davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-01-29

SOoG VI Il pOO1loS Va
food NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. $2.6884 $58881
Increase in cost of Al pounds of staple
foods 119%.
Were there space, these official figures
could be buttressed by scores of other items
showing a similar increase in the decade.
However, these are enough to demonstrate
that the 50-cent dollar now has overtaken
the average American wage Garner. His
purchasing power is less today, after taxes,
than in 1899. These figures take no account
of payroll deductions for union dues or local
sales taxes. These two items subtract an
other S per cent from purchasing power in
more than half the States The same dilu-
ton of the dollar applies, of course, to
farm income, pensions, investment income
and insurance values. In other words. willis
average wages in manufacturing have more
than doubled in the last 10 years as
result of strikes, living costs and taxes have
advanced even more steeply, leaving the
average working man relatively worse of
than in. 1939-when his present income Is
measured in terms of purchasing power,
which, of course, is the only realistic way
to measure it,
Reflection on these figures ought to make
it clear to the most elementary intelligence
that the average workingman has lost
ground through the trike-impelled wage.
price spirals of the last 10 years. 1t ought
to be equally plain that continuance Of
these spirals, through strikes, not only will
further degrade his position in the future.
but will injuriously affect the people as
whole. Every wage increase brings price in
crease. Every price increase augments the ex-
isting imitation and dininishes the purchasing
power of the dollar. Ultimately, the eco
nomic stability of the country must be
destroyed. It is a situation which makes
no sense whatever. It justifies regarding US
as Nation of suckers. The great ques-
ton is-how can it be ended?
Clearly, there is no way to prevent industry
from raising prices if wages are raised.
Under these conditions the one alternative
is to go out of business. The only real hope
is in the rank and file of union members
all over the country grasping the facts that
the strikes into which they are led do not
result in improving their financial condi-
ton but in making it worse. There is reason
to believe a growing number of union men
are beginning to realize this. Once the idea
that they have been the dupes of the politi-
clans and the labor bosses really reach the
masses the spiral may be stopped. Then the
true friends of labor could concentrate on
ways to prevent it's exploitation by the big
corporations. Means certainly could then be
found to curb industrial abuses of power
and obtain full justice for the worker without
the annual strike. AS it Is, his annual wage
drive" results in a net loss. He loses when
he wins. 1t is amazing more Of them do
not see it. Certainly, not many will deny
that in an inf1ationary bust, which is the
inevitable end of unchecked wage-price
spirals, the laboring man will suffer first
and most
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Harris, D. D., Lin. D.

tions, told the secret. It was simple but
dramatic and effective. Her father, she an
nounced, had made 1t rule always to keep
a pugnacious catfish or two In the well of
his boat. These fighting fish kept the finny
freight in state of alert agitation and
alarm. The security the captured fish had
In the tanks of all the other vessels was
denied those who found themselves in the
same well with the catfish. Compelled to
live in state of alarm and vigilance similar
to their normal life in the sea, they main
tanned their stamina and strength. The
utter security of all the other pens resulted
in the deterioration of the favored fish,
To ask the question why did not the old
fisherman kill the catfsh?" is to suggest
that evil has it's uses. Without it, we hu-
mans might be secure yet morally spineless
automatons History records that it is not
the people in the lotus lands of the tropics,
who lie lazily in the balmy air under the
waving palm trees, who are strong and do
exploits. But, rather, it is those where
the climate and the elements make inev-
liable a constant struggle who are the
builders of great civilizations. 1t is the
catfish in -the-tank secret all over again.
A famous naturalist related how, in pity
as he watched the struggle of chrysalis to
break out OF cocoon, he took his knife and
slit the siken casket to make the process
easier. But what emerged was weak crea-
ture with anemic body and bleached WINGS
unable to fly.
Speaking of catfish and devils, one of the
most famous preachers the world has known
testified, 1T was my temptations that best
prepared me for the pulpit. 1t was my COM
bat with sin and Satan that made me
true minister"
1t is just half century since John Ruskin
died. A brilliant editorial on his contribu-
tion to literature and art suggests: His
own life was sequence of tragedies, many
of them bitter and cruel. Yet without such
successive ordeals of Illustration Ruskin
might have been a total failure in his
work"
1t was an acknowledgment of the catfish
factor in life out of which came the exhor-
tation of Robert Browning: Then, well
come each rebuff that turns earths smooth
ness rough, each sting that bids nor SIT nor
stand. but co.!
In the Louvre there is picture by Guido
REM of ST. Michael with his foot on Satan's
neck. William James, with keen insight
expresses the richness of his allegorcal
meaning in one sentence: "The world is
all the richer for having a devil in it, so
long as we keep our foot upon his neck"
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Letters to The Star

