Evening star. [volume], March 24, 1959, Page A-14, Image 14

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Joenhtg |H as
With Sunday Mamina Mltlnn
Published bp
THI EVENING STfJI NIWSPAMR COMPANY
WASHINGTON }, D. C
Samuel H. KsuHmann
Rrtudmt
Banjamin M. McKslway .
Hit* ]
MAIN OtFICEi 2nd Si. and VUgrnta Avonug S I (3)
NEW YO*K: 343 Modi ton A.a 117)
CHICAGO. 331 N la Soda Si ll)
DttSOIT, Now Cental SwHdina 12)
SAN FRANCISCO* Sum SulMina (4)
IOS ANOCIESi 3243 Wail SNi Si. IS)
EUROPEAN SUREAU'
PARIS. PRANCE: 2) Rua Da tain
Da lira rad by Carriar
Evening and Sunday Sunday Evsnine
Monthly . I*s Pa. li.ua JO Monthly 1.30
Weakly .43 Weakly M
Night Pinal and Sunday 200 Nlgtil Pinal Only 1.40
Rates bp Mail—Payable la Advance
Anywhoro in tho Unirod Stata*
fvoning and Sunday Sunday Ivoning
1 yaar 28 00 I yaar 12.00 I voar 18 00
4 months ~..14 50 A month* ... 650 A month* t. 25
8 month* 750 3 months .. 350 3 month* ... 473
1 month .... 2AO 1 month 130 1 month .... 200
Toloohonat Lincoln 3-3000
Kntorod at tho Post Offico. Washington 0 C.
_ a* socond rigs* moil mottor
Member of the Associated Pratt
The Associated Pros, a entitled exclusively ta iha use ter
republicotion at all the locol newt printed In this newspaper
as wall os A, P newt dispatches
A-14
* TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1959
"Assault' on Treasury
House Republicans have charged
that Representative Spence’s bill pro
viding low-interest loans to municipal
ities is a “new, needless blllion-dollar
budget-busting assault on the Treasury.”
We suppose that the normal partisan
discount rate should be applied to this
accusation. Nevertheless, there is some
thing to be said for the Republican
claim.
Mr. Spence, a Kentucky Democrat,
Is chairman of the House Banking Com
mittee and is a responsible legislator.
He thinks the Federal Government
should lend up to $1 billion to munici
palities, chiefly for such things as water
and sewage systems, at a maximum in
terest rate of two and % per cent. Mr.
Spence argues that the need for these
programs is real, but that without Fed
eral loans they probably cannot be built
since “many of our cities already are
in serious financial straits.”
There is no doubt that this is true,
as far as it goes. But it overlooks the
fact that the Federal Government also
is in serious financial straits. Repub
lican Representative Kilbum points out
that the Treasury now is offering $2
billion in 10-year bonds and four-year
notes at 4 per cent interest. “To bor
row at 4 per cent,” he says, “and then
to relend at two and % per cent is a
sure way to go broke.”
If this 1$ a fair summary, there is
but one answer. Municipalities which
may borrow from the Federal Govern
ment to finance essential needs should
be required to pay a rate of interest at
least equal to that which the Treasury
has to pay when it goes into the money
market as a borrower. If it be said that
the municipalities cannot afford to pay
such an interest rate, the obvious con
clusion is that the Federal Government
cannot afford it either.
'Saby' A-Weapons
At one time, back in 1945 and for a
while thereafter, it was popularly be
lieved that no atomic weapon could be
made that would be less powerful than
the A-bomb that shattered Hiroshima
with a force equivalent to 20,000 tons of
exploding TNT. This belief, however,
has long since been disproved by the
fact that much smaller, as well as much
bigger, nuclear detonations have been
set off in tests conducted by our scien
tists.
Indeed, as the Atomic Energy Com
mission recently revealed, one of these
tests—staged in Nevada last fall—has
involved a nuclear shot equal in explo
sive force to only a ton of TNT, or a
mere 1/20,000th of the Hiroshima bomb's
power. This does not mean, of course,
that we now possess “baby” A-weapons
so light and so small that several of
them could be carried Into battle hang
ing from the belt, or stuffed in the
pockets, of each of our infantrymen.
