davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-01-09

and honored These units are COM
mended for heir devotion to duty
and splendid conduct at their battle
stations under most adverse condi-
tions. With limited defensive means
against attacks in great force, they
manned theil shore installations and
new their aircraft so well that f1ve
enemy warslips were either sunk
or severely damaged, many hostile
planes shot Gown and an unknown
number of laid troops destroyed"
Toll Revised Upward.
Wake: An increase Of two Jap
anese warshios-a destroyer end a
gunboat-ove. the originally re-
ported cruiser, submarine and two
destroyers that the Japs lost IN the
attack on Wake Island, was indi-
Gated in two 'eports to Marine Corps
headquarters received from the Pa
cific Area.
These reports were sent from
Wake Island oy patrol plane. One,
written on December 20, Is from
Maj. Paul A. Putnam, commanding
aviation on Wake. The other Is q
day by day account Of Marine avia-
tons partici ,ation in the battle OF
Wake Island up to December 20 by
Maj. w. Bay!er.
The day Ivy day record of the
battle, though not an oficial report,
is Maj. Bayer's account Of what
Marine aviation and Maj. Dev-
ereux's men Gid.
Maj. Baylei's report has but little
reference to he Marines on the isle
besides the aviation group, but one
brief note-'Japs closed into. 4,700
yards before and 3-inch guns
opened up a. point blank range
indicates cool courage on the part
of Devereux'. men that ranks with
the classic whites of their eyes"
line of Bunker Hill, in the opinion
Evening star., 1942-01-09
Men, Not Equipment,
Win Wars, Lear Says
the Associated Press

BY the ASS0clated Press.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Jan. 9-Men,
rather than equipment, are the es-
sence of fighting. says 1t. Gen. Ben
Lear, I'd Army commander.
In letter to commanding officers
of the Army yesterday, Gen. Lear
warned that American troops must
expect to fight frequently against
an enemy superior in numbers and
equipment, but he added:
Equipment does not fight. 1t is
an instrument of men Men are the
essence of fighting; the heart, the
courage and the blood of soldiers
win wars. = Man is the master
machine in war"
Evening star., 1942-01-09
Formers Ask EquoIity
In Price and Poy Control
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ATLANTA, Jan. 9.-Equality IN
Government regulation of farm
product prices and wages was advo-
Gated by President John D. Miller
of Susquehana, Pa, at the National
Council of Farmer Co-operatives'
14th annual meeting here.
Both farmers and wage earners
produce commodities that are arti-
cles of commerce. he told the
meeting yesterday, "and when these
commodities and articles, enter the
channels of interstate or foreign
commerce, they become subject to
the powers given the Federal Gov
ernment to regulate commerce"
Executive Secretary Ezra T.. Ben
son reported that six new farmer
co-operatives were formally admit
ted to council membership. They
include the Eastern Shore Of vir-
ginia Produce Exchange of Olney,
Va
Evening star., 1942-01-09
Florida Banks Offer
$500 to Flyers for
Sinking Axis Ships

BY the Associated Press.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Jan.
9.-The personnel of each
American aircraft which de-
stroys a Japanese, German or
Italian capital battleship or air
craft carrier will receive $500
from the Florida National group
of banks.
The sum, TO be divided equally,
will be paid on official veriflca-
ton of sinkings by the War or
Navy Departments. the banks
Board of Directors announced
Yesterday.
Evening star., 1942-01-09

A stirring account Of how Wske
Islands defenders let q Japanese
flotilla approach to within point
blank range, then blasted 1t with
death-dealing gunfire, came from
the Navy last night together with a
citation by President Roosevelt Of
the entire garrison of 400.
In a day-by-iay account Of the
air fighting were four terse lines
which told this story:
At sun-up of December II, q
dozen Japanese ships bore down on
Evening star., 1942-01-09

mines whele operating costs are
high.
Spokesmen for independent oil
interests ir Oklahoma and Texas
said increased freight costs would
upset competitive relationships with
major companies which use pipe
lines to SHY crude oil.
Farm crops, led by the Depart
ment Of Agriculture. have contended
the proposed increase would disrupt
farm incom. and tend to imitation.
Final argument Of the rail and
water carrirs' application will be
heard Mor1tay.
Evening star., 1942-01-09

verified total that these planes took
Of the Japanese was one ship, one
submarine and five Jap planes.
Fate Unknown.
Since the report ended December
20. when Maj. Bayler took OF from
the island with the reports Of Maj.
Devereux and Maj. Putnam. the fate
of 1T. Kinney and Sergt. Hamilton
Is not known. On the ofilcial biog-
raphy Of Sergt. Hamilton, however,
is the notation that He is being
considered at present by q selection
Evening star., 1942-01-09
Will Map Area Defense

