davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16

It has been Just about three years
since the British and the French
launched their ill-advised invasion Of
the suez Canal zone, and In that period
one myth has been laid low. This was
the myth that the supposedly inefiicient
Egyptians could never operate and
maintain the canal - q myth which
served, incidentally. as one excuse for
the armed attack. "a
The fact Is, according to q study by
the Wall Street Journal, that the canal
has been operated more efflciently since
II was seized and nationalized by Colonel
Nasser. Last year. the Journal says, q
record 1882 ships passed through the
canal. This compares with q previous
high Of 1866 ships In 1955-the last
year prior to 1858 that the canal was in
full operation. It was blocked by sunken
ships from October, 1855, when the in
vasion was launched, until April, 1867,
and was also boycotted for short time
by British and French shipping. In adj
dition to efficient operation under Egyp-
tian control, the task Of widening and
deepening the canal Is going forward,
payments are being made on the none
tary settlement reached with the former
owners, and the tolls. despite dire proph-
ecies TO the contrary, have not been
raised. Nor has there been any sign OF
the feared discrimination against Anglo
French shipping. For the Egyptians. the
Suez Is q good money-making business
and, with one notable exception, they
seem to be doing everything in their
power TO encourage all shipping to use
their canal and pay the tolls - tolls
which are being used for variety Of
purposes in addition to maintaining and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
Health Insurance

The Federal employ e
health insurance bill, which
now appears certain Of pas
sage, is an important step to-
ward improvement of health
in this country. The Govern
ment is probably the only
employer in this county
that, so far, has done noth-
ing to protect the health OF
those who work for the
Nation.
BY the same token. the
United States, probably, Is
the only nation in the world
where care for health has
been left over completely to
the individuals concern. It
is all right for those who can
afford to buy health insur-
ance from private insurance
companies, or to pay high
medical and dental bills. But
many Americans cannot af-
ford 1t, and when sickness
comes along It takes all their
savings or simply goes UNI
attended, resulting in dam
gerous complications or pre-
mature death.
Even families from the
middle-income group, who
usually carry some kind of
limited health insurance. feel
the pinch of excessive med
icai and dental bills, to say
nothing of those from the
lower income bracket. 1t is
no consolation to them that
they may deduct medical cost
from their taxable income,
because this relief Is insig-
nificant when compared with
medical cost.
It is q shame that some
hospitals ask about money
before they admit you. De-
pendent on your answer. you
will be admitted or rejected.
Something must be done to
assure medical help to those
who need it. regardless Of
their financial status. It
seems that the only answer
to this problem is to estab-
lish a national health insur-
ance system under which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
"A Time to Spend,

Maybe 1t was Senator Kerrs poetry
which stirred the Senate into such an
emotional state that 1t passed q vet
Grams pension bill far more costly than
that recommended by the Senate
Finance Committee. The oratorical
Oklahoman, in lyrical mood, told his
colleagues there was "a time to save, q
time to spend, time to keep, time to
give" and urged them to harken to the
"stilled voice" Of millions Of veterans
who speak no more" Soaring to new
heights Of pure bunk, he concluded:
Listen! Are you listening? You can ;
hear the whispered prayers Of their widows
(. Listen! Are you listening? You can
hear the whimpering plea Of their orphans
Z. They come TO you on the voice Of the
wind,
4. They whisper to you in the silent night.
They thunder to you in the throb Of
your conscience.
You cannot turn your back--you cam
not deny them your VOTE
There was more to the same effect.
In the end the Senate by a vote Of
86 to 8. rejected the moderate pension
bill urged by Senator Byrd and his COM
mittee and adopted one closely resem-
bling the liberal House approved meas
ure. The traditional attitude Of moth
ing. Is too good" for the boys who risked
their lives In defense Of their country
prevailed.
Emotions and hokuni aside, how
ever, the Senate was not voting one
penny for any veteran incapacitated in
battle or as result of his military
service. It was voting revised pensions
for veterans whose disabilities in no way
were connected with service in war or
In peacetime. The new law, unless
vetoed by the President-a possibility
discounted by its advocates would cost
about $1.2 billion more than the present
non-service connected pension program
over the first i've years. It is true new
Sliding-scale plan for allotting pensions
according. to need would save about $12
billion in payments to veterans over the
next 40 years, but the saving would be
more than Offset by new provision
awarding widows of World War II and
Korean War veterans dying from nom
service connected causes the same pen
sion rights as those now enjoyed by
widows Of World War veterans The
additional cost Of this widows provision
: Is estimated at $22 billion.
Efforts Of Senator Byrd, Senator
Williams Of Delaware and others to con-
vince the Senate that they were not
voting on proposal to aid men wounded
in ;combat or disabled in the course of
other military service were unavailing.
Insthe end, So Senators, moved by emo
tional, political or other reasons, decided
that this was no time to save, but to
spend-no time to keep, but to give
and give, and give.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
Funds for Formoso

