davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Police Graft Cannot Be PETTY

Police Chief Murray has moved with proper
celebrity and determination to investigate re-
ports of petty graft and ticket-fxing in the
14th police precinct. He has refused to accept
the proffered designations of several policemen
named by cab drivers as having taken small
sums to forget traffic tickets. Instead he has
ordered thorough inquiry into the accusations,
announcing to all precincts that he intends to
crack down with all the authority of the law and
of the police manual on any officer found to be
betraying his trust. Two policemen already
have been charged with bribery
Chief Murray is right in holding that there
is no place for petty" graft in police depart
ment however small the bribe may be. Petty
graft has habit of developing into major cor
ruption. The officers under suspicion have
right to defend themselves with all the safe
guards against unfair charges guaranteed by
the law and police trial procedures But if
found guilty of the graft alleged, no matter how
petty they should be fired without further ado.
Evening star., 1954-04-04

never within sight Of the secret of
beauty, which, as Charles Kingsley
says. is always Gods handwriting.
Nobody with a trowel or a test tube
can get within celestial hailing dis
tance of its understanding. A whole
convention of scientists, with botanical
instruments to measure color rays or
compute petals or stalks, could not
tell why one flower Is beautiful. The
tilt of the earth does not explain the
lilt of the lark or the gilt of the
daffodil or the tinted glory of bios
Soming bough, or why this gaunt
trunk hurlS to the bending blue q
springing fountain Of delicately hued
blossoms. For explanation must be sub
Stituted the exclamation: Prom sky to
sod, the worlds unfolded blossom
smells of God!"
No exaggeration is it that one Of the
great daily newspapers of the Nation
declares: "The blossoming cherry trees
of Washington constitute, one Of the
glories Of America. They are worth
coming early to see, worth waiting for
and, when finally seen, create a men,
ory that will never fade" And so, as
once more on the high altar of the
Nation, nature spreads her fowered
cloth for the sacrament of the bios
SONS, we call to remembrance that
our blosSoming cherry trees speak not
only of God, but also Of man. And
what we really believe about God is
always revealed by what we think Of
man.
Evening star., 1954-04-04

brings the subject to the attention Of
Congress in hope that at last the
required legislative action may be car
ried to the desired conclusion.
On April l, 1904, The Star said edi-
torially: Secretary Moody's decision
that hereafter only The
NotionoI Star Spangled Banner is to
Anthem be played on board the ships
of the Navy at morning and
evening colors tends to fix that tune
more firmly as the national anthem.
There are today three compositions
which are generally regarded as be-
longing to this class-'America, Hail
Columbia and The Star Spangled Ban
ner.' Heretofore the ships bands have
played the two last-named. The Army
bands, as a rule, play The Star
Spangled Banner at colors. Hail Co
lumbia' is seldom considered by the
public in this connection, the con-
sensus being that the national air
is either America or The Star
Spangled Banner And both of these
are imported tunes and one Of them
serves as the national air Of England
and number Of German principalities.
The Star Spangled Banner is an ex-
ceedingly difficult tune for the human
voice. covering a wide range which
calls for unusual vocal ability. It IS.
however, a more harmonious compost
ton than Hail Columbia which lacks
many Of the qualities to please large
numbers Of people. This decision Of
the naval Secretary serves to increase
the chances that the tune now to be
played on shipboard will be popularity
regarded as the national anthem. It
would be far. more satisfactory, how
ever, If Congress were to pass law
definitely proclaiming the composition
to be used on all formal occasions as
the token of the authority OF the
United States Government" The ac-
ton advocated by The Star finally was
taken by Congress in 1881.
Evening star., 1954-04-04

