davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-04-16
More Submarines

The notable success already
achieved by American submarines in
their operations against Japanese
naval units, transports and supply
vessels in Far Eastern waters fur
nishes full justification for further
expansion in our underSeas fleet.
The House Naval Affairs Committee
has proposed a new construction pro-
gram, providing for 100000 tons Of
submarines, enough to build more
than $50 submersibles of the cruiser
type, capable of offensive action
thousands of miles away from their
bases.
With more submarines. the Navy
will be better able to hit Japan at
her most exposed point-her lines Of
supply in the China Sea. and the In
dian Ocean. A marked intenSiflca-
ton of air and submarine attacks on
enemy shipping is needed to give the
United States air and sea mastery
in the Southwest Pacific, a con-
troll that would open the way to a
later knockout offensive against
Japan. The entire japanese supply
route lies within striking distance of
our cruiser submarines. and our long
range bombers. Because of limited
Shipbuilding facilities, Japan is par
ticularly vulnerable to protracted
submarine and air war against her
merchant shipping. Already the
japanese merchant marine has Suf-
fered heavy losses. If these losses
continue. Japan may soon find it
difficult to supply and reinforce her
armies in the conquered territories.
Since the war is likely to be of
long duration, steps should be taken,
without delay, to expand our sub
marine building program. BY so do
ing, Congress will increase the Nays
offensive power in the Pacific.
Evening star., 1942-04-16
THIS AND THAT
By Charles r. TracetceH.
especially the cardinals.
Yours truly ID L. C"

especially the cardinals.
Yours truly. D. l. c."
This kindly correspondent need not
feel that the birds will Starve II she
moves away.
Bird feeding after all, is not done so
much for the birds as for the person
who does the feedingl
1t Is done to bring the songsters close
at hand. to have more of them in spring,
summer. fall and winter. but especially
during the cold months.
Birds existed for thousands of years
before any one ever thought of feeding
them.
Putting out food Is humane act.
especially in snowy weather. it is true
That the birds like 1t there can be no
doubt.
That it is good for them there Is no
question
But, with few exceptions. they could
get along very well without 1t. In case
one has lured some species to stay North,
1t would be necessary TO keep on feeding
them until warm weather sets in
The majority Of the birds which winter
here, however, have their own ways OF
finding food.
If an individual friend of theirs moves
away they will be able to get along.
OF this We feel sure. and so may the
worrying type of person. It probably Is
good for the songsters to be put on their
own again.
1t must be remembered that birds
have wide flying range. No person
within several blocks may be feeding
them, but what are several blocks to a
bird? He can fly for miles, and rather
enjoys doing So
Thousands of householders feed the
birds today In comparison with one a
few years ago. 1t is an urban sport now.
Except in heavy SHOWS, most birds are
able to rustic up their own grub"
Those countless years behind the ex-
periences of their tribes has made it
possible for them to take up instantly
where they left off before some kind
hearted person began to put out food
for them.
Let us make IL plain that we do not
feed birds to keep them from starving
to death. except in the most terrible sort
of weather. when snow and ice cover
ground and trees and shrubs.
We feed the birds because we like to
feed them, because they come SO nicely,
and because this gives us q close ac-
quaintance with them, upon which ap-
probation of them grows rather than
fades, as 1t so often does, alas, with some
human beings.
From now on there Is no danger of
any bird starving from want OF food.
Nature takes care of that.
If one moves, the thing to do is to be
glad that one was able to help them and
to have had their companionship for
time and to feel sure that they will
make their own way, as nature intended
them to do. In eating at your table
they were Just taking advantage of
good thing; natures table is still set up
for them, and that they still know how
to eat at it there can be no doubt In the
world
Evening star., 1942-04-16
Macarthur Returns

