davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-03-20

emerge again and demagogic phrases,
such as ballots as well as bullets for
our boys at the 'front.'" will be recog-
nized as the cheap political dema-
goguery they really. are. For the out
standing fact is that, whether or not
the President vetoes the soldier-vote
bill sent to him by Congress, every
soldier, sailor and marine entitled to
vote, and who wants to vote. will be
able to vote this time. He will be able
to vote under the laws Of his own
State.
X X
Moreover, he will be able to vote with
considerably less trouble than the
civilian at home, as he will have neither
to register nor go to the polls. With
out trouble he can do the whole thing
by mail, with the Army and Navy CO.
operating, as they must, in transport
ing the ballot In addition, he will be
able to vote for State and local officials
as we'll as for Federal. Regardless OF
Mr. Roosevelts action on this bill (and
by the time this is printed he may have
acted he, of course, can be counted
on to make a good case out for the
purely Federal ballot to which he was
Evening star., 1944-03-20
A Voteless Soldier Writes.

40 tne EQlgor OF Tne star,
Is Justice blind? Or is it that she may
not see because the puppeteers who run
the show are pleased to leave a cloth
across her eyes which once withdrawn
would bring back vision?
saw q boy upon an Army cot be-
meath a mango tree, one shoulder bare;
the sleeve was tattered where fostering
arm was crooked across his chest; the
other hand beat slow in time with
pain, sweat beaded brow and fever
frightened eyes and dreams Of honey
suckle on the Mall
Another, virile still, intent on ration
and chlorenated water in a can, Just
paused to say he was from Washington:
it was a tough patrol, they didn't see a
thing but seven dead. And on a lighter
craft whose rust was thick as plate a
cap with tarnished braid and giving
crown lay on the rail which rose and
fell offshore in tropic sea- It's owner
hunted shade and wrote: "The land is
green as grass in spring between the
trees that shelter Western High"
Ten thousand thus from Washington
and women home close crowded by
wars madness, giving all and ready yet
to give at country's call; does Freedom
live for these?
While solons bubble underneath the
dome and count on fingers votes they'd
gain or lose on soldiers ballots, who
will withdraw the blind from Justice?
w. A. r., Jr.,
18th Air Force.
Evening star., 1944-03-20
Letters to The Star
Constituent Complains About
Mr.. Cannon's Views.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star
Out here in Missouri we are con-
tributing our sons and husbands to a
deadly war, buying bonds and giving
our labor to the ration boards and Red
Cross. We think our country is worth
1t.
Then comes Representative Clarence
Cannon of the 9th Missouri district,
veteran and power in the House,
and charges in his column of weekly
Washington News" that the fat"
boys-he defines them as millionaires-
brought about the rejection of the
recent 10-billion-dollar tax bill for
a smaller billion-dollar revenue
measure. because they want to impose
sales tax on the common people
This is written accusation. 1t has
deliberation. 1t is disruptive in its
effect on persons of lukewarm patri-
otism, distressing to sincere Americans.
1t is untimely and unfortunate. 1t calls
every member of Congress unworthy of
trust and is a rank insult.
You. of course, will want the exact
quotation. Here is it: The war has cost
lot of money Who is going to pay
the fat boys or the people who make
their living with their hands? That is
why the tax bill was for two billion
instead of 10 billion. They want to get
the other eight billion out of a sales
tax. And a millionaire doesn't eat any
more than you do-not as much as a
working man eats. A sales tax is a
tax on the people least able to pay ="
A surprisingly large number of per-
sons in Mr.. Cannon's district believe
every word he writes. What Mr. Can
non says is good enough for me" is
almost proverb among his supporters.
In view of the uncertainty of the
times. such a charge against co-workers
cannot be laughed off as slick politics
when it creates doubt and confusion in
the minds of War Bond buyers and
others contributing to victory.
New Haven, Mo. CITIZEN.
Evening star., 1944-03-20
Differs With Pope About Rome
To the Editor Of The Star

