davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1954-04-04

Nasser deliberately gave Gen. Naguib
plenty Of rope to hang himself. That
is speculation. But Gen. Naguib
did, indeed, hang himself with the
rope of his own program.
The General obtained the re-
lease of 600 political prisoners, in
Guiding Communists, Socialists and
members of the outlawed MoSlem
Brotherhood.
Gen. Naguib forced the REC to
announce that it would dissolve
once parliamentary form of gov
ernment could be established. He
announced plans to remove the ban
on political parties and hold elec-
tionS for a constituent assembly.
Under this program, Gen. Naguib
presumably would emerge as the
most powerful man in the country.
And the most powerful political
party presumably would be the
Wafd. notorious for it's corruption
as well as its long domination of
Egyptian politics.
CovoIry BoIks
This appeared to be too much.
The cavalry that had helped put
Gen. Naguib back into power felt
that it was about to be betrayed
into the hands of corrupt politi-
clans. Strikes began. Street dem
onstrations resumed. This time,
they were against President Naguib.
AS if on cue, the young members
of the REC suddenly reversed Gen.
Naguib'S decisions. Plans for elec-
tions, a parliamentary government
and the abolition of the REC were
Cancelled. The REC announced it
Evening star., 1954-04-04
By George Beveridee

He also bought as much of the
cheap land around it as he could
get.
His reasoning was simple: The
SlaughterhouSeS are the sole reason
for the low values. Remove them,
he told his associates, and neither
SIT nor SIS makes any sense. The
only limit on the land then is the
use to which you have the imagina-
tion and money to put it.
Money Lost, Fame Won
Instead of developing the area for
aprivate use. Webb & Knapp sold it
for the U. N. site, just as the U. N.
was about to give up on the New
York area. In doing so, officials OF
the firm figure they lost lot of
money. But the deal made them
and Mr.. observation-disclosures.
This still stands as the highlight
of a dramatic series of deals in
which, combining capital investment
and development, Mr.. Zeckendorf
has engineered Webb & Knapp from
"a net deficit of $127,000 in 1912 to
net worth in appraised holdings
this year of $75 million.
The firm recently got control of
the ChrySler and Graybar buildings.
1t controls many others and has
multi-million dollar development
projects under way in New York and
half dozen other major cities.
AS Webb & Knapp got rich, so did
Mr. Zeckendorf. His personal assets,
mostly in Webb & Knapp stock hold
ings, are estimated at potential
value of $42 million.
Mr.. Zeckendorf got his start when
he quit $4,000 job in 1888 to take
$4,000 post with Webb & Knapp,
plus an interest in the firm, when it
was about at rock bottom. He had
been learning the economic in
tricacies of New York'S tough real
estate business since the age of 20
At 40, he is a heavy-set, genial
6-footer with passion for work.
strong fair for showmanship and
the obvious intention of using every
means he has to sell both himself
and what he believes in.
He also isn't afraid to talk in
terms of millions" as one influential
member of Congress summed up a
talk he had with the New Yorker a
few days ago.
In fairly frequent speeches-often
without the use of text-he minces
no words in blasting the things about
his business that irk him. One of
them is what he calls a failure to
adopt new ideas in investment build
ing. Another Is failure to see the
possibilities Of urban redevelopment.
It's one thing to "go into a COW
pasture and build new city" It's q
tougher challenge-but an infinitely
more important one-to recapture
the investments Of millions of dol
lars In dying cities, he argues.
In a manner that doesn't sound
at all corny when he says 1t. the
New Yorker contends that you reach
the height of ingenuity when you
operate within restrictions which
Evening star., 1954-04-04

