davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-08-20
A Western Candidate?
CALIFORNIA; Great Gain in Census Estimates Helps
Warren's Chances
By Rav,n ond MoIev

The new census estimates OF the population
of the States have great political implica-
tions They underline how rapidly political
power IS moving westward in the United States.
California according to recent Bureau OF
Census estimates, is now third in population,
with 9,392, ,387-an increase of 1862 per cent.
Only New York with over 13500,000, and
Pennsylvania, with barely 100000, are larger
than the big Coast State. According to every
reliable estimate by utility companies and
civic organizations, California will gain enough
by the regular census in 1850 to pass Pennsyl-
vania and rank second to New York.
That census will be the basis of new con-
gressiona apportionments and, consequently
of delegate strength in national political con-
ventions. California will have close to 40 Con-
gressmen and 80-odd delegates in national
conventions 1t will have larger and larger
representation in Presidential cabinets, in Fed
eraI courts and in other Governmental agen-
cies Its needs command larger and larger
pieces of the Federal budget.
Underlining this western growth are the
great gains in Washington and oregon.
Washington's population increased Is per cent;
Oregon's 33 per cent. This is particularly
interesting in view of an overall gain In the
United States, outside California, Washington
and Oregon, of only per cent. New York,
for instance, gained only III per cent, and
New Jersey, is per cent.
Texas, whose general character and inter-
ests are growing more and more western is
now sixth in population, ranking close behind
Illinois and Ohio.
The growth of California will provide more
and more reasons for the selection of pres
dental candidates from that State or from the
West One of the dominant reasons for select
ing candidates since the Civil War has been
the proved capacity of certain political leaders
to carry large end pivotal eastern and mid
Evening star., 1947-08-20
PiecemeuI Air Program

The Presidents Air Co-ordinating Com
mittee has issued timely warning as to
the dangers of adhering to piecemeal
military aviation program of the type
which Congress recently approved. For
the sake of economy, Congress appropri-
ated only enough funds for the Army and
the Navy to purchase about fourteen hun
dred planes in 1948. Yet the Committee
on Air Planning, predecessor OF the new
committee has declared that at least 5000
military planes should be produced an
nually if our air arm is to be maintained
at safe strength and If the military avla-
ton industry is to be kept in state OF
readiness
The recommendations of the committee
are especially important because its men,
bership is predominantly civilian and
therefore is not subject to accusations OF
military bias. Headed by Assistant Secre-
tary of State Garrison Norton, the COM
mittee includes representatives not only
of the War and Navy Departments but
of the Department of Commerce, the Post
Office Department, the Civil Aeronautics
Board and the Budget Bureau. Inclusion
of the Budget Bureau representative on
the committee was happy thought, for
one of the big hurdles which the Army
and Navy air enthusiasts have had to take
Federal budgets.
The committee sees only peril for the
Nation in the present system of year-to-
year aviation budgets. 1t concurs with
what Army and Navy planners have con-
tended all along-that uncertainties of
short-range planning and appropriating
make it impossible to maintain production
facilities needed to form the nucleus of
quickly expanding industry in event of
an emergency. Yet such production facili-
ties should be available in peacetime as
we'll as in wartime, If we are to be ade-
quately prepared for sudden attacks. AS
the committee emphasizes in its report,
the known absence or inadequacy of such
manufacturing resources is, in itself, an
encouragement to aggressors. So will
aggressors find encouragement in tagging
research with respect to aircraft, weapons,
bases and operations, Research Of this
nature is admittedly costly item in any
budget, but it is a hard fact that the cost
increases under a patchwork program.
What is urgently needed Is a we'll
thought-out and realistic long range avia-
ton development and research program,
spread out over' the next few years. With
such long-view blueprint the armed
forces and the aviation industry will know
where they Standard so will Congress
and the American people. 1t is to be
hoped that such program will emerge
from the studies of the Air Co-ordinating
Committee and of the Presidents Air
Policy Commission in time for considera-
ton at the next session Of Congress.
Evening star., 1947-08-20
'NominuI' Nuzis

