davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
off the Beam

CALIFORNIA; Governor Pat Brown
told the American Bar Association at its
San Francisco meeting: "The true meas
ure of our loyalty to the Supreme Court
and our other free institutions is to sup
port them when we disagree with them"
Since he didn't identify them, we do
not know what "other free institutions"
Governor Brown was talking about. But
he definitely was off the mark when he
said we, meaning the American people,
should support" the Supreme Court
when we disagree with it.
The true measure Of citizens loyalty,
it seems to us, is to obey Supreme Court
decision with which he may disagree.
But this is quite different from support
ing it. If all loyal citizens had supported
the court, even when in disagreement,
nothing would have changed since the
court was founded. The decisions which
wrecked the New Deal programs, even
the good programs, back in the 30's
would still be the law of the land had
not pressure brought about reversal
Of the courts attitude. AS matter of
fact, if loyal citizens had always sup
ported the court instead of demanding
change, Plessy VS.. Ferguson, with its
equal doctrine, might still
be in force.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
Day Care Needed

One Of the conclusions reached by
Senator Byrd of West Virginia after his
study Of welfare in the District is that
a real need exists for an adequate day
care program for children so that
mothers now on relief may become
self-Supporting. And that judgment is
strongly supported, as far as we know,
by most Of the people who have given
any serious consideration to the prob
lem.
The investigation conducted at the
insistence of Senator Byrd has been
bad news to the astonishing proportion
Of chiselerS on the relief rolls and to
those officials responsible for some very
poor management of the welfare pro-
gram. The West Virginian, however,
despite some below-the-belt intima-
tons to the contrary, has never sought
to deny relief to those who really need
it and who are eligible for especially
children. His objective has been to root
out the chiSelerS and improve manage
ment so that more relief dollars will be
available for those who truly are in
distress.
In this connection the need for a
day care program is self-evident. A
mother with small children can hardly
be expected to work for a living and
care for her children at the same time.
There are sincere differences of opinion
as to what the best approach should
be. At a minimum, however, or so it
seems to us, there must be some pro-
vision to care for children while the
mother, now on relief, is being trained
to hold down job, and probably some
kind of day care facility for her children
after she goes to work.
The other side of this coin, of course,
is that mothers who are capable of
working but who won't take suitable
employment should be denied relief
money. And in such event it will be
necessary to make some other arrange
ment for their children-perhaps foster
homes. But this is a somewhat different
situation. The first problem is to help
relief mothers who would like to be self
supporting. For these, the Commission
erS sought $4,000 for day care-and
were rebuffed in the House. We think
they should set their sights a little
higher and ask the Senate for 100000
or perhaps $15O,000 They might be
agreeably surprised by the result.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
Answers to Questions
BY THE HASKIN SERVICE

@. What is the meaning of
the phrase, Ito cross the
Rubicon?"-J. L.
A. It now means to take
an irrevocable step, to take
an action from which there
can be no retreat. julius
Caesar, ordered by the Ro-
man Senate to disband his
army, refused to do so and
crossed the Rubicon river
from Gaul into Italy to adj
vance against Pompey. In
so doing, he knew that his
fate hung in the balance and
that he could not turn back.
The historian Plutarch re-
cords that in crossing the
stream he uttered "the
phrase with which men US
ually prelude their plunge
into desperate and daring
fortunes, Let the die be
cast"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
No Tax Cut Now

