davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
Conflict in Foggy Bottom

In March Of 1854 syndicate of pri-
vate investors petitioned for and received
coming change, from residential to first
commercial, in the area bounded by
TWenty-fourth street, Virginia and New
Hampshire avenues H and G streets.
The syndicate made known its general
plan to purchase this land from the gas
company, and to improve it with upward
OF 500 million in new, high-clasS con-
struction, including apartments, a hotel,
two office buildings and other structures
on the site given the name Potomac
Parkway Plaza. The Home Life Insur-
ance Company also plans a fine head
quarters building in the vicinity
A few months ago the syndicate
members found to their surprise that
this area they were purchasing for the
purposes outlined was included in newly
designated Foggy Bottom Urban Renewal
Area. The Commissioners must approve
such designation, and at the hearing
held on Thursday members of the syn
dictate strongly opposed inclusion of their
property within the renewal area. Their
opposition is understandable. The high
class development planned for Potomac
Plaza is not the sort of project associated
with urban renewal. And private devel-
opers, depending for financing on private
investment capital, do not relish the idea
of having to obtain approval of the gov
ernmental planning and land redevelop-.
ment agencies for everything they pro-
pose to do. Such approval is required in
an officially designated urban renewal
area.
The planners, on the other hand,
believe the Potomac Plaza development
and the Foggy Bottom Urban Renewal
Area should be treated as one, insofar
as planning is concerned, to avoid future
conflicts between them in coming and
highway changes. The Commissioners
have the matter under consideration.
They are making an effort to find out
whether the private developers would not,
In fact, be helped, rather than retarded,
by having the plans for both areas con-
sidered and approved at the same time,
thus minimizing the danger Of later con-
fiict. If the private developers are not
convinced that this is necessary, or even
advisable in venture of the sort, it
would be logical to separate the two areas.
1t Is going to be hard to make a con-
vincing case in support Of the idea that
Congress, In enacting the law on urban
renewal, had in mind including within
its provisions such an area as the pro-
jected Potomac Plaza.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
Political Strategy

The Republican Party cur
rently flnds itself in the para
doxical position Of having q
generally acknowledged un-
beatable candidate for the 1855
presidential campaign but is
unable to capitalize on the
strength Of that candidate for
obvious reasons. But the solu-
ton to this dilemma is, per-
haps, SO obvious as to be OBJ
scure. My suggested solution
Is that Mr.. Eisenhower be run
as the vice presidential can
didate, together with the next
strongest candidate as Presi-
dent. This would accomplish
several detectives simultane-
ously. the most significant be-
ing as follows:
Cd The magic Of the Essen
hover name Is retained for
voter appeal.
90 Mr.. Eisenhower would
be relieved of the burdensome
necessity of time-consuming
details which, unfortunately.
require the personal attention
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
Cleaning Up the Streams

Further evidence of the aroused
interest of county authorities in protect
ing their streams from pollution of any
variety is presented in the ordinance
just adopted by the Fairfax County Board
of Supervisors. In Virginia the State
Water Control Board has been diligent
in enforcing the State law requiring
trea tment of sewage entering rivers or
their tributaries. There has been general
neglect throughout the State, however,
with respect to other forms of contain
ination, including garbage, trash and
other wastes. Some streams or their
beds have become dumping grounds for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26

vast piles Of such disease-breeding and
unsightly refuse.
The Fairfax supervisors acted after
residents OF the Lake Bancroft residential
section complained that streams empty
ing into the lake were being befouled with
dirt of various sorts, and especially with
silt from construction projects. A search
of the records disclosed that the board
lacked authority to exercise any control
in this field. Under the ordinance, how
ever, any person who dumps contami-
mating material in any of the many
streams in the county will subject himself
to possible $500 fine or 80 days in jail,
or both. Wastes which enter stream
as result of normal farming operations
are excluded from the ban-a realistic
concession to the county's remaining
farmers. The ordinance, If rigidly en-
forced, will substantially reinforce the
efforts of State authorities to clean up
the Potomac River and other water
courses in nearby Virginia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26

