davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-09-16

Twenty-one year old Betty Jean
Pannabecker, Bluffton college student
and daughter of DR.. and Mrs. Lloyd
Pannabecker of Peoria is resuming
her studies here after a summer in
Europe in which she participated in
reconstruction work under direction
of the Mennonite Central committee.
Living abroad is no novelty for
Betty-she lived in China for IL
years and made the Pacific crossing
three times before she was Is.
However she crossed the Atlantic
for the first time this summer and
in mid-July arrived in Hamburg,
Germany, ...,....-
But instead of something diff
ferent--
an lots of ways Hamburg was
just like old China" she reminisced.
They work with their hands in
stead of machines; they use animals
instead of vehicles; and their poverty
today don't come far from reaching
| China's."
The observing coed went to
Europe to lend hand No happy
summer holiday resting at some
swell spa She volunteered to pay
her way as part of a group of 40
students to do rehabilitation work
among the Germans.
Busy Schedule
In her one month stay in Ger
many, she hardly had time to sight
see. Her schedule went;
The first week-she shoveled de-
bris from an apartment house, along
with 20 other American students and
a score of Germans.
The second week-Betty lugged
concrete slabs for prefab barracks
to house inmates Of a mental in
stitution bombed out during the war.
The third week-more of the same.
Five days work, six hours a day.
Attired in blue jeans, retiring at
evening to freside discussion periods,
hymn sings and devotionals.
The fourth week-she went to the
fashionable resort island of Sylt off
Denmark. No rest for her though.
There she welded a hammer-pull-
ing nails from boards of an old bar
racks building, and retrieving them
for use on new youth hostel on
the island. She was on "detached'
service with the International Vol
untary Service for Peace-a British
peace movement.
&C. Workers SkepticaI
"The German workers were
skeptical of us at frst," Betty Jean
said. First, because Is out of the
20 students were women, and second
because their impressions of Ameri.
cans were formed by pre-war tour.
lists.
| Yet as the workers, including q
number of German university stu
dents, watched the American youth
work, they became friendly and COM
municative. They shared their
troubles libcrally-and Betty found
one truth; where food is short, reli,
gion isn't first in the minds of even
religious" people.
Even the religious students
thought so much of food all the
time" she said. ''They didn't give
much thought to serious religion
Betty found the university students
with whom she worked disiiusicned
and pessimistic She sensed in them
a strong feeling of nationalism and
q hope that their country will be
reborn strong again.
City In Shambles
Hamburg was in shambles for the
most part, Betty said. Nobody seem
ed to be rebuilding. The Germans
told her there was too much red
Evening star., 1948-03-08
Road Building Dilemma

A dilemma is choice between unsatis-
factory alternatives. That is the situation
regarding the much-publicized road pro-
gram. There is no question that modern
life requires a first-class system of major
roads linking large cities and regional in
dustries. A secondary system is needed to
connect smaller cities. The third part of
this Nation wide problem is modernized
network to connect farms with market
centers.
The blueprint plans are we'll advanced.
The Federal Government offers the terms
whereby States and counties can take ad-
vantage of Federal funds. States and
municipalities have made comprehensive
surveys. But log jam has developed and
the key log of the situation is the familiar
one Of high costs. This Is not to say that
construction has not gotten under way. In
1e47, healthy total of ss0o,o00,o0o was
awarded in contracts. That constitutes an
Evening star., 1948-03-08

exploited for the benefit of both the
Germans and neishboring peoples In
extensive parts of the European COM
munity." Beyond that, In long-range
sense, the program favors the eventual
creation of united, democratic Germany
under federal form of government with
adequate central authority.
In deciding to work together along
these lines, France, Britain and the United
States have emphasized that eventual
Russian agreement with them on an
overall German settlement "is In no way
precluded" At this stage, however, moth
ing could seem more remote than the
possibility of such an agreement. Actually
as far as the immediate future is con-
cerned, this new development, in which
Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxem-
bourg are taking a full part, represents
the beginning of another grim phase in
divided Europe's deadly power contest
a contest in which Germany is of decisive
Importance. Unless and until the Kremlin
shifts to cooperative policy, the
western nations, If they are to be safe,
have no choice but to keep on moving
toward the strongest possible coalition.
Evening star., 1948-03-08

