davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-10-23

ligious backgrounds. Some of
these change. I think their
family influences aren't strong
enough to offset social pres
Sures. The third group is the
largest"
where do you stand?"
"In the third group. I don't
know what to believe. My
family were free thinkers.
Their only religion was the
search for truth. But what is
truth? I read the Communist
newspapers and even the facts
they report are seldom accu-
rate. But I don't believe what
I read in the Western papers
either"
But you must believe in
something"
Il would like to believe that
somewhere somebody is telling
the truth regardless of sides.
But I don't"
What are you studying?"
I asked.
Science. I wanted to be a
journalist but the news stories
and editorial subjects we we're
assigned were always to prove
or illustrate something that
was or wasn't or maybe might
be so. No one encouraged us
to investigate. They told us
the facts and we had to prove
they were right"
II have been a journalist for
80 years and nobody, ever, not
once, told me what I should
write" 1 remarked.
She looked incredulous.
"That is hard to believe. Did
your correspondents write
everything they were able to
find by free investigation
everything important? Before
the war was over did they
write about the conduct of
Russian troops-or American
exactly how it was? Did we
Germans do everything evil
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Germany Ready to Help France
Adenouer Willing to Accept Soor as Detached State,
But He Will Oppose Making 1t q Paris Satellite
Constantine Brown

BONN. Germany (By Air
MaiD. - Germany, realizing
that France is very sick, is
willing to help her. There is,
of course, a selfish reason be-
hind this. The German lead
ers know that a major up
heaval in France might bring
forth a Communist or near
Communist government. And
Germany cannot afford to be
boxed by Communists in the
West as we'll as in the East,
regardless of what particular
brand they may be. Neither
can Germany afford a chaotic
situation across the Rhine.
German leaders admit
frankly that if the political
situation in France were to
disintegrate, its effects would
be felt Immediately in the
Benelux countries and in Italy,
thus leaving Germany and
Switzerland as the only sis
lands" of order in Western Eu-
rope. If such unfortunate
conditions should become reali-
ties how long would it be be-
fore the remaining Islands"
were engulfed by the Reds?
In order to help France,
Germany must display pa
tience and understanding of
her problems. The vast ma
jority of the French. say the
leaders in Bonn. are not Com
munist minded but are utterly
discontented people frustrated
by the ineffectiveness of their
governments and political men.
In a way, it is lucky that the
French do not have a single
strong and ambitious man in
their midst. If such a man
existed, there is little doubt
that France would go toward
a dictatorship as was the case
with Napoleon I and his dis
Evening star., 1953-10-23

on channels. 1t puts great
power in the hands of as
siStants like Sherman Adams
and is generally unpopular
with Capitol Hill.
The candid politician must
admit that he should share
the blame. For years. politi-
clans in both parties who
wanted the great soldier to
run on their tickets told him
he was the candidate of the
country. They told him he
had only to consent and the
country would rise up for him.
They promised him virtually
the mo politics" which he has
now tried to adopt.
This was true both of Demo-
Gratis and Republicans. AS
the nominating conventions of
1852 neared, President Truman
issued some slight warnings
but it was late, the die was
cast and Truman was suspect
for partisan reasons.
Gen. Eisenhower can cer-
tainly claim to have been mis-
led by some of the same men
who now demand that he step
out swinging. Perhaps the size
of his victory has convinced
him that they were right the
first time.
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Dorothy Thonpson-
Ceose|ess Propaganda Warfare
East Berlin Student Only Wishes to Be Left Alone
To Think Freely, and Without Choosing q Side

they attributed to us and
nothing good they overlooked?"
There is always censor
ship in war;" I commented.
"In war" she countered, "the
writer is an instrument Of
war. But now there is always
war, cold war. class war.
psychological war. So there is
no objectivity. That's why I
wouldn't want to be a journal
iSt."
Suppose" I said. you
could change this government
what would you do?"
That's a silly question"
Every one can suppose, I
persisted. Assume for pur-
poses of research into your
own mind that you had the
power. Would you, for in
stance, change the economic
system?"
"I don't know much about
economics" Then, after a
pause: II would forbid any
body to propagandize any one
else about anything" she sud-
denly cried, as though in pain.
1T isn't force that drives one
crazy. It's that nobody nova
days can ever think for him
self. Listen to the radio-East
or West. Every fact only to
prove thesis-to make you
take sides. There must be
something else in the world
other than the two sides!"
Her voice, which had been
low, suddenly rose. THE cof-
fee is quite good, isn't it! Have
you seen the art exhibition?
It's worth a visit"
Her eyes turned toward two
people at the next table who
sat silent, apparently trying to
overhear us.
II think we should go before
it closes for the day."
"You think we should" I
noted silently. THAT is what
thinking has become here, and
who knows how long only here.
An elementary reaction keyed
to survival. according to as
sessment of power"
1 recall this conversation in
connection with the "explana-
tion teams" working on Korean
prisoners of war.
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Fletcher KnebeI-
Potomac Fever

