davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1951-11-07
The Sphynx ReIents q Bit

Adding up tie things that General Eisen-
hover said during his visit to Washington and
taking account OF the things he did not say, it
seems quite evident that General Eisenhower is,
or will be, available as presidential nominee.
He could have put stop once and for all to
the activity IN his behalf. But he did not do
that. Consequently it will be widely assumed that
at the least he has not made up his own mind
on the point This might be described as the
minimum assumption.
Some of the things that he did say warrant
more positive inferences. He said, it is true.
that he has authorized no one to undertake
political activity in his behalf, and this has been
eagerly interpreted by some of Senator Taft's
hackers as the death knell for the hopes Of the
Eisenhower boosters. But the general also said
that his job in Europe is too important for him
to take any partisan political stand or talk
Evening star., 1951-11-07
The Marines New Boss

AS far as the Marine Corps is concerned, the
situation will continue to be we'll in hand at the
end of next month when General Clifton B. Gates
winds up his distinguished four-year term as
commandant. z good successor has been named.
Popular alike among officers and enlisted men,
Lieutenant General Lemuel c. Shepherd, jr. who
will wear four stars now, is what might be called
a Leatherneck's Leatherneck native Virginian,
he is literally battle-scarred veteran who has
been in the thick of the fight in two world wars.
More than that, apart from his wealth OF first
hand experience with field conditions under fire,
he is far from being novice at the art OF top
military administration and staff planning.
When he takes over as commandant Cen
eral Shepherd-at the moment commanding the
Pacific Fleet Marine Force-will bring with him
all that he has learned in wide variety of roles,
including the role of organizing and leading the
celebrated 9Th Marine Division in the Okinawa
campaign against the Japanese. He will bring
with him, too, q planners talent credited, among
other things, with having been influential in
making brilliant success of last years amphibi-
Gus landings at Inchon in Korea. His many high
decorations have been well earned. Everything
in his career to date indicates that he is admi-
rably equipped to carry on from where General
Gates leaves off, The President has made fine
choice that should please the whole corps.
Evening star., 1951-11-07
Objects to Quip About Royalty

wish to call attention to the quip
under the heading Potomac Fever"
anent the royal visitors: washington
roars welcome to Princess Elizabeth
and Prince Philip. The crowd was espe-
cially delighted when the royal pair
drove past the Treasury without stop
ping"
Such remark upon such an occasion
Is not only bad taste, but in these dan
gerous times most disgraceful thing
for loyal American editor to Ierndt
to be printed.
Peace cannot be built upon the stupid
premise of adverse criticism and dissen-
sion-especially toward our allies.
God save the dignity ca of our press.
Mrs. Winniefred Houghton.
Let me be the first to congratulate
the great American press on the mag
nificent job it did in covering the mo-
mentous visit of Princess Elizabeth and
what s-hiS-name
Where it might have been easy to
dismiss the visitation as nothing more
than one of those trying appearances
of poor relatives. come to collect the
cast-off clothing, the American press
never faltered in its appointed task of
fixing the attention of the great Ameri-
can public firmly upon the ecstatic
honor of having diluted royal blood
right here on this very continent among
little ola U.s. Edward Linn.
Evening star., 1951-11-07
AMVETS Versus Gen. Groy

We would like to correct an erroneous
expression by Harry E. Williams, past
commander in chief of the United Span
ish War Veterans, in a letter to The
Star printed october 18. He tried to de-
fend Gen. Carl r. Gray, VA admins
traitor, by attacking the thinking behind
our resolution demanding Gen. Gray's
custer.
Mr.. Williams has every right to de-
fend Gen. Gray. but he implies that
AMVETS were "misinformed" and that
our national convention resolution was
not supported by facts.
We cannot help but feel that Mr.. Will
liams must be in the same category as
Gen. Gray. to quote Senator Humphreys
critical report. i.e., "He is too deep in
the forest to see the trees"
AS Mr.. Williams must know, routine
hospital inspections. on which he bases
his defense, never turn up more than
a little dust on footlocker.
Three congressional committees in
vestigated the VA under Gen. Gray, and
all of them found service to disabled
Evening star., 1951-11-07
Letters to The Star .

