davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Missiles VS.. Monpower

In this early stage of military rock
etry 1t is only natural that the transit
ton from conventional means of wag-
ing war to missile warfare should be
gradual. 1T is not surprising, therefore,
that the proposed administration mill
tary budget for 1851 provides for no
appreciable withdrawal of our troops
abroad-deSpite rumors to the contrary.
This is good news to NATO and our
other allies in the cold war.
But this does not mean that there
Is to be any showdown in our develop
ment Of chronological warfare. Rather,
there will be continued emphasis on
missile research and development, CO.
incident with tapering off on Navy
and Air Force conventional weapons
and manpower, The net result will be a
military budget approximately the size
OF the current one-S41 billion.
Apparently the Army and the Ma
rlne Corps have won their fight to eS-
cape any substantial manpower cuts in
the immediate future. They have con-
tended that at the present stage of mis-
Sile progress it would be dangerous to
weaken our ground strength in Europe
and Asia. They have argued that a
drawback of our armed forces would
tend to invite aggression without neces-
sity OF any resort to atomic weapons by
the attacker.
The Navy and the Air Force, on the
other hand, are said to have agreed that
they can get along with fewer men.
The Navy is accenting nuclear-powered
miSSile-firing submarines at the expense
OF most types of surface craft, although
1t will continue to place much reliance
on huge aircraft carriers. The Navy
will drop plans, however, for a second
atomic-powered aircraft carrier. The
Air Force will reduce its conventional
bomber strength, while building up its
missile power. The Air Force now has
operational control of intercontinental
balliStic miSSiles-on which the Nation
Will largely rely in the future for
security.
In short, the proposed budget is de-
signed, by those responsible for decision,
to provide America with well-balanced
national defense setup, taking into con-
sideration the present lull in cold war
activity and the impending negotia-
tions at the summit The transition,
meanwhile, from obsolete or obSolescent
weapons and techniqueS to the newer,
more "Sophisticated"-and deadlier-
means of defense and attack should be
pressed as energetically as the national
economy and world conditions warrant.
Evening star., 1959-11-18
No Cause for Delay

The mere fact that low bidder for
a District bridge contract does not hire
union labor is not sufficient to bar him
from being awarded the contract for the
job. The Commissioners had no alter
native to awarding the substructure
contracts for the new Fourteenth street
bridge to nonunion Georgia firm-de-
spite protests from major labor and
contractor groups.
The law does not permit the
commissioners to discriminate between
union and nonunion contractors. They
are required to award the bridge con-
tract to the lowest bidder-provided, of
course, he is otherwise qualified to carry
out the contract. Yet, there have been
hints from local labor circles that con-
Struct1on of the bridge might be indefi-
nltely delayed by labor troubles" if the
award were made to the Georgia con-
tractor. John Holden, executive secretary
of the Building Trades Council. repre-
Senting the unions, had warned that
"our people normally won't work with
nonunion men on the same project"
"a unionized contractor has submitted
the low bid for the Superstructure of the
bridge.)
1t would be unfortunate, of course,
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Unreasonable Risk

Altogether too often The
Star reports the death of
another crane operator
by accidental electrocution.
These deaths occur as a re-
suit of booms contracting high
voltage wires. 1t seems quite
unreasonable to expect an
operator to maneuver his
equipment hour after hour in
proximity with such death
dealing wiring.
If the operators employer
we're to be held absolutely
liable in the case of any such
accident, would not such ac-
cidents cease Immediately
and completely? These are
preventable accidents and
employers could provide safe
working conditions by ar
ranging in advance for %
temporary removal or re-
arrangement Of the hig III
voltage lines, (2) temporary
shutting off of the live cur
rent, or CD provision for in
closing the wiring in heavy
cable.
If the existing statutes are
currently inadequate in this
matter, would it not be in the
public interest (including the
interest of all of the prospec-
tive widows and surviving
children) to make them ade-
quate? Unavoidable accidents
have to be endured but why
should society condone fore
seeable and preventable
tragedies?
, Laurence S. Knappen.
Evening star., 1959-11-18

