davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1946-09-19
Wants Tidier City

40 tle Eoltor Ci Inc star
Occasionally I've heard it said that
the President of the United States is
busy man. It's probably more than
a mere rumor, in spite Of the fact that
the President finds time for an occa
sional vacation. Nutsey Broadtail, nv
friend at the White House, says it's So
and he and l have a long standing
friendship based on roasted peanuts.
Certainly he wouldn't deceive me in
tentionally.
Nutsey is quiet. reserved fellow
and l can't get much out of him, but
in spite OF this we hold long CONVEX
sations. A few days ago We were dis
cussing a subject OH which we agreed
perfectly-at least Nutsey didn't say
a word OF disagreement. Our discus
sion had to do with cleaning up the
city of Washington, which, we agreed,
shows many signs of becoming the un-
tidy Capital of the United States. Un-
fortunately, the vicinity of the White
House and even the White House
grounds are as Uttered as other parts
of downtown Washington. The ac-
emulation Of pieces of newspaper,
empty film boxes, laundry bundle wrap
pings, paper cups, old socks, empty
liquor bottles, leaves, sticks and other
miscellaneous debris and garbage, both
inside and outside the White House
fence are an eyesore to visitors and
residents alike. Certainly the Chief
Executives mansion, symbol of demo-
cratic strength and leadership, should
not become rubbish depository. Even
more important, when some of the
thoughtless and careless citizens Of this
democracy do toss their spare banana
peels, empty pints, etc, as humble offer
ings to their President, his assistants
and groundkeepers should see that the
litter is collected and removed daily.
Recently, I saw whole months ac-
emulation of rubbish on the sidewalk
south of the White House. Just when
I was on the verge of borrowing broom
to clean it up myself as gesture OF
neighborliness, the sidewalk finally was
swept. But my visions of new era
quickly were blotted out, and another
two weeks accumulation already is
underfoot. Any day now I will be out
there with my broom.
Up to this point in our discussion my
friend Nutsey showed his complete
agreement with my viewpoint, saying
not word but listening intently as he
neatly shelled the peanuts which had
continued to throw to him at short
intervals. Such solid support from my
friend was reasSuring, so / continued
the discussion.
The trashy, unsightly appearance of
Washington, OF course, is not confined to
the park and picnic area. Almost all
the streets and sidewalks share in the
disgrace, as do the circles, grounds of
unused Government-leased buildings
and even grounds of private dwellings.
It's beauty marred by all this rubbish
left lying all around Washington is
we'll on its way to deserving the title
"Untidy Capital of the United States"
Fellow citizens, voteless and other
wise, it is time to take direct action to
correct this trend toward unsightly un-
cleanliness
Nutsey Broadtail will have to do his
part too, or there1l be no more peanuts
for him. H. J. F.
Evening star., 1946-09-19
Letters to The Star
Mr.. Ickes Again Cracks Down
On the Military Men


