davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-07-31
Transportation Corps

| This is the second anniversary of
the Transportation Corps, youngest
bf the Army. Service Forces, which
is charged with the generally un-
Spectacular but vitally important
Job Of moving troops and keeping
Them supplied
q In response to the demands of
Hotal war, the corps was organized
July 81, 1912, out of the Transporta-
tion Service and other units of the
Army charged with transportation
duties. The corps operates the great
ports of embarkation, regulates the
movement of troops and War De-
partment freight by commercial car
Tiers, supervises the operation of one
ef the worlds largest merchant
fleets and has extensive transporta-
zion responsibilities in all oveseas
theaters.
Y Since Pearl Harbor, more than
100000 troops and more than 63,-
100000 ship tons of supplies were
moved from the United States to l27
overseas ports. In the First World
Var 100000 ship tons O., cargo were
sent to the AEF in Europe. More
than twice that much has already
been shipped in this war to the
European theater alone.
The corps, which is commanded by
Major General c. P. Gross, has
total military and civilian personnel
strength of more than $4,000. It's
military personnel IS 277,665-larger
than our entire pre-war regular
Army.
. The invasion of Normandy
brought the corps It's greatest test.
Troops and supplies scattered over
the United Kingdom had to be NOV
ed into staging areas and English
Ehannel ports, and they had to
Meach their scheduled destinations
With split-second precision. The job
.Eas done, however, without serious
hitch, thanks to an elaborate traflc
regulating system which was the
Evening star., 1944-07-31
Mukden

Senior readers mentally stepped
back nearly forty years when last
week they saw the report that United
States Army B-29 Super Fortresses
have been working over Mukden. It
was natural for them to remember
that it was there that one of the
great decisive military operations of
modern times took place between
February 10 and March 10, 1905. The
Japanese, under the leadership of
Marquis Oyama, cunning strategist,
staged a series of battles with Rus
sian forces commanded by the GAL
liant but unfortunate General Kuro-
patkin. In the latter's effort to
defend his line of communication
with the distant west, the outpost
OF Vladivostok threatened from
Northern Korea and the whole broad
central basin of Manchuria, he
scattered his four available armies
unwisely. The invaders, advantaged
by superior intelligence facilities,
struck at many different points CO.
incidentally. Even the independent
Mongolian bandits were persuaded
to join the slaughter.
Frederick Palmer, in "The Folly of
the Nations" tells how the Russians
marched in parade formation across
the plain while their enemies lay
hidden in the wheat fields and
picked them off," The result was
disaster to Europe's influence in
Eastern Asia. From the Peace of
Portsmouth onward, the power of
Japan steadily increased in that
zone. Mukden, the ancestral capital
OF the Manchu dynasty, became a
Japanese metropolis, so far as con-
troll of its resources was concerned.
The South Manchurian Railway, the
Chinese government railway and
other important arteries of travel
cross in the neighborhood. Not far
away are the Fushun and Yentai
coal deposits, necessarily exploited.
The hills of the province yield forest
products as well as metals. A clue
to the richness of the surrounding
agricultural terrain may be found in
numerous mills and factories for the
processing of soybeans, wheat, beets
and various fruits. There also are
oil refneries. tanneries, paper mills,
soap factories, dressing plants
and other industrial establishments
in profusion.
The original City of Mukden,
locally known as Fengtien, is famous
Evening star., 1944-07-31
On the Record
By Dorothy THOMPSON