nearly one out of every two
of our youth are rejected for
military service" is evidence
that our people "are losing
that old-fashioned, spartan
devotion to duty, honor and
country and the will to
fight, sacrifice and endure"
OF course, year after year,
perceptive and responsible
leaders in and out of govern
ment speak of this danger.
Yet it remains unhappily OBJ
vious that there are powerful
pressure groups in this coun-
try whose leadership seems to
think it is somehow "repug-
nant to our traditions" to go
so far as to ask that our
youth even emphasize the
need for "old-fashioned de-
votion to duty, honor and
country" by signing an afi-
davit swearing he doesn't be-
long to, or knowingly support
any organization advocating
the overthrow Of our Govern
ment, even when asking for
Government money to further
his education.
Not for a moment do we
believe that our youngsters
really feel any such "repug-
nance" Yet sadly enough,
the record shows that last
August. when Republican
Senator Mundt of South Da-
kota proposed that this pro-
vision be written into the Ma
tional Defense Education Act,
Senator Kennedy was one Of
its strongest opponents.
Lila ID. SOnnemann,
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Contradictions?

Senator John Kennedy. dis
cuSsing Americas need to
muster a new sense of public
purpose in meeting Russia's S
challenge to the free world,
said that the harsh facts of
the matter are, I'VE have gone
soft physically, mentally and
spiritually" Statistics on COL
laboration with the enemy by
American war prisoners in
Korea, and the fack that
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Against Subway

AS a former subway en-
ploye of the New York City
subway system, and not a
Statistician or fact finder, let
me tell you of the little It'd
bits of numerous tales of woe
which befall you with a sub
way.
Subways en- hance the
chances for perverts, mug
gers, sex offenders, degen-
crates, and what else have
you that is not on the side of
the law. You would need a
transit police force, and
though they have one in New
York City subways, it more
often cannot be in the exact
place of the crime at the
right moment. You have no
idea what you are letting
yourselves in for.
A subway takes many years
to build, and as for price.
today it is prohibitive. To
give you an idea, while ! was
still employed in the SUBJ
ways they were adding on
platform space to two sta
tions and eliminating a track
bottleneck at the approach to
a bridge, and this cost mil
lions. I think they overran
the estimated bid price. And
this in an existing subway. A
single subway car today costs
100000 per car or 100000
per ten-car train.
A monorail has so much
in its favor that / really fail
to see why there is such OPP
position to its being fabri-
Gated at once. It could be built
at a much lower cost, in less
time, and be so constructed,
from the attractive metals,
which would blend into the
Capitals beauty.
Wherever there is crime,
they decide to flood the area
with more street lights to IL
Illuminate the stage. or breed
ing ground of the acts Of
crime. Why go down into the
dark when you can be spot
lighted above ground?
LII.
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Trial Balloons

Hail to a new technique!
Let it not be said that Capitol
Hill is less ingenious than
Madison avenue.
Senator Douglas Joint Eco
nomic Committee of Con-
greSS, like the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee recently, has
announced consultants' study
papers which "do not neces-
sarily represent views of the
committee or staff" But pub
licizing the reports, the COM
mittees will condition the
public to agreement. Then
the committees or their ma
jority will take the stand
which these papers indorse.
Not so strangely, Senator
Douglas views are mirrored
as one study paper reports:
Since more funds need to
be found, serious considera-
tion must be given to policies
aimed at changing peoples
attitude toward public educa-
ton and to shifting partial
responsibility from the local
school district to the State
and possibly to the Federal
Government. This will re-
ouire the combined leader
ship of all branches of gov
ernment and the institution
OF matching Federal funds
combined with such eligibil-
ity criteria as maximum eff
fort and statewide equaliza-
tion of educational opportu-
nifty"
Similarly. the paper on
medical care calls for still
more Federal assistance and
social insurance despite its
anticipation Of an increase in
voluntary systems.
The details of these papers
and plans are not here in
issue. But we should note the
trial balloon technique in the
form of unindorsed reports
by consultants whom the
committees sponsor.
Lloyd Buchanan
Evening star., 1959-11-18

