davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-04-01
Wants to Get RoIIino

Secretary Of Commerce
Mueller says that Federal
policy should aim at freeing
all transportation from "un-
necessary shackles." 1t is un-
fortunate that this idea was
not carried out years ago by
enactment of appropriate
legislation.
This country did have
what prob bly, was the
worlds best mass transpor-
tation system; today it does
not have it. The Federal
Government had to spend
untold billions to bring about
this condition, but it sue
ceeded. The fact that it is
continuing this destructive
policy, at tremendous ex-
pense to our taxpayers, is
evidenced by the huge sums
being spent for airportS, air
traffic control and other aids
to air transportation, which
sums should be paid by those
using such facilities. Further
evidence is provided by the
billions being spent on a
Nationwide superhighway
system.
The value of an excellent
mass transportation system
was never demonstrated more
clearly than in World War
II. Apparently Russia learns
fast, for returning travellers
say it is concentrating on
building up its railroad sys-
TENS, paying little attention
to its highways. Either we
do not learn at all or else we
prefer to run second to Rus
Sla In being prepared for ma
tional emergencies.
The Commerce Department
never has been a transpor-
tation agency.
Perhaps its lack of knowl-
edge of common carrier
transportation is why it has
failed to recommend that all
transportation. whether by
land, sea, or air, should be
placed under one agency,
either a transportation COM
mission or a department of
transportation. Only then
will all forms of transporta-
ton be subject to the same
principles, best suited to the
public interest.
G. V. Lowering.
La Plata, Md.
Evening star., 1960-04-01
Moneys Worth

An article appearing in
The Star. March 10, concern
ing denial of a rumor of the
near mutiny of the Navy
Band, stated:
"Comdr. Finlay called the
South American trip probably
the greatest thing that has
ever been done in the service
of the United States. ANY,
thing which is said which
would tend to diScredit the
value of this trip for political
reasons or otherwise is detri-
mental to the band and to the
people Of the country who for
once got their moneys
worth out of a military or
ganization in peacetime."
Perhaps we are being dis
traught widows-if so forgive
us-but we feel that his
statement that "for once the
people of the country got
their moneys worth out of a
military organization n in
peacetime," is shocking! 1t is
insulting to every branch of
the military service that does
its job to the best of its abil-
ity-whether in peace or war.
1t is disparaging to the in
telligence of the American
public to think it would be-
lieve a trip that took the lives
of 19 men was proof of
moneys WORTH" or quite as
successful as boasted. And it
seemed a heartless remark to
those of us who so recently
buried our husbands in Ar
lington.
Perhaps some day we will
know the truth. Meanwhile,
we shall try to explain to our
children why "the greatest
thing that has ever been done
in the service of the United
States" should have been in
any way connected with such
grief and loss to our families.
Mrs. Walter M. Penland,
Mrs. Patricia F. Harl,
Mrs. Jerome ROsenthaI,
Mrs. Anthony M. D'AmicO.
Evening star., 1960-04-01
LoqicoI Court Shift

The proposed shifting of numerous
functions from the District Court to the
Municipal Court is a logical move that
long has been under consideration. The
reorganization, suggested by the Budget
Bureau, the District Commissioners and
the Administrative Office of United
States District Courts, would relieve the
United States District Court here of
duties not performed in other Federal
district courts and, at the same time,
would increase substantially the prestige
of the city tribunal
The reforms were recommended as
result of study requested by the
House Appropriations Committee after
the Department of Justice had reported
that the DiStrict-Federal ratio of appro-
priating for the District Court should
be raised from 60-40 to 1925. The de-
partment explained that local matters
now occupy rs per cent of the courts
time. The committee indicated its belief
that shift in functions of the District
and Municipal Courts might obviate the
necessity for a change in the method of
financing the District Court.
The District Court now has a variety
of local responsibilities that cuStomarily
are assigned to State and municipal
courts in other Jurisdictions. Under the
proposal sent to the House committee,
the city court would take over super
vision of will-probating duties, the issu-
ance of marriage licenses and the work
of the Commission on Mental Health.
One unusual task of the judges of the
District Court, the appointment of men,
bers of the District Board of Education,
might better be assumed by the District
Commissioners, the committee was told
although it was pointed out that this
was matter of policy" for others to
decide. And District Court judges would
relinquiSh to the Recorder of Deeds the
issuance of certificates of partnership
and the recording of trademarks, trade
names and many liens.
Such a reorganization would, Of
course, require legislation and probably
Evening star., 1960-04-01
School Now and Then

