davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-03-04
A Grim Outlook


that this is one world, and that we
in the United States cannot live
apart, a considerable measure of
fortitude and optimism is required
to survey the international scene
with anything like equanimity. For
the picture which is taking form is
a grim one, and the probabilities are
that it will become grimmer.
Two items in the days news lend
force to this conclusion. One is
report of survey of conditions in
nineteen principal countries by cor
respondents of the New York Times.
The essential finding of this survey
is that only in Canada is the free
enterprise system functioning with
anything approaching the freedom
from government controls that pre-
walls in the United States. The sec
ond item deals with statement by
the International Labor Relations
Department of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor-a statement which
says that the institution of slave
labor is spreading throughout the
world at such pace that it poses a
challenge which must be met at
once by free labor If free labor is
not to be driven into slavery itself.
This is not mere playing with
words. The handwriting on the wall
is there for any one to see. All around
the outside world the system of free
enterprise and private capitalism is
fighting a losing battle. In country
after country, staggering under the
destructive impact of war, the trend
is toward more and more state con-
troll. Even in the United Kingdom,
with its long tradition of individual
freedom, the emphasis on socializa-
ton of industry is growing, and as
of this moment, at least, there Is
little reason to believe that the fu-
ture will not bring more rather than
less curtailment of free enterprise in
the British Isles.
AS yet, economic structures have
not imposed serious curbs on indi-
vidual freedom in Britain. But the
same is not true of the continent of
Europe. There, according to the
AFL, nearly one-third of all produc-
tive work is being done by forced
labor. And as the millions of people
there fight daily battle for the bare
necessities of life under the influ-
ence of what the AFL calls the tidal
wave of labor enslavement" which
has swept westward from Soviet
Russia, it is hard to see wherein the
future can fail to bring more rather
than less slave labor, an increasing
rather than diminishing emphasis
on state control Of national econ
somies. And when these harsh eco
<nomic realities are considered in
conjunction with the political con-
f1icts that are fracturing interna-
tional relations, it becomes almost
fatuous to look in any direction with
complacency.
1t is far easier, of course, to paint
the gloomy picture than to advance
constructive proposals tcalleviate it.
But tle much ean be said with as
$surance:s If those of us who live in
this land of relative abundance hope
to do anything to revive a world in
which our system and our institu-
tions can have fighting chance of
survival, we must first learn to look
the whole problem in the face.
There is no future for us in becom-
ing so wrapped up in our own little
squabbles that we fail to compre-
hend the terrible influence that is
being exerted elsewhere by misery
and hunger and fear.
Evening star., 1947-03-04
Hitch-Hike Killers
From the Chicago Daily News.

The perils of picking up hitch-hikers
are so apparent that efforts have been
made to halt the practice by law. A
recent series of atrocious murders by
such riders may be more effective. The
practice of offering ride has continued
widespread despite its risks because most
OF us remain Samaritans at heart. We
considered it a pity to withhold a lift
from worthy applicant because an
occasional scoundrel took advantage of
the instinct to help. A philosopher
might conclude that the most revolving
aspect of these killings was the con-
vincing Of the rest of us that this
friendly help is mistake. The prudent
motorist can reach no other decision.
Evening star., 1947-03-04
Homes for Veterans

To the Editor OF The Star:
Many times last year Gen. Brad
ley, veterans administrator, said the
three chief problems of returning vet
Grams were jobs, homes and education.
The nation seems to have met sue
cessfully their first and third problems;
employment is at record high with
over 100000 ex-GIs at work, and
education is being provided for nearly
all who desire it either through the
CT bill or otherwise.
But the Nation so far has fallen down
in It's efforts to supply homes for vet
Grams. Consider my problem-just as a
case history and not as that of veteran
with grippe was away from my wife
and young son for two years while I was
Evening star., 1947-03-04
When the First Come Last

To the Editor Of The Star:
1t is ridiculous that adults, some sup
posedly intelligent, should push each
other around for anything so temporary
as seat on bus. 1t is bit disconcert-
ing to be the first at a bus stop and the
last to board the bus, only to find the last
seat taken by the passenger just ahead.
If had the courage of my convictions.
I should charge ahead, emitting abusive
and murderous epithets; but being
Evening star., 1947-03-04

an adequate reservoir Of trained
nlanpower in the reserves and the
National Guard is a necessity. The
creation of such q reservoir cannot
safely be left to chance. Universal
military training will eliminate the
gamble. 4
Evening star., 1947-03-04
Suggests Train Wreck Cause

Suggests Train Wreck Cause
To the Editor of The Star:
There are entirely too many passen-
ger train wrecks. In fact there shouldn't
be any. Were the train blown up or
were the wreck the direct result of con-
ditions entirely out of control, then the
companies could be absolved. But If the
truth is ever completely brought to light
(and it very seldom Isl, I am convinced
that too many chances are taken by the
train crews. And this is the result of
lack of complete and thorough checking
on the part of the company.
have noted on so many occasions
that it becomes almost routine for crews
Evening star., 1947-03-04
And Finding Sometime?

