davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
By THOMAS r. HENRY
"A New Theory on Cosnic Speed

sumed that the speed Of the
galaxies eventually would slow
down. The idea of a "deceler-
ating universe" is implicit. the
Carnegie astronomers report.
in the most recent cosnic
theories but the present obser.
vations cannot be considered
absolute proof.
There Is little known, Tor
example. about what obscur-
ing matter In the cosmos
light from great astronomical
distances must traverse before
1t reaches the earth. This
might have considerable effect
on its apparent speed, and
hence apparent distances.
There now is general agree
ment that there Is no com.
plete emptiness In creation.
Galaxies Obey Red Shift
Galaxies within a few mil
lion light years Of the Milky
Way appear to obey perfectly
the red shift hypothesis. II
there is any obscuring matter
it has about the same density
in all directions In this cosmic
neighborhood.
Because Of the cosmologi-
cal significance of an APP
parently significant departure
from linearity which indicates
deceleration." says DR.. Ira s.
Bowen, director of the Mount
Palomar Observatory, "the
accuracies of the various
quantities which lead to it
are being examined. The re-
suit cannot yet be regarded as
established"
Basic in the Mount Palomar
work is the completion of a
catalogue of the red shifts Of
$50 star systems outside the
Milky Way, the nearest about
a million light years distant, by
DR.. Milton L. Homanson Of the
Carnegie staff. Twenty-six Of
these objects are great clusters
Of galaxies. The Milky Way
itself is considered one OF q
cluster of about 10 relatively
near star systems. The clus-
tiers catalogued by DR.. Human
son are so far away that such
relatively minute objects as
the Milky Way only a few mill
lion light years apart no longer
can be distinguished. They
provide, says DR.. Bowen's re-
port, data for the deepest
penetration into space yet
achieved.
The Carnegie astronomers
offer no speculations as to the
ultimate effect Of the cosmic
declaration. The theory pro-
pounded by the Belgian priest
physicist. FIR. Lemaitre, who
is the originator OF the ex.
banding universe theory. is
that another force will set in
and all the fragments Of Gre
alton come together again.
This may require only a few
billion years. Then, according
to FIR. Lemaitre's theory, there
will be another explosion. O
new creation. a new space and
a new time.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23
Red Union

Every one who has a nodding &C
quaintance with the facts Of life will
indorse Attorney General BroWnells
move to have U. E. 1.-THE United Electrical,
Radio and Machine Workers) identified
as a Communist dominated organization.
But it is bit too early to assume that
the 100000 U. E. members are on the
verge of delivery from the Red embrace.
Mr.. Brownells move takes the form
of an appeal to the Subversive Activities
Control Board to put an official RED
stamp on U. E. The Attorney General
has come forward with impressive docu-
mentation to support his contention that
this union is dominated by Communists
who take their orders from Moscow.
Perhaps he will be able to convince the
SACB If so, the U. E. would be stripped
of many of its rights under the law, and
20 per cent of its members would then
be able to petition for an election Of new
officers With all this, however, the
allegedly Reddominated U. E.-a hardy
specimen II there ever was one-mtght
still survive. For its non-CommuniSt
members seem awfully hard to convince.
Six years ago the CLIO, which can
hardly be accused of hasty or impetuous
action, booted out the U. e. because OF
It's pro- Communist activities. Since then
a few U. E. locals have pulled out and
affiliated with a rival union But the
CLIO action, plus much additional EVIL
dence of the Red coloration of U. E.,
evidently has made little impression on
the great bulk of it's membership. So
u. E. President Albert J. Fitzgerald may
have spoken with some assurance when
he branded Mr.. Brownells accusations as
"lies" He may not have been talking
through his hat when he boosted that
"U. E. has fought and defeated many
similar attempts of industry and It's
McCarthyite politicians to destroy U. E.,
and that 1t will defeat this latest
attempt"
The U. E. members seem ready and
willing to swallow this line. They live
in free country. They have every OPP
portunity to learn the truth for them
selves. But they prefer the Fitzgerald
brand of balderdash. It is this which
makes it doubtful that even new U. E.
election would accomplish much. And,
one might add, 1t Is this which may ex-
plain why we seem to have so little sue
cess in getting truth across to the Com
nist-dominated elements in other
lands In which there is little or no oppor-
tunity for the people to discover the truth
for themselves.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23
Christmas Cookies

