davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-05-23
Communist Resolution

Although it is unlikely that the
resolution announcing the impend-
ing dissolution Of the Communist
International will have any appre-
ciable effect on Communist activity
within the United States, it seems
reasonable to regard it as a concil-
iatory gesture on the part of the
Soviet government toward its Allies.
Whether it will be more than a ges-
ture remains to be seen.
There is nothing in the language
of the resolution to support the in
depreciation that dissolution of the
Comintern will mean abandonment
of the effort to "sell" the philosophy
of communism. On the contrary, it
is stated that the dissolution is at
tributable to the obstacles facing the
Communist movement in each sepa-
rate country, and to the further fact
that the Communist international,
having outlived its usefulness as a
form of organization, has become a
drag on the further strengthening
OF the national working class par
ties" In the United States, as Com
munist Leader Earl Browder points
out, the dissolution can have no
direct effect, since the American
Communist party withdrew from the
Comintern three years ago to avoid
trouble under congressional legisla-
ton designed to discourage the af-
f1liation of domestic political groups
with foreign agencies
Thus, the net result seems to be
that the Communist parties outside
Russia, having achieved what the
resolution calls political maturity"
will be left to carry on without the
guidance or financial support of the
parent organization. If this is the
case, major stumbling block in
American-Soviet diplomatic rela-
tions will have been removed, since
the presumed financing and direc-
ton from Moscow of subversive
activity in the United States has
been productive OF considerable bad
feeling.
What the future of the isolated
Communist groups will be, once they
are cut off from the guidance and
support of the mother party, is un-
certain. Experience in the United
States indicates, however, that the
Communists have not been and will
not be an important political factor.
Their strength has lain in the pene-
tration of certain labor unions and
similar groups, where they have been
able to exert an influence out of
proportion to their numerical
strength, and dissolution of the
Comintern is not apt to affect this
condition, either for better or worse.
Evening star., 1943-05-23

Government found an even more
effective way to dodge its legitimate
share of street and highway expense,
as the gasoline tax began to yield
substantial revenues. A few years
ago the entire cost of street improve
n1ents, except for the yield from
assessment under the Borland
amendment, was charged to gasoline
and automobile taxes, to which the
National Government contributes
nothing. And now the old Borland
law has been repealed, with the
exception of the expense for curbs
and cutters, which still is charged,
illogically enough, to the abutting
property owner. Congress finally
recognized, as it had been argued
for thirty years, that the benefits of
street improvement were a COM
munity bene6t-not necessarily
benefit to the abutting property
owner.
1t happens that Engineer Com
missioner Kutz signed the Commis-
sioners' report indorsing the bill just
passed. That must have given him
considerable personal satisfaction,
for he was Engineer Commissioner
in 1914 when the Borland amend
ment became law. With other Com
missioners in the past thirty years
he has witnessed the repetition of it's
inequitable application.
Evening star., 1943-05-23
Peonies

The second half of May is the
season for peonies in the neighbor-
hood of Washington. Hundreds of
gardens on both sides of the Poto-
mac currently are beautiful with the
foliage and blossoms of the family
Ranunculacea, genus Paeonia. Colors
include the familiar shades of pink,
white tinted with rose, carnine with
yellowish center, buff and bronze and
pale lavender.
According to the Century Diction-
ary, "the common peony is P.
oficinalis, an herb with large
flowers, one on a stalk, native of
Southern Europe and Central Asia.
A kindred species, P. tenuifolia of
Siberia and parts of Europe, has the
leaves finely cut, and hence is called
slender-leafed, fennel-leafed, fern
leafed or fringed. A second
typical species is the tree-peony, P.
moutan, taller shrubby species from
China, where it is favorite, with
large rose-colored or nearly white
flowers, several on a stalk. These
and one or two other species furnish
the numerous hybrid and other
varieties which vary greatly
-" and are often double"
Just when or how the peony first
acquired distinction for alleged medi-
cinal qualities is matter of debate.
There is no question, however, about
the Identification of the plant with
Paen, one of the names of Apollo,
'the healer" and "the helper" the
physician of the Olympian gods,
mentioned in Homer In very ancient
times, "the root of the common peony
was a charm" The Century says:
"It still has some repute as a
nervine."
But it is for their stimulation of
the natural impulse for beauty that
the several groups of peonies appeal
to modern appreciators. To see fine
hedge or well-cultivated cluster of
them rising above verdant lawn
or even above a Victory garden
expediently introduced into a land
scape hitherto intended to serve only
esthetic purposes-is to feel an
Evening star., 1943-05-23