Nevertheless, although a great deal of
further work and testing must be .done
to bring them into practical being, we
can be reasonably sure that the day is
coming, sooner or later, when such
things will be available in our arsenal,
and in the arsenals of other lands.
We thus have before us a future in
which foot soldiers are likely to ,be indi
vidually armed with tremendous fire
power of an altogether unprecedented
kind. As a result, one can envision a
time when relatively small bands of in
fantrymen, carrying their own A-weap
ons and dispersed over wide areas, would
be enough to carry out a devastating
defense against vastly larger attacking
ground forces. But this is not the only
significance implicit in the AEC’s one
ton nuclear detonation. For the detona
tion has served also as further vindi
cation of those experts—such as Dr.
Edward Teller—who have long been
arguing for continued testing as some
thing essential to the development of
atomic armaments not of the mass
destruction type, but of far less fearsome
kinds tailored to unleash comparatively
moderate or “humane” amounts of force
for limited, discriminating uses.
To a certain extent, moreover, this
same argument can be related to ther
monuclear weapons. Not very long ago
the hydrogen bomb was regarded as a
thing whose minimum power would
always amount to not less than a million
tons of exploding TNT. But now some
models of it have been cut down from
the megaton to the kiloton range, and
scientists are confident that further
experimentation eventually could reduce
it to a destructive magnitude of less than
1,000 tons of TNT. Certainly, taken to
gether with the AEC’s “baby” nuclear
shot and the high-altitude detonations
of Project Argus, figures of this sort
lend strong support to those who argue
against any International agreement
that would Impose a total ban on all
types of testing.
t
The Jackson Murders
With the finding In Anne Arundel
County, Maryland, of the bodies of Mrs.
Mildred Jackson and her 5-year-old
daughter, Susan Ann, the Jackson fam
ily quadruple killings have assumed an
interstate aspect justifying the all-out
joint investigation being conducted by
Federal, District, Virginia and Maryland
authorities. The transporting of kid
naped persons across a State line is a
crime within the jurisdiction of the FBI.
Until discovery of the bodies of the
mother and the little girl in Maryland
lag Saturday the federal agents had
been restricted to co-operating with
State police. This horrible kldnap
murder case calls for the most Intensive,
comprehensive and. relentless sort of
investigation by the best minds and
techniques available.
There are many mysterious angles
to'the crime which began last January
11 when Carroll Jackson, his wife and
thelf two daughters disappeared while
en route by automobile to their home
at Apple Grove, in Louisa County, Vir
ginia. Their car later was found parked
on the roadside, with evidence of hasty
abandonment. On the night they van
ished there were reports of efforts by a
wild-driving motorist to force other
cars from the; road In the same general
vicinity, although these incidents have
not been definitely linked with the
murders. No eyewitnesses to the ab
duction or slayings have been found.
Medical officials believe that the parents
and girls were killed within a few hours
of one another—probably on the night
they were kidnaped.
Clues to the killer Or killers, have
been sparse—if, indeed, they are clues
at all. A vague note to police indicating
that the bodies might be found in Vir
ginia, Maryland or West Virginia has
been discounted as a hoax. There was
little of significance v at the scene near
Fredericksburg wher» the bodies of the
father and his 1%-year-old daughter
were found. In a sawdust pile. He had
been shot through the head, while the
little girl presumably died from suffoca
tion or exposure. At the improvised
grave of the mother and the older
daughter some hair that might have
been from the murderer was retrieved
by the FBI and is being examined In its
laboratory. Some tire tracks also are
being studied.
These are meager clues, at best.
But sometimes seemingly unimportant
evidence from one place can be dove
tailed into evidence from another source,
to produce a tangible lead. It is well,
therefore, that the full resources of the
FBI and of local authorities in three
Jurisdictions are being thrown into the
investigation of this atrocity.