From the Milwaukee Journal.
A really well-managed husband can't
pass a mailbox without feeling in his
pockets.
Evening star., 1947-03-04

Please be brief. Short letters
are preferred, all are subject to
editing for condensation. Only
letters accompanied by name
and address of toriter ,oill be
used, although a psendonym is
in Scme cases permissible.
Evening star., 1947-03-04

plus medical expenses. And the most
amazing part OF it all is that when
death claims victim, or he or she
otherwise vacates, there is in some in
stances no refund to relatives of the
advance payment required for admis-
sion-which in two cases, to my knowl-
edge, amounted to $270.
There is no need for me to suggest
what to do with chronic drunks, but ]
hope that tax on liquor to provide
medical attention for them will not be
resorted to. It would be more beneficial
to society, should say, to give each OF
them a hammer and put them to work
on a rock pile, where they could while
away their time making little ones
out of big ones" RALPH w. WILES.
"A Subdivided Court
To the Editor of The Star:
I like The Stars editorials. Usually
they are logical, fair, statesmanlike.
But something must have gone wrong
when you wrote on "A Subdivided Court" !"
Then you accused the members of
our court OF last resort of mot being
quite able to put aside desire to attract
attention." of exhibiting "overweening
vanity" and of being Influenced by a
personal anxiety" to embalm their
mental operations for future genera
tions. And all because more than two
Of them sometimes let us say fire.
quently record their ideas "for the
record"
So far from suggesting sinister and
unworthy motives these plural opinions
appeal to me as symptoms of virile,
fearless court. The situation is healthy
one. help to pay the salaries Of these
justices; in return want to know what
they think - all nine of them, individu-
ally If they have nine different ideas.
Nobody wants them to be mere "yes''
men.
The minority opinions not infre-
quently are quoted, with convincing
effect, by posterity. And am sure you
remember that in the recent past the
court frankly overruled and reversed
one Of its own earlier decisions. Who
knows but what that may yet happen In
the New Jersey school bus case?
You presume to speak for the layman,
asserting that he is confused by what
is happening. Well, there is at least
one layman who finds no confusion in
these diverse opinions and who enjoys
reading them.
And think you have done Mr.. Berry
man an injustice. In his cartoon he
recorded graphically detail of current
history a series of split court deci-
sions-split four ways sometimes. There
was no criticism of the court implied
by the cartoon. such as you read into it.
Dent you think you owe an apology
to the justices and to Mr.. Bergman.
A.GM.
Evening star., 1947-03-04

to delay departure of train and depend
upon looseness Of schedule to make up
time" This is SO universally the habit
that it seldom occurs to any one to stop
and think just what chances are taken.
There will be all sorts of protests that
controls are exercised and that lives
are protected, but If such were really
the case then there would be no acci-
dents. And they do happen all too fire.
quently. J.E. MILLER.
Dogs Held Superior to Men
To the Editor of The Star:
An old worker in a geological garden
was once asked: What animal is the
most vicious? You spend your time with
Evening star., 1947-03-04

in the armed forces. Discharged last
August, I looked forward to joining
them and acquainting myself all over
again with my 3-year-old boy. They
have been living doubled up with rela-
tives in a city many miles from WASH
ington. So far-six months later-I
haven't had SO much as nibble for an
apartment or home, or even a family
willing to share their home with us.
My case is severe enough, but I re-
Gently came across survey of veterans
housing prepared by the National Hous-
ing Agency, which shows that literally
hundreds of thousands of ex-GIs are
in the same boat with me.
OF the estimated 100000 married
veterans in June of last year, Is per
cent were living doubled up with other
were living in rented rooms or trailer
camps. Nearly one-third of the vet
erans at that time were not adequately
housed; and conditions today are not
one bit better.
Experience has taught me what in
adequate housing means. To myself and
to the entire third of the countrys
inadeouately housed veterans those two
words connote varying degrees of de-
spair. Is there any hope for us?
MARVIN B. SCHER
Soviet Good Faith Challenged
To the Editor OF The Star:
The leading Soviet foreign CORE
spondent, whom last Sundays Star fea-
lures, mentions the Soviet idea about
the sanctity of treaties although he
avoids making binding statements. He
is hypocritically pathetic, and he knows
1t, when he writes: Unfortunately we
see that it is those who nowadays ex-
patiaSe on this subject that Like to have
Evening star., 1947-04-27
Public Library
By MothiIde WiIlioms
Branch Librarian, Georgetown Branch,
Washington Public Library.

