davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-04-21

Those chances are that neutral or even
Allied governments Of countries involved
In military plans, however sympathetic
they are. might try to prepare their
nome authorities; and, second, that
somewhere among the stats of the em-
bassies and ministries, there might be
Axis agents. That has happened many
times even in the best-conducted en-
bassies.
The German radio of course, is foam
Ing about "ruthlessness," 'hysteria," /"
never happened in Germany" Hitler
never did," etc. That would seem to
justify it. 1t also should be replied that
Hitler did not need to do 1t, since his
major moves in this war were all blitzes,
either against countries with whom he
had nonaggression treaties or against
neutrals, whereas our war has to be,
to a certain extent, in the open.
However, we wish that this procedure
had been accompanied by strong reas-
surances to the European and other
States. Insofar as have been able to
Eauge the reactions OF representatives in
this country Of those states they are,
well, we hope this sort of thing does
not become habit, and we hope that
It is not precedent for = peace con-
ference!"
n There Is far too much apprehension
already that the three big powers are
going to settle things pretty much as
they choose. The result is an uneasy
political atmosphere and more reserva-
tions in cooperation that otherwise
would be necessary. For small coun-
try trilateral actions are the same as
unilateral actions. The small coun-
tries. all together, represent more peo-
pie than Great Britain and Russia, and
there is no disposition amongst them
to abdicate in favor of any two Euro
pean powers or of the United States.
So a political reinsurance should
again accompany this drastic act of
military necessity, taking imaginative
account Of the feelings of our smaller
and conquered allies and of sympathetic
neutrals. I don't imagine that-for
instance-the Queen of Holland or the
President of Czechoslovakia, however
gracefully they may accept this measure,
enjoy any shadow of an inference that
precautions must be taken against them.
Released by the Bell Syndicate. Inc)
Evening star., 1944-04-21
Vision

Sun-gilded for an instant, the storm
cloud bank
Takes fire in rose-ochre glare aboue
the evening sea;
And suddenly the broken fragments OF
Parthenon arise,
Timeless and beautiful in cold spec
trGl tracery.
Frozen in antique eloquence, the
rampdrts burn
With such fiery splendor as Hellas
neDer kne1U,
Magnificent beyond the dream OF man,
this tabled stone
Scars up in airy architecture against
dark sullen blue
And as suddenly the sunlight dies: the
arches crack
And columns topple quiet destruction
in middir.:
The piston folds NTH s,uftness OF
shutter closed,
Leaping but angry sea and sce-cray
sUenfng there.
FREDERICK EBRIGHT.
Evening star., 1944-04-21
1apS Face Two Navies
BY Maj. George FieIdius Eliot

The development Of the Allied often
Slve in Southeast Asia, as indicated by
the shift Of Admiral Lord Louis Mount
batten's headquarters to Ceylon, Is
further emphasized by the British fleets
attack on Sabang, the Japanese base at
the northern end of the big island of
Sumatra.
This Is the first time that a combined
attack of this sort has been, made
against any japanese position IN the
Netherlands Indies, though many air
attacks have been delivered There is
something in the nature of this ship
borne blow which is reminiscent of the
opening moves in the Central Pacific
campaign against the Marshall Islands.
The suggestion Is almost irresistible
that this is not just an isolated effort,
but beginning, a herald of other
events to follow
For one thing, it is a challenge to the
Japanese fieet-a new challenge from a
new and formidable foe. 1t speaks to
the Japanese fleet in the thunderous
tones OF heavy guns and bursting bombs
1t tells the japanese and the world
very plainly that Prime Minister
Churchill was using no idle phrase when
he said that a powerful British battle
fleet was assembled in the Indian Ocean.
Thus in the Bay of Bengal we are now
reaping one of the fruits of the smash
ing campaign which knocked Italy out
OF the war and brought about the sur
render of the italian fleet The British
Navy has by reason of that surrender
been able to concentrate in force In the
Bay of Bengal, and from now on the
Japanese must face the consequences
OF a two-front naval war.
AS for the immediate effect of the
strike at Sabang, it may be pointed out
that destruction of the Japanese base
at Sabang would be useful and indeed
an essential preliminary to any am
phibious operations directed against the
Andaman or Nicobar Islands, Just as
reduction of the japanese striking power
in the Eastern Marshalls was an essen
tial preliminary to our landing at
Tarawa, just as reduction of Japanese
striking power at Rabaul has preceded
our advances in the Southwest Pacific
X ~
The Andamans and Nicobars them
selves afford excellent advance bases for
amphibious operations directed either
against Sumatra or the coast OF Burma
There Is possibility Of an immediate
Evening star., 1944-04-21
--------------------
The Lesson Of the Past