Blasting a Dream
Representative Lankford of Mary
land made a commendable but futile ef
fort to save from destruction In the
House the “30-year dream” (as he aptly
called it) of an extension through Prince
Georges County of the George Wash
ington Memorial Parkway. He correctly
described the banning of funds for the
parkway as “a tragic loss for the people
of the United States.” .
Yet the House voted against the
appropriation apparently under the mis
taken belief that this parkway is a local
project that the State of Maryland was
trying to put over in the guise of a Fed
eral highway. The vote came after Rep
resentative Kirwan of Ohio, chairman of
a subcommittee which recommended
against the parkway item, declared on
the floor that Maryland, “one of the
wealthiest States in the Union, wants
an almost bankrupt Nation to build a
road that will cost millions of dollars.”
But the facts are that the chief
advocate of the “road” is the Federal
Government (through the National
Park Service and the National Capital
Planning Commission), that the exten
sion is needed to complete a national
parkway in memory of George Wash
ington authorized by Congress some 30
years ago and that Maryland has agreed
to co-operate by putting up $1 million
as its share of the cost. It is the whole
Nation, not Maryland, which will be hurt
If the dream of completing the parkway
as a tribute to the first President is
wrecked by hasty and misguided action
by Congress at this late stage of the
parkway program.
Fa*+ Work on a Bnd Bill
The secrecy shrouding introduction
at Annapolis of a bill to restore gam
bling casinos on the Potomac River is
indicative of the misgivings which even
its sponsors must have about the meas
ure. This is bad legislation and it ought
to be decisively defeated.
The bill was dropped into the hop
per under a suspension of the rules
voted Jjv manv delegates who had no
knowledge of the nature of the measure.
They contended that the House was con
fused when It voted to accent the bill,
desoite passage of the deadline for in
troduction of new legislation. However,
parliamentary maneuvers to block the
measure failed. *
But this Is a proposal that ought to
be given wide publicity and careful de
liberation, rather than llth-hour treat
ment. It would repeal a law passed
only last year to end friction with Vir
ginia over operation, on wharves jutting
out from the Virginia shore, of gambling
joints that would be Illegal on the shore
itself. The over-the-water casinos were
licensed in Maryland, which “owns” the
river as far as the high-water mark on
the Virginia side. To repeal the ban
on such establishments now would be
an affront to Virginia that would open
old wounds at a time when relations
between the two States are beginning
to improve most encouragingly.
VMtSMMMTtxM SfARu
'Wish I Knew Which One Will Still Be in Styls Next Year'
LETTERS TO THE STAR
PTA Budgeting
At a recent meeting of the
Key School PTA (a school
with about 145 families > it
was the unanimous decision
of the members present that
public officials particularly
concerned with setting up
the District school budget
should be kept informed con
cerning the items In our PTA
budget which we feel rightly
belong In the District budget.
The following are expendi
tures which belong in that
category:
Twenty-five dollars for
such elementary playground
equipment as balls and jump
ropes. This has-been a recur
ring budget item for at least
ten years and has often been
a larger amount.
Fifty dollars for library
books. This also has been a
’recurring item and in recent
years has included materials
for repairing and rebinding
books as well, work which wa»
done by parent volunteers.
This money is in addition to
personal donations of books,
or money for books, by indi
vidual parents and is supple
mented by time given by
parents in library duty.
Fifteen dollars cash fund
to each of our seven teachers,
totaling $lO5. This is another
long-standing item to prevent
the teachers from spending
money of their own for the
so-called “extras" which they
feel are necessary and for
which there is no school
budget money.
We are also financing a
child guidance program this
year, a new project, but one
we feel is greatly needed.
This consists of paying for
the service of a clinical
psychologist one-half day
every other week, and will
cost between S7OO and SBOO
for the year. We hope the
request for elementary coun
selors will eventually be kept
In the school budget so that
the time can come when such
programs will not have to be
financed by parent groups.
Loree D. Bernard.
War—ls Necessary
If fog prevails m White
House thinking about what
David Lawrence so aptly calls
a “surrender” conference,
there is certainly clarity in
the thinking of our military
leaders.
