davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1963-05-26
Sound the Tocsin?

Chief Justice Warren seems gently
to chide the bar for its failure to become
hot and bothered over certain proposals
pending in State legislatures to amend
the Constitution, by method provided
in Article v but never used.
These amendments, the Chief
Justice says, could radically change
the character of our institutions" Had
proposals Of comparable magnitude
been made in the early days of our
country, "the voices Of the lawyers Of
that time would have been heard from
one end of our land to the other"
AS a matter of coincidental fact,
the American Bar Associations board
Of governors announced its opposition
TO two Of the proposed amendments
the day before the Chief Justice made
his speech. The third amendment re-
mains under study. But II lawyers
generally have not indicated appro-
pirate alarm over any dangers faced
by "our institutions" 1t could be be-
cause they see little II any possibility
that two thirds Of the State legisla-
lures are going to ask Congress to
call a constitutional convention; that,
II called, this convention would pro-
pose the constitutional amendments
as described, or that, II the amendments
we're proposed, they ever would be rati-
fled by three-fourths of the States. The
lawyers probably recognize the amend
ments for what they area form OF
propaganda designed to exploit the van
ishing role Of the States and the in
creasing role Of the Supreme Court.
AS for what might have happened
in the early days Of the Republic, we
wonder what the lawyers Of that time
would have said had they been given a
preview Of how completely the Consti-
tuition could and would be amended by
judicial Interpretation. We doubt, under
those circumstances, that the Constitu-
tion AS written - would have been
ratified.
Evening star., 1963-05-26
Housing 'Breokthrouqh'

1t Is too much to say that group Of
realtors, Federal housing officials, sub
urban politicians and citizen leaders
actually came to grips the other day
with the problem of housing for Ne
groes In the Washington suburbs. But
the fact that this subject emerged as
the dominant theme OF discussion at a
housing conference sponsored by Amer
lean University was significant in itself.
For 1t Is a subject usually, and In our
opinion foolishly, avoided
There is no longer room for doubt,
as one speaker predicted, that suburban
areas will house more and more Negroes
over the next decade. Washington Ne
groes are becoming increasingly able TO
A.. afford homes OF their own, in a variety
OF price ranges. The construction Of new
Federal office buildings In the suburbs
will inevitably increase the demand
among Negro employees for housing near
by. And however slowly, resistance TO
nearly all forms Of integration already
F.. Is dropping in many suburban areas.
1. The simple fact is that the black
and-white housing barrier which now is
marked by the boundaries Of the Dis
d. trict Of Columbia makes no sense within
the framework OF growing Metropoli-
tan Area. It encourages the flight OF
whites TO the suburbs II intensifieS
immeasurably the social and economic
Evening star., 1963-05-26
School Bus PeriIs

The recent accident In
volving a flaming dump
truck and a school bus on
Route 236 in Fairfax County
should alert everyone to the
dangers our school children
will be exposed to If the oil
tank dump and distribution
center is built as proposed
across from w. T. Woodson
High School.
This has been the second
accident within six months
between Annandale and Fair
fax involving a school bus.
Fortunately no one was hurt.
But how long can we ex-
pect our luck to hold out
when we mix 900 additional
tank truck trips a day over
this same road that so Wood
son school buses will be
travelling next school year?
The easy solution: Fairfax
City Council should rescind
its coming action that would
allow the oil tank dump
and distribution center to be
built, and thus remove the
dangers 1t has created.
]. H. Carscadden,
Vice President,
w. T. Woodson High School
Student-Parent- Teacher
Association.
Evening star., 1963-05-26
Let the Courts Decide

Governor Wallace may be serious
In his threat to defy Federal Court
order directing the enrolment Of two
Negroes in the University of Alabama.
II so, he may be equally contemptuous
Of a court order forbidding him to
interfere with the enrolment.
Even so, Attorney General Kennedy
has done the wise thing and the right
thing In filing suit for an injunction
to restrain the Governor from carrying
out his threat. Mr.. Kennedy is wholly
right in saying that the place to decide
the issue is in the courts, mot in the
streets or not by a conformation of
military or police forces in Alabama"
He also said that I'VE are prepared to
abide by the courts decision and we
would hope and expect that Governor
Wallace will do the same"
This is so eminently sensible that
1t will be Endorsed by the vast majority
Of Americans. And it should appeal to
rational people in Alabama.
Be this as it may, however, Cover
nor Wallace, If the court grants the
injunction sought by the Attorney
General, will find himself in a tight
spot. In the first place, If he should
defy both the enrolment order and the
injunction, and If as result it becomes
necessary to move Federal troops into
Tuscaloosa, it will be perfectly clear to
anyone who can read and write that
the Governor - not the President -
brought this down on his own and
Alabama's head. Secondly, defiance Of
the injunction will only deepen the pit
which the Governor is digging for him
self on the enrolment issue. If he
ignores both, he almost certainly will
find himself in the jailhouse-and in
that event we do not see how he could
possibly hope to pose as martyr"
Evening star., 1963-05-26
Our Impocted City

