davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-02-28
A National Monument

A bill has passed the Senate and
has received favorable report from
the House Military Affairs Commit
tee authorizing acquisition of addi-
tional land for expansion OF Arling-
ton National Cemetery. If the
Government were merely looking for
additional land for military ceme-
teries there might be more substance
to the opposition, in Arlington
County, to this expansion. But
Arlington National Cemetery is
more than a burial ground. It is
one Of the Nations great monu-
ments. The surrounding land areas
should have been purchased long
ago and it is well that this step is
being taken now.
The Government now has an in
vestment exceeding 500, 100000 in
the cemetery, Fort Myer, the Pen
tagon Building and other projects
within the vicinity. The very type
OF commercial development on i'm
mediately adjacent land which is
favored by some interests in Arling-
ton County would tend to depreciate
the value of the Governments
holdings.
From a sentimental point of view,
Arlington was the home of Robert
E. Lee and is now the final resting
place OF some Of our greatest mill
tary heroes. The Lee Mansion. or
Arlington House, the Amphitheater,
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
and the memorial drive and bridge,
located on the axis of the Lincoln
Memorial and Arlington House,
combine to make it one of the out
standing historical shrines OF the
Nation.
From a practical point of view,
the capacity Of the present ceme-
terry itself probably will be reached
within the next six or seven years,
and expansion has become an i'm
mediate necessity. The land to be
bought from private owners COM
prises about ninety acres, exclusive
of streets, and its acquisition would
provide an area inclosed between
the Lee and Washington boulevards,
the river and the Fort Myer reser-
vation, treatment that has the
support Of the Commission Of Fine
Arts, the Park and Planning Com
mission and the Corps of Engineers
OF the Army in keeping with the
Washington plan.
Evening star., 1944-02-28
This. Changing World

Our attacks on the, Marshall Islands,
the Carolines and the Marianas re-
vealed that only obsolete units Of the
japanese navy are in the Central Pa
cific. The formidable" Japanese feet
supposed to be based at Truk consisted
Of craft with little fighting value. These
units were destroyed by our Navy's air
arm and those which attempted to
escape the inner harbor of the Japa-
nese Pearl Harbor were picked of by
submarines.
The absence of real naval power in
the Central Pacific does not mean,
however, that the Jap navy Is out of
commission. It does exist, and is be-
heved to have many powerful new
units. They are being kept in home
waters: that Is to say, the South Pacific.
It Is evident that If Admiral Mount
batten decided to undertake landing
at Rangoon or in the Gulf Of Martaban
his invasion barges would have to be
protected by a strong modern fleet. 1t
Is doubtful that the British have many
modern naval units in the Indian Ocean
at present.
The British Mediterranean fleet, gen.
orally believed to be ready to move into
the Indian Ocean after the surrender
Of the Italian Navy, still has a big job
ahead of 1t in the Mediterranean. The
Italian fleet is ready for action on the
side Of the Allies, but no one dares
trust its fighting ability. Even If some
Of the heavier units could be spared
they will be needed in the Atlantic
for the invasion Of Western Europe.
The same thing applies to the invasion
barges. They will all be needed in
Western Europe and Italian waters.
Operations in Northern Burma
toward the Burma road-have also met
Evening star., 1944-02-28

Polish government in exile. Specifically,
the decree includes within the scope Of
Gen. Nola's authority not only the
Polish troops now serving with the Red
Army, but those in Italy, Great Britain
and the Middle East. This is some
thing which the governments OF the
United States and Great Britain should
not tolerate for an instant.
hold no brief for the Polish govern
ment in exile, nor for Gen. Sosnkowski.
There are members and officials of that
government which the Soviet govern
ment has good and sufficient reason to
regard with dislike and even distrust,
and Gen. Sosnkowski can hardly be
described as a friend of Russia, what
ever his military abilities.
Diplomatic and political pressure from
Moscow to procure changes in the
Polish government in exile can be un-
derstood, and are particularly compre-
hensible, since that government has been
SO long without parliamentary sanction.
But the fact remains that it Is the
government which Is recognized by
Great Britain and the United States
Evening star., 1944-02-28
Deferments and Munpower

