davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1963-03-28

There has been wide recognition OF
the outstanding accomplishments Of DR..
Lyman J. Briggs as a scientist and
scholar. Dead now at 88, DR.. Briggs was
indeed "a scientists scientist" an intel
lectual explorer who set out in his early
teen-age years to examine, TO understand
and eventually to find practical and
valuable application Of an almost limit
less variety Of little known scientific
truths.
For his work, and particularly for
his leadership in enlisting and directing
the work OF others, DR.. Briggs was
honored by the United States Govern
ment, by six universities, by numerous
organizations and by his fellow men,
laymen as we'll as scientists. The confer
ring Of these honors has been reported
one by one, and summarized on such
occasions as DR.. Briggs retirement as
Director OF the National Bureau OF
Standards in i945 and his S0th birthday
In 1854.
Happily mixed with DR.. Briggs great
professional qualifications, however, was
a personality that was a charm and
delight TO his friends Only a few years
ago, in 1859, DR.. Briggs was applying his
scientific talents TO one OF his favorite
pastimes, baseball. He wanted to know
whether pitchers really can throw curves.
He found that they can, and do. II this
sort Of preoccupation seems frivolous
for distinguished scientist in his middle
Evening star., 1963-03-28
Vnginio's Teachers

Unless they are becoming adjusted
to the idea, many Virginians must have
been dismayed by the Virginia Educa-
ton Associations report on the lowly
status Of the average public school
teacher in the State. Unfortunately,
Executive Director Robert F. williams
was only revising and updating last
years report, and the years before
that, when he disclosed that Virginia
teachers as a whole are the poorest
equipped lin college education) of any
In the entire South.
His figures are all-too revealing.
Last school year only 8l.2 per cent of
the States classroom teachers had col
lege degrees-compared with 994 per
cent for top-ranking Florida. North
Carolina's rating is 95.8 per cent South
Carolina's 95 per cent? Except for a
couple of factors, the chasm might be
even wider. For one thing, the Vir-
ginia figure is improved (not lowered
as the South often claims) by the high
percentage Of Negro teachers holding
degrees. For another, our Northern Vir-
ginia neighbors aveTage in the high 9Os.
or course, the latter phenomenon is
easily explained. The Northern Vir-
ginia Jurisdictions are progressively
realizing that good salaries attract good
teachers. While 10 State counties are
still starting their teachers at the very
low figure Of 50, 900, the Arlington School
Board hopes soon 10 reward masters
degrees with salaries up TO $4,000.
1t would be unreasonable TO assume
many counties could afford that toll.
But DR.. williams is convinced the State
wide picture could be improved with a
more realistic handling OF funds. At
present State aid funds are distributed
10 the counties without reference TO
teacher training status. One county
with As per cent college graduates re-
ceives as much aid as any other. DR..
Williams is for enhancing incentive by
paying the largest shares TO counties
with the best-trained teachers. II would
be only.a beginning, but perhaps one
day Or. Williams could report that Vir-
ginia has moved out Of the Southern
Teachers League cellar.
Evening star., 1963-03-28
Visitor From Britain

