davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1955-05-18
Why Johnny Can't Read

Judging by comments heard frequently
among parents and older folks in general,
the forthcoming series of articles in The
Star on "Why Johnny Can't Read" will be
followed with close attention. The title
is from the widely discussed book Of the
same name. by DR.. Rudolf Flesch, whose
Nationwide survey of reading capabilities
of school children led him to conclude that
the art of reading is in a sorry state. DR..
Flesch is not one to 'mince words, either
written or spoken. He believes-as ap-
parently many worried parents believe
that the fault lies with the schools, not
today's generation of children.
The author, who holds a doctorate
from Columbia University's Teachers Col
lege, blames today's reading difficulties
on the American addiction to word recog-
milton" ("guessing" at words, he calls it) as
contrasted with the old-fashioned phonics
method of teaching spelling and reading.
He says in his book: "Your child'S trouble
with reading comes solely from the fact
that in school he has been taught word
guessing instead of reading-and by read
ing l mean getting the meaning of words
nothing else AS long as he cannot say
out loud what each letter combination
stands for, he cannot read. Memorizing
or guessing at the meaning of whole words
is not reading: on the contrary it is an
acquired bad habit that stands in the
way of your child's ever learning to read
properly"
DR.. Flesch was distressed to learn that
children in other countries, on the average,
are far ahead of American children in
ability to read. Significantly, other coun-
tries have not adopted the recognition
system in vogue in the United States in
most public schools. An article in The
Stars This Week Magazine last Sunday by
DR.. Frank C. Baxter, noted educator, de-
plored the lack of interest nowadays in
reading. The magazine is conducting a
campaign to revive interest in reading
especially correct reading. This movement
to give proper attention to the written
word and the facile reading Of it deserves
more support than has attended sporadic
efforts in the past,
Evening star., 1955-05-18

facts concerning the manu-
facture, military applications,
defense techniques, and direct
effects of explosions of atomic
bombs have been known.
Therefore, there is no justi-
fication for these tests to con-
tinue. A little guess work by
the most uniformed person
would have come very close to
the facts discovered in these
farces. It was not necessary
to blow up a village costing a
million hard-earned taxpay-
ers' dollars.
The tremendous waste is
bad enough but the damage
to humans and other forms
of life is criminal.
Most independent atomic
experts agree that the radia-
tion from the explosions is
extremely dangerous and will
affect not only present but
future generations.
If those concerned insist on
poisoning us in order to justi-
fly their well-paid jobs, I
should like to express the fer
vent hope that Congress will
feel moved to create legisla-
ton to protect the interests
of the people. This means, of
course, prohibiting further ex-
plosions except possibly under
certain conditions. But I
know of no justifiable condi-
tionS.
Aroused Citizen
Evening star., 1955-05-18
@. How many miles Of roads
are there in Death Valley?
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE

@. How many miles Of roads
are there in Death Valley?
p. I.
A. Five paved roads lead
into the valley, which has
about $50 miles of highways.
Death Valley is not as harsh
a place as many suppose;
many species of plants, NAM
mails and birds live there. A
variety of accommodations is
available within the Death
Valley National Monument,
which comprises 1881 square
miles and is administered by
the National Park Service.
@. Who were the two major
league baseball players who
teamed up in a comedy act
and appeared in vaudeville9
e. M. P.
A. AL Schacht and Nick Al
trock. For a long time. begin
ming in 1920. they we're the
sensation Of the American
League circuit, were featured
at World Series and played in
vaudeville. An argument over
who should get top billing
finally broke up the team.
Schacht and Altrock both
played with the Washington
Senators at one time.
@. What cities are using
volunteers to help the regular
police?-M. T.
A. In Kansas City a group
OF 1913 volunteers reports for
police duty two nights a week.
They wear uniforms and have
the same duties as the regu-
lars, but work for less time
and without pay. Citizens
between the ages of % and 80
are accepted If they can quail
ify. =
Evening star., 1955-05-18
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

