davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-07-29
In Tune With the Times

At recent convention In Detroit, a
group calling itself the American Society
of Piano Technicians discussed with con-
siderable gloom statistical matter that
can hardly be said to be cheerful.
According to the society, there are 49,
100000 out-of-tune pianos in the United
States and only 5000 tuners to fix them.
To say the least. this Is distressing. Simple
arithmetic shows why: If each of the
f1xers can take care of one piano a day,
fifteen years will be required to get rid of
all our existing sour notes. and by that
time millions of other pianos will need
attention.
With the ranks of the tuners-whose
average age is 55-ste&dily thinning out
for want of recruits, the situation thus
seems fraught with dreadful possibilities.
Indeed, the head of the piano technicians
thinks matters so bad that he fears the
whole world will eventually be off key and
well all go nuts" unless the mounting
volume of sour notes Is countered with
psychiatric treatment on a truly heroic
scale.
But perhaps we ought not to be too
peSSimiStic. After all. since we live in an
age of discord and since nearly everything
else Is out of joint, it seems almost fitting
that our pianos should be off key too-in
tune with the times, so to speak. Moreover,
considering the amount of jive and boogie-
woogie that we have had to put up with for
some years past, our ears should be so
hardened to disharmony that our sanity
such as 1t is-should stay with us, no
matter how much worse our music grows
OF course, no one can afford to be COM
placent. But forewarned is forearmed, and
five steel ourselves to the piano prospect
we may come out all right. Anyhow, let
us not despair. Let us hope. instead, that
somebody will invent something to take
the place OF the vanishing tuner. A gadget
of that sort should be possible in our in
tensely scientific age.
Evening star., 1947-07-29
The Eiqhtieth Congress

When the members Of the Eightieth
Congress moved into washington last jan
uary the question uppermost In many
minds was whether the essential business
of government could be transacted by a
Republican controlled National Leglsla-
ture and Democratic President. No final
and conclusive answer has been given. But
now that the Congress has wound up It's
first session, 1t seems fair to say that the
split political personality at the seat OF
government proved to be less OF handl-
cap than had been expected.
The best results were obtained on the
side of our foreign relations. In that
field, under the commendable leadership
of Senator Vandenberg and Representa-
tive Eaton, Congress in the main put
national interests ahead of partisan con-
siderations. Conspicuous among the legis-
lation which failed of passage were the
bill to admit limited number OF dis
placed persons to this country, the inter-
American military program and the
important propaganda undertaking gen.
orally known as the Voice OF America
program. Enough funds were provided,
however, to keep a curtailed and, unfor-
tunately, inadequate version OF this pro-
gram going.
In other respects and especially with
regard to the dominant matter of our
relations with the Soviet Union, the
Eightieth Congress acquitted itself very
we'll On its whole record in this held,
1t is fair to say that the work OF the
Republican Congress compares very favor
ably with the records of prewar Congresses,
when there was no partisan distinction
between the White House and the legisla-
tive majorities at the Capitol.
On the domestic front there was differ
ent story About the only important
measure on which it might be said that
the President and the Congress found
satisfactory basis for collaboration was
the bill to unity the armed services. For
the rest, 1t was matter Of refusing TO
give the President what he asked, giving
him much less than he had asked, enact
Ing legislation over a presidential veto, as
In the case of the labor bill; or, as with
respect to the tax bill, bowling with none
too-good grace to q veto which could not
be overridden.
Even with all the discord on domestic
issues however, it would be hard to show
that any truly vital national interest has
been sacrificed. Much remains on the
calendar of unfinished business, and 1t is
any ones guess as to what will happen
when Congress, assuming that there is no
special session, reconvenes in January
But it is safe assumption, despite the
critical nature of the times, that the coun-
try is going to get through two years of
divided control between the major parties
without suffering any irreparable damage.
1t may be that by November, 1s48, enough
damage will have been done to demon
strate a clear need for one party control
in both the executive and legislative
branches. If so, the voters then will have
opportunity to change the lineup.
Evening star., 1947-07-29

