davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-12-13
That Number Is Metropolitan 1852
By George Kennedy

VOU WANT to give. When an ap-
l. pealing beggar on the street corner
asks for money, the move to the pocket
or pocketbook Is an almost automatic
reflex.
Better Judgment may stop the hand
on its way to the purse. Private charity.
especially the appeal on the street, has
its drawbacks. But you wanted to give.
It's human nature. It's important to
the salvation Of the soul. The one who
gives, lives anew. He can bear to die.
The Moslems have proverb that
explains it: Prayer carries us halfway
to God-fasting brings us to the door of
heaven-giving gains us admission"
The Oriental beggar may have more
money than many of the almsgivers. But
that is not important in the East. The
important thing is the giving.
Our rational Western society cannot
accept the idea that what happens to
the aims Is not important. That Is why
we have the Community Chest. Your
giving has been rationalized.
Perhaps you think it has been too
rationalized That's not important. The
important thing is that good use of the
money you give has been assured. And
you are being given an opportunity to
give.
In this process, however, something
has come between the heart and the
purse. This is inevitable. You do not see
the face of the recipient. It's not that
you want thanks. It's probably that you
want instinctively to give in the old
fashioned way, even though your brain
tells you that an organization like the
Chest is the only sensible answer to
the problem today.
At any rate, the fact is that there Is
resistance to giving nowadays. Perhaps
1t Is due in part to two erroneous ideas.
One is the idea that today the Govern
ment takes care of all distress The
other is the idea that, in this period of
full employment, only the unworthy are
in need.
The late Newton D. Baker, the great
man who was Secretary of War during
the first great world conflict, had
premonition about these misconceptions.
He told about it at the national OPEN
ing ceremony of the Community Chests
drives of 1884.
He was disturbed by Government
participation in so many things that
used to be left to private charity. What
bothered him most was the potential
effect on public giving-the possibility
that some day there might be a public
that did not realise that 1t had to give
to save its soul.
This reporter, who has covered
charity drives again and again since
World War I. would like to testify right
here that public contributions today arc
used better than ever before.
In the early 1920s, the Buffalo Eve
ming News. my hometown paper, was
one of the many papers that followed
the lead Of the New York Times Christ
mas campaign for the 100 Neediest
Families.
Evening star., 1950-12-13
BY Charles &. TroceweN
HI. Reese Fuller.

against the side of a brick house run
ming along one whole side of the court.
Not one of the innocent wielders of
the racket ever thought that the inces-
SAINT rap, rap, rap of the ball might
annoy the householders.
X
One of the older members, later to
become famous in the annals of his
country, was very particular about the
court.
He wanted every small stone and peb-
BILE removed, said job falling auto
matically to the younger members.
One Of the small fry (they weren't
called that, them somewhat resented
the opportunities of the older.
Such fuss over few small pebbles,
he thought, somewhat out of line. (They
had no such expression, then; he
thought the man "fnicky," he said)
Being a wag by nature, the small boy
brought a magnifying glass along with
him, and when the elder protested the
finding of few pebbles the small one
knew what to do.
Pulling out his glass, he got down on
hands and knees and in the best Sher-
lock Holmes manner rapidly went over
the court.
Even the finicky fellow had to laugh.
Folks had lot of fun in the old days.
Evening star., 1950-12-13

The boys stood around openmouthed
with wonder.
To have such posts would not only
solve the problem, it would give them
something to be proud about.
THE tennis court with the biggest
posts
1t was something to think about, even
dream about, if that had been necessary,
but it wasn't. All that was necessary was
for their most influential member to say
the word
He said it the next day, and before
long there came a truck, horse drawn,
loaded down with gigantic posts, old
telephone poles now going into new
service.
Perhaps some reader remembers that
tennis court, and its swarm of happy
youngsters behind the big poles.
Small boys took to tennis, then, much
as they do to football and baseball
today
They had more opportunity to play
the game, and somehow there seemed
more general interest in it, since it
could be neighborhood affair.
The smaller members of the elephant
court contented themselves with a ten
mis- of their own making.
This consisted of batting the ball
Evening star., 1950-12-13
Sugars Not the Couse