1t Is no news today that the Japa-
nese, in violation OF treaty obliga-
tions, years ago fortified the Pacific
islands inundated to them by the
League Of Nations after the First
World War. Indeed, at Geneva, as
far back as 1888, they were openly
accused of doing SO, and most in
formed Americans suspected as
much long in advance of the attack
on Pearl Harbor. Yet nothing was
ever done about it in the peace
period, with the result that our
forces must now blast their way
through the Tarawas and Kwaja-
leins at great risk and with the
utmost exertion of power.
Actually, as revealed in the COL
lection of documents Just published
by the State Department, the United
States Government.as early as 1929
had more than an inkling of what
the Japanese were doing. For in
that year, the Tokyo government,
after extended negotiations, refused
to let our warships visit most of the
islands involved, and the official
American surmise could not help
being any other than that things
were being done there which Japan
wanted to keep hidden But the
issue was not pressed, Traditional
diplomacy, which must often be
carried on quietly, without reference
to the general public, was in opera
ton here, and the people OF the
United States, If they had any sus-
picions at all, heard nothing au-
thoritative about the matter.
Could it have been otherwise?
Could any good have been accom-
plished If the State Department in
1929 had made public the failure of
the negotiations? Could something
have been done, through the weight
OF an informed public opinion in this
country, II the whole business had
been brought out in the open and if
the Government had officially ex-
planned how Japanese Notifications
In the inundated islands affected
American security? Could Tokyo
at that time have been forced to
abide by its treaty obligations if the
United States, besides publicizing it's
misgivings to the people at large,
had also used it's influence with
Britain and other powers to bring
united diplomatic pressure to bear?
Hindsight answers can at best be
only speculative. Perhaps the Amer
lean people in 1929, when there was
great prosperity and an intense
antiwar feeling, would not have been
aroused by anything said about such
faraway places as Truk or Kwaja-
lein. Perhaps, too, Britain and
other powers, with populations in a
highly pacifstic mood, would have
been indifferent to the idea of join
ing the United States in a common
diplomatic front. After all. it was
only two years later that the British
shied away from joint action with us
In respect to Manchuria, and only
two years after that, the League of
Nations averted Its face and closed
its ears when charges about the
Evening star., 1944-04-21

attack on Sumatra itself, but 1t would
be more extensive operation than an
attempt to recover some of the small
Islands. and the latter would be so use
full as an intermediate step that it seems
likely to come first-unless, indeed, the
Dutch resistance in the center of Su-
matra is still being maintained and is of
SO formidable a character as to be able
to give considerable support to a land
ing. This is possible, but it is not very
likely-or more would have been heard
of it.
Sabang itself Is not a part of the
mainland of Sumatra, but is a small
island, possessing good harbor and
considerable wharfage, divided from the
mainland by a channel some 80 miles
wide. An attempt to land and seize
Sabang is possible, provided Japanese
air power on Sumatra can be neutral
lied.
But the real question of whether
Sumatra is to become an object of at
tack in the near future seems to rest
on the direction of Lord Mountbatten's
major effort. If he is thinking In terms
VI ouiL AlSt, tllcl any move 10 tlle
Andamans or Sabang or Northern Su-
matra is for the purpose of cutting the
Japanese communications with Burma,
and getting springboard for landing
on the Burma coast. If he is thinking
in terms of Singapore, then the occu-
patton Of all Sumatra would be . very
likely part of such a program
1t may properly be pointed out that
move toward the Burma coast would be
In close support of the operations now
taking place in North and Central
Burma, and would in turn be supported
by them, while move toward Singa-
pore would be strategically eccentric,
and would, therefore, imply either the
possession of overwhelming force, or a
knowledge of weakness on the part of
the enemy, of which there is no appar-
ent sign at the moment.
If move toward the Burma coast
Is in progress, one place to keep in
mind Is the Port of Moulmein, which
Is not only one of the most useful of
Burmese seaports, but is also the west
ern terminus of the new Burma Siam
railway, on which the Japanese now
depend for the supply of their forces
in Burma to an extent which increases
In proportion to the interruption Of
their sea trafiic.
(Copyright 1sx4)
Evening star., 1944-04-21

