davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1956-03-25
Assets

But IN spite OF this qualifi-
cation I may by this time have
put you in a state of some de-
spondency about the prospects
Of the Western democracies,
and so I will now proceed to
redress the balance. for I as
sure you that, even in the field
Of diplomacy. the assets Of the
democracies outweigh their
handicaps.
1t Is a capital maxim,
whether in war or in politics,
never to be so conscious Of the
weaknesses In ones own posi-
tion that the weaknesses Of the
adversary are overlooked. To-
talitarian regimes are apt to
present a monolithic front to
the outside world, and 1t is
difficult to divine the stresses
and strains, the personalities
and controversies. which as
suredly handicap the formula
tion Of policy and hinder its
execution. But every now and
then head rolls or a minister
falls, or the regime is shaken
to indicate a ferment Just as
the occasional eruption Of q
seemingly quiescent volcano
indicates the hidden pressures
beneath.
"Our policies ore based on far
more oeeurote and objective
reports thon ore those Of
totolitorion states"
Firstly, democratic govern
ments are apt to have a better
understanding Of the outside
world not only through per-
sonal contacts but also because
their representatives are free
to report things as they see
them rather than the things
their superiors want to hear.
I am sure that in general our
policies are based on far more
accurate and objective reports
than are those of totalitarian
states. In the Berlin blockade
and in the invasion of Korea
we had two examples Of major
Com m unist miscalculation
about the Vests willingness to
resist.
Secondly, of course. demo-
cratic governments benefit be-
cause their policy is under
the constant scrutiny of a Wig
liant public. BY contrast, the
mistakes made by Dictator
ships can be disastrous. Abso-
lutte power so easily corrupts
good judgement. One has only
to think of the gross miscal-
culations of Mussolini, the
catastrophe blunders of Hitler
and the mis-reading by Stain
Of German intentions in 1941
to illustrate this point.
Thirdly, though in theory.
and often in practice, the di-
plomacy of q dictatorship or
a totalitarian regime is more
flexible, it can, paradoxically
enough, be subject to great
rigidity in that 1t is controlled
by certain dogmas or fixed
ideas and because its agents
have no discretion to vary
whatever the party line may be
on particular issues.
The fact that the policies
Of democracies are subject to
constant public and parlia-
mentary control. with elections
at frequent intervals, means
that they are kept broadly in
harmony with the popular viii.
Premature publicity and pre-
Evening star., 1956-03-25


think Washington needs one.
vealed a Is to As vote and
Vice President Nixon had to
break the tie. There have been
previous incidents like this
over the years.
The Cost Objection
The last time the Senate
considered the question Of
adopting the electric voting
machine, all kinds Of objec-
tions were raised. That was in
1861 when the cost Of "elec.
trifying" both Houses Of Con.
gress was estimated to be be-
tween 100000 and $500, 900.
It probably would be higher
today.
In all, IS State Legislatures
use electric voting machines
either in one or both Of their
houses. All but one Of them
were made by a firm In Rich
mond, Va. The system works
like this:
Whenever a question is put
before the house requiring
recorded vote, a member
simply moves a switch on his
desk-something like the toggle
switch that turns \on the lights
in your home. If the switch
is pushed to one side, for
aye" a green light shows up
on a huge board on the wall
beside the members name. A
push in the opposite direction
flashes a red light for q
mo" vote.
How II Works
This is the approximate
procedure followed by Speaker
E. Blackburn Moore Of the
Virginia House Of Delegates on
final passage Of q bill:
THE question is" he says.
"shall the bill pass?"
On the wall 100 lights flash
either red or green. Each
member can see, for instance.
how the Speaker, the floor
leader. the party whip and
other key figures are voting.
"iIave all members voted?"
the Speaker asks. Does any
member desire to change his
vote?" Sometimes a few lights
change colors). "The clerk will
close the roll"
In seven seconds a perfor-
ated sheet feeds out of a box
into the clerks hands with
each members vote recorded
and the totals at the bottom.
On the Speakers desk the to-
tai AYE" and mo" votes are
flashed before his eyes. The
Speaker then announces the
result.
An objection raised TO
adopting the system for the
House of Representatives is
that members do not now have
desks regularly assigned thcm.
Edison's Invention
The first electric voting
machine was patented by
Thomas A. Edison on June /.
1869. 1t was designated the
"electrographic vote recorder"
and was built by hte famous
inventor In the hopes that 1t
would be used by Congress.
Bornett Bobrof of Madison.
Wis, invented a machine that
was put in operation in Iowa.
Texas and Louisiana between
1916 and 1928.
It was not until 1924, how
ever, when the Virginia Legis-
lature installed the high
speed type that a modern
device was used to enact laws.
The Bobrof patents were
taken over and improvements
made by the two Richmond in
ventors, Marshall r. Thomp-
son and his brother Charles.
At the time Charles was an
engineer for the State Of Vir-
ginia. Because many Of the
improvements were developed
while he was a State employe.
Virginia obtained use Of the
machine on o royalty-free
haRia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-24
Incidence of Polio
Is Less Than Half
of Same IS Period
By the Associated Press

