davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1942-11-10
CAPITAL TALKS
by
Peter
Edison

NO proposed legislative restriction
on the Army's conduct of the wa
nus far has caused the general
| such embarrassment as the brain
child of Senator w. Lee tPappy
O'Daniel of Fort Worth. Texas, re.
quiring that all Is and 19-year-olC
soldiers be given a full years train.
ing before being sent overseas.
This O'Daniel idea was presented
to the Senate just before the con-
gressmen went home to vote in tht
form of an amendment to the
amendment of the selective service
law which would lower the draft
age from 20 TO Is. 1t will be among
the first things 10 be taken up
when the senator's get down to bus
ineSs again after the election head
ache is over.
You can get pretty maudlin
over the idea that beardless boys
should not be sent to the front,
and you can collect lot of sin
cerely bitter mail from mothers
of teen-age sons protesting
against sending their babies" to
the war. Pappy O'Daniel, who has
never been averse to jerking a
tear or pulling gag for an
emotional buildup, will undoubt-
edly get lots of support for his
amendment from this element.
Sure. There is an argument to
be made in favor of drafting the
old coots first sending off to
war the old men of 35 to 45 who
have already lived half their lives
and haven't made much of them.
Why shouldn't these men go first
and give the boys half their age a
chance to stay at home little long
er and make up for the mistakes
of their seniors?
1t is right at this point that the
argument against drafting the
young men of 18 and 10 falls down
For the experience of the Army
thus far is that too many of these
old men of 40 and more simply
can't take the gaff.
BETTER ARMY THAN 1918
This Army of today is SO inf
nately better than the US. Army
of the last war that there isn't any
comparison. The new Army is bet
ter differed, better equipped, bet
ter trained In the AE.F. of the
last war were thousands of soldiers
sent overseas with practically no
training at all. They distinguished
themselves, which is all the more
to their credit, but there is little
of that in this new Army, in which
no one is sent any place unless and
until he is trained for his job. 1t
is the Army's responsibility to see
that every unit is trained before it
goes overseas, whether the time re-
quired for the training is a year,
six months, two years.
Not all service overseas is nee
essarily combat service, and right
there is one of the peculiar incOn-
sistencies of the O'Daniel amend
ment. 1t would permit the Army
to send soldiers to Alaska, which
is not considered overseas, almost
as soon as drafted. But it would
not permit men to be sent to
places like Puerto Rico or Ber-
muda or London or Hawaii or Ire
land. The hazards of Alaska, not
only from cold but from the
threat of possible Japanese inva-
sion, are obviously greater than
the hazards of Puerto Rico, where
the most serious cause of injury
thus far has been sunburn.
Take the air force. Seventy-five
per cent of its personnel is ground
crew. Should a young ham radio
operator or grease monkey be kept
from going overseas with their
team just because they may not
have had full years training at
home2
Imperial Valley press., 1942-11-10
MEXICO FOLLOWS

MEXICO CITY, Nov. TO- up
Mexico has severed relations with
the Vichy French government, Pres
ident Manuel Avila Camacho an
nounced last night.
Avila Camacho said Mexico can
not continue relations with a nation
which has failed to cooperate with
the democracies. He hailed the Allied
opening of a second front in Africa.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Seven Are Nominated
10 Spanish American
Diplomatic Posts
President Also Names
John B. Blondford. Jr.,
As Housing Head

