davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1951-02-14

Later, as the Communist power extended
over wider areas, increasing care was
taken not to let reforms interfere with
production necessary to feed the cities.
and a more tolerant attitude was dis
played toward rich peasants.
It was not until last year, after con-
quering the whole Chinese mainland,
that Mao's government promulgated
general agrarian reform law. This
divided the rural population into five
classes: landlords. rich peasants, middle
peasants, poor peasants and landless
farm laborers Full -fedged landlords were
to lose all their grain, tools, animals
and surplus other than share equal
to that of landless peasants. Land owned
by rich peasants and cultivated by them
or by hired laborerS was to remain un-
touched, and most were allowed to retain
rented plots not exceeding their owned
and cultivated areas. Land owned by
middle peasants was to remain un-
touched.
Such are the ways Of classics society.
When confiscation has been completed,
the new owners-poor peasants and
laborers-are to receive title deeds from
the government and have the right to
manage, sell or rent their land OF
course, they have to pay taxes, like the
old owners. The tax is reported to be
as much as 40 per cent of q farms
production.
This scheme, which for practical pur-
poses favors the rich peasants, obviously
will not bring about full equality In
Evening star., 1951-02-14
By Charles E. 7roceWeH

they were to the people of Europe q
hundred years ago.
Templeton Jones feels sure Napoleon
ate with one elbow on the table, that
at any rate he would have so eaten, If
he had thought of it. Even great men
cannot think of everything. Something
must be left for the Templeton Jones
of this world.
Jones believes also in sitting close to
the board. This thing of placing ones
self as far away from the table as pos
sible. and pecking at ones food, is to- him
as distressing as the sight Of man eat
ing corn on the cob When he becomes
dictator, he has always said he will
first official acts.
From this date" the edict will read,
"any one caught doing what is COM
monty called eating corn on the cob
will be given the extreme penalty"
What this penalty will be the edict
stateth not. but those familiar with the
eminently mild and forgiving nature Of
said dictator will feel sure that it will
be nothing more horrifying than denial
of corn in all forms.
Those acquainted with Dictator Jones
fondness for cornbread, the genuine
article, will realize instantly that such
a penalty would be the ultimate.
In consuming cornhread, Jones be-
lieves that the left elbow on the table
might be left off the table, in view Of
the fact that both hands would be busy.
Two hands or two elbows on one table
would bs too much. even for q dictator.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Lloyd c. Douglas

The novels of Lloyd Cassel Douglas were
sermons in fiction. He wrote them to teach
ethical lessons which he believed needed teach
ing. Through them he reached people who
never would have come to church to hear him
speak from pulpit The device was not new.
It had been used by Ralph Connor and John
Rathbone Oliver Harold Bell Wright and Ian
Maclaren-al of them clergymen before they
Segan to turn out best-sellers with religious
aant The Founder of Christianity had set them
an example as the Author of the Parallels.
But Dr. Douglas brought something of him
self to his work. He was not content simply to
replow old burrows "The Magnificent Obses-
sion," his first popular success, was a smooth
well-organized emnently readable achievement
He denied any claim to superior artistry, yet
was delighted when professional critics praised
his skill. In Forgive Us Our Trespasses" he
proved that he could profit by experience, and
after the publication of Precious Jeopardy"
Screen Light" and white Banners" there was
no question about his position among the leading
literary craftsmen of his time.
The power of his writing was manifest in
the filming of his books. Dr. Douglas public
anticipated the screen adaptations of their plots
and crowded the theaters where they were
shown Disputed Passage" was especially ap-
preciated in cinema form. "The Robe" however,
was dropped from the production schedule
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Madelyn F. Disney.