racist rationale, "channelized" and "uni-
lateral" one is able to translate with the
help of Webster and Roget. It was already
known that "channelized' is something they
are trying to do to the battleship Missouri.
But "egalitarianism," is something else. It
is total stranger to Roget while Webster
says legal mean equal. So we simply guess
that egalitarianism means equality to us
simple rhetoricians. Could this be Fuzzy
Wuzz gone Oxford?
incidentally, DR.. Shane's opinion that the
Actors Equity Association has eaten too
freely of the Texas grapefruit, pink and
acrid. and is placing an obstacle in the path
OF a return of the legitimate theatre to
Washington seems sensible conclusion
r. 7s= T. D. BONNEVILLE
Evening star., 1950-01-29
BIockoding Peace

Within recent weeks, in the United
Nations and elsewhere, the Soviet Union
and it's obedtent satellites, after having
been relatively quiet, have become more
and more militant with a program that
has all the earmarkS of being deliberately
calculated to make them as unaccommo-
dating and as offensive as possible to the
free Western world.
This program-made up of such moves
as Bulgarias demand for the recall OF our
Minister Red China's seizure of our con-
sular property at Peiping, and the rash of
Russian boycotts in the U. Mas now
begun to express itself in Berlin. 1t has
taken the form of new Soviet restrictions
on highway traffic to and from the Anglo
French-American sectors - creeping
blockade" whose full significance is not
yet clear, but whose objective undoubtedly
is to create fresh political and economic
tensions.
The Germans in Western Berlin are not
having an easy time of it at the moment.
Large numbers of them are unemployed,
and their general business situation is not
good. Accordingly, there is ample reason
to believe that the Russians, in forcing
a showdown in truck traffic, are trying to
make the city's hard and uncertain living
conditions harder and more uncertain still,
thus creating new stresses and strains and
added difficulties for the three-power
regime of the Anglo French American oc-
cupying authorities.
It is too early to say whether all this
represents the beginning of full-scale
Soviet blockade of the type that went on
for 327 days last syear and would have
paralyzed and starved Berlin had not the
Western Allied airlift and counterblockade
forced the Russians to back away from
their ugly handiwork. Up to now they
have ignored two strong protests against
the truck showdown, and it is possible
though hard to believe-that they may be
preparing, in spite of their solemn agree
ment in June, to try doing the same thing
all over again.
In that case, of course, the airlift-
which cost us about $5O0,OOO day during
the full blockade-will have to be resumed,
together with the counterblockade. At the
Evening star., 1950-01-29
We Have No Real Choice

