davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-12-29
Light and Voice

The war has had the good and
helpful effect of drawing into closer
relation the religious forces of the
free countries of the world. This is
evident in Christmas greeting to
the Christian community of the
Capital of the United States, written
by Rabbi Norman Gerstenfeld,
minister of the Washington Hebrew
Congregation, and published in The
Star for December "a. 1t likewise is
manifest in reply to that message
bearing the signatures of the Rev.
erend Armand T. Eyler, president of
the Washington Ministerial Union.
and the Reverend Dr. Frederick
ReiSsig, executive secretary of the
Washington Federation of Churches.
Rabbi GerStenfeld, with an elo-
quence distinctively his own, de-
clared: "We stand united Christian
and Jew, in great festival of light,
in the spirit of the nobleSt vision of
humanity that down through the
centuries has ever striven with the
primitive forces of hatred and
cruelty and tyranny to bring right
eouSness and mercy and liberty"
Mr.. Eyler and DR.. Reissig, respond
ing, expressed their conviction that:
ITO Jew and Christian the future of
all good things depends upon one
force alone-the Voice, the Word of
God, proclaimed from Jewish temple
and Christian church. AS long as
that Voice is triumphant we need
have no fear as to what the morrow
will bring"
Such sentiments unquestionably
are deeply felt by increasing numbers
OF clergy and laity in America, if not
actually throughout the whole earth.
The challenge of the pagan Axis has
been accepted by all who acknowl-
edge the Living God; and those dif-
ferences which in the past separated
and weakened the religious forces of
the world now seem small and incon-
sequential as compared with the vast
emergency of prevailing times and
the spiritual labor which that crisis
necesSitates to the end that civiliza-
ton may survive and the Deity be
not Knocked.
Evening star., 1943-12-29
Dark of the Year

Quick skeletal fingers OF sleet strum
orer the roof.
The East mind means and the fire
,Ghines in the fue,
The cat Stares amber-eyed at the golden
core OF flames,
And dusk is falling already at halt
= past tlUo.
Bright burns the apples in the frelit
copper boDl
But the scratch OF empty boughs at
the UindoiU is cold,
The tick OF the clock is loud in the
silent room
And each rasped beat cries out that
the year is old.
A ,Dhisper OF tDhitened ash Sits do,Dn
in the CRATE,
The boy cries the opening papers
somewhere in the block;
The eye unseeingly stdres at the
crimson flicker OF Goals,
And the hand, unthinking, n,Oues up
to Hfnd the clock.
FREDERICK EBRIGHT.
Evening star., 1943-12-29

four deStroyerS, was in readiness to close
in If needed, and the battleship was
kept far enough away from the convoy
SO that she would not be sighted by any
attacking German battleship until she
had chance to close the range. The
very nature of these dispositions sug-
gests that the Admiralty had some idea
that German battleship might be at
sea, and the fact that the encounter took
place near Bear Island, $50 miles north
west of North Cape, tells us that the
convoy was taking an extremely north
erly route to keep out of reach of
German aircraft, and that the presence
of the Scharnhorst in those northern
waters hardly could have been otherwise
than for the purpose Of intercepting the
convoy.
The result showed how little chance
battleship alone has against properly
organized fighting team. In her morning
encounter with the cruisers, the Scharn-
horst was hurt; probably not badly, but
enough to cause her to draw off Hav-
Ing, presumably, repaired the damage,
she returned to the attack She was
engaging the cruisers again. probably
at the longest range the visibility would
permit cit is rarely very good in those
northern seas when the Duke of York
came within range and opened up with
her l4-inch battery. The Scharnhorst
Immediately. and wisely turned and
fled. Her nine ll-inch guns were hope
lessly outclassed by the Duke of Yorks
ten 14-inchers. But now the destroyers
accompanying the Duke of York were
close enough to dart in for a torpedo
attack. They did so very CALAMITY,
and got three torpedo hits That slowed
the German battleship enough for the
York to get to more effective range;
she was set on fire and the flames must
have given the York an excellent target
in the deepening Arctic dusk. Finally,
the cruiser Jamaica went in closer and
finished the German battleship with
her torpedoes
The point to be noted Is that all the
British ships present-battleship cruz
sers, destroyers-took an effective and
important part In the destruction of
the Scharnhorst. Alone against the
Duke Of York. she might have got away
Alone against the cruisers and destroy
Evening star., 1943-12-29
Steel Strike Ends