During his impending visit to our
country, Harold Wilson, the new leader
of Britain's Labor Party, will meet with
President Kennedy for an exchange of
views on wide variety Of subjects. The
get-together should be mutually helpful,
especially so because Mr.. Wilson stands
a very good chance of becoming Prime
Minister after the United Kingdoms
next general election, which must be
held before October, 1854.
Some weeks ago, in commenting
upon his rise to Laborite leadership, The
Economist of London took a frankly
uneasy and generally unflattering view
of Mr.. Wilson. It described him as a
consistently ambiguous" man whose
temperament" should he take over the
prime ministership, might perhaps be
not far from calamitous for Britain" in
moments Of grave emergency. Still,
rather nervouSly, as If to reasSure itself
and its readers, the magazine went on
to add:
He has also a proven capacity to react
in an orderly and efficient manner to new
facts. and to profitable new ideas He
has an ability to expound and to argue and
to persuade-and to conciiate Some of these
can, no doubt, be low political virtues in
themselves: but they are qualities that Mr..
Wilson possesses to degree larger than most
people in his party or other political parties.
One can only hope . that, once a driving
ambition for himself has become merged with
proper ambition for his country, they may
help to lift his eyes to the stars.
Actually, Of course, when and II he
does become Prime Minister, Mr.. Wilson
may greatly modify, and clarity, the
views he has already ambiguously or
murkily expressed on such matters as
Britain's nuclear role, future relations
with East Germany, the status Of bone
in-the-throat Berlin, and the admission
of Red China as member Of the United
Nations. Up to now, in discussing these
and kindred issues, he has indicated,
always in broad language, that he differs
with the Atlantic alliance In general,
and our own country in particular, but
certainly not in any Of the truly vital
aspects Of collective security.
AS to all that, despite his alleged
antiquities, Mr.. Wilson has declared
unequivocally that he and the Labor
Party firmly support the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization and expect to have
a very happy relationship" with the
United States. Further, he has fatty
asserted that "It Just happens to be a
fact that on so many of the big issues
of the day the Labor Party has been
taking a position much closer to the
American administration line" than
that Of Prime Minister Macmillan's
Conservative government.
This is highly arguable point, but
there can be little doubt that Britain
whether under Laborite or Conservative
leadership in the years Immediately
ahead-will hold fast to its partnership
with America. In that respect, If he
succeeds Mr. Macmillan, Mr.. Wilson is
likely to follow much the same course
as Clement Attlee, winston Churchill's
Laborite successor.
Evening star., 1963-03-28

perhaps. but to the justifi-
cations for some forms Of
behavior. This influence has
to do with numbers, or the
statistical approach to eth
ics." The old idea that fright
is right If nobody is right and
wrong Is wrong II everybody
is wrong" has been changed
to wrong is right II every
body does it, or is doing 1t at
a given time"
A well known legislator re-
Gently justified some Of his
behavior with this new "in-
fluence Of numbers" He was
just doing what everybody
was doing, he said, no more,
no less. Another legislator,
apparently also using the sta
tistical approach. Is reported
to have stated, in connection
with the stadium riot, that
he knew Of worse riots in the
Midwest. 1t is not quite clear
what this statement was sup
posed to show or to prove,
but II everybody does it" Is
the criterion, then we are
left TO wonder what influence
statistical evidence OF riots
In other parts Of the country
may do TO this form OF be-
havior.
1t would be difficult TO as
sess the potentialities for evil
In this idea Of removing from
the individual all responsible
ity for his behavior. II under
writes crime. and subsidies
sin. 1t robs the individual Of
self = restraint. self-reliance
and self-respect. and makes
him an automaton. his ac-
tions determined or predeter-
mined by forces over which
he has no control. II gives
every juvenile a built-in alibi,
and puts a gun. a knife or a
club In his hand. and says,
Go out and have fun-you
are not responsible" II there
Is any doubt that this APP
proach 10 behavior is wrong,
II can be quickly dispelled by
considering the ever-increas-
ing rate Of crime. delinquency,
illegitimacy. and other re-
lated social problems.
There are no villains by
necessity" No one becomes a
criminal or delinquent ex-
cept through his own choice.
The line which separates right
from wrong may not be as
sharply drawn today, but the
majority OF those with aver
age intelligence know when
they have crossed II. The boy
who throws q rock through a
Evening star., 1963-03-28

window knows he is doing
wrong. II not, why does he
run? Studies Of crime and
delinquency show that there
are no exact causes which
can be applied to particular
crimes or behavior. There are
only factors which may or
may not influence certain in
dividuals. Each responds in
his own way to a given sit
uation.
The society which produces
a panhandler and a purse
snatcher viii also produce an
Andrew Carnegie and a Henry
Ford. The circumstances
which produce a coward will
also produce q hero. The
sinking Of the Titanic pro-
duced a number Of both. The
poverty which produces a
criminal will also produce an
Abraham Lincoln and a
George Washington Carver.
The same environment-race,
early surroundings, college
and the study Of science
which produced Julius Rosen-
berg also produced Jonas
Salk. The same parents who
produced AL (Scarface) Ca
pone also produced his
brother. Richard j. Two
Gum Hart. who. as a mar
shall and an Indian agent In
Nebraska. enforced the law
for 80 years. True, he
changed his name. but by
any other name, his heredity
was exactly the same.
Those who blame society
for an individuals behavior
are themselves creating a
society Of weak and irres-
ponsible individuals. Making
society guilty is an admis-
sion that the individual is
not capable OF choosing or
controlling his behavior. No
man Is free who Is not the
master Of his fate. II his fate
Is determined by society, or
any other force outside him
self, he is not the master,
and he is not free. Let those
who excuse and blame ponder
this. win they have a free
and responsible citizen who
can choose and control his
own destiny7 Or will they
have one who Is a slave OF
circumstances and condi-
tions. without any sense OF
responsibility for his own life
or the community In which
he lives7 They must decide
on one or the other. They
cannot have both.
Elsie King MOreland.
Evening star., 1963-03-28
Why Blame Society for Sins of individuals?

