davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13

hind the counters in the stores
are not as chatty with the
stranger as they might be. One
hardly ever sees children on the
street.
Many people sent their children
out of town. Some were away on
vacation and did not come back.
In a little walk about the town
one encounters the Rev. Conrad
Weykel, pastor of the Methodist
church, the largest congregation
in town, sitting in shirt sleeves
on his wide front porch on Church
street.
You know" he says in the
course of a chat, "a great many
parents told me that they were
not going to send their children
out of town-that it would be
unfair to other communities.
They said if their children lived
through this they would probably
have immunity from the disease
for the rest of their lives"
NeighbOrs' Attitude Resented.
The Wytheville people also re-
sent attitudes discovered in their
neighboring communities. 1t was
not only the ball players who en-
countered difficulty. There are
quite a few Wytheville men who
travel the western counties of the
State in their regular routine of
business. They found themselves
victims of a mass hysteria. Grown
men would not talk to them.
In Pulaski County, which lies
east of Wytheville on the route
Of the ambulances speeding chill
dren to the hospital at Roanoke,
a very unusual ordinance was
passed. 1t made it a violation for
an ambulance passing through
the county to stop.
Articles appeared in the Roa-
noke papers from country CORE
spondents in the neighboring COM
munities stating that the mer-
chants did not want Wythe Coun-
ty people to trade with them.
The dateline, "Wytheville." in
the city papers is likely to suggest
a backward hill community.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
Fairfax High Sets Date
For New Registration

New students expecting to at
tend Fairfax High School should
register August Is, % and %, it
was announced today.
Samuel j. Coffey, principal. said
this does not apply to eighth
grade students enrolled in Fair
fax County elementary schools
last year. All new students must
present records from last schools
attended. he said.
Fairfax County schools will open
September 5. Students will at
tend classes from 8 am. to noon
that day.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
Scare Buying SIockening,
District Retailers Report

fetal who said he had "a stack"
Of papers worth higher wholesale
prices for groceries.
He said he did not want to put
them all into effect at the same
time because of the impact on the
housewife. But, he added there
was nothing the store could do
but pass along the increases "a
few at a time"
Tire dealers, who were among
the first to experience the buying
stampede, report some decrease in
sales this month compared with
July, which they variously term
terrific" and record breaking"
So many tires were purchased
last month there is now a short
age, dealers report. Manufacture
ers are said to be out of supplies,
too. However, the industry be-
lieves it will be on top of the situa-
ton in about so days.
One old line tire firm here esti-
mated passenger car tires have
risen Is per cent since June and
truck tires, 20 per cent. Until
the start of the Korean invasion,
dealers here were engaged in a
minor price war in an effort to
move stocks. That changed over
night.
The new car business is still
brisk. although some dealers noted
falling off of orders. But they
have received so many applications
in recent weeks that it's not I'M
usual for a 45-day delay in de-
livery.
The sales manager of a firm
handling one of the higher priced
model cars said he was making
no promises of delivery. I'VE
just tell them it may be 1851 be-
fore they'll get a car" he said
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
Woman Is Badly Burned
Though Screams Bring Aid

An 83-year-old woman who was
burned over her entire body in a
kitchen accident yesterday, was
reported in critical condition last
night at Garfield Hospital.
Victim of multiple burns was
Mrs. Henrietta Silverberg, 1861
Tenth street NV. Police reported
her clothing caught fire as she
was about to light gas range.
Two neighbors who responded
to her screams beat out the fam
ing clothing. Her husband, Lewis
Silverberg, 81. a retired Treasury
Department employe, was on an
upper floor at the time and did
not hear his wife's screams.
Mrs. Silverberg was taken to
Garfield in a fire department
ambulance.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
GreenbeIt Pool Is Free
To Residents in Services

Greenbelt. Md, plans to admit
free of charge to the community
swimming pool all service men
and women who live there.
Sam S. Fox, recreation direc-
tor. said it was proposed to ex-
pand the service in the future to
provide splash parties" for all
service personnel at nearby bases.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
Menzies Sees Rudford

HONOLULU, Aug. IL (R.-
Australian Prime Minister Robert
G. Menzies called on Admiral Ar
thur w. Radford, Pacific Fleet
commander, during a brief stop
ever today on his way to Tokyo.
He is scheduled to reach Tokyo
tomorrow night.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
Continued From First Page.)

