davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1955-01-26

Splendid way to show off your knick-
knocks os we'll os your books. Roony
graduated shelves. 47l2x2OxeI2.
Evening star., 1955-01-26

The spocious storooe chest you have
beer booking tor--ot the price you con
afford. Antique metoipuiis. 4ix27xl4".
Evening star., 1955-01-26

Charming Pennsylvania Dutch style
viii, lots Of dispIoy ard storage space.
Grooyed shelves hold plotes. 7lx27xl2".
Evening star., 1955-01-26

Liondscn1e S-drower Mr. and Mrs"
chest wlfi1 plenty Of spOce. Suitubls
with any style furnishing. Antique
metoI pulls. 35x52xl4".
Evening star., 1955-01-26

Good-Iookino slidino door cabinet with
inside stcroce shelf. Con be Used with
out The black metal legs Bross tipped
ball feet. 29Mx35 kaxi "A.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22

spills over to include material that Is
commercial In character, or, even worse,
political, the practice becomes an obnox-
iouS one.
The Falls Church inquiry was
prompted by the use Of children to take
home PTA bulletin opposing the Gray
plan. I'm another community young
ster came home primed with material
urging parents to be sure their poll taxes
were paid in time to vote against the
plan.)
It may be that some school board
members who are themselves opposed to
the Gray plan have no objection to the
use Of pupils to deliver propaganda
opposing the plan. But how would they
feel If pupils were being used to take
home propaganda favoring the plan? The
question answers itself, and the answer
condemns the practice.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
NostoIqic Cartoon

As an old timer well aware
from long experience what the
Tin Lizzie did to change our
economy. history and mode Of
life. ] want &C express my deep
appreciation for Glib Crockett's
cartoon, Monument to Free
Enterprise in The Star Of
December IA.
1t stirs nostalgia memories
Of the days when Lizzie" car
ried us over terrain that even
Texas cowponies found diff
cult. and all that was needed
to keep her going was a little
baling wire and a monkey
wrench. Little did we dream
then that one day she would
make a $500-million contribu-
ton to our Nations welfare
that would electrify the entire
world by its magnitude and
beneficence.
Charles A. Burmeister.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
An Effort in Good Faith

None Of the contenderS for the
transit franchise worked any harder, or
with less selfish interest, than former
Senator Tydings. It is not surprising
that the Public Utilities Commission
found his proposition more sound, on
its face, than others that were con-
sidered. Mr.. Tydings at least had pledges
of cash from responsible sources.
Whether it was enough cash, and
whether numerous other complex details
could have been overcome, we do not
know. But he was earnest In his con-
victions that his plan was practical and
could succeed and he had persuaded
others that 1t would.
with the union Is merely one example
of the difficult position in which circum-
stances have placed any would-be private
operator. The union position was that
1t could not negotiate a contract with
anybody who lacked a permit. But any
group Of investors must have some firm
estimate of immediate cost, especially
labor costs, before taking other expensive
steps leading to the grant of permit.
reasonable, as starting basis. But one
of the overtones Of union reluctance to
make binding agreement Is that many
Jobs, Of streetcar maintenance and oper-
ating personnel, are threatened by an
all-bus operation. The union is no more
sure than anybody else that its own
interests are not better protected by con-
tinuation of the present system, rather
than It's demolition in favor Of brand
new one.
The pressure of time has compli-
Gated the picture. BY February 1t might
be too late to obtain enough buses to
provide adequate service next August Is.
That is one reason the Public Utilities
Commission Is exploring the public au-
tlority idea, in effect abandoning its
hope for private operation. The door
may not be completely closed to private
operation of new transit system, but
only tiny crack remains.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
Ferment in Jordan

