davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-04-14
Pan American Anniversary

Sixty years ago today the Pan American
Union was established. 1t came into existence
as the result of q resolution adopted by the
members of the first International Conference
of American States assembled in the old mansion
of Mayor Richard Wallach at Eighteenth and
streets NV. What at first was contemplated
was merely "a central union bureau of informa-
tion and statistics concerning customs" But
the ideal which lay back of that design was much
more inclusive. Men of good will on both sides
of the Equator had been thinking and talking
about the advantages of Western Hemisphere
solidarity and mutually as far back George
WaShingtons time. One of the leading advo-
Gates of good neighborliness was William Eleroy
Curtis, a globe -trotting journalist who had been
appointed a special commissioner from the
United States to the republics of Central and
South America.
Another and even greater proponent of Pan
Americanism was Secretary of State James Gill
lespie Blaine, admirer Of Henry Clay who
made his slogan America for the Americans"
constructive force in world affairs by emphasiz-
ing the positive features of the Monroe Doctrine
and putting into practice the principle of arbi-
tration. On many occasions he had expressed
the hope for such concord and cooperation
between all nations of America as will render
war impossible" To this end he tireleSSly CAM
paigned for Pan American Congress which
should effectuate working agreement among
all the countries and governments of the Colum-
bian half of the planet. He stressed the facili-
tation of commercial intercourse and the
avoidance of all exciting questions" The pro-
jected gathering met here in Washington on
October 2, 1889. BY April, $780, it was ready
to set up the Bureau of American Republics as
an instrument of multilateral policy.
1t must have been obvious from the start
that social and cultural considerations were in
volved with those of trade But few if any,
of the sponsors of the original bureau could have
guessed to what creative purpose the natural
growth of the bureau would conduce. The name
of Pan American Union was agreed upon in 1910.
1t was and is symbol of the larger the universal
significance of good neghborness throughout
the hemisphere. The fruits of 1t are history.
They include meetings of the very highest i'm
portance here and at Buenos Aires, Montevideo,
Lima Panama, Bogota and elsewhere. Also,
they include the day-to-day routine of service
for which the Pan American Union deservedly
is famous among private citizens of every Amer
ican community. 1t is hemisphere fellowship in
action, and the six decades of its development
are an earnest and promise of benefits which
surely lie ahead in the illimitable future.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
BY Charles E. TroceweN
John A. Simpson.

Even when compelled by force TO
serve another. in the terrible rebirth of
human slavery land its sad approaches
to that slavery they must still belong
to themselves, If they are to survive
as whole men.
Otherwise. they are just so much meat.
Wherefore those do best, being scfol-
ars and true students of the divine
word, which is Gods word. who pursue
their life course as unhampered by
others as possible.
This will mean that the book lover
sticks to his books. the musician to his
music. the football player to his foot
ball. the lover to his love, and the
mother to her baby.
1t means that hewing to the line,
whatever it may be. offers the best
chance for happiness and service to
others. and true happiness to ones self.
It means that we would not be period
ically shocked by the unhappy spectacle
Of fine persons getting outside their
natural orbits and finding that they can
no longer take the modern world and
its sadness.
Such loss as that Of the late Prof.
r. o. Matthiessen, author of Henry
James: the Major Phase" and other
works, is personal failure in every ones
life. One asks. ssWny must such. TRACE
dies be?" And the answer comes quickly:
That it is by stepping out too much and
too far from what God ordained for each
one Of us. It all gets back to minding
ones own business: the difficulty. alas.
lies In knowing. inst what ones proper
business is.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
'InoIienobIe Rights
Pettus Hemphill.

