davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-03-23
Job|ess Paw
Bill Passed

President Kennedy was ready
today to sign the first of his
key measures to cope with the
economic recession and ease the
plight Of the unemployed.
But he also heard stronger
Republican rumbling Of gen.
eral discomfort as Congress late
yesterday sent him this bill to
provide up to 13 weeks in ad-
ditional unemployment COM
penSation payments for jobleSs
workers who exhaust such State
benefits.
AS a compromise version rec
commended by conferees who
ironed out differences between
previously passed House and
Senate bills, the bill went
Through the Senate on a voice
vote within two hours after the
House accepted it on a 361-31
roll call.
Close to Original Outline
It remained close to the Ken
nedy administrations original
Recommendations. It provides
about 81 billion in Federal
funds for extended payments
to an estimated 3 million per-
sons who will have used up
their State unemployment COM
pensation benefits between last
June 80 and March 81, 1862.
The bill would finance the
program by an increase of one
fourth of per cent in the
present 81 per cent unemploy-
ment tax that employers pay
on the basis of a workers first
$4,000 of annual earnings. The
increased tax would be COL
lected on the basis Of the 1862
and 1868 calendar years.
Only four House Democrats
and 81 Republicans voted
against final adoption of the
measure. The Senate concurred
on a voice vote with no op-
position sound. During debate
in both branches, however,
there was sharp Republican
criticism. not only of some fl
nancing features Of the bill but
also of the need for and cost of
the Kennedy administrations
other prime measures Still
awaiting congressional action.
Senator williams, Republican
of Delaware, protested against
elimination Of his "pay-as-you-.
go" amendment that would have
required the tax to be collected
during the 1861 and 1862 cal
endar years. He noted that
none. of the taxes will be ac-
tually collected until after the
November, 1862. congressional
elections.
He estimated that this and
two other pending bills would
put almost $3.7 billion into
economy before the next con-
gressional elections without
making adequate provision for
obtaining the money during
that period. He listed several
other administration programs
he said will cost billions more.
This is apparently the be-
ginning of another era Of de-
ficit financing" he charged. !
"We get nothing more than lip
service for economy in the |
White House" |
Evening star., 1961-03-23
Military Construction
Bill Clears House

The House passed s8O8 million military construction
authorization bill today after least temporarily dsposing
OF miniature war between the States Of Massachusetts, and
Illinois.
267-145 rolcan vote blocked provision to
Armys Food and Conainer Institute from Chicago to the
Evening star., 1961-03-23
HHFA Aide Sworn in

Jack T. Conway. 43, Crosse
Point, Mich. took office yes
terday as deputy administrator
of the Housing and Home FL
nance Agency.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
Wet Nam, Too

In the air, however, the Pathet
Lao was considerably more eff
cient than the West had looked
for. Antiaircraft fire from rebel
batteries presumably Soviet sup
plied) was SO accurate that pilots
decided it had to be radar-di-
rected. A United States Embassy
CAT, on a reconnaissance mission
for the Royal government, van
ished in the mountainous jungles
last week with only a trace-that
one member of the crew might
have parachuted safely, and be
now in the hands of the Pathet
Lao.
Lord Home, after the SEATO
conference, warned in a statement
that Laos was not the only dan
ger-point in Southeast Asia. He
referred specifically to South Wet
Nam, where the government of
Ngo Dinh Diem has become in
creasingly shaky with the conti-
nued onSlaughts of the Commu-
niSt-led Wet Cong guerrillaS.
President Diem, said Lord Home,
controls the large cities. But the
rest Of the land, and the high
ways after dark, are the domain
OF the guerrillas whose power has
largely negated the efforts of the
Evening star., 1961-04-02
Souvonno'S S Role

