davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
A Delaying Action

Maybe we generally are watching the
wrong place. Maybe we shouldn't be focusing
attention so intently on the German thrust
into BELGIUM but have our eyes trained on
the rest of the Western front where the Al
lied armies have their greater fire poWe-.
IF these other armies make substantial gains
while the Germans have great force con-
centrated against the right wing OF the Amerl-
can First army then the enemy's drive INTO
Belgium will have failed in its main ooJec-
tive which, obviously, was to force General
Eisenhower to withdraw troops and lessen the
pressure on other sectors.
Kirke L. Simpson, the Associated Press anal
vet. holds that the Germans do not expect
their drive to continue beyond the time when
its sunrise element wears off; that it was
designed as delaying action with the nope
of stavine off an Allied breakthrough until
sprine or at least late in the winter 1t is
reasonable conclusion in view of the fact that
Eisenhower has superiority in the air. IN man.
power, artillery, troops, supply equip
ment.
There is no good reason to think that be-
cause the Germans have finally launched
counterattack the outcome on t e western
front is in doubt. 1t would be silly to assume
that so powerful an enemy, now under ex-
pert military direction instead of Hitler, would
give up without making try at stopping the
general advance. The German military COM
mand is not that kind of a fighting machine.
Even though it recognizes the inevitabillty OF
defeat it could not reconcile itself to laying
down its arms until it had exhausted its every
means of combat.
The thrust it is now making is an offensive
defensive operation to delay surrender The
terrain over which it is fighting favo-s this
maneuver The advance may 60 further into
Belgium, but even so it would not mean that
the gains thus made could reverse the tide
of war in western Europe. By no stretch OF
the imagination is it possible to foresee a
German break through or enlightenment OF the
First army. 1t may be necessary to throw In
Allied reserves, but this can be done without
weakening any Of the other armies pounding
their way steadily toward the Rhine.
There is no excuse to be doWnhearted.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
Dead Mans Curve

Wilmington cannot afford to have a dead
mans curve Traffic conditions must be as
safe as they can humanity be made. There is no
argument about this.
But Wilmington will have its dead mans
curve as long as nothing is done to protect
traffic on Third Street at the bend just south
OF the Greenfield park spllway. Four deaths
have occurred there. There is way of deter
mining how soon another life will be sacrificed.
But we may be sure that as long as some eff
fective signal is not installed to warn approach
ing motor vehicles, the threat Of death will
exist
The southern approach is beyond the city linn
it's 1t would appear, therefore, that response
bility for providing signal light rests with the
State Highway department, which has been urg-
ed by City Manager A. c. Nichols to install It,
We do not know why this request has not been
complied with There may be understand
able explanation. But in such an emergency as
exists the need is for action, not explanations.
Failure to act now could not be condoned.
If, however there is further trouble in get
ting the state to install signal, responsibility
would then descend upon the county govern
ment, and if the court house postponed action
the city government would be warranted in
taking the matter into its own hands.
In support of this position it may be said
that dead mans curve" reflects upon Will
nngton No accident happens there that is not
generally blamed upon Wilmington, not the
county. 1t is Wilmington's good name, Whining
toms provisions for safety, that are at stake.
In the circumstances, Wilmington would be full
ly justified in installing the light.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
BY JOHN SELBY

"Perils In Provence, and Other
Ticklish Places" by Theodore
Pratt DUEL, Sloan - Preace:
S2).
Theodore Pratt's France is the
one we used to know between wars,
the France that was sliding oown-
hill so fast that even the friction
of the slide was temporarily unfelt.
He writes about it in a book called
somewhat awkwardly, "terlIs m
Provence, and Other Ticklish Pla.
ces."
Mr.. Pratt's book has the disad.
vantage of being collection of
short pieces, many of them first
published in the New Yorker and
therefore very mucn patterned.
But this disadvantage is compen.
stated by something inside Mr..
Pratt, which is his refusal to be
swamped by whatever pattern his
editor of the moment may favor.
MIR. Pratt is out to write about his
and his wife's adventures in nu.
merous familiar places in such
a way that a good portrait of the
Pratt family emerges. This he
does, leaving the editorial mind to
it's inevitable tizZies.
The Pratts took a house, years
before the war, in Caghes-sur.
Mer. This is a town just west Of
Nice and very little back Of the
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
Daily Prayer
FOR COMFORTING SPIRITS

