davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-06-17
John and Son-ond Their Water Bill

pany again asked the Water Department
If the bill had been paid. The bill, said
the Water Department. had not been
paid.
On May IS, John called at the title
company to complete the sale of his
home. He was informed that the water
bill had not been paid. as far as the title
company could learn, despite assurance
from Sam that the bill had been paid.
John then telephoned the Water De-
partment, and was informed by a clerk
that Il amt got no record of it." John
thereupon sent a check to pay the bill
IN order to close the sale of the prop
erty, and obtained a receipt. Sam, his
brother, had received no receipt. The
situation was duly explained to the
Water Department
A week passed. AnoJner week passed.
Came June. Inquiries were made at
the Water Department. No records of
duplicate payment. But wheels were in
motion. In Florida Sam received form
from the Water Department, dated June
/, informing him that there had been
a duplicate payment of the water bill
There was enclosed a refund voucher
form, which Sam was asked to sign
and return to the Water Department
Instead Of doing this, Sam signed it
and sent it to John.
To be helpful, John sent it to the
Water Department, together with Mrs.
Sans Cancelled check-believing this
would simplify the repayment of the
duplicated bill. John. to be more help
full still. sent his own receipt for the
bill that he had paid. This, he believed,
was air-tight evidence.
Enter-chaoS!
John received letter from the Water
Department, which said: I'm all cases
where a Cancelled check is submitted as
evidence of payment in lieu of re-
ceipted water bill, the Auditor, D. c., re-
quires an Indemnity Agreement be signed
and submitted with the refund voucher.
1naSmuch as the refund voucher was
signed by Sam and the Cancelled check
shows the signature of Mrs. Sam a
signed Waiver of Claim form is required
to be submitted with the voucher also.
The refund voucher can be processed for
refunding duplicate payment of $19.53
on the basis of the receipted water bill
Evening star., 1950-06-17
This and That
Do you like to take pills?

Do you like to take pills?
1t is said the British people are the
greatest pill takers in the world, but
certainly they have nothing on us
Americans.
Tremendous sales of vitamin capsules
and tablets show this.
Millions upon millions of antihistamine
pills went down the capacious maws of
residents of the United States between
last November and May.
AS pill lovers. no people has ever
beaten us.
We stand foursquare on the human
right of self medication, no matter how
much the doctors snort.
When one adds aspirin tablets and
other pain killers to the list, the total
is staggering-for any people except us
tempestuous Americans.
We have long background.
In pioneer America, people were al
ways taking something"
Much Of it was sulphur and molasses.
sasSafraS tea. and SO on. If these medica-
tions did little good. they did small harm.
+
Unfortunately, Colonial Americans
took great deal of harsh medicine, too,
such as calomel. They used leeches to
draw blood. and were subject to cutting
and draining.
MoAtly they took herbs =
The Indians had shown them how. but
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Judge Almond Scott

| read with enthusiasm the article in
The Star about Judge Almond SCOTS
impending retirement 1t was a splendid
tribute to an able and faithful public
servant.
When Judge Scott leaves the bench our
judiciary will have sustained an irrepar-
able loss. Others may succeed him, but
none can ever take his place. His indi-
vidualism will survive far into the future.
A few years ago I spent hours and
hours in Judge SCOTS court in the role
OF spectator. was attracted there largely
by the judges charming and ingratiating
personality.
Judge Scott is a grand old man. He
Is man of quality, a man of infiexible
integrity and high morals. He deserves
neartlest congratulations on the dis
tlngulsned service he has rendered the
community over the years of his tenure
c. A. L.
Evening star., 1950-06-17
DR.. Whittemore's Monument

