davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-06-21
His Silence

Almost as mysterious as the con-
spicuouS weakness Of the LuftWaffe
over the Normandy front is the fact
that not word has been heard
from Hitler for several months past.
Rome has fallen; two Of his once
proud armies are in disorderly fight
to the northernmoSt ends of Italy;
his Finnish ally seems on the verge
of being knocked out of the war. a
smashing new Russian offensive is
in the making against him, and it
is more than two weeks now since
our British, Canadian and American
forces swept across the English
Channel and battered down his
vaunted Atlantic wall"
North, south, east and west, by
land, sea and air, through present
and forthcoming assaults, our Allied
might has begun to draw such a
moose around Germany that this is
the hour of supreme crisis for that
land. But still the Fuehrer remains
silent, and only Goebbels talks.
Above all moments, the moment
when a leader is supposed to ad-
dress his country is when that
country faces the prospect of ca
tastrophe; above all moments that
is the moment when the leader, as
in the case of Churchill after Dun
kerque, is expected to be eloquent
and inspirational beyond himself.
But not so with Hitler; not yet have
The people of the Reich heard a
single rallying cry from him; the
earth may shake and the heavens
may fall, but he says nothing, this
man whose voice seemed once SO
terrible that it could frighten half
the world.
How changed everything is now,
how loud and meaningful his 81
lence! It is as II the sweep of awe
some events had left him dumb or,
If not dumb, afraid to speak lest
his own words mock him before
Evening star., 1944-06-21

Even under all the circumstances, this
setup Is powerful weapon.
But the Germans are using our
weapon, which we have never lifted.
The reason we have neglected it is
because the people who lead us do not
understand Europe, and this is becom-
Ing clearer every day I make one ex-
ception-Mr. Churchill.
The Presidents statement on the or
ganization Of world peace indicates
slight progress. Compared with the
issues, 1t is inadequate. The question
is not one OF conceding to small nations
some limited voice in the affairs of the
world. What is at stake is the COM
blned voice OF one OF the greatest areas
OF tvilization-Contin Europe.
Europe must federate or perish!
Europe cannot federate without
France. Europe cannot eventually COM
pei the entrance of federal Germany
into a modernized Europe without a
strong Federation to start with, able to
admit her on their own terms. That
cannot occur without France In lead
ing role.
Our policy toward France appears as
anti-European, and it is already being
so interpreted all over the continent.
All Britain recognizes this, from right
to left, for Britain is involved In Europe.
1t is also recognized here. There is
hardly knowledgable publicist in this
country who has not ben kicking against
our European policy ever since the un-
fortunate st. Pierre and Miquelon affair.
1t is ominous for the administration
that in this moment an isolationist
whose opposition in the past has been
based on deceitful grounds should in
this moment come out with statement
calling for United States of Europe,
and giving the soundest reasons for it.
That Is Senator Burton Wheeler. He is.
whether he knows it or not, echoing Sir
Walter Layton, one of Britain's ablest
publicists, and close adviser to Mr..
Churchill. But more Importantly he
is echoing what is plainly to be heard
from Europe, and what has been pleaded
for in vain by the administrators sup
porters.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate IncN
Evening star., 1944-06-21
On the Record
By Dorothy THOMPSON