Twice in past years the Senate has
voted to include the District of Colum-
bia In the program of school aid to
Federally impacted areas, only to lose its
battles in the House. Now, for the first
time, the House Education Committee
has Joined the campaign to correct this
long injustice as a part of its bill to
extend the national program for an
other year.
Exclusion of the District in the past
has been defended largely on the point
that Congress already contributes to the
Nations Capital through It's annual Fed
eral payment. But this contention
ignores the fact that the District par
ticipates fully in any number of other
programs Of Federal aid, on the same
basis as II 1t were a State To imply.
moreover, as these arguments do, that
the Federal payment reflects fair and
proper share Of the Federal interest in
Washington is wholly false. Indeed, the
occasions when Congress has appropri-
ated even the inadequate amounts of
the Federal payment authorized by law
have been as rare as snow in June.
The main reason for elation at the
action Of the House Education Commit
tee, however, Is that the needs Of the
District school system are so desperately
urgent at this very moment. The roughly
$45 million that would accrue to the
school system through impacted-area
funds would be a tremendous boon
enough, for example, If equal amounts
OF aid should be forthcoming over the
years, to amortize the debt on a sub
Stantial long-range loan program.
No doubt all Of these considerations
influenced the action Of the House COM
mittee. Strong support for its position
may be anticipated once again in the
Senate, and we hope that the House as
a whole will take favorable look this
year at the merits of the question. We
think there may be valid grounds for a
gradual reduction in this form of Fed
eral subsidy throughout the country,
as Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower
both have proposed But as long as the
program continues on a national basis,
there is no reasonable cause to exclude
the District from its fair share of
assistance.
Evening star., 1963-05-26

Third and A streets Sc, and
1t will save the taxpayers up
to $44 million.
The Widnall bill will achieve
all Of these desirable things
by simply locating the third
Library Of Congress building
on the site south Of the main
Library of Congress Building
and reserving an additional
10 cleared acres now owned
by the Federal Government
south Of the three House Of
flee Buildings for the long
range needs Of the Library Of
Congress. Fifteen acres, ap-
proximately. Of cleared land
should be enough to last the
Library Of Congress for the
next 200 years.
II the Widnall bill were to
be adopted by Congress, a
new era Of good will between
Congress and the harassed
and harried citizens Of Cap
itol Hill, who have been
showed about by Congress for
many years, would be begun,
Elizabeth Draper,
Secretary, Capitol Hill South
east Citizens Association.
Evening star., 1963-05-26
Preserving the Palisades

