davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18

atrophied by "spectatoritis," continually
are asking the question, after they have
gazed at the performance of others,
How did he do?" The fact is that we
are developing a race Of critical specta-
tors who spend most of their time watch
ing the fabulous procession moving
across today's screen. The favorite in
door sport Of a vast majority is simply
to criticize derisively those who. at least.
have toiled terribly to skillfully play q
game. while most who join the booing
crowds of the bleachers could not hit a
ball by mile or get even half way to
first base. VI
However, there are constructive critics.
1t is salutary function for one who is
versed in the basic technical rules of
any art and whose powers of apprecia-
ton have been sharpened, to pass judg-
ment upon performer" Fair, I'M
biased criticism, delouSed of jealousy,
may be genuine help even to master
who in any way is alleged to have fallen
short of the perfection every true artist
seeks.
A weekly paper in small town came
out with a scathing criticism of an
amateur minstrel show given entirely by
local talent. The unfavorable criticism
aroused a storm of indignant protest.
The star actor called upon the editor in
person and gave him piece of his mind.
He concluded his TRADE with the crush
ing observation: Anyhow, it was a
blamed sight better than you could have
done!" To which the critic calmly re-
piled: II admit it. You are correct. but
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
Topsy-Turvy Policy
By Bruce Borton

COL House, the trusted friend and
adviser Of Woodrow Wilson, tells in his
memoirs about an afternoon at the
Paris Peace Conference when he and q
little group Of brain-trusters sat down
and "in two hours redrew the map Of
Europe"
They redrew 1t in conformity with
Woodrow Wilson'S idealistic notion that
wherever there was a group Of people
speaking a common language, having
the same blood and desire for freedom.
they should be given an independent
country.
But the brain-trusters paid little or
no attention to economic factors. They
never asked whether these new coun-
tries could supply their own needs or
produce enough goods to trade with
their neighbors.
The result was that Europe. which
went into the war with 20 little coun-
tries, came out with rs. John Maynard
Keynes. in his tragically prophetic book.
'The Economic Consequences OF the
Peace" cried out against this economic
travesty. insisting that the well-meaning
Wilson had simply insured the certainty
of more European wars.
In 1884, after q trip around the world,
I wrote in my diary: "Twenty-six little
European countries. each with its own
tariffs, trade barriers, army, currency,
etc.. are an anachronism. They are pre-
railroad, pre-telegraph and certainly
pre-telephone and pre-radio. Europe
must become one big market, or there Is
no hope"
Our leaders" have arrived belatedly
at this same conclusion. They might
have accomplished something toward
the economic unity of the continent, II
they had made unity prerequisite to
any American aid. But, having poured
out the money before they thought of
the economic problem. they lost their
bargaining power. The talk in Europe
is still Of unity, but the performance Is
negligible.
Meanwhile, here is the payoff: While
we are insisting that the little countries
Of Europe must merge into bigger units,
we have in Africa perpetrated what even
our biggest One World newspaper char
acterizes in these terms: "Of all the
strange things done since the war in
VIC AdAA1C Va AlnIlOlldIloAl, Vic CiCdtlOU
of the United Kingdom Of Libya takes
the cake"
Telling old little countries they must
combine. in the same breath in which
we hail the creation of an economically
hopeless new little country as triumph
of freedom"-what stupidity, what
hypocrisy!
Is it any wonder that our Allies are
dizzy. trying to keep abreast Of SUCH Q
topsy-turvy foreign policy?"
(copsright. 1859. Xins Features Syndicate, InsJ
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
Fifty Years Ago in The Star

