davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1949-01-27
Near East a Mess


To the Editor of The Star:
May I take issue with a claim DR.. E. B..
Henderson made in a letter headed Mr..
Bunche as a Symbol" January %?
DR.. Henderson claims that: "Mr. Bunche
in his position as mediator has done more
to advance the virtues of democracy than
many millions Of Marshall Plan dollars" But
In my opinion, the efforts Of no one man. re-
gardless of how great he may be can compare
with our combined efforts in fostering the
Marshall Plan. Any such claim is fantastic.
II democracy has been taught or is being
taught in the Middle East by anybody fail
to see any signs Of It, Bernadotte murdered,
the Egyptian potentate assassinated, Jews and
Arabs tearing each other to pieces. don't
know what DR.. Henderson is talking about
1t must be wishfu thinking.
should say that things are in one big
mess, though I'm not blaming Mr.. Bunche
However. must say that congratulations to
him at the present time seem somewhat pre-
mature. LAURA K. POLLOCK.
Evening star., 1949-01-27
The japanese Elections

Interpretation of the Japanese elections,
depends upon whether one takes long or
short term view For the present and i'm
mediate future, the electoral result is salts
factory. In a big turnout to the polls,
indicating lively popular interest, the
japanese voters have decisively elected the
candidates of the Democratic-Liber
Party, which has won more than one-half
the total number of seats in the Diet thus
gaining comfortable parliamentary work.
ing majority. This outcome is in sharp
contrast with the previous postwar legis-
latures, when cabinets had to rest upon
more or less unstable coalitions of party
groups differing considerably from one
another in outlook and policies In the
new Diet, Premier Yoshida has unified and
dependable backing for a program which
appears to be in harmony with the views
of General Douglas Macarthur, head of
the Allied Occupation Authority which, in
the last analysis, has the final say
The long-range picture is, however, less
reassuring. The outstanding aspect of
this election has been a grouping of the
electorate into opposite extremes-ultra-
conservatism and communism. The center
parties which previously held the parlia-
mentary balance of power, have all been
sharply reduced and discredited. To be
sure, the conservative pole is vastly the
stronger. But the Communist pole has
grown from a minor fraction to sizable
factor In the political scene. In the
new Diet, Communist deputies will rise
from four to thirty five, while their popular
oiY
made chiefly at the expense of the Social
lists, indicating greatly strengthened hold
of the Communists over the urban working
class. Adherents of the victorious con-
servativeS likewise tend to run along class
lines. The peasantry are almost solid for
them, not only because they are tradition
ally conservative but also because they
have profted notably by the land reforms
sponsored by General Macarthur. The
peasants are essentially a passive factor.
The dynamic elements of the Conservative
Party are the big-business interests, the
surviving bureaucracy, and the upper
middle classes. Of this combination,
Premier Yoshida is himself good example.
A career diplomat down to the time when
he vainly opposed the lingo militarists in
their seizure of power in the decade before
Pearl Harbor, Mr.. Yoshida is closely con-
nected both with the imperial court and
with the former big-business oligarchy
known as the Zaibatsu.
Premier Yoshida indorSes the "austerity"
program advocated by General Macarthur
to promote Japans economic stabilization
and the fight against imitation. But this
program of economy Sand efficiency will
inevitably involve return of capitalistic
business methods, tighter labor policy
involving industrial decentralization" and
wage control, and strict repression of ultra
radical or Communist agitation. Much of
this policy is bound to give food to Com
munist propaganda among the urban work.
ers and perhaps further discredit the more.
moderate Socialists. The upshot could be
q further growth of communism in Japan,
eoinciding as 1t would with the triumph
Evening star., 1949-01-27
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

