davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Who's on the Phone?

There is lesson of some sort con-
tanned in the current understanding"
between President Eisenhower and New
York's Governor Rockefeller about the
10 per cent Federal tax on local tele-
phone service. The understanding, in
brief, is that the President will stand
firmly by his recommendation that Con-
greSs extend the tax-now due to expire
on June 30-but that it would not be
Inconsistent" for Governor Rockefeller
to recommend "permissive" legislation
by which his State would impose the tax
in event the Federal Government does
not.
The lesson, and not a new one
either, Is that once tax is born, it dies
hard-if at all. This one, like many
others, is World War II emergency"
tax-enacted not only to raise revenue,
but also with the idea that it would help
tighten the load of nonessential use Of
the Nations telephone system There
seems to be no concern now about how
many persons use the telephone (the
war has been over for nearly fifteen
years. but the revenue involved looks
mighty attractive. For the Federal Gov
ernment, for example, it figures to be
about $3.50 million per year-not an in
significant amount in a year when the
administration hopes to tote up a $4.2
billion budget surplus. For New York,
State well stocked with telephones
and people to use them, it could mean
$40 million-which Governor Rockefeller
says he would like to spend on educa-
tional needs
Somewhat ironically, the President
in the past has recommended shifting
part OF this tax to the States If they
would take on certain local services now
supported by the Federal Government.
In a sense, Congress jumped the gun
last year by voting an end to the tax
without any provision for shifting pro-
grams to local levels. The White House
says that Mr.. Eisenhower expressed full
sympathy" for Mr.. Rockefellers "prin-
ciple," but that Uncle Sam now needs
the money.
AS it happens, not unusually, no
level of government seems to be ex-
pressing full sympathy for the tax
payers who are picking up both the
telephone and the tax bills.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
View From HospitoI

AS an employe Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia General
Hospital, I would like to ex-
press the opinion of myself
and a vast number Of other
employees at this institution.
1t is true that D. c. Gen.
eral Hospital is more closely
aligned with the Department
Of Public Health than ever
in the past. 1t Is also true
that there is a more confused
atmosphere surrounding this
institution than ever before.
The majority Of the en-
ployes here feel that Mr.. Nc
Millan's plan would do much
to eliminate the bewilder-
ment Of all the employees, su-
pervisory and nonsupervi-
sorry, thereby insuring the
best care for the city's indi-
gent sick.
Andrew J. Brown.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Passports for Reds

I think it is rather dis
graceful the way our passport
laws are so liberal in refer.
ence to known Communists.
Democracy is a fine insti-
tuition; but helping Commu-
nists obtain passports under
all circumstances is a fallacy.
If all these inordinate pass
port laws are kept, there will
not be the American system
any more. 1t doesn't seem to
make much sense to me, how
a person who works against
the United States can get a
passport and 60 to a foreign
country carrying an American
passport. He represents the
people Of this country-what
do you expect other people,
whom he is talking to, to be-
lieve?
I would think we could pass
some sort of bill that would
restrict handing out Of pass
ports to undesirable persons.
Russell X. Odland.
Evening star., 1960-02-08

there is not too much he can
do for the oldster.
-
Surely older people may be
excused, especially by younger
persons, when they fail to
speak, or otherwise show a
lack of ordinary everyday
courtesy.
The hopeful thing, we be-
lieve. is that young persons
do, indeed, forgive their ell
ders.
Strong, healthy people. as
our correspondent puts it,
have young -acting blood
streams, and the blood is the
life, in the last analysis.
Good manners ought to
come easier from good blood
than from impoverished
blood.
Come to think of it, some
how many of us do resent
i'll manners because they
come from perfectly healthy
people, at least on the sur
face.
Such persons, anyone might
think, ought to count their
blessings, as the saying has
it, and not shower grudges on
others.
To be healthy, ought to
mean the same thing as to
be happy; unfortunately, too
often the two are not the
same.
The healthy young person,
in particular, must take stock
in time, and resolve never to
be discourteous Just out Of
thoughtlessness or careless
ness.
If he snubs somebody, let
him be sure that the other
deserves it!
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Lawyers as Interns

