davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18

rot possess esthetic and de-
corative value on O fine art
level as well as having util-
ity? 1t seems that q chap
named Cellini was able to so
create. Admittedly, there is
much bad crafts" Of the
neutrality-suspicious. var
iety, but the same applies in
all the mediums of the So
called fine arts also.
1t would seem that, ir-
respective Of its medium, an
object of true art must stand
on its own merits and can
not be catagorized as "fine
art" simply by an artificial
standard which says this is
fine art and that is crafts" i,
as is too often done in to-
days art world. 1t is to the
detriment of the Corcoran
that they delimited their cur
rent show to ceramics as the
only craft" eligible and bar
red the admission Of crafts
which have been represented
in previous shows.
Louise G. Cooley.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
Momentum

Since President Johnson last week
asked Congress to designate the Cultural
Center as the official national memorial
to John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the project
has moved at a steady pace.
There has, however, been no undue
haste. The basic concept of the center
already was understood. Two days of
hearings, including the unusual joint
session of the House and Senate Public
Works Committees on Friday, afforded
the necessary opportunity to gather ad-
ditional facts. There followed two days
Of executive sessions, at which details
Of the legislation were exhaustively
drafted-and reviSed-by the House
committee. In its perfected form, the
bill was approved by the House commit
tee yesterday, with bipartisan support.
Within hours, the Senate committee fol-
lowed suit. The performance, all in all,
has been a remarkable display of legiS-
lative efficiency.
1t has also developed a legislative
momentum which should not now be
broken.
For a delay at this point would be
costly in two respects. First, it would
needlessly postpone the Nationwide
drive for public contributions which is
no less essential than the Federal con-
tribution to the success of the project.
The enthusiasm throughout the country
which greeted the proposal to develop
the Cultural Center as living memorial
has developed momentum Of its own
But there are practical limits to the
time for which such high degree of
interest can be sustained. Every day
that passes from this point on will make
the job Of Embarrassing more difficult.
In a more subtle way, a loss of
momentum within the Legislature could
not be fully regained, either. There is
every indication that Congress over
whelmingly favors the present bill, and
no real concern that it will not ulti-
mately be adopted. But the fact is that
the members of Congress will return to
Washington in January with a great
many other things on their minds.
We hope, therefore, that the lead
erShip Of the House and Senate will
change its mind, and find a way to
bring this important bill to the floors of
both houses during the brief time re-
naming before the Christmas holidays.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
Craft of Ceramics

I congratulate Frank Get
lein for his comment on the
Corcoran's 18th Area Exhi-
bition, wherein he states that
it is possible for the "old
and humble" craft of GER
amics to meet "anybody's
definition of fine art in the
full sense.
It is only too seldom one
can, find a knowledgeable
critic who realizes that the
lowly crafts" can be on a
par with the so-called "fine
arts. Too often critics by
pass crafts entirely, or, at the
best, give them the patron
izing and supercilious notice
one accords a precocious and
clever child. It is only in the
Western World - and this
only in the past century or
so - that this artificial dis
tinction between fine arts"
and crafts" has been estab-
lished, with crafts such as
ceramics, enameling. fabrics,
woodworking. silversmithing,
etc. being relegated to a low
and inferior position in the
arts. 1t is almost as if a
prime criteria of Fine Art"
has become the total lack of
utilitarian purpose, which
the so-called crafts" often
possess. Is there any real
reason that an object can
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
Alliance

The Alliance for Progress has always
suffered because its various compon-
ents-economic, political, military-are
spread all over town. In pulling them
together under Thomas c. Mann as one
overall Latin American boss, President
johnson is improving the setup. But the
naming of a new Assistant Secretary of
State, or even an Undersecretary, will
not solve the Alliances problems. They
go much too deep for that.
How deep they go is made very clear
in the current fine series of articles by
The Stars George Sherman. The fruS-
trationS and reSentmentS of our Latin
partners are matched only by those in
Washington, which were reflected in
the House action the other day sharply
cutting appropriations for the Alliance.
Were these cuts justified?
We have already expressed, persist
emily and at length, our negative views
on aid in general. The Alliance, however,
seems to us a special case. For one
thing, it falls in the category of prof.
ects to which we have in effect COM
mitted ourselves. At the Punte del Este
conference, we promised billion dollars
year for 10 years. This Government
cannot walk out in the middle of such
an undertaking.
Then too, our special obligation to
this hemisphere goes beyond a routine
obligation to keep our word. If there
is one area Of the world where the
United States must recognize special
responsibility, this of course is it. The
Alliance is more than an aid program.
1t is mutual pledge that the social
and economic revolution which must
come in Latin America will be peaceful
and non-CommuniSt
That pledge must be redeemed,
despite the manifest need for a new
approach to the whole business of
foreign aid.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
Line of Succession

