davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
Time to Settle This

From the standpoint of national
health and safety" 1t is fortunate that the
nine-day waterfront strike is ended The
cost to the Nations economy already has
totaled nearly 5000 million and the con-
tinued blockade" of our entire Eastern
coast would soon have had more serious
impact, both here and abroad. Termina-
ton Of the strike, even with threat of
Its resumption remaining, must be added
to- the credit record of the Taft-Hartley
Act-and it was notable that there were
no complaints about slave labor law" in
the lockers prompt acceptance of the
strike-ending injunction.
1t is still clear, however, that real
peace and responsibility are not yet as
sured on the waterfront. This years
strike and most of the troubles on the
docks for the past several years have
arisen primarily out of a struggle within
labor itself, rather than from economic
differences with the shipping industry.
The international LongShoremen'S AS
ISOLATION, expelled from the ALL because
OF its long record of racketeering but
maintaining its hold on the key port of
New York, is determined to establish
monopoly power over the entire Atlantic
Gulf coast. A temporary restraining
order has removed from current nego-
tiationS its demand for coaStwide bar
gaining authority, but the issue will re-
turn unless this order is made permanent
this week. The Presidents fact-finding
board recognizes this question as the
paramount one now. The board does
not have the function of recommending
terms of strike settlement, but it does
have the opportunity of setting forth the
real issues in a situation that bears di-
rectly on the national welfare This con-
tinuing struggle should be resolved and
the board may be able to help by Clarity
Ing its unwholeSome nature. The mess
has prevailed too long, and at too great
cost.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
Detained Motorists

Virginia's, d. C.'s and Mary
lands current practice Of ar
resting nonresident minor traf-
nc violators and holding them
for collateral (often which
ordinary motorists do not have
in their pockets. and so are
held in cells awaiting the COM
ing Of friends to post 1t, or are
held in cells overnight for
trial while their families, often
on isolated farms, are made
frantic by the members un-
accounted for absence) justi-
fiably builds up in the victim
land those on juries) a resent
ment towards law enforcement.
While summonses for trafic
offenses Of a minor nature
should be used by all States
with a reasonable certainty
that the offender could be
made to return TO post col
lateral or stand triaD. the in
terdependability Of our three
jurisdictions Of the Metropoli-
tan Area here should cause
the traffc officials to give some
consideration TO the humane
treatment Of the motorists.
Robert Z. Ennis.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
Case for Reclamation

Some encouragement to those who
have worried for so long about the Ma
TONS excess Of agricultural production
has been offered by the National Recla-
nation Association. Made up primarily
OF irrigation experts in II Western States,
the association predicts that the needs
OF our rapidly increasing population will
overtake the production of foods and
f1bers by 1862. In the face of this pros
pect, the group feels that the longLterm
Federal program for development Of new
farm land should be continued and even
expanded.
While it may be argued that recla-
nation authorities are pleading a special
cause, analysis Of the results Of the pro-
gram indicate that the bulk of produc-
ton from this rehabilitated land has not
been in the surplus crops. The associa-
ton points out, furthermore, that much
Of the new land brought into cultiva-
ton merely offsets land lost through
urban development and through such far
reaching programs as expansion Of in
dustry, highways, military establishments
and so forth.
In terms Of long-range planning
there appears to be merit in the associa-
tion's recommendations. The farm sur
plus problem has been costly and diff
ficult one that is not yet resolved, but
Secretary Of Agriculture Benson told a
news conference few days ago that the
disposal program will be stepped up in
1857. There are no reasons yet to fear
scarcities rather than SURPRISES, but a
steady development Of the national ca
pacity to produce foodstuhs appears more
sound than otherwise.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
Smithsonian Exhibit

I would like to express my
pleasure at recently seeing q
very commendable art exhibi-
ton by contemporary artists at
the Smithsonian Institution.
In showing a primarily real
istic group Of pictures, the
American Artists Professional
League, Of which Mrs. Trow-
bridge is chairman, Is fulfll-
ing q much-neglected need for
art lovers.
Today. art galleries feature
pictures with garish, inhar-
monious colors and grotesque
distortions. Is 1t possible that
art critics, judging BY the
praise they frequently lavish
upon such pictures. have an
insight so far beyond mine
that ! am doomed 70 suffer in
unhappy ignorance? DO arr
fists paint in this manner BY
choice. or is 1t that they lack
the talent and training that
produced an Eakins or q
George Bellows?
For my sake. and many more
Of similar taste, I hope the
fine artists who participated
in the aforementioned exhibi-
ton will continue 10 paint their
wonderful pictures.
AFt Lever.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26

