davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08

President Eisenhower and
the Republican leaders in Con-
gress are bracing themselves
for a contest with the Demo-
crat-controlled Congress over
the Eisenhower legislative pro-
gram. Obviously, the Demo-
Gratis are feeling their oats.
They had all the best Of it in
the 1854 elections, gaining con-
troll of Congress and electing
many Governors of States. But
they are no more chesty than
were the Republicans in l947
and early 1913. For the Re-
publicans had gained control
of Congress in 1916 and elected
a lot of Governors, too. What
happened to the Republicans
in the elections of 1913, it is
conceivable. could happen to
the Democrats in 1856, if peace
and prosperity continue.
Preparing the Message
The President is preparing
his state-of -Un mes
sage, continuing his program
and recommendations to Con-
gress. which will be delivered
the first week in January. He
will confer here Monday with
the Republican congressional
leaders, and the following day
he will meet. with the Demo-
cratic and Republican leaders
together. The Eisenhower pro-
gram, in many items, is al
ready known. There will be
new proposals regarding aid to
farmers. In the light of an
approaching balance of the
budget, the President may
make tax-reduction recon-
mendations. There will be pro-
posals. too, for school aid, and
perhaps a new attack on the
highway development problem.
Take it by and large, the sd-
ministration program will be,
If the President has his way
and he will-both dynamic
and progressive"
Senator Lyndon johnson of
Texas, Democratic leader Of the
Senate, has already come up
with a l3-point program of
legislation. 1t contains many
of the subjects with which the
President is expected to deal.
The johnson proposals, how
ever. either go beyond the
Eisenhower recommendations
or deal with them from a
different angle. Other Dem
ocrats in Congress may be more
radical than Senator johnson
in their proposals. .
Too many of the Eisenhower
proposals have too great a
popular appeal for them to be
ignored and Shelved. Many of
the recommendations of the
President must be dealt with
and whipped into legislation.
The Democrats cannot afford
to be obstructive and to have
the 84th Congress go down as a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Thin Skin Democrats

Frankly. I think 1t is time
the Democratic National Com
mittee and their sympathetic
columnists abandon their pose
Of injured innocence regard
ing Republican campaign tao
tics. Their convenient memory.
when citing Republican attacks
upon their policies, fails to
dwell upon the years prior to
1852.
Democratic campaign ex-
ceSses of l948 are still a vivid
memory to many Republicans.
And, needless to say. for "a
years the Democrats have
been accusing the Republicans.
not of treason, but of social
and economic humanity to-
ward their fellow Americans.
Is this a lesser accusation?
You reap what you SOW, and
the whirlwind Of brickbats
Doris Fleeson so Indignantly
deplores was sown by the ex-
cesses Of the party she now
defends.
J. Henry Brown, jr.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Arms and the Open Sky

AMBASSADOR Lodge, our chler dele
gate to the United Nations, has effectively
challenged the Soviet Union to accept
President Eisenhower's "open sky" plan
for IN exchange of military blueprints
and a system of mutual aerial inspec-
ton. But the Kremlin'S representatives
nave long since made clear that they
will have nothing to do with the plan
unless it is made a minor part-at some
vague time in the future-of a disarm-
ament agreement that would offer the
free world no real security against the
danger of violations, evaSionS and sud-
den surprise attack. To that extent,
therefore, Mr.. Lodges challenge must be
regarded as a more or less futile gesture.
Yet, in another sense, the challenge
should serve a good purpose. For Mr..
Lodge has given voice to it before the
delegates of all the u. Ms active mem
berS, and he has asked that the Cen
eral Assembly indorse the Presidents
proposal regardless Of the negative Soviet
attitude. In doing this, moreover, he has
set forth persuasive arguments in support
of u Governments view that the pro-
posal'S ~adoption-with full enforcement
would greatly minimize the menace of
surprise acknowledgement attack, re-
assure the entire world, and constitute
a long step forward toward a genuinely
trustworthy system Of disarmament.
These are valid points with a strong APP
peal. and the Kremlin makes poor propa-
ganda for itself in opposing them.
Accordingly, there is some reason to
hope that an overwhelming majority of
the United Nations will heed MIR. Lodges
appeal and vote re%soundingly for the
Presidents idea. Of course, the idea will
remain nothing but an idea as long as
the Russians choose to oppose it. But if
it receives the full backing Of most of
the worlds governments and peoples, If
the General Assembly strongly supports
it before adjourning later this month, it
will be kept vigorously alive, and the
men of the Kremlin will then be on the
propaganda defensive and may eventual
ly be persuaded to take a more af1rma-
tive attitude. At ahy rate, without m
thing very much like the open sky" plan,
the world can hardly hope to enjoy true
disarmament in the age Of A-weapons
and the H-bomb.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Timinq Off
Eugene ]. Mcdonald, MD.

