davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02

CHRYSLERS-'50 club epe,; 7. and
h, S499; '53 Windsor 4-dr., gyro.
r. and h., 5000. HORNER'S COR.
Buick Dealer, Fla. ave. ne. at 9th
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
~ / AUTOMOBILES FOR SALE
AUTOS FOR SALE Cont,

CHRYSLER 1853 Newport hardtop
clean: SSS5. Si95 on. BELL MO
TORS. 500 Wis. ave. NV, WO: D.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02

CHRYSLER AZ Windsor 4-dr.; r
and h.. auto. trans sell for bal
ance, 500. THACKER MOTORS
18th and r. l. ave. ne, La. o.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
AIS MOTORS
DODGE IS cow.

Power steering, power brakes. d
way seat, cleo windows, power
packed motor. premium tires. halo
blue with white top, like new,
S2.4q5. Phone OIL. 1880, between
q NJ and & nm Il
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
Mr.. Butler Is Shocked

Democratic Chairman Paul M. But
Ter seems tos have come to the parting
of the ways with Ohio's Democratic
Governor Frank ]. Lausche. At any rate,
he says it is quite shocking" that
Governor elected on the Democratic ticket
should have made statement praising
President Eisenhower's veto of the farm
bill.
Governor Lausche made such state
ment He said that the farm bill was a
bad bill, that it would have been shame
ful' for the President to have signed it,
and that if he had done so "he would
have put himself in the role of just
another common politician"
If Governor Lausche believed this,
why was it shocking for him to say so?
Is Democrat who happens to think that
a Republican has done the right thing
supposed to brainwash himself, or, at
least, keep his mouth shut and not let
anybody know what he thinks? We Sus-
pect that the only thing shocking about
this incident is the fact that Mr.. Butler
was shocked by 1t.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
Voting Was What Counted

Our experienced, voting American
neighborS who live on the other side of
WaShington'S boundaries may conclude
that we know more about voting in the
District than counting. For while the
voting went off smoothly, with great good
humor and courtesy at the polling places,
the counting begged down completely.
It may be several days before it is over.
But all of that was anticipated Our
Woodworking Board of Elections, blazing
q path that has not been trod in Wash
ington for more than 80 years, knew that
1t would run into trouble after the voting
was over. 1t was not altogether the lack
Of experience, but the lack of money, and
the necessity to improviSe as they went
along, that clogged the tabulating ma
chinery. Enough votes have been counted
to show the trends, however, and the
official totals will merely confirm them.
The important thing was the voting,
the cheerful help at the polls and the
obvious pride by the voters in tasting
just taSting-a privilege and duty that 60
with American citizenship. This primary
has been a fine thing For it is only
OCSAliIul6' VIC SI4el1 ~ VII AAoA1 AACAC W
the day when residence in the Capital OF
the United States is no disqualification
to voting for President, Vice President
and our own representatives in Congress.
We have selected by popular ballot some
of the men and women who will help to
choose candidates for President and Vice
President. 1t cannot be too long before
we have the right to vote for those who
are chosen.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
Initiation and Love

Murray w. Stand, bachelor city clerk
OF New York, thinks it is time imitation
caught up with love. He proposes to do
1t by doubling the present So marriage
license fee in the worlds largest city, and
perhaps by doing the same to the So fee
for civil ceremonies These fees have
been standard for the past half century,
starting at time when prices as we'll
as romance were in horse-and-b
era. Mr.. Stand calculates that the pro-
posed increases would enrich the city
treasury by an additional $4,000 yearly,
extracted when the victims" would be
least conscious Of where their next So is
coming from.
There is something to be said for
Mr.. Stands stand. 1t is not long before
most bridegroomS discover that the most
expensive thing about marriage is not
the initial cost. Indeed, spending
deuce" this way almost always leads to
greater financial excuses than does cult
waiting a fondneSs for the So windows at
the nearest race track Mr.. Stand is not
suggesting, presumably, that the latter
would be better investment in the long
run, but price differential might place
the alternatives in sounder perspective
especially In leap year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02

operation proposed as the alternative to
restoring the franchise is a face-saver,
inviting endless public expense and in
efficient operation. 1t lacks the virtues
of such transit authority plans as those.
adopted in Cleveland and Chicago, or
iginally recommended by the Commits
sioners. It is a politicians bill, inviting
all of the evils and costs of public owner
ship exemplif1ed in New York and Boston.
A really sound transit authority measure,
with protection against political pressures
and wasteful practices, could still COM
mand respect. But no such measure is
now pending in Congress.
If the House acts in the public inter-
est, it will restore the transit company
franchise, under conditions that are rea-
Sonable, by passing the bill proposed by
the Commerce Committee.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
Choice in Transit

