davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Pensions and Prices

Several letters recently have referred
20 the plight Of the "white-collar"
worker.
My husband was a white-collar
worker. He has been retired on social
security for several years. At best, that
is starvation dole.
| am glad the Government workers
Will get another raise, but again It is
across the board. The little fellow will
receive the least and he needs it most.
Why not a fiat 5000 or $500 raise for all?
And why not remember the retired
Federal workers, and those on social
security? They have not been remem-
bered very often, and they do have
to live.
AS soon as the Federal employees get
their raise, prices will fly right up. and
those who have to live on small pen
sions-the past workers-will indeed be
living under duress and hardship.
AS we grow older, doctors bills in
crease. Medicine is out of sight. We do
not like to be liability to our children
who themselves have to struggle for a
livelihood to support their families in
these days OF high prices. All are not
Federal employees that favored group.
I think the old folks in this country
should be taken care of. Pensions should
be increased both Federal and social
security, before any more raises raise
the roof completely off of gray heads.
Worried Wife.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14

which embraces all forms of elementary
and higher education up to university
level. Every child has to spend eight
years at the elementary part Of the
school and can then graduate to high
school or technical school. provided he
passes the necessary examinations and
fulfills certain political conditions.
When the child starts school he Is
invited to become member of the
Young Pioneers, the junior branch of
the Free German Youth-the Com
munist Youth Organization In East
Germany. Membership is not compul-
sorry. Nothing will happen to the child
or his parents II he refuses to join. But
he will be excluded from all out
of-school activities, games, camping and
so on which ore organized by the Free
German Youth Movement.
More important STILL he will not be
allowed In later years to graduate to
nigh school or to go to q university. OF
course, practically all children join and
the state strengthens its old hold over
them through an organization which is
not confined to the classroom.
Rut to return to the school itself all
lessons are designed to serve q political
end. Special emphasis is laid on those
subjects which can be given a political
angle, like history or Russia. But other
subjects, too. can be made to serve the
process OF indoctrination. In natural
sciences for instance, the teachings of
the Soviet biologists, Michurin and Iy-
senko, are emphasized. In geography
teachers are told by circular from the
ministry Of education-the study of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
UNIVERSITY CLUB.


Dear Sir:
II was much interested and pleased
to read in your This and That an appre-
citation of James Thomson, the young
er's, City of Dreadful Night
Many years ago. in the 1905s to
l910s, should say. first learned Of
the poem from Kipling's Light That
Failed both in Kipling's book and in
Forbes Robertson's magnificent dra-
matte version.
"Since then I have treasured my vol
umeS containing the poem and some
other ones of the authors. The first
published version of the poem was
able to get was the Mosher Books edi-
ton, with The City and some other
very fine poems of Thomson 'Insom-
mia, He Heard Her Sing The Room
and others.
"Since then have obtained in Lon
don what purports to be complete
edition of Thomson, in two volumes.
II don't recall the publisher, but have
the book in Connecticut, where most
of my books are. have Mosher
edition with me always, however. to-
gether with Goeth's Faust (part y
and, If possible. Dome and a Swim
burne.
All power to you, an appreciation dan.
I believe, is the modern world of Thorn
son. Almost unknown as he is I often
think of him. and his truly grandiose
verse, in the words he uses for the
Melancholia that transcends all wit.
His poetry. silently and unseen and
unknown, is struggling for that recogni-
ton and fame 1t deserves.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14