There is no monopoly on secret
weapons Sir Walter Layton, in the Sid
ney Ball lecture delivered on March 3
of this year, quoted the scientist Sir
Lawrence Bragg, as follows: "All the.
graphs of the scientists, after running
almost fiat for 10000 years, have sud-
denly, in the last century, taken a
tremendous turn and are still going up
steeply."
Wars, like all other desperate enlerg-
encies, release and accelerate the in
ventive spirit. 1t is confined to no peo-
pie, although it is at its highest in
Western civilization
The German problem has been to
overcome our protective air umbrella
and bomb our concentrations from a
short distance, without too great an
expenditure of material and pilots.
Hence their rocketed, winged bombs.
The same weapon in our hands would
be Of dubious value. We could not use
it against the centers of German war
production.
As there is no monopoly on technical
weapons, there is also none on political
and diplomatic weapons. There also
necessity should compel invention. There,
also, the principles that need adaptation
are known, as the dilemma which con-
fronts us is obvious. We are living in
one of those times when the whole
structure of society undergoes vast
change. Science and technology, bring
ing their own mighty changes for good
or for evil, compel reorientation of
our whole political thinking
Yet in this field we are completely
uninventive
The Germans have seen this necessity,
but too late. They started war for
medieval reasons - lebensraum and
domination. Now they know that the
political beam they rode leads to dis
sster. In the course Of conquering
Europe, they have made some discov-
eries-namely, that force is not enough.
1t has been fascinating to follow the
change in German propaganda. For al
most year, they have been trying to
play up to European unity and non-
interference from abroad.
Evening star., 1944-06-21
Letters to The Star
Appreciates Latin Americans
AS independent Thinkers

To the Editor of The Star
Referring to the letter by Mr. Grant
Smith, in which he upholds the COM
ments of DR.. Hernane Tavares da Sa,
at the Frederick, Md, meeting Of the
international Educational Assembly
both these gentlemen are correct in
what they state
The South American people, as a
whole, are much more analytical and
constructive in their thinking than We
perhaps because, under their mode of
life, they take time to think for them
selves and do not depend upon canned
thinking"
AS far back as 1885, DR.. Spencer Vam-
pre-, professor emeritus of the Sac Paulo
Law School, told the writer that, to
him, the American people as a whole
were an enigma He pointed out that,
while many of us were shrewd, capable
businessmen when dealing among our
selves, we were worse than small chill
dren in our dealings with foreigners. He
pointed out that almost any foreigner,
who dressed fairly we'll and spoke Eng
lish with an accent that amused the
Americans, could exploit us. And let it
be pointed out that Dr. Vampire was
not a provincial" Brazilian but had
studied in both European and American
colleges.
Regarding the behavior of many
Americans abroad, it is needless to
dwell upon that subject. AS DR.. Tavares
da Sa has said, they frequently act in
other lands as they would not dare to
act at home. They probably do this
because they imagine that the for
eigner" is just a funny person who does
not know much and therefore COM
pletely may be ignored.
AS far as material progress is con-
cerned, certain factors held back South
America until World War l. Then the
people there found out that they could
do things as we'll or better than inn
ported talent. 1t is true in the mechani-
cal arts, that is in the physical set up
OF various industries, they can learn
much from us but in civic matters we
can learn much from cities like Rio de
Janeiro, Sac Paulo, Santos, Montevideo,
DaCioo All CO dllu OdII1dsO uc Alllic.
In those places development does not
mean destruction. Natural beauty is
truly national patrimony, the preser-
vation of which is the concern of all
classes Of people. Areas devoted to in
dustry are not turned into eyesores,
but are so developed that, as part of
the whole scheme, the operatives may
have clean, well-kept homes within con-
venient distance of their work Doubt
less climatic conditions have something
to do with this; but, inherently, the
people themselves, are cleanly and take
pride in their surroundings and would
not dream of committing the acts Of
vandalism so common here.
To sum up the matter, we believe that
much of our progress is due not so much
to ourselves as to our natural resources
and to the fact that in times past we
had few men of high ideals who left
us heritage which we are forgetting.
CHAS. JAY SEIBERT.
Evening star., 1944-06-21
This Changing World
By Constantine Brovn

