davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1948-12-10
Defining Medical Indiqency

We need a sensible definition in Wash
ington of medical indigency" degree
of indigency that will warrant public
assistance in paying hospital bills.
Since last July /, the Commissioners
have been making futile gestures in trying
to put something down on paper that
makes sense. The Corporation Counsel
belatedly has been asked for definition.
But in the meantime the voluntary hos
pitals are being stuck for numerous bills
for which the community should be re-
sponsible.
A signed article on Page B-1 of tOdays
Star by Mr.. Beveridge spells out some OF
the absurdities of the present situation.
One of them is that citizen whose degree
Of indigency entities him to free or part
pay treatment at Gallinger is not entitled
to comparable treatment at one of the
nine voluntary hospitals with which the
District is empowered to contract. AS a
result, although Congress appropriated
$690,000 for such public care at volun
tary hospitals, the District will not spend
the money 1t has in hand. It's rules are
too strict. AS the hospitals cannot refuse
to treat the patients, they are left holding
the bag for money which should come
from public funds.
In 1912 Congress authorized the Com
missioners to draw up definitions or
standards" of indigency. These were to
serve as guides in determining eligibility
for free or part-pay treatment at Gal
inger. They are arbitrary. But they at
least state the terms. A citizen is INDECENT
II he owns less than $500 worth of prop
srty, excluding personal property, clothing,
furniture and business equipment and has
q low income. He is not INDECENT if he
owns $3.50 equity in home, or If he
earns more than 1920 a month and has
two dependents. There are other compar-
able standards used to determine whether
he should pay anything at Gallinger or
whether he should pay something, if
not all.
In the past session of Congress it was
decided to. authorize the Commissioners
to make contracts for care of indigents-
emergency cases only-with nine instead
of three voluntary hospitals The idea was
that the same type of emergency assistance
for indigents should be available at nine
hospitals that is now available at Gallinger.
But in writing the contracts with the
private hospitals, Municipal authorities
did not apply the standards of indigency
in effect at Gallinger. In consequence,
the District will refuse to pay the bill of
an emergency patient at Emergency Hos
pital who might be entitled to total or
partial public aid at Gallinger. The health
officer, DR.. Rutland, has forcefully recon-
mended that the same standards of indi-
gency that determine eligibility for free or
part-pay care at Gallinger, apply to the
voluntary hospitals. That, of course,
should be done, and without further delay
Evening star., 1948-12-10

election. while President Wilson obtained .
plurality Of popular votes over Hughes and
majority Of electoral votes he did not garner
. majority Of the total popular vote; 4s2s was
his per cent Of that vote.
There have been other minority Presidents"
lie. Presidents who, though obtaining 4 plu-
rality Of popular votes over their nearest op-
ponent and majority of electoral votes, did
not gain q majority of all popular votes cast.
These are: Wilson, 1912; Cleveland, 1884 and
1892; Garfield, 1880; Lincoln, 1860 Buchanan,
1856; Taylor, 1S4s, and Polk, 1874 One other
minority President was John Quincy Adams.
In 1924 no candidate having received major
ity of the electoral vote, the choice devolved
upon the House of Representatives and Adams
was elected. jackson, in the general election,
had plurality of 50,551 popular votes over
Adams, his nearest competitor, but not q ma
jority of the total popular vote; his electoral
vote was 80 to "a for Adams, the remaining 78
electoral votes going to Crawford and Clay.
The sources for the figures given above are:
THE Cyclopedia Of American Government" by
Mclaughlin and Hart, D. Appleton and Com
pany. 1914; and THE Presidential Vote 1896
1882" by Edgar e. Robinson, Stanford UNI
versty Press. WILLIAM L. PATTERSON.
Evening star., 1948-12-10
CYptoqruphy

