davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-02-01
Best Hope for Peace

The President has made both the right
and the inevitable decision on the hydro
gen bomb.
For many people, the determination to
70 into the production of this new and
vastly more destructive weapon points
only to a somber future. But in the grim
competition for arms supremacy, we can
not stand aside The nation which allows
itself to be passed In this race is doomed
nation.
We have tried in good faith and by every
means to work out an agreement whereby
ornaments could be limited with safety
for all That effort has cracked up on the
rock of Russian obstinacy and dupnclty.
There is no hope of dependable agreement
with the Russians. They will not even
make and keep an agreement to permit
the flow of traffic in and out of Berlin.
Certainly we cannot rely on their good
faith in a matter which involves our lives
and our liberty.
So we must establish our own security.
This is not to be found in weakness or
even in relative weakness Never in his
tory has military inferiority proved to be
the key to- security. 1t may be said that
arms races have been equally unavaihag,
That, however, is not quite true. His
torically, aggressors have struck in the
belief that they have achieved SUPERIOR
ity in arms which promises a quick and
not too costly victory.
AggressorS have miscalculated in the past
and they may niscaeulate again. But
that Is no argument for inviting them to
march. The hydrogen bomb and other
deadly weapons in process of development
may yet, in an inverse sort of way, prove to
be the real key to peace. Perhaps they will
make war so terrible and so costly that
the would-be aggressor, faced with the
certainty Of swift and ghastly retaliation,
will never take the fatal step. At any
rate, in the present state of the world
that looks like the best hope for peace.
child can see that there is no safety in
weakness. So let us be as strong as our
resources will permit, and let us hope
that this. all else failing, will serve to keep
the peace
Evening star., 1950-02-01
A Proposal for Founding
A Medical West Point

To the Editor Of The Star:
To provide for the common defense" we
have established academies at West Point
and Annapolis for the training of naval and
military officers.
To provide for the general welfare" why
not establish a United States Medical
Academy for the training Of Government
doctors. with selection for entrance to be
made on the same basis as now prevails for
West Point and Annapolis?
Upon graduation, the doctors would be
subject to Government service for the same
period of years that is now required of West
Point and Annapolis graduates. This would
insure supply of doctors for assignment
by the Government to sections of the coun-
try now without sufficient medical protec-
ton. and also in the clinics in oyercrowded
areas. Also, number each year could be
assigned to the defense agencies which are
unable to fill their requirements even in
peace times.
The establishment of such an academy
would provide the Government with suff-
cient doctors to help protect the health of
the people at all times. It would also relieve
the pressure on private doctors and do away
with the cry I'VE do not have sufficient
doctors" Free medical care for all is not
the answer. as Great Britain is finding out.
Protection for the weak. with freedom of
choice for the strong, is the American way.
A. M. C.
Evening star., 1950-02-01
Housing Restricts Defense

TheADefense Departments annual report
confirms Governor Gruening,s charges
That ou Alaskan outpost against aggres-
sion IS dangerously weak. The weakness
results mot from any underestimation of
the defense needs in that vital sector but
from la ck Of housing. The simple fact is
that tn ere are not enough houses-or
even enough shacks of the type which
troops have improvised- accommodate
the mini mum troop strength deemed es-
sential fdr' 'peacetime guard duty in Alaska.
Secrett.y Johnson warned in his first
report that we must be prepared for an
attack tfrom Eurasia that could come
without warning and with unpredictable
FURY" Ba 'the report of Secretary of the
Army Cray contained in the same volume
discloses Hhat we are far from prepared
for calculated risks in the Aleutian region,
which we'll might be the pathway for
sudden aerial strike at the United States
The ARMY 1T was revealed, has activated
the Fourtk 4Infantry Regimental Combat
Team and three additional antiaircraft
sbattalions,. for duty In Alaska, but has
| never been able. to send them there be-
cause of tthe. deplorable lack of shelter
AoA 1iOOktSf dliu tllclF 1dlIlllleS. On June JU,
1s49, the only major tactical units the
Army had on watch in Alaska were a
battaliontof the Fourth Infantry Regimen
tai Team ldaplacing an infantry battalion
which wastreturned to the States last year,
and one in,tiaircraft battalion.
The Air1gerce is similarly handicapped
in buildirig' up it's Alaskan defenses. Air
Force Sec retary Symington, in his section
of the repp1t, describes the Air Force hous-
ing problem as desperate" Last fall the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, after a personal
inspection .d'f conditions in Alaska, told
Defense see4etary Johnson that the STU
alton was f"criucal"2 General Bradley
pointed outl that our military strength
there is conirolled not by military con-
siderations butt by availability of housing.
The militarytestablishm urged Congress
last year td appropriate minimum of
$l37. .oo0, 900 tpr housing and other public
works in the territory, but, despite the
adiectives used by military authorities to
focus attention on the problem, the ap-
preparation s4as cut to $s6,0000oo. Some
headway has been made with this fund,
i but vast amount Of construction remains
to be done-aaads it is estimated that at
h least $40, ,O0o, ,oOt additional will be required
L to meet nininlnp housing needs. Respon-
\ sibility for thsI aad state Of our defenses
Evening star., 1950-02-01
Again Repeats His Faith
In Legislation Against Prejud;c.

