davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
For Effective Protection

The House wisely has defeated all eff
forts to water down the Capitol Police re-
organization bill. # the defenders Of the
old patronage system Of appointment had
had their way, the proposed new force
would have been little better than the one
it is designed to replace. AS passed by the
House, the police measure calls for appoint
ments strictly on merit, with standards sim
liar to those of regular policemen.
During two-hour debate there were
moves to postpone action until next year,
to exempt veterans from the physical re-
quirements and otherwise to modify the
bill drawn up by congressional leaders. But
the House finally needed Representative
Bentley's plea to "derive some lesson" from
the Puerto Rican Nationalist attack last
March on himself and other House MEM
bers. Senate approval OF this legislation
would give the Capitol It's first competent
police organization In history.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
BY Charles E. TroceweN

There Is no evidence that common
that they may drive them away from
given garden.
It is probably true, as the foes of
the common sparrows say. that these
interesting little birds drive the gentle
bluebirds away to other nesting sites
We do not believe 1t true that they
in any way interfere with birds except
to chase them away from nesting sites
sometimes.
But thrashers and other larger
species often do the same, and in
some instances even destroy the eggs
In the nests.
Even Jenny Wren viii do this. at
times.
In birdland. as in all the rest Of
creation. there seems to run crimson
thread Of meanness and destruction.
In trapping and killing common spar
rows, one runs great risk Of taking
one or more Of the other 10 species
of sparrows which come to this ter
ritory.
Above all. one flies in the face OF
the kindness and gentleness which dis
tinguish interest in the birds at Its
best.
The bird trapper owes it to himself
to enlarge his own ideas Of creation,
and to realize that his little portion Of
the earth is very small. after all. and
not enough to justify setting himself
up q sole judge and jury and execu-
TONER. II he does 50. he makes himself
petty tyrant, role Hitler tried to
his dire end.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02

their country, are likely to be best served
by Mr.. Mendes-Fran program for step
by-step progress toward full sovereignty,
beginning with internal self-rule. But the
extremists minority-can be counted
upon to inveigh against the idea that
French colonists should be allowed to re-
main In the country or that Paris should
have the last word on Tunisia's defense and
foreign policy.
So it is not improbable that these fanat-
ical nationalist, with some help from Com
munist agents, will continue to resort to
violence in behalf Of immediate, uncondi-
tional and absolute independence. But Mr..
Mendes- France has served fair warning on
them against further terrorism. Firmness
in that sense, plus the granting Of internal
autonomy, can do much to keep the situa-
ton from deteriorating into another Indo-
China. It is only too bad that the French
have waited until now to take such action.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02

the newly built Capital in 1900. Now,
154 years later, what has become OF
LEnfant's dreams?
The lines on map that LEnfant
drew have blossomed into full reality
mighty Government buildings, bust
ness houses, dwellings. all the panoply
of modern city.
LEnfant fitted his plan to the topog-
raphy. selecting the dominating sites.
The White House and Capitol were the
key points. And the streets and ave-
nues he envisioned are travelled today
by the worlds great and near-great.
by automobiles from all over the Ma
ton and not few from abroad.
The parks he laid out are enjoyed by
the multitudes-the apartment dwell
ers, the Office workers, and others. His
diagonal avenues speed traffic across
town, although his circles do create
problem. but several have been tun-
neled under to speed the vehicles.
william T. Partridge. consulting
architect of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission for many
years. made detailed study Of the
LEnfant Plan and its ramifications.
DR. II. p. Caemmerer. secretary Of
the Fine Arts Commission, made a
special trip to France for research and
wrote noted life Of L'Enfant and ex-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
This and That
FAIRFAX COUNTY. Va.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va.
Dear Sir:
ct was with regret that I found it
necessary to discontinue The Star for
a brief period.
"The event that caused this cessa-
ton Is of interest to nature lovers.
"A pair of crested flycatchers decided
that my newspaper tube that is erected
next to the RID mail box on Route
$50 was an excellent abode for their
young.
1.-THE pair gathered nesting material,
consisting Of small bits Of limbs,
grasses. rootlets and q small amount
of leaves.
1.-THE tube was packed full. and only
small passageway remained open that
led to the small nest cavity in the rear.
"The female seemed to do all the
work in the construction project,
whereas the male stood nearby upon
power line and offered continuous
calls and alarm notes for the benefit
of his mate.
ready to receive the eggs.
This was o critical period. and the
male became restless and excited.
He issued loud, clear, whistled
'wheeeep'. often followed by q few
raucous scold notes.
"As far as could observe, the male
took his turn ct incubating the I'VE
creamy white. brown-spotted eggs. Both
birds fed upon the insects Of the area.
experimenting their diet with . few
ripe berries.
I'm about II days the young were
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
By Wilton, A. MilIen

