davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-11-18
By Charles E. TroceweN

The mother robin few down to the
bird bath and dipped herself under.
Then, without shaking herself. she
flew to the nest and spread out her
wings over the babies, giving them at
once the protection Of her own body
and shower bath to boot.
The bluebird, despite its lessened
numbers, still remains the great favorite
Of most bird lovers.
How much did Maeterlinck's play have
to do with this?
Probably very little. The bird itself
is mostly responsible for the fact that
1t is favorite everywhere.
Four out Of five persons who call to
ask about the dimensions for q bird
house want to make one for a bluebird.
Certainly no bird is harder to attract
in this vicinity than this beauty and yet
many gardens, especially in nearby Vir-
ginia, have them all spring and summer.
At one time the bluebirds of America
were almost destroyed by great sleet
storm. Since that near catastrophe, they
have made a slow comeback, and today
are to be found in fair numbers in many
parts of the United States.
This is not too early to begin thinking
about a bluebird house. If it is built
some fall evening and put out before
Christmas, it will be nicely weathered
by very early spring, and smell just
right to the birds. If it smells quite as
good to sparrow as it does to blue
bird, this is nothing to upset one. If one
becomes upset. it shows that mental
fog or haze is creeping over his intel
lectual landscape. The smoky days we
knew recently must not be allowed to
creep into the heart. Smoke is bad
enough In the Air.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Washingtonian.
End Of q Landmark

The Treasury Building recently lost
one of it's oldest treasures To the writer
and perhaps to hundreds Of other Wash
ingtonians who lived in the horse age Of
saddles, carriages and sleigh bells, there
was convenience for cne calling
on either a business place or a friends
home to hitch his steed.
This was true Of the Treasury up to
a short while ago. At the south entrance
of the Treasury stood an old hitching
post and I suppose when the building
was erected there were several there.
A favorite walk of mine was down
Treasury place to the Ellipse and in
passing there I always admired this old
hitching post. It was about feet
tall, IL inches wide at the base, tapering
at the top and at the top was carved
horses head. In it's mouth was bit and
on either side was ring for the hitching
strap.
On return from my vacation a
short while ago, one of my first walks
took me by this old route and when got
to the old landmark it was gone. But at
the base were two pieces Of it showing
that by some terrific blow it had been
broken.
This old landmark had withstood the
elements for many years. but 1t could
not Withstand Washington's rough driv-
ing. G. /. LaChanse.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
FooIinq the People

John E. Street writes that Senator
Morse was most un-American" when
the Senator said the American people
were fooled in the recent election, and
that he had mo right to insult the
intelligence of the vast majority Of
voters
First. 80 million out Of So million is
hardly vast" majority. Second, Lin
coin once said that you can fool all
the people some of the time. Since Sen
ator Morse referred only to the ma
jority, while Lincoln referred to all.
Mr.. Street in effect is saying that Lin
coin was even more than most un-
American" Third, the reference to "the
intelligence Of the vast majority" begs
the question. It is at least true that
the Republican victory succeeded large
ly because Of an advertising campaign
that would do credit to the most capa-
BILE of the tooth paste hucksters.
In any event, Senator Morse not only
had the right to his opinion and to
express it, but there was nothing un-
American in his doing so. Indeed, it
would be more appropriate to say that
it is un-American to object to the
expression of his right Of free speech.
S. H. j.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Lud and Gout

Full Del the lad kno,ns that the small
hoofs follow
Although the creature pauses no1p and
To nibble tDltere sDeet plantain ledpes
are cooler
And U1tere the toughened grasses fen.
To make sure that he has not been
forgotten,
The goat comes laundering on hoofs
of aUruth,
Then calmly stops as II Just only tDdttin0
Within the middle OF the path.
The bog steps out, the animal keeps the
pathway:
The tDo ipolk slosply side By side as
though
Filled NTH an unnwdreness Of each
other,
Yet sure the other one must knoU.
H. Rose Myro Phillips
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Making 1t Easier for Voters

