davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
BY THOMAS R. HENRY
Arctic Armies May Go Underground

second Antarctic expedition Ut
Little America. It was built
on top Of the ice. It has sunk
Of its own accord. The scene
inside, when the place was
last entered in l947, was weird
and beautiful beyond descrip-
ton with its glistening cham
deliers and carved angels Of
ice. But 1t was cold down
there-cold long buried In
darkness, dead cold such per-
haps as no man living had
experienced before, although
thermometers registered no
lower than those on the sur
face. It was curious that the
wooden walls had not been
crushed during q decade.
Significant Contributions
Ice, biologists Of the expedi-
ton explained. really is rock,
although rock in its most un-
stable form. There were de-
bates as to whether the great
Ross ice shelf, upon which
Little America is located,
really is an extension Of the
rock Of the Antarctic continent
or Of the waters Of the Ross
Sea.
But quite aside from posi-
biiities for fantasy-which
should not be attributed to
anything said by Mr.. Philippe
the Engineer Corps is max
ing many significant contribu-
tons to the possibilities Of
Arctic living at Thule. They
have built surface earth roads
for vehicles reaching several
miles into the great ice cap.
They have devised ways Of
packing snow into roadbedS
that will stand up under trafiic
for considerable periods. Un.
fortunately, however, they can
not be made permanent. The
great ice cap covering the
worlds largest island is q
sleeping cosmic giant, tossing
uneasily in his slumbers. The
roads are twisted and torn by
these titanic, slow tossings.
imperceptible except with
instruments.
Notable has been the sue
cess with tunneling through
ice. 1t Is easy and cheap. the
engineers have found. A single
man can chop out 20 feet o
day Of serviceable tunnel.
The ice track is a trackless
waste. Engineer parties 60 out
from Thule as much as $50
miles into the interior and the
possibility Of getting lost is
great. This, however, is be.
ing overcome by two Develop
ments. First is a miniature
autogyro compass for vehicles.
Second Is a system Of electro
ned trail wires paralleling Q
route. Electronic devices In .
vehicle warn o driver when he
In Synin1 ngfrav
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16

In 1880, one D. z. Manuilski
made a speech to the inter-
national students Of the Lenin
School Of Political Warfare in
Moscow. Following is an ex-
cerpt from that speech:
War to the hilt between
communism and capitalism is
inevitable. Today, Of course.
we are not strong enough to
attack. Our time will come in
20 or 80 years. To win we
shall need the element Of sur
prise. The bourgeoisie will
have to be put to sleep. So we
shall begin by launching the
most spectacular peace move
ment on record. There will be
electrifying overtures and un-
heard-of concessions. The cap
italist countries. stupid and
decadent. win rejoice to CO.
operate In their own destruc-
ton. They viii leap at an
other chance to be friends. AS
soon as their guard is down,
We shall smash them with our
clenched flst."
Wennel Wee Makeup
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
Polluted Potomac

Now that the public's In.
terest Is aroused over the dis
graceful condition Of the Po-
tomac River, 1t is hoped that
the problem will be examined
by an authoritative body with
power to act.
A really clean water supply
is essential to good health. 1t
is questionable whether sat-
isfactory drinking water can
be obtained from water heav-
lily polluted with sewage as at
present. Treatment with chic
rine has its drawbacks, one Of
which is the suspicion that
frequent inhalation Of the gas
when washing leads to irrita-
ton Of the mucous membrane
OF the nose. This may be q
predisposing condition for hay
fever.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
DisgruntIed Fan

I am getting very tired Of
getting my only baseball salts
faction from the end Of the
season when Washington plays
the role Of spoilers" by win
ming an occasional game from
a good team. I am tired Of
hearing each fall about how
well farm" players have done
in Charlotte and Chattanooga.
l am tired each year Of
hearing the Griff1ths talk
about how the team is better
than the averages show, and
how an occasional break
would make all the difference.
1 am tired of reading each
spring about how the Mats are
burning up the Grapefruit
League and about the good
opinion rival managers have
of them.
I am tired Of seventh and
eighth place finishes. and ALI
bis, and lackluster ballplayers.
and sports writer's who write
poetry about them. I am tired
Of pitchers with 2-11 and 5-14
records. and "hitters" sport
ing 200 batting averages.
/ am tired Of the GrifhthS
and their method Of operat-
ing.
T,AA Rankntnq>.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
Hounds -Tooth Doctrine

