davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-08-29

drome-and perfect specimen Of this
peculiar kind of prose.
readily to mind: Hannah, noon, civic.
all perfect or reciprocal palindromes,
spelling the same word backward and
forward. Reversible palindromes-
which yield a different meaning de-
pending upon the way they are read
are even more abundant. Think of
revel, reel, devil, era, tang.
And with so many palindromic
words at hand. complete sentences of
mirror language are not too difficult
to compose. Indeed, the first mortal
utterance is reputed to have been
Evening star., 1953-08-29
The Loser Is France

IL is mucn easier TO PICK tne loser tndn
it is to identify winner in the nationwide
series of strikes which paralyzed France for
three weeks. For as most of the public services
return slowly to normal operations and private
industry begins even more slowly to come back
to life, it is clear that France as nation has
paid heavy price.
The economic cost alone is estimated at
$500 Million little of which can be recaptured
The idleness of transport and communications
services and the lost production of government
owned mines represented missing revenues of
nearly $10O million. Private industry of almost
every category suffered an even greater total
damage as strikers lost their normal income
tourists fled the country and purchasing of
everything but the essentials came to a near
halt. One deadline for payment of direct taxes
was postponed and the eventual tax return to
the government is certain to show a sharp
drop.
In terms Of national prestige, the cost was
comparably high. The spectacle of an entire
nation begged down to point where even the
postal and telephone services were imperative
hardly added to Frances lustre as a modern
first-claSs power and the bad will engendered
with thousands of foreign visitors has helped
spread this demeaning impression to many
other countries.
AS far as the immediate principals were
concerned, the government of Premier Laniel
versus the strikers, claims for victory must be
qualified in either case. Mr.. Laniel, displaying
more stubborn determination than has gen.
orally been the rule among Frances postwar
Premiers, did succeed in maintaining his po-
litical position despite having to make some
economic concessions. Refusing to retreat
completely on his proposed economic reforms,
he stalled off demand that the National As
sembly be reconvened in emergency session-a
development that probably would have resulted
in the fall of his government-maneuvered
some of the key non-Communist unions back to
work and simply waited the others out until
they had little practical choice left but to order
their members back. On paper at least, his
economic program is basically intact although
he has promised notifications in his plan for
stiffening the requirements for retirement from
government service and has promised also to
seek wage increases for the lowest-paid per-
sonnel. The National Collective Bargaining
Board will be convened before September 80
to study costs of living and the possibility of
setting new national minimum wage scale.
In these concessions rest whatever claims
the workers can make for success in the strike
but their wage losses during three weeks of
idleneSs will Offset any gains for substantial
period of time.
With the books thus balanced, neither
France nor its friends can take much satiSfac-
ton. government has been preserved with
out enhancing its stature greatly. An economy
already unhealthy has been further injured to
a degree that will make its recovery more
difficult.
Evening star., 1953-08-29
Good Radiance

Washington will be better off, now that the
bottle club" era has come to close. Federal
Judge Kirkland well described these dark dives
as moral ceSSpoolS" in refusing to grant them
an injunction against District enforcement of
the new anti-bottle club law. Police Chief
Murray called them breeding spots for crime in
teStifying in support of the new law. The
history of the clubs here shows that they de-
served the opprobrious terms directed at them
by laW-enforcement authorities
Few persons were deceived by the cultural
club" disguise which the after-hours drinking
joints sought to maintain. 1t was an indiSputa-
BILE fact that they attracted, along with the
regular customers some of the underworld'S
more notorious characters. Numerous dis
turbanceS, including shootingS, resulted. AS
soon as the police padlocked an establishment
for these disturbances, it reopened under
another name. It became evident that to rid
the city Of these hangoutS would require special
legislation. The provision in the Omnibus
Crime Act setting up strict licensing regula-
tions was the outgrowth of much study and
testimony by congressional investigators.
The nub of the new law is the clause
limiting licenses to non-proft organizations.
No after-hourS bottle club can exist without
profits. The proprietors are in the business to
make money. Another blow is rule that such
clubs must close down at am. Ordinarily,
at that hour. Many customers do not arrive
until about o'clock in the morning. All in
all, the law, if properly enforced, means the
end of the after-hourS drinking clubs, at least
in their present form. And good riddance, too.
Evening star., 1953-08-29
Fifty-Yeor Forecasts

