davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Chopping Wood

As nights grow crisp and frosty
and the stars seem to drop nearer
the earth, and the morning air
grows sharper and has bit of a
bite, many man working in city
ONCE thinks of the fall days on the
farm when he went into the wood
lot to chop wood. A farm lad who sees
no glamour in other farm work often
enjoys chopping wood; and many a
farmer will say that Of all the sea-
sonal tasks, wood chopping is his
favorite work.
The first thing, of course, is good
ak. Mr.. webster In his usual sue
circt, direct fashion says: A cutting
tool for telling trees, and chopping,
splitting, or hewing wood. That is
all very well. technically speaking.
But q good ak is one of the country
mans dearest possessions. 1t must
be just the right weight; the handle
must exactly At mans hands; the
balance must be perfect. A good
ak is one of those things in life
which is very difficult to describe,
but when man finds just what fits
his needs, 1t becomes precious tool.
In the wood lot there Is peace and
sanctuary. As the suns rays shine
through the bare branches of the
NAPLES, oaks, beeches, hickory and
ash, 1t Is difficult to believe that in
another part of the world a gigantic
conflict is in progress. Chickadees
sing their throaty, alto songs; blue
jays flash through the woods; a
rabbit scurries to brush pile, and
a ruffed grouse bursts away with a
startling noise. Perhaps in the dis
lance one hears the hounds baying
the trail of fox.
Oh, yes, man can see and hear
and feel as he chops. AS the sharp
edge sinks into the wood. and the
chips fly through the air, there is
Z tAngy. spicy aroma. Fresh-cut
wood has one Of the best perfumes.
Hour by hour the pile of logs and
trimmed branches lfows In size.
And Ia the afternoon when the sun
begina to approach the horizon and
the shadows from the trees are long
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Let Westinghouse Vote!
From the Detroit News.

From the Detroit News.
The tremendous recent growth of
Washington, both before and since the
outbreak of war, seems to us to add
force to the demand of citizens of the
District of Columbia that they be given
the franchise.
Their voteless condition was effectively
dramatized by the Washington news
papers against the background of the
election hustle last Tuesday in the rest
Of the Nation.
In Washington, there was nothing to
show 1t was election day--nothing, that
is, but fever-heated excitement In the
progress OF the count of votes The
Capital, at any rate, was only an on
locker in the choice Of the next
President.
The News, for one, sees no good reason
why Washington should continue to re-
main voteless In national elections, as
1t has been ever since Congress took over
its government in 1901.
The growth Of the Capital is one thing
that persuades us to that view Subur-
ban washington now extends far beyond
the District limits into Maryland and
Virginia. If Washingtonians whose
homes happen to be in these suburbs
enjoy the franchise, as they do, We see
no reason why those living in the Dis
trict proper should be denied.
It il true washington has In both war
and peace time large temporary popu-
lation, which is presumed to vote at
home by absentee ballot. Chat was the
principal theory on which the franchise
was withdrawn and It still has some
validity But with the steady supplant-
ing OF the spells system by civil service
and with the growth OF the city, the
permanent population hAs come TO out.
number by far the trAnsienk.
Both major political parties recognize
this population of the District Is citizens
deserving voice In the nomination Of
presidential candidates We ind no
sound reason why they should be denied
any lonter Z voice also In the election 81
Presidents.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

