davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-27
A BOOK FOR TODAY
Evolution of the Written Word
By DONALD MINTZ

WRITING by David Diringer:
40 line drawings and 3
maps by Anthony c. Syl-
vester: 70 photographs.
(Ancient Peoples and
Places, General Editor:
Glyn Daniel, vol. 250
261pp. Frederick A. Praeger,
$685.. ,s
Try to imagine our daily
lives-to say nothing of our
civilization-without writing.
1t is impossible.
For, as DR.. Diringer points
out: without writing, cul-
ture. which has been de-
fined as a communicable in
telligence'. would not exist
Except, perhaps, in a form
so rudimentary as to be vir-
tually unrecognizable). Law,
religion, trade. poetry, philo-
Sophy, history-all those hui
man activities which depend
upon a degree Of permanence
and MISUNDERSTANDING be,
not impossible, but incalcu-
lably restricted"
Writing" is q survey for
the general reader of present
knowledge about the origin
and diffusion Of various forms
Of writing in the ancient
world. DR.. Diringer is lee
turer in Semitic Biography
and founder and director Of
the Alphabet Museum at
Cambridge University.
His book is a superbly Il
Illustrated and manufactured
volume written by a scholar
for the general public. It has
an authority that no work by
a popularizer can ever have.
1T ALSO POSES difficult
ties that one would probably
not meet in a book by a nom
scholar. Definitions come
rather thick and fast. Then
the terms defined (and some
times a few others as welD
are used without repetition
Of the definitions, and it
turns out that these terms
are not to be found in the
index. Back we go, and after
a little searching here, a little
page riffling there, we are
again on the track.
1t Is annoying, no doubt,
but also very close to inevi-
table. It is worth the trouble
not only for the authority
welded by DR.. Diringer but
for the privilege Of watching
the careful and sophisticated
reasoning Of q fine academic
mind confronted by evidence,
and to enjoy q quiet sense of
irony that is equally typical
Of the university mentality
at its best.
DR.. Diringer begins with a
consideration Of the origins
OF writing and questions con-
corning the development and
spread Of scripts. We are
then introduced to the man
ner in which scripts are
classified.
After a brief section on
embryo writing, DR.. Diringer
turns to the analytic scripts
Of the ancient Near East"
Since "the word analytic
simply indicates q script
whose basic units (however
these are represented are
words" this covers not only
the celebrated Egyptian and
Babylonian writings, but Mi
moan, Mycenaen, Hittite and
other scripts as well.
We then turn to other
scripts that are neither al
phabetic nor syllable, namely
those Of the Far East and
Pre-Columbian America.
Thu haaSsk - kIa aeaV- -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-27

least from our point Of view,
deals with the invention and
diffusion Of the alphabet. For
though any sort Of writing
that can convey ideas with
reasonable precision makes It
possible for men to turn from
contemplation Of the writing
itself to contemplation Of the
world around them.
When was the alphabet in
vented? I'm the past three
decades" answers DR.. Dir
niger. 1.-THE probable origin Of
the alphabet has been pushed
back by the discovery,
in 1929. 1884 and 1887, Of
three inscriptions generally
attributed to the 18th or 18th
century BIC. . There is at
least a strong possibility that
these three inscriptions rep
resent the earliest alphabetic
writing yet discovered"
AND IF THIS is not suffi-
Gently cautious, we are re-
minded that lit must be re-
membered, however, that our
position in regard to the his
tory Of the Alphabet in the ,
period 1800-1200 B. C. is
rather like that Of travellers
flying high over q mountain
range on a cloudy day. Here
and there a peak or q plateau
juts out Of the mists, and 1t
is comparatively easy to
determine their relative
heights; yet. to picture in the
imagination the topography
Of the entire range-the pre-
else geological relationship
OF peak to peaks impoS-
sible."
The ground becomes firm
er when the development of
more modern alphabets, He
brew, Greek, Cyrillic, Latin
and others, come under con-
Sideration. Finally there is a
brief discussion of the prin-
cipal hands in which Latin
was written during the mid
die ages.
Each Of the topics touched
on is. Of course, a vast field
in itself. A book with a range
as wide as DR.. Diringer's can
mention only the most fun
damental principles.
Writing" is a difficult
book If one has no prior
knowledge Of the subject.
And it is a most rewarding
one. After all, the subject is
part Of the essence Of hui
mainly.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-27
New Kotonqo Danger