In a letter appearing in The
Star Of November 80, David
Lawrence says, Maybe the
readers of The Star would be
interested in knowing about
the last time a Republican won
in an important election in
Fairfax County--80 years ago"
Mr.. Lawrence then cites
from a document referring to
an election in 1875, when
Nathan Pierson, Republican.
defeated r. H. Cockerille for
the House Of Delegates.
Possibly Mr.. Lawrence in
tended to say 1.-THE first time"
since the last time actually
was in l94l, when Richard R.
Farr, Republican, defeated
Pickens Miller. Democrat. for
the House of Delegates. The
last time before that was in
1929. when Leon l.. Freeman,
Republican. defeated his Dem
ocratic opponent, M. D. Hall.
Aside from the Delegate con-
tests. there have been other
elections in the past IS or 80
years tgubernatorial. congress
sional and PRESIDENTIAL in
which Fairfax County has
voted against the Democratic
nominee.
All of these additional in
stances, however, but serve to
Substantiate the validity of
Mr.. Lawrence's well-stated
aphoriSm: Let not politicians
be too confident; voters will
not be driven against their
clear convictions of right"
Earle I. Mutersbaugh.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
THE POLITICAL MILL
By GOULD LINCOLN
|Brocing for Legislative Contest

"do-nothing Congress" Among
the subjects are the highway
development program, the
school program, the health pro-
gram. reform Of the immigra-
ton laws, the, social security
program and the programs
dealing with farm aid and
taxes.
Because the margin Of DEM
ocratic control in both houses
is narrow, particularly in the
Senate, compromises may be
essential to get some Of the
measures through Congress.
The chief struggles will be
in the fields Of farm and tax
legislation. The johnson pro-
gram includes a return to the
rigid farm price supports. at
90 per cent Of parity. This will
be strongly resisted by the Re-
publicans IN considerable ma
jority, and by some Of the
Democrats. Until the Eisen-
hover proposals for tax reduc-
lions are revealed-and they
will be made only If there is
definite assurance Of a ball
anced budget-the course of
that battle cannot be traced.
However, many of the Demo-
Gratis are backing reductions
for the low income tax brack-
ets-an increase in the $500
tax exemptions or an across
the-board reduction for income
taxpayers.
President Eisenhower is ex-
pected to have Democratic
support in handling foreign
affairs, Notwithstanding the
loud squawks of Gov. Averell
Hartman of New York, Sem
ator Kefauver of Tennessee,
both candidates for the DEM
ocratic presidential nominal
ton, and some of the other
Democrats. Presumably, too,
he will have Democratic sup
port for national defense pro-
posals-though here Demo-
Gratis in Congress may demand
greater OUTLAWS than those pro-
posed by Mr.. Eisenhower.
Text to Be Lengthy
The Presidents state of the
Union message, because of the
many subjects with which he
is expected to deal, probably
will be lengthy. Since he has
been President Mr.. Eisenhower
has followed recent custom
and delivered these messages
in person at joint sessions of
Congress. Whether the Presi-
dent is to appear before Con-
greSs next January and read
his message has not been def
nitely decided.
President Eisenhower. it is
predicted, will do his utmost
to have his program enacted,
even if he has to keep the leg
islators here a long time or
call them into special. session,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Uncle Sam Soft Touch

