davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-10-27
On the Record
BY Dorothy Thompson

Until last Saturday night the Presi-
dent had never committed himself on
the future Of defeated Germany. For
months a controversy has been going
on, in the press, on lecture platforms
and between various organized groups,
over the German question. These con-
troversies have ranged from the advo-
ca.es of Carthaginian peace, to in
clude equally all Germans, to insistence
that distinctions be made between the
bulk of the German people and the men
AROUND and behind the Nazi regime
The line taken by our short owl
broadcasts always has followed the Sec
ond policy.
Then came the publication of the
as though this policy might have been
sheer hypocrisy.
This columnist was the first to attack
the Morgenthau plan-on the air, the
day after it became known.
The Morgenthau suggestions repre-
sented the ultimate in a Carthaginian
peace, and 1t was interesting to watch
the reactions in both London and Mos
COW. Almost Immediately a Tass dis
patch denied Soviet intentions to dis
member Germany. 1t also was signifi-
cant thatssMr. Eden in the House of
Commons rejected both the formulas OF
hard" or soft" peace as meaning
less, while the London Times and Lon
don Economist called for reason.
One can now see with hindsight, that
the Morgenthau plan was in the nature
of trial balloon and served its purpose.
And with hindsight one can see that it
was wise of the President not to asso.
ciate either himself or the Secretary
OF State with it. or with any other
definite proposals. at that time
For it was urgently necessary to find
and on that rests the whole security of
our future peace-a common ground
between all three great Allies, for all
our dealings with Germany.
1t is therefore significant that the
President committed himself for the
first time on the very day that Mr.
Hartman arrived from Moscow with a
report on the conversations that had
Evening star., 1944-10-27
A Safe Prediction

Ihere are so many cross-currents
IN this election, so many strange and
mponderable factors, that very few
prognosticators with a decent re-
gard for their professional reputa-
tions are willing to forecast the out
come. But there is one prediction
which may be made with the fullest
confidence. Senator Truman, the
Presidents running mate, has in
vited Governor Dewey to purge"
eight Republican 'isolationist" Sen
ators, to read them out OF the party
and to call upon the voters to defeat
them at the polls. 1t is a safe pre-
diction that Governor Dewey will
decline this unsolicited invitation.
Political memories are notoriously
short, and Senator Truman may
have forgotten the purge of 1898, or
maybe he would just like to forget
it. But we may be sure that it is
fresh in the New York Governors
memory, for it was that Inflated
adventure which conclusively DEM
onstrated that President Roosevelt,
despite his many political talents,
was also capable of blunders of
the first magnitude. The would-be
purge of Senators who had refused
to go down the line for the New
Deal was a dismal failure. And it
left scars which conceivably may
cause Mr.. Roosevelt to lose his bid
for fourth term.
Because of this object lesson, if
for no other reason, we may be sure
that Governor Dewey will turn a
deaf ear to the Truman proposal. If
there is to be any political purging,
he will be happy to let his opponents
undertake it.
Evening star., 1944-10-27
Doesn't Trust Consress

10 tne EDITOR OF The Star:
Certain old bellwethers are trying to
raise a hue and cry for universal COM
pulsory military training for our youth
similar to the compulsory military train
ing SO long criticized in our esteemed
contemporaries, the Nazis.
The first widely heard invitation to Join
this sorry parade of nations requiring
compulsory military training was from
the same voice which called the New
Deal to prayers, 10, these many years.
The American people are now trying to
forget most of the crazy-quilt pattern
which this voice sponsored.
Senator Reynolds is another voice re-
Gently heard, declaring his committee
on the Hill will 60 into session on the
matter November IA, just after that
great peace festival, Armistice Day. I
advocate law which would make COM
pulsory military training = requirement
for all legislators who sit on such COM
mittees but for no others.
1t is insisted that the United States
shall never again be caught unprepared.
Well and good. But Congress re-
fused to fortify Guam when requested
by the Navy; and Congress played fast
and loose with the Philippines, neither
cutting them of from our own insular
position nor binding them in as a strong
outpost to an American empire. The
consequence was that We had only a
token force in the islands. And 1t was
the representatives of the people in Con-
gress who permitted the Japanese to lay
in vast war supplies of scrap iron and
petroleum when almost every newspaper
In the country warned Of the uses to
which the material would be put
RICHARD L. FELDMAN,
Evening star., 1944-10-27

