davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1963-02-15
Terror in Venezuela

The nature and reality of the Red
threat in the Americas have been made
grimly and abundantly clear by the ter
roriStic activities Of Venezuela'S so-called
National Liberation Front.
Within recent days, in an effort to
force President Betancourt to cancel his
visit here next week, this traitorouS
Communist organization-which has
openly sworn allegiance to the Soviet
Union and Fidel Castro's Cuba-haS
intensified its bullying and violence
throughout the country. BY way of ex-
ample, its plug-uglies have done the
following, among other things: Raided
villages; shaved the heads of women
supporting the freely elected, popularity
backed Betancourt government; ma
chine-gunned autos carrying high Off
cials; dynamited radio station; started
numerous brush fires; burned to the
ground Sears, Roebuck Company's $5-
million warehouse in Caracas, and hi
lacked Venezuelan freighter, which
apparently is headed for a Cuban port
The Fronts leaders, moreover, have
served notice that they intend to speed
up and enlarge their campaign of ter
rorism. What they are planning, appar-
emily, is a program Of ever-increasing
hit-and-run attacks on individuals and
groups, plus acts Of sabotage against
private and public facilities-a kind Of
spreading guerrilla warfare in which
they hope to destroy Mr.. Betancourt and
his democratic, moderately socialiStic
and strongly anti Communist govern
ment. Havana's Castro tyranny, with
the Kremlin'S blessing, undoubtedly sup
ports them in this as part of a con-
spiracy to Sovietize the hemisphere, one
country at time-which is why all
the Americas, as the Organization of
American States has warned, must
reckon with Red Cuba as a deadly
source of subversion and aggression,
potentially at least, If not already ac-
tually and actively.
Presumably, when they meet next
week, Presidents Betancourt and Ken
nedy will discuss this menace at length.
What must be hoped for is that their
talks will lead to genuinely effective
measures against It,
Evening star., 1963-02-15
Jumping Jack Pins?

Our authoritative colleagues who
comment on such activities as baseball
and golf often turn on "rainy days" to
columns about how Jack rabbits heart
beat may be felt in the balls used In
each Of these sports. In layman's Ian
guage, this means that something has
been done to make the balls livelier-
making 1t easier to hit home runs or
long drives or whatever. Even though
the spectator sportsmen, to say nothing
Of the participants, seem happy enough
with this state of affairs, there is an
implication that 1t is not all quite proper.
Something similar has been said about
vaulting over bar with fibre-glass
pole, instead Of one made OF bamboo
or something.
Now come complaints from some
sources but not all, about bowling pins
being coated with something that gives
them more bounce. This means, OF
course, that as they bounce more they
knock down more Of their fellow pins-if
pins may be considered fellows in this
context. Well, perhaps so and perhaps
this is sort Of awful. Still, there must
be school Of thought that considers
bowling, for example, as Just good clean
fun-and the more pins knocked down
the more fun. SO, what's the matter with
lively pin here and there2 Any COM
plants about checkers that Jump
Evening star., 1963-02-15
Tax Bill Not Hurt

To the extent that it may have
been inspired by packing" ambitions,
the defeat of the move to add two
Democrats to the Senate Finance Com
mittee can be marked down as a good
days work. And we do not think the
prospects for enactment of the admin
iStration's tax bill have been damaged.
The belief that this was a commit
tee-packing move from the outset has
been undermined by Majority Leader
Mansfield'S assertion that the idea
originally was his The White House
may have lobbied for the change later
on, but, although one never knows, it
would be out of character for Senator
Mansfield to be initiating a move to
pack" any Senate committee. There
is also the point that several other
Senate committees were enlarged with
out fuss yesterday in favor of the Demo-
Gratis, thereby reflecting the party'S
gains at the last election And the same
thing might have quietly happened to
Finance had it not been for that COM
mittee'S relationship to the tax and
medical care bills, both of which are
opposed by its chairman, Senator Byrd.
Had the Finance Committee been en-
larged, however, this would have been
attacked and perhaps reversed on the
Senate floor, with consequent fresh
injury to the Democratic leadership and
the Kennedy administration. For these
reasons, we think Senator Mansfield
was wise to drop his sponsorship of the
enlargement project Che shouldn't have
initiated it without more careful nose
COUNT, and that the Democratic Steer
ing Committee did the right thing in
rejecting it when the plan was called
up for vote.
The tax bill, in our judgment, is
not going to be bottled up in committee.
Considering its uncertain impact on the
national economy, it certainly should
be carefully studied and possibly re-
viSed in the course Of committee hear
ings and consideration. But when it is
brought to the floor it still will be open
to administration attempts to amend
1t, and at this stage the bill as reported
out by the committee will have to stand
or fall on its merits. This is a it
should be.
Evening star., 1963-02-15
THE PASSING SCENE
Cuban Aid: Perertinq the u. N.
By WILLIAM S. WHITE

