davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-01-11
Christoff Sings Boris; Beechom Leads Ballet
TurntobIe Talk

Opera enthusiasts with a
liking for tragedy of the dark
er sort should have a field day
with the new HMV-Victor
Boris Godounoff.
This is the Rimsky-Korsa-
koff rewrite of the MouSsorg-
sky opera, and as recorded in
Paris by ISsay Dobrowen and
an imposing cast, it makes a
striking impression. The role
of Boris is sung. appropriately,
by Boris Christoff, a basso in
the Chaliapin tradition. This
Boris also manages to handle
two other roles, an impossible
feat on the stage but credible
enough here. The rest of the
singers are excellent, too, and
this includes the important
chorus. The HMV engineers
Evening star., 1953-01-11

Sparkling new productions Of
"Aida" (three LPs) and "Tosca"
(two LPs) have been recorded
by London in Italy. Renata
Tebaldi has the title role in
both. With her in Aida" are
Ebe Stignani as AmneriS and
Mario del Monaco as Rhadames.
In "Tosca" Giuseppe Campora
is a fine Cavaradossi and the
competent Scarpia is EMO
Mascherini. Alberto Erede of
the Met conducts the chorus
and orchestra of Rome's st.
Cecilia Academy in both. AS
performances. they at least
equal any others available.
From the standpoint of sound
they are decidedly superior.
A good La Forza del Des-
tino" (three LPs) also comes
from Italy, recorded by Urania.
Adriana Guerrini sings the role
of Leonora, and Campora is an
excellent Don Alvaro. The
performance on the whole is
not quite as well sung as the
Cetra set. Guerrini hardly
matches Maria Caniglia, and
Miriam Pirazzini falls short of
Stignani in the role of Prezio-
silla. Giuseppe Modesti. as the
abbot. has some difficulty with
his lowest notes. But the total
sound comes through much
more liStenably than Cetra's,
which on that score clearly is
outdated. Urania'S conductor
is Armando La Rosa Parodi,
and the orchestra and chorus
are those of La Scala.
New Young Bosso
Fernando Corena, an up-and-
coming young basso. has roles
in all three Of the Italian re-
cordings the Sacristan in
"Tosca," Militone in "Forza del
Destino" and the king in
aida" He does credit to them
all. although his Militone could
stand being a little less
straight-faced.
After all the tears, it becomes
a pleasant duty indeed to re-
port on "L'Elisir d'Amore," as
tuneful and light-hearted an
opus as any opera fan could
wish. Like Don Pasquale,"
this Donizetti tale of love-
potions and love- making is pure
fun. Aida Noni's pretty So
prano is the chief jewel of this
performance, with Afro Poll,
SeSto Bruscantini and Cesare
Valetti ably seconding her.
Gianandrea Gavvazeni, re-
garded in Italy as a Donizetti
Evening star., 1953-01-11
Opera in French, English and Russian
Abounds on New Imported RECORDINGS
By jones 6. Deone

have seen to it that the sound
for the most part is properly
sonorous. Boris" adds up to a
towering musical experience,
well worth the price of the
four LIPS.
For those who prefer their
unhappiness doled out in Ital-
ian or French, rather than
Russian. plenty Of choices are
at hand.
Two French Offerings
Complete recordings of LAX
me" and "Thais' are the
French offerings, each on three
discs. "Lakme" features COL
oratura named Mado Robin
who, in the Bell Song" lifts
her voice with no apparent
effort to a spectacular G sharp
above high C.. A pleasing tenor
named Libero de Luca and a
superb bass-baritone named
Jean Borthayre complement
such bird-like, achievements.
Georges Sebastian ably leads
the chorus and orchestra of
the Paris Opera Comique in
filling in the rest of Delibes'
attractive score. London's en-
gineering is admirable.
"Thais" also is sung by a
Partisan cast, with M. Sebas-
tian at the helm. The princi-
pals are Geori Boue, in the
title role; Roger Bourdin as
Athanael and Jean Giraudau
as Nicias, and they perform
capably. Urania's recording,
however, is not so lustrous as
London's. and the volume level
is not always constant.
Evening star., 1953-01-11