As a general proposition, it Is not
healthy thing for an internal revenue
agent to owe money to a lawyer known to
represent a. big-Shot gambler But II this
b the beginning and the end Of the case
against Agent Samuel W. Ford, the de-
eision to fire him after 20 years Of Gov
eminent service seems to be carrying the
elean-as-a-hound's-tooth doctrine to q
harsh extreme.
Agent Ford borrowed some money in
1919 from Lawyer Charles Ford, no rela-
ton, to build house. The mortgage
covering this transaction was duly re-
corded, and the payments have been met
on time. The transaction was handled
through bank, and there seems to have
been nothing secret about the matter.
In fact, Agent Ford says he told his SUI
periors in Internal Revenue about 1t In
1851.
Later on. he was assigned to a case
against Emmitt Warning, one of Mr..
Fords gambler clients. There apparently
was nothing off-color, however, for the
gambler was duly tried and convicted,
largely on the basis of the case worked up
against him by Agent Ford. A Justice
Department spokesman says there was
no dissatisfaction with the agents
handling Of the case
Why, then, is Mr.. Ford being fred
in 1955-four years after he informed his
superiors OF the loan from Lawyer Ford?
1t is possible, Of course, that. there is more
to the case than meets the eye. But the
Civil Service Commission, to which an
appeal has been taken, ought to take
long. hard look at all the facts. It is
pretty tough, even under the hounds
tooth doctrine, II one indiscretion is to
nullify and wipe out 20 years of faithful,
competent service.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16

I have been . rider Of Cap
ital Transit for many years.
The cars are restful and relax
ing. Not so with the buses.
Why should we have to pay
enormous fares, and then be
forced to ride. being ierked
and thrown around. on hot.
smelly buses? They are packed
and damned. windows almost
impossible to raise, and be-
tween the sweaty crowds and
the sickening gas odor inside,
1t IS not only most unpleasant
but most unhealthful.
As to icy weather, at least
the cars stay on the tracks.
Several times In recent years,
it has taken three or more
hours for me to make the usual
Commute run. The buses
couldn't make the hills, so they
stopped running. Other buses
stalled on the car tracks so
the cars couldn't move.
Have mercy upon those of
us who have to use public
transportation. and leave the
good streetcars in operation.
Why not set aside a special
day. along with all the other
special days. when the Com
inissioners and high-ups would
not be allowed to use their own
cars. or taxis. and be forced to
try riding on the buses? Per-
haps they would change their
minds on the subject Of scrap
ping the streetcars.
Sally Martin.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16

organizations have axes to
grind. There h no tax on cats,
no way Of knowing which are
"owned" and which are not.
II songsters suddenly leave
q favorite feeding place, look
around you.
Sometimes 1t win be an in
vading bird, such a. an owl or
hawk. Look for the owl in .
tree, the hawk in the sky.
The lazy flight Of the hawk
is known to all birds. young or
old. 1t is part Of their instinct.
as we say.
Birds group in hedges and
shrubs until they judge the
danger Is over.
Often they overlook the fact
that the hawk has flown down.
and is remaining g quiet a.
they are, in his own special
shrub.
The sudden popping Of the
: air rife. which should b
classed as q dangerous weapon.
will usually send all the birds
ut q feeding station on their
way to safer quarters, or 70
they think.
One must expect the various
migrating birds to get FESTIVE.
at this time Of year. They start
their journeys with little test
runs, probably going no far
ther away than q block or two.
ut first, or maybe o mile, to
get the feel Of migrating ways
and days.
But once they are gone from
q yard. that garden suddenly
seems to be lacking in some
thing. and at last the owner
wonders to himself. where are
the catbirds?" The thrushes
have not been as numerous
this year as last, and one IL
puzzled, but there Is incessant
variation In nature, and its les
son in this respect Is very
pointed. We have no right, ma
ture assures US. to expect COM
plete uniformity and q static
condition. In nature, uni
formity is the exception, and
incessant change Is the rule.
II the watcher Of birds in
the homeland takes this lesson
to heart. he win have received
one Of the greatest benefits he
can receive. It will soothe his
heart and mind In many q
troubled hour. Nothing stands
still. especially not the birds.
Change and more change, end
less figures IN the carpet Of
time, clouds succeeding sun
shine, and then the sunshine
back again. these make up the
endless now Of natural events.
the light and shade Of fact and
fancy in which we are all in
volyed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
In Lees Camp

