davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
WEAPONS of SubtIety'

Startling as they are, there Is a
great deal to be said for some of the
ideas whizzing around in Peter J.
Schenk's head. Mr.. Schenk, physicist,
is president Of the Air Force Association.
He also is key man in Tempo, a long
range planning group supported by the
General Electric Company out in Cali
fornia. And it is in this project, accord
ing to the Wall Street Journal, that his
brain virtually bubbles with inspiration.
The bubbling has to do with weapons
weapons that are as yet only in the
dream stage, weapons calculated to take
any enemy by surprise, weapons con-
ceivahly capable of revolutionizing war
fare.
Let no one suppose, however. that
Mr.. Schenk is interested in developing
some fantastic new missile with a nu-
clear warhead, or some exotic form Of
acknowledgement humiliation, or some
other sort of supremely novel inStru-
ment Of supremely terrible mass de-
struction. Far from it. Actually, as the
Wall Street Journal has reported, he is
dedicated mainly to the proposition that
1t should be possible to fabricate nom
lethal weapons of Subtlety, diScrimina-
ton and persuasion" BY this he means
things like harmless laughing gases,
itching powders, noise machines, skin
irritantS and similar arms that would
render opposing armies helpless, by max
ing them giggle or scratch so much, or
become so distracted or annoyed, that
they simply could not fire a shot at
anybody, either from land, sea or air,
including outer space.
The nice thing about Mr.. Schenk'S
thinking is that it is aimed at converting
war into sort of game, matching Of
wits, in which practically nobody would
be hurt or killed. Nor should anyone
make the mistake of assuming that his
ideas are eccentric to the point of being
absurd. On the contrary, some of them,
along with those Of his Tempo colleagues,
have been submitted seriously to the
Pentagon, and they have been received
there in the same spirit. This should be
proof enough that scofferS are out Of
place in an age as remarkable as ours
an age in which no possibility is to be
laughed of, not even the possibility of
weapons sufficiently subtle and Won
drous to reduce all armed conflict to a
matter Of massive giggling, massive
itching or massive irritation doing no
real harm to the world, apart from in
conveniencing it temporarily.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
As Is Well Known =

Now that 1t is meeting in Manila,
the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
has been denounced by the Kremlin in
a typically long-winded statement full
OF hackneyed charges doing violence to
the truth. In substance, the statement
accuses us of using the alliance for Gag
gressive" purposes, particularly to fur
Their our colonial policies" and inten-
sify war-breeding tensions. "As is well
KNOWN" it says, American aid is
aimed primarily at the militarization
Of member states"
Well known to whom? Soviet AM
bassador Menshikov, for example, APP
pears to know nothing whatever about
1t when he showers us with his smiles
and speaks fervently of how wonderful
1t would be If only we would trust his
country and work together with it
for a good peace. Nor does Nikita
KhruShchev make mention of our al
legged villainy when he puts on show,
every now and then, Of sweet reason
ableneSS and an ardent desire for
RuSSian-American cooperation. Gas is
well known" however, and as the attack
on SEATO demonstrates, the Kremlin
and its spokesman are remarkably adept
at saying quite different things-sugary
and poisonous-through both sides of
their mouths at the same time.
1t may be assumed, of course, that
RuSSia'S leaders resort to this kind of
thing in an effort to confuse and divide
the free world. But how blind do they
think we are? Certainly, If they really
want to stage a peace-promoting sum-
NIT conference, they would be well
advised to put an end to such two-faced
propaganda. In any event, as ought to
be well known to them, they are not
going to promote even modicum
OF Soviet-American mutual trust and
friendship as long as they persist in
maligning us with the big lie.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11

ator knows what has hap
pened to it.
There seems to be a belief
that no one ever sees a bird
die, but this is, like most
folklore, true only in a sense.
A bird Except a few species)
is very small, and extremely
light, so that if it topples into
a stream and dies nobody
sees it go. II it gives up its
life in a field or forest it is
soon covered with leaves.
Migration is an intricate
subject. Old beliefs about it
usually are wrong. It is still
a mystery. Light, rather than
heat, is now supposed to play
the major part in setting
birds of to travel thousands
of miles annually.
Probably f1ve years Is as
much as most birds cover in
a return to a given place. Our
own Lily Belle, the robin, re-
turned for that length Of
time. We knew her by her
habit Of perching on a given
branch Of the maple tree by
the garage, and siding along
this branch while making soft
little sounds.
When she did not come
again, we had no way Of
knowing what had hap
pened to her.
Let us feel that all these
little things are peculiarly
Gods creatures, and that in
and Of and by Him they
have their little lives. Some
way, larger animals are be-
reft Of a part Of the eternal
substance. and that is why
almost all religions depict
some sort Of hell or waste
space for them to wander in.
No one has ever suggested
there is more than one fate
for a bird, or that they are
in any way punished, or
made to suffer in a future
life. Humanity, with all its
spleen. venom and cruelty.
is so bad, from a perfect
viewpoint, that even the least
sensitive must feel that some
sort Of punishment is needed
for 1t.
The birds. often used as
symbols Of souls, are their
own masters in life, and
their fate, whatever happens
to them, seems ordained
from the beginning. so that
one may say Of a dead bird
in the phrase carved on the
early Christian tombs, HE
hath lived" not that he has
died.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
Munich, 1853

