davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1948-10-25
BeneIux Points the Woy

1t was In the spring OF 1947, nearly q
year and half ago, that the three Low
Countries Belgium, the Netherlands and
Luxenbourg-took pioneering action to-
ward realizing the ideal OF economic
unification In Europe by launching an
Ambitious experiment bearing the felicitous
title of "Benelux"-an euphonious abbrevi-
alton of their respective names.
The first stage was the formulation Of
customs union. But Snis was under
stood to be merely the preliminary step
toward an eventual goal of full economic
and monetary solidarity, And those fur
ther steps have now been implemented in
the form Of joint plan extending to the
fiscal year 1952-53, this being in line with
the program of the Marshall Plan for Euro
pean aid. The Benelux team has there
fore fulfilled Marshall Plan requirements
for long-term programs from the partici-
pating nations. The Benelux trio declare
in their announcement that with Joint
planning through the next four years their
need for outside aid will be less than would
be the sum of their individual requests:
also that the contribution they can thus
IcIlOcE W LuIOpc dS WIlOlS WILL DS mucl
greater.
The Benelux memorandum goes on to
explain why the process of economic uni
fication has proceeded much faster and
further than had been expected a year
ago. Foresight and idealism have been re-
inforced by the stern imperative of
necessity arising from current difficulties
Belgium the Netherlands and Luxembourg,
the memorandum plainly says, must unite
to survive. Their population density is
far above that of surrounding countries
Germany, one of their major customers
before the war, is now negligible trade
factor. The historic Rhine trafic is mostly
diverted from Benelux ports Finally,
Netherlands economy has been crippled by
the troubles in 1ndopesia. Those pressing
problems can be handled much better
jointly than by separate action.
Besides the moral and generalized effects
OF this Benelux initiative, the regional
importance Of the union is greater than
Evening star., 1948-10-25
The Nonexistent Federal Bloc

President Harry B. Mitchell of the Civil
Service Commission has found the proper
word to describe loose charges by some
political commentators that Federal en-
ployes may be expected to vote as bloc.
Absurd is the label which Mr.. Mitchell
applied to the accusations in addressing
the National Association of Postmasters.
Mr.. Mitchell had good cause to resent
the charges, heard occasionally on the
radio or seen in the press, because there is
an implication in them of failure of the
commission to protect the merit system
from political pressures. The two million
Federal civil service employees could be
expected to vote in q bloc In the forth
coming election only If they were all Demo-
Gratis or all Republicans. Mr.. Mitchell, on
the basis of fifteen years service as head
Of the commission, knows how impossible
1t Is for such situation to exist.
If any evidence Of the bipartisan nature
OF the Governments civil service family
Is needed, the 1914 election results in near
by Maryland and Virginia could be cited.
Most Of these suburban areas, largely pop
ulated by Federal workers, rolled up a ma
jority for Governor Dewey that year The
majority is generally expected to be larger
In the coming election
So talk Of President Trumans having on
his side the Federal bloc" of votes, in
GLIDING those of families of Government
workers. Is sheer nonsense. The civil serv-
Ice rolls are composed OF career workers
who. II they have the right of suffrage, vote
as they see fit, without fear of reprisal.
Evening star., 1948-10-25
Grand Jury and Schools

Orand Jury and Schools
To the Editor Of The Star:
The Prince Georges County grand jury, just
discharged, could well be indicted itself-in.
dicted for blindness. Many parent Of primary
or secondary school children will wonder what
blinded the jury to our educational crisis.
Those 23 jurors claimed as reported In The
Star. that there was no real need now to spend
more money on the schools and that adequate
facilities should not be provided If they in
volved any increase in taxes!
This today when we are crowding some
classes into Easements or halls and depriving
others Of half their education through force
Of half-time attendance! certainly deplore
the kind of report the jurors handed in, when
today our county has no chance whatsoever Of
getting its full complement Of regularly certi-
fed teachers and 80 must depend on the pa
triotic help of temporary teachers and the ad-
ditional service Of the regular staffs II they
do flne job, it is no thanks to those 23 Jurors
One wonders If they set foot in single school,
or whether they sat comfortably and planned
to keep their taxes from going up and our
children from having the schooling they de-
serve?
Education is one of our last hopes for a
good and enduring world. The Prince Georges
grand jury has done its bit to help to blast
that hope PARENT OF THREE
Evening star., 1948-10-25
Behind the Iron Curtuin