but, after all, they were only machines;
and they lacked both initiative and
originality. They we're trained to run
IN grooves and once out of their normal
and fixed habitat they could not eff
GENTLY function.
Jesus is the supreme developer of
personality and the demonstration Of
this is to be found in the remarkable
men with whom He consorted and whom
He actually re-created. He discovered in
the fishermen who were His disciples
qualities they had never discovered to
their own consciouness and in developing
these qualities He lifted them to places
OF supreme power. His whole plan or
scheme OF life was designed to bring out
OF men those unrecognized elements that
they possessed and to give them wider
neld OF operation. We think too much
OF religion In terms of mechanisms and
systems and the church will not do its
large work in the world until. like its
Master, 1t seeks for the liberation in man
OF his highest gifts and qualities of mind
and heart.
1He WOTlu Is lOt eO llluCn ulUSIeSGeu
in creeds and formularies as it is in lives
that incarnate them and practice them
In other words, Christianity interprets
itself through personality, and however
much we may need, for the purposes of
corporate worship, definite forms, above
all else we need today men and women
who in themselves are living witnesses
A single glorified personality like that of
John Howard, England's great prison re-
former, contributes more to the allevi"
alton of unnecessary suffering than a
multitude of committees with their
wearisome resolutions and good inten-
tions.
There resides in each one of us God
given qualities that constitute our pecu-
liar and unique personality. To bring
this personality to its highest develop
ment is mans supreme accomplishment.
Evening star., 1943-05-23
THE GREATNESS OF PERSONALITY
By the Right Reu. JAMES E. FREEMAN D. d. ILL., d. D. c. L.,
Bishop of Washington

In Sehopenhauer's essay on Person
ality" he conte1ds that before we are
capable of consciously realizing any at
tainment We must develop capacity for
it; muddy waters cannot reflect the stars,
and he adds: Cali the pride and pleasure
of the world, mirrored in the dull con-
sciousness of a fool, is poor, indeed, COM
pared with the imagination of Cervantes
writing his Don Quixote' in a miserable
prison."
Our age has often been called the "age
OF the machine" an age in which the
value of personality seems to have been
neglected. Even man himself has been
all too frequently regarded as part of a
vast mechanism. This conception of the
value of the individual has had tend
ency to destroy initiative and weaken am
bition. 1t is interesting to note, however,
that in every age the subordination of
personality to systems or mechanisms
has resulted in ultimate disaster and
defeat.
America may not be as mature as some
of the old world powers, but, up to the
present, America has reckoned with the
value and Importance of a highly de-
veloped personality. AS we go forward
we need to emphasize this more and
more, and every agency in the State
should be employed to effect this SUI
premely important END.
This has particular application to our
religious and educational institutions. 1t
was brilliant writer who once wrote:
Education that informs only the head
and the hand is incomplete, it must in
form and train the heart and the will
also" We have known men and women
who moved with such precision in
thought and action that they suggested
to us highly developed machines. We are
interested but not inspired by the perfect
regularity and seeming accuracy with
which they discharged their obligations,
Evening star., 1943-05-23
District Postwar Plans