Nevertheless, the thing has
been supplemented" all the
same, and with nothing more
than a timid objection" filed
back in 1861 by the United
States delegation to the
United Nations. State De-
partment informants pri-
vately concede that there was
nothing in U. N. procedure
to have prevented the United
States from having de-
manded, in 1861 or now,
that this grant to Mr.. Castro
be set aside.
They add that 1t was zap
parently our conclusion"--
meaning the conclusion Of
our U. N. delegation in New
York-that we could not
marshal and required two
thirds vote within the gov
erning council which Is sup
posed to direct the policies
of the Special Fund.
No Roll Call
But 1t is conceded that we
never at any point so much
as asked for q roll call or
lobbied to raise UP the neces-
sary majority.
In short, 1t Is perfectly OBJ
vious, on the basis of State
Department information,
that the II nations supposed
ly running this fund are
not running 1t at all but are
leaving 1t to the managing
director, Paul Hoffman. 1t
is no less obvious that a mere
salaried bureaucracy in the
U. N. is able, In this instance,
to flout the central foreign
policy designs Of the very
country that is carrying the
bulk Of all the financial load
for the agency this bureauc-
racy administers.
Finally, 1t is also perfectly
plain that senior people in
the State Department itself
are chagrined by this al
most incredible episode. How
long before the United States
delegation to the U. N. un-
der Ambassador Adlai Stew
enson is made a part Of the
United States Government?
How soon will it cease hav-
ing a foreign policy Of its
own?
And how long before the
U. N. right-or-wrongers. who
presently will tolerate no
criticism of it at any point
for any reason, will realize
that the good in this insti-
tuition will not in the end
survive by mere passionate
refusals to see the follies that
are perverting it out Of all
rational shape?
(Copyright. 1881
Evening star., 1963-02-15
Crime Ignores Status

Society columnist Betty
Beale tells us the ladies of
Washington's social elite are
devoting much Of their draw
Ing room chatter these days
70 crime In our Nations Cap
ital. She says that one So
cialite at a luncheon sagely
observed that It was odd that
washington has become the
proving ground for all human
rights except the right of
law = abiding citizens TO be
protected in their own homes.
What has caused this mum
dane stir among these good
ladies Is, OF course, recent at
tacks that have been made
upon the wives and children
OF the upper crust Of our local
society.
Attacks by vicious crimi-
nails upon the loved ones OF
those In high places are out
rageous and intolerable. But
so are attacks upon the loved
ones OF ordinary people, but
TO some 1t doesn't seem the
same. From this evil that
permeates our Capital City
some good may yet come II
those In high places Of in
fluence are bestirred enough
to take their heads out Of the
clouds and out Of the sand.
Harvey II. Hewitt.
Evening star., 1963-02-15
In Old Mesopotomiu

Among all Middle East countries,
none is more fortunate In the combina-
tion Of its natural resources and its
potential for economic well-being than
Iraq. Much Of its land area is extraordi-
narily fertile, subject to control and
utilization Of the waters of the Tigris
and Euphrates rivers, and since World
War 1t has been one of the major
on-producing countries of the world.
Against this background, for most of
the time since British rule ended in
1882, Iraq's political life has been un-
stable and marked often by violent
power struggles.
The latest of these is only a few
days past, with more questions remain
ing than have yet been answered about
the true nature Of current governmental
authority Foreign correspondents are
Just now being allowed entry into the
country. Radio Baghdad, controlled by
the latest revolutionary government,
has been the principal source of public
MISUNDERSTANDING reasonable doubt
as to the fullness or reliability Of It's
ACPOAOos AAiC SAINT IcSeTVdClOIlS apply
to information supplied by refugees or
returning travellers.
With all this, 1t is apparent that the
military clique that overthrew and
executed Premier Kassem and his
closest associates last week has secured
its own position for the time being and
that a top priority objective is to rid
the country OF both native and foreign
Communist leadership. There was i'm
mediate evidence, too, that the chiefs
OF the new Notwithstanding as
Col. Abdel Salam Aref, a former associate
Of Gen. Kassem, and a Col. Abdul Karin
Mustafa-have ties Of friendship at
least with the United Arab Republic,
but there is no indication OF affiliation
at government level. Among the
strongest civilian political factions APP
pears to be the Ba'ath Arab Socialist
Party, which also has been anti Com
munist and friendly to the UAR govern
nlent Of President NaSser.
Our own Government has been
prompt In its official recognition OF the
new Baghdad regime. SO have others
Including Britain and the Soviet
Union. It would, at long last, be a boon
to Iraq itself and to the entire Middle
East II this latest OF governments In old
Evening star., 1963-02-15
D. c. Gets Champion