philosopher and historian, for say
ing some government methods on
FormoSa were too close to the Com
munist way Of doing things. Ching
kuo admits to using authoritarian
ism but says it is necessary until the
nations freedom has been regained,
lie. until the Communists have been
driven from power on the mainland.
The younger Chang went to Rus
STA when he was 16 ito learn more
about revolutionary IDEAS" as he
told his father at the time. He was
cadet in the Leningrad military
academy, but in two years was
kicked out for anti-Stalinist ten
dencieS. After a Seven-year stint in
Soviet forced-labor camps, he came
out a real anti Communist, married
to a Russian girl.
Ching-kuo was released when his
father negotiated the non-aggres-
sion pact with Soviet Russia in
1887. He came back to rehabilitate
big district in Kiangsi Province
which had been under Red rule. He
did a good job, especially in ferret
ing out Communists. In World War
II he trained officers for political
1ndoctrination assignments in his
fathers armies.
This lndoctrination department
in Chiang-kai Shek'S armed forces
was hangover from the old days
of the Kuomintang Communist coa-
lition of 1924. When the Nationalist
Chinese took over the party appa-
ratus from the Reds, they retained
the political commissar system. It
was kept up throughout the Japa-
nese war but abolished after the
NipponeSe surrender because it was
offensive to Chiang's allies.
The Gimo and his. subordinateS
still think that the political COM
missar system might have helped
Evening star., 1954-04-04

would stay in power for an inden-
mite period. President Naguib
stays. too.
But he stays as the apparent tool
Of Col. Nasser. who once more seems
to have the real leadership in
Egypt.
Thus the political egg that was
scrambled in February, when Gen.
Naguib made his bid for power, has
now been unScrambled.
Hardly any one expects the scene
to remain quiet. Hardly any one
win predict whether the next
change win be for better or worse
for the people Of Egypt and the
cause OF Western democracy.
so far. the rule Of the REC has
not appeared too bad when COM
pared with the rule Of some previous
governments In the land of the
Nile. Even the worst enemies of
the REC do not accuse It Of dis
honesty.
Present foes Of the REC include
some OF the better educated classes,
who are disappointed at the fail
ure to get democratically elected
government. and the moneyed groups
who are appalled, at the way REC
is taking their lands.
Under the land reform law. no
person may own more than 207
acres. The regime is taking over
all excess land, and paying" for it
with government bonds at prices
fixed by the government. The gov
ernment sells or rents the lands in
f1ve-acre lots.
But f1ve-acre lots are inefficient.
So the government is encouraging
co-operatives. through which hold
ers Of small plots pool their lands
for cultivation and then share the
crops.
This doesn't mean the REC is
easing toward communism. The po-
lice regularly raid Red cells or Red
publishing enterprises.
Foreign Policy
Some Egyptians feel they have
three enemies, in this order-Great
Britain, Israel and the Soviet Union.
Enmity toward Britain and Israel
is described as implacable. The So
Wet is a more distant foe.
Most Egyptian factions are
friendly toward the United States
perhaps more friendly than could
be expected. The United States is a
close ally of Britain. You would ex-
pect this to annoy Cairo. The United
States long supported Israel, and is
responsible for its very existence.
That. too, has angered Egypt and
the rest of the Arab world. But
American opposition to world COM
munism finds a sympathetic reac-
ton in the REC.
In general, American Egyptian
relations are satisfactory. The
United States expects them to re-
main that way unless the political
Humpty Dumpties in Cairo fall over
and crack themselves, and their ma
tion, so badly that communism
threatens.
Evening star., 1954-04-04

