davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-12-29
All the Facts, Please!

II the naval court of inquiry investi-
eating the disastrous fire on the Air
craft Carrier Constellation is confused
by the conflicting descriptions of "house-
keeping" conditions aboard the carrier
as the fire erupted, it is entirely under
Standable. It Is hard to believe that New
York Fire Commissioner Cavanagh and
some key naval witnesses were talking
about the same ship when they pictured
f1re-Safety precautions-or the lack of
them-aS workmen Swarmed over the
nearly completed vessel.
According to several Navy witnesses,
Including the Brooklyn Navy Yards fire
chief, fire-prevention practices aboard
the big carrier were not only "satis-
factory" but "above average" They
said that although there had been 26
minor nonelectrical fires on the ship
this year, this frequency was "way below
normal" One officer characterized the
December 10 conflagration as a "one-
in-a-million accident"
But Fire Chief Cavanagh, veteran
flre-Safety authority, gave the court a
drastically different story. In 2h hours
Of vigorous testimony he declared the
evidence showed that housekeeping
prior to the fire was messy, deplorable
and sloppy" with re-kindling and fire.
feeding materials scattered over the
decks in way that tended to make the
ship "a fully loaded bomb which needed
only ignition" to explode. The explosion
came after fork-lift truck knocked a
plug from tank containing 500 gallons
Of oil, which was ignited by welder's
torch. The flames, fed by wooden plank
ing on Scaffolds and by a variety of
other combustible materials, soon were
racing from one end of the ship to the
other. Forty-nine men died in the fire.
If Chief Cavanaghs description of
conditions aboard the carrier is reason
ably accurate-and the rapid spread Of
the fire would seem to confirm many Of
his charges-it is nonsense for naval
authorities to say that conditions were
satisfactory" Certainly, If they were
"above average" the Navy should not
lose minute in correcting conditions
aboard other ships under construction.
Significantly, the Navy Department
four days after the fire issued a direc-
tive which, Of itself, indicates that con-
ditions were not satisfactory on the
Constellation. For the directive pro-
hibitS temporary work sheds aboard
vessels under construction or repair,
bans temporary fuel storage tanks of
any kind unless protected by steel
"dikes" or moats and calls for a number
of other f1re-safety measures that were
not in evidence on the Constellation.
Only the fullest investigation and
disclosure of facts bearing on the
carrier holocaust will fix responsibility
for the disaster and help to prevent
recurrence.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
Our Bitten Hand

Inc costly American program OF aid
to Marshal Tito'S Yugoslavia has never
made much sense to some Americans,
and it will make even less sense now
to still more.
1t seems almost as though the
YugoSlav President planned it this way.
Why else would he proclaim his Soli-
darity with Moscow and denounce the
West on the eve of the announcement
OF another aid program which he knew
was being conSummated?
Under this new program, Tito will
get $100-million loan from us, another
$lOO million from sources in seven
Western European countries and $75
million from the International None
tary Fund. In the very face of this
assistance, however, Marshal Tito told
his Parliament on Tuesday that Yugo-
slavia and Moscow had identical views
on "the most important issues of the
day." And he went on from there to
charge that certain bellicose people,
especially in the West" are responsible
for aggravating the international atmos-
phere and preventing an easing Of
VCA1oAOAo. uIouLlS LLllS IQeMe, ne
accused the colonial powers (not named)
with crude interference in the internal
affairs Of the Congo. He said that de-
posed Patrice Lumumba "a Moscow
Stooge) must be restored to power.
Turning to Laos, he denounced "reac-
tionary forces" supported by Thailand
and "Some other Western countries"
who are kindling the fires of war.
Finally, he took a verbal pot shot at
France for its Algerian policy, even
though France is putting up part of
the $1O0-million European credit for
YugoSlavia.
We assume that nevertheless the
loan project will go forward. The official
explanation is that it will help integrate
Yugoslavia more closely with the
economy Of the free world through
liberalization of that countrys foreign
trade and reform of its exchange rates.
This, we suppose. is another way of
saying that 1t will help YugoSlavia resist
full tntegration into the Communist
bloc. Perhaps this is worthwhile. We are
paying pretty heavy price, however, to
help a man who sings the Kremlins
political tune.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
Airs Confusion

