davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1954-10-28

fiscal year 1934-35 to- $3.50 in
1945, $2.10 in 1852. and $1.93 in
1854. In 1916. county real-estate
assessments totaled $186. .279. 200,
whereas in 1854 the total county
assessment was $694.37T.407. an
increase Of 273 per cent.
Results of this increase in
real estate taxes can best be
illustrated by taking the assess
ment and total taxes paid by a
Montgomery County taxpayer
from 1916 to 1854. In this in
stance. we will take the assess
ment and tax bills on my resi-
dence and lots at 1910 Motley
road. Silver Spring. Md. The
comparative figures are clearly
revealed in the statistical tabu17
1ation below.
Evening star., 1954-10-28
mi. Airy Firm Submits
Low Bid for Bridge
BY the Associused Press

BALTIMORE, Oct. 28. - The
Case Construction Corp. of Mount
Airy. Md, yesterday submitted
the apparent low bid Of $381.177
for building q four-span bridge
to carry the Washington-An-
napolis Expressway over Mary
land 704, the Palmer Highway.
Allied Contractors of Baltimore
was second low at $685., ,829 and
six other bids ran as high as
$433,3 1888.
Bids were opened by the State
Roads Commission.
Evening star., 1954-10-28
Japan Pin Boil Game
Is Correspondent
In 8 Divorce Gases
~ the Assoeiaied Press

TOKYO. Oct. 28.-Japan's
pin-ball craze - it's called
''pachinko" herehas hit
the divorce courts.
The game has been named
correspondent" in eight di-
vorce cases this year by
Japanese husbands and wives
who complained their mates
spent too much time land
moneyat 1t.
Evening star., 1954-10-28
Morse. HosteIs Popular

OSLO O.-Norway's 2l6 youth
hostels. scattered over the coun-
try. have a total Of $500 beds.
More than half Of last years
100000 overnight guests were
foreigners.
Evening star., 1954-10-28
Queens Lipstick Sold

Lipstick used BY Queen Eliza
beth while on one Of her recent
Australian flights was among
items offered for sale by Qantas
Airways. in Sydney. to employees
as souvenirs of the royal visit.
Evening star., 1954-10-28
Doubtful Basis.

resulted In a $500 reduction in
assessments for 1854.
Doubtful Basis.
1t is doubtful if the cubic foot
age basis for assessing buildings
is the best method to use, nor is
the present y of per cent
depreciation allowed annually on
brick dwellings sufficient:
This is no time to increase
taxes. Instead, the whole
economy should be geared to
decrease in taxes. Counties
should follow the example of the
Federal Government, where. the
recent tendency has been to de-
crease taxes. This is COM
nendable. Many resident and
taxpayer of Montgomery County
may pay more county real estate
tax than he pays in taxes to the
Federal Government. This Sit
uation suggests the necessity for
closer scrutiny of the admins
tration of the county govern
ment. In this connection. let me
say that State real estate taxes
are not a burden to the taxpayer
The lions share of the tax
rate goes for operation and con-
struction of county schools.
Schools get $1.53 Of the $1.93
tax rate. School operational ex-
penses account for $1.23 of the
tax rate, and $50 goes for school
debt service. Only $40 of the
$1.93 tax rate goes for all other
county government functions.
Costs of operating the schools
have increased more than five
fold during the last 10 years,
while funds for all other county
functions have only slightly more
than doubled.
Veteran Teacher.
Since schools take the bulk
Of county taxes, it is here that
most of the economy must be
effected. The writer, who is a
firm believer in a good educa-
tional system, has been school
teacher for 35 years and should
know something about compare
tive education and educational
standards. Part of this time
has been spent teaching in the
public schools and part in teach
ing in universities.
Per pupil current school ex-
penses for Montgomery County
elementary schools for the year
ending June 80, 1852 was $195,
and per pupil cost for high
school students was 1921, in both
Instances the highest among all
counties in the State. These
costs do not include general
control and fixed charge costs,
Evening star., 1954-10-28
Tax Expert Points Out Faults
In Montgomery Fiscal Setup
BY SumueI II. De voult

Sharp. recurrent increases in
real estate taxes in Montgomery
County have incensed homeown-
ers to the extent that some
residents are considering moving
out of the county. Year after
year, since 1945, there has been
an increase in either the assess
ment or the tax rate. or both.
The county tax rate has in
creased from 80 cents for the
Evening star., 1954-10-28

