davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-01
Wet Nam Leader Sees
EorIy Truce as impossible

SAIGON, 1ndo-Chlna. Mar.
(P).-Prince Buu Loo Prime Min
lister of Wet Nam. declared to-
day an armistice in the seven
year-old Indo-China war is
physically impossible before the
Geneva conference next month.
He said he. had told this to
French Defense Minister Rene
Pleven before Mr.. Pleven's de-
parture yesterday for France. He
said he judged Mr. Pleven was
in agreement.
Mr.. Pleven, he said, will make
statement before the French
National Assembly outlining
these views in the opening of
debate Friday on the Indo-China
problem. Buu Loo said he had
the impression from his talks
with Mr.. Pleven that the Laniel
government is eager to conclude
a quick peace but not at any
price.
Buu Loo. 4O-year-old cousin of
ex-Emperor Bao Dali, Wet Nam
chief of state, indicated also in
a farewell dinner for newsmen
before leaving for independence
talks in Paris that France and
| Wet Nam will push the Indo-
China war to its conclusion I'M
less the Geneva peace negotia-
tons succeed.
Buu Loo said he expected in
two weeks of talks beginning
March 8 in Paris to achieve total
independence for Wet Nam, the
biggest of the three states of
! Indo-China, with a population
of 20 million. Laos. whose re-
ligious capital of Luang Prabang
has been menaced in recent
weeks by the Red-led Wet Mini.
already has signed treaty of
independence, while Cambodia is
in the process of discussion of
preliminary questions.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-01

How much happier and healthier is
the wife who knows that intimate
feminine cleanliness is vital TO mar
ried happiness. And wise is the wife
who uses ZoNITE for a cleaning,
anfi5ebtie and deodo,izing douche.
Scientists tested every known anti.
septic-germicide they could find on
sale for the douche. No other type
liquid antiseptic- germicide for the
douohe of all those tested proved
more powerful yet so absolutely safe
to body tissues as ZoNITE. Now you
can understand why zoNITE is so
enthusiastically recommended by so
manv nurses
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-01
Eisenhower Praises
u. n. as instrument
For U. 5. Peace Role

President Eisenhower said last
night United States responsibility
for world leadership "can be adj
mirahly exercised in the United
Nations, an organization having
as it's prime purpose the preser-
walton of mankind from the
scourge of war"
The Presidents expression Of
faith in the U. N. came in a mes
sage to a conference on United
States responsibility for world
leadership. sponsored by the
American. Association for the
United Nations. About 500 dele
gates are attending the three-day
conference held here at the
Shoreham Hotel.
The President described the
U. N. as the type Of forum in
which "the kind of leadership we
seek to give can find expression,
and the cooperation of our
friends can be most effective"
He added:
1T is because of this faith in
the role of this organization that
/ determined to deliver before
the United Nations this Nations
proposal for the peaceful use of
atomic energy-a proposal en-
bodying not only our desire for
peace and for the preservation
of our way of life. but also our
hope that many millions in the
world may come to know. in
their land, both the benefits
which we enjoy today in the
United States and the promise
which the future holds for our
people"
Need for Trust Stressed.
Gen. Eisenhower stressed anew
his stand that this country must
recognize 1.-The need for gaining
the trust and confidence of other
peoples"
ITO use coercion" Gen. Eisen-
hover said. Ito indulge ourselves
in selfish, willful actions, would
not only fail to attract that con-
f1dence-it would clearly and in
evitably destroy it."
Principal speaker at last
nights conference session was
Vice President Nixon.
Mr.. Nixon said the economic
and theological struggle against
communism outstripS in ultimate
Importance the military phases.
The decision. he said, to fight
Communist military aggression
in Korea has lesSened the danger
of covert war by Communists
there or elsewhere.
Middle East Important.
Crucial; to the free world are
the 600 million and largely 'un-
committed" colored peoples in
Southeast Asia and theN Middle
East, Mr.. Nixon said, who toured
these areas last year.
To secure their allegiance, he
said, the United States must get
across its message that it sup
ports them in their aspirations
for independence, economic
progress. peace and recognition
of the equal dignity of culture
and religion"
John Hohenberg. professor of
journalism at Columbia UniVer-
sity. speaking on the United Ma
tionS and the news. urged adop-
ton of an amendment to the
United Nations Charter which
would state THE United Nations
and its specialized agencies shall
countenance no act abridging
freedom of speech, or of the
press"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-01
Wet Mini Routed
By French Forces
In Red River Area
" The As,oeio,ed Pres.