authority, is the conductor, and
the orchestra and chorus Of the
Italian Radio make an alto
gether pleasing sound. Except
Tor q brief, minor tape bobble
on the first side, the engineer
ing Is about the best Cetra has
done. Two discs are in the set.
To get Mozart's Requiem" on
a single 12-inch disc is an en-
gineering feat that merits
praise. Both as singing and as
sound, however, RCA Victor's
new recording, using the Shaw
Chorale, falls short Of the ulti-
mate. Musically the Shaw
forces are highly efficient, and
there are many genuinely beau
ttul moments. Shaw conducts
with obvious care and devotion.
But things are almost too care
ful, too devoted; some sections
are singularly pulseless. As for
the sound, the microphoning is
not altogether felicitous. The
choir Is distant, and the tenor's
voice comes through poorly.
Also, there is distortion in the
inner grooves, a problem no
doubt traceable to the COM
preston.
Beechom and BoIIet
Still preferable among "Re-
QUEEN" recordings, to me, is the
London version on two 10-inch
LIPS, with its closer microphon-
ing, the judicious direction of
Josef Krips. and the fervent-if
less misunderstanding of the
boy soloists and choir.
Lord Berners' 1.-THE Triumph
OF Neptune" a ballet suite
which Sir Thomas Beecham
included on a program here
not long ago, surprised its local
audience with some vocal par
ticipation by the orchestra
players and a gent rendering
THE Last Rose of Summer"
The music, gay If of no special
consequence. is conducted again
by Sir Thomas on a Columbia
record. On the reverse is an
other ballet suite called punch
and the Child" by Richard
Arnell, like Berners q contem-
porary Britisher but with more
radical tendencies (still not
very radicaD. The Philadelphia
and Royal Philharmonic are
the participating orchestras.
This music is really more fun
when you can watch Beecham
conduct it. but the record is
almost worth having just for
the amusing jacket drawing.
(Take a look).
Stokowski is also doing ball
let again-Bizet's two "LArlesi-
enne" suites on one of Victor's
New Orthophonic" discs. More
appealing, to me, is the SYM
phony in c on the back. The
players are all hand-picked.
the music is all manufactured,
and you know by whom. New
Orthophonic" here has an un-
needed echo.
Fellow named Anak Agung
Gde Mandera does ballet, too.
He directs an orchestra Of
gongs, drums. gangsas, reyongs
and cymbals in music which
Balinese dancers used in a
Washington appearance re-
Gently. Columbia made the rec
ORD in cooperation with the
Indonesian government. Proves
there's much a lot Of us don't
know about music-especially
the Oriental kind.
And this one takes the cake
"Cakewalk." by Eugene Or.
mandy and the Philadelphians.
very American ballet suite,
indeed. You never heard the
Philadelphia Orchestra play
like this. (Mitropoulos and the
Philharmonic do Morton Gould's
Fall River Legend"-all about
Evening star., 1953-03-25

and clusters Of grapes. The cost
was $45, because it was a stock
pattern cast by a foundry in
some other city. If Gichner's
men had forged and hammered
the same item, labor costs would
have pushed its price to more
than $500.
Ordinances Deter Casting.
There is little or no casting
work done here now. District
ordinances against smoke, noise
and odors have combined with
the rising cost of labor to force
the iron works out of that field.
Their work is concentrated on
fabrication of material shipped
in from lower production cost
areas.
In the last two or three years
modern furniture design has
called for black iron framing
and legs for tables and chairs.
A number of firms here are turn
ing them out at record rate,
meeting the demand of man
ufacturerS and home handi-
crafters.
But to Fred A. Gichner, 80
year-old dean of the IRON craft
here, there's nothing like the
fancy ornamental work he once
turned out at his first shop at
Twelfth and E streets NV. He
recalls vividly-and with photo
graphs-a few Of his MASTER
Evening star., 1953-03-25