at least dabble in home medi-
cine, often with profit to him
self and the drug stores, if not
to the doctors.
Allergies are a good field.
All the best experts can do
is try TO find out what is
causing the trouble.
Often it. is some food, and
then even the greatest spe-
cialist could do nothing b,:t
make sensible inquiries, and
take out Of the diet, one after
another. foods suspected to
being allergens.
In the old days, foods were
mostly suspected, when any
body came down with itches
or hive-like eruptions, but
now it is realized-even by
the layman-that there are
a host of other causes, notably
dust, animal dander, old fur
niture stufflng. and hundreds
Of other substances including
telegram blanks scented with
carnation!
You don't have to be a
doctor to have common sense.
You don't have to possess a
medical degree to know when
you itch, and to want to know
what causes it.
You have the right. under
the Constitution, and espe-
cially under the Declaration
of Independence, to do a little
intelligent dosing Of yourself,
If you want to-and want to
take the chance. After all,
you are your own business.
Evening star., 1955-05-18
Open Covenants

1t may be that Secretary Dulles is
OVERRIDING this business of open covenants
openly arrived at For while his televiSed
report to the President was, perhaps, a
good piece Of public relations, it is almost
necessarily subject to one Of two disabili-
ties Either he must be less than entirely
candid in such report, or he runs the
risk of prejudicing future negotiations
with foreign powers.
In this instance, on the whole, the Sec
retary Of State practiced restraint. There
may be some doubt, perhaps, as to the
wisdom Of publicly raising the question of
the tremendous impact" that the signing
Of the Austrian treaty can be expected to
have ON Soviet satellite states. 1t is pos
Sible, as Mr.. Dulles said, that the spirit of
freedom set loose in Vienna will spread to
Czechoslovakia and Hungary. It is equally
possible, however, that the best interests
of the unhappy people in those oppressed
states will not be helped by calling the
attention of the Kremlin to this prospect.
But there was relatively little bombast
in Mr.. Dulles report. He did not try to
embarraSS the Russians. He gave full
recognition to the assistance received
from our allies. And he was careful to
point out that the good results have come
from a bipartisan approach, beginning
with Mr.. Truman's early program Of aid
to Greece and Turkey.
These good results have not been
easily achieved. Quite the contrary.
From the first move to contain COM
munism down to the final emergence Of
West Germany as a NATO partner, one
obstacle after another has had to be over
come. defeatist feeling in some quar-
tiers that the future belonged to the Com
munists had to be reversed. The slow,
hard drive for economic recovery in West
ern Europe had to be set in motion and
maintained. The obstructive effects of
excessive nationalism and unwarranted
fears had to be overcome. And all Of this
had to be done to the accompaniment Of
a doleful chant from the pessimists at
home and abroad who were ever ready to
say that it couldn't be done.
But it has been done. Although peace
has not been finally assured, the founda-
tions of peace have been laid. Why has
it been possible to do this despite the
difficulties? Probably there are many
reasons. But principal one, certainly,
is embraced in Mr.. Dulles allusion to "a
turning in the tide of history" It is rea-
sonable to suppose that this tide began
to turn when free men first looked
squarely at the prospect of Communist
domination in an atomic age. 1t is tide
that was set in motion by the strongest
and most profound of human instincts
that of self-preservation. The ultimate
goal OF an assured peace has not been
reached, but the tide running in that
direction will not be easily turned back
Evening star., 1955-05-18

return so they spread all over
the world. A number of Jews
who had survived the Warsaw
massacre of 1943 had joined
the Warsaw battle of 1914 and
shared the common fate. Their
heroism and sacrifice will for
ever inspire Jews and Gentiles
alike in their struggle for
freedom.
So let it be said in memoriam
of those who fought in War
saw and elsewhere and lost
their homelands and freedom
behind the Iron Curtain in
Europe or the Bamboo Screen
in Asia, LET not those sacri-
fees be forgotten, let their
lessons not be lost!"
Victor.
Evening star., 1955-05-18