In ruling out tax cut at this time,
the President has bowed to the dictates
Of both wisdom and necessity. His own
economic figures refute any claim of
need for "quickie" reduction on the
eve of the November elections. And he
couldn't get one through Congress If
he tried. Furthermore, as a recent
Gallup poll showed, the American people
are overwhelmingly against any tax
reduction which would require an in
crease in the Federal debt.
This brings us to Chapter II in the
Kennedy program-a tax cut effective
next January 1, accompanied by certain
unSpecified tax reforms. The President
is right, we believe, when he says that
present taxes are too high, and that
the system operates as a drag or a
brake on the economy. An acroSS-the-
board cut in the corporate and in
dividual rates certainly would provide
"the incentive for additional return for
additional effort" And we do not know
OF any economist who denies that this
is needed.
At the same time, a tax cut effective
in January surely will substantially in
crease the size of the Federal deficit
that is already in sight. Mr.. Kennedy's
assurances of balanced budget have
gone out the window We shall not be
hearing of them again for some time.
The price of tax reduction, how
ever, need not be Federal deficits run
ming year after year after year. There
are three ways in which they can be
curbed. One is through a pick up in
economic activity, producing more
revenue for the Government. But this
will not come overnight. Another is
through the tax reform, to which the
President alluded. And there is room,
certainly, for constructive reforms.
But let's face it: The next Congress
Is likely to be much more interested in
tax cuts than in tax reform. Finally,
deficits can be reduced or eliminated
by firm refusal to spend money on
Federal projects that are not truly
essential. We find precious little of
this attitude in the Presidents speech
last evening, and we will have more to
say on this point later. For the moment
it is enough to observe that his tendency
has been to ask Congress for virtually
every spending project that his New
FrontierSmen can dream up. For
tunately, Congress has ignored most of
these requests. Had it done otherwise,
the '63 deficit, to borrow COP. phrase,
would be enough to make your hair curl.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
Subsidized Transit

Eugene Mckay, in his let
ter, Mass transportation"
is right about the need for
a balanced" transportation
program balanced between
autos, buses and rail travel to
and from DOWNTOWN for the
Metro Area. True, we wouldn't
aim to end up as Los Angeles
or New York, we would aim
for moderation if we had our
"druthers." I recommend mass
transit, and I believe it Is a
big part Of the answer to good
living in 1880. But I cannot
fall in line with Mr.. Mckay,
who concludes that since
highways are now federally
subsidized that rapid transit
should be, too. Following this
line Of thought ends with a
completely federally subsi-
died and controlled local
economy with planners as
kings and people as serfs. The
answer is to remove Federal
subsidy from highways, and
when king consumer finds
the traffic too bad, privately
operated mass transit can be-
come q feasible reality.
Logan Mckee.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
Our Friend France

It is noted that France, in
making a payment in excess
of 1898 million on a Marshall
Plan loan, has indicated that
her economy has an upward
look.
Over the past year or so
she has gradually grown to
a state Of economic stability
that should be an encourage
ment to other nations who
are still struggling. Frances
industries are on the upswing
and the country is taking on
the picture of health. An
other good sign is that her
employment is on the in
crease, while her living stand
ards are higher than ever
before.
A great measure Of this
success is due to the strong
man General de Gaulle, who
took over in the hour Of his
country's dire need. His firm
hand and good Judgment has
been evidenced at every turn.
He was a hero in World War
II and he is no less a peace
time hero.
We should not forget that
France has always been our
friend. In our need during
the Revolution, she gave us
material assistance, as well
as moral push when La
fayette came over to help us.
This was something she was
not forced to do, and she
also took a certain risk in so
doing.
C. +. Haughaw0ut
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
WM-O'- Wisp Economics

The belief that shortening the basic
work-week from 40 hours to IS would
materially relieve unemployment, a
point Of view Endorsed by the AFL-CIO
Executive Council session in Chicago,
has more flaws than virtues.
It's greatest flaw is the condition in
variably attached to it by labor spokeS-
men, namely, that fewer working hours
should not be accompanied by fewer
take-home dollars. Under such circum-
stance, shortening the normal work
week necessarily would raise the wage
item in production coSts-either by add
ing to higher-rate overtime pay or by
putting on more workers to maintain
production totals. There is evidence, in
fact, that many employers prefer, if
forced to the choice, to pay overtime
rates rather than taking on the fringe
benefit costs and responsibilities that
would accompany the addition of new
workers.
In either case, unless there Is
compromising increase in productivity,
which cannot be legislated, the cost
problem is there. In turn, if this has
to be met by increased prices, it carries
the risks of reduced consumer demand
or a new nudge to initiation. The point
has been made, too, that many lines of
production require Skills that are not
to be found readily among the unem-
ployed.
AS a practical political problem, and
1t is political as well as economic, labor'S
drive for shorter statutory work week
also is faced with opposition on the
record from the Kennedy administra-
ton. The President himself has said
on several occasions that he would not
ask for legislation preaching the 40
hourweek line, and this administration
attitude has been reaffirmed by both
Labor Secretary Goldberg and Com
merce Secretary Hodges. In the context
of today's competitive economic condi-
lions, where the price-cost relationship
is a vital one, the administrations posi-
ton is far more sound than the idea Of
A
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
COMMENT ON NEWS
BY WILLIAM L. RYAN
Khrushchey in a Box Over Berlin

