davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1949-09-13

expense Of 81, 500 All of this is to my credit.
Now, for what I apologize and of which
I am in shame: After weeks of agony and
sleepless nights of dull throbbing pain in
my innards relieved only when I slump
out of bed to smoke a cigarette which seems
to alter the pain, though making it more
severe, my doctor has dsagnosed my trouble
as duodenal ulcer and has ordered me
to stop smoking Immediately.
Is it not forgiveable, honorable cigarette
makers if 1 desert you for little while.
promising to return to the habit as soon
as I am physically strong enough2 Believe
me, it has not been easy. In the ten hours
that have not been smoking, the curse of
the devil has been upon me. My nerves are
at jagged edge till I wonder if there is
any use to go on, the only impetus being
the hope of day when I can perhaps try
another new brand. Spare me, Lord, for
that pleasure. JOE.
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Neiohbors From Abroad

American Airlines System has done
constructive thing in bringing party OF
fifty distinguished European newspaper
men to the United States for quick tour
of the country The party reaches Wash
ington tomorrow evening and on Thursday
will be the guests of the Overseas Writers
at Press Club dinner.
BY the time the visitors sit down to the
table they will have seen more of the
United States in ten days than most
Americans see in a lifetime. For while
they only left London on September S, they
will have visited San Francisco, Los Angeles
(including Hollywood, San Diego, Fort
Worth and Detroit, and will be home in
London on September 10 after seeing
something of Washington and New York
Such rapid and encompassing travel by
air these days is old stuff. But American
Airlines had something more in mind than
speed when it arranged the trip. It's rep
resentatives found that most of the post
war newspaper authorities in Europe who
are writing about the United States have
never set foot in this country. This being
the air age, with Its magic-carpet effect
In tearing down old barriers of distance,
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Senator NeeIy's Town Meeting

Senator Neely's friendly gesture OF IN
viting Washingtonians to appear oelore
him and tell him what the people OF this
citv want in the way of legislation evoked
a response which might have been antlcl-
pated, All sorts of suggestions came from
the first days meeting, appropriately
opened with prayer supplemented by the
Senator's own apt quotations from the
classics. 1t was very thought1ul Iniils
for the Senator to have done ana ne Will
not be lacking in proposals from WHICH,
as chairman of the Senate District COM
mittee, he may choose from time to time.
With all difference to the Senator and
his long experience in public life, however,
one views with crossed fingers his own
suggestion about forming committee OF
spokesmen for the various organizations
that have a right to be heard on DlStrlct
legislation. Such a committee, one fears,
would produce an atmosphere reminiscent
of descriptions of the Tower of Babel. No
matter how fervent might be the spirit OF
the monster mass meeting, proposed to
launch the work of such committee, 1t
would not be very long before there
emerged the Right and the Left, the
Spenders and the Savers, those who want
to protect the starlings and those who
want to purge them-the end result being
q chorus of disagreement tending to con-
fuse the Senators rather than regiment
them along desirable lines.
All of which suggests resort to novel
device. 1t is known as the ballot. Under
appropriate rules and regulations, people
mark on them their preferences as be-
tween candidates and issues-and drop
them in box They are then counted
and the views of the majority are thus
ascertained. Not much is known of this
system here in Washington but the Presi-
dent of the United States himself is
authority for the statement that it works,
no matter how surprising the results,
at times may be-
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Letters to The Star
Remembers Horse Drawn Cars
Serving Old GEORGETOWN

Remembers Horse Drawn Cars
Serving Old Georgetown
To the Editor OF The Star:
The recent articles about the quest for
"The City's Oldest Transit Rider brought
back vividly many childhood memories of
the old horse drawn cars.
I am 78 and was born in "Old Georgetown
on Fayette street (noW Thirty fifth oppo-
site the Academy of Visitation and spent
much of my time on Bridge street (now M
street, at my grandfather's hat store be-
tween High street (Thirty- y-second street,
and Congress street (Thirty- first street. .
So rode many times on both car lines that
terminated in Georgetown.
I remember the destruction by fire of the
old cable power house at Fourteenth and E
streets, was there and actually saw the de-
struction. It was terrible.
I can plainly see the old horse drawn cars
coming up M street and going into the barn,
located a short distance west of High street,
then turning around and starting back to
Washington.
AS to the straw used in the winter on the
car floor, I am inclined to agree with those
who believe it was put there to keep peoples
feet warm. but no doubt some persons used
it while chewing their tobacco"
The blizzard of 1888 is quite vivid in my
mind. The wonderful sleighing we had down
the hills of Georgetown I will never forget.
I have some old pictures of the ruins after
the fire and snow of 1898-99.
w. SEYMOUR MCLEOD.
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Help for Ecuador

