davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Chairman Kee

In succeeding the late Sol Bloom as
chairman of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, Representative John Kee OF
West Virginia is not moving into field
strange to him. He has served continu-
ously on the committee ever since first
coming to Congress in 1888, and his record
in that capacity strongly suggests that he
is equipped to discharge his important
new duties with distinction.
For Mr. Kee, although not widely known
to the public, has played an active COM
mittee role during the past sixteen years
In shaping and putting through Congress
some of the most far-reaching foreign
policy legislation in modern American
history. A lawyer by profession and now
nearing his 18th birthday, he is quiet
personality who has won few headlines as
a debater, but he can lay claim to having
done constructive work in helping to per-
suade his colleagues to take affirmative
action on such measures as wartime lease
lend, aid to Greece and Turkey, and the
European Recovery Program.
Moreover, it is to Mr.. KEGS credit that
he played a leading part, in the 10th Con-
gress in bringing about long-overdue
reorganization of the Foreign Service. The
bill he introduced and which he guided
through to adoption, authorized salary in
Evening star., 1949-03-11
DEVELOPING the Frunc Area

These are the days Of scale eco
nomic planning. The trend is exempllfied
here by the much discussed design for
developing backward regions throughout
the world, largely through American capi-
tai and "know-how." But similar projects
are under way or in the blueprint stage
In Europe notably in Britain and France.
Both projects envlsage the colonial pos
sessions of the two nations in conjunction
with the respective homelands. The Brit
ish project is off to good start, centering
on British Africa 1t Is now learned that
a planning group of distinguished spe-
cialists has submitted a report on the
development of the economic resources of
France and its colonies likewise centering
on Africa, where the French possess a
vast imperial domain.
The necessity for such colonial develop
ments Is obvious in view of Europe's less
favorable position In the world economic
picture. 1t is likewise intimately bound
up with currency exchange difficulties.
Both Britain and France imperatively need
to step up the output of basic raw ma
terials from their overseas possessions, be-
cause they can be paid for in sterling or
francs Success in these projects would
greatly lessen their dependence upon i'm
ports from hard" currency nations, no.
tably the United States. which Is a major
handicap In their economic recovery and
attainment of monetary stability
The development Of French Africa neces-
Evening star., 1949-03-11
10 Union Card-No Job
TO the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Recently I, veteran Of World War II.
married, with two children, was discharged
after five days work on an FILA apartment
project, and given a letter which read in
part: "Since Mr. Smith does not carry
union card we are forced. against our
wishes. to let him co."
From the time I was employed and up to
this date was the only carpenter on this
job. which was nonunion when I was hired
I was not approached by the union or its
representative. but merely told by the con-
tractor, after discharge, that If obtained q
union card I could return to work.
Now our present Taft Hartley law says
the practice Of discrimination is unlawful
that each and every one Of us is allowed 80
days to join union, that so per cent vote
in favor of a union by employees is required
before the union can move in. To the best
of my knowledge the contractor had only q
commercial contract with the carpenters un-
ion. 1t is evident, in my opinion, this COM
mercial contract was used as a club. The
contractor could either submit to the unions
wishes or else.
You and pay taxes to maintain our Gov
ernment. Does it make sense if we are
barred from earning living on these prof.
ects, backed by Government guaranteed
loans whether we be union or not?
BY now some readers are PROBABLY asking:
"Why don't you join the union and quit your
belly -aching?" Also, You wouldn't be get
ting the money you are now, If 1t were not
for the union"
I say "A laborer is worthy of his hire"
that the intelligent employer will pay you
and me accordingly. without our having to
band against him in mass demonstrations.
forcing him to pay higher wages. forcing him
to obtain higher prices for his commodity.
which in turn backs right up to our own
pocketbooks True. we wouldn't be getting
the wages we are today If it were not for the
union, nor would we be paying the prices we
are today.
Allow me to quote, in part: 90 that all
men are created equal. that they are en-
dowed by their Creator with certain unalien-
able rights, that among them are life liberty
and the pursuit of happiness Read that.
and I defy any man to tell me cannot, after
once being qualified and hired, continue to
work on any job in the United States with
out union card.
I defy any man to give me an intelligent
reason why the Taft-Hartley law should be
repealed. WALTER S. SMITH.
Hyattsville, Md.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Why Troin Robberies Are Rure

