davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-05-08
lust a Baby STEP

Commander Alan B. Shepard, jr.,
has eminently earned all the acclaim
and honorS bestowed on him here today,
both off1cially and unofncially, from the
White House on down to the cheering
crowds in the street AS he himself would
emphasize, however, this tribute Is some
thing which he must share, even If in
directly, with his six fellow astronauts
and with everybody else who has con-
tribGted to the success Of Project Mer-
cury'S first manned Sub-orbital flight in
space.
Moreover as a pioneer who is not
only heroic but also intelligent and real
1St1c beyond the norm, Comdr. Shepard
undoubtedly agrees with his wifes view
that his marvellous accomplishment in
the high heavens actually constitutes
"juSt baby step" (though gigantic
otherwiSe) in relation to the Spatial
challenges ahead, including such things
as trips to the moon and beyond. In
that respect, together with the whole
company Of Mercury aStronauts, he is
we'll aware that his flight last Friday
despite its Splendor and its historical and
psychological Importance - still falls
short Of Soviet Major Yuri Gagarin's
once-around orbiting of the globe, feat
which our best experts accept as fact
even though the Kremlin continues to
keep it shrouded in secrecy.
Yet there is reason to believe that
the Russians lead in orbital fiight-as In
the thrust power Of their rockets-is a
fleeting one. AS matter Of fact, there is
strong possibility, If not probability,
that Comdr. Shepard or one Of the other
astronautS will be fired into orbit around
the earth before the year endS-and not
just for a single trip, like Major Gagar-
ms, but for three or more before being
brought back to terra firma. AS for rel
ative positions in the field of missile
boosters, our country is moving steadily
forward in developing the tremendous
Saturn cluster of engines and other Sys-
TENS Of even greater weight-lifting ca
pacitieS that should enable us
to match, and perhaps overwhelmingly
excel, the SovietS in Spatial activities.
In any event, as he has indicated in
his statement hailing Comdr. Shepard'S
achievement, President Kennedy Is in
favor of intensifying our country's striv-
ings on the roadway to the stars. AS he
has put it, "All America rejoiceS in this
successful flight . an historic mile
stone. But America still needs to work
with the utmost speed and vigor in the
further development of our space pro-
gram" and I'VE are going to increase our
efforts" Certainly Comdr. Shepard, al
though he has taken ':juSt baby STEP"
has inspired the Nation in a way that
can hardly fail to speed up the closing
Of the space gap between ourselves and
the Russians.
Evening star., 1961-05-08
BE Kind to Animals

The District Commissioners
have again proclaimed BE
Kind to Animal Week, May 7
through May 13. To many
Americans this may seem an
unnecessary appeal.
Cruelty to animals in this
country, they think. is non-
existent. Animal Welfare So
cieties. unfortunately, know it
does exist and is not a spora-
die occurrence. The news
papers frequently publish
shocking examples and report
the perpetrators are arrested
by the police and sentenced
by the courts.
This year, the seven
animal welfare agencies of
the Metropolitan Area have
published an international
folder listing their available
services. These services cover
such vital needs as the shell
ter for stray and injured
ANIMALS operated by the
Washington Animal Rescue
League. receiving over 1000
animals per month; the Tail
Waggers' profit animal
clinic. treating 10000 animals
annually. the investigation
and prosecution Of cruelty by
the Washington Humane So
ciety. and gay and entertain
ing services like pet shows,
obedience training classes,
reading lists and movies.
These folders have been
accepted for distribution by
the District schools, libraries,
recreation centers and chill
dren'S organizations. The
Washington Animal Rescue
League and the Tail Wag-
gers Club both located at
II o street NV, invite the
public to visit their facilities
at any time.
Mrs. Frank Allen West,
Vice President, the Tail
WaggerS' Club.
Evening star., 1961-05-08

