davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
Quiet

A newspaper headline reported "all
quiet" as Vivian Malone, Negro girl,
signed up this week for fall classes
at the University of Alabama. Accord
ing to the Associated Press, Miss Malone
was treated almost cordially" What
ever this may mean, it is in notable
contrast to the scene in Tuscaloosa
last June, when Governor Wallace made
a spectacle of himself by standing in
the door" in a futile effort to bar the
girl and a Negro man from the uni
versity.
One has a feeling in the bones
that this sort of thing is behind us,
that never again will a Governor
Wallace be found standing in any door
in an attempt to deny lawful entry to
Negro. And while this, of itself, is
a small thing it may prove to be a
great deal more significant than one
might think. For 1t could mean that a
corner has been turned in the struggle
for equal treatment under law, that the
time has passed when a Governor or
other local official will risk the con-
sequences Of defying authority and
thereby melting others to do the same.
If this proves to be the case, the
struggle for equal treatment will, of
course, still be far from finished. The
discovery Of their errors by men in
public life will not bring an immediate
or even an early end to racial diScrimi-
nation. But it would be a change of
great Importance For example and
precept have much to do with shaping
public attitudes. When officials respect
and obey the law, the people tend to
do likewise. And the converse, Of course,
is also true.
So 1t may we'll be that a decisive
turn has been taken. And If so, though
1t is not an easy thing to say, last
Sundays tragic bombing in Birming-
ham, more than any other thing, has
brought about this result. Four in
nocent children were killed in that
CHASTITY affair. But maybe the elderly
Negro woman, tanning herself at the
damned funeral service, was right when,
according to our Mary McGrory, she
said: Seems like those children had
to die so something could be changed"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
TRADING Stamps

In The Star of September
IL, there was an article on
the Stamp Act. I agree that
trading stamps will disappear
one day but not all people
will be glad to see them go.
Some folks earn only enough
for the dire necessities of liv-
ing, like food, gas for their
auto and home utilities and
in purchasing these items
they will buy in the place
that gives stamps. This in
turn enables people to trade
these stamps for a luxury
item that they would not
ordinarily buy or couldn't
otherwise afford. Then we
have the business end Of the
deal. If the business man
can see an increase in his
business through these re-
demption stamps, he's go
ing to go for it in a big way.
I believe this is the main rea-
son for such stamps today.
Roy Stein
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20

If the Soviet government is now paying
attention to the Russian man in the
street and if it feels impelled to start
paying attention to his everyday needs
as a human being, the Western world
has reason to be encouraged. For this
is one of the developmentS-one of the
most important of all-that could bring
about a genuine thaw in the cold war;
In that sense, politically speaking, the
Canadian wheat deal may prove to
be bigger than the record it has
set as a dollars-an commercial
transaction.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20

The Kremlin'S wheat deal with
Canada is the biggest thing of its kind
In hiStory-a purchase of over 200
million bushels, at a price of almost
half a billion dollars, for delivery within
the next IL months. The magnitude of
the transaction leaves no room for doubt
that poor weather, combined with the
basic inefficiency of collectivized farm
ing, has made this an exceedingly bad
agricultural year for the Soviet Union
and its European satellites.
These satellites will receive a sub
stantial part of the wheat the Kremlin
has contracted for. What the American
people will be especially interested in,
however, is the fact that 1876 million
bushels Of the total will 60 to Cuba in
Soviet ships. Senator Heating has been
quick to assail this as "a shocking
breach" of hemisphere efforts to isolate
and undermine Fidel CaStro's puppet
Red tyranny. Actually, though, the
State Department-which had advance
information of the deal from official
Canadian sources-haS raised no objec-
VIVID w AI' AHuSeuJ VII HUMANITARIAN
grounds, our country has made 1t a
matter OF general policy not to oppose
food or medicinal shipments to enemy
lands.
In any case, the Canadians, who
have also been shipping a great amount
OF wheat to Communist China, are their
own masters, Of course, and the United
States would therefore be placing itself
in thoroughly awkward position II 1t
sought to bring pressure to bear against
their sovereign right to undertake such
things as their wheat deal with the
Soviets. The deal, as matter of fact,
has a number Of encouraging implica-
tons in 1t. Thus, as The Stars Bernard
Gwertzman has observed in his inter-
pretive report, 1t suggests that the
Kremlin-which in the past has callous-
ly let the Russian masses get along on
very thin diet in bad crop years-now
seems intent upon catering to their
wants, at least up to a point. And this
in turn suggests that public opinion is
beginning to make itself felt in the
highest echelons Of the USSR.
Which is all to the good Certainly,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20

