davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-09-05

termined to have the thing out. It
swung quickly at the cat, and this time
nipped him on the ear.
The cat frantically paved at the
clinging insect.
Boots was grateful. as cat can be.
when further aid released him at last
from the pertinacious insect.
The praying mantis, sometimes called
large grasshopper. is able to catch
and eat hulnmingbirds.
Several photographs Of this feat have
been printed, but most Of Us win not
see it. The best the average mantis can
do is to deceive and catch smaller in-
sects.
It does this by folding those long front
legs, 30 that they blend with and re-
semble the small stalks Of Towering
plants and shrubs.
This Is the posture that gives him
the word praying" in his title. He stays
90 still that even the human eye
trained to observe such things often
fails to detect him. Small insects.
beetles and others walk right into the
: trap.
Suddenly the sharp pihcers at the
ends Of the forelegs seize the unFary
insect, and convey 1t to the waiting
java.
q
Sometimes the name "nantis" Is
spelled '.mantid." The latter Is the form
preferred in the handsome new year
book. "Insects," issued by the Depart.
ment of Agriculture.
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Bod Language

Upon overhearing the reaction Of
disgust Of two young ladies to the casual
profanity Of their supervisors during
Office hours in the Pentagon. it occurred
to the writer that recirculation Of Gen.
George Washington's military order Of
August 3. 1776, Of which the pertinent
portion follows. would be both timely
and appropriate:
"The General is sorry to be informed
that the foolish and wicked practice Of
profane cursing and swearing "a Vice
heretofore unknown in the American
Army is growing into fashion; he hopes
the officers will, by example, as well as
influence. endeavour to check it, and
that both they, and the men will reflect.
that we can have little hopes Of the
blessing Of Heaven on our Arms, II we
insult it by our impiety and folly; added
to this. 1t is vice so mean and low,
without any temptation, that every man
of sense, and character. detests and
despises It,"
Although the incidents occurred in
the Pentagon, they have counterparts
In the various buildings occupied by
National Defense personnel and others.
None OF us, or our associates, would,
when once reminded, offend the cultured
moral and religious sentiments of others
by subjecting them to profane cursing
or swearing.
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Puricutin Extinct

The volcano OF Paricutin in the state OF
Michoacan, Mexico, has died" At least scientific
observers have seen no activity in or near the
crater since March 4. Representatives OF the
Mexican Geophysical Institute and the Geo
logical Survey of the United States are OF the
oninion that the burning mountain is, in effect,
burnt out
OF course, this has happened before In other
places. There are many extinct volcanoes Beau
tiful Crater Lake, Oregon, occupies the bowl OF
one of them Perhaps Paricutin also may be
filled with water. The fiery disturbance there
burst out on February 20, 194S conf1agration
deep in the earth suddenly exploded on the
surface on that date. During the next nine
years it built up cone 1900 feet high Molten
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Governor Stevenson StroddIes

The assertion that Governor Stevenson is
gradually being drawn more firmly into the
so-called liberal wing Of the Democratic Party
a circumstance that may yet have important
impact upon the Southern vote-is borne out by
his developing position on such controversial
issues as the aft-Hartley Act civil rights legs-
lation and the cloture rule in the Senate.
On each of these disputed questions the
presidential candidate has made recent state
ments that represent shift, even If not quite
a clear reversal, Of previously expressed
position.
Perhaps the trickiest of these issues. and one
which the experienced Southern Democratic
political leaders consider Of fundamental i'm
portance to their strategic position In the Con-
gress, is that of the Senate rule by which
limitation of debate can be invoked. AS it stands
today, Rule % of the Senate requires two
thirds vote of the membership to limit debate,
dificult-to-obtain prerequisite that Is con-
sidered last line of Southern defense against
compulsory Federal civil rights legislation.
without mentioning the word cloture, the
Democratic platform advocated improving con-
gressional procedures SO that majority rule
prevails" In one of his own first comments
after nomination, however, Governor Stevenson
told press conference that he felt "it would
be very dangerous thing indeed to limit debate
in parliamentary body in democracy"
Addressing the New York State Democratic
Convention ON August %, the candidate revealed
the difficulty he is having in apparently trying
to be on both sides of this particular fence. For
on that occasion he expressed his firm belief
in "the principle that majority rule shall prevail,
after reasonable debate" but then added signif1-
cantly that "I would interpret reasonable very
literally, because majorities can be tyrannical,
too"
The 'liberal" Democrats make the charge
that a little group of willful Senators can
block Justice by ilibustering. Actually, by the
existing rule, it would take one vote more than
third Of the Senate to block cloture, in normal
circumstances at least 50 votes. bloc Of this
size is something more than little group Of
willful men and the States which they represent
would be something more than an obstructive
minority to be lightly deprived of the privilege Of
having their viewpoint debated at fullest length.
The very thought of tyrannical majorities
which Governor Stevenson expressed was un-
doubtedly in the minds Of the trainers OF the
Constitution when they provided that two
thirds vote of each house is required to override
presidential veto a two-thirds vote OF the Senate
is needed to ratify treaty. two-thirds vote Of
each house and approval of three-fourths OF
the States are needed for constitutional
amendment.
A simple majority in these cases, or In action
to limit Senate debate, might well jeopardize the
influence Of almost SO per cent OF the membership
of the Congress the interests Of an even
larger proportion q the Nations population.
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Fuvors Offensive

