davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09

burgh, and admirers from Cincinnati
and Detroit made pilgrimages to the
Pennsylvania city to give her well
come
James J. Jeffries and James j. Cor
bett fought at San Francisco on August
IA, 1903 for the pugilis-
Jeffries tic championship of the
The Victor world, and The Star for
the next day gave q
lengthy account of the battle. THE end
came shortly after the beginning of the
10th round, when JeffrieS planted one
of his terrific left swings on Corbett's
stomach" So conclusive was this punch
that 'the man who conquered John L.
Sullivan dropped to the floor in agony"
When Corbett managed to regain his
feet, Ibis gigantic adversary belted
him in the midriff a second time. Then
it was that Tommy Ryan. seeing it was
all over, motioned to Referee Graney to
stop the punishment" According to Of
fetal count. 1869 spectators saw the
battle. Gate receipts were $62 $40. JEFF
fries was to be paid $50. 728, while Cor
bett was to get $1O.910.
On August IL, 1908, The Star used
front-page space to say: "All doubts as
to Secretary (Elihu)
Secretary Root Roots retirement from
Resiqnine the cabinet of President
(Theodore) Roosevelt
have been dispelled by the frank,
though reluctant, acknowledgment Of
that gentlemen that he will place his
resignation at the disposal Of the Presi-
dent before his departure from New
York next week for London. where he
goes as member of the Alaskan Boun-
Diary Commission" While abroad, it
was explained, Mr.. Root will remain
in communication with the War De-
partment and matters pertaining to
the general staff and other important
affairs will be referred to him." The
reason for the Secretary's retirement
was stated in this manner: "Mr. Roots
desire to leave public life is based
largely on personal grounds. His fam
lily does not like the life in Washington.
and the Secretary. desires also to re-
turn to his law practice.H 1t was af-
flrmed that he had made considerable
sacrifice" when he succeeded Russell
A. Alger in the cabinet of President
Mckinley in 1899. There has been
some talk Of nominating Secretary
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
If the Truce Is Broken

It is not accurate to say that the is United
Nations countries which have been fighting in
Korea are pledged to take up arms again if the
Communists breach the truce and renew their
attack. The probabilities are, of course. that
all of the U N. countries would renew the fight
in such situation, but they are not pledged
to do so by the language of their Joint
declaration.
The key sentence in the declaration is
this: 1--WE affirm, in the interests Of world peace
that if there is renewal of the armed attack,
challenging again the principles of the United
Nations, we should again be united and prompt
to resist" What is the significance of the use
of the word should? Certainly it is weaker
than if the declaration had stated that we
shall or that we will again be united and prompt
to resist And certainly it is not pledge"
to fight again if the Communists should attack.
The following sentence in the declaration
seems drawer in tone: "The consequences of
such a breach in the armistice would be so
grave that, in all probability, it would not be
possible to conf1ne hostilities within the from
tiers of Korea" At most, however this implies,
but does not state that in renewed war China
proper would be attacked. And even this i'm
plication was too strong a dose for our British
and Canadian allies. They promptly announced
that the declaration did not commit them to
"any precise" course of action.
somewhat f1rmer note was sounded by
Secretary Dulles and Syngman Rhee in their
joint statement accompanying publication of
the draft of the proposed mutual defense treaty
between the United States and South Korea
This treaty, however, cannot become effective
without the consent of the Senate and the
Senate does not meet again until January So
Messrs. Dulles and Rhee addressed themselves
to the interim period in these words: IF, during
this period, there should occur unprovoked
armed attack by the Communist forces against
the Republic of Korea in violation of the armi
stice the United Nations Command including
the Republic of Korea forces, would at once
and automatically react, as such an unpro-
voked attack would be an attack upon and
threat to the forces under its command"
The armed forces of the United States and
South Korea undoubtedly would react" by
fighting back. But in neither statement is
there an unequivoca pledge either to broaden
the scope of the war or, on the part of our
U. N. allies, to fight at all. If this is clearly
understood now, misunderstanding and re-
examinations may be avoided in the future.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
An UnossoiIobIe Position

