davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-04-08
u. 5. Import Control
system Is Studied
As Defense Move
Drastic Proposal Only
In Discussion Stoee,
OfficioIs Explain
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Highly placed officials said today
creation of a system of import con-
troll might constitute the next step
In the Governments rapidly ex-
panding economic defense program.
Under this system government
control agency would be authorized
to determine what foreign merchan-
disc should be admitted to the
United States and what should be
excluded.
However, the plan was regarded
as so drastic, since it might exclude
such items as Japanese silk, that
the officials were unwilling to pre-
dict when, If at all, it might be in
stituted. So far, they explained, 1t Is
merely in the discussion stage.
Economic defense"-a name Of
ficials give to any sort of economic
action expected to help the United
States and the British allies and to
impede the war effort of the axis
powers-is growing so fast that
many advisers are reported to have
urged President Roosevelt to set up
a special unit to coordinate the
numerous activities.
Evidences of Program.
Principal evidences of the pro-
gram to date have been the "freeZ-
ing" of $4,000 100000 worth of assets
held in this country by 13 European
nations which have come under the
domination of either the axis powers
or Russia; institution of suits to
break up alleged German influence
in patent monopolieS on articles
vital to the national defense, par
ticularly magnesium and optical in
struments; setting up of export con-
trolls which restrict the shipment of
scrap iron, aviation gasoline and
hundreds of other items, and Ex-
port-Import Bank loans to Argen-
tina and other Latin American
countries to facilitate their CO.
operation with both the United
States and Great Britain.
The recent seizure of SO German,
italian and Danish ships in Ameri-
Cdll pOl 10 dlSo ID GU al olh-
cial circles to fit into the economic
defense picture, although the yes
sells actually were put under Coast
Guard custody because of attempted
or suspected sabotage.
"Preclusive Buying" Advocated.
What officials call "preclusive buy
ing" of strategic war materials to
prevent their purchase by axis
agents has been advocated as an
other economic move. The Recon-
struction Finance Corp. already is
making large purchases in Latin
America and the Far East, but has
not classified these as ''precfusive
buying" although some of the deals
may have the same effect.
Import controls appeared to be the
only major new development being
discussed by officials in connection
with the economic defense" pro-
gram. They predicted, however, in
tepsification of the steps already
taken.
Thus, for instance, some officials,
particularly in the Treasury. are un-
derstood to want to expand the
freezing" technique to the Amer
ican-held assets of every country on
earth. This, they argue, might pre-
vent the use of some axis funds for
propaganda and espionage in the
Western Hemisphere by restricting
not only the funds of axis nations,
but of other nations which might
be blinds for axis activities.
Evening star., 1941-04-08

The boys pluck touched a re-
spOnslve chord all over the post.
The letter followed.
1t was signed by Maj. Gen. Jacob
L. Devers, commanding the 9th
Division; Brig. Gen. Rene E. De r.
.Hoyle, division artillery command
er; Brig. Gen. Edwin F. Harding,
assistant division commander; Col.
Charles B. Elliott, chief of staff;
master sergeants, first ser
geant 3 technical sergeants, 7 staff
sergeants, Is sergeantS; 10 corporals
and 1872 privates. The letter fol-
lows:
Hello, Buddy:
I'VE are dropping you these few
lines to let you know that we all
think of you often and that we are
pulling for you to get well so that
you can be with us again.
1--WE members of Headquarters
and Military Police Company speak
not only for ourselves, but for the
entire 9th Division, in wishing you
complete and quick recovery.
stick in there and pitch like the
swell soldier you always have been"
Evening star., 1941-04-08
Private Fighting for Life Gets
Message Signed by 3 Generals