One dangerous aspect Of
the Berlin crisis is that Pre-
mier Khrushchev, finding
himself In q box. may resort
to risky measures to get out
Of it.
The Kremlin Is probing for
weak spots in the Vests ar
NOR. An increasingly quer-
ulous tone indicates Mr..
Khrushchev finds 1t more
difficult to terrify the West
with his threat to sign a sep
arate peace treaty with Com
muist East Germany. On
the first anniversary Of the
Berlin wall. the Red side
showse signs Of filters.
East German Communist
Boss Walter Ulbricht and his
acting premier, Will Stoph,
have been in the U.S.SR,,
possibly discussing terms of
the treaty which Moscow
claims wiz give Mr.. Ulbricht
control over access to West
Berlin. ITO miles inside Com
munist territory. Actually,
Mr.. Khrushchev has been
talking about a treaty with
himself. Few believe he viii
turn over to Stalinist Ul-
BRIGHT the power to decide
whether the U.SSR. risks
nuclear war.
Soviet maneuvers have
created an impression that
Mr.. Khrushchev is anxious
to gauge Just how far he can
safely 60. Moscow jabs and
sparS. weaves and ducks,
threatens and cajoles, as II
always seeking an opening.
Mr.. Khrushchev is COM
mitted to the proposition that
he will accept nothing short
Of withdrawal Of British,
French and United States
troops from Berlin, President
Kennedy replies that the
troops viii stay. There is the
big impasse.
MOscow's Wheeling
But Moscow repeatedly and
plaintively notes that the
positions Of the Kremlin and
Washington on Berlin have
been drawing closer, that the
only stumbling block has
been the existence Of a
'NATO base" in West Berlin.
This note of wheedling is
followed with the complaint
that only the West German
government in Bonn stands
in the way Of solution. Then
comes the threat: Moscow
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14


crime against the law-abiding
citizens of all Federal ter
ritories, Of which the D. c.
Is one.
Twice since this abomin-
able Supreme Court ruling
the House Of Representatives
has passed legislation to
modify the Courts ruling so
that the police Of Federal
territories will be aided in
their ceaSeless battle against
crime, but both times the
legislation has died in the
Senate during the late sum-
mer rush for adjournment.
Some day the American peo-
pie may wake up and demand
real action. Let us hope they
do not wait until this Ma
ton is hopelessly Shackled
by crime and communism!
Robert A. Mullen.
The letter by Walter A.
Jones on causes Of crime re-
tterates the shibboleth Of
the social workers that hous-
ing, opportunity and coun-
selling for the poor will some
how stamp out anti-social
behavior. It's the old story
Of the supremacy of environ
ment. To this I say that a
dog banks because he Is a dog
he is not a dog because he
barks. The passionate rejec-
ton Of heredity among well
fare workers leads me to
wonder If their chief concern
isn't their own welfare.
To prove my point I would
call attention to the basic
formula Of the popular his
torical novel in this country.
This formula is standard and
used time and time again,
proof indeed of its wide
spread acceptance and popu-
larity. In countless novels,
foremost Of which Is "For-
ever Amber" the heroine is
a daughter Of the people, yet
there IS something differ
ent" about her. Invariably
someone remarks, "Od's fish,
but the wench has the look
Of good blood about her, me-
thinks she's a ladyl" AS it
always turns out, our heroine
was really sired by some
nobleman in an ignoble mo-
ment, and not by Hugh
Crawley the cutpurse after
all. The heroine manages, in
the course Of the story, to
survive submarginal condi-
tons such as Cromwell, the
Black Plague and the Fire of
London. By hook, crook, boot
straps and certain other en-
dowments our girl makes it.
Not the least Of her quail
ties is q sharp intelligence
("pretty, witty Nell") al
though she never seems to
attend school Malnourished
as a child, she keeps alive by
the beer she manages to steal
from pock-marked Old Mol
who runs the boarding
house" where she lives.
Readers have eaten this
UP for years. Isn't this an
Endorsement of the intangi-
bles Of humanity that only
the capricious hand Of nature
can control?
EInronnn Kinr
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14

