davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-03-03
Constantine BrO1Un

general stafi presumably is relying on
the spring thaw to help them check the
Red armies around the Bug.
The problem Of detaching Bulgaria
and Rumania from the Axis has been
the subject Of serious study In oficial
Washington quarters. At one time 1t
be encouraged to take the risk Of light
ing the Nazis II they could be given def
mite assurances regarding their terri
torial integrity.
No such promises could be made IN
good faith. The Balkan area Is defi-
nitely q Russian zone of influence.
Russia has some very positive claims
on Rumania. It Is probable that
turned to the Soviet fold. Whether
more territory will be demanded from
Rumania Is not generally known, but
1t would not be surprising II the Rus
SLAMS sought q further extension Of
their borders for strategic purposes.
Under these conditions neither the
American nor the British governments
could encourage the Bucharest gov
ernment to approach them except GA
terms Of unconditional surrender.
Considering the fact that Rumanian
troops have fought steadily In Russia
since 1941 and the Rumanian divisions
have participated in the tll-fated Ger
man attack on stalingrad. 1t is doubtful
that Moscow will be inclined to be as
liberal with Runania as she appears
to be with Finland. The only remaining
possibility Of forcing Russia and her
neighbors out Of the war Is for the
Russian troops to reach Bessarabia,
Evening star., 1944-03-03

Russian explanation was doubled
simply that Finland needed an outlet
to the North Atlantic and Russia
recognized that need The agreement
made was that the port remain under
Finnish sovereignty, open to Russian
use.
This time the Russians open this
question for negotiation. It was from
Petsamo port and air base that Ger
man naval units most effectively preyed
on Anglo-American conveys to Mur-
mansk and bombed our ships in
Murmansk harbor.
But that the Russians offer to nego-
tiate this point suggests they have in
mind some quid pro quo. The official
Soviet communication states that the
Soviet government has no reason for
particular confidence In the present
Finnish government" but that should
the Firms see no other possibility. the
Soviet government, In the interests Of
peace, would agree to conduct negotiar
tions. with the present Finnish gov
ernment."
This is obviously hint that a re-
modelled government could get better
terms-regarding, for instance, Petsamo
and two other open points-"partial or
complete" demobilization Of the Finnish
army and Preparations for military
damage in Soviet territory"
1t would seem that II Russia were sure
OF friendly Finnish government, Fin
land might keep an army Of sorts and
reparations might be dropped.
+
1t Is revelatory Of the realistic atti-
tude Of the Soviet Union that although
she has had two wars with Finland, one
started by the Soviet as a preventive
war against suspected German ambi-
tions, and the other a Finnish war Of
revenge on the side Of Hitler, the Soviet
Union seems less concerned regarding
her security in Finland than in Poland.
The reason Is to be found In the military
Evening star., 1944-03-03
Monochrome

Springtime, you need not hurry. You
could ShoW
No fo,oer whose loneliness outshines
the Sno1D.
What frosty ,Dords pere whispered
high in air
That fell so ,Dl1itely on the world belo,u?
Impartial snowfakes clinging every-
1Dhere
Haze spun cleaning robe that all
things share,
Whose radiance makes the sky more
softly bright.
oh, April, are your tairest scenes more
fair?
The hills haze bloomed NTH children
Overnight,
Mittens and sleds and-not unwisttul
sight
Some breathless elders, eager to
retr1ce
Their steps to childhood's kingdom of
delight.
see little boy Dith wondering face
Upturned totDdrd snotDy boughs that
interlace,
And hear his laughter when shaken
branch
Smothers him Uith teathery ava-
lGnche.
MEz BARCLAY KIRBY.
Evening star., 1944-03-03
Letters to The Star
Wants Arlington Cemetery
Restricted appropriately

