davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-06-20
The Channel Islands

The pending siege of Cherbourg
naturally involves the nearby Chan
mel Islands. This small archipelago
which spreads athwart the sea-
blight between the Cotentin PENN
sula and Brittany, known as the
Gulf of st. Malo, not only has con-
siderable strategic Importance but
is also invested with deep sentimen-
tai interest. On June 80 it will be
exactly four years since. German
forces occupied the islands as an
incident in their conquest of France.
But they are not French soil. On
the contrary, they are an intimate
part Of the British Empire, dearly
priced as the vestigial survivors of
the long g-gOne time when England
and Normandy were one. In the
dark days after Dunkirk, the loss Of
the Channel Islands, never previ-
ously subjected to a foreign foe, was
an especially bitter drop in the cup
which Britain was compelled to
drink. Indeed, down to Japans
entry into the war, it was the only
bit Of the empire to be lost, with the
exception of the distant, desert
Somaliland Protectorate, in East
Africa, temporarily overrun by the
Italians.
The channel group consists of
four islands Of unequal size, together
with outlying reefs and uninhabited
rocks. The larger couple are jersey
and Guernsey, the smaller pair
being Alderney and Sark With a
fertile soil and delightful climate,
they are intensively cultivated and
in normal times attracted a brisk
tourist trade, including many per-
sons from Britain who became per-
manent residents. Thus, though the
total area is only IS square miles,
the preWar population was nearly
100000. Most of them we're caught
by the suddennesS of the German
descent and many were shipped to
concentration camps on the conti-
nent. The Royal Navy, though
maintaining its mastery of the sea,
was unable to prevent the German
invasion of the Channel Islands
owing to the devastating power Of
the predominant LuftWaffe
operating from French bases only a
few miles away.
For the succeeding four years the
islands have been valuable outposts
for the Germans, especially as bases
for E-boats and submarines, as we'll
as for airplanes. In the early days
of the Normandy invasion, a Ger
man press bulletin reported an Al
Evening star., 1944-06-20
Blames Egg Dealers

10 tne Edltor OF Inc Star:
I have been watching, with interest,
the Buy Eggs Program" and I can't
say that I feel too heartbroken for
these marketing organizations that
can't find storage room for surplus eggs
The average housewife certainly could
use more eggs, and I see plenty of
youngsters who look undernourished
for the lack of sufficient eggs in the
storage compartments of their little,
bodies. ri
don't suppose 1t would occur to
these marketing companies to reduce
the price Of eggs, IN order to let the
people enjoy the Unusual oversupply.
However, these same organizations
would lose no time in raising the price,
were a shortage to occur It seems
that the consumer is privileged only to
make up deficits but no share in the
assets or profits shall be his.
OF course, we all realize that des-
perate effort Is being made by the deal
ers to keep the price up. How lucky
for them that our fighting forces don't
have the same attitude.
MRS, IRENE A. PORTER.
Evening star., 1944-06-20
ICC Fare Ruling.

In reaffrming its earlier decision
ordering a reduction in bus fares
between the District and the Gov
ernment establishments in nearby
Virginia, majority Of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission rests
it's principal claim to jurisdiction on
the argument that the proposed re-
duction of fares "is necessary to
carry out the national transporta-
ton policy" as prescribed in the
Interstate Commerce Act. 1t am
plifies it's previous findings denying
the carriers contention that they
are exempt from commission regu-
lation because their operations are
within a commercial zone which
the Motor Carrier Act puts outside
of Federal control, Stressing that in
no instance do the companies per-
form the intrastate service neces-
sary to provide this exemption.
A minority of two-Commission-
ers Patterson and Miller-does not
believe that the commission has met
the courts objection that the COM
mission lacked specific statutory
authority to lower fares. 1t seems
probable that the order will run into
the selfsame snag if court test is
instituted again by the carriers.
In the event that legal action en-
sues once more, it is likely that the
case will find its way to the Supreme
Court, and clarification there of the
commissions power is certainly de-
sirable. AS The Star has pointed
out before, however, it would be far
better for Congress to legislate on
this point and take it outside the
area of speculation and litigation.
Obviously, some form of regulation
Is demanded, for with the Govern
ment continuing to expand its &C
tivities in nearby Virginia and
Maryland, the problem created by
the absence of a central regulatory
body will grow, along with fares
that are too high now.
Evening star., 1944-06-20