force you to do things you never
would think of otherwise.
AS the chief means of pushing his
ideas about new design, Mr.. Zecken-
dorf has set up a Department of
Architectural Research" within Webb
& Knapp, headed by youthful
Chinese born architect, Ieoh Ming
Pei. One of their first major efforts
is to be revolutionary spiral apart
ment building. appropriately called
the Helix" slated for San Fran
cisco's Mob Hill, which would con-
tain all utility lines and elevators
in a central circular core.
Mr.. Zeckendorf contends the U. N.
deal is directly analogous" to the
land situation in southwest Wash
ington. Noting that land around the
old slaughterhouse district that once
sold for SIS foot now is worth $100,
he adds:
''It is our belief that the same
thing will happen in Washington.
What relatively small amounts Of
money are needed on the municipal
and Federal levels will be made over
many times in new tax revenues" D."
While Washingtons economic
plight is duplicated in a number of
other cities, Mr.. Zeckendorf thinks
the Capital also needs special treat
ment for other reasons. The enter
tainment center he proposes, for ex-
ample, emissions the best in theaters,
sidewalk cafes, skating and dancing
centerS, a national music hall-the
"salt-and-pepper seasoning that is
needed to hold tourists and perma-
nent residents after they have seen
the great monuments and mu-
SeumS."
New Mall Is Key
Before the plan goes much fur
ther, Webb & Knapp is insisting on
one thing-that the District agree
to build broad new mall to con-
meet the southwest with the rest
of the city. Mr.. Zeckendorf con-
tends that railroad tracks running
through the area have served for
years as "a Chinese wall" sealing
the area off. Without grand new
entrance, he sees no chance of a
real change.
The idea of a grand entrance"
isn't new. It was main feature of
plan developed earlier by WASH
ington Architects Louis Justement
and Chloethiel Smith. Mr.. Zecken-
dorf also urged such a development
in New York to bring the u. N.
zone up to its full potential. but the
city wouldn't go along.
Thus far. no one is committed
to anything legally in the Wash
ington deal. But the District Rede-
velopment Land Agency and Webb
& Knapp have agreed to q 12-month
Study-the firm to determine def
nitely the economic feasibility Of its
participation. and the land agency
to see If government officials and
planners can and win go along with
their end Of the deal. Until the
studies are made. there's no way to
know what the cost would be to any
one.
The only certain thing appears to
be that Webb 81 Knapp-and Zeck-
endorf rf-mean business.
Evening star., 1954-04-04
Zeckendorf Is at Home With Bio Ideas

There are probably three main
reasons why William Zeckendorf.
the New York real estate impresa-
rio, wants to give Southwest Wash
tngton major face-lifting.
One is personal crusade, a con-
viction that modern cities-plagued
by deterioration and SlumS-need
not be doomed by flights of residents
to the suburbs if the right kind of
money and thinking wants to save
them.
Another is a feeling that a bold,
dramatic program of Slum clearance
and redevelopment in the Nations
Capital can serve as an example for
the rest of the country. He obviously
wants his name closely associated
with such a pilot, pace-setting job.
The third reason, of course, is
money The southwest potentially
could add another star to a career
which already has Skyrocketed him
to the top of the heap in a cold
blooded business where dollars count.
What the zeckendorf plan calls
for, briefly, is to convert the entire
Slum-ridden Southwest into the best
that modern architecture and in
veStment capital can produce. The
emphasis would be strongly on resi-
dental development, but it would
include also big commercial build
ingS, parks and a vast cultural
and entertainment center"
The land would be acquired and
cleared under the city'S redevelop-
.ment laws. Government would pay
for public uses," including streets
and schools. Private capital would
build the rest.
First Such Job for Him
Mr.. Zeckendorf hasn't partici-
pated in any of the big redevelop-
ment jobs conducted by municipal
governments in other cities. But
he's no johnny come Lately to the
idea. For years, he has been espous-
ing just the kind of drastic improve
ments proposed for Washington.
And the fact is that some of
the fabulous Zeckendorf deals in
speculative finance are based on
an idea that has q close parallel to
the Southwest project. The idea,
baSically, is that land values in a
rundown area can be skyrocketed
If the areas character is changed
draStically enough.
Mr.. Zeckendorf's favorite illustra-
ton is the spectacular land-assem-
blage by his firm, Webb & Knapp,
Of what now is the United Nations
site in New York.
This Is how the deal went:
For IS years, the rectangular,
/ million-square-foot area between
Forty second and Forty ninth
street, First avenue and the East
River, was the blighted slaughter
house district. Surrounding land
was selling for less than SIS q square
foot-barely one-Sixtieth of the
value Of property in the nearby
Grand Central. When Webb &
Knapp got chance to buy the
slaughterhouse district itself for ST.
q foot. Mr.. Zeckendorf said, buy
Evening star., 1954-04-04
By EorI n. Voss

