davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-10-13
Hungory's Position

The time for Hungary,s surrender
Is apparently almost at hand. The
country's second and third largest
cities have already fallen. It's best
divisions are trapped in Northern
Transylvania and reported to be in
a state of decentralization along the
entire front around Budapest. And
the capital itself now appears
doomed, with the advancing Red
Army only about so miles away. The
situation has so deteriorated, in fact,
that rumored armistice negotiations
may at any moment be announced
officially, and not even Hitler,
though he holds a gun against the
Hungarian head, may be able to do
much about it. Thus, with the last
of the ill-starred satellites on the
verge OF going the same way as
Romania, Finland and Bulgaria, the
whole structure of the new order"
in Eastern Europe is all but tumbled
into the dust. Politically, the thing
speaks pretty much for itself. SYM
bolizing the complete wreckage of a
system of alliances that was bound
to Hdistintegrate as soon as it could
no longer be backed up by bayonets.
But more important still, the sur
render of Hungary, when completed,
will have far-reaching military ef-
fects in relation not merely to the
Balkans but to the inner fortress of
Germany itself. For then the Nazis
fleeing from Greece, Albania and
Yugoslavia will have to try to get
back to their homeland by way of
Austria. and since Budapest Is not
200 miles from Vienna, the Russians
may be on Austrian soil in the rela-
lively near future, thus invading the
Reich from yet another direction
from the south. Hitler, in the cir
cumstances, may 60 to extreme
lengths In an effort to hold on to
Hungary, but an early surrender
seems virtually inevitable-one of
those bright prospects which make
it seem not impossible that the war
in Europe will end this year.
Evening star., 1944-10-13
Fall PIowina

No bird-song noso attends the turroDed
Ddy
SaDe for etched, southpdrd- -honkins
lines OF grey.
A strange, erpectdnt silence eperytnhere
In molten tree and sunlnc, and thu
bare
Brot0n stubble makes the coming epfdenl
OF icind-bleuk hours and pdllid frnaa.
ntent.
Then ,Dill the clod throughout It's dark.
ness feel
Something more piercing than the blade
OF steel
A. 5dreIins Of the scfnter cledre thu
crust
And break the clod into a mellctc dust
A. the clod iCiIlingly to planting yields
Yield. hedrt. that you may hars greer
fslds.
ROSE NYRA PHILLIPS.
Evening star., 1944-10-13
Russia in iran

Disclosure in the official Moscow
press that a Soviet mission is in
Iran for oil concessions has mani
fold significance. In the first place,
the news was released the very day
after Prime Minister Winston
Churchill arrived in the Soviet
capital for his conference with
Stain. Secondly, Iran is tradition
ally sensitive spot in Russo British
diplomacy. Thirdly, the policy of
acquiring foreign economic rights is
distinct departure from previous
Soviet foreign policy and is a return
to practices under the Russia of the
Cars.
Iran, formerly Persia, has been a
bone of contention between Russia
and Britain for some two centuries.
Peter the Great had designs on
Persia and actually occupied north
ern parts of that country, whose
former greatness had fallen into
decrepitude. But about the same
time the British were establishing
their influence on the Persian Gulf
as part of their road to India and
looked askance at Russian penetra-
tions which might bring the Empire
OF the Czars to warm water on the
Indian Ocean. Throughout the 18th
and 10th centuries, Anglo Russian
rivalry in Persia waxed and waned.
1t became acute at the opening of
the present century. but was COM
promised by the Russo-British Con-
vention of 1907 which virtually par
titioned Persia into spheres of in
fluence" in the north and south,
with neutral zone" between.
The Bolsheviks eliminated Rus
sian influence in Persia, with COR
responding British predominance
there, though this was diminished
by the strong nationalistic move
ment in Persia, which was hostile
to all foreign influences. Persian
nationalism was incarnated in
Reza Shah Pahlevi, who strove to
keep out OF the present war, only
to be dethroned by joint Anglo
Russian Intervention when he
resisted pressure to make his coun-
try q highway for Allied aid to the
Soviet Union after It's break with
Germany. Since then there has
been q tacit revival Of the sphere
OF influence" arrangement, with
Russian military occupation Of
Trans northern provinces, though
Evening star., 1944-10-13
Italian Responsibility

