davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
Split on Zoninq

The sharp split among citizen adj
viSers over rules to regulate the size OF
new downtown commercial buildings
should not-at this stage-cause undue
concern. It is a classic example of pre-
cisely what was expected when the Dis
trict decided to rewrite its 35-year-old
coming regulations.
The fight has been developing since
the city's coming consultant, Harold M.
Lewis, put preliminary recommendations
on paper last fall for tightening controls
on the height, lot coverage and density Of
various types OF commercial buildings.
His proposals were attacked as unneces-
sarily restrictive by the executive COM
mittee Of the Citizens Zoning Advisory
Committee. At its first meeting in year,
the full Citizens Committee last week
wisely deferred any action.
Mr.. Lewis proposals reflect strong
concern over the effects which high
population density in downtown buildings
would have on traffic congestion, parking
and the general appearance of the city.
His opponents contend that less restric-
tive rules can attain the same goals, and
also meet the economic and architectural
demands Of modern-day business.
Since real estate is the most precious
commodity Of any city, such conflict
over its use is natural. Every city at
tempting rezoning has encountered 1t,
with delays and acrimony resulting
At this early stage in the Districts
revision, the free and extensive discussion
of issues is healthy sign. But far too
few facts (including an up-to-date "com-
prehensive plan" OF city development
which under law is supposed to guide
rezoning) are on the table for decisions
to be made now.
Within few months, Mr.. Lewis will
have complete set of new coming pro-
posals, covering all types of land use in
the city. They will be considered at two
public hearings, one before the Citizens
Committee and one before the District
Zoning Commission. This machinery
should give the entire public the chance
to determine-and fight for-what Is In
Washington's best interest.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04

The latest evacuation plan
for the District seems unrealis-
tic. Where win everyone be
going? Where viii they obtain
food, shelter, ETC., for more
than "a hours? What will hap
pen when numerous cars run
out Of gas or have car trouble
while trying to get out Of the
city? DO they think this viii be
an orderly withdrawal? am
sure wives. for instance, will
be very worried about hus-
bands who have had to take a
different escape route.
Definitely. there should be
public bomb shelters and home
bomb shelters instead. I should
think preparation for an emer-
gency at home would be much
better. I realize that indoc-
trinating D people to survive in
the city would be difficult, but
1t seems more sensible than
fleeing into the open country.
Worried Housewife.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
The Marvellous Nautilus

Just year ago at this time, the
U. 8. s. Nautilus-the worlds first atomic
powered Submarine-lnade history with
its initial test run. And since then, &C
cording to Navy report on It's perform
ance to date, it has proved itself many
times over as a seapower instrument full
of revolutionary significance.
1t is no exaggeration to say this.
Never before has the world seen anything
quite like the Nautilus. Never before has
there been a submarine so fast or so
deadly-and so marvelously equipped to
carry out undersea offensive and defen-
sive missions over vast distances without
having to surface for air. What 1t repre-
sents, in itself, Is sort Of new dimension
in naval tactics and strategy.
To appreciate this, we have only to
bear In mind few of the facts that the
Navy has cited in reporting on what the
Nautilus has achieved in its first year of
operation. 1t has Travelled, all told. more
than $4,000 nautical miles without re-
fueling On one cruise 1t has sailed nom
stop for 8 days and IA hours. On another
cruise, totally submerged, 1t has moved
at an average speed of 16 knots on
1,300-mile mission. And on yet another
cruise, 1t has stayed beneath the surface
of the sea, without once rising for a
breath Of fresh air, for 3 days, II hours
and ID minutes.
Moreover, as the Nays report
proudly declares, there are other Stats
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04

