davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-12
Stafford Gets Rid of Bats in Its BeIfry
But Now 1t Has q Mosquito Problem

(Which makes them, at the same
time, cousins to us and to arma-
dillos). But bats are equipped
with true wings, sharp recurved
teeth, and an uncanny ability
to rotate their ears independ-
emily and in several directions
at once, thus intensifying and
prolonging sound waves by pro-
ducing fluctuations in the waves.
Don't ask us how this works.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica
says 1t works and that should
be good enough for almost any
body.
1t keeps them from humping
into things.
BERTHE and his family found
life quite pleasant in the court
house after 1922. They missed
all the color and fun of the
courthouse burnings with every
body running this way and that
and the volunteer fire depart
ment putting up the hill from
Fredericksburg. But then. the
excitement hadn't been good
for the children anyway.
There were plenty of mos
quitoes to eat on the courthouse
lawn and when they wanted a
little something different, there
were always the weevils in the
wheat fields.
Everybody in Stafford thought
that was just fine and they all
got along swimmingly.
The town boys. some of whom
had tennis racquets but no
tennis court, made a practice of
congregating on the courthouse
green at dusk on summer nights,
where they would try to lob an
unwary bat back into the belfry
as he dove for a mosquito.
But. although Stafford has
plenty to be proud of, it never
produced anybody resembling
Don Bulge, so BERTHE and his
family could afford to take the
whole thing good-naturedly.
The End Of 1t
A few weeks ago this happy
coexistence policy came to an
end. All because Of the love life
OF Chiropteras. lack Of plumbing
in the courthouse rafters, and a
spell of hot weather.
Some Of the ladies who work
in the courthouse began to notice
rather unpleasant. musky odor
on hot days.
They asked 36-year-old Coun-
ty Revenue Commissioner George
Gordon If he hadn't noticed it.
Mr.. Gordon. who was quite a
bat-lobber himself back in the
early '30s and therefore no
stranger to BERTHE and his clan,
said that he had and that, al
though he had nothing against
bats, he thought they were prob
ably responsible.
Then one morning when the
temperature was up in the COS
by 10 o'clock and tempers were
short anyway. one Of the girls
found BERTHE cooling off on her
typewriter.
That did 1t.
Mr.. Gordon, with a firm boost
from the ladies. took the matter
before the County Board of
Supervisors on July 81. They
called in J. C. Madison, jr., of
the Foursquare Pest Control Co.
and asked him what he thought
of the situation.
Mr.. Madison took one look at
the courthouse and told the su-
pervisors that as best as he could
see, they had about 10000 bats
in their belfry. He said the job
was too big for him but that his
main office could handle the
situation.
400 Pounds Of Bats
One of the members of the
board brought up the point that
the average Stafford bat weighs
about half an ounce and that If
Mr.. Madison's estimate was cor
rect. there was a dead Weight
of about 400 pounds on the bell
fry every day.
AAnother supervisor said he'd
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-12

The District Housing Code
adopted yesterday by the Com
missioners is intended to
strengthen their hands material
lily in their war on slums in the
Nations Capital.
1t is the product Of more than
two years work by city officials
and a broad cross-section of
representative Washingtonians
AS the latest of five drafts, 1t
represents a considerable cum-
promise between those who
wanted higher standards and
those who wanted lower ones.
The code sets forth minimum
conditions for residential hous-
ing of all kinds-homes. apart
mentS, rooming and boarding
houses, tenements and nursing
and convalescent homes.
It's standards are intended to
be rock-bottom ones, on the
theory that any housing which
cannot conform is so bad it is
"deleterious to the health, safety,
welfare and morals of the COM
Imunity and its inhabitants"
Three Attack Points
Three types of enforcement
are in store when the new code
goes into effect September l.
response to complaints. inspec-
ton to see that licensed housing
apartments, tenements. rooming
houses. etc. comes up to the new
standards. and AREA" inspection
in an effort to upgrade whole
neighborhoods. Some of the
code, however, will not be fully
effective until six months later
March /, 1856.
Enforcement will be in the
hands of the Department Lii
censes and Inspections, headed
by Cabell Gwathmey, and Of its
Housing Division, headed by E.
Milton Dulin. They have broad
powers of discretion.
When violations are found.
Mr.. Dulin must give written
notice and "allow a reasonable
time" to Ak them.
Departures entail policy, Mr..
Gwathmey said. will be to give
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-12
Mission Film on TV

