davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-06-11
Good Beginning

Congress has made a good start in
safeguarding Washington's water supply
from the threat of pollution arising
from construction of the Dulles Inter
national Airport at Chantilly. Both
houses have approved and sent to the
White House legislation to authorize
a $28-million interceptor sewer con-.
nected with the city's sewer system and
to provide for a safe plan of interim
sewage disposal. The prompt and over
whelming support for the adminiStra-
tion's sensible sewage disposal program
was in sharp contrast with the kicking
around that somewhat similar project
received at the Capitol last year.
We hope that both the House and
the Senate will be as prompt in voting
the appropriation necessary to put the
interceptor-sew plan in action. To
complete the job, Congress must grant
So million as Federal payment toward
the undertaking and authorize $25 mil
lion additional for loan to the District,
repayable from fees charged to users of
the system. Once this is done, District
authorities can proceed to choose a
route down the Potomac River for the
sewer line and to plan for connections
to take care of Maryland and Virginia
sewage from the airport's impact
area.
This preliminary planning will in
volve details that must be worked out
with local Jurisdictions on both sides of
the river. Thus, the sooner this plan
ming can be started the less complex
will be the collateral task of designing
and building temporary facilities to COL
lect airport sewage and convert it into
fertilizer. And the longer the perma-
nent system is delayed, the larger and
more costly will be the interim disposal
facilities.
Evening star., 1960-06-11
The OAS on Guord

The Organization of American
States has added new and significant
chapter to its guardianship of peace and
freedom in the Western Hemisphere. For
the first time, standing committee of
the 21-member organization has re-
turned an official finding of fragrant
and widespread violations of human
rights" within a member State-the
Dominican Republic-and has charged
that these violations by the dictatorship
OF GeneralisSimo Trujillo have aggravat-
ed international tensions in the entire
Caribbean area.
The inquiry group, designated the
1nter-American Peace Committee, die
its work carefully and expressed its
conclusions in strong language. For sew
eral weeks, it deferred completing its
study or announcing its judgment in the
expressed hope that there would be cor
rective action by the Dominican au-
thoritieS. The violations, the committee
announced this week, continue to be
committed it cited denial of free
assembly and of free speech, arbitrary
arrests, cruel and inhuman treatment
VI PO41GICdI pIlSOIl6ISJ ana CIle use OF IN
timidation and terror as political weap-
ons. In the spreading effect of this rule
by tyranny, the committee cited illegal
activities by Dominican agents abroad
and Dominican government propaganda
attacks upon neighboring States.
In the first instance, the committee
action raises the question of whether or
how long the Trujillo regime can hold
out against the combination Of multiple
troubles within the country and mount
ing moral pressureS from community
neighbors. There Is broader question,
too, in this departure from the tradition
OF "non-intervention" by the OAS.
United States Ambassador John C. Drier,
chairman of the Peace Committee, said
his group will examine any other Situa-
tionS where violation of human rights
or lack of representative democracy
may threaten the peace of the hemi-
sphere. The course of events in Cuba in
dicates little regard for the freedoms of
assembly, speech or the press and no
signs of representative democracy. Those
who value these marks of liberty and re-
SponSible sovereignty will be encouraged
that the GAS does not intend to remain
silent while they are abused anywhere
in this hemisphere.
Evening star., 1960-06-11
Census ChoIIenue

