davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-07-23
The TWENTY-NINE MINUTES
Continued from b,ecedine page

women had noticed the chevrons on his sleeve But
women are like that and the weight of silence which had
taken hold of them too heavy to be broken.
Time ran on The twenty nine minutes would soon be
up He listened carefully for the heavy rumble of the
artillery They would be time The words of his Colonel
echoed in his ears Everything runs on cockwork'
He thought also of the tmepiece. Where the devil in
all this ruin find timepece, Well if one turns
up it turns up If not Two stripes on the arm seem
lust as good three. These women would not be i'm
pressed if he returned as a captain.
He looked his sister. She seemed to feel little
scous the bruises her cheeks Twice she placed her
hands over them Then looking squarely in her brothers
eyes, she pointed with her finger to the cellar opening
He could see nothing from where he sat yet she kept
pointing silently to the black opening At length he
walked over the cellar entrance and peeed down Yes
there was another Another dead German soldier.
1t did not surprise him He had seen many And like
rats they get the damndest places to die
He WALKED down the steps and to the place where
the dead soldier was sprawed He rolled the body
kitchen knife stuck his neck. What did 1t matter
how he died? All means lead to single end.
He unbuttoned the Germans coat What luck he
exclaimed to himself "A fine tlmepece.
He drew out the watch and held to his 1t was
still going Then taking to the light OF the cellar open
ing he looked the Strange he thought that the
Germans should have the time he! And If this
watch correct his twenty minutes were Just
He came up the cellar steps and listened for the
bling heavy artillery but 1t was still far of. He had
another minute or two.
The women still seated the bench seemed to feel
that he getting ready to depart They forward
while he unbutoned his coat and secured the watch in
his vest pocket.
Still not word had been spoken. The rumble of the
artillery wagons grew louder He walked to the front OF
the house. and they walked with him At the street they
waited for the first truck arrive.
Now it was goodby. but not a word came from their
lips When the truck slowed down they kissed hun. and
he returned their embraces before he jumped the
ming board
They waved weakly. seeing each other through eyes
dmmed by film of tears He wanted to shout back that
he was corporal and they met he would be
sergeant. But this all very complicated, and he
merely waved his arm
His mother too wanted to say before the truck ar
rived: You think you big boy now that they've
given you soldier suit But you're not. You're my little
boy just the you always have been. God bless
you"
But the words did not leave her lips. She waved her
weakly The noise of the trucks was deatenng And
some soldiers shouting words OF welcome But she
did not hear them. Her little boy. and as they
waved to each other he seemed to grow smaller and
smaller
At length he vanished from her sight and she saw
nothing but great artillery rolling by endless stream
They driving to liberate another populated
place The End
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
To Lubor's ADVANTAGE

Philip Murray is to be commended
for the good judgment and common
sense displayed in his successful ap-
peal to the Congress of Industrial
Organizations for a renewal of the
no-strike pledge. Speaking as presi-
dent of the CLIO, he has shown a
complete awareness of the fact that
we are at moment in the war when
an about effort-uninterrupted by
work stoppages-is imperative if VIC
tory is not to be delayed and If
American casualties are to be kept
to a minimum.
More than that, in leading the Clio
to make an unqualified reaffirma-
ton of it's pledge at its convention
in Chicago. Mr.. Murray has effec-
lively answered certain short-sight-
ed elements within his organization
who have been declaring that the
no-strike commitment threatens to
undermine American unionism. Such
a view, he asserts, is obviously false,
for far from being weakened under
the commitment, the CLIO alone has
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
Campaigns and Taxes