Just 200 years ago today. there was
- born in Paris the man who was
destined to fashion this National
Capital.
Pierre Charles h,Enfant, son Of an
the American Revolution and to be.
chosen by President George Washing
ton to design the Federal City. It still
bears his mark.
L'Enfant designed washington, for
population of SOC. 00O-the size of the
Paris Of his day. But he made provis-
ion for expansion, and latter -day plan
ners, the National Capital Planning
Commission, the Mcmillan Commission.
the Fine Arts Commission and others.
have been guided by the charts he
drew to keep pace with the city's
growth. Yet the city has not yet
achieved all the features Of which he
dreamed.
For designing the Federal City, he
received $2.5OO and lot near the White
House. In his latter days, he lived at
Chillum Castle. residence of Dudley
Digges, near Bladensburg. Md.
/. Frequently, he waited on Congress IN
an effort to get what he thought was
his Just reward for his services. He
died, poor and disappointed, on June 4.
1925.
Nearly 70 years later. on April %,
1909, his body was taken from for
gotten grave and reinterred In Airing
ton National Cemetery. His tomb Is
in front Of Arlington House, and on
1t is inscribed his plan for Washing
ton.
L'Enfant's skill as a designer Of mill
tary construction, his services as q
soldier Che was wounded in the battle
of Savannah in 1779) and his renown
as q drill master and disciplinarian
brought him to the attention Of Gen.
Washington. He designed, among other
fortifications, Fort Washington, on the
Potomac River opposite Mount Vernon
Washington, Jefferson and L'Entant
projected the new city with q magnif-
icence that would have done credit to
Louis XIV. L'Enfant's foresight saved
District taxpayers Of today many mil
lions Of dollars.
For If the District had to provide
now for widened thoreughfares for the
motor age, as many cities have had
to do, by tearing down blocks. 1t would
cost millions. And to provide for the
parks which L'Enfant arranged from
the beginning woald cost many millions
more.
The Federal Government moved into
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
| letters to The Star.

countries have been the battlefieldS
for two hideous wars in one genera
ton. Sure, we also fought when we
got darn good and ready and knew II
we didn't that we would be next. And
now we are! And this time it will be
our country that will be the battle
ground II we persist in burying our
heads in the sands of wishful thinking.
If there is to be first line Of defense
against the Red tyranny 1t will have
to be us. There isn't any choice and
time Is running short.
Shall we pick the time and place
or leave 1t to the Communists?
HobsQn's Choice.
DR.. Syngman Rhee, the great patriot
Of Korea, certainly didn't expect much
more than the singular praise and
empty compliments given him after his
masterpiece of republican reasoning
before the combined Senate and House
recently.
Perhaps the great and brave Korean
leader thought America was still
haven for the honest and the brave
and not haven for the cowardly and
the money grabbers. Perhaps he was
hoping, against hope, that the once
brave American people would rally to
his-and their own cause-of freedom
and justice, and join him in strike at
the ruthless Commies of Red China and
Soviet Russia.
Had he expected all those things. he
now knows better. He now knows that
, the runout Of America and its parent
United Nations was not just for re-
grouping of political, psychological and
military forces. Perhaps now the great
DR.. Rhee realizes that in Korea Amer
lea actually turned around and ran as
fast as she could, with, of course, the
initial prodding and encouragement of
the so-called democratic United Ma
tons.
Soviet Russia is aware, If America
and the U. N. aren't, that the day Of
isolated incidents starting wars is over.
Soviet Russia knows that we will con-
tinue to take insult and injury and
disgrace and complete loss Of face.
combining our indignation to powder
puff notes alone. That is, until the So
Wet Union and her buddies have
stacked UP enough weapons and
gathered together enough aircraft and
other instruments Of war-either built
In America or from stolen United States
blueprints. because the Ruskies are too
stupid to be originate attack some
day when we're all watching q World
Series game, perhaps, or worse still,
when we're all making our annual
pilgrimage to Christmas eve church
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
Substitute for Flanders Motion

