davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-01-24
As Trumun Goes Home

Your editorial "AS truman Goes
Home" which appeared Inauguration
day, left me with a rather discomfort
ing feeling. This was the day every
American realized how much his
country meant to him. We were more
than ordinarily conscious Of the i'm
portance of country to each of us. It
was day set aside for the Nation. The
citizens heard one Of their number take
the oath of Office as President.
On this day, you editorialize to the
effect that the steps Mr.. Truman took
in Europe may have saved Europe from
Communism. You list the Truman
Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the At
1antic Pact and NATO.
What are these things in comparison
to the strength that lies in country?
Without the force of country on her
borders. is Russia not free to move as
she pleaSes?
I wonder if history won't record that
America made mistake after World
War I in dividing Germany, then re-
peated that mistake after World War
II. I wonder if the force of Communism
isn't so strong that we need the force
of Germanism opposite it. and wonder
if all that has been done under RooSe-
velt and Truman isn't trivial.
The time has come for us to beha I've
like adults in world affairs. To try to
block Russian expansion without &C
cepting German nationalism is childish.
We must fight force with force The
force of Germanism is the only force
in the world today than can be relied
upon to prevent Russian expansion into
Europe.
need not attempt to define German
ism. 1t is not to be confused with
Hitlerism. It cannot find expression
except through country anymore than
the American way of life can.
History will record that the man who
pointed the way to allowing the force
OF Germanism to stand opposite the
force Of Communism prevented the
d1sintegration Of Western culture.
am discomforted because your
editorial is so superficial.
InternatiOnaIist.
Evening star., 1953-01-24
Another Inauguration

Hearing on the radio of the prepara-
tions for the Inauguration takes me
back 40 years to the one for Woodrow
Wilson on March. 4, 1913.
I was captain in the Washington
High School CadetS-Company D, Nc
Kinley High School-and marched at
the head Of my company in the inau-
gural parade.
j. Edgar Hoover was captain of Com
pany B at Central High. and my close
friend, Hayward (most people now
know him as Fred) Siddons, a vice
president of the American Security
and Trust Company, was second lieu
tenant Of Company H at Western.
Having been away from Washing
Evening star., 1953-01-24

fuel to their hate America campaign, thus con-
ditioning the masses for war
Any one of these and similar possibilities,
or a mixture of all of them, may well account
for the Kremlin's current anti Semitic line. The
precise answer can merely be guessed at. The
only thing the non-Soviet world can be sure of is
that Red Russia is up to no good, that Israel is
justified in taking grave view of the situation,
and that every Jew behind the Iron Curtain has
reason to feel slightly terrified Hitler's ghost is
stalking the length and breadth Of Stalin's
empire.
Evening star., 1953-01-24
Trumun's Place in History

would like to compliment The Star
for the splendid column of Thomas L.
Stokes. concerning the place of Harry
Truman in world history. Your Mr..
Lawrence seems to have a very low
opinion of our outgoing President, and
that is not surprising, considering Mr..
LaWrence's natural prejudice against
man of the people. For that is what
Harry Truman was: A man of the
people, defending the common man
against the special interests and the
minions of high finance. And that is
how Harry Truman will be remem-
bered
He will be remembered for his cour-
age and boldness in defending and up
holding the social and economic gains
Of the laboring man, which are now
again threatened by newly entrenched
financial interests. He will be remem-
bered for his bold decision to give aid to
any nation f1ghting Communist aggres-
sion, which is known as the Truman
doctrine" and which was successfully
applied in Greece and Korea. He will be
remembered for his vigorous and stead
fast defense of civil rights and the
right of the colored man to live on
par with his white brother. He will be
remembered for his courageous act in
seizing the steel industry to keep pro-
duction going and save the lives of our
boys fighting in Korea.
He will be remembered for his bold
and patriotic stand on the tidelands oil
issue, to place these vital resources at
the disposal of the Nation.
Harry Truman was a great man and
great President Let us hope that his
successor will prove equally worthy of
the trust the American people have put
in him.
Mark Schafer.
An article in The Star on what would
be thought of Harry s. Truman in
2053 intrigued me.
Mr.. Truman's most disgraceful act
and one of the blacklist pages of our
history was the firing of Gen. Mac
Arthur. I hope all the honors due the
general will be fully restored.
About the Truman library in Mis-
souri,. why all that expense to house
the record of all the errors and scam
dals? If the President wants them
kept, why not on his own premises?
If his friends and admirers wish to
do something to honor and perpetuate
his memory, why not donate to flood
control in the Missouri area? There
will surely be dams and locks, and why
not name the most prominent the
Truman Dam? Think this over.
Missouri Woman.
Evening star., 1953-01-24
As Presidency Changed Hands

