davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-03-16
Crime in Woshinuton

When it comes to solving crimes and nab
bing criminals, the Washington Police Depart
ment has one of the best records in the country.
Nevertheless, the volume of crime in the Ma
tons Capital continues to mount
This paradoxical situation is explored in a
series Of articles which began in yesterdays
Star. The purpose of the series is to show why
this city, despite superior police work, is in
danger of becoming kind of happy hunting
ground for vicious criminals
There may be several reasons for this It
is clear, however, that a principal cause lies in
the inadequacy of the punishment which a
criminal eventually faces. Only rarely is a
criminal indicted for all of the offenses of
which he is guilty. And even when a man is
indicted and convicted on more than one
offense, there is tendency on the part of
some judges to impose concurrent rather than
consecutive sentences. In other words the
criminal gets off with what is, in effect, the
penalty for single offense though he may be
guilty of dozen.
This is not the way to rid community
Of crime. And unless the prosecutors and the
courts are willing to crack down, Washington
is going to continue to pile up its toll of mur-
ders, holdups, burglaries and muggings The
police can't clean up the city by themselves.
Evening star., 1953-03-16
Good Congressional Example

Too often members of Congress make up
their minds on important legislative proposals
without any real understanding of the matters
before them. Too seldom do they take the
time and trouble to gain f1rsthand knowledge
by means of personal investigation. 1t is note
worthy, therefore, that Representative Miller
of Nebraska, chairman of the House District
Committees subcommittee on health, welfare
and recreation, Is setting good example for
his colleagues
Mr.. Miller wanted to know more about the
conditions actually prevalent at such much
criticized District institutions as the National
Training School for Girls, the Junior village,
the Home for the Aged and Infirm and the
Industrial Home School. He has been learning
about them during series of inspection trips.
in which other members of the subcommittee
have been invited to take part. Even before
conclusion of the tour he has decided to
recommend and support 81 million appropria-
ton for new Industrial Home SCHOOL for
Evening star., 1953-03-16
buchanan Street.

buchanan Street.
"Dear Sir:
"I love birds. I feel that I let one
Of the poor fellows down badly in his
mortal hurt.
"A very young pigeon plummeted
down and lay still at the feet of
friend waiting for me in front Of a
public building. We took the bird
home. It had been scalped from just
behind the eyes all down the back Of
the head and neck, leaving raw red
tissue exposed.
"We kept it quiet near the furnace
and tried a little warm milk mixed
with cornmeal. It seemed unable to
open its beak but made desperate at
tempts to get up some milk through
the tip of the beak.
Next day the wound had CONCEALED
somewhat and the patient was walking
about saucily. not attempting to fly.
It would or could not eat. however, but
seemed to progress fairly well.
"On the third evening the pigeon
had q relapse. I found it about 6
o'clock very weak. It would now open
It's beak very wide every few seconds
as though trying to breathe. One Of
Tile LuOSt p1t4u4 cAPcI1c14CCS nave GVC1
had was watching the poor thing die
from early evening to am.
There are probably many things !
should have done.
do you suppose other pigeons had
tried to kill the young bird. which
might have been deformed or had q
bill injury? How had it grown to its
present size with pretty dull gray
feathers and q perfect little body2
Sincerely, M. L. F."
Evening star., 1953-03-16
This and That

The pigeon had been the victim of o
trafdc accident.
Normally pigeon Is very canny, in
regard to cars and buses.
One seldom sees one run over, but
occasionally it happens.
The attitude of the medical men
is the hest. They seldom show any
interest In how q malady happened, or
what caused it; their effort is put on
possibilities Of cure.
In the present case, there was prob
ably nothing any one could have done
to save the hurt pigeon. It is common
themselves. Probably there Is some-
thing in the human mind that seeks
relief in this fashion. Actually, one
does what one can. No one Is omnis-
cient. and especially in regard to sick
ness and cure. Even the medical doc
tor. with years Of study and experience,
can make no such claim. How much
less, then. can the average human
being?
Sick birds Of all species are notori-
ously difficult TO treat. Like sick
animals, they can give no help. Usually
the best thing one can do Is to keep
the hurt creature quiet and warm.
&k
Downtown. pigeons lead hazardous
lives, ut best.
One cannot expect much from. those
picked up.
Recently we watched hurt pigeon
ut 18th street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue..
It could stand. but when II tried to
walk, It fell over.
Evening star., 1953-03-16
BY Charles E. Trocewen

