davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-05
WHITEHURST JOB
CLOSES FREEWAY
OVER WEEK END

The Whitehurst freeway
will be closed until 5 am.
Monday to allow workmen
to pour concrete for APP
proaches from the Potomac
River freeway.
The road was closed at
7 o'clock last night. catch
ing hundreds Of motorists
by surprise. Police from
the seventh precinct were
called out to reroute the
blocked traffic.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-05

Francis c. Scruggs yesterday
was exonerated by q coroner's
Jury Of blame in the fatal shoot
ing Of his wife, Dorothy, in their
fashionable Northwest WASH
ingtoYl home q week ago.
The six-man jury returned a
verdict Of accidental death after
celebrating half an hour at an
inquest. Mr.. Scruggs, a So
year-old real estate man, had
been charged with second de-
gree murder.
The husband, who sat quiet
and composed with his lawyers
and his two sons, Allen, 20, and
Francis, jr., %, during testimony
today, bowed his head for q
moment and appeared to brush
away q tear when the verdict
was returned.
Key testimony was given by
Mrs. Katherine e. Lyman, Of
1909 Harrison street NV, who
made 1t clear that the 48-year-
old Mrs. Scruggs at no time
complained in a climactic tele-
phone call that Mr.. Scruggs
had been beating her. Under
questioning by Mr., Scruggs'
attorney, Edward Bennett VIII
liams, Mrs. Lyman related the
discussion she was having with
Mrs. Scruggs when the CONVEX
sation was cut short by the
fatal shot.
Wife Threatened to Kill
Mrs. Lyman took the stand
to testify that she had received
a phone call from Mrs. Scruggs
about IL pm. last Friday. She
quoted Mrs. Scruggs as say
ing, I'm going to do it. I'm
going to do it. I'm going to
kill him If he touches me. He
won't give me my freedom"
Under questioning by Mr.
Williams, Mrs. Lyman said she
heard Mr.. Scruggs say in the
background, Don't point that
gun at me- I never used the
word beat or hit which they
quoted in the papers and II
should be retracted."
Mrs. LYMAN said Mrs
Scruggs told her. IT have a CUR
in my hand and I'm going tC
kin him If he touches me-" Al
no time did Mrs. Scruggs say
her husband had hit her, Mrs
Lyman testified.
Mr.. williams asked If Mrs
Scruggs had a drinking prob.
lem. Mrs. Hyman replied tina
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
THE NATIONAL SCENE
Anew Steel Crisis
With a Difference

The major steel companies
last week followed Wheeling's
lead in raising prices on some
of their products. President
Kennedy praised their restraint
and urged the United Steel
workers to be conservative in
their wage demands.
There's an old saying which
goes something like this: 1T amt
what you do, it's the way that
you do it,"
The major steel companies of
the United States and President
Kennedy can attest to the wis
dom of the colloquialism, If events
of the last 10 days are any guide.
With the bitter and unfortunate
1862 conformation between the
industry and the White House
very much in mind, both sides met
the latest steel price issue in a
spirit of restraint and compro-
mise, however reluctant it might
have been, and have, accordingly,
averted what might have been a
new crisis in Government bust
ness relations.
Unlike last year, when the
United States Steel Corp, the Ma
TONS largest producer of the
metal. bluntly announced an
across-the-board price increase of
Sc ton, followed by similar rises
by nearly all the other major pro-
ducers. the moves this year were
staggered and the increases Selec-
tive-that is, the prices of all steel
products were not advanced.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
IndWiduuIism

While there was the suspicion
of concerted action by most of the
big companies in 1862, the an
nouncements over the last week or
two Of individual and varying
hikes indicated that each COM
pany had based its action on its
own profit and sales situation.
Moreover, the White House had
no reason-as it felt it had in
1962-to feel that the companies
had misled 1t into believing that
they planned no price increases.
Thus, when the Wheeling Steel
Corp, the Nations 18th ranking
steelmaking company, unblinking-
ly announced on April 9 that it
was raising prices an average of
Sc a ton on about go per cent
of its products, the President
studied the situation most care
fully. Forty hours later he issued
a statement in which he again
warned against across-the-board
action, but in which he condoned
"Selective" rises.
The big companies did not i'm
mediately Jump into the act with
price-i announcements.
But after what must have been
a great deal of counseling within
individual firms, the induStry's
Easter Parade of price rises began
on Easter Monday.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
u. S. Steel Move

