davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
Britain to the Polls

having IN MIND the uncertain ana
often unsuccessful efforts to read the
minds of the American voters, 1t would
be bit more than foolhardly to venture
a guess as to which way Britain's IS
million voters will go in tomorrow's
election.
Starting with what was thought to
be comfortable lead, the Conservative
prospects have sagged in the public
opinion polls. The latest sampling
shows them about even with the Labor
ties, or with only slight edge, and with
a substantial number of voters still in
the undecided category. Mr.. Macmil-
lan's party has solid backing, however,
in one hard-headed camp-the profess
sional gamblers. A Briton who might
wish to risk a pound or so would have
to give 2-to-5 odds If he put his money
on the Conservatives. A bet on Labor,
if Labor should win, would bring him So
for each 81 wagered. What this means
is that, polls or no polls, the people who
are risking their money think the Con-
ServativeS are going to win.
Mr. Macmillan thinks so, too. Or
at least he says he thinks so. After
2,500-mile campaign tour, he said he
was absolutely sure" of victory, but
that "Britain's prestige in the world
depends on the majority the country
gives me-"
This, of course, is the line that one
would expect the party in power to take.
Still, there is something to it. In the last
election, in 1855, the Conservatives won
345 seats in Parliament to 277 for Labor.
That was an adequate working major
ity. If it should be cut tomorrow to a
bare majority it certainly is true that
both the position and the influence
of the Conservative government, espe-
cially in world affairs, would be greatly
jeopardized.
Then there is the possibility that
the Labor party might take it all, and
in that event the Western coalition
would also be faced with some rough
going. This is not to say that govern
ment headed by Mr.. Gaitskell would be
less dedicated to freedom or more sus-
ceptible to the charms of communism.
A change in government, however, would
necessitate a difficult adjustment of
personal relations in top official ranks,
and also would inject new uncertainties
into an already uncertain future.
When all has been said, however,
the problem still is British problem.
The voters of England, Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland must make their
own choice. Whatever it may be, the
other members of the Western alliance
can live with it.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
Our Own Vicious Spiral

AS Commissioner Mclaughlin ex-
planned at the outset, yesterdays public
hearings at the District Building were
the first in recent years in which testi-
mony was invited at the same time on
both the budget estimates (or how
much money should be spent) and new
tax increase proposals Tor where that
money is to come FROM.
A combination of such testimony
Is logical, even if the results are futile.
AS expected, most of the expenditures
were approved by witnesses and addi-
tional ones requested by the witnesses.
Most of the proposed tax hikes were
opposed, especially by those directly
affected. The completely and the size
Of the local budget, and the processes
by which it is proposed and approved,
make impossible the ideal situation in
which citizens whose money is to be
spent are given choice between in
creasing the expenditures and increas-
ing the taxes to pay for them.
Perhaps the most definite impress
sion emerging from yesterdays hearings
is the inevitability of both-higher and
higher local budgets and higher and
higher local taxes ''This is situation
which simply cannot go on forever" one
of the witnesses sadly observed. Yet
the complete lack of any practical
method of preventing it was equally
obvious. 1t is not enough to say that
many other American municipalities
face the same problem. Here in WASH
ington we lack the means, or even the
sources of untapped revenue, still avail
able to other cities in meeting their own
rising costs of government
One additional source of revenue
a payroll tax on all salaries earned in
the District, by non-residentS as well as
residentS-was advocated by several
witnesses. If locally elected municipal
legislature or council were faced In the
District with the situation outlined yes
terday, this payroll tax on salaries
earned by Marylanders and Virginians
in Washington would be one OF its first
enactments. It would also be one Of
the first local laws to be vetoed by
Congress. The Commissioners are not
advocating it for the simple reason that
it does not stand chance. The people
of Maryland and Virginia who would be
large contributors to such tax are ably
represented in Congress. The people OF
the District are not represented in Con-
gress. And history affords no example
of people with no votes levying tax on
people who have the votes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07

that will involve nations in
these periodic wars and com
pei innocent men to die de-
Tending their decisions?
And how simple to stop all
this If the peace-minded
people of all nations who do
not want war, rise up in
their might and demand that
before militarism in any
form can be maintained in
any nation, it must first
be submitted to a registered
plebiscite of its citizens over
10 years of age and if the ma
jority vote in favor of mill
tarism, those, and only those,
who vote in favor (regardless
Of age or status shall be re-
quired to submit to military
control.
Nathan E. HestOn,
Nampa, Idaho
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
An End to Wars