On Wednesday last DR.. Joseph Goeb-
bels recounted In detail the ofYicial ver-
sion OF the attempt to assassinate Hit
ler His speech, in the German ver-
sion, was a masterpiece of oratory and
an even greater masterpiece Of fabrica-
ton. Through his attempt to build up
a miracle around the Faehrer he gave
away the plot.
This Is what we are asked to believe:
A colonel, Count Won Stauffenberg.
gained access to the Fuehrer on pre-
tension to make a report. He entered
Hitler's conference room where numbers
OF Officers were assembled, carrying
brief case. This he deposited at the
Fuehrer's feet. He departed without
taking the brief case. Shortly there
after the time bomb which the brief
case contained exploded. Behind the
Fuehrer stood Col. Gen. Guenther Kor-
ten. He was mortally injured. Others
among. them including Hitler's double,
Heinrich Bergner, were killed. The
force OF the blast blew other partici-
pants through the windows The con-
ference table before which Hitler stood
was blown through the ceiling. Just
where the Fuehrer remember with the
bomb at his very feet stood. IF the
salvation Of the Fuehrer was not a
miracle" Goebbels concluded, there are
no miracles"
Then what happened7 The attempt
occurred in the forenoon because Goeb-
bels reported he was called up at noon.
In the afternoon. Count Won Stauffen-
berg arrived by courier plane in Berlin
and went straight to the War Ministry,
where he met one general and two
colonel-generas. They sat in a small
room OF the ministry, and called up the
Berlin guard battalion led by Mai Emil
Remer, ordering him to occupy the gov
ernment buildings in the Wilhelm-
strasse. Maj. Remer obeyed the order,
but informed DR.. Goebbels of the fact.
Goebbels called Remer to his ofice, con-
nected him by telephone with Hitler.
and Hitler instructed him to arrest and
shoot the rebels. After that the guard
battalion went to the War Ministry, oc-
cupied 1t without firing q shot," ar
rested "few" officers, and executed
them In the courtyard. Thus the
"mutiny" was quelled.
If this happened and is not miracle,
then there are no miracles.
Every oficer entering the presence of
Hitler, even If he be chief Of staff, is
compelled to leave his pistol at the door.
He Is searched. But a relatively unim.
portant man comes In with a briefcase
Evening star., 1944-07-31
Eiqht Free Men

rs A situation has developed on the
sWest Coast which, although it in
Evolves only a few workers, ought to
{ be regarded as both challenge and
u threat to American trade unionism.
Three months ago Edward F. Dill
Ion and Harry Hook, business agents
of Lodge So, International Associa-
ton of Machinists, decreed that AFL
machinists could not work more
than forty eight hours week in
104 San Francisco machine shops.
On the ground that this interfered
with war production, the War Labor
Board ordered that the ban be lifted.
The union leaders refused, and the
ease was referred to the White
House, but no action has been taken
against the union.
{ Some of the individual members,
however, have decided to do some
thing on their own account. De-
Flying the union bosses and declaring
that lit is time to determine who
rules our country and whether we
Rre really free men," twenty ma
ehinists working on vitality needed
bearings went back to their jobs
Saturday. Twelve we're persuaded
10 quit, but eight men, including two
sailors on part time work, are stick
ang it out.
I They point out that the national
union president has asked for COM
phance with the WLB order, and
they say that in time of war, when
there is no real need for the over
time restriction, I'VE. as Americans,
feel that we have the right to work
any hours necessary to keep the
armed forces supplied with our
greatly needed product"
!, There can be no doubt, of course
that the men have this right. But it
remains to be seen whether it is a
right that can be safely exercised
Messrs. Dillon and Hook, they say,
have told the union members that
any one staying on the job in de-
fiance of their overtime ban will be
barred from any work at any trade.
under any union" in the postwar
period. I'm the face of this" the
eight men declare, I'VE will not
waver in our determination to do
what we think is right"
! That is an admirable decision but
IT could prove to be painful one,
for the machinists union, with its
closed shop contracts, has ample
bower to bar any of its members from
employment. 1t would seem that the
union bosses, in the circumstances
of this case, would hesitate to black
list the men who have stuck to their
Sobs, but there is no assurance of
this. They may 60 through with
their threat, regardless of the injury
that would be done to trade union
ism in public estimation. In that
event, it will be interesting to see
whether the Government, which
asked these men to 60 back to their
Jobs as patriotic duty, will concur
in their economic death sentence.
Evening star., 1944-07-31
Nazis' All-FrOnt POlicv
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