The States reported 902 polio
cases last week, considerably less
than half the alba during the
comparative week last year. The
total continued to run lower than
in any comparative week since
ll947.
The Public Health Service said
yesterday there was no large nu-
merical increase last week in any
State except Michigan, which
had 81 cases compared with 80
In the week ended August II.
Chicago. where there is q
severe outbreak in some areas of
the city, reported 1873 cases, a
drop from l66 in the preceding
week.
A health service spokesman
said records indicated any week
now might be the peak week for
1856. based on past years.
There were 7.095 cases reported
this calendar year through Aug.
ust 10, compared with 1888 for
the similar 1855 span.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-24
|McKe|din Hits
AT Leadership

BY GENE GOODWIN

STAR CONVENTION BU-
REAU, SAN FRANCISCO, Aug.
24.-Gov. McKeldin of Maryland
last night accused the leadership
fof the Democratic Party of being
"steeped" in the mire of retro.
Igression.
In one last oratorical fling
here before returning to Mary
land from the Republican Con.
lvention. Gov. McKeldin made
Liberal use of the type of INC
Keldinisms" which were edited
to save time from his seconding
speech of the night before.
He told the San Francisco
Press Club:
| Never before has the self
constituted leadership Of the OPP
position been so stepped in the
mire of retrogression-so bent on
divisive mischief, not only in the
Nation but within their own wav-
ering ranks--so irresponsible to
the obligations of leadership-so
greedy for a return to the years
OF their misrule in Washington,
the years of the unlamented mink
dynasty Of plumber and pelf--so
unable or unwilling to face UP to
the issues of the day-so tough
in voice and gesture-so lacking
in sound assurance of the fu.
lures progress.
Jibes at Clement
The Democratic keynoter, Gov.
Frank Clement Of Tennessee,
was described by the Republican
Maryland Governor as "the
dauntlesS declaimer from Dick
son, Tenn"
And at various times in his
speech. Gov. McKeldin called the
Democrats:
THE stentorian statesmen Of
the stockyards."
Last weeks ambassadors Of
the amphitheater."
Those quadrennial liberals Of
the leep."
House Speaker Sam Rayburn
also came in for attack by Gov.
McKeldin, who said the Demo.
cratic convention chairman
"waded into the same morass Of
Misrepresentation" as Gov. Gle
ment.
This perennial padder of his
party's pork barrel from the
plains of Texas lunged auto.
matically into the same old Raw.
burn refrain-the touching Ia.
ment that his friends and his
cronies are deprived, under the
Eisenhower administration, Of
the Federal patronage on which
they had fattened in the 20 long
years of parasitical participa-
tion," Gov. McKeldin declared.
Praises Eisenhower
But when the Maryland Gov.
ernor turned to the subject of
President Eisenhower, he fairly
glowed.
AT no time in the history of
our party or our Nation has
there been more knowing, more
persistent or more effective
champion Of human liberty than
Dwight Eisenhower" he said.
Nowhere in the world today
is there another so well equipped
for. and SO consistently devoted
to, the task of hating oppres.
sion's march.
Never before has one man 50
united a whole people in a great
cause-the cause of a lasting
peace with justice for all peo-
piles in all nations-the Justice
that must eventually mean free.
dom for all mankind"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-24
Just $l4 Monthly