The Atomic Energy Commission it will build atom
plant for industrial 1t will be centrally ocatedght
in the middle of some good Republican Congressman district
Apparently need two things ahead in New York
and New politics. Cd acquaintance with labor racket
joey Fay and 2 enough to hire Tv time to regret
Admiral Carney the Navy chief atomic sub
marines They'll be the u S. Taxpayer
keep them submerged indefinitely.
Congressional leaders predict the social security increase
slated for January will be repealed The Congressman
feels that if it isn't he will be-
Democratic Representative Che of Kentucky demands that
Agriculture Secretary Benson resign Democrats consider this
nonpartsan appeathey the G. o. P to admit it can't
solve the farm problem either.
Army Secretary National aircraft
batteries will be the defense minutemen The minute
attack their and start driving
out to their to what's left of them.
Evening star., 1953-10-23
AppeaI in Red Decision
Denied Six Teachers
By the Associated Press

ALBANY, N. Y, Oct. 23.-The
Court of Appeals yesterday re-
fused to hear an appeal in the
case of six New York City public
school teachers suspended for
refusal to answer questions about
possible Communist Party men,
bership.
The high court rejected q mo
ton by Irving Adler and others,
asking it to review a Supreme
Court decision on their case.
The teachers sought permis-
sion to appeal a unanimous de-
cision by the appellate division,
made July 2, upholding a lower
courts finding that the city
Board of Education had a right
to inquire into possible Commu-
mist ties.
Two Of the teachers were dis
missed after department hear
lngs in their cases. Four were
suspended. All were charged
with INSTRUMENTATION for alleg-
edly refusing to tell the city
Board of Education whether they
were or ever had been members
OF the Communist Party.
Evening star., 1953-10-23
DoYid Lawrence

President Eisenhower de-
cision to- refrain from cam
paigning for individual candi-
dates for Congress - though,
of course, he may make some
speeches between now and
election day in 1854 about the
record of his administration
and his party-has revived
interest in the question of
whether presidential influence
in congressional elections has
been exaggerated.
The most authoritative work
on the subject is that of DR..
Malcolm MooS, professor of
political science at John Hop
kins University, who has given
a summary of all available
data, together with his own
analysis, in a book entitled
Politics, Presidents and Coat
tails" published by the Johns
Hopkins Press, Baltimore.
DR.. MooS quotes various
other authorities, too, and
notes that Professor Ewing of
the University of Oklahoma, in
a study of congressional elec-
tions covering a 50-year period,
concludes that the popularity
OF a presidential candidate and
the presidential campaign
have a very limited influence
upon congressional elections"
and that, in his judgment,
the coattail clutcher theory is
vastly exaggerated"
If, therefore, each of the
pre- sid entail candidates,
whether winner or loser, has
relatively little influence in
presidential election years, it
may be inferred that a Presi-
dent can exert even less in
f1uence in a so-called off-year
when Congress is being
elected and a President is not
being chosen.
DR.. Moos points out that
since 1896 the winning presi-
dental candidate has always
garnered a larger vote than
the total for his DartV'S con-
greSSional ticket" He declares
that the disparity between the
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Presidential Influence in Votinq
Professors Research Shows That White House Candidates
Generally Run Ahead Of Their Portys Congress Slate

