davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-18

It. Comdr. Jack Benson, former game commissioner, is in the hospital at the NOE with J broken leg. Mrs. Benson and children will arrive from their home at Unga this week to be with It. Benson while conva- lescing.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-18

Mrs. Mary Cotton has resum- ed her position as nurse at the GM hospital after a short vacation.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-18

Miss Barbara Crozter and her brother, Rev. Richard Crozier, missionary workers at Afognak, were visitors in the city this week
Evening star., 1944-09-24
The Italian Bottle

With the capture of Rimini at the
eastern end of the Gothic Line. it
now appears possible that the bat
tie of Italy-which has been more
or less begged down in blood for the
past several weeks-will soon begin
moving into high gear toward
quick decision. BY taking the Adri-
attic seaport after a bitter month
long battle. the Eighth Army has
broken out into the open plains
country where heavy armor can be
employed in swift slashing maneu-
yer against the enemy. Simultane-
ously, to the westward the Fifth
Army has seized Firenzuola, a key
road junction deep inside the Nazi
defenses and commanding highways
leading directly into the Pc Valley,
AS a result, all dispatches from the
front indicate that Kesselring's
forces face the prospect of imminent
disaster. But we cannot be sure of
this, for since the liberation of
Rome, the Germans under Kessel-
ring have managed more than once
to escape being cut to pieces, and
as soon as they entrenched them
selves in the Gothic Line, they began
fighting with a stubbornness that
has been every bit as fierce as that
shown last winter at Casino far to
the south. In this, nature has been
their ally. Italy is not like France,
where the land permits a swift
movement of troops and -armored
equipment such as characterized
General Patton's spectacular drive.
, Italy, by and large, is mountain
range, a country poorly suited to
great battles of maneuver but lend
ing itself freely to determined de-
fensive stands.
In recent months, the war else
where has overshadowed the war
there, but the italian battle has
been as bitter and violent as ever.
In addition to the dug-in Nazis,
rain, mud, cruel terrain, and now
wintry nights, have made 1t ter
rible test for our troops. But they
have passed 1t well. and this time
Evening star., 1944-09-24
'Couverture'

To understand the Siegfried Line,
it is necessary to know that it repre-
sents the German equivalent of the
doctrine Of defense which in France
is associated with the word "cou-
verture," meaning covering" in the
sense Of counterpane or quilt. A
writer In Makers of Modern STRAIT
egy" discusses the whole problem Of
attack and defense across the Rhine
against a background Of history
beginning before the Napoleonic
period. Briefly, the sequence Of de-
velopments runs in this fashion:
The great military engineer, Vauban,
had sought to make France stronger
than other countries in fortifica-
tions. His views were supported
when Verdun successfully resisted
the Germans in 1915. Paul Painleve,
Minister OF War in 1928, with
both Vauban and Verdun in mind,
urged the desirability of a special
system of fortresses along the north
east frontier. "Maginot merely car
ried out the plans, prepared to the
minutest detail and handed over to
him by his predecessor"
The purpose of both men was to
defend France at the least possible
cost in money and personnel. Both
were familiar with the military
theories of General Won Seeckt, COM
mander in chief of the Reichswehr
and the originator of lightning
war" or "attaque brusquee." It was
their intention to head of "blitz"
by constructing an impregnable bar
rier across the road which the Ger
mans had followed into France in
1914. The work was started in 1929
and was hastened by apprehension
stirred by Hitler's fulminations from
1885 onward until the outbreak of
hostilities. When approximately fin
ished, the Maginot chain of buried
pill boxes" and communicating
tunnels undoubtedly was the finest
achievement of its kind in the world.
1t failed because France failed to
realize that the best practical
defense is strong and vigorous
attack.
But even that well-established
axiom Is subject to challenge. The
Siegfried Line yet may prove to
have been worth its cost. Con-
structed In answer to the Painleve-
Maginot system Of shelter" 1t is
supposed to "cover" Germany from
Switzerland to the North Sea. Begun
in 1887, it is alleged to be thirty
miles wide and to include emplace-
ments for huge field guns and thou
sands Of machine-gun nests. Pic
lures distributed by the propaganda
bureaus OF Berlin show mine fields,
tank traps, camoufiaged "dugouts,"
concealed" munitions dumps, etc.
The name "siegfried," some author
tiles say, is not much used in Ger
Evening star., 1944-09-24
The FiIipinos

