davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-05-16
CONVOYS:
Battle Of.AtLantic

Mounting British losses IN the pat
tie of the Atlantic put the issue OF
conveying strictly and squarely up
to the administration in Washing
ton, and the answer was seen to be
forthcoming shortly, if it had not
already been made secretly.
It had so far been largely YER
bal discussion, with the non-inter-
ventionists pointing to conveying as
outright war, and the administration
forces sending up one trial balloon
after another to test American sem
timent as to whether it was ready
and willing for this important step.
Briefly, the positions were these:
Neutrality-suspicious. held that con-
voying meant shooting Quoting the
President himself) and that shoot
ing meant undeclared war.
The administration forces took the
simple stand that congress had vot-
ed about aid to Britain, and that it
was foolish to build billions of dol
lars worth of war material for the
British and then send it out on the
high seas to be sent to the bottom.
The latter view was finally ex-
pressed in a long radio address by
Secretary of War Stimson, who was
reported to have consulted Presi-
dent Roosevelt about the address be-
fore delivering it.
Stinson was frank. He went fur
Their than the question of conveying,
which he treated as simple phase
of the big issue-whether the Amer
lean navy, ready and willing to "halt
aggressors" on the high seas, should
stand quietly by and let Britain be
defeated through lack of control of
the oceans, or should be turned to
aid Britain and give Britain the
mastery of the sea without which
she could not hope to win.
Secretary Stimson, not having the
authority to order out the feet into
active aid to Britain, was just max
ing speech, and could not answer
his own questions with action. Nei-
Their could Senator Pepper of Flor
ida, an outright and frank advo-
cate of open war, who even went so
far as to criticize the administra-
ton, with which he was entirely
aligned, as not being bellicose
enough in the present grave situa-
ton.
So the battle of the Atlantic, while
it was claiming American lives and
American goods, was still being
fought, at least openly, by the Brit
ish navy alone, though the big scene
of the fight was in the American
halls of congress and in the Ameri-
can newspapers.
Stimson's speech had one obvious
effect, however, it served notice on
the non-interventionists that the
time was not far distant when talk
would be replaced by action, one
way or the other, and his talk had
its effect, in rousing the anti-ad-
ministration orators to new frenzy
of appeal to the great mass of the
people" to speak out.
Nobody spoke out, however, at
least not in any mass that looked
remotely like majority. On the
other hand, the administration
seemed about ready to take action
which would have far-reaching inn
portance.
There was news from San Fran
cisco shippers to their connections
in Tokyo that the United States was
planning to close the Panama canal
in a short time to Japanese vessels.
This would have the effect of lift
ing very practical bar to the trade
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-05-16
Ask Me .4nother
ID "A General Quiz


1. How far apart are North
America and Asia at the narrow
est point of Boring strait?
2. What is a thimblerigger?
8. Why does polar bear never
slip on CLASSY ice?
4. st. Paurs epistles to the
Thessalonians were written to the
inhabitants of the city now called
what?
S. What is the smallest deer in
the world?
s. What is the principal con-
stituent of pewter?
Z. Where are the Grand Banks?
8. How does Brazil compare in
size with the United States?
9. Who was the founder of
psycho-analysis?
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-05-16
The AnsDers

I. Fifty-six miles.
2. One who swindles with the
aid Of three small cups, shaped
like thimbles, and small ball or
pea.
8. The soles of the polar bears
feet are covered with thickly set
hair which gives him perfect trac-
ton.
4. Salonika.
5. The mouse-deer Of Indo-
China. 1t weighs about four
pounds.
6. Tin.
7. Off Newfoundland.
8. Larger by $4,000 square
miles.
9. Sigmund Freud.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-05-16
Highlights
In the news

LONDON: The exploit of boat
swain of sunken British destroyer
was told. The man, swimming away
from his sinking ship, encountered
four German fiiers in rubber boat.
He swan toward them, and when
they threatened him with revolvers,
he stabbed the boat with clasp
knife, sinking it.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-05-16
WAR:
Vital Phases

