davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-01-25

A Riverdale correspondent sends the
following:
Late last fall something came In.
through the cat entrance and ate part
OF box Of sugar. and on another night
knocked loaf Of sliced bread down
and nibbled several slices. Was 1t q
rat or q SQUIRREL"
OF the two. it probably was q rat.
But 1t might have been raccoon.
Raccoons are very fond Of sweet
things.
Perhaps the term "cat entrance
needs some explanation.
Real friends Of cats. as this one is,.
sometimes build little swinging door
in an outside door.
This cat door is at the bottom, hinged
at the top. so the animal can go in and
out at wiz.
It is interesting to watch the family
pet brush in and out.
The thing gives it access to the OUT
doors on its own terms.
Cat psychology has been studied In
the laboratory. but every friend Of cats
has chance to understand them r.
human terms, which Is better.
Laboratory testing, whether OF ami.
NAL reactions Or Of nail polishes has
its drawbacks.
one testing organization recently
Evening star., 1952-01-25

Il was agreed to study the local situation and
report special bill when the difnculties had
been worked out. Chief Judge Laws Of District
Court. who was strong advocate Of the ma
tional legislation, has taken leading part ii
pressing for an amendment which would bring
the District within the rehabilitation plan.
The bill passed by the Senate would In no
way restrict the authority Of local judges in i'm
posing sentences provided by law. It would,
however, give them an alternate method Of COM
mitting defendants who are under % years. e,
in the opinion Of the court, youthful offender
seemed capable Of being made over into q good
citizen, the sentence could call for special cor
rectional care Ia an institution where there
would be no danger Of association with incor-
rigihle prisoners. Federal prison authorities
have promised to cooperate with the District In
administering the local program The Senate
readily recognized the injustice Of discriminating
against the District in this field Of enlightened
penology The House should have no trouble IN
seeing this injustice, too, and in correcting it.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
By Charles E. Trocewen

This must seem magical, to the cat.
It. Of itself. cannot do q thing.
It must depend upoc q higher rJwer,
poor higher power winiS..::, "a Is turn,
must depend upon Hisner Power.
The cat knows nothing Of that.
II waits to see the moving fingers,
and once the door opens
Does 1t go out2
II you do not know cats, you might
think it would. Even If you know them.
you wonder why it doesn't. But usually
It doesn't. It draws back. turns away.
Strange compulsive forces keep It from
going. Haven't we all felt such things?
Close the door. however
Puss turns again. meows to get out.
The thing can go on for long time.
IS it often does. according 70 the
mount of compliance In the standee.
At last puss leaves.
Outdoors she may see d raccoon, q
sweet liking animal.
Raccoons love sugar. and win come
IN to get 1t.
Rats would prefer bread. ANY one
who permits d cat entrance to swing
freely at IN hours may expect anything
Including the blacksnake. This b
large, ferociouS looking snake. but ac-
tlaiiy not harmful. except that i may
scare you badl1.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
This and That

confessed that a testing Of polishes
showed one last. In the laboratory
but first. when actually tried out by
human beings.
The big point of the cat entrance
is that it pleases the cat.
His desires for the outdoors are mott
waited by ancestral smells. sights, sounds
whose echoes come down to him
through thousands Of years, and from
such far countries as Egypt and Meso-
potania.
All the cats Of the world are related:
in fact, it is claimed that dogs and
cats come from the same primeval
strain.
Cats know what they want. even bet
ter than humans. because they have
no mind to get in the way.
When they want out, they want out.
probably not for the sanitary reason
their friends think. They are pushed
here and there by fancies, cat fancies.
II yeu will, which are not the same as
cat maps, but have something Of the
same vagueneSs about them.
Tom or Tabby on the hearth. or din
ing room table even, suddenly pricks
up ears. and jumps down, to go straight
to the kitchen door.
The cat stands there, waiting for the
ever ready human hand to manipulate
the latch.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
End This Discrimination

