davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1955-06-03

ones Of the grackle. There II
a meanie for you! The grackle
will do something no self
respecting hawk of any size
would ever do. The grackle
loves to kill for the sheer fun
of it, and often will tear on
the heads of baby cardinals in
a nest, one after the other.
Hawks kill only to eat.
Campaigns by bird-conScious
people in recent years have
tended to overcome the preju-
dice Of many country people.
Now some States forbid the
shooting Of all hawks.
It is realized that the good
they do far outweighs q pullet.
now and then.
=
For many years there was q
pigeon hawk. as commonly
called, which lived in the tower
of the old Post Of1ice Depart
ment Building.
This one was large enough
to seize pigeons with ease.
Hawks have very weak ia
ions, comparatively speaking.
and hold the prey down while
the killing blow is delivered
with the beak.
1t is interesting to watch
one Of the sparrow hawks
come in for the kill.
1t never flies directly in, but
to some branch 20 to 30 feet
from the group Of smaller
birds.
Often the preliminary cir
cling far above the selected
site alarms the small birds.
which quickly seek cover In
bushes and vines.
Usually there are a few
which, for some reason or
other, do not fly away. but re-
main where they are. Prob
ably they have somewhat lost
touch with the consciousness
of their race, at least for a
brief time, but long enough for
the hawk.
He selected one victim, and
launches himself at 1t as
straight as an arrow.
Then he carries it into a
tree, holds it down, and pro-
ceeds to tear out the feathers
until he can deliver the killing
blow at the heart.
The pathetic small pile of
feathers shows where a hawk
has been. The sparrow hawk,
though smallest of his tribe.
has quite a wing spread, and
now and then catches and kills
a jay.
When bird feathers are found
neatly together in q small cir
Gle, say no more than IL
inches, the finder may be sure
he is looking at the work of a
hawk. not q cat.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Tees or on Zeckendorf

What more must the God
fearing, orderly-society
tanning citizens of our Nations
Capital have to bear!
On the front page Of The
Star of May 27 was the head
ing. "City Needs Splicing Up."
Mr.. Zeckendorf- head of a
New York company--wants to
make Southwest Washington q
center Of good music, dining,
theater, liquor, wine, art, ETC."
those things, he says, that
demonstrate that man does
not live by bread alone"
Shades of Goliath, Rab-
shaken, Hymenaeus and Alex
ander!
Such blasphemous use Of the
solemn words of the Saviour
Of Mankind in His hour Of ter
rible temptation demonstrates
that the prior blight in this
area was better than what
socalled developer Zeckendorf
proposes for Washington's
much-taxed maintainers Of
civic righteousness.
Rev.) Norman sandridse.
Evening star., 1955-06-03

New varieties Of plants. some
Of which may prove Of consid-
erable value to agriculture.
are being produced in a mass
radiation experiment at the
Atomic Energy Commissions
Brookhaven. L. L. laboratory
O project in which rs United
States and Canadian institu-
tions are participating.
Successes in this work to
date have been few but per-
haps of real Importance, ac-
cording to the indications Of
an exhibit arranged for the
National Academy Of Sciences
here. Most significant devel-
opments thus far are q rust
resistant strain Of oats and
changes in color and size of
carnation blossoms.
These, it was emphasized In
the exhibit, are only first
steps. It long has been known
that mutations or hereditary
changes, at least 999 out of a
thousand of which are harm
ful. can be produced in plants
and animals by both X-rays
and the more penetrating
gamma rays. The Brookhaven
experimenters also are work.
ing with neutron beams, the
heavy artillery of the atomic
world. with which they affirm
results are more uniform.
Progress From Mutations.
But. presumably. all evolu-
tion for better or worse has
been the result Of mutations
and all the advances of life
on earth since the beginning
are attributable to the rare
favorable mutations. In do
mestic animal breeding ratio
Of 999 to / is altogether out of
the question: but In plants it
makes little difference, and
there always is the possibility
that the one favorable muta-
ton will more than offset the
999 unfavorables, all of which
can be thrown in the discard.
Brookhaven scientists are
working in two directions.
The first is bombarding the
seed or plant germ plasm so
that all succeeding genera
tions will contain any mutation
which is produced: and the
second is bombarding the
plant tissue. such as a tree
branch. over a long period.
Mutations do not become
hereditary in the plants germ
plasm but can be propagated
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Navy Shuttle

