davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-02-08

sion rolls. OF these, 568 were
retired for physical disability. and
only Ill for age and service. or
for old age.
Police who say they will seek
retirement admit frankly they will
try to retire on physical disability
even though they are eligible
under age and service-55 years
old and IS years Of service in the
department.
A big advantage Of leaving the
department for physical disability
| is that a pension thus obtained is
exempt from income taxes.
Expedient Exit.
Critics Of the system have long
felt that such retirements are too
easily made. Some have held 1t is
used as an expedient for getting
lrid of unwanted officers; or. look
ling at it the other way, providing
| a means for disgruntled officers 10
ease themselves out.
Normally, a 10 per cent disable
Iity is enough to make q man unit
flor police duty under the present
practice. Physicians point out
that any man who has reached IS
or 60 usually will have enough
wrong with him to make up the
necessary 10 per cent.
Several developments in recent
weeks have served to- focus at
Itention on the retirement system
These include:
/. The proposal, under the Dis
Itrict government reorganization
plan, to shift supervision Of the
Board Of Police and Fire Surgeons
to the Health Department. This
board, now supervised directly BY
the Commissioners. examines APP
Iplicants for retirement on physi-
cal disability.
| 2. Al proposal to increase PEN
sionS 10 per cent iil line with the
recent 10 per cent salary hike fol
police and dremell.
8. Retirements Of former Police
lSupt. Robert J. Barrett, Inspector
oscar Letterman and Fire Chief
Joseph A. Mayhem. all on physical
disability.
| Transfer Opposed.
DR.. John A. Reed, chairman Of
| the Board Of Police and Fire Sur
Igeons, is strongly opposed to plac-
ling It under the Health Depart
ment.
District ofiicials who propose
the change. and who have pro-
lposed It In the past, feel II Is part
of the Districts health setnp. and
las such should be supervised By
1.-THE Health Department.
Although the pension rolls have
remained at about the same figure
during the last i've years. the cost
has risen from $1.8 million In 1916
Ito $3.4 million in the current
ldscal year. Another $500. 900 Is
Ito be asked next year.
Go 10 Other Jobs.
/ Next years figure could ap-
lproach 81 million. If the proposed
t1O per cent increase is allowed.
ICurrently. pensions range down
from $5.164.92 TO around $1,000
lThe pension fund also pays vary
ling amounts to widows and chill
ldren Of deceased police and
lnremen.
Chasing q bandit and engaging
Evening star., 1952-02-08
Decisive Senate Vote
Awaited Today on
Teacher Pay Bill

By J. B. Zatmon
s,or stuff corrsspondsnt

ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 8.-Bearing
emphatic approval from the House
of Delegates. the $300-a-year
teacher pay raise bill today needed
only a Senate decision to over
ride the Governors veto in order
to become law.
The outcome Of the issue in the
upper chamber remained in doubt,
however, as opposing sides con-
tinued to jockey their forces. Only
IL Of the 20 votes In the Senate
are needed to sustain the veto.
The House yesterday left no
doubt of It's stand by casting a
smashing 96-to-23 vote to over
ride the Republican Governors
action. Nineteen Republicans
Joined n Democrats to kill the
veto and send the measure to the
Senate.
The approximately $S.5 million
cost involved would be made up
by a 1-cent raise in the corpora
ton tax rate. But Majority Leader
A. Gordon Boone. Democrat, Of
Baltimore County. revealed a move
is under way to provide for pay
ment of the salary increase out of
the States general funds after
this year.
Other Vetoes Overriden.
At the same time, the House
vetoes on seven other
bills, including one to increase the
pensions Of teachers retired for
disability and another 70 raise
the pensions spf all other retired
teachers. The two measures would
cost the State about sos. 900, ac-
cording to Education Committee
Chairman Perry o. Wilkinson,
Democrat, Of Prince . Georges
County. &
In Baltimore Gov. Mckeldin
last night criticized two officials
Of the State Department of Edu-
cation for lobbying at Annapolis
for higher saleries.
Criticizes PuIlen.
"The lobby now seeking to have
the Legislature override my veto
is directed by DR.. Thomas G. Pull
len, State superintendent of
schools" the Governor declared
in a radio speech. "His assistant,
DR.. John ]. Seidel, is on hand.
button -holing legislators and
whispering into their ears.
"Who is performing his work In
the Department Of Education
while he neglects his prescribed
duties and spends his time In
Annapolis at your expense and on
your payroll in an effort to in
crease your taxes?"
Evening star., 1952-02-08

