davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-11-10

Week in, week out, Coop Is your best bet
for top values. And this week, values are
bigger than ever to show everyone how
little quality eosts-AT COOP! Shop Co
op regularly with complete confidence that
you're getting the Washington areas
BEST BUYS!
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Let's Skip the Politics

Qualified Negro electricians, as we
have said before, should have an equal
chance at jobs on Federal building
projects. If they are not qualified, they
shouldn't be hired.
1t is legitimate function of the
Presidents Committee on Government
Contracts to do everything it can to
guard against racial discrimination in
this matter. And the committee was
right in asking the General Services
Administration to investigate the quail
f1cations of five Negro electricians re-
ferred for jobs by the Washington Urban
League and rejected by the employers
as being unqualified.
The GSA made a thorough and
objective" study. The qualifications Of
the five were checked first by a four
man GSA panel, one of whom is Negro.
The next check was by panel of six,
composed of electrical contractors, mas
ter electricians and electrical engineers.
A third check was made by group Of
-four electrical engineers, two of whom
are Negroes. In every case the unani-
nous finding was that the five men we're
not qualified for the jobs they were
seeking.
That should, and does, end the mat
ter as far as these five are concerned.
But it has not ended it as far as the
Presidents committee is concerned.
The committee now wants GSA to
check on the qualifications of some Of
the white electricians working on these
jobs to ascertain whether they are quail
fed, although this has nothing to do
with refusing jobs to qualified Negroes.
II we were GSA our first impulse would
be to tell the Presidents committee to
go Jump in the lake. On second thought,
however, we would tell it to go out and
find some qualified Negro electricians,
and to stop playing politics with this
important business.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Asking Too Much

Removed from the context of pend
ing legislation, the idea of great de-
bate" via televiSion between the two
major presidential candidates is an
attractive one. 1t could, for example,
bring to the living rooms of millions
Of American voters the orderly and in
telligent discussion" of political issues
for which Adlai Stevenson was pleading
in his appearance this week before a
Senate subcommittee.
There is good reason to believe,
however, that the legislation in question
would not necessarily accomplish this
purpose, and that it is, in fact, basically
unsound and unjust. In brief, the bill
now before the Senate subcommittee
would require the televiSion industry
to make available free of charge two
prime" evening hours in each of the
eight prediction weeks for use by the
qualified presidential candidates. There
are no proposed ground rules, however,
and it is doubtful that any could be
devised which would compel the nom
inees to engage in meaningful give-and-
take debate. They could use this bonus
time for the customary partisan exhor-
tations-at the expense of the television
industry.
Mr.. Stevenson acknowledged this
transfer of the cost factor in some
what backhanded way when he ex-
pressed doubt that it would be so
expensive as to be beyond the endurance
of the networks" Narrowly speaking,
this may be correct. Vice President
Nixon was more to the point in his
statement opposing the legislation. Mr.
Nixon wrote the subcommittee that
he did not believe it appropriate or
desirable for the Federal Government
to appropriate a part of this (televiSion)
time without compensation" 1t would
be similarly unfair, he added, to re-
quire newspapers (or other publications.
to carry political advertising without
charge or to require free campaign
transportation from the railroads and
airlineS
Actually, if fully free to do so, there
is no doubt the television industry would
welcome the opportunity to provide free
time for genuine face-to-face debate
between the two leading presidential
contenders, or even other newsworthy
candidates for office. AS a practical
matter, it is not free to do so because
of present requirements of the Federal
Communications Act that broadcasters
under certain circumstances must grant
equal time" to all candidates, no matter
how obscure. Significantly, both Repub-
4 ~
Evening star., 1960-05-21

received was that Of "also
played"
Had-to quote one of the
judges-"one of the finest
high school bands we've
ever heard" been a fancy
footed marching band play
ing intermediate mass ap-
pealing music, it would have
received greater attention.
We cry for better education
for our children. Lets tough
en- up the high schools" is our
national slogan, and yet the
students who excel in the
more difficult and serious
veins are pushed out of the
limelight, to make room for
the scatter brains and prank
sters who are thus encouraged
to steal the show.
Let's give credit where it
is due. Congratulations are
in order to these superlative
students and their leader,
William johnson.
Barbara c. MOritz,
Teacher, Oxon Hill High
School.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Grateful Parents