veterans greatly impaired as a result
of his administration. The report of
the Humphrey subcommittee of the
Senate Labor and Welfare Committee
was the most revealing. Mr.. Williams
should read it.
From personal experience, AMVETS
have discovered creeping incompetence
at the VAS top administrative level, all
traceable to Gen. Gray's policies of sub
stituting incompetence for efficiency.
Reputable officers. such as Dr. Paul
v. Magnuson, the father of the present
theory of medicine and care in the VA,
either have been forced to resign or
been fired. We can cite chapter and
verse by the hour why Gen. Gray must
go. Gen. Hawley testified before a Sem
ate committee that the VA is under a
policy of administration which, in my
considered opinion, will very shortly de-
stroy one of the finest accomplishments
in all history in the field of medical
care and medical education"
Many young veterans are returning to
the United States every day, adding to
the thousands already in hospitals. and
they need the best treatment.
1t is they who are the vital concern of
AMVETS, not Gen. Gray.
Dwight L. Oliver.
Acting Public Relations Director,
AMVETS.
Evening star., 1951-11-07

seaworthiness of ship among other
things.
To most Washingtonians the Sad
Sack is comic character in The Sun
day Star. But at the Taylor Basin
SAD SAC is the code name for an
amazing scientific gadget-the static
and dynamic ship analog computer.
This device was developed so naval
architects could obtain rapid solutions
to complex problems of design, such
as stability and strength calculations.
The design of such computer was
initiated by Capt. A. G. Mumma.
U. S. NJ, now commanding officer and
director at the basin, when he was on
duty at the Bureau of Ships. 1t will
solve in few hours problems that for
merly took weeks to work out.
Several dramatic incidents have
proved the worth of the basin. When
the Navy wanted an estimate of the
damage the atom bomb would do to the
test fleet at Bikini, tiny armada of
model ships was constructed at the
basin. The models were sent to "sea"
in a test pond, and charge of INT.
scaled to produce effects equivalent to
those produced by the A-bomb. was
Evening star., 1951-11-07
This and That
By Charles E. TroceweN

And where will one find living things
prettier than crows and squirrels?
A white crow, surely, would interest
more persons than an everyday, ordi-
nary black crow.
But white, or albino, squirrel is
enough to interest most watchers.
Even the black ones are rare, COM
paratively speaking.
Both albino and black squirrels are
forms of the grays.
The black, or melanistic, form is
more common; scores of them live in
Chevy Chase. some of them at Mckinley
street and Connecticut avenue.
These. like the albinos, are not much
liked by the normal squirrels of the
neighborhood.
We have watched the black ones
chased out of our yard repeatedly, final
ly to stay away, much to our regret.
There is lesson here for old and
young alike, if we do not shy from
lessons" The modern idea has grown
up-and we think it misfortune that
it haS-that somehow it is wrong to
lecture" any one.
If we do not mind being "lectured, :"
we can feel that no one, not even a
squirrel. should shy away from fell
low living being just because he is not
the same color as ones self.
This shying away. however. seems
to be pattern in all living things. It
Evening star., 1951-11-07
An irresponsible Threat

In refreshing contrast to its dawdling atti-
tude toward the New York dock strike, the Fed
eral Government has moved promptly and firmly
to avert the threatened railroad strike. If the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engine
men had carried out its threat to walk out to-
morrow the strike, in effect, would have been
against the Government, rather than against
the Baltimore & Ohio and other companies in
volved. A strike against the Government is in
defensible at any time-and especially intoler-
able now that the country is in the midst of a
defense emergency.
Had Federal authorities taken vigorous steps
earlier in the dock strike the military supply
line from New York Harbor to Korea and our
other forces overseas would not have been inter-
rupted. 1t was only when the Army sent its own
civilian workers to load Army ships-after once
denying 1t had any plans for such action-that
back-to-work movement began. In the dock
controversy, of course, the Government was only
an Incidental victim. railroad strike however
Is another matter The Army has been operating
the Nations railroads since August, 1885, when
it took over to avert crippling strike by the
trainmen and conductors. The trainmen signed
an agreement with the carriers last May, but the
conductors dispute is still unsettled.
The f1remen and enginemen have been at
odds with the railroad operators for two years
mediators repeatedly have sought to bring the
two sides together Recently union officials pro-
posed arbitration of all points, but spokesmen
for the carriers said the offer was Indefinite" :"
The latter indicated they would consider arbi-
tration of operating rules but not of wages
Shortly thereafter the union broke off negotia-
tions and announced plans for progressive"
strke-one directed at one or two lines at first
and gradually spreading across the country to
others. The National Mediation Board promptly
declared existence of an emergency under the
Railway Labor Act and has so notified the
President.
In invoking the act, the President can delay
the strike for so days, pending study of the dis
pute by an emergency board. An injunction
could have been used if necessary to enforce
this delay. Emergency boards in the past have
had little success in solving railroad controvers-
les It was refusal of the trainnen and con-
ductors to accept an emergency board wage
finding that led to the taking over of the rail-
roads by the Government more than year
ago. But the emergency effort to settle this
latest strike threat must be pushed vigor-
ously, nevertheless. Whatever the merits of
the unions case may or may not be- the men,
bers of the brotherhood must remember
that they are technically employees of the Gov
ernment at this time and that they have no
more right to strike than other Federal workers.
Even to threaten such strike was an act Of
total irresponsibility.
Evening star., 1951-11-07
"GROvETON, Va.

