davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Letters to The Star
Mooern Theories of Education

Mooern Theories of Education
To the Editor Of The Star:
Radical theories of education propounded
some years ago by Prof. John Dewey Of
Teachers College, Columbia University,
father" of the so-called progressive" sys-
TEN Of education, are being challenged as
never before in the columns of The Star by
parents, teachers and aroused citizens in the
Nations Capital.
Plaintive cries of wolf" coming from
school officials and imported educators in
this voteless city of ours will not be able to
stem the tide.
Proponents of the three-R school emphat-
ically disagree with the thesis that children
learn more, are better disciplined, better bal
anced and more effective under the progress
sive system than are those taught by tradi-
tional methods"
They cite the lamentable deficiencies ex-
hibited by pupils in all echelons, but in par
ticular at elementary and secondary levels.
The fantastic theology that facts and
figures are not things to be memorized but
to be worked out by devious and inscrutable
educational processes" they reject in toto.
xtra-curricular activities such as plays,
projects, exhibits, pageants and rehearsals
so dear to the hearts of the progressives,
they utterly condemn
surely none can QeIy IIlaC our C1l4QTeu
never master the rudiments of syntax and
other grammatical forms, and that orthog-
raphy is practically a lost art.
One complaining parent is on high ground
when she writes: eve don't want or expect
our children to be miniature adults at 10 or
II years of age, trying to evaluate 1948 in
terms of history"
Her tenets find eloquent support in st.
Pauls first epistle to the Corinthians:
When I was a child, I spake as child,
understood as child, thought as a child:
but when became man, I put away
childish things"
That the laissez-faire system of educa-
ton is having its repercussions, there can
be no doubt.
When a former Kremlin agent, who has
gone through the educational mill Of school
and college in this country, testifes before
the House Committee on Un-American Ac-
tivities that "she has never studied Ameri-
can history or civics.' the entire Nation is
shocked.
Are these modern educational trends
steering us into safe harbors?
by their fruits yet shall know them" Do
they work?
ALMA ELIZABETH WARTHEN.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
All Chinese Communists Disciplined


Dorothy Thompson is to be congratulated
on her column in The Star OF FEBRUARY ~.
To be sure. there are factions within the
Chinese Communist party which have GER
tain differences of opinion as to the means
whereby all of China best can be SoVletlzeo'
and there may be some personal JealouSles
regarding official posts assigned to the lead
ers of these factions, yet 1t Is oeyono
shadow Of doubt that these leaders, lncluolng
Mao Tse-tung, are all good Communists ana
that the Kremlin never will allow any per
sonal differences to disrupt the party or IN
any manner interfere with its main purpose
the communication of China.
AS it appears at present Ii Li-san and
Lin Piao are in complete control OF Man.
churia and the northern areas of Commu-
nist-occupied North China. These men snd
their lieutenants are trained in Moscow Tor
the specific task of advancing Stallnlsm,
which means Soviet Russian imperialism.
Mao and his group, who did the spadeWork
in China for the MoScoW-tralned group, did
this with the full knowledge that, during
the first stage of communism in CHINA, they
were to emphasize a sort OF Chinese national
communism and subsequently throw ASIDE
this disguise. They also knew that when
the time came for the second stage, their
positions at least for time would become
subordinate to those of the second stage
organizers
It perhaps is true that during the transi-
ton from stage one to stage two, there
have been slight complications and this may
explain why, in the initial peace negotiations
between Marking and the Communists, Macs
group was conspicuous by its absence. There
even were rumors that Macs field officers
had stalled the southwark advance at the
Yangtze River because they resented the
manner in which Ii Li-san let them do all
the fighting and then sent his own men to
govern the captured areas If these stories
of dissatisfaction among Mao's officers were
true, steps apparently have been taken to
obviate the minor differences. for it Is noted
from press reports that Mao is now nego-
Evening star., 1949-03-04
PIums, Cherry Blossoms, Etc.