The great American air raid on
key points in the Philippine archi-
pelago. from Manila to Mindanao.
was not merely a brilliant tactical
feat but also a strategic move Of
great psychological significance
When General Macarthur reached
Australia after his epic journey
through the Japanese blockade. one
OF his first statements was a message
TO his devoted troops and the Filipino
people. That inspiring greeting was:
Il came through, and l will returnl"
The echoing crash OF American
bombs on japanese occupied air
ports and harbors must have been
infinitely heartening to the defend
ers OF Corregidor. to the valiant
guerilla bands in the Luzon jungles,
to the hard-pressed garrison on
Cebu. and to the bolo- welding Moros
OF Mindanao. 1t was smashing
proof that their beloved leader had
not forgotten them and had sent
them this token that his word would
ultimately be made good. 1t should
be remembered that the Philippine
archipelago, with its hundreds of
Islands, great and small, extending
north and south for nearly 1000
miles and with over 10000 900 in
habitants, Is for the most part far
from conquered. Japanese military
occupation Is as yet confined to rela-
lively few regions. mostly on Luzon
and part of Mindanao. Cebu is the
only intermediate island where the
Japanese have attempted landing
in force, and that only within the
past few days.
This air raid is in some respects
unique in aeronautical warfare. Com
posed exclusively of long range
bombers, the attacking squadron op-
Grated from Australian bases. This
means that It had to fly at least
l. 400 miles to reach its objective at
Davao, on Mindanao, and 1000 miles
for its attack on Nichols Field, the
big air base at Manila. All the raid
ers save one returned safely, and the
crew of the lost bomber was saved.
That speaks volumes for the maneu-
verability and carrying capacity Of
our latest types of flying fortreSses,
since they had no fighter escorts and
must thus have been able to deal
with Japanese "zeros" and deliver
adequate bomb loads on their targets,
with gas enough to do the round
trip of at least 1000 miles.
The outcome Of this eminently
successful action should be disquiet-
ing not merely to the Japanese but
also to their Axis partners in Europe.
Our giant bombers are coming off
assembly lines in ver-increasing
volume. What they can do in the
Philippines from distant Australia
can be duplicated elsewhere when
our air force hits its stride.
Evening star., 1942-04-16
Normundie Inquiry

In view OF the haste. confusion
and general laxity which House
Naval Affairs Subcommittee says ex-
listed on the Normandie at the time
she was destroyed by fire last Febru-
airy in New York Harbor, 1t Is not
surprising that the great ship failed
to realize her destiny as an auxiliary
OF the feet. The congressional in
vestigators, after two months of in
quiry, have concluded that the dis
aster which wrecked the converted
French liner four days before she
was to enter the American naval
service as the U. s. s. Lafayette was
due to "carelessness and lack OF
proper supervision" Although con-
vinced that the fire was an accident,
the group pointed out that the con-
ditions which made possible such an
accident and its consequences might
just as well have paved the way for
successful sabotage. If there were
saboteurs on the Normandie project,
the subcommittee added, they must
have held of not because of any
risk of detection but because they
preferred to act at some later time.
For example, the subcommittee
found that there was conflict in naval
circles over the advisability Of rush
ing the ship to completion by GER
tain date, that there was confusion
as to who exercised supreme control
over the project, that the contractor
was not adequately supervised, that
employees on the job were not prop
erly investigated, that persons with
out credentials were able to gain ac-
cess to the ship, that essential fire
protection safeguards were absent
and that. although there had been
rumors Of possible sabotage, "the
care and supervision required in the
circumstances were totally lacking"
These are extremely grave findings.
Whether the conclusions of the House
subcommittee will agree with those
of the ofilcial naval court OF inquiry
which has been investigating the
fire remains to be seen. Secretary
Knox has announced that IL the court
determines that offenses "have been
committed or serious blame incurred,
II will recommend what further pro-
ceedings shall be had" The report
of the naval court will be awaited
with much interest. Meanwhile,
careful consideration should be given
to the suggestions of the House MEM
bers for drastic protective measures
in the vicinity of vital water front
facilities, ships, terminals and other
properties being used in the han
ding of war supply shipments. This
matter Is so important that it is al
most incredible that there could be
any official indifference respecting It,
Evening star., 1942-04-16
Magnesium Cuse Ended

Another case involving charges
that a tie-up between American and
German industry had stifled pro-
duction of vital war material-in
this instance magneSium-has been
wiped off of the Governments books
with the entry of consent decree
and the imposition Of fines totaling
$4,000 against the Aluminium Co.
of America, Dow Chemical Co, three
other corporate defendants and a
half dozen officials The decree also
terminates the patent controls
through which the curb on produc-
tion reputedly was effected.
The American concerns were in
dicted last year with I. G. Farben-
induStrie OF Germany, whose thir-
teen-year affiliation with Standard
OH Co. New Jersey has just been
broken up by a consent decree, and
the charges followed the same pat
tern as those of the latter case. BY
restrictions on patents and alloca-
ton of world markets. the combina-
tion was declared to have been re-
sponsible for shortage in the United
States and Great Britain of mag
nesium, a metal used for aircraft
and other products.
The American defendants denied
wrongdoing. and on the contrary
pointed to a heavy increase in the
production of magnesium when de-
fenSe preparations stimulated the
market for this metal. In pleading
no contest" to the indictment and
meeting the other terms laid down
by the Government, a spokesman
said the companies were actuated by
desire TO avoid litigation requiring
the time and attention of officers
and key employees who are needed in
the war program.
The outcome presumably is salts
factory TO the Government also. Free
licensing of patents-one of the aims
of the litigation-is provided by the
decree, and the processes for pro-
duction and fabrication of magne-
sium will become available to any
applicant. The settlement also &C
Evening star., 1942-04-16
individual Dignity