Many deeply embedded emotional
forces are at work in violence-torn Jor-
dan. Some, involving old and bitter
dynastic rivalries In the Middle East,
have been, present but relatively latent
for decades. Others, arising out of the
creation Of Israel in 1948, have been sim
mering only slightly below the political
surface for the past seven years. In
Jordan, as in most other Asian and Afri-
can countries, the fever of nationalism
has pushed up the political blood pres
sure. The countrys material shortcom-
ings have frustrated aspirations for
greater prosperity and progress.
In an atmosphere charged with these
explosive qualities, Jordan now is caught
in a bitter regional rivalry. It's choice
lies between following, and extending,
an old policy or adopting a new one. Its
old policy involves close association with
Britain, which has exercised political In
fuence in Jordan while extending eco
nomic and military aid, and with neigh.
boring Iraq, whose ruling family Is re-
lated to that Of Jordan. It was to extend
this policy that King Hussein and his
cabinet indicated last week that the
Amman government was prepared to join
the Middle East Treaty Organization, In
which Iraq is key member and to which
Britain is Signatory. The alliance,
forming the so-called northern tier of
defense against possible Russian military
aggression in the Middle East, has the
formal approval of the United States.
although we are not parties to 1t.
The disorders which followed, in
GLIDING demonstrations against Western
diplomatic missions, have forced King
Hussein to dissolve Parliament and to
accept the designations Of his cabinet.
New elections have been ordered In which
the real question will be that of adher-
ence to the pact. II the vote Is adverse,
1t will mean, in effect, that Jordan will
be shifting to closer association with the
Egypt Syria-Saudi Arabia combine-one
that has bitterly opposed the METo
alliance.
It is difficult to gauge the commu-
mist influence in these events There Is
no doubt, however, that 1t is to COM
munist advantage to keep the Middle
East divided and to prevent any further
expansion of the northern tier alliance.
The most recent developments in Jordan
have had this effect And while Jordan
by itself is not q major power In the
area, It's election choice win provide
significant measurement Of how the
political winds are blowing over an
important testing ground.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
Jones Case Absurdity

Police Chief Murray has ample cause
to be amazed over his latest setback In
the case of former Police Private Harold
e. Jones, dismissed last June for drunk
enneSS. If the mandatory" decision OF
the Civil Service Commission In this
veterans preference case should stand,
an officer found by Police Trial Board,
the Chief Of Police and the Commissioners
to be unit to be a policeman would be
restored to duty, with full back pay. 1t
Is Uncomfortable that Congress ever
dreamed that the veterans preference
law might result in such an absurdity.:
The csc Board Of Appeals and Re-
view has ordered the reinstatement Of Mr..
Jones on the ground that there were
''procedural defects" In the suspension
and firing of the officer. In lengthy
ruling which District legal officials de-
scribed as confusing" the board, with
CSC approval. held that Mr.. Jones' sus-
pension for more than 80 days, pending
trial, was invalid because he had not been
given 80 days notice in advance. (The
veterans preference law requires such
notice for suspensions of more than 80
days.) But Chief Murray points out that
when he suspended Jones he had no way
Of knowing that the suspension period
would run more than 80 days, because Of
trial delays. Major Murray does not
think he should be put In the position Of
prejudging what trial board will do.
In summation, because of alleged
procedural defects which District officials
refuse to admit, police ohlcer convicted
not only Of drunkenness but Of lying to
his superiors-an officer who was arrested
twice for drunkenness while still on trial
and who forfeited collateral on both
occasions be restored to his job as
an officer Of the law. The Commissioners
ought TO exhaust every legal appeal from
the civil service ruling. And II the vet
erans' preference law actually can have
the result threatened In the Jones case,
Congress should change the law promptly.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22

The Falls Church School Board has
launched timely inquiry into the prac-
tice Of using school children to deliver
propaganda material to their parents.
This is not a problem peculiar to any
one community. There have been a
number of complaints, especially in rela-
ton to the Gray plan controversy, that
school children are being used as propa-
ganda carriers Under the best Of cir
cumstances, this is dubious practice.
1t is one thing to ask children to take
home literature concerning legitimate
activities In their schools. But when this
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
The Soorlonders Speak Out