railway and seem to be retaking the lost
portion fairly rapidly. The great i'm
portance which the Japanese now at
tach to possession of this railway is here
apparent: For when this writer last
had an opportunity to devote column
to the war in China, Loyang was hold
ing out, Chinese coGnterattacks were
pressing ahead, and it looked like the
same old familiar story of Japanese sue
cesses followed by Japanese retreat.
The Japanese would not have 1t so
this time. They put in more and more
of their good troops from Manchuria.
They seem determined to get that rail-
road, rebuild it and start it running;
and they seem just as determined to
carry on their success right down to
Canton, thus establishing a rail line of
communications from Manchuria to the
coast of the South China Sea, capable
of carrying up to 100000 tons of freight
a month. and of supporting considerable
armies along its course-a line of COM
munications far superior to anything
which the Chinese can hope to COM
mand in the same area. The japanese,
in so doing, would make up tat least
in part) for the severe losses to their
merchant shipping, on which their
forces in South China have hitherto
been dependent and they would cut off
all access by land to the air bases
which now attack that shipping along
the coast, and which in future may
support major attacks on the japanese
mainland.
The problem of our amphibious power
on reaching the strategic triangle above
referred to (between China, Formosa
and Luzon) would be not landing and
establishment of bases on friendly
coast, with Chinese aid all ready for us,
but one of the most difficult forced land
ings that we have yet undertaken i'm
complicated by the vast
problems of distance and Of lack of
strong friendly base areas close at hand.
1t is not too much to say that in all
likelihood the successful completion of
the present japanese drive for possession
of the Chinese railways may prolong the
war against Japan by year or even two
years.
\
In effect the Japanese are trying to
build themselves a secure continental
stronghold, backing up their island en-
pire. They foresee, says Gen. Chennault
the day when they will have to retire
from the outer fringes of their present
area of nomination. They are being
pushed back now from the Pacific
islands, from Dutch New Guinea, from
North Burma, Their dwindling mer-
Evening star., 1944-06-20

time Mr.. Procope and his aides. who re-
manned popular in washington, in
formed their chiefs that the view Of the
State Department was not shared by
the rank and file of the American people.
In support of this contention, Mr.. Pro-
cope cabled to Helsinki speeches made
on the floor of the House and Senate,
articles written in American newspapers
and the gist of the conversations with
responsible Americans" Sometimes
the latter was highly colored and exag-
gerated.
In his frequent meetings with respon-
sibles Americans at luncheons and din
ner parties, Mr.. Procope and his princi-
pal aides who are being sent back to
Finland emphasized what it will mean
to Europe If the United States helps
Russia to establish an oriental civiliza-
tion" over that continent He spoke
openly about the millions of Poles. Balts,
and even Firms who were sent to con-
centration camps in Siberia by the con-
quering Russians.
The Minister is credited with having
enriched the international diplomatic
dictionary with new expression. "Pleb-
isciting," according to Mr.. Procope,
stood for the word theft when it was a
question of large nation taking over a
smaller neighbor. 1t was based on the
fact that Moscow claimed title to Es-
tonia, Latvia and Lithuania because of
plebiscite held under the threat of the
Russian divisions which had entered
these three republics to protect them.
The word made the rounds of Washing
ton. The expression was amusing al
though not particularly complimentary
to our Eastern war associate.
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Hull, together with their advisors, are
fully aware that the Finnish Minister
was not a Nazi sympathizer. 1t Is said
that no such trace could be found either
in his utterances or his dispatches. But
he had become what the State Depart
ment describes as nuisance He was
too popular, too active in spite of the
restrictions imposed on him and his staff
many months ago.
Evening star., 1944-06-20


To the Editor of The Star:
Many leaders of public opinion de-
clare that a continuous initiation, even
after this war, is desirable as a tonic for
the enterpriSers who keep business and
production going. Familiar as this
doctrine is, the remarkable joker which
it contains seldom is realized.
It is a commonplace that an initiation
which is widespread and general can
not help any one very much on the
gets more. A universal and strictly
uniform imitation would make no
difference anywhere, to anybody. Bar
ring exceptional cases, therefore, the
only considerable effect of general in
flation is the improVerishment of the
fiXedIncome receivers. It is therefore
clearer and closest to reality to regard
general initiation as a question not of
more for any one, but of degrade ton for
the fixed incomes.
This elementary view is offered not
as an economic discovery, nor with the
desire to raise moral issue, but AS a
revelation of striking fact that many
leading men, including at least one in
the class of presidential aspirants, do
not hesitate to aver that employment
and prosperity can and should, be en-
HANGED by calculated, systematic, con-
tinuous, unending, implacabe robbery
Of people with fixed incomes.
WALTER P. WHITE,
Evening star., 1944-06-20
Surrenders in Normandy