Just how long are civilians
filling high Government posi-
tions going to be able to get
rid of such competent men as
Admiral Robert Carney just
because they use their heads
in running their departments?
Navy Secretary Thomas was
quoted as telling friends that
"his C. N. o. (Chief of Naval
OpeTations) is running the
Navy to suit himself - and
that his (ThomasD own ideas
were being ignored-so he de-
cided not to reappoint Admiral
Carney"
This same thing happened
when Admiral Denfeld testi-
fed before Congress not too
long ago. These are two fine
men and excellent officers with
years Of specialized training.
v. M. g.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Sober Thoughts

The excellent photograph in
The Sunday Star, May 20, Of
World War II GIS landing in
England, smiling affectionate
gratitude to their British well
corners, brought sober thoughts
on Memorial Day. when an
other world war was being
talked of so glibly by some.
Many of the men whose srnil-
ing faces were pictured no
doubt failed to return. falling
victims to the Nazi war ma
chine.
What a grave responsibility
the memory of these young
men places upon our leaders
not to engage in third world
war in this atomic age, where
in the dead will be not only
our sons and husbands, but
civilians. including little chill
dren. AS a doctor of medicine
recently wrote in your COL
umns. our moral duty is not to
plan survivor relief for an
other WARRIOR there will be
no survivors. A wise writer
said long ago that "he who
lives hv tho Surord shon rl;a I,x,
the sword" AS a mother, /
feel the responsibility must
begin in our own land. The
rafting of ever-bigger atomic
bombs in the far corners of the
globe can lead only to national
suicide. The arts Of peace and
peaceful coexistence are what
we must practice if we are to
survive.
Marcia Eelter.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Reminded of a Story

Sam D. Galaxy. who makes
quite a case against anony-
nous "Pediatrician" and doc
tors in general, reminds me Of
a naval officer I once knew.
The officer engaged in a pro-
longed and bitter feud with
his ships doctor about some
technicalities pertaining to
the doctors duties. The officer
won his point, to the discom-
future and anger of the physi--
clan. Then. one of his fellow
officers pointed out some per-
tinent facts he had appar-
emily overlooked: The ship
was alone at sea for long peri
ods; the doctor was conceded
to be a competent physician
and surgeon: there was no
other doctor aboard.l It was
thereafter rumored that the
naval officers nightly prayer
was: Dear God, don't let me
get appendicitis until I get on
this ship"
Roland Bieren, M. ID.
Evening star., 1955-06-03

time high. The pressures put
on prospective customers are
enormous. All buying is, pro-
claimed to be great savings"
when really it is great SPEND
ings. "No cash down" and
"A long time to pay" are al
most universally used induce
ments. and this persuades
many persons to buy much
more than they otherwise
would. But in a time of pros
perity down payments should
be large and full payment
rapid. Therein is financial
safety. Prices asked are
claimed to be Is to SO, or even
so. per cent savings, but no
proof is given.
Large-scale overspending on
a credit basis in time. of pros
perity is a sure sign of flnan-
cial trouble, if not leading to
actual depression. Business
firms loaning money to private
individuals know this well.
They must sense that the time
of financial trouble is already
here. Ten Of their ads were
noted on two pages Of q recent
daily paper. One ad was titled:
I'm Debt.?" Another was
headed: Payment Troubles?"
They all emphasized confiden-
tial service and easy terms.
Are the enticing sales ads and
the soothing debt services in
surfing that the next ''bust" is
on the way?
Carleton r. Ball.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Drastic PROPOSAL