apparently Is able to provide the Turks
with some needed essentials. She can
dictate her own terms as far as price
and means Of payment are concerned,
since there is no longer any competi-
ton for the Turkish markets. And she
Is demanding raw materials rather than
cash or gold payments.
According to ofIicial information from
Ankara, the sympathies Of the Turks
remain with the Allies The Turks have
refused to join in the war against the
Axis at this time because they were
not militarily prepared and also because
1t appeared to them after the Te-
heran conference that the main effort
of the Allies would be in Western Eu-
rope. With the Nazis and the Bulga-
rians on the borders Of European TtIr-
key, Ankara was not willing to embark
on q campaign which might bring the
enemy to the Dardanelles in q short
time. These facts were placed before
Washington and London and the Turks
hoped they would be understood fully.
Meanwhile, the Allied governments
in exile are represented as resentful
over the embargo placed on their diplo-
matte missions by the British Foreign
ONCE.
-
The rules and regulations applied to
the diplomatic cables and pouches now
make 1t impossible for these govern
ments to say anything to their repre-
sentatives in the United States without
the full knowledge of the British gov
ernment. All cables exchanged by the
governments in exile and their en-
bassies here, and vice versa, are being
sent in English to the Foreign ONCE in
London or the British Embassy here.
They are coded by British officials and
cabled across the ocean. They then are
decoded by British onicials and trans
mitted to their destination The diplo-
matte pouches are subject to much the
same routine.
Because of the regulations, nom -diplo-
mats have an advantage over the in
violable diplomats since not all the let
tiers from England to America and
from America to England are opened by
the censors.
Latin American diplomats are OPEN
ly indignant over the procedure. The
representatives Of the European United
Nations are resigned. Realizing their
helplessnes and the position OF their
countries, they consider the embargo as
just another unpleasant incident which
must be taken in silence.
Evening star., 1944-04-21
- Dilemma Over Rome

The note dispatched in duplicate
by Prime Minister Eamon de Valera
of Fire to President Roosevelt and
the German government urging that
the city OF Rome be spared by mutual
agreement between the belligerents
brings to the fore problem that has
aroused worldwide discussion ever
since Italy became a battle-ground.
And the replies sent the Irish Pre-
mier by the recipients of his missive
set forth the conflicting standpoints
which have thus far made any
agreement impossible.
MIR. de Valera rightfully stresses
the poignant tragedy of Rome's
destruction for the 800 ,00O, 900 Roman
Catholics throughout the globe and
the grievous loss Of this treasure
house of art and learning for the
whole human race, present and fu-
ture. The repercussions of such a
catastrophe would be profound and
unfortunate for all. It is a sad COM
mentary on our age that so poignant
a tragedy could be even possible.
The stumbling block to mutual
agreement lies, mot so much in
Rome's tactical value as in its 10
CYSTIC Importance. The city itself
could easily be by-passed and the
campaign for Central Italy be fought
out in the upper reaches of the
Tiber Valley. But Rome is the bottle
neck through which almost all effec-
tive rail and highway lines pass
from north to south. This is what
the Allies have in mind when they
declare that the Germans must stop
using Rome's communication facili-
ties before they can treat it as an
"open city, in the military sense of
the term. But the Germans could
not do this without abandoning their
entire position on the Casino and
Anzio fronts and retiring to some
line well to the northward of the
Eternal City.
Well aware Of this, Berlin is never
theless trying to make casuistical
propaganda point by declaring that
Rome Is an "open city" because it
has not been technically fortified
and because the seat of government
by the puppet regime headed nomi-
nally by Mussolini has been shifted
to Northern Italy. President Roose-
velt anticipates that hollow argu-
ment when he tells Premier de
Valera that you are of course aware
that the Germans occupying the
Italian capital by force are using to
the limit of its capacities the COM
munication network and other ia
cilities of Rome to further a purely
German military occupation" It is
difficult to see how the Allies could
refrain from attacking such vital
targets without imposing intolerable
handicaps upon their military oper-
ations. The President is therefore
correct in stating that the fate of
Rome rests with the German high
command which uses the Eternal
City as a major factor in its italian
strategy.
Evening star., 1944-04-21
This Changing World
By Constantine Brofcn