The Commissioners are in strong position
on the Fowler matter. They have given re-
spectful and serious attention to the opinion
of the few members of Congress who suggested
that the Budget Officer should be made indie
pendent of the Department of General Admin
istration. They have concluded after study
that the Budget Officer should remain where
he is. To have yielded to the members of
Congress, in these circumstances, would have
been to do what they believe is wrong. The
strength of their position is that they have
done what they believe Is right.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09

in this country: the serviceman is big
hero and is given the red carpet treat
ment while the war is on, but when it
tapers off and the fighting is over, he
is given one kick after another In
fairness to Broyhill Virginia isn't the
first State to attempt to tax personal
property of servicemen who happen to
be living in the State through no choice
OF the men involved. Just few months
ago the Supreme Court of the United
States handed down a decision which
prohibited the State of Colorado from
levying and collecting these taxes.
Far from being exempt, the service
man is subject to the same taxes as
any other citizen on his property. He
must pay his taxes in the State where
he maintains a permanent residence
Broyhill and his ilk would have the
serviceman pay taxes in every State
where he is sent to live GOTTEN several
States during the course of the year,
plus taxes in his home State If he is to
maintain home there and maintain
his right to vote.
Does Mr.. Broyhill pay personal prop
erty taxes to the District of Columbia
for books and other property he owns
and keeps in his House Office Building
Office, or on his car that he uses in
D. c.? You bet your life he doesn't!
Disguised Serviceman.
X
For the past fifteen years we have
been paying personal property tax in
Louisiana, our permanent home and
the one in which we hope to retire
some day. In all those years we have
lived a total of three years in Louisi-
ana!
Where is the free ride" we so-called
temporary residents are getting?
Granted, we're allowed to ride over
Virginia's washboard roads and our
children are allowed to attend uncred-
tied schools; such as Fairfax High.
We temporary residents" didn't re-
quest duty herein fact, many refuse
it If they can. Navy Wife.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09

service industries come to almost a complete
halt
The alternative proposal of these faithless
civil servants incidentally, was that the econo-
mics be sought through reduction in defense
expenditures. 1t was not surprising that the
Communist General Confederation of Labor,
which did not initiate the strike action, joined
happily in it.
There have been sincere and responsible
men in French government in these postwar
years. but even the more courageous of the
veterans are beginning to back away from the
hopeless and thankless task of heading cabinets
that are here today and gone tomorrow. There
must be some political surgery soon in France,
before the patient succeeds in accomplishing its
self-destruction
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
Tougher Policy

Every one deplores the ignominious
position in which our leaders policies
have placed us before the Communist
world. In Asia we have permitted
barbarian foe to starve, torture, and
kill our men after surrender, and have
even allowed enemy prisoners, during
the exchange, to abuse and attack
their guards. accepting all actions as
though we were helpless.
It seems to me thatsthe handicap we
suffer from is cobwebs in the mind.
We hear lot about the dignity of the
human being. but the emphasis now is
on the dignity of boundary line. The
thought seems to be that barbarianS
and Communists cannot be changed,
hence confinement and containment
within boundaries may permit peace in
the world. This solution is not original;
the Romans used it, But the Romans
went further than mere guarding of
boundary. When their enemy needed
punishment the Romans administered
it.. They taught the barbarianS the
meaning of fear. The British employed
it, with salutary effect, when barba-
rians persisted in barbarity.
There is too much Sunday school
Stiffness and not enough sound theology
in the handling of our foreign affairs.
We have seen a "modernized" parent
accepting kicks and punches from
his five-year- son. practicing self
restraint for what he thinks is "the
good" of a spoiled brat. Experience
has proved that what Junior needs in
this case is smack on the pants. The
barbarians are in the same class; dead
barbarians are persuasive argument
for good behavior. r.. L. F.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09