pieces. The intricate gates at
the Pakistan Embassy, the or
nate and lacy iron grills on many
Georgetown homes and the price,
less iron and glass tables and
chairs in the mansion at Dum-
barton Oaks.
Holds Defense Trophy.
Mr.. Gichner is proud of the
Army-Navy Sc" flag and it's clus-
ter of four stars hanging in his
shop. His was the first iron
works to win the trophy for
World War II production here,
But, he says, the master crafts
men in the trade are becoming
too scarce. He looks toward the
day when a piece of hand
wrought iron in a home-man-
sion or cottage-again will be-
come a mark Of distinction.
Meanwhile his sons who help
carry on the business join with
other large plants in looking
around for space in which to
expand. They are eyeing the ex-
panding business in heavy iron
work-truckS, stairways and fire
escapes-aS the start of a Wash
ington industry that soon may
become "heavy" in every sense
of the word.
Evening star., 1953-03-25
Scotland Yard Seeks
Clerk After Findinq
Bodies Of 4Women
By the Assoeiased Press

LONDON, Mar. 25.-Discovery
Of fourth woman's corpse to-
day in a London "house OF
death" apartment spurred a
Scotland Yard hunt for the
quiet little clerk who had rented
the lodging.
The bodies Of three women
were found walled-up in a pam
try in drab Noting Hill district
yesterday. The fourth, like the
first three still unidentified, was
under the floorboards Of the
same room.
One of the dead women was
believed by police to be the wife
Of the central figure in the gen.
eral manhunt under way-55-
year-old John Christie, the last
tenant, Of the apartment.
Three Were Strangled.
A police post-mortem indicated
the first three women found
all between Is and 30 years old
had been strangled.
Police with shovels and crow
bars searched other rooms and
began digging in the garden
patch behind the house.
Three of the women were be-
lieved to have been dead several
months and the other q few
weeks.
The new discovery brought to
six the number of violent deaths
in the grim house in recent years.
A woman and her son were mur-
dered there in 1949.
Tenants OF the building, occu-
pied by mixed lot of white and
Negro families. told police neith-
er Christie nor his wife had been
seen for a month.
A Scotland Yard spokesman
said: 1T is thought Christie
may be able to assist us in our
inquiries"
The first three bodies were
discovered yesterday by Beres-
ford Brown, a prospective ten
ant for the Christie apartment.
While looking over the place,
he found a pantry niche which
had been closed off with several
thicknesses of wallpaper.
Evening star., 1953-03-25


chandiser, the new manager has
had extensive experience in the
purchase and presentation OF
quality merchandise at popular
prices. He is no stranger TO
Washington.
The annual meeting Of the
District Credit Union League will
be held at the National Press
Club on Saturday. Three dis
tinct sessions are scheduled. A
special session at 10 am. Will De
devoted to questions dealing
with bonding. Charles G. Hy-
land, in charge of the credit
union bonding program, will di-
rect the session.
Charles K. Reid II, assistant
manager of j. D. Marsh & Asso-
ciates, will join the company re-
lations division staff OF the
Agency Management Associa-
ton on April Is as a consultant.
In addition to such duties he
will contribute to the associa-
tion's field publications and serve
on the teaching staff. With wi,e
experience before World War II,
in which he served, MI. Re- d
Joined the staff Of j. D. Mecsl
& Associates in 1947. He las
been active particularly in the
affairs of the Life Underwriters
Association.
Lecture Series Scheduled.
The District Chapter, Ameri-
can Society Of Women Account
ants is presenting a series Of lee
lures on Estate Planning and
Wills" for members and others
interested. They are being given
at George Washington Univer-
sity Law School at 8 pm. on
specified dates through April z.
The next lecture will be to-
morrow by Mrs. Elizabeth Tay-
lor Evans, who will speak on
Accounting for the Estate"
Prof. Hugh Bickford will lecture
March 81 on Estate Taxes" and
Miss Elizabeth Freret viii close
the series April 2, her topic being
TAX Aspect of Wills" Two lee
lures in the series already have
been given. John j. Schlick
spoke last night on Legal Aspect
of Wills" The series had been
opened by Howard Walker.
whose subject was Life Insur-
ance as Part Of the Estate"
Evening star., 1953-03-25
By Hugh Humphrey

