davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-10-11
IT BARBECUEs

Your roasts, chickens, hams,
take on a brand new mouth
watering goodness in the
radiant heat of the Barb
kewer Meat Oven, that pre-
serves juices -. reduces
shrinkage. Two-oven con-
venience-do your oven bak-
ing at the same time.
Evening star., 1953-10-11
NO OTHER RANGE ON THE MARKET
GIVES YOU ALL THESE FEATURES

List the features on this NEW
RCA ESTATE. Then check
them, one by one, against any
other range on the market.
ONLY RCA ESTATE HAS
THEM ALL! The Hide-Away
Grid-All, q handy 6uilt-in griddle
that outmodes your skillet for
Evening star., 1953-04-19

pleasure; they competed with
one another in races; and the
more daring went in for
stunts.
Some of them are still very
much alive, and at least two
of the clubs meet for socials
regularly.
Charles Jerman, 80-year-old
real estate broker, Ill Shadow
road, Kenwood, and one of
the original members of the
Chain and Sprocket Club,
was reminiscing with Airing
ton Wheelmen members at
the Columbia Country Club
one evening recently.
Most of their memories
were of watermelon runs"
Of races on a dirt track on
Conduit road (now MacAr-
thur boulevard), and of trips
to Baltimore and Frederick
during the '90s, when the
craze was at its peak.
But they remembered Bert
Owen Herbert Summer
Owen, the man who made
that first trip down the Capt.
tol steps.
And they knew John Fister,
the bicycle era's equivalent of
today's hot-rod driver, who
broke the record on Conduit
road for the 100-mile run. He
set a record, too, when he rode
his bike 279.7 miles in "a
hours.
Mr.. Jerman recalled proud
ly that he had once served
as Sir. listers PAGER, keeping
him awake for "a hours.
]. Walter Thompson, 1906
Delaf1eld place NV, retired
photo-engraver of the Coast
and Geodetic Survey, sug-
geSted that for thrills, "You
Evening star., 1953-04-19

would have to go a long way
to beat Billie RobertSon'S
highwheeler ride on the cop
ing of a bridge 200 feet long"
Mr.. Robertson was an early
member of the Wheelmen.
They shared memories of
SocialS, like the Chain and
Sprocket Watermelon Run in
1896. Some IS couples-the
largest mixed crowd that ever
went out on a run, Mr.. Jer-
man pointed out-rode out to
a farm in Suitland Park. BY
then, said Mr.. Jerman, they
had safety bicycles with
pneumatic tires.
He also remembered riding
on cushion tires over dirt
roads dotted with rocks. The
going was often rough.
"But we took pride in the
SPORT" he said. I'VE always
boaSted, If we start out on
our wheels, we come home
on our wheels!'"
The men, now wheeling
memories over days half a
century gone, recalled laughs
and spills. They exchanged
almost forgotten jokes about
punctured tires.
And Mr.. Jerman recalled
one club race in which he
felt a strain on the pedal.
II ignored it until I got to
the finish line" he said.
Then, when I got off, the
front part of the bicycle
the whole wheel-feu Off"
AS they prepared to leave
the Country Club, one of the
Arlington Wheelmen, smiling,
asked the others-moStly over
8O-"Who'S going to be able
to tell these stories after
we're gomez"
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Corcorun BiennioI Exhibit

AS citizen who believes in modernist
art when there is enough intelligibility
in it for the public to understand it, I
would like to express my appreciation
/ for your editorial Of March 26 on the
Corcoran Biennial Exhibition. 9*
AS far as know, for the first time, a
Washington newspaper has spoken
the truth about the present day racket
Of modernist "art." I quote: "Few of
the canvaSses now being displayed at
the Corcoran are faithful to any tradi-
tional conception. They spell freedom
in terms Of anarchy" quote further
when challenged for an explanation
(of the Corcoran Biennial Exhibition)
q spokesman for the "modernist''
schools replied: You will have to figure
1t out for yourself"
At last, the hackers of this racket
have let the truth out. The public will
have to figure it out for themselves.
They themselves do not know what they
are doing. However, the leaders of this
art racket know very well what they
are doing. They are trying to confuse
and corrupt the vision and the taste of
the American public for art. Like the
Reds, they are doing everything in their
power to corrupt America in every
field Of life.
We suggest that the public stop
wasting its time and energy looking at
such trash. It has no meaning and
never will. One second after It is seen,
1t is forgotten. ,..
p. A. Trapier.
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Leftovers in Philadelphia

