davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
Tomorrow's Rocket Nightmare

Guided-missile warfare is still long way
off, the experts say. But the rocket-hring
experiment conducted by the Navy aboard
the carrier Midway shows that it is pos
sible, in effect, to guide" missile to
within few hundred or few score miles
of an enemy coast. Thus, the W. rockets
maximum range of approximately three
hundred miles can be extended as far as
the cruising range of its mobile platform.
The fact that the Navy chose the forty
e-thousandto Midway for its first sea
test with the German-made W. rocket
does not mean that today's carriers are to
be converted into sea platforms for giant
rockets. While 1t may be that future
carriers will be rocket-armed, their pri-
mary mission of launching planes for
reconnaissance and attack requires that
their flight decks be kept clear of rocket
launching apparatus If rockets are to be
launched from carrier they must be
located where flight operations will not be
hampered. And if the reports are correct,
it would have been impossible to carry on
flying operations while the W. was being
launched although planes were put into
the air soon afterward
AS matter of fact, the Navy has been
concentrating its rocket activities on two
noncarrier-type ships, the huge battleship
Kentucky and the battle cruiser Hawaii
These new ships are the guinea pigs of
naval rocket research for the time being.
They are experimental prototypes of what
is envisioned as the atomic powered,
rocket-f1ring warships of the future. It is
such unprecedentedly fast and maneuver-
able ships that most likely will be the
mobile platforms for guided missiles with
atomic warheadS. These missiles not only
will be carried to within effective striking
range of enemy shores but will be capable,
on becoming airborne, of finding their way
unerringly to their targets by electronic
control. This will be push-button warfare
in its most formidable sense-a develop
ment which, fortunately, is little more than
in the nightmare stage today.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
Toward q Metropolitan PUG

Day by day and week by week the
Pentagon bus fare battle becomes more
complicated The latest move in the free
for-all is the Arny's appeal to the Inter
state Commerce Commission for continu-
ance of the controversial Virginia-District
bus transfer arrangement, which has
brought the ICC into conflict with the
District Public Utilities Commission and
the Capital Transit Company.
It all goes back to the wartime system by
which the Capital Transit Company fur
nished bus service to the Pentagon, as an
emergency expedient. With the close OF
the war, the company obtained permission
to discontinue the Virginia extension.
But, at the insistence of the ICC and over
the protest of the District PUG, Capital
Transit was required by the ICC to enter
into a special ticket agreement with two
Virginia buslines These tickets favor Pen
tagon workers with rates below the lowest
fares available to non-Pentagon customers.
The PUG last June notified the Capital
Transit Company that the 1CC-sponsored
Joint ticket plan was, in its opinion, in
valid for the reason that only the PUG has
power to fix fares within the District. The
company used this statement in support
of a petition to the District Court for relief
from the ICC order. The Secretary of
War joined the ICC in resisting the court
attempt to void the transfer plan. The
case is yet to be heard. But that Is not all.
Last month the Virginia buslines petit
toned the ICC for permission to withdraw
from their joint ticket arrangement with
Capital Transit and the latter promptly
Joined in the application. 1t was in oppo-
sition to this joint petition of the bus
companies that the War Department filed
its protest yesterday.
Thus the battle to decide the bus fare
dispute and the respective jurisdictions of
the ICC and PUG goes merrily on with the
outcome not likely to be known for some
weeks, at the earliest. This is but one
part of an overall problem that involves
not only buses but taxicabs operating
across the line into Maryland and Vir-
ginia. 1t becomes increasingly evident that
the only hope for an end of these recurring
jurisdictional disputes is the creation by
deral-State-District compact of public
utilities commission for the whole Metro
politan Area. 1t is to be hoped that the
current squabbles will facilitate a move in
that direction.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
New Atomic Studies