Here In one fabulous collection the proud traditional designs
worthy OF the most elegant living Washington today
you don't need fortune to and enjoy them Hecht
priced the entire group for modern budgets Full 5 foam
reversible cushions for lifetime comfort and wear Notice the
exquisite curves and detailing and most have fully lined kick pat
skirts Beautiful decorator fabrics matelasse tapestry
bouce damask and tweed in such fashnnew green
beige sage green brown charcoal turquoise and pink the group
1925 Decorator Chairs match S88
The HeM Goth Floor Spring
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-24
JS SIMMONS INNERSPRING MATTRESS
'OX SPRING SET FULL OR TWIN SIZE

It's been many long years since you could buy
mattress and boxspring set Of this high quality at
this low price And it's ONLY AT THE HEIGHT CO.
so you'd better hurry because quantities are lin
itedl Be here when our doors open tomorrow The
Hecht Co-4th Floor, Washington and PARKington;
Srd Floor Silver Spring.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
Carnival Workers
Charged in HoIdup

Two carnival workers were
charged with armed robbery in
Alexandria today in the Satur-
day holdup of a Washington
man who had picked them UP
near Woodbridge, Va.
Joseph C. Hill, jr., Is, of the
1900 block Of G street NV, ano
Walter r. Trimmer, 20, of York
Pa, were arrested Sunday by
park police at a carnival or
Benning road.
They are accused of taking
$14 and a watch at knife point
from Terrell r. Eastwood, 81, OF
532 Twentieth street NV.
Mr. Eastwood. telephone en-
gineer with the Army Signal
Corps, told police he picked up
two hitchhikers early Saturday
They pulled a knife and took
his wallet.
Alexandria Detective Marshall
Reid said the holdup occurred
on North Pickett street near the
Hammond High School.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
CONVENTIONS
TODAY

The Chamber of Com
merce of the United States
meets in the Hotel Statler
and the United States Cham
Der Of Commerce.
The Life Insurance Agency
Man & e ment Association
continues its sessions in the
Shoreham Hotel.
The Association of Amer
lean Battery Manufacturers
goes into its third day of
meetings in the Shoreham
Hotel.
The American Geophysi-
cal Union meets in the Ma
tional Academy Of Sciences.
The Electronics Compo-
nents Symposium meets in
the Roger Smith Hotel.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01

cided today that no business
would be done that day. The
Senate will adopt a resolution
expressing sorrow over the death
of the veteran Kentucky Senator
and then adjourn out of respect
to him.
The House is expected to act
Thursday on it's bill for the
restoration of the franchise to
the Capital Transit Co. with tax
and other concessions.
Difficult Compromise Job
Passage of the two conflicting
measures would present a diff
cult job of compromise between
the two houses.
Congressional spokesman last
night noted that some agree
|ment would have to be reached
If Washington is not to be left
without public transportation
this summer.
Most Capitol Hill veterans are
careful to avoid predictions as
to what the House might dc.
While a hot debate is anticipated
over the bill to restore the fran
chise to the company controlled
by a syndicate headed by Florida
millionaire Louis E. Wolfson,
some House members expect the
House will pass the bill as re-
ported from the House Interstate
and Foreign Commerce Com
|mittee.
One leading member of the
House, who did not want to be
quoted, SAID: This is a serious
proposition concerning the peo-
pie of the District of Columbia,
If there are those members of
the House who want to take an
irresponsible position as to their
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
Merrick Memorial
Will Be Dedicated

A memorial to the late Miss
Mary Merrick, founder OF the
Christ Child Society, will bo
dedicated at ! pm. tomorrow
at the Christ Child Convalescent
Home for Children, Bethesda.
Md.
The memorial, a room ar
ranged with furniture from Miss
Merrick's bedroom at her for.
mer residence, will be dedicated
by the Most Rev. Patrick A.
OBoyle, Archbishop of WASH
ington. A helpless invalid, Miss
Merrick directed the society from
her room for about IS years
bftore her death last year. 4
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
ELECTION SIDELIGHTS
ButtonhoIers Get Break;
Independent Barred