Phillip i0dnts a ginger man
With raisins on his coat,
With currGnt eyes, and citron
"A Big Onel" quote i.
unquote.
Michael Dants a Christmas
tree
With candies ron on ron i.
Crimson bells and golden balls,
And sugar troStin0 snoU.
For Lindh a star "a shining
star
OF SilDer candy shot:
But JET the smallest angel
Wants a lot "A LOTw
lsobei Tudeen
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23

tional convention claim that
amending the Virginia con-
stitution will destroy public
schools and increase taxation.
They seek to add truth to
fancy with such slogans as
Save Our Schools" Actually.
however. defeat Of the proposal
will result In quicker harm to
the school system and cause
higher taxation than approval
could possibly bring.
Failure Of the referendum
will result in closing down Of
large numbers Of school sys-
TENS in Southern Virginia, at
least. The constitution, as 1t
exists, places the burden Of
furnishing public schools upon
the State, which has no funds
except Statewide income and
other taxes. To pay for this
added burden, such taxation
would have to be drastically
increased. With this added tax
load. it is doubtful whether the
Northern Virginia taxpayer
would or even could meet the
heavy demands for funds the
local systems continue to
make. The same holds true Of
any Federal aid that might be
forthcoming.
Under tn Gray plan, the
existing situation need not be
greatly changed. At worst.
granting local cooperation
with the State, 1t would result
in the three school" system
white. colored and integrated
which need not be much
more costly than the present
one. Only If local school
boards carry out rumored
plans to integrate every school
by trucking white children to
colored neishborhoods. and
colored to white. can the plan
result in educational disaster.
II a sufficient number of
voters are familiar with the
Gray plan proposals, there is
no reason why they should not
carry Arlington and Fairfax
next January Q. Unfortu-
nately, experience has taught
that too many voters find it
easier to adopt a ready made
slogan than to familiarize
themselves with facts. This
condition is being capitalized
by the sleganeers and modern
Pied Pipers. who will undoubt-
eddy lead thousands of SOM
nambulent voters to the polls
to vote for chaos under some
such misleading banner as
Save Our Schools"
Charles w. Carter.
\ 4
I have read all the COM
ments on the Gray plan, and
I am all for it. The writers
of the Constitution never
handed over the laws to a few
men sitting on benches, and
I am glad the people of vir-
ginia are given the right to
vote on what they want. We
vote for Congress and the
President and the majority
rules. And any problem so
serious to the welfare of the
entire 48 States should be
decided by vote of all the
States.
Bernice Thomas.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23

Creation may be slowing
down.
This is indicated by findings
Of Carnegie Institution Of
Washington astronomers, not
yet fully confirmed. that dis
tant clusters of island uni
neutrality-suspicious. Of several
billion stars generally COM
parable in size to the entire
Milky Way galaxy Of about
100, 900. 000. 900 stars are
moving outwards from the po-
sition of an observer on earth
somewhat more slowly than
similar aggregations only q
few million light years away.
A light year is about $780,
100000, 900 miles.
Astronomers now generally
agree to some theory of an
expanding universe. Five or
six billion years ago. suppos-
edly, all matter In creation was
in one enormous mass. This
became too complicated and
exploded" The great galax-
les. including the Milky Way.
are fragments of-this mass still
moving from the force of the
original explosion. They are
moving. 1t is commended. at a
uniform rate. This rate has
been recalculated by Carnegie
astronomers this year at ap-
proximataely 1870 kilometers a
second per million parsecs.
A parsec, the unit ordinarily
used for measuring cosmic
space. is about 10000, 1000, 000,-
600 miles, or a distance which
would be covered by light
moving at about 10000 miles
a second in three years. This
is somewhat less than the dis
lance of the nearest star,
alpha centauri, In the south
ern heavens, from the sun.
How Speed Is Figured
The recession speed is cumu-
lative. That is. q galaxy only
three million light years
away would be moving out
ward at q speed of about 200
kilometers a second. One that
was six million light years
away would have a speed Of
close to 400 kilometers a Sec
ond, and so on. Such dis
tances, of course, are mere
trifles in astronomy. The alb
solute limit of speed would be
that Of light itself and If this
ever was reached 1t is any,
body's guess what might hap
pen.
The speed Of q moving OBJ
ject away from an observer
Is determined by the so-called
red shift" the amount by
which the lines of the light
spectrum are shifted towards
the red end Of the spectrum
This is considered so accurate
that it is used as the standard
for determining the distance
of celestial objects so far away
that luminosity comparisons
no longer have any meaning
II the flying fragment" the.
sis Is correct It could be as
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. 7RACEWELL