Will people never stop
beating the dead horse of how
little today's high school stu
dents know of English or
mathematics or other sub
jects when they graduate?
These laments of poor aca-
d e m c achievement would
make one think that evolu-
ton had played a dirty trick
on the students of our time
by giving them brains and
studying abilities inferior to
those of past students. There
is no. evidence of this; the
evidence points rather to the
students pursuit of different
goals of different periods of
time. Formerly, educators led
students to acquire greater
bases of knowledge than now;
today, educators are leading
students through a process of
laissez faire self-expression
to intramural togetherness
and belongingness while the
students are in school and,
through this experience, to a
later acculturation to the
social env If onm m mt into
which they graduate. Edu-
Gators thus use knowledge as
only one Ingredient in the
educational recipe, or as a
raw material hook upon
which to hang play tech
niques, discussions and self
expression sessions, with the
result of having each student
accept or reject portions of
knowledge suitable or un-
suitable to him as he climbs
to maturity. Thus, current
educational philosophy does
not make a fetish of a rich
background in, or love for,
knowledge and culture. Build
a well-adjusted person first,
say the fathers of this edu-
cational philosophy, and the
learning will follow; but if
the learning does not follow,
Evening star., 1960-04-01
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL

in the process of migrating,
or at least doing some small
travelling
He was, indeed, a picture
no artist could paint, We
took him down to the office.
and showed him to cne Of
these fortunate beings who
manages to combine all the
qualities needed in this age
for rapid advance.
The big man held the
tiny bird, weighing about
half an ounce, or less, in his
big hand, smiled a wry smile
OF pity, and said; I'VE can
make an atom bomb, but we
can't make this" He was,
OF course, right, as usual.
y
These two birds, dead in
the cold, and no other
This may be a record in
not seeing. 1t helps up keep a
permanent mental picture
OF birds as happy, free and
successful beings.
OF course, now and then
some unfortunate one
Smashes into a house, as it
misses a rounding of the
corner.
This cannot be helped, in
such a world as this. Now
and then a nesting bird be-
comes entangled with long
strands of cords or similar
material.
In the main, however, the
birds are happy, probably as
carefree as any living crea-
ture, and eminently success
tul in all they do. Their
major problems are taken
care of for them by instinct,
as we say, a word to cover
our lack of real knowledge.
The birds are helpers of
man, in almost every way.
When any one complains of
them, it is usually a mistake.
or something along that
line!
The birds are so trustful of
nature, as they find it, they
surely have no doubts at all.
as people do; this is a great
help to them. in living the
lives they must live. If we
watch them Alright. they
should be a great help to us.
either in the cold or the heat,
the day or the night. in life
or death.
Evening star., 1960-04-01

more funds and staff for the Municipal
Court and the administrative agencies
that would assume new duties. The
changes, however, undoubtedly would
increase the efficiency of the District
Court and generally improve the admin
iStration of justice in the District.
Evening star., 1960-04-01

with Brazil and Venezuela
close runners-up.
Latin America is growing
so rapidly" says the report,
"that within the past few
months her population has
gone ahead Of the combined
populations of the United
States and Canada. BY
mid-l960, it is estimated,
this population will reach
206 million, while the United
States and Canada combined
will have about 200 million.
This will be the first time
since Colonial days that the
balance of people of the
Western Hemisphere has
tilted toward the south.
United Nations projec-
tions indicate that by 1878
Latin America will have
about 303 million people
compared with 240 million
for her two northern neigh
borS. BY the end of the
century she will have almost
twice as many people-5s2
million compared to 3l2 mil
lion for the United States
and Canada"
Populations which increase
at a rate of 3 per cent a
year, the report points out,
double in about % years
and grow 20-fold in a GEN.
tury.
Man is probably a 24-hour-
day animal.
Some time he may get of
the earth to some other planet
with longer or shorter DAYS
but he will not get along
very well.
This is the contention of
DR.. Franz Halberg of the
University of Minnesota, as
reported to the Southwest
Research Institute in advance
OF an Air Force symposium
on psyche physiological as
poets of flight to be held in
San Antonio in May.
Men Like Mice
DR.. Halberg plans to report
experiments with mice in
which animals were placed
on an 8-hour day. He gave
Identical toxic doses of etha-
mol to this group and a group
living on a normal 24-hour
schedule. The number of
deaths in the eight-hour-day
group was twice that in the
other group.
A man, the psychologist
feels, will react very much
like mouse. He does in most
other respects. His normal
rhythm of living, he says, is
not likely to be altered by an
other world environment.
The human has been
adapted to the 24-hour day,
he says, by many millenniums
OF evolution and the rhythm
has been incorporated so
strongly both in mind and
body that any great change
would be sure to have serious
consequences.
Evening star., 1960-04-01
Ladies First

