davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-04-26
Secret Of the Locust Tree

In lonely splendor stands locust tree,
Uplifting 0nurled old branches to the
skies.
The fragrance OF its pendant blooms u
free
TO all toho couet springs elusiue prize.
But one bo1gh arrogantly lifts its head
As IT defying all OF natures tDdys
1t offers its iDild cherry blooms instead
In profuston OF ethereal sprays.
Old tree, your secret has been hidden
1celI-
By passing seasons held tnuioldte-
Perhaps some minstrel Of the air could
tell sas
The cause Of this apparent whias .ot
fate, afs
BIZ nlat chance pisitor you tcerc Pcs.
sessed 80
70 nurse this alien offspring at -ydur
ANNA M. PRIEsTLEY.
TN the grounds Of the Washington
Cathedral stands . black locust tree,
one large limb Of which bears the
blooms Of the Wild cherTy9
Evening star., 1947-04-26
Errors in Teaching
b the Editor nf The Star.

EfrOrS IN eachInS
To the Editor Of The Star:
Senator Revercomb is right about
American history as 1t is taught in the
District. ! was astounded when I saw
the textbooks for the senior high schools.
I fear what Federal aid to education
might lead to. As to your editorial
Challenge to Schools we mons"
have known for long time that our
children were not getting the funda-
mentals in the basic subjects. But
what happened If we asked that our
children be taught grammar instead OF
art-which is required subject in
junior high? We were laughed at and
ridiculed as being behind the times
Evening star., 1947-04-26
Letters to The Star From It's Readers
Mothers View Modern Teaching-Note Owls
Places to Go in Washington The Straits Issue

the Nations annual income of real
wealth, going into the pockets Of bard
working Americans.
Apparently none are so blind as those
who will not see. But the critics OF
Mr.. Wallace are using mighty mcon-
vincing arguments.
JAMES A. BRAAG.
Evening star., 1947-04-26

points in Washington that they take
their friends to see, after the routine
and accepted sightseeing has been COM
pleted.
Mrs. George OF Georgia said that the
beautiful Monastery Gardens were
must" on her list, especially at this
time Of the year. Mrs. OMahoney OF
Wyoming takes friends to view the
magnificent Adams Memorial In Rock
Greek Cemetery, the most beautiful work
OF Augustus Saint -Gaudens. Mrs. Fergu-
son Of Michigan fingers over the Pom
peian moSaics in the Library Of Con-
gress. Mrs. Wallace White of Maine
takes visitors to the little known Brad
dock Rock, famous in our history, while
Mrs. Lister Hill thinks the rejecting
pool of the Lincoln Memorial by moon
light vision of beauty.
AL Of these things and many more are
ours. We are indeed blessed and per-
haps we should spend more time count
ing our blessings.
NEo-WAsH1NGToN1AN.
Straits Problem Misunderstood? i?
To the Editor Of The Star:
Senator Pepper in his opposition to
President Truman's plan for aid to
Greece and Turkey, evidently has mis-
understood the attitude of the United
States, of Turkey, and also of the Soviet
Union, concerning the question of the
Straits which connect the Black Sea
with the Mediterranean.
The United States Government in
note to. the Turkish government in
November, 1945, proposed certain liberal
conditions for the navigation of the
Straits. This proposal Immediately was
accepted by Turkey as affording the
basis for the discussion of needed
changes in the Montreux Convention of
1886.
The Soviet Union In 194e, offering
certain counter proposals, virtually ac-
cepted the main American suggestions
for the revision of the Montrelx Con-
vention. 1t, however, added two other
conditions: O Limiting the Conference
for the revision Of the Montreux Con-
vention to Black Sea powers, and, ca
Proposing the joint control of the
Straits by Turkey and the Soviet Union.
The problem for Turkey Is one of
geography because Of the situation of
Istanbul on the Bosphorus and the
Turkish Naval Base on the Sea of Mar
mora, namely, how to reconcile Turkish
security with Russian security. Turkey
clearly cannot be expected to surrender
its control of the Straits though will
Ing to agree to an international guar
antee Of navigation.
Russia obviously is entitled to freedom
OF access to the Mediterranean but no
one could claim with reason that its
security was in any way menaced either
~ Turkey or by an international guar
antee of navigation. The constant
menace of Russia to Turkey is obvious.
I always shall be grateful to Senator
Pepper for his courageous and single
handed fight against the isolationists
in the Senate in 1910 when they opposed
any aid to the victims of Hitler. It
is now matter Of painful regret to
find him fighting on the side Of those
isolationists who are unwilling to accept
the full responsibilities Of world leader
ship in the support of the free democra-
cies.
PHILIP MARSHALL, BROWN
Evening star., 1947-04-26

