davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
Gus the Great

I think my cat Gus is a
hero. February IL, about 4::30
am. my husband went down
stairs and turned up the
heat and turned off the fire
place damper. We. had had a
log fire and he thought it
had gone out. Then he went
back to bed.
At $50 Gus jumped on my
bed and woke me with news
and sneezeS. There was
heavy smoke in all the house
and I thought it was on fire.
I ran downstairs and opened
the damper and the windows
and everybody soon recovered
except the canary, who is
still sick.
Irene Haggerty.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17

The notes which the Western gov
ernments have sent to the Kremlin are
designed, as far as we can determine,
to avoid any such rocking of the diplo-
matte boat as might sink in advance
the hoped-for conference on the German
question.
These notes announce the readiness
of the United States, Britain and France
to confer with the Soviet Union, prob
ably in April or May, at the foreign
minister level. There was one new sug-
geStion-that German advisers (from
both East and West Germany should be
invited to the conference and should
be consulted" This is concession Of
sorts to the East Germans, but 1t is not
likely to satisfy them. Even before the
Western notes had been made public,
the newspaper organ Of East German
Communists appeared with an editorial
which said that East and West Germany
must be full participants in any talks
and that a mere observer status would
be unsatisfactory. The offer to consult
with German advisers appears to pro-
pose something more than mere OBJ
server status, but it may not be enough.
Beyond this, the Western notes re-
state our rejection of the Soviet demand
that Berlin be given "free city" status,
and declare the West "does not agree"
with MoscowS suggestion for 28-nation
conference on German peace treaty.
Our intention, the notes say, is that "the
conference should deal with the problem
of Germany in all its aspects and i'm
plications as raised in the recent ex-
change of notes -.
This has at least two virtues, even
though they be virtues of necessity.
The language is vague enough to- be
accommodated to an agreed Western po-
sition, If and when one is worked out.
And it is broad enough, If the climate
seems favorable at the time, to enable
the conference to take up the hard issues
that are blocking any settlement OF the
Berlin and German problems.
1t should be stressed, however, that
the time is very short. If the West,
especially with Mr.. Dulles i'll, is to get
its ducks in row by late April or early
May some vigorous and decisive pre-
paratory action will be essential.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17

We live next door to the
Crump family and know only
too well the tragic situation
that resulted from the re-
moval of Johnny, the well
fare baby they had in their
home for a year and a half.
Who could help but become
attached to a child that you
cared for from the time he
was seven days old? To give
up a child after two or three
months would be h ar d
enough, but after IS months
it was truly heart-rending.
We know how the CrumpS
themselves suffered and who
can tell what poor Johnny
went through - forced to
leave the only home he had
ever known a week before
Christmas?
The Welfare Board, we
know, must have its rules and
regulations but surely a
child's happiness should be
given consideration, too.
Since Johnny's removal the
Crumps have taken every
legal step possible to form
ally adopt him. The transfer
of Johnny's jurisdiction to
the Wicomico County We'll
fare Board without notifying
either the Montgomery Coun-
ty Circuit Court, which was to
hear the case, or Mr.. Crump's
lawyer, seems unwarranted
particularly in view of Mr..
Crump's urgent pleas to the
welfare board to Cooperate
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
'One Way to Find Out

