davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
lust Who Is EIyis?'

Senator Case. New Jersey Republican,
repeatedly is having his hair singed these
days. The fire started when the consci-
entious young legislator undertook to an
swer a lady constituents query about
whether Elvis Presley, headed for military
service, could forgo the CT haircut re-
quired Of the ordinary soldier" Mr.. Case,
asking "Just who is Elvis Presley2" bucked
the inquiry along to the Army. The re-
Spouse, unfortunately unclassifled, was
that ElviS probably would get the usual
CT cropping-meaning among other
things, no sideburns. Mr.. Case not only
answered the lady, he unwisely let his
answer get into the public domain. Ladies,
young and old, and many who are not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
Compromise on AIuerio

In its unanimously adopted compro-
mise resolution on Algeria, the United
Nations General Assembly has merely ex-
pressed the hope" that cooperation will
find way to bring democratic and
just peace to the territory in accord with
the U. N. Charter. This amounts to little
more than the extension of best wishes to
the disputing parties, but it is the most
that the Assembly could or ought to have
done. For the issue is one that France,
with the backing of the United States
and many other countries, regards as
being basically domestic in character and
therefore outside the U. Ms range Of
responsibility.
Despite Arab and Soviet arguments
to the contrary, the French have stated
their case convincingly, in terms of both
their history and their constitutional law.
AS they see it, emotionally and intellectu-
ally, Algeria has been an integral part
OF their country for well over century.
So the strife that has been going on there
is to them an internal affair into which
the General Assembly cannot inject itself
without violating the United Nations
Charter and offending their national
sovereignty. That is why they have re-
peatedly made clear, ever since debate
over the issue began some years ago, that
they would ignore any and all u. N. un-
dertakings to intervene in the situation.
This does not mean, however, that they
are content to sit tight and let matters
drift from bad to worse. On the con-
trary, they have formulated a promising
program aimed at working out mutually
satisfactory settlement between them
selves and the Algerians on the basis of
cease-flre, free elections and full-dress
negotiations to determine the future DO
htical status Of the territory and its
relationship to France proper
In these circumstances, it may be
doubted that the Assembly has shown
wisdom in having taken up this issue in
the first place. Indeed, the non-inter-
vening nature Of its compromise resolu-
ton seems to be an implicit acknowledge
ment of that fact, and we must hope that
the in. will henceforth think twice
before trying to deal with any other such
matters that are not clearly part of its
business. Otherwise it may be irrepar-
ably weakened.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17

Creator has put US In q uni
verse which Is not whimsical
or haphazard-but which is
all law. Confronting male
factors on the highways Of
Gods world are angels with
flaming swords. And no traffic
tickets can be fixed. What Is
sown, that Is reaped. The bare
cupboard Of consequences can
not be averted. Man Is Or
dained to be q partner with
nature, which means with
God. II man goes on his self
ish way without counseling
with the other member Of the
firm which supplies the capital
with which to run the business
Of abundant living. there is
trouble ahead. Man cannot
do it alone. AS has been adj
mirably said, Man cannot get
along without the earth, its
plants and animals. It supplies
the air he breathes, the water
he drinks. the food he eats.
the clothes he wears, the fuel
that warns him and the ma
terials that shelter him"
The stupendous losses which
the Nation has already sus-
tanned in using up It's physical
resources In wasteful and riot
Gus living must be reckoned
not only in terms Of soil but
Of soul. The tendency to swal-
low UP even the shrines of soli-
tude until there are no lonely
places for spiritual nurture de-
stroys human values. When
the Supreme Teacher. who I'M
der the blue sky Of Palestine
spake as never man spake. had
drained his physical and spir-
itual resources. ministering to
the needy multitudes. 1t was
his daily custom to slip away
for hours of quiet recuperation
in the desert places, removed
from the habitation Of men.
The parched and jaded soul
finds restoration in the sane
tuary Of loneliness far from
chrome-plated. neon-l lighted.
teeming meccas with their
raucous sounds.
For soul health the reaches
and ranges Of unpriced wood
land. Of mountain majesties.
and crystal streams purged of
contamination, must be kept
inviolate. guarded by mo thor
oughfare" signs. to be strictly
observed by those who see no
further than joining house to
house and field to field until
there be no quiet sanctuary.
no uninvaded oasis Of solitude.
left in all the earth. 1t is for
the sake Of today and Of to-
morrow that modern prophets
insisting on the sanctity Of
open spaces are saying to those
who for private gain would
blight the land. Thou shalt
not give America away"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17

