davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-03-15
This and That

Why are the evening grosbeaks so
called?
This is the interesting question Of
E. ]. T. Of Rockville, Md, who writes:
"As you mentioned the evening gros-
beaks among the beauties Of birdland
/ thought it might interest you to know
that we have had q flock Of more than
q dozen eating from our feeding tray
for the past two weeks.
'sThey descend upon our sunfower
seeds, chattering. squalling and fiutter-
ing about, sometimes as many as q dozen
on the tray at the same time, and in q
very few minutes there Is nothing left
but the hulls.
'The tray IS just outside our dining
room window and I keep replenishing
the seeds while we are having breakfast.
as ! do enjoy watching these birds. They
are the only ones that are not fright
ened away by the starlings, and have
seen two starlingS eating peanut butter
from the tray while the grosbeaks are
eating seed.
I'VE have seen several cardinals, too,
almost constant visitors. and at various
times jays, mockingbirds, titmice. chick
adees, warblers, brown thrashers. nut
matches, jlncoS and several other species
have delighted me.
During the summer I have watched
the male and female birds taking turns
flling their bills with choice bits from.
the feeding tray and taking them TO-
their mates. and many times the card-
Evening star., 1952-03-15
Wonders Of Tomorrow

Some strange news has been coming out Of
New York City recently, containing such terms
as kicksorter, teledosis and ruggedized.
The origin, It seems. was Grand Central
Palace, where 365 Industrial firms were display
ing their latest productions In the feld Of elec-
tronics. II is dangerous in these days to take
dim view Of the wonders which the working
scientists can devise to make the life of tomorrow
either more simple or more complex. depending
upon the viewpoint. Indeed, such commonplaces
as the rold-fashioned television had very much
the same beginning.
1t may even be that eacn of us one day viii
be eager to own kicksorter by which we can
make q precision analysis Of the energy spectra
OF particles given on by radioactive materials.
There is an intriguing quality, to the name at
least, In the development Of so-called flying
typewriter" But. trusting the scientists to pro-
tect their line Of retreat, the most comforting
vision transmitted by the word pictures given
Is that Of . home model padded cell $805 In
price. fob. Philadelphia.
Evening star., 1952-03-15

inals have hulled the sllnfiower seeds
and fed the kernels to the young birds
right under our noses.
Thank you for your interesting coll
umn. have learned several things
from you.
Nov. maybe you can tell me why
the beautiful evening grosbeaks. are 50
called. when We see them only in the
norning!"
'aThe word "evening" gets into the
name because the birds were first
thought to live In the pine groves Of
the West In the day time. and TO come
out only In the evening.
Probably this idea was started by Just
one observer, who happened to see them
only In the later part Of the daylight.
Evening grOsbeak" 1t became, and
evening grosbeak 1t has remained. al
though most persons see them In the
morning. usually.
Rather absurd, really, but that Is the
way things are. There are many popu-
lar names In birdland which are based
on such misconceptions. Bee martin"
for instance. Some country fellow
thought he saw the kingbird eat bees,
and spread the word. Il really was q
stomachs Of kingbirds shows very few
bees.
But the word spread. as such words
do. and soon everybody In the country
side was calling the birds bee martins
In some districts nobody would know
the kingbird by any other name. Actual
Evening star., 1952-03-15
BY Charles {. TroceweH
L. Fleming.

ly. kingbird is good. because it is a sort
Of a king. thinking nothing of assail-
ing hawks. M
H. W.. s. Of Thirty-seyenth street
writes:
ION porch in Southern Virginia
there was hanging large Christmas
cactus.
The seeds and leaves hung down at
the sides Of the flower pot. in which
there was hollow In the center.
From the sides Of the flower pot
there were several wires joined and at
tached to the strong wire that was fas-
tened to the roof Of the porch.
A bird built the most ingenious roof
over the wires, using the Towering stems
Of large oak tree nearby.
A door was left open. On the bare
floor Of this nest the young birds were
hatehed.
"What bird would build such roof,
make such door and raise her young?
"A sn1aA wren house frcm which sew
eral bfoods were reared was near the
rooted nest.
The bird may have been Carolina
wren. This species puts q sort Of cover
over its nest. . bit arched. leaving
an opening only large enough to admit
It.
The Carolina wren nest is made some-
times Ii hole III the ground. hole
n . log. or rock, or ON . shelf.
Sometimes winter wren makes
nest with 3 cover.
Evening star., 1952-03-15