Former President Truman
wants the foreign policy Of
the Eisenhower administration
made an issue in the coming
presidential campaign. His
theory Is that the Republican
administration Is heading the
country into growing danger.
Danger Of what? Why, war Of
course.
The country knows, however.
that for three years President
Eisenhower has fought for
peace-and there has been
peace--with the shooting war
in Korea brought finally to an
end. an accomplishment which
the Truman administration
had been unable to reach. Also,
the country knows that the
foreign policy Of three DEM
ocratic Presidents, Wilson,
Roosevelt and Truman failed
to keep the United States out
of three wars-World War ],
World War II, and the Korean
War.
Wisdom In Question
Whether the United States
was justified In going into these
wars Is beyond the question.
What MIR. Truman Is arguing
is that the Republican Presi-
dent and Secretary Of State
do not have the ability, the
mentality, the knowledge and
the wisdom needed to keep the
country out Of war.
This issue Of foreign policy,
now raised by the Democrats,
including MIR. Truman, Adlai
Stevenson, Gov. Hartman Of
New York, Senator Estes Ke-
fauver of Tennessee and some
Of the lesser Democratic lights,
against the Republican Essen
hover and Dulles conceivably
could do the country damage.
It might cause the potential
Communist enemies to believe
that the United States Is not
united-and lead them into
false ideas Of aggression, end
ing In war. Aside from that,
however, the Republicans may
welcome the issue.
There was too much bungling
OF foreign policy in the previous
Democratic administrations,
too many instances which led
to the strengthening Of the
Communists In the field of
atomic and hydrogen bomb
warfare. And as for entry into
war itself--Mr. Truman was
justified and right In ordering
American armed forces to
intervene in Korea when the
Communists attacked the Re-
public Of Korea. but was his
Secretary Of State. Dean Ache
son. wise when he said, six
months before that Communist
aggression, that Korea was
outside the perimeter Of the
defenses Of the United States?
One Of the reasons advanced
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES {. TRACEWELL

Stringfellow Stubs may
seem an odd name for a cat.
The last name comes from
the plain fact that he has only
q third Of q tail.
The first and fancier mon
ECKER is derived from his adept
ness at playing with a string.
All cats like strings, but
Stringfellow Stubs makes a
sort of passion out Of it.
The longer the cord, the bet
ter.
The time may run into
hours, or as long as anyone
win play with him.
\ = 4 r
Some members of the feline
race, home variety, will play
by themselves with a cord, but
not Stringfellow.
He demands service.
The ball of heavy cord. or
Irvine, must be dangled, thrown
and pulled back.
It must be held above his
head. SO that he snaps at it.
When it Is caught, he holds
his head up and starts to run.
Thirty feet is no distance at
all for Stubs to carry the
cord.
He holds 1t aloft as some
mariner might a precious
salvage from his sunken ship,
or as Davy Crockett held the
key of powder he carried
across country in the flood.
Stringfellow has evolved two
variations.
One is to take the end of the
cord forward about 10 feet,
then return and pick it up at
the source again.
This he carries 10 feet in
another direction. making two
loops on the floor.
The second variant is to
wind the cord around table
and chair legs.
It is an amazing thing, but
known to all friends Of cats,
how one Of these animals can
get tangled up in q ball Of
wool.
Cord is Just the same.
Stringfellow Stubs. with his
unpredictable tail, and his
heavy tiger stripes on a back
ground of yellow and orange.
never seems to tire Of this play.
so long as some one of human
persuasion plays with him.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
Spocemon

I have been an uncomplain-
ing and an uncomplimenting
reader Of The Star. I am, you
might say, the strong. silent
type. Heretofore. ! sat back,
laughing outrageously at your
editorials, and enjoying i'm
mensely David Lawrence and
Pogo. But you have stirred me
from my complacency.
I do not mind your allowing
only one page Of the Sunday
paper for book reviews, really
ing many more people attend
movies and watch television,
I sympathize with you.
But, it would be most graft
flying to many If you would re-
view on occasion one or two of
the more recent science fiction
novels on the single page. BY
science fiction novel," I hasten
to explain that ! do not mean
a brief, furtive stab at the field
by q Wylie, Priestly. or Hux-
ley. I refer to such as Fredric
Brown. Chad Oliver, and c. M.
Kornbluth.
william Deeck.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04

tics about the Nautilus-statistics bearing
upon such things as It's true maximum
speed on the surface and submerged
that "are far more impressive" but they
cannot be revealed for security reasons.
What we can be sure of, however, Is that
they all add up to an unprecedented and
extremely potent new factor in American
seapower.
Small wonder that the Presidents
budget message for fiscal 1857 calls for
still more atomic submarines, and for
an experimental nuclear- powered cruiser,
and for action to make reality of atom
propelled aircraft carriers and giant
bombers. In proving itself. the Nautilus
has expedited military revolution.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
Sensible Amendment

