davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1948-06-15

Western Powers and general disappoint-
ment at the London Agreement even
among the Germans of the western zones.
This disappointment is due to broad con-
cessions made by Washington and London
to Paris in order to get France in line. But
those concessions, while alternating the
Germans, have not reconciled the French,
who threaten to balk by refusing to ratify
the agreement. Thus, Washington and
London may fall between two stools And
even if the French reluctantly ratify, their
assent will be unwilling and their attitude
will not be genuinely cooperative.
1t is against this unfavorable background
in the west that the Soviet counteroffensive
is being waged. There will undoubtedly be
other moves made in the campaign to
undermine or stymie the London plan and
to win German popular support for the
Communist alternative
Evening star., 1948-06-15
A Good Burqoin Goes Begging

The Government stands to lose am ex-
cellent bargain by the single oblectlon OF
one man to a simple little bill which mas
been before the House for several years.
South of Alexandria, along the river
side of the Mount Vernon Memorial High
way, there are two tracts OF land. The
Government owns one of them, purchased
for about $4,000. A large section OF 1t Is
under water. The Smoot Sand u GraVel
Co. owns the other, purchased for about
100000. If they were both owned by the
Government the Interior Department
would retain them as parklands and pre-
vent threatened encroachment OF COM
mercial development along the parkway.
The Smoot company Is willing to deed
its tract of land to the Government, re-
tanning dredging rights to its own under-
water property and receiving in return
dredging rights along the Government
land front The company wants the gravel;
the park authorities want the land. The
bargain has been examined in detail by
the Interior Department, the Park Service,
the Park and Planning Commission ana
by House committee. All Of these
approve it.
1t would have been passed some time
ago except for the objection of Represent
ative McGregor of Ohio. He wants to
know what the Smoot company will get
in the sale of gravel from the Government
property. This may be substantial. But
the land that the Government would re-
ceive in return is also valuable, not only
in terms of money but as further means
of protecting the Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway. Mr.. McGregor may have his
own opinion as to the merits of the Gov
ernment's case. But he is minority OF
one. And ifshe continues to block this
transaction, the opportunity to acquire the
land will be gone for good.
That would be great loss. The Gov
ernment invested millions of dollars in
building the Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway 1t is one of the beautiful park
ways of the country, fitting approach to
a national shrine. If the Smoot land is
acquired now, future generations will be
thankful for the foresight which made 1t
possible. If we lose the bargain, by con-
tinued objection, we shall be very foolish.
For the loss will be irretrievable.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Red Counter-Moves in Germany

Moscow's political and psychological
counteroffensive to the Six-Power London
Agreement over Western Germany is being
rapidly stepped up. The latest move in
the game is the announcement of an alter
native program for all of Germany by the
presidium or steering committee OF the
ommunist-dominated Peoples Council OF
the German Peoples Congress" This an
nouncement, in turn, comedies with the
Peoples Congress petition for German
unity, which is made the basis for the
Peoples Councils claim to speak for all
Germans.
The entire structure behind this accel-
Grating propaganda offensive is essentially
phony. To begin with, the German
Peoples Congress boils down to series
OF stooge parties in the Soviet zone, the
chief of them being the SED or Socialist
Unity Party of Germany" The SED Is the
result of a shotgun marriage between the
Socialist and Communist Parties in the
Russian zone. This unnatural union is
repudiated by the Socialists in the Western
zones and the SED is not permitted to
function there by the Western occupational
authorities In Western Germany, the
Communists have to sail under their own
colorS.
Nevertheless, the SED proclaims itself
the champion of German unity and is the
handspring of the German Peoples Con-
gress, likewise restricted to the Russian
zone and composed of the SED, plus some
CommuniSt-front groups. The petition
which has been circulating for German
unity is being so loosely conducted that the
results, while numerically impressive, are
statistically worthless. Forbidden in the
American zone, though permitted in the
British zone with mediocre response, it is
must" in the Soviet zone, where 80 per
cent or better of the population have re-
portedly signed up in customary totali-
tartan fashion.
1t is on the basis of this dubious plebi-
scite that the Peoples Council has put out
its counterprogram to the London Agree
ment. This eight-point program is
demagogic catch-all, promising all sorts
of things, including an animation of Ger
man unity by the four occupying powers,
the liquidation of the Anglo-American
bizonal area, remuneration of the trizonal
setup provided for under the London
Agreement, and the negotiation of "just
peace" by the four occupying powers, cul-
minating in an alderman government
which would pave the way for the with
drawal of all occupying forces from the
Reich. There is even a promise that the
Germans would have the right to discuss"
the problems of all frontiers, this being
bait for German hopes of recovering at
least some of the lost eastern territories.
This program is obviously Moscow
inspired Communist trick. Yet it is sprung
at a moment of uncertainty among the
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Obiter Dictum

