davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

nothing but a controlled fall,
after all.
-
Walking in the sunshine
and cool air of autumn has
benefits beyond just plain
exercise, as important as
that is supposed to be.
Walking when it is cool
keeps the skin cool, and this
is wonderful, after a summer
Of heavy and continued
sweating.
Precipitation has its uses,
from the purely physical
standpoint, but it does be-
come very tiresome after
many days Of it.
The cynic will doubt, too,
the benefits of such a pour
ing out of water from the
skin just because it happens
to be natures original COOL
ing device.
Surely nature. so large and
comfortable, could have
thought up some more tidy
way to help humanity keep
cool!
Actually, nature did.
The dog cools off through
the tip of its tongue, and
that is why you see honest
old Fido with his tongue
sticking away out on hot
days. Perhaps we ought to
feel glad that human beings
do not cool of in such a
manner.
Cool days of the falltime
why not, if springtime?)
summon us into the great
outdoors, which does not
seem as great now as it once
did. what with fallout, jet
planes and the like.
Despite the lessening Of
time between places, afoot
the distance between two
places is just the same as
it was in Adams day.
Nothing links us to the
good past like walking. Not
even food, and you may COM
bine the two, if you like,
though it is not recon-
mended. Still, a few bites
of chocolate, on the way,
may have a stimulating
effect.
Determination to walk, at
whatever cost, has another
advantage. 1t makes one
think of shoes and feet,
proper shoes, and unblem-
ished feet. In a day of silly
pointed shoe styles, this is
a very good thing.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
To the Summit?

In publicly and specifically with
drawing what the West has regarded as
an ultimatum-like threat to force a
solution Of the Berlin issue within
fixed time limit, Premier Khrushchev
has fulfilled promise he made to
President Eisenhower at Camp David
last week end. In doing so, moreover,
he has not merely abated a "crisiS" of
his own deviSing, but has also increased
the possibility of summit conference
In the relatively near future.
= This is so because the threat in
queStion-frst uttered by Mr.. Khru-
shchev last November-has been one Of
the chief barriers to such a meeting.
Accordingly, now that he has cleared
the cloud-laden air by formally disa-
vowing even the suggestion of an ulti-
matum, or any other kind of bulldozing
pressure, the Western powers (meaning
particularly France, Britain and the
United StateS) can give favorable con-
sideration to the idea of an early heads
of-government conference without any
loss of face or self-respect. AS result,
1t seems more than probable at the
moment that the get-together will take
place prior to Mr.. EiSenhower'S pro-
jected spring visit to the Soviet Union.
Given such an event, what may the
world expect of it? The answer would
seem to be this: A little rather than a
lot; promising step forward rather
than a complete march out of the
woods. The question of free Berlin's
status may be satisfactorily dealt with,
but the enormously complicated prob
lem of Germany's reunification is not
likely to lend itself to swift and easy
solution. AS for matters like general
disarmament or ban on nuclear test
ing, the complexities involved are too
formidable to allow handful of men
sitting around table to arrive at mu-
tually acceptable and def1nitive agree
mentS within period of days.
Actually, the business of trying to
establish truly trustworthy peace is
going to take a long time. Among other
things, whole series of summit con-
ferenceS, not just one, will be required
over a number of years. Meanwhile,
assuming that Mr.. Khrushchev is as
sincere as he says he is, and assuming
that the Soviet Union is honestly intent
upon working out a live-and-let-live
understanding with the free world, man
kind has reason to be hopeful. After
all, nobody on either side of the Iron
Curtain seems to want war that could
oollterate virtually everybody, and that
is fact with more than few reassur-
ing implications in it.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
Outside, Looking In

