davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Warm Weather Due
To Rout Cold Snap;
Apple Orchards Hurt

The Weather Bureau today
predicted warmer weather for
the District area, ending the
rain, snow, cold and high winds
that have prevailed for several
days.
Fruit growers in the area still
were trying to estimate the dam
age to budding trees by Mon
days freeze. Temperatures last
night failed to go as low as ex-
pected.
DR.. A. B. Groves, plant pathol-
ogist at the Winchester (VaD
Research Laboratory, said the
cold had eliminated prospects
for a bumper crop of apples. He
said the damage was not as Sc
we're as feared and that the out
look now was for a reasonable
crop.
Some Losses Reported.
Certain apple orchards in low
lying areas were hard hit, how
ever, he added, with some grow
ers reporting damage as high as
so per cent.
DR.. Charles Dunbar, head of
the University Of Maryland fruit
experiment station at Hancock,
Md, said the fruit trees there
escaped serious damage. He
said he looked forward to an ex-
cellent crop of both peaches and
apples in Maryland.
The forecast for the WASH
ington area was for mostly sunny
weather today and temperatures
in the low SOS. Tonight will be
fair with a low temperature of
36. Tomorrow will be sunny
and warmer.
The Weather Bureaus five day
forecast called for a rapidly
warming trend" beginning to-
morrow.
The temperature dropped only
to 81 degrees in the District
area last night. Through the
fruit belt temperatures were
around "a degrees, well above
the danger point.
Sudden Storm Hits Area.
Washington yesterday was hit
by snow flurries and a>windStorm
in the afternoon that caused
more than a dozen trees to crash
and damaged half a dozen cars.
The wind reached 46 miles an
hour during the quick storm.
Mrs. Patricia Caulfield, "a, of
21l4 Leroy place NV, narrowly
escaped injury when a tree
crashed into her car as she was
driving in the 270O block of p
street NV. One limb smashed
the windshield and other speared
through the radiator grill.
A parked car, owned by Owen
B. Howard, 27O0 @ street NV,
was also damaged by this tree
as it fell also.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Baltimore Transit Votes
First Dividend in Is Years
BY the Associated Press

BALTIMORE. April 21.-The
Baltimore Transit Co. has de-
clared a dividend for the first
time in Is years. The Board Of
Directors yesterday voted 621a
cents share on the company's
$3.50 preferred stock.
The company is seeking a fare
increase and tax relief. Pending
before the Public Service Com
mission is request to increase
cash fares three cents, to 20
cents.
After the dividend announce.
ment yesterday. the company re-
leased a report which indicated
a profit for the eighth consecu.
tive month. A net profit of $245,.
los was listed for the period Jam
uary / Through March 81 this
year.
The report said during the
same three-month period last
year. marked by an 18-day strike.
the company had a loss from op-
erations Of $873.309.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
BY the Associated. Press

A congressional committee to-
day starts publicly trying to find
out what happened to IA million
Army overcoats repeatedly so
fancily designed they couldn't be
used.
The group, a House Govern
ment Operations subcommittee
headed by Representative Riehl-
man, Republican. of New York,
called Army supply officers to the
Capitol to explain the case.
Mr.. Riehlman said the Army
ordered the coats in 1916 for $50
million from six manufacturers.
several of whom he said went
broke trying to fill the order.
Evening star., 1953-04-21

A simple parliamentary tangle
turned the Chevy Chase Cd. c.
Citizens Association into q de-
bate on democracy last night.
Early in the meeting a mem
ber moved that the group oppose
any or all bills dealing with home
rule, a delegate in Congress or
any change in the number Of
commissioners.
But another member wanted
to vote on each point separately.
~ believe in representation in
Congress and I want to vote for
it here" he said.
This reused the parliament
tarianS. Substitute motions,
amendments and moves to table
caromed around the room in ne
Chevy Chase Community Censer,
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Trace Sought of Ia Million
Overcodts Too Fancy for GIs'
.AP Photo.