To the Editor Of The Star:
1t is very interesting, indeed, to
study the appeal of the Pope to the
Allies and the Germans to spare Rome,
almighty city to which the
Christian and civilized world is look
ing for light"
But are we really looking for light"
in Rome, so many times in its history
city of sinister darkness? Certainly
I, for one, am not!
A man, If he is honest, if he has
convictions based on spiritual ideals as
contained in the eternal verities, doesn't
need to look anywhere on earth, either
to a city or a person for hght-that
is, If he is consistent, if his faith is
strong.
The world is full Of those who
believe in the simple Jesus, who do
strive to follow the high example set by
Him whose crown was of thorns, whose
robe was not jewel-incrusted, who wor-
SHIPPED in a temple mot made with
hands"
Let Rome expel the enemy, the Ger
mans, now hiding in safety within the
sanctuary, scorned and desecrated by
every Nazi, and I venture to assert, that
every Allied soldier will defend with his
life, not only Italians but their most
precious treasures. Sincerely religious
soldiers are fighting to preserve those
principles of spiritual value, set in the
hearts of men by God, and they will
not abandon lightly nor degrade their
ideals Of what Is right and just and
merciful. GREGORY DEXTER
Evening star., 1944-03-20
Rumunio on the SPOT

The appearance OF Russian van
guards on the banks of the Dniester
grimly underscores the crucial
dilemma with which Rumania is
faced. Rumania entered the war on
the Axis side in 194l largely because
Soviet Russia had forced it to hand
over its provinces of Bessarabia and
Northern BukoWina the year before.
Rumania got Bessarabia after the
last war when Russia was torn by
revolution and civil strife, though
Russia had taken the province from
Rumania half century before as
the price of aiding the Rumanians
to throw off the Turkish yoke. Bes-
sarabia thus symbolizes the shifting
and debatable character of the
border region between the Balkan
highlands and the Russian plains.
The Rumanians are in many ways
a curious folk. Claiming to descend
from Trajan's legions, they speak a
Latin language and glory in their
Latin culture, though geographically
far removed from the rest of the
Latin world. Indeed, situated as
they are on the lower Danube to
the Black Sea, they are an alien
wedge between the Slav masses of
Russia and the Balkans. This pre-
carious situation inspires their his
torlc fear of Russia, which was in
tensif1ed when the former Czarist
Empire was transformed into a
Communist state, because Rumania
is a country of large landowners
and small peasant proprietors, both
averse to Communist ideals. There
can be no doubt that when the
government of General Antonescu
joined Germany in the invasion of
Russia to redeem" Bessarabia, the
decision was popular. Furthermore,
Berlin gave its ally an extra reward
in the shape of Transdniestria, the
region east of Bessarabia with the
big port-city of Odessa.
However, Rumania had to pay
heavily for its gains. To begin with,
the German high command used
its Rumanian auxiliaries with ruth
less prodigality, their losses being
estimated at 100000. Also, German
diplomacy compelled Rumania to
cede half of Pennsylvania to Hun
gary and to give up to Bulgaria
tract known as the Dobrudja. Lastly,
Rumania itself was economically ex-
plotted by Germany SO thoroughly
that its wealth of oil, foodstuffs and
other raw materials was drained
away with no commensurate return.
No wonder that the Rumanians,
war-weary, disillusioned and fear
full for the future, seek to get out of
the war. But this is easier wished
than done. The Germans are in
possession and will doubtless fight
hard to retain their control. The
Rumanians fear Soviet Russia al
most as much as they do the Ger
mans. The western powers are far
away. Rumania is indeed in a bad
spot.
Evening star., 1944-03-20
With Cooqun in Burma

And this somehow completes the
story of how our boys grow older.
Jackie Coogan, plotting an Army
glider, landing safely in Burma be-
hind the Jap lines, flashing his
torch for others to follow, proud of
the dozen Indian soldiers alighting
with him in the jungle, brandishing
their knives. Jackie Coogan-of all
people! Do you remember that
youngster cap pulled sidewise over
hair that struggled down around
those luminous eyes, looking out
from the silent screen at the weep
ing women and the fearful men who
came to see him in "The Kid? That
was back in 1918, when he was four
years old. Then "Peck's Bad Boy"
Trouble" my Boy" "Oliver Twist"
"Circus Days." "Buttons"-and into
the early talkies of '30s, with "Tom
Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn"
But he was growing up, then-grow-
ing up and out of the pictures, max
ing way for Jackie Cooper, Bonita
Granville, Shirley Temple and an
other tribe of prodigies. Somehow
one never thinks of their growing
up, or taking their places as flesh
and blood, like the rest of us-least
of all Jackie Coogan, landing an
Army glider behind the Jap lines in
Burma. The world is not merely a
small place, after all, but it turns
the years at dizzy pace.
Evening star., 1944-03-20
First Signs