apparent red-ink national
balance.
The essence Of Republican
doctrine. however, Is that
spending, in times Of large
deficits, is automatically and
always bad because it tends
to kindle initiation and, In
general. to encourage loose
ness and responsibility, in
office and outside office.
And, speaking of differ
ences, there is another and
an immensely practical one.
The Republican Party, as 1t
has just demonstrated In the
huge and solid party front
1t has been able to raise UP
in the House, is consistent
ly capable Of reconciling all
its wings-right, left. center
to a fierce unity where fis-
cal matters are concerned.
Democrats Not Disciplined
Given a like degree Of DEM
ocratic unity and Mr.. Ken
nedy would have his battle
won already. On this, how
ever, he cannot for a mo-
ment depend. For the Demo-
cratic troops, though nu-
merically stronger, are never
in such issues so dependably
disciplined as are the Re-
publican troops glazing cold
ly from the ramparts Of a
common cause commonly ac-
cepted as wise-and, in this
case. also as politically neces-
sary.
For what is, finally, in
volved here is a major effort
to create an all-G. o. P. case
against President Kennedy
for 1864 case on which
almost any conceivable Re-
publican presidential nomi-
nee could stand without dis
comfort or painful yes-buts.
They are going after the
President on the cry of "fis-
cal responsibility" He
knows it; and he is going
after them on the charge that
they are endangering tax re-
lief for the American people.
The whole affair has q
good nostalgia smell about
it. Here is no infinitely
tricky and mortal problem
about Wet Nam or the nu-
clear treaty where so many
politicians, on both sides,
are arguing within them
selves as well as with others.
Here is that most satisfying
thing, a thing Of bread and
potatoes, into which all can
sink their teeth without wor-
rying about q world far
away. The antagonists, in
deed, proceed to the combat in
with a certain relish; for this
is, at the end, the classic
form of partisan combat in
American politics.
o 1893
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
Thinning FIocks

There is no way Of esti-
mating the number of birds
and bird nests that have been
destroyed by the Virginia
Electric Co. and the Tele-
phone Co. or both by their
program Of killing weeds
through use of poison chemi-
calls. Along mile after mile
of the Virginia highways can
be seen the dried and brown
leaves Of trees and bushes
killed by their poisons. These
hedgerows are naturally the
favorite nesting place OF
many birds because they are
little disturbed by the farm
operations.
1t is the practice Of the
utility companies to wait I'M
til the spring growth is at its
fullest. for then the poison is
most effective. But that is
the very time the birds have
built their nests and have
Matched their young. There
is no doubt but that the birds
are being killed off by this
action. A few years ago I
saw as many as so blue birds
at one time during the mi
grating season. Last year I
saw none and this year Just
three. / have had as many
as four wren families nesting
in little houses in the yard,
but none stayed out this
summer. I found the body Of
a little brown wren in one OF
the houses. 1t appears that
she had been poisoned and
had come home TO die.
OF course thoughtless
farmers and gardeners con-
tribute to the slaughter, but
the utility companies have
little or no excuse except ig-
norance or greed for their
part in the destruction. Must
this continue7
Joseph b. Deming
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
Taking q Chance

Your editorial Taking a
Chance" emphasizes the
very real problem of the
number Of escapes from st.
Elizabeths Hospital Of per-
sons committed there after
verdicts Of acquittal by rea-
son Of insanity. You begin
by noting that our Court Of
Appeals in its 1854 Durham
decision wanted to harmon
lie the defense of insanity
in criminal cases in WASH
ington with modern PSYCHE
atric concepts. You go on to
note that st. Elizabeths has
maximum security facilities
for about 375 patients while
there are about AIS others
who should be in maximum
security rather than in me-
dunn security wards.
If the Durham decision has
helped create this situation
as 1t has-then there are two
obvious alternative solutions.
Congress can either %
abolish the Durham rule or
(2) it can appropriate enough
money to provide maximum
security for the 425 patients
now In medium security
facilities.
These are the obvious al
tentative solutions. ID. M,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
LETTERS TO THE STAR