It's not often that buck private
receives personal letter from a
general, but message signed by no
less than three generals arrived today
for Pvt. Howard C. eagle, patient
In Walter Reed Hospital.
The letter, in fact, bore the sig
natures of major general, two
brigadier generals, colonel and
lot Of enlisted men who are COM
rades of Pvt. eagle at Fort Bragg,
N. C.
The soldiers buddies wished him
well IN the. valiant fight he has
waged against death from injuries
motor car near Fort Bragg last No.
vember %.
The message of cheer was nearly
two feet wide and more than three
feet long.
But the doctors at Walter Reed
were not sure when they could show
Pvt. eagle the letter. A further
check on his condition was indicated
before any risk of exciting him.
The mo Visitors" sign has been on
his door, because he is recovering
slowly from a brain operation and
his condition is highly nervous.
His right side was paralyzed when
he was taken recently from a Fort
Bragg hospital to Walter Reed. but
the attending surgeons are hopeful
of his complete recovery.
Pvt. eagle was only 1S when he
enlisted last September and was
assigned to Headquarters and Mill
tary Police Company, 9Th Division.
He is from Morehead, N. C.
When he was taken to the Fort
Bragg hospital after the accident,
physicians held little hope for his
recovery. Later, surprised at his
stamina, they said he was helping
thar1 uyifh
Evening star., 1941-04-08
Films to Show Activities
At Beuuvoir School

Parents Of pupils at Beauvoir
Nursery School and kindergarten,
the National Cathedral Elementary
School, tonight will see colored mov-
ing pictures of the activities of their
children in various activities
throughout the school day.
The demonstration, beginning at
o'clock, will be interpreted by Mrs.
Constance P. Ocherson. head of the
kindergarten group. She will ex-
plain how 5-year-olds develop a
group feeling and learn to contrib
ute to group projects. She also will
show methods of developing reading
readiness.
Evening star., 1941-04-08

pave the way for new sources OF
inequity.
The reasons are:
l. The sudden demands confront
ing the District government by rea-
son of the influx of defense workers
are only partly in the form of capi-
tai improvements. In some depart
ments the need is just as urgent
for increased operating expenses to
furnish routine municipal service to
the enlarged Government establish
ment
2. If an increased Federal pay
ment were applied to rapid con-
struction of capital improvements
during the next few years. the local
taXpaying community might be hard
pressed to keep pace with the
mounting total required for annual
maintenance of the added improve
| ments.
3. When the defense emergency
ended and the need for capital i'm
provements fell of, the annual Fed
eral payment would go down if it
were to be based entirely on the
need for capital .outlays. But the
maintenance costs would continue
Indefinitely to reflect the upkeep of
the new facilities built to meet the
temporary emergency.
Outlays Have Varied Greatly.
A glance back at the variations
in annual outlays for capital i'm
provements over a 20-year period
will serve to show how the Federal
payment would fluctuate even more
sharply than it has during most of
the lump-Sum era, II 1t were de-
voted solely to capital outlays. (An
accompanying table shows the sharp
changes in capital outlays from year
to year since 1920
Starting in 1920 at s2,300,000, the
capital outlays from the genera
fund climbed gradually to a peak Of
s13,610478 in 1881. In that year
however, the Federal lump-sun
payment also reached its high point
of se,5oO,0OO
Two years later the Federal lump
sum began to go down again, and
new improvements dropped ever
faster, reaching the figure of only
81 ,881 ,916 from the general fund in
1884. Since then the. capital out.
lays have ranged between $500 ,00t
and $5,800000 annually.
Combination Plan.
The danger of these fluctuatine
nequities would be avoided, however
by adpotion of Senator Overton'.
suggested combination of his for.
mula and the Presidents capital.
outlay proposal. BY fixing the Fed
eral payment under the formula anC
applying it primarily to capital out
lays it would be available for such
new improvements as were needed
but could also be devoted partly Il
the general upkeep of the Nationa
Capital when large-scale improve.
ments were not required.
In this connection it should bt
borne in mind that the Overton for.
mula was put forward as perma.
nent solution to controversial
problem and not as a temporary
means of meeting requirements ot
the current emergency. In working
out the formula, therefore, Senator
Overton sought a yardstick thai
would measure the long-recognizec
national obligation to share in tht
expenses of city the Nation con-
trolls. In the land acreage required
for national purposes he found q
basis that could be determined ac.
curately and adjusted easily as the
national area expanded or con-
tracted.
Evening star., 1941-04-08
ShipbuiIdine Workers
Win Wage Increase
Rx tfI Associated Press

