davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-12-27

dependent on the -Pskov-Polot
railway for its lateral communica-
tions instead OF. as at present, the
Leningrad Votebsk railway. In this
process, unless it has already begun
(of which there is no sign), the Germans
will certainly lose good deal of war
material and might lose considerably in
prisoners in local actions because they
will have to move fast, without too much
time for preparation.
But if Polotsk, too, should fall into
Russian hands then the situation of the
really serious. 1t might we'll approach
the conditions of a great disaster. A
retirement to Lake Peipus would hardly
serve the German purpose, the with
draWal would have to be clear back to
the Dvina and the Gulf of Riga in order
to straighten the line and take up
defensible position The Germans would
be very fortunate indeed if they did not
lose 100000 prisoners in the course of so
hasty and extensive a retrograde move
ment as they would then be compelled
to undertake. Particularly must we con-
slider in this connection the fact that
the ground is now frozen in North Rus
sia and that winter conditions prevail.
In the Russian winter fighting the
Russians possess a tactical mobility
which gives them considerable advan-
tages over the Germans. The Russians
have developed ski units sled-carried
light artillery and other winter weapons
to an extent surprising anything that
the Germans have to counter them.
This is of especial Importance. because
It has long been apparent that while
Evening star., 1943-12-27

Gen. de Gaulle and the government he
intends to appoint.
The United States has protested be-
cause this country has promised the
French people that after Hitler has
been kicked out they would at once be
given chance to decide their future
form of government The administra-
ton made the promise long before we
entered North Africa.
Soon after the defeat of the French
armies our representatives in France
encouraged passive resistance to the
Germans and pro-Nazi elements in that
country by assuring the French that
their old political freedom would be re-
stored at the end of the war
1t is known here that Gen. de Gaulle
is regarded as a token of those very
ideals by the bulk of his followers in
France and any attempt on his part
to force himself on the French with
assistance of a minority might create
endless troubles soon after the Nations
liberation.
The whole situation has created seri-
Gus concern in Washington and
strongly worded admonition was de-
ivered to Gen. de Gaulle by Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower on Friday Ac-
cording to reports, the head of the
French committee was told that the
United States has withheld its recog-
Evening star., 1943-12-27
Dorothy Thompson
'Substandard living conditions?

"Substandard living conditions?
irregular meals, better than in earlier
wars but incredibly restricted and mo-
notonous; sleep in zero temperatures on
the ground, no joke for our rheumatic
81 or 38 year old soldiers; treated
hastily in overcrowded hospitals, so that
men with bad teeth or broken glasses
often go months without relief; subject
to unbroken disciplines, etc., ad in
fnitum
We cannot go on strike to enforce
the above contract. If we did how
would they feel at home? Nor do we
object to any of the above conditions,
which are natural to war. We are
much better off than millions of Rus
slams, Chinese and Britishers. But we
feel violently that if we can endure
these things, at, compared with workers
at home. such very low pay, then GER
talnly workers with roofs over their
heads, their families near them and
safe, can struggle along on "a cents an
nour. II wages are raised here and
there, at no time, for no reason what
soever, should any worker consider
quitting his job. Let the Government
decide II labor complaints are lust and
enforce wage adjustments if it seems
Mt, Just as our officers try to adjust
reasonable complaints by the men. The
army includes countless union members.
wholly prolabor before the war. Those
men are now mad as hell; estranged
from their old companions. Does labor
want these men to join the legionnaires, :
the reactionarieS, and worst of all the
militant Fascists when they returnp
Inc danger is great. Labor leaders by
tnelr opportunism are setting the course
OF labor IN America back so years"
l publish this letter exactly as it was
received by me in sequence of notes
from personally known correspondent.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate Inc)
Evening star., 1943-12-27
Frank K. Kent