some source, which will take time to
arrive. but which will surely come II
only enough time can be gained and q
decision long enough STAYED of.
1t used to be said that the Germans
were hoping that the Allies would fall
out among themselves. But surely in
the moment Of victory such hopes must
seem illusory even to German wishful
thinkers. After victory, Of course, al-
liances traditionally dissolve, but already
the Germans must perceive the signs of
continued unity among the United Ma
tions to preserve the peace they are
fighting to win.
Is it possible that seeming German
inepitude in the east, plus the terrific
resistance in Normandy and Italy, is
intended to produce situation in which
the Russians will seem to have won the
war, or nine-tenths of the war, and
thus threatened the continuance of the
Allied unity through mutual discords
over respective sacrifices and accom-
plishments as between the Russians and
the western Allies?
Or do the Germans have yet another
hope-the new Va weapon, perhaps .
giant rocket Of enormous destructive
PoWCli 4S tLlc IcAl SAplHuAtlOn OF L0elr
sacriflcial resistance in Normandy an
attempt to prevent an Allied break
through to and beyond the Seine, to-
ward the rest of the area from which
these rockets are to be launched against
Great Britain?
Do the Germans hope that as this
rocket threat develops into reality, the
Allies will be compelled, whether they
wish to or not, to launch an attack
across the Straits Of Dover against an
area where the Germans are more fully
prepared to meet them than In any
other. and is this the reason why the
German defense forces In that area are
being preserved at full strength when
reinforcements are so badly needed In
Normandy?
II so then indeed we are seeing great
race against time-a race which viii be
won by the Allies If we break out OF
the Normandy peninsula before the va
gets seriously into action.
(coDfisht 1914, New York Tribune, lne)
Evening star., 1944-07-31

trolling body Of this military y-political
organization, whose number Is said to
exceed 100000 men. A young scion of
Prince Bismarck's family, Graf Won Elm
stcdel, Is reported to have become the
mouthpiece Of the organization. Be-
cause Of his background as the great
grandson Of the Iron Chancellor, Won
EtnStcdel carries q good deal OF weight
with the rank and file.
Wilhelm PECK, Walter Ulbricht and
Wilhelm Florin, leading Communists
who escaped from Germany when Hitler
took over Germany and who are high
IN the favor Of the Moscow Politbureau,
are reported to be political brain-trusters
OF the organization. They are drafting
plans for the new Germany and keep
close contact with the Communists who
remain in Germany and who are either
undercover or are even members Of the
Nazi party.
Careful selection has been made of
the prisoners of war who form the
bulk Of the army which 1t is believed
mere Will be sent to introduce q new
political system IN Germany under the
shadow OF the Red forces. Not all the
prisoners are accepted in this new Elite
Corps. Only those who have answered
the appeals signed by Gen. Won Seydlitz
In the name Of the committee and have
surrendered to the German officers
designated by him at certain command
posts Of Russian field headquarters are
accepted without further questioning.
Won Seydlitz requested that entire
formations from platoon up report to
his delegate and surrender In each
case the unit was marched to the rear
with its commanding officers and sent
to special camps under control of the
officers of the Free Germany Committee.
The others. who we're either captured in
battle or already were in prisoner camps
but asked to join the new formation.
are subjected to thorough investigation.
The committee itself was frowned on
last year by the British and American
Governments. During his conference In
Moscow Secretary Hull suggested that
1t be disbanded. Foreign Commissar
Molotov promised that his request would
be compiled with. Later, however, the
Russian government convinced Mr.. Hull
that the committee had an important
propaganda value among the German
troops in the east.
Now, according to some observers lust
returned from Russia, the organization
is likely to be called to play a very i'm
portant role.
Evening star., 1944-07-31
The Cause Of Delinquency
By David laurence
Prom the Quebec EAetion cstholisus.

FROM the Quebec EAction Catholisye.
In Montreal recently . week was
devoted to the prevention Of juvenile
crime. A study by the Rev. Father
d'Auteuil Richard strikes US particularly
IN this connection. He categorically
stated that "the first cause Of juvenile
crime Is housing" At . glance, we admit
the justice Of this statement. Raise
children in wretched lodgings, where
there Is lack Of air, space, hygiene, light.
sun and Joy, and you will cause suffering.
predisposttfon to illness, intellectual de-
bility and candidates for delinquence.
The child who grows up In . dwelling
which is insufficient in all respects gets
false idea Of life because he sees it as
ugly, disorderly and bad. Such an at
mosphere Is fatal to the moral as well as
physical development Of the child.
Evening star., 1944-07-31
This Changing World
By Consfanfine Bro,p,

