davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
The Invasion Beqins

French and British paratroopers have
landed in Egypt, and now the real test
begins.
1t seems safe to assume that Egypt.
its. air force destroyed, will not be able
to maintain successful organized re-
Sistance for very long, Without airpower,
mere numerical superiority in ground
forces does not count for much. The
French and British ought to be able to
seize control of the Canal Zone with rela-
lively little difficulty. But then comes the
question: What will Egypt do?
There would appear to be two choices
open to Nasser One is to resort to guer-
rilla warfare, and the Egyptian President
has already said that he will do this. If
he does, and If his people support him,
this could be long, costly and wearying
affair.
The other choice would be to recog-
nize the inevitability of military defeat
and accept the best terms that can be
obtained. At the moment it seems UNI
likely that NaSSer will do this But he
may.
II he chooses this way, the Middle
East police force, called for by the Gen..
eral Assembly, may be able to serve effec-
lively in the crisis. There are indications
that the British and to a lesser extent
the French might welcome such force
as means of getting them out of very
difficult position. The IsraeliS, however,
have said that they will not accept a
police force in the Sinai Peninsula-con-
quered Egyptian territory. If Nasser also
rejects the proposal, the outlook for the
police force, assuming that it could be
organized, equipped and put ashore, is
anything but bright.
The plan is to build this force from
troop contingents supplied by the smaller
nations. AS such, its combat effectiveness
would be very dubious 1t could function
satisfactorily only under favorable condi-
tions. We do not think any great opti-
miSm will be justified if this police force
is sent ashore with hostile IsraeliS on
one side and hostile Egyptians on the
other.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
Mory'ond's Death Trap

The frequent published reports about
fatal crashes on the old Robert Grain
Highway in Southern Maryland, other
wise known as Route 301, justify the
roads growing reputation as a killer
road" and death trap" State authorities
are moving, under 12-year improvement
program, to nodernize this important
traffic artery between Baltimore and the
Potomac River bridge. 1t is disturbing,
however, to learn that the modernization
will not provide the maximum of safety
which motorists have a right to expect in
anew or reconstructed major highway.
The Grain Highway, built 20 years
ago, was adequate to the traffic needs Of
the 'twenties in that rural section of
Maryland. 1t was considered to be a
model highway in those days But con-
ditionS have changed drastically since
then. Traffic has increased until some
10000 cars day move over it, many of
them en- route to or from the new Bay
bridge. Accident hazards have mounted
correspondingly, for much of the road is
narrow, with opposing lanes of traffic
too close for safety.
State Roads Commission officials
originally planned to make the road
a limited-acceSs, dual-lane highway
throughout its course in Anne Arundel,
Prince Georges and Calvert Counties.
But, according to Commission Chairman
Bonnell Legislative maneuvering" elm
mated Route 30l from the list of roads
scheduled for reconstruction as limited
access freeways. So the many free-access
intersections along 30l will remain un-
disturbed Moreover, present plans call
for dual-lane construction Of parts, but
not all, OF the route, with three-lane.
patterns elsewhere. This is a dangerous
compromise with public safety. We hope
that State officials will take another look
at the 3Ol problem and find some way
perhaps with Federal aid-to rebuild
the Grain Highway into truly modern
freeway.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
Work for Idle Hands

There have been many COM
ments, editorial and other
wise. regarding the teen-ager
and his opportunity to work
on his energy in terms Of
remunerative EN- ployment.
Chairman @. Rowland Shaw
OF the Commissioners Youth
Council has expressed himself
forthrightly on the archaic
character Of the District regu-
lations which seem to hamper
teen-agers with red tape, pre-
venting them from earning a
little extra cash in OF school
hours and on Saturdays.
Altogether apart from the
question Of the red tape and
the earning Of extra money,
the problem strikes me as far
more fundamental than that.
We seem to assume that q
youths education is merely a
question Of books. athletics,
ETC.. but q vital feature Of ones
early education is to be found
in the discipline Of work.
That makes for character:
that makes for manhood. To
stick 70 a job and finish Il
whether one likes it or not
Is a sure builder Of character.
Satan still finds work for idle
hands. and II our District reg
ulations were opened up q bit
70 give teen-agers q chance 70
prove their mettie. I. for one,
feel Il would be very adyan-
tageous.
Albert Joseph Mccartney. LII
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
Orderly Development

