davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-02-21
78 Rescued in Rockville Fire;
Children Lowered to Safety
UNCONSCIOUS Mother Carried Into Snow;
$150000 Body PIunt Rozed at Laurel

Previously, Mr.. King dropped his
children, Gerry, 2; Sharon, S, and
Melvin, 6 months, from the second
floor to his father and roomer.
Gerry was overcome by smoke but
was quickly revived. Two other in
fantS, whose names were not avail
able, were carried to safety by board
ers. All were uninjured.
Two women, 86 and SO years old,
also were among those taken to
safety.
Acts OF individual heroism on the
part of residents of the house and
members of the Rockville, Chevy
Chase and Bethesda Fire Depart
ments were credited with saving
many of the lives in the crowded
dwelling. The house itself was virtu-
ally destroyed.
Snow, which drifted to depths
of 3 and feet in places, and cold
hampered firemen in reaching the
house and extinguishing the flames.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Norris, neigh
bors, were awakened at about $50
am. by cries through the windows
of the nearby house. They called
YJTrD Dcs po~a
Evening star., 1947-02-21
.GSI Bought Supplies
For Staff and Friends,
1910 Report Shows
Such Practices Not Going
On Now, Manager
Tells Investigators

A General Accounting Office
Investigators report that Gov
ernment Services, Inc, bought
supplies at Government prices
for personal use of employees,
friends and trustees was laid be-
fore a Senate Civil Service Sub
committee today.
The purchases included tires,
tubes, furniture. refrigerators and
fans, according to the report, which
was made in 1910.
The report was offered for the
subcommittee record by w. E. Posey
subcommittee accountant, as the
group continued it's investigation OF
the affairs of the quasi-governmen-
tai corporation which operates cafe
terias in Government buildings ano
some recreational projects.
Practice is Denied Now.
Frank w. Hoover, general mana
ger of GSI, admitted purchases had
been made for employees, but said it
was no longer being done through
Government supply lists.
The corporation operates on a
prof1t-sharing basis with the Fed
eral Government and prior to 1945
was known as the Welfare and Rec
reational Association of Public
Buildings and Grounds, Inc.
The investigation was adjourned
this afternoon to resume at 10 am.
Monday.
why should you buys things
through GSI for employes?" asked
Chairman Baldwin. Republican, of
Connecticut.
"It was our policy" replied M.
Hoover.
Mr.. Posey also charged that Mr..
Hoover had purchased through GSI
500 trays for Connecticut avenue
restaurant operator,
Most Returned, Says Witness.
Mr.. Hoover told the subcommit-
tee that while items had been pur-
chased at Government rates for
employees, no purchases had been
made from the Government for
other restaurant operators. He ad-
mitted sending some surplus" trays,
which he said had been in GSI
warehouse. to the Connecticut ave-
nue. establishment, but said most
of them were later returned because
they did not match the trays al
ready used there.
Mr.. Hoover said it was also a pol
icy of GSI frequently to sell surplus
items to employees. The testimony
came as he explained to the sub
committee why he had personal
account with GS1.
When the tray incident was intro
duced, Mr.. Hoover made the COM
ment, This Is all in line with the
personal smear campaign" He did
not elaborate.
Mr.. Hoover said employees were
allowed to buy through GSI to save
them money. The GAO report in
dicated friends and trustees were
also given the privilege.
Other Testimony Varied.
Other testimony at todays session
ran from the quality of sausage
meat served in GSI cafeterias to
whether the corporation should pay
District taxes.
Commissioner John Russell Young
testified as first witness that the
District considered the corporation
taxable. District Auditor A. r. Pill
kerton read decisions of the corpo-
ration counsel in previous years
holding the corporation not exempt
from real estate and income taxes.
Mr.. Posey, however, produced an
opinion by former Corporation
Counsel E. Barrett Prettyman in
1886 that the corporation was
exempt from personal property
taxes.
Mr.. Pilkerton added, however,
(See CAFETERIAS, Page A-6)
Evening star., 1947-02-21
District Digs Out
OF S-Inch Snow;
Traffic Resumes
All Schools Closed;
Minor Mishops Many;
Today to Be Clear
pictures on Page BIZ