Within recent days the United States
Atomic Energy Commission has announced
the beginning of two new studies of great
potential Importance. One has to do with
possible long-range hereditary changes
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The other is
aimed at determining the most effective
safeguards against the peculiar hazards
involved in our present nuclear-fission
projects and the additional ones certain
to be built in the future.
The latter study speaks pretty much for
itself. To be conducted by special ad-
visory board made up of experts on in
dustrial health and safety, it will cover
the problem of protecting workers and
communities associated with atomic de-
velopment. Up to now-at Oak Ridge and
affiliated plants-there has been excellent
protection against such dangers as expo
sure to radiation and radioactive contain
nation. But in preparation for the time
when nuclear power will be operating in
a much wider field common sense demands
that action be taken now to work out a
comprehensive set of safeguards for life
and limb.
Not less important than this--in some
respects, far more important-is the he
redity study 1t will be carried out jointly
by the Atomic Energy Commission and the
National Research Council, with the CO.
operation of Japanese scientists. It's pur-
pose will be to find out what effects, If any,
the Hiroshima and Nagasaki explosions
will have on children yet unborn. The
explosion unleashed an immense amount
of radiation theoretically capable of affect
ing the makeup of the survivors descend
ants. AS yet, despite loose talk to the
contrary, there has been no authoritative
evidence of monStrouS abnormalitieS in
babies born in the two cities since the
A-bombs went off. Nevertheless, 1t is
possible that there will be a delayed re-
action. When today's babies grow up, their
offspring conceivably may deviate from
the norm. Hence the study now under
way will take many years to complete;
meanwhile, the subject must remain
largely a matter of somewhat gruesome
speculation.
What is not speculative, however, is that
the special study in this field, together with
the study of the health and safety hazards
of our developing nuclear power, is a
necessary project likely to lead to signif1
can't new information. The United States
knows much about the atom, but not all
by any means. To live safely with 1t in
the age ahead we must keep on inquiring
into every aspect of it. We have done little
more than scratch the surface so far.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10

creeing a late opening date and late
closing date for the Washington schools
for many years. Even its august members,
If pinned down, might not know why.
There is usually some desultory debate.
One small bloc, minority of independ-
ents, argues for early opening and closing
dates They are promptly voted down by
heavy majority, preferring late open
ing and closing. The majority undoubtedly
votes that way because it always has voted
that way.
Parents ought to be heard on the matter.
Do they not feel, about this time In Sep
TENDER, that it would be a fine thing to
see their young hopefuls getting busy
again? Would they not like to share with
teachers again the beauty of their shining
faces? Would they not give almost any
thing under the sun to get them out of
the house and. started on the routine of
school? For while a child around the
house is a priceless possession, worth its
weight in pure gold, is it not fact that
the little treasures become almost insuffer-
able as the summer wanes and the autumn
sets in? Answer yes or no. And in the
lovely month of June, would it not be
better for the youngsters to be free of
school, early in the month, to go with
mamma and papa on picnics in the park?
Oh, we'll, there may be another side to
the argument. But next year the Board of
Education should ask the parents what
they want. The parents might start new
custom and get the Board of Education out
of rut.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
London's Bear Market

