davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
Lobor's Spokesman

The Labor Day speeches by the men
who run the big unions were, for the most
part, just about what one would expect.
AFL President George Meany de-
claimed against the "shackles" fastened
on organized labor by the Taft-Hartley
Act and the right-to-work laws now in
force in some Is States. CLIO President
Walter Reuther Joined in with partisan
blast at "the present Republican big
business policy of neglecting the most
needy and favoring wealthy corporations
and special interests" A lesser CLIO light,
Secretary Treasurer James Carey, said
that he was "aghast and appalled," at
"the self-serving, greedy tactics Of the
present administration"
It was left to John L. Lewis to find
something encouraging in the national
outlook He said that "for the first time
In some years we have made an appreci-
able economic advance" and he added
that unless something is done that is
disturbing in the future, the country can
look forward to a continued period of
reasonable prosperity" This was in
interesting contrast to Mr.. Reuther's as
sertion that Republican policies spell
trouble down the road" Mr.. Reuther
didn't say what road or how far down it.
OF greater significance, perhaps, were
the comments on the political role that
labor expects to play after the AFL-CIO
merger later this year. Mr.. Lewis pre-
dicted that the merger, if carried out as
planned, will fall apart like a rope of
sand" But Messrs. Meany and Reuther
have other ideas.
The AFL president, who will head
the merged unions, said that "once labor
is united we are resolved to intensity the
political activities of labor and free the
trade union movement of these shackles
(Taft-Hartley and State laws) forged by
the political power of big business" Mr..
Reuther, somewhat more cautiously, said
that the united labor movement will be
more active than either the CLIO or ALL
separately"
On paper, this threat of concerted
union political action could be serious
matter. The AFL-CIO merger is expected
to bring some Is million workers together.
If their votes and the votes of their fam
lilies could be controlled they would domi-
nate the political scene. But the union
leaders, in the past, have not been able
to dictate to their members at the polls.
And there is no reason to think that they
will be able to do so in the future
especially while the Meany-Reuther-
Carey team continues to serve nothing
better than the reheated leftovers of their
Labor Day speeches. Fortunately, most
American workers, union or nonunion,
prefer to make their own political
decisions.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07

win represent the successful elimination
Of q commendable community effort to
save the 2S3-year-old home Of Charles
Carroll, the Barrister, from destruction.
Barrister Carroll was a relative of
another noted Charles Carroll, whose sig
nature on the Declaration of INDIE
pendence carried the qualification: "of
Carrollton." Lawyer Charles Carroll of
Annapolis was famous, too. He was
author Of Maryland's Declaration of
Rights, now part of the State Consti-
tuition. His brick-and-frame home was
to have been torn down to make way for
commercial development, but Historic
Annapolis, Inc, Anne Arundel County's
historical society, saved it through pub
lie campaign for $4,000 with which to
move 1t to another site. This is the latest
achievement to the credit of the civic
minded organization sponsoring the res
toration and preservation of "old Annap-
OILS" The movement is well worth the
time, energy and money being devoted
to 1t.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
One Gain at Geneva

It was nearly six weeks ago that
American and Communist Chinese dip
lomatic representatives met at Geneva
to discuss wide range Of issues between
the two countries. The talks had been
set up after Premier Chou >En-lai an
nounced at Banding in April that his
government was willing to enter into
negotiations" with the United States.
They followed by fortnight the summit
meeting" of the Big -Four powers at
Geneva and prompted speculation on
whether Red China was prepared to
adopt the new soft policy" of Soviet
Russia. On the day the talks began there
was promising development in the
Chinese release Of II American airmen
held prisoners since the Korean war.
Still held were Al American civilians, and
their release was the first item on the
Geneva agenda.
In the weeks since, the progress of
the talks has been painfully unproductive
until yesterdays unexpected announce
ment that IL Of the Americans were free
to leave China at once or in the near
future. It is, of course, welcome de-
velopment, but Ambassador Johnson
our chief representative in the talks-is
following wise and proper policy in
refusing to go on to any other issue
until agreement is reached on release
Of the other American civilians It was
not disclosed whether any concession was
made on our part to obtain release of this
first group. A number of Chinese stu
dents in this country have been denied
exit permits to return to Red China, but
they have not been restrained otherwise.
1t has been demonstrated many
times before that interminably long
negotiations, are fayorite Communist
strategy. The pattern is being followed
in this instance and only patience and
firmness seem an effective counter
technique. For the Americans still held
in Red China must be freed before there
can be any genuine relaxing Of the ten
sions between the two countries.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
VSTAS IN SCIENCE
Cotton Is Fighting Back
BY THOMAS R. HENRY

