davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-11-04
Time for This Chonqe

When the ballotng ends and the counting of
the votes gets under way tonight the eyes of
the respective partisans will be watching most
closely the results in three States-New York,
Illinois and California For the preference of
few thousand voters in these States may easily
determine the outcome of an election in which
perhaps as many as 55,OOO000 votes may be cast.
The combined electoral vote of these States
Is 1O4-nearly one-f1fth of the total And under
our outmoded electoral college machinery all
OF the electoral votes of each State will be cast
Tor the candidate receiving the most popular
votes. 1t is quite conceivable for instance, that
either Governor Stevenson or General Eisen-
hover might win all As of New York's electoral
votes without getting a majority of the
popular votes in that State. And if the forecasts
mean anything it is highly probable that the
candidate getting the As electoral votes will have
at best only slight majority of the popular vote.
This system is productive of several evils. It
could result this year-as has happened three
times before-in the election of President who
actually received fewer popular votes than his
opponent. This is not likely to happen but it
could happen-and as long as the possibility is
present the system is bad.
1t is also a system which tends to perpetuate
one-party instead of two-party system in the
South The Republicans, because of special cir
cumstanceS, may break the solid South this
JCoA ouI ~ HloSI Unlikely CAaC y. r. Will
gain firm foothold in the South as long as most
Southerners, with good reason, look upon Re-
publican vote as wasted vote.
A third and perhaps most undesirable by
product OF the existing system is its tendency
TO encourage obeisance to minority pressure
groups-groups whose voting strength in relation
to the total vote is small but which, when con-
centrated in a few big cities in few KEY States,
can be decisive in a close election. If change
did nothing more than eliminate the dispropor-
tlonate strength of these groups it would do a
great deal to improve the tone and quality of
national election campaigns.
The most sensible change which has been
proposed is found in the Lodge Gossett constitu-
tlonal amendment This provides that a States
electoral votes be divided among the candidates
In proportion to the number of popular votes
cast for them in that State. In other words, If
General Eisenhower should get 81 per cent of
the popular vote in New York this year he would
not win all As of that States electoral votes He
would get 81 per cent of them, or 2499 electoral
votes.
This proposed amendment was approved by
the Senate and House Judiciary Committees a
lew years ago. In 1850, it was passed in the SEN
ate by vote of 81 to 27-more than two-thirds
majority. In the House, however, it was defeated.
There is a chance that the voting pattern
this year will nfuse new life into the Lodge
GosSett proposal If so, that will be one distinct
benefit flowing from the 1852 ballotng
Evening star., 1952-11-04
McCorthy's Informers
Edward d. HOllander.

The chief grippe in loud voices about
Mccarthy seems to be the way in
which he gets his information. Now
isn't it plausible that there are many
loyal Government employees who would
like to continue working for their
country and still not work with or for
a Communist-some one trying to
destroy their very heritage? Does
every one expect Government employees
or anybody else-to sit idly by and
work with Communists and not try to
stop them? Isn't it logical that
conscientious American would go to
some one who would do something about
it? Isn't it logical he would try to pro-
tect his name and job? The truth is
the truth. no matter who says it.
Anita Hooper.
Evening star., 1952-11-04
At Half Mast

The Washington Automotive Trade
Association, of which we are member.
is requesting that all of the members
display the Stars and Stripes on election
day. We have agreed to do this with
our flag. on this election day, but it will
be flown at half mast.
The owners of this company since
1926 have not been able to participate
in any election of any kind only be-
cause they are residents of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
II. b. SwartwOut,
President. Jefferson Spring Service
Co., Inc.
Each day we have been urged to get
out and vote. But no one has greater
urge to vote than the writer, who is,
unfortunate enough to be a servile native
of the Nations Capital.
Conceding the point that the Nations
Capital should be unique and the city
Government controlled or guided by all
citizens of the Nation through the
Congress and the President, it is
obviously illogical to eliminate the
"citizens'' of the District of Columbia
from any say in the city's government
by denying them proportionate repre-
sentation in Congress and vote for
the presidency.
My heart bleeds for the residents of
Hawaii and Alaska for whom so much
weeping has been perpetrated in an
effort to obtain statehood for those areas
which would result in those few and far
away peoples having the opportunity
to elect Legislators who would assist in
telling the citizens" of Washington,
D. c.. how they shall be governed.
Statehood for Hawaii and for Alaska
may be proper but should not charity
begin at home and in places much longer
denied the privilege of having their pro-
portionate share in the governing of
themselves and their country?
In other words why not at least give
the citizens" of Washington, D. c.,
national representation in the Congress
and a vote for the presidency, and
thereby strengthen the arguments in
behalf of Hawaii and Alaska? There are
no valid reasons against giving the
indicated voting privileges to the resi-
dents of the District of Columbia.
Fractional Citizen. U. S. A.
Evening star., 1952-11-04
Day of Mournino'