AS a possible solution to
the current controversy re-
garding the presidential line
of succession I propose:
That the man who has
succeeded to the presidency
choose, as he would at the
nominating convention, his
Vice President. This choice
would be confirmed by Con-
gress, as Congress confirms
the appointment of Cabinet
members.
This system insures that
Cd the Vice President would
be Of the Presidents party,
90 in the event of emer-
gency, the Vice President
would carry out the policies
of the incapacitated Presi-
dent, and 90 the President
and Vice President would be
compatible.
Brigid Brady.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
Beginning of End

As q daily reader Of The
Star, I have come to place
reliance on the maturity and
judgment in your editorials. I
must, however, disagree with
your December o criticism of
mutual security, Beginning
of End"
One of the cornerstones of
American foreign policy
stated by every admins
tration in the last 20 years
is to help preserve the liberty
and independence Of non
Communist nations. Some OF
our best allies would be
placed at the mercy of COM
munism were it not for our
technical and military aid.
Anyone familiar with reali-
ties In South Wet Nam,
South Korea, and the Repub-
lie Of China knows that
abandonment Of aid to these
countries would put them at
the mercy Of the Chinese
Communists.
To our allies on the periph-
cry Of the Communist en-
pire, mutual security is a vi
tai proof of our determina-
ton to help maintain their
independence in addition to
furnishing them with the
means of resistance.
Mutual security has been
Of value in providing some
thing resembling stability in
the Middle East. As you
know. America had to fill a
vacuum in this strife-ridden
area created after World
War II by the gradual with
drawal of British and French
presence" We did not seek
this mission; 1t was thrust
upon us. In any event, our
total efforts including for
eign aid have so far pre-
vented cold war enemies
from filling the void.
In Latin America we are
attempting to prevent sub
version and infiltration by
communism. 1t is too early to
predict results; however to
do nothing on the grounds
that we might not succeed Is
to condemn US to impotence.
Those members Of Con-
gress who support mutual
security would prefer q world
in which foreign aid was I'M
necessary. They freely grant
errors in the administration
of our aid program. Most
would even concede that aid
is no panacea for the ills be-
setting the world; however,
they feel aid is indispensable
in advancing the foreign pol
icy of the United States.
Apparently, your editorial
blithely assumes a majority
of Congress would year after
year vote for q program
to blk the American taxpay-
er-vote for q program coun-
ter to the interests Of Ameri-
ca. Such an assumption must
be the result Of black and
white thinking. Foreign poll
cy is concerned with shades
of gray. A successful foreign
policy requires a wide variety
Of tools. Mutual security,
even with its admitted fall
ures, is such a tool.
Robert r. Barry,
Representative from
New York
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
A BOOK FOR TO-DAY
Hannah Arendt in Hamburg
By DONALD MIMI

