Evening star. [volume], March 19, 1958, Page A-20, Image 20

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A-20
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1958
Again—the Freedom Shrine
Although the “Freedom Shrine” bill
may come before the House this week,
its approval would be premature—for
several reasons. ,
In the first place, the final design
for the roofless structure on the heights
of Arlington is not yet available for
congressional study. It is true that a
scaled-down design has been submitted
to the House Public Works Committee
in an effort to meet strong criticism
of the large proportions of the original
design. But the revised plans have not
yet received the approval of the Fine
Arts Commission and the National Cap
ital Planning Commission, as Is required
by the basic Freedom Shrine law. These
agencies to date have approved only the
“general concept” of the monument,
conditional on submission of final archi
tectural drawings.
In the second place, there Is still
strong opposition to the erection of any
permanent structure on the site pro
posed for the “wall.” As the Veterans
of Foreign Wars has stressed, this land
long has been reserved for an extension
of Arlington Cemetery, which urgently
needs more space. Arlington County
authorities point out that the land was
bought by the Federal Government for
the avowed purpose of preventing pri
vate development of the Virginia end
of the Mall axis, which, under the Mc-
Millan Plan, was to be kept clear of
buildings.
Sponsors of the monument, how
ever, are pressing for quick approval
by Congress of the legislation, which
already has been passed by the Senate,
jj They are people of prominence and
sincerity. If their wishes should pre
vail, Congress at least should amend
the bill to make certain (1) that the
final design for the monument has the
unconditional approval of the Fine Arts
Commission and (2) that construction
will not begin until all the money needed
to complete It is In hand.
Examples for Congress
The Maryland and Virginia General
Assemblies have set good examples for
Congress In facing the threatened ex
ploitation of Interstate highways by bill
board Interests. Both Legislatures have
passed billboard-control laws qualifying
them for proposed Federal-aid “bonuses”
under pending Federal antibillboard leg
islation. It Is now up to Congress to see
that the Federal Government does Its
part In the combined efforts to prevent
the erection of roadside advertising cur
tains along the new Interstate highway
network.
However, the watered-down bill
board bill reported by the Senate Public
Works Committee would offer little In
ducement to States ‘to take effective
action to regulate billboard construction
on the expressways. The committee
plan would bar only the larger signs.
States permitting small signs along the
highways would still be eligible for Fed
eral “bonuses” for roadside protection
allotment of Federal aid to such States.
We hope Congress will not be content
with proposals for partial control. It
has a supreme opportunity, before the
interstate highways are built, of Insuring
them against roadside defacement of the
sort that has brought widespread criti
cism of U. S. 1 and other older roads.
Cousinly Courtesy
The spirit of cousinly courtesy ex
isting between Dr. H. C. (Curly) Byrd
and Maryland State Controller J. Mil
lard Tawes continues to have its quiet
ing effects on Maryland’s oft-turbulent
Democratic politics. Both Dr. Byrd and
Mr. Tawes, who are second cousins and
who hail from Crlsfleld on the Eastern
Shore, long have had their eyes on the
governorship. Both announced for the
gubernatorial primary in 1954, but Mr.
Tawes later withdrew from that race
to give Dr. Byrd clear sailing. Dr. Byrd
was badly beaten In the election, how
ever, by Governor McKeldln. Once
again last year both cousins entered the
race for Governor and once again one
of them has bowed out In deference to
the other. This time it was Dr. Byrd’s
turn.
More than cousinly courtesy, how
ever, was behind Dr. Byrd’s decision to
leave the field in favor of Mr. Tawes.
Party harmony and unity were Im
portant factors, too. Both were threat
ened by a contest which had been
shaping up between the two seasoned
campaigners. Actually, Controller
Tawes had been campaigning more
actively In recent weeks than Cousin
Curly, with numerous politically power
ful organizations and groups lining up
on the Tawes side. There are still
several other candidates for the Dem
ocratic gubernatorial nomination in the
race—but none so well known or so
strongly backed as Mr. Tawes. Mean
while the Republican nomination seems
to be in the bag for James P. 8. Dev
ereux, now Representative In Congress
from the 2d Maryland district. Against
such a strong opponent as Representa
tive Devereux, any Democratic disunity
would be a serious threat to Democratic
success.
