davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-01-19

the candidate, the platform, the nomi-
nation speech and the speech of ac-
.ceptance all can be kept free of it.
One would think this would be enough.
But, it just is not The trouble is that
neither the wicked Republicans nor the
even more wicked anti-New Deal Demo-
Gratis nor the bulk of the still more
wicked newspapers will cooperate. Even
part of the New Deal press and some of
the New Dealers are not cooperating
Under these circumstances. the efforts
Of Mr.. Walker to implement the desire
Of his chief have begged down. 1t was a
good political idea if everybody would
cooperate, but the committee can't do
1t alone, and to keep on trying threatens
to become ridiculous.
The Republicans and anti-New Deal
Democrats regarded it as an attempt on
the part of the President to rid himself
of discredited designation, while cer-
tain strong New Dealers felt that, de-
spite the Presidents rhapsodical recital
of the New Deal achievements, if he is
permitted to abandon its name, the next
step will be to abandon its principles"
Accordingly, the suggestion has met
with a feeble response, though it has
not fallen quite as fiat as the suggestion
for five weeks campaign dating from
September conventions That is "out the
window" The Republicans already have
fixed their date as June % in Chicago
and the Democratic committee, which
will meet in few days, is scheduled to
pick the same city, and for approx
mately July 10.
The basic idea behind the short cam
paign proposal as advanced by the Pres
ident, was to minimize politics" while
the war is on. At least that was the
way it was advertised OF course, it is a
laudable notion, but in this case it was
Evening star., 1944-01-19
PoIish-Russiun Realities

Inc current Juror over the dis
patch published in Pravda concern
ing alleged Anglo-German conver-
sationS about separate peace
should not distract attention from
the RuSso-Polish problem.
In considering the Russo Polish
dispute, one should distinguish be-
tween the boundary question and
the manner in which it is to be set
tied. Shortly after Russian forces
crossed the borders of prewar Po-
land fortnight ago Premier Mi
kolajczyk stated: THE question of
the line is not so important. The
greatest problem is to get security
for the Polish population" While
protesting against "unilateral" de-
cisions of Moscow, the Polish gov
ernment has been conciliatory in its
statements and has shown a willing
ness to negotiate. Stating it's "sin-
cere desire for Polish-Soviet agree
ment on terms which would be just
and acceptable to both Sides" the
Polish government in exile has sug-
gested that "all outstanding ques-
tions between Russia and Poland
should be taken up at a meeting of
the two countries with, Great Britain
and the United States serving as
friendly mediators."
However, Moscow has thus far re-
buffed all these overtureS, and has
refused to rescind it's diplomatic
break with the Polish government in
exile, which would be the necessary
prerequisite to negotiations of any
kind. MoscoW's answer to the Polish
offer was uncompromising in tone.
1t accused the Polish government of
having entirely evaded and ig-
nored" Moscow's intimation that the
so-called CurZon line should ap-
proximate the new Russo-Polish
frontier, and then drew the deduc-
ton that this constitutes a rejection
OF the Curzon line as a basis for
negotiation. The request for joint
discussion of Russo-Polish issues
was not only rejected by Moscow
but was also denounced as mislead-
ing. AS for the suggested Anglo
American mediation, it was pointed
ly ignored. simultaneously with this
vehement rejection of Polish offers,
the Soviet press has been filled with
dispatches from abroad, allegedly
from Polish individuals or groups,
denouncing the government in exile
and proposing that it be eliminated
and superseded by the Polish Com
mittee of National Liberation formed
last year in Moscow, which claims to
be the authentic voice of the Polish
people.
All this would seem to indicate
that Moscow does not intend to deal
with the present government in exile.
The alternative would seem to be
either a revamped Polish govern
ment containing only those COM
plant to Russian demands or Mos
cows formal recognition of the Ma
tional Liberation Committee. That
would raise a diplomatic issue be-
tween Moscow and it's western allies,
Britain and America, of the utmost
gravity.
Evening star., 1944-01-19

