davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
This and That

and change as light strikes them much
as the startling feathers do.
GrackleS should never be chased away,
however, without first taking a good
look at them. If this requires several
hours, or even days, it will be time
we'll spent. It will show how beauty
is as beauty does, as the poet told US.
Actions, too, speak louder than words
that is something else we have been
told, and it is borne out by the purple
grackle. His actions, as far as other
birds are concerned, are rather on the
bad side.
The worst part of it is that he rises
early, and usually carries on his ne
farious work before human beings arise.
So most of the latter fail to see the
grackles at their worst.
Hence those who do not see them in
operation tend to feel that the birds
are being abused when they are &C
cuSed of misdeeds.
The half hour after dawn is the
grackleS favorite time for killing
He must kill simply for the pleasure of
it, because it never eats his victims.
Once he has torn off their heads, or
legs, he flies away.
Accusations of bird killing and egg
eating have been brought against the
bluejay. While these fellows are not
free from sin, in this respect, their deeds
are done when all can see. so very
few are missed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Probably the meanest bird is the pur-

Probably the meanest bird is the pur-
pie grackle.
He is long, with long tail, and yell
low eyes bespeaklng inner resentment
against flying creatures.
1t is no unusual thing for one of these
birds to tear off the heads and legs of
cardinal young in a few seconds.
Compared with the grackle, the ma
ligned starting is bird of peace.
Some observers tend to confuse the
two species, but there is not much reason
for it. The startling is much stouter with
a very short tail; the grackle is much
longer, with very long tail
The yellow eyes of the grackle can be
distinguished at distance, and are the
birds trade mark.
Once you see those eyes, there is no
doubt that you are looking at meanie.
Best way to get rid of grackles is
to rush into the yard as If the devil
himself were after you.
This will alarm them, and they will
fly to some tree nearby.
Go back into the house, and when
the grackles return, repeat the per-
Torrance.
Several more repetitions, and the I'M
desirable visitors will remain away.
Yet grackles are pretty enough.
Whenever attacked verbally there is al
ways one to speak up for them.
4 It is true that their feathers are shiny
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Air Force War
M. L. Waldo.

It Is erninently healthy to check, now
and then. on the progress of military
unif1cation. To this end should like to
report small test-bore which I have
just completed. which may give a rough
idea of what goes on under the smooth
surface.
The fall issue Of the Air University
Quarterly Review, an official publica-
ton of the United States Air Force, was
recently and somewhat belatedly dis
tributed. 1t contains an article entitled
quite broadly "Air War in Korea" 1t is
stated that this article was prepared
note this well-in the Office of the Sec
rotary of Defense. I should think one
might properly expect that an article so
titled and so prepared would broadly and
impartially cover all aspects and view
points on the air war in Korea. But
perhaps do not understand unification.
Now. it is my understanding that Navy
carrier planes. and Marine planes based
both on carriers and ashore, have been
continuously engaged in the air war in
Korea since July. I am given to under
stand that they have flown at least q
quarter OF the shooting sorties flown in
the area, not counting the transport and
miscellaneous missions with which the
statistics are usually loaded I under
stand further that these Navy and
Marine dive bombers and Corsair fight
ers are especially beloved by the ground
troops. because they have been able to
get to the front-line targets quicker,
stay there longer, make more attacks
ana carry more and better ordnance
than the Air Force jets. In addition.
the carriers have been able to follow
the troops more closely up and down
the coasts than the Air Force units.
which have had airfield-constructio
and supply problems. And. of course,
it was the carriers which made possible
the 1nchon landing that broke up the
North Korean front in September.
Now let us see what the unified and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Annual Leuye

