Evening star. [volume], April 05, 1948, Page A-8, Image 8

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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. FLEMING NEWBOLP, President.
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**« _MONDAY, April 5, 1940
Making the Tax a Fair One
There is talk at the Capitol now of
reviving the Pond tax plan to raise needed
millions for the District budget. This plan
was outlined in a report on local taxes
prepared by Dr. Chester B. Pond in 1937-8.
The meat of it was a combination sales
tax and personal income tax, the latter
to be applied on incomes in excess of
$15,000.
When this report was made it was be- '
lieved that taxation by a State (or the
District of Columbia) of Federal salaries
was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court
later decided «that it was not. But one
reason for Dr. Pond’s exemption of salaries
under $15,000 was that this would avoid
the constitutional question involved by
missing most Federal salaries.
Another reason was that the money
needed—it. was about $6,500,000 at that
time—coqld not be had by a local income
tax, unless the rates were made so high
that in combination with the Federal
income tax they would amount to con
fiscation in -the higher brackets. So the
v sales tax was to furnish most of the
,revenue, being the only tax that would
raise the money and get something from
Washington’s large nontaxpaying popula
tion. The tax on higher incomes would
supplement the sales tax.
But Congress would not go for the sales
tax. It enacted a local income tax that
is probably the most atrociously discrimi
natory tax law in the country. Instead of
taxing all locally derived income, it
exempted tke salaries of those “domiciled”
elsewhere. The practical effect was to
apply the tax only to Washingtonians
who have no vote; other Washingtonians,
maintaining legal domicile elsewhere,
though they might live here all their lives,
were exempted. When this unfair tax
was amended last year, it was made even
more discriminatory than before.
, If the Pond plan'is revived, therefore,
;and is seriously to be considered, the in
come tax part of it should be applied as
Dr. Pond intended it should be. If it is
to begin with $10,000 or $15,000 salaries,
all of such salaries earned in the District
should be taxfed. That would hit the
Marylanders and Virginians earning their
living in Washington, as well* as legal
residents of other States. They would, of
course, be credited with the tax they pay
to their home States. But the principle of
taxing all incomes earned in Washington,
with no exemptions, is the only fsfir prin
ciple. If Congress is unwilling to follow
that principle the idea of any local income
tax should be scrapped.
Iran Speaks Up to Moscow
An increasingly sharp exchange of dip
lomatic notes betweerf the Soviet and
Iranian governments points to a renewal
of tension in the Middle East. And it is
interesting to observe that the sharpness
is not one-sided. Iran is not taking abuse
and threats from Moscow tamely. It is
answering back in kind.
The Soviet charges against Iran follow
the familiar Soviet pattern. Iran, like
Sweden, is accused of transforming itself
into a military base for American “im
perialist” aggression against the Soviet
Union, and of acting generally as an
unfriendly neighbor. The presence of
American technical advisers to the
Iranian gendarmerie'and military estab
lishment is cited as “proof” of this
nefarious process. An Iranian counter
charge that Moscow is exerting various
forms of pressure which constitute inter
ference in Iranian Internal affairs is
dismissed by Moscow as “an injurious
fairy tale.”
The rulers of the Kremlin have never
reconciled themselves to the diplomatic
reverse they suffered in Iran two years
ago. At that time, their strong bid for
dominating Iran by setting up a puppet
state in the Province of Azerbaijan adja
cent to Russian Transcaucasia was balked
by an Iranian appeal to the United
Nations, vigorously backed by the United
States and Britain. Compelled to with
draw its troops from Azerbaijan and
permit the subsequent collapse of the
puppet regime, Moscow kept a diplomatic
ace in the hole by getting an agreement
from the then Iranian Prime Minister
giving Russia extensive rights in oil ex
ploration and development in Northern
Ir’an. However, there was a joker to this
agreement, because it had to be approved
by the Iranian Parliament. And when
the matter came up before Parliament
last autumn, it was vigorously rejected as
incompatible with Iranian law and
sovereignty.
This bold rejectipn wste presumably due
in part to the assurance of American
support made by our Ambassador. How
ever, Moscow has taken the stand that
the agreement is binding and that Soviet
oil rights in Northern Iran are valid.
