davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1957-08-28
Asian Flu Invasion

President EiSenhower'S medical adj
visers have acted properly in insisting
that he be inoculated against Asian
''flu." The President of the United
States should have been injected with
the preventive vaccine as soon as 1t
became available. 1t is regrettahie that
any question as to priorities in the use
of this vaccine should have been raised
in the Presidents case. The health Of
the President is a matter of national
concern and, as such, it should be above
the level of party politics.
Surgeon General Leroy Burney rec
commended immediate incubation of Mr..
Eisenhower when 1t was learned that
he had been exposed to two cases Of
fiulike infection last week. The vaccine
lust administered will not ward off an
attack from either of these two sources,
however. It requires about 10 to IA days
for the body to build up an immunity
to the disease. But, with the Asian f1u
bug already at large in this country
(there are about $4,000 known cases so
far), it would be subjecting the Presi-
dent to a needless risk to await general
availability OF the vaccine.
DR.. Burney, in an interview in the
current issue of U. S. News and World
Report, makes 1t clear that unless Amer
lea takes preventive measures on large
scale, the Nation may be hard hit by
the influenza germ invasion this fall
and winter. The Public Health Service
expects from Is to "a million men,
women and children to be incapacitated
for short periods by the disease, which,
happily, is milder than the 1918 type
which caused so many deaths. If
washington is attacked broadside as
doctors fear it will be thousands Of
persons will be laid up with fever, head
ache and aching muscles for four or
ive days. 1t will take the disease about
six weeks to run its course through the
community.
The vaccine now being rushed into
production by various laboratories will
be about 70 per cent effective, DR.. Bur-
ney said. The supply will be limited
before midwinter, unfortunately, and
the disease may arrive here before that.
So Washington is likely to experience
the debilitating effects of another flu
epidemic before too long. There is no
point in getting hysterical about it,
however-especially since all the au-
thorities agree that the current on
slaught will be fatal in relatively few
cases.
Evening star., 1957-08-28

ing sentence at hard labor and the
day of delivery is awaited impatiently.
It can be followed, however, by
something neither so simple nor SO
predictable- worse. These are the
years when the once small members
suddenly realize that the elders are
totally lacking in understanding of life.
It is most apparent at vacation time.
Mornings, for example, were invented
only for the purpose of sleeping. Break
fast never is eaten until noon. Lunch
is served strictly out of the icebox. The
supper hour is an interference. But the
appetite all day is uncomfortable. AS for
activities, the schedule could not be
more obscure If it were conceived behind
the Iron Curtain. An older voice inquir-
ing Where are you going?" receives the
reply, "Out." Some hours later, the
routine is changed to Where have you
been?" and the answer is Nowhere" A
lengthy conversation by telephone, with
the junior member only next door, may
prompt the query, who was that?",
answered by Nobody" And what did
he (or she) want?" The explanation, of
course, is Nothing"
Children sure are fun-of course
they are!
Evening star., 1957-08-28
KuwotIy Goes Home

President Kuwatly'S return to syria
appears to answer some OF the questions
raised on his departure for Egypt 10
days ago. But 1t also leaves wide area
for speculation on what is to happen
next in the Middle East. One answer is
that at least the facade Of civil political
administration is to continue in Damas-
Gus, rather than a complete takeover by
a left-wing military dictatorship as orig
inally feared. Another is that, despite
his repeated references to imperialist
plots by "the West and America" Mr..
Kuwatly remains more likely to exercise
a moderating influence than to throw
in completely with the pro-Soviet views
expressed by some of the high-riding
military spokeSmen. In this connection,
it was noticeable that Mr.. Kuwatly's lat
est statements continued to emphasize
positive neutralism" in the East-West
conflict and to carry the familiar theme
of the extreme Arab nationalist rather
than that of a compliant friend of COM
munism. 1t may be true, Of course, that
these are distinctions only in words but
their repetition after consultation with
President NaSser in Egypt indicates a
Joint opinion that the march leftward
has gone far enough.
II this should be the case, there are
grounds for believing that the obvious
anti-Communist and anti-Soviet atti-
tude of other Middle East states may
still be an effective restraining influence
on both Syria and Egypt To both, Arab
unity is an avowed objective but one
not likely OF attainment under Russian
sponsorship. Fear Of Russian aspirations
in the Middle East has existed in Arab
countries far longer than any other sin
gle antiforeign feeling-including that
directed at various times against Brit
ain, France and now to some extent the
United States. Nor has this fear been
eliminated from the area as a whole by
postwar developments. Thus, there is
doubt that either Syria or Egypt would
want to risk encouraging a solid front
Of antagonism or disapproval on the
part of its neighbors.
The prospects of such front, incl
dentally, appear improved as result OF
consultations held in the area in recent
days by 10y Henderson, Deputy Under
secretary Of State, and the heads Of
otheS Middle East states. =
Evening star., 1957-08-28
Family Life