Human behavior, which
was once motivated by the
individuals concept Of right
or wrong, has now become q
kind of reflex action" con-
trolled by causes and forces
beyond the individuals
reach. The sins Of the fathers
and Of society are his for
midable inheritance, which
he must accept and endure.
A whole new science, based
on this idea, has come into
being. For every form Of be-
hayior. from a temper tan
trum to q vicious murder.
there is q precise cause or
blame. says this science. And
matching one with the other
has become as simple as
matching a spool of thread
with a piece Of fabric. A rape.
a robbery or a murder Is
committed. and before the
individual is fingerprinted
and booked. we have been
given the exact cause OF the
particular crime. II the exact
cause is not readily available.
there Is always society to
blame. or the individuals i'm
mediate community. or. In
some instances. the region Of
his birth. Never. but never.
must the individual respon-
sible for the behavior be
blamed. Indeed, 1t would al
most appear that his partici-
patton or involvement in the
crime is hardly more than
that OF an innocent bystand-
er.
Shakespeare. in King
Lear" has Edmund say Of
"evaders": This Is the excel
lent foppery OF the world.
that when we are sick In for
tune-often the surfeit Of
our own behavior-we make
guilty OF our disasters the
sun. the moon and the stars:
As II we were villains by ne
cessity. fools by heavenly
compulsion. knaves. thieves
and treachers. by spherical
predominance: drunkards,
liars and adulterers. by an
enforced obedience OF planet
AIRY influence. :"
Al the present time. plan
etary influence" does not ap-
pear 10 be on the approved
list OF Causes" but we can
be sure that sooner or later
the sun. the moon and the
stars will be made guilty OF
some OF modern mans dis
asters. However. another type
Of influence appears 10 have
been added, not 10 the causes
Evening star., 1963-03-28
Anti-Crime Crusade

Like many other citizens, I
am greatly disturbed over the
mounting crime wave In the
District, and I am painfully
aware that most Of the yok-
ings, purse -snatchings, rapes,
robberies, and other forms Of
hoodlumism are being COM
mitted by Negroes. I realize
that Negroes comprise more
than so per cent Of the Dis
trict's population, but wheth-
er or not they commit more
than their fair share Of the
local crime is q matter Of
statistics with which 1 am
not too much concerned at
the moment.
It's futile to argue with
statisticians anyway. They
will tell you quite frankly and
authoritatively that WASH
ington's crime rate is no
greater than any other city
Of comparable size. They also
will tell you that, compared
with previous years, the crime
rate in the District is de-
creasing, rather than in
creasing. and will cite fig
ures to prove it.
And the racial apologists
have a ready response to why
so many Negroes are bent on
crime. They point to the lack
Of economic opportunity, in
ferior housing, inferior edu-
cation, unemployment, and
the like. They can even show
you quite persuasively how
slavery 100 years ago is re-
sponsible for the Districts
crime rate today.
But. for all the persuasive
ness and logic Of the statisti-
clans and racial apologiSts, I
am distressed when I read Of
even one crime being COM
mitted by a Negro on the
streets Of Washington. 1 am
distressed not only because I
am against crime in general,
but because of what the Ne
gro criminal is doing to the
cause Of full racial equality
and integration in the Ma
tons Capital. I am distressed
because I realize that every
time a Negro boy snatches q
white woman's purse the
Southern politicians will say,
See. I told you So" or words
Evening star., 1963-03-28
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
Strengthening Interdependent
By THOMAS R. HENRY

