davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-02-05
Leuve No LoophoIe

The determination of the Senate.
House Atomic Energy Committee to
see that the Atomic Control Com
mission takes prompt and effective
measures to safeguard our atomic
bomb secrets is reasSuring to those
who have read the Canadian report
on Russian espionage or the recent
series of articles in The Star based
on that report.
Senator Hickenlooper, chairman
of the joint committee, has been
concerned over the matter of atomic
security fof some time-and with
good reason. It was he who first
brought to Senate attention the fact
that DR.. Allan Num- May, British
nuclear physicist, who is serving ten
years for divulging atomic bomb
data to Soviet agent, worked on
the A-bomb project at Chicago Uni
versity in 1914. Senator Hicken-
looper read to the Senate on March
19 of last year a letter from General
Groves, head of the Manhattan dis
trict project, stating that DR.. May
had spent a total of about twenty
four days in the top-secret Chicago
laboratory, spread over three visits.
During this time, General Groves
said, Dr. May acquired more knowl-
edge of atomic developments than
any other British physicist, includ-
ing general knowledge Of the
construction of the atomic bomb"
DR.. May later confessed that he
turned over to the Russians not only
written report on atomic re-
search as known to me-" but samples
of uranium 235 and 233. The report
and samples were immediately. flown
to Moscow.
General Groves said the revelation
of Mays activities came as "a COM
plete shock" as the scientist had
been Investigated for integrity by
British intelligence. But the British
AAfCotASdtOIo az bA1dt e111AC dpPol-
emily failed to attach any impor-
tance to the Communist Affiliations
or leanings of persons they were
checking on. This is evidenced by
the fact that Communists and
sympathizers were cleared for highly
confidential positions in the Ma
tional Research Council and In other
governmental war agencies. DR..
May, after his arrest, admitted he
had been a Communist for years.
His loyalty to Communism was such
as to impel him to violate every
pledge he had made to his govern
ment.
The May case illustrates the need
for something more than routine
screening of personnel to be at
tached to the Atomic Control Com
mission. This is an investigative job
for experts, such as are to be found
at the FBI. The risks are too great
to permit of any but the most thor
oughgoing security measures pos
Sible,
Evening star., 1947-02-05
On the Record
By Dorothy Thompson


futile to sign treaties to be applied in
unpredictable situations. I can say (and
I have considerable authority for the
statement) that the highest American
and British officials, dealing with actual
affairs in Germany, profoundly wish
there were going to be no Moscow con-
ference, at this time.
Our people in Berlin are optimistic
n at least much more optimistic than
hey were year ago. Although thiG
has been a terrible winter and the peo-
Ole themselves see no improvement over
last year, but rather otherwise, respon-
sible authorities are confident that there
will be an improvement six months from
now At that time, the results of more
intelligent policies will begin to make
themselves felt.
AS far as Germany Is concerned,
change of feeling is taking place among
Germany's neighbors. BY actual expert
ence, they realize that, for better or
worse, Germany lies in Europe's central
position and that cancer in that heart
spreads to all it's limbs.
y .
It is, therefore, reasonable to assume
that year from now there will be less
madness and more wisdom in all quar-
ters. This is because each of the Big
Three will learn-perhaps the hard way
what its own limitations are. Up to
now things have turned out far from
what any one of the occupying powers
thought they would. That ought to be
a contribution to general sobriety.
At any rate, If peace conference
must be held, think the American peo-
pie should prepare themselves for calm
acceptance of the possibility that while
1t may not break up, it may also reach
no conclusions. Should that be the case,
1t would be cause for relief rather than
censure. Rome was not built In day.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
Evening star., 1947-02-05
France and the Ruhr

