davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
Segregation Is Hottest Issue
Facing Methodist Conference

the Central Jurisdiction were
liquidated, would there not
still exist separate Methodist
churches for whites and
Negros? I think the answer is
yes. . 1t is on the local level
that racial Indignation in the
Methodist Church is to be
achieved. And no amount of
legislation is going to accom-
plish this"
Plans to solve this dilemma
are flowing into the confer
ence. So far none seems to
have the magic formula of
satisfying all sides. A prob
able temporary solution advo-
Gated is to create a special
commission to study the juris-
dictional system and report
back, with specific proposals,
to the 1860 meeting.
Clergy Rights for Women
Another issue likely s' to
arouse considerable discussion
relates to granting women full
clergy rights. At present
women may be ordained as
local preachers" and may
even be appointed as supply
pastors but they. may not be
admitted into full ministerial
membership.
Locally a move to set aside
ST million so a School of In
ternational Service might be
established at American Uni
versity will be acted upon.
Chances for its passage ap-
pear good. according to Wash
ington delegates. This is a
project that is close to the
heart of Bishop G. Bromley
Oman, internationally minded
bishop of the Washington
Episcopal Area, who has just
returned from Australia.
Other issues certain to at
tract attention include a pro-
posed quadrennial program,
1860, to strengthen Meth
odist educational institutions
and local churches, including
$37 million for 116 church,
related colleges and univer-
sites; authorization to start
two new theological semi
naries and expansion of the
denominations 10 seminaries,
and passage Of the budget.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
BY REINHOLD ENSZ

BERLIN. - The Stahlhelm.
an organization of $4,000 Ger
man veterans of both world
wars, is making small but omi-
nous noises in free Germany.
Members of the Stahlhelm-
or Steel Helmets"-gather in
obscure beer halls where they
argue politics and run through
ceremonies involving drums,
flags, jackboots and remnants
of old Wehrmacht uniforms.
The leaders of the Stahlhelm
are politically ambitious and it
is reported to be growing.
The organization was formed
after World War l, its members
stamch German nationalist
who dressed up in field gray
uniforms for meetings and pa
radeS under the old Weimar
Republic.
At first. the Stahlhelmers re-
sented the appearance of Hit
ler's Nazi BrownshirtS and there
were frequent clashes between
the two groups in the late 20S.
Dissolved by Hitler
But the forces of national
socialism proved too strong
for the old Stahlhelmers,
whose deputy leader, Theodor
Duesterbeg, was a half-Jew.
In 1881. Stahlhelmers and
Brownshirts joined forces and
three years later the Stahl-
helm was dissolved by Hitler
and its members ordered to
join Nazi organizations. They
began to reorganize soon after
the war.
Allied authorities later
banned it. but the organiza-
ton has come back, secretly at
first. later in the open. Today
with West Germany a sover-
eign power. regulation of the
Stahlhelm is up to German
authorities.
Communist East Germany
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
HOW SHOULD WE PUNISH?
Reformers Apply GIoboI Pressure
For Abolition of Death Penalty