In ruling that campaign expenses
are not deductible items for comput-
ing income tax, the Supreme Court
has restated principle that has had
general recognition by the courts,
Congress and the Treasury. In the
present instance. the court dealt
specifically with a provision of the
1912 Revenue Act which had been
offered to support the exemption
argument. and in holding that the
language cited is not open to this
construction, it seemingly has closed
the door to any relief short of new
legislation.
The litigation grew out of an I'M
successful race for reelection by a
State judge in Pennsylvania. He
sought to charge off an $4,000
assessment" by the Democratic
party for campaign costs and some
thing more than $4,000 in other ex-
penses. The Treasury and Tax
Court disallowed the claim and were
upheld by the Court OF Appeals. This
brought the case to the Supreme
Court.
The candidates several arguments
were rejected by the court in an
opinion by Justice Frankfurter, with
particular stress laid in holding that
the 1912 act, in allowing tax exemp-
ton for expenses incurred in "the
production or collection of income"
was not designed to cover the cost of
seeking remunerative political
office. Equally insistent, the minor
ity, in an opinion by Justice Black,
hit at the strained statutory con-
struction" that denied the exemp-
ton.
An interesting collateral angle of
the case was that it was the first of
any moment to be decided by the
court in the new term, and the five
to-four division reused immediate
speculation as to whether the tribu-
nal was set for another spell of the
disagreement that characterized its
deliberations in the last session.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
grown by almost $4,000 members
during the past twelve months.

grown by almost $4,000 members
during the past twelve months.
Actually. as Mr.. Murray rightly
sees 1t. 1t is to labor's advantage
let alone to the advantage OF the
Nation as whole-that there should
be no strikes now. Knowing that the
duration of the present great battles
and the lives of American fight
ing men depend largely on the guam
tity and tempo of production here
at home, the public at large is in no
mood to look with indifference upon
walkouts interfering with arms out
put Clearly enough. the situation
being as serious as it is. every such
interference can only result in a
hardening of sentiment against or
ganized workers; certainly, it can
not win those workers any friends.
In Mr.. Murray's words. wholly
apart from the responsibilities i'm
posed upon it by the urgency of the
times, organized labor, in it's own
self-interest, Cannot afford to take
any chances" the simple fact being
that I'VE must first win the war II
we are to maintain unionism in
America"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
On the Record
BY Dorothy Thompson

The most important statements in
several weeks have come from Gen.
Eisenhower, November 10, and Henry
Kaiser, on November Is, Gen Eisen-
hover again, and the President and Paul
McNutt on November 81, to the effect
that the tremendous battle for Germany
demands unforeseen amounts of mu-
nitions and that they were not being
delivered in sufficient quantity.
Mr.. Kaiser stated that hosts of war
workers are quitting essential posts
every day" and cited that in his own
Richmond, Calf, shipyard he had lost
some $4,000 men.
The President said, with emphasis
This is costly to lives He stated that
munition at the front was having to be
rationed.
This is a terribly grim statement.
For what is not done with shells is done
with the lives of men.
Mr.. McNutt said "manpower situa-
ton OF the utmost seriousness confronts
the country, born of the difficulty of
recruiting workers in some areas for
supercritical war programs"
The reason is clear. Foreseeing an
end of the war in Europe, workers are
defense industries and into plants man.
ufacturing civilian goods. apprehensive
that they may suddenly find themselves
out Of work.
Now of course, this Is a serious con-
dition of affairs. Gen. Eisenhower is
after decisive victory in Europe in a
matter of weeks or months. It is his
intention to defeat the German armies
now, west of the Rhine. 1t means fight
ing without pause through most ter
rible weather, worse in some respects
than the Russian, for deeply frozen
terrain Is not SO terrible for the soldier
as alternate frost, thaw and rain. adding
up to perpetual mud, and that is the
usual condition In Europe during late
fall and winter. ~ 4-4
Gen. Eisenhower is making upon our
men the most heroic demands, in order
to foil the Germans in their last hope
the hope of time; time to train men
scratched from the bottom of the barrel,
and time to perfect new and more ter
rible weapons.
We are fighting in the most fortified
area of Europe. In open country, with
. out prepared positions great amounts of
munitions are essential and help, but
the main burden has to be carried by
the men themselves, and not so much
depends on the power of great weapons
and plentiful munitions
But confronted with an enormous sys-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
Bible READING