The sharpness of the drop in Dis
trict population-a loss of 6.8 per cent
since 195O-is the only disclosure which
is surprising or disturbing in the Census
Bureau reports on Washington area ex-
panSion within the last decade. Explo-
stve regional growth, with three of every
f1ve persons living in the suburbs and
with central cities for the most part
losing population, has become the domi-
nant picture in metro areas throughout
the Nation.
The rate of decrease in the District,
however, is among the highest in the
Nation, and great deal of analysis will
be required before this trend can be
fully understood. 1t is no consolation
that the District census figures have
caught our planners and economic cryS-
tai ball gazerS far off base. We hope
the Commissioners Immediately will in
itiate studies to untangle the complex
factors which have brought these popu-
lation shifts, and, as well, to define their
impact on the economic and social life
Of the city.
A further point which the census
figures do not make is that we still are
in the midst of transition, and it is the
future which makes so important the
efforts now under way to develop prac-
tical regional solutions to such problems
as transportation, water supply and
sewage disposal.
The challenges of metropolitan
growth are no less real on the local level
within the separate Jurisdictions Of the
area. In the suburbs, the greatest need
Is the development Of sound sland-use
controls to avoid the hazards Of un-
planned growth. Such decisions are in
volved in the current hubbub over apart
ment coming in Montgomery County
(Which points up the need for county,
wide zoning plans for apartment de-
velopment) and in the controversial
proposal to permit high-density building
in the residential Henson Greek section
of Prince Georges.
In the District of Columbia, diff
ferent sort of problem exists, for the
city is assuming new and different func-
tionS as the heart of the congested
urban region. The District urgently
needs redevelopment-particularly to
create attractive, new reSidences-and
rehabilitation of its central business dis
trict for its own economic sake. And
for the most part, suburban residents
have not yet realized the great degree
to which solution of the city's prob
lens also will affect their own we'll
being in the years ahead.
Evening star., 1960-06-11
DELEGATE Whitehead

One Of Virginia's outstanding and
most respected legislators and public
figures has been removed from the poll
tical scene with the sudden death at his
home in Lovingston of Delegate Robert
Whitehead. Felled by heart attack in
the midst of his leadership Of Demo-
cratic Straight Ticket" campaign, his
untimely end at age 62 has caused sor-
row among his many friends and politi-
cal foes as well. For he was recognized
widely as a legislator of uncommon in
tellectual attributes, Of extraordinary
oratorical ability and of sincere zeal for
the causes which he eSpouSed.
Mr.. Whitehead broke with the Byrd
organization over what he considered
its ultraconservative policies and, eS-
pecially over its massive resistance" to
school integration. Always an ardent
supporter Of public education, the Mel
son County delegate fought vigorously
against the "close the schools" policy
of the segregation forces. He became an
ally OF Governor Almond in his modera-
ton program for keeping schools open
and also in supporting an adequate tax
program He sponsored the taxes on to-
bacco and liquor which the recent Gen
eral Assembly enacted after rejecting a
sales tax. Virginia has lost an able and
devoted son - one whose political career
will be remembered best for it's devo-
tion to public service.
Evening star., 1960-06-11

peers? What of the children
whose only alternative to the
streets is a crowded room,
or who want to get away
from drunken parents? Are
these not legitimate pur-
poses? In increasing the re-
strictions on our children we
are further alternating them
from the world of adults. and
this alienation is surely one
Of the important roots of
delinquency.
A curfew law Is a police
mans law. supported by
those who want to lash out
at a social situation they do
not understand and are
afraid to examine nationally.
1t is a bad law, and should
be def1ed on a mass basis.
1t will not be defied, unfor-
tunately, because we are too
accustomed to obeying. 1t
can be predicted that it will
be enforced "selectively,"
that is, against the poor, pri-
marily Negroes. 1t will be
enforced Cif at alb against
those least able to defend
their rights, and in many
instances it will probably be
enforced with rude language
and harsh fists.
I hope that District citi-
zens will greet this law with
a storm of protest to the
Commissioners.
Warren w. Morse.
Evening star., 1960-06-11
For Whom Curfew Bells Would Toll

keep up with its business. A
curfew law, under any name,
will meet none of these
problems. Adopting such a
law does not constitute "fac-
ing up to the problem" it is,
instead. a form of sweep
ing it under the rug.
If the anti-loitering meas
ure were merely an irrelev-
ancy it would be bad enough,
but too typical to arouse
much emotion. 1t has, how
ever, some positively bad fea-
lures. Juvenile delinquency
calls for a vast social effort
to improve the quality of
urban life, and all too often
our substitute is to yell for
the police. Do we really want
to increase the power of the
police over our children? Are
we really willing to make our
children give the police an
account of themselves? This
is precisely the kind of thing
which we object to in totali-
tartan countries, and is an
unpleasant step towards a
police or garrison state.
What if my 9-year-old
wants to get up at 4:30 am.
to go into the woods where
he can watch the birds come
awake, or catch sight of a
raccoon or fox hurrying
home? What If a teen-ager
feels like going for a walk?
Or Just hanging around talk
ing things over with his
Evening star., 1960-06-11
Why Was He Fired?