Washington Public Library.
After a vigorous week end of
work in the garden it is refresh
ing to relax over some of the mod
ern classics" of garden literature
which may be borrowed from the
Public Library: 2 s
Dean in this field is Beverley
Nichols, whose famous Down the
Garden Path" was succeeded by
two equally urbane sequels:: "A
Thatched Roof" and "The Village
in the Valley" while in Green
Grows the City" he attains an
even greater degree Of sophistica-
ton. Distinguished both in text
and illustration by fine wood en-
cravings are -Four Hedges and
Country Matters" by Clare Leigh
ton.
Pungent New England humor
pervades Bertha Damon's refresh
ing "a Sense of Humus." What
the weekend gardener can really
accomplish is shown by Margaret
Goldsmith in "Friday-to-Monday
Gardening" But when his own toll
is over the weary amateur can do
nothing more pleasant than retire
with Richardson Wright's "a Gar
dener's Red Book" to provide a
number of things to dream about.
BEHOLD A CRY, by Alden Bland
fCharles Scribner's Sons; $2.50.
The adventures of a Negro who
moved from the deep South to Chi
cago and became a sport, a man
about town.
Evening star., 1947-04-27

raising its young" under a main
artery of traffic, never knowing of
the crowded buses and taxis that
swarm overhead" Crossing the Taft
Bridge, he looks out upon "a virgin
forest with an undiscovered and
half hidden river wandering through
it, At Mount Vernon, he notes
several American eagles that "do
duty for bronze sentries over the
tomb of the first President.
Mr.. Halle obviously is as much a
creative philosopher as John Bur-
roughs or any other of his famous
forerunners. He seeks answers for
questions which are in themselves
revelations. In the end, he still is
simply "a traveller taking notes in
strange country through which he
is being hurried on a schedule not
of his making and for purpose
he does not understand" but "tha
spectacle "** is beautiful, immense,
awe-inspiring." Forty-seyen skill
fully executed Illustrations by Fran
els L. Jaques are embellishments of
the text well worth the entire price
of admission.
Evening star., 1947-04-27
AHowery Haven
For Mature Lovers
APRIL IN THE BRANCHES
BY Gulielma F. Alsop. Decora-
tions by John Shayn. (E. p. Dut-
ton G. Co., Inc. $500
BETSY CASWELL.

Two women, a doctor and a pro-
fessor, driven by deep love and
understanding for the wonders of
nature, transformed few acres of
land in Connecticut into a floWery
haven filled with birds and bees and
squirrels. There they watched the
seasons unfold and it is of this pro-
cession of days that DR.. Alsop has
given us vivid and stirring picture
She and the professor, Miss Minor
Latham, had some amusing expert
ences in building their blooming
paradise-the case of the missing
bees who left no honey, is one. In
general, however, the book concerns
itself with the daily changes in the
gardens-in fact, much of it is in
the form of a garden log" Your
true flower lover and anyone who
enjoys thes nature" editorials will
find this book full of interest and
come upon passages of rare beauty.
The Procession of the Irises" reads
almost like a poem. To DR.. Alsop
each flower has distinct person
ality, she writes of them with a
warm intimacy and informality that
Is most appealing.
Evening star., 1947-04-27
Horse Lovers Will Delight in These
Stirinq Tales of WeII-Known Steeds

traveller and painter. has known
horses since he was old enough to
straddle one, and has been sketch
ing them since he could first hold
Ia pencil and sketch book His
sketches Of horses in motion, ex-
ecuted in bold strokes, form a
charming part of this book.
"A World of Horses" is not writ
ten for the professional, but for the
reader who has romantic interest
in horses. In its pages he will be-
come acquainted with the great
horses of antiquity and of the Mid
die Ages, and will come to know the
bloodlines of our modern thorough
breds and Of their progenitors-the
barley Arabian, the Godolphin Ara
bian and the Byerly Turk.
"a World of Horses" Is book for
the shelves of all who have even a
passing interest in the world of
horses.
Evening star., 1947-04-27
Smithsonian's Cornerstone