The Ecuador Relief Fund of the Pan
American Union is appealing for help for
the inhabitants of the area devastated
by the earthquake of August 6. Money
urgently is needed for supplies, for the
rehabilitation of hospitals, schools and
churches, and for the establishment OF
health, educational and social services.
letter from DR.. Alfonso Moscoso, act
ing representative of Ecuador on the
Council of the Organization of American
States, tells of the havoc wrought by the
geological upheaval Ambato, midway
between Quito and Guayaquil, was
destroyed in a few tragic moments. With
1t went the entirety of Ecuadors rubber
industry, all of it's porcelain industry, go
per cent of it's textile industry, so per cent
of it's leather industry, a great variety OF
small subsidiary crafts and trades, not to
mention many public buildings and hun
dreds of homes. Coincidentally, fifty
villages we're swallowed up by the moving
hills and the gaping valleys. The total
number of lives lost is believed to have
exceeded 5000. Property damage has been
estimated at $7OOO0,000. More than
100000 people are shelterless.
is to solicit "the dollar cost of equipment
and supplies of community social institu
tions, such as hospitals, schools, libraries,
ct cetera, and the dollar cost of expert
assistance requested by Ecuador for the
re-establishment of its health, education
end social services" Aid is coming from
the other Pan-American republics Even
the smallest and poorest of the co-operat-
ing nations is doing its part to the end
that the earthquake may not be perma-
nent catastrophe in the sense of disaster
from which the central portion OF Ecuador
never can recover.
Every penny raised will go for rehabili-
tation. All administrative expenses are
being paid by other agencies. Contrbu-
tions for the Ecuador Relief Fund may be
sent in care of the Pan American Union,
Washington 6, D. C. Gifts are welcome in
any amount.
Evening star., 1949-09-13
ReSents Aid to Socialism
At Home While Fighting It Abroad

To the Editor of The Star.
When taxes become so burdensome as to
amount to outright confscation of private
property, then it is time to call halt to
the squandering of public funds.
Beyond doubt we all owe duty to Gov
ernment in contributing to it's support but
there should be limit beyond which we
should not be compelled to go. Nationally the
tax burden, as imposed by Congress, supports
the fantastic New Deal or now so-called
Fair DEAL not alone on domestic projects
but in support of foreign policy which claims
its objective is to stop Communism abroad.
1t doesn't make sense to tax our people for
this crusade abroad while allowing the Ad-
ministration all the money it wants to social
lie our economy at home. If socialism or
communism is a peril abroad against which
we must fight. is it not even more necessary
to fight it here at home?
1t is illogical to be made to contribute to
fight against Stalins socialism while being
compelled. almost by force to contribute to
the success of the Truman and British social
istic policy. NISH SHOWERS.
Evening star., 1949-09-13

the newspapermen were invited by the
airline with the point in mind of showing
them some of the things they have been
writing about They come here from
Belgium, Denmark, England Finland,
France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Norway, Scotland, Sweden
and Switzerland. Many American news
papermen who have had comparable
opportunity to visit Europe can testify as
to the value of such exchanges in bringing
people nearer together
This demonstration in neighborliness
points up one of the virtues of mans
mastery of the air. too often obscured by
continued emphasis on the destructive
power that is gained by air supremacy
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Australia and Red Unions