produced by weak electric
currents passed through the
eye.
Direct current" says the
report, was found to have a
unique effect on the visual
system. This has been used
for some time for therapeu-
tic purposes in eye clinics. In
darkness the cathode reduced
electrical sensitivity of the
eye and increased liability. In
darkness the reverse phe-
nomenon occurred.
"In these investigations we
have succeeded in showing an
interconnection Of various
regions Of the brain during
the act of light perception
and the level of their effect
in normal and pathological
reactions.
An ancient Greek cancer
remedy may have had con-
siderable validity. The con-
temporaries Of Homer treated
tumor growths. malignant or
otherwise with the Juice Of a
common plant of the area,
the birthwort, which also had
some applications In child
birth.
Now the same plant, which
is found in several species
over much Of the world, has
been found to contain a
chemical which markedly
slows down tumor growth in
mice. This is reported In the
Journal of Medicinal Chem
istry by DR.. Morris Kupchan
OF the University Of Wiscon-
sin. The chemical is aristo-
lochic acid, isolated from a
plant common near Bombay,
India. II is, DR.. Kupchan
says. unrelated TO any drug
presently used In cancer
treatment and. II further
tests are successful. may give
rise 10 a whole family OF sim
liar compounds which can be
synthesized in the laboratory.
Root Extracts Tested
Crude extracts OF the plant
roots first we're tested and
found 10 inhibit the growth
OF adinocarcinoma In mice. q
standard procedure for test
ing anti-caneer activity. Sep
aration Of the crude extract
into fractions revealed that
the anti-tumor activity was
associated with crystalline
material later identified with
aristolochic acid. II is re-
lated 10 various chemicals
obtained from coal tars.
The material has been
known 10 chemists for a long
time but only with the re-
cent experiments has any
anti-tumor activity been as
ISOLATED with II.
This activity In mice, Prof.
Kupchan emphasizes. Is not
necessarily duplicated in hui
mans.
Evening star., 1963-03-28
THE POLITICAL MILL
Strows in the Political. Wind
By GOULD LINCOLN

providing tax credits for
parents paying college tut
tion. as proposed by some
members Of Congress.
The voters turned their
backs on Federal aid for
commuter railroads, Al to 80
per cent, with IA per cent not
answering. Creation of a new
department of urban affairs
in the Federal Government
also received a cold shoulder
So per cent against, % per
cent for, and 20 per cent no
answer. Fifty per cent voted
against creation Of a domes-
tic peace corps, 35 per cent
for it, and is per cent no
opinion. Forty-two per cent
favored increased pay for mil
itary personnel, 81 per cent
opposed it, with 81 per cent
not voting. Increased pay for
members of Congress took a
shellacking-62 per cent
against such an increase, IT
per cent favoring 1t and 21
per cent not answering.
School Prayers
Here's one the Supreme
Court might listen to. Sew
enty-nine per cent favored
optional, nondenominational
religious activities in public
schools-prayers, Bible-read-
ing, ETC., IA per cent were OPP
posed and 7 per cent had no
opinion. Eighty-five per cent
voted for a strong United
Nations fully supported by all
member nations, 9 per cent
were opposed, and Z per cent
did not vote. On the subject
Of foreign aid, 70 per cent
supported aid to underdevel-
oped countries which are pro-
Western, Is per cent were OPP
posed and II per cent did not
answer. For aid to nom
aligned (neutraD countries,
A per cent were against, "a
per cent favored such aid,
and % per cent had no
opinion.
On the little matter Of in
creased Federal services for
the people. 10 per cent were
favorable, So per cent wanted
such services decreased, 81
per cent wanted the services
to stay at present level, and
6 per cent did not respond to
this question. Sixty-three per
cent Of those favoring in
creased Federal services were
willing to pay increased taxes
to get them, 80 per cent were
unwilling and 7 per cent had
no answer.
Finally Mr.. Frelinghuysen
asked the voters how they felt
about President Kennedy's
record on domestic and for
eign affairs-whether 1t was
good. fair, or poor. On his
record on domestic affairs, 18
per cent voted good, A per
cent voted fair, and 4 per cent
failed to answer. On his for
eign affairs record, "a per
cent thought it good. Al per
cent fair, and 81 per cent
poor; no response, 4 per cent.
1T per cent response to a
mailed poll shows real inter-
est. OF those responding, So
per cent were registered Re-
publicans, 5 per cent Demo-
Gratis. and 80 per cent inde-
pendents.
Evening star., 1963-03-28