Not great deal OF dependaole lnIO[ma-
ton comes out of the Russian zone IN
Germany and the rest Of the world knows
little about the Soviet handling OF the
vexatious problem of de-Nazlncatlon.
There are indications, however, that the
Russians no less than our own people, are
finding it anything but easy to prosecute
all the Nazis
The latest Indication of this has come
In the form of dispatch to the New York
Herald Tribune from its Berlin correspond
ent, Marguerite Higgins, who reports tnat
the Soviet authorities in Germany nave
proclaimed general amnesty for all NOM
inal" or inactive" Nazis. In practical
effect this means that the purge OF the
small-fry Nazis-those who merely went
along" with the party-ts to be aoanooneo,
and henceforth they will be given the right
to vote and to hold public office. For the
future, trials will be restricted to war GRIM
inals industrialists, and others who are
charged with specific crimes under Ger
man. international or Soviet military law.
In our zone, however, the responsible
authorities are still planning on mass
prosecutions.
At the outset some 100000 Germans
In the American zone were required to MI
nut missionaries After these had been
screened, and after the youth amnesty and
the so-called Christmas amnesty, there
remained about 100000 cases in which
charges were to be preferred. OF this
number approximately 350,000 trials have
been completed. This leaves somewhat
more than million cases awaiting trial or
other disposition If trials are held in all
nj them. 1t will be years before the Amer
lean de-Nazifcation program Is out OF the
way.
The disadvantages In this are Self-eVl-
dent. In the first place, the Russians, by
dropping charges against the nominal
Nazis and restoring their political rights,
presumably gain certain propaganda ad-
vantage in dealing with the Germans. 1t
is also possible that they may win over
considerable number of German converts
to communism
But beyond that there is the handicap
Imposed on our occupation authorities by
an attempt to try nearly ten per cent of the
German inhabitants of the American zone,
even though the trials in the main are
conducted by German tribunals. 1t was
one thing to deal with war criminals and
what might be called the big shot Nazis.
These, presumably, have already been
tried 1t is quite different matter to
prosecute upward of a million Germans,
most of whom undoubtedly belong in the
category of nominal" Nazis.
There Is no doubt, of course that all of
them can be tried and those convicted can
be punished, If that is what we want to
do. But the process is one which has been
Evening star., 1947-08-20

scope. The local installation can be used
on only one runway, disadvantage when
crosswinds make landing on that par
ticular airstrip hazardous.
The new GCA being developed by the
Navy and the Bendix Radio Corporation
and undergoing tests at Quonset Point,
Rhode Island, can be readily switched to
the most convenient runway Further
more, it is operated completely within the
airport control tower,~ instead of from a
mobile unit alongside the runway. Not
only is the operator in the tower able to
"see" and communicate with the approach
ing plane but he is kept advised by the
instrument of the exact altitude of the
plane, it's direction from the tower and
other information of value in directing
the pilot to a safe landing when visibility
Is zero.
With such a device the task of bringing
planes in through darkness or storm should
be greatly simplified. In addition, the
quicker landings that are made possible
should help to solve the always dangerous
problem in fog or darkness of stacking"
planes over an airport while they await
their turn to land The faster these
planes can be brought to the ground, the
fewer the chances of collision or of forced
landings from fuel exhaustion. 1t is be-
coming more evident than ever that radar,
both in the control tower and in the air
plane, will be relied upon by aviation
authorities to make flying safer than it
has been in the past.
Evening star., 1947-08-20
Coal Cor Diplomacy