I often wonder whether IN
Gle sam has d thinking cap. If
SO, he had better put 1t on.
Since World War II. we have
spent $50 billion on foreign
aid.
The Marshall Plan did not
make Europe any better; it is
still politically divided against
itself and will remain so a
thousand years hence. 1t is
stability that Europe needs.
The same can be said of Asia,
Africa. and South America.
Uncle Sam must give up the
idea of doing something dras-
tic whenever the Soviets act
up as Peck's Bad Boy. Instead
of rushing here and there.
not thinking about the cost.
shoveling out billions, Uncle
Sam must develop a coherent
foreign policy geared to meet
any future threat of Com
munist aggression.
Otherwise. it will be impoS-
Slble to preserve a workable
economy, let alone develop and
expand our economy.
Harry Daniels.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Teacher Policy

Last August. the NAACP
asked the Montgomery County
School Board, Since there is
a need for some 220 teachers,
have you considered the Negro
applicants in your Office files?"
In reply, the School Board re-
stated with some amplif1ca-
tions) its policy on Indignation
and concluded that lin view
of" this policy no Negro candi-
dates for filling vacancies in
white schools were being con-
sidered this year.
l should like to make two
comments on this reply.
tl1 1t is not a full answer to
the question. II announces a
decision not to hire Negro
teachers for vacancies in
white schools" ,by which is
meant, apparently, schools in
which there are no Negro
pupils, but 1t does not make
clear whether Negro applicants
are being considered for posi-
tons in the 20-odd integrated
schools in the county, which
the NAACP surely had in mind
also when 1t asked the ques-
ton.
90 The boards original
statement of employment pol
icy was as follows: Employ
ment ard placement of all per-
sonnet shall be based on rela-
tive merit established by per-
sonal and professional qualifi-
cations for the requirements of
any particular vacancy" The
restatement added the provi-
sion that the Judgment of the
school administration should
be the deciding factor, but this
did not alter the principle of
appointment on the basis of
merit. l find the decision not
to hire Negro teachers to fiji
vacancies in white schools this
year inconsistent with the an
nouDced policy: If merit is the
criterion, race is not a factor.
1t is my assumption that the
Negro applicants in the files
are as well qualified as the
white applicants.
would ask the Montgomery
County School Board simply
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08

O.. When did 1t become the
general custom to refer to the
people of the United States as
Americans?-IW.V
A. The terms america" and
American were first used in
Europe. particularly in the ear
~ diplomatic correspondence
of France and Spain. Before
the Revolutionary War the
name anglo American" was
used; afterwards the Anglo"
was dropped. The people Of
the United States later adopted
this usage.
@. How many people sub
scribe to the Book-of the
Month Cuba. OH.
A. The book club itself had
Just under 500, 900 subscribers
in mid-1955, but if subscribers
to all its offerings are included
the total is over 300. 900. In
1854. the 25-year-old club sold
1852, 7o3 books.
@. Please give the highest
and lowest temperatures ever
recorded in Death Valley. Calf.
p. H. A.
A. The highest was 1874 de-
grees F., recorded in July: the
lowest was Is degrees F., in
January.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

No sooner does one plant
grass seed. or put in a bush of
some sort. or a new small tree.
than the weather Immediately
becomes a friend or foe of the
new things in the earth.
Sometimes the new gardener
becomes too conscious of rain
or its lack. or what he regards
as too much snow, though he
should realize that snow is a
sort of blanket to keep all his
vegetable creations warm.
In time. ones weather in
terest settles down to a straight
line, neither going above in
elation, nor falling below in
despair.
The home grower comes to
realize that nature has been
going on a long time, and that
what seems very bad, one week,
will look much better the next.
Nature takes care of her own,
in her odd way. She does not
consciously seem to worry. but
if score is kept. she will be
found to manage very well for
her own peculiar children of
the earth.
The marigolds in the snow,
somehow. were a very good ex-
ample of this. They shone in
color long after they were
supposed to. and no doubt
their somewhat strange odor
mixed and blended in the snow
as it melted and ran away.
Keeping a garden colorful
from spring to December is no
easy task, but it may be
achieved by any real gardener,
without expenditure of too
much money or time.
What is demanded is a little
thought, based on ones home
conditions, plus a good amount
of reading. In the latter. noth-
ing takes the place of a gar
dening book and a gardening
magazine.
Only the reader can know
marigolds in the snow. 8
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Billy Corcoron Reports

