davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Dixon Votes and IVA

am SO glad that Senator Sparkn1an's
letter was published on your editorial
page.
Dixon-Yates is grasping perhaps for
nothing, yet 1t is threat to people.
Those of us who were born in the valley
during the last 25 years have felt the
benefits Of IVA. - IVA wiped away
dreaded floods which eroded precious
topsoil in a farming region, curbed pre-
vious despairs, ended darkened homes
for many rural families, and in many
instances lifted the veil of poverty.
Many valley residents owe their present
success to iva. The authority at
tracted strangers, many of whom stayed
and enriched the communities. More
money, flowing through the valley from
industries made possible through better,
cheaper water power, aided the main
tenance of better schools. Opportuni-
ties due to IVA are keeping the present
generation in the valley. Although many
benefits from IVA seem Intangible, the
threat of destruction creates a' feeling
of insecurity.
Doubts creep in and the older genera
tion recalls the private power system as
it existed prior to IVA. In those same
hands a little power can grow and>pos-
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Fairfax, Va.

Fairfax, Va.
Dear Sir:
"How can I encourage squirrels to
live nearby?
"We have few hickory trees in the
yard at our new home here in Fairfax
but haven't seen any squirrels.
Sincerely, A. H."
No, squirrel can resist the peanut.
It may take your specimens q bit of
time to find out you are trying to
attract them, but once they find pea
nuts, you are their friend for life.
Not salted peanuts, which human
beings like best, but just the ordinary
ones in shells.
And there are peanut hearts, which
may be purchased at any place seed
is sold.
There are several sorts of hickory
trees, and there Is one type no respect
able squirrel will touch except to
Scafnper over.
So peanuts are your best bet.
Put them out In feeding station,
II preferred, or just on the ground, it
makes no difference 10 q squirrel.
He win be glad to get this favorite.
He may carry away more than he
seems to eat.
He may bury them right before your
eyes, but that, toe. is part Of squirrel
wisdom.
DO not, above all, be angry IL the
bluejays beat him to 1t.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
A THOUGHT on Churches

was very interested in the Nover1-
ber % letter. "Our Churches" /
have lived here only since February.
1880, and may be wrong. but here Is
thought:
The letter speaks Of the great num-
Der of churches on Sixteenth street.
How beautiful! How grand! However,
I am wondering what would happen 1t
a group of people from the second pre-
cinct or other like neighborhood would
attend these churches some Sunday. I
think know.
In neighborhoods where churches are
needed most, you will find small So
called churches established in old
houses and stores and conducted by
incompetent but faithful workers for
God who said. Go you into the by
ways How many real churches and
preachers will you find in these neigh
borhoods? However. I know OF three
churches located in very bad neighbor-
hoods that have been there many.
many years and still remain and do
much good without names. one is at
Fourth and E streets NV. one at
Fourth and Eye NV. and one at North
Capitol and Eye. May God bless them
and they continue their work.
we need more churches in the right
places.
G.. IS.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
BY Charles E. Trocewen

The sight of squirrel reading" one
Of these books" Is guaranteed to de-
light any one who fancies these active
rodents.
Be sure not to make the film of pea
nut butter too thick, as squirrels are
greedy. and eat hastily.
Where this injunction has been for.
gotten, squirrels have been known 10
clog their throats with the stuff, just
as people do sometimes, and roll over
on their backs, gasping for air.
There is q great deal Of fun to be
had from encouraging the squirrels to
come to your place.
They are lively, happy. friendly In
their way.
They are best kept at some distance
from the house. If tempted to feed
them from the hand, think twice,
because any false move, or rapid one
may result in sharp tooth going into
your bone, which is not pleasant, and
sometimes iS.dangerous.
+
The antics Of these true acrobats are
wen worth Watching. Remember that
they belong to q great family the rc-
dents, which is the largest OF the nam.
NAL groups.
The squirrel is a cousin of the beaver
and the porcupine. and o right respec-
table citizen Of any city II his own
right.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
This and That J,

