davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-09-06

Japan's 19-year-old Crown Prince
Akihito, who arrives here Tuesday
from Europe to start months
tour of the country, may be the
United States most important Wis
itor since the war.
Recalling the long list of for
eign statesmen and royalty who
have come here since 1945-from
the lachrimose Iranian Prime Min
lister on up to the present Queen
of England-this looks at first
glance to be an extravagant claim.
That American officialdom does in
fact attach top significance to the
event should be obvious. however,
from the stir his visit is causing.
Akihito is neither chief of state,
nor is his visit Official" so that
the formal diplomatic fanfare will
not be as fancy as it might be. The
Japanese are even footing the bill
for his tour.
But special arrangements have
been made for the Crown Prince to
see President Eisenhower in Boston,
as well as other American dignitarieS
wherever he goes. While he is sight
seeing or being feted in the Wash
ington area he will stay at Blair
House.
There are two principal reasons
for Akihito'S high rating among our
postwar foreign visitors:
. Japan's potential influence on
Americas future.
. Akihito's potential influence on
Japan'S future.
Nippon, of course, IL being
groomed as a Far Eastern corner
stone for the American policy Of
containment of communism. The
basis for Japan'S claim to such i'm
portance is it's industrial capacity,
far superior to that of any other
Oriental country. The Vests aim
is to deprive the Communist bloc
of this industrial capacity and, in
stead, to fit it into the free worlds
economic system. Not only because
it is an industrial nation, but also
because it has an anti Russian ira
ditlon, Japan is being encouraged
to join India as a free world leader
in the Far East.
To see the logic of this policy. one
need only consider for q moment
what would happen to the United
States position in the Far East If
Japan were to resume its old anti
Americanism.
It is because Japan is less solidly
intrenched in the free world camp
than our other friends-even now
the Diet is studying means to
broaden trade with Communist
China-that the visit of its Crown
Prince here is getting such special
attention.
Imperial System
AS for Akihito'S personal poten-
tial for influencing Japan's future,
it can best be understood in the
historical context of what the i'm
perial or tenno system has meant to
the Japanese people in the past.
Under the prewar japanese con-
stitution the Emperor was sacred
and inviolate." He was descended,
the mid-19th century document
claimed, from a line of Emperors
~unbroken for ages eternal" None
dared doubt publicly that he was a
direct descendant of the sun goddess
Amaterasu. The constitution gave
him all rights of sovereignty. which
meant a veto over all laws passed In
the Diet and absolute control Of the
treaty-making power.
But the people never learned te
Evening star., 1953-09-06

the Emperor should not be blamed.
The occupation was not seduced
by this transparent naturalization,
of course. But it did decide in the
end, and probably with wisdom, that
the Emperor would not be tried.
He was used instead as a unifying
force and now is widely credited
with persuading the Japanese to
acquiesce in the characterization
programs that followed the sur
render. Today Hirohito is stanch
friend Of America.
Shorn Of Power
The Emperor was not permitted,
however, to maintain his presur-
render position of power. First
Hirohito .renounced his divinity.
Then the new constitution trans
formed him from supreme sovereign
to a mere symbol of the state and
of the unity of the people, deriving
his position from the sovereign will
of the people"
Lest these remain only paper re-
forms, the occupation launched a
campaign to "humanize" the En-
peror. He was paraded up and down
the country, so that the people
could learn at first hand what they
knew already but did not consider
important-that he was a mere NOR
tai. The reception he got from the
people was tremendous. The COM
mon man preferred to look beyond
the mortal man to the thing he
stood for, Japanese pride.
Emperor Hirohito retains his pop
Evening star., 1953-09-06

