davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1951-10-18
By Charles E. TroceweH

The fox-shaped face and the long
naked tail distinguish it.
Often the person who is not acquainted
with it, in trying to identify it, calls it
a rat, but actually is is Americas only
representative Of the pouched animals,
the marsupials.
Scientists now believe that possums
do not deliberately play dead" but in
some manner suffer from shock, when
frightened.
Perhaps It Is just as well to 60 on
speaking Of them as playing possum."
because that Is what they seem to do.
We recall very young one being
found by small girl in the garden.
She thought the animal "sick," as she
said, because it refused to move. The
milkman. coming by at that time.
branded it "rat," on account Of its
long naked tail. !
Efforts to feed the baby possum re-
suited in failure. but it was impossible
to believe the animal was suffering from
anything except stubborn refusal to
do what one wanted it to do.
Stubbornness is an animal character
istic. as witness the mule. All animals
have 1t in some degree, especially the
domestic common cat, which, unlike the
Persian type, refuses to agree with its
owners intentions. If he holds the door
open. the cat will not go out; the mo-
ment he closes 1t. 1t wants out imme-
diately. In such traits as this the human
small child isnot lacking.
Evening star., 1951-10-18

raccoons sometimes would eat soft coal,
to the CONSERVATION Of their owners.
In small towns of America this animal
is often caught and given to the small
boy of the family.
It obeys easily, will not bite and is
rather cleanly, but in time becomes
something Of a nuisance, since it is
essentially an outdoor animal, even more
so than the opossum.
The raccoon has striped tail and the
black mask over his face.
His eyes are bright and intelligent. He
belongs to the group that includes, in
Asia, the pandas.
Some way one always thinks of pos
sums when thinking Of raccoons, al
though the two are not related.
Many of the possums visit home gar
dens, sometimes to die. when the beau
tiful eyes plead for life.
No one should be afraid of this crea-
ture, though it should be treated with
respect.
There is no need to call the police.
They are busy and, besides, the possum
won't hurt you.
II seized, usually it will play possum,"
and not unbend for the most vigorous
pokings.
But if taken in the hands and shaken,
it will at once begin to growl and then
it may take nip with its dog-ike
teeth.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
It's South of Detroit

In a recent letter. Joseph Kadens of
Detroit advanced the name of Gov. Nc
Keldin Of Maryland as an outstanding
candidate for consideration by the Re-
publicans for the presidency. One of
his reasons is that Maryland is a South
ern" State. If he should consult his
map, he would conclude that Maryland
is Northern border State. West Vir-
ginia and Kentucky are Southern border
States. The Potomac and Ohio Rivers
are the dividing lines. Maryland was
mixed as a slavery State and did not
attempt to secede at the beginning of
the Civil War. There was some slavery
in Southern Pennsylvania, so that ques-
ton is no criterion
Regarding Gov. McKeldin. all of what
he says is true, with one exception. 1t
is widely agreed that the Governor
should devote more time to administra-
tive affairs of the State rather than to
playing politics. have been all over
the United States and know that Mary
land has the crookedest roads in the
country, with more dangerous curves
without proper gradients. 1t is no WON
der that 1t has high death rate. Con-
servation policies are not well worked
out and applied County clerks should
handle the record Offices instead of
clerks OF courts. Some sections of the
State are neglected In Improvements
because of politics. I should like to see
the Governor make good record at
home before looking far abroad.
FA Republican Voter.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Night Coils for Doctors

