davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-09-10
ALEXANDRIA,, Va.

Dear Sir:
Your readers seem to differ widely
as to the desirability OF squirrels. be-
neve it depends entirely upon the squir-
rels. They differ just as much as people.
rels, so that good householders who get
only the latter in their yards may be
forgiven for not liking them.
Il feel sure that If they could have
been in our library the other day, and
seen the good one which came up on
the porch, they would have liked him
very much, as I did. Our library is
on the back of the house, almost level
with the ground. There is a wide porch
outside.
II was reading, when I happened to
look up, as one will do, now and then.
even with the most interesting book,
and there was squirrel peering at me
over the steps.
He was very handsome one, with
a certain look in his eye which spelled
fun in any race.
When he saw I was looking at him.
he darted down behind lower step.
Then he peered up at me, in the
most impudent fashion. Every time he
saw me looking, he went through this
performance. First an ear, then an
eye, followed by complete turnabout.
with that great tail disappearing last.
Finally he came completely onto the
porch, and I am sure he would have
come in, If I had not shut the door
on him.
SET do not like squirrels in the house.
I think they are best outdoors, and
know they enjoy life there the most.
Sincerely yours, NJ D. c."
# Il
Probably the difference between souir-
rel and squirrel lies in the bump of
curiosity.
The gray squirrel commonly found in
these parts is a senlidomesticated animal.
In the suburban sections, in particular,
1t lives so close to man and his DWELL
ings that 1t comes in time to take on
some of his attributes.
One of these. no doubt, is curiosity
wanting to see, to know, to find out
things.
We do not believe that it is wrong to
attribute this to these animals. Every
one who has ever stopped to watch them
knows how curious they are.
While they undoubtedly show this trait
In the woods, they manifest more of it
in the suburbs. Not every one, Of course.
This would mean that they are univer-
sally curious animals, whereas that is
not true, either Of squirrels or humans.
The fact that some humans are not
curious is one of mankind's oldest traits.
1t would seem natural for every one
to be interested in everything, In such
a world as this, but nothing could be
further from the truth.
Often people show no interest what
ever in some most interesting things,
even when they are fairly thrust in their
faces.
The persons involved will not even
feel that they are lacking in curiosity.
Evening star., 1943-09-10
Editorial on Labor Shortage
Brings Comment From Critic.


To the Editor Of The Star
The War Manpower Commission says
in effect, that we must choose either
forced labor or a low rate of war produc.
ton. In your editorial "Crisis in Man.
power" you jump up and say, I'VE choose
forced labor"
Sales promotion experts can demon.
strate that a soda fountain can increase
the sale of eggs if the soda jerker asks
each matted milk buyer: "One egg or
two?" The right answer is, II don't
want any eggs. want a matted milk"
but surprisingly large number OF peo-
pie, when confronted with the phony
dilemma, will say: "Only one"
A few years ago we were being told
that we must choose between Fascism
and Communism. 1t took some OF us
long time to realize that the right anwser
was: "Oh, no, we don't. The choice is
between freedom and tyranny and we
choose freedom"
The phony dilemma to confuse the
cal debate and it's surprisingly effective
at times. If the VINO is going to staff
our war industries, they must move
2,500,000 or more men from their
pleasant and accustomed jobs in civilian
industry to war industry and however
they do it, some of these workers are
not going to like it. Any good politician
will ricf foly ~
rest Of the people are so aroused by his
inaction that he will lose more votes
by inaction than by action In the mean
time he will try to confuse the issue so
that his default will not be too obvious.
That's just what the VINO has done
and you took hook. line and sinker. If
the choice really were between forced
and labor and low war production, it
would be a tough choice, indeed,
and many would choose the other horn
of the dilemma.
Forced labor would give the present
administration a power over large por-
tion of our population, which 1t could
use to perpetuate itself in ONCE. Forced
labor has been used through all history
and has never yet been efficient.
The analogy you and others have
drawn between the military draft and
the labor draft is not valid. First, 1t has
not yet been shown that soldiers would
be efficient at dull and repetitious job
on production line. Second, the soldier
isn't good at the forced labor Of soldier
ing except after period of indoctrina-
tion-and then only with an elaborate
setup OF command from corporal to
sergeant to lieutenant and so on to
generals. Third, we are not willing to
turn over to industrial management, to
the labor leaders or to the War Man
power Commission the power over the
individual worker which We give the
officers of our Army over our soldiers,
which includes the power to condemn
soldiers to death for disobedience.
If the dilemma with which the VINO
| has confronted us were real, thoughtful
person might consider these facts and
say that the VINO was right in not
being hasty with such = grim decision.
Fortunately, however, this dilemma, like
the eggs In the matted milk, Is q phony.
We can get full war production with
out drafting labor. We can transfer
2500,000 or more workers to war indus
tries without ordering one Of them to
Evening star., 1943-09-10
THIS AND THAT
By Charles Z. Truce1peL.

