davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
Pressure Tactics

The last-mlnute decision 10 include
a proposed Wisconsin avenue corridor"
freeway as part Of the forthcoming
washington Area Mass transportation
Survey was more indicative Of politick-
ing by few Maryland and washington
planners than OF sound planning. Their
action, Furthermore, was virtually mean
ingless. For the only people who can
make such freeway a reality-the Dis
trict Commissioners It. We as
sumo they viii not bow TO pressure
supported by so few facts.
The planners action doesn't answer
questions previously raised about the
wisconsin avenue corridor" II pro-
duced new ones, including the motives
behind this sudden rush for District.
action. What Is all the shouting about?
Maryland planners already have rejected
the idea of holding up indefinitely pri-
vate construction along their part OF
what may or may not turn out to be the
selected route.
On the other hand, the long
promised Transportation Survey report
will be made public In few weeks.
What will 1t show? For one thing, of1-
Gals already have said, 1t will propose
construction of far more freeways than
there is money to build. The first job,
therefore, will be to develop as large a
realistic revenue package as possible.
Only then can priorities for specific
roads and transit ways be decided, and
fitted to the financial pattern. Surely
that Is the time to make final decision
on such a questionable venture as the
wisconsin avenue corridor.
There are other questions, too. Do
Federal park ofi1cials, for example, really
mean they would permit the feasible"
new truck route to run through Rock
Greek Park in the fashion suggested by
the planners? This would be surprising,
for they persistently have blocked plans
to extend the Rock Creek and Potomac
parkway in much of the same general
area. If they would agree, however, 1t
might be possible with few additional
park encroachmentS to build the whole
freeway along the western edge OF the
park. And what about the findings OF
COnSulIdnLS Il1rCQ ny tAAC PAoAAOAS w
the effect that traff1c did not require
an interstate freeway between Tenley
Circle and the downtown inner loop
system? What, in fact, about the ability
of the inner loop to handle all the trafflc
being aimed at it by various freeways
in the plans? These are serious ques-
lions which were brushed aside by the
planners.
What would happen If the Commits
sioners also should ignore them, and
declare now that the District will build
somewhere, sometime, at some ex-
pense-a Wisconsin interstate freeway
all the way to the inner loop? Why,
Maryland would Immediately begin ac-
curing land and building its portion OF
the road, leaving the District high, dry
and committed to an action 1t might
well be unprepared to take. That, OF
course, seems to be the intention OF
those generating the pressure behind re-
vival of the Wisconsin avenue corridor.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11

It was Thomas Jefferson
who said:
Teach all the children to
venerate the mockingbird as
a superior being in the form
of q bird"
With this noble sentiment
most of us will agree.
The Virginia mockingbird.
as it is sometimes called, is
truly a wonderful creature.
Perhaps it seems so Won
derful to us because it is so
human, too.
The mockingbird is by no
means a saint in feathers.
He has been known to ny
onto a porch and peck at
the eye Of q house cat mind
ing its own business.
At nesting time, this bird
will fly at householderS en-
gagged in normal pursuits.
All during the year the
mocker may try to keep other
birds away from food it does
not want itself.
Reminds one OF people,
doesn't it?
The great Jefferson was
right, though. in the main.
The mockingbird is a SUI
uerior being in the form OF
a bird.
Even this form, however.
some may think, might be
improved a bit.
The tail, for one thing, is
much too long, and certainly
too narrow.
The colors, gray and white.
seem a bit on the sober side.
but if one is going to be a
creature to be venerated,
perhaps the coloration is
just right.
However the observer looks
at. this bird, he finds some
thing interesting. The show
of white when it flies strikes
him as just the thing, and
the cool, composed glance
from the eye really perfect.
It is in cold weather that
our mockingbird becomes the
friend of man. and woman,
too.
He flies to the window.
maybe the kitchen window,
and looks in to see If food
is not forthcoming.
The food he likes best, and
the one that seems to do him
the most good in the cold, is
the seedless raisins.
These mockingbird delica-
cies usually come in a red box.
The crop this winter has not
been up to expectations. but
the birds like them just as
well as ever.
The seedless ones are the
best.
The interesting thing about
the mocker and the raisin is
the number he eats.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
Geneva and Mans Fate

