davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-12-17

yetit was enough! BY October 5, 1905,
the Wrights confirmed their claims
by perfecting a new ship and driv-
ing it twenty-four miles. Everything
that has happened since in aero
nautics has been in some respect
dependent upon their accomplish
ment. They excelled Daedalus. More
particularly, they proved again, as
few of their contemporaries have
been privileged to do, mans capacity
to dominate the circumstances of
his life. 1t is that achievement that
will be celebrated in Washington
this evening.
Evening star., 1943-12-17
Wright Anniversary

Perhaps the greatest picture to
come from the hands of the gifted
Victorian painter Lord Leighton was
that in which he dramatized a ira
ditional human interest in flight.
The canvas, first exhibited at the
Royal Academy, London, in 1869,
shows Daedalus, the alleged inventor
of the saw, the potter's wheel, the
ak and the awl and likewise the
supposed builder of the labyrinth of
Crete, standing with his son Icarus
on a stone platform above the sea.
Fastened to the shoulders of the
valiant youth are beautiful wings
which his father has made for his
projected escape to Sicily. A moment
more and the lad will rise toward the
fatal solar disc. The story has been
told again and again. 1t is one of
the imaginative classics bequeathed
by ancient Greece to the modern
world. Symbolizing the natural
yearning of men to move through
the air as birds do, it also signifies
the tragedy of their repeated frus-
tration.
Icarus flew too close to the sun, so
the fable says. The heat melted the
wax OF his wings, and he fell to
death in the blue Mediterranean.
Yet the dream of Daedalus did not
perish. During three thousand years
the problem of how human beings
might travel through the sky en-
gagged the constructive genius of
successive generations of his follow
ers. Leighton's painting expresses
the longing of the race. But it
remained for two young American
mechanics, Wilbur and Orville
Wright of Dayton, Ohio, to read the
riddle OF heavier -than-air aviation.
Just four decades ago today they
operated a primitive power driven
flying machine on the sand dunes at
Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Their
triumph was summed up in a tele-
gram which they sent to their father,
bishop of the United Brethren
Church, December IT, 1903: -Four
flights Thursday morning, all against
twenty -one-mile wind starting from
level with engine power alone
average speed through air thirty-one
miles-longest f1fty-nine seconds"
Less than minute of the ground,
Evening star., 1943-12-17

this beach head toward Rabaul is likely.
1t is probable that the Arawe landing
is intended to establish an air strip for
fighter planes in order to give close
support to further amphibious opera
tions directed against the japanese air
fields at Gasmata and Cape Gloucester;
or, alternatively, to build up even
greater air power in order to neutralize
these bases as a part of the campaign
against Rabaul.
This latter idea was behind the land
ing at Empress Augusta Bay, 1t is now
clear. There has been no attempt to
advance overland from Empress Augusta
Bay, but an airfield has been established
there and from it our planes have pretty
we'll neutralized the enemy air bases of
the Bougainville Island area-those at
BUM, Kahili and Buka. If the new
landing at Arawe leads to the neutraliza-
ton of the bases at Cape Gloucester
and GaSmata, or their capture. then the
Evening star., 1943-12-17

Harding administration was still strong.
the voters elected Mr.. Coolidge and the
Republicans retained control of both
branches of Congress There was also
the long-cherished conviction that the
voters would resent reckless waste of
public funds. Yet, though Mr. Roose-
velt has wasted more money with less
excuse than all his predecessors to-
gether, the voters elected him a third
time and only recently have begun to
turn away from him and his New Deal
1t has been found that in such matters
diverting personality or a plausible
theory or novel appeal or good show
or popular inertia obscures the facts and
the normal public reaction just does not
develop. These things have been proven
so often in the last 20 years that some
observers feel the people have lost the
Evening star., 1943-12-17

