davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23

Let us put on our space helmets for
a moment and consider what it is going
to cost us, in dollars and cents, as we
move upward and outward along the
pathways TO the stars. This is the
newest, and perhaps most fantastic, Of
categories in our Federal budget. Al
though it has come into existence only
recently, 1t is already quite big. roughly
equivalent to the total we spent an
nually on all our armed forces before
1910. But it represents merely begin
ming; it will grow very much bigger in
the years Immediately ahead.
Thus, according to DR.. T. Keith
Glennan, head of the fiedgling National
Aeronautics and Space Administration,
we can be certain that our national out
lays in this field will become progress
Sively larger and larger than they are
at present. In the current year, for
example, the NASA and the Pentagon'S
Advanced Research Projects Agency are
spending total of close to $500 million.
But next year they will be pouring out
upwards of $500 million, and after that,
as DR.. Glennan has suggested, the NASA
alone is likely to require appropriations
of at least 81 billion annually. Mean
while, between now and the end of 1860,
our money will be spent on such things
as the launching of 80 earth satellites
OF various types and some 40 spatial
probings, including lunar shots.
All thic
how fast we are moving into outer
space. 1t is an exceedingly expensive
business in which, for instance, couple
OF billion dollars may have to be spent
over number of years to land a man
on the moon and bring him back safely.
Some frugal-minded and earth-bound
Americans may fear that such OUTLAWS
are a kind of madness hooking the
hearts desire for balanced budgets. But
experts like DR.. Glennan assure us to
the contrary. The investment, they say,
promises to yield annual dividends worth
intellectually fabulous sums of money
in fields like meteorology and commu-
icationS-Short-rang and long range
weather predictions that will be as
mamma to both agriculture and indus
try, and magical advances in naviga-
tional aids and global television.
But this is not all, of course. For
what the NASA and agencies like the
ARPA are doing involve very great mill
tary potentialitieS as we'll Accordingly,
as we put on or take off our space
helmets in mulling over the soaring
problem Of balanced budgets, we can
feel reasonably confident. We can feel
confident, that is, that our country still
has its feet on the ground when it ear
marks a large part of its bankroll for
projects aimed at places like the moon,
Mars, Venus and other points among
the stars.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Success at Acapulco

The excellent relations that have
existed between Mexico and the United
States in recent times have been further
strengthened by the two-day Acapulco
meeting of President Eisenhower and
President Adolfo Lopez Mateos. This
holds true not merely for such highly
valuable intangibles as goodwill and
friendship, but also for concrete meas
ureS of economic cooperation.
Chief among these measures is the
agreement to have our two countries
begin, "aS rapidly as possible, . the joint
construction of the much discussed
Diablo Dam on the Rio Grande. The
dam, whose site has the approval of the
International Boundary and Water Com
mission, is to be $50 feet high and 6l2
miles long Its cost has been estimated
at 500 million, but experts are con-
vinced that the investment in it will
yield dividends worth far more than
that to both Mexico and the United
States. Other economic steps agreed
upon at Acapulco involve cooperation
and consultation on matters like the
disposal of our cotton SURPRISES abroad,
our import quotas on lead and zinc, and
the marketing of coffee.
All this is of high Importance to the
Mexican economy, and the fact that
Mr.. Eisenhower and Mr. Lopez Mateos
have decided to work out a common
approach to the many problems entailed
is bound to help bring Mexico and the
United States even closer together than
they already are. Looked at in any
light, the Acapulco conference has been
a fine success in applying the policy of
good neighborlneSS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Right on Target

