davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-10-10
Leonard DeGost Retires

Leonard w. DeGast we'll deserves the tribute
which representative group of the citys church,
welfare, civic and business leaders will pay him
tonight at testimonial dinner in the Mayhower
Hotel. Mr.. DeGast is spending his last week as
general secretary of the Washington Young Mems
Christian Association. He is retiring after A
years in YMCA work, IS of which have been with
the Washington association. It is no exaggera-
tion to say that the phenomenal growth of the
local "Y" during the period between two World
Wars and since has been, to q large degree, be-
cause of the faithful and untiring leadership Of
Mr.. DeGast He has helped to make the "Y' the
positive influence for good which 1t Is today
throughout the washington Metropolitan Area
In building character among the men and boys
of the community he has helped to build better
National Capital.
Evening star., 1950-10-10
They Choose More Destruction

Just as it did with the one he issued on
October 1, the Korean Communist regime at
Pyongyang has completely ignored General
MacArthur's second and last surrender call. What
this means-as indicated by the hard fighting at
wonsan and by the heavy fire hurled against
the first American force to cross the 38th Parallel
lis that nobody should bank on quick or easy
end to the war in Korea.
At any rate, the aggressors apparently have
elected to resist as bitterly as they can wherever
possible, even though their military position now
seems hopeless. Their troops may wish to quit
but it looks as though guns may be held behind
their backs to force them to hold ground or face
the penalty of being liquidated by their own COM
manders So there is reason to expect more de-
struction and more death-perhaps on large
scale-before General MacArthur's forces smash
Evening star., 1950-10-10
DICKERSON, Md.

Dear Sir:
IT live at the foot of Sugar Loaf
Mountain and love it. We have great
variety of birds, but the best of all Is
robin. He is a dear and we get so much
pleasure out Of him.
II would say he is two months old. He
was found on rainy day almost
drowned. We took him home and after
one night of warmth and food he was as
chipper as ever.
1--WE are keeping him all winter but
wonder about finding worms for him.
Now lie eats very few.
IT guess this may have something to
do with the fact that his daily diet
includes egg y.lk, bread, lettuce, apple,
sun flower seed, small amounts Of cooked
liver carrots-well, we try most any
thing.
I'VE are wondering If we are giving
MIN the right diet.
He takes always one bath day, and
sometimes two. Perches on our heads.
takes bread from our mouths, and believe
it or not he can sing sweet as canary.
He more than loves it when we wash or
fry chicken.
please help us with Our Bobbie's'
diet, so We can keep him all winter.
Yours truly. B. c..
Robins are not too easy to feed as cap
tiyes.
Prepared human foods lack the raw
and vital factors, such as minerals, vita
Evening star., 1950-10-10
This and That
By Charles E. TroceweH

minis and hormones. found In the more
natural foods.
When robin hauls worm out of the
ground for himself, he not only gets alb
solutely fresh food, packed with acces-
sorry factors, as nature intended for him,
but also he gets the fresh air and exer-
else ne needs
So it may be realized that feeding a
robin all winter is not an easy job, and
various ailments may or may not result.
Since worms will be impossible to find,
they must be substituted by such things
as raw liver, not cooked; raisins, but not
too many; raw apple, but not too often;
together with yolk of hard boiled egg,
bread, and as a treat, coconut cake.
No attempt should be made to supply
grit.
If some food is placed on ordinary gar.
den dirt. the bird in picking up the food,
say raw beef liver, will get all the "grit"
he needs.
Almost every effort to give captive
birds sand or the like results in the dis
aster--So don't do it. Let nature, as
far as possible. rule here as elsewhere.
f.
There is still plenty of time to let the
robin loose. and that Is the best way.
In October robins group together, to
fly back to the South.
This grouping or flocking permits
them to find food easily, since what one
finds the others share in.
Usually lawns are getting drier. and
this tends to diminish the supply Of
angle worms. their favorits food.
Evening star., 1950-10-10

