davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-12-02
On Its Tenth Birthday

The atomic age is 10 years old today. It
was born quietly, and in the greatest secrecy.
IN squash court under the west stands of
6tagg Field at the University of Chicago It's
shape then was a queer-looking thing called q
plea ugly mass in which man, for the
frst time in history, succeeded in harnessing
nuclear energy and opening up new world
full OF enormous promise and enormous threat.
Less than three years later-in the summer
OF 1945-the threat expressed itself in the atomic
devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Ever
since, even as much deadlier A-weapons have
been developed, earnest efforts have been made
to prevent a repetition of such holocausts by
establishing an effective system of international
control. But the efforts, because of the Soviet
Veto have been futile so far. Instead of control,
all that the world has now is the most dangerous
armaments race since the beginning of time,
ana IL is race that seems to be leading fast
to the production of the hydrogen bomb. And
man, once he has that, will have in his hands
an indescribaby CHASTITY destroyer capable
theoretically at least-of wipng out civilization
and virtually annihilating the whole of humanity.
But the harnessed atom has a good side,
too-a potential benefcence that can hardly be
exaggerated. Indeed, even in this tense peace
that Is not peace science is working with nuclear
energy in way that holds out the brightest
promise: IL is promise that embraces such
fields as health for the sick, food production for
the hungry, and industrial power for economies
either lacking it or running short of it. Right
now, with radioactive materials being used to
treat an increasing number of diseases, new
kind OF medicine is being developed. Tagged
atoms are helping researchers to plumb the
mystery of photosynthesis-a plumbing that may
well end in doing away with the recurring
international torment of famine. And as we
build our first atomic driven submarine, and
design our first atomic driven plane the world
moves toward a revolution in sea and air travel,
and In powering itself to light and heat it's
cities and make its factories hum.
The good in the atom thus balances the
evil, but the good is still largely a potential
thing while the evil is present reality-a tower
Ing menace such as has never darkened the
world before. What the story will be decade
from now, no mortal can say. But this much
Is sure: Unless man really harnesses this tre-
mendous force for peace, unless he polices his
passions and is driven by the very nature of
A-weapons and H-weapons to avert war; human
society as we know it may indeed pass away,
literally. That is the sum of the meaning Of
nuclear energy on its tenth birthday.
Evening star., 1952-12-02
House in Georgia

Burned By the sun, lushed by the tDind
it stood,
A simple cabin plundered of its pride.
Reduced In spirit to the nlerest lDood
And yet in spite of this still digntfed.
One color NTH the earth, it tDore the dust
OF years as testimony to a Seruitude
Without complaint, as humble creatures
must.
And eUen all the elements were rude.
But life Went on Within the s1ggino
UallS,
For there Were human needs tUtth
lOhich to cope
And uoiceS Uith the same familiar draDls
Still 1Oailed lament or sang the songs
of hope.
One free concession made its Ualne
high
A mountain UietD that no rich man
could buy.
!. Donna Dickey A
Evening star., 1952-12-02
Letters to The Star

has favored familiar patterns of segre-
cation.
These doubts of prompt performance
lead me to suggest that the time is
here to form Citizens Advisory Com
mittee to counsel with those in authority
in the interest of achieving complete
integration. This would not replace
other groups such as the Board of
Trade, Citizens Associations, etc., but
would provide group concerned with
this issue of Importance nationally and
internationally-a group unhampered
by interests and allegiances bound up
with the existing community pattern.
Perhaps others of your readers share
my desire to give doddering evolution
the forward push the situation demands.
Betty Felter Morrison.
Evening star., 1952-12-02

glad to have the privilege Of serving my country
as Ambassador"
The British have had impressive evidence
of Mr.. Aldrich's high regard for them, not only
in his wartime efforts to promote relief for them
but also in his effective advocacy-in 1946-of
our loan of $3.7 billion to their country He
will be welcome over there and he has all that
it takes to make fine Ambassador. He may
be an Anglophile, as unfriendly critics say, but
If he is, it is primarily because of his sound con-
viction that the future of human liberty rests
largely with how we'll Britain and the United
States get along together.
Evening star., 1952-12-02
New Engineer Commissioner

