davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-07-06

that the ''Ekpyrosis," or world confagration.
would break out and turn the earth into a
raging inferno. Anaxinenes went so far as to
say in 600 BIC. that there is periodic cycle
of worlds forming and worlds being DESTROYED,
and that the earth and its people were lucky
to have escaped so long
Nostradamus, probably the most publ
cized prophet of them all, added his warning
to the list. Said he, The calculable path of
the stars points to the destruction of the earth
by celestial forces in July, 1899" The cal
culable path of the stars must have had some
puzzling variables to the old prophets eyes,
however, for he added later: Il consider my
self able to predict the course of human events
up to the year 3797.''
In 1895 Spanish monk named Padre
Ensebio brought considerable portion OF the
people OF Europe to state of near panic when
he announced positively that the world would
be destroyed on September Oath of that year.
So great was the confusion that hundreds of
newspapers carried stories cautioning the
people to be calm. On September 25th head
lines assured everyone that the earth still was
spinning in its accustomed path
Inside Invasion
BESIDES food and fire, many prophets have
believed that great comet, or an Grant
planet, or even the faithful moon would
suddenly plunge into the earth and leave it a
hfeless hulk, or cause it to explode Others
have believed that the seas would sweep over
the land. Still others have predicted the de-.
struction of mankind by a great plague, or
by new Ice Age. A great many people
would not be surprised to see fleet of space
ships from distant world appear suddenly
and devastate the earth with strange weap-
ons. Others expect an invasion from mysteri-
GUS roglodytes living inside our own planet.
No one knows for sure what the reason is
for these expectations of doom. Some psy-
biologists think it may reflect mass guilt
complex or an unconscious projection of mans
fear of death. Whatever the cause, it seems
to be permanent part of olr lives.
But what are the actual scientific possibili-
ties of world doom? A group of scientists was
polled recently on the probable ultimate fate
of the earth. For the popular theory of col
lision with some wandering object in
space they allowed only two per cent
probability. We have had some compara-
lively close shaves, as astronomical distances
60; but space is immense, and matter 50 in
credibly dispersed, chances of collision seem
small. The Giacobini-Zinner comet in 1916
gave US our closest recent shave The Earth
passed within $1,000 miles of where the
comet had been eight days earlier
Another possibility, as explained by
Robert Coles, of the Hayden Planetarium in
New York, lis hit-and-run collision be-
-
Evening star., 1947-07-06

tween our sun and another star; or an inter
loping star may merely sweep too near US
and by gravity kidnap the earth to distant
corner of the universe. AS a matter of fact,
right now the sun is moving towards the con-
stellation Hercules at twelve miles per Sec
ond and carrying the solar system with it.
Such dynamic encounter was originally
responsible for the formation of our own solar
system. A huge star crashed into OUR sun
and the fragments ripped off by the collision
now whirl around the sun as planets But
don't worry about the crash with Hercules.
That constellation is still aons away" For
the unnformed. an aon is safe distance.
The most probable doom for the earth is
cold. The scientists give this possibility an
80 per cent chance Even an efficient heat
engine such as sun must cool off
some day, and when it does. the source
of our warmth and our very life energy
will be gone. But that's no cause for sudden
alarm. There will be no noticeable change in
the next few million years. Sir James Jeans,
famous British astronomer. estimated we are
sale 1Or ABOUT lO billion years.
Drought is fair possibility - scientists
assign it rating of Is per cent. There seems
little doubt that the earth is slowly drying
out - but 50 slowly as to be almost undetect-
able. In few million years our seas may
have shrunk to ponds, and our rivers to mere
trickles, and the only salvation for us other
than change of scene will be to emulate the
horned toad and live without water.
Excessive heat is a possibility also, but
worth only two per cent on the scientists
table of probabilities. Old stars seem to flare
up into nova here and there in the universe
with sufficient frequency to catch the atten,
ton OF the astronomers. There is bare posi-
bility that our own sun will get out of hand
in the same way, and increase its radiation
intensity by possibly 800 times. If it only
increased its radiation 10 times all higher
forms of life would die.
The Greatest Enemy
1T MAY be, however, that the greatest poten-
tal enemy of the earth is man. If a chain
reaction is ever set up in one of the stable
and plentiful elements such as carbon, HYDRO
gen or oxygen, then we and all Our possess
sions and the very earth itself will make a
gigantic funeral pyre.
One William Lilly, an English maker of
almanacs, who was also prophet of world
doom, once thought this was actually happen
ing. He predicted the end of the world by
fire. He and his followers were nearly trapped
in the great fire which destroyed the city of
London in 1866. and at first he thought his
prophecy had come true
He was inconsolable when he found that it
was only London, not the entire world, which
was being consumed The End
Evening star., 1947-07-06