A working" meeting will be held
at 8 O'Clock tonight by the Civilian
Defense Committee of the Bucking-
ham Citizens Association. Arlington.
Va, to organize committees and
register volunteers for defense work
in the area. The meeting will be at
the Kate Waller Barrett School.
440O North Henderson road.
Evening star., 1942-01-09
ItoIion Lodoe BUYS Bond

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8 (P.-
A $4,000 Defense bond was pur-
chased yesterday by the California
Grand Lodge Of the Sons Of italy,
. sfraternal organization OF persons
Of italian descent.
Evening star., 1942-01-09

rooms furnished ,0ifh fine 18th century
reproductions in our beautiful neiehborhood store
,chere minimum overhead enables us to offer you
custom. .QualifS colonial Furniture at nnass.pr0dnc'
tion brices.
Evening star., 1942-08-14

situation and there Is reason to
believe they are succeeding in
their task.
The battle is not over yet and
there Is no way of knowing
whether more dramatic develop
ments are in the offing. There
has been no naval encounter
yet between American Austria
liam naval forces and the Japa-
nese fleet. Whether the Japanese
will risk sea battle now in the
hope of saving their position
in the Solomons or whether they
will await further reinforce
ments is matter of speculation.
Japs May Lose New Guinea.
In any event the fleet under
command of Vice Admiral Robert
Lee Ghormley Is said to be fully
prepared for any development
inasmuch as the present action
was carefully studied for many
weeks.
The japanese have powerful
naval bases in the Solomons
area. They have fortified the
Mandated Islands, which we
allowed them to take from Ger
many after World War I. In the
Carolines their strongest naval
bases are on the islands of Truk,
Ponape and Kusaie. OF these
Truk is comparable to our own
Pearl Harbor.
The distances from these
islands to the Solomons is rough
ly 300 miles. The Japanese mid
Pacific feet has been operating
from this group and it is safe to
assume they still have an i'm
portant feet ready for action.
So far there have been no indi-
Evening star., 1942-08-14
This Changing World
soomons Bottle indicates Jops Moy Lose
New Guineo-speorheod Against Austro''o

cations that it Is moving In 70
support the Jap forces stationed
in the Solomons, but no one
would be much surprised to hear
that the Nipponese feet has set
out to give battle to the Amer
lean fleet.
Successful completion of our
operations in the Solomons will
mean that the position of the
enemy In New Guinea, where
they gained foothold several
months ago. will become unten-
able and that the forces sta
toned there will have to be
sacrificed. If things progress
as they have during the last 48
hours there is a strong proba-
bility the japanese will lose their
most important spearhead against
Australia and will have to think
henceforth in defensive terms
in that area.
Japs Fear Another Coral Sea.
This consideration leads many
observers to believe that the
japanese high command will
order the strong naval detach-
ments which have been idling
In the Carolines since the Coral
Sea battle to set out In search of
the American feet.
The reason no engagement be-
tween the two fleets has occurred
so far lies in the fact that the
Japanese do not desire to risk
another Coral Sea defeat and
are awaiting important REIN
forcements before taking
chance of striking at the Amer
ican feet without the effective
support of land-based planes.
Japanese carrier strength was
Evening star., 1942-08-14
On the Record
Army information Stoff Taken to Tosk
For Releasing Story Of Air Markers