Yet it seemed to have plenty of
energy. and futtered and faltered away
from q helping hand.
A newspaper woman, one Of the best,
took the bird to. her Office, and there
tried to figure out what was wrong
with It, The pigeon was given the
best Of care for two days, when it died.
Here again, there was no need for any
one reproaching ones self.
The bird probably had suffered an
internal hurt, some ruptured organ,
which did not show externally.
Nobody could have saved it.
We may feel, with some justice, that
birds suffer less than other living crea-
lures. with the exception Of insects,
when they die.
Yet their suffering and demise are
not happy, and the kind hearted person
who win want to help. II he can. Often
sick pigeons may be made whole again
simply by rest. Though they are mar
velous flyers, they are not perfect, and
some of them come down through a
variety of causes. Rest and food may
be all they need. Even in cases of
wing and leg injuries, the best thing
the average finder can do Is to let ma
ture take over the cure. Nov, and then,
one hears Of some bold person who
tried splint. with success. There
are such persons. Most Of us, how
ever. need to know great deal more
than we do before we can attempt to
doctor sick birds successfully. Fortu-
nately. we have q great doctor" on our
side. Without friend Nature, none Of
q would ever get well.
Evening star., 1953-03-16
By WiIIiom H. Harrison


LAS VEGAS, Mar. 16-This gam
with aplomb, if not indifference, to the
doomsday business scheduled to ex-
plode in it's desolate backyard at $40
sharp tomorrow morning. That will
be 800 in Washington, and If you are
looking at your television set at that
time-and if all goes well, especially
the weather-you will see the tre-
mendous thing. And maybe you will
Shudder
But this particular community, which
is certainly In a class by itself, will not
shudder. For it has long since taken
a blase view Of the atom. It has heard
no fewer than 20 nuclear detonationS
from the Nevada proving grounds some
80 miles away, and the forthcoming
21st will therefore be less than a nov
city to it. It has seen all the past
flashes in the sky, and it has had some
of its store windows broken by the
blasts and there is nothing to suggest
that tomorrows show will be much
different from the others. So why get
excited?
Excitement? That's for the birds.
That's for the outlanders. In Las Vegas
the atom is a familiar thing Of quite
secondary Importance, and you do not
let it overShadow such eternal veritieS
as the laws of chance. Here the laws Of
chance are perfectly legal. Here gam
bling is thoroughly fortnight and re-
spectacle. Here Senator Estes Kefauver
would seem altogether silly if he de-
plored it and sought to legislate it out
of existence. Here it is the dominating
industry (more important than the
titanium plant, for example) and one
speaks of it with certain measure
of admiration and even awe.
To understand this you have to be
here. You have to be on Fremont street
or you have to go investigating the
economic and sociological significance
of what they call "The Strip" FIRE.
mont street is the "main drag" Of the
town and 1.-THE Strip" is a sort Of
suburban extension with super extra
plush. The two together make this
place, by all odds, the most fabulous
community of its kind in America-a
community whose population has in
creased from about 5000 in 1910 to
upward of 10000 today. The increase
Evening star., 1953-03-16
The Choir

This wus his armchair Here he
used to sit
TO tutor boys Ulose Greek t0Gs
problemGtic,
With patience, perspicGcity and nit
Removing dust and cob,Debs from
the Attic,
Lighting the lamp OF scholarship for
those
Who found the road to junior Latin
stony,
Through tortuous lobyrinths Of Tulltan
prose
An Gble-Gnd fGcetious-cicerone.
Euening on lGmplit evening. year on
year
He occupied this chair, the seat Of
k7lotDIedOe,
Dispelltng youthful ignorance and fear
And Shepherdi1O storn lGntbletns into
college -.
one strokes It's morn arm. ,Distful to
acquire
Some vestiOe of the virtue OF his sire...
Harold willard Gleason
Evening star., 1953-03-16
The Situation Has Chunqed