clothing. Tensile breaking
strength is not changed. They
are somewhat easier to tear
but this can be overcome py
another simple chemical treat
ment.
THPC, the chemists report,
is q compound made chiefly Of
the common chemicals. for.
maldehyde and hydrochloric
acid. Fabrics can be treated 80
as to produce any degree Of
flameproofness desired. One
commercial firm Is now max
ing the necessary chemical
compound on q pilot-plant
scale. Several textile finishing
plants are applying the treat
nnent.
Natural cotton, the Agri-
culture chemists believe, is SUI
perior to the synthetic fibers
for q very wide range Of uses.
The difiiculty has been that
some Of them have been much
better for specific purposes for
which they are designed. The
job then is to redesign cotton.
Superior Heat Resistance
BY a relatively simple chemi-
cal process known as acetyla-
ton. developed to a pilot-plant
stage by the Agriculture De-
partment chemists a few years
ago, more than 2 million square
yards of a tailored" cotton
fabric now are being produced
annually for pads and covers
for laundries and home IRON
ing boards. Due to its superior
heat resistance treated mate
rial lasts from three to six
times as long as ordinary cotton
for the same purpose. The
future market is estimated at
about 100 million pounds q
year.
This use would seem on
hand to be rather limited and
unimportant. Its great sig
nificance. the chemists say, il
that it marks a turning point
in the cotton industry-the re-
making of the fabric on o
large scale to meet specifically
defined requirements. The de-
velopment came at q critical
time when certain synthetic
fibers were threatening largely
to displace cotton in the laun-
dry industry.
Other tailoring" processes
now are under way. One IL
producing a cotton cloth espe-
cially adapted for shade cloth
in tobacco fields. Here the
prime requirement was resist
ance to deterioration by sun.
light.
In various other fields the
Agriculture Department chem
lists are alert to threats of the
synthetic flbers. They are pre-
pairing to strike back. If pos
sible. with cotton even better
adapted to the specific pur-
poses.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
Paying for Schools

Should there be free. tax
supported education fdr every
American child?
There are m a ny possible
ways to finance the education
Of the children Of q commu-
nifty. Since education is gen.
orally understood to be essen
tiai to the common welfare,
there is wide acceptance Of the
idea that the burden should
oe shared by the community
and not left entirely on the
parents. But how should the
community help? Should it
use tax money to maintain a
system Of schools that is &C
ceptable to the majority. and
permit the minorities to raise
their own funds for separate
schools? This is the method
Of supporting an established
church. and has about the
same arguments in its favor
arguments repudiated by our
Constitution. Another posi-
bility is that the community
funds be divided equally among
the children to be used for the
support Of the schools Of their
parents choice. This has the
advantage not only Of being
equitable. but also Of recog-
MIXING that parents have the
right to make q decision on the
matter without paying double
for disagreeing with the
majority:
Martha p. O'Keefe.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07