Few other men OF his time will have memo
rial to match that of DR.. Thomas Whittemore of
Harvard. Dying OF heart disease while on visit
to the State Department, he was 70 and the
major work of his career had been completed.
Yet he still was busy at the end of his days. The
great driving force which was his natural en-
dowment had not diminished in its power He
was q person of electric energy of mind and
body up to the last.
Byzantium was the watch word of Dr.
Whittemore's nfe-the older name of Constan-
tinople, now Istanbul. He came to his compelling
interest in the Eastern Empire by way of Egypt.
The tomb OF Osiris was one of his discoveries
But it was the peculiar, distinctive civilization
of the place where Europe and Asia meet on the
Bosporus that engaged his imagination particu-
larly. revolution brought him his most exciting
opportunity He convinced Kemal Ataturk that
the soiled gray plaster of the Mosque of St.
Sophia concealed wealth of antique beauty.
The dictator gave him permission to test his
theory on scaffold high above the floor of the
former Christian church. He proved his thesis
and the result was a revelation of ancient
artistry unexcelled anywhere at any date.
The Mohamedan aversion to portraiture had
hidden acres Of magnificent mosaics for nearly
500 years. DR.. Whittemore scraped away the
gray covering applied in 1883 and disclosed what
OF turkey. The task OF freeing the walls of
their veneer has not been finished, but enough
has been done to explain the traditional belief
that the great church" of SGT AID. was as
lovely as "a meadow with its flowers in full
bloom"
DR.. Whittemore will be remembered in con-
nection with st. Sophias as long as the vast
temple-moSque exists. It is his monument as
well as Constantine's and Justinians. There, as
perhaps nowhere else on earth, American archae-
ology has been demonstrated at its best and to
Its most convincing worth.
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Hubbub Is Hoqwosh'

1t is time someone answered such
stupid statements as contributor Andy
Larman had published in your paper
recently. His request to turn back the
top administrative position of the Post
Othce Department to the successful cam
paign manager is ridiculous. Does he
know that the top three men in the
Post Office have over 100 years of postal
knowledge? The public has never realized
the extent Of the services they receive
for such small cost.
All the hubbub about the recent cur
tailment Of service is lot of hogwash.
When anyone tells you he or she has
been seriously effected by the change,
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Reinforcing the Joint Chiefs

In your issue Of June 8, Constantine
Brown remarks that the three generals
on the Joint Chiefs of Staff were doubt
ful OF the stretegic value of Formosa un-
til they visited General Macarthur In
Tokyo Granting the correctness Of the
statement. it generates an interesting
train of thought.
Formosa has strategic value only be-
cause OF its position in relation to the
shores of Asia and the Pacific Islands,
That is, its value to us is q result of
maritime considerations; except as base
Tor maritime strategy it is of very re-
duced value alongside our other bases in
the Pacific. Maritime considerations and
strategy are the lifelong study of the
Navy and Marines. Yet for these factors
to receive consideration, the three gen.
erals of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff had to
ny to Tokyo to consult another general
Of the Army.
1t appears that the maritime interests
OF the nation do not have a very powerful
voice in our highest military council.
Perhaps that is the reason Mr.. Vinson
OF the House Armed Services Committee
has introduced bill to reinforce the
lone admiral representing United States
maritime knowledge and experience on
the Joint Chiefs with the Commandant
OF the Marine Corps.
Mr.. Vinson is aware that in de.
Lucrative policy councils, one lone voice
no matter how well reasoned, is often
crowned in the opposing chorus. The
single debator has no one to pick up the
thread OF the argument and carry it on
with fresh approach. There seem to be
quite valid grounds for reinforcing thu
lone representative Of our national mari
time interests with representation from
the only other service equally well-yersed
and interested.
In short we need Marine among the
Joint Chiefs!
Jay p. Shaw.
Evening star., 1950-06-17
The Case Is Not Closed