Templeton Jones is very strict about
eating with the elbows on the table.
He says never put two on the table.
just one. He is very careful about this.
One elbow is all right, he thinks, but
two are rude.
Use of the elbows is natural enough.
of course, but that is not the reason
Jones champions 1t.
Many natural acts are quite unseemly.
Naturalism often is at war with civiliza-
ton, and Jones is civilized man Civiliz-
alton sometimes impresses him as an
exploitation, as no doubt 1t does many
another man. This thing Of shaving
every day, for instance.
He finds elbow eating fun, If handled
gracefully. Here as elsewhere the doing
is everything. One of the great mistakes
of civilization is to lump actions into
general classifications without proper
discrimination.
Jones was brought up in his youth on
a heavy program of manners" but now
in his old age believes all etiquette Is
nothing but common sense, after all.
Etiquette is simply an attempt to
make civilization work. Rules which
strike one as rather absurd almost al
ways have a background of necessity.
Usage has ironed these things out so
that if one balks, now and then, he
may feel fairly sure that he is at fault,
not the rules
It comes about that many Of these
rules are violated hy those who know
Evening star., 1951-02-14
The RFC denominations

1t is difficult to understand why the President
has decided at this point to renominate the five
directors of the Reconstruction Finance Corpora
ton. Whatever his reason for doing so-whether
to emphasize his faith in them or to meet tech
nicalities bearing upon their right to continue
receiving Federal salaries-the action seems ILL
timed and ill-advised. Rightly or wrongly, it
gives the impression that he continues to be COM
pletely disdainful of the report (Which he has
offhandedly described asinine) in which
subcommittee of the Senate Banking Committee
has made disturbing charges of political favorit-
ism and improper influence in the RIGS lending
operations
The report, unanimous one drawn up under
the craftsmanship of Senator Fulbright has
not accused anybody Of corruption or criminal
wrong doing. But its charges at the very least,
raise questions too serious to be dismissed with
wave of the hand. They are questions that call
for thorough investigation into the competence
and character of the RIGS top management.
The subcommittee has singled out for criticism
three of the five directors who have just been
renominated by the President 1t also has drawn
picture strongly suggesting that the agency has
been woefully susceptible to influence -peddling
involving not only outsiders but even one of Mr..
Truman's top aides.
In such circumstances it is not surprising
that Senator Fulbright-who favors recognizing
the RFC under single governor-has served
notice that he will never vote to confirm the
three criticized directors. Nor is it surprising
that Senator Douglas, another Democratic men,
Der of the subcommittee has declared that he
believes the three to be unfit for their present
office though he has reserved judgment to the
extent of saying that he will be ready to change
his mind if evidence is received to the contrary.
The evidence-favorable unfavorable-
to be vigorously sought after in an earnest in
vestigation at which all individuals named in
the report should be called upon to testify under
OATH
When all the facts are in, of course, it may
well be that everybody concerned, even If found
to be lacking in the best of judgment, will be
wholly in the clear. In that case, unless the RFC
is to be reorganized the question of confirming
the five present directors will be to the point.
At the moment, however, it is anything but to
the point. Indeed, in renominating them at this
particular time, the President seems to have re-A
sorted to one of those regrettable gestures of
pique-filled stubbornness that tend only to
deepen controversy between him and Congress
in period when the two should be seeking
as much harmony a. possible.
Evening star., 1951-02-14

unfinished It perhaps was too complicated for
movie patterns of presentation. "The Big Fisher
man" also goes beyond the ordinary formulas
of photoplay technique.
Washington remembers DR.. Douglas very
we'll. Between 1908 and 1911 he was pastor of
the Luther Place Lutheran Church at Thomas
Circle. He returned here in 1889 and 1912 to
lecture. Local residents who met him on those
relatively recent occasions found him modest,
earnest, kindly person. little surprised that
he should be famous but happily willing to
concede that he had earned his celebrity by
hard labor. Dying at 73, he leaves a pleasant
impression which ought not to fade while gen.
erations with which he was contemporary
survive
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Potatoes Without Subsidy

AS housewife interested in balancing
the budget in spite Of ever-increasing
prices, found ray Of hope in a sack
of potatoes. A slip of paper said Dear
Mrs. Housewife: You will be pleased to
know that You Don't Pay Twice for Penn
sylvania PotatoeS-once at the counter
and again in your taxes-because we
Pennsylvania potato farmers have re-
fused to accept subsidies through the
Federal Governments price support pro-
gram. Thank YOU for your patronage.
Penna. Cooperative Potato Growers.
Inc, Allentown, Pa"
1t is gratifying to know that there are
farmers doing their level best to help
the housewife and the taxpayers by re-
fusing handouts from the Government.
It is an example many more should
follow Think of the millions which could
be saved If such movement was started.
Mr.. Truman's and Mr.. Snyder's headaches
would be a thing of the past. Hats of
to these patriotic Americans
Laura Gay Irons.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Land Reform Under Chino's Red Reqinne
By George B. Parker

