davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08

of Montgomery County, Social Service
League of Prince Georges County, Family
Service of Northern Virginia and Family
Service Of Alexandria. These agencies
last year gave help Of many kinds to
more than 10000 families or individuals.
The services had to do with marital diff
ficulties unhappy children, illness, senil-
ity, unmarried mothers and other per-
Sonal and family problems.
This week these organizations will
seek to give residents of the area a bet
ter understanding of what is being done
for their neighborS and what needs to
be done additionally. Once the COM
munity knows of the extent and value
of the family services, the agencies
should have no trouble in obtaining
financial support through the annual
United GiverS Fund.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
Service to Families

It is appropriate, during the current
National Family Week, that the various
agencies concerned with the welfare Of
families in the Washington area should
join in bringing to public attention the
important services they are rendering
to the community. The general public
contributes generously to these RED
Feather" agencies each year, although
relatively few citizens are aware of the
full scope Of the assistance provided for
deserving family groups in the city and
It's suburbs. This week, for the first time,
nine family agencies are jointly endeav-
oring to give an accounting Of work done
and planned.
The agencies which have teamed up
for the educational campaign are mem
bers Of Family Agencies Of Greater WASH
ington. They are: Family and Child
Services Of Washington, Catholic Char
tiles Of washington, Jewish Social Service
Agency, Catholic Charities of Northern
Virginia, Catholic Charities OF Prince
Georges County, Social Service League
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
Welcome to q Champion

Washington Is greeting q valiant and
effective fighter against communism to-
day as President Ngo Dinh Diem of South
Wet Nam arrives for a four-day visit.
For Mr.. Diem, both the fight and the
accomplishments have been starkly real
iStic and on the record for all to see.
From the time Wet Nam was parti-
toned at the end Of the war with France
in 1854, Mr.. Diem has been the leader and
little father" of the people and that part
Of the country that chose freedom in
preference to political slavery. To out
side observers at that time, Mr.. Diem's
chances for success seemed most precari-
Gus. North Wet Nam was stronger in its
resources and in military power. Politi-
cally, 1t was under the tight control Of
Ho Chi Mini and his Communist appa-
ratus. An estimated 100000 refugees had
poured into the South, the economy was
disorganized and there was no outward
assurance that political stability would
come easily, or perhaps at all. But Mr..
Diem knew his people, as obviously they
knew him. In late 1855, they recorded
80 per cent referendum preference for
him as their national leader. In early
1856, they recorded a comparably clear
choice for his pro-Western political as
sociates as members of new National
Assembly. BY late 1855, they had adopted
a constitution, established a republican
form Of government and hailed his in
auguration as the country's first Presi-
dent. There was, in all this, an answer to
those who feared that Communist sub
version Of Asian populations was inevi-
table and that there was no will to resist,
regardless of leadership.
American assistance to South Wet
Nam has been substantial-at a rate OF
about 5000 million per year. The results
may be regarded as gratifying example
OF how such aid, extended and utilized
courageously, can provide "the margin
between hope and despair between
success and failure"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
He's Out

Calvin Griffith was right in saying
that the Washington ball club needs
something drastic" to shake it out of
its doldrums. But he chose the wrong
something" when he decided to GUST
Chuck Dresser as manager 81 the team.
What the Senators need right now is not
new manager but new team. We doubt
that any manager in any league could
have done better with the material
handed him than the fiery and able
Dresser has done.
We think The Stars baseball writer,
Burt Hawkins, aptly summed up the clubs
troubles in his column yesterday. 1.-THE
current Senator's" wrote Burt, ARE the
imagination, lack of money, lack Of suit
able scouts, pickering among principal
stockholders, temporary but general
failure Of the players to measure up to
previous modest standards and, let's face
1t, a top-to-bottom organization that
can't compete"
To hold Chuck Dresser responsible
for front-off1ce policies that have brought
the local team to its present low estate
is absurd and unfair. Nor is it fair to
wish such generally weak outfit on the
new manager, Cookie Lavagetto. What
the team needs-as Elvis Presley would
put its to be "all shook up" and not
loaded up with castoffs, either. The only
ray of hope that the fans can see in this
dismal picture is that Dresser will be
taken on as sort Of general manager
and given the authority-and the money
to patch up sinking ball club.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
P!eiping's Inhumonity