Several readers have made
insulting. irrational and UNI
true statements concerning
that great American, Gen.
Robert E. Lee. He was one Of
the most noble citizens Of our
Nation.
He has been accused Of being
q traitor. This, Of course. is
not true. because Gen. Lee did
not wish to be opposed TO the
United States Government.
His position was forced upon
him by factors completely be-
yond his control. He would
have betrayed his native Vir-
ginia If his choice had been
different. know Of no South
erner who was opposed to the
Federal Government for any
reason other than defense Of
the principle Of States Rights
and his homeland.
j. w. Haywood. jr.. states
that he can forgive Gen. Lee
for attempting to destroy my
country's Government or for
trying to keep my grandpar-
ents in slavery"
Gen. Lee did not attempt to
destroy the United States
Government. He was defend
ing the South from aggression.
Nor was he fighting for the
principle Of slavery. Like most
people in the South. he was
opposed to 1t.
Like the majority of slave
owners. he considered his
charges almost as his own
people and treated them &C.
cordingly.
It would have been only .
matter Of time before all of
the slaves obtained their free
dom. How much better for
them and the South If this had
been accomplished in an Or
derly manner?
One Sunday Gen. Lee was
attending church and, to the
horror Of some Of the con-
gregation, a freed slave knelt
before the altar rail to receive
communion. The white people
refused to 60 forward. Then
Gen. Lee took his place beside
the Negro and. one by one.
the others followed. This act
had a tremendous influence on
Southerners in their attitude
toward their new fellow citi-
zens and showed quite clearly
the truly noble character Of
Robert f. Lee.
Citizen.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
Cathedral

From ulted depths the
towers rise and soar
In pirtnacles and spires that
pierce the blue,
SO men mGy glimpse. in
Gothic tracery,
Their prayer ascending to the
infinite.
With upiDard gaze the heart
attuned beholds
Imponderables carved in quar-
ried stone,
While stained glass radiance
pours sacrament
On faith proclaimed dloft In
ringing chimes.
In reverence the builders
here haze wrought
An affirmation of the spirits
guest
An jnspiration rendered
Disible--
The mortal thirst for
immortality.
D, }. SteinmeN
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
$1,000 Tox-Free Reward

1t probably does not make a great
deal Of difference whether Mary Knowles
once belonged to the Communist Party or
not. Evidently she is not a member now,
and II she was one Of the comrades sew
eral years ago there is no evidence that
the national security suffered thereby.
On the other hand, there does not
appear to be any good reason why Mary
Knowles, when she appeared this week
before a Senate committee, should have
refused to say whether she had been
Communist. In 1858, when the same
question was put to her, she invoked the
Fifth Amendment, contending that
truthful answer might incriminate her.
But she makes no such claim at this time.
Her current position simply is that the
committee has no right to ask her such
question. Presumably, contempt pro-
ceedings will be instituted and the
chances are that Mrs. Knowles will be
punished. If she wants to take this
course, that is her business. Except for
one circumstance, the incident would pass
largely unnoticed.
That circumstance concerns the
Fund for the Republic, set up with SIS
million grant from the Ford Foundation
After invoking the Fifth Amendment,
Mrs. Knowles lost her job as librarian
in Massachusetts,. She was hired in
similar capacity by the Plymouth
Monthly Meeting of Friends, Quaker
group in Pennsylvania. This prompted
the Fund for the Republic to make
$4,000 award to the Quaker library-a
reward not yet accepted-for its "cou-
rageous and effective defense of demo-
cratic principles"
This, too, might be matter Of small
consequence except for one thing. The
money controlled by the Fund is tax
exempt, presumably on the theory that
it will be used for a constructive public
purpose. But what public purpose is
served when, in effect, $4,000 is paid as
reward for hiring q woman who had
refused to testify before Senate COM
mittee? What democratic principles"
were defended In this instance?
It does not seem right that the
Treasury, meaning the taxpayers, should
be called upon, through the device of tax
exemption, to subsidize this kind Of
activity.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
mentally retarded children of

mentally retarded children of
any race would, This I do
know: Elementary classes.
from the kindergarten up to
the sixth grade, are encour-
aged to take as many trips
a year as possible.
I am sure that I speak for
my coworkers in the teaching
field when ! say that we
realize there is a job to be
done, but we are not sitting
idly by. We are trying in
every way humanity possible
to remedy existing conditions.
and we are willing to work
increasingly and untiringly to
make integration q success in
our public schools.
Phyllis w. Ford.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
THIS AND. THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL
People worry these days