TWO years ago in Pasadena, Calf, little
Il group of frightened people sat through
long night praying, reading the Scriptures
and waiting for the end of the world Many
had sold their possessions, paid their debts,
and made their peace with their neighbors
There was no doubt in their minds The
world was to end the next morning in
gigantic explosion like an atomic bomb"
Their prophet, the Reverend Charles c.
Long, had said so, and they believed him.
During the last few days before the prophe-
sled hour of doom thousands of people
throughout the United States began making
frantic preparations for the end. During the
last 48 hours the switchboards of nearly all
weather stations, planetariums and leading
scientific institutions were swamped with in
quiries, all boiling down to the desperate
question: when is the end coming?'
The last day" dawned bright and clear.
1t is difficult to imagine the state of mind
of the Reverend Longs followers on that
morning but the sun must have been fear
full sight to them. They waited the day
through. The earth was still intact at sunset,
but their faith was intact, too They accepted
their prophets explanation, that he had made
minor error in his calculations The world
would certainly end, and soon; but he would
have to think while before he could predict
the exact date
Saturn Scare
PROPHECIES of world doom are as old as
history One might think that in this age of
science such predictions would not be taken
as seriously as they were back in the dark
ages. But hardly year goes by without
some seer announcing new catastrophe, and
each time new crop of disciples prepares
for the worst.
Recently, the 10000 inhabitants of the
German town of Dinkelsbuehl suddenly began
praying in the streets. Like wildfire the rumor
had spread through the city and adjoining
countryside that the planet Saturn had broken
out of its orbit, was rushing toward the earth
at terrible speed According to the rumor, it
was headed straight for Dinkeisbuehl!
During that day and the following night
the rumor spread until considerable portion
OF Germany was involved, and hundreds of
thousands of people were panic-stricken. 1t
took the best efforts of the combined occupa-
ton forces to calm the people and restore
order. No one knows how the rumor start
ed; it may have been the Nazis employing
an Orson Wellesian stunt i'm an effort to
loosen the Allied hold ON the country.
One of the most amazing of the modern
prophets was the Dane, John Mikkelsen
In l943 he suddenly appeared in Copen-
hagen dressed in long tunic, wearing
great beard and a fierce expression, and pro-
claimed himself to be the reincarnation of the
prophet Daniel
His prophecies were sinister and discourag-
ing, and fitted in we'll with their historic set
ting - Denmark occupied by the Nazis. He
aSSerted that tho uorl5 uae 5oop,ad IN c,,ffor
Evening star., 1947-07-06

Doomsday prophets have predicted every kind of
hnal calamity, but modern science rules most
OF them out. Here of the forecasts
by Albert A. Brandt
Evening star., 1947-03-02
Hacker in IS MPH Chase
Fined SIS on.5 CHARGES