Haphazard selection OF sites outside
Of Washington for various Federal agen-
cies has directed attention to the need
for master plan of development for the
entire Metropolitan Area. 1t is natural
that the National Capital Regional Plan
ming Council should be concerned about
the lack of coordination on building
plans not only between the Government
and local authorities, but among Federal
agencies themselves. AS Director Paul
c. Watts of the council told the Northern
Virginia Planning Commission, any flu
ture moves by Government agencies to
relocate outside the District should be
made only after careful consultation with
established planning groups and in ac-
cordance with an approved overall plan.
However, there is no justification for
any further exodus of Government bu-
reaus from Washington. This is the seat
OF the Federal Government, so deSig-
mated by the Constitution, and it should
remain so. The recent trend toward the
suburbs evidenced in some segments Of
the Federal establishment is directly
counter to constitutional intent. More
over, some Of the moves were made with
out prior conference with either the
National Capital Planning Commission
or the Regional Planning Council, both
OF which were set up by Congress to
regulate Federal expansion in this area.
And the construction of large employ
ment centerS In areas not adequately
served by water and sewer systems has
imposed serious public service problems
on the communities involved.
The decision to build the new State
Department headquarters adjacent to the
present building in the Northwest Rec
tangle comes as timely indication that
the administration intends to keep the
seat Of Government right here, inside the
District Of Columbia There have been
assurances, besides. that other Federal
construction during the next decade will
be confined to the city, with few excep-
tons. That Is sound and orderly way
OF building = greater National Capital
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
WSTAS IN SCIENCE
By THOMAS r. HENRY
Are BuIIetproof Troops in the Offinc?

old Iroquois Indian invention
THE zipper-which sorne-
times is inaccurately attributed
to Satan. And naturally any
soldier objects to extra weight
unless the danger is immedi-
ate and evident.
Latest developments Of the
Army's body armor. largely
the work Of scientists here.
are still classified-one Of the
few military secrets at this
establishment.
The idea, the research CEN
ter scientists point out, still
is almost in its infancy. The
use of armor Of any sort,
except the helmet, was re-
garded as a silly anachronism
until 1912 when British scien-
lists undertook an extensive
study of types and locations
of battle wounds. On the basis
of their findings. the United
States Air Forces in Europe
designed an armored vest for
Bit bomber crews which was
credited with saving q few
lives. But only IL Of these
vests were issued up to the
end Of the war. There was
some objection to them on
grounds that they impeded
ease of movement, highly inn
portant for q bomber crew.
Armored Vest Unpopular
But on the basis Of the Air
Force findings. the Ordnance
Corps developed an armored
vest for use of United States
ground forces just before the
end of the war. 1t was made
of overlapping aluminium plates
and nylon fabric. Naturally the
vest, however efficient, was not
TOO popular. 1t weighed IL
pounds and covered 3l2 square
feet of the upper body.
Only in 1947 was the Quar-
termaster Corps assigned the
primary responsibility for de-
velopment Of helmets. body
armor and other protective
clothing. Within the next year,
the first Illuminated nylon body
armor had been developed on
quite a different principle than
that considered before. 1t was
a two-piece vest for front and
back with an apron to protect
the groin. A hundred models
were tested in Korea and re-
ports generally were favorable.
Largely on the basis of the
Korean tests the design was
modified and type designed
which weighed 812 pounds and
covered 5 square feet Of body
surface. This type also was
tested in Korea.
The present issue armor is
designed to be worn under the
field jacket and covers about
6 square feet of the body.
Newer types now being de-
signed are projected to cover
more Of the body and to be
less uncomfortable. The ulti-
mate idea is design that will
give protection to the entire
body.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
Our FOREIGN Relations