The. Geneva conference on. Far.
Eastern affairs opening April 26
probably won't affect the status Of
Formosa much. Red China will
talk about it some. all hands agree.
But the Nationalist Chinese under
Chang Kai-shek look solid enough
to stand where they are until some
future conflagration changes the
whole face Of Asia.
Actually, Chang is planning for
much more than the status quo,
Evening star., 1954-04-04

them hold on to the mainland. be-
cause they could have talked more +
soldiers out of detecting to the Reds.
After the collapse on the MAIN
land, Generalissimo Chang revived
the political indoctrination section
and put his son in charge.
Recently Ching-kuo was assigned
the added job of developing psyche
logical warfare 'techniques. Thus
Ching-kuo is sort of Minister of
the Interior. but on a slightly less
menacing level than in the Com
munist system.
A couple of other generals also
fit into the leadership picture on
Formosa. One is Gen. Sun Li-jen,
commander r-in-chief of the ground
forces. who is not on the best of
terms with the Gimo. A Purdue and
Virginia Military Institute graduate.
Gen. Sun Is recognized as extremely
able. The other military man is Gen.
Chou Chih-jou, whose place as Chief
of the General Staff Is similar to
Admiral Arthur Radford's as head
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
But all of these men, from Gen.
Chen and the Generalissimo's eldest
son on down. are ranked so far be-
low Chang Kai-Shek himself that
the most likely outcome in event Of
the generalissimo'S death would be
some kind of government by COM
mittee. Leaders of the stature of
Chang Kai-shek are not made over
night in China.
Fieureheod Rule
Some f1gurehead probably would
be put at the head of the Kuomin-
tang, and joint rule might follow
until new leader jockeyed himself
into the position of full power.
The jockeying has been going on
for some time. of course. The most
recent example is the long distance
effort of K. c. WI, former Governor
of FormoSa and mayor of Shanghai
in the late 1940s, to line himself up
with the anti-Chiang forces of de-
mocracy. He has denounced the
Chang regime as police state and
called for cleanup. The Americana
educated Mr.. WI probably knows
that if the United States ever were
placed in the position of king maker
in Nationalist China a strong cru
sading record would do him no
harm.
Under present circumstances, of
course, there is no hope for demo-
cratic transfer of power in National
China. The leaders take the atti-
tude that the country (now mean
ing the people on Formosa) is not
yet politically mature enough to
elect its top officials directly.
So far, only one election has been
held, in November. l947. before the
Communists took over. OF course.
with Mao Tse-tung now in charge
on the mainland. prospects for an
other election are indefinite. The
constitution recently was changed
to permit the 500 or so assembly,
men who have found their way to
FormoSa to function as the full
National Assembly. 1t was this
truncated group which elected
Chang to another six-year term
last month.
If something happens to Chang.
the 32-man Central Committee
probably will select an inner COM
mittee to take over the reins of
government. It is probable that
Gen. Chen and Gen. Chang Ching
kuo will have major voices in the
new government. but not nearly the
controlling hand now exercised by
the GeneraliSsimo.
Madame Chang, by the way, is
expected to fade fast II her spouse
falls from power.
inert Sunday: Prospects in the
Philippines under Ramon Mag.
sGvsGy.J
Evening star., 1954-04-04
By jones {. Roper

