davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-11-28

with grim determination.
At. the moment of writing de-
tails are lacking. The most i'm
portant points on which we are
still not fully informed are: Cd
Were all the combatant ships
Of the Toulon feet destroyed?
Cd IT not, did any make their
escape. CD If not, also, did any
fall into the hands of the enemy,
and If so, in what condition? %
What was the fate of the officers
and crews of the scuttled ships?
1t is to be presumed that Ad-
miral de la Borde did not take
his fleet to sea en- route to Al
giers because of lack of fuel, or
the unseaworthy condition of the
ships or both. Or it may be that
he was merely following instruc-
tions, possibly the instructions
of Admiral Darlan.
But IN any case there would
seem to be possibility that he
might have found oil enough for
two or three ships to make the
passage to Algiers, in which case
plans may have been laid for
bringing off the crews of the
remaining ships so that they
might have escaped German ven-
eeance for the destruction of the
fleet.
Crews Could Join Fight.
Incidentally, if any great num-
ber of officers and men have thus
been brought away from Toulon,
they may be used later to man
French Warships now lying mac
tive in Alexandria, or some of
those at CaSablanca, Dakar or
even Martinique. Taken together,
these scattered French ships
could form powerful fleet to
S'AA VAC lldS III FL dIlCc lIlLO &C"
ton on the side of the Allies.
There would, of course, be a diff
Guilty in supplying ammunition
and torpedoes, but in some OF the
ships, at least, it might be pos
sible to provide American or Brit
ish guns or torpedo tubes.
The possibility that few ships
may have escaped is strengthened
by the fact that the distance from
Toulon to Algiers is only about
400 nautical miles, and the cruis-
ers now at Toulon could do this
distance at full speed with only
half their normal supply of Oil.
AS to the possibility that the
Germans may raise and use some
Evening star., 1942-11-28
Commodity Unit Plan
In Foreign-Domestic
Commerce Expanded
5 Divisions Are Broken
Down in II Along
Former Pattern

UnderSecretary Of Commerce
Wayne Chatfield Taylor has ordered
an administrative realignment of
the industrial economy division of
the Bureau of Foreign and Do
meStic Commerce, with II separate
commodity units replacing the pres
ent large units of the division, it
was disclosed today.
Following the establishment of
the division of industrial economy
nearly two years ago, most of the
bureaus industry commodity spe-
cialists were assigned to one of the
divisions five units - consumer
goods, durable goods, public utilities
and services, industry reports and
industrial projects.
Better Service Forecast.
The new realignment revives the
old pattern of organization along
commodity lines According to off,
Gals of the bureau, experience has
shown that the commodity type of
organization is better adapted to
meet the needs of businessmen, and
will help to speed up the work per-
formed by the bureau for war
agencies.
H. B. Mccoy will remain at the
head of the reorganized industrial
economy division, which today has
staff of more. than 200 persons,
including about 100 commodity and
industry specialists. Under the re.
alignment, the industry reports unit
will be merged with the industrial
projects unit. Douglas r. Fuller
who formerly headed the latter unit
has been named assistant to Mr..
Mccoy.
New Units Listed.
The new commodity units are
chemicals, construction, drugs and
pharmaceuticals, fats and oils. food
stuffs, industrial projects, leather,
Evening star., 1942-11-28

North Africa would be reduced.
since the Allies would have to
continue to send supplies to the
Near East and Middle East across
the long line of communications
by the Cape Of Good Hope route.
Although the French feet at
Toulon has been reported scuttled
by its crews, the Nazis contend
that a number Of ships are still
intact.
The principal advantage gained
by the Germans in occupying the
principal French naval base in
the Mediterranean lies In the fact
1T offers excellent shelter and
adequate supply and repair facili-
ties to Axis submarines and light
craft.
The movement on Toulon had
been expected by the Allied high
command. Several days ago it
became obvious that after short
period of hesitation the Nazis
had decided to hold this vital
triangle at any price.
The armies under the COM
mand of Gen. X. A. M. Anderson
have pushed ahead toward Tu-
nisia as fast as possible. But
certain political difficulties aris-
Ing from the squabble over Ad-
niral Jean Darlan must have
made the French commander in
Tunisia, the bewhiskered Admiral
Jean Esteva, somewhat doubtful
about his attitude toward the
NaZis.
Doubt About Tunisia.
Official reports from Allied
headquarters in North Africa
mention that French troops are
fighting alongside British and
American forces of the 1st Army,
but in the last few days there
has been no indication that
French troops in Tunisia itself
were fighting the Axis. Bad
weather also has slowed down
somewhat the advance of Gen.
Anderson's forces, whitehall
things being equal-should have
been in Bizerte this week.
The remnants of the Africa
Corps have been moving west
ward as rapidly as their motor
lied transports could take them.
Gen. Won Witzleben, who is now
believed to be in command, has
decided not to fight even a rear
guard action at the strongly
fortified position of Ell Aghirla.
The garrison of Tripoli estimated
at 5000 men and the troops
posted in other defensive and
supply positions along the coast
have been scooped up by the
Nazi commander and rushed to-
ward Tunisia in the hope of
Evening star., 1942-11-28
Seamen's S Se|f-ReIiance
Praised by Boise Officer
Y the tod prare