In the interest of good order and
discipline in the Police and Fire Depart
ments, Congress should strengthen the
authority of the Commissioners along the
lines proposed by Representative Davis
Of Georgia in bill Just introduced. The
Davis bill, which has the Endorsement of
District of1cials, would place veterans on
the same footing with nonveterans In
connection with disciplinary procedures
for policemen and firemen. The recent
Jones case, in which the Civil Service
Commission overruled the dismissal of a
veteran from the police force on pro-
cedural grounds, showed the need for
some such legislation as that sponsored
by Mr.. Davis.
Nonveterans on the police and fire
forces have no right of administrative
appeal over Commissioners In trial board
cases. But Private Harold E. Jones, con-
victed Of drunkenness by trial board,
invoked the Veterans Preference Act in
appealing to the Civil Service Commits
sion from his dismissal sentence It was
the first time the veterans law had been
applied In police trial procedures. In the
past the Commissioners had held that
veterans preference rights did not ex-
tend to misconduct cases arising under
the trial board law. The Davis bill would
amend the latter law to make the Vet
Grams Preference Act inapplicable in trial
proceedings This is a sensible move
that would avert any more Jones-case
type absurdities.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04

He has no use for other cats,
and will not play with them,
except in his own fashion. This
consists of suddenly jumping
them and rolling them over
and over.
He has never bitten any cat
as far as is known, but con-
tents himself with clawing out
their fur.
This process leaves the VIC
tim done up for several days,
after which he makes o slow
recovery.
The dangled string is a good
way to get photographs Of
cats that will not pose.
Perhaps the cat Is the least
successful poser of all the
animals.
Cats possess a stubborn
streak, and have a habit of
suddenly changing position
when least expected.
One cat, nicely posed on a
chair, stuck his tongue out Just
as the flash went of.
This ruined the picture. The
result was not comical, but
only made 1t impossible to tell
what the animal really looked
like.
If a piece of cord is used,
it must be held high enough
not to show in the photo.
Stubs is. in several ways, a
different sort of cat.
y He has a piercing glance,
much different from that of
most cats. He is, in other
words, much closer to the wild
than most. This means that
much more caution must be
used in handling him.
Is such a cat worth It?
This is the question every
cat friend must decide for
himself. Certainly such an
animal would not do around
children. Properly handled by
an adult, he offers much the
same lure that an ocelot does,
or q Bombay tiger cat. as the
big jungle specimen is called.
Stringfellow Stubs is not
feral, In any real sense, but
pretty close to it. and must
be handled accordingly.
Certainly no animal could
play more gracefully with a
string, hence his name.
When 1t comes to string
play. Stubs is champion.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04

Russian Of North Pole-Mos-
COW, 1885," They are being
used at post Offices opened at
two Soviet scientific drifting
stations near the North Pole.
Their face value Is / ruble for
ordinary air mail and 2 rubles
for registered air mail.
@. How long is a second? Has
it ever been defined?--A. j.
A. Formerly defined as
1886, 400th part Of a day. the
second recently received a new
designation. Because the day
is lengthening slightly. the In
ternational Asst r IN o m C al
Union in 1855 approved q new
definition for worldwide use.
The second is now 1885,
925. 97474th part of a year. the
tropical year for 1900 having
been chosen as q master yard
stick.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
l.uqgurId

The iaggard looms behind the
throng.
The prodigal espoused OF
time,
The milling snail. the tortoise
caught
Within his skeleton OF lime.
Content to moSey aDhile some
run,
Content to dmble Dhile
some fp,
The ldgoard threatens speed
BY his
Concern NTH heather clouds
In sky.
Ruby Zosoren
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
Toes Trod On