We, as parents of two
young men injured recently,
would like to thank the many
young people of the Congress
Heights community for their
very generous response to the
requests for blood. BY Z am.
on a Saturday morning when
most youngsters would be
sleeping soundly, they were
coming to D. c. General
Hospital to donate their blood
to save our sons lives. We
deeply appreciate this and
feel they deserve our public
token of gratitude and praise.
1t renews ones faith in peo-
pie to see such a spontaneous
and generous gesture.
Also, we appreciate the
many other donations of
blood, prayers and other acts
of kindness of our many
friends, neighbors, coworkers
and acquaintances. 1t gives
one a very warm feeling to
know that so many shared
our anxiety with us.
The hospital is also to be
commended for its very ef-
ficient staff and their devo-
ton to duty. We feel that our
sons received the optimum in
medical and nursing care at
D. c. General Hospital.
Mildred b. Kaufman.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Sloane.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Vulnerable Project

Defense Department officials can
blame themselves in large measure for
the congressional rebuff of their scheme
to build $40-million Naval Station on
part of the abandoned Naval Air Station
in AnacoStia. BY ignoring Capitol Hill
edict to clear out Of the old Anacostia-
Boiling airfieldS, what else did they ex-
pect? Even more inviting of criticism,
Furthermore, is the way the military has
botched the job of presenting a clear
picture of their overall space needs in
the Washington area.
The idea of top-level Government
committee to draft such a program, as
suggested by the Senate Armed Services
Committee, is good one, and should be
followed We doubt that any SubStan-
tial military activity in this area will be
diSperSed-a point the committee also
raised. But its members made eminently
clear that they will view any new mill
tary construction projects here with a
jaundiced eye, especially with military
installations closing down in many parts
of the country.
AS to the Anacostia- Boiling area,
there appears to be no question about
the congressional sentiment that it
should be made available for some
civilian use" This does not necessarily
mean nongovernmental use, for we be-
lieve the AnacoStia acreage-by its size,
its proximity to the central city and be-
cause of the shortage of other in-town
building siteS-is well qualified for some
Government use. The Defense Depart
ment might as well forget about it, how
ever, at least until it gets its total Wash
ington area construction plans in such
shape that they can be defended as
whole.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Vital Bond Issue

School authorities in Fairfax County
have expressed fear that the recent
defeat of school bond issue in neigh
boring Arlington County might affect
adversely the proposed $26-million bond
issue for schools in their own rapidly
growing county. We hope this fear is
groundleSS, for there really is little
similarity between the two bond pro-
poSalS. Whereas in Arlington much of
the borrowed money was to have been
used for multipurpoSe rooms, gym
naSiumS and the like, the loan sought
by Fairfax County is urgently needed
to relieve overcrowding in clasSrooms
and to enable the county to keep pace
with its ever-increaSing school popula-
ton.
To carry the comparison further,
Arlington has no quonset-hut or house
trailer claSSroomS like those which
Fairfax County continues to use in order
to accommodate all of its students.
Despite three previous bond issues in
the past decade and the construction of
many new schools, the county's school
system has failed to keep up with the
classroom needs. During the past f1ve
years the school enrolment has risen
by $4,000 children, jump of about rs
per cent. And the demands are increaS-
ing alarmingly as home construction
goes on without letup. In another five
years, it is estimated, the enrolment
will be at least $4,000, as compared with
today'S $4,000.
Against this background, the coun-
tvs program for four hew high schools,
four intermediate schools, fifteen ele-
mentary schools and improvements to
% other schools is deserving of whole
hearted support of the county's citizens.
They will have an opportunity to make
this support effective on May 81, when
a referendum on the bond issue will be
held. The county cannot afford to let
its children down.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Parks VS.. Porkinq

