davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-12-21
No MYTH

Some extremist commentators, ig-
noring the fact that it stands in his
tory as joint declaration of gen.
eral policy and that it has been sub
scribed to formally by the United
Nations, take the view that the At
lantic Charter has been myth" and
hoax" from the start simply be-
cause President Roosevelt and Prime
Minister Churchill never actually
signed it. Its validity, however, is
not In the least degree affected by
that, since signatures are nones-
sential to such undertakings.
Actually, there have been numer-
Gus unsigned international accords
In history, and many of them have
taken effect without ever even hav-
ing been put down on paper, being
merely word-of-mouth understand
ings. One such verbal agreement
was that worked out with Japan dur
ing the administration of Theodore
Roosevelt-an agreement which was
not made public until 20 years after
its negotiation and which, in the
light OF today's events, is embarrass-
ing to recall because it virtually
handed over Korea to the japanese.
Another was the cable convention
of 1919, and still another was the
Anglo French American monetary
agreement negotiated over a three
way long-distance telephone hookup
In 1896.
In reality, as an international in
strument expressing general policy
or proclaiming set of principles,
the Atlantic Charter retains it's sub
stance. even though President
Roosevelt and Prime Minister
Churchill did not affix their names
to its original draft. Neither myth
nor hoax" it remains to this day
a high-minded declaration whose
usefulness or uselessness in the fu-
ture will depend not on who signed
1t but on the willingness or unwill-
ingness OF the nations of the world
to try putting 1t to work, even If only
gradually.
At the moment the charter seems
- be faring poorly, but 1t still offers
Evening star., 1944-12-21

The withholding of bad news to cover
up errors of judgment is always bad
policy. 1t serves only to undermine
public confidence in public servants,
whether political or military, to a far
greater degree than would have been the
case If the truth had been frankly stated
at the time.
There is but one excuse for with
holding news; that is security. In po-
litical news 1t may be necessary to with
hold facts until delicate negotiations
involving other governments are con-
cluded. This is generally understood.
In military news it may be necessary to
withhold facts which, If made public,
would give the enemy information not
otherwise accessible to him or which
would confirm for his benefit facts which
otherwise he must regard as doubtful.
In the case of the present German
counteroffensive on the western front
there has been considerable indignation
expressed by correspondents at supreme
headquarters and elsewhere over the
withholding of bad news. Many Of these
correspondents are experienced and re-
liable men whose understanding Of the
situation enables them to say with
authority whether given item of news
should or should not be withheld in the
interest of military security. It is
almost impossible to Judge these matters
in detail from this side Of the ocean
and without the detailed knowledge Of
the exact state Of affairs which these
men on the spot possess.
In general, however, it may be OBJ
served that there Is reason to sympathize
with the reluctance of 1st Army and
18th Army group headquarters to make
public the details Of what is happening.
Military information may be divided
into four categories from the COM
mander's point Of view. These are: Cd
what the enemy is doing, ca what the
enemy intends to do next, go what our
own forces are doing, "a what we intend
to do next. ,s
Each opposing commander is well in
formed about %, subject to such change
as may be forced by the developing
situation. Each is fairly well informed
about t3), though touch may have been
lost with some units which have been
overrun by the enemy, or which may be
advancing so rapidly as to be tenn
porarily out Of contact. Each knows OF
what the enemy is doing only from the
reports of his own forward elements and
air force; the side which IS superior In
the air has distinct advantage In this
respect, as well Is in knowledge Of the
location Of his own forward elements.
As to ca, the enemy'4 intentions, each
side guesses at these from what the
enemy Is actually doing or seems to be
trying to do. This Is perhaps the most
important category Of the four
II In the course Of 4 fluctuating battle
Evening star., 1944-12-21
Western Front News
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