few days ago the Census Bureau announced
It's final figures on the 1850 population of the
Washington Metropolitan Area
The censuseS Of metropolitan areas these
days are OF greater significance than those of the
cities that are merely the hubs of the areas
surrounding them. For the Census Bureau has
recognized that the people who live in these
metropolitan areas are the members to all in
tents and purposes, of one community.
Our own community of the Metropolitan
Area of Washington increased in the size of its
population by 51s per cent between 1910 and
1880 1t had grown, in 1850, to a great urban
community of 1,464,00O people-SO2 900 of them
living within the boundaries of the District of
Columbia, and $4,000 of them living outside
those boundaries.
These boundaries are now defined bv the
Potomac River and 26 old stone markers that
were set in Maryland soil 100 years ago. The lines
that run between these markers are found only
through the telescope of a surveyors transit. AS
far as physical appearances CO. there are no
boundaries, for the population of the District
of Columbia and that of its surrounding Metro
politan Area is one and the same
The greatest difference between these popu-
latlons is brought into sharp and degrading
focus on an election day, such as this On one
side of the invisible lines that divide the popu-
CIle people eXeTClSe LQe most fundamental
OF all the rights and obligations of American
citizenship by voting for the men and women
whom they select to govern them On the other
side OF the line they are denied by the mere
accident OF their residence in the Capital of the
Republic, any participation whatsoever in their
Government. They living contradictions of
the great principle that just government derives
Its powers only from the consent of the governed
On Page of today's Star we are reprnting
the editorial statement of the late Theodore w.
Noyes, with the statistical comparisons brought
up to date which emphasize the Districts "day
OF mourning" 1t comes a reminder once more
OF the disgraceful anomaly under which Ameri-
cans are denied the sacred privilege of voting
because they happen to live within the boundary
lines OF the Capital of the United States
Whoever wins today'S election will come to
the White House on platform which pledges
the removal of this diSgracefu condition That
Is something Both the great political parties are
now giving formal recognition of wrong that
must be corrected.
There will be the usual debate over form.
But we must always keep in mind that until the
people OF the District of Columbia are given the
right to vote in their Government Govern
ment which has the power to tax them and send
them to war-the condition which now exists
will continue. Home rule is perhaps an easy ges-
ture, but futile and basicaly meaningless ges-
ture without the right of representation in Con-
gress, and the right-along with our neighbors
OF the Washington Metropolitan Area-to take
part in the choice of President and a Vice
President.
Evening star., 1952-11-04
The Excess Profits Tax Puzzle

Secretary of Commerce SAWYER has taken a
bold position in suggesting that the excess
profits tax on corporations be allowed to expire
next June 80.
The present levy was enacted in a post
election session of Congress in late 1885, following
earlier passage of revenue measure increasing
individual and corporate income taxes Although
under heavy attack from business spokesmen as
a tax theory that "does pot rest on facts but on
compound of sentiment, Semantics and preiu-
dice" the excess profits levy had broad political
and public support as a symbol that industry
would be carrying its full tax load while reapng
the profits of the rearmament effort.
The estimated annual return from the
measure as passed was $3.3 billion to be derived
from II per cent tax on corporate profits above
IS per cent of the best three-year period within
1886 and 1949. Actual returns are now estimated
to have been close to this fgure-or about 50
billion annually
Secretary Sawyers reaction to the tax bears
out, however, two of the criticisms raised at the
time of its consideration. One was that it would
encourage extravaganza and waste on the part
of the large corporations that could show high
profit base during the 193649 period-thereby
reducing or wholly eliminating their excess
profits liability since 1850. The other was that
It would prevent smaller new, corporations
which could not establish such favorable base
strengthen or expand their companies.
Even before Mr.. Sawyer's remarks, Secretary
of Treasury Snyder revealed some unhappiness
about the tax in a complaint that 1t is extremely
difficult to administer on an equitable basis.
Safeguards contained in the present law to meet
the inequities of its application add to the
problems of administration and eventually
reduce the net returns.
To allow the tax to lapse would leave the
Government faced with an extra margin Of
deficit unless some substitute could be found.
It was estimated that an increase of the regular
corporation income tax from 40 to 48.4 per cent
during the World War II years would have
brought in as much revenue as the excess profits
tax of that time. AS another alternative, the
National Association of Manufacturers proposed
in 1850 that special corporation defense tax
be levied in place of an excess profits mpost.
1t is quite certain that new administration,
either Democratic or Republican, will undertake
an overhauling of the tax laws in the next
Congress, and that the excess profits levy will be
one OF those revised or abandoned In time Of
Evening star., 1952-11-04
Virginia Protects the Public