Among highway officials generally,
Chief Engineer Norman M. Pritchett Of
the Maryland Roads Commission has
been recognized as one of the very
best. His sudden dismissal from the
commission is a severe loss, therefore,
which thus far has not been justified.
Commission Chairman John B. Funk,
after conceding that Mr.. Pritchett was
fired, said the commission merely "ex-
ercised its right of appointment" Of
course there was more to it than that.
One State Senator, j. r. Burlington
of Baltimore, charges that the chief en-
gineer was fired for political reasons"
and he has demanded "full investiga-
tion of the hidden motives" 1t is doubt
full that anything will come of this,
since the firing was cleared in advance
with Governor TaweS. If Senator Buff
f1ngton has any evidence to back up his
charges, however, he should bring it
forth, for political intervention of this
nature in the State road program would
be a matter for Statewide concern.
Certainly Mr. Pritchett has antago-
nized lot of people during his 80 years
with the commission, many of them as
chief of the politically explosive land
acquisition and construction programs.
And those acquainted with him know
that he has never backed down readily
on matters Of conviction. 1t is fairly
clear, furthermore, that one of those
he antagonized most was the new chair
man, Mr.. Funk, and it is no secret that
they have not seen eye to eye on num-
ber of projects and policies.
What disturbs us is that the talents
and experience of this official have been
lost entirely to the commission at time
when the tagging State highway pro-
gram can i'll afford the loss. Mr. Prichett
was a six and often a seven days a
week highway man, who knew every
physical, political and economic inch of
the vast State system. One commission
member is quoted as saying there is "no
questioning his competence"-that "he
Evening star., 1960-06-11

There is something fit-
ting in the fact that the day
on which the Commissioners
adopted an anti-loitering reg
ulation was also the day for
an about attack on the
House District Committee
for "misfeasance and mall
feasance" on home rule. The
anti-loitering measure is a
good illustration of the in
adequacy, to say the least.
of rule by nonrepresenta-
tive bureaucrats. Politically
it is undemecratic; legally,
it is probably unconstitution-
al, and in terms Of juvenile
delinquency, it is almost
completely irrelevant.
Juvenile delinquency is q
terribly complex and serious
problem, with many sources,
and the extent of the problem
in Washington is a major
indictment of the city gov
ernment. What are some Of
the sources? A poorly con-
ceived urban renewal pro-
gram more intent on build
ing luxury apartments than
on housing the poor; hope
lessly overcrowded schools:
shamefully skinny social
services; inadequate recrea-
tional programs, hampered
by too little funds and per-
sonnel, and a juvenile court
so overloaded that it cannot
Evening star., 1960-06-11
LETTERS TO THE STAR
Khrushchevs BumbIing Role in u. S. Politics

Russia's walking observers
in the United States ap-
parently have convinced their
Kremlin bosses that the
American people could be in
timidated, confused or be-
guiled into electing an ap-
peaser President next Novem-
ber.
Mr.. Khrushchev'S bumbling
Intervention in the 1860
American Presidential cam
paign has placed the Demo-
cratic Party in an embarrass-
ing posture. 1t Is one which
would seem to call for clear
headed decisions and forth
right utterance. If the Rus
slams really have any illusions
about this matter, they
should be made to under
stand that they cannot get
the kind Of vital concessions
they want from the Democra-
tic Party any more than
from the Republican Party.
In this connection, it might
be well if the Republican and
Democratic candidates should
issue q joint statement, soon
after the national conven-
tions, stating Enthusiastically
the basic American position
on bargaining with, and con-
cessions to, the Russian
rulers. Certainly. few Amer
leans should have any doubt
as to what that position is,
and what it has to be. If set
down in plain language, it
might help to dispel any pos
sible false notions on the
subject entertained by Rus
slams or others.
A Joint statement by the
candidates perhaps would
have the virtue of taking Mr..
Khrushchev out Of the cam
paign, thus allowing 1t to be
decided on what Americans
regard as the issues. More
over, q show Of unity probably
would have a wholesome in
fluence on peoples who have
difficulty realizing that we
are genuinely united, despite
our voluble internal criticisms
and differences.
Any idea that one party
could deal with the Russians
better than another would
be, in the present state Of
affairs, only a deception on
unthinking people. And as
for being soft on communism,
any President who yielded
materially to the Russians,
at this juncture, probably
would be overwhelmingly
repudiated. He might even be
impeached.
The situation would be diff
ferent, perhaps, If there were
any hope of realistic bargain
ing with the high-riding Rus
slams at this stage, of honest
concessions on their part to
match our own. But how is it
possible, at this point, to en-
tertain any such hope? Am
bilious men, flushed as the
Russians are with spectacular
success, could be expected to
Evening star., 1960-06-11