The last nelO moon of 1Ointer shone
tonight
A tiny bo1D aboUe maple bough
That broken, dripped an icicle OF White
We sucked, to find SUeetness on the
tongue.
An ash 1Oe telled to keep the 1UoodpiIe
high
Had SOFT green moss, and tiny spiders
hung
Suspended from the lUood before the fire
by flaments too slender to be seem.
Some flies buzsed at the attic 1rindolU
pane
This afternoon; ,OaSp 1Ualked, stiff
as 1Uire.
Three days ago 1Ce had an hour OF rain:
1t lett gray pock marks on the porous
SnolU
The sky toWard sunset has reddish
glOlC.
The chicadee has shifted to a song
"Fee-1Oee, ee-1Ueeee" - t1uo plaintiUe
notes, and sloW
This is not saying it 1UiH not be long
Till 1Dinter's oUer, and the grass is green,
The Shadbush Whtte, and fishing time,
and such.
We note the things that may not mean
as much
As We are likely, noU. to hope they mean.
MARGERY MANSFIELD.
Evening star., 1944-03-20
Nuzi Morale

wholly apart from its direct bear
ing on the progress of the Allied
campaign in Italy, the unparalleled
fury and concentration of last
weeks bombing attack on Casino
constituted an experiment out of
which General Eisenhower and his
staff will undoubtedly draw infor-
nation likely to be of more than a
little value when the time comes to
open new fronts against Hitler in
Europe. But the event was impor-
tant for another reason beyond this.
1t was important because it demon
stated, in an almost spectacular way,
that the fighting spirit of the Nazis
Is still far from broken-a fact that
should have a SOLDERING effect on any
American who dreams wishfully
about quick and easy end to the
war.
Here was a case in which our
bombing planes made more than
5000 sorties against town measur-
ing less than square mile in area.
Casino itself crumpled to pieces
under some 1,400 tons of explosives,
and the surrounding area suffered
equal punishment. Nor was this all,
for after the air raiders had fin
lshed their unprecedented lob.
Allied artillery, for nearly three full
hours, thundered a literal hellfre
into the ruins of the place. One
would have supposed, in the cir
cumStances, that when our infantry
moved in, resistance would be at
least negligible if not altogether
nonexistent. Actually, however, it
was fierce, dogged and we'll organ
lied, even though latest reports indi-
cate that it is now close to being
hquldated by our Allied troops
There is a lesson in this for all of
us-the simple but important lesson
that it is foolish to underestimate
the strength and staying power of
this enemy, no matter how great
may seem the superiority of the
force we bring to bear against him.
Sooner or later, of course, he is 60
ing to break on a grand scale, lust
as he broke on a small scale in Tu-
nisia. But all the evidence currently
at hand-of which Casino is one of
the more striking examples plainly
indicates that his morale is still high
and that he is capable of absorbing
many more shocks before the weight
of our power at length disintegrates
his spirit and beats him to the
! ground in surrender.
True enough, the Nazis are not
nearly so tough as they once were,
for great deal Of starch has been
taken out of them by our gigantic
air attacks on their home cities, by
our smashing Of their submarine
campaign, by the loss of Africa and
Evening star., 1944-03-20
Maj. George Fielding EHo1

upon them by the Russian blows. More
and more they are depending on mobil.
lty to take the place of actual strength;
more and more they are desperately try
ing to cover long stretches of front with
comparatively few men, relying on a
high degree of mobility and concen-
trated fire power, plus the well-known
tactical resourCefulness of German
junior officers and noncommissioned of
f1cers, as a substitute for the numerical
strength which they no longer possess,
In the mud this will not do. !
X
Finally, it must be remembered that
1t is the sustained striking power, which
only infantry possesses, which Is the
decisive element in offensive land war.
fare. The Germans have been reduc-
ing the infantry complement OF their
divisions, retaining as far as possible
the artillery, the automatic weapons
and the armored fighting vehicles, but
reducing the number of infantry regi-
ments from three to two. In some cases
they have cut infantry regiments from
three battalions to two battalions, or
have cut infantry battalions from three
rifle companies to two rifle companies.
Some battalions have become entirely
machine gun or mortar battalions, with
out any rifle companies at all.
The whole tendency has been to shift
from offensive striking power to defen-
sive holding power; from men to ma
chimes. But all of the arms, it is infan-
try which loses least in mobility from
mud. It's mobility is not high, at best,
when it is out of its trucks and on its
feet; but it can move under conditions
when no other arm save perhaps pack
artillery can move. This Is part of ths
reason why the powerful Russian offen-
sive divisions have an advantage now
why the mud Is the ally Of the Russian
infantry, the enemy Of the waning Ger-
man mobile defenses.
Copyright, 1890 =
Evening star., 1944-03-20
OPA Spokesman

