davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1951-04-07
221-B Baker Street

The National Geographic Society says there
never was any such place as 221-B Baker street.
In 1887 when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made the
address famous, house numbers in Baker street
did not go as high as 200. The fiat imagined by
the author of "a Study in Scarlet was described
as: "A couple of comfortable bedrooms and
single large airy sitting room, cheerfully fur
nished and Illuminated by two broad windows"
Dr. John H. Watson and Sherlock Holmes found
1t not only desirable" but also moderate in price
SO their creator moved them in eat once" The
date, as he gave it, was 1878. That is, Doyle set
his story back nine years when he began to
write it. sts1
Perhaps he chose 221-B Baker street simply
because there was no 221-B Baker street But
readers began looking for 221-B at least as far
back as 1892, possibly earlier. And if they did
not find it in Baker street, they certainly found
1t again and again and again in Doyie's stories.
So it yas real enough, sure enough.
As well deny Elsinore To Hamlet as deny
32i-B to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. WatsonI The
National Geographic Society might just as rea-
sonably declare that there was no such place as
ME- Wonderland that Lewis CAROLS Alice dis
Evening star., 1951-04-07
BY Charles E. Trocewen

best way to enjey plant life Is to ac-
cumulate it, little by little, without the
slightest reference to classifications.
Only a few persons out of every thou
sand could make any good use of man
uals in collecting wildfiowers or shrubs
or roses. One might as well try to make
a lawn by delving. into the separate sorts
OF grass plants that 60 into a good lawn
seed mixture. It is true that some one
has to do it, in the first place, but that
Is one OF the pleasures of this world,
often overlooked, that there are always
Jealous persons ready to make all sorts
OF classifications. for price We, the
planters. the famous ultimate consumers,
accept this as q fact and think no more
about it.
# we insist on identification. let us
make 1t as easy as possible. This is best
done with colored illustrations, as pro-
vided In the new manual.
In looking at the real flowers, whether
in fields or woods. 1t is necessary to keep
in mind that such delicate colorings
fade easily in the wind and sun. We
cannot be too sure of the color we see.
Hence some leeway must be allowed for
seeing the wrong color, and trying to
match it with colored ink.
All in all. the real enjoyment Of wild
flower specimens comes in having them
close at hand. There are many corners
in every yard where such material may
be placed. It is 80 small, SO fragile, that
1t has personal touch unknown to the
larger, tougher plants so widely used In
home gardens. Every suburban yard
has violets. Go on from there.
Evening star., 1951-04-07

The Chinese Communists proved by
their stealthy crossing of the Yalu River
last October that they had no respect
for formal political boundaries. Formal
agreements mean nothing to the Com
muniStS and they cannot be trusted to
respect the neutrality of this proposed
new buffer state The control of
substantial slice of Korean territory will
give them the additional advantage of
shortened supply lines in "liberating"
the rest Of Korea.
Meanwhile, this buffer state" if Gre
ated, will furnish sanctuary on Korean
soil for Kim II Sung's puppet govern
ment. thereby permitting it to retain
more prestige than would be made pos
sible through flight to Manchuria. From
this protected zone the Communists
could springboard their raids into the
south, making the peaceful pursuit of
orderly life impossible in adjacent areas.
Furthermore, the buffer state" would
include and control the vast power sta
tions in the northern border area of
Korea, thereby making impossible the
revival Of Korean industry.
In short. the buffer state' will give
the Chinese q Stranglehold on Korea.
The Korean people want none Of it.
Since the United States and the Re-
public of Korea are carrying the greatest
part of the war burden in Korea, it is
only right that these two nations should
Evening star., 1951-04-07

