davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
Spires on GombIino

I enjoy Spires of the
Spirit" and have great re-
spect for its author, but 1
take exception to the column
Of March 8 in which DR..
Harris states the essence Of
spiritual achievement in
wolves a gamble. Surely there
is no gamble involved when
one accepts the invitation
OF Jesus Christ to inherit
eternal life. He distinctly
describes the reward await
ing those who follow in His
train and, just as distinctly,
He describes the end for
those who refuse. One who
accepts His great promise
recorded in John ills GER
tainly is not involved in any
gamble.
VIM. F. Robertson.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

specimen will take over the
famous role Of dog in the
manager.
He does not frighten other
birds away from food because
he wants it himself.
Not at all.
He is just getting in trim
for spring and summer. when
he guards his mate and nest.
So it may be seen that
summer often fails to relieve
the situation, in fact just
makes him worse.
IL
Time will, however. offer
some relief.
When the family nests. it
may move to another point.
maybe a block away. and the
belligerent mocker transfers
his attention to other feeding
stations.
Or for a variety of reasons.
he may just give over the
practice. At times he will be
too busy helping to feed the
babies.
Since the mockingbird is
one of our best birds, we do
not want to hurt it in any
way.
The best thing to do, then,
is to lure it with raisinS.
This is best begun in
winter, when the bird needs
the food, and is glad to get
it.
If a practice is made of
putting out a few raisins
every morning before first
light, the bird comes to ex-
pect them.
Then ensues one of the
prettiest features Of interest
in the wildbirdS-
The mockingbird perches
nearby and makes his call
for food.
Once heard. this sound is
unforgettable, and it says
as plainly as words, Hurry
up and bring me out my
breakfast"
Many mockingbirds will
earn to f1utter at the win
dow. or stand close by the
pane and peer in.
This is a very engaging
gesture, guaranteed to win
the hearts of all. as well as
the raisins.
This years crop Of raisins
has not been up to past
standards. but the birds
still love them, hard and
dry as they seem to be.
Raisins not only contain
iron, as everyone knows,
but good sugars and carbo-
hydrate matters, Just the
things for the soft-billed
birds, so called.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16

while considerably less alarmist than
Or. Haagen-Smit's, have made clear that
the air we breathe in our industrial and
automotive society is getting worse every
day and that there are grave potential
dangers in 1t, including particularly the
danger of great increase in the in
cidence Of lung cancer. In such cir
cumstances, even the most pessimistic
assessments Of the situation have real
value in terms Of alerting all Of US to
the need for corrective action.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Irish Are More Susceptible to Ulcers
BY THOMAS R. HENRI

A significant difference be-
tween Irish blood and that
Of other human groups has
Just been reported by the
Army.
This difference consists Of
q significantly greater amount
Of q substance called pepsi
nogen in the blood plasma.
High levels Of pepsinogen, in
turn. have been related to
duodenal ulcers. Irish have
been reported as especially
subject TO these, although the
case is not regarded as proved.
The study is reported in
the current issue Of the
Armed Forces Medical Jour-
nal by DR.. Sydney H. Croog
and was made under auspices
of the Walter Reed Institute
Of Research. It was carried
out with 1000 recruits who
passed through Camp Dix.
N. j. All were in apparently
excellent health. Of an aver
age age Of 81. All were SUBJ
jected to the same stresses
and worries incident to enter
ing the Army. Worries some
times are credited with being
an important factor in duo
denial ulcers.
Five Groups Tested
The men were split into
five groups-Jewish. Italian,
Irish, German and Negro.
Only tested were those
whose parents belonged to
the same group. Dr.. Croog
carefully avoids using the
term race" which may have
little meaning except as be-
tween white and black. The
Negroes were the only ones
all four of whose grand
parents were born in this
country.
The Irish inductees were
shown to be consistently
considerably higher in pep
Sinogen level than the Jews.
Italians or Germans. Negroes
fell into q middle position,
but considerably below the
Irish. The report is in terms
Of averages. There were con-
siderable individual differ
erences in all groups. There
is reason to believe. however,
that the level of the elusive
plasma constituent Is to some
extent hereditary. 1t is not
commended that the pepsino-
gen level itself is directly re-
sponsible for duodenal ulcers
but that 1t makes the in
dividual more susceptible
from other causes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
Berlin Crisis

