davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-12-27
Senator Blair Lee

Most men who reach eighty seven
have outllved their contemporaries
and for many years have sought the
relative secluslon of retirement. 10
that the momentary prominence of
death brings recolleetlons Of A past
that many Of those now living did
not know. THUS The death Of for
mer Senator Blair Lee Of MARYLAND
means little TO younger genera
tions yet to others the name recalls
food of memories of A gentleman
who was sIngularly distinguished by
the friends he made through the
grace and charm of his rare per-
sonallty Senator Lee came from
ancestors. on both sides Of his fam
lly. who left their mark IN the pub
lie life Of the Nation and this com
munity. Ills instincts and his
manner reflected that breeding. His
own attainments In public life were
modest. yet he leaves name asso-
clated with sound legislation that
contributed notably TO the progress
OF his native State. In the affection
ate regard of many OF his former
constituents he never ceased to be
"the Senator" from Maryland 1t
Is characteristic OF him. however,
that in the memories which his
death recalls, one thinks OF him
more as friend, champion Of the
small boys invited to romp and play
on his Maryland farm, and as a de-
lightful companion than as one who
sought or gained eminence In po-
litical affairs. He was a good man
and he shared With others the full
ness OF the years he lived.
Evening star., 1944-12-27

minis brilliant performances on 4
single string even now are = legend.
He taught the fiddle 10 talk" ~
none OF his forerunners ever did.
Pope Leo XII conferred Upon him
the Order OF the Golden Spur. Fur
ther honors were heapsd Upon him
In Vienna, Berlin, London and Paris.
Some writer's say that he married
Antonla Bianchi. 4 beautiful dancer,
whom he met In Venice In 1915.
During his final years he lost a large
sum Of money through the failure
OF scheme TO operate monu-
mental gambling house and concert
hall combined. He died In Nice.
May II, 1B4O.
What remains Of the achievement
OF paganlni Ia illustrated very at
tractlvely In the Library OF Congress
display. His enormous popularity,
his wealth. his adventurous charac-
ter. even his occasional charlatanism
and most especially his legitimate
claim TO enduring fame ~ a crea-
tor--all these aspects and phases OF
him are demonstrated. The art Of
the violin ID different because Of his
contribution TO II. No player Of II
today IL not Indebted TO him.
Evening star., 1944-12-27
Ease of Borrowing Deplored

Ease OF borrowing Dcplored
To the Editor OF The Star:
Your editorial "Meriting a Veto'
treats one phase Of increasing the bud
get which probably will continue until
expenses reach the point where re-
trenchment all along the line becomes
absolutely necessary.
1t seems that the main cause OF un-
necessarily large expenditures Ia tho
ability Of the Treasury Department to
raise unlimited sums Of money At very
low rates Of interest, which Is further
lowered by taxation. Also no sinking
funds are required. 20 that bonds will
be retired at maturity. In raising money
at very low interest rates, the Treasury
Department ID rendering the country
. disservice, for money is like time;
the less you have 1t the further you
make 1t CO."
This great mass Of low interest pay
ing bonds stands to benefit the banks
principally, since they pay little or no
interest on deposits which are largely
invested In Government bonds. On tho
other hand. insurance companies. build
Ing associations, etc., which pay In
terest and dividends on money In
trusted to them naturally do not fare
80 we'll.
Many members Of Congress, under
pressure, vote for unwise legislation SIS
unwilhngly as they give some contri-
buttons and tips, 50 veto in such cases
is not altogether displeasing to them.
J. r. SMITH.
Evening star., 1944-12-27

and play at this game OF economic
rummy. And let us assume that the
war is over The most recent peacetime
national budget We have IS Of 1889
Forty-five million were employed then.
We shall need $4,000 900 more. And SO
We provide for $4,000 900 unsupported
Jobs.
Since hudget-makins these days pro-
vides nice little drawings to represent
men, let US show. picterially, what this
means. Our picture shows three men
pulling one man In a cart, Then let us
have a picture showing what happens
II anything happens to one OF the sup
porting men. He will then be put in
the cart with the other superfluous man.
So two will be pulling two. And so
forth. The reader can supply other pic
torial possibilities.
Then. when all seems ready for the
printer, some White House assistant
rushes in with new fact. He says
that he knows q man who insists that,
with the technical improvements which
have been developed in this war, we can
produce Is to 20 per cent more goods
and services with the same number OF
men as were required in 1899, and that
so million persons can produce twice
the goods and services in 1899, That
knocks the budget into a cooked hat.
viii that mean more men in the cart
or more men pulling the cart? I don't
know and I don't know any one who
does know And surely no one who
would be helping the President with
his budget has indicated that he knows.
But lot of people know the grim
fact that the more people who are
riding in the cart, the less incentive
there will be for the men who are
pulling the cart. And this cart has no
means of mechanical propulsion. 1t is
one kind of machine which has not
been improved in this war.
(Released nv Associated Newsnaperx Inr,
Evening star., 1944-12-27
The Senate 'Gosplan'
By Raym ond oIey

