davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

You can tell him by his cold
yellow eye.
Few eyes in nature are so
ruthless. A cobra, maybe, or a
poor old hyena, but elephants
are positively gracious, and
tigers benign, in comparison
with a grackle. a-
Yet the birds sleek grace
and elegance earn him more
than a passing regard.
He is the one who makes
the famous "wheelbarrow
chorus" in the fall, when he
flies into trees by the hundreds.
His habits are good, with
the exception noted. His cries
are interesting, and his feath-
ers exceptional.
He is not a pest, in the
ordinary sense.
A pest, as such, is one who,
whatever his species. including
man, does the same nasty little
trick time after time.
The mark of true pest is
that he does something it is
ordinarily impossible to get
hold of him for; you cannot
call the police when the sad
sack in the elevator says, be-
fore the whole crowd, Say,
you're getting fat"
Now, that may be the truth.
So far. it is but a plain state
ment of fact. But when the
guy insists on repeating it.
every single time he catches
you in the elevator, then he
is a pest, and kindness is not
in him.
So we may forgive the purple
grackle. He does not know
any better. at least.
He is part of Natures pic
ture. When we think of the
'loathsome snakes, the DEATH
dealing mosquito, the invisible
germs, deadly and tireless in
a world they never made, we
see that the mean grackle is
not so mean, after all. He is
essential in the whole picture,
perhaps, like an accent note
in a painting.
Neither one is satisfied :"
Isn't there something very
human about that?
Perhaps the old grackle, but
for a turn of fortune millions
of years ago, might have led
the pack.
Who knows but that yonier
fellow shining in the sun, is
a philosopher of sorts, beneath
his cold veneer, and yearns to
reform other birds. even if
he has to wiring their necks
to do it. That, too, would be
human.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Sovonts Setting Up Radio Telescopes
By THOMAS r. HENRY

There will be a lot Of jobs
open the year after next when
the United States sets up five
perhaps more-geophysical re-
search stations in the Ant
arctic, one on top Of the pole
itself.
This has Just been an
nounced by the International
Geophysical Year Committee
of the National Research Coun-
Gil. However, only thoroughly
qualified men are wanted with
some experience In the fields
Of cosmic rays, auroral investi-
cations, geomagnetism. glaci-
ology, gravity, meteorology and
seismology. There will be
openings, however, for recent
college graduates and for doc
tors Of science.
Can Stay One Year or Two
Qualified persons. the COM
mittee announces, may choose
to stay either two full years or
one year. The scientists and
technicians, according to pres
ent plans, will leave this coun-
try in November Of this year
so as to arrive at their stations
in time for the opening Of the
international year program.
The bases, except that at the
South Pole itself, have been
laid down. The five now plan
ned will be at the Pole, Little
America, in Marie Byrd land
at the foot of the Edsel Ford
Mountains, on the Knox Coast
and somewhere along the We'd
dell Sea on the other side Of
the continent from Little
America.
1t is planned to have the
entire roster for the first
period from November of this
year to April, 1858, made up
in the next few months and
applications for jobs must be
received by April /. APP
proximately two months Of
advance training will be pro-
vided by the Government be-
fore the men depart. This will
deal partly with their special
ties and the peculiar problems
offered by the Far South. More
significantly. however, it will
be training in Antarctic living
which will afford many prob
lens since the bases will be
largely on their own for
months at a time.
1t is essential, the committee
stresses, that applicants be in
good physical condition and
that they have the quality of
getting along with others.
There will be no room for
"gripers" because, once in the
Antarctic, there will be nothing
anybody can do about gripes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30

which need different treat
ment.
@. Was any trace ever found
of Amelia Earhart, the Amer
lean flyer who disappeared
while flying over the Pacific
Ocean before World War II?
p. H.
A. No, the fate of Miss Ear
hart, who disappeared in 1887
with her navigator. Fred Moo
nan, is still a mystery. Appar-
emily, the plane crashed into
the ocean. Despite years Of
searching, no clue as to their
fate ever was found, and
rumors that the flyers had
been picked up by japanese
have been denied many times
by Japanese officials. Postwar
investigations revealed moth
ing.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
Impressed by WoIfson