To the Editor Of The Star:
The Star consistently has opposed FEPC
legislation. 1t labels 1t bad law" because it
cannot be enforced in Mississippi or. Georgia
or because it will lead to 'unconscionable
abuses
But upon what evidence does The Star
base it's fears? Is it because the Volstead
Act and anti-gambling laws have failed?
In fact, in almost every experiment with
fair employment laws, even when the laws
have teeth" the results have been surpris-
ingly good In New York State no employer
ever had to go to jail for failing to obey the
fair employment ordinance. During the war
years different racial groups worked side by
side when importuned by action of the
FEPC.
Very few individuals ever resign jobs be-
cause of being forced to work alongside
Catholics Jews or Negroes. There were
those who had unconscionable fears that
great violence would result II unsegregated
transportation were forced by law. Yet,
people now are riding without Jim-Crow In
interstate travel throughout the South
without friction. and the Virginia Legisla-
ture is making a bid 10 do away with all
intra-State Jim-Crow.
1t is the opinion Of many that legislation
can become effective education against
prejudice Many employers would welcome
an FEPC. A few labor groups, now mo-
nopolizing the labor market, naturally
would resent such law.
We need more legislation aimed at racial
and religious hatredS and more court de-
cisions Ia support Of our fundamental civil
rights legislation. e. B. HENDERSON.
Falls Church, Va.
Evening star., 1950-02-01
LetterS\to The Star

Physician Reports
Case Of Double Taxation -
To the Editor Of The Star:
read with interest your first page article,
on January 26, regarding the possibility Of
the city personal property tax's being abod-
ished. J
The stories of the way that the tax works
as told to the Commissioners by Assessor
Edward A. Dent, and the way it actually
works according to the members of the
Personal Property Tax Board are entirely
different. Mr.. Dent states: Some report
on the basis of reproduction cost new, retail
second hand value, forced or auction sale
values or insured value" The Board re-
ports that the law states that the assess
ment is on a replacement valuation, lie.
Twenty-Five years ago you bought piano
for 5000, today its replacement would cost
$500, therefore your tax assessment on it
should be $500. Mr.. Dent implies that the
Board accepts whatever the property owner
declares is the value of the property. But
this Is not true, as we real estate owners
know. About two years ago the Board arbi-
trariy set up scale Of personal property
assessments graduated in accordance with
the value Of the improvements (house, etc.
on a piece of property.
am a physician with my Office in my
own home. Naturally I filed declaration
of the value of my Office equipment, as well
as that on my personal property in my home
In due course Of time received my personal
property tax assessment. 1t was twice what
had expected it to be. then visited the
District Building and conferred with the lady
member Of the Board. She explained to me
how the slicing assessment scale was grad
uated to the value of Improvements on the
ground. I replied that the Board had as
sessed my personal property in relation to
the assessment on the house itself, and then
on top Of that they assessed me for my
office equipment as well. In other words,
this is double taxation. paid one personal
property tax based on the building my Of
flee was located in, and then on the equip
ment itself. Her reply was caustic, "Oh!
Well. doctors have better furniture than any
one elSe!"
On my return home, discussed the mat
ter with my wife, A plumber, who happened
to be working in the house at the time,
overheard the conversation He commented,
"They should see the antiques in my house!"
We hear lot about discrimination these
days. I know how it feels.
A PRACTICING PHYSICIAN.
Evening star., 1950-02-01
Efficiency Rotinq Reform