The House Commerce Committee, UNI
der its subcommittee headed by Repre-
sentative Oren Harris, gave Washington's
involved transit problem the most care
full and diSpaSSionate consideration hith-
erto received from any source.
This detached approach was pos
sible because the committee had no po-
litical axes to grind, it was not concerned
with saving anybody'S face, it was not
preoccupied with the enticing mysteries
of public ownership at the expense of the
taxpayers, nor with the idea Of Furnishing
Mr. Wolfson for his alleged sins. In brief,
the committee made an honest effort to
decide what is best for the public under
existing circumstances.
It's resulting legislation, expected to
come before the House within the next
few days, restores the franchise to the
Capital Transit Company, making pos
sible continued operation after next
August IA. It gives to the transit COM
pany substantially the same concessions
that would have been available to any
other qualified operator, had one been
found. 1t is the Immediately sensible
solution. We hope the House will support
its committee and pass the bill.
If the same intelligent appraisal OF
realities displayed by the House Com
merce Committee had been forthcoming
from the Public Utilities Commission in
the six months preceding last summers
strike, there would have been no strike.
There would have been none of the po-
litical shenanigans which the strike
produced There would have been no
empty promises by people who did not
know what they were talking about of
a rush by private investors to establish
a new transit system.
That, however, is water over the dam.
The choice now is between continuing
private operation of the transit system,
or destroying the company in order to
embark on highly dangerous form of
public operation. For the form of public
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
School Aid

The report of the White
House Conference on Education
says: approximately so per
cent of the participants also
favored Federal aid for school
operation. Just as clearly the
delegates agreed that Federal
aid should not be substituted
for local and State support.
nor should it in any way re-
duce the local controls which
have always marked the oper-
alton of the public school sys-
tenn"
OF course, these delegates
knew very well that local and
State taxpayers will be re-
lieved Of school-operation sup
port in direct proportion to the
Federal contribution, and also
that the Federal aiders will
inevitably reduce local control
OF the school system. They
had only to remember that
when the farmers accepted
Federal aid they lost control
Of the operation Of their farms,
and that even without the pro-
posed Federal aid local control
Of the school systems has al
ready been reduced by the
Supreme Court law on race
segregation. OF course, Federal
aid for both construction and
operation Of schools, II any,
will be conditioned upon strict
compliance with this uncon-
stitutional law.
AS surely as night follows
day, Federal aid is eventually
followed by q further encroach-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02

For some time have at
tempted to interest my young
son in a career as an officer in
the armed forces. have ex-
pressed my conviction that it
is an honorable profession and
provides a young man with an
excellent opportunity to serve
his country in an essential Ca
pacity. He has become inter-
eSted and has considered try
ing for one of the three serv-
ice academies. but an article
in The Star has created doubts
in his mind. He noted that the
House doorkeeper, who has
been struggling along on about
$4,000 a year, has been re-
warded with about $500 more
a month for a total of $16,500
annually. Not unlike some of
his contemporaries in this ma
terialistic age. he has Won
dered If 1t might not be pos
sible for him to serve his
country as faithfully and more
comfortably and less danger
ously as a doorkeeper. He rea-
sons that if a successful door,
keeper can earn about the
same salary as the Chief of
Staff Of the Army. and about
twice as much as a regimental
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
LETTERS TO THE STAR

commander or captain Of a
cruiser or battleship, why go
to the expense Of buying all
those uniforms?
If the pay of career officers
continues to depreciate in re-
lation to other professions, and
if Defense Secretary Wilson
and Congress continue to do
nothing constructive about it,
we will have to be con-
tent with military leaders
who are unable to make
a living in any other capacity.
Considering the mess the world
is in today, that might lead
to a tragic situation.
There was urgent necessity
for Congress to raise their SAL
aries and those of their en-
ployes. The raises approved &C
complished little more than
provide them with the same
purchasing power their SAL
aries commanded prior to 1899.
1t will not be possible to inter-
est competent men in a mill
tary career, men. the sarmed
forces must have in this tech
biological age. until Congress
applies the same criteria in
adjusting the pay of career off
GERS as they used in determin-
ing their own requirements.
Career Officer.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
SowmiII Rood

