davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
Britain on Retaliation

In their latest White Paper on de-
Tense, the British have used admirably
blunt language to emphasize that II the
Soviet Union were to attack the West
"even with conventional forces only
they would strike back instantaneously
with strategic nuclear bombardment.
This is another way of saying that they
would resort to massive retaliation with
atomic and hydrogen weapons regard
less of the kind of arms the Kremlin
might employ in its initial assault.
Not until now have the British been
so specific in declaring what they would
do in the event of Soviet aggression
against free Europe. But their defini-
ton of policy in that respect should oc-
casion no great surprise. For 1t stems
logically from their decision last year
to undertake drastic reorganization
Of their military establishments re-
organization aimed at economizing on
money and men by placing Britain's
main security reliance on the tremen-
dous deterrent power Of the Anglo
American nuclear arsenal, including the
missile delivery system.
1t may be assumed, moreover, that
our own country is in full agreement
with the British White Papers retalia-
tory thesis. This is so because even a
nonatomic Soviet military attack on the
West could hardly fail to unleash an
about world war-not merely limited
war Of the sort fought in Korea. Hence,
although American policy emissions the
possibility Of "brush-flre" conflicts in
which only relatively small tactical nu-
clear weapons might be used, there is
no doubt that we and the British see
eye to eye, officially, on the proposition
that immediate strategic A and H bomb
ing would have to be ordered If the
Kremlin made any kind Of armed as
Sault, conventional or not, on the Allan.
tic community.
All this adds up to a grim sort Of
business, but it is realistic. Britain, in
frankly Stressing it, has made plain to
the leaders Of the Soviet Union that
they cannot strike against thess West
without at the same time exposing their
empire to blows Of the most devastating
kind. In effect, this amounts to q sol-
emn forewarning-in some ways even
blunter than any yet uttered here In the,
United States-that the USSR can start
a war in iEurope only at the risk Of being
annihilated quite as much as any land
it might attack.
1t Is not without value to underscore
this fact in ofticial documents like the
British White Paper. After all, there Is
always the chance that the Kremlin,
unless periodically advised to the con-
trary in unvarnished Language, may mis-
interpret or miscalculate the thinking
and reSoluteness of NATO's two nuclear
members. On the other hand, If Nikita
KhruShchev and his colleagues are kept
straight on that score, 1t may be pos
Sible, eventually, to get them to Coop
crate with the West in building decent
and enduring peace.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
Chinese Exhibit

j wish 70 correct erroneous
information about the Chi
nese orders on display at the
Smithsonian Institution as
part of It's permanent "Or-
ders of Knighthood" exhibit:
There are six such orders
under the title Of China"
Five Of them are described as
Founded by President
Chang in 1928" which is in
accurate. The founding Of the
sixth one Is attributed to the
Japanese government In 1913.
That seems very misleading.
Anyone with O knowledge
Of modern Chinese history
should know that the Presi-
dent Of China IS years ago
was Tsao Kun, whereas
Chang Kai-shek was then
In Canton, Kuangtung Prov
ince, with the provisional
Kuomintang g govern m e mt
headed by DR.. Sun Yat-sen.
Actually, three of the or
ders in question-two Of the
Orders of CHA Ho" (Gold-
en- Grains) and one Of 'Wen
HUI" Striped TigeD
probably inaugurated by
President Ii Yuan Hung or
President Hsu Shih-chang
prior to 1928, while the two
others-"Orders Of Double
Dragons" first and second
classes-have nothing to do
with the Chinese Republic.
They were In fact created by
the imperial Manchu govern
ment some time before 1911
as evidenced by the inscrip-
tons on the orders in both
the Chinese and Manchu
languages which read:
Granted by His Majesty,
the Emperor"
And finally. the "Order
Of United Glory" the sixth
on exhibit, was apparently
established by the puppet re-
gime under Japanese occu-
patton. It should not be In
cluded in the China" cate
CORY. It certainly sounds
very peculiar to read the
description, which implies
that IL was founded by the
Japanese government" for
China.
Frank p. H. Shin.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
Burke Land Disposal

