davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Very, Very Serious

Secretary Marshall Is a man who meas
ures his words and has no liking for
alarmist emotionalism. Accordingly, when
he departs from custom and permits him.
self to be quoted as saying that the world
situation is very, very serious" the
American people have good reason to
accept his judgment at face value.
Nor is 10 judgment that should sur
prise anybody. After all, for weeks past,
the open record of events, wholly apart
from whatever secret record may exist,
has told nothing but story of rapidly
deteriorating international relations full
Of mounting danger. The sum of 1t Is
that mankind, far from moving toward
an enduring peace, Is moving more and
more toward war-a dark fact which the
President himself has just seen At to
underscore with the frank admission that
his own confidence in the outlook has
been shaken.
Secretary Marshall has been at pains
to emphasize that part OF the danger
stems from the passions" that have been
aroused in this country by such shocking
developments as the Kremlin- Communist
coup in Czechoslovakia. But though he
rightly warns against excitability and
urges calmness and cool-headed calcula
ton in our approach to the situation, the
fact remains that his words leave little
room for doubt about the critical nature
of the hour and the imperative need for
prompt and united action. For one thing
certainly, they make clear that Congress
should put an end to its dilly -dallying in
adopting the European Recovery Program
"a senseless and wasteful kind of dilly-
dallying that has compelled the President
to ask for another $55,000,000 in stop
gap aid.
The truth Is that we are in situation
DO every, very serious" that.We cannot
safely handle it with half measures, foot
dragging or business s-dsual mentality.
What has happened to Czechoslovakia, and
what is now in the process OF happening
to Finland, can happen next to Italy and
France unless America and the rest Of
the free world move, swiftly together In
self-protective action To do nothing,vor
to do too little too late, would be simply
to invite disaster of the first magnitude.
For the Soviet Union, with It's ever
expanding empire, knows just what 1t
wants to do, and it will do it If given the
chance. It wants to dominate Europe,
and after that the globe, and to that end
It is banking heavily on division, confu
sion and inaction in the non-Communist
world. The challenge must be met-and
met now-if the democracies, including
our own, are not to drift into position
where the choice will be either surrender
or total war. That is how serious the
situation is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Atomic Bombs and TINT

Convincing proof that the atomic bomb
has not eliminated the need for conven-
tional explosives is seen in the experiments
which the Air Force is making with bombs
Of record-breaking size. 1t has been re-
vealed that B-29 recently dropped a
42,000-pound "dud" at Muroc. California.
Other tests with the new-type block
buster are to be made.
The atomic bomb which devastated
Hiroshima Is said to have had the explo-
sive force Of 10000 tons Of INT.
Publication Of that fact led many Mymen
to conclude that the day of conventional
block-busters Of the World War II type
was over. But the atomic bomb has its
disadvantages. It's radiation effects pre-
clude its use on an island base or other
target which 1t is desired to seize and
exploit. Our island-hopping program in
the Pacific could not have been carried
out as scheduled If we had dropped atomic
bombs on the Japanese outposts
1t Is necessary, therefore, to continue our
researches with ordinary explosives and
to improve methods of delivering them to
target. The news from Muroc shows
that this work is proceeding theoretically
and successfully. Perhaps some way will
be found in the future to neutralize the
radiation effects of an atomic explosion.
Until that time arrives, however, TINT and
the other explosives which blast, but do
not radiate, will play important roles in
warfare.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Lonq-Runqe Recruiting Plan