all-time record for the United States,
$150000,000 more than in 1946.
No doubt 1948 totals in dollar expendi-
lures will exceed those Of 1s47, but road
contractors have warned official agencies
that high costs of machinery, materials and
labor will hold down the mileage of new
roads and the repair of older highways
Contrary to opinions expressed when
cement and macadam highways were being
built in the 192Os and 193os, engineers have
proved, the life expectancy of a modern
road is less than generation of human
life. Roads wear out under the terrific
impact of heavy trucks and speeding cars.
There is no question that billions of dol
lars must be spent in the next decade II
we are to have theSystem of roads needed
for efficient business and for the national
defense. The needs will help keep the
wheels of industry turning and furnish
hundreds of thousands of jobs. But the
1000 contracting firms that do our road
building are telling us that our money
will not 60 so far as it did few years ago.
Evening star., 1948-03-08
To q Honey Bee

Small monk In bro,Dn and yeHoW potltun1,
Gro,pn ponderous NTH loUe and oenefce,
What message led you to the foDertng
plum
And made you cogntzart OF Genests7
Small pilgrim at honeysuckle shrine,
Your weioht upon the clnpper IN gold
And scarlet bell, Uhat psalms haze you
dtUined?
What morning aIlelntuhs hare you
toued?
Dtninutiue disciple of the rose,
Cleaning your tCtsdon, IN petdled
school,
Through what ingenious faith do you
disclose
The sunny standards OF your golden
rule?
What treasures from the peach and apple
bloom
Lie fused In amber In your chapel roons2
COSETTE MIDDLETON.
Evening star., 1948-03-08
PROGRESS in Rocket Research

1t is a good idea to follow the advice
of the Congressional Aviation Policy Board
in evaluating the significance of the
latest Army-Navy achievement in rocket
research. The board suggested that the
layman guard against jumping to pre-
maturely optimistic conclusions regarding
the status of push-button warfare. The
fact that Navy rocket has hit speed
of three-thousand miles an hour and has
reached an altitude of seventy-eight miles
shows that excellent progress is being
made by our aerial missile scientists, but
years of experimentation remain ahead,
according to the experts.
At the same time, great credit is due
the imaginative men who have made
remarkable strides since the war toward
the goal of perfected guided-missile war
fare. Improving on the German W. rocket,
American technicians are developing new
designs new fuels, new launching methods
and fantastic systems of electronic control.
The Army-sponsored Wac Corporal was
the first all-American military super
rocket to be unveiled to the public. The
Wac Corporal Travelled twenty-one hun
dred miles an hour and attained an
altitude of thirty-four miles. None of the
American rockets so far has equaled the
German W. records of thirty-fi hundred
miles an hour and altitude of one hun
dred and fourteen miles, however.
Nor was there any indication that the
Nays new Aerobee rocket can be classed
as a guided missile in the radio-control
sense. Electronic control of the va has
been achieved to some degree, and it may
be that similar harnessing of the American
rockets will be feasible before long.
But all our scientists agree that we are
as yet only in the research stages of rocket
and guided-missile warfare. They and our
military authorities warn that it would
be folly in the meantime to- neglect con-
ventional weapons of defense and offense
That is sound advice for budget-makers
and legislators to ponder in a period of
worldwide tension and turmoil.
Evening star., 1948-03-08
A Code of Courtesy