If the American people ever
had reason to be thankful, it is
that Truman and AcheSon are
not now in charge of our for
eign affairs. If they were, our
Navy and Marines would al
ready be on their way to plunge
into the Middle East imbroglio.
We well remember how, I'M
der the Truman administra-
ton, our State Department was
operated as an adjunct of the
British Foreign Office. Now
that Mr.. Dulles has tactfully
eased himself out of that OBJ
sequious position, the charac-
teristic arrogance Of the Brit
ish shows up in a practicable
intransigence in the Suez and
related difficulties. The strange
thing is that our officials are
represented as being surprised
and worried at this develop
ment-even nurse hurt feel
ings at being ignored by Brit
ain and France. We can only
hope that American interests
will continue to be the sole
guide Of their conduct.
Recent events all over the
world emphasize once again
the lesson of all history: That
governments do not honor any
obligation Of any character,
either the formal commitments
OF diplomacy or the abstract
obligations Of conventional mo-
rality, in circumstances where
1t is adverse to their immediate
national interest to do so. The
futility of the United Nations
and all similar organizations
rests upon the assumption to
the contrary. So much of the
worlds trouble is caused by
people who live in a dream
world Of decisions about the
nobility and unselfishness of
people and governments, and
who will not or cannot face
reality. When such people at
tain positions Of authority,
dangerous miscalculations can
result. Zarathustra.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05

its Constitution which he con-
ceived to be imperiled by the
Roosevelt government; "a he
was broadcasting for some time
before we entered the war; the
day after Pearl Harbor he
stopped his broadcasts, with a
public statement that as an
American he felt it improper to
continue them (but he seems
to have revised this opinion,
and resumed them a few weeks
later with the same tone as
before). 1t should perhaps also
be emphasized that Pound was
never a member of the Fascist
Party or in any way afiiliated
with it.
That so many Americans
should be content to assume
that the case of Ezra Pound is
a simple variant of that Of
Tokyo Rose or even Lord Haw
Haw must be for thoughtful
minds much more disturbing
than any shock they may ex-
perience from the juridical or
the psychiatric handling of this
case.
]. C. La Driere.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
Matter of Credit

According to an article by
Alex Preston, Democrats are
challenging a "16-year grip by
Republicans" on Maryland's
9Th congressional district.
Pleased Let's give credit
where credit is duel Certainly
our local government, the
Montgomery County Charter.
has been "gripped" by 100 per
Ocent Democratic County Coun-
Gil control since the election
in 1884
We gladly offer this group
full credit for any construc-
tive progress during these two
years. But we also believe they
should shoulder the full blame
for what presently seems a
rather high-handed trend to-
ward a too arbitrary grip"
on our local affairs.
Lila ID. SOnnemann.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
We Need Him

1t may well be that Secretary OF
State Dulles Is a casualty Of the world
crisis. For nearly four years, this oldest
member Of President Eisenhower's cabi-
net has been tireless and indefatigable
worker In the cause OF more secure
peace. He has visited virtually every
trouble spot on the globe, some Of them
many times. and for weeks past has
stepped UP an already exhauSting pace.
His critical illness now is not one directly
associated with physical fatigue. but his
successful convalescence may depend
largely on whatever store Of energy he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
'Woshinqton's Finest

1t is very difficult for me to
choose the proper words to ex-
press my complete gratitude
and sincere appreciation to
the Metropolitan Police De-
partment.
On october 81, shortly after
1880 pm. my wife. who soon
expects a baby, accompanied
by our 2-year-old daughter
Barbara Ann, tripped on wet
leaves and fell to the ground
at Fifth and Farragut streets
NV. and was unable to rise. A
sixth precinct patrolman came
to her side, Immediately
summed up the situation and
tagged down a United States
Air Force ambulance, request
ing the driver to take my very
frightened wife to the nearest
hospital.
/ firmly believe this fine Off
GERS fast action and GOODNESS
averted a hemorrhage and
shock, while also expediting
proper medical attention. Our
family physician states she is
past all evidence Of danger and
should, by all means, have a
healthy baby. At a time like
this one realizes that only one
quotation adequately expresses
why so many of us refer to the
force as "Washington's Finest"
We will always admire and
highly respect this officer and
his fellow officers in blue for
their kindness. understanding
and thoughtfulness.
William Whalen.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
Thanks for the Yonks