accelerated. This year, with
only is legislatures in session,
capital punishment became a
real issue in both Massachu-
sets and California. Next
year, with As legislatures
meeting, the tempo will doubt
less be speeded up even fur
ther.
The matter is also coming to
the fore on the professional
plane. The American Law In
stitute, which has reserved the
capital punishment question
for a number of years while
working on its Model Penal
Code, is now in the process of
drafting death penalty arti-
cles.
The American Bar Associa-
ton has asked its Committee
on the Administration of
Criminal Justice to make spe-
cial investigations into the ef-
fectiveness of the death pen
atty as a deterrent to crime.
Back to Genesis
Ever since the first inscrip-
ton of the Book of Genesis,
in which it is written that
whose Sheddeth mans blood,
by man shall his blood be
shed" people have been argu-
ing over the relative merits of
putting criminals to death for
their crimes.
In earliest times the death
penalty was conceived as
way of placating the gods.
Later on, the emphasis shifted
to vengeance--an eye for an
eye, and make the criminal
suffer as he caused suffering.
Still later, the reasoning got
to where it now stands-ex-
ecute the capital offender as a
deterrent to others and to
safeguard society against fur
ther crimes by this particular
criminal.
1t is hard for us today to
imagine the extent to which
capital punishment was used
in the past centuries and the
manner in which it was in
flicted.
Old Hebrew tribes author
lied the death penalty for,
besides murder and rape, adul-
terry, unchastity, blasphemy,
cursing parents. idolatry, in
ceSt, breaking the sabbath and
witchcraft.
In 18th and 18th Century
England there were over 200
capital crimes on the books,
including petty thievery,
shooting animals out of sea-
son and damaging shipping
piers.
Methods used to execute
capital criminals are far too
many and unpalatable to re-
count. They varied from sim
pie hanging to chopping, fay
ing, bu1'ying alive, burning,
drowning, sewing into a bag
with poisonous snakes, and so
on.
In the American colonies
there were never more than
dozen or so crimes for which
the death penalty was in
f1icted. These included mur-
der. rape, piracy, mutiny.
treason. sedition. heresy, ar
son, Witchcraft.
Today in the United States
capital punishment is general
ly limited to f1rst-degree mur-
der. rape. treason, arson, kid
mapping, sabotage with loss of
life, and perjury resulting in
the execution of an innocent
person.
According to criminologist
James A. McCafferty of the
United States Bureau of
Prisons, however, capital pun
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
VIRGINIA
BY ALEX r. PRESTON

Dy EAALA1A H. ANG0 \ OAN
Two nearby Virginia officials
recently had a public spat over
annexation, thus tanning
fire that historically sets 1.-THE
country boys" and "the city
boys at one another's Threats.
Arlington Delegate William
L. Winston suggested that the
growth of his community is
being stif1ed as long as it re-
mains a county. He urged the
Arlington Civic Federation to
push its study of proposed in
corporation into a city, and
thus gain the powers of an
nexing adjoining county terri
tory.
Under Virginia's system, two
or more cities may mutually
agree to consolidate into one
but a city can only annex
usually against the wishes OF
the people involved-from one
or more adjoining counties.
forget: Seven Corners
Arlington, of course, is hem
med in by two cities-Alex-
andria and Falls Church-and
one county-Fairfax. AS an
Incorporated city. it would
have only one direction to ex-
pand.
Mr.. Winston told a reporter
later he had his eye on the
projected SIS million shopping
center at Seven Corners. In
addition to many smaller
shops, the center will include
Woodward g. Lothrop. Gar
finkel's and Jelleff's branch
stores.
Mrs. Anne Wilkins. member
and former chairman of the
Fairfax Board of County
Supervisors, instantly sh o t
back that Mr.. Winston lis
crazy if he thinks we'll give
up Seven Corners without a
battle"
Fairfax has worked hard to
develop the area because OF
the additional tax revenue it
would bring to the county.
I'VE aren't going to sit by
and let Arlington walk off
with it now" Mrs. wilkins
said. She added that she
thought Fairfax could expect
plenty Of support from Seven
Corners businessmen.
Those were brave words,
coming from one Of the
county's top officials. But
what. really, can Fairfax
County or the businessmen in
volved do about it?
Mrs. wilkins, in another part
of her statement, reflected the
overall picture in Virginia
when she declared the county
rebuffed a land grab by Falls
! Church four years ago.
That" she said. was the
first time a county ever won
an annexation suit in the
State Of Virginia :"
Fighting the Odds
This column does not sug-
eest that the county or the
businessmen would fail if they
were forced to fight an annex
alton suit from Arlington. But
Mrs. wilkins own statement
shows how the odds are
stacked against the counties.
What happened at the recent
session of the General AS
sembly? AS in every session in
the last decade or more, "the
country boys sought to give
the counties added legislative
protection.
A bill would have required
approval by referendum Of the
residents in the territory af-
iected before a city could an
mex that area. The bill was
killed.
Why do the counties resist
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
BY CASPAR NAMES