Please be brief. Short letters
are preferred, all are subject to
editing for condensation. Only
letters accompanied By name
and address OF ,Driter 1Dill be
used, although q pseudonyns IS
in some cases permissible.
Evening star., 1947-04-26

A good way for the United States
to put check on foreign aggressors
would be, at the very least, to re-
frain from letting their governments
cash checks on our Treasury.
Evening star., 1947-04-26
Czech Population

czech population
To the Editor Of The Star:
In referring to your editorial "Tiso
and Slovakia" published on April II,
I beg to inform you that there are
100000 czechs in Czechoslovakia and
not only 100000 as stated in your edi-
torial. The total population of Czecho-
slovakia at the end Of 1916 was over
100000. S. v. KILMA.
Editors note: The Stars editorial
was based on statistics in The States
mans Yearbook, which are not in
accord with Mr. Klimas figures.
More About Bricks
To the Editor of The Star:
wish to reply briefly to letter in
The Star by Daniel r. Chesney. He
criticizes an extract published last week
from letter written by me on the
subject of housing.
merely wish to call the attention of
my critic to the fact that I did not
state how many bricks were used in the
construction Of the garage, nor how
high it was. I stated that contracted
for the laying of the bricks for the sum
of $195, all material being furnished by
me, and that the contractor brought
with him another bricklayer and the
two men laid 1850 in the space of
four and one-haf hours, an average of
over $50 per hour per man. It did not
take 23,500 bricks to complete it, nor
did intimate that it was completed ir
a half day." JOHN BRADSHAW.
In Defense of MIR. Wallace
To the Editor Of The Star:
Down on the Iowa farm where I was
raised, they now get an average of 135
bushels of corn per acre. This COM
pared to not much over IS bushels an
acre on the same land when I was d
boy working there.
Ninety per cent of the increased yield
is due to the introduction Of hybrlo
corn. The increased production of food
on American farms Is estimated at from
900, 100000 to cool billion each and
every year, even when you disregard
increased acreage.
The man most responsible for this
annual increase in production OF cereal
foods on our farms is that impractical,
visionary and irresponsible fellow by the
name of Henry A. Wallace.
1t is not out Of place to inquire as
to which one OF his critics can point
to such continuing contribution to
Evening star., 1947-04-26

