davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Go Slow on the Sirens

While the District has shown commendable
initiative in planning its civil defense program,
care should be taken to avoid making mistakes
that will have to be corrected at considerable
cost later. One area in which it would be wise
to go slow is the establishment of a system of
afraid alarms and communications.
The District already has advertised for bids
on four air-raid sirens and is planning to buy 80
more, although the type of sirens to be used in
event of an atomic attack has not yet been an
nounced by Federal authorities Now comes the
disclosure that the Federal Government has
decided that it should bear the cost of providing
local communities with sirens and other commu-
nication facilities and that tests are being held
to determine what standards to set up for alarm
devices. For the District to go ahead with its
plans for purchasing sirens before the tests are
completed would be to run the risk of wasting
money on unusable equipment And why use
District funds to buy sirens which the Federal
Government eventually may offer to Washing
ton and other cities free of charge? District civil
defense officials would be well advised to suspend
the siren-buyng program and await the final
decision of Congress on legislation which would
settle the question of responsibility in the siren
and related fields.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Second to None

The dispatches from Korea say that the
Second Division was badly mauled by the Chinese
Communist attack, that it lost in casualties a
third of it's personnel. But in six days of dread
full fighting it did much to blunt the attack and
make possible an orderly withdrawal of other
units. In other words, it lived up to its tradition.
For the Second Division is one of the most
famous in our Army It's Indian-h head shoulder
patch and it's motto-"Second to None"-are
symbols known to fighting men over the world
It was formed in France, in the autumn of
1917. It wrote glorious history in the First
World War and is the only American division
whose soldiers wear across the left shoulder the
French fourragere, awarded as unit decoration
It was among the first divisions to land in Nor
mandy in World War II, and the end of that
war found it in Czechoslovakia at the end of
long trail across Europe.
The Second Division Memorial, which stands
at Seventeenth street and Constitution avenue,
was erected to honor the 5,137 men who died in
the First World War. But it has become, since
then, memorial to other Second Division men
as well who have given their lives in other wars.
Some brief ceremony of rededcation now, by
veterans of the Second Division in Washington,
would be appropriate.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
"RADNOR ROAD.

"RADNOR ROAD.
Dear Sir:
II was interested to read the letter
from another Bethesdian about his bird
feeder.
II think he did make mistake. He
made his feeder to suit himself but not
the birds.
Birds do not like white.
"a white cat in our neighborhood
doesn't stand a chance. The birds see
her coming before she can get near
them.
"If this person will remove the white
paint from his feeding station and
weatherproof it with clear varnish
leaving the natural wood color, he will
have plenty of birds.
IT have simple little feeder suspended
from a trellis on my front porch. The
birds love it and I have continuing
show all day long. have seen as many
as twenty birds at time.
"The birds that prefer to feed on the
ground perch on the porch floor. look
ing up, waiting for seeds to fall. But
they know how to get them in the feeder
if they don't fall fast enough.
There are chickadees, nuthatches,
titmice, juncos, cardinals, downy wood
peckers and of course sparroWs.
1.-THE birds quarrel over the feeder
and hear them reach the name-calling
stage every day.
Zone should not start feeding in the
Evening star., 1950-12-09
By Charles {. TroceweN

demonstrate just how to find food in
a hostile world.
White bread is their favorite.
Whole wheat, which the experts be-
seech us to eat, holds no charm for
starlings.
Put out slices of white bread. however,
and they flock in from all sides, within
a matter of a minute or two.
One minute, there is not startling in
sight.
The next, there they are, flying down
on the slices of bread.
Just how they know is a mystery.
It may be they utilize radar, or some
thing.
Probably it is lookout they depend on
Canny fellows, starlings might be ex-
pected to use bird common sense.
They do. They find food for them
selves-and others. In this they are not
altruists, but simply point out to smaller
species the food they find, by their
very presence and squabbling over bites.
Smaller birds dart in, seize pieces, and
fly away. 1t speaks we'll for starlings that
they permit such tactics on the part of
smaller birds. They do not use their
size to intimidate Others They are not
hawks. or even owls. They are part of
the general, and generally peaceful, bird
scene, which we humans might well
emulate, if we are to remain on this
earth as long as the birds.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Veritas.
How Bomboo Grows