This remark from the man behind the desk
was entirely unsolicited. Previously had
offered no argument in my own behalf. I
then asked If there was any consideration
piyen for clean record. My record for driving
or parking offenses hitherto had not blemish.
The officer merely restated that an of1ense OF
this type ,parking too close to an intersection
was of the $40 nature. After another awkward
pause, I produced the $40 and the interview
headed for a quick ending. AS he wrote me
receipt, he asked If were going to appear in
court I stated that I'd probably be too
busy-and that was that
Now. according to the book the police are
right I'm guilty. I was parked less than ~
feet from the intersection, but there are ex-
tenuating circumstances in the case. 1t was
after dark when we parked the car at that
corner, so called, on the night in question. 1t
is an unlighted street corner. The street is
not unpaved as the officer had said, but Is
the next thing to it. There is hard surface
of some Sort You will find neither curbing
nor sidewalk on the intersecting street known
formally as Sheridan street. Georgia avenue,
the street upon which I was parked, has no
yellow painted curbing to warn the unsuspect-
ing motorist. In short the place looks far
more like an alley. And I daresay it invites
traffic to the extent that an alley would
Now I'm guilty. understand that. But
Just for. the fun of it, returned to the scene
of the crime" to verify this information.
While there inquired of an attendant at
filling station closely how many tickets were
passed out in day there. He laughingy said
quite few. 1t then follows that the Metro
politan Police are averaging at least $40 or
$780, maybe even $40 or $50 day from that
one intersection alone. I ask: Doesn't 1t seem
like nasty way to treat the average workers
income?
Why does this 60 on?
ROBERT w. BERKHEMER.
Evening star., 1947-07-29
A Limit to Worry

Sometimes it seems there is just too
much effort being made by too many
people these days to figure out new worries
for a world that has more than enough 10
worry about already. A case In point Is
the latest report from Guy Irving Burcn,
director of the Population Reference Bu-
reau. According to the report, tnere Is
some reason to fear that the American
people are gradually becoming dumoer ana
dumber and that the majority OF them
NAV have dull and backward" intelligence
ouotients a few decades from now.
At first glance, this has all the earmarks
of being bad news and a lot OF people VINO
have seen the headlines about 1t-"Amer-
lean Intelligence on Decline" etc.-proo-
ably are brooding over 1t at this very mo-
ment. Actually, however, the situation IS
not quite so dark as it may SEEM Mr
Rurch and his bureau are well known for
their able and provocative population
studies, but they are always careful to
oualify their statements and assumptions
when qualification is called for. They have
done 50 in this instance. They resort
frankly to "ifs" and butts" They state 1t as
possibility, not as fact, that we are
retting dumber.
Mr.. Burch and his bureau have based
their speculation on figures showing that
neople with the least mental ability and
financial equipment are producing twice
rs many children as people with the high
est intelligence and income. Since nearly
anything is possible, this may we'll mean
that the 10 of the United States will yet
hit a level low enough to be frightening.
But let us not be too hasty about biting
our fingernails or growing glum. In the
first place, considering that there is no
exact way of measuring Unborn intelligence,
how can anybody tell that the economi-
cally underprivileged-a group numbering
n,illions-have the least mental ability? In
the second place, some of our best educa-
tors are convinced that this group needs
only greater educational opportunities to
edd to American brainpower. Moreover,
II should be noted that scientists have
found elutamic acid remarkably effective
IN increasing the los OF backward chill
dren. The fact that this acid is abundant
Ia milk suggests that If we all drink
Evening star., 1947-07-29
Mornino After Rain

All through the night, the ratn. We could
not see
Beyond the small circumt terence hand
Mtoht trace; like music, loU, tnststently.
we heard It falling on the sleeping land,
Ginning Ike a million crystal bells =
All through the night ne sensed the cease
less rain
RUNNING into rtpulets and pools
Trtckling In an endless stluer chain.
And then the daton. We Ddke upon q
toorld
Rtnsed clean; shining genesis In green;
The hedqes gtsten, NAPLES lie empedrled,
The hills blaze emerald, NTH relUet
Enhanced By sun, a rainboto arcs the grass,
Where one may scoop the sky up IN glass.
MAE WINKLER GOODMAN. -
Evening star., 1947-07-29

plca for adherence to the movement he
heads, the Rally of the French People,"
to reform the existing constitution and
establish government with authority to
act and serve the national interests. Nat
urally, this fortnight appeal draws sharp
criticism from spokesmen of the present
government and bitter denunciations from
the Communists. 1t all adds up to the con-
fused and turbulent political evolution
through which France now Is passing.
Evening star., 1947-07-29
Uniform MARRIAGE Laws

