davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-03-18
LET Americans Remember"
Backs to the WALL"

In January, 1915, at the height OF
our acrimonious correspondence with
Great Britain about neutral rights
at seattle time when Downing
Street counted that day lost which
witnessed no new note of protest
from Secretary Lansing, the London
Daily Mail in an editorial entitled
American Sentiment and British
Necessities" which might have been
published today, commented:
Every Briton will deeply and
sincerely regret to read reports that
American temper is rising to de-
gree which might easily produce
another War of 1872 The allies
have quite enough on their hands
already without the additional and
disagreeable burden of a quarrel
with the United States, even if the
quarrel is confined to a diplomatic
argument. But this country is fight
ing for its existence an an inde-
pendent nation and the center of
worldwide empire. 1t cannot af-
ford to throw away any weapon 1t
is justly entitled to use. -" = We may
fairly invite Americans to remem-
ber this and to bear in mind that
the issue of the struggle Is only
less important for them than for us.
that German victory would react
on American interests and Amer
lcan welfare with a force which
would reduce all questions of cotton
and copper. of this ship and of that
to utter insigniicance."
Evening star., 1940-03-18
This Changing World
DoIodier, Fed Up With stoIemote in War With
Germany, Expected to Resign as Premier
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

According unconmed
Dsader considering throwing his hand in He said
Senator Pierre Laval who is former Prime Minister
The French Premier Is said to be fed with his
entered this reuctanyas reluctantly
agreement in 1888 But
not pavey but actively. every
declared France will fight to the bitter
The Finnish catastrophe affected
M Dadier relies under the circumstances
He has complete faith the Judgment Of his generals whom
known intimately years
They urged him to take Finland
and M. Dalader agreed with
Evening star., 1940-03-18
The Town Gossip

he Town Gossip
Woodrng smaltme politician
formed
orshn of his State when President
War 1888 The appointment purely political
Woodngs elevation seceayship which
The idea feeling
Woodrng
tenaciy would
with envy, he has cung to the roll
little with Woodring
first to be fellow could positive
faculty making amply
airplane of last year.
the fact that in
specifications
Heinke meoritv Of
causing Assistant Secretary johnson Woodngs
procedure and bomber designs
Woodrngs
fall when William Buli apane
promise of broad cooperation for them
superseded Woodring design
with Woodng
designs Immediately charged Morgenthau attempting
disclose military the French There
at the White House the of which Bult told
pitchfork" President
his foot the superseded Woodng
French
point of he
failed the fact that his military
he had called them he wished his
Morgenthau Whichever his he
Capitol
Senate investigation promptly instituted
finally that military
for nearly disagreeab suspicious
have not yet been bansned.
Evening star., 1940-03-18

on aircraft and another rumored
81 900, 100000 on munitions over
here.
AS to my respected friend. Sem
ator Pittman, it's been suggested
that instead of seeking repeatedly
to sabotage the Hull trade agree
ments program because of the
latest British blow at American
trade the leader OF the silver bloc
might more usefully devote his man
ifold gifts and powerful influence to
Evening star., 1940-03-18

the industry which last year log
rolled Congress into granting it a
perpetual subsidy increase from STA
cents to I'LL cents an ounce-an
industry whose money value in the
American economic scheme hash t
the importance of peanuts, chewing
gum, linoleum. glue, Strawberries
leather gloves or spaghetti! Even
Renos divorce trade is more lucra
tive for Key Pittman's Nevada than
silver
Evening star., 1940-03-18

LrdQe. 10 save
I eign ex-
change, Joh n
B ull tomorrow
stops importing
canned and bot
tied fruits. AS
the British in
1888 bought $l4.-
900, 900 or $l5,-
100000 worth of
these goods in
t he U n | t e d
States, m os t ! y
California an d
Oregon peaches,
pears, apricOtS.
Evening star., 1940-03-18

