davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
With Fingers Crossed

Socially and politically Soviet First
Deputy Premier Frol Kozloy spent quite
a. busy day here yesterday. Among other
things, besides lunching at length with
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
he had a thoroughgoing talk with
Secretary of State Herter. And then
he conferred for 70 minutes with Presi-
dent Eisenhower at the White House,
from which he emerged describing the
conversation as wonderful and cheer
fully voicing his hope for "a strong and
secure peace" throughout the world.
Just what all this may mean, how
ever, is not clear at the moment. Mr..
Kozlov is an attractive personality, and
his words have been pleasant so far,
but what remains to be revealed is
whether he has yet said anything of
genuine significance in terms of such
matters as the Kremlin- manufactured
Berlin crisis and the recessed Geneva
meeting of foreign ministers. Consider
ing the fact that he is one of Premier
Khrushchev's closest confidantS, and a
man who ranks high in the Soviet
hierarchy, a persuasive case can be
made for the view that his boss must
have sent him to America to do more
than merely open an exhibition and
display his charm to everybody he
meets, especially here in Washington.
Still, Skepticism continues to be very
much in order.
1t may be, of course, that Mr.. Kozlov
has already said things of high i'm
portance to Mr. Herter and the PreSi-
dent-things indicating, for example,
that the Khrushchev government is
prepared to modify its unacceptable
views regarding the status of West
Berlin. But neither the State Depart
ment nor the White House Is making
public at this time the precise nature
of the Deputy Premier's remarks, and
so outsiders can do little more than
play a guessing game that is at once
preSumptuouS and hazardous. In this
kind of situation, all of us could do
worse than keep in mind Mr.. Essen
hower's repeated assertion - expressed
again at his news conference yesterday
that he will not take part in a summit
conference unless or until the Kremlin
permits enough progress in preliminary
negotiations to promise that such a
meeting would be fruitful
The progress sought by the Presi-
dent includes, certainly, the withdrawal
of even the suggestion of any kind Of
Soviet deadline threat or ultimatum in
connection with the Western position
in Berlin. If Mr. Khrushchev, speaking
through the visiting Mr. Kozlov, offers
satisfactory assurances on that score,
then the Geneva foreign ministers
meeting, when it ends its recess on July
10, may succeed in juStifying a summit
conference. Meanwhile, the world can
only hope for the best, with fingers
crossed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
'Pocketbook Issue

In suggesting to his news conference
that people may have changed their
minds" about imitation, President Essen
hover was casting a vote of confidence
In the ultimate good sense of the Ameri-
can electorate. In his time, another
Republican President, Abraham Lincoln,
summed up similar evaluation of his
countrymen's good judgment in the
simple reminder to White House caller
that you can't fool all of the people
all Of the time"
For one of these days, and perhaps
with an impact on their 1860 voting,
lot Of people are going to cease being
fooled by the dangerous nonsense that
little imitation" is just pleasant eco
nomic tonic or that overindulgence can
be Offset by greater and greater reliance
on Uncle Sam to spread more easy
money" around.
Actually, imitation has a way of not
staying little" as the overall record of
the past 20 years shows. During that
period the purchasing power of 100 cents
has Shrunk to less than half, AZ per cent,
of its 1889 value. This shrinkage may not
have been of great concern to those who
had lot Of dollars, particularly since
they have been able to hedge" through
investments which retained their real
value. 1t has meant something different
to many others, to many more voters
in fact. A study by the Tax Foundation,
for example, shows that wage or salary
Garner with wife and two children and
a yearly income of $4,000 in 1912 would
need $5613 to live as we'll in 1882 Only
by nearly doubling his income would he
be able to stand still economically. He
might, of course, have been able to hold
this pace. If so, he Is at least less
unfortunate than the person living on
retirement fund, on life insurance or
some other income frozen In terms of
dollars.
The question remains then of what
this has to do with politics, or with Gov
eminent policies For one thing, the
record shows that the greatest shrinkage
of the dollar occurred in the period prior
to 195l-while the Federal Reserve Sys-
tenn was employed to buy Government
bonds at pegged prices In order to help
the Treasury meet its financing obliga-
tionS. Some of those who are opposing
the administration request to remove
the ceiling on interest rates for these
bonds are urging a return to this infia-
tionary system. And, to relate this to the
budget, the greatest pressure on the
Treasury to market its bonds occurs
when it is forced to finance deficit
while constantly reflnancing parts Of
the mountainous public debt.
There is evidence today that year
of prosperity lies ahead. 1t would be
good policy and perhaps good politics
in that case to support a balanced
budget, and maybe even pay off some
of this top-heavy debt. All of the people
are not going to be fooled forever into
liking "just one more round" of imitation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
Checkrein on Pensions