DR.. Charles c. Abbot, former secretary of
the Smithsonian Institution, has put his long
experience as a solar physicist behind the
proposition that: General weather predictions
for as much as so years in advance can be
made on the basis of periodic variations in the
heat of the SUM-" Not all contemporary sci
entists working in the same field are likely to
agree with the theory thus expressed, but most
of them will concede that the subject is i'm
portant enough to merit open minded conSid-
Grafton and discussion.
Certainly, there can be little, if any ques-
ton about the reality of a relation between
what happens on our earth and what happens
on the flaming body about which it revolves.
Without the sum- there would be no life-aS
we know life-upon this planet. The inclusive
phenomena which add up to mean weather"
in our day-to-day lexicon plainly are influenced
by solar changes. Observations of those muta-
tonS already have yielded some working
knowledge of their significance in terms of
climate. DR.. Abbot calls for greater and
greater specifcity through gathering of all sorts
of weather data and correlating it" with what
is seen to be tranSpiring on our blazing central
orb. When observers have accumulated the
necessary facts, they should be able to forecast
far into the future in line with the principles
they find demonstrated by those facts Dr.
Abbot looks forward to a time when "a map OF
predicted weather 10 years in advance might be
available to the whole country" Charts for
multiples of such periods, he believes, are
feasible.
The threshold of this system of meteor
ology" admittedly "has just been crossed" At
present only broad general predictions" can be
made. DR.. Abbot'S personal forecasts have pro-
duced correlation coeff1cients with observed
weather five to eleven times their probable
error" The base of his calculations is the solar
constant. This is the amount of heat that
would be absorbed by black cube 2s inch
on side suspended at the extreme outer limit
of the earths atmosphere 1t averages 194
calorieS per square centimeter per minute" +"
After 35 years of daily checking, Smithsonian
astrophySiciStS are convinced that there is a
per cent variation in either direction high
or low, in the heat energy coming from the
sun. They argue that the sun is "a variable
star within narrow limits" The variations are
rhythmic So are their influences upon the
earth, like the tides or like the temperate-zone
year with its seasons eternally repeating them
selves" The universe, then may have de-
tectable pulse. Why not?
Evening star., 1953-08-29
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE.
Mountain Rood

The gray pared ribbon spirals. climbs.
deScendS
High ouer mountGtnSideS OF forest
green
Where redwoodS crotDd. the n1oSs-bGrked
oak extends,
And the Ullite riuer tears the pron0ed
T1Utne.
Doun the n1Gcadanl strip, tDith fumes
and haste,
SQuadrons on wheels 90 dronin0.
Sputtertno By,
While ridge on ridge the t0ood-enueloped
waste
Bilious in silence to the UotceleSs sky.
But man, tDI1o roars and passes, has no
part
In the wide comrddeship Of peak and
tree.
Only fe10 ,O,H feel strange prompttnos
start,
And pause, and sense an ancient
Sanctity,
And hdziLy read, upon a ledty page,
The signature of some lost heritage.
Stanton A. Cobientg
Evening star., 1953-08-29
Delinquency

OSlsI4OSuSy
The rising tide of juvenile delinquent
cy in Washington is problem which
should be Of major concern to all. At
one time these offenses were to a great
extent confined to specific areas of the
city; however, today no section can
claim immunity from these marauders
who roam the streets late at night mo-
testing pedestrians and committing
other acts of vandalism.
Quite recently an army major and
his wife were returning to their parked
auto after a visit with friends in the
Brookland area when they encountered
a number of teen-age boys. Without
provocation whatsoever, one of the
group assaulted the major while his
companions stood by and observed the
attack.
Shortly thereafter officers rounded up
a group answering the description given
by the victim-but released them with
out further questioning when they in
sisted that the attacker was not in their
company This was done despite the
fact that the victim heard one of them
address the offender by name after the
incident
The viciousness Of the unWarranted
attack. the proximity of the gang" to
the scene and their reluctance to render
assistance to the victim or identify his
assailant were reasonable grounds for
holding the youth for further ques-
tioning.
The problem of juvenile delinquency
is battling and challenging one, but
we citizens while cognizant of that fact
have right to the best possible protec-
ton our police department can afford.
Protection in the instant case and 9TH
ers of a similar nature is the prompt
apprehension and punishment of the
guilty party.
However. conscientious, vigilant po-
lice department should not be expected
to tackle the problem singlehandedly.
1t is also necessary that all elements of
our law-enforcement agencies, juvenile
authorities, PTAs. civic and church Or
ganizations as well as individual par
entS join together in concerted effort
to find some solution to this ever-in-
creasing threat to the homes, businesses
and persons of our law-abiding citizens.
Edna w. Mcclellan.
Evening star., 1953-08-29
'FIuoridotion Up Aeoin'


