davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1960-10-21
First Step

1t may be, as the Presidents Com
mittee on Government Contracts claims,
that the hiring of single Negro cleo
trician to work on a new Government
building here is major "breakthrough"
toward the end of racial discrimination
in this field. Assuming that this man
is qualified for the job, his employment
is commendable step forward But
whether this actually will turn out to
be more than a token "breakthrough,"
only time will tell.
Certainly neither the Presidents
Committee nor any of the many other
principals concerned in the long dispute
has reason to feel especially proud. For
months on end, those who protested the
Absence OF Negro electricians were un-
able to produce qualified applicant
a sad commentary in itself, considering
the size Of the Negro labor force in
Washington. The electrician now en-
ployed, who asked that his identification
be withheld, is member of the elec-
tricianS' union in Detroit. And he was
hired, apparently, only after the con-
tractors received a threat Of litigation
from the Justice Department.
In our judgment, however, the plight
Of the contractor in cases such as this
is passed over all too hurriedly. For while
their contracts with the Federal Gov
ernment t forbid racial discrimination,
the contractors must rely on the Wash
ington local of the International Broth
erhood Of Electrical Workers for their
supply of electricians, and that local
has an all-white membership. This, Of
course, is the basic problem, and not
until qualified Negroes are admitted to
the apprenticeship programs and the
regular job rolls Of the local, as they are
in other areas, is permanent solution
likely to be found
Evening star., 1960-10-21
Pollution Test Case

The Federal Governments suit
against the city of st. Joseph, Missouri,
will provide an important initial test of
new weapon against river contamina-
ton, the Water Pollution Act of 1856.
This law was designed to fill a serious
void in State antipollution programs,
namely the lack of legal means to pre-
vent one State from contributing to the
river-pollution perils of another State.
In the past the Federal Government
has sought to bring about voluntary
agreements by States and cities on the
cleaning up of rivers passing through
their jurisdictions. In the st. Joseph
case, however, numerous conferences
with city officials failed to produce a
guarantee that the city would not dump
sewage into the Missouri River above
the water-supply intakes for the Kansas
cities Of Atchison and Leavenworth.
Suit to compel st. Joseph to build an
effective sewage-treatment plant then
was instituted in the Federal district
court. Both Missouri and Kansas are
supporting the court action.
The Midwest suit is in line with the
Federal Governments own policy of
safeguarding Washingtons water supply
from sewage contamination. It is under
this policy that the Government has
authorized the construction of a large
trunk sewer down the Potomac River
from the Chantilly airport area to a
connection with the Washington sewer
system at Chain Bridge. It is only right
that the Federal Government, through
its powers under the Water Control
Act, should help to protect other rivers
against the health hazards of sewage
and industrial-waSte pollution.
Evening star., 1960-10-21
Not q YoIid Issue

We do not think that Senator Full
bright will get very far with his effort
to make political capital out of whether
Vice President Nixon did or did not
express regret to Premier Khrushchev
over congressional captive nations"
resolution in 1859. Certainly Senator
Fulbright'S apparent attempt to draw q
parallel between this alleged incident
and Senator Kennedy's suggestion that
President Eisenhower should have ,ex-
pressed regret to Mr.. K for the U-2
affair falls rather fat This is because
the circumstances in each case were
quite different.
In view Of the question raised In the
presidential campaign over the captive
nations" resolution, we agree with Sena-
tor Fulbright that the State Depart
ment would be well advised to make
public any document bearing on what
Mr. Nixon may have said to the Soviet
Premier on the Subject-provided, of
course, no breach of national security
is involved. But even If it should be
confirmed that the Vice President ex-
pressed regret to Mr.. Khrushchev for the
resolution or its timing, we can see no
basis for making political issue of it.
For the resolution was, indeed, M-timed
and of doubtful value. Said The Star
editorially at the time:
The resolution requested Mr.. Eisenhower
to designate the third week in July as Captive
Nations Week. and the President duly COM
piled. 1t happens, however. that this was the
week In which our exhibition in Moscow was
to be opened, with Mr.. Nixon on hand to do
the good will honors. If it is necessary or
desirable to proclaim such things as Captive
Nations Week. along with Apple Week. Sweet
Potato Week and Be Kind to Animals Week.
why is it also necessary to choose the worst
possible time? The chances are that no one
in this country really thought about the CO.
incidence Of timing But Mr.. Khrushche1 did
think about 1t, and he has used 1t rather
efectively-frst. to put the chill on both Mr.
Nixon's visit and our exhibition. and, second,
to argue to his own countrymen that we are
meddling in their affairs. This Is always
potent propaganda appeal. and the probable
result in this case will be to stihe rather
than lift the hopes of peoples in the captive
countries.
To express regret over this sort OF
bumbling is far different from express
ing regret for espionage flights deemed
essential to our Nations security from
surprise attack. Mr.. Nixon should have
no hesitation in making known-per-
haps on his TV appearance in the fourth
great debate" tonight-what the facts
may be in connection with the Fulbright
attack. Whatever the facts, we can see
no valid reason to criticize the Vice
President or to drag the incident into
the presidential campaign.
Evening star., 1960-10-21