Space and the U. N.
The Kremlin’s chief representative
at the United Nations now has formally
proposed that the peaceful control of
outer space be fully discussed at the
next session of the General Assembly.
This is essentially an American idea, but
the Russians, In borrowing it from us,
have promoted It In away designed to
give them the propaganda advantage of
seeming to have taken the lead In the
matter.
Actually, the genesis of the idea
can be found In the following words
from President Eisenhower’s January,
1957, state-of-the-Union message: “We
are willing to enter any reliable agree
ment which would .. . mutually control
the outer space missile and satellite de
velopment.” Later, particularly after
the launching of the first Soviet Sput
nik, the idea began to grow. In one
of his recent letters to Premier Bul
ganin, for example, the President urged
that it be given earnest consideration,
and it received considerable attention
In Congress, where Senator Lyndon
Johnson became a sort of chief spokes
man for the view that the United Na
tions should be called upon to deal with
the whole problem.
Although they were at first inclined
to scoff at all this, the men of the Krem
lin have now seized upon it as If it were
their own Idea. At the same time, how
ever, they have attached conditions to
It that fall far short of being acceptable.
What they have proposed Is to Join In
an agreement prohibiting the use of
outer space for anything but peaceful
purposes. But this agreement, which
would involve the creation of a special
new United Nations agency to make a
great co-operative enterprise of all
spatial projects, apparently would not
be even considered by the Soviet Union
unless the United States and allied pow
ers liquidated their overseas bases In
Eufope, the Middle East and North
Africa.
Such a liquidation, of course, would
dissolve the free world’s defenses against
the danger of conventional as well as
unconventional aggression, and for that
reason it obviously would be much too
high a price to pay for a Soviet promise
not to make military use of outer space.
Yet this Is a field that unquestionably
demands the kind of International con
trol that needs to be discussed, not Just
briefly at a summit conference, but with
complete thoroughness in the U. N. T 6
that extent at least, our country has no
argument with the Kremlin.
Not Being Panicked
In his remarks to the Republican
Women’s National Conference, the Pres
ident has reaffirmed that he proposes to
turn thumbs down on any grandiose
schemes to lick the current economic
recession with curative projects that
might easily do the country more harm
than good. As he has put it, “The hard
ships to Individuals and their families of
a temporary downturn In employment
are bad enough. But this administration
Is not going to be panicked by alarmists
Into activities that could actually make
those hardships not temporary but
chronic.”
This seems to us to be an altogether
sensible view, the more so because of the
measures that have been taken within
recent weeks to cope with the situation.
These measures—easier credit policies,
postal construction program, stepped
up housing and highway outlays, the
accelerated placement of defense con
tracts and numerous other moves—add
up to a powerful force in terms of pro
moting recovery. In fact, their potential
Is so substantial that the President ap
parently still hopes that they will be
enough to put our economy back on even
keel again. However, If they fall, he will
recommend further action—lncluding a
tax cut—if “such action should prove
desirable or necessary.”
In saying this, the President has
done little more than restate what he
has said before, but there is really not
much new for him to say on the subject.
Like everybody else, he Is against the
recession, and he and his adminstration,
besides having already taken Important
steps to stimulate the economy, are
prepared to do whatever else may be
needed to speed up recovery. This Is
about all that can be done In a situation
of this kind. But naturally, with their
thoughts turning to next November’s
elections, the political-minded Cassan
dras are not disinclined to ring the
alarm bells.
Royal Fortunes
In this ultramodern world, dynastic
considerations still count. We are re
minded of this by the poignantly con
trasting situations of two royal ladles
who have been much on the front pages
these last few days, Princess Grace of
Monaco and Queen Saroya of Iran. Her
serene highness is being toasted and
cheered in her country because she has
produced a son and heir to the throne.
And her majesty, because she did not,
has been divorced. The Queen’s fate Is
a pathetic one. She Is young and daz
zllngly beautiful. Apparently she enjoyed
and returned the love of her husband,
the Shah. But It was a situation where
love was not enough. The succession
through the male heir must be Insured,
and so she has been set aside. We can
all rejoice with Princess Grace and sigh
with Queen Saroya, and reflect anew
that while royalty has Its privileges it
also Imposes stern demands, which less
exalted folks are spared.