In the light of the excellent re-
suits which have been obtained
there would seem to be little reason
to argue the necessity of continuing
the Office of Price Administration
and renewing the legislation under
which 1t operates. If spokesman
Is needed, however, OPA Admins
traitor Chester BoWles has demon
strated that he is the man for the
job.
Mr.. Bowles appeared recently be-
fore Senate committee considering
the renewal of OPA legislation, and,
in contrast to the experience of
other agency heads, he made a very
good impression. This was due in
part to the tactfulness and skill with
which he presented his case. But, in
greater part, it was due to the fact
that he had a convincing story to
tell.
OPA, he declared, now is control
ling some 100000 prices, with regu-
lations affecting 100000 business
establishments. In addition it is
regulating rents of $4,000 900 dwell
ing units occupied by As 100000 per-
sons, and is rationing food to 30
100000 housewives, who do the buy
ing for virtually all of the civilian
population. Despite the enormous
complexity of this task and the fric-
tions which inevitably develop, Mr.
BoWles was able to tell the commit
tee that for the past eleven months
there has been no net increase in
the cost of living.
Drawing upon a comparison with
the last war for what such an illus
tration may be worth, Mr.. BoWles
said that as of last January. after
So months Of this war, the cost OF
living had gone up 26 per cent. Dur
ing the comparable period in the
First World War the rise was 65 per
cent. In terms of dollars, he esti-
mated that the actual cost of the
war to date-$l36, 900, ,O000O0 would
have been s65,OO0, 100000 greater II
Evening star., 1944-03-20

tory will ever be offered again,
and an independent Finland may
cease to exist. That would put
the Sovet Union-ike the old Rus
sian Empire-on the Swedish border.
In those days Sweden was nervous about
the imperial power of Russia. In these
days she fears both the Soviet power
and the Soviet social pattern.
X
In recommending to Finland that she
come to terms with Russia King Gustav
is not only warning Finland, but he
is warning special social class in Fin
land, for whom the peace will be espe-
cially unpalatable. That is the relatively
small Finnish upper class Of big land
owners AS in the Baltic states, where
the large landowners-the Baltic
barons"-were of German descent, 50
in Finland the same class is of Swedish
descent. Until 1909 Finland had been
for centuries part of Sweden, and the
18th century had been marked by
Evening star., 1944-03-20
Frank K. Kent

would have been clouded for months
There also was q possibility that the
election might have been thrown into
the House Of Representatives ands .
generally chaotic condition created. The
opposition came from two quarters
first, those who saw in the bill political
scheme to vote the soldiers en- bloc for
the Commander in Chief; second, from
those who felt that If the Federal Gov
ernment could sweep aside the rights Of
the States in this instance and in this
way they could never be recovered and
there would be no limit to the domina-
ton of the Federal authorities.
Some of the most thoughtful Demo-
Gratis in the Senate regard the defeat OF
this bill as the most important action
taken by Congress in a long time-and
the most creditable. When the history
Of this period is fully written, they say,
the successful fight made against the
Green-Lucas bill will stand out as Of
greater significance than the fight
against the Presidents Supreme Court
packing bill. Had 1t become law, tha
rights of the States to conduct elections
under their own laws would have been
knocked out and Federal control really
established. :
AS things have turned out, the efforts
of the administration to make it appear
that the opposition was solely due to fear
that the soldiers would all vote for Mr..
Roosevelt, and that rather than risk
that his opponents were willing alto
gether to deprive the soldiers of their
vote, just can't be made to stick. Un-
questionably, there was politics as well
as principle in the opposition, but the
clear political purpose in the original bill
made that unavoidable. However, it
never reached the point where there was
the remotest thought of depriving the
soldiers of their vote. The truth y
everybody wanted the soldiers to vota
1t was the administrations determinas
ton to have him vote the way 1t wanted
that created the controversy.
Evening star., 1944-03-20
Dorothy Thompson