For the past several years
the vision of new educational
horizons in the city Of Falls
Church has been mired in
vulgar circuSes. haranguing
and number games by an
obstructionist, headline-seek-
ing, vocal minority. At long
last, we the people may rem
edy an acute situation by
voting Yes" on November
8 in support Of the bond
issue.
At present. 1000 pupils in
the city are attending George
Mason Junior-Senior High
School on three staggered
shifts. The high school library
can only seat IS people. A
library for a school Of 1000
to l.l00 students should COM
fortably seat at least $50
students and have the neces-
sary volumes and resource
material for this many stu
dents to use the library every
period Of each school day.
Health classes. required by
the State Board of Education
for accreditation. meet in the
gymnasium balcony while
regular gym classes with en-
suing noise are held on the
gym floor. A store room is
now used as the team dress
ing room and. to say the
least. is inadequate. There is
no j. V. football team this
year because Of inadequate
dressing room space,
The high school is def
nitely handicapped in the
scope OF its program by lack
Of teaching stations. We have
no room to expand curricu-
lum offerings. Most Of the
problems at the high school
can be traced to lack Of
physical facilities.
A Eyes" vote on the bond
issue will liberate our school
board from its haggling over
boilers and bricks.
A Eyes" vote on the bond
Evening star., 1960-10-21
Needing Out Deodwood

The District commissioners should
prepare legislation Immediately to au-
thorize the commendable plan of the
Board of Education to withhold annual
pay raises from teachers who do less
than satisfactory work. So-called "au-
tomato" increases, under this plan,
would be denied teachers who are given
a new performance rating of "condi-
tionar such q rating on two sue
ceSSive occasions would bring their
dismissal.
Only one board member, Wesley s.
Williams, refused to indorse the proposal
at q recent meeting. In essence, Mr.
Williams raised two objections. First, he
said, the new rating might be imposed
on a subjective basis" thereby creating
inequities. In addition, he said, with
holding salaries Is not wholly effective
device for dealing with ineffective
deadwood," especially among those vet
eranS OF the school system who already
have reached the top of their pay scales
and are "coaSting into retirement" On
the second point, we certainly agree;
the Withholding plan indeed is no
cure-all, and we hope that Mr.. williams
Gas he has not done thus far) will bring
forth some SPECIFIC proposals of his own
to cope with the problem more effec-
lively.
In the meantime, however, the leg
iSlation proposed by Board President
Tobriner would authorize at least lin
tied step In the right direction, with no
reason that we can see to fear that it
would be abused. Adequate machinery
to safeguard teachers against unfair
ratingS-including the right of appeal
already exists, and teachers who have
felt they were wronged in the past have
shown no hesitation to invoke 1t. Under
the new plan, supervisors actually would
be forced to Scrutinize the performance
Of teachers more carefully than they
have previously, and this would serve
to keep teachers on their toes as well
as to identify those who do not meet
the standards that the schools of the
Nations Capital deserve.
Evening star., 1960-10-21