Rough hammered men have
been known to love their
parakeet even more than
their children.
There is something amaz-
ing, after all, about this tiny
figure in green or blue.
The most amazing thing Of
all, of course, is the fact that
it can talk.
The bird not only talks, but
he seems to make sense.
A very good thing is to
teach a pet. when first Sc
cured, how to say his own
name. street address and tele-
phone number.
If he does this, the chances
are many times larger that he
may be recovered if he hap
pens to make his getaway.
All persons who pick up
such a lost bird are astound-
ed, in their turn, when they
hear all this information
coming from his throat.
The thrill of being able to
return a pet to its owner
as a result of the pets
cleverness is something that
must be experienced.
y = =
There are several new
books on parakeets on the
market, and the pet stores
offer booklets.
The trouble with most
such books and brochures is
that they always seem to
lack the very bit of informa-
ton you want. We have
never been able to under
stand just why this is, but
it must revolve around the
fact that the writer's of such
books know so much that
they do not realize just what
the amateur wants to know.
A parakeet is an amazing
bit of live nature brought
right into the home for all
to enjoy.
The wonder of his talking
Tor us, and in our own
language. is something we
never quite get over. other
species have done it, notably
the parrot, but not as well.
There was an old parrot
IN our neighborhood who
said Fall in!" endlessly. He
was an Army bird.
A parakeet would have
done better than that.
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Harmony Here

The diSSenSion and mis-
understanding that are preva-
lent in so many Of our
PTA's is a reflection on
every school organization.
We are pleased to let the
many groups know that there
are perfect harmony and
agreement within Area 2-B
Council and their many
schools.
We have a mutual under
standing in our aim toward
a continuous harmonious
relationship within our
council with principals and
PTA's for the promotion
Of a higher standard for our
children.
Eugenia C. Edwards.
Evening star., 1959-11-18
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Skin Vibrations Aid Deof to Hear
By THOMAS r. HENRY

The human skin is sensi-
tive to extremely small tenn
perature changes-as little
as eight-hundredths of a de-
gree under certain circum-
stances.
The Sensitivity, however,
is subject to great variations,
depending on the tempera-
ture. to which a subject has
been adapted, and the nerv-
GUS mechanism involved is
very obscure.
This has just been report
ed to the Office of Naval Re-
search by Drs. o. r. Ken
shalo and John P. Nafe Of
Florida State University, who
worked under a Navy con-
tract.
Tests were made on q
small skin area on the rear
Of the arm just below the
bend of the elbow with a
complex "stimulator" whose
temperature could be varied
by intervals of a thousandth
Of a degree centigrade.
First the device was placed
on the arm regulated sue
cesSively to degrees of room
temperature from % to AZ
degrees centigrads. At each
Of five temperatures the sub
jects reported when they no
longer felt the slightest SEN
sations of GOODNESS or
warmth. In each case this
adaptation required about 20
minutes.
Then the temperature of
the stimulator was lowered or
raised by fractions of degrees
until a subject reported that
he felt difference.
Changes in Sensitivity
The results, according to
the report, were quite surpris-
ing. At adaptations of %, 81
and 80 degrees a sensation Of
change was reported for a
lowering of is of a degree.
With an adaptation at AZ de-
grees a change of only .08 Of
a degree produced a sensa-
ton of warmth.
The measurements show,
says the report, that some
radical change in sensitivity
takes place between "a and
SO centigrade. 4
One such radical change
we know something about in
warm-blooded. constant tenn
porature animals" the report
10 the Navy says, "is in the
temperature regulating mech
anis-nS- that is the action of
sweat glands, sebaceous
glands and vascular action.
1t is well known that body
temperature regulation be-
tween % and 81 centigrade is
largely by vascular control.
About 81 c. sweating occurs
and evaporation augmented
by vasomotor control is re-
sponsible for maintaining
constant body temperature.
But information on the heat
regulating mechanism about
35 c. is very sketchy."
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Cranberry Mess