Twas shocked to read about
the flood in Formosa. Hun
dreds were killed. thousands
injured, and m any more
thousands were left homeless
by this disaster. Not only
shelter and clothing but also
food and medicines are badly
needed. I know the American
people are always willing to
help those who are fighting
for their freedom or those
who are suffering from a dis
aster. It is my hope that
many Americans will rise to
this need and establish a Ma
tion-wide fund collection to
help the suffering people Of
Formosa to recover.
Native Form0san.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
On Debunkinq Owls

q It comes as something of shock
to be told that owls, whose grave and
spectral mien has Symbolized wisdom
from time inmemorial, are actually ter
ribly stupid. That's the opinion Of Roger
s. Payne, graduate biologist at Cornell
University, who has been studying the
creatures for the past two years. He has
no doubt whatever about their monu-
mental lack Of sagacity, and he seems
determined to debunk them without
quarter.
Thus, as Mr.. Payne has put it, "They
are. even dumber than chickens, II that's
possible. An owl makes hen look like
a mental giant" And he has sought to
prove his contention with experiments
strongly indicating that these nocturnal
birds are totally incapable Of learning
anything from experience, and are en-
doMed, in fact. with little more than the
brains (if they may be called that) Of an
eaI3hworm. Still, it will take more than
one biologist to sweep away all the an
Gent lore about them. At any rate, there
ARP more than few of us who like to
cling to such lore, and who are hard put
to.lose faith in such observations as the
following from Anon, the famous and
amazingly prolific poet:
"A ipise oIdSopl lioed in an oak;
THE more he sGip. the less he spoke:
= The less he spoke. the more he heard;
WHY can't ne all be like that bird7
well. there you are, Mr.. Payne. Let's
make haste slowly in debunking this
feathered denizen of the night. Myth
smashing may be lot Of fun, but the
owls symbolical stature Is so great, and
has endured over SO many centuries in
so many lands, that even learned biol
ogist would be well advised not to try
cutting 1t down too fast or too disrespect-
fully. Besides, regardless of myths, which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
Is Years Ago

Another Louisiana politi-
clan named Long had a little
better success with that
States Legislature Is years
ago than the current Gov
ernor. In story from Baton
Rouge on August 10, 1894,
The Star said: "The Huey
p. Long machine today held
the broadest powers Of mill
tary and political control
ever conferred on a single
faction in Louisiana. The
Louisiana Legislature handed
over the powers to Senator
Long in the early hours to-
day amidst a wealth of par
liamentary confusion, marked
by exclusion of newspaper
representatives from the
House. slugging in the lobby.
fist fights on the floor and
arrests in various parts of
the State House. Uproar and
disorder such as has seldom
been witnessed in Louisiana's
always-tumultous Legislature
filled the closing hours of
the Assembly. -
Paper work was good news
for one Government DEPART
ment Is years ago. On Au-
gust Is, 1884. The Star re-
ported: Turning out new
deal work in a rush of BUSH
ness near the enormous pro-
duction of World War days,
the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing is adding about 100
printers assistants and 100
operatives. The new en-
ployes are being added : =. to
print Farm Mortgage Corp.
and Home Owners Loan Corp.
bonds and liquor stamps. 80
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16