Relisious news EDITOR OF the Star
On Wednesday 766 delegates
of The Methodist Church. rep
resenting almost 10 million
spiritual descendants of John
Wesley, will meet. One of the
major problems before them
will be the great social and
moral issue of the time -
segregation.
The arena will be the NUM-
cipal Auditorium in Mime
apolis, Mimi. where the de-
nomination will hold its quad
rennial General Conference.
the legislative body of Meth
odism. Delegates viii include
both ministers and laymen.
and they will come from many
countries.
Segregation has been an is
sue for deep soul searching by
Methodist clergymen and lay
men, from both North and
South, for many months. AS in
other realms, it has been an
extremely delicate subject, and
1t might well be, for this is not
the first time that the general
issue of race has struck Meth
odism with conflict.
Slavery Once the Issue
More than a century ago,
the point of controversy was
slavery. 1t led to a North
South division of the church
which was not closed for al
most 100 years. Today, the
question is whether to abolish
or retain the church's Central
Jurisdiction. the church's non
geographic administrative unit
under which Negro congrega-
tions have been organized. For
a clear understanding of the
place of the Central Jurisdic-
ton in the church, a brief &C
count of Methodism in the
United States is needed.
Methodism was brought to
this country in the 18th CEN
tury by two lay preachers
from Ireland, Philip Enbury
and Robert Strawbridge. BY
1874 the movement was well
enough established to be or
ganized as the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, the word "epis-
copal' Greek word for bishop
indicating the denomination
was administered by bishops.
BY 1923 a small group, OBJ
jecting to the minor role lay
men had in the church's gov
eminent, withdrew and formed
the Met hodist Protestant
Church. Sixteen years later
the issue of slavery brought
another division. with the
Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, being organized.
Reunion in 1899
Efforts to bring the three
bodies together failed until
1899, when they came to-
gether as THE Methodist
Church" One of the major
obstacles through the years to
reunion was what place should
the Negro membership assume.
To solve the problem the "ju-
risdiction' arrangement was
conceived.
The white membership in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22

the United States was divided
into five geographical jurisdic-
tions-Northeastern (to which
the Baltimore Annual Con-
ference, including Washington
churches. belongs, Southeast
ern. North Central, South Gen.
trail and Western. Then the
Negro churches were assigned
to the Central Jurisdiction re-
CARELESS of location.
This segregation has aroused
deep feeling throughout the
church. More than 100 memo
rails Cresolutions) calling on
the General Conference to
abolish. alter or retain the
Central Jurisdiction, which has
100000 members, have been
submitted.
One writer, D. C. Wander
cook, in a recent article in
THE Christian Century," de-
clares, THE united church is
most widely torn and most
violently tormented by its pro-
longed inner conflict over the
color issue. To desegregate or
not to desegregate-that is the
question. 1t is viewed with
more emotion than any other
ISSUE"
'Pottern Of Segregation
A writer in the Methodist
Christian Advocate" asserts
THE most undesirable feature
OF the Central Jurisdiction is
the fact that it establishes a
pattern of segregation and
legalizeS it in the constitution
of the Christian church.
1t is humiliating to the Negro
membership and prohibits, in a
large section of the church,
free fellowship and free wor-
ship across racial lines"
But another writer, in the
March 81 issue of The Chris
tan Century 3" insists abolish
ment of the Central Jurisdic-
ton would not in itself do
away with segregation in the
churches.
The real test of racial in
tegration in the Methodist
Church. or any other church
body, is whether or not there
is interracial determination in
the local church. Even though
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
DISTRICT
BY HECTOR MCLEAN

What will the union do if
Congress renewS the dying
franchise of Capital Transit
Co., as proposed in the House?
The question is raised by
a subscriber who says. Your
write-up on the new etc bill
to revert the transit franchise
to the etc has one big if
and that is that the etc will
have another big strike on
their hands if the proposed
bill gives back the franchise to
etc. No word of the unions
side of the picture is portrayed
in your writeup. Please let's
have it before Congress is
again placed behind the eight
ball on d. c. transit"
This anonymous correspond
ent seems to suggest that the
union, Division $50 of the
Amalgamated Association Of
Street, Electric Railway and
Motor Coach Employees of
America, would strike rather
than continue working for
etc. at least under its present
controlling ownership by Louis
E. Wolfson, Florida multi
millionaire
Bierwoeen Says No
This is denied by Walter j.
Bierwagen, president of the
local, who says, however, that
he expects difficulty in nego-
tiations for a new contract
with the Wolfson manage
ment-as usual--if the fran
chise is restored.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
NEARBY VOTES