The special spy" grand jury in New York
mas thrown some additional light on the mys-
terlous Amerasia case, but its presentment in
Federal Court makes it plain that it would be a
mistake to mark the case closed yet. Reassuring
as its report naturally is to Senator Tydings and
others who have sought to belittle the wartime
case and to defend its handling by Federal prose
cutors it is important to remember that the grand
jurys investigation was necessarily hasty and
incomplete. The jury put it this way: TN the
time legally available to it, it the grand jury)
has not been able to conduct as exhaustive an
inquiry it would desire" That is why the
jurors recommended impaneling of another spe-
cial grand jury to continue espionage investiga-
tionS, including the Amerasia case, the foreman
explained
1t was obviously impossible to make thor
ough inquiry of the complicated Amerasia puzzle
In the two short weeks which the grand Jury
was able to devote to its study. Many of the
key figures involved in the investigation and
prosecution Of the case never appeared before
the Jurors Nevertheless, the groups failure to
find any evidence of irregularity in the han
ding of the prosecution is understandably graft
flying to Department of Justice officials and
former officials who had part in dropping the
espionage charges brought against Federal and
other alleged conSpiratorS.
marks about the Federal Bureau of Investigation
were based on more than the cursory inquiry into
the Amerasia case. This was the body which
indicted Judith Coplon, Valentin Gubitchev and,
more recently, William w. Remington. During
these investigations the panel became convinced
that "tn the Federal Bureau of Investigation the
Nation has one of the most potent agencies to
protect its security" The well-deserved tribute
is especially. timely, in view of the new arrests
made by the FBI as an outgrowth of it's investi-
CATION Of the Fuchs-Gold spy ring. And the
arrests give support to the iury's warning that
the Communist conspiracy poses a grave threat
to the Nations safety. The peril being as serious
as 1t is, there is for trying to minimize
it or for attempts to cover up past failures to
recognize the threat for what it is. And the
fact must be faced that until there is thor
ough investigation of the Amerasia affair the
public will not be satisfied that the FBI is receiv-
ing the official support that it needs to meet
the Red spy menace.
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Three Cheers for Mr.. West

A medal of some sort should be struck off
for Corporation Counsel Vernon West, who has
refused to issue warrants for the arrest of two
Washingtonians who tried to give away "illegal"
milk.
1t is not that this decision by Mr.. West, who
Is good lawyer and man of common sense is
80 remarkable in itself. 1t is about what one
would expect of him. But it is a decision which
stands in such marked contrast to the attitude
of Health Department officials that some special
notice should be taken of it.
A law passed in 1925 bars the sale of milk
in the District unless it comes from sources
licensed by the District Health Department. But
the Health Department says that If milk from
unlicensed daries cannot be sold in the District,
1t cannot be given away either. The health
othcer, If it were not for Mr.. West, would arrest
and prosecute any one giving away such milk,
and he Is keeping staff of his inspectors on
24-hour duty to prevent unlicensed milk from
coming into the District, whether on q sale or
give-away basis.
This, to paraphrase the Supreme Court, is
case of off1cialdom running riot OF course
milk that is unsafe or unwholesome should be
barred. But that is another matter. The Health
Department is trying to keep out milk that is
drunk by the people of Richmond, Baltimore and
other nearby communities without any i'll effect
FSAASSOAJ
being that it comes from dairies which have not
been licensed by our local officials.
If the people of Washington want this out
side milk while their normal sources of supply
are cut off, and if it is feasible to bring it here,
there is no good reason why that should not be
done. But if it is to be Sold the law of course,
will have to be changed. The House District
Committee, however, has postponed scheduled
hearing on that question.
The bill under consideration drafted by
Chairman Mcmillan, would allow the importa-
tion for sale in stores of bottled milk from out
side areas whose dairies are properly supervised.
This would be an emergency measure, to meet
the strike situation and it has been suggested
that the relaxation of the law should apply to
milk from any State which conforms to the
standards of the United States Public Health
Service.
1t is probable however, that an effort will
be made to open up the local market to outside
milk on a permanent basis Political pressure
may be able to prevent this or any other action.
But it is a matter which merits earnest con-
sideration. For there is no good reason why the
local market should be closed to safe milk from
other areas and if the local monopoly should be
broken up there would be much less chance of
another milk strike at some future date
Evening star., 1950-06-17
To Promote Atomic Troininq