AT a congressional hearing. the Post
master General was unable to tell why
postal employees do not get the same
annual leave as other Federal employees
The answer is simple. Postal employees
are usually natives of the town in which
the post office where they work is To-.
Gated. Federal employees in Washing
ton generally are not natives of the
town in which they work.
When postal employe, say in his
home town post Office of Ottumwa,
Iowa, gets his leave approved, he goes
right home and commences his IS days
leave.
When the Federal employe in Wash
ington from the same town gets his
leave approved. he goes to his apart.
ment, packs his clothes, goes to the
station, takes train and a day OF
SO later arrives in his home town. After
all this time and expense he gets into
the same position as the postal en-
ploye. And when he is ready to go
back to work, he doesn't just pack
his lunch and walk a few blocks to
the job
If some one will arrange it so that
the Federal employe has his job in his
own home town, there may be some
reason for Congress to further cut the
leave frcm the original 80 days that
was allowed. M. ME-.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24

corrupt" We have here, said Boeckh,
"a striking proof how ruinous to the
welfare of states is the immortality of
those who have the direction of public
affairs"
Referring to the dishonesty of states
men, Boeckh wrote THE leaders of the
people, seldom guided by purely moral
principles, raised themselves by court
ing the favor of the populace with dis
tributions of the public money, and by
squandering it, for their qualification.
in splendid spectacles and luxurious en-
tertainments. The most of them, when
they had reached the height of power
for which they had struggled. SO little
forgot their own interest, that ther
disdained no means, however disgrace
full, to enrich themselves. -
The great demagogue Cleon was
fined five talents. says Boeckh, probably
because he had allowed himself to be
bribed by the allies to procure an
abatement of their taxes. Many others
who received presents" were hailed be-
fore the courts, even Demosthenes.
So Justin. a historian of the third
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24

the habit Of paying homage to great figures
of the past by going on pilgrimage to their
final resting places has declined in recent years
The trend is toward practical memorials.
But there is tribute that America easily
might pay to Lafayette mark of respect
long overdue His portrait still is missing from
the Nations gallery of celebrities pictured on
postage stamps. Won Steuben, Pulaski, Rocham-
beau, DECREASE and Kosciuszco have been
granted such honors long since. A stamp for
the gallant Frenchman who said: when heard
of American independence, my heart was en-
listed" was discussed as far back as 1885, Yet
it never has been issued. No officer of the Post
Office Department seems to know why. Pos
sibly the psychological moment for such recog-
milton is at hand. France and the United
States once more are allies In effect against
tyranny.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
By c. w. DressIer

THE continuing disclosures Of rackets,
lnf1uence-peddling and civic cor
ruption which are being made by the
Kefauver and Fulbright committees are
reminiscent of Polybius' description of
customs regarding the acquisition of
wealth in various parts of the Medi-
terranean world of his day.
cat Carthage" he said, nothing
which results in profit is regarded as
disgraceful; at Rome nothing Is con-
sidered more so than to accept brides
and seek gain from improper chan
nels" 1t must be remembered, Of
course, that the historian was writing
of the Rome of the third and second
centuries BIC. In due time that situa-
ton changed. Had Polybius lived in the
first century. he would have told diff
ferent story. AS it is. he wrote of the
Romans: mo less strong than their APP
proval of money making by respectable
means is their condemnation of I'M
scrupulous gain from forbidden sources"
But this Greek who wrote Roman
history was sharply critical of the Greeks
of his day. Among them, he said,
members of the government, if they
are intrusted with no more than
talent, though they have ten copyists
and as many seals and twice as many
witnesses, cannot keep their faith;
whereas among the Romans those who
as magistrates and legates are dealing
with large sums of money maintain
correct conduct just because they have
pledged their faith by OATH"
ELSEWHERE" said Polybius, 'it is a
rare thing to find man who keeps
his hands off public money" But
among the Romans lone rarely comes
across a man who has been detected
in such conduct"
This appraisal is borne out by Keno
phons statement that anything could
be done at Athens for bride" Boeckh,
a student of the Athenian economy, says
the power over the public money which
Pericles used with at least some modera-
ton was subsequently employed by cor
rupt statesmen. in order to operate upon
the mass of people who had become
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
District as q Territory
Air Observer.

