davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1951-02-05

Now that the cardinal has sung, we
may look forward to spring.
For when these few song notes are
heard, the robins are not far behind.
Almost any day, now, happy residents of
our suburbs may expect to see some fine
fat robins hopping around on the lawn
in their never-ending search for earth
worms.
Little thought is given by the majority
of mankind to the humble fishin' worm,
the typical garden worm, immortalized
in the works Of Darwin. The theory OF
mankind's descent from the anthropoid
apes is connected in the popular mind
with the name of Charles Darwin, but
really he devotes great deal more space
to the species Of small worms which
live in the soil. Without these worms
gardens would not thrive as well as they
mostly do. and many varieties Of birds
would suffer extinction.
Among the most voracious of garden
worm eaters Is the robin, whose thick
beak Is able to drag them out Of the
earth. Just how the bird knows where
to dig is small mystery to those who
have not made special study of the
matter Gardeners are sometimes in
clined to think that the robin must scent
the worms. but he really hears by bone
conduction.
If anyone wants to see what good food
worms are for certain creatures, he
should watch any Of the members Of the
Cichlid family, group of tropical fishes
popular with some home aquarium en-
thuSAsts. Two well-known members pf
Evening star., 1951-02-05

looking on, could be so callous as not to
do all in his power to help them through
those first grim months of training?
can help them. To each draftee in
his hour of need, offer this word of
cheer: The inconvenience of Army life
can be immeasurably relieved for those
who have studied and thoroughly mas
tered certain fundamental techniques of
soldering. These include principally:
/. Goofing off; 2. Chiselling passes; 8.
Cultivating the friendship of the mess
sergeant.
There are number Of synonyms for
goofing of. most Of them unprintable.
But they all add up to the unmanly
art of avoiding work
devoted months to this problem in
the middle-1940s. My experiments led
me to the unerring conclusion that the
best methods of goofing off are: l. To
give the impression of being actively and
earnestly engaged in work while doing
nothing at all. and 2. To cultivate among
your associates the Misrepresentation that
you are held in high esteem in important
quarters.
The first method. which I like to call
the Bucket and Rag System. was devised
Evening star., 1951-02-05
The Fanatic John Brown

DR.. John Sinclair Perry is entirely
correct in criticiZing those who consider
John Brown fanatic. The great Victor
Hugo said: I'm killing Brown, the South
ern States have committed crime which
will take its place among the calamities
Of history :. he was an apostle and a
hero. The gibbet has only increased his
glory and made him a martyr" Wendell
Phillips, speaking at the last resting
place of John Browns body, declared:
History will date Southern emancipa-
ton from Harpers Ferry" 49,
John Steuart Curry, the Kansas
artist. also portrayed Brown as fanatic.
but I do not know of any competent
critic who considers Curry competent
painter of historical subjects. Curry.
referring to his portrait of Brown. said
that he tried to portray the fanatical
ard vehement characteristics of the man
who was so largely responsible for begin
ming the bloody and fratricidal war of
1876" Only man completely igno-
rant of the facts of history would make
such an absurd statement.
We do not have too many folk heroes
In American history, but John Brown
certainly is one of them. I cannot visit
Harpers Ferry and walk across the small
but beautiful campus of Storer College
without feeling that this is ground
sacred to the traditions of American
history. for here the slave system was
uprooted If Brown was fanatical, then
so were Paine, Jefferson and Nathaniel
Bacon. Iohr r povars
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Sonoto for Horpsichord

Tinklingly astringent. the melody as
cends and falls
Into the modern draiDin0 room. TO
there somehow expire,
HnltWay betUeen the cold martins and
the colder abstract oils.
The bright confusion OF small chatter
and bright fire.
Tinkling in obbligato to the ttnkltng ice
in glass,
The sixteenth century song Is lost In
vast atomic speed;
Ponderous iDords and ponderous laughter
all cascade f..
At once. and if Scarlatti plays. no one
pays heed.
But noU, the music ceased, the guests
adjourned,
Ouer the Twilight debris in the room
silence falls,
Yet not quite silence; for among ne
clogged Gsttrays
And melted ice the echo OF the harp
sichord still calls. H. ..sse
Frederick Ebrisht.
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Another Friend of the indians