Delbert Metsser fined General Rob-
ert G. Richardson. jr., commanding
general Of the islands, $4,000 for re-
fusing to produce two internees on
writs OF habeas corpus. The general
countered with an order of his own
decreeing fine of $1,000 for any
one trying to take further action in
the case and giving military courts
power to try civilian judges violat-
ing the order. Later, after the two
internees had been sent from Ha-
vail to the mainland, Judge Metzger
reduced the ine to 500. but Gen.
eral Richards continued to ignore
1t and was pardoned Internationally
by the President. Judge Metzger,
however, held to his views, and not
many months afterwards-in an
other habeas corpus suit-ruled, in
effect, that martial law was invalid
in Hawaii, but the Army filed an ap-
peal, and the appeal is now pending
in the Circuit Court in San Fran
cisco.
The Presidents proclamation
makes the Metzger Richardson con-
troversy more or less academic.
Whatever the legal merits of the
argument on each side, the fact is
that martial law remained in effect
as long as the Army and the Navy
thought it necessary. To the aver
age layman, it would seem that this
is as it should have been, with mill
tary judgment outweighing that of
a civilian in serious military mat
ter.
Evening star., 1944-10-27
Spanish ImbrooIio

Just what Is going on in and
around Spain is as yet something of a
mystery. According to headquarters
OF the exiled Spanish Republicans
in Paris and London, large-scale
guerrilla fighting has broken out in
several parts Of Spain and portends
the revolution against the Franco
regime which has been called for
by an underground committee oper-
ating in Madrid. the capital. But
according to the official Spanish
government story, disturbances are
confined to border districts of the
Pyrenees penetrated by bands of
insurgent exiles operating from
France, who are being rapidly
mopped up by Spanish frontier
guards and regular troops.
Between such antithetical asser-
tions, where does the truth reside?
Is this the start of a new civil war
or is it mostly propaganda drive by
Republican exiles anxious to arouse
support among radical circles
abroad and focus widespread dis
like of the Franco regime into ef-
fective form? Thus far, the propa-
gandist thesis seems the more plaus-
ible. 1t is certainly strengthened by
the opinions of General Jose Miaja,
former commander of the Spanish
Republican Army and other exiles
in Mexico City, who state that bor-
der raids could accomplish little and
that they might even be deliberate
ly exaggerated by Franco himself
In order to consolidate his position
at home by a display of power. We
are thus justified in maintaining
an attitude of extreme skepticism
until we have more factual informa-
tion.
The one thing we do know is that
the border raids which have oc-
Cured have been made by Spanish
Republican exiles domiciled in
Southwestern France who operated
with the local ''maquis" against the
Germans and who, like their French
comrades, are mainly extreme rad
icals in politics. Southwestern
France, into which neither Allied
nor French regular troops have
penetrated, is acting very much on
its own, with only lip service to the
provisional government in Paris
headed by General de Gaulle. It is
those radical local authorities which
have permitted, and perhaps even
abetted, the raids across the Span
ish border. Legally, such operations
stand on the same level as those
conducted by Pancho villa and 9TH
er Mexican revolutionists across our
own border at time when North
ern Mexico was out of the control
Of the federal government at Mex
leo City. The immediate issue in
volved appears to be the ability OF
Evening star., 1944-10-27
Recognizing ItuIy

