davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Billions for Space

In his latest congressional testi-
mony DR.. T. Keith Glennan, chief of
the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
miniStration, has not sugared the fiscal
pill Confirming earlier estimates, he has
made clear that his ageney'S long-range
operational program; ''if carried out with
consistency and determination, will in
volve the expenditure of at least $12 to
$l5 billion in the next decade" =.
What will this enormous amount of
money buy? Among other things, ac-
cording to DR.. Glennan, it will make
possible great featS of experimental
ton and exploration in space, including
Q spectacular new lunar shots, (2) the
orbiting of men around the earth within
the coming year, ~ deep interplane-
tary probes, with increasingly sophisti-
Gated vehicles, toward places like Mars
and Venus, and az scores of other prof.
ects preparing the way for round-trip
human flight to the moon and beyond,
perhaps in the early 1970s.
This prospect depends, of course, on
how fast we develop our superbooster
rocket systems. The heavy expenditures
enviSioned by NASA will be invested
largely in such projects as Saturn and
Nova. The expectation is that Saturn
a cluster of engines with a thrust of
1.5 million pounds-will become opera
tional before the end of 1854 and cancel
out RuSsia'S present marked superiority
in the power of its launching vehicles.
AS for Nova, whose planned thrust
capacity ranges up to as much as II mil
lion pounds, it probably will be available
we'll before the end of the decade, and
it will open the way to breath-taking
ventures in space.
More than few earthbound Amer
lean taxpayers, however, are still some
what Skeptical about the practical value
OF such ventures, and so they question
NASA'S readiness to spend billions and
billions. How are they to be answered?
Well, wholly apart from the intellectual
compulsions that now drive man to move
higher and higher into the high heavens,
it seems clear that our country can be
niggardly in this field only at the risk of
being completely and forever outclassed
by RUSSIA gamble that could have the
most fearful political, economic and
military consequences.
So NASAs program, expensive
though it is, makes sense enough to be
pursued with the utmost vigor in the
spirit of these words from 1858 report
to the President: Scientific research, of
course, has never been amenable to rig
orous cost accounting in advance.
But if we have learned one lesson, it is
that research and development have a
remarkable way of paying off. :. It is
in these terms that we must measure
the value of launching satellites and
sending rockets into space"
In sum, we cannot travel to the stars
on penny -pinching basis, as if we were
young honeymooners admirably deter
mined to save as much money as posi-
BILE on our never-to-b -be-forgotten trip to
Bermuda. Quite obviously, as far as the
high heavens are concerned, it would be
foolhardy of us to stay in tourist class
while the Russians are up there flexing
their muscles on the promenade deck
Evening star., 1960-04-04

I read with real distress the
remarks Of Edward Mills, jr.,
recently nominated as a
member of the Federal Com
munications Commission.
Though he has lived over
half a century. and presum-
ably seen much of the world,
he admits that he is horrif1ed
by what he and his 10 and
IL year old daughters see on
televiSion. Yet he sees no
need to restrict their viewing
He is lax in his duty to his
children if he refuses to safe
guard their senSibilities until
they have reached an age
when they no longer need his
guidance. If he has not the
proper regard for his own
children's needs, how can he
possibly be expected to be
concerned with my needs or
my children's?
Eleanor r. Leet.
Churchton, Md.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Berotes BroyhW

Representative Broyhill's at
titude toward elected repre-
sentative government is dis
couragingly clear.
He voted against statehood
for Alaska and Hawaii. He
opposed home rule for the
District of Columbia. He
voted against the House bill
for securing Negro voting
rights.
Opposition to extension of
suffrage is one of the issues
on which his position is clear.
He will do what he can to
see that there is no more of
it. This is the familiar po-
litical philosophy of the old
regime in Virginia which
finds perfect expression in
the poll tax. And this. of
course, is what we would ex-
pect from a member in good
standing of the Byrd machine
Republican. junior grade).
Mary A. Marshall.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Sherman Was There

