davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-07-13
The Great Game of Politics
Politics and Procrustinotion Blamed
For Price Control and Rubber Messes

posed to have, but he does not act
that way. Apparently, no one Gov
eminent agency has grasp on all
the rubber facts or is in position
effectively to apply the remedies.
Various agencies peck at the prob
lem and pass the buck. And far too
many people make statements about
rubber. The result tends toward
chaos. There is no real sense Of di-
rection and little public confidence.
Mr.. Jesse Jones has considerable
responsibility without complete au-
thority, and he is being continually
sniped at by the New Dealers who
unfairly tried to place full blame
for the shortage on him and are de-
termined not to permit him to have
free hand on synthetic rubber. In
consequence, he has not been able
to use his judgment to the best
effect.
Real Rubber Boss Needed.
And the whole business is con-
fused by the persistence with
which so many insist upon "horning
in" What is needed, of course is
real rubber boss-one man clothed
with responsibility and authority to
decide and to act and with no other
job to distract him. Not until such
a man is named will there be real
progress toward a solution. The
difficulty is to get the President to
designate the man and delegate the
power. 1t took him many costly
months to reach the point where
Mr.. Nelson was made boss of the
War Production Board. And it took
him almost as long to put the vari-
Gus information services under a
single head. Even after he makes
up his mind to take the step the
President delays too long in TAX
ing it,
In the rubber situa ton. it is clear
that Mr.. Nelson's "co-ordinator of
rubber either has not been given
full power to do the job or is hav-
ing too much interference-prob-
ably both. Certainly the conflicting
statements made by Government
officials, including those at the
White House press conferences,
have deepened the confusion of
the people generally and prevented
the formation of definite, clear
cut policy. The logical solution
would seem to be now to draft the
best qualified and available man In
the rubber industry and give him
complete authority to act and sole
right to talk. 1t Is said that this
plan is in contemplation, but no
one can be sure about it. The one
sure thing IS that some one man
ought to be given unrestricted au-
thority and the rest ought to shut
up.
Copyrisht. 1942.
Evening star., 1942-07-13

they are not usually determina-
tive. They rarely assume the
proportionate Importance to be
assigned to leadership, soldierly
spirit and the will to win or
even to habits of military
thought.
The evolution Of successful
systems of war is the product OF
thought plus experiment. It has
been wisely said that war is for
the general an art, for the officer
science. and for the soldier
a trade. The principles of war
can he taught, like those Of any
other art, and their application
to pa, ticular situations, real and
imaginary, can be studied both
by acquiring a knowledge of mill
tary history and by the appl-
catory or map-problem- -plus-ma-
neuver method.
Long periods of peace, such as
the 20 years which followed the
close of the World War of 1914
1918, generally result in more or
less crystallization of military
thought along certain lines. Un-
less there comes to the front
succession of wise, farsighted,
progressive teachers-men such
as Schlieffen or Henderson
there is likely to be a certain
amount of dry rot.
Hold to Convention.
The institutions of military
learning which exist in all armed
services have a tendency to estab-
lish and cling to conventional
methods of procedure; like most
academic centers they are natur-
ally conservative, and their con-
servatism and conventionalism
must be resisted, their faculties
and curriculums infused with
new life and new ideas, there
must be encouraged and fostered
spirit of intelligent iconoclasm,
or the most pernicious results
may follow. These results may
be such as, in time of peril. to en-
danger the safety OF the nation.
For example:
We have had, ad nauseam, ex-
tended discussion of the reasons
for the disaster at Pearl Harbor.
Without by any means assigning
to it the sole responsibility, I
would like to suggest that Ger
tain habit of thought may have
had something to do with the
failure of the commanders there
to take adequate precautions
against air attack.
1t was formerly the practice at
the command and general stan
school, and at others Of the
higher service schools, to narrow
Evening star., 1942-07-13
This Changing World
Allies in Grove Peril With Axis
On March From Egypt to Arctic