The prompt capture Of the perpetrators
of the great train robbery" near Martins
burg, West Virginia, suggests why this
melodramatic form of banditry has become
virtually extinct. In the days Of Jesse
James and the Younger brothers the
newspapers were filled with sensational
accounts of bold train robberies by pistol
fourishing, bandanna- masked outlaws In
the post-Civil War period these outrages
were the subject of excited debates IN
State Legislatures and in Congress. Even
the roundup of the James and Younger
boys did not end the crime wave. Train
robbery continued through the seventies
and eighties to be a profitable source OF
income for lawless gangs and lone wolves
But Improvements In communications
including the telephone and later the
police radio network, and the development
of faster and more efficient police work
combined to discourage the train robbers.
The risks of capture became too great
for the returns at stake. Bank robbery,
though just as risky, offered bigger spoils-
and, until special legislation sent the
Federal Bureau OF Investigation into the
bank robbery field bank holdups increased
as train robberies declined. The most
spectacular train robbery Of modern
times was committed by the DAutremont
brothers in Oregon in 1923, when nail
car was dynamited and the mail clerk
slain. The culprits were caught and sent
to prison for life.
Why the two robbers who terrorized the
passengers of the Baltimore IL Ohio's
Ambassador express thought they could
get away with such crime in these times
of closely co-ordinated police operations
Is hard to understand. They wore no
masks, incurred extra risks by holding up
a night club and apparently trusted to
luck in finding means of escape. Good
police work here, following equally good
work by the authorities in West Virginia
and Virginia, led to the final capture Of
the pair. This is the sort OF police
efficiency that dismays the underworld
and that builds public confidence in law
enforcement
Evening star., 1949-03-11

states variety OF improvements In COM
munications such as harbor facilities, rail-
roads and motor highways, in order to get
ucts of regions hitherto inaccessible but
capable of profitable development These
improvements require outlays of capital
beyond French resources. It is therefore
hoped that American capital, in particular,
can be induced to participate Such CO.
operative venture is under consideration
by the Stettinius Associates, already en-
barked on the development of Liberia. The
new project would take the form Of joint
company, with headquarters at Brazzaville,
capital of the French Congo, and covering
the vast region of French Equatorial
Africa. Other projects concern the coal
fields of Madagascar and the manganese
mines Of French Morocco. Besides such
plans for the association of foreign pri-
vate capital, the French Government has
applied to our ECA for its approval Of
plan to finance an increased exploitation
of nickel in New Caledonia, Frances most
valuable possession in the South Pacific
A longterm survey of colonial water
po"ci 1cooulCcS lS DclIlS IIldue, dllQ CeTIaln
Shorter-term projects have already been
started, especially in the Congo region.
The outstanding raw-material lack of
France and It's colonial empire is OIL No.
where In the entire area do proved oil
fields now exist. Exploratory concessions
are being considered in Tunis and in
Southern France itself, the prospective
concessionaires including Standard Oil of
New Jersey and Royal Dutch Shell. But
unless and until new fields are brought
into production, the franc area will require
annual imports of oil and oil products
valued at between $1O0,0OO,O0o and $780,
100000. This is the biggest single handi-
cap which the projected development of
the franc area is striving to overcome.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
What Miss Strong Said
To the Editor of The Star:


Your editorial in the February rs issue
expresses surprise at the fact that Anna
Louise Strong, "on being interviewed upon
her arrival in New York. spoke not one word
that could be construed as critical Of the
Soviet Union You conclude that 1T is
hard to think of any way in which the
United States will benefit by her return
But her most revealing words. which clar-
ify the situation. were not quoted in the
news reports of The Star.
According to the National Guardian, a
New York newsweekly for which Miss Strong
is staff writer. pressure began at Gander,
Newfoundland. At the airport there she
was handed a sheaf of kilograms and tele-
phone messages from newspapers. news syn
dicates and radio networks. asking her with
unctuous friendliness to tell all and indicat-
ing that price was no object" A Hearst
Evening star., 1949-03-11
RELIGION Behind Iron Curtain


