davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-04-19
Laos

A week ago, probably not one
American in 10000 had ever heard.
of the Kingdom of Laos. Then,
last Monday, the long hand of
world communism reached out to
pluck the little mountain country
from the vine.
BY this week end, the French
and native defenders of Laos were
in flight. They first had intended
to hold the line at Xieng Khouang,
but later announced they would
make their stand elsewhere.
French Premier Rene Mayer
predicted such a move last month
when he spoke at the National
Press Club here. But he spoke
before the Kremlin's new peace
offensive was well under way.
There seemed little reason for an
invasion of Laos now, what with
amity being peddled elsewhere by
the Reds.
The map on this page shows the
Kingdom of Laos. A small, under
populated and not particularly
rich country, its only apparent
value to communism is it's location
athwart the easiest road to domi-
nation of all Southeast Asia.
The Moscow-trained puppet in
Indo-China, Ho Chi Mini, either
controls or menaces those portions
of the Indo- Chinese state of Wet
Nam that are shaded on the map.
The French control the enclaves
around the big Viet-Namese cities
and the southern part of the state.
While Ho Chi Mimi is far from
licked, the fortunes of the French
and their Viet-NameSe allies have,
in recent months, been on the
upswing. It is probable that Ho,
by driving into Laos, intends to
throw the French off balance by
extending the Indo-C Chinese war.
1t also is possible that he hopes to
put the squeeze on neighboring
Thailand, and eventually on Burma
and Malaga. Success along these
lines would bring communism
right to the doorstep of populous
India, which is striving to remain
neutral in the cold war.
Nice People
When news Of the invasion of
Laos broke, an old Asia hand in
Washington remarked sadly that it
was a shame war had to come to
such nice people. Among men
familiar with that part of the
world, the friendly, gentle little
brown people of Laos are regarded
as just about the most pleasant
folk on earth. For upwards of
500 years all they have asked is to
be let alone-and up to now they
have been granted that blessed
boon.
Laos pronounced plainly and
simply, 'louse") is a hilly, semi
tropical land about hilf the size of
California. It's people, most of
whom are more closely related to
the Siamese than to the Wet
Namese majority Of Indo-C China,
Evening star., 1953-04-19

Even though Soviet action fire.
quently did not measure up to
Soviet talk, it was natural for the
free world to speculate on the
good times that might be coming.
Almost every one warned almost
every one else not to let down, but
talk about tax cuts would not stop.
Tax reductions had been con-
sidered in Britain and the United
States even before the latest peace
offensive. Recent developments in
creased chances for approval.
In Britain, the feeling was that
q tax reduction could aid produc-
Evening star., 1953-04-19
u. N. Moves

The new turn in the cold war
continued to keynote United Ma
tionS action. Here again there was
no consistency on. the part of the
Soviet bloc, but much hope on the
part of the West.
The Reds dropped their old ON
nibus solution to the major cold
war problems. If ever approved
by the U. NJ, the resolution would
have meant global victory for COM
munism. But the resolution was
withdrawn. Soviet Delegate ViShin-
sky said it would be reintroduced
in later session of the General
Assembly and would get a broader
and perhaps deeper explanation
in an improved political at
moSphere." Observers took that to
mean that the Russians realized
only the five Soviet-bloc nations
would vote for the proposal today
but hoped that a better showing
could be made after the peace Of
fensive had had time to do its
work.
Brozilion Plan
The United Nations, at Mr..
Vishinsky's suggestion, then turned
to a Brazilian resolution which ex-
pressed hope that negotiations at
Panmunjom would result in peace
consistent with the United Ma
tions principles and objectives."
It was a relatively meaningless
resolution, but it did imply indorse-
ment of the Indian plan for volun-
tary repatriation Of Korean prison.
erS, a plan approved by the U. N.
last fall over Communist opposi-
ton.
The Russians were at their smil-
ing best when they Joined the
other SO U. N. members in ap-
proving the Brazilian resolution.
1t was the first time unarfimity
had been reached on any matter
concerning the Korean war.
But the Russians still were up
to some of their old cold-war tricks
in the United Nations. They vio-
lently denounced "ZioniSm" as a
tool of American espionage" and
egged on the Arab bloc in its dis
pute with Israel. The Reds had
not given up efforts to encourage
dissension in the free world.
Evening star., 1953-04-19