sentative, r. w. Wilcox, to Washington
as Delegate. But Kaulia himself failed
to win seat in the Hawaiian Legisla-
ture. The Star said: HE was the
bitterest of all the Hawaiian speakers.
His battle cry was: Kill the snake
the white man. the missionary. -. {.
Kaulias speeches were steady tanning
of the fires of race hatred" Death
came to him while he lay reading book
Of Hawaiian stories on Sunday after
noon. April 20. His family in the same
house did not realize that his heart had
stopped beating until they went to call
him to dinner. He was AZ years of age
when his career ended.
An example of how money values have
changed in half century may be found
in The Star for May Is.
Fore to 1902 The Baltimore &
Baltimore Ohio Railroad then was
advertising passenger
transportation from Washington to
Baltimore and return for $1.25 for the
round trip. Tickets, it announced, were
good on all trains except the Royal
Limited" Today the fare is $1.55 each
way with no deduction for round-trip
accommodations.
From Seattle The Star Of May 20,
1902. reported: BENJAMIN Ure. formerly
the wealthiest man in Skagit
Crime County, has been arrested
News by Sheriff Wedding and Dep
uty Reese Of Island County
and is now out on bond charged with
receiving stolen property The authori-
ties of Island County. who have been
watching Ure's island at the east end
of Deception Pass. for months, aver
that he has used the place as a rem
devious for water pirates and smug-
glers for years. They allege that some
of the most notorious desperadoes on
the sound. including Alfred Hamilton,
who was recently hanged at Whatcom.
have landed and concealed their goods
at his place, where q quantity Of stolen
cigars and whisky was found"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18

The Star for May II, 1902, an
nounced: "Seventeen-year locusts have
appeared in the Smith
Locusts sonian Grounds and already
Return cover the branches OF two
large trees" Reports OF the
temperance of the pest likewise had
been received from Altoona, Pa, and
Nashville, Tenn. Little round exit"
holes in the ground indicated the places
from which the locusts had emerged.
There also were signs of them "here
and there in the form OF the character
istic brown shells which the new locusts
leave behind them" A statement from
the Department of Agriculture read:
1.-THE 17-year locust is not pesti-
lence, in spite of the popular hor-
ror at it's prospective appearance. 1t
never does any damage to anything ex-
cept young nursery trees and the young
shoots of mature trees, and rarely IN
flicts any permanent injury on the
latter. =. The locust does not even
touch wheat, corn, rye, oats, berries,
vegetables or any other product OF the
field. During his residence underground
he eats the roots that cross his little
tunnel, but this injury is so very slight
as to be almost incalculable. The only
general ground for apprehending the
septendecimal appearance Of this in
sect is that many persons dislike the
sight of them"
On May IA. 1902. The Star COM
mented on the death of James K.
Kaulia. a founder
Deoth OF and leader of the
Jomes K. KouIio home-rule party in
Hawaii, explaining
that he had been zone of the bitterest
royalist haters of the white man in the
islands" Scholar and lawyer. he had been
imprisoned after the revolution Of 1895.
Released when annexation was decided
upon, he became president OF the Aloha
Alma. a society whose motto was:
Hawaii for the Hawaiians." In 1900 he
Joined forces with the Kalait Alma. a
similar organization. and the coalition
won the campaign and sent its repre-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
Qualification

The Star of May 13, reporting the
meeting of the Mount Pleasant Citizens
Association of May IL, carried the state
ment:
James H. Flanagan, nominated yes
terday by President Truman for a
fourth term as chairman of the Public
Utilities Commission, received a vote of
little confidence last night from the
Mount Pleasant Citizens Association"
In order to set the record straight. I
wish to say that this does not correctly
report the action of our association. A
member expressed his opinion that the
record Of Mr.. Flanagan does not again
warrant his reappointment. However.
after very short discussion it was voted
that this matter be referred to the exec
utive committee with power to act This
was the only motion presented with ref
erence to Mr.. Flanagan's nomination.
and definitely there was no vote of
little confidence"
John De La Mater,
Secretary. Mount Pleasant Citizens
Association.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18