One can't but respect the
humanitarian motive that
caused some grocers to re-
move the cranberries from
their shelves because a rat
had developed cancer after a
lifetime Of feasting on a
weed killer used in cranberry
fields.
Such excitement!
Yet no one has suggested
removing from the dealers
shelves cigarettes that, ac-
cording to the medical pro-
fession, are supposed to cause
cancer in humans.
We're an inconsistent peo-
pie, aren't we!
MRS. Louise ID. Yuill.
= =
Why the sudden concern
over a weed killer on cram
berries when everything we
eat has been contaminated
by atomic fallout, weed killers
and bug killers of every de-
scription? 1t is hardly safe
to eat a washed apple these
days without first peeling it.
It's time we all woke UP to
the fact that we are slowly
poisoning ourselves by ad-
ditiveS and the like in all our
foodstuffs.
Worried.
Your editorial, Safety is
Paramount" (commending
Secretary Flemming's con-
Germ over contaminated cram
berrieS) states a principle
that deserves application to
other areas of the body poll
tic. OF even more serious con-
sequence to the American
public than cranberries con-
taminated with a cancer
producing spray are the de-
lusive concepts of peaceful
coexistence," cultural ex-
changes" and summit con-
ferences" which are employed
by the Soviets to defraud and
to cheat the public opinion of
the free world and to lull our
vigilance against their con-
tinuous drive to extinguish
freedom from the earth.
John Grier KOOntz.
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Moscow VS.. Peipinq?

Your November IL edito-
rial, Moscow VS.. Peiping?"
reflects a point of view which
I feel has been sedulously
adduced by the strategists in
Moscow. The fact that Pres
ident de Gaulle accepts it
also shows only the potency
Of its appeal.
Khrushchev has commit
ted himself to peaceful CO.
existence" with the West. At
the same time that he stages
a schism with Peiping, he
can nouriSh the Camp
David Spirit" by urging the
relaxation of tensions with
President Eisenhower. He
lectures Mao Tze-tung for
Western consumption while
secretly encouraging Mao to
attack Tibet and Laos and
to encroach upon India and
Burma. Would Mao dare to
commit himself to such ag-
gressions without the Krem-
Inns approval?
II Khrushchev is sincere
in wanting peace he has the
power to keep the Red Chi
nese in line. The fact is that
Moscow and Peiping have
reached an agreement which
encompasses a longtime
plan to take over Iran,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India,
Burma and eventually all of
Southeast Asia. To expect
otherwise, to believe that
KhruShchev has thrown in
his lot with the West and
has abandoned China be-
cause he fears the $50 mil
lion land-hungry Chinese,
is to fly in the face of history.
F. r. Eldridge.
\
I have now read three edi-
torials of yours peddling the
line that the USSR and Red
China may one day split up.
You might have your sooth-
sayers gaze once more into
the crystal ball and tell us
whether this Great Fallout
(non-nuclear?) will occur
soon or only after the United
States has been conquered by
the Reds. If it will occur only
after we have been van
quished, your divination be-
comes quite academic. But if
it is to occur while we are still
free, then we can put away
our army and navy, our nu-
clear weapons and foreign
aid, and get back to really
enjoy Our American Way of
Life sitting on our patio
donned in California fashions
that are such fun to wear.
I don't know what books
you read, but in the fairy
tales I read to my children I
never ran across two stupid
dragons that galloped of
burning each others behind.
No, the gallant knight girds
himself well. selects the fleet
est Steed and goes out and
slays the dragon-even two
headed ones. And somehow
this has a more authentic
ring than your tale.
David Keyser.
Evening star., 1959-11-18
THIS AND THAI
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