An interesting fact in connection
with the list of postwar building
projects for Washington, compiled
and made public by the Commis-
sioners, is that actual construction
work on any of these undertakings
could begin within thirty days after
the funds are made available That
is the difference between "plans"
and mere planning" Unless plan
ming is accompanied by plans. the
result is too apt to be an omnibus
collection of ideas, far removed
from the possibility of putting them
into effect.
The Commissioners list includes
some $15,000,000 of structural work
on postponed, but authorized, mu-
nicipal buildings, grade-crossings,
bridges and highways. There are,
in addition, plans for water and
sewer improvements and some
$5,O00,000 of paving work on the
city's main thoroughfares. These
delayed undertakings represent a
reservoir Of construction work which
can be utilized on short notice to
absorb some of the unemployment
which will mark the change over
from war to peace industry.
Washington's own list of municipal
postwar undertakings, however,
should not end merely with those
which up to this time have been
authorized by Congress. Even in
wartime there is the opportunity to
get started on the planning, as we'll
as the plans, for things which as
yet have not been approved. Slum
clearance, for instance, should be
high on the list of future undertak-
ings for Washington. The Alley
Dwelling Authority was making a
modest start in this field before the
war brought its pressing demand for
quickly constructed, low-cost hous-
ing. While some low-rent housing
has been constructed on sites of
former slums, the war has made i'm
possible any real progress on an
adequate program of this sort. This
must come after the war is over and
should be planned now.
The Municipal Architects Office
has work to do now that will keep
it busy for some time to come on
plans for authorized projects. The
longer the war lasts, however, the
more important becomes the actual
preparation of plans for the work
that can be started immediately
after the war.
Evening star., 1943-05-23
The Task

Many of the greatest religious
teachers of the human race have
come from the East. Perhaps it is
because the Old World has been in
habited for a longer time than the
New. Or possibly there may be some
curious, uncomprehended relation
between spiritual expression and a
scarcity of material wealth. It is
one of the facts of history that
prophets and sages arise more COM
monty among the poor than among
the rich. Various explanations have
been offered as to why that should
be so, but none of them has been
altogether satisfactory.
The background from which Ma
dame Chang Kai-shek returned to
America last autumn with her mes
sage of China's faith and hope is
that which centuries ago was estab-
lished by Confucius, Lao-tse, Men,
cius and other ethical philosophers,
whose doctrines commonly had been
considered by modern critics out
mOded and outgroWn. At school in
the United States as girl she added
to her spiritual inheritance the
essential tenets OF Christian belief.
Her own contribution was that of
her personal experience-the fruit
age Of her observation of the suffer-
ing and the still undaunted aspira-
ton of her people these past thirty
years.
A weak character would become a
skeptic under such an ordeal, but
Madame Chang instead has grown
in strength of SOUL Some portion
of her development she put into
words for the Forum Magazine as
long ago as 1884. II have gone
through deep waters" she wrote.
Cali these things have made me see
my own inadequacy. More than that,
all human insufficiency. To try to
do anything for the country seemed
like trying to put out a great con-
f1agration with cup of water.
Life was all confusion. I had been
in the depths of despair. Out of
that, and the feeling of human in
adequacy, I was driven back to my
mothers God. I knew there was a
power greater than myself. I knew
God was there"
The impact of her discovery was
manifest in her social reaction.
Madame Chang explained: I'm old
Chinese art there is just one out
standing object, perhaps a flower,
on a scroll. Everything else in the
picture is subordinated to that one
beautiful thing. An integrated life
is like that. What is that one flower?
AS I see it now it is the will of God.
But to know His will. and do it, calls
for absolute sincerity, absolute hon.
esty with oneself. ." feel that
God has given me a work to do for
China. 3" know that nothing can
happen either to the General or to
me till our work is done. After that,
what does it matter?"
Not thousands merely, but millions
of men and women less skilled in
the management of language have
felt the power of the Deity as Ma
dame Chang has felt it. Since she
composed her Forum article nearly
decade ago, humanity at large has
suffered and sorroWed as never be-
fore since the dawn of civilization.
The end is not yet, but the goal of
the striving is clear
Evening star., 1943-05-23
Leave Him No Doubts
From the Ottawa Journal.

