davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
It's Still Junk Mail

Now is good time-while the public
is aroused over postal Service-to junk
what has become known as "junk mail"
Many of us patrons of the Post once
Department and occupants" of homes
served by postal carriers had supposed
that junk mail had been banned more
than two wears ago. We were mistaken,
however. 1t is true that Postmaster Gen
eral Summerf1eld, after an ill-advised
and Inflated experiment with delivery
of advertising circulars bearing neither
name nor address of the intended recip-
lent, announced that no more Junk mail
would be accepted. But he failed to ban
another type of third-class mail that
qualities for the Junk" description.
Mr.. Summerfield has left untouched
1884 regulation permitting delivery of
third-class mail addressed only to "Occu-
pant" provided bona fide address on
a mail route were given. So the Arms
sending the circulars are able to con-
tinue filling the country's mail boxes with
unwanted material by the simple expe-
dent OF listing all street addresses on
mail route and stamping Occupant" in
place OF name. And the Post ONCE
Department has continued to subsidize
this gimmick by making up the losses
incurred in distributing third-class mail.
Congress cannot escape a share of
the blame for this annoyance to house.
holders, for it has failed repeatedly to
grant administration requests for an up
ward revision of third-clasS (and other)
mail rates. If third-class mail were re-
quired to pay its way or, perhaps, pro-
vide profit for the postal service, the
amount of mailed advertising matter
that is consigned to the trash basket,
usually unopened, would greatly diminish.
With the postal deficit continuing to
hover around $500 million year, the
continued delivery at a loss of junk mail.
under any guise, is inexcusable. II Con-
greSs will not make junk mail pay its
way, Mr.. Summerfield ought to order his
department to stop delivering it.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
Wild Swan

He breasts the tide and minds
NTH beauty.
That curDing neck has bent
IN storm
With feathers rumed, ONLY
self
To keep the timer hedrthside
iDdrnt.
Do not begrudoe his poise and
pride.
His beauty is not spared by
rain
or fed by any seltless hand.
Won battles must be fought
again.
Yet. evenings. silhouetted
there
Upon the matters calm and
still,
The wild white bird drd,Ds
signs and envv.
His simple grace. his
strength. his mill.
Ruby Zosoren 4
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
Disarmament Hope

AS indicated by President Eisenhower
at his news conference yesterday, there
are some encouraging signs that the
Kremlin may at last be in mood to
permit little progress toward breaking
the grim disarmament deadlock.
The signs, of course, are still tenuous
But Harold StaSSen, the Presidents spe-
cial representative in this field, appears
to have been encouraged by the Soviet
attitude at the current London talks of
the United Nations Disarmament Sub
committee France, Canada, Britain, Rus
STA and the United States) Indeed, in
Mr.. Eisenhower's words, Mr.. Stassen be-
ieveS that the talks are "the most seri-
Gus" held on the subject since 1945. that
the negotiating atmosphere is better than
at any time for years past, and that the
Kremlin really seems to be trying, along
with the four other participating powers,
to work out substantial preliminary
agreement.
This relatively optimistic view is
based on reports from London that Vale
rian Zorin, the chief Soviet representa-
tive, has been showing lively and con-
structive interest in some of the pro-
poSals made by the Western delegates,
particularly Mr.. Stassen. These proposals
include, among others, one that would
establish international arrangements
under which-beginning next year-alI
world production of new fashionable ma
terial would be devoted exclusively to
peaceful uses, with none of it going into
nuclear weapons. It is because Mr.. Zorin
has paid lot of attention to this, as
well as to suggestions for cut in con-
ventional arms, that the other members
OF the U. N. subcommittee feel hopeful
that the Kremlin may be giving serious
consideration to the idea of joining the
West in limited disarmament pact.
Such pact, Of course. would be at
best only first step toward the kind
OF agreement that is needed to give the
world reasonable security against the
nightmare of about nuclear warfare,
But 1t would nevertheless be a highly
important step. For it would lay the
groundwork for way out of the pres
ent dangerous impasse. 1t would do so
% by tending to accelerate today's
AAAOuAAoAA6 aims AdCc IcLIlpU anu vi Oy
helping to promote new feelings of mu-
tual truSt-trust of sort that is now
almost nonexistent between East and
West. Thus, stage by stage, even though
slowly, real progress could be made to-
ward genuinely effective system Of
general disarmament policed eficiently
enough to merit every nations confidence.
But all this depends on whether the
Kremlin is willing to start cooperating.
Within the past few days, both Nikita
Khrushchev and Premier Bulganin have
spoken out in favor of renewed effort
to ease international tension and build
kindlier and safer world. II at last
they really mean what they say, then
there should be some good and affirma-
tive Soviet proposal before the London
talks come to an end.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18

