davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-19

from best-Of-6ve sets to
best-of-three.
Let's eliminate the 10
linesmen and let the play.
ers call faults with the
umpire as an arbiter.
. Let's establish a tennis
record book. Records
would get the game into
newspapers. Popular play
ers attract the attention Of
kids. Pancho Gonzales is
as great an athlete as
Mickey Mantle, but few
kids have heard of Pancho.
Let's permit tourna-
ments in which pros could
compete with amateurs.
Years ago | was a
member of the Executive
Committee of the US.
Lawn Tennis Association.
Every time there was a
worthwhile suggestion
someone would say,
Refer to committee" and
that was thelast heard oft.
Let's try something
new" I used to ask. eff
it doesn't work, change it
next year."
They never listened.
But they better try some
thing new now - before
it's too late. -TNE END
Evening star., 1962-05-20

Yes, the low price on these handsome rugs is
truly omozing! II is indeed price to match the
they ore woven! And you'll find that these Holland
ssoI rugs are perfect way to make your home
seem cooler this summer! Woven in an attractive
block pdttern, they ore available in your choice
of several desirable color combinotionsr suitable
for most any decor Choose yours in black and
grey. Reversible. for extra wear, these I2xl5-ft.
rugs are indeed an outstanding value in summer
comfort!
Eonn's-Third Floor Washington; Lower Level. Arlington
Evening star., 1962-05-20

De luxe lightweight luggage covered beou choice of sizes
ful MnY in your choice of Hompshire Blue
Chestnut Brown! lonebound dome frume n nH
Of 3-pN top and borom Ceonese ~ Xxx
ocetote fning pockets in all Sizes quilted wv
bottoms; nickIed locks and chest ~~
hinges
plus Fed.
Mems Soff-sded Drum Style Lvssuss with owood frame con-
strUcfon Mustang oex vinyl covering
Choice II" Companion cose ~ 9.88-
plus Fed.
Konn's-FOurh Floor. Washington; Lower Level Arlington
Evening star., 1962-01-07

that the only design they saw was
similar, to the one on which bids were
asked and which was disapproved by
the commission.
If Representative Gross can throw
more light on this fancy light business,
so much the better Meanwhile, although
36 of about 80 of the poles have been
ordered, it might be possible to re-
negotiate the lamp post item, minor or
not, since other bidders submitted
figures as low as $3.50 apiece for the
lamps. The whole episode is another
sad example of the sort of snafu which
can result from failure of highway
engineers and the Fine Arts Commission
to reach timely agreement on bridge
and highway projects.
Evening star., 1962-01-07
'Medeo' in Moscow

An exceptionally powerful produc-
tion of 'Medea"-the great Greek trag-
edy written by Euripides in the fifth
century B. C.-has been enthralling
Moscow's theater-goers for the past
fortnight. Nothing quite like it has
ever before been staged in the Soviet
Union. Stain undoubtedly would have
forbidden it, for the horrors of the play
might well have been equated by Rus
sian viewers with the terrible crueltieS
of his merciless despotism. But under
Nikita Khrushchev, iron-fiSted though
he is in so many respects, there has
been relaxation of certain restric-
tions, and people engaged in artistic
endeavors are not as completely in a
party-line strait jacket as they used
to be-
To give the devil his due, this
reflects some credit of sorts on Mr.. K,
despite his refusal to let the late Boris
PaSternak accept the Nobel Prize for
literature. Anyhow, he has permitted
the staging of "Medea," and that means,
as the plays producer has declared,
that all Russians who see it will have
an opportunity to hear "the angry
and proud voice of the greatest of
the ancient poets, raised in defense of
man, his rights and dignity" AS quoted
in the New York Times, these are
words of type that seldom come out of
Moscow. In their own way, refresh
ingly, they suggest that the Soviet
system may in fact be undergoing a
slow but sure change for the better.
Evening star., 1962-01-07
New Approach