In a short time now,the Sen
ate will be engaged in one OF
the strangest legislative battles
in the 1863 years Of its exist
ence. In brief, it will be con-
fronted with a presidential
budget for the support OF the
domestic affairs, the defense
of the Nation and the conduct
Of its foreign policies such as
has never before been pre-
sented.
In the first place. 1t is by
far the largest of all peace
time budgets-$72 billion. In
the second place, it is the only
budget in our national history
which the President and his
Secretary Of the Treasury agree
is too big. should be reduced
and invite Congress to find a
way to cut 1t down to avert q
threatened imitation. This, OF
course, is q very unusual re-
quest for an administration to
INDEPENDENTLY an admin
istration whose party does not
control either branch Of Con-
gress. In fact, it is utterly
unique for q President to pre-
sent such q budget without
specifying how and where the
reductions he invites could
and should be made.
without Precedent
In other words. what the
President and his Secretary
Of the Treasury have done in
this matter is without prece-
dent and it has left Congress
more than q little puzzled.
Both Mr.. Eisenhower and Mr..
Humphrey are in favor Of a
balanced budget, Of economy
in governmental expenditures,
Of reducing taxes. Yet, they
have presented q gigantic
budget, they have invited the
Senate to cut 1t but have given
no idea as to how much or
where. It sounds inconsistent
but 1t isn't: it seems as though
there must be q trick in 1t
somewhere-but there isn't.
Neither ex-President Herbert
Hoover nor Senator Harry F.
Byrd, chairman of the Senate
Finance Committee. the two
men who know more about
economy and governmental
waste than anyone else in the
country, have any doubt at all
Of the complete and unquali-
ned good faith and sincerity
of President Eisenhower and
Secretary Humphrey. They all
see eye TO eye on 1nnatlon,
waste, taxes and debt.
Senator Byrd already has
announced his intention Of
leading the fight to reduce
this budget by IS billion, a 1ig-
ure Mr.. Hoover also asserted
some time ago could be
achieved without impairing
any vital function Of the
Government or in any way
lessening the effectiveness Of
our defense. A cut such as
this unquestionably would
strengthen the economy Of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
Airport Site

With so large q part Of the
land area in and adjacent to
Washington covered now by
Federal ownership. and re-
moved from taxation and pri-
vate use. 1t would seem to be
practical and logical that the
eastern portion Of the Agri-
cultural Research Center at
Beltsville be considered as a
location for the needed new
airport. Much Of this land is
unoccupied and covered with
timber.
This site covers $4,000 acres.
owned wholly by the Govern
ment, and much less than half
Of 1t is In use. Apart from two
clusters Of brick buildings that
need not be disturbed. the oc-
cupied part Of the land is
used almost wholly for animal
breeding and care. and exist
ing buildings scattered around
consist Of barns. shelters. sheds.
chicken coops. turkey houses,
pig pens and the like.
The area is practically level.
The driving distance from
Washington. on already ade-
quate and well-paved roads. is
about 80 minutes. Cost Of
building an airport there would
probably be IS to 40 per cent
Of the estimated cost Of the
one at Burke. Va.
The location Is far more
accessible. with q minimum Of
fog prevalence for this area,
without river bridges TO cross.
much less congestion In rush
hours and with adequate Gov
ernment-owned land area for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Givinq America AWAY
BY DR.. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United etatsa Senate

