davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Desert Mystery

The mysterious explosions which
wrecked three important microwave and
cable relay stations in Utah and Nevada
have revealed how vulnerable to sabotage
or vandalism our transcontinental COM
munications network may be. Such
vulnerability could be of serious import
in connection with civil defense. There
should be some way of safeguarding
these vital communication links from
damage by intruders.
With the Federal Bureau Of Investi-
cation and other agencies seeking the
culprits and trying to learn their mo-
tives, an answer to the mystery soon may
be forthcoming. Meanwhile, there is
a measure of reinsurance in the dis
closure that an automatic device quickly
rerouted civil defense communications
over alternate lines, so that there was no
serious interruption in this vital net
work. Commercial operations were badly
disrupted, however. The incident has
disclosed the need for precautionary
measures to guard against further
attacks on the remote outpoSts Of the
Nations communications System-in-
cluding an effective alarm system to
alert Federal and State authorities.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Memorial Day, 1861

On this particular day, 100 years
after our then-young nation took up
arms in tragic and bloody war among
ourselves, it Is most to be desired that
there will be respect and reverence for
those who died in that great conflict.
1t is not necessary century later to
weigh the rights and wrongs, or to
discuss the reasons, for that chapter
OF strife. They have been written into
history many times, and indeed in
many versions.
In certain manifestations, a kind
of division has existed ever since
between North and South-in politics,
in economics, and even in storytelling.
But that war itself and the many.
harsh demands which have confronted
the United States of America in the
years since have been only part of the
testing which Abraham Lincoln referred
to in his so-brief address at the
dedication of military cemetery in
Gettysburg on November 10, 1853. 1t
was President Lincoln's point then, or,
more accurately, his question Of whether
any nation $50 conceived and so
dedicated can long endure"
A century is perhaps short time
in the span of history, but let it be
said that thus far we have indeed
endured. The North and South that
fought each other bitterly, and that
persist to this day in their peculiar
rivalries, have found greater causes in
common. These have been not only
causes in conflict, such as two world
wars and other more limited ventures
at arms. They have been, almost as
one, the cause of liberty, of freedom,
and of human dignity.
Basically, it was for this cause that
so many died in the war of century
ago. And, basically, 1t is for this reason
that they are due from us, "the living"
that "last full measure Of devotion"
which can be accorded on Memorial
Day Of 1861.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Second-Chonce Tests

1t Is unfortunate that some 1900
foreign doctors now in the United States
have failed (many Of them for second
time) to pass tests qualifying them as
interns and residents in American hospi-
tails. Medical and hospital authorities
had hoped that the number would be
less, so that more of these young
physicians could continue their training
and service in this country. 1t was
hope, however, which few expected
would be realized. For those in charge
of the tests have insisted from the start
that many of the applicants did not
possess the basic medical knowledge
even to meet the minimum standards of
the tests.
Precisely what will happen to these
1900 doctors is unclear at the moment.
According to the American Medical As
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Godspeed!

It is only too easy, of course, to
cite reasons why one should have
feelings of misgiving, and even appre-
henSion, about President Kennedy's
pending journey abroad. Still, as he
flies now to his three-day meeting with
the formidable and altogether admi-
rable General de Gaulle, there is ample
ground for hope that the two of them
will be able to achieve good meeting
of minds on the several problems (Such
as Algeria and the role of Paris in the
Atlantic alliance) that trouble Franco
American relations.
Similarly, as far as Britain is con-
cerned, it seems safe to assume that
Mr.. Kennedy, on his brief stop-over in
London before returning to Washington,
will have fruitful conversations with
Prime Minister Macmillan-conversa
tionS that ought to give added strength
to the great historical ties that bind
together his country and ours. To be
sure, Americans and BritonS have lot
to argue about, but they share so much
in common-including the most basic
traditions of law, freedom and individ-
ual human dignity-that there can be
little doubt regarding their ability to
hold fast together under the greatest Of
difficulties.
A different set of circumstances sur
rounds Mr.. Kennedy'S June ga meeting
in between his Paris and London talks
with Premier KhruShchev in Vienna.
Needless to say, there is much to be
discussed there, and the President
presumably will strive to impress upon
the Soviet leader the Importance Of
not making miscalculations about the
temper or resoluteneSS of the American
people and their government. This
applies specifically to the defense Of
what is left of freedom in a world
threatened everywhere, from Southeast
Asia to Latin America, with Communist
Subversion and aggression.
There is a need to put Mr.. Khru-
shchev straight on this matter, to put
the Kremlin straight. And perhaps Mr..
Kennedy's trip to Vienna will be useful
to that end, especially If he can count
on solid support from President de
Gaulle's France and Mr.. Macmillan'S
Britain In any event, all Americans,
and indeed the friends of peace and
freedom everywhere, have reason to
wish him Godspeed and good luck as
he wings his way now on the hardest
and most fateful test of his admins
tration up to the present moment.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Birthday Under Siege