The Saarland'S latest election appears
to have proved one thing. It is that an
overwhelming majority Of the residents
of that industrialiy wealthy territory pre-
fer to be subjects Of Germany--in this
case the West German Republic. They
do not want to be subjects Of France, or
even OF some emi-independent Euro
peanized" state. For with more than 80
per cent OF the qualified voters going to
the polls on Sunday three strongly pro-
German parties captured approximately
"a per cent of the ballots. Actually, in
electing new Parliament, every one Of
the nine parties in the field was COM
mitted to eventual reunion with Germany
--even though their commitments varied
somewhat In force and urgency.
It is not surprising that this should
be so. The residents Of the Saar are
Germanic In language and In culture.
And although control of the territory has
been contested by France and Germany
for almost 800 years, every showing Of
public sentiment, in modern times at
least. has reflected a preference for
German rule rather than any other alter
native. In 1885, for example, the Saar
voted by 90 per cent to become part Of
the Third Reich rather than be governed
by the League of Nations or be attached
to France. And last October, after 10
years Of close political and economic ties
with France, the territory rejected semi
autonomous status under the Western
European Union. The vote then was in
terpreted as, more than anything else,
a protest against the pro-French Saar
government of Premier HOFFMAN, and his
Christian Peoples Party. Mr. HOFFMAN,
resigned and, although his party ran
third In last Sundays election, 1t did so
on qualified platform Of reunion with
Germany.
It appears now that coalition pro-
German government will be formed, with
the Christian Democratic Union-an on
shoot Of Chancellor Adenauer's party In
West Germany-being dominant. Re-
hecting something Of DR.. Adenauer's own
moderation on the issue, the Christian
Democratic Union is expected to work
most closely with the HOFFMAN, group as
means Of restraining the aggressively
anti-French Democratic Party led by q
former Nazi, Heinrich Schneider.
Meanwhile, leaders Of the Paris and
Bonn governments are scheduled for
another round Of negotiations on the
issue. Their latest announced agreement
was that the wishes Of the Saarlanders
themselves would be respected-although
1t was not spelled out how and when.
For long-term purposes, in any case,
those wishes now have been made clear.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22

The recent letter from Real
Democrat" puts Adlai Steven
son on some sort Of a pedestal.
Frank Kent, in his articles
about Stevenson, must be hit
ting where 1t hurts. In other
words, the truth hurts.
Real Democrat" says that
Adlai Is too good" for the
average voter. II this is so.
the average voters of our land
must have sensed this better
than-most" quality Of Adlai's,
because they elected like" by
an overwhelming majority.
Yes, Mr.. Stevenson is the
man of the hour, but his hour
was over four years ago.
IKE" Booster. n
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
THE POLITICAL MILL
By GOULD LINCOLN
Resuninq Press Conferences

in 1855 the Empire States
delegation Is likely TO do that
thing. II President Eisenhower
stands for observation-disclosures
many New York Republicans.
including National Chairman
Leonard W. Hall, now believe
he will-New York win gladly
60 right along with that pro-
gram.
Should Mr.. Eisenhower de-
cline to run, New York's big
bloc Of votes-96 strong-may
again be q deciding factor.
Under the leadership of Gov.
Thomas E. Dewey. the New
York delegation stuck to Eli
senhower like q burr. In the
1852 national convention -
and that unwavering support
helped to assure the Presidents
nomination.
Mr.. Dewey is no longer Gov
ernor. That does not mean.
however, he is no longer q
power In Republican politics
in his home State-and even
outside State limits. He is the
strong man, the winner, who
took New York away from the
Democrats In 1912 and held it
as Governor for q dozen years.
He voluntarily retired from Of
nee after serving three four.
year terms, longer than any
other man except old Gov.
Clinton, New York's first Coy
ernor, who held the office for
a score Of years. Already, Mr..
Dewey is dabbling his toes In
New York Republican politics
again-as shown by q dinner
meeting last Thursday he had
with a half dozen Of the party
leaders to discuss legislative
problems.
With President Eisenhower
running next year-if he does
MIR. Dewey's task win be
simple.
But Mr.. Dewey has always
looked ahead, and undoubtedly
he is now evaluating the situa.
ton which a refusal to run by
President Eisenhower will cre-
ate for the G. O.P. II he can
not have Eisenhower for q
presidential candidate, Dewey
will doubtless favor one Of the
Eisenhower Republican group.
For years he bucked the isola-
zionist. stand-pat Republicans
and stood for q more pro-
gressive @. o. p.
May Support Nixon
1t has been rumored In some
quarters that Dewey may sup
port Vice President Dick Nixon,
who also may be President Ell
senhower's own choice. Dewey
and the New York delegation.
II they went down the line for
Nixon. would be q power In
deed. Mr.. Dewey. however. has
not crossed any bridges. Like
other Republicans, he was set
for the denomination and re-
election Of President Eisen-
hover. If the President feels
he can stand another four-year
term in the White House, that
will be fine with Mr.. Dewey.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22

