davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1948-12-18

! ! II III II LoWeh neheb''
members multiplied by that many
dollars would provide that much
money, probably the largest sum
ever collected for any such purpose.
But inquiry reveals that an awful
lot Of doctors, members of the A.
M. A., have no intention Of paying
the $25 assessment.
I asked q doctor friend if he
planned to contribute s25. He re-
piled, Not by a damn sight!"-
which is medical language, mean
ing not by a damn sight. And he
added that all the doctors he had
talked with feel the same way about
it. They propose to fight the assess
ment, he said; to fight it in their
local medical societies and, in any
case, not to pay it.
Battle Within Ranks.
So 1t becomes clear, as has long
been claimed by the sponsors of
the national health insurance plan,
that ANA does not actually rep
resent the thinking of the medi-
cal profession to the extent it pre-
tends. And that it has launched
battle within its own ranks as
big as or bigger than its battle with
health insurance.
Representative John D. Dingell of
Michigan, coauthor with Senator
James Murray of Montana of the
administrations health bill in the
last session of Congress, has pre-
dicted that not more than half Of
the ANA members will contribute
to the proposed fund. This neces-
sarily is guesswork on his part, al
though he carries on considerable
correspondence with doctors. But
the Office of the Committee for the
Nations Health reports that it is
receiving many calls each day from
PHYSICIANS protesting the ANA ac-
ton, and many $5 and $40 contri-
buttons from physicians who have
come to favor the insurance plan.
| The Committee for the Nations
Health is headed by DIR. Charming
rockingham, former president of
the Massachusetts, Medical Society.
It's vice chairmen include William
Green and Philip Murray, labor
leaders; David Sarnof and Gerard
, Swope, tndustrialists, and Mrs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Priced Selves Out.
When hearings on the insurance
legislation begin this winter, it is
likely that the congressional COM
mittees will grant less time than
formerly to the spokesmen for ANA.
The latter may find that, thanks
to their well-publicized $500, 900
fund, they have priced themselves
out OF the market. The same may
be true of the National Physicians
Committee, which heretofore has
been the principal propaganda
agency Of ANA. and which has re-
ported greater collections and ex-
penditures this year than any other
lobbying organization reporting to
Congress.
This does not mean that the doc
tors will not be heard, but that
ANA and the NPC are no longer
regarded as their proper spokesmen.
The doctors will be heard both for
and against the bill. If . true cross
Evening star., 1948-12-18
Spy Jury Will Hear
Sayre, Hiss Superior
In State Department
By tho Assoeicted Press

NEW YORK. Dec. 1s.zA new
Federal grand jury, picking UP the
spy trail where another grand jury
left Of, plans to question Francis
B. Sayre, former Assistant Secre-
tary of State.
MIR. Sayre, onetime United States
high commissioner in the Philip
pines and now q United Nations
delegate, Is expected back from
Paris Monday.
During Mr.. Sayre's tenure in the
State Department, a top-ranking
assistant was Alger Hiss, now under
a perjury indictment for. denying he
gave confidential Government docu.
ments to former Communist Agent
Whitaker Chambers.
Mr.. Chambers was the flrst-and
only-witness before the new grand
jury yesterday as 1t started fresh
on the espionage inquiry. The in
quiry was launched q year and q
half ago by another jury whose term
ended Wednesday with the indict-
menC OF Mr.. Hiss.
Praises Grand Jury.
Talking to newsmen outside the
jury room, MIR. Chambers said he
thought the old grand jury did an
impressive job"
But would be inhuman," he
added, IF could take any pleasure
from Mr.. Hiss personal troubles"
Mr.. Chambers has testified that
when MIR. Hiss was an assistant to
Mr.. Sayre he supplied Mr.. Chambers
with data for delivery to Russian
agents.
Mr.. Hiss, who served three years
under Mr.. Sayre from September,
1895, until September, 1899, has de-
MED Mr.. Chambers charges, and
pleaded not guilty to the perjury
indictment.
Another former State Department
ofncial, Henry Julian Wadleigh, also
a target of Mr.. Chambers charges,
was on hand to testify before the
jury yesterday, but was not called.
Next Meeting Monday.
The new grand jury also plans to
question Miss Elizabeth Bentley,
self-styled former Communist espi-
onage courier, who has accused nu-
merous wartime Government officials
OF supplying her with information.
Like the old grand jury, the new
one has 18 months to function. It
scheduled its next meeting Monday
morning.
In another phase of the spy hunt,
Representative Mcdowell, Republi-
can. of Pennsylvania. yesterday
questioned two witnesses in a pri-
vate hearing here yesterday, and
said he had turned up some very
new" angles in the espionage case.
He declined to Identify the wit
ness.
Mr.. Mcdowell. acting as a one
man subcommittee of the House
Committee on Un-American Activi-
ties, originally had slated a public
hearing in the Federal Building
where the grand jury meets.
He called of the public session,
saying he did not want to appear
to be competing" with the grand
jury, and moved his hearing to a
private hotel room.
Evening star., 1948-12-18
Gen. MacNider's S Son Hurt
Seriously in Auto Crash
Dy the Assoeiotsd Press