q. How many large passenger liners 10000
tons or more, are In operation or building at
present and what nations own them?-C. L. A.
A. There are 56 such passenger ships In
operation and building, SO of them British.
The United States has seven five Of them-the
America, Washington, Argentina, Brazil and
Uruguay-in service France ranks third with
four vessels; Italy fourth with four large ves-
sells in operation but less tonnage. The Meth
erlands has three vessels of this class in
service
@. How does q woman compare with man
In ability to lift and pull heavy objects'
H Meg
A. Women average In general about one
half the lifting strength Of the average man
and about two-thirds of the average mans
pulling strength. Es.
O. Which has the greater food value, the
meat from COW that has been raised to give
milk or the meat from a steer?-E. M.
A. The Bureau of Animal Industry says
that there is considerable difference in the
food value of the meat from a milk COW and
the meat from steer The steer used all its
feed to build up muscular tissue, whereas the
milk cows feed supplies the nutrients primarily
to the milk. Therefore, steer beef Is consider.
ably higher in food value than COW beef.
@. Have there been any instances where
messages placed III OOtCleS Dy survivors OF q
shipWreck have been found and IDENTIFIED
T. us.
A.. Reports of the finding of bottle messages
often are hoaxes, but there have been in.
stances where such messages have been proved
to be genuine. However, Invariably they have
been found long after the disaster, for 1t is
estimated that on the average it takes the
oceans currents three years to deliver the mes
sages. Queen Elizabeth Of England was so i'm
pressed with a secret message found In q
bottle on Dover beach that she appointed an
official Uncorker Of Ocean Bottles and had .
law passed making it a penal offense for an
unauthorized person to read such message.
Evening star., 1949-01-27
Letters to The Star
Neslectful Trash Collectors

Ne2lectful raSn AOllectOrS
To the Editor OF The Star:
Christmas has come and gone, but there are
reminders of It still around which even the
trash men do not want-and will have nothing
to do with.
OF course, the trash men were very jovial
around Christmas, willing to throw almost any
thing in their huge chariots, more willing to
accept the honorarium left for them by the
housewives.
But after the New Year. when Christmas
trees were discarded and left for them in the
alleys, they had other ideas.
In the alley of the TOO block of Quebec street
there are about a dozen ex-Christmas trees.
There has been a trash collection every Mon
day, but for some reason there is no room for
them on the wagons
The trash collection Office has been called
by phone and promises have been made, but
the trees still are there No one wants the
poor Christmas trees.
We of course could 90 upstairs and probably
get action, but the one thing public servants
positively do not like is publicity. It shows
them up and burns them up. They hate 1t
like the devil hates holy water.
FRED S. WALKER.
Evening star., 1949-01-27

ahould Co." From my observation most renters
If apartments or houses have little respect for
Jther peoples property or rights consequently
che children have no respect either
What is this Nation coming to if no one
respects property-not even his own? One can
have nice home and furniture and child
can be taught to respect these things, If the
parents set the proper example. A child who
respects his own home will grow up to respect
public property and the property of others
without having his personality thwarted
No, I cannot blame managers who do not
want children in their apartments even though
we finally were forced to buy house for our
temporary sojourn in Washington. Those Of
us who train our children must suffer along
with our lax brothers and sisters
MOTHER
Evening star., 1949-01-27
Why Children Are Barred?

TO the Editor OF the Star:
May I compliment the person who replied
to the letter in The Star on January 5, explain
ing why children are barred from apartment
houses?
am the mother of S-year-old normal
daughter. For eight months last year we
sought an apartment in Washington for we
were to be here only year or two and did
not think it expedient to buy. Everywhere we
were met with raised eyebrows when the child
was mentioned.
1t wasn't hard to see why, for in most houses
where children were permitted we found the
usual disrespect for property. Frankly, we did
not care to live in such place Places that
were well kept couldn't make an exception for
our child even with monetary guarantee. So
for eight months we shifted from hotels to
relatives and back again.
The writer of that letter closed with the
quotation, Train up . child In the way he
Evening star., 1949-01-27

too high?
The test of the adequacy of property levy
would seem better reflected in the proportion it
supports Of the total income than whether it is
higher or lower than some city of the same size
Cities have traditionally depended upon the
real estate tax for the bulk of their revenue
especially since the States and counties have
tended to reserve for themselves other sources
Of income.
/ Only few weeks ago representatives Of
$500 cities meeting here emphasized that the
day has passed when this condition can con-
tinue. Other sources of revenue must be made
available to cities, they declared
The charts above indicate the share which
taxes on real property play in the total Dis
trict income picture and also the share with
relation to taxes alone.
Remember that the realty tax percentages
shown in these charts represent almost 100
per cent collection by the assessor. The actual
collection figure of realty taxes due since 1877
is 99.96-wh.ch Mr.. Dent unhesitatingly calls
the best collection record in the world" for q
major city. -
A large part of this unquestionably is due to
the fact that the levy here has not reached the
exorbitant stage. If 1t should, then Mr. Dent
predicts collections will come mucn harder and
more property will be sold annually at auction
for unpaid taxes.
Its not what you carry on the books that
counts" he said, "its the cash you take in at
the counter"
Last year only 25O0 of some 10000 pieces Of
taxable property were put up for auction for
unpaid taxes.
theoretically the most equitable tax pro-
gram would seem to be that which levies fairly
against property, ability to pay, special excises
and broad base coverage., In this way the
majority Of the residents would contribute to
the city's support pretty much In relation to
their ability to pay.
Many other cities because of the claims of
counties and States on levies cannot do this
and have to kick up their realty rates and
assessments to meet their mounting costs The
District, if Congress will permit, has in its
unique. city-State situation the opportunity to
establish a balanced tax program at single
level, without overburdening property, income
or commodities subject to excise
Evening star., 1949-01-27