Then when your child gets in senior
high the teachers snirk and say, THE
reason Johnny finds his Latin hard is
because he hasn't learned his English. !"
Is It any wonder children acquire a
feeling Of Illustration?
You can raise teachers salary but
fail to see how that is going to raise
the quality of education for our chill
dren.
think for their next test the college
entrance examination board should ask
the applicants to write on "one of the
serious errors teachers make in teach
ing children" MON"
!. MIR. Yane States His Views
To the Editor of The Star:
In letter which appeared in several
newspapers on April %, the principal Of
Patrick Henry School. G. F. Bagby
stated, go none Of us has any objec-
ton to giving the voters voice in the
method Of that selection" (referring to
the referendum on the selection OF
school board members).
At the March meeting of the Patrick
Henry Parent-Teacher Association. the
secretary was requested to read reso-
luton which the association, was in,
formed had been passed unanimously
by the faculty. This resolution is too
lengthy to quote in full, but, among
>other statements, 1t contained the ftl-
lowing: Therefore, be it resolved: -
that we go on record as strongly oppos.
ing any change in the method of select
ing school board members"
The present method If selecting
school board members in Arlington gives
the voters no voice in their selection
BY favoring the present method, Mr.
Bagby obviously does not want the
voters to have any voice in their selec-
ton.
At the aforementioned meeting no
one moved the adoption OF the faculty
resolution, but motion was adopted to
indorse the Arlington Civic Federation
resolution favoring direct election of the
school board. At the next executive COM
mittee meeting Mr.. Bagby complained
about the discourtesy of the parents.
In the preceding year Mr.. Bagby had
been unable to get along with the pre-
vious president. She suffered various
discourtesies at his hands and several
times was at the point of resigning. His
methods, both last year and this year,
were guided by the policy of rule or
ruin" BY causing or exaggerating slight
differences into major differences. he
was able to keep the teachers in fer
ment against the leadership of the
PTA.
1t is my firm conviction that there
would have been no mass faculty resig-
nations If the PTA had adopted the
faculty resolution opposing a change
from the status quo. BY following
Mr.. Bagby's wishes in the above re-
spect, the PTA could have preserved
peace" However, after hearing the
charges in the incipal-inspired letter
of resignation, the association voted
Overwhelmingly to deplore the use Of
the teachers in the effort to defeat the
proposed change in the method of Sc
lecting the school board. Free Ameri-
cans don't want peace at any price"
B. S. YANE,
President, Patrick Henry PTA.
Evening star., 1947-04-26
Washington's Blessings

TO the Editor Of The Star:
came across an article the other day
IN hotel magazine which made me
pause and wonder II we Washingtonians
who do our share Of gripping ever take
time to thank fortune for our good luck.
The story was an interview with sew
eral Senate wives as to the particular
Evening star., 1947-04-26
Owls for Starlings

TO the Editof Of the Star.
For what 1t may be worth, I offer
this solution to the startling problem on
public buildings in Washington.
Evening star., 1947-04-26

The City of Lawrence, Mass, faced the
same problem and cleared the birds
away by using owls. Probably further
information could be gained by writing
to that city. r. D. COLLINS.
Evening star., 1947-04-26
Eek Does 1t
By Jay g. Hayden

'er Alliance.)
Evening star., 1947-06-27
Gap Between Exports
And Imports Widens
BY the Associoted Press

The gap between heavy United
States exports and smaller imports
"a matter of world wide concern
widened still further in May, the
Census Bureau reported today.
Commercial shipments to other
countries-which means everything
except lend-lease and UNRRA'S re-
lief shipments-hit an au-time high
Of 1891 800, 900 in May, increasing
S159, 100 900 over April.
At the same time, imports
dropped by s3s 200, 900 to a May
total of s473 ,6o0.o
That meant a difference of $e18,-
600 ,000-for a single month-be-
tween what other countries owe the
United States for goods and what
the goods they sell to the United
States will pay for.
Officials here and in other coun-
tries have voiced increasing concern
over how foreign nations can con-
tinue to make up that gap since
they are fast using up both their re-
serves and the billions Of dollars in
credits this country has provided.
The situation has. prompted the
Presidents National Advisory Coun-
Gil on foreign financing to declare
that foreign countries require more
aid.
Evening star., 1947-06-27
EisIer IsGiven Year
In Contempt Case
(See MARZANI

Gerhart Eisler, identified as the
No. / Communist in the United
States, was sentenced in District
Court today to a maximum year in
Jail and fined $1,000 for contempt
of Congress.
Justice Alexander Holtzof per-
mitted Eisler to remain at liberty
on bond pending appeal from his
District Court conviction.
Eisler was convicted OF contempt
for refusing to be sworn for. testi-
mony before the House Committee
on Un-American Activities.
In imposing sentence, Justice
Holtzof declared Eisler had shown
an attitude of. defiance" towards
this country's institutions
Justice Holtzof permitted Eisler
to make a statement before being
sentenced. In the statement Eisler
declared himself to be "the victim
of a witch-hunting hysteria in this
country
The sentence was imposed imme-
diately after Justice Holtzoff had
overruled a defense motion asking
for a new trial.
Meanwhile, Justice James w.
Morris of District Court still has
under advisement a defense motion
seeking dismissal of an indictment,
returned In April, which charges
Eisler with making false statements
when seeking an alien departure
permit in 1945.
Evening star., 1947-06-27
House Unanimously
Votes Teacher Pay Bill

