davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Music and Freedom

The twenty-first annual sustaining fund
drive for the National Symphony Orchestra
will start tomorrow. Never before in its his
tory has the premier musical organization of
Washington deserved the support of the COM
munity so notably. Under the inspired leader
ship of the late DR.. Hans Kinder and his sue
cessor, Howard Mitchell, the playing ensemble
has achieved artistic distinction unsurpassed by
any contemporary company of the same char
acter Every member of the orchestra fellow
ship is, in effect, virtuoso. Working together,
they have accomplished a corporate integrity
which is in itself a triumphant attainment
Each contributor to the orchestra fund this
year therefore knows that he is investing in
fruitful reality. The National Symphony no
longer is simply an adventurous aspiration. 1t
passed its experimental stage many seasons
ago. Now it rates consideration as a matured
cultural institution of proven value. It is
demonstrated factor in the musical aspect of
American civilization. In common with other
cultural facilities of the Nation, it is an asset
of high significance in time of trouble Music
shares in the making and in the keeping of
the overall picture of life in the United States
1t is part of what we mean when we speak
of "the American way as constructive pat
tern of existence.
different, less worthy system of human
control and governance threatens currently to
destroy our democratic order. Militant mate
ralism has challenged the ideals we hold dear
If it were to prevail, music as we understand
and appreciate it would be banished to accom-
modate an expansion of the political perversion
of music which is all the music there is behind
the Iron Curtain today. Musical propaganda
would replace the free art of music, implicit
in our American tradition. Under Communist
tyranny we should hear no melody, no harmony,
nothing but the hideous dissonance of Marxst
propaganda hammered out by slaves.
Such prospect is horrible to contemplate
We can express our repugnance by showing the
National Symphony Orchestra that we are con-
scious of its Importance, its function and utility
in our national scene. 1t is identified with our
civilization, and we should preserve it and aid
in it's work commensurately
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Selecting q Commissioner

Commissioner Masons third term as Dis
trict Commissioner will expire on February 3,
about three weeks hence. He has indicated a
desire to continue in office. The President may
reappoint him, although nine years in this office
would seem enough for any man. Mr.. Mason
moreover, is 10 years old.
But If the President chooses to replace him.
he is not lacking in numbers of candidates from
81 whom to select a new Commissioner. Some of
them are perennial candidates for any job which
would move them up notch or two above the
salary scale which service in other public jobs
seems to entitle them. There are others who, as
private citizens, have achieved prominence in
civic work of one sort or another and among them
are few who would undoubtedly make good
Commissioners
Should the President feel baf1ed by the num-
Der and diversity of the people whose candidates.
are being mentioned by themselves or by their
friends however, The Star would like to see Mr.
Truman choose as Commissioner one of several
men whose work as Municipal Government en-
ployes has entitled them to this promotion. For
there is much to be said in favor of recognizing,
with such an appointment, the meritorious service
rendered the District by several career men who
now occupy subordinate positions in local gov
ernment as heads of its departments, and who
have back of them long years spent in faithful
PUBIC service.
The last time that this was done was by
President Roosevelt, who, in 1888, appointed the
late Melvin C. Hazen to be Commissioner. The
appointment was well received, for Mr.. HazenS
long service as surveyor had equipped him with a
knowledge of local government and of Washing
ton that helped qualify him for the post. There
are other men in the Municipal service who have
those same qualifications.
There are among the publicly listed candi-
dates those who are being put forward because
of their advocacy of such things home rule.
The Star does not happen to believe that ones
advocacy of or opposition to home rule has the
slightest bearing on the desirable qualifications
of Commissioner. In fact, the nature of the
office and its duties would prove to be handicap
rather than a hindrance to Commissioner in
the advocacy of such an issue as home rule.
What we need is good administrator, who
knows the city and it's people and whose knowl-
edge of local government facilitates its unique
relationships with Congress. The President could
not make better choice than to elevate to the
commissionershp one of several men who have
distinguished themselves already as municipal
employees.
Evening star., 1951-01-15
This and That