age groups. Fairfax County chose
double shifts in place of much OF
the rented space long used to aug
ment regular buildings. Five war
surplus Quonset huts will be occu-
pied in that county this fall, and
1000 youngsters will be in what of
ficials hopefully call temporary"
quarters. This is an improvement
over last year, when there were
1000. Montgomery is hiring a
church in the Rock Greek Forest
section, where a new school isn't
ready yet. Chats one of the areas
where Supt. Forbes H. Norris is
planning double shifts. Arlington
is renting church space. too.
Arlington also has another kind OF
dislocation. Seventh-graders from
crowded Stratford Junior High will
spend half of every day in part OF
the new Taylor Elementary School,
just being opened. This will go on.
till another new junior high is ready
next year. And two other Stratford
classes will sit in the nearby Arllng-
ton school administration building.
Stratford is 500 over its 1000 nor
NAL capacity.
Conversions Of auditorium stages,
libraries, lunchrooms, offices and
even gymnasiums to class use is
common throughout the area. An
other crowding casualty is kinder
garten. Arlington doesn't have any
kindergartens, although it wants to
start them. In Washington kinder
gartens are big-35 youngsters to a
class--and many have waiting lists.
Some schools stopped taking kinder
garten applications last spring.
New Schools
New buildings are, Of course, help
ing. Prince Georges County alone is
opening 10, plus several additions.
Montgomery will open four, plus
Evening star., 1953-09-06

BONN.-West Germany's Social
ist Party (SPD) is running a dead
man as it's chief Candidate" in the
national elections today.
From every billboard throughout
the Federal Republic the brooding
face of former SPD chief, DR.. Kurt
Schumacher, who died in 1852, calls
upon the German voter to honor his
memory by voting for the SPD.
This form of "disinterment" is not
new in politics. In 1948, Franklin
Roosevelt was. to some extent, the
Democrats principal candidate. And
like the Democrats in 1948, the Ger
man SPD is now resorting to ghosts
because it is necessarily without ef-
fective living symbols.
The history of German socialism
since 1945 is SymboliZed by the late
DR.. Schumacher. Emerging crippled
and tortured from Nazi concentra-
tion camp, he set out to revive the
Social Democratic Party and to re-
new German trade unionism. AS
chairman of the SPD in the Bundles
tag, DR.. Schumacher lashed out
bitterly against Chancellor Ade-
nauer's policy of rebuilding Ger
many's economy by capitaliStic
means. On questions of German
relations with the West, DR.. Schu-
macher and his party opposed Ger
man contribution of men to a Euro
pean army. The SPD then believed
that the unification of Germany
must come before Germany's posi-
ton in the Western alliance can be
considered. Now they are plugging
for simultaneous unification and
naturalization.
The Dividing Issues
The issues dividing Adenauer's
Christian Democratic Party and the
SPD are clear. Adenauer believes in
capitalism as the cure for Ger
many's ills. The SPD, on the other
hand, holds to a brand of socialism
similar to that of Britain's Labour
Party: State ownership of the ma
tion's raw materials and power sup
plies, obtained by democratic means,
deeply tempered by Christian prin-
ciples of behavior. The SPD acts in
partnership with the trade-union
movement, of whose membership
the overwhelming majority favors
SPD either in voting practice or by
individual affiliation.
Since DR.. Schumacher's death the
SPD has been led by Erich Ollen-
hauer. Herr Ollenhauer possesses
a considerably milder personality
than his predecessor. A lifelong
trade unionist. Ollenhauer suffered
exile from Germany with the COM
ing of Hitler. He enjoys a great,
but quiet, prestige among West
European Socialists. Preferring to
use logic rather than the header
Evening star., 1953-09-06
Puerto Rico
Unique Governmental Organization There
Muy Become Model for Freeing Colonies.
By Henry 3. Lee