Since we have no national service
act and since the administration
does not seem disposed to press for
one in Congress, there appears to be
no other way to meet the current
draft shortage than through the
procedure suggested by President
Roosevelt in his memorandum to Mr..
McNutt and General Hershey. This
would review the status of almost
100000 men now holding occupa-
tional deferments in industry and
agriculture, with the end in view of
reclassifying sufficient number of
them in IA to fill the present de-
f1ciency.
This deficiency, which has been
building up since last September,
totals in the neighborhood of 2OO,-
600 men and means, in the Presi-
dents words, that our armed forces
are not being supplied with trained
replacements "at the time and in
the numbers required" Thus the
full growth and efficiency of the
Nations war machine is being held
back, to degree serious enough to
make Mr.. Roosevelt describe the
situation as grave" Short of a
national service act, therefore, ad-
ditional manpower must somehow
be found If draft quotas are not to
keep falling behind, and apparently
the only way to find it is by re-
examining all occupational defer
ments. The President believes that
many Of these have been handed
out on an "overly lenient" basis and
he suggests that selective service
should be able to reclassify a sub
stantial percentage of them. In
this connection, he points out that
among those deferred in industry
and agriculture, some 100000 are
nonfathers, of whom more than
100000 are under 26 years of age.
Presumably, on the strength of
the Presidents recommendations,
local draft boards will receive direc-
tives from selective service head
quarters to begin the general review
as quickly as possible. In fact, such
instructions went out to them some
days ago in respect to agricultural
deferments, a development which
has caused concern among farm Or
ganizations and which is now the
subject of Congressional hearings.
It is question, of course, whether
a review as sweeping as this can be
made with dispatch, but whether it
can or not, the process will certainly
demand that care be taken to make
sure that enough manpower is left,
after reclassification to maintain
all-out production both on our
farms and in our war factories.
Aware that any large-scale can
eellation Of occupational deferments
Evening star., 1944-02-28

to sixth of the total strength of the
Allied forces on the southern front If
anything should happen to shake their
morale or their fighting spirit, or even
to make some of them confused and
uncertain, it might result in disaster not
only to themselves but to the Allied
forces who are fighting beside them, and
who in any number of situations may be
dependents for security upon the Polish
troops doing their full share of the job.
The Germans are very quick to take
advantage Of such opportunities as this.
You may be certain that their planes
will be right over the Polish lines drop
ping leaflets containing the latest news
from the Polish National Council" care
fully twisted to suit German purposes.
The situation in Italy is so perilously
balanced that the withdrawal or even
partial withdrawal of the two Polish
divisions might at so critical moment
easily make the difference between de-
feat and victory.
That is why the action which the
Soviet government has permitted the
Polish National Council" to take is so
dangerous. It should be made the sub
ject of immediate and vigorous repre-
sentations to the Kremlin by the Amer
lean and British governments. For our
Government to take sides in the Russo
Polish border dispute is one thing; but
for our Government to tolerate acts on
the part of an ally which in fact en-
danger the lives of American soldiers
is something else again. 1t is only to
be hoped that it is not too late to repair
the damage.
And, incidentally, we have here an
other illustration of the need for q
permanent, day-by-day political agency
to coordinate inter-AIlied policy-a
United Nations Council. This affair
shows us what comes of letting matters
drift, Of leaving the adjustment of cru
cial differences to be dealt with by long
range diplomacy. Let's get together, ere
worse befall.
(copyrisht 1914, New York Tribune. 1ne)
Evening star., 1944-02-28
Science After the War

DR.. Otis w. Caldwell, general Sec
retary of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science,
discusses in a recent issue of the
bulletin of that organization the
part which science should play in
postwar education, and his sugges-
tions merit the attention of the
public at large. The principle which
he sets forth is expressed in the
words: Mere increase in scientific
knowledge is helpful or harmful in
terms of the ultimate influences
upon people" His doctrine, then, is
that: "The worthy goal of discovery
is human betterment."
But in the past, if not in the
present, there has been a wide varia-
ton in opinion concerning what is
good for the human race. Specif-
ically, DR.. Caldwell says: Scientific
knowledge has improved far more
rapidly than have the motives which
guide its uses" The basic problem,
it would seem, is ethical in char
acter-religious and philosophic.
Admittedly: Science has helped to
make the most terrible of all wars"
To the indictment implicit in such
confession, however, DR.. Caldwell
replies:
That could also be said of the kind
of education that has helped tn nro.
duce modern science. The same
could be said of society which fosters
education. 1t could also be said of
the research spirit which results in
discovery. Even curiosity to know
the unknown might be called into
account.
So, too, could a lack of curiosity,
an absence of the impulse to in
vestigate, a willful ignorance,
neglect of learning. The first global
conflict in history did not arise
exclusively out of what Thomas
Henry Huxley rightly called organ
lied common sense" It also de-
veloped out Of conditions which are
the antithesis Of science-the per-
versity, the intolerance, the greed,
the arrogance and the shameless
cruelty Of . relatively few vicious
men. The masses, the multitudes
Evening star., 1944-02-28