First confirmation of the
humiliation of matter by con-
tact of the long postulated
negatron, or negative proton,
with an ordinary, or positive,
proton has been obtained at
the University of Rome.
There, Prof. Amaldi, long
recognized as one of the
worlds foremost experts on
atomic particles, has secured
evidence of a subatom explo-
sion releasing somewhat more
than 800 million electron volts
Of energy.
This represents the greatest
conversion Of matter into
energy yet known, although 1t
is less than half what would
be predicted.
The accomplishment at
Rome. not yet published, was
revealed to the Philosophical
Society Of Washington, whose
membership includes some of
the country's foremost physi-
cists. by DR.. Maurice NJ. Sha-
piro of the Naval Research
Laboratory at its annual
meeting.
Sensational Revelation
Existence of the "negatron"
has been predicted for the past
decade on theoretical grounds.
Approximately a month ago
physicists at the University of
California announced that
they actually had found the
particle. This was an ex-
tremely sensational announce
ment, both for its effects on
theoretical physics and pos
sible future practical, or ex-
tremely disastrous. effects for
mankind.
All atoms, of which all mat
ter is composed, consist Of two
basic particles-the protons
which compose the nucleus
and the electrons which
revolve around it in some
thing like solar system orbits.
The protons are positively
charged electrical units, the
electrons negatively charged.
It just so happens nature is
built that way. Presumably
the same pattern holds
through the universe. 1t might
just as well have been the
other way around, with
negatively charged protons
and positively charged cleo
irons making UP atoms.
II both sorts of atoms existed
and were brought in close con-
tact they would annihilate
each other. Their masses
would be converted completely
into energy and If they hap
pened to be stable atoms even
the conversion of two of them
might be q rather noisy event.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES {. TRACEWELL

wants something to eat pretty
badly.
Jones dished UP the food,
and held the saucer tempt
ingly aloft.
What do you say?" he
asked.
Grand Paw stood on his hind
legs. and said what all cats,
whether from Persia, Siam,
Abyssinia, Maine or Egypt
say under similar circum-
stances.
"Meow!" he said.
The word was magic.
1t produced q plate of sal
mon, down on the porch.
It was followed by a plate
Of half and half, after which
the old warrior departed.
Only then did Templeton
Jones feel free to let Stubby,
the half-tail cat. out of the
garage where, by stroke Of
fortune, he had incarcerated
him the evening before.
Early morning. in the half
light. is no time for a cat
fight.
Now poor Jones is forced to
keep Stub up at night. so that
Grand Paw can come in for
his morning feed.
Cats" unused our hero,
"are sometimes not worth the
trouble they cost. Or are
they?"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
Rules of the Road.

We know that 5000 per
cent Of all traffic accidents are
caused by specific traffic
violations.
The police can only arrest
/ per cent Of the motorists
guilty of serious moving viola
tons.
You can't reduce accidents
without first reducing VIOLA
tons.
You can't cut violations
without first catching more
violators.
Catching more violators
does no good unless our courts
mete out stiff punishment.
Court action must be fol-
lowed by firmer driver license
control.
Tougher driver improve
ment programs of warning
letters and clinics are needed
to discourage the start Of bad
driving records.
Tougher suspension policies
are necessary to take of our
streets the repeaters who fail
to reform.
Tougher examinations are
needed to make licenses harder
to get and put a better class
of drivers on the road.
And most Of all public edu-
cation is needed to build public
support to make these tougher
policies more acceptable to the
public.
A. Julian Brylawski,
Chairman. Public Education
Committee, Commissioners
Traffic Advisory Board,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
WSTAS IN SCIENCE
On Converting Matter Into Energy
BY THOMAS R. HENRY

