davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Sidney herald., 1960-06-08

Twilight . and Lone Dot looms like a ghost town lost
in the mountains. Then, as the lights blink on, you
realize that rural electric lines have tied this isolated
speck on your map to jet-age America. Now you know
windows that turn this lonely road into Main Street.
Bringing electricity to Lone Dot, and other out-of-
way places, has been a modern-day miracle" Before
1895, most people in rural America couldn't get elec-
tricity, at least at a price they could afford.
Then came the Rural Identification Administration
Evening star., 1960-03-09
As Wages Go, So Go Fares

The inevitability of fare increase
has been evident since last November,
when the D. c. Transit System bowed to
demands of its employees for higher pay
and added fringe benefits. Transit PreSi-
dent o. Roy Chalk, in signing union
contract that would cost the company
Sc million over three-year period, made
1t very plain that the cost would be
passed on to the riding public. Now the
Public Utilities Commission has made
it ohdcial-although the burden will be
borne largely by nonregular transit
patrons.
The commission wisely has limited
the new 25-cent rate to cash fares. The
daily commuters still will be able to
ride anywhere in the District for 20
cents, by buying tokens at the rate of
five for dollar. Mr.. Chalk is not happy
with this concession to his regular GUS
toners But the compromise probably
will reduce the patronage loss which he
freely predicted would follow an across
the-board 25-cent fare. And If the re-
turns from the new rate do not come
up to estimates of the commission, the
company can always come back for a
further adjustment. However, P. U. C.
experts figure that the company will
make return of TIA per cent under
the tangible property valuation" rate
base formula that has prevailed in the
past and of Al per cent under a new
groSs-operating revenues base granted
to the company.
Efforts of the Public Utilities Com
mission to ease the impact of a fare
raise on the riders are commendable.
1t hopes to stabilize fares at least for
the duration of the present three-year
wage contract, which became effective
last November What happens after that
will depend on the next round of wage
negotiationS-usually held with strike
possibility in the background.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
ITS Alice Who Counts

Given the facts as reported, nobody
endowed with heart and common sense
can do anything other than deplore the
attitude of the New Jersey State Board
OF Child Welfare in the case of four
year-old Alice Marie. Since her infancy,
she has lived good and well-adjusted
life in the home of her foster parents.
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Combs, who have
shown every evidence that they cherish
her dearly. Yet the board, all of a sud-
oen, has decided that she belongs some
where else.
Why? Well, it seems that Alice
Marie-Whose happiness in her present
environment is conceded by those who
want to uproot her from it's a near
genius, whereas Mr.. and Mrs. Combs,
according to the boards oficious social
workers, appear to be more interested In
watching television than reading books.
Hence land 1t is hence not too easy
Evening star., 1960-03-09
HospitoI Furor

AS a resident of the Sill
yer Spring area, I feel i'm
PEELED to comment on the
current furor concerning
the proposed hospital to be
operated by the Holy Cross
Sisters.
The need for a hospital in
this densely populated and
growing suburb is quite OBJ
vious, despite the fact that
there are good hospitals not
too far distant. Oh, how that
distance grows In times Of
stress!
Faced with the need for
eme Urgency treatment of
broken bones, acute appendi-
citis, or other sudden Ills,
one can only be deeply CRATE
full for competent aid that
can be found quickly close
by.
I sincerely believe that
even the bigots and fanatics
among us. faced with an
emergency imperiling their
own lives. would give them
selves up gladly to the min
istrations of these dedicated
ladies. and no questions
asked.
Bebe X. PetrOu.
Evening star., 1960-03-09

to follow she ought to be placed in an
other home and given another mother
and father who prefer literature-such
as "Peyton Place." perhaps, or Lolita?
to TV programs like "GunSmoke" or
pro football games.
We find the reasoning behind this
too strained and complex for us. Mr..
Combs simple logic seems better by far.
AS he has put it, 1--WE love Alice just as
much as our own two girls. But I'm not
concerned with our own feelings. It's
Alice who counts in this argument" Yes,
it's she who counts, she and her happi-
infinitely more so than the book
ish or doctrinaire judgments of social
workers. We hope Mr.. and Mrs. Combs
succeed in keeping her within the bos-
ON Of their family.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
Sinister Havana