read with considerable interest The
Stars account of the difficulty recently
experienced by the Bethesda Chevy
Chase Rescue Squad in securing phy-
sician for maternity case early one
morning.
It would seem at first glance that a
pretty damning case exists against the
medical profession in general and against
the Montgomery County Medical Society
in particular. Since this front-page ar
ticle seems to infer widespread lack Of
physician response to night calls.
should like to point out few mitigating
factors bearing on the subject.
The case in point appears to be one
involving a normal nine-months' preg-
nancy. Surely, if this is the case, suf-
flcient time was, available during this
period for those most intimately con-
cerned to contact a physician and secure
his services for the eventual delivery.
The identical problem is solved in the
identical way every day in doctors Offices
all over the country as well as in Mont
gomery County.
In those rare instances where a ply
sician could not have been secured, there
still remains the undeniable availability
Of more than a score of area hospitals
where medical assistance Is maintained
in constant readiness for just such an
emergency. The problem of the night
call has become more complex with the
growing complexity of medical science
itself. With the ever expanding list of
supplies and equipment now considered
necessary for the successful treatment
OF given illness. the family doctors
traditional black bag is no longer ade-
quate. Oxygen tents and X-ray ma
chimes are not noted for their porta-
bility. Therefore proper technique tends
to be subverted where proper facilities
are not available. Hence, home visits
where true emergencies exist are often
mere stop-gap measures made pending
the patients admission to a local hos
pital.
Although we rightly expect our doctor
to answer our summons without regard
to the hour or day when the need arises,
the fact still remains that the privilege
is more often than not abused by the
very people who most loudly acclaim its
existence.
DR.. William w. Welsh. president of the
Montgomery County Medical Society,
Evening star., 1951-10-18

residues may be going to the North Pole,
resulting in collection Of ices and re-
lated air currents, while all the positively
charged residues are collecting at the
South Pole with resulting tendency to
melt the ice and cause hotter place
than even the equator
Possibly the birth of the new era
that so many scientists think is already
here-may be just around times corner.
Instead Of North Pole about to tin
TO where the equator Is. this heavy con-
centration Of polarized electrons may
lead to such centrifugal force, potential
that the poles would turn away from the
equator-and the earth's path around
the sun would no longer be one with q
tilt to the earth's axis.
II this happens land DR.. Hallenborg
may be right that something is due to
happen) then. the problem for society is
not one Of picking high mountains to
avoid being food for fishes. 1t Is rather
one OF living at much faster pace to
avoid being caught between the Ice on
one side and the hot place on the other.
Personally. I'd prefer the deep freeze.
Bob Pen.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Warming to Egypt

Secretary Of State Acheson's announcement
that this Government believes the British have
right to maintain their position in the Suez
Canal Zone was expressed firmly, but in re-
strained language. It implies that the United
States, recognizing that the security of the Suez
Canal is vital to the West, will not stand idly by
in the face of any move which might impair or
threaten to impair Western access to that stra-
tegic waterway.
There was really nothing else that Mr.
Acheson could do To permit the Suez to come
under the control of hostile forces, or to fall
into the hands of any one incapable of defending
1t against hostile forces, would be an act of foly
To let that happen would be to accept situa-
tion which would threaten the whole structure
Of Western defense
IN this matter the Egyptian government has
not acted in responsible manner Egypt has
some grounds for complaint against the British
that are understood in this country The Egyp-
tians have right to insist that these complaints
be satisfactorily adjusted
But the Egyptian government is pursuing
course which suggests that it would rather
aggravate its grievances than settle them. The
proposal for creating Middle East Command
In which Egypt would participate as full and
sovereign partner, offered one avenue for ad-
Justment of grievances. That proposal was
rejected by Egypt hastily and without the con-
sideration that 1t deserved That proposal, as
Mr.. Acheson has said, was formulated by nations
interested in the welfare and security of the
Middle East. Egypt has as much at stake in
this respect as any one and its summary rejec-
ton of the plan cannot be considered as the act
of responsible government.
Mr.. Acheson further states that Egypt did not
act "in accord with proper respect for inter-
national obligations" when it moved to abrogate
the 1885 treaty with Britain and the agreements
concerning the Sudan.
The unhappy impression conveyed by such
acts is that Egypt hopes to gain more by resort
to force and threats Of force than by acting as
responsible member of the world community.
If that is the case, the hope Is one that most
probably will not be realized Force almost
certainly will be met by force, and if it should
come to that Egypt Britain and all of the rest
OF the West will be the losers. No one can pos
sibly gain from such a conf1ict-no one that is,
except the Russians and their collaborators.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Have Wondered