Claiming the first victory" of
Washington's rare election day
was Bruce Sundlun, District
campaign director for Senator
Kefauver.
Mr.. Sundlun went straight to
the Board Of Elections at the
District Building for an official
Interpretation of the rule against
solicitors working too near the
polls.
Mr.. Sundlun said some pre-
cincts were interpreting the rule
to mean solicitors must remain
100 feet from the building where
the voting was going on. He
argued for a ruling that the
100 feet meant the distance be-
tween the solicitor and the ac-
tual polling place. not the en-
trance to the building.
Mr. Sundlun won, and the
boards ruling was sent over
the police teletype to inform
other officials.
Voting was a proud experience
for many. There was William
T. Chase, 70, retired from long
service at the Bureau of Engrav-
ing and Printing. Mr.. Chase's
father was one of the five COL
ored members Of the last House
Of Delegates in 1874, before Mr.
Chase was born. Today the son
cast a Republican vote at Mott
School, Fourth and w streets
NV.
For Mrs. Margaret Streeter OF
36l5 Edmond street NV, 1t was
particularly memorable. At the
age of 80, she was voting in the
first Washington election in 80
years.
Il feel very proud and very set
up and closer to President Eisen-
hover than ever before" she said
after casting her obviously Re-
publican ballot.
Outstripping Mrs. Streeter'S
age by one year was the Rev
Mary jeanette Of 324 E street
NE. who had not voted since
leaving Oklahoma is years ago
The preacher, whose pastorate
for the past few years has beer
Franklin Park. said she voted
Republican.
Some OF the early voters. an
ticipating long wait. brought
along books. Most of them were
surprised to find the lines NOV
ing rapidly. This was especially
true at such spots as Western
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01

On Mr.. Boston's heels were the
Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress
Mrs. Ackroyd; the alderman and
sheriff. B. N. Valley Cohen and
Mrs. Waley-Cohen, and C. F.
Glenny, M.V.O., chief COM
moner.
Swordbearer Boston later ex-
planned that the 4-foot long
sword he was carrying is only
Ia copy of the weapon reserved
for ordinary state occasions in
London town.
The official party went down
the hall of the District Building
to look in the city's election
headquarters activity. The party
then left to take in the custom
airy tourist sites and to lay a
wreath on the Tomb of the I'm
known Soldier in Arlington.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
House Group Airs
Court Transfer Bill

A House District subcommittee
today has under consideration a
bill to authorize any judge of
the U. S. District Court for the
District of Columbia to transfer
cases to Municipal Court where
the judge is satisfied that the
case would not produce a judy
ment in excess of $4,000.
The bill was Endorsed during
a public hearing yesterday by
the District Commissioners, rep
resented by C Belden White II,
assistant corporation counsel.
The measure was opposed by
Joseph A. Kaufman. testifying
as chairman Of the Law and Leg
islation Committee of the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations
| Subcommittee Chairman Har-
riS. Democrat of Arkansas. was
told the District Bar Association
has not yet acted on the measure.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01

All she wished to do was change
her mind and vote the other
way. This time the ancient wom-
ans prerogative didn't work. On
election day, a rule is a rule.
Democracy at work has its
stirring moments. Like when
Mrs. Helen N. Boyden, a resi-
dent at the Home for the Blind,
appeared to vote at Georgetown
Public Library, Wisconsin ave-
nue. and R street NV. A friend
assisted by marking the ballot
for her, and then Mrs. Boyden
signed in the proper place.
One observer concluded that
Stevenson campaign workers
came better prepared than Sen
ator Kefauver's-at least in point
of comfort. Many brought
chairs to use outside the polls.
One woman worker at John East
School brought a beach chair,
raincoat and hat and parasol,
and settled comfortably in the
street.
Arthur Clarendon Smith, Ke-
fauver supporter and candidate
for national convention delegate,
added a political flavor to the
scene. Mr.. Smith looked the
part in black homburg and bow
tie. Across the street he had
stationed one of his warehouse
employees wearing overalls and a
Kefauver placard around his
neck.
1t was purely coincidental, off,
Gals said, that a painting of F
Joseph (Jiggs) Donohue. Sem
ator Kefauver's national cam
Ipaign manager. looked down on
election proceedings at the Dis
trict Building. Mr.. Donohue's
picture was there by virtue of his
tenure as District Commissioner
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
School Officials Doubt
Drastic Shift Of Pupils

