davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-02-19
Not Using Car Prompts
Complaint of Hardship.
To the Editor Of The Star:

10 le Edltor OF Inc star.
am Canadian, but as I reside here
and must live up to the restrictions laid
down for all residents, there should be
no reason why I may not make myself
heard.
1t has been no hardship to save fats
and tin cans, to cut down on butter,
meats and canned foods; but 1t has
been real sacrifice not to use our car,
as we have two young children and have
depended on 1t to take them to places
of interest in this beautiful city.
Last week the children learned much
about Abraham Lincoln While all this
was still fresh in their minds, We de-
cided on Sunday to take them to the
Smithsonian Institution to see the case
OF Lincoln relics. 1t was bitterly cold
waiting for bus and our feelings were
bitter, too as car after car with men,
women and children sped gayly past
Were We just suckers?
Monday night crowds poured out of
the National Theater. Is there any rea-
son why Virginia car. with chauffeur,
should be waiting for a theater- goer?
Is there any reason why dozens of peo-
pie should cross to the parking station
to claim their cars? - there any reason
why we should walk to Eleventh street
and Pennsylvania avenue and stand
there waiting for a bus7 Are we Just
suekers3 MURIM WILEY.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
A Blow to PIunnino

The House chose a curious time
to strike out the National Resources
Planning Board. That agencys work
Is more important now than at any
period in the decade since it's crea-
ton. We cannot afford to repeat
the experiences Of the depression
years, when we proceeded planlessly
to improvlSe one eXpedient after an
other in the creation Of made work"
Certainly we shall be most neglectful
of our responsibility if we approach
the complexities Of the postwar era
without plans for meeting every con-
tingency that thoughtful men can
anticipate.
Representative DirkSen of Illinois,
always an able foe, led the attack
against the board with his con-
demnatton of its duplication :"
Scores of Federal agencies are en-
gagged in the work of planning, he
said. Why should this agency be
doing what is being done in almost
every other Federal agency?
The board was established origi-
nally to deal with the very situation
emphasized by Mr.. Dirksen. For
while almost every agency is to some
degree engaged in planning, their
plans are correlated only through the
National Resources Planning Board.
The real duplication exists between
the planning of other agencies, and
a chief function Of the board is to
eliminate the WaStefulneSS of dupli-
cation by preserving the best features
Of overlapping plans. The National
Resources Planning Board duplicates
the planning work Of other agencies
in the sense that the Budget Bureau
duplicates the budget planning in
other agencies. 1t reviews and at
tempts to fit the various parts into
an integrated whole.
In the year of its creation as the
National Planning Board, 1888, as an
agency of the Public Works Admin
istration, there was one State
planning agency. Largely as the re-
suit of the boards leadership, there
now are forty-four State planning
bodies and many county and mu-
nicipal agencies Many projects that
exist on paper now, to be launched
at the appropriate time. owe their
/ origin TO the work Of the National
Evening star., 1943-02-19
Billions of Expenditure
Discussed as Political Issue,
To the Editor Of The star:

AZ WAC 1Iltoi Va ! le oJsr
1t was at the turn Of the century that
fortnight defender of the first billion
dollar Congress" (Thomas B. Reed,
Speaker of the House, met the charge
OF extreme governmental profigacy with !:
Well, this Is billion-dol country"
Now pending before the House Wavs
and Means Committee there is a bill to
increase the statutory debt limit to which
the Government can go from 1875 to 21O
billion dollars.
Wendell Willkie, in his Lincoln Day ad-
dress to the Woman's Republican Club,
offered the opinion that the national
debt may reach 300 billion dollars be-
fore the war is over. CMr. Willkie does
not think that the present administra-
ton will be able to solve the problem
that that situation will present..
billion dollars! How much is that?
The term rolls easily enough off the
tongue, but 1t is doubtful whether anv Of
us realizes what a billion dollars is.
There are magnitudes and infinitudes so
vast that the finite mind refuses to
follow
When shown a star and told that it is
so distant from earth that it requires
centuries Of time for its light, travelling
at the rate Of 1856 600 miles per second, to
reach us, the statement leaves us cold.
1t does not register
No, We do not know what 300, 2l0 or
one billion dollar debt really is, but We
do know that it is something that even
tually will have to be paid, If we are to
maintain the Nations credit and pur-
chasing power of it's dollar
From the reported quotations from the
ex-Republican presidential candidate s
Lincoln's Day address, greater economy
in Government spending may be one of
the Republican party's next shibboleths
of battle
Sounds like n good issue, but for the
fact that the Republican party. as such,
seemingly has allowed conservative Dem
ocrats to steal 1t.
WILBUR II. CLOSE.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
Always O Friend