Samuel n. De vouIt was heod Of the
department Of agricultural economics
at the University Of Maryland for -
years and served on The Stote Tox
Survey Commission under four Mory-
land Governors.
Evening star., 1954-10-28

The total assessment on my
property increased 1873 per cent
between 1916 and 1854: the total
tax increased 201 per cent. and
the tax rate increased 20 per
cent. A protest made in 1853
resulted in a $500 reduction in
assessments for 1854.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-28

TINE EMBASSY of Japan
l. welcomes new occupants
next Friday, when Ambassador
Sadao Iguchi and his family
take up residence at 25l6
Massachusetts, avenue NV.
They come to Washington
after a year-and-a-half in
Ottawa, where Mr.. Iguchi was
Ambassador to Canada.
The Ambassador. however,
is not a newcomer to the
United States. A career diplo-
mat and an ardent golfer. he
was formerly counselor of the
Embassy here, and has been
the Consul of Japan in Chi
cago and New York.
His wife, youthfully slender
and chic, is the daughter OF
Japan'S eldest diplomat. Ken
kichi YoShizawa, now AM
basSador to FormoSa.
The Iguchis have three chill
dren--Miss Tatsuko Iguchi,
a former exchange student
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-28
"a! par, in Was hing ION

planted to the United States.
In the entrance are huge
porcelain vases Allied with
mammoth white and yellow
chrysanthemums. In the long
hall are hand-carved, deli
cately tinted wooden statues
of old-time Japanese musi-
clans. On the walls of the
grand salon and the small
reception rooms are paintings
by some of Japan's most dis
tinguished artists, contempt
rary and ancient. On the
tables throughout the En-
bassy are Japanese ceramics,
cloisonne and porcelain OBJ
jets dart. In every room are
beautiful flowers in the classic
arrangements that the Japa-
nese have made famous-each
bouquet having three points
of interest, symbolizing heav-
en-, man and earth.
In several rooms are beauti-
full hand-embroidered screens,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-28
By Frances willard Kerr

ny Frances WlIlard AeEr
from Japan to the University
of California, who will live at
the Embassy with her parents.
and two sons. Takeo Iguchi
is Attache of the japanese
Embassy in London and Norio
Iguchi is a drama student at
Yale. All of the family speak
fluent English.
The new Ambassador will
head a staff of SIS persons. He
replaces Eikichi Araki, first
postwar Ambassador to the
United States, who returned to
Japan just before Christmas.
Outwardly there is little
to distinguish the Embassy
of Japan from the other
stately buildings along Mas
sachusettS avenues Embassy
row. But inside there Is no
doubt that 1t Is a bit of the
"flowery kingdom" trans
Evening star., 1954-04-25

ington. 2. -,
How could the West head off any
German militaristic link with the
Communists?
If EDO is ratified, of course, the
German military leaders probably
will find it hard to hold out against
the provost orientation. If it fails,
however, the prospects for keeping
the old German Wehrmacht leaders
from hooking up with the Russians
might be almost as good.
The next step in consolidating
West Europe's defenSes would prob
ably be to take Germany into NATO
directly. That would mean an inde-
pendent German army, tied as close
ly to the West as possible. The Ger
man Officer Corps honor then would
be restored-they would be in full
command of their men again-and
only the most difficult brand of
treachery could deliver the whole
force into Soviet hands.
The West would be on its mettle
to keep the old Wehrmacht boys in
check, of course. But the French
probably would be only too eager to
take care of most of the watch
logging.
Evening star., 1954-04-25

other delegations. The problem of
finding villas was even more diff
cult. Crusty Genevans who own
estates suitable for delegation heads
are not impressed by foreign
ministers.
Not the Soviet Way
A quartet of Russians with sharp
eyes for security spent weeks looking
for a villa suitable for Foreign Min
lister Molotov. One owner refused
to rent unless the Russians took the
old gardener who lived there. The
Russians didn't want the gardener.
Other possibilities were discarded
because they didn't have fences
around them. One had another
building too close to it.
The most promising and probably
the most elegant could not be rented
because the owner wanted to use it
for wedding in May.
The exasperated Russian asked
city authorities why they didn't
simply requisition the villa.
When the Swiss explained that
this couldn't be done in a demo-
cratic country one of the Russians
said something which translated
into: Don't be witty
ASSOCIATED Press.)
Evening star., 1954-04-25

