davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
Day of the Dark Horse

The big queStion-Why did he do it?
has not been answered in the hectic
week end which followed Harry Truman's
Endorsement of Averell Hartman as the
man "best qualified" for the Democratic
presidential nomination. But the claims
and counter-claims have served to
strengthen few first impressions.
The first of these is that Adlai Steven
son still looms as the probable nominee.
Gone are the bright hopes of a first
ballot victory. The road ahead is going
to be hard and Mr.. Stevenson is in for his
share of bumps and bruises But his big
edge in pledged delegates, plus his COM
parative acceptability to the South, ought
to see him through.
The second strengthened impression
is that Governor Hartman cannot get
the nomination. The fight now is between
the "old pros" in the Democratic Party,
led by Mr.. Truman, and the younger
liberal element-thoSe who are dedicated
Stevenson people and who believe that he
is the party's best bet in November. The
Truman declaration has had the effect
Of discouraging any rush to Stevenson by
the uncommitted delegations. But it has
not brought any flood of support for
Governor Hartman. He has picked up
few votes, but he is still well over 400
short of the total needed for majority,
and it is extremely difficult to see where
he is going to find them.
All of this encourages dark horse
speculation. Three days ago these hope
fuls seemed to have been turned out to
pasture. But now they are back, and more
or less in the running. Their chances
depend upon what Mr.. Truman is really
trying to do. Does he think he can put
Mr.. Hartman across? Or is he trying to
kill of Mr.. Stevenson? In the former
case it is to be expected that Mr.. Truman
will step aside as soon as 1t becomes clear
that his choice cannot win, and in that
event the delegates will climb on the
Stevenson bandwagon. But if his real
aim is to stop Mr.. Stevenson, and there
is a chance-juSt chance-that he can
do it, then the day of the dark horse soon
will be at hand
The most likely looking of these is
Senator Stuart Symington of Missouri
Not strong candidate in his own right,
he nevertheless has one great advantage
mo one is against him. Given dead
locked convention and the support of his
good friend Lyndon johnson of Texas, the
Senate's Majority Leader, it is just possible
that the MisSourian will take it all.
So Senator Johnson is a man to watch
in this convention. He would be formi-
dable contender himself had it not been
for his heart attack, and he is still going
to have a great deal of influence inthiS
convention. He may use that influence
only for bargaining purposes, to get
better deal for the Southern point of
view. But if the front runners fall by the
wayside and a deadlock develops, he can
be expected to throw his support to
Senator Symington-whichm marks him as
a potential kingmaker and man who is
well worth watching.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
Hope and Suez

President NaSSer's latest remarks on
the subject seem temperate enough to
support the hope that the Suez crisis can
and will be surmounted without resort to
military force. True, as expected, he has
rejected the invitation to take part in the
London conference opening on Thursday,
and he has challenged in advance the
validity of any decisions that may be
reached there. But still, despite some
purple passages proclaiming Egypt's de-
termination to fight to the last drop Of
blood against international colonialism,"
he has moderated his, language in way
that differs markedly from the violent
harangueS he delivered fortnight ago.
1t is interesting, moreover, and per-
hapS even significant, that Colonel Nasser
while Spurning the Anglo French idea
for some sort of international operating
authority-haS profeSSed himself to be
ready to cooperate in negotiating an
agreement confirming and guaranteeing
freedom of navigation through the Suez
Canal" To that end, although without
suggesting place or date, he has pro-
posed the converting of broader con-
ference than the one scheduled for
London He apparently would have such
gathering reconsider and revise the
1888 ConStantinople compact, and he
would also associate the United Nations
with the resulting new understanding.
All this, of course, is quite vague, and
it might prove, on close inspection, to be
rather meaningless in terms of establish
ing genuinely effective guarantees. Never
theleSS it does suggest that the Egyptian
President may have had some sober
second thoughts or some moderating
counsel from Russia and India. It Sug-
gestS, too, that there is at least posi-
bility that he may yet be persuaded
through patient diplomatic effort - to
agree to mutually satisfactory arrange
mentS that would fully protect the SOW
ereignty and economic interests of his
country while at the same time providing
Britain, France and free Europe as
whole with the kind of assurances they
must have.
In any event, If 1t has not leSSened
very much, the Suez crisis certainly has
not grown worse over the weekend. OF
course, as emphasized at yesterdays time
ly White House meeting with the BIZ
partisan congressional leadership, the
situation continues to be grave, and the
attainment of peaceful solution will be
difficult. However, assuming that Colonel
NasSer is not bent on demanding the
moon, and assuming also that the Krem-
lin wishes to avoid an explosion in the
Middle East, craftsmanship should have
enough wit and wisdom to find satisfac-
tory way out of the present dangerous
impaSSe.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
OHicer-Tenchers