1t has been reported-and denied
that u Thant, acting United Nations
Secretary General, has proposed the use
Of armed force to compel Katanga's
Noise Tshombe to submit to the au-
thority of the central government in
Leopoldville. Mr.. Thant spoke to a
closed meeting of his Congo Advisory
Committee, and we take the denial,
issued through a spokesman, to mean
that If he did not propose the use of
force, he at least discussed it.
Whatever the fact as to this, there
seems to be no doubt that the Secretary
General is strongly urging that economic
pressure be brought to bear on Katan-
gese officials, whom he has tactfully
described as "a bunch of clowns" Other
wise, he contends, the cost Of maintain
ing the U. N. armed force in the Congo
will become prohibitive.
The question of immediate interest is
whether our own Government will sup
port economic measures designed to
compel Katanga's capitulation, and, If
SO, how far we will go.
Last December the U. N. troops were
engaged in savage war with Katanga
troops in Elisabethville. And the United
States was supporting this military eff
fort. At that time, however, the State
Department stoutly denied that we were
supporting any effort to crush the
Katanga forces militarily or to impose
a political solution by force" All that
we were doing, the State Department
said, was to help the U. N. to protect
itself, to maintain its freedom of move
ment and communications in order to
discharge the mission given it by the
Security Council and the General
Assembly"
At the time, this struck us as double
talk and we still think it was double
talk. For the implication was that the
Katangese, after being subdued mill
tarily, would be free to go their own
way; that there would be no attempt
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-27
Restoring Rock Creek
F. G. Campbell.

Congratulations and thanks
to Charles D. Pierce for his
service to the community in
the special report on Rock
Creek.
I have not found q more
attractive spot in this area
than Rock Greek Park. How
ever, I have noticed the UNI
happy contamination of the
waters Of Rock Greek. Many
times I have stopped to think
Of what these waters are and
what they could be.
I am hopeful that you will
follow UP on what you have
begun, and I pledge my sup
port to your campaign to re-
store Rock Greek to its orig
inal beauty.
Rev. John d. Hickey, o. p.
Dominican House of Studies.
I. think your editorial on
the pollution of Rock Greek
was excellent. But Rock Creek
isn't the only offender.
I live a few yards from
Sligo Creek, where a sewage
outlet emptieS into it, form
ing a pool. Sometimes you
can smell it before you can
see it, and it usually swarms
with mosquito larvae.
I collect reptiles and am
phibians for pets and have
probably spent hundreds of
hours on this hobby. In four
years in this area, I've seen
a grand total Of four snakes,
four toads, and two frogs.
Only box turtles, who don't
need clean water, are COM
mon.
If Sligo Greek were unpol-
luted, it probably could sup
port more aquatic life, in
Guiding some varieties of fish.
Why don't we turn this clean
up-Rock Greek campaign into
something to cover the whole
Washington area?
DSAAA.l T-----
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-27
Strikes Against u. S.

1t is humiliating for the
President of the United States
to have to plead with labor
unions to refrain from call
ing a strike in national de-
tense plants.
1t constitutes less than the
exercise Of common sense for
the Government to put one
group of men in trenches In
Korea or Laos, there to risk
their lives and suffer many
hardShipS, while at the same
time permitting another
group of men to strike in the
industries which supply the
first group with arms and
ammunition.
1t has been shown that at
Oak Ridge, slow-ups and 9TH
er procedures were resorted
to, to deliberately delay pro-
duction so that the workers
could make overtime, at
greatly increased cost to the
Government. Those who have
no loyalty to their job de-
serve no consideration, and
the time has come for Con-
greSs to enact legislation
which will fatty prohibit
strikes against the Govern
ment.
Such legislation should pro-
vide that any man in Gov
eminent employ who engaged
in a strike should be immedi-
ately dismissed from Govern
ment service and be forever
thereafter prohibited from
Govern ment employment.
Also. no striker should be re-
lieved from military duty be-
cause Of the plea that he is
an essential" worker. He
should be made to serve his
time in the trenches. This
might change his outlook.
r q 6~-A.II
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-27
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used If
letters carry tDriterS' correct
names and addresses. All let
tiers are subject to condenSd-
ton. Those not used tUiH be
returned only tDhen accom-
panied BY self = addressed,
stamped envelopes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-27