President Roosevelt today nom
mated seven diplomatic ennis
saries to South and Central
American posts.
At the same time he named
John B. Biandford, jr., now as
sistant director OF the budget, to
be head Of the new National
Housing Agency.
Included in the diplomatic NOM
nations were four ambassadorships
In South America and three minis
terial posts In Central America.
Designated to be Ambassador to
Bolivia is Pierre de Lagard Boal of
Pennsylvania, now Minister to Mic
aragua.
To be Ambassador to Colombia,
the President selected Arthur Bliss
Lane of New York, now Minister
to Costa Rica.
To Ecuador and Paraguay, the
President nominated for Ambassa-
dorships the men who already are
serving there as Ministers.
These are Boaz Long Of New
Mexico, in Ecuador, and Wesley
Frost Of Kentucky, in Paraguay.
Robert M. Scotten Of Michigan, at
present Minister to the Dominican
Republic. was nominated TO the
Costa Rican post to be vacated by
Er
will be Avra M. Warren Of Mary
land, now chief Of the visa division
In the Department Of State.
AS a replacement of Mr.. Boal in
Nicaragua, the President designated
James B. Steuart Of New Mexico,
now Consul General at Zurich,
Switzerland.
Mr.. Lane, who goes to the Bogota
post that is OF unusual importance
because of Colombia's vital position
in hemisphere defense, is only Al
years Of age. He will be one of the
country's youngest Ambassadors.
A resident of Brooklyn, Mr. Lane
was educated in France and at Yale
University. He was in the Con-
necticut National Guard during
1856. He started his diplomatic
career as secretary to the American
Ambassador to Italy during 1867
He has held foreign service posts
in Rome, Warsaw, London, Paris
Bern and Mexico City He has
served as Minister to Nicaragua
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Yugo-
slavia and Costa Rica.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Australian Leader in MoIoyo
Safe in Indies After Escape
Bennett and Porty
Fled Singapore for
Sumutru in Junk
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies
Feb. 26.-Maj. Gen. Henry Gordon
Bennett, commander Of the Aus
tralian imperial forces in Malaga
has reached Batavia after escaping
from Singapore in large Chinese
junk which required four days to
reach neighboring Sumatra.
The assumption before his arrival
was that he had been captured by
the japanese now in command OF
the fallen Allied bastion.
With him we're his aide de camp
1t. Gordon Walker, eight members
of the Singapore volunteers and
seven members of British regiments
= GA dispatch from Canberra
officially estimated that 1900
Australians were among the i'm
perial troops taken prisoner at
Singapore. Very few Australians
got away and the number of
casualties in the last Of the fight
ing there was not known
Decided to Attempt Escape.
A group of Australian oficers
decided on a Thursday (date un-
specified that the great base in
evitably would have to be given up.
They decided to attempt to escape,
taking Gen. Bennett with them. his
aide de camp related In an interview
after their arrival here.
For two days they sought launch
without success. Finally, they de-
cided on Sunday that the only way
of escape was to the north. through
the Japanese lines to the mainland
of Johore, where they hoped to find
q boat at Batu Pahat.
A Chinese guide disagreed with
this plan, and then police sergeant
told the group that several small
boats were moored some distance
out to sea.
1t Walker said he swan out to
one large sampan, rowed 1t back and
the party set out on Sunday night
Men Go without Food.
At midnight their sampan bumped
into large sea-going junk with six
British officers aboard. Gen. Bennett
and his group boarded the junk and
at dawn they were only q hall, mile
Evening star., 1942-02-26

So he. left you waiting at the
altar? Then send that trunkful Of
old love letters to the junk dealer for
waste paper salvage.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
ADVERTISEMENT,

BUILD NOW for DEFENSE
against colds. Increase your resistance
If Ntamin A is lacking, by taking
Father Johns Medicine-rich in es-
sential vitamins A and D.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Mrs. Florence 0ffut Dies
In Friendship Heiqhts

Mrs. Florence Gootee Offutt. r.
wife Of Henry w. Offutt. retired
real estate agent, died yesterday at
her home, 200 Western avenue
Friendship Heights, Md.
Services for Mrs. Offutt will be
held at 10:30 am. tomorrow at ST.
Johns Church, Georgetown, with
burial in Oak Hill Cemetery.
A native of Golden Hill, Dorches-
ter County. Md, Mrs. Offut had been
living in Friendship Heights about
IS years. Her husband, a former
president of the Potomac Savings
Bank, was instrumental in develop
ment Of the heights area.
Besides her husband, she is sur
vived by two daughters, Mrs. Evelyn
Breining and Mrs. Lucy Mourning
and one grandson, Lee Mourning,
all Of Washington.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Indies
tContinued From First Page.