Fine Arts Commission, ap-
pointed by the President, and
composed of a sculptor,
painter. architect and land
scape architect. The chair
man is the former director
Of the National Gallery of
art in Washington. The
commission is rendering a
superb service in making sure
that the statues erected in
Washington shall be of ex-
cellent quality.
The commission not only
passes on the selection of
sites, models and artists but
also gives counsel generally
upon questions of art when
asked to do so by the PreSi-
dent or any Congressional
committee.
Some early monuments may
not have great artistic merit
but may embody charm, au-
thenticity. historical and
emotional values. The ques-
ton is so intricate that it
would require careful con-
sideration over a long period
Of time by group of experts
such as the Art Commission.
Art is long and Time is
fleeting." For a Nations art
$50 years are a short span
and three months are in
finitesimal. We hope Sec
retary Udall will serve the
cultural interests of our
country by giving time and
due deliberation to this sub
ject and by comforting with
those dedicated organizations
which have devoted them
selves to this branch Of art.
C. Paul Jennewein,
President,
AdOIph Block,
First Vice President,
National Sculpture Society.
Evening star., 1961-05-08
Loyal Opposition

Richard Nixon certainly did not
exaggerate when he said his first speech
on national issues since the election
presented difncult problem. For criti-
ciSm, in time of real national danger,
must be balanced with sense of re-
Sponsibility- easy thing If the critic
is to be politically effective. Mr.. Nixon,
however, managed it well.
Reiterating his pledge to back PreSi-
dent Kennedy ito the hilt" in supporting
positive measures" which may be re-
quired to resist further Communist
aggression, the former Vice President
called upon the American people to un-
derstand that we are in fight "for our
lives" to recognize that we will be faced
with crisis after crisis for long period
of time and to be mature enough" to
realize that we are mot going to succeed
in every venture we undertake in the
foreign field"
His major theme, however, was that
I'VE should not start things unless we
are prepared to finish them," that when
ever American prestige is committed on
a major scale we must be willing to
SOilAAIAO ClIOuSIl pOWCA W OUIdIl OuI OO-
jective even If all of our intelligence
estimates prove wrong.
One difficulty with this is that
American power in terms of forces such
as those needed to deal with the threat
in Laos, for example, is limited And
although Mr.. Nixon did not say it, this
is due in no minor part to policies
adopted during the Eisenhower admin
iStration. Another problem upon which
he did not touch, at least not in specific
terms, is that of reconciling objectives
and commitments with available power.
Our "bruShflre" war forces cannot be
built up Overnight-a limiting factor
whicil must be under serious study
within the administration as we plan
to counter Communist threats at widely
scattered points around the globe.
On the whole, however, Mr.. Nixon's
performance was a responsible and a
creditable one. If he can keep his sub
Sequent discussions on the same high
plane, the contribution which they will
make to American understanding should
be Of major Importance.
Evening star., 1961-05-08
First Hurdle Crossed

1t is hard to say whether there
would have been any major changes in
the new Federal interstate highway
financing bill If the House had been
free to amend the legislation on the
floor. For there was a certain amount
OF grunbling about the gag rule"
backed by the House leadership, which
forced members to accept or reject the
bill in the form reported by committees.
On the other hand, strong bipartisan
support for the main features Of the
bill was expressed both in debate and
In the overwhelming vote of approval.
H. The reason for speculation along
these lines is that the bill now moves
to the Senate, where major revision
efforts may we'll be launched. Nothing
should be done, however, to reduce the
funds needed to keep the vast road
program on schedule or to interfere
with the provisions Of the House bill
that-with one exception-provide the
additional revenues needed through
direct taxes on highway users The
great bulk of this increment will result
from the simple and sensible course of
retaining the present 4-cents-a- gallon
tax on motor fuels.
Unfortunately, about $3.50 million
year will be transferred to the highway
trust fund from general Federal rev.
enues, and this will create an additional
deficit which President Kennedy had
hoped to avoid. Actually, however,
diversion Of $3.50 million is far less than
number Of powerful pressure groups
had fought for The result might we'll
have been worse. There is at least a
philosophic justification for this switch,
moreover, in the fact that the $3.50
million represents half of the Federal
excise tax on trucks, buses and trailers,
the other half of which already is
allocated to the highway fund.
Considering the politics of the
Evening star., 1961-05-08