Senator James e. Murray and his
Senate subcommittee must have had
the Russian "Gosplan" before them
when they wrote the report submitted
recently For In many respects the
Russian central economic plan has been
followed exactly. The only thing that
10 missing In the Murray plan Is a
specification of how the committee ex-
poets the President to operate its
scheme under the Constitution and a
system OF free enterprise.
In short, Senator Murray and his
jectives and. having placed the basket
on the White House doorstep. then
quietly stole away In the darkness. Such
q gift OF detectives will be Of no use to
the President. He has repeatedly stated
such detectives himself: What he would
like Il to have some one tell him Is how
to reach his objectives. And the Senate
doesn't know the answer.
A+H+
The Senate's American "Gosplan"
says that each year the President. after
drawing UP his regular budget Of Fed
eral expenditures and receipts, should
draw up . grand budget for the Nation
as whole. This would be called the
national budget.
In this proposed budget, the President
would schedule the amounts anticipated
for the Nations consumption. Prices
would likewise be anticipated. Having
done this the President would figure out
how many persons would be employed.
If this figure of employment were less
than $4,000 900, the Job deficit would be
provided for in the Governments ex-
penses In substance, therefore, the
Government would guarantee full en-
ployment Just what sort of Govern
site jobs is not specified, although there
Is some limiting at public works, flood
regulation and the other old favorites.
Let us sit down with the President
Evening star., 1944-12-27
Puqunini Collection

Through the kindness Of Mrs.
Gertrude Clarke Whittall, the Library
of Congress has acquired and now
is exhibiting a unique collection of
portraits, papers and other relics of
one of the most notably interesting
musical artists of modern times-the
Italian violinist and composer Nicolo
Paganini. No similar accumulation,
it is safe to say, exists anywhere on
earth. It was brought together by
the patient effort of the late Maia
Bang Holm and represents the in
telligent discrimination as well as
the enthusiasm Of a worthy disciple
Of great master.
The story of Paganini's career has
been told many times, yet much of it
remains mysterious. He was born
at Genoa, October q, 1882, or Febru-
ary 10. 1874. and received his first
instruction from his father, "a clever
amateur" and from the maestro di
cappella of San Lorenzo Cathedral.
Later, he studied with Ghiretti and
possibly with Alessandro Rolla. His
first successful public appearance
was in his native city in 1893. While
on professional tour with his some
what severe and dictatorial parent,
he ran away and got into bad COM
pany. Then followed a period of
gambling and dissipation, alter
mating with feverish practicing,
which wrecked the young virtuoso's
health. When he pawned his violin
to pay pressing obligation, gener-
Gus French merchant-Levron or
Livron by name-gave him a mag
nificent instrument bearing the mark
of Joesph Guarnerius which ever
after was his most cherished possess
sion.
BY 1927, despite his increasing
eccentricities, he was acknowledged
unrivaled in technical slEiN. Pasa-
Evening star., 1944-12-27
Churchill in Athens

