davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Shielding Sex Victims

Municipal Court Judge Thomas Dewey Quinn
has adopted a plan for private hearings in Ger
tain sex cases that is worth consideration by the
bench as whole. He has initiated the wise
policy of hearing in chambers cases involving
sex offenses against small children. This applies
to cases in which he is sitting as committing
magistrate.
The first such closed hearing was held the
other day in the case of a 34-year-old man
against whom the complaining witness was a
f1ve-year-od girl. The judge adjourned the hear
ing to his chambers limiting those present to
the principals, their attorneys and the press. He
asked the reporters not to use the name of the
child.
This plan will appeal to parents who have
been reluctant in the past to press charges
against persons who have committed sex offenses
against their children This reluctance to prose-
cute in open court is understandable, but 1t has
played into the hands Of the sex criminals1 II
Evening star., 1950-04-08

modernization is concerned over the next
five years."
The Presidents action in holding up
last years funds has already brought
some pretty harsh words from the law
makers. They talk Of legislating to in
sure that the will of Congress shall be
carried out lin its completeness"
Mr.. Truman said that the extra ex-
penditure last year would unbalance the
defense forces and tend to throw the
national economy into jeopardy. But
the House Appropriations Committee
pointed to the constitutional provision
that Congress had "the responsibility of
providing for national defense"
'"The will of Congress was circum-
vented" the committee declared There
is no warrant or justification for the
thwarting of major policy of Congress
by the impounding of the funds If this
principle of thwarting the will Of Con-
gress by the impounding of funds should
be accepted as correct. then Congress
would be totally incapable of carrying
out it's constitutional mandate of pro-
viding for the defense of the Nation"
This year. observers see two points
entering the argument between the ex-
ecutlVe and legislative branches over
defense spending policies. These new
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Mr.. Truman and Our Defense Monev
By John A. Giles

WHHE members Of both houses of
" Congress move to increase de-
fense spending in response to General
Eisenhower's plea, some concern is be-
ing expressed at the Pentagon that
President Truman will impound addi-
tional funds that may be voted.
Mr.. Truman disagreed outright with
the generals statement before Sena-
tors that some of this country's de-
fenses had been slashed below the safety
limit
The President said that the $13 bill
lion military spending program he had
outlined for the fiscal year beginning
next July / was adequate for national
security. And he added tartly that If
he had not thought it was sufficient he
would have asked for more.
Did that mean that the Chief Execu-
tive would impound the additional $500
million which congressman plan to add
to the budget? He did just that with
more than $7OO million additional which
the lawmakers provided last year for
expansion of the Air Force toward its
long-sought 70-group goal.
Aviation procurement is again a prin-
cipal item for which the additional funds
would be spent. Gen. Eisenhower told
the Senate Appropriations Committee
that he feared airplane purchases had
been cut back too far-justifying him
in making the statement that the
Nations disarmament had been too dras-
tic. He also thought that additional
money was needed for Alaskan defenses
and the Navys anti-submarine program.
The wartime Supreme Allied COM
mander in Europe said that he wanted
assurance that the 48-group Air Force
which the President scheduled was fur
nished with the most modern aircraft
and was backed up by powerful reserve
of IL well-equipped Air National Guard
groups
The Senators turned to the record Of
questioning of air officials before a
House Military Appropriations subcom-
mittee and agreed with the general
That record showed that the subcom-
mittee chairman. Representative Mahon,
Democrat, of Texas. summed up the evi-
dence this way: THE Air Force, instead
Of going uphill, so to speak, or leveling
off, will gradually deteriorate under the
program level in the 1851 proposal to
this committee"
To which former Secretary of the Air
Force w. Stuart Symington added: That
is correct, sir"
Maj. Gen. F. H. Smith, jr., assistant
to the chief of staff in charge of aircraft
programming, told the same committee
that at the projected procurement rate
OF some $1.3 billion "in about five years
we would have about "a modern groups,
losing 10 groups as far as the state of
Evening star., 1950-04-08
This and That