The Stars inaugural edition says that
at IL o'clock noon, January 20, the term
Of the President automatically ends. At
1910 you say President Truman enters
the Presidents platform. We did not
have a President from IL noon until
President Eisenhower was sworn in.
So should you not have called Truman
mister at 1910? Golly, we had to
wait 20 years for this!
Denny Lane.
Evening star., 1953-01-24
Moot Opinions

The Star printed a letter from Joel
ToWnsley Rogers, complaining of what
he regarded as IniStranSlation of the
word moot" as used in the Senate
subcommittee report on Senator Ben
ton. The subcommittee had said that
charges against Senator Benton had
become moot. David Lawrence stated
that this means they need not further
be investigated" Mr.. Rogers takes vio-
lent exception to this, claiming that
the word moot" means "diScuSSable"
or "arguable."
moot or its definition in Webster, every
lawyer from the Supreme Court on
down uses the word as meaning that
an issue or question is no longer a live
or justiciable one. Since some of the
members of the subcommittee are law
yers, this undoubtedly is what they
meant, and Mr.. Lawrence'S definition
was entirely accurate. If this does vio-
lence to the original meaning of the
word, it is much too late to remedy it.
Lawyer.
Joel Townsley Rogers recently was
discussing moot" points and how the
''newSpaperman" of an "ill-educated
generation" is expected to sin against
the language, unlike one of your syn
dicated columnistS. AS a member of
the ill-educated generation and news
paper man (in my newspaper there is
a newspaper and men. hence two words,
not modern combination) have been
taught few basic rules which perhaps
Mr.. Rogers generation overlooked. In
the attack on his stylistic hero Mr..
Rogers opens sentence with the word
"but." In the dim recesses of this
newspaper mans i'll education rests a
rule which says, in effect, that each
sentence is self-contained, cannot bor-
row from what has been written before.
Any sentence opening with but usu-
ally finds it's subject in the previous
sentence. A most convenient device
Is the word but, but it should be
watched by the supposed purists.
Newspaper Man.
Evening star., 1953-01-24
Potent Dispute

The Sunday Star Pictorial Magazine
recently carried an article by William
j. Meyer giving credit to Federal en-
ployes for the invention of the aerosol
bomb. I was amazed that The Star
did not check the facts. In the Patent
Office you will find that the bomb was
invented and patented by Mr.. c. Id
dings. His patent application was made
November Is. 1888, and patent granted
December /, 1886.
When one considers the mess the
Government is in today there is little
wonder that Federal employees will stand
up and be counted for credit not due
them. Surely the Government has
many worthwhile patents and inven-
tionS to its credit without having to
take credit away from men like Mr..
IddingS. James p. Wilson.
Editors Note: Mr. Movers article
did not intend to detract from the
fact that private interests have de-
veloped many appliances, materials and
whatnot that perform essentially the
same as Government-invented devices
and materials. His point was that this
particular invention as developed by
Government scientists with public
funds has been licensed to SO manu-
facturerS royalty free whereas private
patent holders customarily charge for
use Of their patent rights.
Evening star., 1953-01-24
Absence of Viruiniu FIoot

Absence of Virginia Floot
In The Star of January 19, 'Tem-
porary Virginian" speaks of the in
ability of the Virginia Government to
lose gracefully-hence no Virginia float
in the parade. Just what did Virginia
lose? The State went Republican;
three Republicans were elected to Con-
gress. Those Democrats who did not
indorse Eisenhower were blasted by
other Democrats for their GOODNESS
toward Stevenson.
AS a permanent and tax-paying
resident of Virginia-one who voted
Republican, heartily approve Gov.
Battles action. RIB,
When read the letter titled "vir-
ginia Float" I could not help but feel
astounded. It seemed that Virginia was
well represented with her traditional
contingents from the Virginia Poly
technic Institute Cadet Corps, the Vir-
ginia Military Institute Cadet Corps
and the Richmond Light Infantry
Blues. not to mention other fine state
supported institutions.
Permanent Virginian.
Allow me to remind Temporary Vir-
ginian" that he will not find more
honest politicians anywhere on earth
than "that bunch of Confederate flag
wavers." They have kept Virginia one
of the only three states out of debt.
Perhaps they will use the $2,500 not
appropriated for Virginia float to i'm
prove our beautiful State instead of
pleasing the eyes of ingrates like TEN
porary Virginian" Julie Roy.
Evening star., 1953-01-24
Too Much Rope?