To the Editor OF The Star
Commenting on a report from Bucharest,
according to which 16 religious organiza-
tions have been dissolved, C. S. Longacre
writes to you: 1T is alleged that these
religious organizations had meddled with
purely political affairs. If this charge is
correct. the government had right to deal
with these organizations as it naturally
would deal with any other political unit
that interfered with governmental func-
TONS"
Has Mr.. Longacre ever heard of the Com
munist method of dealing with any church
that does not accept to be subservient to
communism and become tool of the Com
munist state? BY what kind Of logic can
the words 1T is alleged" be followed by If
this charge is correct? Indeed, who alleges?
The Communists, Of course. Who on earth
could prove, in Communist state, that the
charge Is not correct? Perhaps Mr.. Long
acre?
I have always been an opponent OF church
interference in politics. But this Is not the
issue today behind the Iron Curtain. The
issue is the survival Of all freedom. civil or
religious. There are no governments" in
those countries. There are only tyrants. I
thought everybody. including Mr.. Longacre.
had understood it by now.
CHARLES A. DAVILA.
Former Romanian Minister to the United
States.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Filibuster Like Red Veto?

To the Editor of The Star:
Will you please explain to the public where
there is any difference between few Sena-
tors using the flibuster to prevent any lesis-
lation they do not like and Vishinsky using
his veto to prevent the passage of any meas
ure he does not like in the United Nations?
Also tell us whether there is any way Of
getting rid of the dictatorship which the
Senate has established through its rules
except by having revolution and establish
ing democracy over again in the United
States.
Can few Senators really disfranchise the
big majority of the citizens of the United
States by their arbitrary power, the same as
they disfranchise the people of their own
States? If 50, do you advocate revolution?
L. A. HALBERT
Evening star., 1949-03-11
With an Artists Zeal

The earthly night Is mute otth falling
Sno1D'
I feel its icy arroDs on my face,
And strangeness hides this once-tdn,tltar
place
Obliterating all the paths ] kno,D.
The fakes, at first dispassionate and slo,c,
Grow bolder nop. The storm NTH quick
ened pace
Descends in fury from its lair in space
AS if to crush the silent world belo1c.
oh, not to crush it, but to beautity,
For suddenly, I stand in breathless light,
The clouds departing and the fuH moon
bright.
The storm has painted NTH an artists zeal
This dazzling scene for moonlight to reueal,
A shining earth beneath a shining sky.
INEZ BARCLAY KIRBY.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceUell

Do not think spring is here until you see
the Virginia buebels coming through the
ground.
They are canny plants. They do not rush
into the light OF day just because streak OF
fine weather warns them up.
Unlike robins. in the bird world the Vir-
ginia bluebells refuse to be lured by few
warm days.
They belong to the list of wise ones. Ma
ture has taught them a thing or two. If
they do not have brains. as animals have,
they yet have something, some sure sense
Of the fitness of things.
There is that silly old hardy phlox.
1t doesn't know q thing.
Already it is up many inches.
And one sweet rocket shows bud!
Day lilies jonquils and candytuft already
are trying to bloom
But they probably will be nipped in the
bud, as the old expression has it.
Not so the Virginia bluebells.
They lie snug and warm beneath the sur
face, waiting in all their hbers for true
spring.
Many people get into such stew over
their outdoor plants.
What should they do, when warm days,
followed by cold, threaten their plants?
Why. nothing at all
There Is very little that can be done.
What may be secured, however, is a lesson
In life.
Think of what the fruit growers. the
farmers have to put up with; how not just
a few plants. but their very livelihood, is
threatened by a great storm.
Then you will never feel so bad again
over just few plants in the yard.
Let the plants lost tell you Of the work
and worry of farming, and the great risks
the farmers take that we may eat.
Sometimes it is possible to put covers over
certain plants. in the face of intense cold.
after they have once come up.
If there are Just a few precious specimens
this may be worth while. but as a general
garden proposition it has it's bad points.
Most of our garden plants have more
hardness than we sometimes give them
credit for.
We hover over them as If they were made
of flesh and blood.
Actually they are plants, made upon a
different theory
The universal mind, in thinking of plants
and bringing them into existence, gave them
the power to stand more than we think
1t does them no good, in most cases, for
any human being to worry over them.
1t Is true. however. that the owner of the
slIldu sdluell SoIacIllHeo CdH 40 WiaC Tile
farmer on large scale cannot do.
He is able to protect a few things, whereas
the owner of many acres cannot do much.
At times he may use Smudge pots to save
few crops from freezing, but even then it
Is a close thing.
In the main the owner Of a small garden
should not worry about his plants.
1t is better to get the idea that the plants
belong to nature, rather than to him.
1t is up to nature to take care OF them.
Let us not worry at least not too much.
1t will do no good Nature is large, she con-
tains multtudes, as Walt Whitman said.
She is able, in strange ways, to take care of
her own.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Connecticut Tackles Alcoholism