Since the days of the late DR.. Luther
Burbank, horticulture has been presented
with no such daring experiment as the one
proposed by the Democratic Central Com
mittee of Washington, D. C.
The idea of producing a political plum
by grating a few Democratic politicians
onto the roots of the Cherry Blossom Fes-
tival is a novel one, of course, and there
fore deserving of careful consideration.
But here one will have to contend with
the skeptics. They will point to the dis
NAL results of previous research in the
field of political grating in civic enter
prise. Lemons. instead of plums, often
result. While 1t is true that the salubrious
Washington climate is conducive to the
culture of lemons that attain great size
and rich, yellow color, they are apt to be
extremely sour and rot quickly when ex-
posed to sunlight and fresh air.
To the victor belongs the spoils. But the
Cherry Blossom Festival provides such
limited possibility for the display of po-
ltical prowess that the good gentlemen of
the Democratic Central Committee should
refrain and permit it to continue to -four
ish like our foreign relations policies in
bipartisan or even nonpartisan atmos
phere. This pleasant little welcome to
spring-and the tourist trade-depends for
its success upon few hardworking citi
zens who are willing to undertake its
planning without hope of political aggran-
dizement Leave it to them. Let the Demo-
cratic Central Committee find other vine
yards in which to labor; let the blossoms,
at least, bloom without political implica-
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Who Will Read the Report?

WhaJ is congress SOIIR IO 40 Will VIC
Strayer report on the public schools? 1t
was made for the members OF Congress.
It has cost the local taxpayers $85,000.
But they did not ask for it. The Board OF
Education and the school administration
did not ask for it, few members OF
Congress ordered it. Are they going to
read the 1000 pages of its Is volumes? II
they do read it, what are they going to do
about it2
The release of the report was at least
timely. 1t followed by one day House
passage of an appropriation bill which
provides for spending substantially more
money than the District now has available.
In order to reduce the size of this deficit,
the bill arbitrarily rescinded approprla-
tions for high school that Congress found
was necessary as long ago as l941. 1t cut
to the bone other essential expenditures,
not only in the schools but in such funda-
mental municipal services as extension of
the sewer system.
On top of that comes the Strayer report,
recommending building program to cost
about $38000,000 and an increase over
current appropriations of about $5,OOO,OO0
for maintaining a proper school system.
The odds are against any single member
of Congress ever reading this report, and
as the school authorities had already out
lined many of the findings it contains long
before the report was ever made, its value
now is as questionable as it was in the
beginning.
1t does have some value of course. 1t is
carefully organized study of the school syS-
tenn, it's administration and its needs in
personnel and equipment. DR.. Strayer
doubtless has done as competent job as
anybody could do in the circumstances.
For years to come the report probably will
find some use in the schools as reference
work and as listing of standards for the
measurement of performance.
But Washingtonians whose taxes financed
this study and whose children are going
to school have every right to expect from
Congress some action that will prevent
waste of money spent on this survey. Such
action should take the form of prompt
legislation to provide some of the funds
necessary to carry out the important rec
concentrations of the report, especially
those that relate to construction pro-
gram adequate to meet future demands.
More revenue must be provided from cur
rent taxes and a higher Federal lump
sum. Provision should also be made for
borrowing, through Treasury advances
repayable in annual installments, to spread
the load for high construction costs over
the wears
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Court-MurtiuI Jurisdiction