Some people call paperback
books "throwaways," and
perhaps they do that with
them, but not Templeton
Jones.
Mr.. Jones saves his as
carefully as he does his cloth
bound books, for paperbookS
are books, aren't they?
All, that is. except some
plainly written for the
moment, and even some
cloth books fall within this
category.
The paperback, as this
column predicted years ago,
has really revolutionized book
sales.
Jones knows one book store
where few customers are to
be seen; rows of nice new
and expensive books seem to
go unwanted.
1t is different where paper
backs are sold. People carry
them away because they cost
little and give much.
+ y y
In addition, a paperback
book is chummy.
1t is perfect for bed read
ing, nowadays the favorite.
Once upon a time reading
was taken so seriously that
people always sat properly
when they had a book in
hand.
Others were not supposed
to make noises, either.
Then came the dawn, or
something, Of the Great New
Age, as it was called, when
wars were to be no more and
nations and peoples were to
go on getting better and bet
ter, as Coue said.
Instead, there came an
other war, and in the sub
sequent disillusionment, ev-
erybody gave up what few
ideals he had managed to
gather and people decided to
do what they pleased, which
was pretty bad, because what
people do when they please
is not always best for them.
Well, anyway, books and
reading were among the first
to suffer.
Radio began it, and Tv
seems to have ended it.
Now people read as they
please, which means mostly
in bed.
The trouble with bed read
ing is that you can't take an
encyclopedia with you.
If it hadn't been for this,
Temp Jones might have
bought a set of the famous
18th edition of the Encyclo-
pedia Brittanica, always a
difficult thing to spell, and
almost impossible to hold in
bed.
Jones remembers the 11th
edition from childhood.
There was a set in the
Jones home, and it was the
18th.
Even as a child, Temp
Evening star., 1960-06-11

determination Of this exact
shape and size. Vital help is
being afforded by the arti-
ficial earth satellites. Other
activities in determination
of the earth's shape and
size involve precise geodetic
and astronomical surveys in
such remote areas as the
Solomon Islands, Africa,
South America and Green
land. While unsettled condi-
tions prevail throughout the
world mapping activities
must continue to progress at
an accelerating pace to keep
abreast of the military and
political situations.
- y
A navigation apparatus for
land seas" has been de-
veloped by Army engineers.
1t is designed to keep
trucks and conveys on course
when moving through un-
mapped and often feature
less regions of the world such
as polar wastes and deep
jungles. In such areas, the
engineers point out, it may be
as difficult to fix ones posi-
ton as in the open sea.
The new land navigation
system consists of four units
"a quick computer, a gyro-
compass, a distance data
transmitter and a power
supply, the combined weight
of all being about 85 pounds.
With its use direction of the
base from which a convoy
started as we'll as direction
to the destination can be
determined at any time.
The whole combination,
according to the Army an
nouncement, can be mounted
on almost any Army vehicle.
Power for operation is sup
piled by the moving vehicle
itself. Both alternating and
direct current are needed for
the gyrocompasS.
Soon Ready for Troops
Tests to date have shown
that the system has an over
all accuracy of one-half per
cent of the distance travelled.
The system now is being
service tested and probably
will be available for troop use
next year.
At the same time an elec-
tronic survey system to pro-
vide a rapid and accurate
means for measuring dis
tances and establishing posi-
tions Of points where direct
measurements are impossible
has been developed at the
Corps Of Engineers research
laboratories at Fort Bel
yoir, Va.
This can be used to deter
mine distances between
islands and other situations
where there is no "line-of-
site" and for establishing
positions of boats, aircraft
and land vehicles.
1t uses a continuous-wave
transmission sent out from
each end Of the line to be
measured and can be used
to determine distances UP to
100 miles with a minimum
accuracy of about one part
in 10000. Over salt water, as
between islands, the dis
tance range is increased to
200 miles and the minimum
accuracy to one in $4,000.
Evening star., 1960-06-11
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
'One World Being Mapped as Such
BY THOMAS R. HENRI