President Trumans choice of Colonel Louis
w PrentisS for District Engineer Commissioner
TO succeed Brigadier General Bernard L. Robin
son is a particularly appropriate and fortunate
one Colonel Prentiss is not only an outstanding
military engineer but native Washingtonian
as well. He will bring to the city the rare COM
blnation in the Engineer Commissionership of
technical competence and Unborn interest and
pride in the Nations Capital That is COM
blnation that is an augury of able and devoted
service in the Districts behalf
Colonel Prentiss is descended from one of
WaShlngtonS pioneer families. One of his
ancestors took up residence here as early as
1880. He and his wife, the former Helen Bowie,
share a common ancestor Colonel Joseph Belt.
another early settler IN this area The new
Engineer Commissioner attended the District
public schools, graduating from Western High
School in 1917 and winning scholarship to the
Colorado School of Mines Most of his Armv
duties have kept him away from Washington.
although he has had several short tours of duty
IN the area. For the past five months he has
been stationed here as Assistant Chief of
Engineers for Personnel and Administration.
Throughout his Army career he has kept in
touch with District affairs.
The loss which the District suffered through
the elevation of General Robinson to deputy
chief of Army Engineers thus will be countered
by the assignment of a successor whose profess
Slonal fitness for the job is bulwarked by a
natural love for the city he will help to govern.
Washington is glad to welcome Colonel Prentiss
back home.
Evening star., 1952-12-02
Juniors Report Card

What has happened to the grading
system OF our public school reports?
My daughter brought home her fourth
grade report with satisfactory progress"
checked in all columns, minus the usual
ESSAY report" from the teacher, and in
closed was a mimeographed letter from
Carl F. Hansen, associate superintendent
OF schools, stating that an effort is being
made to make the elementary school re-
port card more uniform. We are told
satisfactory progress" will be used most
of the time.
This report card told me absolutely
nothing. know the child is doing salts
factory work. What want to know and
what she wants to know is how salts
factory is it? Is it A, B, or C work? Or
is it D work? My daughter is an excel
lent reader and I'm sure in this subject
Is an "a" student. On the other hand
she has difficulty with arithmetic and
probably does about &C" work. But on
this report card there is nothing to in
dicate that her arithmetic is not as
strong as her reading.
How is it possible to know what kind
Of work our children are doing? The
only reason know my daughter has
difficulty in arithmetic is because I in
sist she bring home her weekly test
papers. They are not encouraged to do
this. Unless we have reason to believe
our children need definite help, we hesi-
tate to keep the teacher after school for
an interview. When we see her at the
PTA meetings. unless there is something
drastically wrong with the child, we
always learn he is doing fine
Parents should be given an oppor-
tunity to know the degree of accomplish
ment in work done. The child should
know this degree in order to have the
incentive to improve.
If we must continue with this "uni-
form" report card, from which we learn
nothing. why not dispense with it alto
gether? It should save the teachers a
good deal o. time.
r. L. G.
Evening star., 1952-12-02
Bishops Remarks and Others

A letter by Robert Linton, published
November 26 in response to your edi-
torial THE Catholic Bishops" states in
the last paragraph:
THE modern country most often cited
as an example of social decay is France,
which is a clerical monopoly, and an
other Is Italy. from whence we obtain
our supply of hoodlums."
This Is incorrect. In the wording
clerical monopoly" Mr.. Linton is imply
ing that the Italian State is directed by
the clericS whose headquarters is the
Vatican. Such an inference is false, be-
cause the Christian Democratic Party
now in power is representing many po-
litical tendencies, which frequently work
at cross purposes. Then it cannot be
said to be under any single domination.
In connection with the charge that
Italy supplies "hoodlums," it must be
admitted that while there have been
such names as Al Capone and Lucky
Luciano, there have also been Dutch"
Schultz, Legs" Diamond, Dillinger and
many others, whose names indicate
variety of national origins.
AS for Mr. Linton's reference to social
decay" in France and in Italy, he must
be certainly aware of the fact that two
world wars have contributed much to
the domestic diSorganization in the fields
OF politics, economics and inevitably of
the traditional moral order. Particularly
sWlth reference to Italy. whatever social
decay may exist there, is also in large
measure due to the chronic misery aris-
Ing from surplus population in a small
peninsula devoid of natural resources
and deprived of any real prospect of
emigration.
Lucio Cecconi.
Does Robert Linton realize the i'm
pllcatlonS OF his non-acceptance of the
bishops remarks that Without religious
education, moral education is impossi-
ble"?
If morality is not dependent upon re-
lg1ous tenets, whence comes the univer-
sal and eternal binding force of moral
lty? Without God as the Author of the
Moral Law. how can the same act (mur-
der, for instance) be immoral in Russia
or China as we'll as here in the United
States? Are violations of the Law of
God, le., the Ten Commandments. no
longer immoral or sinful simply because
they have become socially acceptable to
great portion of our society?
II person can be taught true moral
ity (true in the time of Moses as we'll
as today without religious knowledge
OF God. would like to know how: sin
cere Jews and Christians the world over
would also be interested.
L. ]. Lombardo.
Evening star., 1952-12-02
Used To Be q NeWspopernnon Himself

