davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-04-22
Disagrees With Proposal
Te Suspend Elections.

To the Editor Of The Star:
I have Just read with tncreduhty the
article by David Lawrence entitled Tall
Elections Called Peril TO War Effort"
and am forced to admit that as an
American loyal to our republican form OF
Government under the Constitution Of
the United States I have never expected
to hear or read any such opinion.
Mr.. Lswrence's opening reference to
the suspension of elections In Britain
and Canada begs the whole question
involved. without periodic elections
there can be no representative govern
ment, for the people have no other
way of expressing their will except
through the ballot box. Once that right
Is taken away 1t never can be regained
except by force. The people Of Britain
and Canada expect TO resume elections
when the war Is over, but there Is q
grave possibility that radical change
in circumstances may make the present
incumbents unwilling to submit to the
electoral process, or they may be sue
ceeded by those who do not believe
In the democratic process at all. The
very fact that the elected members
of a parliamentary body are unwilling
to place their political records before
their own people for examination and
approval is q warning signal that gov
eminent of the people, for the people
and by the people Is about to perish.
Mr.. Lawrence says that political
campaign at this time would give real
comfort to Hitler, for he would see
Americas energies diverted from about
war to all-out politics" We already are
giving comfort to Hitler on these
grounds. Certainly, the enemy could
not have been more pleased than when
all sorts Of rich plums were being handed
around in the o. C. D. while our brave
young men went through the agonizing
siege Of Bataan.
The industrial corporations OF the
United States today are being bounded
on the grounds they are impeding and
obstructing the war production. There
may be q few such organizations, but
any one who knows the American in
dustrialist knows that when the Gov
ernment tells him to proceed, he does
20 TO the limit of his capacity and
the directions he receives from the
Government. The sight OF American
industry being threatened by our own
Government must give comfort TO
Evening star., 1942-04-22
Sees Second World War
As . Crusade" for Freedom.

Al CK08a0c TOT Freedom
TO the Editor Of rhs star:
II we want a new name for World War
II, can't we call 1t The Crusade Against
Conquest"7
Is not this conflict more than war;
Wars always have been, and always will
be, isolated incidents in the evolution
of mankind, and the episodes in which
we now find ourselves are no less tranSi-
tory. But from our standpoint they are
also the outward indications of deep
seated revolt against the oppression, the
physical enslavement, which certain
powers seek to impose by force upon
all mankind Germany and Japan are
momentary physical enemies to be de-
feated by every means at our disposal,
including an alI-inclusive war effort;
but deeper. more far-reaching, than this
is the necessity for a crusade stemming
from the natural revolt of all peace
and-order-loving individuals and nations
against conquest, against the enslaye-
ment OF nations whose sincere desire is
to live at peace with their neighbors.
All the good, all the real and lasting
power in earth and heaven would be
enlisted In such an effort
We may not see eye to eye with Russia
when political economy Is viewed; our
desire for industrial progress and me-
chanical aids to human comfort may
be stronger than those of the people Of
China and India; we may desire q more
compact geographical sphere Of influence
than does Great Britain: but certainly
all Of us can join in a revolt against
the forcible enslavement OF peaceful
neighbors. The differences In the opin-
ions held by ourselves and our Allies are
superficial and of small import when
we contemplate the basic, fundamental
motive that actuates all Of US.
If we value freedom for ourselves and
our children We must become inspired,
determined comrades In crusade which
will extend far beyond our certain vic
tory In the present conflict. We must
become tried and trusted partners in an
sndeavor which viii continue long after
history has recorded the Axis try for
power ~ an example OF total failure.
Why not Crusade against Conquest"7
EDWARD PIERCE.
Evening star., 1942-04-22
THIS AND THAT
BY Charles 4. ryacepsn.