The Flanders resolution seems to be
dead duck. It lacks the support of some
Of the Senator's who would like to see Sen
ator Mccarthy censured by the Senate.
One reason it is dead isfthat it is more OF a
generalized expression of opinion than a
carefully drawn bill Of particulars.
Senator Morse is one Of the most eff
fective critics Of the Flanders resolution.
Yet he believes Senator Mccarthy should
be censured. In seeking to remedy the
defect of the Flanders resolution he has
presented his own bill of particulars, and
Senator Fulbright on his own initiative,
has offered another one. But the procedure
on these two indictments is as yet hazy,
and will be clarified only as the debate
moves toward conclusive action.
There are others, but the Senate seems
to be moving toward choice between two
alternatives outlined by Senator Morse on
Friday evening. One Of these would be to
send set of charges and specifications
against Senator Mccarthy to the Judiciary
Committee, or some special committee, for
the committees investigation and report.
The other would be for the Senate to re-
solve itself into Committee of the Whole,
and proceed as in trial to examine bill
of particulars by hearing the evidence Of
fered in it's support and reaching decision
based on that evidence.
Time is working against the latter of
these two alternatives. It also runs the risk
of violating procedures designed to protect
the rights OF innocent as well as guilty SEN
ators and citizens. Any short cuts through
such procedures are not apt to win the
support of large body of Senators. No
matter what the provocatien or the appar-
ent justification, such short cuts will be
regarded as raising the very threats to or
derby processes of government that the
critics of Senator Mccarthy see in his
methods and conduct.
There are two arguments supporting
the procedure of referring bill of partic-
ulars against Mr.. Mccarthy to Senate
committee, and requiring that a report Of
its investigation be brought before the SEN
ate for action. One argument is that such
preliminary committee action would con-
form 70 established procedure The other
is that 1t would avoid the Implications in
favor Of Senator Mccarthy that would be
contained in outright defeat Of the Elan
ders resolution, and If that resolution were
to be voted on its defeat is almost certain.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
Unwise Transit Reform

The truncated regional transit control
commission which would be created under
the conference approved omnibus transit
bill Is poor substitute for the Metropolitan
Area regulatory agency long favored by
civic groups. The Star was an early advo-
cate of an area-wide approach to solution
Of interjurisdictional transportation prob
lens. But the revised Johnson bill as it
emerged from conference does not provide
an area-wide approach to these problems.
It would establish a lopsided commission
with powers SO restricted as to complicate
the existing complicated setup, rather than
Improve it.
The bill originally called for presi-
Dental commission with regulatory author
1ty over all transit lines operating within
the, Metropolitan Area of Washington-spe-
ci1cally those within the District and those
crossing the city's boundaries to serve
Maryland and Virginia suburbs. The Star
still believes that some such public utilities
agency will have to be set up eventually in
this growing area, after an adequate study
has been made of the regional needs and
difficulties. The Broyhill bill, now Jumped
with the Johnson bill, calls for such study
by an NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. commission.
!
tered objections to the regional control
measure, it was decided to exclude that
State from the legislation. So the bill APP
proved by the conferees is not Metropol-
itan Area transit measure at all. 1t is
District-Maryland bill exclusively. It would
transfer to new three-man commission
ali the powers now exercised by the District
Public Utilities Commission over public
transportation and all the powers OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission with re-
spect to regional tation-exceptin
those relating to Virginia buses. Thus, the
new agency would regulate buses and street.
cars serving the city proper and the Mary
land suburbs, the ICC would continue to
regulate Washington Virginia buslines and
the Maryland and Virginia State commits
sions would control interstate transporta-
ton. How would such a strange division Of
powers among Federal, regional and State
authorities clear up the conflict and con-
fusion now existing?'
Congress will make bad mistake If 1t
finally approves the partial-control bill
agreed to by the conferees. This bill never
should have been consolidated with the
sensible Broyhill bill, calling for a careful
study of area transit problems with view
to possible creation of regional authority
or other agency. If Congress insists on
sending the unwise package to the White
House, President Eisenhower would be jus
titled in sending 1t right back with his veto.
It would be better to have no transit reform
than the type of reform wrapped up in this
package.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
Dr.. Rhee's Mission

"We learn from history that we learn
nothing from history" as DR.. Thomas
n. Healy, late dean Of Georgetown
University's School Of Foreign Service.
used to say.
Not long ago man was welcomed
and honored in Washington because
of a warning that he had once tried
to give to sleeping world. Halle
Selassie had warned that If Mussolini
was allowed to get away with his attack
on Ethiopia the world could expect
nothing but further aggression and
eventual world war. It took US several
years and many thousands Of casual
ties to learn that. Halle Selassie was q
prophet.
Now we have had another visitor In
Washington, another great leader Of O.
small country, the victim of another
unprovoked aggression. Syngman Rhee
brings us a message Of warning. He
tells us that the Soyiets are trying to
lull us to sleep with talk Of peace, but
that when they are good and ready,
they will hit us with everything they've
got.
Cheerful optimists that we are, we
give rousing ovation to President
Rhee. and then say to him in effect:
'We like you. You are great patriot:
a great leader. But Of course we will
pay no attention to your foolish ideas.
Do not disturb us with talk Of war, for
we are dreaming Of peaceful co-exist-
ence"
Meanwhile the Reds are gradually
realizing their dream Of world con-
quest.
Horace p. Hobbs, Jr.
Your reprint Of the Seibel cartoon
from the Richmond Times-D Dispatch
is in poor taste. II Syngman Rhee is
problem child" so were BENJAMIN
Franklin, John Adams, Thomas JET
ferson, Patrick Henry. John Hancock.
George Washington, Lafayette and all
the courageous lovers of freedom and
decency from antiquity to the present
day.
DR.. Rhee may be wrong and the ap-
peasers of Russia and Red China may
be right. but in my time can remem-
Der that when the British lion roared,
nobody twisted its tail. Then, under
Baldwin, old Leo was put on q leash
and taught tricks, and under Cham
berlain it licked Hitler's boots; but the
war came anyway, and now look at the
poor thing!
OF course Churchill wants peace in
our time" don't we all? But there is
no peace! And it is brainless to blame
the British and the French, whose
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
The Presidents Tax Bill