The wheaton Plaza sec
tion of The Star for March
30 is an interesting addition
to the memorabilia I have
collected on the growth of
Wheaton during the past ten
years.
However, my hackles rose
at Theodore N. Lerner'S state
ment. "We (Mr. Gudelsky and
Mr.. Lerner) did all the active
work in the past years of
putting this together All
the administration, planning
and construction were the re-
sponsibility of Mr.. Gudelsky
and myself"
Nowhere in the marvellous
publicity which has been
given the Wheaton Plaza Re-
gional Shopping Center has
the name of Simon Sherman,
who might be considered the
father" of the plaza, been
mentioned.
1t was in 1853 or 1854 that
Mr.. Sherman and others OBJ
tained the plaza property. 1t
was under his administration
that the report or market
analysis of Proposed Whea-
ton Plaza Regional Shopping
Center" prepared by Fred w.
Tuemmler & Associates, was
made. 1t was during 81 Sher-
mans administration that the
zoning was obtained for the
huge center and I sus-
pect during his administra-
ton of operations that the
financing was arranged. On
several occasions, l recall, Mr..
Sherman visited such places
as Detroit, Chicago, and West
chester County N. Y, to see
the regional centers there in
order to get ideas and find
bugs" to be avoided in the
local center.
The basic (not f1nal) de-
sign, including the truck tun-
mel, was on view in the Whea-
ton Plaza Office for several
years prior to Mr.. Lerner's
entry on the scene.
The Wheaton Regional
Shopping Center Is a big
boost to Montgomery County
and those who have brought
it to the stage of a grand
opening are to be COM
mended: but let's give credit
where it is due:
Sherman was there!
Anna M. Marcus.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Citizens Response

The desire Of WaShingtonianS to
testify before the Celler subcommittee
this week on behalf of national voting
rights for the District is ample evidence
of the repugnance they feel for their
status as citizens without the rights of
citizenship.
In the face of continued failure,
public interest in most subjects even
tually wanes. During the long fight for
District suffrage-the right to vote for
President and Vice President and to
have representation in CongreSs-thiS
has not happened. For more than half
a century, District residents have seized
every opportunity to plead vigorously
with Congress for an end to the degra-
dation of diSfranchisement.
AS a result, of course, the cease" for
suffrage has been made many times.
Every argument for the necessity of a
constitutional amendment to end this
deprivation has been made and, over
the years, every argument against this
course has been discussed and demol-
iShed. 1t is well, therefore, that F. El-
wood Davis chairman of the Citizens
Joint Committee on National Represent
alton, has urged an orderly, concise"
presentation before the House Judi
ciary subcommittee this Wednesday and
Thursday. Nothing more is needed.
Testifying on similar bill in 1945,
Senator Jennings Randolph of West
Virginia, then chairman of the House
District Committee, expressed the opin-
ion that it is not really necessary to
sell" the suffrage case either to the
Nation or to most members of Congress.
The correctness of his prediction was
demonstrated last February 2, when the
Senate approved the grant of suffrage
on the first occasion it ever has had
to vote on it. =
5 On the House side, nevertheless, we
believe 1t is important that members
fully understand the deep meaning
which the right to vote has for District
residents. The enthusiasm expressed for
the forthcoming hearings by groups rep
reSenting some 100000 District resi-
dents, therefore, is highly gratifying.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Both Good, Too

I read with interest your
article in The Sunday Star
Magazine section Of March
81, which described a new
march, THE Washington
Star" written by Col. Howard
and T/Sergt. de Gastyne Of
the United States Air Force
Band and Orchestra, and
dedicated to The Washington
Star newspaper.
The Star is certainly de-
serving Of a new march in
its name, and this effort is to
be commended.
However. I would like to
call attention to the fact
that this march is at least
the second to be dedicated to
The Star. I refer to 1.-THE
Washington Evening Star"
march, composed and ded-
icated to your great paper
by my father, the late Capt.
William j. Stannard, while
he was leader of the United
States Army Band, here in
washington. This stirring
march has been played and
enjoyed by the public many
times during the past 80
years, the more momentous
of which includes a network
anniversary radio program
commemorating the goth an
niversary Of the first radio
broadcast of the United
States Army Band in June,
1913; and during the Presi-
dental Inaugural Parade of
1888.
So I would say that The
Evening Star is particularly
honored in having two great
marches named for it.
William H. Stannard.
-
Personally, I believe the
march by Col. Howard should
be renamed. When we read
Of or hear "The Washington
Star March" 1t will always be
associated with the late Capt.
Stannard, who was well
known in musical circles, not
only here, but throughout the
country and abroad.
Grace F. HiehIe.
editors note: 1t was The
Stars intent to refer to the
Washington Evening Star
March," written and copy
righted in 1924 by the late
Capt. w. ]. Stannard, the
distinguished leader of the
United States Army Band.
BY an inadvertence this ref
erence was omitted from the
article describing the new
march, "The Washington
Star" by Col. George How
ard and T/Sergt. de Gastyne
of the United States Air
Force Band and Orchestra.
The Star is highly compli-
mented by both marches and
regrets that mention was not
made Of the old one in well
coming the new one.)
Evening star., 1960-04-04
CIorificotion