In the British capital. Laotian
Prince Souvanna Phouma held
what must have been very signi-
ficant talks with Foreign Secre-
tary Lord Home and other top Of
ficials. The neutralist former
Premier, backed by the Pathet
Lao and still recognized by the
Communist bloc as the legitimate
Premier Of Laos, is viewed by
many observers as the only
Laotian politician who can create
a SucceSSfulS really neutralist re-
gime in Vientiane. He has been
visiting world capitals in an eff
fort to muster support for his
view that Laos, to be spared
further civil war, must speedily
become as neutral as Austria.
The rebel Pathet Lao yesterday
was only about Is miles or per-
haps even less from the admins
trative capital of Vientiane. But
clashes with government forces
were sporadic and without evi-
dence of any determined thrust.
There appeared to be vague, un-
spoken and unwritten semi-truce
in existence.
Evening star., 1961-04-02

peaceful solution and genuine
neutrality for Laos.
Mr.. Gromyko. however, did not
bring to the President any formal
reply to the British peace-making
proposals, which have already
been indorsed by Mr.. Kennedy.
And on the subject of cease fire
as a beginning toward a perma-
nent solution, Mr.. Gromyko had
nothing to say, publicly at the
moment"
AS the week ended, many diplo-
mats in Washington were breath
ing easier. 1t was being suggested
that the Soviet Union, even if it
did not accept a formal cease
fire in Laos. would permit a de
facto armistice if the other terms
Of the British proposal were taken
up. There seems to be a general
disinclination, on both sides, to
knock chips off shoulders over
Laos.
After the SEATO meetings, Mr..
Kennedy radioed congratulations
to Mr.. Rusk for his handling of
the dangerous situation. Mr..
Rusk, after leaving Bangkok, flew
to New Delhi for a conference
with Asia's leading neutralist,
Prime Minister Nehru of India.
Upon leaving New Delhi, Mr.
Rusk said that he and Mr.. Nehru
were agreed largely" on the Lao
tian situation. He added that
there was mo time limit" in the
hoped-for Soviet reply to the Lon
don proposals.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
The Vote: A New Voice

District Of Columbia residents
gained the right to vote for
President and Vice President of
the United States for the first
time when the 38th State last
week ratified the 23d Amend
ment to the Constitution.
The longer and harder the fight,
the sWeeter the victory.
And gaining the right for Dis
trict residents to vote in presi-
Dental elections was long and
hard. with its real beginning
marked from 1888. The Star was
in the forefront of the campaign
all the way.
But while the fight stretched
back to the 10Th century, once
Congress voted it's approval last
June 16. the States ratified with
remarkable speed. taking 286 days
for the necessary three-quarters
(38). Only the Twelfth Amend
ment was approved faster-in 204
days. But in 1904 there were just
II. States!
The Twenty-third Amendment
gives the District three electoral
votes; it provides no Representa-
tives or Senators nor does it pro-
vide for home rule. Its text reads:
Section /. The District consti-
tuting the seat of Government of
the United States shall appoint in
such manner as Congress may
direct:
Evening star., 1961-04-02

"a number of electors of Pres
ident and Vice President equal to
the whole number of Senators and
Representatives in Congress to
which the District would be en-
titled if it were a State, but in
no event more than the least
populous State; they shall be in
addition to those appointed by the
States, but they shall be consid-
cred, for the purposes Of the elec-
ton of President and Vice Presi-
dent, to be electors appointed by
a State, and they shall meet in
the District and perform such
duties as provided by the Twelfth
Article of Amendment.
Section 2. The Congress shall
have power to enforce this article
by appropriate legislation"
Congress not only has the
power, it has the job of enacting
enabling legislation which will set
up the voting machinery. 1t must
establish residence requirements
and other voter qualifications;
consider the matter Of absentee
ballots and primaries; and set
the date for the meeting of Dis
trict electors, among other things.
There may be controversy ahead
over conditions under which we
will be entitled to vote, but "the
vote" has been assured. That was
the important thing.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
Tough Stand

The United States, represented
by Secretary of State Rusk, sought
tough stand. The Philippines,
Pakistan and Thailand were for
an even tougher" attitude. But
France, battered for years in the
bitter, frustrating Indo China
war, wanted no part of a return
engagement. And Britain, putting
her pounds and shillings on the
blue chips of negotiation, urged
restraint.
All the SEATO members Omitted
States, Britain, France, Australia.
New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand
and the Philppines) Joined to
approve military intervention in
Laos if there were no alternative.
But that was as far as militancy
was carried at Bangkok. When
the conference ended, SEATO's
statement on Laos was we'll
Watered-doWn from the brusoue
tone Of the draft offered by Mr..
RuSk.
So that the Soviet Union would
be under no misapprehensions as
a result of the relatively mild tone
of the Bangkok communique, the
United States added a statement
of its own as a Supplement. "
Appropriate action" was a phrase
employed in the United States
diplomatic communication to
Moscow to indicate that continued
Communist activity in Laos meant
major American intervention.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
Practical Move

