davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1949-10-07
The Susscer Bill Is Brood

Surprising and regrettable was the
action of the Arlington County Civic Fed
Grafton in opposing the Sasscer bill to
effect better coordination of govern
mental activities in the Washington
Metropolitan Area. 1t is surprising be-
cause it had been expected that this i'm
portant group would add its support to
the Interfederation Council and other
civic groups which favor passage OF the
sasscer proposal for an interarea commits
sion of inquiry. It is regrettable because
the vote of the federation obviously was
based on misunderstanding OF the broad
objective of the measure.
The federation's Committee on Legisla-
ton and Legal Action apparently was
under the impression that the Sasscer bill
would apply chiefly to coordination OF
tax systems within the District Maryland
Virginia area The committee, in advising
against approval of the bill, made the
curious statement that there seems to be
no purpose in considering tax matters. In
the METROPOLITAN Area = except to i'm
pose sales tax on Virginia" 1t is absurd,
of course, to suggest that Congress or the
proposed three-jurisdiction commission
could impose" a sales or any other kind
of tax on a particular State. If Virginia
adopts the sales tax, it will be because
It's citizens vote it into existence. Qncl-
dentally, sixty-fve out of the States one
hundred boards of county supervisors are
on record in favor of sales taxi
It is true that the Sasscer bill specifies
taxes as one of the problems to be studied
by the proposed commission OF inquiry.
But the bill also directs the commission to
study "other matters of general planning
and regional operations" in the Metro
politan Area. The commission would be
created by compact among the jurisd1c-
tions involved, which means that the State
LEGISLATURES of Virginia and Maryland
would have to approve the plan. The two
States would have equal representation
with the District on the commission.
The Sasscer bill offers splendid oppor-
tunity to explore the areas of conflict and
confusion which now exist in various
governmental operations in this vicinity.
These areas include public utility regula-
ton, fire and police protection in fringe
sections and sundry highway, parking,
coming and other planning problems COM
mon to Washington and its suburbs.
From such a study might come valuable
recommendations for the better integration
of interjurisdictional policies and activ-
tiles. Every civic organization in the
Metropolitan Area should get behind this
cooperative movement.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Reader Defends Teachers Rights
To Petition Congress Directly
tn the H6itor of The Star.

TO the Editor Of The Star:
Many teachers are puzzled by your edi-
torial Of September 20, in which you blame
emplQye unions for the deadlock on the
teacher sick leave bill. You seem to dis
approve of teachers directly petitioning Con-
gress for redress Of grievances, without
going through the Board Of Education and
the school administration as Intermediates.
If such a practice were started. school en-
ployes would be deprived Of the small
amount of participation in their Government
that is allowed to citizens of the District
of Columbia The people of Washington.
being without the vote, are without direct
participation in their Government and are
thus an underprivileged group. The policy
you seem to advocate would make the
teachers a submerged class within an under
privileged group. They would be relegated
from the status Of second-class citizenship
of third-class citizenship.
It is only fair that you should be interested
in the cost Of this bill. The American Fed
Grafton of Teachers has supported and will
continue to support two amendments to
this bill, neither Of which would cost the
taxpayers Of the District dollar. We ad-
vocate automatic reinstatement Of teachers,
after not more than so consecutive days Of
absence due to illness or emergency. We
also wish to retain the privilege Of absence
with part pay for as many as go days a
year, by hiring substitute at our own
expense, after using up our paid sick leave
under this bill. DON B. GOODLOE,
Legislative Representative Of Local 81 Of
the American Federation Of Teachers.
Evening star., 1949-10-07

place with complete frankness" and that
the Western Allies had given "the reason
for their decision" That word decision"
clearly meant that the high commission
had asserted It's paramount authority in
the issue and that the chancellor had had
to bow to 1t.
The Deutsche mark is therefore devalued
as the Allies intended 1t should be. But
whatever the economics Of the matter may
be, German public opinion is infiamed by
the decision" and the Communists are
doing their best to stimulate popular re-
sentiment by jeering at the "subservience"
of the Federal Republic to the Western
Allies and it's lack of real authority.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Pioneering in Civilian Jets