Growing by the Hour
LETTERS TO THE STAR
Defends France
As an American of French
birth. It la a matter of con
cern to me when a French
journalist or commentator
indulges in diatribes against
the United States. Now and
then this can be ascribed
to Ideological bias and blind
ness, and occasionally to
plain venality.
But it is a matter of even
greater concern to anyone
wishing for normally decent
press relations among coun
tries of the Western alliance
to read the comments of
Constantine Brown about
France in his column of
March 11. One is at a loss to
account for the motivation,
since Ideological bias and
venality would obviously not
apply here.\
Surely, with all her faults,
real or conjured. France can
still be considered as impor
tant to the West’s posture of
strength as, let us say. For
mosa. Yet your columnist ap
pears to have a different
scale of evaluation in these
two cases, if one is to 'judge
by his comments.
TO attribute France’s pres
ent position Among the ma
jor powers to the protection
of President Roosevelt during
the war years is a purely per
sonal and unsubstantiated in
terpretation. It is not in keep
ing with factual and objective
journalism. Further, Brown
would do well to familiarise
himself with the work accom
plished by France through
many years in the bringing
about of a basis for progres
sive autonomy in West and
Equatorial Africa, byway of
example. Surely, any fair ob
server, in considering the
present capabilities of Viet-
Nam, Tunisia, and .Morocco in
self-government, would grant
that the past influence of
France contributed to this
achievement. Am I wrong in
detecting a vague note of sat
isfaction in your columnist's
statement that “Prance is
rapidly losing Algeria”?
To brand the French people
as a whole as “cynical and
distrustful of politicians” is
one of those bland generalities
which is not consonant with
factual reporting or objective
commentary. It is painful to
read from the pen of a pre
sumably friendly commenta
tor that “many of her politi
cians ... are venal and petty
men unable to understand the
responsibilities of power or
the necessity of national in
tegrity.” This, to say the least,
is a rather intemperate state
ment.
L. E. Dostert
N. Y.-D. C. Trains
New l?ork - Washington
trains have been taken for
granted—too long, perhaps,
by too many people until
it’s now too late. I have been
using these trains for 25
years. I get a luxury ride
in a coach or pullman, food,
elbow and leg room, and am
relaxed during the trip.. I
have driven an auto to New
York City once in 25 years.
After arriving there I drove
to the Cunard docks. Trucks
converged on me from every
direction but my out-of
town license plates saved my
life. When I ride the trains
and leave my auto at home,
the responsibility of getting
there safely in all kinds of
weather is that of the rail
road. I am only too glad to
relinquish that responsibility.
I pay my fare and am happy
to do so.
I have seen a train con
ductor take charge of a
young child traveling alone,
with a personal Interest in
stead of a routine and im
personal one, that was a
pleasure to see. Passengers,
seeing this, took a personal
interest also.
On another occasion a
passenger in the car I was
in was injured in an ac
cident. The conductor was
called, took charge like he
was used to emergencies,
stopped the train then
treated the passenger from
a large well-equipped first
aid box with the aid of a
doctor who was a passenger.
He then climbed a telephone
pole alongside the tracks and
Pen namet map be used it
lettert carry writers' correct
names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden
sation.
phoned the railroad station
ahead. In a few minutes the
train proceeded to the next
station where the injured
passenger was placed in a
waiting ambulance and
taken to a hospital. Seeing
that made me realize the
train was in charge of a very
competent and efficient con
ductor.
I have another route
picked out when these trains
stop—through Pennsylvania
or New Jersey. The distance
will be greater but the “fam
ily plan” discount will make
up for that, for I am deter
mined to get there on the
train.
James H. Gordon
What U. 5. Needs?
Our economy has always
been based on how well our
men of the soil prospered or.
failed to prosper. All of our
depressions, large or small,
have been produced when we
have neglected sound agra
rian policies and allowed our
farmers to suffer. Our present
dilemma started about five
years ago when Brother Ben
son was allowed to put his
“leave - the-farm-and-get-a-
Job-in-town” philosophy into
practice. Well, many of our
“little farmers” moved to
town. There were some who
were qualified and lucky
enough to find a job in a
factory. They have now been
laid off and find themselves
on relief along with millions
of their city brothers.