Stefan Korbonski, chair
man, Polish Delegation to
the Assembly Of Captive
European Nations, urged in
a letter to The Star that
United States accept the
Oder -NeisSe line between
Germany and Poland. This
America could never do be-
cause Of the means by which
these lands were Incorporated
into Poland. These three
states Of Pomerania, Silesia,
and East Prussia were entire
ly German populated begin
ming in the 18th to 18th CEN
tury by approximately 13 mil
lion people. Breslau (the size
Of San Francisco) and Kon-
igsberg have been German as
long as London has been
English. Many Of Germany's
great philosophers and art
lists have come from these
states-including Emmanuel
Kant, Arthur Schopenhauer,
Gerhart Hauptmann, and
Catherine the Great, a Ger
man Princess.
The methods employed to
depopulate these states by
the Communists were essen
TALLY the very same methods
which the NaziS used-and
against which World War
II was fought by the United
States and its allies. After
hostilities ceased around
1945-1946, these millions of
people, because, of their Ger
man descent, were brutally
expelled; two million died,
and most of the young were
detained and used in slave
labor camps.
One can compare thes,
lands with the Saarland
which France claimed after
the War. Germany lay pro-
Evening star., 1960-10-21

91SO00GA4A9s
And the bittsrest Of all are
the Belgians.
Anyone seriously interested
in the question Of American
prestige abroad would find Q
trip to Brussels an eye-open-
ing experience. A year ago
the United States had no
better friend in Europe than
Belgium. A feeling of conf
dence and admiration
stretching back over two gen.
erationS and two world wars
reached deep into the public
mind. Unshaken by mem
ories Of past hatred, undis-
turbed by any pretensions of
being q great power, Belgium
rated among the most reli-
able members Of the Atlantic
Alliance.
Today 1t takes just about
flve minutes Of conversation
with any Belgian to realize
how much things have
changed. For Belgium, the
Congo debacle meant more
than the loss Of q valuable
overseas territory. It also
meant in a most profound
way the loss Of. the special
confidence and faith that
Belgians placed in the United
States.
There was, furthermore, no
good reason why it should
have happened that way.
Granted. as every Belgian
does, that what happened in
the Congo was very largely
the fault Of their own gov
ernment and a policy going
back many years. Granted,
too, that the United States
had no choice during the
height Of the crisis except to
bring its full support to the
effort Of the United Nations
to bring some order out Of
the chaos. Still. there was
nothing so wrong or so dis
creditable In Belgium's role
In the Congo as to justify
a total disregard Of her
interests and sensibilitieS.
And nothing gained which
compenSates in terms Of
American interests for the
damage so gratuitously in
hicted on an ally.
Was There q Choice?
Today, with hindsight, it is
easy to blame the Belgians
for bailing out of their re-
sponsibilitleS in the Congo
without first making sure that
chaos would not result.
But if the choice had been
otherwise. what would have
happened? Faced with a de-
mand for immediate inde-
pendence, the Belgian gov
ernment had a choice of
yielding or accepting the in
evitability of bloodshed. They
remembered Indonesia, Indo-
China and Algeria. They real
lied that staying on would
mean being condemned as
"colonialistS" by most of the
world, including the United
States. The decision to pull
Evening star., 1960-10-21
Farm Surplus Plan

Everybody has kicked the
farm surplus disposal problem
around but 1t still exists.
We have a mountain of
edible food products. We all
require three meals q day
the farmer. the factory en-
ploye. the Government work.
er, etc. All Of US can honest
ly say. Part Of that pile is
mine-I paid for it. Since my
part will spoil If I don't use
it. I have these choices: %
Let it spoil; or, (0 Eat
1t. I also know that it's cauS-
ing me q good deal of time
and effort to store it so it
seems foolish not to use it."
How? By insisting the Gov
ernment release 1t to normal
processing channels free. The
professors and handlers de-
duct the cost Of material
from processed food. We con-
Sumers buy it for the cost Of
handling. Please note that
the farmer in this day sells
his raw materials to the
professor. He then exchanges
part Of his raw material for
part Of his original product
in proc essed form. This
means he will have more
cash to devote to upkeep of
his holdings. The rest Of the
people would realize an i'm
mediate increase in income
which would be much better
than q tax decrease since an
immediate reduction in food
costs would be noticed the
first few weeks after the plan
was operating and would be
appreciated by everyone who
eats. Earl T. NichnIaMVn-
Evening star., 1960-10-21