terey and raised the Stars and
Stripes, proclaiming Califor-
MIA a United States conquest.
The original Bear Flag, pre-
served in San Francisco, was
lost in the earthquake and fire
Of 1906.
@. Which President warned
against alliances with foreign
nations?-G. A.
A. In his Farewell Address,
on September II, 1876, George
Washington wrote: 1T is our
true policy to steer clear Of
pei manent alliances with any
portion Of the foreign world"
In his first inaugural address,
on March 4. 1901. Thomas
Jefferson spoke Of Peace,
commerce and honest friend
ship with all nations. entan-
Cling alliances with none."
@. What is the difference
between music and NOTES.-The
A. Music is usually defined
as sound and movement put
in order. that is. a series OF
rhythmic or planned sounds.
Noise is defined as sound and
movement without planning,
and without q regular beat,
which lust happens" 4
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
Health Department

The more read in The Star
Of these untrue attacks on the
District Health Department
and Dr.. Daniel l.. Seckinger
and Walter Burdette and
DR.. Philip Stebbing. the more
convinced / am there should be
an investigation by Repre-
sentative Mcmillan and his
committee. Who are these
people that make these untrue
statements?
Is 1t an organized campaign
to put our Health Department
In the hands Of unreliable peo-
pie? DR.. Daniel Leo Finucane
is not the doctor for our Health
Department. Many OF us I'd
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
Norman Case

With regard to the late la
mented E. Herbert Norman, it
may be observed that our
prostration before the Cana
dian nation has been sufficient
by now to communicate our
regret.
No one but a neophyte
would overlook the liability
involved in any mode Of gov
eminent service to criticism
from all quarters.
II We were somewhat crude
and redundant in our criti-
cism of Mr.. Norman, it Is re-
grettable. But. I hardly be-
lieve that it can be intermi-
nably foisted upon the Amer
lean public that a well-bal-
anced public official would be
Swayed to the point Of self
determination by the sporadic
SANDER Of a foreign legislative
committee.
The statement by Mr.. Eisen-
hover to the effect that those
who constructively criticize
are listened to with respect,
and those who SANDER without
constructive purpose are ig-
nored. bears poignantly upon
the Norman situation.
/ believe that there was a
modicum Of injustice in the
inappropriate and rude crit
icism Of an official Of the Ca
madam government by our in
vestigating committee, but 1t
hardly can justify the extreme
reaction. II the individual con-
cerned were of the degree OF
aplomb which can reasonably
be expected Of someone so
highly placed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
Hanging Together