An article appearing in The Star on
September s. headlined, High Amount
of Sugar in Blood Found in Four Major
Diseases created the unfortunate
impression that sugar may be a causa-
tive factor in cancer, rheumatic fever,
tuberculosis and arthritis.
The news abstract of the original
paper presented at the American Chem
ical Society meeting in Chicago was
concerned with a color test to detect
the presence of the chemical in the
bloodstream which might be common
denominator in these four diseases It
is an incidental by-product. In an effort
to simplify a very sensitive chemical
procedure for determining the common
denominator in these diseases, the story
was oversimplified and the emphasis
misplaced.
Neil Kelly,
Sugar Information. Inc.
New York, NY.
Evening star., 1950-12-13

We campaigned for so families. I
remember one especially. An Italian
laborer Of 40 had ruptured himself on a
construction job. That had been in the
summer. BY December his wife was los
ing the battle of taking care of nine
children, all under is, by taking in
washing.
We raised about $100 for that family
something to tide them over. Tide
them over to what?
We talked about that in the city
room. It was too bad the public did not
feel like giving every month in the
year, because that was what that family
and others needed-year round help.
Today, under the Chest, that family
would not merely be helped temporarily.
They would be helped out of trouble.
There was another standard Christ
mas story in that era. Organizations
would pack Christmas baskets for the
poor. The newspapers would be asked to
..end reporter and photographer to
cover the arrival of a basket at the
home Of particularly pathetically poor
family.
The kids would really give for the
photographer when they saw all that
food-a ham or turkey. and lot Of
timed goods. Their happiness would
decorate page one.
It left bad taste in our mouths. We
always wondered what the situation was
going to be two weeks after Christmas.
We used to talk about that in the city
room too.
This Community Chest giving is
basket-a better kind of basket than the
old kind. Your contribution should not
be the equal Of any other you make. It
Evening star., 1950-12-13
Letters to The Star

companies. rather than the big and
firmly established companies. Third, by
removing the profit incentive of good
management. 1t discourages private in
vestment, thus putting much larger
financial load on the Federal treasury.
Fourth, it encourages wastefulness and
extravaganza by those who say 'the tax
collector will get 1t anyhow" And fifth.
no matter how carefully the tax bill Is
written, it results in inequities that result
in litigation for years afterward.
We had an excess profits tax in 1917
and 1918, but it was many years before
the controversies arising under 1t were
adjudicated. We tried it again in World
War II. and the majority of the cases
are still unsettled.
Let us concede that our Government
requires greatly increased funds for its
expanded defense program. But at the
same time. let the necessary taxes be
imposed in such a way as to encourage
good work and good management, rather
than to discourage them.
agree Fundamentally that no corpo-
ration or individual should be allowed
to charge the Government prices that
will produce an excessive profit. But
such profits, where they exist, can be
siphoned off in a simple. equitable, and
comparatively easy manner through re-
negotiation of Federal contracts. 1t is
not necessary to penaliZe all industry
to get at few.
The Government, in its tax plan,
should give every taxpayer the incentive
to obtain the LARGEST possible gross in
come-with full knowledge, of course,
that the Governm ent is going to take
large slice Of it, Such a result would be
achieved. and many tax controversies
eliminated, under the incentive tax plan
which I and a number of others have
advocated for several years. Briefly its
features are: Cd income taxed as in
come, whether received by an individual.
partnership or corporation; (2) exemp-
tions as high as possible, in order to
leave spendable income in the taxpay-
ers' hands; 90 a graduated rate struc-
ture rising to maximum so per cent
at $4,000; a. double taxation elini-
mated, such as the double tax on divi-
dends and the tax on undistributed
surplus.
1t will be noted that this plan would
raise the maximum tax on corporations
to SO per cent. For the present emer-
gency. and only as long. it could be sup
plemented by an excise tax at uniform
rate on all goods except food and food
Evening star., 1950-12-13
Pedagogical Paradox