Although the battle of France is
only two weeks old, our Allied forces,
wholly apart from the number they
have killed, have already captured
more than $4,000 enemy troops. This
is a good prisoner haul, and it is
significant to the extent that it in
dicates how the Nazis, unlike the
japanese, are disposed to lay down
their arms when that seems sensible.
1t would be Wishful thinking,
OF course, to assume that such rate
Of surrender will continue as our
invasion deepens and expands. On
the contrary, once we have success
fully seized the Cherbourg PENN
sula, the number of prisoners must
be expected to decline, since the
theater of action will then broaden
and there will be less chance of
catching the Nazis in numerous
small pockets, as has apparently
been the case so far.
Such reservations notwithstand-
ing, however, 1t is still true that the
NazlS are not inclined to go on
fighting when they are convinced
that they are beaten and that fur
ther resistance will win them moth
ing but death We saw this long
ago in their mass StaIingrad and
TuniSla surrenderS, and in view of
the fact that events have been
going against them ever since, there
IS some reason to believe that their
morale is not nearly SO good as it
once was.
An indication of this can be read
into recent statements by Propa-
ganda Minister Goebbels. Several
weeks ago he complained Of the
"grouSlng" NaZi soldiers. And on the
eve of our invasion, in newspaper
distributed exclusively to the armed
forces, he assailed weak individ-
uals" for evading moral obliga-
tlonS" and he exhorted every one IN
uniform to maintain "a firm resolve
not to capitulate." simultaneously,
and perhaps even more significantly.
the German high command called
for freer imposition of death SEN
tenceS on soldiers, not only for
desertion but also for actions
against discipline or the code of
military courage"
Apparently all is not firm inside
Hitler's armies, and although 1t
would be unwise to read too much
Evening star., 1944-06-20

tions, will decide what the Progressives
should do in the presidential election.
The rank and file voters of the Pro-
gressive party, however, are a pretty
independent lot. They may or may not
follow the Endorsement of Mr.. Roose-
welt, even if it is made, which does not
seem certain today Mr. Roosevelt, it
will be recalled, only carried the State
in 1910 by a scant $4,000, as compared
to lead of 422.000 over the Republican
Landon in 1886. The soundness with
which the Wisconsin voters trounced
Wendell L. Willkie in the April primary
of this year is significant, too. Mr.. Will
kie had become identified in the minds
of many of them with the Roosevelt
policies.
Wisconsin, therefore, with its II elec-
toral votes, does not look like happy
hunting ground this year for Roosevelt
supporters. In fact, quite the contrary.
In recent years the Republicans staged
strong comeback in the State. To-
day they have Senator and five of
the 10 members of the House delegation
the other five are three Democrats
and two Progressives.
The Progressives this year will put
a full ticket in the field-and so will
the Democrats. This may make Re-
publicans the victors, unless some kind
Of a deal is eventually made between
the other two parties. The Democrats
have determined to nominate for Gov
ernor the former Socialist mayor of
Milwaukee, Dan Hoan, and for Senator,
Rep. McMurray. They speak hopefully
of winning. but the Progressives pooh
pooh the idea. They look on the race
as between the Republicans and them
selves.
Senator La Toilette, in his address to
the Progressives, did not hand out any
compliments to the Republicans either.
"At present" he said, "the indications
are that the Republican party is still
dominated by Eastern big business and
Eastern financial interests just as it
was in Hoover's administration" He
added that if the Republicans come into
power nationally after the November
elections and fail to meet the problems
growing out of the war, the Progress
sives will be glad they were not lured
into the COP.
He seems to have left loophole for
Progressive support of the Republican
nominee, however, If the latter shows
himself liberal.
Evening star., 1944-06-20
To q Former Pupil