A correspondent falls into a curious
error in recent letter to The Star. He
hopes governmental action will return
to colored Americans certain inalienable
rights guaranteed to them by the Con-
stitution but taken away by those who
once held them in chattel slavery"
right could be taken away in the first
place or returned in the second.
The Declaration Of Independence re-
fers to the inalienable right of liberty.
the abstract right. Certainly the exer-
else or the enjoyment Of this right is
not inalienable. This can be abridged
or denied wholly. as in connection with
slavery. The author of the Declaration
owned slaves.
John A. Simpson.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
This and That

1--WE know from the history of our
time that the intellect has been a dis
appointment"
This was the rather sad, and rather
true, comment recently of DR.. Samuel
J. Beck, Chicago psychologist.
With all our universal education, and
all our learning, we have not attained
either to peace, power or plenty.
The world is full of hunger and strife.
Brothers fight brothers the world
around: Huks battle in the streets Of
Manila; the philosophical land Of India
is rent with civil strife.
Every one in his own personal ac-
quaintance realizes that no two persons
agree about anything.
Even If you say it's fair day, another
pops up to say it doesn't look very fair
to him.
Surely the only remedy for this in
the individual life is to mind ones own
business.
And not only mind ones business. as
the saying is, but also stick closely to
what one can do best.
For q scholar to get mixed up in pol
itics, for instance, leads but to confu-
sion and personal turmoil in the private
life.
And does no good in the public life.
The sad fate of wonderful scholar,
who plunged to his death recently
from the 18th story Of q Boston hotel,
proves it.
AS q bookman, he had few equals.
His four books on Henry James and
James novels led thousands of persons
back to the reading Of this sometimes
misunderstood writer.
Evening star., 1950-04-14

Roads Commission was whether to use available
funds to complete few projects and let others
60 until later, or to spread the money thin on
all listed projects The decision has been in
favor OF the latter plan. This means, of course
piecemeal construction, system that will be
disillusioning to all who had hoped that Mary
land finally was going to do an adequate job
OF road improvement. The piecemeal approach
does have the advantage of giving all sections
OF the State an interest in completion of the
highway program. And Statewide public sup
port will be necessary If additional money is
to be raised to finish the work already started
What Marylanders should not overlook is the
lesson they have had as to the high cost of
postponing road construction indefinitely.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
Labor Isn't Likely to Marry in Haste
By james Y. Newton

THE CIO, AFL and independent labor
l. groups are giving out once more
with talk Of banding together in one big
organization Of some s6 million trade
unionists. For year. there have been
hints that the once warning factions
are laying aside their weapons and get
ting ready to draw up peace treaty. The
rival leaders have been breaking bread
together with increasing frequency,
something which in the near past would
have been in the category of man bites
dog" OF even more significance. per-
haps. they have been listening to each
others speeches and, to all outward ap-
pearances, enjoying same.
But no one would be more surprised
than the union leaders themselves II the
latest talk about unity should result in
merger Of the big labor organizations.
They, Of course. will not say this pub
licly. 1t nevertheless is true. and from
1t one can judge just how slim the
chances are of anything much coming
from exchange of friendly letters, and
from the unity meetings which I'M
doubtedly will be held
CIO President Philip Murray made
the latest unity proposal. He did it
in letters to AFL President William
Green and the heads of five big inde-
pendent unions, including John L. Lewis,
the not-exactly- pacific president of the
United Mine Workers.
Mr.. Murrays proposition is that the
groups set up joint committee for two
purposes. Immediately. the committee
would coordinate the efforts of all labor
to push through favorable legislation.
win larger economic benefits for work.
ers and elect public officials who favor
labor. The committee also would work
toward the "organic unity of all labor.
There have been several merger meet
ings held since the AFL was split apart
in 1885 in the argument over formation
of the CIO. The last one was in 1947.
1t has always been the position of CIO
leaders that the organizations should
work together first for common causes
before taking the big step to actual
merger Of organizations.
The AFL. just as steadfastly, has MAIN
tanned that there can be no cooperation
at the top in the legislative and politi-
cal fields until there is organic unity"
In other words, the AFL says, at least
one big organization, and then we can
do really effective job Of making our
influence felt" There Is every sign
that these Numerically opposite ap-
proaches to the problem are unchanged.
The AFL executive council will give
its formal answer to the Murray pro-
posal early next month. Privately, Fed
Grafton officials describe the idea as all
right in theory. unsound in practice.
They say the committee. lacking ties
Evening star., 1950-04-14
Poor Prophets