President Eisenhower. who has de-
scribed it as the cornerstone" of his do
nestle legislative program, has reason to
be highly pleased with the so-called omni-
bus tax bill now awaiting his signature.
And the same holds true for Treasury Sec
rotary Humphrey. Indeed, it is legislation
that should be gratifying to Americans in
general, regardless of party, even though
it has been subject to lot of politicking
and is likely to be painted in dark colors
by certain candidates in the forthcoming
congressional campaign.
For the bill, although 1t falls consider
ably short Of perfection in our imperfect
world, Is on the whole very good one.
This is so, above all, because it represents
a genuinely constructive effort to overhaul
and modernize our Immensely complicated
Federal revenue code for the first time
since 1890. Further than that, it substan-
TALLY eases the burden Of the individual
American taxpayer, encourages private en-
terprise to invest in expansion, and makes
noteworthy start in the direction of elm
mating obvious but long-standing inequities
like double taxation on corporate earnings
distributed in the form of dividends to
scores of thousands of stockholders.
During the protracted congressional
debate over this BILL there were times when
political expediency seemed to suggest that
prudence would be the better part of valor
and that the President and his administra-
ton would be wise to stage certain tactical
retreats. But he refused to do so, choosing
instead-like Mr. Humphrey-to hold fast
to principle. The result is that he now has
pretty much the kind of legislation he
asked for in the beginning, which is VIC
tory for him and also, in It's own way, for
the American people.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
Pierre Charles L'Enfunt
born August 2. 1850

born August 2, 1851
The bordering rtuer tDGs rapid and deep,
The palleys surrounding lag Derddnt
and Sttll.
And the lanes through the forest pere
tpindtno and steep. 80.
The French came orapely with COM
pass and quill,
Soldier of freedom. like son 20 me
land,
Imprintin0 pattern time mould re-
Deem.
And the streets of the city conDerge as
he planned.
Like guardians OF beauty. defending
his dream.
Mortho w. Carter
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02

With the full backing of his cabinet In
Paris, Premier Mendes-France has acted
with commendable and dramatic decisive
ness in flying to Tunisia to announce the
advent of complete internal self-rule for
the North African protectorate. The an
nouncement, of course, will not please the.
native minority Of extreme nationalist, but
1t should strengthen the position Of the
moderate majority and serve to inject
measure of calm into an otherwise violence
ridden situation.
In any event, the offer made by Mr..
Mendes-France goes good distance toward
satisfying the protectorate's aspirations,
and it does so in fairly unequivocal terms.
For as he has put it, III a formal statement
addressed personally to the Bey Of Tunis,
1.-THE internal autonomy Of the state OF
Tunisia is recognized and proclaimed with
out reserve by the French government. The
high quality of the Tunisian leaders justi-
fies that the people should be called upon
to direct their own affairs"
To that end, the Premier has invited the
Bey to take immediate measures to estab-
lish new government under which the
Tunisians would be wholly their own mas
tiers in domestic matters. France, however,
would continue - at least until some time
in the future, when these people would be
properly equipped for full independence in
all particulars-to have the dominant voice
in decisions involving their defense and
foreign policy Further, according to Mr..
Mendes- France, the change to internal
self-rule should be predicated> on the as
sumption that French colonists have every
right to remain In the former protectorate
and fought to continue, themselves, their
sons and the sons of their sons, a task which
meets the interests of the country and OF
all the people"
AS far as the moderate Tunisians are
concerned, all this probably viii be quite
acceptable in view Of their realization that
their own interests, and the interests OF
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-02
Unsung Heroes

I do not wish to detract from the
heroism of the "Angel of Diem Bien
Phu" but ! would like to point out the
fact that American nurses and en-
listed medical personnel of both sexes
have established a tradition of heroism
under enemy fire that would be diff
cult to equal. let alone surpass. In
World War II, in which served In
the Navy, such heroism was so COM
monplace that it came to be expected
of the medical and nursing corps. am
certain that the more recent conflict
in Korea produced more than its share
Of such unsung heroes. wish to take
a moment in the passing ofthis busy
day and take of my hat in silent
homage to their patriotic, and seldom
acknowledged, performances.
Roland Bieren, MD.