A poll Of registered voters
In New Jerseys 5th district,
taken by Representative Peter
Frelinghuysen, jr., and re-
leased today, shows how
Republicans, Independents
and some Democrats feel to-
ward New Frontier programs
and other important issues.
This has been a strongly
Republican district. Mr.. FIRE.
linghuysen. a Republican, Is
serving his sixth two-year
term in the House. Roughly
55 per cent of the voters are
registered Republican. 10
per cent Democratic, and 35
per cent independent.
The results Of the poll,
sent to more than 100000
registered voters and an
swered by some $4,000, are
hostile to many Of the Ken
nedy proposals to Congress.
This is not surprising in view
Of the political makeup of the
district. But 1t may have a
bearing on, or give an in
dication Of, the course which
will be pursued by Republic
cans and some Of the more
conservative Democrats in
Congress during the present
congressional session.
First among the subjects
on which the voters were
polled was the reduction of
Federal taxes. A large major
ity (83 per cent? favored tax
reduction geared to a reduc-
ton in Federal expenditures.
Only IL per cent favored tax
reduction without q reduc-
ton in Federal expenditures.
Six per cent made no re-
sponse on this subject-pre-
sumably against a tax cut.
Next on the list was a
query about mediterranean
cal care for the aged, fl
nanced through an increase
in the social security taxes.
Fifty-eight per cent replied
they were against attaching
the cost of medicare to the
social security taxes; 35 per
cent favored the Kennedy
plan. and Z per cent had no
opinion.
Education Issue
Several questions In the
poll related to Federal aid
to education. Forty-nine per
cent voted for Federal aid to
the construction of buildings
for the public primary and
secondary schools; 43 per
cent opposed such aid and 8
per cent had no opinion.
Twelve per cent favored such
aid for the construction of
private school buildings (in-
cluding parochial schools)
and rs per cent opposed,
with 13 per cent no opinion.
There was divided opinion
about aid for colleges-42 per
cent favoring such aid, as
per cent opposing and IL per
cent no opinion. On the pro-
posal for Federal aid for the
payment Of public school
teachers salaries, only %
per cent Of those polled fa-
vored 1t. 70 per cent opposed
it, and 6 per cent had no opin-
ion. A considerable majority
favored Federal scholarships
for higher education. and 70
per cent favored legislation
Evening star., 1963-03-28
No Joking Matter

This letter is a reply to
some comments about me in
Jenkin Lloyd Jones March
4 column.
Mr.. Jones said: Senator
Lausche Of Ohio asked to
interrupt so that he might
call attention to the wonder
full Ukrainians who were
being ground down beneath
the Kremlin's heel, where
upon Senator Scott of Penn
sylvania, mindful Of his own
Ukrainians in Pittsburgh,
fell all over himself second
ing Senator Lausche's senti-
ments."
/ think it unfortunate that
an otherwise fine article
should use the subject Of
Soviet tyranny as an excuse
for humor. Soviet colonial
ism, which has destroyed and
enslaved millions, is a topic
ill-suited for such remarks.
In my Senate speech I said
that the Soviet forces are
holding the Ukrainian peo-
pie in slavery. For this state
ment I was attacked in
Pravda, Izvestia, and numer-
GUS other Communist news
papers and magazines. This
reaction to my speech shows
that the Soviet rulers are
insecure and do not want the
world to be reminded Of their
crimes.
In all my statements
against Soviet colonialism. I
have been guided by the
knowledge that silence about
injustices indicates accept
ance Of them. Therefore, I
have not remained silent. I
commemorated Ukrainian In
dependence Day for that
reason. Hugh Scott,
Senator from Pennsylvania.
Postal 'Joke'
"ABCD Mail" stands for
Americas Biggest Costing
Delivery" 1t is the biggest
joke perpetrated on the AM
ericah public by the Post
Office Department. The few
letters delivered in the after
Moons to business firms are
Of little value and could Just
as easily be delivered the
next day C. u. Bane.