davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
At an Open Fire
BY REV. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United states senate

as soon as he could ind the
wherewithal to build q house
around It'll
What q sentence to be en-
graved over a fireplace would
be the expression of the
Psalmist: while was musing
the fire burned" Or it might
be paraphrased, While the
fire was burning I was musing."
In such musing many perma-
nent and beautiful things are
born-poems and books and
masterpieces of music. with
the breath of immortality
among them. William Winter
once saw Longfellow sitting by
his open fireplace late at
night, while the glowing en-
bers spluttered and sparkled.
All the rest of the household
had retired. But there sat the
poet, watching the flames.
musing and occasionally Jot-
ting down with a pencil what
ever came into his thoughts.
There is the glow of blazing
logs over many things vital in
American history. There is
Jefferson, with the hearth
light on his countenance, read
ing the Gospels before the fire
on winter evenings. What he
saw is reflected on the walls
of his classic shrine in Wash
ington and in the ethical ideas
which famed in the Declara-
ton Of Independence. And as
we glimpse the illumined face
Of Abraham Lincoln sitting
serenely there in his Memo
rial by the Potomac. with the
never-ending procession climb
ing those steps with uplifted
gaze. it seems but a reflection
of the blazing logs as lying
face downward. his long I'M
calmly form PROSTATE on the
clay floor of an humble cabin,
the freight on his homely fea-
lures. he devoured pages which
were planting the seed for the
Gettysburg Address and the
Second Inaugural-even as he
proudly scrawled in one Of the
few books which he really
owned: Abraham Lincoln
his hand and pen-He will be
good. but God knows when"
In a noble house. inscribed
in letters Of gold above the
warmth and radiance of the
open fire, is this saying of
Jesus preserved by Origen: He
who is near me is near the
fire" No wonder John Oxen
ham bids US kneel always
when we light a fire, as if
about to partake Of a sacra-
ment:
Kneei always ,Dhen We light
q fire -.
And on the ascending. flame
inspire
A little prayer, that shall
upbedr
The incense OF your thank
tulneSS
For THIS Sweet grace
OF aUdrmth and light
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15

Again the hearths Of count
less homes are aglow as this is
being written on a wintry day
beside an open fire. When
winter comes, fireplaces leap
to life and become the mystic
magnets for memory and me-
Citation. Robbed Of the delight
of woodsy logs that actually
blaze as they are reduced to
glowing embers and to gray
ashes, multitudes Of modern
fire worshipers have to be con-
tent with the simulated ra-
dance OF electrical devices
which reproduce the setting
without the fiery reality. How
ever, they do furnish a coy
focus for thought that only a
fire invites. With the grace Of
inner and. outer composure.
one sits fascinated by that
which here is our servant. but
which can be the most fright
full of all masters. For beyond
the fiery tongues which con-
sumo only the logs before us.
as the FURNISHED fender and
screen says so far. but no
farther" we see the terrifying
holocaust Of forest conflagra.
tons.
Every year. as fresh armies
of school children sing II love
thy woods and tempted
hills" uncontrolled fires race
and roar through the forests
Of the United States, bringing
utter desolation to blackened
areas larger than the State of
Virginia. Standing battalions
Of lovely trees. waiting to give
their lives for the habitations
Of man, are burned as martyrs
at the stake. mostly by sheer
criminal carelessness. This is
the tragic cost of three out of
four forest fires in the heart
breaking panorama Of scorched
earth.
Yet. from the caveman UP,
fire has always been the
most vivid emblem of deity.
Even the Bible refers to Je-
hovah as a devouring fire. A
great prophet of the God of
Jesus. reverencing fire as an
emblem Of the mystery at the
heart Of all religion. calls it
THAT strange thing. so
heavenly, so unearthly. so ter
rible, so gracious and full Of
creativeness, and yet so quick
and fierce to sweep whatever
opposes 1t out Of its path
this marvel, this beauty. this
glory and mystery--fire." But,
with all its destructiveness
when it breaks bounds and
turns tyrant.. even mythology
immortalizes Prometheus who,
defying all who would stop
him. brought the suns fire to
earth-thus. by this beneficent
gift, preparing the way for all
the arts and crafts of civiliza-
ton, No wonder that to this
god with blazing torch was
reared a special altar in the
Academy at Athens.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
Pursuit of Culture