The most vital issue con-
fronting the people Of the
United States and the world
today, and for all time, is
stopping these periodic wars
and the preparation for war.
and establishing a just and
lasting world peace. But how
many more wars and the
brink of war will it take to
awaken the people of all ma
lions to the realization that
these periodic wars and the
preparation for war will
never be stopped as long as
we leave it to the discretion
of a few wilful diplomats
and war instigators in each
nation to make decisions that
will involve nations in these
periodic wars, and compel
innocent men to kill and be
killed in their stead, defend
ing their decisions? What
God-given right has any
man, or men (regardless Of
status) to make decisions
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
Disputed Textbook

In a recent letter in your
columns. the President Of
The Institute of Fiscal and
Political Education, by strong
implication, impugns the 10y
atty and patriotism of critics
of his book Democracy Yer
sus Communism" I take is
sue. AS one who has exam
ined this book. and found it
full of faults and fallacies,
along with socialistic propa-
ganda, in my opinion it is too
controversial to be fit for use
in any Am erican public
school. The President of
IOFAPE says the book sis
controversial to those who
favor the Soviet system.
Thus, by implication, all
other critics and myself favor
the Soviet system, whether
we do or not!
I'm sure all sincere Ameri-
cans will readily agree with
the wholesome attitude ex-
pressed by the Fairfax Coun-
ty School Board in it's deci-
sion of September 2 when it
ruled against this controver-
sial book. AS reported in The
Star: "They didn't like the
way it was written. They de-
cided it would be better to
seek books stressing the
American free enterprise sys-
tenn" According to the Presi-
dent of IOFAPE, maybe the
Fairfax County School Board
also favorS the Soviet system!
Although I strongly rec
commend comparative teach
ing about Communist falla-
cies and dangers to American
students informed on funda-
mental and basic truths of
the American free enterprise
system, the book Democracy
Versus Communism" is not
satisfactory for this purpose.
Franklin T. Miles
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES {. TRACEWELL

It is a SOLDERING thought.
Even monkeys walk, why
shouldn't we?
To ride in a motor car to
work and back again every
day is to cut yourself of
from people.
The only way you can
compensate for this is to rush
into after-hour affairs, such
as calling on neighbors and
the like.
People in cars may see the
country. but they do not see
each other.
The phrase, "the lonely
crowd" did not come into
being until the motor car
brought it forth.
Truly, we are a lonely peo-
pie, each head of a family
neatly ensconced in his sta
ton wagon for IL miles down
and IL miles back.
50 So
No wonder motorists pick
up hitch mixers.
They are just plain bored
to death with themselves.
They are, in other words,
lonely, and loneliness is
something no modern man
can stand.
Even if afoot, a fellow
wants somebody along with
him.
This is why Temp Jones
always advises walkers to
take along a companion.
Even if he is a bore. Right.
left, right, left
Down the highway you go,
the long road before you
leading to the gas station.
Highways are no longer
brown. They are either a
form of white, or tarred
with this new sticky stuff
that people bring in on their
feet.
Well, they are walking,
anyway.
The air-cars-to-be are on
Tne way. but Jones says they
will just add a new dimen-
sion to accidents-you will
be crushed from above as
well as by a direct blow in
the horizontal.
Legs and feet will do you
no good when Mrs. Smith
from the next block settles
down at the wrong place and
brushes you like a spider.
How marvellous is modern in
ventive genius!
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
The Du Point Decision