A motion picture. "Kiliman-
jaro Mission" showing Catholic
missionary activities in Africa,
will be shown at $50 pm. Sun
day over Station WMAL-TV.
The picture, to be narrated by
John Laing, was produced by
the Holy Ghost Fathers. mis-
sionary order at Catholic Uni
YerSitY.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
japanese Depart
For Peace PurIey

TOKYO. May "a (P.-Part of
Japan's team of delegates to
forthcoming peace talks with the
Soviet Union in London leaves
tomorrow for the British capital,
1t was learned today.
Chief Delegate Shunichi Mat
sumoto, with the rank of am
bassador, will leave Saturday.
Definite starting date for the
discussions has not been set. but
the talks are expected to begin
in early June.
The Soviet Union refused to
sign the peace treaty drafted at
San Francisco in 1851 and the
two nations technically are still
at war.
The talks were arranged after
exchanges between Japan and
Russian representatives at the
United Nations in New York.
Sources close to the Foreign
Office say Japan-with an eye
to her close relations with the
United States-will take a firm
stand on the many issues.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Forest Fires Peril
Nova Scotiu Town

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, May
"a R.-Forest fires cracked to-
day at the edge of the main
residential district of the At
lantic Coast community Of
Liverpool. Another major blaze
ragged in the Tantallon area, Is
miles west of Halifax.
Firefighters said damp air
which moved in yesterday had
helped bring all other blazes in
Nova Scotia under control.
In Northern Ontario dying
winds and rising humidity
helped slow monster fires which
have blackened more than 100,-
900 acres of timber. Weary
foresters and volunteers counted
heavily on scattered showers
forecast for later today.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Senator'S Call
Air Force Heads
For New Quiz

The Senate Armed Services
Committee has summoned top
Air Force officials for what
Chairman Russell said today will
be a thorough briefing" Thurs
day on United States-Russian
airpower.
Senator Russell said Air Sec
rotary Talbot and Gen. Nathan
F. Twining. the Chief of Staff,
will testify behind closed doors
on assertions the Soviets may
have gained superiority in some
fields.
Senator Russell said in an in
terview It will be up to a sub
committee headed by Senator
johnson, Democrat, of Texas to
decide whether to expand later
an investigation of the subject.
Fears Russian Gains
Senator Symington. Democrat,
of Missouri. former Air Force
Secretary. has contended the
Russians may be ahead Of this
country in the production of Jet
bombers and intercontinental
missiles.
He told the Senate yesterday
there had been efforts to sup
press discussion of the subject. p"
and continued: Evidence con-
tinues to pile up that Communist
airpower is moving UP to us in
offensive striking power and is
moving ahead of us in the fields
of defensive power, production
and technology"
Commenting on a similar pre-
vious speech by Senator Syming-
ton, President Eisenhower told
his news conference last week
that Ito say that we have lost
in a twinkling all of this great
technical development and tech
nical excellence, as we'll as num-
berS in our total aircraft is just
not true"
Byrd Is Dubious
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of
Virginia. an Armed Services
Committee member, said he just
can't believe the Russians have
made the advances with which
they are credited in some quar-
ters.
II have great faith in our
military leaders, scientists and
business men, who have been
working together to keep us
ahead on scientific develop
mentS." Senator Byrd said.
With all of the money and
man hours we have spent on
scientific developments, if we
can't keep ahead of the Rus
slams we had better give up"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
RESORT FORECAST

Upper Bay - Scattered
showers or thunderstorms
tonight and tomorrow morn
ing, followed by clearing and
turning cooler tomorrow
afternoon. Winds south
westerly, 1920 miles per
hour. shifting to northwest
tomorrow afternoon.
Lower Bay - Scattered
thundershowers, warm and
humid tonight and tomor-
row. Winds southwesterly,
1920 miles per hour, shift
ing to northwesterly late to-
morrow.
South Jersey - Showers
and thunderstorms tonight
and early tomorrow, becom-
ing partly cloudy and some
what cooler tomorrow after
noon.
Ocean Beaches - Warm
and humid, with showers
and scattered thunder
storms, tonight and tomor-
row.
Skyline Drive - Rather
warm, with scattered thun-
dershowers, tonight, ending
by tomorrow afternoon and
turning a little cooler.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
EAST BERLIN PUPILS
TO BURN COMICS,
OTHER TRASH