Secretary Herter'S sharp and solemn
lecture to the Cuban charge d'affaires,
and the Havana governments angry re-
action, leave no room for doubt that
relations between the United States and
Prime Minister Castro's regime are fast
approaching the breaking point. The last
straw has not yet been piled on, but it
has almost come with the Prime Min
iSter's extremely provocative" speech
implicitly accusing our Government of
responsibility for the recent tragic ex-
ploSion of a munitions ship in Havana
harbor Seldom has the big-lie technique
been reSorted to with baSer intent or
wilder abandon.
AS result, warning that such men,
dacity "can only contribute further to
the unhappy deterioration which has
occurred in the relations between our
two countries over the past year." Mr..
Herter has served notice that the United
States finds itself increasingly obliged
to question the good faith" of the Cas-
tro regimes avowed desire to arrive
at friendly settlement of differences
through honest negotiations. This is an
other way of saying, of course, that that
regime has been demonstrating so much
hostility toward our Nation, in so per-
siStent fashion, that there is little or
no reason to trust its word or believe
that it really wants to deal seriously and
sincerely with us.
Fidel CaStro's vicious inSinuations
regarding the Havana explosion conSti-
tute only part Of the dismal picture.
Actually, for months past, in rising
crescendo, his propaganda machine-his
controlled press, radio and television-
has been ceaSeleSSly vilifying our coun-
try. In poisonously mendacious way,
while fulSomely singing the praises of
Cuba'S new agreements with the Soviet
Union, it has been outrageously distort-
ing the facts of history and depicting
the United States as a land guilty of all
sorts of villainieS, including even the
sinking of the LuSitania in 1915 and the
attack upon Pearl Harbor against it
self in 194l!
There is a method in all this SEEM
ing madness. There is plan behind it.
1t is not something that has developed
spontaneously; it has been put to work
Systematically, deliberately, under care
full direction; and its obvious purpose is
to make the Cuban people-with whom
we have had close and friendly ties over
many years-hate our country. The sin
lister implications of the situation are
too Self-evident to need elaboration. We
are up against an evil in Havana that
ought not to be underestimated.
Evening star., 1960-03-09

@. Was st. Louis made an
independent city before Balti-
more VAST. H.
A. No. st. Louis was made
a distinct and separate polit-
ical subdivision of the State
Of Missouri in 1876 by act Of
the Legislature which di-
vorced it from St. Louis
County. Baltimore was sep
arated from Baltimore Coun-
ty in 1852.
What is the difference be-
tween a farce and q comedy?
e. j.
A. A farce is q dramatic
piece of a broad character,
and the difference between 1t
and comedy proper is one Of
degree and not of kind. The
aim of both is to excite mirth
but while the comedy does
so by comparatively faithful
adherence to nature and
truth, the farce assumes a
much greater license and
may make use of any extra
vagance or improbability that
may serve its purpose.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
Boost for Kennedy

Not without reason, the political wise
men caution against reading too much
national significance into the results of
a single State primary. Nevertheless,
the New Hampshire primary certainly
establishes one significant fact-that
Senator John Kennedy has way with
the voters.
With the results tabulated in 260 Of
300 precincts, the young man from
Massachusetts, had polled 39,885 votes.
This means that he can expect to double
the vote cast for Estes Kefauver in 1856.
The Kennedy show of strength is the
more remarkable in view of the fact that
Vice President Nixon, with the Republi-
can ballots counted in 266 precincts, had
57,129 voteS-Somewhat more than the
total cast for President Eisenhower four
years ago. To state this another way,
the Kennedy showing cannot be ascribed
to weakness on the part of the Vice
President. MIR. Nixon did very well. 1t
is simply that thousands of additional
voters trooped to the polls through New
Hampshire snowStorm-and voted for
Senator Kennedy. ....
CHAPS II1C 41ISdIlulS1 ulIlGSS VI JIllS
can best be stated in terms of percent
ages. The Republican share of the total
vote in 1852 was n percent; in 1856 1t
was IS percent; yesterday it dropped to
SIS percent. Clearly, the Massachusetts,
Senator is on his way. And, barring
some disaster along the line of march,
1t is very difficult to see how he can be
denied the Democratic nomination-al-
ways assuming, of course, that the dele
gates in Los Angeles will want to put
forward their best vote -getter.
One other aspect of the New Hamp-
shire primary is noteworthy. On the
eve of the balloting, Governor Wesley
Powell, strong Nixon supporter. came
up with the preposterous charge that
Senator Kennedy is soft on communism.
The Vice President promptly repudiated
the accusation, and we hope this means
that nothing more will be heard of this
fantastically phony business.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
He Says He's Sorry