That line you quoted-teH me, did you
knotU
What that 1Dould mean thousand
miles atUay?
Could you hare guessed ho,D Slo,ply
no,D they 90,
These leaden hours? HotD, tardy day
By day,
teach beneath the pressure OF a sky
In Which the ,Detght OF t1ar'S in,me-
diate need
Cro,Uds dotDn upon the roof HotD.
,0hen planes fly
Above the school, there is no taintest
Except to those? And that, OF course.
is right.
There is no drama euer reached a page
With such a breathless question as that
sight;
And yet. the hearts behind-,D1tat
thoughts engage
You flyers, hare asked, to ,Dorm the
Soul2
That you remembered Shelley keeps me
whole.
VIRGINIA SCOTT MINER,
Evening star., 1944-06-20
Echo of Pearl Harbor Surprise

Echo of Pearl Harbor Surprise
To the Editor of The Star:
If the Pearl Harbor attack was a
complete surprise to President Roose-
welt and other high governmental off,
cials as has been proclaimed, then why
wouldn't it also have been a surprise
to Admiral Kimmel and Gen. Short?
In other words, if those who actually
were looking after our international
affairs had no reason to expect an at
tack, then why should those who were
unfamiliar with such affairs have rea-
son to expect one?
AS see it, if President Roosevelt and
other high officials are to be relieved
of responsibility for the nonalertness
at Pearl Harbor on the grounds that
the attack was a surprise" then 1t
appears only Just that Admiral Kimmel
and Gen, Short should be relieved
on the same grounds.
J. J. SPERRY.
W0odstOCk Va
Evening star., 1944-06-20
Easing WPB Restrictions

AS chairman of the War Produc-
ton Board, Donald NJ Nelson fully
agrees that no time should be lost
in preparing to meet the coming
| problems of reconversion. Accord
| ingly, he has decided to put into
immediate effect three measures
designed to help American industry
get ready for the difficult change
over period.
The first of these authorizes any
manufacturer to acquire enough
materials and equipment to make
and test a single working model of
any product planned for postwar
production. The second lifts re-
strictions on the availability of
magnesium and aluminium to the
extent of allowing producers to
fabricate these metals into civilian
goods whenever and wherever the
manpoWer situation permits. And
the third provides that beginning
July l all industries will be free to
purchase machinery, tools and dies
for the manufacture of nonWar arti-
cleS under conditions that will not
interfere with our arms output.
In announcing this relaxation of
restrictions, Mr.. Nelson emphasizes
that too much should not be eX-
pected from it, AS long as the enemy
puts up fight, he says, the regula-
tionS of the War ManpoWer Com
mission and the WPB's own admin
istrative checks must continue in
force. Indeed, as he told the Senate
Truman Committee yesterday, his
easement measures may have to be
revoked if they are found to inter-
fere in any way with the need to
shift at least 100000 workers to
arms-making areas where there are
acute labor shortages.
Nevertheless, because they make
possible at least modest start on
one phase of preparing for recon-
version, the measures seem sound.
They are likely to be criticized in
only one respect. and that is that
they may tend to give new and old
nonwar enterprises a competitive
advantage over established manu-
facturers whose arms contracts keep
them from resuming peacetime pro-
duction. Mr.. Nelson acknowledges
this as "regrettable but unavoid-
able" his view appearing to be
pretty much the same as that set
forth in the Baruch- Hancock re-
port: Gas far as possible, no manu-
facturer should be permitted to
jump the gun. Efforts should be
made to treat all alike. 1t may not
always be possible to do so, however.
and industrialists must understand
that this objective cannot be allowed
to interfere with war requirements
or to hold back the production of
needed civilian items and so to con-
tribute to imitation and unemploy-
ment." The public interest comes
first; competition cannot be stif1ed
at birth to protect any single group.
There are bound to be some in
equities, In other words, but like
other elements in our society, busi-
ness as a whole will have to adjust
itself to them as part of the dis
location caused by the war. The
most we can expect is that the dis
location will be kept to a minimum,
and Congress can contribute much
to this end by acting without delay
on the demobilization program now
pending before it.
Evening star., 1944-06-20

into it, the surrender rate in Nor
mandy at least gives us an idea OF
what to expect on very large scale
when our Allied power at last makes
it clear to the Nazi military rank
and-file that everything is "kaput"
and the time come to cry collec-
tive "kamerad."
Evening star., 1944-06-20
Government Motto?