Secretary OF the Interior
Udall. in a recent magazine
article, described what he
considered to be his prob
lens in regard to Washing
ton, D. c., memorials. We
are aware that after only
three months in office he has
not had the time to fully
assess what has been de-
veloping for a century and a
half. However. the issue is
vital to us and to the Nation
and we must therefore ex-
press our considered opinions.
Mr.. Udall raised two pri-
mary issues: Are there too
many memorials in Wash
ington? And is most Wash
ington statuary poorly con-
ceived both as a work Of art
and a personal tribute to its
subject?"
Are the 1872 statues, mon
uments and memorials crowd
ing the city2 The wonder is
that there are only 1872, con-
sidering WaShington's size
and that it has served as
the Nations Capital for 100
years. A New York City Park
Department report signed by
the then Commissioner Rob-
ert Moses listed $40 statues,
monuments and memorials
under its jurisdiction. No one
in New York is complaining
about an abundance of
these bronze and stone treas
ures.
OF course no American city
can compete in numbers with
the literally incalculable
statuary of Paris, Rome,
Florence and Vienna. They
started their collections so
many centuries before we did,
and have cherished and care
Evening star., 1961-05-08
Signs of Weakness?

Like Will Rogers OF old, all
I know is what I read in the
papers.
To me. the news OF food
and vodka shortages in Mos
COW on May Day was a sig
nificant bit Of military in
telligence. 1t must have
meant that transport was un-
able to bring into the city
both the military display and
these necessities Of life.
The overt evidence, there
fore. is that the Soviet Union
still has a Second-rate trans
portation system. A nation
with such, despite astronauts,
1CBM's and blitz diplomacy
cannot be a first-rate mill
tary power and dare not
challenge one that Is.
The Southern political
leaders in 1851 took the risk
Evening star., 1961-05-08
Scu|ptors Defend Capitals Many Statues

fully protected their works
of art.
Washington is our most
beautiful city. respected by
foreigners and loved by
Americans. Its monuments
make it a national shrine
visited by millions. a large
proportion Of whom are
young students who go there
to see the sculptures which
represent our history and our
culture.
A monument is always de-
signed for a specific and
permanent location; 1t is the
elimination OF group action
by devoted adherents Of a
particular hero. Yesterdays
heroes must be respected by
today's custodians If we are to
have a national tradition.
This brings us to the Sec
ond issue: Most Washington
statuary is poorly conceived
both as a work of art and as
a personal tribute to its sub
ject."
Americas greatest sculp-
tors are represented in Wash
ington. Daniel Chester
French's Lincoln, James Earle
Fraser's Alexander Hamilton,
Rudolph Evans Thomas JEFF
ferSon and Leo Friedlander"s
equestrian groups "Valor" and
Sacrifice" on the Arlington
Memorial Bridge, and many,
many more, too numerous
to mention, immortalize our
Nations heroes and proclaim
our noble aspirations.
Tastes fluctuate with the
times. 1t is not in the prov
ince of any governmental
department unrelated to the
arts to determine what is and
what is not good sculpture.
Since 1910. Washington has
been fortunate in having the
Evening star., 1961-05-08
Fovors Status Quo

A recent personal expert
ence with bureaucracy
prompts me to take issue with
the administration backed
program for medical care"
under the Social Security
system. When a person needs
help, he needs 1t Immediately,
and my exasperating expert
ence with the Veterans Ad-
ministration would have its
counterpart under Social Sc
curity medical care.
Needing some cash to pay
taxes. I called q private in
Surance company on March
Is and asked for my accu-
mulated dividends. A check
arrived on the 18th. The
same day l telegraphed the
Veterans Administration in
Philadelphia. Ten days later
I received a post card which
said my telegram had been
received and was receiving
attention" On April IS
the day I needed the tax
money. I had hoped to OBJ
tain from funds the Govern
ment owed mel received a
letter saying that my applica-
ton had been received but
that because of the work
load" land probably the null
tiple coffee breaks there
would be a delay in payment.
Soon April 26, I received
my check, only Al days
after I'd wired for the
needed funds! OF course, in
the meantime I had to bor-
row the money. at interest.
So. President Kennedy
wants us to leave our medical
needs to this machine which
grindS so slowly and con-
tributes nothing to our econ
omy. He also wants us to give
up the privilege Of being able
to select our own physician
for that is what will happen
as soon as the planners" get
their hands into medical care.
Our already high Social Sc
curity taxes will have to 60
up and some Of the people
who will be eligible for medi-
cal care payments won't be
needing them at all.
No thanks, Mr.. President,
when I need medical care,
I want effective, immediate,
interested and capable atten-
tion. I don't want it when
some Government clerk gets
around to thinking about my
needs and then making his
decision as to how. where and
what I get. Under the pres
ent system, we've become not
only the healthiest nation in
the world but also the most
prosperous. I'm in favor Of
keeping it that way.
Richard A. Velz
Evening star., 1961-05-08
OSLO, Norway.