10 VIII IOlcIdUle peace. lTOIn CAS
victors
For the first time, as far as know,
1t is openly acknowledged in this article
that the war turned against the Ger
mans exactly when opinion in the
Allied countries thought it had. namely,
in the fall of 1912, a period which an
compasses the successful defense Of
Stalingrad, the German retreat in
Egypt and the landing Of the Ameri-
cans in North Africa.
In domestic propaganda it is obvious
that the best strategy today is the
truth. Thus the author of the article
says. "The contemporary picture is that
we are everywhere on the defensive,
and the enemy everywhere is attacking,
not only in the continental theater of
war, In Russia and in the south, but also
in the air. while the U-boat weapon has
lost its offensive power. At the ap-
proach of the fifth war year, the war is
going over into the two-front period"
Evening star., 1944-01-19
Expediency Wins Aqoin

Inc railroad wage controversy
involving the fifteen incorporating
unions has been adjusted along ex-
pected lines, with the more than a
million workers receiving a grad
uated increase of nine to eleven
cents an hour, instead of the fiat
eight-cent increase vetoed several
months ago by Sterilization Director
Fred M, Vinson as a breach of the
Little Steel' formula. Theoretical
ly, the settlement preserves the
stabllization formula, as but part of
the increase is in basic rates, with
the remainder being granted in lieu
OF overtime after 40 hours-a con-
cession obtained by the brotherhoods
(who work 49, with a strike threat.
The general public is apt to become
slightly confused in attempting to
reconcile approval of the new scale
with Director Wilson'S rejection of
the eight cents as inf1ationary. The
explanation, of course, is that the
administration wanted a way out
and reSorted to the same device used
in settling the dispute of the five
train. and engine brotherhoods, who
also received an overtime allowance.
The net result is that the rail unions,
which were exempted from the
Wage and Hour Act on their own
insistence, because they preferred
the traditional collective bargaining
procedure, now. as matter of ex-
pediency, have won benefits of the
overtime principle of that law, al
though their wage standards are far
better than the minimums set by
the Wage-Hour Act.
The rail wage settlement follows
the general pattern finally adopted
in the long-standing controversy
involving the United Mine Workers,
which finally was resolved by the
Introduction of new factors permit
ting the miners to get all but frac-
ton Of the 81 daily increase for
which they staged four strikes, but
at the same time preserving" the
Little Steel" formula. While the
mine wage increase is being passed
on to the consuming public. how
ever, the railroads presumably will
absorb the added cost Of the new
wage out of present revenues.
In the light of the success attend
Ing the wage campaigns of the
miners and rail workers, unusual
interest attaches to the negotiations
now being conducted by the CIO
steel workers. Under the Little
Steel" formula, this group is en-
titled to nothing as cost Living
adjustment. But, as shown before,
that may be no reason to deny an
increase.
Evening star., 1944-01-19

more. One of these Rooseveltian ideas
was to bury the New Deal name until
after the election. The other was to
postpone both Democratic and Re
publican conventions until some time in
September. thus reducing the campaign
from four month to a hve-week affair.
The President made quite plausible
arguments for both propositions. The
manner in which he presented them
impaired fine nonpartisan flavor, and
that was the way Mr.. Walker tried to
sell them, too. His failure was complete
and he is q discouraged man.
So far as burying the New Deal"
name is concerned, it is true it is no
longer used in the official Democratic
publicity. 1t will not appear in the
committee literature of the near future
and will be Stunned by some Of the
Democratic orators who speak under
committee sponsorship. AND. of course,
if. as expected, Mr.. Roosevelt is again
Evening star., 1944-01-19
This and That
By Charles E. Trdce1peH.
SILVER SPRING, Md.