Parasite Is Q word which has been
banded around from time to time.
In the bird world II Ia mostly applied
to the cowbird.
One Of these came to our feeding sta
ton Saturday evening at exactly Z
O'Clock.
This feeder Is located within few feet
of the window, 80 it was easy to see the
creature
Certainly there Is nothing parasitic In
It's appearance.
As far as we know, this Is the only
bird with black body and brown head
and neck
It is an odd combination. especially
when the black Ia glossy. with O green
and even violet undertone.
Cowbirds, like the English cuckoo, lay
their eggs in the nests OF other birds.
The one at our feeding station was q
male. so he would do no egg laying.
We looked around for his mate, q plain
sort of brown bird, but did not see her.
In the meantime, the male was greedily
eating assorted seeds and grains.
He ate as If he had not had = bite to
eat for a long time.
Unlike the local birds. which pick and
choose, he thrust In his thick bill re-
peatedly. seizing anything which came
70 bill.
Last spring we had female cowbird.
So it would seem that the two are not
often seen together,
These birds, although they indulge in
what might be called an axis-like trick.
do not do what they DO because of sly
ness, but simply because 1t Is their nature
to do 1t.
Nesting begins in this month. II nest
ing 1t can be called. The cowbirds are
what at one time in this country were
called exponents of free love-"
They do not stick together, as most
birds, but make up to any one Of their
species they come across In the meadow.
where they often walk after cows, to eat
the insects stirred up by the feet of the
uuadrupeds. Hence the name0
+%
These birds do not nest, In the usual
sense.
It is q sneak affair, like Pearl Harbor.
The mother cowbird fys around until
she finds q nice nest with fresh eggs
In 1t.
Then she lays an egg. It Is believed
rust one at q time, and flies away. Her
duties are over. Not for her the Matching
Of the egg, and the feeding Of her own
progeny. Most mother birds, as well as
their mates, work themselves into a
frazxle. a. ths saying has it. feeding the
young, but not the cowbirds. II they
cannot fnd q place to put the egg. they
put 1t on the ground. Sometimes they
Evening star., 1942-04-22

@. Is there an estimate of the amount
OF explosives the intense bombing Of
England costs Germany7-S. d. G..
A. Between August 8, 1910. and Janu-
airy 2. 1s41, Berlin claimed to have
dropped over 100000 pounds of high
explosive bombs and over 3,5oo.000
pounds of incendiaries ON British soil.
II these figures and the figures OF Brit
ish AFRAID casualties are correct. 1t
cost Germany about one ton of bombs
for each casualty inflicted and two and
one-hah tons for every citizen killed.
O. From what opera Is the song, The
Last Rose of Summer" taken7-A. II.
A. The Last Rose of Summer" based
on an ancient Irish air, Is interpolated
as an aria In the opera Martha" by
F1otow.
@. Can you give some information on
the big barbecue once given by Gov.
Walton Of Oklahoma7-N. N. u.
A. The food which Gov Walton of
Oklahoma served at the barbecue which
he held to celebrate his Inauguration on
January o. 1923, included beef, buffalo,
bear. reindeer. antelope. pork. mutton.
rabbit. squirrel, chicken, goose, duck,
opossum, coon, all cooked in a mile of
trenches. There were also high piles of
sliced bread and coffee urns holding TO-
600 gallons each. A crowd Of over 100000
was served.
q. In what direction should q tennis
court lief-A. M. N.
A. A tennis court should be laid north
and south 30 that the sunshine will come
from the sides and not blind the players.
@. Please explain how q bird can go
forward by Tapping It's wings and why
q humingbird Is able to ny backward or
forward.-A. X. L.
A., The back stroke, when the wings
touch over the head. propels the bird.
The front stroke, when the wings meet
over the body sustains the bird In the
air. The wing tips Of soaring birds are
slotted" to prevent stalling, Just as the
modern airplanes are constructed. The
tremendous speed OF the wings enables
the hummingbird to fly both forward
and backward. Some birds possess the
power OF sailing indefinitely without
Tapping their wings. Their ability to do
this lies in the fact that they use their
momentum against the pull of gravity
and the rising wind or air currents.
c. How far back does the history Of
Japan go7-S. Y.
A. Japan's history begins with q year
which corresponds to $50 BIC, when q
band of invaders settled in Yamato. The
early history OF Japan Is indistinguish-
able from mythology.
@. Where was the last battle Of the
Revolution fought7-E. r. A.
A. The last great battle Of the Arneri-
can Revolution was the siege of York
town, Va, which lasted 10 days. On
October Is, 1881, the British Gen. Corn
wallis surrendered to the allied French
and Americans under Gen. Washington.
@. When and where was paper money
first used?-P. N.
A. Paper money was in use In China
at an early date. The oldest paper money
of which a specimen is known TO exist
Is the Kwan note first issued in China
in 1853 AID.
Evening star., 1942-04-22
LovoI-DurIon DoubIe-Tolk