A multi-million-dollar iron
works is operating in the Metro
politan Area. despite the legal
limitations on encroachment of
heavy industry in the National
Capital.
1t meets the zoning regulations
because 1t is broken into small
plants under individual owner
ship.
Industry spokesmen, encour-
aged by the rising use of iron
again, say Washington has taken
over from New Orleans and
Charleston as the most iron
conscious" city in America.
Unknown to many District ma
tives, almost Is reasonably large
iron works are scattered through
out the city and suburbs, some
of them well-past the half-cen-
tury mark in business history.
With an annual average business
volume of approximately $6 mil
lion, they employ between $50
and 600 highly skilled workers.
Artists in Classic Style.
One large plant has II ma
tionalities represented in its
shops. Many are artists in the
classic European style, as talent
ed with forge, anvil and ham
mer as a master painter with
brush and canvas. The most in
tricate architectural or furniture
design is originated or duplicated
by them. To meet the modern,
utilitarian trend in home build
ing and furnishing, craftsmen
are busy laying out new ideas
on the drawing board.
The oldest plant in the area
is the A. F. Jorss Iron Works in
Arlington, founded before 1890.
It employs about 10 men and
has its share Of defense con-
tracts. Dal Maso Bro, a District
firm, holds the spotlight on the
other end Of the list as the
smallest company, with only two
employees.
While the Districts iron works
specialize in the ornamental,
they always abandon beauty for
the severe and sometimes deadly
equipment of war. All had de-
fense contracts during World
War II, and most Of the larger
plants still get Pentagon jobs
on a spot basis.
Orders will range from thou
sands of small, multi-pronged
devices to be dropped on enemy
airfields to puncture plane tires
all the way to huge special
purpose trucks and other heavy
military equipment.
Giant Fire Truck Built.
One of the largest and oldest
firms here, the Fred S. Gichner
Co., recently completed giant
foamite fire truck for the Army,
the only one of its kind. The
same firm last year designed and
built a complicated trio of trail
Evening star., 1953-03-25

pricing policy must adjust itself
to this fact"
Chrysler said the Govern
ment's abandonment of price
controls was a factor in its de-
ciSion.
Industry Surprised.
It was the first major price
change in the auto industry since
the removal of controls.
To the industry it came as
something of a surprise, in view
Of recent increased manufactur-
ing costs.
Chrysler said it was pleased
to reduce prices 80 shortly after
the new administrations prompt
ending of price controls.
The car industry, according to
company spokesman, has long
suffered under the restraints of
price controls, both as to mate
rails and the cars themselves.
Since the first of the year."
Mr.. Colbert said, "Chrysler Corp.
has built 80 per cent more auto
mobiles and trucks than we were
able to turn out in the corre-
spending period last year under
Government controls.
Nov that higher volume is
being achieved and we may rea-
sonably expect it to continue,
we are lowering prices accord
ingly."
Retail Sales Up so Per Cent.
Retail purchases from Chrys-
Ter dealers are so per cent above
last year." Mr.. Colbert said.
Mr.. Colbert referred to price
decontrol as having had a
wholesome effect"
1--WE are very pleased, he said,
that we can take this action so
shortly after the new adminis-
tration's prompt ending of price
controls and restoring to the
automobile industry freedom to
build all the cars and trucks for
which materials can be obtained
in a free competitive market"
Manufacturing costs to the
auto makers have gone up in
recent weeks. This has been at
tributed to a need for much
overtime pay to workers and
extra shifts and Saturday opera
tions to make production goals.
In the first three months of
this year the industry is pointing
toward 100000 passenger cars
and 10000 trucks.
Evening star., 1953-03-25