The stage seems set in Front Royal
for Short-run test of the effectiveness
of popular resistance to court-decreed
school Indignation.
Chief Judge Sobeloff of the Fourth
Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to
postpone a lower court order requiring
that the Front Royal High School be
opened tomorrow on an integrated basis.
In urging delay, counsel for the local
school board said plan of desegrega-
ton would be ready by next September.
The lawyer also said the board had been
trying to find out how many children
would enter the school if it should be
reopened. He estimated that five or
SIX white children might enroll, along
with some or all of the % Negro students
who have been declared eligible to
attend.
On the point of how many children
would enter the school, designed to &C
commodate about 1000, Judge Sobeloff
said: zone way to find out is to open the
school and register them"
This apparently will be done, for
the school board has said it will obey
the order. After Judge Sobeloff had
refused to grant delay, however, the
Warren County (Front Royal is in the
county, Educational Foundation voted
to continue the private school system
which was established after the high
school was closed. This is consistent
with recent poll which showed that
582 white parents wanted their children
to finish out the year in the private
system, while only five parents said they
preferred to send their children to the
public school if it should reopen.
While this does not reflect the
wishes of the parents of some 200 white
children who are presumed not to be
attending any school, it is enough to
indicate that attendance in the reopened
school will be Scanty. 1t will also test
whether it is feasible to operate high
school designed for 1000 children if only
few are in attendance.
One thing should be kept in mind.
Front Royal is special case. In the
past it has had no high school for
Negroes. BY September new building
with high school facilities for colored
children will be completed. This is ex-
pected to ease the Indignation problem
and bring return to public education
In the Blue Ridge foothill community.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
Doesn't Figure?

In The Star of February
9, under the headline, "Flem-
ming Asks So Billion Plan to
Aid Schools" is the sentence:
1.-THE program could cost the
Federal Government 81 bill
lion over about rs years, and
might lead to construction of
about $4,000 classrooms at a
total cost of SO billion"
At SO billion for $4,000
classrooms, one classroom
would cost $4,000. At the
present stage of imitation,
three average residential
buildings can be bought for
not more than $4,000,
which only one classroom
would cost, if your figures are
correct.
George Frederick Miller.
Editors note: Our figures,
as quoted by Mr.. Miller, are
correct.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
Mr.. Segni Again

1taly'S new government Is in eX-
perienced and capable hands. AS organ
lied by Premier Segni, its cabinet con-
SiStS entirely of members of his Chris
tian Democratic Party, and it offers at
least the promise of being as effective,
and possibly even as long-lived, as the
coalition he headed for 20 months in
1955-57.
In any event, by returning to office
with a middle-of- the-road domestic
program, Mr.. Segni appears to have sat-
isfied both the conservative and the
left-of-center factions among the Chris
tan Democrats. Taken together, these
two groups represent Italy'S biggest
single party, but it is party that still
falls 26 votes short of parliamentary
majority. Accordingly, if the new
Premier and his cabinet are to enjoy
reasonably long tenure, he will have to
retain-on all major iSSueS-not only
full Christian Democratic support, but
also the backing currently offered him
by the II Liberal and % Monarchist
members of the Chamber of Deputies.
AS for the divided Socialists, he probably
can count on only handful of them
for help.
So Mr.. Segni's primary task in the
days ahead will be to try to keep the
Christian Democrats solidly behind him,
and to augment their votes with those
of the Liberals and MonarchistS. This
is something that can be more easily
said than done, but he is politically
Shrewd and popular man, highly re-
spected by the Italian people for his
StateSmanlike qualities. his past leader
ship and his eSpouSal of far-reaching
plans for land reform and other types
of economic progress in his country. AS
for international policy, he and his For
eign Minister (former Premier Giuseppe
Pella) are ardent advocates of having
Italy play the most active and most
cooperative kind of role as key men,
Der of the North Atlantic Treaty Organ
szation.
Of course, because of his own party's
factionaliSm, and because he has no
guarantee of unfailing Liberal and Mon
archiSt support, Mr.. Segni may run into
parliamentary trouble in a few weeks
or a few months. But seasoned OBJ
servers believe that he may once again
succeed in remaining longer in office
than have most postwar Premiers in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
Rops Reuther