matter Of conjecture. While
available figures are extremely
contradictory, there is no ques-
ton that new forces have been
rushed across the Mediterranean,
principally from Italy.
Whether the Nazis will be able
to drive on to Alexandria or
will make important feints to
keep the bulk of British forces
In that area while another Axis
army jumps into Asia Minor Is
also a matter Of conjecture. we
shall know more about this be-
fore the end of this week. De-
spite the reinforcements which
have reached Gen. Sir CLAUDE
j. E. Auchinleck in the last IL
day. the situation is admittedly
dangerous, because the Nazis
still have the initiative on the
whole front.
In Russia the situation is even
graver. Marshal Semeon Timo-
shenko has proved himself a
skillful strategist and so far has
avoided pitched battle with su-
perior enemy forces. He makes
them pay a heavy price for every
inch of territory they gain, but
his losses are unbelievably large.
Nazi Communications Better.
1t Is not so much the number
of men he is losing; he feels that
less than the loss Of war ma
teriak. While the Nazis have
requirements near the battle
front and their factories in the
Reich and Western Europe are
located only some 800 or 900
miles from the front, the Rus
slams must look to the United
States and Great Britain for
large part of their fresh material.
Lines of communication be-
tween NaZi factories and the
front in Russia are unhampered.
Thousands of machines can be
put on the road as soon as they
are finished, and pursuit and
fighter planes can be flown to
the battle lines with no him
drance from the enemy. Rus
sian requirements, however, must
come in ships long way over
submarine infested seas to only
one port in the Arctic Circle.
The railroad connecting the
badly damaged port of Muir
mansk with the front Is under
Axis guns. Communications with
Archangel are even more difficult.
Hence the major concern of the
Soviet high command Is how
quickly 1t can obtain modern
war paraphernalia to check the
Nazi advance. Offensive action
by the Russian armies during the
winter and spring, including the
last disastrous offensive at
Kharkov. has used up much Of
the freshly arrived British and
American tanks and artillery.
In spite of the Axis de-
termined drive, there Is strong
hope In Washington and London
that the Soviet forces will be able
to fight delaying actions and will
manage to keep the bulk of their
forces intact, even If they are
battered and have to take up
positions behind the Volga River.
Evening star., 1942-07-13
muted by the President when the
case reaches him.


There are dozens of reasons for
absolute secrecy even apart from the
necessity to conform to military
precedent. One, of course, is that
the testimony and methods of gath
ering the information must be sup
pressed so that other saboteurs now
roaming the country shall not know
how steps are taken to apprehend
such enemies. Likewise 1t Is essen
tial that any knowledge about wit
nesses or their background should
be withheld so that reprisals may
not be inflicted upon them by Nal
agents. All in all, one is inclined to
believe that J. Edgar Hoover didn't
want any publicity at all and that
the FBI agreed with the way the
military authorities wanted the case
handled. 1t can be stated positively
that the President has full reall-
cation of the Importance of confln-
ing the trial to military precedents
and it may be inferred that what
ever sQuabble has arisen comes
from those in the official family
who do not yet realize that head
lines-as usual for themselves-must
give way to military secrecy.
Evening star., 1942-07-13

Nazis know they will either sue
ceed in breaking up the Soviet
armies, thus gaining access to
the rich oil fields of the Caucasus
and Near East, or face a bleak
future.
This is the Axis last major
offensive, and if it fails, Italy,
Germany and Japan will be COM
PEELED to adopt defensive
strategy by the end of this year.
If it succeeds the next phase OF
the war will be fought mainly in
the Western Hemisphere. 1t will
be the struggle between the New
and the Old Worlds, with the
British Isles as the Allies ad-
vanced bastion in the Atlantic
and Australia the stronghold in
the Pacific.
Allies in Grave Danger.
Washington authorities face
the situation squarely. There is
no question that the danger to
our associates is great and there
Is relatively little we can do
before the next few months, ex-
cept in localized diversions.
In Africa the British have
received reinforcements. mostly
in men and planes. Tank SUI
periority is still on the side Of
the Nazis and italians. The lat
ter, incidentally, have been spe-
cially trained In desert warfare
and in recent battles have shown
themselves less inclined to fee
than formerly. In fact. accord
ing to observers on the spot, some
Italian divisions have shown as
much stamina since Tobruk as
has Field Marshal Erwin Rom
mels Afrika Korps.
How many fresh troops and
how much additional air forces
the Axis army in Africa has
received in the last 10 days is a
Evening star., 1942-07-13
Archbishop Of Canterbury
Wants Enemy Punished
Nv the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON. July 13.-The Arch
bishop of Canterbury declared yes
terday that the war settlement must
give the average German the feeling
that as long as Germany behaves
there is open "to him as full a
chance of good-humored life as to
anybody else"
In message read at mass meet
ing organized by the Free German
League Of Culture, the archbishop
said the crimes Of Germany must
be punished"
THE decision Of the Allied gov
ernments to bring to justice those
proved guilty of these denominations
Is the primary aim" he said. THE
settlement must be in a political and
military sense very severe but it
must also be such as gives to the
ordinary German citizen the sense
that so long as his state behaves
itself there Is open to him as full
a chance of good-humored life as to
anybody else"
Evening star., 1942-07-13
Ry CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The Axis is on the march
along the entire front from Egypt
to the Arctic Circle. No less
than 3,5O0,000 Axis troops, with
the requisite number of tanks
and planes, are involved in this
most gigantic battle the world
has ever seen.
The Nazi high command obvi-
ously is making desperate effort
to reach a decision before winter
sets in. Men and machines are
being thrown into battle with no
regard for cost.
Since last November when 1t
became apparent that the Nazis
were stalled in Russia every
ounce of energy in the Reich and
the occupied countries has been
applied to building up new forces,
training new military classes, and
volunteers" and modernizlng
the air forces with more power
full and speedier planes. The
Evening star., 1942-07-13