the councils cOllaborators?
Hannah Arendt maintains,
he writes, that though there
was certainly no possibility Of
resistance, there was a posi-
bility of total paSsivenesS. "
She accuses these councils Of
treason on the ground that
they maintained organization
and order among the Jews
and that without these there
would certainly have been
chaos and vast misery, but
the total number of sacrifices
could hardly have mounted to
something between AS and 6
million"
No Scholarly Proof
CDR. Arendt thinks she can
support her accusation"
writes Mr.. Nellessen, "by re-
ferring to the vast numbers Of
helpers that the NaziS would
have been forced to employ if
the Jewish functionaries had
refused to collaborate. She
thinks that under these cir
cumstances, the extent Of the
mass murder would not have
been so great. But this is no
scholarly proof, but only a
suspicion"
He maintains, too, that DR..
Arendt's notion that the Jews
should have run away cannot
be supported. ''Where should
they have run to-" he asks,
And he points out that the to-
tai pasSiveneSs that DR.. Ar
endt recommends and that he
thinks impractical would in
any event have to have been
organized. He is convinced,
moreover, that DR.. Arendt's
accusations and hypothetical
alternatives fail to take into
account the basic methodolo-
gy of totalitarian systems, a
methOdology she herself has
studied in great detail.
He points, out. too, that
erman Jews considered
themselves G er m a n S, and
that Jewish experience in
Western Europe over centu-
ries had demonstrated TINT
assimilation was the road ,
freedom. 'They could not be-
leve," he says, that 'their
Germany could found a corpo-
ration for mass murder"
The article ends with a
warning to Germany: The
shame and the loss remain.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
Don't Attack Them

AS We strive to adjust to
the enormity Of our national
tragedy, let us take time to
look around us at the brave
men to whom we owe so
much. Let us abandon recrim-
nations and bitter charges
and express our deepest
appreciation and sympathy
to all those who daily risk
their lives for our safety and
protection.
What horrible anguish the
men Of the Secret Service
must be suffering because
the dread event which they
trained, planned and worked
to prevent had come to pass.
Who could doubt that they
would gladly have given their
own lives to save the one
that was lost?
On behalf Of all law en-
forcement officers, let us
adopt for these men of
courage, a citizens slogan:
Don't attack them-back
them!"
Virginia b. Parkinson.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
No Federal Crime?

The 1100-man police force of Dali
las, Tex, is tough on jay-walkers and
maintains the peace as best it can. But
when President John F. Kennedy was
assassinated on November %, the city
police were way beyond their depth. And
since it is not Federal crime to muir
der the President of the United States,
J. Edgar Hoover'S FBI had no more
Jurisdiction in the assassination than
the Sheriff of Louisa County, Va.
For more than 48 hours after the
President was slain, responsibility for
the crime Of the century lay entirely
within the province of Police Chief
Jesse E. Curry and, more particularly,
Homicide Squad Captain viii Fritz.
There is no suggestion that the Dali
las police could have done anything to
prevent the Staying Of the President.
But there is very serious doubt that as
Sassin Lee H. Oswald would have been
slain, in turn, two days later If he had
been a Federal prisoner instead Of in
the custody Of the Dallas police.
These who have followed the case
closely are well aware that the lack of
jurisdiction did not keep the FBI out
Of the case entirely-even before Presi-
dent Lyndon Johnson ordered Mr.. Hoo
yer to assume charge the day after the
murder Of Oswald by Dallas nightclub
owner Jack Leon Ruby.
Within minutes after Oswald fired
the shots that killed President Kennedy,
L. Gordon Shanklin, Special Agent in
Charge Of the Dallas field office of the
FB1, had modified his 80 agents and
Mr.. Hoover ordered 20 more agents to
proceed to Dallas at once from such
areas as Oklahoma City, New Orleans
and other, Texas cities. But until Presi-
dent johnson made it official on Mon
day, November Is, the FBI had no legal
or official status of any kind in the as
sassination Of President Kennedy or the
subsequent death of his Marxist slayer.
This nebulous role almost certainly
made the investigation less efficient
than If the FBI had had the power to
take charge from the outset. Assistant
United States Attorney Tim Timmins of
Dallas said the lack of Federal law on
the crime seriously hindered the in
vestigation. Many on higher level than
that are in full agreement.
Senator EaStland, Democrat of Mis-
sissippi and Senator Proxmire, Demo-
crat Of Wisconsin, have introduced bills
in the Senate, now referred to the
Judiciary Committee, making it a Fed
eral crime to aSsassinate a President
and to enable Federal authorities to
move promptly in event of an assasSi-
nation. Senator Proxmire's bill covers
the President, Vice President and Chief
Justice.
AS the law stands today, it is a
crime to assault or to kill Federal
Judges, United States Attorneys or
MarshalS and wide variety of others
IN performance Of their duty, including
Indian Field Service agents, NASA
guards, Federal game wardens, FBI
employees, customs or narcotics agents,
postal inspectors, prison guards and
others. But it is still not against the
law OF the United States to kill a Presi-
dent. Congress should correct this abb
Surdity now.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
Association Aqoin'