Pen names may be used II
letters carry tDriters' correct
names and addresses. All let
tiers are subject to condensG-
ton. Those not used ,DiH be
returned only i0hen accom-
panied BY self = addressed
stamped envelopes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
Our Crowded World

Ane III uIClpIe birth at
A Aberdeen, s. Oak, has
been hailed with such en-
thusiasm around the world
that the Man from Mars,
reading or listening to the
flood Of news on the subject.
would assume that we were
an underpopulated planet
striving to produce people by
the litter.
He would never dream that
in most Of the undede-
veloped countries Of Earth
population Is increasing
faster than food supply and
that the massive increase In
people without relation to
resources for their support
poses q threat to freedom
and peace that is of serious
concern to most nations, in.
GLIDING our own.
About 1880 our world
population reached one bill
lion people. 1t required only
a century to add the second
billion - around 1890. It
took less than IS years to
add the third billion and II
the present rate Of increase
continues, in the next Is
years there will be another
billion people-most of them
in countries now receiving
United States aid. This crop
OF mers would be
greater than the total num-
Der Of people living today
In all the countries Of Eu-
rope and North and South
America.
1t is appalling to contem-
plate the problems of feeding
that many more mouths,
clothing. housing and edu-
eating that many more peo-
pie. The resulting human
misery and social tension
would inevitably lead to
chaos. strife. revolutions and
wars.
So the Man from Mars
could be excused for raising
his eyebrows and Struggling
his shoulders in desperation
Of understanding the para
dox where, on the one hand
the leaders Of nations wrestle
with the problems of human
misery generated by the
birth Of babies TO those UNI
able to support them. and on
the other hand proclaiming
as a matter Of national pride
the birth Of quintuplets to
parents already struggling
to support five other chill
dren on SIS a week.
Marguerite Synder
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
THE PASSING SCENE
OId-Foshioned Fight Over Taxes

A smashing, old-fashioned
and homely political fight,
free on either side Of all the
Subtleties and self doubts
that foreign policy questions
nearly always bring, is now
Joined between President
Kennedy and the Republi-
cans In Congress.
The issue is not the Presi-
dents $11 billions-a-year tax
cutting program, as such, but
rather whether this should
be undertaken without abso-
lutte guarantees Of sharp re-
auctions In Federal spend
ing.
The Republicans in the
House Of Representatives
want to suspend the eff
fectiveness of tax reduction
unless and until the Presi-
dents budget message of
next January puts Federal
expenditures at no higher
than $97 billions in the cur
rent fiscal year and no higher
than 500 billion in the next
fiscal year starting next
July.
Mr.. Kennedy, on his side,
has promised to end any "un-
necessary" spending and to
take "a course Of true fiscal
responsibility" He has not
been willing, however, to be
tied in the way his opposi-
ton wishes to tie him.
All this looms as the great
est bread and potatoes
struggle between a President
and congressional critics
since, in 1913, a Republican
Congress passed q tax-cut-
ting bill over the objections
Of the then Democratic Pres
ident, Harry s. Truman.
Those who complain that
there seems little difference
between the Republican and
Democratic parties would do
well to watch this contest.
For it will clearly show that
there is, indeed, one enduring
difference, as old as, say, the
year 1898 and as current as
1868 and 1864. This differ
ence concerns dollars and
cents, and 1t involves, as no
other public question does,
two distinct public philoso-
phies.
Deficit Spending's Good Side
Democratic doctrine, but for
a powerful and able set Of
untypical Southern fiscal
conservatives, essentially ar
CUES that government spend
ing, sometimes even when
tied to growing deficits, is
not in itself necessarily an
evil. The contention is that
deficit spending may so pro-
mote the general economy,
when associated with tax re-
duction, as to bring In rev.
enues quite large enough
more than to offset q merely
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
Aid as an Ak

