davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
Bury 1t!

Since the blind sometimes are said
to lead the blind, there is presumably
a chance that Virginia will follow the
lll-adviSed example set by North Carolina
in banning certain speakers at State
supported colleges and universities. We
hope not. And if such proposal should
be offered at the forthcoming session
Of the Legislature in Richmond, it should
be quietly buried.
The intent of the sponsors, we sup
pose, is to protect" college men and
women from the supposedly PROSECUTING
influence of Communist and Nazi speak
ers. What nonsense! A speaker with
Communist or Nazi or similar asSocia-
tons should, of course, be clearly identi-
fIed ror what he is. But don't try to ban
them by law.
College students, If interested, will
and should find way to examine Com
munist and Nazi doctrine. If necessary,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08

effect prior to 1e47, as is being urged, it
is well to remember the reasons for the
change. President Truman's thought was
that our chief magistrate in any circum-
stance should have been elected by the
people, at one remove or another. The
reasoning has lost none of It's cogency.
Cabinet members are not, in fact, elected
by the people nor by their elected repre-
sentatives. They are appointed by the
President
Mr.. Truman's reasoning was that 1t is
baSically wrong, however convenient 1t
may be, for President in effect to APP
point his successor. Whatever the state
of current dissatisfaction with the 1947
law, this still seems a powerful argu-
ment, wholly in accord with the spirit Of
the Republic.
1t seems to US that the 1947 law,
though inadequate, aims in the right
direction. Congress should indeed and
urgently consider a new law of success
sion. But such law should not retreat
from the degree of democracy attained
in the last change.
Rather than return 10 succession by
appointment, Congress should consider
making it law that upon the succession
Of the elected Vice President to the
Presidency, the House Of Representa-
tives shall meet as soon as possible and
elect, not necessarily from among its
own members, new Vice President.
This official would assume the preSi-
dency Of the Senate and stand next in
order Of succession to the Presidency Of
the Nation. Continuity of government
would be assured. And the will Of the
people, through their elected represent
ativeS, would have been expressed in the
selection Of the new leader.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
First Bite

The House District Committees 11-2
vote Of approval for the Whitener bill,
authorizing start on Washington's rail
transit system, should lift the spirits Of
everyone concerned with the growing
transportation dilemma In the Nations
Capital.
This bill authorizes limited system,
far short Of the rail network which ulti-
mately will be needed. 1t is, however,
workable system, which will provide a
useful service in the congested center of
the region until such time as the diff
cult political, financial and planning
problems dealing with It's extension can
be worked out.
Fortunately, the committee rejected
two disruptive amendments proposed by
Representative Multer of New York. Both
are premature, and their inclusion would
have severely jeopardized passage Of the
bill. If these ill-conceived amendments
should be revived during House debate
on Monday, 1t will be doubly important
that they are fully understood.
Mr.. Multer's first proposal, to turn
of the system over to private enterprise,
iS-novel, to say the least. The completed
system may eventually be operated by
private enterprise. We hope that some
such arrangement can be worked out.
But this is not a decision to be made
now. The initial portion Of the system
will take about four years to build. Dur
ing this period, efforts will continue to
develop an nterstate-compact organiza-
ton to take over the system. And the
success Of that effort will necessarily
have great deal to do with the details
Of operation.
Mr.. Multer'S second propoSal-to add
a number Of controversial provisions de-
signed to protect the rights of labor-iS
likewise premature Before the system
is completed these provisions, of course,
will have to be drafted. But it is not
necessary to do so now, and the rights
Of labor will be in no way jeopardized by
the delay. The fact is that Congress has
written just such safeguard into the
basic legislation Of the National Capital
Transportation Agency, requiring that
transit facilities built under terms of
the act may not be operated until spe-
cific labor policies are determined by
Congress.
The whole point of the Whitener bill,
which Mr.. Multer either does not under
stand or does not accept, is to approach
the transit program in small bites
rather than to attempt to swallow it,
with all its problems, in one gulp. The
first bite, as Endorsed by the District
Committee, is clearly the right one.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
100 Years AGO

