davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Look, No Honds!'

In christening its new automatically
piloted transport plane Look, No Hands,"
the Navy was not merely having fun with
a name. For the big two-motored plane
goes further in flying without the touch
has gone before. Announcement of the
remarkable improvement on automatic
plotting devices follows close upon the dis
closure of another amazing aid to pilots,
known as the zero reader. Used in con-
junction, the two instruments should bring
nearer to realization the day when human
error" no longer will be serious factor
In air accidents.
The uncanny capacities of the zero
reader were publicly described for the first
time in last weeks issue of the Saturday
Evening Post. An article by Captain Hiram
Wilson Sheridan, American Airlines pilot,
representing the Air Line Pilots Associa-
ton, reported that the gadget, developed
by the Sperry Gyroscope Company, takes
all the sweat out of blind landing ap-
proaches." All that the pilot has to do Is
to keep a pair of crossed lines on the
instrument panel in zero position and
safe blind" landing is assured. The pilot
does have to use the controls occasionally,
to keep the plane in zero position.
The Look, No Hands" is equipped with
an automatic pilot to which something
extra has been added. The extra device
even relieves the pilot of the necessity of
adjusting the controls to keep the plane
in the correct position. Once the instru-
ment is set for the proper beam, 1t pro-
ceeds to keep the plane on course and to
adjust the power and surface controls as
necessary to bring the ship to safe land
ing-at the proper altitude of approach and
at the proper landing speed. Even II a gust
should tip the plane as it is about to land,
the automatic device will give the plane
the exact amount of power and set the tail
surfaces at the correct angle to counteract
the unexpected wind factor. Literally, no
hands are needed, for the machine can
make the adjustments quicker and more
accurately than the pilot can.
Actually, the Navy equipment is refine
ment for carrier-landing purposes of a
device with which the Navy, the Civil
Aeronautics Administration and the Min
neapolis- Honeywell Company have been
experimenting for more than year. It
may be several years before it is ready for
installation in airliners. The manually
operated zero reader is expected to be ready
for airline use in year or So The news
of these steps forward in safety research
is indicative of the intensive efforts being
made by military and civilian aviation
authorities to make plane operation more
automatic than ever-and hence safer for
crews and passengers. The day may come
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Catching Spies Today

II the disclosures coming OUT OF the
Hiss-C Chambers showdown have done moth
ing more, they have established beyond
doubt that 1t was possible decade ago
for spies to operate successfully in this
country. And If that was the case in
1888 there is possibility, if not proba-
bility, that the same thing is true today.
1t is reasonable to suppose that Com
munist agents are trying as hard today
as they were ten years ago to gain access
to secret information in this country.
Certainly, given the deterioration in rela-
tions between the United States and Rus
sta, there Is more reason for 1t now than
there was decade ago. If foreign agents
are operating successfully in this country,
however, the public has been told little
or nothing about it.
The story recited by Elizabeth Bentley,
If true, tends to establish that espionage
activities were measurably successful dur
ing the war. And the report of the
Canadian spy commission, which told of
links with alleged Communist spies in the
United States, would lead one to believe
that successful espionage was being con-
Quoted after the war. There can be no
certainty about this because there has been
no public announcement whether the leads
from Canada were followed up, and, if so,
what If anything was done with the sus-
poets. When all of the factors are bal
anced, however, the reasonable inference
is that Communist agents are still at work
within our borders, and 1t Is not illogical
to suppose that they are working through
confederates who have managed to stay in
Government service.
Given this background the announce
ment that the House Un-American Activ-
tiles Committee intends to recommend
tighter security legislation will be more
favorably received than might otherwise
have been the case For the day when
any such proposal from this committee
could be dismissed as another Red hunt
or manufactured spy scare has passed.
The committee has shown beyond reason
able doubt that Communist agents, neces-
sarily aided by trusted Government en-
ployes, have been able to pry into our off,
cial secrets
If this be granted, however, the fact
remains that any Tightening up of the
ter. The essence Of the problem is to find
means Of reinforcing national security
without unnecessary and unconstitutional
impairment of individual liberties. The
Attorney General has announced that his
department is at work on the problem.
Events have indicated the inadequacy
of existing statutes. This being so, the rec
concentrations expected from the House
committee may serve useful purpose as
a kind of yardstick for measuring the ef-
fectiveness Of the Attorney Generals pro-
posals. In any event they can do no harm,
for the primary purpose of any new legis-
lation should be to erect for the future
the highest possible barriers against con-
tinuation of successful espionage tactics
such as those used by Whitaker Chambers
when he was working for the Communists.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Clinics War Criminals