FovoFs Offensive
In 1860, the people Of this Nation
fought q great Civil War, and to what
purpose? To free the Negro from slavery
and bondage. It was done because the
people Of one section Of our country
thought q grave injustice was being
done to one branch Of the human race.
On July 4. 1776, our forefathers signed
o Declaration of Independence which
thrust us into Revolutionary War for
our own deliverance. Likewise in World
Wars I and II and the Korean War at
the present we lost hundreds Of thous-
ands Of men for the sake of freedom in
the world.
Now the situation has changed. A
whole section Of the world has been en-
Slaved by q certain few men, but now
the world must act as one nation, for the
seas are no longer barrier and the air
Is a highway. Today we are closer to
Russia than Pennsylvania was to North
Carolina in 1860.
Therefore the United States and her
Allies are duty bound. as the North was
in 1860, to the Slaves" behind the Iron
Curtain to fight and give them the same
opportunities and freedoms that we gave
the Negroes at the end Of the Civil War.
They are human beings the same as we,
so why shouldn't we feel that they de-
serve the same right Of living as we do?
The English send crusades to fight for
other peoples freedoms. Why do we have
to wait for some one to attack us be-
fore we start thinking about freedom?
John r. POwera
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Tops in RozzIe-DozzIe Compoiqnino
To the Editor Of The Star:

q X ! + + s Z.
DERHAPS television win help rid fu-
i ture presidential campaigns Of the
tinsel, hocus-pocls and circus barking
tioneering Of past years. Some CAM
paigns in American history were SO
burlesque that actual issues were either
Intentionally side-stepped or concealed
by the ballyhoo and pageantry Of the
vote-getters.
Television ruthlessly pinpoints can
didate's strengths and weaknesses. The
hourishes and dramatics Of the old po-
litical school become farcical and alb
surd under the keen eye Of the tele-
vision camera.
Fortunately, campaigns Of the torch
parading type have numbered few. But
there have been some which might have
been the envy Of the most fiambuoyant
and spectacular Of hucksters. None
could touch the Harrison-V Buren,
race Of 1910 for sheer horseplay, sour
rility and braShness.
Gen. William Henry Harrison had
achieved military fame as an Indian
fighter In the Northwest and in the
Battle OF the Thames during the War Of
1872. But the engagement which was
to wreath him in heroism was his de-
feat Of the Indians at Tippecanoe in
1911 although the victory was nominal.
The keynote to his entire campaign
was sounded when Nicholas Biddle ad-
viSed. Let him not say q single word
about his principles or his creed-let
him say nothing. promise nothing. Let
the use OF pen and ink be wholly for
bidden." The General was happy to
follow such advice. This proved to be
satisfactory decision since his op-
ponent. Martin Van Bufen, the Little
Magician" and the RED Fox from
Kinderhook," had cast aside his shrewd
and slick talents for politicking and
had made up his mind to keep every
one happy by supporting all sides to
any question.
So both candidates leaped from the
rostrum to the calliope and proceeded
to whoop and howl as though the whole
affair had no more importance than
cockight. Harrison and his sup
porters lifted their campaign theme
from q snide remark printed in the
Baltimore American: "Give him q bar
rel OF hard cider and settle Q pension
Of 1000 year on him and. my word for
1t, he will sit the remainder Of his days
In a log cabin"
A deft politician in Harrison's party,
the Wings. twisted the phrase to make
capital of It. Certainly, the General
knew the rigors Of life in log cabin.
He was plain folk, q pioneer who en-
joyed a sip Of cider now and then in.
common with his fellow Americans. MI.
Van Buren. however. was cast as the
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Prelude to Wisdom