The United Nations General AS
sembly will review this fall a new
government form which many polit-
ical scientists consider a model for
liberating colonial peoples. This new
political form is the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico.
In making its annual report to
the General Assembly, the United
States claims that Puerto Rico
is now self-governing. Consequent
ly, it will not report on its former
colony after this year. The United
Nations Charter requires member
nations to report annually on their
non-Self governing territories.
What constitutes self-government
is debatable If the United States
claim is debated, it will have an
opportunity to advertise its model
for liberating colonial peoples. It
can also show how democracy and
self-government can be developed in
an underdeveloped area.
Strange Political Form
The new political form of the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has
no precedent It defies classification.
1t is not an independent state like
the Philippines, state like Texas,
dominion like Canada in the Com
monwealth of Nations, nor an as
sociated state like Wet Nam in the
French Union.
Puerto Rico'S new commonwealth
status is described as a free associ-
alton within the American Union"
1t is free because the Puerto Ricans
made compact" with the United
States Congress whereby they ex-
erciSed their inherent right to con-
stitute their own government" It
is an association because certain le-
gal ties with the United States are
retained.
They drafted their own constitu-
ton and approved it overwhelmingly
in a referendum in 1851. 1t went
into effect July Is.
Fashioned after the United States
Constitution, it also incorporated
many features suggested by local ex-
periences and a Latin American cul-
ture. While it held that the Com
monwealth's political power "ema-
mates from the people and shall be
exercised in accordance with their
WILL" it also provided for the appli-
cation of the United States ConSti-
tuition and Federal laws in the is
land. Thus, it will continue to re-
ceive Federal grants, essential for
it's economic survival.
AS before, Puerto Ricans will pay
no Federal taxes or participate in
presidential elections. They will con-
tinue their high commissioner in
Washington, who sits in the House
of Representatives with voice but
no vote. United States leadership in
foreign and military affairs is &C
cepted.
With one exception, this new polit-
ical form meets the tests for self
government laid down by the Gen.
eral Assembly. Puerto Ricans have
citizenship, suffrage, local rights and
status and local legislative autonomy.
But they fall down on the test Of
equal representation with the States
in Congress. The United States
can support this exclusion on
grounds they pay no Federal taxes
thus, the principal Of mo taxation
without representation" is not vio-
lated.
Many political scientists not only
consider Puerto Rico self-governing
now-they say it is a model for
achieving self-government In back
ward, dependent areas.
The Puerto Rican story goes back
Evening star., 1953-09-06
By james 6. Deone
Edusoiien Editor Of The Sior

Some of the record 243.000 public
school children who will report to
classes in the Washington area dur
ing the next two weeks are going to
be educationally shortchanged. For
although the Nations Capital and
its nearest neighbors have invested
more than $120 million in new school
buildings since World War II, there
still aren't enough clasSrooms to go
around.
This heavy but inadequate invest
ment in new plant is distributed
among seven public school systems
those of the District. Montgomery
and Prince Georges Counties in
Maryland; Arlington and Fairfax
Counties, and Alexandria and Falls
Church, cities in Virginia.
Like schools in many parts OF the
country, Washington areas are feel
ing the repercuSSions Of Cd the
postwar baby boom and (2) mass
move to the suburbs. Washington
itself also is undergoing an internal
realignment-a move of Negroes into
these trends will be reflected this
fall, as in all postwar years, in
double shifts, improvised school,
rooms. outsize classes and over
worked teachers. In some cases the
pinch will be worse than last years.
And the dream-day of enough class
rooms is almost nowhere yet in
sight.
$4,000 Increase
Since 1946 the enrolment in the
seven area school systems has
jumped 85 5,OO0-an increase of about
so per cent. Considering that this
increase is equal to the size OF the
Districts student body Immediately
after World War II, the added load
on area schools is obviously Stagger-
ing.
The Districts increase, however,
has not kept pace with that OF the
outlying systems. From 1946 to the
present, Washington'S schools have
grown from IS, 1000 to 100000 pupils
"a gain of only about IS per cent.
Out in the suburbs, once pint-sized
educational systems have been sad
died with most Of the load. with the
result that they are pint-sized no
longer.
In seven years Arlington and
Prince Georges enrolment has near
" doubled. In Montgomery and
Fairfax it is on the way to being
trebled. Even in slower-growing
Alexandria, where school construc-
tion uniquely has managed to keep
pace, pupils are now a third more
numerous.
The D. c. Situation
In Washington, while the total
growth has been more modest,
District population shifts have
had the effect of rapid growth on
the two Negro and white) school
systems Some of the Division I
(white) buildings have been gradu-
ally emptying, and white enrolment
since 1946 has declined about 1000.
But Negro enrolment has increased
by 10000, and colored. schools are
bulglng at the seams.
In virtually every part of the Met
ropolitan Area, school authorities
have been like the character in
Alice in Wonderland" who had, to
Evening star., 1953-09-06

