davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02
acknowledging Taft

In an honest effort to find
out why the Robert A. Taft
Memorial Tower was ever
built, I take issue with VIII
liam 8. White and his lengthy
article on the subject in The
Star, April IL. He ended with
a masterwork Of cohtradic-
tions and generalities which.
it seemed to me, was COM
pletely devastating to the
late Senator or to any can
didate for immortality in 4
great democratic country.
We certainly should me-
morialize those who have
made unusual or great con-
tributions to our country, its
people and its institutions.
But what were the great or
unusual contributions which
Senator Taft made? Mr..
White did not name any. nor
does anyone else writing on
this subject. Each one who
tries it ends up by saying he
was an honest man. We all
agree to that. But. among the
10000 men who have served
in Congress is honesty at
such premium that we must
mark 1t with a tall bell
tower?
Cliff OwsIey.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02

Il Is good 10 know that leading
American scientists, educators and busi-
nessmen will meet in New York City a
fortnight from now to take part In a
unique three-day symposium designed
10 promote speedup and expansion OF
basic research In the United States.
Such RESEARCH Is Of vital Importance TO
the future Of our country, but 1t is In
suficient at present-insuficient to an
extent that could become perilous.
That Is why the National Academy
of Sciences, the American Association
for the Advancement Of Science and the
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation have joined
in sponsoring the New York project. The
gathering, which viii be addressed by
President Eisenhower, will bring to-
gether some OF Americas finest minds
for q thoroughgoing discussion Of all
aspects OF the problem. Thus, as the
sponsors have explained. at is the pur-
pose OF the symposium to set forth and
examine with candor the facts concern
ing the support Of basic research in our
country; to inquire realistically what
are the. blocks which prevent our doing
What.we all saywe believe is important;
to make concrete suggestions as to ways
in which the situation can be improved,
and in general to proclaim the funda-
mental faith which we have in the Inn
portance Of free and imaginative basic
research" akl
As of now, as has been pointed out
by DR.. James r. Killian, IT,, the Presi-
dents special scientific assistant, our
Government and our private institu-
tons are spending combined total Of
about SO billion annually on all types
Of research and development. But the
overwhelming bulk OF this huge outlay
is for the practical application Of
knowledge already acquired, whereas
only some 8 per cent Of it is being in
vested in purely abstract studies of the
sort that open up new scientific FROM
tiers as Einstein's intensely abb
struse theorizing, a half century ago,
opened up the world Of the atom. This
kind Of theorizing- -intellectual specu-
lation, inquiry and experimentation that
may seem at times to be irrelevant to
real life--iS what accounts for great
human advances, and the more of it we
have, the better.
But the point made by the sponsors
of the coming New York symposium is
that our basic research today is made
quate and that the deficiency must be
eliminated as quickly as possible. That
viii be the symposiun's prime objec-
tiyea an altogether admirable effort to
improve our country's position In the
international balance of military, in
dustrial and other forms of power, in
GLIDING pure knowledge, which is the
priceless and essential ingredient of all
power Of every type, armed and I'M
armed alike.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02

research program now under way. Hove
ever, the NH had hoped 70 get more
than $50 million additional with which
70 expand its activities and the House
committee. quite understandably, was
favorably impressed with the remark
able strides being made In the battle
against disease and decided 10 give the
NH the extra money. But In the inter-
est Of preserving balanced budget, 30
essential 10 the Nations economic well
fare. there should be some way Of trim
ming q comparable sum from less vital
sections Of the Labor-HEW budget.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02
Disioyoi Unions