To the Editor of The Star:
Frederick Bernays Wiener uses your
issue Of September as a wailing wall
Instead of pointing out the many mis-
statements" in my column of the pre-
vious day, Mr. Wiener takes occasion to
express his own prejudices and personal
dislike. The issue between Mr.. Wiener
and me is simple one and does not call
for the personal attack in which he in
dulges. do not believe in military men
in civil government. Apparently he does
and he has right so to believe. His
slurring reference to my military ca
reer' was merely modest means of
pointing to his own outstanding one I
cheerfully admit that no nonmilitary
colonel was ever able more courageously
to occupy in force chair at desk than
chanticleer Col. Wiener himself
He admonishes me that: George
Washington, Andrew Jackson, Carl
Schurz and Theodore Roosevelt chow
he would have loved to add "and Col
Wlener"D were soldiers who became
prominent in civilian life l have always
believed that these outstanding men
resumed civilian clothes ran for civilian
offices and were elected by the people.
None of them either belonged to mill
tary aristocracy or attempted to set one
up. I question be h President Trumans
right and his judgment, on his own au-
thority, in creating a military aristocracy
on life basis.
Mr.. Wiener charges that employed
professional soldiers in the early stages
OF PWA and later asked for and got
more of the same Even If this were so,
it could not justify President Trumans
unprecedented act. The fact is that
when I was appointed public works ad-
ministrator, Gen. Hugh johnson had
already set up the nucleus Of an organ
ization which contained two or three
Army officers. l kept this organization
as l found it and these officers continued
until they resigned, as all of them did
in due course. But not one Of them had
any power TO pass upon policy. Mr..
Wiener makes an arrant misstatement
when he says that I applied to the Army
and obtained from it additional soldiers.
If Mr.. Wiener has any facts to prove
his reckless charge that my administra-
ton as petroleum administrator for war
seemed very perceptibly slanted in the
interests OF the oil industry" I not only
invite, / challenge him to take those
facts before the Mead Committee. But
even if he were correct, here too he fails
to make out a case for President Truman
IN setting up a military nobility on a
life basis-a tenure that until this
thoughtlesS act had been jealousy re-
served for Federal judges alone
But Mr.. Wiener really lays about him.
self when he insists that Admiral Kirk
is not our Ambassador to Italy. As to
this he is correct and I regret the error,
although it proves nothing except that
Mr.. Wiener was doing a little pettifog-
glng If he knew, as l suspect, that while
Admiral Kirk is not our Ambassador to
Italy, he Is our Ambassador to Belgium,
MY argument was just as valid If the
admiral happened to be in Brussels
rather than in Rome. That was the real
point which I hope that Mr.. Wiener will
md 1t possible to understand.
HAROLD L. ICKES.
Evening star., 1946-09-19
Strikes
Prom the Wall Street journal

Prom the Wall Street journal
Labor leaders have learned from past
experience that the public is quick to
forget inconvenience and hardships
caused by particular strikes, especially
when the walkouts do not last very long.
But they are inclined to forget that
when major strikes occur in one long
succession so that the economy of the
Nation is not permitted to function nor
mally for a considerable period of time,
the public is not permitted to forget the
injury it suffers through labor diff
culties
Already, sentiment for curbs upon
organized labor has coalesced to point
where Congress has passed the Case
bill by large majorities. If the strike
wave continues, strong support will
doubtless develop even in more conser-
vative labor circles for more drastic
measures to limit labors power to dis
rupt the national economy,
Evening star., 1946-09-19
Never Farewell
September 10, 1916.

September 10, 1916.
Never tareiDeH to you, George Wash
ington!
One hundred fifty years hare passed
aUay
Since you bade US tare,peH; and yet no
SON
OF our America could eper steay
Our loyal hearts like you Nerer
tarepeH!
That 1Uhich you once bequeathed Ia
still supreme.
In Independence Square an old cracked
bell
Bears tcitness to our liberty, your
dream.
Mount Vernons hills are yours no,p
eDermore,
The mansion that you loped still
proudly stands.
The freedom that you pon survived
and bore
Its fruit in this and many foreign
lands.
Never tarepelU Your riper gently
And Martha,s garden lifts a bIood-red
rose.
MATTE RICHARDS TYLER.
Evening star., 1946-09-19

construction outlook during the next
fiscal year-admittedly not too en-
couraging in the institutional field.
But there Is no reason why there
should be further delay in providing
the library with personnel and ia
cilities needed to restore and main
tain normal service and thus to
meet its minimum obligations to
the public under it's charter from
Congress.
Evening star., 1946-09-19
Unworthy Compromise