Referring to the letter of January 18,
p" Attorneys for Indians" by Alden Ste
vens, secretary, Association on American
Indian Affairs, I am deeply concerned
over the new regulation which went into
effect November 9. Indians should have
just as much right in regard to legal
matters as any one else. I think they
have been given a very unfair deal in
their own country and wish others
would realize it, too.
Schools do not teach enough about
Indians. I believe that if every one
would read Zane Greys vanishing
American" Then they would understand
completely what Mr. Stevens is trying
to point out.
Shirley Watson.
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Volcanoes in New Guinea

1t seems incredible that volcanic activity In
New Guinea should be responsible for avalanches
in Switzerland, Austria and Italy. But scientists
OF the United States Geological Survey are
checking reports from both sides of the world
on the theory that there may be demonstrable
connection between the two disturbances. Our
planet is unit. Events in one hemisphere
create incidents in another. For example, the
earth gradually is becoming warmer That
means that the seas are becoming deeper and
heavier Their weight forces land elevations
higher. The mountains of Alaska are rising
So are the Alps.
A clue to what happened in New Guinea
from January 1s to 25 may be discovered in the
story of the explosion of Krakatoa in the East
Indies in 1883. 1t was a volcanic island. Water
from the surrounding ocean reached the molten
subterranean core of it. Steam was generated
in such dynamic quantities that the whole
insular structure suddenly blew up. The vibra-
tion made three complete circuits of our sphere.
It created waves hundred high feet, drowning
$4,000 people on neighborng shores. The dust
from the blast remained in the atmosphere of
cities as distant as New York and London for
months.
Mount Lamington, the New Guinea volcano
has staged similar performance. It's northern
face was destroyed in six terrific detonations
Steam, smoke, powdered stone roared to the
sky in clouds which rose eight miles above the
ground. Fortunately the burning hill is sur
rounded by sparsey inhabited jungle. No large
settlement was near enough to it to furnish the
scene of major disaster Even SO, the casualty
estimate suggested by Australian officials exceeds
1000 dead and injured. This figure, of course,
could be increased by further explosions. The
danger is real.
New Guinea lies in portion of the world
map where the two principal seismic belts traced
by geologists run together. One of these bands
circles the Pacific sector of the globe, the other
prevails in strip starting at the Straits of
Gibraltar, moving through the Mediterranean,
across Turkey, then Tibet Burma, the Malay
Peninsula and Eastern Australia to New Zealand.
A vibration in the East Indies appears to be too
remote to be felt in the Alps, but it definitely
is within the range of possibility, even probability.
What scientists are positive about is that we
live in a single geological unit-one inclusive
planet.
Volcanoes in New Guinea we'll may be, in
effect, volcanoes everywhere on earth.
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Col. Johnson for Commissioner

The Office of District Commissioner
requires one who possesses a keen sense
of responsibility and administrative
know-how, one who has a knowledge
and grasp Of the problems economic,
social, legal and politicaD peculiar to
the District; one who holds genuine
and unequivocal belief in representative
government for all people and who will
work for local self-rule and national
representation for the people Of the
District of Columbia; one who is un-
Influenced by partisanship, self-interest
or aggrandizement; one who is espe
cially able to take broad view of
every problem presented, listen to all
sides, analyze and come to a decision
in the best interest of the community;
one who is able to cooperate with his
colleagues, who knows the value and
meaning of compromise intrinsic in
majority rule. yet uncompromising on
basic democratic principle and one
who commands the respect of his fel-
lows.
All of these qualities are demon
strated in the character of Col. Camp
bell c. johnson, who has to his credit
a career of over 80 years of service to
humanity; an unbroken and distin-
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Daddy Used to Call 1t Go|dbrickinq