TO the Editor Of The Star:
The following excerpt was taken trom an
article appearing il, the March issue Of True
MAGAZINE, by Cameron shipp on the life OF
the best-known American humorist. Homer
croy. who put down on paper the things ne
believed in. Here they are:
ct believe that most people do the best they
can. considering their limitations and their
prejudices and the toll their mental limitations
have levied upon them.
"I believe that kindness is just about the
finest thing in the world. And, it seems to me
that kindness has its roots in understanding
81 believe that most people would rather be
kind than cruel but that their animal inner
itance Is Just below the surface and Is the cause
Evening star., 1948-03-08
On Beino Too Lute

Nearly ten years ago General Mac
Arthur wrote letter to the late William
Allen White which will bear repeating
today.
At the time the Macarthur letter was
written we were cropping for measure
of national unity and awareness to cope
with the Axis menace. There was the
distressingly familiar division of counsel,
the unwillingness to face up to the i'm
minence Of war, the attempt to kid our
selves into believing that we could have
guns and butter, too. Then, as now, the
paralyzing weight of wishful thinking
was q major obstacle to preparing this
Nation for the war which threatened
us, and 1t was in that setting that
General Macarthur wrote:
The history of failure In Dar can almost
be summed up In t1Do 1oords:: Too Late.
Too late In comprehending the deadly
purpose OF potential enemy; too late
in realizing the mortal danger; too late
In preparedness; too late IN uniting all
possible forces for resistance; too late In
standing Nth ones friends. Victory in
Uar results from no mysterious alchemy
or wtsardry but depends entirely upon
the concentration of superior force at
the critical points OF combat. To face
an adversary In detail has been the
prayer of every conqueror In history.
1t is the secret of the past successes OF the
Arts po,Ders In this 1par. 1t is their main
hope for continued and ultimate victory.
The greatest strategic mistake In all
history ,uM be made IT America fails to
recognize the vttal moment, il she permits
again the writing OF that fatal epitaph:
Too Late.
Surely these words have significant
application to the world scene today. One
by one the nations of Europe are being
toppled by the new aggression. Those of
our friends that remain on their feet are
In serious danger of being overrun.
And what are we doing? AS time slips
away from us, we argue and wrangle over
what to do. former Vice President
would keep us from doing anything to
resist effectively the Communist march
across Europe. In the Senate the pointless
debate drags on, and one Senator goes so
far as to attack the Marshall Plan on the
fantastic ground that 1t is "brazen and
preposterous scheme for the worldwide
redistribution of wealth." Others point to
the elements of uncertainty in the plan,
and would take the supreme risk of doing
nothing rather than the calculated risk
which General Marshall advocates.
1t is hard to say how much longer we
can 60 on like this But there can be no
doubt that we are in serious danger of be-
ing too late, of kicking our opportunity
around until the day arrives when all hope
of stopping the Communists will be gone.
Evening star., 1948-03-08
Germany and the West

In agreeing to the principle of inter-
nationalizing the Ruhr and tntegrating
the economy of Western Germany with
the European Recovery Program, France,
Britain and the United States have en-
barked on a course that has been made
imperative by the obstructionism and the
aggressive westward march of the Soviet
Union.
BY their veto power in the Council Of
Foreign Ministers, the Russians have
steadfastly blocked every effort to bring
about the economic unidcation of Ger
many. As a result, although almost three
years have passed since the end of the
war, no peace treaty is yet in sight, and
the huge German productive potential
whose rehabilitation is essential to the
ERP-is being held back from doing the
Job it must do to help put the western
world back on its feet.
This state Of semiparalysis, Of course,
has been engineered by the Russians with
one chief objective in view-namely, to
promote and prolong chaotic conditions
of a type calculated to make it easier
for the Krenlin, through direct and in
direct aggression, to spread its dominance
across the entire continent all the way
to the English Channel. Accordingly, in
moving together now to counter the
threat, France, Britain and the United
States are in effect serving notice that
the fundamental law of f-preservation
demands that they undertake far
reaching program of their own, irrespec-
tive of the Soviet veto.
The first formal Anglo French American
conference on this all-important subject
has Just recessed in London, but 1t
will be resumed next month, at which
time the projected program probably will
be defined in detail. At present, in broad
outline, it adds up to common agreement
on the following major principles: Cd
That recovery depends largely on inte-
grating the economy of Western Germany
with the economies of the countries Of
Western Europe; (2) that the combined
Anglo-American zone of occupation and
the French zone-wf1ich now seem headed
for a complete merger-should work
closely together and participate fully
and directly in the ERP; and 90 that
there should be International control OF
the industrial Ruhr to insure that it will
not again be used for aggression but to
provide ut the same time that its coal,
coke and steel resources are properly
Evening star., 1948-03-08

