davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-02-06
Nursing Homes

In the wake Of the tragic nursing
home fire which claimed seven lives, a
number Of ideas worthy Of study already
are being proposed. Among them, it
seems to us, is the recommendation of
Lester H. Steinem, chairman of the Com
missionerS' Council on Fire Prevention,
that automatic sprinkler systems be re-
quired In certain nursing homes and
schools.
AS Mr.. Steinem points out, the re-
quirement Of such safeguards may be
a dif11cult decision to make in view of
the economic burden they would place
onoperators Of the homes, most Of which
are in old residences. City officials in
the past have not vigorously moved
against building violations ine some of
these homes, in difference to the plight
Of elderly residents who would have no
place to go If the homes were closed.
These are problems, however, which must
be faced, and 1t is well that the Commits
Sioners have ordered extensive reviews
by two advisory groups while the subject
Is so forcefully in the public mind.
Evening star., 1961-02-06
Heavenly HedVyweiuht

Although mySt1tyingly nonLtalka-
tive about it at the moment, the
Russians have let out enough informa-
ton to make clear that their latest
Sputnik is by far the heaviest space
vehicle yet put into orbit by man.
Weighing IL tons, 1t dwarfS in size the
biggest satellite (the 9,000-pound Atlas
Score) that our own country has
launched to date, and it has been
described as sufficiently roomy to ac-
commodate at least two human pas
sengers.
However, as to whether or not there
is a man or men aboard, the Russians
thus far have remained silent. Apart
from reporting on its weight, the only
statements they have made about the
ship have been generalized ones assert
ing that its successful launching is to
be credited to an improved multi-stage
rocket" with significantly increased
thrust power. They have said, too, that
the event brings nearer the day of
space travel - which 1t undoubtedly
does.
The event also bears out President
Kennedy'S assertion that the Soviet
Union is ahead Of the United States
"in the capacity to lift large vehicles
into orbit" Nevertheless, in the Presi-
dents judgment (not shared by some
Of our experts), our country sis ahead
in the science and technology Of space"
AS for American weight lifting pros
poets, the hope is that our Saturn
superbooster rocket system - cluster
OF engines with thrust Of Is million
pounds - will become operational In
1854 and cancel out Russias present
superiority in launching big payloads.
Actually, when Saturn comes into
being, things like 7-ton Sputniks will
seem small. For our country will then
be capable (and presumably so will
RusSia) Of landing 25-ton payload on
the moon. And even more fantastic
things will be possible when Nova,
whose planned thrust capacity ranges
up to as much as IL million pounds,
becomes available to us, perhaps before
the end Of this decade. Meanwhile, Of
course, both the Russians and ourselves
are likely to achieve manned orbital
flight. Clearly humanity now has its
feet planted firmly on the stairway to
the stars.
Evening star., 1961-02-06
Diplomat of Distinction

The Nation Is losing the services
OF one OF its most effective and dedicated
diplomats with the retirement Of Low
Henderson, for the past six years Deputy
Undersecretary Of State for Admins
tration and career offlcer for 80 years.
For the record, 1t may be added that
many Foreign Service officers Of all
/. ranks here and abroad are losing, in
the retirement sense only, their foremost
mentor, adviser and friend.
For in his long and distinguished
career, from routine assignments to
trouble-s shooting Of the most demanding
nature, Mr.. Henderson has never lacked
time to encourage, to teach and to
counsel the younger or newer men
coming into the profession Of diplomacy.
It was largely in recognition of this
particular quality in Mr.. Henderson's
concept OF service that he was chosen
in 1855 for his most recent assignment,
and that after reaching in 1857 the
normal age Of retirement, 65, he was
kept on by presidential appointment.
The selection and training Of personnel
and the stating Of our missions abroad
~Ae~S ~SSA4 OAAO Va AAA0
bilitieS as Deputy Undersecretary
In other respects, Mr.. Henderson's
record reads almost like "crisis list"
In American diplomatic needs. He was
counselor of our embassy in the Soviet
Union through much Of World War II.
Director Of the ONCE of Near Eastern
and African Affairs during the periods
Of earliest Soviet postwar threats
against Greece, Turkey and Iran, and
during the Palestine war and the birth
Of Israel. He was our first Ambassador
to independent India, and was Ambas-
sador to Iran during the critical time
Of Premier Mossadegh. Even in his last
post here, he was called frequently to
leave his housekeeping" job to head
special emergency missions. One Of his
last assignments was to set up the
facilities and STATS for our diplomatic
representation in most of the newly
independent countries Of Africa.
Mr.. Henderson is entitled to CRATE
full "well done" as he leaves Government
service. Those who know him well do
not expect this to mark the end to his
interest or service to the national
welfare. .,
Evening star., 1961-02-06