: Although the House. approved bill
to revise the veterans nonservice-
flected pension system would add sub
stantially to the cost of such BENEFITS,
much-needed restrictions would be i'm
posed on future eligibility for the
awards The existing law permits
liberal attitude toward payment of pen
sions to veterans with incomes from
varied sources. There have been gross
abuses of the Governments generosity
toward veterans with disabilities not
resulting from combat or other service.
r. The proposed new system would set
up sliding scale plan for allotting pen
sionS according to amount OF income
from all SourceS-not just salaries. The
smaller the total income of the veteran
or his widow, the larger the pension
would be, up to maximum OF $50 a
month for a married veteran, S85 for
single veteran and $50 for widow. At
present both married and single veterans
receive S78.75 month and widows S50.50
q month. And the income conditions
are much more liberal
The new legislation is a compromise
worked out by the House Veterans
Affairs Committee, after testimony by
Government officials and representa-
lives of veterans organizations. The
restrictive provisions were inserted at
the request Of the Government and the
increased pension scale at the urging of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
Restoring Downtown

The formation of National Capital
Downtown Committee, as agreed upon
by Washington businessmen, could we'll
develop into the most important civic
project this city has ever seen.
What these men want to do, through
systematic research and planning, Is to
determine the maximum development
that can be made In our downtown area,
and then to organize machinery, prima-
rily with private resources, to bring the
desired changes about.
One specific aim, of course, is to
halt the Stagnation and blight which
already have afflicted good portion Of
downtown Washington, dragging the
good down with the bad and playing
havoc with values on which the city
relies for fully 20 per cent of its tax
revenues. The rehabilitation effort, how
ever, goes far beyond this. It's basic
purpose gets to the point that downtown
Washington today is serving new role
las the central core of great metro
region instead of simply the center of a
city. There will be no such quixotic at
tempt, for example, as to try to recap
ture for downtown the retail sales which
have spread to the suburbs. But the
study will recognize that downtown
Washington should have assets and
attractions which no suburban shop
ping center could hope to match. The
Job will be to define these assets, then
develop them. .
= Working behind the scenes for the
last year and half, small group of
business leaders and professional plan
ners led by Robert H. Levi, the dynamic
president of the Hecht Co., has accom-
plished much Already, we are told, more
than half the $500, 900 budget needed for
the first years operations has been sub
scribed. Incorporation papers are being
drawn up for the committee, which will
be headed by banker Robert C. Baker.
These steps, of course, are only the
initial ones, and there is nothing magical
about the idea of Washington study"
What makes this unique, however, is
that it is being directed and financed
by the people who own property down
self-interest to stimulate their efforts.
Not the least important of the results
may be the development of a wider par
ticipation generally by citizen leaders in
all the affairs and problems of the COM
neutrality-suspicious., housing, urban
renewal and a sound financial structure.
And If Congress sees such activity, it
may we'll take more sympathetic look
at its own responsibilities toward the
city.
Thus far, Washington has Jagged
dlsgfacefully in just such an attack as
this on its downtown problems In Al
other cities, active organizations are at
work. A tremendously ambitious pro-
gram is under way in neighboring Bal
timore, and citizen leaders there have
caught an infectious sort of enthusiasm
for the possibilities of new life in their
old city.
There is no reason it can't happen
here, too. We hope that the entire COM
nunity, government as we'll as private,
contributes full support to the excellent
start which already has been made.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
Halls New Champ

1t looks like we've got a
real boy at last as heavy
weight champion of the
world
After years of dingineSs,
broken only by the meteoric
flash of Rocky Marciano, a
bright ray of light strikes the
prime order of sport. the
heavyweight ranks.
Ingemar Johansson, as
champion, is indeed the peer
Of all homo sapiens. He's the
Man Number One. or the
king pin, among men. And he
looks the part! He halls from
Sweden, a Nordic land. that
has given us so many good
things, including Ingrid
Bergman and the smorgas-
bord.
Here's hoping the heavy
weight crown long remains
on the head of this fine
youngster of whom the whole
world can be proud.
Eddie Sigby.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
Small DAMAGE?
Worried Parent.