Not cou n t l n &
workers on the
w. P. A., ne
puts the present
unemploym e n t
total at around
1000, 900, instead
of the common
ly accepted fig
ure (including
w. P. A. of be-
tween 9,000,0 900
a II q IL ,UUU,UOU.
Attention a | -
ready has been
called to her fall
lacies. but there
Evening star., 1940-03-18

years of contro-
versy about hu-
man rights and
property rights.
it is a matter of
tragic record
that one clause
in the Constitu-
tion is being
c o n S p i c u
ously abandoned
without a fight
by those who
profess to be the
e X O. n e n t S of
true liberalism
In America.
Evening star., 1940-03-18
Washington Observations
British, With Backs to WALL Held Justified
In Placing Bon on American Canned Fruits

fiscal year 1901 will be $4,000, ,000,-
900, instead Of roundly 100000 900 900
for fiscal 1939-40.
Backs to the WALL"
1t happens to be just about %
years ago that Marshal Haig issued
his famous Backs to the Wall"
order to the British Army In France,
which was being steadily driven to
the Channel coast by the Germans.
with imminent danger of annihila-
ton or surrender. Is there an Amer
ican with soul so dead as not to
realize what British emotions must
be at this hour of latest allied grief
the fate of Finland-as King
Georges people hear of mounting
indignation" in the United States
Congress over the embargo on i'm
ports of canned and bottled fruits?
This observer holds no brief for
the high -handedness with which
the British have maltreated our
ships and mails. And resent Lord
HaW HaW's recurrent references to
Uncle Sam as Uncle Shylock" the
Uncle Sam who has never said boo
about Britain's default on her
S. 900 100000 war debt. Yet who of
us can doubt or fail to deplore that
Britain is again fighting with her
back to the wall?
Evening star., 1940-03-18
Spending Billion Francs

The French people defeatiss
the through but can't quite understand this
is going to lead them if it on much longer
Their government spending close billion francs about
S25OOOOOO for nothing Politicians like
have made France into social paradise
working classes
Some of the colleagues of
Of Foreign Affairs Georges Bonnet Il told
and other politicians policy
they did believe allies
Evening star., 1940-03-18

OF the traffic deaths reported for
January Of this year in So States. Is
had death totals below January,
1899; 18 had increases and 3 showed
no change. In January last year
20 Of 81 reporting states showed
reductions from 1888.
Evening star., 1940-03-18
A HeartleSs YoWl.

Respectfully does deponent SUBJ
NIT that for anti-Nazi America to
yelp at the British at such an hour
as this over measly matter of
sl4,OOO,0OO worth of canned and
bottled fruit exports approaches the
heartless. 1t also borders on the
ludicrous. seeing as how the allies
are waiting to spend 81 1000. 900 900
Evening star., 1940-03-18


Woodngs
from around He careful to maintain public
against Henry Morethau thing the world Yet talk
Mogenhau of the
of office Workings attitude similar
spread
AnanceD
Evening star., 1940-03-18

hands. Supervision was necessary,
in order to prevent the allies from
dislocating our domestic economy.
At the same time. it was desired to
make things easy for the allies.
Woodring had revealed his inclina-
ton to do just the opposite. The
President therefore appointed Nor
genthau as head of a special Co.
ordinating Committee. including
representatives of both the War and
Navy Departments, but short cir
Evening star., 1940-03-18

IIle SIC-UOWN SCrlKeS III FTanCe. He
had no sympathy with the present
sit-down war in the Western Front.
The prospects OF assisting the
Firms and coming to blows with the
Germans in Scandinavia appealed
to him and his generals. He urged
his British colleagues to proceed
with effective assistance to Baron
Mannerheims men some six weeks
ago. The British, who believe in
the wait and see" slogan, did not
Evening star., 1940-03-18

believe in fastening
Of campaign in the north and by Chamberlain
nounced that military assistance
be sent to Finland the Firms through Thus about
to have disappeared The situation
few weeks a saemae
Evening star., 1940-03-18

Etienne Flandin, whose prestige
has suffered much in the last two
years, also says his policy of an
understanding with Germany was
the best. Pierre Laval has kept
silent regarding the French policy
toward Germany, but had been ,
strong advocate of policy of recon-
ciliation with Italy. In 1885, before
the Rome Berlin axis was created,
he URGED the French to nuerlonk
Evening star., 1940-03-18

the new crop of intimations that
military secrets" were being dis
closed to the French and British.
He called Woodring to the White
House, along with Secretary Of the
Treasury Morgenthau, whom Wood
ring bitterly hates, and Assistant
Secretary of War johnson, whom
Woodring both hates and fears. TN
the presence of these men he an
nounced. in the most unvarnisheo
terms, that he did not propose t.
have his policy interfered with by
rebuke for Woodring was intended
the Presidents immediate encourage
Evening star., 1940-03-18
Fight Urged
On Religious
Prejudice
Presidents Silence
On Farley Incident
Viewed as Surprise
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although the Constitution Of the
United States is the law of the land
and much has been said in reverence
of that document in the last several
Evening star., 1940-03-18

grapefruit an dFrederic william Vile.
fruit salad, London proposes tempo
rarily to kill business representing
about half of l per cent of our
1888 exports to all countries ($3,094,-
095,O0o and some 3 per cent of
$521 ,124,000 sales to Great Britain.
Out Of $23 100000 American
canned fruit exports that year more
than half was bought by the British,
but compared to our total exports
to all the world, the item is pifning
Nevertheless, one reads that in
dignation runs high in congressional
circles" Also, that IAN outright de-
mand for cessation of all reciprocal
trade agreement negotiations is now
made by Chairman Pittman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Commit
tee" Also that Senators McNary.
Nye and OMahoney forecast that
"this latest British blow to Ameri-
can exports will strengthen demand
for Senate-approved trade pacts."
Evening star., 1940-03-18

THE opinions the wrsters this page
necessarty The Stars Such presented
Stars etort to gtDe all sides questions
readers although such opinions be contradictory among
themselves and directly opposed to The Stars.
Evening star., 1940-03-18
The Capital Parade
RooseveIts Policy Toward Allied PIone Purchase
Plans Declared 'Sobotoeed by Woodrine

Behind ruckus British arpane
there only personality
Secretary of War Harry Woodng
pue Woodrng consistently
policy of putting this country
disposal of the allies
Evening star., 1940-03-18
New Figures
Are Cited on
JobIess
Conference Boord
Sets January TotoI
At 9,2e6,000
BY CHARLES G.. ROSS,

Miss Dorothy Thompson sticks to
the unemployment figures of her
breakfast-table grouse" and cites
important support she has received.
Evening star., 1940-03-18
1910 War Cost $4,000. .0OO, 900.

In the same papers (of March 15)
which announce the half of l per
cent British blow" at our exports,
there are some other figures, reveal
ing the burden under which British
backs are now bending. To begin
with, the individual income tax has
been raised to 37i2 per cent, along
with heavier consumption taxes,
while corporation excess profit taxes
have been lifted to so per cent of
profits above pre-war average. The
truly astronomical statistics of the
price of war for Britain are sup
piled by the National City Bank Of
New York. They show that while
budgetarv expenditures were origi-
nally estimated at around $500, ,000.-
900 for the current fiscal year end
ing this month, they were revised
upward at the outbreak of war to
Just under $4,000 100000. But Bri-
tannia's war bill is now reported to
be running at an annual rate ap-
proximately s96000O0 900. or about
40 per cent of the estimated 1899 ma
tional income of $4,000, 900, 900. On
population basis. this is equiva-
lent to annual budgetary expendi-
ture by the United States of over
s27 900 900, ,000 or the size of our ma
tional debt on June 80. 1884, after one
year of the New Deal The author
itative London Economist predicts
that if the war lasts. its cost for
Evening star., 1940-03-18
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

This column confesses to q severe
pain in the neck as consequence
of the latest squawk about British
interference with American export
Evening star., 1940-03-18
Nothing Against Henry

In the light of this story, it is e
decision to take supervision of allied
Evening star., 1940-03-18

fiscal year 1901 will be $16 .000, ,000,-
900, instead of roundly 10000 ,000, 900
for fiscal 1939-40.
Evening star., 1940-07-30
Hatch Act Enforcement

The Civil Service Commission ad-
mittedly faces a difficult task in
enfo%ng the new Hatch Act prohi-
bitions' against political activity by
State employees on Federal-aid work,
but the fortnight declaration by
President Harry B. Mitchell before
group of West Virginia postmasters
that violations will be dealt with in
strict accordance with the law is an
assurance that the commission will
spare no effort to bring about
compliance.
To start with, physical problem
of immense proportions is involved
IN a policing job that will extend
right down to the grass roots of
forty-eight States, and the commits
sion's burden will not be lightened
by the attempts at circumvention
that may be expected from local
political machines whose existence
depends on their office holding
supporters.
The rigid provisions of the
amended act also will pose complex
questions of administration.
For instance, in dealing with
Improper politica, activity by civil
service employees, the commission
has certain amount of discretion
where guilt is proved and may fix
penalties ranging from reprimand
to dismissal, according to the seri-
business of the offense. The Hatch
Act, however offers no middle
gIound, providing only that the
commission must decide If the viola
tion warrants dismissal or not. Obvi-
ouSly, too great an exercise of
leniency would nullify the purpose
Of the act, but as Mr.. Mitchell
said, experience has shown that
there are occasions when dismissal
Is too extreme punishment, so
1t is evident that the commission
will have trouble drawing a distinc-
ton in these border line cases.
The provision of the new law
which limits State employees to pri-
vate expression of political views
also is calculated to increase the
Evening star., 1940-07-30
THIS AND THAT
BIZ Charles E. Trace1Dell.

standards, that it is wonder It, has
not been used much in popular songs.
Maybe it will be used. The vogue of
the day, in popular songs, is to take the
sheer melodic moments from great musi-
cal works and turn them into songs
which will be accepted by persons who
think they do not understand" classical
music.
This movement began in Europe sev-
eral years before it caught on over here
Melodic bits from Mozart and other great
composers found their way into re-
vamped musical comedy "hts'
Today in America we are seeing some
of the melodies from the classical SYM
phonies made over into popular love
songs. The only fault which can be
found with this practice lies in the
generally silly words which are put to
the tunes
Fortunately for the wood thrush, he
does not have to think of words.
He just sings.
This Is true of all birds, of course, but
somehow the thrush has such a definite
song pattern that We might expect both
words and music" from him.
This real singer understands very well
the accepted use of dissonance, now and
then.
Along with his four groups of three
notes, separated by rests which make
up his melody, he throws in some harsh,
grating noises, by way of contrast.
There is one sharp piercing noise this
bird makes which few of its admirers
would suspect would come from its
throat.
This is its alarm note, a pitched,
ugly noise, indeed, but highly effective.
The thrush utters it at its most pierc-
ing when it sees a cat.
Cat! Cat! Cat!" it says, at least in
translation.
This is odd, for We have never seen
cat attack wood thrush. But perhaps
the bird is warning other species.
Few bird songs sink so deep into the
human consciousness. Part of this is due
to the construction, humanlike melody
which would be easy to mimic, if it were
not for the range and the peculiar dou-
ble-note quality which it possesses.
Once realized, and put into the men,
ory, the wood thrush's song can never
be lost. Not only that, it becomes in a
peculiar sense, the very song of spring
and summer
Heard early and late, and in the mid
day, this melody becomes a veritable
part of the hearers life. in a way which
few other bird songs do.
What magnificent voice this bird
has! 1t is as loud as the suuawk of the
Jay, but sweet and more melodious
1t fits into the very sky and air, and
yet lodges in the heart of every listener.
as fully at home one place as another.
Evening star., 1940-07-30
Jupon's Peuce Dreams

1t would be more proper to describe
as peace dreams" the peace terms
Japan is reported to have submitted
to the Chinese government as over
lures" for cessation of hostilities.
Chungking, as might have been
expected, is understood to have
rejected them as unbeatable. The
Japanese advances not only call in
effect for Chang Kai-shek's uncon-
ditional surrender, after three years
of resistance which is not broken, but
they also embrace territorial claims
wholly unconcerned with the Sino-
japanese war. Toxic is clearly and
unabashedly bent upon exploiting
conquest of China for expansion of
japanese control over neighboring
possessions. including those of Great
Britain, France and Thailand
(Siam).
AS to China, Japan demands out
right cession of Hopei, Chahar,
Shantung, Shansi and Suiyan, the
five vast provinces the islanders now
occupy. In addition, the Chinese
would be required to recognize ia
pans puppet, Wang Ching-wei, as
president OF republic made up of
the remaining provinces and Burma,
1ndo-China and Siam. In Wang's
domain China and Japan would
share economic opportunities"
Manchukuo's status would be left in
indefinite abeyance-a provision
tantamount to China's remuneration
of all right and title to her great
northern province.
Tokio's proposals are predicated
on Britain's defeat by Germany,
contingency which makes it surpris-
ing that the terms do not compre-
hend Hong Kong as we'll. Inclusion
of Indo-China indicates the convic-
tion that victorious Germany and
Italy, when they carve up the French
colonial empire, will readily assign
that territory to Japan. The latter
plainly believes she can proceed to
assign Burma and Indo-China to
herself because their respective
authorities have both agreed to close
those regions as supply routes to
China. Siam, long under japanese
political, strategic and economic
domination, is in no position to offer
any defense against the powerful
neighbor
Thus Japan exposes and amplifies
her plans for "a new order in Asia"
If these peace terms" have any
factual basis. they contemplate Jap
anese expansion on a scale which
runs directly counter to the United
States unreadiness to recognize
changes in the Far Eastern status
quo. Perhaps China's motivation in
rejecting them rests in part on the
belief that they would be no less
unacceptable in Washington than in
Chunkinp
Evening star., 1940-07-30
Defends Attitude of
Senator Vandenberg.