razors over the love Of young man.
A few days ago Miss Mullins went out
and stationed herself at point which
she knew Miss Moore would have to
pass. When her rival appeared. she
sprang at her like q wildcat. Miss
Moore also had O razor. and the two
fought until they were exhausted from
loss of blood. Both girls will recover,
but they will carry the scars to their
graves"
The Star of March 81, 1904, reported
at length the proceedings at Howard
University when Rev.
New President DR.. John Gordon was
AT Howord installed as the new
president thereof. He
had been administrative head OF Tabor
College in Iowa previously and had been
called to Washington early In 1908. but
his induction here had been delayed Dy
other commitments. Among those gath
cred to welcome him we're: Rev. Ed
ward Everett Hale. chaplain OF the
United States Senate; District Commls-
sioner Henry B. F. Macfarland. Wiiham
v. Cox, president Of the washington
Board Of Trade: Samuel GomperS, pres
ident of the American Federation OF
Labor; DR.. Francis H. Smith. Bishop
BENJAMIN w. Tanner. Gen. George w.
Balloch, Gen. H. v. Boynton. B. H. War
ner and many other eminent men. "A
letter of greeting from President Theo-
dore Roosevelt was read. In his ad-
dress to the assembled audience DR..
Hale said that one of the great duties"
of the century would be to build four
track railroad from Hudson's Bay to
Patagonia.
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Time to Get Going

The questions which have been raised
concerning the fitness of Samuel P. Sears to
serve as special counsel for the investigation
Of the Mccarthy Army row are serious enough
to warrant very careful investigation.
Mr. Sears is coming to Washington tomorrow
and it is the clear duty Of the members OF the
investigating committee to take a long, hard
look at suggestions that he may not be able to
serve impartially. 1t is also the duty Of the
committee members, however, to keep in mind
the point that it is time to get this investigation
under way
The need to get things moving, of course,
is not so urgent that the integrity of the in
vestigation should be compromised or even
rendered suspect. Mr.. Sears may be so COM
mitted to the Mccarthy point of view that he
cannot serve impartially. If this proves to be
the case he must be replaced-delay or no delay.
But there are certain things to remember.
One is that it is most unlikely that any COM
petent lawyer will be found who does not have
a rather firm opinion, one way or the other,
about Senator Mccarthy and his works. An
other is that the Army will be represented in
this matter by an able trial lawyer-Joseph n
Welch. Mr.. WEIGH is serving voluntarily, and
it is a fair inference that he is at least as
opposed to Senator Mccarthy as Mr.. Sears may
be friendly. Certainly the Army did not choose
Mr. WEIGH as its representative because he is
pro-McCarthy.
With both of these lawyers in the picture,
it ought to be possible to have full and fair
investigation. If this is so it is time to get the
ball rolling.
Evening star., 1954-04-04

Senators, Representatives and visi-
tors at the Capitol" said The Star Of
April 2, 1904, "have had
Conitol their interest centered in
Exters;on a beautiful white plaster
model of the proposed ex-
tension and Improvement OF the Capltol
Building in accordance with the plans
of the late Thomas u. Walter. architect
of the extension of the eastern and
central front. The model was placed
on view yesterday in the rotunda OF
the Capitol on a raised platform. ar
tistically draped. The effect Of the
proposed improvement of the Capitol
was readily seen and evoked much en-
thusiasm among the friends Of the
project. The House of Representatives
has incorporated in the pending Sundry
civil bill a provision authorizing the
improvement at q cost Of $2.5 million.
The sum of 100000 is made available
for work during the next fiscal year.
A similar provision was made in the
sundry civil bill by the House at the
last session of Congress. but the Senate
demurred until the members of the
upper body should have opportunity to
further look into the plans. Last years
bill, however, authorized the c0nStruc-
ton of the model Of the Capitol as it
will look when the proposed improve
ments are completed. The model has
been prepared under the direction Of
Elliot Woods. superintendent of the
Capitol. Qt) will remain in the
rotunda probably during the remainder
of the session." In point Of fact. it
still remains on exhibition in the crypt
under the rotunda and the necessary
improvement of the east front Of the
Capitol still remains unauthorized and
undone. So the dome still is "offcen-
ter" its skirt everhanging the portico
about Is feet. Thus the Capitol still is
unfinished, still an engineering and
architectural inaccuracy. The Star
again and again has advocated the
needed correction and now oE&e more
Evening star., 1954-04-04

noticed, and April becomes the month Of rain.
of wading in the gutter and seeing to the
fishing tackle.
April is the month OF change, OF transition.
It is the month to shed the past and plan for
the future: to break the ground; to visit the
the lawn mower; to incubate the eggs; to exer-
else the colt; to tap the maple; to paint the
pickets to sort the screens and replace the
rusted panels; to spend lazy day outdoors
savoring the advantages Of April.
The poet, the song writer, the bird. the
carpenter, the child, the gardener, the farmer
all are busy in April It is the month OF promise.
Evening star., 1954-04-04