taxes on the American worker and on
American business will be Automatically
increased by a billion and a half dollars
IN January. unless Congress does some
thing about 1t. It will come about
through raising the payroll tax from /
to per cent. The worker and man.
aeement each at present contribute /
per cent to this retirement and sur
vivors fund through this tax.
1t means that the worker who re-
ceives $50 week, for example, and
under war conditions $50 a week is not
high, will have 81 taken out of his pay
envelope, instead of so cents at present.
This, OF course, is in addition to the
withholding tax. taken to meet his in
come tax. With the urgent need of
capital to aid business find Jobs for
100000 or more men after the war,
now in the armed services. and to keep
at work the millions now employed
this increased tax should be weighed
carefully. Both President Roosevelt
and Gov Dewey. in their campaigns for
the presidency, promised that something
would be done about lowering. not in
creasing. taxes. so that business NAV
work 1T full speed after the war.
-
\ The real issue involved. of course, is
whether the increase in the payroll tax
Is necessary to meet any obligations that
are likely to arise in the near future.
In connection with the old-age benefits
OF those covered by this social insurance.
On January /, the estimated reserves
OF this fund will be $4,000, 900 .OOO
Secretary Of the Treasury Morgenthau
has laid down rule that the reserve
need be only three times the highest
contemplated expenditure in any one
of the next five years. The year 194e
will be the year, of five. in which the
expenditures will be highest 1t is
estimated that the lowest expenditure in
that year will be $500, 900 900 and the
highest $3.50. 1000 000 This means that
the present reserve-and it may be much
higher by l94s-is IL times the lowest
expected expenditure in 1s4e, and eight
times the highest. It seems entirely
clear. therefore. that there is no need
for an increase in the present per cent
payroll tax.
The act providing for the payroll tax,
"A originally passed, provided for this
automatic increase in the rate OF taxa
ton. Three times Congress has DELAYED
the increase because 1t was not neces
sary to increase the reserve fund. Sena-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Praise for War Correspondent

To the Editor Of The star:
For many days wanted to write you
letter and heartily congratulate you
for the splendid editorials you have
written about my native country, Greece,
particularly the one appearing on Octo-
Der 40, entitled Greece Four Years
After" 1t Is not only the truth but
comes out from dynamic pen, for the
great things they were fighting for,
namely. liberty and Justice.
I would also like to congratulate,
through you, Newbold Moves, jr., who
has written several articles from Athens.
I read them with a great deal OF inter.
est and know all The Star readers have
done 30 with 4 great deal OF interest
and pleasure. I want to refer particu-
larry to Mr. Moves article dated Athens,
October a, appearing in The Star
October 23. Then, As well "a in his
previous cables As Star war cor
respondent, ne has brought in his
writings the real human characteristics
OF the though they are hungry
they never beg"
II you do cable Mr. Moves in Athens.
please tell him to keep up his good work
"a know all the Americans Of Greek
descent in the United States, as well As
the Greeks in Greece. appreciate his
frank and correct statements In his cor
respondence
SOTERIOs NrCHO1sON
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
This Changing World
By Constantine Brown

For the first time since the beginning
Of the war high Washington oficials
believe something serious has happened
to Hitler.
The rumors of the Fuehrer's death
are discounted since about three weeks
ago he gave private audience to the
Ambassador Of Japan and Turkey, and
there seems to be little doubt that 1t
was Hitler himself who had received
these two men.
But it is very significant that at this
crucial moment when the German
people are being asked to be prepared
to sacrifice everything, including their
lives, the Fuehrer has chosen the head
OF the Gestapo to substitute for him at
the microphone In an urgent appeal to
the Germans to hold on. And while for
the time being there is no way to check
on why Hitler did not give his message
personally, the speculation is that he
has suffered nervous breakdown which
has removed him altogether from the
conduct Of the affairs of state.
From information obtained through
prisoners Of war recently captured on
the western front or from neutral trav-
elers who have come out of the Reich,
the German people have not seen or
heard Hitler since last July when he
addressed the nation after the abortive
attempt on his life The conduct of
operations on the western and eastern
fronts has been entrusted to two old
time generals. Gerd Won Rundstedt is
back leading the western defenses from
his headquarters at Frankfurt-on- Main.
while the tank expert. Heinz Guderian.
Is IN charge of the defenses in the east.
According to statements of high-rar,k-
Ing omcers captured recently, the two
men have greater free hand than
formerly.
1t is admitted in military quarters
here that even If Hitler were perma. .
nently out of the picture, the situation
at the front would not change. Threat
ened with destruction of their country.
the German soldiers and the civil pop,,-
lation are going to fight it out with the
Allies as long as their supplies and
weapons hold out. If there is anv
divergence OF opinion between the Nazi
party and the German people 1t does
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Ruvenno