Your editorial of August 18, "F1uori-
dation Up Again." is encouraging to
many groups and individuals who have
combatted this adventure in mass medi-
cation both before and after its arbi-
trary imposition upon the citizens of
Washington in June, 1882, The Star
has performed an outstanding public
service by once more calling attention
to controversy about which many of
its readers know little. .:.
The House Select Committees unani-
nous statement about unanswered
questions concerning the safety of this
program" is well taken, though few in
formed people would agree that "the
advisability of f1uoridating the public
water supply is essentially local prob
lem, to be determined for itself by
each community" which confidently as
sumes that such an issue can be settled
at the ballot box.
The propriety of forcing whole popu-
lations to accept medication of any sort
in their drinking and cooking water
cannot be determined fairly or per-
manently by referendum, since it would
be impossible to give every voter full
O1l U11lS SuOJCOUp COPCNAoAAH
in disfranchised Washington, whose aut
thorities are not answerable to the
citizens for their decisions and official
acts.
Furthermore, since mass f1uoridation
is mass medication, does our American
ideal of personal liberty include the
doctrine that an uninformed majority
shall decide what medical treatment
every one must accept? If so, why not
contaminate our public water with every
alleged cure-all that might conceivably
benefit some people, though potentially
injurious-or even deadly-to many
others'
If this program of mass medication is
permitted to go unchallenged, despite
much scientific opinion and evidence
that it is both hazardous and ineffec-
tive, Americans will have lost one OF
their most cherished liberties-that OF
deciding for themselves what medical
treatment they will or will not accept.
Fluoridation is setting a most danger
our precedent in nation that boasts
Of its freedom.
Claude N. Palmer.
Evening star., 1953-08-29
Up in Arms Over Toxes

Up III Arms over 0xeS
In response to Government EN-
ploye," who heartily indorses Repre-
sentative Broyhill's proposal that all
service personnel be subjected to the
personal property tax in the area in
which they are residing, ask:
Why doesn't Government Employe"
enlist in one of the services, and enjoy
all of the benefits that he enumerated?
Combat Veteran.
May I suggest that Government
Employe" join up with us and get on
the gravy train? He should remember,
however, that starting pay is less than
$50 month, that commissarieS will be
closed in December, that Navy-con-
trolled housing is due for rent in
crease, that the ANA lobby is pushing
to eliminate dependents medical care,
that every transfer of duty station
costs at least 500 more than the al
1otted to 5 cents a mile. and that
PIX prices are about the same as any
large department store. Also, if he is
lucky, he can be with his family at
least half the time.
AS for myself, 1 am taking my dis
charge from the Navy after 10 years Of
service because there are few advan-
tages left. If a large number of
career men in the higher enlisted
grades do the same. the military serv-
ice will be composed of officers and
draftees. And when that happens,
brother-dig in. ...
Navy Chief.
I cannot fathom why there seems to
be such pronounced antagoniSm to-
ward service people. Government En-
ploye" has arrived at more reasons
why service people should be taxed like
the average citizen.
The comparison drawn between serv-
ice people and those in private industry
and the professions is ridiculous
have yet to see the average Army
sergeant or his equivalent in the other
branches of the service earn as much
as the average engineer, lawyer or in
surance man. We won't even mention
the doctor or the fellow who operates
the gas station.
However, the all-important point that
seems to be overlooked by these self
made economists is that the service
man takes terrible beating in time Of
war All the money in the Treasury
could not pay for the hardship of just
one day in battle. Joseph Ferrara.
Referring to the letter on Taxing
the Military in Virginia" written by
Charles w. Carter, I wish to bring
some glaring facts before the author.
Being in the military and attempting
to live in the dual capacity of citizen
soldier and leading an exemplary life
in both cases is an honor but an ex-
tremely difficult task.
In order for the military to survive
it has to do so by its wits and not on
it's salary. l would like to point out
that our salaries were fixed on the
basis that most of our necessities could
be had through commissarieS. PXS, etc.,
at reduced prices. But since 1947.
through constant pressure from various
lobby groups-merchants builders, etc.
our marginal benefits have dwindled
to nothing. Our PXs are no longer per-
mitted to carry larger items, such as
washing machines. At the end of this
year our commissaries will be abolished.
Limited medical care for dependents
is in the off1ng And you feel that we
should be taxed even more?
Seryiceman.
Evening star., 1953-08-29
Virginio's Highway Dilemma

