davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1951-01-12

"supplant or interfere with any
religious or political organization. "
Vatican Seen Misinformed.
Rotary Club officials in Wash
ingtcn refused to comment.
In Fort Wayne, Ind, Bishop
John F. Noll said he felt certain
the Vatican had been misinformed
about Rotary clubs in the United
States. He added he believed the
ban would be withdrawn on eccle-
siastical memberships once the
matter had been explained. He
said he thought the trouble was in
Latin America, where Masonic
connections had been attributed
to Rotary, and would be cleared
up soon.
Under the decree. Catholic lay
men are not forbidden to remain
as members of the clubs, or join
them, but are encouraged to join
Catholic groups instead.
Evening star., 1951-01-12
Truman Seeks Aid
In Getting Additional
Doctors for Military

President Truman today said
the armed forces still were very
short of doctors and nurses and
that he was asking Congress for
help in providing more.
In brief statement before the
State units of the National Ad-
visory Committee on Selective
Service, which is meeting here this
week, the President said that he
always felt it was terrible refiec-
ton on this richest republic that
"a per cent of our young men
found unfit for military duty in
World War II.
Continued Efforts Uurged.
He asked the officials to con-
tinue their efforts for a practical
and workable health program.
The State units of the advisory
committee are discussing the
problems involved in the drafting
of physicians, dentists, veter-
inarians and other medical men.
Selective Service Director Lewis
B. Hershey and DR.. Richard Neil
ing. Defense Department medical
chief. attended today's meeting.
About 100000 physicians, den
lists and veterinarians-virtually
all of those below the age of So
will be required to register Mon
day under the medical draft law.
Registration Cites Listed.
In the District, Selective Service
Chief William E. Leahy announced
the medical men will register at
IA hospitals, at draft headquarters,
1901 D street NV, or at Offices of
the District Medical and. Dental
Societies. Registration will be
between 8 am. and 5 pm.
Specifically, the registration
takes in doctors under so who are
not members of the armed forces
or reserve components and who
did not register last October.
Unlike the younger doctors who
registered in October, the new
registrants will not fill out De-
fense Department forms or draft
classification questionnaires.
Evening star., 1951-01-12

"Our international chairman,
Simon Reynolds of Rochester. N.
Y, is a prominent Catholic lay
man." he declared.
Dr.. Ralph B. Bell, president Of
the National Capital Optimist
Club, said he was surprised and
dumbfounded" by the decree and
could see mo grounds for it for
service clubs generally and cer-
talnly not as far as Optimist was
concerned.
All our board meetings are open
and members are invited to at
tend"
Fully Is per cent of the 101
members of his club are Catholic,
DR.. Bell said.
The Optimists are international
in scope in that there are clubs
in Canada, Mexico and Cuba and
honorary clubs in England and
Australia.
The Washington Archdiocese
spokesman pointed out that there
was no policy in this diocese re-
specting service clubs. Prominent
Catholic clergymen and Iaymen
have long been members of such
organizations.
He said there would probably
be no official comment or state
ment from Archbishop O'Boyle
until an official communication on
the matter has been received from
the Vatican.
In a statement issued over the
signature of Rotary's president.
Arthur Lagueux of Quebec, a
Catholic, 1t was emphasized that
the organization did not seek to
Evening star., 1951-01-12
Catholic Clergy Ban on Rotary
includes Kiwunis and Lions

tend motion pictures. but may not
participate in communal hunt
ing" as for example a fox hunt
or a rabbit drive.
Warned on Secret Societies.
The decree, printed in Latin.
exhorted Catholic laymen to fol-
low the dispositions of Canon
Law No. 684. 1t states that "those
Catholics are worthy of praise
who give their names to associa-
tions promoted by the church or.
at least, recommended by it" The
law warns Catholics against
secret associations (Which are)
condemned. seditious> or sus-
pected, or that seek to draw away
from the legitimate vigilance of
the church"
The Vatican source explaining
the decree said the reminder to
Catholics of this law did not
intend to attribute to Rotary the
character of a secret or seditious'
organization.
Prompted by U. S. Reaction.
Today's fuller explanation of
the decree by one of the members
of the Congregation which drew
it up was prompted in part by
the quick reaction from the
United States.
A source connected with Los
servatore Romano suggested yes
terday the decree might not be
intended to apply to laymen in
Rotary organizations in the
United States but rather to those
in Europe and South America,
where the informant said they
sometimes are associated with
Masonry.
Today's more nearly official
source explained, however, that
the decree is generally valid for
all associations such as Rotary.
Evening star., 1951-01-12