the Russians and called him to London for
consultation, but he refused to go-and got
away with it.
Fierlinger was very instrumental in nego-
tiating the 1943 Czech-Soviet friendship pact.
BY December of that year, President Benes was
convinced OF the need to get on good postwar
terms with the Soviet Union and went to Mos
COW to conclude the pact. It is true that
before World War II he had followed some
what similar policy, concluding, under the in
f1uence of France mutual assistance pact with
Russia in 1885, but it was not nearly as far
reaching as the 1943 development,
The lines laid in 1943 led to Czechoslovakia s
first postwar government being virtually made
in Moscow" in 1945. Early in that year, Presl-
dent Benes went to Moscow to discuss forma-
ton of the cabinet that would be established
as the provisional government after liberation.
AS result of those Moscow talks, Fierlinger
was chosen prime minister and Gottwald, one
of the five deputy premers. Both men were
in Moscow to help guide the talks. Fierlinger,
closely connected with Russia and communism,
was chosen to head the Social Democrat Party.
Valerian A. zorian, Soviet Foreign Office
official became the first ambassador to the
new Czech government. Later he was made a
deputy foreign minister in Moscow. He visited
Prague again coincident with the recent crisis
that brought full power to the Communists and
their sympathjzers.
When the Red army entered Slovakia IN
April, 1945, the new Czechoslovak provisional
government was formally established at Kosice
in central Slovakia That remained its head
quarters until Prague was liberated in May
An agreement at Kosice set up national
front" of the nations political parties, includ-
ing Communists, Social Democrats, National
Socialists, Slovak Democrats and the Peoples
Party. This eliminated some leading prewar
parties that we're tainted by collaboration with
the Nazis, including the Agrarian Party that
had held the key ministries of interior and
agriculture before the war. These key posts
plus the information ministry, went to Com
munists in the new government.
From the inside position thus gained, and
with the help of the ever-present threat OF
Soviet pressure, the Communists were able to
build up the power to take over the govern
ment when the showdown finally came. I'm
til the coup, there was considerable give-and-
take cooperation. The Communists went along
with the moderates in the government on
several issues. And the moderates went along
with the Communists on others.
The way the wind was blowing was demon
strated last summer, however, when the Czech
cabinet decided to cooperate in the Marshall
Plan but rescnded this decision after Gottwald
was called to Moscow.
oF will }
Evening star., 1948-03-08
Recalls Basic Chest Ideal