by the writer in Fort Meade. Md, in
1914. It worked this way:
Whenever q work detail was about to
be impressed, would grab bucket and
rag which kept concealed in my bar
racks bag. Thus armed would saunter
from the area to some shady spot.
No one would stop me with embarrass-
ing questions. Here was man obviously
hard at work-the bucket and rag proved
that.
One day, while relaxing under my
favorite tree, spotted the duty sergeant
approaching. leaped to my feet grabbed
my rag and. in industrious desperation.
began wiping the leaves and trunk
The noncom passed on, after a quick
look, satisfied that I was soldier de-
tailed to rub down tree. In the Army,
these things seem perfectly logical.
The second, or VIP Very Important
PERSON. technique, was devised at Camp
Lee sometime afterward During chow
hour, would call my own orderly room
from the camp phone center.
The conversation would go like this:
Hello, this is Maj Gen. H. NJ S. Faver-
sham calling from the Pentagon. Is
Pvt. Dutkin there?"
''W-why. yes. Sir-that is, no. Sir. He's
at chow, Sir"
II see. Well, Corporal, just tell Pvt
Dutkin that I'd like to see him any
time he's in Washington on pass. ON
PASS. say. Tell him I'm always glad
to see him"
Eyes. Sir. yes, Sir-yessir, yessir."
After couple Of calls like that, found
my name mysteriously disappearing from
duty rosters. Passes became available
almost for the asking.
A variation of the VIP method was
employed with success on another occa-
sion:
An old newspaper pal who had been
secretary 10 Congressman from Florida.
or maybe it was Georgia. had given me
visitors pass to the House of Representa-
tives. The card, impressively engraved,
notified all and sundry that "The Honor
able Howard L. Dutkin' was entitled to
seat in the visitors gallery at any time
quietly dropped this card on the
orderly room floor one day, and the
remainder of my stay at that camp
proved comparatively pleasant.
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Peipinq's Reaction

It is not surprising that Red China-through
Chou En-lai, its Premier and Foreign Minister
has responded vituperatively to the United Ma
tons resolution branding 1t as an aggressor in
Korea. The reaction lives up to expectations
Only the naive could have supposed that the
criminal in this instance would do anything but
illuminate as he is now doing. It is all part and
parcel of the way Communists carry on every
where when their guilt is publicized. They always
take the offensive against their accusers, never
hesitating to turn the truth completely upside
down in an effort to befuddle the public mind
with propaganda that converts reality into the
exact opposite of itself.
Thus, with the support of the Soviet and
Chinese Communist press, Chou has told the
world that Peiping has been outraged by the
action of the U. N. Speaking with an air of
tremendously injured innocence he has served
notice that Red China regards the resolution
passed against it as illegal slanderous null and
void" and that it will have nothing to do with
any moves by the General Assemblys Good Offices
Committee TO put an end to the bloodletting in
Korea. The only aggressor is the United States,
which used coercion to line up the Assembly's
majority to put the brand of aggression on the
Mao regime. But the Mao regime intends to
fight on; it intends to inict disastrous defeat"
on the American imperialists"; the American
United Nations, "have blocked the path to
peaceful settlement"
This statement - in part echoing India'S
doleful prediction that passage of the U. N.
resolution would heighten the threat of full
scale war in Asia-may mean what it says. 1t
may mean that Red China. rejecting any and
all efforts at negotiation will greatly intensity
its military operations in Korea, with conse-
quences that could be extremely grave. But there
seems little reason to believe that the Chinese
Communists will follow such course simply be-
cause their aggression has been called by its
right name. If they fight on, if they throw in
new forces in an attempt to drive the United
Nations into the sea, they will do so not because
of having had their feelings hurt by the brand
of aggression but because of conviction, based
on Unconditional calculations, that they have the
power to carry their crime through to a success
full conclusion.
The big question is whether they have the
power, At the moment, the evidence indicates
that they have suffered casualties grievous
enough to make them think twice before trying
new offensve-grievous enough, in fact, to
suggest the possibility that they may even now
be wondering how best to extricate themselves
Certainly, unless the Kremlin is willing to risk
full-scale war by offering them a great deal
of open help to break our air and sea dominance,
they are going to be flard put to do what Chou
En-lai has said they intend to do. Actually, his
fre-breathing statement may be a face saving
preface to milder words later on-words aimed at
Keeping the door open to negotiations We can
be sure, in any event. that the u N has not
hurt the cause of peace by labelling Red China
for what it really is.
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Friends versus Futher Walsh