speech before the general delivered the
next one.
One day a stenographer had his
shorthand machine resting on the trunk
of an automobile in the middle of the
street because the crowd was too dense
to enable him to reach the speakers
platform. While Gen. Eisenhower was
speaking the driver decided to move the
Stenographer had no time to relocate
his machine. so he trotted behind the
car. transcribing as he ran. The loud
speakers carried the generals voice that
far
Jim Hagerty knows the newsmen's
problems because he used to be news
paperman, on the New York Times,
where his father, James A. Hagerty.
also is top-ranking political writer.
Young Jim. who is 43, left the Times
to become press secretary to Gov. Dewey
OF New York 10 years ago.
Young Hagerty is cooperative, but
careful. He will do all he can to get
reporters query answered. but he
never sounds off hastily or without the
facts.
One of the first questions the press
Will want settled after Inauguration
Day is. How often and under what
rules will the new President hold press
conferences?"
During the recent campaign, press
conferences were few and far between
This has given rise to some concern
among newsmen that the tendency to
rely mainly on prepared statements.
with only occasional press conferences.
may continue after January 20. Gen.
Eisenhower himself has not disclosed his
press conference plans, but if he con-
suits Mr.. Hagerty on the subject, it is
safe to assume he will get sound advice.
Evening star., 1952-12-02

pace. There were days when the cam
paign party skipped from train, to
plane. to bus. with the candidate max
ing six or more speeches along the way.
On such days the official transcribers
had to be acrobats as well as experts at
shorthand and typing. They would
drag their equipment into the planes
and buses. Sitting on the floor of
plane, or kneeling in the aisle of bus,
they would grind out copies Of one
Evening star., 1952-12-02
Correction

In an editorial on this page yesterday it was
said that Senator Henry Cabot Lodge jr would
receive a "tax-free' salary of $4,000 a year
as chief of our American mission to the United
Nations. The statement was incorrect, and The
Star regrets the error. Like all other Americans
except the relatively few who get special con-
sideration as direct employees of the U. N.-Mr.
Lodge will pay the regular Federal levy imposed
on his income bracket.
Evening star., 1952-12-02
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.

BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.
@. Is there Government bulletin ex-
planning what political activity is per-
mitted or forbidden for Federal en-
ployes?-D. F.
A. Yes. Political Activity of Federal
Officers and Employees" answers many
questions of this kind. 1t is Pamphlet 20
of the U. S. Civil Service Commission,
Washington 25, D. c.
@. What nationalities were repre-
sented among the men who served with
Henry v at the Battle of Agincourt?
j. D. @.
A. THE jarring nationalities of his
fathers time were represented at this
battle In the army Of the English King
were Scotsmen, Welshmen and Irish
men, besides Englishmen.
Evening star., 1952-12-02
Questions and Answers

The Stars readers can get the answer to
eny question of fact by either writing The
Evening Star Information Bureau. 1900 street
NV Washington 3, d. c., and incloSing s cents
return hostage or nv telephoninR Sterling T363.
Evening star., 1952-12-02

