davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-08-22
All But Freedom

Some French editorialist, whose
name is unknown, but who deserves a
pat on the back, has written trenchant
footnote to the Soviet Unions new 20
year program for economic progress and
communiSm'S triumph everywhere in
the world. The program promises that
the people of the USSR, or those of them
who can hope to be alive in 1880, will
have all sorts of wonderful things given
to them for nothing, including medical
care, transportation, meals at work,
housing, etc, etc. In short, although the
Kremlin admits that maybe something
will intervene to upset the plan, the
average Russian, two decades from now,
should be- able to have whatever he
wants without spending ruble for it.
However, as our colleague in France
has wryly observed, this Red Utopia will
have one truly tremendous weakness in
it: Even though it may eventually offer
lot of goods and services free of charge,
what will not be free in it, the thing
that will not be given to the masses, is
freedom itself. That will still be with
held, which is commentary enough on
the nature of Red totalitarianism and
its monumental pretenSionS, its colossal
lies and its ceaseleSS intrigues, including
its conspiracy to Subvert independent
nations everywhere and win domination
of the entire globe.
Evening star., 1961-08-22
To Chart PeriIs of the Sky

The latest Explorer satellite, in
probing the potentially dangerous radi-
alton bands which grid the earth, is
providing data which may help Amer
ican and other astronauts chart
relatively safe course to the moon and
the planets. This is a vital scientific
venture, therefore, which could save
lives of those who, presumably in the
not-far-diStant future, will take rocket
rides into the unknown void of space.
Earlier satellites have revealed that
one OF the major hazards of spatial
exploration will be the So-called Van
Allen beltS-vast bands of radiation
particles associated with solar lombard
ments of the earth. The bands are bent
into great arcs by the earth's magnetic
field. The extent and shape of these
perilous belts will be better known, it
is said, after a study of information
being sent to our scientists by Explorer
XII. And the more that is known about
the danger areas the easier it should be
to bypass them or reduce to a minimum
their damaging effects.
Thus, Explorer XII is aiding man to
blaze path to the stars that will open
to astronomical pioneers awesome new
frontiers-frontiers which, in turn, may
harbor new perils which only robots of
the Explorer type may be able to dis
cover. The Importance of these cosmic
studies therefore is self-evident.
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Federal Lioison Vital

In assigning Government official
to serve as liaison officer between Fed
eral agencies and the Washington
Metropolitan Regional Conference, Pres
ident Kennedy has taken a step which
should avert conflict and confusion of
the sort that have marred some Federal
local relations in the past. Moreover,
the move is indicative of the Presidents
interest in the orderly development of
: the whole Washington Metropolitan
Area.
Not so long ago the conference,
composed of governmental represent
atives of the District and of all counties
and cities in nearby Maryland and
E Virginia, complained that Federal agen-
cies were continuing to bypass local
officials in the selection of sites for new
+. Government buildings. 1t was pointed
out that this failure to consult with
regional planners and officials some
times resulted in major sanitation and
: public service problems for the Govern
rnent and for the communities affected.
Now, however, with Norman Beck
man, a Budget Bureau management
. analyst, sitting in on conference meet
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Berlin and Poker

