davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Much Too 'HH'

. There are too many "ifs" in the
suggestion by Commissioner Mclaughlin
that 20-cent real estate tax boost as
well as 1-cent increase in the District
sales tax may be needed to carry the
city through the present fiscal year.
There is no longer question that
one of these increases is essential. When
Congress overrode the Presidents veto
of the 712 per cent classified pay raise
bill-making it virtually certain that
District teachers, police and f1remen also
will be granted similar pay raiSeS-about
$50 million was added to the burden of
local government. To meet this added
cost, the District can count on an esti-
mated surplus of about SIS million, and
although pay raises are the one instance
in which the District in a limited sense
is permitted to practice deficit financing,
1t would be mistake to do so. The local
budget should be in balance.
Granted, therefore, that further
taxation is necessary, what form shall
it take? Clearly, increases in both the
sales tax and the real estate tax are not
needed to cover the pay raises and, as
between the two, we favor the sales tax
The 1-cent increase would provide $63
million this year and SO million there
after, and would spread the load over
the population. 1t already has been ap-
proved by the House, furthermore, and
the Senate can complete action when
it returns in August.
In his Senate testimony last week,
however, Mr.. Mclaughlin suggested the
real estate tax boost as possible addi-
ton to the sales taX-not as an alterna-
tive for it, His basis was the expressed
hope that Congress in August may
authorize public works Improvements
which the city has urgently requested,
and that further revenues should be
available to pay for them. The House,
however, already has refused either to
authorize these projects or to provide
money for them. Surely this raises suffi-
cient doubt to forestall any precipitate
action on the real estate tax The works
program properly can be re-examined
by the Senate in August. If projects are
authorized, means will have to be found
at that time to pay for them.
The only pressure for early action
is concern about a September / dead
line on mailing District real estate tax
bills. But this is not a sufficient reason
to impose further burden on District
property owners before the expenditure
of the money even is authorized
Evening star., 1960-07-03
The Titon's Record

The Titan ICBM had a record of
six successful 5,000-mile firings until
last weeks failure. Despite this disap-
pointment, however, the mighty missile
probably has established itself as an i'm
portant weapon in the American arsenal.
There was time not so long ago when
repeated Titan failures had raised Sc
rious questions as to the advisability
OF spending any more money for the
program. But the scientists and tech
nicianS did not lose faith. Improvements
and refinementS were made and testing
was continued. Now the Air Force has
awarded contracts for Titan II, an ad-
vanced model that is expected to be
capable of delivering nuclear warhead
to target more than 5000 miles away
The new Titan, like its predecessor,
will be SO feet tall but it will have more
thrust and great accuracy in hitting
distant target. The more powerful lift
will be accomplished through use of
new fuel and redesigned rocket engines
The accuracy will be achieved through
installation of the So-called inertial
guidance system instead of the radio
guidance system now used in the tt
tans. The inertial system, already tested
successfully, cannot be jammed by an
enemy as is the case with the radio
method. Moreover, the self-contained
automatic pilot has the ability to cor
rect the missile in flight to Offset wind
or other influences.
Titan is scheduled to become OPP
irrational next year, under control of
the Strategic Air Command. Titan II
probably will not be ready to join SAC's
missile arsenal for another two years.
Meanwhile, research and development
are proceeding on even larger and more
deadly rockets. And 1t is a SOLDERING
thought that Soviet rocketeers undoubt-
edly are working feverishly to out-dis-
tance us in the grim ICBM race.
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Mr.. Truman Blasts Off

