davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Neutrality Claim

After two weeks Of steady re-
placement of neutral or pro-
Western officials in military and
civil posts by pro-Soviet leaders.
Syria on Thursday and Friday
was protesting vigorously. that the
national upheaval did not mean a
change in the official Damascus
policy Of independent neutrality
as between East and Vest
President Shukri al-Kuwatly,
in Cairo ostensibly for reasons Of
health, insisted that the political
changes in his country did not
mean identification Of Syria with
the Soviet bloc In Damascus,
Defense Minister Khaled el-Azem,
just returned from an aid-solicit-
ing tour Of the Soviet Union and
Czechoslovakia. denied Mr.. Eisen-
hower's charge that Syria was
embracing Soviet ties. And a
Syrian Foreign ONCE official, DR..
Selah el-Tarazi, called the Presi-
dents statement mot true at ALL"
But Mr.. el-Azem and DR.. ell
Tarazi criticized American policy
in the Middle East as imperialist
and aggressive. Mr.. el-Azem de-
clared American policy to be based
on an effort Ito replace British
and French influence in the Mid
die East with its own and to guar.
antee for the interests Of oil COM
panies and other monopolies a
worldwide field for their activi-
ties"
Both officials were emphatic in
describing Soviet policies toward
the Middle East as good. and
American policies as bad. Moscow
desired only. said Mr.. el-Azem, to
see the Arab world entirely inde-
pendent and free from any infiu-
ence. either from the West or from
the Soviet Union
Moscow Radio adopted an atti-
tude Of outraged innocence at the
Western fears that Syria was
about to fall-with hefty Mos
COW push--into the Soviet camp.
Events in Damascus. said the
Soviet radio, were spanked by the
need to defend Syrian freedom
and independence from aggressive
Western designs, and particularly
from "a campaign Of rancor and
anger in certain Near EasC coun-
tries which dance to the tune of
the West. OF such countries, Jor-
dan and Israel show the greatest
zeal" The Soviet commentator
went on to hint broadly that Jor-
dan was permitting American
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
REVIEW OF THE WEEK
Syria: Sharp Left

Several years ago. intelligence
reports from the Arab republic of
Syria began informing the State
Department that little groups Of
Russian technicians were arriv-
ing in Damascus. From that
ancient and beautiful capital they
were disappearing into the hinter-
land. and almost at the same time
certain areas Of Syria were being
declared closed to all travel by
foreigners.
Since then the reports have
multiplied. and have been to a
large extent confirmed. Officially.
the Damascus government has
said only that limited" numbers
Of Soviet technicians have been
brought to Syria to give neces-
sary instruction in the use and
maintenance Of Russian and
Czech arms and military equip
ment. But the steadily increasing
numbers of Soviet visitors, and
their subsequent deployment, has
been a source Of growing concern
to the United States and to Syria's
immediate neighbors. Turkey,
Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.
Last week. in the wake of
seemingly abrupt Syrian lurch in
the direction of Soviet oriental
ton. President Eisenhower at his
Wednesday press conference said
fatty that it was 1.-The ultimate
aim" of the Soviet Union to con-
troll Syria. But developments at
present. the President observed,
did not yet require application
Of the Eisenhower doctrine-use
of the United States armed forces
to forestall aggression from inter-
national communism - to the
Syrian situation.
Sources high in the State De-
partment let the impression go
unchallenged that American pol
icymakers. while diSmayed by the
rapidity Of the gains made during
the past two weeks by the pro-
Red elements in Syria, were still
confident that enough factors ex-
listed inside the Middle Eastern
nation and among her uneasy
Arab neighbors to insure the ulti-
mate failure Of the Soviet gambit,
at least to forestall any open
satellite" status for Syria. tSee
story by Ned Martin on page A-230
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25

the books of his Midwestern
Transfers Conference. And 1t will
seek a way to make the labor
boss more responsive to its ques-
tions. Whether the committee will
recall Mr.. Hoffa before the
teamsters vote in September prob
ably will depend on the results
of the above efforts.
Meanwhile. another Teamster
vice president was in worse trou.
BILE. Frank w. Brewster, Western
leader of the union, was given a
year in Jail and fine of $1,000.
the maximum sentence, for con-
tempt of Congress. Last January,
he refused to produce records and
answer questions put to him by
the Senate Permanent Subcom-
mittee on Investigations.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Arms Talks:
Tired Hopes

