davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
Forty-fve Legal Holidays

How many people know that
there are forty-fve legal holidays
in the United States? They think
of Christmas, Washington's birth
day, Lincoln's birthday, Memorial
Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanks
giving Day, and Armistice Day as
all the public holidays commonly
observed, but actually there are
forty-fve at least. To be sure, not
a few of them are sectional holt
days.
Lincoln's birthday, for instance,
is observed in only twenty-seven
States, including Kentucky, Ten
nessee and West Virginia. Alabama
seems to be the only State that
legally observes Thomas J~efferson's
birthday anniversary.
Memories Of Jefferson Davis
birthday on June 3rd are not lost
to people of Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louis
lana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas
and Virginia. Robert E.. Lees
birthday on January 19 is observed
in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia,
Mississippi, North and South Caro-
lima, Florida and Virginia.
Maine and Massachusetts cele-
brate Patriots Day; Texas the
anniversary of the Battle of San
Jacinto and Texas independence
Day. Confederate Memorial Day
is observed in Alabama, Florida,
Georgia and Mississippi, as also in
Kentucky and North Carolina, but
those two celebrate it on a differ
ent date. North Carolina COM
memorates the Signing of the
Mecklenburg Declaration of indie
pendence. Idaho has a Pioneer
Day, Wyoming an Admission Day,
Vermont a Bennington Battle Day.
Oddly, New York and ten other
States are supposed to observe Sep
TENDER 9th as Lafayette Day and
also the anniversary of the Battle
of the Marine on the same day.
California and Texas commemo-
rate the days of their admission to
Statehood. So do several of our
former territories, such as Arizona,
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
Oklahoma and Utah.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
For Latin Americas
Break With Axis
North American Expectations
at Rio Conference

According to William H. Lander
and other North American writers
on our Governments good neigh
Dor" policy in the Western Henri
sphere, a resolution calling for COM
plete severance of diplomatic rela-
tons between all Latin American
republics and the Axis powers will
be one of the key measures intro
duced at the forthcoming consul
tative meeting of foreign ministers
at Rio de Janeiro.
Reports from South America in
dictate there is strong sentiment for
such a resolution although there is
as yet no unanimity of view. The
delegates of Argentina and Chile
have been instructed by their gov
ernments against such a measure.
Proponents of the resolution con-
tend it would be of more effective
and practical aid to the United States
than the unanimous declaration of
war suggested by the e%x-president
of the Dominican Republic, Gen
eralissimo Rafael L. Trujillo, on
his arrival home after a visit in
Washington recently.
So far nine of the 20 Pan Amer
lean Union countries have declared
war on the Axis-the five central
American republics, Panama, and
the three Caribbean countries, Cuba,
Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela
have severed relations, and all 9th
ers have publicly stated their COM
plete solidarity with the United
States.
Significantly, the State Depart
ment recently announced elevation
of the U. S. Legations in Paraguay,
Ecuador and Bolivia to the rank OF
embassies in order to give formal
recognition to the Importance of
developments" strengthening Pan
American solidarity.
This means the United States
now maintains ambassadorial status
with all the South American re-
publics, Panama, Cuba and Mexico.
Legations are maintained in the
central American countries of Qua
temala, FL Salvador, Nicaragua,
Honduras, Costa RIGA, Haiti and
the Dominican Republic.
Advocates of the resolution think
it one of the most effective steps to
reduce the sources of information
which the Axis now have in the
Americas, by forcing all their en-
bassies, legations and %consulates to
close.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
The German Ancestry
of Admiral Nimitz
Texans Proudly Recall His
Immigrant Grandfather

The town of Fredericksburg in
Texas is still celebrating our Pre-
sident's appointment of Admiral
Chester w. Nimitz to the command
or II naval forces in Hawaii and
the South Seas. By order of Mayor
Edward Krauskopf the Admiral's
native town Immediately after
Christmas brought out its flags in
his honor.
Old Fredericksburg homes were
thrown open and housewives served
jars and jars of Pfeffernuesse
Zimmtsterne and other Old Coun-
try delicacies to visitors from miles
around, who gathered to recount
tales about Nimitz and his German
f~orebears.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
Rapid Remedy Is Discovered
For Gangrene