The London Stock Exchange Is an excel
lent barometer of the economic climate"
in Britain. It's quotations certainly reflect
the prevalent financial opinions of those
who own or control money for investment
in stocks and bonds. Furthermore, the
London market is somewhat more inter-
national in character than Wall Street,
owing to the number of traded items from
various parts of the British Empire and
certain other countries with heavy
British capital investments, such as
Argentina.
1t is against this factual background
that the performance of the London Stock
Exchange in recent weeks should be eval-
uated And that performance indicates
profound pessimism on the part of the
moneyed interests, great and small. The
result has been a series of sharp market
breaks, with recoveries which the market
wise" esteem as merely technical, due
chiefly to covering of oversold accounts.
The cumulative picture is that of pro-
found slump, the market ioundering in
sea of uncertainty and apprehension over
the national and international outlook.
A large majority of investors have OBJ
viously made up their minds that they are
confronted with real bear market" and
that it is therefore high time to get out
This accounts for the recurrent waves OF
selling, much of it urgent though mingled
with speculative factors.
The British investment public not only
takes dark view of the country's economic
crisis, but is also highly skeptical of the
Labor governments ability to handle it.
The wildcat" strikes in the Yorkshire
coal fields, with the government and
the Labor hierarchy sidestepping drastic
measures to halt them, produce very bad
impression in moneyed circles. Coal pro-
duction is absolutely vital, not only to
Britain's recovery, but likewise to avert
deepening of the current economic crisis
into downright catastrophe. Yet the Labor
government seems to have little to offer
in the way of concrete and effective action.
Financial and business peSSimism is re-
f1ected in the virtual drying up of new
capital offerings. These fell to the por-
tentous low of 3,250,0OO sterling for the
month of August, as against a total of
45,750000 sterling for July.
1.-The City" seems to be as irritatedly
scornful of Foreign Secretary Bevins sug-
gestion that Americas Fort Knox gold
hoard be redistributed as we are on this
side of the Atlantic. Financial London
was practically unanimous in deeming the
proposal to be as useless for Britain and
for Europe as was gold to King Midas in
the NEUROLOGICAL tale. Financial experts
were quick to point out that what Britain
wants and needs u.s. not gold but food and
raw materials wherewith to increase ex-
ports. Their conclusion is that even if
the American Government did take Mr.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
City Seen From SEQ

This Is a port ne shall not kno1o; unreal
as cinema set,
With candy-colored plaster houses and
palms like artificial trees,
Bright as neaoly painted toy In Medtter-
rGnedn sun,
Brilliant and silent, mashed by tnpos-
sibly blue seas.
1t is best seen thus, as are t1ar fo1Ders
under glass,
And then but briefly, Nth n1erest passing
look,
So its magical Illusion may be kept IN
memory,
Untouched, unspoiled; q picture IN
picture book.
For CLOSELY seen the wdlls are cracked by
time and sun,
And In these streets are human ltoes ana
human hates;
Terror will moUe by ntghtfaH In the
shadows there,
Murder be done for bread beyond the
ancient gates.
FREDERICK EBRIGHg.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
Worth PURSUING

The realities of the world being what
they are at the moment, it would be
optimistic to the point of absurdity to
expect an early universal acceptance of
the ideas contained in the American draft
treaty on international freedom of infor-
nation. Nevertheless the ideas deserve to
be promoted abroad, and they should
serve as a useful guide to our representa-
tives at the United Nations conference to
discuss this subject at Geneva early next
year. "
Drawn up at the request of the State
Department by group of professional
experts headed by the publisher of the
Chicago Times, the draft treaty calls, in
effect, for the application in all nations
of the American concept of freedom of the
press, with the word press" meaning not
merely newspapers, magazines and books,
but the radio and motion pictures as we'll
Excepting only matters of military Sc
curity, it would-if universally adopted
permit reporters, photographers, broad
casters, ETC., to travel and work freely
everywhere, unhampered by the censor
ship and other restrictions that now stand
AL Vic way VI Oil ullG1 1llUClH
tional interchange of news and informa-
ton.
In the world as it is, of course, it is
obvious that treaty of this kind is not
going to win wide acceptance for many
long year to come, If ever, Numerous
countries-not Russia alone-Sincerely dis
agree with the American idea of press
freedom. Philosophically and otherwise
interpreting life and society in terms of
cultures, economies and historical back
grounds far different from ours, they
honestly believe-at least some of them
do-that we are on the wrong track or that
what is good for us would be bad for them
All authoritarian and Semiauthoritarian
governments have strong convictions on
this score, and they are not going to swing
around to our view unless and until the
peoples they rule insist upon ia thing
not likely to happen in the foreseeable
future.
ALI this is understood by the Americans
who have worked out the draft treaty.
What they hope for, however, is that the
United States will be able to negotiate
such treaty with at least few other
countries of like mind, so that little by
little, slowly but surely, the ideal might be
put to work in an ever-increasing area of
the world. The objective is a decidedly
good one. The more progress we make
toward it, the more chance there will be
of reducing the dangerous suspicious and
misunderstanding that harry our age and
make for war. We should pursue it earn
estly, even though the obstacles are very
great,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
What Do Parents Think of 1t?