The Supreme Court, in reversing the
Navy court-martial conviction of Harold
E. Hirschberg on charges OF maltreat4ng
fellow American prisoners Of war said that
the case "raises important questions con-
cerning the statutory jurisdiction" OF naval
courts martial The courts decision makes
1t evident that Congress should consider
legislation to set forth clearly the legal
authority of the National Military Estao-
ushment in such case as this.
The court did not consider the facts OF
the Hirschberg prosecution and convic-
ton. It ruled only on the narrow question
of whether the Navy had the right to try
the former enlisted man after it had given
him an honorable discharge. The lower
courts divided on this question, the District
Court holding that the trial was illegal and
the United States Court of Appeals con-
tending that the trial was valid. The
Supreme Court, without a dissent, ruled
that the Navy was without power to try
Hirschberg, even though he had re-en-
listed within few hours of his discharge.
The Supreme Court calls attention to
the conflict in policies existing between
the Army and the Navy on this important
point Until 1882 both services agreed
that once a man was discharged he could
not be disciplined for some ofenSe COM
nitted prior to his release. But the Navy
changed its rules in T. at year to cover
cases of re-enliStment, because 1t felt that
good discipline and the cause OF justice
would be served thereby, 1t is this inter-
pretation of the law which the court has
nullified. The court stated that the oppoS-
ing Army and Navy interpretations can
not both be right, unle.s it be assumed
that Congress has left each free to deter
mine its own court-mar tial boundaries
But, as the court commented, the case
involves important questions that are not
fully resolved by the decision. The tribunal
raises the point as to the fairness OF sub
iecting a re-enlisted man to punishment
that he could have escaped merely by re-
framing from re-enliSting. For the Navy
comedies it could not have prosecuted
Hirschberg if he had elected to remain g
civilian after his discharge Yet, under ar
1863 law, it could have prosecuted him fol
fraud against the Government" if his
alleged crime had been related to Navy
property rather than naval personnel
There is another side to the matter which
affects naval and military discipline. This
Is the question of whether the cause o1
Justice is served by closing the book or
all offenses undiscovered as well a.
knoWn-when man is handed his dis
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Real Diplomat for President

To the Editor of The Star:
I read with great interest Edwin C. Kent's
note in The Star on February Is about the
Presidents language.
am real old-fashioned Texas Democrat,
who votes for that party mostly because
every one who runs for an Office in my
county is a Democrat and there's nothing
you can do about it. But I heartily agree
with many of the things Mr.. Kent says about
Mr.. Truman, and certainly that part about
a Presidents position his responsibility and
careful selection of dignified words Some
one certainly needs to tell him.
However, Mr.. Kent blames the AZ million
voters who failed to go to the polls November
2 for the fact that Mr.. Truman now is Presi-
dent. Did it ever occur to some of you Re-
publicans that some of these old-time Demo-
Gratis might be not only willing but anxious
tc change their Decentralization poll
tics in favor of Republican who could stand
up before the people like man. denounce
the oldtime save-a-penny Republicans IN
favor of a new, more liberal Republican
Party with little bigger heart, more open
mind and a rugged determination to draw
the citizens of these United States and the
world closer together for change?
So far, you haven't found man who can
come down to earth enough to speak to the
common man and tell him in language that
he can understand exactly what your new
line Republicans are for and what they plan
to do if elected After all, how can he know
if he has never seen this type of Republican
in action? Perhaps those At million voters
were in quandary, wondering on November
2 Just whom they should vote for.
The solution to this problem is going to
be selection of two men for the forthcom-
inc election-one Republican and one Demo-
crat But which? The party that wins next
time will have some one with flair for
LANGUAGE, some one with heart and soul
and a zest for living-a real diplomat. In
short, we need clean-cut American; we
need leader and an educated man. You
find that man, and We'll elect him whether
he be Republican or Democrat, and you
can bet your boots the Texans will get to
the polls
MRS. KATHARINE c. Stages.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Bread

There is peace of heart aDon1an knoaDs
When making bread. For something OF
the field
That s1pelled the grain, and something OF
the sky
Above the harvest, rain and 10tnd, all
yield
Richness to the dough in steady hands. :.
And something of the song upon her ups,
Minghng Nth tears, earth, sun, is fneooeo
1UeU
Beneath the purpose of her fngert1pS.
Remembering then the '0ords that JESUS
said: .,sw
"Fnther. oive US this day our daily oread!''
N"''' LYDIA B. ATKINSON.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
BY THE HAsKIN SERVICE.