For the energy equivalent Of
either a single proton or a
single negatron, of the same
mass. would be a billion cleo
iron volts. The whole event
would create two billion volts.
This compared to the slight
humiliation of matter in the
fission of q uranium atom-a
mere 100000 electron volts.
Although the University Of
California announcement was
widely publicized at the time
it is hardly any secret that
other physicists have been
somewhat skeptical. The find
was made with extremely COM
plicated apparatus In an ex.
tremely complicated fashion
and there was no evidence Of
an actual humiliation Of mat
ter. The University Of Rome
results. however far short Of
what was expected, apparently
could have come from no other
known phenomenon.
Negatron Short-Lived
At present, said DR.. Shapiro.
the probability Of the actual
finding Of the negatron rates
about three to one among
physicists. There would be so
many complications and inter-
fering factors, he explained.
that one would hardly expect
to get the full postulated two
billion volts. The emulsion
covered plates on which DR..
Amaldi's result was recorded
were developed at the Uni
versity Of California.
The negatron is one Of a
dozen or more nuclear par
ticles. all very short lived.
which have been discovered in
the past few years. DR.. Sha-
piro and his group at the
Naval Research Laboratory are
working on several of these, the
so-called megalomorphs and
baryons. These are particles /
with masses of from 1000 to
$500 times the mass of the
electron and which have a
lifetime, once they are re-
leased from the atomic nucleus,
OF from 40 billionths to 100
billionths of a second. That
Is, they exist for this length Of
time as material masses. They
are materializations of some
of the energy which has held
the atomic nucleus together.
Almost Immediately they be-
come energy again.
One of the points which
puzzle the Naval Research
Laboratory workers is how they
can retain their material
masses so long. The big masses
apparently are. in some cases
at least, results of collisions
between smaller energy masses.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26

What does the March of
Dimes mean to you, neighbor?
Is 1t just q name you hear
each January or Is 1t q stead
fast and loyal friend extending
q helping hand to you and
your family In time Of need?
Did you know that-280 peo-
pie have been stricken by
polio In Fairfax County since
1850: that the Fairfax Chapter
OF the National Foundation Is
providing free treatment for
more than 100 polio victims
now and spent $50, 900 for the
care Of 100 patients last year
alone; that the Fairfax Chap
ter has spent a total Of $780,
4S9.78 for local polio victims
since 1888? Had there been
no March Of Dimes. other
agencies would have had to
support this treatment result
ing in higher taxes, inadequate
treatment, and insurmountable
financial burdens upon many
families. The National Foun-
dalton for Infantile Paralysis
has sent $138,973.28 In cash,
plus gamma globulin and Salk
vaccine valued commercially
at more than three-quarters of
a million dollars to Fairfax
County. Fairfax County citi-
zens have contributed only
$240.008.79 to the March of
Dimes since 1888.
In other words. Fairfax
County, Virginia's No. coun-
ty, is only bearing about Is
per cent Of the cost of the
hight against polio here at
home.
We only pass along this in
formation because we believe
that you want to know and
Will this year. more than ever,
return the helping hand to
the March of Dimes.
If you live in Fairfax. give
in Fairfax to the March of
Dimes. 1t is the local chapter
of the National Foundation
that will provide the care for
yours and your neighbours
children If polio strikes. The
March Of Dimes Is the sole
support of your local chapter.
Let's show the public and
ourselves that we can hold our
own in the Metropolitan Area
OF our Nations Capital as well
as the whole Nation.
Billy J. Starnes,
w. Leon Mason,
Co-Directors, Fairfax,
March of Dimes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26