Department OF Agriculture
chemists are overcoming nat
ural shortcomings which have
placed cotton. one Of the Ma
tons major crops, somewhat
at q disadvantage compared to
newer synthetic fibers. They
are tailoring cotton cloth for
specific purposes. They are
producing fireproof fabrics
which are tougher. stretchier.
easier to dye and more abb
sorbent than ordinary cotton.
Notable Is the advance in
transporting. treatments for
which are being developed at
the departments regional lab
oratory at New Orleans in
cooperation with the Army's
quart ermaster department.
Quite aside from military re-
quirements, the laboratory
report points out, flameproof-
ing OF clothing. draperies, up
holstery, curtains and bedding
has far-reaching civilian i'm
portance.
Obstacles Overcome
All sorts Of efforts have been
made in this direction by both
commercial and Government
. laboratories for the last quarter
century. Several methods are
available but they fail to stand
up under rigid tests. Some
times the f1ameproofng quality
disappears after laundering.
Sometimes the fabric is weak
ened. stiffened, or its weight is
increased. Some Of the fire.
proofing treatments are poi-
sonous to the human skin
against which cotton garments
are worn. Sometimes the fab
ric becomes sticky. In other
cases it is too expensive, for
the chemicals used are rare
and difficult to obtain.
Now, the Southern Labora-
tory chemists report, they have
developed one practical flame
proofing treatment well beyond
the test-tube stage. The fab
ric is treated with a chemi-
cal known as THPC. The long
scientific name is tetrakis hy-
droxymet hyl phosphonium
chloride. It is in the form of
q resin and is relatively cheap.
This substance, the chemists
have found. not only gives
durable f1ameproofness but also
considerable rot or mildew re-
sistance. It also partly over
comes the strong tendency Of
cotton fabrics to wrinkle. This
is particularly important for
civilian uses in clothing, drap-
cry and curtains, the report
points out, while the rot re-
sistance is essential for mill
tary use in tents.
Treated fabrics. the report
says. retain their flameproof
qualities after repeated laun-
derings. They are easily per-
meable to water vapor, an es-
sential for their use In UNDER
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
Political Season OPENS

The Republicans, acting like a party
that wants to stay In power, are getting
down to some serious political business
in these closing days of summer. And it
is not too soon, as tested campaigners
In the Democratic ranks-notably Adlai
Stevenson and former President Truman
begin taking dead aim at President
Eisenhower and what look to them like
flaws in the administrations record.
Speculation about Mr.. Eisenhower's
own intentions UNDERSTANDABLE occupies
first place in the minds of both Republic
cans and Democrats. Several months
ago he semifacetiously declared a one
year moratorium on this particular ques-
ton in his news conferences. But this
will be difficult moratorium to enforce
made more so by the comments during
the past week end of some of his closest
political associates. On consecutive days,
for example, Harold Stassen, Henry Cabot
Lodge and Vice President Nixon made
public statements indicating either their
belief or their hope that Mr.. Eisenhower
again will head the G. o. P. ticket in
1856. Significantly, each mentioned the
Presidents high sense of duty to support
their confidence. Perhaps the most in
tereSting and most revealing, by impli-
cation, was Mr.. Nixon'S comment during
visit to the Presidents headquarters in
Denver. The Vice President, describing
Mr.. Eisenhower as being in "tiptop
shape" and having mastered his job to
point where 1t "has become easier for
him." said that those close to him have
become more optimistic than at any
time" that he will run again. While all
of these comments may be part of a
pressure campaign to keep Mr. Eisen-
hover in the race, there is reason for
feeling that Mr.. Nixon may have solid
grounds for his optimism.
Meanwhile key group of Republic
can campaign leaders-the 48 State
chairmen-are going through novel
refresher course in practical politics in
Washington. And they are due to visit
the President in Denver on Saturday All
aspects of national campaign are sched-
uled for analysis, with the President ex-
pected to provide the essential measure
of inspiration when he meets the group
on Saturday. Doubtless the State chair
men are hoping that Mr.. Eisenhower will
give them some solid clues about his own
plans.
There are, of course, reasons both
for and against an early declaration by
Mr.. Eisenhower. A party can best plan
its strategy, raise funds, choose candi-
dates for other Offices and make multi
tude of other preparations when it knows
who is to be it's national leader. These
have to be balanced against the advan-
tages to the opposition in having their
principal target identified early in the
game. But Mr.. Eisenhower, who has dis
played an increasingly sure instinct for
practical politics. can be depended upon
to time his announcement SO that it will
work to his best advantage and to the
greatest discontinue Of the Democrats.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

