davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12

Richard Fryklund writes
from Paris: France is rich
enough TO live on champagne
and foie gras. but she is go
ing broke insisting also on
Rolls Royces and dancing
girls"
What proportion of the
French people buy Rolls
Royces and go In for dancing
girls?
What would be the COM
parative figures per head be-
tween the French doing so
and the number of Americans
buying Cadillacs and patron
izing expensive night spots?
The trouble with American
newspapermen is that they
live in bright-light areas. and
never live in the real France.
meeting real French people.
They would die of boredom in
a week II they ever did.
What is this persistent
campaign Of destructive re-
porting and comment upon
France? Why2 Any letter or
article running down this
ally is sure of publication;
any letter or article support
ing her is so much waste Of
time. Why?
One could write a lot about
the spending spree many
Americans have been OH In
recent years but would that
be . true overall picture %
our people2
VtCtWtia tltanaas1.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
Time to Settle This

One OF the several perennial prob
lens in the United Nations. and poten-
TALLY dangerous one, is being re-
examined on two fronts. 1t is the question
of the political future of Cyprus. Brit
ish Crown Colony in the eastern Mediter-
ranean that has become in recent years
an important British military outpost
For most of the past decade, the island
has been troubled by agitation for po-
litical union with Greece. The last three
years have been marked by violence,
curbed only by British military meas
ures. Supporting enosis (union with
Greece) have been most of the Greek
Cypriot population Of about 400 .000-plus
the Greek government. Opposing, have
been the Turkish Cypriot population OF
about l00,C00-plus the Turkish govern
ment. In the middle. for the most part,
has been the British government-will-
ing to grant limited self-government to
the Cypriots, but unwilling to surrender
real control Of the Island.
Currently, the U. NJ Political Com
mittee is considering Greek-Sponsored
resolution calling for self-determination
in Cyprus and expressing concern that
no progress has been made" toward So
luton Of the problem. The debate thus
far has followed the lines of division
mentioned above and there is little
likelihood Of any strong affirmative
action.
Slightly more hope may be justified
by new efforts being made on the island
itself. A new British Governor, Sir Hugh
Foot, has taken Office with the an
nounced purpose of assuming the initia-
tive in finding political formula that
would be acceptable to all parties A
veteran colonial administrator, Sir Hugh
Is credited with laying the groundwork
for granting self-government to two
other former British colonies, Nigeria
and Jamaica.
From the NATO standpoint, resolu-
ton OF the Cyprus problem would be a
great relief. Tension over the issue be-
tween Greece and Turkey, both members
OF NATO, has brought deterioration OF
their military and political partnership.
Effectiveness OF the British military ia
cilitieS on the island, strategically close
to the FESTIVE Middle East, has been
endangered. Actually, continuance OF
this dispute over such q long period
reflects no credit on the imaginativeness
or craftsmanship of any OF the three
governments involved. 10 is indeed time
Tor new approach and recognition that
there must be mutual acceptance Of q
reasonable compromise.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
A Silly Business