ance is viewed, no credit attaches to the
President-and almost none is claimed
for him by the pro-Roosevelt publica-
tions and commentators. There was so
little to say in defense that mostly they
were silent. Detached judgment gen.
orally is that the message was one Of
Mr.. Roosevelts major mistakes. Even
If he had had right on his side, the
long delay in acting would have cost
the Treasury many millions in taxes
that could have been collected and are
now irretrievably lost. But he did not
have right on his side. Inadequate as
the bill concededly is, the reasons he
gave for the veto were unsound; the
facts, as he presented them, were
twisted; his own words and his own
Secretary of the Treasury were repudi-
ated by some of his own statements.
In addition, his language was violent,
ad-tempered, indefensible. Phrases
such as mot for the needy, but for the
greedy did not make sense. Most of the
Evening star., 1944-02-28
Absolutely Wrong

The firm tone used by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics in denouncing
as absolutely wrong" the premature
report of the labor members of the
Presidents Cost-of-Living Commit
tee is decidedly encouraging.
The labor report, made public in
advance Of the announcement of
the full committees findings, was
obviously intended to influence pub
lie opinion against whatever state
ment may be made by the commit
tee as whole. In other words, it
was typical Of form of high
pressure maneuver which has be-
come all too familiar in this era of
special pleading.
But the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics, an agency of the Department
OF Labor, was not to be intimidated.
It's acting head, A. Ford Hinrichs,
says that the labor report purport-
ing to show that the cost of living
has increased 43.5 per cent since
January l, 1941, was a gross .exag-
geration and distortion of fact. The
actual rise in overall living costs,
he declares, is 23.4 per cent, the f1g-
ure previously reported by his
bureau. The reaction of the labor
members of the Presidents Com
mittee to this somewhat unusual
governmental firmness runs true to
form. The BIS report, according to
them, is an insult" to millions of
American housewives. It is the
most insulting document to organ
lied labor" which has ever come
from the Department of Labor. And,
finally, the labor members challenge
the BIS to submit the cost-of- living
issue to a public opinion poll of
housewives.
These verbal pyrotechnics will de-
ceive no one. They will not shake
public confidence in the substantial
accuracy of the BIS figures as a
national measure Of the rise in liv-
ing costs. And neither the discred-
tied figures of the labor members
report nor their inflammatory at
tack on the BIS reply should be
permitted to serve as the basis for
an upward revision of the Little
Steel formula.
Evening star., 1944-02-28
Recalls "Another" CONGRESS
TO the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
This might be an appropriate time to
call the attention of the American elec-
torate to the spectacle produced some
Is years aeo by another Congress, which
rode high, wide and not too handsome
to victory over another American Presi-
dent only to lose the peace and bring
on the tragic orgy Of the 20s.
The lesson Of the past should be a
deterrent now.
Congress, with new-found power,
might do we'll to stop, look and reflect.
The people, particularly those who were
not around or too young in 1920 might
learn a lot from dipping into history
book. History does not have to repeat,
and it is up to this generation to see to
1t that 1t does not.
This year presents even a greater
danger than 1920. The war is not yet
won-as it was then-and there is con-
sequently much more at stake.
ELEANOR JOAN PLATT.
Evening star., 1944-02-28
Letters to The Star
Senator Barkley Praised
For His Independence
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
Senator Barkley, the majority floor
leader of the Senate, who carried the
flag for the White House for seven
years, as he says, "over rougher territory
than was ever traversed by any previous
majority leader" deserves the gratitude
of every American citizen for the cour-
age and fortitude he manifested on
February % in the United States Senate.
and for restoring constitutional gov
ernment and the independence OF the
legislative branch Of the National Gov
ernment which was largely surrendered
to the Chief Executive II years ago.
It must have been exceedingly painful
for Mr.. Barkley to take issue with
lifelong friend and, after 80 years OF
honorable service for his country In
Congress, to announce to the public
that "there is something more precious
to me than any honor that can be
conferred upon me by the Senate OF
the United States, or by the people
of Kentucky or by the President OF
this Republic. and that is the approval
of my own conscience and my own self
respect"
Senator Barkley demonstrated his sim
cerity and sealed his convictions by re-
signing his post, and then concluded
his valedictory to the Senate by de-
claring: IF the Congress Of the United
States has any self-respect left, it will
override the veto Of the President, and
enact this tax bill into law, his objec-
tions to the contrary Notwithstanding.
When the members of his party In
Senate unanimously reelected Mr..
Barkley to his former post after his
resignation was rendered, it made him
the fiagbearer of the Democratic side
of the Senate and not any longer of
the White House. When both houses
of Congress overrode the Presidents
veto, Congress restored Its former
prestige and independence. From now
on Congress should be free to function
normally under constitutional instead
of bureaucratic prerogatives, and our
Bill of Rights has chance to survive
and the people of this country, with
confidence restored in constitutional
government, should redouble their sacri-
foes and efforts to assist in winning the
war speedily. c. S. LONGACRE.
Evening star., 1944-02-28
Wants Relief for "Civilians"

