davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-06
BY HECTOR MCLEAN

With only 100 days Of assured
transit service in Washington,
the Senate tomorrow is sched-
uled to start debate on a bill
which would set UP a publicly
owned authority to take over the
system.
On Tuesday, the House is
slated to start debating an en-
tirely different bill to restore the
franchise of Capital Transit
Company. Under present law,
the company's charter and fran
chise will die August IA.
Meanwhile. Senators yesterday
received from etc President
j. A. B. Broadwater a second
argument against giving the pro-
posed authority power to con-
denim his company on a piece
meal basis.
He forwarded an opinion by
CTC's general counsel, Edmund
L. Jones Of the firm of Hogan
and Harrison, branding the pro-
vision as unfair and unjust. -
and suggesting there is grave
doubt" of the "constitutionality
of any such procedure of selec-
tive condemnation"
Interim" Bill Sought
This letter was sent to men,
bers of the Senate only a few
days after an earlier memoran-
dunn which called it improbable
that private investors would
seek to buy the system from the
transit authority. The Senate
measure would set up the au-
thority on an interim" basis fol-
three years, during which the
District Commissioners would bt
Required to try to sell the system
to private operators.
On the other side Of the con-
ltroversy, union forces were con.
Icentrating their fire against the
restoration bill and urging pass
Iage of the public ownership
measure. Representative Broyhill
Republican of Virginia, said he
land other members of the Vir-
lginia delegation had received
wires from the Virginia State
lCIO Council in Richmond asking
them to take that position.
This came on the heels Of dis
ltribution to all members of Con-
Igress by the local transit work.
lers' union of a four-page cir
ocular urging support for the au-
Ithority bill and rejection of the
restoration measure.
Labor Sees Bills Defeat
| AAAQ, 4dbO1 cOu CCo IIloloICQ ldSl
might, they have strength enough
in the House to assure either the
defeat of the restoration bill OF
tits emasculation.
The House bill. drafted by the
Interstate and Foreign Com
merce Committee, resulted from
conferences with the Capital
Transit Co. management. The
firms board of directors ha.
lagreed to recommend that stock.
holders accept restoration of the
franchise if the measure il
passed by the House in its pres
lent form.
Thus, the labor spokesmer
lcontend, they are confident O.
ultimate passage of the Senate
public ownership bill.
Meanwhile, Representative He,
Iselton, Republican of Massachu'
setts, an opponent of the resto'
ration measure, called for 6
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-06
Air Express PurIey

Air express officials OF the Is
regularly scheduled airlines serv-
ing the Washington area and the
Air Express Division Of the Rail-
way Express Agency will meet
here Tuesday and Wednesday.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-06
PARADE

Continued From First Page
children were reunited before
the day ended.
Additional Winners
Bands:
Senior division: First, Sails
bury MD Senior High; second
Pottstown (PaJ Senior High;
third. Hagerstown (Md) Senior
High.
Junior division: First, Monroe
Junior High, Roanoke, Va; Sec
ond. Pottstown (Pa) Junior
High; third, Luther Jackson Jun
ior High Merrifleld, Va.
Senior drum and bugle corps:
First, Audubon IN. j. Drum and
Bugle Corps; second. Havre de
Grace MD Drum and Bugle
Corps.
Junior drum and bugle corps:
First, st. Leo's Drum and Bugle
Corps, Baltimore: third. Fairview
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Federal School Aid