The League Of Women
Voters of Prince Georges
County appreciates the COW
erage The Star gives to
events in our county and
realizes the difficulties space
limitations impose on COM
plete reporting of local
events. However, we feel it
desirable that Qualification be
made of the Leagues posi-
tion on park land acquisition
as reported in The Star of
March %.
In its proposed budget for
the current and next fiscal
years, the Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning
Commission has presented
detailed plans for expendi-
lures of nearly 81 million for
land acquisition. These ex-
cellent plans are, however,
wholly dependent on an au-
thorized bond issue of $40O,-
600 plus an as yet unauthor-
lied $500, 900 bond issue. To-
gether these sums make up
the bond issue authorization
requested by the Board of
County Commissioners of
the 1859. legislative session
and enthusiastically support
ed by county residents at that
time. None of these funds
are as yet available for park
land purchase. In addition,
it now seems probable that
money for the highly de-
sirable Woodrow Wilson Me-
mortal Bridge Park will be
taken from the 100000
bond issue already author
lied. If the sum is deducted
from the SIT allotted to the
Metropolitan District, less
than $4,000 will remain for
land acquisition in this
densely populated area.
1t was with this in mind
that our organization re-
quested that the Planning
Commission consider posi-
BILE Stop-gap measures to
make funds available for
land purchase within the
Metropolitan District. Alter
natives suggested were a
bond issue by the commits
sion itself, financed from
present income. or possibly a
temporary park tax in
crease.
Spiraling land costs in
Prince Georges County re-
quire drastic action now if
the Maryland-National Cap
ital Park and Planning Com
missions program is to be
carried out. Action by the
legislative delegation in 1861,
followed by the problems Of
bond issuance by the Board
of County Commissioners, is
too far in the future to be
considered an adequate sub
stitute for a current land ac-
QUESTION program.
Ruth Wolf,
President, League of Wom-
en- Voters, Prince Georges
County, Md.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Frank Abused?

You have recently editori-
allied on the need for a post
al rate increase since, as you
point out. the postal service
should be self-sufhcient and
not subsidized by the tax
payers.
We feel that you have
overlooked a part of the
postal service the taxpayer
would continue to subsidize
no matter how the postal
rates went. We refer to
franked mail.
We recognize the necessity
for such type of mail but
also feel that it is abused.
Virtually every voter has
been exposed to election-year
propaganda from members
Of Congress running for re-
election. Virtually every voter
has been exposed to similar
types Of propaganda mailed
under the franking privilege
in the form of reprints from
the Congressional Record,
but we herewith inclose what
we believe to be the ultimate
in the misuse of franked
mail. You will notice that it
is a solicitation for a sub
scription to a publication
called Americas, publishd by
the Pan American Union.
This publication may very
well serve the laudable pur-
pose of keeping the citizens
OF the various member coun-
tries better informed con-
corning their neighbors, but
we do not think that it is
something which should be
mailed at taxpayers expense.
We believe that since your
paper believes so strongly
in a postal rate increase,
1t would serve a good purpose
If it did a survey of ex-
actly how much mail is sent
Evening star., 1960-04-04
ANNANDALE, Va.