Sulfathiazole is the new specific
against gangrene. Soldiers may be
carrying their own medicine into
battle soon for prompt action in
treating wounds Of war.
DR.. Guy A. Caldwell, professor
of clinical orthopedics at Tulane
University Medical School, the
other day announced the successful
control, experimentally, of gas
gangrene in cmpound fractures by
the immediate application of sui
fathiazole.
"The treatment could be made
effective in battle by giving every
soldier a vial of sulfathiazole to be
applied to wounds as a first aid
dressing before the arrival of first
aid units and ambulance crews" he
said.
The key to success lies in appli-
cation within an hour, DR.. Caldwell
said. Most of the effectiveness of
the drug is lost if the treatment
is delayed any longer.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
Colonel Muhlenberg
Acquitted
Retiring Officer Regrets Informal
Talk before a Flying Club

Col. H. C. Muhlenberg, the us.
army officer who was courtmartialed
for alleged indiscreet %utterances,
after two days trial before militia
ry officers, was speedily acquitted.
Thereupon he was promptly re-
leased from arrest in his quarters.
The verdict must still be reviewed
by the Secretary Of War, who will
submit his finding ultimately to the
President for approval or disap-
proval.
During his courtmartial in Co.
lumbia, Ohio, for alleged violation
of two articles of war relating to
critical u~tterances concerning the
military service Colonel Mullen
berg testified in his own defence
that certain remarks he was charged
with having made at the Curtiss-
Wright Flying Club were extern
poraneous and not meant for pub
lication.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
Freie Miete

that precept whether my action is
popular or unpopular. He SUBJ
sequently became our Minister to
Austria and in 1874 was nominated
for the office of Governor of Penn
sylvania by the Democratic Party.
1t was generally said that he would
have been elected by an overwhelm-
ing majority but for his widely
lamented death just prior to the
election.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
Many Foreigners Have fastened
To Profess Americanism

Since Japan's. war with the
United States and the subsequent
war declarations by Germany, Italy
and other Central European Gov
ernments, the President has re-
ceived several hundred kilograms
from foreign-born groups and indi-
viduals, citizens and non-citizens,
which have come into the White
House from many parts of our
country.
1t might have been supposed
that many of these messages would
ask for help or for a consideration
of the senders' positions as foreign
born i'll a country which during the
last World War was not always
kind to those residents with alien
accents or alien names. This, how
ever, has not been the case.
Individual acknowledgements, on
behalf of the President, r sent
out by the Department of State.
1t is to be hoped that they will con-
vey, not only to the senders of the
messages but to the country as a
whole the desire of the President
and the Government that these
foreign-born shall consider them
selves, and be considered by others,
an important part of this nations
war effort.
German-Americans Among Them
Among the professions of loyalty
to the United States turned over
to Secretary Hull by the President
were two from German-American
societies in Pennsylvania, and
Michigan. Their texts were:
"Now, therefore, be it resolved
that we advocate as far as own
means will permit, that our mem
bers purchase Defense Bonds for
the purpose of assisting the Gov
eminent in its defense efforts, and
we further invite all suggestions
from any Governmental agencies
whereby this organization car be of
further assistance to the Govern
ment of the United States of Amer
lea.
William C. Tiemann, President,
German-American League,
Erie, Pennsylvania.
ITO His E~xcellency, President
Roosevelt: We are ready to accept
our share of national responsibility
and to follow your orders as Com
mander-in-chief of the armed forces
of the United States. The freedom
and the happiness that we enjoy
in this great democracy we want
to keep and to defend, we shall
fight until the sinister forces of the
Axis powers have suffered complete
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
Three German Skiers
Interned In N. Dakota
Froelich, Hauser and Pfeifer,
All Acknowledged Champions

Internment during the duration
of the war as enemy aliens is the
lot of three internationally known
German skiers, Frederick Fried
Pfeifer, Hans Hauser and Joseph
Seep Froelich. Federal Bureau of
Investigation has confirmed that the
men were taken in custody.
Mr.. Pfeifer held the American
slalom championship in 1910; Mr..
Hauser won the mems downhill
championship of the Federation In
ternationale de Ski at Innsbruck in
1888.
The wedding of Mr.. Pfeifer,
head of the Sun Valley (Idaho) ski
school, and Hoyt Smith, daughter
of Fred E. Smith, Salt Lake City
banker, was a social event there in
March, 1910.
Mr.. Froelich is the husband of
Natalie Rogers, a member of a
wealthy American family. In this
country he has entered little into
competition.
Mr.. Hauser has been employed
at Sun Valley as an instructor.
All three were confined for a time
in Salt Lake County Jail, but Mr..
Pfeifer and Mr.. Hauser recently
were taken to a detention camp in
North Dakota. Mr.. Froelich is
waiting a hearing to determine
whether he may be released on the
ground of not being an enemy alien.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
The First German
Newspaper in America
1t Was Published by Benjamin
Franklin at Philadelphia in 1892