With most of the steel workers
back at their Jobs, the prospect of
a Gripping strike in this vital war
industry has been temporarily
averted. But the basic issues which
persuaded some 10000 of these
workers to leave their jobs in viola
ton of their own no-strike agree
ment and in defiance of the Presi-
dents appeal for uninterrupted
production have not been settled.
In fact, if anything, they have been
made more difficult of settlement.
The immediate cause of this strike
was the refusal of the War Labor
Board. in a curious voting split
which ranged industry and labor
members against the public men,
herS, to promise retroactive pay in
creaSes. The President cut through
this freakish tieup by going over the
head of WLB with a personal prom
ise that any pay increases within
the stabilization program would be
retroactive The labor members of
WLB. who had wanted a promise of
retroactive pav without any qualiti-
cations. then lined up with the pub
lie members to reverse the boards
original position.
This has sent the steel workers
back to the mills, but the prospect
of bona fide settlement within the
stabilization program seems remote.
The reasons are obvious. The Presi-
dent has persuaded the men to GO
back to work by promising that any
approved pay increase will be retro
active Is it at all conceivable that
he or the WLB now will consider the
case and then tell the workers that
because they are entitled to nothing
under the Little Steel formula there
can be no increase, retroactive or
Evening star., 1943-12-29
Pre-Invusion Row

~ 10 easy W UcllcVe IIldU SENATOR
Wheeler's comments on the pro-
| jected invasion of Western Europe
are capable of doing a great deal of
harm. And it is difficult to see how
they could serve any constructive
purpose.
His criticism, some of it direct
and some by innuendo, is predicated
on assumptions of fact. He assumes
it to be true that the United States
will supply 73 per cent of the troops
for the cross-Channel invasion Of
Hitler's European fortress. He as
sumeS that this Is unjust-that the
invading force should be half Amer
lean and half British. He assumes
that the British government does
not believe the time ripe for an in
vaSion and that our own Govern
ment is taking a tremendous gam
BILE" Finally, he assumes that the
United States, having previously
followed the British lead in foreign
policy, has now changed horses and
is following the lead of Marshal
Stain against the better judgment
of the British.
In the absence of authoritative in
formation, which is not available,
there is little to be gained by de-
batting the validity of these assump-
tions. The important thing to keep
in mind is that we are on the eve of
our greatest military effort of this
war. The next few months are
almost certain to bring the launch
ing of the supreme blow against the
Nazis-the blow that will finish them
once and for all If it is successfully
delivered. 1t may be that the Brit
ish and Stain are in disagreement
as to the timing of the assault, and
that we have sided with the latter.
But it does not follow that our mill
tary commanders or the President
and his aides are being led along
like little children, following one
lead today, another tomorrow.
If the blow is to be struck in the
near future, and if Americans are
to constitute the bulk of the attack
ing force, we may be sure that this
has the approval of our govern
mental leaders and our own military
commanders. They have led the
United States through more than
two years of this war, and the rec
ord which has been made is the best
evidence of the soundness of their
Judgment. They have earned the
confidence which the people have in
them, and there is not the slightest
reason to suppose that they have
suddenly become dupes of the Rus
slams, the British or any one else.
The next few months promise to
be bad enough at best. They can
only be made worse if irresponsible
comment succeeds in shaking public
confidence in those of our leaders
who have demonstrated that they
are worthy of trust.
Evening star., 1943-12-29

ule and none from private TO general,
in any proportion to his hazards and
responsibilities.
On all fronts a united Nation fights
Joined in common discipline and COM
mon democratic comradeship.
In all wars, the contrast between the
spirit of the front and the spirit OF the
civilians has given rise to breaks be-
tween the Nation at the front and at
home and between the generations, too.
In all wars the compensation OF the
soldier is the discovery. under fire. Of
the living reality of comradeship and
mutual dependence.
Returning soldiers from all wars hope
to bring home this spirit and reconstruct
the nation they have saved in this spirit.
And in almost all wars they have been
disappointed The shattering of this
illusion is what repeatedly has created
the lost generations" turning the
bright faith of democratic brotherhood
into cynicism and despair.
One would think that the hope of
early victory and the knowledge of its
cost would occupy every American to
the exclusion of any other considera-
Evening star., 1943-12-29
| Remember, ! Remember
From the Detroit News.

