davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-01-24
lutiunn

No official announcement has
been made as yet concerning the
exact location of the new Allied
beachheads on the west coast of Italy
but the Germans have let it be known
that they are in Latium and the
enemy's admission probably deserves
consideration as an approximate
statement of fact. 1t certainly is
logical for the Allies to wish to oc-
cupy the shore between Gaeta and
the mouth of the Tiber Good roads
lead north toward Rome over sand
dunes which parallel the Tyrrhenian
Sea. One highway runs from Terra
Gina over the Pontine Marshes to
Cisterna, Valletri and Ciampino;
second starts at Sabaudia and
third at Nettuno. There is a rail
line from Minturno to the capital.
Nature offers no difficult obstacle
to Allied progress. The country is
infinitely easier to negotiate than
the mountainous Campagnia has
been.
Every square yard of the territory
is historic. Latium was inhabited in
the copper age which preceded the
bronze. During the third or fourth
century before Christ thirty inde-
pendent cities formed a so-called
Latin league under the leadership
of Alba, thus intending to defy the
growing power of the Roman re-
public. Gradually, however, the en-
tire terrain was brought under con-
troll by the stronger force of the ag-
gressive metropolis. The issue turned
not so much on the results of pitched
battles as upon the steady advance
of Roman colonization The Via
Latina and the Via Appia were
monuments of a sort to relatively
peaceful conquest.
But prosperity did not follow in
evitably upon Rome's expansion.
Latium fell into the hands of
class of aristocratic landlords
whose vast estates were cultivated
by slaves with little hope of reward
for their labor. The free agrarian
population disappeared, the towns
decayed, travel was unsafe, malaria
Evening star., 1944-01-24

confidence does point these things out
they are not going to be done. The
truth is that there is no one except Mr..
Baruch in position to save a situation
admittedly grave No one with his ca
pacity and prestige is working on the
subject. Asked by the administration
to make the study, no one else has his
opportunity to speak out with force and
effect. The need is very great.
AS one thoughtful man said the other
day, we are moving toward the gigantic
crisis of the postwar period as unpre-
pared for the peace problems as, at
Pearl Harbor, we were unprepared for
the war. Mr.. Leon Henderson, certainly
not one to minimize New Deal capacity,
says We are the only country in the
world without postwar economic pro-
gram. On the one hand, we have per-
sons within the administration, such as
Vice President Wallace, feverishly de-
claring that there is no need to bother
about the size of the national debt; and
that the national income after the war
will be great enough to take care of
Evening star., 1944-01-24

American effort is to be devoted to the
defeat of the Nazis. Consequently, they
cannot expect important reinforcements
until the show in Europe is sufficiently
advanced to permit the sending of large
bodies Of troops across the Pacific.
The myth of Japanese invincibility
has long been exploded In most Of our
operations, with the possible exception
of Tarawa, the American forces which
invaded the peripheric island protect
ing Japan were numerically inferior to
the Japs. But while the japanese SOL
dier has shown himself a fighter less
to be feared than he appeared in the
dark days of 1912, the effort required to
dislodge the japanese from their posi-
tions is great
The Japanese high command is even
more reckless with human life than
formerly.
There are. for instance, about $4,000
men in New Ireland. The United States
Navy has succeeded in practically
Evening star., 1944-01-24
Dorothy Thompson

compulsory; complete economic equal
ity Is established for each category Of
soldiers and officers; profit is abolished:
and service and good comradeship are
the impetus. The Army, as a social
order, is military socialism.
The soldier feels that Americans are
not sacrificing enough. But he is not
clearly told that the reason is the
American production miracle, which has
confounded all expectations. Just after
Pearl Harbor we were told that we would
have to reduce our living standard to
the level of the 1888 depression, because
there wouldn't be enough consumers
goods. Thirteen months later the
President warned that consumers goods
would be reduced by 25 per cent, that
inventories were failing and we would
have to suffer.
We all got ready cheerfully to sacri-
flee. But this darned economy just
won't let us. With so per cent of all
production going to the armed forces
and with every Army and Navy demand
met, the American system last year pro-
duced over $50 900 900 900 worth of con-
sumers' goods. So apart from doing
without a few durable goods and such
essential war materials as gasoline.
there just aren't any shortages and the
only way we could make ourselves suf-
fer would be by decreasing production.
This has never happened before in
any war or in any country To our
Allies, who have pulled in their belts
for years, 1t seems suspicious. But its
America. it's freedom from want in
the midst of war, and all of us should
be looking at this miracle and planning
how to make it 60 on ticking when the
boys come home
tFeleased BY the Bell Syndicate, Incl
Evening star., 1944-01-24