the city. As for Andrews Field, the Pentagon In
sists that It cannot give II up because ii u
essential to the defense Of the National Capital.
Representative Rooney Of New York stated
the case for making the appropriation very
clearly, but the House refused to listen. Mr.
Rooney asked; do you want to abandon the 81
million that you have already spent, or do you
not? Are you going to listen to the aviation ex-
perts whose testimony is In the record engi-
neers, II you please or are you going to listen to
the engineers and aviation specialists you heard
here today?" The same question will be pertinent
when the Senate begins consideration Of the APP
preparation The only reasonable response would
be restoration of the item by the Senate and its
insistence on House reconsideration Of its phan-
tom economy gesture.
Evening star., 1952-03-15
6. o. p. Tuctics

6. O. P. Toctics
] am sure that all young people who
have not yet attained their majority,
and are in the process of forming their
political opinions. appreciated David
.Lawrence's article entitled, when Will
the G. Q. p. Learn?"
How can we be expected to become
intelligent voters and citizens when the
potential candidates for nomination
are SO busy talking personalities that
they obscure their policieS-both do
mestic and foreign? m ID
ii How do we know whether, as Mr..
Lawrence says. Senator Taft has good
story to tell audiences"?s Mr.. Taft is
much too busy casting aspersions on
Gen. Eisenhower's campaign tactics to
let us in on his story,
Let us know why Republican should
be in the White House, not why this
candidate or that candidate won't, or
can't, campaign properly. The man
who wins the Republican nomination
this year will need the solid backing OF
every member of his party, or the
G. o. P. viii be out in the cold again
in 50.
So let us youngsters in on your secrets,
gentlemen. Who knows-when we're
able. we may cast our votes your way.
Carolyn Pattishall.
Evening star., 1952-03-15

the typewriting on It turned down. As
they peeped at the words the reporters
made leap for the door, but the bulky
Sanders stood hrm until every one got
his copy from the President.
els this alp" asked Charles r. Michael
Of The New York Times. The President
merely nodded.
Ten minutes before that Mr.. Coolidge
had instructed his personal stenogra-
pher, Erwin q. Geisser, to take the pad
on which he had scribbled his announce
ment in his own handwriting and have
Is copies made. Mr.. Coolidge wanted
all the copies returned to him. Mr..
Geisser was so impressed with his mis-
sion that he did not even tell his wife
who had O. position in the temporary
White House secretariat and was work.
ing at the next desk-what his slip Of
paper said.
When the reporters filed into Mr..
Cooljdge's office, the President asked
Mr.. Sanders: "Are they all here?" Get
ting an affirmative nod, tho President
continued.
'If the newspapermen viii pass in
front Of me, these win be given you."
Evening star., 1952-03-15
MI. Trunon Asked for 1t

The very best that can be said Of President
Truman's nominee as Recorder of Deeds-Earl
Wayne Beck-is that he had no visible qualifi-
cations for the $3.50 job. And at least some
Of the Senate District Committee members who
heard Mr. Beck's own testimony felt that he
was definitely and clearly disqualified.
Yet the President, for reasons best known
to himself, insisted on forcing the Beck nomina-
ton to showdown. He has gotten what he
asked for. The committee has voted to to
reject the nomination, and If the full member
ship had been present the vote would have
been II to /.
This is singing rebuke to the President,
but he richly deserves it. For he was not only
trying to saddle the District, whose taxpayers
foot the whole bill for the job, with Recorder
Of Deeds whose principal recommendation seems
to have been that he labored in the Pendergast
vineyard in Kansas City when Mr.. Truman was
there. He also went about it in manner that
was suggestive of disdain and contempt for
the committee. 1t is all to the credit of the
members that they refused to submit to it.
Mr.. Truman now indicates that he will not
send up another nomination-that since the
committee has rejected his choice, the Nations
Capital can get along without Recorder of
Deeds. That Is a petulant attitude which
blends with MIR. Truman's whole handling of this
matter. It ought to be remembered that this
is the same Mr.. Truman who from time to
time speaks in anguiShed terms Of the dificulty
Of persuading good men to come to Washington
70 work for the Government. If the Beck case
Is representative of his methods the wonder is
not that it is hard to persuade enough good
men to come here, but that he can induce
any to come.
Evening star., 1952-03-15