Whatever else may result from the pre-
vailing excitement about espionage one
development already is certain-namely, a
much increased interest in the ancient
science of cryptography. During thirty
three centuries of recorded history gov
ernments Systematically have tried to find
out what other governments secretly were
doing. Part of the technique of this sub
terranean method of international combat"
inevitably has been, the exchanging of
information between agents and head
quarters in forms not easily comprehended
by counterspies. The making and breaking
of codes therefore has been a business of
vast significance.
Edgar Allan Poes Gold Bug" perhaps
contains the most readily and commonly
available treatise on hidden writing. But
there are many cryptographic references
In the Bible-Jeremiah, xxv26 and Isaiah
Wis, among others. The Greeks were pro-
found cabalists, delighting in riddles like
that of the Sphinx. julius Caesar jumbled
the letters of the Roman alphabet to con-
ceal the actual import of his correspond
ence. All through the Middle Ages princes
and prelates possessed their own private
ciphers, many of them so intricate as to
defy reading even now.
Queen Elizabeth had recourse to numer-
Gus devices. Her Minister Walsingham
obtained from an agent on the Continent
q complete account of the Spanish Armada
on the eve of its sailing. Secret messages
smuggled to Mary Stuart in kegs of beer
were used to send her to the block
Charles and Cromwell both were experts
In cryptography Among celebrated spies
who practiced in the same esoteric medium
were the poets Ben Jonson and Christopher
Marlowe and the novelist Daniel Defoe.
The German dramatist Kotzebue was a
spy in the service of Russia and was
assassinated as traitor
AS early as 1918 textbooks on cipher
making and breaking were in circulation
throughout Europe. One of them was
compiled by John Trithemius, Abbot of
Spanheim. Francis Bacon proposed an
ingenious double system and classed
cryptography as part of grammar. John
wilkins, Bishop of Chester, and John
Wallis, the oxford mathematician, were
Evening star., 1948-12-10

authorities on both secret writing and the
reading Of secret writing. George Wash
ington established a chain of private
agents which helped him to win the
Revolutionary War and set up the free
Government of the United States. Incl
dentally, neither Nathan Hale nor John
Andre were cryptographers Had they been
skilled in cipher writing they might have
saved themselves. Both were caught with
papers which any literate person could
read
Evening star., 1948-12-10
Nv THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

@ Which was the first State to enact a civil
rights bill in reference to mployment?-1.P w.
A. New York was the first State to enact
legislation eliminating discrimination IN EN-"
ployment. The law, known as the Ives.
Quinn Bill was signed by Governor Dewey
on March IL, 1945, and was effective on July
/, l945 1t set up State commission OF hve
men known as the State Commission Against
Discrimination which seeks to eliminate dis.
elimination in employment on grounds OF race,
creed, color or national origin.
@ When did Operation Vittles" begin?-
D. S.
A. The initial lift in this project of UsAFE
to feed and fuel Berlin took place on June
26. l948 when 80 tons were carried into the
city on 80 flights by CATS Later, by operating
around the clock. peak loads of 5000 tons
day were delivered.
O. Please give the derivation of the word
Christmas.-R. G. Y.
iective Christus, meaning "the Amounted One
and the word mass, the derivation OF which Ii
somewhat controversial. The word Christmas
literally refers to the mass sung in honor OK
the birth of Christ
@ What countries were denied membership
in the United Nations by having their appn.
cations vetoed?-L. S. B.
A. The applications of Austria, Ireland, Fin.
land, Italy, Portugual and Trans-Jordan wers
vetoed, also those Of Hungary, Run1ania and
Bulgaria.
@. Is the red banana as good food as the
yellow banana?-E L.
A, The red banana is less common species
of banana which grows almost everywhefe that
the common yellow species grows. It is IN.
ferior to the common banana in raw eating
quality, but makes good cooking banana. 1t
is sometimes harder and will ripen in some
climates unfavorable to the common banana.
Evening star., 1948-12-10
A METHODIST FRIEND OF CHIN
COOPERATIVE Racket Deplored

Co.Operative Racket Deplored
To the Editor of The Star:
The selling of apartments on the "co-opera-
tive" plan has been checked in New York and
other States are adopting methods to prevent
the wholesale eviction of good tenants, who are
unwilling or unable to purchase so-called per
petual" leases at extravagsnt figures.
It is high time that some teeth were put IN
the District of Columbia rent control law In
regard to this cooperative racket, which is
direct challenge to democracy.
One gains some encouragement from the fact
that few courageous Davids armed with the
pebbles of justice have challenged the Goliaths
of greed In our local courts. The monster OF
avarice Is destined to be dethroned.
EDMUND K. GOLDSBOROUGH
Evening star., 1948-12-10