Pen-ndn1es may be used II letters carry
10riters' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation
Evening star., 1952-12-07

book. More than one critic called it one
of the great personal documents of the
century.
To return to the novels, there can be no
doubt that 1.-The Old Man and the Sea"
was the most widely praised book of 1852.
Some appraisers may haggle over whether
it is novel, a novelette, or long short
story. In its depth and development I
would call it a novel, but the question
seems to me pedantic and unimportant.
It is, in any event, the most nearly perfect
literary creation Of the year, of any
recent year. Any critic with due regard
for words and for his own fallibility hesi-
tates to use such terms as masterpiece
and classic. And yet if this brief Heming-
way novel is not headed for a place in
the remembered writing of our time,
neither are two other short novels of this
century. both already considered classics
-Conrads Heart of Darkness" and Ste
phen Cranes THE Red Badge of Courage"
'The Old Man and the Sea" should have
as good chance to survive as anything
Evening star., 1952-12-07
Years Top Historical Novel

"The Sinner of Saint Ambrose" by
Robert Reynolds. a story of Rome at the
beginning of the fourth century, is my
candidate for the years best historical
novel. 1t combines a scholarly understand
ing of the period and its clashing person.
alities and PHILOSOPHERS with a sure grasp
of the storyteller'S art. It should appeal
alike to the reader who wants a good story
and to the person who also values writing
Of high order.
Few. think, will dispute the unusual sue
cess of Hemingway's little book. don't
say the other five novel books I've just
discussed were necessarily the "best" novels
of 1852. They were those that happened
to appeal most to me. Other rea derS could
submit other lists and argue for them
persuasively.
There are several runners-up in my
estimate which can recommend as cheer
fully There is Erich Maria Remarque'S
Spark of Life" (Appleton- Century
Crofts), a picture of Nazi concentration
camp almost unbearably vivid. With
more rounded perspective of the charac-
tiers. it could have been a great novel.
Remarques -dimensional figures, be-
ings no longer quite human, are described
in documentary rather than creative
writing.
Evening star., 1952-12-07
The Racial Issue

Invisible Man" is striking first novel
by Ralph Ellison, young Negro It is the
story of what an intelligent colored youth
faces. whether he stays in his native South
or goes North. It is far more than that
The adventures of the authors protagonist
among Harlem Communists air prevalent
actuality. The approach is original, the
writing often brilliant. Some of the mud
dier philosophical passages could have been
left out, but on the whole the book is re-
markably effective.
Worth Tuttle Hedden wrote in Love Is
Wound an appealing, down-t earth
novel about Southern Methodist minister.
No better portrait of a sincere man of
God, his personal difficulties and his par
isheS, has come out. at least in recent
years. We learn to know the Rev. David
Humiston intimately. We share his secret
burden, the hidden feud between his wife
and her sister who lives with the Humi-
stons and has always loved her brother i'm
law and resented his marriage.
The English novelist, r. c. Hutchinson.
wrote powerful novel around the plight
of Poland when the Germans came in from
the South and the Russians from the
North in 1889 Journey with Strangers"
tells in particular the flight of the titled
Kolbeck family into privation, horror and
the hazards of an inscrutable fate.
Evening star., 1952-12-07

agree. It seems to me a sprawling. inco-
herent story, Illuminated by flashes Of
flrst-rate writing and sharp insight, un-
successful in conveying any unified mean
ing. It fails despite its reliability. It
lacks anything approaching the impact of
'"The Grapes of Wrath" There is nothing
of the charm of Steinbeck's shorter books.
In addition to the Hemingway book.
named five novels on a personal list I
could commend to readers. Charles Mills
"The AleXandrians" is the story of myth
ical but probable Southern town during a
century. The characters are developed
subtly and yet memorably through sue
cession of episodes over the changing
years. Despite the length of this novel. it
remains absorbing. The writing is dis
tinguished. The emphasis is on the posi-
tive qualities, the integrity of the men and
women involved, rather than on the
decadence of character so common in re-
cent Southern writing.
Evening star., 1952-12-07
The Memorable Witness

This years Nobel Prize for literature
went to the French novelist Francois
Mauriac. His latest book to appear in this
country is "The Loved and the Unloved"
(Pelegrini. and Cudahy). Here he has COM
posed variations on a sordid theme leading
to a strong religious coda. Mauriac, gen.
orally considered Frances most able nov
elist, is almost alone in his Catholic faith
among contemporary French novelists who
are cynical agnostics. The bestowal of the
coveted award should make him better
known in this country than he has been.
The impact of Whitaker Chambers
Witness Random House, was reflected
not only in the bookstores but in critical
and learned circles. There is a poignant
quality in his story-his unhappy early
Evening star., 1952-12-07
Many Sides of History