They may. for time.
After that, the squirrel will get his
share.
The jay also likes TO hide them, but
he flies away to do it. First. he puts
some under leaves and carefully covers
them over. Then he selects tree with
loose bark, and GRAMS a few peanuts
into the crevice.
In this way he Is being "do-goodern
Of the bird world, placing food where
it will be found by other hungry spe-
cies.
We have never seen a bluejay ny
back to the peanuts he bids, but what
difference does that make?
The meat of the peanut is good food,
rather heavy for humans texcept the
young of the species) but good. never
theless.
The peanut Is chuck full of oil and
fat and protein and B Wtamins.
What more could you ask, or a squir-
rel. either2
Another way to attract these happy
rodents is to make what has been called
q peanut butter book.
Take small piece of cardboard. say
2 by 4 inches, and fold it in the middle.
Then butter the inside surfaces with
peanut butter. and put it in the grass
This. Of course, only after the squirrels
have found your place to be good
supply Of food.
Then watch the fun.3l
Evening star., 1954-12-06

sibly paralyze IVA. The people don't
want this and most of them are fully
aware of the fact that IVA pours
money into the Federal Treasury rather
than eating 1t up. IVA as neutral
agent has developed the natural re-
sources of a section of our country
which had not fully recovered from the
Civil War in the. 20s. Instead of in
viting private ownership, our Congress
should be fostering the same public
power authority in the mighty Missouri
Valley. Why should we continue to con-
tribute vast sums Of money to the Red
Cross flood funds when the Govern
ment could take steps to develop and
control that area?
was born only a few miles from
Norris Dam where IVA first took roots,
and there are many who feel just as l.
Our generation is thankful to the IVA
and perhaps someday We'll be able to
repay our debt to that concern which
brought beauty and prosperity to our
State and the surrounding States.
p. F, w,
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Shures Civic Credit

In reading the article in The Star
of November 80 about the Georgetown
Citizens Association, noticed one glar-
ing oversight. The Rock Greek Citi-
zef1s' Association. too, was most vocal in
the fight to keep large buses off the
streets in Georgetown. Down through
the years our group has worked con-
sistently for everything that made for
community improvement.
During the past three years. the
Georgetown Citizens Association has
developed an aloofness under the lead
ership OF newcomers to the community
who know little of the traditions of
Georgetown except what they were able
to read An all-tine high In unified
civic effort was made during the admin
istration of Teunis F. Collier when a
neighborhoed council functioned beauti-
fully. Such a council is needed even
more today.
C. Herbert Marshall, M. D.,
President, Rock Greek Citizens As
sociation.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
No Time TO Let Down Our Guard

Air Force Secretary Talbot undoubtedly
reflected the military concept of peaceful
co-existence" when he said he was afraid
the term means: "You exist if you are too
tough to tackle. You perish if you are weak
or unready." The military mind, as a
matter of course, must take cynical atti-
tude toward such phrase making. The Air
Force, the Army and the Navy would be
shirking their heavy responsibilities as
protectors OF national security If they let
down their guard in peacetime
in cold war era like the present
Secretary Talbott's plain talk to the
National Press Club gives reinsurance that,
while the talk of peacefully co-existing with
the Russians and their satellites goes on,
the grave and costly business of building
up our defenses against attack will proceed
relentlessly. The efforts to get along with
our potential enemies will be more success
full surely, if they are carried on from a
position of strength. And Mr.. Talbot left
no doubt among his listeners that the next
Congress will be asked to increase, rather
than curtail, military expenditures.
In subsequent question-and-answer
period the Air Force head indicated that his
department would ask for about $l5 billion
in new funds, as compared with the $11
billion received for the current fiscal year.
There will be opposition to any such increase
on the ground of economy. But Mr.. Talbot
has given preview of some Of the persua-
sive arguments which the air branch will
make in support Of it's plea 1t is not enough,
he warned his audience, to increase our
defenSes against sudden attack from the
dir. In fact, he declared it would be i'm.
possible to erect an impregnable barrier
against combined assault BY Jet bombers
and intercentinental missiles Of the rocket
type. Yet defenses must be made as imper-
vious as possible with the funds and equip
ment available.
More important as a national safeguard,
according to the Secretary, is our capacity
to retaliate instantly in event of surprise
assault from any direction. Instant retalia-
tion In this age of long range atom bombers
carries fearful Implications that are well
understood by Soviet military men and
atomic scientists 1t is this threat Of
instant retaliation by our Formidable afr
fleet of atom carriers that is more apt to
save us from attack than all the defensive
measures we can take That is why we are
concentrating on building new 1l-Wing H
bomb striking force OF long-rang B-52s,
TO replace the powerful but oDsolescent
Evening star., 1954-12-06
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE

@. The three golden balls of the
pawnbroker's sign are supposed to de-
rive from the coat of arms Of the
Medici family of Italy. What do these
balls stand for?-E. E. A.
A. Probably for the bezant, also
called solidus. the golden coin intro
duced by Constantine the Great and
circulated in Europe from the 9Th to
the 18th or 18th centuries These were
the coins in which the Crusaders were
paid for their services. The Medici
were rich merchants and money
lenders of Florence.
Q. Why does a fly rub its front legs
together?-C. 8.
A. In the opinion of Government
scientists. after the legs are used to
clean the mouth parts, briStles of the
head, and other parts of the f1ys anat-
omy, they are rubbed together to dis
lodge any tiny particles of foreign mat
ter from the bristles Of the legs. Flies
also rub the other legs in a similar
manner.
@. At the funeral OF Supreme Court
Justice Robert H. jackson, the Law
yer's Prayer was read. Who wrote the
prayer?--M. ].
A. The prayer, which begins "Al-
mighty God, the giver of wisdom :"
was written by DR.. Samuel johnson and
is titled 1.-The Study of Law" 1t was
inscribed on the f1yleaf of the late jus
tice's prayer book.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Still Worth WATCHING

On November / last, The Star, in an
editorial titled Good Case to Watch" dis
cusSed the aeQuittal In a houSebreaking
case Of one Maurice Jones on the ground
that he was insane when he committed the
crime in 1851. The acquittal was based on
the defense contention that Jones was in
sane under the new mental defect mental
disease test prescribed by the Court of
Appeals The Star wondered how the pub
lie was going to be protected if, as seemed
probable, Jones soon was to be released
from st. Elizabeths Hospital, to which the
trial Judge planned to commit him in &C
cordance with the Court OF Appeals amend
ment to the Durham ruling. The editorial
pointed out that Jones had been found to
be of unSound mind in June of 1852, to have
regained his sanity in March of 1953 again
to have been held insane in June of 1858
and finally to have been found sane enough
to stand trial in August of this year. A
Government psychiatrist had testified at
the trial that, although the defendant had
the mentality of an eight-year- his
mental state was not to blame for his crime.
Nevertheless the jury freed him.
What has happened since again raises
the question of how the public is to be
safeguarded from possible further criminal
acts by Jones, against whom there were
three other serious charges, now dropped.
Jones was not returned to st. Elizabeths
after his acquittal because the Government,
In move to protect the public from this
chronic troublemaker, sought through court
action to have him adjudged of feeble mind
and committed to the District Training
School at Laurel. In this new appearance
before jury Jones was declared by Federal
psychiatrists to have a child'S mentality
and to be incapable of managing his own
affairs. One psychiatrist said he believed
the welfare of the community required
Jones' commitment to an institution. Yet
the jury turned this man loose again. Here
is a case which still bears watching, as illus
trative of the loopholes which exist in the
system designed to protect society from such
persons as Maurice JONES'
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Reason for Legislation