One of the key pieces of evidence
against Angelo La Marca, on trial in New
York for the kidnap-murder of the Vein
berger baby last July, is tape recording
OF telephone conversation between the
kidnaper and the child'S mother. The
recording, played over a loudspeaker SyS-
tenn to judge, jury and spectators in a
Nassau County courtroom, revealed the
ransom demands of callous criminal to
an anguished parent whose baby had
been missing for six days. If La Marca is
convicted Of this crime, the tapped tele-
phone conversation will have been vital
factor in the verdict.
However, 1t is no credit to Federal
Justice that such an important part Of
the prosecutions case could not have been
used against La Marca If he had been
was admissible only because the defend
ant is being tried under State law in
State tribunal. (The kidnapping did not
violate the Federal "Lindbergh law" be-
cause the victim was not taken across
State line.) The Weinberger case is illus
trative of the abSurdity of a provision
of the old Federal Communications Act
which prevents the FBI from making use
in court of any evidence, however impor-
tant, obtained through overlapping. How
much longer is Congress going to per-
NIT this Justice throttling restriction to
Shackle the FBI in cases involving the
security of the Nation or the security of
human beings?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
Public Works Review

I both agree with and cues
ton your editorial of Novem-
Der 81 titled Public Works
Review" Certainly If the en-
tire public works program is
of schedule. official and citi-
zen scrutiny is necessary.
However, we know about the
tagging school construction
aspect of the program, and
not just from DR.. Corning
and other school officials.
The yearly June hearing on
the coming years school
budget will bring a repeated
story from citizens of overly
large classes in cramped quar-
tiers, of no space for the work
OF special teachers of made
quate playground facilities.
Since all of this is obvious.
and since the school officials
have drawn UP a plan to be
studied by the School Board,
Commissioners, citizens and
Congress, let us proceed with
what needs doing for the
schools. In view of the need
for highways, do we pause
while surveying the wants of
the entire District? Let us
proceed with the schools while
the other needs are being
updated. for any school build
ing and financing program
we, are permitted to adopt
will be under yearly congress
sional surveillance and adap.
tation to need. If we pause
now We could lose three more
years Of precious time for
many children. We should re-
member, too, in the course of
carefully studying construc-
ton and financing plans for
school buildings what a source
OF great service and pride a
school can be to the COM
munity it serves.
Louise s. Steele.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
Argues With Lawrence

DaVlQ LaWrence'S column OF
November 20 disregards his
tory and the basic issues of
the Middle East. Mr.. Law
renee has somehow managed
to give the West a victory,
patch UP the allied alliance,
and teach the Kremlin a
lesson.
Neither the lessons Of his
tory nor the present facts JUS
tify his points. The invasions
Of Sinai and Suez uncovered
sizeable quantities Of Commu-
mist arms, but the end result
has made it possible for Russia
to vastly increase arms ship
ments to an Arab public eager
to receive them. Arab national
ism is at fever pitch. much as
it was in 1920, but this time
Russia becomes the benevolent
friend. The incredible miscal-
culations of Britain and
France, and our own determi-
nation to stop them halfway
through their operation, have
abetted Soviet policy in the
Middle East to an amazing
degree.
An American massive re-
taliation" against Russia, as
propounded by Gen. Gruen-
ther upon his retirement,
may be compared with more
timid pronouncements emanat-
ing from Washington. AS usual,
we shape our policy by what
others think and not by what
we think. The real tragedy Of
the age" is not the q. N. fail
ure to act. in this or any crisis.
1t is our failure as leaders.
After World War I, Britain
and France, ignoring United
States desires as expressed in
the King Crane Commission
and the Fourteen Points of
President Wilson, divided up
the Middle East into mandates
and spheres of influence. The
American representative stayed
in a garden and read the news
papers. AS of November, 1856,
we have duplicated that era of
weakness.
1t IL regrettable that your
excellent newspaper does not
feature q columnist on world
affairs with the necessary real
ism and tough-mindedness to
suggest such things. Until this
country produces q policy
which both recognizes and
supports the long-repressed
nationalism Of the Arabs, and
insists by force on limitation
Of Israeli ambitions, we will
continue to lose friends to the
Communists. At present, all
Middle Eastern oil is or soon
will be unavailable, and a
general war is anything but
remote. Tiresias.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