Dear Sir:
please tell us about the
bluebirds, which seem to be
scarce.
I'VE had one last winter,
but this year our desire to
have this little fellow around
has not been fulfilled. We
wonder why?
Perhaps he has not sur
vived, or it is possible he has
found a closer feeding place.
How many eggs does the
female lay, and where do they
nest? Does the male feed the
babies as does the redbird?
Can you tell us why the
bird is called the bluebird of
happiness? If he brings hap
piness, perhaps we might en-
courage him to visit every one
early and often.
I'VE never tire of your
column and we are telling
others about it.
Sincerely, T. E. F."
Two bluebirds have graced
our own yard in 80 years.
They flew in, one bright
spring day, fiirted around the
newly installed bird house
prepared for just them, and
then flew away.
They never showed up
again, nor, has any other
bluebird even flown over the
yard, as far as we know.
These wonderful creatures
are temperamental.
The pair in question spent
that entire glorious day pok-
ing their heads into the
house.
Either they didn't like it,
or did not care for the sight
Of two house cats in the
yard.
1t is best to put out the
bluebird house in January,
so that the human smell is
we'll blown off it.
This, however. is not essen
tial.
What is most important is
to be in a bluebird belt, as
we call it.
Evidently neither we nor
our correspondent is in such
a belt.
They usually occur where
there is a fine new growth
of young trees, even saplings,
which these birds prefer.
If there is a stand of such
young trees, the bluebirds will
come for miles.
The nest is built in shrub
If no man-made houses are
put out for them, but the
birds prefer the latter. There
are three eggs, and the male
helps with the feeding.
The door must be tust the
right size. and the house is
best placed, according to ex-
perts, not more than four feet
from the ground. on a firm
support. and faced south.
The low placing, while it
may make the birds open
Evening star., 1960-04-04

A method has been de-
veloped for growing temper
ate zone winter grains in the
tropics in less than a third
the usual required time.
This may go far toward
changing large tropical areas
into world granaries.
The method, which elm
mates altogether the need
for a period Of cold FOR the
grain, has just been an
nounced by the National
Science Foundation as an
outcome Of one of its spon-
Sored researches. AS yet it
applies specifically to winter
rye but. the foundation re-
port says, it probably is ap-
plicable to most other tenn
perate zone grain crops.
Grain is normally produced
by winter rye in eight
months. including a neces-
Sary cold spell at the start
Of six to eight weeks. 1t
has become a staple crop for
northern countries.
Ripens in ia Months
Under the new technique
1t ripenS in two and a half
months.
In the experiments, &C
cording to the report, "the
rye plants were grown in a
phytotron, a building in
which it was possible to con-
troll all tn e environmental
factors. When the plant S
were a month old and had
about 10 leaves each they
were sprayed with one of the
newly found plant growth
harmones, gibberelin.
This spray eliminated the
need for the prolonged cold
period required by nature for
the production of winter
grains. 1t is believed that
during the cold period the
plants normally secrete and
accumulate the hormones
necessary for growth and
Towering"
Operation Sterility in the
South Pacific Joint drive
by Department of Agriculture
and Navy to eliminate the
worst pests of the region by a
a new and paradoxic a
method-soon will be under
way.
The Scene will be small
isola tie d islands in the
United States Trust Terri
tory. and the foes the Orien-
tai fruit fly and the melon
fly-both h responsible for
losses running into millions
a year.
Male fruit flies, sterilized
by radiation will be dropped
from Navy planes on the
small island of Rota in the
Marianas at a rate of about
2 million a week and steri-
lized male melon flies at
about l million weekly. The
operation will continue for
at least a year.
The theory is that the vast
numbers of sterile males will
swamp out the native fertile
males, with the result that
most Of the eggs laid by the
females will not hatch and
the races rapidly will become
extinct.
The method has proved
Evening star., 1960-04-04
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Winter Grain Grown in Tropics
By THOMAS R. HENRY