Several weeks ago, I announced that
I would reintroduce a resolution in the
General Assembly of Virginia for a
constitutional amendment to permit
county school boards to borrow from
the State Retirement Fund for school
construction. stated that in my opin-
ion the referendum on that question
was defeated at the polls on November 2
largely because of lack of information
on the part Of the voter with respect
to the purpose of the amendment and
because of the unfortunate wording of
the referendum question. Your paper
was kind enough to print that portion
of my statement, but omitted the ex-
planation OF the purpose of the amend
ment. No doubt this omission occurred
because 1t was felt that it lacked news
value, which may well be true. How
ever, about the only way the public
has of learning the merits or demertts
of q public question is through the
press. and this particular instance fur
nishes splendid example of the need
for wide dissemination of the reasons
for the constitutional amendment.
It's purpose was to make funds which
have accumulated in the Virginia Re-
tirement System available to the coun-
ties for school construction on the same
basis as $36 million has been loaned
from the Literary Fund. This would
place the counties on a par with the
cities, which may borrow from the
Retirement Fund
There can be no sound reason why
the trustees of the Retirement Fund
should be authorized to purchase obli-
cations of certain Virginia cities or
those issued by the school systems in
Indiana, Oregon or other States, and
not be able to lend Virginias funds to
Virginia localities (which need them so
badly. Today the State Board OF Edu-
cation has over SIS million in backlog
requests for badly needed school con-
Struction for which there are no funds.
No problem of safety OF retirement
funds was at stake. All such loans
must be approved by the local school
board, the county board, the State
Board of Education and finally by the
Retirement Board. The State board
has the building itself as security as
well as the right to withhold State
funds until payment of the loan is
made. For years counties have bor-
rowed millions Of dollars for school
construction in the same manner that
was proposed for the retirement funds
Not one cent has been lost by the Lit
erary Fund, since its establishment in
1910, through the failure to pay every
obligation.
The defeat of the constitutional
amendment, which was passed over
whelmingly with only one opposition
vote at two sessions of the General As
Sembly, was tragedy to many commu-
mites and many children. Let us hope
that it does not occur again.
Harrison Mann,
Delegate to the General Assembly.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Profile of Evening

One picture on my ,uaH Quarts all the
rest,
Unsigned and yet a classic iDork of
nft
It u ny picture spinaote looking tDest
Where epeniag's fuce Is painted on
the heart.
fhe cnnDds for this portrait Is the sky.
And all the colors that the artist
chose
Are ofotnd from Wind ahd cloud no
cola cuA buy.
And different models nightly come to
pose.
The brush sometimes poTtrdys them
rich and eloiUiHg,
Sometimes NTH rain, lire tears. upon
the cheek
But aisDdgs ptth the tDnch OF genius
sitotDtRg,
The simple grandeur Of superb tech
niQue.
Before my canpas al the critics nod
Perceiuina master skill the hand of
Donna Dickey
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Case for Psychiotry

In his recent letter, Silas Ezra~betrays
considerable ignorance regarding the
present status of psychiatry. First, he
asserts that psychiatry is not a science,
and laments what he calls "the paucity
OF its therapeutics. Then he boldly
claims that any intelligent and pene-
trating lay mind" is just as adept as
pSychiatry is at detecting and evaluat.
ing insanity.
Although such famous scientists" as
Aristotle, Plato and Hippocrates gave
intensive thought to the problems of
mental illness, attempts at psychiatric
treatment remained more or less EN-
pirical until early in the 18th century.
Psychiatry is, therefore, admittedly a
young science. Nevertheless, it is thor
oughly scientific both in its approach
and in the techniques of diagnosis and
treatment it employs.
Psychiatric therapy, despite Mr..
Ezra's skepticism, is surprisingly effec-
tive. At present, between so and so per
cent OF all first admissions to mental
hospitals are later discharged as cured
or sufficiently improved to resume their
places in society.
Many intelligent and penetrating"
lay minds, including not few legal
ones, have been fooled in cases of
mental illness. Paranoids, for instance,
have frequently convinced judges and
juries of their sanity, and have been
allowed to remain at large until they
committed some obviously psychotic
act which required their disqualification.
This is often the case tno with MANY
known constitutional psychopathic in
feriors" who roam the streets of our
cities today despite the repeated warn.
ings of trained psychologists and psy-
chiatristS. R.O.S.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Letters to The Star

with the books Of Romans and st. John,
the effect of the Word on themselves and
their listeners would be so sudden and
unmistakable It would, indeed. be a
miracle.
Can it really be true that they won-
der why their preaching is ineffeetial?
Mrs. w. II. Osterhaas.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
The Democrats Tighten Ranks