BY the Associated Press,
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 28.-Amer-
lean warships have triumphed in en-
gagement after engagement with
the japanese because the American
seaman can think for himself
Comdr. B. K. Culver of Knoxville,
Iowa, executive officer of the U. S. S
Boise, asserted here last night.
Comdr. Culver, second in COM
mand of the Boise during the en-
gagement in which she sank six
Japanese warships of Guadalcanal
last month, added in a speech at a
Victory Fund banquet that the jap
anese are able gunners, able sailor
men, capable seamen, we'll trained.
why, then, have American ships
triumphed in engagement after en-
gagement? Why, then, has 1t been
possible for our Navy to make good
the strategy which we were inevita-
bly, committed to follow in this war
in the Pacific, that the enemy should
be made to give up more ships and
more tonnage in every engagement? /?
THE answer" Comdr. Culver con-
tinued, "is that Americans are not
trained blindly to follow instruc-
tions. -
THAT is not the Jap fighting man.
He Is trained to perform his duties,
and within the bounds of his train
ing he does them tirelessly and well
But when the pinch comes, he Is
taught to do but one thing-die."
Evening star., 1942-11-28

livery of large quantities of rice, coal
and other commodities, the Jap
anese allow the French to carry
on the civil administration as be-
fore. The French are even per-
mitted to retain tiny navy and to
maintain small army, though
neither has anything to do except
pacify the native population.
The French escapes say that
Indo-China's 100000 natives are
displaying no enthusiasm for ia
pans new order, and, in fact, like
the japanese less and their never
popular French masters slightly bet
ter than before the Jap invasion.
Skeleton Jap Garrisons.
Because Admiral De Coux and his
government are compliant, the jap
anese find it necessary to maintain
only a skeleton garrison of one or
two divisions in Indo-China, mostly
around Saigon, in the south, which
has become one of the central dis
tribution points for materials going
to and from their South Pacific
conquests.
While the Japs have grandiose
plans for the exploitation of Indo-
China's natural resources, the actual
results so far are negligible. The
Jap civilian population has multi
piled, but rs still relatively small.
For its own needs, Indo-China is
able to obtain limited supplies of
textiles and manufactured goods
from Japan and is relying on cot
tage industries to fill the deficit in
other lines. Japan is unable to pro-
vide gasoline and oil despite its oil
field seizures in the Dutch East In
dies, so the French are making alco-
hol from rice, oil from. castor beans
and running hundreds of vehicles on
charcoal.
Copyright 1912, Chicago Daily News Inc }
Evening star., 1942-11-28
I'D Rather Be Riqht'-
Troffie jam Has Developed Among Legislators
Who Are Out to Curb the Presidents Power

In the law. 1t would allow the courts
to review findings of fact (fact,
mind you'd by administrative
agents, as well as findings of law.
Six Separate Moves.
Thus, If Leon Henderson said that
10 cents an ounce was a fair price
TOR brass tacks, any Federal Judge
could review his ruling, and say
that, in his opinion cents was a
fairer price. Another Federal Judge
might make 1t 8 cents.
There could be as many conflict.
Ing determinations as there are
courts; each would have to go slow
ly to the Supreme Court, during a
war, and the Supreme Court, with
out staff, researchers, special knowl-
edge, or experience in the field.
would become the super-agency
over all executive agencies, while
the principle of separation of pow
ers died horrible death in the
corner.
But, meanwhile, other figures
kept flashing across the screen. and
l have identified no less than six
separate drives all different, and
all the same in their desire to take
the war away from the President.
I will list them for you, while the
trumpets blow:
Cd The drive to pull back all war
appropriations, and dole them out
again, dollar by dollar. CD The
Walter-Logan infiltration. CD The
drive to deprive Mr.. Roosevelt of his
present civil staff, by firing an in
discriminate one-third. "a The
"coalescence" movement to pull back
Mr.. Roosevelt's war powers. (5) The
drive to put the war in the hands of
a non-elected military figure, say
Gen. Macarthur. (6) The outright
coalition movement, to set up one
big congressional committee to run
the war.
They DO not care who runs the
war, a general, the courts, or the
Congress, so long as Mr.. Roosevelt
does not do it.
The chase is on, amid hot and
passionate noises. 1t is an indis-
criminate, blurred assault on the
White House, which started back in
peacetime, and has matured during
the war. Stern and unyielding men,
whose hour has been long delayed.
feel that it has come at last. The
spirit shown is not one of thought.
fulness, but of high glee. of the
highest possible emotion, and we
face the danger that one of these
random monkey -wrenches may land
in the heart of the war machinery
perhaps on day like the day be-
fore the invasion of Africa.
That is why I call on liberals. in
cluding Mr.. Willkie, to spend at least
half their time on this domestic sit
uation reserving only half for the
Darlan issue
Evening star., 1942-11-28
Shortage Of Ships
Delays Jap Attempt 10
Exploit Indo-China
.Pro-Viehy Compliance
Permits Invaders to
Maintain Few Troops
By A, r. STEELE.
Foreign Correspondent of The Star ant
Chicago Daily News