John Quincy Adams, most schol-
arly of all American Presidents,
wrote in his diary under date of
September 26, 1910: 81 have made
it practice y to read the Bible
through in the course of every year"
The custom thus reported once was
common among considerable num-
bers of people. 1t well might be re-
vived in time as critical as the
prevailing moment. The American
Bible Society, representing more
than a hundred thousand ministers,
has proposed for reading between
Thanksgiving and Christmas a series
of thirty-three excerpts from the
Scriptures selected for their signi-
ficance to the general public. Even
If they were regarded only as ex-
amples of religious literature, the
recommended passages would be
worth the few minutes daily required
for their perusal. But reverent men
and women will look upon them in
the light of their ed origin. The
Declaration of Independence. the
Constitution and the basic charters
of the several States all derive in
language and philosophy from the
Book of Books. Now, when the ma
tional community is rededicated to
freedom and progress and peace, the
Scriptures are important as perhaps
never in the past. To test this logi-
cal theory of their value. it is neces-
sary merely to do what the Bible
Society proposes-namely. read them
anew.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
Wealth and CupituI

From the Montreal LIE Jour
After having shouted at the top of
their lungs that capital is the enemy of
mankind, the people of Saskatchewan
will discover before long that their
new masters in the C.CF. can find no
other means than capital with which to
govern. Politicians and demagogues
often confuse two distinct words, wealth
and capital. Unproductive wealth is not
capital. 1t becomes capital only from
the moment when it is set to work to
produce other goods. Wealth that Is
asleep or is wasted is not capital: it Is
a social and economic sore Wealth set
aside to produce other wealth is not
only good thing, it is an economic
necessity and social benefit. It is
capital. The capitalist is essentially a
benefactor of mankind. 1t is all very
well to denounce him. 1t would not be
the first time the dog bites the hand
that feeds him.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
Suggests Neglect of Ability


To the Editor of The Star
AS temporary warworker in Gov
eminent service here, I wish some one
would enlighten me on q few points
And may say that ! speak for very,
very many people who, like myself,
came out of retirement to help in the
war effort.
Why should ability not be recog-
nized when it is made manifest in Gov
eminent service? Case after case has
come to my attention where excep-
tional brilliance in the performance of
duty was rewarded by demotion.
Does a person have to belong to a
particular group or hail from particu-
lar State in the Union In order to be
considered of supervisory caliber? Why
should the word of a person of proven
inferiority be taken over that of an
individual who has conducted a sue
cessful and useful private enterprise?
Yet know many such cases. Seniority
In Government service and member
ship in some particular group seem
to be determining factors. All this
safeguards persons of low ability in their
jobs, to be sure, but 1t hardly improves
morale nor does it help Uncle Sam to
stretch the taxpayers dollar.
BY the way, am reopening what was
q successful though not essential small
business In my home city.
FELIX DOVE.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
Crisis In Canada