To the Editor OF The Star:
The motto of the Government at
shington-legislativ and admin
and hold office, for future generations
will have our debts to pay"
WILLIAM H. HARGROvE.
Evening star., 1944-06-20

chant marine cannot much longer main
tain. nor their dwindling naval and air
power protect the vast overseas lines Of
communication on which they are de-
pendent. Therefore their final depend
ence must be on their army, which has
as yet not been seriously engaged with
Allied forces except in minor detach-
ments.
tcopyrisht. 1e44.l
Evening star., 1944-06-20
Exploitation Alleged

Woodstock, Va.
Evening star., 1944-01-20

AllcIl buSll, SOIl S0IPi' SAcoos.
of Mr.. and Mrs. Clarence E. Bush,
20l East Underwood street, Chevy
Chase. Nd, has been assigned to
the technical school, Army Air
Forces Training Command here,
for training as a radio operator
mechanic.
TUCSON, Ariz. - Ensign John
Clayton Ashton, 81, son OF Mrs. Lii
liam G. Ashton, 1924 Monroe street
NV, has been graduated from the
Naval Reserve Officers' Indoctrina-
ton School here.
CAMP DAVIS, N. C.-Corpl Will
liam E. Martin, 1914 c street NE,
of the Antiaircraft Artillery School
here, recently was awarded the Good
Conduct Medal by Brig. Gen. B. L.
Milburn, commandant of the school,
for completing three years Of active
Federal military service while the
United States is at war and having
demonstrated exemplary behavior,
efficiency and fidelity"
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah.-Pfc.
Evening star., 1944-01-20

William A. Ramer, 1915 Hampden
lane, Bethesda. Nd, and Joseph G.
Redmond, jr., 10, son Of Mr.. and
Mrs. j. G. Redmond. 47l4 Baltimore
avenue, Hyattsville. Nd. who are
taking courses at Tufts College.
Medford, Mass. John Jerry Hollo-
we'll, IS, son OF DR.. and Mrs. Eugene
A. Hollowell, IL New York avenue,
Takoma Park, Md. is stationed at
the University of Virginia.
SEYMOUR JOHNSON FIELD, N.
C.-Pfc. Donald G. Grove, son Of
Mr.. and Mrs. John H. Grove, 1922
Fourth street NV. has been grad
uated with distinction" as an air.
craft mechanic at the Army Air
Forces Technical Training Com
mand here.
ATHENS, Ga.-Seven naval avia-
ton cadets from the Washington
vicinity have completed their ground
school work at the Navy Prefight
Evening star., 1944-01-20
|Spaatz Says Public
Puts Too Much Stress
On Losses in Raids
Es the Associated Press.

~ tuS Aas0sSlosS0 3LesAs
1t. Gen. Carl Spaarz, commander
Of all American strategic bombing
Of Europe, says too much emphasis
is being given to losses in bombing
raids over Germany, that the Ameri-
can public must learn to consider
such great air operations In the
same light it does major ground op-
erations.
His observations are contained in
a reply, made public by the War
Department yesterday, to inquiries
about the delayed report on the
January II mission, when fleets OF
nghter-escorted Flying Fortresses
and Liberators destroyed or damaged
enemy plane factories at Oschers-
leben, Halberstadt and Brunswick.
For more than "A hours exag-
gerated German claims were the
only information available to the
public beyond the bare announce
ment by American headquarters that
an attack has been made.
Report Issued Next Day.
Late the next day a more complete
report was issued, disclosing the loss
of 59-later raised to 6O-heavy
bombers and five fighters, against
of 153 German fighters
in the air and the successful smash
ing Of the important ground targets
Explanation OF the delay-that
bad weather over England scattered
the returning bombers and made the
collection Of reports difncult-al-
ready has been made.
The War Department decided,
however, to make public part of the
text Of a message from Gen. Spaatz
concerning the matter
Guesswork Avoided.
"An earlier release would have
been q mere guess as to results OF
claims and losses" Gen. Spaatz said.
80 = = I believe the delay in this in
stance served to center public at
tention on the subsequent story,
which was correct, requiring no lat
er alteration. "''
TN any event I believe too much
emphasis is being given to report
ing losses and that this sometimes
helps the enemy more than 1t aids
understanding by our people.
Because of the large forces in
volved, constantly increasing dim
Guilty is being experienced In assess
ing individual plane results against
individual losses, instead of dealing
with units carrying out assigned
missions. Forces employed now ap-
proximate 100000 men of which
1000 participate in direct combat
and this number will increase ma
terially."