From the Detroit News.
Effects of imitation upon farmers dur
Ing the last war seem a neglected SUBJ
ject as heads Of chief farm organiza-
tions their Washington lobbyists, argued
for permitting unrestrained rises of food
prices before the Senate Banking Com
mittee. 1t is matter that for the sake
of the farmers, the committee Senators
should have required the Washington
farm -the-farmer men to face. While
it is true that the consequences of $3.50
wheat and SLIT corn in 1919 did not
fall upon farmers until 10 years later,
the following 10 years of farm depres-
sion are fresh in all farm memories.
The World War I farm-price imitation
led to land-and farm equipment-buy-
ing ut inflated prices; farm debt was un-
supportably doubled; and when the in
evitable deflation came 1000 farmers
lost their farms 1t ought to be made
perfectly clear that their Washington
agents are leading the farmers in. the
same direction now. The force OF the
adage is nowhere better realized than
among farmers that what goes up. must
come down." 's'~S78
Evening star., 1943-12-29

surrenders. as in some cases. or COM
promises as in many other cases. or. as
in the recent coal mine and the present
railroad case, the gesture of having the
Government take over the properties is
made. the result is always the same. In
the end the union bosses get all they
expect almost all they ask. In the end.
after the face-saving moves have been
made, that is what will happen this
time, too.
Regardless of how the most recently
threatened disaster has been averted,
the time has come when the pretense
that these labor bosses are patriotically
supporting the war ought to be aban-
doned Instead of supporting the Presi-
dent and helping the war effort they
systematically wreck his paper PROGRAMS
Evening star., 1943-12-29
Dorothy Thompson

Raise wages? Easy, when even the
threat of q strike can bring Nation to
its knees.
And there's an election coming, and
OF course it matters almost equally with
victory which set Of politicians holds
the jobs
Peace for the soldier means the re-
prieve of his life, the grant of the
transcendant boom
And peace for the soldier, because he
is still young, and envy and greed have
not frozen his blood, means the chance
to help make q future for his country
in which envy and greed are not the
invisible rulers.
The worker at the front looks forward
to an America with a decent living for
himself and his comrades. If the workers
at home are improving conditions he
is glad. But what Is improvement?
Something that only can last for the
short period Of the war boom?
What the worker-soldier demands Of
his labor leaders is that they shall back
him now, and be planning for the future,
not plotting to grab another 10 cents
at his cost.
WHdt Tie SOlQleT WHO creams OIL
business of his own demands of business
is that it should leave some place for
him and not monopolize the works while
he Is gone.
What the soldier student interrupted
in his studies is thinking of is how the
world got into this mess and how he
can help pull it out, if he survives. Nor
does he believe that modern democracy
is just continuous war between self
seeking pressure groups all worshiping
Mammon.
Let politicians, labor leaders indus
trialists, farmers, and black market oper-
ators beware of youth that comes home
disillusioned of their own people That
should worry all of us more than wages,
dividends, or prices.
(Released by The Bell Syndicate, Inc)
Evening star., 1943-12-29

ers, she might have either escaped or
done great deal of damage before she
could be finished off Against the COM
bination she was so helpless that only
slight damages were reported by the
British squadron. That is happy
augury for our naval forces in the
Pacific, where the Japanese battleship
force is still intact (as to its newer
units), but where the japanese have
suffered very heavy losses of cruisers
and destroyers, and their air power Ia
weakening.
One more point about the Scharn-s
horst action is worth noting, and that
Is the fact that the Duke of York was
flying the flag of Admiral Sir Bruce
Fraser, commander in chief of the
home fleet. This suggests the great
Importance which the British Admiralty
attached to the safe transit of the con-
voy under its protection-the decision
has apparently been taken that the
Germans are not to be allowed to in
terrupt the Murmansk route this winter,
try AS they may.
ocopyrisht' la4s by New York Tribune Incl
Evening star., 1943-12-29
Letters to The Star
Gold Star Mothers
Appreciated.