Despite the grimness of events in
the Pacific, there is a slightly comic
touch to the excited Tokyo radio re-
port that the puppet Laurel govern
ment OF the Philippines has de-
clared war on the United States as
result of last weeks smashing
American air blow against the
Manila area. This is propaganda re-
duced to the preposterous; it is the
ventriloquist making a joke of him
self by seriously trying to repre-
sent the dummy on his knee as a
free agent with mind and power
of its own.
1t may be true enough, OF course,
that the Laurel regime, responding
automatically to japanese orders
has acted as the Tokyo radio says
and that it may even be able to con-
script some numbers of Filipinos to
resist General MacArthur's prospec-
tive invasion. But the overwhelm-
ing majority Of the people of the
Philippines-not least Of all the
fiery Moros-are no more loyal to
their puppet rulers than were the
French to Laval, and we can be
sure of their active and enthusiastic
help when our forces return to lib
crate them and drive the enemy
back into the sea.
Actually, according to more than
one reliable account, Filipino re-
sistance to the Japanese since the
fall of Corregidor in May, 1912. has
been such that even at this moment
large and important areas of the
islands are fully controlled by them
under the leadership of guerrillas
headed by native and American
fighting men who escaped Tojo's
Infamous march of DEATH" When
he left for Australia, General Mac
Arthur vowed that he would come
back, and the Government of the
United States solemnly pledged
that its total power would be used to
redeem the Philippines, and by for
NAL act of Congress they have been
guaranteed speedy and full inde-
pendence after the enemy is driven
out.
The people of the Philippines re-
member all this. They remember
Bataan and how thousands of their
sons fought and died there, shoul-
: der to shoulder with our forces,
against the hated invader They
have not forgotten. They know the
japanese as the cruel despoilers of
their land. They know Americans as
friends, as brothers-in- arms. There
is an understanding between them
and us deeper and more lasting
than anything that could be put
down on paper-an understanding
written in the blood of our two peo-
Piles, for the sake of their freedom
and ours. When the hour of liberia
tion strikes, there will be no need to
worry what their response will be.
1t will be for us, puppet declarations
Of war Notwithstanding.
Evening star., 1944-09-24

the promise implicit In the news
may be fulfilled, with total victory
achieved In italy and the rigors en-
dured by our forces there at last
brought to an end. The prospect, at
any rate, seems perceptibly brighter,
for II the Gothic Line is crumbling
everywhere as indicated, Kesselring
and his army may be destroyed in
the open country before they have a
chance to get to new positions far
ther north, there to tight on yet
another day.
Evening star., 1944-09-24
Cut-Bock in Government.

In taking preliminary steps to
liquidate war agencies and get the
Government back on q peacetime
footing, President Roosevelt has
undertaken one of the most i'm
portant and complicated tasks OF
reconversion.
In the more than four years
elapsing since the Nation began its
preparations for war, the size of the
civilian Government establishment
has tripled, until now it embraces
some 100000 men and women.
Much Of what eventually will be
accomplished in the way of retrench-
ment must wait-as the President
says-on the defeat Of Japan. The
imminent victory over Germany,
however, should pave the way for a
sizable reduction, and it will require
the careful planning" Mr.. Roosevelt
bespeaks in his instructions to the
Budget Bureau to avoid the dis
order and disruption" that inevita-
bly, would result If the problem were
dealt with haphazardly.
In directing the bureau to make
a study and formulate program on
which to base recommendations to
Congress, the President specifies
three interrelated objectives at
which an overall plan should aim.
First, OF course, Is the liquidation of
emergency agencies, with such per-
manent or continuing functions as
they possess, reassigned elsewhere.
Secondly, comes reduction Of force
to peacetime level, and finally,
simplification Of the machinery of
the executive branch.
The President recognizes that
some agencies virtually can be wiped
out when the war ends, but skeleton
forces still will be needed to wind up
their affairs. and it is the part of
wise economy to shift these remain
ing functions into some other group
ing, instead Of incurring needless
administrative overhead expense by
permitting such units to maintain
their identity. In other instances,
liquidation" will mean simply the
cutting back Of forces to something
approximating their prewar level.
In this connection, it is worth re-
calling that competent Government
officials expect an eventual reduc-
ton OF about so per cent in person.
mel, which means the removal OF ap-
proximately 100000 persons from
the rolls. That being the case, it
would seem that the sensible thing
to do from now on would be to hold
recruiting to a minimum and fill
vacancies by transfer. That would
be fairer from the employees stand
point, and more economical for the
Government. .--
Evening star., 1944-09-24
Baltic Cumpuiqn

