davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-12-21
Br Ben Pearse.

France and Russia had been supple
mented with staff talks of military rep
resentatives of the signatories before the
war. little in the way of central authority
was developed for more than year.
What IS months OF disappointment
failed to accomplish. the Immediately
pressing problem of the British force in
Salonika brought about. In November,
1915. the first effort at establishing an
inter-Allied council was undertaken at
an Anglo-French conference in Paris.
1t did not solve the Salonika situation.
Nor did the addition of representatives
Of Italy, Russia, Japan, Serbia, Portugal
and Belgium by March. 1916, accomplish
its avowed purpose of insuring unity of
action upon unity of front" which was
to include the economic front as well as
the military But there was considerable
cooperation between the British and
French in the west in 1916. which saw
the repulse of the Germans at Verdun
and victory in the battle of the Somme.
The high hopes held by the Allies for
1917, however, vanished in a series of
reverses which not even the entry of
the United States into the war could
forestall The year ended with defeat
of the Italians at Caporetto and the
Russo German peace at Brest-Ltovsk,
which took Russia out of the war en-
tirelv.
"One Front With Many Flanks."
The battle of Caporetto brought about
the conference of Allied leaders at Ra-
pallo early in November, 1917, at which
it was decided to establish a supreme
war council at Versailles. with military
representatives of the principal powers
permanently attached On the way
home, Lloyd George at luncheon in
Paris to announce the plan made a
speech which almost caused a cabinet
crisis. Bluntly he said:
I'VE have gone on talking of the
eastern front, the western front, the
Italian front, the Salonika front and
the Egyptian front and the Mesopo-
tamian front, forgetting that there is
just one front with many TANKS that
Will IilcSc CUlOSSdl hlIllcS tlic DdlIlc-
field is continental.
There have been many attempts to
achieve strategic unity. Great generals
came from many lands to Paris with
carefully and skillfully prepared plans
for their own fronts. In the absence of
genuine inter-Allied council of men
responsible as much for one part of the
battlefield as another, there was sensi-
tiveness, delicacy about even rendering
advice, letting alone support for any
sector ether than that for which the
generals were themselves directly respon-
sible"
After the collapse of Russia, he went
on, plans went ahead as though nothing
had happened, without meeting the
threat to Italy.
''The Italian disaster" he declared
may yet save the alliance, for without it
do not believe that even now we should
have set up real council. National and
professional traditions, prestige and sus-
capabilities all conspired to render nu-
eatory our best resolutions.
Evening star., 1941-12-21
Roids on
Philippines
By Felix Morley.

These components of the good neigh
Dor policy. conscientiously followed by
President Roosevelt Secretary of State
Hull, Undersecretary Welles and their
subordinates, 60 far to account for the
striking and encouraging solidarity with
which the Western Hemisphere faces
what is really world war.
In respect to two very important Latin
American nations, Argentina and Mexico,
the policy of the Roosevelt administra-
ton is now seen as particularly discern
ing. Both of these countries are stra-
logically located and rapidly gaining in
physical power Both maintained strict
neutrality, if they did not actually lean
toward the German side, during the last
war Either of them could be a source
of grave anxiety or even actual danger,
to the United States in the much more
desperate struggle in which this country
is now engaged.
Mexico and Argentina.
1t is therefore of great significance
that within the last few weeks, on Octo-
ber IA in the case of Argentina and on
NUfcilDcI 10 III IIlc CSSe Vi
agreements of far-reaching character
have been reached Without those two
accords an-American solidarity would
be far more vulnerable to enemy efforts
than is now the case.
In the words of Secretary Hull, some
of the problems settled by the agreement
with Mexico have defied solution for
generations' Moreover, in the claims
with regard to appropriated petroleum
properties, there has been powerful re-
sistance by American interests to the
settlement now reached. Yet on the
whole, and considering the many factors
involved, the arrangements arrived at
seem reasonable and fair to ell.
If so, it was a diplomatic triumph Of
| the first magnitude to achieve this &C
cord with Mexico less than three weeks
before Japan attacked Hawaii. One i'm
mediate result is the move of President
| Avila Camacho to give the American
| Navy the use of Mexican harbors and
to permit the passage of American troops
through Mexican territory.
BY the reciprocal trade agreement
signed at Buenos Aires October "A. COM
mercial relations between the United
States and Argentina have been ma
Evening star., 1941-12-21