The executive board of the Transfers
Union has rallied to the support of Dave
Beck-a development which suggests that
these gentlemen have no intention of
hanging separately.
Meeting in Galveston, the board
adopted two resolutions. One challenges
the authority OF the AFL-CIO Executive
Council to suspend Mr. Beck from his
vice presidency in the parent organiza-
ton. The other says that fair procedure
has not been assured in the Forthcoming
trial OF the 1.4-million- member union
on charges that it is under corrupt
domination.
These resolutions were adopted unan-
imously, but the Teamster board members
were careful to stop short OF outright
defiance of the AFL-CIO For a point
has been reached at which the union
must answer the charges or face disci-
plinary action, possibly expulsion. This
is serious matter for the union, and
1t raises question whether Mr.. Beck,
a voluble man except when under oath
Che invoked the Fifth Amendment 1T
times in his recent appearance before
the Mcclellan committee), may not turn
out to be dependable, after all.
AT any rate. it is worth noting that
Mr.. Beck, upon reaching Galveston, was
quoted as saying that he might blow
the lid right of the Senate" II he told
how he spent union funds When SEN
ator Mcclellan announced that he would
be happy to hear Mr.. Beck on this point,
the latter was quick to recant. He said
he had been misquoted, which we do
not believe. But If, for the moment, he
and his board associates have developed
certain aversion for Senate hearings
and the Fifth Amendment that is some
thing which is readily understandable.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
THIS AND THAT.
BY CHARLES (. TRACEWELL

The sparkling melodies, the
intricate Celebrations. the
working out of master works,
all meant a great deal more to
him than even to the best in
formed listener.
We tend today. in an era Of
what may be called universal
music. to think that the music
lover. as he is called, knows
all that is to be known, just
because he may happen to own
a list of long-play records for
his hi-fi set.
This. alas, is just the mereSt
beginning Of a musical educa-
ton.
1t may be an essential start.
but 1t is hardly more than
that. The listening ear hears.
the mind and heart respond.
but without a true musical
education. built up over long
hours and usually at a large
cost. both in time. money and
work. the listener must re-
main a humble votary at the
shrine of music, and nothing
more.
It is enough, though.
The human ear ensures
that it will be enough. for most
of us.
The familiar picture Of q
cobra weaving in tune to the
piping of the Hindu fakir
proves that snakes have ears.
of a sort.
The human ear, as the
animal ear. juts out; to the
side. in humans: above, in
animals.
The positioning Of the ear
probably does not have too
much to do with auditory
power. 1t must lie more in
essential need for safety and
the nerves for functioning.
4 \ II
The lethargic snake, Sleep
ing away the days and nights
in semi-comatose state, may
need Just such a thunder clap
to make it realize that spring
has come at last, and it is
hungry.
Many of the old country
superstitions have a core Of
truth.
This comes about because
Of good fortune, rather than
accurate observation. In all
such cases. somebody jumped
to a conclusion. Often the
Jump was faulty, and the con-
clusion wrong.
In other cases, for no ap-
parent reason any one can
see, the Jump was accurate.
thus the conclusion right.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
On Honoring Teachers

The three-cent stamp to be
issued July l "Honoring the
Teachers Of America" comes
at a particularly opportune
and critical moment in the af-
fairs of the State of Maryland.
Can we. the people Of Mary
land. do less than to share this
privilege Of onoring the
teachers Of America, of which
our own teachers are so vital
a part?
Can we have honor without
sympathetic understanding? Is
not the present pay raise bill
the least token we can render
TO prove our sentiment?
John r. Clagetk
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18

guerrilla war Of the kind be.
ing conducted at this moment
against the British in Cyprus
and the French In Algeria. It
has been best described. from
the Israeli side. by the leader
of Irgun, Menachim Begin, in
THE Revolt. Story Of the
Irgun," and its prelude from
the British side. in "Orienta-
tions" by Sir Ronald Storrs.
former British High Commits
sioner in Palestine.
Hampered Further
Britain. thus beset, was fur
ther hampered by the intense
anti-British feeling the world
Zionist organization was able
to ,kindle. especially in the
United States. Two years after
the end Of World War II, Brit
ain threw in the sponge and
withdrew. This was the first
forced withdrawal Of Britain
from the Near East.
Everything has follow e d
pretty logically since then
withdrawal from the Sudan,
the Canal Zone, and finally
Jordan.
But in Jordan there is moth
ing like the Zionist Jews, with
their terrific national and in
ternational solidarity. power
and influence. There is no
"Jordanian" patriotism. There
is only Arab" patriotism.
Nearly half the population are
PaleStinians from west Of the
Jordan, living in idleness in
UNRWA camps, eating with
their meager rations the bitter
bread of exile, and cherishing
only the dream Of returning to
their homes.
These refugees. in Jordan.
GAIA. Lebanon and Syria. are
made the finder for Arab ma
tionalism and communism.
And in Jordan they are citizens
and have votes, They are
anti-Israel, anti British, anti
French and anti-American.
Their hope of being liberated"
is by the combined Arab states
and especially by the two most
militant Of them. Egypt and
Syria.
Their mood in Jordan was
wildly highlighted in Deem
Der. 1855, by an incident near
Jericho. But that must be re-
called in another column.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
BY THE HASKIl
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE
TO
Information
D c Please nose :"