@. What system is used in
South African diamond mines
to prevent theft of the stones
by workers?-E.N.
A. Although checking is
done on the workers in the
diamond mines of South Afri-
ca, there is little attempt made
at stealing. Quite some time
ago, a bonus system was set
UP for those who found dia-
monds. The bonuses run from
a shilling for tiny, poor quail
ity industrial diamond, up to rs
pounds for a fine diamond
(South Africa. AS a result of
this, the workers turn in dia-
monds Immediately. Further
more, If a boy attempted to
steal and was caught he would
never have the opportunity to
work in the mines again. AS
an added precaution (because
in the very early days some
Of the workers swallowed dia-
monds to get them out Of the
mines) all workers are duoro-
scoped when they leave.
@. In what languages--if
there are any-are the words
pronounced approximately as
they are spelled?-W. IF.
A. There are only a few
languages, like Serbian, Lithu-
anian and Basque, in which
the pronunciation corresponds
almost perfectly with spelling.
In English and French 1t is
widely divergent.
@. Why are most of the per-
fumes we buy synthetics?-
L. l.. B.
A. Because perfumes OBJ
tanned from flowers are far
too expensive for general use.
For instance, it takes two tons
of rose petals to produce one
pound of altar of roses which
retails at something over $35
an ounce.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
Bad Traffic Record

The Washington Metropolitan Area.
after several years Of award-winning
traffic safety achievements, has had
regrettable and unaccountable setback.
Highway deaths during the past year
for the city and surrounding counties
have risen 81 per cent over 1854. And
the year is not over-indeed one of the
more dangerous periods Is right at hand.
According to American Automobile
Association figures 181 men, women and
children have been killed on public roads
in the Washington area SO far this year.
Last year-one that saw Washington and
several other communities setting COM
mendably low records-the total number
of traffic deaths was 112 Only two juriS-
dictionS have a better record this year
than last, Arlington and Prince Georges
Counties. All other areas have expert
enced a tragic upturn in serious auto
mobile accidents. Washington set rec
ord low mark for traffic fatalities last
year, when SO persons died as result
of street and highway accidents But
that figure was passed some time ago,
and in the middle of this month the
death toll stood at &c..
Until the local statistics are carefully
analysed, safety authorities will not know
the reason for the years bad record.
Certainly there was not any noticeable
letdown in traffic enforcement, engineer
ing or education, which are the so-called
three Els of safety" But the statistics
always have proved one thing: That it is
the human factor, not mechanical or
other factors, that is Of major Importance
in preventing accidents That is why the
AAA, the National Safety Council and
other authorities are trying to impress
drivers that their lives, as well as the
lives of others, are in their own hands.
The warnings are especially pertinent
during the holiday season, when driver
fatigue, driver carelessness, and drink
induced driver reckleSsnesS are usually
prevalent.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Of the President and cannot be
delegated.
80 Mr.. Eisenhower would
then occupy the role Of elder
statesman but with the i'm
portant distinction that his
advice and recommendations
would carry the weight of the
office Of the vice presidency.
"a The people are assured
OF experienced. mature judg-
ment of undisputed integrity
upon which to rely in the event
Of an emergency.
Bernard S. Glassman.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
u. S. $40 Grows Tn

I wish to call attention to an
error in a news article carried
in the December IA Star under
the headline Extension of
U. S. $40 sought by Taney-
town." 1t was stated that poor
little U. s. $40 iS only SO miles
lonr running from Frederick
southwest to Winchester. This
was true uD until about two
years ago. but a glance at any
1854 or 1855 road map will
show that the southwest end
has been extended by more
than one hundred miles to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
Fnepower for Peace