It is an unhappy commentary on
the birth Of republic that this time
in South Africa has become known as
"criSis week."
On continent where the wind of
change" has attained perhaps a greater
velocity than ever before anywhere, a
mood Of apprehension and of near-fear
predominates in a new nation. This is
a nation divided between whites and
non-whites, nation that in the stiff
pride of its controlling white minority
population has decided to break its
long ties with that unique community,
the British Commonwealth of Nations,
and go it alone. Even in this white
minority there is deep emotional divi-
sion, between the Afrikaner NationaliStS
Of primarily Dutch descent and other
EngliSh-speaking peoples whose kinship
to the Commonwealth is both material
and spiritual.
What is happening this week, the
birth Of non-associated republic, is by
decision Of the Afrikaners-prevailing
first Of all in white-only referendum
favoring republic status and secondly
by firm, even though professedly re-
luctant, action of Afrikaner Prime
Minister Verwoerd's withdrawal of an
application to remain within the Com
monwealth. It was an action taken
when it became certain last March that
a majority of the first ministers of the
Commonwealth, itself a multi-racial
q HoA hats 4,ofa
to express official criticism Of the race
separation (apartheid) policies of the
new Republic Of South Africa.
It may be said that the crisis Of
the moment, or of the week, has been
set in motion by the All-In African
National Council, repeatedly subject to
underground leadership, that has called
a general strike to support its demands
for a new, non-segregated democratic
constitution. With all police and mil
itary on duty, with white families
armed for self-defenSe, with households
stocked with emergency foods and fuels,
and with both white and non-white
leaders pleading for non-violence, it is
not an exaggeration to say that the new
nation is under internal siege in the
very week of its birth.
The formalities of this occasion no
doubt will take place on schedule and,
likewise no doubt, Afrikaner rule will
prove its authority. But If this is so
today, it will not necessarily be so
tomorrow. A white population currently
outnumbered by 3 to 13 will be out
numbered by ever-increaSing odds in
the years ahead. Sometime, somehow,
an accommodation must be found that
does not require enforcement at arms
or an unhappy isolation from the rest
of the free world.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
AN-Purpose Aid

With all the talk about
Federal aid to education,
Federal aid to the aged, Fed
eral aid to depressed areas,
and so on ad infinitum, I
would like to ask what has
become Of the general pub
hes sanity?
Who in his right mind for
instance believes for just a
moment that one dollar or
a million dollars will buy
more after having made a
trip to Washington, D. c.,
and back to whatever part of
the country it came from? It
seems to me that a prepon-
derantly large part Of the
country's population has got
ten the idea that Federal
money is free money, which,
Of course, is ridiculous. Let
no one forget that money
handled by the Government
is just like a SNOWFALL that is
being passed around by q
group of small children from
hand to hand; a little of it
comes off in each hand and
after sufficient handling will
disappear.
It will be argued that this
is not so but does anybody
doubt that all of the money
in the Federal Treasury does
not come from taxes? If so
where does it come from, and
who pays these taxes?
No, I say 1t is time to stop
being silly and say we need
Federal aid for this. that and
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Playing the Market