The Canadian aircraft industry has the
distinction OF being the first in the West
ern Hemisphere to design, build and fly
let plane for civilian transport purposes.
Like Britain-frst in the world to produce
such a plane-our neighbor to the north
thus Is ahead of us in this field, for up
to now no company in the United States
has even started to construct commercial
jetliner.
As demonstrated in, an impressive test
flight over Toronto the other day, the
new plane-called the Avro Jetliner,
product Of A. " Roe Canada Lmited-is
4 swift, smooth and highly maneuverable
four -engine craft capable OF carrying SO
passengers at cruising speed OF about
430 miles an hour or at least 100 miles
faster than our fastest propeller-driven
transports now in civilian domestic service.
Unlike its British counterpart which
Is designed for nonstop transatlantic
flights at a speed of upwards of 500 miles
m hour Ounch in New York and dine in
London)-the Avro is limited to range
OF about 1000 miles, being meant specifi-
cally for relatively short-haul service be-
States. According to present plans, how
ever, it is to be equipped eventually with
much more powerful engines fact sug-
sesting that it will be developed for over
the-ocean travel.
It Is unfortunate that America has let
the British and Canadians take the lead in
this field Our plane manufacturers, OF
course, have not been idle in the design
and production of jet fighters and jet
bombers, but to. date their output OF
commercial craft has been limited to the
conventional propeller type. It has been
suggested that the economics OF the
business and perhaps public taste-do
not warrant a heavy investment in
civilian jetliners at this time, but in
Britain and Canada the experts appear to
think otherwise.
In any case, regardless of the economic
pros and cons the fact remains that the
United States has been content to let the
British and Canadians do the trail-blaz-
ing In developing jets for civilian trans
port. Manufacturers in England and
Canada, however, have had an advantage
over our own aviation industry, in that
government subsidies have encouraged
private firms to develop and produce jet
transports Here no such Federal aid has
been available, although bill Is pending
In Congress to subsidize development of
prototypes of new transport planes, in
cluding Jets. The progress being made
Evening star., 1949-10-07
"After-Forty-Fun" Found
In Scouts and Bus Trips

This letter is addressed to two Of your
recent correspondents. One Of them desired
bus rides through the parks; the other
wanted "after-forty fun"
!, National Capital Parks has scheduled a bus
trip through Shenandoah National Park,
Virginia. on October 16. when the leaves
will have turned to dazzling shades Of amber,
russet and gold.
A student of human nature will enjoy the
day toos for. under the able guidance Of our
park naturalists, democracy at its best
attends. s~.... ..
Call Michigan 1868, extension 400 for
information.
Membership in the Audubon Society Is
open to all from seven to seventy who enjoy
the companioship Of others. Together we go
on leisurely bird walks each week end, attend
lectures, seminars or movies and share in
the support Of an educational and conserva-
tional program devoted to renewing and
preserving our natural resources
Last Of ALL may suggest that corre-
spondent number two take training for Scout
leadership? Many boys and girls who want
to Join troops are unable to because leaders
are lacking. Here is an opportunity to help
young America and keep young yourself.
g. 9. BAKER.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
German Mark ImbrogIio

The controversies surrounding devalua-
ton of the Deutsche mark, the currency
of Western Germany, are regrettable. They
involve not only q clash between the new
government Of the Federal Republic OF
West Germany and the Western Allied
High Commission but also differences OF
opinion among the Allies themselves as
to the extent Of devaluation. This makes
for q rather scrambled situation whose
consequences may be unfortunate.
When Britain devalued the pound ster-
ling by approximately 80 per cent, it be-
came obvious that the Deutsche mark
must be revalued along with most Of the
other continental European currencies.
The trouble was that nobody was in precise
agreement as to just what cut In the
marks value should be made. The Ger
mans wanted a deep slash from its pre-
vious rate Of 80 cents u. 81 to 22.5 cents,
which would have been about commensu-
rate with the pounds devaluation. The
French, however, who were already pro-
testing Britain's action as giving it an
unfair advantage on the worlds trade
markets, did not want the mark cut below
"a cents, asserting that the proposed Ger
man rate would give West German exports
similarly unfair advantage. They also
insisted on special rate for Ruf1r coal to
prevent what they termed dumping. :"
The Americans favored mark cut very
near to or identical with that proposed by
the Germans, with the British seemingly
somewhere in between.
It was perhaps these inter-Allied dis
agreements that emboldened the German
chancellor, DR.. Adenauer, to come before
the Parliament and reject the Allied COM
missions proposal" that the rate be fixed
at 23.8 cents--that figure obviously repre-
senting a compromise between the Ameri-
can and French viewpoints. Dr.. Adenauer
went on, to challenge the commissions
right to decide questions, Of monetary ex-
change and foreign trade. And Parliament
uproariously approved his fortnight stand,
all parties criticizing the Allied proposal
as caused by selfish motives at the expense
of the German people
However, the very next day, Chancellor
Adenauer announced that the new rate
for the mark would be 238095- virtually
an acceptance of the Allied view. This
obvious backdown followed conference
between the chancellor and the high COM
mission, the tenor Of which can be judged
by communique issued Immediately after
the conference by the commission, which
said that an exchange OF views had taken
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Pay Raise for Congr'
Seen As Justified