Army, and Brig. Gen. C.. L. Tinker to
command defending air units.
Continuing hit-and-run appearances
in a strategy which now seems celcu-
lated primarily to immobilize important
portions of the American Pacific Fleet,
or to divert them from any intent to
help defend British Malaga and the
Dutch Indies. light Jap naval units
launched surprise bombardment of
Johnston and Mai Maui Islands in Ha-
waiian group on Tuesday.
Intermittently, too, Wake and Midway
were subject to bombing attacks but de-
fiant garrisons at each outpost were al
most contemptuous in their continued
resistance
Meanwhile, more important to short
range attack and defense strategy of
Pacific was course of fighting in Philip
pine Malayan sector.
Prime objective OF attacking Japanese
forces is oil-rich Dutch Indies, their
approaches guarded by British and
American territories in all directions.
Predominant in these defenses stands
British Malaga and the heavily fortified
air naval base of Singapore.
Athwart the shortest and most prac-
tical supply lines OF Jap attackers, how
ever, stand the twin "trafic cops" at the
north entrance to the China Seattle
American Philippines and Britain's
crown colony Of Hong Kong. Capture of
one or both of these barriers is not es-
sential to Jap success against the Indies
or against Singapore-but their con-
tinued operation as anti-Axis bases
would be dangerous in the extreme to
Tokio's plans.
Against the Philippines. Jap strategists
directed three invasion spearheads two
weeks ago. Profiting by
Roids on the same surprise ele-
ph;I;on;nes ment that served in the
assault on Hawaii, these
landing expeditions established beach
heads at Aparri, Vigan and Legaspi, all
located on the main northern island OF
Luzon and at Davao to the south.
Since these initial successes, however,
Japanese invasion efforts have been
Evening star., 1941-12-21
Behind the Lines

Virtually every activity in Washington
is now being directed in prosecution OF
this war.
Included in past week was congress
sional enactment of legislation giving
extraordinary emergency powers to Presi-
dent, of a supplemental war appropria-
ton and authorization bill of some So
900 900 900 and of registration measure
applying to all men from 18 to ga years
of age, inclusive Subject to military
service will be those from 20 to A, inclu-
sive.
Provided in omnibus war powers bill
was authority for setting up Government
censorship bureau, to which Byron Price,
Associated Press executive editor, was
named director.
And being talked authoritatively was
imminence of allied war conference for
purpose Of planning the grand strategy"
for multilateral fighting and economic
offensive against the Axis aggressors.
Evening star., 1941-12-21
ONE BATTLE-GROUND WITH MANY SECTORS
Allies Seek Unity Of Command Fight Crush Axis

Within the past week have come un-
mistakable indications that co-ordina-
ton among the anti-Axis powers may
take a more definite form than the con-
ferences TO which it has heretofore been
limited
The announcement by Soviet Ambas-
sador Litvinoff in his first formal press
conference that "a complete under
standing exists as to which of the
Allies should concentrate its greatest
strength in which sector and that they
will be ruled only by the common in
terest' can be taken as the official Rus
sian view.
Almost together came declaration
from President Roosevelt that plans for
co-opera ton of the anti-Axis war staffs
were proceeding very we'll and formal
statement in Commons by Maj. Clement
Attlee, lord privy seal and Prime Min
lister Churchill's deputy in the House,
that all steps were being taken to insure
the utmost cooperation both in the
field of strategy and supply" among the
United States, Great Britain and Russia
Physical Difficulties Loom Large.
What form this new cooperation will
take, whether an inter-Allied general
staff, a supreme war council with polit-
ical as well as military powers, or some
combination of both remains for the
future to tell. The past will clearly
show, however that the road to unity
of ka nd q
problems of World War I, vast though
they seemed at the time. pale in COM
parison with those of the present con-
f1ict. Desirable as unity of action is in
the abstract, experience during the first
World War and since has shown how
difficult of accomplishment it may be-
1t may prove our most complicated
task.
The physical difficulties facing such a
unified command on battlefelds encom-
passing the major portion of the globe
are gigantic. War, Marshal Foch said,
may be described as an affair of COM
munications," attacking the enemys and
defending your own. Taking commun-
ications in the larger sense of supply
nothing like the present affair" has
ever been seen either as to the size Of
the opposing forces involved or their
geographic distribution. Equally great,
however, is the problem of translating
unity of purpose. achieved at one stroke
by the unprovoked japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor two weeks ago, into unity
of action.
Unity in 1914.
The Allies in 1914 had unity of pur-
| pose. -Four years of bloodshed and dis
appointment were required to transform
it into unity of action. When the van
| guard OF the British Expeditionary Force
landed in the continent, it was thrown
| into the thick of the battle for Paris in
the midst of the French troops, but after
the battle of the Marine it gravitated
toward the Channel flank and for the
most part remained there throughout the
war. The French intuitively assumed
guard over the approach to Paris and
could scarcely be induced to remove 9
division elsewhere for any purpose. While
the formal alliance OF Great Britain
Evening star., 1941-12-21