the world-peace picture, and Presi-
dent Syngman Rhee of South
Korea specified that he would be
satisfied only with complete with
draWal of Red forces from Korea.
Communist reaction to President
Eisenhower's statement OF Western
principles was mild, and, as the
week ended, still incomplete. The
President. was chided for putting
the blame for the cold war on
Russia. There was no direct an
swer, however, to the challenge to
put up or shut up.
Evening star., 1953-04-19

ton and be spur to foreign trade.
The trick, however, was to lower
taxes without cutting defense and
welfare spending. In the United
States, the theory was that re-
duced taxes could be compensated
for by efficiency in government
and greater industrial productivity
and hence more revenue to the
Treasury. The catch in America
lay in getting the tax reduction
past the Eisenhower administra-
tion before balanced budget was
in sight.
Buffers Leeerdemoin
Chancellor of the Exchequer r. A.
Butler turned the trick in Britain
last week. He presented a budget
for the coming fiscal year which
would cut income, sales and cor
porate taxes. At the same time,
defense Spending-about one-third
OF the national budget-and well
rare outlayS would be increased
slightly. Overall spending would
be up about $500 million to a $12-
billion total.
Both parties liked the Butler
budget. 1t seemed a sure bet that
Parliament would approve.
The American tax cut had no
such smooth path ahead. Father
OF the proposal, Chairman Reed of
the House Ways and Means COM
mlttee, was having trouble getting
his bill to the floor for a vote. 1t
had been bottled up in the Rules
Committee on orders from the
House leadership.
Reeds Petition
Mr.. Reed did not care to wait
for balanced budget to make its
appearance, so last week he started
to circulate petition that could
bring the bill out of committee. It
needed signatures of 218 House
members. At the end of the week
ne had collected fewer than 30.
Here is a comparison of the in.
come taxes now paid in Britain
and the United States by average
couples with two children. The
table shows a years tax under
present laws and the tax under the
Butler budget and the Reed bill.
Evening star., 1953-04-19

number somewhere between and
million. Best guesses of the true
population range around is mil
lion, but no one is sure because of
the odd way in which censuses are
taken. Village headmen report
census figures through channels
to the central government-and
the headmen try whenever possible
to figure out why the government
wants to know. If the reason for
the census is taxation, the popula-
ton is likely to be quite low. If
dispensing of benefits is the object,
the population swellS accordingly.
Despite this lackadaisical way of
doing business, the people of Laos
are reasonably mature politically.
Their form of government is a
constitutional monarchy under
6S-year-old King named Sisavang
Wong. The King is rather feeble,
and his son, Crown Prince Savang
Vhatana, does most of his work for
him. The executive power is ex-
ercised by Prime Minister, Prince
Souvanna Phouma, whose half
brother, Prince Souphanouvong,
leads minor opposition move
ment that is reputed to be pro-
Communist. No one takes Soupha-
nouvong very seriously, however.
The present King has been on
the throne since 1904, and his
= father was King before him.
Plainly, the Kingdom of Laos is
no johnny -come-lately state, al
though it was under French DOM
ination completely until the war.
Now it, like its sister Indo-C Chinese
states of Viet-Nam and Cambodia,
conducts its own foreign policy,
even to the extent of having diplo-
matte relations with the United
States. The King last week &C
credited a fortyish lawyer named
Ourot Souvannavong as Minister
to the United States.
We have two-man legation at
Vientiane, the administrative capi-
tai of Laos. One is charge
d'affaires and the other is United
States Information Service repre-
sentative who attends to relations
with the almost non-existent press
of Laos. The Minister, Donald
Heath, also is Ambassador to Cam
bodia and to Viet-Nam, and has his
headquarters In the Viet-Namese
city of Saigon.
5000 Man Army
Laos has an army of $4,000 men,
most of whom are engaged at
present in resisting the advance
of Hos forces. The army is formed
into nine battalionS of combat
troops-seven infantry and two
parachute. Paratrooping is con-
sidered a great lark by the Lao
soldiers, who vie for assignment
to jump units and ask no extra
pay for leaping from airplanes in
fight. Though no one can cast
aSpersions at Lao soldiers as
fighting men, their use as para
troopers has not worked out very
we'll. They are so light that stand
ard 'chuteS suspend them in mid
air almost indefinitely, especially
when there is good wind blowing.
The agriculture of Laos is spotty,
but the country manages to grow
what its people need to eat and
perhaps a trifle more. There are
no reliable figures on foreign trade,
however. One of the kingdoms
valuable cash crops is opium, which
is produced by hill tribes In the
northwest. This commodity gets
into clandestine international
trade in devious ways, and may
have given Ho Chi Mini another
Evening star., 1953-04-19