With electronic and Photographic
eyes looking down on us from satellites
and rockets, it probably will be increas-
1ngly difficult to avoid the feeling that
we on earth are being watched from
"out there" Actually, of course, the
inanimate observers in the sky do not
as yet have 1920 vision. But the time
may not be far off when television and
photography will at least provide valu-
able weather information including
data on wide-ranging storms such as
Oracle and Hannah.
Americas paddlewheel satellite, Ex-
plorer vi, already has sent to earth
crude pictures of cloud formations over
the Pacific Ocean. Undoubtedly the
quality of these televised pictures will
improve as the equipment rocketed
aloft into orbit is perfected. Then it
should be possible to obtain a series of
cloud-cover pictures over vast distances.
Data Of this sort should be helpful to
meteorologists in making long-range
weather forecasts.
A less complicated system for OBJ
tanning pictures from the sky of clouds
and hurricanes has been tried out by
Navy rocketeerS as Oracle moved toward
the Southeastern coast of the United
States. camera mounted in the nose
OF a Nike-Cajun rocket was designed
to snap pictures of the whirling mass of
the storm from attitudes up to IS miles.
The Oracle tests failed due to loss of
the cameras, but further attempts will
be made on Hannah.
Other rockets have taken remark
ably good photographs of the earth
from distances far enough away to show
plainly the curve of the globe and the
shape of islands and continents. The
rocket photographs require recovery of
the nose cone at Sea-a tricky under
taking. If and when reliable television
pictures can be relayed to earth from
an DRIFTING space station, however, a
vast amount Of information of value to
scientists and presumably also to milf
:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
None KiIIed-Yet

A friend and I were driv-
ing down Temple Hills road
on the day that Edward
Beach posted his unofficial
IS m.p.h. school zone signs,
and when we saw them. my
friend said cynically and
sarcastically, II hadn't real
lied a child had been killed
on this road finally"
Of course, a child has not
been killed-yet. But her re-
mark illustrates so well the
feeling that many of us have
about this whole speed limit
question in Prince Georges
County. Only an event as
spectacular as death will
prod our lawmakers into ac-
ton.
When we moved to Temple
Hills four years ago, I was
appalled, to discover that my
children were expected to
walk on a narrow, winding
road with no sidewalk and
a speed limit posted at that
time at 40 m.p.h. At that I
was more fortunate than
some, since my children had
to walk only about one long
block on this road before
they reached school.
A couple of years ago, the
length Of road on which my
children walk was widened,
Strengthened, and the speed
limit reduced to 80 m.p.h.
Also a sidewalk was placed
down one side of the road.
However, the length of road
where Mr.. Beach placed his
signs is still curry, narrow,
and made even more treach-
erous by masses of foliage
and vines which obstruct the
view.
While I realize that we
cannot take the law into our
own hands, I fully sympa-
thize with Mr.. Beach and
applaud his bold gesture in
successfully calling attention
to a dangerous situation.
Carol James.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
UnpriviIeged D. c.

The American people have
a strong faith in the value
of free, democratic elections.
We feel more comfortable in
association with nations that
operate on that basis and we
try to extend democratic pro-
cedures to all parts of our
national life.
Perhaps one of the more
popular portions Of the re-
Gently passed labor bill was
that which provides for fire.
quent and secret elections in
labor unions. Our Congress-
men are, of course, not so
naive as to believe that this
provision, or even the entire
bill, will automatically solve
all union problems. But they
probably felt that if the union
members are granted a truly
democratic opportunity to
elect their leaders, they will
select honest and responsible
officials who will run the
unions in an honest and re-
Sponsible manner. Congress
sional enthusiasm for this
measure was based both on
their belief in the principle
Of democratic elections and
on its practically.
Perhaps the more enthu-
siaStic supporters Of the labor
bill will now apply this think
ing to the District Of Column
bia. Perhaps they will sign
the discharge petition for
home rule so that the people
of Washington may share the
same privileges now granted
members of the Transfers
and Longshoreman's unions.
Obsessed Citizen
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
Space for War Dead