Shipping at the Capital
Transit management still con-
tinues from some quarters, but
it now appears that a different
viewpoint is emerging as facts
concerning last summers
strike are more and more re-
vealed. 1t is probable that
Congress will rescind its action
kicking CTC out of the Dis
trict, and permit it to con-
tinue.
Few people realize that
when Wolfson took over he in
herited a funded debt of So
million and that in six years
he paid off this debt in full.
CTC is the only transit COM
pany in the United States
operating in a city of 100000
or more which has no funded
debt. I know of a stakeholder
widow who paid off the
mortgage on her house with
the cash dividend etc de-
clared a few years ago on the
stock her husband left her.
Wolfson is but one of several
thousand stockholders.
Few people realize that the
operating unions grievance
was not against etc but
against the Public Utilities
Commission, which has sole
authority to determine wage
earnings relationships. In
other words, the men were
striking against a municipal
authority, and this authority
must have had some motive
other than consideration of
the riding public to permit
such a shameful labor def
ance of the rights of transit
patrons.
The way Mr.. Wolfson carried
himself during and subsequent
to the strike evoked my adj
miration to the extent that I
decided to become a CTC
stakeholder. If etc passes
to other hands next August,
want none of it.
Merrill SickleS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
Enlightenment

The Star of March Is
carried a letter signed South
easter" which said that signals
now being installed at South
Capitol street and Firth Ster-
ling avenue would "inconven-
fence thousands (because) no
matter how short that light is
timed, it will back up traffic
for miles"
Although it is true the lights
are primarily for the conven-
fence of fringe parking lot
users, it should be pointed out
they will also benefit many
Southeast residents using
Firth Sterling avenue by per-
hitting easier entry into South
Capitol street.
The main purpose of the
fringe lot in the Southeast
approaches to the South
Capitol street bridge is to
reduce the peak load on the
bridge and thereby lessen the
pressure on the critical capac-
ity of the roadways in the
vicinity of M and o streets.
If more motorists were to use
the free fringe parking facil-
ity, the peak hour traffic flows
would be held to manageable
proportions, thus speeding up
traffic.
While the signals in question
will cause some delay of a few
seconds, there is no reason to
expect serious "backups." since
they will be co-ordinated with
those controlling traffic at
Suitland Parkway. This ar
rangement will result in more
green" time at the newly
signalized intersection than is
now allotted to South Capitol
Street traffic at Suitland Park
way In other words. If a
motorist is stopped at Firth
Sterling avenue, he will not be
stopped again at the parkway.
Lewis r.. Watson, Jr.
Executive Director, D. c.
Motor Vehicle Parking
Agency.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
Education

The sad situation in the
education of District of Co
lumbia children is not due to
indignation. This condition is
just coming to light because
of indignation. The infiltration
of colored children into the
entire system has brought out
a condition existent generally
in both races. The "bogie" is
progressive education - over
done. 1t is a too ripe plum
which refuses to bulge from
the tree and needs to be
plucked therefrom.
What has progressive edu-
cation done to retard and i'm
pede progress? 1t has brought
into being education by such
slogans as, Laugh, laugh and
be happy" do not worry"
Let us develop personality"
Let us give them (the pupils
something to do which they
can do" "Let us give them sue
cess" Success being a passing
mark regardless of quality of
work produced0 Progressive
education has focused atten-
ton on doing something for
credit whether the something
is pertinent to the subject in
hand or not.
It has caused books to be
written which leave out diff
ficult work, i.e., work which
can really command an "a" or
"B" grade. Therefore pupils are
given high marks on very SIM
pie material. Cali pupils in the
system use the same books
those on the accredited lists)
Teachers receiving pupils who
have been given high achieve
ment marks for simple ma
terial, or for effort, or for
work partially correct, find the
going rough with the admins
traitors, supervisors, the par
ents and the children. So
most teachers have taken the
easy Observation-Disclosures and
acceptance.
Progressive education en-
phasizes project teaching
subject matter dressed up in
fine clothes" Most of 1t is done
by the teacher or some expert
the teacher employs. The
principle being taught is not
recognized by the student I'M
less it is dressed up" again
often not then. Neither does
the student recognize, or have
command of, the principle in
later years when he has need
of it on other levels.
Progressive education also
emphasizes extracurricular &C
tivities. Students are taken
from classes to prepare for pro-
grams, for contests, for con-
certs. The latter net money
which is stored up for scholar
ships to send pupils to college
for which they are ill-prepared
accidentally. Better let the
colleges give out the scholar
ships to deserving pupils who
have really earned their high
school diplomas-earned by
hard work and close applica-
ton. To make up for this
taking of pupils out of classes,
the teacher is supposed to
coach individuals on her own
time. Students seldom meet
these coaching classes-they
have other interests after 8
pm. Thus the extracurricular
activities become really intra-
curricular, the latter. extra,
and the students are the losers.
High School Teacher.
9
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
Red Rehabilitation

