davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1948-02-11
Arlington Trade Board
To Ask Withdrawal Of
County Tax Measure

The Arlington Board Of Trade has
voted to ask the county delegation
in the General Assembly to with
draw a bill which would empower
the county board to levy business
and professional license taxes and
county automobile license taxes, 1t
was announced yesterday.
The action was taken only 10 days
after the Board of Directors OF the
rival Arlington Chamber of Com
merce appeared before the county
board and announced Endorsement
of the legislation.
The county board, however, has
twice refused to inform Delegates
J. Maynard Magruder and George
Damn and Senator Charles r. Fen
wick that it wants the power. On
both occasions when the matter has
been placed before the board, it has
adopted substitute motions placing
it on record as leaving the method
of raising additional revenue up to
the delegation In the Assembly.
Such taxes would be in addition
to those now imposed by the State
in the form of license taxes" and
county residents have received little
or no advance notice OF this pro-
posed bill' and therefore have had
no opportunity to consider the merits
of the proposed additional taxes, ac-
cording to the Board of Trade.
In its resolution, the Board OF
Trade declared that the Board of
Directors of the chamber have
seen fit to indorse the proposed leg
islation without ascertaining the
sentiment or views of the business
interests of the county they purport
to represent and without determin-
ing the immediate need for the in
creased public revenue"
The Board of Trade deems it un-
wise at this time to impose addi-
tional taxation on the businesses
and citizens of the county, especially
in view of the recent increase in
property taxes and the heavy in
crease in the cost of living the
resolution stated. It also mentioned
the number of small businesses now
being started by war veterans and
others on small capital and the
possible recession with which the
Nation is being threatened" as rea-
sons why the proposed levies are
"unwise."
Further, the trade body asserted
the cost of Government has
reached such proportions that it is
getting out of all reasonable rela-
tionship to the incomes of busi-
nesses and citizens alike" and more
consideration should be given to the
reduction of Government expenses
rather than to the increase of such
burden upon the people"
The Chamber of Commerce di-
rectors in their resolution backing
the measure pointed to the lin
creasing demands for services and
public Improvements" and noted
that real estate taxes have reached
a sufficiently high peak" A fur
ther increase would offer "a severe
detriment to the county," the di-
rectors said
Membership Of the Board OF
Trade was placed at around 300"
by Charles A. Toone. past presi-
dent. who said the organization Is
about 4 years old.
Evening star., 1948-02-11
Hopkins Exercises
To Honor Virginions
by the Assoeiotsd Press

BALTIMORE, Feb. 11.-Puhtzer
Prize Winner Douglas Southall Free
man and President Colgate w. Dar-
den, jr., Of the University Of Virginia
will be guests Of honor February %
at Johns Hopkins University's 72d
annual commemoration day exer-
cises, 1t was announced today. The
program celebrates the founding OF
Hopkins in 1876.
Mr.. Freeman is editor of the Rich
mond News-Leader and author OF
several historical works, including
Lees Lieutenants" and "R. z. Lee"
Mr.. Darden has served in Congress
and was Governor Of Virginia DUR
ing the term which ended In 1916.
Evening star., 1948-02-11
Bill Seeks Businessman
For Stute Education Post
BY the Assoeioted Press

RICHMOND, Feb. ia bill to
put the State Board Of Education
under the guidance of a chairman
experienced in business" was in
troduced in the House Of Delegates
yesterday.
introduced by Delegate E. o. Nc
Cue of Charlottesville, the measure
would require the Governor to ap-
point a man of business qualifica-
tions as chairman of the board.
Many powers now held by G. Tyler
Miller. superintendent of public in
struction, would be transferred to
the chairman Of the board, who
would serve full time under the bill.
Evening star., 1948-02-11
Boofhe Measure
Tightens Laws
To Aid Animals
House to Get Bill
Today; Richmond
Charter Approved
By Alex R. Preston
Sfnr sfoff corresnondent