Admiral Arlptgh Burke is
one of them. If the Russians
want to make war over Berlin,
they will start a war. If not
they can make the point at
any time. In other words,
the powerful free Western
world leaves war or peace up
to the Soviet blackmailers 1
What a sorry state of affairs!
People everywhere ask: Why
let the Russian gangsters
prey upon the civilized world?
Moreover. Admiral Burke
says the West has the power
to destroy the Soviets "at
this moment.” Why wait,
appease and placate the Rus
sians until they have the
power to destroy us the free
world asks. What has hap
pened to our leaders .'
In his broadcast, President
Eisenhower admitted we shall
have to live for years amid
Soviet • made tensions and
crises. What a defeatist type
of admission! No doubt it
inflates Khrushchev’s ego to
hear the world, by the Ameri
can President’s own admis
sion, must dance to his tune,
or else.
In America the great un
organized maiority cf people
ask: Why must the free world
knuckle to the Soviet de
mands, blandishments and
blackmail? If we’re strong,
why not put an end to Soviet
threats? Why tolerate crises
in Berlin, in Iraq, Iran, the
Par East, the Caribbean?
And why stage a “publicity
carnival" or summit confer
ence to further inflate the
Soviet ego?
It is high time the Western
world, the United States In
particular, Issued an ultima
tum to the Soviets It should
demand evacuation of the
satellite countries—the Baltic
states, Poland. Hungary,
Czechoslovakia. Romania.
Bulgaria total withdrawal
from these countries, with a
guarantee of a “demil’tarized
zone.” and abandonment of
Interference In the Middle
Pen names may De used 11
letters carry writers' correct
names and addresses All
letters art sutrtect to conden
sation.
East, Africa and elsewhere.
If they want "disengage
ment," that is the way to get
it.
Furthermore, we should put
the Soviets on notice, from
Khrushchev down, that we’ll
tolerate no more bullying,
no more blackmail Any de
viation will mean we ll go
after them and lick them to
a frazzle.
We have the power to de
stroy the Soviets, say our
military leaders, and it is
high time we used it to re
store peace, tranquility in the
world, and release millions
now enslaved under the Com
munist yoke.
Charles P. Beazley.
The 'Doubly Inferior '
Our military “Inferior Re
tired” i those retired before
last June) are now "doubly
inferior.” They are not merely
inferior to the “Elites” (those
retiring after last June 1> in
retired pay percentages, but
to Nationalist Chinese retired
personnel as well!
A recent Associated Press
dispatch from Taipei, For
mosa. reports that the United
States has given 848 million
for retirement programs ,for
the Nationalist military. Pres
ident Chiang’s son. Lt. Oen.
Chiang Chingkuo. reportedly
said that lack of a proper
military' retirement program
would handicap Nationalist
forces. In like vein, a Satur
day Evening Post editorial of
March 21 points to the effect
of the “Inferior” category
upon prospective careerists in
our services.
On March 11. Represent
ative Kilday of Texas advised
the House that the annual
cost of restoring full retired
pay percentages to the “in
feriors” would be $26 million
or less. This $26 million, how
ever, will be mbre than
counterbalanced by the "in
creased training costs for the
greater active personnel turn
over, if the “inferior” cate
gory is retained. Thus, the
"Inferior Retired” category
constitutes not only a body
blow to the future caliber of
our military personnel, but
also a net additional cost
(not a saving) to our tax
payers—this on top of the
S4B million to Chiang's re
tirees.
Whether or not the Penta
gon reverses its negative
recommendation of last year,
it is hoped that this session
of the Congress will promptly
enact rectification of the
anomaly of our “Doubly
Inferior Retired."
T. G. W. Settle,
Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy,
Retired.
Negotiating Peace
It was a welcome experi
ence to read the editorial
In your paper < Wednesday,
March 18) urging "the diffi
cult process of negotiation”
in the present Berlin crisis.
Far too many people in re
sponsible places, both in gov
ernment and in the press,
seem to be playing “follow
the leader.” In this instance,
however, it is not the harm
less child’s game of climbing
steep fences and jumpin'’
ditches. It is saber-rattling:
flexing of muscle: and as
you stated in your editorial,
the use of tough "words and
slogans.”