That strangely assorted triumvirate
-Petain, Laval, Darlan-who have
cast the already equiyocal Vichy
regime into a still more dubious
mould, have all gone on the air to tell
their respective stories. In quavering
accents, the old Marshal, who re-
mains technically Chief of State,
briefly bade his fellow citizens to rally
to the new setup. Then Laval went on
the air with q long and obviously
propagandist harangue. Lastly Ad-
miral Darlan gave a radio address
directed especially to the members of
those lighting forces over which he
has been given command.
The moss interesting aspect of
Darlan's address IL the way he en-
phasized the separation of military
and civilian authority arranged by
Marshal Petain when he named
Admiral Darlan commander of the
armed forces responsible solely to
himself. the Chief of State, rather
than to Laval, the Chief of Govern
ment. This logically means that the
old marshal has deliberately dele
gated authority in separate spheres
to two men who mutually distrust
and dislike each other, thereby estab-
fishing q system Of checks and bal
ances under himself. But that
suggests Z still more interesting
inference. The Germans could have
blocked this arrangement IL they had
10 desired. That they acQuiesced may
mean q plan TO play OF ell three men
against each other, thereby exercis-
ing a hidden grip over and above
their obvious power to intimidate and
compel obedience by military action
or reprisals. We here glimpse q
sinister web Of intrigue and latent
double-crossing with unpredictable
ramif1cations.
Meanwhile, Laval, the avowed Nah
agent, Is doing his stun with the
tortuous ability for which he is no
torious. His broadcast Is q tissue of
rhetorical sophistries and special
pleading. Each group and class In
France is cajoled and appealed to in
terms OF their prejudices and selfish
interests. This conscienceleSs politi-
cal manipulation poses a. an old
fashioned patriot upholding his
country's welfare against sinister
foreign influence. Only, the sinister
influence comes from England, while
Germany Is glowingly depicted as
the considerate, high-minded power
with whom France can collaborate In
the creation of q new and better
European order.
To analyse in detail Laval's tricky
distortions Of reality would be profit
less. Their only Importance is as
indications of his next steps as di-
rector Of both the foreign and do
mestic policy OF the Vchy regime.
There Is some evidence to imply that
the immediate emphasis may be on
internal affairs. The new regime
may feel impelled to consolidate its
position at home before venturing
decisive moves abroad. This do
mestic campaign logically should be
accompanied by concessions from
Germany, such as release of more war
prisoners and easing Of the occupa-
ton. Laval Is now in Paris, confer
ring with his Nazi masters. Events
will soon show how the wind is
blowing
Evening star., 1942-04-22
Cites Factual Error
In Report Of Lecture.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
In the account Of my lecture of Mon
day night in The Star am reported az
saying that the Chilean Navy is not con-
voying ships. But said that the Chilean
Navy Is conveying ships. That point was
important In relation to the general
presentation. EDWIN RYAN.
Conveys Metaphoric Bouquets
For Answer 10 Miss Thompson.
TO the Editor Of rhs Star:
Flowers to the editor for publishing
Marion Blooms answer to Dorothy
Thompsons article on the Rainbow
Pamphlets" edited by the women's
Division of the War Department, and .
special blossom TO Miss Bloom for her
grand retorti EUGENIA WALLACE.
Evening star., 1942-04-22
Parks and the War