TO the Editor Of The Star:
At the rate we are going now, the Comnies
in Russia won't have anything on us In pre-
marriage and divorce requirements unless
Senator Arthur Capper of Kansas begins push
ing his Constitutional amendment for uniform
marriage and divorce laws such as they have
In Canada. CHARLES N. HANLEy.
Sacramento, CALI.
Evening star., 1947-07-29

uSut oA tlldt
corner. We've
had quite a
few tick e t S
from tn a t
point
May I re-
peat? The man
b e h in d tn e
d e SIX S a | d.:
quite a few
tickets from
sUR
Evening star., 1947-07-29

Lumbermen OF Washington and Idaho
are complaining that mistletoe is running
their business by killing thousands OF trees.
On the other hand, it has boosted the busi-
ness of many marrying parson.
Evening star., 1947-07-29
Appreciates Cartoons

To the Editor Of The Star:
1 wish to compliment Jim Bergman upon
his very splendid cartoons recently published,
most particularly the one Of a few days ago in
which he depicted President Truman as chauf-
feur of an automobile with J. Public as pas
senger. This was subtlety par excellence.
PETER F. SNYDER.
Evening star., 1947-07-29

handicap the
armed services
in any way, but
any observing
person who has
had bu s mess
with them re-
Gently X n o W s
that both the
Army and Navy
a d miniStratiVe
Evening star., 1947-07-29

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address of the
tDriter, although it is permissible for
iDriter kno1on to The Star to use
non, de plume. Please be brief.
Evening star., 1947-07-29
Questions and Answers
By Gould Lincoln

reader can obtain the answer to any question
of fact BY writing The Evening Star Informstion
Evening star., 1947-07-29
He Chose Dark Glasses

To the Editor OF The Star: d.
Victor Kravchenko gave quite reasonable
explanation OF his desire to keep his picture
out of the papers; and that explanation was
lust as available to you as it was to me.
But apparently thoroughness is not in your
kit of tools, or you would not have to print such
drivel as your editorial He Chose Dark
Glasses" in order to fill out your page. @r
Sometimes wonder who issediting The Star
If anybody. EDW. WOLESENSkY. .
Evening star., 1947-07-29
Nobody Wants to Work

To the Editor of The Star:
I have been surprised at editorials in The
Star criticizing some of the cuts Congress has
made In appropriations for Government bu-
reaus. The way to cut Is to cut. No sane per-
Evening star., 1947-07-29
Build Up' for Disarmament Plea

To the Editor Of The Star:
Please allow me to write to you IN the interest,"
of peace Aldous Huxley has stated, Every
road to better state of society Is blocked,
sooner or later, by war . = ." page 100 ENDS
and Means" Harper's). Huxley proceeds to con-
slider the nature of war and possible alterna-
tiyes to war. That war Is not natural Is
proved by the fact that the three principal
civilizations have adopted three distinct phi
losophical attitudes toward war. 1.-THE Euro
pean, or western attitude tends to make men
believe that good death is more important
than a good life' the Confucian ideal was "a
Just reasonable humane and cultivated man
living at peace in an ordered and harmonious
society; Indian pacifsm, expressed by Bud
dhism and Hinduism, teaches harmlessness
toward all living beings"
As to the principal cause, Huxley says, war
exists because people wish 1t to exist. People
enjoy war. 1t tends to cancel negativism and
boredom in their lives. Their feelings OF vanity
and pride beget feelings of contempt and
hatred Also, through war, people can indulge
their baser emotions vicariously in crime.
Aside from the psychological causes for war,
the immediate causes or political causes" are:
First, war itself; military advantages and the
possession of armed forces and armaments
which are expensive and apt to give an OPP
timum moment for striking to the nation pos
sessing them, a moment when the armaments
of one nation are Immediately stronger than
any other. Second, wars are fought to further
a religious or political creed; all wars in the
future will be theological wars" based on un-
truths or half truths. Third, wars are fought
for the expansion of the ego Of the heads OF
government. Fourth wars are fought for gain
ing fertile territory and natural raw materials,
to provide foreign markets. to further the pri-
vate interests of powerful minorities and in
dustries.
Remedies and alternatives are, briefly, dis
armament; making use Of machinery for peace
full settlements of disputes, as the United Ma
tions; doing away with economic and military
sanctions use of nonviolent resistance; adop.
tion Of intolerance OF war by religious groups;
and last, but not least, to change human nature
Evening star., 1947-07-29