Virginia legislative committee has pre-
pared report on the States highway dilemma
that is bluntly realistic. According to this in
veStigating group the public must face the fact
that Virginia cannot maintain and improve its
overloaded roads under it's much-touted pay
aS-you-go policy without calling on the tax
payers for more money. Virginia'S highway
troubles, like those of other States, have arisen
from the failure of highway revenues to keep
pace with the demands of increasing traffic
and the rising cost of road construction. The
problem, involving proposals for increased gaso-
line taxes, bond issues and even tolls is sure to
precipitate spirited debates in the General As
sembly next January.
State Highway Commissioner James A.
Anderson, bombarded by demands from all
parts of the State for bigger and better roads,
especially on the primary routes, has estimated
that it will take at least $40 million more
year to maintain reasonably adequate" high
way system. The secondary farm -to-market"
roads are in generally good condition, thanks
largely to a one-cent gas tax increase granted
by the Legislature in 1916 and earmarked for
rural roads. But the amount of traffic on the
main highways has risen to unprecedented
peaks in the past several years. Highways
which the engineers thought would be adequate
to meet all needs for years to come have be-
come seriously congested. Accidents have in
creased correspondingly. 1t is the safety prob
lem, rather than the convenience of motorists,
that is Of first Importance to Commissioner
Anderson He has urged a tWo-cent increase in
the gas tax cor its equivalent" to raise the $40
million he says is needed to repair and widen
many of the principal routes. He is opposed to
toll roads, except on certain parallel routes,
such as the proposed turnpike between Rich
mond and Petersburg.
subcommittee of the Virginia Advisory
Legislative Council has made an exhaustive
study of highway financing plans. Its report,
excerpts of which have been made public in
Richmond, advocates a one-cent-a-gallon in
crease in the States present gasoline tax of six
cents The District tax is now five cents gal
Ion and the Maryland tax six cents. But 10
States tax motorists more than six cents gall
Ion. Mississippi has an eight-cent tax six States
have Seven-cent tax and three have six
and-a-half-cent tax. Any plan for gasoline
tax increase in Virginia would run into oppo-
sition at the next session of the Assembly 1t is
one thing to add cent for the benefit of farm
roads. It is something else again to propose one
or two cents additional chiefly for primary
roads between the cities and larger towns. The
traditional tug of war between the country
boys" and the "city boys" in the Legislature
probably would be resumed over such an ISSUE
Rural legislators should not overlook, however,
the benefits which would accrue to all the State
from safer and generally better highway net
work. Virginia cannot afford to let her fine
road system deteriorate to point where acci-
dent hazards are great and business growth is
retarded.
Evening star., 1953-08-29
Letters to The Star F.