Whatever its DEFICIENCIES elsewhere, the
diplomatic success of the Roosevelt ad-
ninistration in the field of Latin Amerl-
can relations has been outstanding.
Nearly nine years of patient, intelligent
and continuous planning is now bearing
fruit in the solidarity with which the
American nations are backing the course
Of the United States as a belligerent.
All of the six Central American re-
publics. In addition to Cuba and Haiti,
declared war on Japan within week OF
the attack on Pearl Harbor. 1t is true
that eight Latin American states, lnclud-
ing Brazil, similarly followed the lead of
President Wilson when war was declared
against Germany in 1917. But this time
there are vital differences, symbolized by
the fact that Ell Salvador. the important
little country with Pacific shore line
close to the Panama Canal, remained
ostensibly neutral throughout the last
war. BY unanimous vote of its Congress,
FL Salvador is now lined up with the
United States.
There is nothing accidental in the
change OF atJlCuQe OIL Ille pdlG VI Ell
Salvador Ten years ago Gen. Martinez,
now president OF that country, assumed
office after a coup d'etat. From Decem-
ber. 1881, until January 26, 1884, the
United States refused him recognition.
On the latter date diplomatic relations
we're resumed, under the Roosevelt policy
of avoiding any semblance of dictation
In the internal affairs of our Latin neigh
bors. The net result is that Ell Salvador
is no longer a potential enemy, but an
important ally of the United States
A Cooperative Partnership.
There have been unfortunate excep-
tions to this insistence on non-inter-
ference in the domestic affairs of the
Latin American republics But with
increasing emphasis it has become an
integral part of President Roosevelts
good neighbor" policy. In addition to
insistence of non-intervention another
attitude has been instrumental in re-
placing suspicion with friendship among
the nations to the south of us. This is
Interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine
as a cooperative partnership, not as
quasi dictatorship to be applied by the
United States through the agency OF
sunerior force.
Evening star., 1941-12-21
Battle of the Pacific

Heartening to Americans in particular,
naturally, is the manner in which this
country's land, sea and air fighters have
bounced back after the treacherous sur
prise battering launched at them by the
Japs on December 7.
A recounting of this weeks develop
ments pertinent to this phase of the
worlds war properly begins
Pearl with hangover" of bad
Horbor news from that initial Jap
attack the formal an
nouncement by Secretary of Navy Knox
that fleet losses totaled 2769 men, the
battleship Arizona and five other war
vessels. The latter included three de-
stroyers and serious damage was ad-
mitted to several other fighting ships.
THE United States services were not
en- the alert" the Secretary said with
dramatic bluntness, but there was pride
IN his voice, too as he reported enraged
rallantry by individual officers and
sailors. and grimly announced that the
sngrv balance of the Pacific Fleet ARE
all at sea seeking contact with the
enemy"
Out OF this incident came other his
ry-making developments during this
week
First, rejecting the determination OF
highest Government authorities not only
to fix responsibility for this defensive
laxity but also to guard against any re-
currence, came appointment of Presi-
dental Board of Inquiry headed by Su-
preme Court Justice Owen j. Roberts.
Four inactive Navy and Army officers
completed the tribunal.
And hardly had this group held its
nrst meeting, preparatory to leaving for
Honolulu, when three Off
Command GERS vested with command
sh,keIE, Of Hawaiian defenses were
relieved of their posts
pending completion Of the inquiry.
Rushed westward to replace them were
Rear Admiral Chester w. Nimitz, as fleet
commander; 1t. Gen. Delos c. Emmons,
10 become area commander for the
Evening star., 1941-12-21