worn by the New York City
police. The editor predicted
the new uniforms would
have the effect Of filling
the office of conductor with
a set of vain and silly men" :"
He warned that the new
system Should be rescinded
before its evils are too ap-
parent to be longer toler-
ated."
Q. What is the worlds old
est corporation?-A. j.
A. A concern with head
quarters in Falun, Sweden,
may be the worlds oldest
corporation. Stora Koppars-
bergs Bergslags. ABB "great
copper mountain mineD, is
known to be the direct de-
scendant of a business which
has been in continuous oper-
alton for at least 672 years.
Its earliest existing record,
which is now in Sweden's Ma
tional Archives, is dated June
l6, 1888, and dispoSes Of a
one-eighth share in its cop
per mining concerns. After
copper mining ceased about
a century ago. the company
became active in the fields OF
iron and steel, paper and
chemicals.
Evening star., 1961-02-06
Tokyo's Traffic Rules

Washington is not the only
city with traffic problems, as
information I have recently
received from Tokyo indicates.
There the traffic fatalities
averaged more than three a
day during 1860. AS a result
the m unicipal authorities
adopted new traffic regula-
tionS. which might we'll be
emulated in Washington. Here
are three Of them:
/. Pedestrians, not to speak
Of policemen, are obligated to
pilot and sign to pupils or
infants. II necessary. for their
safety passing on the roads"
2. Everybody is prohibited
to drive q car when alcohol is
In him beyond q regulated
quantity, though he is not
intoxicated with wine.
Drunken drivers who cause
accidents incur o penalty
doubling what 1t was"
3. Employers Of drivers are
prohibited to assign so heavy
q task to their employees as
they might commit speed
violation"
Walter C., EellS,
Evening star., 1961-02-06
Sees u. S. as Victim of CREEPING Socialism

Socialism thrives on pow
erty-or Is it q sense of
poverty? In the Robin Hood
manner it would rob the rich
to give to the poor until
there would be no rich left
to rob from. And what of the
poor? The society concept
demands that the welfare
state exist-the police state
to enforce its existence. BY
its very nature, socialism
cannot exist, cannot domi-
nate the minds of the mass Of
humanity, without those pre-
disposing factors: Hunger.
panic, despair. In It's self
perpetuation the welfare
police state must retain its
control by maintaining these
conditions. In our country,
either unwittingly or by in
tention, the disciples of So
cialism are more likely to be
known as liberals. The radi-
Gals are called pink" or
"leftist."
Gradually, necessarily,
subtly-for more than three
generations-the dogmas Of
socialism have crept into
American literature and edu-
cation. The seed of social
ism has become refined in
the ivy-towered tradition Of
our New England colleges
and universities. For two
generations it has played an
increasing role in our gov
ernment. We have witnessed
and marveled at its Develop
ment into what may well be
the most powerful political
machine Of the goth century.
The events Of the past two
Evening star., 1961-02-06
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Ancient Cities Really Just Towns
By THOMAS R. HENRY

Sodom and Gomorrah,
Babylon and Nineveh, Jericho
and Or Of the Chaldees were
relatively little towns.
Probably these ancient
cities, noted for their bigness
and wickedness, hardly would
rate as more than fair -sized
United States country towns
today. Over the most of the
earth populations Of urban
centers have increased about
a half million-fold since
Biblical and classical times.
This is pointed out in a
report by DR.. Max Peterson,
Of the London School Of
Technology, in q report to
Nature. journal Of the Brit
ish Association for the Ad-
vancement Of Science.
World populations since
the prehistoric food-gather-
ing stage of human culture
about 10000 years ago. as re-
flected in the populations and
areas Of major cities have
doubled at an overall aver
age Of once every 900 years,
his studies show, but the
present rate Is of about one
doubling every 1853 years.
Early Settlements Small
Largest semipermanent set
Elements Of re-historic men,
presumably from the very
earliest stages Of agriculture,
yet uncovered by archeolo-
gistS, DR.. Peterson says. were
only about 500 square yards
in area, including the out
lying dwellings. The size has
grown to the present area Of
greater London - approx
mately a billion square yards.
The population Of the primi-
tive village hardly can have
been much greater than 25,
compared to greater London's
7 million.
The best records indicate
Evening star., 1961-02-06