highly efficient in the last
few years in eliminating
screw worms in Florida,
Georgia and Alabama. Agri-
culture Department entomol-
ogists believe that it probably
will be equally successful
with the Pacific pests.
Rota has an area of about
80 square miles and is 80
miles away from the next
nearest land. Guam. This is
beyond the distance Of the
pest migrations.
Enormous numbers Of the
sterile males now are being
produced at laboratories in
Honolulu. Streamlined meth
DDS Of breeding and Steriliza-
ton are being used. Dosage
must be measured very accu-
rately to make a fly sterile
but not interfere with its
normal mating habits.
On islands in the small
Bonin Archipelago tests will
be made of the efficacy of
dropping a sterility causing
chemical which may elimi-
nate the need Of laboratory
rearing. AS stated in a De-
partment of Agriculture re-
port:
"a chemical causing steril-
ity Of the natural population
could be used without the
difficulties encountered in
using males made sterile by
radiation. and would be more
effective than insecticides.
War by Sterility
For example, in a popula-
tion of a million insects null
tiplying five times in each
generation, an inSecticide that
kills 80 per cent in each gen.
Grafton would leave l25,000
still alive after the third gen.
Grafton. But a chemical that
would produce 80 per cent
sterility without affecting SEX
ual behavior would leave only
125 alive.
THE adverse effects on
longevity and mating vigor
caused by sterility-producing
radioactive rays on certain
multiple = mating insec S
makes it necessary to release
about 900 sterile males to re-
duce a natural population of
100 insects per acre by rs
per cent.
"a third method suggested
breeding defective insects
would produce insects and
progeny that could not sur
vive. For example, the in
ability of the boil weevil to
fly would not interfere with
its production in the lab
oratory nor with it's mating
when released in cotton fields
but it would lead to the
death of all progeny so af-
fected because they could not
fly to Information areas in
the fall nor to cotton fields
in the spring"
The inundated Pacific is
lands will be made test areas
for the various proposed
methods in the Forthcoming
operation.
Islands also will be strewn
with bug poisons-the clas-
sical way of destroying in
sects-which now is not re-
garded as very effective.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

to prowling animals, deters
common sparrowS. The latter
are held by some to be
greater enemies of bluebirdS
than anything else.
1t is also felt that a guam
tity of starlings or other
large birds in a neighbor-
hood will make the sensitive
bluebirds stay away.
-
The idea of linking this
beautiful bird with happiness
is a natural one. we think.
A nurse once wrote a song
about the "bluebird of hap
piness." and ever since
people have linked the two
ideas.
Surely it is impossible to
look at this beauty without
being happy.
Something OF the same
thing occurs in the mating
OF the chickadee with the
idea Of cheerfulness.
Here again, it is easy to
link the bird with the quality.
Here again. the cheerful
chickadee idea came origi-
nally, perhaps, from a pretty
little song. in Snow White"
= y
"MARTINSBURG, W. Va.
Dear Sir:
Il read your articles daily
and I notice very often you
will write about oddities, also
answer foolish questions such
as the other day: Does a dog
sing?
Il perhaps am asking a
foolish question, so here goes:
Am at loss as to the ac-
tions of a beautiful male
cardinal that for months has
been pecking at my picture
window in my living room.
when I draw the drapes
closed, he stops. Result, I
am practically living in the
dark. I put out food for him
on the opposite side of the
house. where he gets it.
Can you explain his &C
tions, or is the saying true,
a bird brain?
Very truly yours, H.F."
Birds have enough brains
for all the practical purposes
Of their lives. In pecking at
a window, the bird thinks it
is seeing a rival, and is really
training itself for spring and
summer activities. Not a bad
idea, really, and as close as
a bird will ever come to going
to college.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
As Others See Us

This is a copy of a note
I'm sending home while visit
ing here: tits hurry, hurry,
rush and run n/Where'er you
go in Washington. ! When
you get there what's in store?
/Just hurry. rush and run
some more. ! Some think
cocktails and cigarette smoke
/ Produce good laws, but
that's a joke. ! A law that's
worth the printed space I
Comes from a quiet, godly
place.
F. L. McReynolds,
GA little man from the little
town of Brookston. IndO
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Luring Glen Echo

Congratulations on the
beautiful color picture of
Glen Echo amusement park
on page one of The Star.
Let us hope that before long
Glen Echo will change its
policy and permit children
and adults of all races to
take advantage of its facil-
tiles. Richard A. Salem.
Evening star., 1960-04-04

@. How many of the worlds
people live chiefly on rice?-
P. c.
A. Some $50 million people
Of Asia, representing one
fourth of the worlds popu-
lation, depend on rice as the
major portion of their food.
Evening star., 1960-04-04

under the franking privilege
within a year. and just what
portion of it is composed of
what the average taxpayer
would consider necessary to
the operation of the Govern
ment. and the welfare Of the
people.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Sure They Want IT.

Israel has been given back
to the Jews. Now the Afri-
cans want Africa to belong
to them. When are we going
to return the United States
to the American Indian?
], BurriS.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used If
letters carry tDrtterS' correct
names and addresses. All
letters. are subject to con-
denSdtion.
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Answers to Questions
Rv THE HASKINS SERVICE

A 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 f-addreSsed stamped envelope
Evening star., 1960-04-04
Quality of TV

BARLEY H. Emerson.