From overseas comes tidings of
heroes who are lonely and home
sick, and weighed down by the
fear that they are neglected or
0 God, give us grace to
be constant comforters of those
best sons of our Country. May our
pens be tireless and skillful in
writing to them. May we share
our blood with them, and pour out,
Specifically, of our money. Day
and night may our prayers ascend
to Thee in their behalf; for Thou
carest, even when we forget. Stir
up our minds to devise new meth
DDS of reassuring our fighting men
of our faith in them and of our
love for them. May no word of
complaint steal into our correspon-
dence; but may every letter be a
bringer of cheer and fortitude.
Make us comforters for the Christ
whose Cause we serve. Amen. -
WIFE.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20

was finally cleared up; Allen habitually walked
alone in the olive groves at that time, praying
for his men.
REYNOLDS was constantly moved by the re-
leious urge of our soldiers they went into
battle. He told of the mass conducted on MS
chin inst before the Salerno landing, the alter
flanked with guns. Over $50 men attended that
service. he said and the Catholic chaplain told
him later that more than half were Protestants
and Jews. He described the poignant tableau OF
three men responding at that ceremony for
ccnmunion-a negro messman, a greasy en-
gine-room sailor and two-star general IN pat
tie dress"
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
WITH THE AEF
Dead And Buried--- Clean

was any way to get clean, and
he's not going to be buried dirty"
Then he returned to his work.
He brought water and gave Bill
bath. 1t wasn't necessary to shave
him because he had shaved that
morning.
Somehow Joe m n a ge d to
scrounge clean pair of Cd pants
and a shirt. They might not have
fit just right, but they were clean.
That was the important thing.
Perhaps it is horrible that it
should have been such a wonder
full thing. But it was. Maybe it
is even more horrible that every
body understood - that nobody
though Joe was off his rocker any
more. They remembered Bills >ha-
tired of filth and they understood,
as only men who have seen other
men, live, die and be buried un-
clean for two years could under
stand.
There is something sickeningly
indecent about the mass unimpor-
lance of the dead in combat. In
general this is unavoidable 3
Joe made it different for Bill.
Freshly scrubbed behind the ears,
he went to his foreign grave with
his face as clean as his hands.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
The Literary Guidepost

shore, a charming little town that
sits on a charming little hill and
plays host to somewhat less
hectic crew of foreigners than in
fest Antilles, for example, or
Monte Carlo. BY some peculiar
change, Americans who want to
talk about Cagnes are always I'm.
able to make their friends believe
it is not Cannes-and two towns
more unlike than Cannes and
Cagnes cannot be ina: inao.
The Pratts had difficulty with
their landlord, as all Rivera VS.
itors do. They had an unlimited
Russian guest who stayed for a
long time, and then surprised
them by actually getting the
money he claimed he was waiting
for. This is not uncommon, either,
in a land where real or phony
titled people were ready to trade
their charm for food or liquor at
The drop Of cocktail napkin. Mr..
Pratt was forever in Dutch with
the Cagnes police. and 1t is almost
impossible for an American not
to forget at least one of their reo-
ulations. And finally, in Italy or
Spain or Westchester Cou-tv,
N. Y, the Pratts found life not too
different, and people quite the
same. 1t may be the Pratts who
are interesting, not the Riviera
after all.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
SO THEY SAY

After the war there will be a marked tend
ency toward hasty marriages If the pat
tern of World War 1 is followed, men on the
average will court younger women.-Ernest
w. Burgess, U. of Chicago sociologist-
Because the United States leaders forcibly
dragged their people into the war without just
aims, they turning every means in their
attempt to terminate the war in as short
a period as possible.-Jap Premier Kuniaki
Koiso.
The Allies have once more fixed over-op-
tinistic victory dates. We know that they are
doomed to disappointment Such disappoint-
ments are likely to increase the already wide
spread war WEAKNESS in the enemy camp
-Goebbels
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
CANADIAN BACKS
PRESS FREEDOM

TORONTO, Dec 19.- JR Glen
Bannerman, president Of the Ca
madam Association of EroacaSters,
in an interview today said that
in order to make any WORLDWIDE
agreement among thu nations
guaranteeing freedom of reporting
and exchange Of news 'it would
appear essential that this freedom
be recognized constititionally by
Canada, guaranteeing to news SER
vices, the press and radio broaa.
casting alike the right to report
incidents and events as they nap
PEN
Bannerman said he was very
much in accord with the views
on news freedom expressed IN
national broadcast Sunday n.gD'
bv Senator w. A. Buchanan
president of T h e Canadian RE"
and editor of the Lethbrldge her
aid.
Bannerman said he hoped H'
government of Canada, in conS4
tation with the press, news SeI',
ices and radio broadcasters, "oul4
see fit ito enact at an early ods
the necessary legislation to lnSu''
these freedoms. "
Such action would leave Nv
doubt in the minds Of other c0l.
tries" where Canada stands Oh ~
ternational agreements concellD''
freedom of news.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
Reynolds On Spiritual Values