Secretary of State Herter has struck
the right cautionary note: There is no
real basis for great expectations or high
hopes as the foreign ministers Of France,
Britain, the United States and the Soviet
Union meet now in Geneva to deal with
the Kremlin-manufactured Berlin crisis
and with related issues Of grave import
to Europe and the world. For this get
together, far from settling anything, will
almost certainly amount to little more
than an EaSt-WeSt feeling-out opera
ton. As such, the most that is likely to
come Of 1t is an agreement to stage a
heads-of-government summit confer
ence. And even this may not be achieved
II the Russians insist on active partici-
patton by East Germany.
In any event, although Soviet For
eign Minister Gromyko conceivably
may have some pleasant surprises to
offer, there are many reasons why opti-
mism ought to be held very much in
check at the moment. This is so pri-
marily because the Kremlin appears to
be as intent as ever upon blocking the
reunification of partitioned Germany
and upon converting West Berlin into
demilitarized "free city"-a plan that
would force the withdrawal Of Anglo
French-American troops and leave the
place acutely vulnerable to an eventual
Communist take-over. Worth noting,
moreover, is the fact that the Russian
press-aS If to herald the Geneva meet
ing with missile brandishing warning
has given wide publicity to Premier
Khrushchev's assertion that "the West
ern powers would be literally wiped OF
the face of the earth" should there be
q war. Z
This kind of talk, coming on the eve
of the foreign ministers conference, is
hardly conducive to optimism. However,
while claiming that his country would
be the victor in a nuclear war, Mr..
Khrushchev has acknowledged that such
an event would inf1ict great" losses on
the Soviet Union, and this in turn Sug-
Rests that he realizeS-despite his boast
fillness-that the USSR might just as
easily be wiped of the face OF the
earth" as any Western power. Here,
then, is a consideration that generates
at least little bit Of hope. The hope
is that the Kremlin may be reasonable
enough at Geneva to show willingness
to accommodate itself to Anglo-French-
American determination not to abandon
free Berlin or to accept German settle
ment that would sell liberty down, the
river and make all of Europe ripe for
Communist plucking.
Certainly, If the Soviet Union is
ready for such accommodation, then the
meeting of foreign ministers can pave
the way for a summit conference that
could be decisive in easing international
tensions and laying the groundwork for
the kind of agreements and the kind OF
peace in which all powers could repoSe
their trust. This, at any rate, is what
peoples everywhere are yearning for. 1t
is the great basic hope behind the cur
rent Geneva talks. If it proves to be,
forIorn, then man himself will be in
danger Of drifting willy-nilly toward
global catastrophe that could mean the
end Of him.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
AppIouds Dr.. Hansen

I compliment DR.. Carl F.
Hansen for the spendid work
he is doing to counterfeit the
impression in Virginia and
elsewhere in the South that
Indignation made q mess"
Of the Washington school
system. I am also convinced
that DR.. Hansen is doing a
good job in raising the stand
ards in public education.
Throughout the South
bigots are using the biased
Davis report to support mas
sive resistance to implement
tation of the Supreme Court
edict. DR.. Hansen'S forth
right defense in speeches be-
fore several human relations
committee meetings have
done much to Offset the ca
nards pronounced and in
ferred in the Davis report.
which is still being circulated
at Government expense.
OF course, there are some
who will view parts of the
superintendent program
with suspicion or alarm but
his record to date deserves
highest commentator.
Edwin b. Henderson,
Virginia State Conference.
National Association for
the Advancement Of
Colored People.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
The King of the BeIgions

The young bachelor king of brave
people is WaShington'S guest OF honor
today. Baudouin, 28-year-old ruler OF
the Belgians, is making three-day state
visit here as his first stop on an extended
tour of the United States. Coming to our
country for the second time-he was
teen-age prince when he first visited in
1948-Baudouin represents nation that
has held a high place in American
esteem for its gallant conduct In two
great world wars. Small in both area
and population, Belgium knew at first
hand the heavy toll in lives, the deStruc-
ton of property and the expressions OF
enemy occupation in the two wars which
have ragged across Western Europe in
this century.
For Baudouin himself there was per-
sonal tragedy at the age Of when
his father, King Leopold, felt forced to
choose surrender to the Nazi armies and
the royal family remained captives OF
the invaders. Years of exile followed
before Leopold and the lonely Prince"
returned to their country in 1850, and
there was tormenting political crisis
preceding LeopoldS abdication and ac-
cesSion of Baudouin as the fifth King of
the BelgianS in July, 1851.
In the years since, Baudouin has
reigned with solemn dignity. His
people, diligently industrious, have pros
pered in this period and Belgium has
been in the forefront of the steady
progress toward strong West European
unt economically, politically and Nd J.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
Boycott Steel?