1Qere are numDer OF advantages
in the unique legal internship" pro-
gram to be sponsored by the Georgetown
University Graduate Law School under
an anonymous $57, 900 donation recently
announced. In addition to giving the
young interns valuable experience in
courtroom proceedings, the courts will
have a new source of lawyers for ap-
pointment in INDECENT cases and the
INDECENT defendants themselves will be
assured of adequate legal help.
The idea of adapting to the legal
profession the internship system used so
successfully in medicine occurred some
months ago to United States Attorney
Oliver Gasch Concerned with the prob
lem of better methods for providing
legal aid to defendants unable to pay
for counsel, Mr.. Gasch discussed with
several of the judges and others the pos
sibility of combining lawyer training
program with defender system. The
discussions aroused the interest of a
man familiar with court problems here.
He decided to grant enough money to
launch pilot" plan at Georgetown,
under which ten law graduates will be
selected from various top law schools
here and elsewhere for special training
to prepare them for court assignments.
The course will lead to new master of
trial advocacy" degree. Only law gradu-
ates who are members of the District or
other bars will be eligible for the fellow
ships, named by the donor in honor of
Chief Judge Prettyman of the u S. Court
Of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Judges of the local courts are watch
ing the program with interest and have
promised their cooperation. The young
lawyers will augment the regular panel
Of lawyers now being assigned to indi-
gent cases. So far as is known here, no
other city has undertaken such a pro-
gram, but numerous inquiries have been
received from out-of-town educators
and lawyers. George Washington Uni
versity already is seeking grant from a
foundation or other source with view
to setting up similar training course in
its graduate law school. Thus, it may
develop that Washington is pioneering
plan that eventually will become well
established on a national scale. The
Importance of the local pilot project is
self-evident.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
No Missile Mess

Lieut.. Gen. Bernard SchrieverS
latest testimony constitutes a timely
and, one may hope, useful rebuke to
the more extravagant critics Of our
missile program.
Development Command told House
committee that he "very greatly" re-
SentS loose talk about missile mess"
The scientific fraternity and industry,
, he said, have done a remarkable job"
getting US where we are today. The
Thor, he pointed out, is operational and
Is now stationed in the United King
dom, while the Atlas became operational
last September-a year or two ahead
Of the expected schedule.
These are very considerable achieve
ments. General Schriever, in citing
them, was not indicating that he is
satisfied. He said his personal view is
that we should have made timely
decision to put more missiles in inven-
tory, but that it is too late now, be-
cause Of the lead time factor, to get
more missiles in 1861. He also teSti-
fed that he thinks there should be- an
acceleration of efforts to improve our
early warning position in event Of a
missile attack.
What he objects to are public criti-
ciSms which emphasize the negative
and ignore the positive. In short, his
intention, we suspect, was to rebuke
those whose statements have been tai
lored to catch headlines rather than to
present a fair and balanced criticism
of our missile position. The need for a
comment of this sort from one in a
position to know what he is talking
about had become quite obvious.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Looks to 'Spires'

I understand that DR..
Frederick Brown Harris COL
umn. Spires Of the Spirit"
is going on its thirteenth
year. 1t is fortunate for your
paper-and its readers-that
you have such a decidedly
worthwhile column, in such a
prominent position, that one
can turn to week after week.
Esther McCrosson,
Evening star., 1960-02-08

court the more lenient its
decisions.
Consider what this must
mean to law enforcement in
general-and to potential
criminals. First, take the
prosecutor: He laboriously
prepares his case; he presents
his facts, his witnesses; he
works hard and long to do
his duty. If he is fortunate
enough to obtain a conviction
and a just sentence, he is
faced with appeal after ap-
peal and, very often, sees his
work go down the drain when
a higher court either turns
the criminal loose or re-
turns the case for retrial
with the clear implication
that the sentence is too
severe. After a few such ex-
periences and with observa-
ton of what is occurring in
similar cases every day, what
sort of man, no matter how
dedicated, can prevent a feel
ing of futility and a degree
Of cynicism from creeping
into his attitude to his Job?
What usually happens is
that the prosecutor, no matter
how much he believes in the
guilt of the accused, no mat
ter how strong and conclusive
the evidence in his possession,
is aware that justice as de-
fined by our courts is a whim-
sical thing. He has two
choices: he can demand the
punishment the crime de-
serves and risk the very real
chance that higher authority
will recoil from inflicting it,
Evening star., 1960-02-08