Will you please explain
people to me? We have too
much smog in Washington.
so we tear up the tracks Of
fumeless streetcars and in
stall more effiuvial buses. We
intermix letters with the nu-
merals on our auto license
plates to make them easier
to remember. and the tele-
phone company is about to
shift to all-numeral dialing
because it is no harder to
remember all numbers than
mixed letters and numbers.
Is 1t true that man Is de-
scended from an ape that
fell on its head? .
Robert Eichberg
Dun Loring. Va.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Tests With PIosmo From Psychotics
By THOMAS r. HENRY

produced symptoms of the
disease both in normal mon
keys and in humans.
Recent concentrated work
at the University of New
Hampshire, however, has
failed to confirm the existence
of this protein and it is now
believed that there was some
deep-seated error in the ex-
periments Of former investi-
gators.
1t was also reported that
schizophrenic patients ex-
creted abnormal amounts Of
phenolic acids. . The latest
studies, however, indicate
that differences between in
dividuals are due to different
coffee drinking habits, rather
than to any brain differences.
For some unknown reason,
schizophrenics drink more
coffee, on an average, than
normal persons.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
George B. Furman
GoIdfine's Release

The 1000 inmates i'm
prisoned within the largest
Federal mental institution
st. Elizabeths-should be
greatly inspired during the
holiday season, by the ac-
ton Of Judge George L. Hart
Of our United States District
Court who approved q writ
Of habeas corpus filed in be-
half Of Bernard Goldfine.
To many others the deci-
sion to release the friend Of
Sherman Adams is difficult to
understand, as are the re-
marks Of the Judge. that
"Goldfine is incompetent to
stand trial Involving Q
charge that he evaded $780,
900 in Federal income taxes),
but he should be released
from the mental institution
(St. Elizabeths) where the
environment might tend to
worsen his condition, and he
Evening star., 1960-12-29

should be returned to his
Boston home-to the COM
pany Of his family" .
The decision is perplexing
when one considers the fact
that one out Of every three
defendants charged with q
criminal offenSe within the
District Of Columbia eventu-
ally is Shuttled of to q mental
institution, in order to de-
termine whether a person is
competent to stand trial, and,
if found incompetent. re-
tanned and involuntarily
treated until such time as the
person is competent to stand
trial or until competency" is
restored, however long that
might be.
Even more perplexing to
many is the ruling by the
same judge two days earlier
in connection with two Pc
titions for writs Of habeaS
corpus. In the first he denied
the issuance Of q writ in
volving the incarceration Of
an 11-year-old boy on the
ground that the Constitution
Of the United States did not
apply to minors. In the sec
ond, a petition for a writ Of
habeas corpus filed by Sally
T. Hucks, he rejected her
request for the issuance Of a
writ after refusing to hear
the testimony from nine psy-
chiatrists and two psychol-
ogiSts all Of whom, according
to attorneys, had attested to
her competency.
The Goldfine decision
seems to indicate that one
must be sure to establish that
he is Of unsound mind and /or
incompetent, to obtain a re-
lease from the Federal men,
tai institution, since the con-
flnement would be bad and/
or dangerous for one who Is
incompetent. This poses an
other question as to how
many at st. Elizabeths are
competent and how many
are incompetent, both pa
tients and staff alike.
The wisdom Of the learned
justice, until recently chair
man Of the Republican Com
mittee for the District Of
Columbia. is both complicated
and amusing to say the least.
It is high time that the
Senate Judiciary Committee
should start an investigation
Of the commitment proce-
dure in the District Of Co
lumbia and the operations Of
Winfred Overholser MD,
the longtime superintendent
Of st. Elizabeths, who is con-
cerned with its administra-
ton.
II w p
Evening star., 1960-12-29

There is something in the
blood plasma Of psychotics
with hallucinations which
markedly slows down the be-
havior Of lower animals.
This is reported by the Ma
tional Institute Of Mental
Diseases Of the United States
Public Health Service from
the work of scientists at the
Worcester Foundation for
Experimental Biology. work.
ing under an institute grant.
They were able to split
blood plasma into various
fractions. Rats had been
trained in rope climbing. In
jections of either normal or
psychotic plasma fraction
slowed down the rate at
which the animals climbed
the ropes but those given the
psychotic fractions showed
delays twice as great as those
injections of plasma frac-
tions from normal individ-
uals.
The nature Of the plasma
fraction remains unknown
but chemical experiments in
dicate strongly that it is
some small molecule which
is capable Of attaching itself
to a blood plasma protein. It
seems to be the same for all
mental ailments which are
accompanied by hallucina-
tionS.
Results Disappointing
Meanwhile, according to
the report, the Institute is
sponsoring projects all over
the country to find any Spe-
cif1c chemicals that may be
in the body fluids of persons
suffering from specific types
of mental disease, such as
schizophrenia. If some bio
chemical abnormality in the
blood or urine of patients,
compared with those Of nor
NAL persons, can be found it
may reveal the source of the
mental illness.
Thus far, the report says,
the results have been some
what disappointing. A few
years ago there was consid-
cradle evidence that the blood
Of Schizophrenia patients
contained an abnormal pro-
tein. tarexein. It allegedly
Evening star., 1960-12-29