OcluoIu, IL ever, nave VICTORIOUS
powers resumed diplomatic relations
with the vanquished before the COM
pletion OF peace treaty. As far as
this country is concerned at least,
there appears to be no precedent for
such action-a fact which lends
special historical interest to the
decision just reached by Britain, the
South American republics and the
United States to accord full recog-
milton to Italy, which up until
September 8, 1s43, was an enemy
fighting on Hitler's side and which
still is living under terms Of an
Allied armistice.
Just as in the waging of the war,
however, the Allied powers, in pre-
pairing for the peace, have been
making many novel departures from
the customs of the past. Soon after
Mussolini's fall and the Badoglio
capitulation, Italy was admitted to
the status Of an anti-Axis CO.
belligerent, and last September,
after the Quebec conference, Prime
Minister Churchill and President
Roosevelt promised to let the Ital-
ians exercise an increasing measure
OF control over their own affairs as
quickly as possible. The resumption
of full diplomatic relations-a step
likely to be followed by Russia which
has had limited dealings with the
Bonomi government for some time
is in line with this policy, a policy
calculated to restore stability to the
country without any unnecessary
delay.
The development unquestionably
will lend strength and prestige to
the Bonomi government in its han
ding of both internal and external
affairs. This can be of particular
value from the Italian domestic
standpoint, for 1t comes at a time
when the Rome regime has numer-
Gus difficulties to surmount, not
least of all unrest in such places as
Sicily. The unusual Allied action
fits in, moreover, with the recogni-
ton Of De Gaulle's provisional gov
ernment in France, the indication
being that a real effort is being made
to achieve as much order as possible
In Europe before the final collapse
OF Germany. Such an objective
seems wholly sound; If 1t can be
achieved, the making Of the general
peace will be that much less difficult,
and If precedents are a barrier to
it, we can we'll afford to ignore them.
Evening star., 1944-10-27
Letters to The Star
Power to Declare War
by Proxy Opposed
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star
The Presidents statement in New
York that our representative must be
endowed in advance by the people
themselves by constitutional means
through their Representatives in Con-
gress with authority to act" becomes
more vague the more one studies it.
Does he favor an executive appointment
to I'LL such an important post? Ap-
parently he favors man appointed or
instructed by Congress. Does he in
tend that such an envoy be furnished
blank check to act on future problems
In accordance with that envoy's opinions
at the moment the problem arises? No
one could reasonably expect such an
appointment by Congress or by the
people. Does the President intend that
when the problem first arises, but be-
fore it becomes critical, that congress
sional instructions will be furnished? !?
1t is doubtful If he is quite that op-
timistic. The next possibility is that
when the problem becomes critical such
instructions will be issued, but that is
just what he declares is not suited for
keeping the peace. Is it hard to imagine
that the representative will in reality
become superambassador responsible
to the White House?
1t must be realized that he who
orders even small contingent Of troops
into action invokes every resource of
our country to be prepared to support
those troops. He who controls such
forces rules the country, in fact if not
in name
The writer wishes to know of a single
example of war or a real rebellion
that has not been preceded by warm
ings visible to many leaders and usually
to the populace. This has been true
with every major war that the United
States has fought, including our own
War Between the States. Such informa-
tion should, can be and is gathered by
various sources. No country capable OF
seriously threatening world peace can
do so without organizing an army and
navy of substantial proportions char
acterized by incidents of aggression
Those who failed to take action then
could hardly be expected to empower
another to do so, nor support him If
such action were taken. A democracy
is impotent unless united by public
opinion. Without such backing, an en-
voy could not very we'll order the armed
forces into action. With formed pub
lie opinion, Congress does not need to
declare war by proxy.
B. H. TABB, Jr..
Arlington, Va.
Evening star., 1944-10-27

taken place there between Churchill and
Stain. What he said could therefore
not have been in contradiction with
either Russia or Britain. 1t always must
be remembered that the President Is in
unique position. He is not only a
candidate for reelection but the head
of State in critical and ever-moving
situation in which affairs develop re-
gardless Of the campaign.
1t also was significant that what the
President said about Germany he set
quite apart from the body of his speech
He introduced it as "digression" It
was clear that he was looking for an
opportunity to make carefully phrased
statement.
I am surprised that so little attention
has been paid to it in the American
press. In the British press it was the
one part of the speech which was i'm
mediately seized upon-and with wholly
favorable reactions
With that speech the unconditional
surrender formula was. for the first
time, interpreted and defined. Hence
forth the German people know, at least
In general terms. what they can expect.
The hard" parts of the statement
included three things: Complete liqui-
dation Of the Nazi regime and appa-
ratus; total disarmament; and punish
ment OF those directly responsible for
this agony of mankind"
But the statement also contained
solemn pledges to the German people.
In making them the President called
upon the very basis of my religious
faith and political convictions" He said,
i cannot believe that God has eternally
condemned any race of mankind He
denied the intention to enslave because
the United Nations do not traffc in
human slavery He expressed the
conviction that "in all peoples, without
exception, lives some instinct for truth,
some attraction to justice, some passion
for peace" And without any sentimental
credulity he left the door open for Ger
many to earn her way back into the
Fellowship OF peace-loving and law
abiding millions"
tReleased by the Bell Syndicate Inc)
Evening star., 1944-10-27
This Changing World
By Constantine Brown