It was evident that the war was
entering several Of its most vital
phases, with Britain standing alone,
though with constantly increasing
American aid.
The big test which the Churchill
government faced at the hands of
the British commons was only part
of the picture.
The battle was three-fold- air
fight over England, with the chan
mel crossing threat behind it; the
pincers move on the Mediterran-
can, especially Suez; the Battle of
the Atlantic.
OUer England
Hammer blows being struck at
Britain by the Luftwaffe no longer
were being shrugged off in dis
patches as "some damage being
done" or "some casualties feared"
but dispatches from England told of
most serious damage to Plymouth,
which was practically ruined; to
Liverpool, to Belfast, to the Clyde
side, all of them much more vital to
Britain's defense than the smashing
attacks on London and the Thames
estuary.
Apparently paying little attention
to the industrial Midland section of
England, Hitler thus was centering
his attacks on ports, ports and more
ports, apparently seeking to tie in
the battle of England with the battle
of the Atlantic, rather than to con-
centrate on a general air blitz
against England's factories and her
industrial production.
Another development was the con-
slant increase of day fighting over
the channel, regarded in many quar-
tiers as a trial balloon to an invasion
attempt as soon as midsummer
calmer weather should arrive.
AS always, the defense of Britain
found its echo in this country, and
the change in the method of Luft-
waite attacks on England found
President Roosevelt issuing an ur-
gent appeal, practically a command,
to the air industry to concentrate
on the production of the largest pos
sible bombing planes.
OPM said that America should
produce 10000 military planes in the
IL months to come, but Mr.. Roose-
welt seemed to feel that change in
type would be needed.
In fact, he conditioned the even
tual mastery of the air by Britain
on the American production of these
very large bombers, and said that
they must be built even if it means
enlarging plants further.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-05-16
BY Edward c. Wayne
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Washington Debates Use of Conveys
AS British Shipping Losses Mount;
Stain Becomes Premier of Russia,
Openly Assumes National Leadership

EDITORS NoTEwhsn opinions expressed in these columns. they
released by Western Newspaper Union -
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-05-16

administration policy indicated
testified before
that portion the
"dHaonary ndi
defense costs.
Evening star., 1941-03-20

they had captured Jijiga Monday
Fighting northeast Of Jijiga pos
sibly would indicate that the Brit
ish were attempting to head straight
for the Adds Ababa-Jibuti railway
instead of for Harar and Diredawa,
which lie west and northwest, re-
Spectively, of Jijiga.
Hard fighting also was said to be
taking place in the Cheren sector of
Eritrea. with the Italians counter
attacking despite previous losses
and intense enemy air action"
The daily war bulletin said Fascist
planes were taking an active part
of the Cheren battle, bombing Brit
ish batteries and machiregunning
troops and motor transport.
Italian bombers were reported to
have set large fires in an attack on
British air base at Agordat, some
40 miles west of Cheren.
In North Africa, the high COM
mand said, italian artillery repeat
edly pounded enemy forces which
were attempting to approach" the
southeastern oases of Giarabub.
The Italian air force, meanwhile,
was said to have bombed the British
air base at Berka, near the Libyan
port of Bengasi, while German
planes bombed other British posi-
tions in North Africa.
The high command acknowledged
the British had bombed Tripoli the
night of March 18. Casualties were
put at seven, but damage was mini
mized. One of the raiders was re-
ported shot down.
Five other British planes were
said to have been destroyed in vari-
GUS sectors of the African front.
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Army Driving Ahead
In Siege Of Cheren,
English Declare
R. A. F. Helping Advance
By Dive-Bombine and
Strofing Foseists
Nv the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, March 20.-With
the r. A. F. dive-bombing and ma
chine-gunning italian hill positions,
British land forces are driving
forward in their siege of Cheren,
Eritrean key city. 'in spite of heavy
enemy counterattacks," it was an
uounced officially today.
During yesterdays fighting the
italian casualties were particularly
heavy a general headquarters
war bulletin said
The high command said that in
Southern Ethiopia our forward
movement is continuing satisfac-
tOrily."
1t added that at recaptured Ber-
bera, capital of British Somaliland,
6 guns and more than 200 Italian
prisoners, including l3 officers, had
been taken.
A bombing, machine cunning
assault on italian positions in the
hills around Cheren. Eritrea's key
city, was reported today by the Brit
ish Royal Air Force. Shipping at
Tripoli, capital of Libya in North
Africa, also was heavily attacked
the r. A. F., said.
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Overton
Continued From First Page. )

