davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-05-10
Chonqe of Air Command

In turning to General Nathan Farragut
Twining as next Air Force Chief of Staff, PreSi-
dent Eisenhower has selected an officer of broad
command and staff experience.
General Twining started his military career
as a National Guard enlisted man. and was an
infantry officer for six years after his gradua-
tion from West Point in 1918. In the air arm,
he has had variety of assignments in vir-
tually every line of ground and flying duty.
His World War II service ranged from the
Mediterranean to the South Pacific, from tao
tical to strategic operations, and included
combined command over Army, Navy, Marine
and Allied Air Forces under Admiral Halsey.
AS Vice Chief of Staff under retiring General
Vandenberg, he became fully acquainted with
the duties and responsibilities of his new post
and exercised them through much of the period
of General Vandenbergs recent illness. He has
demonstrated the sound capabilities which
Evening star., 1953-05-10
Pen-11dn1es may be used If letters carry
D1iterS' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.

Republican. NOthing could be further
from the truth. The independent vot-
ers determined the outcome of the last
elections, nationally and locally, and
they will continue to do so. Phil Camp
bell, Republican member of Congress
for more than 20 years. said to the
writer shortly before his death, THE
line of division in this country is no
longer between Republicans and Demo-
Gratis; it is between conservatives and
radicals"
The candidates who we're elected in
the last county election were not
elected because they were Republicans.
They were elected because they we're
conservatives and because both locally
and nationally the people were fed up
with the orgies Of waste which were
leading us to national bankruptcy. Ten
years ago the Canadian dollar was SELL
ing at 80 cents United States. Today
the United States dollar is selling at
30 cents in Canadian money. That is
the reward to Canada for living within
her income.
Let no political leaders think that
they have buried the wastrels. The
Francis Pickens Millers are standing on
the sidelines. rubbing their hands in
glee as they see the stage being set for
their comeback Watch your step, boys.
Frank G. Campbell.
Evening star., 1953-05-10
Fifty Years Ago in The Star

On May 2, 1903, The Star society
column included an account of an en-
tertainment given the
Reformation previous evening by the
Children junior contingent Of the
Church of the Reforma-
ton. under the direction of Miss Nc
Nally and Ethel Dumont." Among the
youngsters participating were: Helen
Bache. Margaret Gillespie. Madeline
and Marian Hess, Melvin Sandmyer,
Freda Van Ness, William Herman. Dor
sey and Emma Doniphan, Webster
Erbach, Rosina zurhorSt, Alfred Lohr,
Eleanor and Henrietta Meyers, Elsie
McLain, Marian Church, Richard and
Marian Burns, Louise Hickman. Ragnar
and Helga DieSerud. Morton Fry and
Lilly Graf. The orchestral music for
the program was conducted by Henry
Stopsack Inquiry last week disclosed
that many of the children now are
adult members Of the Reformation con-
gregation. Mrs. Stopsack still is active
in the church. and she also is carrying
on the musical tradition Of her husband
by teaching piano to four little grand
daughters and one grandson.
The Star of April is. 1903, quoted
Sir Robert Ball, British astronomer.
as having written: Look
EoFth- Born ing back through the mlsts
Moon of time, we see the moon
ever drawing nearer and
nearer to the earth. Our satellite n,w
revolves at a distance Of 1000 miles.
But there was a time when that dis
tance was no more than zoe. 900 miles.
There was a time, millions Of years
ago no doubt, when the moon was but
100000 miles away. and as we look
further and further back We see the
moon ever drawing closer and closer to
the earth, until at last We discern the
critical period In earth-moon history
Evening star., 1953-05-10