April is the month of the awakening bud
the month when life seems to begin anew. 1t
is the month of the poet and song writer of
the increasing tempo of hammers in the houS-
ing development; of the nesting of birds in from
their long flights north; of the evening session
with maps and travel folders; of the approach
of school vacation of the planting of onions
and peas; of the wstful eye on the new auto
MOBILIZE of the dwindling supply of canned
cherries; of the fresheping brook and the
lengthening day.
April is the month of rain. Other months
may have more rain than April, but the showers
of April are closer to us than the showers Of
other months They are welcomed for their
life-giving wetness or frowned upon for their
interruption of work and play to be done out
doors However they are viewed they are
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Spires of the Spirit
A Pink Miracle

AS old as Pharaoh and the Nile and
as new as Washington and the Potomac
is the wonder Of burning bush. Out
Of flaming foliage which burned with
fiery splendor, yet was not consumed,
came voice. It called Moses, who
watched and listened, to his supreme
mission of freeing Israel from the
bondage Of tyrants. The task Of the
emancipation and lawgiver was sealed
with the miracle of a tree. Centuries
after, before the ravished eyes Of
prophet who for his day spake the word
of the god of Moses, there waved In the
radiant springtime once barren
branch which had flushed into blushing
bloom. Gazing at the rose-tinted
miracle this ancient preacher, Jere-
miah. exclaimed: Behold blossoming
bought"
Now. the dividing centuries roll to-
gether and time and space are no more
as. in these resurrection days OF 1854.
we stand by the side OF this prophet Of
a vanished day and find ourselves
repeating with him in perennial wonder
akin to awe: Behold q blossoming
bought"
X
It was the voice of that Towering
branch to which jeremiah found him.
self listening. There before him was
the very bough which had seemed so
dead and bare as Gods Man had
passed the spot but few weeks before
in the bleak winter. Now, in gossamer
garments, it stood thing Of bewitch-
ing beauty in the spring paradise Of
the Master Gardener. No wonder,
Prophet of the Long Ago, you stand
transf1xed and that we stand with you
exclaiming, as we witness the same
pink miracle, II see blossoming
bought"
Now that it's April in the Nations
towering Capital. whatever may be
the pressing affairs Of state or church,
business or school. multitudes have a
resistless urge such as prompted
Thoreau, lover of trees that lift their
leafy arms to pray. to excuse himself
from an insistent visitor because he
must 60 to keep an engagement with
q tree.
A tree clothed from within attains
a breathless glory never matched by
ornaments without. 1t is q marvel
never to be explained by vociferous
argufers. Such wordy disputants are
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Overworkine the Siren

The Star Of March Is carried an
article concerning an accident involv-
ing an ambulance and a civilian auto
mobile. The ambulance was carrying
an expectant mother to the hospital for
the delivery of her baby. AS noted in
your paper, the baby was not born
until five hours later and therefore, in
all probability, there was no necessity
for the ambulance to have been rush.
ing through the streets in the guise OF
an emergency vehicle. 5
That news item has prompted me to
write to you as a citizen Of this COM
munity. Since being in Washington
the, problem" Of ambulances racing
through traffic has been something
that has caused me concern on many
occasions, Any physician knows that
there are only rare occasions when
rushing a person to a hospital is a
matter of life and death. With un-
common exceptions, only obstruction
to breathing, or frank, uncomfortable
hemorrhage make an ambulance trip
life or death proposition.
Regarding obstetrical patients. it is
far more sensible for woman to have
her baby delivered in an ambulance
than to have innocent pedestrians or
people in other automobiles killed. to
say nothing of the danger to the ambu-
lance passenger. What is more. If
every obstetrical patient were taken to
the hospital under emergency rules it
would create a traffic hazard Of un-
believable dimensions.
Every doctor has had experiences
riding the ambulance" in which he
felt that he was subjected to extreme
danger which in most instances was
entirely unwarranted. The use Of the
siren and going through red lights
should certainly not be at the discre-
ton of an ambulance driver. who
usually has no way of knowing whether
such speed is necessary. Without Ques-
tion emotional everyday dictates many
of the "thrill-providing"' ambulance
runs.
am sending copy Of this letter to
Theodore Wiprud, the Secretary of the
D. c. Medical Society. I think that it
is time that the doctors in this COM
munity put on campaign to bring to
an end this needless hazard to the
Evening star., 1954-04-04
CoIumnist GroppIes With History