from other correspondents. While l
didn't think The Star was turning
pink" was afraid you were so set
in prejudice against Senator Mccarthy
that you were perhaps joining the
"pinks" in your remarks without realiz-
ing it. AS one of your correspondents
says, almost Beyond Belief" is a
overdue editorial. The leftiSt papers
are always talking about the harm
Senator Mccarthy has done to some
people. What harm, to what person,
has not been stated. I don't know of
any.
CIV.
want to add my thanks for the
editorial, Almost Beyond Belief" Con-
gressional committees certainly do per-
form an important function in expos
ing to the public those who are engaged
in subversive activities Secret reports,
it seems. can be disposed of by unco-
operative officials until the damage is
done. -.
1t is time for every newspaper to get
behind those who have the courage to
continue uncovering Communist con-
spirators. Let's criticize the methods"
used by the spies. for a change.
A Subscriber.
Evening star., 1953-08-29

philatelic public-which will pay the bilr-has
indorsed the idea. Work on the design can be
started in the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing at moments notice. The Taft family and
the Ohio delegation in Congress are favorable
And no one has come forward in opposition
Evening star., 1953-08-29
By Theodor Schuchot

"Able was I ere saw Elba" is the
curious. comment Napoleon is said to
have made when he fell from power.
Since it can be read in either direc-
Evening star., 1953-08-29

Another Latin palindrome circulating
during the reign of Elizabeth I was
"Patrum dicta probo, nec, sacris belli-
gerabo." The words impartially ex-
pressed either Roman Catholic or
Huguenot sentiments, depending upon
the order in which they were said
Surely the most superb Latin palm
drome is "Sator arepo tenet opera
rotas" meaning THE sower drives the
Evening star., 1953-08-29

Because of nearby copper deposits, river
in Spain contains no fish of any kind, we read
in a short item, which doesn't go on to say
how much the resort owners along its banks
charge per day for 4 boat. motor and guide.
Evening star., 1953-08-29

Pen-n1n1eS may be used it letters carry
Wr1terS' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.
Evening star., 1953-08-29
Questions and Answers

The stars readers can get the answer any
question OF fact by either writing The Evening
Star Information Bureau 1900 street NV.
Washington D c.. and incIoSlnR 3 cents re-
turn postage or by teleuhoninR ST 3-7363
By THE HASKIN SERVICE.
@: Do the new soil conditioners i'm
prove the soil permanently?-E. w. H.
A. No, three or four years seems to
be the limit of their effectiveness.
@. Is the English language taught in
the schools of Israel?-J. w.
A. Three languages are taught: writ
(modern Hebrew, Arabic and English.
Evening star., 1953-08-29
SATOR
AR E PO
T N EFT
OP E r A
ROTAS

But even this marvel was topped, in
Vienna in 1902. An unknown genius
with the wildly improbable pen name
of Ambrose Hieromonochus Pamperes"
published a stupendous literary She
nanigan: a Greek poem of 416 lines
every last one a palindrome!
Evening star., 1953-08-29

.ss---
The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1953-12-10
Republicans Give
pMA New Name
1t Now Becomes
The Local A. S. G.

AS a part of the reorganiza-
ton of the U. S. Department OF
Agriculture under Secretary
Ezra T. Benson, the Production
and Marketing Administration
branch of the department has
been newly-named the Agricul-
tural Sterilization and Conserva-
ton Committee.
William H. Archer is chairman
Of the local A. S. c. committee,
which has its office upstairs
from City Hall on North street
III Caldwell.
Chairman Archer has an
nounced that Dec. 81, 1858, is the
final date for filing applications
of the 1852 agricultural conserva-
ton program.
All persons who are eligible
to sign 1852 ACP applications
including supplemental applica.
tions, are requested to sigr
theirs promptly.
A check at the local A.S.C
office shows that during the
month Of November, 499 Noble
county farmers signed up fol
participation in the 1854 pro
gram.
The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1953-12-10
Slight Rainfall
Hits Noble County
Burlingame Records
.12 Of An Inch, Sunday

Every bit of rain helps during
this severe drought condition,
reported Frank Burlingame of
Sharon, who said that IL of an
inch fell in sections of Noble
county Sunday morning.
Burlingame pointed out that
this would represent about
100000 gallons of water at the
Caldwell reservoir, spread over
an area Of 80 acres.
The low supply of water was
very evident last Friday morning
when Caldwell firemen hao
trouble raising the pressure from
their pumps and hose as they
battled the flames at the Walter
Staats home and business place
on Miller street.
Mayor Homer Johnson sale
there was absolutely no let-ul
in restrictions on the water con
sumption and there would b.
none until an ample supply o
water fell.