davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Barney Circle Headache

Motorists who have to contend with the
exasperating bottleneck at Barney Circle
and most District drivers have en-
countered it at one time or another
will welcome the news that serious efforts
are being made at last to do something
about it. This circle, instead of fulfilling
its intended purpose of facilitating move
ment of traffic converging at the north
end of the Sousa Bridge resembles a
stopper held close to the mouth of a bottle.
During rush hours the traffic seeking to
enter the bridge en- route to Anacostia
and points in Southern Maryland is sub
jected to frustrating delays and cars
coming into the city from those places
are backed up solidly far across the bridge.
Unfortunately, there is no unanimity
among transportation and traffic authori-
ties as to the major causes of the difficulty
or remedial measures that should be taken.
To remove the circle entirely would be
to return to equally unsatisfactory condi-
tions that existed before the circle was
laid out. The District Highway Depart
ment, on the theory that streetcars are
largely responsible for the congestion,
proposes that an underground streetcar
terminal be built inside of the circle and
that Pennsylvania avenue Southeast be
extended through the circle. This would
pass motor traffic over the streetcars in
kind of grade separation project. The
Capital Transit Company, which opposed
the sending of its streetcars underground
in the Dupont Circle program, vigorously
objects to any further underground con-
struction. The company denies that its
streetcars are the main source of trouble
at Barney Circle and, with good reason,
SHES at the cost of such large under
taking. 1t suggests several alternative
plans, including motor traffic underpass
or overpass. Any grade separation would
be expensive.
Barney Circle thus is a headache not
only to those who run afoul of it in their
daily travels but to the planners and en-
gineers who must bear the burden of
finding q cure. The situation is so bad
that halfway measures will not suffice.
It seems inevitable that the circle is going
to cost lot of money before adequate
relief is provided. Worst of all, any sub
stantial improvement is going to take
long time for completion Various
suggestions for .rerouting of certain buses
and other traffic should be explored in
the meantime, with view of affording
some sort of temporary relief however
partial 1t may be.
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Mr.. AttIee and the Lords

It is interesting, if not significant, that
most of the British press has joined WIN
ston Churchill in condemnlng the Laoor
governments proposal to reduce the powers
of the House of Lords. Even Prime Min
lister Attlee's strongest editorial supporters
seem to have only lukewarm liking 1or
the idea 1t smacks too much OF polltlcS
to escape brickbats or win bouquets BE-
yond that though scarcely revolutionary,
1t involves tampering with conStltutlonai
usage. and there are large NUMBERS OF
Britons-in all walks of Internationally
inclined to resist that.
What the Labor government proposes 10
do is to amend the Parliament Act OF 1911.
That act deprived the House of Lords OF
some of its past powers, including the
power to veto money bills enacted by the
House of Commons. But 1t still left the
Lords with the right to reject other meas
ures. In all such cases, of course, the last
word has remained with Commons, the
latter being able to put the rejected legls-
lation into force after passing it at three
successive sessions. In effect, however,
this has enabled the Lords, if so willing,
to delay final action for as long as two
wears. and Mr. Attlee now wants to cut
down the time to about one year.
In itself, this seems to be relatively
mild PROPOSAL but it's opponents argue that
It represents a politically shabby et1ost TO
eliminate wholesome constitutional prac-
tice in order to force through controversial
legislation before the next general election.
The legislation in question Is Tor the ma
tionalization of the iron and steel industry.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the act OF 1911 can be
amended in the meantime-the House OF
Commons cannot enact this fast enough
to prevent the possibility that the Lords
NAV block it until the present Parliament
expires in 1885, at which time the British
neonle will vote either to keep the Laborites
in or replace them. In other words, by
moving now to reduce the Lords delaying
mower. the Attlee government Is seeking to
insure that key part OF the soclallzatlon
program will be in effect before the British
electorate decides whether or not the Labor
Party is to stay In.
The London Times has described this as
a cynical" political maneuver, and the
British press as a whole has taken much
the same line. As for the people of Britain,
a great many of them probably are loatn
to see any hasty change. After all, as Sir
Arthur salter recently observed, the House
of IS has served well as kind OF
saf valve It's .S1s sitting members
mos Of them there by virtue of heredity,
not election-are largely men OF excep-
tional talent and experience, and their de-
bates are often extremely useful as check
on measures rushed through Commons.
Though predominantly belonging to the
Conservative Party, they have not created
notable difficulties fors the Attlee govern
ment. On the contrary, through the
amendment process, they have improved
Evening star., 1947-10-24
BeIuted Chore