In The Sunday Star for December "a.
the Rev. Edmund A. Walsh. s. j.. pre-
sented long argument in favor Of the
idea that the United States would be
morally justified in attacking Russia
first-specificially with atomic bombs
If our Government had sound reason
to believe" that the Russians were pre-
pairing to deliver similar sneak attack
upon us.
Though we feel that Christians are
solidly united in opposing the repression
of human rights by the government Of
Communist Russia, we are convinced
that Father Walsh is dangerously and
utterly wrong in attempting to provide
moral sanction for military policy.
First of all we wish to emphasize that
we are not concerned here with specula-
tions on whether or not Cd war with
Russia Is inevitable, (2) the Russians
are committed to our downfall or tO
preventive war is justifiahle from mill
tary point of view. Father Walsh deals
largely with these matters, but to us
they appear wholly irrelevant to the
main issue. AS we see it, the central
question involves what is meant by
morality
To us It means adherence to Chris
tian ethics. The question. in other
words, is: Can any justification for
sneak attacks be found in Jesus own
life or in his teachings?" Certainly the
driving of the hypocrites from the tenn
ple-the example always brought up
when it Is thought necessary to enlist
Christian support for war-cannot be
used to justify single killing. let alone
the determination Of, in Father Walsh's
words, thousands upon thousands Of ci-
villains and innocent bystanders :"
Rather, there is clear and consistent
testimony against violence in the life
Of the Man who said: "All things there
fore whatsoever ye would that men
should do unto you, even so do We also
unto them; and again. II say unto you,
love your enemies, do good to them that
hate you, bless them that curse you,
pray for them that despitefully use you."
In contrast, Father Walsh's moral
justification to repel an unjust aggressor
by means reasonably adapted and pro-
portionate to the nature Of the attack"
If it involves any moral idea at all, only
rephrases the Mosaic code of IAN eye
for an eye"-with the modern improve
Evening star., 1951-02-05

At the Presidio of Monterey, Calf, in
1945, kept myself well supplied with
steak dinners-gifts from a publicity
conscious mess sergeant for whom I was
acting as press agent.
kept the camp newspapers columns
loaded with stories. all imaginary, of the
sergeant's feats with both rifle and skill
let. In gratitude, at whatever time of
the day or night appeared at his mess
hail. my client would break out table
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Letters to The Star

ment that the defending party takes
his opponents eye f1rst
One other point is worth considering.
= Father Walsh argues that because of
the very fact that the atom bomb has
made it possible for the attack of an
aggressor tc be fatal, not only to
vast numbers of individuals +. but to
our entire system of national defense,
and to our existence as Nation" it
has become morally justified (where. by
implication 1t would not be so in wars
started with ordinary weapons) to attack
first. Likewise he seems to feel that
the very destructiveness of atomic
weapons makes 1t difficult to resolve
"the ethical problem of employing such
q weapon"
To us, morality is an absolute concept.
1t is qualitatively, not quantitatively,
distinguished from immortality. There
seems. to us, no point in arguing whether
1t is more immoral to roast a million
people with an atomic bomb than to
shoot one man with pistol: both acts
are entirely outside the bounds of moral
ity. as Christ saw it.
In conclusion, then, we feel that Father
Walsh's true instincts as Christian are
expressed In his statement that: "Our
every tradition and instinct as a people.
as well as conscience itself, recoils before
such a dread alternative" (attacking
first), but that he has been led, by his
fear and loathing of communism. into
the very error which forms the most
despicable feature of the Russian re-
gime-namely. the basic thesis that the
end justifies the means.
Daniel E. Houghton,
Chairman. Joint Peace Committee,
Washington Friends.
Evening star., 1951-02-05

guished record as a social service
worker, lawyer. teacher, soldier and
public servant. He now is serving the
Nation in the Selective Service System
and the District of Columbia as Chair
man of the Parole Board and member
of the National Capital Housing Au-
thority.
It is hoped that the President in filling
this post will give serious consideration
to both the capacity of Col johnson
and his magnificent performance in the
positions of public trust he has held.
Charles E. Williams.
Evening star., 1951-02-05

cloth while two Nazi POWs on kitchen
police were detailed to serve me.
There are, by the way. several mess
halls in every camp, and this gives the
alert and fleet-footed chowhound an
unusual opportunity to indulge himself.
Word gets around, whenever chicken or
steak is being served. It is a simple
matter to run from one messhall to an
other-downing two. three or more help
ings Of your favorlte dishes. Since all
men look alike in uniform, no one will
ever notice you.
No one man can be expected, in a
single article. to supply the draftee with
all the keys to successful Army career.
These things cannot be -fed-the
fruitful application of the principles /
have outlined is matter, naturally, of
individual initiative and imagination,
and the ability to adapt to prevailing
circumstances. But if have succeeded
in conveying to the f1edgling soldier a
general idea of the problem and the pos
sible solutions. have done my job
see I made some reference in the
paragraph above to successful" Army
career. Perhaps that word was chosen
a bit hastily. I myself was buck pri-
vate for more than two years. But that,
OF course, is neither here nor there.
Evening star., 1951-02-05
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE.