The newly authorized feasibility
study of an underground parking garage
at Farragut Square will be important
only Secondarily as an economic and
engineering survey. It's real test will
be the effectiveness with which it can
demonstrate that the park values Of
Farragut Square would be preserved. For
this is the question on which the project
in all likelihood will succeed or fail, and
it is on such points that the advocates
of under-the-park parking in this city
have failed completely to make case in
the past.
No one can quarrel seriously with
the need for more parking in the Con-
necticut avenue and K street section.
The forthcoming study can be expected
to corroborate this deficiency. We imag-
inc that the consultants also will resolve
the knotty problems of traffic circulation
and financing. AS a member of the
Motor Vehicle Parking Agency, however,
Harry T. Thompson, the superintendent
of National Capital Parks, has served
notice that park officials will resist the
project to the bitter end Farragut
Square, Mr.. Thompson points out, was
one of the original II memorial areas
designated by L 'Enfant, and he takes the
position that its destruction to make
way for an essentially commercial enter
prise-even though the park would be
recreated-is unconscionable.
Congress, of course, in its ultimate
decision on the project, will be under
strong pressureS to accept the park
officials protests. And it is likely to do
so unless the design of the new park
preserves the values of the old square
in every respect.
Evening star., 1960-05-21

lican National Chairman Morton and
Democratic National Chairman Butler
are opposing the mandatory feature of
the pending Senate bill Additionally,
network spokesmen for the industry
already have announced willingness to
provide prime evening time on volun-
tary basis if the equal-time-for-ever
body requirement is removed. This is
an obviously more fair and sensible way
to bring the truly great debate" posi-
bilities of a presidential campaign to
television.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Our Broken Spanish

You better watch your
Spanish. Your May Is car
toon on the doings Of Mr..
Castro is inadequate unless
the accent mark is placed over
the 81" in the Spanish word
Isl" Without the accent it
means "if" and thus invali-
dates the meaning of the
cartoon.
American diplomacy seems
to have discovered a method
Of thinking all by itself,
which has brought about the
tragedy of Cuba, and the
blunder of the U-2. Give it
a few more years and there
will be no need for diplomats
or garbage collectors either.
Joseph /. Puente.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

always managed to get away
without being seen, except
this one time, but I will never
forget it and the pleasure it
gave me, being so close to
these little birds"
= Il 4 y
Even the most insensitive
person will see that you don't
have to go to the theater to
be thrilled.
Life is all around us, and
wherever there is life, there
is drama.
Fortunate is the person
who understands this. He or
she does not have to stand in
line, first on one foot then on
the other. They will never be
at loss to choose, because the
play they like is free for the
looking.
Of course, now and then
this good sense of elation at
small things escapes us, and
we permit others to talk up
TV and plays and great
spectacles of the arena.
You ought to read what
The point is, we believe,
that not all people need
theater, as such. For those
who do, fine!
The remainder will get
their show in the everyday
happenings of life. 1t is easy,
if you are so minded, to find
drama in the fight of two
groups of ants, or the per-
sistence of a carpenter bee
boring a hole in your porch
rail.
If you want to, you can be-
become excited over young
wrenS leaving their nest for
the first time.
What a thrill that must be,
If you are a wren.
The bubbly song of this
little thing, SO unlike the
sounds from any other bird,
is part of the bird chorus, as
our correspondent points out.
1t may not seem very
musical, at first, but when
one listens carefully, and
catches the exact pitch, the
excitement of it, the JOY of
living in it. the beauty of
the common wren song be-
come apparent.
1t is an accent note, if you
will, Of the symphony Of
dawn, and an every-hour
tranquilizer without side ef-
fects or hang lover.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Letter of Credit