OF resentments" against long tenure of
power. Today there is an increasing
feeling that he will not run. an increas-
ing pressure on him to declare himself
one way or the other.
The familiar argument that should he
now rule himself out. he would lose
control Of Congress is answered bv the
quite obvious fact that he already has
lost control OF Congress. Actually, it is
contended, II Congress were convinced
he did not intend to use his power to
renominate himself, there would be
greater disposition to accept his leader
snip. Suspicion and bitterness would be
diminished. Greater unity in support
ing his war efforts would be achieved
once 1t became clear that he was really
concentrating on the war and all fourth
term politics had been abandoned.
Maryland some of them friendly
would like the President to take action
along this line, but there are two obsta-
cles in the way. One. of course. is that
such statement is not in harmony with
his desire. Those who know him best
are convinced now, as they were four
years ago, that he wants to stay In the
White House and will retire only If he
recognizes his chances of election are
not good. The other obstacle is the
opposition Of his so-called inner circle"
intimates. To these the Roosevelt with
orawal would be a personal disaster.
They can be counted on to oppose it to
the last-no matter how great the odds
seem against success. But this can be
said-a withdrawal statement is much
more likely now than it was two months
ago. Then there was not a chance. Now
it is a recognized possibility.
Evening star., 1943-12-27
New Agency Wanted

To miss victory by a scant four
inches is heartbreaker, as has been
demonstrated by many photo
finish camera, and 1t is just as big a
heartbreaker when those four inches
are measured around the waist in
stead of in front of the nose. An
Ohio man. girth sixty inches. is
estopped from getting any new
trousers which, under Federal regu-
lationS, must not exceed fifty-six
inches. He is being shuttled between
alphabetical agencies with the gusto
of a fumbled football on a sloppy
field. OPA Oversize Pants Alloca-
tors) have sent him to WPB WAR
time Pants Bureau and in turn
they have sent him nowhere in par
ticular. There is blood in his eye,
but his chin is up. Will some one
kindly direct him to the RTC (Red
Tape Cutters) so that his pants will
be up as we'll?
Evening star., 1943-12-27

be forced by the sheer weight of the
Federal administration against the
strong protest of more than one-third
OF the convention-more than a third
Which. refusing to make it unanimous,
Will vote against him on the final ballot.
So far as he is concerned, the anti
fourth-term strategists assert, there
will never be nomination by acclama-
ton as there was in l940 On the con-
trary, when adjournment is taken a
formidable minority will have register
ed opposition on the last ballot and will
have left the convention utterly un-
reconciled. This would be equivalent to
split in the party fully as serious as
an independent Democratic ticket-and
just as encouraging to the Republicans.
Such a convention outcome would make
1t plain to the country that the Roose-
welt nomination had been put over
solely by force in which the unsavory
city machines were the chief factors
and the Roosevelt White House aides,
chief Of whom is the fanatical Mr.. Harry
Hopkins, were the directing managers;
that so far from being drafted" an un-
coerced convention would not have
nominated him
Notwithstanding this strategy, of
which no secret has been made. two
months ago all of Mr. Roosevelt's
friends and nearly all his foes were sure
he wanted the nomination and would
get it. They divided only on the ques-
ton OF whether he could be elected.
Since November, there has been a
change. Partly. this is due to evidences
Of an increasing anti-New Deal tide,
partly, to the openness of the anti
fourth-term revolt in the South, and
partly to the inevitable "accumulati ton
Evening star., 1943-12-27

the other are practically sold out
One cannot attribute this to imitation,
for imitation is not an increase of sold
goods, but an increase in prices. The
buying is in all quarters, but what
counts in bulk and turnover is never
the rich but the masses of the peo-
pie. If depressions occur not because
OF the poverty of the rich but because
of lack of purchasing power by the
workers, the reverse is also true
buying booms are caused by workers
prosperity.
AS one who wishes to see a high
standard of living maintained and i'm
proved by American workers over the
next decades, one may question whether
they are not now preparing their own
undoing. For there is a growing anti
labor sentiment among the men in the
hghtlng forces. A high percentage of
these are workers, but their conviction
is that they themselves have broken
with the bargaining tradition for the
Evening star., 1943-12-27
he dreadful spirits OF error and SIM"