Just when we get through paying for
our spring outfits along come the fall
style openings
Evening star., 1947-07-29

The authentic Chinese puzzle, 1t seems,
always has been and still is: China.
Evening star., 1947-07-29

With candy as high as 81 pound, man
must love girl lot to take her any,
Evening star., 1947-07-29
Nv THE HAsKIN SERVICE

O. What is the Oldest ship In the United
States Navy?-A. L. T.
A. The Constellation is the oldest ship in the
United States Navy. This frigate was launched
September 7, 1877.
Evening star., 1947-07-29

To the Editor Of The Star:
Your editorial in The Star of July %, He
Chose Dark Glasses" is well-written, logical
and amusing.
- However, when it comes to secret revelations
of the former Russian official and army officer,
Kravchenko, the most sensational as it seems
to me, were the screaming headlines in some
of the newspapers (thank God not yours that
every Russian representative in this country
was potential spy. If this is news" the
sensation Is just falling fiat. Why do you sup
pose every country in the world including our
own United States of America, is keeping mill
tary and commercial observers" in other
countries? OF course, they are not called spies.
Diplomatic courtesy wouldn't allow anything
like that But their principal duty consists in
gathering all the useful information they pos
sibly can get.
There is nothing new in the revelations" OF
Mr.. Kravchenko, and the newspapers playing
up the discovery of such spy" work are only
sowing the seeds of hatred, suspicion and dis
trust that could lead to an armed conflict in
the very near future. EUGENE ESTEN.
Evening star., 1947-07-29

@. What Is the meaning Of the word Katzen-
jamnler In the old comic strip Katzenjammer
Kids?-A. E.
A. Katsenjammer Is a German word for
hangover and means literally, cats wailing"
Evening star., 1947-07-29

DISTRICT BLDG. SNACK BAR
Evening star., 1947-07-29
G. Where is the Grove Of Repentance?-

@. Where Is the Grove Of Repentance?-
D. g. T.
A. It is q part Of the Forest Of Discovery in
Western Tennessee which, on September 20,
1941, was dedicated to the Spanish explorer
fernando de Soto. The grove symbolizes regret
that our forests have been wasted.
O. What was the most weight ever carried :
by the horse Exterminator?-J. T.
A. The heaviest weight carried by Exterm1- /,
nator was 14o pounds. This was at the
indianapolis Handicap, July 4, 1922, at the.
Iatonia track.
Evening star., 1947-05-04

in pictures. These are the young
sters who have been in or are trying
to crash. And behind studio gates,
good looking messenger boys and
typists outnumber actors. Inside or
outside, they are there for one
reason only-to be discovered. +"
Ashamed to go home failures, many
have turned to crime.
II demands of the Guild are met,
it will mean abolishment of the tai
ent scout, producers say. That
would be the No. l luxury to first
feel the economic ak. The new con-
tract, if signed, will require the pay
ment of 500 a week to raw Begin
ners. And after the first year, these
recruits would be on the payroll for
$3.50 weekly. This, studio heads de-
clare, would make it prohibitive to
hire mere beautiful faces and fig
ures and gamble on their Develop
ment. So, contract players Of the
future will come almost exclusively
from the stage, radio or theatrical
schools.
These are the facts. They aren't
pretty. They're discouraging. But
they should be read and thoroughly
absorbed before boarding that Hol-
lywood- bound train.
tReleased by North American Newspaper
T1p \
Evening star., 1947-05-04
BroadWay:
Selznick Plans
Dolls House
Film Version
By Jock OtBrion
By Jock OtBrion