The rebellion against the
foreign aid program appears
to be getting out of line,
particularly so with some
Southern Senators who are
using it as an ak against
civil rights.
No Republican or Demo-
crat can guarantee that
every dollar spent for for
eign aid will bring about the
desired result. A percentage
OF our investments will be
misdirected and end I'D in
the wrong hands. However.
this and other material sac
rifices we might make should
be considered insignificant
to the possible loss of our
international friends and
security.
Herbert SOmmerS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
A BOOK FOR TODAY
Life of a Celebrated Composer
By DONALD MINTZ

that "a Calm Sea and a
Prosperous Voyage" is not
outdoor summer concert fare,
and he devotes considerable
discussion to the violent and
rarely heard First Walpurgis
Night"
The biography, however,
is an extremely dangerous
book for the layman looking
for a good introduction to
MendelSsohn.
Indeed 1t is only part BIZ
ography; some Of it is virtu-
ally fiction. Despite the foot
notes, it is not always easy
to tell the two apart.
The book, moreover, is not
chronologically arranged, and
it is unlikely that anyone
will come away from 1t with
a clear outline Of Mendels-
sohn's career in mind.
The fictional elements are
hard to justify. Indeed. most
musicians and biographers
will write the volume off for
this alone. There is simply
too much overblown nom
sense, and as q matter Of
fact, there are some musical
MISUNDERSTANDING, too. The
original editions Of this and
Mr.. Jacobs other musical
biographies have been thor
oughly whipped for these
grave failings.
In the present volume,
matters are made still worse,
for Mr.. Jacob has ignored
most of the modern litera-
ture about Mendelssohn and
therefore repeated some very
doubtful tales.
Some Good Things
All this considered, It seems
fair TO say "Out with It'll" and
be done. But one hestitates.
For there are some very
good things, for example the
discussion of the famous
passage In st. Paul, where
Mendelssohn gives the words
saul, Saul. why do you per-
secute Me?" to a woman's
chorus, and the emphasis on
the Importance Of Mendels-
sohn's works for mems voices
which are all too often writ
ten off as merely casual
pieces.
Moreover, Mr.. Jacob has
read widely in an incredible
number Of seemingly distant
but actually related fields.
He cites, for example, q book
about cholera in Berlin pub
lished in 1881, and more i'm
portant. he carefully outlines
the literary and pathological
background OF Mendelssohn's
curious settings Of the
choruses in Sophocles' An
tigone."
Felix Mendelssohn and
His Times" is well translated
and only two Of the musical
examples contain serious En-
rors. BY no stretch Of the
imagination can IL be called
a good biography. and yet
some II is both fascinating
and useful.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
FELIX MENDELSSOHN AND

HIS TIMES. BY Heinrich
Eduard Jacob. Translated
from the German by Rich
ard and Clara Winston.
FacSimiles. musical illus
trations, portraits. 356 PIP.
(Prentice-Hall, Inc, $685.
No doubt about it, there is
a Mendelssohn problem. Here
is a composer who was con-
sidered by his own time to
have been in the vanguard Of
modern music, a composer Of
depth and Incompatible emo
tional range.
But shortly after his death
in 1847, his reputation was
caught in strange musical
and political winds, one Of
which was outright anti
Semitism Of the crudest and
most vicious sort; the repu-
tation, Of course, declined.
Today's public goes on en-
joying a small number of his
works, secure in the erro-
neous knowledge that they
are pleasant and well made.
the best pieces by a happy
epigone with a certain talent
for striking orchestration
and an absolute master of
timing.
Some part Of the decline
in Mendelssohn's reputation
had nothing to do with poll
tics and taste but. oddly
enough, was the direct re-
suit Of the activities Of his
heirs. Mendelssohn's suave
and generally pleasant public
personality was to be pre-
served. And so the official
edition Of his letters was cut,
stitched, and to some extent
even bowdlerized. The Off
cial biography presents a
contented Biedermeyer ia
ther in the bosom Of his fam
lily. thinking all the right
thoughts, both musical and
otherwise. and doing all the
right things.
Perpetuates Legend
Many OF the documents
that are said TO demolish this
image are still closely held
and kept private. But enough
is known TO show beyond a
doubt that the picture is
thoroughly absurd.
Heinrich Eduard Jacob has
access to at least some Of the
collection OF the Interna-
tional Mendelssohn Society;
his biography Of the master
which appeared in German
in 1858 might reasonably be
expected TO put an end to
the nonsense.
It does not. II seeks to
perpetuate the legend Of
happy Felix even TO the point
OF ignoring a number Of ag-
onized letters that have been
in print for many years.
Nevertheless, some Of the
turmoil comes TO the surface.
largely because Mr.. Jacob Is
sensitive to music. He knows
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-14
PINT-SIZED FAIR FEATURE
OF GEORGETOWN TOUR