Army engineers now are
engaged in the biggest map
making job in history
charting the free world and
determining the precise
shape and size of the whirling
earth.
This was stressed at the
recent observance of the 50th
anniversary Of the Army
Map Service. It will be es-
sential for the kind Of COM
bat which can be anticipated
in the future. More and more
this has become "one world"
and must be mapped as such.
The part played by ade-
quate maps in combat is, Of
course, Of transcending i'm
portance. World War II re-
quired more than 10000 diff
ferent maps for the various
American armies-the Nor
mandy invasion by the 1st
Army alone about 5000. Alto
gether it was necessary to
produce approximately 500
million copies. equivalent to
a pile of paper more than
80 miles high. These are
only dull statistics of one of
the most colorful jobs in the
service-mapping essentially
unexplored and unknown
areas Of the earth. There
still are a lot left.
Cooperative Project
National boundaries, of
course, mean very little so
far as the natural face of
the earth is concerned. They
can't change latitude and
longitude. They can't move
rivers or mountains, which
are natural landmarks from
which survey lines are ex-
tended.
The objective is to have
world maps with common
co-ordinates. 1t is a matter
Of international cooperation,
with a major part of the
work being done by United
States Engineers. Forty-seven
nations are involved. A
major job now completed in
wolves a 7,000-mile Inter
continental arc of triangula-
ton" running northward from
South Africa through Europe
and into the Arctic.
OF more significance to
future combat is precise
knowledge of the worlds size
and shape. Says an Engineer
report: "The requirements of
modern missile warfare are
more critical than any of
the map requirements of pre-
vious wars. For conventional
artillery the forward observer
adjusts the fire until a
round hits close enough to
the target so a battery can
fire for effect In missile
warfare it will be a different
story. We will not have a for
ward observer to adjust the
fire and we cannot afford to
lob in a few rounds for ad-
justment purposes.
I'VE must hit the target
the first time. In order to do
this we must have precise
scientific knowledge of the
size and shape of the earth
in order to compute exact
distances and directions from
launching site to target. Now
the geodetic activities of the
Map Service are keyed to
Evening star., 1960-06-11

Of Richard Nixon, who re-
portedly stood up" to him
during his visit to Russia.
This was certainly brought
out in the California pri-
mary.
But a closer examination
suggests that the balance of
Khrushchev's descent into
American politics favors the
Democrats. Although the So
Wet leaders are likely quite
ignorant of our complex ma
tional character, they recog-
nize that our chief desire is
to maintain a prosperous
peace. The Democrats, after
the U-2 bungling especially,
are better classified as the
Peace Party" and are them
selves making a fetish out
of this plank in their plat
form. Also, although Khru-
shchev probably has no idea
of how sensitive our political
system Is, I believe that by
next November the impress
sion of his diatribe will still
be with us, while the desire
for a reaction against it by
Americans will have atroph-
led. They will, by then, un-
Willingly have taken to heart
what he said. Thus, with
elections yet FIVE good months
away, the Democrats stand
to gain by this development.
Eric Widmer.
According to David Law
renee and other callers for
conformity Of expression on
public issues, the full exer-
else Of freedom of speech
is not only in bad taste, it
is downright disloyal. Mr..
Lawrence's column Of June
6, in effect, accuses those
with honest criticisms of the
Administration at this time
of giving deliberate laid
and comfort to the enemy"
We are told that whenever
our Nation is in peril" the
Bill Of Rights cannot speak
in the uncompromising voice
given to it by the Founding
Fathers.
If such urgings Of self
censorship had been ac-
cepted throughout the peril
GUS periods Of World War I,
the Depression, World War
II, and the Cold War, much
Of Goth century America
would have lacked the public
discussion and debate fun
damental for a democracy.
And Mr.. Lawrence himself,
who has repeatedly exercised
his right to dissent, often
would have been silenced.
No, those who rally around
the flag are pretending to be
patriots when they insist in
sitting freedom of speech in
the name of national unity.
In those wise words Of
Benjamin Franklin, They
that can give up essential
liberty to obtain temporary
safety deserve neither liberty
or safety"
Douglas Watson.