United States Steel Chg Steel,
the one everyone was waiting for,
announced on Tuesday, following
Lukens' and Republics earlier
moves. All Of the other major
producers Joined in by mid-week
even Armco and Inland, the
sixth and eighth ranking COM
panies, whose refusal to hike
prices last year In the face of
Mr.. Kennedy's ferocious opposi-
ton contributed to the rollback
by the others.
The President, meanwhile, kept
his own counsel until Friday
when he spoke to a meeting here
of the American Society Of News
paper Editors. He did not men,
ton the steel price situation in
his formal address. but he was
prepared for the subject when 1t
came up during the question:
answer period. He was concilia-
tory and almost cordial.
THE steel industry, 1t seems to
me, has acted with some restraint
In this case" he said.
The President observed that the
selective price rises came to an
average Of about / per cent and
just about restored a l per cent
decline since 1859. (The industry
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21

distorted" the substance Of inter-
views he had with Government
officials. denying he had been
promised an invasion.
The note emphasized the United
States would not have matters Of
war and peace decided by anyone
but the Government and the peo-
pie Of this country. This was a
reminder that the hit-and-run at
tacks were banned because Of a
fear that a Soviet counter-attack
might eventually have to be an
swered by American forces. =
The President fatty denied
DR.. Miro Cardona's statement
that he had promised an invasion.
Speaking to the newspaper editors
on Friday, Mr.. Kennedy said
quite obviously" nobody had
made such a commitment. An in
vasion, he said. would be a mis-
take.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Laos:
Showdown

Prince SOuvanna PhOuma
called upon Great Britain and
the Soviet Union last week for
immediate intervention to stop
the pro- Communist attacks on
neutralist troops in Laos. Britain
and the Soviet Union were CO.
chairmen OF the Laos peace con-
ference held In Geneva last year.
Shortly after Laos neutrality
was guaranteed by the 14-nation
Geneva conference last summer.
Prince Souvanna Phouma. the
premier Of Laos, visited Washing
ton on a combined business-cour-
teSy mission.
At an impromptu press con-
ference In the Laotian embassy.
Prince Souvanna was asked by
skeptical reporters whether he
really thought an alliance with the
Communists would endure. The
Geneva treaty had called for an
indignation of the rival provost
ern. neutralist, and Commu-
mist factions:
Give me a few months" the
Prince said, land Ill be able TO
tell you"
It is now nine months since
the IA nations signed the Declara-
ton on the Neutrality of Laos. The
carefully-constructed peaceful edi-
flee in Southeast Asia seems TO be
crumbling. Once again fighting
has broken out in Laos. The al
lance, the Prince admitted last
week. is not working.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Three Armies

Ever since the treaty. three diff
ferent armies have co-existed In
Laos. even though the pact called
for their Indignation into one
force TO be headed by Prince Sou
wanna Phouma himself. They are:
THE RIGHT WING ARMY:
Headed by Gen. Phoumi Nosavan,
these troops - once numbering
about $4,000. we're the official
government forces under the
United States recognized Boun
Gum government. They were Amer
lcan-trained and armed. but proved
no match for the neutralist-
Pathet Lao coalition that forced
the United States 10 seek a neu-
tralized Laos. This force has not
been involved in the present con-
flict. and controls the key cities
Of Laos and much OF the SOUTH
east area.
THE NEUTRAL ARMY: Headed
by Captain Kong lie. this group is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
THE WEEK IN PERSPECTIVE
Cuba: A Policy Of Restraint

DIR. Jose Miro CardOna, head
Of the Cuban exile Revolution
airy Council, resigned last week,
charging that the United States
had reneged on a promise to
liberate Cuba by military means.
On the second anniversary Of
the Bay of Pigs invasion, the
Kennedy administration is still
looking for a way to bring down
the Castro government, rid Cuba
Of Communism, and expel the So
Wet Union from the hemisphere.
These were the same goals
which prompted the April, 1861
assault, but the administration
now is confident 1t can achieve
these ends without the use Of an
armed invasion. a blockade, or
other military means.
Instead, 1t has chosen to sur
round and isolate Cuba with q
wall of dedicated men" in
President Kennedy'S phrase. Sec
rotary of State Rusk outlined the
main lines of the administrators
non-intervention policies at the
Society Of Newspaper Editors
convention In Washington on
Thursday:
/. Prohibit the re-entry of So
Wet offensive weapons into Cuba
by keeping a close aerial check on
Cuban ports and airfields. This
has been in effect since the mis-
sile crisis last fall, when the
United States and the Soviet
Union agreed on the terms for
Soviet withdrawal of missiles.
2. Make clear there Is mo future
for Cuba under the present re-
gime" because the Communist
government is cut off economical
ly and politically from the rest Of
the hemisphere. 1t Is said to cost
the Soviet Union q million dollars
a day to support Cuba.
8. Halt the spread Of funds and
men to and from Cuba which are
intended to spread subversion in
the rest Of the hemisphere.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Exile Anger