The renewal Of full-scale Russian
operations in the Baltic States
brings back into the limelight one
of the most puzzling campaigns in
the entire war. The puzzle concerns
the Germans more than the Rus
slams. Why the German high COM
mand has hung on so desperately
to the Baltic States, especially to. the
northern sectors. has never been
adequately explained on strategic
grounds.
When the Red armies broke
through the German defense sys-
tenn in White Russia early in their
great summer offensive. the entire
German front in the east was po-
tentially inperiled. Military logic
would have seemed to dictate con-
centrating ruthlessly to plug the gap
in the center. even though this
might entail withdrawing the ex-
tended left flank resting on the Gulf
of Finland to the river line of the
Dvina, thereby eliminating some
800 miles of front and releasing
many divisions for service in the
crucial area. Instead of this, the
army group under General Linde-
mann was kept at full strength and
no ground was yielded in the Bal
tics even when the Russian offensive
In the center had crashed through
Eastern Poland and threatened the
vital Vistula-Narew line which alone
stood between the Russians and the
Reich itself.
The Baltic gamble looked still
vainer when a Russian offensive In
that region cut through the south
ern sectors and actually isolated the
bulk of Lindemann's forces to the
northward. That narrow Russian
corridor to the Baltic Sea was abol-
ished by desperate German counter
attacks, and land connections were
re-estabhshed. Yet by this time it
became clear that Finland was get
ting out of the war, thereby elimi-
mating the political justification for
hanging onto the northern Baltic
States. Nevertheless, until the pres
ent massive Russian offensive start
ed there, no general German retire.
ment was indicated.
Swift Russian advances in the
northern sectors probably mean that
German retirement there is at
last under way. But such an oper-
alton undertaken in the face of
strong enemy pressure Is much more
difficult and costly than one made
In time. The extrication of Linde-
mann's armies from the Baltic
States is problematical. On balance,
1t is hard to see what strategic or
even political gains were worth the
price now being paid.
Evening star., 1944-09-24
Relations With France

As both the President and the
State Department are careful to
point out, the naming of Jefferson
Caffery as special American repre-
sentative to the "de facto French
authority" does not constitute rec
ognition of that authority as gov
eminent. Mr.. Caffery will have the
personal rank, but not the title, of
Ambassador, since General de Gaulle
and his organization are in a kind
of twilight zone as far as legal status
goes.
Never elected to Office to serve as
the voice Of France. the De Gaullist
regime is nonetheless the only au-
thoritative representative of that
country with which other countries
may deal-an interregnum of sorts
between the fallen Third Republic
and the Fourth. which has yet to be
born. Its main task. under the
agreement reached some weeks ago
with Britain and the United States,
Is to administer French civil affairs
In any area which General Eisen-
hover regards as not being related
essentially to military operations,
and to exercise full authority in
this respect until national elections
can be held.
Mr.. Cafferys appointment does
not alter this arrangement. The
United States still adheres to the
policy of refusing to commit itself
automatically or politically to Gen.
eral de Gaulle while the wishes of
the French people-whatever they
may behave yet to be expressed
at the polls. Nevertheless, the
course of military events, with the
collapse of Germany in sight. has
made it imperative to establish a
close diplomatic liaison with him
because his organization, though not
a formal "de jure" government, has
actual authority in France, and
there is no other group of French
men able to take its place at this
time.
The policy of withholding full
recognition from General de Gaulle
may seem to some to involve much
meaningless hair splitting, but it is
correct to the extent that it does
not place us in the position of SEEM
ing to impose any political group
upon the French people. In due
time they will have a chance to
create government of their own
choosing, and General de Gaulle, If
he is successful with the heavy task
now burdening him. will probably
figure very, largely in it. Meanwhile,
the fact that the United States has
assigned representative of ambas-
sadorial rank to his regime may
well serve to enhance his already
great prestige and will fill the i'm
perative need Of keeping Washing
ton and Paris in close and friendly
contact with each other between
now and the time when France is
reconstructed.
Evening star., 1944-09-24
The Promise Of The Future
By Rabbi Norman Gerstenteld,
Minister OF the Washington Hebrew CONGREGATION.