The business acumen of that
versatile and talented American,
Benjamin Franklin, began early.
Returning from England to Phila-
delphia in 1929, he became the pro-
prietor of a printing establishment
and soon established The Pennsyl-
vania Gazette. He had for years
issued Poor Richards Almanac,
with its quaint and homely maxims
of thrift.
Founding the Philadelphia Lib
rary in 1732-one Of the first, by
the way-this enterprising young
man of but 20 years bethought him
self of a scheme for obtaining some
more money from his German
friends, who had been his printing
customers, SO he inserted in the
Pennsylvania Gazette of June 8,
1882, the information that "The
Gazette will come out again on
Monday next and continue to be
published on Mondays.
And on the Saturday following
will be published 'Philadelphische
Zeitung,' or Newspaper in High
Dutch, which will continue to be
published on Saturdays, ready to be
delivered at Ten a Clock, to Coun-
try Subscribers. Advertisements
are taken in by the Printer hereof,
or by Mr.. Louis Timothee, Ian
guage-Master, who translates them.
Die PhiladeIphische Zeitung
The Zeitung was a small sheet of
four pages, 6H by 9 inches, the text
in double columns, printed in Ro-
man type, and bears the imprint of
Philadelphia, "Gedruckt hey B.
Franklin (sic) in DEF Marck-
strasse, VIC desc Zeitungen vor 5
Shillings DIES Jahrs zu bekommen,
und Advertisements zu bestellun-
gen sind"
The first number appeared June
10, 1872, preceding by seven years
the Hoch-D eutch Pennsylvanischer
Observation-Disclosures, by Christopher
Safer, the printer of the first Ger
man Bible in America. This new
venture of Franklin proved unsuc-
~cessful, and in his second issue we
read that mot over fifty subscrib-
ers' had been obtained, and on that
account the paper would be issued
f%ortnightly instead of weekly. This
small list not being greatly added
to, the paper soon died.
The second issue, the only one
known to exist, contained abstracts
from eleven foreign letters and an
account of the trial of Captain
Jacob Lobb of the ship Love and
Unity" The lone advertisement in
this issue was inserted by one
Hendrix van Bebber, a name known
in Germantown now.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23

defeat, and the peoples of all ma
tons now oppressed by power
drunk madmen are liberated, their
right of self-government restored
and their freedom and happiness
secured.
Gustav Bek, Grand Secretary,
Detroit Chapter, GermanAmer-
lean Congress for Democracy,
Detroit, Michigan"
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23

ne~rve-racking experience to be
home again, but unaware that an
other sentence of death awaited
him on his arrival.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
M~uhIenberg's Defense

In a sworn statement, Colonel
Muhlenberg explained he had adj
dressed the Flying Club as an OPP
portunity to promote the interests
Of the military service, especially
the Air Corps.
IF anything I said in my en-
thusiasm and intensive interest in
the subject" he stated, BE con-
strued as a discussion of foreign
and domestic policy and therefore
within a ban against speaking Of
such matters, it certainly was not
so intended by me and certainly not
intended as a violation of a military
inhibition.
"The slightest thought or inten-
ton of discussing or of criticizing
the policies of the Government or
rejecting in the slightest degree
upon the value of our sister service
the Navy, of violating any in
structions from the War Depart
ment or from headquarters, Fifth
Corps Area, was farthest from my
mind or plans"
The Accusation Against Him
Col. Muhlenberg, recent COM
mandant of military flying forces in
Hawaii, was accused of violating
articles of war by criticizing the
lack of air protection given Hawaii
at the time of the Japanese attack.
He had been quoted by prosecu-
ton witnesses as saying the Amer
lean people were the goats of the
Pearl Harbor attack by sanctioning
a policy of sending planes all over
the world instead of where they
were most needed
The Muhlenbergs in. Our History
Col. H. C. Kress Muhlenberg,
former commandant of Hickam
Field, Hawaii, hailing from Mis-
souri,, is a descendant of the famous
Muhlenberg family of Virginia.
One of them, a Lutheran pastor,
cast aside his clerical garb in the
pulpit to reveal himself in his
uniform of a Continental soldier.
He became a noted general in
the Revolutionary Army, two
brothers we're elected to the
Congress after the war, one to the
Senate, the other to the House,
where he served as Speaker for two
terms. Another brother became
known as a botanist and a descend
ant founded the great St. Luke's
Hospital in New York City.
The Muhlenbergs were generally
known as outspoken for independ-
ence. One of them, Heinrich A.
Muhlenberg, himself a member of
Congress in 1880, once said:
"My German ancestors taught me
the precept do right and defy the
devil, and | intend to be true to
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
Chips OFF The Old Block