That political pepper-pot known
as the CONSUMPTION issue, which has
steamed and simmered in Canada
for the past three years. threatens
at last to boil over. Parliament is
meeting at Ottawa in special ses-
sion and the government has aban-
doned its policy of sending only VOL
unteers overseas. Beneath the spe-
cific controversy over CONSUMPTION
lies the Dominion's perennial prob
lem-the difference between French
speaking Quebec and the rest of the
country.
Quebec exhibits a political soil
darity akin to our solid South"
Quebec is strongly "isolationist" in
its attitude toward foreign policy.
In World War One it was lukewarm
toward the war effort while the
rest of Canada was for about par
ticipation, and so had CONSUMPTION
forced down it's throat by the Con-
sentative government of the day.
That caused incipient rebellion in
Quebec and left emotional scars that
never fully have healed. 1t likewise
welded Quebec still tighter to the
Liberal party, of which 1t is the
political mainStay.
When this war broke out, Canada
had a Liberal administration. Ac-
cordingly, Quebec's susceptibilities
were placated by passage of a con-
scription law providing that only
those willing to serve outside the
Dominion could be sent on overseas
duty. This so irked public opinion
in the other provinces that Premier
Mackenzie King submitted the mat
ter to plebiscite two years ago.
Quebec voted solidly against over
seas CONSUMPTION, with the rest of
the Dominion voting strongly for it.
To avoid splitting his party and risk
ing another rebellion in Quebec, Pre-
mier King has been temporizing
while Canadian casualties abroad
were mounting, and while both the
morale of overseas troops and ma
jority sentiment at home were up
set by the spectacle Of some 10000
fully-trained troops who refused to
volunteer for duty abroad.
Some weeks ago, Colonel Ralston.
the then Defense Minister, returned
from an inspection tour of Canadian
troops in Europe convinced. that full
fedged CONSUMPTION was imperative.
When Premier King declined to act
on his report, Colonel Ralston re-
signed. Now, group of high-rank-
ing Canadian Army officers virtual
ly have defied the government by
publicly supporting Colonel Ralston,
while Canadian public opinion out
side Quebec seems strongly to in
dorse his point of view.
Such is the background against
which Parliament meets in what
may be the hottest session In many
years. The political crisis which
impends is bound to have profound
effects Unless Premier King is
sustained, a general election would
seem to be the most logical conse-
quence.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24

tenn OF fortreSSes, pallboxeS, tank traps,
wire entanglements and the enemy's
heaviest fire, the life of every American,
French and British boy depends on the
intensity of our fire, which must fight
down and level the Notifications before
the assault.
The destruction of whole cities of con-
crete demands amounts of munition
surrounding imagination. The Ger
mans could not imagine the terror of
our flrepower; they felt a measure of
security behind their wall of steel and
concrete. 1t seems that behind that wall
they know they cannot fight Thus it
Is here that they are making their
most desperate resistance. If we are
once through the situation Will not be
Identical but similar to the situation
after our break-through in Normandy
To put ourselves where we now are
has cost the lives of our brayest and
best. The weeks ahead, climaxing the
entire action, will bring grief to many,
many homes. The failure or retardation
Of this action would be catastrophe.
We also are fighting in the Philippines
one Of the decisive battles of history.
Yet the battle for Germany cannot be
interrupted, and thus we shall have to
rob Peter to pay Paul, unless the flow of
arms and munition proceeds in ever
mounting crescendo.
* X
Now is the moment when the home
front should mobilize itself with all the
intensity" which is in it, Now is not
the moment for any American to think
about his future, for too many of the
most worthy will have no future except
in heaven and in our hearts, as the re-
suit of this battle for us. ~
!. Yet Ii / should try to find some ex-
PLANTATION for this. am sure, temporary
default, 1t is that the inspiration of our
war on the home front is not equal even
to our material production. Why do we
fire no great salvos to remind us of the
grandeur of our military achievements?
The sinking Of the japanese fleet off
the Philippines was one of the decisive
battles of history. 1t passed all but UNI
noticed. If the Russians had won that
battle, they would have fired salvos and
hoisted flags, and held great mass cele-
brations in the streets If the British
had won it. they would have rung the
church bells, and closed the schools for
a day.
We need to make visible and audible
our victories, won with so much devo-
ton and sacrifice and blood.
released by the Bell Syndicate Incl
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
The Nazi Reserves
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