The modern crusade for
conservation is q fight against
selfish interests which II not
curbed win give our national
treasures away. It Is eternally
true that q nations foes are
those Of its own household.
When he was facing those who
were treating parts Of our do
main as II with impunity it
could be given away. Theodore
Roosevelt castigated such ma
RAIDERS with these scornful
words: America is not some
thing to be skinned for two or
three years for the use Of the
present generation, whether it
Is the forest. the water, or the
scenery" In this day OF
greedy commercialism which
so often ignores the Just claims
Of those who from us will in
herit the earth. the paramount
question Is: What is today do
ing TO the land which is the
source Of all essential re-
sources? The emblem Of these
stored riches is not a bottom
less barrel. Some of the vital
ingredients for twentieth CEN
fury living have already been
pilfered and the bottom OF the
barrel is being scraped.
One pertinent consideration
Is: What is the march Of So
called civilization doing to the
soil? Soil erosion is a fright
ening process by which yearly
our land, whose woods and
tempted hills we sing about so
rapturously, Is being robbed
Of irretrievable riches. In the
name Of progress the future is
being literally sold down the
river" AS we watch q muddy
stream after q heavy rain we
are scarcely aware that it is
loaded with topsoil. This is
a substance 50 valuable that
1t takes nature from 300 to
1000 years to bring back q
single inch Of this precious
mantle Of the earth. The ia
miliar yellow In our lordly
streams and little waterways
is the golden deposit Of good
earth taken from the con-
stantly diminishing supply Of
our basic asset. Across the
expanding years grasping
hands have unloosed the
strong cords which hold the
fertile land together, and keep
1t from tumbling seward.
Once the forests insured the
soil - but felled timberland
and exhausted plains denuded
Of supporting grasses were left
deserted as man pushed on
for new conquests OF the ak
or the pillow. That wasteful
technique swept across q de-
veloping continent as westward
the course Of empire took It's
way until now soil erosion is
q national calamity.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
LETTERS TO THE STAR

future expansion Of facilities
II 1t should be desirable.
Present Government own
ership Of all the land removes
diflculty in transferring land
titles and simplifies and speeds
up the whole process Of having
a new airport. The problem is
reduced to virtually elemental
proportions. Observer.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17

According to The Star Of
February 7. the Fairfax
County supervisors have
scheduled a public hearing on
their proposal to double the
county license fee on auto
mobile tags. The business tax
proposal was defeated (al-
though surrounding munich
palities have one). The reason
given by the supervisors, &C
cording to one newspaper, is
that 1t is discriminatory. {"
Where is the discrimination?
Could it be that Fairfax busi-
ness Arms simply don't want
to carry their share Of the
tax load?
So now the supervisors turn
to the individual (he's always
easy to catch). Evidently the
discrimination feature isn't
present here. But let's look
closer. Service people - and
there are thousands Of them
in Fairfax County-don't pay
any county tag fee. In fact,
the tag itself is provided at
no cost. All the other peo-
pie have TO pay for them. Is
this an equitable arrange.
ment? It doesn't seem so.
The supervisors thinking
seems to always follow one
trend-more money. I wonder
II they ever give some thought
to cutting down on expenses,
like. for example trimming
some Of the fat from the as
Economical sch ool budget.
Perhaps the elimination Of
psychiatrists and other frills
might provide the needed re-
venue.
william r. Loveiace.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17

And what shall 1t profit q
nation II it build its planes
and lose its plains-if 1t raises
its skyscrapers and ravishes its
soil? Forests give US q steady
supply Of water. improve the
climate, and help prevent
floods that gully over fields
and wash our precious top
soil away. The alert battalions
Of conservation are our lands
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
THE GAME OF POLITICS
The Strange Bottle Of the Budget
BY FRANK R. KENT

the country. greatly lessen the
infiationary growth and. more
than anything else. warn our
enemies abroad Of our ability
to conquer the domestic peril
which they have been pron1ot.
ing and in the progress OF
which they have re1oiced.
Senator Byrd is not only pop
ular but one Of the ablest and
most respected men in the
Senate. He is in this night as
a matter of principle and not
for political prestige. Never
theless, there are quite q few
of his Democratic colleagues
who will support him for no
higher motive than to be able
to say back in their home
States: "Well, we Democrats,
cut likes budget to keep infla-
ton away" and few would
have much difficulty in nam
ing these Senators right now.
Admittedly Too Big
Normally, the President and
his Secretary Of the Treasury
support their budget with all
their power and resist every
effort Of Congress to reduce 1t.
Normally, the tendency OF
Congress. pressed by a null
titude Of Hobbies especially
by the Federal jobholders'
lobby. the most powerful OF
them alb. is to increase the
budget rather than decrease
1t. This time the budget has
been laid In the lap OF Con-
gress with permission not only
to cut but an invitation to do
50 plus an admission that 1t
is too big. It is all very well
to say that that is the job OF
the President and he has
evaded 1t. 1t is all very well
to say that it isn't fair. But
the simple fact is that the
plan of Mr.. Eisenhower and
Mr.. Humphrey. considering all
the circumstances, is the best
way to get a smaller budget
which they all want. Nor.
so far as can be recalled, has
any Governor thought Of try.
ing it. II this is . trick, we
should have more tricks like
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17