Robins find worms, by the way, through
listening for them.
This listening is not done with ears,
exactly, but with the bone Of the skull.
Bone induction, it is called.
When the robin takes his stance, and
peers down into the sod, he "hears" the
slithei of the worm below. Also, he may
see some movement, since his eyes are
amazingly sharp.
It is only fair to this correspondent to
say that the keeping migratory bird in
captivity violates the migratory bird act,
drawn up and passed as law to prevent
this very thing.
But the law intends to be just. and
help to the birds is not regarded as un-
lawful. exactly so long as authorities
are not pushed into taking action.
In other words, If householder hon
estly believes that it is best to keep a
bird over winter, it may be done, pro-
vided the keepers do not talk too much
about 1t!
Once game wardens and the like know
about it. and know that other people
know about it, they find they must take
action. The law demands it.
So pipe down about your robin. try to
feed it properly, and let 1t go next
spring.
It should be remembered that several
robins remain in almost every Maryland
and Virginia community during the win
ter. Mostly they live in old barns. Just
how they manage to find food we do
not know.
Evening star., 1950-10-10
By w. H. Shippen

THE UNITED STATES CAVALRY
l. (not mechanized) was charging to
the rescue, and plenty of redskins were
about to bite the dust. -.
It was just another movie-one of
ancient vintage, and televised at that.
But at least one spectator had forgotten
these things. He was holding onto his
chair, waiting for the grand finale.
BILL Billy Mann!" said his wife.
once the Indians had been demolished.
the heroine rescued and the Stars and
Stripes hoisted against the fade-out
Hadn't you better call the general?
He wants us to come over tonight"
"Oh, no, you call him, Lucy!" Dr.
Mann took of his glasses to rub his eyes.
Hurry up! Tell him to hurry over here.
'Howdy Doody comes on In few min
utes!"
The general hurried over along with
his wife and couple of friends. They
were late for "Howdy Doody," but in
time for the minstrel show Presently
a tin of beer In his hand, was humming
half remembered tunes. He confessed
he had forgotten the words. DR.. Mann
could recall them all, along with the
names, mannerisms and specialties of
performers long since vanished from the
billboards.
The Zoo directors memory surprises
even his wife, who has Travelled with
him for quite while. It ranks with
another rare quality. The learned doc
tor, who has been almost everywhere
and seen about as much as any one
man ever glimpses in a lifetime. still
looks upon the world and its creatures
through the eyes of kid at his first
circus.
In fact he is still the kid at the circus,
literally sitting on the fence at dawn
when the first red wagons roll in and re-
naming until the last tent has been fold
ed. If he has more than a day off, Dr.
Mann often rides the circus trains. He
knows most of the performers on board,
many from infancy, and can call the roll
Of the menagerie with disconcerting
accuracy.
vantage at times-all the time, according
to the circus men who swap animals
with him. DR.. Mann knows their stock
from ant-eaters to zebras, but they can
only guess at that within the Rock Creek
Park confines of Uncle Sans Zoo. The
Zoos pigmy hippos may be in scarce or
fair-to-middlin' supply. for all the circus
men know. but they'll have to throw in
couple of wombats along with their
hyena If they want to see one.
The Doc. plus party. can walk in free
Evening star., 1950-10-10
NotionuI Health Program

From his solid ivory tower, Lowell
Mellett pontificateS the infallibility OF
Fair Deal tax-spend-elect dictatorship.
It's featherbedding and parasitism can
do no evil. Relief and Federal handouts
become q noble career. Treasury raid
ing by the organized brotherhoods Of
Pendergast is not wrong if they deliver
the votes of the living and the dead.
And the Mellett- test for public Office IS
absolute loyalty to the party line from
Alger Hiss to Henry Wallace.
The ANA publicity blitz against Mr..
Truman's scheme to Britishize American
medicine has occasioned Mellett ukase
on political morality. He is a better
double-talker and double thinker than
Mr. Vishinsky There is nothing wrong
in a labor dictatorship spending millions
to defeat Senator Taft in Ohio. But it
is unconstitutional for ANA to spend
half as much to defeat Oscar Ewing as
dictator of all American medicine.
Yet many loyal members of our ANA
regret one defect in its educational
campaign" It would be smarter to sub
stitute a sound and practical national
health insurance plan for Mr.. Truman's
impossible bureaucratic scheme. And it
IlOG OILY CdIl NC OOllC, Nut IL oAlOO1O NC
done The liberals in both politica,
parties believe national program is the
honest answer to our health security
needs. That program should be solvent,
low cost, risk-sharing, self-help against
the bankrupting burdens Of childbearing,
catastrophe illness and malignant dis
ease. This is limited liability insurance
on a quid pro quo basis. The Truman
scheme is unlimited liability on deficit
spending basis which makes the doctor
an indentured servant Of expanding
bureaucracy.
Most doctors support all rational and
solvent forms of social insurance. If
we support subsidies for crops, conser-
vation and communication. why not
solvent National Health Security Insur-
ance Reserve to guarantee the fair cost
of indemnifying major health hazards?
The job is too big for confederation OF
inadequate State plans. It is too vital
to our survival and security not to
federalize it. We need solvent Federal
union of the healing arts, rather than
Mr.. Truman's bankrupt Federal bureau
cracy.
Thomas e. Mattingly, MD.
Evening star., 1950-10-10
The Light That Failed