This Week magazine on
october 20 indicated certain
elements Of the German press
were determined to give Amer
lean troops stationed in Ger
many a black eye.
In this connection, it is in
teresting to note that there are
also newspapers in Germany
devoting space to the work be-
ing done by American officers
and men to bring about not
only satisfactory but happy re-
lations between our troops and
the people among whom they
live.
/ should like in particular to
refer to articles which have re-
Gently appeared in the German
press, datelined Butzbach,
GieSsen, Frankfurt, ETC., about
the splendid work being done
by Col. John r. Pugh of WASH
ington, d. c., and Virginia, who
is in command Of one Of the
combat units comprising the
Sd Armored Division.
The Butzbacher zeitung
rhapsodizes about a meeting of
the Butzbach Glider Club at
which Col. Pugh appeared in
his helicopter which, during
the course Of the happy Sum
day afternoon. carried aloft
the Mayor. Herr Doktor Schel-
Ter, and every other notable on
hand, each strapped safely
in" and each afforded a superb
view "of the meadows below
like interviewer carpets with
the Veteran and the Taurus
beyond"
And all that, the article con-
cludes with pride. lin the pres
ence of the American band
from Kirchgoens, the only
band in Europe which plays its
marches and its tunes while
driving in jeeps. !. The Amer
leans visit lasted over two
hours and the day turned into
a true family gathering. Most
of all it served to bring Ger
mans and Americans q good
deal closer togetherl"
AS for the article dated Gies-
sen Il shall omit other equally
laudatory reports, 1t speaks
glowingly Of U. S. Tank Com
nlander Pugh who is also a
farmer on the side" and who,
says the happy German editor,
lis presenting some Of his own
fine black Angus bulls from
Virginia to the local county
farm agent for the use Of the
farmers Of Upper Hesse."
And so, the article gleefully
concludes, "the thoughts and
worries Of possible damage
from u. S. Army maneuvers by
the newly arrived American
tank division have entirely
disappeared
It is heartening TO read
these reports from the small,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05

@ U A r T E r M A S T E r
RESEARCH AND DEVELOP
MENT CENTER. Natick.
Mass The Army has de-
veloped here its own type Of
body artnor for infantry.
1t is designed to protect
against the most frequent
kind of battle injury-that
from shell fragments. 1t will
not stop bullets. These. after
all. are not a major source Of
wounds today.
Even SO, say quartermaSter
scientists, the new armor prob
ably would slow the velocity Of
a rifle bullet so that it would
not be fatal.
This armor is somewhat diff
ferent in principle from that
introduced by the Marine
Corps in Korea a few years
ago. 1t stops grenade and
mortar shell fragments by en-
tangling them in a dense
fibrous core sufficiently strong
to stop the missile from COM
pletely passing through and in
juring the wearer. 1t is made
by Eliminating many thin,
tough layers of nylon-possibly
several other now available
materials would be as good
into a strong, pliable barrier.
The missile will penetrate the
outer surface, which is not
important.
The other principle Of body
armor, now largely abandoned,
is to use rigid materials that
have a surface sufficiently hard
to defect or stop low velocity
missiles. This principle is ex-
plotted in the steel helmet and
in earlier types of armor. It
was essentially the idea of the
iron armor worn by medieval
knights.
Lot of Weight to Garry
There is one major drawback
which the Quartermaster scien-
fists are trying to eliminate,
bit by bit. for there is no over
all answer to the problem. The
armor now ready for issue
weighs about 8 pounds. This
is a lot of extra weight
for any soldier to carry. 1t
may be reduced by use of light
err materials each of which
must undergo a long series of
tests.
Usage under actual combat
conditions reveals that the
most important part of the
equipment, the armored vest,
stops approximately IS per
cent of all hits and reduced
chest and upper abdominal
wounds by about the same de-
gree. In many cases where
fragments had gone through
the vest, what otherwise would
have been fatal wounds were
reduced to relatively minor in
jurieS.
The ideal. Of course, still is
in the future. Present armor
is not foolproof. Soldiers must
have some training in wear
ing it and it Incorporates that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
|Pound'scose
william Whalen.