how heavily. may mean . great
deal to someone who has q
leaky roof or downspout.
You never can tell Just how
much q person is interested in
the weather by looking at him,
or how great an expert he
may be.
He keeps no particular rec
ords, perhaps. but he knows
to the very last degree Just
how a rainy day looks.
We have often thought that
where the official weathermen
make their biggest mistake is
not in making wrong predic-
lions, but rather in not trust
ing to their senses Of sight,
sound and feel.
There is something different
to the Took" Of . day when
rain Is "a hours away.
II the weatherman would
Just look out his window, now
and then, he might do q better
job Of it. sometimes.
The appearance Of the HRht.
and Of living things. such as
animals, birds, trees and
shrubs. is different on such
days than on days when there
is more light. It is not alto
gether the light. Somehow.
no doubt we are vague about
this, 1t Is more q difference
known very well to those who
have made a habit Of noting
such things.
The Indians had a way Of
fitting the head back when
they wanted to look a long
distance.
Those babies knew their
weather intimately. They had
to, because they had no wealth.
er bureau to find out for them.
They knew when rain was
coming, or whether 1t was to
be q long hard winter, not
from what "woolly bears" told
them, or the crop Of acorns.
but mostly because 1t was In
their very blood and bones. and
not because they hurt, either.
Predictions by rheumatic
pains and the like may ne all
right, as far as they 90 but
they usually don't 90 very far,
and nobody else believes them,
anyway.
So the best thing to do, and
the most practical. is 10 try
your own hand-and eye and
touch-at this weather game.
The point Is, you may be
right. after all. And II you fail,
II isn't any more than the ex-
perts do.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26

Now that the experts have
agreed that there is nothing
at all to the reputation Of the
"woolly bears" as weather fore
casters. most people win be
willing to say, II knew 1t all
the time"
These caterpillar forms Of
Q certain moth were believed
by some people to predict a
long, hard winter If they
seemed to be unusually dark.
All such ideas are merely
country superstitions. There
was one about the 17-year
locusts. that If they bore the
letter wv" on their backs, it
meant war.
Since practically all Of them
do have such markings, and
since they come to life every
II years, 1t Is fairly certain
that war will appear some
where, since men wage wars
about every as years-or
sooner.
There Il q common idea that
II acorns are particularly
heavy and large in numbers,
these will mean q cold win
ter.
Nobody has ever come up
with any idea about the letter
IN" appearing on the fore
heads Of tiger-marked house
cats.
II someone got the idea that
the letter meant merry" for
instance. and then the winter
happened to be bright and
open, he would Immediately
announce that he had made
an important discovery.
All the time, the kitten
marking would be nothing but
natures idea Of camoufiage.
The best the average per-
son can do is make his own
weather predictions.
Consult the Hagerstown Al
manac, II you want TO, or the
old Farmers Almanac, both
good.
But at the same time, look
around you. and make your
own decisions.
In the long run. your own
may prove as reliable as any
other long-range predictions.
As ofncial weathermen show
how much they still have to
learn, the average man or
woman interested In nature
can take heart.
After all, we all live in an
envelope Of air, and the way
we feel often has q great deal
TO do with It..
We do not believe that sci
ence knows much yet about
whether the atom bomb ex-
plosions have anything TO DO
with weather changes. but We
do believe that the average
persons ideas in such matters
may be more correct than ne
knows at present.
This, ct least. is q happy
way Of looking at the matter.
There are two sorts Of Geo
pie, when II comes 10 weather,
those who pay no attention 20
II. and those who pay q great
deal Of attention 10 II.
Among the latter are the
homeowners, especially those
who are home gardeners, TOO.
and most are, At least 10 some
degree.
Whether II rains or not. and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26

1t was a joy to read in INV
favorite Washington newspaper
November 90 the beautiful
tribute to Ambassador Clare
Boothe Luce. I have been a
friend Of this talented lady
from the time her character
and talents were placed at the
disposition Of our beloved
country in the House of Rep.
resentatives. The "conscien-
tiousness" Of which The Star
speaks was notable in the sery-
ice which Mrs. Luce rendered
Is q brilliant member of the
Foreign Affairs COMMITTEES.
In that capacity she enjoyed
the respect and affection of her
colleagues, both Democratic
and Republican, in the same
measure that gained for AM
bassador Luce the good will and
cooperation. on the basis of
friendship, Of the people and
government Of Italy.
Like The Star, venture to
express the prayerful hope that
Mrs. Luce will soon be restored
to perfect health. Then, with
out doubt, she would once more
be eligible for national or
international service.
1t is gratifying to note that
members of the "devout female
SEX" qualified by character
and ability, are constantly
being utilized in public office.
Increasingly, they are proving
themselves. worthy Of public
trust.
DR.. Joseph F. ThOrning,
Professor in the Catholic
University Of Chile.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
'MirocIe' Plant Grower Tested Here
BY THOMAS R. HENRY