HANOI, Indo- China, Mar. L.
The French claimed new sue
cesses today in flushing Wet
Mimi rebels out Of the key Red
River lowlands OF North Indo-
China.
A French army communique
said tanks and other mobile
units scattered one Red-com-
manded Wet Mini battalion in
q sharp daytime fight in the Phu
Van Dinh sector, 80 miles south
of Hanoi. The French union
forces had light losses" the
announcement said. while 80
Wet Mini were killed and 98
captured.
Put Up Stiff Fight.
The Wet Mini, firing mortars.
machineguns and small arms.
battled the French bitterly for
three hours before breaking of
the fight.
In the same sector the Wet
Mimi captured one French-Vie
Namese defense post during the
night.
Southeast Of Hanoi French
commando units captured 16
rebels.
French union patrols in the
mountains of north Indo-C China
continued to feel out the posi-
tons Of $4,000 rebels entrenched
around the major French forth
fication of Diem Bien Phu. No
major contact was reported.
Bombers Press Attack.
United States-supplied fight
ers and bombers kept up attacks
on rebel encampments and sup
ply depots in the back country.
French Defense Minister Rene
Pleven, in Indo-China for
months fact-f1nding tour. flew
back to Paris from Saigon today
to report to the government on
the political and military strug-
gle against the Reds.
Observers sal dhe appeared
convinced any peace talks with
the rebels should be put of un-
til after the Vests conference
with Red China and Russia at
Geneva in April. The Indo-
China situation is to be taken
I'D then, along with Korea.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-01

Goteberg. Sweden. is getting
one of Europe's largest lifting
cranes weighing 1874 tons, for its
harhor.
Evening star., 1954-12-05
Congress or the People

In the spring of 1854, the ap-
pointment of L. Quincy Mumford.
who is president of the American
Library Association, was announced
by President Eisenhower. He came
we'll recommended as the librarian
of the Cleveland Public Library,
and with the backing of fellow
professionals. In the Senate hear
ing on his nomination, Mr.. Mum
ford conducted himself with a
notable Self-poSSeSsion.
Senator Jenner used the occasion
to remind the Mr.. Mumford that
the .Library's first obligation was to
Congress rather than to the public.
This is controversy that has in
termittently agitated Capitol Hill
for years. with one faction MAIN
tanning that the Library Of Con-
gress should be just that. and an
other stressing its larger function
Evening star., 1954-12-05
By Mary McGrory
Book Columnist of The Star

In contrast to 1858, a black year
during which the book world suf =
fered from the closest and most
devastating congressional scrutiny
of recent memory, 1854 was rela-
lively kind to the intellectuals. At
least it left them alone.
On the positive side, 1854 will
also go down as the year the
Library of Congress finally got
librarian, and also the year that
Congress finally passed the Univer-
sal Copyright Convention.
The Nations number one library
post was vacant for almost a year
after Luther H. Evans left the job
to become Director General of
UNESCO in July, 1858. During the
interim. apparently, much pulling
and hauling went on between the
White House patronage chiefs and
certain ultra conservative Repub-
lican Senators. Several candidates
were suggested who aroused the
outspoken dismay of the library
profession.
Evening star., 1954-12-05

liam Carlos Williams. venerable
doctor-poet of Rutherford, N. j.
but he never took the post.
The London Times was the first
to cast some light on the situation.
In supplement devoted to
American literature-which was,
incidentally, noteworthy for many
other reasons-the Times said that
DR.. Williams did not take the post
because he failed to get security
clearance
The library says rather that
security procedures in DR.. Will
liams' case were never completed"
DR.. Williams, an unwary signer of
letters and petitions in his day,
indignantly insists he was not al
lowed to take the post c'It would
Evening star., 1954-12-05
Annual Trends in the Choice of Books
Are Weighed in Librarians Scales
By L. Quincy Mumford
BY L. Quincy Mumford
Librarian of Congress.