joke gadget. He might wish he still had
what 1t takes to buy one. It isn't money!
Jones had enough Of that for all prac-
tical purposes. What he lacked, he
realized, was youth and its sweet in
consequences.
Templeton Jones turned away from
the window, and as he did so, he saw q
young fellow step up, look in-and
grin. He looked and looked. Jones
stopped to watch him.
There but for the grace of God 60
l." he quoted softly to himself.
Sure enough. the youth entered the
store. Jones still waited on the curb
What was he waiting for? Was it not
himself-as he had been a quarter of 4
century ago?
The young man soon came out. He
had paper bag in his hand. and he was
walking along with great satisfaction.
Jones knew how it was. The young
fellow was planning just how he was
going to pull" the trick spectacles on
his mates.
Templeton Jones walked back to the
shop, entered, and said to the clerk, "I'll
take q pair Of those spectacles with
nose attached"
He srinned as he said it. The clerk
grinned. too. IT'S going like hot cakes" !"
the latter said. - he wrapped up the
purchase.
Evening star., 1950-04-08

Hottest number of the season." said
the sign in the shop window.
A hot number himself, Templeton
Jones stopped to gawk at the joke ma
terial.
Since childhood days, he had liked
gadgets, especially when on the joke
side. 1t was just an old country custom
he did not drop when he moved to the
city.
There in the window reposed a pair
Of fashionable looking spectacles. with
extra-heavy shafts in the best intellec-
tual tradition.
But that was not all
Attached to the spectacles was huge
pink nose!
Templeton Jones couldn't help laugh
ing at the affair.
Twenty years ago. when he was young
and gay. he would have entered the shop
instantly and demanded one Of the "hot
numbers"
Two world wars and the passage Of 80
years or so had done something to Jones
as well as to host Of others.
Let the young folks fool around with
jokes. It was their business
To Jones and his age group, life had
demonstrated that Longfellow was right
when he wrote about the earnestness of
it all.
H might laugh inwardly at such 8
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Ancient Trial Record

One OF the most interesting documents in
the history OF jurisprudence recently was found
at Nippur in 1raq. 1t is a clay tablet inscribed
in cuneiform, the oldest known method of
writing. The text tells how three men slew
temple official and notified his wife of the
fact. For reasons not clearly shown, she kept
silent. But the secret got out despite her dis
cretion and the three murderers were brought
before King Ur-Ninurta. He ordered the men
tried before a citizens assembly Nine prose-
cutors spoke in the trial, demanding the death
sentence for all three of the men and also for
the woman. But the latter was defended by two
advocates who argued that she was not party
to the crime. 1t also was brought out that the
husband had not been supporting the wife. The
assembly found the men guilty and they were
executed before their victims chair. But the
woman was freed. All this occurred about $500
years ago.
Much of the story obviously is missing. The
murdered mans name was Lu-Inanna, but the
names of his killers not given. 1t is explained
that the wife was called Nin-Dada The "at-
torneys" are anonymous. Nothing is said about
how the temple officer was slain or how his
asSaSsins were disposed Of Apparently the
ancient Sumerians were concerned with the
principle involved rather than the details of
any specific case. At least two copies of the
proceedings exist. The tablet recently found has
corner broken off, but the missing portion has
been matched" from fragment discovered half
century back. More data on the same trial
may come to light as the excavations at Nippur
are carried forward. They are sponsored Jointly
by the University of Chicago and the University
of Pennsylvania.
Such researches into the distant past are use
ful If only because they prove the natural growth
OF the patterns of thought and behavior by which
we live today. The continuity Of human expert
ence is an unwritten law of whatever civilization
we have in world of trouble and turmoil. 1t is
reassuring to be reminded that even in Iraq
$500 years ago justice was value appreciated
by whole community
Evening star., 1950-04-08