-
league standing and had a good
chance Of winning the pennant.
Club Has to Disband.
But the announcement about
Jimmy Seccafice's little boy was
an ominous one for Wytheville
and the ball club. Within only
a few weeks the disease had spread
to a terrifying portion of the
towns children and had struck
down many adults. AS for the
ball club. it had to disband be-
cause no one would play the team
from Wytheville.
The SeccaficoS had come to
Wytheville from Jersey City. N. j.,
in April. Whether little Johnny
carried the virus with him from
that city or contacted it in Wythe-
vile will always be unsettled.
When his illness was diagnosed as
polio, he was sped to the Memorial
and Crippled Children's Hospital
at Roanoke, 80 miles away. Johnny
survived the disease but whether
he will escape its Gripping effects
its doubtful. After a short period
of convalescence at home. the
Seccaf1cos, with the permission of
Wythe County health officer. went
back to Jersey City with their
child.
The Wythe polio outbreak is
one of the most intense in history.
More than one out of every 100 in
the towns population has been
stricken. For a time the death
rate was running at 10 per cent
of the number sick. The normal
number of fatal cases in polio
statistics is near per cent.
The figure today on the num-
Der Of cases in Wythe County is
145 with Is deaths. The past week
has seen a lower number Of new
cases in the town and a higher
number in the county. The county
area outside Wytheville, which has
a larger population than the town,
now has SO cases and the town
has 81. The population Of the
town is $500 and the population
of the county Cincluding the
town. is $4,000.
The people here deeply resent
some of the things that have been
said about Wytheville in the press
and on the radio since the cpl
demic drew national attention.
The thing they resent most is the
story that Wytheville is a ghost
town"
They Stick to Jobs.
BY and large the people Of
have stuck to their jobs
and have volunteered to do any
thing additional that would help
in the emergency. The passing
tourist would note nothing differ
ent about Wytheville except that
parking space is available in front
Of the stores and that closed" is
the only word on the movie
marquee.
But the passing tourist is
warned. There is a large sign on
every major road entering Wythe-
vile which reads: Information
for tourists-Polio outbreak in
Wytheville and Wythe County-If |
you do not stop with us this time,
we invite you to visit us on your
next vacation Courtesy Of Wythe-
Vile Town Council. Wythe County
Board of Supervisors, Wythe
Health Department"
This step was not taken with
out opposition. open and covert.
All of the first signs were torn
down by unknown vandals with
in a few days after they were put
up. They were replaced and a
500 reward posted for informa-
ton as to identity of the mis-
creants. The replacement signs
have been up for some time new
without further incident.
There is no atmosphere Of COM
fear evident here. Pos
sibly one notices the people be- i
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
Walker Chapel Lawn Party

A lawn party will be held at
the Walker Chapel Methodist
Church, 4102 North Glebe road,
Arlington. at 6 pm. Wednesday.
1t is sponsored by the Women's
Society of the church for the
building fund
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13

Robert Seay of Laurel, Md,
homeward bound from q visit
in Tennessee, stops to read one
of the warning signs on the
approaches to polio stricken
Wytheville. In the car are his
wife and 4-year-old daughter
Sandra. The Seays decided to
90 through Wytheville without
stopping.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
Luroy Progress Board
Names Industry Group
speeial Dispatch 10 The sior

LURAY, Va. Aug. 12.-The re-
Gently organized Luray Board of
Progress this week named the
following Committee on Procure
ment of Industry: J. Lynn Lucas.
chairman; Mrs. C. E. Crouch. Cecil
Leedy, Emmett Rodgers, Claude E.
Smith and Robert Griffith.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13

John A. Lester, manager of
one Of Wytheville's two movie
houses, adjusts the CLOSED"
sign at the ticket window. The
county health officer said it
was not necessary to close the
theaters, but the managers
decided to do so voluntarily.
There was no business anyway.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13

Hoarding is foolish. Despite
the fighting in Korea there is no
immediate prospect of food ration
ing or shortages. Don't hoard.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Is the Porty Broke?