Two poems about birds. one profess
sional, the other amateur, but both sin
cere:
For Yellow Bird Dead on City Roof.
BY Melvin Cane.
What brutal gale
Has lifted you. stupefied, frail,
And 1eaflike--
Out of your sunny orbit, torn from
gentler zone,
And blown you, helpless as snowflake.
Against this wall of stone?
Here in the icy air
Dropped on city roof
You lie, wings furled, breath stopped,
Wrapped in shroud of CRIME
Inexorable as time.
Corruption eats away the feathery gold
To rattish gray,
While slowly, cold decay
Deletes the final trace
OF ethereal grace.
Now. the sweeper shovels off
A stiffened crust,
A hollow shell of song forever lost.
L. A. c., who sends in the above,
writes:
After reading your New Year Day
column anent the startling dead on the
hotel steps. a stiff black figure. was
Evening star., 1951-01-15
To the Editor of The Stor:

+ AM honored to learn that Miss Dor
i othy Thompson devoted her column
of January Z, in your paper, to me. She
says what I did not know before: That
I am "the subject of a controversy" be-
cause I gave friendly interview to
Japanese editor, at hissrequest. while he
was visiting our country recently on his
way home from England. doubt the
controversy.
Miss Thompson does, however, men
ton certain points which deserve COM
ment. She questions the wisdom-or,
to use her exact words "the political
maturity"-of saying what I think to
Japanese newspaper editor. My answer
is, why not? There is nothing new in
what I said. The editor himself COM
ments on that, and says that he found
that the point of view expressed was
held also by certain British leaders in
London. It Is also common point Of
view even in Japan, where American
mistakes are accepted, If ot~always for
given, on the ground that Americans
do not yet understand Asia well.
Miss Thompson suggests that did not
mean that Americans are bunch of
saps while the Chinese Communists are
generally in the right" She is right.
I not only did not mean it, I did not
say it, do not think it. The interview
could not possibly have given this i'm
preston, even in the brief version in
which it was published, to anybody who
knows the large facts about Asia and
how we got there. The Communists in
China know very well how heartily I
oppose their creed. only grieve that
they came into the vacuum created by
circumstances which we. with all our
power and wealth. could have prevented.
We are making the same mistake
again, I am afraid, in India. India bad
ly wants food. I hope our State De-
partment will want to give it to them for
our own sakes. But they may not be
able to do it, because of certain forces
in our Congress who want to tie strings
to the foodbags. They may insist that
Nehru come out against Communist
China. for example, in order to prove
that he is on our side. That would be
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Example in Saudi Arabia

The new agreement that the Arabian Amer
lcan Oil Company has signed with Saudi Arabia
sets a precedent that will almost certainly be
followed by other petroleum-rich countries in
the Middle East. What this means is that for
egn concerns with concessions similar to
ARAMCO'S can take it pretty much for granted
that those concessions are likely to cost quite
bit more in the future than they are costing now.
Thus, as far as ARAMCO is concerned, the
new agreement-which is retroactive to January,
1950-provides that the company must pay to
Saudi Arabia an additional sum of approximately
$50 900 900 year. The increase will be paid in
the form of income taxes to the government of
King Ion Saud. In addition to the taxes-which
are not to exceed so per cent of ARAMCO's net
proits-the desert kingdom will continue to
receive royalty of "a cents on every barrel of
oil produced
All told, this arrangement is expected to put
into Saudi Arabias Golfers an income consider
ably in excess of $10O 900 year-an income
that can do a great DEAL if properly utilized,
to make bright reality of Ibn Saud's plan to
modernize his domain and raise the living
standards of his 100000 subjects. AS outlined
in 1947, the plan calls for such things as
panSon of port facilities, large-scae railway
construction, the building of big network of
good roads, improved water supply, the electrif1-
cation of ancient places, irrigation dams, and the
establishment of schools, hospitals and agricul-
tural experiment stations.
In effect, here is a Point Four program full
of rich promise for Saudi Arabia's economic flu
ture. Moreover, besides financing it with tax
payments and royalties, ARAMCO-which is
owned jointly by Standard Oil of New jersey
Standard of California the Texas Company and
Socony Vacuum-has for some time past been
contributing both directly and indirectly to the
effort to translate Ibn Sauds plan into action.
The fact that ARAMCO and Saudi Arabia
have negotiated their new agreement without
any apparent serious dispute indicates that the
agreements terms are equitable. 1t also serves
as an example of how American private enter
prise and foreign governments can work closely
together, in a friendly and mutually profitable
way, to promote substantial progress toward
the excellent objective of improving the econ
omles of underdeveloped areas Certainly, this
kind of cooperation on large scale is what is
needed to renvigorate the worlds backward
regions.
Moscows propagandists of course, do not
call it cooperation. They call it imperialism"
and "capitalstic aggression" But people like
the Saudi Arabs know better. They know that
the overseas investment of capital and the lend
ing of technical assistance by the United States,
Britain France and other economically advanced
nations can yield rich dividends in terms OF
human betterment in areas needing that kind
n -
Evening star., 1951-01-15