Favorable congressional action on President
EiSenhowerS No. ! governmental reorganization
plan to make the Federal Security Agency
full-hedged department at the cabinet level, is
virtually assured. This is one time when past
opposition in Congress to a similar plan does
not count. Congress just was not in the mood
then to approve the plan on its merits-and it
is unquestionaby meritoriouS. The blunt fact
is that the strong opposition to the reform
during the Truman administration conceded
with Oscar Ewing'S tenure as FSA head. With
the controversial Mr.. Ewing gone, many Of
those who objected to raising the prestige and
power of the agency are now ready and willing
to indorse the elevation OF the important agency
and of its present administrator, Mrs. Oveta
Culp Hobby.
AS the President pointed out in his letter
to Congress, the proposal to consolidate Federal
health, education and welfare activities into
new department is an old one. President Hard
ing advocated it 80 years ago. It was part of
former President Hoover'S Inflated reorganiza-
tion program of 1882, which Congress blocked
in its entirety. From time to time since then
various committees and commissions have
recommended the reform without success. The
Hoover Commission revived the plan, after a
task force had stressed the Importance of
Federal services in the fields of public health,
education and social security and the desira-
bility of merging them into major department
of the Government. The Truman adnpinistra-
tion concurred in the proposal and sent plan
to Congress, where it died.
The new plan is substantially the same as
that on which Congress turned its back in
1949 It would transfer services now rendered
by FSA to new Department of Health, Educa-
tion and Welfare, co-equal with all the other
departments having representation in the
cabinet. AS far as Mrs. Hobby is concerned,
it would confer no cabinet privileges which she
does not already enjoy. President Eisenhower
has made her regular member of the cabinet
circle as he has the right to do. The reorgani-
zation would, however, enable her to make
administrative improvements not now feasible
in the loose-jointed agency setup. Top manage
ment would be strengthened through the addi-
ton of an undersecretary and two assistant
secretaries. Provision would be made for preSer-
walton of the professional and substantive
responsibilities of the Office of Education and
the Public Health Service-an important point
to those agencies. There would also be created
q special advisory committee on education to
assist the Secretary in serving "the national
interest in education through appropriate Fed
eral action
President Eisenhower's initial reorganiza-
tion effort merits the priority which he has
given it in his overall program for improving
Plan No. finds Congress in more receptive
frame Of mind than in the past-an attitude
paving the way for serious consideration of the
advantages of setting up a Department of
Health, Education and Welfare.
Evening star., 1953-03-16
Europe's Troubled Air

The spectacle Of this Nation being
pushed around by Communist hirelings
gives no. comfort to the man in the
street who believes in calling q spade a
spade. People like us are wondering
how long Is this country to endure the
abuse Of those international bandits.
We might not be aware of what is
named "high-policy decisions" but we
all know that in our dealings with the
Communists we have been too soft and
indeciSive.
The new administration came into
power as a result Of the desire of the
majority of the people to have a new
and more firm foreign policy for Amer
lea. This latest provocation should be
made sample to show our citizens and
the rest Of the world that there is
new leadership in Washington that will
not permit any more violations of in
ternational laws. Our terms should be
definite: Either the So-called Czech
government apologize Immediately or
retaliation should be forthcoming at
once. Any other way would just prove
that our Nation cannot measure to the
challenge of the Kremlin and that
there is no hope for peace in the world.
Modesto LucerO.
The downing Of two allied planes by
fighters Of Iron Curtain countries in
two days raises the question Of the sig
nificance of these attacks.
Without wishing to discount the pos
sibility Of more than one motive, the
undersigned would like to suggest the
following as at least a partial explana-
ton Of the recent attacks.
The recent fight of the Polish pilot
to Denmark must have provoked con-
siderable CONSERVATION in Red ruling
circles.
The simplest solution of the problem
of keeping the air forces of the Iron
Curtain countries in the air while mini
miZing at the same time opportunities
for escape, it seems to me. would be to
needle the Western allies to the point
where they will shoot to kill at any air.
plane bearing the insignia of the Soviet
Union or satellite countries. If we fell
for this we would be loing the Soviet's
dirty work for them, i. e., patrolling
their borders for them against any
would-be deserters seeking asylum
within the areas controlled by the
Western allies.
It might be well to caution our Air
Force pilots against premature action
against seemingly hostile aircraft.
Godfrey e. Briefs.
Evening star., 1953-03-16
st. Lawrence Seuwuy'

