davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1954-01-08
This and That .

they did not know, by not bathing
so much.
OF course. they must have smelled.
according to our modern standards.
but here again they did not realize 1t.
One bath a week was regarded as
enough. except by few persons, widely
called "cranks."
The one bath was given on Saturday
night, SO that the freshly washed body
could be taken to church on the NOR
row with good grace. At temple Of
God.
Mother always used the wash tub.
large and round, and just about the
right side for a small boy with knees
drawn up.
A favorite floating SOAP was used.
ct may still be purchased in every
grocery store and pharmacy The
water was heated on the cook stove (as
distinct from the drum stove, or space
heater) and poured into the tub until
a sufficient height was reached.
The room was very warm, too warm,
perhaps, but it seemed very nice to
the small body. grimy from weeks
play.
Afterwards there was a toWeling
and wrapping in some sort of robe.
The mist Of memories rising from
that steaming tub obscures the wrap
per. Perhaps 1t was one of mothers.
because" small boys in those days did
not have bathrobes.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
At the Crossing

The Gateman at the Erie crossing
Stepped from his gateman'S shed.
Looked at the cloud iDith me and said,
you Want to 90 ,Dhere cloud goes.
eh,
The far looks altOayS in your eye."
said. "Someday I'll hare a swallow's
Uing, and StOallotD's eye.'
The old man grinned and stroked my
"He leads, you tolloD. rain
or sun or bloD.
hare a dog. like him; knoD
The comfort OF dog =. -
We looked again for t,Uiliohts cloud
But, like most everything,
The cloud 1DdS gone
And 1Dhere it 1DaS
We Sdw the star, and made tDiSh.
The Gateman said mine might come
true,
But his had come true long ago
And noD ,Das far of in the blue.
RoeIene Williamson.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
New Emphasis in Defense

OF momentous import, and closely related to
his foreign policy comments, was the Presidents
formal corroboration of reports that an epochal
change in traditional national defense policy Is
in the making The shift in this atomic era is
away from old concepts involving balanced
forces for land, sea and air. The new emphasis
is on chronological warfare, involving atomic
and other weapons and means of employing
them with telling effects over long distances.
Implicit in the message was trend away
from the masSed manpower and conventional
Seapower theories which have dominated mill
tary thinking in the past, in favor of growing
jet-poWered atomic earned air fleet. General
Eisenhower put it this way: "The usefulness of
these new (nuclear) weapons creates new rela-
tionShipS between men and materials. These
new relationships permit economies in the use
of men as we build forces suited to our situation
in the world today. AS will be seen from the
budget message on January 81, the air power Of
our Navy and Air Force is receiving heavy
emphasis"
The modern approach to national defense
is based on what the President termed "a new
military program unanimously recommended by
the Joint Chiefs of Staff" He said the new plan
had received his approval following considera-
ton by the National Security Council. The
New Look in defense Is designed to provide the
most security for the least money, with the
overall objective being the maintenance of
position of strength" in these times Of peril"
There is no thought of doing away with the
Army or Navy, of course, but, as General Eisen-
hover suggested, the efforts are being directed
toward developing smaller, more highly trained.
extremely mobile striking forces. These are
to be built around hard core of regulars, sup
plemented by trained and adequate reserve
forces. An important part of the new defense
system will be a continental warning system
capable of detecting the approach of enemy air
raiders in time for counteraction. The Presi-
dent said that larger allocations of defense
funds are being made for continental security.
Coming from a veteran soldier who has
proved himself in battle, the concept of
streamlined, powerful defense system outlined
by President Eisenhower will have a strong
appeal. 1t involves risks. But it also holds
promise-perhaps the only promise-of provid-
ing potent defense for the long pull within
some bearable range of COST
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Liquor SoIes on Military Posts

The recent Defense Department an
nouncement that 1t had modified it's
order permitting sale of liquor within
the services is welcome information
which should never have been in the
category of news. 1t became news only
as the echo of the real news bombshell
which burst about December l. namely,
that bottled liquor sales had been
authorized for the Army and Air Force.
The rigors discomforts. and frustra-
tionS of military life are bad enough
under the most favorable circumstances.
but that officers and non-commissioned
officers should issue orders and exert
controls over enlisted personnel while
serving as containers for narcotic
alcohol is an unnecessary hardship
cruel to contemplate. Parents of the
raw material of war are entitled to say,
II didn't raise my boy to be soldier
under a bunch of alcoholics" The
safety of the country is hazarded by
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Policy on Bad Apples
Cynicus.