It was interesting TO note
your editorial alarm over the
testimony of Harry Bridges,
president Of the Longshore-
mems Union on the West
Coast, who made it pretty
clear that he intends to help
Red China in the event of
war. This testimony is not
surprising to union men and
women, Harry Bridges union
was kicked out Of the Clio
nine years ago for following
the Communist Party lire
and for disloyalty to Ameri.
can trade union principles.
I suggest you pursue this
problem d little further.
There Is q law on the books.
and 1t has been there for
five years, which makes It
possible for the United
States Attorney General and
the Subversive Activities Com
troll Board to put q Commu-
nist-controlled union out of
business. Now, what has the
Republican administration
done towards enforcing this
law? Can anybody name one
single Connie union that
has been put out Of business
by this Republican admin
istration? It's q cinch that
Harry Bridges isn't out Of
business. He appeared to be
rather contemptuous Of our
laws and our country.
It was the Republicans
who yelled from coast TO coast
in their 1852 campaign that
the Democrats were soft"
on the Communists. Now the
Republicans have been in
power in the executive branch
for seven years. What has
happened? The Communists
have expanded their terri
tory throughout the world.
And in our own country j.
Edgar Hoover, head of the
FBI, says the Communists are
operating in a more favor
able climate"
/ am sure that all Ameri-
cans are beginning to appre-
ciate Harry Truman. He was
d fighter. He fought and
stopped the Communists
throughout the world. And he
and his administration went
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02

Land speculation in Mont
gomery County is becoming
big business.
The following formula is
suggested for those who wish
to make O fast buck.
/. Buy up large tracts OF
land which Is zoned for resi-
Dental or farm use.
2. Donate q few small
tracts to the Park and Plan
ming Commission for their
pet projects.
3. Apply for re-zoning Of
the balance for apartment,
commercial or industrial use.
Your success is assured.
You have ingratiated your
self with the Park and Plan.
ming Commission and will re-
ceive q favorable recommer.
dalton on the application.
The County Council viii
smile fondly on such public
spirited citizenship and grant
your application.
You will clear at least five
times your original invest
ment, and become a. philan-
thropist at the same time.
What If q nice residential
neighborhood is ruined? Peo-
pie should know better than
to buy homes near an unde-
veloped tract of land.
r. G. BrawIey.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02
Mrs. Luce Steps Aside

In her letter Of resignation, Mrs.
Glare Boothe Luce says she has bowed
out as Ambassador to Brazil, not for
personal reasons, but to avoid possible
injury to Brazilian-American relations.
And she pins her fears in this latter
respect squarely on the abusive speech
which Senator Morse made in attacking
her nomination, plus the fact that, as
Ambassador, she would have to live with
the Senate Subcommittee on Affairs Of
the American Republics, which is headed
by the Oregon Senator.
There IS reason to doubt, we think,
that Mrs. Luce made q wise decision.
For one thing, the Brazilian Foreign
Ministry had taken the unusual step Of
publicly stating that 1t was pleased that
the Senate had confirmed Mrs. Luce
despite the Morse attack. Furthermore,
Senator Morse has denied that he was
conducting q political vendetta" He
said that on March 8, at q closed meet
ing Of the Foreign Relations Committee,
he had moved that Mrs. Luce's nominal
ton be reported fayorably. Action was
delayed, he said, following the Bolivian
riots in response to Time magazine
article, and it was during this period Of
delay that he concluded, as q result Of
a study, that Mrs. Luce was not fitted
for the post. He added, however, that,
as chairman of the subcommittee, he
would cooperate with Mrs. Luce, al
though he thought it would be great
mistake for her to go to Brazil.
This is the record which prompts
doubt on our part that the decision to
resign was wise one. For Mrs. Luce,
we believe, would have been successful
in Rio. She can be replaced, of course,
but it is too bad to lose her services.
The whole affair, to put it mildly,
has made sorry spectacle of the Sem
ate. Senator Carroll, critic of Mrs.
Luce, summed it up pretty well when he
said: IF we continue along this debate
not only the whole country but also
Latin America viii think we are all
nuts"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL

doesn't have to worry about
his worm supply, unless he
wants to: then, as previously
stated, he can purchase a
supply of them as advertised
in the garden magazines and
pages.
Earthworms go as low as
two feet in the soil. They
love moisture, which is why a
good rain brings them up"
as we say.
4 4 4 4
They often come up to
meet their fate at the bill
of q wise robin.
The robin seems to be both
listening and looking, as he
hops across the yard, pausing
every foot or so.
At times he almost glides,
his head cooked first one way
and then another.
He seems to be listening.
and that is just what he is
doing.
His "ears," not visible, are
not really ears. in the ordi-
nary sense. He hears with
the bones Of his skull deli
cately attuned to the slight
slither of the worm.
While the worm is steadily
pulverizing soil. for our good
and his own, he is stalked by
the honest robins. Robins
have frank faces, we think.
Many birds look rather sly.
but the robin is a bluff, hon.
est fellow without the slight
est bit Of deceit in him.
When he goes after a
worm, he goes after a worm.
Nobody can doubt it, not even
the worm. The latter, whose
intelligence is slight, never
knows what hits him as he
is dragged from the good
earth. He goes down the
robin throat wriggling ana
kicking and is lost in the
digestive juices.
Worms washed to the SUR
face after a heavy rain are
those just beneath the sur
face to begin with. They are
best left alone, or scooped up
and placed in some secluded
place, since their work is es-
sential to a good soil.
Worms do not sour the soil,
in the ordinary sense. De-
grees Of acidity and alkalin-
ity are caused by other fac
tors, and can be changed.
one way or the other, by the
addition Of various chemi-
Gals. Earthworms have little
to do with the matter.
Popularity, earthwornls are
divided into small. medium
and large sizes. The latter
are commonly called night
crawIers, are very ugly and
disagreeable looking, but
probably do more for US in
the soil than the smaller
ones.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02
Seeks Old Classmates

I would appreciate 1t II
you would place q short note
in your letters to the editor
column asking for the adj
dress or whereabouts of
Harold H. Davis and Allen
Sherman.
These men were associates
Of mine at the old Business
High School in 1909. and in
Company E Of the Cadets.
I win hold q 50th reunion
of the members Of Company
E at my home on May II next
and have the addresses Of
all living members except
these two. whom I would like
to locate.
. My home address is 2747
N. Nelson street, Arlington z,
Va. and my phone jackson
2.3245. James C. Dulin.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02

MY CONGRATULATIONS 10 4l6
Star for your objective cover
age Of the recent House sub
committee hearings on the
c e. o Canal Park, and for
your editorial. Park and
Water Supply"
Mrs. Pfost's statement that
Residents Of the metropolis
tan area would literally have
to have their tongues hanging
out for water before a dam
would be built in the park"
is perhaps exaggerated, but
only slightly so. It's basic
truth is clearly revealed by
the "all or nothing" attitude
of the Park Service in this
matter and by the record Of
the Park Service in success
fully obstructing necessary
and desirable reservoirs in
other national parks around
the country. Those who back
q G a o Canal Park bill with
out the strong reservations
necessary to protect the
future water supply Of this
area are tampering with the
future health and safety of
the Capital.
A reservoir storage dam at
River Bend has been rec
commended as necessary for
water supply purposes by
every qualified expert who
has studied the problem
during recent years. The "all
or nothing" park advocates,
however, claim that such a
dam is not necessary. During
the hearings last year they
produced. from the economies
faculty at the University of
Maryland, DR.. John Cover,
who advocated that water
taken from the Potomac
River below Washington,
D. c.. be pumped back up
stream into the city's water
supply intakes. David Aud,
director of sanitary engineer
ing for the District of CO.
lumbia, and Col. George d.
Sumner, Of the Corps of
Engineers, who is responsible
for Washington's water sup
ply, pointed out, however, that
the river below Washington
consists largely Of q mixture
Of sewage effiuent. and salt
water, the puriflcation Of
which would be very expen-
sive and unsatisfactory ct
best, especially during dry
years when sewage concern
tration Is high. DR.. Cover
did not appear IS q park pro-
ponent during the hearings
this year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02