Sooner or later we're going
to have the much-needed
laws which will protect the
stock market gambler. Let's
hope 1t is not too far off, for
many spectators will find
themselves in serious trouble.
suffering substantial losses
because they failed to inves-
tigate before they invested.
The warnings issued by the
president of the New York
Stock Exchange concerning
vague tips, low-priced new
stock issues, ETC., will be
about as effective as asking
a little boy not to eat too
much candy. What we need
now is strong, effective legis-
lation. The longer we wait,
the more serious our prob
lem.
The SEC has admitted it
lacks the necessary man
power to do a thorough in
vestigating job in screening
new stock offering. But what
about the speculator who
learns of a stock that opened
at $28 a share and closed the
same day at $50? This actu-
ally happened recently, and
amounts to about the same
as winning one horse race in
many at the track.
Congress should make 1t its
duty to supply the necessary
manpower, or create an
agency which will protect the
public against outright spe-
culation.
Herbert SOmmers.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Highway Slaughter

The JohnStown flood was
one Of three of the worst
disasters the United States
has ever experienced. The
Galveston tidal wave in 1900
took 5000 lives. The Titanic,
then the largest ship afloat,
took 1,517 people down with
her when she struck an ice
berg in 1912. These three
disasters cost a total Of 9,726
lives, according to National
Safety Council figures.
BY the most macabre COIN
cidence, the exact same num-
ber Of lives 9.726 - were
taken in traffic accidents in
the United States in three
consecutive summer driving
months June. July and
August Of 1858. Three national
disasters - three consecutive
months toll in traffic acci-
dents-the total was identi-
cal!
There is one major differ
ence, however. The entire
world mourned the loss of
life caused by natural"
disasters. Yet no one seems
to know or care about the
man-made disasters which
occur on our streets and
highways every summer. If
the toll continues as it has
in the past few years, more
than 5000 men, women and
children will be beaten, bat
tered and burned to death by
motor vehicles each summer
month-this June, this July
and this August! Property
damage will run into the
billions. Some one will die
every IA minutes. Someone
will be injured, perhaps Grip
pied for life, every % sec
onds. And the world will lit
tie note nor long remember!"
The tragic part of this
coincidence is that while we
could do nothing to prevent
the flood, the sinking or the
tidal wave, we can prevent
traffic accidents. Laws, en-
forcement, engineering and
motor vehicles are all part
Of the solution. However, it
is a better driver behind the
wheel, a better pedestrian on
the street, who can do the
most.
We ask the help Of every
conscientious driver in the
Metropolitan Washington
Area in preventing needless
disaster on our highways this
summer.
Speed too fast for condi-
tions is our number one kill
er and major responsibility
must rest upon the driving
public. We urge every mo-
torist to pay special attention
to the international "Slow
Down and Live" safety pro-
gram, now being sponsored
for the ninth consecutive
year by the Association Of
State and Provincial Safety
Co-ordinatorS.
We must halt the needless
slaughter on our highways.
With citizen support and
sane, safe driving practices
we know we can!
Anthony L. Ellison,
Chief, Office of Traffic Safe
ty, D. C. Government.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
THE POLITICAL MILL
Texas Vote q Rap at Kennedy
By GOULD LINCOLN