the dreadful spirits OF error and SIM"
and that: Every act of cowardice
and vacillation In the practices Of
Christian life" has been "a deplor-
able contribution to the disaster"
from which mankind is suffering.
Such words naturally are stirring
to people of every branch of the
universal church. The Holy Father
is not exclusively the mentor and
guide of the Catholic communities of
the earth. He expresses the hope
and aspiration, yes, and the solemn
contrition of multitudes of other
individuals who likewise realize that
they have not been blameless in the
years that are gone, and pray for
strength and wisdom to share in the
honorable happiness OF years to
follow after that happiness has been
won by sacrifice, toll and, especially,
conservation.
Evening star., 1943-12-27

ronage, and in other ways, the Presi-
dent, personally. has given every evi-
dence Of being candidate But he is
man who can change his mind very
quickly, For example, in March, 1910,
he told several who had his confidence
that under no circumstances would he
run for third term. Yet two months
later the draft was under way.
This time it is clear there can be no
pretension of a draft If he wants the
nomination he will have to 90 after 1t
with all he has. There was no such
opposition within the Democratic party
last time as there Is this time, and no
such determination among the anti
Roosevelt leaders. The opposition, in
fact, has reached a stage where it can
be set down as certain that II Mr.. Roose-
welt is nominated his nomination will
Evening star., 1943-12-27
Constantine BrOzVn

milton Of him because this country did
not want to give the French people the
impression that it will bring with its
armies Of liberation a ready-made gov
eminent to be imposed on them.
In the future the United States will
continue to regard Gen. de Gaulle and
his committee at Algiers merely as an
administrative organization for terri
tories outside continental France. He
must not construe such recognition as
giving him any right to attempt to i'm
pose himself on the French as their
leader after the Nazis are ousted.
He has, Of course, the privilege Of
placing his name before the people
when their rights have been restored
and free elections can be held. But this
country does not intend to let him take
advantage of his present situation to
gain whatever political motives he may
have in mind.
Well-informed quarters believe that
Prime Minister Churchill, who has been
informed of our action, is in complete
accord with our views. But for the
present, the British have not made
similar representations. The whole
matter will go before the British war
cabinet, which will decide how far it
is to go In supporting President Roose-
velt's protest.
Evening star., 1943-12-27
The Pope's Address

Pope Plus XII is a great moral
philosopher who conceivably might
have been heard with respect by
millions had he never been Pontiff.
The message which he delivered to
the world on Christmas eve is an
utterance of highest spiritual i'm
port.
1t was specifically the present,
$50 full of possibilities for vast be-
neflcent progress no less than for
fatal defects and blunders," that the
Pope stressed in his pronouncement
The place from which he spoke was
"the bayonet-encircled Vatican" in
which he is. in effect, prisoner of
the German forces holding Rome,
yet he anticipated the peaceful
conclusion" of this horrible war"
and set forth an ethical ideal for the
inevitable changes which are to come
in Europe when the embattled Nazis
finally shall have surrendered.
Peace programs" the Holy Father
declared, should have as their
supreme purpose nothing less than
the task of securing agreement and
concord between warning nations
an achievement which may leave
with every nation, in the conscious
ness of its duty to unite with the rest
of the family of states, the possibility
of cooperating with dignity " y in
the great future task of recuperation
and reconstruction = Do not
ask any member of the family of
peoples, however small or weak, for
that remuneration of substantial
rights or vital necessities which you
yourselves, if it were demanded from
your people, would deem impracti-
cable"
The conclusion was inescapable
that Pope Plus was addressing the
leaders of the United States, Great
Britain, Russia and China when he
pleaded: "Give mankind, thirsting
for it, peace that shall reinstate
the human race in it's own esteem
and in that of history" He warned,
as he has before, against hate and
the instincts of unchecked desire for
vengence," and reminded his listen
ers that: Christ alone can drive out
Evening star., 1943-12-27
A Worthy ExompIe