Field, Va, last April Army Air
Force officers showed them to
me conf1dentially, knowing that
I would accept the discipline Of
their orders not to write about
them. At that time the investi-
cation of them was not. I under
stood, complete. 1t was obvious
that 1t would be unwise to pub
licize an enemy activity that was
possibly still going on. Nothing
could be served by warning fifth
columnists.
Four months later, in August.
the pictures are released by the
1st Air Force at Mitchell Field,
Long Island, with the boast that
proper action has been TAKEN
a fine ambiguity. A newspaper
exhibits natural curiosity and in
quires further only to find that
the pictures have been investi-
gated, and the result revealed the
strange symbols were merely &C
cidents, and completely without
military significance.
Now, who released this story'
Mai" Lynn Farnol. Who is the
''major'? He is a movie press
agent and publicity man-stlll
maintaining an office-who has
been commissioned into uni
form and high Army rank as a
public relations officer.
Why? What does the 1st Army
Air Force want with man Of this
experience? He Is, by training, a
promoter. He Is still maintaining
his own business and wants good
relations with the press. Why not
slip the boys a good story? There
Is not hing venal in it. But there
Is nothing responsible about it.
either
Judged by Censorship Rules.
And now what happens? He
passes the story-and the buck
to the War Departments infor-
nation staff. They Judge the
story, not by its accuracy, but
according to superficial censor
ship rules.
And where is Mr.. Davis and the
Office OF War Information?
Where is the official body that
asks the simple questions: Are
these photographs authentic?
What has the investigation OF
them revealed? Is this genuine
nth column activity? Have the
culprits been apprehended' In
view of all the facts is 1t wise to
publish them?
The first body to ask these
natural questions was The Wash
ington Star. Nobody in the ad-
ministration.
Who, in the Government, is
responsible for asking those
questions? Who, in the Gov
erpment, Is charged with author
ity decide matters of this kind?
A wrong statement by the off,
cial military authorities has
devastating effect on public NOR
ale. The people must have faith
In official communiques.
1t can't go on like this. 1t
really can't.
tHeleased by the Bell Syndicate, Ine.)
Evening star., 1942-08-14
The Great Game of Politics
Eight Months Delay in Naming Rubber Commission
Cited us Instance Of Indecison in Face Of Crisis

preme Court to make an investlga-
ton, which, for reasons that have
been pointed out, was mistake,
and the Chief Justices refusal was
amply justified. Finally, last week
he named the Baruch commission,
and presumably he will follow its
recommendations.
The cold truth is that what he
did last Thursday could have been
done-and should have been done
last January. In brief, eight months
have been lost-lost while the ad-
ministration backed and filled,
shilly- -shallied, delayed and contra
dicted itself-lost without reason
or excuse-lost at great cost to the
war effort. Once the shortage be-
came a reality instead of threat,
clearly the first essential was to
get the facts. After eight months
no one has them. After eight
months the first serious effort to
get them is being made. A more in
defensible example of incompetency
in the handling of a grave problem
would be hard to cite.
1t is not right that in commencing
the President for sound action after
eight months delay these things
should be forgotten or ignored. The
astounding administration delays In
doing the obvious things for which
reason, experience and the national
need clearly call constitute greater
threat to the successful prosecution
Of the war than any other single
thing that could be mentioned.
Prolonged Indecision.
Rubber, OF course, Is extremely
important, but it Is just an instance
of prolonged indecision and inaction
In the face of crisis. 1t took 18
months of unremitting pounding to
get single head for the War Pro-
duction Board The fight against
imitation presents an almost incred-
ible story of delay, with the White
House, for long months, insisting
that wage restraint was undesir-
able; then asserting that wages
must be kept down, then permitting
them to 60 up and, finally, doing
nothing whatever about them.
Three months ago the President,
finally accepting the view which he
previously combated, announced a
sound point anti-infiation
program, but in three months he
has done literally nothing to i'm
plement a single one of the seven
points.
Take the case OF Mr.. Baruch. Con-
cededly here is the best-equipped
man in the country for dealing with
the problems inherent in a great
war effort.
II he were not as patient as he
is patriotic, he would have gotten
mad and gone home long ago. Few
will dispute that If, two years ago,
Evening star., 1942-08-14

need for the facts is very great,
and certainly Mr.. Baruch is the
best qualified man in the country
to get them. The recommendation
has been practically unanimous and
it is with no disposition to strike a
discordant note, but merely to be
realistic and to preserve an essential
sense of proportion, that certain
facts are herewith recalled. 1t Is
fine to acclaim the President, but
it is hardly wholesome to do so as
though no such thing as memory
existed and his record on rubber
was without reproach.
The first fact is that basic re-
sponsibility for this shortage, which
so seriously affects the conduct of
the war, is on Mr.. Roosevelt per-
sonally. 1t was he who, a year and
a half ago, brushed aside the recon-
mendation for large governmental
investment in synthetic . r b r
plants on the ground that he did
not want to create another industry
which, after the war, would be cry
ing for tariff protection. 1t is true
that no one could have foreseen
Pearl Harbor, but it also true that
the President did not share the fore
sight of his aides who, before Pearl
Harbor. foresaw a shortage possibil-
ity and wanted to insure against it.
On the contrary, he distinctly dis
couraged them.
Confused Nation.
A second fact is that after Pearl
Harbor had made the rubber situ-
alton terribly acute the President
permitted 1t to drift aimlessly for
eight months In that period the
country became thoroughly con-
fused by conflicting statements
from the President and other Gov
eminent officials. Less than a
month ago Mr.. Roosevelt himself
declared that no one knew the ex-
act rubber situation. He followed
this remarkable confession by ask
inR the Chief Justice of the Su-
Evening star., 1942-08-14