The announcement thu t
President Eisenhower will re-
sumo his press conferences
when he returns to Washing
ton after the Christmas holi-
days is good news. 1t will rep
resent another and important
step by the President toward
carrying on his job in his old,
forceful way, Also, the Presi-
dent win again shed light on
important issues and problems
which confront the Govern
ment and the world.
For the Republicans, the
announcement Of the resump-
ton Of the press conferences
was something like a Christ
mas present-another indica-
ton that the President is
getting around to running
again. While James C.. Hag-
erty, the Presidents press Sec
rotary, declined to fix a date
for the first press conference,
he said it may take place In
January. Certainly, the de-
cision to resume the press con-
ferences shows the President
is going about to fill his ONCE
just as he has in the past,
and that he intends to learn
for himself whether he feels
able. physically, to carry on for
the next i've years as Chief
Executive.
No Light Task
The presidential press con-
ference is no light task for any
President. Mr.. Eisenhower has
held these conferences almost
weekly when he has been In
Washington. During the last
year. the conferences have
been televised. which has not
lessened the strain on the
President. The conferences
have proved a great asset to
Mr.. Eisenhower. He handles
them well and gets his story
across to the country. Mr..
Hagerty insists the conferences
viii be "as usual" with report
ers permitted to question the
President freely. No written
questions will be demanded.
And some time. perhaps in
early February, the President
win answer the important
question: "Will he run?" It is
recalled that last February
Mr.. Eisenhower told his press
conference a year hence to ask
him again. He may use the
press conference as his me-
dunn to announce his impor-
tant decision.
Those Republicans who still
have to be convinced Mr.. Eli
senhower win stand for re-
election. continue to evaluate
the situation which could be
created by a refusal on Eisen-
hower's part to run. They To-
Gus. particularly, on New York.
They remember that New
York's big delegations at Re-
publican national conventions
have often played key parts in
the selection Of Republican
presidential candidates - and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

no brush fires-we burn our
trash In cement incinerator
that has been In use for years.
Il realize I can do nothing
but continue to keep feed and
water available and hope they
win return. but I am con-
sumed with curiosity as to why
we have been so abandoned.
What could possibly have made
them all leave at once?
Sincerely yours. Mai. Gen.
M. g. W., U. s. A., ret"
+ ~
This Is q common phe-
nomenon.
1t occurs to almost every
friend of birds who goes at it
in buSinesslike way.
Sometime or other, often
during December. every single
songster will vanish. and may
be not return for days. in some
extreme cases. never.
Just why this is makes q
most difficult question to an
swer.
The philosophically minded
person will think Of the poet
who wrote that he never loved
q beautiful gazelle, but that
it died.
1t seems as If, in this odd
world in which we live, those
who try to do the most are
slapped down, every now and
then, Just to keep them in
line. or something.
From a practical standpoint,
we know very little about
birds. after all. despite all the
years of research and the
thousands Of big books writ
ten about them.
No one can say how much
the "fall out" Of the bombs
has to do with the sudden
disappearance Of such sensi-
tive creatures.
There is little doubt that
when mile after mile Of coun-
tryside is filled with houses,
conditions are created that are
not to the liking of wild things,
though the terrain may look
pretty wild to the human resi-
dent.
Unfortunately, at Christmas
time, air rifles and 20 caliber
rifles come to the fore in the
hands of thousands Of modern
Davy Crocketts. The presen-
tations begin weeks before
Christmas, in many cases,
working to a climax Deem
Der Is through the holidays.
Personally, we believe there
Is some unknown factor work.
ing against the birds Of Amer
lea. Time alone will reveal it.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
Power of Unionism