way to Rabaul will be open indeed. Or
rather, two ways to Rabaul-from the
east and from the southwest. We should
always keep in mind that the situation
of Rabaul as the center of a network
of outlying air bases-as it was when
we first landed at Guadalcanal-is a
very different one from that of an iso-
lated position exposed to direct close
range air attack as well as to amphibi-
Gus attack from two directions, and de-
pendent for supply entirely upon ocean
conveys coming down from Truk.
X X X
Moreover. our move to Arawe now
puts Gen. MacArthur's forces on both
sides of Dampier Strait, the passage
between the BiSmark Sea and the waters
south of the Solomons. An advance to
Cape Gloucester would almost certainly
be followed up by the seizure of the
large islands lying between New Guinea
and New Britain, and this move in turn
would put the Japanese bases on the
north coast Of New Guinea, Madang
and Wewak in great peril. Indeed,
as previously suggested, it would seem
altogether within the realm of possi-
bility that Gen Macarthur may sup
port his New Britain landing by an
amphibious assault on Madang which
would have as its purpose the final in
terruption of the barge and schooner
traffic into Rabaul
X x
The double threat to Rabaul must
be considered in connection with the
other operations of the Pacific cam
paign This whole Rabaul offensive
is itself one prong of a double threat
to the Japanese outpost area covering
the approaches to Japan from the CEN
trail and South Pacific. The other prong
is beginning to thrust forward against
Evening star., 1943-12-17
Threat to Transportation

The mounting death toll of the
Atlantic Coast Line wreck in North
Carolina, which is believed to have
been caused by broken rail, gives
tragic point to the report of the
truman Committee calling atten-
ton to the dangerous lag in main
tenance and equipment replacement
the railroads, as we'll as other trans
portation agencies, are experiencing.
Asserting bluntly that the impor-
tance OF transportation, as war
activity, has not been adequately
recognized" the report, discussing
the railroad situation, declares that
shortages of materials and man.
power have curtailed the 1943 pro-
gram for maintenance-of-way i'm
provements, including rail-replace-
ment, by $2O0,OOO,OOO. and adds fur
ther that the carriers received last
year, and will get this, only a part
of the equipment they estimated
would be required to handle traffic
load that started skyrocketing in
1910, and is still growing.
War Production Board policies,
under which transportation needs
have been subordinated to other
phases of the war effort, are blamed
by the committee for some of the
shortcomings which it's inquiry has
disclosed. Locomotive production
was delayed, it is explained, by con-
fusion as to just where responsibility
should rest for eXpediting delivery.
Haphazard ALLEGATION of car orders,
according to the committee, slowed
output, while shortage of materials
coupled with the difficulty in OBJ
tanning approval of a half-dozen
committees within the WPB impeded
the expansion of vital service facil-
tiles Examples such as this indicate
clearly that the approach to the
railroad problem has been anything
but realistic, and serve to recall the
repeated warnings months ago by
ODT Director Joseph B. Eastman
that the transportation system of
the country was headed for trouble
unless more attention was paid to it's
needs
Rail equipment and trackage have
been subjected to terrific strain for
the past three years, and in the
absence Of an adequate replacement
program, it is logical to expect an
accelerated rate of depreciation. The
report shows that derailments caused
by failure of rail and rail joints
jumped from 900 in 1889 to 631 last
year, and equipment defects also
have figured largely in the numerous
wrecks which have dotted the rail-
road map in recent months.
A bright spot in the committee
report is the statement that the sit
uation is clearing in some respects,
and that further improvement is
promised. Gains In this direction,
however, easily might be nullifled by
the growing shortage of commercial
motor equipment, for which the
committee holds the WPB respon-
sible In part also
The transportation system in this
country cannot be permitted to bog
down, and no effort should be spared
by those directing the war effort to
see that its needs are carefully ap-
praised, and then met to the fullest
extent possible.
Evening star., 1943-12-17
constantine Bro1Vn.