B, tfs Associated Press.
CHESTER. Pa. April 8-More
than 1900 hourly workers IN the
Chester yard of the Sun Shipbuild-
ing & Drydock Co. won per cent
wage increase today in an arbitra-
ton decision.
The increase is retroactive to JAN
uary 18, when the wage question was
put in the hands of arbitrators after
the company and the Independent
Sun Ship Employees Association
deadlocked The association sought
IL per cent pay boost. 1t was de-
MED a closed ship.
Evening star., 1941-04-08
Senator McKeIIor Bocks
Coal Wage DifferentioI
a, b.Associated presx

B, the Associa ted Press.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, April 8.-Sen-
ator McKellar, Democrat, of Ten
nessee today expressed opposition
to elimination of the present wage
differential between Northern and
Southern coal field operators.
ITO make a change in this diff
ferential would work irreparable in
jury on all coal mines and labor,
as we'll as the general public in the
South" he said in a telegram to DR..
John R. Steelman, director of the
United States Cancellation Service.
Low wages in Southern coal fields
have offset freight rate differentials
favorable to Northern operators,
Senator McKellar asserted.
Evening star., 1941-04-08
Mrs. Roosevelt on Air

Mrs Roosevelt will be guest speak
er on Your Government This
Week" on WJSV at 1918 O'Clock
tonight, discussing recreational and
welfare work for Government en-
ployes The program is sponsored
by the Federal Employees Council,
headed by Archie Edwards.
Evening star., 1941-04-08

Fsnres for 1a42 are estimates pendns suppy bin
Evening star., 1941-12-28
Patent Office Transfer

If it is necessary to move the
Patent Office at all, and there has as
yet been no adequate showing that
such necessity exists, most persons
affected by the change will agree
that it is much better to move the
office to Richmond than to New
York, the site originally selected for
its new location.
Under the revised plan announced
yesterday, some 1890 OF the 1,46O
Patent Office employes-which in
cludes those in the examining corps,
the interference division and the
board of appealS-will be moved to
the Virginia capital shortly after the
first of the year. The search room,
the scientific laboratory, the appli-
cation division, the defense divisions,
the headquarters of the Patent Office
and a few other branches will be
kept here.
This is an arrangement which
gives real assurance that the Patent
Office ultimately will be brought
back to Washington, more so, GER
tainly, than would have been the
case had it been transferred to New
York, as first planned. And 1T is
also an arrangement which will be
beneficial to Patent Office employees
and others involved. The employees,
particularly those owning their
homes here, should be able to make
more satisfactory disposition of their
property during their absence. The
large number of patent lawyers and
their employees will find it feasible
to remain in Washington and prob
ably will have to make only occa-
sional trips to Richmond. Then
there is less danger of loss or dam
age to valuable equipment and rec
ords, as we'll as greater assurance
that the usefulness of the Patent
Office for defense purposes will not
be impaired.
The mere fact that in the case OF
the Patent Office an alternative less
Objectionable than the original pro-
posal has been found, however, does
not detract from the undesirability
of hasty, ill-considered decisions to
move established, old-line agencies
out of the Capital to make way for
other agencies which need or are
supposed to need the quarters thus
vacated. If a question should arise
in the future concerning the removal
of some other long established Fed
eral agency, it is to be hoped that
those officials asked to pass on the
question will profit by the mistake
made in the case of the Patent
Office.
Evening star., 1941-12-28
The Lunger Case

Action of the Senate Privileges
and Elections Committee in voting to
bar Senator LANCER, Republican, OF
North Dakota, from the Senate places
before that chamber the rarely
raised question of ousting member
who already has been seated and
against whom charges have been
made in connection with alleged
misdeeds committed long before his
election campaign. Senator LANCER
was permitted to take his seat last
January without prejudice" pend
ing a committee investigation OF
charges brought by group OF North
D7kotans. One of the principal allie
cations was that Mr.. LANCER, during
a series of trials in 1884 and 1888,
sought to reach" jurors, prospective
jurors and presiding Federal Judge.
In the first of these trials the former
North Dakota Governor was con-
victed by a jury of conspiring to
obstruct operation of the Federal
Emergency Relief Act, but the Cir
cult Court of Appeals ordered new
trial. The second Jury disagreed but
a third acquitted him. The Sen
ate committee made a long pre-
liminary investigation Of the case,
followed by public hearings recently
at which Mr.. LANCER denied trying
to influence court or jury, but
acknowledged that he had arranged
to have court officials and jurors
watched" and that he had given a
check for SETS to the judges son for
services rendered one of Mr.. Lam
gers political lieutenants.
Attorneys for Senator LANCER have
CHALLENGED the authority OF the
Senate to deny seat to a Senator
who already has been sworn, except
under expulsion proceedings based
on alleged wrongs committed after
his election. Counsel for the North
Dakota petitioners, On the other
Evening star., 1941-12-28