OlOANfB 4NOA "dJ'
From the amount of pre-
liminary hand wringing that
has been going on it is hard
to tell whether this spring
meeting of NATO ministers
is supposed to be a pep rally
or a wake.
So far at least, the atmos-
phere has been anything but
invigorating. Most of the
delegates arriving in this
land of birch trees and
picked herrings are behav-
ing as if they wished heartily
that they we're somewhere
else, and that the semi-annual
exercise which is supposed to
give inspiration and purpose
to the alliance for the COM
ing six months might be put
off to a more propitious mo-
ment.
The problem, Of course, is
that these North Atlantic
Treaty Organization meet
ings are essentially public
relations performances de-
signed to dramatic the
strength, unity and purpose
fulneSS of the West. But what
Is likely to be dramatized
this week. in a most painful
way, is the disarray of the
alliance in the face Of recent
miSfortunes which have over
taken some Of NATO'S most
important members.
Even before the formal
sessions began there were un-
friendly questions at press
conferences about American
aggression" against Cuba.
Laos and Wet Nam loom
larger at this conference
than any problems that lie
within the NATO area. Co.
lonialism in the former Bel
gian Congo or in Portuguese
Angola is sure to be the sub
ject of heated discussions
over the next three days.
And the virtual certainty of
a new explosion in Berlin be-
fore the NATO ministers
meet again is on everyone's S
mind.
Rusk on Spot
Dean RuSk, one feels at
the outset, is very much the
man on the spot. After all
the buildup about the dy-
manic impetus which the
new administration was to
provide to NATO, almost any
performance probably would
have been something of an
anticlimax. Given the liza
bilities of the Cuban fiasco
and new doubts in Europe
about the quality of Ameri-
can leadership, his position
here is more uncomfortable
that any American Secretary
Of State has faced since
NATO was created.
Not that his NATO COL
leagues are out to give Mr.
RuSk a hard time. Whatever
his part in the Cuban affair
may have been the attitude
Of most delegates is that the
Secretary as an individual is
more to be pitied than CEN
sured. And there is a rather
widespread feeling that some
show Of NATO solidarity is
essential to stop the snow
balling series of calamities
that threatens to overwhelm
Western positions throughout
the world.
Evening star., 1961-05-08
WATCHING THE WORLD
By CROSBY S. MOVES
Painful Aqendo Confronts NATO
Foreign Correspondent Of The Stor

There is sympathy, too,
for the American approach
to this meeting, which might
be described as the clean
breast approach. Heavy en-
phaSiS is suddenly being laid
on the Importance of full
and free discussion in council
meetingS-even If these dis
cuSsions touch on matters
which are painful to some Of
the members. Mr.. Rusk him
self was expected to bring
up the Cuban matter first.
And on all problems in which
any NATO members might
have legitimate concern, most
unrestrained. unlimited and
even most undiplomatic talk
is being boldly solicited.
Military Talks Deferred
Indeed. one gets the i'm
preston that very little other
than these painful and diff
ficult subjects will be dis
cuSsed during the three-day
meeting. Military matters,
on which at least some de-
gree of unanimity might be
expected, have been firmly
ruled off the agenda until
the permanent NATO council
digests suggestions put for
ward by the committee
headed by Dean Acheson.
Talk here in Oslo will be
almost exclusively Of a politi-
cal nature on a worldwide
scale which NATO in the past
has been inclined to avoid.
This emphasis on talking
things out, which seems to
be the trade mark of the
Kennedy administration may
succeed in taking the sting
out of the Cuban incident.
1t may even be Of some help
in explaining the American
position in such places as
Laos and Wet Nam and bring
about new awareness of the
dangers that face the West
as a whole.
Whether it will make for
greater unity within the al
lance. however. is a good deal
less certain. Frank and free
discussion of Portugal'S pol
icies in Angola or Belgium'S
role in the Congo could be
expected to promote unity
only at the price of reducing
the number of NATO mem
bers. Meanwhile, no one is
likely to be rash enough to
suggest that Frances prob
lens in Algeria-or, for that
matter, with its own army
are really fit matters for de-
bate by outsiders.
So far, at least, the contri-
button Of the new admins
tration to the purpose and
vitality of the alliance seems
inadequate to the promises
and expectations. Though
NATO may be indeed the
cornerstone of Western pol
icy, there has been little to
prove it here except the
spirit Of confession and
plenty Of well-worn plati-
tudes about the bulwark of
the free world. In many
practical ways, real leader
ship is still to be shown. And
the New Frontier, so far as
NATO is concerned, is still
as misty and ill-defined as
ever.
Evening star., 1961-05-08
Degrading the Court

