davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22

Fortunately, he is his own master in
this, no one orders him to read.
Reading is. after all. solitary thing.
Many persons have tried reading
aloud. and while it has its uses, the
best reading is done one and one.
Reading goes at its best pace when
done silently.
The reading mind is a. flexible Aim,
taking in impressions, and giving them
out.
The perfect result comes when the
mind is fresh, which is just another
way OF saying when the mind Is inter-
ested.
So if a book bores you, know that
often 1t isn't the book at all, but your
mind.
The mind can bore itself. The book
just shows it up. Do something else,
then. Go into the garden. go motoring.
go hunting. If you must. Do anything
except read.
The eyes have many uses beside
reading. Type is. after all, compare
lively new thing in the world. The
talking voice is much. older, and for
many centuries was as close to q book
as humanity got. Now we have books.
and accept them as everyday things.
but actually they are very wonderful,
too much so to run into the ground
by overriding.
The plumber who retired to spend
the last 80 years of his life reading
Shakespeare was q wise man. He gave
himself plenty Of time.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Teachers Woes

We have only one disagreement with
the letter signed Still Another Parent"
This is with the assertion that teach
ers are happy" Many high school
teachers. we would assure the public,
are not happy.
Let us consider what Is currently
happening in well-to-do expanding
communities surrounding Washington.
Many well-paid school openings attract
experimenting "educationalists." Ele-
mentary schools are the first to be
renovated" Out the window go pho
netics, spelling and arithmetic drill.
learning of specific geographical and
historical facts, and similar "uninte-
grated" disciplines. Next, administrators
introduce the core program into the
Junior high school, thus postponing
attainment of fundamentals to the high
school, Many high school teachers are
disappointed because they thus are de-
prived of the chance to teach more
advanced work. How does the second
year language teacher feel when she
has to teach elementary English gram
mar? How much does teacher pre-
pared in European history enjoy show
ing his pupils the location Of the con-
tinents?
With State laws constantly increas-
ing requirements in education, 1t Is not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Atomic Railroads?

An atomic powered locomotive has long
been regarded as theoretically feasible, and now
an impressive design for one has been worked
out by DR.. Lyle B. Borst of the University of
Utah. There may be many slip and many a
year between his drafting board and actual
operation of course, but he feels that he has
hold of something that is around a much closer
corner than previously believed" and represent
atives of several big railroads-which have been
cooperating with him-seem inclined to feel
the same way.
In any event. DR. Borst, physicist formerly
associated with the Atomic Energy Commission,
has designed steam-generating nuclear reac-
tor that is supposed to be capable of developing
four times the power of a modern Diesel engine
It also is supposed to be capable of driving
locomotive for full year on II pounds Of ura-
MUM fuel. The reactor-only 2 feet wide, 8 feet
high and 8 feet long-would require 2OO-ton
steel shielding to protect the crew from radia-
ton, but there is general agreement among the
interested railroads that this requirement can
readily be met and that our roadbeds can handle
1t with relative ease Further, in DR. Borst's
opinion, there would be no extra danger In case
of q wreck.
What remains to be seen, however, Is
whether such a locomotive can compete eco
nomically with the Diesel. DR.. Borst estimates
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
lnterprets Presidents Strategy

The recent decision by the President
to recall more ground forces, and send
abroad only technical units. has been
misconstrued. Many military critics
have taken this decision as a signal
to eliminate or minimize the use of
ground forces Infantry etc. in war
fare, because of the development of
atomic weapons. do not believe that
this Is the issue. because it has been
proven time and again that no matter
how new or how big weapon is in
vented for warfare we must have, pro-
portionately, as large units of ground
or foot soldiers with them.
When elephants were first introduced
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
By corter Brooke Jones

THEODORE ROOSEVELT, never one
L to pull punches. was as hard-hitting
in his letters as in his speeches. books
and articles.
With the publication of the final VOL
umes VII and Wild of 1.-THE Letters
Of Theodore Roosevelt" (Harvard Uni
yerSity Press, the editors bring to q
close the immense task they set them
selves-"to make easily accessible all
the available letters . +. that seem
necessary to reveal. insofar as letters
can, his thought and action in all the
major and many Of the minor under
takings of his public and private life"
The eight volumes, indeed, trace the
whole career of the 26th President
from his days as thin young man
gaining health and strength in the
West to the disillusioning period Of
the First World War; There may be no
startling disclosures in these volumes
of letters, because r. r. had way Of
telling the world how he felt about
public questions. but many OF them
are intensely interesting. uncovering
httle-known facets of q forceful and
colorful personality.
The tender side OF this personality
Is stressed in letters to his sons, to
relatives and intimate friends. There
is, too. tact with which Mr.. Roose-
welt was not always credited that comes
out in instances in which he empha-
sized that he was speaking conf1den-
TALLY, since he did not feel he should
'ntrude himself in certain situations.
The first Roosevelt was one Of our
most articulate Presidents. He wrote
clearly. cogently. whether he was writ
ing for publication or hurrying of a
letter to some political confldant like
the first Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.
He was a great reader. critic and
editor of note. and frequently friends
sent published stories or manuscripts
for his comment.
The large number of letters which
MIR Roosevelt wrote his wife, Edith
Carow Roosevelt. were lost. After her
husbands death. early in 1919. Mrs.
Roosevelt destroyed this correspondence.
Volume l contains a single letter,
written January /. 1870. and in the
appendix attached to the final volume
there is telegram to Mrs. Roosevelt.
The Roosevelt children, the editors
explain. supplied this deficiency in FAM
lily letters so far as they could by turn
ing over a great many which their IA
ther wrote them.
The last two volumes. titled 1.-THE
Days Of Armageddon." cover the period
1909-19l9. The first letter was written
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Indecent Is the Word

There is this much to be said for Senator
Langer's handling of the nomination OF Earl
Warren to be Chief Justice of the United States:
He served notice in the Senate on Friday that
10 charges against Governor Warren would be
placed in the public record at the open public
hearing on this nomination" After he had
made this statement Senators Long, Johnson
of Colorado, Welker and Morse took the floor
to commend Senator LANCER for the manner in
3 which he was diScharging his duties as chair
=. man of the Judiciary Committee. And no one
objected.
In the light of this record it is possible to be
something less than swept away by the torrent
of protests which came from members OF the
Senate after Senator LANCER had done what he
said he was going to do. Those who praised
did nothing in the face of the warning he gave,
have much to answer for. In sense they have
made the Senate party to the indecent airing
of crackpot charges against the man who is
going to be overwhelmingly confirmed as our
Chief Justice.
Majority Leader Knowland now says that
"the dignity and responsibility of the Senate
of the United States will greatly suffer if pro-
cedures of this kind continue" That undoubt-
eddy is true. 1t is also true that the dignity
of the Senate already has suffered from this
unseemly performance. And it will continue
to suffer as long as men like Senator LANCER,
who become chairmen of important committees
through the workings of seniority, are per-
mitted by other Senators to abuse the power
which they inherit FROM their position.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
In Residence

/ SatD Mount Vernon from, the air
Anchored beside the riuer. ,phere
The master always left his heart
When he aDent forth to live part
In history. His d1Oelling cleaned
A shrine in miniature. then seemed
To fade into the past and draw
MY fancy backward till / SGW
VirginiG's freedom -loUing squire
Become her soldier and acquire
The leadership of armies. ,oin
Both liberty and honor. In
Whatever mansion he might be
His homestead called him constantly,
So passing over. I could feel
His presence at Mount Vernon still.
Louise Crenshow Roy
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Cautious Optimism in Japan

Despite economic preSSureS that cannot be
lifted quickly or easily, there are clear ipdica-
tons of increased political stability in Japan
today. To the West in general and to the United
States in particular, the most encouraging signs
are found in the current attitude of the Yoshida
government and of the Diet toward rearmament
and new look" for the Japanese military
establishment.
Although an austerity budget has been pre-
scented to the legislature by Prime Minister
Yoshida increased appropriations are asked
for defense purposeS-the only category for
which greater funds are being sought OF COM
parable Importance are two other legislative
proposals: One, that the National Safety Force
should be renamed National Defense Force and,
two, that the basic mission of this force be rede
fined to permit its employment in resisting
external aggression. AS a safety force, limited
to about 10000 men, responsibility of this
organization has been confined to maintenance
of internal order. It is foreseen now, with
increased appropriations and expanded jurisdic-
ton, that the force may grow to about 10000
by the end of the year.
Along with this changing psychology toward
the military there have been indications that
two American actions of last year have helped
improve Japanese-American relations. One was
the return to Japanese control Of the Amami
OShlma lSlanQS IN the nOrLnern NyukyuS, a
transfer rather notable in contrast with appar-
ent Russian intentions to hold permanently the
former Japanese islands in the Kuriles. The
second wen-receved action was the agreement
to make American soldiers subject to Japanese
law for offenses committed off military bases.
It is interesting that the japanese have waived
this jurisdiction in all but seven cases in about
400 arising since the agreement was made.
The longtime course of Japanese policy
vis-a-vis the West will be Influenced greatly by
other Far East developments, among them the
Korean peace settlement and the outcome of
!. the war in Indo-C China Pending these, however,
it is heartening that Mr.. Yoshida appears to be
making genuine progress in gaining both pub
lie and political support for his policies Of coop
Z Grafton with the West.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22

Arlington'S delegation in the General
Assembly has presented a just claim to the
Legislature with respect to secondary road
funds, but the fight for equity in highway
ALLEGATIONS will be hard to win. The
trouble is that equity for Arlington land also
for Henrico County, which is in the same boat
with Arlington County, means less secondary
road money for all the other counties in the
State. Legislators from those other counties
are not apt to wax enthusiastic over legisla-
ton that will deprive their counties of any
highway improvements otherwise available.
The plight of Arlington and Henrico Coun-
ties arises from their decision in 1881. to remain
outside the Byrd secondary road program.
Under that program, the State agreed to take
over all secondary road construction and main
tenance, subject to formula for fund allot-
ments based on area, population, road mileage
and traffic load. The Byrd law permitted
counties which preferred to do their own road
construction and repair to do So with the State
contributing as required by the formula.
Arlington, reluctant to abolish its own road
department, chose to take the money and do
its own road work. That was all right in 1881
and for few years thereafter. But as Airing
ton began to grow by leaps and bounds just
prior to and during World War II, it became
apparent that the county was not receiving
fair share OF the secondary road money. This
was because the State, lacking its own up-to-
date data on mileage and traffic in Arlington,
continued to base Arlingtons ALLEGATIONS on
1881 figures. This is costing the county more
than 100000 year in State road funds
Efforts to bring about more realistic ALLEGATIONS
were unavailing
Under the 1882 Byrd road law, Arlington
could vote to go back into the secondary road
system-but that would mean scrapping the big
highway engineering department which has
been built up over the years. The alternative
now being pushed before the Legislature is an
authorization for the State Highway Commits
sion to use current mileage and traffic figures
in computing Arington's share of the money
1t sounds logical and fair enough, but it will
take lot Of selling to induce majority of
both houses to approve the plan.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22

into the bow-and-arrow age, many
military leaders argued that there was
no longer need Of foot soldiers. But they
changed their minds when they saw
the need of foot soldiers, and even
more of them. after the elephants
charged the bow and arrow lines. and
couldn't completely destroy the enemy.
The same argument was brought out
when artillery with gun powder was
introduced. They said, 1--WE do not need
foot soldiers any more. All we have to
do is manufacture thousands of can
mons. line them up before the enemy
lines, and destroy them" That didn't
work out either. They had to have foot
soldiers to pick up the pieces.
Even at the beginning of World War
II many leaders thought that armored
units would eliminate the use of foot
soldiers. Now we have atomic weapons
bombs and guns, and the problem is
the same. We need foot soldiers, pro-
portlonately more, because the wars
are being fought on a larger scale.
President Eisenhower is not irving
to eliminate the use OF foot soldiers
IN warfare. What he is trying to do is
assign the duties of the foot soldier to
the natives of the countries in Europe
and Asia. and support them with more
expensive and more technical weapons
such as planes, tanks atomic weapons
and American manpower to use them,
George Haig.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22

that the nuclear fuel would cost about $1,000
pound, and some railroad experts believe that
If his figure is correct and even II the structural
costs are reckoned with, his design may well
be translated into practical operating reality
in the next few years. Their view may be over
optimistic, but In an age when we are building
things like the submarine Nautilus, anything
along this line can be expected. We have hardly
begun to learn what can be done with the har
messed atom.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Washington in 1854.

The great American born 200 years ago
today was first In war; first in peace and first
in the hearts of his countrymen" in his own
time. OF that there can be no question. But it
may be wondered what George Washington
means to the people of the United States and to
the peoples of other nations In 1854. The
tendency of many recent appraiSals of him has
been to stress the example he set in terms of
character rather than for any other value he
represents. In this, unfortunately. there may
have been suggestion that he is out of date
and has only secondary significance to the world
Of our time.
But the contrary is true. Washington needs
only to be studied for his modernity to be appre-
ciated. With no more formal education than
Abraham Lincoln had, the principal founder of
the Republic shared with its preserver a folk
intelligence, neutrality-suspicious., an instructive
sense for what was real, power of judgment,
all of which combine to make him man of
ideas in many respects as important now as
when they first were expressed. Consider for
example, these words written in 1888:
There are four things which, hum
bly, conceive, are essential to the we'll
being, may venture to say, to the
existence OF the United States, as an indie
pendent power First, an indiSSoube
union of the States under one federal
head Secondly, sacred regard to public
justice; Thirdly, the adoption of proper
peace establishment, and Fourthly, the
prevalence of that pacific and friendly
disposition among the people of the
United States which will induce them to
forget their local prejudices and policies;
to make those mutual concessions which
are requisite to the general prosperity;
and, in some instances, to sacrifice their
individual advantages to the interest of
the community
Certainly. here is the thought of leader
who belongs to the ages. Washington speaks
not alone to America nor to the nineteenth
century but to all civilized mankind and to all
epochs. Looking back to him in the light of our
need for such guidance from whatever source
1t may come, all men of good will should be
grateful and contrite.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Unfinished Business

Federal Narcotics Commissioner Anslinger
has given Congress an encouraging review of
the illicit-drug situation in Washington. He
told House Appropriations subcommittee that
there had been rather substantial improve
ment" In conditions here, as result of stepped
up investigation and the handing out by judges
Of sitter sentences for peddlerS. There was
one diScouraging note in his testimony, how
ever. He fears that dope addiction will con-
tinue to be serious problem in the District
until means Of hospitalizing drug addicts are
provided.
Congress took the first step toward pro-
viding for such disqualification when it passed
the District compulsory disqualification law.
But Congress did not complete the job. To
make this law effective Congress must enact a
companion measure authorizing Federal mar
cotics hospitals to admit District patients COM
mitted under the act. bill to this effect was
passed by the House last year, but failed to go
to the Senate because of technical error.
Without the enabling act the District cannot
carry out the terms of the commitment law, for
Washington has no facilities for full treatment
Of addictS, comparable to those in the Federal
hospital at Lexington Kentucky. Only tenn
porary treatment can be rendered at the Dis
trict General Hospital.
The Lexington institution has reported
remarkable success In helping addicts to over
come their aff1iction. Local victims of the dope
habit deserve chance to benefit from the good
work being done by Federal authorities in the
rehabilitation Of narcotics addicts. Passage of
the enabling legislation at this session Of Con-
gress would give them that chance.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
7. r. Wrote as He Spoke: Vigorously

was an African game hunt and tour
OF Europe. While he admired the Ger
mans. he was quick to side against
them when the war of 1914 broke. He
was urging preparedness in this coun-
try long before the administration took
it up. His letters show a growing bit
terneSS toward President Wilson and q
feeling that this country was showing
"a yellow streak" In allowing her cit
liens to be lost on passenger ships sunk
by submarines.
When, sin March 1917, it became OBJ
vious that we soon would enter the
war, Mr.. Roosevelt telegraphed Newton
D. Baker, Secretary of War, asking
permission to raise division for i'm
mediate service at the front" When
his request was rejected, and it was
pointed out to him that regiments
would be equipped and trained only
under the regular establishment, he
wrote again. He reminded Mr.. Baker
that he was a retired commander in
chief of the Army. Recalling his per-
sonal military record, MIR. Roosevelt, by
way of showing that San Juan in the
Spanish American War was no clam
bake, cited that the regiment of which
he was lieutenant colonel. afterward
colonel. the 1st Volunteer Cavalry (the
Rough Riders, was kept for two
weeks on a transport and then put
through two victorious aggressive fights
in which we lost third of the officers
and a fifth of the enlisted men, all
within little over so days"
After receiving a visit from Mr..
Baker. Mr. Roosevelt wrote a longer
letter, still arguing the matter. He
urged universal service. 1t ranked in
his last days that he was unable to
get into the war. and he was inclined
to blame Mr.. Wilson rather than Mr..
Baker, but the former President found
compromising pride in his four sons
at the front.
Mr.. Roosevelt's political creed was
set out, very early in his career Gin
letter appearing for the first time
in the appendix to the last volume),
in 1882, when he was only Is: Il thor
oughly believe in the Republican Party
when it acts up to its principles-but
ii can prevent it never shall let
party zeal obscure my sense of right
and decency."
The footnotes are helpful in orient
ing many of the letters. identifying
the recipients and explaining often
the occasions that elected them.
The letters in the eight volumes were
selected and edited by Citing E. MORT
son. John M. Blum was associate edi-
tor Alfred D. Chandler. jr.. assistant
editor. and Sylvia Rice, copy editor.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Security Risks

AS the facts are gradually forced into
the open, the Qualification of the
designation security risk" with its
many ramiflcations, brings in it's wake
vlndication of the innocents who have
been branded as guilty.
1t doesn't matter whether the Re-
publican claim of those separated from
Government is 220 or 1900 The i'm
pact is still the same. Individuals
have been victims of mass character
assassination. A trusting constituency
has been grossly fed INSTRUMENTATION
Tor the purpose of convincing them
that the Democratic Party has been
responsible for creating a Communist
infested Government" This has been
done with malice aforethought by GER
tain ambitious Republicans with the
full knowledge and sanction of their
party.
Facts must be the recognized deter,
minants of the state of our Nation.
Unless some plausible explanation of
such facts versus fiction can be given.
the Eisenhower administration must
plead guilty to the charge of having
Lerpetrated a plot of political DEM
agoguery Of the worst form Such
strategy cannot be condoned by demo-
cratic people of integrity.
Jessie b. Solomon.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Dean Munion Departs

Isn't it nice that Clarence Manion
now can resume his self-imposed tasks
of saving the Nation from the Eisen-
howers and restoring kerosene lanterns
to the Tennessee Valley, uninterrupted
by any consideration of Government
service-to use the term lightly.
The distraction of a presidential
commission certainly is not for man
with the genius to discover a new and
very lucrative career in being a pro-
feSsional former law school dean. It
is still full-time job to cover the
piney woods chambers of commerce,
where open-mouthed and bug-eyed lis
teners hunger for the startling revela-
tons of what all is so horribly wrong
with the country-and the fees are quite
satisfactory.
If Manion ever runs out of small
town luncheon clubs he can always
offer his unique talents to Facts (sic)
Forum" or serve as guest author of
David Lawrence'S column.
Son Of '76.