Nodding acquaintance Vith classic
tongue
Inuolves certain getting do,on to
cases;
Ingenious paper space-ships, reckless
flung.
May haply land in unexpected places:
Obscure are long divisions prim de-
mandS
decimal points. like measles, are
UeratiousU;
Ballistics- pellets, peas or rubber bands
To busy teachers seems an art un-
gracious -.
These blazes spotted, sundry lambs ,Dho
stray
with shepherd master, teignedly te-
rociouS)
Saturday morning pent il, Hall must pay
For comprehension tardy or preco-
ciouS,
Learning ITO justify the quaint conuen-
tom
How progress may be turthered BY
detention
HAROLD WILLARD GLEASON.
Evening star., 1950-12-13
Fother Walsh and the Bomb

The Rev. Edmund A. Walsh, S. j., OBJ
served in Providence. r. l., that the
United States would be morally justified
in using the atom bomb in preventive"
war against Russia. This Is lamentable
utterance to the Catholic world in view
of the Pope's most recent appeal for a
crusade Of prayer for peace, reminiscent
Of the unfortunate Deus Vult" of the
CrusadeS.
Father Walsh realizes that wars are
fought to be won. Perhaps science must
teach us that nc. war is justifiable.
Science has made the price Of conquest
so dear that even the most recalcitrant
must eventually realize. as did the
glorious Indian leader, pagan, that no
war. aggressive or preventive, is econom-
ically. physically or morally justifiable.
If it is morally justifable to use the
atom bomb in preventive war" it is
morally justifiable to use the hydrogen
bomb, germ warfare, and on to
the book of Revelations.
Let us hope that Father Walsh spoke
as a man and does not consider his
opinion ex cathedra" upon the Catholic
world.
Evening star., 1950-12-13
IGNORING the Christian Calendar

The government news agency in East Ger
many has adopted the Soviet practice of ignoring
Christ in dating historical events A dispatch
from Berlin distributed by the Associated Press
says that Communist published textbooks for
the East German school system also omit ref
erences to AID and BIC. Exactly what alterna-
tives are being used is not quite clear Some
strictly materialistic conception of chronology
doubtless is being devised. The French revol,l-
tionists of 1893 attempted the same expediency
when they set up their own republican calendar.
But such arbitrary changes of custom are not
invariably effective Habits long established are
difficult to alter, especially when many different
groups of people are involved. What ordinarily
results is a confusion which finally is corrected
by returning to the traditional practice The
Christian chronological philosophy was a slow,
gradual growth over more than fourteen hundred
years. 1t began with Dionysius Exiguus. the
Little or "the Lean" Scythian ecclesiastic in
Italy in SGT. He was abbot of monastery a
profound scholar to whom is attributed the
beginnings of canon law in Western Europe In
an effort to supersede the "era of Diocletian" he
proposed an era based on the Incarnation-the
date of which he held must have been about
March Is in the 754th year from the foundation
of Rome, AUG.
This suggestion of Dionysius was accepted
H.
Later, it employed in Spain. During the
000s or COOS it became common in England The
first Christian ruler to favor it was Charlemagne.
Not until the tenth century was it used in the
Papal Chancery. The modern Gregorian calen-
dar-"so nearly exact that there will be an error
of one day only in $500 years-Was not officially
authorized in Russia until it was imposed by
revolutionary decree on February IA, 1918. It
was adopted then because it was considered
more convenient" in dealing with countries.
like Great Britain and the United States, in
which it was in standard effect. Now it is being
dropped apparently as a symbol of non-co-oper-
alton with those same nations
At Georgetown University the astronomical
staff explain that the whole subject of Christian
chronology is discussed in book by their former
director, Father Peter Archer. They point cut,
incidentally, that it was Dionysius "the Little"
or 'the Lean who decided that Christmas should
be celebrated on December 25-the central date
of all modern calendars.
Evening star., 1950-12-13
Air Rescues in Korea

1t is a tribute to the ingenuity and courage
of our airmen that more than $4,000 United
Nations casualties have been flown to safety
from the battlefields of Korea. Several types of
planes-particularly the helicopter-have been
engaged in the operation. Exposed most of the
time to enemy fire, and in many cases landing in
areas entirely surrounded by Chinese Commu-
nists, they have carried out their missions of
mercy in way that lends kind of new, human
izing dimension to the grim art of warfare. In
effect, through their continuing rescues of the
Evening star., 1950-12-13
Saving on Sewage Disposal