There probably are some husbands in West
Philadelphia these days who are finding it
harder to get hot supper than to fill an inside
straight.
For one, or more Of little band Of nine
brooding over once-weekly diet Of cold left
overs-undertook to reform" the wives by
having them pinched for playing canasta for
money. It was gambling, the husbands-or
maybe it was one husband who kept repeating
himself complained sanctimoniously to the
conStabulary and furthermore 1t contributed to
culinary negligence. The ever-alert guardians
of the law moved in, @put the arm" on the gals
and picked up $l2 in cash and deck Of
canasta cards as evidence.
But justice in West Philadelphia, it seems,
Is not of the heavy-handed variety. City Mag
istrate DAILY who says that sort Of card playing
takes place in my home and probably in
yours" gave the district attorney and the
police bad time before dismissing the case
In few tart and pointed phrases. The hus-
bands undoubtedly viii get their bad time from
other sources; they probably will be sent to
bed without any supper. If nothing worse.
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Orderly Lowmoking

Orderly lawmakng will be promoted by the
sensible anti-rider policy adopted by the House
Appropriations Committee. At the urgent re-
quest of the too -often-bypasSed House Civil
Service Committee, the Appropriations group
has agreed to let the Civil Service Committee
handle all legislation affecting Federal per-
sonnel. It has not been always so, unfortunately.
The tendency in the past of the Appropria-
tionS Committee to encroach on legislative
matters that are more properly the concern OF
the Civil Service and other legislative commit
tees has resulted in confusion, inequitieS and
outright abSurdities. Only recently Congress
was called on to repeal an ill-advised rider that
threatened to cause the demotion of thousands
Of Junior naval officers. The rider, aimed at the
"high BRASS" had misfired. Legislation to
repeal another bad rider banning accumulation
of annual leave, has been introduced. This
amendment to an appropriation act broke faith
with Government workers. who had been
promised, when the last leave law was passed,
that leave accumulations would not be touched.
Efforts are being made, also, to repeal rider
which restricts promotions and permanent ap-
pointmentS in way that Is unfair to many
faithful employees. There are several other
riders which Federal personnel authorities would
like to see Cancelled or revised.
In most instances the riders are intended
to accomplish worthy purposes, such as effect
Ing economies and increasing efficiency. But
when the riders tamper with such complicated
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Pension LEGISLATION

From your story on social security
studies. March %, it would seem that
the National Pension Federation OBJ
jected to the appointment of subcom-
mittee, headed by Representative Carl
T.. Curtis of Nebraska. Nothing could
be farther from the truth.
The senior citizens are indeed fortu-
nate in having Mr.. Curtis as their ally.
He is intelligent and capable, and has
made q study Of the needs Of the old
folks, as is shown in his testimony be-
fore the House Ways and Means and
Senate Finance committees.
The thing our federation objected to.
is the appointment Of an additional
commission to the subcommittee. This
is being advocated in both Houses. Bills
have been introduced setting up such
commissions. Not long ago, Senator
Capehart said that such commission
would delay matters, in his opinion. He
said that Senator Taft had been quoted
in the newspapers as favoring such a
commission, and he hoped that Senator
Taft had been misquoted.
We understand that any radical
change in a policy that will affect mil
lions of people must have careful study
and planning. The subcommittee Is
comprised of men interested in the
welfare of the old folks in America.
Several Of these gentlemen have for a
long time advocated changes in our
Evening star., 1953-04-01
This and That
BY Charles E. TroceweH

dampness seems to allow the affliction
to resume its progress.
\ &
"Our only way Of helping the sick
bird has been to keep q careful watch
under our feeding shelf in the evening
and early morning for the bird that is
too sick to roost with the rest of the
flock and resigns itself to spending its
tormented life on the ground.
1--WE have brought such birds in the
house-they are too sick to flee-and
put them in basket with heating
pad. They dry out and rest and then
sometimes recover enough to eat, or
we force feed them with warm milk
trickled down their throats.
-
1.-TWO days are usually sufficient for
the cure.
1--WE know when they are well be-
cause they peck at the grain In their
box. We then let them go. and they
seem to be immune from recurrence
Of the illness.
1--WE have long puzzled over this ill-
ness-why dampness plays such a part.
why only common sparrows- particu-
larly those that have short head
feathers that we call crewcuts- suffer
from it.
1--WE are certain that it Is not diet,
since we feed them wild bird seed mix
ture along with canary seed, millet and
bread
I'VE don't overfeed them, and we
keep the shelf washed down each day
and remove any grain that has become
Sodden.
Evening star., 1953-04-01