ment' proposals in Paris the other day.
Frederick H. Osborn, one of our delegates
to the United Nations, challenged the
Kremlin to show its good faith by putting
an end to the Iron Curtain. open up
your country" he said, 80 that other
nations can know what goes on there and
can be relieved Of the fear which induces
them to arm"
= But it Is idle to hope that Mr.. Osborn's
challenge will be accepted as long as the
Soviet system remains what it is For
that system, being an aggressive tyranny,
being bent on subverting other lands to
extend Its dominance and being a social
and economic failure in the sense of hav-
ing imposed one of the worlds lowest
standards of living on the Russian people,
cannot stand being exposed to the clear
light of day or the free interchange of
ideas or experiences.
The simple fact is that the fourteen men
making up the top command of the Soviet
dictatorship would be unlikely to remain
in power very long If there were no Iron
Curtain to protect them-no wall OF CEN
sorship, no secret police, no propaganda
machine, no concentration camps, no trun-
cheons, no terror, no totalitarian oppres-
sion and suppression in general. Quite
obviously, without such things, the Krem-
lin would be hard put to bamboozle and
frighten the vast underprivileged Russian
masses, to build satellite empire on the
raw materials OF duplicity, treason and
naked force, or to conspire effectively
against what is left of our free world.
Accordingly, to ask the men of the
Kremlin to do away with the Iron Curtain
is to ask them to do away with something
essential to their power as tyrants whose
very lives may be dependent on holding on
to that power. BY keeping the truth out,
by making every aspect Of Russian life
conform to the rigid party line. by barring
freedom OF travel to, from and within the
U. S. s. R., by maintaining q remorseless
police state at home and by employing
Communist nth columns to stir up discord
and plot against freedom abroad, the
Soviet dictatorship has built UP strength
of kind 1t will not abandon unless and
until it undergoes complete and revolu-
tionary change Of heart-a possibility that
could hardly be more remote than Il
seems now.
Yet, If the Iron Curtain is thus designed
to give total power to the men of the
Kremlin, it is also symbol of their weak
ness. For in establishing it they have
confessed that they must work in the dark,
keep the masses they Cypress in as much
ignorance as possible, struggle ceaselessly
against the influx of truth, convert the
empire they rule into a kind of peni-
tentiary, and conduct themselves in inter-
national affairs In the manner of footpads
lurking in alleys on the lookout for un-
wary victims passing by in the black of
night
1t may be that such a system, despite
all its self-evident evil, can endure, but
history suggests otherwise. In any event.
If the free nations OF the world unite and
arm themselves adequately against 1t, they
should be able to cope with 1t, perhaps
effectively enough to hasten the day when
1t will fall apart under its own weight.
Certainly, 1t is built on poor foundations.
Evening star., 1948-10-25
Letters to The Star
Junior National Guard

JUNIOR National Guard
To the Editor Of The Star
The High School Cadet Corps is in danger OF
being discontinued because of lack Of interest
Instead Of ending it, 1t is most important
that we wake up to the vital unit it could be in
our defense system, If the training were put
on realistic basis
Modern war is an all-out, highly technical
business, requiring the efforts of a large per-
centage OF the men, women and even children
Of our country, who need to have good phys
ical stamina, skilled hands and technically
trained minds. But our present defense set
up is only Maginot Line-a SNOWY super
structure imposed on a weak foundation
1t would be simple common sense to work
for the following effective program:
l. Full development of mental and physical
health through wider education and equip
ment, calisthenics for every one, etc. 100000
men were rejected because OF physical dis
ability and 100000 because Of mental dis
ability during World War H.
2. Required technical training and pretrain-
Ing IN one major and one minor profession or
trade, to produce the skilled workers that are
badly needed in every field both in peace and
war. Two-thirds Of the manpower during
World War II was occupied with noncombat-
A4II WO4As Auu We lOSt tIlOuSdIOS OF uVeS ana
dollars because Of lack Of skilled workers be-
hind our troops. This requires more shops
and more science laboratories in every Junior
and senior high school. Glasses for adults
should be arranged.
8. Realistic training In military science,
rinery nrst aid, ETC., instead Of many hours
spent in the superficial training of practicing
squads right" which is geared to the days
OF the minutemen. Co-ordinated field ma
neuvers should be held for three weeks in the
summer. The modern high school student
is very intelligent and easily could assimilate
this training. The present Cadet Cofps should
be deglamorized and presented to the boys
As an important unit in our national defense,
not fancy dress parade. If boys were made
to understand this, they wouldn't have to be
coaxed to join Uniforms should be used only
by crack troops" as a reward for merit.
This would give us a large reservoir of ef-
nciently and freshly trained young men who
could Immediately be put into action, on their
completion of high school, If an emergency
should arise, and it should be called the Junior
National Guard. II this were done it would
eliminate the need for the inadequate, very
costly universal military training program
President Truman has called for greatly
expanded defense preparedness, and this is
one phase that should not be overlooked!
I. M.
Evening star., 1948-10-25
Too Many Taxes

