davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-09-28
In RoiIrooders' LANGUAGE

Allen ]. GreenOugh, president OF
the Pennsylvania Railroad, chose one of
the best of forums recently to make
an appeal for understanding and help
in meeting the grave economic problems
of the railroad industry. AS a rail-
roader who has worked at it all the way
from maintenance-of-way apprentice to
company president, he chose to talk to
other railroaderS-in this case an East
ern district meeting of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers and, perhaps
significantly, their wives.
Mr. Greenoughs story, -or more
specifically the induStry's story, has
been we'll publicized in many forums.
In tailoring it to the exact interests of
his Eastern railroader audience, how
ever, he emphasized particularly the
regional aSpectS-pointing out that the
forty roads in this highly competitive
Short-haul area had total deficit of
1924 million in the first seven months
of 1861, that their annual revenues
over a decade have declined by $3.50
million and that nearly quarter of
million jobs have disappeared in that
period.
It is obvious, of course, that the
overall anSWer-and there must be one
to preserve this essential part of the
Nations transport SyStem-can be
found only in the co-ordinated efforts
of management, labor and government
at Federal, State and local levels. But
on this occasion, Mr.. Greenough con-
centrated his appeal to his fellow rail-
readers on the labor side. You are"
he said, under direct pressure to
preserve railroad jobs. :. We (manage-
ment) are under pressure to preserve
the industry itself 3. the only source
there is of railroad jobs :. discount,
as imagine you do, the power of make
work rules to really preserve jobs .
such rules, in my opinion, can only
destroy jobs by wasting the money that
should and would otherwise be spent
in creating new jobs that are needed"
1t is not news to a union audience,
of course, that work-rule requirements
represent heavy load on the carriers.
A Presidential commission, including
representatives of management and
labor, currently is attempting to weed
out some of the most anachroniStic
and burdenSome of these regulations
For the commission, or any other
authority, to succeed, however, it is
first of all necessary that labor should
be agreeable to up-dating these rules
In the atmosphere of a social evening,
rather than that of the bargaining
table, Mr.. Greenough's talk with his
fellow railroaders may have value for
all-and the national interest besides.
Evening star., 1961-09-28
Life in the VILLAGE

I saw a rat at close range
at Junior Village, about three
weeks ago, while I was sitting
on the side steps of Hoover
Cottage, reading "Hansel and
Gretel" to four little girls,
aged 6 to 8. Il am a member
of a VOLUNTEER group which
visits the children of Hoover
and Coolidge cottages on
Wednesday nights.
The Scurrying noise of the
rats approach interrupted
the reading. I looked up,
and the children looked up,
too, of course.
The rat was moving fast,
coming almost directly to-
ws-d us; it passed within
2 feet of the child to my
left, and disappeared.
The little girls were look
ing at me with large, fright
ened eyes.
That" I said. breaking
the silence, was a big
mouse" Il know one should
not lie to children, but I
thought I'd try)
Its going in our house!"
said one of the children.
Its going in the ground
under the house." 1 said,
firmly. 1T lives in the
ground"
But it goes up into houses
in a hole" said the child.
So I assured her it
wouldn't go into her house,
and I suppose that I con-
vinced her.
LeOnOre r. Siegelman.
Evening star., 1961-09-28

minorities on an equal foot
ing with all other citizens
in Washington, it is suggested
that the Commissioners adopt
the following regulation:
That no real estate broker
may list property for sale in
the District of Columbia with
out first advising the seller
thereof that the property will
be sold to purchasers regard
less of race, color or creed.
Such a regulation, if en-
forced, would assure the dis
continuance of the practice
which, I believe, is not always
the attitude of the seller.
1t is no valid criticism of
this suggested regulation that
a person has a right to sell
his property to whom he
pleases. With this I heartily
agree, but I do not feel that
any real estate broker has the
right to decide where I will
buy, all other things being
equal. There is nothing, of
course, to prevent an owner
from selling his own prop
erty, if he so desires.
From the economical and
practical point of view, 1 am
confident that the seller of
property is primarily inter-
ested in getting the price he
asks for and that it does not
make any difference to him
whether the money is OBJ
tained from a Caucasian or
Negro.
Very often the seller may
even get more money from a
Negro than a Caucasian. I
have been shown property in
areas which are Changing.
The asking price for this
property is often as much as
$4,000 more than the pur-
chase price five or ten years
earlier. Yet this property is
much deprecated, has out
dated equipment and facilities
and generally, is not compa-
rable to property in newly de-
veloped areas which is being
offered for sale Ito white
only" at a price comparable
to, and in many instances
less than, the price asked for
the older property.
What 1 have written can be
duplicated by members of any
minority group in Wash
ington. My experiences are
not isolated episodes and SO
I earnestly call attention to
the necessity for concrete &C
ton now to correct these
abuses.
Robert J. Harlan.
Attorney.
Evening star., 1961-09-28
Mr.. Nixon Jumps In