AS World War veteran who saw COM
bat service, and as the father of two
children between 20 and 80, I wish to
protest against the slurs which are con-
stantly being cast on Senator Vanden-
berg by reason of his attitude on the
proposal for compulsory military service,
for the following reasons:
/. Being a Senator, the gentleman is
necessarily citizen of the United States
and entitled to express his own opinion,
so long as he refrains from the attempt
to use force to overthrow our Govern
ment
2. AS recent candidate for nomina-
ton for the Office of President of the
United States. the gentleman should
still be allowed to voice the sentiments
Of the few delegates who supported him.
3. Harry Bridges is still here and Fritz
Kuhn was Jailed for financial irregulari-
ties not for treason. AMERICAN.
July "a.
Evening star., 1940-07-30
Advance of Man

Doctor Earnest A. Hooton, profess
sor of anthropology at Harvard Uni
versity, is one of the worlds out
standing students of man as a bio
logical genus.
AS such he propounded some
thought provoking theories the
other day-among them that the
human race suffered physical,
mental and moral deterioration as a
result of the strain of the World War.
That great conflict, he says, killed off
the most vigorous and intelligent of
potential fathers and "wreaked
havoc with the nervous and endo-
crime organizations of potential
mothers, thereby lowering the quail
ity of the offspring"
This thesis seems at strange vari-
ance with the facts, unless Doctor
Hooton has data not generally avail
able. 1t would seem offhand that the
human race, both in the Americas
and Western Europe, is now at it's
physical peak. The superiority OF
present-day recruits over those of
World War days has been commented
upon enthusiastically by medical
officers. Both the mortality and
morbidity of the race has declined
due in large part, of course, to scien-
tific advances rather than to any in
herent increase in vitality. One after
another, all sorts of athletic records
have been broken in the past twenty
years.
AS to mental decline, the thesis
seems absurd. The past two decades
have witnessed some of the supreme
intellectual achievements of the hui
man race. The mind has gone far
to free itself from the ShackleS of
outWorn convention in all the sci
enceS.
AS to moral decline, Professor
Hooton may be right, although it
would be very difficult to support a
thesis that moral qualities are in
any sense inherent and it would be
nearly impossible to set up any
qualitative or quantitative compara-
tive measure. Rather, it might be
maintained, there has been an i'm
moral decline" On the whole, there
has been a marked decline in en-
thusiasm for numbering fellow-hu-
man beings and a growing convic-
ton that man has more worthwhile
goals than war for the expenditure
of his energies. This, perhaps, has
been unfortunate, in view of the
present situation
Evening star., 1940-07-30
BeIuted Harvest

One of the things that makes
farming unsatisfactory to many is
the unconscionable length of time
it takes to grow crop. The manu-
facturer, say, of automobiles, can put
his product together in day or so
and in a week have it running in
some town a thousand miles distant.
The second installment will be due
by the time the poor unlucky farmer
gets a glimpse of the first sprouts
from his seed. Even under modern
agricultural conditions, under which
much of the sting is taken from
farming and transferred to taxpay-
ers, the time factor is no better, as
it takes just as long not to grow a
plowed-under crop as to grow one
above ground; the greenback har-
vest still comes but once year.
Something of a record for pro-
tracted reaping has been achieved
by a seventy-three-year-old farmer
of Usage, Iowa, who for fifty years
has been growing one crop. For
most of those years friends had
been urging him to harvest it, but
apparently he did not think it was
quite ripe. Finally, driven to it by
the heat, he went to specialist and
had it moved. The result was most
disappointing and necessitated start
ing in at his advanced age to make
friends all over again. No one recog-
nized him without his whiskers.