In considering the question of
economic assistance to Italy, it must
not be forgotten that Italy's present
plight is largely the result of her
own misdeeds which two years ago
and less were costing the Allies a lot
OF blood and sweat and tears"
Repentant now of their subservience
to MuSSolini and mesalliance with
Hitler, the Italians nevertheless can
not escape responsibility for the
consequences.
1t is in the interest of the United
States and it's Allies to assist Italy
In restoring itself to respectable
nation. That involves economic as
sistance to the extent necessary to
avert chaotic conditions which would
prevent the development of stable,
democratic government as well as
interfere with our own current mill
tary operations. But it is not in our
interest to be swayed by Italian
complaints that they were better off
economically before Allied troops
drove the Germans out of much of
their country. They should have
been better off. War, like that which
Italian soldiers and planes helped to
carry to Albania, Greece, Yugoslavia,
France and London, had not touched
Italian shores. Now war is being
waged in Italy, and the Italians are
feeling some of the privations suf-
fered by others for longer time.
Yet it Is not likely that the Italians
would want to trade their friendly
occupation by Allied forces for the
conditions inflicted upon Greece, for
example, by it's German-and at one
time part Italian-invaders.
Certainly, the Allies must do what
they can to help prevent starvation
Evening star., 1944-10-13

the world states, in the deliberations
and decisions of the council. The en-
tire assembly Of nations has not even
veto right, while it is clear from the
stand taken this week in the Soviet
press that any one of the great powers
alone shall have a full veto.
IL lacks the three essentials of a
tunctioning structure for the creation
ana enforcement OF law of nations
i.e., peace.
These are: Cd A sovereign independ-
ent body to whom power can be dele
Gated by the worlds states and peoples.
Cd A real international instrument
for enforcement.
CD A representative system.
great many words, set forth in
aections and paragraphs, work to create
me Illusion that these essentials exist
But a careful study shows they have all
been emasculated to give the big powers
sway over the globe.
1t does not even create a grand alli-
ance OF great powers. A grand alliance
presumes common purpose and basic
unity. But this document, at the very
outset, accepts regional agencies and
works to establish regional spheres of
influence. The inevitable result must
be that every small and medium-sized
nation will have to align itself inside
the sphere of one or another of the
great powers. Only thus can they
achieve protection.
And the entire assumption on which
the peace of the world and the lives
of orr chjldrap &c 70 root ;e tl,4 +L-
three to five powers, not equal among
themselves in actual power, will con-
tlnue to agree about the disposition of
The earth. If they disagree, the entire
structure becomes utterly powerless.
On the other hand, if they do agree,
the plan Is unnecessary. It is nothing
but means by which the great powers
can keep in contact with each other
for the discussion of measures for
avoiding war. Such opportunities al
ready exist-for that we have foreign
Offices.
The theory behind the plan Is that
it will be easier to govern the world
for peace If there are but a tiny num-
Der Of powers with everything else a
blank. Leaving out of account that the
theory Is the reputation of democracy.
1t Is most dangerously fallacious. For
1t inevitably will lead to attempts of
the great powers to extend the areas
of their influence relations to each
other.
Yet the periodic breakdowns of
peace have never been due to small
nations, but precisely to struggles be-
tween great powers.
Released by the Bell Syndicate, Incl
Evening star., 1944-10-13
On the Record
By Dorothy Thomt tson