Retold was how the lad and his
boyhood friends re-enacted the
Battle of Manila on a pond in
Town Greek, with young Nimitz in
the role of Admiral Dewey.
When the 17-year-old lad went
to the Naval Academy in 1901 he
promised his grandfather that he
would become an admiral.
William Nimitz, who married
Admiral Nimitz's widowed mother
and became a stepfather as well
as an uncle, lives at nearby Kerr
vile with a daughter, Mrs. John
H. Reagan. He opines the Japs
had better look out"
A letter from the Admiral re-
ceived a few days ago by Mrs.
Reagan mentioned the Admiral's
son, Lieutenant Chester w. Nimitz,
Jr. He is somewhere in the thick
Of things hitting hard, | hope,
for the tough blows we suffered at
Pearl Harbor," the Admiral wrote.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
A Pioneer Grandfather

The Admiral's German grand
father, Captain Carl H. Nimitz,
left his seafaring career in 1916
and came to Texas to help found
this pioneer settlement, to which
Germans came from their native
country in quest of political and
economic freedom. He built a hotel
in the shape of a steamship and
there his grandson Chester was
reared.
Washington Journal., 1942-01-23
Another Death Sentence

In Hamburg he was arrested on
a charge of desertion for failing
to report for a war mobilization in
Wuerttemberg, his native State.
Those years were years of war in
Germany-6rst the two wars
against Denmark and then the
Prussian-Austrian wal Of 1866. A
court martial sitting in Stuttgart
sentenced Schmidt to be shot. An
appeal was sent to the king, and
while Schmidt languished in a cell
between hope and despair, his plea
for clemency passed through the
usual routine of official red tape.
Once again fate interviewed in his
behalf. The king read his petition
and was impressed. He sent for
Schmidt and had him tell his ex-
perience, then patted him on the
shoulder and said: "All right, my
son; we can make good use of a
war veteran like you"
Schmidt was pardoned and served
ten years in the Wuerttemberg
army, presently taking part in the
war of 1901. Thereafter he
was pensioned as a war veteran and
has lived quietly in his old home
ever since.
Evening star., 1942-03-22

HE LETTER Joe had to write was
not an easy one. He bent over
4 the small desk for a long time
before he finally picked up the pen and
began:
Sylvia Darling:
1T was just two months ago today
that you told me. quite calmly. that
you were going home -"
He laid down the pen again and sat
gazing into space. Clear in his memory
was the picture of Sylvia as she had
looked that morning She had saun-
tered into the tiny cubicle that he
called his worhoom and stood for a
moment in the doorway. twisting the
wedding ring on her left hand. Then
she had told him in matter-of-fact
tone that she was leaving him.
He had raised his head slowly, he
remembered. from over the work.
bench and stared at her. For a long
time not a word was spoken - and
during the silence Sylvia lowered her
eyes and bit into her full lower lip as
she waited for him to answer.
But it won't be much longer.
darling" he said finally. I'm almost
finished with this thing - and when
it'sdone well be rolling in money -"
"You'vE been saying that for
months, Joe! I simply can't 60 on any
longer like this, living on prospects.
Bills keep mounting. We're behind in
our rent -" She faltered, and then
continued brokenly: "I'm not used to
living like this. Joe. So I'm going to
leave you. I'm going home"
He asked her if she was still in love
with him. and she replied yes. she was
still in love. she guessed - but it was
the money situation. "I'll 60 home for
while. she told him. Maybe things
will change while I'm away"
Evening star., 1942-03-22

