davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1955-02-06
Spires of the Spirit
Sight Without Eyes

A very great woman. whose intrepid
spirit has astounded and inspired for
more than two generations. has just
started a tour of the world-not her
first. She will see everything without
eyes. She will hear everything without
ears. She will feel everything with the
two principal sense gates closed and
bolted. In any fair human plebiscite
she probably would be voted the most
remarkable person alive. Her very
name is household word. In her radi-
ant personality she is the incarnation
of a dauntless will which battled its
way through the light and expanding
life. She is Helen Keller.
At rs she starts out to engirdle the
planet. When she had lived less than
two of these four-score-years-minus-
five, scarlet fever forever sealed the out
lets of seeing and hearing. Only one
main avenue to the outside was left.
touch. But hands depend normally so
largely upon eyes and ears that the
plight of this Alabama baby appeared
hopeless, her isolation almost complete.
For this catastrophe to overtake and
to overwhelm this little one, new to
earth and sky, before she had lived long
enough to have storehouse Of mem
ories which, from the insider, could
tap" on the cruel, conflning walls,
seemed to make her like wee child
trapped in a deep mine. The only
chance for inner possibilities to unfold
like blossom to a harvest Of fruit
and flowers was for touch to be the
channel through which the riches Of
the world and of the mind might reach
the entombed spirit. But what angel
could roll away the stone?
However for every emancipation God
has His servants with keys to open
dungeon doors. The passion Of young
womans life came to be the way for
the escape of this imprisoned child.
With a patience passing all calculation
she sought to reach her. She began
by writing with her fingertips the
invisible alphabet upon the palms OF
the lost child. She would put a doll
in the little arms, and then write on
the extended palm, again and again
and again, the word sign for doll. Then
water was pumped on the hand and,
at the same time. the symbol for water
was shouted in the awful silence. But,
alas, for long months there was no
sign of ineligible response. Then. one
glad day in her eighth year. the dear
girl suddenly claSped her teachers hand,
opened it and spelled back the symbol.
Then, said Miss Sullivan, the teacher,
II looked into the beautiful, unseeing
blue eyes of little Helen Keller, and !
saw a soul a-borning!" The door so
Evening star., 1955-02-06
Russia Boosts the Ante

Two facts stand out clearly enough In
the newly announced Soviet budget for
1855. The first is that the Kremlin, in
line with its propaganda warning against
heightened international tension and West
Germany's prospective rearmament, has
decided to increase its military expenditures
by approximately IL per cent. And the
second is that the Malenkov regime, despite
its 1853 promise to promote great enlarge
ment in the output of consumer goods, plans
to invest a good deal more this year than
1t did last in the development OF heavy
industry change indicating that civilian
commodities are likely to remain relatively
scarce while the country expands its pro-
ductive capacity for things like ornaments.
Plain as these facts are, however, it is
not possible to draw an accurate comparison
between the Kremlin's expenditures and
those that President Eisenhower has pro-
jected for the United States for fiscal 1856.
Thus, in the all-important field of arms and
armed forces, it means little to say that
Moscow's outlay of rubles-when translated
into dollar termS-adds up to total OF $28
billion, as against our own proposed outlay
of $34 billion. At first glance, OF course.
this gives the impression that we are spend
ing much more, but the impression is
completely misleading. This is so for the
following reasons among others First be-
cause the Soviet budget represents die
tatorship that owns and runs the entire
Russian economy; second, because that die
tatorship classifies as nonmilitary many
items that we classify as military; third.
because it does not have to reckon with
private enterprise or the profit motive, and
hence can fix its own prices for anything
and everything; fourth, because the peo-
pie of the country receive poor pay for
what they produce; and fifth, because the
USSR, thus being unencumbered by high
wage rates and material costs comparable
to ours, probably can buy substantially
greater military strength with its appro-
priations than we can with what we spend.
So it is obvious, in the light Of such
factors as these, that the 1855 total OF
Soviet military expenditures-th highest
In three years-cannot be measured against
our American total simply by comparing
the ruble and dollar figures on the basis
otvMoscow's official four-to-ore rate OF
Evening star., 1955-02-06