The District dug out today
from the worst snowstorm in
nearly five years.
Considerable headway was made
during the morning in unsnarling
traffic, which had been virtually par
alyzed. The fall measured 81 inches,
with drifts ranging up to 4 or S feet.
Most streetcar and bus move
ments were reported getting back
to normal. Capital Transit Co. Of
ficias said it would be normal in
time for today's late rush.
Bus service, particularly in the
suburban areas, continued to oper-
ate under extreme difficulties, de-
laying thousands of commuters in
reaching downtown jobs. One COM
muter line in Virginia which failed
to begin operations in some sec
tions this morning explained: I'VE
haven't gotten back eight buses we
sent out last night"
Traffic was being diverted early
this afternoon from the Fourteenth
street Highway Bridge over the Me-
mortal Bridge. Cars had been tied
up three hours on the Virginia side
of the Highway Bridge when the
diversion was ordered.
ALI Schools Close.
Schools in the Capital and near
by Maryland and Virginia areas
were closed.
But, under the conditions, the re-
turn toward normal was rapid.
The prospect for continuing i'm
provements was frightened by the
Weather Bureau prediction that
sunny weather would continue
through most of the day, as well as
tomorrow.
The temperature was expected to
rise to about 35 degrees today and
to dip tonight to minimum OF
around 20 degrees, with the begin
ming of a thaw in prospect tomor-
row. Today's minimum was 10
degrees, at TAO am. At noon the
temperature had risen to 20 degrees.
Despite the unusual depth of the
snow-the heaviest since the lis
inches on March %, 1942-the city
and nearby areas apparently were
emerging from its experience with
out serious accidents.
Fatality Not Laid to Weather.
While one death was Investigated.
police said the fatality apparently
could not be attributed to weather
conditions.
They said that George Coates, 50,
of 10 K street SW., who had been
undergoing treatment for a heart
condition, was found dead about 4
;pm. in the 900 block of One-half
street Sc. A passerby discovered
the body.
Minor accidents were many, police
having counted at least go during
the last "a hours. Also at least
Is persons received injuries in falls
or other accidents.
In one accident this morning, a
District government worker received
a possible fracture of the right leg
when he was reported to have walked
between two cars into the path of a
third machine in the 5000 block on
M street N. w. He was Elmo Bailey,
Al, colored, of 1916 P street NV.
Driver of the car, police said, was
Garland L. Long of 1904 North Har-
ward street, Arlington. The injured
man was taken to Georgetown Hos
pital and subsequently transferred
to Providence Hospital.
Fire alarms in the District at
tributable to weather conditions
also were numerous, numbering 80
during the "a hours to 7 am. to-
(See WEATHER, Page A-6)
Evening star., 1947-02-21
No Late Editions
Tomorrow

The Star will observe Wash
ington's Birthday tomorrow
by eliminating the late after
noon editions. Subscribers to
the Night Final Edition will
receive the Regular Home
Edition.
Evening star., 1947-02-21
BULL IN
Portal Pay Bill Voted

The House Judiciary Com
mittee today approved meas
ure outlawing virtually all
portal-to-portal pay claims.
Earlier Story on Page abb
Evening star., 1947-02-21

(See BRITAIN, Page A-6)
Evening star., 1947-02-21

(See FIRES, Page A-6.)
Evening star., 1947-02-21

(See LABOR, Page A-6)
Evening star., 1947-02-21

(See COLUMBIANS, Page A-6)
Evening star., 1947-02-21

(See WEATHER, Page AS,
Evening star., 1947-02-21
Guide for Rea d ers

An Associated Press Newspaper
Evening star., 1947-03-25

way sooner or later, and Russia
would then be in position to extend
it's sway over the whole Middle East.
These are the factors that have
led, after lot of careful thinking,
to the formulation of the Truman
Doctrine" Admittedly the doctrine
involves risks, and 1t needs to be
debated in full. Yet, when we argue
over the hazards in it-as Ernest
Weir does in his letter on this page
today-we would do well to remen-
ber that perhaps the worst hazard
of all would be to do nothing, to let
nature take it's course, to give the
green light to Soviet totalitarianism
in a strategically vital part of the
world.
In a situation of this kind the
United States cannot afford to be
tinid or to blow hot and cold and
wind up with policy of little more
than words. The fact we have to
face is that calculated risk-taking
now may well determine our security,
or lack of it, ten or twenty years
from now.
Evening star., 1947-03-25
What Would We Do?