To the Editor of The Star
1t is gratifying to note the continued
progress Of the State OF Connecticut through
it's determined and practical efforts in coping
with the problem of alcoholism. The direct
action policy of that little New England
State could we'll be emulated by our Ma
tional Capital BY taking the problem into
IT'S own hands and doing something about 1t
in highly constructive and efficient pro-
cedure, that State has forged sturdy pat
tern for the Nation and is away out front
with results.
Connecticut Is about to construct the
countrys first publicly supported hospital
devoted solely to the study. treatment and
rehabilitation OF alcoholics who are resident
there. The new project will be under the
direction of the Connecticut Commission on
Alcoholism. which will operate the hospital
and organize and supervise its services. The
commission, with headquarters at New
Haven, was created in 1945 by the State
Legislature.
Through that legislation Connecticut be-
came the first State in the country to de-
clare that an attack on alcoholism is pub
lie responsibility. The commission was ap-
pointed by the Governor, the chairman OF
which is DR.. Selden D. Bacan. associate
professor Of sociology at Yale University.
The new building will be erected in Hart
ford, the State capital, and its completion
is expected early next year.
The new facility will be pilot and DEM
onstration center wherein various techniques
aimed at rehabilitating alcoholics can be
studied and evaluated.
We truly hope that the practical. direct
and Observation-Disclosures adopted by
Connecticut will soon be in operation
throughout the entire United States. We
salute the Nutmeg State. small in size, but
mighty big in thoughtful progressiveness.
II q SIRRINE
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Love as War Antidots
TO the Editor Of The Star;


Millions OF human beings want to see
the elimination OF poverty. unemployment.
slums and inadequate housing. Billions are
spent for war instruments. atom bombs air.
planes, etc. What good would any of them
be In a war of poison gases and disease
germs? Would atom bombs and airplanes be
defense? Billions could be better spent
for production. food and housing. War Is
ended through love. not atom bombs
BLANCHE c. HOWLETT.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Dignity in Public Office
To the Editor OF The Star,

TO The Editor OF The Sthr.
The country has suffered serious loss in
Mr. Forrestars retirement as Secretary Of
Defense. Generally conceded to be the
ablest man in the cabinet. 1t was hoped that
he would be held in this position so impor-
tant to the welfare of the United States.
Among Mr.. Forrestal's many outstanding
qualities one in particular has never failed
him-often under great provocation. This
quality Of fundamental value to our national
reputation but rare in the American scene
is dignity In public ONCE.
VIRGINIA WALKER.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
BY THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

@. How long does it take enlisted person.
mel of the Navy to earn Good Conduct
Medal? How long for a hash mark? What
is the order of precedence of Good Conduct
Medals with respect to campaign and theater
Of war bars?-J. V. E.
A. The Navy Department says that in both
the Regular and Reserve Navy takes three
years for enlisted personnel to obtain q
Good Conduct Medal. Four years is required
Navy and United States Navy minority en-
listed men The Good Conduct Medal IS
worn after u S. N. decorations and ahead OF
the u S. NJ campaign ribbons.
O. What is the average family income in
the United States? Is it not fact that most
families have less than $4,000 year, the
figure recently given by President Truman
as the beginning of the middle-income
bracket?-M. !. r.
A. According to figures on money income
of families released by the Bureau OF the
Census. the average (median) for l947 was
S303l a year. Out Of total of 900
families S84 per cent had incomes under
$4,000 year.
O. Why is the United States Senate
spoken Of as the House That Never Dies?"
p. L. D.
A. Although congressional electlpnS arc
held every two years. only one-third OF the
Senate stands for election at two-year inter-
walls. Senators are elected to six-year terms.
which overlap. Thus in any election year.
only one-third Of the Senate is affected, ths
remaining two-thirds being members whose
terms have not expired. This is why the
Senate is referred to as the House That
Never Dies" In the House Of Representa-
tives the entire membership Is elected every
two years.
9. How many Of the high-ranking officers
in the United States Army in World War II
were Negroes?-J. T. C..
A. Ten Negroes served as colonels in the
Army Of the United States during World
War II. Brig. Gen. Benjamin o. Davis was
the only Negro general in the Army. Hs
was retired in July, 1s48, after 80 years
service.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Letters to The Star