Ever since then, Moscow has conducted
a steady “war of nerves” on Iran by a
series of admonitory official notes supple
mented by threatening attacks in the
Soviet press. Iran also charges that this
verbal barrage has been supplemented by
menacing acts such as the massing of
Soviet troops on the Iranian border, per
mission of Iranian refugees to form
1
$ »
military units on Russian territory, and ’
seditious activities of Soviet agents on
Iranian soil.
The weight of evidence thus shows that
Moscow has been* perpetuating a state of
tension with Iran, although it has hitherto
refrained from open aggression. Whether
that stage is now in the offing or whether
the stepping up of Soviet pressure oh Iran
is meant to distract attention from other
fields is a matter that time will disclose.
Mr. Lewis and the Law
On the strength of the temporary re
straining order issued, by Justice McGuire
of the United States District Court, it is
reasonable to expect a speedy end to the
coal strike. Or if not that, then we may
at least expect an 80-day relief from it
under the mandatory provisions of the
Taft-Hartley Act.
For the order, coupled with the accom
panying injunction proceedings set in
nfttion by President Truman, leaves John
L. Lewis and other officers of the United
Mine Workers wide open to contempt
penalties of the severest kind if they fail
to tell the strikers to return to work
“forthwith." In keeping with their pen
chant for trying periodically to appear
bigger than the Government, it may be
that the UMW leaders will choose to follow'
a defiant course. Once burnt, however,
twice shy. Back in 1946 Mr. Lewis had a
sad experience along this line, and it
seems unlikely that he will expose himself
to the same thing again.
Of course, with a typical mixture of
hammy rhetoric and legal hair-splitting,
Mr. Lewis piously iftslsts that he is not
responsible for the strike, either directly
or indirectly. Possibly, on the basis of
rigid technicalities, he may be able to find
a few Philadelphia lawyers who will agree
with him. But the American people, like
the President’s special Board of Inquiry,
will recognize his contention for what it
is—a quibble that strains credulity far
beyond the breaking point. For it seems'
altogether clear, as the board has reported,
that he took steps, no matter how covert,
to induce the Nation’s 350,000 soft-coal
miners to walk out. Their action has not
been spontaneous; they will go back just
as soon as he obeys Justice McGuire’)
order.
There is nothing, moreover, that can
justify any delay on Mr. Lewis’ part. The
Board of Inquiry has left little room for
doubt that the strike would never have
occurred had he been willing to get off his'
high hors* in dealing with the issue in
volved. The issue revolves around the
UMW’s $30,000,000 welfare and retirement
fund—a fund into which the mine oper
ators pay ten cents for each ton of coal
sold or used. Mr. Lewis' demand is that
$100 a month be paid out of this fund as
a pension to any and every UMW member
who has attained the age of 60 and been
employed in the industry for 20 years. The
operators, on the other hand, insist that
the Bituminous Wage Agreement of 1947
restricts such payments solely to employes
of the companies that are parties to the
agreement. Further, they insist that the
Lewis proposal, if put into effect, would be
so unsound that the fund itself would be
quickly exhausted. On this point they
have the full backing not only of Govern
ment actuaries but also of actuaries em
ployed by Mr. Lewis himself.
Yet, although this obviously is a matter
that can be readily negotiated and, settled
by men of reason and good will, the UMW
chieftain has used it as an excuse for a
work stoppage that has threatened to
paralyze America in a period of grave
world tension. The President has acted
wisely, therefore, and not a moment too
soon, in resorting to the courts in the
interests of the Nation’s health and
safety. As a result, Mr. Lewis now is under
stern orders to put a prompt end to the
walkout; in addition, both he and the coal
operators are under equally stern orders
to bargain collectively for a, pension
agreement.
But if the law thus is capable of bridling
some of Mr. Lewi# all-or-nothing imperi
ousness, it has limits of its own. After 80
days, the country may have to take it on
the chin all over again. This recurrent
affliction is getting to be such a monot
onous menace that Congress has good
reason to weigh the advisability of special
legislation to deal with it. The American
people, at any rate, are certainly tired of
being upended every six months or so by
coal-mine ructions stemming usually from
one man’s iron whim.