national committeeman and face
five-year prison terms.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Drive Further Underground

speaks In the hard-bitten Ian
guage of the street.
It Is perpetually aghast at what
it considers the crimes Of the cap
italist world.
The Worker is put together in
a little shop on the Thirteenth
street side of the nine-story ma
tional headquarters by an editorial
staff Of 40 men and six women,
under Managing Editor John
Gates, one of the convicted leaders.
Never financially self-support-
ing. the Worker depends on party
funds and donations to keep alive.
1t gets only driblets of advertising.
j.. Its daily circulation. nearly
three-fourths of which is confined
to New York City. is about 81, 900
the Lowest in years." says the
party.
The papers weekly edition.
which hits most of the Nation S
industrial and metropolitan areas.
has dropped in circulation to 82.-
900 copies, 1000 less than last
year, the party says.
While the worker is the major
Communist outlet. there are sew
eral others. San Francisco has a
party newspaper called Peoples S
World" The party's official
mouthpiece, Political Affairs" is
a pocket-size booklet published
here at irregular intervals.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Whot Are the Porty's Aims?

l. To promote communism in
the United States.
2. To support the Soviet Union
as the leader of world communism
The Government charges the
party seeks to establish commu-
nism here through violent revolu-
ton. The party claims it seeks
only peaceful change.
To be accepted, you must de-
clare you believe in a class strug-
gle between capital and labor, that
you are willing to support the
workers in the struggle, and that
you believe in the ultimate tri-
umph of the working class.
You must agree to pay your
dues, and attend at least one meet
ing each week.
On top of these requirements,
at least one trusted party MEM
Der, sometimes more, must vouch
for you. This precaution was set
up recently to try to circumvent
FBI infiltration.
The party asks you to supply it
with detailed personal data about
yourself, such as books studied
your wife's or husbands politics
aliases used, police record, and
mass struggles" you have parti-
cipated in. "a strike is a typical
mass struggle.")
Among the grounds for expul-
sion: Failure to attend weekly
meetings; anti-party attitude, OF
remarks: homosexuality.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
How Fost Is it Hiding?

The party is frightened. Like
a frightened man. it hunts a way
to hide from its foes.
It reasons this way: Known
Communists these days may lose
their jobs, or face various other
penalties. So we must not be
known. -
, 1.-The whole party must be
tightened up from top to bottom, y
says q newly-issued party ad-
visory.
The camouflage has been get
ting thicker ever since the wars
end. Units were subdivided-to
cut the range Of any one mem
ber's knowledge of others. Iden-
titles are more carefully guarded,
Membership cards were ordered
torn UP. ~.
Then came the blow that threw
panic into the party, and ripped
its ranks with fear and distrust:
FBI men were in it's midst!
This was revealed at last years
Communist conspiracy trial when
several FBI undercover agents
were called to testify.
The FB1 still has a substantial
number of agents in the party
The party knows it. and has ap-
pealed to members not to become
"paralyzed by fear" because of it.
New secrecy techniques have been
adopted.
With a cry for more Commu-
mist vigilance. the party has
launched a painstaking loyalty
check.
The party has found one sus-
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Is the Porty LeoderIess?

From his sickroom at his Bronx
apartment. ailing. white haired
William z. Foster, SO. eX-mule
skinner and seaman, still nomin-
ally runs party affairs.
But his bad heart doesn't let
him do much. He never gets
down to party headquarters any
more, seldom uses his chauffer-
driven, party supplied automobile
His chief lieutenants are tied
down, too.
Communist General Secretary
Eugent Dennis is in jail for con-
tempt of Congress.
He and 10 co-leaders face pris-
on terms for plotting to advocate
forcible overthrow of the Govern
ment. Foster was indicted with
them. too, but was not tried be-
cause of his health.
Last month the II convicted
leaders lost a plea for court per-
mission to travel about the coun-
try to conduct,party meetings and
raise funds while their appeal is
pending.
Only one top party official still
is footloose and free to operate:
plump. usually laughing, grand
motherly. Mama Flynn"
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn occupies
a desk in the front Office of ma
tional headquarters. She spends
her time writing. shuffling to
meetings, and exchanging good
natured gossip with the clerical
help.
Mrs. Flynn was not indicted.
She did not join the party's Ma
tional board until after the 1948
indictment. Those familiar with
the party scoff at the idea that
she now holds the reins.
In an effort to fill the gap in
its leadership. the party has set
up a special three-man "secre-
tariat." It's members-Gus Hall,
John Williamson and Henry Win
ston-are among the convicted
Evening star., 1950-06-11
What Is the Porty's Strength?