Exceptional importance should be at
tached to the victory of the American
9th Army over the German counter
attack forces during the four days up
to November %. This is because this
battle is the first instance since the
beginning of the present offensive when
the Germans have used any considerable
part of their strategic reserve.
This strategic reserve, according to
reliable sources, now includes some
eight or nine divisions, mostly panzer
(armored) or panZer grenadier (motor-
iZeo with some armor) divisions. These
divisions have been built up at great
pains by skimming off the cream of the
rest of the army. Some of their tanks
are brand-new-right from the pro-
duction lines
AS noted in yesterdays article, this
indicates that there is probably no very
considerable replacement reserve of
tanks on which the Germans can draw.
1t is estimated the average tank
strength of these divisions is about So
probably rather more than that in the
panZer divisions, rather less than that
in the panzer grenadier divisions.
Since the German tank strength in
volved in the counterattack against the
9th Army was estimated at about 100
We may assume that this counterattack
involved two of the German reserve
divisions. This is further confirmed by
the fact that the prisoners captured
during the last day or two by the 9th
Army have been identified as belonging
to the 9Th Panzer Division and to a
panzer grenadier unit.
Thus it is fair to assume that the
counterattack was made by about one
quarter of the available German stra-
tegic reserve, and since ST German tanks
were knocked out in the fighting it is
also reasonable to assume that the two
divisions making the attack have been
pretty well broken up.
Thus it appears that the Germans
have been compelled to begin in the
Rhineland the deadly process which
brought them to disaster in Tunisia and
in Normandy-the commitment of their
strategic reserve in driblets to patch up
holes in their front, thus draining its
strength and rendering it impotent in
the day of real need.
When the break through In Normandy
came, for example, the Germans could
assemble no more than parts of four
armored divisions for their major
counterattack and that was not enough.
This was because all their available
armored and motorized units already
had been used in trying to hold the
eastern sector of their front. They had
no fresh, full-strength elements to throw
against the flank Of the great break
through. The same process Is now
under way in the Rhineland
To prevent the 9th Army from crash
Ing into Julich and preaching the line
Of the River Roer, the Germans have
! used two Of their precious mobile reserve
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-24
Back to Tokyo

The second bombing OF Tokyo
assuredly marks the beginning of
the end for Japan-the beginning of
the end of war which the Japanese
launched with calculated treachery
nearly three years ago.
Not since April of 1912 has the
enemy capital known the blast of
exploding bombs. And that first
attack by General Doolittle and his
gallant band was hit-and-run
affair-a morale booster rather than
a real military effort. 1t was a
spectacular affair, and the sixteen
medium bombers which swept in
over Japan from the launching deck
of the Hornet, 800 miles out to sea,
caused a minor panic in Tokyo But
the Japanese warlords could not
have been greatly disturbed. A rich
new empire was falling into their
hands, seemingly with ridiculous
ease, and they could afford to dis
count the military significance of
any damage which we might have
been able to inflict then with car
rier-baSed planes
But this time it is different. The
bombs which rained down on Tokyo
yesterday did not come from a
handful of B-25s, completely de-
pendent on speed and surprise for
even veStige of success. This re-
turn engagement was played by the
Super Fortresses of the new Twenty
first Bomber Command. They came
from Saipan, 1900 miles away, and
the japanese knew that they were
coming. But, for Japan, to be fore
warned is no longer to be forearmed.
The BIOS can and did fight their
way through the best defenSes that
the enemy could interpose. And
they can and will do it again and
again
AS General Arnold has said, the
second attack on Tokyo marks
calculated extension of our air
power. No part of the japanese En-
pire is safe now from the Twenty
first Bomber Command based in the
Marianas and the Twentieth
Bomber Command based in China.
Air power, as we have seen in Eu-
rope, cannot win wars. But our air
power, given the necessary bases
and supplies, can roam almost at
will over the home islands of the
japanese, blasting their war plants,
burning their cities and slowly but
remorselessly wearing down their
will and their capacity to fight.
This is the prospect which now
looms ahead for the would-be mas
tiers of the Pacific. No one can say
how long it will be before they are
brought to their knees. 1t will take
great deal of pounding, from the
air, on the sea and on land. Yet
the inevitable end is taking shape.
AS General Arnold puts it, Japan,
having sowed the wind, is now be-
ginning to reap the whirlwind.