Since a United Nations subcom-
mittee began last March Is in
London to search for q disarma-
ment program-or the small be-
ginnings of one-that would be
palatable to both the United
States and Russia the world has
experienced a series of bursts of
hope and Of despair.
There were weeks when it APP
peared that just one last ingenious
twist would be needed to bring the
proposals Of the two great powers
into alignment. And it seemed at
times that leaders on both sides
had decided that now indeed was
the time to take that long-sought
first STEP" But each hope thus
raised was dashed by some irate
denunciation or angry withdrawal
that made the whole conference
seem nothing but a tantalizing
fantasy.
Last week not even a new con-
cession by the United States could
revive those tired hopes again,
and there were definite signs that
adjournment Of the London meet
ing would be early and incon-
elusive.
The week passed as many
others had. The West (the United
States, Britain. France and Can
ada was contending that every
single Western proposal had been
either rejected or thrust aside by
the Soviet Union. 1t was sub
stantially correct. On the other
hand. the Soviet delegate was
contending that every single So
Wet proposal had been either re-
jected or thrust aside by the West.
That was also substantially COR
rect. Both sides added that the
other side had made no proposals
except those known in advance to
be wholly unacceptable. There
also appeared to be a great deal
Of truth in that.
The United States finally COM
pleted the piecemeal presentation
Of its proposals by extending from
10 months to two years the period
in which we were willing to sus-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25

To many Americans, including
both Eisenhower moderates and
flaming liberals, the S5th has been
q do little Congress. But late
last week it was ready to take a
prominent niche in history by
single major action: 1t had cleared
the way for passage of the first
civil rights bill since the Re-
construction days following the
Civil War.
Meeting together in the high
ceilinged Office Of Speaker Ray
burn, the top leaders of Congress
Senate Majority and Minority
Leaders johnson and Knowland,
Mr.. Rayburn and House @. o. P.
Leader Martin-on Friday after
noon announced a compromise
between the Senate and House
versions Of the civil rights bill.
They freely predicted it would
pass this week and allow Con-
gress to adjourn by Saturday.
Each Of the leaders expressed
pretty much the same opinion Of
the compromise bill. albeit for diff
ferent reasons, namely that it is
not exactly what they wanted but
it was the best that could be gotten
under the circumstances.
Senator Knowland and Mr..
Martin said they had every
reason" to believe President Essen
hover would sign ii. Earlier this
month the President told a news
conference that the Senate'S jury
trial amendment had made the
bill largely ineffective" but last
week he indicated he would ac-
cept modification along the lines
Of the one contained in the COM
promise.
The agreement reached by the
congressional leaders, after more
than two weeks Of Republican
efforts to get q stronger Hill in
the face Of unyielding resistance
by the Democratic leadership,
retained the jury trial principle
voted by the Senate but re-
stricted its use.
One other important change in
the Senate-pasSed measure had
been agreed upon earlier and it
was Incorporated in the compro-
mise: The jury trial provision
is to apply only to voting right
cases and not. as the upper
chamber voted, to cases Of GRIM
tnal contempt arising out of all
Federal law.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Asi0tic Flu
Draws Closer

A Nation already worried about
the predicted onslaught Of an cpl
demic of Asiatic flu this fall and
winter late last week received
another indication Of the serious
ness of the disease against which
Americans have not yet developed
an immunity.
Eleven new cases of the sus-
pected flu turned up on the U.S.S.
Huntington. Navy destroyer, in
Norfolk, Va. This pushed the to-
tai number of cases aboard to l08.
The Huntington has a crew Of
218. The captain Of the ship said
that there apparently was no sign
of a let-up in the spread of the
disease, which struck down the
first victim on the HUNTINGTON four
weeks ago. despite doubled pre-
cautions.
Earlier in the week, Congress
voted a special appropriation Of
100000 to the Public Health
Service to aid its efforts to meet
the epidemic threat. And it agreed
to authorize an additional 50 mil
lion from disaster relief funds II
the incidence of the disease should
reach the proportions Of a ma
tional health emergency.
Surgeon General Burney, about
10 days ago, reported that there
have been between 10000 to q, 900
cases Of Asiatic flu already re-
ported in the United States. He
warned that when the epidemic
hits full force later in the year
the number Of roses might reach
as high as 26 million.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Questionable Record
The above accusations were .