The design, he said, was so
complicated-includinga a upper
type appendage that served as
leggings-that the coats couldn't
be used.
They were a failure. They
were absolutely dead item" he
commented in an interview.
After discovering the overcoats
were useless, Mr.. Riehlman said,
the Army spent an additional $5
million to remodel half of them.
but they. too, apparently turned
out to be unuseable.
What eventually happened to
the coats, Mr.. Riehlman said, is
a mystery the committee has not
been able to solve so far.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Church Schools Got
Most Surplus Goods
Here, Official Says

A House subcommittee was
told today that private and
parochial schools of the District
received more surplus property
under a Federal program last
year than public schools.
With approximately 80 per
cent of the total enrolment for
educational institutions, the
public schools got a little less
than one-half of the property
distributed. according to Lester
Parmele, who supervises the pro-
gram locally.
Mr.. Parmele told the subcQm-
mittee headed by Representative
Harden, Republican, of Indiana
that the private and parochial
institutions, with about 10 per
cent of the enrolment, got more
than so per cent of the property,
worth $13,260.
Explains Methods.
Mr.. Parmele explained that the
surplus is distributed on a basis
of needs and demand. He said
the private and parochial schools
have indicated greater need and
have placed more requests.
His chief, James L. McCallis-
ter, administrative services off,
Ger of the Districts Department
of General Administration, added
that in many cases public schools
declined property because they
lacked funds to repair it. He
said that much of the surplus
does require reconditioning.
The two District officials testi-
fed at a hearing of the House
Government Operations subcom-
mittee which is investigating
procedures for distributing sur
plus goods in 81 States and the
District.
Some Abuses Possible.
The study is based on report
by the General Accounting Of
fie, which indicates that there
may have been abuses or ir-
regularities N disposing of some
property under the program.
Members of the committee to-
day questioned MIR. Parmele and
Mr.. McCallister about samples
of goods found in the Districts
stockpile. Among the articles
were sections of copper wire. a
pair of binoculars and some
automobile blackout lamps.
The officials testified that all
of these articles are potentially
useful at schools and hospitals,
which also are eligible for sur
plus property.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Two Boys See Playhouse
Burn Up as Lamp Topples

Two boys watched the play
house they had built burn to the
ground yesterday after the shack
caught flre from an overturned
kerosene lamp.
Ronald Townsend. 10. Of 156
q street S.W.. and Gaylord
Michel. Q. colored, Of 1543 First
street S.W., were playing In their
shack late yesterday. located on
Q vacant lot behind the Michel
home. A lamp was kicked over
and the shack quickly went up
In flames.
Both boys escaped uninjured.
Three IRE companies answered
the call.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Judges 10 See
DC. Heads on
Fami!y.Court
PurIey Today May
Seek Three Jurists
On Domestic Cuses

Federal Court Judges Bolitha
j. Laws and Edward A. Tamm
will meet with the District Conn
miSSioners this afternoon to
discuss plans for establishment
of family court to handle do
mestic affairs. ..
Details Of the proposal, Judge
Laws said. have not been worked
out. However. they are expected
to include a request for appoint.
ment Of possibly three judges.
The trio would constitute the
bench of the family court.
which would handle all domestic
legal matters, such as nom
support. maintenance, divorce
and custody cases.
ID. C. Judges Status.
Should the plan go through,
the new juriSts would have
status as District of Columbia
judges and would not be mem
bers Of the U. S. District Court
for the District of Columbia
q Federal bench.
They would. however, probably
use the facilities at the new
Courthouse.
Judge Laws explained that do
mestic relations cases now take
the entire time of two and q
half" judges and constitute a
good part of the Federal court
calendar.
Decision to talk the matter
over at this time was made.
Judge Laws said, in view of the
expected passage in the near fu-
ture of a uniform divorce law.
1t has been unanimously re-
ported out by the Senate and
is approved by lawyers and
judges in 40 of the 48 States.
Sees Surge of Cases.
It's terms. according to Judge
Laws, would undoubtedly add a
tremendous load to the already
crowded domestic docket. Tho
contemplated law would give To-
cal courts the power to recognize
and enfWce nonsupport, main
tenance and alimony judgments
awarded by courts in other
States.
At present courts here can
only require a reluctant spouse
to make up payments in arrears.
He cannot be forced to keep his
payments current. His wife must
wait until he is again behind
and re-Sue.
Consequently, enforcement Of
judgments granted in other
jurisdictions is not effective.
Alienation of the situation would
stimulate filing of such actions,
thus increasing the case load.
Judge Laws said.
In addition to Chief Judge Laws
and Judge Tamm, four other
members of a committee on the
family court voted for the meet
ing at $3.50 pm. today with the
Board of Commissioners. They
were Judges Edward M. Curran.
James R. Kirkland, Burnita
Shelton Matthews and Luther
Youngdahl.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
A. B. & w. Hearing Put OFF