After he had been complimented
by Senator Connally for his state
ment to the Foreign Relations Com
mittee on the question of sending
American troops to Greece and
Turkey, Acting Secretary of State
Acheson replied: There ought to
be no doubt left on that score"
This is what Mr.. Acheson told the
committee: 1.-THE present proposals
do not include our sending troops
to Greece or Turkey. We have not
been asked to do so. We do not
foresee any need to do so. And we
do not intend to do so. We have no
understanding with either Greece
or Turkey, oral or otherwise, in re-
gard to the sending of troops to
those countries"
That is a strong statement, though
not so strong as it would have been
if Mr. AcheSon had gone step
further and said: We will not send
troops to Greece or Turkey. AS long
as he does not go the whole way,
but remains content with state
ments as to what we have not been
asked to do and what we do not
intend to do, there necessarily re-
mains an important area Of doubt
as to the scope of the administra-
TONS program.
This remaining doubt may be
stated this way: The request for
$4O0,00O,0 1000 in aid to Greece and
Turkey rests on the contention that
the maintenance of constitutional
governments in those countries is
essential to our security. But it is
possible that the mere advance of
funds will not be sufficient to main
tain the existing governments in
those countries. What would we do
in that event? If the maintenance
of the existing governments, or of
some constitutional government, is
essential to our security, do we pro-
pose to take all necessary measures
to prevent a successful Communist
uprising, or do we propose to pull
up stakes and get out if we should
be faced with that contingency?
The administration, in shaping
it's policy, must have thought this
question through and come to some
conclusion about it. And that con-
clusion, whatever it is, should be
put upon the record.
Evening star., 1947-03-25
Hoover Report on Germany

In his TWO previous reports 10
President Truman, former President
Herbert Hoover first gave the over
all picture of the problem of Euro
pean relief and reconstruction, and
then detailed study of the specific
Austrian situation. In his third
report, just released to the public.
Mr.. Hoover deals with the economic
rehabilitation of Germany which he
believes to be at the root of the
problem of European recovery.
Mr.. Hoover dissents from both
the so-called Morgenthau plan to
reduce Germany to an agricultural
and pastoral nation, and the sub
sequent "level of industry" con-
cept evolved as a compromise be-
tween the occupying powers. This
plan seeks to restrict Germany's
economic life within a reduced pat
tern emphasizing light industry.
Mr.. Hoover's detailed analysis is
summed up in the following con-
clusion: Germany, under the level
of industry concept, unless she is
to be allowed to starve, wiz be a
drain on the taxpayers of other
nations for years and years to come.
In the meantime, if her light indus
tries were built to become self-sup-
porting, she would become an eco
nomic menace to Europe, II her
heavy industries are allowed to
function, she has an ability to ex-
port and would become an asset in
Europe's recovery. To persist in the
present policies will create, sooner
or later, cesspool of unemploy.
ment and pauper labor in the CEN
ter of Europe which is bound to
infect her neighbors. We can keep
Germany in these economic chains
but it will also keep Europe In
rags"
Mr.. Hoover yields to no one in
his resolve to exercise the specter
of a revived German militarism.
But the proper method, as he sees it.
is not an economic strait jacket,
but through effective international
controls over Germany. He would
maintain these controls for at least
one and possibly two generations.
during which period a genuinely
regenerated German people could
arise in viable and stable economy
integrated in an economically re-
stored Europe.
That, contends Mr.. Hoover, is the
goal to work for. But he frankly
admits the difficulties of attaining
it, so long as Soviet Russia and
France throw difficulties in the way.
His long term formula is therefore
coupled with a Short-term arrange
ment under which America and
Britain could build self-sustain-
ing economic community out of the
Anglo-American zones alone. This
could be only temporary expedient,
Evening star., 1947-03-25
Alligator vs.. Muskrot
From the New orleans Times-Picayune