TO the Editor of The Star:
would like to reply to letter published IN
The Star March 2 signed Another Washing
tonian.
The latter characterized agencies Of the six
Community Chests OF the Community Chest
Federation such as the YMCA, YWCA. Boy
and Girl Scouts. the Department OF Welfare and
Federation of Churches as groups that are not
charities" He implies that If the Chest meth
cd were limited to charities" the Chest idea
would not be doomed In our community, which
he states is It's certain fate II such agencies are
not eliminated.
Federation officials, however, believe there
Is no doom for the Chest idea in the National
CAPITAL area If our citizens still accept the
original reason for the establishment OF the
Chest method here and in every other Amer
ican community. This reason was to elm
mate as many separate competing campaigns
by individual agencies as possible by uniting
as many of them as possible in one annual
Joint money-raising effort This same reason
for the Chest idea Is probably more compelling
today than it was 20 years ago. The stated
objective was to achieve economy OF time,
money and effort in raising the operating
deficits OF agencies in contrast to the higher
costs of separate agency campaigns. llm-
itation to charities" would not have achieved
a Community Chest 20 years ago. Nor Will 1t
today.
Another Washingtonian calls the agencies
whose inclusion he objects to riders" He i'm
plies they bring nothing to the Chest idea, out
only take away Yet the agencies he lists have
tens of thousands of friends and members who
support the Chest. Many of these undoubtedly
would support the Chest to lesser degree
if their agencies returned to putting on their
own separate campaigns. Many probably Woulo
not support the Chest at all.
It is important to our citizens to recognize
that a Community Chest Is federation OF
pivers with varying interests and loyaltles ana
q federation of agencies of varying constltu-
encies. A Chest is a pooling Of these varying
interests, loyalties and constituencies in one
cooperative effort.
Another Washingtonian comedies that non
charity agencies do good work, but thinks that
not any one contends that they merit the same
support that the Chest is supposed to extend
to the halt, the lame, the blind. orphans and
the aged. Federation officials believe that non
charity agencies are important. But even 50,
of the total ALLEGATIONS to agencies, just snort
of 10 per cent was extended to charities IN
1s47 against 80 per cent for the other agencies
D. w. BELL,
President, Community Chest Federation,
National Capital Area.
Evening star., 1948-03-08
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

@ What animal has the most vertebrae7-
MIG
A. The python has more vertebrae than any
other known animal. One reticulated python
that measured % feet inches had over 400
vertebrae, according to the American Museum
of Natural History. The reticulated or regal
python is the largest species of serpent in the
world. 1t lives chiefly in the East Indies.
@. How many policemen are there in New
York CiW?-C J. M
A. There are about 10000 policemen on the
force in New York City.
@. What Is the origin Of the saying, Let
George do it"?-I. H. T.
A. The expression Let George do 1t" Is said
by some authorities to be derived from the
French expression "laissez faire Georges" This
originated in France in the 18th century. 1t
was in satircal reference to the multiform ac-
tivities of Georges d'Amboise, who was the
Prime Minister to Louis XII.
@. Please give some information about the
Live Oak Society of Louisiana-S. N. K.
A. The society was founded by DR.. Edwin L.
Stephens. president of the Southwestern Louisi-
ana Institute at Lafayette to perpetuate the
live oaks and insure their care. The tree mem
bers which must be at least 100 years old, have
human sponsors who pay dues Of Is acorns
year The president of the society Is the Locke
Though centered in Louisiana. the movement
to preserve the live oaks has spread into Mis-
sissippi and Texas
O. How long has the National Guard been In
existence? What are it's chief functions?-N. P.
A. The National Guard goes back to the
earliest history of the Republic, being in fact.
the militia" referred to In the Constitution.
Federally supervised, it is a citizen -soldiery in
each of the 48 States, the District OF Columbia
and the Territories, always in being and always
ready as the first reserve source Of trained
manpower 1t is state police force in times
of peace, subject to the direction OF the Gov
ernor for local security. 1t Is called immedi.
ately to the colors in time of war. For World
War II the National Guard provided 3o0,497
soldiers
Evening star., 1948-03-08
Questions and Answers

reader can get the answer to any question OF
Bureau. sic Eye street e.. washinston z, p; G.
Please inclose three (3) cents for return postage
Evening star., 1948-03-08

History repeats, especially in Europe
and one supposes the true reason for the
Red coup in Czechoslovakia was the NAL
treatment of the Sudeten Russians.
Evening star., 1948-03-08
Letters to The Star

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
urtter, although it is permissible for q
vriter knoDn to The Star to use q
non, de plume. Please be brtef.