Unfortunately Tor LaSZlo RaJK, ne is
much too dead to appreciate the fact
that Hungary's Communist government
which hanged him as traitor in 1949-
has now proclaimed his innocence and
announced plans to "rehabilitate" his
reputation as Red hero. And the same
holds true for the four others who were
executed along with him after a spectac-
ular "show trial" in Budapest-a trial at
which the condemned all Wed with each
other in heaping contumely upon them
selves and "confessing" to crimes Of the
most heinous nature.
These crimes, as set forth at the time
before the Budapest Peoples Court"
consisted of a wide variety of traitorous
deeds aimed at overthrowing the Krem-
Inns puppet Red regime and handing over
Hungary to the control of Marshal Tito'S
Yugoslavia. To that end, according to
both the prosecutor and the "confeS-
sions," former Foreign Minister Rajk-
once regarded as the No. 2 Hungarian
ators in a massive program of espionage
and sabotage directed by the anti-Stalin
Tito and by black-hearted American
"warmongers" and "imperialistS."
But now, almost seven years later, no
less a parsonage than Matyas Rakosi-
the Kremlins top agent and Communist
boss in Hungary ever since 1944-has
branded all this as a colossal lie. Speak
ing in regretful tones, as if to say $50
sorry" to the departed victims (and to
Tito and the United States as wel), he
has publicly declared that the 1949 trial.
was a complete fake. The evidence, that
is, was wholly fraudulent; Rajk and the
rest of the condemned were deliberately
framed; and they confessed" only after
having been subjected to torture by
Hungarian police chief Cater sentenced
to life imprisonment working hand in
glove with Lavrenti Beria, who was then
head of Stains terror forces and who in
1858 was liquidated by RusSia'S post
Stain collective leadership"
In giving the world this version OF
what happened to Rajk and company,
Rakosi-Who cannot abSolve himself OF
responsibility in the matter-has merely
confirmed most of what WeSterners have
taken for granted for years past. But he
has told only part of the story. Among
other things, he has neglected to mention
that the 1949 trial" was fabricated and
staged on orders from Stalin'S Kreml1n
as part of a systematic hate-America
campaign and savage Cominform effort
to subvert Yugoslavia and drag it once
again behind the Iron Curtain.
The now-dead Stain, however, is IN
the process of being deglorif1ed by his
successors, who have been busily trying
to WOO back Tito and appear respectable
to the United States and the world at
large. Accordingly, even though it serves
as damning commentary on the whole
nature of Communist Justice" what
could be more logical than reputation
of the Rajk "trial"? Indeed, since such
trials" have been staged in all the satel-
lite lands, as we'll as in Russia itself, the
logic of the situation strongly suggests
that Rakosi's action may mark but the
beginning of big rehabilitation" pro-
gram everywhere behind the Iron Cur
tain. Too bad, from their viewpoint, that
the executed TRAITORS" cannot be on hand
for the ceremonies.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
&C STREET.