DR.. Harold C. Urey, one of our foremost
atomic authorities, has sounded a chilling
note in the debate swirling around the
question whether to build or not to build
hydrogen bomb.
DR.. Urey, who had key role in produc-
ing the atomic bomb, spoke in guarded
words. He said, however, that our inability
to decide whether to attempt a hydrogen
bomb has resulted in "a situation highly
dangerous to the United States" In fact,
he declared, Eve may have already lost
the armaments race"
This is statement which recalls little
noticed debate in the Senate last October.
That was about month after President
Truman's announcement of an atomic
explosion" in Russia It was desired to
speed action on legislation to facilitate
certain technical" construction by the
Atomic Energy Commission, and Senator
Wherry had objected to immediate consid-
Grafton of the proposal. Other Senators,
Republican and Democratic alike, joined
in urgent appeals to Senator Wherry not
to delay action Senator Mcmahon, chair-
man of the Joint Congressional Atomic
Committee, declared: g.. four months
difference in time in the construction of
facilities and installations might well be
the difference between whether the SEN
ator from Nebraska and I may be here"
Senator Wherry withdrew his objection.
The Star does not pretend to know
whether there is any connection between
that debate of last october and DR.. Ureys
statement that we may have already lost
the armaments race. Nor does it know
what basis DR.. Urey has for his statement.
There cannot be much doubt, however,
that the logic of the situation dictates the
utmost haste in pressing forward with the
development of the hydrogen bomb and
any other new weapons if this will insure
us against losing the ornaments race
assuming that it has not already been lost.
The main argument against an attempt to
produce the hydrogen bomb rests on moral
grounds. But suppose for the sake of dis
cusslon, that this bomb would be as power
1ul and as destructive as some people sug-
gest. For instance, DR.. Urey referred to
reports that "if such bombs were dropped
off the Pacific Coast of the United States
the prevailing winds would carry the
radloactivity over this country and would
result in the extinction of all forms of
life" If both we and the Russians had
such weapons perhaps neither country
would risk attacking the other. But sup
pose that the Russians should be the first
to acquire such bombs. What, then, would
be our position? Obviously, the Russians
could then confront us with an ultimatum.
giving us choice between destruction and
hving In world organized on the model
OF Russian communism.
Perhaps all of this is far-fetched. Maybe
1t will never happen. But if it might hap
pen, there is no real choice left for us, We
must strive by every means to avoid being
put in such position To do otherwise
would be the ultimate in suicidal i'm
morality.
Evening star., 1950-01-29
We Don't Need Talking Apes

A project whose wisdom is much to be
doubted is the one being undertaken by
Doctor Robert NJ Yerkes, Yale'S celebrated
expert on the behavior of anthropoid apes.
Doctor Yerkes plans to spend several
months at the San Diego Zoo studying
three baby gorillas named Albert, Bata and
Bouba 1t would be all right, of course, IT
he were just going to sit there and watch
them in order to write a learned thesis on
their antics, but he does not propose to
limit himself to that. Oh, no. He has
much larger objective. His intentions en-
compass nothing less than an effort to
teach them to talk like himself and the
rest of us.
What If Albert, Bata and Bouba acquire
the art and artifices of speech? What if
they pass this down, by way of heredity, to
all of their descendants? Obviously, in
those circumstances, our world will enter
upon what history will record as the Epoch
of the Talking Apes. Putting their heads
together, organizing on a universal scale,
making public appeals, delivering radio
addresses, sending delegations to the
United Nations, and in general unleashing
an endless torrent of words on humankind,
they will not merely argue their way out
of ZOOS, but will become an important new
force to be reckoned with in international
affairs. Among other things, very prob
ably, they will declare themselves inde-
pendent of imperialistic men and set up
q gorilla peoples republic in an area stra-
logically vital to the dominance of the
vast Eurasian Continent. Needless to say,
our present Tower of Babel will then be-
come more agitated than ever with fresh
foods of angry verbiage bearing upon the
Evening star., 1950-01-29

Gne tropical Isle, i Degan 10 De very well
contented with the life that was leading,
If only I could have been secure from the
dread of savages." But finally when he
counted the wealth that had flowed into his
life from the day when he first saw the
footprints on the sand, he confessed, VERY
frequently the evil which we seek most to
shun and which is the most dreadful to us is
the very means and door to our deliverance."
The question of Crusoes man Friday sug-
gests story of fishing tanks and markets.
Each boat of the fishing feet was provided
with tank so placed that through its per-
forated sides the water constantly flowed in
from the sea. Into this aquariumlike in
closure the fish were Immediately released
after they had been hauled in by the nets.
Once in their circumscribed quarters the
denizens of the deep seemed perfectly con-
tent. But, even so, the fishermen we'll knew
that the live fish must be disposed of as soon
as they could get to the waiting Dealers for
experience had proved that the captives soon
became soft, fabby and listless The security
of the pens somehow took its toll. This was
true with the exception of one fisherman and
his boat. This toiler seemed to have secret
unknown to any of Che others whose nets
were cast into the same waters Every fish
monger knew that the fish from the tank
of this one boat would be as fine and firm
and vigorous as if they had just been
dumped there from net. And so it came to
pass that on return trips from the fishing
grounds this mans catch was eagerly sought
for and brought the highest price. In vain
his comrades tried to unravel the mystery,
but across the years he was silent as the
sphinx. After the old fishermans death his
daughter carving out her fathers inStrllc-
Evening star., 1950-01-29
It's d Fight
Rp Bruce Rnrfon