The Federal Government, after much
hesitation, has plunged head first into
the turbulent waters of the Nations
school problem.
President Eisenhower's message out
which is designed to make possible, as
Stunning a determined local effort, the
construction of some 100000 new class
rooms in the next five years.
BY any standard of measurement
this is big undertaking. The suggested
Federal effort may be too much, too little,
or about right. That is something which
can be threShed out in the congressional
debate which is certain to envelop this
politically potent project.
For the moment it may be better to
dwell, not upon the details of the Presi-
dents program, but upon what he calls
certain principles which are indispensa-
BILE If Federal aid is to serve the cause of
American education most effectively"
In summary form, these principles
are: % Federal grants must not reduce
the incentive for State and local effort,
but, instead, should stimulate an increase
In those efforts To this end, it is pro-
posed that grants be made only on
matching basis, and that proportionately
smaller grants be made to States which
are not exerting a maximum effort in
their own behalf. (2) Federal funds
should be distributed among the States
according to relative need. In other
words, the matching formula would be
worked out so that the poorer States
would get proportionately more Federal
money, and the weather. States proper
tionately less
It seems to The Star that these are
eninently sound principles, which should
be faithfully adhered to. There is per-
haps one more relevant principle which
the President did not mention, but which
should be kept in mind.
It is fine thing to supply our chill
dren with modern schools and ample
clasSroomS. But an up-to-date school
system in terms of classrooms does not
necessarily result in a good education.
From all indications the Russians are
leaving us behind in certain critical edu-
cational areas. Yet the chances are that
their physical school plant, by and large,
would look like pretty primitive affair
compared to ours. The difference lies
in the kind of education which is offered,
and which Russian youngsters are re-
quired to take Our own educational
problem is not going to be solved by
100000 new classrooms, or by twice that
many, as long as our sights are set on
pushing the maximum number of chill
dren through school with a minimum Of
cerebral activity on their part.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Keep Them Off the Parkway

Visitors to the Auto Show at the
Armory are being given an opportunity
to express their views on the proposal
that trucks be given unrestricted use Of
the Washington Baltimore Parkway.
The referendum, sponsored by the Dis
trct Division of the American Automo-
bile Association, will be interesting to
watch. Whatever the outcome. however,
there are legal, practical and safety rea-
sons why the Federal portion of the park
way should remain closed to heavy trucks.
Strictly speaking, the voting at the
Armory is on the question Of transferring
the Federal part of the highway to Mary
land ownership and control. But, as the
ballots make clear, such transfer Of
risdiction-advocated by Interior Sec
rotary McKay-would mean the opening
of all the parkway to truck traffic. The
proposed transfer overlooks the fact that
Congress, in authorizing the parkway and
appropriating for its construction, speci-
fed that it should be for passenger traf-
f1c" only.
The chief reason why organizations
along the old Baltimore pike are cam
paigning to have the parkway opened to
trucks is to reduce accidents on U. S.
Route /. Why spread the danger to a
new passengers only" parkway?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Healthy Neighbor

It is pleasing to note but not surpriS-
ing to learn that Canada has just closed
the ledgers on record breaking year Of
economic progress and prosperity. This
has been due primarily to two reasons:
One, that the Canadian economy has been
sailing along on the same flood tide OF
good times prevailing in the United States
and generally within the British Com
monwealth, and, second, the development
by Canada of its own great natural
resources.
The results, In brief, were that gross
national observation-disclosures at about
1852 billion for the full year-Was up
nearly 10 per cent, personal income rose
by almost the same percentage, and
employment, export trade and capital
investment all recorded a comparably
higher level. Even the farm picture, de-
spite some of our own problems of sur
pluseS and declining prices, presents
story of net gain for the country's farm
ing community.
Probably the greatest factor in Can
adas progress up to now, and in its bright
prospects for the future, is the tremen-
dous wealth in its forests and in its pc
troleum and mineral deposits The former
has been there for all to see from the be-
ginning, but oil and mineral exploration
in recent years only now is revealing the
extent of these resources. The building
of pipelines and the expansion of land
and sea transport facilities are opening
the way for increasing shipment of these
products to world markets. At the same
time, Canada's own industrialization is
increasing at brisk pace to give the ma
tional economy broadly balanced base.
With all this, the Canadian govern
ment is being realistic in viewing the
country's economy. 1t is aware that there
is no magic formula for prosperity. Able
to grant tax relief in midl955, it is al
ready applying the brakes to credit ex-
pansion as safeguard against imitation
and is watching with some concern the
fact that imports continue to exceed ex-
ports. Currently, however, prices and
costs of living are relatively stable and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Hot Stove Fuel