Fishing thot Neu Hampshire stream
Where sUitt shadoDs dart ana race,
Say. did Daniel Webster dream
OF the Dartmouth College Case?
Did his eyes like embers blaze
Thus because the masters bra1n
Kindled with inspired phrase,
Framing his reply to Hdyne?
BIZ that overhdngtng tree,
Kill-aH arcting in his hand,
Was he schen1ing history
McCulloch persus Maryland!
Did he plan his triumphs there!
Maube so-but this ,ce doubt,
Haptng matched, like him, the rare
Mettle of Nep England trout!
HAROLD WILLARD GLEASON.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
The Czechs Under Gottwold

Klement Gottwald has just assumed
office as President of Czechoslovakia be-
cause he could not prevail upon Eduard
Benes to approve the new constitution
drawn up by the Communists. Rather than
do that, Mr. Benes resigned. He could not
bring himself to lend his great prestige to
the terroristic fraud that has been imposed
upon his countrymen. So he stepped down,
counseling tolerance, love and forgive
ness" and voicing poignant belief "in a
beautiful future for our beloved republic"
In time, as all free men must hope, his
counsel may prevail and his faith be
vindicated. But Czechoslovakia today Is
not the Czechoslovakia that Eduard Benes
helped to found. 1t is not the fine democ-
racy he served so we'll for seventeen years
as Foreign Minister and eleven as Presi-
dent. What happened to ii under Hitler
has happened to it all over again. There
was a brief interlude of freedom after
liberation from the Nazis, but then the
Communists wormed their way in, and
conSpired reasonably, and finally, with
the help of the Soviet Union, seized power
last February. Since then the independ-
ence of the country has ceased to exist.
and individual liberty has been whitfield
away to the vanishing point Terror die
tatorship, complete subservience to the
Kremlin, the liquidation of political oppo-
sition-these are the things that Gottwalds
regime has brought to the Czechs. These
are the things that account for the suicide
of Jan Masaryk, for the refugees lucky
enough to escape westward across the
border and for such personally tragic
events as the Benes resignation.
Tolerance, love and forgiveness" are
not in the philosophy OF the Gottwalds.
Czechoslovakia's future will not be nearly
so beautiful as its past until something
occurs to undermine the new tyranny at
large in the world and until men with the
spirit of freedom in their hearts and minds
have the vigor, the opportunity and the
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Who Teaches Penmanship?

the Editor Of The Star:
Your recent editorial entitled "Calligraphic
Error" pointed out the need for better pen
manship. Your view is wholeheartedly in
dorsed. But where can any person except an
elementary school child learn better penman-
ship, and learn to improve his own handwrit-
ing? There is = definite need for instruc-
tion or materials for self-instruction, in i'm
proving the handwriting Of persons beyond
the fifth grade, and especially for adults. The
writer has diligently sought fos the satisfac-
ton of this definite need, but without avail
Perhaps your readers can supply the informa-
tion p. x.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Good Old Joe