People worry these days
about where the birds are.
They want to know what
has become Of them. viii they
come back, and 50 on.
Perhaps the songsters are
worth worrying about more
than many other things, such
as bombs, politics. and labor
troubles.
Birds can take care Of them
selves. in most cases. 80 our
worry is mostly gratuiteus.
being neither here nor there.
a very good place for worry to
be. we think.
The very modern movement
to the suburbs Is responsible
for this latest addition to our
worries.
The man who never no
ticed O bird In his life In the
city becomes . partisan Of
redbirds. jays and wrens.
At this time Of year he
wants to know why he doesn't
have as many Of these and
others as formerly.
There are many answers.
Some species retire to the
woods to moult.
Losing the old feathers. and
getting new ones, is q very
serious business for the feath-
cred folk.
Some birds, such as robins,
gather together for q sort of
social meeting before they ny
south.
Over in Baltimore, thousands
Of ''blackbirds," proba bly,
grackles. overload trees and
bushes every evening, much to
the amazement and dismay Of
householders.
There is always the chance
that some untoward happen
ing in q neighborhood, such
as an air gun, may drive the
birds away for q time.
House building has been
known to do it. although most
" the birds tolerate noises
with equanimity.
~
An owl, and especially .
hawk, may cause the bird
population to dwindle sud-
denly. It must be kept in
mind that this population is
always subject to what might
be called local changes. That
is, the birds ones knows may
simply fly away to the next
block. They may be no far
Their away at any time, but
to the person who has been
interested In them, they are
as far away as II they had
flown the shores Of the Carri-
bean. (In the old days, chill
dren were taught to pronounce
1t with the accent on the "be,"
as Caribbean, but today the
perferred RECOMMENDATION Is.
we believe, Caribbean. with
the accent an the "rib.~
The world Is full Of birds.
many billions we have read,
but always wondered how any
one knew. It is the same with
cats. One organization says
there are 20 million stray cats,
but how does 1t know? This
is too easy, because no one
can tell q stray cat by looking
at 1t. We have seen thousands
Of wandering cats, and 1t is
impossible to tell whether they
have good homes or not. Often
the best fed and cared for cat
appears the most frightened
and forlorn. Always accept
such figures. 20 positively
stated, with one or two grains
Of salt. Sometimes people and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
Cities buried in Ice.

Cities buried In Ice. -.
This Is O somewhat far
fetched fantasy at present
suggested by Army Engineer
experiments with large sub
snow structures at the great
Thule air base In Greenland
where all sorts Of research
projects on possibilities Of
Arctic living are under way.
The engineers started with
subsnow tunnels. Trenches as
much as 8 feet wide and IS
feet deep first were gouged
out with snow plows. 1t was
found possible to roof these
over with snow arches provid-
ing o subway system for mil
itary vehicles at the ridicu-
lousy low cost Of about $4,000
q mile.
This now has been extended
to study of relatively large
subterranean structures which
could be used for almost any
purpose. 1t has been found
possible, it was explained at Q
symposium here on Arctic con-
ditions under the auspices Of
the Arctic Institute Of North
America, to provide substan-
tial arched snow roofs over an
excavation ITO feet wide and
presumably as deep as one
wishes. In such q shelter,
stores and personnel would be
protected from the billiards Of
the ice cap, and such struc-
lures probably could be Joined
by tunnels into as intricate q
system as one desired. Such
problems as heating and the
like, of course, are matters for
the future.
Not . Fantastic Project
Apparent success with the
snow arch structures was de-
scribed by Robert r. Philippe.
chief Of the special engineering
branch of the Engineer Corps.
So far as the corps Is con-
cerned, however, the interest
is purely unitarian with no
projections into fantasy. More
and more, however, there is
o tendency towards subter-
ranean, or subice, operations.
It might be possible to visual
ize men who, like the Arctic
Jennings, spend most Of their
lives in tunnels under the
snow. philosophers. especially
peSsimistic ones, have a tend
ency to compare man and
lemming in many ways.
A science fiction writer
might go q long way further
into fantasy by conveniently
neglecting q few considefa-
lions. There is, or was until
quite recently. one structure
buried deep in ice which had
stood up for more than .
decade when last visited. This
was the headquarters building
Of Admiral Richard E. Byrd's
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16