The recent breakdown by the
Government on sporadic hit-and-
run raids by Cuban exile groups
further famed resentment In Mi
ami. The anger was directed not
only against Washington. but
against the Cuban Revolutionary
Council, the official" representa-
tive body Of Cubans. recognized
and financed by Washington.
The Council was set UP in March,
1861, before the Bay Of Pigs inva-
sion to serve as a political arm OF
the invasion force. DR.. Miro Car
dona, former Cuban Premier. the
first - and until Thursday - its
only president. was to head the
provisional government In Cuba II
the invasion succeeded.
During the last two years. DR..
Miro Cardona rightly or wrongly
had expected another invasion.
The White Houses determination
not TO use military means led TO
O profound disagreement with DR..
Miro Cardona.
When Cuban exiles enormously
blamed DR.. Miro Cardona for sup
porting Washingtons policy
against raids, he felt he could no
longer remain silent.
In q $500 word memorandum
issued on Thursday, together with
his resignation, DR.. Miro Cardona
said the United States was build
Ing UP communism In Cuba and
in the hemisphere by not invading
Cuba now. He predicted the So
Wet Union would not defend Cuba
in case OF attack. He said he had
been promised another invasion
by Mr.. Kennedy and Mr.. Rusk as
long ago as May. 1861.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21

had not raised its prices since
1859.
Mr.. Kennedy made 1t clear, too,
that he felt that the modest in
creases would not cause initiation
so long as unemployment is high
and factories are operating below
capacity. At the same time, he
called upon steel users, particu-
larly automobile makers, to alb
sorb the rises and again urged
the steelworkers to use restraint
in their wage demands. The
union probably will reopen con-
tract negotiations on May /.
The President expressed a hope
that the steel industry also would
reduce some prices soon. This
could happen if foreign competi-
ton gets sitter and If some steel
consumers turn to alternative
metals, such as aluminium. There
is also the factor of intra indus
try competition. Last Friday, Re-
public rescinded a $4.50-a-ton
hike on steel plate it announced
on Monday when neither United
States Steel nor Bethlehem fol-
lowed suit.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21

duced the heroic stature Of Fidel
Castro to that of another r e d
puppet in the eyes of most Latin
Americans.
Secretary Rusk said these poll
cies are serious, sustained, and
effective" Mr.. Kennedy added his
support on Friday when he adj
dressed the editors.
This non intervention policy
has been bitterly received by the
Cuban exiles in this country. now
numbering more than 100000. The
exiles - like exiles from 9TH er
Communist countries - believe
the United States is aiding COM
munism by "co-existing" with 1t.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Passive Policy

Mr.. Kennedy tried to reduce
the friction with the exile COM
munity by expressing doubt that
Mr.. Castso would last another
five years. But again, his policy
was the same passive one which
has drawn criticism:
II can't indicate the roads by
which there will be a change but
/ have seen enough OF change in
the last is years to make me feel
that time will see Cuba free
again"
The administration feels that
an invasion would be a quite
costly venture, with many thou
sands OF Americans likely TO be-
come casualties. Moreover. the
conuuering OF Cuba would not
necessarily reduce communism In
the hemisphere, the administra-
ton believes. since 1t would give
Castroism a martyrdom that
would last for years. And despite
the exiles' statements TO the con-
trary. the administration is not
sure that Russia would take such
an invasion lying down.
Ironically. the United States
troubles with the exile community
conceded with an effort by the
Soviet Union 10 improve its Gu
ban relations. cool since last falls
withdrawal OF missiles without Mr..
Castro's approval.
on Cuban Solidarity Day - In
honor OF the Bay Of Pigs VIC
tory - Premier Khrushchev in
vited Mr.. Castro TO Moscow for q
state visit later this year which
was Immediately accepted by the
Cuban leader. In what seemed 10
be a competition Of sorts. both
Moscow and Picking devoted con-
siderable press coverage and public
speeches TO extolling the virtues
OF the Cuban leadership.
Some experts In the State De-
partment believe one reason the
Soviet Union has been removing
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Thresher:
Mystery Still