Senate passage Of an amendment TO the
Youth Corrections Act OF 1850 brings the Dis
trict penal system step closer to participation
in q sensible national penal-reform program
The program, applicable at present to all Ct
the United states except the District Of Column
bia, provides for separation of youthful prison.
ers from hardened criminals IN Federal peni-
tentiaries and other correctional institutions
The novices in crime then are given special care
treatment and training designed to rehabilitate
them for useful careers
The District was excluded from the national
law solely because of the legislative situation
at the time Of passage. Administrative and
budgetary questions had been raised as to local
participation that could not be answered with
out delaying enactment Of the national program.
Evening star., 1952-01-25

spoilage. But It also helps embezzle-
ment.
A grain operator, for instance, can
accept for storage 100000 bushels Of
Government grain and 100000 bushels
Of privately owned grain and mix them.
He can, If he wants to be dishonest, sell
half this grain. He can use the rest Of
the grain to display to either the private
owner or Government inspector. He
can say: "See. your grain Is all here.
in fine condition"
A storage man might sell the grain
In the hope that he could buy it back
more cheaply before he has to deliver it
to the Government or the private owner.
Even If he does not make money on the
trading prices. the storage man has the
use Of capital for q period-alld gets
paid for storage that he does not pro-
vide.
In addition to making Illegally these
trading and storage profits, grain ele-
vator operator who sells grain without
permission also defeats the Governs
ment's aim OF keeping the grain OF the
market.
Since nobody checks up on the pres
ence Of the stored grain. nobody can be
sure how small or how large the Illegal
operations are. Secretary Of Agriculture
Brannan says they are small. Enough
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Monners at the Symphony

AS an occasional concert-goer who ad-
mits to less -than-moronic appreciation
of great music, feel called upon to de-
fend the conduct of Washington's bour-
geois audiences.
was higf1-school student when Hans
Kinder inaugurated the popular con-
certs for young people. and am glad
that Howard Mitchell has carried on
in this tradition.
The National Symphony has not sought
to maintain its art in an ivory tower, re-
served for the few who could pass intel
lectual or social tests. Neither has the
symphony disdained financial contribu-
tions Of those of us whose main business
is the time, energy and money consum-
ing Job of rearing families. For US q con-
cert is rare treat-a joyous, uplifting
experience. If our thoughts wander from
the score, Of which we know little or
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Fieldstone House

The mud hen nests IN the loiDlGnd
marshes, e
The mid hank nests IN the lone
spruce tree,
The gulI nests close to the sandy
beaches,
But d feldstone house is the home
for me.
ii
Hiu men are tough as green oak timber
As tbey hunt NTH hound and rife gun.
But giUe me man tD1o kn0irs the Gtnber
OF home bound Hgbts pten day u
an1-
Each to his OaDH should turn and tGrfT
Though the balance sKeet ss0tD loss
or gain.
Gtve me a prairie man to marry
And AeldstOMedtOHse on tbe lonely
AIma Robson Hiobes
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Arthur FdrweU

When. in 1916, Percy Mackaye paid tribute
to Shakespeare by producing the masque OF
.CaIiban" in d stadium Id New York, one OF the
artists to whom he turned for help was arthur
Farwell, then In his prime as composer OF
music distinctively American. The result OF
their cooperation was eminently satisfactory.
Both men had strong community feeilng, potn
wanted to express the spirit OF the people OF tne
United states. They enlisted the active assist
ance of scores Of their contemporaries, hred as
they were by the opportunity to create noble
demonstration of native talent. The influence
of their achievement still Is an energetic force.
Meanwhile. Mr.. Farwell lived out his long and
consistently useful life He had intended IN his
youth to be an engineer and his musical career
was slow in starting, but he had Homer Norris,
Humperdinck, pfitzner and Guilmant for his
teachers and they instructed him in how to make
M lost time. Returning home from abroad, ne
became campaigner for domestic as opposed
to imported genius. In 1901 he founded print
ing plant at Newton Center, Massachusetts,, for
the publishingso OF his own compositions and those
Of Sc Of his friends. On four occasions he
toured the Nation, preaching American music.
When the American Music Society was organized
in 1905, he was chosen its president. Coinci-
tientally, he was chief critic OF the magazine,
Musical America. His bread and butter were
earned as supervisor Of municipal music IN New
York. director Of the Music School Settlement
there. then head Of the music department of
the University of California at Los Angeles and
Berkeley and finally head Of the music theory
department Of Michigan State College.
Wherever he dwelt or labored Mr.. Farwell
developed following Of young students to carry
on his crusade for music basically American. He
himself mastered the traditional melodies OF the
Indians and employed them n symphonic form
to- their credit as well as his own. The Domain
Of the Hurakan" probably was his finest accom-
plishment but dying at 70, he has left scores
Of other. smaller compositions which long ago
won permanent places In the repertoire Of many
singers and instrumentalists.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Why Not Finish the Job?