@. Did Lizzie Borden testify
at her own trial on the charge
Of numbering her father and
stepmother?-F.M.
A. No. The trial Gin June,
1881 lasted Is days. but Miss
Borden did not testify and
therefore was not cross
examined. The jury stayed out
only one hour, then returned
with a verdict Of not guilty.
Lizzie Borden lived until June.
1927. Her will provided. among
other requests, a fund of $500
in trust to the City Of Fall
River, Mass, for perpetual
care Of the grave of my father,
Andrew Jackson Borden"
@. Why does the State Flag
Of California have a grizzly
bear and the words "Califor-
mia Republic" on it?-N.A.
A. 1t is patterned after tht
historic Bear Flag" which
was made and flown on June
IA. l848. by a group OF Amer
lean settlers at Sonoma north
Of San Francisco Bayt as a
symbol Of their revolt against
Mexican rule in California.
On July 7. 1886. United States
naval forces landed at Mop
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
News and Passports

tnelr concern Tor freedom OF
the press. Our Government
and thinking people surely
realize that without full infor-
nation one cannot freely and
wisely make decisions.
A sometimes difficult ques-
ton to answer is: Where shall
trust be placed? We assume
that our public officials are
honest. and. with all of our
safeguards. ultimately do place
our trust In them. sometimes
that trust is misplaced.)
In situations involving free
dom Of the press and Govern
ment functions. it may not al
ways be easy to show whether
reliance should be placed in a
Government representative or
in a representative of the
press. Selfish interests and the
desire for power aside. much
can be said on each side.
AS we consider the question
Of passports to American re-
porters to go to Red China, it
seems to have been answered
against the reporters by j. r.
Virgins. executive editor of
the Washington Post and
Times Herald. in his testimony
before the Senate Foreign Re-
lations Committee. He ap.
peared before the committee
as secretary Of the American
Society Of Newspaper Editors.
Since Red China has offered
entry to only selected list of
reporters. there could be no
such general coverage of the
news and situation in that
area as to assure either I'M
biased opinions or free choice
by readers among biased opin-
ions. 1t is small comfort to be
told, as Mr.. Virgins says, that
the "onus would be on Red
China" The misleading effect
would be on us.
Again, since as Mr.. Virgins
says, a citizen cannot divest
himself of the right to protec-
ton by his government, there
would be not only personal
risk and danger and an ad-
verse reflection on the United
States. as he admits, but in
dividuals would be multiplying
the Governments burdens
even while those individuals
were going on expeditions over
the Governments protests.
Further. aside from personal
dangers. Governmental In
Movement. and Communist
selection Of the reporters to
be admitted. Mr.. Virgins
agrees that there are difficult
ties in reporting from Red
China by those who are al
ready there. In this connec-
ton we realize that even the
best reporter can do little If
he is limited in his access and
investigation unless he be
clairvoyant. IF he is to ex-
ercise powers Of clairvoyance
and guesswork. he can do that
at home and without a pass
port.)
But the most telling argu-
ment in favor of the State
Departments position is to
be found in what appears to
be Mr.. Virgins summary OF
ASHES position: I'VE submit
that 1t is in the interests (sic)
Of the people Of the United
States to have swift, accurate
and complete information
about the territory controlled
BY Red China" This state
ment completely begs the
question. OF course we want
swift. accurate and complete
information" But in view of
the obstacles and limitations
which Mr.. Virgins has adj
mitted. there is every indica-
ton that any information re-
ceived will be neither accurate
nor complete. Instead Of news
we will receive such partisan
and misleading propaganda as
Red China will permit or
direct.
Lloyd Buchanan.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
ON THE RECORD
By DOROTHY THOMPSON
Jordan 7ypifies Mounting Arab Crisis