was rejected by school officials
as being impractical.
alarming" Extremes
DR.. Kinks cited what he said
was the existence of alarming
extremes within present classes
in attainment, intelligence, social
adjustment and age.
Asserting that in some classes
the schools were mixing wrong
ingredients" the board member
declared:
IF a child is three or -four
years behind in reading and
mathematics and is in the ninth
grade, I'd say he's in the wrong
slot and shouldn't be there"
This situation was shown to
exist in achievement tests last
year, he pointed out.
II believe we can attain better
results by better grouping of
our students" DR.. Kinks told his
colleagues
The Kinks motion approved by
the board included a proviso
that the school administration be
allowed to shift children from
one school to another if this
proved necessary in order to
carry out the desired regrouping
DR.. Margaret j. Butcher OBJ
jected to the regrouping plan as
'undemocratic," contending chill
dren would be labeled as superior
or inferior. She also questioned
whether lack of past educational
opportunity might penalize some
children and make it impossible
to determine their actual ability
fairly.
Segregation has created this
whole thing" she declared.
Wesley S. Williams said he had
personal knowledge" that some
schools already are grouping
children by ability.
DR.. Butcher and Mr.. Williams
voted against the Kinks motion.
Robert r. Faulkner abstained,
declaring he was bitterly disap-
pointed that DR.. Kinks has wa
tered down his statement" Mr..
Faulkner said he had intended
to propose public hearings on
the original Kinks plan.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
BY JAMES G. DEANE

Some District public schoo
pupils may face shutting mex
fall under a new Board of Edu.
cation mandate to School Supt
Hobart M. Corning.
But high-ranking school Of
ficials said today they doubt
that any drastic reorganization
will occur.
The school board, on motor
of DR.. Rowland F. Kinks, yes.
terday directed DR.. Corning tt
produce by June a plan for re.
organizing elementary and junior
high pupils into as "homogene-
Gus" classes as possible. He urged
that ability and achievement be
made the chief gauges for the
"homogenelty" a situation
where all are alike.
DR.. Kinks dropped a previous
proposal to have all the city's
school children retested and re-
group them accordingly. He also
did not press a proposal for
strict new promotion standards,
although he said he still favors
these.
More H0mogeneity Urged
/ School officials did not oppose
the new Kinks move. DR.. Corning
said he interpreted the instruc-
lions as stating 1--WE are to use
all administrative measures we
have in order to effect more
homogeneity." He added:
THAT is something all of us
want"
! The superintendent also said
the school system already has
made some steps in that direc-
ton
DR.. Kinks. in explaining his
proposal. ASSOCIATED himself
from a recent plan of Brig. Gen
Thomas A. Lane. District En-
gineer Commissioner, for demot-
ing District children whose
school work is behind grade
level. Gen. Lane also called for
retesting all pupils. a move which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01

responsibilities toward the riders
of mass transportation in the
District, that is up to their own
conscience. Frankly, we do not
know what will happen after
next August Is when. by act of
Congress Of last summer, in the
closing days of that session,
Congress decided to revoke the
franchise and charter of the
Capital Transit Co. next Au-
gust"
Open to Amendments
The House Rules Committee
ALREADY has cleared the so-called
restoration bill for House action
This is an open rule which would
permit any germane amendment
from any member on the floor,
This promises a hot fight because
some key members have indicated
they would not vote for any bill
that would restore the franchise,
with big concessions, to the Capt.
tai Transit Co. as long as it was
dominated by the Wolfson syndi-
cate
On the Senate side, the sailing
seems to be a little simpler. But
the vote there on creation of a
public transit authority is ex-
Ipected to meet with some OPP
position.
The Senate District Commit
tee has reported bill to create
what is called an interim" au-
thority.
The Senate bill would con-
stitute the District Commission
lers as a Washington Metropoli-
tan Transit Authority to take
over operation of the mass trans
Iportation system next August Is
for a three-year period.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
President ProcIuims
May Is Mothers Duy

President Eisenhower today
proclaimed Sunday, May 10, al
Mothers Day.
His proclamation called or
Americans Ito give public anc
private expression to the esteem
in which our country holds it:
mothers" on that day.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
.VMl Educator Retiring

Col. John E. Townes. United
States Army, retired, professor
Of history at Virginia Military
Institute since 1921, will retire
at the end Of the current school
year. Col. TONNES is a native
of Petersburg, Va. and retired
in 1921 from active military
service.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01


L. Ackroyd and his party were
prompted by social motives, they
stayed to discuss with deep in
terest such American phenom-
ena as slum redevelopment and
city planning.
The Commissioners were duly
impressed by the procession as
1t entered the Office Of Robert
E. Mclaughlin. president of the
Board of Commissioners.
The first thing that greeted
their gaze was a massive sword
held upright in the hands Of w.
T. Boston, CHE, sword bearer
anc first esquire Of the city.