Mr.. Tower - even though
Senator Blakley is a con-
servative-to show their dis
pleasure with the Kennedy
administration and the Ken
nedy big spending, big Gov
ernment programs. Further,
they have been disappointed
by the handling of the Cuban
situation. They have been
disappointed with the Ken
nedy administration-period.
How much Attorney Gen.
eral Bob Kennedy's remark
on the Voice of America that
within 80 or 40 years a Negro
could be President Of the
United States may have af-
fected the voting in Texas is
anybody's guess. When Henry
Cabot Lodge, also Of MaSSa-
chusetts, said in a speech in
Harlem, N. Y, that if Mr..
Nixon were elected President
a Negro might become a
member of the cabinet, he
was criticized on the ground
he had lost Mr.. Nixon thou
sands of votes in Southern
States. Mr.. Lodge was the
Republican vice presidential
candidate. Also, some Texans,
while they strongly hate mob
action like that in Alabama
against the Freedom Riders,
have not relisheo the Attor-
ney Generals sending a small
army of United States mar
shals into that State, when
it's Governor and the local
authorities had not asked for
aid, and the Governor, in
deed, claimed he could deal
with the situation, as he did
when he called out the Ma
tional Guard. Some South
erners go so far as to say
that if President Kennedy
had to run against Mr.. Nixon
for President today, he would
not be able to carry Texas,
nor four or five of the other
Southern States he did win
in 1866.
See Blow at Administration
Republicans not only are
jubilant over Mr.. Towers
victory for the Senate, but
they hail it as a reputation
of the Kennedy administra-
ton. The Republican Party
has gradually been gaining
strength in Texas. It has a
Congressman from a Dallas
district. But the election of
a Senator from one Of the
States of the old Solid South
is a real political upset of
major proportions. Former
President Eisenhower carried
Texas in 1852 and again in
1956-and Mr.. Nixon only
lost it by a narrow margin
last year.
Republican National
Chairman Thruston Morton
sees the Tower victory as
evidence that a two-party
system in Texas and other
Southern States is on its
way.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Earlier Retirement

The Budget Bureau and
the Civil Service Commission
are opposing Senator john
ston's bill, S. 1873, to permit
earlier optional retirement.
Two of their objections at
first impression appear valid
but do not bear close exami-
nation. They say: Cd It
would be too costly for the
Government. (2) It would be
inconsistent with the Ad-
ministration's efforts to en-
courage industry to utilize
the abilities of older people.
The first objection is not
founded on sound reasoning
since a majority of the per-
sons having 80 years Of Serv-
ice would be in the upper
brackets of their grades.
Indeed, many would have
attained the top of their
grades and for this reason
would be motivated to retire.
The Government would re-
place these retirees by hir-
ing other persons in the first
step Of the respective grades.
This would largely offset the
Governments share of the
additional cost to the retire.
ment fund.
The second objection is
based upon a fallacy since
the bill does not propose a
lower compulsory retirement
age. In allowing employees to
remain. until age 10 it is
entirely consistent for the
Government to urge private
employers to raise their
maximum from IS.
Considerations justifying
establishment of an arbitrary
maximum age do not justify
an arbitrary minimum age.
If this were not so, no one
could retire from Government
service until he attained age
10. For since it has been
determined that ones useful
ness ends at age 10, it follows
that it does not end at SIS,
which is the present minimum
age for optional retirement.
To concede that there is a
higher percentage of employees
having 80 years of service
who wish to retire at age SIS
in no way invalidates the
reasons which may motivate
those wishing to retire at age
so.
A further objection put
forth by the Administration
is that the services Of many
valuable employees would be
lost to the Government
during these years Of high
productivity, lie. ages so to
SIS. This objection is the most
shameful Of them all. It
amounts to an admission that
many so-called career" en-
ployes are not remaining for
reasons of patriotism or re-
muneration, but only because
they are locked in by an in
equitable retirement system.
1t is a sad commentary on the
lost cause Of freedom when
the Government or any other
employer for that matter,
openly admits that his
workers remain because they
are not free to leave.
George H. Fouche.
Evening star., 1961-05-30

everything else and then look
for every possible loophole
in the book when income tax
time rolls around.
So, let's cut out all Federal
aid to everything and every
body and then maybe we'll
have a dollar or two left to
do a few things for ourselves
next April 16, because no
matter how you figure it, the
money all comes from the
same place, out of the tax
payers pocket.
Voted for Nixon last No.
vember.
Truman E. Bruch.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Enoineers Have Air Mattress Span
By THOMAS r. HENRY