In effect, the West was offering
to Moscow the same terms that
the West itself, led by the United
States during the Eisenhower ad-
mlnlstration, had often rejected
or resisted. In the past, any really
"neutralist" government in Vien-
tiane had been viewed with a
most active suspicion in Washing
ton. The reason was a practical
one: ANY government that in
cluded Communists in the exec
utive authority would sooner OF
later be taken over by the ham,
mer-and-sickle.
But the reality Of a situation
IN which the pro-Communist
Pathet Lao and it's vigorous sup
porterS in North Wet Nam seemed
sure to overwhelm the Western
backed regime of Premier Boun
Gum was enough of a challenge
to demand reappraisal of pol
icy. In brief. it was readily ap-
parent that insistence on all-out
support Of Boun Gum and the
strong man" behind him, Gen.
Phoumi Nosavan, meant all-out
commitment of United States and
other Western military forces to a
jungle war under incredibly diff
ficult circumstances.
When the chief ministers of the
Southeast Asia Treaty Organiza-
ton met in Bangkok on Monday.
1t was quickly obvious that there
was no unanimity among them as
to the proper course in the Laos
crisis.
Evening star., 1961-04-02

and the bewildering confusion that
followed, the Belgians have been
soundly abused and roundly con-
demned. Although most of the
charges of "neo colonialiSm"
originated in the Communist
camp, even the West, including
Belgium's allies, have raped
Brussels for it's Congo policy, both
before and after independence.
The U. N. has demanded that
Belgian personnel depart from the
Congo, particularly from wealthy
Katanga province whose Presi-
dent, Noise Tshombe, seeded"
from the republic soon after it
was born.
But the Belgians, smarting
under the plain implications of
continued colonialism, point out
that, before July, 1860, there we're
some 80 million Belgians (men,
women, and children) in the
Congo, and that today there are
between 35 and 40 million.
About 300 military advisers to
the Congolese Army, the former
Force Publique, are being recalled
to Belgium. AS for the white mer-
cenarieS who serve in Mr..
Tshombe'S armed Katanga forces,
the Belgian government has de-
clared its policy to be one hun
dred per cent opposed to such
hiring.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
PoIuris Program

Thus, we will have 90 Polaris
submarines carrying a total of
464 hydrogen-tipped rockets in
operation by the end of 1864
rather than 1866. Furthermore,
we will be able to turn out a new
Polaris sub at the rate of one
a-month until the full fleet of
Is or more is built.
But much of the limited war in
creases-figured at $847 million
represents shift in emphasis on
the part Of the Nations new
Commander in Chief.
Accordingly, if Congress approves
the Kennedy recommendations,
we will:
Develop new tactical fighter
plane for use by all services; add
5000 Army troops and 5000 Ma
rines to our forces; expand nom
nuclear research and procurement:
step up preparations for possible
guerrilla warfare; modernize Army
weapons and Navy ships and pro-
vide more funds for training exer-
cises.
Why is all this necessary? Why
do we need more conventional
forces when we have such power
full nuclear weapons and delivery
systems?
An observation and an implica-
ton by the President provide the
answers. First the observation:
"Non-nuclear wars and sub
limited or guerrilla warfare have
since 1945 constituted the most
active and constant threat to free
world security"
Evening star., 1961-04-02
On CoIonioIism

The crises in Laos and in the
Congo received only passing at
tention from the Warsaw mem
bers in their statement. The only
reference was contained in a gen.
eral Swipe at "the imperialist
powers" and their desperate ef-
forts to prevent disintegration of
the colonial system"
"The imperialist powers more
and more often resort to direct
military force, striving to suppress
the growing national liberation
movement in the countries of
Africa, Asia, and Latin America,
which is illustrated by the bloody
outrages of the colonialists in the
Congo, Algeria, Angola and Laos
as well as by the incessant provo
cations against the Cuban Re
public" the Communist alliance
charged.
For the most part, the Warsaw
pact communique directed its
warnings against "a major hotbed
of war danger" West Germany.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
Warsaw Pact:
A Summit

