davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-07-16

Conservation of what remains of the worlds
still shrinking acreage of food producing land is
one of the most pressing problems facing our
own and other nations today.
Yet land waste through accelerated soil ero-
sion is as old as civilization itself. 1t extends
Just as far as man has spread over the world
with his herd and plows. Accelerated erosion
means speeded-up or man made" erosion, as
contrasted to the slow process of geologic ero-
sion which, across the ages, has shaped the
eartflS surface.
We have reached point where the loss OF
productive land anywhere on the globe affects
the people and the nations of every other part
of the globe; for every acre which goes out OF
production means, to some degree, that the
pressure is increased on the remaining good
acres Soil conservation is the only known way
to protect the productive land of the world.
Today there is left in the world, as we'll as
have been able to estimate it, only about
billion acres of Immediately arabic land That
land must feed more than billion people,
whose numbers are increasing at the rate OF
about &C, 900 900 a year. The great bulk OF our
food comes from this land, as well as all OF our
wood, leather. wool, cotton, and various otner
vegetable fibers and oils. Nutritionlsts tell us
it takes about az acres of reasonably produc-
tive land, on the average, to provide each per-
son with a minimum adequate diet Some
countries have less than that much noW-some
less than one acre per capita. whole nations
and civilizations in the past have perished be-
cause they misused their land.
U. S. Approaches Danger Line.
The United States is better off with respect
to the amount of good land we have, because we
had so much to start with and have been using
it only comparatively short time as the life
of nation goes. Even so We nave none TOO
much left and have no reason to be complacent
about our land security. Although there once
were those who thought our supply OF produc-
tive land was inexhaustible, we now know better.
We know that we ourselves have come all too
close to the danger line in using up our ire
placeable soil resource.
More than half of our farmland has been
damaged by erosion-millions OF acres OF IL
ruined for further practical cultivation and
other millions of acres almost as seriously al
fected. Soil-conservation surveys indicate that
we have left only about 100000 000 acres OF good
cropland in this country, and all but about lO0'-
900 900 acres of this is subject to erosion More
over, some 100000 acres of the 45o,00O00O
still needs clearing, drainage, lrrlgatlon. or
other improvements to make 1t produc-
tive. Meanwhile, erosion likewise has been tax
ing it's toll from vast acreage of our range and
pasture lands.
Worse. we still are losing in the United States
the equivalent of about 100000 acres every year
through soil erosion. That is despite the great
nrogress we have made in our national soil con-
servation thinking and action within less than
Evening star., 1947-07-16
PrinceIy Envoy From Yemen

The arrival in our Nations Capital of
Prince Saif al-ISlam Abdullah, son of the
King of Yemen. as that remote country's
first emissary to the United States, marks
anew and interesting chapter in our
Middle Eastern diplomacy. Resplendent In
royal robes and wearing curved and
bejewelled knife Of the peculiar Yemeni
pattern, the distinguished visitor Is being
received here with the honors due his rank
and diplomatic standing. His stay in the
Capital, where he Is conferring with State
Department and other officials, is under
stood to be the first stage in mission which
will take him widely over the United States
to inspect many matters, notably our irri-
CATION and hydroelectric dams that are of
special interest to his government and
people.
The Yemen is an ancient land which,
until about year ago, was almost as
inaccessible as Tibet. This was due not
only to difficult communications but even
more to the policy of its rulers, who strove
to keep out all foreigners and foreign
influences. What has changed this ultra
isolationist attitude is presumably the
spectacle of the neighboring and much
larger Kingdom of Saudi Arabia whose oil
fields, developed by American enterprise
and capital, are filling King Ibn Saud's
treasury to overf1owing with oil royalties
and Transforming the country's economic
life.
From our point of view, the notable
thing is that both monarchs turn to
America to develop and modernize their
respective countries, because they realize
that we have no imperialistic aspirations
and no desire to impose either our political
or social patterns upon their subjects.
Furthermore, they recognize that America
has the "knowhow" and the industrial
capacity to do what they want done. Thus,
political and economic self-interest COM
bine to make America their outstanding
choice.
Yemen is a relatively small country, sit
uated at the southwest corner of the vast
Arabian Peninsula. It owes its Importance
to its rugged mountains, which rise
sharply from the Red Sea and are high
enough to catch the monsoon winds which
elsewhere pass over the lowlands without
depositing rainfall, thus leaving them
desert. This circumstance has rendered
the Yemen fertile and relatively pros
porous since the dawn of history, the
Romans aptly terming it Arabia Felix" or
Happy" Arabia, in contrast to the barren
wastes beyond its borders. Indeed, in
ancient times, its prosperity was much
greater than now, owing to great irriga-
tion dams which impounded the waters
Evening star., 1947-07-16
TESTING q Law