A naval task force continued
its hunt for the lost nucIear
submarine Thresher last week
as a court of inquiry heard Of
the ships mechanical difficult
ties just before its last voyage.
The mystery Of the loss Of the
Nays nuclear-powered submarine
USS Thresher, with 129 men
aboard on April 10 may never be
solved with any finality. AS a
matter of fact, the mystery has
been deepening.
Unlike the Squalls disaster of
1899. there are no survivors to
interrogate, no salvaged wreck to
inspect. This double handicap
could make 1t exceedingly diff
cult to establish with certainty
the cause of the Thresher disaster
the worst In submarine history.
Last week, a naval task force
pressed its effort to locate the
sunken submarine. which failed to
come UP after a test dive 225 miles
Continued ON Page CO
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Near East:
Arab Nation

Egyptian, Syrian and Iraai
leaders agreed In principle last
week 10 the formation Of n fed
eral United Arab Republic.
The dream OF most Arabs for
years has been a powerful Arab
nation. formed from the many
smaller states that make up
North Africa and the Middle East
"a first rate power" one leader
said last week, where we are now
all second or third rate powers"
The leading figure In the mod
ern campaign for the Arab ma
ton has been Canal Abdel Mas
ser, President Of the United Arab
Republic. Ironically. II is Mr.. Mas
ser. an Egyptian. who has awak-
ened "Arabness" In the masses OF
Continued ON Page ca
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21

the smallest OF the three, but is
believed 10 be well-trained. IN
til last weeks fighting, Kong Les
forces held the area between thu
northern Pathet LAO controlled
provinces, and the central right.
wing-held provinces. The fight
ing has forced the 5000 troops Il
retreat into a pocket in the Plain,
des Jarres. the strategic gatewa.
to southern Laos.
THE PATHET LAO. Loyal T.
pro-Communist Prince Soupha
nouvong. the Pathet Lao number
about 10000, and is aided by Nortl
Wet Nam cadres illegally II
Laos, They have been supplied
by the Soviet Union and Rec
China. A victory by the Pathe
lao over the neutralists woulC
undoubtedly bring a direct con-
formation between the pro-Com-
munist and pro-Western forces
and a full-scale civil war again
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Pact Jeopurdized

The renewed fighting has grave
international implications. It
means that a carefully arrived at
big power agreement is in jeop-
ardy. Graver yet, is the fact that
Laos was one area which the
United States and the Soviet
Union agreed to remove from the
cold war battlefield. The Soviet
Union, in fact, is a co-chairman
with Great Britain Of the Geneva
meeting.
From the start, the Laotian set
Element was the best Of q bad
situation for the United States.
Faced with the military reality
that the pro-Western forces could
not win control Of the country,
the Kennedy administration de-
cided to seek the naturalization
of the country.
This met with the approval Of
Mr.. Khrushchev as long ago as the
Vienna. June, 1861. meeting with
Mr.. Kennedy. Probably. Mr..
Khrushchev did not want to run
the risk of a nuclear war develop
ing from an area Of peripheral
concern to the Soviet Union. 1t
is doubtful. however. II the Chi
nese or North Wet Nam 'elt the
same way as Mr.. Khrushchev.
President Kennedy and other
top officials have been mapping
plans in case the rupture Is not
repaired. Undoubtedly. Mr.. Ken
nedy will call on Premier Khru-
shchev to live up to his end Of
the bargain and try TO call off
the Pathet Lao.
One nagging problem In WASH
ington Is how much control does
the Soviet Union WELD over the
Pathet Lao. In light Of the Sino-
Soviet split. many observers fear
that the Pathet Lao may be re-
ceiving its instructions from the
Chinese or the North Wet Nam
both OF whom are opposed TO
the Soviet Union in their current
party rift.
Thus. observers have noted q
certain embarrassment In Mos
COW as a result Of the new fight
ing. Only a few months ago,
Moscow was backing the Souvanna
Phouma government; now It finds
1t under attack from the Chinese.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
What May Happen