The decisive margin by which the voters OF
Falls Church have changed their governing body
leaves no room for argument. The defeat of the
of the City Council was not political accident.
The people were determined upon change and
they got it.
But the change, of itself, solves none of the
community's problems These will remain when
the incoming officials take over and the new
officers may be sure that their performance will
be closely watched by the people of the city and
that they will be judged, not by prediction
political slogans, but by the results that they
produce.
One of the first things that should be done
of politics. During the campaign there was
considerable talk to the effect that the in
cumbents stood for better schools and that the
opposition did not Fundamentally support
sound, progressive school system As a general
ization. this simply was not true. Many of the
people who worked hardest to GUST the in
cumbent regime have children in the schools
and are determined to have an excellent school
system. They, no less than those on the other
side of the political fence, will insist that the
community maintain the best schools it can
afford.
Another thing that needs to be done is to
wipe out the bitterness engendered by the cam
paign. Nothing but harm can result If the
sniping that preceded the election should be
carried over into the future. The new regime
has won clear-cut victory, dictated by majority
sentiment in the community. When it takes over
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
BY Charles E. Trocewen

Authors whose books are endless, repe-
titious and really meaningless are called
great" We are treated to one of the
best book review sections permitting
reviewer to call certain novelist "the
greatest writer since Shakespeare"
We are told. in bold words. that an
other novelist is undoubtedly Amer
ica's finest novelist probably he was
the greatest since Dumas, who knows?)
But he strikes us as vulgar and tiresome,
with his sentences five pages long.
So we are old fashioned, no doubt. and
ought to be ashamed Of ourselves, but
aren't.
It is amazing how obdurate some Of
us oldsters are.
We believe that painting ought to
resemble what it purports to portray,
and that a story ought to have MARIA
tive interest, and poem some music
IN 1t. We want our articles to move
right on, so that we can understand
what the guy is talking about. We
want our music to have melody, and our
sculptured ladies to have two eyes, not
one-or three, and especially not one
In the middle of her back.
So we don't know what we want? But,
boy, we do, we do! Those we are told
so endlessly are great" are not in the
least great to us. We have our own
favorites wrapped up in clouds of white
and gold They are lined with dreams
covered with rainbows, and somehow
partake Of the majesty Of the Lord God
In His nobleSt moments. You can have
your profiles, and your new verse We
will take Shakespeare, and Swinburne,
and Thomson, for three Just old-fash-
toned fellows. but how they could writel
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Uncle Joe Gives the Riddles the Bird
By w. WolIieh
ts,aff wri,.r Of British Broadea.'ins Co,


r, oNDoN.--A few weeks ago q friend
- Of mine sent me children's book
from Berlin. It was beautifully printed
by a publishing house in East Germany
on good paper with charming illustra-
tions. It told the story Of little girl
war orphan-who had dream
She dreamed that her dolls and toys
came to life and talked among them
selves of the danger Of war and how to
fight 1t. They spoke Of splendid and
mysterious dove which could Danish war
forever, and finally one OF the dolls went
of to look for the dove.
In far-away city she Saw-in mod
est attic--a kindly old man who was
drawing dove on large canvas. When
he had finished. the dove suddenly came
to life. few out of the window and came
to visit the sleeping little girl. It in
vited her to climb on its back and fly
through the world to see how war could
be prevented
The dove flies over many countries.
Over America, where the little girl sees
the war-mongers. Macarthur and Tru-
man; to France where. in addition to
Picasso in his disorderly attic, she sees
M. Joliot-Cu to Russia, where she
meets the master machinist and hero Of
Soviet labor, Pavel Bykov, and finally
they circle over the Kremlin where the
lights never go out and where Stain,
the wise leader Of all humanity, watches
and plans selflessly for peace.
The book, in fact, provides q COM
pletely new hierarchy in the world Of
fairytales. with Picasso, Joliot-C urie and
heroes of Soviet labor taking the place
of Prince Charming and the fairies,
Truman and Macarthur becoming the
modern equivalent of witches and STEP
mothers, and Stain combination Of
Santa Claus and the good magician
Merlin in his mountain fastness.
Now this fairy tale, and many others
like 1t, play an important part in the
education which children receive In East
Germany today. It is an education de-
signed to turn them into loyal Com
muniSts and to make them fear, dis
trust and hate all other systems Of
government And 1t begins long before
the child starts going to school-in in
fantS' homes where 1t is based on fairy
tales like that about which have lust
told you.
The child, at s, starts going to school.
Formerly there was in Germany a wide
variety OF state schools. private schools
ana denominational schools. Now the
private and denominational schools have
been abolished and the various types of
state schools reduced to single pat
tern: The so-called standard school.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
This and That