Eisenhower got 119 per cent
of the congressional vote of
his party and Stevenson got
only 81 per cent.
It is interesting to observe
that President Truman was
the single exception to the rule.
He won, yet he ran behind the
congressional ticket, getting
99.9 per cent of that vote. All
the winners otherwise ran
ahead of the congressional
ticket of their respective
parties, and so did all the
losers run ahead with the ex-
ception of Parker in 1904,
Bryan in 1908, Landon in 1886.
Davis in 1924, and Stevenson
in 1852.
The book by DR.. Moos offers
no explanations as to why
people do not vote as ex-
tensively for Congress as they
do for President but does point
out that in off election years
the vote is even lower because
of a lessened interest. This is
but another way Of saying that
local nominees, despite their
supposed popularity in their
own districts, aren't as well
known as a presidential
nominee.
In the coming elections,
therefore, it may be antici-
pated that the people with
grievances will come out and
vote. The dissenters in con-
gressional elections in the last
20 years have been primarily
Republicans but, since the
Democrats have become the
protesting party. they may be
augmented by a faction of Re-
publicans. Hence, the Repub-
licanS could lose Congress as
a direct result of the Stay-at-
home vote which may be due
to indifference, protest or
negligence. It's the most seri-
Gus problem the Republicans
face-how to get Republicans
to the polls in the November,
1854, congressional elections.
Reproduction Rights Reserved.)
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Thomas L. Stokes
Thonoos l. Stokes
Problem in Soil Conservation
Secretary Benson Drawing More Fire From Farmers
As Result of Reorganization Plan Announcement

Still another prairie fire is
licking around the heels of
the currently beleagured fig
ure of Secretary of Agriculture
Benson, who is harassed by
farmer complaints of falling
prices and inadequate Federal
drought relief.
Protests are coming into his
Office, many relayed from
offices of members of Congress
at the Capitol, against his re-
Gently announced plan of re-
organization of the Soil Con-
servation Service, a function
that has become very much of
an essential with farmers and
conServationists of. our land
and water resources.
The Benson scheme of SCS
reorganization, which would
eliminate regional Offices and
put the service on a State
q basis, is being severely criti-
cized on the grounds, among
others, that it would ham
string the agency's efficiency,
increase its cost rather than
bring economy, and would i'm
pair it's usefulness in many
ways, particularly in regard to
upstream conservation and
flood prevention which nee
essarily involve integrated
programs stretching across
State lines.
From the vehemence and
scope of the complaints it
would appear that nothing the
Eisenhower administration has
done has struck such a dis
cordant note. That is reflected
in generalization of SCS per-
sonnel, clear to the top, which
is itself disruptive of an esprit
de corps in a career service OF
experts who have done so
much for the farmers and their
lands and water resources.
Directly caught in the con-
fusion is DR.. Robert M. Salter
who became chief of the Soil
Conservation Service two years
ago upon retirement OF DR..
Hugh Bennett, the father" OF
SCS, as he was known.
Though accepting the reor-
ganization scheme in the spirit
of the career public servant
who carries on the agreed pol
icy from one administration to
another, DR.. Salter is known
to be unhappy about 1t, and
Evening star., 1953-10-23
OmFurnners

activities in State extension
services of Ohio and North
Carolina, among other posts.
He is a native of Indiana.
All technicians at regional
Offices would be dismissed with
the closing of regional Offices.
Likewise there would be a re-
duction of area conservation
lists from 329 to 236, according
to an analysis just issued in
Houston, Tex, by the officers
of the National Association of
Soil Conservation Districts
who met there to draft a re-
port to their membership,
which is made up of commits
sioners who are elected by the
farmers and operate under
State law. In its report, the
association, which has been
leading the protest against the
Benson reorganization pro-
posal, claimed that State eX-
tension services are not now
equipped to supply the tech
nical services heretofore pro-
vided by the regional offices
and that, if they do try to do
the work, it will cost more
than it now does under the
regional setup. The associa-
ton report also declared that
the upstream flood conserva-
ton program would be grave
ly handicapped" by abandon
ment of the regional Offices
and loss Of their high-caliber
technical services.
1t is yet possible that the
reorganization scheme, which
was scheduled originally to
take effect around November
l, may be modified. At least
there are indications at the
department that it may be de-
layed and that. in itself, may
forecast alterations.
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Foreign Trade Group
Schedules Paris Talks
By the Associcted Press