Your correspondent, Kenneth P Arm
strong in letter appearing on the edi-
torial page of The Star of March 20,
takes issue with a statement in the
Civic Column of The Sunday Star of
March 4.
He challenges the accuracy of the
assertion that sit would take an amend
ment to the Constitution to give the
District of Columbia territorial status"
He says: In view of the fact that the
District had territorial legislature and
a Delegate in Congress in the 1905, this
is hardly a correct statement"
Your correspondent apparently over
looks most important difference be-
tween the true territorial status of an
incipient State and that of the so-called
Territory Of the District from 1871 to
1874. The same difference would exist
If the Congress were to wish that type of
government on us again.
The territories of Alaska, Hawaii and
Puerto Rico can all be raised to state
hood at any time that Congress wills
it and those citizens given their full
participation in the Government of our
country.
The only way in which the District
could acquire the true territorial status
would be by means of an amendment to
the Constitution.
But why bubble over technicalities
and miss the vital values? What the
people of the District need and deserve
is to be given their full political status
as participating Americans in the gov
eminent of our country. We should have
our own Representatives and Senators
and we should vote for the President.
These are the most important parts of
our local government. And for the pres
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Letters to The Star

impartial Secretary Of Defense says
about all this in the Air Forces unified
magazine. The article contains II pages
Of text. In this have been able to
find just four mentions of the Navy
and Marines. First is a statement that
carrier ferried out 145 Air Force
planes. Second is a statement that the
Navy had developed a shaped-charge
rocket which the Air Force planes used.
Third is this lone sentence: 1.-The Navy
and Marine air arms also furnished
fighter support to some of these divi-
sions." Fourth, dragged in by its heels.
is a one-sided argument that Marine
standards Of air support are too high,
and the Air Force shouldn't be expected
to attain them. In addition to the text
there are eight pages of charts and
statistics dealing exclusively with Air
Force operations.
Now. refer back to the second preced-
ing paragraph, and consider whether
the Secretary of Defense has prepared
an objective, tri-service report on Air
War in Korea" or whether he but lent
his office to supporting the Air Force
campaign to sell Air War" whatever
the facts. as equivalent to "Air Force
War;" b.
Air Observer,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Easter Egg

oh, there toere Easter eggs beneath the
JonquilS,
Under the trumpet pire. beside the
fence,
In the unite UioletS beneath the cedar,
In purple. green and rose magnifcence.
Ho,u rich they ,pere When gathered in a
basket
And put in safety on the garden seat.
Colored like je,UelS in the fairy tale.
Too precious and too beautiful to eat:
And always there Uas one of purest
magic,
OF sugar -snote, that you could look into
And see tiny house, tiny garden.
little girl, that maybe-n1ight be
For miracles lUere common. yours to beg.
When your t0hole World tDas big Easter
egg.
Yetxo Gillespie.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Those Copistrono Swallows

The famous swallows of the Mission San
Juan Capistrano are on the job again. An AS
ISOLATED Press dispatch reports that fright on
schedule" they arrived on st. Joseph's Day They
have been coming back on March 10 annually for
many years. At least that is what observers
who wait for them believe. Crowds anticipate
their return and it is their custom never to dis
appoint the faithful.
But even among their most ardent fans the
question inevitably arises: How do the swallows
know when st. Joseph's Day is at hand? Their
calendars must be different from human devices
of the same character. Yet their system of dates
seems as reliable as any devised by men. What
tells the birds when to take off from their winter
homes in the south? If the answer be instinct.
then it may be wondered how instinct gets that
way Impulses so scientific are not common.
True enough, the supposed 'lords of creation"
have lunches which on occasion are very COM
pelling. But it cannot be claimed for these
notions that they are clocklike in their perennial
regularity
Some ornithologiSts doubt the perfection of
the swallows migration periods. They suggest
that in point of fact the travellers may arrive
well in advance of March 10 but are unnoticed
simply because they are not yet expected. Others
entertain the theory that considerable number
of the feathered celebrities stay around the whole
year, ST. Josephs Day included. If the majority
of the Capistrano birds fly to the Amazon in
Brazil in their pursuit of the sun, a sufficient
minority remains in the neighborhood of the mis-
sion to give substance to the hypothesis that
the flock never is totally absent.
But many people undoubtedly prefer to ac-
cept the legendary explanation. The idea that
the swallows know what they are doing and do
it efficiently spring after spring appeals to hui
mans who, in the present bewildering age, have
little confidence in their own systems of behavior
and their own competence to solve recurrent
problems. If the birds of Capistrano have diff
ferent calendar from ours and if that calendar
is mystic in its nature and not easily compre-
hended by mortal intelligence, it well may be
that 1t really is superior in quality to that which
we use. very great philosopher long ago adj
vised mankind to- BEHOLD the fowls of the air."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Good Example of Joint Action