Now that Jim Tatum has
announced his departure. isn't
it about time to ease him and
his Maryland warriors off the
sports page and give us ever
hopeful followers of the Wash
ington ball club chance? Not
that we're looking forward to
much, but our sluggish ulcers
do need exercise.
It's about time s. for Calvin
Griffith and Chuck Dresser to
start beating the drums about
the forthcoming crop of has
beens and morning glorles.
All of us are waiting with
breathless anticipation of news
of the latest wonder boy and
that time when Washington
will lead the league grape
fruiD again. G. A. Sinclair.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Old Hands at the Business

Representative O'Hara of Minnesota,
listening to the Commissioners outline
their new tax-increase program, asked a
very pertinent question. Was 1t not only
recently, he asked, that we went through
this same thing?
1t was. Mr.. O'Hara has good reason
to remember it. Two years ago he sat
as chairman of joint committee, rep
resenting House and Senate District
Committees, considering the tax-increaSe
program designed to finance the public
works legislation. That tax program was
supposed to take care Of revenue needs
of the District for number of years to
come. But here we are again, just about
where we were then.
There are two explanations of why
the Commissioners have been forced to
ask new tax increases. One is that the
Congress, last year, Topped off So million
from the amount that Congress only the
year before had agreed to pay, along with
the local tax increases of 1854, to finance
the public works program. The other is
that since the tax program Of 1854, SAL
airy increases for District employees have
added about So million to the annual run
ming expenses of the city.
Fortunately for Washington, the Joint
committee now studying the new tax in
creases is substantially the same COM
mittee that approved the tax increases of
1854. There are few changes. Instead
of being chairman, Mr.. OHara is ranking
minority member from the House side.
Instead of being ranking minority men,
Der, as he was in 1854, Representative
Howard Smith of Virginia is chairman.
But in addition to Mr.. Smith and Mr..
O'Hara, MeSSrs. Harris of Arkansas, Daw-
son of Illinois, Tale of Iowa, Allen of
California. Senators Bible of Nevada and
Beall of Maryland are repeating, as men,
bers of the joint committee, the work on
local taxes they did In 1854. They have
an understanding of the problem. They
will be covering much of the same ground
they explored.
The tax proposals the Commissioners
have brought before them represent, as
in all tax legislation, choice between
evils, arrived at by attempting to dis
tribute the load as equitably as possible.
They are the result of as thorough
study as ever went into local tax bill,
for the Commissioners have been sitting
these same proposals for almost a year.
We synpathize with the members of the
joint committee for having to repeat
what they went through two years ago.
But the full measure of our sympathy is
reserved, not for those who write the bill,
but for those who must pay it.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Retirement Fund

l wish to call attention to
an injustice in administration
of the Civil Service Retire
ment Fund.
Though everyone contributes
the same percentage of wages,
not all share in the same
benefits.
Many Government employees
remain single all their lives.
Many carry the burden of sup
porting members of their fam
lilies, some Of whom may be
destitute, such as sisters and
brothers.
But on the death of the
employee. none of the above
relatives benefit from the
fund, though when a married
person dies, his mate and off,
spring are eligible for bene-
fits from the fund which the
single person helped build.
There are two remedies.
Either provision should be
made to assist dependents of
an unmarried employe, or a
sliding scale of contributions
should be adopted, in proper
ton to the benefits the fam
lilies OF single people may
expect. Unmarried Woman.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES {. TRACEWELL

