davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
Admiral Rodford's Views

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs o.
Staff Admiral Arthur W. Radford, has
formally denied New York Times story
which said that he had proposed an $780,,
000man reduction in the armed forces
by 1860. (The Star published an ASso-
ciated Press account of the Times story.)
Admiral Radford said that the report
was "a mixture of fact and pure specula-
ton" 1t is not clear where the line
should be drawn between the two. We
think it is safe to assume, however, that
Admiral Radford has not proposed" the
reported reduction in force, that there is
no revolt" against his ideas in this
respect among the chiefs of the three
armed services, and that the chairman
Of the Joint Chiefs does not hold a con-
cept of policy which signifies with
drawaG to Fortress America"
The information in the Times story
evidently came from staff study Of
future force requirements The Joint
Chiefs and their stats are constantly
engaged in studies of this kind Obvious
~, they must do so. But these planning
studies are tentative in nature 1t is
exceedingly unlikely, even at the plan
ming level that there would be a firm
conclusion in 1856 that the armed forces
some 100000 men-Should be reduced
by 100000 in 1860
This is not to say that there will not
be, or that there should not be, some re-
duction four years hence. Development
of new weapons and new weapon systems
perhaps unforeseen at this time-may
well make it feasible to cut down on man
power without endangering our own Sc
curity or retreating from our inter-
national commitments. If SO, the cut
certainly should be made, for this prob
ably is the most hopeful prospect of re-
ducing the burdensome cost Of the de-
Tense establishment.
In the meantime, as far as staff
planning goes, we do not think there is
any basis for concern on the part of the
American people or among our allies.
Admiral Radford is not the kind of officer
who believes in or who would advocate
defense policies which would sell the
country short. Nor is there any reason
that We know Of to suppose that he be-
loags to the Fortress America school
of thought.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15

nearby Virginia are tied into the same
water system. The Districts sewage
disposal plant now is treating sewage
from nearby Maryland. The National
Capital Regional Planning Council, rep
reSenting all Jurisdictions, co-ordinateS
planning for the entire area. regional
highway committee is making surveys
of benefit to all sections. And there have
been numerous proposals, in and out of
Congress, for metropolitan authority or
similar agency to operate transportation,
regulate public utilities or perform other
functions which cut across boundary
lines.
In short, those of us who work and
live in Washington, Arlington, Fairfax
County, Alexandria or Falls Church are
keenly aware of the need for better CO.
ordination of public works and pubic
services in the area, just as other COM
munities are. And we are glad to have
any advice which the Council of State
Governments or any other authoritative
groups can give toward solution of our
common problems.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
For q Cleaner River

The Commissioners decision to build
a new sewer system in the redeveloped
Southwest, with storm water and sewage
conduitS completely separate, is an anti
pollution step of great Importance to the
whole Washington Metropolitan Area. 1t
is the sort of city planning that was
regrettably lacking when the older sec
tions Of the Capital were built. AS a
result of the lack of foresight we are
afflicted today with a dangerously con-
taminated Potomac River, with the con-
tamination increased every time it rains.
How rainfall adds to the rivers pol
luton was revealed in recent series Of
articles in The Star. Because storm and
sewage pipes are interconnected in most
Of the downtown section, any excess of
rainfall Overoads the sewerage system
and starts raw sewage flowing directly
into the river at numerous points The
discouraging aspect of this situation is
that these overaows of untreated sewage
will continue even after the District has
completed its costly program of sewage
treatment 1t has been estimated that
a cityWide separation of storm water
and sewage lines would run into hundreds
OF millions of dollars. District officials
have ruled out such an undertaking as
economically infeasible.
The question of separation program
Just for the rebuilt Southwest came up
in connection with the Zeckendorf plan
for creating a new community overlooking
the waterfront. David Aud, District di-
rector of sanitary engineering, studied
the possibilities and prepared plan that
the Commissioners have approved The
cost is estimated at SIS million Part of
this estimate covers sewer work that had
to be done, anyway, in connection with
the redevelopment program. The remain
der Of the cost probably could be met
through appropriations under the new
Federal Water Pollution Control Act We
hope that the Southwest project will be
the forerunner Of similar sewer-moderni-
cation Jobs incidental to further urban re-
development and renewal In Washington.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15

prominence who never chal-
lenge popular trends, who go
always with the current. who
Will never prophesy what peo-
pie Go not want to hear. They
qualify and hedge and put
ditto marks under the beliefs
of those with whom they deal.
They remind one of another
minister who was ordered by
his bishop to preach on the
subject of Hell. The parson,
not wishing to offend the SEN
siblllties of his aristocratic
congregation, mitigated the
uncompromlSing doctrine of
the Scriptures, as on the given
Sunday he said with an apol-
ogetic draWl Brethren, you
must repent as it We're and
be converted in a measure OF
YOU will be damned TO some
extent.
This fall on the political
hastings in all parts of the
Nation, candidates for public
Office will be introduced to
audiences in village and town
and city to discuss the issues
of the campaign. But more
likely, the real subject Of the
deliverance is likely to be. Why
should be elected" The more
applause they get from those
gathered to the reasons given
as to why voters should elect
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
Loymon to Pulpit