This chart shows the relation of the
income received from real property tares
to that from all other tares. The charts
Were prepared By the District Budget
Office.
CNote: This is the fourth Of Ave articles 70 appear
e.i condition sritins 10 IL. editor Of RI. Star
% se articles IN Dsm may obtain
There is and seemingly always has been at
the Capitol prevailing belief that the District
real estate tax is too low.
This has stemmed in part from the rate
now 50 per 500 of assessed value-which is
less than the rate in cities of similar size
In other cases perhaps members of Congress
have actually paid higher taxes on property
owned elsewhere than on comparable property
here.
The tax is computed by multiplying the rate
by the assessed value of piece Of property.
"A piece of property here assessed at $4,000
would be taxed at 5000 at the present rate.
comparable house in Podunk assessed at $1,000
for tax purposes but with double the rate here
$4 per Sl00-would pay 5000 also.
Thus comparison of tax rates alone proves
absolutely nothing.
In the matter of assessments, the District is
required by law to assess at full true value and
no less Many other communities value prop
critics for tax purposes from 40 per cent on up.
It is 40 per cent in nearby Arlington. !.
This does not mean that the city assesses
at the market value of property. Neither Dis
trict financial institutions nor Assessor Edward
A. Dent construe the postwar inflated property
values as true values.
But, as Mr.. Dent has pointed out an as
sessment is only an opinion. Therefore even
among cities where it is supposed to be at full
value, assessment of comparable properties can
and does vary.
In many places where the job of assessor
is political the jobholder has an incentive to
make that theoretical full value low enough to
satisfy the voter Mr.. Dents post here Is not
subject to election.
Thus the only fair basis for comparing real
estate tax burdens is not the rate not the as
sessment or It's relation to true value, but
rather the actual tax paid on comparable prop
critics.
But even this sort of comparison does not
clearly reveal whether a real estate tax bur-
den is too low. Is it low because some other
comparable property can be found somewhere
where the tax is higher? Or Is the higher one
Evening star., 1949-01-27

of communism on the nearby Asiatic main
land. The eventual consequences of such
a trend might become distinctly serious,
especially to ourselves.
Evening star., 1949-01-27
Questions and Answers

fact by writing The Evening Star Information
Bureau, 3l6 Eye St. NE. Washington Z, D. C.
Evening star., 1949-01-27

The chart aboUe shoDs the propor-
tion OF the total District income provided
by the real estate tar leuied against
some 10000 pieces OF property here
comprising less than halt of the city
area. The rest of the area is tar-erempt,
mostly because OF Federal holdings.
Evening star., 1949-01-27

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address of the
tDriter, although it is permissible for
a ,oriter kno,on to The Star to use
nom de plume. Please be brief.
Evening star., 1949-01-27

This chart shoDs the relation of the
income received from real property tares
to that from all other tares. The charts
Uere prepared By the District Budget
Office
Evening star., 1949-01-27

Mote: This is the fourth Ave articles appear
In this space this week DISCUSSING the Districts hnan
citizens associations and others obtain reprint
Of the articles in pamphlet form)
Evening star., 1949-08-20
Supersonic Wind Tunne
Funds Cut Sharply
BY the Assoeiafed Press