The old punch is gone. The
party has lost one-time pals who
used to tolerate it. Public feel
ing has put the party outside the
bounds of generally accepted pol
iticS.
The party's disciples have been
stripped of office in major labor
unions, purged from schools and
hunted in the Government.
Not a single communist-slate
politician holds any local, State or
Federal public Office. Fourteen
States ban communist candidates
outright. And other States use
indirect means to restrict the
party.
In size, the party is puny. But
its strength cannot be fully meas
ured by its electoral position.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Does the Porty Do Any Good?

The party has kept up a con-
slant jabbing at the American
system. exploiting IS fully as pos
sible every shortcoming.
The party has attacked racial
prejudice and mistreatment of
minorities. It has grabbed at
every opportunity to demand
higher wages and better working
conditions.
Wrathfully. it has accused some
individuals of using the mask of
anti Communism to try to hand
cuff labor and gag political
criticism. 1t has demanded peace
with Russia and disarmament.
The party has been accused Of
making its seemingly righteous
crusades only for the purpose of
stirring up disorders. and creating
hatred for the prevailing system.
But sincere or not. the party
serves as constant irritant
against complacency.
Evening star., 1950-06-11

earnestness that they are serving
humanity.
Case after case has shown that
the Communists are willing to
go to jail for the sake of their
party. They seem to relish mar
tyrdom. The Communist credo be-
comes their life.
A review Of the background Of
many American Communists in
dicates the average party mem
Der is product of some frustrat-
ing or disturbing psychological
struggle. His resentment against
circumstances makes him recep-
tive to the revolutionary code of
Marxism. In the party, too. he
finds social ties and rigorous
duties to fill an empty life.
Most of all he finds a rock like.
not = to be challenged discipline.
This is the frame and foundation
of the party. 1t brings ready
made answer. however spurious, to
every question.
That the need for such a con-
trolling discipline Is typical to
the American Communist has been
brought out repeatedly even
among those who ultimately quit
the party.
The manner in which -...e United
States Communist cfN"ishes this
discipline and whole -heartedly ac-
cepts the party's mastery is il
Illustrated by personal experience.
I engaged young woman party
member in an argument about
Yugoslavia's Tito. and his break
with the Kremlin.
Hes still a Communist" I said
He is still, in theory. a champion
of the worker. and a fighter
against the rich. Why do you
condemn him?"
Hes disrupter." she said. "He
sold out for American dollars. He
is a dirty Stooge for capitalism.
But" I said, ''he's a Commun-
ist. You're a Communist. What.
specifically, in theory, do you OBJ
ject to about Tito's communism"
She couldn't find an answer.
but finally said: IN have to read
up more on that in the Daily
Worker.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Whot Do Porty Members Do?
They work hard-harder tina

They work hard-harder than
most people.
Most of them are ordinary wage
earners, but the jobs they do to
make a living are just fraction
of their output.
In between working hours, they
busy themselves serving on COM
mittees, organizing demonstra-
tions. walking picket lines. lead
ing discussions, taking an active
role In their unions and other
organizations.
Part of their duty is to join
societies, clubs, civic leagues,
benevolent organizations, religious
bodies and art groups-and then
do what they can to uphold the
party program. Most of them
contribute unstintingly of time
and energy. They are irrepress-
ible drafters of resolutions and
trainers of petition.
It is this intense participation,
this quicknes to volunteer services.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
How Mony Are in the Porty?


Fewer and fewer, as the months
60 by. Many a longtime Commu-
mist, eyeing the wave of national
reaction against the party, quietly
is getting out.
The membership index has
curved downward for three years
and has dropped rapidly in recent
months.
Three years ago. the party
claimed more than 100000 mem
bers.
Today, FBI Chief j. Edge
Hoover puts the total at $4,000
about enough to fill medium
sized football stadium.
An official party report on mem
bership this spring gave no over
all figure. But it admitted a
II per cent drop in 1850 regis
tration below last year.
"Ceaseless attacks by reaction"
said the party, could not but
have a retarding' influence upon
our party organization"
Greatest membership declines
from 19 to As per cent, were re-
ported in Louisiana. Oregon. Texas
Pennsylvania. Virginia, Colorado
Alabama and Michigan.
The geographical Communist
strongholds-New York, New Eng
land and California - reported
membership drops of Is to II pei
cent. The smallest decline-6 pei
cent-was reported in Montana
which probably has no more thar
a few dozen party members any
how,
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Whot Is the Porty's Future?