factors might place different complex
ion on the situation, despite Mr.. Tru-
mans tart remark.
/. The plan in Congress does not in
crease the structure Of the Air Force
to So groups, as was the case last year.
1t merely implements or carries out Mr..
Truman's 48-group program. in view Of
statements by responsible military lead
ers that the Air Force will not keep up
to that level. There is no intention Of
going beyond Mr. Truman's 48-group
plan this time, and the additional funds
also will provide some badly needed
defense in strategic Alaska.
2. The public is deeply concerned over
any indication of the weakening of our
defenses, as reflected by the attitude Of
Congress- II Gen. Eisenhower had given
the word, the lawmakers appeared ready
to vote any additional amounts he
named.
Instead, Gen. Eisenhower was at pains
to point out that the level of spending
for the military was about where it
should be. He felt that only small re-
adjustments should be made. He linked
a healthy economy with military pre-
paredness and spiritual. strength, as the
three essentials for the safety of the
Nation.
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Save the Passes, if Possible

The Public Utilities Commission is right in
holding that the weekly transit pass plan should
be retained, if any way can be found to make
1t more satisfactory as revenue and patronage
producer The pass system assures the Capital
Transit Company of a sizable corps of regular
customers on whom the company can depend,
week in and week out. Such body of regulars
Is helpful in stabilizing operations of the passes
for that reason. But, a company official told
the PUG at the fare-increase hearings, there
have been such "abuses" of the pass plan as to
make it Improbable to continue it.
1t is hard to follow the reasoning of the
company as to the alleged "abuses," however.
The passes are sold without any restriction
whatever on how. when or by whom they are
used. It is unfair, therefore, to imply that pass
purchasers are doing something improper when
they use them in any way they see fit 1t may
be true that some passes are used so frequently
and by so many persons as to cause the company
net loss on the DEAL Others undoubtedly are
not used to the extent expected by the company
when cost was fixed If the net result is a
money-losing proposition, then of course, the
passes cannot logically be retained But, as the
PUG pointed out, there may be some practicable
method OF restricting use of the passes to
reasonable degree. The pass system is too
important, from both the standpoint of increas-
ing patronage and of speeding up the fare
collection process, to be discarded without
serious effort to make it work.
And while attempts are being made to find
new ways of increasing transit revenues, the
question of raising school fares should not be
overlooked. No mention of the beow-cost school
fares was made at the recent hearings probably
because the absurdy low three-cent rate was
fixed by Congress good many years ago and
can only be changed by congressional action
This is a subsidy which 1t is unfair to make the
Capital Transit Company pay If Congress wants
TO continue such low rate, the company should
be reimbursed from the Treasury for its losses
m carrying school children below actual cost of
transportation.
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Commerce Department Loyalty

The Star has been focusing attention
on the problems presented by loyalty in.
vestigations and dismissals for persons
employed in our Governments service
1t seems appropriate, therefore. to call
to your attention and that of your read
ers section 305 on page "a Of the appro-
priationS bill, H. r. 7786, as reported out
of the House Appropriations Committee.
Section 305 is irrelevant to an appro-
priations bill and deals not with finances.
but with the civil rights of civil servants.
1t gives the Secretary of Commerce the
power to summarily dismiss any Depart
ment of Commerce employe whenever
he shall deem such termination neces-
sary or advisable in the interests of the
United States
While this presumably was written to
empower the Secretary of Commerce to
deal with loyalty cases, the actual word
ing abrogates rules governing all Com
merce Department employees under civil
service and permits dismissals for rea-
sons other than disloyalty without the
right OF hearing or appeal to an i'm
partial board
Two bills dealing with the summary
dismissal of security risks" in sensitive
agencies, H. r. 7439 and S. 3104, are
being considered in the proper commit
tees. Each bill contains a provision
giving to the President the authority to
delegate the power to make summary
dismissal Of security risks" to various
agencies at his discretion.
1t is to be hoped that committee men,
bers considering these two bills will make
some provisions for a uniform procedure
based on democratic principles for use
before dismissal in all loyalty cases, and
that the alternative of transfer from
sensitive to nonsensitive positions for
persons guilty of indiscretion as con-
trasted to actual intentional disloyalty
be given serious thought
Somehow. we seem to have become SO
fearful Of the evils Of communism, and
the possible danger of the inf1ltration of
our Government agencies by spies, that
we are inclined to stand by alphabetically
watching the destruction Of the funda-
mental principles on which our democ-
racy is established. 1t seems possible to
adhere to Justice for all" without jeop-
ardizing our national security even when
dealing with suspected disloyalty.
Lillian Harig.
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Flying Tanker Squadron