Joseph Young's column recently re-
ported how the Civil Service Commls-
sion is Offering to help agency heads
fire s'bad apple" employees. All tney
have to do is present the employe
with a written letter of charges and
then fire him." according to csc
Chairman Philip Young. A Star edi-
torial of December 80 indorsed this
procedure as a good way to get rid OF
incompetents in Government service.
There is no doubt that every tax
payer would like to see every bad
apple" and all the dead wood" re-
moved from the Government payrolls;
but the exercise Of such an unwar-
ranted and unauthorized shortcut pro-
ccdure for firing employees places the
lob security of thousands of competent
employees in jeopardy. This new found
firing authority coming from the
CSC will be a tool for bureaucratic
tyrants to set up their own private job
spoilS system; for when bad apple
goes out, a friend usually comes III.
Our Federal statutes. from which
the csc and agency heads derive their
authority, clearly state the minimum
procedural requirements for firing in
competents-requirem which were
enacted into law for the very purpose
of preventing what Mr.. Philip Young
advocates. and to insure that those
fired would be incompetents, and that
the job security of the competents
would be protected.
In view of our recent Court Of Ap-
peals decision in the case of Ward VS..
Secretary of Navy in regard to the
statutory 90-day notice. ETC.. required
before firing. it is appalling to read
that the csc chairman instructs the
departments to fire without any regard
to an employees statutory rights.
Noah ]. Menard.
Editors note: In the Ward case
the Court of Appeals said the 9O-day-
notice question is one which the
court was reluctant to resolve with
out benefit of a prior ruling by the
administrative agency involved" The
case, therefore. was ordered remanded
to the Navy with instructions to give
Mr.. Ward a hearing on the ISSUE.
Evening star., 1954-01-08

this enemy of the free world. we must
understand that the Chinese Com
muniStS, as do all Communists every
where. acknowledge their allegiance
only to the International Red Party,
an apparatus that conspires to over
throw all non-CommuniSt governments
by force and bloodShed. This Com
muniSt strategy. in which Red China
already plays leading role. is capable.
if unoppoSed. of enslaving complex
nations like ours just as it has the least
industrialized.
To defeat communism, the most
dangerous enemy in our history. We
must not fail to see that Red China is
another of its many DISCUSSES. Behind
it's Red China mask, Marxism lives by
bloody revolution. Marxism. the phi
losophy of the sovietized Chinese.
against nature. The Chinese MarxistS
social system destroys all individual
freedom. human dignity and family
unity. Red China's economic system,
based on Marxism, demands the con-
fiscation of all personal property. Red
China'S MarxiSt political system denies
national independence. The Chinese
Communists, true followers of MarXism,
deny morality. Red China. headed by
leaders who practice Marxism. refusing
to be bound by the laws of any nation,
arbitrarily make and break treaties,
violate international laws and work
only to esta ablsh Communist dictator
ship over the world.
For these reasons. the United States
must declare her irrevocable and
uncompromiSing opposition to the
seating of Red China in the U. N.
Harold ]. Thompson.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Red Chino and the U. N.