When production costs and,
in turn, retail prices keep on
the up-trend, as they have in
recent years, industry turns
naturally to sources Of for
eign supply where both wages
and costs are lower than in
this country. This affords in
dustry q better competitive
position, but at the same
time sets up an increasing
demand for imported goods.
This has helped to bring
about an increasing imbal-
ance in our trade situation,
and is cited as one important
cause of our lessening gold
reserve.
Faced with increasing pro-
duction costs. our watch and
clock making, to cite an ex-
ample, has well-nigh sue
cumbed to lower priced
Swiss and German products.
Many Of these items now
bearing American brand
names are German or Swiss
made. Some of our Oldest
firms cannot compete sue
cessfully with the foreign
product. When our country
sought several years ago to
increase the tariff on such
imports, the Swiss set up a
howl that it would ruin their
industry. They won.
Likewise, our crockery,
china and glassware manu.
facture has just about closed
down because of cheaper i'm
ports from Japan and Hong
Kong. In all these cases,
labor may get higher wages
but their jobs are disappear
Evening star., 1960-12-29
Man for the Job

A great many Of the hopes for future
interstate agreements are riding on the
success of the new Washington Area
Transit Commission, and the effective
ness of this pioneering regional agency
will depend largely on the caliber of the
people who control it. For that reason,
it is gratifying that Engineer Commits
sioner Frederick ]. Clarke has agreed
to serve as the District of Columbia
member.
General Clarke's reluctance" to
accept the post is understandable. This
Evening star., 1960-12-29

ing. The same goes for many
other Japanese products,
such as print cloth and toys.
Large imports Of foreign
made drugs, a matter of re-
cent Congressional inveStiga-
ton, has been going on for
some time. Our meat packers
are hard put to compete
with large imports of Danish
products, such as bacon and
hams. To this can be added
many brands of South Amer
ican processed meats. Our
umbrella and hat manufac-
turers have likewise need to
import many of these items
from Italy. from whom we
also get considerable meat
and cheese products.
The influx Of foreign cars
is well known. To compete
with this situation, our car
manufacturers have been
obliged to make heavy capital
investments in several for
eign countries for plant and
equipment, and why? So they
can build cars at costs which
can compete. in our own
country, with foreign i'm
ports. Large orders were re-
Gently placed with certain
English firms for heavy elec-
trical equipment needed to
equip our unfinished radar
system. I understand also
that the Air Force has placed
orders with firms in France
for manufacture of 100 or
more jet fighters. This latter
item may be a charge against
military grants under NATO
requirements.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
Red Tide Rises

1t seems that whenever we
hear or read of colonialism or
imperialism. these two nasty
words are Immediately asso-
ciated with evil United States
interests or operations in for
eign countries. This is par
ticularly true If the propa.
ganda emanates from Com
munist China or Russia.
These two freedom-loving
countries, who are advocat-
ing self-rule for all nations
not now under Communistic
rule. are willing to go to all
extremes. including military
assistance to any nation that
will fight of imperialistic
domination. The conclusion
Of the gallant fight by q ma
ton of $50 million Chinese
Communists against a hand
full Of Tibetans, or Russia's
heroic stand against the
HungarianS who were seeking
self-rule, ought to convince
all Of us of the real intentions
of the Communists.
In spite OF all this, we con-
stantly seem to be on the
defensive. always trying to
justify our actions before the
world. The murderouS ac-
ton Of the Chinese against its
neighbor, or Soviet Russia's
slaughter Of the Hungarians.
Poles, etc.. seems to stay in
the background. 1t ought to
be good business to set up o
program which would con-
stantly remind and point out
to the world the evil progress
Of the Communists.
Herbert SOmmerS
Evening star., 1960-12-29