A letter writer using the
initials @. T." thinks it an
excellent idea to employ re-
tired Army officers as teachers
to fill vacancies in the Arling-
ton school system. / wonder
II this reader really thinks
retired military personnel are
qualified to give children "a
reasonable chance of becoming
well-rounded and emotionally
matured adults"
Are we to think a person
who has been trained in and
expects unquestioned obedi-
ence is qualified in guiding
children towards becoming
well-rounded and emotionally
mature? ! would hardly say
military training is Of such q
nature that it will produce
well-roundedness and emo
tional maturity.
AS for the military bringing
discipline to school systems.
there are many excellent
teachers who keep we'll disci-
plined classes, and they've
never been inside a barracks.
Arlington County may be
excused for employing retired
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
Either Planning or Chaos

The National Capital Regional Plan
ming Council had good cause to protest
to the White House over the fiouting of
established planning procedures by some
Federal agencies. Apparently it will take
presidential action to bring halt to the
by-pasSing of the council and of the Ma
tional Capital Planning Commission in
the current relocation trend.
The act of 1852 which created the
regional council and which reorganized
the planning commission specifically re-
quired review of all Federal building prof.
ects in the Washington Metropolitan area
by both planning bodies. Despite the
plain language of the law, several Gov
eminent agencies have gone ahead and
chosen building sites and made con-
struction plans without any consultation
whatever with the overall planning au-
thoritieS. Typical of this go-it-alone
trend were the actions of the Bureau of
Standards and of the Veterans Admins
tration in deciding on certain sites in
Montgomery County without first obtain
ing the advice of the council or the COM
mission. The bureau wants new home
outside the District and the VA plans to
build large hospital near Rockville.
AS Chairman Wehrly of the regional
council told fellow members, there is thus
being created "disorganized situation"
that does violence to the carefully con-
trived program for the orderly develop
ment of Washington and the nearby
counties. Congress set up the council
and the commission and invested them
with review powers to avert just such dis
organization in the planning of Federal
works here. The issue is simply one of
planning or chaos in Federal expansion
in the Washington area. The time has
come for breakdown by the President
on negligent or recalcitrant agencies.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
Building Complaint

AS reported in your issue of
August 3, an investor has
requested permission from the
Commissioners to give the city
a T-shaped passageway with
out sidewalks into the heart
OF a block on P street between
Thirtieth and Thirty-first
streets NV, so that he can
build 10 houses in there, al
though the block is already
overcrowded. In the same
block, another investor is
pulling down a house to
widen an existing alley lover
the frantic protests Of the
AUDITING property owners
and is building six four
room houses on the alley.
This is a matter Of concern
to everyone in the District.
If an alley can be created for
the purpose Of building alley
dwellings, no block in the Dis
trict with any breathing space
In the center is safe.
We earnestly hope that the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
The Expanding Press