Inc document that was issued last
Monday on the results of the Dunbar
ton Oaks conference was described as
tentative plan for a world security
organization" Both President Roose-
welt and Mr.. Hull expressed the hope
that 1t would evoke full discussion by
the people Of this country" Discus
sion Is necessary But 1t is fortunate
that this discussion will not be inter-
Jected into the political campaign.
On October 8, Gov Dewey hailed the
results of the Dumbarton Oaks confer
ence as fine beginning" expressing
satisfaction over "the wide area of
agreement reached" That is well. be-
cause this plan cannot seriously be con-
sidered as part of an election in which
other issues will be co-joined. 1t must
be considered separately, and regardless
OF party. There is no necessity to ac-
cept or reject the plan within the next
lew weeks. For the time being we have
the grand alliance of the United Ma
uons, which Is waging war, and the
questions raised by the Dumbarton
Oaks document concern future eener-
ations.
Nevertheless, the Dumbarton Oaks
plan comes as profound disillusion-
ment to those of us who strive for a real
world organization for the maintenance
OF peace. 1t Is not plan for a world
organization. The most hopeful thing
Is that it is still tentative.
4
1t begins with an untruthful state
ment. "The organization is based on
the principle of the sovereign equality
OF all peace-loving states" 1t is not
based on this principle 1t Is based on
the principle Of the sovereign equality
OF three to five great powers. All the
rest Of the states Of mankind-some IS
OF them-lose their sovereignty under
this arrangement. In the most crucial
question-to 60 to war or not-they abb
dicate in favor of the big three to five.
Now, want to make myself clear, I
am not opposed to restrictions on SOW
ereignty. On the contrary, believe. as
the writer's Of the American Federalist
papers brilliantly demonstrated, that It
Is impossible to create an organization
OF states that will function in peace
and unity, except through law of their
mutual creation, sovereign above them.
But an organization of the world in
which three to five states have COM
plete sovereignty, and all the rest of
the world de facto has none, is an in
tolerable tra gesty on the ideals for
which we have been fighting.
Under this agreement every vestipe
OF power rests in the security council.
There are even prescriptions against
verbal interference by the assembly of
Evening star., 1944-10-13
Aachen's Military Value
By Maj. George Fieldine Eliot

The German radio now Is putting
forth the statement that Aachen has
lost its military Importance which
Is the characteristic German method of
trying to prepare the public mind for a
setback.
The truth is that there is no way in
which Aachen can lose its military i'm
portance until the fighting moves far
to the eastward into the heart of Ger
many, and even then 1t will retain some
military value.
The reason for this is that Aachen,s
military Importance Is almost entirely
that of center Of communications.
For the moment it is Of primary value
as road center. Later on its value as
q railway center will be of greater
proportional consequence.
AA
Consider, as an example, the supply
plan of just one division.
Each division, as far as possible
should have separate supply road,
and 1t is far better to have two-an "in"
road and an "out" road, with one-way
traffic on each. Along the principal
supply road, the trucks Of the division
bring up ammunition, rations and sup
plies, as well as replacement soldiers,
either direct from the corps or army
depots. If these are within the radius
Of action OF the divisional transport, or
from the divisions refllling points
which are served by corps or army
trains operating from depots farther
to the rear.
Within the divisions rear area, there
must be refilling points for ammunition,
gasoline and oil, rations, engineer stores
and 20 forth. The ammunition and the
gasoline redlling points must be kept
well separate from each other and from
any other Installations, for safety
reasons-l,000 yards Ii the minimum
safe distance. But they must b %
located with reapees = roads tha4 the
Evening star., 1944-10-13

been demanding since the summer Of
1912.
Neither argument is considered by our
military observers rs having any foun-
datton. The real reason, they say, Is to
be found In the fact that the Red armies
are very tired and are not in q position
TO undertake major offensive against
the Nazis until they have suffered
crushing defeat In the west. The avail
able Information points to Q "do or die''
resistance on the part of the Germans
on their own territory and the Russians
are worried lest under these circum-
stances they meet with the first serious
setback after Is months Of continuous
victories.
This Is understandable to military
men who do not Judge situations emo-
ttonally. The Russians have been fight
Ing continuously since June, 1941. They
nave suffered casualties estimated by
some observers at more than $4,000 600
men.
This figure does not include the heavy
losses suffered by the civil population
during the period the Germans occupied
the major part Of European Russia,
Many millions are said to have died of
starvation, epidemics, or to have been
SO debilitated that they can never be
useful citizens again. The Germans
have dealt much more harshly with
the population in the occupied areas of
Russia than with any other peoples who
have come under their rule.
\
Inc Russians still have an imposing
force available. But they are said to
nave reached the bottom Of the barrel
as FAR as potential reserves are con-
cerneo. The campaigns against Bull
garia and Romania have not been cost
iy. They were walkover for the Red
armies. The battles now In course in
hungary and Yugoslavia do not in
volye heavy casualties either.
similar situation exists in the north
where the Germans are retreating as
fast as they can "disengageD them
serves. They are determined, however.
to put up last ditch fight whenever
Vulnerable portion Of their TERRITORY Is
involved, and this might mean that in
an offensive against the Breslau-P Posen
nne by way Of Warsaw and LODI the
Heo armies would be resisted with the
same stubbornness we have met at An
Ao, casino, Caen, and now at Aachen
Consequently, if heavy casualties can
De avoided by postponing the final at
tack against the Reich until the Ger
mans have been exhausted by their
losses on the Western Front, the Rus
SANS see no disadvantage in such
Evening star., 1944-10-13
This Changing World
By Constantine BrOsUn