In your editorial, March 4, on 1.-THE
st. Lawrence Seaway," you say that a
convincing case for the economic and
military value Of the seaway has been
made" should like to know to whom
it has been made. The House Public
Works Committee spent several months
in 1851 hearing both the pros and the
cons of this subject. Full membership
Of the committee was present 80 per
cent Of the time. can't imagine sub
ject having been gone into more ex-
haustively AS result the committee
voted down the st. Lawrence project.
Similarly, the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee only last year refused to
report 1t out with favorable recon-
mendation.
The Chicago Association Of Com
merce and Industry, the most repre-
sentative business organization of the
largest port on the Great Lakes, made
thorough analysis based mostly upon
the testimony before the House Public
Works Committee, and as result is
opposed to the project.
Your editorial says that Canada's
decision to go ahead alone with the
project "cuts the ground from under
the railroad opposition" since the sea-
way is going to be built in any event.
BY the same token why should this not
cut the ground from under the die
hard waterway advocates in this coun-
try? No. they are insisting that we
must spend 500 million for the naviga-
ton work in the 114-mile stretch of the
International Rapids and Thousand
Islands section of the St. Lawrence
River, in order to have voice" in the
control Of the project. This is utterly
ridiculous if you will take time to con-
slider it. To the east of the Interna-
tional Rapids section is more than
1000 miles Of the st. Lawrence River,
wholly in Canadian territory, and to
the west Of the International Rapids
section is the Canadian owned and
operated Welland Canal. Our so-called
"voice" would be hemmed in on both
sides.
The proposal for us to do the naviga-
ton work in the International Rapids
and Thousand Islands section, instead
Of being intended to insure our fair
treatment at the hands of Canada, is
really born Of the realization on the
part Of the waterway proponents that
the proposed 27-foot channel would be
outmoded for ocean-going vessels be-
fore spadeful Of dirt had been turned,
and their plan is to increase the depth
to 80 or 35 feet once we have been COM
mitted and also they want to be in
position to force Canada to agree to
this. Instead Of the token 500 mil
lion, this project would then cost
good 50 billion.
Carlisle BargerOn,
Acting Director, National st. Law
renee Project Conference.
Evening star., 1953-03-16

Colored Children at Laurel, to replace the
shameful National Training School for Girls on
Loughboro road This would lead eventually to
abandonment of the outmoded Loughboro road
establishment. With the knowledge of the
sordid facts gained on these trips, Mr.. Miller
and his colleagues will be in a position to i'm
press Congress with the urgent needs of District
welfare institutions. And once these needs are
thoroughly understood, the chances of favorable
action on appropriations to remedy the condi-
tions should be greatly improved
Evening star., 1953-03-16
Trouble in Russia?

In the days of the Cars and for some years
after the Bolshevik revolution, Russia was not
one nation but loose and rather disorderly
collection of nationalities scattered throughout
the length and breadth of the vast land from
the lush Ukraine in the west to the dismal
stretches of Siberia in the east. In the 1920s,
under Josef Stalin's tough direction, these
nationalities-some of them strongly separatist
in spirit and tradition-were first federated"
and then united" into the Union of the Soviet
Socialist Republics, but there is more than
little reason to believe that not all of them have
yet learned to be happy as peoples subjected to
the dictatorship of Moscow.
This is indicated by one of the points made
by Premier Malenkov in his address the other
day at Stalin'S funeral The point follows, in
his words: "Our sacred duty is to strengthen
and further the unity and friendship of the
nations Of the Soviet Union and to strengthen
the Soviet multi-national state and friendship
among the peoples of our country. We are not
afraid of any internal or external enemies"
Why such statement? Would the Kremlin'S
new boss have given voice to it If conditions
among the peoples of his country were per-
fectly united and thoroughly friendly? There
is ground for doubt that he would have. After
all, less than 80 years have passed since the
merging of Russia's various nationalities, and
it seems reasonable to assume that some Of
those nationalities- NOTABLY the Ukrainians-
have failed to agree in the meantime that the
merger has been a blessing.
Actually the Soviet Union has one of the
worlds most varied national populations. Ac-
cording to Russian estimates, it is a population
made up of about ITO ethnic groups divided
into ten major categories ranging from Indo
Europeans (the largest) to numerous Asiatic
tribes. The Russians, the Ukrainians and the
White Russians constitute the bulk of the
people, and of these the Ukrainians have no
affection for the Communist dictatorship. Add
to this fact the fact that there is a similar
lack OF love on the part of the captive Baltic
nations and other elements within the u S.
s. R., and Malenkov's talk about unity and
friendship" seems to take on special meaning
It may well be that internal restiveness and
dissent have become major headache for the
Kremlin.
Evening star., 1953-03-16
Las Vegas BIose About A-Bonnb Tests