No rational person will dispute the right
of C1O President Philip Murray, or any
other labor leader, to seek court test OF
any of the provisions of the new labor law.
They stand on the same ground as en-
ployers stood decade or more ago when
they were inviting court tests of the con-
stitutionality of the then, new Wagner
Labor Relations Act. The employers chal-
lenged this law and they lost in the
Supreme Court. Some of them incurred
penalties as a result. but their right to
resort to the courts, at their own risk IN
event Of failure, was not seriously dis
puted. Mr. Murray has precisely the same
right, subject to the same condition In
event his challenge is unsuccessful.
The CIO president has chosen to make
his test in Maryland's third congressional
district, and his challenge is aimed spe-
cifically at that section of the new law
which makes it illegal for union publica
tions, supported by the dues of members,
to attempt to influence the outcome of an
election. The avowed intent of this Sec
ton is to impose electioneering restrictions
on corporations and unions alike.
Unfortunately, some of the published
comment on this matter has put undue
emphasis on Mr.. Murray's open defiance"
OF the law. Actually, the text of his state
ment in connection with his decision is
not suggestive of a law-defying attitude.
Mr.. Murray stated that II have made this
decision not in spirit of defiance or
bravado or bitterness. Rather do I act
in spirit of regret that the Congress
of the United States should have chosen
to curb basic liberties, and in spirit Of
hope and trust that the courts of the
United States will vindicate those
liberties"
Many will disagree with Mr. Murray's
extravagant Interpretation of what Con-
gress has done. But no one should be
disposed to criticize his decision to make
the test or the spirit in which he is going
about it,
Evening star., 1947-07-16
Making Ends Meet

The House and Senate District Com
mittees pooled their efforts this year by
creating a Joint committee to study what
the District needed in the way OF new
revenue, through higher taxes.
This joint committee came out with
figure of ST, 100000 in proposed expendl-
lures from the general fund-as distin-
guished from the highway and water funds.
It recommended tax program, with an
increase in the Federal payment, which
would finance the expenditures. 1t missed
the boat in one respect, for the House in
sisted on adopting the OHara amendment
which automatie cut down anticipated
revenue by exempting from the income
tax Federal employees who claim domicile
elsewhere.
But at the same time the House Appro-
priation Committee, which has the say IN
what the District will spend, reported out
and the House approved an appropriation
bill calling for $81 1,218,o ,oO0-an increase of
more than $3,5OO,O00 over what the joint
committee considered adequate. A large
part of this increase was made up OF con-
struction items and most OF the construc-
ton items were to build schools.
Now the District appropriation bill is on
the Senate side and the Commissioners are
asking that some of the increase given to
schools be given to other things instead.
Their point is not to discount the need in
the schools but to emphasize other needs,
in addition to schools. The Senate COM
mittee may 60 along with the Commission
ers and switch some of the items. 1t Is
question whether all the money allowed
for school building can be spent this year.
But whatever the Senate committee does
is relatively unimportant when we con-
slider that at the end of the next fiscal
yeaY beginning on July l, 1948) the District
will be facing as heavy deficit in revenues
as we faced earlier this year, in avoidance
of which the heavy tax-increase just
ordered was approved. One reason for this
condition Is the enormous growth of the
city curing the war, plus the restrictions
on building. We have accumulated great
many needs, in schools as well as in health
and welfare, which are too large to be
met by any reasonable pay-as-you-go plan
of financing in which all expenditures must
come from current tax revenue.
The reasonable alternative is to make
available to the District some system of
Federal advances-such as the Capper-
Cramton Act under which park lands were
bought-which will be repaid in annual
installments. Our tax burden has grown
to the point where heavy additional taxes
will put such a premium on residence in
the District that the city will suffer by an
even greater exodus of taxpayers than
already has taken place.
Next years session of Congress un-
doubtedly will be forced to give such
proposal serious consideration as the only
sensible way OF making ends meet.
Evening star., 1947-07-16
JUDGES and Juries