gotten, respon-
sibility re S t S
upon a combin-
alton of politics
and procrastin-
ations. AS both
price cont r o ]
and rubber are
of vital impor-
tance, the pres
ent picture is
particularly un-
pleasant.
So far as the
price situation is
Evening star., 1942-07-13

p II " u VI lCoiIS
have been held inside fort or mil
itary encampment and 1t should not
have been permitted to last more
than 48 hours. For this is not
civilian affair at all. In wartime
when spies are caught they are shot
or hanged forthwith. The trial is
customarily bit of perfunctory mil
itary routine and it is a matter OF
surprise that anybody else in the
Government should have been so
unfamiliar with military matters as
to demand otherwise.
The press naturally wants any
news 1t can get, but the response
bility for deciding in wartime
whether any news on military mat
ters should be forthcoming is upon
the War and Navy Departments
Elmer Davis, new director Of War
Information, fully understands the
risks and dangers involved in dis
closing military proceedings and
there is not the slightest foundation
for the widely disseminated report
that he has been tramnled upon by
the authorities in his first i'm
portant problem of a perplexing
character involving the military.
There Is every reason to believe, on
the contrary, that Mr.. Davis is sat-
lsfied with what is being done. He
Is too experienced man to be
ranged alongside those who want
news irrespective of the military
considerations involved.
Purely Military Matter.
The spy case began witA the civil
ian side when the Federal Bureau
of Investigation made the arrests.
The FBI agents naturally must pre-
sent details Of the proof, but apart
from that neither the FBI nor the
Attorney General has any further
responsibility for the management
Of the military trial or the proceed
ings. 1t, would be a matter OF great
surprise to the public to learn that
the Attorney General had In any
way injected himself into a military
matter and 1t is to be hoped that
there is no foundation for the re-
port. For the greatest danger that
could befan our military operations
would be to have civilian officials
interfere In matters Of discipline
or procedure once a case has come
properly under military jurisdiction.
The moment the President, as COM
mander in chief, ordered the spies
turned over to a military commits
sion the interest therein of any
civilian ofiicial should have prompt
ly ceased. 1t Is regrettable that the
trial was permitted to be held in
the Department of Justice building
the headquarters of civilian
agency This tended only to confuse
the issue and mislead the press into
thinking it was a quasi-civilian pro-
ceeding and as such entitled to
coverage by at least two or three
reporters or even one on their be-
half.
Courts Martial Closed.
But the spy trial Is not a quasi
civilian affair. 1t is a summary
proceeding under military law and
the press has no more right to hear
or b present at that kind of a
military trial than it has to be
present at court-martial proceed
ings which 60 on all the time in
side the army camps when enlisted
personnel are charged with derelic-
tions of duty. If sentry falls asleep
while on duty and is hauled before
military tribunal and ordered
shot, the trial is not public affair
though the proceedings can be
made public or the sentence COM
Evening star., 1942-07-13

or the movies or
the radio or the
press Is such a
sound decision
and so much in
accordance with
precedent that
one W on d e r S
" h at impetus
other than idle
curiosity can be
motivating the
d e m a n d for
publicity.
he tr ia |
Shnnld raallV
Evening star., 1942-07-13
Costly Conservatism
Conventional Habit Of Thought Played Part
In Pearl Horbor and Malaga, Eliot Says