To the Editor Of The Star:
Referring to letter by J. r. c. in
The Star of February 25, it is to be noted
as to one of his suggestions for relief
of Federal employees in their declining
years (that more liberal deductions be
allowed" in tax payments) that in the
new tax bill the deductions are to be
less liberal, so that his group apparently
can look for no relief that way.
A Better proposal seems to be that
the present discrimination as to taxa
ton Of the retirement pay of Federal
civilian employees be removed, and that
these retired citizens be placed on the
same basis as recipients Of railroad re-
tirement annuities and pensions and of
social security old-age insurance, as the
latter two groups Numbering many
more than the retired Federal employees
are allowed tax exemption on this in
come. x. Y. z.
Evening star., 1944-02-28

occupation, ave
taken a new and
potentially very
dangerous turn.
Its radio station
has broadcast a ode
cree" appointing a
certain Gen. Nola to
be commander in
chief of all Polish
armed forces in
place Of the present
commander in chief.
G en-. K All m i e r z
Sosnkowski, who was
appointed to that
nOSition nv T. h p
Evening star., 1944-02-28

can hope for Is that sufficient men and
ships will be available to start an all
out offensive in Burma next fall.
After last August's appointment Of
Admiral Mountbatten as supreme Allied
commander in Southeast Asia 1t was
announced that spectacular military
operations could be expected before
long. The announcement was more i'm
pulsive than factual Although the
news was displayed as one Of the SEN
sational features of the war in the Far
East, some responsible military observ-
ers had great doubts about Admiral
Mountbatten's ability to do anything
drastic in such short space of time.
Large-scale military operations
against Burma require two things which
the cousin Of King George of Britain
lacked-a sizable navy, with plenty of
invasion barges, and effective troops,
well trained for jungle warfare.
Evening star., 1944-02-28

For the first time his
own leaders really
revolted. Few will
miss the significance
that the only Sena-
tors who failed to
join in the tribute to
S e nator Barley
after his sensational
speech were four
who, distinctly, are
not among our first
or even our Sec
ond-grade states
men.
From whatever
angle the PERFORM
Evening star., 1944-02-28
Air Prelude Over Europe