when our globe was spinning round
in period Of about or 6 hours. The
moon, instead of revolving where we
now find it, was then actually close TO
the earth. Earlier still it was, in fact.
touching our globe. and the moon ard
the earth were revolving each around
the other. like football and a tennis
ball actually fastened together. 1t Is
impossible to resist taking one step
further We know that the earth was.
at that carly period. soft molten mass
of matter, spinning round rapidly. The
speed seems to have been so great
that a rupture took place. A portion
of the molten matter broke away from
the parent globe, and the fragments
coalesced into small globe. That
the moon was thus born Of our earth
uncounted millions of years ago is the
lesson which mathematics declares II
learns from the murmur Of the tides"
The speculation thus summarized was
fairly new half a century ago. Nova
DAYS 1t Is extended to include the
theory that the earth broke away"
from the sun and the sun In turn
broke away" from still another
parent body" But nobody really
knows what happened. Speculation
still Is speculation.
Evening star., 1953-05-10
Knowing, but Not Wise

Bernard NJ Baruch now has Joined the
steadily growing company of Americans VINO
look with misgivings on modern education and
the wonders science and technology have
wrought in the field of instantaneous mass
communication. His views on the subject
given in an address at the City College OF New
York-should be required reading for anybody
who imagines that this must be the most en-
lghtened of all ages because OF its unprece-
dented inventiveness its continuing, revou-
tionary accumulation of new knowledge, and
its tremendous and altogether unparalleled
articulateneSS.
But neither inventiveneSS, new knowledge
nor articulateness is good measure OF true
wisdom or right living. Actually, as Mr. Baruch
has said, ours is not so much "the age OF
enlightenment" as "the age of distraction" ;"
Although 1--WE perform miracles almost daily in
our laboratories" We perform very poorly when
we try to govern ourselves although we read
prodigiously, we seem to have lost the faculty
of learning from the past. We lack any sure
sense of values" Technologically speaking
our "jet-propelled, streamlined means of COM
munication" -high-speed presses, the radio,
movies, television-are genuinely marvellous,
but they are inimical to solid thinking because
they lombard us with such huge volume OF
fresh distractions and alarms that "our
energies are diSsipated on side issues, while
fundamentals of the critical problems before
us remain untouched and ignored"
In other words, we are living in kind OF
Tower of Babel where we have yet to learn how
to make wise use of our inventions and all the
vast stores of new knowledge we are constantly
accumulating. Our age is by far the most
verbose in history, but the more we speak and
write, the more confused and befuddled we
seem to become. Why? Mr.. Baruch's answer
is that we are poorly educated because our
minds and spirits have been inadequately pre-
pared to digest the tremendous amount OF facts
we keep on acquiring or to co-exist happily
with the gadgetry of our own devlsing-a
gadgetry that has come to be feared as some
thing that may yet wipe out the whole OF
civilization. Nevertheless despite this great
deficiency in our training, our colleges and
universities still tend to emphasize technical
skill rather than thinking ability, with the
result that wisdom is becoming rarer than ever.
In thus criticizing the character of modern
education, Mr. Baruch has called attention to
the trainers of our Constitution-men who
knew how to think" who were we'll read in
the classics" who were trained to "blend living
experience with the lessons of history" and
who "were deeply imbued with moral values"
People of that caliber are few and far between
today, and they will become even greater rari-
tieS-as Mr.. Baruch has SuggeSted-if our
schools hold fast to their present course and
if our mass communication media continue to
serve as outlets for mind-numbing drivel Of
all sorts for every age group in both sexes.
Evening star., 1953-05-10
MONTGOMERY Assessments