The national magazine of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars
for December is carrying a
chapter from another book
the sixth published since our
retirement to La Jolla-about
the wartime activities Of your
humble servant. I am informed
that the article is taken from
Spies and Traitors" published
by w. H. Allen g. Co.. of Lon
don. and enhances the ire
~preSSible legend that my wife
and I were Uncle Sans mas
ter spies, during World War
II, q title with which we were
dubbed IN an interview by
Madame Alexandra Kolontay.
wartime Russian Minister to
Sweden. on her return to the
banks of her native Volga i'm
mediately after the war.
You will appreciate, as I do.
that the term spy" is capable
OF various interpretations. in
GLIDING those Of observer and
reporter. We have been sub
jected to unpleasantness as a
as a result Of this arbitrary
label: for wherever we travel
abroad-and 1t has been so in
London. Paris. etc.-we are
VIGOROUSLY publicized as "the
American spies" an unpleas-
antness suffered without re-
Enumeration. 1t may be fiat
tering and romantic to be
pointed out as a spy" in ones
own land, but the term takes
on decided opprobrium abroad,
especially among foreigners, in
whose country as pledged nell
trails we were the recipients of
gracious hospitality all during
the war.
The official archives con-
tain many OF my f1rst-hand re-
ports on vital wartime Incl
dents and situations inside
Germany and Nazi-occupied
territory. How this informa-
ton was obtained. for my own
personal reasons, has never
been disclosed, and no one.
not even my superior or asso-
ciates, has shared my conf
dence.
In conclusion. I r~eiterate
that my sole compensation,
aside from the %flattering words
contained in the several books
published here and abroad.
and the conviction that I gave
my best, has been the Medal
of Freedom conferred by the
United States Government for
a.. a brilliant contribution to
the American and Allied war
effort"
William w. COrcoran.
La Jolla, Calf.
Editors Note: Some 40 and
more years ago Billy Cor
coran was well known as a
local and colorful newspaper
reporter. He left newspaper
work to enter the consular
service. from which he retired
after World War II for resi-
dence in California. This let
ter is printed with the thought
that it may be of particular
interest to those who knew him
in Washington.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Odd Prospective Guests

Nothing could be more obvious than
the fact, as noted by Secretary of State
Dulles. that Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita
K~hruShchev have been diligently trying
to stir up hatred against the West on
their current transforming tour of Asia.
What is not clear, however, is the objec-
tive they must have in mind in thus
demonstrating that they can be at least
as mendaciouS and obnoxious-despite
the July summit" conference and the
so-called spirit of Geneva"-as has been
any Soviet leader in the past, not except
ing the late Josef Stain.
This adds up to a mystery of sorts in
view of the projected Bulganin-Khrush-
chev visit to Britain next spring. Al
though they have utilized their Asian
trip to libel the whole Atlantic commu-
nifty, the two Russian bigwigS have gone
out of their way to be especially offensive
to the country that is scheduled to be
their host in April. Among other things,
for example, they have done the worst
kind of violence to truth and history in
declaring that the British, along with the
Americans and the French, are guilty
of having started the Second World War
by arranging to have Nazi Germany at
tack the Soviet Union in 1941.
Could there be a more shocking
Lie2 And is it possible that any literate
adult in the Far East has forgotten how
the MoScow-Berlin pact of 1889 gave
Hitler'S armies the go-ahead signal to
march into Poland? Or how Molotov
fulsomely hailed and congratulated those
armies at that time? Or how the USSR
shipped war supplies to the NaZis while
Britons fought alone against them? Or
how the Stain government scoffed at
London's repeated warnings to be pre-
pared for the attack that Hitler finally
unleashed against Russia? The questions
speak for themselves. They are a good
measure of the monstrous character of
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. canard.
But this is not the only non that
has been spewed forth in Asia by the two
Russian leaders. For they have harangued
at great length in India and Burma-aS
they probably will in Afghanistan as well
against Western "colonialism." And
they have been at special pains to vilify
Britons. The loose-topgued and history
distorting MIR. Khrushchev, for instance,
has treated the people of Burma to talks
inveighing against Britain as a cruel
country that sat on their necks" and
made them Starve. Yet this man, to-
gether with Premier Bulganin, is sup
posed to partake of British hospitality
in the spring.
The most intriguing question involved
in all this has to do with why the travel
ing Soviet leaders have so blatantly in
suited their prospective hosts. On the
face OF things, they have been talking
and acting as If deliberately and system
atically intent upon forcing Britain to
withdraw It's invitation to them. Why?
The answer is anybody's guess, but there
can be no doubt that they have been
putting OF a show that makes a mockery
of the Geneva spirit" and augurs poorly
for the future. Prime Minister Eden
must surely regret having succumbed to
that impulse that led him, during a glow
ing moment at the summit meeting, to
ask them to come to his country as
honored and honorable guests.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Movie Criticized