IN two minutes 1t was over. The door
swung open and there was wild dash
for the nearest telephones and race
to the telegraph Office
Mr.. Coolidge. with characteristic
thoroughness, had timed his press con-
ference for exactly the closing minute
Of the New York Stock Exchange, 1000
miles away. He knew the dramatic af-
feet his IL words would have on the
market, so he wanted the public to
have time to think it over overnight.
While have never been a souvenir
hunter or an autograph collector, I did
preserve my slip of paper. After using
it in the writing Of my story for the
Buffalo Evening News. ! carefully put
it in notebook, carrying 1t back to
Washington at the end Of the summer.
On March 2, 1929. two days before
MIR. Coolidge was leaving the White
House at the end of his term, took
1t over to Mr.. Sanders Office and asked
him If the President would sign it for
me. I believe mine is the only auto
graphed copy Of that historic announce
ment. ] have it framed and 1t hangs
on my Office wall here in Washington.
Evening star., 1952-03-15
How Another President Broke the News
By james q. Wriohi
the door; put your back to
~ It: let no one leave this room un-

66(sLOSE the door; put your back to
1t; let no one leave this room un-
til all have their slips Of spapah. I"
It was the nasal New England twang
Of President Calvin Coolidge. speaking
to his secretary, the late Everett Sanders.
and setting the stage for his now historic
announcement: z do not choose to run
for President In nineteen tWenty-eight.D
AS Boston paper said edit0rially the
next day: The choice Is his and he does
not choose to run. Thuss virtually
ended discussion Of Mr.. Coolidge as the
Republican candidate for the next year
when every one conceded he could have
the nomination on y silver platter Il he
wanted 1t.
such was the fashion 81 prospective
presidential candidates In b0Wing out
Of the picture quarter Of 4 century ago.
The candidate acted forthrightly. re-
gardless Of the representation Of the
.king makers for then as now they
were busy blowing up their drafts Of
reputedly reluctant candidates.
Mr. Coolidge made his one-sentence
announcement in his temporary ofiice In
the Rapid City fS. DakJ High School
on August 2, 1927. He was spending his
summer vacation LII the Black Hills.
and was quartered at the State Game
Lodge. more than 80 miles away. He
drove back and forth to work In his
temporary offices each week day.
Mr.. Coolidge had not revealed his in-
tentions IN advance TO any one, not even
his wife. Senator Arthur Capper Of
Kansas, who was the Presidents house
guest at the time, said that after break
fast that morning at Z with Mrs.
Coolidge and the President, the Chief
Executive suggested that the two Of
them start to town. On the long ride
into Rapid City he only said one thing
that might have related even remotely
to what Coolidge would do at noon. It
was: well, have been President four
years today"
Following Mr.. Coolidge'S sensational
announcement and their return to
the State Game Lodge for lunch, Sem
ator Capper said to Mrs Coolidge:
"Well. the President gave us quite o
surprise this morning. Mrs. Coolidge
wanted to know what 1t was. Then she
learned for the first time that her hus-
band had decided on his own not to run
for reelection.
After Mr.. Coolidge had set the stage
for his unexpected and Nation-shak
announcement on that hot August after
noon, he asked the newspaper men and
women to queue up, much as they do
today while waiting for bus. and to
pass in front of him. He was standing
at his desk with small bundle of tissue
paper, each slip inch wide. folded In
the center and draped over his fore
finger.
AS the reporters passed, he dealt on
to each one piece Of the onion-skin with
Evening star., 1952-03-15
L letters to The Star !.
Pen-',dnaes may be used If letters carry
iDriters' correct names and addresses.
Al letters are subject to condensation