Chairman Cannon Of the House Ap-
preparations Committee has introduced a
bill with the commendable purpose of bal
ancing the Federal budget. But the
methods proposed for accomplishing that
objective are certain to stir up a storm
OF opposition from the executive branch
of the Government And as written, the
bill would have a profound effect on
Federal-District fiscal relations most
likely in ways disadvantageous to the
District.
The bill would abolish the present
Budget Bureau and transfer most of its
functions to new Commissioner General
Of the ONCE of the United States Budget
under direct control of Congress, rather
than the President. The powers which
this new legislative officer would have over
the executive departments and the District
government are drastic, to say the least.
For example, he would be given authority
to "reduce or eliminate any (budget) item
submitted by the head of any executive
agency" which "in his opinion" may be
necessary to balance the budget cor other
wise to promote economy in Government
or maintain the Government on sound
fiscal basiss There is no limitation what
ever on how far the Commissioner General
Of the Budget could go in curtailing
estimates, say for national defense.
But that is not all. Section 208, en-
titled Securing Information From Execu-
tive Agencies" Is certain to be fought by
the executive branch. This section states:
Each executive agency shall furnish to
the Commissioner General such informa-
ton as he may from, time to time require;
and the Commissioner General. or any
employe of the Office of the United States
Budget when duly authorized by the Com
missioner General shall, for the purpose
of securing such information, have access
to, and the right to examine, any books,
documents, papers or records OF any such
executive agency" No such authority ever
has been granted any agent OF Congress
in the past-and the President Is not apt
to agree to such broad grant Of power
now. Under it, the new omcial could even
inspect secret files of the Central Intelli-
gence Agency, the Federal Bureau of In
vestigation, the Atomic Energy Commits
sion and other sensitive" agencies.
Since the District government Is
listed specifically among agencies" af-
fected by the bill, the new budget chief
presumably could "reduce or eliminate"
any local function as he saw fit, in the
interest of balancing the local budget
And, for the overall purpose of balancing
the national budget, he apparently could
cut the Federal payment as necessary.
All of the Commissioner Generals
actions, of course, would be subject to final
approval of Congress. But there is nothing
in the bill that says he must afford hear
ings to Federal or District officials. The
Cannon bill was dropped into the hopper
without advance notice. 1t should be kept
right where it is.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Takes the Hiqh Road

The article, 90 Our Bike
Makers Need Tariff or Better
Bikes?" by Jack Jonas. in The
Sunday Star Of May 20, is of
special interest to us few
adults in the District who ride
bicycles as a means of going
from one place to another.
The vast majority of adults
in this country don't ride BIZ
cycles. That is why the officials
who fix the tariff rates need
to ask whether imported BIZ
cycles are better than most of
those made in the United
States. After riding the heavy,
gaspipe-frame, coaster brake,
large-tire. Americana made BIZ
cycle, the pleasure of changing
to light. easy-running bicy-
Gle of the type usually i'm
ported is too great to be easily
forgotten.
In Europe, bicycles have
long been important vehicles
for adults, who demanded the
best. When riders in this
country found out how much
better the English-made bicy-
cles were. they paid about $40
more on each one to get them.
After the prices became about
equal, the country was flooded
with foreign-made bicycles
and American manufacturers
began to ask for higher tar
ifs.
Increasing the tariff on BIZ
cycles will cause the people
of our country to pay higher
prices for them, but will not
force riders back to the stupid,
balloon-tire coaster-brake
type.
George Frederick MiIlar
Evening star., 1955-06-03
For WiIlium Butler
Yeots

o heart so intimate NTH
stars,
Spirit, 10hose every Dord tDds
fame,
Do you from deep OF holding
bars,
In purple-blue OF Twilight,
claim
One hour of mortal life to see
Round ,Ddlls of Thor the
tDhite moths soar,
And hear through peace OF
InniSfTee
Blue Ddters ldpping the lake
shore?
Do you, while distant fddles
suing,
Moue silently from Drum
clife'S gloom
To match Wee People dance
and sing
on silvered sod; then seek
the tomb
OF ancient gods, toho long haze
slept,
Whose heritage you 30 Uell
kept?
Katherine EdeImen
Evening star., 1955-06-03

The people of Washington are in
debted to Chairman Davis of the House
District Crime subcommittee for his help
in expediting legislation to change the
existing law applicable to the defense OF
insanity in criminal cases.
Several proposals for revisions of the
law were made by special subcommittee
of the District Council on Law Enforce
ment after a seven month study of the
problem. These were Incorporated in
bill introduced this week by Mr.. Davis, and
it is hoped that hearings on the measure
will start next week.
It is highly desirable that Congress
act on the bill at this session if possible
For the study group found that in the
present state of the law, as interpreted in
a series of recent decisions by the Court
of Appeals, "a serious and dangerous i'm
balance results in favor of the accused and
against the public
There is ample reason to believe that
this is a valid conclusion. There is equally
good reason to believe that the adoption
of the proposed changes would help ma
terially to protect the public interest with
out depriving accused persons of any ap-
pIoplIdtc IlSAoS VI SaiSS udAuS AAAAo 10 GO
pecially true of two of the proposals. One
calls for mandatory commitment to
mental hospital of person found not
guilty of crime because of insanity, and
for judicial concurrence in his release
from the institution upon regaining his
sanity The other would reverse the courts
ruling in the Taylor casa ruling which
holds that psychiatrist who treats de-
fendant pleading insanity is barred from
testifying that the accused person freely
admitted that he was taking insanity.
Apparently there is no significant dis
agreement among interested officials as to
the desirability of the changes. This being
enactment of them before Congress ad-
journs.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Public Hearing Due