A 35-mile-an-hour car chase
which started when q cab driver
told q policeman to shut up, was
settled yesterday in Tratnc Court
with the cabbie fined q total of $85
on i've trafic charges.
Pvt. Peter M. Zazanis Of the 18th
precinct testified he was directing
trafic at the scene Of . collision
Friday at Barry place and Georgia
avenue NV. when q cab driven by
James v. Galloway, q, colored,
slowed down in passing the scene.
when I told him to move along, !"
the policeman related, Galloway
poked his head out the cab window
and shouted 'Ah, shut up"
Pvt. Zazanis said he promptly
Communicated q car and pursued
the taxi for about q mile at a pace
Of IS m.p.h., finally overhauling his
quarry at North Capitol street and
Rhode Island avenue.
The defendant, who lives in the
1900 block Of Corcoran street NV.
was found guilty Of passing two stop
signs, failing to display an insurance
sticker and two charges Of failing
to have q hackers permit. Charges
Of speeding and driving without
lights were dismissed.
Evening star., 1947-03-02
|UNESC0 Aims 10 End
Bias in School Books,
d. {. Educator Says
BY rho Assoe;o.sd Pres,


ATLANTIC CITY, Mar. 1.-Wil-
liam q. Carr Of Washington, asso-
ciate secretary Of the National Edu-
cation Association. said today the
United Nations Educational, Scien-
tiflc and Cultural Organization soon
would seek to revise the worlds
school books to eliminate bias and
promote international understands
ling.
In an address before the National
Association Of Secondary School
Principals, Mr.. Carr said UNESCC
had the authority to point out to
the entire world through its general
conference any instances OF
what might become, for example,
another Mani educational system"
United States Commissioner Of
Education John w. Studebaker told
the association that future high
schools would have classes Of from
100 to- 200 students with well-paid
master teachers" in charge. He said
he foresaw 100 per cent enrolment
Of youths Of high school age 20 years
from now, because chronological ad-
vances would make it economically
unwise for youths to compete In
the labor market.
Tho American Association Of
Teachers Colleges closed its 18th
annual meeting with approval Of q
resolution that expressed regret"
that some groups Of teachers "felt
1t necessary to resort to strikes" to
obtain higher wages.
Evening star., 1947-03-02

A union spokesman said yester-
day, 1--WE want no violence at all
We want to have only peaceful
picketing Of this restaurant"
In the one case where arrests have
been made, Fred Beck and Jack
Warmers both . asiessti1led by the
union as u11ion menhers come up
for jury trial March II on ! charge
Of attacking Trone Fletcher, a nom
union waiter. The. union contends
the waiter provoked an attack but
that the men did not leave the
picket line.
OF the nine walters who walked
out November rs, four returned to
work. The union reported that the
four were dropped from the union
rolls.
Evening star., 1947-03-02
Afonso's Troubles Multiply
As WindowIs Broken Auoin

Keeping glass In the frontage Of
Alfonso's Restaurant, which has
been operating behind a picket line
for more than three months, is
Alfonso Grubhofer's latest worry, he
said last night.
Several weeks ago Mr.. Grubhofer
reported to police that some one
ItoSsed 81 heavy bag Of bottles
through the window Of his restau-
rant at 1903 L street NV. The
proprietor called a glass company
and the plate was replaced before
the picket line formed in the
morning.
Last week. however, Mr.. Grub
hofer reported a ginger ale bottle
was thrown through the same VIM
dow. Again Mr.. Grubhofer called
the glass company. This time, the
company refused to replace the
glass because the glass company's
union issued orders they were not
to cross picket lines to make
deliveries.
Mr. Grubhofer was allowed to buy
the glass and install it himself. He
doesn't know what will happen If
the glass again becomes casualty
Mr.. Grubhofer dates his troubles
back to last September when his
contract with the Hotel and Res
taurant Employees Alliance, Local
781, expired and a series Of meetings
to negotiate new contract ended
in strike last November Is.
Principal issue of the strike, both
Mr.. Grubhofer and union spokes-
men told The Star, is the refusal
of the restaurant proprietor to per-
NIT closed shop.
Mr.. Grubhofer has reported to
police an attack on one of his non
union walters, the two instances
where the glass was broken and
one case where the refrigerators
were disconnected during the night,
resulting in food spoilage.
Evening star., 1947-03-02

conduct charges and were released
George Beal, listed a. q resident Of
the eight-room house, was charged
with operating q gaming tabls and
released In $4,000 bond pending his
appearance In Municipal Court to-
morrow.
Among the paraphernalia taken
to the First Precinct by detectives
were printed forms giving the names
Of horses running at different tracks,
with weights and odds, and scratch
sheets. Two dice tables also were
confiscated, according to police.
Assisting 1t. Blick were Detective
Sergts. Howard Ogle, and Paul
Clarke, and Plainclothesmen Murray
Kuttner and Melvin Connors.
Evening star., 1947-03-02