1--WE thought that perhaps DDT on
insects was the cause, since the sparrow
is great beetle killer, but the startling,
walking the hill on summer days. chat
ting as he goes, waddling in his comic
fashion, eats more beetles than any
sparrow ever handled.
Frankly, we do not know. Perhaps
you have some answer It is pitiful to
see the poor things so helpless.
VERY truly yours. J. D. K"
Sparrow broods are so large that
there are some culls in each group.
Eating bread seems to contribute to
their general unthriftiness.
Keepers Of cage birds always warn
against washing the perches. They use
a dry piece Of sandpaper instead.
Washing bird feeding station is un-
desirable and unnecessary. The birds are
not hygieniStS, in any human sense, and
too much dalnpnesS may be q contribu-
tory cause Of this sickness.
The possibility Of bird fever cannot be
overlooked. In regard to this, we wish
to reasSure Mrs. III. E. of Fifteenth
street, who says, ''I hope you can tell us
that the parakeet fever scare is ground
less"
Bird fever. which may be transmitted
to humans. Is not "groundless," in any
sense. but actually there seems not too
much risk If the purchaser Of para
keet makes sure to ask the seller to
explain to him why his birds are free
from the disease. Hundreds Of people
have these fascinating pets, and few
have gotten bird Fever. or ornithosis.
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Woshington's Special Police Jobs

One major reason why there is a shortage
of policemen for general patrol duty in Wash
ington is the constant drain on personnel
arising from the citys unique status as Capital
of the Nation. No other police force in the
country is faced with comparable problem of
rendering day-in-and- -day-out services to Fed
eral departments and personnel, to embassies
and diplomatic stats and at sundry ceremonies
and other events peculiar to the seat Of
Government
breakdown Of special police assignments
during the fiscal year 1852 provides striking
evidence of extra responsibilities devolving upon
Chief Murrays undermanned force largely be-
cause this is the headquarters of national and
many international activities. The following
tabulation should be Of interest especially to
members Of Congress considering pay and other
problems of the Police Department.: :.
Evening star., 1953-04-01
TERRACE ROAD, s. e.
Dear Sir:

Dear Sir:
"A strange illness has plagued the
English sparrows in this neighborhood.
'The sparrows seem to be the only
birds affected by this ailment. It is ap-
parently no respector Of age, since we
have noticed young and old birds so
afflicted.
'"The first symptoms are a marked
droop Of the wings, accompanied by an
uncertain gait, and tendency for the
birds to get wet
'The second phase seems to be o loss
Of tail feathers and sticking together
of the body feathers. The birds flight
then becomes unsteady and increasingly
shortened, with no ability to gauge
landing.
soften the bird misses the limb he
seeks or falls over after making q
clumsy landing. The final and most pa
thetic stage is the paralysis Of the beak:
Hanging helpless and open, and the
bird tries to eat but cannot handle
usual foods, and even if it mouths soft
bread crumbs, cannot swallow them.
1.-THE weather seems to have q de-
cided effect on the progress Of the
disease. From early spring through sum-
mer and into the fall, when the MORN
ings are damp with dew, or when we
have extended rainy seasons, the illness
seems to run It's course through the tor
mented bird.
"When the weather Is dry. q sick bird
recQvers on its own. but recurrent
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Its Inner Weakness

report Just compiled for the United
States High Commission in Germany leaves
no room for doubt that the great flow of
refugees from the Eastern zone would be over
whelning If the Communists were not resorting
to extraordinary measures to block the escape
routes westward. The same holds true for every
other country behind the Iron Curtain The
six daring men who recently seized plane in
midair to flee from Czechoslovakia probably
have not exaggerated in declaring that 95 per
cent of their compatriots would choose freedom
If they could, and a similar percentage seems
reasonable for the rest of the Red world.
After all, wherever it holds sway in Europe
and Asia, the Red tyranny is the tyranny of
small minority that has succeeded in imposing
its will on the vast majority through fraud,
conspiracy, seizure of the armed forces the
destruction of individual liberty, absolute CEN
sorship, the secret police and sheer terror in
every form. Far from loving it or being loyal
to it, the great masses Of the trapped and
oppressed peoples fear and despise it. If they
had the power to do so, they would topple it
overnight; lacking the power, they can do
little more than hope and pray for the day when
they will be able to escape it.
This is as damning commentary as there
could be on the Kremlin- n-directed Communist
system. Vast armies of men, women and chill
dren are yearning to fly from it, not to it. The
refugees always move westward, not eastward
a fact that speaks for itself as evidence that
Red totalitarianism, despite its outward show
of strength, is inwardly a thing Of extreme
weakness Let it once lose its ability to terrorize
and it will be through, finished, "kaput"-dead
at last from the seeds of destruction it carries
within itself.
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Greek Ship Deal