Ever since Russia achieved an atomic explo-
sion of it's own last year, Britain, Canada and the
United StateS-partners in the wartime develop
ment of the A-bomb-have been acting through
their joint "declaSsif1cation' machinery to de-
termine what categories of restricted information
can be made public without running counter to
security requirements. Apparently the three
powers have now satisfied themselves that they
can safely release great mass of data whose
secret status has become pointless in view of
what is known about Soviet progress in the same
field.
This information, which is expected to be
published just as soon as our own and the British
and Canadian atomic authorities reach final
agreement on where it should begin and end,
will have to do chiefly with the makeup of low
power nuclear reactorS. Such reactors cannot
generate industrial energy or produce significant
quantities OF plutonium and uranium 235. Ac-
cordingly, lifting the wraps off them will reveal
nothing about A-weapons. Nevertheless, the re-
lease OF extensive data bearing upon them can
play decidedly important educational role in
the field of private enterprise in the
universities
AS matters stand, with the present degree of
secrecy the universities are seriously handicapped
in teaching nuclear science. Similarly except for
the limited group working on the project, our
industries are too much in the dark to educate
themselves in this field or contribute apprecably
to 1t. The projected release of information on
low-power reactors is needed to let in more light
and help build up adequate numbers of people
trained to take part in further atomic develop
ment. The sooner we have such training on
large scale, the better off we will be- After all,
though ignorance may be bliss, knowledge is
power.
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Unfoir to Railroads
Jay p. Shaw.

l was interested in the report of w. T.
Farley, president of the Association of
american Railroads. which appeared in
The Star recently. Is it not unfortunate
that the railroads have to pay taxes on
thousands of square miles Of right of
way. taxes which in some cases are used
by States to repair public highways bat
tered by mammoth trucks carrying ille-
gally heavy loads?
And is it fair that the airlines receive
more Government financial support for
about per cent of our mail carried
than the railways do for their approx
mately So per cent?
Robert Reid Morrison.
Hawthorne, Fla.
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Labor and Communism

1t has been stated that the shores of
time are Uttered with wrecks of labor
unions that went into politics. The first
unions of Great Britain, from which our
unions Sprang, never took sides in party
politics. The first labor unions organized
in this country were trade or craft
unions. They were founded on the same
principle as the early English unions,
and under the leadership of the late
Sam Gompers and his associates they
had the respect and good will of both
political parties and the general public.
The unions of that time followed and
practiced the rule that each union men,
ber should do the best work of which
he was capable, and receive the best
wages and living conditions that the
employer could afford and still make
reasonable profit on his investment; and
that this should be matter to be settled
by committee of the workers and the
employer, and no one else, not even the
Government, had a right to interfere.
Under this rule, both the employer and
the workers prospered for a long time.
But about 80 years ago there was
change in union management, which
might have been brought about by the
move toward communism in Russia. Any
way, it was just about that time when
many labor leaders stated that the prac-
tices Of the oldtime labor leaders were
out OF date, and that they, the new lead
ers. were going to get better wages and
living conditions by the help of the Gov
ernment.
They threw away a policy which had
been successful throughout the ages, in
favor OF policy which had always failed
and always will. Since that change in
policy has been in effect, we have had
sit down strikes, illegal picketing, general
strikes, disorder after disorder. which has
sometimes looked like civil war, and
through all this it would appear that it
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Strengthening the Hatch Act