Chairman Clarence B. Randall
last night announced that the
Commission on Foreign Eco
nomic Policy will go to Paris
next month for a four day meet
ing with officials concerned with
world trade problems.
Later, the commission expects
to confer in Washington with
representatives of various inter-
national organizations such as
the International Monetary
Fund, the international Bank
for Reconstruction and Develop
ment, the United Nations, and
the Inter-American Economic
and Social Council of the Or
ganization of American States.
Evening star., 1953-10-23

unhappy, too, over his present
unsettled status and that of
his immediate associates in the
Soil Conservation Service. Last
April he and his top assistants
were removed from civil serv-
ice protection by an order of
Secretary Benson which was
confirmed by the Civil Service
Commission in August. Con-
Sequently they can be removed
at any time, a precarious sort
OF situation that is not con-
ducive to good morale.
DR.. Salter had expected
the new administration to
strengthen the SCS, instead
of weakening it, on the basis
of assurances which, it is
learned, he had received last
January from then Assistant
Secretary j. Earl Coke, now
Undersecretary. With the
change of administration, DR..
Salter considered leaving the
Government and taking a po-
sition he had been offered as
president of a Southern COL
lege. But he told Mr.. Coke
he would remain if the aim
was to strengthen the SCS,
which he was assured it was.
He now knows different.
His tenure may not be of
long duration because of de-
veloping circumstances and
previous circumstances, among
the latter that last spring DR..
Salter, because of a matter
of health at that time, re-
queSted transfer to some other
position less arduous in it's de-
mandS, to which Mr.. Coke
agreed when he could find a
replacement.
If the reorganization plan
goes through as drafted, many
others will leave the service in
the reduction of personnel that
is called for. some, like DR..
Salter. after many years in
soil conservation work. DR..
Salter, now 81, came to the
department in 1941 after a
long career in agronomy and
soil chemistry in various ca
pacities, including teaching in
the University of West Vir-
ginia and Ohio State Univer-
sity, where he graduated and
did his postgraduate work, and
administrative and directorial
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Doris FIeeson-

Republican politicians can
only guess how permanent and
inf1eXible President Eisen-
hower's decision not to become
involved in off-year congress
Sional and State elections will
be, but they do know this: He
had made it before the recent
Republican reversals and he
did not allow these reversaIs to
change it.
The President stated his
position privately to political
managers who brought him
appeals for help from New
Jersey, California and New
York. At the time the party
did not feel itself in real danger
and nobody gave him an argu-
ment.
There are various opinions
now about the wisdom of the
Eisenhower statements, quite
apart from any individual
personal bitterness such as
Senator Young of North Da-
Kota is displaying. Senator
Young has gone completely off
the reservation. saying bitterly
the Presidents mo politics"
. stand will help as his policies
are so unpopular.
One practical politician who
cheerfully admits to what he
calls "a vulgar desire to win
Evening star., 1953-10-23

In East Berlin last summer
I conversed with young
woman some members Of
whose family I had known in
pre-Hitler days. She was a
student in the Communist
zones University of Berlin.
We lunched together in a res
taurant.
I asked about the political
attitude of students. ...
"There are three groups.
The Communists, the pro-
Westerners and those who
don't know where they stand.
The Communist group is large
and fanatical. They won't
change. The pro-Westerners
are few, mostly with strong re-
Evening star., 1953-10-23

Adenauer feels that he can
make this unpopular con-
cession to the neighbor across
the Rhine because of the over
whelming vote of confidence
he received in the last election.
He knows that he will be vio-
lently attacked by his oppo-
nents in the Bundestag but is
willing to withstand the shouts
of traitor. He has a ma
jority of the Parliament in his
hip pocket.
Unfortunately, this solution
of the Saar question has not
received deserved consideration
in Paris. Prime Minister Jo-
Seph Laniel and Foreign Min
lister Georges Bidault still in
sist that the agreement which
was reached last year with the
Saar government elected un-.
der the supervision of the
French army of occupation
giving France an exclusive eco
nomic position for the next SO
years must stand. Any yield
ing on their part, they unoffi-
cially informed the Bonn gov
ernment, would mean their i'm
mediate downfall and a parade
of successive governments in
Paris. Thus Adenauer'S fears
of political chaos across the
Rhine would be fulfilled earlier
than he may anticipate.
Yield us the Saar uncondi-
tionally," he is being told, "and
you will increase the chances
of the National Assembly rat
flying the EDO pact"
Unfortunately, Adenaur can
not yield on the economic
phases of that problem even
if this means that the EDO
will be thrown in the waste
basket and the much-feared
political confusion will becloud
the Western European issues.
Evening star., 1953-10-23