Your coverage of the high
school band competition at
College Park, Md, was mis-
leading.
There were IL concert
bands entered and four
marching bands. Northwest
ern, winner in the marching
band competition, received
the most notice; also receiv-
ing much attention were
Chevy Chase and Bethesda,
which played grade five mu-
sic and were rated superior
in that field.
Credit should be given
where due and in the right
perspective. The way the
competition is set up, there
are six possible grade levels
of music, level one being the
most elementary and level
six the most difficult. There
was only one band in the en-
tire program entered in the
grade six level, and that was
Oxon Hill High School. In
other words, out of Al con-
tenders, only one band was
considered competent enough
to be classed as a number six
band and for its performance
of the first movement from
Dvorak's New World Sym
phony and the Marche Mill
taire Francaise this concert
band received a rating of
superior, the highest possible
rating in the entire competi-
ton. and yet in your cover
age the only notice Oxon Hill
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Opening Golden Gate

Senator Hiram L. Fong Of
Hawaii has fired the opening
gun in a fight to demolish the
1924 immigration Quota Act
insofar as it relates to Asiatic
nationals.
According to news dis
patches from Washington,
Senator Fong has "sug-
gested" that the United
States permit the annual i'm
migration of $4,000 to $4,000
persons from the Asiatic-
Pacific triangle.
Should this suggestion take
the form of a bill, and the
bill became a law, its effect
on the national origins struc-
ture of our population would
be catastrophe.
His suggestion also raises
the question: Does Senator
Fong represent the Asiatic-
Pacific triangle, or is he a
representative of an Ameri-
can State?
J. c. Russell,
San Francisco. Calf.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
'ArIington's Heritage

The history Of real estate
transactions in Arlington
County began over three CEN
turies ago, not long after the
visit Of Captain John Smith
noted in your excellent edi-
torial "Arlington's Heritage"
Virginia land records show
a grant of 500 acres on the
"Patomac River" in the
"fresheS" above "Anacosta"
Island to Tho. (ThomaS)
Boswell in 1868.
There can be little doubt
that the island there de-
scribed as "Anacosta" is the
same as "Analostan Island"
Old maps used various SPELL
ings for the Indian words,
and the present name of the
Anacostia River substantiates
the similarity. Thos. Boswell
was the owner of substantial
acreage elsewhere in Virginia
including 800 acres on the
north side of the Ware River
adjacent to the land Of
Ma. ThoS. Curtis received in
1852. In 1647 Tho. Boswell
had sold so acres in Eliza
beth City County, beginning
a tradition of real estate de-
velopment for the Boswell
family in the New World.
The great natural advan-
tages of a location on the
"Patomac" River were recog-
nized and the future potenti-
alities of the National Capt.
tai area predicted when Thos.
Boswell, one of the very first
knowledgeable real estate
owners in the English colo
nies, negotiated for and re-
ceived land in the wilderness
now part of Arlington
County.
Harry Arthur Boswell.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Courtesy to Visitors

During the peak of the
tourist season in Washington
many cars can be seen stopped
at intersections or other more
or less convenient locations
while their occupants ponder
over maps. Too many Wash
ingtonians, who find them
selves behind these people,
rudely sound their horns,
while too few courteouSly lend
a helping hand. Perhaps all
that these visitors need are
a few directions and an en-
couraging word to find their
way.
Their visit to the Nations
Capital will no doubt make a
lasting impression and will
be related to friends. What
will make that lasting i'm
preston? Our rudeneSs or our
kindness?
naniaI d n1noo y
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Time to Disorm

In the debates over disarm-
ament and nuclear testing,
the Republicans character
istically project our defense
needs into a future that re-
mains politically and eco
nomically static.
Men like Strauss and Eisen-
hover seem unable to visual
ize a world in which Red
China and possibly the UAR
will be nuclear powers. This
frightening world will be-
come reality unless an imme-
diate plan for disarmament
is created under the United
Nations and binding on all
powers.
John O'TOOle.
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Here We Go Aqoin