No reasonable person den-
nies the need for a moderate
increase in taxes to meet ad-
ditional expenses, but what's
been happening lately in
Prince Georges County is
ridiculous. When people like
Mrs. Franklin Harris and Mrs.
Gladys Spellman stand up
at budget hearings and
loudly proclaim that Prince
Georges residents are "anx-
ious" to pay higher taxes,
they're talking utter non-
sense.
I have a suggestion for Mrs.
Harris and Mrs. Spellman.
When tax-paying time rolls
around. why don't they VOL
unfairly add $100 to their tax
bill and pay it into the
county treasury? There is
no law against a citizen
donating to the treasury, and
these people seem so anxious
to do it that it would be un-
fair to them to deny them
the opportunity.
The well-organized county
teachers and PTAs are con-
Quoting their annual raid on
the county treasury, and the
people are helpless to stop
them. What is especially ag-
gravating is that they en-
list the aid of vocal and mis-
guided citizens who pitch in
to help them with great en-
thusiasm. If these people
spent more of their time in
realistic thinking instead of
proclaiming a tax-and-spend
philosophy, the county would
be in much better financial
condition.
John A. George.
Evening star., 1960-04-01

@. Has the custom of Leap
Year proposals by women
ever been recognized by law?
"A. H.
A. Yes; such laws existed
in medieval times in several
placeS-France, Scotland, and
several Italian city-states.
One law enacted in Scotland
in 1888 provided that in Leap
Year each "mayden ladye
shall hae liberte to bespoke
We man she likes" If he re-
fused, the law said he should
"be mulcted in ye sum" of a
pound or less, according to
the size of his estate, unless
he could make it appeare"
that he was betrothed to
another woman.
Evening star., 1960-04-01
Chok's Ventures

Your edltorlaLof March 26,
THE Riders Pay Enough"
is on the right track, but still
not strong enough.
The $1,000 redecorating
job, the $376.41 per month
Park Avenue suite, the $500
horse show ticket and the
other items mentioned are
merely a drop in the bucket
when itemizing what the Gus
toners of D. C. Transit are
expected to pay for.
Mr.. Chalk's invasion of
competitive businesses has
cost the transit system ap-
proximately 100000 in an
nual losses. His encroachment
on the limousine, sightseeing,
charter. routes to airports
and other sideline ventures
has cost the riders of D. C.
Transit well over a million
dollars in the past three
years. In addition to all that,
Mr.. Chalk has spread terror
through all small business
entrepreneurs in this area be-
cause of his unfair competi-
tive position due to subsidies
and tax exemptions granted
by Congress when Mr.. Chalk
wrote his own franchise.
Nothing describes this seri-
Gus situation better than the
following statement made by
the Hon. Wright Patman,
chairman of the Small Busi-
ness Committee. during the
recent congressional hear
ingS: I'm my view, the in
discriminate invasion of COM
petitive fields by the D. c.
Transit System is not only a
perverSion of its franchise,
but of the plainest American
principle by which we have
become a great Nation. That
principle is live and let live"
william Beall.
Evening star., 1960-04-01

no matter. The person will
get along, anyway.
This is why grammar and
the mechanics of language
are now language arts;
mathematics is implemented
as social intercourse; poetry
is not the awe-inspiring in
tellectual and spiritual heri-
tage of the past, but a pass
port to free self-expression,
even If it ends in beatnikism.
Away with the bustles and
naivete of former times! On
with new social needs and
the fullfillment of those
needs! Leon Teifer
Evening star., 1960-04-01
Restore Our PRESTIGE

AS the progressive system
of education has caused a
crisis in our educational
system, so has the personality
cult left our country's pres
tige in Jeopardy of total
eclipse.
The first can be remedied
by returning to the classical
way of teaching: combining
the best qualities of known
educational systems; the last
would take the qualities of
the greatest statesman this
country has produced, Adlai
Stevenson, to redeem our
prestige among the peoples
of the earth.
Gloria E. Sachs.
Evening star., 1960-04-01
Lincoln 'Miscost'