In announcing that the traffic light at Four
teenth and D sts., SW, will be turned of for a
period of from 80 to so days. the District Com
missioners have not said that the signal has
failed to serve its intended purpose The explana-
ton is that operation of the light has been sus-
pended to permit study of traffic conditions in
the entire Mall area.
Be that as it may, the motorists who enter
and leave the District via Fourteenth street will
shed no tears at the dousing of this light. It
has been in operation for somewhat less than 80
days, but the headaches it has caused would have
to be counted in the thousands. Incoming traffic
in the mornings used to flow smoothly and quickly
across the new Highway Bridge, construction of
which was expected to cut the river-crossing time
in half. Once the light had been installed how
ever, all of that ended. The light-caused morn
ing jam, if anything, was worse than in the days
when the old bridge had to accommodate both
north and southbound traffc.
Adjustment of the timing of the light did
bring some improvement and Traffic Director
Keneipp said in a letter to The Star that tests
during rush hours had shown that the crossing
could be made "in but little more than the
legal speed limit of two minutes and 81 seconds"
Maybe So But yesterday mornings crossing
at 10 minutes of 9-after the normal rush hour
took exactly 16 minutes. Traffic was backed up
several hundred yards into Virginia. and the
jam remained unbroken all the way to the light
The rain undoubtedly had something to do with
it, But, rain or no rain, it is safe bet that
traffic will move more expedtiously when the
Fourteenth and street light goes of.
Time marches on, and what frightens us Is
this impression that Bernard Shaw Is now having
birthdays at the rate of three year.
Evening star., 1950-10-10

the enemy and win the kind of victory needed to
unite Korea as genuinely independent land
In effect, by refusing to surrender in face of
certain defeat, the Korean Communist leaders
have called for as much desolation as possible
a decision suggesting that they are deliberately
intent on reducing the country to rubble, pre-
sumably because there may be some long-range
political advantage in that. Here is something
that deepens the blackness of their crime. One
can only hope that they will be caught and held
for trial before they have a chance to slink away
after they have done their worst-into Man
churia or Russia.
Evening star., 1950-10-10
The Zoos leading Citizen Is q Mann

on couple OF pOOcheS Tor one OF the
Roosevelt sons, were still willing to wink
at animal stowaways too small to un-
seat CT.
DR.. Mann got started collecting at an
early age. probably around 5. Back on
the Helena, Montana, ranch where he
was born in 1856, he began on tadpoles,
advancing rapidly to frogs, snakes and
scorpions.
His parents sent him East to Staun-
ton Military Academy, and West to the
State College Of Washington, but the
doctor went right on collecting. He
graduated from Stanford University in
1911, from Harvard in 1915, and then
went TO the Fiji Islands on Harvard
fellowship to look for more insects.
He became world authority on ants
and certain types of beetles, while at
the same time extending his knowledge
of general zoology on bug-huting expe-
ditions all over the world. After he
became director of the Zoo in 1925, he
went abroad after bigger game.
Everywhere he went he made friends.
and influenced people to send gift ami
mails to the National Geological Park.
DR.. Mann's oversize apartment over
looking the Zoo has become an informal
salon for world travellers. An evenings
guests may include an Ambassador, a
circus clown temporarily at liberty, a
cavalry colonel from Patagonia and a
lady animal dealer who has just flown
In with eight elephants and a few
leopards. The late Alexander Woollcott
often called in the old days, as did Noel
Coward, Sir Cedric Hardwick and John
Ringing North. The number of guests
has declined somewhat in recent years,
not because the doctors enthusiasm has
dwindled, but owing to the war and its
aftermath all over the world.
The doctor prides himself upon his
cookery. and no dish is too fantastic for
him to try-at least once.
A few years back he was entertaining
some guests from Calcutta, and decided
to surprise them with mess of Bombay
duck-a dehydrated shrimp, or some
thing of that nature, sliced paper thin
and requiring deep-fat treatment. He
emptied lard tin into heavy pot and
set 1t merrily to boil Back in the living
room, he was in the middle Of another
story when the fire engines began to
arrive in the street outside.
Must be a big fire around here" DR..
Mann said brightly. Let's all go! Shall
we, Lucy?"
Mrs. Mann, who tries to relax when
her husband takes over the cooking,
raised her head and shifted the air
"Just sit still, Bill" she said, "and
this one will come to you"
Evening star., 1950-10-10
Our Flag Is Secure