made. and some one must see
to 1t that everything IL kept
clean and tidy.
The properly handled cat
soon learns to forget the out
side world.
It Is amazing to watch this.
It bears out what the directors
Of geological parks have said
for years, that an animal
cared for and fed regularly
viii in time learn to prefer
the indoors state, and actu-
ally shrink from going out
doors.
If by chance it gets out. It
will finally return, If it can.
A recent experience of an oce-
lot, a larger cat, proved this.
After much tribulation it came
back. much the worse for
wear. but still very much alive.
The main consideration, In
keeping cats at home, is to
keep only a limited number.
One is best: two do very
well, but when there are three
or more, trouble begins.
This creed is, of course, con-
trary to the desires Of all true
friends of cats. Like the small
people in Wanda Gags book.
they wish for hundreds and
thousands and millions of cats.
The trouble is that the house
cat is jealous creature, and
wants a home all to himself.
He will be willing to share it,
of course, with his human
friends; he may endure one or
two cat companions, but no
more.
These odd humans who pre-
fer cats to dogs-and there are
millions of them-keep multi
pie cats only at their own
risk.
Even then, it is a great deal
Of fun. and quite an expert
ence. But the great god Of
cats. Bubastes. knows that
multiple cats belong on a farm.
not in a home. and should be-
long to some one who does not
worry.
If you worry about your cats.
keep them indoors. 1t Is the
best way. all around.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
At least q half dozen species

AT least q nalI 00zen species
Of plants are man-made.
That is, they are hybrids
which can transmit their basic
and unique characters to fu-
ture generations.
Thus far. however, man has
not succeeded in creating a
new species of animal.
The fact that what long was
considered an impossibility in
the plant kingdom has been
achieved was revealed to the
Washington ademy of
Sciences by DR.. H. Bentley
Glass, professor Of biology at
Johns Hopkins University.
With new developing techni-
ques which make possible the
doubling of chromosomes,
punches Of genes which are
the units of heredity, the ere
alton of species may be just
at its threshold and man may
take over control Of evolution.
Pretty Poor Specimen
The definition Of species,
after all, is the ability to pro-
duce offspring with the major
characteristics of the parents.
The first successful attempt,
DR.. Glass said, was by a Rus
sian geneticist about 80 years
ago. He crossed a radish and q
cabbage and produced a "rab-
age" When two rabages were
mated they produced seed
which sprouted into other rab-
ages.
Unfortunately for the man
who had been the first to cross
one Of the great barriers in
biology. the rabage was a
pretty poor specimen. It had
the prickly, UNBEATABLE leaves
of the radish and the poor
root system of the cabbage.
Russian agricultural author
tiles had been led to expect
great things. They were bit
terly disappointed that the
new vegetable did not fit into
one of the flve-year plans. The
geneticist was not heard of
again and it is generally be-
lieved that he was "elimi-
mated" as a reward for one
Of sciences greatest achieve
ments.
Creators Of new species have
Jared somewhat better in
other countries, especially the
United States. DR.. Glass said.
but they have not Jared too
well anywhere. In practically
every case the new species
they have created have taken
over the worst characters Of
the parent species. They have
been of no commercial value.
1t is likely that about the
same thing has happened in
nature throughout the mil
leniums.
But. DR.. Glass stressed, bad
may be good. 1t all depends
on the environment into which
the new species is born. I'm
der the right circumstances,
the rabage might have super
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Hungarian Thanks