Winston Churchlll's unheralded
appearance In the Greek capital.
rocking with civil war and British
armed intervention, has dropped like
a mental bombsheli on the British
public. The fact that the Prime
Minister was accompanied by For
eign 6ecretary Anthony Eden and
that Field Marshal Elr Harold Alex
ander. Allied commander In chief in
the Mediterranean. and Harold
Macmillan. British Resident Minister
In that same area. are also present
further emphasizes The magnitude
of the Greek crisis and the intensive
efforts Of the British government To
arrive at some constructive solu-
tion. Already. conferences are he.
Ing held between the British leaders
and Representatives of all Greek
factions, the insurrectlonary EAM
being present under safe conducts
" will be Interesting TO see how
common ground for negotiation can
be discovered between the contend
Ing parties in view of the unyieIding
attitude hitherto adopted by both
sides. The EAM has certainly abat-
ed none OF It's aggressive tactics.
Besides contesting bitterly each foot
Of ground in and around Athens, 1T
has launched large-scale attack
upon it's only organized rival, the
Nationalist faction known az the
EDES which, under General Napo-
leon Zervas, has hitherto dorninat-
ed Northwestern Greece, the region
known as Epirus. That attack has
been 70 successful that most of
ZerVaa' army has been disposed Of,
largely by desertions TO the Fam,
and the remnants are fleeing 10 the
nearby Ionian Islands in the Adri-
attic, which have British garrisons.
With the crushing of EDES, EAM
would seem to control virtually all
of Greece except parts of Athens
and vicinity. And it Is certain that,
without the support of British
troops, the Papandreu government
and its small army and gendarmerie
would be quickly overcome.
The outcome of current negotia-
tions in Athens should depend large
ly upon the true policies and aims
of EAM. If, as Mr.. Churchall has
vehemently alleged, they are deter
mined to impose ruthless dictator
ship under Communist leadership
and perhaps in concert with other
Con1munistic regimes in the Bal
kans, the chances of a settlement
are slim. But if EAM is inspired,
even in part, by popular fears of a
reactionary dictatorship on the Me-
taxas model, supported by and sub
servient to British imperial aims,
then genuine coalition regime in
cluding all parties would seem to be
feasible. Meanwhile it is note
worthy that Archbishop Damaski-
nos, Orthodox Primate of Greece
and widely respected by his country
men, has issued Christmas appeal
addressed to all factions to fling
away your arms and tear up that
funeral shroud of Greece that your
bloody conflict is weaving" Per-
haps this admonition will have a
salutary effect.
Evening star., 1944-12-27

money ana In those days 4 lad ana his
sisters got dime apiece. The choco-
late drops were tempting, but, after
all, licorice and hard candies lasted
longer.
The trading was part Of II. But
a good part Of Saturday evening In
town was the neighborinE and vis-
itlng. There were crops and cattle
and the weather to be discussed.
Recipes and patterns had TO be COM
pared. Saturday evening will hold
It's own In a world Of televlsion
and stratosphere planes because
1t Is part of democracy--a chance
for men and women TO visit and
laugh--and say what they really
think.
Evening star., 1944-12-27
Splendid Leadership
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

island. a counteref1ort against Leyte
when it is firmly in our hands is un-
likely Of success. Even if the japanese
risk the remainder of their fleet, they
now will have great difficulty in building
up sufficient land-based air support,
with their bases on Luzon under constant
attack from our carrier-based and land
based aircraft, the latter operating in
part from the new bases on Mindoro,
only $50 miles from Manila.
Therefore If there is to be a major
japanese countereffort it seems more
likely to be directed against Mindoro.
On that island the japanese land op-
position does not seem to have amounted
to much so far. That Is because we
struck at part Of the island-the south
western coastal plain which is not
easily accessible from the northern and
eastern coasts, which are the closest to
Luzon and therefore the areas into which
the Japanese can most easily move. 1t
may very we'll be that the Japanese are
building up forces In the mountains.
preparing under conditions Of the utmost
difficulty to concentrate sufiicient troops
for an attack upon the troublesome
American airfields In the southwest.
But this will take time, and now this
Leyte Is won we should be able to REIN
force our positions on Mindoro BY sea
on a far larger scale than they can move
troops by land across the trackless
mountain region Of Central Mindoro.
1t Is therefore somewhat more likely
that II the Japanese really intend to
counterattack us on Mindoro they will
try to come by sea under heavy air
cover at a moment carefully chosen with
a view to their maximum advantage.
1t may be, OF course, that they viii
give up any such idea because Of the very
great risks and the very doubtful chance
Of success. In that case they may await
our final attack on Luzon itself, as being
the position In which their own strength
Is greatest and where their communi-
cations with Japan, though precarious,
are not yet wholly severed. Such q de-
cision on the part Of the enemy might
very well compel us to improve the
security Of our communications between
Leyte and Mindoro by occupying key
positions In other OF the Visayan Islands
notably Cebu. Panay and Masbate.
In such operations We shall be greatly
aided by the Filipino guerrilla forces,
which already hold Southern Cebu and
several important areas Of Panay, as
well as parts Of other islands. The trend
OF our next move seems certain to be
toward the west, with the objective Of
establishing our air and naval power
securely with secure interisland COM
nunications behind II On the shores Of
the South China Sea.
tceSssishA 1ol4.)
Evening star., 1944-12-27
Saturday NIGHT in Town