Along the sdwmill road there
might be bear
or deer or rdttleSndke, or
only a tired old hound
Who has run all night and
still has got noDhere.
And now the for has denned
up underground.
He follows me across the
clearing. humbly
Begging for breakfast, iDrtn-
king his iDearv nose;
FootSore, rdi0boned, he tDdoS
his toll and dumbly
His eyes brim NTH old oriets
he can't disclose.
! think perhaps one day a
Cherokee sQudw
With her cur dog wandered
this same high trail,
FOLLOWING some mark OF hoot
or foot or pdw--
A century, and nothing shall
prevail
To say ! tudlked here, beneath
blue Georgia skies,
Ponderino the sadness in a
torhound's eyes.
Minnie Hits Moody
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
The Stoy-ot-Home Vote

With so much excitement
and publicity among Mont
gomery County Democrats as
to who is the "bossiest" or the
most "inept" Democrat, we
Republicans are in danger Of
being overlooked. So we make
one tiny point.
Ward Caddington, chair
man Of the State Central Com
mittee, in defending himself
against charges Of inept party
management, pointed to the
victorious Democratic record
of 1854. When "even Repub-
lican Dewitt Hyde was held
TO a 3,000-vote margin over
his Democratic opponent. Ed
ward j Ryan"
Actually. however, lot Of
that credit belongs to us Re-
publicans. For the record will
show that 1t was not so much
the Democrats who went to
the polls but the Republicans
who sat at home who we're
responsible for that narrow
squeak.
Some.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
FALLS CHURCH, Va.

Dear Sir:
This morning I saw a
purple finch with a tiny metal
band on one of its legs at our
bird feeder.
What would be the purpose
or significance of the band?
Do you know?
Sincerely. I. j. L."
This is called bird banding.
1t is done by selected per-
sons under supervision of the
Government.
Most bird watchers do well
to forget about the bands.
The birds must be trapped,
and the notation on the band
taken. then reported to the
proper authorities.
All this takes time. and in
the handling of wild birds by
inexperienced hands, some
damage may be done them.
One factor of indiscriminate
interference with bird band
ing. which is not usually I'M
derstood, is that small chill
dren may be led thereby to
trap birds on their own.
This is not good. and one
way to avoid it is to let the
banded specimens strictly
alone. to be trapped and I'M
derstood by experts at the
work.
One of the very best features
of back yard bird watching is.
surely, that the birds have no
names.
That is. they are largely
anonymous.
No one bird has a name.
except now and then, in any
family experience.
This gives a great relief,
commonly overlooked. from
the much-named state in
which we all live.
True, names are marvels, let
that be plainly understood.
The system of naming comes
down from the very babyhood
of the race.
Early man wanted a name
for everything. and soon saw
to it that it had it.
BY giving each creature.
every plant. ETC., a name, early
man seemed to humanize them,
in a sense.
This was good. No one will
deny it.
After centuries of naming,
however. there comes a time
when too much naming-and
name calling-has its plain
drawbacks.
4
The feature Of back yard bird
watching is, we believe, that it
makes all birds brothers. in a
very real sense.
There they are. and they all
look alike, in a given species.
If now and then we happen
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
Too Many Veterans?