In your stories concern
ing disposition Of land held
by the Federal Government
in the so-called Burke air
port area. everybody appears
to believe that this is one
large tract which is available
for some agency that might
require Q large plot.
Actually the land held is
in q score or more Of plots,
only three Of which are Of
around $50 acres. The rest Is
scattered about in areas
ranging from two to 20
acres. The land between has,
however, been rendered use
less for any sort Of develop
ment for all these years.
Consequently this part Of
Fairfax County has not
grown a. it should have.
The Burke Communities
Civic Association investigated
the situation IS soon Is the
Chantilly site was selected
for the second Washington
airport. We at Burke had
hoped that the land-or some
large segment Of it-might
wen be suitable for . school
or hospital or some Federal
agency. However, all owners
Of large tracts that we could
contact expressed the desire
to repurchase.
In an effort to get the land
back into productive use. we
have therefore gone on rec
ord as favoring Representa-
tive Broyhill's bill to return
the land to original owners.
We are deeply concerned with
the blight that has been cast
on this entire part Of Fairfax
County, and feel that some
thing should be done i'm
mediately to help rebuild this
area. Some Of US personally
also believe that the Govern
ment should reimburse the
State and County for the tax
loss that has been suffered.
Owen J. Remington.
Secretary. Burke Com.
n1unities Civic Associa.
ton.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17

A dozen dives to the bot
tom Of the Mediterranean in
O submersihle steel balloon
called the "bathyscope" now
have been made.
This has just been re-
ported by the once of Naval
Research which for some
time has partially supported
the research Of the Belgian
scientist Jacques Picard in
his deep-sea research.
The apparatus, designed to
dive and remain indefinitely
on the bottom at depths Of
about $4,000 feet. has been
restricted thus far to about
5000 feet In the sea south Of
Capri.
Scientific work accom-
plished SO far, says the Navy
announcement, has consisted
Of the measurements Of the
penetration Of sunlight into
the sea. bottom currents. and
speeds Of sound. Numerous
small holes In the bottom
sediment are seen on almost
every dive. As yet M. Picard
has been unable to explain
their origin but they definite
~ are due to animals Of some
sort. Unusual feeding and
swimming habits Of fish have
been noted on the bottom be-
low 5000 feet. Also, the
bathyscope has generated a
relatively violent turbidity
current at the edges Of pre-
cipitous cliffs which rise from
the bottom with about 30
degree slopes.
Important Results
1.-THE acoustic measure
ments," says the Navy report,
already have produced some
very important results. Back
ground noises have been
measured at low frequency
from the surface to the bot
tom.S Preliminary analysis
shows a considerable de-
crease in these noises at the
bottom with an increase in
their level at intermediate
depths. Different biological
and man-made noise sources
have been tentatively identi-
fed"
The craft consists of q
very strong and thick forged
steel sphere with an inside
diameter Of about two yards.
It Is suspended beneath q
blimp-shaped steel float
about is yards long. This
float tank is filled with gaso-
line for buoyancy. Ballast is
provided by four and o half
tons Of fine iron shot.
Vertical control is obtained
by valving on gasoline and
dropping ballast. Horizontal
control comes from two
counter-rotating twin screws
Of two horsepower each,
mounted on the main deck
These provide full control
There are no rudders. The
apparatus has been appro-
priately described as q "steel
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
School for Peace

It was at about this time three years
ago that the Atomic Energy Commission
opened its International School of Nu-
clear Science and Engineering at the
Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont,
Illinois. Since then, operating as key
instrument Of the atoms-for-p eace pro-
gram, the school has conducted six ses-
sions of intensive training for students
from all parts of the world, and the
seventh will soon begin with class Of
So Students-54 of them from Is foreign
countries.
Since the schools founding, the en-
rollment of such Students-all scientists
or engineers-has reached total of 419,
with 326 Of these coming from no fewer
than 43 free nations overseas. The bal
ance, 90, has been made up Of Americans
sponsored chiefly by industries inter-
ested In nuclear energy. AS for the
training itself, which has been carried
out with the help Of North Carolina
State College and Pennsylvania State
University, it includes several months Of
lectures, seminars, practical work with
unclassified reactor technology and re-
lated courses designed to spread the
kind Of knowledge that is needed to
harness the atom for agricultural, in
dustrial, medical and other peaceful
uses throughout the world.
In that respect, now that this unique
international institution is entering
upon its fourth year Of high educational
endeavor, it seems fitting to recall that
the Aces DR.. w. Kenneth Davis, in
addressing the first class, declared that
"atomic energy can enrich or obliterate
mankind. We here in the United States
are convinced that not only can 1t enrich
but that 1t must be used for the common
good At this school j. we can
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
Forget This Give-Awoy