Wildhowers may be found In the
woods, in the home garden, and in books.
To their lovers, it is difficult to say
where they grow the best.
It is fine to discover brand-new book
on them at IS cents, and in color, too.
Over the years there have been many
good wildfiower books. which is helpful,
since so many persons refuse to recognize
them as distinct classification.
This comes about because many of
these species have infiltrated home gar
dens to the extent that they seem indig-
enouS there.
The truth is that all these specimens
grow best in the woods.
This is because an acid soil is best for
them.
When they come into the average
home garden, where the alkaline reac-
ton soil predominates, partly made so
by liberal use of lime. they find condi-'
tions not to their liking.
Then they sulk. or die, and the home
experimenter decides to strick closer to
the favorite ANIMALS and perennials
grown for SO long in home yards that
they start right of when planted
Wildhowers have pretty names. and
pretty blossoms. although the latter may
grow very close to the ground. and not
last very long. even when they do finally
bloom. sie
Small low-growing flowers are chill
dren's favorites for picking. This is un-
fortunate, since two or three little ones
can ruin . whole plantation in q few
minutes.
Evening star., 1951-04-07
The Psychological Moment for What?
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
TEN THOUSAND American GIs and
4 100000 free Korean soldiers have
died in the Korean war. for what Presi-
dent Truman calls fright and justice in
I the world against oppression and
slavery"
IN addition. some 2 million Korean
civilians have perished as direct result
of the war-at the hands Of the Commu-
nists, by the Allied bombs and artillery,
and by hunger, cold. exposure and dis
ease. The country has been destroyed
almost totally, from the Pusan beach,
head to the Yalu River. A scorched-
earth policy has been carried out, both
by the Communists and the Allies. in an
attempt to destroy everything chat might
be of some use to the enemy. And that
has meant virtually everything the
civilians had.
Shall all this frightful sacrifice in
human life and property have been made
in vain?
1t will be, if the u. N. forces stop
somewhere in Central Korea and nego-
tiate a peace with Red China on Com
munist terms. as apparently advocated
by British Foreign Minister Herbert
Morrison and other appeasers in the
u. N. Such peace will, in effect.
mean the defeat Of the free world. and
complete victory for the aggressors.
It will mean notification Of the u N.
resolutions passed by the Security Coun-
Gil on June ~, and by the General
Assembly on October z, 1850, authoriz-
ing the u. N. forces to unity the country
and Ito insure conditions of stability
throughout Korea" It will mean either
the restoration Of the Soviet puppet
state in North Korea, or creation of a
supposedly neutral buffer state"-as q
Chinese satellite-to satisfy the demands
of the Chinese Communists. In either
case, it will be in the Communist orbit
If the former Soviet puppet government
is restored north Of the 38th Parallel,
1t will be only matter Of time before
its armies will be regrouped and re-
equipped, with the assistance of Russia
and China. Notwithstanding whatever
promises these nations might give at the
peace settlement. South Korea will be
invaded again at the earliest possible
opportunity.
The so-caHed buffer state" as sug-
gested by the British, is merely rose
by another name, though 1t does not
smell sweet. It would, in effect, move
the Yalu southwark and give the Chinese
Communists the same sanctuary they
have had in Manchuria, behind which
they could build up power for an attack
any time they chose.
Evening star., 1951-04-07
This and That

Often they merely throw away the
blossoms that some one has been wait
ing years to see. It is hard to make
them understand that they should not
invade yards for this purpose.
In the main, wildhowers are herba-
ceouS plants.
There should be no strict classification,
however, for the home gardener
He should emulate the old fellow who.
when told that his wife had wildflowers
in her garden, replied, 'Wildfowers?
Wildhowers? Why, she has no Wild
flowers-they are just flowers"
just flowers. then, but they originally
grew in the woods. and in early spring
botany classes and plain citizens go out
to find them.
Low-growing, small, easily overlooked,
and very difficult to identify. at least
for some persons, the native wildfiowers
make large appeal to certain natures.
It is easy to grow obsessed with bo-
tanical classifications. but unless one has
just that type of mind it will spoil the
true pleasure OF interest in these little
things.
Go to the woods, if you choose, but do
not take Gray's manual with you. That
is our advice. We lost our personal copy
Of that famous book many years ago,
and have never replaced it,
Classification is good thing, especial
ly in books. It permits the orderly pres
entation Of material. In everyday life,
especially when one gets into q garden,
1t Is neither necessary nor desirable. The
Evening star., 1951-04-07
Lebunese Election