The eight Communist ma
tiOnS of the Warsaw pact met
in Moscow last week to assess
the world situation and Com
munist defenses.
Nikita Khrushchev's leadership
of the Communist bloc was again
shown secure when the members
of the Warsaw pact gathered in
the Soviet capital Tuesday. But
it seemed clear also that the
Peoples Republic of China and
Albania continue to doubt the
wisdom of the Soviet Premier'S
policy Of peaceful coeXistence.
Communist China, not a men,
ber of the Warsaw pact, sent the
Chinese Ambassador to Moscow
as an observer. Albania, which is
a member. failed to send Enver
Hoxha, First Secretary of the
Albanian Communist Party. Yugo-
slav sources reported that Gen.
Hoxha refused to attend the Mos
COW gathering because of bitter
personal exchange of insults be-
tween him and Mr.. Khrushchev at
last November's top-level Com
munist policy debate.
The Warsaw pact partners,
after their deliberations which
were held behind the Kremlin's
closed doors. issued a communique
which was notably mild. Unlike
previous statements, it did not
single out the United States for
special lambasting. Some observ-
ers suggested that this fact indi-
Gated a continuing hope that re-
lations between the Socialist camp
and the Kennedy administration
could be much improved.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
New u. S. Proposal

Adlai E. Stevenson, chief United
States delegate at the U. NJ, and
Assistant Secretary of State G.
Mennen Williams are reported
ready to submit to the General
Assembly new program for a
solution to the continuing Congo
crisis. The program, which has
been under serious consideration
by the Kennedy administration
for some time, is expected to call
for:
. Continued U. N. presence" in
the Congo;
Q No political or military inter-
ference from other nations;
. Temporary revival of the
Fundamental Law" the Congo'S
constitution;
. Negotiations over a period of
time among all the rival Congo
political leaders for a sound fed
eral system. reconciling all fac
tionS;
. A new and permanent consti-
tuition,
Evening star., 1961-04-02
Message Praised

The Kennedy military budget
message was widely praised for
its clarity, careful thought and
common sense. 1t might be cited
for its courage, too, because the
President stepped on the toes of
some powerful persons and pres
sure groups-military, industrial
and political.
What the Pentagon has needed,
in the opinion of many observers,
is not another rearrangement of
the boxes on its organization
charts but. rather, a boss who
would make hard decisions"
where necessary.
Mr.. Kennedy. aided by Defense
Secretary Mcnamara, has just
made series of them-decisions
which could save billions of dol
lars in the years ahead.
Given the background Of the
demands for more arms spending
by Democratic critics of Eisen-
hover defense programs, few OBJ
servers, regardless of the odds
offered. would have taken a bet
that the President would:
Scale down the fantastically
Continued on Page F-4
Evening star., 1961-04-02
Transition Plan

Countering charges that indie
pendence was deliberately granted
the Congolese before they were
prepared for it, Brussels cites its
original four-year transitional
plan, which was rejected by the
Congo political leaders such as
KaSavubu, Gizenga, Lumumba
and others.
The general withdrawal of
Belgian technicians from the
Congo, it is pointed out, would
cause a further breakdown in the
already chaotic economy and in
utilities, health facilities and
almost every essential public
service.
Intervention by Belgian para
troopers after the violence of last
summer, Brussels says, came only
after hundreds of atrocities, in
Guiding rapes and murders, at the
hands of mutinouS Force Publique
troops.
AS for the Katanga situation,
the Belgians insist that the pow
erful Union Miniere, a private
corporation, is not manipulating
Mr.. Tshombe and his secession
strings. They point out that Mr..
Tshombe, in the elections held
before independence, was opposed
by both the Belgian administra-
ton and the Union Miniere.
Brussels admits mistakes" in
its long role in the Congo. But
the Belgians deny and deeply re-
sent the label of "neo-colonialism"
which has been fastened on them
as result of the Congo chaos.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
The First Strike