Maryland's refusal to take over
the Baltimore Washington and Suit
land Pathways from the Federal Gov
eminent Is good news for the city. We
hope the. Interior Department now
win forget this ill-conSidered give-away
scheme and buckle down to some long
needed improvements on the two roads.
The interior Department has been
trying for several years to unload the
Pathways without the slightest encour-
agement from Maryland. Interiors mo-
tive has been mainly economic; It
wants to avoid further maintenance
costs on the two heavily travelled routes.
While this is understandable, Maryland's
forcefully stated reasons for not taking
on additional expenses itself make much
more sense.
AS we have said in the past, we hope
truck traffic is kept of the Washington
end Of the intercity parkway, and that
can be done only If this portion of the
road remains in Federal ownership. In
this respect, the Baltimore Washington
road is unlike many other trafflc APP
proaches to Washington, because truck
volumes are so great in the Route
corridor northeast Of the city.
Park Service officials, meanwhile,
seem to be taking shurt-sighted ap-
proach to further improvements on the
two parkways. There appears to be
little disposition, for example, to con-
struct the additional two lanes of the
Suitland parkway for which grading
already is complete near Andrews Air
Force Base. This attitude is sad COM
mentary on policies which are supposed
to provide adequate service facilities
for parkways authorized by Congress.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES {. TRACEWELL

and often very pleasing. to
watch the smart boys hang
themselves.
We can recall one smart
fellow-and he was and still
IL highly intelhgent-who
hung around his immediate
superior ct every turn.
The boss couldn't move in
his chair without finding Old
Smart Alec, as we may call
him. right there at his elbow.
The boss couldn't even 90
to lunch by himself, but had
to 60 with old Smartie.
At first. the boss was
pretty much fiattered, be.
cause he rightly assessed this
wight at his true intellectual
value. which was and u
pretty high.
No doubt Of that. Nobody,
positively no one, would say
anything else about Smart
Alec. He was and u smart.
B. A. had o dinner data an
fixed up. after Q full years
preparation, when something
happened.
Nobody ever knew quite
what, but Mr.. A. changed his
place Of employment the next
day, much to everyone's sat.
isfaction, including the Big
Boss.
Usually. you can fool .
B. B. only so long-and 90
often. This type doesn't get
in the big jobs for nothing.
- =
So, Tom let the two con-
spirators run on.
What do you care II they
overlook you so conveniently?
Maybe you are fortunate
and don't realize 1t.
Do your boiling beneath
your collar and don't let them
see the steam.
Treat them to o dose Of the
same and watch them wilt.
Garry an important look
ing paper in your hand, and
when you 60 by, read 1t with
great interest.
Do not. however, harbor
any Of the III viii you sug-
gest in your next-to-last SEN
tence.
III viii. always defeats It's
purpose. Radiate good will.
II you can: 1t win help you,
and may even help your two
superior friends. They need
help, though they don't know
It yet.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17

PROBING the Mediterranean Bottom
BY THOMAS R. HENRI

balloon" rather than any
type Of submarine.
So ~
Win the increasing out.
put Of factory chimneys and
automobile exhausts change
the climate Of the earth?
This certainly IL greatly
increasing the amount Of the
relatively rare gas. carbon
dioxide. in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide, in turn, Is
q potent absorber Of solar
energy. It constitutes the
source Of carbon for plant
growth. There have been
speculations that some Of the
warm periods Of the past
accompanied by extremely
luxuriant vegetation even as
far north as Greenland have
been due in large part to an
excess Of the gas In the at
nosphere.
Observance Underway
But there may be no actual
increase. so far as the air is
concerned. It is known that
the ocean Is q tremendous
coz reservoir and may be
keeping the system In bali
ance. Determination Of the
extent to which the seas are
absorbing the present in.
crease is q major objective
Of the Woods Hole Oceano.
graphic Institution research
ship Atlantis now OF on Q
detailed study Of the South
Atlantic. This is part Of the
American International Geo.
physical Year program.
The ship win make OBJ
servations In the important
area Of the Brazil Current
and q north-south section
along the South American
coast. It hopes to arrive In
Capetown early in April.
Several months then win be
spent making geophysical
observations In the Indian
Ocean.
More knowledge Is needed
particularly about the rate Of
interchange of carbon dioxide
between the atmosphere and
the ocean waters. Con-
tinuously recording carbon
dioxide analyzers have been
adapted for shipboard use
and for installation on an
oceanographic aircraft. The
object Is to obtain informa.
ton on changing levels Of
the gas In air and sea.
Naturally occurring radio
active elements In the sea
will be determined to estab.
lish q baseline from which
estimates can be made Of the
amount Of radioactivity now
being added by fall-out from
atom bomb tests. This also
viii afford Q tool for studying
the rate Of mixing Of surface
and deep waters. Fall-out
materials make excellent
tracers for studying Of move.
mentS of water masses.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
Liberals and Liberties