President Kennedy'S recent
actions in behalf of the Dis
trict of Columbia have raised
the hopes Of residents that
our city may soon cease to
be treated as a stepchild of
the Federal Government. If
the Presidents concern can be
translated into action by
Congress, these hopes will be
realized.
The Presidents proposal to
include the District in the
program Of Federal aid to
impacted areas is a long
awaited one. For many years
we have felt that the Dis
trict qualified in every re-
spect for inclusion in this
program. Certainly these
monies will help to provide
a more adequate educa-
ton for our growing student
population. And this we must
do If we are to give our young
people a sense of direction
and hope for the future.
The unique budget message
for the District shows a deep
understanding of our prob
lens and offers sound, real
istic proposals toward their
solution. For the first time
to our knowledge, a Presi-
dent of the United States has
openly and forcefully charged
Congress to meet its full re-
sponsibility to the District.
His proposal for an equitable
Federal payment, related to
the local tax structure, makes
good sense. There can be lit
Tie doubt that a larger Fed
eral payment, based on a
predictable formula is due.
The Presidents further rec
ommendation that the Dis
trict be given a flexible bor-
rowing authority is also
sorely needed. Demands for
school construction and other
facilities are unmet because
OF the lack Of such authority.
Unquestionably the Dis
trict's fiscal problem is to a
great extent directly attribu-
table to the failure by Con-
gress to recognize the Fed
eral Governments response
bility for the financial good
health Of our Nations Capt.
tai. II Congress will take
favorable action on the
PRESIDENTS equitable Federal
payment and flexible borrow
ing proposals. It will afford
the District a means Of sys-
tematically planning for its
growth needs. something It
has been unable to do in the
past.
Frances c. BIacklow,
President, D. c. Congress of
Parents and Teachers.
Evening star., 1963-02-15
Conodion Relations

In Brandon, Manitoba,
Canada, a group Of Brandon
College students burned In ef-
figy President Kennedy, pro-
testing the Presidents "in-
reference" in Canadian
affairs concerning nuclear
ornaments.
All fair-minded Canadians
will regret this unfriendly act
by these irresponsible young
hot-heads and hope that it
will not be taken seriously
by our American friends.
There is altogether too
much publicity given to what
is being called "anti-Ameri-
canism." The truth is that
very few sensible Canadians
are anti-American. Most Of
this is being done by the
Red element who would like
to see our two countries at
loggerheads.
The first time Prime Min
lister Diefenbaker became
ruffled, along with Canadian
military brass, was due to
President Kennedy's action
in the Cuban crisis, when
Canada was not consulted at
all. This last criticism by the
State Department Of Can
ada's defense policy was
taken very seriously by the
Ottawa government as clear
interference in what was
purely a Canadian affair.
There is danger that in
the heat Of the coming
election campaign, s o m e
anti-Americanism may de-
velop, If it could be called
by that name instead of pro-
Canadian. The feeling Of the
Canadian people is that Can
ada should be able to form
its own policies both internal
and external and that bold,
decisive action is needed to
preserve an independent
country.
One of the main gripes is
the domination of Canada's
labor unions by American
union bosses who rule from
Detroit and Washington. Many
Canadians feel that the time
has come for Canada TO stand
on its own two feet. Want
ing to be a Canadian is not
being anti-American.
George w. Chimney,
Brantford, Ontario.
Evening star., 1963-02-15