Disclosure by the Ministry OF For
eign Affairs of its plan for the
destiny of the Ruhr industrial area
clarifies the economic side of
Frances expected attitude toward
Germany's postwar status at the
Foreign Ministers Conference slated
to convene in Moscow on March 10.
Prewar Germany's industrial life
rested on a triple foundation: The
coal fields of the Ruhr, the Saar, and
Upper Silesia, respectively. Upper
Silesia is now so definitely in Polish
hands that it is most unlikely that
its new status will be altered by the
eventual peace settlement. The Saar
forms part of the French zone Of
military occupation, and, lying as it
does on the French border, is so ear
marked for continued French con-
troll or annexation that its integral
return to the Reich is likewise prob
lematical. Nevertheless, the Ruhr
is both actually and potentially the
most important of the trio, and it
alone could serve to restore German
heavy industry to degree which,
if uncontrolled, might render Ger
many a possible source of danger
to European peace.
That is the thesis which France
has consistently pressed ever since
the close of the late war. To obvi-
ate this contingent threat, France
originally proposed the complete
separation of the Ruhr from the
rest of Germany as an information
allied area under the control Of the
United Nations. That proposition
has been as consistently opposed by
America, Britain and Russia, though
for different reasons. The Anglo
American argument has been that,
with .its industrial heart cut out,
postwar Germany would not be eco
nomically viable and would be both
a chronic burden and permanent
depressant on Europe's economic
life. The Russian argument appears
to be motivated both by desire to
get larger. share of German pro-
duction for reparations and by the
hope that unified Germany might
eventually come under Russian con-
troll.
What France now does is to sep
arate the economic from the po-
litical aspects of its desires. While
not specifically renouncing its po-
litical objectives, the French gov
ernment stresses economic interna-
tionalization of the Rufr, though
no longer demanding its separation
from the rest of Germany by Gus
TOMS barrier. Title to the coal
mines is to be vested in the United
Nations and their output is to be
apportioned abroad according to
fixed ratios. A similar regime is
proposed for the steel mills, though
here, output is to be deliberately
kept at low level, the objective
being the building up of heavy in
dustry in France, Belgium and Lux
embourg to make up the deficit In
Europe's economy. Ancillary indus
Evening star., 1947-02-05
Rent Control

In view of our serious housing
shortage, it seems self-evident that
the abandonment of rent control or
any sudden and sharp increase in
present ceilings would mean real
hardship for many thousands of
families. To avoid skyrocketing
rentals, there must be control Of
some sort until the construction of
housing permits operation of the
law of supply and demand. AS for
raising ceilings, a persuasive case
can be made for moderate changes,
but the argument is over the mean
ing of t'moderate."
As head of the Of11ce of Tempo
rary Controls, General Fleming has
assumed full responsibility for last
weeks abortive order for 10 per
cent increase. President Truman
knocked this out Of the picture be-
fore it had chance to take effect,
and General Fleming has forth
rightly blamed himself for the. mix
up. At the same time, however, he
has told the Senate Banking Com
mittee that he personally favors the
boost, principally Because it would
greatly ease the administrative bur-
den of trying to grant relief to land
lords with legitimate grievances.
There can be no question that
many landlords = caught between
fixed ceilings and rising costs
merit relief. There can be no ques-.
ton, either, that the OTC-which
has been receiving petitions for up
ward adjustments at the rate Of 25,-
900 a month-has been showed un-
der administratively. General Flem-
ing has lacked the staff to cope with
the situation, and unless the staff is
enlarged adequately, or unless the
ceilings are boosted bit, the land
lords will continue to be squeezed,
though most Of them, according to
General Fleming, are making out
well enough.
In killing the 10 per cent boost
presumably a moderate figure in
General F1eming's judgment - the
President has left it up to Congress
to decide the question. The answer
to it may be found in providing the
OTC with a larger STAFF to give a
fair hearing and relief to petition
ing landlords with real grievances.
Otherwise, unless ceiling increases
can be worked out equitably on a
gradual basis such as that proposed
by Senator Flanders, this would
seem to be a poor time indeed to
tinker with rentals.
Evening star., 1947-02-05