A recent Star headline on
an Associated Press item was
factually accurate. but it
seems to me it would have
been more actually accurate
merely by changing one let
ter IS" to the letter tn"
I refer to the item cap
toned "Reuther Sees Threat
to us. Economic Lead"
which could have been more
aptly titled, "Reuther Seen
Threat to US. Economic
Lead"
AS a negative anticapital-
list, this cynical, glib and oily
tongued Pied Piper should
theoretically be unable to gain
sufficient prestige and power
to be a threat to our economy.
The National Association If
Manufacturers and/or the
United States Chamber of
Commerce should certainly be
able to provide a positive and
affirmative program and
speaker to easily Offset the
evasive mouthings of Reuther.
But for some reason neither
Of these two groups is putting
on an effective program for
this purpose. If the capitalist
centers of America do not
lead in defense of our CAPT.
talist economic system, why
should public school teachers.
ministers, judges or Congress
men try to stem the totali-
tartan tide or try to advance
the American way of life
founded upon our written
Constitution and our capital
ist economic system?
Franklin T. Miles.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
Freedoms Guarantee

If we Americans ever lose
our priceless freedoms it will
be due to lack of understand
ing. Our freedoms are guar
anteed by the greatest politi-
cal document ever written
the Constitution, a device
used to protect us from
tyranny in the division OF
powers, division between the
three branches of Federal
Government. and division be-
tween Federal and State gov
ernments. Each government
is supreme in its field. The
authority of every elected or
appointed official can be
traced to its origin-the peo-
pie. This is a large improve
ment over personal rule,
or divine right"
Now this whole structure
is threatened. In efforts to
enforce indignation, Federal
judges pass on individual ap-
plications for enrolment in
local schools and order closed
schools to open. A proposed
law would station Federal
agents in schools with inte-
grafton problems. 1t is but a
short step to Federal assign
ment of teachers and Federal
control of curriculum.
The trend seems to be
toward Federal control of
all local affairs. l am not
questioning whether segre-
CATION is right or wrong. I
question whether a Federal
Judge has authority to control
the things aforementioned. If
so, by what process Of law
was this authority taken from
the States or the people?
William C. Banning.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
School Curriculum

There is increasing evil
dence that the curriculum
of our public schools needs
to be improved in order to
meet the personal, vocation
al and citizenship needs Of
all youth of the District. A
large percentage Of the
youth of this city do not go
to college, and seek gainful
employment either in gov
eminent, the trades or pub
lie services. Many youths
find job opportunities limit
ed for a variety of reasons,
including undesirable per-
sonal qualities, lack Of skills
and job habits having value
to a prospective employer.
This means that raising the
academic achievement level
is only a part of the educa-
tive job that must be done.
Emphasis must also be
placed on supervised work
experiences, vocational edu-
cation, and the improvement
of the personal qualities OF
the youth in our schools.
A curriculum should be
constructed so that each
child should: 81 ~
/. Develop and maintain
good health and personal fit
ness. (2) Develop on the part
of each student the under
standing that there is a
strong corollary between
success and good grooming
in any undertaking. (3) IN
derstand the significance OF
family life. "a Develop re-
spect for the rights Of
others and gain insight into
ethical, moral and spiritual
values. go Understand the
methods of science and
mathematics and the in
creased influence of these
subjects on our way of life
in this age of attenuation.
(6) Understand the tech
niques of gathering scientific
facts concerning the nature
of the world and Of man.
Cd Develop the capacities to
appreciate beauty in litera-
ture, art, music, and nature.
90 Learn how to purchase
and use consumer goods in
diligently. 90 Develop SAL
able skills. (10) Develop
recreational skills, in order
that they may use the in
creasing leisure time to best
personal and community ad-
vantage. Old Develop the
ability to read and listen
with understanding. d2)
Develop the ability to ex-
press ones thoughts and the
ability to think nationally
and reasonably.
Such a curriculum should
make DC. schools a model.
for the Nation.
Wendall A. Paris,
President
District of Columbia Asso-
citation for Health, Physical
Education and Recreation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
Golden Age Card