Congratulations to Con-
stantine Brown. His timely
analysis. Munich, 1885,"
drew widespread, favorable
comment in Virginia. Mr..
Brown is an exception to the
rule that "the only thing we
learn from history is that we
learn nothing from history"
Apparently few others
have. That bodies danger for
this Republic. We are back
where we were 20 years ago.
Why is Khrushchev so in
sistent on a summit" confer
ence? What motivates Bull
ganin to WELD his pen so
often; why is Menshikov so
active in buttering up the
Washington press corps. the
White House and Foster
Dulles aides?
Private intelligence sources,
including the British, tell
why. The Red leaders are in
real trouble at home. Vast
areas, including the Ukraine.
are seething under the Com
munist yoke.
Our Voice Of America and
other propaganda for free
dom, plus Soviet mismanage-
ment and economic priva-
ton, are beginning to pay
off, as Foster Dulles predicted
they would.
Now here's what America is
asking: Unless our cries for
freedom Of the enslaved Eu-
ropean peoples are the hallow
mockery that Soviet dicta-
tors tell their people that they
are. how can President Eisen-
hover meet with Khrushchev,
thereby increasing his stature
before the oppressed millions?
What moral right has the
United States to aid the Com
munists in perpetuating their
murderous yoke over the peo-
Piles Of Russia, the satellites
and Asia?
And most critical of all,
what right has President Eli
senhower to put himself in a
position where he may have
to barter away American
bases in Europe, the bastions
Of our own security? These
are burning questions. We
hope Mr.. Brown can help us
again.
Charles P. Beazley,
Ii. Col. AER.
Petersburg, Va.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11

mir problem that would be fair, frst Of
all, to the Kashmiri people and salts
factory to Pakistan. There is no evidence
that our aid to India is intended to
permit that country to threaten the
independence of one Of our own allies,
namely, Pakistan. Undoubtedly, Mr..
Noon is aware of all this and, we hope,
his direful discussion of possibilities will
not be borne out by developments.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
THE POLITICAL MILL
Politics Is Very Nice. but
BY GOULD LINCOLN

ward with a Democratic pro-
gram. which lays particular
stress on public works SPEND
ing. He holds there is more
than 81 billion in unexpended
funds in appropriations Con-
gress has provided in the past
for military and civilian ex-
penditures. He has proposed
a Federal Public Works Adj
ministration to provide jobs
If employment fails to pick
up, reminiscent of the days
Of the PWA and the WPA.
Individual members Of Con-
gress have proposed many
remedies of their own for
the recession. One Of these
remedies is an immediate cut
in Federal taxes.
Senator Douglas, Democrat
Of Illinois. wants to cut the
personal income taxes in the
lower brackets and some Of
the excise taxes-a total cut
Of some 81 billion. Repre-
sentative Simpson of Penn
sylvania, Republican, has
said he plans to offer almost
Immediately q tax cut bill.
Job for Congress
The President can make
available funds already APP
propriated by Congress-and
that he is doing. He cannot
enact legislation or provide
money for new and unau-
thorized projects. That is up
to the Democratic Congress.
The public is watching the
President and the Congress-
If the Democrats in Congress
falter and delay, it will not
avail them to tell the people
that the Eisenhower admin
iStration is to blame for the
recession. for unemployment
and for people going hungry
If they &c hungry. They
may say that the Presidents
program is not sufficient. But
that is no reason for not
going ahead with it, and
promptly. If more is needed,
that can be handled, too. The
answer to the Democratic
talk Of too little and too
late" is not to do nothing.
Such an answer is not going
to gain Democratic candi-
dates votes in the elections
next November.
There is another danger,
and that is Saddling the
country and the people with
a greatly expanded bureauc-
racy. Some of the proposals
now submitted to Congress
are likely to provide increases
in Government agencies and
employees. Once the agencies
are set-up it will be next to
impossible to eliminate them.
There are two sides to Gov
eminent spending - deficit
spending. It may help the
economy in immediate trou-
bles, but it can add to the
tax burdens Of the people for
years to come. Government
spending is not the total an
Swer to the present problem.
The biggest part of the solu-
ton must come from the
American people and private
industry-and should.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
In Case of Disability