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
prtter, although 1t Is permissible for
Uriter kno,un to The Star to use
a nom de plume. Please be brtet.
Evening star., 1948-12-10
Praise for Underpaid Police

ffa1Se 1OT OHdSIPoio oSS
70 the Editor Of The Star:
It Is in order to commend the whole Poiice
Department for its work in the Wilkerson case.
Surely the outstanding work OF this CASE
eliminating in the loss OF > policemans me-
should convince every one that police omcers
are miserably underpaid. 6. b. COLLINS
Evening star., 1948-12-10
Questions and Answers

A reader can get the answer to- any question q
fact by writing The Washington Star Information
Bureau, 316 I street NE. Washinston 2, d. c.
Please inclose cents for return postage.
Evening star., 1948-12-10
More on Minority Presidents


To the Editor of The Star:
The very interesting article, Popular Vote
Totals " ." (The Star of November "a closes
with the following questions and answers:
Has a majority Of the popular vote failed
to elect a President and how many times
did the candidate who polled a minority Of
the total of all parties receive majority OF
the electoral votes just the same and be-
come President?
Answer: Yes, three times-1s76, 1888 and
1916.
The only candidate who received majority
of the total popular vote cast for all parties
and yet failed to become President was Tilden
in the 1876 election; he had 500 per cent OF
that vote, obtaining a majority over all other
candidates of 78,454 and plurality over Hayes
of 250807 However, an electoral commission
authorized by special act of Congress decided
that Hayes had been elected by 185 electoral
votes "a majority to 1874 for Tilden. In the
1888 campaign Cleveland had plurality OF
popular votes over Benjamin Harrison, though
not a majority of all votes cast; the percent
age of the popular vote for Cleveland was 4S1
and for Harrison 47.s; the latter won 233 elec-
toral votes to 1853 for Cleveland. In the 1915
Evening star., 1948-12-10
Beeears Not Rehabilitated

To the Editor Of The Star:
Your editorial page Of December 6 contained
Q very interesting article under the heading,
Vocational Rehabilitation" by David Amato,
chief, District Of Columbia Rehabilitation
Service.
In view Of the fact that this service seems to
be 80 readily available, wish to inquire why
the city Of Washington Is 80 full Of disabled
beggars The writer travels through q great
many cities. both large and small. and have
never seen elsewhere so large percentage of
mentally and physically disabled persons beg
ging and asking for aims. Why are they not
prevented from doing this and why are they
not removed from the pavements and rehabiil
tated?
Recently when walking on G street NV be-
tween Ninth and Thirteenth, I saw five dis
abled persons soliciting aims A legless man
with monkey, another man with couple of
newspapers, half hidden, but with nat upheld
for coins; blind girl singing as she was led
by q man with coin container, another blind
man near a church entrance soliciting aims,
another blind man strumming q banjo to
which was fastened a tin cup. There were
others not far removed from this same vicinity.
The park on Fourteenth street between and
K streets always is full of panhandlers and
moochers. Most of them no doubt are alcoholics;
but they certainly need rehabilitation and
should be removed from the streets perma-
nently Why are not they and all the others
rehabilitated?
Washington, the Capital of the Nation which
is furnishing billions for other countries and
teaching their citizens about the fine fruits of
democracy. presents q sorry spectacle when
short walk makes one think of nothing so much
as the criticized cities of India
Quoting Mr.. Amato, THE value of restoring
self confidence and pride to such individuals is
of course far beyond any materialistic evalua-
tion.' Again quoting: "The function of the
District of Columbia Rehabilitation Service is
to restore earning capacity to those who be-
come disabled, despite preventive measures"
The writer has lived in the District of Colum-
bia IL years, and the conditions I have men
toned have existed ever since I have lived
here, despite the existence of the Federal
Security Agency and the local Office of Voca-
tional Rehabilitation. I believe it would be of
general interest If Mr.. Amato would inform
us why. VIM. H. SWE1TlER.
Evening star., 1948-10-13
Two Women 'sCIubs
In Montgomery Fight
Ruling Taxing Them