In her March 81 column, Dorothy
Thompson launched what seemed to
be a gratuitouS attack upon Arthur
Schlesinger, jr., calling him zone Of
the most arrogant. rude, opinionated
and intolerant eggheads on or of the
Harvard campus" She then went on to
try to disprove his thesis that Senator
Mccarthy would never have made hit
in Britain. by citing Sir Oswald Nose
ley as an example of British right
wing extremiSm.
This is not the first instance where
Miss Thompson has tried to prove too
much, but it is certainly one of the
most ridiculous Does she seriously
contend that Sir Oswald was at any
time a real force to reckon with in
British politics? Gallup polls have
shown at various times the strength Of
Senator McCarthy's hold on much OF
the American public "a majority Of
those expressing opinions), but Moseley
was at best an indifferently successful
political adventurer.
Miss Thompson cites 400 branches OF
Moseley's movement at its peak, but II
she will look into the matter she will
Besides, the Communist Party had
many local party organizations in the
United States without ever becoming
a significant force in American politics.
She says Britons poured into" Sir
Oswald's organization at rate never
equalled" by any other British political
party. This statement lacks even the
semblance of historical verification.
Does she know anything at all about
the growth Of the Labor Party before
and after the First World War? The
Liberal Party, which had been for gen.
erations one of the bulwarks Of the
British two-party system, was rapidly
pushed from the scene by the emer-
gence of this new party. while Sir
Oswald was hardly responsible for q
ripple in the ebb and flow Of British
history.
Miss Thompson closes with the ques-
ton, Don't even historians remem-
ber?" They remember, yes, but since
they must work with facts and eschew
convenient rationalizations that are at
odds with the facts. their recollections
are bound to differ from those Of some
newspaper columnists.
John ID. Macdonald.
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Eqypt's S Best Bet

The decision of the Revolutionary Com
mand Council to carry on indefinitely as the
supreme political authority in Egypt appears to
be the best solution for the near future in that
country.
It was less than two years ago that the
military junta deposed King Farouk and under
took to guide Egypt through reformation
social economic and political Before recon-
struction could begin, the young officer clique
found that one of the first and most difficult
requirements was to eliminate the forces of the
old order. In the field Of politics, these were
cynical forces of great skill and it was only in
very recent months that the breakdown on the
old political parties and on such a powerful
promised a lasting reform in government. In
the see-saw battle for personal supremacy
which seems to have developed between General
Naguib and Colonel Nasser, the former COM
mitted himself last week to the idea of bringing
back civilian political rule this summer. Very
likely such a step this early in the life of the
new republic" would merely open the door to
the same corruption and demagoguery as pre-
vailed before. In any case, there was enough
reaction from army and other civilian quarters
to support the command councils decision to
block General Naguib's plan.
Despite their troubles, the young officers
in the REC have given the appearance OF being
the best hope Egypt has for establishing stable
government Personal rivalrieS have interfered
with their doing the job but this latest series Of
maneuyers may clear the way to a permanent
order of command
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Triumph of Euster
School Board Appointments

In 1906, Congress assigned the ap-
pointing of members Of the local Board
of Education to the United States
Court for the District of Columbia.
Members Of the court in the past have
encouraged citizens of the District to
submit suggestions Of well-qualif1ed
School Board candidates. for their con-
sideration. The League Of Women Vot-
ers of the District of Columbia has well
coined this opportunity for limited par
ticipation in their local government, and
was in the process of drawing up list
of suggested candidates.
However, the reappointment of three
School Board members has been an
nounced, three months before their
terms of Office expire on June 80. The
court did not indicate to the public
that it planned to change the proce-
dure of previous years, which permitted
suggestions to reach it in April or May.
Individuals appointed to the School
Board theoretically represent the COM
munity in establishing educational pol
icies for more than hundred thousand
children in our public schools. They
spend in excess of $50 million annually
of local tax monies. In other commu-
mites, citizens elect their school boards
or, where they have appointed school
boards, the appointing officials are in
their position by vote Of the people.
This demonstrates once again that
if Washington residents are to have a
School Board representing the commu-
nifty, 1t can be done only if the board
is elected by the people. This provision
is included in the home rule bill now
before Congress.
Mrs. John F. Latimer,
President, D. c. League of Women
Voters.
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Tell Them to Get Together