For those inclined to history there was
another volume (V) in Douglas Southan
Freeman's monumental biography OF
George Washington. This book, Victory
With the Help of France" (Scribner's),
covered the period 1883. There were,
too. several fresh books on Lincoln, includ
ing Stefan Lorants remarkable Lincoln:
A Picture Story of His Life" (Harper).
There was another major item for those
interested in literary history-the second
volume in James BoswellS rediScovered
journals. This was Boswell in Holland.
1763-1764,' edited by Frederick A. Pottle
(McGraw-H HID. George Santayana's
denominations and Powers" (Scribners)
was published five months before his recent
death in Rome at the age of 88. Van Wyck
Brooks brought out THE Confident Years:
1885-1915" Dutton), the fifth book in his
history of the writer in America.
The third and most comprehensive VOL
ume of Bernard De Voto's history of the
settlement of the United States, Course
of Empire (Houghton Miff1in), covers the
period 1517-1806. It is an extraordinary
achievement, combing originality of con-
ception and scholarly research and color
full writing.
Some of last years best-sellers, both
fiction and non-fiction, pushed ahead with
such impetus that they made the 1852 lists.
and few held their places the whole year.
Such was Herman Wouk's novel, The
Caine Mutiny'' doubleday, which must
have established some sort of record.
Washington's marine naturalist, Rachel
Carson, had an earlier book, "Under the
Sea Wind" (Oxford Press). reissued and it
joined "The Sea Around U.s. among the top
Evening star., 1952-12-07
Among the Best Written

Wright Morris wrote in '"The Works Of
Love" (Knopf) about a man of ability
who attained a certain success and yet
failed in more vital relationships Will
Brady wanted to be loved and never was
quite. He is a memorable character. 1t is
true that Paul Bowles' 'Let It Come Down"
Random House) is, like some of his other
stories. depressing account of char
acter's disintegration in North Africa. It
is. none the less, one of the best-written
novels of the year. Evelyn Waugh's new
novel. Men At Arms" QJittle. Brown) is
not his most exciting book, and yet it is a
perceptive. often amusing description of
civilians encounter with historic British
regiment. Waugh the satirist has been
subdued somewhat for Waugh the realist.
This is the first in a projected trilogy,
undoubtedly based on the authors hazard
Gus war service. Barnaby Conrad'S "Mata-
Continued on Page B.
Evening star., 1952-12-07
Six Worth Recommending

The average level of the years novels
has not been unusually high. There are,
fortunately, a few f1rst-rate novels every
year. recommend particularly six among
the many I've read. I list them alpha
betically by titles, not in any attempted
order of merit. Personal preference:
'The Alexandrians," by Charles Mills
(Putnam).
Invisible Man." by Ralph Ellison
Random House).
Journey With Strangers" by r. c.
Hutchinson (Rinehart).
"LOve Is Wound" by Worth Tuttle
Hedden (Crown).
"The Old Man and the Sea-" by
Ernest Hemingway (ScribnerS).
"The Sinner of Saint Ambrose" by
Robert Reynolds (Bobbs- s-MerrilD.
It seems, Judging from comments of
publishers and booksellers, that the public
turned more readily to books on current
affairs than to fiction. Books on the presi-
Dental candidates and their issues sold
widely. So did some of the books con-
tinuing the perennial discussions of Europe
and Asia and The advances and failures OF
communism r>.,
Evening star., 1952-12-07
Paul Radkai Photo.

are not gone, despite the current cult Of
confusion and obscurity. The quiet flow
of the narrative recording the old fisher
mans epic adventure has the timeless
quality of fine lyric.
There has been a consequent revival
OF interest in Hemingway, though some
of us never lost interest in him. AS it
happened, an excellent critical study.
Hemingway: the Writer as Artist" by
Carlos Baker princeton University Press).
came out a month after the Hemingway
book. Those critics who said when
Across the River and Under the Trees"
appeared two years ago that Hemingway
obviously was through-an opinion from
which I ventured to dissent strongly at
the time-must have found their words
indigestible
Some literary observers will give John
Steinbeck high, if not top, billing this year
for his novel, EAST of Eden" (Viking.)
One of these admirers called it one of the
best novels of the last 10 years, others
Steinbecks best book. I am unable to