Ambassador Glare Luce is
fully justified in taking the
same action against the movie
Rebel Without a Cause" that
she did against Blackboard
Jungle" European reviewers,
according to the New York
journal American, applaud
her action, and ask, Why
does America send us such
pictures? The Russians don't
paint themselves in such bad
light"
/ lett the theater disguised,
after seeing Rebel Without a
Cause" I was bewildered at
the thought that the Voice Of
America is undermined by
such damnable portrayals of
life in America.
f. ID. Il.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-08
Marigolds in the snow

MaflgoIQS IN the SNOW
Yellow and orange mari
Colds, some nesting right on
the crystals, others holding
their late blooms daintily aloft.
These bushes had bloomed
very late, having been held
back in some manner by the
sideswipe Of the hurricanes
that struck Washington dur
ing the summer.
Here they had been, wing
with the chrysanthemums, and.
In one yard, at least, really
out-doing the old ~favorites.
Somehow the snowfall re-
minded one of that famous
April snow, when green leaves
on all the trees stood shining
in the heavy precipitation.
* y X x
The marigolds stood up very
well in the cold. not showing
any particular whitening, but
by the next morning they
looked a bit on the cooked
side.
After the sun came out,
however, and the snow began
to melt, the blossoms became
crisp again, and by Monday
morning were colorful in the
suns rays. though certainly
not up to their pre-snow con-
dition.
This was a very unusual
spring season. with grass
greening very early in March,
except where it had remained
green all winter.
This last is a sort OF horti-
cultural trick. There are now
on the market various fertiliZ-
ing preparations whose James
end In lite" These will do a
pretty good job of keeping a
lawn green at all times.
People often wonder at such
lawns, but there is no magic
in it, Just good care.
1t is amazing how many
homeowners expect their lawns
to look well without work,
money or time spent on them.
Fertilizing and rain-these
are the two great ingredients
in producing a good lawn here
aboutS.
Washington is not the best
grass country in the world. But
with fertility and rains one
can do much.
The third ingredient, Of
course, is grass seed.
The time to plant is any
time at all.
We know one householder
who insisted on planting grass
seed in his parking Just before
the snow. Maybe it will
terminate, and perhaps it
will not, but most of the seed
will be there. waiting for a
spell of warm weather.
Any one interested may test
this method out, and if he is
fortunate. he will see grass
terminate even in winter,
when a warm period of a few
days. or maybe a few weeks,
arrives.
Our weather is one of ups
and downs, with a great many
more warm spells in winter
time than many persons stop
to realize. Perhaps most of our
population is not weather
conscious. They moan about
rain interfering with some
outdoor activity, but they
ordinarily do not care much
whether it rains or not.
One of the fine points of gar
dening is that of weather in
I terest.