Better to Wait and See
The Public Utilities Commission should
have little trouble in deciding whose testi
mony on the oil-supply situation should
be given the greater weight—that of the
special counsel of the Senate Small busi
ness Subcommittee on Oil or that of the
director of the Interior Department's Oil
and Gas Division. The subcommittee
counsel used the PUC hearing as a sound
ing board for an attack on “those (in the.
oil industry) who want to reap profits
and those in Government who want more
power.” His contribution to the hearing
sounded more political than factual.
Max W. Ball, head of the Oil and Gas
Division, on the other hand, based his
warning of a “widespread and acute”
gasoline shortage this summer on facts
and figures cbllected by the division in its
authorized studies of oil supply and
demand Interior Secretary Krug was
justified in-protesting to the Senate sub
committee against the “impression cre
ated” at the PUC hearing by Counsel
Paul E? Hadlick that oil conservation is
unnecessary. The oil shortage the past
winter was real enough and Mr. Krug
declares that oil supply at present is
lagging about 15 ^er cent behind re
quirements.
To make the outlook darker, the
President has just asked Congress to
appropriate $375,000,000 at once for a new
stockpiling program—presumably includ
ing oil—and for three billions additional
for expansion of defense forces. These
programs, if approved, are certain to drain
off more oil from stocks otherwise avail
able for civilian uses. Already plans are
being discussed for a voluntary gasoline
rationing program.
The PUC can ill afford'to ignore these
portents in deciding the issue of whether
to postpone further the proposed change
over from streetcars to buses on the Ben
nlng line. The change-over will mean an
increase in Capital Transit gasoline con
sumption of more than eight hundred
A
thousand gallons. Since the change-over
would involve removal of the streetcar
tracks, it would be Impossible to restore
streetcar service if the gasoline supply
should fail. The prudent course would
seem to be to defer the change until there
can be no doubt as to the amount of
gasoline available for the undertaking.
History—From the Balcony
That White House Balcony is finished.
So is The Star’s notably unsuccessful effort
to discourage its construction. In the
circumstances the following prophecy,
phrased in the words of some future
historian, would seem to be in order:
"The re-birth of national unity In the
country, the revival of brotherly love and
the two-party system really began' about
I960 with a successful effort to restore the
south (solid South) facade of tifc White
House.
"pennies—the only coins left in circula
tion—were contributed by school children
to cover the cost of removing the so-called
balcony, from the portico.
“The children contributed for two
reasons: (A) They pere the only ones left
with a red cent; (B) They were the only
ones who had any sense at all.
“Many of the country’s ills began with
construction of the balcony. For when it
was built, everything else seemed to fall
apart. Our international relations went to
pot. The miners quit working and industry *
closed down. The South seceded from the
Democratic Party. Western Democrats re
volted. The odd combination (suggestive
of the balcony itself) of Northern political
bosses and star-gazing “liberal” elements
scuttled and ran. The Republican Party
had so many candidates, none of whom
could lose, that none of them could win.
At least twenty new political parties took*
to the hustings; all of them were tri
umphant at the polls but none got enough
votes to control the Government.
“The only organized authority left in
Washington was the White House Archi
tect, who recruited a large army of
assistant architects and draftsmen and
from the White House basement subjected
the Nation to a reign of esthetic terror.
This reached its climax when members of
the Fine Arts Commission were found
garrotted in the attics to which they had
fled.
“The people were divided among them
selves, not only in politics but as between
those who thought the balcony was
obscene and those who were surprised that
it did not look so bad. When it was
removed everybody kissed and made up
and lived happily ever afterward.”
For Brother Stassen it can be said with
out prejudice that he looks as if he might
pitch hay for the campaign photo without
pulling three tendons and blowing a knee
cap.
For the improvement of British coffee
a revolutionary new method is pushed by
a London food agency. It is necessary only
to add a secret ingredient, that turns out
to be coffee.
Breath-taking but belated is the new
bold look for men. On our diplomats a
couple of years back it would have looked
good.
ki ' ■.mi
Science marches on—but unevenly. Thus
we know exactly where the stars will be
in 1990, but haven’t an idea what our
Palestine position will be in the morning.
This and That
By Charles E. Tracewell
Pox sparrows came Into this section in
February, and a few remain, but will be gdhe
shortly.