Foreign Correspondent of The Star and
Chicago Daily News.
CHUNGKING, Nov. 28.-Shortage
of shipping is Gripping the Jap at
tempt fully to exploit the economic
riches of French Indo-China, ac-
cording to Frenchmen who have
reached China from that Franco
japanese dependency.
These arrivals include a few for
mer junior officials of the Indo-
China government who escaped to
China to join the French. They
said that although Indo-C China had
agreed to deliver 100000 tons of
rice and 100000 tons of coal to Japan
this year, deliveries will be far short
of the goal because the japanese are
unable to spare the shipping neces-
sary to carry them all away.
The Frenchmen asserted that no
more than per cent of the 10000
French residents of Indo-China are
genuinely pro-AXis. Roughly, 20 per
cent ARE more or less loyal to Vichy
while the others are thought strong
ly, though secretly, to favor the
cause of the United Nations.
Allied Broadcasts Shut Out.
Listening to Allied broadcasts is
officially forbidden in Indo-China,
but is nevertheless common practice
among the French community.
While it was believed that the ma
jority of the Frenchmen in Indo-
China welcomed the American land
ings in French Africa, the arrivals
saw no reason to expect any reper-
cussions in the Indo-China govern
ment, whose position is much the
same as Vichy's and equally sur
servient to Axis influences.
Outwardly. the administration in
Indo-China differs little from what
it was before the Japanese invasion.
For the time being Toxic seems con-
tent to let the French government,
headed by Admiral Jean De CouX,
pretend that it is still boss while the
Jap Army and Navy attend to more
urgent business in the South Pacific
and Burma
Jap control is subtle, but never
theless very real. 1t is exercised
through the so-called high COM
mission for Franco-Japanese rela-
tions," also headed by Gov. De Coux.
Prevents Embarrassment.
All Japanese demands on the
French are submitted through this
organization. which usually promptly
complies and passes on its decisions
to the government. Due to this
cushioning device, the government
is saved from embarrassment due
to direct Japanese demands or from
the necessity of having Japanese
advisers, though the net effect Is
the same.
In return for the De Coux gov
ernments full cooperation in pro-
viding the Japs such essentials as
the use Of railways, harbors and
airports, free passage for troops and
construction Of strategic roads, de.
Evening star., 1942-11-28

lumber, machinery, metals and ma
chinery, motion pictures, motive
products. plup and paper, rubber,
specialities, textiles and transpor-
tation.
Two other personnel changes were
announced today, E E. Schnell-
bacher has been designated chief
of the bureaus division of CONNER
clal and economic information. sue
ceeding John H. Morse, who re-
signed on November %, and Emmett
A. Chapman, former head of the
Industry reports unit, has been
named head of the publications
service unit. Mr.. Schnellbacher will
continue to direct the work of the
commercial intelligence unit.
Evening star., 1942-11-28
BY SAMUEL GRAFTON.