IL Ia not surprising that Secretary
Of the Interior Ickes, as custodian
OF National Capital parks, should
have decided to force a showdown
with Army, Navy and Public Build
ings Administration officials over the
alarming encroachments on park
land that have taken place recently
and which threaten to continue.
Interior Department officials, the
National Capital Park and Planning
cations and citizens have appre-
ciated the fact that in time Of war
park areas along with many other
things must be sacrificed. In token
of this recognition, park officials have
made frequent and numerous eonces-
sions to military and naval author
tiles in the matter of granting use Of
park areas on the fringe of the Mall
and In West Potomac Park for war
time office buildings, dormitories and
other temporary construction.
But each concession has been fol-
lowed quickly by demands for more
and more space, until much Of the
yecreational area in the vicinity Of
the Monument and the Lincoln Me-
moril has disappeared. Throughout
this whole park-requisitioning proc
sS there has been evidenced q
deplorable lack of co-ordinated plan
ming by the site seekers. The tend
ency seems to have been to grab the
most convenient open space that met
the eye, without proper consideration
of the fact that alternate sites might
be found in other locations. The
thwarted attempt to place the new
War Department Building directly in
front of Arlington National Cemetery
was a prize example of this planless
trend. To have placed rows of bar
Yaeklike dormitories on the Mall
would have been an equally ill-ad-
vised action, in view OF the fact that
suitable sites were available else
whereas the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission has dem
onstrated.
It does not suffice merely TO say
that war is war and parks necessarily
must suffer by reason thereof. AS
Mr.. Ickes aptly emphasizes, the we'll
being OF a city which has become
the world headquarters of the Allied
war effort certainly is an important
factor In the successful prosecution
of the war And the well-being of
the thousands upon thousands of
workers packed in crowded Offices Is
certainly affected by the withdrawal
Of outdoor recreational facilities.
There is another point which de-
serves frank emphasis. Valuable
planes were destroyed on the ground
In the Hawaiian and Philippine
Islands because the Japs caught them
neatly lined up together on the air
ports. In Washington the authorities
have on the one hand cautioned
against the danger OF air raids, at
the same time packing important
temporary war structures together
merely because open park spaces
provided convenient building sites.
The result is to increase traffic con-
gestion. increase the hazard from air
raids and possibly to lose the eff
cheney sought in more Office space
that would be gained by more care
ful decentralization OF temporary
buildings.
Evening star., 1942-04-22
Words os Weapons

The announcement over the Gov
| ernment-controlled Toxic radio that
japanese Christians are praying for
the restoration Of peace" through
out the world lends added signifi-
canoe TO Archibald MacLeish's ad-
monishment that the American press
must be prepared TO meet an Axis
peace offensive"
The fact that the Toxic broadcast
reached this country with the
approval Of the japanese government
may or may not warrant an assump-
ton that it was intended for propa-
ganda purposes. And the incident,
Of itself, Is Of little importance. Mr..
MacLeish, In addressing some 500
editors and publishers In New York,
had in mind not an occasional enemy
peace feeler, but an all-out propa-
ganda offensive such as the Axis has
used with such devastating effect in
the past.
"A peace offensive" Mr.. MacLeish
told his audience, lis an offensive in
political warfare, and political war
fare Is fought with the weapons
journalists and publishers are trained
to use-the weapons of ideas and
words. 1t can be met and turned
only by the employment-by the most
skillful and effective employment
of these same weapons. And it is the
press, In a country which puts Its
reliance In q free and independent
press, which has that skill and can
employ it,
Americans, Mr.. MacLeish said, are
aware OF the fact that the Axis has
made effective use of propaganda as
military weapon, but, he added, as
a people we have had little knowledge
and even less experience with po-
litical warfare. "The power of words
to overthrow nations and enslave
their people" he declared, "is a power
In which we do not altogether or lit
orally believe" The great danger,
he added, lies In this unfamiliarity
with the technique of Axis propa-
gandiSts. plus the fact that propa-
ganda attacks upon the American
people viii not be advertised as
propaganda, but will be made to
appear as American suggestions orig
mating within the United States.
To meet this menace, the press, In
his Judgment, should proceed along
two lines. First. he said, the press
must expose and counteract those
OF its own members who, at this mo-
ment of national peril, are attempt
ing to influence American opinion,
not in the direction of American vic
tory, but in the direction Of American
defeat" The second line of resist
ance, according to Mr.. MacLeish, lies
in the development by the press of
what he termed strategy of truth"
This strategy, he said, must have for
its object a truthful understanding
by the people of the meaning of the
war in which they fight, thus en-
abling them to penetrate the frauds
and deceits by which our enemies
have confused and conquered other
peoples.
This address by Mr.. MacLeish Is an
invitation to the press of the country
to play vital role in the winning of
the war, to serve a purpose which
goes beyond the strict reporting of
the news. 1t is an opportunity and a
privilege to which q free press can
and should respond with alacrity.
Evening star., 1942-04-22

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address OF
the writer, although the use OF
a pseudonym for publication Is
permissible. The Star reserUes
the right to edit all letters NTH
q uie10 to condensation.
Evening star., 1942-04-22

The Associated Press ia exelnsively eu.itled e
fhs uas for republication OF all nsvE dispatches
credited 70 IL or not otherWtse credited in thii
paper and also the local nswa published herein
All Tishta OF publication OF special DISPATCHES
herein aiEo are reserved
Evening star., 1942-04-22