after the domestic Commu-
nists and put them on trial
and they were sentenced to
Jail, thanks to that great and
courageous judge. Harold
Medina.
It's about time for Con-
eress to lay OF attempts to
put over q tough labor law"
intended to cripple and de-
stroy the American labor
movement. American unions
are the strongest bulwark
against communism. Keep
them strong. The real prob
lem and menace is the world
Communist conspiracy.
Union 0fiicer.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02
Views Vary on c&o Canal Park and Water Supply


such becomes necessary. If
these groups are convinced
that q reservoir storage prof.
ect is unnecessary, they
should offer o more accept
able substitute than the con-
sumptive use Of reclaimed
sewage.
The rural electric coopera-
tives want a Gao Canal Park.
I believe that most mem
bers of Congress want to vote
for q Gao Canal Park. But
the incredible insistence by
the National Park Service,
and its supporting organiza-
tons, upon park legislation
that will not adequately pro-
tect our future water supply
forces Congress to choose be-
tween d National Park on one
hand and q water supply for
Washington, D. c. on the
other. This is indeed an UNI
fortunate situation for the
CSsO Canal Park.
Charles A. Robinson, Jr.
STAFF Engineer, National
Rural Electric Cooper
alive Association.
I take the liberty of point.
ing out a misrepresentation on
The Stars part indicated in
its editorial Of April ~ How
To XIII the Park Bill" The
editorial states that there is
"all or nothing" opposition
from advocates of the pro-
posed C e. o Canal park to
any water-supply safeguards
In the pending legislation.
Such, however. is not the
fact. Since going on the ORR
ginal Douglas hike in 1854 /
have closely followed devel-
opments with regard to the
canal. You will find in the
record that advocates Of the
canal park have from the
very beginning agreed to a
compromise to permit devel-
opment of the Potomac for
water supply. irrigation. navi-
CATION, cor any other pur-
pose" Language Of H. r.
233I) II any Of these uses
should be found necessary.
Constant SOuthworth.
Editors note: The Stars
editorial was based on state
ments by leading park advo.
Gates at q recent House hear
ing to the effect that they
would rather have no park
bill at all than one that
would permit "any part" Of
the park to be used for water
dams or reservoirs)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02

Mai. Gen. u. B. Grant III
appeared this year to support
the contention that a reservoir
storage dam at River Bend
Is unnecessary. Gen. Grant
admitted that he was not
in possession Of sufficient
facts upon which to formu-
late a plan for supplying the
water needs Of this area
without a reservoir storage
dam, but suggested that al
tentative sites to the pro-
posed River Bend dam be
studied. He accused the Corps
of Engineers of failing to
study such alternative plans.
Gen. Grant had apparent
~ not read the Wolman Re-
port which contains the re-
suits Of the very study he
advocates and concludes that
River Bend is the cheapest,
and most efficient site for
water supply storage on the
Potomac River. Moreover,
Gen. Grant apparently does
not realize that the Corps Of
Engineers has already spent
half q million dollars and will
spend close to another mil
lion studying every reason
able alternative for supplying
water to the metropolitan
area.
Because they have lined up
with those who desire an I'M
equivocal reservation in the
Gao Canal Park bill for
whatever dams may be neces-
sary for Washington's future
water supply, the rural elec-
trio cooperatives have been
accused of having their
hands out" being extreme
ly vindictive," and ''preda-
tory" The position of the
cooperetives is simply that
if and when q reservoir stor-
age project at River Bend be-
comes necessary to meet water
supply, flood control. and poll
luton abatement problems in
the d. c. metropolitan area.
incidental hydroelectric pow.
er facilities be included If fea-
sible. This does not seem
unreasonable.
BY contrast, representa-
tives Of wildlife conservation
organizations and the direc-
tor Of the National Park
Service testified during the
hearings that they would
rather have no Gao Canal
Park bin at all than one
which contains an effective
reservation for construction
OF q water storage reservoir
at River Bend when and II
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02
THE POLITICAL MILL