Itained by lowering the pitch Of
the horns. Thirty -four Of them
are installed about the city so far.
An estimated 81 are considered
necessary.
A spokesman at Civil Defense
headquarters In the Armory said
the sound was heard clearly there.
The aIl-clear blasts also pene-
trated buildings In the Federal
Triangle area.
The Commissioners last month
authorized Civil Defense Director
John e. Dondahl to test the sys.
tenn at noon any day except Sun.
day at his discretion.
Evening star., 1952-02-08
Norio|kPIanniing
To Block New
North District
Legislators Of Area
Hope to Withhold
Emergency Action
BY Alex r. Preston
Star ssuff correspoadens

|. RICHMOND. Feb. 8.-Norfolk
area legislators today laid plans
to block a proposed 10th con-
gressional district for Northern
Virginia by mastering enough
votes to prevent emergency ac-
|tion on the committee-approved
measure.
To q man. State legislators from
the first and second congressional
districts showed resentment Of
yesterdays swift action Of the
Senate Privileges and Elections
|Committee in reporting out the
|Fenwick bin to redistrict the
States representation in Congress.
The measure, sponsored by Sem
lator Charles r. Fenwick Of Ar
llington and half the Senate mem
would carve the new 10th
Iout Of the eighth. The new dis
Etrict would consist Of Arlington.
alexandra, Fairfax and Falls
Church.
Primary Presents Emergency.
It is essential. however, that, il
Ia primary is to be held In the new
district, the legislation must pass
las an emergency act. A four
Idfths vote of both houses u
needed to do this.
| At present, the bill carries no
emergency clause. and 1t probably
lwill be sent through the Senate
land House of Delegates by simple
majority vote. This would make
Lit effective In June.
But q rlln-off primary bill, re-
Gently enacted, has moved the
primary date up from August to
July Is this year, with the filing
deadline correspondingly moved
|up to April 16 for all candidates.
Gov. Battle has said that, no
matter which redistricting plan Is
passed, he hopes it will bear an
emergency clause so it can take
1effect Immediately. thus giving the
llO candidates for Congress suffi-
'lcient time in which to file.
/ Altogether, four different pro.
posals were heard by the Senate
icommitte, which sat jointly with
the colTeSpon nding House group.
/ One, offered by Republican Sem
aStor' Ted Daltollsof Radford and
Floyd Landreth Of Radford, more
nearly met a constitutional re-
1quirement for equal distribution
,lof population among the districts.
Norfolk area legislators, still un-
willing to be quoted, promised q
contest in the courts, Il the Fem
wick proposal Is approved because.
they said, it does not Sufficiently
meet the constitutional require
In1ent.
4 At the hearing, however. Senator
IFenwick had anticipated this
largument. He cited an opinion,
from the State Supreme Court
about 20 years ago. when a re-
Idistricting law was thrown out and
all candidates for Congress had to
) run at large. The opinion said.
in part:
J Mathematical exactness, either
lin compactness of territory or in
Equality of population, cannot be
ATTAINED, nor was it contemplated
lin (the Constitution).
1.-THE discretion to be exercised
should be an honest and fair dis.
cretion, the result revealing an at
tempt, in good faith, to be gov.
Termed by the limitation enunciated
lin the fundamental law Of the
land"
Evening star., 1952-02-08
D. c. Painters Wages
.LJnehonqed. BIS Says

The Bureau Of Labor Statistics
said today that union wages for
District painters remained at
$2.52 per hour between last Octo-
ber / and January /.
A typographical error in statis-
tics released by the bureau last
Tuesday listed a 10-cent increase
during this period for the trade.
Evening star., 1952-02-08
The D. G. Pension System
By Jack Jonds

i Reports by top-ranking police
that they plan to seek physical
disability retirements as soon as
the crime hearings end trained
the spotlight again today on. the
ease with which such retirements
are obtained
At the latest count. there were
679 policemen on the District pen
Evening star., 1952-02-08
The D. c. Pension System
Outgoing Policemen Seek Easy
Exit on Disability Grounds