AS you know, the Ameri-
can Legion has for some
time been deeply concerned
about the need for additional
space for burial Of veterans
at the great national shrine,
Arlington Cemetery. Since
Arlington Cemetery is located
in Virginia, our Virginia De-
partment Of the Legion is
particularly aware of and
recognizes the Importance
of the cemetery being en-
larged without delay. At our
annual State Department
Convention last year, and
again this year, resolutions
were unanimously adopted
urging Congress and the
President to provide for the
much needed enlargement
Of the cemetery by adding to
it the aforementioned
NeviuS Tract which adjoins
the cemetery on its north
boundary. A Statewide COM
mittee Of outstanding mem
bers Of the Legion in Virginia
was appointed to implement
these resolutions. Consistent
resolutions were also passed
at the 1858 and 1859 nation
al conventions Of the Ameri-
can Legion, urging Congress
and the President to provide
this necessary land for the
enlargement of Arlington
Cemetery. We and other
units of the Legion through
out the United States have
made strong appeals to
members Of Congress, and
we feel that Congress will
recognize the need and de-
STABILITY of extending the
usefulness Of the cemetery,
and will authorize the en-
largement requested.
The Veterans Of Foreign
Wars Of the United States
and the American Veterans
Of World War II and Korea
have also gone on record at
their national conventions
urging the enlargement Of
Arlington Cemetery, and pc
titioned Congress and the
President to annex the un-
occupied Nevius Tract in
order that this necessary 23-
acre extension Of the ceme-
terry can be realized at some
early date. Approximately
$4,000 more veterans can be
afforded appropriate recog-
milton Of their services to
our country by interment
with honor in this national
shrine If this modest extern
sion is approved. Otherwise,
Arlington Cemetery will
probably be closed forever
to further burials by 1868.
Since The Star has always
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
Critical of Chalk

In reference to Oscar Roy
Chalk'S criticism of our Public
Utilities Commission, Chalk
has run rampant too long in
this area. "chalking" up a
fantastic 300 per cent profit
with no increase in service
and making Wolfson look like
a piker. Yet he has the gall
to criticize a fine regulatory
body because they expressed
their honest opinion and re-
fused to be inundated.
We are blessed in having
a Public Utilities Commission
with integrity.
I find the burlesque circus
used to introduce D. c. Tran
sits new buses both ostenta-
tiouS and undignified. If
Chalk wants to be a medicine
man, why doesn't he Just
sell snake oil!
Charlotte S. Hunter.
II 4 y Il
Whoever the reporter was
that covered the burlesque
presented by o. Roy Chalk
when introducing General
Motors new buses is to be
commended. I can't think Of
a better description than the
one he used-"Chalk's circus"
The burlesque Chalk put
on and the costly parade are
further examples of the I'M
holy profits that D. C. Trans
it makes and the transit rid
erS have to pay for.
Mrs. E. L. Murray.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
McGM on BohIen

According to Ralph McGill,
it is encouraging to have
Charles Bohlen as special
State Department assistant
on Soviet affairs, because he
is the only person officially
connected with the Govern
ment who could be considered
an expert" on Russia.
Mr.. McGill says if it hadn't
been for Senator Joseph Nc
earthly soaring" State De-
partment employees away
from seeking to know any,
thing about Russia, we would
have been prepared in ad-
vance for Mr.. KhruShchev's
enormous vitality, complete
lack of pretense a tongue
that sometimes carries him
away carefully calcu-
lated indiscretions and in
suits, etc. :"
It seems too bad to risk
weakening Mr.. Bohlen's posi-
ton in his important assign
ment by uselessly reviving
painful memories of that era.
For while many might agree
with Mr.. McGill's estimate,
just as many of us remember
the era as a period when our
left-wing brigade led such a
sustained and virulent at
tack against Red hunting
that since then most of us
have been afraid" to even
discuss the possibility of an
active Connie being nearer
than Cuba lest we be labeled
witch hunters" if not &C
tually "un-American."
However, we sincerely join
Mr.. McGill in wishing Mr..
Bohlen every success in any
attempt to bring us greater
understanding of commu-
nism. And we don't mean
understanding Mr.. Khrush-
chev's interesting moods. 1"
A good tranquilizer might
settle that problem.
Lila d. SOnnemann,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
Civil Rights Report