everything in Southern and Central
Italy long before we entered the coun-
try. They moved by train everything
that was movable. Then they DESTROYED
food, water supply systems, railroad
lines and tunnels as they withdrew tn
the north. AS result we could not
operate the railways for long time
Ihe Italian population had exapper.
ated hopes about the quantity of food
1t was to receive from the Americans.
The most fantastic tales had been
circulated before the German with
drawal Of how much macaroni, cheese
and olive oil the American soldiers would
bring with them The reaction after
few days OF enthusiasm was unfavor-
able. The American soldiers gladly
shared what they had with the civilians
But as they had to move to the battle
nnes even those restricted quantities of
1000 were no longer available Some
supplles were rushed from North Africa.
put they were insufficient. The French
In North Africa protested Violently
against their own people being deprived
OF bread for the sake of the much-hated
Italians
The little the Germans overlooked
got INTO the hands of gang of racket
GERS. Inc AMG is not acting with the
required flrmness in such cases because
OF tne peculiar situation which has been
created in Italy.
Inc Italians are no longer p CON-
quered nation. They are co-belieerents
ana the government of Marshal Badoglio
insists on its prerogatives. Hence. the
clVlilans must be handed over to the
Italian authorities who even in peace
tlme were lackadaisical in such matters
lhere Is serious concern in official
quarters that before the winter is much
iulther advanced very critical situa-
ton might develop.
Evening star., 1943-12-17
Raises Question
About Double Jeopardy.
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
May I comment upon a dispatch from
Louisville, KY which appeared in The
Star for December IL? 1t is in regard
to the second trial of Thomas H. Rob-
lnson and is headed, Robinson Con-
victed; Jury Urges Hanging-Stoll Kid
naper Loser by Demand for Retrial'
l would like to inquire how such a
verdict is possible under the English
law or the American law, which is based
on the English law?
1t Is my understanding that man
cannot be put in jeopardy of his life
more than once for the same crime.
Robinson was tried once and the verdict
could have been hanging; therefore, he
was put in jeopardy of his life. Instead,
he was imprisoned and now has served
SIX and one-half years of his sentence.
II We still are using the same code
which forbids putting man in jeopardy
OF his life more than once for the same
crime, how then was it possible to try
him twice with the death penalty as
possible verdict?
LAURA K. POLLOCK.
Evening star., 1943-12-17

motlVated by the fear of too great Rus
sian influence. This action. however, is
creating exactly what it was designed
TO prevent. The movements discour
aged by us are looking to Russia as
The only source of support. and are tore
ing US to abandon our policies in a most
humlllating manner.
Our failure has lain in our incanarirv
correctly TO assess the political and So
clal forces OF resistance in Europe. and
to ally ourselves with forces bound in
the nature of things, to lose if Naziism
were defeated
1t should have been clear from the be-
ginning, for instance, that Vichy could
not win with a German defeat. for it
was the creation of a German victory.
NO matter what military expedencies
mlght have justified playing along with
Vlchy until our troops were in North
Africa, we should never have tied our
selves politically to any representatives
OF group who, by the very fact of our
victory would lose every popular base.
1t was not political brilliance to ALLEVIATE
both Gen. &c Gaulle and Gen. Giraud,
vet II lay in the nature OF our policy
that this would happen.
Evening star., 1943-12-17
This Changing World

authorities in Washington believed we
would be in Rome by Thanksgiving and
in Florence probably by Christmas.
These plans did not materialize, prob
ably because the Nazis were able to
bring up in short time more troops
than we had expected.
In any event, the fact is we are now
inching our way toward Rome. More
Toops have to be poured into the battle
srea and with these troops more am
nunition and war material of all types
has to be transported from overseas.
This probably is the principal reason
the con4ignments urgently needed for
the civilians have not arrived in the
liberated area. The AMG authorities
had thought that once the Nazis were
pushed to the Pc while the Allies were
consolidating their positions there
would be sufficient shipping space to
start caring for the II or 18 million
Italian civilians whom King Victor En-
manuel and Marshal Pietro Badoglio
had made our wards. Before the inva-
sion began 1t was estimated that we
would need at least 10000 tons of coal
day to keep up a skeleton railroad
service throughout the occupied terri
tory. This coal had to come by sea either
from Britain or the United States.
- X
The fact that the bulk Of our Ship
ping Is needed exclusively for military
purposes has frustrated the well-laid
plans of the AMG.
According to reports, there is even
less food in Allied-occupied Italy than
in the Nazi-dominated area, This is
easily Understandable. Our planes have
bombed many industrial centers, but
have endeavored to destroy only fac
torres and important installations.
Whatever food supplies are available
have been damaged very little.
On the other hand, the Germans pro-
ceeded with systematic destruction Of
Evening star., 1943-12-17
The President Back Home