over a wide front. either side starts
giving out accurate and up-to-the-
minute information as to his own and
the enemy,s movements. it is much
easier for the other side to form cor
rect picture of the situation. If either
side begins saying I'VE are now con-
front covering such-and-such a posi-
ton 1t is not hard for the enemy to
figure out what the moves must be to
accomplish this purpose.
In the present instance. tremendous
responsibility rests on the shoulders OF
1t. Gen. Omar Bradley, commanding
the 18th Army group-which includes
the 1st, Sd and 9th United States Armies
1t is up to Bradley to stop this German
counteroffensive. To do so, he must
move up reserves, he must make such
shifts and changes in his dispositions
as may be necessary, he must give up
what he cannot hold and he must order
last-man resistance where it is necessary
to gain time for other moves to come
into play.
Since he is superior in the air. 1t is
much more difficult for the enemy to get
reliable information of what Gen. Brad
ley is doing than 1t is for Gen. Bradley
to fnd out what the enemy is doing.
Under these conditions, 1t is surely
understandable that Gen. Bradley and
his immediate subordinates may lean
over backward in an effort to avoid
making the enemy present even of the
smallest bit Of information.
The Germans are working more or less
In the dark. They have made q very
great effort, indeed, one upon which
they have staked their all: they know
what they intend to do, they know what
forces are at their disposal; but they
do not know how Gen. Bradley and his
army commanders will react, nor do
they always know just what is happen
ing all along the front.
1t Is annoying not to have more news,
and no one feels that annoyance more
deeply than this writer. who Is supposed
to analyze the facts and draw conclu-
sions from them, and for the moment
has no facts to analyze. But 1t Is also
unreasonable to expect the men on
whose shoulders rests the tremendous
responsibility Of defeating this desperate
German gamble to do anything which
might be Of the least assistance to their
foes. On this point their Judgment must
be accepted by the press and the coun-
try without question. II It should sub
sequently transpire that any other con-
dderation than military security-say,
for example. some idea Of Shocking the
public mind out Of ft6 mood Of wiahful
thinking were behind 3 deliberate with
holding Of facts, II would, of course, BE-
necessary to take 4 very different view
Of the matter.
tCopyrisht. 1874,
Evening star., 1944-12-21
This Changing World
By Consfonfine BroiCn

When the Allied forces under the
command OF Gen. Eisenhower opened
their brilliant offensive on the western
front on November 8 1t was admitted in
responsible military quarters here that
1t was somewhat in the nature of =
gamble. Some reluctance was voiced
among the field commanders about such
a risky operation against the strongly
fortified German positions on both sides
OF the Rhine.
But the operation was considered
necessary in spite Of the gambling ele-
ment. because otherwise the Germans
would have been given enough time to
organize at least another 100 divisions
with which to counter the attacks OF the
Allies on both fronts. And since there
was no prospect Of an early Russian
massive attack in the east and the
campaign in Italy had become stalled,
the western armies, composed mostly Of
Americans, were ordered to proceed.
The suspicious of the field command
ers that we might be faced with q
stronger opposition than we had bar
gained for and that the Germans might
gather enough strength to counter
attack in force have now been fully
realized. Since in the last few months
there has been only one really important
front on which the Germans had to
fight-they consider Italy and Hungary
as side shows-the Berlin high command
has concentrated powerful force, well
supplied with all the necessary supplies
to hit with force beyond the expecta-
tions Of the most pessimistic American
observers.
+
AS in the early days of the war when
the Japs FIRST attacked us at Pearl
Harbor, there is dimout of news from
the battle front. From the scraps of in
formation given out sparingly by Allied
headquarters and by the Germans, who
are following their old strategy of max
ing news public only after q battle has
been completed, 1t appears that the stu
alton has not yet been stabilized.
Some observers in Washington COM
pare the present setback of the 1st Army
with the unfortunate experience at Kas-
serine Pass. There is, however, a great
difference between the two situations
The American troops fighting at Kas-
serirse were raw and inexperienced. The
forces engaged were small and the Ger
mans lacked reserves and adequate sup
plies. They were fighting a campaign
In Africa far from their bases and were
pressed from two sides-Gen. Eisenhower
from the west and Marshal MONTGOMERY,
who was advancing rapidly from the
east. Between them and their bases
Evening star., 1944-12-21