Alfonso XIII reached the age Of l6 on
May II. 1902, and was declared King of
A., Spain in fact as we'll as
Aifonsos name, and The Star of
InstoIIotion the same date gave de-
tailed account of the
proceedings. Accompanied by his mother
the new monarch marched in a parade
OF troops and bands from the palace to
the Chamber of Deputies. He was met
by committee of Senators and Deputies
and escorted into semicircular. gilded
hall. There he took the following oath:
i swear by God, upon the Holy Bible, to
maintain the constitution and the laws.
II so do, may God reward me. If
do not. may He call me to account" The
language of this oath seems foreboding
SO years later. AlfonSo'S reign was not
happy. Wars. revolutions. strikes, riots,
family troubles and many other diff
culties led eventually to his abdication
in 1881. A decade later he died in
exile. Perhaps he will be remembered
by future generations principally as
reckless motoriSt. He drove over much
Of Europe in high-powered cars at
break-neck speed and was a legend
everywhere for his defiance Of traffic
IeBu1dtlO11S.
A dozen columns of The Star for May
"a. 1902, were devoted to a running re.
port of the unveil-
kochombeou ing of Ferdinand
Stotue Unveiled Hamar's statue of
Marshal de Ro-
chambeau in Lafayette Square that day.
President Roosevelt. French Ambassa.
dor Cambon, Gen. Brugere, Vice Ad-
miral Fourier. Count and Countess de
Rochambeau, Count de Lafayette, Count
de Chamboun, Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge, Gen. Horace Porter, American
Ambassador to France, and many other
distinguished persons took part in the
ceremony. Missing from the scene,
however. was Lord Pauncefote, British
Ambassador to the United States, who
had died few hours previously. His
obituary Shared the front page with the
monument story.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
Spires Of the Spirit
How Did He Do?

Whether we will or not, always we are
judging other people. dozen intang-
ible things about another's personality
are registering with us all the while.
The total impression person makes is
the resultant of many factors For
every exposure there is an image of
some kind upon the sensitive plate of
our appraising apparatus.
Now the principal concerns in our
Judgment Of others have to do with per-
sonality and performance. The two
questions most likely to be asked are:
What do you think of him?" and How
did he do?" Let us eliminate for our
present consideration the first question
mark and concentrate upon the second
When in any realm one stands forth in
public role, the inevitable query is
How did he measure up?" The esti-
mate involved may be in music or drama
or other form of entertainment; it may
be in the pulpit or on the platform, or
in any test requiring ability, knowledge,
practice and skill. When the occasion
is over and the curtain falls, as one man
has performed" perhaps hundreds or
thousands who have watched or listened
are ready with their glib verdict as to
how. in. their scale of excellence, they
rate what they have seen and heard.
But always it must be remembered that
creators are comparatively few, while
critics are legion.
In any generation the many who do
nothing sit in Judgment on the few who
bring things to pass The only contrib
ution OF these dealers in negation is
caustic criticism of the builder. Lowell
pictures the loneliness of the doer, who
is the target of distracting opposers, in
his lines
Count me out life's chosen heroes,
They were men who stood alone
While the men they agonized for
Threw the contumelious stone"
No wonder one of Americas great en-
tertainers who, like all others applauded
by popular favor, continually pays a
price which no armchair critic ever can
comprehend. warns that if we go on
just looking, developing a race of spec
tators instead Of participators, a COM
ing generation will have eyes as big as
cantaloupes and brains the size of peas.
Fervently ought we to pray to be deliv-
cred from belonging to the tribe of blase,
relaxed, lazy, undisciplined, censorious
lookers-on, who. their own potentialities
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18

President Truman has promised to bring
"the facts about 20 years of his partys rule to
the American people during the coming political
campaign.
It is an understatement, of course, to say
that many people will differ with Mr. Truman
on what are the facts. And in the last analysis,
it will be this division of opinion that will deter
mine whether Mr.. Humans party will continue
its rule for another four years. Actually, what
the President means is that he will present his
version Of the facts, and it is not surprising
decision on his part
Throughout his public career, Mr. Truman
has demonstrated vigorous and uncompromis-
ing loyalty to party. He has further demon
strated, particularly in 1948 that he is tireless
and effective campaigner. When he announced
at the Jackson Jefferson Day dinner that he was
not candidate for reelection, he promised then
that he would campaign for the party ticket He
repeated that promise in his address at the Syl-
van Theater the other day. !.
In effect Mr.. Truman has been campaigning
throughout most of his administration, for he
has lost few opportunities in the ublic-speaking
line to applaud his party's rule and to belabor
the political opposition. In recent weeks he has
dealt several times with what he considers the
merits of the Democratic conception and appli-
cation of foreign policy. At the Sylvan Theater
he presented full-dress defense Of Democratic
farm policy.
There are many grounds on which the Demo-
cratic rule and Mr.. Humans appraisal of it can
be attacked. The Republicans cannot afford to
overlook the fact however, that Mr.. Truman is
an able champion, whatever the merits of his
case. AS President, even a retiring one, he has
an assured hearing with the prestige of his Office
to support it, His participation in the coming
campaign, especially if he repeats his back-plat-
form technique of 1948 will give to the Demo-
Gratis an effective partisan advocate. It would be
foohardy overconfidence for the Republicans
to treat lightly the political appeal Of Mr.
Trumar's version Of "the facts"
The United States--says Pravda-is politi-
cally immature, possessing none Of the suavity
and adult charm of the U. S. S. R.. mellowed
during IS years as nation.
Motor traffic in many large city is today
slower than was the horse and buggy. As for the
poet who asked time to turn backward in its
flight, we hope she's satisfied.
Suits made of a new fabric may be cleaned
readily with damp cloth, and the question
arises: Should this be included in the gas sta
tons courtesy service?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
DooIittIe Report and Burke