the Senate who would turn US back to
the Dark Ages Of the Holy Roman Empire,
when the great scientists were tortured
upon the rack. There is no difference
in the methods Of the haters Of Mr..
baltimore and those Of the Eastern
country which they emulate but pre-
tend to fear.
e. e. 8.
The ordeal Of Owen baltimore IS not
one that spectators at the hearings will
soon forget. For two years, Mr.. Latti-
more and others have been caught be-
tween crossfre Of political hatreds and
fanaticisam. None Of the charges has
5 been proved, yet the stigma Of the
charges will hound the accused for many
q day. It was easy to see that good
many spectators hoped the committee
would get Mr.. baltimore.
The professor has been criticized for
the spirited defense he made of his rep
utation and life work. In contrast, John
Carter Vincent. the preceding witness,
was meek and long-suffering. Yet, both
men were treated like fugitives from
chain gang-blood odhounds and all.
It seems OF me that congressional
investigative committee, creating the at
mosphere and using the tactics of the
McCarran committee, is destroying what
Is best In Americanism: decency, fair
play and equality Of witnesses before
their judges.
Evening star., 1952-03-15
W-Considered Leave Plan

While the House Appropriations Committee
has pointed the way to some worth while savings.
it went too far afleld when it recommended
against accumulation Of leave by Federal en-
ployes. The leave question is complicated
one that involves more than dollars It is a
personnel management problem that affects
efficiency Of the Government. It is related not
only to employe welfare and morale but to turn
over OF personnel and hence to stability Of ad-
ministrative functions. The legislative question
of how much or how little leave Government
employe should take in any one year Is one
which should not be decided by the Appropria-
tions Committee but by the group which properly
should weigh such matters-the Civil Service
Committee.
Congress evidenced it's approval Of leave
accumulation last October when it passed an
act putting annual leave on graduated 13-to-26
day basis. That act specifically repealed the ban
on accumulation Of leave from one year to an
other-A move designed to soften the leave
restriction plan. At that time it was pointed out
by Federal officials that the requirement that
all leave must be taken within the year it was
earned was unfair to employees of number
of agencies doing emergency work. Heads Of
these agencies have found it necessary to deny
leave to some employees who could not be spared.
If these employees care to be prevented from
taking their vacations later, when the load sub
sides, they will be penalzed for their sacrifices.
To reirstate the leave restriction through
a rider on an appropriation bill would be to
bypass the Civil Service Committee and to nullify
an important part Of last years leave law. The
House should knock the leave rider or the
appropriation bill and refer this question to the
Civil Service Committee, for any action it may
care to take. Other economy proposals of the
reported measure are more soundly based-espe-
cially the restrictions on Government travel.
communications and printing
Evening star., 1952-03-15
General Ismoy in NATO

General Lord Ismay, one Of Britain's fore
most soldiers, brings many positive qualifications
tohis new post as Secretary General of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
long time and close associate of Prime
Minister Churchill, General Tsmay was one Of
eenief architects of Britain's wartime strategy
in both the military and the political fields. In
this capacity he accompanied the Prime Minister
to virtually all of the major wartime conferences.
played leading part in shaping the decisions of
these meetings and became closely acquainted
with many of the individuals with whom he will
be working in his new job. Among these is
General Eisenhower.
General Ismay is not the first choice for the
NATO post and it is still regrettable that Sir
Oliver Franks, Britains Ambassador here, did not
see his way clear to accept the proffered response
bility. The Secretary Generals Jurisdiction is
essentially on the civilian side and Sir Oliver as
well as some Of the others who have been offered
the post, were particularly qualified in this
regard
Since compromise was necessary, however,
and the search for a man Of international
stature extended eventually into the military
service, the variety and breadth of General
Ismay's experience provide what promises to be
fortunate solution. Quite naturally, the develop
ment Of NATO calls for imaginative pioneering
and a capacity in its leadership for action and
initiative General Ismay already has demon
strated his ability to contribute these qualities
Evening star., 1952-03-15
Phantom Economy