was the Mediterranean, which the Allied
fleet kept well covered
In the present campaign the Ger
mans are within few hundred miles
of their supply bases and the lines OF
communication are overland. We, on
the other hand, must receive the re-
serves Of ammunition and requirements
from across the sea-about 5000 miles
away.
Also, during the North African cam
paign in 1912 the main German forces
were heavily engaged in Russia. Now,
however, the Nazis are engaged In =
life-and- death struggle only on the
western 'front.'
It is true that about 145 divisions are
guarding the eastern front and no
forces are being Withdrawn from there.
But that is helpful to us only In minor
way. The Germans In the west have
sufncient troops for the offensive and
the addition Of more divisions at this
time might be handicap for them
rather than an advantage. But the fact
that the eastern front is inactive al
lows them to send to the west the large
amounts of war material which are
being used lavishly against the Amer
lean Armies.
The German attacking forces are
said to be composed of first-class diyi-
sions which have been rested for many
months. Our men, swho are now vet
Grams, have been fighting since D day
in many cases Most of the Germans
who have stood the brunt of our pre-
vious attacks and have escaped are now
forming the reserve behind the Sieg-
fried Line
This Is the picture as it can be pieced
together through the thick veil of CEN
sorship. The present unfavorable news
does not mean that our situation could
be described as really grave. Suf1cient
replacements are available to make the
resistance Of the American troops re-
silent.
It is unlikely that the German high
command should expect more than To-
cal delaying successes. But it does ap-
pear as highly probable that our plans
OF breaking through the Siegfried Line
and pushing the Germans at least to
the eastern side Of the Rhine must be
postponed for several months.
This will give the enemy a chance to
gain the necessary time to strengthen
his forces in the homeland-an opera
tion which the American high COM
mand considered so undesirable that it
had decided to undertake the gamble
which has resulted in the present Ger
man counteroffensive.
Evening star., 1944-12-21
Frunco-Soviet Alliance

The treaty of alliance signed in
Moscow between the provisional
government of the French Republic
and the Soviet Union is diplomatic
landmark which may be variously
interpreted. Though in many re-
spects it parallels the Anglo-R Russian
treaty of 1942. there are important
differences whose significance may
be considerable.
Like Britain, France has entered
into treaty relations with Russia for
20-year period, the motivation
being the common war against Nazi
Germany and the common deter
mination to prevent renewed aggres-
sion by any future regime which may
there arise. To this end. both the
contracting parties pledge them
selves to make neither peace nor
truce with the Third Reich or any
camoufaged successor, and to assist
each other economically in the post
war reconstruction period.
The outstanding difference be-
tween this and the Anglo-Russian
treaty is that the Franco-Russian
pact is frankly bilateral. It is to
stand unaltered and unaffected by
any world security organization like
that outlined at Dumbarton Oaks.
The Anglo-Russian treaty provides
that it shall remain in force until
the signatories mutually recognize
that it has been superseded by "pro-
posals for common action to preserve
peace" In the Franco-Soviet treaty,
no such qualification has been in
corporated. 1t will be interesting to
see how such unqualified commit
ments will be regarded when all
bilateral treaties will be examined to
discover whether they harmonic
with a world organization along
Dumbarton Oaks lines.
Another innovation of great
potential significance is Article v,
which reads: "The high contracting
parties undertake not to conclude
alliances and not to participate in
any coalition directed against one
of them" Strictly interpreted. this
might mean that neither France nor
Russia would enter into treaty rela-
tions which the other might dis
approve. The obvious relation of this
clause is to the association of nations
in Western Europe which Britain has
been trying to promote Henceforth
it is pretty clear that no such west
ern bloc" can be negotiated except
with Moscow's approval.
Evening star., 1944-12-21
Letter for Christmas

Your valley ,oears tedthered role
tonight
And here the quiet pand OF peace D
laid
Upon the pinioned x,ountoins lanX fIs
plain; ia %
The slope that bears the orchard la;sd
Is tuhite
And In the feld the diamond sno,o hs1
made
A jetceled pattern on the ro,cs agoisss
Along the road see the Twilight tdte
And all the totnter ,oorld Is lost 10
night.
Yoa Dsll not come and yet eau -
name, E. 81
! p1acs the candles On ths ,sssdu,sv
sill "a
And touch the opal MAJ, ths fIyest
That lap. seairst .he n.i4asa5t -,
and stu,
For haps kept your memory car
And beautiful to mark my mating hseve
VESTA CRAWTpRus
Evening star., 1944-12-21