TO the Edisor Of The Star:
People who live in Maryland are now the
victims OF most exorbitant and outrageous
county tax. They are simply being robbed!
Some Of the absurd items are Suburban
Special Area Tax" Metropolitan Regional
Tax Business District Tax" Front Foot
Benefit Charge" and with this array 1--WE
have the County Tax" There Is also a
Sanitary Tax which am at loss to know
the meaning Of as we have a separate Refuse
and Garbage Tax"
If our Governor does nothing to save Mary
land citizens from such robbery, he should be
gotten rid OF as soon as possible. And / am
not the only one who feels this way. Property
taxed on inflationary values is unjust and
wrong. H. B. BRADFORD.
Evening star., 1948-10-25
BY THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

BY THE HASKN SERVICE.
@. Please explain the term "featherbeddinss
as used In industry.-K. D. r. =.
A. Florence Peterson in American Labor
Unions" defines it as follows: "A term of oppro.
orium loosely applied to any union work rules
which allegedly place limitations on the maxi.
mum utilization Of manpower or machines. thus
creating soft jobs for a greater number of
persons than is actually necessary" y -
O. What is the cost Of manufacturing a cam.
paign button?-H T.
A. The cost Of manufacture is now ~ cents
per outton compared with Il cent in 1s4o
Q. What is the largest royal palace in the
World?-M CY
A. The Winter Palace in Leningrad, which
is now museum, is reputedly the LARGEST
royal palace in the world. It was the resi-.
dence OF the last czar Of Russia until his abdi.
catlon IN 1917, and when fully occupied &C.
commodated $500 people. =
Q. At what age should child be given f1,lor.
ide application to prevent tooth decay?-M, w.
A. -Four applications are necessary, the frst
at the age OF about years and the succeeding
ones at Z. 10, and 13 years. :
Q. How many people in the United state.
". ''A'e-
A. Daylight saving time was observed by ap.
proxlmately 60 900 900 people this year, or about
~ per cent OF the total population.
g Where is the Amelia Earhart Lighthouse,
p. &C.
A. The lighthouse in memory of the famous
nyer was constructed in 1888 on Rowland
Island 1000 miles southwest Of Honolulu Ha-
=. VINO was the young man who sacrif,ced
ms NE IN an automobile nishap in order
to avoid running into q school bus ,osssd
which children?-A II. J. -'"
A. The name Of the young man is Warren
M. 6enreno: His home was In Erie, Pa.
ington Cathedral in the south crypt eorr;dor
Evening star., 1948-10-25

An editor, in Dixie, who claims to under
stand Georgia politics, would like to be put
in touch with one similarly situated as re-
CARDS those of tumultuous France.
Evening star., 1948-10-25

TO the Miami winner OF stop the
Music's" $4,000 pot, before it had been
sweetened, and to all holders Of full houses
with no one else coming in, condolences.
Evening star., 1948-10-25
Streetcars Also Noisy

approve of the campaign against horn
footing, but what about street car bell ring
ing? No one makes more noise and trays
more nerves in this city than the streetcar
operators. Stand on a corner and listen to
them. Or, get in front of streetcar with
your auto.
How about including the streetcars in the
campaign-or Is Capital Transit Immune from
the anti noise law. rs well Is all other laws?
STEPHEN B. DePUE.
Evening star., 1948-10-25

Though the recruits lot is much i'm
proved in the new draft army, one under
stands the second lieutenant still ranks
somewhere between the PIX hostess and
the mechanical potato-peeler.
Evening star., 1948-10-25

Learning that the wasp's sting is 1/28th
OF an inch in length, London Punch"
offers the reasonable suggestion: Keep
that far away from them.
Evening star., 1948-10-25

Other than providing q long roll for q
pair Of dice, what's the point in the execu-
tive ciean-desk fad7
Evening star., 1948-10-25
Questions and Answers