A topic Of much discussion here is
the hesitation Of the Red armies to
undertake large-scale offensive against
the only section Of the Eastern Front
which can seriously impair Germanys
power Of resistance-the Breslau-Posen
line. In order to reach that area, It Is
essential that the Russians crush the
defenSes OF Warsaw and move speedily
toward the German border only ITS
miles away.
The determined resistance on the
Siegfried Line was fully anticipated
by the Allied High Command from the
time We broke through the Atlantic
Wall. But 1t was expected that the Ger
mans would not be able to rush suf1icient
reinforcements to the Western Front II
their vital defenses in the east were
threatened simultaneously by q large
Russian offensive
Under such conditions, Gen. Eisen-
hover hoped to crush the Siegfried Line
this fall with smaller losses than we
are now suffering. There still Is q pos
sibility that this may happen, although
there are no clear signs that the Russians
have massed sufncient forces in the
Warsaw area for q grand drive. The
present operations of the Red Army
In the north, in the Balkans and in
Hungary are considered as secondary
offensives which may yield large terri
torial gains to Russia but have only q
negligible effect on Germany's power Of
resistance.
The German divisions which have
managed to escape the Russian trap
In the Balkans are being rushed to the
west where they are bolstering the armies
on the Siegfried Line.
Military observers are discarding the
various speculations Of the diplomats
and political men as to the causes Of
the Russian slowness in the east, where
the offensive against Warsaw came to
standstill some 10 weeks ago.
There has been whispered specu-
lation lately in Washington and London
That the real reason the RUS
slams have engaged large forces in the
Balkans, In Hungary and In the Baltic
area Is that the Soviets wanted to
acquire those territories before Germany
was actually crushed, because posses
sion is nine-tenths of the law" Others
speculated that the reason Russia
slowed down the offensive against the
only vulnerable portion of Germany
IN the east was in retaliation for
our slowness in opening the ofYenkiye
IN the west which the Russians have
Evening star., 1944-10-13

economic questions have not pre-
viously been raised.
Moscows present action in seek
ing concessions in this northern
zone may be interpreted either as
the evidence of an understanding
already reached between 1t and Lon-
don or as pressure on London for
q settlement Of outstanding issues
between Britain and the Soviet
Union, which include not only the
Middle East but also Poland, the
Balkans Iand other regions.
Evening star., 1944-10-13

trucks can move quickly In and out.
With minimum of delay and confusion.
An ordnance maintenance depot must
be established, and q motor mainte-
nance station as well. Water supply must
be arranged for. Salvage dumps must be
established. There must be q collecting
point Tor prisoners of war, and proper
provision must be made for the orderly
burial OF the dead. All these tasks form
part OF the divisions supply and ad-
ministrative plan.
From the refilling points the am
munition, supplies, etc., must 60 steadily
forward, without break, without any
excuses or slips, up to the fighting troops
In their forward positions troops which
may be moving rapidly ahead into
enemy-held territory, and whose posi-
tions may be uncertain.
The supplies may have to move over
roads which are under observed enemy
artillery fire; in that case they may be
restricted to night movements. In
confused situation enemy patrols may
be operating along some Of these roads.
sibility. But the ammunition and the
rations and all the rest Of it must get
up to the troops.
Now think OF the task Of supplying not
one division, but an army Of two or
three corps Of from two to four divisions
each, and you will readily see how i'm
portAnt 1t = to have . good road net
and what = severe handicap would be
assumed by attempting to advance with
the main road center Of the region held
by the enemy behind you.
Il every building In Aachen were to
be destroyed and every ounce Of usable
material IN the city were TO be con-
stunned BY fre. its military Importance
would still remain, because al the main
roads converge from the west into
Aachen and diysrge eastward out Of It
toward the Rhine.
l0sessisht le4A Ns~ Yssk 1rshunA ~
Evening star., 1944-10-13
From the st. Louis Post-Ddspatch.