What the American people are
reading is less important than
the fact that they are free to
choose what they want to read.
And. thanks to public libraries and
their bookmobiles, rental libraries,
and an abundance of inexpensive
editions no farther away than the
corner drugstore, they exercise
this freedom with an enthusiasm
that confounds the seeker of "re-
cent reading trends"
There is no single handy survey
that summarizes such trends.
But there are trends that
we librarians see by comparing
our annual figures for the kinds of
books we circulate; trends that you
can seem to detect, by study of
the best-seller lists, and trends
that the book publishers would like
to have us believe are the wave of
the present. They provide glimpses
of what certain groups are buying,
or borrowing from the circulating
libraries, or going to their local
libraries to read, but it is difficult
to get an overall picture.
Evening star., 1954-12-05
What Is America Reodina?

Prevention" and How to Live with
Your Teenager."
Teen-agers themselves were
concerned with their own, but very
different problems, such al good
grooming and etiquette. Books
about sports, adventure and ro-
nance also found favor during the
year. For the smaller fry. science
fiction was the thing, but 1t is
reassuring to note that fairy tales
have not been entirely abandoned.
The threat" of the comics-the
baleful influence of the horror
books, the tales Of violence and
the lurid romances-was once again
debated back and forth. The in
dustry itself through the Comics
Magazine Association OF America
undertook a program Of self cen
sorship and in the fall of 1854
appointed New York Magistrate
Charles F.. Murphy as a GEAR" to
administer code of ethics, but it
is Still too early to assess the
results Of this step.
Evening star., 1954-12-05
Effect of TeIevision

These figures must be small
comfort to those who claim that
television is putting the book out
of business. Two or three genera
tionS ago similar calamity hoWlers
were just as convinced that free
public libraries would bankrupt
the bookstores. In turn the auto
mobile, the movies and the radio
were the alleged villains in this
economic and cultural struggle.
When television comes into a
community there is often drop
in the number of books read, al
though one librarian reported that
it's advent skyrocketed demands for
one kind of book-hoW to do your
own television repairs! Another
found that some patrons came to
the library to find a quiet place
away from television.
A television set in the living
room undoubtedly makes inroads
on the amount of time family
has for reading, but this effect
seems to be temporary. In Mont
clair, N. j.. where a two and half
year study has just been COM
pleted, it was found that library
users who bought sets were lured
away for only short period of less
than a year.
It is harder to judge what the
effect will be on the reading habits
of children who learn the channels
before they learn their ABCs. This
presents challenge that librarians
and others, especially parents,
must meet not only by cooperating
in the production of television
shows for children that will Stimu-
late their interest in reading but
by careful selection of programs
to be viewed and books to be read.
There is no necessary conflict
between TV and books. Librarians
all over the country report that TV
programs arouse great interest in
books discussed or dramatized. Il
Led Three Lives" by Philbrick re-
Evening star., 1954-12-05

have been the crowning gesture
of my life as a literary man) be-
cause he was alleged to be Red"
One of the Fellows thinks it was
because DR.. Williams, when the
security question arose, hired q
lawyer. thereby ruftling the feel
ings of the then librarian, Luther
III. Evans. Some bemused by
ISLANDERS thought it was just one
of those hopeless misunderstand-
ings which arise when ParnassuS
and bureaucracy meet.
Whatever the reason, there Is
still no poet in residence at the
library and, at the present time,
the whole future of the Fellows in
Continued on Page 13)
Evening star., 1954-12-05
InspirutionuI Books

Books of an inspirational nature,
those contributing to an inner
security, were once again much
sought after. Among them were
Peale's '"The Power of Positive
Thinking" Marshall's "a Man
Called Peter" and Sheen's Life
Is Worth Living" In fiction, books
of a religious nature like THE
Robe" by Douglas. and 1.-The Sill
yer Chalice," by Costain, remained
popular.
Evening star., 1954-12-05
Follows the News

Reading undoubtedly follows the
headlines. The 1852 campaign
brought calls all over the coun-
try for biographies of the can
didates. The concern with COM
munism kept Chambers Witness"
and "McCarthyism: Fight for
America" by the Senator himself
in demand, and a parallel concern
for the maintenance of traditional
American liberties while combating
communism made Elmer Davis
But We Were Born Free" one of
the most popular books of the year.
The problem of juvenile de-
linquency sent anxious par
ents to such books as "Delin-
quents in the Making: Paths to
Evening star., 1954-12-05