Some Of President EiSenhower's volunteer
advisers have been urging him to seize upon
Senator McCarthy's agreement with group
Of Greek ship operators as justification for an
all-out attack. These advisers seem to think
that the Wisconsin Senator, by virtue OF this
agreement, has exposed his fanks and has
left himself Vulnerable to frontal assault.
They are mistaken.
Senator McCarthy's position In this matter
is unassailable. It may be that he Is rushing
in with grandstand play to harvest the pub
licity fruits Of work that has been done by the
State Department and Mutual Security Director
Stassen. In fact, spokesman for 206 Greek
ship operators says these vessels have not
carried cargoes to Far Eastern Communist
ports for two years, and that the agreement
with the Senator was made principally to end
bad publicity. It may be that his agreement
with the Greek ship operators is unenforceable.
It may even be, as Mr.. Stassen says, that the
Senator's effort is harmful to our objective
although Mr.. StasSen has offered little to
support this claim.
The fact remains, however, that the objec-
tive is to cut down on the shipment Of strategic
materials to Communist countries which may
eventually be used against our troops in Korea.
And it is also fact that strategic materials
are still being shipped to Communist countries
after nearly three years Of war in Korea.
Mr.. stassen apparently comedies that the
Mccarthy agreement may stop some shipments
of goods to Communist countries. But If it
should stop even one shipment Of strategic
materials, Senator McCarthys position-no
matter what his motives may be-is secure.
In matter of this kind the court of last
resort is the court of public opinion. And If
Senator Mccarthy can persuade the Greek
owners of 242 ships, or any smaller number of
ships, to stop doing business with the Com
munist world, public opinion is going to be
overwhelmingly on his side It is futile, even
though it may be true, for Mr.. Stassen to con-
tend that he has been tackling the same job
and doing it better. The Senator from Wis
consin, to borrow Civil War maxim, got there
fustest with the mostest.
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Tough Course

H. r. is beginning to assume the
proportions Of A. D. 1. That Is the
number assigned bill introduced by
Representative Daniel Reed Of New
York, to cut income taxes. But haste
should be made slowly here. The Presi-
dent has asked for q balanced budget
before lowering our income taxes. The
question is such q sound one that even
the Republicans are divided on the wis
dom Of putting II. r. through now.
One bloc says that by cutting income
taxes. buying power viii be restored to
more persons and the treasury bene-
fitted. Another bloc says the nation
comes flrst and once 1t Is on an even
keel. more money will accrue to indi-
viduals. Both arguments are equally
good. but are they equally sincere? Our
tinderbox relations with the new Krem-
lin. plus Bernard Baruch's advice on
full mobilization with standby economic
Evening star., 1953-04-01

controls, would seem to point up the
fact that Americans cannot afford an
income tax reduction Immediately.
Much worse for every loyal American
than the continued pinch in our pocket
books is that in politics the game must
ever be one Of fox and hounds. A hue
and cry is now being raised In certain
quarters that President Eisenhower is
only carrying out the bequest Of the
Truman Administration rather than the
behest of the American voters. Any
Democrat could set that kind of think
ing straight. AS one said to me the
night Eisenhower won the nomination:
Don't be too jubilant, If you're expect
ing a change overnight. Government
legislation isn't undone that fast It
could take General Eisenhower four
years to make as much as one change
in all that has gone before" My hus-
bands appraisal was accurate, but his
timing of. The President rolled back
price ceilings and has begun to imple-
ment the Hoover Report by requesting
decentralization Of the Agriculture De-
partment. The President Is doing q
two listed job. With one hand he's
holding Russia at proper arms-length
and with the other quietly moving to
restore power to the States.
We supported changing Democratic
administration for 20 years to the tune
of trillions of dollars. But as soon as
we get 100 per cent American in the
White House, the move gets underway
not to underwrite him, and in the
toughest job that has faced President
since the Civil War. It isn't fair, and
the mongrels should be kept from
swapping at the Presidents heels. The
ilk is none so better represented than
in Senator Mccarthy, who with failing
arms, as in the case Of the Bohlen NOM
ination, is now striking at the very
party that gave him sufferance room.
It seemingly makes no difference to
Senator Mccarthy whether hes attack
ing Dean Acheson or Foster Dulles, as
long as he continues attacking the
Office of the Secretary Of State. That
Office is as sacred to Americans as is
the presidency and our Flag. Mccarthy
and his kind sicken the soul.
Donna Marquis.
Evening star., 1953-04-01