represented at Annapolis. It is gratify-
ing, therefore, that Governor Tawes has
asked the Legislature to pass a reappor-
tionment bill that would correct such
inequities.
Because Of strong opposition from
rural Legislators, however, it will take
lot Of pressure from the Tawes admin
istration to give the proposal a fair
chance Of enactment at the current
short session. The country boys" do
not relish the idea of urbanized coun-
ties cutting in on their power and pres
tige in the Assembly. And some "city
boys" in Baltimore may join their rural
colleagues in opposing the reappor-
tionment plan unless more delegates
are assigned to the City of Baltimore.
The reapportionment proposed by a
gubernatorial commission would leave
the Baltimore delegation at its present
strength unless the city is redistricted-
a move resisted by the city delegation.
Perhaps the reapportionment prob
lem is too controversial and too complex
to be settled at any short session of the
Legislature. In fairness to the growing
counties, however, the problem ought to
be faced up to at the earliest feasible
date.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Crime Marches On

Joseph G. Weeda, chair
man of the annual Mothers
March of Dimes, congratu-
lated Police Chief Murray
foc protection given women
participating in the march.
saying mot a single instance
of molestation" was reported
the night of January %,
when additional policemen
patroled the streets.
Then Mr.. Weeda draws
the amazing conclusion that
lack Of any molestation is
sufficient to refute COM
plants that Washington is
a lawless city after dark and
that any untoward incident
which does on occasion occur
is a rare exception rather
than the rule"
Surely Mr.. Weeda reads
the papers and knows of the
purse snatchings, rapings,
housebreakings and murders
that have become far too
Evening star., 1960-02-08
That's 'SpecioF?

Regarding Post ONCE de-
liveries in the Metropolitan
Area. it is bewildering
and maddening to pay 30
cents for special delivery"
and have the letter arrive at
its destination much later
than regular mail. A letter
from my mother was mailed
from Arlington to my home
in Washington at 1890 am.
It did not leave Arlington
until z pm. Special delivery,
mind you. 1t arrived at the
District Of Columbia at II
pm. the same day. I got it
at $3.50 am. the next day,
after the regular mailman
had made his delivery.
Ethel M. Spell.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Commendotion

/ thoroughly enjoyed the
article by Robert j. Lewis,
your real estate editor, on
January II on the subject Of
restoring neighborhoods.
Mr.. Lewis knows this sub
ject thoroughly and it is a
very timely one. 1t would be
a fine thing If Mr.. Lewis
excellent writing encouraged
more citizens to act on their
own initiative, rather than
depending on some form of
Government assistance.
Congratulations on a Job
well done, and I hope there
will be more articles along
this line forthcoming.
Malcolm Price.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Not Enough Voice

1t has been apparent for some years
that the thickly settled Maryland coun-
ties near Washington have not been
given the voice in their legislative affairs
to which their population entities them.
Some counties with much smaller num-
bers OF voters have delegations in the
General Assembly as large as those
from areas which have undergone heavy
growth since their legislative repre-
sentation was fixed. Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties are outstand-
ing examples of counties that are under
Evening star., 1960-02-08

or he can allow the accused
to cop q plea; that is,
plead guilty to a lesser crime
than he committed. In this
way some punishment may
be insured-but not always.
And the police? Is there
any reason for them to give
their lives, plunge their
families into misery and
grief, to support a society
that supinely allows a too
lenient judiciary to mock
their sacrifices?
This whole sorry mess has
its roots IN superstition
that has gradually taken over
the whole country. The
higher judiciary is sacro-
sanct. 1t must not be at
tackled; it must not be crit
icized. 1t is omnipotent. Who
are these demigods? Largely
they are political appointees
placed in their posi- lions to
satisfy certain blocs of voters.
In many cases they have
little knowledge Of the law;
in many more cases they
lack that essential quality for
carrying out their duties
plain CUTS. AS judges they
seem to have adopted for
their motto: Judge not lest
ye be judged" Their great
obsession is the sanctity Of
human life; that is, the life
they must pass judgment on
not the life the murderer
took; not the lives the rapist
despoiled. They fold their
hands, sit back, and say: $50
what? He killed the man"
Joseph L. Wrenn.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Passes Stern Jud dgment on Lenient Courts