RICHMOND, Feb. 11.-Tghtening
of laws against cruelty and poison
ing of animals was to be proposed in
the General Assembly today by Del
egate Armistead L. Boothe of Alex
andria.
He said he will introduce a bill
this afternoon at the request of the
Animal Welfare League of Alexan-
dria and similar organizations in
other Northern Virginia communi-
ties.
This was disclosed after a heavy
calendar yesterday high lighted by
these developments:
Passage by the House Of new
charter for Richmond, including
provision for nonpartisan elections
for the City Council.
Introduction of Senate bill Civ
ing all localities the privilege Of
adopting daylight saving time.
Introduction of a House bill Civ
ing Arlington authority to require
license tags for private automobiles,
such as cities now require.
Killing in committee of a bill to
permit wof-.sn to serve on juries
and another measure to regulate
and inspect beauty parlors and
establish minimum standards for
cosmetic arts.
Mrs. Hauber Leads Drive.
Mrs. John Hauber, chairman of
the Animal Welfare League, led q
drive to strengthen the law against
cruelty and killing of animals. Mr..
Boothe said convictions are diff
cult under the present law, which
requires that malicious intent to
MAIN or destroy animals must be
proved.
His amendment would make 1t q
misdemeanor to make poisons ac-
cessable to domestic animals.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Boothe, a "fresh-
man" member of the Legislature.
was credited with a parliamentary
move that made possible unanimous
passage by the House of the Rich
mond charter bill.
The House action, however, may.
lead to an added drive by some
quarters in Arlington. headed by
the Joint Legislative Committee, to
press for introduction Of bill call
ing for nonpartisan elections of the
county board and county school
board.
Several members had said they
could not vote for the bill. because
they had sworn to defend the States
constitution. Floor Leader E. Black
burn Moore, however, asserted Mr..
Boothe's move permitted all MEM
bers to vote for the bill which now
goes to the Senate.
Bill Is Rewritten.
Senator Andrew w. Clarke Of
Alexandria, Fairfax and Prince vii.
liam Counties, sponsored the day.
light saving time bill. He had
planned to introduce 1t Monday but
it had been drafted to apply only to
Fairfax County. He rewrote it to
permit all localities to adopt the
plan.
The bill authorizing the Arlington
County Board to license private
automobiles was sponsored by Dele
gates George Damn and j. May
nard Magruder.
The committee also unanimously
voted to pass by indefinitely" the
bill to regulate and inspect beauty
parlors and set up standards for
cosmetic arts.
Evening star., 1948-02-11
Arlington Rezoning
Action Deferred 10
March 9 by Board

Action on requests for rezoning of
property in the vicinity of Airing
ton Ridge and South Glebe roads
was deferred until March o by the
Arlington County Board last night,
after hearing attended by more
than 100 residents of the area.
In deciding to postpone q final
vote, the board followed the recon-
mendations of the County Planning
Commission, after Alfred E. Frisbie
Withdrew motion to deny the re-
quests and representatives of ,citi-
zens opposing them agreed to let
the matter be carried over.
The requests for change from
residential to commercial zoning
affect five pieces of property and
are opposed by the Arlington Ridge
Civic Association and the Oakcrest
Citizens Association.
Requests Involved.
The requests are as follows: w.
A. and C. L. Bohn, 1928 South Ar
lington Ridge road; c. w. and j. P.
Offutt, 1884 South Arlington Ridge
road; George W. Ohutk III, 1s0
feet southeast Of the Intersection; !;
Helen c. Calvert, 1928 South Ar
lington Ridge road, and J. Lee and
Loretta E. Price, 3100 South Glebe
road.
Lawson Wimberley told the board
that "every one who resides in the
area is opposed to the proposed
rezonings.
Harrison Mann declared that re-
quests regarding the same property
have been before the board in at
least two instances since 1912 and
have been denied. Mr.. Mann at
first objected to carrying the mat
ter over until the boards next zon-
ing meeting, but later agreed to
the continuance, after Board Mem
ber Basil M. De Lashmutt asserted
he could not see how the board
could deliberately bypass" the
Planning Commission.
The board granted use permit
for a nursery school at the Airing
ton Jewish Center, 1920 Lee boule-
ward, over the protests Of 48 resi-
dents of the area, led by Kenneth
Dyer. Mr.. Dyer said the nursery
would cause heavier automobile
traffic on side streets and would re-
suit in parking problems.
Other Cases Postponed.
A request of Albert D. Alexander
for a change from apartment resi-
dence to local commercial in the
900 block of North Kenmore street
was denied by the board. r. E.
Westenberger withdrew a request
for a change from one family res
idence to apartment use at Eleventh
and North Powhattan street.
Requests of w. G. Walker for a
change from one-family residence
to general commercial use at 2043
North Kenmore street, and Bryan
Gordon, jr., for a change from one
family residence to apartment use
in the 1900 block of South George
Mason drive, were deferred until the
March 8 meeting.
The board also deferred action
until March 9 on a request of the
Arlington Animal Rescue League
for a permit to operate an animal
shelter at 579 North Randolph street.
Evening star., 1948-02-11
Two Join w. and L. Faculty