Continued From First Page)
Of the land area Of the city required
for national purposes. If enacted,
it would replace the arbitrary lump
sum payment Congress has been
making annually for the last IT
years.
A more equitable and permanent
solution of the lump sum problem
has become urgent at this time,
because the District finds itself
unable to meet the new demands
placed on the municipal govern
ment by the rapid expansion of the
Federal Government and the influx
of new employees to carry on the de-
fense program.
U. S. Would Pay 21 Per Cent.
On the basis of the present land
area Of the city required for ma
tionala purposes. adoption of the
Overton formula would make the
Federal payment 81 per cent of the
general fund appropriations. esti-
mated for the coming year at s44,-
7l4,000. This would work out to a
Federal payment of approximately
SO 100000. instead of the present
S6 10000 lump sum.
The school items added to the de-
f1ciency bill yesterday originally
were intended for inclusion in the
regular District appropriation bill
for the coming year beginning July
l, but the Senate committee was
told the need for more school facili-
ties east of the Anacostia River is
of such urgency as to justify an
earlier start.
By appropriating the money now
the first new grade school would be
ready by February, 1912.
Dr.. Frank w. Ballou, superin-
tendent of schools, testified esti-
mates indicate there will be 1000
more pupils enrolled in the Ana
costa area next year.
Evening star., 1941-03-20

Graziani's force, the Ministry said.
1t added that the British had suf-
fered less than 1000 casualties.
The ministry used the Libyan
campaign and the long marches in
Somaliland and Southern Ethiopia
to point up declaration that the
German Army never had been called
upon to meet "such an opponent as
the British Army of today"
The swift advance in Somaliland
and Ethiopia, it said, was a far
more remarkable performance than
that of the Germans in France. J"
as feat of endurance by men and
machines.
Italian defenses in Africa were
really strong" and the Italian
soldiers courageous" the ministry
said, but "the fact is that the British
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Roosevelt, Disturbed,
Asked for Older Men
To Police Navy Yards
President Disclosed as
Believing Civilian Corps
Should Be Given Tusk
B, the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt was disclosed
today to have requested that young
Marines from 18 to 20 years old be
replaced by older men for police duty
at navy yards because he was very
disturbed" about the present setup.
Tic disclosure was made in tes-
timony before Jerome Doyle, execu-
tive assistant to the Secretary of
the Navy, on the s3,446, ,0OO, 900 naval
suppI' bill. 1t was made public by
the Senate Appropriations Commit
tee.
Mr.. Doyle urged approval of funds
FOR establishment of civilian police
force of 5000 for navy yards to sup
plement the present Marine guards.
The committee. however, refused this
request.
Danger of Sabotage.
Previously, Undersecretary of the
Navy James V. ForreStal bad told
the committee there was real
danger of sabotage and espionage in
navy yards. and the marines were
too young to cope with situations
which might arise.
Mr.. Doyle, agreeing. added that
President Roosevelt. in inspecting
navy yards, had observed that guards
were 18 to 20 years old and had
asked that they be replaced by older
marines.
No Older Marines.
THE major general commandant
of the Marine Corps" Mr.. Doyle
said, advised the President that
there were no older marines. that
practically 80 or 90 per cent of the
present Marine Corps had been re-
cruited in the last year and a half
or two years.
THE President was quite disturbed
about this and so was the Secretary
of the Navy. They concluded that
the policing duties should be taken
over by civilian corps of men of
more mature years, specialized in
the work of policing navy establish
ments."
Evening star., 1941-03-20
150, 900 Italians Killed
Or Taken. British Claim

LONDON, March 20 R.-The
Ministry of Information said today
the British Army of the Nile had
established a worlds record for
speed in action" and had killed OF
captured the whole army of 10000
men" which the italian commander
Gen. Rodolfo Graziani, had as
sembled in North Africa for the in
vasion of Egypt.
1T is believed that two tanks and
four armored cars escaped" from
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Dane, in Country
Illegally Gives
| $40 for Defense
3v tic Associated Press.

BN tic Associated Press.
A Danish citizen illegally in this
country contributed $40 yesterday
"for the defense of the U. S. A."
The anonymous gift was addressed
to Earle G.. Harrison, former direc-
tor of alien registration. The writer
said he had registered as an alien,
but did not want credit for the con-
tribution because maybe some
people would think I only did this
to create good impression-which
is not So" He added:
II paid my income tax today
March IA, but I didn't think it
was enough for the defense, so
thought I would give some more"
The money was turned over to the
Treasury.
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Lord Halifax Is Invited
To Patrick Henry Shrine
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
Lord Halifax, British Ambassador
to the United States, yesterday
promised Richmond delegation he
would make every effort to attend
the bicentennial celebration in June
of st. Johns Episcopal Church,
where Patrick Henry hurled his ora
torical defiance at British tyranny.
1t was in the old white frame
church that Henry delivered in TITS
his famed give me liberty or give
me death" speech.
The delegation, which was accom-
panied to the Embassy by Repre-
sentative Satterfield of Virginia, had
also intended to present an invita-
ton to President Roosevelt, but this
engagement was Cancelled by press
of presidential business before his
departure for a vacation trip. The
invitation may be extended later.
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Senate Restaurants Put
Under D. T.. Health Rules

The restaurants in the Senate
wing of the Capitol and in the Sem
ate Office Building today were Or
dered placed under the sanitary
supervision of the District Health
Department by the Rules Committee.
Heretofore, Chairman Byrd said.
the Health Department had visited
the restaurants only for the purpose
OF making bacteria tests of utensils.
The committee also authorized
Senator Byrd to appoint a subcom-
mittee to investigate the operating
costs of the Senate restaurant, in
conjunction with the General Ac-
counting Office.
1t was announced at the same time
that the committee has had the res
taurant surveyed by a firm of out
side experts with a view to improv-
ing menus and service.
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Col. Dupuy Will Leove
West Point for D. G.

Ey tie Associated Press.
WEST POINT, N. Y, March 90
1t. Col. R. Ernest Dupuy, author,
lecturer and public relations officer
at the Military Academy for the
last two and one-half years, has
been ordered to Washington for duty
at the War Department.
A former newspaperman, Col.
Dupuy entered the Regular Army
from the New York National Guard.
He served overseas during the last
war and saw action at St. Mihiel
and Meuse- -Argonne. He is a native
of New York.
Evening star., 1941-03-20

When Senator Overflow Democrat Louisiana placed in
charge of District appropriations for the Senate 1889 he set
find method of fixing the Federal payment that would
fair to both partners Capital development that could easily
and accurately be adjusted to changing conditions
The national obligation share in the support of the District
which first to mind based the large of the
citys the National
taxation
Uncle Sans large holdings constitute only half dozen
sound the United States has obligation to share
literally in the upkep and development Washington and Sem
Overton did regard the loss of local from
Evening star., 1941-03-20

were too good for them; Britain has
learned by its reverses."
The losses at Dunkerque were
serious at the time, the ministry
said, but today a new army is
armed with weapons infinitely more
various and more powerful" which
involve new methods and new
tactics.
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Overton Discarded Valuation
As Controversial Fiscal Basis
Acreage Would Give Mathematical
Certainty to U. S. Payment to District