Dear Sir:
"On January 7 I heard two cardinals
singing their real spring song. 1 have
been feeding the birds for about eight
years. and as I always whistle the car
dinal's call when I put out their feed,
many other birds as we'll come down
when they hear me.
"On my feeder now I have variety,
many sparrows, titmice, blue jays and
nuthatches in the yard, also two mock
ingbirds I hope that folks will put
out warm water these cold days as we'll
as food.
Sincerely, r. P. c."
The cardinals song is seldom heard
SO early. In some neighborhoods the
cheer, cheer, cheer" comes later in
January. or even the first part of Febru-
ary.
To many listeners 1t is the true spring
song. We believe that it was about
January or when we heard it.
Since the cardinal is the most faith
ful OF the birds which winter with us, it
is quite right that it should sing first.
1t is bit later, in February, usually,
that the feeding of the female by the
male takes place. This is sometimes
called kissing" by persons who are
not close enough to see what really
happens. 1t is this:
The male cracks a sunfloWer seed.
removes the husk and holds the kernel
out to his mate.
Thus their bills meet, as she takes
the food very daintily.
Other birds place pieces of food on
the rim Of the feeding station for their
mates.
These are all manifestations of spring
in the bird world
AS far as we have been able to OBJ
serve, the sparrows are too busy with
the hard facts of life to have much
romantic love.
Mating among the English sparrows
begins very early, sometimes in the
first week of February.
Most male birds will feed the female
when she is on the nest.
Putting out water for the wintering
birds is almost as necessary as giving
them food.
In fact, in way it is more essential,
because somehow most of the birds can
lind food, although not as much as
they need. but often it is impossible for
them to find any water.
Folks speak of winter as bare looking,
but the best description of the winter
outdoor scene is dry.
Cold and wind dry up everything.
especially small pools and puddles.
Even when 1t Is raining, there are
often no small depressions in which the
birds can bathe and drink.
Baths are just as important to the
songsters in winter as in summer
Many newcomer to bird watching
has been amazed at the way the win
tering songsters bathe whenever they
get the opportunity.
HouSeholders have found that if they
leave their pottery bird baths out in
the winter, the bowls are very likely
to freeze and crack.
Hence few provide the birds with
water, unless some one reminds them
of it.
Small pans are best for this purpose.
They should be filled with slightly
warm water and put out in the after
noon, preferably in the sunshine.
1t Is best to place them not too far
from the feeding place.
1t Is also good idea to provide the
birds with sand, too. A quart or two
taken from the household AFRAID pre-
caution batch will never be missed, and
VIII help the birds digest their dinners
Evening star., 1944-01-19
e II 'E'E ! g n 4 'z757E

In such situation, the tasks facing
Germany are, he holds, these: Com
centrate all strategy on defense. With
this in mind, turn the path Of the
enemy, who must attack, into a road
Of blood. Convince him that 1t is either,
first. impossible to capture the main
central position, or, second, that the
price will be too high.
The writer says that except for the
United States, all Germany's enemies
are also tired, as Germany is. Britain,
he says, has been strained to the break
ing point since 1912: the Soviet Union
Is suffering from superhuman efforts;
and only the Americans will appear in
the European theater completely fresh.
But the Americans, he says, are torn
between Europe and Eastern Asia, and
their divisions, he asserts, are fighting
too far from home to understand the
meaning of the war
4
On this basis, the writer speculates
that the Russians will not indefinitely
continue their offenses; that the real
test will come when Russian soil is
freed Of German troops At this point,
he hopes and believes the Allied coalition
will split He has similar hopes in the
Mediterranean campaign, that when
Anglo o-American troops reach the Bal
kans, the inner solidity Of the coalition
with Russia will not Withstand the
political test. He speculates that
America will revolt at heavy casual
ties. and that in this combination OF
circumstances there will be a chance
for Germany to make a deal
He quotes two first-class German
authors, Prof. Delbrueck, the historian,
and Marshal Ritter Won Leeb, on the
strategy of defense. 1t has two possible
purposes; the one, so to weaken the
enemy that you can take the offensive
yourself; the other, to break down the
enemy to the point where he is willing
Evening star., 1944-01-19
A Rhymester's Preoccupation
With Mystery of Co-ordina ton.

To the Editor Of TIE Star:
I see by the papers that another
co-ordinator has been appointed to CO.
ordinate the activities of Government
and private agencies in the fields of
health, welfare, recreation, etc. When
worker in the field OF social welfare
meets colleague these days, his greet
ing is Good morning. Have you been
co-ordinated yet this week?"
Or in other words:
Health and welfare recreation,
Social guards throughout the Nation,
Fen though they be we'll ofIicialed,
Must be supervised, initiated.
Though we've worked for years together
Sans this governmental tether,
Still we all are destined, fated,
Now to be co-ordinated.
Though our teamWork's been successful,
Though results are real-not guessful,
Agencies Of rank and station
Face enforced cooperation.
And anon the times arriving
For some overall contriving
When chief of regulators
Correlates co-ordinators!
There are those with reasons fiimsy
Who condone this costly whimsy,
But to some it isn't funny
Those who have to find the money!
RAY H. EVERETT.
Evening star., 1944-01-19
George Weller