Dear sir:
II want to tell you of the
antics of the rowdy grackles.
"They gobble up all that is
put out for the other birds.
Not merely greedy, but quar-
relsome.
1--WE have two baths, a few
inches apart. When a grackle
is in each bath. neither one
is satisfied; one or the other
will leave his own to drive the
other fellow out of his.
"One of the baths is fed by
a hose from a glass gallon jug
drinking fountain principle.
After splashing most of the
water out of the bath. the one
without the water feeder, a
grackle will go up to the jug
and peck at the glass where
the water shows.
And more than that, I have
seen one, failing to get at the
water he could see so plainly,
proceed to abandon the glass
and go after the hose where it
fits into the neck of the jug;
then 60 back to the bath with
a seemingly disconsolate air,
quite lacking the pep displayed
when making his vain efforts.
Il rate them the Smartest
of all bird visitors and the
meanest.
Yours very truly. w. F. R."
X X
Also, one of the most beau
tiful.
The grackle needs to be
seen in sunshine for the best
effect.
Then he fairly CLOVIS.
Undoubtedly he is one of the
meanest of the feathered folk.
We have seen him tear off
the heads and legs of baby
cardinals in a nest.
He rather specializes in be-
ing cruel. the observer will
think, just for cruelty's sake.
Not even the hawk does
that,
The hawk is a big bird, and
needs plenty of food.
Somehow in the course of
the centuries, he has built up
the plan of getting his food
by eating other birds.
Before humans think too
harshly of him for this, they
should recall their own liking
for fresh meat.
The grackle, on the other
wing, is no cannibal.
This one practices the art
of murder just for the sake of
the killing.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
Point of Law

Your March 7 feature, Law
in the News" by Phil Yeager
and John Stark. dealing with
losses due to damage by ter
mites. is inaccurate in that it
states without qualification
that "Termites are deductible
:. the Internal Revenue Serv-
ice to the contrary notwith-
standing" This statement may
prove misleading to some of
your readers, as it does not
point out the salient facts
which distinguish the cases in
which the courts have held
such damage deductible and
those in which the deduction
was not allowed. The distinc-
ton is pointed out in Dodge
v. the Commissioner of Inter-
nal Revenue, Is TIC. No. ia;
U. S. Tax Court Docket No.
56166. oiled Feb. 9, 1862
The opinion reconciles previous
decisions of the Federal courts
and appears to be the latest
judicial statement on the sub
iect.
H. B. Thornton.
Editors note: The gist Of
the article was that while In
ternal Revenue and tax courts
have been prone to disallow
deductions for termite dam
age, the line has not been held
in all cases in Federal courts.
Both district and circuit
court of appeals have allowed
such claims since 1852. Mr..
Yeager points out that it is
true the courts have been
prone to limit allowable de-
auctions to cases where dam
age has been sudden" i.e.,
within IL months from the
time expert inspection failed
to disclose the presence of ter
mites. But there is doubt If
this is a realistic distinction,
as indicated by the opinion OF
the Federal District Court for
Eastern Missouri, which al
lowed a termite claim to stand
after a l5-month inspection
lapse.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
About Time

Many people are Mortified
at the proposal to extend day
light time through October.
Wouldn't it be better to make
a blanket law for the whole
country, to stay on standard
time the year round, and let
any who want. change their
schedules? The railroads do.
Why must people fool them
selves by changing the clock?
Everyone knows the confusion
it creates. From the number Of
people / have talked to, I am
convinced the great. but I'M
organized, majority prefer
standard time. NJ. X. l..
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names m1y be used u
letters carry tDrtters. correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
sdtion.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30

able, at any rate, knowing that the raids
were the result Of deliberately considered
policy by those responsible for policy, and
not the bright idea of somebody in the
ranks
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-30
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

BY THE HASKIN SERVICE
q
postage
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-24
Transit Strikers
.DefyArgentina