What occupies my mind, considering
the experience of Poland, is whether we
have not been far too hasty in calling
for elections and holding peace confer
ences.
1t turns out that the Yalta agreement
was hardly more than a piece of paper.
And it seems futile to keep going on
signing new agreements and new pieces
of paper that events may sweep away.
The American attitude is that there
has been war, that it now is over, that
the sooner everything returns to normal
the better, and that normality consists
in signing agreements or peace treaties.
But in Europe one realizes that what
has happened is not described in the
terms: war and peace.
Europe has gone through cataclysm;
the cataclysrn is still in state Of con-
vulsion, and no treaty" can deal with
cataclysms European urban civilization
has been wrecked. From 20,000,000 to
80, 600 900 people have been violently up
rooted from their natural homes and
dispersed from Siberia to the Rhine.
All these unparalleled violences and
despair have had not only physical but
profound psychological effects AL
standards political, social, and moral
have undergone revaluation, and GER
tainly not for the better. The problem,
then, is to create order-almost any sort
of order-out of primordial chaos, a
jungle of twisted cables, erupted cities,
and twisted and erupted lives and minds.
It will be years. and even generations,
before human minds will be able to see
the events of the past years in any true
perspective. Now everything is dis
torted-not only the landscape but,
much more Importantly, the minds and
emotions of whole nations of men.
Under such circumstances, 1t seems
Evening star., 1947-02-05
Third-term Issue Revived

In 1910 and again in 1914 the
Republican National Convention
voted an anti-third term plank into
its platform, moved by the same
idea that prompted the Democratic
National Convention, in 1912, to
favor a single term Of six years.
The House Judiciary Committee was
carrying out platform pledge,
therefore, when it reported its reso-
luton yesterday for constitutional
amendment fixing two terms as the
limit for any President. 1t also re-
vived one of the oldest controversies
in the history of our government.
The argument began during the
Constitutional Convention in 1787,
with Edmund Randolph's proposal to
limit the term to one of seven years.
The convention approved the limita-
tion, then threw it out, then changed
the term to six years, then put 1t
back to the original seven, finally
adopting the report of a special
committee which set the term at
four years with no mention of re-
election. George Washington, while
against third term for himself,
saw mo propriety in precluding our
selves from the services of any man
who in some emergency shall be
deemed most capable of serving the
public" Thomas Jefferson thought
that third term might be neces-
sary to keep out 'monarchist," but
did not accept one for himself. In
two of his annual messages, Jackson
recommended popular election of
President for single term of four
or six years and Johnson followed
along with the same recommends
ton.
President Wilson got down pretty
close to the heart of the argument
when he said the Presidents fight
ing power" in behalf of the people
would be immensely weakened" by
an anti-third term amendment. ''We
singularly belle our own principles
by seeking to determine by fixed
constitutional provision what the
people shall determine for them
selves" he wrote. The people still
would be determining the principle,
through an amendment to the Con-
stitution. But they would be voting
onsthat principle without pressure of
personalities or immediate issues to
influence them. That is the way the
matter should be decided. The ques-
ton is whether the people who might
decide the principle now can bind
succeeding generations to that prin-
Evening star., 1947-02-05
Cutting Federal Poyrolls

It is easy to talk about making
million employe or half million
employe reduction In Federal per-
sonnel, but the probability Is that
Congress would have difficult time
of it in cutting the Government es-
tablishment to fit such stream
lined pattern. Representative Taber
thinks that at least a million of
the Governments 2,286,000 workers
should be Topped off the payroll, and
Senator George is willing to settle
for half that reduction, which, he
points out, would bring the employ
mept total back to prewar level.
These sizable estimates would nee
esSarily involve the most drastic sort
of curtailment of Federal activities,
including abolishment of some func-
tions and agencies which were not
a part of the Government in the
days when most of the work was
done by old-line departments. I'm
less Congress is willing to dispense
with some of these boards and au-
thorities and Offices which have be-
come part of the regular establish
ment, such goals as those suggested
by Senators Taber and George are
not likely of attainment any time
soon.
This is not to say, that further
personnel reductions are not desir-
able nor practicable. More than
100000 employees have been
dropped since VI day and more than
100000 additional will be discharged
by July l next, under current re-
trenchment schedules. Most of the
reductions have been at the expense
of the far-ranging field branches OF
war-born agencies. Senator George
charged that many of these en-
ployes are doing nothing" charge
which Federal officials should be re-
quired to answer. When it Is con-
sidered that there are only 221,000
Federal employees in Washington, it
is obvious that any major personnel
slashes must be applied principally
In the field.
The logical goal sought by Senator
Byrd and other longtime advocates
of governmental economy is a re-
turn to something approximating
prewar personnel figures, with due
allowance for increased activities of
the Veterans Administration, war
liquidating agencies and such other
new duties as Congress requires of
the executive establishment. A
gradual, determined approach to
this goal should produce desired
economy results without impairing
basic efficiency of the Federal
machinery.
Evening star., 1947-02-05
Opposes Bomb Disclosures