In an article published in
your paper June 81, under
the title Two Tunnels Pro-
posed for Cleveland Park" a
paragraph headed Small
Destruction" quotes Mr.. Fin
ley as saying "only 20 homes
would be demolished" to
make way for the new high
way. only 20 homes. Twen-
ty beautiful homes and lots.
where the noise is children's
laughter, the songs Of birds
and the chimes OF Wash
ington Cathedral and st.
AIMS. These are some of the
finest homes in Washington.
There are larger homes and
more elaborate homes and
more important homes, but
none finer. And no finer men
and women than those who
own them, cultured, refined,
responsible. bringing up their
families with their stand
ards. There are many chill
dren; college. high school and
small ones, and I meet with
courtesy from \all of them,
those I know and those l do
not.
This is the sort Of COM
munity that Washington
needs, that the country needs.
and vet there are some who
would throw it away and
substitute cars, trucks, speed,
dust, noise and confusion.
Small damage - only 20
homes"
Mrs. John A. Sterrett.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02

Even those apparently least
concerned should have been
shocked by the statistics
showing the appalling in
crease of crime in our coun-
try, as cited in ex-President
Hoover'S article in a recent
issue of This Week magazine,
Every problem has its solu-
ton, and it is imperative that
the right one be found soon
for reducing both crime and
criminals in the United
States.
On the other hand, there is
certainly Justification for the
protests against taxing law
abiding citizens to support, in
penitentiary idleness, perhaps
over a period of years, multi
tudes of criminals of every
stripe. But we are nonetheless
revolted when even confirmed
criminals and those convicted
of the most dastardly crimes
are released, by pardon or on
parole. to find new victims.
Obviously a new punish
ment must be found which
will definitely put a brake on
crime and criminals. Perhaps
we can kill both birds with
one stone.
Imperfect molds of every
kind should be destroyed to
prevent perpetuation of their
defects. Thus denying Grim
inals the privilege Of propa-
CATION should, at the very
least, prevent their inflicting
upon society the fruit of their
spawning. And. Just as i'm
portant, the penalty Of for
feiting all opportunities for
psrenthood would probably
restrain even those willing to
take a chance on escaping
capital punishment for their
crimes. This would be a par
ticularly appropriate punish
ment-should be a must
for all those guilty of rape
and all other sex crimes.
B. Carson.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
Mccarthy Book

Nee orthy Book
The message in this letter
is addressed to those Of your
readers who may have read
The Stars review Of Richard
Rovere's vicious, false attack
upon my husband. 1t is also
in answer to the numerous
letters l have received ask
ing why I do not bring a
libel action against the
author.
I would like to make it
clear that I would bring a
libel suit If could. However,
the author avoids attacking
me. And the law prevents me
as Joe's widow from suing
for a libel against my hus-
band. The law permits me to
sue only for a libel to my
own name. The author has
very carefully avoided this
possibility. He only attacks
my husband who is dead and
therefore cannot bring a suit
to defend himself against
such outrageous falsehoods.
While it is a little known
fact - and so far an I'M
published fact in this case
that a widow cannot bring a
libel suit for her husband,
the author was well aware
OF this principle Of law, as
we're the publisher and the
magazine which previously
printed a scurrilous article
by this same author. Had
either this book or the mag
azine article been printed
during my husbands life
time, he would have brought
a libel suit which he would
have won unquestionably,
Joe. of course. cannot bring
a libel suit now.
That such a cowardly de-
vice was used in this attempt
to hurt my husband and his
work is not surprising, con-
sidering the source. The
author himself acknowledges,
in a sense. his awareness of
this principle of law. On page
246 he states in a footnote
that he would further develop
a story but that 1t cannot be
gone into without involving
many living persons. He
therefore skips the so-called
story. If there were truth to
the story he would need have
no fear of being sued for libel
by the living persons.
To the thousands of Joe's
friends and admirers who
have written or phoned me,
I would like to say that the
vicious falsehoods, the low
and mean attacks upon Joe
during his lifetime we're rec
ognized by him as part and
parcel of the work of fighting
communism and exposing
Communists. No one who has
done a good job in this field
has escaped it. Today Joe is
not here to defend himself in
a court of law against such
attacks. But his work, his life,
and his character stand as an
adequate answer.
Had Joe's work not been
effective. this book written
by the former associate editor
of The New Masses-de-
scribed by an Attorney Cen
eral of the United States as
a Communist periodical
would never have been
dreamed up, much less writ
ten.
Mrs. Joseph r. Mccarthy.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
Customers Wronqed