possible. Such story would be an act
Of diplomatic foresight for eventual
overtures to follow.
At any other time than when the
Polish question is burning in the Soviet
press such a canard would be unprint-
able. But the Germans may have rec
ognized here chance to get published
what would be otherwise an official
breach of faith even to mention.
Thus in a sense both parties get
benefit: The Russians in that their
hand in the Polish question is osten-
sibly strengthened, and the Germans
in that their splitting of the Allies is
begun in anticipation Of peace over
lures to Russia.
When rescanned. the story has more
than ever the odor of German inspira-
ton. All the sources mentioned are
Allied - Moscow, Cairo, Yugoslavia.
Greece. There is not a single one Of
the neutral capitals which old ru-
NOR planters are accustomed to use as
sources. Whoever fabricated this story
wanted to be sure that, even If 1t failed
Of its intention Of splitting the Allies.
it should shower jagged fragments in
every quarter Of the Allied camp.
Only Washington was snubbed;
everybody Is included. Just to be sure
that the mixture was extra strong,
Ribbentrop himself was selected as the
chief German dummy-another pre-
posterous overstatement for such early
and tentative negotiations.
There is really no way of telling
whether the Germans sold the story to
the Russians or the Russians sold 1t to
themselves and, with European political
sleuthing so heavily censored, there is
little possibility of hunting down the
author unless Moscow reveals it. As Q
strictly short-end bet, this correspond.
ent would guess Ankara as the source
and Won Papen as the author.
tcopyrisht. 1914. chicago Daily News. Ine)
Evening star., 1944-01-19
Peace Bid Inspired?

to object to in this case is the choice of
weapons which the New York Herald
Tribune, for example, calls product of
useless maladroitness."
What is objected to is that the spite
bludgeon of the direct charge hits all the
Allies merely in order to gain few extra
leagues of Polish territory for which
there is still ample time for calm nego-
tiation.
Observers to whom it seems impos-
sible that the Russians can believe what
they are saying-except up to the point
they consider it politically expedient to
pretend to believe it in order to rush the
Polish settlement-are asking themselves
where the Russians got this story in the
first place.
Without overrating Germany's Mach
iavellian abilities, it is fair to say that
this story follows 50 beautifully what
the Germans would want published in
the Russian press at this time that one
cannot exclude the possibility that the
Soviets have bitten-perhaps deliber-
ately-at Nazi bait.
Germany would like to have peace
with either the Anglo-American forces
or the Russian forces. The Teheran
agreement forbids that. Hitler's prob
lem Is to break the Teheran agreement.
Russia's war against Germany is the
more nearly won of the two fronts. The
Anglo American war against Germany
is still uncertain and critical Russia
threatens the invasion Of Germany.
The Anglo-American Allies are still
far away. The German problem Is to
get the Russians to treat for terms. But
without some justification the Russians
cannot break the Teheran agreement.
The Germans aim to furnish them that
justification.
Hitler realizes that such agreements
cannot be broken overnight. 1t is neces-
sary to split before breaking But it is
clear that Germany needs peace with
Russia, not Britain, and that as soon as
Evening star., 1944-01-19

result. While Mr.. Biddle's reluc-
tance to put the Government
through the idle ceremony" of seiz-
ing and reseizing strike-bound prop
critics is understandable, his remedy
would Sem to lie in an appeal to
Congress for a more effective law.
Certainly there is little to be gained
from a strained construction of ex-
iSting law which. in effect, invites
Mr.. Lewis to tie up the mines as long
as 1t suits his fancy. It would be
better, by any realistic standard, to
call such spade as this by its right
name.
Evening star., 1944-01-19
New Ranks Advocated
Maj. George Fielding Eliot