He came across the field Dsth head bent
IoD
Dragging pine boughs through d s,otrl Of
snO1D
Which danced like seedfuf on unstable
air.
Winters, long and past, had sno1oed his
hair
And wtnds, forgotten no,o, had scanned hts
face,
But still he labored tn his tresher race
With winter Just ahead, as he had done
For ftty gears. Despite his annual resoln-
tion
TO bank and bough the house before the
cold
OF pinter caught him unprepared, the gold
OF autumn fell and tarntshed completely
before
He ,pas aDore OF ,Ointer at the door
Like hound-dog long atody but nome
again.
Then-a month too late-and only then,
He baraed the house and made solemn
DO11
like fftu Others Which tpers broken nom.
HARRY ELMORE HURD.
Evening star., 1947-10-24

desired by the overwhelming majority of people
everywhere Film producers are businessmen,
with keen eyes, and cater to popular demand;
hence films that are shown at theaters must
and do reflect popular sentiment.
If it should be that small percentage OF our
people are organized in a clamorous group,
seeking to deprive the vast multitude OF their
right to the pursuit of happiness, then we
should investigate the motive underlying their
campaign.
Could 1t really be that fanatical "blue noses"
are worried or jealous that so many people FORE
gather at movie houses to relax and gain knowl-
edge when they (the fanatics) feel that the
populace should do their foregathering at more
worth while" places? After all, this clamor
about "evil films might only be dread of
competition" WALTER FIELDER.
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Alexandria Bicentennio|

Whether one thinks of Alexandria as
being suburb of Washington or of Wash
1ngton as being suburb of Alexandria,
the bicentennial of the city named for
Captain John Alexander and his family
should be an event of Importance. Plans
already are in the making for a proper
celebration Of the anniversary, and people
on the north side of the river will wish
to share with their neighbors to the south
to the end that the occasion may be
memorable itself.
In 1748 the General Assembly of Virginia
authorized the establishment of a county
center for newly created Fairfax "at Hunt
ing Creek warehouse" the same to be
designated in honor of the former pro-
prietors of the land. John West, junior,
assisted by George Washington, then
seventeen, laid off the streets and eighty
four half-acr lots in 1749 Three years
later the new development formally was
declared to be the county seat. Meanwhile,
Lawrence Washington of Mount Vernon
and his brother Augustine had purchased
home sites in the community. Their exam
pie was followed by other buyers, some Of
whom are represented by descendants now
living.
Any adequate commemoration naturally
would include remembrance of the pioneer
residents as group. If the Father of His
Country happens to dominate the picture,
it will be because Alexandria was indeed
the "springboard" of his career. He not
only helped to organize the town: His
first command consisted of troops re-
cruited locally and drilled in Market
Square before marching against the
French in 1754. The second expedition,
led by Inflated General Edward Braddock,
assembled on the same grounds in 1755.
George Washington also was the chairman
of a meeting held in the courthouse to elect
delegates for the premier Virginia con-
vention and to protest against the Boston
port bill This assembly of July, 1774,
marked the commencement not merely of
southern resistance to British errors of
administration but quite as definitely the
beginning of solidarity among the Colonies
which at last furnished the basis for the
Republic, launched with Washington at
the helm.
All of these incidents combine to furnish
a rich background for p,geantry and
drama of a constructively educational
character So, too, much of the history
of the era between 1889 and 1846 during
which Alexandria was part OF Washington
City, will be found to lend itself to exposi-
! ton in the theater, including radio. a
Evening star., 1947-10-24
ERNEST D. MacDOUGALL.