It should be part of the democratic process
to make voting as easy as possible for the
electorate. Yet voters in some nearby areas
encountered exasperating jams and delays in
their efforts to cast their ballots on election
day. These inconvenience were particularly
acute in Alexandria and Fairfax County They
could have been avoided by proper forethought
and action-including realignment of election
precincts to keep pace with changing population
trends
The voters concerned will be glad to know,
therefore, that Alexandria and Fairfax County
are going to institute voting reforms before
another election day rolls around. Conditions
in Fairfax County are urgently in need of cor
rection. Polling places in that once-rural county
were established in the days before the mass
influx of new residents of the past decade. The
precincts consequently have become badly
unbalanced, just as the supervisors districts
have. Delays of as much as two or three hours
were reported at some polling places. Redis-
tricting of the county now is under way. Mean
while, the Fairfax County Electoral Board is
planning number of changes, not only in
precinct lines but in procedures The precinct
changes probably will have to await completion
of the redstricting operation. But other i'm
provementS can be begun Immediately, such as
the modernization of the registration bookkeep-
ing system so as to facilitate checking of names.
In Alexandria, Mayor Beverley has appointed
a special committee to, study the causes of
voting congestion in some of the city's wards
and to recommend reforms. Mayor Beverley
said the recent election revealed a number of
weaknesses in the apportionment of polling
places He suggested that consideration be
given also to the purchase of voting machines.
Arlington has set good example for other
nearby Virginia Jurisdictions in this respect.
BY rearranging precinct boupdaries to conform
with population growth and by installing voting
machines Arlington has eliminated most of the
difficulties that once beset its voters. Adequate
planning Of this sort should be required by voters
everywhere
Evening star., 1952-11-18

does not assure us such security because
Of our enemy's underwater strength.
does it not follow that our Navy is
dissipating much of its strength in un-
remunerative fields Of naval prepared
ness?
Let us fervently hope that our new
President and his military advisers view
this problem more effectively and with
more perspicacity than The Star has.
william N. Carey.
Editors Note: The United States
Navy is designed to carry out defen-
sive operations as well as to 60 on the
offensive if necessary. It must be large
enough to protect our long supply
lines all over the globe from the
threat of Soviet submarines, not to
mention air power. It is taking spe-
cial measures to meet that threat.)
Evening star., 1952-11-18

arrived on the line of march. She had
a white dress, surmounted by a blue
yoke with white stars. and had red
streamers the length of the dress"
If the reporter who wrote this can be
identified. would like him to know how
treasure this little item about our
daughter, then 2 and now Is years of
age. have often thought about this
reporter, because he wanted to get q
picture Of my daughter and left us to
find photographer. We had a good
place to watch the parade, and more
and more people crowded around us,
and as the time for the parade neared
some last-minute viewers even sat down
in front of us. We could see, yes; but
the photographer couldn't see my
daughter. saw photographer, looking
around about half block away. Then
the parade came, and the reporter didn't
get his picture. thought it was so nice
that he put the little article in anyhow.
Please tell him, if he is there.
I also enjoyed reading in The Star
the editorial on Page 8, June 18, 1945,
entitled "The General Returns" quote
the words of the editorial which describe
SO well the reasons think he was so
overwhelmingly chosen to be our next
President: with his military talents
are combined qualities of modesty and
tact and tolerance and patience which
have enabled him to function as
statesman as well as general"
I always enjoyed The Washington
Evening Star and even subscribed to It
here in Cincinnati for several years. :.
When visit Washington once in a
while, always read The Star.
Mrs. Harriet S. Herget.
HiNcinNafi
Evening star., 1952-11-18
This and That . f.

away, but they will leave their marks
And it is not too much to feel that the
birds, more sensitive in some ways than
humans, will find themselves living in a
strange world. If these things should
continue and grow worse, and if other
inimical factors are added to them, 1t
is not impossible that the migrating
birds of all species will become so upset
that they simply will stop migrating.
This would mean the death of large
numbers of them. Still, no doubt, many
would learn how to survive under inim-
ical conditions. The mockingbird, for
one, already has shown us how one
species can do it. Hundreds OF these
beautiful birds remain with us in the
cold. Their mates 60 south, to return
next spring. Unerringly they come back
to the old sites and it is impossible to
see any difference in the health of those
that stayed here and those that mi
grated.
We do not believe that the bluebird
eggs mentioned above suffered from the
high temperature. Birds have ways Of
their own Of handling such problems.
AS a matter of fact, the temperatures
of all birds are very high. They range
from 101 degrees to Ill degrees in vari-
GUS species So it may be realized that
the temperature around the eggs is high
at all times. The mother bird broods
them to keep the sun of as well as to
keep them warm.
Recently we heard an interesting
story about mother robin in Chevy
Chase, Md. The wind blew branch of
a tree, q branch which shaded the nest.
The babies in the nest were thus ex-
posed TO broilins sun, but mother nature
and mother robin knew what to do.
Evening star., 1952-11-18