pie. cutting across internal political
lines as far as possible. The more
successful this approach, the less
anguish for the United States in
periods Of power transition.
In the Philippines, for example, the
United States has had marked sue
cess in appealing to a broad cross
section. Both former President Ell
pidio Quirino during his years in
Office and Mr.. Magsaysay since he
took over have been pro-American
because it would be politically un-
wise to be otherwise.
In Japan, by contrast, the United
States has not been so successful.
Japanese sentiments about the
United States have recently polar
lied ominously. All opposition. part
les make point of anti-Ameri-
canism, or at least foot dragging,
when called upon to approve moves
in which the United States has an
interest. Mr.. Yoshida's Liberal
Party, on the other hand. is the
big pro-American force in Japanese
politics. When the Liberal govern
ment falls, the United States may
find it hard to work with its sue
ceSSOr.
Restroint Needed
Besides broad appeal, there is
another important quality the United
Evening star., 1954-04-25
By Belmont Fories

What happens to the people of a
city taken over by the Communist
led Wet Mini?
In Luang Prabang, capital of Laos
and target of two unsuccessful Wet
Mini invasionS, that's much more
interesting question than the inter-
national complications of the Indo-
China war.
Refugees from Sam Neua, which
was occupied by Wet Mimi forces
a year ago this week, have given the
Laotian capital pretty good idea
of the fate it escaped.
For government and military
leaders. aside from the handful able
to make deal with the Commu-
nistS, it would have meant hard la
Dor and semistarvation in a prison
camp at best. perhaps death before
a firing squad.
Sam Neua Province, in mountain
Gus Eastern Laos, about 125 miles
northeast of Luang Prabang, is sur
rounded on three sides by Commu-
nist-held Wet Nam territory. It
was occupied by Wet Mini troops
when the French Union garrison
was pulled out April 13, 1858, to help
meet the first Wet Mimi thrust to-
ward the capital. 1t is still in Com
munist hands.
Prison Comp Life
One well-to-do resident OF Sam
Neua, who made run for it but
was caught by the Wet Mimi. es-
capped months later to give first
hand account of the prison camp
for Sam Neua notables.
It was work camp, deep in the
forest, where prisoners could be
kept busy cutting trees and hauling
lumber. No visitors were allowed.
Except while actually working, pris-
oners were tied with ropes. At night
they slept bound hand and foot.
They were fed skimpy diet of rice
and salt-not enough to prevent
serious cases of malnutrition.
Of course. those not sent to prison
camps worked too With Commu-
mist thoroughness. groups were or
ganized for state service, each with
leader. All adults shared in the
heavy work such as transporting
supplies and building defense posi-
tions. The younger and stronger
served as human pack animals on
Evening star., 1954-04-25
Russion-G German Coalition Is Chronic Threat

trieving our lands from the Rus
SLAMS"
Should Moscow despair of present
Stalling tactics on German settle
ment as a device to extract conces-
sions from the West, the Kremlin
at some future date may cynically
abandon its East German and Polish
puppets as the price of harmony and
collaboration with a non-Commu-
mist. fully independent and unified
Germany. This has happened before.
In the 1920s, when revolutionary
zeal could not effect the communiza-
ton of Germany, Bolshevik Russia
forsook her German Communist
comrades by betraying their revolu-
tionary cause in favor of the Rapallo
policy, which promised not to sub
vert the German government.
Generals Might Switch
In the event that Bonn becomes
receptive to the lure of such Soviet
expediency in the future through
Illustration of her present Western
orientation. former German generals
now at the disposal of West Ger
many may well find employment on
behalf of Moscow instead of Wash
Evening star., 1954-04-25
By EorI H. Voss

caused Americas field representa-
tives to cover or to pull punches
in their reporting. Their views check
generally quite closely with those
of British, French and native OBJ
servers on the scene.
Granted accurate information
from the scene. the main problem
confronting America as Far Eastern
countries move closer to choosing
(or acQuieScing to) new leaders is
this: How can we maintain the
friendships already established and
improve upon them where neceS-
Sary?
The United States operates under
fundamental restrictions, of course.
Most important is the basic rule
against interfering in the internal
affairs Of another country. Naming
presidents and prime ministers is
an eminently internal affair.
Because direct influence Is usu-
ally out. the State Department has
settled on four indirect methods of
building and keeping friendships:
. We advocate real, as distin-
guished from pro forma. indepen-
dence for these countries.
Q Through our Communist
and other policies. we hope to show
by deeds that the policies we ad-
vocate are the best for everyone
in the long run.
. We show our good will by giving
aid, loans and outright grants to
backward countries for training
their people in skills that will i'm
prove their daily lives.
. We conduct information pro-
grams to explain the reasons for
our actions.
Brood AppeoIs
Implicit in these methods of pre-
pairing friendly relations with fu-
ture leaders is the idea of appeal
ing to broad cross sections of peo-
Evening star., 1954-04-25