Hearings have been concluded for the time
being on the question of where to build the next
Potomac River bridge. Chairman Kearns and
his subcommittee colleagues have heard all the
arguments. They have every reason to be con-
fused. They would be justified in refusing to
recommend any bridge.
There might be merit in such decision
It would tend to force the National Capital
Planning Commission and the highway and
traffic authorities of Washington, Maryland
and Virginia to lock themselves in room and
not come cut until they reached agreement
among themselves.
Leadership in such a desirable and even
necessary procedure naturally falls to Chair
man Bartholomew of the planning commission
and Engineer Commissioner Prentiss. Both are
reasonable men, and both of them are deter
mined to do what is best for Washington Both
of them have inherited the impasse which has
been developing over the past few years, of
which the bridge dispute is merely one
illustration.
One set OF planning experts the planning
commission staff, leans heavily on what is
known as the Comprehensive Plan of WASH
ington. 1t was prepared under the consultative
direction of Mr.. Bartholomew, who had been
hired for that purpose by the same commission
OF which he is now chairman. The plan was
long time in preparation. Unfortunately, it
never received prepublication approval of the
highway authorities who would have to execute
the plan and are now opposing parts of it.
Instead, the highway authorities of Washing
ton, Maryland and Virginia produced their own
"bible" the Regional Highway Plan. In major
respects, it differs from the planning commits
sion guide. Those differences largely account
for the bridge-location dispute and collateral
arguments
1t should not be too difficult to reconcile
the disputes between these two concepts on
handling future traffic in and out of Wash
ington, if there is will to do So It would be
necessary to review both of them, and for each
side to revise conclusions reached five and ten
years ago. But until these two "bibles" are
revised and brought into one book, on which
agreements are possible, Washington planning
and the execution of such plans will go from
bad to worse.
small beginning may have been made
Friday, when Chairman Bartholomew was able
to obtain agreement of the planning commits
sion to eight of General PrentiSs' alternatives
to immediate bridge construction-both sides,
however, refusing to yield on central bridge
locations.
But agreements there must be. The exist
ing situation is plainly intolerable. Chairman
Kearns and his subcommittee would perform a
service by obtaining passage of resolution
inStructing the District Commissioners and the
Planning Commission to reach an agreement
by next January on one highway and bridge
building plan for Washington, and to submit it
Jointly to the next session of Congress.
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Fifty Years Ago in The Star

Reports from haywood, H., pub
lished in The Star on April Z, 1904,
told how SO Indians rid
Indions ing in a special car en-
In Wreck route to Washington to
see President Theodore
Roosevelt had been smashed into" by
mail train during fog. Three OF the
Indians were instantly killed. three
were fatally injured and 20 others
were more or less seriously hurt. :.
The trains which collided were the
Oregon Express and fast mail on the
Chicago g. Northwestern Railway. -. :.
The coach containing the Indians was
a light day car. It was completely
wrecked. The Indians were from
the reservation near Rushville. Neb."
They were on their way to join Buffalo
Bill in New York and proceed with him
to England "for show purposes" Res
cue workers said: ut was pitiable
sight to see the Indians lying on the
ground, clad in their native garments.
with their red blankets dyed deeper by
the blood from their wounds. The
men were of splendid physique, and
the exhibition of calm nerve on the
part of Chief Whitehorse was q good
example to other members Of the ;.
party. After the bodies of the
dead had been removed from the wreck
age and placed in q row on the prairie
beside the tracks an incident probably
unparalleled IN railway records took
place. The uninjured among the In
dianS gathered about and chantcd
the Indian death song"
A dispatch from Owingsville, KY.
published in The Star on March %.
1904, said: News reached
Lody here from Letcher County
Duelists that Mary Mullins, aged
IS. daughter Of . noted
feudist. and Myrtle Moore, IS. daughter
of anothef feud leader, fought with