Richard Nixon's decision to run for
the governorShip of California was
dictated by political neceSSity-unlesS,
Of course, he had chosen to retire
permanently from the national stage.
The nature of politics being what it is,
he could not hope to stand apart from
the political wars and still be crowned
again with the Republican Party's preSi-
Dental nomination. So Mr.. Nixon,
political realiSt of the first order, has
accepted the inevitable.
He cannot be very happy about it,
1t is a long backward step from an
almost successful candidacy for the
presidency to the race for a State
governorShip, even such a politically
important State as California. It in
wolves the REIMBURSEMENT of profitable
law practice. And it will require two hard
campaignS--one in the primary and, If
he wins there, another battle against
Democratic Governor Pat Brown, who
certainly will be no pushover. There is
also the fact that defeat at either stage
would spell sudden death for the Nixon
political ambitions. But the decision had
to be made, and Mr. Nixon has made it.
What of 1864? In his opening state
ment Mr. Nixon said that, if elected, he
intended to serve his full four years as
Governor. In response to a question,
however, he also said: Il shall not seek
the presidency in 1854"
This can hardly be said to shut and
bolt the door, He could still be drafted"
by the Republican convention in 1864,
but it would have to be genuine, not
contrived, draft-and the former is
rare bird in presidential politics. 1t is
quite possible, however, that Mr.. Nixon
really intends to serve four years If
elected Governor. If President Kennedy
has successful first administration it
will be very difficult if not impossible
for any Republican to defeat him in 1864.
And Mr. Nixon is only 48. So when he
said he would not seek the presidency
in 1864" he could we'll have been thinking
in terms of 1868.
Evening star., 1961-09-28
Teachers Long Day

The proposal to lengthen
the school day for District
teachers should be viewed
most circumspectly. If, as
has been conceded, most
teachers usually do remain
in the building till after
three O'Clock and even more
certainly whenever it is nee
eSsary, there seems to be
no cogent reason for defer
ring departure time.
Since the work of teachers
does not end with the sound
of the dismissal bell, it is a
bit sophomore to maintain
that their working day ends
E with said bell. If ever they
are seen leaving with the
children, they are probably
headed across town toward
meeting or a class.
My conviction is that what
the school day needs at pres
ent is not so much lengthen-
ing as strengthening. Despite
a great deal of labial lamen-
tation, there has been not
only no observable lessening
of clerical chores but an ap-
parently inexorable increase.
Teachers would feel more
and act more like true rep
resentatives of the profess
sion, if so much of time and
talent were not spent in such
footless fashion. Then
greater strength could be
played upon the teaching
process and more desirable
responses obtained. Secondly,
it is questionable, to say the
least, whether the multiple
ity of pre-, per- and post
school activities. especially
on the secondary level, has
not long since passed the
point of healthful enrich
ment.
The projected change de-
serves slow and serious con-
sideration. The best recon-
mendation for a change is
that it will be an improve
ment.
J. w. Haywood, jr.
Evening star., 1961-09-28

@. When was Serf dom
legally abolished in Russia?
What arrangements were
made for the serfs?-Y. B.
A. The Emancipation Act
of 1861 freed from legal
bondage some II million Rus
sian serfs who belonged to
the state and to the imperial
family and about an equal
number who belonged to pri-
vate landowners. Under serf-
dom a peasant usually
worked three days a week on
the estate owners land and
three days on the small piece
of land allotted to himself.
Upon liberation, the serfs
were given these small tracts
but were compelled to pay for
them, over a long period of
Evening star., 1961-09-28