The summer came at last Uhen she
should fan
In loDe. A careless, blue-eyed boy
1DGs there,
Beside the pump and IN the milking
stall.
Or at the gate. and so she found him
fair.
She listened for his roice and felt his
touch
Upon her arm long after he had
passed.
He danced NTH her, he kissed her. and
In such
Light ways the nlnsing speH Of love
iDGs cast.
Her heart sang. Darling. darling"
night and day:
II his sang anything. she could not
guess.
Perhaps he iDGs. as much as abe, the
prey
OF summers chance. And yet. It hurt
no less,
When summer named IN sadness to- foe
That she irould smile at this &phen
she 1rGs old.
Frances Lykdett !,
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Secretary Acheson Interyenes

Secretary Acheson was making deliberate
effort to improve the political climate in two of
the trouble spots Of the Middle East in his press
conference remarks on Iran and Egypt.
While the initial reaction of the Teheran
government to the Truman Churchill proposals
for settlement of the Iranian oil impasse was
q summary rejection on the surface Prime Min
lister MoSsadegh did call his Parliament into
session next week to review the case. There next
appeared, out of Teheran, newspaper stories
which evidently had come from government
sources questioning certain details of the pro-
posals and seeming to seek clarification.
Mr.. Acheson has provided measure of this
clarihcation in stating that the British american
offer accepted naturalization of the oil industry
as a fact and was proposing arbitration only on
the issues Of compensation-for claims from
either side. Significantly, he pointed out also
that the World Court which had been suggested
as the arbitration agency, already has proved it
is not mere servant of the big powers and
unfriendly to Iran by its decision that 1t lacked
Jurisdiction to consider an earlier British plea
against the naturalization action. His further
reference to articles of the naturalization law
gave additional recognition to this statute and
defined the basis for the British request to nego-
tiate on the purchasing and marketing of Iranian
oil.
The American offer of $10-million grant he
placed IN It's proper perspective OF tenoer OF
short-term funds to help tide the Teheran gov
ernment over it's immediate financial troubles
until a normal commercial trade in oil can be
resumed.
With regard to Egypt, it has been known
that the State Department was looking hopefully
and with initial approval at the efforts of the
Naguib- Maher government to establish political
stability and responsibility In that country. 1t
is recognized here and was so implied In the
Acheson statement that the first requirement
is for internal reform, particularly of the land
ownership system that has maintained wealthy
minority and kept the Egyptian masses poor and
Insecure The NaguibMah government is
tacklng this problem along with that of political
corruption as the first corrective jobs to be done.
When and if accomplished, there is good reason
to believe that the Egyptian people will be in
better mood to support their government in
fresh approach to the external questions OF rela-
tions with Britain and the rest OF the free world
If such results can be brought nearer by
press conference intervention" by Secretary
Acheson, then much has been gained at little
risk or COST
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Building Repairs Are Not Enouqh