From L. D. C. of Sandy Spring, Md., comes
the following tribute:
“For the first time in our many years of
bird feeding, we have been favored by having
the fox sparrows since February.
“Their brown and dark red backs with their
varied patterns are really quite beautiful, and
it has been a great pleasure to watch them
feed.
"They have been accompanied by juncoa of
different sizes, and this morning there were
two cowbirds in the group, unmistakable with
their bronze heads and glossy, metallic backs.
"I do not welcome the cowblrda, as I have
the other birds, but what can I do about it?”
* * it *
Prom L. P. B. of Arlington, Va.:
"So many interested readers of your column
mention the names of the different sparrows
that come to their feeders, and although I am
a comparatively new reader, no one has yet
had anything to say about the fox sparrow.
"One Sunday I noticed a ‘new’ bird among
the sparrows, juncos, starlings, cardinals, etc.,
feeding in a pathway in the back yard where
we had scattered seed, suet, bread ana raisins
to supplement the food of our three feeding
stations.
“His rich rusty-brown coloring gleamed to
advantage in the bright sunshine.
“He scratched in the manner of a chicken
and his actions in this respect were what
attracted my attention.
“A study of the bird book convinces me of
his identity, and he stayed long enough for a
careful check as to color, size and heavily
streaked breast marking.
“The next day he was back again. I have
not, however, seen him since. Is this section
the habitat of the fox sparrow?
"I would surely appreciate >knowing more
about him, as he struck me as being a very
Interesting as well as beautiful bird.’’
* v » *
' Poxie is one of our best birds; but he does
not nest here.
He merely visits us passing through.
We can be glad for that.
He breeds in Northern North America, in
Maine, Newfoundland, Quebec; in winter he
flies South to Florida and Texas.
The nest is usually in the groun£. It is
made of moss and grass, with fine tranches
and grasses and a few tiny feathers.
The eggs are 4 or 5 in number, blue-green,
speckled with chestnut.
The fox sparrow is a big one, for a sparrow.
He is a full inches long, with a tawny
coloring which makes him conspicuous in the
leafy border.
Scratching with both feet at once, he makes
a great commotion, and is thereby distin
guished from most of the birds.
Little song sparrows, though they hop back
ward and forward, and may be said to
scratch, too, never cause half the fuss in the
leaves.
Pox sparrows visit us in small flocks, and
if they find the food to their liking, may
stay unusually late. But after all, they are
visitors here. Actually, they are Canadians.
Their song is a soft descending whistle, but
too often they fail to sing while with us.
While foxie eats some insects, including
millepedes, most of his food is vegetable, but
is not the same as the food of most sparrows,
which is composed of grass seed, grain, etc.
The fox sparrow eats fruit, ragwood and
polygonum, in the main. (Polygonum, smart
weeo, etc.)'
In addition to the beautiful bird seen here,
there are eight other forms of the fox spar
row, including the Shumagin, Kodiak and
Yakutat fox sparrows; the sooty fox sparrow,
on the West Coast, the slate-colored fox spar
row. of the Rockies and the thick-billed fox
marrow of the Sierra Nevadas.
«•*■**• Letters to The Star
Th« Effect of Palestine Partition
To th« editor of Hit Star:
The announcement by Senator Austin on
March 19 that the United States Government
would no longer support a policy ot the parti*
tlon of Palestine is an important one. It raises
•n the minds qf many American citizens again
the basic question whether this new decision
not to support the Palestine partition la sound
and In the best interests of the American
people. Admittedly the question is complicated
and ona on which sincere individuals may
differ.
As I have just returned from eight weeks
travel through all Middle East countries, I can
summarise, for the benefit of those studying
this Issue, the effects of the partition policy
as I found them in that area. They arc as
follows:
1. Instead of a brief and ineffectual opposi
tion by Arabs to partition, as was predicted
by Zionists, there is in Palestine today a full
scale civil war. Thus far over 1,700 individuals
have been killed since the United Nations vote
of November 39, 1947, with no prospect ahead
except increasing bloodshed. In other words,
this vote has brought war, not peace, to this
country and each day shows an increase in the
tempo of conflict. The heaviest fighting is not
expected to break out, in its most violent f<pm,
until after the withdrawal of British troops,
which has already begun but which, under
present schedule, will not be completed until
July 31, 1949.