"GRovEToN, Va.
Dear Sir:
IT am a girl of IL years who last
month received pet crow for my birth
day.
"It is approximately months old.
1t is very tame, affectionate, and,
think. intelligent.
Il would like to know how to teach
it to talk Also. would like to know
if there are any positive signs to tell
if 1t is a male or female.
"It is very much fun watching and
playing with it. 7 would like to know
if it would hurt it to stay out during
the winter.
VERY truly yours, Joanne u"
CHEVY CHASE, Md.
Dear Sir:
1--WE have white squirrel in our back
yard.
1T is a young squirrel about
months old.
1--WE think it lives in our oak tree.
''The other squirrels do not like to
Sincerely, Chip w."
These are interesting things to chill
dren, and to their elders, too, If they
have any sense.
To be mature does not mean that one
loses interest In beautiful, interesting
things
Evening star., 1951-11-07

partisan politics at this time He told the Presi-
dent upon accepting the NATO post that ne
hoped it wouldn't last "too long" To this might
be added the rather pointed word of praise for
General Macarthur and the comment that he
would not let any one talk politics to him "just
now." Finally there was the observation that
he would not interfere with the business of
friends who believe they know how would
react"
These remarks, taken together, are not the
words of man who is determined to remove
himself from the political scene They point, on
the contrary, to the high probability that Gen.
eral Eisenhower will make himself available when
he thinks the right time is at hand.
But this, even if correct, does not necessarily
mean that the general is going to be any partys
candidate. Senator Taft is busily beating the
political bushes, and General Eisenhower could
find himself in the unhappy position of having
waited until after the Republican boat has sailed
with the Ohio Senator at the wheel.
Evening star., 1951-11-07

is said that in the Antarctic the pen
guins which are, of course, black and
white. resent any all-white penguin, and
will peck it to DEATH or leave it to
starve.
The crow is black fellow, and mighty
proud of it.
He rejoices in strong wings, and a
loud voice.
His cav floats down the autumn sky
IN a pleasant, happy way.
Few sounds in nature seem more
American than this.
A crow makes an interesting, but mis-
chieviouS pet.
1t will steal bright objects, like thin
bles and scissors. and hide them away
Not all specimens can be made to
talk. There is never any necessity of
splitting the tongue, as some think If
crow can and will talk. it will do it
better with the tongue God gave it. If
it will not talk. nothing can make it.
A chosen word Is repeated over and
over again, In the same tone. If the
bird tries, it should be rewarded with
bit of food.
Only an ornithologist, and not all OF
them, can tell which crow is which. Aft
er crow grows up, the thicker neck and
more aggressive attitude usually shows
the male.
Pet crows can be left outdoors the year
around, but should have some shelter
from rain and the prevailing winds.
Evening star., 1951-11-07
QUESTIONABLE q Task