With military manpower still short of
estimated security requirements and with
tense international developments pointing
to possibly greater needs the Nation-w
campaign beginning this week, to mobilize
civilian support for the Army and Air
Force recruiting programs is timely indeed.
Under the announced plans, six major
patriotic, fraternal, civic and trade organ
izations will cooperate with recruiting
services in building up to authorized
strength our ground and air services.
Joining in the enterprise are the Amer
lean Legion and its auxiliaries, the Elks,
the Eagles Kiwanis International Lions
International and the Junior Chamber of
Commerce. These organizations, acting
through local units scattered throughout
the country, will form military manpower
committees in every city and town. Each
committee will enlist the active aid of
other public spirited organizations to
build public opinion find prospects, get
recruits
This is not hastily devised plan to
meet temporary crisis. AS matter of
fact recruiting for both the Army and the
Air Force has been picking up of late,
after poor record last year. The total
of enlistments in both branches went over
the thirty Thousand mark in January for
the first time in nearly year. But If
Congress should decide that world events
justify larger ground forces and should
approve the Air Force request for seventy
air groups instead of the present fifty-fve,
an intensive recruiting drive would be
necessary. In any event, the Air Force is
planning to expand its aviation cadet
training program from two thousand to
six thousand cadets in the next two years.
The new program is looking ahead to
the long range manpower needs of a
voluntary Army and Air Force. The COM
munity cooperation plan has been in the
course of preparation for nearly two years.
Once set up, the machinery can be geared
to the varying requirements of the armed
forces. as defense requirements vary in
the postwar period. This is very worth
while demonstration of community respon-
sibility in an era requiring wholehearted
civic understanding and support of the
National Military Establishment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Fishermen's Wives

Mary Maloney, tDho had quite passion
For doing spring cleaning In orderly
fashion,
Assembled her cleaners, IN haste to begin,
Then called for Maloney but couldn't find
Receiuing no ansper to all OF her crying,
Mary Ma1oney began her task sighting
To think of the heavy and burdensome
,Oork
Husbands are more than delighted to shtrk.
So, scrubbing and busting IN rays sys-
ten,atic,
She worked through the house to the room
In the attic.
Surprised, In the Doorway, she let the
broom drop
The bucket Went CHATTER and so did the
mop
For there stood Ma1onsy ,0'th arms lifted
high
And the look OF fisherman bright IN his
eye,
Going through motions of casting for trout
While flies, creel and fshltne 1oere scat
tered about.
Then Mary Maloney, NTH rare nnder-
standing,
Didn't 1paste moments tn useless CON-
n1anding
But quietly picking up bucket and broom
Went ttptoetng carefully out Of the room.
She understood thts-,tues shouldn't be
wtshtng
Their husbands to clean uhen It's time to
90 fishing.
HELEN ROWLAND pRoMMEL.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
The Kensinqton Stone

The so-called Kensington Stone, which
goes on exhibition in the foyer OF the
National Museum today, will be an object
of curiosity to many persons interested
in the pre- Columbian history OF the west
ern Hemisphere 1t has been accepted as
"a genuine record" Archaeologlsts have
put their regulations behind the prob
ability of it's authenticity. This IN itself
Is a circumstance which merits attention.
Discovered by Minnesota farmer, Olof
Gilman, in 1893, the slab of crystalline rock,
thirty-one inches long, sixteen inches VIDE
and six inches thick, bears runlc lnscrlp-
ton testifying to an expedition Of Swedes
and Norwegians from Vineland westward
In 1862. It's story has tragic implications.
Ten members of the exploring party hav-
ing been found "red with blood and dead"
the survivors, twenty or thirty in number,
pray: Save us from evil" presumably In
GLIDING mortally hostile Indians.
What happened next Is anybody's guess.
The stone represents very common psy-
Geological attitude of the northern peoples
of medieval times. Most OF their runes
are explanatory and commemorative. They
desired to be understood, and they wished
to be remembered. Perhaps they brought
those cultural instincts and customs with
them from their unknown home in Asia,
moving north across Europe and at last
reaching America as parts of the same
great series of migrations which involved
the Phoenicians, the Cretans, the Greeks
and the early inhabitants Of Central Italy.
The runic alphabet so much resembles
the Etruscan that a connection between
the two appears incontestably established.
Among the Morse peoples themselves the
employment of runes dated back to Odin.
Paul du Chaillu identified knowledge of
runic writing with the working of iron,
Insisting that it did not belong to the
bronze age If his position were justified,
1t follows that the Swedes and the Nor
wegians of about a thousand years ago
were in touch with Hellenic outposts, per-
haps on the Euxene, which, of course, is
q feasible theory. But durable contact
between the two civilizations must be i'm
piled, and a willingness of the one to
teach and the other to learn would be
required.
Such give-and- 1t seems, actually
existed Both the Mediterranean COM
munities and those OF the shores Of the
Baltic and the North Sea had something
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12