There are so many proposals for
curbing the power of President
Roosevelt that kind OF traffic jam
has developed among congressional
conservatives.
They are humping into each other
coming round corners and stepping
on each others toes in their gleeful
haste. Last Tuesday, especially, the
doings in Congress seemed like one
Of those old silent, speeded-up
comedies In which the characters
blur across the screen in nothing
fiat and then pile up in incredible
heaps.
There was Representative Cox of
Georgia standing in a corner and
saying that so far as he was con-
cerned there was no difference be-
tween Republicans and Democrats
any more.
This was an incredible statement,
coming from Georgia member of
Congress, and when reporters asked
Mr.. Cox whether he actually pro-
posed an anti-Roosevelt coalition of
the two parties, Mr.. Cox caught
himself. No, not a coalition, he said,
but a kind of coalescence. Just
little coalescence, he murmured,
staring dreamily in the direction of
the White House.
Anything Could Happen.
Meanwhile the House Ways and
Means Committee had come to
full stop for the day.
1t had been considering the
Presidents request for power to
suspend tariff and immigration bar
riers interfering with the war effort.
The committee had thrown out the
Presidents draft of the proposed
law and announced that 1t was
going to surround the new powers
with safeguards. Now, after a full
day, 1t found that it couldn't even
agree on safeguards. Even with
safeguards, it would still be giving
the President something he wanted,
and face to face with that ultimate
truth, the committee issued a low
moan and swooned for the day.
At that moment, the House Ju-
dietary Committee, which nobody
had been watching, suddenly re-
ported out the Walter-Logan bill.
This legislative honey has been
dead for two years. But in that
gleeful, speeded-up, almost orgiastic
mood of Tuesday, anything could
happen. This bill was given a sip
of brandy and revived, as part
OF that strange. new, perfectly
self-conScious, utterly determined,
many-pronged offensive which has
been opened against the President.
The Walter-Logan bill, usually
described, perhaps with a wink, as
giving each man his day in court"
would install wholly new principle
Evening star., 1942-11-28
Woman Held for Jury
In Kidnapping of Boby
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
WAUKEGAN, Ill, Nov. 28.-Mrs.
Anne Tyrrell Lussier. 90, Chicago,
was held for action next month by
the Lake County grand jury yester-
day when arraigned on a charge of
kidnapping 4-months- s-old Gary
Botsford. She was unable to post
$4,000 bond.
The kidnapping charge was pre-
ferred in a warrant sworn out by
Stewart Botsford, father of the in
FAINT.
Sergt. Alfred Lussier of Fort
Knox, KY. soldier-husband of the
woman, arrived here Thursday night
and said he will aid her.
The baby was kidnapped from his
buggy parked in front of a store
Tuesday morning and recovered in
nearby Zion, H., Wednesday.
Mrs. Lussier has maintained she
did not know why she took the in
FAINT. which was unharmed.
Evening star., 1942-11-28
Blow at Axis Seq Power
Seuttling Of French Ships May Release
Some Allied Ships for Action in Pocifie

OF the scuttled ships, the chances
are slim. The British, with all
the time in the world and no air
interference, were never able TO
make any use Of the German
ships scuttled in Scapa Flow In
June, 1919. and these ships were
scuttled simply by opening sea
valves and underwater torpedo
tubes, explosives not being avail
able. It would seem likely that
the French may have used ex-
plosives both to hasten the sink
ing Of their ships and to make
them unfit for further use even
II the Germans managed to raise
some Of them.
Small Time Margin.
This Is particularly likely since
the French admiral appears to
have operated on small time
margin. Judging from reports
received, the order to scuttle was
not given until the Germans
actually were seen to be ap-
preaching the city in force. Since
none of the French ships was
equipped with the underwater
torpedo tubes which played so
great a part in the scuttling Of
the ships at Scapa Flow, it would
seem likely that other steps were
taken-such as the use of ex-
plosives-to hasten the sinking
OF the ships so as to make sure
they were under water before the
Germans could possibly get to
them.
The effect of the scuttling of
the French fleet will be to re-
move it as a possible factor in
the naval control of the Mediter-
ranean. This is all to the ad-
vantage of the Allies, whose
interest in the matter was not to
make use of the fleet themselves
but to make sure that it did not
fall into the hands of the Axis.
This will leave what remains
OF the Italian Navy, plus a few
German submarines, as the only
Axis naval strength in the Medi-
terranean and will enable the
Allies to detach for operations in
other theaters, possibly the Pa
cific, such portion of their naval
strength in the Mediterranean as
may have been held there as a
makeweight against possible &C
quisition by the Axis of French
naval units.
Senior French Officer,
The officer Immediately respon-
sible for the scuttling of the
French fleet was its commander
in chief, Admiral de la Borde.
Admiral de la Borde is the senior
officer of the French Navy on &C
tive service. He will be 81 years
OF age tomorrow. He is four years
the senior in the French naval
service of Admiral Darlan, having
been appointed midshipman in
1895.
1t will be the hope OF all Amer
leans that this brave officer and
his subordinates have found
means to escape the cruel revenge
which the Germans will certainly
seek to wreak upon them and
that they may live to see active
service against the enemies of
their country.
Copyright, 1912, New York Tribune, Inc y
Evening star., 1942-11-28