1t looked for while as If there
would be very little new in the COM
Ing congressional battle over medical
care for the aged Now, however, after
sitting for much too long a time on
the sidelineS, the American Hospital
Association and the Blue Cross ASSoci-
alton have come charging into the
game with a brand new play. While
their idea will not enchant the ex-
tremiSts-at either end of the contro-
verSy-it nevertheless is an interesting
effort at compromise.
Essentially, it proposes the devel-
opment OF standard Blue Cross policy
OF prepayment insurance for hospital
and nursing-home care, to be avail
able uniformly across the country to
those IS years of age and older. No
such plan now exists. The idea is
that those with incomes above a GER
tain level would pay the entire cost
OF the policy themselves. Premiums
for the others ESTIMATED to cost $40
to $12 month per person), would be
paid for in part or entirely by the
Federal Government.
This scheme, it seems to us, has
several rather obvious advantages over
the approach favored by the Kennedy
administration, which would finance
such care for everyone covered by
social security, through increased So
cial security taxes.
First, the AHA-Blue Cross plan
would be available to an additional
million aged. 1t would eliminate, pre-
sumably, Government assistance for
those who require no aida feature
OF the all-incluSive social security ap-
proach which we believe is particularly
unwise. The program would be admin
1stered, moreover, by the Blue Cross
organization, rather than by the Fed
eral Government, distinction which
would assure smoother relations with
hospitals and doctors providing the
services
AS it stands, however, this entire
proposal is so tentative, its details in
every respect are so indefinite, that
any firm judgment is impossible. What
services, for example, would the plan
cover? At what level of income would
the Government begin subsidizing Blue
Cross care? Where would the Federal
aid funds come from? On this latter
point, AHA officials were disarmingly
frank, but hardly helpful. The source
OF such funds, AHA said, "iS of sec
ondary Importance to u.s."
No doubt this question, as it should,
will be of primary Importance to many
members of Congress- Even so, the plan
warrants study, and the AHA and Blue
Cross organizations deserve credit for
proposing it.
Evening star., 1962-01-07
Another Weapon Needed

Attorney General Robert Kennedy
has given his brother, President Ken
nedy, very encouraging report on
the effectiveness of several new Weap-
onS in the Federal war on crime. The
new weapons were provided by legis-
lation approved by Congress last year
to strengthen the armory of Govern
ment agencies engaged in combat with
major criminals of many kinds. The
Attorney General said additional legiS-
lation-unspecified- be necessary
to maintain the pressure on racket
eers and hoodlums and keep pace
with the growing crime rate" We
suggest that wiretapping legislation
be put at the head of the list.
The Department of Justice orig
inally included among last years leg
islative proposals bill to authorize
rigidly controlled overlapping in major
cases. However, opposition by some
die-hard critics of overlapping caused
department officials to drop the pro-
poSal at that time. They feared the
other items would fail if controversy
developed over overlapping. 1t was
said the legislation would be pressed
later.
There will be no better time than
the new session to seek this badly
needed anticrime weapon. AS the New
York Bar Association pointed out in
a special report last year, numerous
studies of the problem indicate that
the trend of both public and expert
opinion is now in the direction of
controlled wiretapping by law en-
forcement officials, under continuous
and close supervision" We hope Con-
gress joins in the trend by passing
adequate legislation to permit properly
controlled and restricted wiretapping
and to authorize use of any evidence
thus obtained in court.
Evening star., 1962-01-07
FROM THE STAR FILES

on and go about his business.
Halter turned his head and
answered in a pleasant man
ner that he was one Of the
Provost Guard, and did not
know the person speaking
(Who was not in uniform) or
what right he had to order
him CHalter away. After a
few more words had passed,
Halter turned away and was
riding away, walking his
horse. He had nearly reached
the corner of Sixth street
when the person who had in
terfered with him called to
him twice to stop, which he
did not do. The officer, as
he was now presumed to be,
ordered the soldier a third
time to stop, and, no at
tention being paid to the
command, he drew a revolver
and fired, the ball entering
Halter's back, a little to the
left of the spine and just
above the waist. The Of
ficer who fired the shot was
Capt. Thomas Turner, of the
4th Infantry. He was ar
rested. Halter's condition
is very critical. :"
Evening star., 1962-01-07
so Years AGO

President Taft was willing
to set a good example in
Government economy so years
ago, even at the risk of ex-
posing himself to danger from
ecce entries who wandered
through the White House.
The Star of January /, 1912,
reported the Chief Executive
had responded promptly to a
congressional query as to
whether the police guard at
the Executive Mansion might
not be reduced. Forty-seven
Metropolitan policemen then
were assigned to protect the
White House and it's occu-
pants. The President said 90
of them, all doing interior
duty, could be spared. The
story pointed out: Fourteen
of the % inside men are on
duty in the White House
proper and at the doors, aid
ing in handling the crowds,
keeping persons out of pri-
vate places and keeping a
lookout for cranks. A number
Of the worst cranks ever
taken at the White House
were arrested in private parts
Of the building. :"
Evening star., 1962-01-07
Improbable Annexation