FROM the st. Louis Post-Ddspatch.
Mr.. Dewey is quite right. There Is 10
such thing as an indispensable man. II
the Government Of the United States
hung on so slender and mortal thread,
all Of us might well tremble.
Mr.. Roosevelt is not indispensable to
this country; nor Is Mr.. Churchill to
Great Britain; nor is Marshal Stain to
Russia. If there were any basis for the
doctrine of indispensability, If the fate
OF this country indeed lay in the hands
of one man, 1t would be folly to hold an
election. 1t would be folly to take the
chance that the indispensable man
would be lost to the country.
Jealous partisans of Mr.. Roosevelt
who acclaim him as indispensable" are
just as absurd as the bitter opponent,
who condemn him as utterly unit to
hold office.
So the independent voter will dis.
miss, If he ever entertained, the doc.
trine of indispensability.
Evening star., 1944-10-13
Towurd a Poetic CIimux

Though It must be read with some
reserve until confirmed by our own
command, the Tokyo report OF q
gigantic 1,000-plane American as
sault on strategically vital Formosa
is entirely credible, fitting in as it
does with the portentous pattern of
attack which our naval task forces
in the Pacific have been hammering
out with thunder and flame ever
since last August. It fits in, too, with
the steadily nearing prospect OF
General MacArthur's return to the
Philippines and Admiral Nimitz's in
vasion of the east coast of China.
As glance at the map shows,
Formosa, one of Japan's key bases,
is SO located as to figure Importantly
in any campaign launched against
either the Philippines or China, and
its naturalization by our forces -
perhaps even it's seizure-Seems to
be an almost essential precondition
to such decisive operations. The
great attack upon it reported by
Tokyo may therefore be the first in
a series calculated to destroy it's
value to the enemy both as defen-
sive barrier and as a funneling point
for counterblows to meet drive by
General Macarthur or an offensive
against the Asiatic mainland.
Following Immediately upon the
punishment administered to the
neighboring Ryukyu Islands by our
Third Fleet last Monday, the re-
ported Formosa assault strongly
suggests that the enemy's inner de-
tense area is going to feel the weight
of our immense naval-air power
from now on until our forces are
able to move freely not only against
the Philippines and the China coast
but possibly even against Japan
proper. The Monday attack in the
Ryukyus represented the wars deep
est American advance into Japanese
home waters-within 200 miles of
the Japanese homeland - but our
Third Fleet apparently met with
little opposition. The japanese Navy
was conspicuously absent and only
a small number of japanese planes
managed to get off the ground in
time to give combat.
If reports by our own command
confirm Tokyo's version of the For
mosa assault and indicate as little
opposition as that encountered in
the Ryukyus, the mystery of just
how and where Japan is diSpoSing
its strength will be further deepened.
1t may be that the enemy simply
has not enough equipment to
defend all his holdings and that he
is outstanding the bulk of his naval
and air power for showdown battle
at place and time which he regards
as decisive. But surely, unless he
is going to give up the Pacific by
default, such a battle cannot be
avoided much longer-not in view
of how close we are coming now to
his heart.
The campaign in the Palaus and
the Ryukyus Formosa operations
obviously bring nearer the day when
China and the Philippines can be
invaded. Sooner or later, If it hopes
to retain it's ill-gotten gains to the
south and keep open it's life lines of
empire, Japan must send it's fleet
and air force into all-out action
against us-a showdown which will
certainly decide its fate and deter
mine the duration of the war. Events
are thus moving toward new and
tremendous climax in the Pacific
and they are moving in way that
must send a chill down the spines of
the Tokyo war lords.