T AND REFORM in the Far East is
IL battlefield rivaling In Importance
the ones in Korea and 1ndo- China. or
any of the other places where the West
ern and Communist worlds may find
themselves in shooting war.
It is a battlefield on which, so far,
our side has not been particularly active.
Except in Japan, where drastic reforms
have been put through under Gen. Mac
Arthur's administration, we have not
seemed to have much to offer in this
fight for the allegiance Of Asia's packed,
restless millions.
What is the enemy doing? How. for
instance. is Communist China handling
the problem? What are they offering
the average Asiatic? More and more,
these questions are coming in for official
American attention.
Eight out of ten of Asia's people are
peasants They live on a scale that
makes 1.-THE Grapes of Wrath" read like
the last chapter in a Horatio Alger
novel. They share at least equally with
more enlightened rustics the desires to
eat and to neutrality-suspicious. which
throughout the centuries have got coun-
trymen In more trouble than anything
else. AS Communism has worked out
pragmatically-as distinct from Marks
theory-they we're made to order, for
they are possessed Of an abundance Of
ignorance, credulity and justified self
pity.
The great majority of Asiatic peasants
do not own the land they work. Twenty
years ago, when the Communists in
China came into position in some areas
to fulfill their promises. they did indeed
confiscate and redistribute holdings Of
large landowners and nullify contracts
of debt in the areas they controlled.
Debt is important, particularly in over
populated areas. In India the population
increase brought down the average size
of farms from % acres per person
on them in 1891 to 1.9 in 1899. The
population increase in China has been
even faster. This has meant q higher
price on rights to use the land, so that
a small holder would frequently lease it
out on sharecropper basis. In many
places the process gave the money
lenders title to large tracts.
The Communists talked land reform
for long time before they were able to
do anything about 1t on wide scale. In
this they made an enemy in Chang
Kai-shek. who supported local landlord
regimes. After 1887, when the Commu-
nists joined the Nationalists in resisting
the japanese, the land-reform program
in their regions consisted of rent and
interest reduction. without conf1scation.
When Japan surrendered, the Commu-
nists returned to more drastic policy in
the case of land owned by enemy ma
tionals puppet officials and gentry &C
cused of oppression of the people"
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Junior Academy Recital

This shall be held for men,ory's signature.
Young forms and a1Dk10ard fingers, and
. the tense
EarnestnesS of treckled innocence.
Waiting the doUn beat OF the overture.
Pridetul parents. NTH the Insecure
Fruit OF persuasion heartening their
smile,
And loyal relatives striding the aisle
Defeat or triumph, their applause Is sure.
What matters shaky melody? The
swinging
BoDs of violinS In measured strain?
When way1pard memory is stratghttDay
1Dinging
TO the "Rosebud Walts" and "Ber
Bolts" sUeet refrain.
Something recaptured sends the spirit
singing
Through dappled meadotDs after sum-
naer rain.
Clara Hyde
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Letters to The Star

tect the whole people from possible ma
tional and international ruin? 1t would
be possible for just two organized groups
having the power over railroad freight
and shipping to bring utter chaos to
us nationally and the possible loss of a
war with Communism. Outlaw strikes
and picketing and substitute a govern
ment tribunal for definite adjustment
Of labor disputes. All disputes ultimate
ly are settled by arbitration Cat heavy
losses to all concerned, including the
general public, so why not court of
arbitration?
To allow continuation of present con-
ditions is disgustingly asinine.
E. M. Peterson.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
The Tomb of Mohonmed