On behalf of the member
ship of the National Associa-
ton of Intergroup Relations
Officials (NAIRO), I want to
thank you for the very fine
treatment given to our pub
LEGATION, civil Rights in the
Nations Capital: A Report
on a Decade of Progress"
published on September IA.
Your coverage has helped
to make known to countless
number of people the slow
but steady progress which is
being made in Washington,
D. c., in the field of civil
rights.
The National Association
of Intergroup Relations Of
f1cials was founded in 1947
as an organization of in
dividuals concerned with ad-
vancing intergroup relations
knowledge and skills. improv-
ing the standards of profess
Sional intergroup relations
practice, and furthering &C
ceptance Of the goals and
principles of intergroup rela-
tons work.
John Y. YOshinO,
Chairman, Middle South
Region, National Associ-
alton Of Intergroup Rel
atoms officials.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
Speeding Trucks

Can you explain to me, and
to the millions of other driv-
ers Of private cars, why trucks
are allowed to drive at speeds
much greater than posted
limits? Truck travel is sup
posed to be 10 miles an hour
less than that of passenger
cars, but trucks roar past
private cars on hills or curves.
Trucks really monopolize the
highways.
Please tell me why traffic
officers pay no attention to
speeding trucks. Do the
trucking companies pay State
governments for the privilege
of exceeding the speed limit?
The right answer will be of
interest to many persons.
Asking.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01

been considered q great in
dependent newspaper, and
since it is widely recognized
that your editorial policy is
always determined on the
merits of each issue present.
ed, we are confident that
your support Of the proposal
to enlarge Arlington Gene
terry will be given great
weight and thoughtful con-
sideration by Congress.
]. L. Hodges, Jr.
Chairman, Department Of
Virginia, Committee for the
Enlargement of Arlington
National Cemetery.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
WSTAS IN SCIENCE
BY THOMAS R. HENRY
Sailing Ships in Mindless Space

more, to reach Sirius in q
reasonable length Of time
would require acceleration
during the first half Of the
journey and declaration
during the remaining half.
It turns out that the ratio
of fuel to payload necessary
to reach Sirius in 100 years
is 100 to /. That leaves out
the amount Of energy re-
quired for launching and
landing"
Plans are under way to
probe the surface Of the
moon with earthquake de-
tectors.
These detectors will be
quite similar to the seismo-
graphs with which geophysi-
. cists study the underlying
layers of the earth's crust.
The technique is based on
the fact that shock waves,
or artificial earthquake
waves, go through different
materials at different veloc-
tiles.
Contracts have been made,
according to an announce
ment by the National Aero
nautics and Space Admins
tration, for construction Of a
seismograph which will be
sturdy enough to be dropped
on the moons surface with
out injuring its delicate
mechanisms. 1t will carry an.
automatic transmitting de-
vice of some sort.
At present practically
nothing is known about the
geological structure of the
earth's satellite. Theories
have been advanced that the
actual surface may be a very
thick layer of dust, due to
constant impacts of falling
stars" But nobody knows
what moon dust" would be.
Dust, on earth, is mostly air
and there is probably no
moon air. Recent expert
ments at Langley Air Base
have shown that when all
the air is taking out OF or
binary floor sweepings they
become essentially a solid.
Attempt in 5 or 6 Years
Under the NASA contracts
scientists at Columbia Uni,
versity and California In
stitute of Technology will coll
laborate on construction Of
the lunar seismograph. e.
"A moon landing isn't 60
ing to happen tomorrow"
says the NASA, "but if a
rough schedule moves along
as planned, the United States
may attempt to SCOTLAND a
seismograph on the moon
within five or six years.
"Such a moon-quake de-
lection system would pro-
vide a f1rst-hand means of
studying the makeup and
crust activity Of the moon.
Information on the kinds Of
rock there, whether they are
motion. and the velocity OF
meteorites hitting the moon
are some of the aims Of the
project. This sort of infor-
nation would greatly aid in
study of other planets as
we'll"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
Fall means many thin