School days are here again-for almost
everybody in the country except the pupils
of the District public schools. Parochial
schools of Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties and the public schools of Airing
ton County opened a week ago. District
parochial schools opened Tuesday and the
public schools of Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties are opening today. But
it will be almost two weeks-and what
long two weeks!-before our own little
darlings in Washington trudge off, unwill-
ing, to public school,
Why is this? Nobody at the Franklin
School seems to know, exactly. The
Board of Education, of course, makes the
decision, usually in June. But the Board
OF Education is in rut. It has been de-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
On Gambling in Prince Georges

Vii odlIlOlIlS III IiIlCS oCOI SSS
To the Editor OF The Star:
Prince Georges County's Civic Federation will
ask its members views on legalized gambling
in the county. Such law may be asked in the
next legislature in view of the fact that all the
Washington gamblers have moved over in
Prince Georges County, where laws mean moth
ing.
LOCALIZED gambling would create many new
jobs for the politicians who cannot openly re-
ceive money from those who now rum
We, near the Capital of the Nation; should set
q good example at the gateway Montgomery
will not tolerate gambling and second-rate
booze joints. 1t draws better class OF people,
who build better homes and want cleaner
county.
Efforts have been made since the Declaration
Of Independence when men were more honor
able than they are today, to make lotteries pay
the Government But it was not success In
1777 when they tried 1t again and failed
The Louisiana State lottery started OIL with a
bang But its dishonest officials and insane
gambling by poor bread winners got it in i'll
repute In 1883 Pennsylvania society started
q movement for the suppression of lotteries and
soon after a law was passed prohibiting lotteries
in the United States.
It remains to be seen what the good people
in Prince Georges County want in the way OF
legalized gambling. JOHN RIGGLEs.
Landover, Md.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10

the United StateS-M r. u.
A. The bay Psalm Book" published IN 1910,
was the first musical publication IN America.
@. Is the pronunciation Of Arkansas hxed
by State law?-B. L. A.
A. In March, 1881, the Arkansas Legislature
fixed the pronunciation of the State name as
that received by the French from the native
Indians" that it should be pronounced in three
sylables with the final s. silent the a in each
syllable with the italian sound and the &C
cent or the first and last syllables."
O. Are there any historic sites commemorate
ing the lives of former Presidents of the United,
States other than Hyde Park. N. Y.?-D. G. J.
A. Other areas commemorating the lives Of
former Presidents of the United States, known
as historic sites and administered by the De-
partment of the Interior, include George
Washington Birthplace National Monument In
Virginia Abraham Lincoln National Historical
Park in Kentucky, Andrew johnson National
Monument in Tennessee, Mount Rushmore Ma
tional Memorial In South Dakota and Adams
Mansion National Historic Site in Massa-
chusetts.
@. Who compared George Marshall with
Stonewall Jacksonville F.
A. In 1918 while lieutenant In the Philip
pines, Secretary Marshall was commended by
Mai. Gen. J. Franklin Bell, chief of staff from
1906 to 1910. who said. He is the greatest mill
tary genius stnce Stonewall Jackson"
O. Where Is Gen. Deniken living?-L. N. T.
A. Gen. Anton Deniken, who led the White
Russian Army against the Bolsheviks in 1918
and 1919. died in Ann Arbor, Mich, on Au-
gust g. 1947.
@ How long has the tax on amusements been
in effect?-N. w. j.
A. The Federal Government has levied o
tax on admissions since 1917. State amuse-
ment taxation began with the Connecticut tax
in 1921 General admissions taxes are imposed
in less than half the States. Some cities also
impose amusement taxes
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
Our Growing Gold Hoard