BUENos AIRES, Argentina
May "a tP1.-Striking public
transport workers in Buenos
Aires today defied government
orders putting them under mill
tary control. Thousands of COM
muters were late to work or I'M
able to report at all.
The trolley, bus and subway
drivers who staged surprise
walkout at the rush hour yester-
day afternoon ignored today the
provisional governments direc-
tive "mobilizing' them into the
armed forces with threat of Sc
we're punishment if they failed to
obey.
Only government-owned trans
port is affected by the strike,
but the privately owned bus lines
and taxis were unable this morn
ing to cope with the flood OF
commuters. Subways provided
reduced services-free because
ticket sellers and collectors had
joined the strike.
Armed police were posted at
strategic points, but no disorders
were reported this morning.
The sudden stoppage yester-
day left thousands of persons
stranded on street corners.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-24
Benson Cites
Cotton Curbs

HOT SPRINGS, Va, May "a
I(R.-Secretary of Agriculture
Benson said today that cotton
tied its own hands" with crop
restrictions and price supports,
and thus lost markets and free
dom to produce. q
Painting a picture of con-
trasts. the Secretary said the soy
bean industry, on the other hand,
had greatly Increased production
and markets while resisting Gov
eminent controls.
"A major difference between
cotton and soybeans," Mr.. Ben
son said lis the fact that cot
ton decided to fight its battles in
the legislative halls, while soy
beans decided to fight in the
market place."
In a talk prepared for the
margarine all-industry confer
ence, MI. Benson said he APP
plauded margarine makers for
improving their products and
carrying on an aggressive mer-
chandising campaign.
In giving a picture of what has
happened to cotton and soybeans
the major sources of vegetable
oil used in making margarine
Mr.. Benson said that 25 years ago
cotton was grown on 43 million
acres and soybeans on l million.
Today the cotton acreage was
said to be II million acres and
Soybeans 10 million.
He said that because of high
price supports insisted upon by
growers, the export market for
cotton dropped from an annual
rate of 7 million bales IS years
ago to 2 million bales now. From
no exports at all Is years ago,
the soybean industry has ex-
banded foreign shipments to IS
million bushels this year, he said
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-24

Night fell before many of them
managed to 60 home by taxi or
other means.
Rowing groups or strikers
stopped public service vehicles,
ordering drivers who apparently
were unaware of the strike to
quit work. Others cut subway
cables. hating many trains in
the middle of tunnels. Pas
sengers went on foot through the
darkened passages to the near
est station platforms.
Knife-wielding workers ripped
some bus tires. Electric trolleys
were disconnected and damaged.
Several strikers were arrested
and police fired tear gas to break
up a demonstration at a central
terminal plaza.
A government communique
blamed the stoppage on Com
munist and pro-Peron national
ist" elements it said had in
filtrated the transport workers
union. The government said it
would meet any move to disrupt
public services with maximum
severity"
Labor sources said the strikers
were demanding monthly wage
boost of 300 pesos t$16.S0l to
match an increase recently
granted railroad workers.
Angel di Giorgio, federal adj
ministrator of the transport
union, said negotiations for a
wage increase were taking a
favorable course" Shortly
after his announcement Mr.. Di
Giorgio was removed from his
post in a move apparently de-
signed to placate the strikers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-24
Ex-NEA Head Named
To School Savings Unit

DR.. Andrew D. Holt of Knox
vile, vice president of the Uni
versity of Tennessee, today was
named volunteer chairman of
the Treasury Departments Ma
tional School Savings Commit
tee.
DR.. Holt. former president
of the National Education AS
ISOLATION, succeeds Miss Mary NJ.
Condor. State superintendent of
public instruction in Montana.
Miss Condor resigned after five
years of service.
The purpose of the committee
is to advise the Treasury in
promoting the concept of thrift
through regular purchases of
savings stamps and bonds in the
schools.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-24

was to put increasing reliance on
new weapons, particularly atom
ic weapons. and less on the
standing army's manpower.
That new look, so far as
can see. is largely what the Rus
sian is doing today" Mr.. Eisen-
hover said. He is streamlining
his organization"