The determination of the CIO and
its PAC, along with so-called leftist
groups to dominate the administration
and Congress, in the wake Of the recent
national elections, has been made clearly
evident in recent days. That they in
tend to defy President ROOSEVELT
their wishes are not followed-and to
browbeat Congress. seems pretty clear.
from the attack which has been made
in the Senate against the appointments
to high Office in the State Department
and from the letter which CIO Presi-
dent Philip Murray addressed Tuesday
to President William Green of the AFL.
Mr.. Murray's appeal to Mr.. Green is
for labor unity" back of broad pro-
gram" The kernel of the proposal is
found in his statement that organized
labor must fight on the legislative as
well as the economic 'front.'" 1t is
nothing new for labor organizations to
seek to influence legislation by Congress.
They have been doing 1t for years. Mr..
Murray, however, links the recent presi-
DENTAL victory at the polls with this
call for united labor front to obtain
its demands. He gives a preview of
what may be expected when he writes
Surely our Joint interest in obtaining
a revision of the national wage policy
:, in securing the enactment of
adequate legislation to assure social Sc
curity and $4,000 900 jobs at decent
wages . affords a common basis for
action"
The fight in the Senate against the
confirmation of six important State De-
partment appointments, headed by that
OF Joseph c. Grew to be Undersecretary,
was led primarily by three Democratic
Senator's who have been devoted to
the New Deal-Guffey of PENNSYLVANIA,
Pepper of Florida and Murray of Mon
Evening star., 1944-12-21

some measure Of hope, and COM
mentators do only mischief when
they eagerly and cynically seize
upon any pretext-such as the ab-
sence Of the Roosevelt Churchill sig
natures-to try killing 1t OF. After
all, 1t embodies a distinctly Christian
viewpoint, and like Christianity it
self, even though perhaps more hon
ored in the breach than in the OBJ
servance, 1T may somehow manage
to endure and in time make the
world at least at little bit better.
Evening star., 1944-12-21
Veteran Agrees With Sherman

Veteran Agrees With Sherman
To the Editor of The Star:
Gen. Ansels letter in The Star for
December Is is most interesting to me,
as an old regular Army veteran of the
Santiago campaign, the Philippine In
surrection and the China Relief Expedi-
ton.
As top kick" under Brig. Gen.
Hell Roaring Jake Smith, I'll say Gen.
Ansell touches rather lightly on the
"doings" of "Jakey'
If Gen. Ansell would tell the folks
what happened to the populace on
Samar after the massacre of &C" Com
pany, 9Th Infantry, I'm sure the present
generation would agree with him that
Sherman was right.
JOHN F. STEVENS.
Evening star., 1944-12-21
Letters to The Star
He Contrasts Sforza's Duty
to Italy and Britain
TO the EDITOR Of the Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Columnist Dorothy Thompson, in The
Star Of December Is, writes:
Things are simpler than We choose
to see them. Wisdom often consists of
the ability to put ones self in another
mans shoes. II Churchill had been
born an Italian, he would resemble
Count Sforza earlier, during the Musso-
lini regime, Churchill stated that, were
he an Italian. he would be Fascist
but that, suppose, is beside the point),
not Badoglio or Bonomi. Patriotic fidel-
ity Is the essence OF Churchill's nature.
He was not called to preside over the
liquidation of the British Empire SEN
sibly spoken! If he threw the empire
to the winds at the behest of Allied
agitators he would be overthrown In
Britain"
But Count sforza did not night Musso-
lini and support the Allies in order to
preside over the liquidation OF the
Italian Empire In the interests of other
imperialisms, but to create new strong
Italy in Europe in which democracy
is the re-creator, not the executioner OF
nations.
Count Sforza In Italy behaves like
an Englishman in England. Does that
make him no man Of honor or must
he behave like an Englishman in Italy
which is different?"
Things, in reality, are simpler than
Miss Thompson chooses to put them.
The worthy count must do neither
from the English point of view. He
simply must behave himself.
PHILIP LIGHTFOOT WORMELEY ".
Evening star., 1944-12-21
MOYLIN MOON SCLATER.
Sees Racial Mixtures Comind