One Of the best ways TO
listen to music is to look for
tunes.
The ardent listener can do
this with symphonies, choral
numbers. etudes. or any other
sort Of classical musical work.
Just to listen in awe is a
great mistake.
The best way to be a good
listener, of course, is to be a
musician. and know something
of what the composer was up
to: classical music is a mar
velous combination of mood
and mathematics, emotion and
architecture, everyday and the
special.
The honest listener will be
able to "see" this music from
many angles, but there is al
ways one for the everyday dub
in music, he who knows what
he likes" and isn't in the least
ashamed Of liking a tune.
y 4
The melodic line, as 1t is
called, was beloved Of all the
great composers. except a few
called modern"
Probably 80 per cent Of great
musicians revel In a melody.
1t may have a long tune pat
tern. or a very brief one.
We have a big book of SYM
phony themes. and most of
the hundreds of examples are
from four to seven notes, that
is the basic theme or tune can
be stated that briefly.
The lay listener. if so he
may be called. can play along
with the master composers by
calling the tunes themes just
to please the composers!
Oh. no, not for words or
worlds would we be so Grass as
to speak of mere tune"
Somehow the word has been
associated with hillbilly music
too long.
- - - -
We were listening to an LIP
record presenting Hector Ber-
lioz's "Trojans in Carthage"
Just how the men of Troy
managed to get to Carthage
we did not know, never having
heard the number before.
This was merely suite
built from the larger presen-
tation.
Soon a listener realized that
here was the great composer
at his melodic peak.
One good tune followed an
other, all assembled In the
true classic spirit, with plenty
of variation. bringing in all
the arts Of the musically edu-
Gated man.
1t came as a surprise, how
ever, indeed. almost a shock
to realize by the time the Is
minutes was up that the lis
tener had heard at least a
dozen fine tunes.
Each and every one of them
would make a wonderful popu-
lar, even hillbilly, number.
Now. Of course. some long
hairs" who shrink in the face
OF greatness, would resent this.
They would say that great"
music cannot be so manhan-
died.
We say 1t can.
All one has to do is listen
to this record. and II he has
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23

the instinct Of a tune hound
in his blood, he will be able to
make at least a few popular
songs for himself as he goes
along.
The numbers fairly sing
themselves:
"Oh. ha. ha, ha.
And oh. no, no, no!
I'll be your snowman and hear
the wind blow"
~. 4 **
The wonder of this is that
such a happy little melody
could suddenly appear out Of
the stress and storm Of the
larger musical edifice.
Berlioz was, if we can be-
lieve his wonderful biography,
a man of sorrows.
He wrote his music, then
had to run all over Paris to
sign up the men who were to
play it. He said it was terrible.
but he loved it.
His every day was a hectic
affair, but
Somehow he managed to
infuse sweetness and light, In
the best sense, in his music,
and 1t sparkles and sings.
One OF today's best features
is the renewal of interest in
the music Of Hector Berlioz,
the great French composer.
Let us not forget that he
dearly loved a melody. Who
can forget the precious viola
melody from Harold in
Italy?"
Sweetheart. sweetheart" 1t
sings, Dream of me, I'll
dream Of you"
Perhaps q master may
not hear that serene melody
that way, but 1t does no harm
for the average listener to
make himself at home with 1t.
True beauty can stand any
thing.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23

@. Do other organs of the
body, as well as the brain
show fluctuations in electrical
discharge?-O. D. A.
A. Yes. Whenever any part
of the human body is working,
there is q change Of the cleo
trical status Of that part.
This change Is involved in the
process of functioning. Rec
ords Of electrical changes have
been made for years. The
fluctuations are led through
a series of electronic amplify-
ing and measuring devices and
recorded as a wave, or curved
line, on paper.
@. Are the small automobile
producers getting a larger
share of the market in 1855
than they did in 1852
L. l.. D.
A. No. Although 1855 pro-
duction as a whole is up about
48 per cent, output of the
small Arms remains Just where
1t was In l954-at about ~
per cent Of the total.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23

for an acceptable answer must and will
90 on. This effort In the farmers behalf
is something that is built into our politi-
cal system, and neither party is even
going to suggest cutting 1t out. But one
thing ought to be clear enough: If such
thing is possible, the problem will be
made worse by approaching it from the
point of view of what will win the most
votes for one party or the other.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23
Questions for Khrushchev