Abdul Wahab Azzam Bey, Ambassador of
Egypt to the new republic of Pakistan, has
appealed to all the Moslem countries of the world
to cooperate in saving the tomb of Mohammed
at Medina. The structure has been reported to
be in danger of collapse Twelve of its pillars
are defective and If they were to fall the entire
building would diSintegrate. To meet the costs
of necessary reconstruction, the Ambassador
suggests the raising of fund by a committee
representing the universal Moslem community.
Each separate nation would be asked to con-
tribute proportionately to its means.
The tomb of the Prophet stands in the City
of Medina in Saudi Arabia. 1t is one of the
annually by thousands of pilgrims AS seen
today it dates back only to 1481. Earlier COM
positions of great splendor and beauty were
destroyed by fire. Mohammed died in 632, and
the exact location of his original grave is
matter of speculation. But his ashes rest some
where within the sacred inclosure, and the whole
inclusive design is worthy of preservation In his
memory. That it happens to be an imposing
edif1ce is only another reason for providing for
whatever repair work is required.
There was time, not very long ago, when
Moslems and Christians were natural enemies
and clashed necessarily. But that period of their
mutual history is over. In 1851 of the Christian
era and 1870 of the Mohammedan the two groups
are friends and allies in the face of the world
wide menace of communism It follows that
some Americans may wish to respond individually
to the appeal of the Egyptian Minister to Paks-
tan. The amount of money needed will not be
very large as compared with certain less con-
genial expenses.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Senator Cases Amendment

Senator Case of South Dakota, deploring
condition under which upward of 2 million
Americans-resident in the Territories of Alaska
and Hawaii and in the District of Columbia
are disfranchised in the selection of President
and Vice President, has proposed a constitutional
amendment to correct this condition.
Under his amendment the District of Coluin-
bia would, in effect, be treated in this instance
as Territory. And each Territory and the Dis
trict of Columbia, entitled by law to select a
delegate to the House of Representatives, would
be given one vote in the electoral college. The
Districts delegate, of course, could be provided
without amending the Constitution.
AS temporary expedient for Territories
awaiting statehood, the proposition is attractive
For upon being admitted to statehood the former
Territories would be entitled to the same repre-
sentation in the electoral college that their
population entities them to send to the House.
plus two Senators. They would be equally rep
resented with any other State. But as the Dis
trict of Columbia entertains no aspirations for
statehood, nor is there process by which state
hood can be obtained, the amendment if ap-
proved would more or less permanently discrim-
mate against the people of the District, both in
representation in Congress and in the electoral
college.
They are Disseminated against now, it Is
true, and Mr.. Cases proposal would ameliorate
If not cure that condition. For that reason, 1t
is commendable. But the cure, In the case of
the District, is constitutional amendment pro-
Wding that "The Congress shall have power to
provide that there shall be in the Congress and
among the electors Of President and Vice Presi-
dent members elected by the people Of the Dis
trict constituting the seat OF government of the
United States, in such numbers and with such
powers as the Congress shall determine"
Given this power, Congress would exercise
it as it fit; would treat the District of Colum-
ba not as State or future State, but as the
seat of National Government, exclusively under
control of the Congress- and whose people are
entitled as Americans to representation in the
Government which, as Mr.. Case says drafts their
sons and taxes their incomes.
Evening star., 1951-02-14

landholding. How much land actually
has been redistributed is not clear. The
program Is not scheduled for completion
until next year or the year after, but
considerable reform had been carried
through before the 1850 law was enacted.
Marxist doctrine holds that individual
peasant ownership can be accepted only
where the country is backward socially
and economically and the state is unable
to administer the whole economy. It
remains to be seen how much of doc
trinaire Mao is. In 1910 he insisted that
the Chinese reforms were not designed
to build up Socialist agriculture"
The Chinese Communists have set land
aside for collective farms, and number
Of them have been established in Man
churia or North China. (What happened
in Russia shows the collective farm
means the end Of the peasantry).
Moreover. the Chinese government en-
courages labor exchange"
tives through which the peasants pool
work, tools and animals.
These things may indicate that Chi
nese agriculture under the Communists
may follow the Russian pattern. In
Russia collectivation Of agriculture did
not begin until 10 years after the Soviet
revolution.
If it goes through in China, Mao cer-
tainly will have played the peasants for
fools. If, on the other hand, he turns
out to have been sincere in his protesta-
tions, it is Stain who will have proved
the dupe.
Evening star., 1951-02-14

them few shiploads Of the grain that Is
deteriorating in these rusting storages.
and tell them to have a good meal on
Uncle Sam?
They just might decide that Uncle
1t might do more good. and give us more
security than drafting 31a million Amer
ican boys to go to Korea and the other
Koreas of the world to freeze and fight
and die. What would happen if we
should try that system?
have just been wondering. s.ge
Z. Paul Weaver.
Huntington, Ind.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Ice and the Law