3. Every visitor to the Middle East can certify
to the Increased antagonism to the United
States on the part of the Arab people, both
Moslem and Christian, living In the seven states
which compose the Arab League. They have
been holding at least some of their fire in the
hope that the United States Government would
recognise its error and not aid in implementing
partition. However, had . the United States
taken further active measures to furnish
aid, all American activities in the Middle East
would have been seriously affected or completely
dosed down. This would have applied to
American educational, missionary and cultural ‘
activities, to a continued refusal to approve
Den ding oil'pipeline agreements and to ,the
cancellation of existing oil concaasiogh.
There has been talk of a Holy War, but in my
opinion this is now not likely to
However, there is no question that at least
passive antagonism to the United States has
b^en developing among the 306,000,000 Moslems
outside of the Middle East, who live between
Casablanca and Canton.
CeauauaM* Through the Back Door.
3. In the Opinion of many leaders in the
Middle East, the United States, by its vote for
Palestine partition, has.already undermined
its own efforts to preveiU. the spread of Com
munist control beyond its present frontiers.
It seems very clear to people, especially in
Turkey, that in supporting partition we opened
a back door for Communist infiltration through
Palestine into the Arab world at the very time
when we were spending millions of dollars to
close the front doors through Turkey and
Greece, and to a lesser degree through Iran.
All countries bordering on Russia have been
seriously shaken in their confidence in the
continuity of any American support or in the
consistency of any American policies or
promises.
It has been reported on high authority,
which I can confirm, that the value of the
United States loan to Turkey was perhaps
halved overnight by America’s United Nations
vote last November to partition Palestine.
The Turks hold no brief for the Arabs of
Palestine, but the American vote on this issue
indicated to Turkish minds., either incompre
hensible inconsistency or a. foolishly naive
Ignorance of Russian intentions. Neither con
clusion can be considered particularly flatter
ing to the United States Government.
4. It is generally known that the acrimonious
attacks by our United Nations delegates on
the British and their Palestine policy, since
it differed from ours, did not help to keep
close and friendly relations with Great Britain.
Furthermore, American newspapers support
ing the Zionists have used the differences
between British end American policy on thia
issue to drive a rgedge between public opinion
in the two countries. Since, to many of us,
Anglo-American co-operation is absolutely
essential to the maintenance of world peace,
these continued attacks are most unfortunate.
6. Many Americans, including some of our
highest Government officials who accepted
the Zionist thesis that the Arabs would readily
agree to partition, did. not realise that the
implementing of partition was certain to stop
the flow of Middle Hast oil, which is counted
on to supply at least SO per cent of the
Marshall Plan petroleum requirements of
Western Europe. This'fact, in turn, furnishes
the clue to the real reason for Russian sup
port of partition, it waa Russia’s expectation
that in so voting she was increasing Chaos in
the Middle East and thus striking a most
effective blow at ERP' which Russia Is most
anxious to see fail.
Effect ef Fartitien la Oar Owh Land.
6. It is certain, as mentioned above, that
had the United States actively aided in im
plementing partition, American economic,
industrial, cultural and religious activities in
the Middle East woujd have suffered! This
would not have been pleaaing to many Ameri
can citizens who are interested in or who
support these activities. Such a situation,
especially if coupled with the killing of Ameri
can troops used to establish and maintain
a Jewish state in Palestine, would have been
most likely to lead to an increase of anti
semitism in this country. Certainly, many
American citizens of Jewish descent, who are
not Zionists/ are still most fearful that the
establishment of a Zionist State will make
all American Jews suspect of a divided loyalty.
Certainly this policy of partition, which con
sciously increased racial and religious antag
onisms in the United States, to that extent
weakened a domestic unity which Americans
as a whole have struggled for generations to
build up.
7. After the terrible destruction of millions
of Jews in Europe during the War, the
endangering of the lives of an additional 300,
000 Jews, now living as minorities in Arab
lands, may not have appeared too serious.
