davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
TRANSIT
Commissioners Ask
Congress to Set Up
Public Authority

The District officials who were so
confident last summer that any
number Of business interests would
scramble for the chance to operate
Washington's transit system had to
admit last week that they were
wrong.
This admission came In the form
Of letters to Congress asking for
legislation to set up q publicly
owned transit authority for the
city. President Samuel Spencer Of
the Board Of Commissioners wrote
the chairmen of the House and
Senate District Committees on
Tuesday that the answer TO WASH
ington's transit crisis seemed to be
an authority setup, and that time
Is Of the essence"
Mr.. Spencer and his fellow Com
missioners had only 214 shopping
days left to look around for q sue
cessor to Louis E. Wolfson's Cap
ital Transit Co. Mr.. Wolfson's
transit franchise was lifted, effec-
tive next August is, by Congress
after q 52-day transit strike last
summer. Mr.. Wolfson got the
heave-ho only after the Commits
sioners had assured Congress that
"other arrangements" could be
made easily.
Along with Mr.. Spencer's Tues
day plea for an authority bill also
went similar letters to the District
Committees from George E. c.
Hayes. chairman of the Public
Utilities Commission.
Such q transit authority, Mr..
Spencer's letters explained. would
be an independent body governed
by board of appointed commits
sioners. Its operations would be
financed by the sale Of its own
revenue bonds. without pledging
the credit of the District or Uncle
Sam. It would be free to acquire
its own real estate and equipment.
or it could purchase such used
properties as 1t may desire to &C
quire." This could easily mean the
right to condemn Mr.. Wolfson's
properties. For suburban transit
services, the authority would make
its own arrangements with the sub
urban governing bodies.
The authority, used in other cities
to finance off-street parking, free
ways. transit and port development,
would be self-supporting in that 1t
would not levy taxes. 1t would sell
its own bonds and pay them of
with revenue from its operations.
On Friday The Star learned that
Representative Broyhill, Republic
can Of nearby Virginia's tenth dis
trict, planned to complicate the
picture further with bill for a
catch-all Metropolitan Area Au-
thority which could run not only
transit, but parking lots, port and
harbor facilities, railroad, bus and
air terminals and even build bridges
and tunnels. Mr.. Broyhill's pro-
posed authority would take over
National Airport and use its reve-
nues initially to finance the numer-
Gus other operations.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
Economy

The Nations economy needs shor-
ing up here and there, the Presi-
dent said. The weakest spot is
agriculture. he said, and no Con-
gresham disagreed.
A new farm program was prom
Used. Apparently 1t will be an at
tempt to get rid Of the huge sur
pluses Of crops, which have been
piling UP in Government storage,
and to adjust price supports and
production restrictions on basic
crops.
Details will be given in a special
message tomorrow. Farm State Con-
gressmen said the program would
have to be good to deter them from
seeking q return to high, rigid
price supports Of the Democratic
days.
The President also asked again
for several dam and river control
projects. for a new disaster relief
program and for q Federal assist
ance program for economically de-
pressed areas. Pleas were made for
more highway spending, increased
postal rates and construction Of post
Offices.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

Sudanese tricolor nag was hoisted
as flags Of Britain and Egypt were
lowered. The two countries had
ruled Sudan jointly since 1899.
The two houses Of the Sudanese
Parliament met to receive Britain's
and Egypt's assurances that they
recognized her independence. The
Premier made q triumphant speech
and the five-man Supreme Com
mission, which will hold the top
executive power. was sworn in.
Sudan is expected to join the Arab
bloc. It's population Of 8 million in
cludes Arabs. Nubians and Negroes.
One Of the country's first de-
cisions will involve the Sudan's
participation with Egypt in the
Aswan dam project-near the bor-
der in Egypt. It will harness
the hydroelectric and irrigation po-
tentials Of the mighty Nile River,
which flows from the Sudan north
into Egypt.
The Soviet Union and Commun-
list China, meanwhile. continued to
show intense interest In African de-
velopments. Both countries sent
glowing congratulations to Khar-
toum. And Moscow was disclosed
to have offered aid to Liberia. the
American-oriented independent ma
ton on Africa's west coast.
Both Britain and the United
States recalled key ambassadors
from Middle East and African posts
last week. presumably In prepare
ton for the top-level Washington
talks between British Prime Min
lister Anthony Eden and President
Eisenhower beginning January 80.
How to quiet the turbulent Arab
Israel scene win be one Of their
main topics Of discussion.
Yugoslavia's Marshal Tito wound
up q visit to Egypt last week in
which he and Premier Canal Abdel
Nasser confirmed their intentions
to shun alliances with either the
Soviet or free world blocs. But Tito
could not get Col. Nasser to invite
European Yugoslavia to Join the
Asian-African third-force alliance.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
Where We Are