The Interstate Commerce
Commission yesterday postponed
q public hearing on proposed
higher fares by the Alexandria,
Bancroft & Washington Transit
Co. from May S to May IL. The
A. B. & w.. which serves the
Alexandria South Arlington area,
is proposing higher zone rates
beyond the Pentagon area.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Robert Miller Heads
Harvard Law Alumni

Robert N. Miller of 1880 Thir-
ty-first street NV. has been
elected president of the Harvard
Law School Alumni Association.
Mr.. Miller. a partner in the
law firm of Miller & Chevalier.
was graduated from the law
school In 1906. Born in Jeffer-
son County, KY. he received a
bachelor of science degree from
Rose Polytechnic Institute. Terre
Haute. Ind. He was a major in
the Office Of the Judge Advocate
General during World War /.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Playground to Get Trees

Mrs. Irwin Rimel of the Oak
land Terrace Elementary School
PTA will receive several trees
from Montgomery County for the
playground at ceremonies at 10
am. Thursday at the school on
Plyers Mill road. Silver Spring.
Md.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Mrs. Werner Is Speaker

Mrs. Stella Werner. member of
the Montgomery County Council,
will discuss What Montgomery
County Does for Your Tax Dol
lar" at a meeting of the county's
Americans for Democratic Action
at 8:15 pm. tomorrow at the
Glenbrook Golf Club, Bethesda.
Evening star., 1953-04-21
Dance at Four Corners

A dance will be held at 10 pm.
tomorrow at Indian Spring
Country Club, Four Corners,
Md, for the benefit OF the
Montgomery Countys. =. muscular
dyStrophy drive.
The frontiersman., 1953-06-04

pie who are not here for a short working season but who have faith in the soil and in the future of Alaska-investing everything they have, hoping every year that maybe this year the roads will be better.
 "Why not give ehvalley what money is or will be available to the ARC. The headquarters of the ARC in Palmer consist of a couple of old delapedated fire-trap build ings, not. enough machinery to maintain 217 miles of road and a skeleton crew.
 T believe we Republicans could help by an investigation and a meeting with repre-
The frontiersman., 1953-06-04

Road Commission-but mainly the Republicans for not doing. any. thing about it.
 Never before have the roads ir the Matanuska Valley been SO bad. Never before has there been so little done on the roads. Farm CTS, schools, dairies all lost time and money. It was hay-day for the wrecking trucks.
 "The farming country is the back bone of every community. low can farmers take care of their orders when they can not trans port their fertilizer, chicken feed or the many other things needed on a farm.
 What can we do for these peo-
The frontiersman., 1953-06-04
At Bettys'

Have you noticed how wonder fully the new cotton T-shirts can be dressed up with bit of Jewel ry and worn with a skirt? The ultra-fine knit of mercerized cot ton are smooth and rich-looking- comfortable to wear, easy to care for. We have them in both Jan tzen and Regina.
 Another good buy and tops for this weather is in the new butcher linen blouse, trimmed with cot ton knit. They are in small, medi- um and larger and only $2.50- the budget will never notice!
 Our cotton anklet stock is good again, with fine array of colors and white, starting with size four for the. very littlest of our Little People, through size II for those of us with understanding.
 If you haven't yet gotten your bathing suit and still want one, don't wait too long. The Jantzens are going fast. We have few for the Sand Pile Set, too.
 See you soon,
 BETTY
The frontiersman., 1953-06-04

ance of Alaskan roads?' he asked.
 In the 1853 session of the Alaska Legislation, Republican Senators of the Third Division were in fav- or of. ah increase in license tax, especially on the big trucks. A bill to2 that effect was never pre- sented, Snider said, for it was seen that 1t had no chance of pass ing. A bill to increase the gas tax was tabled against the objection of Senators Gorsuch, Robinson, Belly and himself, Snider report ed.
 The man on the street does not know or/care much of what ex- p1red or happened in Juneau. He wants results. When his car gets stuck in the mud he planes the
The frontiersman., 1953-06-04

sentatives from Anchorage, a farmer from Palmer and officials Of the Road Commission. Many difficulties could be avoided. The ARC planes the farmer for haul ing fertilizer in the spring when the roads thaw; the farmer blam- es the Coop for not having earl fer delivery; the Coop planes it on strikes or something else.
 In addition to the group meet ing, Snider proposed starting school two weeks earlier to keep the heavy buses off the roads dur ing break up time.
 Remember, he said in closing a
The frontiersman., 1953-06-04
ROAD CONDITIONS DISCUSSED AT REPUBL ICAN MEETING