Senator Cappers acceptance Of the
new Summers constitutional amend
ment for his own sponsorship in the
Senate is characteristic. His goal is
national representation for the
people of the District and to achieve
this goal he farors the method most
likely to win SUPPORT. Throughout
the Districts Ions fght for the voting
rights of American citizens, Senator
Capper has been real friend, basing
his sympathetic interest on his own
firmly held convictions of justice and
right. The form of the amendment,
to him, has always been merely the
most effective means to a desirable
end.
In introducing the new amend
ment yesterday, Senator Capper
placed correct emphasis on it's grant
Of power to Congress; power added,
without diminishing any other exist
Ing power. 1t is power which Con-
gress may exercise, through subse-
quent legislation, in accordance with
Its judgment Of conditions at that
time. 1t is not power which, by it's
grant, fixes the detailed methods OF
its application.
The people of the District regard
with high hope this renewed attempt
to bring Americanization to the
Capital, proud of the standing and
-ealiber of the men who have offered
their leadership in House and Senate.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
"Only Plan" to Avoid Chaos
In Taxation Procedure Offered.

In Taxation Procedure Offered.
To the Editor Of The Star:
There is an unprecedented confusion
In the minds of legislators, administra-
tive officials and taxpayers generally as
to what the income tax liabilities and
obligations for the years 1912 and 1943
are or will be. A great proportion of
the taxpaying population has refrained
from filing 1912 tax returns because Of
this confusion and the misplaced hope
that the 1912 tax will be forgiven. The
Treasury rightfully has expressed its
concern over this situation.
Because of the chaos which now is
threatened, an income tax plan which
I suggested to the United States Treas
ury in August, 1912, appears to be the
only feasible solution and I quote from
my letter OF suggestion:
THE plan, of course, contemplates that
the pay-as-you-go tax will be in effect.
This is the plan:
81. The tax due for the tax year 1912
shall be that amount paid as tax for
the tax year 1941, Or such amount as
may be computed upon the taxpayers
actual income in 1912, upon the same
rates, exemptions and deductions as
were in effect in 1941, whichever is the
lower.
2. The taxpayer may elect to pay as
his tax for the tax year 1912 such
amount as he paid for the tax year 1941,
and In such case he shall file the Internal
Revenue Bureaus short-form notice of
election, together with the first INSTALL
ment payment of his tax, and he need
not file any other income tax return
g. IF a taxpayer believes that his tax
computed according to the formula set
forth IN paragraph l will be lower than
his tax for the year 1941 and he desires
to avail himself of such lower tax, he
shall file the regular income tax return
applicable to his status.
a. In any event, onetwelfth (or any
other fract1on) of the tax payable shall
be paid at the time of filing notice Of
election or income tax return and the
balance shall be paid In l. equal
installments"
I submit that this plan, Of all those
suggested, Is the only one that is fair
to both the United States and to every
taxpayer, large or small There is no
discrimination against taxpayers be-
cause If taxpayer earned less in 1912
than in l941 he would be allowed the
privilege of paying less. II he earned
more, his forgiveness is not a special
forgiveness but a general forgiveness
which applies to all alike.
The plan provides relief for the cur
rent state of indecision in that tax
payer can prepare and file his return
in a matter Of minutes
The plan provides for relief in that
the 1912 tax may be spread over IL or
any greater number OF installments,
payable In any specified intervals
HERMAN TOCKER.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
THIS AND THAT
By Charles i. Trdce1ceU.