what they needed and how soon they
needed it.
Now Mr.. Roosevelt is beginning to
show a. direct interest in results and
less interest in past grudges and in the
political effect of de-emphasizing the
idea of maintaining social gains" at the
expense of production.
The President Is stressing leadership
in the Army and Navy and Air Force
that is hard boiled and imbued with an
offensive spirit. He is drawing heavily
upon leaders who have experience IN
aviation and who understand the uses
to which the most modern phase OF
warfare-that growing from use OF air
power-can be put.
BY placing the same stress upon lead
ership in the industrial effort that now
must be made, Mr.. Roosevelt can start
the United States along the road to a
maximum military and naval effort in
a minimum of time. The key managers
of American industry, if given the
chance, can do as much if not more
than the military and naval leaders to
bring about the defeat of the nations
with which the United States is at war.
They know the way to get results In
industry far better than the men run
ming the industry Of Germany and Italy.
But, to do the Job. they must be called
upon.
Evening star., 1941-12-28

AS we try to penetrate the mists that
envelope the events and happenings of
a new year We find our vision obscured.
We are reminded of the portentous
phrase that came from the lips of Earl
Grey in August, 1914, at the beginning
of the first World War. Looking out of
the shaded windows of the Foreign Of
flee in London he said: THE lights of
the world are going out one by one" 1t
was an ominous statement, and at the
time had deep meaning. Possibly in the
present grave world crisis this statement
has deeper significance, but those who
hold the Christian faith and believe in
the sovereignty and saViourhood of Jesus
Christ. must recall that great word where
He is described as "the true light which
Iighteth every man that cometh into the
world"
In the long centuries OF the Christian
era. despite wars and rumors Of wars this
light never has been extinguished. AS
the Christian enters the new year the
consciousness Of what this light must
mean to him, however dark the shadows,
brings hope and assurance. He may be
called upon In the days that lie ahead
to experience much Of sacrifice and
privation. This he cannot do of him.
self; it can only be accomplished by an
unqualified faith in His saving power,
coupled with an unfailing trust that, out
of all the shadoWy days of the immediate
future He will lead and guide those who
deeply trust in Him.
In the darkest hours OF our Lords life
He gave no evidence Of fear or appre-
hension. His latest words to His dis
ciples were full Of assurance in the ulti-
mate triumph of the cause to which He
had committed Himself. 1t is only as we
consistently follow Him that We shall be
armed to meet the trials that may come
to us. 1t was this that inspired one OF
His disciples to say: This is the victory
that overcometh the world, even our
faith" 1t is when we are apathetic and
unresponsive to the heroic claims OF
Christ that We falter and fail. 1t is our
earnest hope and prayer that all OF us
may be so stabilized and strengthened
Evening star., 1941-12-28
The Tire Rutioninq

So drastic are the initial reStrlc-
tionS on purchase of rubber tires
that some comfort may be derived
from the thought that they cannot
be much worse, and, as the situation
regarding rubber stocks is clarified,
they may become more lenient. AS
it is, Mr.. Leon Henderson's restric-
tions extend far beyond mere per-
sonal inconvenience to automobile
owning citizens. They affect our
whole economy of living, with ram1-
fications so broad as to stagger the
imagination. We have built a
civilization that moves on rubber
tires. With their replacement at
least temporarily impossible, every
effort must be made now in prepara-
ton for the serious readjustments
that lie ahead.
1t is of some encouragement to
learn that the Government plans TO
expedite the construction and en-
largement of plants for manufacture
of synthetic rubber. But these would
fall far short Of supplying the nor
NAL demand. Curtailment Of auto
mobile use, except for necessity, is
an immediate need. Improvement
of mass transportation facilities,
woefully short in washington now,
is an accompanying necessity. Addl-
tional rolling stock, for Washington
as we'll as for other cities, must be
acquired. And the Government
should move, through priorities and
any other possible steps, to speed
the manufacture and delivery OF
buses and streetcarS.
Every one understands the neces-
sity for and will support cheerfully
the diversion to military use Of every
ounce of available rubber. But, &C
companying this strict conservation
of rubber for really essential pur-
poses, there must be equal effort to
make up in mass transportation
facilities what will be lost in private
transportation. Lack of adequate
mass transportation would retard
the war effort almost as seriously as
a complete rubber famine.
Evening star., 1941-12-28
japanese Burburiuns

