davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-01
|Mencken Interview

j wac y ACWAttC mail VA WIG
Baltimore Post tnow the News
POST when Henry Mencken,
then so, and Miss Sara Haardt.
81. announced their engage
ment.
was assigned to confront
MIR. Mencken with some Of the
things he had written about
women in general. and mar
rage In particular, and find
out what he had to say on both
subjects in the light Of his
betrothal.
-Four years ago." I said
(this was In l930l, you wrote
that. although marriage often
begets happiness. 1t is. at
least in part. of such q char
acter that it does not appeal
very forcibly to my private
taste. Now you are about TO
marry. Does this mean you
have changed your taste2"
mo-" he said. "rt means
only that I am in love with
Miss Haardt."
I reminded him Of some
other things he had written
about marriage:
Marriage is not a contract.
Il Is q way Of life. It's essence.
when It is sound. Is a complete
surrender OF many Of the nat
ural rights of the individual.
1t Is not comparable to buying
an auto or joining the Elks, II
Is comparable to enteriTg a
monastery or enlisting for
war"
Something is wrong with
the whole estate of matrimony.
The average American lhus-
band is nothing more than a
slave who has scarcely any
rights at all
How" asked him. do you
reconcile those statements with
the announcement Of your
eneagement2"
I'm wiser nov" was the
answer.
Actually. Mencken was
wiser" about many things
than his writings indicated. In
print. he gave the impression
Of being against almost every
thing. But there were two
Menckens-the writing Men,
cken and the real Mencken.
The writing Mencken was
cynical. skeptical. iconoclastic.
hard-boiled, hypercritical. con-
temptuous. The other Mencken
was Just the opposite.
He adored his wife. who died
Of tuberculosis less than Ave
years after their marriage.
Among Baltimore newspaper
men he was known as a soft
touch for a loan. He was always
willing to try to help an ac-
quaintance-not a friend, mind,
but a mere acquaintance-to
sell a story or article. or to get
a Job. He gave many a strug-
Cling young author the push
that was needed to get him
started on the road to fame
and fortune.
Once. over a few beers. !
asked him: How can such a
friendly guy as you write such
unfriendly stuff?"
"It's an act" he answered.
Everybody on this earth has
an act--everybody from politi-
clans to jugglers. And mine is,
I hope. entertaining.
when my time comes, II
1t should turn out that the
preachers are right and come
face to face with st. Peter.
I'll say, Don't judge me by
what I've said, but only by the
way I've said it. I've only tried
to be entertaining-and enter
tanned. And If he's the kind
Of fellow he ought to be. to
hold such an important job,
he'll say. Come on in. Henry.
We can do with a bit of levlty
around here. "
philin II. Live
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-01
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES {. TRAcEWELL

Old boys who read Henty in
their youth will be interested
in the following letter from
Newport avenue:
Reading your recent column
which mentioned the historical
tales of G.. A. Henty. I was
gratified to see the reference
to Henty's historical accuracy.
Having read many of his
books when l was a boy, I
have never found any substan-
tial errors in his rendering of
events.
This was from memory. but
to refreshen 1t. I busted of
a few old volumes the other
day, and chose one. which
might have related current
interest, Through Russian
Shows, subtitle "A Story of
Napoleon's Retreat From Mos
cow
1T was of particular interest
to me, since. in the intervening
years. I had read a treatment
Of the same subject in War
and Peace
In his novel. Tolstoy por-
trays the Russian commander,
Gen. Kutuzov, as having a
deeply reasoned master plan
which he executed according to
schedule.
"Henty's account come S
nearer to the more general
view, that Kutuzov wavered
at times. reversed himself. and
on occasion COMPOUNDED his own
side. However, Napoleon had
himself by this time become
flabby and irresolute and the
Russian winter took care of
things
"Henty Is careful to docu-
ment his sources and relies on
the narratives of Gen. Sir
Robert Wilson, British COM
missioner with the Russian
army, Count Segur of Napo-
Icons staff. and the dispatches
of Lord Cathcart, British AM
bassador at st. Petersburg at
the time.
&**
1T is easy to see why many
of the older authors of boys
books have been eclipsed by
time. but Henty should not be
because he is not tied to a
particular mode or era.
1T may be that youth is
reading more textbook history
today Il doubt it,, but 1 judge
that sound history such as
Henty's has been replaced by
the comic book and the spuri-
Gus historical films out of
Hollywood, where the actual
facts are often deliberately dis
torted; these gentlemen will
spend S. million on a film. with
10000 extras. 500 camels, 100
elephants, super-color and
hyper-width, only to show us
in the climactic scene the
handsome Crusader saluting
his sovereign and saying: OK,
your Majesty. we'll head EN-
of at the pass!'
PITY. It's. for an accurate
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-01
Maryland Out Of Step