Twenty-nine persons were arrested
yesterday afternoon when 4 police
antigambling squad raided a house
in the 900 block Of Eighth street
NV. Police found what they de-
scribed as one Of the most elaborate
bookie establishments found here in
recent years.
1t. Roy Blick, chief Of the vice
squad and leader Of the raiding
party, said the establishment used
stock exchange methods" including
q battery Of telephones and loud
speaker system. All the windows
were blacked out, and the entrance
was equipped with a nonbreakable
inner door and peephole, he declared.
All but one Of the prisoners for
feited S. collateral on disorderly
Evening star., 1947-03-02
Adjutants- General, Aides
See Aberdeen Weapons

The four-day conference of the
Adjutants General Association ended
yesterday after 100 delegates and
their aides visited the Ordnance
Proving Grounds at Aberdeen, Md,
for demonstration of the Army's
latest weapons.
The adjutants general of the 4S
States, the territories and the Dis
trict who attended the conference
were shown Little David" a 914-
millimeter mortar just going into
production when the war ended.
The party also saw the Army's
240-millimeter howitzer, a 100-ton
tank which never got into action;
q 24-tube rocket launcher, and re-
coil-less rifles.
Evening star., 1947-03-02
FoIger Librory to Get
Henry " Movie Script

The shooting script" Of the Brit
ish technicolor aim Henry v" will
be presented to the Folger Shake
speare Library at 3 pm. tomorrow
by Sir John Balfour, British Minister
IN Washington.
He also will present complete set
OF still photographs from the pro-
duction.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-05
See the Many Wanted Styles!
Thrill to the Low Prices!

Priscilla Curtoins
Cushion Dots 4.os
Better quality cushion nnorqui-
settle, lOOxoO- Inches. Mode
with extra full 5lz-ineh ruffle.
Creom color.
Sears Wisconsin, Bladensburg&
and Arlington
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-05
| 5fraiion Halls Action
On Displaced Persons
immigration Bill

There Is d tremendous advantage
and accomplishment In the fact
that hearings are actually being
held on the stratton bill to permit
reasonable immigration TO America
OF displaced persons, its sponsor said
last night.
Representative Stratton, Republi-
can, Of Illinois made his statement
before the Washington Chapter OF
the American Council for Judaism,
at q meeting In the Shoreham
Hotel.
Hearings on the bill, which would
permit 400, 900 displaced persons in
Europe to enter the United States
over q period Of four years, started
yesterday before a subcommittee OF
the House Judiciary COMMITTEES, and
will continue tomorrow. The hear
ings are expected to last from 10
days to two weeks, Mr.. Stratton said.
HALF of Battle Is Over"
He declared that, although abou.
two months ago the press generally
was favorable to the bill, there was
a feeling that it might be pigeon
holed.
I am proud and happy to state
that half the battle is over, now that
we are holding hearings" the legis-
lator declared.
After thanking members of the
House Judiciary Committee who
have been eminently fair in seeing
that the bill got to the hearing
stage the legislator emphasized
that before the hearings are con-
GUIDED we hope to make so mucf,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-05