If the Justice Department decides to
ask for a reversal, the Supreme Court
will have the last word on the latest turn
In the Governments 10-year-old effort
to force Du Pont to divest itself of its
holdings in General Motors But mean
while, as set forth in his own summary
of his 1O1-page ruling in the case, Fed
eral Judge LaBuy's findings strike us as
being eminently fair and sensible.
Du Pont, together with its family
holding companies, owns SO million
shares of GIN stock, or % per cent, of the
total outstanding. It has been the Gov
ernmentS contention, since 1949, that
this ownership valued at $3.5 billion)
links the two great corporations in a
way that violates the 1914 Clayton Act
debarring restraint Of trade or "a mo-
nopoly of any line of commerce" In 1854
Judge LaBuy found otherwise, but the.
Supreme Court reversed him in 1857
with instructions that the case be re-
turned to him for review aimed at
determining "the equitable relief neces-
sary.".
Accordingly, trying to preside as a
sort of Solomon over this highly compli-
Gated issue, Judge LaBuy of the United
States District Court in Chicago now has
handed down a decision whose key points
include: (1) That it would be "unneces-
Sarily harsh and punitive" to carry out
the Governments call for complete un-
loading of Du Points disputed holdings;
(2) that such action could have very
serious consequences in the stock
market; (3) that it would impose an
enormous "tax impact" on many thou
sands of individual investors who can
not conceivably be called guilty persons"
in relation to the Clayton Act; and ~
that the course to be followed therefore,
is to permit Du Pont to retain what it
has, but to deprive it-among other
things-of its voting rights in General
Motors.
In Judge LaBuy's words, his court
ais of the opinion that there is nothing
in the record which would support even
by inference the conclusion, that Du
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
Strikes in Russia

When asked about the
rights Of workers to strike
in Rr-Sic, Khrushchev an
swered eyes there have
been strikes. But there have
been no recent strikes be-
cause the worker knows the
government is on his side"
Maybe your newspaper will
allow me to mention a few
authentic facts about Soviet
governmental action against
strikers which will explain
why there have been no
strikes recently. For example
in 1858 and 1854 strikes we're
staged in many Siberian
labor camps. These strikes
have been described in the
books II Was a Slave in
Russia" by John Noble;
Profits of Slavery" by Adolf
Slide, and several other books.
Working and living condi-
tions were so bad that the
people could take it no longer.
Moscow took prompt action
by sending an army to the
strike area and ordering
them to shoot down the
strikers or to run them over
with tanks. For example in
Kingira'S slave camp on June
26. 1854, tanks crushed q
group of unprotected women
who asked only to have
slight improvement made in
their working conditions.
Even while dying these wom-
en- sang praises to God for
having ended their ordeal in
the so-called workers para
disc" The ones left alive
we're later severely punished
1t is no great art to strike in
America, but to strike in the
Soviet Union takes great
courage which everyone does
not possess.
Janis T. Kursa.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
Boards of Grandeur

Boards have been catching
my eye of late and every one
I see has a stunted look as if
it expected to remain for
ever in its incipiency. If
the youths who are befoul-
ing their chins with these
sproutings should take it in
to their heads to start reach
ing for their razors, I would
be the last person to hinder
the stretch.
Whiskers of generous
length command respect and
can even be decorative.
What, for example, is hand
somer than a dark brown
beard with a streak of white
running down the middle
like a wedge of devils cake,
especially if it ripples? But
the boards struggling into
view nowadays are barren of
beauty and would make a
stole vince.
1t would be a pleasure and
a novelty to see a young man
with a beard Of sweeping
grandeur, and I wish some
fellow would cultivate one,
provided of course he re-
manned in seclusion during
the period of development.
When the beard was long
enough to be recognizable as
a thing of merit he could
emerge respondent and give
come girl a treat by letting
her plat it. I do not expect
to see such a performance,
however, for the boards nov
being grown are so short
that only a girl with the tai
ons of a falcon could obtain
purchase on them.
Fads pass. and so I thinl
will these fuzzy hideosities.
Their departure SHOULD
brighten eyes now rolling up
m shock.
Joseph Pyle.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
BoIIyhooinq Transit