Your recent editorial re-
garding the erection of the
Shevchenko statue in our
Nations Capital was one of
intellectual honesty. 1t was
welcome after the recent
vilifications by a few fanati-
cal bigots who oppose the
project by engaging in a
continual malicious smear
campaign. and who finally,
in abject misery, felt the
need to solicit approval for
the statue by a Kremlin-
supported puppet CT Soviet
Ukraine in the U. N.
Vera A. DOwhan.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
McGrory Booklet

The pamphlet of stories
by Mary McGrory during
the terrible tragedy of los
ing our late President Ken
nedy is beautifully written,
portraying a little part of
the life of a truly great man.
I am proud to have it in
my collection, and will treas
ure it always.
L. o. Hamilton.
&& IS
1t is gratifying to know
that Mary McGrory's arti-
cles of November % through
November 26 are being made
available in booklet form. !
have been an admirer of
Miss McGrory's writing since
the days of the Mccarthy
hearings, and this is an eX-
preston of sincere apprecia-
ton to her and to The Star
for the many fine articles
by her that have appeared
during the past several
years.
Among so many fine ar
ticles, I still should like to
mention especially the arti-
Giles from Rome at the time
of and following the death
of Pope John XIII, and !
meant at that time to write
and express my apprecia-
ton for them. I clipped and
saved all of them, but it
would be nice if they also
were available in booklet
form. Miss McGrory's splen-
did choice of words and her
graphic descriptions helped
me. a non-Catholic, to I'M
derstand much that I had
not before understood.
Della Brungart.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18

of two adult voters to household, $50
voters would control those three votes
the same number held by six States.
1t might even come down to the point
where, in close vote, the handful of
District citizens could swing an election.
Well, now, that's only one reason
why Maryland will never again take the
District to its bosom. But that should
be enough.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
THE PASSING SCENE
The Mann for the Job
By WILLIAM S. WHITE

There is elation among
Americans with personal
knowledge of Latin realities
at President Johnson's ap-
pointment Of Thomas Mann
to pull together-and singIy
to head-our somewhat con-
fused and overlapping pro-
grams dealing with Latin
America.
That Mann Is the man for
the job is the view of an ex-
traordinary range Of Latin
bluffs. 1t is q range including
Senate liberals, Senate mod
crates. Senate conservatives
and practical American BUSH
neSsmen with long expert
ence in the countries lying
to the South of US.
The liberals are happy be-
cause Mann, who grew UP
along the Texas-Mexican
border and knows the Latin
mind as well as he knows his
own, has a long record Of &C
tive-and effective-interest
in the economic and social
progress Of Latin America.
Success in Mexico
Business Is relieved be-
cause Mann - like his chief,
President johnson, who has
always been a favorite of
Mexican-American voters in
this country-has never con-
fused an authenticity liberal
approach to Latin America
with any notion that legiti-
mate American interests
should not be fully protected.
This includes American
property interests. For Illus
tration, any further confis-
cation Of American proper
ty in Latin America will
surely not be looked upon
kindly by the new Washing
ton head Of Latin American
affairs.
A peculiar ability to get
along with Latins, meanwhile
never forgetting that he rep
resentS the United States,
Mann has many times
shown, most recently as
American Ambassador to
Mexico. The regime there Is
leftist though anti Commu-
mist and Mann is a political
moderate with a strong and
open attachment to demo-
cratic capitalism. Neverthe-
less, he Jared notably well
with President Lopez Mateo.
who considers him one Of the
best Ambassadors ever to
serve in Mexico City.
And this is the reason: The
Latins-like all other peo-
Piles, but perhaps even a little
more so than most-respect
honest power honestly and
fairly used. They do not
want from us mere reform
ist-minded Spokesman awaSh
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry tDriterS' correct
names and addresses. An let
tiers are subject to condenSG-
ton. Those not used tDiH be
returned only iDhen accom-
panied By self addressed,
stamped envelopes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18