Allied troops advancing upon Ra-
VIENNA will And the ancient city
only dozen feet above the level OF
the sea to which originally it owed
It's existence. The modern COM
munity, however, is six miles from
the coast. Wide marshes surround
1t, occupying what once was a har-
Dor large enough to accommodate
two hundred and fifty ships of war.
The ground is sinking constantly. If
the famous capital of the last of
the Caesars and the earliest of their
successors is to be preserved, vast
engineering works must be main
tanned indefinitely.
The Ravenna of the golden age"
owed its premier prosperity to
Augustus, the builder of the Portus
Chassis. But the city as it was before
the fifth century has disappeared
completely. The glory for which it
universally is famous derives from
the Emperor Honorius and his sis
ter, Gala Placidia, who made it the
center of the government OF the
West and began the erection of its
splendid monuments, and the bar
barian Kings, Odoacer and Theo-
doric, conquerors, yet benefactors, of
the town. The mausoleum of the
last-nan1ed invader still stands in
approximately perfect condition out
side the walls to the northeast. A
structure unique in preservation, it.
consists of gigantic hewn marble
blocks assembled without mortar
and capped with a monolith of
limestone thirty-five feet wide and
weighing about three hundred tons.
The problem of how 1t was put to-,
gether is unsolved.
But the most precious jewel of
Byzantine art" in Western Europe is
the church of San WHALE, an octa-
gonal edifice surmounted by an
octagonal cupola and characterized
BY q double gallery Of striking grace
and beauty. Within the precincts
is I wealth Of mosaic unparalleled
anywhere. The whole interior sur
face Is covered with decorations,
mostly achieved BY the meticulous
assembling Of tiny colored tiles ana
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Baltic War Zone
BY Maj. George Fielding Eliot

The German declaration that the
Gulf OF Bothnia and the eastern part
OF the Baltic Sea constitute a var zone
In which any ship may be DESTROYED
without warning suggests rather
strongly that the Germans have some
reason to anticipate Russian attempt
at landing somewhere along the
Baltic coast of Germany.
Such landing-if possible-would
come very near to being a fatal blow to
all German organized defenses. Stettin.
for example, Germany's major Baltic
port, is only about 100 miles from Berlin.
Even II the landing failed, the Germans
would have to make a great effort to
repel it.; 1t is hard to see where they
would get the troops for this purpose.
with the heavy demands now being
made on their manpower along their
eastern and western fronts.
Hence it is quite likely that, if they
really fear such move, the Germans
would seek to stop it at sea. What
means do they have for doing so?
Their surface fleet is an uncertain re-
lance. Probably 1t is no more than
equal in total fighting power to the
Russian Baltic fleet; the Russians
should be superior in the air, which will
give them an edge. But the Germans
still have q great many submarines, and
1t may well be that they are relying
on their U-boats to check any Russian
arnphihious thrust in Baltic waters.
II this is the case. then their war
zone proclamation makes q great deal
OF sense from the German point of
view, for 1t permits them to give the
simple order to all submarine shippers
Sink everything you see" The danger,
of course, il that the carrying out of
these orders may bring about armed
reaction by an injured neutral-in this
case, Sweden.
1t will be recalled that it was the
order for unrestricted submarine war
fare in the Atlantic that brought the
United States into the World War, and
turned the balance of that war against
Germany. The Germans calculated
that they could defeat the French and
British Armies-weakened by the cutting
Oh OF tfAf1s-AtlAntic supplies before
the United states could make its help
effective. They were almost right, but
not quite.
Now the Germans, faced with new
danger from the north. take the risk
that Sweden may be drawn into the
war in the Baltic against them In order
b btAve On this Russian danger until
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Forgetting Roasts, Etc.
To the Editor Of The star:

TO the Editor OF The star:
Edna w. Haushton. whose letter APP
pesred October "A, apparently has mis-
conception on the subject Of rationine.
I happen to be in exactly the same posi-
ton she complains of-living alone and
with only one ration book. I don't know
what she means about 7la red points a
week, for actually she has is. 1t takes
some managing and forethought to get
Along even on this; but doesn't she know
that no poultry is rationed, nor are
many of the cheaper cuts OF meat2
Moreover, oleomargarine Is a very salts
factory substitute for butter and defy
any one to tell the difference between
them in cooking. 1 have no difliculty in
securing nourishing food on my ration
allowancegbu just forget roasts, steaks
and chops-our old stAndbys.
ANOTHER oNE-BOOK WIDOW.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Liberal Recompense