the estimate of the situation
down to "enemy's probable mis-
SION" and, worse, to "enemys
most probable intentions" Once
this has been fixed upon, 1t is
easy enough to make the proper
dispositions to meet the enemy's
move. The only trouble Is, nine
times out of ten the enemy does
something else. completely up
setting everything and requiring
hasty improvisations under the
pressure of half understood
events.
Habit Abandoned in 1882.
This practice was abandoned
at LeavenWorth in 1882, and
pretty generally throughout the
services during the next few
years, due very largely to the ef-
forts of Col. Edwin E. Schwien,
whose book, Combat Intelli-
gence," thoroughly analyzed and
exposed the dangers and fall
lacies of such teaching But al
most all our general officers and
most of those of the rank of
colonel passed through the Com
mand and General Staff School
before 1882, and passed their
formative years in absorbing a
habit of military thought based
on fallacious doctrine.
Now it is a known fact that the
dispositions in Hawaii were taken
on the basis of a predetermined
"enemy's most probable inten-
tions'-i. e., to attack our planes
and installations by means OF
sabotage and fifth-column action.
The precautions taken against
such an event we're exactly the
opposite of those to be taken
against air attack. 1t does not
matter for the purpose of this
discussion whether the COM
manders on the spot, or their
superiors in Washington, or both
were responsible; the point to be
made Is that as to both ends of
the line, the senior officers were
mentally disposed to form, and
to accept, an estimate of the sit
uation featuring "enemy's most
probable intention" The enemy
did something else, and disaster
followed.
Factor in Malaga.
There have likewise been many
reasons given for the British loss
of Malaga, but I have not seen
discussed the possible incidence
on this disaster of a habit OF
thought. The British Army ever
since the first World War had
been thinking of its future mis-
sions in terms of continental war
fare, in Europe on the grand
scale,
It's long and splendid history OF
colonial warfare, In which British
soldiers have fought successfully
on every kind of terrain and
against every sort OF enemy, was
almost forgotten. Books like
Younghusband's Indian Frontier
Warfare" and the former official
handbook principles and Prac-
tices of Small Wars" collected
dust on official bookshelves; the
latter was permitted to go out
Of print soon after the close of
the first World War.
Yet these books contained the
principles, based on long expe-
rience, which might have made
different story Of the defense
OF Malaga. In Field Service
Regulations, 1885. which was the
epitome Of official British mill
tary thought as the present war
began. Bush and forest fighting"
is allotted four short paragraphs,
about page and a half in all.
Infantry Training, 1881, makes
mention of woods fighting only
in connection with conventional
Evening star., 1942-07-13

such as su-
perior per-
fornnallce Of
a given type
of airplane,
or S u p e rlor
n u m bers of
tanks, or the
longer range
OF | II l 5 OF
that model of
fiel gun,
T h e S e mat
terS are I'M
por t a n t, Of
course, b u t
Evening star., 1942-07-13

will stay there
for the duration.
We're on BIZ
cycles and will
stay there for
the duration II
our tendons and
t hose peculiar
little muscles
Just above the
knees hold out.
Our gasoline ra-
t ION card Is
tucked away in
a memory book.
TL,o kitrl1en
Evening star., 1942-07-13

THE opinions of the rers this page their not
necessarily Stars Such opinions presented in The
effort ue all sides OF questions of interest to its
readers although opinions may be contradictory
themselves and directly opposed to The Stars.
Evening star., 1942-07-13
BY FRANK r. KENT.

The two worst situations in Wash
ington are those concerned with
price control and rubber. For the
undoubted mess In which these have
Evening star., 1942-07-13
Closed Trial
Held Right
CWIIiun Concern
Over Proceedings
In Wartime DepIored
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Refusal OF the military authori-
ties to permit the trial of the eight
Nazi spies to be hippodromed in
Hollywood fashion for the benefit
Evening star., 1942-07-13
BY MAI. GEORGE FIELDING
ELIOT.

In considering the causes OF
success or failure in war, our
public is very likely to look first
of all for some technical factor,
Evening star., 1942-07-13
McLemore-
Feels He Cont Order
His Fuel Early
By HENRY McLEMORE.

So far, this little home Of ours
has co-operated 100 per cent with
the Government in its war effort.
The automobile is on stilts and
Evening star., 1942-07-13

Ten per cent Of your income for
War bonds Il the way to measure
your obligation.
Evening star., 1942-07-13

(See ELIOT, Page A-10.)
Imperial Valley press., 1942-04-16
EIks Announce Winners in
Annual Bridge Tournament