BERLIN (P.-School chill
dren in Communist East
Berlin will gather June
to burn Western comic books
and other trash" litera-
ture. the East Berlin news
paper National Zeitung an
nounced today.
The paper said the huge"
bonfire would be touched of
by members of the Commit
mist youth organization.
Young Pioneers. The fire
will climax a drive against
Western comic, books, which
the Communists say are I'M
dermining East German
youth. lr
At a mock trial of the
American publications last
week, a Communist leader
charged they are designed to
make youth ripe for carry
ing out the imperialist plans
of conquest and revenge.
and for an assault on the
peace-loving peoples"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Pentogon Says - Firms
Get verHoIf of Contracts

suppliers of military equipment.
But they lost. through cancel
lations and cutbacks, or wound
up more military business than
they received for the 10 months
ending last December 81, the
period covered by the new report.
The Pentagon said that infor-
nation about untitled orders for
General Motors and other large
corporations which we're omitted
from the new list of major
military suppliers were not avail
able.
Cumulative defense orders for
the Korean war period ending in
June. 1858, totaled 500 billion.
The new list. covering the Is
months thereafter, totaled SIS
billion. At least half Of that in
volved aircraft, airplane engines
and related equipment.
All of the first 10 names on the
new list of major military sup
pliers are companies whose sole
or primary business is making
airplanes or the equipment that
goes into them.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Housing Demand to Soar
After 1860, Survey Finds

pie living with their parents or
other relatives has also been de-
Ginning. In 1947 nearly 3 mill
lion married couples did not
have their own household. Now
only about is million couples
are living with relatives.
4 A tendency for unrelated
individuals to get together and
run a household. Between 1850
and 1854 there was an increase
Of about Ia million such house
holds. rise Of one-fourth.
S. Successive liberalizations of
Government insurance for home
buying in 1913, 1850 and 1854
have been Especially important"
in the rise of residential con-
struction.
Underneath it all, the Com
merce Department said, "a large
and rising flow of income has
been the central influence sup
porting the high volume of
residential activity"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
TODAY'S WEATHER REPORT

morrow. Low tonight 64-70.
Cooler in northwest tomorrow
night.
Wind - Southwesterly, 1920
miles per hour, tonight. becom-
ing northwesterly tomorrow.
5-Day Forecast for Washington
and Vicinity, May 1928
Temperatures will be 2 to 4
degrees above the normal high
of 70 and low of SO. Cooler
Thursday warmer again over
the week end. Showers tonight
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24

LEBANON, Pa, May "a (P).-
Two high school seniors, one of
them scheduled to be valedic-
torian of the graduating class,
were held today on charges of
stealing more than $4,000 from
a Lebanon nurseryman who hid
his cash in a tree.
District Attorney L. E. Meyer
identified the youths as Cleland
Hostetter and Richard Hoke,
both II.
Mr.. Meyer said young Hostel
ter, a senior at Cornwall High
School, had been named to de-
liver the valedictory address to-
morrow for his graduating class.
Mr.. Meyer said $500 of the
money was recovered. with APP
proximately $4,000 still unac-
counted for,
John Lenker, county detective,
and Pvt. William j. Anselmi of
the State police said the money
was taken from a tin can in a
tree on the nursery lot belonging
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
BY the Associated Pres,