Rapid growth, per Sc, n
not necessarily advantageous.
The Beltsville experimenters
want to f1nd out If gibberellic
acid can be used to increase
plant height in a way to give
crop plants an advantage over
competing growths-that is,
weeds. By aiding rapid growth
of young tree seedlings it may
be easier to start forest plant
ings in a nursery.
Possibly the acid can give
such plants a needed growth
squirt to help the seedlings
past the early stage where
they frequently are destroyed
by diseases. Preliminary expert
ments suggest that the chem
ical may be used to force seed
production Of biennial crops,
such as cabbage and beets.
in the first rather than the
second season Of growth.
The researchers also want
to know whether the acid can
be used to increase the dry
weight of certain crops at har-
vest time. Preliminary green
house tests have indicated
that this is the case for one
important field crop, soy
beans. It also may be possible
to speed the growth of such
slow-growing plants as pulp
wood, now In considerable de-
mand.
4 4
A tough construction boss IL
the male oropendula, or giant
oriole, whose towns" of as
many as so nests in q single
tree are one Of the striking
sights on Barro Colorado Is
land. the Smithsonian'S trop-
ical wildlife preserve in the
Canal zone.
Nests Are Woven Bags
The actual nests, made Of
fragments Of leaves and bark,
are contained in pendulant
bags as much as a foot long
woven from Straws, plant
roots and strips of bark, and
suspended from limbs.
The weaving of such q bag
is laboriouS and is done exclu-
sively by the females who work
q 12-hour day, watched all
the time by the males to make
sure that they do not shirk.
During this nest building, the
males appear first, shortly after
sunrise, and summon the fe-
males out Of the jungle with
a series of explosive notes.
The females start work. The
males do nothing but boss the
job.
The black and yellow lady
laborers are allowed q rest
period Of about an hour at
noon, but early in the after
noon work is resumed and
continued unremittently until
about $50. Then all the birds
retire for the night to retreats
in the jungle depths.
All the females work in a
body. observers report, and
usually are quite cooperative.
Occasionally, however, they are
seen stealing building material
from one another.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26

Growth Of many kinds Of
plants is being doubled and
tripled in two or three weeks
by scientists at the Depart
ment Of Agriculture Beltsville
experimental station.
The new. rare and still rela-
lively unknown biotic, glib
berellic acid. is proving even
more miraculous than was in
dicated q few months ago and
it well may prove revolutionary
In agricultural history, the
plant workers say.
1t is so potent that as little
as a millionth of an ounce in
one ounce of water will cause
q notable growth squirt.
The acid is produced by a
fungus, as is penicillin. In
Japan this fungus causes q
serious rice disease with excess
sive plant elongation and lower
yields. The chemicals reSpon-
sible for the elongation of
stems were isolated by Japa-
nese botanistS just before the
war but their work, published
in Japanese, long remained
unknown to the outside world.
In greenhouse experiments
at Beltsville the acid is mixed
in q lanolin paste and rubbed
on young stems. In a few days
plants such as geranium, poin-
settia, sunflower, rose, SALIVA,
dahlia, petunia and aster are
up to three times as tall as
comparable untreated plants.
Some Growth Tripled
The heights Of crop plants,
such as snap bean, soybean,
peanut, pepper, egg plant, corn
and barley in many cases have
been tripled. New growth Of
young forest trees, such as
willow, oak, tulip, poplar and
maple, has been greatly in
creased following treatment.
Curiously. pine and spruce
have shown only a slight In
crease.
Weight Of fresh young soy
bean and snap bean plants
and the amount Of solid mat
ter they contained increased
80 to 40 per cent in three
weeks, according to the report
Of Drs. P. C.. Marth, w. B.
Augia and j. w. Mitchell.
The Towering Of some orna-
mental and shrub plants has
been retarded and that Of
others advanced.
These sound like miracles.
The Agriculture Department
scientists don't know yet.
Further research is hampered
seriously by shortage of the
material. Methods of large
scale production have not been
developed and there is a de-
mand for the precious acid
from all over the world. The
experiments at Beltsville have
been carried out with small
supplies obtained from Eng
land. A little has been pro-
duced in the departments
own laboratory at Peoria, H.,
where methods Of producing
penicillin on a large scale
were developed early in the
war.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
Contact

The small cat sits at the door,
iChere he once found iDelcome
from caressino fingers;
sits and stdres
The house Is hushed. the room
empty.
Little lynI-edred matt,
do you sense something denied
rs?
! stoop.
He lets me gather him IN my
dTms-
We share riga ..
Jeonnstts choppsII
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
Questions and Answers
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE

Q. What is the closest major
election contest In United
States history2-c. H.
A. In Missouri. In 1872, q
candidate for Governor lost By
one-sixth Of a vote. At that
time each Missouri county with
a population Of 500 or more
had one delegate and one vote.
and smaller counties had q
prorated vote. Several coun-
ties with population Of 100 or
less had only one-sixth vote
each. The losing candidate
was thus defeated BY what Il
believed 70 be the narrOWeSt
margin II history.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-26
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used u
letters carry iDriters' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
sGtion.