| They are satisfied with what they have.
ana see no reason for further investi.
tigation
The personals the squirrel-eifted
with the spirit Of investigation, which
at bottom is curiosity, will look into
all strange things, from books and music
ana the races Of men, to new brands of
tobacco and toilet goods.
Ihe squirrels are mainly interested
IN food, and so manifest their greatest
interest in any place where 1t is to be
found
1t is not impossible that the really
curious type of animal OF which our cor
respondent speaks is one with a par
tlcularly gifted nose. That is, he is able
to smell better and farther than his
companions.
Probably squirrels smell ordinary
cooking odors, and although these have
no particular interest to them. they
realize that they are strictly in the
eating line.
On the principle that where there is
much smoke there must be some fire,
the home yard squirrels keep a watch
on the house, in the belief that in
time something squirrel edible" will
come their way.
This Is where the curious member Of
the race comes In. He wants to investi-
gate. He outdoes the mass of his group
BY being willing to look into things
Such really curious animal is as
rare, We believe, as the curious human.
If all of mankind were truly curious,
progress would be much faster, and
faster in better way. Up until now,
the curious members of the human race
have investigated matters which have
led to death and destruo ton, in all too
many instances. In the future, let us
hope. curiosity will grow, as a thing in
itself, and with so many more minds
devoted to the pure science Of curiosity,
there Will be many other types of brains
At work, and many Of these will investi-
gate such matters as will lead on to
good, rather than destruction.
AS sample of what sharp noses
squirrels have, we instance an intriguing
member of the tribe which came upon
our own back porch recently.
He, too, was curiosity hound.
But there was solid reason in what
he was doing.
He was smelling something from in
side the house which he had not smelled
before.
And he was right.
1t was big bag of peanut hearts on
the kitchen table.
Purchased to mix in with bird seed
mixture, these peanut hearts set UP a
nne aroma, well liked by blue jays, chick
adees, titmice and cardinals.
But Of all the creatures which like
them, the squirrel is easily first, and
tnls particular specimen had his nose
IN flne working order at the time.
A handful of peanut hearts was his
reward. The last we saw of him he WAS
eating away at lively rate, as if quite
sure IN his own mind that curiosity
pays.
Evening star., 1943-09-10
Sound Waves Kill
From the Topeka Capital.

from The Topeka Capital.
Since the dawn of history man has
been inventing more fiendish weapons
with which to kill
Now, Navy officers say, 1t is possible to
kill with sound waves. Finding men
dead from no apparent reason, with no
marks on their bodies, medical men in.
vestigated and discovered that sound
from torpedo. for example. actually
travels so hard and fast that 1t takes
human life without leaving a trace.
Terrible as it is. this is war, nc more
horrible than many of It's other phases.
and friend and foe alike must continue
to endure these hazards until our victory
Is won and peace restored to the tortured
peoples OF the earth.
Evening star., 1943-09-10
The Feel of Autumn