chief defenders. They are the
Paul Reveres. warning of
threatening invasion. For
years the giant reowoods were
being harvested for lumber
given away to feather the
nests Of private concerns, until
Save the Redwoods League"
was organized. Some Of our
established wildernesses and
our national forest preserves.
in spite OF the alarm sounded.
are being shrunk by slow at
triton at the circumference,
and by shrewd camoufiage in
trusion by mining. numbering
or water power interests. A
great present day leader deter
mined to defeat the purposes
of those who do not hesitate
to give America away, declares,
There is just one hope of re-
pulsing the tyrannical ambi-
ton Of civilization to conquer
every niche on the whole
earth. That hope is the or
ganization Of spirited people
who will fight for the freedom
Of the wilderness.
In the ruthless exploitation
OF natures bounty each ounce
OF dross costs its ounce Of gold.
In the human hives called
cities there is the constant
crash of murdered trees. Axes
and bulldozers ravish the ad-
jacent shady countryside as
blueprints are spread over
green fields. Many centuries
ago the Prophet Isaiah warned.
Woe unto those that join
house TO house, that lay field
to field til there be no place
where one may be alone in the
midst Of the earth" That woe
to offenders who steal the land
anA rAh The N,,A,t~A snnAAAs khA
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
CORRECTION

In this column last week it
was stated that the notorious
labor boss. Harry Bridges. is
not q citizen of this country.
This was an error. He became
a citizen in 1855 when the Su-
preme Court. on q seeming
technicality, upset the convic-
ton of a lower Federal court.
which had been sustained by
q Federal Court of Appeals.
The Supreme Court reversal
was by the vote Of four mem
bers. two judges not taking
part. At that time . civil ac-
ton to cancel citizenship was
also pending. After the SUI
preme Court action . district
court threw the civil action
out in 1857. r. K.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
Transit Critic

I see where friend o. Roy
Chalk reports q loss Of $222.-
824. II seems to me that Mr..
Chalk should consolidate his
gains and concentrate on mass
transportation instead Of
spending thousands Of dollars
every week OF d. c. transit
funds to finance new enter
prises like limousines and
sightseeing. where he attempts
to take advantage Of tax ex-
emptions TO run other legiti-
mate operators out Of business.
Mr.. Chalk so far has totally
failed to show evidence Of any
talent in transportation.
The Commissioners and some
red faced Congressman soon
will surely wish they had Wolf
son back unless somebody
cracks down on friend o. Roy
Chalk. z. Landers
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17

even Mr.. Cases constituents, are giving
him you-know-what. One wrote that "fu-
ture voters Of this country are going to
hate you and your party for this"
Mr.. Case has been described as one
Of the most promising of young Republic
cans. He now is bit older, and wiser.
He also knows Gust WHO is Elvis."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
Commentator

I have read with interest
q story by Miriam Gutenberg
in The Sunday Star concern
Ing the falling Of q wall into
q parking lot. This was an
excellent Job OF reporting
and writing.
Leverett Edwards.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
Disaster

The Star reported on q
major marine disaster so years
ago. The story on Febru-
airy 81, 1907. said: "A disas-
trous steamship wreck. at
tended with great loss of life.
occurred at 5 o'clock this morn
ing on the north pier OF the
Hook Of Holland. when the
Great Eastern Railway Com
panys steamer Berlin, bound
from Harwick TO the Hook Of
Holland, was lost. All on
board, 14l persons in all, Of
whom 81 were passengers were
drowned. The wreck occurred
during a terrific southeasterly
gale. The steamer struck the
north jetty while trying TO
enter the new waterway. :"
The Star reported the next
day that 10 Of those aboard
the ship were rescued after be-
Ing found clinsing TO wreckags
the following morning.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
Dirt