In It's first tussle with high density
zoning along the Potomac Palisades, the
new Montgomery County Council came
out fine-rejecting bids for apartment
zoning In the Brookmont area by s.
to-1 vote. Its 3-to-3 stand-off vote on
high-density apartments on another
tract in the same general area, however,
is something to worry about.
Both Of these votes were prelimi-
nary-fortunately so in the latter case.
And before final action is taken next
Tuesday, the council members who seem
to be wavering should take closer look
at the basic issues at stake. For weak
ening in either of these instances would
threaten break in the heretofore solid
front Of official county opposition to
high-density development near the
Potomac.
The difference In the two prelimi-
nary votes apparently rested on the facts
that one of the areas in question is
slightly farther north of Macarthur
boulevard than the other, and that 1t
would back up to existing garden apart
ments of lower height than the apart
mentS proposed.
Such considerations as these, how
ever, beg the question. The real danger
is that any high-density apartment de-
velopment In this area would be a nose
under the tent. According to citizen
leaders in the vicinity, apartment de-
velopers already have an option on at
least one parcel Of land farther up the
river. If one set Of high-density apart
mentS should be authorized now, the
defenSes against second set Of apart
ments near the first, and then a third
set near the second, very probably would
crumble. And the result would be a
steady deterioration of both the natural
characteristics of the Potomac Valley
and the pattern Of Single-family homes
which is now firmly established there.
These are the two reasons why the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Capital Park and
Planning Commission has expressed a
general policy of opposition to any high
density development in the Potomac
Valley in Montgomery County. They are
the reasons the Montgomery Planning
Board opposed the rezoning applications
now at issue by 4-to-1 vote. They are
the reasons the previous County Council
rejected similar appeals. They are the
reasons that 10 civic associations have
voiced their unanimous objection. 1t is
taking long time, but the citizens of
the Washington area are gradually
learning that once the ice is broken,
desirable and established patterns of
zoning are hard to preserve.
other considerations apart, the
pleasant community of Brookmont is
now undergoing steady process Of up
grading, largely as the result Of new
single-family residences. The County
Council has an obligation to the families
already there to encourage this trend
and larger obligation to the county and
to the metropolitan region as whole
to preserve the natural character of the
palisades. Approval of the high-density
rezoning applications now pending would
constitute default Of responsibility on
both scores.
Evening star., 1963-05-26
Better Than Orbit?

In a spirit of public serv-
ice, I propose the adoption
Of the words "circumvolate"
and accommodation" Dedi-
Gated to the latest of our as
tral explorers. they differ
connotatively from "orbit."
The latter suggests the ac-
tion Of a heavenly body dumb
ly obedient to the laws Of
nature.
"Circumvolate" has the
quality of "circumnavigate"
and implies the artificial use
Of power. conscious control of
course, and intelligent pur-
pose. Accordingly, "circumvo-
late" will mean: to fly
around, as. for example. L.
Gordon Cooper flew around
a gladdened globe.
]. w. Haywood, jr.
Evening star., 1963-05-26
|. w. Powell, jr,
Our Maze of Laws

President Kennedy has
been in the South appealing
for public rejection OF the
temptations OF prejudice and
violence. In Nashville. he
aimed his remarks at "edu-
Gated citizens" who he said,
bear q particular obligation
to pursue learning. serve the
public and uphold the law.
But what is the lawp There
are now more administrative
laws on the books than there
are statutory laws passed by
Congress. These laws are
made by bureaucrats. They
govern without the consent
Of the people.
Is a Supreme Court de-
cision the law OF the land2
Or are the Constitution, and
the laws OF the United States
made In pursuance thereof,
the supreme laws OF the land2
II Is understandable why
the President appealed 10 the
educated citizens" 10 uphold
the law, because citizens will
have 10 be we'll educated in
deed 10 understand our maze
Of laws.
Our Govern ment was
founded upon q Constitution
OF delegated powers with
checks and balances OF the
legislative and the judicial.
but we have strayed so far
afield that I doubt whether
even the proverbial Philadel-
phia lawyer could tell what
the law Is today.
Kitty l. Reynolds.
Evening star., 1963-05-26
FROM THE STAR FILES... ..
100 Years AGO

The Confederate defenders
Of Vicksburg we're bombarded
by shot and shell worse than
that faced by any other
trench fighters during the
Civil War. At their rear was
the Mississippi River. thick
with the gunboatS Of Admiral
Porter. and in front Of them
we're the troops and heavy
guns Of Grant and Sherman.
The 47-day siege Of Vicksburg
started with the beleaguered
Southerners In bad shape.
Their firepower was no match
for the Union batteries. we'll
entrenched as they were, and
they we're on short rations OF
both food and water. A cou-
pie Of biscuits and a mouth
full or two Of bacon became
the daily diet inside Vicks-
burg as the siege progressed.
Later the main course was
mule meat-half a pound q
day per man while the sup
ply held out. The men In
gray dug caves for protection
against mortar and shell fire.
Grants name began TO APP
pear In headlines, with The
Star Of May 26. 1853. observ-
ing Grant victories are the
rebellion's death blows. They
involve almost the entire de-
struction of the great rebel
army OF the Southwest. with
It's vast accumulated material.
As the success and preserva-
ton OF that army intact was
necessary 10 prevent our con-
troll OF the entire Mississippi
River, It's OBSTRUCTION inSures
that 10 US. with all It's mo-
mentous consequences both
10 the Union cause and that
Of the rebellion. without the
use Of the railroads OF MiSsis-
Sippi and Louisiana, and un-
impeded other lines OF COM
munication and transporta-
ton across the river. further
resistance 10 our arms In
Arkansas. Louisiana. South
ern Missouri and Texas must
speedily cease. and the mil
lions on millions worth of
vitality necessary supplies
from the southwestern Sec
ton Of the confederacy. will
no more reach the armies OF
Bragg, Lee and Beaure-
gard. !" The Star OF May
2s, 1853. quoted paroled Con-
Evening star., 1963-05-26

