of his estate they will be dis
tributed to his heirs under the laws OF
descent and distribution of the State.
If there is will the bonds will be dis
tributed in accordance with its provisions.
Evening star., 1943-08-05

1t is announced that certain golf
links In Britain will be tailored" for
wounded combatants Holes will be
less far apart, and rough" regions
smoother. What a temptation these
courses will offer to some civilians
who would give leg or an arm for
sixty nine to brag about.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the 1Driter, although the use of
a pseudonyn1 for publication is
permissible. The Star reSerDes
the right to edit all letters Nth
a rie1U to condensation.
Evening star., 1943-08-05
Bad Manners Seen
In Slur at King.

In Slur at King.
To the Editor Of The Star;
Persons guilty of crimes may be anath-
ematized in whatever Language writer
chooses.
But an offensive epithet applied to
any one in public position whose moral
character is above suspicion is not toler-
able.
What has been said of King Victor
Emmanuel does him no harm but only
convicts his critics of a departure from
the good taste which all who engage In
literary work seek to observe.
COSMOPOLITAN.
Evening star., 1943-08-05

Disorders in Milan show that the
italian people are just beginning to
exercise their inalienable riot of self
determination.