Older Ladies' Are Better Workers
To the Editor of The STAR
will be hitting the "18 to IS" restrictions
in few years, so want to express my point
of view now.
graduated from high school In 1888 and
walked these streets ragged to get dime store
job while the outsiders came here to work in
the Government and thumbed their noses at us
poor native born suckers who had to do~the
laboring Jobs.
Finally got In the Government in November
1910 and am still there, so far. know what
1t was to work the trying years Of the war with
no holidays, no vacations and 48 hours or more
a week. think that any War Service ap-
pointee that worked through those trying
years deserves permanent status as a re-
ward All the outsiders will want to come here
now to ride the 5-day -a-week gravy train. My
name was reached from the alphabetic card
punch register around March 8, 1912, but the
agency did not give me probational perman-
ent. I guess the supervisor did not like the
way I parted my hair or something.
work around International Business ma
chimes and have found that some of the
older ladies around 80 or over are more de-
pendable and better workers than these silly
kids from the country. One Of the best card
punch operators and verifyers that I worked
with was lady 81 years old. DOTT1E.
Evening star., 1947-10-24

on Laborite legislation-a fact acknowl-
edged by the Labor Party itself.
In the circumstances, 1t is not altogether
surprising that the proposal for further
trimming of the Lords powers has met
with widespread opposition. Predictions
that the issue may force general election
seem exaggerated, but the debate in Parlia-
ment certainly promises to be warm.
When even the pro-Attlee segment of the
British press is anything but enthusiastic,
the Labor government has reason to ask
itself whether it might not have been
wiser to steer, clear of constitutional
tinkering
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Stors, Men and Atoms
Scientists Find Broin,
Has Appetite Thermostot'
Tiny Nerve Cell Unit in Hypothalamus
Seen Regulating Hunger and Safety
Bv Thomas r. Henry.

Dy HO"OS ~ ~ c" ~
NEW HAVEN, Oct. 24-An appetite therno-
stat in the brain has been found at the Yale
Medical School here.
1t is tiny block of nerve cells in the hypo-
thalamus, one of the interior sections of the
brain beneath the cerebral cortex which is con-
cerned with subconscious behavior of the body.
When this area is removed or injured in
rats-presumably the same is true for any other
animals and for men-the victims will eat al
most constantly so long as food is placed before
them. Consequently they become very fat.
Some experimental animals have nearly tripled
their weight in six months. The only limit on
eating is the actual physical capacity of the
body to hold food, and this is surprisingly
high. A rat upon which the brain operation
has been performed will consume in day more
than five times as much as an ordinary animal.
Not Blamed for Obesity.
Damage to the same brain area may be re-
sponsible for the prodgious eating of some ex-
tremely fat men but 1t is not blamed for most
cases Of human obesity. The nerve area is be-
Ieved to be tied up in some way with heat
control of the body, which also is centered in
the hypothalamus.
In the average adult, food serves only two
purposeS-to be burned to keep up body heat
and to be stored away as fat Once growth
stops, little is used for building up body tissues,
other than fat.
1t is considered highly probable that the
sensation of hunger is natures way of warn
ing that more food is needed to keep up the
body temperature. When this requirement is
approximately satisfied an individual naturally
stops eating. There Is satisfied "full' feel
ing. A little more food gives a feeling of
stuffiness.
Safety Sensation.
The Yale workers believe it highly probable
that some intimate association of the specific
hypothalamus section with heat regulation Is
responsible for the normal safety sensation.
When 1t goes wrong there Is nothing to tell
4 rat, or a man, that 1t Is time to quit.
Some persons burn food faster than others,
1t is explained, but the difference In normal
individuals is relatively slight. All the food
taken into the body and digested must be
stored in the form of fat unless it is burned.
The only way to cut down on fat IS to eat
less and, by and large the more one eats the
more weight Is gained. 1t Is natural to suppose
that there must be some regulating mechanism,
but hitherto 1t has escaped attention.
One OF the side results being studied Is q
peculiar form OF kidney disease suffered by the
fat rats.
The research was inaugurated by Dr. g. N H
Long and Is being conducted under the direc-
ton of DR.. j. r. Brobeck.
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Mr.. Ickes and the Arabs