President Lincoln at this
time q century ago issued Q
proclamation granting am
nesty to all Confederates
who repledged their ale
glance to the United States
Government. This did not
apply, however, to civil or
diplomatic officers or agents
of the Confederacy, or to for
mer Congressman who re-
signed to aid the rebellion, or
to high-ranking army and
navy officers of the South.
The same day December 9,
1859 The Star printed the
terms of the proclamation, 1t
devoted four columns to .
message Lincoln sent to Con-
gress reviewing the progress
Of the war. Some Of the per-
tinent points: when Con-
gress assembled o year ago,
the war had already lasted
nearly 20 months and there
had been many conflicts on
both land and sea with vary
ing results. The rebellion had
been pressed back into re-
duced limits; yet the tone Of
public feeling and opinion, at
home and abroad, was not
satisfactory. =. The Emanci-
patton Proclamation and (the
policy Of employing black
soldiers, gave to the future q
new aspect, about which hope
and fear and doubt contend
ed in uncertain conflict.
Eleven months having now
passed. we are permitted to
take another review. The
rebel borders are pressed
still further back, and by the
complete opening Of the Mis-
SiSSippi, the country domi-
mated by the rebellion is di-
vided into distinct parts,
with practically no COM
merce between them. {.
OF those who were slaves
at the beginning Of the
rebellion, full one hundred
thousand are now in the
United States military serv-
ice, about one half of
which number actually bear
arms in the ranks; thus CIV
ing the double advantage Of
taking so much labor from
the inSurgent cause and
supplying the places which
otherwise must be filled with
so many white men. So far
as tested, 1t is difficult to say
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
FROM THE STAR FILES. .

in any manner whatever,
they will do so. No intelligent
observer continues to believe
that they will consent to any
peace and settlement short
Of absolute success on their
own terms. 1t Is as plain
as can be that in another IL
months or so (the emancipa-
ton policy will transfer
nearly all the able-bodied
male Negroes from the side
of the rebellion to that Of
the Union; and thus it will
make the task Of finishing
up the work of the rebellion's
suppression q comparatively
easy one for the balance Of
the war. To a b a n d on the
emancipation policy now,
would therefore be to throw
a great lever Of power TO
compel the rebellious States
to reacknowledge the supre-'
macy of the Government. 80"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
Herbert H. Lehman

It was one of his own utteranceS
that best characterized Herbert H. Leh-
man: people like man who says what
he thinks and does what he says" 1t
was simple formula by which man
of great wealth turned his good fortune
and astute mind into benefaction for
less fortunate men the world over.
Mr.. Lehman not only gave unstint-
ingly Of his tangible, personal wealth;
he unselfishly injected himself into pub
lie life and became an active symbol or
the highest humanitarian service to
which politician may be dedicated. A
liberal in the best sense, his work on
behalf of the little man was reflected in
social legislation during his ten-year
tenure as Governor of New York. and
later as United States Senator.
It was in the latter capacity that he
had the moral conviction and courage
to stand up to Senator Joseph Nc
Carthy, first in refusing to support I'M
wise anti-Communist legislation on the
eve of a Senatorial election, and later
as the man who offered the resolution
to divest Senator Mccarthy of his COM
mittee chairmanships Mr.. Lehman's
work on behalf of relaxing immigration
restrictions was another landmark of
his Senate service.
Helping others was as natural to
him as life itself. He served with more
than Is philanthropic and educational
organizations, an astonishing sideline
to a successful investment banking
career and a New York State record Of
eight Statewide election victories. There
was no end to his service which found
world wide expression in the United
Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Ad-
ministration, and finally, as leader of
the New York Democratic Reform
Movement.
Herbert H. Lehman'S life was like
a guidebook of unselfiSh devotion to
humanity. Franklin D. Roosevelt once
called him my good right arm" But in
reality he was a good right arm Of
Everyman.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
Pave the Potomac?