Three times a silent film, Henrik
Ibsen's "a Dolls House finally is
slated for cinematic treatment by
David o. Selznick. He will start
shooting this winter with Dorothy
Mcguire starred. !. Several of the
critics In their reviews of Barefoot
Boy With Cheek" suggested that
Jack Williams did not have enough
dancing opportunity in the musical
comedy. Jack now has solo dance
midway in the second act, Producer
George Abbott apparently seeing
eye-to-eye, or toe-to-toe, with the
critics for a change.
Mary Martin arrived home from
England with her 6-year-old daugh-
ter Heller and 16-year-old son Law
renee. Shed been playing in
London in Noel Coward's Pacific
1860" although the result was not as
happy as were Miss Martins expec-
tations when she sailed from New
York last year. :. She'll star in the
touring troupe of Annie Get Your
Gun," which starts shooting Octo-
ber 4 in Dallas, Tex, the first stop
on. lengthy national prowl. =. :.
Miss Martins children will appear
with her in the trouping musical.
-. She is married to Richard Hal
liday, theatrical businessman.
State of the Union" has passed
its 600th performance, the political
comedy having now attained the
comparable stature of several presi-
Dental terms. Olga Baclonova
has been signed for Louisiana
Lady," the role for which Irene
Bordoni was scheduled. s.. John
Gielgud will direct ''Medea," adapted
by Robinson Jeffers from the Euri-
pides' original. Judith Anderson
will be starred. It's due in Novem-
ber. -. George Abbott bought "Mul-
ligan's Snug" Gaelic comedy by
Robert E. McEnroe, for fall produc-
ton. 1t concerns a group of
bellicose Irishmen in a New York
saloon who plot to invade their
homeland in order to drive the men
of Ulster from the Emerald Isle.
Evening star., 1947-05-04

town hoping and striving for an
other crack at the Hollywood gold
pot.
Mob extra players - the lowest
form Of film life - who average
only five calls a year, at $15.46 per
trip, are not wanted, judging by
statistics. Only 4,400 are on the
lists today at Central Casting, COM
pared with $4,000 ten years ago.
That 4,400, which earned an aver
age of only $65 apiece last year, be-
longed to the tight Screen Extras
Guild. This union has contract
with producers forbidding member
ship to new people, except as re-
placements. These average only
eight per month.
AS for the future, these 1owly
atmospheric players have nothing in
store. The records prove that to
their future dissatisfaction. AS far
as we could learn, not a single extra
has won a studio pact in the past
four years. And there hasn't been
star to come up from their ranks
since Gary Cooper, Jean Harlow,
Lucille Ball, Fay Wray, Zazu Pitts,
John Wayne and Randolph Scott
bridged the gap when conditions
were somewhat different.
Even if he did happen to get a
contract nod, the poor extra might
be even worse off in a short time.
Only about one in 100 long-term
contract players ever becomes a
lCminary. Of the hundreds of stock
girls and boys signed with great
fanfare during the past 10 years,
few survived the first six-month
option.
Contracts Are a Joke.
Incidentally, those seven-year
term deals are the jokers of Holly
wood legal circles. Under them, a
studio can fire an actor at the end
OF any six-month period. And while
each such interval calls for a boost
in salary, the player finds-r1ine
times out of the ten-the boss call
ing him. in and saying if he wishes
to stay he'll be obliged to waive the
raise.
Within half mile of every major
studio there are more handsome
boys and girls working in drive -ins,
restaurants and drug stores than
Evening star., 1947-05-04
HOLLYWOOD

HOLLYWOOD.
Ilona Massey, the unhappy Hun
garian, is showing unprecedented
interest In the baby pictures friends
carry around in their wallets.
The idea may have been put in
her head by tall, dark Jay Kurtz,
35-year- old son of an ex-Congress-
man from Altoona, Pa. She says
she's going to marry him. Kurtz
says that If she does, she'll be wife,
not a movie star.
HE has such an air about him."
explains Ilona, "as If he doesn't care
q hoot about anything Very indie
pendent, but a strong character-a
tough guy That's what I like
In man."
BY now, Ilona ought to know what
she likes. In her middle sos, she's
made her own way since she was
13 and most of those years were
spent as an entertainer in some of
the gayer capitals of Europe She's
been married twice, once to a Hun
garian financier, Nicolaus SZavozd,
and later for year to Actor Alan
Curtis, whom she divorced in 1912.
Still Has Contract.
'rThis time it's got to be for keeps"
says Ilona. II couldn't stand an
other failure. It's a very difficult
decision, getting married again.
How can I, who have always been
independent, go to Jay and ask him
for a dress?"
Kurtz supplies the answer:
you'll just have to get used to it.
II suppose she sighs, "I will"
Studio heads are known to be little
mulish, too, and although Kurtz
wants Ilona to quit the movies, Re-
public hasa contract for two more
pictures. Somehow, Ilona, Kurtz
and the studio have got to get
together.
Life" says Iona, is full of prob
lems."
It always has been for Iona.
There was no silver spoon in her
mouth when she was born to a
Hungarian peasant named Hal
massy. Her childhood in the Eu-
rope Of World War I is con-
fused memory of odd jobs and
hunger. A good soprano voice and