IL is good to know that President
Roosevelt is back home again. safe
and sound and still full Of vigor after
his long and not altogether riskless
Journey. AS Commander in Chief, he
has proved himself as hard d-working
and as rugged as any soldier in the
held. Since November II, he has
been to Cairo and to Teheran and
once more to Cairo, and he has been
to Malta and to Sicily, and he has
HoWn the 1,500 famous miles from
Ell Alameln to TuniS. In all manner
OF conVeyanceS, establishing any
number of precedents, he has moved
from one far-off place to another at
such a pace as would weary most
men, but he took it quite in stride.
Indeed, the travelling was merely
incidental, nothing at all compared
to the regimen he followed as states
man and war leader-conference
with Stain. with Chang Kai-shek,
with President Inonu of Turkey, with
1SAiS1 al IloOlllloWCl, WIFI lllSLS Ol
other military men, and of course
with the redoubtable Mr.. Churchill
whose similar labors have left him
seriously Ill in the Middle East.
Physically and mentally, Mr.. Roose-
velt did not spare himself, but so great
Is his natural vitality. he seemed
to thrive on the rigorous self-usage
And for his pains he achieved rich
results. With the other heads of
state, he was surrounded by the
forces of history, and besides helping
to map new battle campaigns, he
helped to make new history. We
cannot know today how enduring
will be the declarations of Cairo and
Teheran, but we do know that they
have projected better world and q
more decent future, and Mr.. Roose-
welt was largely instrumental In
that. In sum, as Commander in
Chief and President, he has returned
from good and arduous job, and
there are few who will not say, We'll
done!" While he was away, there
was much unspoken anxiety over his
well-being. but now that is past, and
the American people as a whole
Republicans and Democrats alike
are happy to see him back, not least
OF all because he may be able to do
something about some of the things
that have not been going so we'll on
the home front since he left.
Evening star., 1943-12-17
Hobbs Bill Approval

IN returning a favorable report
on the Hobbs bill to validate con-
fessions in criminal cases despite
delays in arraignment, a House
Judiciary subcommittee has taken
first step toward remedying the un-
fortunate consequences of the
Supreme Courts decision in the
McNabb case. The bill now goes
to the full committee for action.
If it is approved there, as seems
likely, it will then be started along
the long and probably difficult road
to final enactment.
The McNabb decision laid down
the rule that voluntary confessions
by criminals could not be used
against them unless they are ar
raigned promptly after being ar
rested. AS this has been applied by
the lower courts. a delay of a few
hours in arraignment is sufficient
to enable dangerous criminals to
escape punishment, even though
there is no suggestion that they were
subjected to third-degree methods.
The Hobbs bill would rectify this
by providing that confessions which
are valid in other respects shall not
be thrown out merely because of a
delay in arraigning the accused.
This measure has been the subject
OF a great deal of misrepresentation
and alarmist speculation. Some have
protessed to see in it the grim
shadow of the Gestapo and the tor
ture chamber Others have twisted
1t into sinister instrument for the
oppression of organized labor. But
the Hobbs bill is nothing of the sort.
1t would merely restore confessions
to the place they held in the law
before the McNabb decision was re-
turned last March. We were not
troubled by Gestapo in the pre-
McNabb days, nor did the courts
sanction the use of confessions to
oppress labor. And we need not
worry about either of these imagi-
nary evils in the future if the Hobbs
Dill is passed-as it should be.
Evening star., 1943-12-17
This and That
By Charles E. Trace1ueU.
EIGHTEENTH STREET

Dear Sir:
What do you think of Oklahoma
the musical show? l have heard that
the music is fine, but I would like your
opinion. as I appreciate your common
sense viewpoint on music.
would like to buy the records. but
90 not like the idea of paying tribute
to the head of the musical union
understand that this is the only set of
TINS music on the market. 1 hate the
loea OF paying tribute on music.
thlnk music, of all things. ought to be
Tree. Sincerely yours, o. g."
oklahoma" contains the best light
opera music in many years.
1t is, as matter of fact. about the
only music of this type which has been
turned out in long time.
lhere have been attempts at it, but
"Oklahoma' is the only success.
There IS certain tenderness to this
music which sets it apart.
every song in it partakes of this
quality. Even the humorous ones are
nlled with this background tenderness.
Tenderness, in music, is a special
quality.
II IS AKIN to sympathy, in writing.
A song either has 1t, or hasn't got 1t.
"Oklahoma" is a throwback to the
great musical comedy or light opera
days OF Victor Herbert and Reginald
de Koven.
IL IS an amazing opus to come in the
middle of the swing" era.
Perhaps its significance is that the
Jazz dlspensation is on the way out.
AZ x x 4
Decca records, under the energetic
leadership of its young president. signed
up with James Caesar Petrillo, czar of
the music makers
The first Offering, in this set,lp. Under
which the musical union head gets a
cut on every record sold, is the album
OF "Oklahoma" records.
1t Is, we believe, the best album of its
type Decca ever put out.
This album is O. K.
1t is fine, in every respect, and the
music is superfine.
x
Music ought to be free. we believe.
Paying tribute for ones music is
something which ought not to exist in
free country.
But this is curious age
Maybe we have paid tribute to some-
body for our music all along, but didn't
know it.
At any rate. if you can find an album
OF oklahoma" left, we suggest that YOU
gobble it up, If you have phonograph
ana love music of enduring quality.
** X
10
company are here in all their homespun
beauty.
They are not highly trained voices
but how they put the music over!
And they manage, somehow, to CAP
ture the special quality of tenderness in
music which Is the feature of this music.
Such songs as People Will Think
We're in Love-" "Oh, What a Beautiful
Mornin'," "The Surrey With the Fringe
on the Top" and Many New Day"
have enduring quality which will be as
appealing 10 or 20 years from now as
today.
That some of this music has a remi-
nlscent quality is in its favor. The last
line of "Oh, What Beautiful Mornin',"
for instance, is taken from the last line
of Holy Night, Silent Night"
Many a New Day"-our personal
favorite-is very reminiscent of one of
Bizets dances in Carmen
Basically, however, the oklahoma"
music is entirely and completely Richard
Rodgers music.
Evening star., 1943-12-17