meetings, whether members or
not. 1t is non-sectarian and we
have no restrictions on the num-
Der of clergy who can belong"
Melvin Jones, founder and
secretary-general of the Interna-
tional Association of Lions Clubs,
said today he doesn't think the
Vatican leaders who drew up the
decree understand the workings
of our organization"
IF they would study the work
ings of our organization they
would support it." Mr.. Jones added.
I'm not worried about this decree
at all
Catholic Heads Kiwanis.
Carroll West, assistant secretary
of KiWanis International, who is
in Washington on business, said
he was particularly surprised be-
cause his organization extended
only to the United States, it's
possessions and Canada.
Evening star., 1951-01-12
CONTINUED From First Page)

Continued From First Page)
izations having a worldly" char
acter-nor attend the meetings.
Any clergyman who is men,
ber of Rotary, this source said,
must resign from the club. The
implication of the decree, the
source added. is that similar action
must be taken by clergymen who
are members of Kiwanis, or like
groups.
The decree was described as a
general rule open, in so far as
Catholic laymen are concerned, to
local Interpretation by bishops.
Thus, should a Rotary club in
some particular area be considered
to be Influenced by Masonry, local
bishops might decide to ask or
order Catholics not to associate
themselves with it. This would
apply to n-confessional" organ
izationS other than Rotary.
The Vatican source said the
Congregations decree mentioned
Rotary only because it was drawn
in answer to a query concerning
that organization, but that it's
general rule was equally applicable
to all similar organizations.
The explicit queries to the Con-
gregation upon which it's action is
based are held secret.
Worldly Character Cited.
Two factors weighed in forbid
ding clergymen membership in
Rotary or attendance at its meet
ings, this source said.
First, it was the organizations S
worldly" character. Second, its
meetings sometimes hold discus
sions. including religious subjects.
where the attendance of a priest
might be misconstrued by Catho-
lie laymen as church approval of
the discussion.
The source pointed out that
clergymen are generally forbidden
to attend "any manifestation of
a worldly character"
They may. for example, at
Evening star., 1951-01-12

The Most Rev. Christopher J.
Weldon. bishop of the Springfield,
Mass, diocese, advised Catholic
men not to resign from Rotary
clubs until official documents
arrive in this country and can be
examined"
He said he had attended and
addressed Rotary meetings.
Evening star., 1951-01-12
Scout Building Group
To Meet in Falls Church

The Falls Church Scout Build
ing Association will hold it's annual
meeting at 2:30 pm. Sunday at
the Scout House, South Spring
street.
DR.. Joseph w. Seay, co-ordina-
tor of civil defense for Falls
Church, will speak on Youth in
Civil Defense"
Evening star., 1951-01-12
pop on Aaton BATTLES Clergy and Leaders Service Clubs

Catholic clergymen in the United
States today apparently were as
baff1ed as officials Of Rotary, XII
wants and Lions by the decree of
Pope Plus XII forbidding all
Catholic priests to belong to the
service clubs.
A spokesman for the Washing
ton archdiocese said he did not
know why such an order was is
sued and added:
Relations between Catholics
and these organizations have been
very friendly and the organiza-
tions have been held in highest
esteem by individual Catholics "
Msgr. John K. Cartwright,
pastor of St. Matthew'S Cathedral,
the only Catholic clergyman who
is a member of the Washington
Rotary Club, is on a speaking tour
and could not be reached for COM
ment. The Rev. Gilbert Hartke,
head of the Catholic University
drama department, a member of
Kiwanis. was not available i'm
mediately for statement.
Another priest who is aSmember
of Kiwanis is the.Rev. Edward H.
Roach of st. Jerome's Church,
Hyattsville. He has been a men,
ber since 1929.
The Pope's decree mentioned
only Rotary, but a Vatican spokes-
man later explained that other
similar service organizations were
to be included.
Marion West, secretary to the
Lions district governor here, said
the ruling shocked" him.
THE Lions club is anything but
a secret organization. ANY one at
any time is welcome to attend our
Evening star., 1951-01-12

whether in Europe, the United
States or elsewhere. While Cath
olic laymen are asked to be on
their guard toward such organi-
cations, they are not forbidden to
join them, the informant said.
Evening star., 1951-08-28
This. and That