A commendable example of nterjuriSdic-
tional cooperation in public utility matters was
given in the joint handling by District and Mary
land authorities of the Potomac Electric Power
Company rate case, BY mutual agreement of the
District Public Utilities Commission and the
Maryland Public Service Commission, a repre-
sentative of the latter body sat in all hearings
here in the Pepco case In addition, the local.
PUG has furnished the Maryland commission
with copies of the stenographic record and ex-
hibits and of the PUG findings Maryland will
be spared lot of time and expense in reaching
its own conclusions regarding Pepco's petition
for increased rates in Maryland.
The co-ordinated approach to the Pepco case
was approved at prehearing conference at
the District building last summer The Mary
land commission explained in report to the
Governor and the General Assembly that this
joint procedure was possible because of the
closely integrated operations of the electric
company in the District and nearby Maryland.
More Marylanders are being supplied electricity
by Pepco than by any other public utility in the
State, except the Consolidated Gas Electric
Light and Power Company of Baltimore.
In its report to the Governor the commission
said: "The density of the development in the
sections of Maryland Immediately adjacent to
the District of Columbia line is such that 1t is
now impossible to tell where the District ends
and Maryland begins There are no physical
or economic differences which distinguish one
Jurisdiction from the other. This separation is
wholly geographical or political. This being so,
and knowing what has been brought about by
the separate commissions working together
naturally we are most anxious to see the exist
ing harmonious relations continued"
This sort of joint action is needed in various
other fields in the Metropolitan Area. To promote
such coordination is the objective of the Sasscer
bill, which still is pending before the House Dis
trict Committee The bill would create a COM
mission to study means of bringing about the
very kind of harmonious relations" described
by the Maryland commission. The pepco case
is good argument for passage of the legislation
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24

The very fact that the National Geo.
graphic Society has thought it worthwhile to
ask: Have Americans forgotten Lafayette?"
suggests that there has been neglect of him.
If he is mentioned at all in our time 1t is as
"the venerable symbol of past heroic age"
The last important book concerning him was
Brand Whitlock's biography, published in 1929
Onls fragments of the best French narratives of
his career-Doniols and Charavay's-have been
made available in English He really has had
no flrst-rate interpreter in the United States
since Paul Leicester Ford, who died nearly half
a century ago.
Yet no American would deny that Lafayette
merits remembrance. He represents even now
an enduring link with France. During the Rev.
olution his services were invaluable Without
them independence might have cost much
more than &c -iy it did. His association with
George Washington, beginning on August l,
1777, and continuing until Washington's de-
mise December IA, 1799 was national asset
of the highest significance. 1t gained for
America a measure of goodwill among Euro
peans which constituted substantial advan-
tage for the young republic in it's infancy.
That was the debt to which Col C. E. Stanton
referred on July 4, 1917, in the words: La
fayette, we are here!"
Perhaps it is no great wonder that Ameri-
cans do not visit the graves of the Marquis
and his wife in the Picpus cemetery in Paris.
They are distant from the ordinary course of
tourist travel and the site is not much publ
cized by professional guides who haunt the
from the United States Also, 1t happens that
n
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Easter

Gu9tCI
The joyous Eastertide comes early
this year. Early or late, all nature
proclaims the resurrection hour. Ma
lures kingdom unites with the spiritual
in celebrating this greatest of all events,
the resurrection of our Lord from
the dead.
Since God so loved man as to die
for him. there is cause for the world
to rejoice, for this proves the crucified
One was truly God. The human mind
cannot conceive a greater evil than
that death upon the Cross. yet out of
that greatest of all evils has come the
greatest of all good. Christ crucif1ed is
mans hope and salvation. Transfxed
by the resurrection, with the splendor
Of heaven, He becomes throughout all
the ages the divine Saviour of the
world. May bereaved hearts take COM
fort in the promise of our Lord who
said, Where I am, there We may
be Also
NJ L.. Waldo.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.