reminded of a poem I saved in my
collection.
Had this been a composition of mine,
would have called it The Lost Song'."
Bird probably was yellow warbler.
From A. L. Of Alexandria, Va, the
following: L
Birds at My Window
Perhaps they are only sparrows.
But love them just the same;,
Perhaps they do cost me dollars,
To feed them seeds and grain
But when among the sparrows
A beautiful redbird see,
The cost and the care are forgotten
For the joy he. alone, brings to me.
And so, as the Bible tells u.s.
That not even a sparrow shall fall,
feed all alike from my window,
And love them. one and all
A. l..
To love them, one and all, is, indeed,
the best way.
Common sparrows in the cold are as
hungry as any.
The watcher will revise some of his
ideas about these birds (really weaver
birds) if he sees them with eyes of
sympathy.
So much has been said against them
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Why We Need Europe

In the current debate on whether
Western Europe is doing, all that 1t
should to build defenses against Russian
aggression. think it can reasonably be
argued that it is in the American interest
to establish powerful military forces in
that area, whether or not the Western
Europeans show any enthusiasm for
their own defense. The statesmen who
would abandon Europe out of sheer pique
would have had Churchill abandon Egypt
to the Afrika Korps, it being notorious
that the Egyptians did not contribute a
camel to stem the German advance.
We are told that it is Tito who has the
strongest army in non-Soviet Europe.
And the bulk of the American Army ap-
pears to be engaged in, desperate
battle for survival in Korea. Why then
do not the Russians march?
It is commonly assumed that they
have been deferred thus far by fear of
our atom bombs. One of the instruments
we have been counting upon for the de-
livery of these bombs is the numbering
B-36, which the Navy says is substan-
TALLY worthless. and which the Air Force
thinks can be gotten through the enemy's
air defenses in sufficient numbers to
inf1ict serious punishment on his vital
centers. Since our B-36s in any event
number no more than few hundred,
it is evident that we cannot count upon
them too much.
One would assume that If it is fear of
retaliation which has kept the Russians
in check, that fear has been nourished
in greater degree on the existence of
bases or potential bases in Western Eu-
rope, North Africa and the Middle East.
from which atom bombs could be drop
ped on Russian cities with greater likeli-
hood Of success by our speedier, medium
range bombers. To surrender these for
ward bases, for whatever reason, would
be to destroy in large measure the dixie
which is containing the Red tide.
1t is thought by some, however, that
the loss of Europe (and Asia) need not
concern us too much if we maintain
adequate sea and air defenses, and Mr..
Taft notes. with evident satisfaction
that defenses of this character would
cost us no more than $40 billion year.
The unfortunate fact is that while Rus
sia with its satellites) now has steel
making capacity only one-third as large
as ours, the occupation of Western
Europe would give Russia steel-making
and industrial strength equal to our
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Golden Pheasant

Out OF the dead autumnal stretch OF
le1tlesS brush,
Out of the silDer silence OF the tnood,
this sudden fire;
The golden bird ascends tDith thundered
1Ohirr OF tUings,
The phoenir rises from the ashes OF
its pyre.
Bright burn the partridge berries on dry
boughs
And bright the fery feathers against
green hemlock gloom:
This is the moment: the bird of flame
1DileeIs up
In his brie.. arc OF splrntor aopnrd
his doom.
For like blazing rocket Cancelled In
mid d-fight,
His track is stopped NTH blasting
shotgun crash;
And like the tabled phoentr no,D the
pheasant falls.
The frebird transformed again from
fame to ash.
as Frederick Ebrieht
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Letters to The Star