RAhlS.
In the developing struggle
for power in Algeria, it is less
a question Of who wins than
Of how soon.
The studied neutrality of
the French government to-
ward the battle Of the Bens"
is q reflection Of this fact.
No doubt, other things being
equal, the French would pre-
fer to do business with the
more moderate group Of Al
gerian leaders under Ben
youSsef Ben Khedda, with
whom they negotiated the
peace agreements Of Evian.
No doubt, there are serious
miSgivings about the bid for
supreme power being staged
by fiery Vice Premier Ahmed
Ben Bella and his military
supporters.
Nevertheless, to Judge from
private statements Of top
government leaders, the vic
tory of Ben Bella seems
preferable to q continuing
chaos in Algeria. There is no
question of openly taking
sides In the dispute. And If
the French Army Is forced to
intervene, it will be strictly
a matter Of safeguarding
French lives and property.
The same hands-off policy
applies to other interested
states.
TuniSia and Morocco also
are watching the Algerian
struggle with a certain
amount Of anguish. Moroc-
cans especially, who once
looked on Ben Bella as their
man, now realize that he is
anything but. Since his re-
turn from French captivity
to a position Of leadership
in the Algerian revolution,
Ben Bella has emerged as a
mystical pan-Arabic dema-
gogue, very much on the
Nasser pattern. And his pro-
claimed ambitions as leader
of the Western Arab world
do not sit well with his closest
neighbors.
Labels Mean Little
The neutrality Of all of
these natural partisans,
however. is not simply a
question Of their impotence
to affect the outcome. There
Is also the fact that in the
history Of the Algerian revo-
luton, labels attached to
various leaders have meant
very little, and it has often
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-27
Presidents D. C.. Aide

The League Of Women
Voters Of the District Of Co
lumbia congratulates Charles
Horsky on his appointment
as presidential adviser on
National Capital affairs. We
also congratulate both the
District and the Metropoli-
tan Area on having the serv-
ices Of such an eminently
qualified citizen to fill this
important new post.
The board of directors of
the District League, in May,
1862, awarded Mr.. Horsky
one Of its annual citations
for distinguished community
service. The fact that he re-
sides outside the city limits
did not affect our thinking
In any way when we chose
to honor him for many years
OF devoted and effective vol
unteer work within our city.
In housing, planning, civil
liberties, race relations and
other fields, in public and
private groups, the League
has found Mr.. Horsky to be
dedicated to the welfare of
the residents Of the District
OF Columbia. We rejoice that
ne viii now be in a position
to serve the community on a
tull-time basis. We are con-
fident that in this Federal
post Charles Horsky will be
able to help our citizens and
our Commissioners move for
ward on many fronts.
Mrs. Richard C. Simonson.
President, D. C. League of
Women Voters.
y + =
The appointment of
Charles A. Horsky as Assistant
to the President for National
Capital Affairs is bad news
for the people Of the Dis
trict, If The Star and others
expect him to be an arbiter
in District controversies, Let
IT be clearly understood that
Mr.. Horsky is a liaison be-
tween the President and To-
cal governments, not local
people.
The District has too MANY
other models of modern ma
jor liberals. These persons,
when the individual gets into
trouble. wear their civil liber-
ties hats to see that the in
dividual is not pushed around.
but is freed to get into more
trouble. But put 10000 in
dividuals together, most of
whom never get into trouble.
and these liberals wear their
housing and planning hats.
to urge that they be pushed
around to the maximum nv
the highway people and the
RIA, with a weak insistence
that they be rehoused in the
District Of Columbia.
One can succeed in such
liberalism without really
sticking the neck out. While
trouble-makers roam the
streets and freeways Of the
District, the District is fiscal
ly eroding into a big public
housing ghetto. District peo-
pie are grateful to Carl Ship
ley for pointing out the dis
parity between the Admin
lStration's pleas for home rule
and its actions in depriving
the District Of representa-
tive rulers. Maybe Mr.. Rookie
Teller will get three electoral
votes he isn't expecting.
Peter Glickert.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13
Steering Unit
In House Set
By Democrats