The above accusations were part
Of a 48 point criticism Of Mr..
Hoffa for conflicts Of interest
and questionable actions" which
Senator Mcclellan read into the
record.
The chairman also cited five
Irregularities in the handling of
union funds, ii conflicts Of inter-
est in business transactions. three
such conflicts in stock. Is in
stances of questionable treatment
of union members and the ex-
penditure of more than $4,000 in
union funds in connection with
the expenses Of persons attending
Hoffa's recent bribery trial here.
The committee is clearly not
done with Mr.. Hoffa. For one
thing it is planning to scrutinize
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Foreign Aid:
Certain Cut

President Eisenhower has been
a Chief Executive loath to apply
pressure on Congress, even for
administration projects he scon-
sidered absolutely essential. But
Mr.. Eisenhower has to a great
extent departed from his usual
habits in the matter of foreign
aid. Last week he again called on
Congress to appropriate the full
amount authorized in the Mutual
Security Act, for 1857. approved
earlier this month.
The House has slashed the
$3.367 100000 figure authorized by
a whopping $809. $4,000. a major
defeat for the President. The
appropriation bill is now before
the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee. where indications are that
a stable portion of the House cut
will be restored. But there is al
most no chance that the full
figure demanded by the White
House will be approved. The out
look Yesterday was for something
between SIS and So billion.
On Monday, the Senate group
heard Secretary of State Dulles.
Admiral Arthur Radford, former
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff: Gen. Nathan F. Twining.
present chairman, and John B.
HOLSTER, outgoing head of the In
ternational Cooperation Admins
tration which administers the Ma
tons foreign aid programs. All
strongly urged the restoration of
the funds cuts. Mr.. Dulles in par
ticular warning of grave conse-
quences to American foreign policy
If the slash stands.
Work win resume tomorrow on
the foreign aid money bill, with
prospects good that the measure
will go to the Senate floor by
Wednesday for action.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Thecongress:
Disappointed

- ON tremendously disop-
pointed lhot 50 mony Of these bills hove
NOT been acted on, and in some eoses
mot even have held hearings. ). They
apply to everything from the eounty's
finonees, the welfare Of our people,
mutual old, right down the line"
This was President Eisenhowers
reply when he was asked at his
news conference last week what
he thought about the treatment
of his legislative program by
Congress. The President did not
single out the Democrats. who
control Congress. for blame. IN
stead he said that members Of
both parties who voted against
the measures the administration
advocates were responsible.
AS Congress moves into what
is likely to be its last week does
the record subStantiate Mr.. Eisen-
hower'S disappointment?
His major defeat to date has
been the failure Of Congress to
pass school construction bill.
Another setback, the size Of
which is yet to be determined, is
due on the foreign aid appropria-
ton.
The matter of civil rights is
discussed above.
On the other hand. the legisla-
tive branch gave Mr.. Eisenhower
what he wanted in a string Of
important areas: 1t approved Is
out of is treaties. including the
Eisenhower Middle East Doctrine
and United States membership in
the International Atomic Energy
agency; it passed administration
requests on Federal housing: it
extended the life Of the Small
Business Administration and the
drought aid program: it appropri-
ated 81 billion to cover losses in
the sale Of surplus farm COM
modities overseas. and 1t passed
the Niagara Power project for
New York.
Putting the record Of Congress
on a statistical basis. Congress
sional Quarterly finds: OF EOS
measures sent by the administra-
ton to Capitol Hill this year, only
81 have been adopted-just under
80 per cent. -Four other bills are
in Joint Senate-House conference
and an additional IL have passed
one chamber or the other. This
means there is a fighting chance
for an additional 8 per cent. About
A per cent Of the remaining pro-
poSals have no chance whatsoever
in this session. and 10 per cent
have virtually no chance.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
THE NATIONAL SCENE
A Place in History