It will be grossly unfair to the Police De-
partment and to the public II the Senate Dis
trict Committees investigation Of local law en-
forcement is allowed to die before a thorough
Job has been done. There is little hope Of COM
pleting the job If the committee is to be given
!; only one more month of life. Much OF that
time must be taken up with the study Of EVIL
dence already amassed and the preparation OF
an interim and final report. Precious little
time will be left for further staff Investigations
and committee hearings So much remains to
be done that only cursory attention could be
; given to the unfinished business.
And the unfinished business is too important
to be SKINNED over in, cursory fashion. Testi-
mony in the Brass Rail case has left dark clouds
OF suspicion on some members OF the Police De-
partment and of the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board. Even the United States Attorneys office
has been criticized in the handling Of a shooting
!: affray at the notorious night spot. The new
Chief of Police, Major Murray, Is fully justified
! in urging that the cloud hanging oyer his de-
partment be disSipated once and for all-either
by identification of any bribe takers on the force
. or by establishment of the innocence OF the po-
licemen involved. The ABC Board and the prose-
cutors Office are equally desirous of having the
clouds cleared away as soon as possible
Even if the inquiry into the Brass Rail case
Is completed, the commltCee VIII nave iot VI
work remaining. Still unanswered Is the
charmed existence" as the Davis Crime Com
mittee described it, of number OF so-called
:'big shot" gamblers in Washington whose
friendly relations with high police officials have
been no secret in gambling circles. There have
been q number Of Investigations OF local crime
and law enforcement in years past but none OF
them has been carried far enough to quiet the
run,ors of corruption that disturb many citizens
and impair public confidence in the police.
There will be no public confidence in an 1nvesti-
cation of the police by the police, however con-
scientiously it is done. The Senate insist
on full-scale inquiry by the District Committee,
now that it has made such good start. TO
make an adequate inquiry the committee must
have more time and money than the Senate has
voted It should be given the means to hnlsn
its important assignment H
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Let Dispersal Begin at Home

Having wisely sidetracked the highly con-
troversial Federal decentralization plan, PreA-
dent Truman has smoothed the way for the
less drastic dispersal program by restricting the
choice of sites for the displaced agencies IN
stead of taking more private land from Vlrglnlas
and Maryland's tax lists, the Government mas
decided to utilize present Federal properly 1or
the expansion program. That news VIII pe
welcomed by the nearby counties, Wnere TAX
revenues have declined as the Federal Govern
nnent has encroached further and further into
nrivately owned land The encroachment has
led to insistent demands for legislation to COM
nensate local governments for tax losses thus
suffered.
In his budget message the President dis
closed that a review of the dispersal plan "has
led to the conclusion that presently owned Gov
ernnent land should be used as sites Tor nee
essary buildings and facilities with resulting
economies" He did not specify which sites
he had in mind, but a previous dispersal Dill
called for placing at least one building az tne
Agricultural Research Center, near Beltsvlle,
MARYLAND. A congressional group, in quest OF
suitable dispersal sites, visited Fort Belvoir ana
the Manassas Battlefield Park, both IN Virginia
There are other Federal reservations IN the
Washington Metropolitan Area which might oe
used, including the -publicized zo-acre
NeviuS tract near Arlington Nauonal SeMeec1J'
The Nevius tract was bought as the site OF
Veterans Administration hospital, but the plan
fell through. Certainly if the Government has
no intention of using this land, it should be
returned to private ownership and to Virginia's
tax rolls
Furthermore there is Federal land within
the District of Columbia which Is not being
properly utilized-for example, the Soldiers
Home grounds and the National Training School
for Boys on Bladensburg road Northeast. Part
of the Soldiers Home land IS to become the
site of a VA hospital center but the home itself
is improperly located in . congested residential
area. The same is true Of the training school,
Here are sites for modest dispersal program
entirely within the Districts boundaries: This
sort Of dispersal should not be overlooked IN
the movement to find more room for Federal
expansion in the washington area.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Who's Making Hay on Wheat and Corn?
Bv james Z. Roper