1t is evident that refueling in flight of
Air Force bombers has progressed beyond the
experimental stage. Air Force officials have
disclosed that flying tanker squadron is en-
route to England to take part in long-range
bomber tests over Europe. This will be the
first major assignment of a newly activated
outfit, the I'd Air Refueling Squadron.
Air refueling has come a long way since
the crude demonstrations of more than twenty
years ago. Then 1t was hit-or-miss proposition
Of dropping flexible gasoline hose from one
plane to another. The connections could be
made and maintained only under the most
favorable flying conditions. Now the dangling
flexible hose has been replaced by an ingenious
flying boom," which is extended telescopically
from the tail of converted BIO. The boom is
equipped with tiny rudder-like attachment by
which an operator in the tanker plane can guide
it accurately to the receiving bomber. The fuel
is pumped under pressure, so that the tanks of
hungry B-50 or B-29 can be refilled much more
speedily than by the old gravity method.
The Air Force is devoting much time and
effort to the refueling technique because it plays
a vital part in its plans to make the most out
of its fleet of B-29s and B-50s, the latter being
souped-up version Of the former. The range
of these bombers can be materially increased by
refueling them en- route to their targets. And
If their range could be extended enough, they
would be formidable addition to the strategic
bombing fleet, of which the B-36 superbomber
is the spearhead There will be lot of interest
in the forthcoming tests over Europe-especially
behind the Iron Curtain.
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Race Relations Progress

For the benefit of the gradualists who
point to progress in race relations but
who do nothing themselves to improve
conditions, the report of the experiences
of the Air Forces in the integration of
Negroes ought to be satisfying. The Air
Force has put into effect its new racial
policy, and despite the misgivings Of
many commanding officers, fears have
proved groundless. White and Negro
soldiers live together, eat together, sleep
under the same roof and work together.
The results seem amazing to some, but
are perfectly natural.
Every experiment that has been tried,
with the possible exception of mixed
swimming. has succeeded. Even the
swimming problem would solve itself if
the youth were let alone and not urged
to disorder by elder statesmen and a
passing generation of civic leaders
When interstate Jim Crow cars were
outlawed, not single incident was re-
corded. In professional sport a Negro
girl recently became a f1nalist in the
national indoor tennis tournament. Ten
Negro players are on the roster of the
Brooklyn Dodgers. Negroes and whites
attend the only. legitimate theater in
Washington without undue notice.
Negroes and whites eat in the same
dining room in halfhundred places in
Washington. The measure to abolish
Evening star., 1950-04-08

private hearings are held on arraignment, the
necessity for any public appearance of child
victims later may be obviated, for, under the
Districts new sex-offender law, a mental ex-
animation may result in commitment of the
defendant to st. Elizabeths Hospital for in
definite treatment. Judge Quinn has started a
system that should be helpful in removing more
sex offenders from the public streets and parks.
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Too Late to Rebel

lot of the once faithful now are re-
belling because Of some of the things
President Truman wants to do. But,
in the end. the rebellious will be put
down and the Presidents desires will be
carried out
The President learned we'll from his
prefer handouts to freedom. And he
is going to supply those handouts. re-
gar0less of cost, for he knows that the
folks in return will give him mandate
again and again" to do almost as he
pleases.
And even if fate should be so unkind
Evening star., 1950-04-08
District Building Smokers