The Alexandria, Bancroft & WASHINGTON bus
strike has provided Virginia with its first test
OF the efficacy of new legislation to deal with
public utility strikes State seizure and operation
OF strlke-crippled utility is not an innovation
IN virginia. but revised procedures for trying to
bring the opposing parties together were author
lied by the recent General Assembly, Whether
the new plan will prove to be as effective as the
old one was matter of debate by the legislators
ana is still matter for speculation.
Ihe previous seizure law worked well in
number OF instances, including strikes involving
coal and other essential industries. But Su-
preme Court decision invalidatng Wisconsin
seizure and compulsory arbitration law raised
questions as to the constitutionality of the Vir-
ginia statute. The high court declared uncon-
stltutional provision of the Wisconsin act out
laWing strike during the period of compulsory
arbitration. The former Virginia law had
somewhat similar no-strike prohibition covering
five-week cooling off" period. During this
period the Governor was authorized to attempt
to settle the controversy through arbitration. In
order to remove all doubt about the Virginia law,
the Legislature eliminated from the State seizure
law the cooling-off clause, with its reference to
arbitration. In order to spell out the States
mediation responsibilities a separate law known
as the Public Utilities Labor Relations Act, was
passed. The law authorizes the Governor or his
agents to make persistent efforts to settle public
utility disputes through mediation and con-
Citation
Both the seizure and mediation laws are
being used in the current Virginia bus strike.
The mediation and conciliation efforts were
undertaken first, under the personal dire.ti
of State Labor Commissioner Boggs. When these
efforts seemed to be getting nowhere and strike
became imminent, Commissioner Boggs asked
Governor Battle to invoke the seizure law. But
the mediation efforts will continue as long al
there is any hope of settlement. Meanwhile
the State will endeavor to keep the buses run
ming, even if it becomes necessary to import
State employees to operate the buses-as has been
done under the old seizure law. The theory under
lying this procedure is the sound one that the
public interest is paramount in any breakdown
of essential public services.
Evening star., 1952-11-04
By Robert K. Walsh

THIS Day of Decision would be dull
l. indeed in the District and too tense
elsewhere except that the people make
miscellaneous news while making Presi-
dents. Popular by-product items often
are more surprising than popular vote
results.
Election Day, of course, always dawns
and develops with accounts of weather
portentS. voting line progress and party
prospects. Count the day-if not the
election-lost that lacks reports of the
hour and spot where each White House
hopeful marks his "X" And especially
in Washington there is fitting space to
show how the poll-less citizen ranks even
lower than the frozen-out low man on
the totem pole.
Ballots scattered today ought to add
to the historic crop of unusual stories.
The harvest, however, will have to 60
some to outdo past performances when
voters were far fewer, farther apart, and
fartheSt from the frantic pace of this
electoral era.
Current newspapers would have to
scrape' the bottom of the ballot box to
come up with an incident such as was
described in 1928 as typical of polling
places in Illinois:
"A platform some 80 feet high in front
of the courthouse 30-gallon barrel
of whisky with the name Andrew Jack
SON written on it =. s.. and in short time
another barrel appeared with the name
John Quincy Adams"
With the "Tippecanoe and Tyler. Too"
and hard-cider campaign, there was time
for change-in form rather than sub
stance. On Election Day, we are told:
mo decent Democrat in Tennessee would
soil his lips with cider it had to be
corn whisky"
Ihe present comparative Sobriety of
the first Tuesdays after the first Mon
days in November every four years in our
own community was not always thus. In
bygone days it was the exception that
proved some kind of rule when The Star
described the department of residents
hereaboutS in 1864:
In Georgetown on Election Day there
was not single case of disorderly con-
duct, and the only arrest made during
the day was of a little boy for a trifing
oftenSe who was later dismissed"
People who gathered in downtown
Washington that night to hear the re-
turns were still talking about shooting
near the Capitol few nights previously,
A homeward bound Government clerk
favoring Lincoln heard another Govern
ment clerk singing sympathetically of
Little Mac" Mcclellan. Words led to
shots and the Lincoln man was carried
out as well as permanently counted out.
Less violent was the case of the fellow
who walked up and down Park Row in
Evening star., 1952-11-04
America Votes