1t is too bad that the views of the Doolittle
Airport Commission were not available prior to
the ill-advised action of Congress in denying
additional funds for the Burke airport. Congress
might have voted differently if it had had before
1t the recommendations of such an expert objec-
tive group that headed by the retired general
of Shangri-la fame.
There can be no doubt that the commissions
report lays down general principles for airport
building that support the placing of new air.
port at Burke as against the proposal to use
Baltmore'S present Friendship airport. General
Doolittle himself, in an interview, made it plain
that Friendship does not qualify today as an
alternate air terminal for Washington traffic.
He said it might" qualify if the travel time
between the field and downtown Washington
could be reduced by better highways to the
40-minute maximum held by the commission to
be a qualifying condition. Civil Aeronautics
Administration officials doubt that the new
Washington Baltimore Parkway will cut the
average driving time much below so minutes.
1t is expected on the other hand that the
Burke site will be within Is minutes driving
time of the city, via new road linking it with
the Shirley highway.
The commissions report also shows the folly
of allowing existing airports to become congeSted
to the danger point. General Doolittle said that
the saturation point in air traffic has nearly
been reached at National Airport. It is there
fore risky to delay indefinitely the construction
OF an auxiliary terminal. The cause of public
safety requires prompt action to relieve the
congestion that is growing week by week, at
Gravely Point. The Dooittle report emphasizes,
moreover that it is bad business, from the
economic standpoint, to defer the purchase of
land for an airport while real estate values
rise and make the ultimate cost of acquisition
heavier. ... ..s
Congress has brushed aside these safety and
economy considerations in killing the appropria
ton for further land buying at Burke. If the
Burke project is to be permanently dropped,
Congress should say so fatty by canceling the
authorization for it, not by the indirect and
uncertain method of cutting of appropriations
But before it makes any further move, Congress
ought to read and heed the sage advice of the
Doolittle Commission.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
The Record Can Be Improved

The National Safety Council believes that
it was no accident that Washington had fewer
fatal traffic accidents last year than in either
1949 or 1850. It has evidenced this belief by
awarding the District first place among cities of
its population class for effective accdent-preven
ton work in 1851. This is coveted honor that
means a lot to the official and private groups
which have teamed up to make Washington's
streets safer.
The records for the year show that the
award was justified. The number of deaths
from automobile accidents dropped from II in
1850 to 66 in 1851. (The death toll here in 1949
was TO- The greatest safety strides were made
in the field of pedestrian accidents There were
nine fewer pedestrians killed last year than in
1850, when 40 died while crossing streets. Sgnifi-
canty, police and traffic authorities made special
efforts last year to reduce the number of accidents
involving pedestrians. For example, the number
of policemen on downtown traffic duty was
increased during the Christmas holiday season,
with officers stationed at every important inter-
section in the shopping ditrict.
The council took cognizance, also, of street
improvements designed to reduce accident
hazards, enforcement of regulations, sterner
penalties in fragrant traffic cases brought to
court, success of the traffic school" conducted
with cooperation of the judges and general
educational campaigning. Taking all of these
factors into account, Washington was ahead of
Baltimore, Cleveland, Boston and San Francisco.
Accident figures so far this year indicate that
Washington cannot afford to relax, however.
During the first quarter of this year the number
of traffic accidents increased 229 over the first
quarter of 1851. In these accidents 1511 persons
were injured this year, as against 1885 during
the similar period Of last year. There have been
fewer deaths so far this year, however. The in
crease in accidents is challenge to the police.
the Traffic Department, the courts and the other
agencies which are working together to save
lives here. 1t is a development which should be
given first consideration at the Metropolitan
Area Traffic Conference next month.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
BY Frederick Brown Harris
Minister, Foundry Methodist Church:
Chaplain, United States Senate.