SIldlh CllCuo ulCI1lOuo Ill
advertising his acquisition of
a large number Of the most
modern buses. Let's look at
it from another angle.
When a new store opens
there is often much fanfare,
sometimes giving of gifts and
use of other gimmicks to
bring the establishment to
public attention. When an in
dividual buys new car he is
very conscious Of it and de-
lights in showing it of to his
friends. New homes are like
wise the pride and joy of
their owners and the scenes
of "house warnings"
Public transit has been a
"sick industry" nationally for
years. Many companies have
simply gone out Of business.
leaving stable cities and
towns without any public
transportation, or they have
curtailed schedules so as to
offer. perhaps, just hourly
service at night and none at
all on Sunday nights.
Operations may include
f1ve-cent charges for trans
fers-patently unfair to the
rider who goes a relatively
short distance which requires
two vehicles as compared
with the patron who may 90
much farther but on a single
vehicle. as locally one may go
from Barney Circle to Friend
ship Heights without trans
ferring (All Of these hap
pened in Evansville, Ind,
a city of $4,000. One COM
pany quit without warning
and a new one came in with
curtailed hedules and
charges for tranSfers) Buses
in many cities are outmoded,
but not likely to be replaced
so long as they can be OPP
Grated.
Mr.. Chalk is justifiably
proud of the type Of vehicles
which have been put into
service here in the short time
he has had the franchise. He
is trying to call them to the
attention Of the public in the
hope that more people will
feel 1t more advantageous to
use public transportation
than to drive their own cars.
just to put them into service
without fanfare does not
serve the purpose; only those
who already ride them will
take notice.
With greater use Of pub
lie transportation, schedules
could be improved so that
more men could be hired dur
ing the base day. 1t is not
economical to maintain a
large-f1eet of buses and street
cars for use only during rush
hours-no more than four
hours daily-and it is also
difficult to recruit operators
for split-shift employment.
With increased use Of pub
lie transportation, too. traf-
fic could move faster than
when streets are clogged with
thousands of cars containing
only the driver, and schedules
could be speeded up to the
advantage Of all concerned.
So. instead of being critical
of Mr.. Chalk's efforts. let's
think in terms of the i'm
proved appearance and COM
fort of his vehicles and be
glad that he does look ahead
to continued and improved
service. If the public provides
the motivation. schedules,
too, can be improved.
M. E. M.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
OId-Age Exemption

After reading in The Star
that personal income taxes
in the District are likely to
be increased, I suggest that
D. c. follow the lead of the
Federal tax plan and allow
its citizens and taxpayers an
additional exemption upon
reaching the age of IS.
Not to do this seems gross
ly unfair to older residents
who are often living on small
pensions and barely getting
by. After IS, illness is much
more likely to strike and the
oldster's finances mean much
more to him than at any
other time.
Everett J. Lapham.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
THE PASSING SCENE
1850 HopefuLs Woit for on Issue
By WILLIAM S. WHIT

are fiinging themselves about
with a vigor that, because 1t
is all really so unimportant.
is little short Of comical
Democratic national chair
man Paul Butler is charging
a hundred old windmills. or
pursuing where no man fees.
to prove that the Republicans
are not so keen about pub
lie power and the like as are
the Democrats.
The Republicans special
Committee on Program and
Policy" is heating up the.
Monograph machines with
announcements for a better
party. a better domesticsecon-
omy, a better world, and
heaven knows what else.
Mr., Butler, whose sense of
humor is not notable, takes
his own activities with deep
seriousness. 1t is only fair to
say that the Republican
pros-the national commit
tee in particular-are at any
rate able to smile a bit in
private at their own hand
outs. !
Peace The Only Issue
For the absence Of any
genuine urgency on either
side in this eve of the 1860
national campaign cannot be
filled by any number Of
trenchant manifestos. The
truth is that both parties
have plenty of men and sub
sidiary ideas - particularly
the Democratic party-but
are embarrassingly short of
any genuine issue apart from
Topic A.
Topic A is peace" The in
ternational issue today is the
only real issue. And, so far,
the Republicans have got
that one. This leaves the
Democrats with no issue at
all, as of now-for those
Democrats who still insist
that the wide public is madly
interested in a return of the
New Deal simply reflect the
triumph of hope and habit
over the facts of present life.
Still, all is not absolutely
clear sailing, even for the
Republicans. For while they
possess the one lonely issue
now-"peace"-there is al
ways the chance that by
1860 peace" may have
turned bitterly upon them
and given them desperate
need to look for something
else.
By necessity, therefore,
they play it cool for the pres
ent-and wait. BY even
greater necessity the Demo-
Gratis do even more of the
same. They have less politi-
cal momentum now than the
Republicans. But they also
have less to lose, and even
more reason to wait.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
A Labor Court?