Your editorial January IS.
Maryland Out Of STEP" con-
tends that periodic renewal Of
drivers licenses are necessary
to protect the public from un-
qualified drivers. Pray tell
what the District or Virginia
motorist must do to renew his
license? Take an eye examina-
ton? Retake the drivers test?
Take q mental examination?
The only advantage the Mary
land motorist holds over his
neighhors in this respect is
that virginians and Washing
tonians must fill out a form
every few years and pay a
nominal sum to renew their
licenses.
I concur In the need for a
motor vehicle inspection law
In Maryland. but let's drop
this driVei about renewing
drivers licenses.
Howard Farkas.
Editors note: Drivers who
overlook applying for a renewal
of their permits-and many
do--must take the regular
driving tests before a renewal
Is granted. In any case. re-
newal without examination is
discretionary with the traffic
authorities. who may consider
applicants records. Further
more, Maryland Motor Vehicle
Commissioner Frank Small, jr..
says his files are cluttercd up
with records Of dead drivers.
drivers who have moved from
the State and those whose
addresses have long since
changed--creating a major adj
ministrative problem. Incl
dentally. Maryland is the only
State which does not require
periodic renewal Of operators
iicenses.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-01
Project Sunshine

DR.. willard F. Libby's latest report
on the long-term effects of radioactive
fallout should be required reading for
all who are fearful Of the possible genetic
and other hazards involved in our Gov
ernment's past and prospective tests Of
nuclear and thermometer weapons. For
the report, which places the whole sub
ject in common-sense perspective, is a
reaSsuring one that ought to clear the
air of number of gross misconceptions
and false alarms.
There can be no doubt, of course,
that an About war with atomic hydrogen
weapons, or fantastic number of reck-
less test detonations by several powers.
could gravely endanger the existence of
the human race, genetically and other
wise. But the current and anticipated
scale Of carefully controlled experimental
explosions-rot merely our own country's.
but Russia'S and Britain's as wells
something else again: 1t does not justify
any of the wildly exaggerated fears that
have been expressed both at home and
abroad.
DR.. Libby has made that much very
clear in an address at Northwestern Uni
verSity Speaking as a member of the
Atomic Energy Commission, he has cited
as his authority an exhaustive Acc study
("Project Sunshine") on radiostrontium
In the fallout from megaton teSts-ther-
monuclear or hydrogen explosions
with destructive force equivalent to a
million or more tons of TINT. Radio
cfP i,srxn ale tzva 80 n
probably is the most important and the
deadliest Of the radioactivities unleashed
by such defamation, but 1t does not
affect the reproductive organs and is
therefore not a genetic menace. Instead,
as chemical relative Of calcium, 1t is
a bone-seeking element that can cause
bone tumors when too much Of 1t is
absorbed by the human body However,
the Aces findings show that there Is no
significant danger on that score at the
present rate Of atomic hydrogen testing.
Thus, according to DR.. Libby, no
hazardous amount OF radiostrontium
would be taken in by humans as a result
OF fallout from cumulative nuclear and.
thermonuclear tests equivalent to IL 900
megatons, or II billion tons, of INT
which is very far in excess of all the
energy released In our experiments to
date. Indeed. the incidence Of bone
tumor and other dangerous effects ap-
parently would not become appreciate
unless or until the experimentation
involved explosions adding up to between
100000 and 10000 megatons-a ire
mendous total that would be improbable
even In the event of a no-quarter war.
In reporting these and similar find-
ings from Project Sunshine" DR.. Libby
has been at pains to emphasize that there
is Every real hazard" in the small but
highly significant part of radioactivity
that falls out within few hundred miles
OF the site of the test explosions. At
the same time, however, referring espe-
cially to Strontium- go, he has reminded
everybody Of the great and entirely ade-
quate" precautions surrounding all such
experimentation. and he has unequivo-
cally declared that "the world wide health
hazards from the present rate of testing
are insignificant" His words of assurance
deserve the widest possible circulation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-01
Cycle