George Meany. newly APP
pointed president Of the ALL
CLIO Labor Union. lost no time
in giving fair warning that he
will not hesitate to use the
great power vested in him
through the merger to gain
his detectives. In a speech be-
fore the National Association
of Manufacturers in New York.
Meany said IF we can't in
dorse the political candidates
we want. then we viii start q
labor party, q third political
party"
In other words. Meany must
have his own way or we Ameri-
cans must suffer the conse-
quences. Meany said he Is
against the fright TO work"
law which bans union shops
In II States. That Meany
favors compulsory unionisrn is
obvious. which In my book Is
no different than Stains
communism" or Killers
"fascism." That power-mad
Meany is out to seize political
control Of the country and
control Of labor and has no
intention Of settling for less
is obvious. That unionists have
grown too big for the good of
the country's economy is also
obvious. There are laws to
protect the public against any
one industry's monopolistic
tendencies, but unionists are
immunized from the antitrust
law by Supreme Court decree.
Still staggering under the in
fluence Of his newly acquired
power. Meany said he would
not call national strike that
would stop all wheels of in
dustry at the same time. That.
he said, would be against the
Government. Well, I don't
trust Meany or any other labor
organization.
Nish Showers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22

In the interest of intellectual
land financially freedom. Mrs.
Mcintosh would have US de-
stroy the myth Of Santa Claus,
restoring--as she puts 1.-THE
original spiritual value Of the
holiday.
II I am q tribe uncertain
about the clear definition Of
spiritual" I suspect ! have
plenty of company even among
the most learned churchmen.
but does she not wish to de-
stroy one myth while empha-
sizing q collection Of still older
ones?
Since the long history Of man
shows that he rejoices In the
bondage" Of myths Of one
sort or another. and that moth
ing strengthens them more
than to attack them. would it
not be wiser to accept the sta
tus quo? In that spirit I pro-
pose . toast ut this holiday
season: ITO bigger and better
myths. Meanwhile let no one
disturb the ones which delight
u.s."
Herbert J. Holland.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-22
ALEXANDRIA, VA.

ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Dear Sir:
Perhaps you can tell us
what has happened to our
wildbirds.
For years We have been
feeding them and have been
most fortunate in both the
number and variety that have
visited US, especially in winter.
I'VE have q large. sheltered
feeder for seed, a peanut but
ter feeder a rack for suet;
and in very cold weather we
have a small heated drinking
fount that assures them good
water regardless Of tenpera-
ture.
I'VE provide two bird baths
in summer; we keep no cats or
dogs. and strenuously drive of
any stray that appears; and
our place Tan acre. is sur
rounded on all sides by wooded
areas with thick underbrush to
provide ideal nesting and
roosting places. Five big molly
trees around our house also
provide shelter. and there are
innumerable locusts.
Always we have had great
numbers of birds-as many
as 20 cardinals have been
counted at one time near the
feeder. or in the big locusts
nearby; titmice, chickadees,
juncos, a great variety of SPAR
lows, towhees ana nuthatches
have always visited us in
droves all winter long; and the
new empty nests we can count
in the denuded trees testify
to the numbers that remained
through the summer.
Nov all have vanished.
mot q bird. save one lone
hooking bird who lives In one
Of the hollies.
THE English sparrows that
poisily nested In one holly for
years are gone. Not O redbird
have We seen.
Usually snow, or o hard
freeze. brought the multitude
Swarming round our kitchen
door, and even covey Of quail
frequently Toasted round.
mo more. The two-inch
snowfall q couple Of weeks ago
brought not q bird Feed that
put out before the snow lies
untouched. The lone hooking
= bird comes twice day to the
peanut butter feeder, which
now lasts 10 days or more.
when I formerly had to I'LL 1t
almost daily.
Last winter we had birds
enough to consume q pound
or more OF seed daily. Now
we have none.
"Since I realized they were
all gone, / have been watching
the woods around us closely.
No birds. During the past week
I have observed one Nightly
ing sparrow passing us by, our
one mocker, and a lone crow
winging toward the river half
a mile away.
$50 far we know nothing has
changed in our neighborhood.
! have observed neither hawks,
owls nor cats. did less than
usual spraying last summer,
and, because there were few
Japanese beetles. used much
less DOT and, In any case, I
used nothing / have not used
every year. There have been