In their radio broadcast branding long
list Of Nationalist leaders as war Grimm
ais" the Chinese Communists have indi-
Gated that they have little interest in ne
gotiating peace with the government of
Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek. Instead,
/ as If taking final victory for granted, they
seem to have embraced line ruling out
compromise and setting themselves up as
avengers pledged to impose "just pen
atty" presumably DEATH on virtually all
the key military and political figures as
ISOLATED with Chang
1t may be that the Communists have
evidence to support their charges of "hein-
Gus crimes" against some of the individuals
on their black list. But the list itself Is
so sweeping that it has all the earmarks of
being about 9s honest and just as the
ones similarly compiled-and acted upon
with -butchering ruthlessness -
against the anti-Red opposition in places
like Soviet-dominated Bulgaria and Ro-
mania. The fact that both Generalissimo
and Madame Chang head the roster of
the condemned, which includes such other
outstanding personalities as Ambassador
wellington Koo, speaks pretty much for
itself. To say that Chinese of this stamp
are war criminals" is to mock history and
insult the intelligence of decent-minded
people everywhere.
In the dictionary of the Red totali-
tarians, of course, war criminal means
anybody who takes lead In opposing the
dominance seeking efforts of the Soviet
Union The puppet regimes behind the
Iron Curtain in Europe have used the
phrase with dreary repetitiveness in their
propaganda preludes to viciously farci-
cal trials designed to liquidate honest,
democratic political opponents-for ex-
ample, Petkov in Bulgaria and Manu- in
Romania. The broadcast by the the Chin
csc Communists merely follows pattern
that has long since grown dismally FAM
iliar in every country falling under the
far-reaching shadow of the Stain dicta-
torship.
What remains to be seen is whether the
Reds in China will win military victory
complete enough to carry out their threat.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Adjusting Service Pay

It is gratifying that someone finally
Is giving serious attention to the sadly
neglected field Of military pay. That
the question has been too long side
tracked is obvious from the fact that the
study just completed by the Advisory
Commission on Service Pay Is the first
comprehensive one that has been made
since 1908. There have been some in
creases In service salaries during the past
forty years, of course, but they have been
in the nature of patchwork on the original
structure. As a result there have arisen
gross inadequacies and inequities-with
officers more often the victims than en-
listed men.
The commission points out, for example,
that whereas the pay of recruits COM
pares favorably with the average wages
received by civilians on comparable work
In private industry, the generals and the
admirals receive far less than business
executives with comparable responsibilities,
even when rental, subsistence and other
extra allowances for officers are included.
Because OF the inequities which have
developed over the years in service pay
scales, a varying scale Of increases for the
several ranks and grades Is recommended
by the commission, an unbiased civilian
group headed by Charles r. Hook, steel
manufacturer. The fact that some OF the
higher officers would be favored under the
plan with relatively higher raises than
some Of the men In the enlisted ranks Is
not an indication Of Partially for the
so-ealled brass" It is merely q long
overdue recognition of the fact that the
"brass" has not been dealt with fairly in
the past when service pay legislation was
under consideration.
While recognizing the injustices done
officers In the matter of compensation, the
Hook commission also has taken proper
note Of certain abuses that have occurred
In the extra allowance field. If Its advice
Ia adopted-as 1t should bet no longer
will be possible for naval officers on shore
assignments TO collect additional pay for
sea duty" by maintaining Offices aboard
ships anchored In harbor, or for ground
duty air officers to get flying pay by taking
an occasional hop for the sole. purpose Of
qualifying for extra compensation. Low
basic pay has tended to encourage these
practices. The new plan calls for extra
pay only for really hazardous duties, such
as submarine and diving, military flying by
qualified personnel, demolition of explo-
sives and the like. And increased death
benefits for service personnel are a good
suggestion.
As the commission comments, the pay
scale adjustments are needed not only as
q matter of simple justice to men in the
armed forces, but in the interest of main
tanning the morale and eficiency-and
hence the strength-of our national de-
tense organization. It will cost added
millions, but the investment Is advisable
in the interest of the country's security.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
OVERRIDING Christmas Music