receive good many letters from people
who are entitled to help, and occasionally
there is one that I can do something about
But with these deserving letters are
mingled some that are distressing and dis
couraging.~ They are from men who have
grown up in years. but never in thought;
men who have been through school, gone
to work, married and become the fathers
OF children without ever having found out
what life is all about.
A typical example is X IS years old. He
was born in a good middle-class home, of
parents whose consuming ambition was that
each Of their children should have college
education, should be lady" or gentle
man." At very real sacrifice of their own
comfort and old-age security, they sent x
and his brothers and sisters through good
preparatory schools and colleges
was a good boy, never disciplined by
the college authorities. He ranked around
10 in his studies. good enough for pro-
motion but undistinguished. He did not
display any special talent in sports. college
journalism or undergraduate leadership.
He got an ordinary job. married early,
became father three times in rapid sue
cession. The Second World War gave him
welcome opportunity for relief from rou-
tine. 1t was glorious chance to quit the
job, turn his wife and children over to
the care of the State, and shed his RESPONSE
bilities and worries-all in the name of
patriotism.
Being too old for combat, he fought and
enjoyed the Battle of the Potomac. Now
he is back again in the old grind. He
feels aggrieved. He thinks life has cheated
him. He is not making any business progress,
and says the system is wrong.
What he has never learned is that life
is not ride on an escalator; it's a fight.
All great leaders have said so.
Winston Churchill promised no quick and
easy victory-only blood, sweat and tears.
Jesus never said: Follow Me, and you
will have wealth or luxury or freedom from
responsibility" He said: "In the world We
shall have tribulation: but Gle added be
OF good cheer: I have overcome the world. ;"
It's fight. The victories and rewards
are external and Internal The latter are
the more enduring
AS some one declared: God will not look
us over for ribbons or medals. but for scars"
lcopyrisht. 1850. King Pastures Syndicate. sns.)
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Indorses Mr.. Acheson's
Statement On Alger Hiss

Please reread Mr.. Acheson's comment to
the press on the Hiss case. Your editorial
Thursday showed apparent misunderstand-
ing of the sense of his statement. Nor is it
fitting to term theatrical" remarks whose
essence is conveyed by reference to passage
in the Gospels.
Mr.. Acheson's comment does not seem to
imply that he believes in the innocence of
his friend and therefore remains loyal to
him. Hiss is among the wretched, the
hungry, thirsty naked, sick, and "in prison"
whether innocent or not The Christian
does not turn his back on lone of the least
of these my brethren"
HOWARD TRIVERS.
Evening star., 1950-01-29

evil by blam | n 6
Satan for all that
was bad. Fridays
question, "Why God
not kill the devil?"
Inundated his teach
er. He had no valid
answer. But later, in
the school of expert
erlce, he saw at least
a glimmering of an
explanation of the
embarrassing dilem-
ma raised by his
friend and devoted
servant. Said the
stranded Crusoe of
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Overburdened Landlord
Asks End of Rent Control

TO the Eultor OF the Slar:
Rent control should be entirely abolished
in the District and States. 1t has never been
fair to the home owners in my opinion. In
the last two years labor has gone up, coal,
taxes and many other essentials. Yet the
board does not offer voluntary rent in
crease. Why burden landlords forever?
3. LOURIE
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Favors Proposal of One Big City
BY Merging Nearby Virginia Areas

To the Editor of The Star:
Congratulations to Delegate Edwin Lynch
of Annandale for a sensible solution of the
existing growing pains of Northern Virginia
by making 1t all one large city.
This should eliminate annexation pro-
ceedings and the doubling up of sewer and
water systems and would simplify many
other functions, resulting in more efficient
setup and saving the taxpayers many dol
lars
Would it not be privilege to live in the
largest and most progressive city in Vir-
ginia called Virginia City, or what have
you? T. ELLISON.
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Condemns Star Letter
On Birth Control

To the Editor Of The Star:
7 was shocked to see that The Star, paper
Of high moral tone published in it's Letters
to the Editor" column of January 18th, a
letter that was a brazen advertisement for
birth control. giving names and addresses
where misguided readers could obtain fur
ther information on this subject.
Right and wrong :. morality i. . cannot
be compromised with. for any reason.
ROSEMARY CORCORAN.
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Letter Reader Appeals
For Simpler Language