The defenSes OF the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization will be significantly
strengthened in the coming year. This
has been insured by our Army's decision
to send to Western Europe, during the
first four months of 1856, six field artillery
battalions trained and equipped to fire
the Corporal guided missile, which can
be loaded with either an atomic or con-
ventional type of warhead.
At the moment there is Just one such
battalion available to NATO's command.
The additional Six-each made up of
three launchers and $50 men-will there
fore constitute formidable increase in
the firepower of the Atlantic alliance. To
be precise about 1t, the 40-foot-long Cor
poral is not complete guided missile.
This is so because it is controlled by
radar beam only during the first phase
of it's supersonic flight, after which it
carries on as regular ballistic projectile.
But it is nonetheless capable of striking
with remarkable accuracy at targets as
much as rs miles from the launching site.
AS far as NATO's land strength is
concerned, these Corporal units will sup
plement two other types of nuclear fire.
power that our Army now has on hand
in Western Europe-Q) several batteries
of Honest John bombardment rockets,
which have range of about 20 miles, and
(2) six battalions of our giant 280-milli-
meter atomic cannon, which number six
to battalion and can strike with great
all-weather accuracy at targets up to
30 miles away. In addition, our Air Force
is maintaining in free Germany two
squadrons of Matador pilotless bombers,
which can travel maximum Of approx
mately 500 miles to rain A-weapon de-
struction on enemy concentrations.
All this, coupled with the tremendous
atomic-hydrogen striking power of our
American and allied piloted planes eight
and heavy, adds up to a truly aWeSome
and almost unimaginable amount of de-
fensive and offensive destructive force at
NATO's disposal. And within the not
too-distant future, perhaps by 1860, the
arsenal of the free West will almost GER
tainly contain the intercontinental ballis-
tic missile-the so-called ultimate" or
absolute" weapon that would seem viz
tually uninterceptible as it travelled at
oPCC0 Va 4usOOu VI IlO1C ali llOuI W
annihilate city, within a period of 80
to 40 minutes after being launched, To-
Gated an ocean or continent away from
the launcher.
Actual and prospective weapons Of
this sort, of course, are not and cannot
be the exclusive property of the free
world. There Is no monopoly In this
dread field; after ALL the Soviet Union
is already close competitor in 1t. Even
SO, as long as we and our allies abroad
remain determined not to lose the race,
there will be solid ground for the hope
that our combined power-the ver-grow-
ing defensive wallop provided by such
things as the Corporal-will be enough
to deter Red aggression and make pos
sible, in due course, genuinely lasting
and trustworthy peace.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
Well, well, we'll

Well, well, we'll
Who's that knocking on the
kitchen door?
Bless his feline heart and
smudged coat. If 1t wasn't old
Grand Paw, white warrior of
Chevy Chase, after four
months absence!
A fat Grand Paw. too,
whereas in the old days he had
been miserably thin, and
SCARED from tail to nose, and
covered with dirt.
Now he was fat, and how
odd that seemed to the friends
of this terror Of the lanes,
streets and boulevards Of the
community.
Though roly-poly, he was
Enthusiastically the same cat.
For one thing, he had q big
smudge Of grease on his right
shoulder. showing his acquain-
lance with garages, as of old.
There was a wound on his
right flank, unhealed, but
healing, In natures magic way.
Some people think cats need
no medication. but that Is just
another bit of folklore. Ac-
tually. they do not have nine
lives, but only one, and that
none too healthy.
But what revealed Grand
Paw to his friends. above every
other sign was the, welcome
hiss he gave as the door was
opened.
He stepped into the kitchen
with this old hearty hiss of
his, as if to say:
mo monkey business, mind
you!
Here I am, ready to re-
ceive salmon, but no tricks,
pal.
Il have heard that you are
descended from a monkey.
and can believe it, after all I
have been through. His-s-s!"
Where have you been, all
this time. Grand Paw?" asked
Templeton Jones. Ut had to
be JoneS-nobody else would
have bothered with such a
dirty old outcast.)
Receiving no answer, Jones
tried again.
How did you happen to get
so fat?" he asked.
This time Grand Paw an
Swered, after his fashion.
He stood on his hind legs,
and meowed.
Coming as 1t did from a
clean face. the effect was cleo
trical. at least If one liked cats.
Il Il n n
Salmon. eh?" asked Tenn
pleton Jones.
Sure. you big bum," said
Grand Paw, land hurry up
about it. pleased"
The final word was put there
just for effect. The fat fell
low In white was not above a
little Establishment, now and
then, but you knew exactly
what he meant.
The terror of the neighbour
hood did not descend very
much. e.
He looked at the can of
salmon, and he looked at the
dish, and then he walked to
the door.
Templeton Jones, an old
hand with cat language. vast
ed no time.
When a fellow comes in out
of the cold on q morning when
the thermometer on the back
porch registers "a degrees, he