that Soviet i'll will and bad faith
persisted.
Exchange of prisoners had been
negotiated easily-so easily that
many persons marveled.> The date
for the first exchange, at Panmun-
JON, was fixed as tomorrow. OBJ
viouSly, the Communists would
have to bring their COS ailing cap
!tiYes down FROM prison camps TO.
the truce site of Panmunjom for
exchange. There is one road avail
able for this pilfpose-the main
supply route from Pyongyang and
Manchurias
In recent weeks, American air
superiority has made the shipment
of war supplies over this route a
risky business. But when the pris-
oner exchange was agreed on, it
behooved the Americans to guard
the safety of the returning war
casualties. Sabrejets and Thunder
jets flew over the convoy route to
warn off potential attackers and
avoid a tragic incident.
A Dirty Game
The Communists added two and
two and came up with something
more than@four. Trucks in num-
bers never before seen on the road
started pouring south. Even If
the Reds were bringing the prison.
ers down one to truck, the ex-
change alone could not account for
the traffic on the supply road.
What happened was that the
Reds interspersed the prisoner
conveys with supply vehicles. For
whatever purpose, the Communist
forces at the front were being re-
supplied generously, as American
planes kept a protective shield over
the highway. xs
And when curious Jet pilots went
down to see what was happening,
they were driven off by anti
aircraft fire.
The whole affair was just as
dirty a game as ever had been
played. To Western minds, there
are some things that are not fair,
even in war. Yet it was not hard
to figure out what would happen
if an American pilot were to strafe
a suspicious truck. Purely by
Sheerest coincidence, that would
be a truck that contained return
ing prisoners. At least, that would
be the Red Story-and what could
any one do to prove it wrong?
Minor-Leoeue Horossment
Quite different story was being
developed at the other end of the
Korean peninsula, where Com
munist prisoners were being
brought out for repatriation.
The terms of the agreement
called for return only of those in
jured captives who wanted to 60
home. There was no evidence that
any one was being forced. Yet
when landing craft touched the
mainland with cargoes of captives
from the island prisoner COM
pounds, allied soldiers had to go
aboard and force the prisoners of
at gun and -bayonet point. It ap-
peared to be just another example
Of Communist haraSSment, on q
very small and ineffective scale.
Finally, late last week, the first
allied prisoners reached Kaesong.
Present plans call for them to be
taken to Panmunjom tomorrow,
where trained American medics
will speed their assignment to first
class hospitals and their eventual
return home.
Meanwhile, initial work on re-
sumption Of armistice talks after
Evening star., 1953-04-19
Korea

The cause Of peace-at least
the talking phases of it-certainly
had been served recently by these
new men in the Kremlin. But,
while the talk continued, there
was ominouS evidence last week
Evening star., 1953-04-19
Call for Peace