It should, however, be clear that the Imple
menting of partition would most likely havs
resulted in the destruction of these Jewish
minorities. Nor is it fair to construe such a
statement, as has previously been done, as an
invitation by anti-Zionist Americans to the
Arabs of the Middle East to murder this addi
tional number of Jews.
On the contrary, many of us have defended
the generally unpopular thesis that, rather
than attempt to send more Jewish refugees to
Palestine,- the United States should set an
example to every other nation by taking in
refugees up to 10 per cent of its existing Jewish
population. If this were done by all the States
of the United Nations, there would be no Jew
ish refugee problem that would require their
going to Palestine. In the case of the United
States, such a policy would entail the accept
ance of between 500,000 and 600,000 Jewish
refugees.
t. Great disillusionment has developed in the
governments of many countries, besides those
of the Arab world, as a result of the power
politics and ruthless pressures which were em
ployed by the United States Government in
forcing the vote for partition through the
United Nations. This disillusionment hss
weakened the hope which many Americans
A
Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address of the
writer, although it is permissible for a
writer known to The SUp to use a
nom de plume. Please be brief.
hava had that the United Nations mould be
come the effective corner-stone of American
foreign policy.
Oar Mara I Responsibility Increased.
Had the partition vote in the United Nations
been freely and fairly given, the claim that the
Arab states should bow to world opinion might
have had a sounder basis. However, the right
of, any group of nations to insist on delivering
over a portion of one country to some one else,
against the will of the majority of the inhabi
tants of that territory, might still be ques
tioned. Perhaps Americans would understand
Arab feelings better if they could visualise
their own reaction to a United Nations decision
to hand over two thirds of Long Island to an
alien group.
9. The fact that the partition vote has, in
actual fact, already resulted in civil war in
Palestine, rather than peace, is to be clearly
noted. There is also the further danger that
this civil war in Palestine can, like a forest
fire once started, spread to neighboring coun
tries, and thus furnish the spark that will set
off a general conflagration—in other words, a
cataclysmic Third World War.
The above statement is an effort to analyze
and to state to date the results of the United
States’ support of partition. Many of us be
lieved, and so stated in advance of the par
tition vote, that this policy was being adopted
through error and misinformation. We have
therefore been relieved at the revision which
has now been made. At the same time we must
dearly«recognise that the policy not to support
partition is only a negative one. We still have
the difficult task ahead of working out a
positive solution that Is clear, workable and
one to which the American people will be
-willing to give their active support. By its
switches in policy the American Government
has increased its moral responsibility for
assisting positively in the implementation of
whatever solution for Palestine is Anally agreed
upon. * HAROLD B. HOSKINS.
Chairman ot the Board of Directors, Near
East College Association.
i _________
Further Reactions to Randolph
Tv th* Editor of Tht Star:
In reference to the statements given by
A. Philip Randolph, president ol the Brother
hood of Sleeping Car Porters, and Grant Reyn
olds, member of New York Commission of
Correction, on Universal Military Training.
I do admire their stand against segregation
in the Army; but, when they said that the
Negro should rebel against taking up arms for
their country in event of war, they were not
speaking for the masses. Never in history has
a colored man committed treason against his
country.
A PATRIOTIC COLORED EX-SOLDIER.
To tho Sditor of Tho Star:
As the organizer of the first chapter of
Colored American War Mothers in the United
States, I am shocked at the statement made
by A, Philip Randolph before the Senate
Armed Services Committee.
We, the Colored American Mothers, are well
acquainted with the history of the many Negro
veterans add their valorous achievements dur
ing the wars of the United States.
We also know that their participation in
these wars has established the loyalty of
American Negro citizens beyond challenge.
THEODORA LEE PURNELL.
. «'*.*.;* it - * ' 4 ’4‘
To tho MttSr of Tho Star:
Surely The Star does not believe that Mr.
Randolph is a responsible spokesman for
more than 14,000,000 Negroes. Neither can
it be saldv^hat he speaks for a representa
tive number. How then is more harm done
“in a single day to the Negro cause than
the advocates of discrimination could do in
years”? Even if “responsible Negro leaders”
follow the suggestion that they repudiate
his counsel, does The Star imply that the
harm Is reparable? If so, the seriousness of
that harm may be questioned.