] haue oftenttnaes wondered II small
children kne1o
OF 0rondnother's loue In the home
ichere Christ gretp.
Did she rock Him to sleep at the end
OF the day.
Was story re-told iDhen He ,oearied
OF play?
Did she sew small coat and one special
day bake
fJust to see His eyes iDidenJ birthday
trimmed cake?
Did her loue tollow Him through old
Galilee,
Did He seek out her face that last hour
on the tree?
haue ottentimes wondered.
Il Florence Holcomb Martin. II.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Peace Loses q Friend

The death by violence of Prime Minister
Liaquat Ali Khan of Pakistan constitutes for the
free world and for the United States in particular
the loss OF friend To his own people it consti-
tutes an even deeper and more personal loss,
one which earns for them the most sincere
sympathy,
Although born in an East Punjab area which
Is now part Of India, Liaquat Ali was leading
figure in the founding of Pakistan and had been
his country's only Prime Minister In this ca
pacity he had exercised stability and wisdom in
the development of the new nation had resisted
extremist movements Of all variety and particu-
larly that Of Communism, and had devoted him.
self steadfastly to the principle Of peaceful
negotiation in seeking resolution of the dangerous
Kashnir dispute For these manifestations of
character and integrity he has now paid with
his life
Beyond the immediate tragedy of Liaquat Ais
untimely death and the threat which its violence
implies to the troubled peace of South Asia
there is broader and more ominous significance.
In the past several years there have been more
than dozen such assaSsinations of the leading
political figures of the Near East-South Asian
community, most of them in the Moslem coun-
tries These are not acts of superficial form
of anarchy, they are instead the reflections of
deep current Of unrest which has beset these
countries and the Islamic world in particular
It is possible that in an earlier century other
parts of the globe would be unaffected by such
currents. This is not the case today and fuSil-
lade Of bullets from fanatics gun in Rawal-
pindi only serves again to emphasize the grave
responsibilities which must be assumed and dis
charged wisely, by the students and statesmen
of our time.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
For Better Local Hospitals

Passage by the Senate of the Hospital Center
amendment assures equity in the distribution
of funds authorized by the Hospital Center Act
OF 1946 That act was defective in that it
limited benefits to three hospitals which had
Joined in planning the Washington Hospital
Center. The favored institutions are Emer-
gency, Garfield and Episcopal Eye, Ear and
Throat Hospitals The act, as originally pre-
sented to Congress, extended to all private hos
pitals in the District but the scope was restricted
on the House floor to hospitals actually in the
center plan.
This exclusion was unfair to hospitals which
had building programs of their own and which
preferred to retain independent status. The
amendment approved by Congress will restore
the act to its broader scope, so that such hos
pitfalls as Sibley Casualty, Childrens, Providence
and Homeopathic of which are planning to
expand-may receive governmental aid beyond
the limited grants authorized by the Hill-Burton
Act The amendment is merely an authorization
act. Specific appropriations must be approved
later. The 1946 act authorized up to $35 million,
the hospitals being required to put up matching
funds on $3.50 division Under the House bill
the District would be required to repay 80 per
cent of the Federal advance on a long-term
inStallment basis; under the Senate bill so per
cent Of the grant would have to be repaid by
the District. The final ratio will have to be
adjusted in conference.
The legislation will remove the last vestige
of discrimination from the 1946 authorization.
It constitutes an important contribution to the
development Of more adequate hospital facilities
in the Nations Capital-a program in which
the Federal Government has a vital interest
and obligation.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
A Price We Should Not Pay

If the defense program means that we are
arming ourselves and the rest of the anti Com
munist world at the expense of failing to pro-
vide necessary school facilities for millions of
American children, we need some new evalua-
tion Of the net losses involved in saving de-
mocracy."
There were about 2S23O,oo0 children en-
rolled in schools throughout the Nation (through
the twelfth grade) in 1910. BY next year that
total will have increased by "a million. BY
1860 the total will have grown to 37,13S,00o.
There were many shortages of school buildings
in 1940 But with the unavailability of building
material during World War II, which postponed
80 much construction, and with the new Short
ages threatened now by the defense program
and the great increase of school population, we
are not providing either for current needs or
for those that lie ahead.
For the first quarter of 1882 communities
throughout the Nation have made requests for
255 400 tons of steel for school building con-
struction. The National Production Authority
has allotted, in the face of that demand, only
81 900 tons. The demand, and the ALLEGATIONS,
cover all types of construction in the field of edu
cation. But the greatest need for school con-
struction is in the primary grades. Unless this
need Is more adequately met, there are going
to be millions Of young children who will be
forced to use makeshift schoolrooms, on part
time schedules throughout all of their school
days Some way should be found to increase
the ALLEGATION of steel in this field particularly
The communities affected are paying for the
construction. What they need is the steel. The
ALLEGATIONS must be increased, regardless of
where they come from. We can get along with
out many things But adequate school con-
struction is not one of them.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Pace Thut Kills