II wonder what has happened to the
morning bird symphony" asks B. c. B.
of Greentree road. And the night solo
singers do not seem SO numerous"
August was what happened.
And moonless nights.
When August gets under way, the
birds begin to think of stopping to sing.
They do not cease all at once, tout a
coup, as the French say, but little by
little, very good way to quit anything.
The birds began their best singing at
nesting time, and they begin to quit
when nesting begins to end.
While there are few species that
nest after this month, there are only
few, and these seem to hide in bushes.
as if they thought 1t not quite right to
go ahead with the egg laying business.
Sometimes one will find a goldfinch
or wild canary nest along country lane
in September.
Most of the birds let August end this
phase of their lives until another year
rolls around.
Many species have two nestings, a few
three.
Most of these come in June and July.
And this is the period of greatest
singing, for after the birds are out Of
the eggs there is not much time left for
the parents to do anything except find
food for them.
Hence singing declines.
June Is probably the greatest singing
month.
Evening star., 1951-08-28
Letters to The Star

to efficiency. but rather to democracy
and democracy is politics"
There is not now. and there never has
been any real dificulty in recruiting
personnel for the Government, in fact
the opposite is true.
If, however, for certain political
reasons, 1t is considered expedient to in
crease the classified Government en-
ployes' salaries to the real purchasing
power that they enjoyed in 1899, which
was an exceedingly high level for them
in relationship to the rest of the work.
ing people. then let's apply the 29o figure
to the average wage of $1,000 now paid
in the regular old line non-defense
agencies and increase their salaries by
STA per year. Some may argue that the
average wage now paid in defense
agencies Of $4,000 should be used and an
increase Of $100 per year given. dis
agree as salaries in defense agencies are
now completely inflated.
I fully realize it is now the practice
of Government employees to milk the
American people for everything they can
get, but please. in that milking process.
let's keep the facts straight
Clifford L. Frank,
Former Chairman United States
80 Government Displaced Career
Employees Association.
Evening star., 1951-08-28
Segregation and Opero

Cancellation by the Metropolitan
Opera Co. of Washington performance
of die FledermauS" Is another example
Of the high price the Nations Capital
is paying for racial intolerance. In the
face Of statement by Jack Foxe, pub
licity director Of Loew's Washington
theaterS, to the effect that the Segrega-
tion question was not even discussed
with the Metropolitan negotiators, the
New York Herald Tribune for August %
and the New York Post for August 81
published the following significant state
ment by Clarence Durwent, president
OF the Actors Equity Association:
I'VE suggested to the Met that they
ask Loew's Circuit to remove the ban
SO we could play in Washington. The
chain refused to do so i. +. Discrimina-
tion is stupid policy Look what a
target it will make for Russia! Appar-
emily there are some people who hope
that Equity will weaken its anti-dis-
elimination policy. Equity will never
weaken. It's preposterous that this sit
uation should exist in the Nations
Capital"
One wonders how much longer the
country is going to tolerate a situation
that is the negation Of the principles
that 1t processes and that it seeks to
impose upon the rest Of the world.
w., B. SpratIin. 81
Evening star., 1951-08-28
BY Charles E. TroceweN !.