NORTON, Kans., Dec. 1S.-Angus
MacNider, 40, son or Brig. Gen.
Hanford MacNider of Mason City,
Iowa, suffered a spinal injury and
head cuts in q motor car accident
near here Thursday night.
He was taken by ambulance plane
to Mason City yesterday.
Also injured in the accident was
Walter Hazelwood. Willis, w. Va,
who suffered broken pelvis.
Sheriff Frank Bryant said Mr..
MacNider's car overturned on a
sharp curve on Highway 383.
Young MacNider, a student at
Claremont College. Pomona, Calf,
was en- route home for the holidays.
Mr.. Hazelwood said he had been
given a ride by Mr.. MacNider.
The youths mother accompanied
Evening star., 1948-12-18
Peeping Tom Shoots Youth
With Air Rifle During Chase

Gordon c. Fell, 16, had a punc-
ture in his leg today after a Peep
ing Tom he chased turned and shot
him, apparently with an air rifle.
The youth, who lives at 2908
Thirty second street NV, told po-
lice he returned home about 11:15
O'Clock last night to find a boy,
about II years old. on the lawn
peeking into his home. He shouted
at the boy and then started chasing
him.
The chase ended. however, when
the pursued turned and shot the
pursuer with what young Fell
thought was an air rife. Doctors at
Georgetown Hospital treated him
and sent him home.
Evening star., 1948-12-18
Students Who's Who
Lists q at Howard

Twenty-three students from How
ard University have been listed in
the 194S-9 edition of Who's Who
Among Students in American Uni
versities and Colleges" the univer-
sity announced yesterday.
The students, selected for schol-
arship as well as leadership, are:
William II. Bethel. Conrad H.
Cheek, Ardafay Davis, Marguerite
A. Dodson, Gloria M. Edmunds,
Thomas D. Green, Ernestine M.
Hairston, Richard D. Hill, William
H. Hopper, Edsel K. Hudson, Zach
ariah Jennings. Kermit K. Keith,
Gladys M. Kays, Henry Kindlam,
William Matory, Martha L. Pitt,
Wendall ]. Roye, Andrea M. Sparks,
Jeannine I. Smith. Viola S. Spotts-
wood, Norma e. Whitby, Mazda Will
hams and Cecil T. Wint.
Evening star., 1948-12-18
This Changing World
Hoover Report Expected to End Laxity
OF Officials in Defense Planning