A House Armed Services Sub
committee approved yesterday a
program for supersonic wind tun-
Inels after trimming it from $751;
040 900 to $176, ,600, 900.
It did so by amending a bill al
ready passed by the Senate. The
full committee must approve the
measure before it can be sent to
the House for a vote.
The subcommittee voted the Ma
tional Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics $6o. .000, 900 instead of
$50. .000, 900.
The Navy was allowed $4,000. 900
for . 2-foot tunnel at the David
Taylor Model Testing Basin near
Cabin John. Md.
Evening star., 1949-08-20
Capital Deepfreeze Giveowoys
Started 1t All, Fred Allen Cracks

up. answers q question. wins
an airplane.
Il certainly don't know what
to do with it," she walled.
And Mrs. Lillian Finneran, 81,
of Providence, r. l., had a prob
lem, too. She won Cab Calloway's
orchestra for one-night stand.
Down in Shreveport, La, Mrs.
S. K. Heard won a Shetland pony
with cowboy accessories. Might
have been okeh 80 years ago.
But she was 40 when she won.
Winner Scornes Funds.
Strange things happened some
times on giveaways.
Mutual once awarded a $7,500
check to Jack L. Adams of Hunt
ington, w. Va.
Statesmen started pestering
him so he said he wouldn't take
the money. Didn't want to be
"hounded to DEATH"
But he finally took it after
Mutual got down on its knees
and begged.
Sometimes the giveaways die
some good. too.
James Roberts, "a. of Washing.
ton was paralyged and wanted thu
| home ne never could earn thu
money for. He won $500 from
CBS-enough for the down pay
ment.
NBC hooked one Of its give
aways in with the American Hear
Association. You had to send II
contribution to get chance al
the prize. Raised 81 100000 for
worthy cause.
Uncle Sam had his hand out
too, whenever somebody won
Palm up.
When Mrs. Margaret Ash, 50
of Watertown. N. Y, won $24, 900
$500 please, said Uncle Sam.
About the biggest prize ever
given was $4,000 won from CHS
|by Rush Clarke, 81. of Rochester
IN. Y, last June. He identified a
phantom voice as that of Gertrude
Ederle, the girl who once swan
the English Channel. Then he
clinched it by giving her time, al
most exact.
NBC gave Ann Notre Of Union
City, N. j., its top prize of $31 900
Just a couple of weeks ago.
Merchandise worth $35 ,250 was
|ABC's biggest giveaway. Mrs.
Julia Hubert of Philadelphia won
lit last March.
Radio people say the giveaways
started in the early 1930s with
MICS "Pot Of Gold" program.
You didn't have to answer any
questions then. If they called you,
you won prize.
Evening star., 1949-08-20

been gaining rapid headway in
television.
Programs Not Costly.
Despite their fabulous awards,
they are cheap to produce be-
cause most of the prizes are
donated by manufacturers in re-
turn for free plugs on the pro-
grams. They have been easy to
sell to sponsors because of the
large audiences they attract.
CHS claims the largest jack
pot on record was the $4,000
won by Rush Clarke, Rochester.
N. Y, sales engineer, last June Is
on Sing 1t Again" Awards Of
$25 900 to 100000 have become
commonplace.
Industry sources are unable to
give any exact estimate of the
total value of giveaways. An
Associated Press survey recently
indicated they were running
around 100000 week or $5.-
0oo. 900 year, on the four major
| networks. The amusement trade
publication, The Billboard, says
they came to $4,297,O00 in 1948.
Radio Daily says that for the cur
rent week the four chains have II
giveaways scheduled with $237,-
900 in prizes at stake. Some Of
these prizes, however, carry over
for several weeks before being
won.
The prospective loss of business
comes at a time when the industry
is concerned with sagging sales,
heavy spending by the networks
and many broadcasters on getting
into television, and increasing
competition from television it
self.
Evening star., 1949-08-20
Wife Held in Staying;
Another KiIIinq Probed

A 28-year- -old colored woman
was to appear at a coroner's in
quest today in the death of her
husband. Wilbert Lee. %. who was
fatally stabbed last night on the
second floor of their home at 1915
D street Sc.
Mrs. Corrinne Lee is being held
at the Women's Bureau. Her hus-
band died at 1880 am, an hour
after he was taken to Gallingel
Hospital.
Police also are looking for 9
man who fatally stabbed William
Williams, 27, colored, last night
In a fight at North Capitol and
streets.
The victim, who suffered severa.
knife wounds in the chest, wa!
pronounced dead at 7:40 pm. al
Casualty Hospital. He lived at 6:
De Frees street NV,
Evening star., 1949-08-20
Texture News in Hats, Too