Ihe "compromlSe" under which
Henry Wallace will refrain from
further speeches until after the
Paris Peace Conference promises
greater dividends for the Democratic
party in domestic politics than for
the United States in world affairs.
Since the conference is not likely
to end much before election day,
the irritant Of the clash of views
within the Truman administration
will not be actively before the voters
when they go to the polls. Beyond
this, the arrangement is one which
entails no further reputation of the
Wallace viewpoint, and which, in
fact, implies certain measure of
presidential Endorsement once the
Paris Conference is over-an in
dorsement, if not of the Wallace
thesis itself, at least of his right as
a member Of the cabinet to espouse
1t freely and vigorously. And it
should be remembered that it is
Mr.. Wallace'S status as a cabinet
offlcer which lends Importance to
what he says. Without that status
few people would pay serious atten-
ton to anything he might say.
The net result of this is to extricate
the administration from an exceed
ingly embarrassing position with
minimum OffenSe to the Wallace
Sdherents and without any addi-
tional offenSe to those Democrats
who are in thorough disagreement
with the Secretary of Commerce.
On this score, then, the compromise,
in partisan sense, is good one.
The same thing cannot be said
Of it's application to the interna-
tional scene. All that it produces
there is silence on Mr.. Wallace's
part until the Paris Conference is
over. But it will be a silence that
is pregnant with trouble for the
future, This is merely a preliminary
conference. a forum in which the
smaller nations are invited to air
their views. Not until it is finished
and the representatives of the big
powers get down to the serious
business of writing the peace treaties
and coming to grips with the vastly
more difficult problem of Germany
will the real tests come. And at
that time Mr.. Wallace, in his official
status and with presidential ap-
proval, will be free to renew his
attack on the policies which our
delegation has been following.
Mr.. Byrnes will have to proceed
as best he can, knowing that the
showdown with Mr.. Wallace is yet
to come. Those nations which tend
to align themselves with the Anglo
American position will face a period
of tense uncertainty, a period in
which they cannot be sure what will
be the ultimate policy of this coun-
try. And the Russians and their
satellites, faced with the prospect of
prof1ting from the support which
will come from Mr. Wallace, will be
encouraged to stall and delay the
real settlements until the full effect
of the Wallace counteroffensive can
make itself felt.
These are the principal fruits of
an unworthy compromise. Under
the best of conditions the deal with
Mr.. Wallace would not be calculated
to promote the interests of the
United States in a peaceful world,
and it is peculiarly unfortunate at
this critical juncture in interna-
tional relationships.
Evening star., 1946-09-19
One ADVANTAGE

From the Richmond Times Dispatch.
A sociologist feels the disappearance
of the cracker barrel from general stores
marked a decline in the citizens pre-
occupation with affairs. Improved the
crackers, though.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-21
A Thought For Today
In Retrospect

The tugboat strike that tied New York City in knots for
days repete with object lessons in what not TO 90
and in how not to do it. $500 ieopardlzed the
health and safety of than million men, women
and children The victims probably closer to num-
boring millions, in view of the hcky populated suoutoa"
area that gets vital supplies through New York harbor
That statement is not intended to indicate any opinion
as to the merits the controversy that underay the
strike The published scale to anybody who has seen
New York harbor tugs work would warn against casua
judgment the merits.
Nevertheless $500 tugboatmen-or, if prefer less
than ugboat operators-shoud have been permit
ted keep food and fuel from 10 million persons
in the north temperate in the years coolest month
The strike ended by agreement to arbrateevenuay
Why couldn't it have been prevented in the beginning by
agreement to arbitrate?
II was important enough in the eyes of Washington to
warrant seizure of the tugs But the men wouldn't work
for Uncle either Is there right strike against the
government Is there any way to find out whether such
whether there is such right? Hasn't that vital issue been
compromised by default?
If seizure warranted then operation by any avail
of operating the tugs Many held from discharge and
sat in Philadelphia waiting for the call that never came
How cold must 10 million persons be- before steps
taken to give them fuel?
The situation became so grave that New Yorks mayor
declared state of disaster emergency and closed al but
covered either that things had been bad he
thought that they had improved and he opened every
thing-except the schools Was he impeuous panicky
Was he misinformed? Was he uniformed? Was iason
between federal and local authorities scandalousy faulty
Few would be disposed to bubble about the mayors
right to critically COAL or to protect the health
OF workers against hearss or thoughes bosses by order
ing them to stay away from underheated buildings But
why if left open food could not
sell liquor? Why could business professional not
go to his office to get papers which work home?
Apparently the tugboat strike showed just how defense
less, how unprepared big cities really arphow little
cies We be happy that did discover this under
war invasion conditions. We might do little planning
against repetition of what happened New York and to
Philadelphia in the transit strike and what threatened Pitts
Surgh in the power plant controversy.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-21
We Are Unprepared

