Evening star., 1950-03-13
1t May Cost You Fifty Cents, But
1t Isn't Necessarily Un-American

IL May Cost You Fifty Cents, But
1t Isn't Necessarily Un-American
Because person goes to one or two
Communist meetings doesn't make him
un-American.
once attended meeting at which q
woman talked, who claimed to be an
honorary member of the Chetniks, q
Balkan group. She was dressed in what
she said was Chetnik uniform and was
both attractive and persuasive. She
talked me out of so cents, and just after
I had dropped it in the box, she said,
"The Chetniks are the most democratic
OF all foreign groups, very like Ameri-
cans. Should anyone betray Chetnik
he takes the matter into his own hands"
And she pa.Ged the long, sharp, double
edged knife which was fastened to her
belt. She had allowed us to examine this
knife. Now I realized what 1t was for,
and how wished for my money back
To this day do not know whether
gave SO cents to help a Communist
group, a Fascist group, or plain gang of
rascals. However, I will not admit to
being un-American. AS long as we allow
freedom Of speech we will necessarily
allow freedom of listening. And anyone
with natural American curiosity is bound
to listen to the wrong fellow sometime.
Many who are being branded Commu-
nists are just Block-Heads. To me a
Block-Head is one who never learns by
experience. He clings, stubborn as death,
to any idea he has once sponsored He
just can't let go because he won't admit
that he ever was wrong. This stubborn
ness he mistakes for loyalty.
LAURA X. POLLOCK.
Senator Humphreys Case
Against the Byrd Committee
I noted with particular interest your
editorial of Monday, February 81, and
would like to take this opportunity to
present some of the factual information
connected with the Joint Committee on
Reduction of Non Essential Federal Ex-
penditures.
The gist of your editorial was that
the Byrd Committee is valuable pub
licity medium" and as such Is needed.
I would urge you to consider, however,
that the facts which it has publicized
for the past two years are facts deal
ing with personnel statistics-facts pub
lished monthly by the Civil Service Com
mission and facts published semiannu-
ally by the Senate Committee on Ex-
penditures in the Executive Departments.
I accept the need for publicity as regards
personnel statistics, but there is no
Justification to maintain two legislative
staffs in addition to personnel In the
Civil Service Commission and the Bureau
of the Budget, all performing exactly
the same function. Such a practice is
far from economy, but Is in fact dupli-
cation and waste. For example, this
week the Senate Committee on Expen-
ditures in the Executive Departments Is
filing comprehensive report provldlng
all the information currently being tabu-
lated, printed and distributed by the
Byrd Committee.
am taking particular exception to
your editorial implication that regard
economy in government as "old-fash-
ioned and unnecessary" My record Of
public service as mayor of large city
and in the Senate of the United States
has been one of consistently being in
favor Of increased Government efficiency
and economy. True economy in govern
ment, however, cannot be achieved by
press releases, editorials or political vim
dictiveness. Nor can true economy result
from curtailment of services vital to the
health. welfare and safety of the Ameri-
can people.
True economy can result from in
creased efficiency. That is the reason
why have been one of the champions
of the Hoover Commission recommenda-
tions. What the Hoover Commission rec