lily speaking they were unprepared
for their tasks. What made things
worse was the fact that the top
men-the directors of those services
were generals or admirals who
had scant knowledge of matters
other than military.
In the days before nation goes
to war good intelligence can be
worth several divisions or task forces
in actual combat. During wartime
ia well-organized intelligence service
can save thousands Of lives. Our
faulty estimate Of German capabin-
ties cost us dearly four years ago
when Field Marshal Gerd Won
Rundstedt opened the battle of the
Bulge.
Usually after a shooting war we
iSismantle our improvised intelli-
gence and revert to amateurish,
skeleton organizations. Their op-
eratives have always been the naval
and military attaches Of our en-
bassies. They are not in q position
to send home anything but oficial
information, which is of no real
value.
Never Supported.
Congress and the President have
never supported real intelligence
work on the ground that 1t Is un-
ethical and unworthy Of a great
nation. They have not liked to
poke our noses into the private af-
fairs Of other nations.
For the first time In our history,
at the end of World War II the ad-
ministration realized that our sur
vival depended on effective intelli-
gence as well as other things. A
new body, known now as the Gen.
tral Intelligence Agency, was formed
on President Truman's order and
Sidney w. Souers, a naval reserve
intelligence officer since 1898, was
put in charge.
1t was a first attempt to correlate
the mass Of information needed by
our national defense. Unfortunate
ly, after Mr.. Souers left the organ
lZation Jagged for several months,
while q totally inexperienced man
held the helm. Later, when a reg
ular naval officer, Rear Admiral
Roscoe Hillenkoetter, was placed in
charge some improvement occurred.
Considering the vastnesS of the
field in which CIA was told to oper-
ate-collection Of information at
the source as well as its evaluation
and distribution-the results up to
now have been only moderately
satisfactory.
CIA looked good as an evaluation
agency when it advised President
Truman to accept skeptically the
Air Force report last spring that
Russian attack was imminent. But
in the actual collection of informa-
ton the agency Is still far behind
its sister organizations abroad.
The Eberstadt task force" sug-
gests that this agency be adequate
ly strengthened. not only with am
pie funds, but also by q careful
selection of its top operating per-
sonnel both at home and abroad.
Evening star., 1948-12-18
SpyP Papers Show Nazis
Threatened Trade
ReprisaIs in 1887
By Robert K. Welsh

The Nazi government threat
ened In 1887 to take such meas
ures as 1t might find necessary"
If the United States trade
agreements with other nations
involved "unwarranted and un-
fair" treatment of Germany,
stolen State Department docu-
ments showed today.
The documents, released by the
House Committee on Un-American
Activities, following State Depart
ment clearance. were among those
obtained from Whitaker Chambers
this month. Mr.. Chambers, prewar
Communist agent, said he got most
of them in 1887 and 1888 from Alger
Hiss, former State Department Of
iicial.
The final batch of copies, made
from papers or microfilms turned
over by Mr.. Chambers, will be pub
lished IN tomorrow's newspapers.
Dim View Of Trade Talks.
AS q follow-up to last Thursdays
instalment containing suggestions
by some Department officials that
informal German American trade
talks be arranged in 1888, today's
documents indicate higher Depart
ment officials took dim view of the
chances of an agreement.
Besides two Department memo
randa on the subject, other docu-
ments given out by the committee
today included dispatches relating
to British warshlp building plans,
smuggling in North China and jap
anese troop movements in the va
rious Chinese areas.
The dispatch on naval construc-
ton, dated February Is, 1888, was
sent to the State Department by
Herschel v. johnson, then charge
d'affaires of the United States EN-
bassy in London. It reported on a
conversation Capt. Russell Wilson,
naval attache at the Embassy, had
with Admiral Lord Chatfleld, then
British first sea lord of the Ad-
miralty.
According to Mr.. Johnson's report,
Lord Chatfield indicated the Ad-
miralty would favor an increase in
the battleship limit to $1,000 tons,
with no change in cruiser limits, for
the building program of that year.
The conversation concerned the So
called oscillation tonnage in
crease-formula of the London Naval
Treaty.
There were references to this mat
ter in other documents released pre-
viously by the committee.
On the trade agreements matter,
a memorandum dated December 81,
1887, noted that some of the con-
ditions laid down by Germany as
the basis for discussions fall short
by considerable margin" of meet
ing United States basic principles
for trade relations.
Modification Suggested.
IF the German government
should care to renew its suggestions,
modified In the sense outlined
above. this Government would be
pleased to accord them sympathet-
ic consideration" the memorandum
added. A notation on the memo
randum showed it was given to the
German Ambassador.
Another document was a copy of
a memorandum made July q, 1887,
after German Ambassador Hans
Dieckhoff visited the then Under
secretary of State Sumner Welles.
The Ambassador had been directed
by his government to make "oral
representations" concerning trade
agreement conversations then be-
Evening star., 1948-12-18

tion's national
health insurance
proposal. 1t ap-
pears now that
the report was
somewhat exag-
gerated. It was
based on the an
nounced decision
of he AMA'S
House of Dele
gates to assess
the 140, 900 mem
b ers of ANA
$25 each for this
" e d u c q tional'
u n d er t a k ing.
Evening star., 1948-12-18
France Enjoys Warm White,

