davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-10-26

The Admiral rushed the bulk OF his
forces to intercept the Japs and reports
as to the damage done to the enemy's
carriers show that he has played havoc
with the enemy carriers and their
powerful escorts.
But as soon as the backbone of the
American naval forces in that area pro-
ceeded to pursue the Jap carrier fleet.
the enemy's batleships, carriers and
their auxiliaries moved out in an effort
to destroy the feet which was protecting
the landings of MacArthurs amphibious
forces under command of Rear Admiral
Daniel Barley.
This mission of the Japanese failed
altogether Halsey's modern ships ar
rived too late for action against the Jap
fleet which had attacked Kinkaid. The
remnants Of that enemy fleet had with
drawn after having suffered Severe
losses.
From the incomplete reports received
so far, it appears that the Japanese
attack against MacArthur's fleet was
well timed, but poorly executed. The
enemy had on his side new battleships
and cruisers much faster and with q
greater gunpower than those which were
guarding our amphibious forces. Either
the Japanese commander in chief
adopted what may be termed as a
"jittery strategy" or the seamanship
displayed by the American naval leaders
was far superior to that Of the enemy.
II k
In any event, although the Japs used
In this first naval battle of the Philip
pines their best and most up-to-date
ships against the older type American
battleships, the score went definitely
against them.
1t seems unlikely that the residue Of
the Japanese fleet will be able to re-
main long behind the protection of
the islands which are now serving
them as bases.
Evening star., 1944-10-26
Dewey at Chicuqo

Carrying his fight for the presi-
dency into the Democratic strong
hold of Chicago on the Jeffersonian
proposition that "the whole art of
government consists in the art of
being honest" Governor Thomas E.
Dewey has made determined ana
seemingly impressive bid for the
twenty eight electoral votes from
Illinois, which have gone to Mr..
Roosevelt in the past three elections.
The Republican candidate received
a tremendous reception when he
arrived in Chicago yesterday after
noon, some 100000 people being on
hand to greet him as he drove
through the Loop. 1t was an en-
thuSiastic crowd, shoWering the New
York Governor with ticker tape and
confetti, and sometimes breaking
through police lines to swarm around
his car. That evening, when he
went out to the Chicago Stadium
to castigate the Roosevelt admin
istration, the scene was much the
Same-30,000 people jamming every
inch of the huge stadium with thou
sands more being turned away at
the doors. The unrestrained en-
thusiasm of last nights stadium
crowd was in striking contrast to
the warm, but not tumultuous greet
ing which Governor Dewey received
when he appeared on the same
platform four months ago to accept
the Republican nomination-a sig
nificant indication that his cam
paign is taking hold"
Governor Deweys speech was a
slashing, two-fisted attack on the
integrity of the Roosevelt admin
istration. He minced no words and
pulled no punches. Governor Dewey
accused the President of being a
sponsor of the One Thousand Club.
which he described as Democratic
scheme to sell special privilege" for
81 900. He reviewed some of the
political aspects of WPA, the Presi-
dents Supreme Court plan, Mr..
Roosevelt's statements to the effect
that If elected to a third term he
would not seek fourth, and con-
cluded with this quotation from
the publication Christian Century:
From the very beginning. Mr..
Roosevelt has used deception as
major political stratagem until today
he has lost the moral confidence of
the Nation"
This attack on the President was
made three days before Mr.. Roose-
velt's own scheduled appearance in
the Nations second city. That, no
doubt, will be the occasion of the
Presidents reply, and it will be
awaited with interest.
Evening star., 1944-10-26
This Changing World
By Constantine Broom

The first naval battle OF the Philip
pines Is believed to be ended, with the
remainder Of the Japanese fleet, minus
some of the most important units, hav-
Ing withdrawn to the shelter OF the
many islands in that area. 1t appears
now questionable whether the japanese
will be able to engage in the future in a
major naval action against the United
States.
American losses, SO far as Is known
at this time, have been small Outside
the carrier Princeton, which was dam
aged and had to be sunk, the damage
suffered by the feet under Admiral
Kinkaid has been negligible. Some of
the barges and transports Of the train
fleet" have been sunk or damaged But
Kinkaids task force, composed of old
battleships and cruisers, has smashed
up the modern japanese feet.
The Japanese losses in the Sulu Sea
include at least one Of the newest bat
tleships Of the Yamoto class, 42,00o-
ton battlewagon completed in 1912.
Other large and powerful Japanese
units are reported to have been
sunk or damaged either from air and
submarine torpedoes or battleship gun
fire. The full report from Admiral
Nimitz will tell the whole story shortly.
The Japanese ships which have been
lurking behind the islands were iden-
titled some time ago by Admiral Halsey's
reconnaissance. Admiral Halsey, who is
commander in chief in that area, has
with him the BATTLE fleet, that is to
say the newest available battlewagons
and the cruisers and carriers which ac-
company modern formations. He was
not able to participate in the Sulu Sea
battle because about IL hours before the
Japanese came out to attack the war
ships protecting Gen. MacArthur's in
vasion forces, a large enemy carrier
force was spotted by Halsey scouts.
Evening star., 1944-10-26
Criticizes President Aaain