prosecution OF Dorothy thompson.
the war with an enlightened pub
lie opinion; second, to withhold
from the public such information
as is inaccurate, revealing to the
enemy, or damaging to war mo-
rale. third, to conduct psyche
logical warfare against the enemy.
This corps of officials did not
grow organically Every depart
ment of Government had its own
information officials. better known
as public relations men" So did
every branch of the armed forces.
When the war began, new
agencies were created: The
Rockefeller Committee for infor-
nation to Latin America-lts re-
lations with the State Depart
ment loosely defined. The Dono-
van Committee, for public rela-
tions with all the outside world
except South America-its rela-
tions with the State Department
loosely defined. The MacLeish
Committee-the once of Facts
and Figures-for the dissemina-
ton of information to the home
front-its duties and relations
loosely defined.
Besides these, there were the
innumerable new agencies-OPA,
WPB, etc. And all of them had
their public relations" setups.
So it was a jungle. And Elmer
Davis was appointed to "co-ordi-
nate" the jungle. l warned Mr..
Davis that he had better become
a tiger of the jungle and begin
by clearing it of a great many
little foxes who were spelling the
vines-and that with a stan of
500 he might be able to do some
thing, but never with 10000.
Mr.. Davis, however, is a nice
man. No one ever would call him
The Tiger" He is intelligent,
honest, competent - everything
except one thing, He is not ruth
less. And the information sit
uation requires some one ruth
less.
"Air Marker Hoax"
This is a brief preface to some
remarks about what The Wash
ington Star now calls THE Great
Air Marker Hoax" The Wash
ington Stars definition is incor-s
rect. A hoax is "a deception for
the purpose of sport" This was
not a hoax. It was a piece OF
blank and irresponsible idiocy.
The pictures presented to the
people of the United States,
through the press. showing what
purported to be fifth column ac-
tivities practiced in American
fields and forests, where arrows
and other symbols pointed the
way to airdromes and industrial
plants. were not new pictures
something brought in, and In
nocently, II casually, released. I
saw these pictures at Langley
Evening star., 1942-08-14

reduced by some so per cent in
the Coral Sea and Midway bat
ties. Since then the japanese
have relied on land-based planes
rather than carriers in the South
Pacific. If they lose the Solo
mons and their foothold in New
Guinea their closest air bases
will be in the Carolines and the
distance from there to the even
tual scene of a naval battle is
too great to use land-based
planes successfully.
In spite of these disadvantages
the Japs have too much at stake
now not to attempt q naval en-
gagement even If the odds In
their favor are no longer as great
as they were at the outset of
the war.
Evening star., 1942-08-14

penalize those conspiring to call
strikes to interrupt the war pro-
gram.
1t certainly doesn't make much
sense that the Government spends
so much time prosecuting persons
and institutions whose opinions 1t
does not like and invokes every
technicality at its disposal, but no
one in the Justice Department
would have the nerve to apply the
simple provisions Of the espionage
law to those who deliberately in
terfere with production on Gov
ernment war contracts.
The War Labor Board is not a
statutory body. 1t was created by
decree of the President under his
broad powers. Until the war pro-
gram is governed by laws instead OF
by the whims of men who believe
the political alliance between labor
and the administration must not
be impaired, there will be continual
strikes and Interruptions, and the
war program itself will suffer.
tReproduction RIGHTS Reserved)
Evening star., 1942-08-14
Slayer of Duke Surgeon
Escapes Cos Chamber
By the Associated Press.