Ofi1cers of two Montgomery Coun-
ty women's clubs are planning to
appeal to the State Tax Commits
sion from the county commission
ers' decision to make them subject
to taxation.
They are the Woman's Club of
Chevy Chase, which has been on
the exempt list since it was built in
1889, and the Woman's Club of
Bethesda, which has been exempt
since its construction in 1926.
Involved Is about 81 200 in taxes
for the Chevy Chase group and
about $500 for the Bethesda organi-
zation.
Oficials of the two clubs contend
they come under provisions of a
State law which exempts from taxa
ton organizations chartered for ed
ucational and charitable purposes.
Cites Baltimore Ruling.
An opposite view is taken by
County Assessment Supervisor VIII
ton T. Allen, who claims the pur-
pose of the clubs seems to be pri-
marily social and civic"
Mr.. Allen said a Baltimore court
ruled recently that woman's club
there was subject to taxation. AS
a result, he explained, when prop
erty in the Bethesda Chevy Chase
area was reassessed he decided to
place the two organizations back
on the tax rolls.
He said he also acted in COM
pliance with request by the county
commissioners that all question
able" organizations be assessed for
the 1948-4s fiscal year.
Upheld by Commissioners.
Consequently, the Chevy Chase
clubhouse on Connecticut avenue,
near East-West highway, was as
sessed at S30,900, and the nearly
2 acres of land surrounding the
building were evaluated at $13,100.
The Bethesda clubhouse was as
sessed at $13,200 and the surround
ing $4,000 square feet Of land at
S5,220.
The commissioners subsequently
upheld the assessments when rep
resentatives of the two clubs ap-
peared before them to ask that
they be exempted from taxation.
Evening star., 1948-10-13
Sanio Plans 10 Appeal
Deportation Order

John Santo, Romanian born Or
ganizer for the CIO Transport
Workers Union, said in New York
yesterday he will appeal Immediately
an immigration Service order fol
his deportation. The service an
nounced that Santo had been Or
dered deported for violations of i'm
migration laws.
The CIO organizer described the
deportation case as "a frame-ur
based upon the testimony of stool
pigeon witnesses who are unworthy
of belief" According to the Asso.
ciated Press, Santo said he had
made "over a dozen attempts" to
become an American citizen but was
prevented from becoming one be-
cause he was connected with a la
Dor movement.
He also said the order was an
ELECTION maneuver" by President
Truman's administration which
aims to prove that Harry Truman
can witch-hunt militant labor Lead
ers as effectively as Thomas z.
Dewey" x
Michael j. Quinn, .TWU interna-
tional president. said deportation of
Santo will not serve the best in
terests of American civil liberties"
Evening star., 1948-10-13
Marine Corps League
Unit Planned in County

A meeting to form a Rockville
Gaithersburg detachment of the
Marine Corps League will be held
at 8 pm. Friday in Montgomery
County Police Court at Rockville.
Glenn D. Russell, Clarksburg, judge
advocate of the Department of
Maryland. will explain the principles
of the league, install new members
and supervise the election of off,
GERS. Honorably discharged Marines
Evening star., 1948-10-13
Irrigation Is Pushed

NEW DELHI R9.-Irrigation and
power development projects in india
will. when completed. add more than
~ ,000, 900 acres Of irrigated land to
the existing 100000 acres. An
official pamphlet says about 5000 900
kilowatts of hydroelectric energy
viii be added to the existing paltry
SOC, 900 kilowatts. 1t says that at
present only about s per cent Of the
water available in rivers and sub
soils being utilized, while the rest
runs to waste.
Evening star., 1948-10-13
ADVERTISEMENT.
Some Dont's
for PimpIes

Don't scratch-don't squeeze pim-
ples-you risk infection! Don't suffer
1frufn itching pi1nples. angry red
!, blotches, eczema or other irritations
when soothing Peterson's Ointment
! offers you fast relief. Makes skin
iook better, feel better. 40c all drug
sists. One application delights OF
money back. Peterson's Ointment al
lays itchy feet. cracks between toes
Evening star., 1948-10-13

Production of mink furs in Nor
way is Increasing rapidly this year
Evening star., 1948-10-13

residing in the Rockville Gathers
burg area are eligible.
Evening star., 1948-10-13

A. New Beret right out
Of "ColIine All Girls,
the double edge With
ponpon otop. Block,
brown, red, navy, dork
green wool fell, ~
=$3.e5
W&L-Nnrfk Rnifdias
The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-12-31
JACK BENNY LOSES
 OUT TO UNCLE SAM