The state Of the Union was never
better than II u today. Mr.. Essen
hover said In his l4-pags message.
read 10 the House and Senate BY
CLERKS. Specifically:
. Our eountzy y ct peaos.
. Our security posture commands
respect.
. A spiritual vigor marks our IA
taonal lie.
. Our economy. with the gross ma
taonal product approaching the
3l0O-billion marx. Ii at an unpar-
alleled level Of prosperity.
. The national income y more
widely and fairly distributed than
ever before.
o The number Il Americans ct
work has reached IN all-tiIns high.
. A. . psopls. We are achieving
evsr-hisher standards Of living
earning more. producing more, con-
Stunning more, building more and In
vesting more than ever before.
The Presidents preoccupation
here was with domestic economic
Affairs indeed had never
been better. But critics last week
thought the President was Q bit too
serene over the state Of foreign az
fairs. New Communist economic
and political penetrations the
second cold war"-make peace an
unreliable indicator Of world we'll
being.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

Most interest centered on the
Presidents appraisal Of the state Of
the Unions finances. Would he ask
for tax cuts?
The answer was: Possibly, yes.
Mr.. Eisenhower pointed out the
virtues Of prudent use Of tax money
and Q balanced budget. It would
not be right. he said, to 60 further
into debt to give ourselves q tax
cut at the expense of our children.
But, he pointed out, annual spend
ing has been cut by $14 billion dur
ing his administration. Conse-
quently:
II expect the budget TO be In
balance during the fiscal year end
ing June 30. 1866.
II shall propose q balanced bud
ct for the next fiscal year ending
June 80, 1887"
II some reduction, "even though
modest" can be made In the ma
tional debt, the President said, q
tax cut can be justified. Leaders of
the tax committees In both houses
said they saw no reason, II the
budget did look in balance, why
tax cuts could not be voted later
this year.
The only firm tax recommends
ton made by the President was for
extension Of present excise and
corporate income taxes ct their
present, wartime levels. Corpora
ton taxes would drop automatically
from 81 to ~ per cent next April
under the present law.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
Left to Do

In the coming year Of his admin
istration the President wants TO
tidy up some loose ends and launch
a few new programs. He asked
Congress for "a specific pieces Of
legislation, IL more than he re-
quested in 1855 and 1854.
Only II Of the "a requests were
obviously new. The. rest were re-
iterations Of proposals which had
been ignored or rejected by Con-
gress last year or were requests for
extension Of existing programs.
And some Of what was new wasn't
really very new. One farm proposal
the soil bank--sounded like an
old depression-day scheme. And
others, such - the disaster aid pro-
posal and the civil rights requests.
were too vague to judge last week.
Old or new, however. there was
potential fireworks In more than O
score Of them.
His specific proposals, Mr.. Esen-
hover said, were designed to fur
ther i've enduring objectives" Of
his administration: Discharge Of
our world responsibility: the con-
slant Improvement Of our national
ssowttv; nscal integrity; fostering
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
Conclusions