Although the situation continues to
be highly dangerous in its war breeding
potentialitieS, there appears to be little
or no doubt that the Western Allies
and the Soviet Union are going to
negotiate, sooner or later, in an effort
to work out peaceful agreements on
Berlin and related matters.
Thus, in his remarks on Meet the
Press" Secretary of State Dean RuSk,
while reaffirmipg that France, Britain
and the United States will not be
pushed out of West Berlin" has flatly
predicted that negotiations will occur.
Indeed, by indirection at least, he has
suggested that the four powers con-
cerned may even now be consulting
with one another to reach meeting of
minds on the time and place for such
peace-preserving talks.
AS far as it goes, this Is a hopeful
prospect. However, wholly apart from
the fact that it could be obliterated in
some sudden armed explosion caused
by miSchance or miScaIculation, it is a
prospect full of many big ffs" The
biggest "if' of all, of course, has to do
with whether the men of the Kremlin
are ready to negotiate in a genuinely
reasonable, honest and honorable man
ner to abate or eliminate the crisis
which they themselves have deliberately
created. Premier KhruShchev has been
quoted as saying that the Soviet Union
is prepared to give whatever guaran-
tee is wanted" by the West as regards
free Berlin, and he also has been
reported as declaring that another
blockade of the city is entirely out of
the question"
If these words could be taken at
face value, they would be encouraging,
but when they are read within the
context of other things that Mr.. Khru-
shchev has said in contradiction, they
are fuzzy at best. The expected negoti-
ationS presumably will clear up their
meaning, and If there is real promise
in them, then the process Of four-power
negotiation could be fruitful in dealing
not only with Berlin but also with the
problems of Germany and Central
Europe as a whole. In any event, Mr..
Rusk has done well to emphasize
that the talks will in no way lessen
Anglo determination
to maintain allied vital interests"
including particularly "The presence of
the West in West Berlin, the freedom
and security of that city, its ability to
live, its physical access to the rest of
the world"
AS for proposals to be presented to
the Russians for negotiation, perfectly
obvious reasons" in Mr.. Rusk's words,
explain why our sides possible offers
(or possible "fallback" poSitions) cannot
be discussed openly or in detail at
present. After all, in this deadly East
West poker game, one can hardly dis
close his hand in advance.
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Has Job, Will Travel

Mr.. Kennedy's tribute to- Lyndon
JohnSon's remarkably successful and
important trip" to West Germany and
West Berlin was fully deserved.
The success of the trip, of course,
was not due primarily to anything Mr.
johnson did or said in Germany. 1t is
attributable, rather to the fact that his
presence there, at the Presidents direc-
ton, plus the modest reinforcement of
our small Berlin garrison, was properly
interpreted by the Germans as a mani
feStation of American resolve not to be
pushed out of the beleaguered CITY, Mr..
Kennedy underScored this when he said
We are going to pass through difficult
weeks and months in maintaining the
freedom of West Berlin, but maintain
it we will"
This is not the first trip the Vice
President has made to assert the Amer
lean presence" in troubled areas of
the world. Nor is it likely to be the last.
But he can be depended upon to do
what needs to be done. We do not
imagine that Lyndon Johnson has found
1t easy to assume the role of preSiden-
tial emisSary. AS Majority Leader of
the Senate, he had been accustomed to
lead, not to follow. And his willingness
to play ball as team" member has
been something of surprise to many.
When he accepted the vice presidential
nomination after his bid for the first
prize had failed, however, he made up
his mind to take the assignments that
came his way and to make the most of
his opportunities. The remarkably
successful" trip to Germany is but one
chapter in that story.
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Averted:: "A Dead CITY

@ John R. Searles, jr, spoke with
authority born of long experience with
sSlum clearance here when he declared
that without redevelopment Washing
ton would be dead city" Large sections
of the Nations Capital were, indeed,
dying from urban blight when Mr..
aSearleS came here in 1946 to work for
the Federal Government on Slum clear
sance and urban redevelopment problems.
And as executive director of the District
sRedevelopment Land Agency since 1851
he has demonstrated that slums can be
.eradicated, blight cured and deteriorated
areas rebuilt into attractive COM
nnunitieS.
The best evidence of that, of
course, is in the DRLAs first and most
important project-the redevelopment
of Southwest Washington This was a
pioneering undertaking and the progress
at first was painfully slow. Many
obstacles, foreSeen and unforeseen, had
to be overcome. Much of the credit for
solving the problems must go to Mr..
Searles and to those who co-operated
with him in tackling the huge job. Now
the last remnants of Southwest blight
are disappearing. New apartment and
business buildings have risen or are
under construction or planned.
1t is a matter of regret, therefore,
that Mr.. SearleS will leave the DRLA
before long to take. more lucrative
post of similar nature in Syracuse, New
York. For there is still much to be done
to complete the Southwest program and
there are redevelopment plans for other
parts of Washington. Syracuse is for
tunate to obtain the services of Mr..
Searles. And Washington will be for
tunate if it finds an equally enthusiastic
and competent successor.
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Commends Duke