Mcclellan, the picture which had
emerged of the stocky unionist
was not a pretty one. But most
observers felt that he need have
no serious concern at this time
over the one thing of transcendant
Importance to him-his future in
labor. He seems almost certain to
be named president Of the Interna-
tional Transfers Union to succeed
the discredited Dave Beck when
the 1.5-million-man organization
holds its convention in Miami
Beach late next month.
Although the committee pro-
duced evidence which might lead
the average citizen to believe that
the Teamster membership could
find a more worthy person upon
which to beStow the mantle of
leadership. Mr.. Hoffa has had the
election machinery so well creased
that it was evident even before
he took the stand that only some
thing damaging enough to land
him in court could conceivably
keep him from the big prize he
has within his grasp.
In his marathon Of testimony.
Mr.. Hoffa did not resort to the
Fifth Amendment but he did fire.
quently plead a bad memory.
Il Just don't recall" he would
say time after time. Or he would
preface a statement with. ITO the
best of my recollection" Finally,
Senator Mcclellan recessed the
hearings with this bitter observa-
ton:
For reasons apparent to every
one who has followed these hear
ings, we have reached a point
where it seems to be useless and a
waste of the committees time to
pursue the matter further. The
,,,Sk...-z hoe 80 v.aaS1a0rxy -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
The Mechanics

The mechanics Of getting the bill
approved by Congress are these:
A majority of the House Rules
Committee will vote, according to
the agreed-upon strategy. to bring
out the Senate version Of the civil
rights bill with the new amend
ments. The committee. which con-
trolls the flow of legislation to the
floor, will issue legislative order
and recommend House concur
renee.
A single vote on the floor is
believed all that win be necessary
to send it to the Senate for a final
vote there. The measure then
would go to the White House.
The House Democratic leader
ship had been trying for two weeks
to get the bill out of the Rules
Committee. which is headed by
a Southern conservative, Repre-
sentative Smith, Democrat Of
Virginia. But while six of the eight
Democratic members Of the Com
mittee favored such an action.
Mr.. Smith and Representative
Colmer. Democrat Of Mississippi.
opposed it. They were Joined by
the four Republicans, who didn't
want the measure reported out for
an opposite reason-they we're at
tempting to make 1t stronger.
Most Southern Democrats in
both Houses are expected to vote
against the compromise bill. but
from all available indications there
is no danger of a f1libuster. 1t may
be that they believe this moderate
bill, If defeated now, could turn
UP as a much stronger one next
year-one harder to stop If the
pressure for such legislation keeps
rising. The Dixie legislators, in
fact, have accomplished their aim,
which was first to delay civil
rights legislation, then attempt to
defeat it and, II unsuccessful, A.
nally to weaken 1t.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Some Disclosures

1t had been apparent for weeks
from statements by Senator Nc
Clellan and Chief Counsel Robert
F. Kennedy that Mr.. Hoffa was
the committees principal target
after Mr.. Beck's fate had been
settled. While the committee failed
in its knockout bid this time CMr.
Hoffa is under subpoena and will
be recalled at a later date), it
disclosed these facts about the
Teamster leader:
. That Mr.. Hoffa consorted with
hoodlums and thugs in his cam
paign to extend his power in
Teamster ranks. The committee
played wiretap recordings Of sew
eral telephone conversations be-
tween Mr.. Hoffa and Johnny Dio.
a New York extortionist and labor
racketeer now in prison. showing
that they were on a Johnny" and
Jimmy" basis and indicating that
Mr.. Hoffa sought to bring Dio and
his UAW-AFL local into the
Transfers Union. Another re-
cording disclosed that Dio was try
ing to dig UP derogatory informa-
ton on Thomas Hickey. a Team
ster vice president and a foe Of
Mr.. Hoffa, and that the racketeer
organized strikes to show that he,
and not Mr.. Hickey. had control
over the taxi drivers in New York.
. That Mr.. Hoffa was the origi-
fuator Of the idea of setting up
"phony paper locals" in New York
in an effort to grab control Of the
metropolitan area Teamster Or
ganization through the election Of
his henchman. John ]. O'Rourke.
Dio was named as the man who
helped set up these locals-unions
with officers. but no rank and file
membership.
. That Mr.. Hoffa's wife and the
wife of a Teamster associate in
Detroit reaped a profit Of $125. 900
on a company in which they in
vested $4,000 under their maiden
names. The company leased equip
ment to a trucking firm which had
a contract with the Transfers.
. That Mr.. Hoffa borrowed about
100000 for investments between
1852 and 1856 from union officials.
friends in the real estate business,
from the treasury of his own local
in Detroit and from employers who
have contracts with the Transfers.
He said that all the loans we're
interest free.
. That the Transfers presi-
Dental candidate has a record of
II arrests and three convictions.
Mr.. Hoffa said these brushes with
the law grew out Of his union
activities since 1884.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25