the city limits. Although it is Wis
tied by thousands of tourists each
year. it is pretty generally ignored
by the citizens of Geneva.
The city's old families-ar1d some
of them go back to the days of
Charlemagne-do not mix gladly
with even the most important
United Nations officials in the Palais.
They regard them as transitory,
much more important within the
extra a-territorial confines of the
Palais grounds than in the life out
side.
But the city and cantonal officials
OF Geneva, the hotel keepers and
the civic promoters are a different
type. They know we'll the value of
an international conference and
they know how to stretch the re-
sources of this city of 10000 to
make one more possible.
When Geneva was designated for
the conference by the Big Four
foreign ministers at Berlin, Geneva
authorities didn't hesitate minute.
Although the city is just entering
its busy tourist season and a dozen
lesser conferences are scheduled for
spring and summer, they gladly
agreed to find accommodations for
5000 more visitors.
To the diSmay of the hotelkeepers,
Evening star., 1954-04-25
What Happens When the Wet Mini Take Over

trips taking up to three months.
For the children there were light
er tasks such as carrying messages
and running errands for officials.
Even the old men and old women
were not forgotten. They provided
light for transportation units NOV
ing at night.
Informers were everywhere. Even
those who embraced the new regime
were watched. Close friends found
it unwise to discuss anything more
controversial than the weather.
The Wet Mimi propaganda ma
chine went into action Immediately.
Compulsory lectures were designed
Evening star., 1954-04-25
Tomb Of Mans Hope Is Scene Of New PorIey
By Lynn Heinzer!ing

GENEVA.-The Geneva confer
ence on Korea and Indo-China will
begin to unfold tomorrow in q mag
nificent building overlooking Lake
Geneva, where some Of mankind'S
fondest hopes are entombed.
The Palais deS Nations. former
home Of the League of Nations and
now the European headquarters of
the United Nations, opened its doors
just two weeks before Adolf Hitler
marched his troops into the demili-
tarized Rhineland and denounced
the treaty of Locarno in 1886.
From that day until the League
died in 1916. leaving its assets to
the United Nations, the stately
building knew little but crisis and
war.
Delegates from East and West will
be talking about different localities
next week, but they will be using
terms well known in the marble
halls here-aggreSSion, bloodShed,
appeaSement, war.
The council chamber chosen for
the deliberations Is q sombre room,
normally seating 482, including pub
lie and press. It overlooks the lake
and, in the background, Mont Blanc,
Europe's highest peak.
Hopeful MuroI
On the ceiling of the chamber is
huge painting in sepia and gold
by the Spanish artist, Jose-Maria
Sert, entitled THE Solidarity of the
Peoples" Five muscular figures,
representing the continents, are
shown grasping hands directly
above the heads of the delegates.
The symbolism rarely has become
reality in this chamber. Instead, it's
most significant debates were on
those bloody events which paralleled
the rise of Adolf Hitler and Benito
MuSSolini.
These included the aftermath of
Italy's annexation of Ethiopia, the
civil war in Spain, the Japanese ag-
gresSion in Manchuria and China,
Hitler'S seizure of Austria, the crisis
at Munich and the annexation of
CzechoSlovakia in 1899. The falter-
ing hand Of the League of Nations
could do little to stem the rush of
events which followed. It's last de-
cisive act was taken on December
IA. 1889, on an appeal of the Finnish
government against the Soviet
Unions invasion Of Finland.
The League council condemned
the action and stated ina resolution
that "by its act the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics has placed itself
outside the League of Nations. It
follows that the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics is no longer a
member of the League"
Not since those black days of the
'30s has Geneva played host to such
q high-level conference as this.
Genevons Ignore PoIois
The Palais is concrete and stone
structure, literally laced with mar
BILE. 1t stretches for a quarter of a
mile across the crest of a slope near
Evening star., 1954-04-25
BY SyIvon M. Bermon