Compare two recent SEN
tences passed by two judges
on individuals previously
convicted Of destruction of
District property.
The first case: A 38-year-
old woman was given a As
day sentence when a judge
learned she had torn up a
dress worth 81 belonging to
the District government. The
, second case: A 34-year-old
laborer received a 9-to-28
year '(3,285-to-10,220 day.
jail term for the fatal shoot
ing of a policeman in an
alley chase here last May.
On this scale Of values, set
by these gentlemen of the
bench, the policeman's life
was worth from $73 to 1927
to the community. What 1t
was worth to himself, to his
family, friends, evidently is
not the concern Of the
judiciary.
How many seriously reflect
on the results of this per-
verted reasoning of the ju-
dietary? Look back over the
sentences imposed during
recent years for crimes of
violence; the reversal of
severe sentences by the
higher courts; the turning
loose Of patiently vicious kill
ers and rapists on technical
tiles to prey again on the
legitimate society Of the
community; the reduction of
sentences to a degree where
punishment is merely a token
Of the displeasure Of the
court. And the higher the
Evening star., 1960-02-08
WSTAS IN SCIENCE
Fitting Men to Army Assignments
By THOMAS R. HENRY

Can soldiers be picked with
q tape measure and bath
room scales?
Possibilities Of going some
way, at least, in this direc-
ton are suggested by the late
DR.. Earnest A. Hooton Of Har-
ward in q report Of an an
thropometric survey of about
$4,000 soldiers.
The report has been re-
leased by the Quartermaster
Corps for which the survey
was conducted.
Men Of the 1S body types
which he found have all met
enlistment or draft physical
requirements, yet the study
shows that they vary greatly
In abilities along various
lines.
They have" he says, "dif-
ferent capacities in strength,
endurance, agility and motor
coordination. The evidence
suggests that men Of diverse
body types are likely also
to differ radically in tenn
perament and in psychology
in general"
At present, he points out,
soldiers tend eventually to
"gravitate" into the lines for
which they are best suited,
but often at enormous waste
Of time and effort which
might be avoided. It is now,
he says, "a process Of trial
and error by which men
untitled for certain duties,
physically and psychology
cally, tend to be unsuccessful
and are transferred elsewhere,
leaving the more At as sur
vivors.
I'VE must assume that. on
the whole. the marked tend
sncy we found toward body
build specialization in various
military functions are in the
direction of optimum utili-
zation Of personnel from the
point Of view of physique.
But these are merely drifts or
trends. They only suggest
the direction and nature Of
intelligent selective processes
that would operate toward a
full efficiency rather than one
Of 30 per cent or a little
more.
May Aid Assignments
we 90 not suggest that
optimum assignments can
ever be made on the basis Of
physical body type alone. But
we do suggest that many
obviously incorrect assign
ments may be rectified by the
findings Of the present sur
vey findings in regard to body
type and military function"
The Army has a lot of mis-
fits for any job, DR.. Hooton
found. These include men
80 poorly equipped in muscle
and In body structure, or so
softly obese. or so emaciated,
that it hardly can be i'm
agined that they are in any
way physically capable. Some
may develop with training,
but their potentialities for
improvement seem very poor.
Evening star., 1960-02-08