We have recently declared our belief IN the
spiritual awakening Of men in the armed for
ces, and now comes along the December issue
Of the Kiwanis magazine with an article about
Quentin Reynolds, and the honor done him by
the Columbia University club in New York at
an "open season. when the correspondent and
author corroporated our view
His friends in the club fired an endless
stream Of questions at Reynolds and were
amazed, says the article, at his ready answers,
The author Of the magazine article, Lawrence
H. Singer, tells Of Reynolds impressions Of
men at the front and Of his remarks at the
"open season. concerning their emergence
from youth into seasoned veterans and serious
men. Their early pursuit of souvenirs and later
recognition of what war really means and how
dependent they are on Divine guidance are
described in few brief para graphs, which we
quote:
Our men, at first, didn't seem to know
why they were fighting. For a while, he
thought the Americans were battling primarily
for souvenirs. Every soldier seemed to pride
himself, at the start of the Sicilian campaign
with the amount of junk he could accumulate
German epaulets, Italian tin hats, enemy deco
rations and similar bric-a -brac.
But that carefree mood changed quickly
when the Yanks learned to recognize the nature
Of the enemy. They found that Nazis would at
tach BOBBY traps to their own dead; they would
display the white flag OF surrender and then
NOV down our troops as they started to clase
in for the capture. Incidents of this sort tough
ened the fibre OF our soldiers, and made them
grim fighters.
Reynolds was touched by the devotion OF
our officers to their men, despite the headline
spluTges Of the Patton affair. He remarked
that Patton himself was probably suffering
from the very disease whose existence he de-
nied-battle fatigue. The correspondent told Of
hard-bitten Maj. Gen. Terry Allen, command
Ing our First Division who invariably attacked
at night-because casualties were lower in the
dark. He recounted how that tough, salty Sol
der would often disappear for fifteen minutes
after giving his battle orders. The myster.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20

that there was wounded man in
side a building a short distance
away. The message also said the
building was mined n d BOBBY.
trapped so thickly it was almost
impossible to step inside it. They
said for the medic to wait until
an engineer could 60 with him
or somebody who knew how to
smell out traps and take care OF
them.
But anybody who knew Bill
would have known his reaction.
There was man wounded in
there, therefore no time to wait.
He didn't, come back. Joe asked
where he had gone. They told him
and repeated the warnings, but he
had a double reason to go.
The wounded man was dead
when Joe got inside. So was Bill.
Despite the bo1t" trarS. Toe ,ic's-
ed up Bill and carried him back.
Nobody said anything when he
BROUGHT Bill back. There wash t
anything to say.
Quietly, efficiently, as though
Bill were still al We, Joe oe. u 20
cleanse his wounds. Sadly, soldiers
looked at the little tableau. No
body tapped his forehead or did
anything to indicate a belief that
Joe had blown his top. But that
what they thought.
Joe's commanding officer went
up to him and suggested gently
it was too late to CO arv soou.
Joe looked up, puzzled. Then in
a moment he understood.
IT'S all right, sir" he said. Il
am all right. 1t is just that he was
a clean kid. He lived that way
and he never stayed dirty if there
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
By KENNETH L. DIXON

IN GERMANY, Dec. II. Delay
edD-R-They buried him in the
little military cemetery 10 far
from here. He didn't want to die
overseas and he didn't want to
be buried anywhere except in his
little Midwestern home town when
the natural time came for him to
die.
But otherwise - conditions be-
ing what they are - he probably
would be pleased with the way
things were handled.
His fatal wounds cleansed as
carefully as though he still were
alive, his body washed and clad
in a fresh uniform, he was buried
in a clean quiet manner fittjng
the clean, peace-loving youngster
he was. And because it is, Of nee
essity, unusual to the combat zone,
maybe it should be told.
Call him Bill. Call i S friend
Joe.
They were medical aid men who
had been at war more than two
years, yet still were apart from
it. They took more chances than
any warrior in their outfit, -;
neither ever fired a shot in anger.
Constant companions, they were
almost legendary for their quiet
heroism. Back in camp in h e
States some three years ago they
had been kidded, called pill push
ers and razzed by soldiers as non
combatants - but that was three
years ago. Nobody who's been in
combat ever RACES frontline med
les.
During a house to house fight
| in a small town, word came back
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
interpreting
The War
BY kIRKE L. SIMPSON
Associated Press War ana,.