There was no one in particular to
blame 1t was an inherent difficulty in
getting so many independent nations, so
many independent organizations. TO
merge all their idiosyncracies and to act
together as though they were one people.
Now that We have set up this council.
our business is to see that the unity
which it represents is fact and not a
fraud"
Powers Made Only Advisory.
So great was the opposition in Eng
land at that time to relinquishing con-
troll of British armies to higher author
ity that the Prime Minister was able to
avoid cabinet crisis only by promising
that the supreme war council should
have only advisory, not executive, pow
ers. But as Germany began to with
draw troops from the eastern front in
preparation for a spring offensive in
1918, for which she would have numer-
ical superiority for the first time, it was
obvious something would have to be
done No one could say against which
army the main blow would be directed.
WHICH Vic SukJltillC wal NOuIl(ll lllcb
the end of January, 1918, it was decided
to abolish the policy of having the
British and French each maintain their
own reserves, and TO pool them and in
clude the newly arrived American troops.
A committee of the councils military
representatives., headed by Marshal
Foch was set up for the distribution of
Allied rd u-oc
that the advisory powers of the council
had been enlarged to include executive
powers as well.
This action threatened to provoke an
other crisis. which this time the Prime
Minister determined to face. If the
opposition wanted to know whether this
action of the council meant that control
of British troops, if only reserves, would
be removed from the imperial general
staff, the answer was yes, he told the
House. The military situation demanded
1t. If the Commons could not trust the
council to manage affairs to the best in
terests of all, defeat this proposal, but
accept the responsibility in case of
further defeat.
The German Push Is Halted.
Opposition wilted and the proposal
was approved. A month later, the Ger
mans launched the offensive which car
ried them to the Marine a second time
before they were thrown back, and
Marshal Foch was placed in supreme
command of the Allied armies in France.
! While obviously we cannot take up
where we left off % years ago. in many
| respects we are better prepared for the
! huge task ahead than we were then. In
! the economic field, which never received
adequate attention during the first
World War, cooperation already Is
many months old. Our armed forces are
far in advance of their condition at the
time of our entry into the conflict IN
1917. Most important of all, our aware
ness that coordination is the essence
of success in warfare today is half the
battle of accomplishment. And the COM
mon hatred of Hitler and Fascism should
be stronger than any formal treaties OF
| alliance.
Evening star., 1941-12-21
GOOD-NEIGHBOR POLICY PAYS DIVIDENDS
Nine Effort Hemisphere Solidarity Against Axis

terially improved and some very legiti-
mate grievances on the part Of the latter
government have been removed.
The important agreements with Mexico
and Argentina are only samples of what
has been accomplished recently in the
development of vital Pan-Americanism.
A volume would be necessary to sum-
Marie the whole story But even within
the compass of brief article emphasis
must be placed on two broad policies of
the State Department which underlie
all the separate achievements.
Cultural Interchange Stimulated.
In the first place, the network of con-
facts and agreements now operating
among the nations of the New World
has not been planned wholly, or even
primarily, from the commercial and mill
tary viewpoints. Every one has had oc
casion to notice the wide range of Pam
American cultural cooperation, from
well-organized orchestral tours to ex-
change visits by newspapermen, which
has been developed under the guidance
and with the good will of the various
governments.
A second vital aspect of Pan-Ameri-
canism as developed by the Roosevelt
adr inistration is the evident desire to
have the process forwarded mutually by
all American countries, rather than
pushed by the United States alone.
Canada, for instance, has recently
concluded important trade agreements
with Argentina, Chile and other Latin
American nations. These undertakings
have been accomplished not in rivalry
to- but in cooperation with, similar
moves by the United States, which is
simultaneously improving its relations
with Canada in hundred different
ways
The mutually apparent in the recent
strengthening of Pan-Americanism is
one of the chief reasons for regarding
it as an enduring force, destined to be
of the greatest political Importance both
during and after the war. There is now
for instance, good reason to believe that
if Spain should enter the war on the
side of the Axis the consequent racial
drag would not be strong enough to
undermine the growing New World SOL
idarity.
Evening star., 1941-12-21
Battle of Russia