One hardly knows whether to laugh or
cry at President Truman's remarks last
week about Premier Stain. Mr.. Truman,
it seems got "very well acquainted" with
the Russian dictator in 1s45 as they con-
versed-through Interpreters, of course
across the banquet and conference tables
at Potsdam. Il like old Joe," Mr.. Truman
tells us now. HE is decent fellow"
Unfortunately, as the President sees it,
his old friend is prisoner of the Polit-
bureau. HE can't do what he wants to.
He makes agreements and, If he could, he
would keep them. But the people who run
the government are very specific in saying
that he cannot keep them"
Good old Joe-he smokes pipe. Was it
his fault, after all, that he seized total
power in the Soviet state, despite Lenin's
express wishes to the contrary? What if
he did build history's most ruthless polit-
ical machine, climbing to the drivers seat
over the piled corpses of friend and foe
alike? He looks so fatherly, when the
lighting is right.
And he makes agreements. To dispose of
Leon Trotsky, for instance, he made one
once VIII couple Ol OtucI 1OllIOu1Cdu
members named Zinoviev and Kamenev.
They were even closer friends of his than
President Truman is. They were going to
run the state with him after Trotsky was
out of the way. Gould Joe help it If he
was compelled shortly to tighten his per-
sonaI hold on the reins by disposing OF
Zinoviev and Kamenev, too?
OF course not. He is decent fellow, and
his eyes crinkle around the edges when
he smiles. How painful it must have been
to this kindly old man as, by his orders,
the Russian kulak class was exterminated,
some 100000 Soviet citizens thrown into
concentration camps and his followers
Gncluding members of the Politbureau)
subjected to blood purge SO severe that
nobody but Joe himself was sure of his
safety. Poor old Joe
Americans can point with pride, at least,
to the evident fact that their chief of state
is bossed by no underlings. There is prob
ably not another responsible official in
this country-or anybody even remotely
acquainted with the Russian system, for
that matter-who agrees with Mr.. Truman
about Mr.. Stain. Good old Harry-it Is
strictly his own idea. 1t should be kept
that way.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
On Liking Old Joe

To the Editor OF Ine 6tzf. =.
So President Truman's gentle voice is calling
Old Red Joe! He likes "Old joe! Whether
his statement indicates stupidity or mere hy-
pocrisy, it is disgusting. Franklin D. Roosevelt
also liked and trusted Old Red Joe, as he said
more than once That is why he gave Joe so
many testimonials Of his liking. That Is why
the Russians are now in Germany and why
the world Is IN such mess.
Old Joe's hands are red with the blood OF
millions and Mr.. Truman cannot whiten them
by ignoring the evidence OF history.
ANTI RED JOE.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Exemption for Reservists


- the Editor Of The Star
Your forceful editorial of June on the draft
bills with its plea for early passage as must"
legislation was excellent. However there was
one important, and to me, glaring omission
from the editorials brief summary Of the major
provisions of the bills. If the draft bill story
is as important as The Stars extensive cover
age over the past few days indicates, it is
unfortunate that the level Of reporting on this
story fell far below The Stars usual standard
of accurate and full coverage.
Apparently neither the reporter nor the
editorial writer had taken the trouble to read
these bills. for cannot understand otherwise
how both would have missed completely the
Importance Of the provisions Of the bills which
members of National Guard units or other
active reserve organizations-a matter Of vital
importance to men OF 10 and older.
Under the draft bills, teen-agers who are
now planning their postgraduate careers, are
subject to the danger Of having their plans for
the future seriously retarded by the two-year
military service requirement Of the bills. How
ever, under the very provisions Of the bills
which The Star failed to mention, membership
in q National Guard or other active reserve
organization here in Washington removes this
danger completely. Such membership entails
only two-hours spare-time duty each week
with pay, right here in Washington, and is
insurance against the loss Of two years out OF
ones future.
How did The Star miss It? L. B. NJ.
Editors Note: The Star in It's news
columns repeatedly has mentioned the pro-
vision of exemption for members of Ma
tional Guard and other active reserve
units.
Evening star., 1948-06-15