OSCS NdCldi N1lAtuTeS looming
To the Editor Of The Star:
Wendell Wilkie in foreseeing ''One
World" did not envision one aspect that
Is Of tremendous significance. He elab-
Grated upon broader human under
standing to follow the elimination of
vast distances and the quickening of the
tempo of travel and news.
But has any United Nation agency
given study or concern to the millions of
children already being born as a result
Of the impact of armies Of men in the
Isles OF the Sea, in Africa, in Asia and
even in the more civilized countries?
The writer remembers when Mai. Gen.
Wood appealed for support and care for
more than 25,000 orphans in the Philip
pines left by our armies after a few
years of occupation.
It is inevitable that men of the
armies in captured or friendly countries
will make biological changes in the
population. Rome enslaved thousands
Of captured Africans only to lose them
in the home population in few genera
tions, just as the victorious Moors who
stayed in Spain now are of the Span
iards of today.
There is no use to approach the
problem wearing blinders. When the
story begins to be told, there will be
millions Of mixed" children in the
countries of the hitherto unsullied
aborigines and also In civilized lands,
appearing In the wake OF invading
armies
What are the implications for UNRRA?
This world Is fast becoming one world
biologically as well as geographically.
Mr.. Willkie was probably more pro-
phetic than he realized.
Z. B. HENDERSON.
Evening star., 1944-12-21

counteroffensive 1t would be rash
to assume that he has thrown in
everything that he has. But the
experience of 1918 remains as
hopeful precedent.
Evening star., 1944-12-21
Southern Kitchens Different

oOutnSTn NltCnenS Inherent
To the Editor of The Star:
On December 13 you carried an edi-
torial which I feel impelled to chal-
lenge. 1t was called The Farm Kitch-
en-" Seldom have I read a more mis-
Leading article on farm life.
My memory carries me back over half
a century and in that time I visited
scores Of homes in many different States
but not once did see the kitchen used
as family living room. The room
that was used for that purpose invari-
ably was mothers ROOM
do not believe the writer could have
been familiar with life south OF the
Mason and Dixon line. In all my ex-
perience in the country, never have
seen a sofa nor a Morris chair in the
kitchen.
Do you suppose that many farmers
do the milking and bed the animals
down for the night" after supper? I
have yet to see farmer who would
eat supper before the chores were done.
And do most Of them eat in the kitch-
en-? Your description may apply to
some parts Of the United States but not
to Dixie
Evening star., 1944-12-21

The garden still is very much alive.
It viii be more alive than ever il the
householder takes the trouble and slight
expense to feed the birds daily. Or even
put out crumbs when the snow Is on
the ground. Every bit Of food is doubly
relished by the wild things which seek
the yard as refuge. Squirrels alone
convert any seemingly dull and gray
winter yard into . .three-ringed circus
Evening star., 1944-03-04
News Of the Bible Glasses
BY PAGE Nick. ETCHISON,
President Organized Bible Class Association.

Mems Bible Class of Grace Evan
gelical and Reformed Church to-
morrow. The Young Mems Glass
will be taught by Charles I. Bevans.
Miss Mildred Troxel will teach the
Delta Glass and Miss Halle Cramer
will be guest teacher at the Dorcas
Glass.
Representative Harry p. jeffrey of
Ohio will be the guest teacher to-
morrow morning at the Fellowship
Bible Glass Of Chevy Chase Meth
odist Church.
The Calvary Mems Glass Of CAL
vary Methodist Church will be
taught tomorrow by Edwin Dice.
Richard E. Evans has been elected
secretary.
The Home Builders Glass of
Washington City Church of the
Brethren will sponsor a dinner to-
morrow at / pm.
DR.. Elmer Louis Kayser will teach
the Harrison Bible Glass of Con-
gress Street Methodist Church to
morrow. The Rev. Dorsey K. Sturgis
will give a brief talk.
Charles c. Haig will speak to the
o. w. L. Class Of Covenant-F First
Presbyterian Church tomorrow
morning on "The Golden Rule"
The Adult Council and Commits
sion on Membership of the Mount
Vernon Place Methodist Church
Will meet Tuesday evening. The
A. B. Pugh Glass will hold a busi-
ness and social meeting Monday
evening at the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. w. L. Coffman.
The Vaughn Class of Calvary
Baptist Church will hold its SD
annual banquet on Friday at 7 pm.