4 The rank situation in the Navy was
much worse than that of the Army in
the early, days of the Nations history.
Up to the time of the Civil War Congress
did grudgingly allow the Army to have
one permanent ma jor general and two
brigadier generals and permitted a
certain amount of what was called
"brevet" rank in addition.
Thus, Winfield Scott was for some
years ''brevet" lieutenant general. But
in the Navy up to the Civil War the
highest rank was that of captain, cor
responding to colonel in the Army. A
captain appointed to command squad
ron of naval vessels was usually called
commodore by courtesy, and was con-
sidered senior to other captains while
exercising his appointment But there
was no permanent rank involved. The
title of admiral was considered by our
early congresses to smack particularly
of monarchy and European pomp. The
enormous expansion of the Navy during
the Civil War did. however, require
the creation Of the grades of rear ad-
miral and commodore; for little while
after that war there was a permanent
admiral and vice admiral as well. But
rear admiral soon became the senior
permanent grade in the Navy CORE
spending to that of major general i'll
the Army-and it still is so. In time
of peace, the grade of admiral a stars
is granted temporarily to the Chief of
Naval Operations and to Commanders
in Chief Af1oat and that of vice admiral
g stars) to certain specified force COM
manders but they all revert to the 3
star rank Of rear admiral when their
term of service in the higher appoint
ment expires. At present, of course,
Evening star., 1944-01-19

vidual officers or during the progress Of
war as temporary expedient necessary
for the command of large armies. Ger
tainly there have before never been SO
many '1our-star" generals and three
star" lieutenant generals as there are
today, but this is all temporary rank.
Gen. Marshall wears his four stars by
virtue of the law which gives the rank
Of full general to the chief of staff
during his incumbency in that office,
but his permanent rank is that of major
general, to which he would revert at
the end of his service as chief of staff
in the absence Of any legislation or
temporary appointment giving him
higher rank. Every other general and
lieutenant general holds his rank by
virtue of temporary presidential ap-
pointment. under powers granted to the
President by Congress during the period
of emergency.
Evening star., 1944-01-19
Reflection

No,o for the first time in a dozen years
His room is tidy, there's no cluttered
space,
His clothes are hanging neatly, as then
should,
And everything is in its proper place.
The bureau top 1Dhere havoc reigned
supreme
Stands soberly deuoid of odds and
ends,
The radio that altDdys 1Dds too loud
Seems nutely anxious no,D to make
amends.
The sun still fingers warn,ly on his bed,
But in the heduy silence there's a
chill,
For soon or late must dcQuaint myself
With this f,eto pattern. much against
my tDtu.
Whey WILDER.
Evening star., 1944-01-19
Marriages Declining

In theory, war stimulates an in
crease in the number of marriages.
An Associated Press report from
London, however, suggests a con-
trary point of view. Marriages in
Britain, 1t was explained, totaled
81,454 in the third quarter of 1943,
the lowest figure for . similar three
month period since 1918. For each
thousand of population, according
to official estimates, there were only
between fifteen and sixteen mar
riages. But the birth rate in the
same quarter year was 1862 thou
sand, a. relatively high figure,
trend paralleled in America with
100000 births in the year just
finished.
Statistics compiled by the Metro
politan Life Insurance Company in
New York are interesting in this
connection. Marriages in the United
States during 1943, it has been an
nounced, will total about 1,725,OOO, a
drop of $4,000 from the peak of the
year before. Rapidly declining
marriage rates" allegedly may be
expected until the war is over"
The decrease was bound to come"
because of "the many marriages in
anticipation of active military serv-
ice in the preceding years" Admit
tedly, many hundreds of thousands
OF men, still marriageable, have been
shipped overseas. These are the men
who, on their return, will swell the
tide of the marriage rate in postwar
years"
Study of the Metropolitan survey
brings to light certain details of
significance in respect to what is
happening and what may happen.
American cities, for instance, issued
only 48 per cent fewer marriage
licenses in 1943 than in 1912, while
Canadian cities experienced a drop
of 14.6 per cent. But the obvious
comment is not justified. Closer ex-
animation serves merely to add to
the mystery implicit in the contrast.
With but five exceptions-Quebec,
Des Moines, Kansas City (Kansas),
Denver and Spokane-all cities in
the northern portion of the CONT
nent reported decreases in the num-
ber of marriages. The gains regis
tered were in the South-specifically
In Atlanta, Jacksonville, Miami,
Tampa, Memphis, New Orleans, Fort
Worth, Dallas, Los Angeles and San
Diego.
OF course, some allowance must