The diplomatic f1areup which followed
the partial embargo on coal shipments 10
Canada by ODT Director ]. Monroe john
son seems to have subsidized without assum-
ing the proportions of anything more than
a minor international incident. stlll, even
| though Canada is again getting coal ana
despite the fact that wounded senslolhtles
have been soothed, the incident remains
as curious diplomatic interlude.
To invoke an embargo against friendly
power is a very serious matter. AS most OF
us can remember there was a time, JuSV
a few years ago, when the application OF
embargoes to Japan was weighed with the
greatest care, there being full reallzatlone
that such a move in that instance would be
but step short of war. Nothing OF Ihls'
sort was involved, of course, IN Colonel
Johnsons decision to put the screws on
the Canadians. But it was serious mat
ter. nonetheless, for the importation OF coal
from the United States is vital to Canaoas
economy, and, while the note has not been
nublished it is reliably reported that the
Canadian government has lodged the
sharpest kind of protest with the STATE
Department.
II is proper, of course, for the protest
O. to 90 to the State Department. But 1t Is
rather ironical that, as far as any one
can learn. the State Department had noth-
ing to do with the embargo, and probably
was no less surprised than the Canadians
when Col. Johnson put it into erect last
week. :.
From all the information available II
snpears that Col Johnson had considerable
provoration. An excessive NUMBER OF
American coal cars were tied up on the
Canadian National Railway, and, accord
ing to the ODT, the Canadians were using
them for their own purposes. obviously
particularly in view Of the critical car
shortage in this country, the situation
was one which called for corrective action,
and4aCel Johnson corrected 1t by the
simple But effective expedient OF embargo
ing any further shipments over the Cana
dian National until the surplus cars had
beerf@feturned to this country.
While sympathizing with the ODT
director, however, one may still feel that
Col. Johnsons treatment of the trouble
was a bit on the impulsive side. II there
are to be any further embargoes against
a friendly neighbor it may be hoped that
they will be applied only after consultation
with, and the approval Of, the State De-
partment,
Evening star., 1947-08-20
AUGUST Evening Reyery

Dusk climbs the mountain on reluctant
feet;
The chimney spifts pheel In cratic ftght;;
The patient freftes stitch the robe OF night
with scintillating threads; the air Is s,oeet
with TRUTH scents, extracted by the heat.
An orange moon climbs sIotoly up the
height,
Tiu, its fires cooled, 1t gtres forth stlrsry
light,
o,mmino the radiance OF the starry feet.
This Is the month for whtch the ,ohole
year tbaits, -.
For which the time OF bud and bloom
1Uere made r
When summer pauses, heapy NTH her
load
Th. time ,phen all mems little loues and
hates
Seen, less important than the caralcade
OF truit-flIed wagons, runbltng doUn ths
road. ANNA M. PRIESTLEY.
Evening star., 1947-08-20
Basket and Ladder Man

Toward the end of August one expected
the annual visit of the basket and ladder
man. Half century ago each farm had its
home orchard of Cranberry Pippins, North
ern Spies, Blue Pearmains, Russets and
Baldwins. The countryman needed tall,
light, strong spruce ladders to reach into
the twenty -foot-high trees; he needed
half -bushel baskets for picking and bushel
baskets in which to haul the colorful crop
to the barn bins. Once the crop was under
cover, the sorting could be done at leisure.
Every one was glad to see the jolly travel
ing man. Farmers instinctively liked him.
He had pair of big, sleek, shining horses;
the harnesses were we'll oiled; the brides
had red, fluffy tassels; the brass trimmings
were polished. The big wagon with high
board sides was painted blue with red
trimmings. The wagon was loaded with
ladders of all lengths and scores of various
types of baskets. There was an invigorat
ing, spicy, nostril-tingling fragrance of
spruce and the dry. clean smell of the
woven ash baskets.
1t was a commercial affair, naturally,
but there was much more to it than that.
The basket and Ladder man brought news
of the county; he delivered messages from
friends and relatives in surrounding towns;
he took messages to leave along his way.
After father bought ladder or two and
few baskets of various sizes the basket
man always brought out a striped green
and red paper bag full Of hard candies for
waiting boys and girls. Usually he stayed
to dinner, and instead of offering money,
with certain courtly grace he presented
mother with beautiful sweet-grass sewing
basket. 1t was, an hour or two of pleasant
visiting. And when finally he started
down the road to the next farm he left
a warm glow behind him. Gone now are
the craftsmen who made their wares in
winter and sold them in the summer. But
there are men and women who still re-
member the annual call Of the basket and
ladder man.
Evening star., 1947-08-20
Petkov Case ChuIIenqe