Rising income, easy credit
and a desire for bigger and bet
ter homes underlie the current
housing boom, the Commerce
Department said today.
A department report noted
that homes are currently being
built at a record pace although
new families are being formed
at a low rate and family forma-
ton will remain low through
about 1860. This is a result Of
the low birth rate period of the
early l930s: depression babies
are now at manageable age.
But following 1860. the de-
partment study said, the de-
mand for housing will probably
shoot up rapidly. as the war
and postwar baby boom results
in a steep rise in the number Of
manageable young people.
The department gave no judg-
ment on the current disagree
ment over whether easy mort
gage arrangements under Gov
eminent insuring processes has
stimulated home building beyond
the buying capacity of the pub
lie.
However, it pointed to several
factors which, 1t said, are sus-
tanning the housing market.
Listed as principal factors were:
/. The total population Of the
Nation is increasing by about
2l2 million a year
2. There has been a marked
increase in recent years in life
expectancy, especially for wom-
en-.
q The ,o,,ro hor IF x,0,,n0 yoao
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Kennedy Returns to Senate;
Wrote Book After Operation

Senator Kennedy. Democrat.
of Massachusetts. was back on
the Senate floor today for the
first time since he underwent an
operation for World War II in
Jury. seven months ago.
Tanned by a long rest in the
Florida sunshine. the young New
Highlander looked a picture of
health. and had discarded the
crutches he had to carry during
most of the 1854 session. He
expects to work back gradually
into his Senatorial duties.
The 38-year-old legislator was
commander of a PIT boat in the
Pacific during the war and sus-
tanned a severe back injury when
his vessel was rammed by a
japanese destroyer. The all
ment began to trouble him again
last year. In october he under
went an operation which re-
quired a long period Of rest.
Opposes Veto
He walked up the steps of
the Capitol on his return late
yesterday and later moved free
ly around his Office as he greeted
reporters. His first vote today
will be on President Eisenhow-
er's veto of the 8.6 per cent
postal pay bill. He said he will
vote to override the veto.
Senator Kennedy revealed that
he spent part of his time in
Florida working on a book COW
ering highlights in the history
of the Senate, which will be
published in January. He spent
the rest of his time keeping up
with events at the Capitol by
reading the Congressional Rec
ord.
Senator Kennedy said he re-
CARDS Indo-China as a more
critical area than the islands
of Quemoy and Matsu, because
it's future is so unsettled and
involved in a promise of cleo
tons next year.
Local Issues Second
The Senator said domestic
issues are taking secondary
place to foreign affairs at the
moment, Asked to comment on
the current controversy over
the relative air strength of Rus
and the United States, the Sena-
tor said:
1.-The role of Congress has
been somewhat limited because
of Eisenhower's prestige, but I
don't think we should aban-
don our role, especially when
events show that those of us
vino wanted stronger Air
Force were right"
Another reporter asked if the
Senator thought President Eli
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
BY the Associated Press

The Defense Department has
reported that 10 firms. most Of
them in aviation, received more
than one-half of the Nations
military business in the 10
months after the Korean War.
A new list of defense suppliers.
complied by the Pentagon at the
request of House and Senate
committees, dropped from the
big ten-even from the first 100
military contractors-such giants
of industry as General Motors,
Chrysler, Du Pont and Westing-
house.
These corporations were rated
respectively Nos. l, 6, IA and 26
on the last such compilation
which covered the three-year
period of the 1950-53 Korean
War.
The Department said in an
accompanying statement that
General Motors and several
other big corporations were un-
doubtedly still among the largest
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Weekend Accidents
In Cunudu Total 50

TORONTO, May "a P.-
Canada today counted 50 vio-
lent deaths from its first long
week end of the summer sea-
son.
A Canadian press survey
showed drownings and traffic
accidents each claimed % lives
and three persons died in fires.
Canada additionally launches
the summer season by honoring
Queen Victoria on the Monday
before her birthday, May "a.
Patriotic and military ceremonies
and fireworks displays were held
in several cities yesterday.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24

District and vicinity-Chance
of scattered thundershowers to-
night and tomorrow. Low to-
night about &c. Cooler tomorrow
night.
Maryland-Partly cloudy and
warm with scattered thunder
storms tonight and low in the
COS. Scattered thunderstorms
and cooler in west in afternoon
and in east by night tomorrow.
Virginia-Partly cloudy and
continued warm with scattered
thundershowers tonight and to-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Kids Name School;
Yup, DoyY Crockett