d II q 1OreDear-
ance of mature
m e n will b e
needed to keep
this friction
from hurting the
war effort.
Basically, the
trouble lies in
the fact that the
Nation elected a
large nunDer OF
new members of
Congress on a
platform Of pro-
test. That nro-
Evening star., 1942-11-28
This Changing World
Seizure Of TouIon Gives Nozis BOSTON
From Which to Defend Eostern Mediterranean

reaching the important positions
at Bizerte, Sfax and Tunis before
the Allies.
1t Is estimated that these out
posts, together with the rem
nants Of Marshal Rommels Nazi
forces, will amount to about s., 600
men.
While the African Corps has
been moving toward the Tunisian
border Hitler has been rushing
troops by air across the Mediter-
ranean. Heavy transport planes
carrying between SO and 80 fully
equipped men are making fire.
quent trips from Sicily and Sar-
DINA to Tunis and Bizerte.. The
distance between these points Is
less than 200 miles. that is to say,
about an hours flight.
Race for Bizerte.
The Allied air force has at
tempted to prevent German sup
port forces from reaching the
French protectorate but bad
weather and an adequate Nazi
fighter force have made it posi-
BILE for the majority of these
troop-carrying planes to land. 1t
is hoped that the $4,000 French
troops forming the garrison in
Tunisia will continue to fight the
Nazis, regardless of how dis
gruntled Admiral Esteva may be
on account of the unreanstic atti-
tude adopted by political men in
the United States and in Britain
in regard to Admiral Darlan.
1t is frankly admitted that If
the Nazis manage to reach
Bizerte, Tunis and the Little
Maginot Line which defends
Tunisia against attacks from the
east before the Allied forces, we
shall have a stiff fight on our
hands. This the high command
had hoped to avoid before the
Darlan storm broke loose. A
Nazi force of between 10000 and
10000 men, strongly intrenched
In the positions of Bizerte, Siax
and the Little Maginot Line,
would require serious effort on
our side before it could be dis
lodged. The whole question is
whether we beat the Nazis to
Bizerte in strength.
The occupation by the Ger
mans Of the military port OF
Toulon will now permit the Allied
Air Force to begin systematic
bombardment of that Nazi naval
base.
Naval quarters in Washington
are concerned over this new Nazi
move because even if the French
have managed to scuttle some OF
their units, there are sufficient IA
cilities in that harbor to permit
the units to be raised. The
French feet has given US deep
concern ever since the fall OF
France and many political sacri-
fees have been made by this
Government to keep 1t out OF
the hands of the enemy.
The Navy realizes that IN the
event these French ships are able
to put to sea, the British and
ourselves will have an additional
headache of the first magnitude.
The Western Mediterranean,
which we now have under our
control, might become about as
unsafe as the Eastern Mediter-
ranean. Immediate efforts to
remedy the situation will be
taken shortly. But whether con-
sistent bombings of the French
base will dispose of this new
danger remains to be seen.
Evening star., 1942-11-28

owe a pro-
found debt of
gratitude to
the veteran
Admiral j. j.
j. N. de la
Borde for a
d e c i S i o n
which must
h a v e b e e n
tremendously
painful for
him to take
but which he
seems to have
carried ou t
Evening star., 1942-11-28

coast as its
base, in an
attempt to
keep control
OF the East
ern Mediter-
ranean from
the Ameri-
cans and the
British.
II they sue
ceed in doing
t h / S, t h e
practical re-
suits Of the
nccl1natiOn If
Evening star., 1942-11-28

The M cL E.
m ore M e d a !
Militaire with
palms, thumbs
and index fin
gers) has been
awarded to Ad-
niral Jean Dar-
Ian, the nautical
Frenchman who
h q n d e d over
Dakar and West
Africa to Allied
troops.
-L a..
Evening star., 1942-11-28
BY MAI. GEORGE FIELDING
ELIOT.

The scuttling of the French
fleet in Toulon Harbor is stroke
of major Importance to the cause
OF the Allied nations, and we all
Evening star., 1942-11-28

tip OF Margareta Island, alone was
estimated to be worth $4,000. The
catch was of 429,o17 pounds Of
CARTE, type of swordfish salted
and sold to Trinidad.
Evening star., 1942-11-28

HE opinions OF the wrers this their oon
necessarily The Stars Such opinions presented
Stars effort to giue all sides of questions OF interest its
readers although such opinions be contradictory among
themselves and directly opposed to The Stars.