@. One qualification for being elected
President of the United States Is that
the candidate for Office must have lived
in the United States for IA years.
Must this period Of residence have been
continuously. L.
A. The Constitution makes no state
ment. However. when the question Of
residence in the United States was raised
in connection with Herbert Hoover, who
had lived abroad for many years. in
terpretation of the clause as requiring
residence of IA years continuously and
Immediately preceding election was re-
garded as unwarranted.
O. Was the late Harry Lauder native
of Scotland?-R. v. H.
A. He was born Harry MacLennan at
Portobello, near Edinburgh, Scotland. On
the stage he always wore the kilt. Of
the MacLennan tartan.
@. What causes water to appear
luminous at night?-O. c. s.
A. The phosphorescence comes from
millions of luminous protozoa, which are
microscopic animals inhabiting the
water.
@. How much wool does the United
States produce?-F. T.
A. For 1850 the production is esti-
mated at 247 million pounds. This Is
only 40 per cent of needs.
Evening star., 1951-02-05
By Howard |. ,Dutkin

N AY AFTER DAY. the draft machin-
II cry runs on, tapping out Greet
lngs'. to those slated for induction into
our armed forces. Day by day, the
tapping grows louder and the lists longer.
I sit here wondering who may be next.
I picture them allan endless procession
of innocent youths, fuzzy bearded and
wide-eyed.
How much they have to learn! Who,
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Light Trim

believe that there would be less re-
sentiment over a $1.25 haircut If it really
were haircut and not just tickling
of the hair ends with the shears, as
seems to have become the technique
here in Washington.
Perhaps there ought to be two rates:
Is cents for the hair-end tickling. and
some fair figure bearing a relation to
the time consumed for real haircut.
Sufferer.
Evening star., 1951-02-05
Questions and Answers

The Stars readers lean get the answer to
any oestion Of fact by either writing The
NV, Washington 5. D. c., and inclosing cents
return postage. or by telephoning ST. 5000.
Evening star., 1951-02-05

Pen-nan1es may be used If letters carry
Writers' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.
The Nome nugget., 1951-02-07
Terrific Atomic
 Blast Breaks Las Vegas Windows

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (P -W Win dows shattered in this southern Nevada city yesterday as two sep arate shocks from the fifth atomic test in II days rocked the city.
 Police reported big show win dows in two automobile agencies spintered by sound waves.
 A window in a garage also cracked.
 Clete Roberts, Los Angeles news commentator who saw the mid Pacific atomic tests at Bikini, watched yesterdays from the hamlet of Cactus Springs, on the edge of the governments 5000 square mile testing radnge.
 "This was bigger than Bikini," |" Roberts said.
 There were no reports of injur- ies, residents having been fore warned of the possibility of glass breaking shocks.
 In Los Angeles, some 300 miles distant, windows rattled in resi- dences and on the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles, at 6:12 am. PST - 24 minutes after the flash. Sound travels about 1000 feet a second.
 Scientists have said that sound waves might be felt as far away as 1000 miles if proper atmos- pheric conditions were present to permit the concussion to bounce off clouds or air strata.
 Television cameras picked up
 Continued on Page Five)
The Nome nugget., 1951-02-07

OTTAWA (P)-Canada defense minister Brooke Claxton, an- nounced in Parliament Monday night a $5,OOO,000,OOO three-year defense program providing a 40-squadron air force of more than 5000 planes.
 The proposed military expendi- ture overshadows anything Can ada has ever known in peacetime. It amounts to more than a quarter of Canada's World War II costs.
 The program places the accent on air power as Canada's major contribution to Gen. Dwight D. EiSenhower's Atlantic Alliance forces.