Nop summers glotoing color 10 no. more.
Gone Is the last chrysdnthemaNs, the
last
Bright leaf from Dough snd brambls.
But the past
Cloud-ddppled heauens tonight ct sus.
set tDore
Such radiancei And beyond Ne dark
ening shore
Seas plane eaue back Ne sp,swdor.
NotD no bird
Chants in the sdrden, but love's lishtest
Uord
Is ,nnsic--tCinds intome---d magsc door
Mans conQuering skill has opened and
through THE 81
We bfd some gifted cdntatrice ct iCsH
or tpoUen notes OF gathered Instruments.
So though close-hoMsed atphHs We do
not miss -
Too much The, Winged choirs, the bloom s.
Our hungerirs hedrts NTH LIBERAL rssss..
compense. ~
JULIA BoxNToN oRxEN. 3.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Letters to The Star
Asks Restoration Of Palestine
as Jewish State

70 the Editor Of The Star:
The Star, In an editorial of November
10, is entirely correct in calling Stern
ism" a symptom rather than cause
Of the trouble In Palestine.
The constructive solution that world
zionism, the Jews in Palestine as well
as the homeless and stateless Jews who
still may be left alive in the European
devastation, await is release from the
British mandate, the establishment of
free and independent Jewish COM
monwealth and the restoration Of Pal
estine as Jewish state.
President Roosevelt in his message
10 the Zionist Convention in Atlantic
City last month pledged his aid in
initiating appropriate ways and means"
of establishing free Jewish Palestine.
Both the Democratic and Republican
platforms Endorsed such program.
Prominent Catholic and Protestant
leaders IN all parts of the world long
have espoused the Jewish cause. The
Pope more than once has declared him.
self In behalf Of the Jewish homeland.
And, contrary to the opinion created
by those whose business it has been to
confuse the issues by dividing and
ruling, the Arab leaders and Arab
people, long before the First World war,
not only welcomed and encouraged the
Jewish national movement and Pales-
tine colonization, but even expressed the
hope that through the Zionist move
ment, rather than through the European
imperialist powers, would their own ma
tionalist movement be best advanced.
In the words of Representative
Thomas F, Burchill in the Congressional
Record OF last February Is: I'm truth
and in fact, the Jewish national home
in Palestine has been rld-sanctioned
experiment in democracy. 1t must be
protected and cherished today as an
outpost Of freedom and social justice. !"
Palestine never has belonged to Eng
land. 1t was inundated to her only
temporarily as a trust under the League
of Nations. Certainly by their achieve
ment In Palestine during the past rs
years, the Jews have earned the right
to freedom
In the words Of an Arab newspaper
In May. 1880: THE Arab people have
not yet said their last word on the
Arab-Jewish question. When this word
has been said. 1t will not be one Of
hatred and war, but one Of peace and
brotherhood, as IA suitable for two
people who live in one country
MIRIAM ZIONY.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Surprising

From the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Diabolical cleverness Is involved In q
Na1 BOBBY trap involving cisarete
lighter that explodes when the wheel is
thumbed. Any result at all from this
exercise is the last thing An American
would expect
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14

and slender, man walks across the
pasture and moving field toward the
light In the farmhouse kitchen
knowing he has had good day.
Evening star., 1944-11-15
Mr.. Ertequn

Mehmet Munir Ertegun, Turkish
Ambassador to the United States
from 1884 until his sudden death
last Saturday, was a man Of great
distinction of character. During the
decade OF his service in Washington
he won the admiration and the
respect of all with whom he dealt.
His interests were both wide and
deep, his purposes honorable and
constructive, his methods OF pro-
cedure meticulously correct. While
dean OF the diplomatic corps, he set
the pattern for the whole company
OF foreign representatives, meeting
the compelling demands of a period
of global conflict with notable skill
and efficiency. His labors were
useful to the world at large as we'll
as most particularly to his own
beloved country.
Born at Istanhul in 1883, educated
In the university of that city, and
admitted to ofiicial society there as
q youth, Mr.. Ertegun prepared for
the major work of his life at the
court Of the Sultan, Abdul Hamid II.
But ne was modernist in his
philosophy and it was natural for
him to join the Young Turk move
ment which displaced the traditional
regime in 1908 and set in motion
those democratic ideas which in
their fruition brought about the
progressive developments achieved
under Kemal Ataturk from 1923 on
ward. In the Foreign ONCE OF
Turkey he was chief legal adviser.
His first overseas mission took him
to London in 1919. AS. Minister to
Switzerland from 1875 to 1880, he
represented Turkish views in the
League OF Nations Council at
Geneva. Subsequently, he WAS AM
bassador to France and Ambassador
to Great Britain. His appointment
to the United States was a reward
Of merit for his successes elsewhere.
Mr.. Ertegun, generally known rs
Munir Dsy when he came = wash
Evening star., 1944-11-15
Mr.. Byrnes Stuys On