From the New Orleans Tlmes-Plcayune
The first kind word said for the ALI
gator in many a day has come from
state department of wild life and fish
cries officials. They want the animal
protected-at least for a time-because
it eats muskratS. This certainly would
be the first time that characteristic
paid off for the alligator.
But the paradox is only the latest
addition to good-sized collection where
the Louisiana muskrat situation Is con-
cerned. The muskrat has multiplied
so enormously, say the officials, that 1t
is beginning to eat itself and its progeny
out of a living. Thousands Of acres
of feeding grounds have been denuded
of the grasses on which they subsist.
This condition would in itself effect
decline in due course in the muskrat
population. But it seems the grounds
once stripped may never harbor musk
rats again, few or many, because coarser,
inedible vegetation, including the water
hyacinth, invades the area and mo-
nopolizes 1t.
In October muskrat prospects were
rosy. The supply was great and the
market good Now the market has de-
clined, due in part to a lessen1ng OF
demand and in part to falling OH In
the quality of some furs, charged to
prolonged warm weather. Yet the kill
ing of muskrats apparently has not been
excessive. The same warm weather, 1t
is said, caused the muskrats in Decem-
Der to stick close to their homes" and
high tides played another part in din1in-
lshing the catch. Trapping was sus-
pended altogether in some areas.
So here is the muskrat, growing like
the children of the old woman who
lived in the shoe, favored by every
thing in nature and human society, but
eating it's way to its own (apd othersD
doom. The proposal to sic upon 1t its
old enemy, the alligator, purely for its
own good, probably will be weighed quite
a bit, however, before it's adopted. Al
ligators don't limit their diet to musk
rats; and once established they may not
be SO easy to eradicate at the precisely
correct time
Evening star., 1947-03-25
The Political Mill
Bv Gould Lincoln

discussing the prospects OF the tax-re-
duction bill The House bill-the Knut-
son bill-calls for tax reduction-ln-
come tax reduction-amounting to ap-
proximately $4,000, ,000, 900. The Senate
wants to apply s2,6o0,00o,o0o to reduc-
ton of the Federal debt. The total of
these two figures is $6,600,000, ,000, Esti-
mated savings through cutting Federal
expenditures below the Presidents
budget are from S. 900, 100000 to s6,ooo,-
O00,000 In addition, estimated receipts
of the Government in excess of eXpendl-
lures at the close of the present f1sca,
year, June 80 next, run from 81 500, ,000,
900 to $4,000 100000.
Taking the $4,000, ,0O00 900 figure for the
surplus of Government funds at the close
of the fiscal year and subtracting it
from the $6,600, 900 600 of combined tax
reduction and debt reduction, and $4,-
60O,0O0,0 900 is the amount which must be
obtained from a reduction of Govern
ment expenditures below the presidential
budget in order to make ends meet and
balance the budget There are, however,
several other things that must be taken
into consideration. One is the projected
expenditures in Greece and Turkey.
serve funds to meet any unexpected ex-
penditures which may arise.
X y X
1t appears, therefore, that it may be
necessary to compromise in some degree
on the amount demanded by the Sem
ate) for debt reduction, and on the
amount to reduce taxes now provided in
the House bill. This does not at all
present an insurmountable obstacle to
tax reduction legislation.
When the tax bill reaches the Senate
Finance Committee from the House, as
it will the end of this week, Chairman
Millikin of that committee and his COL
leagues will give consideration to its
proposals-first at public hearings. There
is disposition in the Senate, however,
to insist on an agreement between the
two houses on the legislative budget be-
fore the tax bill is taken up. And If no
such agreement is reached in the near
future, the hearings before the Finance
Committee may be delayed. The Senate
conferees on the budget insist that ST.
600 900 900 shall be earmarked for debt
reduction. The House leaders, on the
other hand. want a figure set in the
legislative budget for tax reduction.
President Truman, when a tax-reduc-
ton bill reaches him, will be flirting with
political death II he vetoes the measure.
Tax reduction is one thing the average
voter can understand. All the argu-
ments raised against it-no matter what
are likely to fall on deaf earY.
Evening star., 1947-03-25
A Simple Little Matter

Senate debate on the Dlstrlct
daylight saving bill yesterday COW
cred a lot of territory. Senator
Overton of Louisiana was disturbed
about getting his milk, being a
great admirer of milk. Senator
LANCER of North Dakota wondered
about the effect of daylight saving
time on Washington originated
radio programs to which the superior
farmers of North Dakota are hungry
listeners (the networks will be on
daylight saving time, regardless of
the fate of this bilD. Senator
Maybank of South Carolina saw
the matter as touching the fun
damental question whether radio
is to be regulated on Gods time"
or daylight saving time. Senator
Stewart of Tennessee wanted to
know about the effect of daylight
saving time on Senate committee
hearings and the meetings of the
Senate itself.
But three of the first term Sen
ators, arguing for the measure, saw
the issue as something even more
important than daylight saving time
VS.. Gods time" Senator McGrath
of Rhode Island put it this way:
my appeal is on behalf of the
citizens of the District of Columbia.
=" We have heard much about
the issue of home rule. Now is the
time to show our sincerity. Now is
the time, on a very simple little
matter, but nonetheless matter
which ultimately touches the lives
of every man and woman who lives
here to show our sincerity
and our desire to give to the people
of the District this small measure
of home rule. I am asking
them (the Senator's to pass upon
the pending bill solely as measure
of home rule for the people of the
District of Columbia"
And from Senator Cain: ut seems
to me that as we reflect upon the
subject we should consider
Washington, District of Columbia, to
be an average American community,
and not the Nations Capital. We
should leave it up to the people who
are to live under daylight saving as
to whether they shall accept it or
reject it," Chairman Buck of the
Senate District Committee put in
his word for the principle of home
rule and the evidence his committee
received of overwhelming local pub
lie sentiment in favor of local day
light saving.
So the victory for the bill yesterday
was a small victory for home rule.
May another of it's advocates, Chair
man Dirksen of the House District
Committee, be as successful on his
side of the Capitol.
Evening star., 1947-03-25
BRINGING Music to the People