'Baf1ed and beaten back she works
on still Some day more than you
and !. in Washington. will know Thorn
son for the great poet he was-and is.
And as for verSification, no one but
Swinburne has ever thrown syllables
and rhymes around with greater IA
cility, ease and prodigal wealth. He,
too, was like the little brown bird,
under the bush. dead of its melody.
Sincerely yours, F. c."
Carrying poetry around with one is not
as common today as it once was. Per-
haps that is due, in part, to the we'll
placed sneers Of those who spoke dis
paringly of little poetry books
It Is true that poets have made many
little books. The very nature Of their
calling makes it impossible for most Of
them to initiate the novelists, who turn
out very long ones.
Poetry demands keen appreciation
of words. in special sense. Today we
have word interest under many names,
including semantics. The poets always
have loved words. They loved them in
their special sense.
To enjoy poetry today one must be
prepared to grapple with forms and ideas
unknown to the poets Of yesteryear. We
were subjected recently to a volume
which won prize, and we couldn't un-
derstand word Of it. Perhaps that is
wrong--we could understand each word
by itself. but not in the sequences used
by the poet. But he had won prize.
and SO we felt rebuffed again.
One feels rebuffed so much. nova
days, with paintings that strike one al
absurd, and poems" that seem mean
ingleSS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Dr.. Wilkinson Retirino

Thousands of children have passed through
the schools IN his care, and each one of them
owes debt OF gratitude to DR.. Garnet C.. Wukin-
son. Practically his whole life since he was
brought to Washington from South Carolina as
a little boy of nine has been spent in the educa-
uonal system of the District of Columbia He
attended the Birney Elementary School and was
graduated at the old NJ Street High School, Then
he went to Oberlin College in Ohio until 1902,
when, having gained teachers certificate, he
returned to what now is the Terrell Junior High
School as an instructor. An excellent classical
scholar, his speciality at that time was Latin.
But mis- natural gifts for management and leader
ship soon carried him into the administrative
field. He was principal of Armstrong High School
from 1917 to 1915 and principal of Dunbar High
School from 1915 to 1921.
DR.. Wilkinson was only AZ when he was ap-
pointed as assistant superintendent in charge of
all the colored schools in Washington His pro-
motion was an experiment But he was equal
to his opportunities BY 1924 he had been ele-
waited to first assistant superintendent-fext to
the highest position in the Districts educational
setup. When he had held the position success
fuliy for Is years he was eligible for retirement
The school board, however, requested him not to
abandon his duties. That was in 1948 The board
repeated its appeal in 1949 and in 1880 On each
occasion DR.. Wilkinson put aside whatever per-
sonal considerations were involved and stayed
on as duty This year he insists on leaving.
The whole community has found ways to express
its appreciation for his devotion, his efficiency,
his fine spirit of cooperation, his willingness to
sacrifice his own convenience for the public
benefit.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Presidential Business

Recent newspaper reports on the Sen
ate investigation of the custer of Gen.
Macarthur say that Secretary Of State
Acheson told Senators he is under In
structions from President Truman not to
repeat what was said at the White
House.
Gen. Bradley also refused to testify
about the White House talks. However,
the newspapers reported that Bradley
said he had not consulted Mr.. Truman
as to whether or not he should tell about
them. The White House later said Mr..
Truman regarded the conversations as
his private business and felt Bradley was
right in refusing to testify about them.
1t is time that the people of the
United States tell Mr.. Truman, through
their elected representatives, that the
only private business he has while he is
President Of the United States is per-,
sonal business entirely separate from the
duties of his Office.
The President has authority to dis
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Eliminating the But