So goes the ancient precept, and the
birds stick to it.
Moths and other insects love the light.
They may be seen lowering around
electric light bulbs. They will come
through screening, in order to tantalize
themselves with the nearnesS Of the
light. That they SINCE their little wings.
and lose their little lives, in this way,
seems to make no difference to them.
one way or another. That is good
thing to keep in mind, as humanity
threatens itself with the awful light Of
the atom bomb.
AS for night singers including the
nhockingbird, they respond mostly to
the moonglow.
Many of the sparrows Groom softly to
closed bill. so that they cannot be heard
more than few feet away.
Most of these night songs are never
heard by human beings, which is good.
since most of them do not deserve to be
so serenaded. Nature has many gifts
which she withholds from us, until the
day arrives when we stop eating, tor
turing, imprisoning the animals. If such
time ever comes. 1t probably will be
ushered in by the old biblical vision Of
the lamb and the lion lying down to-
gether. Men and tother) animals have
long way to 60 before they can live
together in peace and happiness. The
point seems to be that man will never
find happiness for himself until he finds
1t for the creatures.
Evening star., 1951-08-28
Pick the Best-Then Stondordize

Standardization of small arms among the
North Atlantic Allies is highly desirable goal
toward which all of them professedly are aiming.
The only hitch in the plan, is the question of
which weapon to standardze. That the question
is not easily resolved has become apparent fol-
lowing the recent four-power conference here
on the subject The conference ended without
definite agreement on the infantry rifle which
should be adopted for the ultimate use of Gen.
eral Esenhower's command.
Meanwhile the British, who have developed
small caiber rifle for their own troops, have
staged firing tests designed to show that their
new gun is superiorsto Americas Garand. which
proved effective in World War II and in Korea.
One thing is obvious: If the North Atlantic
treaty nations are going to adopt standard
rifle they should make certain that they stand
ardize the best rife. This is choice in which
national pride should give way to joint security.
The new British weapon has .280 caliber
bore, as compared with the GarandS 800 caliber.
1t is lighter than the Garand, and. according to
press accounts of the demonstrations, "outper-
forms" the American rifle. There are reports,
however that the Army has developed mark
edly improved Garand and other new types of
infantry rifles, details Of which are not available
for pnblication Our own ordnance experts are
said to be skeptical 6f some of the published
Evening star., 1951-08-28

Then, If ever, come bird symphonies.
a good phrase, for there is actually
something symphonic about the way the
little fellows unite to sound one grand
amen. 1t is not exactly an amen, Of
course. Rather it is song Of greeting
to the new day.
On some mornings, for obscure rea-
sons. it is much louder than on others.
The morning of Barbara's wedding
day the birds out our way sang the
loudest of the year.
It was noticeable how much louder,
how more far reaching, how more sym
phonic" the morning chorus was that
morning.
Persons interested in the birds spoke
of it.
Neither before nor since have our
birds sung SO prettily.
Singing in birds is caused. according
to some experts. by the lengthening of
the day. as spring and summer come on.
In other words, by heat.
Now this heat is not exactly according
to the temperature.
Washington has many of its hottest
days in August, when the birds begin to
mute their ordinary songs.
This heat working on the birds is a
complex of outer and inner, with light
at the apex. s@
This love, Of light goes through all
created things.
Darkness is evil, light is good.
Evening star., 1951-08-28
Seems Like q Small Natter

fail to see why your Sports Column
list Francis Stann works up such lather
because a midget appears in a major
league lineup. The midget performed
a service for the st. Louis team and I'd
say he did his job lot more efficiently
than his more normally developed team
mates
After all, when a spindle -kneed. fat
chested young man who couldn't throw
a football 10 yards is employed exclu-
sively to kick points after touchdowns.
we don't seem to think it so strange.
Yet this case is not dissimiliar. for Mr..
Weeks midget was doing special job.
That he may not be able to play bunt.
or do anything else in major league
fashion is completely irrelevant, particu-
larly in specialized era of sports where
only certain batters face left-handed
pitching, others are used exclusively for
defensive purposes, and so on.
Robert A. Lundegaard.
Evening star., 1951-08-28
fMiIitury Poy

I noticed in The Star recently that
Local commanders have been author
lied by the Defense Department to per-
nit their military personnel to engage
in part-time work in agriculture and
industry. while on leave or of duty ETC."
This humane gesture no doubt was
prompted by knowledge in the higher
echelons that military personnel must
do something to supplement their low
service pay. which has failed to keep
pace with the increased cost Of living.
Why not go further and remove
limitations placed on retired personnel
by the existing abhorrent law so they
can work for Government agencies?
Those responsible for such an un-
American law must realize that retired
personnel, too. are far behind in their
economics. and that our pensions are
fast losing ground with the continued
increase in the cost Of living.
Retired.
Evening star., 1951-08-28
We're Going Bankrupt on Two-Bit Words