No intelligent American can accede to the
proposition that one man controls or directs
the actions and thoughts of all Negro Ameri
cans. Too long has there been a tendency
to regard Negroes collectively without tak
ing cognizance of the fact that they, too,
have independent thoughts, distinct and
separate personalities.
Does The Star expect its readers to believe
that the long and proud record of Negro
patriotism and loyalty is now tarnished be
cause of a mere utterance of a single indi
vidual? Did the treason of Benedict Arnold
fan overt act, mind you> indict all white
Americans,?
I can say only that the position of the
American Negro rests upon quicksand founda
tion if it is overthrown so easily. He will
be found in the thick of the fight, ever
mindful of the fact that both treason and
civil rights are covered by the still supreme
law of the land, the Constitution of the
United States. INVITATION DECLINED.
To th( tditor of The Star:
The vast majority of Negroes in this country
will most heartily agree with your pointed and
timely editorial “Invitation to Disaster” in
which you gave A. Philip .Randolph rebuke
which he deserves for the intemperate state*
meats he made before the 8enate Committee
on Armed Services. •
I have had the highest regard for Mr. Ran
dolph as a leader in the Held of organized
skilled labor. His contribution to the cause of
labor in general has been tremendous, to say
the least; but as a political leader he is both
reckless and Irresponsible. ,
It was not proper for Mr. Randolph, after
expressing his opinion concerning the measures
under consideration by the committee, to im
ply that he knew the minds and hearts of mil
lions of Negroes to the extent that they would
refuse to defend their own country'in the face
of national peril.
Mr. Randolph was grossly in error when he
implied that his civil-disobedience plan was
Gandhi-like. The late martyr of India was a
great religious leader; his nonviolence did, in
a major sense, stem from a deep spiritual con
viction that his was the proper course to follow
after having given many years of serious re
flection on the peculiar problems of his people.
But the late saint of India was for India first,
last and all the time.
Mr. Gandhi fought directly for the freedom
and Independence of his country; Mr. Ran
dolph’s country enjoys freedom; Mr. Gandhi
fought for religious reform as an aid to effect
ing the freedom and independence of his
country; Mr. Randolph’s country through
bloody sacrifice has achieved religious free
dom because of its independence. Mr. Randolph
would destroy all freedom and independence
in his country, as The Star pointed out in its
editorial, in order to achieve a limited' social
and economic reform.
If my city was on fire, I would not lie down
in the streets to block the passage of firemen
and equipment because separate racial groups
comprised the city’s fire department. That
would not taring about an integrated fire de
partment in my city.
REV. J. F. WHITFIELD,
President. Interdenominational Ministers’
Alllanee of Washington ind Vicinity.
m
Stars, Men and Atoms **
Simple Text Helps Doctors
Understand Radioactivity
Effects of Bomb Are Described
In Question-Answer Form
By Thomas R. Hanry
The atomic bomb caught American doctors
almost completely unprepared.
Hardly one in a hundred had any idea of
what it was all about—yet If such a bomb
should be dropped on an American city, they
would be the only persons who could possibly
do much about it.
Like most people, they are confused by the
new concepts and new words which have
come into the world and few are much fur
ther advanced today than they were three
years ago.
Partly to stimulate their interest, the Amer
ican Medical Association has prepared a
primer of atomic fission information in the
form of questions and answers. This, it is
planned, will be distributed as widely as pos
sible among physicians.
If a Bomb Should Hit.
It contains much which is easily compre
hensible to the layman. Some of the questions
and answers are as follows;
Question: If a city of 35,000 were sprinkled
with radioactive dust it would:
(a) Be discovered promptly because of inter
ference with radio communication.
(b) Disrupt telephone service.
(c) Contaminate drinking water.
(d) Render the sewage radioactive.
Answer: The radioactive dust would do all
these things.
Question: The burst of neutron radiation
from an atomic bomb lasts not longer than
(a) a second); (b) a minute; (c) an hour;
(d) a day; (e) a month.
Answer: No neutrons are present after the
first few seconds of the blast.
Tinned Foods Not Immune.
Question: Is food from tin cans protected
against the radiation from an atomic bomb?
Do neutrons pass through metals?
Answer: Neutrons pass easily through most
• metals, including iroh and tin. The food in
the cans would not be protected.