! NCOnblnueO fTOm fuSJ PdBe.l
burning flercely nine days after
they had been touched off.
Losses on Both Sides.
In the latest bombing attack one
japanese fighter plane which at
tempted to intercept the raiders
was shot down, and one Dutch
bomber was lost.
One Japanese bomber and one
fighter also were shot down out
of the force which raided Soerabaja,
while another enemy bomber and
fighter were destroyed in the at
tacks on the West Java airdromes.
Two Dutch fighters were listed as
lost in defense against these at
tackS, with one pilot killed.
(Tokio claimed destruction of
81 planes in raids on Java yes
terday, with a total of 1T United
Nations planes destroyed so far9
He made no promises of victory,
only of reasonable" fighting
chance. But the word ATTACK" re-
CURED throughout his speech and
Van Nook hinted that defense of
Java may be only the beginning of
the United Nations plans.
He told the resolved islanders that
"the foreign troops which are here
will remain and will be maintained
through regular stream of REIN
forcements."
Cites MacArthur's Stand
LET there be no light-hearted
optimism and let us prove our worth
during the few months which sepa-
rate us from a large-scale Allied
effort" he said.
Van Nook commented that Singa-
pores loss had made deep impress
sion, but he said this has since been
wiped out and counselled the people
of Java to learn from Gen. Douglas
MacArtilur's stand in the Philip
pines that the enemy is not in
vincible If We only stand and at
tack"
I'VE must derive inspiration and
wisdom from what has been achieved
and the mistakes which have been
made" he said. Clear your minds
of the hypnosis Of Japanese invinci-
bility and we will prove that we
can carry the burden"
Evening star., 1942-02-26

from the fortified island of Blankang
Matt which already was in Japanese
hands.
But the group threaded their way
through all the islands of Singapore
and across to Sumatra on q four
day trip in which their only naviga-
ton guide was a page from an
atlas showing the Southwest Pacific
on a seal eof 240 miles to the inch.
The escaping men went without
food and water rations were getting
low when . British launch sighted
them OF the Sumatra coast and took
them on two-day trip down to
Jambi. where Dutch authorities gave
them food and clothing, and motor
car for trip to Pedang Once there
a flying boat brought them to
Batavia.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Defrouding Of Orderly
Laid to Hospital Potent

Harry Kaplan, AZ, yesterday was
arraigned in Police Court on charges
of obtaining $3.50 by trickery from
a colored orderly at Gallinger Hos
pital while already serving time on
check charges.
The money allegedly was obtained
from the orderly in Ja.luary while
Kaplan was in the hospital for treat
ment, after being taken there from
Occoquan where he had been sent to
serve 10 months on the check
charges.
Judge Walter J. Casey yesterday
continued the charges to March 4
for trial after Kaplan had asked for
a continuance to arrange for his
defense.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Los Angeles
(Continued From First Page,

Defense Command reported from
San Francisco:
THE aircraft which caused the
blackout in the Los Angeles area
for several hours this "wednesday
morning have not been identified.
There was no elaboration as to
whose aircraft, how many, from
whence 1t (they) came or where
disappeared.
These facts were established:
A red afraid warning signal
flashed at 2:25 am. (5:25 am, E
W.. To yesterday. and sirens
screamed their warning. Southern
California blacked out from the San
Joaquin Valley to the Mexican bor-
der.
About sos am. anti-aircraft guns
went into action on a 25-mile front
along the coast, firing shrapnel and
tracer bullets at a slowly moving,
and still unidentified, target. Some
observers said it appeared to be a
blimp. Firing was steady for nearly
80 minutes, ceased suddenly. 1t
was resumed briefly at long in
tervals for another 80 minutes.
Countless False Rumors.
No bombs were dropped. No air.
craft was shot down. despite count
less false rumors. Souvenir hunt
ers did find lots Of shrapnel fired
by defense guns.
Afraid wardens sped into
action and strictly enforced seek
shelter, no traf1ic" regulations.
The all-clear signal was sounded
at 7:21 am.-half an hour after
dawn-releasing a food Of black
outbound automobiles, buses and
streetcars to create the city's great
est traffic jam. Two hours later the
jam still was so bad at one bottle
neck that Is minutes were required
to drive two blocks. That wasn't the
worst bottleneck. g..
Night shifts worked steadily on in
blacked out defense factories. Day
workers were stranded In their
homes until the all-clear sent them
toward offices and plants-to meet
an outpouring Of night workers.
Idly curious and souvenir hunt
ers added to the traffic confusion in
this city where 1000, 900 automobiles
are registered and most of them are
used for business purposes.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Ernest H. Weeks Dies