Now that Christmas, 1948, Is history
perhaps 1t would be just as we'll to con-
slider whether the indiscriminate use of
Christmas music from Thanksgiving on
ward was not overdone. Some rather
sharp complaints have been registered
about the unlimited repetition of Christ
mas hymns on radio programs and "piped-
in music distribution systems in shops
and stores, and 1t seems that there is
certain merit in the protest. 20, Little
Town of Bethlehem" is beautiful COM
position, but when one has heard 1t played
and sung on four different broadcasts in
single hour, ones appreciation of it may
yield to Impotence. AS for the longing
for white Christmas and the pleasure
of wandering in winters wonderland-de-
feasible sentiments In themselves, surely
even the disc jockeys must be weary to
death. The song about wanting two teeth
for Christmas was something horrible at
its start; it became variety of crime after
having been worked day and night for q
month.
Maybe it would be good idea for the
radio industry to devote some of its
acknowledged genius to the job of checking
program material against irritating repe-
tition. Great numbers of people undoubt-
edly remember the ASCAP strike of 1941,
when the melodies of Stephen Collins
Foster were exploited around the clock
until Jeanne With the Light Brown Hair"
became a disaster. The Christmas music
gradually accumulated through the CEN
turtles ought not to be subjected to any
such torture. What happened this year
should be taken as a warning of what
might happen next Christmas, unless sweet
reasonableness guides the purveyors of
mass-harmonies.
On the other hand, there can be no
question about the service rendered by
broadcasting enterprises of every variety
in furnishing well-selected Christmas pro-
grams to homes and places of public as
sembly which otherwise would have lacked
them. Part of the miracle of radio is the
fact that when 1t is good, it is very good
indeed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Censorship of Correspondents

Censorship of Correspondents
To the Editor Of The star;
Being journalism student greatly appre-
ciated the survey in Sundays Star dealing
with the degrees of press freedom existing in
various nations throughout the world. But
was much disturbed by glaring weakness IN
the article-its failure to include any discussion
of press freedom in the United States.
No doubt the American press is relatively
free from censorship and other coercive in
f1uences from the outside; but it has not as
yet reached such an absolute state Of perfec-
ton, 1t is not yet 50 completely free that 1t
can be omitted from any discussion regarding
suppression and censorship.
To be specific, the Associated Press survey
cited as its chief grippe the fact that most
foreign countries impose sitting restrictions
on the movements OF foreign correspondents
and strictly censor what they write. Well,
United States policy toward foreign CORE
spondents here Is no more liberal. To corre-
spondents Of unfriendly nations, our country
is as inaccessible as Russia proper Is to our
writer's. Few correspondents Of other nations
are allowed to roam the country at will.
In light Of our own policy. how can We,
without murky conscience, condemn what we
ourselves do not permit to any degree? The
free now of information demands two-way
movement among nations. We should open the
gates Of our country to foreign correspondents
Of all nations, II we expect the same privilege
extended to Us abroad.
GEORGE M RIVIERE
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Marx and the Cold War