Allow me to voice a belated
paean to Protocol Chief An
gier Biddle Duke for his res
ignation from the Metropoli-
tan Club. Many a person in
Mr.. Dukes situation would
have maintained his mem
bership on the grounds that
private associations had
nothing to do with official
activities.
This type Of speciosity is
often indulged in by so-called
Christians. They view their
religious principles and per-
sonal practices as being sep
arate spheres of life.
Mr.. Duke has used the
strength of sincerity in re-
fusing to support race preju-
dice as a policy of the Metro
politan Club while opposing
it as a Federal functionary.
He has displayed a truly
ducal quality.
J. w. Haywood, jr.
Evening star., 1961-08-22

Vice President Lyndon
johnson did the job he was
sent to do in West Berlin-and
he did 1t well. His mission was
the most important ever as
signed to a Vice President of
the United States, in view
of the tension which had
built up over the Berlin sit
uation. 1t was touch and go
whether the effort of the
Kremlin leaders to convince
the West Berliners, the coun-
tries of the free world and
the So-called neutralist ma
tions that the United States
was, indeed, a paper tiger"
would succeed. The Vice
Presidents visit to reassure
the West Berliners this coun-
try was prepared to stand
firm in their defense, plus
the immediate strengthening
of the American military
forces in West Berlin, has
been of great value. In the
first place, it has restored
the morale of the West
Berliners, which had been
sadly strained by the slow
approach to the situation
caused by the Communist
East German blockage of
the border between East and
West Berlin. In the second
place it has, or should have.
convinced the Kremlin that
President Kennedy was not
speaking idly when he told
the American people and the
peoples of the world that
this country would not be
forced or bullied out of it's
rights in West Berlin. And
third, it has placed the cause
of the present crisis right
where it should be placed
IN the lap of the Communists,
for all the world to see and
understand.
The reaction of the Krem-
lin and its satellites and Red
China has been just what
would have been expected.
They have attempted to pic
ture the johnson visit, the
Vice Presidents firm state
ments, and the assignment
OF added military forces to
the area as attempts of this
country to increase tension
between the East and the
West almost to the brink of
war. The fact is that the ten
sion already had been in
creased by the Russians and
their puppet government in
East Germany. This should
not be difficult for the allied
free nations and the neu-
tralists to grasp.
Conferences Expected
The johnson visit has been
Salutary, but it still leaves
the Berlin problem where it
was before, and has been for
the last 16 years. Unless the
Reds intend to force us to
military action, the next step
seems to be diplomatic con-
ferences. Secretary of State
Dean Rusk said Sunday in a
televised broadcast C"Meet
the PresS") that he did not
believe the Soviet government
wished war over Berlin. He
also said he believed the Ber-
lin issue would be discussed
by the interested powers,
though he did not undertake
in any way to be specific as
to time, place or character of
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Red Chorus Versatile

In the Red Army Chorus
tour of Canada, I was sur
prised to see that they will
sing, Of all things, God Save
the Queen" In view of
Khrushchev's casual deci-
sion, as related to the British
ambassador in Moscow re-
Gently, that the singing of
"There1l Always Be An Eng
land" is no longer in vogue,
I, for one, found 1t most
gratifying to learn Of the
Soviet Army's interest in the
Queen. The Soviet soldiers,
however, do not stop there.
No, sir! There is also singing
of 20 Canada!"
One should not be sur
prised at the versatility of
this group. 1t also appears
in Budapest at the drop of a
shoe, where with unabashed
feminist firmness, it sings
the Hungarian national an
them, God Bless the Hun
garian." Rather weird, is it
not, when Soviet soldiers
sing of a deity other than
the party? I hasten to add,
not all these troops are nee
essarily atheists or dedicated
Communists. That is why the
Soviet security men are along
and that is why Canadians
will note that the singers are
permitted by their security
companions to appear In
public only in groups.
Reflecting upon the bless
ings the Soviet Union, 4 in
general, and the Red Army,
in particular, have bestowed
upon Hungary and other
countries, I do hope our
Canadian friends will bear
in mind what this chorus
represents-and will keep an
eye on their wrist watches.
Any Canadian who may
have any questions about the
significance of the uniform
of the songsters, a uniform
which has become a symbol
of oppression to millions, can
refer to their fellow Cana
dian citizen, Igor Gouzenko.
Lastly, perhaps it would be
fitting if the chorus made
a stop at Pugwash, Nova
Scotia, and gave forth with
a rousing rendition of yam
kee Doodle" 1t should be
explained to the Soviet
troops, however, that in the
second Stanza, the phrase
There was Captain Wash
ington, Upon a slapping stall
lion," means our one-time
commander -in-chief was 60
ing to ride the horse, there
being no relation whatsoever
to the previous mention of
food: "hasty puddin'."
Music Lover,
Evening star., 1961-08-22