ers for the Navy, filled with
secret-type equipment.
The Gichner firm is opening
up new industrial possibilities in
the truck bodybuilding field for
specialized business uses. The
familiar A-frame glass trucks,
which carry huge sheets of plate
glass along District streets in
safety, were designed and built
by Gichner. Their glass trucks
may be found in Is States now,
and new orders are coming in.
Criss Bros, another large iron
works, is turning out secret
equipment at many military
camps and bases in the area.
The Alexandria Iron Works,
employing more than 125 men,
has it's share Of defense con-
tracts but leans more toward the
manufacture of iron fire escapes,
apartment stairways and rail-
ingS.
Specialize in Building Work.
Despite the military work.
and a few plants devote about
40 per cent of their output to it
the backbone Of the Districts
industry is formed by the build
ing trades. Because Of the
historical tendency toward orna-
mental iron doors, grillwork and
stairs, most plants have special
lied in that work for decades.
After they laid aside orna-
mental craftsmanship during
World War II, the postwar
building boom found them ready
with standardized designs and
operations and with plans for
newer fashions in home building.
Contractors found this expert
ence to their advantage. Few
cities can boast the talent and
plants to turn out thousands of
tons of home and apartment
iron work each year. But here
the situation permitted lower
construction costs.
Many Of the old-time iron
workers aren't impressed by the
modern, severely designed black
iron home furnishings and fit
tings. They feel it's a passing
| fancy and that some day, the
elaborate rocco style will come
back.
Used for Apartments.
Apartment and commercial
building projects consume iron
in vast quantities, and some Dis
trict firms have turned almost
all production to such work.
When you mount the stairs of a
recently finished luxury apart
ment house here, the chances
are good that the hand railing,
the steel stairs and ornamental
work were done by a District
plant.
Aluminum's rapid rise in the
building field doesn't seem to
worry the ironmongers. Most of
them feel that iron-like pre-
cious metals-holds an age-old
attraction for those who want
something little different. They
concede, however, that the de-
mand for hand-wrought orna-
mental items has declined no.
ticeably.
| Price and Standardization Of
fashion have taken their toll. In
the Gichner shop workmen re-
Gently were Welding a mail box
to the top of an ornamental
standard, interlaced with leaves
Evening star., 1953-03-25
ChrYsIer Price Slash
Fails 10 Bring Cuts
In Rest Of Industry

DETROIT, Mar. 25.-Chrysler
Corp. cut prices on it's cars and
trucks today, but the action does
not Signalize an industry-wide
price reduction.
General Motors made this def
mite with a statement saying no
price changes are contemplated
by General Motors"
From the Ford Motor Co. Off
ces came word that mo COM
ment" was planned at present re-
garding the Chrysler announce
ment.
Chrysler, General Motors and
Ford make up the auto indus
try's big three" Together, they
turn out the bulk of the worlds
automobiles.
Average on Cars Is S1OO.
The Chrysler reductions on its
Dodge. Plymouth. De Soto and
Chrysler cars, range from SGT $50
on four-door models in the
moderate price group to $278.4
on one of the de luxe models.
The company said the average
cut on passenger car models was
$100, and on Trucks, $40. The
reductions are on factory retail
prices at Detroit.
The cuts were made possible,
L. L. Colbert. Chrysler president,
said, because of the increased
production volume his company
has been able to attain.
Harlow H. Curtice, General
otorS president, said in announc-
ing no price changes for his
company:
THE automobile industry ira
ditionally has been one of the
most competitive in the country.
Whatever may be considered to
be wise or desirable as a basic
Evening star., 1953-03-25