T1UHI VIE OtIdWa JUufNdI.
When this war is over, it will not be
possible for the Germans to conceal even
among themselves the fact that they are
beaten. Last time they evolved the
fiction that they were misled by President
Wilson's fourteen points" and laid down
their arms although never really beaten
in bsttle. This time every last German
must know his armies and his leaders
have led his country but to defeat and
catastrophe.
Evening star., 1943-05-23

in the service. George McAfee made a
national reputation at Duke University
and with the Chicago Bears as one Of
Americas greatest all-time football play
ers. He quit the Bears to enlist last year,
Evening star., 1943-05-23
emotion of gratitude for such luxuri

emotion OF gratitude for such luxuri-
ant loveliness.
Most American peonies trace back
to China, where for centuries they
have motivated painters and poets;
and, like the character of the people
of the New China, they are "stalwart,
brave and altogether admirable"
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1943-02-18
Our Aerial Offensives

There is speculation about the relative slowness
of the great aerial offensive against Germany. By
this time, people thought months ago, the thousand
plane raid would be every day affair but, behold
operations are on much smaller scale.
Naturally, we do not know the full explanation
of this fact. 1t would be foolish for responsible Off
cals to stop and explain why the aerial bombardment
of Germany, and other points, is not on more sus-
tanned scale.
Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that the
aerial attacks upon Germany and Commanded areas
have inflicted heavy blows to the Nazi economic sys
TEN.
There is the prospect that, the weather i'm
proves western Europe. aerial attacks will be
stepped up and that they will create greater havoc
than ever.
In this connection should remember that the
aircraft of the United States operating fronts
scattered all the world It is astonishing to read
the communicates and spot the farung detectives OF
our air force in days operations.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1943-02-18
Changes Scheduled for
Mdnpower Commission
English System Seen as Successful Model;
McNutt Unable to Obtain Efficient and
Experienced Force of Experts.
By BAUKHAGE
Netcs ANALYST and COmmenfat

than many would have shown. a,
cepted the subordination Of his func-
tons like the good soldier that he is.
More Authority
But many a week has passed since
that step kas taken. various direc-
tives have been sent to the draft
boards, enlarging the scope Of defer
ment for essential farm and indus
trial occupations. But still the sys-
tenn doesn't click. It is now report
ed that McNutt feels that he needs
still more presidential authority con-
ferred upon him.
It was thought when the last re-
organization Of the manpower agen-
cy was made that the United States
Employment service would work
side by side with the Selective serv-
ice, the one recruiting labor, the
other recruiting fighters and the
question would be settled between
them under a single head. Then,
according to one Of the members Of
the commission without informing
anyone in advance, he did what
many feel was a direct violation Of
the key policy-turned over the ques-
ton Of deferment to the department
of agriculture.
This Is the step which those who
opposed II feel is going to force q
change In the setup once more. Ad-
ministration Of manpower recruit
ment was supposed to be centered
in the commission.
Naturally members Of the depart
ment Of labor who felt that recruit
ment of workers should be handled
by that agency. consider that no sue
cessful solution viii be reached until
the entire manpower question Is put
under q single person Of cabinet
rank and administered by that head
right down to the local setups. They
point to what has been done in Eng
land where the system seems to be
working successfully under the Brit
ish labor minister. A system has
been worked out there where the To-
cal administration has wide author
ity under a firm general policy.
The reason why a similar plan
was not followed here is possibly
because of the feeling against Sec
rotary Of Labor Perkins. Too many
people would object II the work were
turned over to her and 1t was be.
lieved that the President was about
to cut the Gordian knot when the
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1943-02-18
Russia's Future Policies

Americans in considering the future -n0icy of
Russia, should not overlook the twenty ATTY of
alliance between Russia and Great -Britai Is binds
Russia not to make separate peace with Germany
and to fight any power, in Er \Ae which aids the
Nazis.
The alliance was made in il of last year. Be-
sides agreeing not to negotiate or cude any arms
tice peace treaties with Germany except by mutual
consent the treaty provides that the two nations shall
and violation of peace by Germany any of the states
associated with her in acts of aggression in Europe
Significantly, Article V of the treaty provides that
the two nations will take into account the interest of
the United Nations in these objects (the organization
of peace and economic stability in Europe) and they
will act in accordance with the two principles of not
seeking territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT for themselves and
Of non-interference in the internal affairs of other
states"
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1943-02-18