Emilio B. Labrada, who
suggests that we do more
than talk about the inter-
national situation - Berlin
and Cuba-does not, it seems
to me, realize that the atom
bomb had been discovered
some years ago. Like Willy
Brandt, he advises forcible
reactions to.Communist pres
SureS.
Mr.. Labrada has, OF course,
a good case in that he and
his family have been de-
prived of their home. But he
forgets to go back to the
time when he could have
kept his home in Cuba, the
time when the Labradas were
in the saddle. Like the Aris-
toS of the French Revolu-
ton, the White Russians of
the Russian Revolution,
these people never had the
slightest idea of their social
obligations as the wealth of
Cuba was in their hands. I
talked to some of these peo-
pie and their children prior
to the arrival of Fidel Cas-
tro; I talked to them about
the imposSibility of wealth
and extreme poverty living
side by side until eternity.
Their usual reply was aston
iShment that anyone should
consider the interests-the
food, housing and schooling
of the poems. "They are
they; we are we," they would
answer. Mr.. Labrada m u S t
know this went on since the
discovery of Cuba in 1892.
My own objection to Castro
is that he has found it nee
essary to destroy and exile
the middle class and the
aristocracy, quite in keeping
with Marxist thinking, for
the MarXists do believe the
bourgeoiSie or middle class
is the enemy of the working
class. believe Castro is
wrong; most of the social
improvements of Fidelismo
have been put through in
Mexico. including agrarian
reform, with open support of
the middle-class. But no one
is going to deny that the
days of hunger and luxury
living peacefully side by side
are over. That is as it should
be.
Willy Brandt likewise has
a good case, but he forgets
the old city of Danzig. 1t is
surprising that nobody seems
to remember the dispute
about the city of Danzig
brought about the holocaust
of World War II. I ask both
Mr.. Brandt and Mr.. Labrada,
how much cheaper it would
have been to talk and talk
about Danzig than to des-
stroy 10 million people and
the entire continent. This is
what is being asked of Pres
ident Kennedy; the destruc-
ton of most Of the human
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Junior at Camp

Letters sent to you by cit
liens of this great country
often make us sit up and
think! Maybe among the
more serious ones you can
tuck these two letters from
a boy to his loving grand
mother:
DE ar Grandm o her.
Thanks so much for the
money. Some of the older
boys went frog giging. They
went three times. They
caught about 1 hundred and
so. We went on 5 mile hick
Sunday. We went through
all the woods around us. I
go to the rifle range about
8 times. I made one dead
center hit. We have stunt
night and old campers night.
We also have lots of other
special events. Tonight on
the forth of July we didn't
have any fire crackers so we
ate water mellon. I am
making a 8 stran lanyard.
Thanks again for the money.
With love, Mackie."
Dear Grandmother, w e
came in first 2 days and
second one day on inspec-
ton. I couldn't go bowling
but I like it a lot out here
at camp. There are teaches
in the lake. They stick to
your skin and suck your
blood. If you pass your cano-
ing test you can go canoing.
I didn't pass. With love.
Mackie. P. ST. didn't get
bitton by a leach"
Spelling is exactly as writ
ten by the boy. E. w. r.
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Discretion VS.. VdIor