and depth Of the Investigations con-
Quoted by Senator McCarthys and
henchmen:
A shaggy dog was seated beside the
road watching the traffic whiz by. Sud-
denly he spied rabbit tearing down
the road-passing cars on the wrong
side and obviously exceeding the speed
limit. The dog tagged the rabbit down
and asked, "Where's the fire. rabbit"
Haven't you heard?" painted the
rabbit. MCCARTHY is investigating cam
els now"
The dog thought this one over and
queried, "Well, what are you runnin'
for? You're no camel"
That's the CATCH" said the rabbit
I'm no camel-but I don't know how
to prove that I'm rabbit"
Robert Blanck.
Evening star., 1953-04-01
Wrist Slap for Robbers

When a man walks into store to hold up
the proprietor he is, by every reasonable infer
ence, potential killer When he stages three
holdupS it ought to be assumed that he is pre-
pared, if necessary, to kill three people.
This it would seem, is quite serious mat
ter. But Judge Burnita Shelton Matthews evi-
IDENTIFY does not agree. At any rate, she had
before her last week man who had pleaded
guilty to three robberies-two of restaurant
and one of liquor store. Judge Matthews SEN
fenced him to serve from Is to As months on
each robbery, but decreed that the sentences
were to run concurrently. In other words, three
robberies were treated as one, and the criminal
will be eligible for parole after serving the mini
mum sentence for single offense. A year and
three months hence some other citizen may
fnd himself looking down gun barrel in the
hands of this man.
In another courtroom on the same day a
different kind of sentence was imposed by
Judge Walter M. Bastan The defendant had
been indicted on three robbery charges and
narcotics count. Two of the robbery cases were
dismissed by the proSecutor-a practice which
also tends in some instances to result in made
quate sentences In this case, however, the de-
fendant after pleading guilty, was sentenced to
from four to twelve years on the robbery count
and to from one to three years on the narcotics
charge-the sentences to run consecutively.
Thus, the total sentence is from five to fifteen
years and the guilty man Is required to serve
some time in jail for each of the offenses of
which he was convicted.
It is not feasible, of course, to set up any
hard and fast rules or procedures applicable to
sentencing. The judges have, and should exer-
cise some discretion. In exercising their discre-
ton. however, the judges should not lose sight
of the fact the public has very real and legiti-
mate interest in this matter. The Star believes
that this public interest is poorly served when
concurrent sentences-and moderate concurrent
sentences at that-are imposed on criminal
who has admitted that he is guilty of three
robberieS.
Evening star., 1953-04-01
,blems of the Police Department:

Calculated another way, an average OF
more than 10 of Chief Murray's men must be
detailed every day to special duties related
directly or indirectly to the presence Of the
Federal departments, White House, Congress
and foreign establishments In the District of
Columbia. This means, Of course, 10 fewer
patrolmen covering beats that are urgently
in need of round -the-clock police surveillance.
The department today is about 240 men below
its authorized strength. To make matters
worse, Congress last year Topped of funds
which were being used to pay policemen for
an extra days work each week. And good men
are leaving the department every day to
accept more lucrative employment elsewhere.
Chief Murray believes that this exodus can be
halted only by an adequate increase in police
salaries.
Congress repeatedly has insisted on effec-
tive police work in Washington. It has never
hesitated to criticize the police when crime
was on the rise, as it is here today. Congress
in all fairness, however, should consider the
extra burdens resting on local police in the
Nations Capital-burdens which would never
exist if Washington we're not the home of the
Federal Government. And If it gives due con-
sideration to this factor, it will give immediate
and earnest consideration to the need for q
more equitable division of the costs of running
the municipal government, from police and
fire protection to water and other public
services.