The crisis in Berlin should
make every American think
what would happen to Europe
and the woodland it is not
a very pretty picture-should
Russia decide to invade West
Berlin with force and arms.
The crisis in Berlin reminds
me Of a story told by Aesop
many years ago, about a lion
and three bulls. The three
bulls for sometime had pas
tured together. A lion lay in
ambush in the hope of max
ing them his prey. The lion
was afraid to attack the bulls
while they kept together. but
by deceitful talks, succeeding
in separating the bulls. and
then attacked them without
fear and destroyed them one
by one.
The three bulls are like the
Big Three in Berlin. and the
lion is like Russia. So long as
the Big Three america. Eng
land and France) stick to-
gether in Berlin, there is no
danger of Russia destroying
them. We all know that in
union there is strength.
While the days are going
by let us not become panicky,
but, rather let us all sincerely
pray for peace.
Herbert V. Hudgins.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
Berlin Debate

News developments over the week
end have served to bring into somewhat
sharper focus the essential nature Of
the Berlin debate.
Generals Maxwell Taylor and
Thomas d. White, chiefs Of stan Of the
Army and the Air Force, appeared in be-
half of the no-retreat policy. Their
views emerged from testimony given the
Senate Preparedness Subcommittee
testimony that was heavily censored for
security reasons. Thus. one cannot be
certain as to the precise views held by
these officers. Within the framework Of
no-retreat policy, they might be willing
to make concessions in exchange for
concessions.
No comparable uncertainty attaches
to the views of Senator Fulbright, chair
man of the Foreign Relations Commit
tee. He favors negotiations and conces-
sions-provided the Russians are willing
to make concessions In their own turn.
The concession road, however, Is by
no means free of twists and turns. Nor
will it necessarily lead to practicable
destination.
Senator Fulbright feels that our
main detectives should be freedom OF
access to West Berlin and preservation
of freedom of choice for the people there.
To this end, he would give serious con-
sideration to a proposal for interna-
tional control of Berlin, provided this
was accompanied by free route OF ac-
cess to the city. He also feels, however,
that while the Russians may be willing
to discuss and negotiate, their final OBJ
jective is to get the West out Of the
German city.
II this Is a correct assumption, and
we think it is, the negotiation dilemma
becomes clearer. Thus, it may be possible
to negotiate a free access agreement
with the Russians which would entail a
kind of de facto recognition of the East
Germans and a willingness to deal with
them. This, we believe, is a sensible al
tentative to war, and it should be done
If it can be done.
But what II the real Russian pur-
pose is to force us out of Berlin? In this
event, an agreement concerning the ac-
cess routes will not be worth much. be-
cause it probably will not be lived up to
by the Communists. Instead, we could
expect, perhaps after an interval of rela-
tive harmony, to be squeezed and har-
assed as we try to maintain communica-
tions with our troops in isolated West
Berlin.
So the nature of the Berlin debate,
while it may have been somewhat clari-
ned, is still far from being fully defined.
In the long run we probably will have to
make decisions more difficult than those
which confront us now.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
The Air We Breathe

DR.. A. J. Hagen Smit, biochemist
at the California Institute Of Technol-
ogy, has made a comprehensive study
of smog in the Los Angeles area, and
he has arrived at this peSsimiStic con-
cluSion: That all the worlds major cities
the ones with lots of industries and
ever-increasing automotive trafflc-will
be faced in the next few years with an
intolerable degree of air pollution.
AS a matter of fact, according to
DR.. Haagen-Smit, smog is likely to be-
come so dangerous to health in the
rather near future that cities like Los
Angeles may find 1t imperative, by 1865,
to shut down industrial operations and
stop all motor transportation in certain
areas. This will almost surely happen,
in his opinion, unless ways are soon
found to cope with the problem in a
genuinely effective manner. AS he has
put it, II can only hope that an honest
disclosure of the facts will result in more
research, and that the research will give
us the answers we need" At the same
time. however, he has indicated that he
has little faith in the possibility that
such answers will be forthcoming.
This may be a view with too much
pessimism in it. Even so, there can be
no doubt that the smog problem-espe-
cially because of the worlds constantly
expanding induStrialization, its "explo-
Sive" population increase and its stag
gering prospective growth of motor
traff1c In large citieS-iS full of extremely
serious potentialitieS. BY way Of COM
pariSon, radioactive fallout from nuclear
testing appears to be quite minor
and inconSequentiaI thing At any rate,
although he may be excessively gloomy
about nonatomic air pollution pollution
caused by fumes from burning coal, oil
furnaces, auto exhausts and the like),
DR.. Haagen-Smit's basic thesis has the
support of experts like those who met
here last November at the first national
conference ever held on the subject.
The findings Of this conference,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16