fine dinner to King George VI and the
President of France in 1899, he must have
felt there was some extra little touch in
the menu that was particularly his own
specialty-that his guests would SAVIOR 1t
without knowing its exact composition.
But 16 years later, Captain McCutchen
knew, and the chef may henceforth de-
scribe it as his $64, 900 menu.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
A DuIIes-Chou Meeting?

Our Government has not taken an
unreasonable position in rejecting as
premature" Red China's request for
"higher level" talks than those now being
conducted at Geneva between Wang
Ping-nan, Peiping's envoy. and American
Ambassador U. Alexis johnson. For the
rejection is based upon the entirely cor
rect view that there can be no such talks.
or even a discussion preparing the way
for them, until the Mao Tze-tung regime
fulfllls its promise to release the United
States civilians it still holds either in
prison or under house arrest.
This promise has been on record since
last Saturday, but up to now none OF the
individuals involved has been set free.
Accordingly, as Mr.. johnson has told Mr..
Wang, 1t is too early as yet to take up
the question of whether or when the
United States and Red China should enter
upon full-dress negotiations-presum
ably at the level of Secretary of State
Dulles and Premier and Foreign Minister
Chou En-lai As Mr.. johnson has put
1t, "Only the full augmentation of the
problem" of returning the United States
civilians, and the faithful discharge of
that commitment must continue to be
the task of the current Geneva talks.
It may be assumed, however, that
the Chinese Communists, having publicly
pledged themselves to free these Ameri-
cans, will do SO in due course, and prob
ably sooner than later So our Govern
ment faces the prospect of having to
make an early decision as regards Pei
pings desire for the high-level negotia-
lions, and it Is difficult to see how the
decision can be anything but affirmative
particularly II Red China offers con-
vincing evidence that it really wants to
talk reasonably and constructively about
the so-called practical matters" that
have embroiled it in great tension with
the United States. These matters" all
very significant, include its bid for men,
bership In the United Nations, its desire
to eliminate the Vests trade embargo,
its reaction to American inquiries regard
ing hundreds of Americans still I'M
accounted for In the Korean war, its
policy in respect to continuing cease
fire in the Formosa area, and its still
underlined attitude toward Mr.. Dulles
challenge to it to commit itself unequivo-
cally against the use of armed force In
Asia.
AS far as words go, Peiping has sug-
gested that 1t Is in a mood to seek a
genuine easing Of tension. Accordingly. If
1t does not drag its feet in carrying out
its pledge to release the American civil
ians, and If the ambassadorial talks at
Geneva proceed In promising manner,
a meeting between Mr.. Dulles and Mr..
Chou may become worthwhile in the
not-too- distant future. MIR. Dulles him
self has indicated that he is not opposed
to such a meeting-but only If there are
reasonable assurances that 1t would be
productive of good results In that sense,
our countrys decision on the matter will
depend primarily on the way Red China
conducts itself in the weeks Immediately
ahead.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16

@. Is 1t true that the San
Francisco mint has been
closed? II 80, why?-H. c.
A. Coin . &c operations at
San Francisco have BEEN dis
continued. with an estimated
annual saving Of about $780,
600 annually. One reason was
that it was found that coins
could be delivered to West
Coast banks from the Denver
mint ut o total cost (manufac-
turing plus shipping) much
lower than Il they were sup
piled from San Francisee.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names MAY be used "
letters carry trriters correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to condeRA
sdtion.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16
Questions and Answers
' THE HASKIN SERVICE

by Ik1E hASA1N SEkVkCE
A reader can get the answer 70 any
question Of fact BY xritinR The
iSoo sys st s. NV. Wsshinston 5.
D. C Please tneloss . -.nts for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-16

r. b. s..