The Australian government Is energeti-
cally tackling the thorny problem of Com
munist infiltration into labor unions New
amendments to the federal Arbitration
Act make it possible for any individual
worker, no matter how humble, to 60 to
the authorities and report any irregulari-
ties in an election within his union. If
the official charged with such matters,
known as an industrial registrar, con-
cludes that the complaint has merit, he
can go to the Arbitration Court and get
judicial order empowering him to enter
the union headquarters and seize all rele-
want election papers. And If the court
adjudges the election irregular, it can be
declared void. In that event, the court
may either declare another candidate
elected or order a new election. And it
may also appoint supervisory officer to
and correctly tabulated.
This novel procedure is an aftermath of
the recent disastrous coal strike, called by
the Communist leaders of the coal miners
union for patiently political reasons, and
supported by other unions under similar
Communist control. The strike nearly dis
rupted Australias economic life, causing
heavy material losses and inficting grave
suffering on the general public. The local
Communist Party heads are now on trial
charged with seditious conspiracy insti-
gated by Moscow.
Official Investigations which followed
the strike revealed not only the extent to
which communism had bored into labor
unions but the illegal nature of the tactics
by which Red control was obtained. The
commonest practice has been tampering
with union elections, including ballot-box
stuffing, stealing of ballots and intimida-
ton of opponents. A detailed account of
these methods was given before a Royal
Commission of inquiry by former Com
munist Party executive named Sharpley,
which has made a profound impression
on public opinion.
Communist SpokeSmen are, of course,
making great to-do over the new regula-
tions, comparing them with the union
busting" of Hitlers Labor Front. But gov
ernment officials have pointed out that
there is nothing in the amended law to
prevent Communists from being elected
to union posts, provided they are elected
fairly by majority of the members. All
the law does is to throw new safeguards
about union elections and prevent fraudu-
lent practices.
Indeed, the probability is that few
unions will continue to elect either Com
munists or near-C Communists, because ex-
treme radicalism characterizeS section of
Australian labor. But labor sentiment as
whole is definitely not Communist, as
was shown during the recent coal strike
and on other occasions. Furthermore, it
should be remembered that Australia now
has Labor government, pledged to safe
guard and further the interests of the
working classes. The new law cannot
therefore be fairly termed "reactionary" or
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Complains About Cafeteria
Where Food Is Skinny

To the Editor Of The Star:
Reform if you would survive" is my ad-
monition to cafeteria and restaurant oper-
ators The public Is becoming resentful at
the utter lack of conscience on the part of
some individuals in this important line of
business.
About a week ago my husband and en-
tered an attractive cafeteria on 17th street.
The menu was extremely limted-fried
chicken with bread stuffing, a greasy con-
coction called broiled tenderloin, surrounded
by even greasier gravy; no fish; vegetables
consisting of carrots, hashed Drowned pota-
toes. canned string beans and very green
bicarbonated peas, all heavily creased.
asked fol, chicken without the bread stuffing,
but with the latter omitted the chicken
was positively transparent-there was ab-
solutely no meat between the skin (not too
well cleaned) and the thin tissue over the
bones. For $1.25 could have this pretense
at chicken, the stufhng. two of the greasy
devitalized vegetables. some pie, bread and
a beverage, all of which would furnish less
actual nourishment than pint of milk
two pieces of toast and real butter.
A few days later we went into an even
more attractive cafeteria few doors away
from the first one. There the selection of
vegetables. salads and pastries was attractive
and sufficiently varied. We ordered roast
than inches wide. about inches long, and
1/16 of an inch thick A few straggly shreds
lying around were added to this huge por-
tion A woman behind my husband COM
mented: Aren't they careful with it!'
I have no tolerance for such greediness
With food as plentiful as it is now. there is
no justification for such insulting treatment
Increases over present prices, even consider
ing all features, would hardly be warranted,
but this would be preferable If it resulted in
adequate portions of good food
I am not chronic letter writer, but am
impelled to register my protest know that
my view is shared by many people who are
forced to dine out. A timely comment, and
only slightly exaggerated, appeared In the
Mutt and JEFF comic where, in answer to his
inquiry. the patron is informed that the
meat is under the string beam
RIGUSTED.
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Selecting q Judqe