The Virginia State MIX Commission
ought to grant promptly the numerous
requests for public hearing on retail milk
prices Several previous demands for
hearing have been taken under advise
ment." Now the commission is confronted
with another petition, this time from the
governing board of county with large
dairy farming interests, namely, Fairfax
County.
The disparity has become wider as
Evening star., 1955-06-03

1889 to 1947, treaties, land
grant papers, pension records.
surrender documents Of World
War II, the Declaration Of
Independence, the Constitu-
ton, and many other famous
and important documents of
American history. There are
almost 100000 cubic feet Of
records in the National Ar
chives Building in Washing
ton, d. c. -
@. How is hardboard made?
Fl. w.
A. Small wood chips are
steamed, ground. shaped and
welded by pressure and heat
into q smooth. flexible. non
warping board. Many uses
have already been found Tor
this new man-made product.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Russia Woos Japan

OOVleJ RUSSIA, now concentrating on
peaceful negotiations rather than threat
full gestures, has launched major bid to
improve its position In the Far East. The
bid is being made in high-level diplomatic
talks with Japan, the first on this plane
between the two countries since World
War II. Suggested several months ago by
the Moscow government, the talks are
being held in London with Jacob Malik,
Soviet Ambassador to Britain, and Shu-
nichi Matsumoto, former Japanese Am
bassador to Britain, as the negotiating
principals. A peace treaty and trade
agreement are ostensible detectives, but
numerous other considerations are ex-
pected to figure Importantly in the
bargaining.
There is little doubt, for example, that
the Soviet Union would like to draw Japan
away from its present close relationship
with the United States-perhaps to
position Of relative neutrality in the cold
war. In return, Moscow can offer some
tempting rewards to the Tokyo govern
ment Among them could be support for
Japan's application for admission to the
United Nations, repatriation of an esti-
mated 10000 Japanese prisoners OF war
now believed in Russian labor camps, the
granting of fishing rights which have been
in controversy for the past 10 years, and
perhaps even the return of some of the
Russian-occupied former Japanese north
ern islands A trade agreement alone
could have strong appeal to Japan, whose
high industrial production requires out
side markets and cheap sources of raw
materials.
Actually, each side is in good bar
gaining position. The concessions which
Russia might make would not be costly
to the Soviet Union in material sense,
but could 60 far toward strengthening the
prestige and the economy of Japan. And
even the slightest drift by Japan toward
more friendly relationship with the Com
munist bloc-or away from its presently
close association with the West-would
have tangible value for Moscow.
Obviously, then, the progress and
results of the talks are Of great interest
to our own Government and to the other
free powers of the Asian-Paciflc area.
Japan is the strongest potentially at least,
of the countries in that part OF the globe.
It's bonds with the United States have
been woven carefully in recent years.
And while internal economic and political
considerations tend to make it more re-
ceptive to working out modus vivendi
with Soviet Russia, and perhaps with
Communist China, there has been no other
evidence that the japanese wish to relax
their ties with the United States and the
associated free nations. In its relatively
new sovereignty, however, Japan is in
strong position to extract benefits from
the current neutrality-suspicious. without
serious detriment to our interests.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
THIS AND THAT
SEVENTEENTH STREET.
BY CHARLES {. TRACEWELL