This June I am to be grad
uated from college. and in a
few months I win start q job
as a welfare worker. My
flance is in medical school.
Yesterday we we're offered q
complete set of furniture at
a wonderful price. But where
are we to borrow the money?
We turned to our parents.
Ny father is q buildinR con-
tractor, my f1ance's fsther a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11

doctor. They had to turn
down our request. And why?
Because the impending steel
strike would affect both Of
these mems businesses.
At present we are support
ing the steel industry by buy
ing appliances made Of steel
and driving an American
made car. Some day we will
build a home and equip 1t
with steel products made in
America.
Financial loss faces both
owners and workers II a steel
strike occurs. But have you
considered the loss the aver
age man would take? Why
should we support an Amer
lean industry which does not
support the American public
in return? We viii turn else
where for our steel products,
such as West Germany.
M. L, ID.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
Splinter Parties

A great majority Of real
Americans believe in the
American two-party system
Of Government as the best
devised anywhere in the
world. Unfortunately, there
are among us extremists who
would, by subtle arguments,
try to destroy this system.
These groups know that the
best way to destroy our
American two-party system
Of government is to start by
destroying it at the local
level. These groups know
that If the interest in our
American form Of govern
ment can be dissipated at the
grass roots local level, 1t will
be easier to kill it later at all
levels. ''Kill the roots-the
tree will fall"
So it is not surprising to
find extremists at the fore
front in Arlington. in a fight
to kill OF interest in our
American two-party system at
the local level and substitute
extremist splinter parties in
the local elections. These ex-
tremists (called the ABC po-
litical machine in Arlington)
know that radical movements
always thrive and take over
when splinter groups vie
for control Of governments.
Foreign countries such as
France. Italy, ETC.. are living
examples of radical splinter
groups having grown strong
under this type Of political
maneuvering)
The liberal extremists in
Arlington use spurious argu-
ments such as There's no
Democratic or Republican
way to build a national high
way or a State highway"
These arguments, carried to
their illogical conclusions,
actually show that these peo-
pie who utter them do not
believe in our American Sys-
tenn Of government, that two
major parties debating State,
local, or national questions
has been our best American
answer to government for
over ITS years-and trying
to let radical splinter groups
do 1t is always a poor sub
Stitute.
In Arlington it has already
caused friction and vicious
clashes which have done a
great disservice to our COM
munity. ArlingtonianS have a
great opportunity to prove
that they are real Americans,
that they firmly believe our
time-proven system Of gov
eminent is best, that we are
going to put a stop to radi-
Gals trying to tamper with
it, that we are going to get
back to the two-party sys-
tenn in Arlington. that the
Republican and Democratic
Parties should carry out
their responsibilities to put
candidates up for all elective
-officesI Thinking Arlingto-
mans have certainly had
their fill of splinter-elected
machine politicians.
Richard d. Long.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
Junior Republicans

C. Rogers, a 15-year-old
young Republican, urged the
formation Of Teen-A g e
Republican Clubs throughout
the country.
AS co-chairman of the
Young Republican National
Federation, it is my respon-
sibility to encourage the
organization Of these clubs
where young American teen
ayers can take part in our
political process and thereby
learn their responsibilities as
citizens. I am happy to pass
along to Mr.. Rogers the in
formation that there are now
1O6 active Hi-YR Clubs in
the Nation and that approx
mately 1000 teen-age Repub-
licans are working actively
for a Republican victory in
1860. We feel that teen-agc
boys and girls can contribute
enthusiasm, energy. and vital
ity to a campaign and We
welcome their civic interest.
especially at a time when a
Democratic Congress is add
ing to q national debt which
they and their children are
going to have to pay of.
I want to salute young Mr.
Rogers for his keen interest
in the future Of his country.
he and his contemporaries
have a magnificent Inherit
ance coming to them and the
Republican Party is working
to see to it that this legacy
will be a stronger and greater
America.
Jerrie Kent.
Co-Chairman, Young Re-
publican National Federation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL

Now, a starting will eat .
whole boxful if you let him.
He and his friends will eat
a boxful in about 5 seconds.
The mockingbird, on the
other wing, seldom eats more
than three raisins at q time.
He eats one, then another,
and maybe a third, but not
always. The fourth he car
ries away with him.
We have watched hooking
birds do this so many times
that the one-two-thre -four
becomes normal.
\ 4 X 4
Some fortunate persons
have the bird come to hand,
but most Of us are too nerv-
Gus for that.
But even the most jittery
observer will have his favor
lite mockingbird come to
within one or two feet while
he puts raisins, just q few,
on the porch rail.
Sometimes the bird will
fly down and eat before the
door is closed.
Mostly, however, at least
out our way, the mocker
waits until he hears the door
close, then he flies down.
4 4 = =
Mockingbirds are supposed
to put on some kind of mat
ing dance but we have never
seen them do it.
We have had three all
winter, perhaps two males
and a female. The females,
in most cases, are shyer.
So this leaves the male
Knockers as the friendliest to
humans, and we believe this
is so, probably because they
are not afraid.
Usually the two males,
then, fly down to the porch
railing together, while the
other, the female. keeps to
the althea bushes.
After they have eaten three
raisins, and each flown away
with one, the shy mocker
flies in and helps herself.
All three of these birds
are on the dark side.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
VlSTAS>IN SCIENCE
New Evidenced of LIE on Mars


There Il strong new evi-
dence OF life on Mars basle-
ally like life on earth.
This consists In the detec-
ton IN the dark belt which
appears around the plants
equator IN spring and sum-
mer OF radiation bands char
acteristic Of molecules COM
posed Of atoms Of the ele-
ments carbon and hydrogen
reactlng with each other,
These must be molecules OF
so-called hydrocarbons, fun
damental In all plant life.
The evidence has Just been
presented 10 the American
0eophysical Union by Dr.
william M. Slnton Of the
Lowell Observatory. The
hydrocarbons responsible for
the radiation. he said. must
at least be q product Of plant
life, II not contained In living
plants. Lowell Observatory
astronomers also have de-
tected In the dark bands ra-
diations characteristic Of vari-
Gus forms Of carbon MOLE
cules. but this In itself would
not be an indication Of life.
The changes In the planets
face with the progress Of
spring long have been noted
and advanced as an argu-
ment for life. With the end
OF the Marian winter, the
white areas at the poles. gen.
orally believed to be ice caps
similar to those at the poles
of the earth, grow smaller
and a belt-like dark area de-
velops around the equator.
Old and now discarded ideas
were that the planet must
contain q race Of intelligent
beings who had dug an extern
sive canal system for irrigat-
ing q narrowing strip Of fer
tile land. There was no evil
dence, however, that the dark
areas actually had any life
characters. This could come
only with very recent develop
ments of spectroscopy.
Belt Irregular
The dark belt actually is
quite irregular and varies in
shape and size from year to
year. Sometimes there are
large north or south extern
sions. These are such, DR..
Sinton said, as might be ex-
pected on desert areas Of the
earth with irregular success
sions Of drought and moist
ure.
The observations indicate
only plant life. perhaps Of a
rather low order, which de-
velops rapidly. There is no
evidence Of animal life, or
for that matter, against it.
The finding, however, is in
keeping with the tradition of
the Lowell Observatory set up
at Flagstaff, Ariz., by the late
Percival Lowell, brother of a
former president Of Harvard.
whose primary concern was
Marian life. He was con-
WINGED that the planet had
an intelligent population OF
some sort and was the orig
inator of the canal theory.
The new findings DR.. Sin
ton said, also indicates that
Mars once had great oceans.
1t is believed now to be an
almost waterless desert, al
though some areas still are
designated on astronomical
maps as seas. But, accord
ing to the Lowell Observatory
astronomer, it is now gener-
ally believed that the carbon
hydrogen molecules charac-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
Answers to Questions
By THE HASKNS SERVICE