bring to the world as well a.
the United States, the late
President Franklin d. Roose-
welt was responsible for the
construction Of the first A.
bomb, and President Truman
for It's first use. A refusal 10
confirm Admiral Strauss.
should Il occur, win not help
the Democratic cause.
Politics on the Budget
Democrats IN Congress.
cunning for the administrA-
ton In another quarter.
sought 10 blaeken the eye OF
Secretary Of Agriculture Ezra
Taft Benson. whose only eff
fort has been to preserve the
country from drowning IN a
sea OF agricultural SURPRISES
and Federal subsidy pay
fnents. They passed q bill re-
moving the right OF 5ecre-
tary Benson to pass on loans
made by the REA. an agency
coming under the Jurisdiction
Of the Department OF Agri-
culture. Il was vetoed BY
President Eisenhower. Thirst
ing for Benson blood and an
opportunity TO override an
Eisenhower veto for the first
time in six years. they pressed
for a vote to make this bill q
law, Notwithstanding its dis
approval by the President.
They succeeded in the SEN
ate = but they failed IN the
House. And that was that.
when this Congress
opened last January, there
we're Democratic snorts OF
ridicule over the Eisenhower
balanced budget. Some Of the
Democrats insisted their 1858
victory was d mandate TO
spend and spend. There has
been a chill to this, however.
due to public opinion and an
upsurge in the country's
economy. Democratic leaders
are now talking Of actually
cutting the Presidents budget
and so making q balanced
budget more likely. They are.
indeed, on the horns Of a
political dilemma. They risk
losing ground with the gen.
eral public if they insist on
great public expenditures. on
the one hand, and on the
other, they risk q political
gain by the Republicans II
they help the President to a
balanced budget. The eco
nomic issue, which the DEM
ocrats sought to raise against
the administration, indeed,
has shifted over to the Re-
publican side Of the fence. II
business continues good and
employment continues to in
crease, and the country re-
mains at peace. the COP ma
tional ticket should be far
stronger than was expected
last January.
But politics as usual" is
not confined to the Demo-
Gratis. Out in Michigan a Re-
publican controlled legisla-
ture, bent on the political
destruction of an old foe
Gov. Mennen Williams-has
declined to give the Governor
the authority to raise neces-
sary funds to pay the States
employees and its debts. In
consequence, a great State is
in q terrific financial mess
and it did not have to be.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-02

Somebody wants an article
about earthworms. These are
the humble creatures the
great Charles Darwin put on
the map.
In this hundredth anniver-
sary year of his famous "Ori-
gin Of Species" anyone in
terested in earthworms can
profit by looking up at the
library the book he wrote
especially about worms and
their work in the soil.
Darwin made many studies
Of worms and pigeons. The
fact he found the common
pigeon, and its derivatives,
of sufficient interest to spend
hours and days and weeks
studying them. ought to
boost their stock with people
today.
Now one can buy fancy
breeds Of angleworms, let us
call them, to put into humus
heaps to help the good work
along.
These particular ones love
orange peel. Some bits of it
must be placed in the ground
with the worms.
Fancy packaged worms can
be purchased near and far;
nearby Virginia and Arkan-
sas specialize in them.
Angleworm farms" crop
up here and there. You can
get a thousand worms BY
parcel post. 1t is also possible
to buy queen bees in the
same way.
The earthworm first came
to Darwin's notice when he
observed that in his garden
a patch Of shale had dis
appeared.
Digging down, he found It
intact, but q few inches be-
low the surface.
Then he got to measuring,
and discovered that it was
the worms that had cast up
fresh earth over the ma
terial.
From this preliminary OBJ
servation grew the work on
the humble worms. and 1t
has been carried forward to
this day, so that now the
earthworm has come into his
own, In a manner Of speak
ing. It is realized that With
out its beneficient work,
agriculture would be at a
standStill.
= = -
Darwin estimated that
earthworms bring up at least
a fifth of an inch of fine
pulverized soil per annum.
There are some 500 species
Of earthworms, otherwise
known as terrestrial annelids.
of which 90 occur in North
America.
This gives the gardener a
wide choice, most Of it made
for him by nature, so he