Inc stars recent article,
press Seats Present Head
ache at Convention" empha-
sizes what is undoubtedly an
old convention problem.
A century ago at the Demo-
cratic convention in Cincin-
natl in 1856. at, of all places,
Nixon Hall. which resulted in
the nomination of Buchanan
and Breckenridge, there was
the same problem of press
seats.
1t became so serious that a
Mr.. McLane of Maryland pro-
tested that there were more
than 800 reporters endeavor-
ing to occupy the press space
at the convention. AS Mr..
McLane stated lit was not the
design of the committee orig
inally to apply the galleries to
the use of the press. 1t was
designed to seat the reporters
for the various newspapers on
the platform on each side of
the president. That was the
arrangement made for the
press. If gentlemen will look
at the platform and consider
that, in the plan of organiza-
ton now adopted, room must
be made for three vice presi-
dents and 81 secretaries, they
will see that the press had as
large a space as possible de-
voted to their use. would
remark that over 300 appli-
cations were made for tickets
by gentlemen. under the style
OF reporters for the press"
Thus from a problem affect
ing 300 reporters a century
ago. there is the matter of
over 1000 representatives of
the press, together with some
5000 TV and radio reporters,
photographers and writer's.
The problem of 100 years ago
still exists in expanded size.
Melvin d. HiIdreth,
Democratic National Com
mitteeman for the District
OF Columbia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Investigating the Anti-Proton
BY THOMAS r. HENRI

Less than a year ago the
existence Of the negatron, or
anti-proton. in nature was
positively confirmed.
The confirmation came from
experiments conducted at the
University of California Radia-
ton Laboratory, working I'M
der grants from the Atomic
Energy Commission.
The discovery did not create
much of a stir in the world
since its significance seemed
almost entirely philosophical,
with no practical significance
except to specialists in nuclear
physics.
There we're, Of course, a few
lurid speculations. 1t had
lately been determined that
the hundred billion star
galaxies, flying helter-skelter
through space, sometimes
crashed into each other
with no very sensational re-
suits. In fact, it was said at
the time that if organisms
comparable to human beings
lived on planets in the crash
ing galaxies only the astron-
omers, and physicists among
them would be aware that any,
thing had happened. Only
their night skies would be a
little brighter.
Grim Speculation Ignored
But suppose, some said.
there we're galaxies somewhere
composed of negative matter
whose atoms were composed
of negative protons and posi-
tive electrons. Suppose such
a galaxy crashed into a posi-
tive-matter galaxy, like the
Milky Way system. Might not
an explosion result that would
be the end of everything?
For very good reasons ex-
perts paid no attention to
such speculations and were
unanimous in their assurance
that there never could be a
negatron bomb in the little
time of man. For one thing,
there were not enough mega
irons.
The Atomic Energy Com
mission. however, thoroughly
realized the significance of
the discovery for a better I'M
derstanding of the basic con-
stitution Of matter. A major
research program was
launched.
One result of this, announced
in the commissions semi
annual report, is complete con-
flrmation Of the humiliation
of both particles which re-
suits when a proton and an
anti-proton come in close
enough contact. This contact,
of course, must be very close
indeed-a distance measured
in billionths of a millimeter.
The actual existence of the
anti-proton first was demon
strated in a beam of nuclear
particles from the University
of California bevatron, one of
the atom smashing machines.
The technique used to demon
strate it's humiliation proper
ties was to place a stack of
Photographic plates coated
with a certain emulsion in the
path of such a bevatron beam
in which the elusive particles
might be expected to occur.
Any charged nuclear par
ticle. proton or anti-proton.
passing through such an
emulsion produces a track
which can be seen when the
plate is developed. This track
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