An agreeme nt between
Speaker Mccormack and a
group of House Democrats
seeking a stronger voice In
legislative policy will result to-
morrow in creation Of o steer
ing committee.
The scheduled caucus Of all
House Democratic members,
however, was expected only to
adopt q resolution to furin q
28-member committee. Selec-
ton of committee members and
their influence in consulting
with the party leadership were
to be determined later.
Cannon Comments
Representative Cannon, DEM
ocrat of Missouri, q former
House parliamentarian and au-
thor of "Cannon's Precedents, /"
q standard work still used by
the House, noted today that
Democratic caucuses adopted
similar resolutions on many
occasions as far back as 1888.
Previous committees In general
had comparatively little power.
The caucus tomorrow was
expected to direct its chairman,
Representative Walter Of Penn
sylvania, to designate several
members to draw up geographic
zones. The Democratic MEM
bership Of each zone would
elect a member of the steering
committee, which then would
choose It's own chairman.
Plans call for election of 20
steering committee members,
with the Speaker, Majority
Leader Albert, the chairman Of
the Rules, Appropriations and
Ways Committees, and Mr..
Walter as ex-officio members.
No ex-officio member would be
eligible for the chairmanship.
Past Functions
Functions Of the steering
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13
BY DAVID s. BRODER
star staff Writer

The filing deadline In Ore
gon has passed without impor-
tant primary opposition devel-
oping for either Democratic
Senator Wayne Morse or Re-
publican Gov. Mark Hatfield.
The two men filed for re-
election. thus averting what
might have been an exciting
showdown between the liberal
Republican Governor and the
maverick Senator.
Each faces one nominal OPP
ponent in the May 10 primary
and Is favored for victory in
November's general election
against moderately strong COM
petition.
In the primary, Sen ator
Morse has only Charles z. GIL.
bert, o Portland crane opera
tor, to contend with, and Gov.
Hatfield had only H. G. Altva-
ter, q perennial candidate.
The five-man Republican
senatorial field Is headed by
former State Treasurer sig
Unander and freshman Repre-
sentative Edwin r. Durno Of
Medford. Mr.. Unander, who
lost the G. o. P. gubernatorial
nomination to Gov. Hatfield
four years ago, Is rated O slight
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13
Morse, Hatfield Get
No Strong Opponents

favorite for the Senate nomi-
nation this year.
Four Democrats have filed
for the Governors race, with
the favorites being three.term
State Attorney General Robert
Y. Thornton and Walter Pear
son, the president of the State
Senate.
Neither man is given more
than an outside chance against
Gov. Hatfield, who is complet-
ing his first four-year term.
Ex-Representative Charles o.
Porter, who lost to Representa-
tive Durno in 1860. is trying for
q comeback In the 4th District.
He has two strong opponents
In the Democratic primary,
however, in Robert Duncan,
speaker Of the State House Of
Representatives, and Robert
Straub, former State Demo.
cratic chairman.
State Representative Carl
Fisher, o radio station owner,
is the Republican choice for
the seat Mr.. Durno is vacating.
Representative Edith Green
of Portland is expected to win
easy denomination over two OPP
ponentS in the Democratic pri-
mary and the other two incum-
bent congressman, Republican
Walter Norblad and Democrat
al Ullman, are unopposed in
the primary.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13
PortySe
Due to Name
reuSurer
~ the Associated prssa

White House aide Richard
Mcguire will become the next
Democratic Party treasurer If
an anticipated diplomatic and
political shuttle takes place,
according to Governme n t
sources.
They tabled Mr.. Mcguire as
successor to Matthew H. Nc
Closkey. in the likely event Mr..
Met loskey yields his role as
the party's leading fundraiser
to serve as Ambassador to Ire
land.
Mr.. McCloskey would replace
Grant Stockdale, Miami real
estate man, in Dublin. TIL e
shift repeatedly will occur at
midyear.
Mr.. Mcguire, q 47-year-old
Boston lawyer, is a White
House assistant on personnel
and organizational matters. He
has been associated politically
with President Kennedy since
Mr.. Kennedy was elected to the
House in his first bid for public
Office.
One Of Mr.. Maguire's current
projects is to help coordinate
the efforts Of various groups
pushing Mr.. Kennedy'S pro-
gram for medical care for the
aged through social security.
Mr.. Mcguire was graduated
from Harvard in 1896 and re-
ceived his law degree from the
same university in 1889. He is
the son Of q former United
States Attorney and himself
was an assistant Federal prose-
cutor. In private practice, he
headed q Boston law firm.
Mr.. McCloskey, 69-year-old
Philadelphia, who became
wealthy in the construction
business, has been an active
Democrat since 1882. He claims
to have originaged the $l00-a-
plate dinner as q Embarrassing
device.
voluble and amiable, Mr..
McC loskey has been party
treasurer since 1855. He re-
signed not long ago as presi-
dent and board chairman Of
his contracting firm, McCloskey
& Co.. turning direction Of the
business over to his sons.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13
Eden Surgery Removes
Non-C oncerous Growth