DR.. Frank T. Shane, who dared voice his
opinion in a letter to The Star on the sub
ject of segregation in legitimate theatre
in Washington, is the hapless victim of
verbal fireworks. And Marc Heiman, New
York theatre executive, comes in for share
of it. With fine disregard for the vocabu-
larry equipment of the common reader, Will
bert B. Dublin Immediately reached The Star
with brilliant effort.
Such words and phrases as: Moral lille
gitimacy'. "innuendo". authoritarian; "ipsi
dixit, "polemics," "Calvinistic sense" "jejune
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Spires Of the Spirit
Spires OF the Spirit
On Giving the Devil His Due
The World Is All the Richer for Having Devil in 1t
So Long We Keep Our Foot Upon His Neck
By the Rev. Fredey Broyn HarriD D.. d..
By the Req. FIR,

"Why God not kill the devil?" asked Rob-
inson Crusoe's puzzled man Friday. Crusoe
had told the pagan savage about loving
God who was all-powerful and had explained
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Air Force Reminded of Debt to Navy
For Wartime Rescue Services

For Wartime Rescue Services
To the Editor Of The Star:
r. B. Workman suggests that the Air Force
tow the "Mo" out Of the mud with B-36's. I
think it is fine sentiment on his part to
finally consider returning, in some small
measure, the debt that the Air Force owes
the Navy for the tremendous salvage and
rescue job done during the war years.
r. M s.
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Joins Appeal for Continued
Child Care Centers

To the Editor of The Star:
Permit me to add my voice to those in
favor of keeping open the Child Day Care
Centers for working mothers in the District.
For parents in the lower income brackets to
know their children are properly cared for
and sheltered, and under the careful and
proper supervision while they must be apart
from them all day, is what should be pro-
vided for them in this, our Nations Capitol.
MRS. ETHEL FALHENSTEIN
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Workers Held Losing
Despite Wage Gains
Income Doubles in Ten Years but
Dollar Buys Only Half as Much
By Frank X. Kent

ny FfQnR N. A enE
Thoughtful men, informed as to condi-
tions, pretty generally agree that one Of the
fundamental problems in the United States
today is how to end the apparently endless
spiral Of wage-price increases Clearly, so
long as it continues the cost Of living must
go up and the purchasing power Of the
dollar must 60 down. The end of that is
not difficult to see.
The basic reason for the spiral, of course,
is the strikes which at regular intervals
each year are called in the big industries
by the labor bosses. Supported, as they
have been for 16 years, by the White House
and encouraged by the dominant party, they
invariably and inevitably win. There isn't
any way for them to lose. True, they do
not get all they demand at first but always
they get considerable part. Then, the
following year they strike again. From
their standpoint, there is no limit to the
number of strikes that can successfully DO
called, no ceiling at all on their racket.
Everything is geared in their favor.
Naturally, the only way in which industry
can continue to exist under such conditions
is to pass on the increased cost Of produc-
ton to the consumer. So far as the rail-
roads are concerned that has become abso-
lutely automatic 1t is rapidly becoming
so in the steel, coal, automobile, electricity,
street transportation and other industries
as well. AS result of the series of sue
cessful strikes almost Immediately followed
by price increases, the cost of living has
increased more than 100 per cent in the 10
years from 1899 to 1949, which is just a
little greater than the increase in wages
during the same period. The figures to
sustain these statements are official from
the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Here are the tables as compiled by
Lawrence Sullivan, executive editor Of the
National Business News:
Evening star., 1950-01-29

home pay for year------- $2456.12
In terms of 1889 purchasing power, the
1949 dollar is worth approximately SO cents.
If the 1949 take-home pay is divided by
two. to get 1889 purchasing power equiva-
lent, 1949 take-home pay is $1,228.06.
COMPARATIVE COST OF TYPICAL FOOD
Evening star., 1950-01-29

Cost of IL pounds OF
food d------------$ $2.6884 $5 1881
Evening star., 1950-01-29
Fifty Years Ago

The Star for January 20, 1900, featured an
account of a reception and concert given by