The authors Of the letter which ap-
peared in The Star of March 80, under
the caption, Threat to Lebanon Seen"
based their argument on the fear that
the elections to the House of Deputies
Of Lebanon. which are to take place
next month, may not be altogether
free and fair. The present Ministry,
which assumed responsibility as a care
taker regime with the express and only
function Of conducting and overseeing
the forthcoming elections, has from the
very beginning again and again assured
the people of Lebanon that these elec-
tions will be unquestionably free. In
his latest statement about this matter,
on March 10. the Prime Minister,
Mr.. Hussein Al-Uwayni, said: IT ac-
cepted office under the banner of
neutrality in delicate circumstances to
insure the freedom of every individual
OF the LebaneSe people in electing the
representatives he may wish within the
limits of the law without fear or pres
sure. propose to make of this be-
loved land of Lebanon. model Of free,
fair and sound elections" There can
be nothing palmer than these words.
So the authors of the letter referred
to above, and others who may enter
tain the same fears with them, can take
these words Of our Prime Minister as
perfectly authoritative regarding the
freedom of elections in Lebanon.
The destiny of Lebanon can best be
fulfilled under the present circumstances
by joyful cooperation. in absolute trust
Evening star., 1951-04-07
Air-Roid Alarm Problem

There is increasing evidence of the need for
q reconsideration by the Federal Civil Defense
Administration of its AFRAID warning plan
The House Appropriations Committee has de-
scribed the present plan as "nebulouS" and in
need of coordination with the Air Force air
raid alarm system. There should, of course, be
the closest sort of coordination between the
civil defense program and military plans in the
same general field OF more particular concern
locally is question raised by the Commissioners
over the national alert system. The question is
one that needs answering.
@ The Commissioners want to know how they
are going to keep the public from learning about
the so-called confidential preliminary alert sig
nal, to be sent local civil defense officials all
over the country. Under the present signal plan,
the public is not to be warned of an impending
air raid until after all important civil defense
officials have been alerted. The idea is to avoid
unnecessary panic and to give civil defense au-
thorities chance to swing into action. The
public will be warned only a few minutes in
advance of the expected attack
5 The trouble with this plan is that it is
almost impossible to keep secret an alert signal
which must be transmitted to so many key
people. including police, fire, hospital, public
utility and other officials. If these various
agencies begin preparations for the expected
emergency, great many persons in and out of
the agencies are apt to suspect that catas-
tfophe threatens Runors spread like wildfire
under such circumstances, and there might be
more hysteria through inability to get factual
information than if the public were given an
outright warning coincident with the initial alert
signal.
2 It is understandable that the Commissioners
and local civil defense officials reluctant to
assume responsibility for trying to keep secret
the advance warning. The best antidote for
panic is thorough education of the people as
to where they should go and not go and what
they should do and not do when the alarm
comes. If the citizens are properly informed of
their duties and assured that there will be no
delay in warning them of an impending attack
there is apt to be less panic than if they feel
they are being deceived by those in whom they
should have utmost faith
Evening star., 1951-04-07
Easing German Controls

The common defense of the Atlantic COM
munity has been additionally strengthened by
the latest Anglo French American relaxation of
controls on West Germanys industrial produc-
ton. The Ruhr-"the workshop of Europe
will now be rid Of many former restraints, and
its stepped-up output, in addition to promoting
the country's internal economic health, cannot
fall to contribute significantly to the free worlds
effort to counter the threat of. Red aggression
AS agreed upon by the three-power Allied
High Commission, the relaxation covers wide
and varied field of productive enterprise. Among
other things, it removes all limitations on the
size and speed of the merchant ships that the
Germans are capable of building, and it permits
them to resume the manufacture of synthetic
oil and rubber. Further, it authorizes them to
make ball bearings, primary aluminium, cleo
tronic tubes of different kinds, certain types
of machine tools and similar items heretofore
prohibited rigidly restricted. Finally, it pro-
videS that the present ceiling on their steel
output I'll million tons yearly may be lifted to
help build the defenses of Western Europe.
The only thing still subject to strict limita-
tions and outright prohibitions is West German
production OF. military nature. A special three
power Allied law continues to apply against
atomic activity, and other controls remain in
force against the manufacture of aircraft certain
electronic equipment and weapons in general
It is noteworthy, however that the new Anglo
French-American agreement makes allowance
for the possibility Of granting licenses to COM
panies in the Ruhr and elsewhere to turn out
armaments or related items when, as and If
such output is found to be desirable or necessary
to bulwark the security Of the Atlantic COM
munity as a whole.
Ali this is far cry from the time when
some people saw wisdom in the so-called Nor
genthau Plan That political and economic
absurdity would have done violence to all the
laws of nature with a program designed to
reduce the Germans to . completely deindus-
trialized nation of farmers. But the character
of Soviet policy, if not simple sanity, soon
demonstrated how such "pastoralization" could
have ended only in Western catastrophe. Our
Allied relaxation Of controls represents COM
nonsense recognition Of the fact that Germanys
productive capacity is Of prime Importance to
the defense Of freedom.
Evening star., 1951-04-07
Lid on the Budget