Alexandria has found that annex
alton has its disadvantages as we'll as
its advantages. The big advantage to
city of acquiring land from an ad-
jacent county is the provision of room
for growth. And sometimes the extra
land is coveted also because of it's
revenue-producing potentialitieS. How
ever, If the anneXing plan involves
heavy costs which may not be recovered
in tax revenues for many years, city
is justified in adopting a go-Slow policy.
Such is the case with Alexandria-an
citizens and officials of Fairfax County
are heaving sighS of relief.
Plans for anneXing more than 81
square miles of Fairfax County through
court proceedings have been dropped by
the Alexandria City Council as result
of cost estimates presented by staff
experts. The estimates showed that in
order to pay for the desired chunk of
neighboring territory it would be neceS-
Sary to increase the present real estate
tax rate from $315 to $395 per $100 of
valuation for the first year. This would
have to be on top of a possible SLIP
boost in the tax rate for 1962-63 if
services and facilities are to be main
tanned at the present level. The figures
UNDERSTANDABLE cooled the city's annex
alton ardor
1t may we'll be, of course, that
Alexandria's growth within its present
borders will lead to revival of it's plans
for expanding into Fairfax County. And
for that reason Fairfax authorities are
going ahead with defense program,
including legislative proposals to bar
further annexation proceedings against
the county. The next General Assembly
will have to consider Fairfax County's
plight, along with that of other
counties similarly threatened with dis
memberment.
Evening star., 1962-01-07
Expensive Minor Item

Highway Director Aitken has said
that he was more concerned with getting
good bid on the overall (Theodore
RooseVelt) bridge project" than with
such relatively minor item" as lamp
posts for the bridge. He told Represent
ative Gross of Iowa that although the
successful contractor for the bridge
submitted the lowest bid for the whole
project, the estimate for the lighting
part of the contract was $3.50 per
lamp post-highest of any bid sub
mitted. That would make the new
bridge the most expensively Illuminated
bridge in Washington, if not in the
country.
The contractor evidently did not
look upon the lamp posts as minor
item-and for good reason. These light
standards, as specified by the Highway
Department, we'll deserve Representative
Gross description of them as extrava-
CANT and frivolous. There is nothing
like them anywhere-and thereby hangs
another part of the strange tale. They
were designed in a special effort by the
highway engineers to please the eSthetic
tastes of members of the Fine Arts
Commission, who are charged with
passing on the designs for the bridge.
But the commission was not pleased
with the tall, Streamlined aluminium
lamp poles as proposed. A commission
spokesman said that highway officials
were informed that the commission felt
that the poles were too tall and that
their design should be simpler-more
like those on the nearby Memorial
Bridge. Mr.. Aitken says the design
subsequently was modified, but COM
mission members have told The Star
Evening star., 1962-01-07

the Second, and looking to-
wards them exclaimed in a
loud and unwavering voice:
'Good-by, soldiers, good
by AS we left the spot,
a few eager curiosity hunt
ers were dividing the rope
and chipping off pieces of
the scaffold as relics. :"
Officers figured in these
shooting scrapes, as well as
enlisted men. Two days be-
fore the hanging, The Star
reported a young cavalry
man was shot off his horse
on Pennsylvania avenue by a
quick-triggered infantry cap
tain. Under the heading
Shocking Affair on the
Avenue" this paper said:
g. John c. Halter, a bu-
gler in Co. E, 4th U. S. Caval-
ry, was coming up that thor
oughfare from the direction
OF the Capitol about 2
o'clock in the afternoon. He
had nearly reached the COR
ner of Sixth street when the
young and spirited horse he
was riding shied at some buf-
falo robes hanging in front Of
Hunt & Goodwin's store, a
few doors east of the Ma
tional Hotel. Halter, although
a young man, is an old SOL
dier, having served in the
cavalry nine years. With his
experience, he is, of course,
an excellent horSeman, and
when his steed exhibited signs
of fear, he at once determined
to familiarize the animal
with the object Of its alarm.
He quietly proceeded to urge
his horse toward the robes
and his skillful management
of the animal soon attracted
a large number of spectators.
In maneuvering his horse, he
brought it in contact with
another which was standing
in front of the store. A man
at this moment approached
him and ordered him to ride
Evening star., 1962-01-07
Critic to Critic