years. leading up to and in
cluding the recent inaugura-
tion and the new Presidents
state-of-the-U message,
may give even the most naive
citizen cause for speculation.
The following points are
brought to mind:
l. Is 1t not significant that
business is caught in the
squeeze between labor'S de-
mands for more. more, more
(for leSS and increasing
foreign competition on the
American consumer market?
2. Admittedly. we are in q
recession; unemployment Is
extremely high. Is it not true
that a leading American
spokesman, for more than q
year prior to his election as
President, repeatedly told
the American public and the
entire world that this was
bound to happen? Is it not
also true that economic pre-
diction which is realistic
must be, like any look into
the future, subject to condi-
tions such as business and
consumer optimism or pessi-
miSm?
8. Tantamount to modern
demagoguery were the cries,
at million Americans 60 to
bed hungry every night"
ban U-2 flights express
regrets Cat the summit) .
Quemoy and Matsu do
nothing administration ="
and American prestige is at
an all-time low =" These
were the shots" heard
round the world. Is 1t not
significant that the then
Evening star., 1961-02-06
Traffic Solution?

AS everyone in the Wash
ington Metropolitan are q
knows. the traffic problem
here. especially during rush
hours. has gotten complete
ly out Of hand. It is time for
something to be done land I
don't mean building q bridge
here and there over the riv-
err. AS one Of those unfor-
tunate commuters who must
cope with this daily problem,
I would like to suggest one
possible solution.
!. Limit the number Of
automobiles that can be used
for committing. This could
be done by imposing q toll on
all cars that enter or leave
the District. Exempt any Of
ficial automobiles, taxicabs,
ambulances and buses from
this toll. The toll should be
made high enough to dis
courage the commuter who
uses his car for one or two
passengers but low enough
to allow car-pools to operate
without placing Q restrictive
penalty on their operation.
I use my car for committing
with only myself and one
other passenger. but I would
be more than glad to, use
public transportation II 1t
didn't take twice as long, II
the frequency Of service was
adequate and II the equip
ment were modern. ] feel this
first step would eliminate vast
numbers Of privately owned
vehicles from the rush hour
traffic. thereby allowing the
remaining traffic (car-pools,
etc. which have Q legitimate
reason for using the high
ways during these hours, to
move more freely. Many more
commuters would rely on
public transportation, there
fore. the local bus companies
could afford to provide bet
ter service. more frequent
service, and better equip
ment since they would have
more passenger fares to
absorb their costs.
2. II it were determined
that privately owned bus
companies could not organize
and operate an efficient and
adequate public transporta-
ton system, then 1t is the re-
Sponsibility Of the local and
feoeraI Government to do
SO. II necessary, this system
should be operated at q loss
until passenger traffic gained
from the reduced use Of pri-
vately owned vehicles makes
profitable operations possible.
3. Valuable land which Is
now used by the Government
for free parking areas could
be leased to private concerns
for public parking or used In
numerous other economical
ways. The savings realized
thereby could be used to Off
set possible deficits in the
public transportation system.
Every large city must
eventually face the decision
Of whether to bow to the au-
Evening star., 1961-02-06
SIoqon-Moker

We are living in an era
Of multiannihilation or tol-
Grant co-existence Of the
status quo Of nations. Al
though. at the present time,
purposely, we cannot relieve
the suppression Of the SILENT
now" nationS--we should give
these nations who presently
cannot speak outwardly for
freedom more moral support
with words.
This Nation should adopt
an up-to-date slogan to give
those nations who must re-
main unheard in their fight
for liberty, such as. Across
the World. the Flag Of Lib
erty to Unfurl!" or some
other phrase that will express
to them our continual goal
to relieve them Of unjust op-
preston by wrongful ide-
ologies. Henry J. SOmmers.
Evening star., 1961-02-06
PARIS,