"Do bluebirds ever winter here?' asks
r. j. w. of Arlington, Va.
"I have seen them as far north as
Richmond at Christmas" he continues.
1--WE saw a pair in our YARD recently.
They have nested with us two years DuC
this year had the misfortune TO natcn
their eggs on the day when the tempera,
ture was 101 degrees, so were hatcneo
dead"
Some bluebirds do winter here.
At one time hundreds Of them re-
manned in the Wesley Heights section,
and there were others living in Chevy
Chase during the winter, and in nearby
Virginia, too.
Most of our local bluebirds fly some
what south of here for the cold months,
but no doubt some that spent the sum-
mer farther north fly in to take their
places.
It seems that with many species what
is one birds north will be another birds
south.
There may come time when the
birds will become so puzzled by what men
are doing that they will stop migrating.
One has only to think Of the atom
bomb, and the great forest fires. to see
that this is not impossible.
The recent blood-red sun, and the
smoky haze which settled over Wash
ington and its suburbs. caused many
sensitive human being to feel Ill at
ease.
Are these things another part of the
1--WE never had it so good" philosophy?
It will seem to some that we never
had it so bad.
These unhappy signs Of something
wrong with humanity may all blow
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Death on the Turnpike

One major fact emergeS from the fog of the
New Jersey Turnpike crashes Of the past few
days: "safe" highway is only safe as its users
wish to make it. Judged by traffic engineering
standards, the broad, straight, divided-lane free
way across the Jersey meadows is the safest road
In the world. Yet A persons have been killed on
it since it was opened last January. Scores of
drivers and passengers have been injured and
hundreds Of cars wrecked.
The overall record makes it plain that the
unusual fog conditions of the recent past was
only contributing factor in the two-day series
of accidents that cost four lives injured 90 per-
sons and damaged more than go passenger cars
and trucks. The human element played an i'm
portant part in the chain-reaction mishaps
according to reports by investigating officers.
Photographs of some of the worst wrecks indi-
Gated that too much speed for the low-visibility
conditions prevailing was at fault. Even when
police hastily lowered the speed limit from go
miles an hour to IS and posted emergency warn
ing signs, many motorists drove faster than the
prescribed limit" the New York Times reported.
To protect careful motorists from the reckless
ness of others the Turnpike Authority finally
closed a 25-mile section of the road near Newark
until the fog lifted
The Turnpike Authority is reviewing its
whole accident-prevention program as a result
Of the latest accidents. It Is hard to see what
more the authority could do in an engineering
way. The turnpike has no dangerous curves or
grades There are no grade crossings and only
few access roads throughout its length. In
short, it is traffic engineers dream highway.
1t is also speeders' paradise. Many drivers are
not satisfied with the 60-mile speed limit. Lower
ing the speed limit is not likely to worry the
driver who wants to take chance with his own
life-and the lives of others Perhaps New Jersey
should increase the strength of the State Police
patrol assigned to this heavily travelled express
way. News dispatches said there were only IL
officers patrolling the two 118-mile lanes when
the series of accidents began last week. Assign
ment of more officers to crack down on reckless
drivers, with stiff penalties for violators should
help to reduce the turnpikes bad accident record.
The only hope for any marked improvement in
the roads safety would seem to lie in control of
the human element through stricter enforcement
of traffic laws.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Virginia Politics