The tragedy Of the October Z bus
crash, combined with the steady pro-
cesSion of major automotive calamities,
is enough to cause any serious minded
person to take stock and inquire what,
II anything. can be done to reduce the
rate Of destruction due to this cause.
Doubtless the greatest contribution is
human folly and error.
However. feel that a very substan-
tial contribution is to be found in the
mechanical nature Of our automobiles.
Manufacturers consider us a Nation of
adolescentS, whose immature cravings
demand more power. more acceleration
and more speed. Perhaps the manu-
facturers are right. Year by year we
see an engineering race as to who will
put out the most powerful engine.
But while automobiles become capable
Of more speed and acceleration, they be-
come less capable of maintaining speed
on ordinary roads Gin the East) in
safety. for they are getting larger and
heavier. while their springing becomes
more unstable and the steering slower
and less responsive. It is a fact that
American automobiles are the most
cumbersome, most unmanageable auto
mobiles in the world. Most comfort
able? Not at SO miles per hour on
normal Eastern roads! And what ra-
tional person prefers comfort to safety
anyhow?
The bus crash repeatedly was caused
by an oncoming car in the middle Of
the road. which forced the bus driver
to leave the road and to lose control
Of the bus. On a recent 2,000-mile
trip through the near South, estimated
that seven out Of every eight drivers
encountered at or near curves were
aStride or across the center line, It
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Search for a Meteor

The Smithsonian Institution wants the
meteor that fell Sunday night. Curator E. P.
Henderson, representing the United States
National Museum, would like to hear from any
body who saw the freball in its passage across
the sky. He says he is prepared to purchase the
fragment remaining after it burst into flames
while flying through the atmosphere There
may have been several fragments or even several
meteors moving in the same direction at the
same time and he wants all the information he
can obtain about them.
One observer at Boiling Field saw the
meteor headed west, and another observer at
National Airport may have seen it headed east.
Did anybody see it proceeding across the heavens
toward the north, or anybody see it moving TO-
ward the south? These directions are very i'm
portant Here is why: The American Meteor
Society, with headquarters at the University of
Pennsylvania studies all reports OF meteors ac-
cordng to standard pattern of tabulation. In
effect it tries to make map OF the data sent
to it's office The evidence thus collected boxes"
the meteor. Thus the geography of its passage
may be established-and the point at which 1t
contacted the earth discovered.
Father Francis Heyden at Georgetown Uni
versty agrees with Mr.. Henderson that some
thing significant happened Sunday evening about
S:15 Too many reports were received for the
meteor to have been merely an imaginary affair.
People at Roanoke, Virginia; Buckhannon, West
Virginia; Greensburg Pennsylvania, and many
other places-not forgetting Washington-testi-
fed to an incidence of bright flashes Of light,
trails of smoke and loud explosions. These ac-
counts add up to the possibility that relatively
large freball came in from over the Atlantic,
burst and<fell in ashes over four states The
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Questions and Answers
By Gould Lincoln

The stars readers can get the answer 70
evening Star Information Bureau 1900 street
NV. washington g. D. c., and inclosing cents
return postage or BY telephonine ST 1888
By THE HASKN SERVICE.
@. Which is the worlds greatest
single fishing area?-K. r.
A. The Grand Banks, situated from
80 to 200 mi. off the southeastern coast
of Newfoundland. constitute the worlds
largest single fishing area, particularly
for cod. For centuries the banks have
been f1shed by fleets from Canada, Great
Britain, France and the United States.
@. Is the Statue of Liberty the largest
statue in this country? II so. which Is
the second largest?-B. o. D.
A. The Statue Of Liberty is the largest:
Vulcan, the famous iron man Of Birm-
mgham, Ala, comes next.
@. Was Sholem Asch trained for the
ministry?-H. NICK.
A. He received rabbinical training as
youth but decided against it as a pro-
fession. and soon turned to writing.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Mons Inhumanity to Mon