1t has been 80 years, more or less,
since Justice Holmes remarked that
wire tapping is dirty business" The
vitality OF that phrase is amazingl Over
the years, 1t has become the watchword
and the refuge Of those who trade In
clicheS. And 1t has done as much as
anything else to prevent a rational and
reasonable application Of wire tapping to
law enforcement.
In sense. wire tapping Is a dirty
business So is the use OF stool pigeons
and informers Of all kinds. 1t is dirty
business to search mans home. Eaves-
dropping outside a window is not an
admirable occupation. Nor is one in
clined to cheer the Government when
1t rewards a man for turning in friend
who has been cheating on his income
tax. All Of these techniqueS, in a sense,
come under the head of dirty business.
But they are accepted, and evidence
derived from them may be used in court.
Why Is this? 1t is because crime
itself is dirty business. The murderer,
the kidnaper, the blackmailer, the spy
all OF these are engaged in dirty busi-
ness. They are not upright. decent
people who can be dealt with in nice,
clean way. If they are to be caught they
must be trapped, and the trapping tech
nique. whatever its form, comes under
the general heading OF dirty business.
Let's take specific example. Mr.. X
Is being blackmailed by Mr.. Y. So Mr..
X decides to ask the police to listen in
on an extension phone when Mr.
calls to demand money. This is per-
fectly all right, and evidence obtained
by the police while they listened in can
be used against Mr.. Y In Federal
court. But II Mr. X had not had an
extension phone. the police could not
have tapped the line-not even at Mr..
KS request. Or suppose that Mr.. has
a confederate. Mr.. 2. II Mr.. Y phones
Mr.. to discuss plans for Matchmaking
Mr.. X, Federal law forbids the police
to tap the wire and listen In. II they
do it anyway no evidence obtained as
a result Of the tap can be used in any
Federal prosecution
Does this make sense? We think
not. 1t may be dirty business to listen
in through wire tap on the conversa-
ton between Blackmailer Y and Black
mailer z. But blackmail is dirty BUSH
ness. too.
OF course, tndiScriminate wire tap
ping should be forbidden and severely
punished. We can see no reason, how
ever, why police should be forbidden to
tap wire, provided the authorization to
make the tap is surrounded by safe
guards comparable to those surrounding
the issuance of a warrant to search a
mans home. Certainly 1t is no answer
to say that 1t is all right to search a
mans home, but wrong to tap his tele-
phone, simply because of something
Justice Holmes said three decades ago.
To take this stand strikes us as a silly
business.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
No Brushoffs, Please

Soviet Premier Bulganin has sent a
S,000-word letter to President Eisen-
hover which, according to the Russian
Ambassador. is very important" The
Associated Press says the President is
expected to brush aside the letter And
the United Press says the initial Amer
lean reaction is expected to be polite
but very COOL
These are not official statements
by the American Government. But the
inspiration for them came from official
sources, and we think they reflect a
questionable attitude.
or course, the letter may not be
Every" important, or even important. 1t
may have been designed to undercut
the NATO meeting. which opens next
week. Possibly there is nothing new
In it. Nevertheless. we take dim view
OF this tendency to more or less auto
matically dismiss any communication
from the Russians as being kind Of
diplomatic BOBBY trap. We ought to
read before we brush of. And further
more, this bruShoff business suggests a
certain freezing of mind on our part
which could be dangerous.
While on this question Of mental
attitudes, we wonder whether 1t might
not be a good idea TO do little more
thinking about our misSiles-to-E Europe
project. This project makes sense II 1t is
based on a sound assumption that there
is real danger of Russian armed attack
on Western Europe But II this Is not
a real danger now. and there are those
who doubt it, then the wisdom Of the
project is open to considerable question.
We already have the Soviet Union
ringed with air bases. Now II is pro-
posed to add missile baSeS-baSeS from
which most of Russia could be destroyed
In a matter of minutes. We say land
we mean it, that all Of this is defensive
In nature. We propose to use the air
bases and the missile bases only If the
Russians attack first But can we be
sure that the Russians believe this?
Would we believe 1t If the situation were
reversed; If the Russians were installing
missile bases within easy range of Wash
ington, New York, Detroit, ETC.?
The danger is that establishment
Of missile bases in Western Europe may
stimulate the development Of state Of
mind conducive to war, when we should
be trying to abate the threat. 1t may
be that analysis of Russian intentions
justifies this risk But 1t is risk, we
think, which should be weighed very
carefully.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
Sidney Koretx.

II / interpret your Decem-
Der 5 editorial, Arms and
Urgency" correctly. you con-
clude that the administration
would not be guilty Of UNDER
estimating the urgency Of our
scientific race with Russia
If 1t increases our defense
budget by 81 billion.
The evidence now appears
overwhelmingly that this is
not a brush fire We face, but
a long-term battle for our
way OF life and our lives
themselves, a battle all the
more hazardous because
there are not likely to be
sputniks to light the way
every time complacency sets
in.
IN my opinion. nothing
short of an acroSS-the-board
program in scientific weap-
ons development and basic
research. plus drastic changes
in our approach to and sup
port of education. will suf-
fee to match the Russians.
We do not now have such
a program. and the existence
OF such a program. rather
than the exact number Of
dollars involved. should be
the present issue.
David II. Shepard.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
Politics as Usual