A- a-5 -5Era ; x. | .
 At recent meeting of the Re publican Club. held in Mt. View
 the group on the present state of
 Senator Gerritt Snider spoke to Alaskan roads-some of the causes for the conditions and future developments, ,a
 The majority of money for road building in Alaska comes from the Federal government, he pointed out. To receive money for these roads "a memorial must be sent to Congress asking for the amount to build or repair territorial roads.
 T have been editor or co-editor on many memorials asking the federal government for help," he said, We have asked for road to Cordova-to the tin mines around Kotzabue-extension of the road from Pittman tosHouston where there is coal and where they will soon start drilling for oil. Now there is agitation because the federaf 'goVerniffent saw fit to cut the road building budget in Alaska by some eight million dol lars.
 The goverhhsnt.. said this cut was made, Snider reported be-. cause the 21st Alaskan Legislation failed to put on a larger license tax on Cotton trucks and made no l increase in the present gas tax Snider reported. Both of these taxes are lower than those in any 1 state in the union, he added. "Is | 1t any wonder the Senators from states where truckers pay as high as $1,000 year for license, ask why the people of Alaska want Statehood but are unwilling to help defray the cost and mainten-
The frontiersman., 1953-06-04

good road is the life line for a farmer; The road Commission is doing the best they can with the funds available.
Evening star., 1953-08-09
Put Another Nickel In...

WTHEN YOU hear "rinkety-
w blink" or a band playing
"raZz-a-ma-tazZ" in the base
ment of George Merriken's
home, it's the real thing.
Those old piano~roll blues are
coming out of music machines
that rolled them off when
they first grew to popularity.
The nickelodeons and play
er-pianoS Mr.. Merriken COL
lectS as a hobby disappeared
from the American scene as
quietly and almost as COM
pletely as the first colony in
North Carolina. For more
than a quarter of a century
they enjoyed a popularity
comparable to that of their
descendant, the modern juke-
box. Then, like silent movies,
and at about the same time,
the pneumatically operated
muSic-makerS were showed
aside to make way for sleeker
models with different methods
of reproducing sound.
Now the machines are COL
lectorS' fancieS. But the
nickel-box attractions and the
player pianos haven't lost all
their appeal. They keep
Evening star., 1953-08-09
BY Doris Kanier

sometimes fascinated, always
amused visitors playing away
in the Merriken basement
long after the hour they had
planned to leave.
Those too young to remem-
Der ever having seen one of
the big boxes, like Mr.. Merri-
ken'S lined oak one, with its
9-piece percussion band, its
elaborate gilt ornamentation
and it's stained-glasS window,
enjoy watching as well as
listening to it. With the win
dow removed, they see the
piano play itself and together
with bass and snare drums,
castinets, tambourine, GYM
balls, xylophone, wood block
and triangle, produce music
mechanically.
The instruments work off a
perforated paper roll. A
pneumatic process causes the
cave-in of a number of small
collapsible bellows, which in
turn produces the instrument
action. When the nickel
odeon was a familiar part of
barroom scenery, there were
Evening star., 1953-08-09

10 songs on a roll. But fans
had no way of selecting a
particular song. They play in
succession, one to 10, and
then over again. Some of the
parts on the machine Mr..
Merriken owns have 1907
patent dates on them.
A guest, sensitive about his
Tor herr age might think
twice before recognizing the
"Violano Virtuoso" in MIR.
Merriken'S collection. An
earlier model contains a mag
netically operated violin and
a piano (the de luxe models
had two violins) and the ma
chine dates back to the turn
of the century. For many
years back, Mr.. Merriken'S
"VirtuoSo" was an attraction
at the Hilltop Hotel in Har-
pers Ferry.
His hobby has brought the
Silver Spring collector in con-
tact with people from all over
the country who share his
interest. There is a kind of
unofficial club Of yesteryear
music machine collectors who
have no organization but a
corresponding friendship. Re-
Evening star., 1953-03-15