Going to town on Saturday eve
ming is an established institution in
America. Today business is BOOM
ing, but war or no war, Saturday
evening will hold its own. Now cars
and trucks line the streets while the
farm families do the weekly shop
ping and take in the movie. At the
turn of the century, it was horses
instead of motors. 1t was, perhaps,
somewhat more of an undertaking,
but no one thought of that in the
days before the world wars and ro-
bot bombs.
Father planned to finish the
chores early on Saturday, and a lad
was always eager to help milk, bed
the cows, feed the pigs and fill the
wood box. After the supper of
baked beans, brown bread, two or
three kinds of pickles, deep-dish ap-
pie pie and glasses of cold, creamy
milk, father changed into his Sec
ond-best suit while mother and the
girls whisked through the dishes.
Mother already had packed the eggs
and the pound prints of butter with
the four-leaf clover design stamped
Into the yellow goodness.
The whole family piled into the
two-seated democrat, and the eggs,
butter and perhaps a bushel or two
of potatoes or apples were packed
under the seat. In Johnson's Gen.
eral Store-Grain, Meats, Groceries,
Hardware and Notions-the pro-
cedure never varied and neither
did it ever lose any OF it's excite
ment. While mother traded the
farm products for coffee, sugar, tea,
cinnamon, some gingham for aprons
she was making for the Ladies' Sew
Ing Circle, a bit Of red hair ribbon,
a spool of No. 80 white cotton, and
q spool of No. 20 black silk, father
bought a few nuts and bolts, some
nails and perhaps a new shovel.
Then the family gathered at the
candy counter7Ten cents was lot Of
Evening star., 1944-12-27
Letters to The Star
Complains About Reduction oi
Public Welfars Relief
To the nditcf Of The stsrt

To tbs Editor Of The etAf
Evidence wss heard this year before
= subcommittee OF the House, with Rep
resentativs DAlesandro a. chairman, on
a bill aiming at dlvestinE the Board Of
Public Welfare Of administrative powers
and transferring them 10 the Commits
sloners. with whom the ultimate re-
sponsibility rests.
Conclusive proof for the necessity Of
this change now has been afforded by
the Board OF public Welfare, W IA.
therefore, to be hoped that this bill viii
be reintroduoed when the new Congress
meets, and passed without delay.
During the interval between two ses-
sions Of Congress. without previous con-
sultstion with the Commissioners, the
board has Just announced 4 cut OF 10
per cent In al "relief' payments for
the rest Of the current financial year
In order 10 avoid 4 deficit Of 100000
10 100000. In doing this. the board
has revealed both 4 culpsble lack Of
foresight and complete ignorance Of ia
duties by failing 10 distins,ilsh between
general relief and assistance Under the
provisions III The Social Security Act.
For the former, the District alone IA
responsible; hslf the cost Of the latter
IA met by the Federal Government;
snd Ia three distinct cateaofies. Old
age assistance. pensions for the blind
and aid to dependent children should
he met by separate appropriations
hs A RESULT of failing to make the dis
tlnctioh. grants under the Social He-
curly Act In the District uf Columbia.
compared with other jurisdictlons. have
been inadequate IN the past and will
he still more m II The proposed out IA
made.
Under regulations of The Social &C.
curlty Board. every recipient NJ assist
ance under the act has the right of
appeal 10 The administering body when
ever change IA made In the amount of
his grants, n IA tn be hoped that every
one affected by the intended cut will
insist on this right and that the result
Ing hearings before the Board Of Public
welfare will be open 10 rept tesents tivea
OF the press. Existing conditions re-
sultlns from the lack Of \ proper policy
would thus be revealed. On the other
hand. social workers and others inter-
ested In social security should ssk for
public hearings TO be called by the
Commissioners In which a future policy
In conformity with the intentions OF
the act and It's administration else
where could be discussed.
FREDERIC r. WALTER.
Evening star., 1944-12-27
This Changing World
BY CoNsf1sflDIS BrOn,N