SEVENTEENTH STREET.
Dear Sir:
II have been amazed,
amused and abused by one of
Templeton Jones' feathered
friends-a beautiful but bel
ligerent sparrow hawk. For
at least five years at this sea-
son he has taken over this
neighborhood In a truly die
tatorial way. We called him
Stain. r. t<
Our seventh floor apart
ment faces north and east,
where there is q small park
with several tall and lovely
trees. One is dead. and Stain
percl1es on the topmost
branch. just daring any one
to come to the window-we
don't have to open it--and
down he swoops within inches
Of the glass-hesitates in mid
air and flies back to his perch.
Same thing happens if we
open the window. The other
day I hung out of the north
windows to watch the fire en-
gines, felt something brush my
hair. and, guess who? Yep,
Stain. He often uses our wide
window sill for a parade
ground. and If we go to that
window he dares us to do any
thing about it. He has the
most malevolent eyes I've ever
seen. We suspect that he is
guarding a nest on our build
ing. but only once have we
seen another sparrow hawk.
Could this be the same bird
that took over five years ago?
Sincerely, I. B. c."
The small sparrow hawks are
among the most beautiful of
all birds.
Their eyes are not exactly
mean, but arrogant, look one
often sees in human beings.
Certainly they have the most
perfect posture of any feath-
cred creature.
A hawk of any type on a
branch is a picture few artists
can paint.
He perches there as If by
divine right, which, indeed, he
can claim. If any wild creature
can.
He is "a good scavenger,
feasting on mice and other
rodents. as well as sparrows,
now and then.
Occasionally he will take a
pigeon, but usually they are
too large for the little fellow
to handle.
He is all hawk, however,
with the tribes dictatorial
look.
His eyes. as we see them, are
no meaner than the yellow
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Word for Polio Wixup

The May 20 Sunday Edi-
torial Section review of the
polio vaccine confusion does
not include a very important
adjective. "sarbu."
According to a newly pro-
posed dictionary. this word is
defined as follows: Situation
abnormal. really botched up"
Yours is a wonderful news
paper.
J. M. Wray, Jr.,
C.W.O., U. S. NJ. c. (Ret'd.).
Evening star., 1955-06-03

The tremendous power Of
the new cars is not realized by
motorists, and with more dis
cretion many accidents could
be eliminated.
With the tragic Memorial
Day traffic toll, I thought you
might like to present to the
public the following admoni-
ton:
What's wrong with drivers?
Too much horsepower and too
little horse sense.
Safety Man.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry writers' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
SGtion.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
Postal Poy Raise

I have long been q SUD-
scriber to your fine paper and
have always been impressed
by your fairness in printing
both sides of any question,
even the products Of my poor
pen.
It seems that the postal sal
ary farce continues and that
indeed q mouse might be
brought forth. It takes only a
little simple arithmetic to
arrive at the conclusion that
the proposed increase, after
proper deductions, is wholly
inadequate and falls far short
of restoring any semblance of
former purchasing power. One
reads of automation, of a con-
stantly rising economy and
even Of the three-car family,
and the postal employe is be-
wildered as to where he might
At into this rosy picture. /
submit that there is no more
loyal, Woodworking group Of
Americans than the postal
people, the vast majority Of
whom are conscious that their
Government should maintain
a sound fiscal policy, The
statement by one official that
it can only afford" what is at
best a mere token increase Is a
travesty of justice. Their one
plea is for a just and reason
able increase to enable them
to meet their obligations in a
free society and once again
walk with dignity among their
fellow men.
Jackson r. King,
Postal Transportation Clerk.
I read in The Star that the
President and Congress have
about reached agreement on q
pay raise for postal and classi-
fed workers.
I suppose the pay raise is
merited; at least it is not out
of line with what Congress
took for itself. a so per cent
slice.
But it is not the pay raise I
wish to remark on. This is it:
If the food stores do not i'm
mediately raise prices on stocks
already on their shelves, I'll
eat my hat.
Now, good-by. dear retired
people. I'll see you in the bread
line.
Star Reader.
Evening star., 1955-06-03
State of the Nation

The economic history Of
America shows a succession of
booms and busts (depres-
sions). What is here now. and
what is ahead? Commercial
advertising of articles for sale
seems to have reached an all
Evening star., 1955-06-03

@. Can cultured pearls now
be produced in less time than
the normal period Of 3 to 5
years?-B. j. F.
A. The japanese can grow
pearls of high quality in
shorter time inside giant Phil
ippine oysters. Experimental
beds have produced pearls up
to % inch in diameter in a
years time.
@. How far back do the
National Archives records go?
Wv. @.
A. Records now on file date
from the Revolutionary War.
Included in the immense col
lection Of National Archives
and Records are the original
laws passed BY Congress from
Evening star., 1955-06-03
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
By THE HASKIN SERVICE

n. sasr san man & ssu,l
postage ~ o. NV" "asnanss0n