The agricultural delegation
of the Hungarian Peoples Re-
public would appreciate the
privilege Of your columns to
ex press its feeling regarding
experiences during a three
weeks trip in the United States
of America.
The purpose Of our trip was
the study Of agricultural meth
DDS and to conclude trade ne
gotiations involving corn and
machinery. We came to the
United States on the invita-
ton of Roswell Garst and DR..
Geza Schultz. farmers of Iowa
and Minnesota. as follow-up
Of their visit to Hungary.
This was the first visit from
the Hungarian Peoples Re-
public to the United States
since World War II. We re-
ceived a warm and friendly re-
ception everywhere.
We exchanged our views and
experiences and discussed our
mutual problems. During these
friendly. meetings attention
was paid TO our results espe-
cially in improving sandy soils
and deep blowing. At the
same time We have heard
about the great achievements
made by American agriculture
during these past ten years.
progress made possible by the
development of new varieties
of seeds. by the mechanical
ton of the farms. by the ap-
plication of fertilizer and by
modern methods Of conserva-
ton. We have found a spe-
cialization of agriculture along
the lines Of industry. We be-
lieve that the same speciali-
cation should be followed in
Hungary. We were very much
impressed by the efficiency Of
the American farmers and by
their knowledge of costs and
prices. The knowledge the
thoroughness, the honesty and
the feeling Of responsibility of
everyone We came into con-
tact with was on a very high
level.
We wish also to express our
deepest thanks to officials OF
the Government for facilitate
ing our visit and hope that
similar exchanges will follow.
Mr.. MikloS Csillag,
Head of the determination
Department of the Ministry
for Agriculture, Leader of the
Delegation.
DIR. Sander Rajki,
Director of the Research In
stitute OF Martonvasar.
Jan0s KeSeru
Director of the State Farm
of MeZohegyes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Politics or Regulation?

On grounds that local gas rates to
consumers are exorhitant, four Demo-
cratic Senators are sponsoring a truth
m-ollllng measure applicable to the
washington Gas Light Company. The
legislation would require the company to
print on all bills to customers a break
down of certain charges. Included would
be the price paid to the producers of
natural gas, the price paid to pipeline
suppliers, and the spread between these
costs and those charged consumers by
the gas company.
The four Senators also are support
erS of legislation which would exempt gas
producers from Federal regulation. In
discussing their local truth-in- billing
measure, they have attacked the Council
of Local Gas Companies-of which WASH
ington Gas Light is member-for its
opposition to the national legislation
freeing producers from Federal regula-
ton. 1t is clear, in other words, that
the two matters are related in the minds
of the Senators. Accordingly, their
truth-in-billing proposal-whether good
or bad in itself-appears to be an at
tempted repriSal against the Washington
company for advocating regulation of
natural gas producers.
Local gas rates are regulated by the
public utilities commissions of the Metro
politan Area. If they are exorbitant,
that fact and the supporting data should
be submitted to the commissions for
review and possible corrective action.
But If legislative action is needed to
force local rates down, 1t should not be
related to the fight over Federal regu-
lation of producers. This is not sound
way to legislate In either the local or
national interest Mixing politics with
regulation of local utilities is bad business.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Our Lcecapodes

I firmly believe that this
city is long. long overdue for
a press tcomic, sport, society
and front page. radio and all
other media campaign TO in
form people how embarrass-
ingly simple it is to drive on
ice with the use of high gear
ranges for starting. minimum
power. slow but constant
speeds. and gradual braking.
How about it? How many more
years OF days like January 8
do we need to realize that a
majority of persons in the Dis
trict of Columbia and the sur
rounding area simply do not
understand these basic facts?
Disguised.
X
Those mournful air-raid
whistles screamed off and on
most of the icy morning Of
January 8. Suppose an enemy
had been coming to lay us low
what could we have done?
An evil mist plastered every
inch of every street with a
thin coat of ice. Traffic was
almost hopeleSSly snarled! Sup
pose this was it!
Sanding machines couldn't
get to the victims because the
victims were blocking the
way. Some one in au-
thority should rule that every
licensed motor vehicle must
be equipped with sanding
equipment. and subject to a
stiff fine If caught without a
reserve of sand. We could then
have a reasonable chance of
escape from our cities should a
raid catch us iced in. A Car well
equipped is helpless behind one
unequipped. Many terrible &C
cidents happen from lack Of
traction. See yourself sliding
down a dangerous grade and no
braking traction! No sand!
Our present defense effort
seems to be counting on an
enemy who will pick a nice
balmy time and allow us a few
hours OF scramble and confu-
sion. Charles b. Barnhill.