@. Please identify a poeti-
cal quotation to the effect
that God rewards man in
His own good time. not when
man expects to be rewarded.
III. G.
A. You may refer to the
following lines from Her
acleS," by Robert Browning:
I'm Gods good time Which
does not always fall on Sat-
urday/ When the world looks
for wages" These lines may
be based on an old Tuscan
proverb which has been
translated, God does not pay
Saturdays"
@. Do Alaska and Hawaii
have state taxes on gasoline?
S. K.
A. The American Automo-
bile Association says that in
1860 AlaSka'S State gasoline
tax is 5 cents a gallon, and
Hawaii'S is 8l2 to II cents,
varying according to the
county.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
Impact of Imports on Our Economy
Sad Eyes.

OF course, no one can OBJ
ject to a healthy export
import trade situation, but
when it causes us to abandon
our own domestic production
with its consequent un-
employment, together with an
unfavorable outflow of gold
to balance our trade deficit.
we are acting little less than
foolish. At the root of all this
we find the principal cause
to be a heedlessly sustained
wage-price spiral which has
put our production costs
above a fair level of competi-
ton. AS I see it, we have
with rising costs pushed our
selves into a corner. and so
the squeeze play is on.
Is there a way out? Higher
tariff? No! This would wreck
NATO and throw the Eu-
ropean free-trade economy
into a tail spin, and our allies
would yell to high heaven.
More Importantly, it would
set in motion a perplexity Of
Western trade restrictions
which the Communist bloc
would gladly welcome as a
great boost to their avowed
economic offensive.
The public does not know
the half of it. A good writer
who is capable of searching
out the particulars would do
the public and the Nation a
great service. For until John
@. Public knows what we are
up against. we shall probably
continue to tumble along to q
worse state Of affairs.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
Kennedy Critic

I see where President-elect
John F. Kennedy is having
trouble filling 5000 top Gov
ernment jobs with qualified
people. That's because there's
only 100 available Kennedy
relatives.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
lob for yobLess

Washington has been in
the throes Of what may be
called a major snowstorm: at
least we have had more snow
and colder weather than is
usually experienced in the
District.
Many streets and sidewalks
are still covered with snow
and ice. 1t, Of course, Is un-
slightly and very dangerous
to traffic and pedestrians.
During the past year some
ten thousand people in the
District Of Columbia were
receiving unemployed pay. A
large percentage Of these
people are able-bodied and
capable Of some physical
work.
Every able-bodied person
receiving unemployment pay
should be put to work clean
ing up our city. 1t is my
guess that II put to work
they will very soon be able to
find other employment, and
cease to be a burden to the
city.
I am sure many people re-
ceiving unemployment pay
would be glad to do any kind
Of work, and I am sure that
many Of them would rather
give some service for the
money they receive, than be
subject to what amounts to
charity.
II the services Of able
bodied people on relief could
be utilized in this way. their
efforts should be under ex-
perienced directors. so that
the work would be effective.
and the city would get the
full benefit therefrom.
It seems unreasonable to
have to support so many peo-
pie just because they are out
Of work temporarily, when
the city at this time Of year
needs so much help to keep
its streets and sidewalks clear
and safe.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
THE POLITICAL MILL
importance of Being Vice President
By GOULD LINCOLN