Votes of nearby Maryland
and Virginia legislators on the
major roll calls in Congress
last week.
SENATE
On adopting an amendment
providing not more than SITS
million be appropriated for the
International Labor Organiza-
ton if delegates representing
any Communist nation were
permitted to vote during the
preceding year. Agreed to, AZ
40, April 10.
For: Beall tR Md Butler (R. Md,
Robertson ID Va.
Not Voting; Byrd ID. vsl--paired
for
HOUSE
On passing the farm bill
over the Presidents veto.
CTwo-thirds majority. or 276
yeas" required.) Failed to
pass. 202-2ll. April lS.
For Landlord ID. Nd
Against. HYDE n Nd ,, RfoShill n
" Harrison 10, va, smith
,consrsssionai euaftsriJ
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
MARYLAND
BY GENE GOODWIN

Some people don't see any
thing at all TO laugh about in
Maryland's current primary
campaign.
But it has had its moments,
some of them provided by the
storytelling abilities of the
candidates.
We have collected a few of
these anecdotes for posterity:
Millard E. Tydings. candi-
date for the Democratic sena-
torial nomination, uses a story
about lifelong Democrat
who got into a little accident
and was carted off to hospi-
tai.
At the hospital. a nurse
asked him what kind of a ward
he would like to be put in.
Il don't care what kind of
ward you put me in" the old
timer said, lust so long as it's
in a Democratic precinct"
George P. Mahoney, Mr..
Tydings principal opponent
who is making his fourth con-
secutive bid for high Office
since 1850, tells some of his
rally audiences:
You'd think after six years.
the people of Maryland would
elect George p. Mahoney Just
out of curiosity"
How to Duck
Mr.. Tydings. in volunteering
to answer questions from the
audience, was reminded of an
unnamed fellow politician who
managed to duck a hot ques-
ton under similar circum-
stances by declaring:
From the beautifully
wooded mountains of Garrett
County to the magnificent
ocean beaches of Worcester
County. my position on that
matter has been we'll known,
and ! don't intend to change
1t now"
Mr.. Mahoney often urges his
listeners to come to Washing
ton for what he calls his
inauguration.
Come on down to WASH
ington for my swearing in as
your United States Senator"
he told a group in Queen
Annes County the other night
wen have some fun. Well
cut down the old pine tree
and sing some songs and have
us a ball "
Mr.. Tydings, reminiscine
about prohibition days with a
Frederick liquor dealer, told q
story about the fellow who la =
mented to his buddy:
Gosh, isn't this prohibition
awful?"
"Oh, don't know the
buddy retorted. IT'S better
than no liquor at ALL"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
BY PHIL YEAGER and
JOHN STARK

The fight over the death
penalty is on again.
It is not a new fight, but
the go-round shaping up for
the months ahead may be one
of the most intense yet re-
corded.
There is not much doubt
that the reformers. those
favoring abolition of capital
punishment, have a good deal
of steam in their drive. Their
movement exists on more
or less global basis, appearing,
in fact, to be stronger outside
American borders than within
them.
Just a few weeks ago Par
lament outlawed capital pun
ishment for murder in Great
Britain. It's action came, a
London correspondent wrote,
after one of the most dra-
matte debates in the whole
long history of Westminster"
This month the japanese
Diet is considering a similar
bill.
England's action brought to
81 the number of nations
which have done away with
capital punishment, by law or
custom, for civil crimes. Japan
would make it 80.
50-Woy Split
While capital punishment
has never been a simple mat
ter. it is especially compile
Gated here in the United
States, where it is controlled
by so different jurisdictions:
The States, the Federal Gov
eminent and the District of
Columbia. It's abolition here
will encounter problems quite
different from those met
abroad.
SIX States have now banned
capital punishment: Michigan,
Rhode Isla n d, Wisconsin.
Maine, Minnesota and North
Dakota in that order.
In almost every meeting of
the other State legislatures,
bills are introduced to follow
suit. This has become more
or less routine, but in the past
few years State legislatures
report that the pressure has
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
VIRGINIA
Arlington City Project
Fans 7 traditional Spot