After having made quite a hit with
1t during their tour Of Asia, Premier Bull
ganin and Nikita KhruShchev have re-
turned to Moscow still singing their men
dacious song about how the Kremlin
hates "colonialism" and about how the
Western powers should be ashamed Of
themselves for having once been in con-
troll of countries like Burma and India.
The inimitable Mr.. Khrushchev-who
sometimes, in perverse sort Of way,
seems almost amusing enough to be
acknowledgements to be particularly
hepped on this subject. At any rate,
much more so than Marshal Bulganin,
he has sounded of on 1t with zest that
would be fairly admirable IL 1t were not
also ridiculous and an affront to the
intelligence of anybody who knows any
thing about what has been going on IN
the world.
But let us listen to Mr.. Khrushchev.
With his plane just landed in Moscow,
he has rushed ebulliently to the micro
phones to declare to everybody that his
anti-WeStern remarks in Asia were moth
ing but the truth, pure and simple. Yet,
to quote him directly, with what mad
distaste our words were received by some
representatives of the bourgeois nations,
and especially their reactionary press
organs!" pox on such people! AS far
as he is concerned, they represent an
imperialiStic past that Is disgrace to
modern man, and 1--WE shall keep repeat
ing this point as long as colonialism
exists"
If this is so, If Mr.. Khrushchev really
means what he says, then he will have
reason to keep on repeating himself for
a very long time to come. Colonialism?
What about Latvia, Estonia and Lith-
uania? When will the Soviet Union,
which has brutally absorbed them, let
them vote themselves back into freedom?
Moreover, not to mention the sovereign"
province of Outer Mongolia. what about
such once-independent lands as Poland,
Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Albania and
Czechoslovakia? And what about East
Germany? Why is the Kremlin afraid to
let any of these countries go to the polls
In a genuinely free election?
Colonialism? Countries like Burma
and India are wholly independent today,
and they are independent because "im-
perialists" like the British let them have
a free choice What is Mr.. Khrushchev
talking about? What actually is going
on in his head and heart when he speaks
as he does about the bourgeois nations"
denying liberty to Asiatic peoples? Is he
altogether comfortable? Does he feel no
sneaking sense Of contempt for himself
and for his hypocritical npside-down
version of modern history?
One pauses for reply, Mr.. Khrushchev.
When are you and your Kremlin col
leagues going to stop shedding crocodile
tears over the past history Of bourgeois
Imperialism" and act to end the present
and infinitely worse brand OF Soviet
colonialism? Moscow papers, please copy.
The free world would like to have an
answer showing at least some little
respect for the fundamental standards
of decency, honor and truth.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23

kind Of arguments most likely
to affect the prejudices Of the
less Nterate and understand
ing. He submits the fears Of
amalgamation, retardation and
lowered morals through inte-
grated schools. These were the
same arguments used by par
ents of the well-to-do wherever
public schools were instituted.
Yet nowhere in the States out
side the South where mixed"
schools have been the rule have
these fears been realized. 1t
is true that where segregation
has been the practice and
where Negroes have been kept
In the lowest socio-economic
brackets there has been a lag
in Iiteracy and culture. but SO
has 1t been among the poor
whites. Under fair conditions
this lag will soon disappear.
The real issue January 9 will
be whether Virginia supports
the Constitution of the United
States or tries to nullify 1t.
E. b. Henderson,,
President, Virginia State
National Association for
the Advancement of Col
ored People.
n ~ = u sy
I should like very much to
20 on record as being extreme
ly opposed to the Gray Plan.
I wrote to the Governor and
to the Gray committee stat
ing my views in no uncertain
terms. 1t is very encouraging
to read the letters from others
who are also opposed to all
this.
The Star is performing a
great public service in writing
so many articles on the SUBJ
ject. as the newspapers seem
to be our only source OF in
formation on the matter. Your
series on the pros and cons
of this Gray plan is very APP
propriate, though I fail to see
any good in this plan. 1t is I'M
American, undemocratic, unin-
telligent, and ! rather think.
Illegal. Why should Negroes
be forced to pay taxes for a
public school system that
won't exist?
I hope that you will continue
to print articles on the sub
ject from now until election
day. The rest Of the South
is looking to us and the results
Of this election. If we lose to
the Gray Commission. 1t may
well begin an era of gloom
and doom throughout the
Southern States and make O
mockery of our Constitution
and all 1t stands for.
Mrs. jeanette Birnhaum.
~
So much sound and fury,
untruth anc sloganeering has
entered the campaign in
Northern Virginia against the
Gray plan and its proposed
constitutional convention that
there is little chance for calm
appraisal. The voter will go
to the polls as usual with some
misleading slogan ringing In
his ears but ignorant of what
he is voting for or against.
The question of Indignation
actually is secondary to that
Of whether Virginia intends to
permit further encroachment
upon her rights as a State.
Year by year, decision by de-
cision, the United States
Supreme Court has arrogated
unto itself and to the Federal
Government legislative powers
never surrend Tered by the
sovereign States. Pursuit of
this line of reasoning cannot
help but eventually eliminate
State boundaries and govern
ments. The indignation order
proved to be the last straw
that brought about a popular,
though peaceable, revolt.
Opponents of the constitu-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23
Questions and Answers
by THE HASKIN SERVICE

BY The HASkIN SERVICE
reader can get an answer to any
factua' question by writing The
1000 Eye ST NV. washington S,
d Please incioSe 1 cents for re-
turn postage.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23
-, And Happy New Year, Senator!
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used u
letters carry tDriters' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
sGtton.
Evening star., 1955-02-14

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