While our country is in
mortal peril. our great politi-
cal parties should refrain
from pickering. Both are
patriotic. and both interested
In elections.
Both parties agree on the
incontrovertible fact that
communism, as a form of
government. is crazy.
The administration takes
the legalistic view that after
all, a murderer. II insane.
should be acquitted on that
ground.
The Democrats insist that
the victim is Just as dead
As though he had committed
suicide. which, after all. is.
as a rule. another form of
insanity.
Both are right. But maybe
Ne do need some action.
cs ttAae
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
Let Them Stoy Longer

The National Capital Regional Plan
ming Council has put its finger on a
weakness of the Districts commission
form of government that easily could be
corrected. The weakness is in the tend
ency of the Army to reaSsign the Engi-
neer Commissioner before he has served
out his regular term of duty. Repeat
eddy this key member of the Districts
three-man commission has been pulled
of the job before he has had fair
chance to complete important tasks
which he has undertaken as the city's
chief engineer and builder. His sue
cessor necessarily must familiarize him
self with his new responsibilities before
he can carry forward intelligently the
uncompleted assignments.
The Regional Council has proposed
that the term of the Engineer Commits
sioner be fixed at minimum of six
years. There are drawbacks to such an
extension of tenure however, that might
Offset the presumed advantages Of longer
service Unless the Armys system Of
advancement were drastically revised TO
meet the situation, an officer assigned
for as long as six years to the District
government would risk loss of command
assignments that count heavily toward
his promotion to higher ranks. The Dis
trict assignment, therefore, would be
eschewed by most officers-especially
those of the caliber which Washington
has been fortunate In obtaining In
recent years.
But the council is right in holding
that the District is not properly served
when Engineer Commissioners are not
permitted to fill out their regular three
year terms. Recent terms OF these
officers have varied from 10 months to
80 months. The 19-month duty was by
former Engineer Commissioner Bernard
Robinson, who was removed as he was
directing the reorganization OF the Dis
trict government and was planning the
new public works program. His success
sor, General Prentiss, served only -
months before he was reassigned, leav-
ing behind him a mass OF unfinished
highway, bridge and coming business
Since the engineer commissioners
ship is nonpolitical, changes In the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12

EICbluCub anu tIlC OCCICJdTy
Of State substituting for the
President. Western peoples
have looked to President
Eisenhower with confidence.
They have been convinced
of his sincerity of purpose
and great desire TO maintain
world peace, as have the peo-
pie Of America.
The President is taking
with him his most trusted
and important advisers on
military, economic and atom
ic problems: The Secretary
Of State, John Foster Dulles:
the Secretary of Defense,
Neil H. McElroy: the Secre-
tary of the Treasury. Robert
B. Anderson, and the chair
man Of the Atomic Energy
Commission. Admiral Lewis
L. Strauss.
StevensOn's Withdrawal
1t is regrettable that Adlai
Stevenson. titular head Of
the Democratic Party, has
declined President Eisen-
hower's invitation to attend
the conference. Not only is
MIR. Stevenson familiar with
the international situation.
but he has many friends on
the other side of the Atlantic.
He has already, it is true.
given TO Secretary Dulles the
benefit OF his advice on the
coming NATO conference
and the issues which will con-
front 1t. But Mr.. Stevenson's
actual presence at. the con-
ference would not only help
present TO the allies q united
American front. but would
have him at hand for further
advice. as the conference
proceeds. Mr.. Stevenson
having declined to go to
Paris. there seemed no other
way to obtain Democratic
representation at the con-
ference.
In support Of his decision
not to go, 1t has been urged
that Mr.. Stevenson would
have been without authority:
that he would have had to
go along. seemingly. with the
decisions of the American
delegation. whether or not
he wished to or believed in
them. That, however. is the
same position in which the
Presidents Republican adj
visers find themselves For
the conduct of our foreign
relations is vested by the
Constitution in the President.
The Senate. in the case Of
treaties. also is given author
ity. But in the conduct OF
negotiations. the President
remains supreme. President
Eisenhower faces a Demo-
cratic Senate and House Of
Representatives, and un-
doubtedly he would have been
strengthened in any deci-
sions or agreements reached
at the NATO conference if he
had the support Of the titular
leader of the Democratic
Party. The late President
Woodrow Wilson would have
been better of if he had
taken a Republican, Henry
Cabot Lodge, 70 Paris in 1919
so might the world have
been.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