decided that mighty new blows
would be struck against Hitler from
the south, the east and the west.
The west" must mean from the
British Isles, the least" must mean
from Russia, but the south" can
mean sea-borne drive into France
or a great invasion of the Balkans
or possibly both together. In any
event, these other roads to Berlin
offer more promise of decisive,
knockout results than does the
Italian peninsula, and because Of
this 1t seems safe to assume that our
progress in Italy, though slow, is
going pretty much according to
plan.
Evening star., 1943-12-17

the Marshall Islands from the newly
won bases in the Gilberts. The japanese
are suffering acute embarrassment from
lack OF airpoWer to deal with both at
tacks at once, and so far their solution
OF the difficulty has been to waste what
alrpower they do have in making a
weak defense at both ends of the line.
Ihls is, OF course, what we shall hope
they Will continue to do, as it costs
them heavy losses, which they can ill
aHord, without doing us much harm.
Whether they will be able to muster
greater defensive strength as We close
IN on Rabaul, and as our attacks de-
velop against the Marshall Islands and
perhaps Nauru, remain to be seen. So
far there have been no evidences that
the Japanese have any great reserve
OF alrpower. The evidence has rather
suggested that the Japanese are feed
ing airpower in the Pacific combat zones
as fast as they can create it, and grow
ing steadily weaker in the process.
However, we cannot ignore the pos
sibility that they may have gradually
built up reserve for use in a great
slider direct attack on Rabaul, or on
their centers in the Marshall ISLANDS,
an emergency which warrants the use
OF this reserve. The same reasoning
applies to the possible use of the Jap
anese main battle feet but to put in
the fleet would mean far greater risk
for the japanese than to put in such
bomber reserves as they may have COL
lected. The latter could-at least to
some extent-be replaced, given little
time; but If they lose their fleet the
Japanese have lost the war
(copyrisht. 1943, New York Tribune. Ine)
Evening star., 1943-12-17
Icurus

climbed these hills 1ohen dutumns
misty feet
Lurked in the turning of silent trail,
And 10hen the lush reiterated tale
OF summer echoed in the birdless heat.
Falling so many times, I still repeat
Ny flight in anSwer to some wire- trail
InSistent beckoning, but neUer Jail
TO meet the old recurrence OF defeat
Al10ays amazed that it is not too late
For moon and sun to summon me
again,
Yet, in this quiet time, 1pill endeauor
To Dear the ordered fancy of my fate:
That should start out from the muted
plain
And climb the mountain once again,
foreDer.
Evening star., 1943-12-17

anu no" deeply. IN
recent years political
observers generally
have found that
some Of the things
they believed on this
subject were COM
plete misconceptions.
For example, until
1924 it had been re-
garded as automatic
that open corruption
in administra tion
was fatal to the
party in power. But
in that year, though
the stencil of the
Evening star., 1943-12-17

Delng suggestive Ol
an intended landing
in that vicinity. The
! a n d i n G has now
taken place, at Ara
we Harbor, between
Gasmata a n d t h e
southwestern tip of
New Britain Cape
Gloucester. 1t has
been carried out by
troops of the Amer
ican 9th Army.
An examination of
the map does not
suggest that an over
land advance from