Admiral Arleigh Burke, Chief Of
Naval Operations, has scored a direct
verbal hit on the heart of the missile
controversy
Addressing South Carolina audi
ence, the admiral decried any numbers
game approach to appraiSing our missile
strength in relation to Russia'S. The i'm
portant thing, he said, is not whether
Russia has half as many or twice as
many ICBMS as the United States. What
is important, SO far as diScouraging an
attack on this country is concerned is
that we maintain enough strength to re-
taliate after the first blow has been
struck, and to retaliate in such force
that no one will risk making the initial
strike -
Admiral Burke believes we have this
retaliatory capacity today and that the
Russians know we have it. Furthermore,
he says, we can and will retain this re-
taliatory capability In his judgment. we
should not engage in IAN endless arms
race with the SovietS in ballistic mis-
sileS, any more than we have attempted
W IdCC IIlCLl Ill IlulIlUCIo VI ouUllldlillSo
or army divisions"
The reaSSuring thing here is Ad-
miral Burke'S belief that we have and
will retain the capacity to destroy Rus
STA If we are attacked. 1t is on this point
that the current controversy hinges the
administration critics contending that
we lack or will soon lose the essential
retaliatory capacity. At bottom, of
course, this is a matter Of judgment.
Admiral Burke could be wrong. But so
could the critics. Admiral Burke is thor
oughly competent to judge matter of
this kind, and, despite inSinuations that
the Chiefs of Staff have been pressured
into making soothing statements, we do
not believe for moment that he would
make public speech of this nature un-
less he fully believed his own words.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Our Vanishing Trees

q. But only God can
make a tree"
Mans irreverence to the
creations of God is amply
illustrated by the dissertation
of trees in the Washington
area. Many once beautiful
tree-lined streets have been
denuded to make way for
the twice-a day onslaught of
traffic. Park areas and out
lying sections of land have
been swept clean to provide
more unneeded stores or
squatty housing Developments
where twigS are stuck in the
ground to replace lovely
shade trees.
Those who remember beau
tiful streets like elm-arched
New Hampshire avenue, the
red oaks of the Soldiers
Home and even the spotty-
bark sycamores of the North
west section. should stay
away from these places now
unless they, too, wish to feel
the sorrow and then anger
over this man-made blight.
Even the locuSts or bombs
of war have compassion to
destroy all, rather than
leave behind a sordid mess
by which sad comparison may
be made with past beauty.
Z. III. Woodward.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

on the fat-building trail
again.
Every one who tries and
fails has a bigger respect for
the modern science of nutri-
ton than he had before.
Not every one is fascinated
by food science, as it is taught
in many books, with varying
degrees of success.
The fat loser reads all
kinds, and discovers, over the
years, that the faddists. as
they are called, sometimes
get to a truth in nutrition
before the official experts"
do.
Years later, he sees the ex-
pertS solemnly announcing as
the very latest thing" some
thing he read in a little mag
azine years before.
The moving hand on, the
scale moves on, and wishing
will not change a pound of it.
You have to do it, yourself,
and that is where the good
of reducing enters.
One of the older diet books
was called THE Deuce of
Reducing"
In those days, people who
wrote diet books thought they
had to be funny about it.
Actually, there isn't a thing
funny in trying to lose weight.
In fact, it is a pretty solemn
business, as most people
know today, with the excep-
ton of those Slim Jims who
can eat anything, in any
quantity, and never gain an
ounce.
Most people who put on fat
easily have to deny themselves
many foods harmless to thin
people. They know that two
chocolate drops three times a
day. will put two pounds on
them in 30 days.
They realize as none else
can that smallness in size of
a food has little to do with
it. 1t is the calorie content,
per Sc, that does the dirty
work of putting on unneces-
sary and harmful flesh.
One of the things the ex-
perts never talk about, but is
very real, nevertheless, is the
fat feeling around the waist.
This, more than a desire
for beauty, is what makes
many people go hopefully on
a reducing diet.
1t ought to keep them at it
it. but, unfortunately. it
doesn't. You can always let
the belt out.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Welfare State?

