Evening star., 1948-10-11

writer knoDn to The Star to use
| aNon de plume. Please be brief
that the President of the United States of
America is neglected in this regard (while the
Vice President is totally ignoreO. The only
purpose served by the contrast is to emphasize
our failure at home!
New Executive Mansion Wanted.
Yes, new and modern residence should be
built by our Government for the President and
his family without further ado. 1t should in
sure him the peace Of mind and privacy, which
the almost inhuman demands upon the thought
and energy of our Chief Executive today make
imperative for his well-being. The executive
Offices" should be separate and distinct from
the official residence. Seldom If ever, Is even
the chancery of an embassy or legation housed
under the same roof with the ofhcial residence
of a diplomat)
The biggest deterrent to action lies in the
nature of our Government and the system of
conducting national affairs. Since appropria-
tions must originate in the House of Repre-
sentatives, with Senate concurrence before final
approval of expenditure no President can arbi-
trarily announce the need for a new Executive
Mansion and order Its construction. Further
more, our electoral system is such that the real
power of approval lies with the voters (the tax
payers If you please. 1t would be impolitic, to
say the least, for Chief Executive to take the
initiative-much as he might feel the need or
inclination thereto
Before any official action is taken there must
be public demand that the Government and
people of the Upited States OF America atone
for long neglect in this regard. In other words,
the stimulus must come from outside the official
family-as an unselfish demonstration of our
desire to compensate for past failures to meet
the ISSUE Who can doubt that members o:
Congress without regard for party lines or
personal policies will welcome the chance to
take prompt action-once they know that their
constituents desire and demand action?
The time is most propitious. Anew Congress
soon will convene. The White House problem
will be placed before it. Why not make clear
cut issue, whereby suitable Executive Mansion
would be constructed at the earliest possible
date commensurate with proper study and
preparation as to location architectural style,
facilities, ETC.? At the same time let the over
all plan embrace definite provisions for Vice
Presidential Mansion. Also, let sufncient funds
be provided to establish and maintain our cher
ished White House in perpetuity, as national
shrine dedicated to the memory Of all illustrious
occupants thereof.
When will come the spark Of initiative to
galvanize us into prompt and of1cial action at
this time? Those who take the lead can be
assured of nationwide approval-once the situa-
ton and needs are made clear. The results will
speak for themselves-both as tangible evidence
of devotion to our national ideals, and recogni-
ton of our obligations to those whom we en-
trust with the great task Of world leadership
today EDWARD r. EGGER.
Buchenwald's Natural Dead
To the Editor of The Star:
Isn't it possible that disease, instead of
actual physical mistreatment, caused the
deaths of those persons whose bodies your
correspondent. Abraham Frank, stated that
he ard the ether members of his Army unit
saw on an open cart in the yard of the
crematorium at the Buchenwald concentra-
ton camp?
According to presumably reliable newspaper
accounts, many Of those confined in the Ger
man concentration camps we're victims OF
such debiltating and fesh-robbing diseases as
typhus, typhoid and dysentery. And 1t Is only
reasonable that the Germans, under the cir
cumstances, would cremate the bodies of those
who died from such diseases in preference to
buryng them. The cremation of dead bodies
is not considered war crime.
Just a short while past in a well-known
Washington hospital, where there was plenty
of food, medicine doctors and everything else
available to safeguard human health, which
most assuredly could not have been the case
in Germany for several months before her
surrender a considerable number of infants
died from dysentery. Also, thousands of our
soldiers died from influenza at the Army
camps in America during the FIRST World War.
Furthermore, even though Ilse Koch should
have had in her actual possession ornaments
of human skin, that does not necessarily mean
she was guilty of war crimes. should imagine
that many students of our medical and NOR
tuary schools have had in their possession
pieces of human. skin. In truth, If I recall
correctly, some one once showed me piece OF
what he declared was tanned human skin I
must admit, however, that I most thoroughly
did not enjoy seeing it.
What I have written here is not in any
way intended as a defense of German war
criminals, but it is merely to call attention to
the possibly of errors of judgement occurring
In cases where as much prejudicial opinion
has been expressed as was during the recent
war. j. j. SPERRY.
Racial Angle of Sports
To the Editor of The Star:
The sports year 1s48 brought about great
improvement in race relations. Last fall Jackie
Robinson was the much talked of ball player
of the year. Today Larry Dolby and Satchel
Paige are In the world series. Jethro, Newcomb
and Bankhead are in the little world series.