The Georgetown Garden Tour will feature a pint
sized fair this year. called the Pomander Pocket Fair
offering garden markers, Pomander BELLS Pomander
beaux bowtes made for the occasion and other items
to be sold by "Pomander Bellies"
The name comes from Pomander Walk where the
miniature outdoor bazaar will take place Friday after
noon, the first day of the tour from noon to pm.
Gardens to be open that day include those of Mr.
and Mrs Abe Fortas, Representative and Mrs Peter
Frelinghuysen Mr. and Mrs. Grosvenor Chapman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Mrs Richard
Halock Davis Mr.. and Mrs Andrew Keck, Mrs. Thigh
man Leigh. Mr.. and Mrs. Stanley CARRIER, Mr. and
Mrs Frank Wisner Mr. Henry Jenkins. jr. Senator and
Mrs. Hugh Scott. Dr. David Seidel and Mr.. and Mrs.
Gilbert Greenway.
Capt. and Mrs. Peter Beln's Evermay win be open
Saturday. along with the gardens Of Mrs. Edgar Dale
Plgh Mr.. and Mrs. Asher L. Wheeler. Mr.. and Mrs
Frederick Bunting, Mr.. and Mrs. Wallace H. Fulton,
former Attorney General and Mrs Francis Biddle Mrs
w. B. Poland, Associate Justice and Mrs John Marshall
Harlan, Mr.. and Mrs. Curtis B. Munson Mr. and Mrs
Livingston Hartley and Mr. George Baker The Saturday
tour hours also are noon to pm
Tea will be served from to $50 pm. both days at
the Georgetown Childrens House. 1924 street NV.
which is benefitting from the tour.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-14
Meeting Tomorrow

Israel and Jordan" is the
subject Of a talk to be given
by Mrs. Ross A. Gridley at a
meeting Of the University
Women's Club to be held to-
morrow.
At the 4 pm. event, Mrs.
Curtis Morris will show slides
Of the two countries to be
discussed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-14
Royal visit

Washingtonians, who re-
member the demure, young
Dutch Princess who visited
here in 1859. may not recog-
nize the Netherlands Crown
Princess. who will arrive here
this week.
The 25-year-old Princess
Beatrix, who once COM
planned that her hands trem-
bled when she made q speech,
is now described as cool and
poised during public appear
ances.
Her interests have taken
her on a steady course
toward the throne she will
almost certainly occupy. She
has completed her law stud
les at Leyden University, and
followed up with working
visits TO the European
Parliament In strasbourg,
NATo headquarters In Paris,
European Common Market
headquarters IN Brussels,
and the coal and steel COM
munities Of Luxembourg.
She Is reported 10 have
done considerable studying
on the areas she Is visiting
during this trip. and Is par
ticularly interested In youth
groups preparing 10 work In
the developing countries Of
Asia and Africa.
To this end. the Princess
viii spend part Of two days
here at Peace Corps head
quarters. She VIII be hon.
ored Thursday. the day OF
her arrival, by President
Kennedy at q White House
luncheon. Ambassador and
Mrs. van Rotten are plan
ming several dinners for her.
and q tea on Thursday
afternoon.
The Princess Is arriving
here after first visiting ia
pan. Hawaii and California.
and win continue 10 Canada
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-14

ishing guests and ten report
ers; 4. the reporters. who
need material to write about,
but had been invited only for
the Brigadoon performance
and missed dinner, toasts, or
much chance to talk with
guests.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-14

a performance in the East
Room, was being treated to
q snack, champagne-and a
chat with the President.
Reporters couldn't under
stand why they were barred.
Their presence seemingly
would have satisfied:
l. The artists, who receive
no remuneration for a White
House command performance
but only whatever publicity
accrues to them because of
1t; 2. the Kennedy image Of
a President backing young
artists; 3. Mrs. Kennedy, an
integral part Of that image,
who seeks for the limelight
outlets other than her per-
sonal life-yet there she was,
out in the hall with the van