Opposes Bomb Disclosures
To the Editor of The Star:
If our statesmen divulge the secrets
of the atomic bomb to Russia, we will
advertise to the world that we are a
pack of fools. Is it possible by this time
we are not acquainted with the sort
of government Russia has? When
Americans go there, they are followed
around by secret police. We do not
treat foreigners like that.
Look at the way Russia has treated
Finland and Estonia. ANY nation that
will loot a war devastated country like
Poland Is beneath contempt. The best
thing we can do with Russia is to have
nothing whatever to do with her.
To share the secrets of the atomic
bomb with the Soviets is to invite our
own destruction.
I have a photograph before me show
ing the steps of an air-raid shelter in
Chungking strewn with the torn and
dead bodies of men, women and child
rem. Nothing in the Dark Ages" could
have been worse When is our world
going to be civilized and give up whole
sale, human butchery? Fl. B. B.
Evening star., 1947-02-05
Dream of Mountains
By David Laurence q

Here on the sultry plain ,ohere no breeze
stirs tonight,
I fall at last into exhausted sleep, to
dream
OF mountains. And / see the climbing
road, Uhite
Ribbon spfraling npfcurd totcard the
highest peak
OF all. And by an unseen rope dream
tDhtte
Seagull draws uprDard our little, shining
Through the clear -daaoa GOODNESS OF the
mountain air,
out of the darkness OF the valley. totpnrd
the light
Mopinq doiun to meet US, the gull q
link OF light,
Up the steep, dangerous slope, across
the crest, and dotDn
Aoain, until at last the great tUhtte gull
of dream
Lecpes the toy at the foot of the noun
tain, beside q to,on
Like color photograph, and aUGke,
Here ON the sultry plain tDhere no breeze
sttrs tonight
MAGA wAssAIL
Evening star., 1947-02-05

ciple, even through a constitutional
amendment.
Had there been q constitutional
ban against a third term for Mr.
Roosevelt, 1t is possible that the
people who elected him four times
might have removed it. II placed
there now, it conceivably could be
removed later on.
Evening star., 1947-02-05

try such as chemical plants would
remain in German ownership,
though under close inspection by
the designated q. N. authority.
How this French. proposal will
square with American, British, and
Russian ideas, remains to be seen.
At least, 1t is a concrete plan which
represents some dininution Of the
original French demands for the
total severance of the Ruhr from the
future GERMANY.
Evening star., 1947-02-05
Thut Uncommon Language

From the East st. Louis Journal
Those British-made films are uni
formly interesting, but 1t would help
If the actors spoke language we could
understand.
Evening star., 1947-02-05
Hard Words for Wagner Act, Etc.

Hard Words for Wagner Act, Etc.
TO the Editor of The Star:
Congress collectively has ignored its
particularized powers over certain nat
ural resources and public domains, and
the promotion Of the progress of the
useful arts and science, to busy itself
with the assumed power to regulate and
destroy American industry, under con-
tortional theory that the products of
fixed intrastate industry in some re-
mote manner may enter mobile inter-
state commerce and that, therefore, in
trastate industry may be regulated
under It's interstate commerce powers.
Meanwhile, in exercising its exclusive
power over immigration and naturaliza-
ton, Congress has ignored the plainly
stated purposes of the Constitution by
importing the Malta and other rack
eteering anti-American elements, CIV
ing them fraudulent and unrevoked cit
izenship rights, and political and eco
nomic domination over Americans and
their commerce and industry, in a man
ner violating our system founded on
constitutionally guaranteed rights and
a delegation of powers.
Now that the quality of so-called
American consumer goods has dete-
riorated to that of the former japanese
alarm clock, may we vanishing Ameri-
cans hope that the door will be left
open also to the importation OF goods
produced elsewhere by reliable me-
chanics and artisans with pride and
skill in their workmanship, If such yet
remain anywhere on earth?
CHARLES GALE.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-18
Know Your Instructor