WAT NOlO w al
To the Editor OF The Star:
Are we q leading nation or are we q door
mat? To prove our friendliness should We
discard all defense and bare our bosom to a
neighbor who has vowed to get" us? 1t is
high time for our fellow-travelers TO make up
their minds.
We are helping others to regain their foot
ing and their self respect while the Commies
seek to tear down every one and everything not
their own. Which is the better way?
Yet there are many who denounce the
Marshall Plan as diabolical strategy!
To some the situation in Berlin Is the acme
Of clever tactics Oh our part, a window In the
Iron Curtain through which flows evidence OF
far better living to the West leading In time to
better living everywhere. To others 1t is q
mess Of diplomatic bungling. Which Is
correct?
Some still fail to see the fatal errors
in the writing of Karl Marx, a worthless pau
per who all his life sought to tear down the
success of others that he was unable to attain
for himself. Though he gained publicity. he
was o dismal failure as q man. From those
VINO accept such leadership We can expect only
failure and trouble-making
&c. NUTT1NG.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Letters to The Star

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
writer, although it Is permissible for
priter knoUn to The Star to use
a nom de plume. Please be brief.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
GEORGE M. RIvIERE.
No Trouble in Uruguay

To the Editor Of The Star:
In an editorial Of The Star Of December %,
entitled Force in Latin America, / nnd tnat
Latin American governments menaced by
"uprisings or incipient revolts."
would appreciate it If you make it public
that in my country not only there has been no
alteration of order, or the least sign Of it, but
on the contrary the consolidation of our demo-
cratic political and institutional order is so
deeply founded, and is of such nature, that
any version on the alteration, or possible al
teration Of order, must be taken as totally and
absolutely unbelievable y
ALBERTO DOMINGUEz-CAMPoR
Ambassador Of Uruguay.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27

when the pilot will have nothing to do
but keep himself in standby readiness to
take over in event OF mechanical failure.
1t might be boresome for him on a long
trip, but 1t should mean safer flying for
evervhodv
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Eye Bank Appeal
TO the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor Of The Star:
A miracle Of modern surgical science now
empowers us to leave our fellowmen, when we
die, gift like the gifts of the Almighty
BY one generous act costing us nothing,
and involving no sacrifice. you or can let
In the light to q child now locked in dark
ness, or to q soldier blind because he fought
for us where steel was flying, and is cropping
now through perpetual night. No other gen.
GRAFTON has held in Its. keeping SO precious and
profound a legacy, to be given freely by
man ut death, as God gave it to him at birth.
Curved in front Of the irises and pupils Of
our eyes are the corneas, no bigger or thicker
than dime. If healthy, they are not i'm
paired by otherwise defective vision, and the
age. sex, race or blood types of the donors
make no difference.
The procedure Is simply to write to the
Eye Bank for Sight Restoration, Inc, 2l0 East
64th street, New York Fl, N. Y. or to the
Eye Banks in Boston or New Orleans, for the
release form and booklet. The pledge is vol
untary, part of no will, is not notarized, and
constitutes no obligation II subsequent cir,
cumstances intervene. Nothing compels 1t but
mercy.
Ruskin said, God has lent us the earth for
our life. 1t Is great entail 1t belongs as
much to those who come after u.s. as to us,
and we have no right to deprive them OF the
benefit which 1t was in our power to bequeath."
It Is your privilege, as you read this, to try
to convey to one among the thousands Of our
blind compatriots, so ecstatic and divine
blessing. EAMES MacVEAGH.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Explains Trouble in Kashmir