raise a question. On
March 26, with great an
ticipation, I took my grand
daughter to the International
Children'S Theater Festival
in observance of UNESCO's
International Theater Cele-
bration in Washington, D. C.
The program was delight
fully planned. Forty -one
countries participated. Chill
dren Of 81 nations presented
national dances, folk songs,
musical selections or dra-
matte. skits. expressing the
culture Of their countries.
The USA's contribution
was a skit entitled Honest
Abe Lincoln" I take excep-
ton to the casting of this
skit, with no reflection what
soever on any race, but with
a desire for true representa-
ton. Abraham Lincoln was
a member of the white race.
In this Skit he was charac-
terized by a Negro. There
were both Negro and white
children in this skit. l protest
the lack of authenticity in
having Lincoln portrayed by
a Negro.
To the international au-
dience attending the per-
formance, this was a mis-
representation. Had the
character been Booker T.
Washington, would the cast
ing committee have chosen a
white boy? Why not cast
them in their racial like
nesses? The presentations
by the other nations gave an
authentic picture of the art.
music or history of their
countries. This was not so in
the case of the USA. Why
not?
Rebecca H. Parker.
Editors Note: The D. C.
Recreation Departm e n t's
Children's Theater, which
produced the skit, gave can
didates for the cast try
outs in various roles and
selected them on the basis of
acting ability, without regard
to race or color.
Evening star., 1960-04-01
WSTAS IN SCIENCE
Youth Trend Noted in Population
By THOMAS R. HENRY

The American population is
''younging"-not aging, as
Is so often claimed.
Even in the face of the
sensational medical advances
Of the past few years, folks
are not getting any older,
as a group, but there is an
enormous increase in the
number of young people in
the population.
This Is the claim of DR..
Willard c. Rappleye. presi-
dent of the Josiah Macy
Foundation, in his annual
report on foundation activ-
tiles.
"A new set of problems" he
says, 'is confronting the
country. The number of peo-
pie under 20 years Of age will
reach 80 million, or 40 per
cent of the population. by
1870. An interesting predic-
tion is that by 1870 those of
IS years or older (roughly
81 million) and those below
20 (roughly 80 million) will
represent over so per cent of
the entire population.
New Problems Ahead
while it is true that life
expectancy at birth has in
creased from AZ to approxi-
mately 10 years since 1900,
the increase has been due
largely to the control and
prevention of the killing dis
eases of infancy and child
hood. Contrary to common
belief the life expectancy of
persons over so years of age
now is rising very little. In
fact, it went down slightly
three years ago.
"The prediction is that in
view of all the presently
known facts the average re-
manning lifetime at the age
of 65 will be extended only
about two years between
1860 and 1870 and only by
four years between 1860 and
1000"
Because of this, he says,
a new set of medical and
social problems now face
the country to which almost
no attention has been given.
\ 4 + \
LaCln America now is the
scene of history's greatest
population explosion"
Some of its countries now
are growing at a rate of
more than three per cent a
year, double the rate of the
United States and three times
that of Western Europe.
These figures have Just
been published by the Pop
ulation Reference Bureau
here, which keeps track of
vital statistics all over the
world. 1t is all a result OF
high birth rates and rapidly
declining death rates.
The Central American re-
publics. according to the re.
port, are chiefly affected
Evening star., 1960-04-01

Big crows flying down to
a back porch for food in the
cold
This is the picture brought
in by a down-country resi-
dent.
We have never seen crows
come that close to a house.
Out our way, they remain at
a safe distance, perching in
a maple by the garage.
This tree has sheltered
many species. from Lily Belle,
the pet robin, to countless
starlings.
Starlings are among the
most practical of birds. In
cold weather, they give over
their fear of humanity and
come in close where they
know the food is.
The crows are more stand
offish.
They want food, but they
seldom seem to find it at a
city or suburban bird feeding
station. Evidently the SUM-
flower seeds and others to be
found there are not what
they want.
Often, however, they fly in
and perch high above a feed
ing place, and there is some
thing rather pathetic in the
sight, such large birds. need
ing much food, seemingly un-
able to find any.
4 y =
1t will remain a mystery to
many, how all the birds
survive in the, , bitter cold,
especially when snow covers
the ground, and the berried
bushes are clothed in ice.
Such times have spelled dis
aster for some species, no.
tably the bluebirdS, some
years after the turn of the
century, when hundreds of
thousands of them died in
icy fields
1t must be that there
usually are just enough
shrubs sticking up out of the
snow, and this, with some
thawing in the afternoon.
gives millions of wintering
birds the food they need.
In our neighborhood. in
nearby Maryland, since 1890,
the lowest temperature we
have ever had has been is de-
grees below zero. 1t was cold,
all right, but did not seem any
colder to one walker than any
other very cold day. Perhaps
this was due to lack of wind.
Chill conversion tables, as
they are called, show that a
temperature of 40 degrees.
for instance, with a 20 mile
wind, is equivalent to 8 de-
grees below zero, enough to
actually freeze human meat.
On this Is degrees below
zero day we found a frozen
downy woodpecker on the
sidewalk. He seemed well
nourished, but evidently had
not been able to find some
thing to eat for the moment.
Truly he was a beautiful
thing, held in the hand that
way. his feathers perfect,
no sign of injury of any kind.
Some days later, when the
temperature had gone up,
but was still cold. we found
another dead bird, a blue
green gnat-catcher. This
was closer to spring, and
evidently this one had been
Evening star., 1960-04-01
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names, may be used II
letters carry tDriterS' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to con-
denSdtion.
Evening star., 1960-04-01
Inspired by Spires