This day
OF hDin0 gold
once knew oblivion.
Time bound In iDtnter's dream
less gray
Cocoon.
Moude Rubin
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-01
A Virginion Reflects

The snowy afternoon OF Gen.
Lees birthday we went to Ann
Jones funeral. / wish that
everyone who votes these days
could 60 to a high-class col
ored funeral in the country.
They are not quite as emo
tional as they used to he. but
you still have a wrung-out
feeling when 1t is over.
OF course, Ann was a MEM
ber." and everyone thought
highly of her, so the three
preachers treated her more
gently than I remember they
treated her brother. Bennett.
who had been known to say
quite openly that he would
rather 60 to a horse race than
a funeral.
Ann was a lady. / had
known her all my life. and
her mother and father before
her. Her mother. Old Rachel.
was a sterling character. ]
have forgotten her family
name, but she came from the
Long Branch servants. Maj.
Nelson of Long Branch vas
the delegate from Clarke
County to the State Secession
Convention. His instructions
were against seeding. He
maintained this position to
the end, and then gave his life
for secession.
Ann stood by my mothers
bed. holding her hand, when
she died. My mother used to
speak of her as my cook. and
my friend" AIMS mother had
been my mothers cook before
her, and she must have passed
on some of her philosophy as
well as her recipes to her
daughter. Once my mother
asked Old Rachel how it was
that she stayed so young. Old
Rachel. after the merriest
laugh, said, Miss Lulie. it's
just this way: I don't let trash
worry me-"
The youngest and most ac-
tive Of the three preachers
was the Rev. Isham Williams.
one Of the younger sons Of
Bob Tadge Williams. My
earliest recollection of Bob
Tadge was when he used to
drive Mrs. Benjamin Harri-
sons pair of sparkling white
horses to the Wildwood Church.
Later he set up for himself in
a house near AIMS fathers
house on Clay Hill lane and
his calling then was to drive
stations around to the neigh
boring farms in the spring.
so he was a well-known public
character.
We were in the back pew.
In the one in front of us was
Bonnie Carter. His father
used to drive my Grandmother
Whiting to church, when ! so
often stayed with her at
Pleasant HILL" Bonnie and
used to shoot sparrows with
an air rife, dress. stuff and
cook them like turkeys. much
to the disapproval Of the old
cook. Lizzie Brown. Bennie's
grandfather was Old Uncle
Nat Carter, the sexton and
grave digger at 1.-THE Old
Chapel" ] remember my
father asking him on one
occasion how old he was. and
his replying. Boss, I don't
rightly know. but I was a
right big boy when the stars
fell" I have since learned
that the stars fell" in 1874.
Is such interest and back
ground knowledge of any value
at the present time on the
questions that now beset us?
Some say one thing and some
another. but ! know that my
thoughts during the time that
I could not follow the funeral
service were that that day in
1919 when the Dutchmen sold
the first slaves at James Town
was a black day for the white
Virginian and the dawn of a
brighter day for every African.
George H. Burwell.
Wildwood, Va.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-01
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used u
letters carry srriters' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to condeH-
sdtton.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-01

thank God that he was at the
helm Of state when 1t occurred
Stephen Rock.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-16
Trade Booster
Group HOnOred