five additions, and Arlington hopes
this week to open although
workmen at the new Wakefield
Junior-Senior High were nervously
counting the hours this week end as
they moved in furniture.
The amount spent on new school
construction in the area since the
war seems phenomenal. Montgom-
cry County has spent or obligated
$50 million. The District has spent
over SGT million, Prince Georges $26
million, Fairfax $18 million, Arling-
ton SIS million, and Alexandria SIS
million. Even little Falls Church,
which is only entering its fifth year
of independent city status after
pulling out-with buildings-from
Fairfax, has spent 81 million and Is
trying to get $750,000 more. If 1T
does, according to Supt. Irwin H.
Schmitt, double shifts may end.
White Schools Reduced
The District would have spent
more except that it transferred. in
the last seven years, Is white schools
to Negro use. Arlington and Fair
fax both would like to be spending
more right now, but bond issues
$7.2 million for Arlington and $11
million for Fairfax-are being held
up by much-publicized court litiga-
ton involving former Arlington
County employe John Locke Green.
Arlington currently owes 81 million
of this to contractors, some of whom
have been finishing schools on faith.
Since 1946 the District has built,
for $8.7 million, 6,476 new class
rooms for white and, for $18.8 mil
lion, more than twice that number
for colored. And the city is starting
only this year on a $38 million. 60
project six-year building program,
most of which. according to Supt.
Hobart M. Corning, would still be
needed even If the Supreme Court
Evening star., 1953-09-06

to the Treaty of Paris in 1898, when
Spain ceded the colony to the
United States. This switch in politi-
cal affiliation was welcomed in an
island where the United States had
long been regarded as model for
freedom and democracy.
This sentiment melted away in
the wake of the civil administration
the Foraker Act of 1900 provided.
The Governor and his cabinet, ap-
pointed by the President, had full
executive power and no response
bility to the people,
In 1917. when we were fighting in
Europe to make the world safe for
democracy" we decided on a little
of it for Puerto Rico, too. Both
legislative houses were made elective
and the people were granted United
States citizenship. Four of six cabi-
net members were to be appointed
by the Governor, with the advice
and consent of the colony's Senate.
Little progress toward sself-gov-
ernment was made between 1917
and 1916. Some rather lean years
fell upon the island. Hungry, dis
eased and illiterate people stalked
the island in despair. Unemploy-
ment was widespread. Insurgent
nationalism was rife.
Luis Munoz- z-Morin Appears
But there came on the scene in
1888 man who was destined to lead
the country out Of its misery and
Illustration. Luis Munoz-Marin or
ganized the Popular Democratic
Party and preached a doctrine that
ultimate political status could not
be determined until the colony
solved some pressing economic prob
lens.
There emerged the formula which
made possible everything that was
to come, the formula that political
status is not an ISSUE" Mr.. Munoz
later recalled.
Sweeping the 1910 and 1914 elec-
tions, this inspiring leader demon
strated that freedom and democracy
are powerful weapons against eco
nomic misery. He weeded out tradi-
tional graft and vote-selling. The
Legislature his party controlled by
popular election Spurred private
United States investments with q
wave of progressive legislation.
The people supported economic
development with burst of energy,
thus refuting the theory that such
energies in tropical countries are
only forthcoming for benevolent die
tatorshipS.
While absorbing their energies In
social and economic development,
they matured politically. They real
lied they could not afford the cost
of independence that would place
them outside the United States tariff
wall and deny adequate sugar prices
so essential for their one-crop econ
omy. They realized they could not
afford the high cost of statehood.
The United States, too, became
more realistic. 1t realized that only
that government will succeed which
is based on the consent Of the gov
erned.
At the request Of the Puerto
Ricans themselves, they fashioned
their own government and designed
the association they wished to
maintain with the United States.
This country had, Of course, planted
the seeds of democracy and self
government over the past several
decades by granting financial as
sistance, mass education and grad
ual autonomy.
Evening star., 1953-09-06