WNU Service, 622 Union Trust Bldg.
Washington, d. G.
Two days before the Office Of War
Information announced the now ia
nous ''work-or-fight order" / wrote:
Strange sounds are coming through
the keyhole Of the wide door Of the
Office of the federal security admin
istrator, Paul McNutt. They have
nothing to do with federal security
but they have a lot to do with that
other function Of the administrator,
on whose broad shoulders rests
heavily the Craftsmanship Of the
manpower commission.
The noises I refer to are the pre-
liminaries to bigger noise.
THE manpower commission Is
just about to blow up" said a GER
tain official to me, one who has fol-
lowed its operations very closely but
because Of some strange Fremont
ton refused to get entangled with
them. He is entirely sympathetic
with the effort but like others
whose duties are affected by the
ramifcations Of the manpower stu
alton, he Is chagrined and confused
by what Is happening and still more
by what hasn't happened.
When the manpower situation was
first turned over to McNutt. who Is
known as a good administrator, there
was long and patient wait for
something to happen. Nothing did.
mo wonder" said neutral observ-
ers. ''he has no authority"
Then he got the authority by presi-
Dental ukase. Earlier, IL Is true.
he had made It plain that he felt that
there should be passed by congress,
a national service act which would
lay upon all civilians the similar
obligations placed upon the young
men Of military age. So many peo-
pie. who thoroughly disliked the idea
Of draft Of labor of any kind new
ertheless declared such a step was
inevitable that was positive that II
was coming and so reported Now
It seems far away.
The substitute was supposed to be
the setup under McNutt which would
work through the United States EN-.
ployment service. Selective service
was even made a part Of McNutt's
organization and General Hershey,
who had seen that institution through
from its inception, with better grace
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1943-02-18

hunting lodge Of Goering. outside of
Berlin. A millionaire American
manufacturer sat with him. It was
not long before Pearl Harbor. The
American had peace drive Of his
own. He outlined it to Goering. It
was this: Get rid of Hitler, set up
a more liberal government, agree to
get out Of France if England will
make peace.
The man to do the job, Goering.
The fee. one million dollars.
According to my informant. Goer-
ing was willing but the scheme was
never put through.
Names Goering, Hess
The other scene was the occasion
Of Hitler's announcement that he
had invaded Poland. 1t was then
that he declared that he was going
to the front and that II anything
happened to him, he had decided
that his successor would be his air
marshal, who sat at the Reichstag
presidents desk, Respondent In one
Of his musical comedy uniforms.
And, said the fuehrer, If anything
happened to Goering. Hess would be
the second choice. The solemn and
lanky Hess, dressed in the brown
uniform Of the party, rose and
saluted as had the grinning Goering.
Hess. when things didn't 60 &C.
cording to his wishes, painted his
toenails, and took wings for England.
There has been comment in WASH
ington lately over the different tone
in the official communicates issued
by the German high command. Ex-
perts say they seem to indicate that
the generals have taken over.
Recently 1t was rumored that Hit
Ter had fred his Intuition which
he said directed his military strategy
and he was letting the professionals
run the army. II is just possible
that Hitler will some day meet the
same fate Of the intuition which he
SO unkindly purged. Even the most
thickheaded Nazi could hardly be-
heve that the Allies would ever
make peace with government with
Hitler at the head.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1943-02-18

It may be of some interest to know that the War
Department nearly two weeks ago issued circular
order renewing forty yearold prohibition on hard
liquor in the military establishments of the United
States
While enlisted men have never been able to buy
anything stronger than beer within Army establish
ments officers clubs have been able to drinks
containing hard liquors.
The order affects civilian hotels, taken over by
the Army. Moreover, under the War Department
ORDER stronger than 32 alcoholic drink is not per-
mitted any Federal premises within district whose
local laws prohibit it..