Mopping up operations by subma-
rines and planes from the many Ameri-
can fiattops on both sides Of the Philip
pine Islands are likely to increase the
box score Of the Japanese defeat, which
now appears to be more complete
American naval victory than was
thought when the news started pouring
in early Wednesday.
Admiral Halsey's submarines and
planes and Vice Admiral Kinkaid's sub
marines are pursuing the fleeing ele-
ments Of the Japanese fleet, which is
fast withdrawing to its lairs in the
Philippines.
From available information, most of
the Japanese fleet based on Singapore
and the whole feet based on Formosa
participated in the action. Conserva-
tive observers say Japan's naval power
has received body blow. But some Of
Japan's modern ships are still afloat
and many which have been damaged
can be placed on active duty again
after undergoing repairs in the yards
Of Japan, Singapore and Indo-C China.
But 1t is from the military point of
view that the American naval victory
has the utmost significance.
At present, besides the driving offen-
sive of Gen. Macarthur in the Philip
pines, other operations are being pre-
pared In the Far East
Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, for
instance, is preparing a major offensive
from the Indian Ocean as soon as the
monsoon rains have ended. Mount
batten's operations might have been
severely handicapped if the japanese
fleet based on Singapore had remained
intact. But the losses it has suffered
at the hands of the American Navy will
make his task much easier
A similar situation exists in regard to
the Philippines. Gen. Macarthur must
send his men and supplies from bases
far from his objective in the Philip
pines. So long as the japanese fleet
was at its peak there was always a
grave risk that it might succeed in
intercepting the supply train" The
transports carrying soldiers are, of
course. heavily guarded by the Navy.
Evening star., 1944-10-27
The Men Behind Victory

In describing the great American
naval-air victory in the Battle of the
Philippines, the headlines and news
stories speak largely of inanimate
things clashing with things equally
inanimate. The key words are
"battleships," carriers" cruisers"
"destroyers, submarines" torpedo
boats" and planes" The picture
we get is mainly one of machines OF
war in grand and awesome maneu-
yer, with the smoke and flame Of
their operations tending to obscure
the thousands of human beings
behind them.
Depersonalization of this sort
cannot be avoided, of course, for in
massive engagements like that off
Samar, Leyte and Formosa the un-
leashing of giant mechanical force
excites the Imagination and stirs
the heart to the exclusion of almost
everything else. Yet this force Is
a mere instrument, mere tool, and
it could achieve nothing without the
men who operate 1.-THE men who
run the engines, fire the guns, fly
the planes, unload the bombs, make
the plans, give the commands and
take the orders, legions of men from
the highest admiral to the lowliest
COB.
1t is to these legions that America
owes its thanks for the glory being
won for it in the Pacific. The
weapons we have out there, the
ships and the planes, are superb,
are probably better than anything
of a similar kind possessed by any
other nation; but fine as they are
and mighty as they are, they would
not be giving us great victories to-
day if the Americans manning them
were not made of the stuff of heroes.
1t is that stuff--a stuff consisting of
equal parts of intelligence, courage
and devotion to duty and country
that has at last driven the japanese
to point where they can no longer
feel secure anywhere. not in the
Philippines, not in the islands to
the south, not in Formosa, not in
China, not even in their own remote
homeland.
The inanimate things, the weap-
ons, are doubtless important, but far
more important are the alert and
valorous Americans, young and old,
who give direction and meaning to
these instruments of power-the
alert and valorous from whose ranks
death demands a price in every
battle. To these brave men, whose
shining deeds will live on to inspire
and instruct the generations to
come, the Nation will be forever
indebted; without them, without
their mass heroism. America, de-
spite its mechanical might, would
not now be nearly so victorious as
1T Is. It is these men who make the
Navy and it is of these men we
should think in our observance of
this historic Navy Day.
Evening star., 1944-10-27