In your issue of November 80, under
the heading Bamboo Can Expand"
there appeared statement so completely
contrary to fact that think it should
be corrected. The statement: Bamboo
a hollow-stemmed plant, has been
known to expand 16 inches in circum-
ference in one day.
AS matter of fact a developing
bamboo stem, or culm does not increase
at all in circumference after its tapering
tip of few inches to a foot has slowly
emerged from the ground: it's external
growth from then on is simply elonga-
ton until the full height of that par
ticular culm is attained-in about 6 or 7
weeks, as rule.
To state it differently, when a large
bamboo shoot is about a foot high its
diameter at the ground level is as great
as it ever will be, and the manner of
growth in height thereafter for six or
seven weeks is roughly comparable to
the drawing out of a many-jo jointed tele-
scope whose large end is downward.
A culm that grows to so or more feet
high, under favorable conditions of tenn
perature and moisture may increase it's
height in 24-hour period by more
than double the Is inches mentioned
(erroneously) for circumference in
crease.
Robert A. Young.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Democracy Begins at Home

The American people are spending
millions of dollars in propaganda: men
are being killed and wounded; lands are
being torn up-all in the name of democ-
racy and freedom. And in Washington,
the nerve center of this activity, the
people still wrap themselves up in their
petty prejudices. The abolition of segre-
cation and discrimination in this city
would be in accord with the declared
principles of the United States in its
fight for democracy.
How then can we explain the recent
ruling by the Board of Education which
said there should be no mingling of
whites and Negroes in the schools during
school hours? Here is an example of
barriers being erected where none existed
before.
It is inconceivable that this ruling will
be allowed to remain, and yet, unless it
is actively contested. this and others
which will surely follow will provide
ammunition for the forces in the world
which are trying to end our civilization.
Florence Nierman,
Chairman, Greater Washington Area
Council. American Veterans Com
mittee.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
This and That

fall unless one intends to keep it up all
winter. They learn to depend on you.
They very much enjoy a piece of
suet fastened to tree, and if possible
supply them with water.
Your column is one of the first things
I read every evening.
Sincerely, M. E. M"
There are many good situations for
the placement of the bird feeding station.
One of the best, and a favorite with
both people and birds, is at the window
sill.
This enables one to replenish the sup
ply easily, and at the same time see
the songsters at their best.
In no other way, except the closeup,
can watcher feel so at home with the
wild ones of the air lanes.
Other placements have their good
points. On a tree out in the yard or on
a stake in border to one side, is an
other good place.
Two or more feeding places suit the
birds fine.
This is because they love to fly, even
If no more than so feet.
Flying is their business.
Starlings think nothing at all Of going
20 or 80 miles or more each day to
find food.
These remarkable birds not only
furnish us with some Of the best
examples Of group flying. but they
Evening star., 1950-12-09
The Poison of Our Time

President Truman, in his address to the
Mid-Century White House Conference on Chill
dren and Youth, has stated the case mildly in
declaring that the threat confronting the free
world revolves primarily around the fact that
the Soviet Union and its satellites "are main
tanning large military forces-far larger than
they could possibly need for peaceful purposes"
Actually, the Kremlin alone, wholly apart
from its puppets, has in being the most massive
land armies ever maintained by any country in
the peacetime history of the world. These armies,
moreover, have been held in readiness to march
right from the moment that the recent war
ended After We day and VI day, the United
States and all other free nations put away
their arms with lightning speed and demobilized
to point of virtually complete disarmament
But the Soviet Union-with nobody even remotely
threatening it-kept millions of in arms
and has ever since been devoting by far the
greatest part of its productive capacity to build
ing up all phases of its military strength
The Iron Curtain, in short, has not been
able to hide the fact that the Kremlin has
never regarded We day and w day as dates
marking the end of terrible war and the
beginning of an enduring peace. Although the
Stain dictatorship has gone to fantastic lengths
of hypocrisy to picture itself as the great cham
pion of such peace 1t has Systematically armed
to the teeth against the non-Soviet world-a
world which until recent months, with reckless
wishfulness, had let itself drift into a state
bordering on defenselessness Having nothing to
fear, facing nations that had practically dis
armed themselves, the Russians nevertheless
remained tremendously militarized, and they
have remained that way, along with their
satellites, ever since the collapse of Italy, Ger
many and Japan.
Why? The only answer is that the men of
the Kremin. capitalzing on the free worlds
profound desire for peace, out to overwhelm
and enslave that world This is one of the great
central facts of our time. Because of it, and
until the Soviet Union shows willingness to
disarm to point Of reason, the United States
and its allies must prepare as fast and as
thoroughly as they can for the very real posi-
bility of war to the death with the thing
that has poisoned the life of our human society.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Pen names may be used If letters carry
1Oriters' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.