In the race to be progress
sive often a company will
abandon a good piece Of Gus
toner service equipment and
install something new" that
is ill-designed for the purpose
intended and therefore actu-
ally retrogressive. Two recent
local instances of such back
ward steps are these:
One of our largest banks
in redecorating its establish
ment removed the very COM
Portable straight-back chairs
from its safe deposit booths
and substituted therefor some
modernistic, dip-seat plastic
chairs that cause many Gus
toners to fairly chin them
selves on their safe-deposit
boxes. Complaints have been
many, but the bank seemingly
remains adamant. evidently
believing that the customer
, can bring his own cushion or
put up with the inconvenience,
Another case Of retrogres-
sion is in one of our largest
diaries. The MANAGEMENT re-
Gently abandoned a very fine
pinch-neck bottle designed to
permit the customer to eX-
tract the cream without di-
luting it with milk; and the
bottle had the added adj
vantage Of being very easy to
grasp and handle. In its
place has been substituted
clumsy, straight-sided, tiny
topped bottle from which it
is almost impossible to take
any cream clipping sends the
cream to the bottom, and no
spoon will fit, in the top.
Perhaps that is the very rea-
son the new bottle was
foisted on the public-to
make us buy extra cream.
Customers have complained
so loudly that the dairy has
had to furnish a device sup
posedly to take of cream.
but which is inefficient to say
the least-maddening, many
housewives think.
Can it be that the we'll
known tenet the customer
is always right" is outmoded
too?
Just a Customer
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
Police BuiIdinq Site

/ would like to commend
Montgomery Councilmen
william F. Hickey and Jerry
T. williams for temporarily
hating approval Of the Arson
street property for a site for
the new County Police Build
ing, and add my fervent hope
that they will continue in
their pursuit for a reinvesti-
CATION of a site in the lower
Silver Spring area.
The Council has discarded
two other sites previously
without properly weighing
the possibility of lower Silver
Spring. Why has lower Silver
Spring-which has the APP
proval of the Allied Civic
Group and the Silver Spring
Board of Trade and is the
first recommendation Of the
Montgomery County Plan
ming Board-been so consist
emily passed over?
The question was raised as
to how this county building
could downgrade one area
and yet upgrade another.
This seems rather elemen-
tary. A barn on farm acre
age would certainly raise the
value of a farm, but that
same barn in a suburban
back yard would be an eye
sore and not add to the
property nor the community.
This county building couldn't
possibly add to q residential
section, yet in q rundown
commercial area it could
only serve to upgrade. Many
people would frequent this
station, and where a residen-
tial area would not welcome
the extra traffic, a business
section certainly would vel
come 1t in the hope that peo-
pie would stay and shop
AS a homeowner I object
. to the apparent "Woodside
be damned" attitude possess
ing the majority of the Coun-
Gil. but my main concern is
for my children who must at
tend and use the play area
at Woodside School, which is
only 200 feet from the pro-
posed building site. Any
parent who can even consider
putting a Jail and court that
close to an elementary school
must be mad and unfeeling.
Right now I feel safe for my
children to use the school IA
cilities, as this is a quiet
neighborhood, but with the
added traffic and undesirable
personages this building
would attract, the Council is
putting a terrible worry upon
all the parents in this neigh
borhood.
Worried Parent.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02