O. What countries contribute the smallest
amounts to the United Nations oudget?-
P. o. S.
A. The smallest shares-.O4 per cent-are
assigned to Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras.
Iceland Liberia, Nicaragua, Paraguay. and
Yemen.
O. Who was the first woman to vote in
the United States?-C. P.
A. 1t is said that the first woman voter
in the United States was Mrs. Louisa Swain,
a Quaker gentlewoman of rs years. Suf-
frage history records that on the morning
of the first election day (Wyoming) on
which women were to vote Grandma Swain
tied a clean apron over her gray calico
house dress, put on her bonnet and shawl,
and started very early, determined to be
the first woman at the polls. However,
few of the colonies, notably New York, had
allowed women with property to vote their
estates" and in New Jersey some women
also voted until 1907, when suffrage was
limited to free white men.
O. How long should a mans legs be II
he is six feet tall?-R. o. N.
A. After adolescence is over, mans sit
ting height is approximately half OF his
standing height. In other words, the legs
of a person six feet tall would be approx
mately three feet long
O. How many State legislatures convene
this year in January?-E. F. D.
A. Forty-two State legislatures begin regu-
lar sessions in January Of this year.
Evening star., 1949-03-04

tiating with the peace delegation from
Shanghai and Nanking.
There are many good reasons why the
chances OF Macs becoming Tito are prac-
tically nil. One is that Mao has worked a
quarter OF century toward the goals Of
world communism and a Sovietized China;
If he were even suspected of contemplating
Titoism now. his life's effort would have been
In vain. Another is that, unlike Yugoslavia,
China is contiguous with Russia. Further
more, the Russian army invaded Manchuria,
whereas it did not invade Yugoslavia. In
Manchuria, the Russians gave Mao his real
power by turning over to his forces the sur
rendered Japanese arms and by holding
securely for him his base Of operations.
There may be squabbles within the Chi
nese Communist family, but it would be folly
to expect that any benefits therefrom will
accrue to the enemies of Russian imperial
ism. EMMANUEL S. LARSEN.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Publicizes Educational Films


I think that it is time for each of us to
realize the powerful teaching and training
instrument that we have in educational
films. Such films now are being used by
many churches Many large firms now use
films in training sales personnel.
Since many people will not read books, we
should try to educate them through some
other methods. Almost every one likes to
see a good film. Many public libraries now
have educational films available for our
use. There is no rental fee charged for the
use of these films. We could put these
educational films to better use if we used
them more often, and if we invited our
friends in to see them.
M. s. MARSHALL.
Evening star., 1949-03-04

charge papers. Should man who has
committed crime without being detected
be granted permanent immunity through
the device of obtaining his discharge and
then re-enlisting? This is a question
which deserves further study by legal
authorities of the three armed services and
by the committees of Congress studying
proposed court martial reforms.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Mr.. Bergman and Southerners
70 the Editor of The Star:

SouthernerS resent Mr.. Berryman's car
toon in The Sunday Star of February o..
Apparently his contact with the South has
been limited to poor whites"
7 never met Southerner in my life who
used such grammar as Mr.. Bergman
ascribes to his so-called Southern Democrat.
His sense of humor is badly warped.
Maybe he should take trip South and
meet Southerners in, say Charleston South
Carolina, or Edenton. North Carolina. to
only mention few. then maybe he could
draw an intelligent cartoon on the South
erners. fear his education has been sadly
neglected along these lines. S. c. H.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Individualism at Stake?