While the American and British Gov
erninents are exchanging notes and
memoranda about what u to be done
with Germany after her collapse, Mos
COW In Its usual quiet but determined
manner already has found Its own solu-
tton-the Free Germany Committee.
The Red Armies are only $50 miles
from Berlin. The Allies are nearly
twice that distance. There seems to
be little resistance in the path Of the
Russians. whose progress toward the
heart OF the Reich is counted in tens
Of miles every day.
The Allies in the west are facing n
much more determined enemy in inch-
ing their way toward Paris. The
chances Of the Reds entering Berlin
much ahead Ct the Americans and the
British are excellent. Under these con-
ditions. Premier Stain will have the
first chance Of putting into effect his
ideas as to who should follow Hitler
and his regime. And he seems to have
found the answer.
The Free Germany Committee was
the brain child of Premier Stain II
was created in July, l943, after the first
major defeat OF the Hitlerite forces at
Stalingrad. Its nominal head is It. Gen.
Walter Won Seydlitz, the second in COM
mand OF the defeated German 9Th Army.
The bulk Of the 9Th Army's troops to
whom have been added tens OF thou
Sanes other German soldiers forms the
nucleus OF strong police force which
the Russian Premier intends to send
into the Reich soon after the Red Army
crosses the German borders and all reg
ular authority. including that of the
Gestapo. ceases to exist.
The main characteristic OF members
OF the Free Germany Committee is their
sincere hatred Of Hitler ana his imme-
diate associates regardless OF whether
they belong to the Nazi party or are
mere opportunists who have hitched
themselves to Hitler,s chariot. AS a
military organization the committee is
excellent. The months its members have
spent IN camps especially designated BY
the Moscow government have indoc-
trinated them in the new political phase
which Is likely to follow the old Com
munist theory-the Communist nation
alist theology. 1t suits the German
mentality even better than the Russian.
Outside Gen. Won Seydlitz, who pa
rades around Moscow with all his or
ders and decorations, there is a large
variety of elements forming the con-
Evening star., 1944-07-31
When Your Plane Tokes
FLIGHT

You rise to heights xnknotpn To nm.
,Dho stays
Upon the ground,
Your silver ,pings rsfect the sun.
lights rays.
I hear the sound
OF ,ohhring motors spinning on thyouoh
space
Above thA haze
Much longer than the naked eye can
trace
The trail you blaze.
And 'ohen the sound srops faint and
dies dtDdy,
With tears turn
And knsel upon the s.ctmmins ground
and pray
your safe return.
Nay God help those icho fashion shins
that fy
70 make them safe to pilot through the
sky.
CARRIE MAREcY BORING.
Evening star., 1944-07-31

The Germans are apparently fighting
everywhere to gain time; to stave of
decision at any cost. This appears to
be the fundamental purpose underlying
their present policy on all fronts. But
that policy takes a different form in
the east and in the west.
On the eastern front, for example,
they have accepted the isolation OF
their northern army group even after
more than half the divisions of the
central army group had been destroyed
rather than withdraw it toward East
Prussia while there was yet time to
do so.
Had they withdrawn both groups to
short lire covering East Prussia, the
approaches to Warsaw and the upper
Vistula to which line they are now
being forced anyway the result might
have been q battle of decision along
that line long before now-but 1t would
have been battle in which the Ger
mans would have had q much better
chance Of holding fast than they do
now
In Italy they are tenaciously fighting
for every inch Of ground in a battle
in which, quite obviously, their left
flank is in danger Of being turned, with
the consequent loss of Kesselrings
whole force, or at least serious danger
OF its loss. Had they withdrawn to the
Alpine passes long ago. the Allies would
have had Northern Italy and might now
be fighting for southern invasion Of
France-but the Germans would have
had 20-odd more divisions with which
to repel these attacks.
In France they are still trying to coop
up greatly superior Allied force inside
the Normandy Peninsula In q battle
which clearly can have but one issue:
The Allies will break out and the Ger
man forces will then be in peril OF being
enveloped and smashed before they can
get back behind the Seine. Yet the
Germans hold on and they do not-as
yet at any rate-show any signs of
bringing down reinforcements from the
heavily held coast of the Pas de Calais
region.
So 4
All this does not make sense except
for nation which hopes for relief from
Evening star., 1944-07-31
Questionable Policy