@. Does paint last longest
on very dry or on moist wood?
B. D.
A. Paints last longest on
wood that has been well sea-
soned but which has re-
gained some moisture so its
moisture content is II to is
per cent. Paints applied to
very dry wood are slightly
less durable. AS a rule. how
ever. it is best to paint wood
when it has about the aver
age moisture content that is
expected to prevail during
service.b
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11

teriStic Of life and earth must
have been formed originally
In water and that life on the
planet originally came oaA ~
the seas. The hydrogen must
have been picked up from
water. II hardly could have
come about otherwise on
Mars.
This. he stressed. raises the
problem Of how Mars lost Ia
water. One theory Il that
ultraviolet light from the
sun. stronger on Mars than
on earth due TO the thin at
mosphere. split up carbon and
oxygen atoms and that the
oxygen. IN single atom forms.
escaped from the planets
small gravity into space. Thus
the great seas were evapo-
rated.
The Implication Is that de-
spite the persistence Of life.
Mars Is becoming more Of q
desert all the time.
But the evidence as a whole.
DR.. Sinton said. piles up TO
the conclusion that MARS Il
far from q dead. unchanging
world"
Mars. perhaps like the
earth, wears q blue veil.
This Is a layer Of fine haze.
two or three miles thick,
which surrounds the planet
at an altitude Of about Is
miles and constitutes one Of
the most mysterious features
Of the only other body in the
solar system believed capable
Of supporting life.
The existence Of the veil
was reported to another meet
ing of the Geophysical Union
here by DR.. Seymour Hess Of
Florida State University. spe-
cialist on the Marian atmos-
phere. It Is probably, DR..
Hess believes, due to the re-
Election Of sunlight from very
fine ice crystals. Another
suggestion offered was that
it is due to fiuorescence Of
molecules Of barbon dioxide
gas under intense sunlight.
Thwarts Photographer
Here and there the veil
thickens as if knots were tied
in it. These are described as
blue clouds" Sometimes the
haze lifts almost entirely
or great riffs are torn in it.
Its reality is demonstrated,
DR.. Hess said, by the fact that
only rarely can clear photo
graphs Of the Marian sur
face be taken in blue light.
This indicates that there Is
something blue in the way,
but something through which
light can pass.
The study Of Mars. DR..
Hess says, is greatly ham,
pered by the fact that the
planet is visible only four or
five months every two years
when 1t is directly opposite
the earth from the sun. The
last such opposition two years
ago was excellent but from
now on they will grow poorer.
The haze and the blue
clouds are q nuisance to as
tronomers, DR.. Hess stresses,
but nothing like what the
clouds over the earth would
be to astronomers on Mars.
They could get only very rare,
patchy glimpses of the earth'S
surface and might well de-
bate whether any life could
exist here.
But of course" he haStens
to add, there are no astron-
omerS on Mars"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
Adds Fuel to Flames

Thanks for the understate-
ment Of the week, Doctor
Draws Fire. " It's the last time
I'm going to do any nonunion
union-busting or cross q pick
ct line without clearing 1t
with Hoffa. / see now ] made
a mistake in protesting that
$685. charge for replacing a
bolt shaken loose from my
automatic washer. A real
sport, with proper apprecia-
ton for the underdog posi-
ton Of exploited and har-
assed union gladiators, would
have given him a $40 bill
and told him to keep the
change. After all, he would
be getting only what another
round Of cost-of Living raises
will demand at gunpoint next
year. In these days, where
every home contains equip
ment whose warranty is
valueless without bona fide
brand-name parts and au-
thorized service, let the buyer
beware. Between union and
manufacturers monopoly and
protectionism, the consumer
has as much chance as going
over Niagara Falls wrapped
in cellophane.
The union highjackers are
doing more to wreck our
Nations economy and to jeop-
ardize our survival than the
deliberate sabotage and ag-
gressions Of the enemy. The
hour has come for all Of us.
including doctors, to end this
vicious imitation spiral by
resolving to give more and
better goods and services at
less cost.
Thomas E. Mattingly, MD.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11

itarily. He Is warmly welcome here. both
a. an individual and as King OF the
Beigians.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-11
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used u
letters carry tDrtteT's correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
sdtton.