The Maryland Farm Assess.
ment Act of 1860 makes legal
the assessment of land, for
tax purposes, on its value as
farm land only. rather than
its true speculative value. The
stated purpose Of this act was
to help farmers stay in busi-
ness, close to the metropoli-
tan areas, and by so doing
encourage the preservation
OF open space as an amenity
necessary to human welfare
and happiness" This is GER
tainly worthwhile. Unfortu-
nately, many farmers" and
land spectators In Montgom-
cry County have used this act
to justify low taxes and yet,
at the same time, have ac-
lively opposed any suggestion
that they should accept low
density or agricultural zon-
ing because 1t would prevent
them from developing their
land" In other words. they
are eager to accept low taxes
in exchange for keeping their
land open but they want to
develop their land, too. Most
farms in upper Montgomery
County are zoned for the
smallest size lot allowed for
septic tanks under present
Health Department regula-
tions - 10000 square feet -
less than one-half acre.
The present upper county
opposition 10 the general
plan" Cor any plan) proposed
for MONTGOMERY County by
the Maryland-National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Com
mission stems from the re-
luctance Of landowners TO ac-
cept low-density coming. Ac-
tually. the way things are
now. the majority OF the
county's taxpayers are carry
ing q larger tax load 10 make
UP for the lower taxes being
paid by q minority In the
upper county. Most taxpay-
ers would be quite willing TO
do this II open spaces were
truly being preserved. but
with no restrictions on de-
velopment in the rural areas.
the farmers" and land spec
ulators are being subsidized
and open space is still van
ishing.
In order TO correct this un-
fair situation the Farm AS
sessme ent Act must be
amended TO provide thas In
order 10 qualify for the low
farm assessment q landowner
must accept agricultural zon-
ing for his land. In Mont
gomery County. this would be
the rural agricultural zone
Evening star., 1963-02-15
Taxes and Spending
As a voting, taxpaying citi

No q NOtAAAbg oApay AAB SAbA-
zen, I beg Congress not to
approve any tax "cuts" with
out a definite large reduction
in Government expenditures.
We are hurtling along to ma
tional bankruptcy. The first
step toward the downfall of
many a nation and to the
rise Of many a dictatorship
has been financial irresponsi-
bility followed by collapse.
I reject the theory that
tax reduction will introduce
healthy spending for goods
which will increi sc the re-
sultant taxes paid by manu-
facturers. Actually most
Americans today have only a
small equity in goods and
luxuries they are acquiring
on deferred payment" plans
with outrageous interest
rates. And should they buy
anything with the money
from the proposed tax cut.
1t will no doubt be used as
Just another token down pay
ment on an additional big
debt. How can this be finan-
cially healthy for the citizen.
the family, the manufacturer
or the Government?
Moreover, people with H.
nancial sense would use q tax
cut TO pay off debts they
have already contracted in
stead Of adding to their bur-
den. Or they would put II In
the bank 10 bolster against
involuntary increased spend
ing which will become un-
avoidable by the jnflationary
prices that will follow.
Actually the alleged tax cut
proposals do not appear TO be
really a net cut at all. except
for those In the lower brack-
cts. where curiously enough,
the greatest number OF votes
lie.
II our President really
wants a tax cut he can OBJ
tain II by cutting down Gov
ernment expenses, except
those for national defense.
repressing self-inherens Gov
ernment expansion, abolish
ing unnecessary offices, re-
ducing bureaucratic waste.
and discarding grand designs
10 control our every breath
from school age TO senility.
Then a really healthy tax cut
would practically take care Of
itself.
Alan X. McCracken.
Evening star., 1963-02-15
A BOOK FOR TO-DAY
Armchair Tour of Crown Colony
By DONALD MINTZ

pean standards, it is again a
most prosperous place by the
measure applied in the Far
East.
MR.. GLEASON HAS
roamed about the entire area
which is as rugged as it Is.
small and seen for himself.
He tells the stories of coura-
geous individuals who have
dedicated themselves to refu-
gee work and of ingenious
entrepreneurs who have add
ed to Hong Kong's industrial
base.
Where East meets West, an
assortment of marriage Gus
toms collide. and Mr.. Glea-,
son tells us all about six
different kinds Of marriages
-. all with different prem
ises." the usually simple
question Are you marriedT
when fully answered in Hong
Kong. may take a consider
able amount of the inquirer's
time"
Mr.. Gleason has q good
crisp, journalistic style and
a taste for facts. He has q
sense Of humor which some
times turns to gentle sar-
casm-at the expense Of the.
West. not the East. The ira
ditional fishing Junk is rap
idly being adapted to modern
technology. and sailing ves-
sells are disappearing. Many
Westerners," says Mr.. Glea-
son, seeing this upheaval in
the fine, free life Of the fish
erman, deplore the passing Of
the old ways. The fishermen,
always quicker at grabbing
for prosperity than in cling
ing to romantic illusions, are
moving forward at top speed
without a thought to their
suddenly disappearing past"
Hong Kong" sets out to be
amusing and informative. It
is both. One could hardly ask
more.
Evening star., 1963-02-15
HELPING Castro