The Star, taking q look at
the remains Of a hard winter
so years ago, admonished city
officials to do something about
cleaning up the streets. In an
editorial February 10, 1907.
The Star said: Nov that the
sun has done the work of snow
removal. and brought the as.
phalt once more to view, it is
incumbent upon somebody at
the District Building to get
busy ard sweep the streets.
They are in a deplorable con-
dition. most Of them having
been untouched by the cleaners
for q fortnight. The accumu-
lation Of dirt is in places so
thick that the combination Of
a little trafic and wind suf-
fees to I'LL the air with q chok-
ing dust. It needs no bacteri-
ologist to remind us that this
dust is dangerous. Especially
in the winter is 1t q menace to
health, and the result Of the
dirty streets cannot fail to be
a heavy crop Of ailments of
the respiratory organs. -"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17

The automobile manufac-
turers were boosting their pro-
duction by leaps and bounds
so years ago. On February 10,
1907, The Star reported: "The
remarkable growth in the au-
tomobile industry and the de-
cline Of bicycle production
are strikingly indicated in a
statement issued today by the
Census Bureau on the manu-
facture of automobiles, BIZ
cycles and tricycles for 1905.
The total production Of auto
mobiles in 1905 was 22.S30.
valued at $26, 645. 064, as
against only 3.723 in 1900. with
. value Of $4.74S.0ll, thus
showing an increase in value
OF 461.l per cent. OF the
total number of automobiles
manufactured in automobile
factories, l2.131, or $50 per
cent. were runabouts. and
1920, or 1913 per cent, tour
ing cars. Buckboards stood
third in number, turned out
SIS: stanhopes fourth, with
$40. and delivery wagons fifth,
with oil. :"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17

Blaming the weatherman is
nothing new. Fifty years ago,
when high winds forced post
ponement of q balloon ascen-
sion in Washington, The Star
said, on February az, 1907:
Not having any particular
business on the north coast of
Africa. the aeronauts, who
were to have made an ascen-
sion from the gas works at
Twelfth and M streets South
cast at 10 o'clock this morning,
delayed the trial. It il to
take place at the same time
tomorrow. weather conditions
being favorable. and the
Weather Bureau says they will
be. 1t was understood from
the Weather Bureau that the
conditions would be favorable
this morning. but since Prof.
Willis Moore sustained q frac-
ture OF his arm last week, the
forecasts have not been IS
accurate as was possible. f.. !.
A 2s-knot breeze blew from the
northwest. -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
Mush!

AS a result Of private bet,
Eli Smith, Alaskan mailman,
drove his dog team from Alas
ka to the District so years ago.
On February 20, 1907. The
Star reported: ELI Smith. the
Alaskan mail carrier. and his
dogsled arrived in Washington
today. AS the team Of dogs
trotted into the Enclosure sur
rounding the Executive Man
sion. followed by an aggrega.
ton of men, women and street
urchins that had been attract
ed by the noble looking Male
mutes attached to the Arctic
sled. the Roosevelt lads. Archie
and Quentin. spied the strange
procession and made a beelint
to meet Eli and his team.
Leaving his team in front Of
the main portico, Mr.. Smith.
after giving Quentin q eide.
proceeded to the ONCE building
and there awaited his turn
to see the President. Later,
Smith drove his team through
the southern part of the White
House grounds. where the Pres
ident. Mrs. Roosevelt and the
children were given an OPP
portunity to see some team
work by the Eskimo dogs. :"
Friendly
Russia was extending the
hand Of friendship SO years
ago. On February 3. 1907. The
Star reported. in q story from
Paris: Visitors who have re-
turned from st. Petersburg
say the Car seems to be happy
and the people comfortable,
One acute observer says
that there are indications
everywhere that the Russians
are getting ready to fight
Japan again. All preparations
OF the army and navy de-
partments and the railroad
administration are bent tc
that end. The Russians
have also lost any feeling they
may have had against the
United States on account oil
the treaty Of Portsmouth. Since
the appearance OF the Japan
American disc ssion over the
California question with what
Russians believe q likelihood
that America will be forced 10
night Japan has come back al
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-17
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN THE STAR

the traditional liking for and
kindness toward Americans
and great warmth Of friend
ship for America is developing
everywhere. -"