The remembered agony of that
moment swept over Joe again as he
thought about it. He had squeezed the
screw driver in his hands until his
fingers ached while Sylvia went on:
I'm accustomed to better living
conditions, Joe. There's no reason why
shouldn't 60 home and enjoy them. I
certainly don't have them here! Why.
I'm only twenty-three. and I'm getting
to be a regular old woman. sitting here
while you tinker with those intentions
of yoursT
He did not argue with her; he did
not plead with her to stay a while
longer - until he finished his work =.
He simply nodded and heard a voice
that was not his own say: "All right.
Sylvia. if that's what you want. All
right
JoE took up his pen again and tried
to frame the next sentence of his let
ter. But it was hard going. The words
wouldn't come easily. and his mind
kept wandering back to those last
days just before Sylvia had left.
There was the night before she went
away. when they had drunk those two
bottles of champagne that had been a
wedding present. They had both pre-
tended to be gay. They'd talked lot.
and probably they'd talked unusually
loud. He didn't remember exactly
what they'd said, because he could not
quite face what was happening to
them.
Once that afternoon Sylvia had
reached out for his hand while they
lounged on the studio couch. She had
smiled her red smile at him over the
rim of a champagne glass he'd bor-
rowed from Tony's bar. 1T would
have been pretty good. Joe, if we'd
had money" she said. Maybe you'll
Evening star., 1942-03-22
Letter To Sylvia

get job again some day that will
give US regular salary. You can send
for me then, honey"
He'd made no reply. He'd simply
tightened his grip around the other
champagne glass and stared at Sylvia's
things, stacked in the corner of the
living room near the door.
The next morning he helped her
load the car. After she had driven of.
he stood alone on the curb for long
time.
In that helpless moment he felt the
whole earth drop away from under
him. his dreams crumbling.
WITH a sigh. Joe turned back once
more to the unfinished letter:
They have been long months.
Sylvia" he wrote. Endless days piled
upon each other. The nights, though.
we're worse. because at night had
more time to think of you.
"While I would sit in the darkness
of our little living room, with the
radio playing softly. I knew loneli-
ness I had never imagined. I re-lived
all the glorious times we had expert
enced together - from the first time
l met you at the Freshman Get
Together dance our first week at
State, until the morning you told me
that you were going home.
And at night, Sylvia, I often found
myself reaching out to touch you in
bed. But my hand would never feel
you. would turn over and look at
your pillow beside mine. and that
empty pillow seemed to mock me-.
But carried on with my work.
Most days I worked from fourteen to
eighteen hours. I had a purpose; I
guess you might call it revenge. I
wanted to prove that you were all
wrong about me- and my work.
"Well, last week I finished. Jack
Flowers and I made experiments out
near the airport.
"They turned out much better than
we'd expected.
"You know the rest. l enjoyed your
letter. which arrived yesterday. en-
closing a newspaper clipping about
young inventor who had produced a
new airplane-detecting device. 1t was
good to hear from you. Sylvia. I'm
glad you said you would like to come
back to me.
I'm probably the happiest guy in
the whole world at this moment! 1t is
true that war department officials
offered me $4,000 for my little brain
child.
But l am not going to sell it to
them -Tm going to gise it to the
government. Sylvia!
you probably are wondering why;
and I can just see you now. burning
inwardly with rage because you passed
up such a big chunk of cash. If you
had proved your love and stayed with
me when I really needed you; if you
had only given me some encourage
ment, would have taken that SIC. 900
quicker than you can blink one ofyour
pretty blue eyes.
But I have decided to give my
invention to Uncle Sam, because I
feel it's the least l can do for my
country in this crisis.
II hope you will understand.
Good luck,
Joe
Fps. Il thought you should know
Imperial Valley press., 1942-06-18
Barbara Worth
Plans Series
Of Dances

In line with the various Organiza-
tionS who arc endeavoring to make
summer in Imperial Valley pleas
ant one the Barbara Worth hotel
is planning a series Of monthly
dances, first of which viii take place
Saturday night, at 0 o'clock in the
lobby Of the hotel.
a popular orchestra has been en-
gagged for the evening, and Gloria
Payre, ono of the favorite young
singers, will be featured soloist for
the affair.
The lobby which is spacious and
cool will be cleared Or the dancing
and the hotel plans to make this
party delightful one. No advance
reservations will be necessary.
Since more people than ever be-
fore will remain in the valley this
summer due to the war, tire short
ages etc, the chamber of commerce
and other organizations are en-
deavoring to make that summer as
enjoyable as possible and are plan
ming community recreation pro-
grams. The hotel, in inaugurating
these dances, is cooperating in that
project.