davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
Death for Bribery

Without any real Justification, the
Soviet Union has long and noisily prided
itself on its opposition to capital punish
ment. Thus, despite Stains terrible
blood purgeS, the Kremlin'S propagan-
dlStS have sought to give the world the
impression that the Communist system
is so good and beautiful that people liv-
Ing under it do not commit serious
crimeS-and hence there is no need for
the death penalty.
Actually, however, although sup
poSedly abolished at one time by
GeneralisSimo Stain, capital punish
ment has been part of the Soviet legal
system for many years past. In 1850, for
example, wholly apart from Stains
awful hidden liquidation of countless
lives, 1t was openly decreed as the SEN
tence to be passed on all Russians found
guilty OF espionage and treason, and it
was later extended to the crime of muir
der. And now, under Nikita Khrushchev,
II has been proclaimed as the proper
penalty for certain types of rape, at
tackS on policemen, and bribery offered
and accepted by public officials.
Judging from the way this latest
extension of the penalty has been an
nounced, there is good reason to sus-
pect that the Kremlins primary worry
has to do with corruption within the
vast Soviet bureaucracy. There have
been rumorS of such corruption for
long time, and it may well be having
massive impact on the economy of the
USSR.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08

I should like to compliment
The Star and Jim Birchfield
for the total lack of slant and
bias in Mr.. Birchfield'S How
Is Prince Edward County Do
ing Without Public Schools?"
in the March 4 issue of The
Sunday Magazine.
Reasonably familiar with
the Prince Edward situation,
I read the Birchfield article
with a critical eye, expecting
to find the usual appeal to
racial emotions. I found none.
Instead, I encountered an ex-
cellent piece of factual report
ing in its best tradition.
My personal prejudice is
very much on the side of the
white people of Prince Ed
ward but I object to opinion
lied news reporting whether
slanted toward or against me.
Please continue this type
OF reporting. 1t just could be
contagious and encourage a
return of the straight news
reporting characteristic of an
era of newspaper giants long
since vanished.
Charles w. Carter.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
Mature Still Unframed

man has succeeded in Harvesting
the atom and conquering space, but he
still is at the mercy of Natures violent
meteorological whimS. He has learned to
depend on electricity for communica-
lions, light, power and oftimes heat and
cook1ng-but, as our recent double bar
relied snowstorm has proved, the whole
system can quickly be knocked aSkeW by
wind, snow and falling trees. That this
can happen in an age of scientific in
tellect and ingenuity makes one wonder
II an important cloSe-at-home field of
research and development has not been
too much neglected.
With no idea of belittling the
catastrophe damage done along the
coast and elsewhere, consider the Stats
tics bearing on the devastating effects
OF the storm in the Washington Metro
politan Area alone: More than 10000
homes without electric power at the
peak of the blow, more than 1,4OO
telephones put out of service for
long periods, nearly thousand
repairmen working around the clock
to restore service, thousands of wires
and poles felled either by collapsing
trees or the combined forces of
wet snow and wind, or both. To many
homes the loss of electric power brought
a chain reaction of cold furnaces, no
lights but candles, inoperable electric
stoves, defroSting freezers and refrig-
orators and, of course, no radio or tele-
vision. How uncivilized can a commu-
nifty become in so short time?
A simple solution to the problem,
no doubt, has occurred to many of the
victims of the power blackout-put all
electric and telephone lines under
ground. This has been done to some
extent in the cities. But there is an
economic hitch which most users of
these utilities can appreciate, namely,
the high cost of such conversion in
suburban and rural areas. Power au-
thoritieS say that the cost of a general
change from overhead to underground
wires would have to be passed on to the
subscribers, who would be the first to
agree that it would be a prohibitively
expensive undertaking.
So, slowly but surely, the poles are
being replaced, the wires are being
raised again and all soon will be in
readiness for another assault from the
elements. And in the midst of this
anachroniStic activity we do not hesitate
to spend billions to challenge the stars,
to probe the earth's core and otherwise
to show mans mastery of his environ
ment-up to point, that is.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
Virginia Voting

AS the General Assembly of
Virginia considers additional
representation, 10th District
legislators express their usual
disappointment over their
share.
The cruX of this matter is
in a statement made by State
Senator Boothe after his die
feat in the last primary. He
pointed out that a much
higher percentage of those
qualified to vote actually
voted in other Commonwealth
areas as compared with the
much smaller percentage of
voters in the 10th District,
who were qualified and vot-
ing. Mr.. Boothe seems to con-
clude that had more people
in the 10th District voted, the
primary would have been de-
cided differently.
In national elections a
much higher percentage does
vote. Yet in many cases they
turn in comfortable MAORI
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
Moral Victory