tions Yamamoto was not afraid Of
taking chances and may have attacked
where we expected him least. His defeat
at Midway was severe blow to the
imperial navy since 1t lost most Of its
large carriers Nevertheless, he was ready
to operate with what was left
The Japanese Nelson" was succeeded
by Mineichi Koga, defensive ad-
miral He was the type who would take
that the high-ranking American naval
officers learned that last May he had
met with an accident while flying from
one naval base to another.
Koga made little use Of the offensive
weapons of Japans Navy. He used and
squandered the submarine fleet in fruit
less operations. Instead OF attempting
to interfere with our amphibious forces
escorted by task fleets, he used his sub
marines in an attempt to supply Jap
garrisons which had been cut of from
their supply bases and were dying on
the vine. He tried to repeat the Attu
operations and withdraw ground forces
from the beleagured Southern Pacific
islands. And when this was not pos
sible, he managed to get out at least
high-ranking officers in order to save
them from surrender or suicide.
Koga was the ideal opponent. He had
neither initiative nor imagination. We
laid the foundation of our spectacular
victories while he was in command Of
the Japanese Navy.
His successor, Admiral Soemu Toyoda,
is still an unknown quantity. He does
not have the brilliance of Yamamoto,
but he is said to be less cautious" than
Koga. We will find out more about him
in the very near future.
\
In the meantime, the imperial navy
has suffered from war Of attrition.
The American submarines have played
glorious role. Their full story will not
be known until after the war Is over.
But 1t can be said now that they have
reduced the Japanese Nays aggressive
power substantially. Most Of the Jap
Nays vitality important oil tankers
have been sent to the bottom Japan's
yards are now producing small tankers
seldom exceeding 1000 tons. They are
useless for long range naval engage
ments The modern units OF the jap
anese Navy, battleships, large cruisers
and fast destroyers, have been kept in
hiding by the high command. They
may be coming out now.
Evening star., 1944-06-21

the chief target of our super
bombers.
Seen from the air, the industrial
heart of Japan might appear as a
string of cities hugging the wind
ing coast for about 400 miles. The
largest concentrations. reading
westward, are Yawata, Kobe Osaka,
Nagoya and finally the immense
urban ganglion of what we may call
Greater Tokyo, including the port
of Yokohama, the YokoSuka naval
base and the shipbuilding yards of
IShikaWajima There is no way in
which Japan can diSperse it's in
dustrial plant to the extent that
Germany has done, because the road
and railway system elsewhere is
poor, and most bulk transportation
is by water. Industrial Japan must
stay put and take it."
While the industrial plants them
selves are solidly built, the cities
that house the many millions of
workers are literally tinderboxes,
built chiefly of f1imsy materials
wood, paper and bamboo. Fire is
a traditional foe that strikes in
stinctive terror into japanese
hearts. The stoical front" of the
Japanese breaks down during con-
flagrations, as was vividly seen dur
ing the catastrophe earthquake of
1928 The Doolittle raid on Tokyo,
two years ago last spring, though
essentially a stunt demonstration,
caused hysterical outbursts which
the authorities are obviously trying
to avert this time. The government
radio told the people not to become
spiritually depressed" while an
army spokesman uttered a line
worthy of Gilbert and Sullivan's
"Mikado" when he announced: 1--WE
should not think that we have been
passively attacked, but that we have
actively pulled the enemy toward us"
Not even the docile Japanese mind
can extract much comfort from that
comic inversion of a grim truth,
better expressed by our General
Wolfe, who described the raid on
Yawata as "but the beginning of our
organized destruction of the Japa-
nese industrial empire" And bomb
ing, as Admiral Nimitz's current
operations clearly foreshadow, is but
one phase of what we have in store
for this enemy.
Evening star., 1944-06-21
A Plank for the District

District delegates to the Repub
lican National Convention are un-
der instructions from the party con-
vention here to work for a national
representation plank in the plat
form. work on which begins in
Chicago today.
The most appropriate plank would
be paraphraSe of the constitu
tional amendment proposed by Rep
resentative Summers of Texas and
Senator Capper of Kansas:
We favor amending the constitu-
ton so as to provide that there shall
be in Congress and among the electors
of President and Vice President
members elected by the people of
the District constituting the seat of
Government of the United States.
1t is no easy job to compose a
statement of party principles that
will meet the wishes and avoid the
prejudices of all the delegates and
the likely candidate, and the process
always involves compromise in favor
of unanimity. Word has gone out
this year that the platform is to
be model of brevity.
But it should be unnecessary to
compromise with the principle rep
resented by a plank favoring the
Americanization of citizens who live
in the District, giving them, if not
the right of local sovereignty, at
least the right of participation in
their sovereign Government.
Evening star., 1944-06-21
The Exit Neurs