It Is cause for speculation why the
Winchester Star singled out Senator
Robertson for its politics as usual"
charge. not mentioning Gov. Battle who
also campaigned for the Democratic
ticket. The fact that the editorial cited
a group of Southern Governors to sup
port its charges makes it especially Curl
Gus that the Governor Of Virginia should
escape mention.
Could this be the kickoff in a cam
paign to keep Senate seat in the fam
lily when our senior Senator retires. pre-
sumably in 1856? Senator. Robertson,
Senator Byrd and Winchester Star Edi-
tor Harry Byrd, jr. all reside in the 7th
district With Robertson replaced in "a
by a Senator from another part Of the
State. the way would be clear for a
new candidate from the 7th district
in Sc. Alice Wynne.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Unrepresentotive County Rule

The reorganization of the Arlington County
Board as result Of the recent election leaves a
substantial portion of the countys citizens with
out direct representation in their local govern
ment. AS the three independent members Of
the board have pointed out, more than half the
families in Arlington have members working for
the Federal Government Yet under ruling by
the courts, no Federal employe may hold public
Office in the county. If this condition is to be
corrected-as it should be-Virginia must repeal
q 1887 law barring Federal workers from serving
the State or county governments in any capacity.
An opportunity to correct the law will be
presented when the General Assembly meets In
special session next month.
To warrant consideration by the Legislature
at the special session. the repeal proposal must
qualify as an emergency" measure. It is surely
90 regarded in nearby Virginia-but it will not be
easy to arouse interest In such legislation else
where in the State The Assembly was called by
Governor Battle to carry out constitutional
mandate for redistricting of the State before
expiration of the 1852 calendar year. This is
difficult task of itself, involving sectional con-
troversies that are bound to prolong debate
Whether members of the Assembly would be
willing to schedule another controversial subject
for discussion is questionable. And the proposal
to lift the ban on Federal employees in public
Offices is potentially controversial, as comments
of the courts in the recent litigation revealed.
The effort to get the repeal legislation before
the forthcoming session at Richmond Is well
worth trying, however, for the need for elimina-
ton of the Federal-employe ban is urgent.
Arlington's government cannot be said to be
truly representative of all the people as long
as large part of its population is barred from
serving in the county government ~
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Smoked Out

Hurrah for the fellow who would
rather see the return of the brass spit
toon than be smoked out by the ever
increasing number of cigarette smokers!
have wished that some one would start
crusade for the non smokers as our
plight is pitiful.
It never seems to occur to the smokers
or smoulderers that the habit could be
offensive to the non-smokers. few of
whom are left.
Now we non-Smokers are stamped as
cranks on the subject. but this is not
the case with us. We do not like to
smoke else we would do it. We care not
If the rest Of the world does it, but
please, smokers. have some considera-
ton for those who do not like 1t.
A. G. B.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Lowrence's Chino Policy

Now that the election Is behind us. It
is to be hoped that the level OF public
discussion will be raised. Allowances.
nevertheless, must be made for those
who need some time to cool of. Take
David Lawrence's advocacy that we
"release the Chinese Nationalists from
the restrictions imposed on them" so
that they can "go into China and
liberate their fellow countrymen or at
least start a movement in that d1rec-
ton by commando raids on the coast OF
China" Whatever its merits. who can
deny that this is a most hazardous pro-
posal? But be careful before you say
that. For. says Mr.. Lawrence "the argu-
ment that will be made against all this
by the advocates of appeasement and
interminal war is that there are risks
Evening star., 1952-11-18
After Silent Pictures

AItST SIIenC TICfuTeS
The movies have come almost full CIR
Gle. "The Thief is advertised as "the
motion picture without q single spoken
word"
From this high point. the art could
travel either Of two paths. The next
step may be the complete elimination Of
the sound track with titles being flashed
on the screen and pianist in the pit to
play William Tell' and Hearts and
Flowers" This will take us back to the
simple days when DR.. Caligari didn't
even have cupboard. much less
clarinet.
The other possibility is that the
movies will be all sourd track and no
picture. This will be very popular with
housewives who enjoy doing their house.
work to the sound Of the radio, but who
just don't like housework.
Eventually the two possibilities will
combine in the form of movie with
neither picture nor sound track. This
will usher in period Of unprecedented
prosperity for Hollywood, which will find
its production costs cut to zero and its
troubles with censors and congressional
committees at an end. This type of
movie will meet tremendous demand
from people who like popcorn, who can't
stand coming in in the middle of q
picture, who are being driven out of
their homes by television. and who want
a nice quiet place to read book.
Arthur H. Fribourg.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Hanover and Hanover Junction