completed 4 diking project ut the mouth
of the Sacramento river in California, and
had a plan to protect the immensely rich
delta lands adjacent to Kelso where the
little Cowlitz River empties into the mighty
Columbia. about so miles north of Portland,
Greg. The identity of his financial hackers
I never knew, but he set out to buy some
thousands OF acres Of farmland west Of the
Cowlitz intending to dixie, ditch and resell
His plan was frustrated by the settlers there
most OF whom were Finnish Americans who
under leadership of a farmer named Ben
Sheppardson, got hold of the idea that they
could do their own reclamation, refused to
sell their land, and then set up their own
local improvement district and built their own
dikes and bitches, with appurtenant pumping
stations. Thereupon Engineer Magruder
crossed the Columbia river to Clatskanie
Greg. (Which by the way is pronounced
Clats-ka -neye), and there developed the sort
of project he had intended to build on the
Washington side.
When the Finnish farmers began to make
progress upon the construction of their dikes
and when Mr.. Magruder was building at
Clatkskanie the idea of protecting other lands
along the Columbia spread rapidly. The lower
part OF Kelso was protected by what is known
as the Coweeman Dixie. The city of Longview
built by the Long-Ben Lumber Co., was pro-
tected in part by the very dikes the Finnish
farmers built, and by others as we'll The town
Of Woodland and its rich surrounding farms
were inclosed. And the whole diking enterprise
began in the mind purpose, vision and energy
OF Maryland man of good Quaker stock,
the same late Richard B. Magruder.
As I write, the dikes in the negihborhood
Of Kelso are still holding; those at Woodland
and Puget Island have collapsed. The tragedy
is tremendous; the losses incalculable Still
1t may be appreciated that in the more than
80 years since these projects were completed
the areas have had protection which was not
available before, and in normal seasons the
dikes have saved crops and homes to the
value of millions.
1t may be added, as a matter of general in
formation that there is high-water in the
lower Columbia every year during late May
and early June, not as q result Of persistent
spring rains. but from melting snow in the
high mountains of Eastern Washington, British
Columbia, Idaho and Montana. When the
rivers having their sources in these mountains
run OH at practically the same time, flood
such as that of this year results
PETER F. SNYDER.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Responsibility to All Men

To the Editor Of The star:
May express admiration for The Stars edi-
torial on Joshua 10th Mebman? As = man
who took his responsibilities seriously such a
tribute was deserved. Attention should be called
also to his last article in the Atlantic Monthly.
In reading that article the spiritually minded
of any faith cannot fail to sense more strongly
their personal responsibility to all men.
CATHERINE COBLENTZ.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Rv THE HASKIN SERVICE.

BY THE HASklN SEhNlCE.
@. How much money is lost each year In the
United States as a result Of foods?-L. M
A. The losses have averaged $l1O,OOO,O0o an
nually in recent years, according to Twentieth
Century Fund surveys
@. What alphabet do the Russians use?-
II. H.
A. The Russians use the Cyrillic alphabet
based upon Greek letters, with others aooed.
This, alphabet was, according to tradition, the
invention of Cyril, missionary to the Slavs
In the 9th century. 1t is one OF the three
dominant alphabets in the world. the other two
being the Roman and the Arabic.
O. Why was the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem
chosen as the place for Jews to mourn and
pray?-G. r. c.
A. The wall served as buttress Of the old
temple area When Solomons Temple fell into
the hands of the Moslems, this fragment OF the
old wall marked the nearest approach that
the Jews could make to the holy site.
O. Has any one ever determined now much
energy is used in seeing?-V w. A.
A. According to DR.. Charles Sheard OF the
Mayo Clinic, IS per cent OF bodily energy Is
used in seeing.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Letters to The Star

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address of the
Driter, although it is permissible for
a ,criter knoaon to The Star to use
q nom de plume. Please be brief.
Evening star., 1948-06-15
This and That
BIZ Charles Z. Trdce,DeH