tightly closed had opened crack. 1t
would open so wide that all the wealth
of the world and of the centuries could
pour in to make the sightless and
soundleSS victim one of the most opu-
lent personalities of her time.
For years she has toiled on the manu-
script of biography of this Columbus
who discovered her and released her
from her fettered existence. And this
very fall of 1855 will be published Helen
Kellers "Anne Sullivan Macy" What
book event that will be!
All these long years since this first
teacher left her. Helen Keller has re-
veled in her Braille books which, at rs,
constantly push out her horizons. Every
day of her life she dips into the Book
of Books. That glorious guide, whose
biography from her grateful heart we
are so soon to have. greatly desired that
the growing girl, into whose unlocked
brain new ideas were coming in flood,
should have her conception of the
Creator enriched by the insights of
Phillips Brooks.
Why Phillips Brooks? Rufus Jones,
that great Quaker prophet Of the un-
SeeH WAo ielL US Uut Ae" yedAo dBo'
says of this inspiring Boston preacher
who belonged to the world: II heard
him twice in my youth. felt the kin
ding power of his mind on my mind,
and a new faith was born in me in an
swer to the great faith that possessed
him. have always put him in the list
of supremely great persons in our West
ern world. He stands as the greatest
Christian preacher America has yet
produced"
To this great spiritual interpreter
Miss Sullivan brought her little charge.
AS the great man bent over her, Helen
asked, please tell me about God" After
Phillips Brooks had poured the conta-
gion of his own certainty into her
yearning mind, as he told simply what
Evening star., 1955-02-06
Our Reservists

The Importance Of our Reserve COM
ponents in relation to the Nations
security has become increasingly ap-
parent. In fact, tbs no exaggeration to
say that today it is Of paramount i'm
portance for the safety of this country
that the Reserve components be main
tanned at peak efficiency.
The people who are most qualified
to aid the Nation during this crucial
period are the young men being re-
leased by the thousands from active
duty. With their training they can put
punch and muscle into the Reserve pro-
gram by participating in active train
ing. They alone are in a position to
mean the difference between we'll
trained Reserve ready to move in emer-
gency and a lethargic one which could
bring disaster to the Nation.
The Army has done its best to in
terest these young men in the Reserve
program. When they leave the Army
Evening star., 1955-02-06
Legislator Sizes Up His Pay

am a member of Congress entering
his ninth year. have read the several
Letters to the Editor" condemning the
proposed congressional pay raise.
During those nine years, have had
no increase in salary. while I have seen
raise after raise in industry and have
voted some four or five times for raises
in Postal and general Federal salaries.
During those nine years, have seen
the earnings of my former associates at
I have seen the cost of living for myself
and my family grow and grow.
During each of those nine years,
have paid about $4,000 in Federal and
State income taxes and another $3.50
annually on my retirement. have paid
real property taxes on home here and
a house in my home State. though one
was vacant half Of the time (try and
find satisfactory tenants to rent for the
varying times Congress Is in or out OF
session.. have paid each year tele-
phone bill, light bill, fuel bill, personal
property tax bill on both homes, despite
the fact that one or the other was
unoccupied.
During each Of those nine years. I
have always paid someone in my alb
Sence at each end of the country to
keep my yard clean and neat. Annually
I pay from my single allowance the
cost of moving a family from the West
to Washington and back again. Along
with each move goes the cost of a cou-
pie of trunks of clothes and the at
tendant cleaning and pressing bills. to
say nothing of new tires, batteries and
worn-out car.
AS my family has grown. I find it
impossible to transfer child, from
school at home to one here and expect
him to have any continuity of educa-
ton. Accordingly, I fly him from the
Far West to Washington at considerable
cost in the early fall and place him in
a boarding school at rather high cost
so that his education will not be
disturbed.
In Washington an unbelievable pro-
cession of folks from home drop in. OF
Evening star., 1955-02-06
A Cure for 1t?