Presidents and Their Wives
Meet the 30 Executives of the
United States and the women
who have presided at the White
House throughout our history.
Do you know their names. term
of ONCE. their politics, religion,
education, birthplace, burial
place. parents. wives, children.
personal and public history This
booklet will answer innumerable
questions on the subject OF our
Presidents. To secure your copy
inelose 10 cents In coin. wrapped
in this clipping. and mail to The
Star Information Bureau.
Name
--------------------
Address
Evening star., 1942-04-22

@. Who is the author OF the saying
that 1t Is better To remain silent and be
thought a fool than TO speak out and
prove it's. r. ID.
A. The words, Better to remain silent
and be thought a fool than speak out
and remove all doubt" are credited TO
Abraham Lincoln.
Evening star., 1942-04-22
iuskin's Answers
To Questions
Nv Frederic ! Rattia

reader coH get fhs aHsues a. ams
ousaftoa % fact ~ Wstfias rAs Kus-
niHe star fHf9rFRafioa BuTsaa FRED
ERIC J. haatla. director. WashineloM,
p. c. Please tnciose stamp fas rsplv.
@ where are the highest and lSwesa
post ofrces locate~f-T.
A. According 10 the latest iniormA.
ton. Trail Ridge, Colo. is the highest
post once In the United States. having
an altitude Of lI.TS7 feet above sea level
Mecca, Calf, IN the Imperial Valley. Is
the lowest post once. the elevation being
iss feet below sea level These two
places are small and cannot be called
cities.
Evening star., 1942-04-22
Rates by MaH--Pzyahle In Advance
uA
Member Of the Associated Press.

Entered 90 seeord-eiass matter post once,
washington. D. e.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-07-14
It's Not Peaches,
Cream on Convoy
(COntinued from Page

Continued from Page II
naked as a baby. without a life
belt.
We we're on the alert nearly al
the time.
All the fellows on board were
good and none was afraid of the
worst the Germans could hand out
1t didn't matter how many hourf
they had TO work, they never grum
bled. And about five were 17-year-
Olds. But they were all men.
German surface raiders attacked
US in the far north. But from our
ship we never saw them.
II seems to me that what Ameri-
can seamen need on that long voy-
age is air protection. Well take our
chances on submarines, and every
man on our ship agreed on that
But when a big Focke-Wulf comes
over, we got that helpless feeling
1t wasn't a pleasant voyage, and
don't especially want to go on
another. But I will if l have to
The stuff has got to get through.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-07-14
RAF Attacks Ruhr
War Industries

LONDON, July Ia. British
long range bombing planes, resum-
ing their offensive against German
war industry, attacked the RUIN
during the night and left many fires
burning, the air ministry said to-
day.
The loss of five planes indicated
that the raid was of secondary scale
compared with recent British raids
in which as many as 1000 planes
a night were sent against Germany
It was the first time since the
night of June 1917 that the Ruhr
was bombed.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-07-14
WPB Reports on Rubber

I needs of the United Nations, neces-
sary civilian uses of the automobile
and the essential needs of commun-
tiles.
He classified war workers as civil
ianS needing automobiles and added
that the essential needs of COM
munities consisted of tires for
health, fire, and police department
vehicles.
RUBBER EXPORTED
The war production chief revealed
that this country is now exporting
rubber to many of the United Ma
tionS, but asserted that such ex-
ports ARE only for the absolutely
necessary needs of our Allies"
Appearing in opposition to legis-
lation introduced by the sub-com-
mittee, to shear off the WPB's rub
ber production powers, Nelson as
serted that the synthetic rubber pro-
gram should not be handled by a
special agency such as is contem-
plated in the measure.
Such effort requires central con-
troll by someone who can see the
whole picture he said.
SEPARATE AGENCY
The proposed legislation would es-
tablish a rubber supply agency
headed by a director who would have
complete control over rubber substi-
tutes produced from farm or forest
commodities. The director would also
have power to obtain priority rat
ingS for firms wishing to manufac.
ture butadiene. the basis for one
type of synthetic rubber, from farm
products.
The nation now is getting syn
thetic rubber to some degree from
buadiene manufactured as a by
product of petroleum, Nelson said
He conceded, however that there
are facilities for the production of
more than" 100000 tons of alcohol
annually. -
During 1943, he added, the nation
may actually get more synthetic
rubber from alcohol than from
petroleum because of the speed with
which facilities will come into exist
enCe.