nomic paradises of the world. Control
by Russia of their rubber, tin, timber,
coal, sugar, rope fibres quinine and many
other raw materials, especially rice,
would mean an all-powerful Soviet state.
Here, think, lies the real threat to
the free world. In possession of such
resources and such manpower, Russia
could not be stopped in Europe. And the
threat to us from the Pacific area would
be of extreme gravity. But if we can keep
Stain out of these areas even assuming
he did take Europe, we would be relatively
safe from invasion and could in time take
Europe back. OF course. the keys to the
Malayan islands and Philippines are:
Korea, to give us freedom of movement
out of Japan; Formosa, to guard the
Philippines and permit diversionary
action in China-and Indo-China, COM
manding Malaga, which in turn COM
mands the archipelago.
To keep our heads "level' we must
study our geography lessons, especially
our economic geography.
VeritaS,
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Sometimes at Night

Sometimes at night when am alone.
And the night is dark and the night Is
still,
The silence cracks Nth whispered
moan,
A haunting sound-and try to fill
The small room 1Dlere am 1Dith noise,
ruf1e papers, push chair,
Any familiar sound destroys
The ghoStly creaking under the stair.
But the silence gro1Ds-and sudden
knock
Holds me breathIeSS until / n,ove
Across the room to test the lock,
Just any action so can proue
No danger turks, there's nothing to see,
It's only the old house talking to me.
CATHERINE E. BERRY.
Evening star., 1950-12-09

was not until later that President
Roosevelt learned about the defective
buZzer
Famous people have tried, at one time
or another, to stimulate the use of living
trees for Christmas. In the early 1930s
Mary Pickford suggested that a tree be
planted in the yard when a child is born.
This tree, to be named after the child,
would be his own Christmas tree. Will
Rogers also spoke in favor of living
Christmas trees. Possibly their inf1u-
ence had something to do with the fact
that Beverly Hills today decorates many
living trees for Christmas.
At one time, it was the custom of the
McAlpin Hotel in New York to distribute
small, living trees to guests on Christmas
morning. Each container bore tag
which read: PLANT me and I'll grow. Put
me by the roadside and help reforest
America"
The planting of living Christmas trees
is one way to beautify cities and help
reforest America.
Duncon Scott,
United States Forest Service.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Suggesting q Living Christmas Tree
To the Editor of The Stor:

To the Editor OF he Stor:
DECORAT1NG tree with bright
- lights, sparkling icicles and colored
baubles is to many Americans one Of the
most heart warming things about Christ
mas. That's the reason something like
% million Christmas trees will be shipped
to market and sold this holiday season.
These trees will bring JOY to American
families, and a gross income Of more
than $50 million to vendors.
The cutting of Christmas trees for the
commercial market begins IN October
and continues until about two weeks be-
fore Christmas. Lengthy debates have
centered around the question OF whether
the cutting Of small trees for Christmas
use is destructive forest practice. Some
Christmas tree cutting, to be sure. is
harmful to our woodlands. But as 1t is
done today. most Of 1t is not.
In dense stands, the cutting Of some
trees is actually good practice because
1t speeds the growth Of remaining trees.
In New England, farmers sell trees that
they clear from pastures. Each year the
United States Forest Service sells more
than a million trees that are carefully
selected from national forest land. Many
private landowners are now earning their
living, or major part of it, by planting
and growing trees for the Christmas
market. So the Christmas tree business
is of considerable economic Importance.
and can be carried on without serious
harm to our forests.
Nevertheless, some people have found
what they consider happier solution
by using living Christmas tree for their
Yule rites. Any home owner who has
place where the tree could be planted
in the yard after the Christmas season.
might well consider living Christmas
tree this year.
Most living Christmas trees will survive
transplanting, if you place them in
tub or other suitable container and keep
moist soil around the roots. On New
Years Day. or at some other convenient
time, the tree can be transplanted in
the yard if the ground is not frozen.
Children like living Christmas trees
because they stay shiny green. Par
ents are comforted to know that liv-
ing tree reduces the fire hazard to
minimum. The whole family will enjoy
the fragrance of the living tree during
the holiday season. and will have feel
ing of pride when they transplant the
tree after Christmas.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Geography Lesson