It seems to The Star that the Veterans of
Foreign Wars and the Daughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution are unnecessarily alarmed at
what they evidently regard as plot against the
American Flag.
This "plot" stems from joint venture by
the National Grange, which is not ordinarily
thought of as an anti-American organization,
and the Extension Service OF the Department OF
Agriculture which is likewise free of subversive
taint. These agencies have been collaborating on
a project to distribute United Nations flag kits to
4-H and womens farm clubs, and the women have
been urged to become modern Betsy Roses"
The Star has to confess to a certain puzzle
ment as to why the Department of Agriculture
should have embarked on this undertaking. And
for some people, there may be a sinister inference
to be drawn from the announcement by Charles
c. Rails, VFW Commander, that II am informed
that the program is being supervised by for
mer Agriculture Department adviser on Russia"
The more one thinks about this latter phase
of the matter, however, the more reassuring it
becomes. Let us suppose that this unidentified
former adviser on Russia really is one of the
Kremlins men. He may even be member of
Communist cell in the department. But If so,
that should be more heartening than otherwise.
For the Russians have come to hate the U. N.
more than the u s., and whatever this former
adviser on Russia may be up to, it is hardly
conceivable that he is trying to do anything good
for the flag of the U. N.
Maybe the Grange and the Department of
Agriculture should stick to the business of doing
something for the farmer. But it is not at all
likely that their excursion into the field of inter-
national diplomacy, this good will gesture, or
whatever it is raises any threat to the Stars and
Stripes. Despite the apprehensions of the VFW
and the OAR it is not going to be topped on every
school house by the U. N. banner
Evening star., 1950-10-10
Encouraging Crime Report

Latest figures released by the Federal Bureau
OF Investigation show gratifying decrease in
major crimes in Washington. It is true that even
with the decrease the District stood well up
among the larger cities in number of crimes re-
ported by police, but the FBI made it plain that
such comparisons do not reflect the real situation
The reason for this is that the reporting system
Is entirely voluntary and, unfortunately, does
not always produce accurate statistics for the
FBTs Uniform Crime Reports.
In the semiannual report for the first half of
1850, the FBI inserted two admonitory notes,
each underlined for emphasis. The first COM
ment said: TN publishing the data sent in by
chiefs Of police in different cities, the FBI does
not vouch for their accuracy. They are given out
as current information which may throw some
light on problems Of crime and criminal-law en-
forcement." The second comment said: Caution
should be exercised in comparing crime data for
individual cities because the differences in the
figures may be due to variety of factors Such
comparisons are not desirable even though the
figures for individual communities are converted
into terms of the number of offenses per 900
inhabitants"
The FBI tabulation is valuable however, in
comparing crime trends within particular CITY,
on the basis of the citys police reports, what
ever the system of reporting used in that CITY,
picture of the crime trend in the District by COM
pairing totals for the first half of this year with
those for the first half of 1949. Such compari-
son discloses the good news that the number of
aggravated assaults (shootings, stabbings and the
Ike) dropped 4.3 per cent, although the Nation
as whole experienced slight increase in this
category. Other decreases locally were: Murder
and non-negligent manslaughter, 1872 per cent;
burglary 265 per cent, and larcenies, 10 per cent
The only increases reported were in robberies
(24.e per cent? and automobile thefts d73 per
cent?
With other cities registering general rise
in crime this year over last, Washington's record
is encouraging. The crime totals in all classiflca
tions are still too large to permit any relaxation
by police, however When it is considered that
each month there are five murders and nom
negligent manslaughters 10 robberies 290 burg
laries 800 assaults and 766 arcenies, 1t is evident
the police have no cause for complacency.
Evening star., 1950-10-10
Letters to The Star