Your editorial, Maryland
Out of STEP" is a misrepre-
sentation Of the facts with
respect to the desirability OF
instituting periodic renewals
of drivers licenses and in
spection Of motor vehicles.
For several years Maryland
motorists in the Washington
area have been harassed and
condemned by "traffic safety
authorities" who contend that
such regular checkups are nee
essary to protect the public
from unqualified drivers and
unsafe automobiles.
What is the proof OF such
claims? Can they prove that
Maryland drivers are less COM
petent than District or Vir-
ginia drivers? Can they prove
that Maryland vehicles are
less safe than those registered
In the District or Virginia?
The answers to such questions
are quickly found in examin-
ing the current automobile in
surance rates quoted by nu-
merous insurance companies
doing business in this area.
without exception all quota
tons. including those based
on Underwriters Bureau Elk
perience Ratings, and COM
panies that use their individ-
ual experience ratings, show
nearby Maryland counties to
have the lowest insurance
rates. which in some cases was
as much as 10 per cent less
than identical coverage in the
District and 8 per cent less
than in Virginia.
Now, who is out OF step?
Lower insurance rates reflect
lower accident rates. and
lower accident rates reflect
safer drivers In safer vehicles.
Credit should be given where
credit Is due. and thus Mary
land drivers In Maryland We
hicles should be voted top
honors In this area at this
time. A more serious question.
however, is raised by the above
facts. Could the District and
Virginia profit by Maryland's
experience? For one thing.
Maryland has the strongest
financial responsibility laws In
this area, which Is o possible
deterrent to the accident
rates. Also Maryland has
stronger laws with respect to
the issuance OF State drivers
licenses. Maryland also has
motor vehicle inspection laws
IN the statutes az the present
time which provide for inspec-
ton not oftener than twice o
year. Such laws may be used
at the discretion Of the State
Commissioner of Motor We
hicles. There is no indication
that such statutes have been
imposed upon Maryland mo-
florists.
Consequently 1t would ap-
pear that the imposition Of
periodic reHewal of Maryland
drivers licenses and inspection
of Maryland automobiles would
be important only for the nui-
sance value.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
By THE HASKIN SERVICE
r ssaSs' s, e; ns' S nan f,Ssu1 qsn s

@. When is an ordinary cold
most infectious to other peo-
ple?--H. z.
A. The most infectious
stage. according to the United
States Public Health Service,
is when q person is coming
down with a cold and for a
day or two thereafter. Cold
symptoms ordinarily appear
from one to three days after
viruses get into the mouth or
nose. People get colds In only
one way--they catch them
them from other people.
@. Please give some infor-
nation about the Russian
North Pole stamps recently re-
leased. Are they q new issue2
IN. l.. I. .'.
A. These airmail stamps are
earlier Russian pictorials with
Q brownish overprintins in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04

Congratulations on your
splendid obituary to one of the
greatest literary lights Of our
age, Henry l.. Mencken.
For many years, as my father
before me, / have been a seri-
GUS and conscientious collector
of Menckeniana. and I am sure
Henry would have taken de-
light in your understanding
and comprehensive editorial.
Lawrence e. Gichner.
4 $50
Few Of the present gener-
alton knew II. L. Mencken,
while others had already classed
him as q make-believe Vic
torian bad boy. And, among
editors and commentators, the
most ready Menckenian quota
ton they could think Of was q
plagiarism from BENJAMIN
Franklin, rather fitting for one
who did nothing original or
constructive.
Mencken's wisecrack about
winking at some ugly woman
Is no more than a watered
down paraphrase Of Franklin's
advice to young men to the
effect, that whenever they may
be disposed to :. promiscuous
enamorations, to give thought,
in charity. to widows.
In literature. as only a tech
nician or craftsman, Mencken
will likely be remembered for
the enormous labors on his
American language books. but
they likely already are becom-
ing obsolescent because Of the
middle-American speech which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
We Get q Second Note