The extraordinarily long
duration Of the present steel
strike makes it clear that
the current situation is out
dated and archaic and must
be changed. Both industry
and unions have far too
much power and since "pow-
er corruptS and absolute pow
er corrupts absolutely" this
power must be curtailed or
abolished. What is historic
ally called the Industrial
Revolution" started about the
turn of this century. There
fore, our present industrial
civilization is very young in
deed, and is far away from
maturity. Hence we have
these childish strikes, with
childish picketing and &C.
casional violence.
At the dawn of civilization
when two people could not
agree they fought and even
killed each other. But today
such behavior is rare and
will land the combatants in
jail, and for many centuries
it has become not only COM
pulsory, but customary to let
the civil courts decide on in
dividual controversies. There
fore, it is high time indeed
that we grow up, not only
individually, but industrially
as well, and let a special
court, let us call it an "Iif-
dustry Court" or Labor
Court" decide on industrial
controversies.
Strikes have become either
cave-men atrocities or child
ish nonsense of which civil
lied man should be ashamed.
w. q. Schrader. s
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07
Questions and Answers

By THE HASKIN SERVICE
reader answer mail fact


thing as proverb or saying
M. C.
A. To some extent the
following words are synon-
ymous, in that they all
express a pithy, general
proposition, usually in one
sentence: aphorism, axiom,
maxim, precept, dictun;
apothegm, saying. adage.
proverb, truism, byword, saw.
Some of these terms are in
Interchangeable and some are
not. Dictionaries discuss the
differences in usage ana
meaning.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-07

Frightening" said Tenn
Teton Jones, as he read
bout the new air cushioned
'ehicles that will travel just
If the ground. Blower sys-
ems will provide the air
ushion and propulsion.
The great invention, the
heel, will go into the dis
ard after 5000 years of use.
Temp Jones is a leg man.
himself.
He has never grown past
he belief in legs and feet
as the best way Of getting
around.
His mental picture of the
air filled with "air cars" is
l terrible thing.
Progress was never made
~ men such as Jones.
Leg propulsion has several
God points.
1t requires very little up
Keep, except trousers and
shoes, and one can get along
Just on bare feet, if neces-
Sary.
The push of legs is ele-
mental, Temp Jones argues.
1t does something to you. It
is almost as natural as
breathing, in fact a good
steady walk will bring more
air to anyone.
Breathing systems, once SO
popular with physical Gull
turists," are unnecessary, If
you walk.
You just can't help breath
ing in and out at the proper
rate.
Nature sees to that.
y + \
People afoot see so much
.lore.
They meet so many people.
Anyway you look at it,
Walking on ones very own
feet is an experience we
should not let get away from
us.
Everything, however, con-
spires against us in this re-
gard. The bus company pro-
vides larger and better and
quieter buses for our comfort,
and the motor car manufac-
turers-for heavens sake. the
motor car manufacturers!
They see to it that we have
automobiles as long as we
want them, or as short; as
sober, or as giddy; as slow or
as speedy, with the accent
distinctly on speed.
Thousands of Americans no
longer walk.