Root for Governor Of New York" but
The Star declared, this is an honor
which he has never sought and does
not desire" Meanwhile, rumor had it
that Judge William Howard Taft would
be called from his work in the Philip
pines to take Mr.. Roots place at the
head of the War Department. Actually
Mr.. Taft did become Secretary of War
in 1904, and Mr.. Root became Secre-
tary of State the same year.
The Star of August 4, 1903, reported
the sale of the Washington Baseball
Club as follows: president
boseboll Bancroft B. johnson of the
Deal American League arrived in
Washington last night about
IL o'clock and in about Is minutes
actual time had Strengthened out the
muddle existing between President
Postal of the Washington club and
Manager Lotus. Mr.. Johnson is a past
master in handling just such little
difficulties, and this one proved no
exception to the rule. After President
Postal. Manager Lotus, Vice President
Jacobson and Mr.. johnson had col
lected at the oxford. the following
conversation ensued: Mr. Jacobson:
DO you want to sell your stock?' Mr..
Postal: I do Mr.. Jacobson: How
much do you want for it?' The price
was then named and accepted and the
deal closed" Thus Mr.. Jacobson. whose
name really was Charles Jacobson, be-
came the principal owner of the Wash
ington club. He announced: II am as
tired Of a losing club as any of the
other Washington fans"
A telegram from New York to The
Star of August 10, 1908, said: THE
Morgan Line steamer Edo
Boy Found RADIO. which arrived here to-
Adrift day from Galveston, had on
board a 12-year-old boy
who was found adrift in an open boat
about 100 miles off the coast of Georgia
on August 10. He was naked and al
most dead from exposure. After the
lad had revived somewhat. he told
Capt. Prescott that. with two Other
boys, he had been fishing outside the
harbor of Havana, when the boat broke
adrift and they were unable to row it
ashore. Two Of the lads. seeing the
land rapidly receding, plunged into the
water and swan for shore. The other
boy was unable to swim so far and re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
Federal Firinqs

Assistant Commerce Secretary James
c. Worthy recently aimed some telling
blows at the inequities and stupidities
of the Civil Service examination system.
He could also have included in his CEN
sure the crudities and inhumanities of
the commissions reduction in force
procedures. They afford absolutely no
assurance that the best people will be
retained and the mediocrities released.
They pay not the slightest considera-
ton to humane factors such as age,
family responsibilities and the like, the
type of elements that private industry
has long recognized in dismissal actions
They do not even necessarily recognize
seniority of service.
These procedures employ almost ex-
cluSively one standard of measurement,
the possession of status" or the lack
of it. This standard might have equity
if status itself were meaningful. But it
is not. Status means only that a per-
son has served a probationary period
OF one year and, as a result, has re-
ceived a permanent appointment. A
person without status may have passed
the same examination as his competitor
and may have served many years longer.
Yet, in the force reduction, he is tapped
to go while the other stays. Naturally
service must be satisfactory for anyone
to remain in Government employ. status
or no. An unsatisfactory efficiency
rating is automatic cause for dismissal
If everyone had received opportunity
to obtain status after serving a pro-
stationary period its use in force reduc-
tons might be equitable. But, since the
fall of 1941. status appointments have
been available only in certain agencies
and during certain limited periods. 1t
is entirely possible for person to have
given up to dozen years of able service
and never received a status appoint
ment
In short. the Federal Governments
employment practices are not very far
removed from the jungle law of labor
relations that characterized private in
dustry in this country a century and
more ago. 1t is high time that some
people in important places left off their
prattle about the merit system, largely
myth, and tried to find out what the
real facts are with regard to Govern
ment hiring and firing, especially the
latter. VeritaS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
The Russian Budget