In budget of around $136 million, an
annual additional expenditure of about Sill ,460
is small potatoes. The Health Department has
recommended that this amount be made avail
able, with an additional one-year outlay of $780,,
600 for equipment to f1uornate the District water
supply and reduce tooth decay
The process by which the chemical sodium
1noride, is added to water is now in use by
number of communities, though none so large as
Washington. One of them, Newburgh, N. Y, has
found after five years that tooth decay in chill
dren has been reduced by some 80 per cent.
Other studies have indicated that the reduction
viii 90 as high as 65 per cent. Within few more
years, more carefully prepared estimates of ac-
tual results, made on a scientific basis, win be
available.
In opposing the appropriation now, however,
Commissioner Donohue points out that the con-
stantly increasing cost aof local government
makes inadvisable the addition of any new prof.
ects. This principle ought to apply, regardless
Of the amount of money involved. For the ap-
proval of one new project opens the door to
long list of other suggestions all of them as de-
sirable, no doubt, as the fuorination of drinking
water. There is already the prospect of another
round of salary increases for municipal employees,
running into millions and resulting in another
round of local tax increases. In these circum-
stances, Mr.. Donohue has taken the right posi-
ton. -
Furthermore, the District Health Department
Is spending $4,000 year now on large-scale
treatment of school children with f1uoride prepa-
Yations Controlled experiments with city water
supplies are elsewhere in progress It would be
wise to wait few years, until the results of
these undertakings are available. If the benefit
is assured then the appropriation for treating
the water supply should be accompanied by some
specific provision to pay the cost out of water
taxes, or other sources of revenue
Evening star., 1951-04-07
Suspect the DoffodiI

Be not deceiued to thinking this is spring,
Nor cast aside hdbiliments OF sno,o
Because you chance to hear q cdtbtrd
sing
His ,oistful little oratorio.
Do not be taken In should you surprise
A Uiolet lurking In the deiDy grass.
Nor oDerestinsGte the bluebird skies:
Be acary OF the pungent sGssafrns.
oh, be not duped by emerald canonfage
OF bud and leaf: suspect the dafodil
That blooms too soon. BetDGre the sab
otGge
OF frost that hens the ankle OF the
HILL
Do not accept the spring till you are sure
The Leaf ,OiH stay, song Is not premature.
Moe Winkler Goodman.
Evening star., 1951-04-07
Henry e. DeYouno,
Peu-nanaes may be used If letters carry
DTiters' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.

passed Immediately, there would still
be long interval before the grain
could be delivered. One felt that Con-
gresS had done all it could to damage
this country's reputation by delaying
and blocking Gen. Eisenhower abroad.
On second thought, however, not to
is far worse.
America. beware!
Virginia Walker,
Let's take look at the other side
of the picture for which India herself
must shoulder the responsibility. She
wilfu1ly cut down acreage of food pro-
duction in order to take away Pakistan's
export tute market. India cancelled
her contract to sell jute to the United
States and instead sold 1t to the Ar
gentine.
Mr.. Nehru has rendered vital dis
service to the United States in our re-
lations with Communist China, thus en-
couraging China to persist in her war
against us. This at time when the
United States needed all its friends
w Sbd1lO Np d11O VIC COulbCu, dIIO IQOSt
particularly friends in Asia. Did India
do this? She did not. But she en-
couraged China to continue its war.
And finally what have the million
aires and super millionaires of India
done to buy this wheat? There are
more per-millionaires in India than
in any other country. Birthday gifts of
nabob's weight in diamonds can be
mentioned. If India needs this food
to avert chaos, who can be more in
terested than these nabobs who, if re-
ports are one-tenth true, can easily
put up the entire 200 million dollars
that Truman is asking us to give away
to save India from chaos? I should
like convincing answers to these objec-
tions before any Of my taxes are handed
out to country like India and its rulers
John p. Story, Jr.
Evening star., 1951-04-07