Although there are differing viewpoints
as to details, nearly everybody seems to
be agreed on the advisability of changing
employees efficiency. This was subject
discussed at length in the Hoover task force
report on Federal personnel management.
Congress gave attention to the problem in
debating salary and reclassiacation legis-
lation last year. And now the Civil Service
Commission Is backing a sweeping reform
in eficiency-rating procedures.
The Hoover Commission found many
things wrong with the present system,
under which employees are catalogued as
| excellent" every good" good" "fair" or
I unsatisfactory" For one thing, 1t dis
|! covered that the "fair" and "unsatisfac-
tory" ratings are RARELY used-in several
agencies not at all. The commission was
not convinced that this was because the
higher ratings were justified in all the
cases In which it was awarded. Rather,
the investigators said, 1t was because some
supervisors were reluctant to give an en-
ploye rating that would be tantamount
to ordering demotion or dismissal In some
cases, the commission felt, the efficiency
of an employe could be improved by "nor-
NAL" employer -employe consultations that
are not feasible under the rigid methods
prescribed by existing law.
The Hoover Commission recommended
that summary ratings" be abolished in
favor of more elastic system of evaluating
an employees performance and progress.
Coupled with this recommendation was
the suggestion that supervisors be required
to have a personal, confidential discus
sion" of the rating with each employe,
reviewing his good points and his weak
nesseS and advising him how a higher
rating could be earned.
Ine Civil Service Commission apparently
agrees with the Hoover group that greater
discretion should be given the supervisor
IN assessing the work of his EMPLOYEES.
subject, OF course, to standards laid down
by the commission. This whole question
Is likely to be debated from both the en-
ploye's and the supervisors angles at forth
coming hearings at the Capitol. Arriving
at solution mutually satisfactory to both
sides will not be easy
Evening star., 1950-02-01
The President and the Low

1t seems to The Star that the President
has made a bad mistake in by-passing the
Taft-Hartley Act to intervene in the coal
dispute.
In his communication to John L. Lewis
and the coal operators, Mr.. Truman re-
trains from saying that a national emer-
gency exists What he says Is that ~the
Government can no longer stand by and
perrnit the continuance of conditions
which have now come to have such a
serious effect upon the public interest" !"
That falls short OF proclaiming national
emergency. But If the effect of the coal
shortage upon the public interest is serious
enough to justify appointment of presi-
DENTAL faet-fnding board, it is serious
enough to justify resort to the Taft
Hartley Act. And that is the course
MIR. Truman should have taken. He has
said repeatedly that he would not hesitate
to invoke the law If an emergency arose.
At O. press conference on November II
he said that he would not resort to the
fact-finding procedure followed in the
steel case. What has brought about the
change of heart?
It is difficult TO avoid the conclusion that
the President, having joined with his labor
allies in a phony political attack on the
Taft-Hart1ey Act, is willing to risk injury
to the national interest rather than use
the powers conferred upon him by the
law. Perhaps such a conclusion is unjusti-
fed in view OF MIR. Truman's irlsistence
that he would use the emergency powers
contained in the law when the time ar
riyes. But 1t is hard to see what he
expects to accomplish, in the public inter-
est, by setting up presidential board.
In the first place, a suit has been filed
under the Taft-Hartley law which accuses
Mr.. Lewis of refusing to bargain in good
faith with the operators. This is based
on the contention that he is trying to
compel the operators to sign an illegal
contract. That case is pending in the
courts. Therefore, how is presidential
fact-fnding board, if one is finally ap-
pointed, going to deal with those issues?
is it'going to recommend a settlement on
basis which the general counsel of the
Labor Board says is illegal? Would
not any such settlement, dictated by
White House pressure, amount to an inter
ference with a matter that is now before
the courts? !.
Furthermore, Mr. Lewis has a contempt
for fact-fnding boards. The President
appointed a. fact-finding board in 1913
under the law. Mr.. Lewis ignored, the
board when it called upon him for testi-
naony, and II that board had not had
authority under the law to compel the
appearance of witnesses and the produc-
tion OF books and records.ait would have
gotten nowhere.
Is It probable that Mr.. Lewis win be
more Standardization presidential boaAd,
which win not have subpoena powers? An
important matter In dispute, for instance,
is Mr.. Lewis, alleged mismanagemenf OF
the union welfare fund, for which he gnoF
Evening star., 1950-02-01
BY THESHAsKIN SERVICE