The Star Of July 9 told OF a
sermon by the Rev. Charles d.
Kean. delivered at the Eplsco-
pal Church of the Epiphany.
CondOning the sacrificing of
Christian ideals in certain ma
tional problems,
To say that Christian ideals
cannot be applied to national
problems in terms Of absolute
rights and wrongs seems a lit
tie far-fetched. 1t is this line
Of thought which condones
any means in arriving at a
given end. This is a dangerous
trend which not only leopard
ICES our position at home. but
also abroad. To make the best
political and economic deci-
sions that seem possible in the
light Of circumstances may be
we'll for the sake of eXpedl-
ency, shut can such a stand
always do justice to principles
and ideals? Ideals are to
nation or an individual what
stars are to the mariner at
sea. To ignore or bypass them
for the sake OF a more imme-
date consideration could we'll
spell disaster.
Ideals. as we'll as freedoms.
are easily dispensed with
momentarily, but, as the winds
of Pandora's box, can rarely
be retrieved. The scene grows
more ominous as dark clouds
snuff out one principle after
another until at last we lose
our bearings; lost on the
trackleSs eXpanSe Of history
We must fieht such a trend as
fercely as we would a physical
enemy Future generations
Will always indicate our ac-
tons If they are made on the
course charted out for us in
l787-not in some evil realm
Of Machiavellian preceptS. In
short there can be but one
attitude: one of strong will
in good ideals. For if they are
good as our histories and
churches teach US, can 1t not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United statss SenaLe

The sweetest sound to a
British speaker is Hear
Hear" 1t is the indication
that somebody in the audience
is agreeing with what is being
said. 1t has the same tonic ef-
feet upon a politician as the
loud "Amens" had upon
preachers in the past genera
ton. Hear Hear and
"Amens" are the verbal equiv
alents of ditto marks. In
America instead of the vocal
cords being utilized as by our
English cousins to signify
agreement, We employ a col
lision of hands which, rising
to crescendo, can be almost
deafening Sometimes printed
speeches have certain para
graphs set of by great APP
plause"
The a m GU phone er
preacher whom Abraham Lin
coin knew, Peter Cartwright,
Scorned and spurned any at
tempt to curry favor or TO
gain the approval Of any
nearer, whether Of high or low
degree. Once, at a conference
in Nashville. Tenn, Peter
Cartwright was appointed to
preach in one of the churches
on Sunday evening. AS he
rose to announce his text
there was a stir in the
crowded congregation; he
paused to allow the excite
ment to Subside. The pastor
of the church took advantage
of the opportunity to pull the
skirt of the preachers coat
and admonish him in a whis-
per. Brother Cartwright, you
must be careful how YOU
preach tonight. Gen. Jack
son has Just come in In
loud tone Cartwright replied.
what do you suppose l care
for Gen. Andrew Jackson? If
he don't repent Of his sins and
believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ he Will die and be
damned like any other sin
ner' He then proceeded with
his sermon, with no thought
of applause from anybody.
His attitude so pleased Jack
son that when he met him the
next day the hand of the
preacher was grasped heartily
by the hero, who said: Sir,
you are a man after my own
heart. II l had regiment Of
men as brave as you, and you
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15

them. the more they conclude
their calling and election is
sure. These are the months
when political ears are close
to the ground, measuring APP
plause which is it fondly hoped
Will be translated into votes.
In such addresses lurk subtle
temptations. After delivering
a certain message to an APP
plauding crowd a public speaker
confessed that he had been
but a sounding board for the
opinions OF that audience,
hurting back upon them. to
their own delight, the ideas
they already held. He realized
that he had only confirmed
the notions they had brought
with them.
In retrospect he fervently
wished that he had brought
to that occasion few question
marks instead of dealing eX-
clusiyely in ditto marks. He
realized that by their vocif-
erouS applause that crowd
had really been applauding
themselves If, when listening,
people are really using their
heads they are not quite so
ready to use their hands or
to cry, Hear! Hear!" When
an audience actually is think
ing in a way which may, lead
to revising superficial and
hssty conclusions they are
very often seriously quiet.
Once, in a great church
gathering. very large contri-
buttons from wealthy people.
ostentatious gifts which in
yolved no sacrifice, were
greeted with great applause
as the amounts were an
nounced. That was no doubt
what some of the donors had
IN mind when they contributed
Toward the end a very small
amount was announced Now
the chairman happened to
know that that was a widow S
mite. a gift for which a poor
woman craved no credit. but
it was an amount which had
meant great self denial There
was no applause from the
crowd when that figure was
read. Then in the silence the
chairman said. with tremen-
dous effect: Listen. I think
l hear the clapping of the
pierced hands" He was listen
ing to a heavenly Hear!
Heart"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
Meat for the Democrats