@. On what basis are new
or additional sports put on
Olympic Games programs?-
P. F.
A. For a sport to be added
to the Olympic program. it
must be practiced IN 20 coun-
tries, IL of which must enter
the competition. The Inter-
national Olympic Committee
passes on such questions, and
the tendency at present is to
cut down on the number Of
events rather than add to
them.
@. Are seahorses good
Swimmers?-W. c.
A. No. The hard, jointed
shell which covers the body
Of the seahorse makes it a
feeble and inefficient SWIM
mer, able to bend sidewise
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
Boating Facility

May ] express my views on
the proposed construction Of
the new boating facility on
the Mole at the entrance Of
Rock Greek into the Poto-
mac? When the idea Of con-
structing this facility was
first conceived, q great many
possible sites we're considered.
1t was ultimately decided
that the presently considered
location combined more adj
vantages and less disadvan-
tages than any other site.
Those persons who COM
plain so bitterly about the
pollution Of the Potomac at
the Mole must have visited
the river at that point and at
no other. The river Is pol.
luted-not Just at the Mole
but at every point where 1t
touches the District Of Co
lumbia. The persons launch
ing shells and canoes at this
facility will not row or pad
die around In circles in this
one spot. They will maneuver
up stream IS far as they can
60. They will invade the
Washington Channel, the
Anacostia and Little River.
Indeed. any person or group
launching from the Mole will
spend only the most inf
Intestinal fraction Of his time
in the water Of that area. No
more time, in fact. than II
the boat house were erected
at points now occupied by
Champions or Fletcher's.
These sites. incidentally. have
obviously been suggested by
persons who have not visited
them or who have not seen q
shellboat.
I wonder II the persons
who object to building q boat
house on a polluted stream
would consider lending their
voices in a united effort to
remove the pollution? I have
used the Potomac at Alexan-
dria for recreation since 1924.
1t appeared to me TO be dirt
Ter then than now, Alexan-
dria having in the past few
years installed q sewage dis
posal plant. I have either
rowed or oficiated in races
all over the Eastern United
States, in Canada and in Eur
rope and II my sense Of smell
has not deceived me, the Po-
tomac is no worse than most.
I urge construction Of this
much needed facility. Per-
haps its construction will
spur the efforts to clean up
the river.
Jack Franklin
U. s. Olympic Rowing
Committee.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
Old Bowie

I read with great interest
of Joe Kelly's "At the Races"
column Of March 10 about
the old VIDA to Bowie Race
Track. particularly the rec
objections of Marty Meyer,
track superintendent and the
"onlv link in Bowie's official
family with the VIDA days"
About a year ago The Sunday
Star published an article I
wrote - "Old-Timer Recalls
Bowie's Rugged Days"-in
which I recounted the rigor-
Gus 1914 days. especially
transportation to and from
Bowie on the old VIDA.
1t is noted that neither
Mr.. Kelly nor Mr.. Meyer
mentions the old moth-eaten,
creaking Chesapeake Beach
Railways rusty-red crates
which took you out to Bowie
from the musty station at
18th and H NE. after you
transferred from the Metro
politan Railway Co.'S street.
cars which came out New
York avenue and H street
NE. from 18th and New
York avenue downtown. The
Chesapeake Beach Railway
coaches were hauled out by
way Of the old Chesapeake
Beach Railway roadbed to
Chesapeake Beach junction
behind VIDA electrically OPP
Grated coaches, turning left
at Chesapeake Beach juno
ton, then out the well-bal-
lasted VIDA rails to a point
about an eighth Of a mile be-
low the Bowie track, where
they swerved off on a spur
from the main line up to the
track. VIDA coaches from
Baltimore came down the
main line and used a spur
up to the track. No Chesa-
peake Beach Railway coaches
we're used between Baltimore
and the Bowie track. So we
Washington horse lovers had
. monopoly as far as those
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16