annexation proceedings We
hemently?
This raises a point which is
not understood by outsiders
and which a surprisingly large
number of Virginia residents
do not understand.
In Virginia cities, of the first
and second classes tabove
10000 inhabitants) are politi-
cal entities unto themselves.
In many other States, per-
sons who live in cities pay
both municipal and county
taxes. Not SO in Virginia.
The city of Alexandria. for
instance, was formed out of
Arlington and Fairfax Coun-
ties. Yet Alexandrians pay
only city and State taxes -
none to the counties.
Segregated Toxes
Virginia segregates its taxes.
The State mas exclusive claim
on levieS on income. The To-
calities - either counties or
cities - have exclusive right to
taxes on real estate and per-
sonal property.
Obviously, when a city'S
suburbs build UP and real es-
tate values increase. the coun-
ties raise a howl over losing
these lucrative revenues.
What about Arlington? Why
has not adjoining Alexandria
or Falls Church annexed its
territory?
The fact of the matter is
that Alexandria did annex a
part of Arlington, many years
ago. Originally Arlington
County formerly known as
Alexandria County, completed
the 10 miles square that made
up the original District of Co
lumbia.
A look at a Metropolitan
Area map today shows how
Alexandria has expanded into
the southern part of Airing
ton County.
Arlington is the smallest
county in Virginia and one
OF the smallest in the Nation.
After the Alexandria annexa-
ton the county found itself
left with an area of a mere
81 square miles.
So Arlington's lawmakers
successfully sponsored a law
that virtually froze the county
from future annexation.
The law says that no part
OF Arlington can be annexed
by an adjoining city without
all of the territory being taken
in. That, in effect, would be
consolidation and gives the
county the protection that
only Virginia cities have.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22
DISTRICT
Union Contract Is First Problem
Facing Any New Transit Operator

1t was at that point the Dis
trict's Board of Commissioners
asked Congress to cancel the
company's franchise on the
ground that the company had
manipulated the strike as part
of a plot to get out of bust
ness.
The truth Of this was never
settled. though many OBJ
servers thought the Wolfsons
would be happy to get out of
the transit industry here, par
ticularly in view of what they
believed the utilities commits
sion was doing to them.
One major quarrel between
the company and the union
was over the company's refusal
to arbitrate a new contract.
The union insisted this was a
sure road to labor peace. The
company wouldn't take such a
path on the ground that it
led only to higher costs which
it could not cover with higher
fares. unless the utilities COM
mission approved.
The Commissioners Settle
When Congress finally cam
celled the franchise on the
night OF adjournment, the
District Commissioners used
other sections of the law to
negotiate a settlement with the
union and then with the COM
pany.
The union members got an
immediate 10 = cent an hour
pay increase to 81 and will
get another 5-cent-an-hour
boost next July /. The con-
tract, Jnougn, Will expire on
August l4-along with Capital
T'ransit's present franchise.
If the transit system con-
tinues to run after that time,
the union has made it plain,
another wage increase will be
in order--if only to keep up
with the rising wage pattern
in other cities.
Whether it will be faced by
the District Commissioners.
operating a transit authority,
or by the Capital Transit Co.
management is up to Congress.
In any event, unless both
houses Of Congress can agree
on the same thing within the
next ia days. there will be
no pay raise TO worry about,
no Jobs and no transit.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-22

AAO ROOoAOAAAly VI dl1OllACl
strike is raised, though, by Mr..
Bierwagen's economic advisor,
Eli L. Oliver of the Labor
Bureau of the Middle West,
who is openly lobbying for the
Senate'S public ownership bill.
1t would be caused, he sug-
gests, by the Wolfson manage
ment's probable unwillingness
to make any acceptable wage
boosting offer to the union.
Even some $700,OC0 of tax
relief for the company, pro-
posed in the House bill to
restore the franchise, would
not keep the Wolfson manage
ment from pleading it couldn't
afford to pay wage increase,
Mr.. Oliver says.
The truth of this remains to
be seen. but company officials
have already figured that if
they stay in business their first
settlement with the union will
cost just about all of the bene-
fit the company will get from
such tax relief.
A Contract First
In any event, the first prob
lem facing a transit operator
public or private-after Au-
gust IA is that Of a labor
contract.
Washington's transit mess
started last summer with a
strike. 1t began when the
company said the District
Public Utilities Commission
wouldn't let it make enough
money to talk seriously with
the union about a pay raise.