national service act will prove the most
cumbersome manner Of doing it, in a
country as large as ours. Why not apply
more private enterprise and imagina-
ton to the problem? There is not
single regular radio program, on a Ma
tion-wide hookup, telling workers exactly
where they are needed, for what work
and at what wages Why don't the
National Association Of Manufacturers,
the Chamber of Commerce, the CIO and
the AFL undertake such a program to-
gether, making it weekly or daily fea-
lures? Why not have the Government
underwrite greatly reduced transporta-
ton costs on the railroads for workers
who will pick up and move?
Mr.. Stimsons argument that the SOL
diers demand national service act to
establish equality of conditions between
soldiers and civilians, does not get down
to essentials. Mr.. Stimson is right that
the breach between soldiers and civil
ians Is growing, and could produce a
menaclng social situation But how
much Is the Army doing to educate the
soldiers in the essential facts about the
American economy?
It is impossible not to have double
standard for soldiers and civilians II
civilians are to live in the world of the
soldier, we must abandon the private
enterprise system and establish mill
tary socialism. Our civilian world Is
based on competition for profit For the
workers competition takes the form of
collective bargaining for their share in
what is produced. The system involves
constant adjustment between the claims
OF labor, capital, farmers and profess
sionals. for equity.
The soldier lives in totally different
society. Obedience and discipline are
Evening star., 1944-01-24

took hundreds Of lives each season.
Cicero, Horace and Strabo testify
to the misery Of the remaining COM
munities.' A happier period devel-
oped during the empire when
Claudius, Nerva and Trajan gave
the neglected area their con-
structive attention. Terracina was
the birthplace of Galba. Velletri's
claim to fame rests on its having
been the residence Of the Octavia
family to which Augustus belonged.
Anzio had Caligula and Nero as its
sons and was the scene of the dis
covery Of both the Apollo Belvedere
and the Borghese Gladiator. Sabau-
dia, Pontinia, Aprilla and Littoria
are more modern in origin, but even
the newest Of them owes something
to the past.
Evening star., 1944-01-24
Hill Wife

She ,Uiped the cloth and set two places
there,
The fo1Oered plate for him, the plain
one for her o1D1.
1t seemed that grief had s,Dept her heart
quite bare
And left it still and ,D71ite as anu un-
bledched bone.
Last year 1D11en they ,pere ,Ued she had
not dreamed
That he 1Oould really haze to 90 a,Day,
But, euen torekno1Ding. still she uouid
haze deemed
This dark and bitter price ,Das small
enough to pay
For long, s,Deet 1Ointer days beside their
o,Dn log fire,
For one brief April. all too starry
Uhite,
For shining love transcending all desire,
His heart against her o,cn the Silly
night.
She lifted the battered suitcase from,
the floor
And closed the latch ,Oith shaking
fngertips,
Then as his tootstep sounded at the
door
A gay song quickly blossomed on her
lips.
ALMA Robson H1GBEE,
Evening star., 1944-01-24
Constantine BrO1Vn

Of the areas we are now attempting to
capture. This does not mean that Japa-
nese production of up-to-date planes
or warships has been tagging.
According to available information,
the navy yards in Japan and conquered
territories are working on a 24-hour
schedule. And while production cannot
be anywhere near as large as ours 1t
would be q mistake to believe that the
Japs' aviation and naval power have
been seriously impaired.
The output of Japanese industry Is
inferior to the American, but 1t must
be remembered that while huge guam
titles of our production must go to our
Allies and must be divided between our
forces in the Pacific and the Atlantic the
japanese are producing only for them
selves.
Because they realize that soon after
the war in Europe Is ended America
will turn on them with full force, they
are keeping their best material in re-
serve. The recruits being called to
the colors and the entire output Of
their industry are being preserved for
sands Of men who have been given the
job to protect the outer defenses are
being cheerfully sacrificed.
Toxic hopes the Nazis will not give
up the battle soon. Every month the
war proceeds in Europe gives them that
much time to perfect their defenses,
train fresh troops and replace their
losses.
China has no more strategic i'm
portance to them than Italy has to the
Allies. Japanese military leaders seem
to take the view that China is out Of
the war and they also appear to be
unconcerned over the threat to Burma
from Lord Louis Mountbatten's forces.
They are preparing for the only battle
which will decide the Europeans fate
the attack from the West
Evening star., 1944-01-24
Frank K. Keut