LEXINGTON, Va, Feb. II R1.-
Two Virginia newspapermen have
been added to the journalism faculty
at Washington and Lee University
They are Louis Spilman, editor and
publisher of the Waynesboro News
Virginian, and William Atkinson,
managing editor Of the Roanoke
Times. Both held similar positions
at the school last year.
Evening star., 1948-02-11
Building Urged
For Montgomery
Health Agencies
Commissioners Study
State Request Citing
inadequate Quarters
By J. B. Zotmon

The Montgomery County CommiS-
sioners today had under advisement
a request by DR.. r. H. Riley, State
health director, that plans be pre-
pare Immediately for new County
Health Department building.
In a letter read by the commits
sioners at their meeting yesterday,
DR.. Riley termed the present situa-
ton critical"
He said ip his letter that the pro-
posed building should provide space
to house all County Health Depart
ment activities and take care of
"foreseeable expansion" within the
next five years.
He added it should be located in
or near Rockville so that county
health activities could be so-ordi-
mated with those of other agencies
at the county seat.
Rooms Overcrowded.
DR.. Riley quoted DR.. Allen w.
Freedman, State Health Department
consultant who had inspected the
present county health quarters two
months ago, as saying the space situ-
alton is almost chaotic"
In DIR. Freedman's report, accord
ing to DR.. Riley, it was pointed out
that 81 nurses and 6 assistants are
crowded into a room Is by % feet
in size. In addition, DR.. Freedman
said in his report, the sanitation
Office is oyercrowded and the ex-
ecutive Office is noisy and poorly
lighted.
Also taken under advisement was
a resolution by the county farm
bureau urging elimination of the
county's personal property tax. It
was the second time within week
that such a request has been made.
The first such recommendation was
presented to the commissioners Feb
ruary 3 by w. Lawson King, CATH
ersburg, county dairy farmer.
May Restore Furniture Tax.
Yesterdays resolution was pre-
sented by farm bureau delegation,
headed by James D. King, president
of the organization. In the resolu-
ton, the farm bureau said home
owners have been relieved of paying
the tax while farm equipment and
livestock Is not exempt, thus forcing
farmers to bear q heavier share OF
the county's tax load.
County Supervisor Irving G. Nc
Nayr told the delegation there was
a chance" of restoring the tax on
household furniture. He added,
however, that the matter was up to
the board"
The levy on household furniture
was abolished by the commissioners
in January, 1s47.
The State Roads Commission in
formed the commissioners in a'letter
that traffic improvement recon-
|mendations by the Wheaton Cham
ber of Commerce had been approved
These included erection of signs
prohibiting stopping or parking at
any time on the east side OF Georgia
avenue for a distance of so feet
south OF Ola blaQenSpuTS Iodo.
Stop Signs Ordered.
The board also: Ordered erection
of stop signs at Kensington park
way and Everett street and at
Kensington parkway and Franklin
street; approved establishment OF a
taxicab stand on the north side OF
Ellsworth drive beginning 80 feet
west of Fenton street, Silver Spring;
approved appointment Of Guy ".
Lewis, jr., Beallsville, as forest
warden, and granted permission to
Miss Matilda Young, director of the
Childrens' Museum, to park the
museum trailer on the vacant lot
adjacent to the bus terminal at
Wisconsin avenue and the District
line,
Evening star., 1948-02-11
Three Virginions Named
On List of 'NotobIes'
By the A.soeiafsd Press