with her radiant personality
set upon a hill. Although
she is blind and deaf, doors
shut on every side-except
the one door that even her
handicaps can never shut
she is a beacon Of light In
what seems to be a hemmed-
in existence.
We cannot forget that
some Of the most inspiring
passages Of the New Tes-
lament, and of the ages, were
written by a handicapped
man by the name of Paul.
We do not even know what
that handicap was-he never
tells us. We do know that
he had to handle a limita-
ton from which he prayed
that he might escape. But
he just had to settle down
and live with it somehow or
other. He calls it his thorn
in the flesh. With such a
thorn pricking us, there are
just two things any Of us can
do. We can supinely sub
NIT to such irritations, or we
can superbly surmount them.
One Of the startling reve-
lations Of human life is that
limitations in one direction
often serve to open gateways
to even wider fields. There is
no more thrilling sight in
America than the fact that
out of the very Jaws Of death,
back into useful and special
lied vocations, is marching a
great army Of those Of whom
it was once assumed that
they had come to the end Of
any constructive contribu-
ton to the strength Of the
Nation. Now experiencing the
exciting opportunity Of re-
suming careers, often on
higher levels of usefulness
than before life tumbled In,
these mended multitudes are
keeping step, chins up, to
new adventures. Thus, a
once almost discarded vein
of national strength is be-
ing mined as broken spirits,
and broken bodies, are being
minted into riches untold.
We are seeing at last how
fallacious it is that any man
should be thought Of as han
dicapped because he cannot
do that" when he can do
"this" superbly well and
thus manifest an undiscour-
ageable capacity to snatch
dividends from defeat.
Life's music depends not
on the strings which have
snapped, but what is done
with the strings that are
left! Performing before a
rapt audience at q concert
in Paris. Ole Bull, the great
violinist, realizing that his
"a" string had broken, quick
ly transpoSed the compost
ton and finished it on three
strings amid the deafening
applause of the crowd. In
the emergency he knew how
to handle the handicap.
Life'S highest art is to take
second, third, or even fourth
best and triumphantly make
of it something beautiful and
useful, just as an oyster
takes that which at first is
an irritation of which 1t can
not be rid, and by some mys-
tic alchemy changes 1t into
an object Of iridescent
beauty pearll
Evening star., 1963-05-26

federate prisoners as saying
Vicksburg was held by $4,000
TO 10000 troops. Gen. Penn
berton was reported to have
"sent a flag Of truce to Gen.
Grant, offering TO surrender
Vicksburg II Grant would
allow the rebels 10 lay down
their arms and march out,
but the offer was re-
fused. :" The plight Of
the Vicksburg defenders was
not fully known TO the
Southern press. as evidenced
in a dispatch The Star OF
May 20, 1868. reprinted from
the Richmond Enquirer:
"Our forces are well supplied
with all that they need.
Vicksburg Is cleared for ac-
ton, stripped for battle
glaring defiance all around,
upon the cloud OF thunder
Ing gunboats In the river. and
the hosts OF 10000 strong
storming upon her from the
rear. Our flag flies haughtily
over the invincible bluffs. and
Johnston is nearl Couragel"
While the desperate battle
for Vicksburg was waged.
Gen. Lees Army OF Northern
Virginia, idle since Chancel-
lorsville. was reported on the
move. The Star Of May 30.
1853. quoted the New York
Herald: "The enemy Is in
motion. Their trains are be-
ing observed moving toward
culpeper. followed by heavy
columns Of troops. Gen. Lee.
II Is said. has issued an ad-
dress 10 his army. congratu-
lating them upon their past
achievements and foreshad-
owing a raid into Maryland.
He tells them they are 10
have long and rapid marches
through q country without
railroads, and calls upon
every man 10 be prepared
for severest hardships. !"
Evening star., 1963-05-26
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Gold in the Hills
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United States Senate