The last week in October 1947, was hectic
period in Washington.
Dalton Trumbo and John Howard Lawson
screen writer's, had refused to tell the House
Committee on Un-American Activities whether
they were members of the Communist Party
delegation from Hollywood calling itself the Com
mittee for the First Amendment, and including
such eminent constitutional authorities as Lauren
Bacall, Marsha Hunt, June Havoc and Humphrey
Bogart, had flown here to protest the threat to
our constitutional freedoms.
Before the proceedings ended Messrs. Trumbo
and Lawson, together with eight others, had
been cited for contempt of Congress Miss Bacall
and her contingent were soemnly shaking their
heads over ice cream and ice water in their
hotel suite. Mr.. Trumbo was shouting that this
was the beginning of "the American concentra-
tion camp" He said that any one who could
remember the Reichstag fire ought to be able
to smell smoke in Washington. The people were
warned by variety of experts that the action
against the writer's was thought control, that
labor unions and all racial minorities were
threatened with extinction.
Now it is possible to see this business in a
little better perspective. Mr.. Trumbo and Mr..
Lawson were brought to trial in Federal court
for contempt After all of the constitutional
arguments in their behalf had been made they
unanimous decision, upheld the convictions,
pointing out that 1t was entirely proper for
Congress, If 1t wished to do so, to inquire into
the Communist affiliations of the screen writer's
The case was appealed to the Supreme Court
and that tribunal refused to grant review,
which has the effect of upholding the Court of
Appeals.
This should settle the constitutional argu-
ment. The Constitution is not violated when
Congress undertakes to find out whether Com
munists are using the motion picture industry
as means of propagandizing the movie fans.
Miss Bacall and her Committee for the First
Amendment can 60 back to the business of
being movie stars. And those who have raised,
in this connection, the specter of thought con-
troll and whatnot can relax.
Mr.. Trumbo and his colleague now must
prepare themselves to serve year in jail. That
is not an insignificant penalty. To them, 1t
may seem to be the beginning of the American
concentration camp. But one may be confident
that 1t is not a concentration camp which will
be Allied with innocents shorn OF their constitu-
tional rights and railroaded by witch hunters.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
There ShuII Be Music

There shall be utbrant music tDhen 90.
Glad as rtper tDhile her each cascade
Ripples on stones. reluctant to eDdde
That hidden rylopfone that charms her
There shall be harp and flute, an I'lseen
choir
Rising from tar-o6 notes. By angels done.
ION ptoli,ts Of gold their chords are
spunJ
There shall be music :. this nv one
desire.
There must be music, may the fates be
And place my searching hand upon the
dial;
I shall not close my eyes until find
A little tune to charm me for tDhiie -.
A little tune that falls and then 10 still
Like dew-drops resting on q duGodN.
JEAN CHALMERS DONALDSON.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
France, the Atom and JoIiot- -Curie