RICHMOND, Feb. 11.-Three vir-
ginians were among the 10 men and
women chosen for 1948 in the an
nual list of Notable Presbyterians'
by the editors of the Presbyterian
Outlook, independent Southern
Presbyterian weekly published here.
They were Henry M. Brimm, Ii
brarian Of Union Theological Semi
nary. Richmond; Mrs. Thomas H.
Grafton, dean OF Mary Baldwin Col
lege, Staunton. and N. B. Etheridge,
businessman, Norfolk.
Evening star., 1948-02-11

Mr.. Butler said the thinking of
the members of both reorganiza-
ton committees has been that, if
the new body were constituted as
a real cross-seetion of leadership
in the community, its determina-
tion on the eligibility of an agency
would represent what the public
fonted. The present agency mem
Evening star., 1948-03-16
Time for Plain TdIk

1t is reasonable to suppose that the
President will call a spade a. spade when
he goes before joint session of Congress
tomorrow to discuss the critical foreign
situation. For the time has come when
the people OF this country ought to be
given the fullest possible appraisal of the
danger which threatens them if they, in
turn, are going to be called upon by the
Government to support the measures
necessary to meet the danger.
This danger is of a dual nature. One
aspect has to do with the past performance
and the probable intentions of Soviet
Russia. The former is a matter of record.
Unfortunately, the latter lies in the realm
of speculation, and in that respect the
President, like the rest of us. is handi-
capped by lack of any certain knowledge
of what Russia intends to do. He is in a
better position than any one else to set
out the probable course of Soviet action,
however, and 1t is to be hoped he will
have no hesitancy in doing so.
The other aspect of the danger which
confronts us concerns our own inability,
arising from military weakness, to cope
with further aggressive moves which the
Russians might choose to make. One hears
much talk these days of underwriting a
Western European defensive alliance. OF
serving notice on the Russians that we
will not acquiesce In any further encroach-
ment on areas vital to our security. But
this will be nothing but falkland risky
talk at that-as long as we are lacking in
the military power to back up our words.
Most certainly we lack it today. The
volunteer system is not producing enough
men to staff the armed services for their
routine tasks and our industrial productive
facilities, particularly in the field of mill
stary aviation, are most seriously made
Equate. All of this is known to the
Russians, and they will not be inclined to
heed mere words while this state of mill
tary weakness persists. Mr.. Truman and
our military leaders know it, stoG but the
STORY has not yet been told to the people
in terms that are forceful enough and plain
enough to impress them with the gravity
of the situation.
1t is hard to get the story told and the
necessary action taken in an election year.
And there is limit, of course, to what Mr..
Truman can do. He cannot take the es-
sential steps alone. But he can lay the
facts and the necessary recommendations
before the Congress and the country If
he has called the joint session to do these
things-and the indications are that this
Is the case-then his responsibility has
been met. After that, it will be up to the
Congress-and to the people the Congress
represents-to see to it that the necessary
action is taken, and taken without regard
to the fact that this is an election year.
Evening star., 1948-03-16
Clarifying Loyalty Rules

PRESIDENT IrumanS order pr0nlpltlng
Government agencies from releasing to
Congress any FBI or other confidential
information in Federal employe loyalty
cases is in line with historic executive
policy At the same time. it leaves the
door open-as it should-for possible ex-
ceptions to the rule at the Presidents
discretion If the public interest should
justify such modification. That attitude,
too, follows traditional policy.
The immediate effect of the order is to
clear up the confusion which has arisen
recently because of conflicting actions by
two departmental heads. Whereas the
Department of State has offered to submit
to the House Executive Expenditures Com
mittee the full FBI report on Hamilton
Robinson, director of the departments
Office of Controls the Department of Com
merce has refused to give the House I'm
American Activities Committee the FBI
report on DR.. Edward u. Condor, director
of the Bureau of Standards.
The willingness expressed by Assistant
Secretary of State Peurifoy to release the
FBI report on Mr.. Robinson apparently
was prompted by the fact that the in
formation was considered to be generally
favorable to the security officer. But Mr.
Peurifoy's attitude ran counter to the strict
policy of the Loyalty Review Board, over
all supervisor of the Federal loyalty pros
gram. The board has pointed out that any
violation of the condolences intrusted to
it or to the departmental loyalty boards
hx,f fho u,ko afF
to safeguard the Government against sub
versive influences. Much of the FBI in
formation comes from informants whose
usefulness would be at an end were their
Identities to become known.
As Mr.. Truman points out, the ban on
release of confidential information not
only is necessary to protect the Govern
ment's interests but also to protect the
interests of employees under investigation.
Publication of disproved charges or rumors
could do a grave injustice to a loyal en-
ploye. To leave to the various administra-
tors any discretion in deciding whether
certain information should or should not
be made public would not only imperil the
loyalty program but result in endless con-
fusion. Congress should realize that ad-
herence to this policy carries no suggestion
of contempt for the legislative branch OF
the Government. And since it must be
assumed that Congress Is as much con-
cerned with the security of the Govern
ment as the executive branch, it is only
right that the President should weigh
each congressional request for data with
care. No reasonable request should be
refused unless it can be shown that the
public interest would suffer thereby.
Evening star., 1948-03-16
Robert Frost Returns