If the House was motivated by economy rea-
sons in voting against supplemental appropria-
tion of $1.4 million for the Burke airport 1t was
the victim of delusion. There is no real
economy in withholding funds for a project
already approved by Congress and on which
nearly 81 million has been committed to date
And If the House was moved by collateral con-
siderations of technical nature, such as were
'expounded on the floor by opponents Of the air.
port 1t succumbed to old arguments that Con-
gress previously had weighed and found
wanting.
No doubt some members of the House were
impressed by claims of injustice put forth in
behalf Of citizens Of Burke who would be dis
placed by the construction of huge auxiliary
national air terminal in their midst. great
many persons sympathiZe with the property
owners whose homes and land are being taken
over by the Government This important human
angle" was given serious study by the Civil
Aeronautics Administration, the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and other au-
thorites before the final choice of the Burke site
was made. The consensus was that the national
interest especially 1t concerned public safety,
required an additional airport near Washington
and that its location in the vicinity Of Burke
would dispossess fewer property owners than any
other available area close to the Capital This
unfortunate human angle would have existed
in some degree wherever it was decided to put
the new field.
Much was said during the debate about Balti-
more's Friendship Airport and the Air Forces
Andrews Field as possible alternatives to building
a new airport. These possibilities, too, had been
thoroughly explored and discarded when Con-
gress approved the Burke project. Even when the
Baltimore Washington Parkway is completed
several years hence, it win take about three
fourths Of an hour to drive from downtown
washington to Friendship-too long to make
regular use of the Baltimore terminal practicable
from Washington's standpoint. The Burke site
WIN be linked with the Shirley Highway to bring
the airport within rs minutes driving time OF
Evening star., 1952-03-15
D. c. Primoy

Chiefly through the efforts Of the
District Eisenhower President Club.
a move is afoot for the revision Of past
voting rules and regulations In the Dis
trict. What is hoped for is well-pub-
licized general primary day with fire
houses, school buildings and other pub
lie buildings available for voting, and
open equally to supporters of all cam
didates Tor the party nomination. Other
groups interested in promoting gem
eral primary day are the District
League Of Women Voters. the Fedora
ton Of Citizens Associations the Demo-
cratic Central Committee. the Young
Democratic Club and the Kefauverites.
But the chairman Of the Districts
Republican Party. Joseph c. McGar-
raghy. has continually rejected the de-
mand for primary changes. Apparently.
Mr.. McGarraghy wants to deny to as
many Washingtonians as possible the
single voting privilege they do possess.
Eileen e. Burgess.
Evening star., 1952-03-15
Germany and the KrenIin

In 1LS latest note on Germany the Kreml1n
has added few variations to an old. familiar
tune The chief of the variations is that the
Germans once they are united, should be free
to rearm fer national defense This is new
angle that has CAUSED some confusion among
Western Communists. who must now adjust
themselves to yet another twist in the Soviet
party line.
Heretofore that line has been adamantly
opposed to the idea of German rearmament Of
any kind. But events have required q modifica-
ton. With Chancellor Adenauer's government
at Bonn cooperating with France, Britain and
the United States to make Germany an armed
associate in the North Atlantic Treaty Organi-
zation, the Kremlin-as If bowling to an inn
pending fait accomph-haS suddenly conceded
that the Germans should be allowed to create
defensive forces Of their own. The concession,
however, is based on conditions that reduce
1t to meaninglessness except in so far as 1t may
have some propaganda value
Thus, as set forth in their note, the men
OF the Kremlin do not want the Germans to
rearm until after West Germany and East Ger
many are united and have peace treaty on.
the basis Of an Anglo French Russian American
agreement--an agreement to be worked out at
new Big -Four conference which the Soviet
Union wishes to stage "in the shortest possible
pave the way for Stree" elections-would provide
that the reunited German nation, though per-
mitted to have armed forces for defense, could
not join any coalition or alliance aimed against
any OF its former enemies.
These conditions especially the last one
are less than subtle in their objective Although
they may appear to be reasonable at first glance,
second glance discloses how their acceptance
would put stop to all current steps toward
West German rearmament and West German
participation In the European army that is sup
posed to be organized within the framework
OF the NATO alliance. In short, stripped of its
camoufiage, the new Soviet note can hardly
be interpreted as anything but another propa-
ganda maneuver calculated to disrupt the
Atlantic communitys defensive build-up against
the threat of Red aggression.
II this Interpretation is wrong, then the
men OF the Kremlin-who incidentally have
been arming the East Germans-can correct it
readily enough. They can dc, so by cooperating
with the United Nations in its proposal-over-
whelmingly approyed-to create an impartial
five-nation commission to travel without hin
drance through all parts Of Germany to deter
mine whether genuinely free elections can be
held at this time and to supervise those elections
if Its findings are favorable. Needless to say.
as long as this proposal is opposed by the Rus
slams, their notes about the German future will
continue to merit nothing but the deepest sus-
picion and negative response.