American annual dose of aspirin was
400 million pounds. A student of our
ailing social order commented that the
continental headache was due to sew
eral causes, but one of them consisted
OF our reluctance, for sheer inability,
to remain still awhile" each day. To
the revolving door procession of fever
ish. pushing humans, Jesus surely is
saying: Find a quiet upper room and
shut the door. where you can be alone
with yourself and with your God.
How many labels have been pasted
on the walls of this glamorous, gadget-
generation of ours. One that is not
likely to be challenged by any whose
ears have been bombarded for the past
quarter century by a veritable barrage
Of voices is that this is deafeningly
noisy age. The most marvellous in
ventionS Of this breath-taking century
have to do with amplifying, magnify
ing, extending sound. Only yesterday,
by proximity, we often were captured
eavesdroppers of neighbors' affairs
Now, people shout at us from the
ends of the earth. Children do their
home work with a medley of noises
not always musical. In what was once
a home oasis of blessed tranquility
at the close of day, contending ad-
vertiSing hucksters sound off with silly
rhymes, like the barkerS of circus tents.
1t is no wonder that Well-knoWn man
who was asked what he would say if
he were allowed to broadcast just two
words to the entire world replied: II
would simply say, be quiet" He meant
that the antidote for the Niagara of
sound is daily inclosure fenced with
stiffness.
Amid the inordinate din of our
Evening star., 1953-03-15
Help for War Sufferers

Today both branches Of American Christi
anity unite in appealing for aid for the peoples
OF war-ravaged countries. Laetare Sunday ever
since 1943 has been the occasion for collecting
money in support of the work of the War
Relief Services-National Catholic Welfare Con-
ference This year the goal of the annual
drive, sponsored as usual by the Catholic
bishops of the United States, is IS million
Every Catholic parish from coast to coast has
been asked to give generously toward the
success of the campaign. The cause to be
served is not that of charity only but likewise
that of fellowship and peace.
A similar enterprise is the United Appeal
Of the Protestant churches, organized under
the direction of Church World Service in behalf
of war sufferers. This effort runs through the
entire lenten season and has for its 1858 objec-
tive fund of 81 million. Practically all
Protestant denominations are joining in what
Is called "one great hour Of sharing" to the
Evening star., 1953-03-15
Exit KIement GottwoId

While there is no clear evidence to support
suspicion, 1t is natural that the sudden illness
and death of Klement Gottwald, Communist
dictator-President of Czechoslovakia, should
arouse speculation that the new rulers of the
Kremlin may be embarking on a fresh series
OF purges in the high places of some of their
troubled satellites.
Gottwald was faithful disciple of Josef
Stain and his rise to power in a country that
had long been a Middle European outpost of
freedom was accomplished by the same ruthless
tactics that were used so often by the late
Russian dictator. AS head of the Communist
Party in his country, Gottwald was already an
obviously influential force for evil when pro-
western Czech Foreign Minister Masaryk died
under mysterious circumstances five years ago.
and it was only months later that he succeeded
pro-Western Eduard Benes as President That
was an event which marked what Britain's
Foreign Secretary Eden described only three
nights ago as "the darkest hour of postwar
Europe"
Not only was Gottwald Communist boss and
President of his captive country, he was also
commander in chief of the army and the secret
police. In this multiple role, he exercised
greater power than any other native function
ary in one of the satellite states and his exercise
OF that power was in the most evil tradition of
communist behavior. Use of the purge tech
nlque reached its climax late last year when
IA h1gh-ranking Czech Communists were tried"
and convicted of deviationS from the party
line. Eleven of them, including Rudolf Slansky
a close accomplice of Gottwald in the 1948 coup,
were hanged.
But there were troubles in Czechoslovakia
which, surprisingly enough were publicly
acknowledged. The official Czech Communist
newspaper in December reported bitterly that
both industrial and agricultural production had
fallen below pre-Communist levels and that
our industrial plan" was endangered. Most
surprising, was the reason given that the Czech
workers oppose the new Soviet working
methods" There has been no evidence of
Improvement, from the Communist point of
view, since that time.
For whatever it was worth, GottWald was
given place of prominence in Stalins funeral
ceremonies in Moscow last Monday. While
there had been previous reports that he was
not in good health, he returned to Prague on
Wednesday and the first announcement of his
serious illness was not made until late Friday.
It was stated then that he had become i'll on
Thursday of pneumonia and complications,
stemming perhaps from exposure at the
Moscow services.
The accuracy of this diagnosis cannot be
established now, but future developments in
Czechoslovakia and in some of the other
satellites may soon reveal the true story.