Such people 60 on tripping
up and down infested steps
until one sad day the step
falls OF and they fall down
with a broken ankle.
Keeping ever at 1t, in the
sense of conservation. means
realizing beforehand that our
insect enemies are clever.
and will outwit us II they can.
Their living depends upon 1t.
To hear some people talk,
you would think q nasty old
bat got into the attic just for
the pleasure Of soaring Aunt
Mamie.
or that the ants working
away on the lowest back step
do it Just for the pleasure Of
destruction.
Or that carpenter bees 60 In
for carpentering because they
don't like bricklaying.
To all Of which, one must re-
ply. Nonsense. The insect crea-
lures are matter Of fact peo-
pie, who must earn a living in
a very competitive world.
The bat gets into the belfry
because it just happens to slide
in, or is seeking q nice place
to rest. Accidental happenings
are a part Of their lives, Just
as Of ours.
The ants get iilto wooden
back porches because they like
to eat wood, and enjoy cutting
their way through it as a side
line. No doubt they are very
proud. in their little way, Of
what they are doing.
The carpenter bee enjoys q
snack Of wood, too. and also is
doing what comes naturally,
as the song says.
Let us try to see life from
the standpoint Of those other
living things that inhabit the
world with US for b time.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
Johnny's Plight

Red-faced school officials try
to explain, and bewildered
parents try to understand. why
the D. c. "Johnnys" can't read,
write, spell, or do their arith-
metic problems even as well as
their counterparts elsewhere
throughout the country. Mean
while, classroom teachers seem
to be maintaining a discreet
silence. To them the "revela-
tions" came as less Of a shock.
For many years they have
been under pressure from their
professional superiors - and
sometimes from parents, too
not to keep children back"
Modern education" respects
the taxpayer; he Shouldn't
have to pay for a child to be
retaught." It respects the
individual; a child's per-
sonality will be likely to be-
come warped If he "experi-
ences failure" while other chill
dren "in his group" are lex
periencing success. Besides,
he must be kept with his own
age group" or he will be
unhappy" With regard to
children Of low TO" the
naturalization is, HE has
learned all he is going to: he
won't know any more If he
repeats it,"
II pupils promotions are
based on other factors than
scholastic achievement, is it
fair to measure their progress
by subject-matter achievement
tests?
Retired d. C. Teacher.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
Down Argentine Way

1t would seem to this Amer
lean with no ak to grind. that
the top-heavy vote of the
Argentine House Of Deputies
constitutes a clear mandate
from the citizenry of that
beleaguered country, directing
its President to deal firmly
with the revolutionaries and
dissidents who oppose his
strong efforts to free his coun-
try from the economic yoke Of
foreign exploitation.
We can safely presume that
some substantial portion Of
the 100 deputies are both loyal
Argentinians and members Of
the Roman Catholic faith, and
were. moreover, cognizant Of
the views of their constituent
cies in the matter, inasmuch
rs they must stand for re-elec-
ton in their respective dis
tricts within the next three
years. Certainly, through
their constitutional represent
atives. the Argentine people at
large have expressed deep con-
fidence in their chief execu-
tive, and by q laundering
majority which even our own
President could hardly hope
to muster. II previous actions
by our Congress are indica-
tive.
And what of the IL who OPP
posed the proposal under con-
sideration by the lower house?
Were they liquidated or ban
ished to political exile, a fate
which any intelligent reader
Of the average American news
paper would be led to believe
would be theirs?
Rather than blindly echo
the slanted press releases Of
the British Embassy, the big
packers or our behemoths of
oil. it behooves the free Amer
lean press to make its own
impartial survey Of conditions
below the Tropic Of Capri
corn.
Frank j. Oberg.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
@. What is the beverage
called kava2-R T. p

@. What is the beverage
called kava?-R. E. p.
A. Kava is q peculiar nom
alcoholic but very intoxicating
beverage drunk in the islands
of the South Pacific. It is made
by mixing cocoanut milk with
the chewed or crushed leaves
or roots of the kava, q shrub
Of the pepper family. A small
amount produces intoxication
in q short time, probably be-
cause Of a poison Of an aka
loidal nature.
@. How does an electric eel
catch its prey?-B. Gel.
A. While cruising about, the
eel continually sends out Q
weak electric current which
works like Misunderstanding the
moving prey and bouncing
back to the eel. Sense organs
in the cells head enable it to
locate the prey. Swimming
toward it, the eel discharges
somewhere en- route enough
current to stun and immobil-
lie the prey without killing 1t.
Electric cells seem unwilling to
eat fish which they have
killed, according to persons
who have studied them in ex-
perimental tanks.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07