A correspondent wanted
information about parakeets,
and we append the answers
sent for the benefit, We hope.
of others interested in these
remarkable birds.
Parakeets do not normally
regurgitate their food. II
they do, and it is usually the
male, it is in feeding the
young or training for feed
ing them.
ParakeetS should bathe. 1t
is a good habit for man or
beast-or bird.
If the pet perches on a
finger and fights a thumb, it
is a perfectly natural action
and does no harm. For the
pet. it is fun.
A parakeet can be taught
to come to you if you use the
same sort of whistle all the
time, and for nothing else.
There is a limit to what an
old bird can be taught, but a
young one can be taught
words and phrases almost in
definitely. Many parakeets
have a vocabulary of 500
words or even more.
A parakeet should not
have human foods.
This rule is violated often,
but it should not be. Stick
closely to the usual parakeet
feeds. Never give lettuce.
If the pet likes to perch
on ones eyeglasses and then
swing down to food held in
the lips, this is "cute," un-
doubtedly, but it involves US
ing human foods, and these
are out. For this and other
reasons the bird should not
be permitted to fly down onto
the table.
Parakeets can, stand cold,
but not drafts.
On the other hand, if they
are coddled, that is, covered
at night. they may mott
excessively.
If the feathers are ruf1ed
all the time. it may mean the
bird is too warm. Loose
feathers speak of the same
wrong care.
An average modern home.
even if the thermoStat is set
low at night, is warm enough.
This pet can easily stand
most Washington weather,
except probably on the very
coolest zero days, and part
Of the danger then comes not
so much from the tempera-
ture as from the chance of
berries and the like being
covered with ice.
ParakeetS love to fly out
of a house, and can do so
through a slightly ajar door
or window. through a crack 81
narrow one wonders how they
do it, but they do.
1t is wise to let the bird
have the run of the house at
times, but not all the time.
He prefers his cage for rest.
But at such times as he is
loose, other humans must be
warned about the danger of
his getting out.
&&
Parakeets are amazing
creatures, there is not the
slightest doubt of this.
Evening star., 1959-11-18

@. In the mouth-to-mouth
method of artificial respira =
ton, how many breaths
should be used per minute?
W. F.
A. The cycle of breathing
into the casualty's mouth and
then allowing his lungs to
empty should be continued at
the rate of about 20 cycles
per minute for a child or in
fant. For an adult, the rate
is about IL cycles per minute.
After about 20 cycles the
person giving this type Of
emergency first aid should
rest long enough to take one
deep breath.
Evening star., 1959-11-18

The skin has its own Ian
guage which it can under
stand.
1t can "hear" messages,
provided they are properly
coded in this language, at a
rate Of 38 five-letter words
a minute, which is approx
imately twice the rate Morse
code messages can be re-
ceived by the ear.
This is reported to the
ONCE Of Naval Research by
DR.. Frank A. Geldard of the
University of Virginia. The
difficulty, he points out, now
is In learning by experiment
the fine points of the Ian
guage of vibration@fre-
quency, amplitude and the
like-to which the human
epidermiS is most receptive,
and also the most favorable
spots for reception. Much of
this work now is in progress
at the university's psycholog-
> ical laboratories.
CutaneOuS Code
During the past three
years, he stresses, there has
been enormous progress in
the techniques of substitute
ing vibrations for sound and
the skin for ears. Three years
ago. he says, what we talked
about consisted of promises
that we would be able to
communicate, to do some
thing about warning signals,
to give directional informa-
ton and possibly do some
thing along the lines of
alphabetical cutaneous Ian
guage. Now even the most
advanced of these procedures
is pretty well in hand. We
have been able to code
cutaneous signals to the al
phabet and a numerical
series in such a way as to
make possible fairly rapid
transmission of verbal in
formation"
But, he emphasized. much
further study is necessary to
determine the combinations
OF the various factors which
the skin-usually that on a
f1ngertip-can best discrim-
mate and transmit to the
brain. A good place for at
taching mechanical vibra-
tors. he said, is found to be
the skin Of the chest where
they do not interfere with
any other body functions.
Basic objective of the re-
search is to substitute to as
great an extent as possible
the skin for ears in the deaf
SO that they may carry on
normal conversations. The
problem is much more diff
cult than that of reading with
the fingers where time and
frequency need not be taken
into consideration.
Improvement of the hear
ing" system also might be
very useful in situations
where ears are almost use
less because ineligible
sounds are drowned in noise.
Evening star., 1959-11-18
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry UriterS correct
names and addresses AL
letters are subject to conden-
sdtion.
Evening star., 1959-11-18
Answers to Questions
By THE HASKINS SERVICE

A reader can get an answer Nv
mail, to any question Of fact nv
writing fhe star information Bu-
reau. 635 F street NV Washington
4. D G Please enclose return postaee
or self-addressed stamped envelope
Evening star., 1959-11-18

Parakeets are amazing
creatures, there is not the
slightest doubt of this.