There is a feel In the air today OF
autumn:
Halt sad, halt glad, the ,pt,ad goes
on its 11dy,
The first loosed Leaf Is scuttHng dopn
the pavement,
The sky is gray.
Along the roadside blossoms tho
purple asters,
The goldenrod are lamps set burn
ING clear
Against the certain coming OF q
Dinter
That 10tU soon be here.
Strange ho,D nostalgia clutches the
heart IN autumn,
And retterates In memory like
song
The echo OF beloved forgotten poices
That haze been stilled tor long.
Ind as uaM across this pindy
meddoD
My eyes oro,D dim NTH quick un-
hidden tears-
There is the sound OF footsteps walk-
ing beside me
OF one Dho Is gone for years.
GRACE NOLL CROWELL.
Evening star., 1943-09-10

officers and members Of units whose
weapon ordinarily would be a pistol.
The 30-caliber bullet and cartridge
fired by the carbine were specified
by the Ordnance Department, and
the gun was built around the cart
ridge. The cartridge specifications
called for an effective range of 300
yards and a muzzle velocity of 1000
feet per second.
The cartridge was made by the
Winchester Repeating Arms Com
pary, and the Government then
called upon gun inventors to submit
models OF weapons that would shoot
the cartridge. During this process,
the Winchester concern made certain
suggestions which led to a proposal
by the Army that Winchester also
enter the gun competition.
A tentative model was finished in
thirteen days. General Courtney
Hughes, chief of infantry, liked it,
and asked for finished model to be
tested in competition within one
month. Winchester gun makers went
to work on the thousands of precision
operations involved in producing the
carbine's sixty three parts. BY work.
ing around the clock the test model
was finished just under the deadline.
1t won out in competition, and is now
being produced in quantity.
Relatively, this may be one of the
minor miracles of our war production
effort. But, in miniature, it reveals
how American industry and workers
have overcome all obstacles in meet
ing the greatest challenge that is
recorded in history.
Evening star., 1943-09-10
Policy INDICATED

Italy S UNCONVENTIONAL SurrenQer mas
had the effect, at least temporarily,
of silencing even the most vociferous
critics of this Governments conduct
of the war. This is not altogether
surprising, for the critics will be oc-
cupied for while in eating good
many of their own words.
Generally speaking, the criticism
has been along two lines. First, there
have been those who dissented from
the broad strategy. 1t was serious
mistake, they said, to concentrate
our major effort against the Germans
and Italians. while seeking primar-
lily to hold the Japanese in the Pa
cific. They contended that this would
enable the japanese to become so
strong in their stolen empire that
the day Of final Allied victory would
be needlessly delayed and a great
deal more costly. 1t may be argued
that on this score, the final balance
has not been struck, but it is difficult
to see how anyone can now deny
that the Governments strategy has
paid rich dividends. Certainly it has
been great deal more profitable
than the critics would have had us
believe.
The other line of criticism has been
directed against what might be
called the tactical implementation
of our broad strategy. The critics
In this group have not objected to
the concentration of effort against
the Axis in Europe, but they have
objected loudly and insistently to
the methods which have been en-
ployed. This attack began when the
State Department persisted in main
tanning diplomatic relations with
the Vichy government in France.
Viewing this with great alarm, the
critics began sniping at Secretary of
State Hull, although they we'll knew
If there was legitimate basis for
criticism it should have been aimed
at the President. After we moved into
French North Africa and began deal
ing with the Vichy French there, the
volume of criticism assumed aston
ishing proportions. The country was
warned time and again that this
business of dealing with men of
Vichy was sure road to disaster.
The war, they said, could not be won
that way. On the contrary, they
claimed, we were inviting failure and
defeat.
But the critics were wrong, just
about as wrong as it is humanity pos
sible to be. The results show that
the policy followed was eminently
wise, and that it has brought about
the downfall of the junior Axis part
ner quickly and at minimum cost
of American lives.
This experience should serve as a
deterrent to reckless criticism in the
future. For it is one thing to criti-
cize when the critic has access to
facts which enable him to form an
intelligent opinion. And it Is quite
another to criticize when the criti-
cism necessarily is based on nothing
more than prejudice, speculation and
conjecture.
Perhaps this lesson will be taken
TO heart by those critics who have
been sincere, though mistaken, in
their comments. The rest Of them
those who have some ak of their
own to grind-will recover from this
setback all too soon. But they may
find the going a little more difficult
when they again undertake to con-
vince the people that the war is
being fought in the worst possible
way. They may find that the men,
ory of the people is not as short
as they think.
Evening star., 1943-09-10
COP Foreign Policy