Explains Trouble in Kashmir
To the Editor Of The Star:
In your editorial Of November Is. on Kash-
mir and Hyderabad, you are reported to have
given the following as basic facts:
Cd Trouble began when revolt broke out
among Kashmir Moslems and the Hindu Ma
haraja applied for union with India.
(2) midas government sent In troops to sup
port the Maharaja, whereupon aid was given
to Moslem insurgents, both from Pakistan and
the hill tribes OF the Pakistan border area.
As am convinced that you and your read
ers are interested in . correct statement Of
facts, venture to say the following:
tD It Is true that Kashmir has very large
Moslem majority and the ruler is q Hindu.
co Over . period of 10 years there have
been two groups among Moslems.
Group ca was against autocracy and for q
secular democratic state. They did not want
to become part Of Pakistan because they did
not think it to be q progressive, modern, demo-
cratic state.
Group 90 was not against autocracy as such;
but only against the ruler being q Hindu.
Lately they were in favor Of q religious as
distinct from q secular state and therefore
wanted to be part of Pakistan.
% There was no revolt inside Kashmir.
The revolt was not the starting point. The
starting point was that Afghan Pathan tribes
from Pakistan territory crossed into Kashmir
and raided Kashmir. Part Of the local popu-
lation, some willingly and some unwillingly,
aided the invaders.
a. The ruler applied for aid from India.
% India made its aid conditional on the
ruler handing over power to the leader Of
Kashmir's democratic movement. The ruler
agreed to hand over power and installed sheik
Abdullah "a Moslem) as chief executive. Alb
dullah has always been the leader of the demo-
cratic forces which have been fighting the
ruler for over IL years. Today the ruler is only
a titular head like the British King
90 The tribal raiders were inspired and
aided by Pakistan.
% The six facts mentioned above must give
you an idea Of the origin of the trouble. Since
then Pakistan has been directly participating
in the aggression, which Gas the U. N. Com
mission has pointed OUT Is under Its overall
command and direction.
90 It is not true to say that the U. N. Com
mission criticizes both contestants for their In
transigence." The Commissions report has not
charged india with intransigence.
A. N. SIvARAMAN,
Editor, Diamani, Madras, India.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27

"A new electronic calculator, designed
for the Air Force, solves mathematical
problems before they come up" But is
this safe? Remember Gallup.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27

And still 1t takes a lot Of industrial
know:-how just to put together a motorcar
capable of carrying Its own weight in
extras
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27

Juice, 70 that when covered with cream they
turn q deep orchid and taste like nectar of the
fairies Fairies of the Ozarks, Of course.
I'VE wish you could hear the bell ring out
from the little white steeple Of the church that
sits high en- the mountain. Clear and simple it
rings out across the valley and we know Gods
in His Heaven, all's right with the world and
1t is going to be Merry Christmas"
Do you agree that my> description of its
beauty was not overrated?
MRS. NAOMI o. JONES.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Questions and Answers

, reader can get the answer to any question OF
fast BY .ysnE The Evening Star InforTssi9n
Please inclose three ~ cents for return POSTAGE
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Seeing Communists as They Are


To the Editor Of The Star:
In a radio debate, q distinguished author
argued that the success of the Communists in
China Is due to the fact that they furnish re-
forms as they go along whereas the Nationalist
government dissipates American aid without
implementing reforms.
Certainly, the Communists seduce gullible
men Of good will into cooperation by institute
ing reforms at the start. 1t is only when they
have q newly conquered nation under complete
control and the trap is sprung that they dis
card their benevolent sleeps clothing and
terror stricken citizens begin to flee their own
country.
Why Is it that fatuous intellectuals always
complain about the depravity of the status
quo in every country outside the Soviet orbit
and never point to the vicious brutality of es-
tablished Communist regimes? Chang Kali
shek or no Chang Kai-shek, the Chinese peas
ants are living on the land in China. 1t takes
no stretch Of the imagination to perceive the
tremendous reservoir of slave labor which help
less Chinese would provide for Russian mills
and mines should the Communists gain COM
plete control of China.
What should be done for the Chinese Ma
tionalist government, this writer does not pre-
tend to know. But it seems to me altogether
too many people, who should know better, do
confused humanity q miserable disservice
when they contend that all Communists are
not the fatal political disease carriers which
they really are. And 1t doesn't make bit of
difference whether they are operating in Minsk,
Peiping, Rome, Washington or Detroit.
MABEL G. BLISS.