I am a lifetime Negro
resident of Washington and
my taxes help support the
District of Columbia, but
can 1 purchase a house of
my choosing here? The an
Swer to this question I have
had, not once, but many dis
appointing and humiliating
times.
I am, of course, acutely
aware of the problems of our
State Department in trying
to secure appropriate hous-
ing for the diplomatic repre-
sentatives of the many new,
independent African coun-
tries. However, this problem
is merely a natural conse-
quence of the degrading situ-
alton that has confronted
Negroes in Washington for
decades.
The State Departments
dilemma is certainly appre-
ciated, but I also feel, and
very emphatically, that the
matter cannot and should
not end with the indulgent
pacification of these dark
skinned representatives. All
prosecuted minorities, includ-
ing the American Negro,
must be benefited.
1t is inconceivable in a
Nation dedicated to equal
opportunities and the human
dignity of man that a de-
plorable situation is con-
doned in the National Capt.
tai of our great democracy,
in which the Supreme Court
decision declaring "reStric-
tive covenants" unconstitu-
tional is being circumvented
in attempts to maintain the
status quo in those commu-
mites which real estate
brokers feel should remain
white.
This is what happens. I
contact a salesman, repre-
Senting brokers who are
members of the Washington
Real Estate Board, Inc. He
is cordial in showing me the
properties listed with his Of
flee. He goes into minute
detail regarding financing,
taxes, etc. but after showing
me the property he makes
this statement: "Of course,
you understand that the
owner may not want to sell
to Negroes. So far as our
office is concerned, it does
not make any difference
whatever. I hope you will ap-
preciate what might happen
to our business if we develop
a reputation in the commu-
nifty for breaking blocks"
Just the other day I was
Evening star., 1961-09-28

Indians have been dis
tressed by indications of a
deterioration in Indo- United
States relations following the
neutral summit. This would
be a tragedy. Indians and
Americans are unfortunately
very touchy, Indians more so.
Our friendship is based not
on blind unanimity but on
a mutual understanding O.
each others difficulties with
in the overall framework of
democratic kinShip. Let me
say that the press in the two
countries has largely failed
to interpret Indo-U United
States relations. American
correspondents in India gen.
orally know nothing about
our culture and background
and back home the situation
seems to be worse as evi-
denced by the writings of
men like Lawrence. Their
Indian counterpartS are no
better. Indian correspond
ents in Washington generally
function as adjunctS of the
Indian Embassy, interpret
ing" the United States along
rigid lines. The Washington
correspondent of the Press
Trust of India, our biggest
national news agency, paints
the picture that any Amer
ican even mildly critical of
Nehru and New Delhi is "anti-
Indian" What is needed
is a lot of fresh air in all
these places.
We Indians are not pro-
Communist. At the same
time we wish to retain our
sense of Indianness both in
relation to the West and the
East. 1t is quite possible
that at times we may be
giving the impression that
we are a complex and COM
plicated set of humans. Here
is another similarity between
our two peoples. Let us try
10 understand each other
more and more. Let us not
throw up our hands in de-
spair and say we are destined
to move apart. That is not
true. That can never be true
of real friends which we are.
Keshav Barve,
Schoolteacher, Bombay,
India.
Evening star., 1961-09-28
THE PASSING SCENE
An Epoch Ends for Germany
By RALPH McGHL

quietly could have said to the
Russians. Sorry, gentlemen,
but those very stupid errors
of not setting up a corridor
to Berlin and determining the
borders of Poland and Ger
many we're in part our doing.
But now we must rectify
them. We do not wish to use
the bomb, so we trust you will
understand"
But that we did not do,
Now there is no monopoly.
The military and moral force
of Europe cannot compel
such a settlement. Today we
will keep our promise about
Berlin. even if it means
shooting. Since the Russians
apparently understand this,
and because Gen. Lucius Clay
is q man of decision, hope
grows there will be no war
over either that city or the
East German treaty.
Heavy Demands Likely
But there will be decisions.
Some illusions will be de-
Stroyed. Extraordinary de-
mandS will be made upon us.
1t is neither intellectually
honest nor helpful to be
blaming the Kennedy admin
istration for not doing
something" One cannot
undo the errors and failures
of l6 years merely by talk
ing tough to KhruShchev."
There is nothing left to ne
gotiate about Berlin's free
dom or the right to enter
and leave it. But there are a
number of things which may
be negotiated which will
make possible such an eX-
istence for this tabled city.
Germany will be unified
one day. The man who can
most easily bring this about
is Mr.. K. If Germany
should come upon chaotic
days, as does not seem likely,
he might be able to bring it
off. Meanwhile, the So
called status quo must be
subjected to negotiations
which, it is hoped, will give
West Germany the oppor-
tunity to grow stronger in
freedom and material sue
cess. This will include some
de facto recognition of East
Germany on a basis which
would not give Herr Ulbricht
control of Berlin.
lneSe decisions must be
reached-or we shall fight.
Meanwhile, since to fight is
such a CHASTITY thing to con-
slider, we need to quit talk
ing in circles. And some of
our elder statesmen, who
were a part of the failures
of the past, would do we'll
to do the same.
The years since 1945 have
never really been a status
quo. Decisions which should
have been made we're not. But
it is no good blaming the
past. What we can under
stand is that "an epoch of
German postwar history has
ended"
Evening star., 1961-09-28