The District Commissioners and the
Inaugural, Committee should sit them
selves down, take pen in hand and
enter in their diaries the following:
81 Hereafter, no cowboys, drugstore
and Hollywood types especially, shall
be permitted to roam at large in an
inaugural parade with a loose lariat.
They shall be required to park their
ropes at the corral, along with their
six-shooters, before entering the parade.
2. Police or secret service men shall
be stationed in front of the Presidents
reviewing stand with orders to inter-
cept, and arrest, If necessary, any mem
ber Of the parade who offers indignitieS
or danger to the President"
We saw one such gentry in the in
Evening star., 1953-01-24

large. clear words on the float itself
who the people represented.
This inaccuracy should be corrected
so that the readers of your fine paper
won't be left with wrong idea.
Philip Alan Ridgely.
Upper Marlboro, Md.
Editors note: The Star was mis-
taken and so is Mr.. Ridgely. The
sign explained that the tableau rep
resented Mary Pickesgill. with her
mother and daughter. making the
flag for Fort McHenry.)
Evening star., 1953-01-24
Letters to The Star .

ton for more than 80 years, have lost
contact with the other more than
forty officers of the regiment during
that school year. but no doubt many of
them are still there.
Walker O. NettIeton.
Guilford, Conn.
Evening star., 1953-01-24
Everybody Makes Mistakes

In reading The Stars account of the
floats in the parade. found an awful
error. In his description of the Mary
land float your reporter stated that
Barbara Fritcl1ie was depicted.
Actually on the float was Betsy
Ross. 1t was even written out in
Evening star., 1953-04-05

were traded and an armistice
agreement were signed, the Korean
question would then be thrown into
the political arena. It could, con-
ceivably, be yearS-in which an
armed truce would prevail on the
Korean battlefront-before any
thing was done to unity Korea.
Four-power talks on German
unity could ommence-and drag
on interminably. Disarmament
talks could get started in the
United Nations-without ever be-
ing brought to a definite conclu-
sion. A workable arrangement on
air safety in Berlin corridors could
be reached-without solving the
basic problem of Berlin or even
guaranteeing against future air
disasters.
How long could such situation
last? Six months? Two years?
Five? Ten? Probably as long as
the Soviet government wanted it
to last.
However long the peace offensive
lasts, when Malenkov finally de-
cides to call it off and drive again
for the SovietS' everlasting long
term goal of world domination, it
will mean that the new Russian
dictator is in control at home.
Right now, regardless of the
basic aims of the Communists, it
would seem the better part Of
wisdom for them to get the pris-
oner exchange talks over as expe-
ditiouSly as possible. The question
of swapping sick and wounded is
item on the agenda of peace.
Every one in the West will be
watching Suspiciously. If the pris-
oner trade bogs down in a moraSs
of Red doubletalk and double
dealing, the whole peace offensive
will be discounted. If the exchange
is carried out speedily, in a busi-
nesslike atmosphere, the West will
be more amenable to further peace
negotiations.
And, carrying it a step further,
If the question of the other pris-
onerS collapSeS in Chinese gobble-
dygook, the peace drive will end
then and there.
If the basic reason for the cur
rent peace offensive is internal;
If the Soviet's new rulers need
time to reunify their subjects,
perhaps a few months might do
the trick. If, however, the basic
reason is external; if they are try
ing to split the West, weakening
the front against communism, the
length would depend on the alert
ness of the West itself.
There is nothing in the Com
munist dialectic that says one
must hurry to gain ones end.
Like the man he succeeded q
month ago, Georgi Malenkov has
plenty of time. He can just sit
and wait.
Evening star., 1953-04-05
Greek Ships