With the short session" of the
Maryland Legislature due to end to-
night, time has all but run out on the
chance for enactment of reapportion-
ment law. In the eyes of most observers,
1t will be minor miracle if the State
Senate can muster the II votes neces-
Sary to assure passage. But as long as
even hours remain, we hope that efforts
will continue in behalf of legislative
reallgnment which will give urban areas
more equitable voice in State affairs.
Regardless of what may or may not
happen today, the residents of more
populouS regions can take encourage
ment from the approval of meaningful
eapportionment bill on Tuesday by the
House of DelegateS-an event which was
something in the nature of a minor
miracle itself. For the first time ever,
1T agreed to formula which would pass
the control of the House from rural to
urban and suburban representatives
And it is particularly heartening that
among those who voted for the bill were
a number of delegates from rural areas,
including counties which would them
selves lose seats under reapportionment.
Governor Tawes, obviously pleased
by the House action, characterized it as
a moral victory" and it is one for which
he rightly will be able to claim some
political credit. But moral victories, of
course, are not enough. More realistic
ally, the action of the House is only a
sign that the tide may be turning.
Urban residents must not relent in the
fight for the fair representation they
deserve
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
Answering the 'Mourners'

President Kennedy told his news
conference yesterday that he believes
the Nations economy has more vitality
than some of its premature mourners''
are suggesting. During his conference,
or at about the same time, there were
several public announcements tending
to support his confidence about the ma
t1onal economic health of the moment,
or to encourage optimism for the near
future.
OF most immediate import were the
February employment statistics, re-
leased by the Department of Labor,
showing that the jobleSS rate in that
month had dropped to 19-month low
of 5.6 per cent-considerably better than
the seasonal expectation. With the
February unemployed numbering Slight
ly more than As million, department
officials now predict that this total will
drop to 3.8 million by May. At the same
time, February employment reached a
new peak for that month at close to
65.8 million. Mr.. Kennedy supplemented
these figures with reference to high
business profits, price stability during
the past twelve months and the fact
that there has not been an excessively
high level of inventory build-up.
For the longer term, the President
also mentioned the potential economic
gains represented in the tariff-cutting
agreements just signed at Geneva with
"a countrieS-including the Common
Market bloc, the United Kingdom and
other nations. In brief, he explained
that these agreements favor what has
amounted to $43 billion of American ex-
ports annually in return for similar
treatment to $2.9 billion of imports New
concessions were obtained, he en-
phaSlzed, on items which are most
essential to the expansion of our foreign
trade and the correction of our adverse
acknowledgements problem.
And bearing directly upon the eco
nomlc picture, of course, was the Presi-
dents disclosure that he had appealed
to both management and labor in the
steel industry to resume their suspended
contract negotiations next week. It has
been an administration objective from
the beginning that settlement which
would not force price increase should
be reached in steel we'll in advance of
the June 80 expiration of current con-
tracts. Sitting at bargaining table is
not guarantee that this will be accom-
plished, but it offers more promise than
no negotiations at all. Both manage
ment and labor have agreed promptly
to resume talking.
AS of today, it does seem premature
to mourn the end of another cycle of
economic recovery.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
Patriot Glenn

John A. Glenn, jr. repre-
sentS the most recent threat
to our free society from the
radical right. The demonstra-
tive Marine flyer should be
watched carefully.
1t is to be hoped that our
better informed and more
courageous members of Con-
gress and the State Depart
ment will take immediate &C
ton to silence the pro-blue
mouthings of the right-wing
extremist. How was it pos
Sible for this military man
to go before a nationwide
radio and television audience
wave the flag - and get
away with it?
Such emotional outbursts
are indicative of an immature
nation, and let us hope, a
part of the past. 1t is fright
ening how many people he
has stirred up.
Particularly shocking was
the sight of the United States
Ambassador to the United Ma
lions, Adlai Stevenson hon.
oring the occasion.
Seriously, weren't you
proud?
AL Henning.
X 4 y Il
After all the diligent eff
forts put forth by Adlai and
Eleanor to eradicate the
maudlin concept of patriot
ism once so prevalent in this
country, along comes John
Glenn to unabashedly wave
the flag before us. And from
a military man at that!
Hugh ], Brown.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08

ties for conservative issues
and candidates. 1t would be
difficult to believe that 10th
District liberals believe that
the same people who elect
our Congressman would elect
them.
The 10th District needs a
general improvement in the
character of it's representa-
ton in Richmond and not
more seats for local liberals.
If conservatives would turn
out at all levels, from ma
tional elections to primaries
and bond issues, we could
have a much better selec-
tivity on both issues and can
didateS than is now possible.
Owen Allen Keen.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
Space Song Wanted