AlLnOugn IL may be that Red China
has treated some Of its foreign captives
In a relatively civilized manner, there
are more than few Americans and per-
sons Of other nationalities with a quite
different story to tell. These include
former prisoners of war, civilian travellers
and religious missionaries who have lived
through the experience Of being incar-
cerated over there after having been
falsely accused of espionage and similar
crimes. Those of them who have returned
have left no room for doubt about the
inhumanity displayed toward them by
the Communists
The latest case in point is that of
the Reverend Fulgence Gross, a Catholic
missionary CFranciscan) from Omaha,
Nebraska. Father Gross has spent the
past 10 years in China, the last six of
them In prison under the Communists.
Released now and back home in the
United States, he has explained why he
confessed" to the Reds that he was an
American espionage agent. AS he has
put 1t, AFTER three days and nights of
beatings with sticks, straps and fists.
and with sword being held at my neck,
NN HSAAi5 WIN WOulu ule IL QlO nOJ
confess, said, Sure, am a spy" In
short, he found it humanity impossible to
Withstand the pressures-the psychology
cal and physical brutality v exerted
against him by his captors
Such pressures, according to Father
Gross, force you to make confessions
that you know are nonsensical." Indeed,
as he has experienced them, they are
pressures SO terrible that he has returned
with the strong view that people in this
country were altogether unjust when they
condemned certain American prisoners
OF war in Korea for pleading guilty to
the false charges lodged against them
by the Chinese Communists. His testi-
mony is worth listening to on that score.
Equally important, 1t is worth listening
to as another reminder that Peiping
simply does not conduct itself in keeping
with the basic standards of civilized So
ciety. This is the one thing above all
that still argues eloquently against ex-
tending diplomatic recognition to Red
China or admitting II into the United
Nations.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
To Promote Disarmament

In keeping with a suggestion made
by President Eisenhower and Prime Min
lister Macmillan at their Bermuda meet
ing, Britain now has formally proposed
to the United Nations Disarmament Sub
committee step-by-step program that
would end in the prohibition of all mill
tary nuclear tests by the atomic powers.
The program, of course, will get nowhere
unless the men of the Kremlin agree to
cooperate, but it certainly is reasonable
enough to merit an affirmative response
from them If they are really sincere in
what they say about wanting to make
some progress toward hating the arms
race.
Thus, as explained to the Subcom-
mittee, the first of the steps proposed
by the British would consist Of the i'm
mediate drafting of compact under
which the United Kingdom, the United
States and the Soviet Union would COM
init themselves ~ to register in advance
with the U. N. each Of their planned
experimental explosions and (2) to sub
nit such tests to some measure of direct
international observation. Next, the sub
committee would set up group of tech
nical experts to study possible methods
of limiting the number and size Of the
detonationS and Of subjecting any accord
along that line to effective supervision
or policing. And finally, "as part of a
general disarmament agreement" the
production OF all fashionable material for
weapons purposes would be prohibited
and there would then follow a complete
and universal cessation of military test
ing operations.
Up to now the Soviet leaders have
insisted that all such experimentation
be banned Immediately, but without any
kind OF check to make sure Of the bans
effectiveness The West has rejected this
on the ground that there is still con-
siderable doubt, despite general impress
sion to the contrary, that every detona-
ton OF an atomic or hydrogen weapon
is automatically detachable, even If set of
within the vast expanse Of the USSR.
That is why the British plan, which would
grow stronger from stage to stage, calls
Tor carefully prepared procedures provid-
Ing adequate safeguards in the form of
international observation and various
types OF systematic inspection. Quite
obviously, as long as there is even a pos
sibility that A or H tests might be con-
Quoted in secret, these safeguards must
be put in force If there is to be a trust
worthy banning accord.
This is simply a matter Of common
sense. II the Russians actually wish to
put an end to nuclear testing, they will
not scoff at the British proposal. Instead,
they will join the Western powers in a
common effort to make that proposal a
fruitful part Of negotiations aimed at
leading, step by step, to the kind of agree
ment the world must have If it is ever
to stop what has become by far the dead
lest arms race in history.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08