Egypt has just about done the i'm
possible-unscrambled an egg.
In a land where mob action. brib-
cry and double intrigue are stand
ard, the political scene is easily
scrambled. During the last two
months it became sheer omelette.
A coup. countercoup and counter
countercoup. plunged Egypt into
near-chaos. But little blood was
shed. Now rival factions have
sorted themselves out, at least tenn
porarily, and foreign observers feel
that the Egyptian people aren't
much. if any. worse of.
Only now has it become possible
to appraise the dramatic actions
and suggest that rivals for Egypt'S
leadership are peculiarly dedicated
men, sincerely working for the good
of their country as well as them
SelveS-and astonishingly honest.
Refreshing Virtue
Honesty and sincerity come as a
refreshing breeze after the reign Of
o6JPU QAA-OtyAO 1AAAS--4nVS pull
graphic Farouk. His failures bred
today's developments in Egypt.
It was on July %. 1852. that King
Farouk'S failures caught. up with
him. A group of young army Off
GERS quietly sounded out sentiment
in the armed forces. deployed few
tanks, and announced to King
Farouk that he was through. The
King took them at their word and
fed into exile.
The revolutioniSts took over. The
real sparkplug was 36-year-old
Canal Abdel Nasser, an army lieu
tenant colonel. He was vigorous and
he was shrewd.
He formed a kind of roundtable
OF the revolution-a group called
the Revolutionary Command Coun-
Gil. This was to be the ruling body
of all Egypt. Decisions were to be
made by majority vote, with each
OF the IL members having a single
vote. It sounded good, but not good
enough to get popular support.
So Col. Nasser and his fellow
plotterS got front man. He was
Army Gen. Mohammed Naguib,
avuncular hero of the Palestine war.
In that fight Gen. Naguib suffered
wounds three times, but eventually
failed to drive the Jews out of
Palestine because he felt his
home-front politicians were too
corrupt to give the armed forces
proper support. He was eager to
sweep away the old political systems.
He Joined the Revolutionary
Command Council and helped it
start to "clean up the mess" Away
went the last remnants of the mon
archy, and Gen. Naguib on June 18,
1858, became President of Egypt.
He also became president of the
REC.
He made speeches. He pulled
sagely on his pipe. He kissed the
Egyptian man-in- the-Street. He won
popularity.
But always Col. NaSSer made the
decisions. In the secret meetings
of the REC dynamic Col. Nasser
won government action for land re-
form. seizure Of royal family prop
erty, abolition of political parties,
dismissal of dishonest government
officials, and, ominously, creation of
special tribunal to try enemies of
the state.
Noeuib Seeks Power
Gen. Naguib went along with
these decisions, but he wanted
power as well as position. Knowing
the influence of the army in Egyp-
tian politics, he demanded authority
to promote or bust army officers.
Evening star., 1954-05-21
MONTGOMERY COUNTY

HILLMEAD-Beaut
white brick home; living rm.,- din
ing, 2 bedrms. on 1st floor, plumb
ing roughed in on End; full bsmt.
ceny. to N.IH. s1s,25o. OIL; q
sESGShksD., h:a .,o.. ;sosSeHsv q 200 SSs Nv Brick
sep. din. rm.. ail-elec. Kit. with table
space. 8 bedrms:. tile bath. full
REALTY Co. EN-. s-2ss6 til Q pm.
BErHEsDA.cHEvY Chase rms.
2-bedrms., bath. liv. rm.. firepl.. Ige.
din. rm. .good:sized kit. scr. rear
porch on 1st fir.: 2nd A.. 4 rms.
raSs. COnv. to schools. OWNER. Oh.
.Soa. aS"s sTiss ssSs
Cod, Nv. din. rm. comb, equipped
large i; bedrms. and / bath: M fun d; day :
feIrseaEtY sfeeIt ssai beau. sHA1S r. cC sS:l IL Il
BETHEsDa BEEi1fEs "a Z locus. HMi H,lls,-sss.75o.
$500 down. This 3-year -old i'm.
maculate rambler has large living
and dining room combination, 3 bed
rooms, 2 baths and full basement;
larse. level lot and screened porch;
LiNosEEY REALTY. III. s-s326 TIL
BEfHEsDA-S4.oo0 cash wiz pur-
chase this new brick rambler. 8
kitchen with table space. dishwashel
and DISPOSAL. Close to schools. We
can can o oeTTangss ngsssahSs sths nRsHS1nS sa%dESf bSo Syes
LEY, INC. 7004 WIS. ave-. Bethes.
p9&uS a. Md 0lso 0lsoS SS1SSS0O. 5So r;.,22ld,., r;,2d,
large FLA first trust with payments
q S107 per mo. hedrms.. 21-ft.
kit. With space. .paneled rec. rm:,
gcreened porch. level fenced yard,
located mr.. shopping and transp
Now vacant. Immed. poss. BILL
MGeLEY REALTY CO. M. 2-2S2e
TIL B D.m.
Evening star., 1954-05-21
HOUSES FOR sAlE-Mp.

OWNER forced 70
take. 9 he:tins On this qeorsiena
Silver Spring; ;.cs center hsi Large snscioi.i Nv
porch on den. family din. rm.,
powder rm.. mod. kit. 8 bedrms.
and colored tile bath; storage. attic;
ptne-peneled stairs to fun hsmt, with
3 separate rms. and photo Develop
ing rm.. outside entr. to back yard.
An this plus 2 corner S i.,,s ict Sith pro-
SleSsrd. sSSn Das@sns ~ nsss4ss sr s.sssSs s.zsoo
JAMES L. DIXON & co. --2l
FOR TaE YOUNG cOUtLE---Delieht-
tul bungalow. containing large. liv.
nm. huge kit. With ample table
Puiidoown stairs to storage sttic.
soisSSo sfS.sSo RssoopA pAeesosnii eo i1,s o.e1sis e51is
ave, silyer sprine; Nd, 10; 4;72O0;
scRoois' RSsiSspsnt Outdoor TeD sc.i porch
In excel. cond. For sale for LIST time
by owner who Is retiring and leaving
city. Short dist. from Walter Reed
HSip es Auso; kus2ode gas t heat sEeolSr Rg insg.
"GoGSTRY G5Ti sfiii EiviIN" 0Ia"'ii st lis best.
Nearby olney section. Authentic
williamsburg. Built prior to World
War II. over 2 acres, center hall
strsight Through. Spacious liy, rm.
With gracious fireplace. Pan&sleda & den. den.
Good Kitchen. electric equipment
1st-noor powder rm., screened porch.
2nd d.. 3 bedrms., II paneledl, 2
baths. Stairway to storage attic.
full bsmt;. oil INV. heat. GARAGE
fst1 ahaf1HAPV formal 0QPAam Wind.
ing stream. Owner selling reluct-
antly has priced under $4,000.
MSI s1S .yss LEsId5Efo1 df o1.SSss ali s-ssse: 81 Sun.
OWNER .,s LEAVING TOWN; must
dSwn dSo%sc' seEsl d paee s I Ssi s2Se
AZ dI loan. complete monthly pay
msnt,, s9s;2s. 6ony. to trensp,,
dr.. Wheaton. Nd. HU. $500.
TIRED OF STEPS? Inspect this
rambler home near the Franklin
ave. bus. featuring 9 23-ft; liv.-
,ns ROOM sTls fisessp ssparsse; ;enas S1elns
bedrooms and screened porch. a. J.
KEssINGER a. CO.. JU. 9-4544.
NnaEte may e assumed xSSo on this sbsdroom. rSsa
recreation room with fireplace;
fenced level lot. Excellent neigh
borhood. a, J. KEssINdER d Co.
JU. 0-4544.
VERY HANDY TO SCHOOLS md
central Sil; Spa modern all-brick
hot-yater heat. eqripped KITCHEN.
was iust vacated; $1,000. on .g ex-
Realtors. JU. 5-6111. Open ewes.
OWNER Is LEAVING CITY. your
chance to buy l.is Colonial 3-bed:
room home in Carroll Knobs area Of
Sii. Spg.. fenced ranch-style with an
extra lot available II you wish: only
. block to school; S14 800; GI or
tors. JU. 6-6111. Open ewes.
5-ACRE ESTATE, improved by o.
modern spacious Colonial home, sit.
on an imposing .well-landscaped knoll
near Gaithersburg, Nd; 4-stall
stable, 2-car gar; stream; fence;
well financed. AGENT, Oh 2-3S91.
Evening star., 1954-05-21
HOUSES FOR SALE-S.E.

CONGRESS H0Ts., Elmira st. s.w.-
l.ss s:sE ysrS S.drPPsi P1i:. nun ss6o HS6o f'aisS SsS
S2.l00 down and bal SS7 per mo
incl. taxes and insuI. NkWCONB
REALTY SERVICE. 10. 2-7o66;,
CONGRESS HU0HTs. SS27 Broth
era pl.-Det. stucco made into 2
Rs%ScsoSM,ss BIS srIR%R sQE e IssvHct sSIS ssF%5 9o