SCRANTON, Pa, Feb. 26 P.-
Ernest H. Weeks, 66, president of
the Weeks Hardware Co., and a ma
tive of Skaneateles, N Y, died yes
terday. He is survived by his brother
r. E. Weeks, head of the Interna-
tional Correspondence Schools;
sister, Mrs. Winford D. Hornbaker
Worcester, Mass, and another
brother. Theodore w. Weeks, Moore
haven, Fla. ~ =
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Large Port in Sumotro
Declared Held by laps

LONDON, Feb. 26 (P).-A Reuters
dispatch from Batavia said today a
large port in Southern Sumatra is
in Japanese hands.
The port was not identified, but
the dispatch added that this means
Sunda Strait, between Sumatra and
Western Java, is directly threatened.
Role of Java Explained.
The role of Java, core of the
Netherlands Indies, was set out in
plain language last night by 1t. Gov
Gen. Hubertus j. van Nook In a
broadcast to its people.
THE time for destruction and
withdrawal has now ended" he told
them. "The time for holding out
and attacking has come"
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Miss Rebecca P. Warner, +,
Retired Librarian, Dies

Miss Rebecca Parker Warner, re-
tired librarian who for 20 years
headed the Takoma Park Public Lii
brary branch, died this morning at
her home, 1868 Columbia road NV,
after an illness Of two years.
Veteran of 30 years in the library
service, Miss Warner received her
library training at Drexel Library
Institute, Philadelphia. A native
of Washington, she was the daugh-
ter of the late Brainard H. Warner
real estate operator.
Miss Warner was an active men,
Der of the Seymour Club, Twentieth
Century Club and Friday Morning
Music Club, and regularly attended
the Church Of the Covenant. She
retired from library service about
six years ago.
She is survived by three sisters
Miss Anna Warner and Mrs. Levi
Cooke of Washington and Mrs. Don
aid Smith of Princeton, N. j., and
three brothers, A. Parker Warner
Santa Fe, N. Mex, and Phillips
Warner and Hamilton Warner OF
Philadelphia.
Funeral services will be held at
2 pm. Saturday at the home. with
burial in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Evening star., 1942-02-26
Princeton Club Smoker

The annual midwinter smoker Of
the Princeton Club of Washington
will be held at 8:15 pm. tomorrow at
the Raleigh Hotel. Prof. Harold
Sprout of the department of politics
at Princeton will speak informally
and lead an open discussion Of sea
power in world politics.
Evening star., 1942-02-01

of the Tenasserim region, where
the Japanese already had cut across
to the west coast on the Andaman
Sea In several places.
Aside from minor border patrol
actions, the Japanese-Thai thrust
into Burma began less than a month
ago. 1t intensified by January 20
into full-f1edged drive on Moulmein
from the nearest frontier points
near Myawadi and Kawkariek, di-
rectly to the east.
Most observers here expressed the
view that the main threat to the
Burma road still was in a possible
Japanese attack from the Thai bor-
der somewhere in the region 100 to
$50 miles north Of Moulmein.
A thrust there would be aimed at
cutting the road in the vicinity of
Toungoo, midway between Rangoon
and Mandalay. where the highway
is only about rs miles from Japanese
held territory.
In this section the country is
better suited to mechanical warfare.
A japanese thrust north from Moul-
mein would run into great swampy
regions Immediately across the Sal
ween.
Fail to Get Air Superiority.
Observers declared that so far
the Japanese had failed to establish
Evening star., 1942-02-01