In recent and somewhat cryptic
opinion, the United States Court of
Appeals upheld the validity of an in
dictment returned against a local
attorney and his client, the latter
being young man ordered to report
for induction into the Army
The indictment was based on the
contention that the attorney and the
client had conspired to prevent the
latter's induction, the appeal being
taken and the opinion rendered on
technical grounds. The court care
fully refrained from indicating any
opinion as to the factual merits of
this case. but 1t sounded what seems
to be timely and significant warn
ing against doing anything which
might tend to destroy or impair indi-
vidual rights in the stress of war.
True" the court said. "the facts
of this case have not been developed,
Evening star., 1942-04-16
A Voice of the People

TO appralSe Hugh 5. Johnson accu-
rately would require, first OF all, a
careful reading of everything that
he wrote for publication. Having
done exactly that, the public to which
he was devoted is prepared to appre-
ciate him fully. Death has come to
him too soon and his work was un-
finished yet there can be no question
about the immortality which he had
achieved. He will be remembered as
VIII Rogers is and for a similar
reason. 1t likewise is true that his
influence will survive in common
with that Of Theodore Roosevelt,
whom in many respects he reSembled.
General Johnson was character
istically American. His background
was "the last frontier" of Oklahoma.
He was fortnight and courageous,
frank and fearless. His spirit was
valiant, and even in the midst of the
bittereSt of battles there was an
element of chivalry in his manner.
He could rave and sometimes ranted,
but a native sense of humor, in
herited perhaps from his Irish ances-
tors, invariably preserved him from
uncharitableness. Certainly, there
was no meanness in him. He was
a critic and a reformer, seeking
ultimate and altogether perfect ends,
and his methods were as incisive
as a flame. Of course, he made
enemies-and gloried in them.
Yet no contemporary could have
alleged against him that he was
unyielding in his opinions. His
fundamental doctrines remained un-
changed through the years, but he
adjusted his thought to the times
with a considerable talent. The in
dividualistic quality of his mind was
his most conspicuous and valuable
asset. Even as a soldier laboring
under a rigid military discipline, he
was himself. He brought the same
instructive integrity to his work as
a lawyer, as business executive, a
Federal administrator and a COM
mentator. 1t found expression in
richness and variability of language.
General Johnson leaves his coun-
try in his debt. He served most help
fully in the First World War and
contributed to the development of
the "will to victory" which now
strives toward triumph in the Second.
AS sponsor and director of the Ma
tional Recovery Administration in
1898 and 1884 he taught industry
useful lesson in cooperation. He
was fortunate in the chance that
made him a newspaper columnist
and. in that role, an enduring power.
Looking back from the vantage point
of half a century, the historians of
1892 may recognize him as an
authentic voice of the people of the
United States, provocative, insistent,
aggressive and occasionally mistaken,
yet customarily honest and fair. He
was a great personality and as such
already has become an enduring part
of the tradition by which Americans
live
Evening star., 1942-04-16
ARLINGTON. VA.

Dear sir:
"Todays article prompts me to write
concerning the robins. They arrived Just
before the storm Of last Sunday. On
awakening during the night and seeing
everything buried under snow I could
not 80 back to sleep thinking that all
the birds would be frozen to death. espe-
cially the robins that were not used to
snow.
Even bobwhites have been in the
habit OF coming in the back yard for
seed and bread, and was sure that
they would not be able to get out from
under the snow. as they are supposed
to sleep on the ground.
II got up at O'Clock and went out and
shoveled snow away around where the
birds feed and put out plenty of food for
them. I was 30 surprised to see that
presently they all began to show up.
including the robins.
Later in the day five bobwhites came
and I wondered where the others were.
Since then nine have shown up. but no
more.
49,
Il had eight robins in the yard and I
put out fresh whole wheat bread and
raisins and they liked that and would
call for more when gone.
Il have always put out fresh whole
wheat bread, never white bread. Some
times have used two loaves In one day.
I cooked macaroni once and the star
lings seemed to like it.
I'm a special place I always had
raisins and pears, tokay grapes or apple
for the mockingbird. The robins like
tokay grapes also. They are found in
the market all the year around.
II dislike intensely the grackles, but
cannot seem to keep them out as do
not believe in keeping food from the
other birds to keep them out. You said
once that they would soon go II they
did not find the food they like, but I do
not find that to be the case.
"All winter have fed the blue jays
peanuts with the shells broken, but not
roasted peanuts where the oil has been
roasted out
Il like the blue jays very much and
have never seen them do a single thing
that was bad. I have fed eight cardinals
all the sunfiower seed they could eat
all the year around, and of course, plenty
Of mixed seed.
Il have so many English sparrows and
they are very noisy. They seem to
depend on the seed entirely instead of
foraging for their food. The tufted tit
mouse and the chickadees that have
been here all winter like mainly sun
flower seed and also peanuts, but will
look for other food. too. They never
fail to get fresh water all winter long.
1T Is lot of work taking care OF birds
In the winter, but somehow I cannot let
them down after they get to expect food.
Il wonder how they will get fed If
should move somewhere else As I may
have to. No one else In this vicinity
seems to feed birds at all have worried
about the birds in case I have to move,
Evening star., 1942-04-16
Discusses Letter From Unionist
Who Defended High Wages.