At certain times of the year,
and especially in the fall. there
is nothing prettier. with its red
leaves, and graceful growth.
Sometimes people cut 1t for
interior decoration, not realiz-
ing what 1t is. or that 1t
still retains its poisonous
properties.
Even smoke from burning
poison ivy plants can infect
one.
We have come across sew
eral persons suffering from
poison ivy poisoning, and they
all had one trait in common:
They all wanted to try home
remedies.
One can though it out" this
way. If not too susceptible.
but surely the best way is go
at once to a doctor, especially
if the infection is on the face.
Poison ivy breakouts close
to the eyes and mouth are
very dangerous. They should
be treated at once by some
one with real experience. Most
of us haven't had enough ex-
perience to treat poison ivy
or oak or sumac properly.
Nothing shows the every
day insanity Of the American
people better than their mod
ern urge to use weedkillers.
The poisons used in these
chemicals sometimes offer
danger to small children and
pets, and almost always their
use is unnecessary, since most
weeds are not as Objectionable
as most people think.
Same thing goes for crab
grass. Thousands Of home
owners sweat needless hours
on their knees uprooting crab
grass, when without 1t their
lawns are no good at all.
What makes the late July
and August lawn look nice
and green?
Crabgrassl
without this hardy weed.
most local homeowners would
have to 60 back to pebbles and
myrtle.
Let us give this old debbil
crabgrass its due.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13

eral" Always where ground controllers
aid the pilots in their navigation, the CAA
hopes to discourage off-airway operations
as much as possible. But there seems to
be little prospect of enough controlled
air space to cope with the pilot who, by
choice or by force of circumstances,
leaves the established lanes and flies his
own course. Then it is matter of "see
or be seen"-and the Grand Canyon
tragedy showed that this principle is not
infallible.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13

is a fine line of small silver
grains. Now. sooner or later
such a particle is bound to
strike the nucleus Of a silver
or bromine atom. The result
is an atomic explosion. This
appears on the Photographic
plate in the form Of q star.
the number and length Of
whose points indicate the force
and nature Of the explosion.
Half the exposed plates were
sent to Italy to be studied by
scientists at the University Of
Rome. The other half were
retained in California. The
California studies failed to re-
veal any more anti-protons.
The Italians, however, found
one case of collision, the first
anti-proton interaction seen
by man.
Both atomic nuclei were
smashed by the collision. Mat
ter became energy. first in the
form of the enthusiastically
minute particles known as
mesons which have lifetimes as
matter of less than a millionth
of second.
Since the finding of this COL
lision star by the Italians about
80 others have been detected in
Photographic plates by the Uni
versity of California physicists,
says the Atomic Energy Com
missions semiannual report.
in all cases." it continues.
"anti-protons have been seen
to annihilate with either a pro-
ton or a neutron "a nom
charged particle of about the
same mass as a proton)."
Evidence for the annihila-
ton of neutrons came from the
observation that the energy
released was greater than that
expected from the total con-
version into energy Of charged
masses.
Anti-PrOtOn Confirmed
Thus the existence Of the
anti-proton is abundantly con-
firmed, together with its pre-
dicted behavior. Where it
comes from and how it gets in
the bevatron beam remain I'M
determined.
The University Of California
investigations to date, however,
have revealed some puzzling,
and perhaps highly important,
details of its behavior. In nu-
clear flssion, such as occurs in
uranium 235 or plutonium
atoms in the atomic bomb. it
is necessary for one of the
slow neutrons with which the
atom is bombarded to pass
within an almost inflnitesi-
mally minute distance of the
atomic nucleus. This distance
can be precisely calculated.
In the reaction between
anti-protons and protons.
however, this distance is found
to be considerably greater
than was calculated. This
indicates strong mutual at
tractive forces between the
two. of a nature still to be
determined.
Investigations Of the anti
proton thus far barely have
crossed the threshold.
Now, it must be emphasized,
the Atomic Energy Commits
sion physicists and their col
laborators are concerned, in
their studies of the anti
proton, purely with the light
that may be thrown on the
ultimate structure of matter
not with any idea of a new
explosive or utilEable new
source Of power.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13