bs attained without tax policy that
will permit and encourage industry to
convert, expand and perform. We not
only have no such policy now but we
have policy, as Mr.. Hanes points out,
under which conversion, expansion and
performance are just not possible And
Mr. Henderson also is right-though
there are lot Of people exuding more
or less weird thoughts on the subject,
we have no postwar economic program,
Moreover, unless We get one from Mr..
Baruch, it is quite plain that we are not
going to get one at all. Certainly, none
will be forthcoming from either the
White House or the Treasury. In the
flrst absorption in international prob
lens and military strategy is too great
to allow anything save superficial atten-
tlon to domestic problems. In the sec
ond, the utter incapacity to evolve
program has been too conclusively DEM
onstrated.
Therefore, if we get program at all
1t Will have to come from Mr.. Baruch.
And it is to be hoped that he will not
let his desire not to pose as q country
savior or seer or miracle man" or
anything of that kind, prevent him from
talking turkey" on this all-important
business OF a realistic, nonpolitical,
moral and effective fiscal policy.
The people OF the United States prob
ably have more confidence in the disin-
terested Judgment and high character Of
Mr. Baruch than of any other private
citizen. What he says along this line
will carry great weight with them and
with Congress. For one thing. they
know that he knows what he is talking
about. For another, they know he has
no personal, political, social, financial
or any other kind Of purpose to serve.
That is what gives Mr. Baruch his real
strength. Literally, no one thinks he
has an fo grind
Evening star., 1944-01-24

ashore In force, undisturbed, and that
means that We have landed not only
riflernen, but supporting elements with
guns, howitzers, mortars, machine guns.
engineer equipment, and everything else
including armored units-necessary
to beat back the enemy's coming coun-
teroperations. This first "A hours is
always all important in q landing. Ex-
cept at one or two points, we had 4
good "a hours initially in the sicilian
landings, and it was never after that a
question of driving us out, 1t was lust
question of how long it would take to
conquer Sicily.
One factor which should not be for
gotten Is the German left wing over on
the Adriatic, facing the Allied 8th Army.
The Germans have about four divisions
on that side Of Italy. They do not have
good lateral communications through
the mountains with their endangered
right wing. but they hold the road from
Pescara, Immediately in their left rear,
to Rome. They might leave part of
their troops as delaying force to hold
back the 9th Army, and rush a couple
OF divisions across from Pescara to
Rome in the hope of eliminating the
Anglo-American landing force by simul-
taneous attacks from both directions
Should the Germans try such a move
and it Is quite likely they will-much
will depend on two factors: the &C.
tivity Of the Allied Air Force in COW
ering the Rome-Pescara road and the
vigor with which the 9th Army reacts
to the German Withdrawals from its
front. Fortunately we have little rea-
son for anxiety as to either of these
essential points.
(cspyright. 1914, New York Tribune fna.) u
Evening star., 1944-01-24

It is proper to expect that there
would be coast-defense detachment
in harbor town and railway terminus
like Nettuno, and that opposition to
landing force would develop farther
inland, at least in the form of motor
lied patrols and road blocks, within an
hour or two: when landing is eff
fected within 81 miles of such center
as Rome. This, of course, always sup
posing that the bulk of the German
reserve (probably two divisions) is still
stationed in the vicinity of Rome. The
lack Of opposition to the landing sug-
gests that the German reserve may not
be there. A report from Algiers remarks
that nine German divisions may be cut
of and trapped on the 5th Army front:
the largest number previously reported
there was seven, which also looks as
though Algiers may have reason to think
that the two reserve divisions have
started south-starting, Of course, before
the landing was effected.
Evening star., 1944-01-24
This Changing World

cutting of all communications between
the island and its supply bases. The
Ireland garrison must fight with what
1t has on hand. There was no attempt
by Toxic either to reinforce or save
the garrison even at a time when 1t
was still possible. Toxic has ordered
the defense force to kill as many Ameri-
cans as possible and die on the battle
field. These orders are being obeyed.
American officers have been greatly
surprised at this lack of interest on
the part Of the Japanese officers and
supply services to take care OF their
men. From prisoners captured and
from letters found on the bodies of the
slain 1t Is evident that the japanese
troops are suffering severely from
malaria. Some of the letters are almost
pathetic. They show what ravages
malaria Is creating among the enemy
forces.
The Japanese now control almost all
the available quinine In the world. They
have means Of transporting it from the
Netherlands Indies to the zone of opera
tlons and our officers cannot understand
why enemy soldiers should be lacking
the necessary drug.
Their surprise was still greater when
after the landings at Cape Gloucester
we captured large quantities of quinine.
1t appears that the Japanese supply
services are interested principally in
carrying ammunition and arms through
the jungles to their men but are not
bothering to send them medical sup
plies.
Yet the suicide battalions continue
to do their jobs as if everything were
perfect. 1t is obvious to the American
high command that the men in the
peripheric areas are going to be sacri-
feed.
Only old-type planes and overage
warships are being used for the defense
Evening star., 1944-01-24