If the conviction of the COM
munist leaders is upheld, the par
ty faces these alternatives:
l. Name new leaders, and risk
new government prosecutions.
2. Dissolve as a public entity,
and go completely underground,
there to battle it out with govern
ment agents in the hide-and-see
netherworld of secret maneuvers.
3. Modify its views and objec-
tiveS. and then convince the gov
ernment it does not advocate vio-
lent revolution.
Which the party will do. only
time will tell.
Evening star., 1950-06-11

Financially, the party has Its
back to the wall.
The meager sums provided by
party dues don't amount to much.
These dues are based on income.
An unemployed party member
pays only 10 cents a month. If
a member earns $50 a week, his
monthly dues are 81.
The nine-month conspiracy
trial cost the party $500, 900. Some
Government attorneys feels that
the reason the party didn't keep
the trial going longer was that
defense funds ran out.
After the verdict. the party
raised $685. 900 bail-through the
Civil Rights Congress-for the
convicted leaders. A total of $110,-
900 had to be posted as security
for fines. 1t cost another $35, 900
to print the record for the appeal,
costs of which are still piling up.
The party has been involved in
dozens of other costly litigations.
tits been rough going" said
one party spokesman. IF it hadn' t
been for some big-hearted, nom
Communist Americans who seek
Our fight as a fight for the civil
liberties of all people, we'd have
gone on the rocks long ago."
I Members, who normally pay
special assessments every year,
have been taxed for extra dona-
tions. Three times in 1949, they
gave full days wages.
The party is said to have liqui-
dated some of it's long standing
assets. although it still has hold
ings in bookshops. summer camps
and other enterprises.
These resources. usually yelled
by front ownerships with inter-
locking control. are reported to
have at one time included inter-
ests in restaurants, night clubs
tool shops. stationary stores and
other investments.
1t also has been charged that
the party has a secret fund" sup
piled by Moscow and dispensed by
high American Communist
clique - The charge has never
been substantiated.
About $50 pm, six days q
week, the Daily Worker rolls of
the party's presses, 1t is tab
loid, usually about IL pages, that
Evening star., 1950-06-11

pect, John Lautner Of New York.
1t called him an FBI stoolpigeon,
and expelled him.
But the F'BI says 1t never heard
of Lautner.
"It's as hard for the Commu-
nists to tell who is an FBI man."
said one Government authority.
"as it is for the public to tell
Uhn is q Communist
Evening star., 1950-06-11

the eagerness TO take over the reins
that has been cited as a factor
enabling the party to exert in
fiuence out Of proportion to its
size.
The Communists are indefat-
.gable pamphleteers. The party IS
mimeograph machines roll of an
endless stream of leaflets. Almost
any evening. you can find a half
dozen speakers broadcasting the
party line In Union Square in
downtown Manhattan.
It's the only way We have to
reach the people" they say.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Continued From First Page.>

Continued From First Page.(
c. P. U. s. A. seems a thing Of
alien mystery.
No clearcut, intimate picture of
1t can be drawn from the welter
Of headline grist-the official
charges, the trials, the speech
making. the reports, the accusa-
tions and denials.
What has happened to the
party, now that its leaders have
been labeled criminal conspira-
tors? What kind of people are
in it? What. exactly. do they 40?
Does the party do any good? How
powerful is it? How big? How
rich What is its future?
The answers come from nu-
merous sources: Communists, for
mer Communists. Government in
vestigators, records. the party it
self. Balanced for ascertainsble
fact, the data gives a down to-
earth picture Of American COM
munisn today.
Evening star., 1950-06-11
Whot People Are Communists?

Few of the rank-and- file Com
munistS exhibit the cold cynicism
attributed to the party's Russian
counterparts. They seem to believe
with deadly, single handed
Evening star., 1950-06-11

COMMUNIST HEADQUARTERS-New York-The national and
local Communist Party headquarters the third fifth and
ninth floors this building cener located at IS 18th street.
Offices the Daily Worker the eighth floor Other
used commercial firms. In the inset Elizabeth
Guey Flynn the only top United States Communist Party
foOtoose and free operate Wide World Photos