Simon Lake. inventor Of submarine,
believed that these boats. when per-
fected. would largely supplant surface
passenger ships. The voyage would be
smoother and safer. as violent surface
storms would be avoided. The same can
be said of Orville Wright. who never
dreamed that airplanes would be used
to drop bombs on the heads of helpless
women and children.
It is said that Chinese used gunpow-
der for pleasure. in displaying fireworks,
Evening star., 1951-10-18

seemed as if their driving philosophy is
to take the most convenient part of the
road If you don't see anybody coming
toward you, then go back df you canD
to your own side. when somebody ap-
pears. I believe much of the reason
for such sloppy driving lies in the great
difficulty in keeping these unwieldy ma
chimes on their own side of center, and
the unwillingness of the driver to drive
at the low speed at which his car is
safe and stable.
Jesse E. Sherwood.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Milking the Public?


The milk producers association
claimed that dry weather justified the
recent increase In the price Of milk in
this area. Less grass in pastures, we
were told, required the use of winter
feed for cows month before the usual
time. That argument looks sound on
the surface, because the lack of rainfall
cannot be denied.
What is less convincing, however, is
that milk consumers should be required
to pay for all the damage. They never
insured the producers against loss. How
long must consumers pay for that one
month Of extra feeding? For q period
Of one month, Is the only reasonable
answer At the end of October the
price should go down again to what 1t
was at the end Of October 1850. But
it's doughnuts to dollars (before in
hation the expression was dollars to
doughnuts) that the higher price will
be permanent, thus showing the insin-
cerity Of the producers reason for the
increase in price.
Remember also that when summers
were wet and the pasture season was q
month longer than usual, producers
never once put the price of milk down
one mill. Why should they bother at
all with the t1imsy excuse about
drouth? Under our free enterprise sys-
tenn, person who has milk to sell can
charge what he pleases for it, and
others can buy it or refuse to pay the
price.
But the good old law Of supply and
demand has been vetoed by captains
Of cupidity. For at least q quarter of
a century the unorganized milk con-
sumers Of the District have paid tribute
to band Of Potomac pirates.
BY refusing to inspect or approve
milk produced by outsiders, the board
restricts the milkshed of the District to
nearby Maryland and Virginia. The
monopoly then keeps the price as high
as the traffic will bear. Competition is
eliminated.
II consumers would organize for con-
certed action, they could soon scuttle
the pirates.
George Frederick Miller.
Evening star., 1951-10-18
Letters to The Star !.

explained that he believes medical care
Is easily obtainable II only people would
seek 1t In . common-senSe manner. As
one does not apply to garage to have
ones hair cut. by the same token q
patient should not apply to a rescue
squad or police station to receive medi-
cal treatment.
People of the Metropolitan Area Of
Washington are fortunate In having a
medical bureau service which, If called,
will dispatch the nearest available phy-
sician to handle the emergency. In addi-
ton, our local health departments pro-
vide medical care programs whereby the
INDECENT sick are cared for at home and
without charge to the patient, by local
physicians. Also, almost every hospital
IN the area, maintains out-ratient clinics
for those who are unable to afford the
services of private physician or sur
geon.
It Is interesting. too, to note that the
doctors, through their county medical
societies, are increasingly mindful of
their obligations to the people whom
they serve. These societies have stand
ing committees whose sole function is
to investigate and remedy any situation
where unethical or questionable medical
practices are alleged. DR.. Welsch's
fourth-page answer to the front-page
charge Is an excellent example of the
functioning Of the society in question.
David A. McNamee.
Assistant Superintendent.
Prince Georges General Hospital.
Evening star., 1951-10-18

subject is one Of fascinating potentalities Every
body who watched the meteors journey through
the sky is asked to help solve the problem
Parenthetically, it was travelling about Is miles
a second!