There is time in family life when
the needs and activities of the smaller
members of the clan are both simple
and predictable. They get up early and
they need to have somebody older find
their clothes, probably help them into
them and then provide breakfast. The
breakfast menu varies in direct propor-
tion to the number of small members
since no two ever want the same kind
Of juice, the same kind Of cereal, or eggs
that look alike. Then they need to be
entertained-or their predictable activ-
tiles end up more disaStrouSly than the
relatively simple chore of presiding over
the morning fun. The pattern goes on
more or less in this fashion through the
day until these same small ones need to
be helped out of their clothes, dumped
into tub and finally packed away Zone
hopes) for the night. For number Of
yearsIthis seems to the elders like serv-
Evening star., 1957-08-28

does in income, economic and
educational attainments.
There is even room for i'm
provement. however. in North
ern Virginia.
! believe that as more Vir-
ginians have access to an
adequate. standard American
education. the States regis
tration and voter turnout will
increase accordingly. This is
true, / believe. particularly in
the case Of the Negro citizen
Of Virginia. Federal aid to
education would have aided
the obtainment Of and an ac-
cess to a standard American
education" for all Virginians.
rich and poor, black and
white. The Supreme Court
decisions propose a stand
ard American education" for
all, including Virginians Of
all races. colors and creeds.
Virginia leaders are opposed
to both Of the above. Why?
Could it be that they will
bring more. intelligent t
voters?
L. S. Brown
Evening star., 1957-08-28
Retiree's Complaint

I see in The Star that the
House members are not too
tired and unnerved" (as Sam
Rayburn said) from so much
important legislation to for
get their own pocketbooks.
Wouldn't 1t be just too bad
If our poor" legislators would
have to pay for a few stamps
out Of their own pockets? The
terrible plight of the poor
fellows on the Hill brings
tears to my eyes.
1t is inconceivable that
people who have the privi-
lege Of voting themselves a
beautiful increase in salary
any time they wish would be
so economy-minded when it
comes to giving others even
a very small raise in salary
to help them have a mere
existence. Did Congressmen
who opposed bringing up the
bill TO increase annuities of
the retirees object so stren-
uouSly to the bill which
doubled their salaries? How
can they go back home and
face their constituents, many
of whom / am sure are re-
tired people who are strug-
Cling desperately to exist on
their pensions? Everyone
knows that this group Of
people are suffering more
than any other during these
times of imitation.
Mr.. Eisenhower says a raise
In annuitieS is not justified"
at this time. Just when does
he think that one would be
justifled-next year, election
year? How anyone can play
politics with human misery,
and be able to sleep at night,
is more than / can UNDER
stand.
Angry Taxpayer.
Evening star., 1957-08-28
WSTAS IN SCIENCE
Grim Warming on Atomic Radiation
BY THOMAS R. HENRY

The normal life span Of
man-set at 3 score and 10
in the Bible-eventually may
be reduced to / score and 10
by atomic radiation.
This is the grim warning
sounded at a recent London
symposium on the dangers
from this radiation by DR..
L. H. Penrose. member of
the British Medical Research
Council. Recent develop
ments, he pointed out. as
reported by Nature, official
organ Of the British Asso-
citation for the Advancement
of Science, indicate this as
a possible end result of the
maximum safe allowance"
agreed upon both by the
National Research Council
in the United States and
the British association. This
is three roentgens a week
the roentgen being the ordi-
nary unit in which radiation
is measured. The allowance
is about $50 times the
natural background radiation
from cosmic rays and radio
active elements in the earth's
surface to which everybody
is subjected and to which
the human race has become
conditioned for the past
million years.
Hastens Aging
At the time both American
and British reports were is
sued a year ago there was a
hidden danger which was not
taken into consideration.
Radiation hastens aging and
shortens life. This first was
brought out, it was pointed
out at the symposium, in
American statistics on the
life span of radiologists-
physicians engaged in X-ray
treatments - compared to
that Of physicians in gen.
eral. The radiologists. it was
shown, had five years less life
expectancy. They died Of
every sort Of malady, like the
population in general. The
causes of death were not re-
lated directly to radiation.
The doctors simply grew
older faster, supposedly from
all the factors which con-
tribute to growing old.
This same aging phenom-
enon, it was pointed out at
the London symposium, has
later been shown in expert
ments with animals. There
is as yet no adequate ex-
PLANTATION.
The Biblical three score
Evening star., 1957-08-28
Virginia Voting