TT NCIE sam has $l.4 billion worth Of
wheat and corn IN Storage-he
hopes. He put out the money Tor the
I prair,. But whether its all ID storage.
ne does not know. Nobody knows. The
reason is that nobody ever has checked
"a see If all the grain IS where II is sup
I posed to Be. Under present plans. the
Goyernment never win check up. It's
too expensive. N.
THAT is the basic dificulty the basic
reason behind the recent outbreak q
shortages III the Government's grain
stockpile. Private warehouse operators
who store grain for the. Government can
J dispose Of the grain with q good chance
that they win not be caught and, +
caught, not prosecuted.
The Agriculture Department excuses
this on the grounds that Its operations
are too vast 10 check up on every ware
houseman who stores Government COM
moditieS.
The Government got into the complex
commodity business In order to keep
farm prices up. Through law and
through administrative decisions, the
Government now supports the price OF
wheat at an average Of $218 per bushel
and the price Of corn at an average OF
$l.57 per bushel A number Of other
commodities also have dollars -and-cents
floor prices s
The Government can support price
.-or wheat, for instance lin two simple
ways. It can offer to buy at $2.l8 per
bushel all wheat that is offered. Or IT.
can make loans on the wheat at the
same price. In either event. the Cow
ernment takes control Of the wheat and
puts it in storage. i.
The Agriculture Department owns .
few elevators and warehouses. Usually,
however, the Government turns over the
grain---or other commodity Ito q pri-
yate storage man and pays him for
keeping 1t until the Government
wants it..
The Government now has contracts
for the storage Of grain in 12.500 ele-
vators. To watch over this vast hoard,
the Agriculture Department has only
about is inspectors TO make spot checks.
So each has to watch more than 800
elevators hundreds Of miles apart.
These men check only on the condi-
ton Of the grain, which has to be ven-
tilated and protected against mildew.
rot and other forms Of deterioration. A
Government inspector can sample the
grain for condition fairly simply, but a
check for quantity is vastly more CONF
plex. @
One dificulty Is that Government
grain and privately owned grain are
mixed in the same elevator. In way,
this is fine. because it leads to some
turnover Of grain and thus helps avoid
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Wide world Photo.

individual cases have shown up. how
ever, to cause some alarm.
The General Accounting Once, the
House Appropriations Committee and
the Senate Agriculture Committee ell
are looking into the situation. n
Secretary Brannan's defense Is that
his department cannot guard against
illegal grain sales unless it keeps q
running check on each grain elevators
books. This, he says, would cost $40
million yearly.
Eve 60 on the assumption that ware
housemen are honest" Secretary Bran
nan says. I'VE run into some bad ones,
OF course, and take losses. but these
losses are small compared to the total
program or the cost Of foolproof sys-
tenn Of guarding against them"
The General Accounting Once,
watchdog Of Government spending, says
the Agriculture Department has been
negligent IN jumping on dishonest ware
hOuSemen.
Nobody has proposed way Of pre-
venting the illegal sales. Republican
members Of the Senate Agriculture
Committee, however, have hammered at
the theme that every storageman
caught In an Illegal sale should be
shipped OF to Jail on criminal charges
not allowed to cover his shortage with
out penalty.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
By THE HASKIN SERVICE.


Evening Star Information Bureau. 1900 I street
return postage Or 81 tsleDSoninS 'f w.. sssS. sss !.
BY THE HASKN SERVICE.
@. What States produced diamonds?
g. MEG.
A. At least 10 States have produced
diamonds. some Of good gem quality.
Specimens from Arkansas, California,
Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina,
Texas and Vast Virginia are In the gem
collections Of the Smithsonian Institu-
tion and 1t Is known that diamonds have
also been found in several other States.
@. Where was the center Of the circle
that forms the northern boundary Of
Delaware?-C. C.
A. The white cupola on top Of the
old Courthouse at New Castle Is the CEN
ter Of the "12-mile circle" that shaped
the arc Of the northern boundary Of the
State. The building dates from 1904.
q. Who Is the present head Of the
House Of Hohenzollern which formerly
ruled Germany2-S. w. B.
A. Prince Louis Ferdinand, grandson
Of the former Kaiser Wilhelm II. with
his family he lives near Bremen, and
socially uses the title Prince Of Prussia.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Service Wives on. Pay