p, the Associated Press.
RALEIGH, N, c.. Aug l4-The
sentence of John S. Baldwin, 80.
who was to die today In the gas
chamber as the slayer of DR.. RAN
dolph Jones. Duke Hospital surgeon.
was commuted last nigh to life
Imprisonment
Gov. J. M. Brolghton committed
Baldwin, Columbus County farmer,
to the criminally insane division of
the State Hospital.
DR.. Jones, 80, was shot to death
last November in hospital cor
ridor At his trial. Baldwin insisted
he was sane and declared he shot
DR., Jones because he believed the
surgeon had permanently injured
him through an operation.
Evening star., 1942-08-14
Ry CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The continuing battle of the
Solomon Islands Is described In
competent -- and conservative --
quarters in Washington as go
ing exceedingly we'll" The foot
hold gained by the Marines IN
the three principal islands has
now been firmly established and
reinforcements from transports
are pouring in to enable the in
vading forces to spread out,
Meanwhile, the Japanese gar
risons are receiving no REIN
forcements except from their air
force, which is fighting to pre-
vent our troops from making
further progress. American
Australian air forces are en-
deavoring to take care of that
Evening star., 1942-08-14

employer a n d
letting the union
which precipi-
tated the strike
60 scot free.
The plant at
Bayonne, N. j.,
Is taken over by
the Navy In re-
sponse to orders
of the President.
This is precisely
what the strik-
ers wanted and,
In fact, one of
he detectives
Evening star., 1942-08-14

sion to get at
the facts about
rubber; third,
for naming B.
M. Baruch as
the head of the
commission. In
all three OF these
t h gs M r .
Roosevelt h a S
acted wisely and
we'll.
The ru b b e r
bill was a bad
one. B e y o n d
Evening star., 1942-08-14

they openly sought by shutting the
plant down.
There seems to be no penalty for
interrupting war work. Either the
strikers claim they are not bound
by the national AFL or CIO no.
strike pledge or the national lead
ers shrug their shoulders and call
the strike unauthorized In eth
er instance, the plant shuts down,
the workers ask for Government
management, because they think
that's the way to get their demands
and 1t often is--and in the end
the Government itself is made the
catspaw of union maneuvering and
union politicians.
In the case of the General Gable
Co. strike at Bayonne, where work
on war contracts has been shut
down since Monday. the issue was
q demand for an increase in wages.
The War Labor Board refused it
end the local union ordered strike.
In the face of an appeal from Chair
man Davis of the War Labor Board,
the union voted to keep up the
strike.
Turn Fire on Management.
Having been defeated in their de-
mands for wage increase, the union
politicians turned their fire on the
management. In effect, they said
If they cannot get wage increases
they will mess things up for the
MANAGEMENT. Heretofore, labor
unions have been encouraged to be-
Iieve that when the Government
takes over. their demands will be
granted. This happened in the
case of the North American Avia-
ton Co. plant in California, where,
even though the strikers were de-
nounced as partly under Commu-
nistic influence and though the
union was adjudged plainly in the
wrong. the National Defense Medi-
alton Board, under the chairman
ship of Mr.. Davis, decided to re-
ward the strikers with mainte-
nance of membership or union Sc
curity agreement.
When the CIO shipbuilding
union at Kearny, NJ. j.. violated a
master agreement with the United
States Navy and the Maritime
Commission which granted sub
stantial wage increase but pro-
vided there must be no strikes for
two years, the National Defense
Mediation Board rewarded the
breakers of the agreement with a
union security agreement. When
the employers baked, the President
ordered the plant seized by the
Navy In the end the strikers got
what they wanted.
Strikes throughout the country
involve important losses in man.
days. The percentage of Interrupt
tions to the number of total men
employed is small, but the figures
do not reveal the extent to which q
small plant making parts or access
sories to war weapons might tie
up the final assembly of airplanes
or tanks.
There are hundreds of airplanes
and other important weapons wait
ing In vacant lots for this or that
gadget which comes from small
plants. Nobody In the Government
has undertaken to check through
and see how much damage is done
by these short-lived interruption,
when appraised in terms of the
time schedule for planes, ships ane
guns
The real trouble is that unior
politicians may order strikes with
impunity. There is no penalty fol
calling a strike and shutting 3
plant down. Congress, at the ear.
nest request of the President anc
his associates, agreed to do moth.
ing about legislation that woule
Evening star., 1942-08-14

done at home.
This affords
him an opporr
tunity to study
the way of A.
woman with a
house between
the hours of a
in the morning
and s In the
afternoon.
r ere isn't
a II Y t h Ing on
earth quite like
1t. We say that
Evening star., 1942-08-14

has been given him to clean up
There is no question that he will do
it and 1t is gratifying that the
President has at last turned TO him.
But 1t is the delay In these matters
that is appalling.
-.e a(Cop1right, 1o42l ~
Evening star., 1942-08-14

or one year or six months ago or
three months ago, he had been put
in a position where his full capacity
could have been used, we would
have avoided some pretty terrible
blunders and been much farther
advanced. Now q pretty bad mess