Every night 1t comes back to roost,
Instead OF berating these birds, our
correspondent should carry an umbrella
Thus he would get himself some pub
licity and save his clothes
The sight OF man walking down
Pennsylvania avenue with an umbrella
In the moonlight ought to be good to,
picture any night.
Another good plan is to spend some
time in watching the starlings
This Is the surest way We know to
work up an admiration for them.
1t Is impossible, We believe, to study
anything sincerely without in time real
izing the good points which formerly
were overlooked
The startling is held by ornithologists
to be one Of the most intelligent Of all
flyers
Brought to this country, 1t had to de-
velop entirely new migration routes.
Now it has done so, and the result
constitutes in starlingland as great a
triumph as the conquest of the West did
in the history of man in America.
Starlings are vigorous, persistent and
brave.
They were not dsunted by their prob
lens, but solved them one by one
Now they spend their summers in
Canada and in the grain fields of the
West and their winters where they can
keep their feet warm
+*
1t did not take these canny birds long
to discover that Washington had more
public buildings than any other city,
and that they were kept warmer.
A degree or two OF heat managed to
fnd its way to the lodges.
Research would show, in all prob
ability, that the ledges of public build
ings are several degrees warmer than
those Of other buildings
So perhaps the best way to get rid of
the starlings. to end the startling menace,
would be to cut out heating the Govern
ment buildings altogether.
Personal study of the starting almost
always ends in admiration
Starlings eat inimical inseots and thus
tend to help agriculture.
They are great devourers of Japanese
beetles, which are disdained by most
birds
This alone ought to endear them to
America
AS songbirds the starlings have q far
greater repertoire than they usually are
given credit for possessing Many of the
sweet whistles thought to come from
other species, especially in spring, are
the work Of the starlings, At times the
sheen and coloring Of their feathers are
remarkably pretty. This is a bird, In
other words, which is no way near as
black as 1t has been painted.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
PLAZA HOTEL.


Dear Sir:
Why isn't something done about the
starting nuisance in Washington?
Never have I seen q city which
seemed SO befouled as are parts OF
Washington by these birds
The main Post Office Building looks
and smells like a fowl coop.
Bird loving is all right, but these pests
are downright public menace I have
had my hat and coat dirtied by them
more than once while walking along
Pennsylvania avenue
why isn't something done about 1t?
Sincerely, j. T."
Your Uncle Sam has other and far
worse birds on his hands these days.
They are known as Nazis, Fascists and
Japs.
He can use a gun on these, but the
starlngs are classed as songbirds and
therefore are protected by Uncle Sans
own laws.
Washington and has not heard OF the
many years spent in trying to dislodge
the starlings.
Everything from the fire hose to toy
balloons have been tried, with no par
ticular success.
The starlings come back.
You can't blame them really.
What they are after are warm roost-
ing places.
These they find on the lodges Of our
great public buildings.
Even though there Is less heat now, the
ledges are comparatively warm. STAR
lings. being children Of nature, do not
require 80 degrees. All they are after
is relatively warm place.
They want this on account of their
claws
1t seems as If the substance OF their
claws freezes easily, much more so than
most birds claws
Reports have often come in of star
lings being frozen to tin roofs.
This Is on the principle OF the cruel
old practical joke of telling small boy
on cold winter morning to put his
tongue to the iron pump.
The skin froze fast
1t is the same with starting feet. They
have enough heat to achieve this un-
wanted result, but evidently not enough
to keep the foot substance from freezing
Since the startling is a most capable
bird, 1t realizes that public buildings
have heat in them, and it will not be
driven away.
During the day 1t forages as far as 20
miles or more from the National Capital
seeking food in nearby Maryland and
Virginia
Evening star., 1943-02-19