win sign that peace treaty.
What worries Mr.. Khru-
shchev? Obviously, he fears
the growing European politi-
cal unity. more pronounced
in the light Of Paris-Bonn
cooperation. Possibly he
feels he must interfere with
that sort Of development.
Soviet propaganda. prob
ably hoping to drive a wedge
into the Atlantic Alliance,
has hit hard at any hint o.
tension between Bonn and
Washington on matters Of
defense strategy. It plays on
West German nervousness
that some sort Of compro-
mise to avert q dangerous
compromise might be in the
wind.
Temporary Compromise?
The idea Of q temporary
compromise. designed to save
face on both sides, cannot be
ruled out. For example, since
Moscow harpS constantly on
West Berlin as a NATO
base, might Western troops
in Berlin be officially di-
vorced from NATO, placed
under the direct command
Of the three Western allies?
Should war break out
over Berlin. no amount Of
ground troops would save II.
anyway. At the moment, 1t
is only the Allied presence
that counts. as q token Of
determination to remain in
the city. A compromise
might provide an excuse for
postponing the danger and
reSuming talks.
But can q showdown be
long postponed? Mr.. Khru-
shchev has been far out on
q limb for four years on his
promise to drive the West
out Of Berlin. His prestige
as a world Communist leader
may be at stake.
Any compromise likely
would be highly temporary.
At q sign Of Western weak
ness, the Kremlin undoubt-
eddy would follow up vigor-
ously what it considered a
chance to attack the whole
Atlantic Alliance structure.
On the other hand, II Mr..
Khrushchev should feel him.
self frustrated by unflagging
Western determination, he
might in desperation turn to
more aggressive ways to
force the issue.-AP.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14

ally adapted. Only adequate
drainage Of Lake Drum
mond's outflowing waters is
essential.
The swamp" first was
surveyed before the Revolu-
ton by George Washington.
Even at that time he recog-
nized some Of its potentiali-
ties, his report shows.
Plants must keep time with
some sort Of biological
clocks.
This is stressed In a report
prepared for a Congressional
committee by the biological
section Of the National Sci
ence Foundation.
Research on photoperiod-
ism, the response Of plants to
duration Of light and dark
ness has recently been re-
ported. How plants measured
time has remained a secret.
It now is suggested that this
is controlled by a biochemical
reaction which is dependent
on the length Of the uninter-
rupted dark period. Flower
ing may be delayed by an in
teruption Of this dark period
and the length of this inter-
ruption may be quite short.
Rodents Have Clocks
Research programs now are
underway. the report says,
which assume that all organ
isms are capable Of time
measurement with clocks"
that h ave an ancient and
common b sic mechanism.
This basic element is IAN
oscillatory system with q ma
tural period evolved to match
approximately the earth's ro-
tation or its annual circling
Of the sun and interacting
with the revolution of the
moon around the earth"
One Of the best known bio
logical rhythms is the daily
periodicity of the onset of
running activity in small ro-
dents. An analysis of this pc
Rod system has shown that
the small rodent "clock" has
an error which does not ex-
coed two minutes in "a hours.
Within limits such patterns
OF activity may be modified
In various organisms with ap-
propriate experimental tech
niques, but it also has been
demonstrated that there are
limits beyond whic h these
systems may not be violated
without causing great stress
and eventual death to the or
ganisms involved.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
Highway Financing