With the Mannerheim Line shat
tered, with the Red Fleet in action
in the Gulf of Finland and with
Marshal GovorovS crack forces
capturing the key seaport of Viipuri,
1t seems even more probable than
possible that the Firms will soon be
knocked out of the war. Reports
of impending changes in the per-
sonnel of the Helsinki government
are therefore entirely credible, since
such changes would be a logical
preliminary to working out ar
mistice terms with Russia.
Though it might still leave un-
solved the problem posed by the
Nazi divisions reported to be in the
northern part of the country, the
end of Finnish resistance would
have a far-reaching effect on the
course Of the war as a whole For
in a political and psychological
sense, it would reverberate through
Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.
and in a military sense-which is
of more immediate importance-it
would constitute great flanking
protection for the Russians in the
event that they open drive in the
Baltic area in conjunction with
other offensives through Poland
and Romania. Moreover, with Fin
land out. the German position in
Norway would probably be adversely
affected. In sum, by making Hit
ler's overall situation more difficult
than ever. it would shorten the war
and thus help save the lives of many
Russian, British, American and
other Allied troops-a fact which
explains why our State Department
sought some time ago to influence
the Firms into accepting Moscow's
offers Of a negotiated peace.
Accordingly, despite the fact that
they have long had high and even
affectionate esteem for Finland, the
American people. from the stand
point of Fastening the downfall Of
the Nazis. have good reason to well
come the prospect of an early
Finnish surrender. Indeed, it must be
welcomed by the Firms themselves,
for with their small population and
limited resources they can Ill afford
to bleed themselves white in a
futile battle against one of the
mightiest of our Allied powers, par
ticularly when by so doing they help
Hitler more than they help them
selves.
AS for their future independence
and security, the Firms may suspect
the worst, but faith is often wiser
and more realistic than suspicion,
and they may serve themselves we'll
II they temper their doubts and
fears by giving thought to this:
That the United Nations, including
Russia, which has given copiously
of its best blood to beat down the
Nazi tyranny, are solemnly pledged
to build a better world in which ag-
gressors will be held in check and
in which our international society
will be based on the principle Of
cooperation, freedom and sovereign
equality for all peace-loving states,
large and small. In such a world,
surely, Finland can be confident of
finding its just and proper place.
Evening star., 1944-06-21
In Mormon Fields

with acknowledgment to John McCrae.)
In alien OF fields the earth is red
With drotDsy poppies. Overhead
The fearful bomberS roar and fly
On tatetul missions through a shy
From Which all other tUtngs haze fled.
Here 1ohere our gallant fathers bled
We keep our copenant' t0ith the Dead
And tollo,o those tUho came to die
In alien fields.
We bear the torch inherited
From those at rest where poppies shed
Forgetful sleep. II De must lie
Beside them-to our sons ,De CRY,
"Be yours to triumph In our stead
In alien fields"
INEZ BARCLAY KIRBY.
Evening star., 1944-06-21
Subsidies and Living Costs
From the Glasgow Herald

from the GLASGOW Herald.
The subsidies have fully justified
themselves in stimulating food produc-
tion at home, and so reducing our de-
pendence on foreign and overseas inn
ports. From that point of view they
seem to have become an integral part
of state policy, which it will be difficult
to end after the war. But they have
also kept down the cost of living in
towns, and Lord Woolton is not the only
induStrialist who has paid unstinted
tribute to their value in reducing the
sharp and, indeed grossly excessive in
cidence of up-and-down price gradients
in the prices of bread and meat It is
not a negligible fact that the people of
this country pay only ninepence for q
4-pound loaf, whereas the price in the
great wheat-growing countries ranges
from shilling to Is pence.
Evening star., 1944-06-21