My husband and I get in
spiration from the weekly
article of DR.. Frederick
Brown Harris on the edito-
rial page. Spires is the most
important article your paper
carries. There is a glorious
island of integrity" emanat-
ing only good to those for
tunate enough to be able to
read this invigorating mes
sage each week.
DOreen Whitman.
Leesburg, Va.
Evening star., 1960-04-01
Answers to Questions
By THE HASKINS SERVICE

A reader can get an answer nv
mail to any question of fact nv
writing The Star Information Bu-
reau 635 F street NV Washington
= u e Please inclose return postage
or sef-addressed stamped envelope
Evening star., 1960-09-25

THE SON OF MAN: THE STORY OF JESUS.
Soc; Emil Ludwig
CONFESSIONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE, 45e
THE DAY CHRIST DIED, 35e; Jim Bishop
GREATEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN, soc;
Fulton OursleF
IMITATION OF CHRIST, 35e; Thomos A. Kemps
THREE MINUTES A DAY. 35e; Rev. JONES Keller
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN. soc; A. Powell Dovies
HERE ! STAND, soc; RoIond n. Benton
HOW THE GREAT RELIGIONS BEGAN, Soc;
Joseph GaeF
THE RELIGIONS OF MAN. Soc; Huston Smith
VARIETIES OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. soc;
WiIIiom jones
THE LIVING TALMUD, 75e; Judoh GOldn
THE HOLY BIBLE IN BRIEF, soc; jones Reeves
THE GREAT RELIGIONS BY WHICH MEN LIVE,
Soc; Floyd n. Ross and Tynette Hills
HOW TO USE THE POWER OF PRAYER, soc;
Harold Shermon
Evening star., 1960-09-25

COLLECTED LYRICS, soc; MiIIoy
COLLECTED SoNNETS, Soc; MiIoy
CONCISE TREASURY OF GREAT POEMS. Soc;
UntermeyeF, editor
POCKET BOOK OF MODERN VERSE, soc;
0seor WiIIioms, editor
TALES AND POEMS OF POE, 35e; EdsaF AIIon Poe
POCKET BOOK ROBERT FROST POEMS, 35e;
UntermeyeT, editor
BEST QUOTATIONS FOR ALL OCCASIONS, soc;
Lewis c. Henry, editor
AMERICAN BALLADS, 35e;
Charles 0'Brien Kennedy and DoVid Jordon
THE GOLDEN TREASURY, 75e; =. 7. PoIsEove
100 AMERICAN POEMS. soc; SeIden Rodmon.
editor
100 MODERN POEMS. soc; seIden ROdmon, editor
THE SILVER TREASURY OF LIGHT VERSE, Soc;
0seoF WiIIioms editor
SIX CENTURIES OF GREAT POETRY, 75e;
Robert Penn Worren and Albert Erskne. editors
WORDSWORTH. 55e; Dovid Ferry
LoNGFELLoW, 35e; HowoFd NemeroS
THE WORLDS lsoVE POETRY, 75e;
Michael MoFtin, editor
POETRY: A MODERN GUIDE TO ITS UNDER
STANDING AND ENJOYMENT, Soc;
EIizobeth Drew
KEATS, 35e; Howord Moss
coLERIDGE, 55e; 6. Robert Stonse
Evening star., 1960-09-25

Nowhere do the poperboeks have
greater significance than in educo-
ton. The appearance Of great works
in inexpensive form in the post half
dozen years posed challenge which
some imaginative area school boards
eagerly accepted. Arlington, Foirfox,
Montgomery and Prince Georges
County Public School Boards lin 3D.
dition to some private schools in the
District have reacted by Frightening
up the traditional courses with the
addition Of poperbocks. They have
made possible supplementary and
collateral reading, confident that
each student can find poperbocks
rother than relying on the limited