The American and the British diplo-
matte actions of the last two weeks have
offended many neutral and Allied
nations, according to reports reaching
Washington.
Secretary of State Hulls warning to
neutrals to stop trading with the enemy
has brought forth polite refusals from
governments such as Sweden or sar-
donic editorials in newspapers voicing
the views Of governments which are
aroused but wish to remain officially on
polite terms with the United States and
Great Britain.
Such an editorial was carried this
week by the Turkish newspaper Aksham,
described as rejecting the views of Of
fetal quarters. It's author, Sadak, q
well-known editor In Turkey says the
country most heavily engaged in fight
ing the Germans is Russia. Yet Russia
keeps silent. Soviet Russia" says Ak
sham, "is bleeding, dying and making
endless sacrifices, but is too busy to
worry herself about political literature
and is so self-confident that she does
not need to indulge in any prattle: nor
does she try to drag others into the
war or demand sacrifices from them"
4
The editor concludes by saying: I'VE
hope that the opening OF the second
front is not prevented because Of neu-
trails trade relations with the Germans.
After all, these trade relations do not
prevent the Russians from fighting
heroically and from advancing"
1t is debatable whether this editorial
which has had wide circulation in the
Balkans and the Near East, represents
the actual feelings of the Turkish gov
ernment or was designed as q sop for
Turkeys powerful neighbor, whose VIC
tories may eventually bring Russia closer
to Istanbul. Those conversant with
diplomacy as practiced in the East and
Near East are interpreting 1t as a con-
venient bouquet thrown on Moscow by
a newspaper close to the Ankara gov
ernment.
It is regretted In many quarters here
that the cordial relations which this
country has had with Turkey over .
long period Of years should now be
obscured by relatively unimportant
matter. It Is admitted that Turkey
needs many vital manufactured prod
ucts which she is no longer able to
obtain, either from this country or the
United Kingdom. Germany still Is In
direct communication with Turkey and
Evening star., 1944-04-21
Letters to The Star
Transfer to the Infantry Stirs
A Father to Protest
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
In the past few months quarter of
million men have gone through the Air
Corps examination and elimination
tests. OF that number, $4,000 were passed
and assigned for cadet training.
These boys were "the cream of the
crop" They were ready to give their
all for their ideals and their country.
But what happens? Some higher up"
says: I'VE don't need them, put them in
the infantry" So all of them, including
my son, who was working in the WASH
ington Navy Yard seven days q week,
night and day, when other 17-year-old
boys were idling, and even gave up a
winter trip to Florida to stick to his job,
and then asked voluntary induction,
with request to be put in the Air
Corps, and got the Observation Batal-
lion Of the field artillery, were put
in the infantry.
So great was my sons love for the
Air Corps that even while he was home
on furlough, while in the field artillery,
he spent most Of his time making
model of a plane in which he was
interested.
My son finally was transferred to the
Air Corps, and after more than three
months of training and in spite of the
fact that the Air Corps is my sons first
and only love, and in spite of the fact
that he. is an Al machinist and re-
ceived his training in the Washington
Navy Yard, he is put, of all places, in
the infantry.
If Hitler had used that kind of reason
ing in assembling his forces, he would
have been beaten two years ago.
Recently, was talking to q major
in the Air Corps, and he said, "And they
have the gall to tell us we must train
women pilots, to fly our planes!"
would, indeed, be ashamed Of myself,
as at present am ashamed Of an Air
Corps that permits such things, II
were unwilling to sign my name,
EARL M. BROADHURST.
Bethesda Md
Evening star., 1944-04-21
Objects to Mikado's 'Sanctity'