In regard to the controversy,
argued in many churches. over
working on Sundays, / would
like to point out one field
where some Sunday work
would be of civic benefit.
The Washington public Ii
braries close at 8 pm. Satur-
day and do not reopen until
Monday morning. The Library
of Congress is open from 2 to 6
pm. on Sunday but is inacces-
sible to many people. School
and private Libraries are often
open on Sunday but only a
few of the Districts citizens
are eligible to use them.
There are undoubtedly many
people who would enjoy spend
ing Sunday afternoon in the
pursuit Of culture without cost.
do not think that their num-
Der would be SO great that a
full staff for every public IL
brary branch would be neces-
sary. A small increase in the
library appropriation would
thus cover salary costs. There
should be enough librarians
willing to spend Sunday after
noon at work to eliminate
stating problems.
If the libraries were open on
Sunday afternoon, many more
people could obtain books with
out personal inconvenience.
Also, there are a great many
students who would prefer to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
Just TESTING

I have the utmost respect
for the work of Civil Defense.
and am aware that they have
a tremendous task in attempt
ing to overcome the inertia Of
average citizens. like myself.
But I cannot understand
the frequent use Of the air
raid warning sirens.
Many people-and I am one
who agrees-feel that repeated
testing and use of these sirens,
at any and all hours. has
ruined their effectiveness in
the event they are really
needed.
I suggest that if there is to
be a test involving use of the
sirens, it be so widely pub
licized by the newspapers and
other media of communication
that no one could fail to know
it was q test; but that other
wise, the sirens be kept silent
until the warning they voice is
necessary.
A. L. Martin.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
The Tests Are Essential

Despite arguments at home and
abroad for an international moratorium
on all such experimentation, there are
good and compelling reasons for the new
series of tomic-hydrogen tests that our
country plans to stage at Eniwetok in the
spring.
To begin with, as the Defense Depart
ment and the Atomic Energy Commission
have noted in their joint statement on
the subject, there is at present no 'effec-
tive international agreement safeguarded
by adequate inspection to limit or control
ornaments" Nor is such an agreement
likely to be worked out for a long time to
come, If ever. At any rate, the Soviet
Union has thus far given little ground for
hope on that score. Instead, 1t has per-
sistently blocked every Western effort
including President Eisenhower's 'open
sky proposal for reciprocal aerial sur
veillance-to set up genuinely trust
worthy policing system against the super
deadly new instruments of mass destruc-
ton.
The men of the Kremlin, of course,
vigorously proclaim that they want such
a system, but they keep on refusing to
agree to anything but paper pledges
offering only the most inadequate sort
of inspection and control. Meanwhile,
even as their propagandists cry out for
a ban on all nuclear and thermometer
tests, they continue to set of their own
experimental detonationS. Moreover, as
a matter of policy affecting Soviet secu-
rity and their relentless drive to dominate
the world, they have repeatedly indicated
that they have no intention of trying to
stop the arms race until they feel that
their arsenal of atomic-h hydrogen weapons
is greater than ours, or at least equal to 1t.
In these circumstances, the United
States would be gravely imperiling both
itself and the rest of the free world II 1t
failed to do everything possible to keep
ahead in this most dangerous of all races.
That is why the projected spring detona-
tions-which will involve family OF
atomic-hydrogen weapons substantially"
less powerful than the gigantic H-bomb
exploded at Eniwetok in 1954-are abso-
lutely vital to our national security. More
than that as the official joint announce
ment points out, one of their important
purposes :. will be the further develop
ment of methods of defense against nu-
clear attack" This is a cryptic state
ment, but it says enough to underscore
the high and imperative significance OF
the tests.
Nobody, it is true, can feel really
happy or secure in world that must
witness competitive experimentation Of
this sort Yet the fact remains hard and
bleak as 1t is. that as long as the Russians
prevent genuine arms control, the funda-
mental law Of self-preservation will con-
tinue to demand that our country adhere
to its present course. Were it to do other
wise, it would be gambling with its very
survival
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
THE GAME OF POLITICS
Gov. Lousche Displays Real Courage
By FRANK R. KENT