I have observed in your ex-
cellent paper the reports of
Gen. Bradley and his commits
sion, relative to the new look
for veterans, their problems,
their health, their housing,
their pensions and compensa-
lions awarded to them by an
American public which, in the
midst Of the Battle of the
Bulge, promised the veteran,
the then soldier. I'VE shall not
forget you"
If we have too many veter-
ans, and too much expense be-
cause of them, let the admin
istration and Congress appro-
pirate large sums for education,
to relieve ignorance in our be-
loved country. This done, we
could expect more intelligence,
both in Congress and in the
political administration of our
Federal Government, by people
both elected and appointed,
who will know enough to keep
us out of other peoples wars.
And if this is done, we can get
along with many less veterans
and professional generals as
well, who have made them
selves almost as conscious of
ballots, and big business, as
they formerly were of bullets
and big tanks. Without wars,
we would have no veterans, and
no need for generals to lead
soldiers who later become po-
litlcal pawns for politically
minded generals, all of whom
are receiving big pensions from
the same Government, and SAL
aries from big business as well
because they are not veterans.
They are retired generals.
Charles F. Gassi.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES (. TRACEWELL

to call one by a name, through
some special mark or other
matter, this does not in any
way detract from the fact that
their anonymity is something
very fine.
Each is Gods creature. and
has its own secret name, which
we will never know.
This makes each one special.
We cannot say, There goes
Jimmy" because that would
make all of those that are not
Jimmy outside our special
interest.
Lack of individual names
means that each jay, for in
stance, is Jay.
If mankind ever gets the
same feeling about each living
person, then he will see each
man as Man, and that will be
Utopia.
y X X
In the meantime, let us
rejoice that the birds are the
birds.
We. as individual watchers,
do not know their secret
names, safe with the Lord, but
accept each one as the species.
In this way, we are able to
play no favorites. never put
one above the other, accept all
on the same, shall we say,
wing.
Bird banding, while it has
its good points, such as en-
abling us to know how long
bird of a given species may
live, and where it flies, also
has its drawbacks if our in
terest is not so narrowly GEN.
tered.
If we like birds, as creatures.
feeling with a recent COR
respondent that there is no
greater miracle. really, then
we are better off, mentally.
just to watch them, try to
help them, and let nature take
care of them.
In other words, if we let
them be birds. not people, even
to lack of individual names.
we find in this indoor-out-
door sport something, some
thing very soothing, which
frees us for the nonce from
the trials and tribulations of
human life.
Today's human life is pretty
complex. filled with rancor
and rage; we could all initiate
the birds in many respects with
great benefit to ourselves.
Take just the "going to bed
with the chickens" idea. How
much less crime, misery and
sorrow there would be If all
mankind retired at dark! How
refreshed. how happy. people
everywhere would be, when
dawn came at last! Maybe
they would all sing like birds,
and be as happy, as carefree.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
Toxpoyer's Lament

Permit me to express an
opinion ON a pet annoyance,
the Virginia personal property
tax. This irritating tax con-
slider both inequitable and in
capable of being fairly en-
forced. 1t is inequitable even
if one accepts as fair the
principle that the burden of
the tax should be borne by
those who choose to acquire
tangible property rather than
use their money for pleasure,
travel or capital investments.
1t is inequitable because it is
based on that nebulous con-
cept of flair market value"
of a persons personal prop
erty. In any case flair market
value" can be very much a
matter of opinion, and in the
case of the taxpayer that
opinion is apt to be strongly
biased. The conscientious tax
payer is penalized. The fewer
the scruples the taxpayer has,
the lighter his taxes.
The personal property tax
is incapable Of being fairly
enforced because of the ease
with which small items, such
as jewelry, cameras. ETC.. can
be concealed and the difficulty
of proving ownership of such
items. Here again the honest
taxpayer is penalized for being
honest.
I am not a Poujadist. I
am willing to acknowledge ire
luctantly perhaps) that taxes
are necessary. However, I
would much prefer to see the
same sum now collected
through the personal property
tax collected by other means.
such as a sales tax or even
an increased income tax. A
sales tax. which would require
the buyer to pay tax once
only on a newly acquired ar
ticle, would be preferred to
paying an annual tribute for
articles of value. Increased
income tax would doubtless
be the most economical sub
stitute for the personal prop
erty tax. since the machinery
for collecting it is already
set UP. H. C. Turlage.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
VSTAS IN SCIENCE
By THOMAS r. HENRY
Seems There Are Orange Frogs, Too