A political atomic bomb, we suppose,
could have produced bigger blast But
until such an atomic bomb comes along,
Harry Truman'S effort will do.
The record books will have to be
searched, and searched again, before
anything comparable to the former
Presidents press conference perform
ance will be found. To the Democratic
front-runner, Senator Kennedy, Mr..
Truman said: May I urge you to be
patient?" Senaor Kennedy, of course,
will be anything except patient. Never
theleSS, the Truman message gets
across. He thinks Senator Kennedy is
too young, too inexperienced, and that
he should wait while before emerging
as the candidate of the Democrats.
If not Kennedy, who is the Truman
choice? He spoke in warm terms of his
first love, Senator Symington. But he
also seemed to be saying that he didn't
think his fellow MiSSourian could make
it. Adlai Stevenson, in the formal Tru-
man statement, was given the silent
treatment. Among those receiving hon
orable mention were such as Chester
Bowles, Governors Meyner, Collins and
Freeman, and Senators Clark, Mccarthy,
Jackson and Gore.
Obviously, however, in the Truman
book, these were listed among the also
rams. Equally obvious, or so 1t seems
to us, the former Presidents real prefer
ence is for lone good man who deserves
serious consideration" other than
Senator Lyndon Johnson
Will Mr.. Truman be able to swing
the convention to the Majority Leader?
Considering the Kennedy lead, this may
be doubtful. But one shouldn't be toe
sure. Some delegates certainly will give
weight to Mr. Truman'S statement that
he is not going to Los Angeles as
delegate because he doesn't like fixed
convention" Some will respond to his
protest against preSSuring delegates.
Others may ponder his stated conviction
that it is necessary to alert both the
party land the voters" to the Importance
of nominating man who not only can
be elected but who can also measure
up to the responsibilities and the bur-
denS which the next President will have
to assume.
Answers to these and other obvious
questions are not readily forthcoming
while the reverberations from the explo-
sion of the Truman bomb are still ring
ing in ones ears. Three things, however,
are indisputably clear: The Kennedy
bandwagon has at least been slowed
down a bit. The Lyndon Johnson star
glows a little brighter. And the Demo-
cratic Party is right smack in the middle
of one of those blood-letting family
feuds for which it is justly famous.
Evening star., 1960-07-03
FROM THE STAR FILES. .

lndellcate expression, he
couldn't have been referring
to his employees. For some of
these were shrewd business
men themselves. One was
Leopold Kahn, a midget who
became something of a finan-
cial giant. Kahn was 7 when
the Snowman plucked him
from obScurity in San Fran
cisco in 1871 and made him a
circus celebrity. AS Admiral
Dot" Kahn divided honors
with that other mighty mite.
Tom Thumb. Fifty years ago,
Kahn had it made, big. The
Star of June 80, 1910, relayed
from New York: Admiral
Dot has disposed of the hotel
ne has conducted at White
Plains for the last 16 years
and is retiring with a COM
Portable fortune. 1t is esti-
mated that this dry land
admiral has accumulated
more than a quarter of a mil
lion dollars in the hotel busi-
ness and through real estate
transactions. He was with
Barnum for Is years and
afterward had the principal
role in the production OF
Gulliver's Travels. >"
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Capitol 'Jorqon'

According to a story in
The Star for June "a, Chair
man Cannon of the Appro-
priations Committee said
that he never considered any
speech by a member of Con-
gress as being Junk mail.
Since it is not considered
safe to stand before a can
non and argue. let us claSsi-
fy most speeches dispatched
by members of Congress to
their constituents as jar
gon. not junk.
Webster defines, among
other definitions, jargon as
"unintelligible language;
"chattering, warbling."
All right, Congressman
Cannon, pull the lanyard. !
have read some Capitol Hill
jargon and survived.
q r r
Evening star., 1960-07-03
rs Years Ago

There were fisticuffs on
Capitol Hill Is years ago as
a Senate committee started
investigating charges of NAL
administration against Gov.
Paul M. Pearson of the Vir-
gin Islands. The Star of July
2, 1885 said: "A fist fight oc-
CURED in the lobby of the
Senate Office Building to-
day. The combatants were
identified by Gov. Pearson as
Paul Yates, former admins
trative assistant to Pearson,
and Robert S. Allen, Wash
ington columnist. They were
taken to the Senate guard
room by Capitol police. No
charges were placed against
them. Witnesses said Yates
had a black eye after tan
Cling with Allen outside the
Senate caucus room. Allen
was the one who introduced
Yates to me when he first
came to the islands Gov.
Pearson said. Allen has been
boiling with rage ever since
because of some of the things
Yates did while under my
administration Allen is as
sociated with Gov. Pearson's
son, Drew. ."
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Spoon-Fed Citizens
o. S. Wood,
Col, Retired