The import of one of your editorials of
December is very disturbing. I refer
to the article, Time for Level Heads"
OF course. the problem is difficult.
Control of the Mediterranean area, in
Guiding the vast oil resources of the
Middle East, would be tremendous
help for Russia and threat to Europe.
And in Europe we have natural cultural
heritage of long standing, plus an invest
ment of billions of dollars through the
Marshall Plan and other advances.
But look at your map of Asia. In the
islands off the southeast coast, plus the
coastal areas of Indo-China. Thailand
and Malaga, are found one of the eco
Evening star., 1950-12-09

Living outdoor trees are especially
well adapted for community observances
of Christmas, and are used for that
purpose in a number of cities. The tree
that the President lights on the White
House lawn, for example, is world
famous.
The custom of having a national
Christmas tree started in 1924 when the
American Forestry Association dedicated
a 35-foot spruce to the people of
America Calvin Coolidge presided at
the first lighting ceremony, and each
succeeding President has carried on the
tradition. Millions of Americans are
thrilled each year when the news goes
out that the President has pressed the
switch to light the national Christmas
tree.
Actually, the President presses buzz
zer which serves as signal for an elec-
trician to throw the switch. The buzzer
failed to work for President Roosevelt
one year. Someone, realizing the diff
ficulty, shouted down manhole to the
man who throws the switch. The lights
went on with almost no delay, and it
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Arlington Assessments

May I be permitted to remark on the
fantastic and astounding operation Of
the Arlington Reassessment Board in
determining property values in the
county?
My house was new in 1924. Here Is
how it has been assessed and taxed:
1924-Land: $300-House: $3,750-
Tax: $44.55.
1925-Land: $300-House: $500
Tax: $50.
1s27-Land: $1,250-House: s6,250-
Tax: s66.
e32-33-Land: $1,250-House: $6,25o-
Tax: $780,
1e3s-4o-Land: $2,o5o-House: $500
Tax: $3.50.
1e46-Land: $2,o5o-House: $500
Tax: $9O60.
1947-48-Land and House: $8,250-
Tax: $107.25.
1950-Land and House: $8.250-
Tax: $11979.
1e51-Land $3.14o-House: $s,76o-
Tax: ? ??
Here is an old frame house. Its as
sessed value has jumped from $4,050
when 1t was new to $11 900 when it is
27 years old. The taxes in the same
period have moved up even more rap
idly. The land value was increased
and the house value lowered in 1938-40.
The land assessment has steadily in
creased, although it is a fixed principle
of appraising that residence land, as
distinguished from business land, re-
mains stationary in value until better
improvement is placed on 1t.
Old houses depreciate per cent to
per cent year, with an estimated
economic life of twenty-five years. No
depreciation whatsoever is indicated in
the gradual raise in assessments shown
above.
In estimating the value of old houses
based on cost of reproduction, and in
ignoring proper allowance for deprecia-
ton. the board has proceeded in man
ner entirely foreign to all theories.
principles and practices employed by
expert appraisers anywhere.
C. M. Mason.
Arlington.
The Arlington ReasSessment Board
says that a major accomplishment of
the board is the removal of many dis
PARTIES in tax valuation on like proper
ties. An unclaimed but very obvious
accomplishment of the board is the
imposition of hagrant injustices on a
major group Of property owners.
The tremendous proportions OF the
boost in assessed values, said to be so
per cent or 10 per cent above the last
assessment, while perhaps not a sur
prise to the County Board, has impelled
it to quickly attempt to appeaSe the
voters and taxpayers by suggesting that
there will be reduction in the tax rate.
The property owners would much pre-
Evening star., 1950-12-09
7rodinq With the Enemy