The recent attention which Amer
lean and European authors have
focused on the role Of the German
military in political affairs Is in
dicative of the problem which looms
menacingly ahead for United States
policy makers in their quest to
bring Germany into the grand al
lance against Russia. Among these
authors are Gen. Telford Taylor,
former United States prosecutor at
the Nuremberg trials; Walter Goer-
htz. a postwar German historian
and writer Of recent history of
the German general staff. and Brit
ish historian j. w. Wheeler-Bennett,
who last year treated the subject
In his definitive work, THE Neme-
Sis of Power"
For almost two centuries the lure
Of q Russian-G German alliance in
the eyes Of German military circles
has plagued any contemplated Ger
man participation in an anti-Rus-
sian coalition, and will probably
continue to do so as long as there
exist Germans and Russians.
Old Tradition
The danger which the Western
Powers court stems from the ."tra-
dition" of the military leaders of
Prussia and later of Germany to
befriend Russian governments de-
spite theological conflicts. This was
first suggested by Frederick the
Great. who, after having been
roundly defeated in war by Russian
winter and land expanses, urged his
successors in his Political Testa-
ment ito cultivate the friendship
Of these barbarians."
When in 1912 the French Grande
Armee pushed its way into Russia,
Napoleon'S reluctant German auxil-
1aries deserted by the score. Many
of the PrusSian officers refused to
take service under the French flag,
among them the famous German
strategist Won ClauSewitz who actu-
ally fought on the enemy side. AS
Napoleon's forces poured back across
the frontier in defeat, Prussian Gen.
eral Yorck deliberately surrendered
to the Russians and on December
80, 1872. concluded the Tauroggen
Convention which paved the way
for PrusSia's participation with Rus
sia in an anti-French coalition.
Within three years after the sign
Ing OF the 1919 Versailles Treaty,
General Hans Won Seeckt, founder
of the Weimar Republican ReichS-
tCehr. had engineered a secret mill
tary alliance between BolShevik
Russia and Germany, whereby Ger
many rearmed on Russian soil in
defiance Of the Allies. Under the
pact. intimate ties between the
ReichSWehr and the Red Army re-
suited from the exchange of ex-
perience and know-how.
Seeckt minimized the warning
that Germany would be bolshevized
through collaboration with the
Kremlin.s He called it. in effect, a
tale to frighten children. In his
own words: "War on the Rhine be-
tween France and Russia is q po-
litical bogeyman." Far from being
a Communist sympathizer, Seeckt
had been instrumental in the sup
preston Of Red uprisings in Ger
many In 1919 and in the outlawry
of the German Communist Party
after its abortive March Action"
in 1920.
During World War II, following
Hitler's emulation of Napoleon by
turning against his former accom-
pIlce-exactly 129 years later to the
day-German generals once again
sought to follow the examples of
Yorck and Clausewitz. Under the
illusion that the professional bond
between the ReichSUehf and the
Red Army Of seeckt's time had
Evening star., 1954-04-25

attend, the father Of one of the
accused men was forced to take
part in passing sentence of death
on his son, a soldier. With four
others. including a former governor
OF the province, the youth was
kicked and beaten after the penalty
was announced. Then the five were
lined up and shot to death.
Such reports, of course, give only
one side of the picture. But whether
put out as official Laotian propagan-
da or by word of mouth, they effec-
lively discourage support for the
Communists in areas able to avoid
military occupation.
Evening star., 1954-04-25

to appeal to peasants, to women
and to children. The authority of
the father was transferred to the
state, and a man accustomed to
absolute obedience from his family
had to be careful about giving Or
ders to his wife or his sons.
Mob TrioIs Used
Wet Mini 'justice" also served
propaganda purpose. The Com
munists brought with them the
Chinese technique of mob trial be-
fore peoples court"
At one such trial. which the peo-
pie of Sam Neua were required to
Evening star., 1954-04-25

earlier reservations in the city's top
hotels were politely Cancelled by a
letter from Adolphe Tombet, Chan
cellor of the Republic and Canton
of Geneva, and transferred to other
hotels. A downtown building Sched-
uled for demolition was taken over
and converted into a press center
in record time.
The principal difficulty came in
filling the needs of the Soviet, Com
munist Chinese and North Korean
delegations, which were received
long after most of the hotels were
fully booked. Each wanted an entire
hotel for its delegation and a villa
for the delegation head.
Reds Accommodated
The city-owned Metropole Hotel,
during the early League days the
headquarters of the German dele
cation. was ordered to cancel all it's
reservations. The city assigned a
company of workmen, on day and
night shifts, to renovate the rooms
and build new restaurant for the
hotel. 1t was handed over to the
Soviet delegation.
The same couldn't be done for
the Chinese and North Koreans.
They were told they would have to
be split up in several hotels like