Unfortunately, it is the
tradition of most peoples to
equate patriotism with mili
tarism, forgetting that lt is
a far greater patriotism to
explore all the various angles
that will enable negotiation
in such a manner that a
peaceful solution may be
found.
What freedom would there
be. and who, let us ask our
selves. would survive to en
joy it, should there be a nu
clear war? Indeed, in a situ
ation where both sides would
be reduced to a radioac
tive crematorium, where the
“victor" would have on his
hands a shambles in which
it is doubtful that either peo
ple or animals could exist.
the real patriot will leave no
stone unturned to find away
which will "compose differ
ences without sacrifice of
principle." This takes cour
age. patience aand insight.
It is also the greater wisdom, ‘
by far.
Janet N. Neuman,
Chairman. Public Rela
tions, Women’s Interna
tional League for Peace
and Freedom.
Indignant at Proxmire
I was amused when Senator
Proxmire first made his at
tack on Majority Leader Lyn
don Johnson and could not
help wondering what his mo
tive really was. Now I feel
very indignant about lt. Per
haps he felt this would get
him more votes back in his
home State, or perhaps Mr
Proxmire Is such a "radical”
he wants to hurt Senator
Johnson's chances for the
presidential nomination In
1960. I notice the only Sen
ators to side with Proxmire
are from the “radical group ”
With the country demand
ing leadership, and with Sen
ator Johnson providing that
leadership so magnificently,
it seems to me that what Sen
ator Proxmire has donq is en
tirely uncalled for.
J. F. Anderson
Dress Modesty
I wish to stimulate the
women of Washington to
create an awareness for ac
ceptable street attire. This
concept is desirable because
many foreigners see America
by visiting our city only, and
for that reason the local
citizens have inherited a
special responsibility. It ap
pears that some of the
foreign people cannot under
stand the liberal street
clothing of some of the
women
A few years ago an eminent
surgeon from Europe visited
Washington during August.
As we walked along Connect
icut avenue we observed wom
en of various ages who were
dressed in bathing suits or
shorts. The visitor stated,
“My. I had no idea that
Washington was so filled with
prostitutes.” I attempted to
explain to him that these
women were indeed respect
able and that some were
mothers of big families and
that such attire might not
represent good judgment but
did not denote a classification
of the wearer. A few hours
later as he was leaving Wash
ington he shrugged his
shoulders and stated, "I do
admire your gallantry for
those undeserving women.”
Subsequently I encountered
this same surgeon in Europe
who commented on the schizo
phrenic i split i personality of
Americans, who are noble in
their expressions but who are
blind to anything that they
do not want to see. He men
tioned the numerous half
nude women on the streets of
Washington who did not of
fend us.
Therefore, it might be
possible for the women lead
ers to work through the local
citizens organizations to de
velop a program of instruc
tion for the naive but inno
cent girls of this city that
they may develop a sense of
responsibility for the impres
sions which they make on
foreigners. Perhaps the
street attire for local women
could conform to standards
that would be acceptable to
people of all countries?
A Physician.
Special Tax for D. C.
Why should the District
government have need to tax
nonresidents of Washington
because they happen to be
employed within the city?
The answer is plain: Due
to the District School Board
and our do-gooders that pro
moted such living conditions
in this city, it became im
possible for many tax-pay
ing residents to live here, and
they were forced to move out
into Maryland and Virginia
Why do not our brain trus
ters on Capitol Hill set up a
special tax (such as a luxury
taxi throughout the United
States of America and call it
the "Welfare Tax Fund for
the District of Columbia”?
Mrs. S. P. Fitzpatrick.
THE POLITICAL MILL
By GOULD LINCOLN
Wisconsin Primary May Be Clincher
Wisconsin, whose presiden
tial preference primaries In
the past' have had their im
pact on the candidacies of
both Republican and Demo
cratic presidential hopefuls,
may play—and Is expected to
play—an Important part in
the preconVentlon races next
year. As of today, lt appears
that the Democratic presiden
tial primary will be wide
open—that the Wisconsin
Democrats will not put Tor
ward a favorite-son candi
date. And. also as of today,
the two most likely entrants
among the Democrats are
Senator John F. Kennedy of
Massachusetts and Senator
Hubert Humphrey of Minne
sota.