ain, as for Sweden, 1t is vital question.
The British, convinced like the Swedish
monarch, that Finland will never get
better terms, or terms again as good,
is acting in Finland's interest.
Compared with the attitude of both
Britain and Sweden, the American
stand is tepid and weak. Whereas
Britain advises plainly, Accept the
peace terms as they are" and Sweden
all but says the same, the United States
only advises the Firms to "dissociate
themselves" from Germany.
Correspondents In Helsinki have re-
ported that the Firms have still great
illusions about American policy. APP
parently they think that we will save
them from Russian peace terms even
If they stay in fighting until the bitter
end. Just how we are to fulfill this
hope-evidently not cherished by either
Sweden or Britain-is beyond imasi.
nation. And one suspects that our In
decision and timidity are for their effect
on American public opinion rather than
for reasons Of foreign policy.
But II King Gustav Of Sweden, whose
real and sentimental attachments to
Finland are certainly rather greater
than the sentimental attachment Of
Americans, dares to confront his own
people and the Finnish people with,
for them, the unpleasant truth, 1t is
time to rationalize our sentiments also.
In fact, American sentiments are
often obviously benefactory to those
upon whom they are lavished. Senti-
ments without the backing Of power
are illusions. If our direct interest in
Finnish independence YVES as strong as
that of Britain and Sweden, we might
act more realistically and give equally
unambiguous advice to the Finnish
government.
Released BY the Bell Syndicate, Inc)
Evening star., 1944-03-20
This Changing World

Moscow and Teheran conferences lasted
long enough to permit clear and frank
exchange of views among the partici-
pants The comnuniques issued at the
end OF the talks were most reaSsuring
and 1t appeared, at least to the man in
the street, that If there had been any
previous misunderstanding they had
been settled to the mutual satisfaction
of all concerned.
The scoops" from Moscow, Washing
ton and London have shaken this be-
lief And the British government, which
must be as mindful of public opinion as
the American Government is, now
thinks a proper explanation should be
given to its people. 1t is realized in
London, however, that before this can
be done, some "fence-mending" will be
necessary
A dispatch from London which was
passed by the British censor last Sat-
urday forecast such a meeting by re-
calling Mr.. Churchill's comment that
there can be no differences among the
Big Three ''if they can sit down for
frequent discussions"
The dispatch caused some surprise in
Washington. According to his intimates,
Mr.. Roosevelt did not envisage an early
diplomatic powwow after the Teheran
meeting.
The American representatives were
satisfied with the results Of that con-
ference and thought the next meeting
would be held after the offensive in
Western Europe had been sufficiently
under way to justify conference to
dictate terms to the defeated NaZis. 1t
Evening star., 1944-03-20

The fact is" he says, that the mud
is the ally of the Soviets. The Soviets
have maSsed an immense number OF
divisions for this new, big push OF
theirs The offensive armies of the
enemy were assembled just behind those
sectors of the front they have selected
as starting points for the big push.
They could always take the shortest
line to their objectives. The German
defenders, battling against the SOviets
and the mud, were in a much more
difficult position.
\; X
Some people may argue that mud
is mud, and it is~as good for one party
as it is for the other. But this time
they are definitely wrong. The German
command had naturally anticipated
the offensive of the Soviets, but it
could not assemble the operational re-
serves just behind the right parts Of
the line, as in the case of the enemy.
The German reserves had to be dis
tributed behind the line at many diff
Evening star., 1944-03-20

the Mediterranean, by the heavy
drain on their strength in Italy and
the Balkans, by their enormous de-
feats in Russia and by the prospect
of decisive Allied invasion moves
from Britain. Yet, despite all this,
they are still sufficiently powerful
and sufficiently determined to make
it almost certain that the battles
ahead will be among the bitterest
and bloodiest of the whole war.
Their very desperation makes this
probable, makes them doubly dan
gerous, gives them the morale of
trapped animals, which is morale
compounded of ferocity, fear and
the instinct of self preservation, and
as such. very great source of
strength in itself. To suppose that
victory will come easily against this
enemy, therefore, is to be overopti-
mistic to the point of frivolity.