MIR. IckeS anQ the ARABS
TO the Editor OF The STAR
It Is unfortunate that in his article on
Palestine in your issue of october %, Harold
L. Ickes omitted few facts and distorted
others
Thus 1t is untrue that speaking through the
late King Feisal the Arabs had acquiesced in
the principle of the Balfour declaration, but
they became truculent after the British be-
trayal of the Jews" embodied in the White
Paper of 1882 To quote the UNSCOP report
"the Feisal- -Weizmann agreement did not
acquire validity, since the condition attached
was not fulfilled at the time" Arab resistance
to Zionism began in 1918, and expressed itself
in the revolts of 1920, 1929 and 1886, before
Mr.. Chamberlain had become a member of
Parliament. Mr. Ickes should not be quite so
careless with his dates.
It also is untrue that the Arab states were
"carved out of the Ottoman Empire by the
Allies after the First World War" The Arabs
participatedS fully in that war, before the
United States had entered 1t, and played an
important part in freeing their countries. In
Palestine in 1917 the Arabs engaged about as
many Turkish soldiers as did the British. Arab
military and civilian losses totaled about
500 900 lives.
What the Allies did was to put the Arab
countries under mandates, thinly veiled
form of colonization. 1t took the Egyptian
revolt of 1919, the Iraqi revolt of 1920 and the
Syrian revolts of 1925 and 1945 to bring about
anything like independence.
1t is equally untrue to say that the Arabs
stood aloof from World War II. OF the
$4,000 North Africans in the Free French
Army, $4,000 died on the battlefield and many
more civilians lost their lives Egypt and
Iraq both offered to enter the war as early
as 1910, while the United States was still
neutral and were asked not to do so by the
British government. Tens Of thousands OF
Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian volunteers
Joined the French or British Armies The
Egyptian, Iraqi and Saudi Arabian govern
ments' services to the Allied cause repeatedly
have been acknowledged by Presidents Roose-
velt and Truman and by Mr.. Churchill and
Mr.. Bevin.
The suggestion that the Mufti Of Jerusalem
"aided Hitler in massacring Jews" Is ridiculous.
Hitler needed no ones aid, and Mr. Ickes would
find it rather hard to substantiate his claim.
Mr. Ickes brings moving and well-deserved
indictment against those "so-called Christians"
who have prosecuted the Jews. But the only
fault he can fnd with the Arabs is that they
have only "pitiful little armies" Hence he
thinks that their bluff should be called without
any more delay" We can only assure him that
the Arabs are not blufhng when they say they
will resist partition with all their might and
that though they can be crushed they can
certainly not be browbeaten.
CHARLES ISSAW1,
The Arab Offce.
Evening star., 1947-10-24

American films
are at a pre-
MUM abroad
This, in itself,
is mute but
a absolutely con-
c | u S We evi-
dence of the
I a c t t h a t
A m e r ! c a n
made films are
Evening star., 1947-10-24

in turn, on eggless Thursdays we are served
meat instead of eggs and poultry.
Maybe this plan Is for the people who are
accustomed to eating both meat and poultry at
the same meals. If not, then we're like the cat
that chased its tail BETTY McALISTER.
Evening star., 1947-10-24

uayS anu pOul-
tryles SIS and
eggless Thurs
days are con-
ficting.
For instance,
on meat | e S S
Tuesdays our
m e a t is re-
pl a C e d with
poultry a n 8
egg dishes and,
Evening star., 1947-10-24

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
,Driter, although it is permissible for a
apriter knoton to The Star to use a
non, de plume. Please be brief.
Evening star., 1947-10-24

well as in the press. It currently is not too
early to prepare for a celebration worthy
of all groups and individuals interested.
The same observation, of course, applies
to plans for the sesquicentennial of the
Canital in 1880
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Price Controls Indorsed

TO the Editor OF Inc SIaI
I wish to add my voice to that Of Senator
Pepper In support of price controls. think it
yery wrong to ask food sacrifices from the
rank and file of people and then allow spec
ulators to make millions from that sacrifice.
Z. WILLIS.
Evening star., 1947-10-24
BY THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

@. Taking area and population figures into
consideration what proportion of the worlds
railway mileage is in the United States?-
G. M. E.
A. The United States comprises about per
cent of the worlds land area and has about
per cent of the worlds population. Using
the Interstate Commerce Commission mileage
figures of railroads in the United States
(226696) and the prewar estimate OF world
railway mileage of the American Association
Of Railroads C88672) the United States has
about 20 per cent of the world railway mileage,
or little less than one-third.
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Popularity of Movies
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
For number of years we have heard criti-
cism leveled at Hollywood's film producers for
furnishing the sort of films they do; yet, today.
our movie houses are packed and jammed, and
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Goind in Circles