Texture news IN MATS, 1OO
And what a note Of luxury there
is in the soft, fieecy melusine. Very
winning it is in one little hat !
liked and one that shows
what a delightful medium melu-
sine is for the manipulation" OF
q crown SO evident in high fashion
millinery just now -. for it shows
the soft irregularity Of contour,
the fluid line that is so new. The
crown Is peaked at one side, then
it takes the profile line very
low at one side and there is
q little mesh Of golden-hue metal,
rather large links, studded with
brilliants-rich and beautiful
against the soft Imperial white
of the melusine. It's SIS in
the Millinery Salon, Second Floor
-. at Woodward and Lothrop.
For a wonderful Fall and Winter
coat at a price so moderate
that it is a paradox see the
new Shagmoors. The deep-pile
woods they use are warmth
without-weight. This season Shag-
moor has delightful fur-trimmed
coats the classic unbuttoned
box coat that has always heen so
popular is a favorite again, with
deep collar of several furs, but I
liked particularly a soft. lovely
lynx-dyed, white fox. This was
on the box-coat in nude, taupe,
fern or smoke. The price, $115.
At the same price . there is a
beautifully simple three-quarter
coat, with tuxedo front and cuffs
edged in sheared beaver. And for
an all-day, all-purpose casual
coat the untrimmed Shag-
moor, adorned only by its nice
tailoring, small club collar, four
button closing. This comes In
Evening star., 1949-08-20
"A Hurt as DieseIs
Collide at Siding
BY the Associated Press

CANAAN. N. H., Aug. 20.-Twe
diesel-powered Boston & Maine
Railroad passenger trains crashed
headon at a siding here yesterday
injuring A persons-none seri-
ously.
Officials at the Mary Hitchcock
Hospital in Hanover said the in
jured-mostly from New England
and Canada-suffered bruises ano
some fractures.
Grafton County Solicitor Robert
A. Jones said a trainman'S error
switched the Montreal-bound Am
bassador out of Boston into the
southbound Ambassador out o1
Montreal. The southbound trair
was standing on the siding.
The county solicitor identified
the trainman as James j. Sey-
mour of Hillsboro, N. H., baggage
man on the southbound train. He
was too excited, Jones said, tc
give an immediate explanation.
The crash reduced to kindline
a wooden milk car behind the
northbound's engine, smashed the
southbound's diesel and telescoped
some of its coach vestibules.
Most of the injured were aboard
the southbound train. They were
hurt when the impact pitched
them into seats.
The injuries would have beer
worse had not the wooden milk
car on the northbound train taken
most Of the shock.
Most of the northbound train
remained on the main line. Its
engine stayed on the rails but the
first two milk cars behind it were
derailed. Passenger coaches es-
capped serious damage.
Evening star., 1949-08-20

status - definitely without the
benefit of any such fearsome
name.
And yet as you observe other
proceedings in the current Con-
gress it is clear that these same
statesmen are not against all well
fare. They seem to be opposed
merely to what the Constitution
calls the general welfare. Mat
ters of special welfare or private
welfare affect them quite differ
emily.
Welfare of Utilities.
For example, many of the Sen
ators always have taken very
deep interest in the welfare of
the private utility companies.
This year their concern has
reached a new high. as revealed
by the action of the Senate APP
preparation Committee on the In
terror Department appropriation
bill
Passed by the House two
months ago. the bill provided
funds with which to build trans
mission lines from the Govern
ment's great power projects to
the distribution centers. AS re-
ported out of the Senate COM
mittee, these funds are withheld.
A majority of the committee de-
cided the transmission lines
should be built and operated by
the private corporations in those
areas.
This would represent about the
biggest windfall any private op-
orators ever received at the hands
of a generous Government. AS
the Governments only customers,
they could pay what they liked
for the power; as the only dis
tributors, they could charge pretty
Evening star., 1949-08-20
White Paper on China
Denounced by Judd
BY the kssocioied Press

The State Departments White
Paper on China was denounced by
Representative Judd, Republican
of Minnesota yesterday as "a one
sided and censored version of the
facts"
Mr.. Judd also contended in q
House speech that although Sec
retary> of State Acheson labels
the White Paper the record" II
is in fact 'just part of the record
that part which seeks to justify
the errors of the Administration. u
He demanded publication Of 16
reports, documents, kilograms