Whatever justification there may have been
in the past for maintaining trade relations with
Communist China, drastic change in policy
has become necessary as result OF Chlnese
entry in the Korean war. The Department OF
Commerce has just announced tighter export
controls on shipments to Red China. That tight
ening was needed is evident from disclosures
made by Chairman OConor of Senate Com
merce subcommittee. The inquiry has indicated
that substantial quantities of steel and rubber
products that possibly could be diverted to mill
tary purposes have been shipped to Communist
China since the start of the Korean war.
Senator O'Conor has charged that more than
10 million pounds of scrap rubber have gone to
the China mainland during the past five months
This rubber, in the form of old tires, is used
for making shoes. And shoes have definite mill
tary value Senator O'Conor pointed out that
shipments of scrap rubber jumped from 263,00O
pounds in July to 4,4 900 pounds in September
and about 5000 900 in October. ut seems per-
fectly evident" the Marylander said chat the
Communists would not bring all this rubber to
China, at great expense, unless they were finding
good use for it."
The time has come to consider something
more effective than Tightening of trade controls.
Formerly it was to our advantage to exchange
products with the Reds for we were getting
considerable quantities of strategic tungsten
from them But apparently the Russians have
cornered the Chinese tungsten supply IN recent
months, for shipments of tungsten have been
falling off sharply. About all we are receiving
from Red China now is hog bristles, animal hair
and feathers. These are useful to us, but not in
dispensable.
Commerce officials say that the new controls
can be drawn tighter at will-that, In fact, the
Evening star., 1950-12-09

machinery has been set up to enforce complete
embargo on trade with Communist China if that
final step becomes advisable. They point out
however, that an American embargo would mean
little to the Reds unless other Western nations
took similar action. Irrespective of the economic
effect of uniateral embargo an important
principle is involved-that of trading with the
enemy And surely there no longer can be any
doubt left that Red China is an open enemy of
this country.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Republicans and War

1t seems from Gould Lincoln's column
that the Republicans are ready to go to
war
These are men beside whom. because
of their spirit, I'd be glad to fght-but
under whom because of their logic, I
hope I never have to fight.
Murray III. Threadgiil, jr.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Letters to The Star

fer to have fair adjustments Of their
appraisals than to depend upon the
County Board to reduce rates. Super
intendent of Schools Early has already
told the Board that the actual assessed
valuation is 81 million higher than the
estimate given when the budget was
drafted, and that this will result in
substantial increase in school funds.
That is to say there should be no re-
duction in rates.
1t may be safe to conjecture that the
County Board will find use for all the
tax money that can be taken and that
If it reduces the rates at all the reduction
will be nominal, perhaps enough for
an attempted appeasement. But next
year another boost in the tax rate may
be anticipated, and the ridiculous as
sessments will be here to stay-at least
until they decide to boost them again.
M. E. Wilson.
Al:
Evening star., 1950-12-09
Questions and Answers

"A reader can get the answer to any question
OF fact by writing The Evening Star Information
Bureau: 1900 / street NV. Washington 5.
D. c. Please enclose three t3) cents for return
postage
Evening star., 1950-12-09

@. Are waves ever high enough to 60
over the top of Minot's Light in storm?
F. F. v.
A. Minot's Ledge Lighthouse, built on
a sunken reef five miles off the Massa-
chusetts coast, is 88 feet high. No waves
of 88 feet have been recorded, although
during a prolonged storm in the North
Atlantic in December 1922, waves over
10 feet high from trough to crest were
observed.
Evening star., 1950-12-09
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

Q. What was the physical appearance
Of the first Of the Pickwick Papers?-
c. D.
A. No. of the Posthumous Papers Of
the PickWick Club was a thin, green
paper-covered pamphlet.
Evening star., 1950-12-09

May I be permitted to remark on the
fantastic and astounding operation Of
the Arlington Reassessment Board in
determining property values in the
county?
My house was new in 1924 Here is
how it has been assessed and taxed: