davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-23
SAVE ON SLUM RAZING

along. There's n hit of the old
| pianner." he added, pointing to
the charred fragment of what
had been an old-fashioned up
right piano.
But all / can see is a big hole
alongside the road / want him
to tell me how il felt to he
blown up" But he doesn't seem
to know what l mean. He says
merely:
81 felt nothing"
It's queer but they're all like
that in the devastated districts.
Untouched, somehow, by lit all. /
Unafraid.
ONLY JUST SPLICED'
AS sort of an afterthought my /.
friend turns to me and says:
next door to me a young
cOuple-only just 'spliced'--
moved In and then Adolf moved
i 'em out"
There's an entirely untouched
crucifiX at the corner with the
/ piteouS figure of Jesus looking
down at the ruins.
"There's something Hitler
can't knock out" says one of
the onlookeTS,
It's new note born of the war
Every second woman and every
fifth man whether in London or
the MidlandS or the North brings
in the name of Jesus and -that-ef
Hitler as the anti-Christ when
they talk nowadays.
CALL ON RELIGION
Standing at the edge of a crater
in a mean little street | came
again on that insistent note of
religion as applied to life in the
new world to come after this war
I'm So and my sister Milly
is az and l was giving her
I something to eat in the shelter
/ when bombs fell all around us I
and wiped out everything"
white haired old woman says.
But you and your sister,"
T L a
across the road casually propping
up street door as she goes out.
ME and milly: Them bombs
didn't hurt us. There's where
we lived last week (pointing to :
gaping crater).
+ 81 am not religious In an ordi-
nary way, hut I've been think
in.
to build better world after
the war
EFFECT ON CHURCH
The war has had an effect on
church attendance. The churches
are filling up. l attended a serv-
ice in Westminster Abbey lust
before its windows were smashed .
and 1t was packed from wall to
wall.
l stood outside the shell of a
charred church in another English
city a few days ago. 1t was an
"oil bomb" they said. Nothing
was left but the crucifix. which
always seems to escape. Even the
stone pillars of what had been the
church We're SCARED.
+ A sharp decisive voice nearby
a woman's-h Kissed ~
"Hitler is renegade whip
hates and fears the Catholf
Church more than anything elS9
The day that church burned WI
raised 300 pounds sterling to
start a new one"
UNITING CHURCHES
Then I found this curious IN
ScUpiion outside a Protestant
church.
IF your knees knock to-
gether, l,necl IN them"
And outside the Synagogue Of
Jacob was a sign that read
Every one that's Stacker is
brother to him that is the de-
stroyer."
The war is uniting the churches.
You can feel this deep religious
sense growing as the war pro-
crosses.
In my Observation-Disclosures .
train a voice comes 10 me from /
big buSinesSlike woman who SAYS .
challengingly:
"Do YOU believe the Bible
literally I'm sure all the pro-
phecieS are now being fulfilled. +
II must mean that Hitler and
the Hun soon will he destroyed
SPIRITUALISM RISES
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Member of the Associated Press.
Super Defense Board

President ROOSeVeltS S deSlgnallOn
of new four-man council to head up
the national defense program and
the assurance from him that this
agency will have authority commen-
surate with the magnitude of its job
serve materially to brighten some of
the darker aspects of the prepared
ness program.
Recent disclosures that our defense
production has been tagging seriously
in some respects, taken with urgent
warnings that Great Britain must
have substantially more combat ma
terrell from this country if she is to
beat off the German invasion attempt
expected within the next ninety days,
have brought into clear focus the
imperative necessity for drastic i'm
provement in the conduct OF the re-
armament program.
The principal deficiency clearly
seems to have been lack OF central
lied authority, with the result that
a diffused responsibility for getting
things done has tended to become
nobodys responsibility. 1t is pri-
marily to correct this weakness that
the President, after having had full
opportunity to appraise the capabil-
tiles of the men engaged on the
defense program, has set up the
e,,,a, Jofapco P011pni1
The personnel of this agency has
been we'll chosen. William S. knud-
sen, as director, will supervise the
management end of the job; Sidney
Hillman, as associate director, will
handle labor problems, and Secre-
taries Knox and Stimson, represent
ing their respective military estab-
lishmentS, will look out for the
interests of the "buyer-user" OF the
materiel to be produced.
The President, properly enough,
has made it clear that he has not
and cannot delegate the ultimate au-
thority vested in him by the Constl-
tuition. But he has given assurance
that the new agency would have the
fullest authority that he can give it,
particularly in the making of deci-
sions, reserving to himself only the
right to intervene in event the four
men should be unable to agree among
themselves-a condition which Mr..
Roosevelt does not anticipate.
1t is evident that the test Of this
new setup lies in the future, but there
is no reason to doubt the quallflca-
tions of the men chosen, and if they
are in fact endowed with the neces-
sary authority a substantial popping
up of the tagging defense program
may be expected during the next
few months
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Atlantic Coast Eurthouukes

A tremor centering in New England
but felt as far North as Montreal
and as far South as New Jersey early
Friday morning gave residents of
the most heavily populated portions
of the Atlantic seaboard something
additional to think about. But the
Seismic map of the world is reassuring
to those who otherwise might be
frightened about the possible danger
of such cities as Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and WASH
ington. These communities, linked
as they are by many mutual economic
and social interests, also are fortu-
nate in sharing a geographic location
practically exempt from cataclysmic
disturbances of the surface of the
earth.
According to Professor Reginald A.
DAILY of Harvard University, no part
of the outer coating of the planet is
indefinitely free from earthquakes"
but these are both weak and rare
outside of the two great circle zones"
The same authority reports that be-
tween 1920 and 1869 New England
was shaken two hundred and thirty
one times. Bradfords History" gives
a description of the first convulsion
after the arrival of the Mayflower
Pilgrims, as follows: This year Q63O
aboute ye l. or 2. of June was a
fearful earthquake; it was in this
place heard before it was felte. 1t
came with a rumbling noyse, or low
murmure like unto remoate thunder;
it came from ye norWard and passed
southwark. AS We noyse aproched
nerer, the earth begane to shake and
came at length with that violence as
caused platters, dishes, and such like
things as stoode upon shelves, to
clatter and fall downe; yea persons
were afraid of We houses themselves. I"
Five years later an entry was made
in the town annals of Newbury to
the effect that: June 1st. Being this
day assembled to treat or consult
together about the we'll ordering of
the affairs of the towne, about one OF
the clocke in the afternoone, the
sum shining faire, it pleased God
suddenly to raise a vehement earth
quake, coming with shrill clap Of
thunder, issuing as is supposed, out
of the east, which shook the earth
and the foundations of the house in
very violent manner to our great
amazement and wonder, wherefore
| taking notice of so great and strange
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Boring From Within

A lady in Texas, troubled with
termites in her home, wrote to ex-
terminators for advice. She almost
failed to get it. Termites, working
secretly from a concealed base under
the stamp, nearly destroyed the letter
by the time it arrived. They only
lost by a nose. In another hour or
so, the writing would have been so
chewed up that not even a cryptog-
rapher could have read it.
Here is the answer to all who sub
scribe to the doctrine 1T Can't Hap
pen Here" Could anything have
been more devilishly ingenious and
subversive than their sabotage?
They must have known that their
agents would probably perish mis-
erably attempting to swallow all
those bitter and angry words, but
with true totalitarian philosophy
they shrugged whatever they use in
place of shoulders, remarked that
you can't make an omelette without
breaking eggs, and sent them out
just the same. The termites had
muscled in on a good location, and
were determined to hold it. How
they learned the news must remain
forever their secret, but they GER
tainly knew what to do about it,
when threatened by any such coali-
ton of enemy forces as householder
and a professional exterminator.
Evening star., 1940-12-21

a hand of Gods providence, we were
desirous of leaving 1t on record to the
view Of after ages, to the intent that
all might take notice of Almighty
God and feare His name"
Supplementary disturbances oc-
CURED in 1927 and 1755, in 1904 and
1925. One shock is chronicled for the
District of Columbia between 1915
and 1923, period in which no less
than five hundred and ninety-four
were reported in California.
Professor DAILY testifies that New
York, built on strong crystalline
formation, is fortunate. Moreover,
our largest city is far removed from
any line of important displace-
ments." The same observation, gen.
orally speaking, might be offered
regarding the town about which
readers of The Star, without apology,
are most concerned.
Evening star., 1940-12-21

1t is impossible to look into the mind
even to know that it thinks at all.
Yet expectation is sort of thinking,
and the birds which come to feeding
stations every day fly in at first light
with firm expectation of food.
Two hundred of them come every day
to our yard as sure as the light comes,
whether it is fair day or foul.
They are not disappointed.
There, at four separate feeding sta
tions, is plenty of fresh seed and grain.
The creatures undoubtedly would be
disappointed if the food were not there.
This is another sort of thinking, for
disappointment means some type of
thought.
Just how the songbirds which winter
here regard those who feed them we do
not know.
Undoubtedly they have some inkling
of the human element in the scene
They fly away at his approach, how
ever, although they do not seem so jit-
terry now, after five years, as they did at
first.
1t would be pleasing to be able to re-
port that the birds fly around shoulders
and alight on hands.
Unfortunately, they do nothing of the
sort. Maybe one has to have an excep-
tional aura or something in order thus
to enchant the birds.
4
1t would not do to brand all persons
who make such claims as prevarlcators,
but claims along that line must be taken
with at least two grains of salt.
Certainly the average person who
feeds the birds in winter in his garden
need expect no particular friendllness
from the creatures he feeds.
They like it much better if he will get
out of the yard and leave the scene en-
tirely to themselves. Surely this is the
best way. The less noise in the garden,
the better the birds like it, and the more
of them will come to accept the hos
pitality offered them
1t is amusing to watch the little fellows
some time when they have eaten up the
erain and seed at all four stations.
They do not fly away but simply wait
patiently for the reflling, WHICH they
must realize from experience, will not be
long forthcoming.
When it comes, they would make a
great hit if they would remain close
at hand, but, despite such long expert
ence, they do nothing of the kind.
They fly away, not far it is true, but
far enough so that no harm can come to
them from the terrible monster with the
pail full of new food.
The rounds of this monster go from
the east side of the yard to the west.
Two stations are filled on each side The
bird population, meanwhile, rests in the
shrubbery at the rear of the yard.
AS soon as the last feeder is filled and
the monsters footballs have died away,
the birds begin to move back, but not
until they have made very sure that
there will be no further interruption.
Not all of them come back at once, by
any means. They are too wary for that.
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Letters to the Editor
Declares There Is No Middle
Road to Security,

DctldTcS lHtTe Is no MluUIe
Road to Security.
To the Editor Of The Star:
The recent address of Gen Robert E.
Wood to the New York Board of Trade,
is shocking example of the confused
thinking in big business that is bringing
us ever nearer to the zero hour.
1t would be kindness to England
the general thinks, to tell her now that
she may expect nothing more from us
than half-hearted and strictly neutral
aid. She might then consent. through
the good Offices of our President and
the Pope, to negotiated peace with
Hitler in the spring and thus spare the
world the disaster of long war" The
peace would probably be lone not salts
factory to both belligerents ts"-but why
worry about that?
For 1t is Fantastic hysteria" to fear
invasion from a victorious Germany.
And since Europe needs us more than
we need Germany, We shall pick up
nice bit of trade, 'even if we had to
compete with totalitarian economy"
Nevertheless" and I quote his very
words, "if we obtain some quid pro quo
for certain classes of aid to Great
Britain, there cannot be great objections.
We could purchase their American Sc
curities en- bloc at generous prices We
could purchase large stocks of rubber or
tin or other supplies, even if not needed.
We could purchase their West Indian
possessions at a stiff price"
Now just what does our business ty-
coon want? If it is a spring peace with
Papal blessings, why all these stir
and generous" prices? They only defer
the proposed appeasement and nullify
the kindness of a defnitive mo" He
cannot have both peace and quid pro
quo.
From such confusion America must
free herself--and at once. If we can
indeed "co-operate" with the new order
in Europe and Asia and be prosperous
and happy in an economy of conquerors
and slaves, our vast rearmament pro-
gram is a needless and wicked waste of
national resources. If we cannot, that
program is the most important business
of our lives. There is no middle road to
security. The spring will bring, not
peace, but an assault of unparalleled
fury upon our first line of defense; and
if, through any slackness of ours, any
'Maginot complacency," that first line
fails us, we may soon learn that in
this cataclysmic world nothing is
fantastic" R. D. MILLER.
Baltimore, Md
Evening star., 1940-12-21
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles z. Trnce1oell.

Although absolutely no harm has ever
come to one of them, they are not
willing to take any chances.
It is the bird way, and the true bird
way, not the story book bird way. These
tall tales you hear occasionally, of birds
f1ocking down and resting in the hand
of the kind person in the yard, are very,
very fetching.
Our birds, however, never act that
way They are real. birds, not story
birds.
Usually it takes about two minutes,
at the least, and often five, before all Of
| them have returned to the station to
sample the food.
We say station, singular, because they
always fly back to the same one. that on
the ground beneath the huge rose vine
| on the fence.
| They sample this one, each time, be-
fore they try out the fresh supplies in
the others. The rose vine feeder, as it
is called, is without doubt the favorite
of all the birds.
In the first place. it is on the ground.
| 1t is an odd thing that most birds prefer
| to feed from a station established firmly
on mother earth, rather than from one
swinging in tree or fixed at window
SILL
You will always have more birds, al
though perhaps not such choice ones,
if you put the feeder directly on the
| ground.
In the second place, the birds un-
doubtedly like the feeling of safety
which the big untrimmed vine gives
them. They are able to fly up into it, and
through it, freely and comfortably.
| Even bird cannot eat all the time
| 1t must take time out, every now and
then, in order to digest it's food
Then 1t loves to perch in the vine
Often many dozen of them will be
perched this way chirping and calling
to each other They often rest at the
same time every day, around 2 o'clock
in the afternoon.
| Do you suppose it strikes bird as odd
! that the same places are filled with food
every day, although they have eaten it
all up the day previous?
If they had any way of thinking as
we do, they would be amazed that the
supply never seems to run out.
Being birds, however. they probably
| just accept what they find.
| If they discover food at a place, they
fly back the next day, so they must have
a memory of a sort, at least sufficient to
help them in their great task of keeping
themselves alive
Man has the same task, but he likes
| to think that he uses brain power in
its solution. We may wonder if he does,
after all, or at least as much as he likes
to suppose.
While we may not feel that the song
sters have much brains or use them in
the way we do, it is quite clear that
they have enough for their needs They
are saved the terrors and intellectual
absurdity of war because they cannot
plan anything. 1t would seem as If
planning often leads to sorrow and
trouble, especially when it is not ac-
companied by the kind neart.
Evening star., 1940-12-21
To Improve the c. c. c.

Based on a four-year survey by It's
staff members, the American Youth
Commission has recently made public
a set of recommendations designed
to improve the work program OF the
Civilian Conservation Corps. Point
ing out that the C. c. c. has cap
tured the interest and enthusiasm of
the American people, and that its
camps have benefited more than two
million young Americans, and ad-
vanced the cause of conservation
perhaps a generation" the commits
sion declares that the present work
camps, with a more unified admins
tration, and relatively simple changes
in their program, can make an even
greater contribution to our national
welfare.
AS one of it's most important pro-
posals, the commission urges that the
administrative personnel of the c. C..
c. should be brought Immediately into
the classified civil service, and that
"all forms of political influence in
connection with appointment should
be outlaWed." This is sound recon-
mendation and Congress should
take steps Immediately to place su-
pervisory personnel under civil serv-
ice laws and rules. The commission
estimates that political Endorsements
have been required in about sixty
per cent of the appointments to
project supervisory positions.
In urging a more unified admins
tration of the c. c. C. camps, the
commission has made another senSi-
BILE recommendation. At present
there is a division of responsibility
and authority among several Federal
agencies. Because of the problems
of national defense, the War Depart
ment. the commission believes,
should be relieved of the responsible
ity for operation of the c. c. c.
camps at the earliest possible date,
and the civilian personnel employed
by the War Department from c. c. c.
ahould be transferred to the c. c. C.
and report directly to the head OF
the corps. 1t also proposes that the
c. c. C. and the N. Y. A. be consoli-
dated into single new youth service
"a consolidation that should make
possible substantial savings in ad-
ministrative ard other expenses.
Because the Civilian Conservation
Corps seems likely to be retained as
Evening star., 1940-12-21

a public training institution, even if
the time comes when it is no longer
needed to give jobs to large numbers
of unemployed youth, the recon-
mendations of the commission merit
careful consideration by Congress.
These camps have demonstrated
their values and every effort should
be made to increase their efficiency,
and their usefulness, both to the en-
rolleeS and the Nation.
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Our Diplomacy at Work

With indications that the war may
be approaching decisive develop
ments, it is gratifying that the United
States observation posts at three
key points are no longer to remain
unnamed. Admiral Leahy's ap-
pointment as Ambassador to Vichy
has been followed by the announce
ment that William Phillips, after
sick leave of six months in this coun-
try will presently resume his ambas-
sadorial duties at Rome. 1t is under
stood, too, that without much further
delay President Roosevelt will name
an Ambassador to Great Britain, to
succeed Mr.. Kennedy That will
leave only the Berlin Embassy un-
occupied among major diplomatic
stations in Europe, but there is no
indication of any early intention to
alter the charge d'affaires status of
relations with Germany, which has
prevailed since withdrawal of Ambas-
sador Wilson two years ago and the
simultaneous departure of Hitler'S
envoy from Washington.
OF special Importance, at this hour
of incalculabe Italian destinies. is
Ambassador Phillips return to Rome.
He is one of Americas seasoned ca
reer diplomats, a former Undersec-
retary of State, and commands high
respect in the Fascist capital,
whittier he first went in 1886. In
light of the United States undis-
guised sympathy with and aid Of
both Britain and Greece, the role of
American Ambassador to the Quirinal
can hardly be described as either an
easy or particularly agreeable one.
But Mr.. Phillips brings to the task
discretion and experience, and may
be relied upon to give a continu-
ously useful account of himself.
Because of Fascist military re-
verses in Europe and Africa, plus
cumulative domestic unrest, literally
anything may happen in Italy-the
fall of the Mussolini regime not ex-
cluded Under such circumstances,
it is fortunate that Ambassador
Phillips is enabled to carry on where
he left off last spring The need Of
an American representative in Rome,
capable alike of transmitting prompt
and reliable information to his
government and welding its influ-
ence at the right moment, has sud-
denly become matter of prime i'm
portance.
The urgency of sending another
Ambassador to the Court of St.
James is perhaps even greater. The
United States has become Britain s
sheet-anchor with respect to the
financial and military sineWs indis-
pensable to her survival Happily,
because of unanimous public opinion
here, as to the wisdom of according
Britain all possible support, the
American envoy will not have, among
his multifarious duties, the mission
of assuring his majesty's government
and people of the firmness of our
purpose to accord them maximum
aid. But glo-American relations
will henceforth be so vital and many
sided that no time should be lost in
filling the vacant London ambassa-
dorship or in bestowing it upon the
very best choice at the President s
disposal. Our diplomacy in Europe
stands at the threshold of stern tests.
Evening star., 1940-12-21
In Church

60 to church because find God there,
Where He has been with me since
childhood days,
Through psalm and hymn of penitence
and praise,
In reading of Gods word, and trustful
prayer.
Outdoors-the hills, the woodland.
streams are fair,
In meditation oft on them gaze.
At dawn, at midday, sunset time raise
My heart to God and thank Him for
His care.
Yet in the church there is sweet mystery.
God comes through man in ways I
know not of.
The Church-Christ's body, men-the
garment hem,
Enfold and bless us, and each earnest
plea,
Through faith is answered by refresh
ing love,
For men are Gods and He still works
through them.
MONICA WILLIAMS.