Germany and the whole world. He
seems, In a way, not unlike Musso-
lini after the surrender of Italy-a
vainglorious Caesar who has sud-
denly and most publicly begun to
lose the saWduSt that once made
him look so strong. We may hear
from him yet, of course, but if we
do, the voice will almost surely be
that of man staring into the face
of his own doom as he rants on
emptily and Historically.
Evening star., 1944-06-21
Isolated Battlefield
Bv Mai. Georse FieId;ns Flint

, Fielding Eliot
Seine between Paris and the sea. OF
these. 8 are down and are unserv-
iceable
There are II railway bridges over the
Loire between Orleans and the sea. OF
these, 6 are down and 4 are unserv-
iceable
There are 20 road bridges over the
Loire between Orleans and the sea. OF
these, 8 are down and are unservice-
able.
Remember that the major concentra-
tions of German reserves were in the
area north and east of Paris, with a
somewhat smaller concentration in
Southern France. Also take note that
the whole French rail system centers
on Paris, and that it is extremely diff
cult to route any great amount of traffic
from the south or east to the north and
west without going through Paris or
the system of interlocking belt railways
just around Paris, all of which are con-
trolled by bridges over the loops Of the
Seine.
You now have all the essential facts
to understand why. there has been no
major German counterattack In Nor
mandy so far
The German commander found that
we had isolated the battlefield.
For counterattack purposes he was
dependent on:
% The defensive troops and mobile
reserves already within the cutoff area.
(2) Such driblets of reinforcements as
could be gotten into the area, after much
re-routing and confusion, over the
bridges which escaped destruction. or
over pontoon bridges. AS to the latter,
it is hardly to be supposed that the
scale of bridging equipment available
was such as would be carried with an
advancing army.
go Such forces as could be sent
around Paris and then transferred
through the city to stations on the
farther side of the Seine.
1t was this last recourse, apparently,
which proved the most useful to the
Germans That is why the weight of
the German effort has fallen on our
eastern flank; and that is why we have
sought to hold strong defensive posi-
tion barring the Paris Caen- Cherbourg
road while we have proceeded with the
cutting off of the Cherbourg Peninsula
behind the Caen shield But all in all,
the Germans have not been able to solve
the problem presented by the blown
bridges, plus the additional problem of
constant air attack and sabotage against
moving troop and supply columns in
side the isolated area.
lcopyrisht, ls44.)
Evening star., 1944-06-21
Interference
From the Montreal Star.

From the Montreal Star.
History will record that labor played
great part In winning the war. It will
be called upon to play an even greater
part In winning the peace 1t must
share grave postwar responsibilities with
management, and the measure OF its
success will be the loyal cooperation OF
cooler heads and clearer thinkers.
Hotheads, both in labor and man
agement. do disservice to both. They
succeed only. in corroding that essen
tial good will without which little or no
progress can be made toward the goal
OF peace and contentment
Evening star., 1944-06-21
Complains About Pool Line

Complains About Pool Line
To the Editor of The Star:
Who are the officials responsible for
fixing prices at Mckinley and, presum-
ably, other District of Columbia swim
ming pools, and particularly the age.
price line dividing children and adults at
II years? e seks
AS matters stand, my 11-year- -old son
until his 18th birthday can dress at
home, within $50 feet of Mckinley
pool, and swim to his hearts content for
the very modest charge of IL cents. If
he makes his toilet at the pool, locker,
towel and the swim would cost him (me)
only 20 cents.
But soon he must, as my 14-year old
daughter and other members of my
family now do, pay 40 cents a swim
whether they make their toilets at home
or employ the bathhouse facilities.
1t may be that the city pools are un-
able to cover costs at prevailing COM
mercial pool prices and that the rates
should be revised, say. to Is and 25
cents for children and 80 and so cents
for adults.
But in any case, the age-price line
should be raised to 16 years, perhaps
higher, for the swim money of most
teen-agers comes from their parents
purses, already drained by high living
costs, high taxes and the urge to con-
tribute to Red Cross, Community Chest
and other worthy causes
At present rates, thousands of District
children are deprived of one of the best
and most healthful alternatives to street
loafing and often consequent juvenile
delinquency these and tor other public
officials deplore so loudly and do so little
to remedy. J. w.