Sometimes it is very hard
to see the obvious answer to
problems, especially if it in
wolves people in high places.
The controversy over what
is to be done in case of in
ability of the President to
function properly is a good
example.
The decision as to total.
partial or permanent dis
ability has always been a
medical decision. and why
this should be changed be-
cause it involves the Presi-
dent or any other person is
puzzling. To have the Presi-
dent. or the Vice President
or the cabinet decide. is to
put a responsibility on them
they are not competent to
accept.
Since this should be a
medical and not a political
decision, I suggest that a
medical council be formed
that would have the power of
decision as to the physical
and mental ability Of the
President, or others in high
Government positions. to
properly execute the duties
of their Office in case Of ill
ness. This board might be
composed Of nine physicians.
four Of them the Surgeons
General of the Army. Navy.
Air Force and Public Health
Service. the other five being
the presidents of national
medical societies or compe-
tent clinicians appointed by
them.
The board would be ex-
pected to function whenever
called by competent author
ity and the details would have
to be worked out as to who
would have authority to call
the group into action-the
President, Vice President,
cabinet or the Congress. After
consideration and study, the
decision of the board should
be final. If the board should
decide that the President is
not able to discharge his
duties and subsequently the
President RECEIVERS this ability,
the same board should be re-
convened to decide whether
he is sufficiently recovered to
resume the presidency.
There seems to be differ
ences of opinion as to the le-
gality of the Vice President
to assume the presidency and
then to relinquish it again.
This would have to be spelled
out in q constitutional
amendment so that the Vice
President acting as Presi-
dent would have all the
rights, privileges and prerog-
atives Of that Office and still
be able to return these powers
to the President if he re-
covers from his illness.
We have functioned more
than $50 years without fac
ing this problem squarely. It
is time that we did so!
Charles X. Bush, MD.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
Indorses Dr.. Hansen

The appointment Of DR..
Carl F. Hansen as acting
superintendent of schools
until a successor to the SUI
perintendent has been ap-
pointed was a happy one. DR..
Hansen came to the school
system well recommended
and with an excellent back
ground and educational
preparation. He has been an
asset to Washington and he
continues to show q deep I'M
derstanding Of the problems
confronting public educa-
ton. and his tact. intelli-
gence, industry and expert
ence foretell the solution of
most of them.
The Board Of Education
has watched him for IL
years, and Is acquainted with
his virtues and his faults.
That the former far exceed
the latter is demonstrated
by his selection by them to
carry on in the place Of the
superintendent. The board,
Of course. is unacquainted
with possible unfavorable
characteristics Of the candi-
dates from afar. one Of whom
may receive a contract good
for three years before he can
be displaced. The old cliche
about "a bird in the hand"
is applicable here. and also
consideration Of the location
Of "the blue bird Of happi-
ness" might lead the Board
Of Education to appoint DR..
Hansen to the permanent
position. Other things being
equal, appointments from
within the system have ad-
vantages. They encourage
loyalty and provide an added
incentive for devotion to
duty. James A. Cannon, MD.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11

Politics is very nice, but 1t
isn't everything. The Ameri-
can people will be no happier
with a Democratic President
in the White House during a
depression than with a Re-
publican-nor with a Demo-
cratic Congress in control
while a Republican is Chief
Executive. The time has come
to do something about the
present economic recession
not Just talk about it. There
are strong evidences of eco
nomic strength. which en-
courage belief In recovery.
For example, personal income
in January. 1858. stood at
$343.6 billion, about ! per cent
below the all-time high of
$347.3 billion In August, 1857.
Retail sales in January were
only A Of / per cent below the
all-time high Of July, 1857,
and were higher, after sea-
sonal adjustment, than in
November or December. 1857.
Housing expenditures were
higher in January. 1858. than
in January. 1857. Govern
mental expenditures-putting
money into the economy
State and Fe d eral are in
creasing rapidly. New ma
chine tool orders were up in
January, 1858. by 4 per cent
over December, 1857. New
construction put in place in
January and February, 1858.
amounted to $6.3 billion. On
the opposite side Of the pic
ture, unemployment has con-
tinued to increase in the first
two months Of this year and
is now estimated at more
than S million. the highest
figure in more than 10 years.
Factors in the slump are a
decrease in inventories and 2
sharp decline in expenditures
for new plant equipment.
Active Steps Necessary
An important ingredient in
any recovery is public con-
fldence. and particularly.
business confidence. It is not
to be gained by preaching
gloom and doom, as some of
the Democrats have been do
ing. Nor is it to be obtained
by mere statements of OPP
timism, such as have come
from some members of the
G. o. p. Something else is
required.
President Eisenhower al
ready has taken some steps
toward putting big funds into
the economy through in
creased Government spend
ing. Interest rates have been
reduced by the Federal Re-
serve Board to make money
more available. The Presi-
dent has sent to the Repub-
lican leaders of Congress a
program calling for not only
increased spending for public
works but also for a material
increase in the length of time
for individual unemployment
insurance payments.
Senator Lyndon B. john
son of Texas. majority leader
of the Senate, has come for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11