1t is most heartening to
report that the Fairfax County
Taxpayers Association has
many interested taxpayers cir
culating petitions in our
county. can report that the
willing working taxpayer Is
reaping results because the
majority of taxpayers are very
eager and happy to sign the
petition to keep our taxes down
to the present 1920 level or
lower. I estimate that we prob
ably already have around S.
900 signatures on the petition
and by May l3-the budget
hearing-we hope to have TO-
600 signatures or more.
The taxpayers are finally
beginning to stand up and to
demand our supervisors TO
economic and to make sure
that the taxpayers are given
81 worth Of service for every
tax dollar expended. We tax
payers have been forced To
take this action because many
Of US have reached the bottom
Of our pockets in doing out
the tax dollar. Many of us dc
not have the ability to pay
any more taxes. which. be-
lieve. is hard for many high
salaried persons to realize.
M. l.. Thomson.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
WOODBRIDGE. Va.

WOODBRIDGE, Va.
Dear Sir: NJ
THE story in your column
Of the little girl helping the
injured squirrel and being Bit
ten in return brings to mind
the chipmunk my cat caught.
II had quite a hard time
releasing the cats jaws so it
could be freed. When finally
this was accomplished, the
little fellow sank his sharp
teeth into my finger.
Their bite is probably about
equal to the squirrel bite.
Il decided not to help an
other. If they're slow enough
for the cat to catch. that's
enough for me; I turn my
back.
Sincerely. E. L. NJ"
1t isn't so much a question
Of slowness. as lodging ability.
There is a big black dog
out our way that can dodge
as well as any squirrel.
He specializes in chasing
them, and almost catches
them.
He does this by doing a fine
job Of everyday lodging, not
going too fast to stop instantly,
and turn quickly.
Since lodging is the squir-
rel's best trick. when it comes
to safety. even more than
speed, this puts him at a dis
advantage.
Probably part Of the hazard
is psychological. Squirrels,
chipmunkS and other animals
must have some approach. at
least, to a pure animal psy-
chology.
Coming down through the
ages, used to relying upon
lodging, the creature finds
himself bewildered when the
attacking animal does this al
most as we'll as he does.
n
The squirrel, chased by the
black dog. is able to make
quicker turns. and he does this
by slowing down. and turning
every time the dog turns.
This is elemental, of course.
Children employ the same tao
tics in their games of tag and
high-spy, or do children play
these any more? Modern
motor traffic makes them more
dangerous, and today's chill
dren do not seem to want to
play at home. mamma is
watching them.D
Young animals specialize in
a form OF play resembling tag.
This involves chasing. lodging,
and leaping over the other. In
later life, these same maneuv-
ers may save their lives. In the
same way, children's play is
good training for the military
obligation" as 1t is called, OF
the II and Is year period.
The chipmunk is one of the
most beautiful Of all animals
small or large.
Its bright eyes. its colorfu
coat, and quick graceful move.
ments. make 1t a favorite o.
all persons who love the chill.
dren Of nature. (Amazingl,
enough, not all persons do. b,
any means.)
The name. "chipmunk.
comes from an Indian wort
originally meaning ''headfrst.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES {. TRACEWELL