But nowhere in our legislative history
has provision been made emitting DO
iltlcal groups to cloak themselves with
the robe of the American Government
itself. Managers of the Government act
as the lawfully appointed agents of the
cltlzenry, and those who do not disasso-
ciate themselves and their political or
carnations from their Government are
either ignorant of these plain facts or
else willfully are engaged in intimidation
to perpetuate themselves in power.
1t must be conceded by discerning
Americans that many New Dealers hold
more authority than they should have,
and more than they should want, The
alarming trend away from constitution
al administration, from the Congress to
the Executive and its cohorts. steadily
Is inaugurating policy of rule by de-
cree or direction, instead OF American
processes.
Today the New Deal stands indicted
for total disregard of basic and funda-
mental truisms which for $50 years have
assured all Americans their liberty. It
stands indicted for its complacent at
titudes on one hand and It's Juvenile
socialistic, impractical theories on the
other. The New Deal stands indicted
because of its pre-war help to our enc
mics, both within and without. The
jury Of tomorrow will weigh this evi-
dence, and find the New Deal wanting.
II the Congress is to remain a body
independent of executive pressure; if
the little businessman is to regain his
rightful place in our society, and If we
are to curb the trend toward a sovietized
state, then all American citizens must
act In unison at the polls in 1914.
The vote is more than a privilege. II
Is responsibility. Will we discharge
our obligation in an intelligent. honor
able manner? The trend may be pro-
phetic. For in our hands, and in our
hands alone, rests the destiny of our
America. HENRY D, SPALDING.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
Come Victory

Skies shall be cleared for hominq
birds, j.
And ,oinging men on suift, gay
missions,
There ,UiH be laughter, sun to sun,
And polishing OF our traditions.
Rapt hosts on aching, bended knees.
In candidly extended prayer:
Be sUeet renewals OF young lope,
And gallant absence everywhere!
We shall hare mashed our mighty
flag,
In fo,oing, clear, young blood
again;
BoWed lou before golden list
OF ralidnt and Immortal men,
SARAH NJ. HOWARD.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
Chinu's MESSAGE

Inc moving address delivered yes
terday to the American Congress by
! Madame Chang Kai-shek ACQUIRES
added emphasis when considered
! against the background of the cur
rent situation in her homeland
When she described Japan as mot
only potential threat, but as
waiting sword of Damocles, ready to
descend at moments notice" the
vibrant emotion of her voice was un-
doubtedly due in part to ominous
news from the Far East received
during the past few days.
For some time there have been
indications that the next major move
of the long-quiescent japanese war
machine might be general offensive
in China, and recent happenings
there tend to confirm this surmise.
Large-scale japanese attacks are
now in progress in four crucial stra-
tegic areas, coupled with the occupa-
ton OF the French-leased territory
OF KWangchowWan with its fine har-
Dor in Southern China, not far from
French Indo-China. Those simul-
taneous moves are repeatedly de-
scribed by Japanese Army spokes-
man as plan ito take all conceiv-
able measures to crush Chungking
resistance" That has a menacing
ring.
To be sure, Toxic has made similar
boasts before other offensives which
have failed in face Of heroic Chinese
resistance. But Free China's posi-
ton has never been more precarious
than at the present hour. Ever since
the closing Of the Burma road,
nearly a year ago, China has been
cut of from virtually all effective
aid from her Western Allies. A cry
ing lack OF aircraft and heavy equip
ment has been complicated by an
acute internal economic crisis due to
galloplng imitation. Month after
month China's spokesmen have
warned us Of their country's des-
perate situation and have begged for
even a 1.-THE OF the supplies and war
material sent by us across the Allan
tic. China's plight deepens, and the
succor she seeks does not appear to
be Immediately forthcoming.
All this should be borne in mind
in evaluating Madame Chiang's mes
sage, which is the same as that, not
only of her fellow countrymen but
also OF most Americans who know
the Far East, such as Joseph C.
Grew, our former Ambassador to
Toxic. Madame Chang frankly dis
sents from "the prevailing opinion"
which seems to consider the defeat
OF the Japanese as of relative un-
Importance and that Hitler is our
first concern. This Is not borne out
by actual facts, nor is it to the inter-
ests OF the United Nations as a whole
Let us not forget that Japan
in her occupied areas today has
greater resources at her command
than Germany. Let us not forget
that the longer Japan is left in un-
disputed possession OF these re-
sources, the stronger she must be-
come =. The peril of the japanese
juggernaut remains"
China's impassioned spokesman
among us hereby raises once more
the basic dilemma that has con-
fronted our grand strategy ever since
we entered the war. There can be
no doubt that our high command
has decided in favor of the Hitler
first" formula, and no reversal is
possible. Yet, within the framework
of our grand strategy, changes of
emphasis may be made in accordance
with new developments and exig-
encies. 1t is this which Madame
Chang doubtless had in mind.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
OPA Stands Firm