To the Editor Of The STAR
After two years of war, we still are
enjoying the toys and turkeys OF Christ
mas, safe in our homes. For this we
are grateful to the Gold Star mothers,
whose tragic sacrifices have made our
blessings possible.
To them we extend our deepest SYM
pathy, our genuine gratitude. Our debt
never can be paid.
Their boys who in holidays past
played soldiers around their gala trees
are fresh in their memories. For them
there will be no more Yuletides. No
more Christmas, as We know 1t.
But we know that they are enjoying
their first real, first true Christmas
with Christ Himself. This indeed must
be far more glorious than any JOY We
have on this earth.
The boys must be very dear to God, for
remember that He Himself said:
Greater love has no man than this,
that he lay down his life for another"
May the bereaved mothers take con-
ISOLATION in this knowledge that their
boys are learning the true joys of
their first real Christmas with the King
Himself. AID.
Evening star., 1943-12-29

alone. without eS-
corting cruisers, de-
stroyers or aircraft?
The Germans have
a few ships of these
categories left. and
certainly they are
not devoid of planes.
If the Scharnhorst
had been engaged in
a normal-type oper-
alton against t h e
Murmansk convoy,
surely it Is to be
expected that she
would be the central
pivot in a properly
Evening star., 1943-12-29
They Want to Vote

hearings on the McCarran nome
rule" bill again have demonstrated
the strong preponderance of local
sentiment in favor of voting rights
for the people of Washington. There
has been some opposition. But much
of the opposition to the McCarran
bill was based on conviction that
national representation is the de-
Sirable goal, even as much of the
testimony in favor of the McCarran
bill was based on a conviction that
half loaf is better than no bread
at all.
Support for the McCarran bill, as
a matter Of fact, is derived chiefly
from support of the righteous prin-
ciple that citizens of Washington
are entitled to voice in their gov
ernment. There was evident in
some of the testimony disinclina-
ton to look a gift horse in the
mouth; in other words, a desire to
support the McCarran bill on the
tIlCoiS llldV ~ ID az 4SdoC oLCp III
the right direction, no matter how
halting step that might be-
There is sympathy for If not in
dorsement of this point of view
from those who see in the McCarran
bill a step backward instead of a
step toward meeting the legitimate
aspirations of American citizens in
Washington for some effective voice
in their own government. 1t is none
theless unfortunate that the hear
ings did not produce a clearer un-
derstanding of what the McCarran
bill is and what it is not, thus per-
mitting a better analysis of the
measure on its own merits, aside
from the principle that Washing
tonians should have the right to vote.
This much, however, seems clear:
The local government elected under
the McCarran bills terms would
have no taxing or appropriative or
other legislative powers. Even its
ordinance making powers would be
more strictly limited than those Of
the present Commissioners II
Senator Burton's suggestion pre-
vailed. the city council would be
dominated by appointed represent
atives of the National Government,
although Senator Burton is not in
c1ined To insist that this be done
What power might be exercised by
the councilmen would not be checked
by any financial responsibility to the
local taxpayer. Yet the proposed
form of government easily might
lead Congress to disavoW further
national financial responsibility for
Washington maintenance and de-
velopment.
In these conditions, it is little
wonder that considerable testimony
in favor of the bill was offered with
expressions of hope that the bill
itself would be improved. 1t will be
interesting to know the extent of
possible improvement within the
limitations of past interpretations of
the Constitution as to what consti-
tutes exclusive legislative control Of
the District of Columbia by Con-
greSs and whether, even with i'm
provements, we are offered anything
better than artificial voting rights.
Evening star., 1943-12-29

Poland on behalf of Russia You can't
fool them. They know.
The denizens of this world are also Of
the firm opinion that Rhodes scholars
have sold their souls to England (at
mystic ceremony in an oxford base
ment and they will take their oaths
that the plan to let soldiers vote freely,
under Federal auspices, is a deliberate
conspiracy against the Constitution.
1t is a world in which goblins moan
and chairs move strangely. of their own
Evening star., 1943-12-29
This and That
By Charles E. TracetUell.