Sweet mothers who received
telegram greetings on Mothers
Day, all replete with floral pic
lures and fragrance, little sus-
pected what the messages did
to others.
One woman telegrapher.
who happened to be allergic
to the perfume used on the
blanks, came down with hive
like eruptions, and had to take
time off.
The question of allergies has
been a large one in recent
years, as medical knowledge
has spread beyond the bounds
of doctors offices and hospitals.
There are still some medical
men who believe no patient
has any right to be interested
in himself, and especially none
to discuss his malady.
Doctors in group meetings
have discussed this matter,
and come to the defense of
the patient.
According to the best medi-
cal opinion, a human being
does have a right to be inter-
ested in his own maladies, and
to talk them over with his
physician.
He has the right, according
to panel discussion (by doctors
themselves, remember) to have
an intelligent interest in him.
self, too.
If he makes a mistake in
discussing what he hears, it
Is no more than doctors do,
at times. Witness the mix-up
in the polio vaccine business.
y II
The old idea that every man
is his own physician or a fool
by the time he is 80 years old
dies hard, so hard, indeed,
that it doesn't die at all.
It just goes on having life
all it's own, and people every
where smear themselves with
antiseptics, and dose them
selves for colds. just as in
ancient American days when
everybody and his cousin had
the ague. or chills and fever,
and everybody had a remedy
which passed on to everybody
else
1t is true that some patients
ought not to be allowed to
doctor themselves.
Every MD's Office is full OF
them, at times, and especially
every dermatologist's office.
These are the exceptions.
If a person with an itch insists
on putting on the same home
remedy. though the place gets
worse and worse. whose fault
is that?
Such people never do any
thing right.
A recent issue of the Jour.
nal of the American Medical
Association carried an article
by an Evansville (Ind.) derma-
tologist, warning people against
home medication. and no
doubt he was right.
But not everyone is as stupid
as the poor people in the doc
tors cases
He, of course, was massing
his effects, and picked out
only the dumb bunnies who
never do anything right, any
way.
An intelligent handling Of
ones ailments may go a long
way to getting results. If one
uses caution and common
sense, and has a proper re-
spect, even fear, for the mod.
ern pharmaceutical industry
Today's press gives a great
deal of medical information,
and by using it with due cir
r1iYnSDection the reader ma ..
Evening star., 1955-05-18
federal Center Boost

A reasonable and practicable plan for
active Federal participation in the rebuild
ing of Southwest Washington has been
worked out by Senator Symingtons Public
Works subcommittee. Under the proposed
legislation, an easy-payment method OF
financing construction of Government
buildings in the redeveloped community
would be provided. without such an ar
rangement the chances of creating "Fed-
eral center" coincident with private re-
construction of the area would be very
slim.
The subcommittee, with the approval
of Federal and District authorities, has
recommended changing the Federal Lease
Purchase Act so that it will At in with the
general redevelopment program sponsored
by the Zeckendorf interests. This means,
more specifically, provision for negotiation
of contracts for buildings earmarked for
eventual Federal ownership. The national
purchase law calls for competitive
bidding. Since the Zeckendorf program
is based on negotiation-a concession re-
garded in official quarters as justified in
view of the Webb g. Knapp preliminary
investments in the enterpriSe-the national
law as it now stands bars Federal CO.
operation.
The subcommittee rightly has insisted
on safeguarding the public interest, while
seemingly favoring the zeckendorf plan.
District taxes on all se-purchase prop
critics must be paid until title actually is
transferred from private to public owner
ship. The Government will pay "fair
market value" for the land Negotiations
for contracts will be open to all interested.
And as new Federal buildings rise in the
Southwest, tempos on the Mall will be de-
molished on an equivalent-space basis. If
Congress gives It's approval to some such
constructive legislation as that suggested
by the subcommittee, long step will have
been taken toward assuring success Of the
big Southwest project.
Evening star., 1955-05-18
Wooinq Tito

It is a truly extraordinary thing that
Soviet leaders as highly placed as Premier
Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev are going
to go all the way to Belgrade this month
to WOO President Tito. How times have
changed since the latter's 1948 break with
the Kremlin! What difference between
today and that period of years-wh1ch
lasted until Stains death-when the
Yugoslav maverick was ceaselessly rev1leo
and threatened by the entire Moscow
directed Cominform!
Certainly, in deciding now to make
special pilgrimage to confer with this man,
RuSsia's topmost leaders must feel tnat
they have much to gain~from the venture
even though 1t may entail some loss OF race
for them and big boost in personal pres
tige for him. So it is not surprising that
there are few questioning misgivings IN
the West. Is Tito returning to his hrst
love? Is the Kremlin undertaking this
maneuver with the expectation that 1t WILL
break up the Yugoslav v-Greek-Turkish de-
tense pact? Or is it primarily interested,
as Senator Walter George believes, in seek
ing to have Belgrade embrace policy OF
neutrality" that could be tied In with an
about propaganda offensive aimed at
keeping free Germany unarmed and out
of the Atlantic alliance?
The Kremlin's objective, needless to
say is thing that can only be guessed at.
But whatever it is, Mr. George, speaking
as chairman of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, is on sound ground In
predicting that it will not affect the Bonn
Republics "fulfillment of her obligations
%o NATN" And Marshal Tito for his own
part, has been at pains to emphasize that
his meeting with the Soviet leaders Will
involve 10 secret deals upending his coun-
Evening star., 1955-05-18
LETTERS TO THE STAR

names may be used u
letters carry Writers' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to con-
denSGtion.
Evening star., 1955-05-18
Falls Out With Science