PARIS, Dec. 18 R.-France is
having one of her warmest winters
on record. Roses are blooming in
the Alps near Grenoble A news
paper said yesterday that only of
Is French winter resorts had snow
Evening star., 1948-12-18
Church Chorus to Sina

The 35-voice I.aymen's Chorus of
the Rockville Presbyterian Church
will give musical service at 8 pm.
tomorrow in the church. Colored
slides showing the Nativity story
also are on the program.
Evening star., 1948-12-18

posing the IRE
sponsibility of
some service Of
hcials in expend-
| t u r e S and
planning. and Of
the va u u m )
which exist in
our defense or
ganization.
Our old tradi-
ton of laxness
after a shooting
war and of anna
teurish security
preparations be-
tween wars ap-
Evening star., 1948-12-18

the ambulance plane here to take
Mr.. MacNider back to Mason City.
Gen. MacNider Is a former ma
tional commander Of the American
Legion.
Evening star., 1948-12-18
Ry Consfanfine Bro.cn

The Hoover Commissions task
force" which was assigned to
examine the adequacy of our armed
forces, did an excellent job of ex-
Evening star., 1948-12-18
By LoweH MeUeff

Some weeks ago it was reported
that the American Medical Associa-
ton would raise a fund of s3,5OO 900
to fight the Truman administra-
Evening star., 1948-12-18

Nearly $4,000 tons of matches
were produced in Japan in a recent
month
Evening star., 1948-08-22
Radio Waves Unlikely Cause
of Mystery Fires, Condor Says

bureau would have authority to, in
vestigate such fires, but thought it
unnecessary because other agencies
well equipped, already were on the
farm.
The fire underwriters group es-
pecially, he said, had a financial
stake" in finding out the cause of
the fires. They have extensive lab
.oratories for such research, he
added.
6. H. 1ngberg. retired fire re-
sistance" expert of the Bureau of
Standards, was mystified by the
phenomenon, which he said goes
beyond anything l ever came across.
If the buildings were new, he
said, some materials used in the
fabrication might be suspected. but
the structures were supposed to be
old.
Rules Out Rodents.
The theory that rats and mice
carry matches and ignite them
would not apply to the Wiley farm,
he pointed out, because there were
too many fires, some of them start
ing on walls in front of the oc-
cupants. Anyhow, he said, very few
fires are started by rodents.
District Deputy Fire Marshal r.
A. Waraeld was curious about re-
ports of the farm fires, which he
has been following closely. "I never
heard the equal Of it," he said. II
am at a loss to even guess what
might. be the cause"
Evening star., 1948-08-22
Arab Talks Expected
To Increase Unity Of
Forces in Palestine
BY the Asseeiotsd Pres.

AMMAN, Trans-Jordan, Aug.
21,-Diplomatic talks which be-
gan today in Amman were ex-
pected to result In greater Arab
military unity in Northern
Palestine.
The conferences started with the
arrival in the Trans -Jordanian cap
ltal today Of Prince Abdul Ilsh. re-
gent OF 1raq, and Iraoi Premier
Muzahim Amin Alpachachi. It was
believed they would discuss unifi-
cation of the Iraqi and Trans-Jor-
danlar1 army commands.
Confer With Abdullah.
Soon after the Iraq dignitaries
reached Amman they were closeted
with King Abdullah 1t was re-
ported that they discussed the pos
sibility of having an Iraai COM
mander in charge of both forces
the 1raqi army ad Abdullah's Arab
Legion. Such joint command re-
portedly was being arranged under
terms OF an existing treaty between
the two countries.
Arab circles had hopes that the
arrangement would give the Arabs
greater military strength in the
Holy Land. Until now Ira1i and
Trans -Jordanian troops have acted
more or less independently OF each
other
In London, a Trans -Jordanian
diplomatic spokesman said ne
gotations are in progress to set
tie problems of joint operation
In Palestine The newspaper AL
Misri, In Carlo, said one condition
would be the removal. at least
temporarily. Of British officer
personnel from Trans-Jordan's
Arab Legion)
British Influence Declines. I
There appears to be a trend in
Amman toward less and less British
influence in the Arab Legion. This
was noted recently when Arabs
promptly were named to fill the
Evening star., 1948-08-22
Burma's Rebels Reported
Using Temples as Forts
By the Associated Press