The United States must re-evaluate
and redefine her position with respect
to continued participation in and sup
port of the United Nations. The shot
gun attempts still being made to force
us to recognize and agree to the seat
ing Of Communist China in the U. N.
General Assembly make such action
Immediately imperative. We must be
prepared to effectively counter all U. N.
maneuvers in that direction. Any
other decision would not only condone
Communist acts OF subverSion and
treachery but could leave our Govern
ment defenseless against the Soviet's
announced and everywhere evidenced
strategy to destroy the United States.
Our premise. is morally and legally
correct. for the record shows: Chinese
Communists hold the China mainland
only with the connivance and openly
declared assistance of the Soviet; the
u. N. has denounced the Chinese Reds
as the inStigatorS of the unprovoked
and ruthless war against the people
of the Republic of Korea; sovietiZed
Chinese have committed inhuman acts
of mass torture and mass murder upon
at least $4,000 civilians and POWs in
Korea: the millions of their helpless
victims similarly treated in mainland
China has yet to be told. Furthermore.
the Red Fascists of China support the
Wet Mimi Communists in their
aggression upon Indo-China and all
people of Southeast Asia. This is the
pattern of bloodshed and terror first
established in Russia by the Soviet that
now ridicules the worlds horror over
these atrocity revelations in the United
Nations today.
To effectively combat. the Soviet,
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Crusade for Peuce

In this new year, innumerable ques-
tions arise from our instructive desire
to know the future. Foremost is the
question which for centuries has tor
tured the minds of mankind: Is this
the year that will bring peace?
1t is indeed sad that man has through
the ages persistently failed to appre-
hend his mission on this temporary
sphere Of ours. Instead he has sub
stituted hatred for love, egotism for
humility. division for unity, material
istic greed for spiritual idealism and
destruction and exterminatioh for hu-
man advancement.
But whatever our faults may be. the
indisputable fact is that the human
dynamo can perform miracles provided
the spirit Of good will is prevalent.
Through the application of such spirit.
peace can be secured, progress can be
achieved. and civilization can be main
tanned.
1t is most gratifying to observe that
Evening star., 1954-01-08
On Being Strong at Home

The American economy, as the President
put it, undoubtedly is one Of the wonders Of
the world" It is wonder" however, about
which there has been some misgiving, and not
without reason. For the American economy is
the base upon which all else must stand-if it
were to collapse foreign policy, national defense
and all Of the bright hopes would tumble down.
It would be foolish to think that economic
collapse is in prospect. 1t would be equally
foolish however to pretend that all is well.
The President as President must do, put
the best face on the matter. He said that "a
government always ready, as this is to take
we'll timed and vigorous action, and business
community willing, as ours is, to plan boldly
and with confidence, can between them develop
a climate assuring steady economic growth"
Behind this rather rosy generality, there
lurk several markedly unpleasant facts which
cannot be dispelled by rhetoric. One of these
is the virtual certainty of continuing Federal
deficit. The President could promise only that
reduced spending will move the new budget
closer to balance" And even this must
necessarily be contingent upon what Congress
does about taxes. If the Is tax recommended
tions which will be sent to Congress receive
a hostile reception, if the threats of even
deeper tax cuts this year are translated into
action the deficit will be bigger than anticipated
and progress made in the attempt to check
imitation may be wiped out
Another unsettled and unsettling, ques-
ton concerns the status of the farmer. Much
thought and study have been put into this
problem by the new administration, and its
specific recommendations which will be sent
to Congress on Monday, will be awaited with
keenest interest. 1t requires considerable
optimism, however, to conclude from what the
President says in this message that satisfac-
tory answer to the farm problem has been
found. A satisfactory solution, however, is an
essential of healthy economy.
There are, of course, many other considera-
tions How will the Presidents recommended
tions for Taft-Hartley amendments, and the
action taken on them, affect the outlook for
industrial peace or industrial strife? What lies
ahead for housing, health programs and con-
servation? All of these are matters to be
covered in special messages to be sent to the
Capitol later. And all of us will be better able
to appraise the outlook for our economic future
when these specific proposals are in hand.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Firm Foreign Policy