A tax cut would help the
overall economy, but we need
other legislation which would
be of immediate value to un
employed persons. We need a
good strong farm bill to en
courage the small farmer to
go back to his little piece of
America and grow crops for
an ever-expanding popula
tion. We could use a good
workable public works pro
gram. and among other
sound props we are in need
of strong legislation which
would offer encouragement to
small business. Let us not
worry too much about the
moon: we nped to worry more
about empty stomachs and
empty cash registers here on
our own planet.
John W. Ellis.
Slum Rehabilitation
Often problems which seem
insurmountable to some peo
ple could be solved with the
application of just a little
practical common sense! Cor
rect rehabilitation of the slum
areas in the District could
solve several. At present some
of these are not being reha
bilitated. but simply mod
ernized with new brick build
ings Instead of old wooden
ones. All the old bad, cramped
conditions remain.
Instead of building low-in
come housing in the center of
the city, where land is very
expensive and high tax reve
nue could be obtained, this
housing should be built out in
the country where land is
cheap, which would make it
possible to have needed space
for decent, wholesome,
healthful family living, with
athletic and recreational fa
cilities, where children and
adults could have an outlet
for their energies, especially
demanded by young people.
. This would greatly reduce
delinquency at all ages. Young
people would be so exhausted
at night they would not have
the energy to roam the streets
and get in trouble. This would
be a big assist in developing
people into responsible, self
sustaining, good citizens, with
elevated standards of living.
If they were occupied with
good jobs, which they would
more readily be willing to as
sume if they had happier liv
ing conditions, they would be
paying for their own living,
and doing their share in pay
ing for civic costs through
'taxes; Instead of having their
living subsidized either In or
out of prison.
babel C. Moore.
Shamrock's Symbolism
The article on the front
page of the Sunday Btar,
March 16, “Shamrocks vs.
Clover,” is of little interest to
* an Irishman.
St. Patrick used the sham
rock when he brought Chris
tianity to pagan Ireland. He
showed the pagan Celts that
as they believed three leaves
could grow on one stem, so
could they believe there
could be three persons in
one God, the Father, Son
and Holy Ghost.
That is what the shamrock
means to an Irishman, not
If It Is a clover or whether
it grows on other than Irish
soil. Anne Lynch.
'Democracy on TriaV
Democracy is on trial. Why
do we read so little of the
Vinson - Kilday - Arends pro
posals to preserve democracy
in defense? The initial report
of The Star indicated strong
men had spoken in defense
of our Constitutional proc
esses and evidenced their
. determination to defend the
democratic processes of our
Government. They were pre
pared to rise and be counted
in maintaining civilian con
trol of the military upon
which our survival as a free
Nation rests. They were will
ing to stand up and fight
the encroachment of Caesar
ism that threatens the dem
ocratic procedures of our
free world. These men have
spoken with courage and
realism—but where are the
words of the wise who would
support them? Have they
succumbed to the fear that
swept our Nation with the
first spin of the Soviet
satellite?
Arise, free men and speak
for responsible defense and
the preservation of democ
racy and government by the
people. Stand up and be
counted with Messrs Vinson.
Kilday and Arends who lead
the way back to strength
through self respect and
courage of conviction that
stems from belief in demo
cratic principles.
David Reynolds.
For Better Music
At last someone is in
terested enough to attempt
through Congress to suppress
and take off the airways the
awful, obscene and degrad
ing rock ’n' roll songs put out
horns on end by practically
all radio stations in Wash
ington and elsewhere. Such
music should not be tolerated
in a country which calls It
self civilized. It is indicative
of the decadence which has
characterized the fate of so
many nations.
Elizabeth Winston.
Postal Rates
My income is less than SSO
per month. I need more
money just to buy inciden
tals. So I try to sell articles
and stories to magazines and
newspapers. But when I send
a manuscript I don’t get any
postal pound rates. I pay
first class postage—and I
pay it both ways. By the
time I reach four, five, or
even more editors. I have to
spend quite a bit in postage.
At three cents per ounce
—or part of an ounce—it is
rather expensive, but the
proposal is to increase that
rate by 67% namely to five
cents.
Will Congressman George
M. Rhodes and publisher
David Lawrence please ex
plain why manuscripts
should go at first class rates
—either at three cents or
five cents per ounce?