Z 648b40s
This quiet diplomacy busi-
ness may be infectious. It
has already spread beyond
ordinary diplomatic chan
nels. There is even some evi-
dence that it will develop
into something which might
be called quiet summitry.
At any rate things are so
quiet at this point as to be
practically Spooky. Europe's
leaders. while waiting for q
lead from the new admins
tration in Washington, have
withdrawn behind q curtain of
discreet silence. Even the
most routine and ceremoni-
Gus exchanges are suddenly
being treated as secrets Of
state.
Britain's Harold Macmil-
Ian Is setting the fashion. In
the week since he tiptoed
into town for talks with Gen.
de GauIle, no inform e d
source has come UP with a
word on what was discussed
or what conclusions If any
were reached. Even the
fact that they may have
been as frank, cordial and
far-ranging" as tradition
demands has been left en-
tirely to the imagination Of
the wondering world.
Pattern to Continue
Much the same pattern is
expected for other scheduled
events on the diplomatic cal
endar. The visit Of Chancel-
Tor Adenauer here next
week end. followed by a "lit-
tie summit" gathering of the
six-nation European market
group is being handled with
q minimum Of publicity and
fanfare. The new fashion is
to treat such meetings be-
tween heads Of state and
heads Of governments as
routine private affairs which
are in effect none of the
pnblic's business.
What this can lead to, Of
course, is anyone's guess. It
would seem, however, that a
deliberate effort is being
made to find q formula for
top-level meetings which
avoids the more obvious
drawbacks Of Summitry as
practiced during the Eisen-
hover era. And II the for
mula works successfully for
Mr.. Macmillan, Mr.. Ade-
nauer and Gen. de Gaulle,
the question inevitably
arises: Why not for Presi-
dent Kennedy too - and
Evening star., 1961-02-06
Safer NURSING Homes

Now that the tragedy Of
the Mt. Vernon Nursing
Home fire is fresh news. it
might also be appropriate to
urge proper authorities to
review the minimum stand
ards required to license these
homes.
At least once q year or
more often. the public reads
Of fires in these establish
ments. The owners operate
for q profit and should be re-
quired to guarantee complete
safety and true nursing ia
cilities. At present, an old
building with q few fire doors
and fire extinguishers, O few
beds, Q kitchen and q maid
puts you in business.
1t would seem that the re-
quirements for o nursing
home should at least be equal
to those Of accredited hos
pitfalls. These establishments
should be fire-proof in the
true sense Of the word, not
just simple compliance with
commercial fire code stand
ards.
OF all our society. these
forgotten old and sick people
are least able to cope with
fire and subStandard facili-
ties.
Robert F. Eisenbeiss.
Evening star., 1961-02-06
WATCHING THE WORLD
By CROSBY s. MOVES
Era of Quiet Sumn,itry Ahead?
Foreign Correspondent Of The Star

eventually Premier Khrush-
chev?
Theory Of the quiet sum.
NIT has in fact been favored
by the British from the be-
ginning. The idea Of four or
five leaders sitting down to
discuss their problems in
some remote and sheltered
spot always was what they
had in mind. It was Anthony
Eden who once suggested
that the Big -Four should hold
their get-together on q ship
at sea. Mr.. Macmillan was
partial to the secluded and
inaccessible Scottish castle.
Failure Laid to Publicity
Whatever these notions
may have lacked in realism,
they still exercise powerful
appeal. A significant school
Of thought holds that Mr..
KhruShchev has been less to
blame for the failure Of sum-
NIT conferences than the
public itself. If only the spot
light could somehow be shut
off and the temptation for
making propaganda removed
something useful might yet
be achieved. And further
more, it is argued, If these
meetings came to be con-
Sidered as primarily routine
and private affairs commit
ment Of national prestige and
pressure for miraculous re-
suits would be less.
This theory, of course, may
turn out in the end to be as
fallacious and dangerous as
the theory of diplomacy in q
goldfish bowl, which has now
fallen into disfavor. What
may work well enough for
friends and allies may not
work at all when it comes to
conformation between adver-
Saries on q global plane.
There is nothing to encour-
age the idea that Mr.. Khru-
Shchev is ready to abandon
the propaganda SpectacleS
which have paid dividends.
Or that he can afford to
commit himself any more
readily in private than he
can In public.
It seems unlikely, in short,
that the world will wake up
some fine day and discover
that troubles are over.
Quiet diplomacy undoubtedly
has a useful role to play in
nibbling away at staggering
problems which beSet leaders
on both sides of the Iron Cur
tain. But quiet summitry as
it Is being pushed in Europe
today shapes up as q far
more questionable PROPOSE
ton.
Evening star., 1961-02-06