Gov. Nelson, the first Dem
ocrat to hold that office in
years, .has been dabbling in
the political pool as a poten
tial favorite son. And Sena
tor Proxmire, who led the
parade of Democrats into Im
portant office in the Badger
Btate, has suggested that If
there Is to be a favorite 6on.
he might make a bid for the
role.
Recently, however, the
Democratic State chairman
Issued invitations to Senators
Kennedy and Humphrey,
Gov. Meyner of New Jersey
and Senator Symington of
Missouri to enter the presi
dential primary—which seems
to close the door to a favor
ite-son candidate, unless the
Democratic Party in the
a State is to engage in a major
’row.
Senator Kennedy has a lot
of friends in Wisconsin,
where he has spoken often.
He is going to Milwaukee to
speak at the Milwaukee Press
Club's annual "Gridiron
Dinner." imd the next day
he will speak at the Univer
sity of Wisconsin in Madison.
He may. indeed, make other
public appearances on this
trip. Senator Humphrey, too,
has a considerable backing
in the State. It is reported
the UAW already is moving
in his interest there—and,
for that matter, he may be
come a favorite candidate of
the auto workers, headed by
Walter Reuther. for the
Presidency of the United
States. If both these gentle
men enter Wisconsin’s pref
erence primary, it may be a
numdinger. Other candidates
might possibly be entered,
but none are likely to run
ahead of either Senator
Kennedy or Senator Hum
phrey.
The 1956 Primaries
Seven years ago. the Wis
consin primary on the Demo
cratic side went strongly tot
Senator Kefauver of Tennes
see. There was a battle royal,
however, in the G. O. P.
primary that year—with the
late Senator Bob Taft of Ohio
pitted against the then Gov.
Warren of California, now
Chief Justice, and Harold
E. Stassen. former Gov
ernor of Minnesota. Senator
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL
CHEVY CHASE. Md.
"Dear Sir:
*‘l hope I get catbirds this
year.
"When we moved out here,
about 20 years ago. the place
was famoi/s for its birdlife.
but in recent years the city
has overtaken us and the
birds have begun to dwindle.
"The catbird is the first to
go.
“All last spring and sum
mer we waited patiently for
the queer unbirdlike sound
that is his vocal trademark,
but not even once did we hear
it.
“Instead the squawk of
blue jays was as loud as ever,
and the incessant chatter of
the tiny wren went on all day
long.
** * *
"Being a cat friend, the
real thing. I like anything
that reminds me of a cat, and
the catbird, so appropriately
named, did just that.
“So I was sorry to have
them no more, and wonder
what has happened to them
“I suppose there Is a tide
in the affairs of catbirds as
well as among men. and they
suffer, too, from the ills flesh
is heir to; the moving finger
writes, as you say, and all
our piety and wit cannot
blot out a word of it.
"This moving of the divine
finger is life, let us say.
and in life’s ways the cat
bird family occupies a very
small part, but nevertheless
there is something tragic
about the disappearance of
such a fine species.
* * * •
"I have asked of my neigh
bors. and none of them has
seen a catbird for two years.
"What has happened?
"Is it our fault? Nobody
wants to accept blame, nowa
days. that is one of the major
signs of the times, but I am
willing to mend my ways, if
I have driven the catbirds
away.
“I would appreciate it if
you would tell how to lure
the catbird back, or, if that
is impossible, what has
happened to them.
“Sincerely yours. T. A.”
** * *
The catbird mystery may
be solved.
The happiest solution, of
course, will be the returi. of
these beauties.
The next best thing would
be for us to be able to un
derstand what has happened
to them.
Their comparative disap
pearance from former haunts
may be no more than the
very bad weather of recent
years.
Taft won. but by a plurality
only, over Gov. Warren who
ran second, and Mr. Stassea
who was third. Mr. Elsen
hower was not entered. The
result gave the Taft can
didacy a boom.