It was the flrSt time in the SO
days of his administration that
the President had made a major,
official utterance on foreign policy.
The speech before the American
Society of Newspaper Editors had
been given a tremendous advance
build-up-a fact which caused
many experienced Washington
hands to predict that it would not
live up to expectations.
But when the President, a bit
peaked from a stomach upset,
started to speak at l pm, the
pessimists knew they had been
wrong. It was, by any standard, a
statesmanlike speech, written with
sincerity and delivered in ringing
tones. Those who had followed the
1928 progress of Dwight Eisen-
hover from Abilene to washington
realized he had come long way
in q short time.
Invitotion to War
The speech was more than a
plea for peace; it was an invitation
to the Russians to go to war. But
the war Gen. Eisenhower proposed
was not a deadly conflict between
East and West. It was, rather,
a plan whereby Russia and Amer
lea would fight side by side against
the common enemy-Want.
So much of the worlds substance
is wasted in girding for war, the
President said, that 1t Is small
wonder millions Starve. He as.
serted that a way Of life which
eouates one bombing plane with
30 schoolhouseS-and then builds
the plane instead of the schools
is no way of life at ALL Beat the
swords into plowShares, he said,
and men will go hungry no longer.
But Gen. Eisenhower did not
waste his time, and the worlds,
in generalities, however interest,"
ing. He offered a f1ve-point rec Se
for peace: -.
Q A concrete armed forces limita-
tion agreement.
Q A limit to production of arma-
mentS.
Q International control of atomic
energy to make this power avail
able for peaceful purposes only.
Q Limitation or prohibition of
other types of exceptionally de-
structive weapons.
Q A workable enforcement system
to supervise the foregoing under
takingS.
Armistice Required
Before any such program could
be started, the President warned,
there would have to be IAN honor
able armistice in Korea" This
would have to be coupled with an
end to the wars in Malaga and
Indo-C China, for, said the President,
"any armistice E. that merely re-
leased aggressive armies to attack
elsewhere would be fraud"
Peace in the Far East would not
be enough, Gen. Eisenhower went
on. There would have to be an
easing Of tension all over the
world, an end to iron curtains,
and steps toward practical unity.
It was a challenge, there was no
doubt about that. Essentially, it
was q demand that Russia give up
forever the historic Marxist goal of
world revolution of the world
proletariat. And at the same time
it was a clear warning to the rest
of the world that the most dan
gerous thing free men could do at
present would be to take Russian
words as the equivalent of Rus
sian deeds.
The novelty of President EiSen-
hower'S address lay not so much
in the points laid down as in the
audience to which it was primarily
addressed. Other Americans had
said much the same things before,
but they had said them to Josef
Stain. Last weeks speech, how
ever, was directed to the new
rulers Of the Soviet Union, Who
ever they might be.
Evening star., 1953-04-19

a hiatus of six months was sched-
uled for today. It is conceivable
that the talks could be concluded
as quickly as the negotiations on
exchange Of the sick and wounded.
But in view of what President Eli
senhower said last week about
peace throughout Asia, something
was happening far to the south of
the Korean front that cast serious
doubt on hopes that peace of q
lasting sort would soon be achieved.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1953-04-16
Leave For New Duties

Rev. and Mrs. Luther L. Hare
and son left Oakland Tuesday
evening for Baltimore where the
former has accepted the duties
as pastor of Bethany Lutheran
church.
He preached his final sermon in
st. Marks Lutheran church here
on Sunday morning. He resigned
his position several weeks ago
after having been pastor here for
over five years.
A committee composed of mem
bers of the Church council and
other representatives met last
Thursday evening with Rev. Wade
Rooms, Parkersburg, w. Va, presi-
dent of the West Virginia Luth-
eran Synod, in regard to the pro
ccdure in procuring another pas
tor. A pulpit committee has been
named including Mrs. Robert
Hoffman, William Sharps and
Mrs. George Hanst, and four mem
bers of the council, Carlton Bow
ser, Howard White, Paul Hine.
baugh and John l.. Neader.
The services this Sunday will be
in charge of a student from Get
tysburg seminary.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1953-04-16
Time 10 clean Mfa .

Our mountain top looks like it needs real cleaning up
this spring There might be two to
up the unsghy places temporarily, but for most purposes
winter is and the is taking life Let's let
that life emerge through the underbrush.
1t has teen years since the forests have looked be-
dragged The see really caused havoc not only in
the forests but with ornamental and shade trees and with
shrubs and bushes of all description Then there the usual
clutter of ash piles tin and rubbish of all kinds in the
alleys, behind the and right at our back doors
Vacant lots to accumulate than their share of
trash Highways and rights Of cuttered with dirt
Streets in the towns need attention Everywhere there
need for the of broonl-which sweeps clean.
In Oakland the proper time the city council will an
cleanup and pant-up week and will offer to haul
all rubbish the city dump Other towns will do the
Containers for the of paper have reappeared
Oakland and they should keep the place clean
the overall job has been done
In other people starting campaigns against
the tterbug who his trail of garbage paper and
broken bottles wherever he stops Back in the county people
work in clearing cemeteries neglected cemetery is
symbol of community defeat We don't want of those
on the mountain top.
We need to persevere Just little longer than did
last year. and with little determination to make the
area place of beauty The Chamber of Commerce has
inquiries from prospective visitors from almost every
state in union People interested IT, when they
they neat and we'll kept neghborhood the battle is
over half Really could do swell job of cleaning up
this year, if Just put little push into it. We
WINGED it would pay big dividends.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1953-04-16
Two Fire Companies
Complete Course