I think that you did a considerable
service to the public when on November
you published the text of the financial
QUESTIONABLE issued to the District
police. One who has not read the text
might be inclined to agree with Mr..
Bauman's statement that no honest man
should be afraid to answer the ques-
tionnaire. I do not see how one who
has read the text can agree with his
statement.
Questions II, 40, so, SO, SO, So and
SO involve figures that are not available
to one who has not ever since January l,
1945. kept a cash account accurate to
the last penny. Few people keep such
accounts, for as any one who has tried
it knows. large amount of work is in
volved in doing so. I think that every
honest man is afraid to swear to the
accuracy Of figures that he knows rep
resent at best an educated guess.
1t seems to me that the text shows
that in preparing the questionnaire little
thought was given to making it as easy
as possible for the person questioned to
answer The QUESTIONABLE amounts to
demanding week of extra work with
out extra compensation No honest
man likes to have his time taken from
him in this manner
George H. Southard, 3rd
Evening star., 1951-11-07
Hatred Among Christions

1t is disappointing to see the hatred
which has been displayed by supposedly
Christian and democratic people
refer to reactions to the recent pro-
posal of an ambassador to the Vatican
Even though these same people know
that this appointment would be political
rather than religious and that it might
be the source of valuable information
thwarting communism. their hatred is
so great that they must cry out against
It in much the same manner as those
who cried Give us Barabbas!"
To see Christians, who should be
united in bond of love, united only ir
a bond of hatred is a sad mockery OF
the Christ they profess.
Perhaps when they have been given
Barabbas-have suffered more from
communism-they will wish to have
hated little less, to have loved little
more, to have been more truly Christian.
Catherine O'Connor.
Evening star., 1951-11-07
Side Issues, but Important

Proposals for improved governmental services
and for governmental reforms were important
side issues in the nearby voting yesterday with
the margins in favor of better services and of
reforms in choosing certain public servants. OF
particular interest to the Washington Metro
politan Area were the bond issue referendums
in Arlington for the votes assured better streets,
better drainage and more parks in community
which has become virtually an integral part of
Greater Washington.
Arlington approved an immediate start on
the long-range street, sidewalk storm sewer and
park programs recently announced by the plan
ners there. The voters rejected, however, bond
issue for new courthouse-a project that is de-
sirable but hardly urgent-and for parking lots
in the congested Clarendon business district.
There is no question as to the urgency of the
need for more off-street parking in Clarendon,
but there was a considerable amount of mis-
understanding as to who was to pay of the
parking bonds. This misunderstanding might
have been cleared up if there had been more
time in which to inform all the voters on the
Clarendon parking plan. Unfortunately, the
parking bond proposal was presented to the
public only few weeks before the election.
Advocates of the plan tried to explain that
only business property holders within the
Clarendon business district were to have been
voters were still uncertain on this point when
they went to the polls. Others did not ike the
idea of increasing the county's bonded indebted
ness-even temporarily-for the benefit OF
particular business district. But the acute park
ing problem in Clarendon must be solved by
some means if the business interests there are
to get their share of trade In an era when huge
department store centers with adequate off
street parking are springing up on Clarendon'S
fringes.
The voting in Montgomery County was sur
prisingly listless on question affecting future
control of the countys school system. Only about
fourth as many votes were cast on this issue
yesterday as were recorded in the 1850 election.
The small turnout gave three-to-one majority
for an elected school board. Over in Alexandria
the voters approved elections for Mayor and
Vice Mayor, but appointment OF the Judge OF
the Juvenile Court. The general trend for
greater voice by the citizens in the selection OF
their governing officials was evident therefore,
in both Montgomery County and Alexandria,
That is wholesome proof of the increasing in
terest of citizens of the suburban areas in their
government-an interest which makes it plain
to public officials that they will be held to
account for what they do or fail to do.
Evening star., 1951-11-07
Muffed Democratic Chance