Last week the Allied bombing
offensive against Germany was
stepped up to a crescendo never
before witnessed in aerial warfare.
Round-the-clock blows, delivered
both from British and Italian bases,
struck with relentless, sledge-ha
mer fury. The objective was the
Luftwaffe in its broadest sense-all
the way from the factories which
turn out parts and finished planes to
airfields, planes in flight and their
pilot personnel. All these aims have
been satisfactorily achieved. Aerial
reconnaissance has already shown
that several Of Germany's most
Important plane and parts factories
have been put out of commission,
while over 600 enemy planes were
downed last week in air combat
alone. A spokesman for the Ameri-
can Air Force in Britain states that
since January 1, German fighter
plane production had been cut
between so and 80 per cent and
that this reduced capacity is be-
heved to have fallen below replace
ment needs. Should that condition
be maintained or intensified by con-
tinued Allied bombings, the Luft-
waite may soon be unable seriously
to contest even locally Allied mas
terry of the skies, and the first great
obstacle to a successful Allied inva-
sion Of the continent will have
been removed.
The entire chronicle of the present
war has abundantly proved that,
while air superiority does not, OF
itself, insure the success of a landing
on hostile territory, any landing is
likely to fail unless such superiority
has been gained. Mr.. Churchill
admitted this when he recently said
that our air offensive against Ger
many was "the foundation on which
our plans for overseas invasion
stand in the scale" That the Ger
mans are still capable of putting up
fierce opposition is shown by Allied
losses last week-nearly 500 planes,
mostly big bombers, with crews
aggregating over 1000 picked airmen
Furthermore, that figure does not
include damaged planes and their
casualties, probably considerable.
This is gruelling attrition. Fortu-
nately, our replacements of machines
and pilots are alike so abundant
that those losses can be taken with
out enforcing a letup in the aerial
campaign. The Germans are Ger
tainly worse of in both respects. So
the net result Of the costliest aerial
battles should be increasingly in
our favor.
AS to the larger questions, whether
Allied air supremacy can assure the
success of continental invasion,
and whether it might lead to
breakdown of German morale, they
are not yet even partially answered.
Perhaps many more weeks of aerial
battering will be needed before the
replies can be made with a degree
of certainty. But thus far the stern
test has yielded encouraging results.
Evening star., 1944-02-28

Of the ordinary people Of the earth
are only secondarily responsible for
this prevailing monstrous tragedy.
What is wanted, obviously, is more
science, not less. But it must be
infused with DR.. Caldwell's impera-
tive of human betterment."
Evening star., 1944-02-28

overriding OF the
Presidents perfect
ly constit u t l on a !
veto of the wartime
tax bill are hailed
by the Presidents s
opponents-who in
clude practically the
whole press-as IN
some way or other
a triumph Of repre-
sentative govern
ment.
That the Presi-
dents veto note was
couched in undiplo-
roatic terms seems
Evening star., 1944-02-28
Federal Ballot Plan Attacked
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
When Senator John G. Calhoun OF
South Carolina defiantly proposed to
nullify the Constitution of the United
States of America, President jackson
halted him by declaring that if CAL
houn attempted it he would hang him
higher than Haman.
Three times, as President elect, Mr..
Roosevelt has sworn solemn oath on
the Bible to preserve, protect and de-
fend the Constitution" - the great
charter that safeguards life, liberty and
property for all Of us. He now urges
Congress to nullify one of its most vital
parts-that one which declares our
President and Vice President shall be
elected by presidential electors chosen
only by the States.
Why does he so foreswear himself?
Seemingly, hoping that the vote of the
armed forces will re-elect their "Com-
mander in Chief" or that the inevitable
rejection Of the invalid Federal" bal
lots by many States will produce a con-
tested election, affording him an "emer-
gency" excuse to retain his office re-
gardless Of the vote.
FRANK PUTNAM.
Houston, Tex.
Evening star., 1944-02-28

The activities Of the so-called polish
National Council" recently established in
Russia, or perhaps partly in those por-
tions of old Poland now under Russian
Evening star., 1944-02-28

1t Is entirely accurate to say that Mr..
Roosevelt emerges from the tax bill
veto incident with diminished prestige.
damaged in Congress and in the country.
Evening star., 1944-02-28

One American aerial combat pack
in Italy contains no less than 16
aces. With that many aces in the
pack, they do not miss many tricks.
Evening star., 1944-02-28
On the Record

In a campaign year the merits or
dement's of every issue are judged by
their partisan effect. Thus, the revolt
of Senator Barkley and the Senate's
Evening star., 1944-02-28

Faced with spare time on his
hands due to a forced landing. a
pilot in Illinois used it to get mar
ried. It is incidents like that which
show that aviation never will be
entirely safe.