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address of the
Driter, although it Is permissible for
,Drtter knoUn to The Star to use
nom de plume. Please be briet.
Evening star., 1949-03-11

Along with all the confusion over pho
nograph speeds. there's this Paraguayan
political chaos in which r D. M means
revolutions per month.
Evening star., 1949-03-11

newspaperman. bearing message from ms,
proposing DEAL boarded the plane to &C.
company her on the last leg of her journey.
Arrived at La Guardia Field, after receiv-
ing subpoena to appear before New Yorks
Spy" grand jury and being questioned for
two hours by the FBI. Miss Strong was sur
rounded, at $3.50 in the morning, by gang
OF newsmen, who. in spite of her protests,
bombarded her with questions and cameras.
This Is what she told them: "Ohacial stupid
ity is not monopoly of any country. Do
not use me to int1ame international friction.
News today is like an atom bomb. 1t can
explode and destroy worlds. More than your
job or mine, more than your lives or mine,
more than truth or falsehood of any charges,
more important than justice or injustice to
any individual, is the question Of war or
peace"
Those words should be broadcast to all
the world. BY her high stand, Anna Louise
Strong has set an example for both the
United States and the U. S. S. r. If all our
people were as selhess and broadminded as
she is, there would be no war.
MARGARET SHIPMAN.
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Questions and Answers

reader can get the answer to any question Of
fact by writing The Evening star 1nfermstion
Bureau, 31S street NE. washington Q D. c.
Please inclose three 49, cents for return postage
Evening star., 1949-03-11
Progressive Education Not So Bad

Progressive Education Not SO Bad
To the Editor Of The Star:
In teaching as in medicine "a little learn
ing is dangerous thing Many healthy
persons who hear about the dangers of
cancer and heart disease imagine they have
them. So in schooling many parents who
have heard about progressive education
fear that their children will get it. (See
Modern Theories of Education in The
Star of March A.
Such parents should remember that nearly
all schools are in charge of teachers and
officials who are Of superior intelligence,
highly educated, have spent years in in
tensive study of education. Modern school
instruction is not the result of arbitrary
impulsive or capricious decisions; but of
long and careful study and observation OF
methods. curriculums. psychology. measur-
ments of results, and other problems in
volved.
But educationists do not resent lay criti-
cism. Realizing that present schools are
far from perfect. they are their own severest
critics: and welcome evaluations expressed
by parents and others. To be valuable
however outside criticism must be rational
and informed. Too often it is only form
of emotional relief-peevsh whining or
vague shouts such as, Get back to the good
old three Rs
learning Before offering their criticism of
modern schools, parents should read such
books as Interest in Relation to the Train
ing of the WILL" written by John Dewey
over so years ago; also his The Child and
the Curriculum" and Democracy and Edu-
cation The survivors should then go on to
read Comenius Rousseau, Pestalozzi Froe-
bel. Let them also discover the results OF
modern teaching compared with the teach
ing done a generation or more ago.
BY careful study and observation they will
discover that progressive education" is no
one thing. 1t is hampered by a lunatic
fringe just.as is Christianity. Education has
its counterpart of such mysterious cults as
Sudden Saints, Holy Hicks and Snake
Snugglers; but we must not let them scare
US back into educational heathenism
The best advice to uninformed and con-
fused parents is: Let not your minds be
troubled. Nature has wonderfully protected
children against formal education. No mat
ter to what system of instruction they are
exposed they usually become successful
adults. What the better schools are now at
tempting is to prepare the pupils for high
er degree Of success.
GEORGE FREDERICK MILLER.