menu also was S""p"eH'
made of Mr.. Chapman'S election
to the company's board of direc-
tors. His acceptance of dual
duties as director and consultant
was acknowledged by L. D.
SilberStein, president and chair
man. who appraised Mr.. Chap
mans 20 years of experience and
judgment on matters concerned
with the country's natural re-
sources as "of great value to our
organization" Since the change
of administrations retired Mr..
Chapman to private life, he
formed the Washington law firm
of Chapman & Wolfsohn.
In a statement issued from
the New York Offices of Penn
sylvania Coal & Coke Corp, the
former cabinet officer stressed
that the demand for petroleum
will continue to increase under
the twin pressures of population
growth and consumption. A
second and ultimately necessary
step. he pointed out, will be
the production of synthetic
liquid fuels from coal reserve de-
posits found in rs States and
deposits of oil shale in the
Western States.
The Governments own ex-
periences," Mr.. Chapman said,
already demonstrate we are
very close to commercial feasi-
bility for this synthetic fuel
production. The gap between
the cost of a gallon of gasoline
based on synthetic oil and that
from natural oil is, comparative
ly speaking, so close that a slight
rise in the, cost of petroleum
would bridge the difference"
The program, he added, should
be highly important to future
defense needs. as well.
Gas Light Dividend.
Directors Of the Washington
Gas Light Co. today declared the
usual quarterly dividend of As
cents share on common stock,
payable May l to stockholders
of record April Is. Also. the
regular quarterly dividends of
$1.12a a share on the $3.50 &C
cumulative convertible preferred
stock and $1.06H a share on
accumulative preferred, were or
cred payable May II to stock
holders of record April "a.
Northwest Airlines Dividend.
Northwest Airlines has de-
clared it's regular quarterly div
idend of 1894 cents per share
on the 4.6 per cent cumulative
preferred stock, payable May l
to holders Of record April II.
A 8 per cent reduction in
Washington furniture sales in
January compared with a year
ago was noted by the Federal
Reserve Bank of Richmond. The
report was on seven local stores.
Throughout the entire Fifth Re-
serve District, hcwever, January
sales were up 3 per cent for the
month.
The P. j. Nee Co.. long estab-
liShed Washington furniture
dealers, today announced the ap-
pointment of Henry Woods Of
Evening star., 1953-03-25

Ric h m on d,
Va, as general
merchand / S e
m a n a 6 e r.
While in the
Virginia capi-
tai, Mr.. Woods
wa S gen e al
m a n a G e r of
S y d or &
Handley, one
Of the stores
Of the Spiegel
c h a ! n of
Stores for the
Home. An ag-
Evening star., 1953-03-25

p r o b ! e m S
involving the
c o m p any's
newly broad
ened program
of developing
certain natu-
raj resources.
These include.
S p e cifcany,
the field Of
synthetic oil
manufactured
from coal and
oil shale.
A n nounce-
Evening star., 1953-03-25
Democratic Committee
To Meet Here Tuesday
BY the Asseeioied Pres

The Democratic National
Committees Executive Commit
tee will discuss fund raising and
organization at a two-day meet
ing beginning here next Tues
day.
Evening star., 1953-03-25
Penna. Coal & Coke
Names Chapman as
Director, ConsuItant
By Nelson M. Shepard

Oscar L. Chapman. former
Secretary Of the Interior. will
serve as consultant to the Penn
Sylvania Coal & Coke Corp. on
Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1953-02-12
THE SMYRNA TIMES THURSDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY

Corps members shall constitute a
quorum.
Section II. All decisions shall be
made by simple majority vote, un-
less otherwise provided for in this
constitution.
Section III. No decision shall be
made which is illegal according to
state or local law, or which is
contrary to expressed school pol
icy.
Section ". No awards to mem
bers shall exceed the limits OF
value set up by the Athletic Com
mission of the Delaware Associa-
ton of School Administrators, and
such awards shall be approved and
Continued on Page Twelve)