r. w. Tucker, who is
Shocked at the sympathetic
tone" Of Miss McGrory's arti-
Gle on Ezra Pound, shows q
more delicate sensibility in this
than appears anywhere in the
rest of his letter, which seems
to advocate lynching.
1t is a justly cherished part
of our democracy that Mr..
Tucker should be free to say
what he likes about Pound Cor
Pound to say what he liked
about ROOSEVELT. But another,
and an indispensable, part of
the structure of our democracy
is law and its process; and to-
ward the existing laws and
their processes our freedoms
imply responsibilities. 1t is
irresponsible in one who pro-
fesSes respect for democracy to
disdain as a mere formality the
due process Of law. This Mr..
Tucker explicitly does when he
writes, II know that some
people argue that Pound. has
never been proved guilty of
treason by court. But +" I
am shocked by this, as every
one who believes in a practi-
cable future for democratic
government must be shocked
whenever political irresponsi-
bles naively ignore the crucial
fact that law and law alone is
the safe ground Of our way Of
life" and that we must not
turn over its execution to the
whims Of historical vigilantes.
AS to Miss McGrory's report
Of the Pound case. the only
fault I am able to find in it is
an ambiguity. She speaks of
Pounds broadcasting "for
(the) Fascist government .
during World War H." and
her quotation Of Ernest Hem
ingway's plea for a better
treatment Of Pound includes
reference to Pounds bad mis-
take continuing to broad
cast for Mussolini after we
we're fighting" These words
might suggest that Pound was
employed by the government Of
a nation with which we we're
at war to broadcast its propa-
ganda against our country.
Since many people believe that
this was so. 1t is important to
observe the following facts Gall
Of which are now fully avail
able in many published sources,
though mostly foreign: %
Pound was not invited to give
the broadcasts in question; he
sought the opportunity: C2)
the Italian authorities did not
welcome. but were persuaded
to tolerate, this eccentric and
TO them largely Incompetent
sible gesture Of the distin-
guished American poet: TO the
last there remained distrust Of
him in high places. and sus-
picion that perhaps his broad
casts were in fact code mes
sages for the benefit Of the
allies: ~ Pound exacted as
surances from the Italian au-
thorities that his allegiance as
an American citizen should not
be compromised: he spoke as
an American patriot. for" the
United States Of America and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05
LETTERS TO TIE STAR

grass roots press after the grim
and gloomy story in This
Week.
My hat is of to Soldier
Farmer Pugh who apparently
is. above all, a most accom-
plished and farsighted diplo-
mat. Gustav Pabst, Jr.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-05

Grand Paw, the white cat
that ate on the back porch.
had been gone for a month.
No longer his leap on the
screen door signaled a hungry
fellow waiting to be fed.
He was missed as habitual
things are missed by some
people.
For a year he had never
failed. and now he was gone.
Would he return again?
This was the question, to
be answered by time. as so
many other questions are.
+
Grand Paw, named after his
mighty forepaws. first in bat
tie, had done the same dis
appearing act a year before.
A month had gone by, at
that time.
He had left dirty and torn.
When he suddenly appeared
again, he was white, fat and
clean, without marks of bat
tie.
Would he repeat?
You never can tell about
wandering cats. One may
come to the door for months,
only to fall by the wayside,
in one of the many ways open
to them.
In the modern battle for
survival. animals in and
around a great city have a
time Of it. Traffic is but one
Of their problems.
The other morning, early.
there came a sound at the
back screen.
Was it Grand Paw, staging
his second return after many
days?
When the door was thrown
open, there he wasl
This time he was thin, but
clean and white, as a white cat
should be.
There was a wound in the
middle Of his back, but it did
not look too bad, and Grand
Paw without a wound would
not look quite right.
~ -
The greeting he got from his
friends was enthusiastic.
We wish we could say that
Grand Paws greeting. in re-
turn, was hearty.
II was scarcely more than a
mild hiss. a warning to all and
sundry, especially the sundry,
that no liberties should be
taken.
oh. he would permit a gen.
tie pat to the head. but be
careful Of that back, and what
about these strange cats,
crowding TO the door from the
inside?