There is a great deal Of
dispute about where to de-
post the next plum over the
unSuSpecting Potomac. In
the rush to unburden the
public cornucopia, our gre
garious planners have appar-
emily eschewed practically.
Since when does a three-car
family buy a fifth car before
the fourth proves to be ina
dequate?
And yet by paving the Po-
tomac, perhaps we will re-
ceive our long sought relief.
Between congested D. c.
streets, and inadequate Viz
ginia highways. we can cross
the river doing forty instead
of thirty-five.
Peter X. Bros.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
Oswald and the Law

Representative Joel Broy-
hill Is reported to have said
that II the assassination Of
President Kennedy had &C.
CURED in the District Of
Columbia. police would have
been unable to detain Lee
Harvey Oswald. District re-
gulations, he says. require
probable cause" linking o
suspect to a crime before an
arrest can be made; thus
implying that such is not the
case elsewhere in the United
States and that therefore
there is something wrong
with such q rquirement. To
suggest that the police
should arrest on any grounds
other than probable cause is
to suggest q police state. Any
first year law student knows
that the arrest Of an indivi-
dual only when probable
cause exists is q fundamen-
tai, elemental protection
guaranteed to all citizens.
But further he adds igno-
rance to insult when he at
tempts to characterize the
laws Of our neighbor. the
District of Columbia) in Q
manner inferior TO the laws
Of Texas on the basis of
what he knows Of the facts
concerning the assassination.
If the facts are as reported,
the procedures followed by
the Texas police in arreSting
Oswald are the same proce-
dures which would have been
followed by any policeman
according to the laws Of eth
er the District Of Columbia
or Texas.
william r. DurIand,
Vice chairman, Mason Dis
trict. Democratic Committee,
Springfield. Virginia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
Praises Sevoreid

Thank the Lord for Eric
SevareidI His column Of De-
cember 8 entitled, viii
Heads Now Rule SpiritsP,"
should be read by every
American and every friend Of
our Nation everywhere. I
have come upon no other
revelation Of our grief over
President Kennedy's tragic
death, our heartbreaking po-
sition in our despair and our
individual and national
responsibility more telling
than the comforting and
strangely salutary words
from the luminous pen Of
Mr.. Sevareid.
The one who never
turned his back but marched
breastforward" Is gone.
I don't believe most Ameri-
cans realized how much the
world thought Of President
Kennedy until there came
the immediate and magnifi-
Gently touching response to
his death by peoples every
where. 1t was not alone the
pomp and ceremony Of kings
and queens, servicemen and
friends. emperors and heads
Of state who followed the
brave and beautiful widow as
she walked behind her hus-
bands caisson that helped to
lessen our shared sorrow. It
was the long, long line of
people, in whose warmly hu-
man mass I was willingly en-
meshed. waiting for hours to
file into the Rotunda and
pay personal respects to our
lost leader. Babies asleep on
the sagging shoulders of par
ents. Teen-aged school girls
from far off places, eyes
filled with tears. Japanese
college girls with grief-strick-
en- faces, carrying copies of
the Kennedy Inaugural Ad-
dress in their purses. Old
people who could scarcely
make their way. Crippled
Americans with no thought
Of themselves limping proud
ly along. Peoples Of all races
and creeds in our free land
walking shoulder to shoulder.
All on the same lonesome
road to bid our great and
good friend goodby. Noblesse
oblige and heartbreak walked
side by side in that process
sion.
Ruth BelIamy,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08