Although 1t may prove in the end
to have been futile gesture. it is
good to know that the heads of two
powerful unions-A. F. Whitney Of
the Brotherhood Of Railway Train
men and Alvanley Johnston of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers-are putting the interests of
their country ahead of the interests
OF their own organizations.
These two officials, whose unions
represent majority of the oper-
ating railroad workers, have called
on a strike set for December 80 and
have announced that they will &C
cept whatever decision the Presi-
dent makes in adjustment of their
wage requests. 1t should not be
supposed that this was an easy thing
for Mr.. Whitney and Mr.. Johnston
to do. When strike sentiment among
the rank and file of members is
strong union leaders cannot call
strikes and then cancel them merely
by pressing button. In unions, as
In all other organizations, it is easier
to follow than to lead, and in too
many instances elected union heads
are unwilling to endanger their own
positions by taking a stand that
is contrary to the wishes of their
constituents. Looking to the real
good of the country as whole, how
ever, instead of to the relatively mar
row interests of their particular
groups, Mr.. Whitney and Mr..
Johnston have done the right thing
rather than the easy thing. To be
able to say this is a tribute to their
own good Judgment and patriotism,
and to the loyalty Of their union
members.
Unfortunately, the other oper-
ating railway brotherhoods and the
incorporating unions are standing
pat on their strike call. If they 60
through with their threat to quit
work on December 80 the trainmen
and the engineers will not be able
to keep the railroads running. But
they will have the satisfaction of
knowing that they have set worthy
example, and there is still some hope
that this will have its effect on the
other roilroad uorkers
Evening star., 1943-12-27

duration. For those of them who have
gone through the terrible campaigns
In the South Pacific, North Africa,
Sicily and Italy, America is paradise,
in comparison with their own way of
life, and in comparison with the
standard of living of all the people
they see around them-and this is true
whether they are fighting in Italy or
stationed in Britain.
A long letter that came to my hand
recently from Italy, written by a CIO
member in good standing, is not at all
untypical. He says, "All of us here
were mad enough about John L. Lewis
and the coal strikers, even though
recognizing that miners have, in the
past, been underpaid and engaged in
hard and dangerous work But the
currently threatened railroad trans
portation strike is the last straw. Is it
proposed that we fight the war with
out food and ammunition? The rail-
roads, we read, are desperately unhappy
about their "a cents an hour. Why?
Because shipworkers get s12s. Will
they get mad next because a surgeon
earns more than "a cents to perform
an hours operation?
They are also plagued by long hours
and 'substandard living conditions Our
hearts bleed for them. However, since
all strikers apparently get whatever
they want, we, as an unofficial soldiers
union, submit the following contract:
One dollar. twenty eight cents for a
4S-hour week. Time and half overtime.
We submit that besides the occupationa
diseases of soldiery, such as death, maim-
ing. shock insanity and chronic malaria
we have outrageous hours. on call "a
hours day, never knowing in advance
what is free time, war at night and in
foul weather, and in combat, lucky to get
three or four hours sleep a night.
Evening star., 1943-12-27
Letters to The Star
Death Of Two Infants
Stlrs q Citizen to Protest.