The Presidents message, on the
surface, was q paradox. 1t contem-
plated increased Federal spending
in 81 Of the "a proposals, yet 1t
forecast balanced budget and pos
sible tax reductions. It was as vel
fare-minded as all but the most
rabid Democrats desired, yet 1t
caused only a little sorrow and no
apparent anger among Republicans.
And 1t was designed to insure Gov
eminent participation in the Ma
tons economic life. despite Repub-
lican vows to free Americas free en-
terprise. 4
The answer seemed to be that
America has changed profoundly,
perhaps permanently. since the
1930s and President Eisenhower is
trying to bring his party into har-
mony with the new era. Prosperity
will enable the Government to
spend more and tax less, making
the G. o. P. transition less painful
than 1t might have been.
Differences between Democrats
and Republicans still remained. how
ever. AS the Wall Street Journal
pointed out, Mr.. Eisenhower seems
prepared to insist that the people
pay for what they get. Democrats
have not always taken kindly to
this philosophy.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
CAA

The other feature of the investi-
gative double bill was an inquiry
into the resignation Of Frederick B.
Lee, head of the Civil Aeronautics
Administration.
Chairman Mike Monroney of the
Senate Commerce Aviation sub
committee charged that Secretary
of Commerce Sinclair Weeks and
one Of his top aides had wrongfully
assumed presidential powers during
Mr.. Eisenhower's illness in firing"
Mr.. Lee.
Mr.. Lee, a Vermont Republican
appointed to the S15,000-a-year
post in 1853 by Mr.. Eisenhower.
was moved out after he gave sup
port to Democratic sponsored bill
to expand and improve the Nations
airportS. He testified last week
that the first request for his resig-
nation came from Commerce Un-
dersecretary Louis B. Rothchild on
October II, and the second from
Mr.. Weeks about six weeks later.
On November 20, Mr.. Lee said. he
wrote Secretary Weeks asking the
reasons that lay behind the request.
Several days later Mr.. Weeks
and Mr.. Lee got together and the
Secretary, Mr.. Lee said, suggested
that they should go to see Sherman
Adams, presidential assistant.
After that meeting Mr.. Lee adj
dressed his letter Of resignation to
Mr.. Adams. 1t was accepted by
the President on December Z.
Charles j. Lowen, q friend Of
Mr.. Rothchild who had been
named deputy to Mr.. Lee without
Mr.. Lees prior knowledge, was i'm
mediately named administrator.
Senator Monroney is sponsor Of
a bill that would divorce CAA from
the Commerce Department and re-
store its independent status. He
charged that the custer of Mr.. Lee
was part of an attempt by Mr..
Weeks to take control of aviation.
The Senator has also accused the
Commerce Department of slanting
the Governments transportation
policy in favor of railroads.
Next week the subcommittee will
hear the departments side Of the
Lee issue. 1t could blossom into a
long -range look at all the admin
istration's transportation policies.
with Mr.. Weeks as the main target.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08


for needy children, juvenils eAlin-
cuents and mentally retarded chill
dren; more attention 70 problems
Of aged people: more spending on
medical research and construction
Of research and teaching facili-
ties: Federal reinsurance Of private
health insurance companies; .
broadened minimum wage law;
more public housing and more Gov
ernmert-guaranteed home loans:
fringe benefits for Government
workers and improvement Of vet
Grams benefits.
In the field Of civil rights he
recommended that Congress set UP
q bipartisan commission TO In
vestigate reports that Negroes are
being deprived Of their rights In
some areas. He promised to send
a civil rights program TO Con-
gress later in the year.
A follow-up on. this program
could spark a long controversy on
the Fiji. Southern Democrats
voiced defiance last week. and
Negro Representative Adam Clay
ton Powell complained that the
President could order the FBI to
do anything q special commission
could do.
The President also asked for
amendments to the Taft-Hartley
Act: statehood for Hawaii, but not
immediate statehood for Alaska:
revision Of immigration and ma
tionality laws and, Of course. self
government and suffrage for the
District Of Columbia.
All those were old proposals.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