the erection OF the building unusual
care was taken. QuarrieS for up
ward of a hundred miles around
Washington and some even up In
New York State were visited by
trained geologists, who selected
samples and tested them for
strength and durability. To be able
to see the various materials al
ready employed in large structures
in other cities, and for the purpose
|of studying the different types of
architecture, the Building Commit
tee visited Philadelphia and in
spected Girard College, the Eastern
Penitentiary, the House of Refuge
hall of the Mercantile Library Co.,
the Exchange Building, the custom
house formerly the Bank of the
United States) and the Atheneum
For the plans of the building the
regents finally settled upon those
furnished by James Renwick, jr
Robert Mills, whose design for the
Washington monument was adopted
and who did other creditable work
in the city, was selected to superin-
tend the building operations at ST.
600 a year. Mr.. Renwicks plans
seem to have been along the same
lines Of a church then being erected
in Stuyvesant Square, New York,
Stone Came From Nearby.
On motion of William w. Seaton
mayor of Washington, the board OF
regents decided that the exterior
walls of the building be of freestone
of the lilac-gray color, the stone
being reputed to be we'll calculated
to stand the weather and the
attacks Of frost and to be easily
obtained in sufficient quantities at
the quarries of freestone occupying
the whole eastern bank of the
Potomac from the mouth of Seneca
Creek to a point distant at least one
mile north of it.
The contract for erecting the
building was awarded to James
Dixon and Gilbert Cameron for the
sum of $205, $50, the work to occupy
a period of five years. Dixon sub
sequently withdrew, and Cameron
completed the building. AS building
operations progressed, some defects
appeared which necessitated GER
tain deviations from the original
plans and which insured in the end
more substantial structure. All
the mistakes, however, were not
detected, and one fatal mistake in
construction resulted in the dis
astrous fire of January "a, 1865, the
loss from which could not be esti-
mated in dollars and cents.
Evening star., 1947-04-27

Which, 1le IleVeT ledTIleu III SCIlOOlS.
He writes with an appreciation of
rhythm rare among modern crafts
men. His style is a joy. Perhaps
Spring in Washington" has come
to stay throughout America simply
because it is so rich, so stimulating,
SO compelling a work of compost
ton. People years hence may read
these pages just as they now read
Whitman and Thoreau, for the
music in them.
Meanwhile, the content of Mr..
Halle's latest endeavor is important
in the sense of being a window
opened to the overall picture of the
Nations Capital and it's environs as
it is not merely in the vernal season
but during the whole calendar In
company with friend to whom he
refers affectionately as "Og," he has
bicycled over the District and near
by Maryland and Virginia week end
after week end. His subject is the
miracle of nature he has seen and
heard and felt. "The city," he de-
clares, "has never had the praise it
deserves" Nowhere else does he
find the nuskrat Swimming and
Evening star., 1947-04-27
Reviews in Brief
MAKE sELLING YOUR CAREER

/ MAKE SELLING YOUR CAREER
by Percy w. Ward Uongmans
Green 81 Coz. An analysis of the
how and why of success in selling
THIS HISPANO AMERICA, by
Francisco Obarra academy o1
Languages). A bilingual guide to
etiquette and customs in the coun-
tries south Of the border.
Evening star., 1947-04-27
World Of Stamps
By Jane. Waldo Fowcett