The Commissioners have approved another
stop-gap remedy for what has long been termed
a disgrace to Washington Gallinger Hospitals
pSych1atr1c division. They have authorized
$l775O worth of repairs in the divisions building
Tor newly admitted and most-disturbed patients
Wnlle this Is welcome gesture-and should
contribute to both comfort and security in the
admitting bu1lding-it is scarcely more than a
gesture. For as The Star has been pointing out
regularly since 1947, a patchwork Of repairs is
scarcely solution to the fundamental problem
The fact is that the Districts mentally i'll get
no treatment at Galinger Hospital The opposite
Is more likely to be the case. The most recent
check made by The Star showed that on one day.
rs out of 81 patients in one building were strapped
to their beds. This is the building on which
$17,75O will be spent for repairs. The health
officer said he would rather have the patients
sent promptly to st. Elizabeths Hospital than
remain manacled in Gallinger. But a legal
tangle over who has the authority to send
patients to st. Elizabeths is slowing down the
transfers This tangle was called to Commits
S1oner Camalier's attention early in July He
Immediately assigned men in the Corporation
Counsels office and the District Personnel Board
to straighten that out. He is still waiting for an
answer.
But getting patients out Of Gallinger is not
the whole solution either As general hospital
Galilnger should have functioning pSychiatric
division for patients in its medical wards as
well as those imported from the rest of the city
for observation and treatment The medical
schools should be brought into the picture to
assure better care for the patients Funda-
mentally, it gets down to this The citys mentally
Ill should receive some treatment in the city's
own hospital
Commissioner Camalier has said the new
Commissioners Advisory Committee on Munich
pal Hospitals will look into the problem. The
experts on this committee should not be lulled
into false sense that the problem is solved by
the expenditure of $17,750. z 0G
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Letters to The Star

900 acres. Yet after later armed occu-
patton by the Federal Government, the
United States Supreme Court confirmed
the title to Fremont. emanating from
Mexico.
I was creditably advised. in my former
long residence In California, and, there
fore. aver that most conveyances are
confined to quit-claim deeds with respect
to the priority Of old Spanish grants
Fremont beclouded Uncle Sans
claims).
If Louisiana's State Constitution
claimed lands and waters and was thus
admitted to statehood. Federal claims
seem doubtful Even the old "Bitter
Ender" Thad Stevens would probably
agree to that.
The whole matter seems to rest ON
whether State can retain its original
title II the Federal Government covets
the domain. "Covetousness II the foun-
tain Of DEATH"
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Ike Hits Hard

General Eisenhower's Philadelphia speech.
his first major foreign-policy effort, combined
slashlng attack on the administration with an
ampliication of his own views.
Some will take issue with the Republican
nominees charge that this administration has
'bungled' us perilously close to World War III.
And, OF course, it is not simply matter of
administrative bungling which has brought on
the danger Of war. The Kremlin has had
hand in that.
Nevertheless, there has been bungling. and
an administration which claims credit for virtu-
ally every good thing in the world except the
tact that the sun still shines should be made
to accept responsibility for its errors
The Truman administration was in power
when our superb World War II military organ
ization was improvidently scrapped. It is said
that public opinion would have tolerated no
other course, and there may be some truth to
that. But it was the President, not public
opinion, who decreed the excessive budget
cutting three and four years after the war-a
program which deprived us of the air power we
should have had and which reduced us to
state of military weakness that became shock
ingly evident when the decision to fight in Korea
was made. This administration was in power
when the decisions that helped pave the way
for the loss Of China were made, and it Is right
that 1t should be taxed with them now. It was
this administration which pulled out of Korea
after deciding that the South Koreans should
be armed for defense only-a decision which
certainly encouraged the Communist attack.
These are a few of the errors that have been
made. They are seen now, of course, with the
aid Of hindsight. Nevertheless, they were errors
which increased the danger of world war; and
an administration which quite properly claims
full credit for policies which have tended to
prevent war should also be charged with mis-
takes which had the opposite effect.
Speaking for himself, General Eisenhower
took pains to refute the suggestion that he
contemplates the use of force to solve any of
the worlds problems. The beginning Of World
War III, he said, would be loss from which the
world could not recover in a millennium. "Only
the losing Of a modern war could be more
disastrous than winning it,. The one-the only,
way to win World War III is to prevent it."
No one familiar with General Eisenhower's
work in Europe can doubt the sincerity of this
expression. His whole effort in Western Europe
was directed toward preventing war. If the
program he submitted last night seems to have
dark corners and fuzzy outlines that is not
surprising. In its essentials, it Is the same as
the current program. But the disheartening
fact is that we have no program, and no pro-
gram can be devised, which would give clear and
unmistakable assurance Of peace.
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Wages and Costs