I would like to know the
reasoning back of that im
position. Is it because I am
69 years old, and should
have saved enough to keep
me going regardless of post
age rates? R. E. W.
Takes Umbrage
William M. White, Jr., in
a letter deriding low-caliber
TV programs states with
breast - beating gestures,
. “American are not intellec
tual boobs. We are Just
boobs." Please ask Mr. White
to speak for himself and not
take the liberty of speaking
for all of us. A. C. C.
VISTAS IN SCIENCE
By THOMAS R. HENRY
IGY Leads to Better Weather Reports
The International Geophys
ical Year program of meteor
ological observations in Ant
arctica already has notably
Improved weather forecasting
throughout the Southern
Hemisphere.
This is reported by Dr.
Hugh Odishaw, executive di
rector of the United States
IGY Committee, in sum
marizing results of the first
third of the International
car operative enterprise.
For the first time daily
weather charts of the vast
unknown continent around
the South Pole are being
drawn up at a central station
at Little America and fur
nished to the world. Quite
aside from the forecasting
value, says Dr. Odishaw, the
observations potentially are
of great value in understand
ing atmospheric circulation
all over the world, and its re
lation to solar radiation.
Ozone Measured
In the Antarctic meteorol
ogy program, large neoprene
balloons have been sent to al
titudes of 80,000 feet by the
scientists at Little America.
The average altitude is about
60,000 feet.
Several additional broad
scale programs are under way.
Dr. Odishaw reports. There
has been set up at Little
America an instrument which
measures the minute quanti
ties of ozone—triple atom
oxygen—in the air at ground
level. Ozone occurs mainly
in a layerlike' region about
15 miles high in the earth’s
atmosphere. Some diffuses to
the ground or is formed at
lower levels J»y ultraviolet
light. It has been noted that
at Little America there is
about 25 per cent more ozone
at the ground level than in
New Mexico. Although the
gas is a minor constituent of
the atmosphere it is thought
to play an important part in
the circulation of the high
atmosphere because of the
solar energy it can, absorb
and release.
Another minor constituent
of the atmosphere which may
play a major role in climatic
changes is carbon dioxide.
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL
Who’s a character?
One answer is the man
who is on the telephone
every day all day long.
Every office has at least
one.
Now, the instrument popu
larly called the “telephone”
was made to be used, it is
true.
Use is inherent in it, from
top to bpttom, side to side,
and out for hundreds and
thousands of mile*.
But the “character” who
is always on the phone is in
a special classification.
** * a
Usually he plays no fa
vorites.
The president of the com
pany waits on his whim, just
as the office boy does.
It isn’t being made to
wait, however, which puts
him into the “character”
class.
It is the fact that he talks
so softly, nobody can hear a
word!
Now, we all want to hear
what people say, on the
phone or otherwise.
These characters who in
sist on being private, though
in public, irk us no end.
** * *
We demand of every of
fice mate or matess—
Full and public offerings
of all information.
It one strain at the
ears to be perpetually try
ing to find out what this
person is talking about so
persistently. ,
One strains, and strains,
and never finds out; that is
the rub.
Not even a word comes
from this guy.
People come up with im
portant looking’ papers, and
stand first on one 'oot, and
then on the other, with the
important looking papers
held steady in the middle.
The paper holder is a man
of some importance, him
self. but it makes no differ
ence.
The man on the phone
goes right ahead talking.
** * *
A regular witness to it all
speaks up.
“You might as well go
back to your desk.” he says.
“He usually is half an hour,
at the least. 11l give you a
ring when he hangs up."
The joke, of course, is that
he never hangs up, or, If he
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
By THE RASKIN SERVICE
A reader can get an anewer bp mall to anp faetnal qneetlon bp writing
The Srenlng Star fhformatlon Bureau. 1200 Eve etreet R™ Woehir.«ton li.
D C Pleaee tgcloee 3 eente far return noetage.
Q. I read recently that
three out of four American
families own cars. How does
this compare with 10 years
ago?—A. E.
A. A decade ago barely
more than one out of two
American families owned cars
—the figure was S 3 per cent,
compared with today's 75 per
cent, according to the Auto
mobile Manufacturers Asso
ciation. Families owning
more than one car now num
ber 12.3 per cent, compared
with 3.2 per cent 10 years
ago.