A congressional committee has been devoting a lot of
time to investigation of this countrys unpreparedness
it pertinent suggest that there is urgent
need for attention the of this countrys
preparedness in February, 1916.
We unprepared for peace. We unpre-
pared to play fully natural part a leader among
tons Our foreign policy is neither very clear
forcefu Our rapid rehabilitation of the worlds greatest
Army and Navy betrays lack of determination serious
intention to back up that policy it exists today.
We uprepared for orderly progress toward the goal
of full production and full employment The greatest in
dustria country in the world country dotted with idle
factories whose deness reflected in empty showrooms
and empty store shelves The most prosperous country in
the world house thousands of the veterans of the
worlds greatest Army who pouring in from the recent
battle fronts.
clash of economic PHILOSOPHERS within the Presidents
inner circle has added turbulence to the existing turmoil
price control The President himself unable to offer and
enforce workable solutions, has been ignored nsued and
harangued by various self-interested groups
We do not look very convincing today in the role of the
worlds greatest nation Fortunately there immediate
likelihood of But what would happen if there should be
sudden international crisis which demanded swift ana
strong action? Could meet it, should suffer a
sort of spiritual Pearl HarbOr?
We unprepared because we lack national unity 1t
may not be unusual unhealthy that Americans dis
agree on every vital issue todaythe United Nations Or
ganization atomic energy control Russia loans TO Britain
administration policies congressional action. industrial dis
putes and But il is dcouraging to contemplate the
Indifference toward these issues that to
many Of as.
Our sufferings compared with those of our Allies
Insignificant Yet Britain and Russia least know what
they want and where they going and pursuing their
IN the direction but incapable the moment
Of turning them toward the Of world and general
betteFment.
We united and prepared for war We must unite and
prepare for world leadership and world preservation
That victory will be less difficult will il require any
Jess community of effort.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-21
u. S. PAYS the Freight By Peter Edison

In March, 1912, the railroads asked for general
percent increase ON all freight rates. interstate
Commerce Commission granted the increase, 10 De
effective in November Office OF Price Aaminlstra-
ton protested Going before ice, counsel Tor ORA
asked that the percent raise in freight rates be SCI
aside as wartime profteering. ice listened tf oPAS
reasoning and April g. l943, suspended the m
crease as Of May IS, l943.
When Il came 10 setting new rates for the haul
ing of materials, however, according 70 INC
Budget Bureau investigators. the railroad rate
makers simply ignored the ice se-aside orders ana
fixed many tariffs at percent above established
rates
{. The government frequently deprived OF
reductions In freight rates due IL by law from the 90
called "land-grant" raroads-prtneipally ROADS OF
the west which were given big grants OF public land
as reward for building their lines Rates on lahe-
grant railroads by law supposed TO DC set by me
Secretary OF War and not TO exceed 30 percent OF
regular rates. In setting new rates on war Helghl
Il Is charged that the railroads did not flgnre ~
Immigrant deductions.
5. Land-grant deductions were ~ many easeA
circlimyented BY what are known as Section p Quo
tations" which also needs explaining. Section ~ or
the Interstate Commerce Act says. ironically enough,
that Nothing . shall prevent the carriage,
storage or handling Of property free or at reduced
rates for the United States government, such rates
not being available 10 the general public
The first part seems 70 have been ignorec' Dut
there was lot Of heavy leaning on rates not asaiia-
BILE 10 the general public higher rates. The bnoget
Bureaus report shows that the carriers nsEted on
section 20 quotations wherever possible, and Nlat
land-grant deductions did not apply on these special
rates.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-21

ment 10. HAULING WAT supplies,
In brief, the report points up four principal
methods through which the railroads were able
10 set excessive rates on government freight
I. As large part Of the traffic was between
new shipping points. war plants and bases, there
were no established rate schedules In calculating new
rates. the railroad rate makers arbitrarily fixed them
higher than they should have been for hauling COM
mereial freight comparable distances.
g. As much Of the war material was classified
as new products-landing craft landing mats, rock
cts, radar and combat vehicles for instance-new
tariffs were established In many II Is reported
that these new rates were higher than comparable
commercial freight rates barges explosives, radios
or automobiles and trucks.
5 In many Of these new rates, the railroads
were able 70 put through what amounted 20 per-
cent increases over established rates This was done
through what are known as Eek Parte i4e Increases
which OF course needs little explaining
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-21
By Bill Cunningham