Criticizes President Again
To the Editor of The Star:
In speech made in Boston, October
3, 1910, President Roosevelt In assuring
everybody that our boys would not be
sent to foreign wars, did not include the
words, I'm case of attack" This can
easily be verified. His actual words
were: And while I am talking to you
mothers and fathers I give you one
more assurance. I have said this before
but I shall say it again and again and
again! Your boys are not going to be
sent into foreign wars. They are going
into training to form a force so strong
that by its very existence, it will keep
the threat OF war far away from our
shores. The purpose OF our defense is
defense"
Now, who can deny that when the
President made that statement, we had
abandoned neutrality, war preparations
were under way and, as German ships
were being sunk by us to protect Brit
ain, we already were, virtually, in
state of conflict with Hitler? Moreover,
war with Japan seemed inevitable in
view OF our Asiatic policy and our in
tention to support England.
Mr. Roosevelts pledge and promise
most certainly do not fit the facts. The
jewels of truth and consistency do not
adorn any New Deal crown.
EDMUND K. GOLDSBOROUGH.
Evening star., 1944-10-26
Letters to The Star
Urges a Decentralization Plan
for Federal Buildings
To the Editor of The Star:

TO the Editor Of The Star:
Your full account of the proposed new
subway system for Washington raises q
number of questions, but I will stick to
the basic one: Why plan to build at
great expense system of rapid transit
which would not be needed If the city
itself were properly planned?
1t Is obvious that, If all Government
offices were moved to the suburbs, every
Government worker would be able to
live within walking distance of his job.
And most Government workers badly
need the exercise and fresh air that a
brisk 10 to 20 minutes walk to and from
work would provide.
The $56,000, 900 required to build the
proposed subway system would pay for
II $4,000, 900 Federal Office buildings
which could be scattered all around the
fringes of the city.
An average Government worker now
spends we'll over an hour day and at
least II cents for carfare or gasoline to
get to work. His time is worth over 81
an hour. If he could save half an
hour and carfare and secure half an
hour of wholesome outdoor exercise
each day for 80 years, he would save
thousands of dollars, add years to his
life and be better worker.
Moreover, rent is lower in the out
skirts of the city.
Is 1t reasonable to sacrifice or even
postpone the realization of such gains
in order to protect downtown real estate
values and the city's income from prop
erty taxes?
Concentration of business and indus
try in the center of congested city
may have been necessity in the horse
and-buggy age. 1t is costly and un-
necessary evil in the automobile age,
not only because automobiles greatly in
crease traffic congestion but also be-
cause modern means of transportation
and communication enable executives in
scattered plants and buildings to main
tain close contact with each other
without leaving their desks.
BURNHAM P. BECKWITH.
Evening star., 1944-10-26