There's gold in them hills"
cried the prospectors of a
former day as they searched
for the precious metal. For
the hardy pioneers the frown-
ing hills meant peril, toll,
and pain. The hills rose
ominously in the path of
progress. The hills were
handicaps impe ding the
speed Of the chariots thun-
dering on to conquer the
West. Many who pushed
across the plains dreamed of
holding in their hands the
hidden grains of wealth.
But the hills were there and
often the coveted treasure
was there. It was a defiance
hurled at handicaps when. as
these adventurers swore to
unlock natures secret vaults,
they explained their eager
ness to endure with a con-
fidence all arched with rain
bows, There's gold in them
hills"
Prospectors for something
more golden than gold re-
Gently met in Washington in
a council Of campaign to dis
cuss ways and means of min
ing the gold in the forbid
ding hills Of human handi-
cap. They came together
from all the States represent
ing one of the most con-
structive pieces Of service TO
humanity now being carried
on in all the Nation. We refer
to the Presidents Commit
tee, and the Governors Com
mittees, on Employment of
the Physically Handicapped.
These dedicated citizens are
the generaliSsimos of an army
Of faith, and hope, and
cheer who are throwing open
the gates of a new life for
revitalized battalions Of
those once relegated to be
shunted aside in the dis
counted and often disregard
ed category Of "the handi-
capped"
In the light of a growing
heavenly vision they are be-
ing fitted to join the ranks of
those who in all vocations
are changing handicaps into
handles, and weights into
wings. The Presidents Com
mittee-and the State or
ganizations associated with it
- are constantly surveying
the neglected national wealth
hidden in the lives Of the
so-called disadvantaged and
are indeed finding that there
is gold in those hills.
When one makes a study
Of the hills called the "Handi-
capped Range" astonishment
grows that so many who have
done the worlds best work
have had to deal with limita-
tions which seemed stumbling
blocks to success. To men,
ton but a few names there
is Louis Pasteur, who was a
paralytic at 46. yet that
benefactor with his crippling
handicap is employed today
by every doctor and every
hospital. Milton. though he
asked plaintively, Does God
expect day service with light
denied?" nevertheless went
on to find the gold Of inn
mortal poetry even in the
hills Of blindness. Wilber-
force, whose voice resounds
today in all movements for
human emancipation LET
my people go"-was so small
physically as to be called
a shrimp. Always he endured
wretched physical health,
yet in spite Of giant opposi-
ton, more than any other
one man, that pygmy brought
down the entrenched British
slave trade. And. our own
day has a living example Of
what one inspired and in
spring person can do in spite
of handicaps that seemed to
entomb her. OF course we
are looking at Helen Keller,
as does the whole world
Evening star., 1963-05-26
Mays No Governor

I was not pleased with
the writing of your reporter,
Mary McGrory, in The Sun
day Star, May l9. / did not
like her comparison between
Gov. Wallace of Alabama and
President Kennedy.
know that Mary McGrory
has never been elected Gov
ernor Of Alabama, and I
would assume she has never
been elected Governor Of
any Of the other sovereign
States Of the United States.
No doubt your reporter
thinks she is a charming and
humorous writer, but she is
not. She has a belittling,
mean streak in her reporting
that is not amusing.
Penelope ThOrOgOOd.
The Star and its reporter
Mary McGrory have, in my
opinion. violated the trust Of
fair. accurate. impartial, and
reasonably complete news re-
porting and presentation as
evidenced by an article bear
ing Mary McGrory's byline
In your May 10 issue, under
the title Lonely Wallace
Willis In Kennedy Spotlight. I"
Regardless Of the political or
social attitudes Of your news
papers reporters and owners,
that article should never have
been written or published. It
is a vicious, vindictive, biased,
inferential. and untruthful
presentation of one persons
attitudes about another as
fact.
A. w. p0weIl ir
Evening star., 1963-05-26

problems Of the central city. It sup
presses the orderly progress of integra-
ton in fields other than housing. The
"breakthrough" of which the conferees
spoke the other day is a misleading use
of language, for the process itself will
not occur all at once. But 1t is surely
coming, and when 1t is over, the region
as whole will be the better for 1t.
Evening star., 1963-05-26
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry tDriters' correct
names and addresses. All let
ters are subject to condenSd-
ton. Those not used tDiH be
returned only Dhen accom- =
panied by self addressed,
stamped envelopes.