The closest thing to surprise in the nearby
elections was the total strength shown by the
Democrats in the race for the Arlington County
Board.
The Democrats did not elect a single can
didate to the board Leading the field with some
$500 votes was Robert A. Peck, who will become
the first Republican board member in II years.
Next came Alan L. Dean Non-Partisan, whose
Att votes just nosed out his fellow Nom Partisan
candidate, T. Oscar Smith. The Democrats with
four candidates running for the two vacancies
(the Republicans and Non-Partisans ran two
each) killed their own chances For the total
Democratic vote, figured in the highest COM
binaton, was 8,248 and in the lowest, 744S. But
instead Of the Democrats regaining control of
the board, its direction passes into Non-Partisan
hands.
In the race for the Legislature the Demo-
cratic team" of Fenwick Magruder and Damn
won by comfortable margins. The Republicans,
with their ticket headed by Oren R. Lewis made
a strong showing, however and it looks as though
a definite tWo-party pattern is emerging in the
county with respect to these Offices. This was
in marked contrast to the fight for county
treasurer, in which incumbent John Locke Green,
running as an Independent Republican, was
narrowly defeated by Colin Macpherson, Re-
publican. 1t is obvious that in this contest party
labels meant nothing, and that party lines were
freely crossed.
The rest of the Arlington contests as we'll as
those in Fairfax and Alexandria, ran true to
form. If there is any general conclusion to ha
drawn from these results it is that Republican
hopes in local elections are brightest in Airing
ton. There is nothing in the Fairfax or Alexan-
dra returns which points to any substantial
prospect of eventual Republican victory.
Evening star., 1951-11-07
Better Not Let Junior Know About This
BY Dovid A. Heller

HERE seems to be something miss
l. ing at the David Taylor Model
Basin. The visitor has the uneasy
feeling that this should be Christmas
morning IN reverse. Instead of dad and
Uncle Joe pushing junior to the rear
and taking over the new train and
other mechanical toys, you look for
junior, ready to shove aside the adults
and try his hand on the ship models.
But this is for men only.
Operated by the Navy's Bureau of
Ships, the Model Basin at Carderock,
Md, is a multi-million dollar engineer
ing project, devoted largely to testing
models Of ships the Navy is interested
in building. There's no play with the
miniature ships and planes. The test
ing is serious business, aimed at keeping
Uncle Sans Navy abreast Of the times.
The models naturally would be a
small boys delight. Made of wood or
wax, they follow every twist and curve
of the proposed ships hull. The minia-
ture craft are accurately scaled to
I100th of an inch in every detail.
It is amazing how much can be pre-
dicted about ships on the basis of tests
with models before the ships are ever
built. This is a good thing for Mr..
John @. Taxpayer Ships are expensive.
1t is far less costly to get the bugs"
out of them in the model stage than
experiment with the real thing. The
model cost averages from one eighth
to one hundredth of one per cent
of the cost of the full scale ship. For
example, tests of cargo ship model
run $4,000, but the ship will cost So
million to build, or tests on a carrier
might run $4,000 and the ship cost
$3.50 million to construct.
There are four towing basins, the
longest three-fifths of mile long. The
water in the basins is mirror smooth.
They provide courses for the model ships
far slicker than anything a lobbyist
ever dreamed up. Even tide two
thousands of an inch high is taken
into account in tests at the big basin.
Models ranging up to 80 feet long. S
feet wide and 5 tons in weight. can be
run through their PAGES there.
The main model basin looks remark
ably like a canal with a roof It houses
some strange-looking scientific equip
ment, the most striking being carriages
which straddle the basin. Really
smooth-running electric locomotives.
the carriages transport intricate scien-
tific equipment which minutely records
the amount Of the various forces work.
ing on ship hulls as they sail down
the basin attached to the underside of
the carriage.
Tests can accurately predict the
speed. turning circle, rate of turn,
amount of yaw of the ship in heavy
sea, critical angle before capsizing and
Evening star., 1951-11-07
Business Tax in ARLINGTON

AS a resident of Arlington, am glad
to have Hechts store in Arlington be-
cause it will encourage more retail buy
ing in Arlington.
Every dollar spent In Arlington by
Arlington residents benefits Arlington,
but the benefit is not as great as it
would be If Arlingtons extremely low
business license tax of IL cents per S100
of gross sales were brought up to Alex
andria's rate of 20 cents per S100.
The latter rate of 20 cents was recon-
mended in 1948 by the Bureau of Pub
lie Administration of the University of
Virginia, but the County Board chose
to have the home owners carry part of
the tax burden for the merchants.
w. III. Cannon.
Evening star., 1951-11-07
Lost Love

Lacing stars along my braids,
/ ,UiI not come tDhen you call now.
Spurning rail and mundane floor,
So young most tDorShiping of maids.
/ 1DiH not come 1DEen you call 1,oU,
Nor can build the shattered clay
Into the idol at whose feet
/ knelt Please 90 your UGy,
Before you find me changed this much,
80. No longer stirred by sight or touch.
Moroey S. Stewart