The step taken by Keith's
Theatre to make good enter
tainment somewhat more
possible for senior citizens
in this area deserves the
hearty congratulations and
support Of all adults around
these parts. Their Golden
Age Card" which permits any
person so years or over to at.
tend the afternoon or eve
ming show for about so per
cent of the standard price.
displays not only Imagination
but understanding of some of
the problems our increasing
numbers of oldsters face each
day. AS I understand the
policy, one is eligible for the
card after giving the man
ager of the theatre ones
name, address, and age. This
can be done any day except
Sundays between II a. m.
and 10 p. m. There are eight
or ten steps from the lobby
to the managers office. but
anyone who should not want
to climb the stairs may ask
an usher to tell the manager.
and someone from his Office
will then come to the senior
citizen.
If every theatre in the
Metropolitan Area would
find a way to permit our
thousands of retired and
elderly to see a good movie
or show once in a while. pref
erably during the day, i'm
measurable good would result,
for some OF the long, empty
hours would be filled. The
price of admission deters
many; fear of the night or
inability to cope with the
dark and public transporta-
ton deterS others. Keith's
suggested that private enter
prise may certainly lead the
way in solving one of this
generations imponderable
COMMUNICATING the re-
tirement years usefully and
happily.
Dorothy 7. Pearse,
Consultant, Services for the
Aging, Diocese of Wash
ington.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17

in bringing the case to the
Montgomery Courts for de-
cision at the earliest possible
time.
We hope that despite rules,
regulations, legal red tape,
etc. Johnny can someday
soon come home.
Mrs. william r. HOsler.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
Graphic Art

Glib Crockett's cartoon
showing Herter and Dillon
climbing into a homburg la
beled office, John Foster
Dulles" and captioned His
Files Have Got to Be in Here
Somewhere!" was the most
timely, intelligent and knowl-
edgable cartoon I've seen in
my Is years of reading The
Star. Why have we built a
new State Department build
ing costing m a ny millions
when the whole business can
be crowded into one hat and
one seat or bed in an air
plane?
John M. CarmOdy.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL b

by itself, even digging the
grubs out of the ground.
The brown creeper is a
companionable sort of crea-
ture.
1t pals around with the
downy woodpecker, which is
right in its size class; it may
be seen on tree trunks with
the little woodpeckers.
The type of approach to
insects differs with the bird.
The creeper actually creeps,
while the woodpecker takes
up its stand and works on the
trunk.
Neither of these little fell
lows hurts a tree in any way,
but does it great good, over
the wipter.
No one could call them
humanitarians in any human
sense. But stirring up the
bark here and there. they
make it easy for less per-
sistent birds to find a few
insects on their own.
There are many examples
of this unconscious helping
hand in the bird world. The
bold blue jays carry away
much from feeding stations,
and hide it away in crevices
of bark, where it is found by
other birds.
Jays also bury peanuts and
the like in the leaves. Their
hiding, however, is very
sketchy, as might be expected
from such restless fellows.
Usually the food they hide
is found a few minutes later
by sparrows and others that
have been perched on the
sidelines, watching the big
bird hide his find in his dra-
matte way-one which in
variably attracts the atten-
ton Of all other winged
things in the vicinity.
In such small and uninten-
tional ways one species helps
another, so that it is no
wonder, after all. that there
are still some billions Of birds
in the world, despite the
incesSant killing that goes
on all the time, to say nothing
Of the toll of old age, ac-
cident and disease. which
operate so endlessly among
the feathered folk as among
us.
Why do we not see more
dead birds? People often
ask this question. The ana
swer is simple: Birds are
very small, and easily are
overlooked by hurrying hu-
mans. Many dying birds fly
for a last drink in small pools
and topple in and are swept
away. Some hide in leaves
and are never seen. The
world is so large, and a bird
is so small, the wonder rs
we ever see even one dead
one.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17