BY these means, the Govern
ment believes the following will
eventually happen:
. The Soviet Union will withdraw
its military forces from Cuba
since they no longer serve any
important logistic function.
o DisSident elements In Cuba,
possibly in the army, may revolt
against the Castro government. In
case Of civil war, the United States
has promised to prevent an Amer
lean Hungary" - thus, American
forces would be sent to help de-
feat the Communist forces.
o Other Latin American countries
will Join with the United States
in the Alliance for Progress to cut
the roots Of dissatisfaction that
breed communism.
As the administrations critics
have charged, these policies are
passive. They do not invisage the
United States doing anything pos
tive to bring down Castro. If the
Russians do not withdraw their
1900 troops, we will not force
them out. If there is no revolt in
Cuba. we will not invade on our
own.
1.-THE latest such critic was for
mer Vice President Nixon who
charged yesterday that the risks
Of inaction are far greater than
the risks Of action" Mr.. Nixon
said the Government should do all
that is necessary to force "the
removal of the Soviet beachhead"
from Cuba. Mr.. Nixon's comments
recalled the 1860 presidential cam
paign when Mr.. Kennedy was all
for "unleashing" the Cuban exiles,
and Mr.. Nixon was for restraint
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Question

The question might be asked:
Why. If Mr.. Kennedy really did
not believe the price increases
were necessary - the production
costs are no higher today than
they were last April-did he not
choose to fight them?
The answer is probably many
sided. 1t has already been noted
that there was no feeling this
time that he had been double
crossed by "a tiny handful of steel
executives" Additionally, the
head-on collision last year
touched off a crisis of business
confidence and undoubtedly was
a factor In the precipitous decline
OF the stock market.
There was also a good deal Of
feeling that the President had ex-
ceeded his lawful authority in fore
ing the price rollback. Finally.
Mr.. Kennedy presumably learned
that he could not count on some
major companies refusing this
time to hold the price line in the
face of another year Of declining
profits.
But this is not to say that the
steel industry won any large VIC
tory. The President again as
serted the public interest in the
pricing policies Of this bellwether
industry and the industry, by its
cautious approach, seemed to
acknowledge tacitly the validity Of
this interest.
The public may soon get more
facts and background data on the
steel industry's price and profit
picture. Senator Douglas, chair
man Of the Senate-House Eco
nomic Committee, announced on
Monday that his group would be-
gin "nonpartisan, impartial and
factual" hearings on the matter
this week.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Peace Appeals

Prince Souvanna Phouma ha
tried for 10 days to halt the fight
ing by making appeals to Prince
Souphanouvong, whose forces ar,
accused Of starting the curren
strife three weeks ago-after lef
leaning Foreign Minister QUINN
Pholsena was asSassinated by hi
neutralist bodyguard for his pro-
Communist tendencies.
According to the Geneva &C
cord, an international team
Poles, Canadians, and Indians 1,
supposed to police Laos, try to de-
tect and expel illegal foreign
troops. and try to mediate con-
flicts.
The team has been hampered
by the unwillingness Of the Pa
tibet Lao to allow 1t into Their
northern areas, bordering on
China and North Wet Nam.
Once the fighting started
Prince Souvanna Phouma flew to
the PLANE des Jarres to effect a
cease fire, but the agreement
broke down "a hours later. This
so angered the Premier that he
openly accused the pro- Communist
forces last week of trying to de-
stroy the neutralistS and extend
their control over more parts OF
Laos.
Apparently, the Pathet Lao has
tried since last summer to sub
vert Kong Les forces and take
control without fighting - even
assassinating some of Kong Les
aides. But when this failed to
win the neutral forces over en-
masse (some attachments have
gone over the strife broke out.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Policy Basis

The reason for this is that the
administration believes Cuba is a
negligible threat to the hemi-
sphere now. The Soviet offensive
weapons have been withdrawn, re-
moving the military threat. The
Soviet presence in Cuba has re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-21
Washington Reply

The State Department had asked
DR.. Miro Cardona not TO issue the
statement since II would increase
the alienation Of the exiles from
the White House. But on Monday.
three days before the statement
was TO be released, the State De-
partment issued rejoinder say
ing that DR.. Miro Cardona had