sense to all the people Of all
the world.
For old Washington. like
old London, old Rome and
old Athens, has an interest
for all people for all time.
James M. Thomson.
Gaylord, Va.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11

The bureaucrats who are
determined to change the
front of our Nations Capitol
without giving the public an
opportunity to express its
views on the subject are max
ing a great mistake. They
should be stopped.
Many Of US who love old
Washington violently object
to the changes proposed.
Washington does not belong
to the people who live there.
It does not belong to those
who hold temporary office
here. It belongs to all the
American people ana In .
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
Unificotion

One Of the proposals Of the
recent report of the Rookie
Teller Brothers Fund is that
all the officers who reach flag
or general rank would become
officers Of the armed forces
rather than Of their services.
Thereafter they would be as
signed by the Chief Of Staff
of the armed forces. The idea
is that to reach the eminence
Of high rank and Of serving
on the national general
staff they would be required
throughout their careers to
show that they were not
"service-minded," but took
the broad view. The proposal,
of course, does not indicate
how an officer can become
qualified to take part in broad
strategic planning until his
service education is COM
pleted and he has gained ex-
perience in one of the mill
tary services in the various
duties. which would qualify
him for higher command and
for greater responsibilities. 1t
appears that the Rockefeller
group expects our strategic
planning to be done by a
career staff of faceless off,
GERS, who throughout their
careers have demonstrated an
ability to go along with the
Official" view and avoid a
reputation for turbulence by
not having any opinions of
their own.
Evidently the Rockefeller
panel was influenced by East
ern rather than Western ira
ditions and customs. In the
Ming dynasty in China one
Of the requirements for be-
coming an admiral was that
the candidate had to be a
eunuch.
Uneasy Naval Officer.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

How q bird can entwine
itself with your life!
do you think migrating
birds instinctively know when
we are to have a colder
winter?" asks B. B. of Be-
thesda, Md.
How long does a bird
live?
These questions relate to
a Baltimore oriole that had
spent the last four winters
in our vicinity.
I'VE are wondering why he
has not returned this year.
HE was a constant guest
at our feeding tray for wet
bread and raisins. He prac-
tically lived in our cedar
hedge between feelings.
HE was q beautiful sight
with the sun shining on his
brilliant breast against the
green foliage. And even more
striking when there was snow
on the branches.
4 \ \ 4
"He had many delightful
characteristics which en-
deared him as 'Orrie." our
own little pet.
"He was very friendly and
trusting.
1.-THE second winter he
spent here. we hung a swing
perch from the ceiling Of the
porch and placed raisins on
small wire projections at
each end.
Then we watched to see If
he would find them.
I'm no time at all. he spied
them and few to the perch.
After q few swings. he hoped
to the end and took q raisin.
After eating this, he repeated
the performance for the other
one.
I'VE were thrilled.
From then on. we kept
him supplied and the swing
perch was his favorite spot.
Many times, after eating, he
would fly to q high shelf on
the porch and would stay
there for as long as IS min
utes. resting and apparently
mapping.
"This would have been his
fifth winter.
I'VE have watched for him,
but he has not appeared. We
miss him very much. So now
we are interested in learn
ing more about migrations
and the life span Of birds"
4 Il 4
The average songbird will
live about 8 years.
There are variations, of
course, but this is q good
approximation.
Both Baltimore orioles and
bluebirds have queer ways of
handling their lives, so that
it is difficult to know whether
a given species is really mi
grating" or just wandering
around in a given territory.
1t is impossible to know
what has happened to q bird
unless it has been banded.
and even then scores Of them,
properly and legally banded,
are never accounted for; a
bird lost is q bird lost, and
often no one except It's Gre
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
Questions and Answers
By THE HASKIN SERVICE

@. What agencies are in
cluded in the Department Of
Health, Education and We'll
fare? K. s.
A. The Social Security Ad-
ministration, the Public
Health Service, the Food and
Drug Administration, the Of
fee Of Education. and the
once of Vocational Rehabil-
itation, which helps the
States to find Jobs for the
disabled, including the blind
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-11
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry iDrtters' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
sntion.