shown a piece of property in
the Chevy Chase area and the
usual conversation took place,
with this added comment: Il
will discuss your interest in
this property with our sales
manager and let you know"
On the afternoon of the
same day, 1 heard from the
salesman and was informed
that he had not talked with
his sales manager but directly
with the owner. The latter's
response had been: Il would
not play a trick like that on
my neighborS."
I might have argued with
the salesman as to what sort
of trick was involved in SELL
ing property to a Negro, but
I preferred to consider this
a typical affront experienced
by my race in trying to pur-
chase in areas of the District
not generally inhabited by
Negroes.
Jews, Greeks and other mi
noritieS suffer the same dis
elimination in our Nations
Capital, although the ST.
preme Court has ruled that
any efforts to restrict the
sale of property because of
racial or ethnic origin is
unconstitutional. An import
ant factor in this deplorable
situation is that the real
estate brokers have used and
are using many devious ways
to circumvent "the law of
the land.
What can our Board of
commissioners DO to protect
the rights of Negroes and
other citizens?
The Act of Congress Great
ing the Real Estate Commits
sion of the District of Co.
lumbia public Law 356, dated
1887, amended 1939 reads as
follows: "An Act to define.
regulate and license real
estate brokers, real estate
SaleSmen; business chance
brokers and business-chance
saleSmen; to create a Real
Estate Commission in the
District of Columbia; to pro-
tect the public against fraud
in real estate transactions and
in real estate promotions and
in business -chance transac-
tions; and for other pur-
poses"
Section 3 of this act au-
thorizes and empowers the
District Commissioners to
make and enforce, revise or
repeal whatever reasonable
regulations may be necessary
to carry out the provisions
of this act.
To put Negroes and other
Evening star., 1961-09-28

years, in order to reimburse
the state for financial COM
penSation which it had
granted to the landowners for
the loss of their serfs.
@. Why does true blue"
mean dependable OF faithful?
S. E.
A. True blue" is said to
go back TO a superior quality
blue dye manufactured in
the Middle Ages in Coven-
try. England. Unlike other
blue dyes of the period, this
one did not fade or run, so
housewives began calling it
the true blue" dye. There
after, the phrase came to
mean dependable, faithful, or
trustworthy.
Evening star., 1961-09-28
As India Sees Us

David Lawrence is hitting
below the belt when he insin-
yates that neutralism has be-
come a bargain counter for
foreign aid. Nehru is impelled
by the highest spiritual mo-
tiveS in his thinking on inter-
national affairs. The same
cannot be said of all the
neutralist leaders but by and
large they are men of integ-
rity and probity and it would
be the rankest injustice to
charge them with playing
the West against the East
and vice versa.
Millions of people in India
and other Asian countries
feel that Nehru and the other
leaders at Belgrade should
have been more outspoken
on Berlin and the nuclear
test resumption issues. Pub
lie opinion here is decidedly
on the side of the Vests
stand in regard to these two
subjects, especially in respect
to Berlin. There was plain
diSmay when Nehru did some
tactleSs thinking aloud" on
the Berlin question. 1t is
the general feeling here that
the Belgrade conference
should have unequivocally
censured the Soviet Union
for unilaterally resuming nu-
clear tests. If only Nehru
had raised his voice against
the reSumption-in as forth
right a manner as he had
condemned Britain's SueZ
and Katanga blunders and
the United States-sponsored
invasion of Cuba-Khru-
schev would not be so bellig-
erent as at present. AS an
Indian I have to admit that
this has been a regrettable
lapse on the part of our
prime minister
Men like Nehru, who are
essentially provost, feel
that in trying to bring about
nuclear sanity nothing should
be done to add to existing
tensions and appeals should
be- couched in deliberately
vague terms. But this is
certainly not the majority
view here. Some plain speak
ing on the part of Nehru
would have been good for the
Kremlin.
Evening star., 1961-09-28
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names mag be used If
letters carry DriterS' correct
names and addresses. All let
terS are subject to condenSd-
tion. Those not used tUiH be
returned only Uhen accom-
panied By self = addressed,
stamped envelopes.
Evening star., 1961-09-28
Big Decision