There Is ample room for honest dlHer-
ence of opinion as to whether judges, IN
addressing turies, should comment on the
evidence.
In many States this is not done at all,
the comments of judges being restricted
to an explanation of the law of the case,
as distinguished from the facts in dispute.
In our Federal Courts there Is no set rule.
Some of these judges believe 1t proper to
comment on the evidence; others do
not do So
It may be doubted, however, that, until
last week, any judge in any court mad
undertaken to tell Jury how he would
decide a case If he were juror.
This was done by Municipal Court Judge
Nathan Margold on Saturday while charg-
ing the jury in a negligent homicide trial.
On two occasions Judge Margold had re-
fused to instruct the jury to return ver-
dict in favor of the defendant, although it
would have been entirely proper to do so
II he felt that the prosecution had not
made case against the accused, or II, In
his Judgment, the evidence was so weak
that he would have felt obliged to set aside
a conviction and grant new trial Despite
this unwillingness to grant directed ver-
dict, however, Judge Margold told the
Jurors that if he were a member OF the
Jury he would find the defendant not
guilty"
The wisdom, if not the propriety of such
q statement is open to grave question. In
the first place it tends to discredit the
prosecutor. Beyond that, there is the
question of the effect it will have in the
minds of future Jurors. 1t must be assumed
that prospective jurors have read Judge
Margold's statement. Suppose, for in
stance. in a similar case next week the
presiding Judge should refrain from
making such a comment. Would not the
Jurors recalling what Judge Margold had
said, be apt to conclude, from his failure
to state otherwise, that the judge in their
case thought the defendant should be
convicted?
This is but one OF number of unde-
sirable consequences which could be ex-
pected to arise If judges made practice
OF telling juries how they would decide
cases. IT this became commonplace, some
Judge might even go so far as to state
that II he were member of the jury he
would vote to convict defendant. OF
course. If any such statement were made
Evening star., 1947-07-16

reader can obtain the answer to question
ease noe s hes 6 Cents or 4earn T.
@. What ships were designated as the flag
ship of the Third and Fifth Fleets during World
War II?-T. L.
A. According to the Navy Department, vari-
Gus ships were designated as the 1agships Of
the Third and Fifth Fleets during World War
II. The USS. Missouri was at one time q
flagship of the Third Fleet.
O. How much has travel by air increased
since the prewar years?-A. H. d.
A. The Civil Aeronautics Administration re-
ports that during the year 1946 the total VOL
ume of domestic air traffic was about 750
per cent above the 1936-194O averages
@. At what time of the year does witch hazel
blossom?-E. OR.
A. The witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana,
produces no blossoms until late autumn, usually
November. The fruit ripens during the ensuing
summer.
Q. Does the Republic of Lebanon still use the
tricolor of France with the cedar of Lebanon
as it's fag?-A. J.
A. No. The flag of the Republic of Lebanon
is now three horizontal stripes the top red the
center white the bottom red the white stripe
equal in height to the other two In the center
of the white stripe is displayed a cedar of
Lebanon in green
O. Was the ''rude bridge mentioned by
Emerson in his Hymn sung at the Completion
of the Battle Monument, Concord april 10,
1885, covered bridge? Is it still standing?
L. H.
A. The Concord Antiquarian Society says
that the bridge was uncovered About 1891 1t
was taken up and two new bridges were built,
one farther to the south and one farther to
the north In 1875 new bridge was built on
the site of the original bridge-of wood in rustic
STYLE In 1909 concrete bridge was built.
similar in style to the original wooden bridge,
and this concrete bridge is still standing.
O. What bird lays fiat egg?-J. E. r.
A. The murre of the Arctic lays an egg that
is slightly f1attened on the sides and pointed
at the end so 1t cannot roll off the rocky
ledges. The bird has no nest and the eggs are
laid on the cliffs.
Evening star., 1947-07-16

of the rainy season. To restore those dams
is one OF the chief objects of the present
program of modernization that the Yemeni
government has in mind. Other objectives
are motor highways, airfields and improved
tation and public health.
While the Yemen shows no traces Of oil
or other valuable mineral deposits, its
agricultural possibilities are relatively
great. It's chief export crop is coffee, the
genuine Mocha, whose cultivation could
be considerably expanded. The trade
prospects Of a transformed Yemen are
thus bright, and the United States should
logically be able to do profitable business
there
Evening star., 1947-07-16
Retort on Alien Issue