If the series of neighborhood con-
certs by the National Symphony Or
chestra has done nothing more than
introduce more Washingtonians to
fine musical organization the series
has been a success.
In sponsoring the series, however,
The Star had more than that in
mind. Our symphony orchestra has
become something of Washington
institution. Like any institution
catering to the cultural needs of the
community part of its effectiveness
depends on the number of people
it reaches. In Washington the size
of its regular audience is restricted
by the limited seating capacity of
Constitution Hall, the only large
auditorium available. Only the sum-
mer series of concerts at the Water
Gate offers anything like the op-
portunities for attendance, at popu-
lar prices, which should be available.
The series of nine neighborhood
concerts, which came to close at
Washington-Lee High School in
Arlington County last night, took
the orchestra on a tour of the city
and suburbs in which it played to a
combined audience exceeding 1000
in eight school auditoriums 1.-TWO
concerts we're played at Armstrong;.
Station WMAL's broadcasts of each
concert reached uncounted thou
sands of others. The fine audience
appreciation shown by warmth of
applause and close attentiveness
was in itself a stimulating expert
ence, pointing the way clearly to the
role which the orchestra should and
someday may fill in the life of the
whole community. The pleasant
comments of friends who share this
view of the value of bringing the
finest music, superbly played, to an
increasing number of people each
year have been the source of great
satisfaction to The Star.
Evening star., 1947-03-25

For the first time in years the run OF
the mine taxpayer in the United States
is given real hope for lessening OF his
tax burden-and it@is going to be bold
politician, Democrat or Republican, who
tells him he cannot have it. Several
things recently have operated to take
this hope out of the realm OF mere
speculation - the most important OF
which was the prompt action OF the
House Ways and Means Committee when
it got down to the business of drafting
a tax-reduction bill. The passage OF
this bill by, the House, by material
vote, was assured as soon as the COM
mittee reported the measure by a vote
of 16 to 9, with one Democratic member
joining his Republican colleagues in
support.
The questions which now arise are
what will the Senate do with the tax
reduction bill, and finally, what will
President Truman do If and when the
measure reaches him. The answer to
the first question is obvious-a tax re-
duction bill will be passed. 1t may be
the House bill will be amended con-
siderably-that has been the fate OF tax
bills in the past.
X
In this particular case, since the Re
publican margin Of control in the Senate
is narrow (51 Republican Senators to A
Democratic, not counting one Demo-
arat, Senator Blbo of Mississippi, who
hasn't been seated, the bill, when 1t
comes to vote in the upper house, must
be such that it will have nearly unani-
nous support of the Republicans. The
Democratic leadership, as in the House,
has announced against tax reduction at
this session, insisting that it should wait
until next year to give chance for
budget balancing and for financing the
foreign commitments with which the
country Is necessarily saddled.
The chances are, however, that the
popularity Of the Republican tax reduc-
ton bill will grow nightly particularly
with favorable action by the House. 1t
will grow until the pressure upon the
Senate will be enormous and the upper
house then will pass the bill in one
form or another.
In the Senate great emphasis has been
placed on the need of providing for ma
terial reduction of the national debt,
estimated as in the neighborhood OF
$3.50, 900 ,0O0, 900. In adopting the legisla-
tive budget the Senate earmarked $2,-
600, 900 900 of savings from Federal ex-
penditures to be applied to debt re-
duction.
Here is the way one important Re
publican leader In the Senate figured