40e n III z z y ~ AApCAN a.
Association Is concerne d
about the attacks upon the
Supreme Court. and from the
tone Of the groups letter In
The Star, I would suppose
that they are all lawyers.
There is q deepening suspi,
cion in the minds Of many
Of US today that our Ameri-
can law idol is made entirely
Of clay-not just clay feet.
To exist In q democracy.
the law must be q living SYM
boil Of the desires Of its peo-
pie: For defense Of their in
terests, protection Of their
rights. justice for the OPP
pressed and punishment for
all malefactors. One has only
to observe the workings OF
the law in everyday occur
rences to see that this ideal Is
not being followed. Because
Of this, morals are low, and
one iine day things may come
tumbling down like Q house
Of cards.
Let US consider the atti.
tude Of the average individ-
ual, who for some reason or
other has run afoul Of the
law. His primary motivating
thought IL to get free.
Whether he Is guilty or
not, the individual win make
Q sacrifice to be released.
even temporarily. After re-
lease, the fear Of incarcera-
ton diminishes with the
passage Of time. Our friend,
the lawyer, win get him on.
The case against Supreme
Court decisions Is that they
violate sacred rights OF the
individual - the very thing
the. court was established to
defend. As q result of recent
decisions, more restrictive
measures are being sought in
Congress as Of this moment;
the pendulum Is swinging the
wrong way.
MY contention Is that We
must 20 deeper than the Su-
preme Court to remedy the
causes Of our dissatisfaction
with American law. The fact
Of the matter Is that ever
since this country was
founded lawyers have been
permitted to tinker with. to
circumvent and to misuse the
existing law for the benefit
Of the scoundrel, the pirate.
the tax dbdger, or what have
you. The result Is that the
law has become weak. degen-
Grated, a debased thing which
seems the very epitome OF
skulduggery. Honest citizens
want no part Of it, If it is at
all possible to avoid At one
time a Judge was considered
to be above the ethical mott
vations of the ordinary law
yer. Now even that is open
to question. If the Liberal
Association wanted to get to
the bottom Of all this, which
I very much doubt. they
wouldn't be bothering about
attacks on the Supreme
Court. Let them worry about
our liberties-they are much
more precious to US.
william p. Thomas, Jr.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
White House Guests

The gotngS-on OF wash
ington society after dark are
of scant interest to me, but
my eye was caught by a re-
cent story about a state din
ner given by the President in
honor of the diplomatic corps
at the White House. It is.
Of course, q gesture Of Of
fetal. courtesy for the Presi-
dent to entertain representa-
tives Of foreign nations. His
dinner for them is in the ma
ture Of an "ofhcial" function,
even If he pays for it out Of
personal funds; presumably
he does not invite them
all because they are personal
friends Of his.
What struck me, however,
was that his guest list in
cluded several washington
hostesses." Now I believe
that the President has every
right to entertain whomever
he pleases. Yet at an &C.
casion where the President,
as head Of state, is in a sense
offering the hospitality Of
the United States to repre-
sentatives Of other countries,
what place have those whose
chief claim to fame Is the
lavishness and publicity Of
their parties for the cocktail
dinner.party circuit? Are
they to be considered such
outstanding citizens that
their acquaintance with for
eign observers is to be Of
flcially fostered? AS success
full hoStesses, no doubt they
are outstanding personalities
and good company at q party.
They are even likely to be i'm
mortalized in play. movie and
song. But aren't they al
ready well acquainted with
the leading lights Of the dip
lomatic corps?
I believe that the White
House. in publicly including
the so-called Washington
hostesses among those in
vlted to an occasion Of this
kind, is exhibiting an uncon-
scionable degree OF social
snobbishness. in appropriate
TO the purposes Of "of1cial"
entertainment Of foreign dig
nitaries.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
"letlas STREET.