Scarcely a week goes by, these days,
without some fresh defiance Of the West
ern Powers in general or the United States
in particular by the regimes dominated Dy
Moscow's stooges In East-Central Europe.
But in this crescendo of disregard for both
legal commitments and moral principles,
the case of Nikola Petkov stands forth with
sinister eminence.
This man, long the outstanding liberal
figure in Bulgaria and leader OF the
Agrarian Party representing the great
mass of small landowning peasants who
are the backbone of that nation, has just
been condemned to death by Peoples
Court" The verdict climaxes one Of those
travesties of justice which is common to
such tribunals in all totalitarian states
Communist, Nazi Or Fascist alike.
Nikola Petkov was. from the first, a fear
less protester against the destruction of
his countrys liberties at Communist hands.
Named Minister without portfolio in the
coalition government set up In Bulgaria
at the time of it's liberation from the
Axis, he resigned in July, 1945, when 1T
became evident that the so-called Father
laHU fIOIk CllSAlCCICo Wy WAC SoAAAAAAN
with the open backing of the Russian oc-
cupation authorities was sham.
Thereafter he continued to oppose each
usurpation of power by the Reds. The
tragic close of his public career came
with his arrest on the familiar charge OF
plotting to overthrow the government.
This spelled treason and death sentence,
If the charge were proved.
So transparent was the frameup, and
so grossly at variance with Petkovs acts
and general record, that both the Amer
lean and British governments denounced
the whole business, our State Department
declaring that, in this trial, Bulgaria itself
would be the defendant before the bar of
world opinion.
Nevertheless the trial went forward In
the customary way. A number OF obscure
army officers, arrested as Petkov's ac-
complices-confess in manner which
implicated the chief defendant to the hilt.
Disdainfully, Petkov denied their testi-
mony as utterly false and without founda-
ton, pointing to his political speeches.
which had merely urged constitutional op-
position by use of the ballot box, and ad-
vocated Allied supervision of elections as
specifically provided for under the big
Three" Yalta agreement
The court, however, preferred the testi
mony of the other defendants. Petkov
clearly anticipated the verdict when. dia
bette and in general i'll health. he never
theless told the court in clear, firm voice:
MY father and brother have been
murdered in the streets of Sofia as traitors,
and I am ready to share their fate"
The death penalty then was imposed,
in what obviously is move to silence the
last opposition voice in Bulgaria.
Evening star., 1947-08-20
Airport Sufety Progress

Science continues to make amazing
strides in the field of aviation safety re-
search. The latest development is an inn
proved ground controlled approach sys-
tenn that promises to revolutionize airport
traffic control operations.
Existing GCA systems, like those being
installed at the Washington National Air
port and La Guardia Field, are of the war
time military type with which incoming
planes are talked down" by controller
watching progress Of the plane on radar
Evening star., 1947-08-20
Circus Fan Protests

To the Editor of The Star:
1t is hard to believe that the editorial Circus
Leaves Town appeared in the same paper
which on June Is, 1916, paid beautiful tribute
to the circus as an institution.
Says The Star, in its editorial on the
Hughes Investigation: THE result OF this is to
discredit the investigation in the public mind
and give the witnesses an opportunity to turn
the inquiry into farce That is what happened
in this instance. and that is why there WILL De
few regrets as the circus leaves town."
Just why the Hughes Investigation should
be compared to the circus is, to circus fans,
difncult to understand
MELVIN D. HILDRETH,
Past President, Circus Fans Association OF
America
Evening star., 1947-08-20
Stars, Men and Atoms
Two Drugs Found Of Aid
In Fiqht on Tick Fever
Clothing Dipped in Chemicals Keeps
Bugs Away for IL Days
BY Thomas r. Henry