books. Now the perspective Is changed;
the aging process has brought different
set Of values, and there are many, many
are many who would be tempted to do
what he has done if they had the chance.
What could be pleasanter or more salts
flying? The world Is so much with us,
life is so complicated and there is so little
time to think or to try to figure out the
real meaning Of meaning that not many
experiences could be better than to retreat
to some university, there to null every
thing over in quiet academic atmos-
phere, and perhaps to find an answer or
two we could be sure of. Politics, imitation,
the atom, the danger of another war
these are but a few of the vast multiplicity
Of problems before us, and sometimes they
all seem to be beyond solution. But that
may be because most of us adults can
hardly keep up with them while we carry
on with the generally humdrum but con-
stantly demanding task of earning
living.
Mr.. Thexton is a fortunate exception.
II, like him, most of us could 60 back to
school now, If we could concentrate for a
couple OF years on subjects like the one
called epistemology or the study of true
and certain knowledge, the articulate
ignorance of our world probably would
diminish. And even If the answers to
the biggest problems continued to elude
us, at least we would have the time to
cultivate better understanding of the
things that beWitch bedeyil and hevilder
us. That would be decided gain, leading
to less confusion, and possibly to more
peace of mind all around.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Letters to The Star
Veteran Calls for Action Now

Veteran Calls for Action Now
To the Editor of The Star:
Empty rhetoric and circumlocution create
only confusion and vacillation We must dis
pense with self-deception and face the issue
Of the hour.
There are two forces in the world today
one slavery, the other freedom. These forces
are direct oppostes and they cannot peaceaby
coexist. We now hold within our power the
means to destroy shareholders and to liberate
their vassals. Or we as freemen may choose
to sidestep the situation, and by so doing
lose our freedom.
Ten years ago we deceived ourselves. We
did not want war, and we were afraid to face
the realities of that day. We thought that
we could bargain with Hitler over the con-
ference table, but we found that we had to
bargain" with him in the skies of Europe.
1t is the same story today. The theme is
the same, the characters in the drama having
been reshuf1ed. The Soviet Union is on the
march toward world domination. Stain con-
quers once, then again and again. We recently
have observed his agents at work in Czecho-
slovakia; we have seen that country and others
enter the sphere of protection" of the Soviet
Union.
We don't want to think of another war, at
least not so soon after the one we've Just
won" We don't want to give blood and lives,
to suffer broken homes and hearts. We turn
away, telling ourselves that the United Nations
or some other medium short of war" will
save us.
In 1945 spent four months of living hell
in prison camp in Dresden. I therefore can
and do say that have seen war from both
outside and inside. have lived for weeks in
constant fear-fear of Allied air raids, fear Of
starvation, disease, execution. From personal
experience, appreciate the agony and horror
of war.
But realize that war of salvation Is as
righteous as war of enslavement is damnable.
The Soviet Union is pointing every effort to
the day when 1t can claim the United States
for its own, when 1t can bring 143 million
more slaves into its fold and then proclaim
itself the undisputed ruler Of the world.
We must now choose our path. And may it
be that Of shifting the tyrant at once, smashing
him. and thus keeping our cherished freedom.
We must act! WILLIAM r. BURNS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Dangerous Indecision