Ahere are heartening iatima,;as
that the German counter.o+toai,tons
the American First Arm, troH 1A " 70
ready has failed of its indic , a.,
main purpose. '''e'
Despite the growing Carr,
threat to the rigt, First Army ' eIa
ments on the left flank offici siT,
are reported across the Poar 'a a,
IN the outskirts of Duren. wt a,a
guards the road to Cologne I Tsa
obvious tactical basis Of The Nm ~.
counter move was to try to to n'l
diversion of American troons wv .s
the Roer sector and possible .i.a
10 compel shifting of Third Ar ~,m
reserves northward from the ST.,
area to elo the First Arrow rnn s'
rades stem the German sttact "'
While the scene and nature \,
dispositions to meet the Counts.
attack are not revealed intensir,
efforts to stabilize the front Nv.
reported. 1t is obviously being dor,
however, without prejudice a. ".
to the Allied offensives alono n.
Roer or in the Saar Basin secto, '
That the Germans are nsyi,,
heavily for ground gained is in5is
putable. Massed Allied air povs,
has been thrown in despite bsd
weather. 'aU
A sustained weather break cor,a
convert the counter-a attack into
death trap for much of the hesvr
forces committed to it from scanty
Nazl reserves in the west. The tar
rain through which it has movsa
forbids blitz operations on apy ey,
tenslve scale and grows wor,,
ahead. 1t seems all but impossibIs
that the Germans can hone IA
break through deeply enough in sny
direction to do more than disar.
range Allied attack schedules IN
their main assault centers. Their
communications with the rear IN
the Malmedy-Stavelot area are nee.
cessarily grooves to narrow east.
west valleys and subject 10 utter
disruption by air in visual BONN.
ing weather.
Assuming that General Eisenhow.
er has available reserves 10 seal
off the ruptures in the First Arrv
front once they are brought up, it
is by no means certain that he
might not prefer to draw the enc.
my deeper into the rugged and for.
ested terrain ahead in Belgium be.
fore closing with him.
A substantial part of the Ger
man army in the west now is out
OF its Notifications and pill.boxes
fighting in the open. The whole
course of the war in Western Ell.
rope could be drastically altered
the end OF the struggle be brought
substantially closer II that attack.
ing force could be trapped and
destroyed.
To avert that danger the Ger.
man attack base appears 10 be
some 90 miles wide, air line, as
against an indicated penetration Oh
its northern sector OF 20 miles
from the jump-off, That makes il
difficult to organize quickly flank.
ing drives at the base of the main
attack salient itself which probably
is much narrower.
1t is safe to say, however, that
General Eisenhower and his staff
are fully alive to any oppouumF
to deal the main erman
ARM in the west a crushing blow.
That they would gladly throw over.
board their previous projects to
seize the chance to come to decisive
grips in the open with the foe goes
without saying.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
Los Angeles Police
Protest Relocation
Of West Coast JaP'

LOS ANGELES. Dec. 10. -~ i,.
The Los Angeles Police ColT III ,
sion today adopted by N.
vote a resolution proteSliitS rov.
return of the japanese from 5.ola-.
eminent relocation centefS' us a nj.
ing housing FACILITIES here al ,orcs,
ertaxed and that the ponce, ind
already undermanned, woy 5,s III. asr
it impossible to deal WIN :, s NJ;
riots incident to feeling ago.
Japan as an enemy natlon tse
The resolution added 'i' 10 the
West Coast is likely 10 ~ sret
center Of war activity long ' have
other parts Of the count. ,.,o bss
been restored to a peace'lli''
is.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
RATE HEARING SET
FEC To Probe Increase In
Charges By Wireless Firm

r WASHINGTON, Dec. 10. - R
The Federal Communications Com.
mission today ordered hearing on
proposed increased charges by
Press Wireless, Inc. and Western
Union Telegraph Co. for press and
government messages betwc IN
France and the United States.
The commission ordered the in
creases suspended for three
months pending the hearing.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
Save Christmas Paper