At the recent international Communist con-
gress at Genneviiers near Paris, Professor
JoliotCurie, one of Frances best physicists, gave
loud voice to the Moscow party line. Among
other things, after attacking the United States
and the West in general for their atomic policy
and for the numerous steps they have been
taking to promote their common defense, he
declared that no progressive scientist would ever
contribute any of his knowledge for war against
the Soviet Union.
In other words as an avowed Communist,
Joliot-Curie came close to saying that his heart
belonged to the Kremlin, and his mind as we'll.
What makes his statement particularly interest
ing is that he is Frances high commissioner for
atomic energy-a role roughly comparable to
the craftsmanship of our own Acc. 1t is true,
OF course that the French project is limited to
work aimed at developing nuclear fSsion for
non-military purposes, not for weapons. 1t Is
true too that Joliot-Curie earlier this year went
on record as declaring that he would never
divulge to the Russians information with mill
tary significance. His latest remarks however,
obviously do not encourage faith in that assur-
ance. Instead they justify the suspicion that
If he learned important bomb-making data while
seeking to harness the atom for peace, the
Kremlin probably would find out about that data
without too much trouble.
Everything considered, therefore, it is diff
cult to understand just why Joliot-Curie, with
his frank and open allegiance to communism and
the Moscow line, continues to hold the position
he has. Although he is an excellent scientist.
there are many Frenchmen who would like TO
see him fired from the job. They look upon
him as bad security risk. More than that, they
now have his own word for it that he would
not give any of his knowledge that might be
used for war against Russia. In the circum-
stances, their logic seems far more sensible than
the logic-if any-that leads France to retain
this man in his present office.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
The Fewer Drives, the Better

story in yesterdays Star shows the magni-
tude Of the problem which faces those who are
trying to reduce the number Of public fund drives
here for charity or other purposes. No less than
twenty-three different drives are being con-
Quoted here each year. Yet, when the Com
munity Chest was launched in 1928, the motto
that won enthusiastic public support of the plan
was Give once for ALL"
The Chest has grown in the ensuing years. but
the number of independent appeals has grown,
too. Today the Chest collects funds for hun
dred health, welfare and recreation agencies
which otherwise would have to make their own
solicitations. But more than score of other
organizations and agencies prefer to operate out
side the Chest-for reasons that they consider
good and sufficient. And the number of separate
drives seems to be increasing, year by year.
AS the list OF campaigns grows longer and
longer, however, the difficulty experienced by
governmental units and business establishments
in devoting time and effort to active cooperation
with all of the drives increases to q serious
degree. Government officials have complained
about the almost continuous succession of re-
quests for permission to solicit funds in the
departments Chest President Parker, in his
annual report described the situation as nearly
chaotic" Public dissatisfaction over so many
appeals is understandable.
In the circumstances it would be to the
advantage of all the fund solicitors and in the
general public interest If some way could be
found to merge many of the drives which now
are being conducted In virtual competition with
one another. The suggestion that the Chest
sponsor a community wide conference to discuss
this vital problem is a good one. The objective
of such a conference should be fewer campaigns
for all the agencies-the fewer the better.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
In the Same Boot

If single comment from Governor Dewey's
Princeton address had to be selected as most
pertinent to the times, it would be this: Before
any Republican rejoices at the possible shipwreck
of the foreign policy of the Democratic admin
istration, he should remember that We are all
in the same boat"
That is an observation which applies of
course to all of us-Republicans, Democrats, and
those of no particular partisan affiliation. 1t
may be bit on the trite side to say that we
will sink or survive together. But 1t happens
to be true And we had better not forget 1t.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
New Gettysburg Address

Joseph P. Polowski, who recommended
in this space that Congress provide for
special observance of the fact that Lin
coin made the Gettysburg address just
four-score and seven years ago this
November 10, has an idea. I move that
while they are about it. they amend Lin
coins words to bring them up to date.
This paraphrase is by q Texan, whose
name is unknown to me.
"One score and sixteen years ago our
fathers brought forth upon this nation q
new tax, conceived in desperation and
Evening star., 1950-04-14