All the news is not bad. At any rate,
In this season of sniffles and mounting in
ternational tension, people afflicted with
stuffed heads, watering eyes and an insu1-
ferable nasal situation should be able to
derive at least little bit Of cheer from the
report that cure for the common cold may
be just around the corner.
The authority for this Aeartening piece
of intelligence is DR.. Robert j. Huebner,
chief of the virus diseases section OF the Ma
tional Neurological Institute at Bethesda.
He is obviously rather optimistic about the
matter In fact, in his opinion-as ex-
pressed in an interview with U. S. News
and World Report-it is almost beyond
question" that science is on the threshold
of some big development bearing upon the
common "nonfeverish, runny-nose type of
cold" And he has declared that the hope
for cure-probably vaccine-is now "im-
measurably greater than it was just year
or so ago."
Here is something that speaks for itself
as an encourager at time when there is
not much that encourages. A cure for the
common cold? Whose spirit will not be
buoyed up by such prospect? Surely, If
the cure materializes, then this world will
be good place to lib in, after all, even in
spide of the Cobbudnists Three cheers for
the fine work being done by men like Dr.
Huebner! y
Evening star., 1955-02-06

The Star of January Is. 1905, report
ed: 1.-The District Commissioners spent
a busy forenoon today
Bridge listening to expressions
Or Tunnel? of public opinion from
various interested citi-
zenS relative to several matters Of pub
lie concern. One proposition . was to
provide a more satisfactory means Of
communication between Georgetown
and Washington proper. Advocates OF
two projects calculated to accomplish
this purpose--the building of bridge
over Rock Greek at @ street and the
construction of tunnel along Rock
Creek-made arguments. :. The
speakers for the bridge project were
Fred l.. Moore and George A. King, rep
resenting the citizens; Judge c. S.
Bundy. representing the Board of
Trade, and Attorney George E. Hamil-
ton. The argument in support of the
tunnel project was presented by w.
Riley Deeble" Mr.. Hamilton strongly
urged the Commissioners to recommend
action on the bridge project, which will
cost only about $150,000 or 100000"
The total cost of the tunnel, he con-
tended. would amount to great deal
more than the estimates call for"
h
A "jolly crowd" said The Star Of
January 81. 1905. attended the opening
fair and bazaar Of the
Hebrew Washington Hebrew Con-
Exposition gregation at the Wash
ingtop Light Infantry
Armory. President I. L. Blout called
the assembly to order and gave an
address Of welcome in which he paid
tribute to "this little band Of less
than Is souls" who were the pioneers
of the temple on Eighth street NV
Harry King then was introduced
as master of ceremonies. and he in
turn presented Senator-elect Elmer
j. Burkett Of Nebraska and Corpl
James Tanner. Isaac Cans and Justice
Ashley NJ. Gould. all Of whone praised
Evening star., 1955-02-06

supervising engineer. United States
Geological Survey. President Theo-
dore Roosevelt addressed conyocation
of the foresters in the New National
Theater on January S, urging the con-
centration Of all Federal Government
work for forest conservation in one
single agency in the Agriculture De-
partment. His policy was indorsed by
the Congress in principle before ad-
journment on January 6.
On January 26, 1905, The Star fea-
tured an account of lecture delivered
before the Bethel
Negro Heroes Literary and His
OF the Revolution torical Associa-
ton by Prof. w.
B. Hayson. director of Latin in the
M Street High School. whose subject
was the part played by patriotic
Negroes in the events leading up to
the Revolutionary War and in the war
itself. He spoke OF Crispus Attucks and
three companions leading mob Of
enraged citizens" against the British
soldiery in Boston, thus making them
selves martyrs to freedom. Bancroft"
he declared. pays glowing tribute to
>. the valor of the colored soldier in
the Revolution and says there were
about 700 or more enrolled. :. Com
modore Perry, referring to that splen-
did victory on Lake Erie. spoke Of his
Negro marines. and said: They seemed
insensible to danger. Yet that painting
at the foot of the east stairs Of the
Capitol commemorating this victory
has the figure Of -Ye black. terror
stricken, with his hands raised in the
attitude of fear and trembling. :"
Prof. Hayson's paper was discussed by
Rev. Sterling N Brown. J. T. c. New
som, Shelby j. Davidson. Prof. John w.
Cromwell and Prof. M. Grant Lucas.
The Star explained that Prof. Hayson
has collected over TOO volumes by
Negro authors. besides manuscripts
an@ rare prints" In his researches.w
Evening star., 1955-02-06
BY Frederick Brown Harris
ti cbspiain. uuSs United p1ssSs ssatss senate.