MRS. Yolanda Bonifant is a friendly
laoy VINO came to Washington from a
friendly State in the Midwest and who
stays friendly as she goes around town,
NO amount of persuasion on the part
OF her friends can keep her from talking
to any one she meets
Talk is free, she says, and needful in
these days of universal horror on a
wholesale scale.
A little pleasant conversation. she be-
lieves, cheers the depressed.
II
Mrs Bonifant, it might be added |.
no "battle-aX. She is tall. willowv
slender with beautiful face and golden
hair and plenty of it.
Not exactly a "pinup" girl in anv
sense, but mighty smooth.
When the big Texas soldier got on
the bus he naturally fell into the seat
beside Mrs. Bonifant.
Who wouldn't?
That lady was all primed for a little
talk
Talking to the soldiers was good fun
ana made them feel at home
This package" smiled Mrs. Bonifant
SIS getting heavier and colder all the
time"
The big soldier looked down at it. all
wrapped up, and wondered what it might
contain.
Horse meat said Mrs B.
Horse meat?" answered the soldier
Perhaps he didn't know ANYTHING else
to say.
Yes, get it for the dog. 1t is ration
free, you know, and he likes it."
X
The man from the heart of Texas
looked rather doubtful.
Il suppose it is good for dogs" He
smiled, his first and only smile. for he
was a very grave one Il hope I have
never eaten any of it."
They tell me- smiled Mrs. Bonifant.
that all our boys ate it in the First
World War and didn't know the diff
ference. 1t smells very nice although
1 have never eaten any of it. myself
1t keeps marvelously we'll. Sometimes
I keep it for 10 days and he still eats it
I mean Bozo."
well" drawled the big soldier, 81
don't like the idea Down where I come
from horses are friends I had Just as
leave eat a pet dog or cat"
Mrs. Bonifant removed her hand from
the increasingly cold package
Il suppose I would feel the same way"
she said ''if I had ever had any per-
sonal acquaintance with horse
The closest I ever came to that was
once when/I was child. I offered an
apple to an old horse hitched to a
wagon. He swung his head around and
knocked me down. I have never for
gotten. you see
This meat is supposed to come from
wild horses. anyway
The soldier grinned
That is what they say" he said, sig
nificantly.
And where are you going?" asked
Mrs Bonifant.
ITO see my girl" came the prompt
reply. Il haven't seen her in year"
Mrs. Bonifant smiled her brightest
Are there any men left in Texas?"
she asked. TT seems to me that they
are all getting cited for bravery"
The soldier smiled. shyly. this time
There are lot of tough characters
in Texas" he said, and then hastened
to add. Il don't mean bad, just tough
They have to be-"
Mrs. Bonifant looked out of the corner
of her eyes at the big soldier He seemed
SO extremely young with his long eye
lashes, and he didn't look a bit tough, In
any sense.
Il want to kill Japs," he said, sud-
denly, and he looked tough.
Mrs Bonifant assured him that moth
ing would please her more, either than
to be able to kill Japs. And she meant
,tt. too.
Evening star., 1943-12-29

railroad e m pl o yes
and in the great ba-
sic industry of steel
the union la Dor boss
eS, through strikes.
recently threatened
to bring the whole
war effort utterly to
a standstill.
And once more.
through his agencies
or agents, the Presi-
dent prepares to give
ground. buy them
off. Again and again
this has happened.
Whether he abjectly
Evening star., 1943-12-29

can be relieved from their watchdog
and convoy activities In North Euro
pean waters to the Pacific or the
Indian Ocean, to cope with the Jap
anese Navy. In this way, the sink
ing Of the Scharnhorst can produce
notable repercussions on the bal
ance of sea power clear around the
Oloho
Evening star., 1943-12-29

of world in which
the President of the
United States has
deliberately starved
Gen. Macarthur of
airplanes, in order
to keep him from
being the Republican
candidate for Presi-
dent. Get 1t?
Those who live in
this world also be-
lieve that the chief
purpose OF the Te-
heran conference
was to compact a
conspiracy against
Evening star., 1943-12-29
Prohibition or RationinE
Suggested for Duration,
To the Editor OF The Star:

TO The Editor OF The Star:
Those Congressman who are worried
more about the liquor shortage than
winning the war should start thinking
about the American soldiers dying on
battlefelds overseas The only sensible
solution to this problem is to- abolish
liquor for the duration or ration it as
~you would food
I am not dry" but, on the other
! hand, I'm not all wet" American fight
ing soldiers are not worrying about
liquor, and I see no sane reason for it
here. HARRY F.. YOUNG, Jr.
Evening star., 1943-12-29

statements Is that
this victory will be
bought by rivers of
blood, spilled for our
cause by the youth
of the Nation.
This youth is re-
cruited, regardless of
class and occupa-
ton. Workers sons
and boys from Exc
ter and Yale, hill
billies and Park Ave-
nue. scions serve in
equal danger. All
are paid according
IN the ArmV Sched.
Evening star., 1943-12-29

WACS, WAVES, SPARS and FEM
mime marines are making a great
record for efficiency, loyalty and
even heroism. 1t is nice to think
that after the war we shall still have
these excellent young ladies right
with us.
Evening star., 1943-12-29

A Wisconsin bicyclist aged eighty
one years was injured in a collision
with an automobile He was prob
ably day. dreaming of Daisy Belle at
the time.