race to save face in Berlin
as we saved face in Danzig
while losing both face and
body there; for Danzig did
not remain free" when the
war was over though most of
mankind went to war to
keep Danzig free" remem-
ber?
Fact is, it is not possible
any longer to settle disputes
between nations by war;
war as an instrument of ma
tional policy ought to be
outlawed. Remember the die
tum of Francisco de Vitoria,
the founder of international
law, a hundred years before
GrotiuS, reading "Principis
gloria propria, aut aliud
commodum, non est causa
belli justa," (The state may
not wage war to further Ell
ther its glory or its own in
terest). This is what both
Mr.. Labrada and Mr.. Brandt
are asking President Ken
nedy to do-one to recover
his social status, the other
to recover the greatness of
the German people. But the
President of the Unite d
States has a prior RESPONSE
bility to the people of the
United States, and there is
an ancient saying that as a
people soweth so it shall
reap.
Joseph I. Puente.
= + u
Many people in America
believe that it would be the
height Of absurdity, the
epitome of foolhardiness, for
the United States to risk the
decimation of its 180 million
people and its great cities
being reduced to rubble for
a German city, which in the
past has more than once
been guilty of contributing
its undue share to breaking
the peace of the world, and
has more than once been built
up and made prosperous,
proud and belligerent by mil
lions of our dollars, such as
the generous share of our
$50 billion of foreign aid
since World War II. Germany
has gotten us into two world
wars in recent years. Isn't
that enough?
Many people in our land
believe that we have some
rights in the situation as
well as West Germany-the
right to life. Our existence is
as dear to us as the belliger-
ent Germans existence is to
them. 1t would be ridiculous
and deplorable to fall into
the mistake of an unneces-
sary nuclear war, based upon
the supposed violation of
rights when such rights one
American columnist, we'll in
formed and believed reliable
writing now from Europe,
reports are not clarified
among the allies of the West.
r. H.
Evening star., 1961-08-22
Praise for Formoso'

Referring to your Praise
for Formosa" editorial, we
add amen" at last!
We've been batting our
brains against a stone wall
trying to shake the anti
Chang Kai-shek diehards
who for more than a dozen
years have not been able to
realize what you have stated:
". or some of the things
we have been reading these
many years have not been
true. The latter, we suspect,
is the case"
We didn't pass through
Formosa over a weekend to
become experts we lived
there for Is months. Nor were
we the newspaper correspond
ents in the late fortieS who
were sold a bill of goods by
the "agrarian farmers" on
the Chinese mainland, and
who won't to this day admit
they we're taken in.
President Kennedy'S COM
munique stating that there
have been remarkable
achievements" of the past 10
years in Formosa is absolutely
true. Remarkable progress in
living standards, education,
economy, industrial, agricul-
tural, etc. is everywhere eyi-
dent. on every inch of the
island. True, American aid
has played a big part in this.
but at least that aid has been
put to constructive use for
the whole country and peo-
pie and not lost to the people
as it has been and still
is in quite a few countries
around the world we, and no
doubt you, could name, and
which same governments we
do not condemn for all time
as we did Chang Kai-shek's
more than a dozen years ago.
Also, as Mr.. Kennedy has
stated, the Chinese traditions
and customs certainly have
not suffered by this progress
SiveneSS, and the close family
ties have indeed been
strengthened. All of the an
cient holidays, be they the
solemn ones or the gay feS-
tivals, are observed, impor-
family to note, without even
the slightest of political over
tones or influences.
One last word of extra
praise" for our recent Chi
nese visitor Vice Presi-
dent Chen Cheng. A great
deal of credit for the prog
ress on Taiwan during this
past decade must go to this
wise and energetic gentle
man of Free China. Many
of the better living condi-
tions, and particularly the
successful Land to the Til
lers" program are of his own
planning and implementa-
ton, and there's no doubt of
the appreciation and graft
tude of the people, be they
Taiwanese-born or those who
fled the Mainland,
Mr.. and Mrs. Ralph E.
Cannon, jr.