AS far as foreign policy is concerned, the
President has spoken reaSsurngly OF the Tree
worlds gathering strength, Of the new inter-
national initiative that is becoming ours. and OF
signs that the tyranny behind the Iron Curtain
is in trouble But he has made clear at the
same time that the United States must continue
to act in keeping with basic reality that can
not be wished away. The reality is this: That
the Kremlin- directed Communist conspiracy, as
long as it exists in its present spirit and form,
will constitute threat of the first magnitude
to our American way OF life.
And there is yet another reality, corolary
reality, on which our foreign policy must remain
based AS the President has put it, it is this:
"More closely than ever before, American free
dom is interlocked with the freedom of other
people In the unity of the free world lies our
best chance to reduce the Communist threat
without war" That is why we must continue,
with little change, to do what we have been
doing for some time past in our own heml-
sphere, in the Middle East, in Asia, and in West
ern Europe-all for the purpose of serving our
own vital interests by building up common
political, economic and military front against
the menace of Red aggression.
This is policy, of course, that cannot be
carried out with mere words or suppllcatlng
preachments It must be backed up with con-
tinuing military aid and technical cooperation
from the United States. The only thing that
can be apprecfaby reduced at this stage (chiehy
because of Western Europe's fine recovery is
economic assistance, and even that will have
to be extended on a relatively large scale to
Korea and other critical areas. Further, If we
are to do the job that is essential to the safety
and well-being of our own country and like
minded nations, we must act through Congress
to set up healthier and freer system Of inter-
national trade-a mutually beneficial system
based on the sound principle of reciprocity.
In saying all this, the President has been at
pains to emphasize that the prime objective of
American foreign policy, as well as of American
defense policy is to "enable us to negotiate from
a position of strength as we hold our resolute
course toward a peaceful world"-a world in
which free people will have reason to feel safe
and enjoy an opportunity to prosper And as a
token Of his own desire to speed the coming OF
such world he has reaff1rmed that the United
States, while intent upon deterring aggression
with its great and growing number of nuclear
weapons" is eager to negotiate with the Soviet
Union on harnessing the atom for non-military
purposes in order to make possible new start
toward an era of peace, and away from the fatal
road toward atomic war;"
This surely is good foreign policy, even
though some may dissent from it on certain
minor points like the Presidents call upon Con-
secrets with our key allies. True, it is not an
essentially new policy. but If we keep on moving
forward with it-together with our friends
abroad-the free world can be reasonably con-
Adent OF triumphing in due course, without
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Job for RuiIroud Man

What this area needs is an overall
transit authority, plus new ownership
of public-spirited. instead Of profit
spirited, management. About any ex-
pert railroad man could unquestionably
take over and give the needed service
at a reasonable price. Railroaders have
defeated many obstacles in past years.
kept the wheels rolling. kept fares
down, and kept their businesses profit
able in most instances. They were first
hit by unionism, secondly by Govern
ment management during World War
d. then by auto competition to pas
senger service. then from trucking Serv-
ices and finally from airplane services.
They overcame all these obstacles, did
not give up the ship. did not curtail
services, but actually increased and
modernized services. Today they are
riding high.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Stote of the Union

The part of the Presidents state-of the
Union message which evoked the most enthusi-
aStic response from Congress was his request for
legislation which would cancel the citizenship OF
any one who conspires in the future to advocate
the forcible overthrow of this Government.
It is odd that Senators and Representatives
were most vigorous in applauding and cheering
this proposal for it was minor and perhaps
not very meaningful part of the message. Actu-
ally, when appraised against the broad sweep OF
this traditional report to the people, the for
feiture- e-of citizenship suggestion is relatively
unimportant
The real significance of the message is to
be found in the glimpse 1T gives of two changes
two changes which can profoundly afIect the
lives of us all.
The first Of these consists OF what might be
called partial reversal in the trend OF govern
ment. President Eisenhower believes that his
administration has turned back 'the diScour-
aging trend of modern governments toward
their own limitless expansion" And he offers
certain facts in support of this view-the tax
cut, the reduction by $4,000 in the number of
Federal employees, the restraint Of imitation.
There is, however a reservation to be noted at
this point-namely, that this gain, If one con-
SiderS it to be such, would be speedily undone
by a serious economic decline.
The second thing of real significance grows
out of what the President defines as "a great
strategic change in the world during the past
year" Certainly there is much evidence OF this
change There is also at least some evidence OF
an even more significant change shifting,
however slight, of the forces which make for
war or peace, and with the balance seemingly
fitting just little in favor of the latter.
There are some things. of course, which no
government can do, and President Eisenhower
spells them out. No government can instill in
men the qualities of enterprise and ambition.
no government can create the desire for peace,
and no government can "inoculate its people
against the fatal materialism that plaques our
age" But there are many things which govern
ment can do to help build stronger America
and to encourage those forces throughout the
world which make for freedom and peace This
state of the Union message sketches the broad
outline of these governmental functions. The
details will be filled in in eight major supple
mental messages during the next few weeks.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Richard L. FeIdman.
Veteran Joins Unemployed