In his book "Profiles in
Courage" the able and attrac-
tive young Senator John F.
Kennedy OF Massachusetts.
presents as his first example OF
a public man with true courage
one of his earliest predecessors
from Massachusetts, - John
Quincy Adams. This is a con-
yincing selection and so are
the others Senator Kennedy
has portrayed.
Naturally, none Of these is
now alive. which Is q pity be-
cause the prospects seem bright
that after November of this
year the present Senate will
have as a newly elected Sena-
tor a man with as much
courage as any of those cited
in the book--to wit. the present
Governor Of Ohio. Frank j.
Lausche. In the five terms
during which he has held his
present office Gov. Lausche has
established a reputation for
character and independence
almost unique in the country.
It has made him q national
figure and caused him to be
widely mentioned as highly
qualified for the presidency. A
few days ago he appeared for
the first time on a national
television program. For half
an hour he submitted to q
crossexamination by four as
tute and somewhat ruthless
reporters who asked him every
embarrassing political question
of which they could think.
The striking thing was that
none Of them in the least en-
barrassed Gov. Lausche. He
met all Of them head-on. He
did not once evade. equivocate
or avoid.
Fine Exhibition
It was as fine an exhibition
as any given in the Kennedy
book-perhaps more so as Mr..
LauSche Is ct the moment o
candidate for nomination by
the Democratic Party as Sen
ator. He not only has to be
nominated but then elected as
q Democrat in q State nor
mally Republican. Yet, the last
time he ran for Governor Mr..
Lausche carried Ohio by more
than 100000 majority while
MIR. Eisenhower carried it by
more than 100000. Since
1850, when Senator Taft was
reelected. Gov. LauSche has
been strongly under attack by
| the labor bosses who vehe-
mently oppose him and have
always suspected that the Gov
ernor not only supported Mr..
Taft but voted for him. Asked
the direct question: Did you
vote for Senator Taft" Gov.
Lausche replied: IF I said
did not vote for Senator Taft,
I would not be telling the truth
The reason was that I felt his
reelection best for the coun-
try. I know Joe Ferguson
(Taft's Democratic opponent)
but / felt that in the Senate
his voice would be his own but
the sentiments would be those
OF the big labor BOSSES"
| Asked about Mr.. Eisen-
hover. there came from him
no petty criticism such as has
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15

emanated from MesSrs. Steven
son. Hartman, Kefauver and
the Democratic National Com
mittee. He did not assail the
Essen h over "state-of the
Union" message nor the
Eisenhower farm program nor
Mr. Eisenhower personally. On
the contrary, he expressed real
admiration for the President
personally and unequivocal
agreement with his stand that
there should be no reduction
In taxes before some reduction
is made in the size Of our ma
tional debt. This is by no
means the Democratic policy
as announced by Senator Lyn-
don johnson and some IL
other Democratic Senators who
take the usual election year
stand of demanding imme-
diate tax relief" for the little
fellow" On foreign policy. Mr..
Lausche also seemed to agree
more with the President than
with his own party. Certainly.
more than with the present
Senator from Ohio. John w.
Bricker, author Of the Bricker
amendment which seeks to
limit the Presidents treaty
making power. Asked whether
he believed In lending or Civ
ing "our money" to foreign
countries, Mr.. Lauscne said
that under existing circum-
stances, this Nation cannot
stand alone, that we must have
allies and that aiding them
financially seems necessary to
our own safety.
Doesn't Talk Like Candidate
In brief. MFR. Lausche did not
talk in the least like q candi-
date for anything. On the
contrary. he summed all the
usual candidatorial bunk.
There was not 20 much Is Q
touch Of the demagogue about
him. He appeased no man and
appealed to no group. He was
equally frank on personal as
well as political questions. Al
to his religion (he Is q Catho-
lic), 1t had never been q poll
teal handicap to him. He
judged men neither by their
creed nor their color. He
thought the Taft-Hartley Act
was sound, which is q great
contrast to Mr.. Stevenson. Mr..
Hartman and Mr.. Kefauver
who take the labor boss view
that it is a slave labor" law.
Though he expects to be Ohio's
"favorite son" in the August
convention. he is not and will
not be a presidential aspirant.
His purpose is to hold the Ohio
delegation together so that its
weight may be used in favor
of principles and men Of whom
he approves
Altogether it was a refresh
ing and inspiring performance.
If elected he will raise the level
of the Senate and improve
the health of American politics.
1t is certainly time another
fearless Senator was chosen.
Senator Byrd of Virginia at
times seems a pretty lonely
man. Nor will the election of
a Democrat like Mr.. Lausche
do Mr.. Eisenhower any harm
If the latter runs again and
Is elected.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
LETTERS TO THE STAR

spend that time doing required
research instead of on week
day evenings or Saturdays.
Perhaps people should not
hawk their wares on the Sab
bath. but there can be moth
ing wrong in spending few
hours helping people to lit
erature. Mary Louise Bishop.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
Crime Study