IN d p1SGOI QuEl aQ1ulGIGuly ~ UV
occupation for an old man. But
some who have retired for phys
ical reasons have found their
handicaps no bar to holding jobs
that normally also Would call for
la man in good physical condition.
some poll cernens for example.
have Joined other police depart
|mentS Ii smaller cities. One who
retired for physical disability be-
came a commander in the Navy,
Ian outfit whose physical stand
ards are high.
Although these retirements are
legal as far as physical require
|mentS are concerned, some critics
question the practice of keeping
ia man on the force for years and
then suddenly ordering a physical
examination to discover an ale
|ment that may have been there
all the time.
In some cases, the ailment de-
|velops at a convenient time for
the administrative heads. And
there has been little doubt that
the order to the officer to take a
physical is a means for easing him
of the force. This does not always
work.
There Is the case of Frank s.
w. Burke. former chief Of detec-
tives, as an example. Former
Police Supt. Pelham D. Glassford
once sought Mr.. Burke's removal
from Office for disability. But the
police surgeons refused to say
|Burke's condition warranted it.
Later. in 1886, Mr.. Burke retired
for physical disability, went to
Florida for a year for his health
and then returned and announced
he had accepted a job as police
chief Of Nashua, N. H.
Different Systems Elsewhere.
The Police and Firemen's Re-
|tiring and Relief Board makes the
decision on retirements, based on
physical examination reports from
the Board Of Police and Fire Sur
|geons. The recommendations
then are passed on to the COM
missionerS, who make the final
decision, In most cases automatic.
matte.
The system works differently in
other cities.
In Philadelphia. for example.
civilian doctors outweigh the ofi-
lcial police physician. Three doc
tors 1.-The chief police surgeon and
two civilians make the examina-
tion. The results are passed on
to an investigating committee OF
three directors Of the police pen
sion fund all policemen.
These three then submit their
findings to the funds Board of
Directors. and a majority opinion
lot the is members decides. No
policeman may 60 on disability
pension without 10 years Of
service.
In the District. 1t is difficult to
determine the reasons for physical
disability retirement In specific
ceases, both because Of the re-
|Iuctance Of those affected TO dis
[cuss the matter and because
members Of the board point to the
relationship between patient and
doctor In maintaining silence.
Evening star., 1952-02-08
HIKING Club Tour Set

Stoneyhurst Quarry and the
Booze Run area win be toured By
the Capital Hiking Club on Sum
day. Members and new mixers
win meet ct the end of the Cabin
John carline &C $3.50 am. The
hike win cover q distance Of about
six miles.
Evening star., 1952-02-08
Gas Company
Witnesses Face
More Queries
Firms Counselor
Cross-Exumined
Ii Rate Boost PIeo

The Public Utilities Commission
hearing on the pleas Of the Wash
ington Gas Light Co. for rate in
crease proceeded slowly today as
cross-examination Of company
witnesses continued.
Ralph e. Badger. an investment
counselor from Detroit, was ques-
toned about his contention that
the gas company should receive at
lease a z per cent rate OF return
on its investment.
u. S. Has Intervened.
|, He, was examined by E. I. CO.
lodny, an attorney for the Gem
eral Services Administration, the
Federal Governments housekeep-
ing branch. The Federal Govern
menC has intervened in the case
as a consumer Of gas.
Mr.. Edgar, in supporting the
gas company contention that a
rate increase was justified, had
compared the local firm with a
number of other utilities over the
country. Mr.. Colodny sought to
show that many Of the firms could
not be compared to the gas COM
|pany. This same line Of ques-
tioning was followed yesterday by
|PUC Counsel Lloyd Harrison
when he cross-examined MIR,
Badger.
Figure of $2.S Million Set.
The company wants to increase
its revenues by $2.3 million a year.
1T maintains this increase is
needed to give the company a fair
rate Of return.
The gas company is basing its
plea mainly on a 40 per cent in
crease in the price which it must
pay for the natural gas it sells
to Washington customers. The
company has had no rate increase
since 1912. Although the PUG
did grant an increase in Novem-
ber, 1949, it was overturned by
the courts and the company had
to return more than $1.2 million
to its customers.
Evening star., 1952-02-08
New Druft choirmun