Question: the day after an atomic explosion;
Neutron radiation has completely subsided.
Gamma radiation is persistent and danger
ous.
Beta radiation may be strong but is harder
to detect.
Answer: All three statements are correct.
Question: The radioactivity left in a region
after the explosion of an atomic bomb:
Is due simply to the deposit of radioactive
dust from the bomb itself.
Is due also in part to the fact that bombard
ment with neutrons transforms ordinary
chemical elements partly into radioactive
isotopes.
Answer: Both statements are true.
_._
Questions and Answers
A reader can aet the answer to any question of
fact by writing The Evenint Star Information
Bureau. 316 Eye street N.E., Washington 1. D. C.
Please inclose three (3) cents for return postage.
By THE HASKIN SERVICE.
Q. Are women In the Soviet Union aublect
to compulsory military service?—W. E. A.
A. Women- in the Soviet Union have not
been subject to compulsory military service
except in time of war and then only for
specialized services.
Q. What per cent of retail sales should a
store spend for advertising?—S. N. O.
A. There is no hard and fast rule as to
what percentage of receipts from sales should
be set aside for advertising. In the case of
staple goods of 1 per. cent to 1 per
cent is generally allocated to advertising.
Averages in typical lines, are: Women’s ap
parel stores 1.35 per cent; dyers and cleaner*
2.35 per cent; gift shops 3 per cent; florists
3 per cent.
Q. Please compare the number of dock*
and watches purchased in a year.—S. P. G.
A. In 1946 approximately 18,000,000 watche*
and 20,000,000 clocks of all types were pur
chased by persons lit the United States.
Q. Does Tennessee have two State songs?
—N. C. R.
A. A song entitled “My Homeland, Tennessee"
was adopted by the legislature as the offlcial
State song in 1925. In 1935, “When It’s Irl*
Time in Tennessee” was adopted as an
offlcial State song (Chapter 154 of the Public
Acts of 1935) with the specific provision that
it should not affect the status of any other
State song.
Q. Which is more popular, brushless shav
ing cream or the lathery variety?—P. R. T.
A. According to a recent trade survey, th*
brushless type was used by 53 per cent of
alt shavers.
Q. Do bets bite?—N. D. E.
A. Although bats generally do no harm,
they will bite if picked up.
Q. Please tell why the game of whist was
so named.—D. L. O.
A. Since the game was originally always
played in silence It was called by the inter
jection “whist” meaning “hush” or “keep still."
Q. How long is the Army step and how is it
measured?—H. P. B.
A. The Army step is 30 inches in length,
measured from heel to heel or toe to toe.
Q. Which State produces more potatoes,
Idaho or Maine?—D. S. T.
A. Maine produces more potatoes than Idaho.
Over a 10-year average Maine produced 14 per
cent of the United States potato crop, Idaho 9
per cen^.
Q What is the name of President Truman *
airplane?—B. J. B.
A. President Truman’s personal plane is
known as the Independence.
Q. Was Marie Curie French?—G. N. T.
A. Marie Curie, whose maiden name was
SKlodowska, was Polish. \
Q. Can a bolt of lighting strike more thant
one building at a time; in other words, can a|
group of buildings be struck by one bolt of
lightning?—M. G. T.
A. The National Bureau of Standards says
that usually a lightning stroke passes to the
ground and to the conducting water in the
ground by as direct a path as possible, so that
it is relatively rare that more than dne build
ing is damaged by a single stroke. Lightning
discharges are, however, proverbially erratic in
their course and there are on record many
very curious and unexpected occurrences.
Spring-Control
How may I tether wrists and ankles when
The first hepatica shakes off the snow
And south winds whistle in the busy wren,
When 1 would cartwheel down a tulip
row?
How may / stop my willy-nilly racket
When ' baby leaves uncurl and buds
appear,
When I would almost burst a lyrie
placket
And put the springtime back a half a
- year?
And how may I conduct myself with
reason—
Some sev.blance of expected dignity
When t would try to blossom with the
season,
Or chirp and warble in a dogwood tree?
How may 1 meet decorum's sober terms
When I am on the verge of eating worms?
COSETTE MIDDLETOV.
i