Objects to Mikado's 'Sanctity'
To the Editor of The Star:
AS an Oriental, greatly am disturbed
over the news to the effect that both
the British and American governments
have joined the rank and file of jap
anese citizens in maintaining the sane
tity of the Japanese Emperor. BY such
gesture I already can see new and
more powerful Japan arising from the
wreckage Of the present war that in 20
years from now may stage another
Pearl Harbor, thereby plunging the
world into another bloody Armageddon.
TEDDY DE NOLASCO.
Evening star., 1944-04-21

ence she has had provide her with
the qualifications of constitutional
monarch. Should her station in life
be another, a humber assignment,
the same assets would sustain her.
Graceful, kindly, popular, she repre-
sents Anglo-Saxon youth at its best,
and her parents, her teachers, her
country and the empire have the
right to be proud of her.
Evening star., 1944-04-21

A good way to settle the dispute
on the spelling of a certain Axis
satellite nation would be to call it
Remainia, in honor of the way its
soldiers are compelled to stay be-
hind when there Is not enough
escape transportation for them and
the NaZiS. too.
Evening star., 1944-04-21

War conditions caused the Sen
ators to run second in last years
pennant race and may bring them
in on top this year. It is believed,
however, that nothing short of in
vasion of the United States would
help the Athletics or the Browns.
Evening star., 1944-04-21
Wants Older Men Taken

To the Editor Of The Star:
I would like to add my protest against
the recent law enacted to take the youth
OF the country for active duty in the
European-Pacific war.
Some boys of 18 have not yet finished
high school. If they are fortunate
enough to have finished, certainly a
high school education is all they ever
will have If they are drafted into the
service. They, for the most part, will
not come back after two or three years
and have any desire to become school,
boys again. They will feel too old will
have endured too much, and book
learning" will not appeal to them. Are
we then to have Nation of uneducated
men for the next generation? Most of
the parents have been working hard all
their lives in order to educate these
boys to give them definite vocations.
They should be allowed to finish their
schooling, the lowest age allowed in the
draft to be q years of age. There are
thousands of husky, strong men holding
down Office jobs in Washington and all
over the country that are fit to fight.
1t seems crime to take immature, un-
trained boys of 18, who have never had
a chance to know what life is, have no
Judgment, are immature in mind and
body, have not learned the cunning
needed to face our enemies and have
never even lived, and thrust them into
the holocaust of war.
Strangely enough, by our laws they
are not considered old enough or wise
enough TO vote until they are 2l,
BETTE MILLER.
Evening star., 1944-04-21
international Puzzle


To the Editor Of The Star:
The international puzzle" in Wednes-
days Star Is easier to solve than the
international struggle in which we find
all the emblematic symbols of lion, q
bear, and the eagle, fighting together
against a common enemy.
The solution to the puzzle requires
that the eagle be taken for ride, and
I certainly trust that 1t definitely Is
not true in the factual case.
Uncle Sam, as the boatman, takes the
eagle over the river to the other bank.
He returns to set the lion, leaves him
over on the other bank and brings back
the eagle. He loads the bear on his
boat and takes him over to share his
company with the lion. He returns to
get the eagle and ferries him again to
the other shore, joining the two ami
mails he left there together. At no time
in the process is the eagle left for either
one of the other animals to devour HIM
Aside from the matter of the actual
puzzle, Fred E. Thompson may have ex-
pressed Scriptural truth. He referred
to certain nations being represented by
animal emblems. Old empires of his
tory were represented on palace walls
by the portrayal of their animal SYM
bols, such as the lion for Babylon, the
bear for Medo-Persia, etc, as depicted
In Daniel, chapter 7. This chapter is
worth rereading, referring to the whole
course Of human history, even to the
ten kingdoms of Europe, some parts of
prophecy being still unfulflled
C A RENTTRN
Evening star., 1944-04-21

To the Editor of The Star:
Broad-winged, strong flying, the eagle
leaps to his natural element-the air.
Flashing swift ahead he crosses the
stream. There, circling with beak and
talon ready, he keeps watch.
Striding the lion, ambling the bear
side by side they enter the river. The
bear, lately having crossed many
rivers, swirns on the left. The lion,
having centuries of acquaintance with
the sea, swims on the right
Ignoring the sting of their many
wounds, shaking the water from their
coats, the bear and the lion storm the
farther bank and, having topped it,
thunder on again.
So, the three having crossed, Join
again to rid this world of their enemy.
On the nearer bank stand little frus-
trated men who marvel at this thing:
too grand for their puny souls COM
prehension. W.P.