I disagree with Robert Linton In his
attempt to explain the position Of the
Montgomery County Council with re-
gard to the recent high assessments in
the suburban part of the county. His
statement that the Council had moth
ing to do with these assessments is
either naive or disingenuous. Maybe he
is not aware that the Tax Assessor and
his staff are paid by the county as well
as by the State and are, at least in
part, employees Of the Council,
Having reached the bonded debt limit
of 10 per cent of assessed values the
Council apparently decided to have the
Assessor proceed under the State tax
law with tthe staggering reassessments
of the suburban properties in order to
increase the countys borrowing capac-
ity. When the storm Of protest over
this unreasonable business broke, the
Council ducked, collectively and indi-
vidually. in effect leaving the Tax AS
SCISSOR holding the bag. Over its sigma
ture the Council now, however, appends
to each new assessment two-page
explanation of the blow to the taxpayer
telling him that although it is all the
State laws fault, he can still appeal to
its alter ego. the Appeal Tax Court, for
what good it will do. and dangling be-
fore him the promise that the tax rates
can be lowered if he wants it this way.
All this is the gist Of Mr.. Linton's de-
fense of the Council.
No one argues that the governing
body of the county should not have
control over tax rates and these should
be raised or lowered as the circum-
stances require. The complaint is about
assessments. something very different
from tax rates. It is automatic that as
sessments are seldom if ever reduced
and high assessment remains forever
burden on the property and its owner.
Let those who have been thus bur-
dened remember that in 1854 they will
have the opportunity to elect a govern
ment of the county which is sensitive
to the best interests of the taxpayer
and the voter.
NJ. X. Brady.
The Montgomery County Council has
come in for some criticism lately be-
cause of the real property reassessment
Evening star., 1953-05-10

been much less than the amount real
lied from the auction of his books and
papers. The original manuscript of
THE Bells" brought $2,100.
Barnum g. Bailey. home from Eu-
rope" but not yet affiliated with Ring
ling Brothers. brought "the
Circus greatest show on earth" to
In Town Washington on May IL,
1908, and The Star carried
lengthy and colorful advertisement
of its offerings. including Cyclic. "the
kinetic demon: three herds of ele-
plants, two droves of camels, two
giraffeS, "the smallest horse in the
world" and nearly 100" other equines,
'in three rings at the same moment"
Tents, it was explained. covered IL
acres. A superb street parade" moved
from the grounds, Fifteenth and H
streets NE. at 9 o'clock in the morning
Of the first of the two days Of the local
stand.
Half a century ago. Washingtonians,
according to The Star of May 8, 1908.
were TedUIHS. AIueIlCdu LIZ
New plomacy in the Orient" by
Books John w. Foster; Darrell OF
the Blessed Isles" by Irving
Bachelor; "BrewSters Millions" by
Richard Greaves: THE Grey Cloak"
by Harold MacGrath; THE Ward OF
King Canute," )" ny Otille A. Liljenkrantz;
"Milliner to a Mouse" by William B.
Hopkins: 1.-The Blow From Behind" by
Fred c. Chamberlin; THE Story of the
Trapper." by A. C. Laut: Youth" by
Joseph Conrad; "Barbizon Days." by
Charles Sprague Smith; His Daughter
First" by Arthur Sherburne Hardy, and
Pearl Maiden" +" by H. Rider Haggard-
altogether q list difficult to match In
our own time.
Evening star., 1953-05-10
Progress Against TB

It is highly encouraging to learn that the
long battle against tuberculosis is making good
headway 1t is especially gratifying to know
that Washington is making greater gains in
the grim battle than the Nation as a whole.
Much remains to be done, however, for the
figures show that our death rate from the
disease is still the second highest of any city
of comparable population.
The World Health Organization has dis
closed that the tuberculosis death rate has
been cut in half since World War II, according
to reports from 81 nations. In this country the
reduction was SO per cent. In Washington,
however, the drop was 60 per cent from 1945
through 1852. Whereas 581 persons died from
the ravages of the disease here in 1945, the
death total last year was only 235.
The WHO attributed the extraordinary"
global decrease to the spread of mass X-ray
diagnosis campaigns, better control of food
stuffs and recent improvement in treatment
methods. These factors have combined 1t said,
to produce "one of the most sensational devel-
opments ever recorded in the field OF public
health" The District has made effective use
of all known weapons against TB. Particularly
notable have been the results obtained with
new drugs. DR.. Daniel L. Finucane, superin-
tendent of Glenn Dale Sanatorium, told the
District tuberculosis Association at its annual
meeting this week that Glenn Dale has been
remarkably successful with drugs that build up
resistance to the disease and make possible
more surgery. For example, there were ITS TB
deaths at the city sanatorium in 1947, the year
before anti-tuberculosis drugs came into use
there. In 1851 the death toll had declined to so.
That mass X-rays have had much to do
with the general reduction in the local death
rate cannot be doubted. AS the TB association
points out the free inspections have disclosed
many incipient cases in time for successful
treatment. Unfortunately, the facilities for
care and treatment of TB victims in Washington
are far from adequate. Health officials have
pointed out that many patients who should be
isolated in hospital wards are at liberty today
q condition unfair to the sufferers and hazard
Gus to the public. There will be time for COM
placency about the tuberculosis problem only
when Washington has enough beds and wards
to care for all in need of TB treatment. The
Commissioners proposed public works program
would provide such facilities, but it may be
long time before they become reality
Evening star., 1953-05-10
Spires of the Spirit
The Gates Of Hell