The universal appeal of
music was shown clearly
during the celebration of
John Glenn's return to his
home town.
The band played when
Johnnie Comes Marching
Home" a jubilant marching
song of the Civil War era
which was in the mood of
the day and, incidentally,
seemed to be addressed to
him personally.
The Muskingum College
Choir sang Haydn's glorious
polyphonic hymn of praise,
THE Heavens Are Telling"
from the Creation" The
text, taken from the Old
Testament, declares 1.-The
glory of God and the Won
ders of his works" Haydn was
a contemporary of George
Washington, but both the
words and the music were
apropoS to the occasion.
The choir'S selection of
America, The Beautiful" was
particularly apt. Written by
Katherine Lee Bates after she
had crossed the continent
for the first time, it praises
Americas scenic beauty, her
pioneers and her patriots and
ends with a prayer. Let God
thy gold refine, Till all sue
cess be nobleneSS and every
gain divine"
Miss Bates was inspired to
write America, The Beauti-
full" when she was in Colo
RADIO at the summit of a
mountain, looking down on
the plains below. The melody
she chose was the old hymn
tune, Materna. In it's folk
like simplicity, it expresses
love of country. Many feel
America, The Beautiful" be-
longs to both North and South
America since its words could
apply to the entire Western
Hemisphere.
Now who will be inspired to
compose a Song of Space?"
Alice Keith,
President, National Academy
of BroadcaSting. I
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08

models in both range and
lethality.
Three new tanks for an
armored division have been
put into production. One is
a main battle tank, the M6O.
1t carries a los millimeter
gun which gives it signifi-
cantly greater fire power
than tanks used in the past.
Its diesel engine gives it in
creased speed and maneuver-
ability and its new infrared
fire control provides for
night fighting.
Among the new vehicles is
the M151, which resembles
the World War II jeep but
weighs less, can travel faster
and cruise farther. Other
vehicles are the mechanical
mule, a half-ton transporter
and the mighty mite, de-
veloped by the Army for the
Marine Corps. Also in this
area is the "goer," a new de-
parture in the design of mill
tary wheeled vehicles. It
can, says an Ordnance report,
go anywhere and makes
possible movement of SUD.
plies and fuel to areas which
are inaccessible to other
military vehicles"
Now entering production
is a new amphibious cargo
carrier, which can be used
as a personnel carrier to ac-
commodate ten men in addiL
ton to the driver. To re-
trieve tanks disabled on the
battlefield the Army is pro-
ducing a tank recovery ve-
hlcle designed to lift and
recover the heaviest armored
tanks with comparative ease.
Other improvements
Two new howitzer weapon
systems which can cruise
further and fire at longer
range are being developed.
They will replace similar We
hlcles used during the Ko-
rean conflict.
The artillery will be pro-
vided with two new self
propelled weapons which
will permit better front-line
support of the infantry, One
carries a ITS millimeter gun,
but weighs only $4,000 pounds
compared with it's predeces-
sor which weighed 100000
pounds.
For infantry battle groups
the Ordnance Corps is de-
veloping an atomic weapons
system in two types. Both
fire projectileS which are
larger in diameter than the
gun tubes and are fastened
on pistonS inserted in the gun
tubes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
Fair Trade

Your recent editorial urg-
ing thumbs down on the new
fair trade proposal to be
known as the Quality Stabi-
lization Act, makes me Won
der how a newspaper can be
against what it must do it.
self in order to remain in
business, that is, assure a
profitable return on it's adj
vertising and assure it's dis
tributorS a profitable return.
All over the United States
today, and in almost every
line of business, there is a
serious breakdown in the pro-
motion of goods and services,
due largely to the use of
trade = marked, name brand
products in bait adver-
Using. Large and small
companies alike are losing
their legitimate distributors
and retailers by the thou
sands, and when the discount
er can no longer advertise a
known brand at a price be-
low that of the independent
or chain attempting to hold
a reasonable price line, he
drops it.
The Quality Sterilization
Act proposes to do exactly
what it's title would indicate
protect quality brands from
exploitation by giving the
manufacturer an opportunity
to assure a profitable return
to himself and to his dis
tributors, and thus insure
continued concentration on
quality sterilization.
This Nation did not be-
come the envy of the world
by selling goods either at or
below cost. 1t grew great I'M
der the profit system, and in
recent years we have seen one
knoWn-brand after the other
joining the profitless parade,
and with this trend have come
mergers and bankruptcies on
an unparalleled scale. Legiti-
mate manufacturers, both
large and small, want no more
than the opportunity to pro-
tect their good names and
regulations for quality and
continued service of their
products, and it is not price
fixing" when one of these
manufacturers - entirely on
his own volition and free of
any collision with other
manufacturers - decides to
establish a reasonable retail
price on a known brand to
assure reasonable returns to
those who invest in and sell
his goods.
Give quality sterilization
and fair trade" a fair break,
and you may be surprised at
what happens to our national
economy, and especially to the
District of Columbia, where
cut = throat competition is
making a Shambles of what
we so fondly call "our oppor-
tunity system"
Ed WINNER.
Vice President and Public
Relations Director, National
Federation of Independent
Business, Inc.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08