Neither dollars nor rubles offer a precise
standard for measuring the size or effectiveness
of a national military establishment or for
judging the near-term political intent of
government. So it is that the announcement
by the Soviet government of defense budget
for the current year that appears to be about
per cent lower than for 1852 has an uncertain
meaning at best
AS part of the largest announced budget
in the history of the Soviet Union, the direct
military ALLEGATION for this year is slightly
more than SITS billion out of total estimated
expenditures of $1325 billion. Last years mill
tary figure was approximately 81 billion higher,
but a government-decreed across-the-bo
reduction in many price categories last April
could easily account for the lower appropriation
needs this year.
The fact that the Soviet system of book
keeping. for public consumption at least, is
lacking in the sort of detail which accompanies
yearly publication of the United States Gov
eminent budget also makes Interpretation diff
ficut and somewhat hazardous For example,
the largest single item in the new Soviet budget
was one of slightly more than $50 billion for
capital investment and construction, category
of expenditure that is believed to involve arma-
ment making and other activities connected
directly with the military program. Perhaps
significantly this item drew less than $36 billion
in 1852.
The best guess, in short, on the Soviet
budget is that it is geared to keeping the mill
tary program on about the level in
1952-a substantially higher level than that
reflected by pre-Korean war expenditures but
not indicating any immediate new aggressions.
There we're, in fact, other aspects of the 1858
fiscal accounting which support the opinion
that the Moscow government is giving increased
attention to "appeasing" special groups within
the Soviet Union. drastic reduction in agri
cultural taxes will have its most direct impact
upon the collective-farm peasants, encouraging
their working of privately owned acreage and
representing the first concession in many years
toward this phase Of private enterprise" The
urban population, on the other hand, was
promised Is per cent increase in government
housing constructions move calculated to
combat one of the most serious shortages within
the Communist paradise" The general sales
tax on consumer goods and foodstuffS also
was reduced.
AS the first "Malenkov budget" the 1858
accounting tends to bear out the speculation
that he is more concerned about consolidating
his internal position than about turning to
new and more spectacular adventures af1ed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
Neor-Anorchy in France

Regardless of the length of the nationwide
strike of French civil servants this spectacle of
near-anarchy has dramatized again the in
credible Self1shneSS and lack of public respon-
Sibility which seems to have taken possession
of so much of the French population and is
indeed jeopardizing the countrys standing as a
respected major power.
During the eight years since the end of
World War H. France has lived in a political
shambles arising out of multiplicity of parties
and politically powerful special interests, aided
in their maneuvering and intrigues by con-
stitutional system that provides for no strong
executive branch of government Twenty-one
Premiers, some of them repeaterS, have at
tempted to deal with a National Assembly in
which every splinter group is representing some
selfish intereSt-the wine producers, the in
dustrialistS, the labor unions, the relief re-
cipients or the civil servantS-and is prepared
to ignore the country's welfare If it appears to
conflict with some narrow advantage.
One after another recent Premiers have
attempted to tackle the most serious internal
problem in France-that of an economy that is
plagued by budget deficits, waste, bad tax
administration and imitation. Invariably, eff
forts to impose upon the country any formula
which might correct some of these evils have
resulted in new political upheavals. In the
present instance, Premier Laniel repeatedly was
seeking modest economies through the raising
of the retirement age for civil servants and the
reduction of government payrolls. The answer
was virtual paralysis of the entire country as
two million public workers simply let the ma
tons transport, communications, utility and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
Mr.. Republican,

stood in the rotunda and heard
them eulogize the great leader. Every
one of Importance in our Government
was there to mourn him. How diff
ferent this, thought, from the words
uttered against him by Brownell and
the other Dewey adherents only last
summer.
There was confusion in my heart
then. It has long since been dispelled.
The Star was kind enough during the
presidential campaign to publish these
words of mine:
Frankly, this writer cannot come
to grips with the problem. Dewey.
Brownell, Sprague and Hagerty per-
formed what considered the impos-
sible-the placing of the tag Dishonest
Bob on Mr. Republican. How else can
we explain the ease with which they
made it appear that one of the great
est living Americans was a virtual
thief, a corrupt manipulation who, if
the charges were true, should be rid
den out of the party on a rail?'. :.
The continuing success of men such as
Dewey has warped my judgment Of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09