On the Russian front there was no
mistaking as the week wore on that the
Red armies were pounding Hitler's
legions backward Whether this reverse
might eventually develop into disaster
comparable to that encountered by
Napoleon In another Russian winter can
not now be determined.
Military historians even recall that in
on the western front
Retreot thereby establish
From Moscow ing stronger lines,
conserving on men
and materials and completely upsetting
Allied plans for an offensive Of their own
making.
But today's retreat by Nazi troops, dis
orderly in many areas and accompanied
Evening star., 1941-12-21
3e Bz War East Partners and Libyo

stalemated before the alertly daredevil
tactics of American aviators and the dis
ciplined resistance Of the mostly Filipino
Army directed by Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur In surrounding waters. supple
mented by an air arm and what evil
IDENTIFY is q strong submarine force, Is the
United Estates Asiatic Fleet under COM
mand of Admiral Thomas G. Hart.
Instances of individual heroism have
been numerous in these early days of
a new American generation being at war,
most of those named being the young
sters of the Army and Navy air arms.
For his part, Gen. Macarthur already
has received presidential commendation
and nomination to be a full general.
Across the China Sea, meanwhile, Brit
ish defensive operations have been di-
vided between what is likely to be los
ing battle to hold Hong Kong and what
has developed into an Unexpectedly
heavy Jap offensive down the Malayan
Peninsula.
Early in the week, British forces aban-
doned the narrow Chinese mainland
strip which had formed the
Hono first line of defense for the is
kono land fortifcetion of Hong
Kong. Besieged then by land
artillery. with. japanese naval units max
ing relief or reinforcement by sea i'm
practical. and with supply needs for the
defenders and an estimated 100000
civilian Chinese posing a major problem,
defending troops scornfully rejected sur
render demands at midweek and were
actually battling Jap invasion squadrons
on Friday.
Although their counterefforts evi-
dently were inadequate, Chinese forces
attempting to relieve pressure on Hong
Kong were slashing at the japanese rear
at three points. Surrendered by Japa-
nese during this Chinese commemorative
were five districts in Shansi Province
under Jap occupation for three years
past.
Southwark, japanese columns battered
their way into British Malaya along
both the east and west coasts-trans-
port borne troops landing along the
former and mechanical forces driving
down from occupied Thailand on the
latter. By-passed by swift Jap advance.
island of Penang off Western Malaga
coast was abandoned by British on Fri
day.
At that time, Singapore announced
that new defense line was being estab-
lished, presumably along the Krian River
some 300 miles north.
Two other South Pacific points figured
last week in the battle for the Indies
as jap units made surprise landings at
three points along Northern Borneo-
British-Dutch possession - and joint
Dutch and Australian units took over
Portuguese territory on the island of
Timor. Both of these islands are in the
center Of this developing Oceanic cam
paign, Borneo being close by Java and
Sumatra, while T1mor is midway between
Java and Australia
Japanese submarine activities were
blamed for the Timor occupation and
even the possibility of forcing Portugal
proper into the Axis orbit in Europe was
not permitted to temper the decision for
the Pacific move.
Evening star., 1941-12-21

northern island
accessible
richest Of the archipelago
Oonoapo powerful
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-29
Statistic Fans

oOica batting statistics for three softba
leagues released this week by the City
reveal the following champions departments
Highest Averase: Mushy" Abrecht Twilight League $50
Most times ut Dat Jankowsky, Rec. League 81.
Least times ct nat v. Smith, Recreation, is trips
Most runs scored: Jim Mcintyre, Rec, 28
Most hits: Mcintyre and Albrecht first. 20
Least hits: Smith. Recreation and Zany, Junior,
Least Runs: d. Donaldson, Junior, 1.
Most average: men had 333 records
Total over 3oe Ninetyseven from 10 Al
of about five apiece One
Junior loop. fald to place men in the istings.
Greatest percentage Of hits Morris Rec player hit
safely 10 times and crossed the plate 10 tallies
Smallest percentage Of hits p. Donaldson
circuit, marked seven hits but only once.
Heaviest hitting team: Birus placed
the 800 mark.
Heaviest hitting position: top
each league-were third basemen.
Lightest hitting cub Merchants:
W. Root Beer team Twilight with two In the rankings
averaging .334