BERKELEY SPRINGS, w. Va,
Feb. 8 tSpecial) .-E. v. Edmiston
has been named chairman Of the
Morgan County Board Of Selectiye
Service, and Irving Ambrose was
picked as secretary.
Evening star., 1952-02-08

Next: The Board Of Police
and Fire Surgeons.)
Evening star., 1952-02-08

First Of . Series.
Montana farmer-stockman., 1952-08-15
Orchards e Gardens
For Good Blooms in Spring
Divide, Reset Iris Now
By H. N. METcALF, Asst HOrt;eultuyist
Montana Agricultural Experiment StatiOn
Orchards e Gardens

TALL-BEARDED iris is one Of
the more rewarding hardy peren-
malls adapted for culture in the or
binary garden. Summer care is inn
portant if one is to have a good
show of blooms the following
season. It is during the months of
July and August that best success
can be had in dividing and resetting
the plants because the rhizomes
have an opportunity to establish
themselves before the onset of cold
weather.
Established clumps of iris should
be divided and reset about every
three years, depending on the vigor
of the variety. Clunps left longer
than this are apt to become over
crowded and produce an inferior
display of flowers.
The reason for dividing the
clumps in the summer is that,
shortly after Towering, the tall
bearded irises begin the develop
ment of a new root system. At this
time there is no mass of fibrous
Montana farmer-stockman., 1952-08-15
Select Vigorous Rhizomes

Settlng mucn easier.
Select Vigorous Rhizomes
The best procedure is to dig the
entire clunp and shake or wash the
soil from it. Rhizomes for resetting
should be selected from the outer
edge Of the clump, they are usually
more vigorous than ones from the
center. It is best to choose single
rhizomes and to discard the older,
less vigorous rhizomes from the
center of the clump. Vigorous extra
rhizomes are handy for trading
with fellow gardeners for varieties
that are lacking in ones own
garden.
The leaves on the rhizomes Sc
lected for replanting should be cut
back in the form of an inverted v.
In planting the rhizomes they
should be set at distances ranging
from 10 inches to 2 feet apart, de-
pending on the vigor of the variety
and how soon one expects to divide
them again.
A worthwhile suggestion for
planting of iris is to dig a hole with
ridge in the center. The rhizome
is placed directly over the center of
the ridge with the feeding roots
being spread out to either side to
help anchor the plant firmly. Then
dirt may be pulled toward the plant
from either side, either leaving the
top of the rhizome exposed or COW
ering very shallowly with earth.
Montana farmer-stockman., 1952-08-15

The earth should be well nrned
about the plant with the foot and
the plant should be well watered.
Avoid deep planting Of the rhi-
ZONES as this is conducive to soft
rot, which is a serious disease, espe-
cially in poorly drained soils.
Prefer Well-Drained Soil
Bearded iris prefers well drained
soils, and where soils are not ma
turally well-drained, this may be
provided by either planting on
slopes, on raised beds, or by exaca-
waiting the soil beneath the iris bed
and putting in a layer of gravel and
sand or cinders. The soil for iris
planting should be well and deeply
prepared. Spading up the soil to a
depth of foot is good practice.
If manure is to be used, it should
be well-rotted and thoroughly
worked into the soil prior to plant
ing. Commercial fertilizers may be
used, but should not come into di-
rect contact with the rhizome. "A
good supply of phosphorus in the
soil win promote healthy rhizome
growth and abundant flowers.
Bearded iris like sunny location
and over-shaded sites are one of
the commonest causes of failure to
flower. Full sun all day is not
necessary, but the plants should
have good exposure to sunlight, at
least a good part of the time.
As the iris is reset, a label
should be provided for each variety,
and map of the planting prepared
in case of damage to or loss of the
garden label. One often thinks
that he will remember which var
iety is which but experience has
shown that it is better not to trust
memory too far. A good type of
label is one made of thin aluminium
with cardboard backing, on which
it is easy to emboss the variety
name with a pencil This may be
attached to heavy galvanized wire
with loop at the top by means Of
fine copper wire. Another satis-
factory system is to print the
variety name on a wooden stake
with India ink.
nieaara eon4roI
Mention has been made of the
soft rot of the rhizomes of iris. This
is probably the commonest and
most bothersome iris disease in this
area. It can be identified by the
yellowing of the foliage and the
soft, mushy, malodorouS condition
Of the rhizomes. It is caused by
bacteria, and its development is
favored by warm, humid weather
and by poorly drained soils. In
advanced cases, the rhizomes be-
come so rotten that they are unable
to hold up the fan of leaves and il
may topple over.
It is recommended that all in.
fected material be removed ant
burned, and if general sanitation il
right, there will be no serious
spread of the disease. When ther,
is still good portion of the rhizom,
in healthy condition, it may be dul
up, the rotted portion cut away ant
the rhizome soaked in rosy-re,
solution Of potassium permanganat
Montana farmer-stockman., 1952-08-15
FARM LANDS FOR SALE