MnOW Your Instructor
This week we find our subject
to be Bill Robertson, chief pilot
at the Airpark and veteran Of nine
years of flying.
Bill started flying in 1888 but
UP until 1871 it was just a spare
time activity. However in Al he
qualified for his Commercial ant.
Instructors rating and went down
to Bennettsville, S. c., where he
began instructing in Army pri-
mary school.
Here he stayed until June, ~.
meanwhile becoming Flight Com
mander. After leaving Benefits
vile, he went to Jackson, Tenn,
where he was appointed Squadron
Commander.
In '43 he got a release from the
Army and accepted a commission
in the Navy. He went through
training at the Naval Air Training
Station, finishing the three-month
course in September of the same
year.
He was then assigned to Naval
Air Transport Service and sent to
Floyd Bennett Field in New York.
Here he was checked out on
practically every type ahip the
Navy had seventeen, to be ex-
act. They made only a few foreign
hops, most of their ferrying being
done to the west coast,
While Bill was at Bennett. Carl
Dunn was right across the sound
test-planes for Grammar Aircraft
Company. Countless times Bill
picked up planes at Grammar and
ferried them to Bennett, where he
put them through the standard
Navy tests, but it wasn't until a
couple of months ago that either
airman discovered that the other
had been SO close.
Bill did run into n local boy
up there though : David Oliver,
who was flying in a Helicopter
squadron at the Coast Guard base
on Long Island. David checked
him out on the 'Copters and show
ed him all the sun-bathing sights
around the Island.
He stayed at Floyd Bennett until
November of 1916, when he was
discharged, n d started instruct
ing for Carl in January.
, Bills ratings include CONNER
cial, Flight Instructor, instrument,
single-engine-land, multi : engine
land, and s%eaplane; and his chief
pride is his 6 IL year old student
son, Gemmy, who inaugurated his
flying career several weeks ago.
Next weeks flying biography
will deal with Pennington Flying
Services Lou Vittorie.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-18

Autumn color preferences for
most people swing to deep rich
shades of red, brown, green and
purple.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-18
HIGHWAY PLANS
FOR NEXT YEAR
BIGGER THAN EVER

RALEIGH, May IL W.D The
State Highway commission after
smashing all records for road con-
struction and maintenance work
in 1916, today planned a 1947 road
program to cost wen more than
last years work.
An estimated II, 1876 miles Of
grading surfacing or stabilizing
this year will cost $43, 1853 ,437.
Chairman A. H. Graham estimated
in a speech to the Raleigh Kiwanis
club. Last years work cost $33.-
1876. 8O3.
However. the work planned for
this year, though it will cost more,
will fall short of the 1901 miles
of projects last year.
In the first four months of this
year, Graham said. contracts
have been let for 482 miles of
work costing 50, 1927, $50, mostly on
secondary and county roads.
North Carolina now has 50, 900
miles of state highways and coun-
ty raods, Graham said. and one
car for every four and one-half
persons in the state.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-18
GOVERNMENT ASKS
FOR MORE PORK!
Agriculture Departm e n t
Asks Is Per Cent
Increase

WASHINGTON, May 49, W.G -
The Agriculture Department today
paved the way for greater pork
supplies next year by calling on
farmers for substantial increases
in pig production.
Farmers we're asked 10 keep Is
per cent more sows this fall than
they kept last year.
If these official Recommended
tons are followed, the total park
supply next year should be in
creased by nearly 5000, 900. head.
the department estimated.
Calling for greater pork produc-
ton, officials warned that the
present heavy beef and veal sup
plies may not carry over next
year. A cut in cattle and calf
slaughter from the high levels of
this year is considered desirable.
Te avoid a low meat supply, under
these conditions. more pork must
be produced.