No one can rightly blame the Demo-
Gratis for gloating over the fact that the
Justice Department has echoed many of
their arguments in asking the Court OF
Claims to dismiss the suit which the Mis-
siSsippi Valley Generating Company (the
So-called DiXon-YateS combine) has
brought against the Government The
whole thing adds up to fair political game
in this election year, and the Republican
administration has only itself to berate
for having created the tangle in the first
place.
Actually, although it seemed at the
start to be a reasonable and buSineSSlike
proposition, the DiXon-YateS contract was
a constant Indictment to partisan con-
troverSy throughout its ill-Starred and
short-lived existence. Worked out to pave
the way for construction of a private
generating plant in the Memphis area,
it ran into trouble from its very inception
It's critics-chiefly the advocates of public
poWer-Saw in it, or protested to see in
it, the beginning of an effort to destroy
the Tennessee Valley Authority. They
also challenged its legality on several
grounds including the fact that it had
been negotiated, as directed by President
Eisenhower, in an unusual and round
about fashion with the Atomic Energy
Commission.
Throughout most of this hullabaloo,
the President SteadfaStly defended the
undertaking in terms Of both principle
and practicality He did so up until the
time when he called for its cancellation
after having received assurances that the
City of Memphis would build a power
plant of its own. But this did not end
the story. The next chapter had to do
with Adolphe H. Wenzell and Democratic
charges that he had violated the conflict
Of-intereSt laws by serving simultaneously
as administration consultant, adviser to
the DiXon-Yates group and representative
of a big New York bank involved in
financing the project. And finally, after
finding that such violation appeared
probable, the Acc declared the contract
to be invalid, with the Government I'M
obligated to pay any of the expenses
incurred by Messrs. Dixon and Yates
But Messrs. Dixon and Yates, who
had by that time invested considerable
money IN the venture, refused 10 agree.
Instead, they promptly filed suit to re-
cover a bit more than S35 million from
the Government. 1t IS this suit that the
Justice Department, with language that
ought to please men like Senators Ke
fauver and Gore, has urged the court to
toss Out-on the ground that the disputed
contract "iS In violation of the statutes
and laws Of the United States and is un-
lawful, null and void. and contrary to
public policy" Whatever the final judi
cial decision, the story in the background
Of all this is clearly a story of ineptneSs in
high places. The Democrats would be less
than human if they did not make the
most of it (Which may in fact prove to be
not much) in the coming campaign.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
Playground

A decision was made a hall
a century ago to set up a play
ground in a logical p!ace-be-
hind Juvenile Court On July
9. 1906, The Star reported "A
children's playground will be
established in the rear OF the
house used for Juvenile Court
on F street, according to an
announcement mi de this
morning by Judge DeLacy
In the rear of the large
house used for the court there
is a very attractive lawn, with
many large trees, bushes and
some flowers. The plot is about
rs feet square. The idea
OF establishing a playground at
the rear OF the court orisi-
mated from the fact that last
week two boys who were watt
ing to be tried for throwing
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
New Group

WASHINGTON shippers got to-
gether so years ago to boom
the city's industrial develop
ment. and on July II, 1905,
The Star SAID Washington
businessmen have all day long
flocked into the Offices of MI.
Charles E. Howe az the Amer
lean Security & Trust Co, like
bees entering a busy hive. The
occasion of this rush was their
decision to become members OF
the shippers Association,
which was launched at meet
inc held at 3 o'clock this after
noon. The meeting was largely
attended and enthusiastic, and
the shippers present we're EVIL
IDENTITY very much in earnest.
Their shibboleth was a greater
Washington. There has been
no commercial movement here
that l know of that has stirred
business Washington to its cir
conference like the present,
said Mr.. Howe to Star re
porter. Local shippers are
actually falling over each other
to Join the movemnt, and when
l say shippers | mean busl-
nessmen generally. =. :"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
Fire Butts