If there are no objections to pending Hatch
Act amendments more substantial than those
expressed on the Senate floor last Thursday it is
hard to enviSion anything but eventual passage
OF this important legislation. Senator Stennis
OF Mississippi, speaking for the Senate conferees
made effective answers to the questions raised
by the critics of the measure
The principal points raised by few op-
ponentS were that the bill would give the Civil
Service Commission authority to nulify the
Hatch Act through imposition of light penalties,
that 1t would require the commission to submit
to Congress confidential civil service records and
that, instead of widening participation by Fed
eral employees in nearby municipal elections, it
might result in commission edict against any
participation whatever-even on a nonpartisan
basis.
AS Senator Stennis clearly pointed out how
ever such criticisms arise from miSreading
or misinterpretation of the bill. It is true that
one of the amendments would change the pres
ent Hatch Act so as to permit the Civil Service
Commission to assess penalties lighter than dis
missal. Under existing law the commission has
no alternative but to order the discharge of an
employe, even in cases of the most minor sort
Experience has shown that the rigid dismissal
provision has deferred department heads from
citing to the commission minor infractions of
N--> ~A~ FSAA0ANo
has had only limited enforcement The commits
sion therefore has urged that it be given dis
cretion to impose lesser penalties than dismissal
such as suSpenSion-in cases where leniency is
justified. This plan should make the Hatch Act
more effective than it has been in the past.
Senator Humphrey of Minnesota voiced fears
that one section would be sure to bring presi-
dental veto. This is clause requiring the
commission to make available to Congress- upon
request, records in each case brought under the
act. This provision, he charged is in conflict
with the traditional executive right of DENYING
Congress access to certain confidential records
"in the public interest" But Senator Stennis
explained that the conferees considered this
angle carefully and worded the provision so as
to require the production only of records "rele-
want" to Hatch Act charges He said the COM
mission would be the judge of what is relevant I"
The suggestion that the commission might
decide to cancel all political privileges of Federal
employees in nearby areas if partisanship were
permitted by the law is rather fantastic, to say
the least. 1t is inconceivable that the Ciyil
ServicS Commission, knowing that one of Ae
primary purposes of the bill is to permit greaS11Tf
Evening star., 1950-06-17

political activity by Government workers living
In nearby areas, would hout the will of Congress
by arbitrarily barring all participation.
The conferees' report makes out a convincing
case for passage of the legislation in its present
form. 1t already has the approval of the House
The Senate will be voting for better, stronger
Hatch Act If 1t follows the House example when
the final vote comes next Wednesday
Evening star., 1950-06-17

made diligent search for it. Mrs. Sam
does not believe in signing a statement
that is not true.
John, when last seen, was staring out
Of window. mumbling to himself.
Undoubtedly there is some explana-
ton for all this. But the Water De-
partment still has the duplicated pay
ments for the water bill. And the Dis
trict Government is richer by $l9.53
than it has any right to be.
DISGUSTED.
Evening star., 1950-06-17
BY THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

@. What is the story about Mahomet
and the mountain? %. r. @.
A. Mahomet made the people believe
that he would call o hill to him, and
from the top Of it offer up his prayers
for the observers Of his law. The people
assembled; Mahomet called the hill to
come to him, again and again; and
when the hill stood still, he was never
a whit abashed. but said. IF the hill will
not come to Mahomet. Mahomet will 60
to the hill"
Evening star., 1950-06-17

just ask them how? There are bugs" of
course, such as fringe areas where
carrier had trip that was partly resi-
dental and partly business, but you can
rest assured these wrinkles will be ironed
out. But to lambast an executive for
greater efficiency and saving you money Is
idiotic, in my humble estimation.
25-Year Postal Employe.
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Questions and Answers

The stars readers can get the answer 70
any question Of fact By either writing The
NV. Washington s. D. G., and inclosinE cents
return postage. or b. telephoninE ST. 5000,
Extension 366
Evening star., 1950-06-17
To the Editor of The Stor:

WHY do taxpayers go insane? Why
w do strong men commit suicide?
Why does local government cost so
much?
These are fair questions They de-
serve an honest answer. The answer.
given below, is an honest answer.
John" owned a house He rented
it TO Sam" his brother. Mrs. Sam, his
Evening star., 1950-06-17
Q. Where were rockets invented?

w. 7. N.
A. The rocket was probably invented
in China, and description Of an object
resembling q rocket has been found in
work Of the year 1882. No earlier ref
erences are known. In Europe there is
mention Of rockets In the City Chronicle
Of Cologne Of 1888. Arabs OF the same
period knew Of them and called them
Chinese arrows"
Evening star., 1950-06-17

@. Is there any objection to q mothers
$. o. r.
A. The mother of the bride-to-be does
not give q shower for her daughter, nor
does any member Of the immediate
family. Showers are usually given in
the house of the brides best friend. and
since each guest is supposed to bring q
gift. only intimate friends should be
asked.
Evening star., 1950-06-17

@. Is space empty2 O. U.
A. Astronomers now believe that So
called empty" space Is actually filled
with unRelievebaly large quantities oe
cosmic Gust and gas.