O. Which are khe 10 largest colleges In
the United Statesa-V. A. N. -
A. The 10 instftutions with the largest
enrolment are: New York University, UNI
versity of California. the City College Of
New York, Columbia University, University
OF Minnesota, University of Illinois. North
western University, Ohio State University.
Indiana University land the University Of
Wisconsin.
. 9; What does the name F0rmosa mean'--
A. This name is said to have been given
to the island by Portuguese navigators Of
the 10th century who, upon seeing 1t, exc
claimed "nha formosa beautiful islandD.
The Chinese and JapaniGse call 1t Taiwa11.
Q. Do farmers regard the mink snake a.
q pest?--B. o. r.
A. Like many other snakes, the milk snake
is helpful to farmers beea use 1t kills rats
and mice that infest barnsI The belief that
a milk snake takes milk from cows Is entirely
without foundation although 1t might drink
milk from a pail, mistakings it for water.
@. How can the average person judge the
value of diamond?-C. T. II
A. Brilliance is one of the Factors that dee
termine the beauty and price Aof q diamond.
Color and the possible existence Of flaws
or imperfections are highly Important. Since
two diamonds of the same Weight and stand
ard So facets can vary in biilliance and
value because of differenc. in lcutting, only
an expert is competent to judse the value
of q particular stone. (
@. How many families in Nhe United
States have yearly incomes of less than
$2,000?-G. C. H. ..,
A. The number Is 100000 and repre-
sents almost one-third of all the Sanilies In
this country
Evening star., 1950-02-01
This and That
By.Charies E, TraceweH


In quiet corner of quiet community
nVeo little boy and his dog Toady. The
poy did not know it. but he lived an idyllic
me. and SO did his dog. They played to-
gether and never knew hand against them.
The world was theirs, and they loved It.
One night all this changed. The bow went
TO his little white bed, as usual. and the
dog sought his usual place by the fence.
Then the thing that threatens us all en-
tered the scene. IN
1t was crime.
Somehow crime always is just across the
city, or around the corner, or even next door.
but not at ones own home.
Crime has way, among well-bred peopIe
Oh always being some place else.
This night. crime struck home.
In the morning, when the boy went to
nnd his playmate, he found him stiff and
dead by the fence
Durlng the night, crime had come upon
tne scene. and had offered the dog q piece
OF fresh meat. No
How was the dog to know enough not to
eat it? w
The little boy wept, and went indoors tn
eat his breakfast.
The tears rolled down his cheeks into his
cereal bowl. ''o '-''
His parents did not know what to do or
say to comfort him.
HOW can any one comfort little boy sor-
rowing over his lost dog?
II y Il
Time Will DO it. Of course, but only in
"neS own slow and peculiar way.
Inc Gays Will pass and be forgotten with
the rest; the springs and summers will come
xryf1I 1n
winter and baseball all the rest ofa'the time.
The years win go by, the little bov will
grow up and someday have little boy of
his own wv -
And that little boy will have dog. And
his daddy will say, "Once had a little dog
named Toady-" and so old Toady viii
i've again, and the little boy who was will
nave learned precious lesson, that we can
cnrn bad things into good things, IL we are
determined to do so.
** 81 II
Crime is all around us. not just in quiet
corner by a fence
1t reaches its foul hand into our pockets
and into our very lives, and we are all to
blame, because we do not become indignant
enough to repel 1t.
II it happens across the city, or a few
blocks away, we all too smugly try to forget
it. That is what crime wants us to do. It
asks nothing better-for the time being.
Are we our brothers keeper?
So long as the evil shadow of crime, with
its robberies. holdups. rapes, murders, stays
away from our door. we ask nothing more.
and are willing to overlook too much.
\ 4
Washington has become a great city at
last. We have grown up, as they say, but
we have forgotten that we. as citizens, must
grow up, too, if we wish to change the
unfortunate aspects of the picture
It no longer will do to say. "Oh, let the
police handle it,"
It is up to every one. to every element
OF society. to keep looking around, TO check
up. TO become suspicious of the hand In the
night. to be indignant. to wax wrathful.
From small crimes. great ones grow.
This is the crime story. II is not just the
story OF some odd people across town.
It is your story, told In quiet corner OF
q quiet community. your very own.
What are you going to do about it?
Evening star., 1950-02-01