The Greater Washington In
dustrial Council today pre-
scented an award of merit to the
Economic Development Commit
tee of the Board of Trade.
The award is a certificate to
the committee for outstanding
service in the establishment OF
new industrial firms and trade
associations IN the Greater
Washington area"
Everett j. Boothby, president
of the Washington Gas Light
Co. and chairman of the Eco
monte Development Committee
accepted the award. The pres
Ientation was made by ). Ross
lLipscomb, president of the In
Idustrial Council, at q Board oil
Trade luncheon at the May.
flower.
The accomplishments of thu
Economic Development Com.
mittee were reported last month
by Mr.. Boothby. The report dis.
closed that in the last two anc
a half years 156 companies anc
ORGANIZATIONS had been at.
tracted to the Washington area
This meant 1924 new jobs with
"a 1898 million payroll.
Richard Hardness of the Ma.
tional Broadcasting Company
was the chief speaker at the
luncheon.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-16
DEFENSE IN FRENCH
FAILS TO SPRING
ARRESTED STRIPPER

Kathy Lodge, the exotic"
dancer accused of having too
little on during a night club
performance gave Municipal
Court the correct French
statement, but left the trans
lation slightly fractured.
Appearing before Judge
Arnold w. Scott, she asked
for a postponement and then
offered a prepared state
ment:
Hon soft qui NAL y pense"
which means, she says,
"evil-minded people see evil
in everything" The general
ly accepted translation is
shame to him who evil
thinks"
Undaunted by this i'm
ported rebuke, Judge Scott
continued the case until De-
cember Ia.
The dancer, booked by her
correct name, Kathleen Par
sons, %, of Boston, was ar
rested at the Coral Room,
1881 Savannah street Sc,
Wednesday night.
Three men. Dave Astor,
81, George L. Harris, 80, and
Angelo G. Seldes. SO, charged
with permitting an indecent
performance, also will go
before a jury trial December
IA.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-16
THAT ANNUAL FRENZY
Postal Rush Expected
To Be Biggest Ever

That annual frenzy called the
Christmas mailing season has be-
gun and Postmaster Roy NJ
North today said It will be as
busy as usual this year. only
more soup about 10 percent
and the biggest year yet.
Mr.. North takes a dim view OF
those later msilers who drop their
cards or packages in the slot the
last minute.
There are still some people. q
said Mfr. North. who retain the
mistaken idea that 4 gift or card
arriving on Christmas eve has a
special significance. II is the
thought behind the card not the
time Of arrival which Is import
ant"
mailing and cited figures from
last year 70 indicate the size OF
the Job In moving the mail 10
and from Washington. He said
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-16
National Symphony
To Repeat Free
Student Concerts

The National Symphony Or
chestra's Music for Young
America" series Of free concerts
will be repeated next spring
Carson Frailey. orchestra associ-
alton president, has announced.
The concerts. open to high
school students visiting Wash
ington. will run from April II
through May 81, the peak Of the
tourist season in Washington.
The concerts will be given
every evening at 7:45 o'clock IN
the Pan American Union.
Mrs. Merriweather Post. who
sponsored the first series last
year. Is again backing the prof.
.ect. Last year. the orchestra's
series was attended by young
people from 43 States.
Notices have been sent to cities
throughout the country. inviting
high school groups to apply for
free tickets by writing Ralph
Black. manager Of the National
Symphony Orchestra.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-16

"a, 1921 .327 pieces Of mail oriei-
mated here from December "a
"a last year. not including
l.06l 1922 sacks Of parcel post. He
said each sack averaged about
10 packages.
Incoming mail for the same
period totaled 69.i4l BOG pieces
There we're 1920 sacks Of
parcel post.
The biggest day last year,
said Mr.. North. was December
10 when We handled 1869 AGA
pieces Of outgoing mail. Decem-
Der 20 was the biggest day for
mail - 6.04s.59e
pieces"
Mr.. North said the Post ONCE
here Is gearing itself 70 deliver
all mail BY Christmas--if resi-
dents do their part with mall
ing early. wrapping carefully and
addressing plainly"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-16
By CHARLEs PUFFENBARGER