On the very day Of the
summit collapse, President
Eisenhower sent a message
to Col. .gress urging that the
defeated Freedom Wall mon
ument be warmed over again.
But, this time the taxpayers
are asked to put up $l2 mil
lion as the down payment to
start the project-the re-
manning millions to be COL
lected from school children
and the public by some fund
raising group.
Two years ago. this same
Freedom Wall was rejected
by the Congress, after many
hours of discussion. But the
insistent private promoters
merely let it rest a while, and
are now trying again to cram
it down the throat Of Con-
greSS.
These promoters have as
probably their most active
ally Harry Thompson Of the
National Park Service, who,
eager to include more prof.
ects Of this type under his
wing, has spent a great
amount of time lobbying for
this proposed handout to a
bunch of promoters.
Every year they wait until
the final weeks Of Congress
to try and slip their bill
through, while Congressman
are occupied with so many
other matters.
It is distressing that the
President would make a re-
quest for this monument
again at a time like this
when all Of our efforts and
money should be channeled
toward national security and
defense.
Arlington Resident.
= y y
The Star says President
Proposes New Freedom
Shrine"
There is nothing new"
about the 68-foot-high wall
it is the same 68-foot-high
IN ume ent to nothing"
which has already been de-
feated.
The only new" thing about
it is that the hackers finally
admit that $12 million will
be paid by the taxpayers, as
a down payment-the rest to
by collected d privately"
These promoters cannot col
lect the rest and we, the tax
payers, will be called on to
come to the rescue of a mon
strosity which will be a bur-
den forever.
A. Jackson.
\ y i
I object to the utter waste
Of $24 million in so useless
a project as the freedom
monument proposed by PreSi-
dent Eisenhower.
Are we to believe, in these
days of collapsing summit
conferences, that this money
cannot be used in some way
to perpetuate rather than
commemorate our freedom?
Frances EeIdnon
Evening star., 1960-05-21

Pleasure of watching the
Wren Family at work and
play bubbles in a letter from
E. H. r. of Gaithersburg, Md.
This correspondent writes:
Jennie and Christopher, I
call them. They have been
using the same small white
house every year.
They are wonderful ten
ants, quiet and peaceful, but
if danger comes near they
are not afraid to stand up to
it. I've seen them chase the
gray squirrels up the oak tree
and even fly on their backs.
Each year they have to
fight the sparrowS for pos
session of this house, and if a
cat or a jay bird is near, I
know their warning cry, and
go to help them.
about the middle of April
I hear their call, and I am
always glad to welcome them.
One morning as I stood by
my window, / saw feathers
floating past, and so I looked
out, and there was Jenny
cleaning house and dropping
old feathers from her bill one
at a time.
*&
"T always hear her voice
in the bird chorus at dawn.
"She seems to like music,
for when I play the piano,
she sings as if her heart is
really in it.
"She will not eat crumbs
that I put out for her but
she brushes them away. She
and her mate are very busy
flying in and out with bugs
and worms and soon the
baby birds are grown.
I'm all the years, only
once was I fortunate enough
to see the young fly out for
the first time.
There seemed to be a lot
Of gabble, gable, gable bird
talk that morning, as if
Jenny and Christopher we're
giving advice.
II sat very quietly on the
porch, and then they began
to spill out of the door and
drop down at my feet, with
one dropping into my lap.
There were four of them,
with little tails sticking
straight into the air.
often I had waited to see
them leays the nest. but they
Evening star., 1960-05-21
Vote of Thanks

I just want to add my vote
of thanks to The Star for
its patriotic work in speaking
out against the policy of the
State Department on this
Korea matter.
For you to observe that
Mr.. Herter and his associates
are now assisting Korea
down the path of Cuba is
certainly true, and I think
that more people in this
country should appreciate
the reality of this thing.
Frank p. Adams,
Evening star., 1960-05-21

Doris Fleeson seems to be
suffering from an attack of
indigestion brought about by
sour grapes. She has great
difficulty in camouflaging her
prejudices.
In particular, I refer to her
column Kennedy Collecting
Dividends"
A newspaper reporter who
is able to communicate with
the masses because of his
media should try his utmost
to keep his personal opinions
from coloring the facts.
Mary r. Hole.