to grid our loins and take up the
sword Of battle. Our tradition never
has said "resist not evil" but "thou
shalt not stand idly by the blood Of
thy neighbor": and even the win Of
the multitude must be resisted, II It
heads toward wickedness. We never
have said hate your enemy" for our
scriptures repeat thou shalt take no
vengeance nor bear any grudge
against the children Of the people"
and "the stranger shall be to you as
the homeborn";; but We also have
afirmed that wickedness must be
fought and evil, in any guise, must
be resisted, II peace is to be on
this earth.
In this hour Of victory, as We look
ahead to world of promise, we also
must realize that force alone is not
enough, II the promise Of the future
is to come true. Joshua had. the
force to win a Land of Promise, but
he was followed by the anarchy Of
the Judges and the agony of inva-
vasion. David had the force to drive
out the Philistines but after him his
Kingdom was divided and his people
enslaved. Judas Maccabeus had the
force to drive out the Greeks but his
people later succumbed to the Ro-
mans. The lesson Of our history is
that not only Is force alone not
enough, but 1t makes us like the evil
we had set out to vanquish. Thus
Joshua's people, in the debauch of
their conquest, sink to the idolatry
OF the enemy. David fights the
Philistines but becomes in many ways
Ike one, bringing tragedy to his
home and hts people. The Mac
cabees drive out tyranny but set up
a dynasty that is a new tyranny, that
ultimately hands over Israel to the
legions Of Rome.
That Is why greater than any
homage We have paid to our warriors
Is the homage we have felt for the
great lawgiver, Moses Moses not
only faced the force Of the task
masters Of Egypt but led his people
from the vanquished chariots and
horsemen at the Red Sea to the foot
Of Sinai. Moses knew that the free
dom We win by battle cannot last
but will destroy itself, unless it goes
forward to afiirm q great covenant OF
Gods Righteousness for the future,
Moses knew that only thus can the
future keep Its promise.
Evening star., 1944-09-24

In the United States Military
Academy ut West Point, to train SOL
diers to defend the freedom Of this
blessed land, there Is . massive stone
frieze Of the warriors OF the past,
and there we ind the figures Of
Joshua, Of David and Of Judas Mac
cabeus. Without these brave Hebrew
soldiers Of antiquity there would have
been no Judaeo-C Christian religious
tradition, out Of which the demo-
cratic ideals Of this age were born.
Joshua was the warrior who had won
the Promised Land: David the war
rior who had driven out the invading
Philistines, and Judas Maccabeus the
warrior who had turned back the
tyrants of Greece.
All of these warriors have honored
places in the sacred memories of our
fathers. Joshua was more dear to
4, Moses than son, for he was . dis
ciple who guarded the Tabernacle
and with faith in the future had led
the Ark across the Jordan. Strong
and Of good courage, 1t is said that
even the sun and moon stood still
for him In his battle for the right.
David was the shepherd lad who
faced Goliath unarmed, but he. over
came the enemy with the sling and
stones with which he defended his
sheep from the beasts of prey. The
young David who played on his harp
and listened to the night winds
whisper their hallelujahs across its
strings, was also the warrior who in
the name Of "the Lord Of Hosts, the
God Of Israel" went forward to
battle the evil of his day. Then
comes Judas Maccabeus, one Of the
brave sons Of the village priest of
Modin. When the Seleucid armies
with their elephant troops, the
panzer divisions of the ancient world.
invaded Judea, he rallied the under
ground Of his unvanquished people
with the cry, Who Is like unto Thee,
o Lord among the Mighty" drove
out the enemy and reconsecrated
Israel's shrine.
These warriors have an honored
place in the tradition of Israel, for
We have never believed that peace is
something that comes to US as a
gift. 1t is something that We must
win and rewin in every generation,
rewtn not only in wrestling with our
lives on every level with the forces
OF wickedness, but, II God wills, even
Evening star., 1944-09-24