Democratic Chairman Paul Butler
is trying to eXtricate himself from his
foot-in-mouth performance at Worces-
ter, Massachusetts,, and he's not doing
very good job of it.
Appearing in a debate with Repub-
lican Senator Scott of Pennsylvania, Mr..
Butler, referring to the tragic plane
crash over Rio de Janeiro, told his Wor-
cester audience that "the President has
something to answer for to the wives
and children of the Navy men" who died
In the accident. What right has he to
take the Navy Band on trip around
the world?"
BY the following day Mr. Butler had
thought better OF this, or someone had
thought better for him.
The Democratic Chairman said he
had no intention of insinuating that the
President was responsible for the deaths
OF the men. What did he mean, then,
by saying that the President had some
thing to answer for to their wives and
children?
At this same recantation, Mr. Butler
said he was not blaming the President
for the decision that brought the Navy
Band to Brazil. What did he mean, then,
by asking what right the President had
to take the Navy Band on trip around
the world?
1t would have been better for Mr..
Butler, we think, if he had come forward
with an unhedged apology. After all,
there are few among us who haven't at
some time piped up when it would have
been better to pipe down. But at least
Mr.. Butler has indicated that he is sorry
which he certainly ought to be.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
Askino Too Much

Now that Saint Patrick's
Day is drawing near, I hope
that the terrible urge of en-
tertainers on TV and radio
to mimic the sweetest COL
lection Of sounds on earth,
the brogue, is stifled.
The spirit with which
America greets Saint Pat
rick's Day is endearing and
charming. Perhaps no race
on earth has been treated
with such warm affection
and humor as the Irish by
the Americans.
However, the sight Of an
entertainer tearing to bits
with great naivete our beau
tiful language, trying to dup
licate what he thinks is q
brogue. is a painful expert
ence.
AS a tribute to a really great
saint let us bury the stage
Irishman, Mother Machree
and that Wild Irish Rose.
Let us raise a gentle
slainte to Father O'Flynn,
the Bard of Armagh. the
Mistresses Molly Bawn and
Brannigan and to the en-
chantment Of Yeats. the
sweet. sad echoes Of Moore
and the gaiety of the authen-
tic Irish dance.
Peggie Crowley Masheter.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
Seconds Motion

We wish to add a vehe-
ment second to Everett H.
Woodward's suggestion con-
corning an inquiry into the
various aspects Of housing
in this area. In our opinion,
the amount filched from the
public in the prices and
charges for incidentals in
home buying would make
the used-car scandal seem
puny in comparison.
What is a developers re-
sponsibility? What can be
done about deceptive ap-
pearances in building? What
exactly does a builders war
ranty imply? Assuming that
the real estate agent acts
always in favor of the seller,
who protects the interest of
the buyer? Why is there so
much apparent disparity in
FILA appraisals? Finding an
swers to these questions and
others would be a real chal-
lenge. Zeno Birdwell.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
One Vote for Witwer

If Republicans in Illinois do not
mind a political Endorsement from out
of State, here is one for Samuel w. Wit
wer, candidate for the G. o. P. senatorial
nomination. Mr.. Witwer appeals on the
basis Of recent handout.
Last night" he said, II didn't do
a darned thing. I made no speeches.
issued no statements. called no politi-
clans and shook no hands. I kissed no
babies, just my wife and two kids at bed
time. I was asleep by o'clock. 1t was
wonderful"
Mr.. Witwer sounds as though he
may be just what is needed on Capt.
tol Hill-a relaxed and well rested man
with sense of humor
Evening star., 1960-03-09
WSTAS IN SCIENCE
By THOMAS R. HENRY
Nature of Eorth's Atmosphere