aooition 70 the roll OF cap
tive nations caught In the
tentacles Of the Red octopus.
Are the sounds Of the ballet
in Moscow to drown out the
piteous pleas for liberation
from ancient peoples whose
very national Life is being
stamped into the bloody
ground?
No wonder the American
proposition for q Week Of
Prayer has evidently struck
the Soviet anatomy in a very
sensitive spot!
OF course the repetition
In the congressional resolu-
ton Of what has been said
by America again and again
brings protests from syco-
plant Quislings. But the
bowed people. behind the
curtain, under the task
masters whip stir with new
hope. Through the resolu-
ton a voice which perhaps
had seemed to be stified re-
sounds loud and strong
LET my people goi" The
patriotic exiles from all
these shackled nations now
on our free soil are making
the welkin ring with their
grateful cheers. They know
1t is never the wrong time
to pray for the right things.
And so we thank the God
who hath made and preserved
us a nation, that from the
halls Of our Congress there
comes to the enslaved the
assurance: I'VE shall con-
tinue to think in terms Of
your freedom. and not your
thraldom. We are looking
for your day Of liberation,
and not for any acceptance
Of legitimacy to be stamped
on your bondage. And so, not
only this year-but every
year. and every day Of every
year-we call upon our free
nation to remember you in
your captivity, with the poign-
ant resolution of a Hebrew
exile of old who, with his
people under the rod Of the
oppressor, swore IF I forget
thee. o Jerusalem, let my
right hand forget her cunning
and my tongue cleave to the
roof of my mouth"
And so when Congress says
LET us remember-lest we
forget" it is but re-echoing
the stirring words of Wood
row Wilson: THE right is
more precious than peace. We
shall fight for the rights Of
those who submit to author
ity to have a voice in their
own government. for the
rights and liberties. of small
nations. until at last the
world is free"
When Congress says, Let
US pray for the captive peo-
pie. it is but broadcasting the
call of James Russell Lowell:
Is true freedom but to break
Fetters for our o,Dn dear sake,
And Nth Ieathered hearts.
forget
That iDe oDe mankind a debt?
No! True freedom is to share
All the chains our brothers
DeGr,
And, NTH heart and hand. to
be ''
Earnest to make Others free.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16

The Star editorial. High
Toll Charge. sympathizing
with the Richmond pedes-
TRAN who was fined SIS for
walking across the hood Of
an automobile that blocked
an intersection crosswalk. was
Of interest to all Washington
pedestrians.
Something must be done to
protect pedestrians. Other
wise, eventually all pedes-
TRANS In d. c. will be fair
game for nit-wit drivers in
this perfectly outrageous
town. the worst driving town
In the world. I've tried many.
None can equal 1t.
Years ago a national con-
ference was held here on
educational, subjects. Two
representatives from States
stated that the average men,
tai age Of our populace was
about IL to IA years.
The conduct Of the car and
truck drivers. particularly on
Connecticut avenue NV. dur
ing rush hours. confirms the
educators estimate Of the
mental age Of grown citizens
Of our Capital.
! believe II all pedestrians
on all crosswalks occupied
by selflshly driven cars and
trucks would stand right up
against the offending front
bumper Of the car until the
driver moved back to clear
the cross walk, something
would soon be accomplished.
That is. II the police aren't
In cahoots with the imbecile
drivers.
I'm both q pedestrian and a
driver, but ! don't occupy the
crosswalks with my car.
J. r. Hellweg,
Comdr. USN. Ret.
-
Every day thousands Of
people are needlessly incon-
venienced. delayed and even
endangered by human knott
heads who unnecessarily
block pedestrian walkways.
Police pay practically no at
tention to this common prac-
tice.
Until an aroused public
opinion is expressed through
organized channels such as
citizens associations and their
declarations, we, as pedes-
TRANS, viii continue to be
pushed around by the care
less. the stupid and the ir-
responsible.
49, n-A~~k~s~.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
FoIIout and X-Roys