presidential and congressional
ticket in the number of votes
cast was So per cent in every
presidential election from 1896
to 1916 but that from 1920 on
"the average difference be-
tween the parties as regards
the ratio of their presidential
to their congressional tickets
vote has climbed to 11.9 per
cent, which means that on the
average only 80 to 80 persons
out of every hundred who have
been voting for President since
1920 have also been taking the
pains to. vote for congressional
candidates."
1t may be surprising to the
public generally to learn that
DR.. Moos, in his listing of the
order in which presidential
candidates have exceeded their
congressional tickets, shows
that Theodore Roosevelt is
first with 114.9 per cent and
that Charles Evans Hughes,
who lost in 1916. is tied for
first with the same percentage
of excess over the congress
sional vote. Franklin Roose-
velt comes third, fourth and
fifth with 1923 per cent, and
Herbert Hoover was sixth with
111.9 per cent.
Wendell Willkie was 18th
with 1851 per cent, and Will
liam ]. Bryan, and Thomas E.
Dewey are close runners-up for
18th and 18th places.
Since the book was written
before the November, 1852,
election, it does not include
the Eisenhower or Stevenson
ranking. But, using the same
method of computation, it
turns out that only 81 persons
out of every 100 who voted for
Eisenhower voted for the Re
publican congressional nomi-
neeS. In the case of Stevenson
the record shows that three
more persons out of every 100
voted for the congressional
nominees of the Democratic
Party than for Stevenson. In
percentages, this means that
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Body Of San Diego Editor
Found in Mexican Crash
BY the Associated Press

SAN DIEGO, Calf, Oct. %
The San Diego Union yesterday
was notified officially that the
body of one of IA victims of
Mondays plane crash near Mon
terrey, Mexico, had been identi-
fled as that of j. Clifford Safley,
SO, the Unions editor.
Gerald A. Mokman, United
States consul general at Mon
terrey, telephoned the news
paper that he was advised by
Gov. Jose Vivanco of the state of
Nuevo Leon that Identification
had been made Through personal
documents.
Mr.. Safely was believed to be
the only American on the plane.
His widow, Mrs. Maybelle SAT-
ley, who had been in Mexico with
him, arrived home yesterday.
Evening star., 1953-10-23
The Wife Found
A Phone Number
In Husbands Pocket
BY the Assoeiated Press

BY the Assoei1fed Press
SAGINAW, Mich, Oct. %.
Switchboard operator
Ethel Smith, as for years,
answered with: "City Hall
"What?" the caller re-
sponded
City Hail." Ethel chirped,
but got no come back.
This is City Hail." she
tried again. With whom
do you wish to speak?"
Il guess with no one," the
feminine voice at the other
end said slowly. II discov-
cred this number while go
ing through my husbands
pockets"
Evening star., 1953-10-23
Eurth FIot at Poles,
Not Truly Spherical

BOSTON.-The earth is not
truly spherical. 1t is flattened
at the poles and somewhat re-
sembles a doorknob.
Jupiter is f1attened even more.
It's diameter from pole to pole
is about one-fifteenth less than
that at the Equator.
Evening star., 1953-04-16
Policemen Payoff
Charged by Witness

A gambling trial witness today
testified that Alfred T. (Puddin-
head Jones, colored gambling
figure. had on at least two occa-
sions handed money to Pvt.
Lawrence E. Blackwell, police
undercover man.
The witness, Mrs. Lola Fletch-
er, colored, of the 3100 block
of Tenth street NE, testified at
the trial of Jones and Charles
A. Dorsey, IS. colored, Of the
1900 block of Eighth street NV,
in the u. S. District Court for
the District of Columbia. Both
men are charged with setting
up a gaming table.
Mrs. Fletcher also asserted
that Pvt. Blackwell had asked
her to deny that he had ever
been associated with Jones. De-
Tense Attorney Curtis Mitchell
told the court that it was Pvt
Blackwell himself who had ini-
tiated the crap game in the 110C
block of S street NV. December
26, 1851, which led to the cuE-
rent trial. Mr.. Mitchell asserted
that no gambling was in progress
until Pvt. Blackwell entered and
started the game in order to pull
off a raid.
Police Chief Robert v. Murray
said the department is "well
aware" Of the accusations made
against Pvt. Blackwell. He said
no action will be taken on the
charges until the gambling cases
are disposed of in court. Then,
he said, well make a complete
investigation"