But the same protection cannot be ex-
tended at all times to the hundreds Of
supply ships.
Had the Japanese adopted q mere
raiding strategy and refused to be
forced into q real battle, Gen. Mac
Arthurs naval support would have had
a difiicult job. But the Japanese be-
lieved the old and slow battleships
which compose the force of Vice Ad-
miral Kincaid would be easy prey for
their modern ships and struck with dis
astrous results only to themselves. The
consequences are that henceforth Gen.
Macarthur must reckon only with the
japanese Army and its land-based
aviation.
now be easier and Gen. Macarthur is
expected to proceed at faster pace.
Moreover. II enough soldiers war ma
teriel, transports and barges can be
spared from those earmarked to 20 to
Europe, another major offensive against
the China coast could be undertaken
within the next few months. Such an
operation, which was the cherished
plan of many war planners in Wash
ington as the best way to help the
Chinese, was given little encourage
ment in the past, not only because Of
the lack of appropriate means but also
because there was still strong Japa-
nese fleet which could have intercepted
an American expeditionary force
1t was considered in many military
and naval quarters that it might be
biting off more than we could chew if
We were to engage simultaneously in
major military operations against the
Philippines, the important Japanese is
lands which formed the inner defense
arc of Japan and against the strategic
ports on the China coast. The japanese
still have large ground force and SO
long as their navy had been only dented
without, however. having its back
broken, such threefold action might
have been adventurous.
There is distinct feeling in high
naval circles that all these operations
could now be undertaken without undue
risk.
Evening star., 1944-10-27

Meanwhile. far to the north, the
japanese carrier task force was being
attended to by the Third Fleets ships
and aircraft. This force seems, besides
at least three and perhaps as many
as six carriers, to have included at least
four battleships, five cruisers and num-
Der OF destroyers. There may have oeen
more; these are the numbers that
are definitely mentioned in Admiral
Nimltzs communiQue. They were sup
ported by land-based aircraft. The
results Of the fighting so far dt appears
to be continuing have accounted for two
Japanese carriers and two cruisers
definitely sunk, two battleships and one
carrier probably sunk, and two battle
ships, three cruisers, and some Destroy
ers damaged and retiring to the north
ward, undoubtedly hotly pursued
Was the whole Japanese fleet in
yolved?
To that the answer must certainly
be yes, or very nearly so.
The maximum Japanese battleship
strength at this time is in the neigh
borhood of 13. 1t may be as low as 10.
The doubt is in the matter of the COM
pletion OF the five newest Japanese bat
tleships, Of which only two are known
for certain to have been finished. Since
10 japanese battleships were involved
In the present series of actions, the
chances are pretty good that what the
Japanese have left, undamaged, Is three
new ships in various stages of COM
pletion
The Japanese cruiser strength at the
beginning Of the war. plus ships rea-
sonably believed to have been finished
since, may be put at 43. Their losses
in cruisers previous to the present ac-
tion are four positively identified and
20 considered very probable. If we
halve the latter figure for the sake of
conservatism, We find that the remain
ing cruiser strength may be around rs.
OF these, II were involved in the pres
ent action.
The Japanese destroyer strength
(prewar plus later completions) is in
the neighborhood of 1872, less losses
variously estimated from SO to 115
Splitting the difference, they may have
SO seaworthy destroyers now. The two
southernmost japanese task forces had
18 destroyers between them; If the
northern force had at least as many
- 1t should have had because Of the
battieships and carriers 1t had to pro-
tect, then 81 out Of so Japanese de-
Stroyers were involved.
We may also assume that all the
carriers. for which the Japanese had
trained pilots and provided aircraft
were In this battle; they would have
been fools to hold back anything in
this line.
So the Japanese threw in, practically
everything they had in the way of a
navy. They have lost the resulting
battle; 1t only remains to be seen what
the final score will be.
<cspsrisAt 1o4l. New york Tribune, Sne.)