Seen As Justified 1~>
To the Editor Of The Star:
It seems to me that $25, 900 year is not
an unreasonable compensation for Senators
and Representatives. They must maintain
two homes, one here and one in the State
or district from which elected. Under present
conditions this is very expensive. And after
Representative or Senator or other official
has served the country and his constituents
faithfully for years, he is entitled to retire.
ment. When one leaves his business to serve
his country It is often at a very considerable
sacrifice. The fact that either Senator or
a Congressman does not share ones opinions
and views is no evidence that he is any less
patriotic and sincere. Where there is freedom
Of speech and of conscience 1t is unreason-
able to expect that persons will hold the
same opinions. Unity in diversity.
FRANK w. VEDDER.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
House Plants
lrnished mariooIdS,

Soon the buraished naaT1golds,
The jewel-gay c1rysantten,u1'as.
viii shrivel as the sun 1oithholds
Its 1Durn1th and bleak NoDen1ber comes.
Then little house plants take the place
OF gardens; out of bo,Dls and pots
They point their leaues ,oith tinaid grace,
Small replicas of garden spots.
Detying thermostatic Jump,
Enduring drought or nlnch cdrs'
They prop the spirit, lest 1t slump
From. loss-of garden bloom despair.
ALICE HARTICH.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Former Cadet Wants Corps
To Stick to Traditional Policies

To Stick to Traditional Policies
To the Editor Of The Star:
In a recent letter to The Star. Il. M"
raised two points:
Cd The High School Cadet Corps was
INSPIRED by glamorous light opera soldiers
behind the footlights, who inspired men 10
picture themselves as handsome stalWartS
stealing kisses from winsome misses, to the
lifting accompaniment Of Vlennese waltz.
90 It is dangerous for us to teach boys
how to drill with rifles they are not allowed
to fire and to teach them the intricate move
ments of close-order drill while Russia
teaches her boys in every phase OF war
activity"
Here are NV answers as former cadet:
Cd Although the Cadet Corps may have
been INSPIRED by glamorous light opera
soldiers, ETC." (and doubt very seriously ii
it was), 1t continued and, indeed, still func-
tions after 81 years of existence. Those light
opera soldiers sure must have made big
impression.
ca Let me state here first of all. that
every school in the D. c. has rifle club
and rifle team which every cadet Is free
to join. II. NJ wishes us to take away or
infringe upon the time in which the Cadet
Corps teaches the boys leadership, courtesy.
and drill should like to ask why we don't
take away the time in which they study
Latin, history, or English. To what conclu-
sion does this lead us? Namely. that 1t is
dangerous to take away any OF this time.
Russia maintains her army by means Of
draft If our Army feels the need OF addi-
tional trained men at any time it has but
to draft men and train them. If our Army
feels that it needs civilians trained before
they go into the Army let them reopen the
summer training camps they had before
the depression The High School Cadets and
the Citizens Military Training Corps used
these camps at a great advantage to both
themselves and their country before they
were shut down as an economy measure.
JOHN H. MOORE.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Financial Plight of Railroads
Blamed on Squeeze" Tactics of Labor
To the Editor Of The Star:

FINANCIAL Flight OF Railroads
Blamed on Squeeze" Tactics of Labor
To the Editor Of The Star: =
A. A. Lebman, in a recent letter to The
Star, gives some hitherto hnsuspected rea-
sons for the financial plight Of the railroads.
A few easily confirmed facts may throw an
other light on the matter. AS to speed. there
is plenty of track which is safe for 100
miles per hour, although the Pennsylvania
turnpike is not On the old Lake Shore rail-
road between Buffalo and Cleveland, where
worked as youth, there was even then no
limit to speed except motive power and
inclination. The same between Toledo and
Elkhart, on the Central's Hudson division
where the 999 made its record-in fact. all
over the country. Streamliners out OF
Chicago to the West daily exceed 100 miles
per hour on half dozen roads. and make
overall schedules of between IS and 70.
The trouble with the railroads Is labor.
Starting with the old full-crew laws in the
Middle West, feather-bedding has permeated
all operations, so that now passenger
engineer with good seniority will make
better than $4,000 per year, working only
about five hours every other day-a total
of less than 20 hours per week. His con-
ductor the same In freight service the
the hours are longer. There is today
strike threat over the demand for second
fireman" on diesel locomotives, where even
the first fireman has little to do except sit
up front and call signals.
Trucks have q considerable advantage for
s-than- carload shipments in their door-to-
door service without breaking bulk. and in
their easier requirements of Grating. Other
wise they are little faster, less reliable, more
costly per ton-mile, and definite traffic
hazard to all other users Of the highway.
single driver. with his buddy alseep on
shelf behind him, is allowed to run his
huge tractor trailer according to his whim
so miles downhill, 10 miles UP hill, any
speed around curyes-in way permitted to
no other means of common-carrier trans
portation II he jack-knifes and lives. ne
takes it in stride and is back at work the
next day.
There is a place for each method. but
the decline Of the railroad and the rapid
rise OF the truck means only that the 1Cc
and the brotherhoods have squeezed the
railroads out of the field and the trucks
have moved in to I'LL the void. Inherently,
railroad ton-mils and passenser-mils costs
Evening star., 1949-10-07

abroad in the jet airliner field may bring
early legislative action. Without Federal
assistance the aviation industry is likely
to continue to lag behind that of other
countries.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Today's Trends Compared With
Sophist might Is Right" Doctrine

To the Editor Of The Star:
It may be of little consequence to compare
the present with what happened many CEN
turies ago, but when present-day events have
q striking resemblance to the remotest past
we are inclined to ask ourselves whether
Sophism has been resurrected. 1t was the
Sophists who adopted the phrase 1T is
might that is right" I am going to quote
a passage from Drapers well known work,
1.-THE Intellectual Development OF Europe,
in which the author presents us with clear
and concise insight into the ancient Greek
philosophy known as Sophism.
Says Draper, Right and wrong are hence
seen to be mere fictions created by society,"
having no eternal or absolute existence in
nature. The will of monarch. or of a
majority in community, declares what the
and what is wrong; and these therefore.
instead of having an actual existence, are
mere illusions, owing their birth to the exer-
else of force. It is might that has determined
and defined what is right. And hence it
follows that it is needless for man to trou-
BILE himself with monitions of conscience, or
to be troubled thereby ...
What shall we say of such system and
Of such state of things? Simply this: that
cit has indicated a complete mental and
social Generalization, mental decentralization,
for the principles Of knowledge were sapped.
man persuaded that his reason was no guide;
i, social decentralization, for he was taught that
right and wrong, virtue and vice, conscience,
and law, and God, are imaginary fictions.
that there Is no harm in the commission of
sin, though there may be harm, as assuredly
as there Is folly, In being detected therein;
that 1t Is excellent for man to sell his
country to the Persian king, provided the
sum OF money he received is large enough,
and that the transaction is so darkly con-
Quoted that the public. and particularly his
enemies, can never find it out. Let him never
forget that patriotism is the first delusion of
a simpleton, and the last refuge of a knave.
Nor was it merely among speculative men
that these inf1delities were cherished; the
leading politicians and statesman became
deeply infected with them. To what an
appalling condition society has arrived, when
1t reaches the positive conclusion that there
Is no truth. no religion, no justice, no virtue
in the world; that the only object Of human
exertion is unrestrained physical enjoyment;
the only standard of a mans position,
wealth; that, since there is no possibility of
truth, whose eternal principles might serve
for an uncontrovertible and common guide,
we should resort to deception and the arts
OF persuasion, that We may dupe others for
our purpose.
There is unmistakable documentary evil
dence withheld from the American people
that, II their contents were brought to the
light OF day. might serve better purpose
to the interest Of our country than concealed
by those who have an.interest in withholding
the facts. LOUIS r. DHGER.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.