"The tun,ult and the shouting dies" at
last.
Decision wdits: a sobered nation goes
To use its right, blood bought tn ages
past,
And vote aDith honor. Every free man
knoUs
That on his choice the hope. the destiny
OF men and ages yet unborn may rest.
Among conflicting claims and issues. he
Must solemnly decide tUhat course Is
best.
Then why is this high privilege OF choice.
Granted each other place. denied to
one?
Why should the Nations City haze no
Uoice,
No uote be cast In Washington?
lnez BoreIoy Kirby
Evening star., 1952-11-04
The Real Issue in Coal

The writer has read your editorial,
1.-THE Real Issue in Coal" and it brings
to mind a rather interesting question,
which is: Do the miners and their lead
ers really wish to "share in the national
endeavor to remain strong and free;
that is, do they wish to carry their full
share?
This is pretty much in line with what
other unions and their leaders have
been doing for some time. Most of the
strikes we have had from time to time
have been fomented for more ''take-
home pay" and take-home pay is what
you have left after the withholding tax
has been taken out.
The present argument seems to point
to the fact that labor unions have been
getting away with something: or at least,
they have a very easy "out" insofar as
taxes are concerned. When taxes go up
they strike for more take-home pay and
the net result is that the employer or
the general public is forced to assume
the tax that should be paid by the
organized worker.
Maybe there are more than one class
of citizen in this country after all.
Curmudgeon III.
Evening star., 1952-11-04
The Little Man Makes q Biz Decision

The actions-as well as the voice-of
the people on Election Day down
through the years generally land in his
torical footnotes or newspaper filters.
They offer an interesting commentary
on the not too simple annals of the
common man. They also provide side
lights on the candidates.
Woodrow Wilson walked into a fire.
engine house voting booth in Princeton,
N. j., in 1912 and had to walk right out
again because he forgot to obtain a
ballot. Then, after finally exercising
the franchise for 5 minutes, he men,
toned the hard time he had finding the
names of the Democratic presidential
electors.
Theodore Roosevelt, voting in a fire.
truck house in Oyster Bay, N. Y, told
reporters he intended to spend the rest
OF the day taking a walk. Several
months earlier he had walked away
from the Taft Republicans.
Mark Hannas horse and buggy ride
to the polls in 1896 got bigger play in
the papers than did Candidate William
McKinley's stroll to Canton, Ohio,
polling place. In 1900, William Jen-
nings Bryan. still running against Nc
Kinley. assured polling place officials
that he was for "the Democratic Party
with friendly feelings for Others" Gro
yer Cleveland sat tight in the White
House on election night in 1896. He
invited "a few intimate friends to join
him in considering the returns"
The story of Charles Evans Hughes
going to sleep on election night in 1916,
kA1i4 L. 1lA
haps better known today than is the
way Alfred E. Smith accepted defeat
in 1928. When it was all over, Al turned
to his wife and few close friends
and suggested they all go upstairs and
celebrate because it was his wife's birth
day.
In Springfield, ILL.,, in 1860, Abraham
Lincoln sat in newspaper Office to hear
he was chosen President of a soon
divided governmental house which he
lived long enough to prevent from fall
ing. On November 9, 1864, at l am,
he stepped to a White House window
and looked solemnly at crowd that
stretched far out over the muddy lawns
and street. What he said was not so
long remembered as the "few remarks"
he uttered at Gettysburg a year before.
But they should be as long enduring as
an example for all presidential candi-
dates, winners or losers:
II am thankful to God for this ap-
proval of the people I do not
impugn the motives of any one opposed
to me. 1t is no pleasure to me to tri-
umph over any one. But I give thanks
to the Almighty for the evidence of the
nnonle'c resolution to Stand nv FREQ C0v-
ernment and the rights of humanity"
Evening star., 1952-11-04