power over emergency expenditures while Ickes was
in charge OF spending billion dollars worth Of Pub
lie Works funds. He had famous set-to with the
late Harry l. Hopkins when the latter Works
Progress Administrator and his make-work program
began to get in the way OF the Ickes Public Works
program.
He was eternaly and forever battling with the
press. or OF its members He once said what
We need is freedom from the press and again, y
can't even read some newspapers without nausea HIS
final news conference.-the big with the flood
lghts-was enyened by his verbal battling with
reporter. He won. too. The reporter asked him
question. Ickes said he wouldn't answer because the
reporter wouldn't understand the answer If he gave
one The reporter said. possibly there were others
present who would unders and more. Ickes reorted
that there couldn't be anybody present who wouIo
understand it less. It was Ickes round
His mother, he wrote, had ambitions FOL
along theological lines Lacking any mlk OF
human kindness in my mental udderS, would have
been ioredooned to failure.
This brief. and far from complete sketch o!
Ickes the Irascible. whether sincere curmudgeon.
cute and publicity conscious clown, should De
sufficient to explain why the latest TRADE, evidently
expected by him TO be his masterpiece didn't entirely
off. Il was probably the greatest and most sh-
cere Of all. but he's simply done II too many time,
before and has called too much attention to his OWL
act.
But Washington will unquestionably be weaker
without him. The administration loses its best eXecu-
tive Even the bt,erest foes Of the New Deal. and
such Republican Senator's as Brewster, Ferguson and
Burton the latter now Supreme Court Justice nave
praised his admnist ratiye ability in the presence o.
your correspondent They had frequent dealings with
him when they minority members Of the famea
Truman Committee. SO did the Senator Truman OF
those days. Truman was strong lckes rooier then
With the world as 1t is, TWO years from now the
explosion OF Bro. Ickes' atomic bomb may sound IN
memory no louder. nor any more important than the
popping Of a wad of gum in the midst OF naval
engagement He was the best OF the old lot, and his
thanks for services rendered weren't exactly expan-
sive. Maybe he'll turn up again in the ranks OF the
Republicans. Agan-because he has been one twice
leaving the COPS for the last time in 1928 Coolidge
he said was little too sour for him. That would be
like the vinegar complaining about the brine.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-21

he national radio. There never a more elabor-
job of telling EN- off.
It could be that he oYerdid it, and it could be
that he's done it often For he's fought with them
and called them all names OF the late and uregret-
ted Senator Huey P. Long, he said the man was al
flicted with "haltosis OF the intellect. When the
late Gen Hugh Iron-Pants, johnson, fell out OF
step and turned the New Deal, Ickes said he was
suffering from mental ssddlesores. The General
retorted that Ickes the original triple termte
When Wlkie was running against Roosevelt for
President. eX-Secy Ickes, on the musings for the
incumbent called Willke, that simple, barefoot Wall
Street lawyer The record is filled with them and
some are very funny. Beside them his government
by crony and by Hannegan" hurled at Mr.. Truman
would suffer but for the circumstances under which
/. was devered-that, and the fact that the only
surviving straightforward New Dealer delivered.
IDENTIFY in his unpopuarty.
81 have known for a long time he once oiii-
cially said that I'm not loved with the feryor TO
which I'm entitled. II man worked hard at it, he
couldn't get a bigger list Of enemies than have" He
once called himself 1.-The snarlingest creature that
ever went bed with his boots on" Three years ago
in his Autobiography OF Curmudgeon," he de-
Iowa churl. that, and more" he continued,
beside, I'm a sef-made one"
He fought with them all. inside the administra-
ton and out. Budget Director Lewis Douglas lost
battle to him, when Roosevelt gave Douglas veto