President Truman said last week that
his desire to give most careful considera
tion to the selection of judges was reSpon-
sible for the delay in filling the newly
created vacancies on the Federal courts
including six here in the District.
Mr. Truman said he felt that the ap-
pointment of Federal judges was the most
important of all his duties. Federal judges
enjoy life tenure and, except for the rarely
used process of impeachment, are subject
to no restraining influences except those
imposed by their character and their sense
of justice. This means Mr.. Truman ex-
planned. that the public welfare is in their
keeping, and will remain there long after
the appointing President has given up his
Office. Because of these considerations, he
said he is determined that the men chosen
for the Federal bench must be pre-
eminently qualified for that Office.
This is an expression which should meet
with universal approval. There can be
no doubt that care is more important than
haste in the choosing of judge, and if this
is the explanation of the delay in making
the appointments, the District and other
communities will benefit from having the
best available men as their judges.
The untimely death of Supreme Court
Justice Rutledge means that the President
is faced with another problem of judicial
selection, and this one is national rather
than local in it's implications.
1t will not be easy to choose worthy
successor to Justice Rutledge, for in addi-
tion to his qualifications of mind and
y ha fo ha with
him a substantial measure of judicial expe-
rience. 1t was generally supposed when
Howard McGrath moved up to the Attorney
Generalship that he would be in line for
the next vacancy on the court. But
Mr.. McGrath, though man of recognized
ability, assumed his Cabinet post scant
three weeks ago, and it may be that the
President, even if he waits for the opening
of the fall term of the court to announce
his appointment will feel that his Attorney
General has served too briefly in that
office. Should this prove to be the case,
the President could profitably turn to the
lower courts in his search for successor
to Justice Rutledge. There are many men
with outstanding qualifications on the
lower benches, both Federal and State.
Some of the ablest among them have had
many years of judicial experience And
when one recalls that the Supreme Court
now has no member, save the Chief Justice,
who had any prior experience on the
bench, this qualification becomes an i'm
portant one. 1t is important enough, at
any rate, to command the serious attention
OF the President II the considerations
which he has said were controlling in his
selection of judges for the local bench are
to apply also to the Nations highest court.
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Speed and Sudden Death

It is regrettable but it is true that lot
of automobile drivers give little thought
to traffic safety until they or persons they
know become accident victims. Or until
they are shocked by some such tragedy
as ended the lives of two popular youths
and seriously injured third near Bethesda
early Sunday morning.
Police who investigated the River road
crash reported the oft-repeated accident
finding, speed Traffic statistics make dull
reading for the average driver. This is
too bad because if more attention were
paid to accident causes by the men and
women who drive automobiles, there might
be fewer news stories of the sudden
death" type.
In an effort to attract public interest
to dry statistics, the Travellers Insurance
Companies recently prepared a booklet
containing cartoons based on grim
analyses of traffic accident figures for
1948. The illustrated folder was hit upon
in the hope that a bit of satire may
succeed in personalizing the. lessons OF
safety where Sterner warnings have failed"
In it's analysis of accident causes, the book
let places speeding at the top of the list,
by wide margin. Speeding cars killed
more than ten thousand persons last year,
accounting for about As per cent of all
highway fatalities. Speeding injured
nearly 100000 other men, women and
children.
A particularly depressing thing is that
the figures show that speeding accidents
are increasing, despite the long and per-
sistent efforts of police, traffic and safety
authorities to educate drivers in safer
driving ways. There were 8O120 more
speeding casualties in 1948 than in 1947.
and fast driving was a larger factor in
traffic fatalities last year than in any
year sirfce invention of the automobile.
The Travellers booklet contains a COM
ment we'll worth repeating here: 1--WE
cannot substantially improve the Nations
shameful traffic record until drivers make
up their minds to stay within speed limits,
Careful engineering, tight traffic laws and
firm police work are necessary. But the
burden belongs to the driver. It is he
who has deliberately driven too fast It
is he who must as deliberately slow down."
Evening star., 1949-09-13
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
A letter appeared in your columns Sep
tember 10 containing much Specious stuff to
to the effect that educational inequities exist
for white students in the Districts public
schools as we'll as for Negroes. 1t stated that
the former often had poor teachers, insuffi-
cient equipment, ragged books, crowded
quarters. etc. One would expect this to be
the case in varying degrees in many situa-
tions 1t is equally true among Negro stu
dents. Therefore, in this regard substantial
equality is found.
The contention. however, is that in GER
tain other fundamental areas, most of the
disadvantages chain themselves to colored
students. More of them actually and pro-
portionally are on part-time, they are uni
formly more congested. they travel farther
in greater numbers, both indoor and outdoor
facilities for them are inferior. That the
weight of these handieaps rests more largely
upon particular segment of the community
is not dues to chance alone.
In this letter also was written the opinion
that success in later life is very little, if
any, dependent upon earlier schooling. If
availability. quality, and suitability of educa-
tion do not figure Importantly in determin-
ing the success of an individual in terms of
value to society, then we Americans have for
a long time been hosts to mighty and ex-
pensiye delusion. ]. w. HAYWOOD, JR.
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Bird Passage