1
There is reassuring note Of firm
ness In the address by Prentiss M.
Brown-his first since becoming Price
Administrator the New York
meeting Of the Technical Association
Of the Pulp and Paper Industry.
When Mr.. Brown was named to
succeed Leon Henderson it was widely
believed that he would try to soften
the impact Of OPA on the people,
| that concessions would be made to
this and that pressure group Evi-
IDENTIFY he is determined to disabuse
the public mind Of such notions.
Lashing out at back biting" and
under the table" talk in Congress,
Mr.. Brown warned against legisla-
tive moves that would tend to push
through existing price ceilings, espe-
cially in the case of food, and indi-
Gated that he intends to take an
uncompromising stand against any
further general wage increases. Re
ferring to the wage demands of the
United Mine Workers and the ac-
companying implicit threat of strike
action, Mr.. Brown said there must
be mo strike and there must be no
compromise Within the admins
tration, he added, there must be
determination that eve cannot ac-
cede to the demands in the bitumi-
nous coal situation"
That is the strongest and the most
explicit warning to John L. Lewis
that has come from any man in the
Presidents official family And it is
to be hoped that the determination
to resist the Lewis demands, which
Mr.. Brown said must exist in the
administration, actually is present.
The struggle with Mr.. Lewis on the
wage issue is not going to be an easy
one. He has promised his miners
that he will get substantial in
crease for them when their present
contract expires in April, and he has
served notice that he does not con-
slider the War Labor Board competent
to adjudicate his demands. Further
more, in the possibility of strike
action, Mr.. Lewis holds some very
high cards. For the Government to
refuse even compromise settlement
with him Is going to call for great
deal Of the determination of which
Mr.. Brown spoke.
Yet it must be recognized that a
capitulation to Mr.. Lewis would mean
the almost certain collapse of the
effort to stabilize our economy. II
his demands are met, wage increases
to other groups would follow newt
ably. Then there would be higher
prices for farmers, and the way would
be cleared for disastrous race be-
tween wages and prices.
In this connection, there seemed to
be a note of regret in Mr.. Browns
observation that "the consumer has
never been organized" and it is
interesting that he should have ap-
pealed to consumers to get behind
the President" to assure a continu-
ance Of the fight against imitation.
1t is true enough that the con-
sumers have never been organized
and that they have been helpless to
oppose the powerful minority pres
sure groups which have developed,
ironically enough, under the protect
ing wing Of this administration. And
1t would be a curious commentary
indeed If, in the final showdown, this
unorganized majority should prove
to be the administration ace in the
hole against the seemingly Unsuitable
demands Of the minority groups 1t
has so steadfastly championed.
Evening star., 1943-02-19
Indictment" Of New Deal
Set Forth by Critic.
To the Editor OF The sts

To the Editor OF The star
1t is evident that certain partisans
consistently have refused to distinguish
between the terms Government" and
New Deal" Just and lawful criticism
of political institution is an inherent
perogative to which citizens are en-
titled. Yet, the record proves that those
who have questioned the methods or OBJ
jectives of the New Deal have been
castigated by the New Dealers as un-
American.
Such charges should not go unan-
swered. We do have some semblance
of freedom of speech, notwithstanding
the necessary wartime censorship. The
rock of our American heritage, the bill
Of rights, guarantees " this privilege.