Your August 5 editorial.
Virginia Voting" besides be-
ing amusingly biased, left
unanswered the very signifi-
cant question you pro-
pounded.
In your comments relative
to the remarks Of the Execu-
tive Secretary of the Virginia
State Conference Of NAACP
Branches. w. Lester Banks.
who had been complimentary
Of comparatively free-from-
obstacles Negro voting and
registering in the Old Do
minion. you asked: why is
it. then. that there are not
more Negro voters?"
You continued: THE poll
tax can hardly be saddled
with all the blame since
$4,000 Negroes have paid
their poll taxes. but $4,000 Of
them have not taken the
trouble to regiSter"-mean-
ing, of course, that $4,000
Virginia citizens Of color
have taken the trouble"
thus far to become qualified
voters.
Further. you cite statistics
Of $4,000 white poll tax
payers, and add that there
are $4,000 non-registered
white poll tax payers in Vir-
ginia. You say: Presumably
they just don't care very
much about voting"
AS a Virginian. / disagree
and say that this is not
wholly the answer to your
question. do agree that the
poll tax in Virginia can no
longer be blamed for the low
registering of voters, rs well
as the terribly low participa-
ton in all elections in the
Old Dominion. l think that
all enlightened, modern
thinking people Of the Old
Dominion similarly share this
view that the poll tax is no
longer a significant deter
rent to voter participation in
Virginia. Then what Is the
answer to the very signif1-
cant question you pro-
pounded?
/ would say that the an
swer to the whole problem is
Virginia education, an ade-
uuate education-both formal
and civic-wise. Participation
in registering and voting ir
Virginia is symptomatic OF
educational standards and
attainments in most areas Of
the Old Dominion. The high
er standards and attainments
in education are found in the
urban areas. particularly in
the Northern Virginia end Of
the state.
Northern Virginia, along
with the larger cities and
communities. leads in the
number Of poll tax payers,
registered voters. and voter
participation. The Northern
end Of the Old Dominion
alone leads the entire state in
poll tax payments. registra-
tions. and vote turnkuts, as 1t
Evening star., 1957-08-28
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

There are many aspects of
the life of common pigeons
which intrigue the honest
locker. One of them revolves
around the problem Of rec
ognition.
A person who brings them
food every day at a given
time hopes that it is ones
self they recognize, but is
this so?
At Chevy Chase bus termi-
nal, a man brings a bag of
mixed seed. grain and bread
to about 70 pigeons.
These birds have come to
expect the bus, or him. or
the food-which?
We asked the man the
other day. and he said it is
the bus they know.
He says this is proved by
the fact that the birds begin
to leave the terminal roof
the moment the bus circles
for a landing.
They fly directly over the We
hicle before the man emerges.
If it is not the vehicle, he
says. then it must be the bag
of food. because when he
holds this behind him, they
do not register the same
interest in him.
In fact. if they do not see
the bag. they do not seem to
feel that they are going to
be fed, and he can make his
transfer without one Of the
birds even looking at him.
4 \ 4 X
While most of Washing
tons pigeons are gray or
blue-gray. there are different
colored ones, including some
beautiful browns and tans.
with darker mixtures, and
always the all-white birds.
One of the latter, called
Old Whitev. was inadvert.
emily lured beneath a bus
wheel to his doom by a
thoughtless gesture of a
friend.
This person was eating
peanuts, and had a few left
when he boarded the bus.
Hastily he scattered the
food, and most of it went
beneath the wheel, so Whitley
went beneath it, too. and was
crushed by the sudden start
ing Of the vehicle.
This was a warning that
persons feeding pigeons
should make sure that the
food they dispense be put in
the proper place for the birds
safety.
This will mean that grains,
in particular. which will roll,
should be sprinkled carefully
on sidewalks, so that none
will fall into the gutter.
The best place to feed
these interesting birds is in
the many small parks.
That Washingtonians, by
and large. realize this, may
be seen every day at noon
time,
Evening star., 1957-08-28
Diet and Smoking