In The Evening Star Of
August z a letter on mass
transportation stated, quite
enormously. that the "sys-
tenn Of Federally financed
interstate highways Is fl
nanced only in small part by
payments from its users. The
balance is paid by the gen.
eral public" The fact Of the
matter is that Federal aid
for highways is entirely paid
by highway users. Under the
governing legislation enacted
by Congress, certain Federal
excise taxes levied on high
way users are earmarked to
q highway trust fund, and
are the sole source Of Fed
eral highway aid to the
States for the interstate sys-
tenn and the other Federal
aid programs.
I am in wholehearted
agreement with the proposal
Of "a balanced transporta-
ton system favoring free
ways only where needed,
supplementing these with a
truly rapid transit system"
but I would add that the
phrase only where needed"
is equally applicable both to
freeways and rail transit.
Highway planners are fully
aware that in providing a
balanced transportation sys-
tenn, financial resources and
land space available for total
transportation needs are lin
tied. Only overall develop
ment plans will assure that
existing and proposed facili-
ties Of each and all modes Of
travel are not excessive to the
total requirements Of the
community. The need for
both freeways and rail transit
may well be demonstrated in
our large metropolitan areas,
but not as an either/or
choice. Rather than being
considered as competitive,
they should be nationally
planned to complement one
another. allowing every in
dividual freedom of choice as
to his modes Of travel.
I would like to make one
other point. While many
urban freeways have been
completed and are in use,
there Is not a major city in
the United States that has
as yet completed an urban
freeway system. An inte-
grated, planned system will
unquestionably furnish traf-
fic service far superior to the
= sum Of its disconnected parts.
Urban transportation was
a major subject in the Presi-
dents transportation mes
sage to Congress. This mes
sage was based on the joint
report on urban transporta-
ton prepared for the Presi-
dent by the Department of
Commerce, Of which the
Bureau of Public Roads is a
part, and the Housing and
Home Finance Agency.
Rex M. Whitt0n,
Federal Highway
Administrator
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Dismal Swamp May Be Lush Area
BY THOMAS R. HENRY

virginia's 1.O00-square-mile
Dismal Swamp. soon may be
transformed into one Of the
richest agricultural and for
estry areas Of eastern North
America.
1t generally is pictured as q
low-lying region Of black
waters. deep mud and tan
gled swamp growth, almost
impenetrable. Even now, ex-
cept for a few wandering
hunters and trappers, 1t is
entirely uninhabited, al
though it lies in q thickly
peopled part Of the country.
There are no farms, no VII
lagos.
Nearly in the center Of the
area is q 100-square-mile
black lake. Lake Drummond,
which has no inlets. It used
to be thought that anybody
who entered Dismal Swamp
probably never would come
out again.
Such is the popular picture
which is due. in part at least,
to a poem by the 18th CEN
tury English poet, Thomas
Moore, one of whose best
known poems Is about q girl
who became lost in the re-
gion. Actually this picture is
almost entirely false, accord
ing to recent surveys Of the
potentialities Of the region.
Much of the swamp, it has
been found, really Is a low
plateau. Lake Drummond it
self is from IS to 80 feet
above sea level. The land Is
potentially very productive.
British Firm Clears Land
The job Of reclamation
lately has been undertaken
by a British firm which now
Is clearing the southern end,
which extends into North
Carolina, in patches Of a
square mile each. It is selling
this land for farms, largely
financing its reclamation
work by numbering operation
in the northern end. The
southern end has been burned
over several times. so there
Is little standing timber.
At the southern end there
Is about two feet of rich top
soil, above a layer Of clay and
sea shells which has proved
exceptionally good material
for road building. In the
northern end. however, this
rich top soil is at least six
feet thick, according to Fred
erick Heuette, head Of the
Norfolk Botanical Gardens,
who is chairman of q Vir-
ginia committee now carry
ing on a study Of the regions
potentials.
The square-mile areas now
being cleared and drained by
the British company for agri-
culture can be converted into
very productive farms in
about three years, Mr.. Heu-
cite says. The soil is quite
acid and the acidity must
first be overcome. This is ac-
complished by raising two
annual crops of soy beans.
Then the farms can be
planted to corn which grows
luxuriantly. Other crops will
follow.
Within a few years the
dismal region easily may be-
come prosperous farms. The
area seems especially suited.
Mr.. Heuette has found, for
horticulture, the cultivation
Of various shrubs and plants
which might be distributed
all over the East. 1t also has
considerable promise for
bamboo forests, for which
some Of the soil seems especi-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry tDriters' correct
names and addresses. All let
tiers are subject to condenSd-
ton. Those not used tDiu be
returned only tDhen accom-
panied BY self addressed,
stamped envelopes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-14

increasing payrolls in the uncertain
hope that it would increase job oppor-
tunitieS.