BOSTON, Mar. Is (AP).-
The Earl Of Avon, "a, the for
mer British Prime Minister
Anthony Eden. was conva-
lescing today at New England
Baptist Hospital after removal
Of q benign (non-cancerousO
growth from his chest.
A bulletin issued after the
operation yesterday by DR..
Herbert D. Adams Of the Lahey
Clinic described Lord Avon's
condition as good.
The former Prime Minister
entered the hospital a week
ago for q checkup on his way
home from q West Indies vaca-
ton. He Is accompanied by
his wife. the former Clarissa
Churchill, niece of Sir Winston
Churchill. She has been a
house guest Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Henry Laughlin in Concord,
Mass. Mr.. Laughlin Is an exec
utive Of Houghton Mifflin Co..
Lord Avon's American pub
Usher.
Lord Avon first came TO the
Lahey Clinic in 1853 after he
had undergone two operations
in England on the gall bladder.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13

Tillius. N. c.: James D. Dean,
Franklinville. N. c.: Tommy L.
Baker, Dothan, Ala: Donald
Joe Green. York, 9. c.; Eustace
Danbrunt. Baltimore; Edmund
T. Taransky, New York City:
Daniel L. Carswell, Eastchester,
N. Y: John v. MARITIME, Austin
Young, Rafael del Pine, James
wellington King. Miss Marilyn
Menger and Howard L. Rund-
quist, all Of Miami.
Also the following with ad-
dresses not given: Leonard L,
Schmidt. Dorio Prohias Bello.
Martha ONeal. Robert John
Gentle. Juan Pedro Koop. Peter
Joe Lambton and Richard Allen
Pecoraro.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13

were sentenced to 80 year
terms for alleged counter
revolutionary activities.
In Miami. Fla, the Miami
News reported q State Depart
ment spokesman expressed
concern about, their food
supply.
Food and money channeled
through the international Red
Cross and the Swiss Embassy
Is being intercepted by agents
of Fidel Castro's regime, the
report said.
The prisoners were listed as:
George r. Beck, Norton,
Mass; Afford e. Gibson, Mount
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13

House liberals in the Demo-
cratic study group pressed for
creation of a steering commit
tee considerably stronger than
the present House Republican
Policy Committee. Mr.. McCor-
mack said he would not oppose
establishment Of a committee,
but he indicated he would not
permit 1t to encroach on any
leadership powers or preroga-
tives.
Representative Boiling Of
Missouri, unsuccessful in q con-
test with Mr.. Albert for the
majority leadership last Janu-
airy, said he would not be in
terested in heading a steering
committee.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13

committee in past years were
Ito see that each member shall
keep In touch with his own par
ocular group and consult with
them as to important legisla-
ton which may be under con-
sideration, ascertain what sup
port can be obtained from the
Democratic membership on any
proposition Of ptrty policy and
iron out differences In different
sections Of the United States in
order that the administration
may be advised fully as to the
position Of the Democratic
membership on any legislation
it may propose"
After the death Of former
Speaker Rayburn, a group Of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13
ThuiIund Post Set
For Gen. Conway
By the Associated Press

Maj. Gen Theodore j Con-
way, now commander of the
Army's 82d Airborne Division,
will become head Of the United
States military assistance group
in Thailand in July, 1t was an
nounced yesterday
The new commander Of the
SD. based at Fort Bragg. N. c..
will be Mai. Gen. John I.
Throckmorton, now secretary
of the Army General staff here.
The present head Of the mill
tary advisory group In Thai
land is Mai. Gen. Briard P.
johnson.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13
u. S. Reports
Cubu Holds
.21 Citizens
BY the Associated Press

.Twenty-one Americans, in
cluding two women, are being
held in Cuban prisons, State
department. officials reported
last night.
The 81 are accused of crimes
against the state, the officials
said. Most Of the prisoners
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-13

The 1858 surgery was for a
bile duct obstruction. The two
Leahy Clinic operations had no
connection.