The quotation from the Philadelphia
Inquirer of November 81, 1868, about
President Lincolns trip to Gettysburg
was given incorrectly by David Rankin
Barbee in his letter to The Star of
November 13. # Mr.. Barbee will check
the source again, he will find that the
place named in the newspaper is Hano-
yer and not Hanover Junction. This
newspaper and many other contempo-
rary sources made note Of the fact that
President Lincoln spoke briefly to the
people of Hanover from the rear plat
form of the train that was carrying him
to Gettysburg. The incident has been
recorded by the citizens of Hanover by
q plaque erected on the spot in 1912.
Hanover Junction was different
place in Pennsylvania. At Hanover juno
ton Station, the Northern Central Rail-
road, which is now the Pennsylvania
Railroad, joined the Hanover branch
and Gettysburg Railroad, which is now
the Western Maryland. Passengers en-
route to Gettysburg from Baltimore had
to make a change of lines at this point.
So, in 1868, plans had been made to
receive President Lincoln at the juno
ton with suitable honorS. He was to
be greeted at Hanover Junction station
by a train from Harrisburg bringing the
Governors of several States. and also
by another train from Baltimore bring
ing notables. The three trains were
then to proceed to Gettysburg together
by way of Hanover. The plans did not
materialize because Of the inability OF
the railroad lines to cope with the un-
foreseen traffic. Hanover Junction sta
ton, which is shown in the controversial
photograph, was the place for the recep-
ton and not the town of Hanover which
was some miles away.
Josephine Cobb.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Our Large Navy

was astounded by the reasoning re-
flected in The Stars recent editorial on
the present size of the United States
Navy vis-a-vis the combined naval
strength Of the rest of the world.
You say that even though our Navy
is as large as all the other navies COM
bined. we are not assured security of
the seas because of Russia'S submarine
strength. You have blithely omitted the
obvious: If our Navy is so large and still
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Moy They Be Pleasant Ones

David Lawrence says we are all due
for a lot of surprises. This Is inevitable.
During the campaign. the COP. and
Eisenhower himself told us that he is
for everything and against everything.
Our heads are in whirl. There isn't a
citizen in the good old U.S.A. who won't
be pleased or stunned by one surprise or
another.
r. HoII;han
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Saves Ike q Trip

Perhaps "Ike" would save himself
lot Of time and effort If, instead Of
making a trip to Korea. he would just
say: "Get the heck back here!"
That's what we are waiting to hear.
am sure we agree that the world
is one world, in the sense that we are
all anxious to be friends. and to keep
all channels open that will bring us
greater understanding of each other.
We should all be willing to give a
helping hand whenever possible, but we
don't have to become positively Off
cious.
Washing tOnian.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Stumped

A judge Of one Of our high courts
asked me this question: why Is 1t that
prominent Christian laymen come to
Washington to take important Govern
ment offices and ignore the church while
they are here?" He realizes that there
are many exceptions.
was not able to answer the question.
Perhaps some of your readers know the
answer.
Wilbur In Roe, Jr.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE.

BY The HASkIN SERVICE.
Q. How long have Christmas savings
clubs been in existence?-P. E.
A. Since 1910. when the founder.
Herbert Rawll, began selling his plan.
In 1917, he began to publish the Christ
mas Club Magazine to advertise the
advantages Of Christmas clubs.
@. Does the weight Of the earth
change?-F. D. B.
A. Not to any material degree In
order for it to decrease. it would be
necessary for part of the material Of
which it is composed to pass out into
space beyond the atmosphere, and this
is impossible. The acquisition Of
meteorites which occasionally fall on
the earth's surface increases the weight
Of the earth only to very slight degree.
Evening star., 1952-11-18

on its merits-provided, of course, the grand jury
decides to reindict the head of the left-wing
union.
Evening star., 1952-11-18
Questions and Answers

The Stars readers can get the answer "a
any question 81 fact By either writing The
NV, Washington 3. D. G.. and inciosng ! cents
return postage or by telephonine ST 1883