progress that the Congress will be
tremendously aroused
In urging that people write tc
their Representatives and Senators
demanding passage Of the bill, Mr.
Stratton said, that as long as there
are 85o, 600 displaced persons in Eu-
rope who refuse to return to Their
homelands our foreign prestige Is
weakened, and "our foreign policy
becomes hollow shell"
Sees NO Burden.
Mr.. Stratton said those entering
America would fit in with our con-
cepts Of Government, because they
would have to pass an elaborate
screening test both idealogically and
physically. He said studies show
they would not be burden in any
way and their members would not
exceed the untitled immigration
quotas Of the war years.
Only about Is per cent of the
quotas have been used in the past
six years and therefore a great
backlog of unused numbers has
been built up, he said.
In addition Mr.. Stratton declared
the displaced persons would not
jeopardize the jobs of Americans or
become public charges since they
would have to be sponsored by rela-
tives.
Mr., Stratton asserted the entrance
of 100000 displaced persons over a
period of four years would be "a
negligible factor" in respect to the
housing shortage. If the bill is
passed. he said, 1t would be several
months before the first group ar
rived, and by that time the housing
situation will have improved. Fur
thermore, he added, a large number
Of them would be housed with rela-
tiyes.
Judge Bentley Speaks.
Another speaker was Judge Fay L.
Bentley of Juvenile Court. Com
plimenting the council, she said, in
respect to the displaced persons
problem, that persons in this audi
ence have given them more con-
sideration and thought than most
Americans who have felt the urgency
that something must be done but
have taken little iniative in the
actual doing"
Alfred M. Lilienthal, who reported
on resolutions passed at the Feb
ruary meeting of the council, offered
a resolution embracing heartfelt
Endorsement" of the Stratton bill,
which was unanimously adopted.
He said the councils sentiments
would be telegraphed to Speaker of
the House Martin, to other leaders
in Congress and to the House Judi
ciary Committee.
A question and answer period on
matters pertaining to the bill, to the
Palestine situation, and to allied
issues was led by Sidney Wallach
Of New York, the councils director
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-05
1omiinson Attends
COLLEGE, Of Preachers

The Rev. Robert Tomlinsou, rec
tor of the Church Of the Good shep-
herd, Sixth and / streets NE, is
one Of 20 clergymen attending q
conference.at the College Of Preach
ers at Washington Cathedral. The
sessions viii continue through Sat-
mday.
The Rev. Dr.. John Bennett, pro-
fessor Of Christian ethics at Union
Theological Seminary. Is the leader.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-05

WED 50 YEARS--Mr. and Mrs.
Anderson Lewis of 724 Vir-
ginia avenue Sc. who cele-
brated their golden wedding
anniversary yesterday. They
have one son and one grand
child. Star Staff Photo.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-05

Yes You ind the waiting price
want to HERE in this sale of beautiful,
weight coats at $2s Locking for style to double utility
onal? Choose charming brief from
tailored style everyhng7 choosing
representative
large Of fitted
worth while yourself
Evening star., 1947-01-09

have his fighting Clothes on. They
gave him a friendly personal well
COME and applauded perfunctorily
when he had concluded his speech.
Evening star., 1947-01-09

a fine job defending their home
land and he was confident they
would 60 on to the end. Encourage,
admire and as far as possible give
them what they ask for, was his
theory. and in planning to 60 half
way, maybe little better.
But he felt 1t was time wasted to
try to bring in the Russians on the
same intimate footing with 100 per
cent exchange of secrets that the
Americans and British strove for
and largely achieved. The Russians,
he thought, would merely be sus-
picious of any one-big- Happy family
zeal. Let 'em alone, he said.
Gen. Marshall stood with Ad-
mirals Leahy and King on the
proposition that as the Russians
had shown no signs of getting into
the Pacific war it was all right for
us to win that one in our own way
without too much notice to her. In
this they were to some extent over
ruled by President Roosevelt.
These sources, naturally friendly
to Gen. Marshall, feel that his atti-
tudes were entirely correct, soldierly
and sensible. They expect more of
Evening star., 1947-01-09

port on China Is more then than
an enyoy's document: it has the
highest possible ring Of authority.
It would have, even were Mr..
Byrnes remaining longer. Presi-
dent Truman feels about Gen. Mar
shall like the bobbysoxers do about
Sinatra. He can do no wrong: he
is, Mr.. Truman has said, the great
est living American.
Pro-Russian circles are nervous
about the new Secretary. They can
find nothing to complain about:
not even the Washington whisper
ing gallery has yet yielded a Mar
shall slap on a Russian wrist. But
they would have preferred Gen.
Eisenhower because of his mar
velous record of winning Russian
friendships in the field.