from the sun and earth, and
from the object itself into
outer space, are predominant
in controlling its tempera.
ture. The amount of heat it
gets from the high atmos-
phere itself is inconsequen-
tial. A thermometer would
not register anything, so far
as the surrounding atmos-
phere was concerned.
The higher one goes the
greater the number Of rarti-
cles from outer space, me-
teors, likely to be encoun-
tered. These are progressively
burned up by air friction the
lower they fall into denser
air. They move, it is calcu-
lated, at velocities of about
100000 miles an hour.
Data accumulated to date
indicates, says DR.. Newell,
that a space vehicle on the
edge Of the atmosphere would
be hit by one of these about
once every 10 seconds. Most
would be so minute, how
ever, that a craft would en-
counter one big enough to
pierce its shell only about
once a year The vast ma
jority, he points out, are SUBJ
microscopically minute.
One of the deepest spots
in the world seas-well over
f1ve miles-has just been dis
covered in the Indian Ocean
by an Australian exploring
ship.
This is announced through
the Australian Embassy here.
This spot, named the Dia-
mantina Deep after the Aus
tralian survey ship from
which the discovery was
made, is located $40 miles
west of Cape Leeuwin. the
southwest corner of western
Australia. 1t is the greatest
depth yet found in the In
dian Ocean. about a mile
deeper than the 3,8O0-fathoml
Sunda Deep of Java. It
reaches, according to the an
nouncement, a total depth Of
26.400 feet.
One Of Deepest Sea Holes
The sonic depth finders on
the Diamantina showed an
initial descent from about
$4,000 to 20,400 feet in two
minutes sailing time. The
bottom then plunged abruptly
to 26,400 feet.
This is probably deeper
than any sea hole in the West
ern Hemisphere, although
still falling short of the 34,-
OO0-foot Mindanao Deep
near the Philippines or the
more northerly Emden Deep.
With the present Quitting
Of the Diamantina and a sis
ter Australian Navy survey
ship, according to the report,
Australia now ranks fifth
among the nations in deep
sea research. Both ships will
continue their depth surveys
Of the Indian Ocean.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
Ship to Air

OOLlSlQeTdDl6 lulldDdlOO mas
resulted over the Air Force
manual mania, but a much
more serious problem is the
Air Forces high sensitivity to
criticism.
The Air Force already has
tremendous power-economic
and political, as well as mil
itary, thanks to its $18-bil-
lion-a-year budget-and be-
cause of its unique, Siamese-
twin partnership with the
aircraft industry, Americas
biggest in terms of both total
labor force and dollar volume
Of business.
The aircraft industry is
more than 80 per cent de-
pendent on Government or
ders. The great bulk of these
come from the Air Force.
The aircraft industry boasts
some of the best paid and
most talented publicists and
public relations experts In
the country. Presumably,
these image-makers are at
the disposal of the Air Force.
Certainly. what is good for
the Air Force has been good
for the industry.
1t should make any real
Democrat shudder to think
what might happen IL the
armed forces were merged
into a single service under
the command of a single
chief. This is what the Air
Force desperately desires be-
cause it is convinced it would
take control-of roughly 2.5
million fighting men and
more than $40 billion a year.
OceanuS.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
ROCKVILLE, Md.
Dear Sir:

Dear Sir:
"Please tell me about
evening grosbeaks in this
area. Sunday afternoon two
males came to our bird
feeder. They stayed some
time and filled their stom-
achs well. I've been watching
for them to come back ever
since but they have not
returned.
Il couldn't find the bird in
my paperback Birds" by
Zim and Gabrielson. Not
knowing what they were. I
had to find a picture.
Such a bright, tropical
looking bird. with a bill like
a parrot, I couldn't miss
recognizing a picture.
II found the picture in our
little-used American Birds
in Color" by Harrison. Then
! read further in the ency-
clopedia. It said they are
birds of the Western United
States from Canada to
California.
so please tell me, are they
often seen here, and is there
a chance that they will re-
turn? There could be no mis-
take on my part as to what
they were.
Very truly yours, M. p"
Much has been said here,
during the past six years or
so, about the evening gros-
beakS.
Only recently we answered
the query of one reader, who
wanted to know why the bird
is called evening" grosbeak,
when she never saw it except
in the morning.
This title came from a mis-
take in the old days, when
people thought It sang only
in the evening.
The grosbeaks had been
reported here many years ago,
and then there was q hiatus
for many years.
Then, one fine day, they ap-
peared here again, and have
come every winter since. They
stay only for a time, then
wing on their way. Often they
are accompanied by flocks of
cedar waxwings, fine little
fellows in their own right.
The colorful grosbeaks are
quite unlike any other bird
that comes here, though in
color they somewhat reSem-
BILE two others.
= So
What interested us about
the above letter was the way
our correspondent found the
bird she sought.
This is one way Of identi-
flying a bird, and a good one,
provided the researcher is
familiar with the book used,
and is not color blind.
We will not forget an
earnest bird lover who came
in one day to get a bird
identified.
He said he had seen an
orange bird, as he called it.
Now. birds of that color
are not seen too often. AS a
matter of fact, the very term,
Orange" is susceptible Of
many variations.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
Off the Cuff