Fall means many things
to many people.
To some city and suburban
folk, it means above all to
get out and walk.
Who wanted to walk to
and fro on the earth when
the temperature stood in the
COS and the humidity almost
as high?
The first day after the
heat the air felt better, in
deed. AS for the relative
humidity. it stood at a COM
forting so per cent.
Maybe that man who in
vented the discomfort In
dex" had something after
all!
Here was a fellow who had
worked for a long time on
an idea. 1t was his idea,
and actually it was a good
idea. But somehow it struck
too many people as another
prod from a Government
bureau. 1.-THE Government
doesn't have to tell me when
I am uncomfortable" etc.
This column fell for this
line. too, and is now slightly
ashamed of it.
Il Il Il 4
Autumn is the time that
narrows to a few precious
days, as the song has it.
September, November
Just why October is left
out Of the song we never
knew, because in Washing
ton. D. c.. october is the
best month of the year.
Then, if ever, comes the
urge to walk.
We have been told for so
many years that people do
not walk enough that there
must be something to it.
In a motorized age it is
easy to forget to walk.
The same with the newer
buildings. They have Won
derful staircases, but few use
them except in emergencies.
Some very famous persons,
we believe, have gotten their
daily stint Of exercise by de-
liberately walking up and
down stairways in their Of
flee buildings.
We say deliberately. be-
cause it takes some real de-
termination to do it. Not
only is there the old pull of
gravitation, but the pull of
custom. So few people use
the stairs nowadays, what
with high-powered electric
elevators, that one must do
it almost shamefaced, at first.
There is a best way to
exercise on the stairs. It is
never to walk more than
two floors up, or more than
three down, If you are so
years Of age or older.
Take a deep breath in
starting up and breathe
evenly all the way, with a
step for a breatl. or two,
complete. on each landing.
These will scarcely be neces-
sary in going down, because
going downstairs is really
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01

Sailing ships may be FEAST
BILE in the MINDLESS depths Of
space.
&c Instead Of wind. the motive
power would be the pressure
against the sails Of radiation
from the sun, a force so
minute that when measured
on earth 1t is hardly de-
tectable.
But in space this pressure
would be q source Of auxiliary
power for use in increasing
speeds or changing direction.
Presumably the major power
would be from atomic engines
Of some sort but, in spite Of a
great deal Of coasting. 1t still
would be necessary to con-
serve available energy in
every way possible.
The possibility was re-
ported to an Office of Naval
Research conference on space
navigation by DR.. Gerald M.
Clemence, scientific director
of the Naval Observatory.
He described a model pro-
posed by a colleague:
"a large sail several times
as large as the largest cross
section Of the vehicle is made
Of a thin plastic material
with a good rejecting surface
on one side. When this re-
f1ecting surface is presented
towards the sun, the pres
sure of the radiation upon it
will produce an acceleration
Of the vehicle as large as
200th of the acceleration Of
gravity.
Technique Explained
"It may seem that so small
an acceleration would be in
effective, but if continued
for a year the change in We
locity would be 100 miles a
second, which is quite a re-
spectacle change. BY turn
ing the sail precisely as is
done in sailing on the sea,
the direction of the accelera-
ton can be varied and, by
reef1ng. the amount can be
varied"
II would like to dispel
some fantastic ideas held by
some would-be space travel
ers. The most effective form
of energy that we know is
atomic energy. At present
we transform a small guam
tity Of matter into energy
and into other forms of mat
ter. Most of the end prod
uct is matter. Only a very
small fraction actually is
transformed into energy.
Suppose we could trans
form atomic fuel completely
into energy. Then it is easy
to calculate the ratio of fuel
to payload that would take
a vehicle to one of the near
est stars, such as Sirius. 1t
may seem at first that no
energy would be required
once the vehicle is given suf-
f1cient speed to escape the
gravitational attraction of
the sun. But it would not
be able to aim precisely
enough to actually reach
Sirius. 1t would be neceS-
sary to expend fuel to change
the vehicles direction slightly
from time to time. Further
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01

tary men will become available. Thus,
space probing may become a two-way
street, with the probing going up and
down simultaneously. The prospect is
a challenge to mans imagination.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
Answers to Questions
By THE HASKINS SERVICE

@. When did observance of
Columbus Day begin in the
United States?-W. B.
A. In 1892. For that year,
Congress, under President
Benjamin Harrison, desig-
mated October II as Column
bus Day and a national holi-
day to commemorate the
400th anniversary of Column
bus landing in the New
World.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-01
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry tDriters' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
sdtion.