ing defeat within a comparatively
short space of time.
Measured In this fashion, the
japanese accomplishments seem less
impressive. Eight weeks have
passed. The Japanese still have
not reduced Manila Bay to their
possession; the incredible and mag
nificent Gen. Macarthur still holds
the Batan Peninsula and the
fortress of Corregidor. The Japa-
nese have won Malaga but they are
still denied Singapore.
They have established a few scat
tered outposts in some Of the Dutch
islands, and in Australian Islands
northeast of New Guinea, but no
japanese soldier has set foot on
Java or Sumatra.
For these successes, the japanese
have paid a very heavy price IN
men, material, ships and aircraft.
The battle of the Strait Of Macassar,
in which the japanese losses could
only be described as tremendous, Is
but foretaste Of what further jap
anese successes seem likely to cost.
Severe Handicaps.
On this black day, one ray OF
cheer was the news that a large
Allied convoy carrying troops and
aircraft had safely reached the Far
East. More such convoys are on
the way. Remember that eight
weeks have gone by since the attack
on Pearl Harbor set OF the Far
Eastern cataclysm.
No matter what the scale of our
efforts, we could hardly hope to
have begun much earlier to make
offensive power originating in the
United States or Great Britain felt
In the Far East.
The internal communications OF
Australia are another severe handi-
cap, and In any campaign whose
lines of operation and supply cover
such vast distances the one abso-
lutte certainty is that delay after
maddening delay will be encoun-
tered in the execution of the best
laid plans.
Despite our black day, therefore,
the tide of war is beginning to flow
against the Japanese. They may
still accomplish their purpose, but
that they have not attained a single
one of their major objectives in
eight weeks of the most desperate
effort Is suggestive indeed.
In Malaga, In Luzon, and In the
Dutch islands and their adjacent
waters, brave men, gallantly led,
fighting against desperate odds have
contrived to gain us this much time.
Now at last they are getting a lit
tie help. If, with that help. they
can hold fast only a litsE longer,
there is every indication that they
will not have fought in vain.
That this should be so. however,
there is one fundamental necessity
that as the Allied power in
creases, the forces Of the Allies
should be employed boldly and Wig
orously, against the japanese out
posts and especially against their
vulnerable and extended lines of
communication with a determina-
ton and and offensive spirit at
least equal to that which the jap
anese themselves have so far dis
played.
This is no time for hesitation, for
demanding guarantees Of victory,
for the undue weighing Of risk in
Evening star., 1942-02-01

the time he will be busy, right up
to the time when bugles sound taps
at 8 pm"
The Navy also explained that
there will be no leave granted dur
ing the first three months, except
that given as reward for special
zeal in work, study or training"
There will be organized sports COM
petition.
While Americans would prefer to
fight under rules Of sportsmanship,
they must be trained to face the
Axis, whose soldiers and pilots have
been taught there is no such word
as FOUL" the Navy announcement
said.
Each of the four schools will in
duct 625 flight candidates month,
a figure that will mean stepping up
the regular pilot training program
300 per cent
Knox Warns of Rigors.
Secretary Knox warned: THE
men who take this training will
have to have CUTS. When they have
won their Navy wings they will have
proved that they can both take it
and hand it out That's the kind Of
fighting pilots the Navy wants and
the country needs"
The program, groundwork for
Evening star., 1942-02-01
Pilots
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
for consultation. 1t. Comdr. Ham
ilton indicated last night the course
will teach aviators who may some
time be grounded in enemy terri
tory to hand back any blow that
comes their way, and with interest" "
The cadets will be drawn in the
usual manner, and will be required
to have two years of college train
ing, or one year, plus several years
of business experience. There will
be rigid physical examinations for
admission to the preliminary schools
for the three-month course there,
and then the cadets will 60 to one
Of the l6 regular Naval Training
Stations for aviation training. The
entire flight training course will
normally take year. When they
complete that they will emerge as
ensigns in the Naval Reserve.
Although the other aspects of
the first training are mentioned,
it is the "toughening up" that Is
stressed. The first course will have
four basic fundamentals:
l. Proper physical conditioning
and strength.
2. Indoctrination In Naval history
and customs.
3. Military drill and seamanship.
4. Training in communications,
ordnance, and other specialties.
Strenuous 15-Hour Day.
Here's the way the Navy warns
the young cadet what is on the daily
docket:
Once inducted, the cadets day
will begin at o'clock in the morn
ing with Is minutes of still tone-up
exercises held outdoors, no matter
what the weather. During the next
Is hours the cadet will alternate
between classrooms, drill, sports
and muscle-building manual labor.
Except for time out for meals and
study, the cadet will have exactly
80 minutes during this 15-hour day
for rest. During the remainder Of
Evening star., 1942-02-01

effective air superiority over Bur-
ma. An ofdmial announcement said
So Japanese planes definitely had
been destroyed since January %
while the British and volunteer
American pilots forces lost only
six planes and the pilot Of one Of
those escaped. At least II other
Japanese planes were believed des-
troyed during that time, and many
others were known to have been
damaged.
At least 800 Japanese airmen were
said to have been killed in opera
tions over Burma since the start of
the war.
A combined communique OF the
army and air force said Martaban.
across the river from Moulmein,
was under heavy air attack by the
Japanese and that Moulmein itself
had been bombed.
Rangoon had two alarms during
the day, but no enemy planes were
seen over the city.