We talk of medical inSur-
ance for the aged. The plans
before Congress are not in
surance. but plain old-fash-
ioned dole. Such a dole sys-
tenn will create more infla-
ton and further devaluate
the dollar. In the end no one
will benefit.
In this world. nothing is
free. If one person doesn't
pay for it, another one must!
The best way to help those
living on social security is to
keep the value Of the dollar
high. so that it has more
purchasing power.
The Government wants to
do everything for us these
days. Soon they will be feed
ing us with a spoon-but they
will charge us plenty for it.
Socialism is demoralizing.
1t destroys individual goals
and individual initiative. Aft
er Sweden turned to social
ism, the suicide rate tripled.
Socialism is not the answer.
Jean Bradley.
Baltimore, Md.
Evening star., 1960-07-03
100 Years Ago

Politics was the elixir Of
life to virile Americans a
century ago. This drama of
flesh and blood was far more
heady stuff than the big
tube and silver screen make
believe to come along later.
Normally temperate commu-
mites gulped it in great
draughts and grew giddy.
Torchlight parades were easy
to organize and ceremonial
cannon roared when lung
power was deemed made
quate to celebrate the for
tunes of a popular politician.
Long after the major parties
had selected standard bear
ers. telegraphed paragraphs
in The Star told how cities
and hamlets loudly demon
strated allegiance to this or
that candidate. The Capital
naturally had supporters of
Senator Stephen A. Douglas,
chosen to lead the divided
Democrats main wing. A
real blowout shaped up the
evening of July 3, 1860, when
Douglas clubs were alerted
to gather in front Of City
Hall lin Judiciary Square
facing John Marshall place.
to ratify their hero's nomi-
nation. But The Star re-
ported on July 5 (there was
no holiday paper): quite a
small number of persons
were present. The west wing
of the building had been
decorated in appropriate and
tasteful manner and bril-
liantly Illuminated by gas.
Over all, the words No Sc
cession' were spread in large
letters. First Ward
(delegates) arrived bearing
transparencies, on one of
which was inscribed: We'll
Maui the Rail-Splitter.' A
resolution adopted stated
The Democracy Of Wash
ington, now as ever, true to
principles and loyalty to
party, cordially indorses the
nomination of Stephen A.
Douglas for President and
Herschel V. johnson for Vice
President, and rallies around
them as their only hope
for the country and the
Union. ;" Editorially, this
paper viewed the affair as
a flop: The fact that Doug
lasism has already collapsed
-stillborn as it were-was
clearly proved by the abor-
ton Of a Douglas ratifica-
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Justice for AIR

The plea of j. Sam New
Kinney, jr.. for retired civil
servants (June 27, suggests
that our legislators In Con-
gress, who are sworn to sup
port the Constitution, might
very well, because of a pre-
amble clause, act at once "to
establish justice" for the
Governments own annui-
tants, rather than delay until
organized pressure compels.
For more than half a CEN
tury-even before there was
a Sunday Star-I have been
one of those of your readers
now referred to as receiving
an annuity Of comparative
ly) rs per cent less than that
Of those who have retired
since october /, 1861 COM
pleted nearly A years service
in 1948.
We who are among the
initial contributors to the
Civil Service Retirement
Fund and have helped to
build it up to its present sos
billion, merely seek Justice
for all'-for civilian as well
as for military retirees.
w II n
Evening star., 1960-07-03

tion meeting. Though rock
cts were let off in prolusion
and a fine band of mu-
sic was kept footing fer dear
life for two hours, a Suffi-
cient crowd to justify the
opening of the meeting -
some 300 men, women and
little boys-did not collect
until an hour after the ad-
vertised time. It) only
served to render more glar-
ingly apparent that this lat
itude is too far south for
Douglas phase of abolition
politics to flourish here. -
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Freedom From the 'WoIF

There will be little wailing over the
death of the resurrected Freedom
Wall" that ill-conceived stone memorial
which was planned for site adjoin-
ing Arlington National Cemetery. In
terror Secretary Seaton, while reaff1rm-
ing the administrations puzzling sup
port of the project, has conceded that
the shrine is gone gosling' as far
as this session of Congress is concerned.
We hope that it is gone for good. Walls
and freedom just don't seem to belong
together.
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Blue Law Puzzle