Preliminary rough estimates of the cost of
piping all OF Northern Virginia's sewage across
the Potomac River to the District disposal plant
at Blue Plains are so attractive as to justify the
most careful study of this novel plan. If, as
some engineers believe, the pipeline project
would cost only third of the approximate Sc
million which Arlington Fairfax and Alexandria
plan to spend separate treatment plants,
such big saving could not we'll be ignored It
is hard to believe that the State Water Control
Board would refuse to grant Northern Virginia
the time necessary to investigate the pipeline
proposal.
The State Water Control Board is properly
determined to abate pollution of the Potomac
In this area as soon as possible In pursuance
of that determination the board has applied
pressure to the local communities to take posi-
tive action Immediately to reduce the amount
of raw sewage dumped into the river by Airing
ton, Fairfax and Alexandria, It was as q result
of this pressure that Arlington and Fairfax
Counties have voted bond issues for treatment
plants. Alexandria has been ordered to show
cause why it should not take similar action
ut once
But if the present plans of these three
political subdivisions are carried out, millions
of dollars will be spent on independent facilities
which would reduce, but not entirely eliminate,
contamination of the river. On the other hand,
the piping of all sewage to the District plant
would end the dangerous pollution nuisance on
the Virginia side, thereby achieving the ultimate
objective of the State board in one joint project.
The prospect of such completesclean-up should
appeal to the board even if some delay in effect
ing the cleanup is entailed
Since members of the board have expressed
some skepticism over the pipeline proposal, it
would be good idea to obtain more data on the
efficiency and economy angles and present them
to the board with request for delay in enforce
ment measures, pending further studies The
pipeline, if found feasible, would be happy
solution Of the pollution problems described in
the series of articles by James Birchfeld now
running In The Star.
Evening star., 1950-12-13
SeIf-Incrimindtion

When Patricia Blau was brought before
Federal grand jury in Denver, Colo, she was
asked, with other things, whether she knew "the
names of the State officers of the Communist
Party of Colorado" She refused to answer on
the ground of possible standardization.
The Smith Act, under which II Communist
leaders recently were convicted, makes it a crime
to advocate knowingly the desirability Of the
overthrow of the Government by force or vio-
lence; to organize or help to organize any society
or group which teaches advocates or encourages
such overthrow of the Government; or to be or
become member of such group with knowledge
of It's purposes.
With these provisions of the Smith Act on
the statute books, the court said that Mrs. Blau
reasonably could fear that criminal charges
could be brought against her If she admitted
employment by the Communist Party or intimate
knowledge of its workings" Therefore, accord
ing to the court, she was entitled to claim the
Immunity which the Fifth Amendment gives
against self-incrimination.
This seems far-fetched. To suggest thai
knowledge of the names of officers of the Com
munist Party might constitute violation of the
Smith Act, or might be "link in the chain of
evidence" needed in a prosecution under the act,
is certainly novel Interpretation Of the statute.
Some of the other questions asked Mrs Blau
might have threatened sef-incrimination but
hardly this one.
There is little point in debating this matter,
however, for a unanimous court has spoken, and
the question with respect to Mrs Blau is settled.
What remains unsettled are questions as to
the implications of this decision. The constitu-
tional protection against self-incrimination ap
plies only in a criminal case. But can it be
extended to prevent punishment of persons who
refuse to answer similar questions in congress
sional Investigations, which are not criminal
either in nature or purpose?a It seems unlikely,
but the possibility is there. The ruling also
raises grave doubt as to the validity of the regis
tration provisions of the McCarran Act, which
are designed to force public disclosure of some
Communists and their activities.
Still, the intent of the court cannot be
deduced from ruling in one case. 1t will be
disclosed as other cases come along and
decided. The issue is one which will bear watch
Ing however, for it is going to be an ironlc
thing if the Fifth Amendment can be invoked by
Communists as shield to hide their conspiracy
against the Constitution and everything it stands
for.
Evening star., 1950-12-13

Ill, the frostbitten and the wounded, they have
saved roughly the equivalent of division of
troops But more than that, wholly apart from
the military significance involved these machines
and their daring crews have come as ministering
angels to brave young men who otherwise being
trapped and unable to fend for themselves, might
have died in great suffering or been sent off to
await some dark fate in faraway prison camps.
That they have been brought to safety is one
OF the very few heart-warming aspects of the
bleak Korean story. All hands responsible for
it deserve the highest commentator.
Evening star., 1950-12-13
By THE HASKIN SERVICE,