PHOENIX, Ariz.. May "a up.
The kids had a chance to
name their new school yesterday
and what name did they pick?
Yup. Davy Crockett.
"Only so parents voted"
sighed w. A. Griffith. superin-
tendent of the school district,
80 there wasn't much doubt
what name would win"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Theft of $13 900 From Tree
Charged to Two Students

to Warren w. Wentz of Leb-
anon.
Mr.. Wentz told the officers
that he last checked his cache
in March. He said he hid the
money there because he "didn't
want to put it in a bank"
The youths, Mr.. Meyer said,
reported they learned of the
hidden money from some young
er boys who came across it while
hunting with air rifles.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24

senhower's popularity IS hold
ing up.
Senator Kennedy reminded
the questioner that he has not
been moving around much, but
added with a smile, 1T seems to
be standing up in Palm Beach"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Russian Effort
To Split Britain
And U.S.. Seen
By the Associated Press

Senator H. Alexander Smith.
Republican, of New Jersey fore
cast today Russian effort at
the prospective top-level Big
Four conference to split the
United States and Britain over
Formosa.
Senator Smith. member OF
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, said in an interview
he believes the Soviets will
throw the Formosa matter into
the conference to try to split us
away from Britain"
British leaders generally have
advocated a settlement under
which the Chinese Nationalist
held island of Formosa would be
placed under United Nations
trusteeship.
This Government has taken
no firm position on the eventual
status of Formosa, but has a
treaty with Chang Kai-shek
pledging to help defend it in the
event of attack by the Chinese
Reds.
Cool to Chang Claims
Britain has been cool also to-
ward Chiang's claim. to the of
shore islands Of Quemoy and
Matsu. The Eisenhower admin
istration has declined to say
whether 1t will help to defend
them in case Of Communist at
tack.
Except for some Smelling of
these islands, the situation in
the Formosa Strait has been
relatively calm in recent weeks,
with Peiping soft-pedaling her
pledges to conquer Formosa.
| Some American officials attrib-
ute this calm to a possible re-
| fusal by Russia to back up Red
China in any fight with the
United States.
They said shift to softer
tactics by Red China and Russia
is evidence that both have their
hands full at home with tagging
farm and factory programs.
About the same time Russia
was agreeing to independence
for Austria in Europe. Chinese
Premier Chou En-lai was pro-
posing direct talks with the
United States to settle Far East
tension. particularly around
Formosa.
Evidence Weighed
Officials assessing these de-
velopments said there was evil
dence that Moscow had notified
Peiping it could not count on
Russian support if a shooting
war developed over Formosa,
They speculated Russia sug-
gested Red China shift to a
softer attitude without giving
up any of its claims.
Undersecretary of State Her
bert Hoover, jr.. put out a feeler
yesterday in an attempt to draw
out the Red Chinese. In a
speech at Los Angeles. Mr.. Hocv-
err said the Red Premier's con-
ciliatory attitude" is encourag-
ing, and added he welcomed
Chou's statement that the Com
munists are willing to seek Glib
Grafton of Formosa by peace
full means as far as possible"
Perhaps the Chinese Com
munists were merely playing a
propaganda game" Mr.. Hoover
said. But we intend to find out.
In doing so we shall not. of
course, depart from the path of
fidelity and honor toward our
ally, the Republic of China"
Senator Smith said he does
not believe that at the proposed
talks among President Eisen-
hover and the PremierS of
Britain, France and Russia
there can be any bargaining
over Formosa or any other issue.
Senator Smith voiced conf
dence Mr.. Eisenhower will
avoid any appeasement" of
Russia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Charlottesville Man
Gets Stute Tux Post

RICHMOND, May "a IT,
Willis P. Alexander. 45-year-
old Charlottesville native, yes
terday was appointed assistant
district director of the Internal
Revenue Service in Virginia.
Mr., Alexander succeeds Stuart
L. Crenshaw, who resigned last
December to enter private bust
ness,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
Theft of Fireworks
In Maryland Probed

WELLINGTON, Nd, May "a
(P.-State police are investigat-
ing the weekend theft of 40
gross of firecrackers and five
electric motors from a fireworks
plant near here.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24

ing of science and mathematics, +"
he said, adding that I'VE must
develop the necessary incen-
tives to retain highly qualified
scientists and engineers in col
leges and universities"
Too little of the Nations SCI
entific talent Is going into re-
search, he said.