never resort to force to ac-
quire their lands back. Since.
however, one out Of every
four people in Western Ger
many is a refugee and since
these refugees represent a
strong political factor in a
democratically operated d
country, the politicians must
assure these individuals q
voice in the self-determina-
ton Of these German lands.
There is strong evidence
that these lands do belong
to Germany, for at the Pots
dam Conference the bound
aries were to have been
agreed upon by the German
and the Polish governments
but so far this meeting has
not taken place. Legally
these lands belong to Ger
many and are only under
Polish and Russian admins
tration. but treaties are only
regarded by some govern
ments as being mere scraps
Of paper.
If our country should sane
ton these boundaries, we
would be leaving our door
open for aggression. What
would prevent q foreign
power from some day taking
over some Of our States. ex-
pelling our United States
citizens and replacing them
with their own?
1t would be disastrous to
appease others at the ex-
pense of Germany. But most
important, America must
maintain her integrity and
moral character by recogniz-
ing treaties and not degrad-
ing herself like the commu-
nistic nations by disregard
ing treaties at their conven-
ience.
william Mcdonald.
Evening star., 1960-10-21

trical conduction at liquid
nitrogen temperatures where
various elements such as
germanium hitherto have
been considered as insulators.
Further study in this low
temperature, anomalous elec-
trical behavior Is awaited
with great interest.
Russian Experiment
DR.. w. P. Dyke Of Linf1eld
Research Institute, Oregon,
also working under Air Force
contract, is utilizing the elec-
tron emission phenomenon
as a means Of generating
short, very intense bursts of
X-rays. These are used for
taking pictures Of such oc-
currenceS as bullets travelling
through targets of various
materials. DR.. Dyke and his
associates also have devel-
oped an electron emission
probe which serves as a pow
erful generator of micro
waves.
At a recent international
gathering the Russian physi-
cist, DR.. A. P. Komar Of the
University of Leninsrad, re-
ported on his use Of the
microscope to investigate the
way in which metallic COM
pounds erode In q vacuum at
high temperatures. This sug-
gests that he and his asso-
ciates may be thinking Of
using these materials in the
outer structures of missiles
or satellites.
DR.. H. D. Beckey of the
University of Bonn, West
Germany, told of the diScov-
cry Of new chemical species
with similar techniques.
This broad range Of ac-
tivity." says DR.. r. w. Con-
dit Of the Solid State Sci
ences Directorate OF the Air
Force organization, "has
evolved from what was once
just a beautiful bit Of aca-
demic research attempting to
see the individual atoms in
the tip of a metal needle.
This basic science pays of
in practical ways not antici-
pated even by pioneer scien-
fists only five years back"
Evening star., 1960-10-21
Fourth Of o Series

Fourth Of o Series
show the internal structure
Of these basic units of all
matter.
This accomplishment has
been made possible with the
electron emission microscope
developed in a program of
the Air Force ONCE Of Sci
entific Research.
Concepts Of the insides of
atoms, while quite detailed,
hitherto largely have been
deductions on the part Of
physicists. These now can be
checked by actual "looks."
Taken In Reflected Light
The pictures are taken in
reflected light from the
atoms themselves. This hard
ly can be considered Tight"
in the ordinary sense Of the
term-the luminescence due
to the effect on the eye of
the emission of weightless
particles. photons. It is due
to the emission of electrons,
negatively charged basic par
ticles from the shells of the
atoms themselves. The newly
developed cameras are SEN
sitive to these particles, as
the plates in other cameras
are sensitive to photonS.
Pioneer in the field was
DR.. Erwin Mueller Of Penn
sylvania State University.
His latest pictures permit one
to see directly, for the first
time, imperfections in the
structure Of crystals, a field
which long has been Of out
standing interest in physics.
Other developments in this
field just reported by Scien-
fists working under Air Force
contracts:
DR.. Robert Conner. Univer-
sity of Chicago. reports that
the electron emission tech
nique has made 1t possible to
observe differences in elec-
Evening star., 1960-10-21
The Big Question: Why?