eral City. The amount Of park land
In washington Is excessive for / COM
munity Of this size; not excessive from
the point Of view Of one Of the worlds
most beautiful capitals.
The local taxpayer has no representa-
tion in the Government that designs the
extent Of improvements for which he
must pay in developing the American
Capital. There needs to be q reassess-
ment Of the Nations financial obNga-
ton to Washington development, &C.
companying its exclusive power to plan
and carry It out.
Evening star., 1944-09-24

President Roosevelt certainly tries
to oblige. AS soon as Governor
Dewey complains about overstaffed
Government agencies and bureaus,
he orders slash" in personnel.
Evening star., 1944-09-24

The Office OF War Information
warns newspaper readers to expect
some bad news along with the good.
Subscribers to Daily Racing Form do
not need this advice.
Evening star., 1944-09-24

With just trifle more candor on
the part Of the CLOS Political Action
Committee, the letters PAC will be
announced as standing for Push
Across Candidates,
Evening star., 1944-09-24
Really Decd

Prom the Memphs Commercial Appeal.
It begins to look as though Marshal
Erwin Rommel was permanently killed
this last time.
Evening star., 1944-09-24
Just Catching Up

From the Dallas Mornins News
japanese leaders are warning their
people to expect air raids. We told 'em
that two years ago.
Evening star., 1944-09-24

many. Der Fuehrer himself In 1888
proclaimed" the title LINES" as
the lines proper designation-a
Latin word signifying "the limit" or
"the boundary
Evening star., 1944-09-24
BIZ Ben McKel,par.

Memorial Parkway, the Federal Gov
ernment dividing the cost equally with
the States. Or the terms with the
Maryland National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, under which the
National Government meets q third of
the cost of extension of park lands
into Maryland, the title to the parks
being held by Maryland The United
States holds title to the park lands
purchased in the District.
In addition to paying 80 per cent of
the cost of the Federal parks in WASH
ington, the local taxpayer Is also
charged now with over 80 per cent of the
cost of maintaining them-although the
original division of expense was set at
$3.50. And the parks are controlled,
not by the District government, which
must raise the money from local tax
payers, but by the Department of In
teriors National Park Service. The
District taxpayer pays, in addition,
81 per cent of the cost Of the United
States Park Police.
1t is difficult to make any tangible
estimate Of the value to a community
of parks and Fairgrounds. No one
can argue that the community has
not benefited from park and play
ground acquisition, and through the
personal intercession of Secretary Ickes,
the national parks in the District have
been improved with Federal funds over
and above normal appropriations. But
national parks in Washington serve :
double purpose. They meet some Of
the needs Of the local community. but
they also embellish the Nations Fed.
Evening star., 1944-09-24

from certain that she would permit
United States Air Forces to operate
from those bases.
All of this adds up to the fact that
Japan is backed into a very dangerous
corner. There are some who think she
can fall back on Manchuria for q long
stand. Her difficulty in that regard Is
that Manchuria has only very small
industrial base on which to support an
army. That base is too small to be ef-
fective. Yet the mainland of Japan
soon can be under very severe attack
by air and sea. After nearly three
years of effort, in which the Pacific got
second call on men and equipment, the
United States now Is in a position to
deliver devastating blows against the
Japanese. a
The decisive blows when they come
almost certainly will be those of Amer
lean forces. They are likely to be blows
that will be delivered long before any
great army can be built up on the main
land Of China to force back the jap
anese in q slow and painful land
campaign over territory without facil-
tiles for transport. Naval power and
air power are the factors that most
probably viii produce Japan's defeat in
the type Of campaign that the admirals
long have planned without thought Of
aid from other nations.