The disclosure that James F.
Byrnes will remain at his govern
mental post until Germany has been
beaten comes as no great surprise.
His desire to return to private life
was we'll known. Testifying several
weeks ago before a congressional
committee considering reconversion
legislation, Mr. Byrnes said that he
would not seek the dictatorship of
the new once of War Mobilization
and Reconversion and that, indeed,
he would not accept the post If 1T
were offered to him.
His purpose then was to eliminate
any possible suspicion that the views
he was expressing in his testimony
were influenced by personal ambi-
tions, and his change of mind Is not
inconsistent with that position.
In staying on, Mr.. Byrnes is not
accepting post that was offered"
to him. The Presidents announce
ment makes it clear that the matter
was not put to Mr.. Byrnes on that
basis. Instead, Mr.. Roosevelt made
a strong personal appeal to his prin-
cipal aide to remain at his post for
the duration of the war against
Germany. In that situation, Mr..
Byrnes, as a good American, had no
alternative but to remain. Another
factor entering into his decision may
have been his recent trip to France.
He saw the war there at first hand
an experience which is not con-
ducive to the placing of personal
desires ahead of duty.
Whatever the reasons, however,
the important thing is that Mr..
Byrnes has decided to remain. He
gave up place on the Supreme
Court to take over a big job in our
domestic war effort. He has done
that job faithfully and well-so well,
In fact, that it may have cost him
his party's vice presidential nomina-
ton. Yet there is much that re-
mains to be done, and it is good to
know that Mr.. Byrnes has decided
to see it through.
Evening star., 1944-11-15
Metz and Saar Defenses
By Maj. Georse FieIdinf Eliot

While reports that the Germans are
evacuating Meta remain without any
confirmation either from oflicial sources
or front-line reports the fact Is that
troops of the American Sd Army seem
to be capturing the great permanent
forts OF the Metz defense system with
out too much difficulty.
Nor has there as yet appeared, during
the current offensive operations Of the
Sd Army, any German counterattack in
volving more than small local forces So
far, we have no evidence that any part
of the painfully collected German mo-
bile reserve has been drawn to the Sd
Army front or farther south to the sec
tor of 1t. Gen. Devers' 9Th Army group.
1t is therefore possible that the Ger
mans are in course of Withdrawing to
the strong defensive system of the Saar
regions possibly using parts Of the old
Maginot Line, backed up by the deep
and long-established Siegfried Line,
which in this area Is more formidable
than at any other part of its length.
II the Germans are going to make q
fight for Metz we should see some sign
of 1t very soon: they are not doing more
at present than would be consistent with
the task of covering withdrawal Even
the counterattack which they threw
against the American forces crossing the
MoSelle north Of Metz, which was the
most ambitions of their efforts, was no
more than might have been expected
from commander whose orders were
to insure the safe and orderly evacua-
tion of the fortress; this American
river crossing was perhaps more danger
Gus at the moment to the Germans than
anything else we were then doing.
IT the Germans really are withdraw
Ing to the Saar defenses their principal
anxiety becomes, as the withdrawal
proceeds, the right flank Of their army
in the Vosges facing Gen. Devers.
The Saar defenses themselves are
strong enough for = prolonged stand;
but they were designed. at least on the
German side Of the line, to protect q
frontier which in part was formed by
the Rhine, They wers not designed to
prevent penetration to the Rhine IN
the direction Of Sarebourg -Severne,
because when they were built the
French were In possession Of that area.
Therefore the weak point Of the new
German defense zone Is the joint, 30 to
speak, where the east-west sone cover
Ing the aaar fSont makes eogner With