aroused by Hannah Arendt's
book, "Eichmann in Jeru-
salem; a Report on the Bana-
lily Of Evil" and the New
Yorker articles on which it
was based, is softening here,
it seems to be beginning in
Europe.
That, at least, is the feeling
one gets from the November
80 issue Of Die Welt Of
Hamburg, one Of West Ger
many's most distinguished
daily newspapers.
Die Welt devotes an entire
page to the book although it
appears not to have been is
sued in German as yet. There
are four contributors to the
page. Two Of the pieces are
excepted from a somewhat
pOlemical exchange of letters
between Prof. Gershom Scho-
lem and DR.. Arendt that origi-
nally appeared in the Neue
Zuericher Zeitung. There is a
brief essay by Martin Buber
taken from a previously pub
lished pamphlet. And finally
Bernd Nellessen of Die Welt's
editorial staff offers a re-
markedly clear and closely
reasoned discussion Of the
book.
Prof. Buber is interested
here only in stating his person
al position because he feels
that DR.. Arendt misrepreSent-
ed his views.
Ghetto Mentality"
Prof. Scholem's contribution
is Of no particular Importance
except that it brings DR.. Ar
endt to emphasize that she
herself did not discuss the is
sue Of "ghetto mentality" and
its consequences.
81 never raised the question
Of why the Jews let them
selves be killed." she writes.
But l did accuse (Gideon)
HauSner (Eichmann's prose
cutor) Of having raised it.
There was no people and no
group in Europe that under
the direct pressure of terror
would have behaved different
ly from the Jews"
Mr.. Nellessen's article is a
major contribution toward the
Qualification of the complex
problems Of the CHASTITY mat
ter.
He passes quickly over a
few questions Of fact, stopping
only to note DR.. Arendt'S con-
cept of the ''banality Of evil
is not an abb for political
crimes.
The heart Of the matter, as
he sees it, lies in her accusa-
tons against the Jewish Coun-
ellis established by the Nazis
to run the ghettos and to pre-
pare deportation lists. He re-
marks that however one
turns it, (these councils) were
nothing more than the length
ened arm of the S."
But were the members of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-18
IDeroiLed BY House

The treatment recently
given to Washington's rapid
transit bill by the House in
Guiding the various COM
ments and innuendos of
apathy on the part of the
Representatives in sending
the bill back to the District
Committee is indicative Of
what may be expected in re-
gard to any action that
might be taken by D. c.
officials under, any form of
home rule" that may be
provided.
In this Nations Capital
where Federal Government
activities are so extensive and
involved it is inconceivable
that Congress would permit
a local or home rule" gov
eminent powers to act free
ly and unrestrained.
To permit unrestrained
home rule" Of the District
would be unwiSe and should
not come to pass. However,
to establish a home rule"
government subject to veto
by Congress should likewise
not come to pass. The latter
would be merely a sham,
expensive and of no appreci-
able value in any respect.
That Congress, represent
ing all persons of the Ma
ton. should have ultimate
control Of the District is log
ical and practical. TIL e
anomoly is that the only
persons not represented by
Congress are the fractional
US. citizens who are resi-
dents of the Capital city.
Fractional Citizen.
Again the House renders
another slap in the face of
the Washington community
by defeating a bill to develop
a subway and rail rapid
transit system" by a 27S to
rs vote.
Representatives from other
States will probably not have
to be concerned about our
traffic problems 10 years from
now; having served their
terms in the House, they will
no doubt be settled down in
their home States. Why
should they spend $40 million
on The Orphan Child" the
District of Columbia?
1t has always seemed q
rather sad situation that the
District of Columbia must go
begging to Congress for mon
ey to help solve many prob
lens that are partially Great
ed due to the fact the Federal
Government and its agencies
Just happen to be located in
the District Of Columbia.
At the rate this area has
grown in the past 10 years, it
would appear that unless we
turned to rail and subway,
we would be forced in less
than 10 years to turn thous-
andS of acres of land over to
more and more superhigh-
ways. The cost to uproot
families and purchase the
necessary land will no doubt
far exceed the money that
was requested.
This is not a problem every
one can shut their eyes to
and think that if forgotten
for awhile the situation will
get better. Have you been to
downtown Washington lately
and tried to find a parking
space? Think what it will be
like 10 years from now.
Mr.. and Mrs.
Edwin Jaw Smith.