There was a move afoot to
study the causes of crime in
1906, and on January 8 of
that year The Star said:
Ex-senator Thurston. of Ne
braska, headed a committee
that called on the President
today. representing the Ameri-
can Bar Association, to sug-
gest the desirability of estab-
fishing a branch of some de-
partment Of government for
the investigation of criminol-
ogy. the idea being that the
causes leading to the criminal
classes of the country should
be thoroughly studied and re-
ported upon. The committee,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT

In the Hebrew tradition We
hear the voice of Elijah, facing
the false priests Of Baal. cry
ing: THE God that answereth
by fire, let him be God" Some
how, at q fireplace one feels
near to. ultimate reality. For
in the blazing fire there is
something primal and elemen-
tal-there is a bit of the
crimson heart Of nature laid
bare as from that heart to ours
deep calleth unto deep from
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
'Smuli' Fire

A small fire with a big loss
was reported in The Star on
January 16, 1906. The story
said: "A blaze which resulted
in $4,000 damage occurred
about 6 o'clock this morning
on the sixth floor of the main
exchange building of the
Chesapeake & Potomac Tele-
phone Company on 18th street
between G and H streets
northwest. The burned-out
area was but four by three
feet, yet in that small space
the great damage was caused.
The blaze occurred behind the
horseshoe shaped switchboard
of the exchange, which is 168
feet long from end to end. The
damage was caused to the
myriad of wires in this SWITCH
board and interfered with the
telephone service of 5000 SUBJ
scrihers, besides actually put
ting about 200 subscribers out
of service. :"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15

the incandescent. crumbling.
cracking logs casting their
Pickering shadows on the wall
when the lights are low.
The tranquilizing, restoring
balm Of an open fire is mirrored
in the words Of one man who
gratefully testified: When
things nave gone wrong in
business during the day and my
mind is full of care and fret,
can usually forget it by going
out to gaze at the distant
stars. by listening to some in
spring music, or by watching
on open fire. That is, in
deed. an effective threefold
prescription guaranteed to
drive dull care away and by a
sense of perspective and
proportion to escape from
the tyranny Of mistaken
magnitudes.
Always the odiferous aroma
of burning wood is the open
sesame for sacramento mem
cries, and often for intellectual
and poetic excursions. 1t was
a sure instinct which led Alice
of childhood's eternal Won
derland. when she emerged
through the looking-gla into
the room beyond, to look first
of all for a fireplace. She was
delighted to see a red fire
burning brightly. And when
logs are blazing we feel with
Edgar Guest Il am sorry for
the watchers who see nothing
there but flame"
One who longed for an open
fire in his dream house glee-
fully informed his friends that
he had bought an old Colonial
fireplace. And he invited all
to rome and on inv II with him
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN THE STAR

There was q farm problem
so years ago, too. Telling
about it on January Is, 1906,
The Star said: In connection
with the report that the COM
missioner OF agriculture for
Virginia contemplated import
ing a number of farm laborers
from England to help out the
local farmers. the Secretary of
Agriculture today said that
though he had heard nothing
specifically of that report, it
was true that there was a
dearth of farm labor over this
country. The fact is said Mr..
Wilson, that the farms are
starving for labor and it has
come to the point where the
farm owner has to multiply
his labor by using machinery,
so that one man now does
more work than several for
merly were able to do. I can
speak more from personal
knowledge of the farms in
Iowa than any other section,
and know that many of the
farmers have got so they do
not hire any labor at all, or
very little, but do all of the
work themselves with the aid
Of machinery. 1t has come to
a pressing problem in this
country how to keep the peo-
pie on the land. The attrac-
tions of the city and the high
wages are drawing in the
young people, and we are
being confronted with the
same problem they have in
England of getting enough
people on the farms to do the
work "
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
Once Familiar