fifs from naval artillery and the support
of the aviation Il only sporadic, depend.
i1e ON the uncertain winter weather
conditions.
The Americans f,iist bear the brunt
Of the German offensive alone. The
British and Canadian forces which are
In the north In the Netherlands have
not yet bttdEed from their positions.
They themselves are faced by The Ger.
man Army and feel thst any attempt
to move from their present positions
would sive the enemy chance To 90
on the offensive In their own sector.
When we landed In Normandy last
June the British and Canadian con.
tlngefts we're only slightly inferior f1,i-
f,,erieally 10 the Americans. But "A
the battle progressed and The front
became greatly extended, more Amer.
lean troops became engaged The Brit
isli sent few II any reinforcements and
replacements They filled the gaps
created by losses from the divisions
which had landed during the summer.
On the other hand. while the Ger
mans At that tima had withdrawn q
number Of divisions from the eastern
front they did not dare weaken that
UNbbtc hFeA 700 1ucHs Inc HuAAl00
offensive toward The vistula River was
IN full swing and the German general
stan fnsy have believed III much Al
the Americans that the Russians would
capture Warsaw, which WAS within their
reach, and move Oh toward the Hsich's
borders.
This did not happen. The Red armies
sre now heavily engaged In Hungary and
are making stsbs at the Germans In
the Baltic states But for the time
being there Ia no indication that they
intend 10 fes,ine the march toward the
soft shoulder Of the German defenses
In the east. The Bresau- rosen line.
This Ia believed To have permitted the
Germans to send 10 the western front
a good deal of the equipment and war
material they have been keeping on The
eastern front 10 meet ma ior Russian
onslaught
Moreover. the Germans quick with
drawal from The Balkans enabled them
to rush 10 the western front during
the fail a number of divisions they had
saved from that area They also llber-
ated a quantity Of war material they
had to provide to their RomanIan and
Bulgarian allies before the Russians
started the liberation Of the Balkans.
This explains to A certain extent the
unstispected strength ri Won H,indstedts
armies and the difflculties which are
now confronting the Americans In their
efforts to stem the Nasi winter offensive,
Evening star., 1944-12-27

Marshal Won Hundstedts aims are now
clear He II throwing the bulk Of his
offensive forces In an effort 10 capture
Sedan, Lisge and Namiir, the principal
functions through which the Allied
armies on the western front are receiving
their supplies.
At the time of this writing u IA dificult
to forecast whether and when Gen.
Eisenhower will stop his German ad-
versary. It depends on many factors,
some Of which are known and others not
known. II the weather continues clear
the overwhelming Allied sif force may
disrupt the eremys lines Of oofnmunics-
ton With the rear 10 such an extent
that the German commander will not
be able 10 maintain his present effort,
II the weather II titlfsvorable the main
burden Of hating the Germans will fail
on the ground forces.
How strong and experienced these are
Ia one of the main uncertain factors n
Il known that the American forces In
France are enormous. But a lafae pro.
portion consists In supply services. port
battallors and engineers, The flshtins
forces and particularly the infantry on
whom falls the main responsibility OF
resisting and eventually throwing the
Germans back have been In sctiot, for
many months
A number OF divisions have never had
more than few days rest. f'hey are
being attacked by German vstefai,s who
have had several nnonths' respite behind
the nshtlna lines. The clash between
these rested and Inexperienced
forces and the Americans who have been
compelled 10 pass from the offensive 10
The defensive within the last II days will
decide the fate of the important cofn@
m'inicatiohs centefs which feed the
armies at The front.
The bulk OF the American reserves
have had only the thorough training In
camps In the United States and Great
Britain and not real battle experience
IN the past these green troope' have
proved themselves 10 be "A good "A
veterans
When we entered Normandy we had
only small number uf veterans from the
italian and North African campaigns
The majority Of the invasion forces had
not been IN action before Yet they did
a splendid lob The sItuati tion, however,
In not altogether similar 10 that Of last
summer. The American ground forces
were then on the offensive, strongly
supported by naval artillery and thou
sands NJ planes.
Now the ma iority Of the green troops"
Gen. Eisenhower IA throwing into action
are lighting a purely defensive battle
for the f1rst time There Ia no curtain Of