Stirs Citizen to Protest.
To the Editor of The Star.
During the bitter cold night of De-
cember II two infants died in the Dis
trict Of Columbia. Their passing was
almost completely obscured by two
greater tragedies, all within 48 hours,
the ACL train wreck and the drowning
OF ~ soldiers on maneuvers in louisiana
The Nation was shocked by these
catastrophes and its heart went out
to comfort the families of the un-
fortunate victims of sudden death But
we are growing hardened to the longer
casualty lists from the fighting fronts
and the home front, so we pause briefly
to shake our heads in honest sadness
and then go about our business.
Death at the battlefront; death in
train wreck; death on Army maneuvers.
Tragic? Yes. Preventable? To degree.
Death Of Edward Brinston Copeland,
age IA months; death of William N.
Brooks, age months. Tragic? Yes.
Preventable? Definitely yes!
quote from Washington newspaper,
Edward Brinston Copeland, IA months,
was found by two policemen alone
In his home at 1924 Congress court
NE. Taken to Casualty Hospital,
the child died en- route of pneumonia"
The patrolman reporting the incident
stated: Edwards home was made of
paper-thin walls and only enough coal
to heat single room stove was on
hand" The news story continued:
William N. Brooks, 2 months, likewise
found unconscious at his home at 1909
Fourth street S.W. His death, also at
Casualty Hospital. was charged to NAL
nutrition and exposure" A member of
the homicide squad said this about Will
liam's death: II could practically see
through the walls of the house I could
almost put my hand through the cracks
around the window" Just one more
detail to complete this story of tragedy:
Both infants were Negroes.
We can be sure that the usual in
vestigations will be instituted, the usual
reports and recommendations will be
made. the usual wringing of hands by
the social agencies will be enacted and,
finally, the usual inadequate, disease
breeding housing conditions for the
Negro citizens of the District of Co.
lumbia will be allowed to exist.
AS much as we may like, we can do
little to shield our brothers and sons
from danger on the fighting fronts or
on training maneuvers; We can do little
to prevent such tragedies as the ACL
train wreck. But as residents of the
Washington community we can do some
thing about the conditions in our midst
that brought early death to Edward
Copeland and William Brooks, infants.
The conscience of the people of the
District of Columbia should be sorely
troubled by this waste of human lives
and should remain troubled until
definite and constructive action is taken
to wipe out the miserable housing con-
ditions which took the lives of these
two infants. If such a conscience is
aroused and such constructive action
results, Edward Copeland and William
Brooks may not have died in vain
HERMAN SCHEIN.
Evening star., 1943-12-27

the Russian high command Is fully the
equal of the German high command as
far as strategical planning Is concerned,
and while the Russian soldier possesses
the finest fighting qualities, the Ger
mans still have an advantage in the
field of what may be called tactical
resourcefulness. Time and again. they
have managed to get themselves out of
trouble at the very last minute, by their
ability to wiring the last ounce of advan-
tage out of tactical situations.
On the battlefield, in the use and CO.
ordination of weapons. experience and
training count heavily. The Germans
have managed to keep a leaven of
battle-trained officers and noncommis-
stoned officers, and to hold out certain
special divisions for emergency use,
while the Russians have had to use
great masses Of newly trained troops,
not all Of whom have been led by off,
GERS with great experience The result
has been that, though the Russians
have at least three times during the
year reached positions from which,
strategically speaking, the German
Army was threatened with disaster, they
have never quite had the final punch
w oAAAiS VIC ohodoCCI AlCO dStudllUy. ll6
Germans have found means of staving
it off, once, twice, thrice: but not with
out cost.
The Russians still have a superiority
in numbers. When all is said and done
the resources of 180,0O0,000 people can
produce more soldiers than can 80000,-
600, especially when not all of the latters
manpower can be used on one front.
The Russians still have the ability to
keep on switching the point of attack,
from south to north and back again.
The Germans have lost the initiative,
they must meet the Russian blows where
ever they fall and now 1t is winter; now
the Russians have tactical advantage
as we'll as a strategical advantage; they
have a tactical advantage in superior
weapons and superior mobility for win
ter fighting which may go far to offset
the tactical resourcefulness Of the Ger
mans.
That is why the outcome Of the fight
for Vitebsk and Polotsk should prove
especially interesting and especially
significant. What the Germans think
of their chances in the north, we should
soon know. If they think. they can hold
vitebsk, or quickly retake it If 1t be lost,
then they may stay where they are