1.-THE gates of hell" does not, per-
haps, sound like particularly soothing
subject, especially when there is so
much to suggest hellishness in this
violent, fear-haunted world in which
our lot is cast.
It would not be surprising il, recoil-
might ne tempted to say: LAS we turn
from the inferno which writes the
news headlines about so much which
is diabolical, 1t would be a relief to
find under the spires Of the spirit al
ways something which would suggest
heaven rather than hell" So let 1t be
said at once that in spite of the topic
you are not going to be asked to think
about hell so far as future punish
ment is concerned. The writer frankly
confesses that he does not know
enough about that subject to furnish
any blueprints of that black realm.
Neither is it his intention to discuss
the problem of evil in this life. There
are those who solve that question by a
personal devil. who goes up and down
the earth like a roaring lion causing
most of the trouble which spoilS the
music of life. Or, if you can't stand
the devil. that is the doctrine OF the
devil, you can drop the ID" from that
word and then have left just EVIL,
spelled with capital "E."
Now many volumes have been writ
ten to explain the presence Of evil IN
the world. A whole series of articles
on "God and Evil' would not exhaust
that subject. Certainly one would
have to be on the evil which man
brings on himself and on his world.
There is so much trouble that could
be prevented were it not for the will
fulness and waywardness of man. How
very wonderful this world would be
If only the human inhabitants Of it
would one day behave themselves!
President Eisenhower in his recent
moving and prophetic address to the
Nation fervently pictured the good that
might come to all the earth, lifting
the levels of human living, If the
present resurgent forces Of evil would
but agree to "let live"
Of course, when we think deeply of
the unrighteousness that is in the
world we are bound to admit the pos
sibility of that which is bad, if man
is to be anything but an automaton.
The power of choice makes it inevitable
that there can be no good without
possible evil. Huxley once said: IF
some great power should agree to make
me think what is true and do what
is right, on condition of my being
turned into sort of clock and wound
Evening star., 1953-05-10

up every morning before I get up out
of bed, I would instantly close with
the offer" But if each of us were
wound up like toy and just put down
on the high road, with no alternative
but mechanically to go ahead, there
would be absolutely no moral signifi-
canoe in the direction we took. But
in taking the high way because we
have deliberately turned from the low
way is found the superlative splendor
Of all creation. When one does the
right as he is given to see the right
he must resist the downward tug of
hellish gravitation.
Now we cannot face the total ques-
ton of evil in the world without being
vividly aware that there are malignant
forces loose which are at war with
goodness, love, forgiveness. tenderness,
integrity and self-forgetfulness. Often
we feel in ourselves the stirring Of GER
tain animal inheritances. Even when
we respond to the better angels of our
nature we hear the bark of the beast.
Seeing certain characteristics in people,
how often we pass Judgment as we say.
concerning an individual. "He is as
sly as fox. He eats like pig. He
is as brave as lion, as stubborn as
mule, as proud as peacock" We have
but to look in our own hearts to know
from what source comes the pooled
evil of the world. But, however we
explain it. evil warning against good
is here and rampant.
Sensing the terrific battle which
awaits the forces of goodness, ST. Paul
cries: 1--WE wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities and
against powers against the rulers of
the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places"
When the great apostle said that. he
Evening star., 1953-05-10
Mr.. Meony and the ILA