in reference to the rodent
habit of coming down a tree
mouth first.
They are probably closer to
the red squirrel than the gray
squirrel of this vicinity. This
is shown by their habit of hid
ing away food in their dens.
They love rocky formations.
Many of them are to be seen
at the Zoo where stones OUT
crop.
Dry walls are said to attract
them.
One suburban resident used
concrete and cinder blocks to
substitute for stones, and
found they did a very good
job of attracting these bright
little things.
Probably nobody has ever
timed the dash of a chipmunk,
but it must be pretty fast. At
least, that is the way it
impressed an observer. Part
of this impression, of course,
is due to the smallness of the
creature.
Small animals, going at 80
miles per hour, would seem
to be going faster than large
animals making 80 miles.
Certainly nothing seems to
go faster than the chipmunk.
Maybe part of this effect is
due to the broad stripes along
the sides. which give the sort
Of speed aimed at by some
automobiles with big stripes
and chromium doodads along
the sides.
Only the specialist should
handle any Of the squirrel type
animals. They prefer not to
be touched, and we should
accord them this repect.
The bite of all rodents is
pretty bad. not only because
Of the depth, but also because
of germs carried in to this
additional depth.
When a tooth touches bone,
it does more damage than If
1t penetrates only through flesh
Since the bitten person can
never be sure that bone is
reached. he should go on the
assumption it has. and not
neglect such a bite. It should
be washed at once in running
water for at least Is minutes,
then dried, and a staining an
tiseptic applied. The first in
timation of nausea or chill
should send one to the doctor,
as blood poison is always q
possibility.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
Third-Closs Nail

I have been very interested
In your editorial and the re-
sulting correspondence in re-
gard to third-class mail.
I have proposed that third
class letter mail be abolished.
do not believe that this would
eliminate the postal deficit.
but 1t would aid substantially
in cutting the loss. This would
increase the revenues Of the
department and decrease the
man hours and expense In the
handling Of the junk mail.
which requires substantially
the same amount Of handling
as flrst-class.
Third-class patrons should
pay a fairer share for the serv-
Ice they receive. They are
now enjoying . substantial
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
Coin Of the Realm

A bucket OF gold tDaS set on a
Hill
And ! stood ready to see IL
spill.
! matched and matted NTH
outStretched hand
For coins that never tDere
contrdbdnd
But scattered freely TO beooar
and king
For booty or bounty or
borrowing.
! matted and wished on the
bucket OF gold
And plotted to confScdte all
I could hold.
Then the sun burst forth and
began TO ascend,
And ! Dds Otpen a day 10
spend.
Donna Diekey 6uyer
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
Arlington Cares

May ask the privilege Of
a little space in your columns
to let Stuart Finley (WRC-
TV commentator on Our
Beautiful Potomac') know that
Arlingtonians do care? They
care very much that for some
reason Mr.. Finley sees fit to
single out this community as
the bad boy-to use the words
in your story Of April 28-of
the area "for failing to take
adequate part in reducing pol
luton Of the Potomac River"
Such a statement fails to
give credit to Arlington for
being the first in the area to
have a sewage treatment plant.
and for being the only juris-
diction in the area at present
to treat 100 per cent Of its
sewage to some degree.
May ! ask Mr.. Finley how
much raw sewage will 60 into
the Potomac-aS a result of
a combined storm and sani-
tary sewer system-after each
heavy rain from the District
Of Columbia and Alexandria
even when the former COM
pletes its secondary treatment
plant sometime in the future?
May ! ask Mr.. Finley what
degree Of treatment the pres
ent primary treatment plant
Of the District Of Columbia
gives the sewage which reaches
that plant? (Parenthetically.
did I not see a story recently
in which Mr.. Aud of the Dis
trict Of Columbia was quoted
as stating with relief that only
million gallons of raw sewage
daily was reaching the Ana
costia-and thence the Poto-
mac-as a result Of overflow
conditions at the East Capitol
outfall?)
Also. may / ask Mr.. Finley
how recently the lurid films Of
Four Mile Run were taken?
And does he realize that after
the years In which Alexandria
poured raw sewage into that
stream 1t would take some
time for the condition to clear
up even II 100 per cent pure
water were all that reached
the Run?
Finally, may I ask Mr.. Fin
ley why he has consistently
failed to give Arlington q fair
chance to present its case on
his program? If I recall cor
rectly. q year or so ago when
people from Arlington APP
peared he cut them of in the
middle Of a sentence.
COrnelia b. Rose, Jr.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08
VISTAS IN SCIENCE