The State of Michigan leads the
world in production of motor vehicles
and parts 1t ranks very high in other
lines of manufacturing, in mining and
in agriculture. 1t is divided by Lake
Michigan into two parts, adding i'm
meaSurably to its resort attractions and
accounting for its official motto 81
Quaeris PeninSulam Amoenam Circum-
spice Of You Seek Pleasant Peninsula,
financially speaking, or so close to it that
the disciples of deficit spending should
be enjoying happy holiday in their
hearts.
That it was not literally broke on
February Is, according to an Associated
Press dispatch from the capital city of
Lansing, was due entirely to the willing
ness of Michigan industry to hand over
more than $35 million in taxes from two
to four months ahead of their due date.
without such prepayment, the State
treasury would have been bare of money
on February 15-"collapSe day" as it
had become known. The taxes, of varied
types, were due between April Is and
June is. Governor Mennen Williams,
sometimes mentioned as a Democratic
presidential hopeful, invited Michigan
industry to help avert the crisis that
Michigan politicianS-Democrats and
RepnblicanS alike-had created With
THESES million plus, the State was able
to y make first payments since last
November to the three State universities,
toshonor overdue obligations to town
ships and cities, and even to meet such
welfare needs as aid to dependent chill
dren and the aged.
There is a possibility that collapse
day may be rescheduled on April Is,
butMr Williams has some ideas on how
toScope with that. He has proposed a
constitutional amendment referendum
orEApril 6. to raise from $250,000 to $50
million the amount the State can borrow
without express vote, and he has sug-
gested that veterans trust fund of $50
million be made available for collateral.
He also has proposed bigger taxeS-on
industry profits and personal income.
The news dispatch did not mention
any recommendation for cutting down
xpenditureS-nowo or ever.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Cancer Fund Appeal

How can anyone fail to
donate to the American
Cancer Society after reading
that the bulb for a million
volt radiation machine costs
$4,000 and the machine itself
$38,840? Think of all the
bulbs that could have been
bought with the money spent
on the Taft Memorial.
1t is important that the
american Cancer Society
succeed in its 1859 campaign
for a record fund to finance
research and other anti
cancer activities. Contribu-
tons are good investments
for a longer life-for our
friends. families and our
selves. The society has offices
at $40 Seventeenth street
NV.
Marcia Hall,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Capitol Payroll

Shades of the spoils sys-
tenn! Representative Carter
of Iowa puts his 19-year-old
son on the payroll at $1,000
plus. What an interesting
study in morality.
1t indicates that the Con-
gresham considers himself
and his son outside conven-
tional standards of compen-
sation. He certainly must
have no respect for the start
at-the-bottom-and-work up
principle that our Nation
reputedly accepts as the
moral foundation of its
strength. Or does he think
his son has sufficiently
proved himself by getting
straight AS in high school
and by being a star athlete?
l made Phi Beta Kappa and
got straight AS, but had to
accept $4,000 a year when I
began work for the Govern
ment. After seven years, l
earn less than $4,000. Of
course, I wasn't a star sth-
lete.
HOratiO AIger.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23

Caspar Names probably
quoted me correctly Gin his
article in The Star February
49, If so, l was wrong.
Let me correct myself.
The church's task is not
one Of condemnation but of
suffering with, healing. and
redemption.
o. Thomas Miles Rev.,
Takoma Park Presbyterian
Church, Silver Spring, Md.
Editors note: Comment
ing on Virginia's trend to-
ward desegregation. DR.. Miles
was quoted as saying: This
is hardly the time to COM
mend Virginia and the Gov
ernor for this act. II We DO
that, we should condemn
them for things done prev
iously.~
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23

Three cheers for the Won
derful people of Warren
County! For so long as our
Nation has enough people Of
the determined type we need
not fear enslavement from
without or within. The
Kremlin must be re-evalu-
ating the people Of the
United States even now.
The Supreme Court and
other Federal courts must
be re-evaluating their legis-
lating based on such unju-
dicial imponderables as fic-
tional writings, and possible
advantages Of public school
education over locally di-
rected private schools. When
the citizens Of an entire
county choose to passively
permit the use of a 30-room.
SIS million school with
nearly one teacher per stu
dent for "a Negro children,
whose parents paid little Of
the taxes necessary to build,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Bonus Protest

How startling that no pro-
test has been made over the
outrageous proposal by the
Maryland Legislature that a
bonus be paid veterans! We
have been taxed already for
every conceivable crackpot
idea, and now they want to
spend $50 million for a bonus
for what? Are Maryland
veterans really so hard up
they need a $500 handout?
Where can We find repre-
sentatives of the people who
can be depended upon to
enact legislation for the bene-
fit of all people? 1 am for
taxes for a purpose, but
against taxes for pressure
groups.
Taxpayer,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23