This the Second
Plan
Evening star., 1941-03-20

agreed with Senator Overton it
would not be practical method.
Representative DirkSen made it
clear he was not ready to discard
that method The following dis
cussion of the valuation method
took place in the hearing two weeks
ago:
Senator Overton-There is no
fixed way of determining the value
of the Federal Improvements in the
District of Columbia, or its property.
The minds of men differ, and COM
mittees will differ. The House may
differ with the Senate, and different
members of Congress will differ as
to the proper value to be placed
on the property.
Senator Holman-Of course, there
is a scientific way of going about
this thing. You can appralSe a
building even to the nails and boards
in it, but that is beside the point.
The fact is that it is so complicat ted
that to determine it would cost
more than to do it some other way.
Senator Overt0n-I do not know
very much about it but I know this
about it, that you can put a COM
mercial value on it, what it would
sell for on the open market; you
can put a cost value less deprecia-
ton: or you can put a replacement
value: or you can take the square
feet or the cubic area and under
take to determine the value.
Questioned on Capitol.
Mr.. Hunter-I would like to ask
Senator Holman what valuation he
would put on a building such as
the Capitol here?
Senator Holman-There are many
methods OF appraising the value OF
a building. There are regular ap-
praised organizations that can take
a building and they can give you
the value of it I know that they
have done it in regard to lots of
structures, like docks and various
types of buildings.
Mr.. Hunter-They can do that;
but l was thinking of the value of
the United States Capitol, for
example.
Senator Holman-It is really aca-
demic. 1t really is not practical.
Mr. Dirksen-I want the record
to show at this point that ! do not
think it is academic because it
represents difference of many
millions of dollars, in my judgment,
and that is not bit academic to
me.
Senator Holman-Well. that may
be.
Senator Overton-Well, I under
thought was to do it on the basis
of value.
Senator Holman-There are Or
ganiZationS that can do that.
Senator Overton - Where there
are three or more to determine the
way you can do it is to leave it
to one officer to determine the value
of property and then to be absolutely
bound by his report. Now, that
would remove the controversy, put
if you leave it to three men you
will have controversy, and each
year that the Congress does it. it
will take up the report and say.
"You put a specific value on such
and such a building. Now why did
you do that?" And so on and so
forth, and ask a great many ques-
tions and then they will go to the
next building. and the next build
ing. and then they will take up
private property and 60 into that.
Why, it seems to me that we would
have to spend whole year before
we could come to any determina-
ton as to the ratio of value of
privately owned property to the
publicly owned property in the Dis
trict of Columbia, and then not
arrive at satisfactory determina-
Evening star., 1941-03-20
British Being Held OFT
In Ethiopia, Italy Reports

ROME, March 20 (P). - Italian
troops were reported today by the
Fascist high command to be hold
ing off British attacks on Marda
Pass, northeast Of Jijiga, Ethiopia.
(The British announced yesterday
Evening star., 1941-03-20
Other Drawbacks Cited.

Another drawback to the ap-
praised value basis is that it un-
doubtedly would be looked upon by
some members of Congress as an
effort to tax Government property,
a fact which would initiate against
its adoption. The same argument
could not logically be raised against
the Overton formula, which leaves
Government buildings out of con-
sideration entirely and seeks merely
to give concrete recognition to the
fact that in the Nations Capital
a large part of the ordinarily tax
able land area must necessarily be
set aside for Government use.
The Capitol Building, cited in the
recent hearings, is only one of many
historic structures which any board
of appraisers would find difficult to
value fairly for the purpose of ar
irving at a fair Federal payment
toward District expenses.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-12-25
Music Lovers Club
Meets For Carol Singing

The December meeting of the
Montgomery County Music Lovers
Club met at the home of Mrs.
Leonard Nicholson on the Rock
vile Pike, on Tuesday evening with
Mrs. Marshall Mayes and Mrs.
Robert Leopold as co-hostesses. At
ter a short business meeting in
charge of the new president, Mrs.
Harold Smith, the meeting was
turned over to Mrs. Harry E. Sci
fert, program chairman. Mrs. Lie
pold sang "Cantique de Noel''
which was followed by reading of
"The Kings Birthday" by Mrs.
Richard Nevius. Then Mrs. Sci
ferris adult harmony and compost
ton class put on a demonstration
of the use of diminished, aug
mented and altered chords in the
composition of original music, and
the possibilities for harmony in the
range of an octave. This was fol-
lowed by few words from each
class member about the original
carol written by the various mem
bers. Then each carol was sung by
the group, and also a group COM
position which was written in
class. The formal part of the pro-
gram was concluded by the sing
ing of Mrs. Seifert's original an
them "Glory to God in the High
est" the musical setting of the Sec
ond chapter of St. Luke. The rem
dition of this number was particu-
larly impressive due to the candle
light in the room and the vest
ments on the singers. Those par
ticipating in the program were
Mrs. Marshall Mayes, Mrs. Fran
els Lincoln, Mrs. Harold Smith,
Mrs. Maurice Way, Mrs. Miner
Hostetler, Mrs. Henry Becraft and
Mrs. Robert Billhimer. This part of
the program was followed by in
formal singing of carols by all
those present, and, of course, re-
freshments suitable to the oc-
casion.