Frank Getlein's column of
December 81 on the visual
arts in Washington is loaded
with innuendo and sneering
irritability. There's no reason
why Mr.. Getlein should pre-
tend to approve of contem-
porary abstract painting if
he can not see it and does
not like it. Equally, there is
no excuse for his cheap jokes,
misinterpretations, and false
implications.
To refer to Jackson Pol
lock, no matter what ones
evaluation of his work and
place in art history, as "the
Big Dripper" is simply vul-
gar. To imply that one of
Americas most influential,
controversial and interna-
tionally read art critics is
pushing certain Washington
painters because he is in a
position. as a dealer, which
he is not, to make money off
of them, is worse.
To refer to Kenneth No
land indirectly, of course,
without using his name, as
with Morris Louis and Glenn
ent Greenberg, perhaps for
fear of giving them still
wider recognition) as "imita-
ton Jasper Johns" and to
Johns as "only diluted Pol
lock" is to try to stuff three
very different birds into one
pigeonhole in a manner which
makes me wonder if Mr.. Get
lein has ever looked care
fully at any one of them.
And, finally, to try to deni-
crate abstract expression
ISM" by which Mr.. Getlein
seems to mean all contem-
porary avant-garde painting,
no matter how desperate, by
calling it "a New York in
dustry" is no more or less
true than saying the same
thing of the old masters, the
impressionists, contemporary
realists or any other kind Of
art that is bought and sold.
Mary p. Meyer.
Evening star., 1962-01-07
100 Years Ago

Inc ATIIly VI IIlc EOIOIAAdC
spent much of its time pol
ishing it's buttons and boots
a century ago, yet there were
gaps in the ranks. The deci-
nation was due in large part
to many forms Of camp sick
ness, often fatal, that beset
troops in winter, but acts of
violence among the uni
formed men also took a
heavy toll. Gen. George Nc
Clellan had instilled a meas
ure of discipline in his civil
ian army, but there was still
lots of drinking, carousing
and fighting on the Capitals
streets. The Star of January
6, 1862. devoted more than a
column of its scant news
space to the public hanging
of a soldier who had killed
a non-commissioned officer.
The principal in this stark
drama vas Pvt. Michael
Lanahan, of the I'd Infan-
try. On October %, 1861, he
shot and killed a Sergt. Bren-
nan, who was acting as
provost marshal in George
town. Brennan had found
Lanahan missing from his
guard post and had pushed
him into his place. Lanahan
then shot him. This paper
said the hanging took place
at a Scaffold erected ION
the commons between o and
P streets near Vermont ave-
nue." The proceedings were
conducted quietly, but a
crowd followed the parade of
troops that accompanied the
hack carrying the condemned
man. They marched up Four
teenth street and then out
Vermont. 1t was showing
lightly when "The mournful
procession, having reached
the place of execution,
marching without music, was
formed into a hollow square
about the scaffold; nine
companies of the I'd Infantry
being on the north side. &.
The hollow square of infan-
try was two or three hun
dred yards across, and out
side of this were a few spec
tators-certainly not a thou
sand in all, as but few per-
sons knew the time and place
of the execution. The
prisoner firmly stepped to
the side of the scaffold near
est his former comrades Of
Evening star., 1962-01-07

be thought of as a span Of
II months or of SO weeks. 1t
is 365 days, with the promise
for each "a hours "As thy
day so shall thy strength be-"
Now what we will write on
the daily page of our per-
sonal record in the new year
depends to a large extent on
our attitude to other people.
In the vital task of getting
along with people may we
suggest three simple rules?
The first rule was phrased,
in one of his delightful stor-
les, by j. M. Barrie. He makes
one of his characters say,
Let us make a new rule from
today-alWays to be a little
kinder than necessary" There
is the first rule which, if
kept, will help determine
what we will write on the
page of each new day-Be
kinder than necessary. That
will soften many of the hard
and harsh judgments of 9TH
erS which we may otherwise
be tempted to write in bitter
verdictS.
The second rule is: Be a
little more interested than
necessary in the vital con-
Germs of others. That in
spring adventure for any
single soul writing the record
of any day will prove an es-
cape, from the mean egotism
that like a fledgling bird
yammerS with open mouth
for the world to feed it, to
that great self which can
embrace with its sympathy
and incorporate into its life
the welfare of others.
And the third rule, which,
if kept, will determine many
of the entries on many a
days open page is: Be a little
more appreciative than nee
eSSary in approving the ef-
forts of those who, doing
their best, are so often de-
MED deserved notice or ap-
plauSe. There is no verbal
vitamin quite as potent as
praise when administered by
an opportune pat on the back
for honest effort.
So here is a combination
for the ink which flows from
the pen in your hand as you
write day by day: Be a little
kinder than necessary. Be a
little more concerned than
necessary with the plans and
hopes of others. Be a little
more encouraging than nee
eSSary in bestowing your ac-
colades of well done" when
such praise is deserved.
And so, thankful that life
is broken into hours and
days, let us go forth to meet
the New Year a day at a time,
never. forgetting that as with
deep insight Wordsworth de-
clared: "The best portion of
a good mans life is little,
namelesS, unremembered acts
of kindness and of love"
Such daily installments sug-
gested by this trinity of rules
will make the years total,
with all it's mistakes and
shortcomings, merit the well
done of the Master, whose test
of achievement was: What
do you more than others?"
Is your rule for we'll doing
More than necessary?
Evening star., 1962-01-07
Against u. NJ. Bonds