The Senate move to force 10 per cent
reduction in the budget estimate for next years
Federal payroll to be accomplished in large part
by hiring fewer new employees than requested,
may not be the best way to economic.
Senator Douglas, who has established him
self as a sincere economy advocate, says that
sit is a poor way of doing q necessary job"
He would have preferred an item-by-item reduc-
ton, in which personnel cuts could have been
adjusted to the real needs of individual agencies
That could not be done, however, because of the
parliamentary situation that existed in the
Senate The National Federation of Federal
Employees, also opposing an across the-boards
cut, says the "meat-ax' approach has been In
voked by Congress because too many Federal
administrators have failed to carry out this
phase of their administrative function vigor
ously and courageously. The NFFE thinks it
still is not too late for the administrators to
make the cuts themselves and that Congress
SHOULD not take an action which actually would
serve to compound the evil over the long pull"
These contentious may be inherently sound
The trouble with them is that they have never
produced the desired result, and in all human
probability they never will
As Senator Mcclellan put it: 1--WE are
always talking economy. We make speeches
about it, and then we say But >" The
amenQmeHG sponsored Dy SENATOR ferguson anu
adopted by a 58-to-24 vote lin the Senate is
designed to eliminate that But"
The Ferguson amendment. if it finally be-
comes law, would not mean that any arbitrary
number of Federal employees will lose their jobs
In some agencies there may be reductions in
force. But the limitation can be met for the
most part by not filling vacancies and by not
hiring as many new people as the Federal agen-
cies want to hire In effect, the Senate has told
the agencies to make nine people do the work
planned for ten in the next fiscal year. and an
effective argument was made that this is not
an unreasonable requirement to impose on the
Federal establishment at time when the Gov
eminent is calling for sacrifices from every one
else.
If one assumes that the Ferguson formula
will be applied to all appropriation bills they
affect personnel, and that it will limit personnel
to 80 per cent of the requests, there would be a
budget saving of $1666,500,000. Even with a
$71-bilion budget, that is an economy worth
making. And 1t can be made If the determine
ton to make it exists
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Bock-country Church

This church has clean-paned apindo,Ds.
White peaks against the sky,
The orchards. moods and meadows
Suggest the lite on High
Far more than stained glass pictures
That please the toipnsman's eye.
Here burns no altar incense.
Ptne-Scent and cloUer- bloom
Glue uplift to the spirit,
In this small, rustic room,
Far more than snaoke-borne fragrance
OF jactory-nsade perfume.
Its peiDs are handmade benches
OF 1,atiue pine and oak.
1t has no choir, no organ.
Its members, plain hiH-folk.
Sing simple hymns; their ritual
The words Carpenter spoke.
Sudie Stuart Hoser
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Note to Congress

Apparently the so-called Macarthur
hearings have degenerated into cam
paign to smear Secretary Acheson, indi-
eating how hard up Republicans must
be for an issue. The solons prolong this
f1asco, some have the brashness to say
in the interests of the country, leaving
the congressional business of the coun-
try pretty much at a standstill.
None of the emergency issues is given
proper attention while these men, who
are paid to do job, pile UP millions of
words in fruitless charges and petty.
repetitious questions. What it amounts
to. in essence, is that the solons are sell
ing the people down the river for a
mess of votes, making mockery Of
loyalty, hamstringing the defense pro-
gram and playing into Russian hands.
Walter Sonneberg.
Philadelphia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Poor Sport?