Jimson weed and poke weed
are two wild things which
come up along country road
sides, and sometimes in cult
waited gardens.
The latter are sowed by
birds.
Jimson weed was originally
named Jamestown weed. which
soon became JimSton weed,
and then Unison, as it is to-
day.
Americans have a way of
cutting such names down to
size.
So we see that jamestown,
Va, is famous for more than
one thing.
Jimson weed is extremely
poisonous.
1t may be told by its trum-
pet-shaped flowers, white or
violet colored.
1t should be uprooted and
destroyed wherever found.
Poke weed is poisonous only
in the roots. but the red ripe
berries sometimes attract chill
dren.
These berries are emetic,
and may cause a bad spell.
But poke makes a good fence
corner decoration, and the ber-
ries, in the autumn. are favor
ties of many birds, including
the mockingbirds, cardinals.
and the various sparrows.
Burdock, a coarse grower,
sometimes comes up in culti-
waited gardens, even in founda-
ton paintings.
A properly cared for bur-
dock makes a fine topic Of con-
versation.
So few city people have seen
it, that 1t always attracts at
tention in a cultivated setting.
Actually, it is very pretty.
Weeds always have a vigor
that is striking.
The word weed" merely
means a plant out Of place.
The meaning we have at
tached to weed is that it is a
nuisance, sometimes a poison
Gus nuisance.
Really, the weeds are SLAM
dered, In many cases.
They are rank growers, II you
will. but under any other cir
cumstances this would be a
credit TO them.
Weeds come by the hundreds.
Several years ago, during the
war. some scientists wrote a
whole book about them, es-
pecially treating those that
might be used as food.
II one is attracted by weeds.
as such, he should make a
thorough investigation.
Some Of them are, indeed.
highly poisonous. both TO
humans and cattle.
Poison Ivy is a weed, in the
common sense.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
Mountain Lake

There tCns first the silver air
Bloirino GOODNESS every,Dhere
And uhen tDe nedred the hflls
high crest
The lake, ioas minOlinO NTH
the nest:
A million sCdues iOere foiDino
gold.
Sunny laughter. uncontrolled.
We had come from grounded
places;
Wedrtness had marked our
faces.
Thirst held high our empty
cup
And healing beauty flIed It up.
Evelyn Noreross Sheriff.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13
Atomic PoIitickinq?'

Your August 8 editorial,
atomic Politicking?", defend
ing the Aces decision to
grant a construction permit
for a 100000 kilowatt power
plant near Monroe, Mich,
seems more concerned with
the question of politicking
than with a consideration of
the basic facts involved.
This editorial is directed
against those Democrats who,
emphasizing the possible haz-
ards involved, have criticized
the granting of a permit by
Acc. These Democrats, your
editorial says, conveniently
ignore the fact that the per-
init involved is strictly a con-
ditional one," and that the
follow-up license needed will
not be granted unless the Acc
is convinced Of the safety Of
this atomic plant.
At this time of the election
year, the heat seems to be ris-
ing with each issue as to
which party is being dema-
gogic. However, I think that
if we can leave the inferential
level and, for a moment, in
this issue, hold our fire, a re-
view of the situation could
help to establish the following
points of agreement:
That there is a conceivable
question of the hazard to pub
lie health and safety in the
operation of a 100,000-kilo-
watt power plant.
That the Atomic Energy
Commission can determine
whether or not there is a
threat involved.
mat Acc would not grant
a license if its study indicated
that there is a threat to pub
lie health and safety in the
operation of a plant built
around an advanced reactor of
the fast neutron breeder type.
That the construction, COM
pleted, would be rendered USE
less, without the necessary
license for operation.
Would it not have been in
more logical procedure if Acc
had first investigated the sit
uation before granting a per-
init for such construction?
Why, in the name of all san
ity, was the cart placed before
the horse?
If logical reasoning. be
atomic politicking," then let
me be counted amongst those
other Democrats you have so
labeled!
Jessie B. Solomon.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-13

military personnel as teachers
to help relieve the teacher
shortage. But such D practice
should be a temporary one
and should be done away with
when more qualified teachers
are attracted to the profession.
I, for one, feel the military
is becoming too much q part
Of our civilian way. We turn
to the military to fill teacher
shortages. to head PTAs. to be-
come mayors. plus other posi-
tions. There is leadership
among the nonmilitary If we
will only look for it.
Everett o. Tauber,
Teacher.