Some investigator casually
announces that men make
better dieters than women.
If this is so, and We doubt
it, it is because women have
access to food "a hours a day
in the home.
Men are more inclined to
be finicky eaters, and often
refrain when away from
home, Thus. at least 8 hours
a day, they are not subject so
much to the lure of eating.
Women may wonder at
this, since there are always
places where something to
eat can be purchased, but the
point is, we believe, that men
draw the line on many places
because they do not suit
them.
So they pay an indirect
compliment to their homes.
y X ~
Whether male or female,
the reducer finds it easy
enough to lose weight.
The trouble comes, as all
know, in keeping it lost.
1t is easy enough to take off
20 pounds, and it's very easy.
indeed, to put it back on
again.
The latest gimmick in
thinking about reducing, now
a popular sport in books.
magazines and newspapers,
is that the taking off and
putting back on again, time
after time, is a very bad
thing. -..
Well, we all knew that!
America is so mentally
constituted, that a thing
takes on more authority if it
is said by an expert.
The expert rules us all. in
his spare moments. He looms
on the horizon of our own
minds. We have built him
up, and must suffer at his
hands later.
The expert on diet now says
that to reduce and then slide
backward is probably worse
than not dieting in the first
place.
What he overlooks, Of
course, is that what experts
always overlook:
The human factor.
Every one who tries to re-
duce in weight and fails,
nevertheless manages to learn
a great deal.
For one thing, he knows he
can do it.
For another, he knows just
how little it takes to put him
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Where Credit Is Due

Many good people worked hard,
long and unSelfShly to make a reality
of what IS years ago seemed highly
visionary idea-the building and equip
ping of WashingtonS splendid Hospital
Center. Assigning credit in such CO.
operative effort, where credit is widely
distributed, is a precarious undertaking.
But a lot of it belongs to Charles S.
Dewey, who retired few days ago as
president of the Hospital Center's board
of trustees position he assumed in
1852.
II might all have happened with
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
raNISTAS IN SCIENCE
By THOMAS R. HENRY
CMVoIues Seen in Super Gas Mask

being developed. Thus the
new mask promises to be an
extremely important break
through"
A "black light eye" that
will detect the evaporation
from one droplet Of liquid
the size Of a pinhead in an
average-sized living room
also has been developed by
Army chemists.
It is designed for use Of
troops in the field against
chemical attacks such as may
be anticipated in a future
war. The new device. known
as "lopair" (long path mira
red), will flash a warning
light and sound a horn when
a tiny amount Of contami-
nant in the air as much as a
quarter-mile away from the
detector head crosses a beam
Of invisible infra-red light.
It will detect such a contain
inant even when it is color
less and invisible TO the
human eye, as is the case
with most potential toxic
warfare agents. In combat
it would warn soldiers in
time to put on their protec-
tive masks.
How II Works
The current model consists
of two separate parts. One
unit. mounted on a tripod.
contains the source Of the
invisible light, a mirror that
directs the beam along its
path, and a detector to an
alyze the beam when it. re-
turns to its source. The
other unit, which also may
be mounted on a tripod, is a
specially designed self-align-
ing mirror which is placed at
the other end of the path and
reflects the beam back to the
detector.
Both units combined weigh
a little over so pounds. Each
can be carried easily by one
man. The complete alarm
system can be set in opera
ton in less than five minutes.
Power is supplied by storage
batteries. The system, Army
chemists say, can detect and
measure almost any sub
stance by its characteristic
mira red spectrum. Once
the alarm has been properly
set to detect one particular
substance, however, normally
it will not be set off by other
materials likely to be present.
A special design feature also
prevents the alarm from
sounding even when a person,
animal or vehicle breaks the
beam between the two units.
The "lopair" is an adapta-
ton of an instrument used
hitherto only in delicate lab
oratory work, made far more
rugged for the use of troops.
Final tests still must be made
before it is released for troop
use.
1t also can be used to
detect air pollution in fac
tories.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Arlington Schools