DR.. Peter Steincrohn adj
vises: Lets see what we
can do about stopping ma
tons from exploding hydro
gen bombs. and forget about
the relatively puny dangers
Of overexposure to X-rays."
II DR.. Steincrohn were q
radiologist. he might have
read q recent study distrib-
uted by the. American COL
lege Of Radiology to radiol-
ogists (but not to every
physician with X-ray or
microscopy equipm e nt)
pointing up that the hazard
from medical X-rays is not
SO relatively puny" at all.
This study estimated that on
the average people in the
United States receive about
20 times as much radiation
from medical x-rays as from
sfallout each year.
Perhaps DR.. Steincrohn
should consider q statement
made by a colleague, DR..
Jacob Furth, a scientist of
80 years experience and
former president of the
American Association : for
Cancer Research. He told the
Joint Committee on Atomic
Energy in June, 1857: "Since
the medical hazards Of radi-
alton are worth taking and
since these represent the
bulk Of radiation hazards,
that thus far created by
bombology being a minor
evil. should be considered as
SUCH"
But DR.. Furth was talking
about medical hazards taken
intelligently. and certainly
medical radiation is Of enor-
nous value. But the physician
who uses diagnostic X-rays
without proper shielding.
with carelessly lengthy ex-
posures. without proper pre-
cautions. or without weighing
in each case the necessity
for exposure, is potentially
far more dangerous to the in
dividual than all the fallout
to date.
Samuel C. Rainey.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
Jomned Traffic.
c. D. Corby.

It Is encouraging to read
that the d. c. Highway De-
partment win be undertaking
a new traffic study In Sep
TENDER. to help determine
whether further staggering
Of work hours for Federal
employees would alleviate the
regular morning and evening
rush-hour trafiic jams. But
why consider only Govern
ment workers? More than
half of the people who work
in the District are employed
by private industry, and
their autos certainly contrib
ute materially to the clog
ging of our streets and
bridges. Surely any plan to
revise work schedules should
take into conside err tion
changing the hours of non
Government employees, too.
This would seem to be q mat
ter that calls for assistance
from the Washington Board
Of Trade and the newly es-
tablished National Capital
Downtown Committee.
Bridge Crosser.
So = =
I am concerned with the
Districts growing traffic
problem. New proposed high
way improvements will, no
doubt, provide some relief
when they become q reality.
But there could be very APP
probable and immediate i'm
provement If motorists would
desist from three offenses and
police would rigidly enforce
compliance with the laws
governing these three things:
ID Illegal parking of all
types. but mostly double
parking. Often street traffic
is choked OF due to one sim
gle truck or car or taxicab
double parked. Often q truck
will park (illegally) opposite
a trolley island so that a de-
livery can be made to q cor
ner store, but at the expense
Of shutting of trafic in one
or two lanes Of the street.
Frequently trucks double
park right opposite a vacant
loading zone. All this just to
avoid the rigors of cutting
the wheels of the truck in to-
ward the curb.
CD Why must drivers
making left turns persist in
the ridiculous practice of cut
ting part way across the path
Of the closest lane Of traffic
in the opposite direction?
Frequently the first car in
line for q. left turn. at the
change of the light to green.
viii pull out and block the
inside lane of traffic coming
in the opposite direction. How
stupid to congest the very
traffic that you want to clear
up so as to complete your
move.
CD Why can't our drivers
learn to drive in one lane or
the other? ! mean the drivers
who ride with one set Of
wheels in the right-hand lane
and the other set in the left
hand lane-thus blocking two
lanes at once. The driver
who finally tires of following
a driver like this must, of ne
cessity, cross the center white
line in order to get around
the other car.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16

sioners today that Congress
be asked at the next session
to take material steps for
beginning the work Of max
ing So million worth Of i'm
provements to provide proper
wharfage facilities and thus
aid the development Of
Washington commercially.
The waterfront develop
ment contemplates the con-
struction of an enormous
recreation pier near the foot
Of Ninth street S.W. as an
adjunct to the playground
SvSfpn1 -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
SPIRES or THE SPIRIT
Let Us Pray
by DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United states Senate