70 the Editor Of The Star:
agree wholeheartedly with the food-conser-
walton idea and think that we should stand
by our President in any such program. but it
seems that the present plans for meatless Tues
Evening star., 1947-10-24

One is told only that Weymouth, Mas
sachusetts, couple has had three sets of
twins in two years; snothing about the
family physician, and what he offers in the
way of club rates.
Evening star., 1947-10-24
Questions and Answers

A reader get the answer to any question Of
fact by writing The Washington Star Information
Bureau, 316 street NE. washington 2. D. C.
Please inclose cents for return postage
Evening star., 1947-10-24

The boy who copped prize for twisting
1923 pretzels in three minutes did nearly as
well as high school miss with a telephone
cord.
Evening star., 1947-10-24

O. How many States have minimum wage
legislation covering men?-A L. N.
A. Four States have minimum wage laws
covering men: Connecticut, New York, Mas
sachusetts, Rhode Island
Evening star., 1947-10-24

What ever became of international
diplomacy?
Evening star., 1947-10-24

@. Are lemons picked while still green?-
T. I. L.
A. Lemons are picked green, because If they
ripen on the trees they lose their keeping
quality. The fruit is cut before any sign of
yellow appears as soon as 1t can slip through
a ring ~ inches in diameter and is then care
fully ripened in dark storehouses.
Evening star., 1947-10-24

Over period of many years much confusion
OF thought has resulted from the use of the
plural noun futures" as interchangeable with
the adjective future" When used the term
wheat futures market" in the first sentence
of my letter, I did not mean wheat future
market" as it appeared in print. When. in the
third paragraph, used the term "the futures
traders" I did not mean "the future traders
When, in the following sentence, I used the
term "the wheat futures market" I did not
mean ''the wheat future market"
The seriousness of this mistake is that 1t
makes 1t difficult for the public to get clear
picture OF the situation. There Is no such
thing as wheat future" market There is the
cash wheat market where actual wheat Is
sold for spot or for future delivery, and there
is the wheat futures market" where no wheat
is handled at all, but where betting is done on
price changes between two points of time.
1t should be reasonably clear that when the
President spoke of grain gamblers" he was
speaking of those who operate in the wheat
futures market" (the wheat pitt, not OF those
who deal in actual wheat or its equivalent, in
the "cash wheat market" In other words, the
wheat futures" market is not a market for
the future delivery of wheat, as some would
have us believe.
Evening star., 1947-10-24
@. What is pros2-p. NJ.

q. WlldL IS BIUBE ID. IN. I,
A. Grog is a mixture of rum and water
1t was named for "Old Grog" the nickname
given to the English admiral, Edward Vernon
in allusion to his wearing a grogram cloak in
bad weather. He issued an order in 1740 to
dilute the sailors rum Grogram is a coarse
fabric of silk and mohair, or Of coarse silk
often stiffened with gum.
Evening star., 1947-10-24
a. Is There a four-eved f1sh?-o. HIM.


@. Is there fou1-eyed f1sh?-O. H. M.
A. The "four-eyed" fish or "cuatro-ojo" has
recently been found In streams of the Pacific
coastal plain of Guatemala. 1t is about or 9
inches in length and has two protruding eyes
on the top of its head. Each half of each eye
Is divided horizontally by a septum. The
upper half is adapted for aerial vision and
the fish swims with this half above the water.
Although difficult to catch, they are considered
great delicacy.
@. Where is the oldest flower garden in this
country?-M. c.
A. The Gardeners Travel Book says that
what is believed to be the Oldest flower garden
in America is located at Fort Ticonderoga. N.
Y on the property of Mrs. S. H. p Pell. This
garden was planted during Montcalm's occupa-
tion of the fort on the site where Indians had
grown corn. When the French started the
fortress they fenced in this Indian planting
ground and continued 1t as garden This
was in 1755. 1t is still in good condition.
@, How long was Texas an independent re-
public?-S. P. T.
A. After obtaining independence from Mex
leo, Texas was an independent republic for 10
years tl836-1846) before becoming a State OF
the United States.
@. When a gun is fired, does smoke come
from the gun before the bullet?-W. w. j.
A. The National Rifle Association says photo
graphs of guns being fired have proved that
gases and smoke emerge before the bullet.