The japanese have apparently de-
cided that the time has come when they
must risk at least a substantial portion
Of their main battle feet in an attempt
to check the American invasion of the
Philippines. If that is so, they would
be foolish not to throw it all in; this is
one of the situations in which any
reserve held back Is an advantage
gratuitously offered to the enemy.
The Japanese objective is undoubtedly
the tremendous assemblage of trans
ports, supply ships and landing craft
which are engaged in supporting Gen.
MacArthur's troops on Leyte and the
adjacent islands, plus Vice Admiral
Kinkaid's escorting warships.
To effect this purpose, the Japanese
have made three moves with three
separate task forces. Two of these came
from the South China Sea, the other
from Japanese home waters. This indi-
Gates that previous to the appearance
of these task forces the Japanese feet
was divided; part of it, including many
major units, was in the South China
Sea based on Singapore and Hong Kong,
the rest was at its home bases.
For convenience, we may call these
three japanese elements Task Forces
Nos. /, and 3.
Task Force No. was discovered south
of the island of Mindoro on Monday,
by reconnaissance aircraft of the car
riers of the United States Third Fleet
1t subsequently steered eastward into
the Sibuyan Sea. This is an inclosed
sea of which the northern boundary is
formed by the southeastern tail" Of
Luzon; Mindoro lies to the west of this
sea, Negros to the south, Masbate to
the east. The island of Sibuyan, in
the center of the Sibuyan Sea, is about
ITO miles airline distance from Tacloban,
the capital of Leyte
Task Force No. consisted, when dis
covered, of 3 or battleships, 10 cruisers
and 13 destroyers. 1t contained no
carriers, but it was apparently operating
in conjunction with land-based aircraft.
The fact that it was discovered south
OF Mindoro by aircraft belonging to
carriers of our Third Fleet suggests that
some elements at least of that fleet are
fairly close inshore east of Luzon.
This is further borne out by the sinking
OF the Princeton, which was attacked by
land-based aircraft and must therefore
have been within reach of the Japanese
bases-presumably though not neces-
Sarily, on Luzon.
Task Force No. was attacked by our
carrler-based aircraft apparently after
it had entered the Sibuyan Seal; all of
its battleships and one cruiser were
damaged. The fact that one .battleship
was hit by a torpedo, and since the
torpedo-plane is relatively short
ranged aircraft, is further hint that
the Third Fleet is pretty close to the
Philippines.
Task Force No. consisted Of two
battleships, one cruiser and four de-
stroyers. 1t was alaT sighted Monday
Evening star., 1944-10-26

BALTIMORE, Oct. 26.-Maryland, for
half century, has cast its electoral
vote for the winning presidential candi-
date, whether Democrat or Republican
The President carried Maryland four
years ago against the late Wendell l..
Willkie by 115,000 votes.
Few Democratic leaders contend today
that the President will be able to come
anywhere near his 1910 plurality in his
race against Gov. Dewey. One of the
most astute canhpaigners in the State
estimates Roosevelt victory by from
10000 to $4,000. The Republicans, on
the other hand. insist that the COP
will wind up ahead. perhaps by 10000
votes. More impartial observers say
that it is real race and that anything
may happen, although they are inclined
to give the edge to Mr.. Roosevelt.
x y
Maryland voters have been an inde-
pendent lot, take it by and large, ir-
respective of party registration. Indeed,
many Democrats are violently opposed
to a fourth term for the New Deal
President. 1t may be that, so far as
Maryland is concerned, Mr.. Roosevelt
has gone to the well once too often. Two
instances in which Marylanders have
turned their backs on men in public
office, after they had served several
terms. are object lessons. The defeat
of the late Gov. Ritchie was one and
of former Mayor Howard w. Jackson Of
Baltimore is another. Both Democrats,
they were finally defeated by Republi-
cans after having served four terms in
office. Gov. Ritchie was not only one
of the ablest, but also one of the most
popular governors the State ever had
An accumulation of irritations-and
Of enemies resulted finally in the
elimination of Gov. Ritchie. A similar
group of irritations and enemies has
developed in Maryland against Mr..
Roosevelt. 1t remains to be seen
whether they are sufficient to turn the
State against him. The one thing that
may save him is the war. AS one
Democratic leader put 1t to me, He'll
win with the votes Of people who do
not really like him"
The irritationS against President
Roosevelt and the New Deal have been
responsible for a distinct Republican
trend in the State during the last two
or three years. Two years ago the
COP captured two out of six con-
gressional districts. The Republican
candidate for Governor, McKeldin, lost
by only 10000 votes, and he is today
Mayor of Baltimore
Evening star., 1944-10-26
WindfuIIs

These are the windtalls, rottino on the
ground,
Broken and bruised, turning into
mould,
While on the lo,pest bongh hang tul,
and round
Great luscious spheres OF scnrlet-
studded gold.
These are the windtaHs, crushed
beneath our feet,
Mingled NTH the dnthills and the
detD,
While close above them, perfect, tanoy-
sDeet,
The golden fruit and sun hold inter
pie1o
Our dreams lie bliehted, too, among the
grass
While Others dangle, gold, upon the
bough;
Yet some day through this orchard ,De
may pass,
Older and tuiser, far, than we are
7lolD,
And knoto the toindfalls, tasting rich
OF earth,
Mcy huue been s,Deeter. and OF greater
north.
MAE wnNK1ER GOODMAN. 4
Evening star., 1944-10-26
Bernhurdt Centenary