There is an imprint of confidence and
of considerable political skill in the way the
Democrats have handled the problem Of
selecting PauLM Butler of Indiana as their
next national chairman. Although there
had been much advance speculation about
a bitter fight over naming successor to
Stephen Mitchell-ard until the very day
of the voting there was talk of poStponing
the election until agreement could be
reached behind closed doors-Mr. Butler
proved to be an overwhelming and easy
choice. Whatever dissatisfaction there may
have been--on the part OF the big city
bosses, of former President Truman or such
veteran party leaders as Representative
Rayburn-has been removed from surface
view, at least. Indeed, the margin by which
Mr.. Butler was named and the feet that; he
is closely identified with the now dominant
Stevenson Mitchell forces in the party give
promise that the Democrats may >be ap-
preaching the 1866 convention and election
period in greater harmony than has been
the case for years.
Undoubtedly one OF the first eKplana-
tions for this new look" of peace in the
party ranks is the quietly diligent way in
which Mr.. Mitchell for months past has
been fnending political fences in the South.
The most striking evidence of this was elm
ination of the controversial loyalty oath"
provision from the 1866 national convention
rules, an issue that had angered the South
ern delegates and played large part in the
1852 defections. It was significant that
Senator Humphrey of Minnesota, one of the
partys Northern liberals was on the special
committee that recommended to the New
Orleans meeting last week the scrapping of
this rule.
IN the face of this seeming closing of
ranks it is not really surprising that Mr..
Stevenson in his closing remarks on Satur-
day night informed the committee members
that he would not be available in the COM
ing months for speaking at all sorts of party
meetings and the countless other types Of
routine political chores. Actually Mr. Ste
venson's active campaigning during the past
fall has placed the party and most Of its
off1ceholders and candidates under obligA-
ton to him. He can afford now to let those
who are generally considered loyal to him
carry on with the organizational work pre-
ceding the next national convention, hold
ing his own presence and energy in reserve
for the bigger occasions His Qualification
of the Saturday remarks makes it clear
enough that he is not stepping out of the
running for the 1856 nomination, and there
appears to be little chance of challenging
him successfully for 1t If he wishes to RUN
again.
AS for Mr.. Butler, he also indicated in
his first press conference, in his, criticism Of
the Republican administration and of Presi-
dent Eisenhower personally, that he is likely
to follow the Mitchell tactics of carrying the
fight to the other party. Democratic hopes
have risen since the elections last month
and the party appears squared away now
for 18 months of solid preconvention work.
Evening star., 1954-12-06
Peipins on Notice

In effect, in commenting on the mutual
security treaty just negotiated with the Chi
nese Nationalist government Of Chang Kai-
shek, Secretary of State Dulles has warned
the Communist regime at Peiping not to mis-
judge or underestimate the determination
Of the United States to defend Formosa and
the outlying Pescadores against any attack
launched against them.
AS the Secretary has noted, many people
at home and abroad including possibly
the Chinese Communists, have wondered
whether or not our Government has been
genuinely serious in it's past pronouncemerts
on this matter But all such uncertainty
should now come to an end. For Mr.. Dulles
has taken special pains to emphasize that
one of the main objectives OF the e.new treaty
which is designed primarily to deter ag-
gression-is to make clear beyond the slight
est doubt that the United States is not bluff
ing. That is to say he has served plain
notice on the Peiping Reds that If they try
to carry out their threat to "liberate" these
strategicaly important islands. the pact will
be invoked and American forces will Join
those of Chiangs free China in defensive
counteraction as strong and as far-reach-
Ing as the situation may require.
Thus, although he has left it to the
Chinese Communists to guess what might
or might not happen in case they attempt
to invade such smaller "cloSe in" outposts
as Quemoy and the Tachens, Mr.. Dulles has
bluntly asserted that an attack on Forrnosa
and the Pescadores could readily result in
heavy counterblows against the mainland
of Red China. In any event. as he has ex-
planned it, the defensive treaty with Chiang's
governnent--a pact patterned after the
ones already in effect with South Korea,
Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the
Philippines commits the United States to
take part with that government in doing
whatever may have to be done {not neces-
sarily atomic bombing or general warfare)
to hurl back aggression and keep the islands
secure for freedom
The Communists, Of course, can be
counted upon to rail against all this as an
example of American villainy. Actually,
however. since it is purely defensive IN char
acter, and since it is understood to involve
commitment by Generalissimo Chang not
to cut loose with go-it-alone offensive ac-
ton, it can do much to bolster the free
worlds security ana promote stability and
peace in the Far Pacific. It can do so, that
Is, unless Peiping invites war by making the
mistake of trying 10 undertake what the
new pact warns against. Is
The British government acts to preserve
2,500 ancient pubs IN which historic events
occurred The number should Include the
one IN the rnidlands where the tirst CT Of
World War II complained About the warm
beer. - ~S