wrought Dy prayer ynhn TINS
world knows Of" declares
Tennyson. It Is an ominous
symptom Of the free worlds
creeping moral numbness
that when the Congress Of
the United States says TO all
the American people Let US
pray" 50 many raise the
question. "Is this an appro-
PIRATE time to pray?" But are
times for prayer to be deter
mind by political calendars
or thermometers? Yes. some
reply. but this particular
prayer at this time might
upset the international APP
ple-cart." 1t is poor timing.
say timid souls who them
selves are quite free and COM
,fortable-thank youl-to let
the jittery world know that
prayers are being offered in
the U. s. A. for the victims
Of the most colossal crime Of
the goth century.
There are those who de-
clare that perhaps 1t is not
quite polite to call attention
to nauseating things In well
coming malefactors whit
would like to be regarded by
a forgetful world hs hail-fel-
lows-well-met.
The Soviet juggernaut has
invaded and seized the SOW
ereignty Of untold millions
who are being denied the
right of self differentiation
for which Q host Of Ameri-
can boys died in the Europe
now enslaved. The Soviet
hammer has smashed the
national life Of independent
nations and its sickle has cut
down the most cherished
blooms In their garden Of
living.
What q sickening roll 1t is!
Estonia, Latvia and Lithu-
ania, when solemn promises
were broken as the cruel grip
Of aliens strangled their
freedom. Hungary, with its
brave attempt to break the
hateful letters. is kept in the
police state prison! as is Ro-
mania. only by Soviet tanks
and bayonets. From captured
East Germany and North
Korea thousands flee con-
stantly to the freedom Of
West Germany and Of South
Korea.
The crude and rude boss
Of the Kremlin recently went
like q conqueror to Poland,
where the one uniting emo
ton is hatred of the Rus.
slams. The foreign tyrant
twitted that deeply religious
people about their naive"
faith. He ridiculed their
church leaders as he gloried
in his gospel of dirt-without-
destiny.
OF course, by putting on
civilized shows in Moscow it
is ardently hoped that the
free world viii accept the
status quo as its attention is
diverted from the terrible
things that are being perpe-
trated in the captive coun-
tries-things which If not
stopped viii soon make it
impossible ever to retrieve
the national existence. as the
very roots are being de-
stroyed.
The free world needs to
be told. in season and out
of season. of the crimes Of
genocide, of deportation, of
torture. and liquidation Of
those who refuse to conform.
The smiles being broadcast
these days are on the de-
ceitful faces Of those who
even now are carrying out
these almost unbelievably
sadistic policies. Could
Shakespeare have charac-
terized the Soviet perfidy
more accurately than is sug-
gested by his line-"Like the
smiling flower, and like the
serpent under it,?
Mangled Tibet is the latest
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Zen names may be used n
letters carry iDriters' correct
Names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
satton.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16

have q way Of surviving debunkers. the
creature is highly regarded as help TO
farmers everywhere.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16

doctors and hospitals would
be paid from 3 Government
operated fund consisting Of
contributions Of employees,
employers and the Govern
ment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
100 Years Ago

Another FIRE hit the work.
rooms of the Capitol extern
sion 100 years ago. The
Star, on August 16. 1859. re-
ported: This morning about
20 minutes to 4 o'clock, Mr..
Mulloy, the Waterman on
duty at the machine shop of
the Capitol Extension, dis
covered fire issuing from the
rear of the blacksmith and
finishing shop. just over the
boiler. He ran into the shop
and discovered that by rea-
son Of the wooden building
around the spot being satu-
rated with oil, the fire had
gained too great a Roadway
to be extinguished without
aid, and he gave the alarm.
The companies of the fire
department fastened to the
spot. but though they worked
hard to save the property,
in half an hour the machine
shop, containing the valuable
lathes for turning material,
and other costly machines,
the smith shop and its con-
tents, and the stone saw
mill were entirely destroyed.
..
In an item headed "Sla-
very and Freedom" The
Star on August 10. 1859. re-
ported: Yesterday a respect
ably dressed, comfortable
looking colored woman was
seen to alight from q coach
in an out-of- the-way colored
locality in this city. and COM
mence a protracted search
for an old colored woman :.
and after no little hunt and
inquiry, found her, in rags
and poverty-too old to work,
and with no funds to attend
her wants. The old
woman was the strangers
mother. The daughter
had come from her master,
in far-off Tennessee, pro-
vided with money and other
necessities by her master.
to find the old woman. and.
at his instance. to take her
back with her to q home
where she might be placed
in comfort and have the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16
FROM THE STARS FILE Il.

companionship of her child
during the remainder Of her
life."