were to order an en0 TO racial Segfe-
CATION. A new Junior high and six
other schools and additions all for
Negroes-are due to get started this
fall.
More Negro Schools
For Washington's booming Negro
enrollment--expected this fall to
top SIS per cent of the school sys-
TENS total--no brand-new schools
are opening this month. although
two former white grade schools will
reopen with Negro pupils. Three
elementary school additions, fin
ished last spring, will start opera
ton, all for white children.
The only new District school now
nearing con1pletion-Draper. in the
far outheast-illustrates the kind
of race in, which school officials now
seem to be continually involved.
Draper was planned two years ago
because Simon School, built in 1850,
already was threatening to over
flow. Simon next week will open
with probably eight part-time
classes. These will end when Dra-
per opens-which officials hope will
be next month. But Draper then
will be full, and a lot more children
are expected from new housing in
the neighborhood. So school off,
cials already have asked for an
eight-room addition to Draper
though it isn't open yet. And even,
this will take care of only one Sec
ton of this mushrooming area.
Other nearby white schools are
jampacked. too. One-Kramer Jun
ior Highway go onto part time in
a year or two because school Off
cialS failed to get money to start a
new junior high this fall.
requirements, Too
The Districts building program is
timed for six years, or possibly eight.
And the experts seem to think
school enrolment everywhere may
stop it's rapid spiral about then, or
at least begin to level off. But that
won't signal the end of school con-
struction needs. Once the neceS-
Sary brand-new classrooms are built,
attention must turn to needed re-
placements, which will be more
numerous by then. (There are
some already.)
But most school systems don't yet
have their sights set that far ahead.
Most superintendents are now be-
ginning to worry about the big
junior and senior high influx ex-
pected just ahead-and the necessity
of building to meet it or having
double shifts at the high school level,
too.
Prince Georges Supt. William S.
Schmidt, whose schools have grown
already from 396 prewar classrooms
to 1918 this fall, says the county
will need 400 more by 1859. Prince
Georges could easily spend $40 mil
lion to $25 million between now and
then, according to Mr.. Schmidt.
And new Montgomery Supt. Forbes
H Norris, who has $40 million worth
of construction currently under
way, says Montgomery's minimum
will be So or 81 million year.
At that rate-if it's spent in time
double shifts might be ended.
The big question mark throughout
the Washington area, of course, is
whether the taxpayers will CO.
operate.
Evening star., 1953-09-06
Why America Wants to Stay Friends With Jopons Crown Prince

ularity today. Presumably this
quality will be inherited by Akihito
along with the throne. AS Crown
Prince he even now symbolizes the
Japanese hope for the future.
The Japanese people are follow
ing their Crown Princes activities
with the same keen interest they
showed in his fathers trip to West
ern Europe where Hirohito was
Crown Prince in 1921. They are
judging their country's popularity
abroad by the country by country
reactions to Akihito, as reported at
great length by the big three among
Japanese newspapers, Asahi (circu-
lation, 4,226,625), Mainichi (circu-
lation, 4,534,79D and Yomiuri (cir-
culation, 2,792 ,906).
The United States has been aware
of the potential influence Of the
Crown Prince ever since the occupa-
ton began, when Akihito was IL.
He has had American tutors in Eng
lish since 1916. The first was Mrs.
Elizabeth Gray Vining, author of the
best-selling windows on the Crown
Prince" She was succeeded by Miss
Esther Rhoads.
Now the United States will use
the Crown Prince as a window
through which to tell the Japanese
more about America. Historical
background about places Akihito
will visit is being supplied Japanese
information media. The Japanese
man-in-the-s street and man-in-the-
rice-paddy will have an opportunity
to see American democratic institu-
tions through the Crown Princes
eyes.
It is an odd tribute to the Unitec
States-led seven-year occupation of
the country, however, that Japa-
nese leadership today tends to at
tach less Importance to the future
Emperor's influence at home than
do the American foreign policy ex-
perts who are rolling out the red
carpet.
Will Demotion Stick?
American officials are not SO sure
that their occupation enforced de-
motion of the Emperor will stick.
Japanese leaders, on the other
hand. think it will.
The United States eagerly hopes,
of course, that the democratic seeds
planted after the war will thrive.
But as sort of insurance policy to
fall back on in case the old imperial
alliance with a dictatorial power is
revived, America is openly wooing
the Emperor-to-be. America re-
calls that the present Emperor once
used his power in the political arena
to bring peace to his country. This
could be a precedent America may
some day want future Japanese
tenno to follow.
Present Japanese leadership, how
ever, foreSeeS no such development.
The Emperor has no channel to OPP
crate through, they claim. The
privy council is gone. AS for the
Western idea that an Emperor
might someday carry his case di-
rectly to the people, Japanese off,
cialdom also has an answer for
that. He wouldn't. The implica-
ton is that If he dared he would be
challenged by the politicians.
This is strong, healthy talk that
is to be encouraged as long as the
people keep control Of the politi-
clans.
But America has in the back of
its mind his highness' potential
value In case another TOTO. possibly
with Moscow training, comes upon
the scene.