CTUDENTS OF THAT modern
~ American phenomenon called
Joe Mccarthy will be fascinated
for many months to come by last
weeks saga of the Greek ship
owners. The question of who
won?" will long be debated. But
it probably never will be answered
because nobody won.
Still, it was an interesting ex-
ample Of Senator Mccarthy in
action.
. What Mccarthy did:
The staff of Senator McCarthy's
Permanent Investigating Subcom-
mittee had for some time been
studying the actions of certain
Greek shipowners who reputedly
had been making large profits
from trade with Iron Curtain
countries. The State Department,
under both Dean Acheson and
John Foster Dulles, also had in
vestigated the Greeks and had
negotiated agreements with the
Greek government that would halt
any such Communist trade. SINH
lar agreements had been made
with Liberia, Panama, Costa Rica
and Honduras, countries whose
flags the Greek-owned vessels were
carrying.
On top of the State Depart
ment's action came the Mccarthy
subcommittee investigation. Ap-
parently the prospect Of a full
scale McCarthy-type hearing was
too much for the ship owners.
They agreed among themselves to
notify the Senator that they no
longer would trade in Red areas.
In fact, they told other persons,
they hadn't carried goods to Iron
Curtain countries for two years.
Senator Mccarthy, operating as
he frequently does without con-
Sulting other members of his COM
mittee, accepted the shipowners'
statement and dropped plans for
an investigation.
. What Mccarthy said he did: .
The Senator then called in the
press and gave out a mimeographed
statement which said repeatedly
that negotiations" by the subcom-
mittee had won agreements" from
the shipowners to break of trade
with Communist areas. Similar
negotiations" were still under way
with other shipowners to work out
more agreements"
His subcommittee's negotia-
tions, the Senator said, had cut the
tonnage of strategic materials
going into enemy hands by 40 to
IS per cent" This, he said, was
the equivalent of a naval blockade
Continued on Page A-24J
Evening star., 1953-04-05

Trygve Lie; in Berlin, Gen. Chui-
kov renews the Russian proposal
for four power talks on German
peace and unity; Moscow an
nounceS sharp cuts in prices of
food and consumer goods.
April 1-Molotov takes to the
radio to pledge Russian support
for a Korean armistice; Commu-
nists in Korea speed mail delivery
to their prisoners of war; Russia
backs down on her often defeated
disarmament proposal in the
United Nations, agreeing to discuss
atomic control and arms reduc-
tion; Russians in Berlin open
talks with the British on air
safety.
April 2-United Nations and
Communist negotiators set to-
morrow, April 6, for the opening
of talks at Panmunjom on ex-
change of sick POWs; Russia in
vites the United States and France
to take part in the talks on air
safety in the corridors between
West Germany and Berlin.
April 3-North Koreans liberate
IA French civilians interned since
the start of the war.
April 4-Soviet releases nine
doctors, including five Jews, seized
January 13 for alleged completely
in the death of Red leaders;
Prada spells out the Soviet goal
as "desire to improve relations
with the western powers; Krem-
lin rescinds eviction of the United
States Embassy from its window
on Red Square," Spasso House, but
the United States turns down the
gesture; Soviet Foreign Minister
Molotov receives Jacob Beam,
United States charge d'affairs for
the first time; Soviety Rumania
proclaims amnesty for many pris-
oners, similar to that proclaimed
in Russia.
During this same period there
were, of course, a number of in
cidents that did not fit into the
peaceful pattern. Air attacks
along the Czechoslovak and inter-
zonal borders in the West, and off
Kamchatka in Asia, muddied the
waters slightly. But beyond prov
ing that Russia is still jealous of
her frontiers, these incidents
seemed to mean little. The over
whelming evidence of the last
month was that the Soviet Union
was hell-bent-whether sincerely
or otherwise-for peace.
President Eisenhower and secre-
tary of State Dulles took an atti-
tude almost universally adopted
by long headed men: Listen;
appraise; Judge developments as
they unfold; neither accept the
Reds proposition at face value
nor reject it out Of hand.
The danger to the West in gen.
eral, and to the United States in
particular, lay not in caution such
as this, but in allowing the Com
munist siren song to lull the free
world to sleep.
Evening star., 1953-04-05