z
A page Of Victorian history
lies unturned on Wisconsin ave-
nue's Weaver Hill" its dignity
hidden from the hustle OF
passersby by sprawling shade
trees, its foundations holding
so far against the encroachment
of the modern day. But the enc
may be in sight.
The area, across from the in
tersection of Thirty-fifth street
once known as Butchers Hill,
is an oasis among neighboring
supermarkets and shopping GEN.
tiers, the expansive back lawns
stretching down into another age.
Here in about a block and a
half are four houses built by
the sons and daughter of ole
Joseph Weaver on the land the
father once used in his George
town butchering business. A fifth
house-the northernmost in the
areas the last of the property
of the Barnes family, which i:
related to the Weavers through
a series of marriages.
Immersed in Memories
The stately houses and cul-
tured lawns have long since
wiped out the hills more bloody
name and replaced it with thu
more genteel weaver Hill"
! Descendants of the Weaver
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-16
Sheltered Weaver Hill Still CIinqs
10 Fleeing vestiqe Of victorion Ace

as Southern avenue Sc. and
backs into Dumbarton Oaks Park
and gives a hint that this might
all soon be gone.
Williams house has borne. a
"rent-lease" sign since June. The
Barnes house is up for sale. The
Freeman house, where Joseph
Weaver Freeman, rs, still lives
with his hobby of raising ca
mellias, is in the path of the
proposed Whitehaven freeway.
She doesn't plan to spend the
rest of her days in the big house
as her aunt next door does. AL
the property is zoned for com
mercial use 100 feet back from
the street now.
Vandals have done their dam.
age. Windows of the backhouse.
are broken. The trap doors arr
gone from the old icehouse. Tit
lanterns from the carriage were
brought inside for safe keeping
Some of the back slope ha.
been taken over by the Govern.
ment to extend the park. The
lawns require more and more
attention, and help is hard tt
find.
But the sweeping naples
gingkoes, copper beeches anC
other trees in which the family
has great pride are still as sturdy
as the family tree.
Each remembrance is given III
grudgingly. The noise of thu
streetcars and trucks spoil the
atmosphere. "but you get used Il
it," Mrs. Holland said.
1T is wonderful for the chill
dren," she said. remembering
that FIVE generations have livec
there.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-16
'Resigniing Aide
Blasts Policies
Ado. General

The chief medical officer of the
admitting and emergency service
at District General Hospital re-
signed today with an attack on
its Anticipated policies.
DR.. Lawrence Phillips letter of
resignation said outmoded pro-
lcedures pit physician against
physician, nurse against nurse,
with utter disregard of its con-
sequences to the patient and its
demoralizing effect on the in
dividuals concerned"
He wrote that the resignation
would be effective November 80.
DR.. Phillips submitted the
resignation to the Office of DR..
Joseph Fazekas. the hospitals
chief Of staff. DR.. Fazekas was
out of town today.
Both DR.. Fazekas and DR..
Phillips have been critical of the
hospital administration. They
were among a group Of doctors
whose protests over conditions at
District General brought District
Commissioner David Karrick into
the dispute. He made several
inspections of the hospital. last
summer, including the emer-
jgency room. and ordered changes
made.
Board Chiefs Comment
Or. Frederick c. Heath, acting
director Of the District Board Of
Health. said the letter Of resig-
nation lis so general it covers
the waterfront.
He said, I'VE certainly do not
subscribe to pitting doctor
against doctor N nurse against
nurse. Any antagonism. or
alleged antagonism, would not
be a result Of the policies of
this department.
Inc Health Department has
repeatedly pointed out the need
for more facilities at the hos
pital, he said.
DR.. Phillips wrote that at is
with reluctance that 1 submit
my resignation at a time when
the institution is in need so
badly of people interested in
what 1t has to offer, and people
willing to make a sacrifice for
what they believe to be good
medical principles.
1T is not. therefore, by acct
dent nor because of greater OPP
portunity that I leave"
Clustering Attack
He charged that the environ
ment sis intolerable if one is
to retain his Self-respect. 1t is
even more degrading when one
comes to realize that this en-
vironment was born of ignor-
ance and thriyes on the lack of
interest. absence of courage and
at times downright stupidity.
| He said the conditions might
be found tolerable at a battle
front, but within a supposedly
modern institution. responsible
for the destiny OF thousands of
Lives. with an added advantage
of qualified medical personnel
at relatively low cost, it is in
deed a shame"