BY Thomas N. Henry
Two drugs which seem to be effective repei-
lents OF ticks, responsible for tick fever ana
which have become Nightmares for vacationlsts
in the country, have been found by the United
States Public Health Service.
They are organic chemicals known as phenyl
cyclohexanol butylacetanilide. both of which
keep the ticks away from clothing for as long
as twelve days.
During the past year, 1t Is reported by En-
tomologist James M. Brennan Of the Public
Health Service staff, approximately 80 organic
chemicals were tested as tick repelents at the
Governments Rocky Mountain Laboratory,
center of research work on tick-carried
diseases. The worth of Is of them now has been
evaluated. The tests consisted of impregnating
socks with the materials, the socks then being
worn by volunteer subjects for IS minutes
while exposed to several thousand ticks.
Two Tested in Field.
All the chemicals showed some value but
two were outstanding against the particu.
larly dangerous bug known as dermacenter an
dersoni, the most common carrier of the tick
fever virus The two which appeared the
most effective were sthen tested under field
conditions by subjects wearing ordinary socks
and white coveralls.
A tick hardly can get on the body without
crossing some barrier of clothing. None of the
chemicals tested stained clothes and tests
showed that the two selected did not irritate
the skin. 1t probably would be possible to rub
down children with them before they were
sent out to play.
Some of the most effective organic COM
pounds have been discarded because they have
a quite offensive odor.
During the war years, Mr.. Brennan reports,
several thousand compounds, mixtures and
synthetics were tested against mosquitoes, lice
and mites and some very effective repellents
were found but nobody appears to have paid
much attention to ticks, although they were
the cause of some of the most serious diseases
suffered by soldiers IN the Pacific.
Deadly Enemies of Man.
For the past 80 years. since Rocky Noun
tain spotted fever first made its appearance,
ticks have been recognized as among the most
deadly enemies of man. 1t is only within the
past IS years, however, that they have been
of any concern in the Eastern United States.
Somehow or other the virus of tick fever
bridged the Middle West, probably through ticks
carried by dogs, and appeared on the Atlantic
Coast.
At present relatively few ticks carry the
dreaded virus, but the percentage is becoming
greater every year and new maladies are ap-
pearing. Ticks seem apparently immune to
most poisons which could be applied on q wide
scale and until some effective repellent is found
they are bound to dig themselves into the skin
Of human beings.
The two chemicals on which Mr.. Brennan
reports are not necessarily poisonous to the
insects, but for some reason they will not come
near ANYTHING saturated with them Search
will continue for still more effective repellents
which can be made available to the general
public in unlimited quantities
Evening star., 1947-08-20
Taxes on Real Estate Sales

To the Editor Of The Star:
In your letters to the editor, I've seen the
answer to many questions, and wonder If
there is an answer to mine:
Can it be possible that the members OF
congressional committees are as dumb as the
newspapers give the impression?
We have committee on the investigation of
housing costs, and the chairman is called
presidential timber, yet nowhere do they get
down to fundamentals, and 1t looks as though
the real estate lobby is far more powerful
than Is given credit.
For example, house two doors below me
that was built and sold for $4,000 In 1910 is now
for sale and the price is s12.950:-a house one
block away that sold for $4,000 In 1910 Is now
Evening star., 1947-08-20

for sale at SIS 900; house three blocks away
that sold for $4,000 in l941 is advertised at
$21 500 andsyou can 60 on and on in this line.
What I want to know is: Who, if anyone pays
excess profits on this type of racket? Is the
Government really getting its share? If the
Government gets the proper amount, then peo-
pie wouldn't be so anxious to sell II they
couldn't hang on to- the soogs or more profits
they greedily demand.
Is there a tie-up between the committees and
the real estate lobby?
Don't investigate houses built today, for they
are in line with the times; but investigate all
houses being sold which were built prior to
1912 and see if taxes are paid on the profits.
j. A. MATHEWS.
Evening star., 1947-08-20

no effort to gain support but his friends are
convinced that the mention of his name
among other possibilities is not distasteful to
him.
One fact Is especially notable, and eastern
and mid-western candidates should not over
look it. Warren's friends, and probably War
rem himself, strongly resent patronizing efforts
to enlist California support for this or that
candidate, with the implication that such sup
port can be purchased with Vice Presiden-
tial nomination or cabinet post Califor-
mans can read census figures and 40 not pro-
pose to have their State provide tail for
any cne'S kite.
Evening star., 1947-08-20
Wants Everybody Scattered

To the Editor of The Star:
Before the bomb fell on Hiroshima 1t was
glorious to aspire to bigger and bigger Wash
ington, in company with the other cities. The
instant 1t exploded, however. all capital cities
in the world became obsolete. They must be
dispersed.
Instead Of bringing Government employees
back to Washington, keep them away and send
more after them.
Remember nothing known can keep out the
new missiles. Playing ostrich will not grant
immunity BERNARDUS FOWLER.
Evening star., 1947-08-20

are already saying
that the logic of
this situation points
up his availability
in 1948. His bloc
of delegates will be
much smaller than
New York's Dewey
group. But other
Western S t a t e S.
notably oregon and
Washington, will be
favorable to War;
rem.
Warren, t h e + E.
fore, can by no
means be discount
ed as a possible
Republican nomi-
faaa La has m q do