| DSopltt euUIIS Dy IIle TTeSlQent
and others to ridicule it, the foreign
policy statement adopted by the
Republican Postwar Advisory Council
seems well suited to the needs of this
time and the probable requirements
| OF the future.
Mr.. Roosevelt was unable to under
stand the statement. Others, while
having no difficulty in this respect,
profess disappointment that the Re-
publicans did not go further and
commit themselves to some specific
form of postwar world organization
and an international police force"
The fact is, however, that the Re-
publicans have gone quite far. To
the extent that men can see into the
future, the statement is clear and it
is specific.
The heart of the document is in
the paragraph which calls for re
sponsible participation by the United
States in postwar cooperative organ
izations among sovereign nations to
prevent military aggression and to
obtain permanent peace with organ
lied justice in the world Senator
Vandenberg, chairman OF the coun-
ellis Foreign Policy Committee, said
that the statement of policy was
designed to commit the Republican
party, first, to defending and pre-
serving the essential interests and
institutions OF our own country, and,
second, to cooperation in complete
good faith with our Allies in the post
war effort to end military aggression
forever and to create dependable
peace with justice in a free world
These objectives, he contended, are
not incompatible.
Other participants in the discussion
emphasized that "co-operative Or
ganization" meant some form of
organization, by whatever name it
may be called, with other sovereign
nations for the establishment and
perpetuation of peace, and that the
use OF the phrase organized justice"
means that the Republicans would
be committed to some form of world
court to litigate disputes among
nations. And, from this, it certainly
follows that responsible participa-
ton" by the United States in such
a program means that this country,
should need arise, would be prepared
to make its contribution to forcible
attainment of these objectives.
For political party which had
become identified as the champion
OF isolation" this is long step
forward. The COP has its eyes on
the future, and If the statement of
the advisory council is adopted at
the party's next national convention
it will have buried the past. To put
1t another way, this means that the
question of the willingness of the
United States to assume its legitimate
responsibilities in the world of to-
morrow would no longer be subject
OF partisan politics, and, with a
national election in the offing, this
Is eminently desirable.
The President and those others
who seem disposed to ridicule what
the Republicans have done would
be we'll advised to consider the i'm
portance of removing the question of
this country's postwar international
stand from the realm OF purely polit-
ical debate. Instead of belittling
the Republican program, it might be
better for them to concentrate on
persuading the Democrats to do as
we'll
Evening star., 1943-09-10
There's q Limit
From the Great Bend (Kans) Tribune.

from the Great Bend Kans) Tribune.
Complaint is being made because food
at restaurants is not up to par. How
can 1t be with rationing as it is? Some
think eating houses should remain open
more hours. There is such thing as a
limit to human endurance. Proprietors
can 60 so far and then they must rest.
With shortage OF help and wartime re-
strictions the restaurant business is akin
to Chinese puzzle. If any one knows
the answer, the eating house proprietors
would love to have It,
Evening star., 1943-09-10
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 reserues
the right to edit all letters Nth
a Uie1D to condensation.
Evening star., 1943-09-10

Primitive natives of the Belgian
Congo surprised the whites by cheer
ing moving picture of Churchill.
1t would be very backward peoples
indeed who could fail to boo Hitler.
Evening star., 1943-09-10

@. Is there an estimate OF the amount
of money invested in the motor pic.
ture business?-S. L. v.
A. The industry represents an invest
ment of about two billion dollars.
Evening star., 1943-08-20
1~eA. haa

II you want a free COPY Of the Illus
trated 1eadet Your Body At Work"
Scent stamp to Uncle Ray in care
of The Evening Star.
Evening star., 1943-08-20
Uncle Roy's Corner