Advertisers will gladly information regarding
MONTANA FARMER RSTOcKNLAN
2o-Augdst is. 1852
Montana farmer-stockman., 1952-08-15

roots to spread out, making re
setting much easier.
Evening star., 1952-01-06
Readers Clearing Housel
ENGLAND?
From Mrs. F. A. W., Vienna

From Mrs. r. A. w., Viennd.)
I was recently transferred away
from the vicinity of Washington,
but before I left I was a steady
reader of your column. I now
find myself in great need of ad-
vice. My. husband has been in
formed that we are to be sent
to England for a period of several
years. We are either to accom-
pany him or will leave shortly
after. My husband is to leave
the last week in January.
Our place of residence in Eng
land is to be southeast of London
on the Thames, Can any one help
me or advise as to what to take
such as electrical goods, household
and kitchen utensils, etc. Any
and all advice will be appreci-
ated,
Evening star., 1952-01-06
SAN DIEGO

(FrOm Mrs. NJ. +. S., SilUer Spring.
The cost of living is much less
in San Diego than here. There
are OPS rent ceilings in effect
there now.
Choosing location depends on
whether one prefers a dry warm
climate Or a damp cooler one.
The closer one lives to the ocean
the more morning haze and over
cast with natural resultant cool
ness. The farther East one goes
the more dry and clear. People
with sinus conditions prefer living
away from the ocean.
The climate is wonderful.
ThereM be no twenty dollar gas
bills and no fans in the summer.
To travel with a baby would
suggest car bed or port-a-crib.
And carry sterile water in steri-
lized bottles and small cans of
evaporated milk. Then a fresh
can Of milk can be opened and
added to the water for each feed
ing. (My husband is doctor
and this method was his idea.)
We sused disposable diapers.
Generally a baby Of the age of
yours is lulled to sleep by the mo-
ton of the car and sleeps more
than at home.
The car bed can be carried into
restaurants with you quite easily.
Most restaurants are very helpful
about warming the bottle OF baby
food. I'd be very glad to discuss
the matter with you further if you
would care to write me through
RCH.
Evening star., 1952-01-06
DINETTE WALL9

(From Mrs. J. M. Lee. :. Arlington. J
I am a regular reader of your
column and find it very helpful. /
wonder now If some one could help
me with my problem. Our dinette
wall has become spotted, and
sponging with soap and water
does no good. The paint is of the
fiat, washable kind. Is there some
way I could safely clean it. I
would appreciate hearing from
some one who may have had a
similar experience.
Evening star., 1952-01-06
OLD SONG?

fFron Mrs. G. X, Vienn1.)
Can some kind reader please
help me? A friend of mine in
another city writes that an old
song called "Grandmother's Harp"
has been troubling her lately. She
can remember the following lines
but knows that some are missing
and so would be deeply grateful
if some one can provide them.
up in the attic away from the light
All covered with cobwebs and dust
An old harp has lain many years out Of
sight
And its strings are all eaten with rust
"Grandmother's harp in the attic lies
Safe from the wind and rain
And there 1t will stay till 1t molders
away
Or grandmother wakens again"
Many thanks for any possible
assistance.