painters, scientists. explorers, hui
manitarians to commemorate.
David D. Caldwell, senior attor-
ney in the Department of Justice,
and a vice president of the Amer
ican Philatelic Society and of the
Washington Philatelic Society. is
in a local hospital for rest.
All values of the presidential
series of 1888 and all special delivery
and special handling stamps have
been withdrawn from sale in the
Philatelic Agency until further
notice. The 2 cents United Nations
and the 5 cents San Francisco Con-
ference stamps have been closed
out permanently.
Myron Rullmann, ST., a skilled
student of the United States Official
Postal Guide, reports that: Ala
bama is in New York; Arkansas in
Wisconsin, California in Iowa,
Kentucky, Maryland. Missouri and
Pennsylvania; Delaware in Arkansas.
iowa, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio
and Oklahoma; Florida in New
York; Idaho in Ohio; Indiana in
Pennsylvania; Iowa in louisiana;
Kansas in Alabama, Illinois, Ohio
and Oklahoma; Louisiana in Mis-
souri,; Maine in New York: Mary
land in New York; Michigan in
North Dakota Montana in Arkansas;
Nebraska in Indiana; Nevada in
Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and Texas:
New Hampshire in Ohio; Oregon in
Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin,;
Tennessee in Illinois; Texas in
Kentucky and Maryland, Vermont
in Illinois; Virginia in Idaho.
Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska;
Washington in Arkansas and 20
other States; Wyoming in Delaware,
Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and New
York.
Chester E. Stiles, 5000 Connecticut
avenue NV, has appealed to
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Joseph j. Lawler to use a reproduce
ton of Sir Luke Fildes' famous
painting "The Doctor" in the de-
sign for the physicians stamp.
His suggestion will have the ap-
proval OF a majority of those. per-
sons who are familiar with the pic
ture-a masterpiece of the days
when artists sought to express
something more important than
themselves.
The Capital Precancel Club will
meet at Weeks Stamp Shop, 1929
New York avenue, NV, tomorrow
evening at g.
Evening star., 1947-04-27
Writing Of Local Author Is Compared
With Works Of Whitman and Thoreou
'G I'M WASHINGTON

SPRING IN WASHINGTON
j. Halle William Sloane Associates Inc S575J
Reviewed by JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.
The author this Division Special Inter
American Affairs graduated
from Harvard he began his student anropo Birds
him with primitive
but onihology also failed hold him The result OF his varied
experience what conrucvy might mixture
Halle added artistry
Evening star., 1947-04-27
FALSE FACE ,
BY Leslie Edgley. (Simon &
SchuSter: S2.)

oSftUotCfs 9SJ
Until his visit to a summer resort
Evan Beatty has led a life totally
divorced from reality. AS biogra.
pher, he is currently engaged ir
working on the life of Lola Montez
but, to judge from a sample of his
prose, he's not doing too well. At THE
summer resort, he meets Cherry.
Gamble and witnesses an automo.
bile accident in which the dead
woman is identified as Charlotte
French, born Carlotta Marco. He
marries Cheryl but this Carlotta
fascinates Evan He learns she was
once gangster's girl friend, turned
up in Hollywood as a directors darl-
ing, spent some time in Washington
as a semipro Mata Hari and finally
married Mr.. French. Carlotta's trai!
uncovers half a dozen shattered
lives, leading Evan to suspect the
automobile accident was no acci-
dent. In that, he discovers he is
right, but on everything else he is
wrong. This one isn't up to the
authors earlier Fear No More"
X X X II
Tales of the weird and unexplain-
able, of ghosts and the supernatural
of true crimes from the past are to
be found in the new collections
Most of those listed here represent
more than the usual amount of re-
search into crime fact and fiction.
FORGOTTEN MYSTERIES
BY r. De Witt Miller. CLOUD
me-; $2.50J
After is years of painstaking re.
search, Mr.. Miller has compiled a
volume of short episodes involving
mysterious occurrences and psychic
phenomena. He documents every
thing, explains nothing because
these are happenings that cannot be
explained in terms of what we can
understand.
GRIMES OF PASSION
Edited by David Partridge
lGarden City Publishing Co.,
S2.49.J
On the theory that murder for
profit is coldly impersonal theme
Evening star., 1947-04-27
A WORLD OF HORSES
BY James Reynolds. (Creatiue
Age Press; $5.)
JAMES BIRCHFTELD.

cAMEaO blftC1f1ELO.
On his rotting veranda in a coun-
try lane near New Market, Va, an
old man, bride and saddle by his
side, sits waiting for the return of
his prize black stallion, Sourgrass.
The big horse wandered of into the
Blue Ridge Mountains some 80 years
ago, and ever since his master has
been watching, confident that the
horse will return.
Such are the stories that dot the
pages of "a World of Horses" And
the author, being an Irishman, for
the most part tells them well. Some
times a hackneyed phrase slips by,
but the sweep of the tales makes up
for the occasional bad writing.
James Reynolds, a horseman,
Evening star., 1947-04-27
On the Seven Seas
JAMES FIGHTING SHIPS
Edited by Francis E. McMurtrie
(M1cnilldn. Sf9.),

macmillan: $19.),
This authoritative reference book
shows the nayies of the world as
they stood a year after the close OF
the war. The work was designed to
describe all ships afloat in 1944-5,
but has been corrected to April, 1916
The new edition contains an i'm
mense amount of fresh material on
naval progress and TOO new illustra-
tionS,