deficit financing, however, revenue cannot be
sacrificed thoughtlessly. Unless Federal expendi.
lures can be substantially reduced, the problem
OF finding substitute, equally productive and
more equitable must be solved.
Evening star., 1952-11-04
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.

BY THE HASkIN SERVICE.
@. Did the quotation Eternal vigil
ance is the price of liberty" originate
with George Washington?-C. H. D.
A. No. The phrase is derived from
a speech by John P. Curran, delivered
in 1890, on the subject, "The Right Of
Election" Curran's words are: "The
condition upon which God hath given
liberty to man is eternal vigilance"
@. How many American generals were
killed in action in World War II? J. L. L.
A. There we're 27 battle deaths of
American general officers during the
period from December z, 1941, to Sep
tember 2, 1945. These included one
death from exposure in action, and two
deaths from wounds.
O. How are holes made in macaroni?-
j. R. C.
A. The macaroni dough is put into a
cylindrical vessel having a perforated
bottom, and heavy iron plate driven
by powerful press forces the paste
through in the desired shapes. The long
strings of paste are then looped up over
rods to dry. For the letters and other
''pastes" shearing arrangement slices
off the dough In thin little pieces as it
is forced through the molds.
Evening star., 1952-11-04
Questions and Answers

The Stars readers can get the answer 70
any question Of fact BY either writins The
NV. Washington 8. D. c.. and inclosing 8 cents
return postage or by telephoning ST. 1853.
Evening star., 1952-11-04
Testimony at RoseduIe Hearing

TeSIIWUHy OF NUSeuu1e I1SuII1IY
Now that the issue of the Rosedale
playground has been settled on its
merits may express the indignation of
many decent people at John H. Con-
naughton's unnecessary and irrelevant
insults to our Negro community.
It is hard to imagine statements more
Evening star., 1952-11-04

Pen-na11es may be used II letters carry
1oriters' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.
Evening star., 1952-12-12
Israeli Captain Denies
Threat 10 Sink Ship
By the Assoeioted Press

" U0 NsoOCi0ISo TIeSS
MONTREAL, Dec. IL. Capt.
Adam Graetz says reports that he
threatened to scuttle his Israeli
merchant ship unless his father
was made Israel's communications
minister are complete fabrication
and unfounded rumors." But, he
adds, he's not going to check into
it further.
The 24-year-old skipper was
brought ashore by tug in Halifax
Wednesday night from the $685.
ton freighter Abraham Graetz,
which is owned by his father.
The captain talked with report
|ers here last night but said little
that would clear up the confusing
reports about weird happenings
aboard his ship. The stories started
with a report in the Israeli news
paper Maariv that Graetz sent a
radio message Saturday to the
Israel Ministry Of Communications
threatening to sink the ship un-
less his father was named COM
munications minister. Later, the
account said, the ships radio OPP
orator wirelessed Graetz was hold
ing a gun on him. #
Graetz was brought ashore at
the request of the ships agents.
His father, j. r. Graetz, few
Wednesday from New York to
Montreal. where he met his son.. A
Ipsychiatrist and a doctor were or
hand all day.
Evening star., 1952-12-12

sistant to the administrator of
the agency.
Mr.. Foley reviewed the accom-
plishments of Federal housing
programs in the last 20 years and
expressed the hope that the work
will continue.
Woolsey w. Hall presided. Mrs.
Velma G. Williams, a member of
the Board of Education, was chaif-
man of the dinner committee. The
Rev. billiard Fl. Brown, rector of st.
Luke's Episcopal Church. gave the
invocation and benediction. The
prominent guests included Brig.
Gen. Bernard S. Robinson, Engi-
neer Commissioner.