If he had stuck to this work, at which
he was best, he would have remained
successful and happy, and would have
done his best both for himself and his
world. -
The scholar in politics, of course, is
nothing new.
He is famous character indeed, and
in some instances a successful one. more
or less.
But for every hookman who draws
out OF his own orbit to enter that of
the politician, there are dozens who only
become unhappy through their extra
curricular activities.
What has this to do with most Of US?
A great deal.
Though we are not scholars or IA
nous men, or great men. we still have
our own lives to live.
If we insist on dabbling into things
that do not concern us, We run a great
chance of running our own little lives.
important lives to US and ours.
Every one should take an interest
in politics." some screamers scream.
Unquestionably. that is true. But
Just how far that interest need 60, in
the way Of personal service at the shrine
Of politics. is strictly a personal matter,
and no one really has a right. even in
such a world as our modern world. to
demand more.
There are certain characters. even in
this modern world Of ours. that need
to be their own selves, and no one
else's.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
BY THE HAsKIN SERVICE

Q. Is any harm done to the motor Of
an automobile by running 1t before the
motor Is warmed UP on cold day.
J. L. M.
A. The National Bureau Of Standards
says that some automobile manufac-
turers advise under cold-weather condi-
tions operating the engine under mod
crate load as soon as possible, in order TO
hasten the attainment Of normal engine
and oil temperatures. Prolonged idling
Of a cold engine should be avoided, a.
it promotes cylinder wear.
@. What State supervises the Port OF
New York Authority?-CP.
A. The Port of New York Authority
is self-supporting public corporate
agency of the States Of New York and
New Jersey. 1t was created by treaty
between the two States to deal with
planning and development OF terminal
and transportation facilities.
@. What are mares tails elouds7-
p Mob.
A. Mares tails are wispy cirrus clouds
which curl at the ends. They accompany
q warm front moving In from the west.
The name is q popular one. applied to
these clouds because Of q fancied re-
semblance to horses tails.
@. How long may frozen foods DO
kept in a home refrigerator?-J. C. c.
A. Authorities advise that they should
not be stored longer than q week or
two in the frozen food compartment, or
in the space ordinarily occupied by the
ice trays Other parts Of q home re-
frigerator are too warm for frozen foods.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
Questions and Answers

Of fact by writing The Evening star fnformstion
Bureau. le0O street NV. WashinEton ..
Evening star., 1950-04-14
Eoster MESSAGE

Your editorial on Easter" was cer-
tainly a masterpiece. and the writer's
vision is commendable.
Lasting peace can be achieved and will
be achieved only by adherence to the
Christian principles as preached and
practiced by our Lord Jesus.
Let us hope that as time goes by,
certain leaders of the world come to
think more of what stands behind the
cross. am convinced that the sign of
the cross will become the lighthouse Of
the entire world and guide us to safer
harbors.
Our salvation depends on our faith and
belief in that supreme power we call
God" Life is unthinkable without the
thought of God.
John f. ParaskeyaS.
Evening star., 1950-04-14
Home Rule Argument

AS Washington is about to join in a
Salute to Freedom" as the formal OPEN
ing of its Sesquicentennial, it is disheart-
ening to find that a part of the civic
leadership of the city is pushing its ef-
forts to block the most promising chance
to restore one American freedom which
Washington has lacked for the last half
of the $50 years we are now celebrating.
refer, of course, to local elf-govern-
ment such as the Senate voted TO give us
through the Kefauver bill, which certain
strategically placed Representatives have
50 far prevented the House from having
a chance to pass also.
These local citizens who claim to favor
home rule, but not in the form most i'm
mediately obtainable, are adept in imag-
lining how things could go wrong and in
soft-pedaling the fact that other cities
have made them go right under plans Of
council-manager government very sim
liar to the one proposed here. Since some
of the largest of the council manager
cities (topped by CincinnatD are among
the most successful. the applying Of their
experience to Washington hardly seems
to be "unwarranted experimentation" as
the Board of Trades recent anti-Kefau-
ver-bill leaf1et calls it.
The leafiet just mentioned starts out
with the argument that Congress would
still continually interfere by direct local
legislation or by vetoing (within As days.
the acts of the council. Since q chief
complaint heretofore has been that Con-
Evening star., 1950-04-14

There are certain characters. even in
this modern world Of ours, that need
to be their own selves, and no one
elses.