Bats in the attic. ants in
pants, ants on the back
porch
The latter are the easiest
to handle.
There are certain deadly
chemicals which. in small
cans, may be placed near the
steps Of wooden porches.
Some ants are carpenter.
in habit; they like to chew
wood, and make tunnels
through 1t.
Mark up one black mark for
wooden porches and steps.
Concrete. brick and stone are
not liked by ants.
The ant chemicals are al
most the same as those put
in our drinking water for mass
medication.
The difference lies in the
fact that the ants take it
straight. and this fixes them.
The little cans are pune
tured. and then placed be-
meath a box or bucket, turned
upside down.
A large old fashioned flower
pot with q hole in the bottom
is best.
When the pot is inverted
over the trap, no child, dog
or cat or bird can get at the
poison.
Ants have no difficulty.
In fact, they rather like to
| crawl in with difiiculty. Just
as human beings, so members
of the ant tribes exult over
danger.
II the small can of death
were left open on the porch,
the various ants would not
visit it half so quickly as if a
flower pot is placed over it.
Even If there is no hole,
the flower pot can be used,
because there will always be
q crack at the bottom, and
ants are famous for getting
into such small quarters.
Carpenter bees thrive on
wooden porches. too.
These are difficult to get at.
and harder to get rid Of than
ants.
The only way is to smoke
them out. and this is danger
Gus.
Perhaps the easiest method
is to remove the board or
rail that is showing signs
Of insect deterioration.
Sometimes ants build mud
tunnels up to the place or
step they intend to invade.
Keep a watch for these tun-
nels. especially If the house
is of wooden construction.
Various flying ants re-
semble termites. When one
gets to the latter visitation,
one truly needs an expert.
Something may be done,
however. by strict vigilance.
If the owner remembers
that wood is wood. with its
many virtues. but with some
plain faults and lacks, he will
be on the high road to some
sort Of perfection. In other
words, eternal vigilance does
it..
The moment he notices a
soft place in a step. he must
stop and do something about
1t.
Be not as the lesser breeds
without the law. who simply
do not care,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
Strike in Retrospect

Before you get further into
this piece, let me explain that
the bulge in my coat pocket
isn't caused by q bundle OF
Capital Transit stock. but is
actually an old hand towel
I carry around to dry my eyes
whenever I think about how
mean everybody has been to
each other.
Take Wolfson, for instance.
Look how mean he was to
transit riders. An look how
mean Bierwagen was to Broad
water and how mean the
PUG. was back at Louie again.
It's all the mean kind Of stuff
that makes everyone mad at
each other. and makes them
forget what they really ought
to be mad about.
When you don't personalize
the problem. you can see that
the recent transit strike was
over q condition. and not over
people. The problem: Modern
city traffic has outgrown our
Anticipated streets, and this
/. makes the operation Of q cheap
and profitable transit system
here impossible.
Instead Of the transit riders
and the p. u. c. and Bier
wagon. an Broadwater, and
Wolfson fighting each other.
they should have united in O
fight against the common en-
envy. congestion.
II you take an unprecedented
look at Capital Transit, you
will see that 1t isn't q bad
company. It has the finest
rolling stock east Of the Missis-
sippi, the second highest paid
transit employees in the United
States, and the happiest stock
holders in the world.
II I wasn't crying so hard. !
could say something nice. also.
about Wolfson. Bierwagen, the
P. u. c., and the transit riders,
but my towel Is too soggy to
60 on.
Anyway, what I'm trying to
say is, maybe we've been q little
too mean in giving the death
sentence to Capital Transit
for q condition 1t didn't cause
and over q strike 1t didn't start.
Sad Eyes.
4 4 4
I note that a Capital Transit
streetcar operator, recently on
strike,N was q witness against
the application of the new
Suburban Transit Company to
run buses down Sixteenth
street. because it might elm
mate some transit company
driver jobs.
THE public is entitled to
convenient service" the wit
> ness Is quoted as saying, most
kindly. I thought. "But the
public is not entitled to knock
us out Of jobs"
The obvious Interpretation of
that is that Capital Transit
strikers think it is perfectly
permissible to knock the public
out Of its rides. but that the
shoe does not At the other foot.
Tad Rankston
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-07
Midnight

The clock-hdnds meet at mid
nights tryst,
Their straight, unyielding
p0tDer
Tolls the end OF one days
magic,
Ching breath to this nep
hour.
Lee Riehord Hoymon