Liberated Paris this week Is cele-
brating the one hundredth anniver-
sary of the birth of Sarah Bernhardt,
greatest of modern actresses and GER
tainly one of the most notably in
terestlng women of all time. The
exact date of the beginning of her
remarkable career is a matter Of
controversy among biographers, but
1t was somewhere between October
20 and 27, and that probably is def
mite enough for all reasonable pur-
poses. What matters is the impress
sion which she left upon the world.
The theater, however, is at once
the most durable of human institu-
tions and the most ephemeral.
Players of undoubted genius come
and go. Only the plays remain-and
the legends of the actors who have
spent their lives invigorating them.
The Divine Sarah admittedly is
fabulous. Her development from
youthful obscurity to the full glory
OF unequaled stardom is a romance
as dramatic as any role she repre-
sented behind the footlights. She
made it so. Everything she touched
was dramatized. A native of Paris.
with French, Dutch and Jewish an
cestry to call upon, she was-at least
In middle life-a universal person.
allty. Her home was everywhere,
and If she loved France best it was
because France loved her so much.
She studied at the Conservatoire
from 1858 until her debut at the
Comedie on August II, 1862. Sue
cess was not achieved at the start
nor without vast effort. Indeed.
it was not until 1874 that she entered
the first rank among continental
artists. Half a decade later, with
her reputation securely established,
she crossed to London for a season
of phenomenal acclaim.
Thereafter her popularity never
faded. Madame Bernhardt almost
literally had the world at her feet
for more than quarter century.
Her zeal for her work was electric.
She commenced in 1880 a series of
tours which took her to Australia as
well as to every part OF North and
South America and to every capital
in Europe. AS late as 1922 she was
in England, crippled by the ampu-
tation of one leg, pitifully thin and
pathetically old, yet still possessed
OF her marvellous voice, her exquisite
diction and her traditional ability to
make words burn with the living
fire Of passion. She attempted only
the most difficult parts, and authors
like Sardou and Rostand were hard
put to 1t to keep up with her de-
mand for plays that would give her
Evening star., 1944-10-26

Swedish frontier. With Allied sea
and air command of the adjacent
ocean, coastal shipping has become
extremely hazardous for the Ger
mans. Thus, determined attack on
Finmark would presumably succeed
despite local German resistance. The
strategic aspect is whether it Is now
worth the price.
The political aspect, however, is
more far-reaching. If Finmark is
conquered solely by the Russians,
they would thereby realize an old
dream of expansion to the warm
water ports of the Atlantic. But, in
the past, this has always been reso-
lutely opposed by Britain, for obvi-
Gus reasons. 1t has likewise been a
chronic worry for Sweden, because
a Russian occupation of Northern
Norway as far as Narvik would in
evitably involve the regions normal
land outlets which run through
Swedish territory,
Evening star., 1944-10-26
Wants to Know Background
of Zoot Suit Order

To the Editor Of The Star:
Hooray! The War Production Board
has done it at last! Moved, no doubt by
pity for the sufferings of the average
citizen, who has been troubled greatly
of late by the thinning of his hair, his
pocketbook and the seat of his trousers.
that great agency, devoted to the win
ming of the war, graciously has per-
mitted the resumption of the manu-
facture of zoot suits-even with rect
pleats and drape shapes.
OF course, there Is one little fly in the
ointment OF joy-the citizen can get
only one pair of pants with his suit.
When that wears out, he can add the
coat and vest to the growing collection
In his closet. and go down and buy
himself another suit-if he has the
money.
Meanwhile, we must save wool, SAYS
the WPB, by using less in each suit.
The increase in the number of mems
suits sold since the ban on two-pants
suits went into effect, of course, has no
oemonstrable statistical connection
Herewith. Allegedly it is just refec-
ton OF the increase in the average in
come. Every one knows how greatly the
white-collar worker has profited from
war-induced prosperity.
But perhaps We do the bright young
men of the WPB an injustice by at
tributing to them such line of reason.
Ing. Surely. they are not taken in
they just hope we are.
However, an interesting line of in
quiry, for those who like such exer-
else, Is suggested by the statement in
the release that the action followed
recommendations of the clothing indus
try. One wonders how closely? And
also, just what are the entities concealed
behind that resounding abstraction, the
clothing industry? What proportion of
the manufacturers of mems readv-to-
wear garments, who previously had
made two-pants suit voted to con-
tlnue the ban on them? What was the
attitude OF their competitors, who never
had made such suits? And, perhaps
more significant still, what were the
past relationships between the officials
OF the WPB who were responsible for
the limitation order and its continua-
tion, on the one hand, and the mems
ready-to-wear industry and firms en-
gagged in it, on the other hand? Have
those officials had commercial connec-
tions with firms which have in the
past opposed, and still oppose, the
manufacture of tWo-pants sIitso
DIOGENES.
Evening star., 1944-10-26
Victory in the Pacific