Chaplain, United states senate.
God meant to him, she said. with BEAM
ing face: II always thought and felt
sol"
And this one who heard the golden
words Of Brooks about God has march,
ed on for these changing decades with
her physical handicaps serving that
God and His handicapped children un-
der all skies. Now. with her constant
companion for 40 years, Polly Thomp-
son, she is of for new worlds to con-
quer. On the very day this Is being writ
ten she is flying DER land and sea as an
ambassador of the hope Of which she
is the symbol to those in every land
even less handicapped than she. From
the speeding plane she calls back to her
host of admirers: IT believe that am
just one Of the numherless instruments
in Gods hands carrying out His plan
of good feel humility as well as Joy
that He has guided me in my share Of
the work for His disabled children"
Just before leaving. this fabulous
woman exclaimed with the expectancy
of a child, II want to see the Tai
Mahal!" She never has "seen" beauti-
full things, q garden edged with its
melody of color, child's face, moon
light on the sea. bowl Of sun-kissed
daffodils. a red bird on blossoming
bough. Yet she will "see" this jeweled
memorial. Somehow. by some miracle,
all of the lovely things have detoured
the blocked roads and have reached
those inner eyes and ears. She has
reached levels Of distinction ana power
to which mere physical eyes ana ears
alone never can soar.
To the threat of oblivion she has
made the same answer as that mace
by Ralph Waldo Emerson to religious
fanatic who, one day. rushed up to
him in the streets of Boston and cried:
"Mr. Emerson, do you know that the
world is going to end next Friday?"
VERY we'll" said Mr.. Emerson, calmly.
"I can get along very well without It,"
Helen Keller scorning to be browbeaten
by what men call crushing handicaps,
has said to a world where millions
deplore their crippling limitations. $50
far as seeing and hearing are con-
cerned, I'll get along without them.
All things are mine. with or wltnout
them"
And does not this assurance on her
part, as she rises above all handicaps,
even as she sails the painless air on
what she calls her last tour OF the
world, suggest that some day. when
this earthly shall put on the heavenly.
the human faculties on which we think
we so utterly rely will be left behind
with no loss? We can get along with
out them!
Evening star., 1955-02-06
France as Usual

At time when nothing could be more
important than unity and stability in the
West, the National Assembly In Paris has
once again voted for political disarray and
disorder in France. The result is that the
country-which is supposed to be one OF
the main bulwarks of the Atlantic alliance
lis now without a government, and 1t
probably will remain in that state for some
days to come, to the detriment Of both itself
and the entire free world.
This bleak but not unexpected situation
has been brought about by the ASsemblys
vote forcing Premier Mendes-France and
his cabinet to resign on the issue OF his
North African policy. In actuality, however,
that issue has been merely one of several
on which his political foes-though them
selves divided against each other-have
been able to unite temporarily in sufficient
numbers to cause his downfall. Self-seeking
pressure blocs, bitter partisanS personal
enemies eager to topple him-these have
been some of the groups that have been in
tent for weeks past upon getting rid OF his
government. They have made strange bed
fellows-Communists, Catholic Popular Re
publicans, independents, De GaulliStS, ETC.
but they have managed to hold together long
enough to create the goth French govern
ing crisis since the end Of the Second World
War. And in doing so, of course, they have
confronted Frances allies with number
of disquieting possibilities, including the
possibility that the Paris accords on arming
West Germany-ratifed by the Assembly,
but still needing the approval of the Coun-
Gil of the Republic-may run into serious
new trouble.
Here is an example Of the democratic
process at its worSt-an immensely dis
heartening spectacle of parliamentary par
tisans playing politics on scale so narrow
as to leave no room for Frances own best
interests either at home or abroad. And
the whole thing is doubly depressing because
1t has happened repeatedly and will happen
again and again as long as the French fail
to effect constitutional reforms and cut
down on their multiplicity of parties in
way that will give them stable and reason
ably long-lived governments. Certainly,
unless and until they do that, they can
hardly expect the free world to repose
unstinted confidence in their country.
Evening star., 1955-02-06
Southwest Mall Issue