they are not as good soldiers
as any. No servile insurrec-
ton, or tendency to violence
or cruelty, has marked the
measures Of emancipation
and arming the blacks. &.
While ! remain In my pres
ent position I shall not at
tempt to retract or modify
the Emancipation Proclama-
ton, nor shall I return to
slavery any person who is
free by the terms Of that
proclamation, or by any Of
the acts Of Congress. :"
Commenting on the message,
this paper said: 1T Is clear
that the country will ac-
cept adherence to. or rejec-
ton of the views Of the Pres
ident's message. as the test
Of loyalty. The war was
made for the benefit of Slav-
cry. The conspirators who
forced it upon the country
based and continued to base
all their pleas for the justifi-
cation Of the rebellion on
what they alleged to be the
necessities for its protection
(ere 1t was asSailed) and the
advancement Of its strength
as q power in the State. In
its behalf they have brought
about the utter ruin of those
confiding in them, and all
the calamities growing out of
the war experienced by the
loyal. Slavery has furnished
them in every conceivable
way with nearly all their sin
ews Of war. The labor of
the slaves has not only sup
piled their armies for the
most part, with food, cloth
ing, munitions and men,
but has enabled them to use
as conscripts every able-bod-
led white man within the
grasp Of their power. So long
as these conspirators and
their chief siders and abet-
tors can continue the contest
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
Prince Edward RuIinq

Despite the strong dissent
Of its own Chief Justice, Vir-
ginia'S highest court has
ruled that the State has no
obligation to reopen the
closed public schools of
Prince Edward County. The
majority opinion that "the
Constitution and laws Of Vir-
ginia have given to its locali-
ties an option to operate or
not to operate public
schools" legalizes the clos
ing Of the county's schools,
and could, II upheld by the
United States Supreme
Court, jeopardize the public
schools Of every county in
the State-and perhaps the
schools Of other States.
The tragedy of this situa-
ton is the motive that pre-
cipitated ito block the ad-
mittance Of Negroes to the
county's public schools.
Rather than accept this, the
schools were closed. Many of
the county's children have
already been deprived Of the
education so necessary in our
chronological age-years they
may never be able to make
up. Hardest hit, Of course.
are Negro children, whose
greatest economic and social
need is the very education
being denied them. To add
insult to injury, the State.
until ordered to stop by the
Supreme Court, was provid-
ing tuition grants for the
private education Of white
students-while Negro chill
dren roamed the streets.
Considering the clause in
Virginia's Constitution that
the general assembly shall
establish and maintain an eff
ficient system Of public free
schools throughout the
State" and the 14th amend
ment to the United States
Constitution which "prohi-
bits discrimination by a
State, or one of its subdivi-
sions against a pupil because
Of his race" it's hard for a
layman to agree with the
State courts Interpretation.
Accepting the integrity of
the court, it may be that the
letter Of the law permits
such things-certainly the
spirit does not. The situation
may be legal, but it isn't
moral.
Patrick E. Hughes.
Editors note: Under the
ldiD the tuition grants mould
hare been equally available
to Negro children had they
chosen to attend privdte
schools.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08

antisocial, will not be at
large ready to wrap their
venom in a bullet. 1t may be
from q window in Dallas,
from q reception line in Buff
falo, in a theater or q rail-
road station In Washington,
or In like attempts IN Chics-
go or Florida. But aSsaSsina-
tons or foiled attempts do
not damn the cities involved.
In spite Of sharp divisions in
the minds Of people as to
any administrations policies
and that is the precious
prerogative Of United States
citizens-Dallas had gone all
out to put differences aside
and to give the President an
enthusiastic welcome. The
wounded Governor Of Texas
bears witness that Mr.. Ken
nedy's last words expressed
his gratitude and delight at
the warmth Of the reception
the city was according him
magnificent" was the word
between the President and
the Governor. r.
And then the unbelievable
happened and the death
weapon was held by one who
had but recently come to the
city. ne
And what about the real
Dallas? ! know 1t well. To me
it Is not o city Of spites but
Of spires. It has been my
high privilege to Join the
outstanding church and civic
leaders there on various
occasions. The religious life
Of the city Is an inspiration
to those who have felt its
uplift in the dedication Of its
laymen and the potency Of
its prophetic pulpits. No
where In America have ! ex-
perienced evidences Of benev-
olence and care more closely
binding all segments Of a
city's life. United Givers cruz
sades there have the fervor
OF old-time revival meetingsI
In hospital projects. Catho-
lies and Protestants work to-
gether in beautiful fraterni-
ty.
Dallas Is rightly proud Of
this great metropolis rising
matesticaly on the plain, OF
her boulevards and parks,
her office buildings and no
tells. her cultural institutions,
her newspapers, her palatial
banks and world famous
stores. But most Of all she
glories in her churches, great
and small. and she has some
Of the largest in the land;
and, Of her schools and coll
leges including a famed theo-
logical seminary training
prophets for the years that
beckon.
One Of the priced photo
graphs In my pictured auto
biography is that Of q young
lad. dressed as Uncle Sam.
presenting to me a certificate
as an honorary citizen Of
Dallas. Gazing at that GER
tificate, even while writing
this, I say with Paul, II am a
citizen Of no mean city" a.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08