The measure of losses inflicted
and losses sustained is still incom-
plete, but all authoritative reports
from President Roosevelt, General
Macarthur and Admirals Halsey,
Nlmitz and King-leave no room for
doubt that a great American naval
air victory has been won east of
Leyte and Samar in the Philippines
and south of Formosa.
According to Admiral King, "prac-
tically all" the Japanese fleet was
engaged in this far-fung and mo-
mentous battle. The enemys main
objective, apparently, was to seal
off American troops on Leyte and
1nf1ict a disastrous reverse on us in
the Philippines. To this end, he
sent two separate naval divisions
eastward through the islands, one
steaming from the Sulu Sea through
Surigao Strait into Leyte Gulf and
the other from the Sibuyan Sea
through San Bernadino Strait and
thence southwark down the east
coast OF Samar. simultaneously,
he sent a third division from
Formosa. The latter was met by
Admiral Halsey in waters off Luzon,
while Admiral Kinkaid, dividing his
outnumbered forces, shattered both
arms OF the Samar-Leyte pincers,
driving them back through the
straits with heavy wounds.
In General MacArthur's judgment,
the japanese Navy has thus suffered
its most crushing defeat of the
war" and Admiral Halsey lends
support to this with the fiat state
ment that the enemy fleet has been
defeated, seriously damaged and
routed Until all the reports are
in-and pursuit action may still be
continuing-it will be risky to draw
too optimistic a picture of the re-
suits, but there is good reason to
believe that the battle will 60 down
in history as being more decisive
than that off Midway, and it may,
in fact, prove to have been the
greatest and most far-reaching of
its kind ever fought.
The immediate effects of the en-
gagement, if the initial reports have
not been exaggerated, should be to
leave the Japanese gravely exposed
to attack throughout the Philippines
and thus to speed up General Mac
Arthur's liberation drive. Indeed,
the enemy everywhere in the Pacific
must now feel more menaced than
at any time since our immense task
forces began their spectacular offen-
sive operations-menaced not alone
IN Formosa and along the coast of
CHINA but in Japan itself.
Forced to do so by our Philippines
invasion, the Tokyo war lords have
at last sent forth the bulk of their
Meet to meet our challenge, only to
have it battered and mauled into
rapid flight. For the American Navy
ana lts air arm, this is victory and
glory perhaps without parallel in
our history. And as it applies to the
war against Japan, it may well be
the great climax after which a
whole series of brilliant events NAV
follow In quick succession until our
Far Eastern enemy is finally beaten
to his knees never again to rise as
a world menace.
Evening star., 1944-10-26
Closed From Reporters
From the Ottawa Journal.

From the Ottawa Journal.
1T is not the practice in this country
to give facilities for press interviews
with prisoners in custody" That was
the definite answer given by the Homo
Secretary to an application made by the
Associated Press of the United States for
permission to interview a United States
embassy clerk now serving a seven-year
sentence for violation of Britain's ON
cial Secrets Act. The practice in Cana.
da Is fortunately similar-a person con-
vlcted promptly moves out of the public
gaze and knowledge. In the United
States the photographing and interview
ing of convicts for newspapers and peri.
odicals is carried to an extreme that
does not seem to be in the public inter-
ests. 1t Is not well to make heroes out Of
criminals, yet that sometimes is at
tempted by sensational writer's and
Sobsisters,
Evening star., 1944-10-26
Joe's Job-and Ours
From The Stars and Stripes:

From The Stars and Stripes:
a These GIs are still in the war. News
paper headlines and victory vapors
don't mean much to them. They're
busy with other things Like the Ger
man mortar and machine gun up
ahead that's pinning them down.
These Joes have job. It's life or
death job and they're doing it "a hours
the month.
When the Kraut quits they'll quit
and not a minute before.
That's something all Of us ought to
understand Nhere and back home.