Following the fire engines
was a sport that posed a prob
lem even so wears AGO on
July II, 1906, The star re-
ported: "A fire engine re-
spending to an alarm went
tearing down upper Fourteenth
street the other day, and II its
wake followed a dozen men and
boys on bicycles, riding as II
their lives depended upon
keeping pace with the fire APP
paratus. A citizen observing
this forbidden afterchase said
to Star reporter Several
years ago, when bicycles were
more common on the streets Of
this city than they are now,
this pernicious practice on the
part OF the riders became such
a nuisance that a police regu-
lation was made prohibiting it.
This is one of the most
dangerous practices on the
streets of the Capital The
mind of the average pedestrian
in crossing a street followine
the fight Of a fire engine IS
centered upon that object and
not upon what may be- in It's
wake. He does not observe,
therefore. the bicycles follow
ing until, as is frequently the
case, he is either knocked
down or so closely misses
collision that it takes his
breath away Suppose the
bike-cops get busy and make a
few arrests OF these Of
tenders.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
Burke Airport

An airport at Burke, Va,
would be so close to National
Airport that it would create
hazardous all traffic conditions,
with the possibilities OF air
collisions greatly increased. Be
fore any decisions are made,
the CAA should issue map
showing what they propose as
air traffic patterns over Airing
ton, Fairfax and the surround
ing counties. the patterns to
show both incoming and out
going traffic from National
Airport and the Burke site.
We have no assurance that
air traffic at National would be
decreased as a result OF having
another airport. Any decrease
would be only temporary, until
more airline carriers are char
tered and more schedules in
augurated, and the dangerous
congestion which you mention
in your editorial Of July 4 will
continue undated.
CharIOtfa EIanL
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
THE GAME OF POLITICS
Happy Chandler Takes Gloomy View
BY FRANK r. KENT

wagon atmosphere about their
man before the convention
meets. One means of doing
this is the serious discussion
of vice presidential aspirantS
favorable to him. AS of now
the man most prominently
mentioned is Senator John F.
Kennedy of Massachusetts,.
Senator Kennedy is one OF the
most attractive men in politics
today. Only 80 years old, he
has served in both House
and Senate with distinction.
Grandson of Honey" Fitzger-
aid, Mayor of Boston for many
years, and son of former Am
bassador to England Joseph
P. Kennedy, he has had in
teresting political background
and training. With character,
courage and ability. he is a
singularly effective campaign
er. His manner is earnest and
convincing-far more so IN
fact than Mr.. Stevenson IN
addicted to wisecracks and
punning, he seems to have but
one political weakness-he is
a devout Catholic.
Speculation on Kennedy
There is no way of telling
whether the country has be-
come less bigoted in the last
% years or not. No Cathoilc
has ever been elected President
and his religion certainly
mitigated AGAINST the late Al
fred Z. Smith, who would have
made one of our best Presi-
dents. There are several views
as to what effect nomination
of the Catholic Kennedy as
running mate to the divorced
Stevenson would have. One
is that it would attract to the
latter a good many Catholic
votes that went for Ike four
wears ago. Another is that
it would nullify the slogan
upon which the Democrats
clearly are going to depend
that "A vote for Eisenhower
is a vote for Nixon. Sui
another is that Kennedy's per-
sonality and family influence
would insure Massachusetts
going Democratic in November
1t went for Eisenhower by
more than 100000 in 1852.
There is nothing to do about
these questions except guess.
There are no yardst!cks by
which to measure. In the
whole history of American
politics there seems no in
stance of a vice presidential
nominee affecting the election
of a President. Mr.. Stevenson S
running mate in 1852 was
Senator Sparkman Of Ala
bama. Certainly no one VIII
contend that he got Adlal a
single vote in the South The
President carried four South
ern States. Senator Kennedy S
nomination for second place
might help or it might hurt
the ticket. No one can tell,
but one thing IS certain-lf he
is not nominated It Will be
solely because Of his religion
He has everything else There
could be no other season. Il
would be shameful to turn HIM
down for that.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-15
BeIobors Strikers

l read where striking union
steel workers in McKeesport,
Pa. we're registering for sur
plus United States food. For
the Federal Government to
give surplus food TO these
strikers would amount TO the
Government aiding and albeit
ting labor union racketcering
After all, the majority Of union
steel workers voted for this
strike. Why don't the union
slaves call upon the fabulous
~ wealthy labor unions for
assistance?
II the Government gives
food to anybody, it should be
TO those thousands of workers
who are being laid off because
of the unwarranted steel
strike. A pay raise for steel
workers would cause a raise in
the cost of living to not Just
union steel workers but to all
the working people who are
already overburdened with high
cost Of living. The labor union
LORDS, by their own acts and
deeds over the past 20 years,
have plainly shown that their
main objective IS to wreck the
orderly procedure Of the bust
ness of living in America. The
high cost Of living is a crea-
ton of their own making.
they show no mercy for any
one not within their fold. So
have no mercy on them;
take advantage Of this oppor-
tunity that the unionists
themselves have created to
bring them back to their
senses and to work by refus-
ing to aid them in any way.
Nish Showers.