0GlVtSS WIVES VusH Ivy
Apparently Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Farrar,
who object SO strenuously to the military
pay raise, have never seen service or
they would know whereof they speak.
Wasn't 1t just last fail that civil serv-,
ice workers had o 10 per cent cost-of-
living -since-Korea pay, raise? Remember
feWyears ago when members Of Con-,
gress earned only $4,000 . yeaE2 j
Members Of the armed services have
had q; IA per cent pay increase since
1910. Cost ct living has gone up and up
and up since 1885, Labor has had an "a
per cent increase since 1899. Add that up.
My husband has just returned to sea
duty. This means q $50 mess bin must be
added to our already strained budget
Congress cut sea pay and . lot Of other
corners when they gave the services q
raise in name only two years ago).
Let Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Farrar come in
for carrier landing. slog through the
mud. drop bomb. Let them meet the
enemy plane to plane. ship to ship, face
to face. Let them stay away from home
and family for months or years on end.
Let their wives and children follow the
ship" go home to mother or go to work.
Let them make endless moves, endless
school transfers. Let them meet the rent
gougers at almost every Army and
Marine post or naval base. Then they
may see why I'd like to raise my son to
be . $30-a-day bricklayer, providing my
husband and all 'overpaid' service
personnel make it possible for me
to do so.
Navy wife.
Being serviceman's wife, ] was
rather indignant at criticism Of the
armed forces pay raise In Mr.. Farrar's
letter.
My husband was recalled to active
duty last June. I am living with my two
children In one-bedroom apartment
because cannot afford two-bedroom
one. Mr.. Farrar said that we are better
cared for than any other families In the
world. Well. nobody is taking care Of me.
except me. am doing q mans job and
woman's job at the same time, while my
husband at the front takes care Of such
miserable. complaining citizens as Wal
ter Farrar. These citizens enjoy their
lives here in safety because my husband
and the others like him are asked to
give up everything; some even their
lives.
A 10 per cent increase is certainly not
exorbitant, but to those Of us who bear
the burden Of having our lives dis
rupted and homes broken up, it should
help alleviate our financial obligations.
Mrs. Vance r. Shelhorse.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Stirred BY Editorial

For your editorial. Sanctioned Cof-
fee Break" wish to thank you from
the bottom Of my 1915 am. cup.
G. M. p.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Firemen Still Segregated

Commissioners Donohue and his COLI
leagues and the Fire Chief seem to have
forgotten their proposal to integrate
District flremen and evidently think that
the residents Of the District have done
likewise. It is regrettable that an issue
Of such Importance and interest has
been forgotten so easily.
The Fire Department. as no other In
the local government, affects the lives
and property Of the citizens and there
fore should be most efficient. The de-
partment could be seriously handicapped
by having men assigned to administra-
tive duty while the stations are actually
short Of personnel.
It occurs to this writer that the
district government as an agency Of the
Federal Government has been by execu-
tive order directed to eliminate segr-
CATION in employment. which 1t should
do or stand in defiance Of that order.
Charles E. Malone.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
BuHfi9hter

Times must be changing indeed when
The Star gives front-page space to the
horrible spectacle Of an American
woman plunging q sword into . goaded-
to-madness, suffering bull. The smiling,
Indifferent faces Of other women IN the
boxes show all too plainly their callous-
ness toward suffering pecialy the
suffering Of animals.
Women in the past have always en-
deavored to alleviate pain and sorrow.
but possibly with so much killing and
dying taking place in the world today.
that role is changing. Perhaps I am
not keeping in step with the times. My
approach may not be modern. but I
cannot think that animal-killing women
or women who can indifferently watch
such cruel performances are the types
who make the world q better. happier
place.
There must be many unsung, heroic
women who deserved that front-page
picture more than a woman slaughter
ing poor animal for pleasure and
acclaim. Mrs. Philip D. Lucas.
Evening star., 1952-01-25
Plight of Annuitonts

want to concur with the article JAM
uary 21 by Joseph Young giving the
public and Congress clear picture
Of the present status OF retired Govern
ment employes, both military and civil.
I am sure that if Congress would
give the matter consideration. employees
retired on amounts insufficient to sus-
tain them would be relieved Of their
financial worries. served the Govern
ment 43 years and am extremely
grateful for a good annuity be-
lieve me. feel very sorry for person
who has to>eke out an existence on an
inadequate annuity. Retire..