Wolverines have been called "the
most powerful animals in existence,
pound for pound" Not only are
they strong, but they are fierce as
well. II brought to bay, they will
put up fight against much larger
foes.
A full-grown wolverine weighs be-
tween 20 and 80 pounds. 1t is about
3 feet long and 2 feet high at the
shoulders. In general outline IL
looks very much like q small bear,
but 1t belongs to the weasel family.
Asia and Europe have wolverines.
In England they are called "glut-
TONS" and they are greedy animals.
They eat large amounts Of meat.
One Of them, in captivity, made
away with 13 pounds Of meat in one
day-about half his own weight!
Forests In some northernly parts
Of the United States have wolverines,
but there are far more Of these AMI
mails IN Canada. They are found far
to the north, even up around the
Arctic Circle.
Skins Of wolverines can be sewed
together and made into laprobes for
use in sleighs. That has been done
at times, but the big problem Is
where to get the skins! Wolverines
know thes art of keeping out OF
harms way. 1t is hard, almost Inn
possible, to catch them in traps.
Like badgers, they stay In holes dur
Ing the day and look for food at
night.
If animals knew how to laugh, the
wolverine no doubt would do q good
deal of laughing. It would be
amused by the traps which men set.
1t knows trap when 1t sees one. II
there Is bait on the trap, 1t is likely
to take the bait of and eat 1t.
One way a wolverine gets the bait
Is by going to what we may call
the wrong side" of the trap; 1t
springs the trap and is not hurt.
Many traps can be sprung by turn
ing them upside down, with no harm
to the one who springs them.
Men working in Canada as trap
pers for the Hudson's Bay Co. have
made many reports Of wolverine
trouble. They say that time and
again wolverine has followed line
of traps from end to end, setting
of each trap but not getting caughtl
| When a wolverine finds an animal
already caught In trap, it Is likely
to eat the victim. In this way many
martens and other valuable furry
animals have been lost to trappers.
All in all, the wolverine Is not popu-
lar with men who make their living
by gathering furs!
Evening star., 1943-08-20

that offers shelter Is used. II the
caterpillar belongs to the last brood
OF the season, 1t will remain In Sc
clusion until next spring, when the
Mimosa again clothes herself In
tender green raiment.
These beautiful trees attract the
attention Of humming birds. The
tropical foliage Is especially attrac-
tive and the flowers lovely. When
the first tent appears on your Mi
mosa remove 1t at once and burn 1t.
Evening star., 1943-08-20

ence Of these moths, for their dull
gray webs and the stricken leaves
may be seen for some distance.
Flowering trees are first choice.
Upon these the moths lay their eggs.
These moths wintered in pupa cases
under nearby shelter. AS soon as
the trees had clothed themselves in
lovely foliage, growth Of the moths
was completed, and they few the
short distance to their host plant
The moths are drab-looking crea-
lures wearing brownish black and
mousy gray shades. There are con-
spicuous black spots on the FORE
wings and a basal band on the hind
ones. The fore and middle legs are
black.
/ The larvae, usually hidden under
the gray silk tents, are marked with
dark brown or black in the form
Of longitudinal bands. Their legs
are glossy brown, with joints ringed
In white. When the culprits are in
their prime their ground color Is
suffused with pink or rose.
At first the caterpillars are gre
garious, residing together in one
heavy web, which Is spun completely
over their feeding grounds. AS they
become older they spread out to
various parts of the tree, tying the
leaves together in large, ugly, con-
spdcuous masses. The leaflets are
then eaten. As soon as they become
skeletonized they turn brown and
die. They are easily detached at the
rhachis. But they remain on the
tree because they are tied to it by
means Of the heavy webs OF gray
silk.
When this stage of growth comes
to an end-usually the life cycle in
the summer is % days-each cater
pillar lowers himself to the ground
by a silk rope. The urge then is
to find hiding place while going
through the pupal stage. Any object
Evening star., 1943-08-20
Natures Children
BY LILLIAN cox ATHEY.
MIMOSA MOTH.
=

THUHtuUQuLU uIUtZxHeT.
In 1910 quite q few Of the beau
tiful Mimosa trees of the District
and Montgomery County were at
tackled by moth new to the United
States. BY 1912 this invader had
become decidedly prosperous. Many
trees fell victim to the greedy cat
erpillars. This moth cannot be iden-
titled with any known species Of
American fauna. 1t is believed to
be from Australia.
At present hundreds Of our most
beautiful Mimosa trees are carrying
the glaring evidence of the pres