Christmas offers splendid time to hoard
paper The universal exchange of presents then
means that great quantities of wrapping paper
and cardboard will find it's way into Whining
ton homes
Every scrap should be saved against the
next Jaycee collection day.
Nor are these the only types Of paper which
make their appearance In large volume on
Christmas. Tissues, stickers, greeting cards
also are valuable.
Keep it all.
Paper is still an essential war material and
still lacking in sufficient quantities fo~ pack
aging many things needed by the armed forces.
Don't let scrap escape.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20
Fair Enough

Editors note.-The Star and the News
accept no responsibility for the personal
views of Mr.. Pegler, and often disagree
with them as much as many of his read
ers. His articles serve the good purpose
of making people think.)
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20

Gasoline is the biggest problem for the Su-
peIlort1esses in China. By the time the gas
gets to Chengtu the cost of it is around $50
gallon On the mission to Formaso, the plane
! =. was on used nearly 5000 gallons Of gasoline.
rlgure out how many War Bonds that repre-
- eh's'-Lt Thomas B. Friedman Of Cleveland,
o., back from China
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20

In Guatemalar, each CONE ,n., and
has its own distinctive
color.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-20

THOUGHT FOR TODAY
II il remarkable Chat Wisdom in its mob
lest sons like Kepler, Bacon, Newton and
Faraday, have never hesitated to bend De-
fore the Babe-Christ.-F. B. Meyer.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-03-29
Luggage Takes in Many
Items on Excise Tax
BY IRENE NJ. HAWKINS
MOmen's Editor. The Detroit Times

service kits, metal service kit.
military brushes in case, mirror
cases, multi-pass cases, over
night bags and furlough bags.
pocketbooks, purses and hand
bags Call kinds not money
belts, ruck-sack, salesman's
sample cases. satchels, shaving
cases utility, shaving kit serv-
ice bags, service kits. service
mems apron kit, sewing kit and
hose case.
Sets - II a I = a n d purse (if
priced and sold as a unit, knit
ting bag and purse Of priced
and sold as a uniO, toilet
sets commonly known or sold
as SUCH rbeaeh.and=hag. rain
coat-and-bag or Pullman robe
and-bag sets (if priced and sold
as sets)
Shipakit navy toilet apron),
shipmate navy toilet apron),
shoe bag Cfor traveD, slipper
cases, suit cases, tie cases, tie
and handkerchief cases. tite-
wads, toilet cases fitted and
untitled, toilet kit fitted and
unfittedD, toothbrush cases,
travelling bags, travel cases tfit-
ted and untitled, trench mir
rorS in case, trunks, two-suiter
bags, utility bags leases and
kits, valises, vanities and van
ity cases Gifted or unfitted) not
compacts, wallets, wash cloth
cases, weekend bag, Yucca
pack.
Untaxable items are COM
pacts, If they are empty and do
not come under the jeWelry tax
cover cases tcigaret and
playing card, cuff link and stud
-. cases only . diaries. fabric
shopping bags. jewel boxes or
cases, laundry bags for home
use, magnifying glass in case
... money belts, photo frames
for home use covers for carry
ing photos are taxable &.
school bags, sewing kits, shoe
bags for home use, shoe shining
kits, shoe shining mittens and
tobacco pouches.
Doubtful items on which the
committee has not quite made
up IT'S mind are children's
toy trunks and suit cases
golf bags with receptacle for
shoes or sweater or without
brief cases made OF fabric not
imitation leather but bound or
cornered with leather or imita-
ton leather and pastime
cases, such as used for carrying
playing cards. poker chips,
chess, checker or cribbage sets.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-03-29
S pring Fashions TO Be Shown.
BY JOAN DEAN

AT AN informal spring
fashions and accessories show
10 be held at 2:3o p. m, Wednes-
day, Thursday and Friday
in a local speciality shop, the
cream of the American design
ers' crop will be paraded for
your approval.
The collection, which has
just arrived in Detroit, will in
clude masterpieces from the
SanGs Of Hattie Carnegie, Net
tie Rosenstein. Ben Reig, Adele
Simpson, Louise Barnes Gala
CHER, 10 Copeland and coats
and suits from the house of
Monte-Sano and PruZan.
At a preview peek Of the
fashions 10 be displayed we saw
Ben Regis wonderful black
crepe short dinner dress with
black Irish crochet top featured
IN the New York press show
ings.
Included too is Adele Simp-