A special" from Beaumont Tex, to
the Baltimore American was repro
duced in The Star on
Train August 8, 1908, as fol-
Very Lote lows: "On Sunday morn
ing, July 26, the only
train running on the Gulf and Inter-
state Railroad pulled into the pas
senger station at Beaumont just 1.040
days late, starting from Galveston (on)
September 8, 1900. It has been stalled
half way between the two cities since
that date . Of the passengers who
started with the train many met death
The others walked or rode in wagons.
leaving the engine more than two
years and half behind. :. The same
locomotive that started so long ago
pulled the same weather. beaten and
dilapidated coaches through to the
destination that should have been
reached four hours after the start
was made. When it pulled into the
station 2 years months and rs days
behind, it was greeted by saluteS from
all the engines in the Beaumont yards"
Quoting the Chicago Tribune, The
Star for August 2. 1908, reported:
There recently died in
Circus New Orleans the onetime
Queen queen of the circus, Eliza
beth Howard. who 40 years
ago divided honors with Dan Rice. In
the old days, Miss Howard was easily
the most popular female performer In
the sawdust ring, but the last 20 years
of her life were spent selling neWspa-
pers in the streets of the Southern
city 3D.. Miss Howard was held by many
to have been the most dashlng, the
most daring circus woman the world
ever knew She was the first person,
man or woman, to tumble through pa
per hoops while her horse was going
at a mad gallop. She could perform
on the horizontal bars, too. and as
dancer she rivaled Carmencita. She
had voice of richness and power. Miss
Howard deserted the circus for sin
gle season, when she starred in COM
edy of the sort in which Lolita was sue
cessful. She achieved a triumph. her
singing of Long. Long Ago being still
fresh in the memory of many an old
man. But the stage was not to her
liking and she soon returned to her old
love, the night on which she reappeared
under the big tent being an event to
= amusement seekers. It was In Pitts
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09

manned in the boat without food or
water until picked up by the Eldorado.
He says he was adrift for five days.
Capt. Prescott thinks the boat could
not have drifted $50 miles from Ha-
vana to the point where it was sighted
in less than six days and possibly
longer"
Just half a century ago the eques-
trian statute of Gen. William Tecumseh
Sherman was being erected
Shermon in the space directly south
Statue of the Treasury Building at
Pennsylvania avenue and
Fifteenth street NV. The Star of
August IL, 1908, featured story about
the arrival of the different pieces of
cast bronze which we're to be assembled
on the pedestal already set up. Repre-
sentatives of the Gorham Co. would
supervise the work of putting the statue
together The largest piece was Gen.
Sherman's torso. hands, arms, Shoul-
ders. neck and head. His legs and feet
had been cast with the head. back and
tail of his horse. Around the monu-
ment proper four smaller statues, SYM
bolizing the infantry, the artillery. the
cavalry and the engineers, were to
stand Gen. Sherman and his steed
together were 18 feet high, but The
Star explained that the bronze was
only three-eighths of an inch thick. "All
the figures were designed and modelled
by Carl Rohl-Smith before his death
in Denmark nearly two years ago." His
widow returned to Washington to di-
rect 1.-The finishing touches" on the
monument
The society column of The Star of
August IL, 1903, began with this para
graph: Miss Alice
Miss Roosevelt Roosevelt. gowned in
Doncino white crepe de chine
and lace and wearing
her pretty string of pearls, led the sec
ond cotillion last night at Mrs Astors
ball at Newport dancing with Harry
Lehr. Mrs. Orme Wilson. daughter OF
the hostess, and Elisha Dyer started
the first cotillion.' Eight hundred
guests were invited, but mot quite
that many came" Mrs. Aston was
In gray land wore her famous jewels"