I have been asked to draw
aside the curtain for a
sneaky peep into the charac-
ter Of that mythical figure
the maitre d..
In almost 80 years of hotel
life in nearly 20 different
countries, it has been my du-
bious pleasure to rub should
ers with kindly kings. pleased
presidents, displaced dicta-
tors. faded film stars, and
charming nonentities. The
veneered exterior of the
maitre d. is crust that
toughenS with age and ex-
perience and is adaptable to
princes and paupers alike
I have watched with
m a sked amusement the
habits of legion armies of
eaters, some screaming jack
ais. others velvet tongued
lap dogs. The best and the
worst of a person come out
when he is eating in a public
dining room, depending on
the quality of the service.
From the orchid Strewn
tables of Hawaiian luauS to
Pakistani tribesmen squat
ting on mud floors and tear
ing asunder young chickens
with their fingers. I nave
gazed with mixed feelings. I
have announced presidents
and paganS to jewelled
throngs, conducted a private
party for Liberace, and a
spectacular for the late Mike
Todd, and when they are all
over, and I hang up the bow
tie and silken jacket till the
morrow. I wonder what sort
OF mad world was born into,
where one minute 1 am a
father-confessor and the next
minute standing at the mead
Of a galley full Of slaves
welding a whip as in the
days of the Romans.
The meticulous care with
which I have prepared a beef
stroganoff over a dancing
flame, and the painstaking
care with which I have
chosen just the right vintage
to lace the dish, never be-
trays the holocaust that goes
on behind the kitchen door
where shouting walters are
fighting it out with sweating
cooks, under the eyes of a
frantic chef.
In Europe, where I was
born and trained for this dip
lomatic mission, I earned the
princely sum Of rs cents a
week. The 18-hour days in
the kitchen, and the weary
months in the vineyards all
add up to what is now the
maitre DIS password: How
do you like your steak?" God
bless America!
Rex Of the willard.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

We opened a bird book, and
let him leaf through. ...
Here it Isl" he cried, in
excitement.
His orange" bird was the
faithful cardinal, or redbird.
To him, the color was
orange. So he had, in one
sense, never seen a redbird,
and never WILL unless he
cures his color blindness.
1t is interesting to know
that a great improvement
can be made in color blind
ness.
Strides were made in its
"cure," if improvement can
be so called, during the war.
The evening grosbeaks will
not return this year.
They are on their way to
other nesting grounds.
But one look at them,
surely, ought to be enough.
The need for thorough
familiarity with ones own
bird book or books is shown
by the success of our cor
respondent in finding the
species sought.
1t is a question of care, we
believe, together with famili-
arity.
1t is pleasant to browse in
a bird book of many illus
trationS, Just as it is fun to
browse, as it is called, in a
bookstore.
One turns over the pages,
now and then. just to watch
the pictures go by, to note
the various colors, and forms,
as well as scientific and COM
mon names.
Bits OF information are
picked up, so by the end Of
a year or so, one has a work.
ing knowledge of the book,
so that when needed it is
not a strange affair, but
familiar territory.
Evening star., 1960-03-09
Sad Day in Court
There isn't any DC. tr

There isn't any DC. traffic
court! 1t is a police court!
Proceeding up Connecticut
Avenue, I entered the inter-
section at Albemarle Street
on a green light. A bus pulled
from the curb into my lane.
I couldn't pull around. I had
to come to a complete stop.
Then I went on. A motor
cycle policeman told me to
pull over. He said I went
through a red light. This
wasn't true because the light
was green when I entered.
and yellow when I left the
intersection.
Because I was a Maryland
resident, had to post COL
lateral. The policeman was
unhappy because he would
have to go to court on his
day of. Later, I talked to a
prominent lawyer who said
I didn't have a chance in
court, even though the po-
liceman had made a mistake.
I had a witness to prove my
story. / didn't believe the
lawyer. and went to court.
In court I got up to tell
what happened. After a few
words, the judge said, Five
dollars - that's ALL" He
didn't even give me a chance
to finish or to bring my
witness.
A court clerk told me, IF
you posted collateral. why
did you bother to come to
court? You don't have a
chance-no one is found not
guilty. The policeman is al
ways right"
District drivers aren't
treated this way in Maryland
Courts!
If I had been guilty, I
would not have gone to court
to lose days pay. More i'm
portant. this is now on nv
driving record!
Bryant E. McVearry,