The japanese bombing of unde-
Tended Manila-a ruthless and bar
barous asSault-provides the Ameri-
can people with revealing glimpse
of the true character of the enemy
they are facing.
Desiring to spare the inhabitants
needless suffering, General Douglas
Macarthur had proclaimed Manila
an open city. Military stores that
could not be removed were destroyed.
Anti-aircraft guns and other COM
batant installations we're dismantled
and moved out Of the zone. The Far
Eastern command headquarters
likewise were transferred outside
the city.
On Friday, following this activity,
Japanese scouting planes flew over
Manila, presumably to test the good
faith of the declaration that the
city had been stripped of its de-
fenses. These flights encountered
no sign of resistance and the planes
departed after dropping leaflets ad-
dressed to Philippine soldiers which
said: Dear friends: Our aim is
to destroy American force. We have
no quarrel with you. Are we not all
of the Far East? Drop your guns;
return home to your loved ones"
These avowals of friendship had
hardly been read by the skeptical
Filipinos before their skepticism was
abundantly confirmed. Within few
hours the japanese bombers were
back, wave after wave of them rain
ing bombs on city, they knew to be
totally undefended. The full extent
of the damage is not yet known, but
there is no doubt that it was ex-
tremely heavy. Perhaps Manila no
longer may be counted as city, but
in the tragedy of its smoking ruins,
it's dead and manned, there is a
lesson to be learned.
That lesson is that the japanese,
no less than the outlaws with which
they have allied themselves, are
capable of any act of ruthlessneSs,
any treachery. The crimes OF
Manila, Rotterdam and Belgrade are
cut from the same pattern-a pat
tern of studied frightfulness de-
signed to terrorize civilians where
there is no military purpose to be
served.
We must understand that there
will be no safe place in the world
for any one until the architects OF
this modern-day terror have been
utterly destroyed.
Evening star., 1941-12-28
Solidarity With Canada

It Is as fitting as it Is significant
that, at this memorable hour when
President Roosevelt and Prime Min
lister Churchill are comforting on the
grand strategy of both war and post
war reconstruction, the United States
and Canada have given signal proof
of that close collaboration by mutual
consent which is the best interna-
tional hope of a better world.
This heartening development is the
report of the Canadian-United States
Joint War Production Committee, ap-
pointed early in November to work
out the best methods of integratlng
the efforts of both countries for COM
mon ends. Even though the United
States was then technically non
belligerent, it had definitely aligned
itself with the British Empire and
it's allies, and under the terms of the
Iease-Lend Act had embarked upon
the tremendous task of becoming the
"arsenal" of all nations resisting
Axis aggression. Indeed, ever since
the start of the war, the United
States Government had announced
it's special interest in Canada and
had declared that the safety and in
tegrity of its Dominion ne ghoor to
the northward was a matter OF vital
national concern. The Canadian
government had responded in kind,
and the understanding between the
two nations has been increasingly
intimate.
1t is against this background OF
both official and popular solidarity
that the joint committees report
should be considered. Made pubic
by the President, with his full ap-
proval and that of the Canadian
cabinet, the report recommends a
seven-point program of policy which
for the duration of the war at least
will integrate the two countries into
virtually an economic unit. The
President underscored one OF the
committees most important recon-
mendations when he declared tha'
import duties "and other regulations
or restrictions of any character
which impede the war effort shoule
be suspended cor otherwise elimi'
mated" for the duration. He an
nounced that he had asked our Gov
eminent departments and agencies
to abide by the "letter and spirit" o
the declaration, and had moved Y