On January Is, 1906, the
Peoples Pharmacy advertised
a straight razor sale. with such
household implements going at
SO cents. The ad said: THE
largest import house in Amer
lea has placed on sale for this
week only their entire line of
1905 sample razors at 89c.
Every razor put in perfect con-
dition by their representative
in charge of sale. They are
all high-grade samples. The
assortment comprises all the
well-known makes, including
the Wade g. Butcher
Brandt 'Ern. Rogers, 'Wos-
tenholm' pipe razor, and
'X-I,-N-T'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15
Ship Worning

ships at sea was in the making
a half a century ago. q service
accepted now as If 1t had
been in existence forever. On
January 8. 1906, The Star
reported: "A systematic COL
lection Of meteorological OBJ
servations from vessels at sea
by means Of wireless teleg-
raphy and the simultaneous
issuance Of weather forecasts
and storm warnings to these
vessels based upon the obser-
vations thus collected is the
latest work upon which the
United States Weather Bureau
has entered. The bureau
cites the experience on October
II last Of the steamship Cam
pania. which was caught in a
hurricane. That storm was
found to have had no great
area ana 1t Is stated that
timely warnings as to its exist
ence might have enabled the
Campania and other vessels
to avoid its center of activity.
The Weather Bureau points
out that another feature of
value Is that the system may
enable the sending to trans
Atlantic liners and other ves-
sells of information as to the
limit of fog and ice on the
Grand Banks, so that by
slightly altering their course
they may steer clear of these
dangers"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-15

in addition to Mr.. Thurston,
was composed of Sam T.
Fisher. j. H. Ralston and
j. r. Edison. The President
expressed his interest in the
proposition and mentioned the
fact that he had made rec
concentrations to Congress
along somewhat similar lines
on child labor and other ques-
lions. He said he believed that
much good could be accom-
plished by a bill carrying the
provisions recommended by
the committee, and a bill will
shortly be introduced"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-11
LOST

AOo4
Apt. BOOK. left in yellow Cab, Tues
ggIm a mmyst have for work; reward
BRACELET, -diamond-emerald: platinum;
reward DI. 7-5ls0, Mr.. STRAs-
-BOK0Ek.
COLLIE, grey and white, very gentle
CAT, white siamese. months old.
ssSe DRiHss reg 32@5 P's ssssh f St nR
DOG, black cocker spaniel, female an
reward TU. 2.765i. ~ A''o'
DOG. brown police. male. puppy
Old Georgetown fds'' Bethesda H Cal Cal
OIL. 6-ls9s
DOG. Pomeranian, male; lost in vic OF
$500 wisconsin ave. NV; reward. EN-
$4,000.
DOG, beagle, male. 8 mos, Seat Pleas.
w az ssr rsssa ehildren's pet sun-Shy
DOG. Irish setter mos old, female
SANDY VIC River I'd and Goldsboro
GOLD PIN, lost vicinity sta,ler Hotel
october q. reward. wO. 6-7724
PEARL NECKLACE. single strand, EN-.
craig er clasp reward coP Rs,. Hal Ia,
Is. Vienna. Va,
PARAKEET, blue, talks. Bunny; vicin.
ity Congress Heights-M Mellon st. re-
ward. 10. 2-a5g9 %
STONE MARTEN FURs, 3 skins, reddish
brown. lost between Rossiyn Va anc
oeorgetown Thursday night, Oct 4
Call OIL. 6-56B2
SUIT SKIRT. navy silk faille. between
Woodley Park Towers apt and cathe.
dral Mansion Cleaners Call co
WATCH. iady's, yellow sold. Hamilton
Oct. q: vic. National Theater: reward
Call ewes. IL. B-2s22.
WRIST WATCH. lady's. Hamilton: neal
18TH and Columbia I'd. NV. reward
co H-643b
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-11

Acquits
Lutheran Bishop

BUDAPEST, Hungary. Oct. II
IR.-The Hungarian government
in a brief communique yester-
day announced that the Hun
Igarian Supreme Court had re-
viewed the case of Lutheran
Bishop Lajos Ordass and ac-
Quilted him.
The bishop was convicted of
black market currency dealings
in 1948 and sentenced to two
years in prison. The Lutheran
Church in Hungary replaced
him as bishop and when he was
released from prison in 1850 he
was stripped of his clerical rank.
Church leaders say now that
he has been fully rehabilitated
as a high-ranking church dig
nitary and will be named pro-
feSsor of theology at the Lu-
theran Academy here.
In the Protestant world the
failing of Bishop Ordass ranked
with the Communist trial and
imprisonment of Cardinal Mind
Szenty. Bishop Ordass was an
outspoken foe of both nasism
and communism.
His arrest was condemned
outside Hungary by governments
and by church bodies.