suited in heavy demands for this
book in Cleveland. Here in Wash
ington, a fine TV production of
Richard III sent readers scurrying
for Shakespeare. The appearances
on TV of Robert Frost and Carl
Sandburg, for example, renewed
and awakened interest in poetry.
An upsurge of interest in nom
fiction has been widely noted re-
Gently. Certainly, the high quality
of much of the non-fiction of the
last two or three years has war
ranted attention, and it has meant
great popularity for such books Of
adventure as "Annapurna," Be
yond the High Himalayas." "Kon-
Tiki" 1.-The Silent World" and
1.-The Conquest of Everest" Lind
bergh's autobiography, "The Spirit
of st. Louis" is not only literary
gem but chronicle of high cour-
age and rare Imagination. "A Still
ness at appomattox" by Bruce Cat
ton is only one example of fine
historical writing that found wide
spread favor.
The continued interest in applied
science and in the how-to-do-it
books also contributed to the rise
in the circulation of non-f1ction.
Information about everything from
how to decorate the home to in
stalling high fidelity sound systems
was in demand.
Evening star., 1954-12-05
The Poperbucks
Meanwhile,

Meanwhile. the paperbacks
brought much good reading
within reach of everybody's pocket
book. There was Mickey Spillane,
to be sure. but there were other
writer's from Homer to Faulkner
that could be picked up at the
newsstand with the evening paper.
There were, in fact, more than a
thousand different titles among the
292 million copies of the paper
backs published in 1858.
Evening star., 1954-12-05
Book Buying Increase

Americans Are Reading More
of Anything" is the reasurring $50
far as quantity goes) title of a
table on book production and dollar
sales, 1947-1953, that appeared in
the July, 1854, issue of Business
Week" The figures show that
446 million copies of books
were published and $421 mil
lion worth were sold in 1947 as
compared with an estimated 1864
million published and $602.5 million
worth sold in 1852. In 1858, sales
reached an estimated $663.5 million.
but only the figure for paperbacks
published-292 million copies-was
available. Although the great in
crease in paperbackS accounts for
some of the rise, trade books, text
books and technical and profess
sional books, for example, also
showed a steady increase in the
number of copies published.
Public Library Statistics" for
1850. issued by the Office of Educa-
ton, records similar rise in books
circulated by public libraries. Some
384 SOC, 900 volumes were lent in
1850 as compared with only 324,-
425 900 in 1945, and circulation is
still increasing.
Evening star., 1954-12-05
RecreutionuI READING

Fiction, of course. is the staple
in the peoples diet of recreational
reading. 1.-THE Caine Mutiny" con-
tinued to be in demand and "Gone
With the Wind" reissued as a
movie, was once again up there
with the leaders. "Desiree," "Love
Evening star., 1954-12-05

Is Eternal; and "a Fable" achieved
large leadership in 1854 and,
with the announcement that Hem
ingway had won the Nobel prize for
literature, 1.-THE Old Man and The
Sea" surged up again.
Most Of the foregoing observa-
tions are based on public Library
experience rather than on the use
of materials at the Library of Con-
gress. which, as reference library.
scarcely reflects general trends.
Evening star., 1954-12-05

The one typical circulating
library activity the Library ad-
ministers-the provision of books
for the blind-showed, how
ever, that the tastes of blind read
ers in no way differed from those
of sighted readers.
Despite q great deal of talk about
the trend to this and the trend to
that Of late. an interesting case
Continued on Page 11)
Evening star., 1954-12-05

In any event. there is now little
likelihood that the issue will be
pressed in the next Congress.
Copyright Low :
The passage of the Universal
Copyright Convention was a signal
victory in a 5-year-old battle of the
book world. With it's adoption, a
book automatically becomes copy
righted in all member nations upon
its registration in the authors ma
tive land. On November 5, the day
of the presidential signing, a COM
memorative luncheon was held in
the Whittall Pavilion of the Library
of Congress. Werner w. Clapp,
chief assistant librarian, who pre-
sided in the absence of Mr.. Num-
ford. reminded the 33 representa-
tives of the literary, musical and
moviemaking world of how long and
hard fight it had peen.
One of the breaks in the struggle
was the dramatic reversal of the
Book Manufacturers Institute,
long foe of the Convention on the
grounds that all imported works
should be printed in this country.
Suddenly in the middle of House
hearing on the bill, the head of the
institute wired Frederic C. Melcher,
publisher of Publishers Weekly,
and doughty fighter in the cause.
that the BMI had withdrawn it's
opposition. The bill finally made
its way through the Senate IN it's
last hours. Thus. the United States
joined the family of nations in the
copyright field, and eliminated a
welter Of red-tape, back-door copy
righting and other abuses.
Evening star., 1954-12-05

as one of the worlds greatest lit
erary institutions.
In any event, there is now little
likelihood that the issue will be
pressed in the next Congress.
Evening star., 1954-12-05
Minus q Poet