It has been stated that Washington is
a poor sports town. It has also been
said that we would have winning base
ball team If we would but learn Spanish,
Cuban style.
This city has gh-average- Income
group. This cosmopolitan aggregation
Of poor sports adequately supports the
Redskins, win, lose or draw.
Possibly the present condition of sports
here is the fault Of some one other than
the typical resident Of Washington, who
perhaps cannot stomach what is showed
at him, with a take-it-and-like- atti-
tude. To settle the argument. here is a
suggestion.
Let's have girls big league softball
team. Let's pick the team for playing
ability and not for pulchritude, political
afiliation or relationship with the
ownership.
And let's have the games at stadium
that may be reached by auto and where
adequate parking is available.
Anti Grifith Fan.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14

As q home owner here for over 80
years, with privilege Of voting (by
absentee ballot) for all national leaders.
! say that my much-esteemed Senator
Kefauver should know why we who have
put all our savings into homes do not
want so-called home rule for Wash
ington.
His calling the Board Of Trade an
"oligarchy," that has held our city in
bondage. might be answered. by saying
that Senators and Representatives are
mere sojourners in the Capital and can
have no more than passing interest In It's
home life. They are not to be compared
with men who live here, hold property
and must put up with legislation inimical
to their best interests.
More power to the Board of Trade
and to the supporting Commissioners.
John o. Knott.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
By Newman sudduth.


Scandinavian Peninsula is to be used ito
examine the position of the northern
countries in relation to the North At
lantic pact"
To the high schools only selected can
didates are admitted. An essential quail
f1cation is membership of the Free Ger
man Youth Movement. But that alone
Is not enough. The government has
decreed that 10 per cent Of the pupils
ut higher schools and universities must
come from working class families.
At the university indoctrination con-
tinueS. Courses in dialectical material
ism and Marxism-Leninism are compul-
sorry. In examinations marks are given
for political activity, membership of
Communist organizations and for ideo-
logical reliability. These marks are de-
cisive for the students further progress.
Children In East Germany are, as far
as possible, brought under state control
from the time they begin to think, and
until they leave school or university are
subjected to a continuous process Of
Communist indoctrination. The only
influence to counterbalance this indoc-
tr1nation Is the home. But 1t is the
avowed aim of the Communists to elm
mate this influence as far as possible
It is impossible to say whether this
system of education will achieve the de-
sired result of making good little Com
munist Of every boy and girl in East
Germany. But it will certainly tend to
estrange them even more from their
compatriots in the West and from West
ern culture and thought in general.
Gondon Observer FOREIGN News serviee)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
In Fine Shape

In Fine Shape
have seen Bergman draw some dis
gushing cartoons, but making fun Of
Michael DiSalle's stockiness is sickening.
How about making fun of the girth of
some of those Millionaire cattlemen or
the girth of their empires out West,
some Of which are big enough to have
the State of Rhode Island set down in
side OF them. and still they cry for
higher beef prices.
Mrs. ii. WexIer.
Editors Note: Price Sterilization Ad-
ministrator Disable has never tried to
hide the fact that he is turnip- shaped.
Actually Bergman didn't caricature the
amiable price boss-merely produced a
likeness, on reduced scale. Mr.. Disable
wasn't offended. He asked for, and re-
ceived, the original Of the cartoon)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Philadelphia.
Member of the Firm

In your June edition, there was q
story headed Architects Appointed for
Arlington School Construction Program
It was reported that Carl G. Lans
was assigned the commission to design
an addition to the Kemper Elementary
School.
We wish to advise you that the Airing
ton County School Board selected the
firm of John H. Graham and Carl G.
Lans for this project, and we shall APP
preciate it if you would correct the re-
port accordingly.
Graham and Lans.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Letters to The Star

charge the highest officers In our armed
forces. but when he gives the brush
on" to the people and their represent
atives by stating that matters concern
ing the business Of the country are his
private business, 1t then becomes time
for the people to remind him that the
only private business he has, while he is
President, is his personal affairs.
Wray p. White.
Wellesley. Mass.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14

its governmental responsibilities In September
1t should have the cooperation OF both political
factions in dealing with matters of community
interest If this is withheld the resulting injury
win be inflicted, not on individuals, but on the
best interests OF the city.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Questions and Answers

A reader can get the answer to any ouest,on
q fact by writing The Evening Star Informa-
ZION bureau. 700 Eye street NV, Washing
ton. D. C.. Please inclose three (3l cents for
return postage. "