Although the Zeckendorf and National
Planning Commission plans for northern
gateway" to redeveloped Southwest Wash
ington differ in some major respects, it is
encouraging to know that both agree in
general on the need for an imposing South
Mall" Since the Mall idea forms the
nucleus for both plans, it is to be hoped
that it will not be too difficult to iron out
the differences in conference. It would
be unfortunate If a serious conflict arose
to stall or imperil the whole Southwest
project.
The new Mall would be designed as the
main approach from downtown Washington
to the rebuilt community across the rail-
road tracks, overlooking the waterfront.
The Zeckendorf (Webb & Knapp plan
envisions the Mall as extending along the
line of Tenth street. The NCPC advisory
committee proposed shifting the Mall to
Ninth street, leaving Tenth street as a main
artery for through traffic via the Southwest
Freeway and present or future bridges
across the Potomac River. The shift also
would avoid interference with plans of the
Smithsonian Institution for National Air
Museum in the vicinity Of Tenth street.
(The latter street would divide just south
of the Smithsonian Institution, channeling
traffic into other streets) The Ninth
street axis for the Mall, furthermore. would
involve lesser grades and would bypass the
wholesale market area.
It is not surprising that the two groups
of planners should produce different plans
for the Southwest approaches. The Webb
& Knapp firm is particularly concerned with
providing adequate street connections be-
tween the new Southwest section and the
central city. The Planning Commission, on
the other hand, is properly concerned with
the larger problem of traffic movement not
only to and from the Southwest but between
downtown Washington and other parts of
the Metropolitan Area especially Virginia.
Reconciling these two viewpoints will be
necessary before it is possible to proceed
with the basic task of building modern
urban community in the rundown South
west. spirit of reasonable compromise on
both sides would facilitate an agreement.
1t would be ironical If the South Mall be-
came barricade, rather than an approach,
to Southwest redevelopment.
Evening star., 1955-02-06
Letters to The STAR.

course, since I am here am the host
usually it is lunch In the Capitol, ana
always I pick up the check-and only
too often they want to see the sights,
whether it be my car driving them to
Mount Vernon, Arlington and similar
places or a gentle hint to see the Blue
Room at the Shoreham.
At home I am expected to go at my
own expense to meetings OF Federal
employees, American Legion posts or XII
wants Clubs. No one bothers to worry
ABOUT my gasoline. hotel or other at
tendant expenses though am expected
to be present. Federal employees doing
similar work travel on an expense
account.
My $4,000 salary would do me well
in the small town live in in the West.
but on this job the old expression OF
being "two-b o-bittedto-death" never fitted
better.
Keeping our salaries where they are
will eventually give you a rich mans
Congress of those of independent
means.
Western Congressman.
Evening star., 1955-02-06

exchange. Economically. politically and
otherwise, our country is entirely different
from Russia, and money spent or invested
over there is far from being the same-in
terms of what it buys-as money spent or
invested over here. That is why the Krem-
Inns increased arms budget, in spite Of
superficial comparisons, is almost certainly
considerably bigger than ours-a fact that
should serve as a sobering reminder that
our own defense outlays, even If adequate,
are by no means excessive.
Evening star., 1955-02-06
Postal Redistribution

Postmaster General Summerheld has
made 1t plain to Congress that the admins
tration has no intention of backing down
on it's stand for reclaSSif1cation OF postal
jobs, despite vigorous opposition from postal
union spokesmen. He is on sound ground
in contending that the raising of postal pay
without corresponding readjustment of
the present salary structure would only
compound the faults that already exist.
Although other Federal employees have
experienced several reclaSSifications in
recent years, postal workers have continued
under a system which has permitted serious
inequities to develop. Salaries are not
always properly related to responsibilities
or burden of work imposed. Mr.. Summer
field told the House Civil Service Commit
tee that some postmasters are paid less
than certain of their employees. general
overhauling of postal jobs and pay is
required to bring them into balance.
OF course, some union members prob
ably would suffer pay losses under such
reclassif1cation. Others, however, who have
been treated unfairly would stand to benefit.
But the overriding consideration Is, or
should be, the public interest. It would be
to the advantage of the Post Office Depart
ment and to the people 1t serves to have
the pay Of postal employees reasonably
related to work performed. Congress, under
pressure of union opposition, shelved the
postal Redistribution plan last year. In
vetoing the joint postal classified services
pay BILL President Eisenhower again stressed
the need for correcting the out-of-balance
postal scale. Congress should not repeat
it's mistake of the previous session.