well played by the Reds, might
lull the United States into the
same kind of postwar somnolence
that made Korea possible.
. The United States and its .Ko-
rean allies are unified now in op-
position to Red China because that
nation is acting the role of Peck's
Bad Boy in world affairs. But
should Red China start acting the
little gentleman, a split on the
question of admitting Mao Tse-
tung's government to the United
Nations might result. Britain al
ready recognizes the Chinese Com
muniSts automatically, while the
United States adheres to Chang
Kai-shek's NationalistS. Our ad-
ministration appears to be too
firmly committed to Chang to
throw him over, whether or not
peace comes.
. A large bloc in the United Ma
tionS has taken a neutralistic atti-
tude in the cold war. Among
SpokeSmen of these nations there
has been evident a "plague-on-
both-your- houses" frame of mind.
It is possible that if Russia carries
on a specifically convincing peace
offensive which the Western bloc
does not buy, the neutrals may be-
come convinced of what Russia
has been saying all along-that the
West wants war and the East
wants peace.
To the question, "Why are the
Russians talking peace?" the an
swer could very well be, why
not?" The Soviet Union has so
much to gain and so little to lose
from launching a peace offensive
that the wonder of it seems to be
that such campaign was not car
'ried out long ago by the old master
strategist, Josef Stain.
Evening star., 1953-04-05

a week this journalistic nonsense
ceased, undoubtedly on orders
from headquarters. It is reason
able to assume that Malenkov gave
the instructions to play it more
quietly.
2. While Stain was alive, Ma
lenkov was his protege, his "boy."
But on March is, when Malenkov
came before the Supreme Soviet
to get its rubber-stamp approval,
Deputy Prime Minister Lavrenty
Beria introduced him as "the tai
ented pupil Of Lenin and a true
comrade-in-arms of Stain" In
other words, Malenkov and Stain
were mortals and equals, and only
Lenin was divine.
8. Throughout his life, Stain
had set great store by his expert
ence as general secretary of the
Communist Party, and had yielded
this job to Malenkov only in his
declining years. Malenkov threw
away the title as though it were a
banana peel, turning the general
secretaryship over to Nikita Khru-
schev, a well-trained pet Of the
new overload.
4. BY apparently discrediting the
story of the doctor-assassins, the
new leadership of the Soviet Union
has struck at the methods of Sta
linism and has promised the people
return to law and order.
In short, everything that was a
big deal for Stain was suddenly no
deal at all for Malenkov.
Ivon Ivonov's Problem
Having laid the demolition
charge under the Stain myth,
Malenkov turned to the problem of
Ivan Ivanov, the forgotten worker
and/or peasant. There is no doubt
in any ones mind that Ivan has
had a tough go of it for many
years. He had been getting prom
ises, but little else.
At Stalin's funeral, Malenkov
said:
'In the internal sphere, our main
task is ceaselessly to strive for fur
ther improvement in the material
welfare of the workers, the collec-
tive farmers, the intelligentsia and
all the Soviet people. It Is a law
for our party and government to
implement the duty of ceaselessly
striving for the good of the people
for the maximum satisfaction of
it's material and cultural needs"
Perhaps Ivan Ivanov, listening
to the speech over the radio or
reading it in Prada, shrugged his
shoulders and muttered something
about more promises. If SO, Ma
lenkov was ready on two fronts
to change Ivan's frame of mind
for the better:
The amnesty for prisoners was
a far cry from a mass jail de-
livery. But it undoubtedly gave
new hope to Ivan that discipline
would be less iron-handed than
under Stain. Not that Ivan could
get away with anything counter
revolutionary-political offenders,
by and large, were not affected by
the amnesty-but the picayune
Evening star., 1953-04-05
Why?
TRYING TO FIGURE the R

TRYING TO FIGURE the Rus
l. slams is an exciting, but usual
ly unrewarding, game. This week
end it was particularly exciting.
The big question was why the
Russians were moving now for
something that looked very much
like peace.
Remembering again that any
advantage to the West would be
purely accidental, there were a
number Of reasons that might re-
veal an advantage to the East.
They could be broken down rough
ly into two categories: Internal
(meaning the action was taken
primarily because conditions in
side the Soviet bloc required it,
and external (meaning the action
was calculated to have an effect
on non-Soviet countries that would
be advantageous to the Kremlin).
Here are the considerations coN-
corning each category: