davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
Critical StoIemote in Asio

It has become evident in recent days that
the problem of Indo-China is causing increasing
concern here in Washington.
President Eisenhower was not speaking cas-
ually or off-the-cuff last week when he told his
news conference that the situation on the
Southeast Asia peninsula is critical. The De-
partments Of State and Defense and the Nation
al Security Council have Joined in giving the
Commander In Chief that appraisal. It was
significant, too, that he made special mention
as one of the most disturbing factors-of the
apparent lack of enthusiasm on the part of the
Vietnamese for actual battle with the Commu-
nist-supported Wet Mini forces.
There has been evidence through most of the
eight years course of this costly but nconclusive
war that the nom Communist native populations
of the Associated States have had little appetite
for the fighting. This has not been so because
of lack of physical courage. It has been so
primarily because the political and theological
advantage from the beginning has been with the
rebel movement headed by Ho Chi Mini. In
Wet Nam. where most of the lighting has taken
place, the French choice of Bao Dali as chief of
state was widely unpopular and easily inter-
preted as merely maneuver to perpetuate
French colonial rule. The fact that the French
themselves failed until recently to make major
effort to train native forces, and that even
North African units were brought out to fight,
supported this Interpretation. With the train
ing program now under way it is estimated that
Wet Nam strength will not equal that of French
and other colonial troops until the end of this
year.
For military purposes, Ho Chi Mini re-
portedly is receiving heavy and continuous
flow Of supplies from across the China frontier.
At the same time, on the theological front, the
rebel strategy is one of preaching liberation"
to population that has long since tired of the
war. The fact that no Chinese or other foreign
erS have been reported in the field with Ho Chi
Minh-that only on the French side are there
foreignerS-is useful propaganda weapon for
Ho Chi Mini.
Our own aid to the French-Viet Nam side
has been stepped up substantially in the past
year. We have urged the French strongly to
move faster on the native training programs
we did in training of the South Korean army
and we have Endorsed the plans to give greater
political independence to the States. The latest
aid steps have been to send more light bombers
and assign American technicians for aircraft
maintenance. full-scale military miSSion-to
aid in training, planning and logistics for ex-
ample-may be assigned soon.
In various ways recently the French have
indicated willingness to settle the whole busi-
tiating advantage seemingly would be so clearly
on the side of Ho Chi Mini and his Communist
advisers" that 1t is not a bright prospect
Whether or how this situation can be reversed
is the first and most pressing question
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
Postal Fees and Taxes

Representative Gross of Pennsylvania was
probably right when he forecast battle in the
House over administration proposals for higher
postal rates. He explained that the House Is
against any tax increases at this time and con-
tended that any postal raise would be "just
another tax"
The fact is, however, that If Congress rejects
the postal-raise plan approved by the House
Post Office Committee it will be contributing to
the need for higher general taxes to make up
the staggering annual postal deficits. 1t is
unrealiStic to call a fee for postal service a
"tax." The very purpose of the fee Is to reduce
the amount of tax supported subsidies required
to meet the cost of delivering letters magazines,
newspapers and other mailable matter. None of
these classes of service is paying its own way at
present. AS result, the operating losses of the
Post Office Department have been running close
to half billion dollars a year-all Of which
must be Offset by taxes.
In commendable effort to bring the deficit
down to less alarming proportions, Postmaster
General Summerfield has asked for increases
on several classes of mall including four-cent
rate for first-class letters destined for out-of-
city delivery Charges for second and third
class mail publications, merchandise, etc. and
for air mail would be raised by varying amounts.
The overall program was designed to bring in
about $256 million year in additional revenue.
This would cut the deficit approximately in half.
There is no present plan for making all
classes of mail service self-supporting, thus
wiping out the deficit altogether. On the con-
trary, it has always been the policy Of Congress
to approve the substituting of some mail, espe-
cially newspapers, as a contribution toward the
education and enlightenment of the people, But
to permit the Post ONCE Department to con-
tinue to run up ever larger deficits, which must
be met by taxing those not directly responsible
for the losses is unsound in principle and dam
gerouS economically.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08

no idea what they were getting. The
councilman getting the greatest num-
Der of votes automatically is considered
Mayor; Mr. Beverley was no more in
tentionally elected Mayor than were
any of the other councilmen who did
not happen to get quite so many votes.
Even a plurality of one vote is sufficient
to consider the person receiving it as be-
ing Mayor. To say, therefore, that we
knowingly elected Mr. Beverley to be
our Mayor is false.
Citizen of Alexandria.
Editors note: Those who voted for
Mr.. Beverley and enabled him to out
poll other councilmen vying for the
mayoralty no doubt would contest the
statement that he was not knowingly
elected" Mayor
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
On Preserving c. & o. Conol

Charles A. Lindbergh stated in New
York before the Institute of Aero
nautical Sciences. that in emphasiz-
ing force, efficiency and speed, Amer
lea may be losing "a humility, SIM
plicity and tranquility. without which
we cannot indefinitely hold our own
in world competition"
This is a succinct and accurate
statement of the fundamental issue
involved in the road building scheme
for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
The issue, simply stated is, which
is more mportant-mere added road
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
Challenges Kent

wish to challenge a statement in
Frank r. Kent's column Of Janu-
airy 81.
He wrote, "As gubernatorial candi-
date he tFranklin Delano Roosevelt,
jr) will OF course have the support
Of the American Labor Party the
Liberal Party, Tammany and his
mother" This shows an appalling lack
of knowledge of New York State poll
tics by an otherwise highly capable
political writer.
The implication that FDR Jr. will
automatically get Liberal Party and
American Labor Party support is false
The Liberal Party which originally
supported him in his first campaign
for the House of Representatives with
drew its support of him in later cam
paigns because Of his absentee record
in Congress. The American Labor
Party, after the split of the Liberal
Party from it, has supported only Vito
Marcantonio approved candidates.
They have never supported, and would
probably continue to refuse to support,
a candidate of any other party. since
to them such candidate would be
a ''reactionary." candidate accept
ing the support of the American Labor
Party would almost certainly be de-
feated.
1t is rather ridiculous to put the
possible support of the Liberal Party
in the same category as the probable
support of Tammany Hall. FDR Jr.
is an active member of the Democratic
Club of New York County, and since
the Democratic Club of New York
County is called Tammany Hall. it
would be rather surprising if he did
not have their support in guberna-
torial campaign.
b. H. Scheff.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
Letters to The Star. f.

pound. Suppose it had been one al
locating pets to medical experimenters
after only a few days for claimance
and Smoky" had not been located in
time? Where might this teen-age or
phan have ended up If his canine pal
had been sent to the laboratories in
stead Of being returned to his arms.
especially since the dog obviously ran
away from the new home offered him
to find his little master in trouble'
Just another hint Of canine devotion
and reminder that there is nothing
quite like the friendship between
boy and his dog!
Virginia Sargent,
Animal Protective Association.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
DisIikes Diplomatic 'Snobbery'F

After reading the article wherein Mrs.
Perle Mesta was reported as denounc-
ing the intellectual snobbery encoun-
tered in the Department Of State had
twice as much faith in her as a person,
and respect for her ability, as ] had
heretofore felt.
I, too. worked in the State Depart
ment q little more than a decade ago
not as an ambassadors but as a stenog-
rapher. could never quite get over
men being so snobbish, so anxious to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
Wrong Way to Honor Lincoln

I deplore the Sacrilegious comment
grafton of the birth of so great a man
as Abraham Lincoln in the manner
presented at the Lincoln Day Dinner
by the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Tolerance, understanding, tempered
clear thinking. simple direct honesty.
and a healthy respect for his fellow
countrymen were the principles that
made Abraham Lincoln great. The
Wisconsin Senator vilified these simple.
yet noble, principles and attempted to
drag them down into the mire Of hate,
intolerance and name-calling. Such
vilification can only be fermented in a
small and narrow mind incapable of
serving general interest or a common
good. Abraham Lincoln does not rep
resent these principles expressed in
commemoration Of his being.
myself adhere to the Republican
Party principles, but realize that there
are a great number Of my fellow coun-
trymen, including immediate members
of my family, who subscribe to the
principles of the Democratic Party. I
definitely do not view these persons of
the opposing party in such light as
exhorted by the Senator from Wiscon-
sin.
The Republican Party is in Govern
ment at present through the support
Of many honest Democrats who saw the
shortcoming Of their own party and
who were willing to forgo party sup
port to aid what they believed would
be change for the betterment Of
their country. They and many Re-
publicanS are awaiting this change
King Solomon, a renowned repre-
sentative Of all wisdom. gave us this
law of human relation: HE loveth
transgression that loveth strife; and
he that exalteth his gate seeketh de-
struction." May the Republican Ma
tional Committee take heed of this
law and renounce the Wisconsin SEN
ator's concepts. Howard r. Davis.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08

values. as such. or the finer human
values (or their obliteration) involved
in this project?
Coming from a foremost advocate
of force and speed, Mr. Lindberghs
words have special significance to us
here in Washington.
Are we to have these last few I'M
trammelled acres of Gods creation as
a symbol Of. and refuge for humility,
simplicity. and tranquility? Or must
they give way to more force, effici-
ency and speed?
John F. Clagett.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08

fascination to universal public. The gift to
the Baltimore library is significant because Of
this 1t proves once again the deserved immor-
tally Of noble art.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
Social Security Unjust

SocioI SecuTlry UnluSt
The press. including The Star. gives
full and voluble support to every ques-
ton pertaining to the welfare of Gov
eminent employees, and there are those
who would be grateful if it likewise
would say word in behalf of the low
income workers compelled to contribute
to Social Security, with its inequities
and injuSticeS.
In the name of justice, if Govern
ment employees or others not taxed for
the Social Security fund require benefits
they are not now receiving. why is not
as well as the poor called upon to
provide it?
Eva Holmes
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
Boy and His Dog

wish to thank The Star for the
interesting photos and write-ups about
the National Training School boy and
his dog. Gratitude should certainly also
go to DR.. Louis Jacobs. school super
visor. for his deep concern for the boy
and his persistent efforts to find the
dog. and to every one else who helped
to effect the happy reunion or who
have offered future help.
Smoky" was found in a Florida
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
By THE HASKIN SERVICE.

@. What is the rarest color in an
imals?-C. H. H.
A. Green is the rarest Of animal
colors, but it is found in many birds.
frogs, and insects, also in some worms
and certain oysters. Among the man.
mails there is a green monkey.
@. Is the U. S. S. Midway the Nays
LARGEST aircraft carrier?-H. T.
A. According to the Department OF
Defense. U. S S. Midway is the largest
type of aircraft carrier. The U. S. S.
Forrestal, presently under construction
but not yet in commission, will be larger
than the Midway.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08
Questions and Answers

A reader can get the answer to any question
OF TACT by writing The Evening stay lntorma.
ton Bureau 1900 Eye ST., NV, WASHINGTON
5 D. c. Please incosce three t3l cents for
return D0sIaRe
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-08

Pen-71Gn1es may be used it letters c0rry
10rtters' correct names and addresses.
All letters are subject to condensation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-29
Bleak 1854 Seen
For Rubber Industry
By Malaga Growers
BY the Asseeiussd Press

PENANG, Jan. 29.-Malaya's
leading rubber growers forecast
q bleak future for the natural
rubber industry in 1854.
More settled world conditions.
lack Of demand from the United
States, Malaya's biggest Gus
toner, and continuation of Com
munist terrorism in the country
are thorns in the side Of the in
duStry.
Heah ZOO Seang, president of
the Federation of Rubber Trade
Associations of Malaga. believes
American demand will take a
turn for the worse this year, re-
sulting in reduced buying.
Already rubbermen are issuing
instructions to estates to cut
down expenses and production
costs.
Mr.. Heah fears many estates
will have to close. Trees on these
estates are too old and it would
be uneconomic to 60 on tapping
them.
The last year saw rubber grad
ually sink in price. At the be-
ginning Of 1853 rubber fetched
90 Straits cents a pound Isl
United States cents). At the end
Of the year 1t was down to 81
Straits cents pound (19 United
States centS).
The Malayan government has
mapped out a rubber replanting
program designed to replace ex-
listing trees with new high-yield-
ing varieties. But Communist
activity. it is feared. will inter-
fere with the scheme.
Mr.. Heah says an American
decision TO stabilize natural rub
Der by raising purchase prices to
a more reasonable level and a
lifting Of the United Nation en-
barge on export Of rubber to
Red China are two factors which
will bolster the market.
Ever since the Korean armi-
stice and the decline in rubber
producers and merchants have
clamored for a resumption oil
rubber exports to China.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-29
AT Plane Takes IS Hours
From Hawaii 10 Mobile

MOBILE, Ala, Jan. 20. An
Air Force CHA Globemaster few
nonstop from Hawaii to Mobile
yesterday and prepared to take
OF today on another flight to
Rhein-M Main, Germany.
Col. @. j. Dunklebert. COM
mander of the 1703rd Air Trans
port Group, said the transport
plane made the 1927 mile fight
from Hickam Air Force Base,
Hawaii, to Brookley ALB here in
Is hours and ID minutes. It
was the first CHA to make this
run nonstop.
Aircraft commander on the
flight from Hawaii was 1t. Col.
Eugene Pitts, Shelby, Miss.
Air Force machinery and sup
plies are hauled on the flights.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-29
Wedding Sci by Daughter
Of SpruiIIe Braden

NEW YORK. Jan. 29.-Mrs.
Maria Braden Lyons. 81. and
George p. e. Caesar. jr.. 80. an
administrator, obtained a mar
rage license here yesterday.
Mrs. Lyons is the daughter Of
Spruille Braden, former Assist
ants Secretary of State and am
bassador to several Latin Ameri-
can countries. She was born in
Santiago, Chile.
The couple said they would be
married February 6 in New York.
Mrs. Lyons first marriage ended
in a Virgin Islands divorce last
year. Mr.. Caesars first wife died
in 1852.
The hridegroom-to-be is a
native of st. Louis.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-29
Boy, Is. Saves Girl, 5,
Trapped in Deep Mud
BY the Assoeioted Press

OKLAHOMA CITY. Jan. 29.-
A teen-age youth last night
saved the life of a 5-year-old girl
trapped in q creek filled with
mud over her head.
Police said the 13-year-old boy,
Joseph Basil Wells, held the little
girls head above the mire for Is
minutes until hremen and police
rescued both Of them.
Regina Roden wandered too
near the creek bank in a park on
the northwest side and fell into
the creek. young Wells said. She
became trapped between two
boulders. He Immediately
plunged In after her. He pulled
her head from the muck and
cried for help.
Nearby residents summoned
reScuerS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-29
Glamour Days Gone,
Riviera Is Resort
For Thrifty Visitors

CANNES. Jan. 20 (NAN1A).-
The French Riviera, once the
playground Of kings. has become
a haunt for the thrifty common
man. according to unhappy lux
ury hotel owners along the gilt
tering Mediterranean coast.
The proprietor Of the hotel
Cap-Estel at Eze ($18 q day with
board) remarked recently that
people don't seem to like to
spend so much for q hotel any
more" and the proprietor Of the
world famous La Reserve at
Beaulieu admitted ruefully that
he had lost millions during last
summers strikes and didn't hope
to recoup his losses during the
winter season because only q tiny
proportion Of the English aris-
tocracy which once formed his
best clientele in the winter came
there now.
Hotel Becomes Apartment.
Happiest observers Of the So
cial change are the small hotel
or pension owners. The proprie-
tor Of the Hotel Florida at Nice
($5 a day with board) whose
hotel is a stones throw from the
palatial Regina Hotel, where
Queen Victoria used to spend her
winters-it has now been con.
verted into apartment houses for
medium income groups-has full
bookings throughout the winter
season and into the summer.
A tourist looking for a bejew-
eled duchess or the languid
baron in the Salon Prive of the
Monte Carlo Casino-the ba-
rogue gamblers heavens in
for a disappointment. He would
be more likely to flnd himself
eating next to q portly Swiss
businessman in a dark suit or q
bareheaded German lady from
Hamburg in a formless short
dress.
Struggling to rise above the
commonplaceneSs Of his clientele
is the Salon Prive chef, who
who makes his Vichysoisse soup,
kidneys in MADEIRA sauce and NJ
let of sole with mushrooms and
butter as if they were still des-
tined for royal palates. Helping
him along is the headwaiter who
carves a ham from a platform
with the solemnity and grace Of
a symphonic conductor.
Common Incidents.
However impressed one may
be by their efforts, it is difficult
to blind oneself to the spectacle
OF. the stout Swiss businessman
smothering his main dish in to-
mato catsup and the German
lady waving aside the wine list
for beer. One also observes the
thin French countrywoman scold-
ing a waiter for neglecting to
squeeze the lemon over her serv-
ing of sole.
At Villefranche, once the har-
Dor for careless millionaires,
there exists a new breed Of yacht
owners who count their pennies
and rejoice in the fact that no
taxes are levied upon them as
boat-dwellers. A retired British
major there conflded that he
hadn't taken his yacht out to sea
for six months.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-29
Wolves XIII Films Deer,
Then Hide in Russia

HELSINKI-(NANA). ~ Iron
Curtain wolves-of the four
footed Notwithstanding from
Russia and then retreating to
their sanctuary behind the Soviet
border. are worrying Finnish
reindeer breeders.
Finnish farmers are angered at
losing their best reindeer without
being able to hit back. They try
to catch up with the wolves and
shoot them, but the marauders
just cross the Iron Curtain and
the Firms can't follow.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-29

pear to think twice or even three
times before parting with their
caSh-and when they do part
with it the transaction Is on q
small scale.
The truth Of the matter Is
there are rumors Of q trade re-
cession back home" which Is
causing many Of the visitors to
keep their purses tightly shut.
However. by merely opening up
ones hotel window, one can al
most always hear that (sup-
poSely) magic phrase in broken
English: "Hi-ya, bud" The
Spaniards are trying, anyway!
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-29
100000 Tourists Pay
To See Kon-Tiki Raft
On Visit 10 Norway

OSLO, Jan. 70 (NANA) just
outside this city stands an UNI
pretentious little building. ia
nous with tourists.
Last year in the summer
months alone. 100000 tourists
paid to enter and gaze at the
Kon-Tiki raft. For many Of
them this was the highlight Of
their journey to Norway.
The "man behind the raft" is
Thor Heyerdahl, who captured
the imagination Of the world
with his incredible voyage across
the Pacific from Peru to Poly
nesia on board q balsa raft Of
construction.
The neatly dressed Heyerdahl
is a far cry from the bearded
sailor Juggling at the steering
oar who upset the theories Of
chronological pundits. When he
is not travelling about in search
of new material to give added
support to his theories. Mr.. Hey
erdahl lives In a log cabin-with
no electric light and no tele-
phone-deep in the forests of
east Norway. on the shores Of a
brooding lake.
Explorer Only incidentally.
Mr.. Heyerdahl insists that he
is an ethnologist first and fore
most. and only incidentally an
explorer. AS early as 1887. after
q course of zoology at Oslo Uni
versity, he and his wife lived
alone on the remote Polynesian
island Of Fatuhuva-and nearly
persisted in the process from
tropical ulcers. Only the chance
discovery of a wrecked nfeboat.
and the timely aid of willing ma
tives who drove this crazy leak
ink hulk through a Pacific storm
to the nearest white settlement.
saved their lives.
Mr.. Heyerdahl returned to
Norway. determined to devote his
life to q theory which had taken
shape in his restless mind.
When he announced his inten-
ton Of drifting in a raft from
South America to Polynesia. the
experts" were either family
amused or openly scornful.
The success Of the venture and
the book that followed it have
changed all that, though many
stubbornly refuse to believe that
primitive people could have done
1t the way Mr.. Heyerdahl and
his men did. Old accepted theo-
ries and the pet theses of chair
borne scholars die hard, even
though Mr.. Heyerdahl proved
his own theory-the primitive
way.
Father Heads Brewery.
Mr.. Heyerdahl's difficulty in
fitting out his expedition encour-
aged the myth Of the penniless
young scientist. He Is, in fact, the
son Of a well-to-do family CHS
father is president of a brewery
company who were prepared to
put up q good sum in kroner,
but were short Of dollars in the
years after the war as most Eu-
ropeans.
His Kon- Tiki book crossed a
lot Of money. but tax took a
large share, and Mr.. Heyerdahl's
great generosity to his comrades
accounted for q good deal. At his
own request profits on the Kon-
Tiki museum provide scholar
ships for young Norwegian eth
biologists.
Curiously enough Mr.. Heyer-
dahl had no sailing experience
prior to his trip on the Kon- Tiki,
and confesses that he had to
learn which side was starboard,
and which port, before setting