If Mr.. Kennedy indicated a dis
enchantment with massive re-
taliation" he all but buried the
"pre-emptive" attack idea which
is one of the key factors in the
"counter-force" strategy advo-
Gated by high Air Force officers.
Three times. in his message, he
made the point:
. I'VE are not creating forces for
a first strike against any nation
. I'VE will not strike first in any
conflict
. "AS a power which will never
strike first :"
The President also made it clear
that he would do all in his power
to guard against "trigger-happi-
ness" and that civilian control
over our forces would be unques-
toned.
In this, he seemed to be putting
less emphasis on the need for
instant" retaliation. What he
wants, apparently, is time to make
certain where the attack comes
from and whether it means un-
limited, all-out war.
Certainly. his determination to
build a more adequately protected
strategic striking force, with
heavy emphasis on obtaining as
many Polaris missile submarines
as quickly as possible, will pro-
vide cause for pause for any
would-be surprise attacker and
time for the Commander-in-C Chief
to guard against all-out war by
accident or by hasty decisions
made in ambiguous circumstances.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
Small Aggressions

The implication: While our big
bomber force has helped pre-
vent major conflict, it has failed
to bar the creeping. nibbling ag-
gressions which have advanced
Communist causes since World
War II.
The discussed Kennedy
desire to build forces which will
not require automatic use of nu-
clear weapons on our part but,
instead, will permit us to "let the
punishment fit the crime" car
ries an element of risk.
This is the danger of miscal-
culation by the Soviet Union. Be-
cause 1t, today, possesses a wide
edge in manpower and conven-
tional arms, the USSR might be
tempted to embark on new ad-
ventures-by proxy, or even di-
Evening star., 1961-04-02
THE NATIONAL SCENE
Kennedy on Defense:
A New Emphasis

President Kennedy on Tues
day sent Congress a revised mil
itary budget calling for a net
increase in spending of $3.50
million for fiscal 1862 to a
total of S43.8 billion. The extra
money, and additional funds
requested for future spending,
will go for building a less vul-
.nerable strategic retaliatOry
force and for strengthening our
nOn-nuclear war capability.
1.-THE budget which follows
is designed to chart fresh,
clear course for our security in
a time of rising dangers and per-
sistent- hope"
This statement was contained
in the foreword of the edifying
military budget message which
President Kennedy last week sent
to Congress. The remainder of the
message convinced many an OBJ
server that the author had real
lied his design.
Mr.. Kennedy, in recommending
expenditures which would in
crease the likelihood that the
United States would have an ade-
quate ent/retaliatory force
surviving any enemy surprise at
tack and which would begin a
buildup of neglected non-nuclear,
limited-war elements, underScored
what Washington has for some
weeks known to be one of the key
detectives of the new administra-
tion's national security policy:
To eliminate massive retalia-
tion," once and for ALL as STRAIT
egy for any and all situations by
increasing ''our ability to confine
our response to non-nuclear
weapons"
While a little less the one-third
Of the $2.7 billion gross increase
requested by Mr.. Kennedy over
the next four years will go to
limited war forces, most of the
remainder, including $1.3 billion
for Polaris missile submarines,
covers accelerationS and some
improvements in established pro-
grams.
Evening star., 1961-04-02
At the u. NJ:
Congo Costs

France baked last week at
sharing the cost of the United
Nations operations in the Congo,
precipitating money crisis for
the secretariat; the United
States prepared a new plan for
u, N. efforts in the Congo.
The emergency intervention of
the U. N. in the violence torn
Congo Republic will cost an esti-
mated $120 million this year, and
Dag Hammarskjold doesn't know
where that much money is COM
ing from.
The Soviet Union and the other
nations of the Communist camp
have refused fatty to contribute
their share of the costs. Last
week France announced also re-
lection of the assessment. And
several Latin American nations
have proposed that the bulk of
the immense sum be contributed
by the five permanent members
of the Security Council (the United
States, Britain, the Soviet Union,
France and Nationalist China).
In addition, the Latin American
plan urged that nations having
more than 81 million in public
or private investments in the
Congo be required to bear 25 per
cent of the costs. This provision
would hit the Belgian pocketbook
hard.
To help ease the financial crisis,
the United States offered a "siz-
able" increase in its contribution,
Britain and Canada came through
with almost million apiece.
Other nations are expected to
add their help to the cause. In
the end. most delegates predict,
Uncle Sam will have to bear more
than half of the total expense if
the Communist nations persist in
their refusal Of support. No one
expects Mr.. Khrcchchev to have
a change of heart.