To the Editor of The Star:
Under the Constitution, man is granted
the right to express and maintain the indi-
viduality of his own being. The abrogatlon
of this right would be comparable to the
abolishment of religious freedom.
It is an inherent nature of man to express
individuality in self and race, to MAINTAIN
and perpetuate an individual identity apart
from other personalities and races.
The attempt to reduce and restrict TINS
instructive heritage to the level OF race dis
elimination, and label it prejudice ana
segregation, is to misconstrue the motlVe
and nature governing this aspect OF lie.
MILAN DINEEN.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Assumption of Treason

To the Editor OF The Star
The general belief seems to be that the
Communist countries are unWarrantedly
prosecuting clergymen for committing trea-
son. And the charge is therefore made that
the Communists are trying to destroy the
Church in those countries. But the signif1-
cant point to be considered, it seems to me,
is whether the accused clergymen have
actually been guilty of treason. The answer
to that is probably yes"
For if those clergymen acted consistently
with their religious beliefs. which is highly
likely, then it is reasonable to assume that
they did oppose the Communist regimes.
And it is equally reasonable to assume that
they participated in that sort of espionage
which is deemed treasonable in any country.
In fact, the testimonies reported in our
newspapers indicate that such assumptions
are plain facts.
It might be wise, therefore, to temper our
criticism of the Communists, and to realize
that they, too, are acting consistently with
those principles which exist in most coun-
tries And to remember that in our own
country we have injured and embarrassed
many thoroughly patriotic citizens on the
mere suspicion of having Communist asso-
ciations Who has been most just?
OBSERVER.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Questions and Answers

reader can get the answer to any question Of
Bur surea1 sG6 street NE. Washington 3. B. G
Please inclose three (3) cents for return postage
Evening star., 1949-03-04

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
,0riter, although 1t is permissible for
aDrtter kno,pn to The Star to use
nom de plume. Please be brief.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Theory of Intolerance in Berlin

Theory of Intolerance in Berlin
To the Editor of The Star:
Ellis Merediths letter in The Star OF
February "a about the banning OF the film
oliver Twist" was both well informed and
quite truthful. One point, however. was
ignored. Both the riotng and the banning
took place in Berlin-where dictators cry
reused an insane hatred in the hearts OF
the people, causing the death OF 6.O0O,0oO
Jewish men, women and children.
The Jews in Berlin today, living on blood
soaked soil, cannot forget as quickly as the
British What this war-torn city. having
been pumped with so much antisemiticlsm,
needs today is more "Gentleman's Agree
ment" pictures. WILLIAM B. SW1TkES.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Won Hindenburg No Wrecker

10 the Eoltor OF Inc STAR
In his article Germans Draft Novel
Schemes In Basic Law" David Nichol re-
ferred to Won Hindenburg as the man who
wrecked the Weimar Republic and installed
Hitler. Nothing could be farther from the
truth.
President Won Hindenburg had been a mon
archiSt, yet, in the seven years that he served
as president of the Weimar Republic, he
refused all advances made him to e-establish
the monarchy. In fact, he was reelected
for second term as representative of the
antimonarchist parties.
Mr.. Nichol might have mentioned that
the powers which President Won Hindenburg
had as president (under Article 49, were
given to him; he did not assume them. They
were written into the constitution by the
German liberals in 1919-2O. Had Won
Hindenburg wished to wreck the republic
he quite easily could have done so in any
one of his years as president, yet he refused
to dc so.
Won Hindenburg thought none too highly
of Hitler. He attempted to keep the Nazis
from gaining power. 1t was only because no
other coalition could be formed, when the
NaZls received so great a popular vote in
comparison with the other parties, that he at
last consented to have Hitler become chan
celor and form cabinet.
MI. Nichol should pay more attention to
the facts. Won Hindenburg was the stabiliz-
ing force of the republic-certainly not the
wrecking force. JOSEPH KARL MISICA.
Evening star., 1949-03-04
Midyear Promotion Questions

Having read an article in The Sunday Star
Of February 27 about the proposed abolition
of the midyear promotion and graduation
system, I, high school student, have
few questions to ask: Does this mean that
children who reach their sixth birthday
around January or February have to wait
until the following September to enter the
first grade. thus wasting half year of their
young lives? How about the boys and girls
who fail grade and have to wait IL extra
months in school, whereas if they fail under
the present system, they spend only four
and one half extra months Zone semester)?
They also get chance to make up their
failure in summer school, thus catching up
with their original class.
BRUCE HOLIIHAN.