WASHINGTON, Decl 31.-lRt- Uncle Sam apparently is going to grab onto an estimated S3,080,000 which the entertainment world speculated mieht be headed for Jack Benny's highly advertised pri- vate vault.
 Benny's lawyer said that comes as no surprise to the radio comed- ian
 Well-informed sources say the Bureau of Internal Revenue has ad- vised Benny he will have to pay income tax on the money he re- ceives for switching his programs from NEG to CBS.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-12-31
RADIO LOG

KIN
 Alaska Broadcasting Co.
 c. B. s.
 DIAL 1460-JUNEAU
 FRIDAY EVENING 5:00-Voice of the Army. 5:15-American Legion. 5:3O-Easy Chair Sketches ABS. 5:45-Tune Tabloid 6:00--News 6:15--Animal Court. 6:20-Dinner Music. 6;30-Sports Parade. 6:40-Music. 6:45-Local News. 7:O0-Ave Maria Hour 7:30-ARTHUR GODFREY--CBS 8:00-News. 8:f5-Indian Program. :30-Through Listening Glass. Weather. 9:05-News. Viking Varieties. 9:30- Proudly We Hail. 10 00-News. 10:15-ORGAN -CBS. 0:30-Forecasts. l0:35-New Year Party. 12:30 AM.-Sign Off. Saturday Morning and Afternoon
 Sign On. 700-Sunrise Salute. 7:30-News. 7:45-Music. 8:15-Headlines 8:2O-Morning Thought. 8:25-Weather Forecasts. 8:3o-BAPNYARD FOLLIES-
 CBS. 9:O0-Music for the Missus. 9:30-Forecasts. 9:35-Music. 9:45-Dusty Records. 10:00-News. :05-Music. 10:15-GARDEN GATE-CBS. 10 :30-KidS on KINY. II 00-RED BARRIERS CLUB
 HOUSE-CBS. II :30-Listener' Digest. II :45-Music. II 11:55-Forecasts. 12 :00-Benny Goodman's Orches-
 tra. 12:15-Noon News. 12 12:30-COUNTRY JOURNAL-CBS. 1:00-MEET THE MISSUS-CBS. 30-Music. 1:45-ROSE BOWL CAME CBS. 4:30-Christma Show. 445-Charlie Spivak. All programs subject to change due to conditions t5yond our clDs trol
The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-12-31

The New York Central railroad was formed by the merger of 10 ines in 1853.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-12-31

Trade reports say that $4,o0o,Oo0 or more is involved in the deal.
 Had the Bureau held that the capital gain tax applies to the transaction, the levy would have been only Sl,000,000. But the in come tax rate would be 77 per cent or about $3,080,000.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-12-31
PR.A. TO SELL TRUCKS

Bids will be received until g am January IA by the Public Roads Administration for two trucks now at the P.RA. Equipment Depot, Juneau. They are offered "as is and where is.7 with full opportun- ity for advance inspection. One truck is a Dodge Screenside Delivery, & ton, Model KILLS. The ether is a halfton Ford pickup.
 H. A. Stoddart. PRA. division engineer. gave the notice of sale of Federal property.
 The New York Central railroad was formed by the merger of 10 ines in 1853.
 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: That on December 17th, 1948, in the Commissioners Court for Juneau Precinct, at Juneau, Alaska, Hen- ming Berggren was appointed ex- ecutor of the estate of JOHN I. CONN, deceased. All persons having claims against said estate are re- quired to p-esent them, with veri- fled vouchers as required by law, to said executor at the office of his attorney, Howard D. Stabler, in the Shattuck Building. Juneau, Alaska, within six months from the date of Nthe first publication of this notice.
 HENNING BERGGREN,
 Executor. First publication, Dec. r, 1948. Last publication, Jan. T, 1949.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-12-31
TIDE TABLE
JANUARY 1

Q High tide, 328 am., l5.3 it. . . Low tide, 9:03 am, 40 it. . . High tide, 15:00 pm, TIP it. . Low tide, 21: pm, IA it.
 
 Flexible Flier Sleds at MsGsen's. Open noon until 6. 79 If