To the Editor of The Star
The British Foreign Secretary has pronounced
that the United States should "redistrlbute'
(whatever that may mean its gold stores
Can expression which appears to include all
gold under the control OF the United States
Government.
Mr.. Beyins comment may be but feeler to
determine the reaction Of this country After
all. If q seller can induce purchaser to give
back the goods, in order that they may be SOLO
to him again, there is no reason for not trying
when the purchaser has been observed to
indulge In domestic economic policies no less
absurd
There is also no reason why Britain should
not send us all the gold she can obtain If we
are foolish enough to continue to buy 1t at $35
an ounce and in excess of our own needs for
1t. There Is, however, good reason why we
should not part with our goods for gold we do
not need.
Somewhere in an early school reader there
is story about handnill which, when its
possessor gave it command and employed
the magic words (Which may have been I'VE
planned it that wayD, would grind out what
ever product its possessor desired, and continue
to do so until the pronouncement of other
magic words and command to stop.
Having, by guile or otherwise, come into
possession of one who greatly wanted salt, and
being addressed by the magic words and the
command Grind salt, salt, nothing but salt, y
the mill did as commanded The possessor,
however, having gotten all the salt he wanted
commanded the mill to stop, but failed to
pronounce the magic words and the mill
ground on until the house was filed. The
possessor, much alarmed, thnew the mill into
the ocean where it continues to grind nothing
but salt. And. so ends the story, that's why
there is salt in the ocean. Perhaps the magic
words left unsaid were: stop imitation"
To that end, repeal the Gold Purchase Act.
A country, especially creditor country, needs
no more gold than is necessary to meet its
obligations in gold, according to their tenor,
and to redeem its currency as presented A
proper limitation on the gold hoard operates,
or at least should operate, to limit the amount
of outstanding paper. and this in turn oper-
ates to stabilize prices. Remember when the
United States honored its obligations accord
ing to their tenor and all currency was freely
exchangeable for gold on demand?
HARRISON THGHMAN.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10

or skill, as you
p1 e q sc, the
prizes for sue
ce SIS b e in 6
c h e ap ones,
such as plaster
of paris orna-
m e n is and
glassware, etc.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10

Bevin's advice, the gold shipped to Britain
would go right back again to Fort Knox.
All this shows that Britain's financial
circles have their feet on the ground. I'm
fortunately, this grasp of economic realities
does not seem to be shared by other seq
ments of the British people,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10

m o s t entirely
obscured e X
cept for the
u n h a p p y
hodgepodge Of
planting over
the spacious
grounds.
These Capi-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
,uriter, although 1t is permissible for a
urtter knoDn to The Star to use
nom de plume Please be brief.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
Road Carnivals

TO Me Editor Of The Star:
The third and last large carnival to play
Washington has gone to Staunton, Va, after
Today stand on the circus grounds here.
Business was light. The carnival offered the
usual kind of amusement and games Of chance
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
Nv THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

@. Are cantaloupes native to the United
States?-T T. F. -
A. Cantaloupes were first grown in Europe
In Canta1upo, Italy, whence the name. The.
seed is said to have come from Armenia. -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
Letters to The Star
t the Capitol?

Too Many Trees at the Capitolp
To the Editor CT The Star:
Shortly, the leaves will fall from the trees
surrounding the Capitol Building and one will
be able to see it again in full magnifcence.
During the long summers the building is al
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10
Questions and Answers

reader can obtain the answer to any question
OF fact by writing The Evening Star Information
Bureau, 318 I street NE, Washinston 2. 2. c.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10

prets these provisions as not disturbing Ear
rangements in the nature of those approved
by the board in Larus g. Brother Co. (62 NLRB
lots; 1945)." The board CMr Reilly partici-
pating) in that case sanctioned the auxiliary
membership and "Class local" devices which,
1t has frequently been asserted, are undemo-
cratic practices utilized by some unions to
deprive Negroes or other minority groups OF
full representation and participation in union
affairs.
These facts should make it apparent that
the Taft-Hartley Act falls far short of re
quiring unions to open their membership to all
applicants who pay the regular dues" All Of
which may be another piece Of evidence sub
stantiating Senator Taft's characterization of
an earlier article by Mr.. Lawrence as COM
pletely puerile analysis" OF the Senate bill.
WAR H. PETERSON.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-10

O. What was the first musical publication In
the United States-M. r. G. -,
A. The bay Psalm Book" published IN 1e4o,
was the first musical publication IN America.