It is possible to feel some misgiving
with respect to the reception accorded in
this country to Prime Minister Bulganin's
second note to the President. It was
greeted, almost before the ink was dry
on the translation, with chorus Of con-
demnation as though some one had
response.
There is, of course, an obvious and
perhaps good reason for this. Long
years of bitter disappointment in dealing
with the Russians have conditioned our
thinking to the point that we instinctively
distrust anything which emanates from
Moscow. In the sense that we must re-
main alert and not permit ourselves to
be gulled, there is merit In this skepticiSm.
At the same time we must not permit our
mental attitude to become so rigid that
we might automatically turn thumbs
down on a genuine bid from Moscow. It
Is essential that we keep our minds open.
A start must be made somewhere II
there is ever to be any improvement in
our relations with the Russians. That
start is not going to be anything like
the re-unifcation of Germany on our
terms, or the liberation Of the satellites,
which is the sort of thing we seem to
have in mind when we speak Of wanting
deeds, not words. It is going to be a
small thing, and we should not get our
selves into state Of mind where it will
be impossible for us to recognize 1t.
There are some statements in Mr..
Bulganin's second note which invite
serious consideration. One is that the
United Nations Is not going to be a
sufficiently effective instrument for peace
unless Russia and the United States can
harmonic their own relations. Another
is that the Russians are apprehensive
concerning the string Of American air
bases close to the borders of the Soviet
Union. In the existing climate of world
affairs, we need those bases But we
ought to be willing to believe that the
Russians are just as apprehensive as we
would be Ii the situation were reversed.
A third Bulganin comment worthy Of
note is his assertion that an obligation
to settle questions by peaceful means,
presumably arising from a treaty Of
friendship and cooperation, would "cre-
ate more favorable conditions for reach
ing an agreement on other unsettled
international problems" Perhaps this is
so much dust in our eyes. But we can
hardly lose anything by giving 1t very
thoughtful consideration.
The prevailing popular view, however,
is that this second Russian note is simply
another move in propaganda game.
Presumably our official view is going to
be much the same. II that proves to be
so, we ought to consider how best to
play the game.
If there is no sincerity In the Russian
offer, If they are merely playing game,
there still remains the probability that
In many areas of the world they are
gaining ground. We ought not to let our
selves be Unanswered twice into the
position of appearing to reject a prefer
Of friendship. II. this second Bulganin
proposal is to be turned down, as was
the first, we ought have some reasonable
counter proposal to offer. We can't afford
to let ourselves be cast in purely mega
tive role-and especially so If this is Just
propaganda performance.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-04
Preference
Mary p. Fritz attacks vet
erans' preference.

Mary p. Fritz attacks vet
Grams preference.
Section IA Of the Veterans
Preference Act Of 1914 as
amended provides that "no
permanent or indefinite pref
erence eligible, who has COM
pleted q probationary or trial
period employed in the Civil
Service shall be dis
charged. suspended for more
than thirty days. furloughed
without pay. reduced in rank
or compensation. or debarred
for future appointment except
for such cause as will promote
the efficiency Of the service"
sufficient reasons must be given
In writing and the adverse ac-
ton which may be taken is APP
pealable to the Civil Service
Commission. It should also be
noted that. In accordance with
the Performance Rating Act of
1850. Any Federal employee
may be discharged If he or she
receives an unsatisfactory rat
ing: furthermore. during the
probationary or trial period of
one year. after appointment to
the Federal service. Any EN-.
ploye may be dismissed NTH
out appeal. be he a prefer
ence eligible or otherwise. =
We therefore submit that.
under existing law. there is alb
solutely no justifiable grounds
for retaining on the public
payroll those incompetent vet
Grams to whom Miss Fritz re-
fers.
Perhaps we have Just too
many veterans in the country
today to please Miss Fritz.
May we suggest that the only
way to remedy this Is to stop
lighting so many wars In each
generation.
We vehemently deny that
the Veterans Preference Act
Of 1914 as amended does vio-
lence to the merit system and,
insofar as disabled veterans
are concerned. there is no
other group in this country
that is more deserving Of Sc
curing and holding Federal
employment than those who
gave a part of, their health or
bodies in defense OF their
country in time Of war.
John w. Burris,
National Director OF EN-
ployment. Disabled Amer
lean Veterans.
Thank you for your recent
editorial, Jones Case Absurd
ity."
The Nation owes The Star a
vote OF gratitude for having
the fortitude to bring to its
attention one Of the many alb
surd situations which have
arisen from a law conceived
in haste and pressured through
Congress by professional flag
wavers.
Sections IL and IA of Public
Law $50 are absolutely incom-
patible with the American con-
cept of fair play and justice
and are kept on the books only
because Of the abject fear Of
congressman who. through
past experience, know how
viciously they are attacked by
the professional veterans"
who continuously oppose
changing a law which borders
very closely in being un-
American.
Oscar A. Rexer, Jr.,
National President, Ma
tional Association of
Federal Career En-
ployes.