Q. Is fatigue the result of poison in
the body?-R. E. w.
A. AS the muscles work they burn
fuel in the form of sugar, known as
glycogen. Carbon dioxide and Tactic
acid are produced as by-products. The
carbon dioxide is breathed off but the
Tactic acid is formed more rapidly than
1T can be removed and this brings about
the toxic condition known as fatigue.
1t spreads all over the body through the
blood stream, even though only one set
OF muscles may be the cause of it.
@. What States provide no speed limits
on their rural roads?-P. Y.
A. Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Illinois
Indiana. Iowa. Kansas, Michigan, Mis-
souri,, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico.
Oregon and Tennessee. Two of these
States-Arizona and Montana-have a
special night limit The average speed
OF cars on some rural highways Is as
high as 58.3 m.p.h in certain localities.
@. What Chinese Emperor sent an
expedition to discover Japan?-A. O.
A. The Emperor Shih Huang Ii.
builder of the Great WALL was per-
suaded to send large expedition to
search for and colonize three mythical
islands whereon the inhabitants would
dwell in peace and with immortal life.
Though the Emperor paced the shores
OF China for three years waiting for
news. the expedition never returned.
@. What is the most dangerous occu-
pation?-H. N. o.
A. Transporting and handling of
nitroglycerin for shooting" oil wells has
recently been referred to as the most
dangerous occupation.
Evening star., 1950-12-13
A Mother Pleads for UnseIfishness

wish to urge that all people of our
dear United States put their shoulders
to the wheel and strive untiringly for
the freedom of the world This means
putting aside graft and selfish ambi-
tions; it means hard work and complete
faith in God.
am widow and my only child is in
the thickest of the fight in Korea. Let
us work and pray increasingly that peace
soon will be ours.
Mrs. M. E. May.
Evening star., 1950-12-13

should be many times your contribution
to any single organization. For there are
several agencies in the Community
Chest basket whose work is as important
as any one of the several causes you are
asked to contribute to at other times of
the year.
The givers Of those old Christmas
baskets were not content to pack food
alone. At the top of each, in addition
to fruit and candy, would be some
articles put in there just for fun-some
dolls and toys.
That's true of the Community Chest
too. Some of your money will go to fun
for children-year-around fun. There's
a slice of your dollar-a thin slice, but
suf1cient-that lets poor kids into the
Boy Scouts. Girl Scouts and Camp Fire
Girls, letting them play the game with
the other kids under trained volunteer
leadership.
The 1850 Community Chest now has
only little over three-fourths of Its
81 million goal. It Is being continued
through this week in the hope that the
feeling Of Christmas among the more
than one million residents of the Wash
ington area will put it over.
IL can De put over. Inere are 100 200
or so who have not been reached by
the workers. There may be others who
feel they might have given more than
they have given. The Chest is manning
its telephones with volunteer workers
right around the clock for those who
may telephone in response to these last
minute radio and newspaper appeals.
Tell them what you want to contribute,
and they'll send around and pick 1t up.
Call Metropolitan 6262.
Evening star., 1950-12-13

products. collected preferably at the
point Of final manufacture. This tax,
in its very nature, would be a sales tax.
Those who oppose the excess profits
tax are not seeking to avoid their share
of the tax load, but to warn of the dam
gers Of this particular tax. These dam
gers are very real and should be under
stood by every citizen.
Frank Wilbur Main.
PjttShlroh
Evening star., 1950-12-13
Thunks for Concerts

AS an ardent lover of serious music,
wish to say thank you for your spon-
sorship and broadcasting of the National
Symphony during its neighborhood con-
certs. My friends share my enthusiasm
and send herewith their appreciation
too.
HI. Reese Fuller.
Evening star., 1950-12-13
Questions and Answers

A reader can get the answer to any au.st,on
O. TACT by y5tting The Evening Star Information
bureau 1900 street NV. Washington r.
.. G. Please enclose three t3j cents for return
postage. ~ A 1eSo1"
Evening star., 1950-12-13

Pen names may be used if letters carry
10riterS' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.