military bases on her national
territory. while. of course, Syria
was definitely not allowing Soviet
bases on her soil.
The new pro-Soviet and pro-
Nasser Syrian Army chief of staff,
Mai. Gen. Aft Bizri. declared that
he had been marked for death in a
United States-Sponsored plot to
overthrow Syria's government. He
said assassins-"gangsters made in
America"-were under orders to
kill 1t. Col. Abdel Hamid Ser
raj, army intelligence chief known
as "Syria's Nasser": Brig. Gen.
Amin Nufouri. deputy chief of
staff, and himself. But Syria told
the United Nations she would not
ask U. N. action on the United
States conspiracy to overthrow
the government"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Washington Reacts

In Washington. State Depart
ment officials spurned the Syrian
charges, which began with the
ousting of three United States
Embassy officials as architects
of a conspiracy. Lincoln White.
department press officer. OBJ
served there seems to be a great
deal of this script. Supplements
keep coming out" But American
policymakers were plainly taking
the matter very seriously
despite their categorical charac-
terization of the Damascus con-
spiracy" charges as absurd.
Secretary Of State Dulles. back
at his desk after a Today va
cation at his Duck Island retreat.
was in close touch with American
diplomatic officials in the Middle
East and with the ENJOYS of
Arab states in Washington. United
States Ambassadors in Middle
East capitals had been instructed
to share views" continually. In
London. Prime Minister Harold
Macmillan conferred with cabi-
net officers and with American
officials. But sources close to
Whitehall said there was no in
dication at present that any open
intervention was planned.
AS the week ended, there were
increasing indications that the
nations of the Middle East were
far from happy at the prospect Of
an outpost of the Soviet Union in
their midst. Significantly. the
degree of concern was not de-
termined by the political orien-
tation of the Arab nations. for
nationalistic anti-WeStern Egypt
appeared TO be as disturbed as
Iraq. a signatory to the West
sponsored Baehdad Pact. or
Jordan, the Hashemite kingdom
whose monarch, Hussein. re-
Gently forestalled a military
coup aimed at his overthrow.
Col. Nasser. reported to be gen.
timely disturbed by developments
in Damascus. continued to insist
that nothing in the situation had
changed the joint Egyptian-Syrian
policy of positive neutrality"
But Iraq's King Feisal in Istan-
bull on a visit, conferred with
Turkish Premier Adnan Menderes
at length on two occasions. avow-
eddy on the Syrian situation.
Later. while United States Am
bassador Fletcher Warren talked
with Mr.. Menderes. King Hussein
landed in a chartered plane at
Istanbul's airport. Hussein was
there only to visit his mentally i'll
father, former King Talal, his
aides declared. But the coincidence
Of timing led not unnaturally TO
diplomatic speculation.
There was no coincidence in
another diplomatic visitors arrival
in Turkey. The State Depart
ment's leading expert on the Mid
die East and a troubleshooter Of
impressive experience. 10y Hen
derson, is due in the Turkish
capital today. He left Washington
quietly on Thursday, and the State
Department waited until late Fri
day to announce his mission. De-
tails Of his itinerary were not dis
closed, but Mr.. Henderson will
confer in Turkey with Premier
Menderes and Kings Hussein and
Feisal. He is expected also to visit
Cairo for talks with President
Nasser.
What many observers saw shap-
ing up was a Middle East move,
shared by every nation involved,
TO keep Syria out of the Soviet
camp and in the facade of Arab
unity Such a trend could be as
sumed almost without question to