Your recent editorial, De
grading the Court" should
be required reading for every
member of Congress and for
students and faculties in ev-
cry college in the country. 1t
is TO be hoped that the Pres
ident will read it. as he has
the responsibility for ap-
pointing members to the Su-
preme Court when there is a
vacancy.
Several Of the preSen t
members of the court have
established records OF ultra =
liberalism" in their opinions
"a record which is deeply
disturbing to many citizens.
There was the Yates case
where convicted Communists
were ordered released on the
ground that advocacy of the
forcible overthrow of the
Government Of the United
States, "aS a theory" is not
a crime. There was the order
to the Department of State
that it may not refuse a
passport to a known Com
munist even though he is
going abroad to work against
the United States.
There was the unSavory
Mallory case where a con-
fessed and convicted rapiSt
was ordered released because
he had been held by the po-
lice a few hours longer be-
tween arrest and arraign-
ment than the justices ap-
proved.
There is the Stewart case,
discussed in your editorial,
where a three times con-
victed murderer was ordered
freed by the court because
the prosecuting attorney
asked him If he had been
on the witness stand before.
And only a few months ago
another convicted murderer
was freed by the same court
on a technicality.
Is it too much to ask that
the men appointed TO the
highest court in the Ian d
shall place the safety Of this
country and the rights and
welfare of the great major
ity of decent law-abiding cit
liens above those of mur-
derers, rapists and Commu-
nists? e. Mclean Johnson.
Evening star., 1961-05-08

after a learning period while
the subjects remained in pro-
found slumber. The brain
still knew what to do and
when to do it.
A machine that can, after
a fashion, compose music"
is being developed.
1t has just been reported to
the National Academy of
Sciences by DrS. Harry F.
Olsen and Herbert Belair of
the Radio Corporation of
America laboratories at
Princeton.
1t is a specially devised
electronic computer - an
"electronic music Synthe-
Sizer." The apparatus will not
actually write symphonies or
tolk tunes but it can help,
to a considerable degree, the
human composer.
The system, according to
the report. is a random prob
ability type Of computer
whose circuits will select
notes in random fashion
from among choices with the
probability of choice deter
mined by the frequency with
which various note sequences
occur IN the style favored by
the composer. The major ele-
mentS in the system are sets
OF relay switches, inter-con-
nected in a manner that pro-
videS a maximum number of
possible paths that can be
followed by signals passing
through the system. The wire
connections can be changed
readily in the manner OF con-
nectlonS on a telephone
switchboard"
Aid to Composers
The Set-up, according to
the reports, will provide a
very great number of varia-
tions among which the COM
poser can take his choice. To
translate the signal output
to audible tones the machine
has been linked to a music
SyntheSizer" in which the out
put is converted to musical
notes for recording and play
back.
by listening to the sound
output" says the report, the
composer can select those
notes which appeal to him.
These can be added to or
substituted by the arrange
ment of the wire connections.
In addition to the tone Sc
quences the system also pro-
vides for the generation Of
different rythmic patterns
within the framework desired
by the composer"