Vice President-elect, on his
return from Paris, remarked
that he had sensed no loss
Of American prestige among
the NATO allies but that
they had expressed some
concern" over the effect the
new administration would
have on American foreign
policy?
4. How many Of our citi-
zenS recognize the remark
able similarity between the
Presidents pledges to the
world and those Of the Com
munist dictator? Is this how
we flight fire with fire?"
One even vaguely familiar
with semantics Of socialism
and communism may have
some misgivings.
S. The Presidents state
ment that he was staggered
upon learning-even in this
brief To-day period - the
harsh enormities Of the
trials :" may even lead
one to wonder If he knew
what he was talking about
during the campaign.
How many Americans have
become morally. socially, and
economically bankrupt try
ing to keep up with the
Joneses," only to find, in the
end, that they are the
Joneses? How many Amer
leans. thinking they had
elected another FDR to the
Presidency, must suffer dis
illusionment? Perhaps more
important: How many more
must pay the penalty, and
what will II be?
Robert r. CrOmef.
Evening star., 1961-02-06
A Strike on GoIdbero?
WASMN<1eA STAa

The ebullient praise by
your writer. Charles Bartlett,
Of Arthur Goldberg's, inter-
vention in the New York
harbor strike. confuSes the
merits Of ending a strike
and the merits Of the settle
ment Sunday Star, January
29). This confusion is some
thing. fortunately, not found
in your editorials.
Mayor Wagner called Mr..
Goldberg "a tower Of
strength" in the situation;
by means Of political pres
sures from high public office
1t Is relatively easy to knock
heads together and force q
settlement and win acclaim
from the. unthinking public.
But this settlement" post
poned the key issue for q
year: unneeded personnel.
Thus the users Of tugs and
ferries are saddled at least
until next year with the costs
Of uneconomic practices and
excess manpower. Both Gov
ernment officials and (neu-
tral?) professional arbitra-
tors tend to terminate or
prevent strikes by decisions
which soak" the consumer.
Just as wars are not
fought to end them, so un-
economic collective bargain
ing demands should not be
terminated by perpetuating
excess costs, particularly at
q time when faster economic
growth Is q national by-word
and when we are concerned
with growing foreign compe-
tition at home and abroad.
The need for cost-cutting and
better values should be
obvious.
This was not o consumer
victory: it was q defeat and
will help set the stage for
other uneconomic settle
ments Of union officials de-
mands. one after another.
The terms Of settlement
are what count; not the
mere termination of q strike.
E. p. Schmidt.
Evening star., 1961-02-06
To Aid freedoms Friends

The arrival here in recent months
OF an estimated $4,000 refugees from the
tyranny Of Fidel Castro both compli-
mentS and obligates the United States.
For these people-of all ages, means
and skills-our country is the haven Of
their choice, the country where they
know they will be welcomed and freed
from either physical or political fear.
The obligation is the greater by reason
Of the compliment thus paid.
In this light, 1t is reasonable in turn
to compliment those in both private
and public life who already have done
much to provide for these thousands
in need and who are proposing to do
much more. With the greatest concen-
tration Of the refugees in Florida, It is
notable that the Cuban-American COM
munity Of that State absorbed much of
the early burden Of caring for their
expatriate countrymen. The State of
Florida itself has acted with similar
promptness and generosity, and Gov
ernor G. FarriS Bryant estimates that
81 million in State funds already has
been expended in emergency measures.
The privately supported International
Rescue Committee, a non-sectarian
agency with % years of experience in
humanitarian relief work, has given
substantial help in both the Miami and
New York City areas for the past
six months and is preparing for even
greater effort this year. And now the
Federal Government, on the recon-
mendation of Secretary Ribicoff Of the
Health, Education and Welfare Depart
ment and by direction Of President
Kennedy, is launching. a nine-point
program covering various types of
assistance.
The nature of the problem, aside
from the number Of individuals in
Volved, is reflected in some Of the as
poets Of study made by the IRC. The
agency finds, for example, that the bulk
OF the refugees are between the ages Of
20 and 40, people in the best years of
their lives as far as their potential con-
tr1button to q national society Is con-
cerned. 1t finds, also, that very high
proportion, 80 per cent of those In the
Miami area, are professional and tech
nical people, many Of whom once well
coined and worked with the Castro re-
gime. And 1t finds, too, that one poign-
ant reason for the many children
listed among the refugees is that many
parents and teachers could not stand
to see children subjected to Communist
indoctrination"
II words Of justification are needed
for this effort on many fronts to help
refugee community, the IRC has sup
piled some that are most suitable. It
says, in an appeal for funds to support
its work: "A strong expression Of Amer
ican welcome to CaStro's victims is a
fitting reply to his anti-American hate
campaign. Again we defend America
by aiding our allies-this time free
dom'S friends in our own hemisphere"