The very great waste Of
money, manpower and ex-
tremely valuable raw mate
rials in the atomic explosions
and the serious danger to
present anc future genera
tionS compels me to again
express my opinion on this
important subject.
For a long time, all of the
Evening star., 1955-05-18
Questions and Answers

to any factual question bv writing
The Evening Star Information Bu-
reau 1900 Eve st NV Washington,
B, d e Please tnclose 2 cents for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
Mr.. Davies
Is Host

Former Ambassador Joseph
e. Davies gave q dinner last
evening at his famed estate.
Tregaron. The guests went
ON later to see the last Wash
ington performance Of THE
Great Sebastians," starring
Lynn Fontanne and Alfred
Lunt.
Mr.. Davies and the Lunts
are old friends from the days
when they all lived in Water
town, Wis, where the former
was born.
Among the guests last eve
ming were Dean Of the WASH
ington Cathedral and Mrs.
Sayre. the Swiss Minister and
Nine. de Torrente. Mrs. Sher-
man Adams, whose husband,
the assistant to the President,
was of to a stag dinner. and
Mr.. and Mrs. Fontaine Broun.
the latter is Mr.. Davies
daughter.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
Hunt Ball
Is Held at
Manor Club

The colorful Redland Hunt
Ball took place last evening.
In the lower right hand corner
Of the invitation 1t read scar
let If convenient" and that
caused several Of the male
guests to appear in their pink"
coats.
The party took place at the
Manor Country Club from
1890 to 1880.
Among those giving parties
beforehand were Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph Richards. jr., Mr..
Thomas T. Mott, Mr.. and Mrs.
William F. Carl, Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph Burrows, and the Au-
gust Lees and Warren Tydings
combined to give one together.
Mr.. Mott and Mr.. Carl are
joint Masters Of the Hunt; Mr..
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
Chile's Mario Rodriguez
Returning as Ambassador

size of the house-at delight
fully informal parties. At the
close of this last stay in
Washington. Mr.. Rodriguez
was transferred back to the
Foreign Once and has been
chief of the political depart
ment since 1858.
First Since 1854
There has been no Ambas-
sador to Washington since
Anibal lara was recalled early
in the summer of 1854. Mrs.
lara returned to Chile in late
April or early May last year
and he joined her there some
weeks later. Since the de-
parture Of Mr.. lara the coun-
selor. Horacio Suarez, has been
Charge d'Affaires.
The Rodriguez will find
waiting to greet them her
mother, Mrs. Talman. who
lives on Hillyer place, which
the family has called home"
for many years. Also here to
welcome them are Navy Capt.
and Mrs. BENJAMIN L. Edes
Talman. who live in George
town. EdeS. as Capt. Talman
is known. and his wife, the
former Rosalind Rust, in re-
cent years have taken up the
art Of painting and have had
considerable success.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
By KATHARINE M. BROOKS