Soviet Premier Khru-
shchev's willingness (if it ever
existed) to aid in bringing to
an end nuclear tests in the
atmosphere and below
ground now comes up for
scrutiny by the entire world
All signs are that he does not
relish the idea. His letter to
President Kennedy, calling the
United States determination
to resume atmospheric testing
atomic blackmail," carried a
charge that the President was
dynamiting all chance of sue
cess of the coming Geneva
conference on disarmament.
Mr.. Kennedy, in his reply,
wisely ignored the Soviet Pre-
mier's charge and urged him
not to engage in sterile ex-
changes of propaganda" Our
object" the President wrote,
now must be to make real
progress toward disarma-
ment."
That progress the world has
been anxiously awaiting. and
it is up to Mr.. Khrushchev
to take this opportunity-the
opportunity to do something
real about the cessation of
nuclear tests - to prove that
he honestly intends to do
something in the cause of dis
armament instead of just
ranting about it, as he has
done whenever he thought
the occasion was a good one.
Accepts Ministers Farley
The Kennedy decision to
resume nuclear testing in the
atmosphere late in April I'M
less the Russians are willing
to sign an acceptable treaty
for the abandonment of such
testing, with proper inspec-
ton safeguards, is a wise de-
ciSion. AS the President has
cogently said, the United
States, both for it's own safety
and that of the free world,
cannot afford to sit idly by,
twiddling its thumbs, while
the Soviet government makes
ready a new round of nuclear
tests and carries them into
effect. Nor, as he aptly put
it, can the United States prof
itably engage in disarmament
conferences in Geneva if these
conferences are merely to pro-
vide the Soviet government
with more time for additional
nuclear tests. Mr.. KhruShchev
should know by this time that
there will be no further agree
ment to abandon testing I'M
less he is willing to accept
an adequate inspection pro-
gram. And the American peo-
pie, and the peoples of the
world, should know that this
country is not going again into
a moratorium on testing such
as existed for three years be-
fore the Russians violated the
agreement and started on
their program last September
/, which included 40 or more
such tests, one of 50-megaton
strength.
Notwithstanding the harsh
language in his letter to
President Kennedy, the So
Wet Premier did agree to the
Anglo-American proposal for
a foreign ministers Chose of
the United States, Britain
and Russia) conference prior
to the opening of the disarm-
ament conference scheduled
in Geneva March IA. This con-
ference is to take up the ques-
ton of nuclear testing as we'll
as other matters to be con-
Sidered by the disarmament
conference. In a measure this
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-08
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Foot Soldiers Arsenal Modernized
By THOMAS R. HENRY

Another war will not be al
together a mbat with
rockets, missiles and nuclear
bombs and with the fighting
forces hundreds of miles
apart.
The mud-slogging dough-
boy still will have his place
perhaps the most important
of all in the long run. He
will be armed in a fashion
that will make his predeces-
sors in other wars - even
those of 1942-seem rather
primitively equipped. And, as
of old, he will meet his foe
face to face.
More than 80 new weapons
quite aside from rockets
and missiles-which were I'M
known as late as the Korean
War, have been produced,
and largely issued, by Army
Ordnance engineers.
Among them are a new
rifle, a new kind of machine
gun, a grenade auncher, a
light anti-tank weapon and
an anti-perSonnel mine. Out
standing, according to an
Ordnance report, is the new
MIA rifle which can fire
20 rounds without reloading.
Previous Army rifles have
been limited to eight rounds.
Versatile Machine Gun
The new M60 machine gun
is air-cooled and can be fired
either from a tripod or. a
lighter bipod. A 90-millimeter
recoilleSs rifle, the M67, is an
accurate anti-tank gun with
a considerably greater range
than the older bazooka type
weapons.
The newest rocket grenade
anti-tank weapon, the M72,
is small, light and easy to OPP
crate. Made of aluminium
and plastic, it weighs only a
little over four pounds. The
MTG grenade launcher has a
range that bridges the gap
between the distance a hand
grenade can be thrown and
the minimum range of the
81 millimeter mortar.
The Army found an al
ready developed anti-tank
weapon in France and has
purchased from the French
government rights to all its
models. All are guided mis-
siles.
The Nib antipersonnel
mine is a device for defense
against massed infantry at
tackS and for defense of iso-
lated outpostS. Projecting a
fan-shaped array of high
velocity fragments parallel
to the ground in a chosen
direction from a remote po-
Sition, it exceeds all previous