Attorney General Robert
Kennedy stated on a recent
television program that nu-
clear warfare would mean
the destruction of most of
the human race but that "if
necessary" the President
would order nuclear warfare.
May I prayerfully hope
that the President will be
his brothers keeper?
Evening star., 1961-09-28
BONN.

oO1N4N.
This is something like the
end of the Eisenhower years
in America" said a German
editor on the morning after
the Adenauer party had
failed to win the majority
necessary to govern. "It is
going to be a painful time.
There is doubt about whether
the Chancellor will be re-
tanned. I think he will be.
Indeed, if there were not
an Adenauer it would now be
be necessary to invent one.
In America your Mr.. Eisen-
hover could depart from Of
flee and leave the vast and
awesome decisions, which
had been delayed or pushed
aside, for his successor. None
wishes to be Adenauer'S sue
cessor until some of these
agonizing German questions
have been answered. So, I
think they will keep the old
man for a year or So"
The Free Democrats, who
hold the balance of power, is
sued an official statement
which seemed to sustain such
a belief. 1t has meaning, too,
for the Western countries,
particularly the Unit e d
States. 1t said:
"An epoch of German post
war history has ended. The
coming months and years will
destroy illusions and place
extraordinary demands on
our people"
This sounds, on the sur
face, like the most trite of
poSt-election statements. But
the Germans know what it
means, and the people of the
United States will do we'll
also to comprehend it. To the
Germans the FDP was saying
that the dread day of accept
ing the Oder-Neisse border
as Germany's frontier with
Poland, was soon to be an
actual conformation, and not
merely an old and recurring
nightmare which didn't look
so hideouS in the light of day.
The FDP announcement also
said to the Germans that
some form Of de facto recog-
milton of the East German
regime is unavoidable, and
an admission, thereby, that
unification of Germany is
now impossible.
Issues Were Pushed Aside
And this is true. These are
the times when decisions
must be made on problems
which have existed since 1945.
1t is folly, and not intellec-
tually honest, to act as if
Laos, Berlin, East Germany,
the Oder-Neisse line, and
other painful issues are new.
The eight Eisenhower years
saw them pushed aside in
America, just as they were in
Germany. Both peoples have
been kept in the dark.
There was a time, when the
United States had the A
bomb monopoly, when we
Evening star., 1961-09-28
Shocker

I was shocked when I read
Betty Beale's column con-
cerning the CIA official who
said WaShingtonians were in
stalling bomb shelters in the
dark of the night. I'd sug-
geSt these people start read
ing the Ten Commandments,
especially the first and sec
ond.
I agree with Senator Aiken
who said: Il don't think I'd
want to come forth from
atomic bomb warfare and find
my friends gone and deva-
station around me-"
I would not like to think
of our Government being
run by men who build shelters
by night and lie to their
neighbors as to what they are
doing when they could be en-
couraging them to build one
also. Frances Felt,
Evening star., 1961-09-28
Americana

In connection with the
Early American wallpaper
panels which will adorn the
White House reception room
and which have been the
subject of some newspaper
comment, it might be of in
tereSt that the President has
all along been the owner"
of a number of these scenes.
The large restaurant in the
United States Embassy in
Paris, which serves embassy
employees, has for some years
had it's walls adorned with
a number of what appear to
be the same scenes. First
noted by me in 1858, they
include the West Point, BoS-
ton Harbor, Charleston Har-
Dor, and Natural Bridge
scenes. Stanley w. Dziuban.
Evening star., 1961-09-28
Questions and Answers
BY THE HASKINS SERVIC

get answer, by mail to any question Of fact by
Bureau, 635 street NV, Washington
postage efaddreSsed stamped envelope