BY KATHARINE M. BROOKS
Good news comes from Chile
with the official word that
Mario Rodriguez has been ap-
pointed Chile's Ambassador to
Washington. The keen, career
diplomat and his charming
wife have been greatly missed
since they went home in 1858.
He then was serving at the en-
bassy as Minister and also
alternate delegate to the Or
ganization of American States.
Mr.. Rodriguez first came to
Washington as second secre-
tary in 1881. This was his first
foreign post. It was during
that tour of duty here that he
met and married Miss Mar
jorie Talman. daughter Of Mrs.
Charles Fitzhugh Talman and
the late Mr.. Talman. Mrs.
Talman still makes her home
in Washington and was. her.
self, a belle in her debutante
days. Before her marriage to
Mr.. Talman, she was a scien-
fist with the Government.
Made Deput Here
Mrs. Rodriguez made her
debut herein fact was born
in Washington and went to
school here. She was a very
popular member Of the young
er circles of residential So
ciety before her marriage to
the brilliant young diplomat.
Mr.. Rodriguez served at the
embassy on his first tour Of
duty for four years and then
went home for q time In the
Foreign once.
When he returned to this
Capital in 1912 he came as
counselor and had had duty in
Lima and in Rio de Janiero
In addition to duty in the
Foreign once. He was here
q comparatively short time
then, but was back in October,
1916, as minister counselor
and shortly after was made
Minister and alternate dele
gate to the GAS.
Mr.. and Mrs. Rodriguez
made their home on South Lee
street in Alexandria. where
they entertained small groups
Of guests-in keeping with the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
G. O. P. Group TO Hold
Dessert Bridge Party

The Arlington Republican
Women's Council will hold q
dessert bridge party at the
Rock Spring Neighborhood
House, Rock Spring road and
Little Falls road on Tuesday
at / pm. Canasta and Scrab-
bic will also be played. Guests
are asked to bring their own
cards or games. Mrs. Wilbur
Young Is general chairman of
the event.
There will also be q White
Elephant sale. Any contribu-
tons will be welcomed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
Panel to Hold
Discussion

"Religion-Personal or Pub
lie" will be the subject Of a
panel discussion by three
prominent local attorneys at
pm. Tuesday In the Hotel
2400.
Arnold Levy, q member of
the executive board of the
Jewish Community Council of
, Greater Washington and
Chairman Of the District
Chapter of the American jew
ish Committee. will moderate
the panel which includes San
ford Bloc and Abraham Harris.
Mrs. Balfour Brickner,
chairman Of the Council Of
Jewish Women's Contemporary
Jewish Affairs Committee, Is
in charge Of the program.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
TO-DAY RI ''SoczE7Y

Richards is honorary secretary
and Mrs. James T. Lowe was
chairman of the ball commit
tee. Members of her committee
included Mrs. Calvin S. Mar
tin, Mrs. Edward w. Fletcher,
Miss Judy johnson, Mrs. Ty-
dings. Mrs. H. King Vann and
Mrs. Jerome McGrath.
Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-10-14
Harold Tolley Printer

Columbia Falls has been more active in recent years
than the Rocky Mountain Riders saddle club
Hence it is with mixed emotion that we find new
economic uses for horses showing in these parts.
In recent years. American people have become
mass purchasers of canned dog food, and principal
source of the pet food seems to be horse meat
Result is that D. G. Galley, local buyer tells us
that while the Gamer market is temporarily down
price paid has been up to six cents pound
This week. Glacier National Park is disposing Of
Dizzy, age g. Rock and Rawhide 20 years each, and
Blaze, II. They've served Glacier well.
Time was that the worn horse market was pack
er who wanted animal that would live through
just one exhausting hunting season in the woods,
man with mink or fox farm, and occasionally the
family that wanted gentle old horse for the child
rem.
Now worn horses tending to bring higher
prices with the market for Gamers It is more hui
ending for the horses than was generally prev
alent in past years.
Our civilization provides cattle for beef and milk
When it comes to horses we are more sentimental
and wish there was social security setup for them
Wouldn't it be fine to retire all old horses to pas
ture. MR
Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-10-14
BoyIes Retires 10
Falls vefviIIe

Back in 1916, E. NJ Boyles, Great
Northern Railway conductor, living
in Minot, was one of the prime
boosters of the Great Northern Vet
vile for Vets Association that pur-
chased II acres near Columbia Falls
for future homesites.
Idea Of the railroaders, most of
them approaching retirement age,
was to have homesites or summer
cabin sites near the Great North
ern mainline in a vacation area.
Boyles has served as secretary and
a director of the association since
it was established in 1916. In the
| meantime he built cabin in Vet
vile.
This fall finds the Minot conductor
retired as of Oct. 8, and in Column
bia Falls at the cabin improving it.
He started working for the Great
/ Northern in 1909.
The retired railroader with the
jolly Santa Claus look has some
fine hobbies. Back in 1881 he help
ed organize and was president of
the MinOt Skating club, which has
sponsored a number of ice follies.
He still figure skates, but calls it
1.-THE frog pond type" He also likes
roller skating and fishing.