@. Are the Marines called leather
necks" because they formerly had leather
collars on their uniforms?-E. M. D.
A. The nickname comes from the
leather stock that in former times was
a distinctive feature of the Marines
uniform. 1t was worn from 1775-1881,
the object being to make the wearer hold
his head erect. This type of collar was
retained on the dress blues.
@, What is the purpose of the Shiny
trail produced by snail as it moves
over the ground?-N. N.
A. The substance which produces the
trail comes from a gland near the
Snail's mouth. 1t is a great help in
smoothing and "oiling" the path over
which the snail moves.
@. Are vegetables cooked before they
are quick frozen?-R. P.
A. Vegetables are not cooked but are
'bianched" before freezing to destroy de-
composing substances. They are con-
veyed through live steam or boiling water
until the center of the product has
reached at least 1907 F. This tempera-
ture is maintained briefly, the exposure
varying with the type of vegetable.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
See What 1t Did to Athens and Corthoqe!

This article is reprinted from the
Jo11nstoaDn Pa Tribune, By special
arrangement with the editors OF that
newspaper.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
InvuIid Tuxution


Do your readers know that the Gov
eminent considers it a luxury for
person to be disabled? 1t does! I am
a civilian, paralyzed from the waist
down, using a wheel chair, confined to
a room in nursing home. I have to
pay a luxury tax for the privilege of
having that wheel chair!
Nor is that ALL In the hospital /
learned how to make bracelets from sill
YER wire. I have no shop. My break
fast tray, placed on my wheel chair, is
my bench. My only tool is a pair of
pliers. But if nurse wants bracelet
twisted from that wire and pays me only
what I paid for the wire, have to send
20 per cent of the cost of the wire to
the Government as luxury tax for
amusing myself and trying to forget my
pain. OF course, if I charged anything
for my time it would be just that much
more out of a pocket that is about
empty. Yes. it's a luxurious life-for
the tax collector.
Harold A. Littledale,
South Natick, Mass
Editors Note: The Bureau of In
ternal Revenue and a Massachusetts,
tax expert here agree that there
is no tax which could properly
be applied to Mr.. Littledale's wheel
chair. Mr.. Littledale is right, however,
about the bracelets; that is, under the
law as it exists he must pay a tax on
Them
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24
Questions and Answers

The Stars readers can get the answer to
any question of fact by either writing The
Evening Star Information Bureau. 1900 street
NV Washington 5 c.. and inclosing 8 cents
return postage or by telephoninp ST 1363
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24

century AID, wrote that the Athenians
"squandered, sunk in sloth and torpor.
the public revenues, which previously
had been appropriated for the prepara-
ton of fleets and armies" They were
present more frequently in the theaters
than the camps, and praised superior
versemakers more than superior gen.
erals" And as a result, the Macedo-
MAN Philip was allowed to absorb the
states around Athens. and his son to
bring the independence of Athens to
an end.
Carthage and Athens, the two great
maritime powers of their day, ultimate
~ fell because of the moral deterio-
ration that occurred among their cit
liens. When the time came that. as
Polybius wrote of Carthage, nothing
which results in profit was regarded as
disgraceful," and as Xenophon said of
Athens, anything could be done for
bride, the moral fiber of the citizens
was so rotten that only a push was
necessary to upset the state. That
happened, later, to Rome itself, al
though by then it had so completely
subordinated its neighbors that the push
came from Caesar and his legions.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-24

Pen-nan1es may be used If letters carry
aOriters' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.