Virginias new "blue law" designed,
to ban Sunday sales of noneSSentials,
goes into effect today with mer-
chants, consumers and legal authorities
in a state of confusion. Arlington'S
Commonwealth Attorney, William ].
Hassan, has expressed puzzlement over
certain of the laws provisions and a
Richmond judge has issued temporary
injunction which tends to snarl enforce
ment plans throughout the State. All
of which makes it evident that instead
of clarifying the old Sunday-closing
statute, which had been found to be
virtually unenforceable, the 1860 Legis-
lature has only made the situation more
confusing than ever
The old law. which failed to specify
just what sort of necessities" could be
sold on Sunday, had been nullified, in
effect, by court decisions. So the Cen
eral Assembly, after long labor and
debate, wrote new law with plenty of
specifications and exceptions. Aimed
chiefly at supermarkets and chain drug
stores in urban areas, the law specifically
prohibits sale of jewelry, clothing, furni-
ture, electrical appliances, hardware,
automobiles, farm equipment and food
that has to be cooked before it is con-
sumed Cooked food, produce sold by
farmers at roadside stands and Smith
field hams, whether cooked or not, may
be sold at will. (The country boys" in
the Legislature insisted on exempting
the farm stands and VirginiaS famous
smoked hams from the laws crackdoWn.) J
However, many questions have
arisen in connection with efforts of mer-
chants and prosecutors to understand
all phases of the act. For example,
would it be illegal to sell eggs to Gus
toner who declares he intends to eat
them raw? Eggs do not have to be
cooked before eating, one legislator
pointed out upon passage of the legisla-
ton And how about meat for the raw
Evening star., 1960-07-03
by Way Of Contrast

I want to thank you for
the June 81 editorial by
Way of Contrast"
I have noted your previous
editorials on the subject of
equalization of the pay of re-
tired military personnel and
I assure you all officers, ac-
tive and retired, that 1 know
Of deeply appreciate your
continued efforts.
1t is regretted that the
Defense Department seems
so indifferent about it. The
President has said he favorS
the bill.
AS one of the second class
retired officers, l thank you
again for your help and in
fluence.
o. S. Wood,
Col, Retired
Evening star., 1960-07-03
CIoshinq Views


Your June Is editorial
praised congressional acquisi-
ton of the blocks south of the
Library of Congress because
this land is contiguous to the
Capitol. YOU also, in the same
editorial, threw in praise for
the East Mall. The flaws in
your reasoning about the ac-
QUESTION of the land south of
Independence avenue are
pointed out quite distinctly
by your real estate editor in
the same issue of The Star.
I hope you will read Mr..
Lewis comments.
Your editorial attitude to-
ward proposed land uses in
the District is almost uni
formly in favor of every pro-
position especially those sug-
gested by the National Capt.
tai Planning Commission. The
East Mall isn't contiguous to
anything, yet you praise it.
But how can you also praise
downtown redevelopment
when the East Mall proposes
to move downtown-type func-
tions out Of downtown, Great
ing an austere, sterile, inac-
cesSible strip-zone where bu-
reaucracy can study its own
navel?
On June 25 Mr.. Lewis de-
cried the lack of planning for
the environs of the Capitol.
On June 26 you lamented the
demise of Lafayette Square
due to lack Of planning for
the environs of the White
House. Can't you see at last
that, maybe due in part to
your editorial enthusiasm for
demolition, the NCPC has
been spending its time plan
ming to raZe Wisconsin ave-
nue., East Capitol street and
Foggy Bottom, rather than
actually plan constructive and
suitable settings for the two
important foci of the Gov
ernment?
The NCPC could have
saved Lafayette Square by
finding a compromise site for
the Court of Claims years
ago. The NCPC could have
made plans long ago for a
suitable shopping center on
Capitol Hill. The NCPC could
have saved Northwest Urban
Renewal by providing a work.
able and imaginative plan for
cleaning up the area. 1t has
not done any of these things.
The plan for Southwest Ur-
ban Renewal came from Mr.,
Zeckendorf. not from the
Planning Commission. An al
ternate site for the Court of
Claims came from GSA, not
the Planning Commission
The lack of plans for Capitol
Hill became apparent from
the Speaker of the House, not
from the Planning Commits
sion.
Yet The Star continues tc
pay editorial homage to the
NCPC. Peter Glickert.
Editors Note: Congress
not the NCPC, has jurisdic-
ton over Capitol Hill i'm
provements, and Congress, al
well, has refused to grant
NCPC requests for hearings
to clarity the East Mall situa.
ton. AS to the general effec-
tiveness of the NCPC, we have
strongly criticized its failing'
IN the past, and that is why
we have supported recent
moves to strengthen it's staff
and its statutory authority tt
act.)
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Riqhts and Wronqs