OF their pets, why must they be deprived
Of owning and loving their dogs?
Mrs. John M. Belt.
The Animal Welfare League of Alex
andria. Inc, has noted with horror and
disgust the eviction notices confronting
tenants In certain Alexandria housing
projects-Cameron Valley, Chinquapin
Village, John Roberts Homes. George w.
Parker Homes. and Samuel Madden
Homes-if they fail to get rid Of their
pets by November l.. Certainly In an
enlightened age in which we like to
pride ourselves as living. 1t Is difficult to
believe that such ruthleSSness and lack
OF sentiment can prevail to the extent
that people are faced with the prospect
Of homelessness for no other reason than
ownership Of o pet. You see, the restric-
tion not only applies to future tenants
but to those now living there who have
had their pets for months and years.
Surely any one who has ever had
pet knows that that animal is as much
a part Of the family and family life as
any human member. To deprive people
Of their pets Is not only heartless but
smacks Of the very principle we protest
In other countries, that is, rule Of the
iron hand of few over the hapless many.
We Of the Animal Welfare League Of
Alexandria register our indignation and
disapproval and do earnestly hope that
those responsible for this outrage will
reconsider and rescind the order.
Mrs. Alfred p. Rasch,
Corresponding Secretary, Animal Well
fare League Of Alexandria.
Having friends who are desperate
about the eviction order Of pets in Cam
eron Valley. would like to put in my
two cents in the hope that some people
still have heart. thinking not only Of
the owners but Of the many pets who
will become homeless.
My husband is In the Army, which
makes buying home quite a serious
step, but there was no other alternative
II we wanted to keep our dog. With my
husband expecting to 60 overseas, and
my baby in the hospital with polio. I
couldn't bear the thought of returning
home from work each night to an empty
house deprived of the warm welcome
and love which our dog and every dog
is so eager to give. But even so didn't
need any reasons to decide that I
couldn't part with our dog and my heart
reaches out to the many, many people
who are faced with the problem of find
ing place to live so that they may keep
their pets.
Can't something be done to protect
Evening star., 1950-10-10
Even So!

For the sake OF q tunefuI
Singing bit.
Folks through q Dhole
Long opera sit.
And Just in that fashion.
As q rule,
For the sake OF the football
Boys bear school.
VIRGINIA SCOTT MINER
Evening star., 1950-10-10
Love Me, Love My Dog

Hundreds Of workers came here before
and during World War II to work in
defense plants and brought their families
along. The Government built projects
in which to house these families in Alex
andria. The majority had pets of one
kind or another, and were told by the
authorities pets were permissible. Some
have had pets ten years or more and have
become very attached to them; in fact.
they consider them part of the family.
The majority of these families keep their
pets in the home and give them every
care and comfort possible. ~
This past July. an order was received
by all residents notifying them to get
rid of all pets by September, 1850. A
committee representing three of the prof.
ects-namely, Chinquapin Village, Cam
eron Valley and John Roberts Homes
held a meeting with the assistant di-
rector of the Alexandria Housing De-
velopment to reach a compromise on the
control Of these pets. A short time later
another letter was received by the resi-
dents, stating that after due considera-
ton the board decided to abide by
its original decision, mentioning dogs
only. On September %. 1850. notices of
eviction were served to dog owners. CIV
ing them until November /, 1850. to
vacate the premises.
This is a very unjustifiable, inhuman
order, which will cause many heartaches
and hardships to many loyal Americans
who have come here from all parts Of
the country to live and work as law abid-
ing, tax-paying citizens. many Of whom
are veterans Of one or more wars, who
fought to preserve Cor so they thought)
the human rights of free peoples-whose
children and other relatives are at the
present time fighting for the same princi-
pies in Korea Cor so they think.
John G. Tushenke.
Chinquapin Village.
In reading recent articles concerning
"dog owners" who are being evicted un-
less they dispose Of their pets. am
distressed to think that such situation
exists.
live in residential section, Hunting
ton Terrace. and formerly lived in
Cameron Valley. am very sympathetic
toward the citizens of Cameron Valley
and other housing projects who have
provided for their pets and become fond
of them, later to be ordered to dispose
Of them Some dogs who have been
cared for would grieve themselves to
death If separated from their masters.
Can't something be done to protect these
animals? So long as citizens take care