Q. Why did the Royal Ob
servatory move away from
Greenwich?—D. 8.
A. Smoke and dirt from the
ever-encroaching city of Lon
don, the factories and docks
which have grown up In the
area since the observatory
was founded there in 1675,
Interfered with astronomers'
Industrial civilization bums
enormous quantities of fossil
fuel—coal and oil—each year,
pouring millions of tons of
carbon dioxide into the at
mosphere. Most of this is ab
sorbed by plant life and by
the oceans, but there is a pos
sibility that eventually the
content in the atmosphere
will rise enough to affect the
world’s climate. It has been
found already. Dr. Odishaw
reports, that the concentra
tion of carbon dioxide in the
Antarctic is about the same
as in nonindustrial areas all
over the world.
In quite a different phase
of the IGY program, it is
pointed out, several new
types of seismographs of
wide range and high sensi
tivity have been located at
observatories throughout the
world. The Lamont Geolog
ical Observatory of Columbia
University has constructed
10 long-period seismographs
and imtalled them at observ
atories ranging from Hawaii
to Fiji and from Bermuda to
the Antarctic. These instru
ments are sensitive to waves
generated only by the very
largest earthquakes. These
waves are so long that they
penetrate to the interior of
the earth. The whole earth,
in fact, may be set in vibra
tion by them.
Intermediate Waves
Recently Lamont workers
have discovered existence of
several Intermediate waves
with periods of about 100
seconds. Previously these had
been known only in the crust
of the earth over continents.
They now have been identi
fied in the next lower layer.
They are expected to throw
much new light on the dis
tribution of materials in the
interior of the earth.
In still another aspect of
the IGY program, Carnegie
Institution of Washington
seismologists are exploring
the roots of the Andes Moun
tains in South America. They
have found roots of unsus
pected depth and now are
working on their data to ob
tain better understanding of
the crustal structure under
this great mountain chain.'
does, nobody ever catches
him at It.
He goes right ahead talk*
Ing.
The office seethes behind
him. Everybody is busy at
his appointed task, every cme
is busy at her appointed task.
Who thought up this idea
of making everything “his,”
even when the ehairman is a
miss or Mrs.?
“The chairman, he says—"
The character on the
phone is not worried in the
least by such questions. He
has found, out of all human
inventions, the one ha likes
the best. tv,
Surely the phone company
ought to enshrine him in a
tablet or monument of some
sort.
“The Steady Telephoner,"
or something along that line.'
** * *
“When will this character
be through?” asks an in*
dignant visitor.
The office longs to shout,
in unison. "Never!”
The office does not so shout,
of course.
It just isn’t done, but it
ought to be, now and then.
It would be a good deed in
a long suffering office.
The trouble is, not that he
talks, or that he talks too
long, or should not talk so
much, or should talk shorter.
The affront is, rather, that
nobody can And out what he
is talking about!
If he didn’t keep his affairs
so secret, we could all bear
up better under his incessant
chatter.
None of us has any doubt
at all that he is talking
sensibly, and to the point,
and all on business. Sure,
sure.
We simply wish that we
could catch a word now and
then.
A word would make us feel
that we, too, were a part of
the picture.
The quiet drone of the
voice goes on and on, and no
word stands out so that we
can catch it as it flies, for
the very good reason that it
doesn’t fly. It just eases down
into the mouthpiece and is
gone.
We wish that our char*
acter would talk louder, but
he never will. He doesn’t
need an office, all he needs
is a telephone booth.
observations. Herstmonceux,
a 15th-century castle some 50
miles southeast of Greenwich
in rural Sussex, was chosen as
the new location in 1947, al
though the actual process of
moving Instruments did not
get started for several years.
The move makes no practical
difference in the world’s time
keeping system, which has
been based on the Greenwich
prime meridian since the in
ternational accord signed at
Washington, D. C., in 1884.
Adjustments of about a min
ute and a quarter are made
in observed time at the new
location, to correct it to
Greenwich time.
Q. When was the name of
Boulder Dam changed to
Hoover Dam?—J. 8.
A. On April 30, 1947, Presi
dent Truman signed the con
gressional resolution chang
ing the name of Boulder Dam
back to Hoover Dam.