If it takes as long as three
hours for civil defense to find
out what happened" as was
reported in the recent st.
Louis disaster, something is
radically wrong. Any delay
in reporting a nuclear weapon
strike on an urban area would
greatly increase the number
Of casualties from radiation
exposure. Such potentially
disastrous delays in civil de-
tense communications cannot
be tolerated.
TIP. DeIianides.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
THE POLITICAL MILL
U.S.. Unity in Berlin Crisis

bed-with Russia and the
rest Of the European Com
munist bloc at the .baekdoor,
pressing ever to communiEe
Germany as a whole? The
immediate problem Is the
fate Of West Berlin, situated
as 1t is far within the limits
Of Communist East Germany.
Russia's threat to move out
Of Berlin and turn. the Ber-
lin issue over to the East
Germans is the cause Of the
present crisis.
Lesson for Soviet
The rush to praise Secre-
tary Dulles for his untiring
work, for his courage, and to
express deep regret that his
illness should have come at
this time Of crisis certainly
should have disabused the
minds Of the Russians If they
have thought that, with Mr..
Dulles out of the picture or
on the side lines, the policies
Of this country would be ma
terially modified.
Even in some circles among
our allies where Mr.. Dulles
has been criticized as too
"inflexible," the tune has
changed. The suggestion, so
glibly made in certain quar-
tiers in this country, that
with Mr.. Dulles as Secretary
of State there has bee1a no
foreign policy worthy of the
name, that it has been shift
ing and unwise. has been
stilled-at least temporarily.
Mr.. Dulles talents have at
last been recognized - as
they should have been. His
illness is deplored even by
those who have blasted him
as the man who has taken
us Ito the brink of war"
They, as well as the rest Of
the country, should realize
that his flrmness and that
of President Eisenhower have
not only kept us and the
world at peace but have
checkmated the drives of the
Communists to extend their
domination in the Far East,
the Middle East, in Europe
and in this hemisphere.
The American people and
the leaders of both major
political parties have the
habit of unity when faced
directly by threats from
abroad. In this case it is the
Russian Soviet threat to
world peace as well as our
own security. The habit Of
unity has proved disconcert-
ing to our opponents in the
past. 1t backed former Presi-
dent Trum n when he
ordered our troops into the
Republic of Korea to halt
Communist aggression from
the north. 1t will back Presi-
dent Eisenhower in any steps
that may be necessary to
prevent Communists from
overrunning West Berlin.
Senator Johnson, as leader
of his party in the Senate,
will do his utmost to prevent
political partisanship in this
vital area. This does not
mean he will fail, in consulta-
/, ton with, the, heads. OF the
administration, to state his
own views and those of Dem
ocratic Senators.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17
ALEXANDRIA, Va.
Dear Sir:

Dear Sir:
There is a little brown
bird comes to our big oak
tree, and contents himself
with walking around and
around the trunk about a
foot from the ground.
What is he looking for?
I have watched him by the
half hour, and never seen
him eat anything. But he
keeps on going around and
around.
"He is a charming little
fellow. I think birds deserve
the word charm, If girls
do, because to me the birds
are the most charming.
please let me know what
this brown bird is.
yours truly,
AGNES D. L."
\ 4 Il
The small bird is the
brown creeper.
This is an insect eater, and
insects are what he is look
ing for, and eating, too.
If you watch him a bit
closer, you will see him put
his head down, every now
and then.
The creeper is small, but
a mighty tree sanitarian.
He cleans up the eggs and
larvae of inimical insects,
and helps keep our trees in
the land of the living.
In recent years, since the
Civil War, let us say, trees
of all kinds have been hard
put to live, in the face Of
fumes of all kinds notably
from gasoline engines, and
in recent years from oil
burners.
The amount of noxious
end products Of combustion
is very large and must have
some influence on all Of US,
both trees and men, animals
and birds.
There is no way to COM
pute the damage. Certain
trees, such as the elms, have
suffered from diseases to
such an extent that most Of
them have disappeared.
The oaks, too, are now
having a time of it, but the
hope is that they will pull
through.
Any bird that eats eggs
and larvae in the wintertime
not only helps itself, but
also the living things Of the
plant world.
Here again it is impossible
to say Just how much they
help.
Consider the starting.
He eats immense numbers
of Japanese beetles, so that
there are by no means as
many of them in the country
as there were IS years ago.
Other factors, too, must be
given some credit, but the
starting does q great deal al
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-17

Rome. II this proves to be the case,
the cause Of Italy and the West as a
whole is likely to be very well served.