ing D Premier and his cabinet. un.
less one Of them wants to eollabo-
rate with the extremists. Late last
week IL. Mollet and NJ. Mendes-
France rejected NJ. Faure's proposal
for collaboration. however.
The moderate left leaders may
intend to present the Assembly
one Of two alternatives: Either &C
cept q cabinet predominantly II not
wholly from their own ranks. or face
indefinite deadlock. This would as
sumo, Of course. that the Commu-
nists and Poujadists would withhold
support from both moderate groups.
In this kind Of an atmosphere
speculation grew that the new
National Assembly might never get
down to legislating on Algeria. cleo
ton reform, or economic measures.
all recognized as pressing problems
for France. Instead. it was whis-
pered the Assembly might have to
dissolve itself and call for another
election.
Prospects will become clearer in
the next two weeks. The Socialists
National Congress and the Poujad-
lists meet next Saturday. The Rad
icals meet q week from tomorrow.
M. Faure's coalition probably will be
meeting ct about the same time.
The new National Assembly con-
venes for the first time week from
Thursday.
World Reaction
Reaction all over the free world
was gloomy. The United States and
its allies were having another look
at the North Atlantic Treaty Or
ganization. wondering how 1t would
stand the strains Of continued
French instability. West Germany
was particularly impressed by the
strong showing of the Communists.
Moscow radio pompously referred
to the important success for the
progressive forces Of peace" in
France. claiming the election showed
AICluIhUly tIlht Vic IudJOIily VI
the French people is against the
policy Of national betrayal" and
for union of forces to pursue an
independent policy Of peace. Trans
lated. that meant the Kremlin was
elated and would continue to work
for a popular front movement in
France.
There was more talk here of de-
emphasizing Frances role in NATO
in favor of West Germany and
Spain. But Frances geographical
position Is SO important to the
NATO position - so much of the
vital NATO plant is already in the
ground Of France-that 1t seemed
probable the Atlantic alliance would
prefer to continue as before. limp
ing along with unstable French
governments. rather than face the
drastic changes that reorientation
would involve.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
PROBES
New York Newsmen
Quizzed on Ties to
Reds; Three Fired

Congressional Investigations and
the recriminations thereof were of
to a good election-year start In
Washington last week. In one,
newspapermen found themselves on
the receiving end for change,
with the Senators asking the ques-
tions. Three New York newsmen
were fired as a direct result of their
performances here. One man had
worked for the New York Times,
another on the New York Mirror
and the other for the New York
Daily News.
Senator James o. Eastland's
Internal Security Subcommittee.
continuing hearings started last
summer, wanted to know II the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

nothing much new" Whether
the same old thing looked good or
bad depended largely on the parti-
san viewpoint Of the observer.
Did the three-year summing up
indicate the President Ii ready to
call it quits after one term or did
his determination to finish the job
indicate he wants another four
years? Congressman disagreed on
what, If anything. the speech re-
vealed about Mr.. Eisenhower's
plans.
Reporters were told yesterday
they would have q chance to talk
with the President today-but not
about his '66 plans. It was o sure
thing. however. that newsmen
would try TO get some kind Of
hint whether Mr.. Eisenhower
6uncern over the state Of the Union
wiz extend into another term.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
What We Did

II was interesting TO mote that
IA listing accomplishments Of the
past three years Mr.. Eisenhower
talked Of we" I'VE" included his
administration. Congress In
eluding both parties-and al the
American people. Democrats as
well - Republicans.
Perhaps that indicated President
Eisenhower wanted to keep the
peace In an election year. Perhaps
II also showed that President Of
all the people" Ii not just o catch
phrase TO Mr.. Eisenhower.
This Is what we accomplished,
according to the President:
Q War in Korea ended two-and-a-
half years ago.
. The collective security system
has been powerfully strengthened.
o Our defenses have been re-
inforced at sharply reduced costs.
. Programs to expand world trade
and to harness the atom for the
betterment Of mankind have been
carried forward.
Q Our economy has been freed
from governmental wage and price
controls.
Q Imitation has been halted; the
cost Of living stabilized.
. Government spending has been
cut by more than $40 billion.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
Welfare