Defense Secretary Forrestal's determina-
ton to effect without further delay a
definite interservice understanding as to
the roles of the Army, the Navy and the
Air Force in future war is timely. For
our armed forces are unified only in
theory-in reality they are still in dis
agreement over the extent of their re-
spective missions, over weapons needed to
accomplish those missions and even over
fundamental strategy.
This dangerous state of affairs was
stressed by both the Presidents Air Policy
Commission and the Congressional Avia-
ton Policy Board. It was re-emphasized
yesterday by Representative Hinshaw of
California, vice chairman Of the latter
body. Both groups complained that their
efforts to obtain complete information
regarding the needs of the Navy and the
Air Force were futile because there is no
clear-cut agreement as yet as to the scope
of each services responsibilities. The Joint
chiefs of staff has not been able to agree
on an overall unified plan of action
satisfactory to all parties concerned.
Chief bone of contention is the extent
to which the naval air arm should be per-
mitted-if at ALTO engage in strategic
bombing operations, a field which the Air
Force regards as primarily, if not exclu-
sively, an Air Force domain. A lesser issue
involves the limits of Marine Corps opera
tions. The Army Is very jealous Of It's
position as the Nations traditional ground
force, a position which some Army officers
Mi t.a rir,as
allowed to grow in numbers and strength.
Some of these differences undoubtedly
stem from long-standing rivalry among
the armed forces, a rivalry stimulated by
understandable loyalty to the fine tradi-
lions of the respective branches. But, as
the Congressional Aviation Policy Board
commented in its recent report, "unyield-
ing adherence to service loyalties at the
expense of national security is luxury
the Nation no longer can afford"
The delay in reaching decision on a
joint plan is not wholly attributable to
service pride and prejudices, however
There can be no doubt that sincere con-
Germ for the safety of the country is a
factor impelling some of the more obdu-
rate partisans to hold to conflicting views
on weapons, missions and strategy. Mr..
Forrestal naturally has been reluctant to
force any one to give UP position based
on objective consideration of the needs
Of national security.
Fortunately, the area of disagreement
does not seem to be so large as to make it
impracticable to formulate general plan OF
unified action. Such general plan could be
adopted now on tentative basis, defining
| missions and outlining strategy Within the
bounds of three-way agreement That
would provide a joint plan for the mo-
ment, at least Meanwhile, Mr.. Forrestal
could continue to bring pressure on the
three services to resolve their differences
over collateral issues. Until exact missions
Of each of the branches is clearly set
forth on paper, Congress cannot be ex-
pected to do an adequate job Of gauging
the material and personnel requirements
of the armed forces.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12

ever, they were compelled to accept quite I'M
warranted pacts of mutual assistance from
Russia, while at the same time the latter be-
came the bosom friend of Nad Germany As
clearly shown by the recently published docu-
ments on German-Soviet relations in 1899, the
U. S. S. R. despite being a member of the
League Of Nations and honor bound by inter-
national treaties and pacts, violated all its
earlier commitments in favor of a new Brest-
Ltovsk Treaty, this time with Hitler Ger
many. Together with Nad Germany the
U. s. s. r. partitioned Poland in predatory
fashion, and by devious processes, as announced
by the United States Government on July 90,
1910, annexed the neighboring neutral Baltic
Republics. DIR. ALFRED. BILMANIS,
LatYian Minister.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Going Back to School

Arthur L. Thexton of Cincinnati is a
decided to give up $30,000-a-year job
as business executive and enroll in post
graduate studies at Columbia University
A lot Of us, If we could afford it, would
like to do the same thing. Maybe once
upon a time, with our shining morning
faces, we crept like snails unwillingly to
school. But that was long ago, in the
childhood days, when nothing seemed more
unattractive than blackboards and text
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Thinks Admirals Are Wasteful
the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Perhaps don't have the acumen Of those
who shape our naval policy, those great men
whose hats are weighted with gold oak leaves
and whose cuffs are deep in gold braid. I
even assert that lack their insight; because,
II had it, should know why they recently
ordered the sinking Of $4,000 tons of potential
metal scrap-those $4,000 tons of Steel iron,
lead, copper, bronze and brass and the hun
dreds of miles of electric wires and tubing that
once were the pride of the United States Navy,
the flagship of our fleet, the famed war-scarred
battlewagon, the battleship U. S. S. Pennsyl-
vania.
AS reported In the newspapers, this ship, one
of 80 odd, had been subjected to the Bikini
test. She was sunk off Kwajalein, instead Of
being towed home for scrapping. What has
become Of the others?
II the excuse for sinking the Pennsylvania
be that she was radioactive and therefore
dangerous, why not have waited, If necessary,
a year or So longer to scrap her when she
would be safe9 Already the people are going
back to the once radioactive Hiroshima with
out i'll effect, and metal is getting scarcer rather
than more plentiful with the years.
Were this the only incident of wanton waste,
1t might be overlooked, even though it is in
itself enormous At $62 plus ton-admittedly
very crude estimate of the replacement value
of the metal in this one ship-we have sunk
without benefit approximately 100000 Of
scarce metals.
Unfortunately, this instance is not the ex-
ception that proves the rule Of our naval
leaders, but is one Of countless examples Of
their glib disregard of expense. 1t would take
q firm Of accountants months to calculate and
list all incidents Of naval waste.
Why is 1t our steel mill executives are being
Investigated by Congress for raising prices on
the relatively improbable 10 per cent Of the
business, when our Navy sinks the very metals
whose scarcity justifes the price rise? Would
1t not be hitting nearer the mark to investigate
our admirals? I ask you. also, would the union
labor leaders be investigated for hiking the cost
of finished steel by their demands for pay in
creases? Was Walter Reuther investigated
when, by such demands, he ran up the cost Of
automobiles to their present dizzy heights?
And, how about the leaders OF. the electrical
unions that currently are threatening1to strike
for more pay from the General Electric Co.,
which, in order to curb imitation, not long ago
reduced prices of its wares? We don't hear
anything about an investigation there. This is
an election year.
may become better Americans, will the gentle
men In Washington who, by their acts and
omissions, appear to us 50 inconsistent please
explain the logic, If any, in such procedures.
Andover, Mass. G. A. WOOD.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Stars, Men and Atoms
Chestnut Again MoyCover
Eastern u. S. and Canada
Trees Nearly Resistant to Blight
Developed in 10-Year Breeding
By Thomas r. Henry