"ho Dcicnde0 dl8h wages.
To the Editor of The Star:
too am a member of a labor organi-
zation and therefore was much inter-
ested in the letter published in your
paper of April Is.
I take 1t from the tone of the letter
that the author is either a steam filter.
plumber or electrician, because he saws
that his work requires crawling under
buildings Evidently he must be of the
drone type, for that is the place that
all good bosses put the inefficient help.
He possibly is getting at least SITS
per hour and time-and-a-half for all
time over 40 hours. He says that he
works seven days a week, and as most
Government construction is on a nine
hour shift, therefore his weekly wage
is at least $13298 for an actual 63-hour
work week.
He complains of the great hardships
that he and his fellow workers suffer
and that it costs him $25 or more per
week to live. Also that they have to
work out in the cold and on occasions
their shoes get muddy.
my wish is that it would be possible
for the sailors on the North Atlantic
patrol or those that may be hanging
for dear life to some piece of floating
wreckage at this moment, or that the
gallant defenders of our foreign outposts
could read his letter. 1t possibly would
make them happier to realize that the
union building trade mechanic also is
suffering along with them. G.
Evening star., 1942-04-16
AppruisuI-lo42

This year another measuring stick
Dill mark
NM palue to the world. I shall not
rate, r
According to the things / haze {
acquired, >
Nor yet by those might accumulate.
This year my palue lies in tDhat isS
left z
When am stripped to my essentidi
core, z
Minus the frills and furbelotos NTH
iohich -
I hare regdled my ftppdnt SelF
before.
This year and euen years to come,
perhaps,
Ne,D leuies, not upon my things but2
me, H
viii mark my north to be as shaU
Freely-my total selt-to keep Dsex
treei j.
ISABELLE BRYANS LONGFELLow.
Evening star., 1942-04-16
Expresses Appreciation
OF Gen. Kutz's Impartiality.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
I certainly was amazed at recent
newspaper reports of the charge against
itism to the utility companies in dealing
with matters coming before the Public
Utilities Commission of the District.
The impression left by the charge, made
by one of his colleagues, cannot be
erased by public apologies no matter
how sincere, but it is hoped that the
incident soon will be forgotten.
Any one who has the slightest ac-
quaintance with Gen. Kutz knows that
he needs no defense, but not more than
a fraction of the people he serves have
had the opportunity to meet him. 1t was
my good fortune, however, to serve sew
eral years with the commission under
Gen. Kutz back in 1916. That body then
was engaged for the first time in deter
mining values of properties and fixing
rates for the utility companies operating
in the District. The responsibility of the
Commissioners required not only a vast
knowledge of technical data but also
ability to weigh evidence impartially.
From my intimate association with
the Commissioners on these problems
1 know of my personal knowledge that
Gen. Kutz always maintained the strict
est attitude of neutrality toward the
interest of the public and of the utilities.
and when he made decision 1t was as
fair and equitable as it was humanity
Evening star., 1942-04-16
Criticizes Alleged Waste of Time
At Opening of Baseball Season,

To the Editor of The Star:
Your sports page reports that 200 900
persons will attend the opening of the
baseball season.
Tuesday is the second day of the
working week. A half day may be taken
as five hours. Five times 200, 900. gives
a total of 1000 900 man or woman hours
wasted. 1t would be interesting to know
how many flying fortresses could be
produced in 100000 working hours.
Such of the 100000 as think at all
will smoothly deceive themselves with
the proposition that it is necessary re-
taxation" How much relaxation" is
there on Corregidor or Cebu, in China
or the Crimea2
Fat Herman and the house painter
must laugh. Their Fairgrounds are
empty. their factories full
Those who spend a working afternoon
watching one well-paid young man
throw ball to be hit by another we'll
paid young man with a small stick
might think for an instant of those
young men-not well paid-who played
their last game in sea of flaming gaso-
line beside their sinking tankers. They
were bringing the fuel to carry the noble
200 900 from their safe homes to the
ball grounds.
We will win this war-but not because
we deserve to. J.D.
Editors Note:
In letter to Commissioner K. M.
Lands January Is, President Roose-
velt said: Il honestly feel that it
would be best for the country to keep
baseball going. Everybody will
work longer hours and harder than
ever before. And that means that
they ought to have a chance for
recreation and for taking their minds
off their work even more than before"