4 reader can get the answer to any question Of
{act BY writing The Washington Star Information
bnreau 3l6 ! street NE. washington q b. G.
Flease lnclose cents for return postaKe,
Evening star., 1948-10-25


viding for presentation Of medals Of honor" to
enlisted men Of the Army and Voluntary Forces
who shall most distinguish themselves by
their gallantry in action and other soldier-like
qualities" Lincoln's approval was dated July
IL. 1852. The Act was amended on March 3,
1862 extending its provisions to include ofdcers
as well Is enlisted men and making the pro-
visions retroactive to the beginning Of the
Civil War.
James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Phila-
delphia, furnished the design for the Navy
Medal and later the design for the Army
Medal. The only difference between the two
compositions was that the Navy Medal was
attached to its ribbon with an anchor and the
Army Medal was attached to its ribbon with
an American eagle standing on crossed
cannons.
Medal Produced By Immigrants.
William Wilson & Son were given the con-
tract for both varieties. Mr.. Huntington, while
digging" for material for the book, discov-
cred that the medal actually was designed by
Christian schussel a native Of Alsace, who
was professor Of drawing and painting at the
Pennsylvania Academy in Philadelphia The
engraving OF the dies was done by Anthony
c. Paquet, born in Hamburg, employed at the
Mint.
Col. Bernard ]. D. Irwin an immigrant from
Ireland, was the first man to perform q deed
which later won an Army Medal Of Honor.
On February IA, 1861 he led relief party to
the rescue of detachment OF the Seventh
Infantry regiment besieged by Chiricshua
Indians. His award was not given him until
January a, 1894.
The first Army Medals really awarded with.
Evening star., 1948-02-20
New Ruler Proclaimed
In Yemen After Death
OF King and ; Sons
BY the Asseeiated Press

CAIRO, Egypt. Feb. 20.-Ye-
menite circles here cautiously
expressed belief today that Yehia
Hamid el Din, 80, Imam Of
Yemen, three of his sons and a
chief adviser were slain during a
coup d'etat.
Dispatches from the Arabian Pc
ninsula yesterday gave scant details,
but said a new king and government
have been proclaimed in the $4,000
square mile state, and that the
Imam and three OF his is sons are
dead. a.. .-..
Some Yemenites in Cairo said
they believed the old ruler was
killed as the outgrowth Of plotting
among his sons.
When the reported coup occurred
was not clear. Last month Cairo
newspapers received messages an
nouncing the Imam's death. These
were later denied.
DR.. Muktara Abdel Latif of Cairo
who deals commercially with Ye-
men, received a cable saying Sayed
Abdulla Bin Ahmed el Wazir has
been elected the new King. 1t also
said Emir Self ell Hak Ibrahim, one
of the Imam's sons, had been named
head of a constitutional govern
ment." The son has been opposing
his fathers rule.
Ell Wazir, 60, is one OF Yemen's
religious leaders and a former first
minister. Naguib el Rawi Pasha, a
member of the Iraqi delegation to
the Arab League, said Ell Wazir had
cabled other Arab leaders of his
election.
Names of the Imam's sons reported
killed with him were not known.
A Yemenite source said the dead
adviser was Kadi Abdulla el Omari.
Dispatches from Alden, British
protectorate to the south of Yemen,
said word Of the Imam's death
reached Crown Prince Saif Islam
Ahmad. Emir OF Hajja, at Taizz in
South Yemen. The Crown Prince,
also commander of Yemen forces,
was said to have left with 180 SOL
diers for Hajja, and San'a, the cap
ital. Alden dispatches said that be-
fore he reached Hajja the post had
been occupied by forces of the new
Imam.
Yemen, the dispatches added, Is
quiet now
Differences were said to have aris-
Evening star., 1948-02-20
Red Cross College Unit
Conference Continues

A Red Cross college unit con-
ference which Is discussing organi.
cation, services and other such ia
cilities for communities continues q
three-day session today in the
Roosevelt Hotel, with some rs stu
dents, faculty advisers and adult
leaders in attendance.
Representing the Eastern area sec
tion Of the National Red Cross and
universities and colleges in Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland, Virginia. West
Virginia and the District, the stu
dents are participating in talks on
community service activities and
charter obligations Of the Red Gross,
international activities, public re-
lations, home service and disaster
preparedness and relief
A high light Of the conference was
to be tour starting at 2:40 pm.
today of the Danish and Chinese
Embassies and the Austrian Lega-
ton, followed by a reception and
meeting at the national headquar-
tiers of the Red Cross.
At today's session discussion lead
ers will be Miss Helen A. Picking,
director, college units, Eastern Area
Headquarters: Hazel Tarbutton, as
sistant director Of college units at
Eastern Area, and Fronia Davidson,
public information consultant at
Eastern Area Headquarters.
At the opening dinner session
last night, Sam B. Montgomery,
deputy manager of the Eastern
Area Headquarters, sounded key
note for the conference as "Self-eX-
preston through service
Evening star., 1948-02-20