Then the years pass. The
tree which looked so nice
when they first moved in
darkens all the windows and
rooms on that side Of the
house, and the former SUNNI
ness and cheer IS gone with
out anybody realizing it.
The pioneers knew all
about this.
When they came to Amer
lea, aside from the great
plains, it was all forest.
The first thing they did
was to make a clearing TO
erect a house. not only be-
cause they had to have the
room, but also because there
is something depressing and
menacing about woods.
The groves may have been
Gods first temples. as the
poet said. but nevertheless
the forests take their toll OF
the spirit and enthusiasm Of
mankind.
We must get out into the
open fields. on the golf
course. and on rivers. plains
and oceans before we come
into our rightful spirit. II
you don't think so. read Jo-
seph Conrad and find out
what made him tick.
The little tree. such as
the holly. is an exception TO
all this. Nobody is going to
feel gloomy in a glade Of
hollieS. because they do not
grow that way.
The holly tree. the dog
wood and the cherry-theSe
are fine small ones; people
like them, and birds like
them, too.
Everybody likes the little
trees. which give us all a
tree can give and yet do
not overshadow, smother or
threaten us.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12

nationa4 administration do not aiEecs
tenure, as they often do the civilian
commissionerships. But Army needs de-
have controlling effect on such assign
Ments-without regard. apparently, TO
District needs. The Nations Capital
deserves more consideration by the
eentagon In the weighing of new-duty
orders for Engineer Commissioners.
They should be allowed at least to serw
out their intended tours Of duty before
the District is deprived OF their advice
and leadership.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
@. What kind Of soup is

@. What kind Of soup is
gaspacho?-R. G
A. This is a cold, refreSh-
ing soup Of Spanish ori3in.
1t usually includes a mixture
OF tomatoes. onions. ereeu
peppers. cucumbers and vine-
gar. The ingredients are sim
mered, strained and chilled.
then mixed with a garlic
favored mayonnaise Gaspa-
cho is often served with a
garnish of finely chopped Gu
cumberS. pimentos or toma-
toes.
@. How much instant coffee
Is obtained from a pound Of
green coffee?-F. B.
A. When green coffee is
converted into soluble coffee
there is an approximate av-
erage decrease of 10 per cent.
In other words. the soluble
coffee is equal to about 80
per cent of the original weight
on an average basis
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
'Educotion Crisis

II will be a long time be-
fore your paper publishes a
better article than the recent
discussion Of the Education
Crisis" by Dorothy Thomp-
son. The leaders of this
country would do we'll to
listen to her. She says that
a whole generation Of teach
ers have been trained in the
theories Of education now be-
ing followed. ! saw this de-
terioration start so years ago.
and 1t has been gaining mo-
mentum ever since.
The standing Of our schools
Is being attacked from every
quarter, Right at a time
when we need to raise our
standards and increase the
efficiency Of our schools. there
are those with one eye on
the. ballot box who would re-
duce the student body to a
dead level Of mediocrity. II a
merchant mixes 20 pounds Of
coffee. worth 80 cents a
pound. with 80 pounds worth
20 cents a pound. he will have
100 pounds Of coffee. but 1t
will not be worth 20 cents
a pound. II will not be worth
SO cents a pound.
Elmer G. Helm.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12
Embassy Offices