The ofice Of Vice Presi-
dent Of the United States,
once regarded as the grave
yard Of political ambitions,
has finally come to be recog-
nized as an offlce Of tremen-
dous importance-depending
on the character and abili-
ties of the man who holds it.
The Vice President-elect
Lyndon B. johnson Of
Texas, who made a strong
bid for the presidential
nomination, but who was
turned down by those Dem
ocrats Of the North who con-
tinue to discriminate against
the South, accepted the
vice7presidential nomination
because he desired to do all
in his power to aid the party
and because he was fully
aware that, the Democratic
national ticket faced a tough
battle. It turned out to be
a tough battle, indeed. And
Senator Johnson's aid in the
South proved invaluable.
At the time President
elect Kennedy announced
his choice Of a running
mate in Los Angeles imme-
diately after his own NOM
ination, Mr.. Kennedy an
nounced he would make all
possible use Of Senator
Johnson's talents and pre-
dieted he would make the
most successful Vice Presi-
dent in the country's his
tory.
Also, the vice-presidential
office has once again been a
stepping stone to a presi-
Dental nomination - the
first time since the days Of
Martin Van Buren-without
an intervening death Of the
President and succession to
the presidential Office by a
Vice President. Vice Presi-
dent Richard M. Nixon.
who has had a far more
active career in his pres
ent Office than any other
Vice President, became the
nominee for President Of the
Republican Party-and lost
the election only by a whis-
ker.
Value in Legislative Field
What the future holds for
Senator Johnson no one
knows. Presumably Presi-
dent-elect Kennedy will be
nominated by the Democrats
for a second term in 1864.
Under the two-term amend
ment to the Constitution, ne
will be ineligible for a third
term. Who knows what may
happen in 1868 if. as ex-
pected, Senator johnson
proves greatly successful IN
the various tasks to which
he has been and will be as
signed by Mr.. Kennedy? The
Texan. if he should be re-
elected to the vice presidency
four years hence. will be only
so years old when the time
comes to nominate q new
Democratic presidential can
didate. Perhaps BY that
time, the Democratic Party
will be ready to show Its
interest in the South and its
gratitude to a Southerner
who has served the party,
as well as the country.
It has been generally ac-
cepted that Senator johnson
will be Of great value to the
next President as something
more than a mere liaison be-
tween the White House and
the Congress: that he will
be a great help to Mr.. Ken
nedy in getting his legisla-
tive program through the
Senate-and the House. Sen
ator johnson, as majority
leader Of the Senate (and
before that as minority lead
err has been greatly effec-
tive. His aim has been to get
things done. and to get some,
If not all, the legislative pro-
Evening star., 1960-12-29

posals Of his party through
the Senate. Undoubtedly, his
advice to the President-elect
on legislative matters will be
of value, and his many
friendships on Capitol Hill
will help smooth the way for
Mr.. Kennedy's programs. He
will, of course, be president
and presiding officer Of the
Senate.
But in addition, as Vice
President he will be used
widely by the President
in the conduct Of foreign
affairs. He will be assigned
to represent the President
and this country on mis-
sions to other countries. This
may be a special job for him
in Latin America, where the
need for uniting the repub.
lies Of the Western Hemi-
sphere has become increas-
ingly clear.
Executive Potential
Indeed, 1t is in the execu-
tive field, even more than in
the legislative, that the Vice
President-elect may find use
for his undoubted talents.
For example, he becomes by
law a member of the National
Security Council-and prob
ably, as Vice President Nixon
has done, will preside at
board meetings on occasion.
He already has been selected
by Mr.. Kennedy to head the
Space Advisory Commission.
During the present admins
tration, President Eisenhower
has been chairman This Of
flee Mr.. Kennedy is turning
over to his Vice President.
And the President-elect has
named Senator johnson to
head the Presidents Com
mittee on Government Con-
tracts. This committee is set
up to see that there shall be
no discrimination when it
comes to hiring employees to
work on Government con-
tracts. Vice President Nixon
has been chairman of this
committee. Its powers may
be increased, by law If neces-
sary, under the Kennedy ad-
ministration.
This. indeed. is a flock Of
important assignments al
ready set up for the incoming
Vice President. The Presi-
dent-elect, like President
Eisenhower, has recognized
the value of making use Of
the second highest elective
officer of the United States
Government. Some other
Presidents in the past have
failed entirely to make use Of
able men who have filled the
Vice Presidency. The duty Of
presiding over the Senate is
not onerous. 1t is one that
day after day has been left
to the President protein Of
the Senate, or, to a Senator
designated to fill the chair for
q day or part Of day. In 1856,
indeed, President-elect Ken
nedy was himself q strong
contender for the vice-presi-
Dental nomination at the
Democratic National Conven-
tion in Chicago, losing out by
a narrow margin to Senator
Kefauver Of Tennessee.
The most important reason
Of all for giving a Vice Presi-
dent important executive and
advisory assignments is the
need that he should be as
fully informed as possible re-
garding the operations and
policies of the Government,
should he be called upon to
take over as President be-
cause of the death or in
capacity of the Chief Execu-
tive. This is especially true
in these hazardous days in
the last half of the goth
century.
Evening star., 1960-12-29
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry iDrtters' correct
names and addresses. An let.
ters are subject to condensd-
tton. Those not used tDiu be
returned only phen accom-
panied by self addressed.
stamped envelopes.