While attending the suffrage forum in
the Board Room of the District Building
this Monday evening, as we'll as the
transit hearing this Tuesday morning,
observed large number of people smok-
ing and disposing of cigaret ashes and
butts on the seats and floor. Too, there
are numerous cigaret burns upon the
floor. There are no signs that caution
against smoking.
Do these smokers practice at home
that which they do elsewhere? Do they
dispose of ashes and butts on their home
furniture and floors? Can't these
smokers refrain from smoking and con-
taminating the air where people meet
for very limited time and are closely
congregated as they are in such places
as this?
I suggest that smoking in the Board
Room of the District Building be pro-
hibited during such meetings. as it Is
prohibited in court rooms and various
other places.
Robert Emmet BURKE
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Adolescent Vandalism

The damage being done to private and
public property by children is quite
serious. 1t is doubtful that parents are
aware of the vandalism being committed.
Children frequently enter unattended
buildings under construction and do un-
told damage to the walls, fixtures and
plumbing systems. The damage alone
to broken windowpanes in public schools
and to street electric light globes runs
into the thousands of dollars yearly.
Very few of the guilty are caught;
hence. the parents are unaware of the
situation. A few get caught and are
required to pay the few cents required
for replacement, which does not solve
the situation One boy was seriously
injured recently in an abandoned school,
1t is a battling problem to private
owners and District government officials.
Frank M. Doyle.
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Questions and Answers

reader can get the answer IN any question
Of fact by writing The Star Information Bureau,
200 Eye street NV, Washington 2, D. c.
Evening star., 1950-04-08

jim car laws in intra-state travel
lost by one vote behind closed doors in
the Virginia Legislature. And so it goes
All some people fear is still fear itself
Falls Church, Va. E. b. Henderson.
Evening star., 1950-04-08

Q. Is Jenny Lind spool bed valuable
as an antique?-F. D.
A. 1t has no particular value as an
antique. These beds are mostly Of the
l850s and came into popularity when
the singer made her great success in
this country Many so-called reproduc-
tons have been made.
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Southeast Wushinoton

compliment you on the last article
written by Mrs. Joshua Evans. 1t was
extremely we'll done and on . subject
dear to all old Capitol Hill readers who
are trying to restore the beauty and
dignity of by-gone days to a section ly-
ing so close to the Capitol. 1t is impera-
tive that this section be reclaimed, and
everything that your paper can print to
make the Southeast popular as a resi-
dental area for discriminating property
owners is most worthwhile.
Elizabeth Draper,
Secretary, Southeast Washington Citi-
zens' Association.
Evening star., 1950-04-08
Letters to The Star

as not to allow President Truman to re-
main here long enough himself to attain
his wishes, his descendants will capitalize
on the example he has set and continue
to carry the ball.
The erstwhile faithful should realize
that 1t now is too late to rebel, and that if
they want to be OF real service they
should apply their wisdom and ability
IN trying to see to it that the present
and future rulers of America are be-
nevolent instead of otherwise. This
goes for the Republicans, too.
J. J. Snerry
Evening star., 1950-04-08
BY THE HAsKIN SERVICE

g. DID Chrlsty MatheWson pitch ball
games on Sunday2-H. c. r.
A. The Big Six. as he was popularly
called. had religious scruples against
working on Sunday and never pitched
on that day. He played his last game
on September 4, 1916.
Evening star., 1950-04-08

A pseudonyn, is permissible only
1Uhe7, letter carries correct name
and address of 1Uriter. Please be brief.
Evening star., 1950-04-08

q. Why are Cashmere shawls 80 ex-
penSive?-E. z. G.
A. They are made from the soft. silky
undercoat Of the Cashmere goat and 1t
requires the fleece of 10 goats to make
one shawl q yard and half square.
The weaving is all done by hand and
the process takes approximately q year.
Evening star., 1950-04-08

@. How many revolutions have oc-
CURED in Latin American countries
since the beginning of the last war;
P. A. S.
A. There have been 26 major revolu-
tions from 1910 to 1949. one or more in
each Of the following countries: Ar
gentina. Bolivia. Brazil. Colombia. Costa
Rica. Cuba, El Salvador. Ecuador. Guat-
emala. Haiti, Nicaragua. Panama. Para
guayA Peru and Venezuela.