Seventeen members Of two fire
departments in the county will take
a final examination this evening,
on a basic course in firemel train
ing, sponsored by the Fire Service
extension of the University of
Maryland. Tea Of the members are
from the Kitzmiller Volunteer Fire
Department, and seven members
from the Deer Pal: Community
Volunteer Fire department.
Cromwell c. Zembower, of La
Vale, past president of the Mary
land State Firemen's association,
ard regional instructor of the Fire
Service extension, was instructor
in charge. Training sessions, which
took three hours, were held once a
week alternately in Deer Park and
Kitzmillcr, since last October, for
total of twenty sessions.
Plans have been made for a
graduation ceremony and dinner,
to be held in the Kitzmiller Fire
hall on Saturday, Nay 2nd. at
which time member from the
University Extension staff will
present cards to members success
fully completing the course.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1953-04-16
Government Has Levied
Against Property OF Mrs.
ID. f. Offutt For Back
Income Taxes OF
S7,142.22

Mrs. Karin Offutt, widow of d.
Edward Offutt, has petitioned the
Garrett County Circuit Court,
through her attorneys, to determine
whether she or the trustees of the
Offutt estate are obligated to pay
income tax on the amount she re-
ceivcs from year to year.
The equity case was entered
upon the court docket after the
United States government, through
l.. A. Chambcrlin, director of the
Internal Revenue Bureau of Mary
land, had issued a levy, "seizing
all property, rights to property,
moneys, credits and bank deposits "
in the possession Of the trustees,
belonging to Mrs. Offutt, and all
sums of money owing her from the
trustees. The levy was issued to
satisfy Federal clam IF 81, 1922.
From information in the pc
tition, it was learned that this is
the amount of income tax and in
terest which has accumulated since
August, 1913, on a total amount
of about $4,000 which had been
paid to Mrs. Offutt through the
trustees, at the rate Of $4lG.67 per
month, OF $4,000 per year.
AS result of the levy by the
Federal Government the trustees
informed Mrs. Offutt on February
Is that they would be unable to
make the usual monthly payments.
Mrs. Offutt declared she had not
received any money ON February
20 and neither on March 20, and
is being deprived of moIthly
maintenance and support.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1953-04-16
Red Cross Drive
May Reach Goal

That the Red Cross fund raising
campaign may yet go over the top
was indicated last night by Rev.
Olonzo p. Fikc, county chairman.
He listed total contributions to date
of $2,62iO5, just $273.95 short of
the goal of $2,90S. He said a num-
Der of Oakland sections had not
yet reported and Mr.. Fikc felt
sure of at least $50 additional from
other parts of the county.
The total amount subscribed thus
far: Oakland $79O.30; Grantsvillc
$428.74; Accident $3.50, Crcllin
1881, Mt Lake Park $135, Jcnn-
ings $125.25, Bittingcr 500, Sand
Flat 500, Fricndsville 500, Nc
Henry $92, Kitzmiller $70.40, Deer
Park $55, Bloomington $44.60,
Loeb Lynn Heights $3.50, Cor
man and Red House SILL, Gort-
ncr $27.15, Power House $l7,
Northern High $15, Hutton $40,
North Glade IS, Sunnyside $3.50;
total $2,624.0o.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1953-04-16
To Attend Hearing
On Gas Rate Hike

Neil c. Fraley, representing
the town of Oakland, and Richard
Pagcnhardt, representing the
county, are in Baltimore today to
ask the Maryland Public Service
commission for the Cumberland
and Allegheny Gas company to
give an accounting Of its revenue
under the recent temporary in
crease it received.
The gas company has requested
the PSC to make permanent the
temporary increase granted after
a hearing in January. These in
crcascs became effective ON all
meters read after the first of Feb
ruary and amounted to approXi-
matcly &31a percent increase in
many cases.
The city and county are asking
the Public Service commission not
to make these Increases permanent,
that if any increase is granted it
not be to such an extent.