Three months ago the American Federation
of Labor ordered its racket-ridden International
LongShoremen's Association. to clean house or
face expulsion. 1t was a commendable action,
even though taken belatedly, to correct con-
dition of corruption and exploitation in which
lila officials had been preying upon the unions
membership upon waterfront business interests
and-in the last analySis-upon the public at
large.
1t has been traditional within the AFL that
member unions have full measure of autonomy
in conducting their internal affairs, but the
Federation took that occasion to say 1t would
not "sit by and allow abuse of autonomy on
the part of any of its affiliates to bring injury
to the entire Clabor) movement" This forth
right order-With deadline of last April 30
was one of the first AFL actions taken under
newly chosen President Meany. 1t seemed, at
that time that Mr.. Meany felt strongly about
the lila abuses which had been brought to light
by the New York State Crime Commission.
Judging by his reaction before a Senate
Commerce Subcommittee to questioning about
progress in cleaning up the longshoremen's
union, and what the parent Federation intends
to do next, Mr.. Meany now feels less strongly
Falling back on the old alibi of autonomy for
AFL members, the president pleaded no author
ity to force the lila to comply with the Fedora
tion orders. And as for what the AFL might
do in case of dSobedence of its instructions,
Mr. Meany angrily informed Senator Tobey,
"Well decide-not you"
Mr.. Meany'S position may conform to ALL
rules, but he was on sounder ground in his earlier
determination that affiliates would not be al
lowed to bring injury to the entire movement.
What has been happening on the New York and
New Jersey water fronts does indeed bring
injury to the labor movement, and the AFL
president can do a greater service to labor by
correcting that condition than by quarreling
with Senator Tobey or any other critic.
Evening star., 1953-05-10
Anucostiu Flood Control

There are about six Maryland towns
with a population of about 1900 that
are flooded whenever there Is heavy
rain. Some have water over their first
floors as we'll as in their cellars. None
of those affected are able to have any
heat or hot water. If the husband and
father happens to be at work, he must
wade through cold water to home
without heat, children and old people
sick from shock and colds. We can't get
doctors or even an ambulance. Fire en-
gines cannot reach us and fire hydrants
are under water.
If the State of Maryland spends
$65O,O0 raising the road at the Peace
Cross, it will make it worse for all OF
us. The money could be put to much
better use in flood control.
Mrs. Iona Roth,
Edmonston, Maryland.
Evening star., 1953-05-10

A large portion Of The Star of May 4,
1903, was devoted to report of the
funeral of Gov. Alexander
Shepherd r. Shepherd. The cele-
Funeral brated builder OF Wash
ington" had died in Mexico,
September IL, 1902. His friends now
had brought his remains back to the
Capital for interment in Rock Creek
Cemetery, with the highest honors the
city can give" Several hundred emf
nent citizens attended the service at
the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church and rode or walked in the pro-
cession to the burial ground, Among
these were many who had been asso-
ciated with the Governor in the Dis
trict government between 1871 and
1874. The Board of Trade, the Oldest
Inhabitants Association and many
other civic organizations were repre-
sented in the cortege. Members of the
National Rifles of 81 marched beside
the hearse. The Rev. DR.. S. S. Mitchell
and the Rev. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe off,
ciated at the church.
A dispatch from Philadelphia pub
liShed in The Star of May 7, 1903. told
Of the sale at auction
Poe Manuscripts Of "a few manu-
Auetioned scripts. all dingy and
diScolored, and an
armful Of tattered first editions" for
$5.356.50. The relics dispersed had
belonged to Edgar Allan Poe, author
of Americas most popular ballad ('The
IA IL
popular ,mystery story ("The Gold
Bug), as well as hundreds of other
literary productions. He had lived in
Philadelphia between 1888 and 1874.
while editing Graham's magazine. His
entire earnings during that time, the
telegram Of May Z, 1908, explained. had