We may come to these words If ro-
tatee is allowed to infiltrate the vocabu-
larry. And II we do not watch out a
frontal assault by ruggedize will win
and make secure its objective.
There is no disposition here to deprive
the armed forces Of their technical
terms. The technical vocabulary of any
profession provides many short cuts to
communication among its members.
Certainly no one can quarrel with the
military use of contact" in the sense
that regiment contacts unit on its
flank or the enemy on its 'front.' 1t is good
use Of the word. But resistance should
be offered to efforts to get the word into
common usage by hucksters who con-
tact about an advertising campaign for
a new can Of beans
Nor should the military be begrudged
their calculated risks. Every one else
takes chances. but not the military.
They play "the old Army game" of
never betting except on sure thing
never attacking unless they outnumber
the enemy. At the same time daring
Evening star., 1951-08-28
Government Salaries

There is loud hue and cry from
certain sources to increase Government
salaries.
According to top official Of the Labor
Department, classified Government en-
ployes real purchasing power has now
decreased only go below the 1889 level.
which figures have been accepted as COR
rect by the leading Government en-
ployeS union.
Arguments are made that unless Gov
ernment salaries are increased, the Gov
ernment will not be able to recruit and
retain the best available talent.
That argument is false. as the whole
Civil Service So-called merit system is
a farce. everything being based on pref
erenceS and special privileges. Even some
civil service examinations are restricted
to certain preferred groups.
The best qualified persons are not ap-
pointed, and of those lesser qualified
who are appointed. preferences are the
controlling factor in their selection. in
their promotions and in their retention
when reductions n-forces take place.
Congressman have frequently re-
marked "this country is not committed
Evening star., 1951-08-28

a military machine, not a man bound
for home and the bosom of his family.
There may be some slight excuse for
a combat correspondent, in the turmoil
of a war theater, using such a term.
But from the relative calm of an Air
Force office in this country came an
announcement that in new electronic
equipment special emphasis was being
placed on "miniaturization and rug
gedization." ~
Rotatee may be described as a word
of inflltration. The way was prepared
for it by similar infiltrator-amputee
Military medicine adopted this word
toward the end of the last war. 1t is
listed in dictionaries. But it is cold
word. word of no compassion and little
better than the word cripple that prop
erly was being Stunned.
Amputee inf1ltrated the language Of
common use and led to a number of
other final zee words. Everytime there
was a jail break the word escapee bios
somed forth. One would think that one
Evening star., 1951-08-28
MiIitory Justice

/ was amused at letter in The Star
signed by M. Mullins in which he ex-
pressed faith in the way justice is ad-
m!nistered by the armed services because
he knew so many nice people in the
services.
|, too, know some nice people in the
services but have in my Office several
file cabinets of courts martial records.
and I would like to have Mr.. Mullins
select 10 Of these records at random.
read them and then express his opinion
on the fairness of the court-martial
system. He might also be interested in
learning how those cases have been re-
viewed by the nice people who review
the cases in the Offices of the various
judge advocates general, and will be
pleased to permit him to review the cor
respondence relating to the review Of
the cases.
Fred w. Shields.
Evening star., 1951-08-28

claims for the new British weapon. They are
sticking by their own guns.
The only sensible way to settle such dis
agreement is by series Of official tests on the
firing range for the competing British American,
Canadian and French rifles. Canada uses both
800 and .30S caliber rifles but fayors standard
ization on one type It would greatly increase
the potential strength of the allied nations if
they concentrated on manufacture of one type
of rifle, instead of supplying their troops with
four or more different makes of small arms and
ammunition There seems to be no satisfactory
approach to settlement OF the question except
through jointly sponsored firing-range tests. The
treaty nations ought to pick the very best rifle
for Standardization or else give up the uniform
rifle plan completely. It would be sad mistake
defense program.