II they had been couched In,
fiery terms, the welfare proposals In
the message could have been writ
ten by Harry Truman himself.
President Eisenhower recon-
mended Federal spending for school
construction; expansion Of social
security: increased welfare services
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

dissolved itself "a disgust the month
before, n aaythins the new Cham
ber Of Deputies win b more inde-
cisive than Ia predecessor. Its exc
tremes are bigger and more dam
geruus. It's center II smaller and
more fragmentized than before.
The French electorate also ush-
cred into the world political arena
a new and potentially dangerous po-
ntical force. symbolized by q red
rooster strutting on blue and
white map Of France. The proud
cock adorns the banner Of Pierre
Poujade, leader Of . group Of small
shopkeepers whose political philos-
ophy has been described by out
siders Is anarchist and fascist.
81 Poujodists
The Poujadists captured q sur
prising total Of 81 seats in the
Chamber of Deputies, mainly
through their campaign against
paying taxes. The other principal
winners In the French elections Of
last Monday were the Communists.
who increased their Assembly vot-
ing power by more than so per cent.
cornering ISL seats. NJ. Poujade dis
closed late last week that there were
also many Reds among his follow
ers.
Most observers rate both the Reds
and Poujadists as anti-parliamen-
tartan. More oninous, M. Poujade
admits the Communists have APP
preached him about collaborating.
II don't say we will not work with
the Communists" Poujade says. II
don't say we will refuse to work
with anybody. We seek collabora-
ton with other parties"
Together the two extremes COM
mand roughly one-third Of the sat-
member Assembly.
Between the extremes it was diff
ficult to determine what the align
ments would be. The only thing
that was clear this week end was
that the maddening instability OF
French governments would probably
continue until another election.
which might not come until 1861.
or might conceivably happen before
next spring. Such were the new
mysteries and uncertainties in
France. strategic geographical CEN
ter of the North Atlantic commit
nity's defenses against Communist
expansionism in Europe.
2l.8 Million Votes
Only 544 Of the 627 Assembly
seats we're at stake last Monday.
Fifty-three overseas constituencies
and 80 in troubled Algeria will hold
their elections later.
A record 21.8 million metropolitan
Frenchmen, more than 80 per cent
Of the eligible electorate. trooped to
the polls. Since Frenchmen tend
to vote as much for individuals as
for parties, and since elected Depu-
ties tend to disregard party lines,
the unstable lineups are likely to
vary with the issue.
The two main center groups
which fought the election campaign
will be the principal rivals for the
premiership. The moderate left or
Republican Front, led by Socialist
Guy Mollet and Radical Pierre
Mendes-F France. will have perhaps
ITO votes ut its disposal. The mod
crate right, led by me-duck
Premier Edgar Faure, will have
some 1876 to 400. some 40 less than
this group Of parties controlled In
the last Assembly.
The two moderate factions will
have to cooperate. at least In elect
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
President Moves Policies Slightly to Left

used his state Union last
Thursday up his administration
things revealed in the summation:
Mr. Eisenhower believes long under
administration thinks set three
right should be continued with small eecon-
year deviation the left.
Because the thing the Nation
congressional the largely
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

Sudan Wins Freedom
From AngIo-British
Rule After 81 Years

Nationalism in Africa took an
other significant stride as the new
year opened. Sudan. country
three times as large as Egypt with
q population Of million, took full
control Of It's own affairs on New
Years Day.
In Khartoum, the capital, the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
FRANCE
Extremes Profit Most
In Elections; More
instability Foreseen

The free world stood aghast and
the Soviet bloc watched with glee
last week as ais million Frenchmen
went to the polls and created an
other dissension-ridden National
Assembly like the one that had Just
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

"Short Of war we have never
had military strength better adapt
ed to our needs with improved
readiness for emergency use,"
Congress was told.
Some Democratic Congressman.
however, said American armed
strength was not keeping pace with
Russia's. No figure for defense
spending was offered By President
EisenhOWef. but 1t ID expected TO-
be about Q billion dollars over the
current years (The annual budget
message u scheduled for jan
nary 16.,
The only specific requests for the
Defense Department were for fringe
benefits for military personnel.
Increased Federal assistance to
States and cities for civil defense
was also recommended.