Speaking not as one Of the
IA Outraged Mothers" but
as one forbearing father. I
say that Glen Echo should
not be (racially) segregated
because such segregation is
wrong. The legal right of the
owners to practice segrega-
ton is not here questioned.
However, right does not
rest upon mere legalism.
Once human slavery was le-
gal in this country. 1t was
never right anywhere. Caesar
writes that among the Gauls
the law allowed a husband to
beat, sell, enslave or kill his
wife.
Right as distinguished from
wrong springs not from stat
ute books but from some
other fount. Does &C. L. D."
have the courage to search
for it?
J. w. Haywood, Jr.
Evening star., 1960-07-03
so Years AGO

After perhaps the greatest
build-up in boxing history,
fight fans suffered a great
let-doWn half a century ago.
Six years earlier Jim Jeffries
had retired undefeated as
heavyweight champion. Now
at 35 the popular Boiler
maker" was coming back
against Jack Johnson, 80,
who had claimed the title
by whipping Tommy Burns
in Australia in 1908. jeff
rieS trained hard for months
and oddS-makers had him a
2-to-l favorite at belltime in
Reno, New. July 4, 1910. Tex
Rickard, later to gain fame
and riches as a promoter,
was third man in the ring.
The Star "extraed" that day,
and it appeared most of the
local male population massed
at Eleventh street outside
the papers old building to
watch" the brawl. The
telegraphed round-by y-round
was flashed by a lighted con-
traption on The Stars fa-
cade. The result? johnson
was too much for Jeffries,
knocking him out in the 18th
round.
When P. T. Barnum COM
mented on the amazingly
rapid birthrate Of gullible
individuals, using a more
Evening star., 1960-07-03
Approach to History

The ignorance of alto
gether too many American
citizens when it comes to
talking intelligently about
politics can be traced to one
specific course in high school,
American history. At present
the 11th graders must sit
through a year centered on
seven or eight units Of study.
Why do teachers spend as
much as six weeks covering
the Civil War, and almost an
equal time with World War
I and II? Another lengthy
unit is the industrial revo-
luton.
A remedy for the current
method of covering the his
tory of our country is not
difficult. Consider the num-
ber of presidential admins
trations, and the number Of
weeks in a school year, and
you arrive at thirty-some. BY
covering the administration
of at least one President a
week, along with the political
background for each party,
one could not help but secure
a strong foundation for his
adult life. Foreign policy is
more important now than
ever before. Ask a student
today about Secretaries o1
State William Learned Marcy,
jeremiah Sullivan Black,
Daniel Webster, John Hay
Ito name a few significant
ones), and you receive a
blank look; yet ask this
same individual about Daniel
Boone, Jim Bowie. Davy
Crockett and the like, and
you receive an immediate and
correct response.
Wars are unimportant; the
student of history should
consider the causes and re-
suits. The causes of the wars
the United States has parti-
cipated in could be covered
thoroughly in less than 10
days. There is ample time to
include class skits, field trips,
research, oral reports, etc.
along with a close look at our
two-party system, using the
Presidents as 33 yardsticks to
measure the growth Of
American history, and no
longer will the number Of
non-voters be so astonishing.
John b. Fitzpatrick,
Teacher, Springbrook High
School, Montgomery Coun-
ty, Maryland.