ton, bankers are preventing de.
preston, Mr.. Dodge declared. He
urged extension of credit necessary
to support and increase production
but added that bankers must not
"feed infiationary pressures by con-
tributing to an oversupply OF pur-
chasing power"
Every loan should meet two tests
he said, one that of soundness and
the other as to whether the pro-
ceeds will be used to contribute to
already existing inf1ationary pres
sures. Success of voluntary action
by bankers will help to preserve the
American way of life, he added.
Association presidents attended
the meeting included Richard A
Norris, president of the District
Bankers Association: Warren s.
johnson, North Carolina; I. P. Nc
White, South Carolina; Warren M
Goddard. Virginia; j. K. Palmer
West Virginia: and T. Howard
Duckett, Maryland. Presidents OF
all the Washington banks were at
the morning session.
Evening star., 1948-02-20
Reds BIastU. ). RuIinq
On Killing Of Hostages

BERLIN. Feb. 20.-The Russian
controlled newspaper Berliner lei
tung denounced today as shameful
and revolving" the ruling of an
American war crimes court that
execution of hostages by an occupy
ing power may be justified under
international law.
The paper charged the verdict
was intended to give justification to
the killing of Communist forces IN
the present Greek civil war.
The tribunal gave its decision at
Nuremberg yesterday in sentencing
German generals who commanded
Balkan occupation forces. 1t ruled
that hostages may be killed to
maintain order, but only if in
dividuals selected bear some rela-
ton to the crime against the oc-
cupiers. The German generals were
found in most cases to have violated
this consideration.
The Zeitung said the decision was
de jure and de facto justification
to the bestial warfare OF the SIS
(elite guard in subjugated coun-
tries, and represents dagger
thrust to those people who suffered
heavily in the fighting against
Fascism."
Evening star., 1948-02-20
Montgomery Extends
Dead|ine for Filing Tax
Returns 10 March

Tie deadline for filing personal
property tax forms in Montgomery
County has been advanced from last
January 81 to March /, it was
learned today.
F. K. Metzger of the County AS
sessment Department said letters
have been sent to all those who have
not yet filed, their returns inform
ing them Of the new deadline.
He explained the extension was
granted to give delinquent taxpayers
"a break" In previous years, he
said, many persons have delayed as
long as three months In sending in
their returns.
He added the department had re-
ceived about a score of requests for
an extension. To date, according
to Mr.. Metzger, approximately 1890
returns have been received. Last
December the department sent out
about 5000 forms.
The levy affects businessmen, pro-
fessional persons and farmers. The
first two groups are taxed on their
stock and equipment, while farmers
must pay the tax on their livestock
and farm machinery. A $500 exemp-
tion is granted for farm machinery.
The tax is the same as the real
estate levy in each area. The basic
county tax on real estate is $1.88
per 500 assessed valuation, but goes
as high as $500 in the Silver Spring
business district, including the sub
urban tax, fire tax, library tax and
other special levies.
Meanwhile, it was learned that w.
Lawson King, Gaithersburg, prom
inent county dairy farmer, who
county officials say, owes almost
5000 in delinquent personal prop
erty taxes for 1946 and 1947, has
filed a return for the 1948-9 fiscal
year.
Thomas C. Kelley, assistant coun-
sci to the county commissioners, said
he plans to file suit soon against
Mr.. King in an attempt to collect
the delinquent taxes.
Under the law. those failing to file
q return are subject to a maximum
fine OF $500.
Evening star., 1948-02-20
New Ruler Reported
In Plea for Arab Aid

ADEN, Feb. 40 P.-Dispatches
reaching here from Yemen today
said the new Imam Of Yemen has
appealed to the Arab world for sup
port and practical help.
1 The new ruler, Sayed Abdulla Bin
Ahmed el Wazir, succeeds Yehia
Hamid ell Din, who dispatches yes
terday said had died with three of
his Is sons and one Of his principal
advisers.
Other reports here said three OF
the late Imam's remaining sons had
recognized the new Imam as head
of the constitutional government
and that all political prisoners In
Yemen had been set free.