cauldrons Of hatred. With
the deliberate and fatal
shooting Of John F. Kennedy
we have witnessed one Of the
greatest exhibitions Of
hatred, bigotry, intolerance,
indifference, and lawleSSness
in our country.
People are growing tired Of
apologists for the South, and
the southern way Of life,
treating all Of the many bar
barrie occurrences there as II
each event was totally unre-
lated.
William E. Fowler, Jr.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08

they might even sneak down to the
library and read books about these So
called PHILOSOPHERS. And they will wind
up with a disdain for them at least
equal to their contempt for Lawmakers
who would ban the speakers from the
campuses.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
No Mean CITY,
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United States Senate


there lived and wrought a
man whom the centuries
have called st. Paul. His
name Is cut deeply on the rec
ord Of the ages. In defend
ing himself from certain I'M
fair charges he declared, Il
am from Tarsus, Cilicia, q cit
izen Of no mean city" In
this dread day that proud as
sertion might well be on the
lips Of those whose home city
has had turned upon it the
searchlight Of the worlds cri-
tical scrutiny, since on that
black Friday. November %,
triumph suddenly turned to
tragedy, as the Presidents
life was snuffed out. That
fair city Is Dallas, Texas.
Since the dastardly act
which set the world aghast 1t
has been the target Of vitu-
peration and blame.
There are those, examples
Of the hate they verbally de-
plore, who assume that this
expanding metropolis, 90
typically American, will be
forevermore Q by-word and a
kissing. Such conclusions
are, Of course, not warranted
by any thinking person. In
the face Of the fateful hap
penings, mourned nowhere
with more poignancy than in
that city. its citizens with
heads high have reason
enough to stand with Paul
Of Tarsus and say with him,
when the case for Dallas Is
called, I'VE are citizens Of
no mean city"
Let 1t be remembered that
what happened there could
happen In any city In Ameri-
ca. In spite Of all precautions
there are no exceptions. The
marvellous Secret Service
would readily agree to that.
Surely In America the exhor-
tations coming from the high
and the low against bigotry,
hatred. and violence desper-
ately need to be preached.
But the horrible deed Of the
alleged dastardly assassin Is
the wrong text for these SER
mons. There Is no evidence
that he was the product Of
any present agitation grip
ping the political life Of
America. This sinister per-
son was so un-American that
to make him the symbol Of all
that. Is wrong In America is
to blunt the preachments
which need to be made. To
suggest that all Americans,
in q sort Of mass guilt-com-
pick, belong In the dock
which awaited him is to ar
raign those who refuse to be
stigmatized by what one Sen
ator called wrongly placed
recriminations." And, anoth-
er Senator, agreeing, COM
mented, 1T Is an injustice to
teeming thousands Of hospi-
table, cheering crowds in
Dallas, to charge them with
murderous guilt. What hap
pened was not Americas
fault. Only the sober realiza-
ton Of that can make our
mourning meaningful and
not tortured with q guilt that
Is undeserved."
What happened in Dallas
was not the result Of any as
pect Of the moral malignant
cy from which America. In
her grasping materialism. is
suffering. Much-very much
could be said about that!
What happened grew out Of
the twisted mind Of one de-
luded young man. There will
never be O Utopia where dam
gerous, warped individuals,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
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 tDiH be
returned only tDhen accom-
panied By self addressed,
stamped envelopes.