ballastable at the work site
to do the work of q $4,000
pound tractor. This tractor
can perform the work Of q
bulldozer, scraper, grader,
dump truck and prime
mover.
Navigation through dense
jungleS and swamps, with
out landmarks or stars for
guidance and in a perpetual
hot, wet twilight, is being
developed by the Army's
Transportation Corps.
In a recent demonstration
in the densest jungleS of
Panama, two weaSels went
about 60 miles in eight days
by dead-reckoning only, and
came out within three miles
of their objective. This is
considered a most remark
able accomplishment.
Progress Slow
The jumping off place was
near Fort Kotbe, in the
Canal Zone. Within five
miles all the wheeled We
hicles in the caravan were
hopelessly begged down in
apparently bottomless mud.
In another five miles the
jeeps and a two-and-a-half
ton tractored truck also were
begged down and were sent
back with the other vehicles
to form a base camp.
The wealels then plunged
into jungle so dense that
there was no visual contact
with a helicopter overhead
and it was impossible for
the 'copter crew to locate the
men on the ground. The
group finally came out Of
the jungle on a bank of the
Rio Chepo, three miles from
the intended destination.
Through the last 80 miles
the jungle was so dense that
it was necessary to cut
through, foot by foot. The
personnel suffered no i'll ef-
fects, although plagued by
torrential rains, insects and
snakes.
The principal fir ding was
that small tracked vehicles
can operate successfully in
the jungle during the wet
season without engineer
support. They can negotiate
deep jungle mud but met
great difficulty in dense un-
dergrowth. It was decided
that they were the best
available means of transpor-
tation of heavy materials in
q Jungle environment.
Evening star., 1961-05-30
Answers to Questions
BY THE HASKINS SERVICE

@. Why isn't metal con-
sidered good material for
making a birdhouse?-F. r.
A. Houses made of metal or
pottery are apt to get so hot
inside during the summer
that eggs are ruined and even
young birds killed. This is
especially true where the
house is in the open and the
sun beats down on the roof.
Wood is the preferred ma
terial for birdhouses.
Evening star., 1961-05-30

The election of Republican
John Tower to the Senate
seat vacated by Vice Presi-
dent Lyndon johnson Of
Texas is an amazing ampli-
fication of thu blackeye
which the Kennedy admins
tration took in the first elec-
ton try for this seat. In that
election, conservative Demo-
cratic Senator William E.
Blakley, defeated by Mr..
Tower in Saturdays run-off,
led a field of more liberal
Democrats * ennedy Demo-
Gratis. Two of them were mid
dle-of- -the-roaders, and two
quite radical.
The Kennedy supporters
are not admitting that the
Tower victory-the first time
a Texas Republican has been
sent to the Senate since Re
construction Days after the
Civil Warts in reality a
blow. The idea they advance
is that Mr.. Tower owes his
election to the liberal Dem
ocrats. Although Mr.. Tower
ran as a conservative, Gold
water Republican in the
campaign now closed, Dem
ocratic National Chairman
John Bailey put out a state
ment that true Democrats
are sick and tired Of elect
ing Democrats to Congress
who vote like Republicans.
only a Special Election
In support of this Kennedy
administration view of the
Texas election, it is pointed
out that thousands of DEM
ocrats sat on their hands on
election day-lesS than a mil
lion votes were cast as COM
pared to 90 million in the
presidential election last No
vember when Mr.. Johnson
was reelected Senator-run-
ming against Mr.. Tower-by
100000 and Mr.. Kennedy de-
feated Vice President Nixon
by about $4,000. In answer
to this, the comment is that
this was a special election
not a presidential election
and could not be expected to
bring out a large vote. Also,
that of the Democrats who
sat on their hands, there
probably were as many con-
servative as liberal Demo-
Grassland that if both had
voted, the result would have
been the same. Also, had one
of the liberals been nomi-
mated to run against Mr..
Tower, there is no assurance
that the conservative Dem
ocrats would not have moved
over to vote for the Republi-
can, bringing about a Tower
victory, too.
Various reasons are given
for this extraordinary Tower
victory. One is that e large
number of the people are
conservative; that many OF
them preferred to vote for