you seem 10 know Q great
deal about many things, what
do you suggest here?
II recently was treated TO
as nice q job Of cold-shoul-
dering as any one can get In
an ONCE. especially after
working there 80 years.
II have q good job, too.
and the precious pair which
snubbed me between them
cannot arrive at this figure
Of service.
But they pretended they
didn't see me, when I walked
by, and If I had been an Of
flee boy or something. I
couldn't have been snubbed
any better. Or more COM
pletely.
y 4 4
1.-THE thing left me boiling.
II suppose. in this era Of
psychology and psychiatry. !
shouldn't have boiled.
Boiling simply makes one
fair game. I know.
II am o believer, however.
both In the rights Of man and
the emotions.
ITO boil, when Ill treated.
seems to me the better &C.
ton. I am not one Of these
supine sapS who manages to
take everything, even insults,
with q grin.
IT don't grin; I didn't grin
when these two newcomers
pretended they didn't see me.
1.-THE reason for this was. I
suppose, they thought I
could have no influence on
their promotions, and they
would speak only to the
really important people. Well.
Wen see about that!
IF you have any sugges-
lions as to how to handle
such a situation, in case 1t
arises again, I would appre-
ciate them.
Sincerely, TOM L."
Dear Tom: Your letter Is
honest, II indiscreet.
So here goes.
The indiscretion comes in
wearing your heart SO plainly
on your sleeve. In this age,
as you suggest, one shouldn't
do 1t. There are too many
things to lose, including ones
own self-respect, and SO few
to gain.
The best way, undoubtedly,
is to pretend. for your part,
that you don't see them,
either.
It is q game two can
play at.
In almost all such cases,
not unusual in any organi-
cation, the thing finally plays
itself out.
The people they are trying
to impress are not fools. after
all.
These people are human.
and at first may be impressed.
but they are smart enough,
in almost all cases, to real
lie at last just what Is going
on.
SO you have nothing to
fear.
All you have to do IL sit
tight and wait. one Of the
oldest and most pleasing Of
games.
It u intensely intsresting.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17

Goodness gracious. great
balls Of flrel What a won
derful. gratifying feeling
saturated my whole being
upon learning that the
United States had success
fully launched q satellite.
What more incentive or i'm
petus does young America
need than this evidence that
the Soviets alone ARE. not
making the most notable
strides In scientific progress?
The wintry-like chill, the
unearthly tingle, the childish
jubilanee that momentarily
prevailed as ! listened to the
commentators relating the
news q the "Exploror's" trst
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
LETTERS TO THE STAR

with It? The services Of such
hospitals would be rendered
free of charge to the patient
and all costs paid by the alco-
hol beverage companies. This
would place the burden and
responsibility where it be-
longed.
John e. Macmillan.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
Joilinc Drunk Drivers

I note in The Star Of Feb
ruary ~ that the Northern
Virginia Advisory Board Of
the American Automobile AS
ISOLATION voted opposition to
q bill that would require a
jail sentence of 10 days for
first.offense drunk drivers"
In Virginia. The committee
Endorsed the To-day jail sem
tence, but suggested judges
have the option Of suspend
ing It,"
Such an option would
weaken the bill. Any person
who knows he or she Is going
to drive q motor vehicle
should have sense enough not
to drink before driving. II
they do drink. 1t seems this
Is q deliberate action taken
by them without regard for
the rights Of other users Of
the highways. ! have no SYM
patl1y for Q drinking driver.
] believe anyone who deliber-
ately drinks and drives should
be made to pay the penalty.
I also note the three AS
is still opposed to use Of un-
marked police cars patroling
the highways. Police can
not be. on every foot Of the
highways at the same time.
Therefore. every means pos
sihle should be taken to ap.
preheld the deliberate viola
tor Of trafiic laws. ANY per.
son operating . motor vehicle
IN compliance with al trafi1c
laws need have no fear Of
arrest. Neither does he have
TO worry about marked or
unmarked police cars.
K e.. Mcf<lOakev.