It's been a long time since we've
read anything feebler than the dis
chalmers by the President and by Paul
G. Hoffman with respect to the United
Nations project to bolster Fidel Castro's
Communist Cuba.
Mr.. Kennedy brushed off the matter
by telling his news conference that no
United States dollars are going to Cuba,
which is an equivocation. Mr.. Hoffman,
managing director Of the u. N. Special
Fund said the same thing, and added
that maybe Castro won't benefit in the
long run.
Maybe not But the undeniable fact
is that the Special Fund, which gets
40 per cent of its money from the United
States, proposes to put up $1,157 800 to
be spent through the U. N. Food and
Agricultural Organization to help Cuba's
farm economy.
This isn't much money as things
go these days. But 1t still is more than
a million dollars, and to say they are
not American dollars is to quibble about
bookkeeping transaction. AS long as
the United States puts up 40 per cent
of the Special Fund money in contrib
utes indirectly to the U. N. Cuban
investment-an investment which Mr..
Hoffman has authorized on trial basis
despite reported strenuous objections
from the State Department.
Meanwhile, it is disclosed that
another U. N. organization, UNESCO,
which gets S1.46 per cent of its funds
from the State Department, put up the
money last year to pay for publication
of a RuSsian-written brochure which
denounceS "colonialiSt oppression" by
the Western nations and praises the
Soviet Union as "a brotherhood of free
and equal peoples"
Well, as someone has said, it's a
dizzy world. Mr.. Hoffman claims he is
confident that Congress will not take
any reprisals against U. NJ funds, and
he may be right. For Congress has
demonstrated remarkable capacity to
take it" when it comes to Shelling out
American dollars for dubious ventures
around the world. And so has the
American taxpayer But there must be
a limit somewhere, and this aid to-
Castro foolishness ought to show us
where it is.
Evening star., 1963-02-15
silly BiH,

The letter to The Star by
Carl L. Shipley, dealing with
the Army engineer officer on
the Board of Commissioners
since the organic law Of
June IL, 1878, impels me to
call attention to the article
on Pages 81 to 95 Of the pub
lished records Of the Colum-
bia Historical Society, Wash
ington, D. c., 1957-59. Brig.
Gen. Richard L. Hoxie, U. 8.
Army, 1861-1930."
Mr.. Shipley refers to the
opposition Of Congressman
Townshend Of Illinois in 1878
to the idea of having an
Army engineer on the Dis
trict Board of Commission
ers. But he does not tell the
other side of the story.
Namely that Congressman j.
C. s. Blackburn of Kentucky
on Page 1925 Of the Congress
sional Record Of the same
date, March 20, 1878, gave
rather eloquent expression as
to the reasons for selecting
an Army engineer to serve on
the Board Of Commissioners.
History shows that his rea-
sons prevailed.
The Star editorial Of jan
uary %, 1868, SILLY Bill"
commended the action Of
the Committee of 100 on the
Federal City in defeating a
recommendation of q small
group in this committee
providing for three civilian
District Commissioners and
dispensing with the appoint
ment of an Engineer Com
missioner. The editorial said
lover the years, the Nations
Capital has benefited tre-
mendously from the talents
of the military officers who
have served as Engineer
Commissioner" AS a District
official from 1919 to 1857,
when I retired, I can testify
to accuracy of the editorial
in saying that almost with
out exception. they have
proved to be competent,
honest and dedicated ad-
miniStrators."
Roland M. Brennan.
Evening star., 1963-02-15

(R-A) or two-acre minimum
lot size.
1t is unfair to the other
taxpayers of Montgomery
County for speculative land
owners Of the county to have
their cake and eat it too"
H. b. Atkinson, jr.
Z Germantown, Md.