lands which screen the Bay Of
Almirante from the Atlantic
and which supposedly first
were visited by Columbus.
Last year DR.. Trapido de-
scribed a scarlet frog-but
with black forefeet. hind feet
and thighs-from the same
general locality. This was the
rain forest along the bay, an
area about 20 miles long at
an altitude of from 500 to TOO
feet. This frog. dendrobates
pumilio, also was related to the
poison arrow frog. 1t was dis
tinguished by a very smooth
skin.
When efforts were made to
preserve the frog in formalin.
as a museum specimen, 1t soon
turned a drab black. It is
somewhat larger than the
orange frog.
Most notorious. but prob
ably least often observed Of
Panama's frogs is a denizen
of the Canal Zone. leptodac-
tylus or the smoky jungle
frog" a creature somewhat
bigger than the ordinary bull
frog, which will try to swallow
any living thing anywhere
near its own size. It attacks
snakes, lizards, even bats, and
spurns the customary insect
fare of its race.
A Notorious Cannibal
The animal weighs about a
pound. 1t is light tan in color.
with short arms and legs and
bullying muscles. 1t has five
toed, unwebbed feet. Between
its front feet are two horny
knobs, like the knobs on rub
Der tires, which apparently are
used to prevent the victim.
clasped in its arms. from slip
ping out.
The smoky jungle frog preys
on about everything it can
catch and swallow but is par
ticularly notorious as can
nibal. 1t eats other frogs,
toads, lizards and even young
iguanas. Its favorite method
of attack is with its very mus
cular tongue. with a stroke of
which it tries to throw its vic
Tins off balance. 1t has a
quite distendable throat and
tries to dispose of its victim
at one gulp. When this can
not be done it brushes it with
its powerful legs. Small bats
with needle-sharp teeth found
in Canal Zone caves are
among its favorite prey. They
seem unable to offer much
resistance to the dreaded
amphibian.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE
D Please

QWho founded ASCAP and
how many members does 1t
haven. A. S.
A. The American Society Of
Composers, Authors and Pub
fishers was founded in New
York City in 1914 under the
leadership of Victor Herbert.
It's stated purpose was to pro-
tect its members from copy
right infringements, TO work
for improvement Of copyright
laws. and to arbitrate disputes
between the parties concerned
with copyright claims. 1t is
a nonproflt organization, with
United States membership OF
some 1000 members. Total
membership in foreign afili-
ates II about 100000.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-02

PANAMA CITY. Panama
CBy MaiD On an isolated
island of Panama's Atlantic
coast lives an orange frog.
1t lives largely in the leaves
Of a large-leafed plant grown
by the natives for its roots.
which are used for food.
This orange frog on the
Bastimentos Island has just
been described for the Field
Museum of Natural History.
Chicago, by DR.. Harold Trapido
of the Gorgas Memorial Labo-
ratory here. It apparently is
confined to this one island,
reached only by cargo boats of
the United Fruit Co., and pos
sibly only to the northwest
shore of this island where is
grown the particular crop plant
in whose leaves 1t lives.
Lives in Colonies
It's skin emits a poisonous
secretion. Presumably 1t is a
relative of the celebrated
poison arrow frog, of about the
same size but green and black.
This poison, DR.. Trapido points
out. probably is a major factor
in its survival. During the
day it is quite active, hopping
about on the ground under the
leaves. But, it was observed,
the domestic poultry that are
the chief enemies of small
frogs leave it strictly alone.
It feeds almost exclusively on
fruit flies.
It's call, DR.. Trapido points
out. is quite characteristic.
consisting of a sequence of
from 20 to 80 inSectlike
chirpS which increase in fire.
quency so that they end in an
unbroken trill. It's upper
abdomen is inflated in calling
but its throat is only moder-
ately inflated. During the
night. unlike most frogs. it is
silent.
Apparently it lives in colo
MES and is quite abundant.
In an area 80 yards square
native children collected so
for DR.. Trapido in a few min
utes. Sometimes three or four
are found crouched together in
the axis of plants.
While orange-red spotted
with black is the characters
tic color, the collector reports,
there are color variations
ranging from apple-green to
dull green-yellow.
The creature may be a quite
recent development in its ex-
tremely restricted environ
ment, one Of the barrier is