To the Editor OF The Star
I have just finished reading the letter OF
fellow American, John Francis steele, ana IL
made me very angry.
Who is he to say that the democracy Tor
which our boys fought and died would be de-
stroyed by the infiltration of alien blood? Does
he forget that the people who came over on
the Mayfower were aliens? Some OF our great
est Americans were foreign born or were porn
of alien parents
MY father is of "alien extraction" and foueht
in World War I, and my husband, also OF 1or-
eign extraction, fought In World war H. serv-
ing 80 months overseas in the Army. Both
fought for democracy and peace for US at home
and the world.
True, the housing problem is acute. but there
Is hope for the future. After all, we all
dream of and plan for the future, and where
there is life there is hope. So why not live and
let live? MRS. GLADYS CAMF'
Evening star., 1947-07-16

by trial Judge, he would be promptly
reversed and probably reprimanded by the
Court of Appeals. Logically, however, 1t
would be just as reasonable-or just as un
reasonable-for judge to use this device
as a means of influencing jury to con-
vict as to acquit. To put the matter in
other words, the tactic is bad one; it can
lead to highly undesirable results, and it
ought to be abandoned.
Evening star., 1947-07-16

Soil Conservation Service Photo.
20 years. This removal of fertile topsoil from
our fields and pastures has been costing us more
than 81 100000 900 year. That is the estimated
toll in such items as direct cost to farmers, con-
tribution to the Nations food bill, siltation of
reservoirs and harbors, damage to highways and
railways, and other charges. 1t does not include
such other drains on the Nation as the develop
ment of rural slums narrowed tax base, and
reduced income and purchasing power
Examples of how this price of soil erosion is
paid by landowners, the public, and Govern
ment are found in every agricultural area of the
country. To pick one at random close at hand
During the past century, the Federal Govern
ment has spent more than $112,0000 900 in the
Chesapeake Bay for dredging and channel
maintenance, and much dredging remains to be
DONE The material that has to be dredged at
such great cost to keep trade channels open
and business flowing once was productive soil
back on the watersheds of Maryland, Virginia
and PENNSYLVANIA. Erosion and resultant Slta-
ton likewise have contributed largely to the de-
cline in Chesapeake Bays oyster production
from l3 million bushels in 1880 to only about
3 million bushels year now.
Silt Makes Ghost Towns
Various settlements in Maryland became ghost
towns when ships no longer could reach their
wharves. Joppa Town Bladensburg, Port
Tobacco-these and others fell victims to ero-
son-produced sediment that filled their naviga-
ton channels.
Our hope for the future security of the land
which is our sustenance depends on our safe
guarding it with the permanent acre-by acre
conservation treatment and use which today Is
spreading so steadily over the country and also
is being adopted by number of other countries
which are sending their agricultural technl-
clans to the United States to study our methods
Of soil conservation
Actually we are today in race. The sides
are already drawn. On the one side, we are
faced with steadily increasing population.
Year after year, even during the war, the num-
Der of people on earth has grown larger. NO
one can say with authority where or when, the
growth will level off On the other side, we can
see our remaining area of productive land
shrinking steadily before the onslaught of ero-
sion.
These are the forces we must deal with. Re
gardless of what can or should be done about
the matter of population, we can and must DO
something about erosion. No nation-or the
world. for that matter-has too much fertile
land. Neither the world nor any nation can al
ford to lose any more productive land. Too many
nations have much too little now. In relation
to world population our total world ability to
produce food has already arrived precarlously
close to the danger line. In some countries
the danger line was crossed long before World
War II.
There is no more land to waste.
Evening star., 1947-07-16
Another Annuitant's Plea