Wisconsin, four years ear
lier, had gone for Mr. Stas
see over Oov. Thomas E.
Dewey of New York in the
Republican presidential pri
mary and Gov. Dewey’s
chances appeared on the to
boggan. He revived them a
little later when he defeated
Mr. Stassen In the Oregon
primary after a man-to-man
campaign. In 1944. when the
late Wendell L. Wlllkle was
seeking a second Republican
presidential nomination. Gov.
Dewey beat him badly in
Wisconsin and the Indianan-
New Yorker promptly gave up
the race.
G.O.P. Role Not Set
What the Republicans will
do about the 1960 presiden
tial primary still is very much
in the making. No favorite
son candidate is available—
except Senator Wiley, whom
the G.O.P. organization
fought the last time he ran.
Vice President Nixon has
friends in the State. It would
seem essential for the Vice
President to enter this pri
mary The only other poten
tial candidate who has been
mentioned in opposition to
Mr. Nixon is Gov. Nelson
A Rockefeller of New York,
and. Informed sources say,
there has been mention of
the New Yorker in the State.
In 1956, an Eisenhower
slate of delegates to the Re
publican National Conven
tion won hands down. Since
the President cannot run
again, this is out for next
year. The primary could be
a terrific test for Gov. Rocke
feller, if the New Yorker de
cides to go into the race—
and should he win that pri
mary, it would be almost a
clincher. Vice President Nix
on. however, is strong there
and would be a very difficult
man to defeat. The Demo
cratic primary in 1956 was a
breeze-in for Senator Ke
fauver. The Stevenson people
stayed out of it.
Wisconsin always has been
an Interesting State in poli
tics. State and national. That
it can be again next year is
obvious. Under its primary
law. voters can cross party
lines at will. Democrats vot
ing in the Republican pri
maries, and Republicans in
the Democratic primaries. It
has been done on occasion,
when one party or the other
believed it could give a boost
to an opposing candidate they
considered weaker. But with
the new growth of the Dem
ocratic Party in the State,
and especially if two strong
candidates like Senator Hum
phrey and Senator Kennedy
are entered in the primary, it
is predicted the Democrats
will stick close to their own
prim: ry. and let the Repub
licans pick whom they will.
This may have restricted
their range.
Range is closely ailied to
migration, and no humans
really understand migration.
It is one of the birds' secrets.
But we do know enough
to be aware of the fact that
when food becomes scarce,
the birds tend to change
their ways of flight, and
often go east instead of west,
or vice versa, and if the
migration bounds are cut
down, then the birds simply
do not go as far north as
usual.
*** * J
Something of this kind
may have happened to our 1
catbirds.
These interesting and ;
friendly birds are in direct
competition with cardinals,
jays, and mockingbirds, in
particular, all of them more
belligerent and better able to
take care of themselves.
But this is just one idea.
Another, and more per
plexing. is that something
has happened to our catbirds,
gentle and kind as they are.
' It might be fall-out of
some sort, or the end results
of the widespread use of dras
tic poisons as sprays.
At this date, there is really
no telling what might Hap
pen to our birds. They prob
ably are more sensitive in
many ways than four-legged
animals, and may show the
inimical work of poisons long
before other creatures do.
Among the birds, some may
reveal sad results long before
other species do.
Just as the canary birds
were used in the trenches of
World War I to detect poi
sonous gases, so our catbirds
may be thought of as super
sensitive machines to reveal
to us what we are doing to
ourselves and to other forms
of life by our determined ef
fort to refuse to admit that
anything is wrong.
It is not the poison, so
much as this determination
of America to refuse to ad
mit wrong. It is not the
spray, so much as the mental
refusal to look into things.
The basic wrong is indiffer
ence, before which the an
gels shudder.
Answers to Questions'
By THE HASKIN SERVICE,
Q When were automobiles
first allowed to enter the
Kruger National Park in
South Africa?—P.F.
A. The first three cars ven
tured into this great wild
animal preserve in 1927. The
following year 180 came, and
by 1950 the number had in
creased to over 16,000.