only. Only its large. delicately
adjusted air bladder enables
it to swim at all. Because it
swims so poorly. the seahorse
spends much of its time in a
state of rest. it's tail wrapped
around a plant and its body
standing nearly erect in the
water.
o. For whom is Pierre,
S. OAK, named?-H. T.
A. Pierre, like Fort Pierre
across the Missouri River
from it, is named for Pierre
Chouteau, a fur trader VINO
was active in that area dur
ing the 1905. In 1889, South
Dakota became a State and
Pierre subsequently became
the State capital. The city'S
name is now pronounced
Peer.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
Fair Price?

Morris Cafritz' effort to outbid
william Zeckendorf for rights to build
the Town Center project In Southwest
Washington raises questions Of both
fact and fairness which the District
Redevelopment Land Agency should
answer before 1t reaches a decision.
The first thing to be determined,
1t seems to us, is whether the price Mr..
Cafritz has offered to pay for the Town
Center land might not also be fair
price for Mr.. Zeckendorf to pay. RIA
and Mr. zeckendorfs Arm, Webb g.
Knapp, had agreed that annual land
rental should be based on value OF
$3.50 a square foot for the 19-acre tract.
A contract embodying these terms was
about to be signed last week when Mr..
Cafritz, at a public hearing, offered to
pay about $4,000 a year more, based
on land value of So foot.
It should be remembered, of course.
that under the rules set up by RIA in
this case, development rights never were
intended to be up for grabs to the
highest bidder.
In 1854, RIA made an agreement
with Webb Knapp under which the
agency was barred from disposing Of
land until a Southwest redevelopment
plan was offlcially adopted by the Dis
trict. 1t agreed also to entertain pro-
posals later from Webb & Knapp for
developing at least half Of the new
Southwest-of which the Town Center
is the FIRST part. In return, Webb &
Knapp was to prepare the basic redevel-
opment plan and to work for Its adop-
ton. This arrangement was generally
Applauded by the community, and Webb
& Knapp has carried out its role through
several years Of the most trying frustra-
tions-at considerable expense and with
no certainty of any financial return.
It's design for the Town Center Is COM
plete, and construction repeatedly could
begin in May.
There's common saying among the
building fraternity here, however, that
Mr.. Cafritz has seldom made mistake
on READ estate deal. His contention
that the Town Center land is worth So
a foot justifies at least a final look at
the old $3.50 figure. 1t is understand
able that RIA officials feel a moral
obligation" TO Webb & Knapp, but it Is
important that this obligation be docu-
mented with facts in any such dollars
and-cents challenge of the expenditure
of public funds
If the agency does find that the
land value should be raised, We hope
that Mr.. Zeckendorf will agree to meet
1t, for in fairness he deserves the con-
tract. BY the same token we hope that
Mr.. Cafritz and other local builders will
retain their interest in the substantial
portions Of the Southwest still to be
developed-and that RIA eliminates
some of the unconScionable planning,
replanning and red tape delays which
have prevented more investors from
coming in before this.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16

Feeding the birds at an
apartment house is not al
WAYS plain sailing, for some
one is always kicking about
the mess, as they call it. and
often the management for
bids it.
One correspondent writes
that a jar cover is placed on
the windowsill and seed and
raisins put in this.
Now an old meanie of a
mockingbird has taken over,
and is keeping all the other
birds away. although he does
not eat the food himself.
They try to come in. "
writes this enthusiast, but
he stands guard and watches
both sides and front; he has
even run away another pair
Of Knockers.
Food that I used to throw
out for sparrows on the
ground remains untouched,
so that I have to 60 out and
pick it up again.
IF the other birds perch
in any of the trees, he runs
them across the street.
do you have any sugges-
tions?
will this situation stop
when the warmer weather
arrives and seeds are more
plentiful?
incidentally. / have used
raisins exclusively recently
on the stills and am now try
ing sunfiower seeds along
with them to attract some
thing else"
* 4
Mockingbirds seldom II
ever eat seeds.
They love raiSins.
So II anyone feeds raisins,
he or she is very likely to
have both northumberland
starlings.
Few species love raisins Sc
we'll, especially the seedlesS
sorts. The trouble with star
lings is they eat so much.
Starlings will devour five O
six raisins on alighting. thel
ny away with a bill cramme'
with half a dozen more.
The mockingbird is a NOR
dainty feeder.
He seldom eats more than
two at once, then usually
flies away with one in his bill
y
1t may be realized that
a bird lover who puts out
raiSinS Is doing precisely
what a mocker would like him
to do.
The mockingbird is a pleas
ant. happy creature. but
every now and then some one
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
Opera Critic