RANGOON. Burma, Aug. 21.-An
official government statement to-
day said insurgents attempting to
sweep down on Rangoon by road
and river are converting Buddhist
temples and monasteries into
armed fortresses" from which they
ambush loyal troops.
The announcement said recent
actions by troops attempting to oust
the rebels had been accompanied
by warnings to monks and other
religious personnel to evacuate the
temples and monasteries because
the government intended all-out ac-
ton against the rebels.
Today's official communique said
mopping operations are proceed
ing in the Bassein district where
the main town of Bassein has been
freed of rebels.
Evening star., 1948-08-22
Additional u. S. Observers
Due to Arrive Soon
By the Associated Press


The State Department said yes
terday it expected new contingents
OF American truce observers will be-
gin to arrive in Palestine shortly
from the 9Th Task Fleet
The department noted that Count
Folke Bernadotte, United Nations
mediator for Palestine, has re-
quested that the present observer
staff of 300 American, French and
Belgian officers be augmented by
300 enlisted men. OF the new group
the United States is furnishing 1875
France l25. and Belgium so, the
same division as was made in the
assignment of officer observers.
In no event are these men to be
assigned to guard, protective or en-
forcement duties the State De-
partment said.
Evening star., 1948-08-22

DR.. Edward u. Condor, director
of the Bureau Of Standards, last
night secuted Is most unlikely" the
suspicion that high frequency radio
waves might have caused the 200
mysterious fires which have de-
stroyed home and two barns on
an illinois farm.
In his opinion, based on press
reports, DR.. Condor said he was
more inclined to think the blaze
could have been caused by deliberate
planting Of some material which
would ignite by spontaneous COM
bustion.
The Bureau OF Standards has not
yet been asked to investigate the
fires. 1t was learned.
Several other Washington. scien-
fists interviewed by The Star about
the strange fires admitted they were
mystifled.
Difference of opinion cropped up
over the theory that phosphorus
might have been the cause. One
scientist said phosphorus required
moisture to set it afire, and most
of the blaze had originated inside
blame probably could not be laid
to phorphorus.
Family Has Left Farm.
Another view was that some
phosphorus compound might have
been the cause.
The suspicion that high frequency
radio waves might have ignited
some material on the farm was
raised by spokesman for Air Force
scientists at Wright Field. Dayton.
Ohio. He said a technician had
been sent to the farm to make a
scientific study of materials there
Investigations also were reported
under way by the National Board
of Fire Underwriters and the Uni
versity of Illinois.
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Wiley, who
have been plagued by the fires on
their farm near Macomb, Ill, have
left the place and sought refuge
with neighbors, while the investiga-
tions are under way. They sue
eCCoCo III putting out ceFCl al SlIidl
fires, some Of which broke out from
brown patches on wall paper, but
were unable to save their home or
two barns Fires also broke out
in a chicken house and a milk
/ house.
Recalls Lightning Antics.
| One distinguished scientist here,
not connected with the Bureau of
Standards, who did not want his
name disclosed, was intrigued by
the fact that scientists from the Air
Force field were looking into pos
sibility OF high frequency radio
waves igniting some kind of mate
rialS.
Normally, we wouldn't expect
radio waves to have high enough
frequency to ignite any normal
material" he said. But electrical
currents induced by very powerful
sources can become very hot. and
might set fire to certain materials" !"
He recalled several strange antics
of lightning.
Once" he recalled, II was in
building which showed some curious
effects of bolt of lightning which
did not strike our structure, but
did hit some distance away.
Il saw streamers of light streak
ing off the chimney of our building.
A heavy wire with an insulated
coating had been run from an elec-
trical device to the ground. The
lightning which did not hit us in
duced a current that heated up, the
ground wire so hot that tar from
the insulation dripped onto the
floor"
Retired Expert Mystified.
Douglas E. Parsons, director of
the division OF mineral products at
the Bureau of Standards, said the