"BRANDYWINE STREET.
Dear Sir:
LAS lover Of all animals, large and small, 1t
goes without saying that I read. with great
interest your This and That Column in The Star
every day.
LAS my attention is focused just now on
turtles, and as these fascinating little reptiles
are travelling here and there and everywhere In
and about Washington, am inclosing poem
about the box turtle, the truth Of which
learned from several years Of observing them IN
my turtle run in our back yard.
Sincerely yours, F. H. B"
TURTLE TEACHER.
The golden marked box turtle
Though denied the power OF speech,
And looked down on by human folk,
Has lesson true to teach.
While on It's earthbound journey,
This fascinating rover,
Never goes around q thing,
But always, up and over
Whatever obstacle it meets
Az 1t travels through the day
And it never gives backward slance-
Just continues on its way. r. II. b.
Small turtles" are living by the thousands in
local gardens, and they always find friends to
'eln Not that that they ask for help.
AS Mrs. b. says they cannot talk much, but
they manage to get along, anyway.
The help offered may not be much, out at
times it may save the creatures life.
Ordinarily, turtle does not seem to make
much differentiation between a lawn and
street.
It calmly proceeds, and If on the lawn, all
right but if in the street, passing car may
run over 1t.
Hence the friend of these odd living things
will soe to it that he always picks up turtle
and lifts 1t back to the lawn.
After that, he will emulate the box turtle,
and look not backward!
If he does he may see the creature start
out again, to get to where he was going before
being so rudely picked up! He, like man, is
stubborn.
The bath is a favorite sport Of turtles in
summer.
Hence one way to help them is to provide
small sunken bowls into which they easily can
crawl.
Since such bowls or basins are bird favorites
also every small garden should have two OF
more.
Such turtle bath may be made by sinking
large saucer of some sort in the earth.
Ordinarily such bowls will not be more than
two inches deep. just the right depth for
birds-and turtles
If surrounded by small border of stones,
not too regularly laid, with planting of some
low grower, such as ageratun, this bath pleases
Mr.. Turtle no end.
He likes to come into the shade.
Slipping easily over the edge. he sinks his
hard body beneath the surface film
Did you know that all water has film on
its surface?
It is different. in an electrical way, from the
rest of the water.
Actually, this surface film may be seen to
break, when q sudden stone is thrown into it.
Our wandering turtle breaks the surface, and
may lie relaxed in the water for 10 minutes or
longer.
That head, 80 serpentlike, sticking out re-
minds the watcher of what he may have read
about ancient days. when the world was young,
and men so uncivilized that they had no atom
bombs, no buzz bombs. no machine guns, not
even gynpoVderi
Evening star., 1948-06-15
Richard B. Masruder's Dikes
To the Editor Of The Star

To the Editor Of The Star:
There Is . background story related to the
disastrous Columbia river floods now In pro-
gress, and it may be Of interest hereabouts.
About 40 years ago, when was young
reporter on the Kelsonian, at Kelso. Wash,
there came to our town . talented en-
gineer with . large vision His name was
Richard B. Magruder. and he was one OF the
large family Of that name long settled at
or near Sandy Spring. Nd. He had k5ust
Evening star., 1948-06-15

Always a solemn moment in Middle
East crisis is the great power arising in
the fulness of its strength to go out and
see man about some oil.
Evening star., 1948-06-15

Mr.. McLemore's Words Echoed
To the Editor OF The Star:
Congratulations to Henry McLemore for his
words OF appreciation of Gen. Macarthur 1t
is time some newspaper expressed gratitude to
one of the greatest generals of all time.
MRS. G. B. w.
Evening star., 1948-06-15

As the world grows smaller and the
Nays flat-tops grow ever larger, who
we may have hard
surfaced oceans.
Evening star., 1948-06-15

Figuring in the news as the father OF
triplets is an ex-trapeze performer, now
working as dishwasher without net
Evening star., 1948-06-15

The old-time burlesque show that was
tolerable after six beers is succeeded by
the B gang film, only to be endured by
the customer full of popcorn.