4hC SdPiboA uAdJOl OHCId
company, the Washington
Opera Society. relies almost
entirely on imported talent
from New York City for its
singers and turns to local
singers only in the direst
necessity. Such was the case
with THE Rake's Progress"
Some Of its imported singers
from New York City became
Ill at the last moment and
several local singers were
pressed into service. The local
singers brought the company
the only national prominence
1t has had since its formation
several years ago. No capital
city Of Europe would even
dream of importing its sing
ing talent en- masse.
While the Washington
Opera Society was saved
from financial disaster by
local singers, there is no
evidence of reciprocal con-
Germ for the future careers
Of local singers by the opera
society. There is no dis
cernible plan to undertake a
systematic program to in
clude the many capable and
often distinguished young and
talented singers from Wash
ington In its programs and
to present them in operas on
a regular basis. The encour-
agement and training Of local
singers on a regular basis is
left to the D. c. Recreation
Department. which has a
splendid program under the
direction Of the Washington
Civic Opera Association - a
program which should, but
does not. have the sup
port Of everyone interested
in advancing Washington
culturally.
Finally. the direct involve
ment Of The Stars major
music critic. Day Thorpe. in
muSicmaking. and, particu-
larry in the affairs OF one
opera company. is certainly
unique. Nothing like it is
known to Europe. There the
critics function is considered
to be solely to criticize. and
he must be completely objec-
tive. No one. least Of all
me. questions Mr.. Thorpe's
ability. but his driving 10y
atty and Partially to one
opera company has not en-
deared him to loyal readers
OF The Star who are not
similarly involved in the for
tunes of one particular group
Carl w. Berueify.
Editors note: Mr.. Thorpe
says the Opera Society be-
lieves 1t is best serving the
Washington public and Wash
ington singers by engaging
the finest artists it can find
regardless Of domicile. An
opera company can be OF
little use to inexperienced
singers until 1t itself is estab-
lished and respected. In ad-
dition to a superlative chorus
the society has given roles
to local singers in its three
seasons. paying them a total
Of $9.7o0. Mr.. Thorpe is not
paid by the society. but serves
the group because Of his great
interest in stage music. Nor
does Mr.. Thorpe review the
society's productions. Indeed
some Of the reviews have beer
unfaVorable.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names mag De used u
letters carry prtters' correct
names and addresses An
letters are subject to condeH-
sdtt0n.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
LincoIniono

Regarding the painting of
Lincoln in Nightshirt," re-
produced in your March 10
edition, Prof. Barringer is
quoted that He'd have to
sleep Sideways" This brings
to memory the sad night of
April II. 1865, when soldiers
carried the MORALLY wounded
President from the Ford The
alter to the Peterson House
across the street. They placed
him upon tailor Peterson's
bed diagonally, because OF
Lincoln's great height &
feet 4 inches.
Can't old Abe lie in peace
Paul H. CAN'T,
Lincoln Sesquicentennial and
Civil War Centennial Com
nfittee. Federal Bar Asso-
citation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16

rickety. rusty-screened crates
were concerned.
I agree with Mr.. Kelly that
the present BIO track
through the pines out to
Bowie will soon 60 the way
Of the VIDA and that bus.
private auto land. II you can
afford it. helicopter ALA
Belmont. Hialeah and LaureD
will eventually turn Bowie
into q railroadless track In
the pines"
Al HendIey.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-16
Questions and Answers
By THE HASKIN SERVICE

reader can get an answer by mail to any S1s
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