To bear poverty patiently In a nation
as rich as this nation is difficult. It is
shameful on the part Of the Government,
II the Government has any conscience, to
fail to eQualize wages and prices so that
all can have bread and butter. While
prices continue to rise. millions Of Amer
leans work for 75c an hour and cannot
afford to meet high prices like the auto
workers who, from time to time, receive
higher wages to meet the increased cost
Of living. Obviously the would-be gentle
men Of the Office of Price Stabilization
are Wall Street handshakers. Such
swine must be distasteful to the devil
even If they are Harry Truman's stand
ins. It is too bad that the American
people do not have enough backbone to
put some backbone in their so-called
Government.
Harry Daniels.
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Questions and Answers

The Stars readers can cot the answer 20
sny question oi faes 81 either ,ssitins Tho
NV, washington g. d. C., and inclosing 5 cents
return postage or by telephonine sT. 1858.
Evening star., 1952-09-05

Pen-ndnaes may be used II letters carry
Urtters' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.
Evening star., 1952-09-05
BY THE HASKN SERVICE

@. Does the United States import
many diamonds?-T o. B.
the value Of $103.300,000. Some were
cut, others in the rough.
Evening star., 1952-09-05
Q. What is Nuremberg egg"a-

Q. What Is q "Nuremberg egg"?-
j. L. d.
A. The early clock-watch Of 1900 de-
veloped into the pocket watch in about
one century. At first, the clock-watch
became q little smaller than the clock
and was made with rounded edges: then
1t became elongated and octagonal or
oval. These oval watches are often
spoken of as Nuremberg eggs"
Evening star., 1952-09-07
Crime
By Miriom Gutenberg

The Crooked Man. BY Shelley
Smith. (Harper & Bros;
$2.50.)
Thomas Bates wasn't really
smart. In fact, he was fire.
quently stupid. But his ruthless
interest in money and his care
less disinterest in the fate Of his
fellow humans helped him lit
orally to get away with murder.
The mills Of the gods grind
here-but so slowly that this
off-beat author has ample time
to create q miasma of horror
about her anti-social character.
Miss Smith never veers from
her stern path Of understate-
ment, leaving the reader to
supply his own Shudders.
Death In Dark Glasses. BY
George Bellairs. macmillan
Co.; $2.50)
A bank clerks guilty con-
science is all it takes to set a
murder machine in motion.
Actually, the killer would never
have been caught If the bank
clerk hadn't run away, or if a
parson had really been asleep,
or If q husband hadn't been
seeking divorce evidence. It's
that complicated, but Inspector
Littlejohn. with a lot of luck
plus brain work, unravels it.
This. is a happy combination of
multiple murder and ingenious
deduction.
Deadlock. BY Ruth Fenisong.
Doubleday & Co.; $2.50D
Crime Club.
Glen williams was full Of
promises = Offering hope, en-
couragement and financial gain
to an assortment of has-beens
and would-bes. His death
brought trouble to them all.
Which of these dreamers had
cause to hate him? Conversely.
who would profit by his death?
Acting Inspector Gridley Nell
son goes about getting the
answers with a compassion and
an intelligence that ranks him
among the most satisfactory
Of the whodunit sleuths.
What Really Happened. BY
Brett Halliday. Dodd. Mead
& Co., $2.50.)
Red Badge.
Before Wanda Weatherby was
shot, Michael Shayne was
warned to destroy her letter
unread. After she was shot.
he learned why. She had ac-
cused four persons Of trying
to murder her and sent each
q copy for insurance. Shayne
keeps the right letter out Of
police hands. tangles with the
underworld and springs q trap
that would fool only the most
gullible killer.
Evening star., 1952-09-07
Testimonies
BY Patrick OBrian. (Harcourt, Brace; So

her husbands people. who spoil
her child and never guess at
the terrible twisted strain in
her husbands nature.
Mr.. Pugh. suffering the agon-
les of first love in middle age,
enduring them as best he can,
never dreams Of acting on this
great passion. But he has
reckoned without the malevo-
lence Of the townspeople and
the fathomless malice Of the
evil preacher. Pritchard Ellis,
who. repulsed by Bronwen. works
his will on her through her
husband. The violence that
smolders In that pastoral set
ting. under the monotony Of
daily drudgery, finally explodes,
but again simply and quietly
and in infinitely moving fashion.
This is the first of Mr..
O'Brian's four novels to be i'm
ported from England. We hope
it will not be the last. He is
a wonderfully compassionate
writer who makes each of his
characters stand clearly against
the landscape. IN. Meg.