Aboue the meadow's patchpork guilt.
One dips to aohere his nest is built,
Hidden from searching eyes that pass.
In kindly aueeds and clouer grass.
Through the forest to. pine or fir,
In sudden motion, flash, blur
Another speeds to his high home,
Essence OF flight In polychrome.
The third flies hunsbly here, his ,otngs
Closer to man and homely thinga
Carefully his ,pay he tuenDes,
Over the roof-tops, under the eapes.
CATHERINE HAYDON JACOBS.
Evening star., 1949-09-13
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE

@. How many farmers failed last year and
lost their farms for one reason or another?
P. @.
A. 1t is estimated that in 1948 there were
5,40O farms lost due to foreclosure or bank
ruptcy. In addition there were about 2 0OO
lost because OF delinquent taxes. 1t should
be pointed out that this is very small
figure compared with the loss in earlier
years. In 1910 there were 10000 farms
lost because of foreclosure and bankruptcy.
@. May race horse be named for living
person? A. c. G.
A. In naming a race horse the name of
living person may be used only If his written
consent Is filed. All names are subject to-
the approval of the stewards of the Jockey
Club. -
s,
@. Is the unborn child affected by the
books the mother reads during her pregnancy
or the music she listens to?-F B. d. '7I
A. According to "The Story of Human
Birth" by DR.. Alan F. Guttmacher, after
thousands of years the theory of maternal
impressions is completely discarded. The un-
born child is totally oblivious to what the
mother sees, does. or thinks.
Q. When were sunspots first observed and
recorded?-T. I. R.
A. Greenwich Observatory of England first
began to- catalogue sunspots in 1874. Since
that time nearly 10000 groups have been
recorded, ranging in size from clusters of
tiny spots few hundred miles in diameter
to huge groups nearly zoe, 900 miles long.
@. What percentage of automobiles are
in what considered the low price field? M. s. :
A.
A. According to recent report, in June
Of this year 47.9 per cent of all passenger
cars were; one of the three low priced makes.
This is an increase over 1948, when the figure
was 43.5 per cent of the total zaf
Evening star., 1949-09-13
Not "A Chronic Complainer'
But Opposes Music on Buses

To the Editor Of The Star:
Referring to the radios on streetcars and
buses. could it be that Music Lover" has
a controlling interest in the transportation
company? His article in The Star of August
has all the earmarks of a solicitation of
favorable comments on this latest annoy
ance.
How little he knows of the purpose of
advertising-or has its purpose changed?
Advertisers hay the greatest stress on ap-
pealing favorably to the prospective users
of their wares and the threat of losing even
one prospective customer would be sufficient
to discontinue the advertising method used,
If prospect frankly expressed disapproval
OF that method. In line with those who
have expressed their intention of boycotting
advertisers, I make careful note of each
advertiser, which is little difficult with
the accompanying din, and will discommode
myself before I will use their products or
services.
All the published letters against this pub
lie nuisance echoed my sentiments and I
am not a chronic complainer In fact,
have to curb tendency to be an extrovert
Music Lover'-the words intrigue me,
referring to the blare on public conveyances!
Anyone who can enjoy this type of alleged
music is indeed music lover. How can he
separate the tones from screeching brakes,
ever present street noises, static and pas
sengers trying to be heard above the din?
It certainly must be soul-satisfying and
requires special type of Music Loverp to
fully appreciate this racket. j. D. M.