Veteran Joins Unemployed
Who Is a career employe? What is
veterans preference?
For many years I was under the
impression that knew the answers to
both the above questions. But since
the first of october it has dawned upon
me that my answers have both been
wrong: Before that date, when my
husband was separated from the De-
partment of Justice, it was my impress
sion that he not only was q career
employe of the highest caliber. but that
he also had super-veterans preference.
These impressions were based upon the
fact that he had 10 years of honorable
civilian employment, and that he was
a combat veteran with service in the
Mexican trouble in 1916 under Gen.
Pershing, a multiwounded veteran Of
the 28th and 18th Divisions in World
War I, and a Coast Guardsman in
World War II.
employe, with few exceptions, is one
who is a distant relative of some mem
ber of Congress, q cousin or in-law OF
some one holding a Grade 10 to IA in
the same bureau or department, or a
handshaker of the highest order. AS to
veterans preference, that seems to have
been almost entirely obliterated. II
acts of Congress deter getting rid OF a
veteran, the self styled big Shots" can
find it extraordinarily easy to prefer
some phoney charge against the vet
eran, which charge or charges will be
readily approved by the bureau or de-
partment head. This means that the
veteran of SIS or Sc must start reading
the want ads for a dishwasher or night
watchman's job, as his entire training
with the Government has been in the
clerk k-typist-soldiering category.
On two occasions, in changing from
civil service to non-civil service status
in 1880 and 1943. it was found necessary
to withdraw retirement funds. which
at that time were very small. For the
past five and one-hah years. having
been kept on a temporary status Cn-
definite), no retirement fund accrued,
with the result that upon separation
from the service only three days annual
leave was forthcoming. And with not
a possible chance Of auctioning of the
box of hero medals that until recently
were so highly honored.
Mrs. Disguised.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Root Of All Evil
Mrs. Disguised.

The Stars January editorial.
Health and Wealth, If Any" remarked
on the controversial assumption that
money is the root of all evil is Of
Biblical origin.
However, the issue was remarkable
in ancient times in areas other than the
strictly religious. Witness from Soph-
ocles' tragedy. "Antigone." the words
from one of Creon's longer disserta-
tions:
They, know, have bribed these men
to let the deed be done. No thing in
use by man. for power Of i'll. can equal
money"
Cynicus.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
Fire All. Engrovers?

We see by the papers that the Bu-
reau Of Engraving and Printing has
fired 20 engravers and has started turn
ing out defense bonds via the offset
process. That's fine, and a handsome
saving.
Why not fire 20 more engravers and
start printing currency through the me-
dium Of the mimeograph? The ulti-
mate in economy will be achieved when
the Treasury of the United States fires
the entire Bureau of Engraving and
Printing and starts using a rubber
stamp to produce dollar bills.
Harry Traub.
Evening star., 1954-01-08
By THE HASKIN SERVICE.

@. Are there really "lone wolves" or
do these animals always hunt in packs?
B. c. L.
A. Authorities of the Fish and Wild
life Service believe that the real lone
wolves are simply the aged animals
that can no longer keep up with the
young and active ones. Their teeth are
so iar gone that they cannot fight
effectively. These lone animals follow
the packs and eat whatever food has
been left behind. When their teeth are
gone they die of starvation.
@. Please explain the significance Of
the NATO emblem. 1t consists of a A.
pointed star inside a circle.-N. T.
A. The star represents the compass
which keeps nations on the right road
the road of peace-and the circle
stands for the unity that binds the IA
NATO countries together. The emblem
is in white on navy blue. Of the ma
tions which have Joined the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. all but
the United States and Canada are in
Europe.
@. Which is the most perfectly tuned
wind instrument in an orchestral
E. c. Y.
A. The flute is the most perfectly
tuned wind instrument in existence. 1t
did not become a permanent member
of the orchestra until the time Of
Haydn