We wish TO commend the
Board Of Commissioners for
their order No. 57-l6lo,
dated August 20, 1857. rela-
tive TO compliance by foreign
governments with District
building and coming regula-
lions. We note with con-
siderable alarm that the Dis
trict has been asked TO
change these regulations so
that embassy Office buildings
may be built in residential
areas.
This Is not a question of
the construction Of embas-
sizes and amhassadorial resi-
dences. Our neighborhood
has many Of these. and, for
the most part. they cooper
ate with US in our efforts TO
preserve the residential char
acter Of the area. Our prin-
cipal objection is TO separate
chancery office structures
which are commercial enter
prises having no place in a
residential area. Some OF
these Offices at the present
time stick out like cruel
excrescences and are gleefully
cited as horrible examples
by all who would seek TO
establish commercial enter
prises, institutional occupan-
cies and other business occu-
pations in the very center Of
our neighborhood community.
There is no lack of space
in presently zoned business
and commercial areas within
walking distance Of most Of
the present embassies. We
feel. however. that there is a
need in present planning TO
give special attention to the
development Of areas where
the requirements Of large
ONCE STATS and the prestige
position Of foreign govern
mental ofilces can be COM
bined.
Before any more changes
are made in Order No. ST.
1919. we request a public
hearing in order that the
home interests Of the citi-
zens Of the District may be
preserved. Zoning regula-
tons become meaningless If
office structures are per-
United TO be constructed at
random in established resi-
Dental areas.
John r. Inner.
Chairman. Zoning Commit
tee. Sheridan Il alorama
Neigliborhood Council.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12

A reader wants to know why
q holly tree in his yard does
not bear berries.
The reason is one Of two:
Either it is a male tree. or q
female tree without a male
tree nearby.
This business Of male and
female trees often strikes
people as odd. but sex is the
same the world around.
The wind watts the pollen
from the male tree to the
female tree. and there you
are.
There are various kinds
Of hollies. and they are all
alike in this respect.
The other tree does not
even have to be in your own
yard. but it helps.
The holly and other small
trees are taking an increas-
ingly important place in
small gardens.
The time for the big old
trees. as marvellous as they
were and are. is about over
in the vast metro" areas
which are constitutin 6
America.
The small one-story house.
for one thing. demands a tree
in scale.
There is not so much dam
ger If the smaller tree falls.
and it looks better against
the somewhat dumpy modern
houses, which, no matter how
convenient, somehow look as
If the owner rather ran out
Of money at the end.
Little trees give you all
that any tree can. unless you
want lumber out Of 1t.
Another thing. the small
tree does not make such a
mess in daily living.
1t gives beauty. yet does
not cover the ground with
red woolly stuff. countless
leaves and other forms Of
debris.
The Japanese cherry tree.
so popular with all. is an
other example Of a compare
lively small tree. Its beauty
is unsurpassed. and yet II 1t
fell. 1t would not do much
damage.
On a tall house. a large
tree does not have so far to
fall. but upon a low one. 1t
lands at last with all its tom
mage increased by the farther
fall.
The prize fight people put
1t AL into words years ago.
when they said. The bigger
they come. the harder they
fall"
Small trees also At in better
in small yards.
Who has not seen a huge
tree overshadowing not only
its own proper yard but also
the yards Of neighbors
whether they want 1t or notP
Human beings are so en-
thusiastic that they plant q
tree without thinking about
nov large II u soins to grOW.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-12

found value that II would
be impossible to calculate the
damage We are causing TO
our own detectives. As an
individual plagued with con-
Germ for the future, II Is diff
flcult for me to see how re-
sponsible people would dare
set this country up for fur
ther ridicule. Through adj
vance publicity on the Van
guard project. We had every
thing to lose and nothing
whatsoever to gain.
Frank b. Christopher.
Some secrecy may be nee
eSsary for security reasons.
but let's have no secrecy
simply TO avoid humiliation.
The Star draws the wrong
moral from the Vanguard
fiZzle. in saying: 1T might
be better If all Of us were
10 talk less about what we
are going TO do-and get 1t
done" Get what done? How
do those assigned TO their
taSkS-and I'm not speaking
Of the scientists and techni-
clans who know their jobs
and are not the ones who
have failed us-know what
70 do and know when they
are doing right or wrong
il We don't keep talking about
It? / don't mean talk as a
substitute for action but the
indispensable public criti-
cism which is democracy and
part of the public process
called for by scientific meth
DDS which can tolerate no
hidden link lest the one gen.
Jus who sees its weakness
is excluded.
Sidney KnrefH-