Evening star., 1948-05-17
Study in Futility'

To the Editor Of The STAR
"A Study in Futility," an editorial appear
ing in your Sunday edition, together with
one today entitled Paralysis Of Do-Nothing~
ness" must cause every native of the city,
toeether with those Of US who have adopted
it as our home, 4 twinge Of shame.
During recent years The Star and Its COM
petitor, the Washington Post. have found 1t
necessary to campaign against certain things
in this city. Each paper has done notable
lob in its respective field. Both are deserving
of the thanks and appreciation OF every citizen
of this city for their efforts to correct wrongs
end abuses, initiate better conditions in in
Vulnerable fields, but, above all. to keep the
citizens truly informed OF all conditions, good
or bad.
But the real study in futiity Is the very
nature of the government of the District Of
Columbia During my years Of interest IN
this city it has had some good governing Of
ficials but never before have I felt that the
whole local government was open to criticism
from top to bottom
II the people of this city were able to elect
their of1icials their present governors would
be among the unemployed.
Surely the people who manufacture the ma
terials for making whitewash must be doing
4 whale of a business in this city alone. for
gallons Of the stuff have been used In just the
past two or three years. Certainly callous In
difference on the part Of responsible govern-
ment ofncials has reached an all-time high In
this city.
The present bill in the Congress to give us
some degree of local self lf-government is only
half-baked arrangement ut best, but 1t Is
start. Maybe when 1t gets into operation
df it ever does) some leadership will arise to
fre the imagination of the people so that we
shall be able to get complete self-government.
Meanwhile, as we view the futility of things,
together with the policy Of do-nothing which
seems to be the motto Of the present Com
missioners, perhaps 1t would not be out OF
order il your paper were to institute plea to
the President of the United States to remove
the present Commissioners from ONCE. feel
certain II The Star were to start such CAM
paign and circulate petitions for the citizens OF
Washington to sign, it would get tons OF sig
natures. Certainly, the indifference OF these
ofictals alone would be sufncient for their re-
moval, to say nothing Of their general lack
of excessive ability. SNIkSAH.
Says Mr.. Brown Errs Geographically
To the Editor of The Star:
In his column on May g. Constantine Brown
claims, apparently with reference TO some
secret data known to him, that: American
units 80 were ordered to withdraw behind the
Oder River" in order to give the Russians the
privilege of capturing Berlin.
The Russians reached the Oder River on
March 13, 1o45, by capturing Kuestrin; and
might add that Mr.. Brown Is confused a. 70
the location of the Elbe and Oder Rivers. Tne
Elbe River had been reached and crossed oy
American forces.
This is not the first time that Mr.. Grown,
who was called well informed" by . South
American diplomat, made this mistake. In his
column on April g. he spoke about imminent
sovietization Of the Soviet occupation zone east
Of the Oder River. and on April Is. about
nations tmeaning Western nations) west OF
the Oder River Actually. the area east OF the
Oder River has been put under Polish ad-
ministration a. provided ut Potsdam ana