@. In professional baseball does "1o-
year man" have any privileges over and
above those allowed other members of the
same teams?-E. NJ
A. Major league players who have an
aggregate of 10 complete seasons In tho
major leagues may not be sent down to .
minor league without the players written
consent. championship season is figured
on the basis of 172 days with the ball club.
Q. How many colds may the average
person expect to have in year?-. E.
A. According to medical authorities, the
colds and similar infections annually in
the United States.
@. Which is the "hoist" and which Ii
the Ely" of f1ag?-B. H. A.
A. The vertical direction of nag Is
called the "hoist" and the horizontal
direction, or the length from the staff to
the free end, is called the Fly"
Q. What is the official song Of the State
of Missouri2-F r. B.
A. 1.-THE Missouri Waltz" is the ofhcial
State song, having been adopted by the
Legislature on June IA, 1949.
@. Why is payment of money as penalty
called a f1ne?-C. j. D.
A. The word comes from the Latin "fnem
facere," meaning Ito put an end TO-" In
England the term "fine" Is traced back to
1875, when the courts began to allow con-
victs to be released from prison when they
paid a sum of money.
@. What are the locations of some Of the
best known bells?-M. B. T.
A. Among the best known bells are tho
Bourbon in the Rockefeller carlton, River.
side Church, New York City; the huge Car
Kolokol in Moscow which, because of an
imperfection in casting, has never been
rung: Big Ben in London, and the Liberty
Bell, Philadelphia. At the Mission Inn.
Riverside, Calf, is the famous Bell Of Mont
serrat. One Of the Oldest bells in Great
Britain is 6 inches high and inches across.
It is the Bell Of st. Patrick's VIII, at Bel
fast. It dates from about $50.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Letters to- The Star

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
,Driter, although it is permissible for
a writer knoUn to The Star to use
a nom de plume. Please be brief.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Questions and Answers,

"A reader get the answer to any question
Of fact by writing The Evening Star formation
Bureau, 316 Eye st. ne, WASHINGTON 2, D. c.
Please nclose three (3) cents for return postage.
Evening star., 1949-10-07
Federation Urged to Get All Facts
Before Judging Bellevue Evictions

To the Editor of The Star:
According to The Star Of october the
president and past president OF the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations advised
Bellevue families to ignore eviction orders
and said they could guarantee" that the
Federation would break up the don't move"
suggestion 100 per cent.
No one is in position to guarantee that
all 40 delegates will vote as a unit on that
question or any other; all that can be guar
anteed is that given the facts, delegates
will endeavor to act fairly and Justly.
If, as I have heard. salaries OF some
families now living In low-rent housing at
Bellevue amount to about 100000, eviction
notices may be in order.
The Navy. which has ordered the evictions.
Is rightly concerned about the inability OF
its enlisted personnel to find adequate
housing, within the range Of an enlisted
mans pay. More than that, it is no doubt
concerned about maintaining high morale
among its men.
Navy men must perforce be separated
from their families for long periods, so every
effort should be made to keep their periods
of shore duty free from harassment. Pro-
vision should be made for them to be with
their families, in decent surroundings.
Few of US know what it is to spend years
away from our loved ones, to have our
children changing schools year after year
and in the middle of terms. to make close
friends and leave them to have our belong
ings damaged and lost during moves from
one station to another. etc.
While we all have sympathy with any one
forced to move from his home, there may
be two sides to the question, and any one
who will guarantee that the Federation will
side with one group or the other 100 per
cent is putting himself out on limb.
DELEGATE
Evening star., 1949-10-07

are far below possible truck and bus COM
petition. but labor's demands have put the
railroads at hopeless disadvantage Road
way and track are the railroads smallest
worries; maintenance Of equipment" and
conducting transportation" are the ICC
accounts In which the labor cost is wreck
ing them. HUGH FTTZHUGH.