I read with interest IN
The Star Of August II an
article by Dorothy Thomp-
son entitled. Soaring One
self Into the Grave"
/ noted that she put smok-
ing in the same class with
health and diet. Smoking will
ruin your health and diet.
You do not have to worry
over smoking for 1t will con-
dition your body so disease
can hit you harder and
sooner. Very few people live
to be old that drink and
smoke compared TO those who
do not.
Raney COppadgs.
Evening star., 1957-08-28
Seeks an Armistice

I have lived in the south
ern part of the United States
for many years Of my life.
which isn't very long because
I am only II. All the time !
have lived here I have no
ticed something that disturbs
me very much. 1t is all about
the Civil War.
The citizens Of Virginia say
that they live in the South,
that they are Southerners. I
thought that they were sup
posed to be Americans. Do
the people who live in the
southern part Of England
call themselves Southerners?
Why then should the people
who live in the southern part
Of the United States call
themselves such?
It is because they are still
trying to fight the Civil War.
In school you are taught
more about the Southern
side Of the Civil War than
you are about the Northern
side. In many cases. the
South is still bittar toward
the other people Of the
United States.
There have been many in
stances where this has been
shown. One is in the town Of
Fairfax, Va, where ! live. It
is a very nice town and I like
the people who live here ex-
cept for one thing: they are
Civil War crazy. There was
one man named Mosby who
was just a Southern raider.
He used to make raids on the
North and take their food
supplies and such. Well. here
in Fairfax, the people cele-
brate Mosby Week each year.
They have added the rank of
general to his name SO that
he would sound more digni-
fed. The main reason this
week is celebrated in Fairfax
is because Mosby raided a
Northern generals army here
and also aroused him from
his couch in the rectory at
Truro Church. Because Of
this, he is famous in the eyes
Of the people in the South.
This just goes to show that
they are still bitter.
I believe that the people
who are doing this should
realize that they are wrong.
and they should try TO
change into Americans and
not Southerners.
Kaye Tee.
Evening star., 1957-08-28

and 10-that is, 10 years
doubtless was far too high
for the average Of the popu-
lation in Biblical days. Forty
years would have been closer
to actuality. During the past
half century, however, the
average for the American
population has been about
doubled with the conquest
Of childhood diseases and
the various antibiotics for
such killers as pneumonia.
There have been highly OPP
timistic predictions of the
possible average life span,
running as high as 200 years.
These have postulated, Of
course, eventual medical con-
quest of all diseases so that
humans would die only Of
the vague category, "old
age"
IrOnic Conclusion
But" says the British re-
port, "the grim implication
of this sort of speculation
becomes apparent when ap-
piled to the present maxi
mum permissible dose which
would reduce the life span
to 80 years from the time
exposure began.
Thus everything gained by
all the medical research Of
a century would be lost.
What can be done about
it? The British specialists
came to the ironic conclu-
sion, as reported in Nature:
"One should stay indoors to
be shielded from cosmic rays,
stop drinking milk to limit
the intake of ceSium 1877
(probably the most danger
GUS radioactive substance
produced in experimental
bomb explosions) and keep
away from doctors to avoid
being X-rayed."
Obviously there is little to
be done about it, If the max
imum permissible dose agreed
upon by both British and
Americans is allowed to
stand. But there is increas-
ing evidence. says Natures
report. that this is far too
high a figure for the popula-
ton in general and it may
be necessary to reduce it
from ten-fold to fifty-fold in
the light of accumulated
evidence.
After all, there is one dis
ease medical science can't
conquer = growing old. It
only can overcome the acci-
dents one is likely to en-
counter from birth to the
greater part of a century.
Evening star., 1957-08-28

Once again, in the Hoffa
hearings. Miss Mary Nc
Grory led the pack Of re-
porters.
Do you people realize what
a jewel you have in her?
Joseph HanIon.
Evening star., 1957-08-28
ALEXANDRIA, VA.

ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Dear Sir:
knowing your interest in
nature, / am turning to you
with a question which comes
to mind as I walk through
the city parks.
There are adult pigeons
in all Of them, but never
once have I seen what looks
like q baby pigeon.
THE population certainly
isn't decreasing, but where
are the young ones?
Sincerely, D. M. McN."
The young pigeons are
safely stored away on ledges
and other nesting sites.
They do not accompany
the mother pigeon because
they cannot eat the food the
adult pigeons, find and are
given by people who like
them.
The pigeon mother feeds
the little ones on pigeon milk.
as it is called; this is re-
gurgitated, and the baby
feeds by sticking its bill well
up into the bill of the other
bird.
BY the time the young one
is able to eat what may be
called normal pigeon food. it
is as large and well feathered
as its parents. and cannot be
distinguished from them.
BY that time. too. it is no
longer given the pre-digested
food from the crop. but must
and does eat the bits of grass,
seeds, grains and leavings of
apple cores, ETC., which these
birds find in the streets and
parks.
Washington's pigeon popu-
lation, as in all large cities
the world over. helps keep the
streets clean.
They are real scavengers.
doing a great service by
cleaning up all dropped bits
Of food.
In getting their breakfast,
lunch and dinner these large.
hardy birds take what seem
to be great chances, yet one
seldom sees one get run over.
They manage to hop UP to
the curb just as a bus comes
along, or dodge easily from
the street to the air above
an automobile just seconds
before being struck.
In all this the pigeons seem
to exhibit a cool understand
ing of modern traffic condi-
tions. The spectator inter-
ested in birds (all birds, not
just a chosen few will be
willing to believe that con-
slant practice makes them
as alert as human pedestrians
ought to be and sometimes
are.
With both men and birds.
alertness is the key to sue
cess. which, in this case,
means health and even life.
Evening star., 1957-08-28

ices Administration. which
was established in 1949. It's
principal responsibilities are
procurement and supply. pub
lie buildings. and manage
ment Of Government records.
In 1856, GSA saved the Gov
ernment an estimated $89.l
million in prices obtained
through its large quantity
procurements, and another
$94.7 million by transferring
items from one agency for
use in another instead Of
selling them as surplus. The
GSA has about 26,500 em-
ployes.
Evening star., 1957-08-28
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry iDriters' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
sdtion.
Evening star., 1957-08-28
Q. What does the word "a

@. What does the word "au'
tocatharsiS" mean?-D. o.
A. This is a form Of PSYCHE
atric treatment in which the
patient is encouraged to
write out his troubles. In
psychoanalysis the word ca
tharsis means the ellmina-
ton of a complex by bringing
IL to consciousness and af-
fording 1t complete express
sion.
@. What is the Govern
ment agency known as GSA2
Il. !.
A. This is General berv-
Evening star., 1957-08-28
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
|. HASKIN SERVICE

BY THE HASKIN SERVICE
Please nclose 3 for postage
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-07
Crime|ess Night
.Lu|Is New York

NEW YORK, Aug. Z R.-
Patrolled by hundreds Of extra
police in an emergency coUn-
terattack against the recent
wave of juvenile crime, New
York went through the night
without a single crime of vio-
lence reported to police head
quarters.
There was a holiday from
adult as well as teen-age homi-
cides, stickups. felonious as
saults and the like between
pm. yesterday and Z am. to-
day, according to a citywide
check on fourscore precincts.
A dozen or more crimes OF
violence during the period is
usual.
The crimeless night was re-
vealed in the morning check at
police headquarters for a re-
port to the departmental brass
500 Join War
More than 500 student po-
licemen marched out of class
rooms and into the streets last
night to join the war on juve-
nile crime.
VERY likely all the gangs are
hiding" said a veteran police
sergeant with the rockies. "All
this publicity has frightened
them otf-for a while"
Youthful offenders have
killed % persons this year, three
in the last IL days.
Before embarking on their
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-07

1000 real estate men would aid
In relocating Southwest bust
nesses. RIA would assist in this
also. RIA is required to re-
locate families thrown out OF
their homes by the program
but not businesses.
In a rundown Of problems
arising in conjunction with the
Northwest Urban Renewal
Area. covered generally by
Police Precinct No. 2. Cha.les
H. Conrad, chief of the urban
renewal division of the La
tional Capital Planning Com
mission addressed the hoard
meeting yesterday.
He listed among these a
more equitable distribution OF
school facilities. relocation Of
public utilities facilities, and
more adequate open space for
the convenience of the public
such as parks and Fairgrounds
and other community facilities