lllC bWO uuJoJhllulIlk pUs-
sibilities" for the 1860 Repub-
lican presidential nomination
will soon take the spotlight
In widely different fields. Vice
President Richard M. Nixon
is going to Moscow. starting
July %. to represent the
Eisenhower administration at
the opening OF the United
States Exposition in that
Russian city. Gov. Nelson A.
Rockefeller Of New York is
going to Puerto Rico the
first week in August TO at
tend the annual Governors
Conference.
The Vice President has
been picked by President
Eisenhower to go TO Moscow.
The President insists that
Mr.. Nixon-being Vice Presi-
dents a logical choice for
the mission; he denies fatty
that the sending of Mr.. Nixon
to Moscow is designed TO en-
nance the Vice Presidents
chances Of winning a presi-
Dental nomination over Gov.
Rockefeller next year. The
fact remains, however, that
the visit Mr.. Nixon is about
to pay to the Soviet capital
affords the Vice President
an excellent opportunity not
only to increase further his
already large grasp of the
foreign affairs of this coun-
try but also to increase his
stature in this country. Pre-
sumably the Vice President
will have ample opportunity
to talk with Russian Premier
Khrushchev during his stay
in Russia. The Nixon trip
will be a two-week affair.
Further, the Presidents
brother, DR.. Milton Eisen-
hover, is accompanying Mr..
Nixon, The President dis
counts any political effect
this might have. pointing out
that DR.. Eisenhower was au-
thorized to make the trip
after he and Mr.. Nixon had
talked the matter overland
asked the President.
Negative Stand Possible
The President has declared
again and again he will not
use his influence to bring
about the nomination of a
candidate for President at the
Republican National Conven-
ton in Chicago next year.
This does not mean he would
not use influence to prevent
the nomination Of a candi-
date whom he did not believe
represented the real interests
Of the Republican Party and
the country. All the President
has said is that there are
a number of well-qualified
young men in the G. o. P.
who would make not only
good candidates but also good
Presidents. He emphaticslly
told his press conference yes
terday he was playing no
favorites publicly or privately
although he might have a
personal preference.
The President presumably
includes in his list Of eligibles
for the Republican presiden-
tial nomination, in addition
to Nixon and Rockefeller,
Ambassador Henry Cabot
Lodge of Massachusetts, Sec
rotary of the Interior Fred
Seaton Of Nebraska, Secre-
tary Of Labor James P.
Mitchell Of New Jersey and
Cows. Hatfield of Oregon
and Stratton of Illinois. In
reality. however. practically
none of the party leaders and
workers-and the rank and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-02
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

however, by the rule-of-the-
thumb destruction mentioned
by our correspondent.
We will never forget the 10
degree Christmas eve many
years ago, when hundreds Of
these insects came out on
the sun porch.
We killed them all, as We
thought, and must have done
so, because never was one
seen again at that place.
They did appear several
years later in the basement.
and were again obliterated.
so that no damage was done,
The question remains;
Were they really termites?
One may 90 on the as
sumption that any winged
ant is a termite. This may
not be correct, but it does
pay to be ready.
The advantages Of spiders
in house are many.
For one thing, they eat
other insects. They are not
actually insects in the ordi-
nary sense, and they feed on
them wherever and when
ever they can catch them.
Another good point of the
spider is that it shows when
a house is getting dirty.
The cobweb, as the old
folks called it, is regarded
as a sign of untidiness,
1t is a trap, however, and
does catch many obnoxious
insects, and may be left for
a time as a specimen study In
another and most interesting
form of life.
A spider that seems to be
entirely harmless is a milk
white one. This mite likes to
suspend itself on a single
strand and dangle in the
face of a reader.
1t loves the interior of a
lamp shade, spending hours
there, evidently waiting for
bright light to attract its
food.
AS far as we can see, this
spider does not respond to the
lure of light. and this proves
1t is not a real insect in the
ordinary sense.
The love of light is one Of
the most amazing traits Of
the insects. They will come
into a house, even through
good screening, and dart
straight into the bulb.
Is this the great lure Of
space travel?
We may feel sure that all
life is related, and that If the
insects of summer fly straight
into the flame, man will do
the same in the end.