The House today gave its unanl-
nous approval to the conference re-
port on the teacher pay bill.
1t now goes back to the Senate for
formal ratification but this will be
mere routine, since the House has
accepted two minor amendments
written into the bill by the Senate
The bill is expected to be on its
way to the White House for sigma
ture soon,
Action is expected to be taken
later today by the House on the
Districts S13,500,000 new revenue
bill. The conference report on this
bill is to be taken up after the
House disposed of the legislative ap-
preparation bill.
There was no contest in the House
over the teacher pay bill. Action
required only five minutes.
One OF the Senate amendments
provides more liberalized sick leave
for school attendance officers. The
other re-states in the teacher pay
bill the tenure of Office and retire
ment provisions contained in earlier
school statutes which continue in
force.
The bill provides a new pay scale
Il S2,500 to $4,000 for teachers with
tachelor degrees or lesser degrees
Ind range from S3.000/to s4.5o0 for
teachers having masters degrees.
Evening star., 1947-06-27
Truscott Named Detective Chief
On Barrett S Recommendation
Will Be Ranked Next
To Thomas; Johnson
Appointed Captain

Capt. Floyd A. Truscott, At, was
named chief of detectives today
by the Commissioners on recon-
mendation of Inspector Robert j.
Barrett, newly appointed police
superintendent.
The veteran ace investigator will
have the rank of inspector and Sec
ond assistant superintendent, one
rank below that of Assistant Super
intendent Walter H Thomas.
Capt. Truscott's appointment was
announced after a half-hour meet
ing among Inspector Barrett, In
spector Thomas and Commissioner
John Russell Young.
The appointment becomes effec-
tive July l.
Since Inspector Barrett will not
become superintendent until 10 am.
Tuesday, it was necessary for In
spector Thomas, as acting superin-
tendent, to sign the recommendation
elevating Capt. Truscott.
The Commissioners said, however,
the selection was Mr.. Barrett's and
pointed out the memorandum of
recommendation was prepared and
signed at police headquarters before
Evening star., 1947-06-27
By the Associoted Press

LONDON, June 27.-It seems
there were a couple of ex-GIs look
ing for place to sleep last night,
and they walked past a big gray
building, and
buckingham Palace" murmured
John L. Jensen. "a, of North Bend,
Greg.
Why not?" answered Wallace
Mccall. %, of Portland, Greg.
Buckingham Palace is protected
by wall about feet high.
1T took us half an hour to get
over the wall, said Jensen, recent
journalism graduate from the Uni
versity of oregon, and We just
missed four policemen, but it was
worth it when we got inside. What
beautiful grounds!
We found ourselves a quiet spot,
put on our Arctic sleeping bags and
went to sleep. The ground was a
little hard and we awakened about
2 o'clock and had a can Of beans.
Then we went back to sleep"
Until 8 am. that isl They awak-
ened to find themselves surrounded
Evening star., 1947-06-27
Milwaukee Pastor Found
Guilty on Arson Charge
By the Associated Press

MILWAUKEE, June 27.-Dr. John
Lewis scholarly pastor on leave OF
the Calvary Presbyterian Church,
was convicted today by a jury of 10
men and two women of a charge of
having set a fire January Is that
caused s150,0oO damage to his
church.
The jury gave its verdict after de-
liberating about eight hours.
The State had charged that the
73-year-old clergyman fired the
church in order to obtain a bigger
and better" edifice. The trial lasted
for Is days.
The gaunt clergyman paled and
his shoulders sagged as the verdict
was read.
Conviction of an arson charge In
Wisconsin carries maximum pen
atty of / to 10 years in prison.
Evening star., 1947-06-27
BY the Associated Press