By THOMAS r. HENRI

the old matched structures
have given way to the cor
rugated, iron-roofed house.
China plates have replaced
the gracefully shaped wooden
bowls and platters OF earlier
days."
There may have been some
advantages to all this-cynics.
of course, would question it
so far as American control
of the islands is concerned.
Health, DR.. Force found, is
far better than ever before.
Both Germans and Japanese
carried out rigid sanitary pro-
grams. Infant mortality has
been greatly reduced. There
are more schools under the
American administration than
ever before. and Palauans have
a little more to say about
their own affairs.
The islanders can by no
means be considered a pure
race. Skin color varies from
light to dark brown. with
traces of red. Hair color is
dark brown to black, but also
with traces of red. Hair may
be frlzzly, wavy or straight.
Stature is relatively short and
there is heavy muscular de-
velopment.
While weight increases with
age in some individuals, still
there are very few fat men
and women. Many individuals
might be mistaken for Fill
pinos. The Palaus are on the
threshold of the Pacific and
countless migration waves
must have passed through
them.
Federated Villages
The primary social unit is
the household. A cluster of as
many as 80 households consti-
tutes a village. Today groups
of federated villages form
political divisions. In line with
the kinship organization, some
villages are considered as
big brothers" of other vii
lagos.
Kinship is both maternal
and paternal. There is a tend
ency for the maternal line
to be emphasized over the
paternal. Elders. both men
and women, are treated with
great respect. Special terms
are used in addressing any
body older than the speaker
and younger people must yield
to their elders in CONVERSE
ton.
In each village-at least in
former times-was a series Of
societies or clubs for men and
a corresponding series for
women. Each group of men
lived in a separate club house.
In case of trouble, such as
murder. justice was melted out
by a designated club. Usually
an offenders house would be
destroyed, along with his live
stock and personal property.
He might be beaten. He was
almost always heavily fined.
The administration at present,
however, takes a somewhat
sterner view-at least of
murder.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-08

Among Uncle Sans newest
nephews are the Palauans-
natives of the Palau Islands in
the Western Carolines. now
under the control Of the United
States under a United Nations
trusteeship.
Relatively little has been re-
ported in the past about the
ways of life of these not-so-
primitive Micronesians and
former head hunters. They are
described in some detail by
Roland w. Force, curator OF
oceanic ethnology of the Field
Museum of Natural History,
who has just spent two years
among them.
In the past 10 years four
world powers have governed
the island group-Spain, Ger
many, Japan and the United
States. But, says DR.. Force.
the cycle of life goes on much
the same, whoever is in con
troll. Women grow the same
family food in swampy gar
den patches in the lowlands
and dry gardens on the hill
sides. The men go to the la
goons in search of fish and
crabs.
Time, of course, has brought
q few changes. No longer
are heads of inhabitants of
neighboring villages taken as
prizes of war. The last inter-
village war was fought around
1900 under German rule, and
only a few old village headmen
recall the event with some
nostalgia.
Wars Broke MOnOtOny
Casualties in these wars,
says DR.. Force, usually were
not heavy. At most. one or
two lives, and heads, were lost
in battle. Warfare. as among
the American Indians, brought
color and excitement into a rel
atively drab existence. This,
it has been claimed, is the
basic cause Of all wars. even
the big ones. and probably is
the reason why war never can
be eliminated. Man can stand
the monotony Of peace only
so long without blowing his
top"
The peace-loving Germans,
however, were shocked and
demanded the village
strife be stopped. The paci-
fication program also involved
the order that the worship
of native gods should cease.
This order vigorously was car
ried out. AS a result very lit
tie of the original religion Is
left, DR.. Force found. ,
Missions first were eStab-
lished around 1885. Says DR..
Force in his report to the
Field Museum: CLOSE on the
heels of salvation came the
necessity of wearing clothing
in the Western style. So the
grass skirt went the way Of
warfare and religious belief
Today the latter is revived
only on ceremonial occasions
when a new mother is feted
in public. Similarly. the old
house style has changed as