There is finally something
that can be done to express
disapproval Of the actions of
the World Peace Organiza-
ton" 1 fervently urge people
to write to their Representa-
tives in Congress and protest
the administration request
for $100 million of our taxes
to help support the suppress
sion of the right of self
determination in Africa. They
should urge their friends to
write. The majority of the
Evening star., 1962-01-07
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
More Than Necessary
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United States Senate

~ @A@SS~A-~S NJ SNSAJ SeNANAAAo1
now hung in your home or
office. 1t is a new volume
whose title is 1862. You are
to be largely the author of
what will have been written
there when at IL o'clock mid
night, IL nAonthS hence,
Father Time will inscribe
"The End"
Among the most inspiring
Christians in all the world
today are Generalissimo and
Madame Chang Kai-shek.
No one can be with them in
their home or in their church,
where they are always found
in Taiwan, without feeling
the force of a faith that does
not shrink no matter what
the strength of goddess foes
it faces. The charming First
Lady of Free China was asked
to state the principal lesson
the years had taught her in
the hard school of expert
ence. She replied: DAY by
day we write our own des-
tiny, for inexorably we be-
come what we do. In my
opinion this is the moral
foundation of the universe.
Life keeps books"
That is the thing to re-
member above all else as we
begin to write on the pages
Of the new yearly volume
Life keeps books"-and that
we are designated as the
bookkeepers.
William James tells about
a man. weak of will, yield
ing often to the hellish grav-
itation which pulls to things
below. This weakling turned
periodically to the indulg-
ences he had again and again
vowed to rise above. Sue
cumbing often to the i'm
portunities of dissolute COM
panionS he would banter.
well, I'll have a fling this
once, but I won't count it
this time" But Professor
James comments significant
ly: 1T was counted never
theless. It was written in
his weakened will, in his in
famed appetite, in the jan
Cling nerves of his dissipated
body" Yes, the prodigal
might jauntily say Il won't
count it this time; but it
was counted because always
life keeps books.
Notice that the accom-
pliShed wife of China's Presi-
dent emphasizes that DAY
by day we write our destiny"
All strategy for great living
and noble achieving is based
on the beautiful and bene-
ficent law of day-by-day. If
one cannot conquer and color
a day it is hopeless to think
of victory in any larger unit
Of time. Everybody who lives
in a two-Story house falls
downstairs every day; but it is
done with no i'll effects, as
one goes on his way rejoic-
ing because he has learned
to fall one step at a time.
The supreme secret is to meet
what any day brings with a
consciousness of available
spiritual resources waiting to
flow around our Incomplete
ness through the channel of
our faith. But we must keep
the channel clear of impuri-
ties and of blind unbelief. If
the daily page is not to be
marred by later regrets and
remorse the writer must stay
in the radiant company of
the pure in heart, who alone
can see God and the God
like. Then. and then only
can life's joys be met with
gratitude, its difficulties with
fortitude, and its tasks with
fidelity.
Let us, therefore, remem-
ber that the year ahead, if
we are privileged in this
school Of character building
to see it through, is not to
Evening star., 1962-01-07
Happy NonpoIiticoI Birthday, Mike!
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used if
letters carry 1DriterS' correct
names and addresses. AL let
terS are subject to condenSa-
ton. Those not used tUill be
returned only 1Dhen accom-
panied By self = addressed,
stamped envelopes.