Minister, Foundry Methodist Church:
Chaplain, United States Senate.
irrelevant. Any hen can lay an egg.
Nevertheless. I maintain that I am a
better judge Of eggs than any hen in the
State" There was sense in that reply.
This is not an attempt to admonish
the unproductive multitudes who con-
tinually pass judgment upon their
achieving fellows to desist from any ex-
preston Of their opinions. It is a plea
that always our verdicts shall be tenn
pered with sense of understanding,
with realization of the terrific obSta-
Giles that must be overcome before one
achieves the mastery in any art. and
the disposition to offer a deserved need
Of praise, and of earned admiration.
Somehow, before we rush in to answer
the question How did he do?" we ought
to mix with that inquiry sense of our
own inadeuuacy and the admission: II
wish, under the circumstances. could
have done half as we'll"
How diabolical blind. biased. criticism
can be is illustrated across the ages by
Jesus Of Nazareth to Satanic power.
N<xtS u tIlC US6tsh1lOWu OIllUCU 0bdtCS
Senators has written "a Prayer For My
Pastor" in which one senses wildly that
his attitude to his minister is not CEN
serious How does he do" but How can
7 help him do it?"
In his Preaching In London" Dr.
Joseph Fort Newton. of inspiring men,
DRY. tells about his first Sunday as pastor
of City Temple, London. It was a red
letter day in DR.. Newton's career, when
he entered for the first time the famous
white pulpit. He dreaded the verdict of
a packed church waiting to hear him
He relates that as he paced the vestry
before that first appearance he was so
apprehenSive and nervous that he seemed
to have lost his wits and, he feared, his
sermon. Then. still pacing up and down
he noticed card in the bouquet that
was upon the desk. He leaned over
and, taking it out. read: welcome. We
are not here to criticize you. We are
here to pray with you and to pray for
you.-The City Temple" That, some
how, changed everything and turned
what had been an ordeal into a joyous
experience. That sympathetic attitude
in any field of endeavor changes boos
to cheers and transforms partisans into
partners. Instead of a coldly calculat-
ing How did he do?". it generously be-
slows. when deserved. the accolade Of
well done!"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
In Support of Wire Tapping

The Maryland Court of Appeals has followed
Supreme Court rulings and the dictates OF COM
mon sense in upholding the right OF police IN
Maryland to tap wires in the course OF criminal
investigations. The appellate courts decision is
of special local interest because the case in ques-
ton involved an allegedly unconstitutional use
of wire tapping by Montgomery County police.
The test arose out of the arrest and con-
viction of a Silver Spring couple on gambling
charges The conviction by the Circuit Court was
appealed on the ground that the tapping OF the
defendants telephone line constituted illegal
search and seizure" in violation of the Consti-
tuition. Appellate Judge Edward S. Dellapla1ne,
speaking for the court, overruled this contention
Citing 1928 ruling by the Supreme Court in the
Olmstead case that wire tapping was not viola
ton of the Fourth Amendment, he quoted the
majority: There was no searching. There was
no seizure. There was no entry of the house
or Offices of the defendants"
The Supreme Court has held, however, that
the Federal Communications Act bars divulgence
of information obtained by wire tapping and
that use of such information as evidence in Fed
eral courts is illegal. The Department of JUS
tce has requested Congress to remove this bar
through special legislation to permit the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and other Federal INTEL
ligence agencies to tap wires and use information
so obtained in cases where the national security
or human life is at stake. This is a reasonable
and sensible request-but so far no action what
ever has been taken on the proposed BILL Con-
gressional reluctance to strengthen the powers
of the FBI in this way is tirSt-class mystery.