1T would seem necessary
to utilize them, If at all, in
duties requiring no muscular
strength and little physical
endurance. 1t should be noted
however. that the group may
include more highly INTEL
ligent and educated men than
those better equipped in mus
cularity."
Body types among men of
military age differ greatly
with the section Of the
United States they come
from.
This is an OUTSTANDING
conclusion from the same
anthropological survey by the
late DR.. Hooton.
1t was intended primarily
as a guide in placing orders
for uniforms and other
equipment. Some Of the
findings, however, may be Of
greater significance in as
signing men to Army duties,
DR.. Hooton held.
He classified the men into
lS distinct categories, rang
ing from short and slim to
tall and fat and from physi-
cally inadequate to athletes.
Body build distributions"
says DR.. Hooton's report,
vary remarkably according
to place Of birth.
"The highest percentage
Of the muscularly superior
and well-developed types
comes from the New England
district, with the Mountain
and Pacific districts rating
very high. The largest as
sortment of thin weak and
plump weak types comes
from the south Atlantic and
east south central districts,
with west south central a
little better and east north
central prolific of the less
muscular varieties"
Influenced by Ancestry
This is due in some part,
he points out, to national
ancestry. Soldiers born out
side the United States aver
aged, on the whole, Just be-
low native New Englanders,
regardless Of the section of
the country from which they
were recruited. New Eng
lands superiority, in fact, de-
pends on a disproportionate
number Of children Of immi-
grants, although the old
stock Yankees rated Just as
high, Says DR.. Hooton:
Variations in body build
are closely related to national
extraction. Old Americans
(both parents born in the
United States) British and
Irish tend to run to thin and
sub-medium body fat. They
tend to be low in fat and very
fat types. The Scandinavian
and Germanic extraction
groups stand together, with
slightly better (than aver
age) muscular development,
more fat and short to me-
dium types. less OF the
string beans"
Evening star., 1960-02-08
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

A reader is worried by per-
sons who fail to speak as they
pass by.
I'VE see it everywhere
around U.s." she states, land
it is one Of the changes that
is not good.
These people miss q lot
Of joy in their lives. for by
doing little kindnesses for
friends or neighbors they
could fill each day with glad
ness.
THE Golden Rule has gone
out Of style, along with the
great commandment on
showing love for one another.
There is no excuse for
this lackadaisical attitude in
strong, healthy people.
THE only ones excused
should be those who are i'll
or aging"
This writer plainly puts
aging in the class of ills, as
1t is.
Today the question of
growing old has been digni-
fed as a special branch Of
medicine.
It is called geriatrics.
Senescence, or growing old,
has long been an article in
the encyclopedias.
One Of them spoke of the
jolting people in cities re-
ceive when riding on public
transport.
1t is a good thing to note
that in the last two years the
people Of Washington and its
environs have been given
smoother-riding buses.
This ought to help us take
the bumps and jolts Of out
rageous fortune!
*#
Aging, truly, is a sort Of
disease, if failing Of normal
function can be called q
disease.
The unfortunate part OF it
all is that the subtle inner
changes come so quietly, in
some instances, that the
holder cannot detect them.
Neither can the best mod
ern instruments of the phys
icianS.
Cells no longer get their
proper quota of oxygen.
Inc intricate Vltamin COM
plex fails. here one place,
there another, through action
and reaction.
Just taking vitamins" may
or may not do any good.
The old man or old
wom ian appearance just
creeps in.
No amount of hair dressing
or hair coloring will change
this old look that nature has
ordained.
The passage Of time does
it, in some way as yet un-
known.
There is a chance, however,
that the ways of time and
nature, in combination, will
be known sometime.
Then, as st. Paul said in
another connection, the ply
scian shall see clearly,
whereas now he sees as
through darkness.
He gropes his way, but
Evening star., 1960-02-08

numerous for any such COM
placency. Is he not aware
that women are afraid to be
on the streets at night. afraid
to carry much money in their
purses, afraid to answer their
own doorbells?
If he did not know these
crimes were committed al
most daily here, why did he
enlist the added police pro-
lection?
M r SiluesfeH.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
I'm Not Sure Id Toke 1t If Offered!
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry tDriterS' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
sdtion.
Evening star., 1960-02-08
Answers to Questions
By THE HASKINS SERVICE

reader can get an answer. BY
mail, TO any question OF fact By
writing The Star Information Bu-
reau 635 ? street NV Washington
4. D C Please inclose return postage
or self-addressed stamped envelope
Evening star., 1960-10-23
W0shlagfoA, .. c.
oeisksr q. 1850

this week on the New York
Stock Exchange were: Ben
guet, up V at Ia on 439.20O
shares: Brunswick. on 4ss al
741a; Standard Oil New Jer-
sey), on / at 20; Dome Mines,
up 39z at 263s, and General
Telephone & Electronics. on
lss at ASA.