The many parents, teach
ers and businessmen of Ar
lington who have fought hard
but in vain most of the time
for sound teaching methods
and curriculum may now re-
joice that on February IL
the Arlington School Board,
by a 80 vote, was able to
take a decisive step by abol-
ishing general education in
the eighth and ninth grades.
In his bitter defense of
general education, which he
helped introduce in Arling-
ton schools, MI Joy made a
strong point that the school
board did not have the
right" to vote on such policy
matters.
The right to dissent is a
cardinal American principle.
But one wonders whether Mr..
joys extreme view is not
symbolic of a totalitarian
trend in education, which,
happily, has been checked in
Arlington.
Vic johnson.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23

Of hill people there. fought
in France in World War l
and in Burma. Malaga, North
Africa and Italy in World
War II. After India became
independent in 1947, she
took over six Of the existing
10 Gukhs regiments and
the rest went to the British.
Both countries now recruit
in Nepal.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23

out him. But TO those who have been
most intimately involved in the Hospi-
tai Center project, Mr.. Dewey's agrees
sive leadership, his refusal to give up
in the face Of what appeared at times
to be insurmountabIe difficulties, his
unyielding determination and intelli-
gent optimism we're largely responsible
for final success Regardless Of what
others did, Mr.. Deweys contribution
to major community improvement is
outstanding.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23
Farm Income

SECRETARY OF agriculture
Benson has been declaring
repeatedly that the farmer
is unrealistic, pricewiSe, and
is pricing himself out of both
the foreign and home mar
ketS; even though, as no one
knows better than Mr.. Ben
son himself, farm prices for
the principal crops are now
more than 20 per cent under
parity.
1t is not apparent, how
ever, that he understands, or
has thought about, what a
market is, realistically: that,
in plain words, it is made up
OF people with money to
spend for things they want.
Mr.. Benson's own depart
ment is authority for the fact
that the net average per cap
ita annual income for farm
people is under $500, which
compares with over $4,000 for
the population as a whole.
The farm population is drop
ping, but it is still from 10 to
20 million. Raising their in
come to near the national
average would give farm peo-
pie some $24 billion more to
spend. The average farmer
is a good spender, particu-
larly for equipment.
1t would be a big help if
Mr.. Benson could be induced
to consider what that much
more to spend in the hands
OF farm people would mean
to our home markets and the
economy as a whole.
Benjamin KirsOn.
Holicong. Pa.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-23

A super gas mask mas been
designed by Army chemists.
It will protect not only
against war gases but against
the great variety Of airborne
disease agents which may be
anticipated in another war.
Meanwhile. Army Chemical
Corps officers believe, 1t may
have a very important place
in protection Of civilian pop
ulations under such condi-
tons as flu epidemics. 1t Is
from 10 TO is times more
effective in filtering out air
borne bacteria than the con-
ventional surgical mask.
1t covers the nose and
mouth Of the wearer. 1t is
held to the face by a fiat
sheet of adhesive tape de-
signed to form an air-tight
seal against the curve Of the
face. The flltering material
developed by the Chemical
Corps scientists is water
proof and consequently con-
densed moisture from the
breath Of the wearer does not
affect its performance. The
filter is pleated to increase
its area in order to lessen
its resistance to breathing.
but still it does not interfere
with normal face movement
or with speech. Unlike con-
ventional masks, it does not
fog the lenses of persons
wearing glasses.
Tested in Field
Field tests have demon
strated that it is rugged and
does not deteriorate with
prolonged wearing. The same
tests with troops also show
that skin irritation from pro-
longed wearing is virtually
nonexistent. When the mask
must be removed frequently,
however. some irritation may
be caused by the tape.
1t can be used, the chem
lists say, as a dust mask or,
with some slight alteration,
as an odor protection mask.
The new mask was de-
signed by DR.. Charles j.
Shoemaker and his associ-
ates. civilian chemists at the
Army's Chemical Warfare
Laboratories in Maryland.
Use of gas or of disease
agents was virtually unknown
in the last world war-so
much so that masks were COL
lected from soldiers shortly
after the Normandy landings
and carried along only as
company baggage. Many.
however, still have vivid
memories of the gas warfare
of World War l and the
cumbersome. hot, torturing
masks which it was necessary
to wear much Of the time.
Even so they were not very
efficient.
Nobody can expect the
conditions of the last war to
obtain again, with the new
nerve gases and with the
very potent disease agents