everything. At the same time he indicts
businessmen as greedy and makes
speeches to meetings of the radical CIO
calculated to influence labor against in
dustry generally and their employers
particularly.
On the other hand, both within and
without the administration there are
pessimists who insist that an uncon-
trolled and ruinous imitation cannot now
be averted; that debt of $50 billions,
which will be what we will have when
peace comes, is crushing burden; that
there must inevitably ensue reputation
and a period of economic chaos.
Mr.. John w. Hanes, who belongs to
neither Of these schools, but whose dis
tinguished service as Undersecretary of
the Treasury and general experience
entitle his judgment to respect, asserts
that our fiscal policy is as unsound NOR
ally as it is unsound economically. "It
is said Mr. Hanes. the vacillating,
compromising, fearful one-poicy today,
another tomorrow kind of affair char
acteristic of the vote-hungry, ward
heeling politician. The basis of our
present tax policy is not moral-it is
political"
To the truth of Mr.. Hanes' indictment
only those responsible for our policy and
the more abject administration adher-
ents take exception. Men whose opin-
ions should have most weight agree
upon two things: Cd the utter made
quacy and unsoundness of our tax pro-
gram; CO that our ability to swing a
$3.50, 900 100000 debt and avert terrific
unemployment after peace comes, de-
pends entirely on how completely and
how swiftly the productive capacity Of
the Nation can be restored to civilian
use-and then, how we'll that can be
sustained.
1t ought to be too clear to argue about
that this vital objective cannot possibly
Evening star., 1944-01-24
Maj. George Fielding Eliot

II that Is so, the German commander
has taken a chance in order to support
his troops along the Garigliano, reeling
under the blows of the 5th Army; DOS
sibly the German idea was to cover
the withdrawal of these forces to
new line reported to exist some 6 miles
to the northward. No doubt the Ger
man commander expected to replace
his two reserve divisions with two di-
visions withdrawn from the front for
rest and reconstruction. But we do
not, of course, know just what the Ger
man dispositions may be, and we ought
to have much better information on
this point very shortly. That informa-
tion will come as we see the strength
and the direction of the counterattacks
presently to be launched against our
landing forces in Central Italy.
II the Germans still have two or three
divisions intact in the vicinity of Rome,
we shall have hard fight and have it
very soon. If they have started those
divisions southwark. and must now turn
them around and come back to fight
us, they will perforce have to put their
troops in piecemeal. which will mean
a series of sharp but minor engage
ments, with our troops gaining ground
until the Germans have had time to
consolidate and make stand. In that
case we shall probably get hold of the
vital railway functions, Cecchino and
Ciampino. If we can hold those juno
tons long enough, the German troops
dependent on the west coast railways
will run out Of ammunition, food, gaso-
line and all other supplies. They will
be compelled to surrender.
A favorable point on our side Is the
fact that we did not have to fight hard
for a landing: that we have gotten
Evening star., 1944-01-24

Then take the advice of John P. Frey
Of the metal trades department Of the
AFL and streamline into a single
agency the Is Government divisions
that are now concerned with the regu-
lation of wages and conditions of en-
ployment.
And then fix formulas for the regula-
ton in equity Of wages in relation to
prices.
Without such reforms a national serv-
ice act won't prevent strikes. We will
simply have launched an undertaking
requiring an immense bureaucracy, to
accomplish something that can be done
much more directly.
II the aim of the act is to make it
possible to shift workers from nonessen-
tial industries into war work, and from
one part of the country to another, the
Evening star., 1944-01-24
Pentuqon Costs

If the War Department would
stop trying to defend the Pentagon
Building as an economy and admit
that there is no economy in war,
that war is waste from beginning
to end, but that great deal of it is
unavoidable, its argument would at
least gain more respect. It is mis-
leading to picture the Pentagon
Building as an economical operation
now saving $4,00O,OO0 a year that
would have to be paid for compa-
rable space on che outside-that will
pay for itself in eight to fourteen
years." The Pentagon Building is
merely an example of what can be
done in hurry on a grand scale by
a lavish expenditure of public funds;
so lavish, in fact, that the original
estimates of cost bore no relation
to the final accounting, misrepre-
senting to Congress what it was
being asked in the beginning to ap-
prove. The wisdom of its construc-
ton, aside from the excessive cost,
is yet to be demonstrated. It may
be put to constructive use after the
war. but that remains to be seen,
To defend 1t now as an economy is
pretty far-fetched. Representative
Engel OF Pennsylvania is serving the
public interest in accumulating all
the figures by which to reveal the
details OF one of the most astonish-
ing feats in sleight of hand ever
performed around Washington.
Evening star., 1944-01-24

an intelligent distinction between
what is true and what Is simply
propaganda.
1t is probably beyond the capacity
OF any individual to suggest a
remedy for this state of affairs. It
has been long developing and the
healing process also will be slow. AS
a beginning, however, we could not
do better than to take stock of our
moral unpreparedness," for until we
acknowledge its existence it will not
be possible to do anything about it.