Indorses Suggestion
For Naming Bridge for Mr.. Bergman
To the Editor of The Star:
In The Star of Wednesday, January 25,
Mrs. M. Walker suggests naming South
Capitol Street Bridge for Clifford Bergman,
the cartoonist of The Star.
l also suggest that MIR. Bergman be SO
honored
He was one of the best men I ever met.
EDNA II. TUNE.
Evening star., 1950-02-01

demands more money. What chance is
there that he would voluntarily let presi-
Dental board go into that matter?
OF course, Mr.. Lewis, or the operators,
or both, may rejectithe Presidents, request,
ana in that event he would have to fall
back on the Taft-Hartley law. But a
Pre- Eident should not be in the position
of applying the law only when he is, forced
totk1o so. s.
Evening star., 1950-02-01

teacher. A man of deep conviction, he is
persuasive as a writer, inspiring as a speaker
and always genuine as friend. With him
knowledge has become wisdom and study
has become action and character
In the scientific investigation of nation
aliSm, that strange phenomenon Of modern
times, he was pioneer. He looked at it in
ts1e light OF history, he described dts symp-
TOMS, he pointed out it's phases. Because
ofEhis teaching, the historian is better able
to cEee something less than unpredictable
chaos in what We have gone through.
Insfhese days when efforts are being made
to RECRUIT teachers among our youth, a dis
tinct H1arvice is performed by pointing to
careers such as that of Professor Hayes.
Back ofs him is almost half century of
distinguished teaching authorship and pub
lie service. Ahead Of him, in his beloved
Alton, are those years Of greater leisure
where he will continue to write with that
understanding. vigor and conviction which
today, more8than ever still are his.
Could anyfGouth seeking profession ask
for more? NELMER LOUIS KAYSER.
Dean of University Students, George
Washington University.
Evening star., 1950-02-01
Proved

So the br1De neto tDenpon's bent,
Blunted ere the foe is met, e@
Nice edge nicked and temper spega
Cast 1t By wtthout regret;
Drow once more the honsely blade.
Thin-dbraded, get of steel "A
In far jiercer flames GssGyed
Than more glittering stoords tyssneuI;
With the crucial charge at stake,
Trust an elder saDordsnaith's skM:
Weld it speu-and If It break, ~
KnoU the loss is HedDen's Wiui
HAROLD WILLARD GLEASON.
Evening star., 1950-02-01

One-tenth of the population is mentally
afllicted, says Yale professor. Which,
however, will not deter the opposition's
spelloinder this fall from hailing their
intelligent faces.
Evening star., 1950-02-01

Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address ot the
,oriter, although 1t is permissible for
sortter knoa1n to The Star to use
a NON, de plume Please be briet.
Evening star., 1950-02-01

Iaklng the odor out of paint, by a
wonderful new process, is expected to make
Tor much jolly confusion, as the unwarned
citizen proceeds to sit, recline or back into
same,
Evening star., 1950-02-01

in Alaska can be traced largely to made
quate housing appropriations. Congress
should keep this fact in mind in weighing
the urgency of additional appropriations
for housing troops of the Alaskan COM
mand.
Evening star., 1950-02-01

Our thoughts and fond wishes are with
the seven free souls setting out in a small
boat from Charleston, S. c., in search of
spot devoid of the conveniences and other
annoyances of civilization
Evening star., 1950-02-01
Favors American Composers Td1Write
SeSQuicentennial Music

We hear to our surprise that Paul Green
has invited Jan Sibelius to compose an over
ture to the symphonic drama heA viii write
Tor our Washington sesquicentehn{al cele-
oratlon. Why go so far afield for the music
OF strictly American celebration? Z quote
from Alice Eversman's article on this s,,b-
ject: "The theme Of the SesouicenApnnial
goes back to the formative years OF our
country The music Of that period and its
progressive development during the century
was OF very special kind II it lis to cor
rooorate, so to speak, the drama Mr.. Giseen
is writing it should bear every eyidenceAss
the soil from which it sprang."
We certainly have enough American corn
posers who would be equal to this welconae
task ANITA crryADE \