When I was in the Middle
East during the past fall, win
ter and early spring the crack
up Of Jordan was already being
accepted by most Western Dip
lomatists as q foregone con-
clusion, with Syria and FOR
Saudi Arabia or Iraq, and
Israel as the probable heirs.
The forecast Of Jordan's
disintegration usually was
dated from the dismissal of
Gen. John Club as head
Of Jordan's Arab Legion and
the swift collapse of British
influence thereafter.
Palestine and Jordan were
both entirely artificial states
created by Great Britain in
the division Of the Ottoman
Empire following the defeat
Of the Turks in World War /.
Before that--and for a period
long preceding Turkish rule
these had been Syrian prov
inces. Jesus was a Syrian
1.-THE song Of our Syrian Guest"
was In the Syrian language,
which was Aramaic.
Mandated Territory
Detached from Syria, Pales-
tine west Of the Jordan be-
came q British inundated ter
ritory, and a member Of the
pro-British Hashemite dy-
nasty was placed on the
throne of the East Jordan
province. whose official name
became THE Hashemite King
dom Of Jordan"
In Palestine, British rule,
from the beginning. was
plagued by ambiguous and
self-contradicting promises
that had been made as a mat
ter Of wartime expediency to
Arabs and the international
Zionist movement.
When the Second World War
started the Jewish commune
ties in Palestine already were
organized as a shadow state
under the international Jew
ish Agency, and possessed a
regular army. the Haganah-
augmented by two terrorist
guerrilla groups, the Irgun
and the Scientists.
The day the war against
Hitler's Germany ended, the
war Of the still incipient state
Of Israel began against the
British. 1t was a terrorist
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18

not want DR.. Peabody and DR..
Finucane in charge Of Glenn
Dale Hospital.
I congratulate DR.. Seckinger
and Mr.. Burdette and DR..
Stebbing on their fine work in
our Health Department.
Mrs. Branson G. McHwee.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-18
alexandria, Va.
Dear Sir:

Dear Sir:
Can you beat this one?
"Our friend. as she arrives
each morning. always has a
story to tell from the corner
drug store.
This am. she warned us
against going into our woods
because in the spring blasts of
thunder wake up the snakes
and the night before there had
been a grand thunder clap!
"Yours. r. ]. B."
Country tales are always in
teresting.
This story belongs to the
great group popularity called
superstitions. many of which
are. for unknown reasons.
right.
That the shock Of a big
thunder clap might cause the
dormant snake life of a COM
munity to stir does not seem
too far off the beam.
Perhaps it might!
1t would be more due to con-
cussion Of the air than to
sound. proper.
Snakes do not have ears in
the usual sense; they possess
bones Of conductivity. as it
were. which enable them to do
much as we do when we say
we hear" something.
The snake eye is famous in
song and story. and while not
as keen as birds eye. is a
very good instrument for spot
ting what is good to eat, and
also what is inimical to the
snake.
The human ear remains the
perfect instrument.
With most people. the ear
lasts about as long as any
sense.
When 1t fails. it may be
rectified with a hearing aid.
The great Beethoven lost his
hearing before the days of
electricity. and so had to re-
main deaf.
Much sorrow has been
caused in the minds and hearts
of thousands of music lovers,
by reason of this loss of the
great composer, but it prob
ably did not worry him too
much.
He had inner resources, as
1t were. unknown to all except
musicians. Since he was the
greatest musician. he must
have had ways Of compensas-
ing for his loss not known to
the average person.
He could. in other words,
hear with his minds ear.