The Civil Service Commission
report, praising the Army Service
Forces for reducing personnel 80 per
cent despite a 20 per cent increase
IN work, comes as surprise in view
of the fact that the ASF Is lengthen-
ing the hours of thousands of en-
ployes from forty-eight to fifty-four
weekly to meet "a critical situation
arising from an accumulation of
unfinished work"
According to the commission re-
port, released through the White
House, the ASF, in compliance with
presidential order calling for full
utilization of manpower in the Gov
ernment, cut of nearly 10000
employees between June. l943, and
March Of this year. and likewise
reduced military personnel, with a
resultant saving of $7,000.000.
Unoff1cial comment from the War
Department is to the effect that the
cut was the outgrowth of House Civil
Service Committee criticism of the
stating of Federal agencies.
Whatever the reason, it seems clear
that the reduction was unwise and
uncalled-for, if there is justification
for Lieutenant General Brehon B.
Somervell's order establishing the
nine-hour day to clear up the back
log of work. II is to be assumed that
the delay to Government business
has been costly. and the monetary
saving will be offset further by the
overtime rates that must be paid to
the employees for the extra labor.
Nor is there any assurance that the
longer work day will be a wholly
satisfactory solution in the light of
the often-advanced argument that
increased hours make for lowered
efficiency.
The incident serves to support
those critics who have contended
that an intelligent personnel policy
is a major need Of wartime gov
ernment.
Evening star., 1944-07-31
The Oil Conference

The conversations on OF. now pyo-
ceeding at the State Department
between American and British ex-
perts have two objectives, the first
very practical and pressing, the
second in the realm Of postwar world
organization.
Primarily the conferees are seek
ing to stave on any possibility
of friction between America and
Britain because of their rival in
terests in the rich petroleum fields
Of the Near East, a development
that would be tragic at time when
complete harmony between the two
powers is necessary for the large
task Of organizing postwar security.
Secondly, the two greatest exploiters
of petroleum would like to reach a
friendly agreement with all third
parties in conflict with their oil
interests.
In these days of close brotherhood
in arms between Britain and the
United States, it is difficult to realize
that in the middle 1920s the rivalry
between petroleum interests of the
two countries was so bitter that it
caused diplomatic clash between
London and Washington. One cor
respondent who covered the State
Department during that period con-
Sidered the quarrel sufficiently
alarming to write widely-read book
with the provocative title, I'VE
Fight For Oil"
At the end of the World War, the
United States believed that it had a
legitimate interest in the wealthy
Mosul fields of 1raq which had be-
longed to defeated Turkey. Conse-
quently American oil interests and
the State Department became
alarmed when Britain and France,
by the San Reno agreement of April,
1920, divided the area between them
selves and left this country in the
cold.
The United States Ambassador to
London, John w. Davis, was in
structed to protest vigorously to
Lord Curzon, the British Foreign
Secretary. The controversy simmered
along for more than half decade
and, combined with increasing naval
rivalry, deeply embittered relations
between the Anglo-American pow
ers. 1t was not until 1927 that the
British gave way and an American
company, the Near East Develop
ment Corp, gained a quarter inter-
est in the Iraq Petroleum Co.
Since then American oil interests
in the Near East have increased
enormously, rivalling those of the
British. Among the most important
concessions now held by united
States firms are those Of Standard
OIL of California in cooperation with
The Texas Co. in Saudi Arabia and
on the, island of Bahrein in the
Persian" Gulf. = ~
Fear that new controversy might
arise f1ared UP last winter when
Secretary OF Interior Ickes, as the
Petroleum Administrator for War.
and British oil interests announced
about the same time plans to con-
struct new pipelines in the Near
East which would have given either
party strong competitive advan-
tages. Fortunately it seems that
timely craftsmanship may head off
revival of the old oil war.
Evening star., 1944-07-31
NORVELL I. FERRIS,
Joins in Criticism of Radio

Joins in Criticism of Radio
70 the Editor Of The Star:
A few days ago your paper carried
letter written by r. Millican, on
Commercials" which I think is timely.
A few years ago we had wonderful
programs: one scarcely knew which to
choose. Now If we can choose one, we
are doing well-such voices as are in
fiicted upon US: one wonders where
they were found.
Some products I might like to use
leave alone because OF the disgust and
abuse of the "barkers." who seem to
look upon the public as morons.
M. L. w.