Winners in the Elks' annual
bridge tournament were announced
in the concluding event, that held
Wednesday night in the Elks hall,
as follows:
Duplicate, Mrs. w. B. Swanber
ger. and Mrs. Sherman Eldridge,
high pair, Scott B. Foulds and r.
P. Moore, second high pair, and N.
j Sleem and f. N. d Hatch, third
high pair.
Contract. Mrs. s. C. B'ackman,
high for the women, and Russell
Yeager, high for the men, with Mrs,
w j. Meagher, second for the Wo-
men, and Allen p. Nuffer, second
for the men
Prizes also were awarded for the
evenings play as follows: Duplicate,
Mrs B. f. Lemons. Mrs. George l..
Winright, high pair for east and
west; Mrs. T. c. Lanier and Mrs.
f. l.. Allen, tied for second high
clir with Mr.. and Mrs. F. d Jacobs.
Mrs SWanberger and Mrs. Eldridge
were high for north and south and
Scott B. Foulds and r. P. Moore,
second.
Contract. Mrs. Blackman. high
for the women and Mrs. Allen P.
Nuffer, second in the evenings play
with Russell Yeager high for the
men, and Cecil Gillett. second.
Many members of the club and
guests were present for This last
evening of play in the annual
Imperial Valley press., 1942-04-16

the following: 81 members received
into the church in the last siy
months: an increase of SO 1/3 per
cent in giving over last year, both
Tor local church expenses and world
service items; over 1000 people in
attendance at the four Easter serV-
ices in the church; a Is per cent
increase in attendance in the church
school; average church attendance
of 200 each Sunday.
Officers chosen are: w. w. Nc
Euen, Mrs. j. M. Adair Ed Royce,
c. E. Sones, j. E. Brock, trustees !:
John L. Dubois, ST., lay leader;
Mrs. Wendell Waterman, church
school superintendent; E. N. D.
Hatch, treasurer; Frank Young, fin
ancial secretary; George Kirk, lay
member of annual conference.
Chairmen of committees are: Mrs.
c. S. Conner, membership; George
r. Kirk, finance; G. E. Sones, pas
toral relations; Mrs. F.. d. Jacobs,
mission education; DR.. Raynor C.
Clemons. music; Willis C. Barrett,
"oil ~ ptdCt, L Idllk 1ouilB, evan
gelism; Mrs. Charles Hunick, tenn
perance; Mrs. G. E. SoneS, penny
bank; Mrs. S. p. Holiday, good
literature; Guy A. Weakley, educa-
ton
Other stewards include: Fred
Sunstrom, r. o. Clark, Warren
Brock, Mr.. and Mrs. S. p. Holiday,
j. d. Foss, Mr.. and Mrs. Ray jerks,
Fred Veliquette. Miss Margaret He'd
rick, Mrs. Cora Maxwell. Mrs. Fan
ME G. McCrory, Bill Zimmerman,
Mrs. j. c. McDougle, Rudolph Mil
Ter, P. l.. Moore, w. Fl. Rhodes, Mr..
and Mrs. Ed Royce, Judd Merry
man, Louis Slice, c. II. H. Small,
A. r. Tagg, Eugene Waterman, II.
d. Blair, John l.. Dubois, jr
A pot luck dinner preceded the
business meeting.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-04-16
Change Date Of
SeeIey Dance

Camp Seeley's dance has been
changed from Saturday night to
Friday night, with Battery c as
hosts, ACCORDING to announcement
from camp officers THURSDAY.
Girls who plan to attend as as
sistant hostesseS are notified of
this change in date and reminded
that cars will leave the Mayan
hotel at 7:3O pm. Friday evening.
Those wishing tran portation
should notify the Red Gross. that
groups camp and hospital service
committee being in charge of ar
rangementS.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-04-16
Demonstration for
Mt. Signal Home
Department

Mt. Signal home department
wednesday devoted the all day
meeting to project study and to
Red Cross sewing, the members
meeting at the home of Mrs. Anna
Brandenburg.
During the morning session Mrs.
Juanita Binns and Mrs. Pauline
WeStmoreland conducted a furni
ture refinishing demonstration, il
Illustrating the proper methods to
be used by refinishing a chair.
After a tempting luncheon the
group spent the afternoon in Red
Cross work, also enjoying a musical
program by Mrs. Ruth Thompson
who played a program OF piano
numbers which included compost
tionS popular in each of the wars
in which this nation has been in
volved.
A business meeting was conduct
ed during which Mrs. Dorothy
Brockman announced the program
for the nutrition institute on April
u and the part Mt. Signal will have
in this demonstration.
Those present were: Marguerite
Arner, Martha Rosson, Anna Bran
denbu'g. Ruth Thompson, Birdie
Fisher. Alice Pollard, Lula Kimber-
ling, Rosie Stehli, Martha Gross,
Eugenia Henry, Dorothy Brockman,
Rebecca Kubler, May Dunning, Jua-
nita Binns, Veva Green, Pauline
Westmoreland, Ruth BrOckman,
Edith Donlevy, Rosa Burton, Mary
Gipson. May Gibson, Elizabeth Nc
Kim.