innocent from Washington) cannot
quite comprehend or get the name of.
Fremont street and 1.-THE Strip" will be
pulSating with this sort Of thing when
the bomb blows up tomorrow. A mother
in slacks will be pulling lever on a
25-cent machine when the pre-dawn
sky is lit with sudden, terrible bright
ness. Zsa Zsa Gabor may be enthralling
fat and balding men at the "Flamingo"
or Jimmy Durante at the Desert Inn"
or jeanette Macdonald at the "Sa-
hara." or Ezio PIMA at the Sands" or
some other topnotch entertainer may be
helping to make life pleasant for Ger
tain people who do not like to give
much thought to the significance of
what happens at the Nevada Proving
Grounds.
These people, by and large, are not
the residents Of Las Vegas. The resi-
dents of this toWn-even though q
great many Of them, men and women
alike, make their living at running
gambling tableS-are on the whole a
sober lot who do not toy too much
with the laws of chance and who are
rather proud of their extraordinary
little city. The people who pant most
ardently after Lady Luck come from
other places. chiefly from California.
They constitute a popular visitation
every day, but the week end is the
really big period. They flock here then
in droves-some 10000 to 10000
between every Friday and Monday
and more than a few go broke and
crowd the Western Union station wait
ing for money from home.
The outlander coming into this atmos-
phere- especially if he or she is inclined
to be what some people call stuffy-can
hardly fail to wonder whether Las
Vegas, everything considered, is sinful
town so full of the world, the flesh and
the devil that it cannot comprehend
the meaning of events like tomorrows
scheduled explosion-"Operation Sham
rock" Outlanders like that are easy to
meet in the crowded around -the-clock
bars that are inSeparable from the COM
munity's gaming places. One such, in
a rather self-conscious moment while
sitting at bar featuring "The Girl in
the Fish Bowl" eliminated, three inches
high and completely en- deshabille) was
heard to murmur: "Gomorrah and
Gomorrah and Gomorrah creeps in its
petty pace :"
Evening star., 1953-03-16

can be attributed, in part, to such
things as a growing chemical industry.
the neighborhood doings Of the Atomic
Energy Commission and the fact that
the envirors Of Las Vegas embrace
one of the Nations most significant
training centers for jet pilots. Still,
regardless Of its other virtues-includ-
ing its marvelously clear and rainless
weather and its proximity to numerous
wonders of Mother Nature-gambling
is the thing that makes it tick.
''Tick" is probably the right word to
use here. For the gambling goes on
without interruption clear around the
clock-24 hours Of the day, every day
Of the week, including Sunday. The
industry ranges from slot machines to
"21," from roulette to craps at dime
throw, from wheels Of fortune to
games that the innocent abroad (the
Evening star., 1953-03-16
New Bridges

Any bridge built below Key Bridge is
a costly undertaking. Provision must
be made for marine trafic. In addition,
any such bridge, unless below Alexan-
dria, would primarily serve local or res
idential traffic. Through roads are i'm
possible because Of the high degree Of
development Immediately you leave the
river. Assuming that any new bridge
built will be toll-free as are the present
bridges, it is difficult to understand how
private and commercial vehicles will
use the Potomac River Bridge which
has toll and requires extra mileage
and gasoline. Therefore, crossing the
river at or in the vicinity of Washing
ton on toll-free bridges will continue
heavier and heavier.
Most serious consideration on any
new bridge should be given to the area
above Key Bridge. The cost Of bridge
above Key Bridge will be less expensive,
no expensive water construction. no
draw would be required, no bridge
tender necessary. Since the purpose Of
bridge is to expedite the flow of traf-
fic, it is necessary to have main con-
Meeting roads at either end. The end
approaches should provide for quick
dispersal Of all vehicles. This Is not
possible If bridge is built below Key
Bridge or above Alexandria.
Please let us keep more bridges from
emptying into downtown Washington
and help the poor local resident in Vir-
ginia get better local traffic by diverting
through traffic.
Washingtonian, Now . VirginiaM.