To the Editor OF Inc star.
The Star recently published a very able edi-
torial boost for the LANCER -Chavez-S Stevenson
bill. for which heartfelt thanks from the sub
merged Government retirees
These forgotten individuals, the average
among them, are expected to subsist upon the
meager allowance decided upon years before
we entered World War II, upon which they
have to pay income tax on all over $500 II
single and 81, 200 if married, from which last
retirees from industry are exempt.
It is needless to mention that their brothers
still in Government service have received var
ious boosts in pay based upon the publicized
cost Of living.
But retirees also feel the boost in prices OF
the things they must have even to exist, there
fore feel they are justified in looking to Con-
gress and the Executive for the bare measure
of relief called for by the bill mentioned.
SANdL. SALON1AN.
Dictators and Their Friends
TO the Editor OF The Star
The Marshall plan" for Europe finally
Evening star., 1947-07-16
Inefficient Capitol Guards? =?

To the Editor of The Star:
1t seems to me that the recent attempt upon
Senator Brckers life should give rise 10
congressional investigation of its own redouot-
able constabulary.
After all, this organization is charged with
the protection of the lives of our esteemed
legislators and with the guardianship OF the
treasures and monstrosities which adorn the
Capitol and its adjacent buildings. And, when
an ex-member of this same organization misses
as imposing target as the worthy Senator
from Ohio at a distance of Is feet, there are, L
feel, some grounds for doubling the efHcacy
of tho organization. E. T. BRENNAN.
Evening star., 1947-07-16
Letters to The Star

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
,priter, although it is permissible for q
1Driter knoaDn to The Star to use a
non, de plume Please be brief.
Evening star., 1947-07-16

These disks in the sky may be nuisance,
but so far they have not had nerve enough
to annoy Petrillo by broadcasting any
music without his permission.
Evening star., 1947-07-16
Questions and Answers
By THE HASKIN SERVICE

reader obtain the answer to any question
Bureau. 316 I street NE, washington q b: c
Please inclose three 80 cents for return postage
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1947-05-08
Is Teachers At
jefferson Now
J. B. Hash Is Principal;
Teachers Well Trained
And Experienced

]. B. Hash has been principal
of the jefferson school for the
past four years. Through his
professional knowledge and lead
ership, the school has greatly
progressed. The close supervis-
ion carried on each day by the
individual teachers has added to
the efficiency of the work. With
an additional teacher this year,
there are sixteen faculty mem
berS.
Following is a list of the teach
ers and the departments in which
they work:
Bruce BoWlin, science; Mrs.
Gertrude Vaught, English and
dramatics; c. E. Francis, physical
education; Imogene Hoppers
home economics; elementary de-
partment, Orville Jackson: Mrs
Eleanor B. Reeves, Robert Wood
lie, Mrs. Marie F. Jackson, Mrs
Hazel A. Koontz, Mrs. Edna M
Burgess and Mamie Smithey
grammar grades: Mrs. Zepha S.
Little, Louise Sutherland, Mabel
Blackburn and Laura McCon-
nell, primary grades.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1947-05-08
AT Jefferson High School This Year
with her everywhere.
WILLIAM DEAN DIXON

Dean seems to be the happlest
care-free boy in school. He is
famous for keeping his class
mates laughing when the teacher
is out of the room. He has plenty
Of humorous sayings for every
occasion, too.
MARY 10 BOWER
Mary 10 is a cheerful girl who
always has a kind word for eV-
eryone. She is liked by all her
classmates.
ELIZABETH WEAVER WYRICK
Elizabeth, better known as
"Liz" to her classmates, has a
cheerful outlook on life. She
has won many friends by her
pleasant smile. We predict for
Elizabeth a long happy life.
ETTIEFAE PAULINE BARKER
Pauline has won many friends
in her pleasing, unassuming way,
and her classmates expect of her
life of usefulness and success.
She is another studious pupil
who is dependable.
ORLEAN PHYLLIS BARKER
Orlean is quiet and modest. She
is always ready and willing to
help those in need. She is a
true friend and has the respect OF
all her classmates.
VIRGINIA WAVA ELLER
Wava knows how to be friendly
with everyone She is always
first to speak and last to express
her opinion. She enjoys helping
others.
PATSY CAROLYN BADGER
Patsy is very popular girl.
Her energetic spirit and sincere
optimism are her dominant char
acteristics. Pat is fond Of the
boys, but never takes them too
seriously.
lola VIRGINIA RASH