1t is good that Robert Frost returns to
Washington at intervals. Greatest of liv-
Ing American poets, he belongs here in
the Nations heart. His appearance at the
Library OF Congress tomorrow evening has
special significance inseparable from the
crisis of the times. He will be the guest of
his country for the noment-and likewise
in very real sense personification OF
its ideals.
Mr.. Frost was San Francisco born, New
England reared. In his youth he worked
at cobbling, farming and teaching. Sue
cess did not happen to him easily or
undeserved. "Going home" to Britain Ito
live under thatch" gave him chance to
find himself "A Boys Will" and North
of Boston," both published in London,
brought him recognition from critics and
public. He returned home in 1915 famous.
And he has justified his celebrity by
subsequent performance. A dozen books
of durable verse have established his claim
to permanent place among the literary
artists Of his generation. People will read
'The Death of the Hired Man" as long as
they read "Hiawatha," "The Chambered
Nautilus" "Thanatopsis" and Democratic
Vistas." Mr.. Frost is very close to Whittier,
the Quaker harmonist who gradually is
emerging as a singer of the rarest dis
tinction. He says: "A poem begins with
a lump in the throat" But there Is more
than tears in Home Burial" more than
nostalgia in '"The Road Not Taken" more
than stalwart acceptance of fate in Mend
ing Wall"
Mr.. Frost belongs to no school, Is en-
slaved to no dogma. His basic philosophy
is that OF the Galilean and Shakespeare
and John Galsworthy: Fellowship and
mercy, even to "the least of these, my
brethren" When he speaks, America, has
an ailthAntic vojce -. .t~
Evening star., 1948-03-16
The Paris Conference

No grimmer testimony to the swift ex-
acerbation of the crisis between East and
West can be offered than the contrast
between the first and second meetings of
European nations concerned with the re-
covery of that distracted continent.
The initial conference took place last
summer, attended by the representatives of
sixteen nations. Exploratory and tenta-
tive in character, its purpose was the
drawing up of technical report on their
needs resources and capacities for self
help for submission to the United States.
The agenda was confined to economic mat
ters. The sense of urgency, while strong,
was not acute.
The second conference opened yester-
day, also in Paris, and with the same
sixteen nations in attendance. But the
circumstances were greatly changed. In
the intervening months, the tide of CON-
munist aggression spearheaded by Mos
COW, had risen to flood threatening to
submerge the entire European continent.
1mpelled by the imperious urge of self
preservation, five of the participants
Britain France and the Benelux countries
have concluded what amounts to full
fledged defensive alliance slated for sigma
ture tomorrow in the hope that it will
prove to be the nucleus of a West European
Union. In addition. a customs union be-
tween France and Italy is scheduled for
signature on Saturday, while similar Gus
toms-union projects are being worked out
between the Scandinavian nations and
between Greece and Turkey, respectively
All this denotes rapid crystallization of
effective cooperation between virtually all
European countries outside the Soviet bloc.
frankly directed against the threat of Com
muniSt subjugation. That, in turn. implies
that the new Paris conference will be much
more than economic in scope. AS we
Americans have been awakened by the Red
coup in Prague to the bitter truth that
dollars are not enough" so the free
Europeans have come to realize that eco
nomic cooperation must be supplemented
by political and military measures.
OF course, the last word must still be
spoken by America. Without our endorse
ment and backing-economic, diplomatic
and strategic alkeA-the nascent unifica-
ton of Western Europe may be a case of
"too little and too late" But the arousing
Of American national consciousness to our