In another half century chestnut forests
again may cover the Eastern United States and
Canada. .'.
After more than decade Of breeding work
by specialists of the Agriculture Department
several varieties have been produced which are
very nearly resistant to the chestnut blight
which has made slopes and piedmonts of the
Appalachians from Nova Scotia to Florida into
ghost forests of dead, white tree trunks.
The results have been reached by crossbreed-
ing with blight-resistant Chinese varieties and
diminishing remnants Of the American stock.
The latter produces bigger trees with much
greater winter resistance The Chinese va
rieties themselves are resistant to winter kill
only from southern Pennsylvania southwark.
1t has been necessary to combine their resist.
ance to blight with the valuable qualities Of
the American stock.
Replanting to Be Slow.
Although progress in breeding has been
satisfactory, replanting Of the forests will be Q
slow process. At the Agriculture Department
experiment station at Beltsvile about 300 trees
year are produced. These are distributed
all over the country for planting in farm wood
lots. There also has been some reforestation.
This breeding has been primarily for timber.
The hybrids will produce nuts of about the
same size and quality as those of the nearly
extinct American trees. Efforts also are under
way to introduce the best Chinese nut varieties
which produce much larger nuts than the
American. The range of these trees probably
will be confined to the southern Appalachians.
Before the blight the chestnut was the most
valuable tree in the East. 1t was used for
timber, for tanning. and a half dozen other
purposes in addition to its valuable nut produce
ton. The fatal fungus disease Is one of the
great economic tragedies Of the century.
Blight Came From Japan.
The blight, 1t is believed, was introduced
from Japan about 1880 on some trees pre-
sumably brought to this country as ornamen.
tails. The Japanese trees themselves had de-
veloped resistance to the fungus over hum
dreds Of generations. The American trees
had no resistance.
1t was not until 1904, however, that the
blight was discovered in the Adirondacks
There was nothing to be done about it. Spread
was rapid In every direction. It moved like
wildfire during the early twenties. BY 1890 1t
had extended to the southern and northern
limits of the chestnut area. BY 1910 the Amer
lean chestnut was essentially extinct
Today there are only few hardy isolated
specimens left to furnish pollen for breeding
work.
The new trees will not be entirely blight
resistant but. experiments have shown, trees
in healthy condition will throw OF the
Infection
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Indifference" to Soviet Danger

TO the Editor Of The Star:
I agree with the E. e. LIS sentiments regard
ing our lack of action in the face Of Russia's
latest moves against her neighbors The in
difference of our people, official and unofficial
Is appalling Brave, democratic little nations
are knocked out by bully, and all we do Is
piously remove our hats and murmur, TOO
bad" President Truman says he would be
glad to meet Stain again If he would come to
Washington. Now that's show of flrmness!
Hitler made Chamberlain come to him
A READER