have most to say on the question of war
or peace In Korea. There is no reason
why q country like India, that did not
contribute a single soldier or sailor to
the y. N. forces in the Korean war.
should attempt to decide the fate Of the
Korean people. Prime Minister Nehru
OF India refuses to negotiate in Kashmir,
yet he advocates U. N negotiation with
the Communists in Korea on Communist
terms He imposes trade sanctions on
Pakistan, yet he opposes U. N. economic
sanctions on Communist China. He
wants to annex MoSlem KaShmir to Hin
du India, yet he favors the division of
homogeneous Korea. Indeed the incon-
siStency of Mr.. Nehru is matched only
by his lust for recognition of his self
assumed leadership in Asia The Korean
people would be grateful If Mr.. Nehru
and his agent. Bengal Rau, at the U. N.
would only stay out of the Korean oues-
ton.
Makeshift settlement never settles
anything. and half peace Is worse than
none. In settling the Korean problem
the welfare and wishes of the Korean
people should never be lost sight of.
To consider the 30 million Koreans as
mere paWnS in the game of international
power politics Is direct violation of the
principles of the U. N. Charter.
If there is to be a negotiated peace
In Korea. the terms must be acceptable
to the Korean people. The minimum
acceptable terms are: /. Complete and
unconditional withdrawal of all Chinese
forces from Korean soil as prerequisite
to any negotiations: 2. Destruction of
the Soviet puppet government in North
Korea and disarmament of its army;
3. Unif1cation and rehabilitation of
Korea under U. N. supervision, with full
recognition of the political sovereignty
and territorial integrity of the country.
President Truman gave expression to
what is in the hearts Of the Korean
people when he said in his radio ad-
dress to the Nation on December IS,
1850: 1--WE shall strive for a settlement
that will make Korea united, inde-
pendent and democratic country. That
Is what the Korean people want, and
that is what the U. NJ has decided
they are entitled to have"
That is exactly what the Korean
people want. It is their national ideal.
for the attainment of which they have
made the greatest sacrifice in their
history Of 1000 years.
Henry c. DeYoune,
Former Korean Minister to General
MacArthur's Headquarters in Japan.
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Evening star., 1951-04-07
Example

was much impressed with the 'front.'
page article reporting the Presidents
remarks at the cornerstone laying of
the historic New York Avenue Presby-
terian Church. His remarks heartened
me and gave assurance that he has his
hand on the pulse beat of the common
people. He said: "Our young men are
offering their lives for us in the hills
of Korea, and yet too many of us are
chiefly concerned over whether we can
buy television set next week, or make
the profit We expect to make this year,
or how we can turn the situation to our
own advantage"
The trouble is that my wife isn't sat-
isfied with the prospect Of television
set. No. she wants a pastel mink coat
that will cost not less than $4,000: she
wants to 60 to Florida to one Of those
swanky hotels that charge $25 a day
and she wants it put on the cuff.
Can you beat that? Where could she
have gotten ideas like that? Yes, sir,
Mr.. Truman certainly knows what the
common people are thinking about!
F.C G.
Evening star., 1951-04-07
Washington Song

have been interested to note that
the Washington Society of Natives has
not adopted the so-called official song,
Washington" which was awarded first
place in a recent song contest. I appre-
ciate the fact that this same group will
continue to use the song written years
ago by william r. Pierson.
The winning song lacks originality
and dignity in its music. The words are
commonplace and contain a gram
matical error. It would seem that the
greatest benefit in this contest lay in
the advertising of q certain Motorola
firm, and not in our musical heritage.
Native Washingtonian.