Is It possible that a city the size Of
Washington doesn't enforce the clean
ing or at least the sanding Of badly iced
sidewalks? The majority Of the sidewalks
in the entire Northwest section. follow
ing the recent sleet storm, where solid
glare of ice-yes, even in front Of large
apartment dwellings and the Veterans
Administration Hospital
1 was told by policeman whom I
questioned on his beat, regarding the
extremely dangerous conditions, that he
was helpless in trying to enforce clean
ing or sanding of sidewalks.
Allan S. Waldo.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
The MurtinsviIIe Seven

The Stars editorial. "The Martinsville
Seven" failed to analyze the crime and
its punishment from other aspects than
those Of perverted propaganda uses.
That the crime was horrible and should
bring the severest Of penalties is ad-
mitted by all. However. the plea for
Justice and mercy by the NAACP attor-
neys defending the criminals was based
on the facts Of mitigating circumstances.
the youth Of some of the defendants, and
the outstanding fact that although rape
is a common crime in Virginia, If no
instance has q white man been executed
for raping or numbering colored woman
or raping a white woman.
No one deplores the entry Of REDS"
or "Pinks" into these cases for propa-
ganda more than does the National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People. Nevertheless such uneven
justice is bound to be grist for the
propaganda mills of our national as we'll
as international foes.
Recently we have witnessed wholesale
pardoning of German Nazis who shot
down in cold blood unarmed American
soldier boys. We have spared the lives
of hundreds of genocidal murderers and
rapists. Much of this tempering of JUS
tice was for political reasons. What
shocked the sensibilities of so many
fair minded Americans. and will have
terrible impact on the minds of Negro
soldiers and citizens. is the mass execu-
ton of these seven Negro boys and men
for a crime for which the supreme
penalty never has been meted out to
white criminal in the State of Virginia
E. B. Henderson,
Vice President, Virginia State Confer
ence of the NAACP.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Whut Would Happen?

I have been wondering what would
happen now, with thousands Of Chinese
boys sick and dying of typhus. If the
men in power in our country were wise
enough to send medicine and volunteer
doctors and nurses to them.
What would happen if we should prom
ise Korea free election under U. N.
supervision If they went back home to
their rice fields? What would happen If
instead of bombing them we should give
Evening star., 1951-02-14
RFC q Hus-Been?

The Reconstruction Finance Corpora
ton was organized for a definite pur-
pose early in the depression. It has
served its purpose and should be liqui-
dated as soon as possible. and not be
used as political football. We shall
never know the amount Of its losses
until complete liquidation.
Wade HI. Cooper.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE.

BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.
@. Where are the toughest waters in
the world and in the vicinity OF the
United States?-J. E.
A. Consensus among experts indicates
that on yearly average of sea surface
roughness, the following ocean areas are
roughest: /. In the world: The southern
oceans south of As degrees S. d.e., the
Antarctic ocean, 2. In the United
States: The Pacific coast around Wash
ington and Oregon.
@. What was the attitude Of Alexander
Hamilton toward dueling? ?-K. P. S.
A. His biographer, Frederick S. Oliver.
writes, "He was Christian, enlightened
and liberal, a hater and despiser of the
institution of dueling." 1t is said that
he accepted the challenge to the duel
which ended his life with the utmost
reluctance"
@. Is there more than one type Of
lined oak finish?-W. F. D.
A. The Forest Products Laboratory
says that the term Timed oak" is used
to describe two different types Of finish,
one dark and one light, with the surface
pores filled with. white filler. The
light-colored type. of "limed oak finish"
does not involve the use OF lime.
Evening star., 1951-02-14
Questions and Answers

any question Of fact by either sGt gsGittiqs The
Evening Star Information Bureau. 1900 ! street
NV WASHINGTON g. D. c.. and inclosing 8 cents
return hostage or BY telephoning ST. 1858.