Army, Navy and Interior De-
partment officials were called to
Capitol Hill today to say why
United States oil is being sent
to Russia at a time when there
is talk of gasoline shortage in
this country.
They will be the first witnesses
in a House Merchant Marine Com
mittee investigation ordered after
Chairman Weichel announced that
six American built and owned tank
ers are transporting an estimated
100000 barrels of petroleum prod
ucts to Russia.
Despite the foreign shipments,
Mr.. Weichel said in a statement,
''I find that the defense arm of the
Government says that beginning
now it is necessary to import oil,
gasoline and petroleum products
to the Eastern seaboard of the
United States from the Middle
East in an amount of 100000 bar
rels last month alone for national
defense purposes
Cites Shipments Since January.
Since January, he claimed, United
States-owned tankers on loan to
Russia have hauled 614,022 barrels
of petroleum products from West
Coast ports to Russia.
Evening star., 1947-06-27
Subcommittee Votes
To Put Welfare Work
Under District Heads
House Group Approves
$4,000 Appropriation
For Board Employees
By Harold B. Rogers

BY unanimous vote bne house
District Subcommittee on Wei
fare today approved a bill to
transfer most of the powers of
the Board of Public Welfare to
the District Commissioners.
Several amendments to clarity the
bill were. adopted. The whole meas
ure with amendments will be sub
mitted to the legislative counsel of
the House for check, Representa-
tive Miller, Republican, of Nebraska
subcommittee chairman, announced.
Among the amendments adopted,
was one to authorize an appropria-
ton of $4,000 year for employees
of the Board of Public Welfare,
which, under the bill, becomes an
advisory body.
Another amendment would give a
so-called stronger voice" to the
District Commissioners in handling
Federal grants-in-aid,
Department Created.
The bill creates a Department OF
Public Welfare under the Commis-
sioners, but does not abolish the
Board of Public Welfare.
The bill had been proposed by the
Commissioners, but was opposed by
the Board of Public Welfare, who
asked instead a more autonomous
board.
When the legislative counsel COM
pletes it's check of the bills Ian
guage, the measure will be reported
by the Miller subcommittee to the
District Committee for action.
The amendments, prepared by
Corporation Counsel Vernon West
to meet suggestions made at a
lengthy hearing yesterday, were ap-
proved during the hearing this
morning by District Commissioner
Mason as we'll as the subcommittee.
Clapp Approves Bill.
Raymond F. Clapp. acting director
of the Board of Public welfare, told
the committee he personally ap-
proved the bill.
He testified it would be "a sub
stantial improvement over present
law" He refrained, he said, from
participating in the long pending
argument over whether the bill
would be better than the proposed
autonomous welfare board.
Under the present law, Mr.. Clapp
told the committee, there is a con-
fusion of authority and responsible
ity between the Commissioners and
the board. This makes administra-
ton difficult" he added, "and delays
determination of policy because Of
differences in Interpretation of pol
icy. Every one connected with well
fare here believes that change is
necessary"
The Miller subcommittee under a
request from the full House District
Committee decided to assemble a
mass OF information to help it de-
termine future policy regarding the
District program for the day-care
of the children of working mothers.
A bill already has been approved
by Congress and today was await
ing action by President Truman to
extend this program through 1913. II
the day-care centers are to be con-
tinued, however, in case the Presi-
dent signs the bill, an appropriation
will be necessary.
Evening star., 1947-06-27
Ex-GIs Evode Police to Sleep
In Buckingham Palace Grounds

by three gardeners, two workmen,
two policemen and a detective. TIE
detective was collarless, sleepy eyed
and astounded.
He asked US, DO you know where
you are?' and we said, just at ran
dom, st. James Park, isn't it?' and
he said no, it certainly isn't, and
after that everything got little
confused" said Mccall, a graduate
student at Yale.
Before the black maria came, -
said Jensen, I'VE had a good look
around. I can't say we enjoyed the
ride to Scotland Yard, although the
officials were very nice to us and let
us go once we convinced them there
were no bombs in our sleeping bags. ="
Scotland Yard confirmed the bare
facts of their story, but kept an en-
barrassed silence about the details
However, one official eonf1ded: 7
wouldn't have believed it possible
the palace is so well protected"
Jensen and Mccall, handsome
six-footers, have been In England
10 days, preparatory to q motor
cycle tour of Europe.