What contrast there was between
the exciting drama Of the quiz-show
isolation booth and the drab drama un-
folded in New York courtroom Mon
day!
It is hard not to moralize In any
commentary on the indictment for per-
jury of so many persons charged with
falsely denying that their seemingly in
exhauStible supply Of answers was
fraud. These were not all obscure per-
sons, unknown to the public before they
appeared on the rigged shows, Twenty
One" and "Tic Tao Dough-" They in
cluded Columbia University instructor
of prominent family, a lawyer, a physi-
clan and medical research consultant.
All stand accused Of accepting advance
coaching from an official Of the program,
including questions to be asked and the
correct answers to be given. Small won
der that their apparent erudition and
uncanny memory evoked so much ad-
miration.
The biggest quiz-Show question of
all, however, and the one most difficult
to answer, is why men and women of
such fine background could be so easily
induced to become parties to so shabby
swindle as the fake quizzes. The stakes
were high, it is true, but it is hard to
believe that such people would sell their
integrity for money alone. Was it the
lure of publicity, of the national lime
light, that led such a man as Charles
Van Doren to betray his friends and
the vast TV viewing audience?
Perhaps the answers will never be
known. Or perhaps some of them will
come out when the accused have their
day in court-and none has been tried
as yet. 1t is best to reserve judgment
until the legal evidence is of record and
the defense has had its say in each case.
However, enough has been conceded by
Evening star., 1960-10-21
Transit Enigmo

Claims for economy Of
buses in transit use have been
attributed to the wrong
culprit by j. w. Anderson,
Palisades Citizens Association
president. in his statement to
the Public Utilities Commits
sion, quoted In The Evening
Star. The bit about street.
cars being cheaper to operate
than buses dates back at
least to the pre- Chalk era Of
the great transit strike Of
1855. Back then, the pro-
automobile District Fathers
seized the opportunity to kill
two birds with one stone,
thereby Kidding the city of
Mr.. Wolfson and streetcar
tracks in one franchise can
collation.. Junking Of the
Streetcars was mandatory in
the new franchise granted to
Mr.. Chalk. Economically
obsolescent" was the term
applied to the transit riders
best friend, the streetcar.
even though at the time it
was not only paying its way
but covering losses on bus
operations. too.
What has CALLED transit
riders ever since, aside from
seeing their swift, smooth,
roomy. quiet, and smokeless
electric vehicles disappear, is
that the cost Of replacing
streetcars with buses has been
used by D. c. Transit as q
lever to pry out q steady
stream Of fare increases since
that time. The saving prom
iSed by our esteemed Com
missioners Of 1855 is yet to
be seen.
Where Mr.. Chalk may very
well be at fault, though, is in
taking new buses purchased
through fare increases, plac-
ing them in charter service,
and driving them past his
transit customers who at
that moment are vending
their way home on thoroughly
wretched equipment.
At least two things are
wrong with the philosophy
and legal structure under
which D. c. Transit operates
and over which the Commits
sionerS preside. The first is
that school children's fares
are subsidized directly by
adult transit patrons, whereas
most self-respecting COM
munitieS provide transporta-
ton for students through
school taxes.
But the crowning insult
Is the presently dawning
realization that the transit
firm can make more money
by providing less service to
fewer people at higher fares.
Evening star., 1960-10-21
LETTERS TO THE STAR

issue viii redirect our school
board In coping with the
problems of our times-cur-
riculum growth and the in
tellectual development Of our
children,
A "Yes" vote on the bond
issue will give your children
and mine the room they need
to get on with the educa-
tional job Of meeting the
change Of our times.
Irene G. StOddart.
Evening star., 1960-10-21
Navy 'Discriminotes'

I heard the Navy Hour"
last Saturday with its pitch
for Navy nurses that began
IF you're q young woman
and white. :" I called the
station and eventually some
one played back the tape and
ther it waS-just as I had
unbelievingly first heard it.
What has become Of United
States Government and Navy
Department policy. in partic-
ular, that there be no dis
elimination based on race?
Juliet w. Bonner.