But If the library acquired q
librarian in 1854, it was still as of
this writing, minus a poet The
chair zof, poetry has been vacant,
since September. 1853. The Fell
lows in American Letters. as is
their duty, made q choice-Wil-
Evening star., 1954-12-05

Continued on Page 13)
Evening star., 1954-12-05

vas in demand,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-21

not always the case. He used to
slam his hand down on the dinner
table and shout, For Pete's sake.
can't one Of you make some brain
less feminine remark l can use in a
piece!"
If this failed to produce results
he would announce in the sepul-
chral tones Of Charles Laughton
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-21

playing Captain Bligh, Your
father is going to join the French
Foreign Legion. You. will all
starve." With that he would
lurch from the room. The children
would start whimpering and l
would have to make taffy apples
to dry their little tears.
After is years Of slightly frayed
marital bliss, still can't predict
his whims. Recently he decided we
weren't living gracefully enough.
1t seems our household equipment
lacked chic. The crude instruments
from which we ate were scarcely
notch above the slabs Of birch bark
used by the Pawnees and the Sioux.
Shortly afterward he came home
with lazy Susan. silent butler
and set Of pepper mills.
An In Use
/ HE last time | checked, Micha-
ella was grinding crayons in the
pepper mills. and Melinda had
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-21

was passing the washer
l tripped him and he
went in head first. / got
the tops Numbered.
Didn't he seem to
mind?"
No. He said it was
quiet IN the washer and
he could think. !"
Gradually our three
daughters are developing
a casual attitude toward
their father, but this was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-21

converted the Susan into
a merry-go-round for her
dolls. The silent butler
was on his desk full Of
paper clips and some
pills he chews when he
eats too much lunch.
So much for graceful
living here at Hollow
Laughter"
/ don't think the
commissioner minds too
much having an all-Qirl
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-21
How TO LIVE With ASHBAUCH
by Loretta Ashbaugh
Mrs. Dick .Asl.bapgh)

What's what like?" / ask
innocently.
Being married to- uh him"
they say. motioning across the
room to where the commissioner is
sitting in a corner holding a potted
fern someone handed him.
Its a snap" say. IAN you
have to do is become thoroughly
familiar with the habits of the
American buffalo"
Head FIRST
his 10 not q direct answer but
it does serve to swing the CONVEX
sation around to buffalo. a subject
few people care to develop.
However. this sort of diverting
is impossible with members of the
family. Recently his mother paid
US a visit. How long" she asked.
has he been Looping around in
those pajamas?"
Too long" admitted. But I
nearly got him yesterday. As he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-21

family. As a matter of fact ! once
asked him how II would be If our
three children were boys instead Of
girls. He shook his shaggy head in
the manner of an American buffalo.
Il don't think it would work. he
said thoughtfully. Il was a boy
once. It's no life for a girl"
Those were his exact words.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-21
A hunOr writer's wife
tells the whole truth
about her Is years
at ''Hollow L Laughter

AM a Ia1rly patent creature Il
i once won a medal at camp for
balancing an egg on my nose for
% minutes), but lately I've gotten
weary of people saying. why
don't you get into the act?"
This query is the result Of a
couple Of pieces published by my
two daughters. Molly and Melinda.
ostensibly dictated to their father
- sometimes referred to as the
commissioner. / intend writing this
piece myself if / have to white a
quill pen and use ball bluing for ink.
Many people ask, did your
children actually write those
stories. or did the commissioner
put words IN their mouths?" /
don't think he did. check their
mouths from time to time and !
don't remember seeing any UNI
usual syntax.
Dan9egeus kuxlgimg
ACTUALLY the pieces were written
during a period when the commits
sioner was lurking. Whenever he
runs out Of ideas. he starts to Turk,
and we all have to watch what we
say. He gets desperate and is LA
bic to write anything. He once
wrote that quit wearing a girdle
the day.after we were married and
had never worn one since. 1t was
true but he didn't have to 90
blabbing.
It's almost impossible for me to
attend a party without having
someone side up and say pierre
inRly, What's it like?"