own. And since the Russians are some
how able to get along with less auto
mobiles and television sets than we are.
and would have some is billion slaves
at their disposal. the time we might gain
by abandoning Western Europe might
run out after very few tax periods.
Finally, SO far as concerns steps taken
by Western Europe for it's own survival,
the Generalization produced by total
despair is more to be feared than inaction
due to sloth and indifference. If we bring
not despair but hope to the Europeans.
we are more likely to have their effective
cooperation. All.
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Mrs. Buck Talks Back to Miss Thompson

history sufficiently well not to have Gre
ated. mainly by our occupation personnel
and policies, situation which made
Communist aggression possible.
am glad that Miss Thompson agrees
that Mr.. WI spoke some truths. I
wish he had not. It is SO complicating
when the enemy speaks even little
truth. His manner Of speaking was
certainly discourteous. But neither we
nor the Russians have set a good ex-
ample In that respect.
AS matter of fact and have not
seen this point mentioned by any
American. the real insult to our Nation
was In the very persons sent to us by
the Communist government in China.
They were all third rate. and am sure
this was deliberate. Since we, Mr.. Mao
probably reasoned, would not treat his
government as equals, they would treat
us as interiors. Koreans have often
asked me why we sent to their country
for the occupation what they considered
so many inferior persons" Did this
not mean, they ask. that we consider
Koreans inferior? Thus reasons the
man of Asia.
Honesty is really the best policy.
pelleVe IN complete candor at all times,
for anything else is nonsense. Asians
know US now far better than we know
them. The things some of us try to hide
from them on the grounds of political
maturity" they have long known. Their
estimate of us is usually warm, friendly,
grateful-and sorrowful. "If only"
they sigh. If only, that is, with all our
great virtues we could have also wisdom!
One hears the same sigh today from
Europe. I can only say to them, as
have said so often, for so many years:
Give us time. We are young. We
have done too much in a short time"
That is what I told my Japanese inter-
viewer and he reported it faithfully.
Twenty-Five hundred years ago, 500
years before the Christian era, man of
Asia, whose name was Confucius, said:
"The superior man blames himself, the
inferior man blames Others" Yes, to be
candid with ourselves, and about our
selves, is the beginning of wisdom.
Pearl S. Buck
Perkasie, Pa.
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Obsolete Navy?

This concerns the letter to the editor Of
Jere Maupin commenting on the part the
Navy played in the smooth operation of
the evacuation of Hungnan."
Opposition or not. the Navy would have
stayed until the operation was completed
as it did both at Okinawa and D-day in
Europe, where things weren't too
smooth"
Assuming that Mr.. Maupin feels that
the Navy has become obsolete. does he
also feel that ali personnel and supplies
can be ferried by B-36s, and that in the
event of evacuation the men can be
issued water wings and told to swim
for it?
James C.. SakeS.
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Subway Suggested

I would like to suggest that the gov
ernment of the District consider the
feasibility of building a subway under
the city as part of the civil defense
project.
This would serve two purposes-a
quick exit for many of the citizens to
the suburbs and a bomb proof shelter for
those who must remain.
If it never was needed as a shelter,
it certainly is needed to relieve surface
traffic congestion and would eventually
pay for itself. j. F. Doyle, Sr.
Evening star., 1951-01-15

disaster for us, for it would remove
neutral nation which can continue arbi-
tration as long as possible for us with
the hope of avoiding world war.
Nehru would be fool if he gave in to
our politicians. and he is no fool. Never
theless, he may not be able to stand if
his people starve, and into still another
vacuum the Communists could come.
Miss Thompson suggests that I
ought to have reminded my japanese in
erviewer Of American good qualities. I
have been doing that for SO years, to all
the peoples of Asia. insofar as one per-
son can. She may be sure that repeat
ed it to my Japanese friend. He simply
did not choose to put such familiar ma
terial into his report.
What, Miss Thompson asks. could we
have done in Korea? This would take
pages to answer. In brief I will say
that we should have known Korea's long
Evening star., 1951-01-15
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.

BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.
@. Are cashew nuts grown anywhere in
the United States?-D. j. B.
A. The cashew is native to the Amer
lean tropics and in the United States
culture of the tree is experimental and
limited to the coast of Florida, south of
Palm Beach and Punta Gorda. Tests in
California have been unsatisfactory.
There are occasional plants in lower
Texas.
@. How deep was the snowfall in
Washington, D. c.. in 1922. at the time
of the Knickerbocker Theater disaster?
Was this the deepest on record?-C. I. T.
A. In the storm of January 81, 1922,
the snow was % inches deep. On Feb
ruary 13, 1899. snow fell to the depth of
20la inches on top of nearly IA inches
already on the ground.
@. What city has the largest living
Christmas tree?-C. I. T.
A. Wilmington, N. c., annually dec
crates magnificent live oak tree, 80 feet
tall with spread of ITO feet, and claims
that it is the worlds largest living
Christmas tree. Five thousand lights are
used for the decoration. Other COM
munities display higher trees.
@. What is the largest island in the
continental United States?.-W. H. c.
A. The United States Geological Sur
vey says that, according to its records.
the largest islands in the United States
are as follows: Long Island, N. Y, 1873
square miles; Isle Royale, Mich, 209.87
square miles; Whidbey Island, Wash.
1863 square miles.
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Dormant Volcano

E. Cleveland Giddings, vice president
OF the Capital Transit Company. tells
our citizens that public criticism of
radio on buses and streetcars is de-
clining." In this he shows signal lack
of discernment. The volcano is inactive
for the moment, but it is not dead.
When the citizens of Washington
found that their first spontaneous and
vehement protests against this infringe
ment Of their constitutional rights beat
in vain against the money -armored
breast Of the Transit Company. they
took steps to have the matter decided
legally. Perhaps Mr.. Giddings is MOI
aware that the case is even now pend
ing in the Court of Appeals. If it were
conceivable that this should fail, there
is still a higher court in which further
action will be taken.
The fact that the Transit Company
has brazenly gone ahead and equipped
$50 more vehicles with radio since the
time when it was publicly announced
that the case would be taken to court.
is plain indication of the general at
titude Of this company toward the senti-
ments and rights of the public from
which they draw their funds. Any COM
pany with a high ideal of business and
a modicum of decent consideration for
its patrons would readily have acceded
to the expressed wishes of even small
percentage of such patrons. 1t was
such consideration that led to the re-
turn to reason in Grand Central Station
in New York.
Mr.. Giddings admits that there has
been considerable complaint about "the
loudness of the programs" Yet the
company refuses to do anything to REM
edy the cause of these complaints. and
riders on it's vehicles are bombarded
with volume of noise from six inlets
which is sufficient to fill good-sized
concert hall,
Objections also cover the quality of
the offerings of radio. Medical propa-
ganda-succulent, grooming appeals for
the latest fad in patent medicines-and
worst of all, the shameless flow of liquor
advertisements-are not material with
which to win the friendship of the gen.
eral public.
Needless to say. If the public had any
other possible means of mass transpor-
tation, the company would soon see how
they really feel. Tolerance under force
Is not acceptance.
Vera E. Adams.
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Questions and Answers

The stars readers can get the answer to
any euesti9n Of fact BY either ssrltins Tne
NV. Washington s. D. C., and inclosing cents
return postage. or by telephonlng ST. 500o'
Extension 35S.
Evening star., 1951-01-15

OF help. Were 1t not for the Kremlin's threat
ening, -the-manger attitude, there could
be real progress toward such betterment on
worldwide SCALE
Evening star., 1951-01-15
Pen-nanaes may be used if letters carry
1Uriters' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.

purchase stocks. should the Government
be disturbed about rising stock prices
that actually reduce the cost Of living?
Robert C.. Sherman.
Evening star., 1951-09-28

NEAR DUPONT CIRCLE. list CONNER.
cial, , large rooms, modern elec
kitchen and bath: attractive sias,
show window; front and rear en-.
frances garden in rear; suitable FOL
office and living quarters. 5000 mo
CAL co; 6647 after 8 pm
Over $4,000 50. #. Cor. MINI. ave
Sc. and East Capitol ST., next e
Greenway shopping center. Low rent
Call CAFRITZ. D1, 1880. 40
465 N. 7. AVE. N.W.--S50 mo. Suit
store, ONCE. Newly decor, MA. 1910
Ewes. EN-. 9191 for info. 80
Evening star., 1951-09-28

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT
40 acres, farm house. barn, sprinl
pump, $4,000 #. lumber in shed
hard road. $4,000 #. rd. front. 4
MARYLAND. Price. $50. 900. CHARLES
BARTGIS. 495 Central ave, Bklyn