l.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Your editorial In The Star Of Febru-
ary % on the proposed expansion Of
Arlington National Cemetery leaves an
important question open. You state:
"The land to be bought from private
owners would provide an area
inclosed between the Lee and WASH
ington boulevards, the river and the
Fort Myer reservation, a 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 WASH
ington plan"
Are you aware of the fact that last
summer the Government appraised pri-
vate homes considerably outside of the
Lee and Washington boulevard boun-
Diary? In The Star Of February "A there
was this paragraph: THE bill (before
Congress) would protect the cemetery
from any encroachment by private spe-
culators, particularly in the area be-
tween Lee boulevard and Washington
boulevard, it was pointed out"
What does particularly" mean, If not
that expansion beyond Washington and
Lee boulevards Is contemplated? WASH
tngton boulevard at this boundary Is a
recently laid-out highway and there is
no guarantee that it will remain where
1t is. The Government already owns
land on both sides of 1t. If, as your
editorial suggests, the Government
should acquire land for the cemetery
long before 1t is needed, how far do
you favor extending the cemetery into
Arlington County?
Arlington National Cemetery was
established many years ago and before
two World Wars made so many burials
in 1t necessary. II 1t is extended. nearby
Virginia Is destined to become one
vast city of the dead. We can boast of
many largest and greatest" things
in the world, but is it good taste to
build the largest cemetery right In the
residential environs Of Washington, and
1or no other reason than that q Civil
war cemetery was begun on the Lee
estate? Many national cemeteries have
been restricted appropriately. The ap-
propriateness should also be applied to
Arlington.
1t Is not necessarily question of ex-
pansion OF the cemetery VS.. commercial
development. The only alternative is
not commercial development. II the Gov
ernment does not contemplate extend
Ing the cemetery on and on into Ar.
Hngton County in order to take care
OF veteran burials, why does 1t not ar.
range for q new cemetery on undevel-
oped land? Many new national ceme-
taries will have to be planned and ac-
quired IN the next few years. More
than tenth Of the population is ell
g1ble for burial in national cemeteries
now. "
Evening star., 1944-03-03
Toward the Philippines

The tempo of our offensive action
In the Pacific does not slacken. Aft
er being on the receiving end of
swift succession of punches all the
way from the Kuriles to the Mar
ShallS and thence to Truk and the
Marianas. now it is in the Admiral
ty Islands. more than 1000 miles
southwest of Eniwetok and Kwaja-
lein, that the japanese feel the stun
ming weight of American power.
AS General MacArthur's commu-
nique points out, this newest of our
advances has the immediate effect
OF sealing the northern entrance to
the Bismarck Sea and so isolating
some $4,000 enemy troops, largely
in New Britain and at Rabaul."
This entrapment, added to the 22,-
900 cut off in the Solomons by a
similar maneuver effected recently
in the Green Islands, leaves a total
Of 72,000 Japanese at our mercy, be-
sides insuring that Rabaul must
eventually fall to us. For in General
MacArthur's words, "Their supply
lines are definitely and conclusively
severed and only a minimum of
blockade-running by submarines or
individual surface craft is now pos
sible for them"
Like the battle of the Solomons,
the Bismarck campaign-which be-
gan last June with what General
Macarthur calls a great swing
move pivoting on New Guinea
has thus been carried to it's final
stage, the trapped japanese being
more or less hopelessly doomed to
destruction by blockade, lombard
ment and the relentless operations
OF our besieging ground forces. In
addition, with the Admiralty Is
lands in our hands, our positions on
New Guinea are vastly strengthened
and our airpower can be brought
forward to a point 610 miles south
west of Truk, which faces similar
threat OF long-range bombing from
Eniwetok, about the same distance
to the northwest.
But our move into the Admiralty
Islands apparently has implications
Of an even more far-reaching sig
nif1cance. In any event, General
Macarthur intimates as much when
he says that by this sealing-up oper-
alton "the axis Of advance" has
been changed: Heretofore, the
forces under his command have bat
tied in q northward line Of attack
but now he suggests that they will
be able to move westward toward
the Philippines 1900 miles away.
Evening star., 1944-03-03

there faces us the Japanese inner lima
OF defenses, from Japan's main islands,
through the Bonins, the Marianas and
Guam to Yap, the Palaus, and 50 to
the western end Of New Guinea, where.
the japanese already are reported as
converting the island of Halmahera2
into powerful defensive base. Truk.
is an outpost In front Of this line, and
can hardly be considered as being in
strong position. But the line ITSELF
Is dependent on the island Of Guam
which contains more land area than all!
Its neighbors put together. :,
Can the Japanese hold Guam against.
the attack Of Admiral Nimitz? Probablys
they cannot. Their air power has nots
shown itself able to meet distant res
sponsibilities. Guam Is too far frou1s
Japan to be supported by home-baseda
aircraft, except as these may be broughSs
by way Of the Bonin-M Mariana chain.ss
The Japanese feet may not be usedS
to defend Guam. II not, then almostss,
certainly the Japanese inner defenseS
line will be preached, and the way to-
the Philippines will lie open before ours
tremendous amphibious power. 81
That does not mean, Of course, that
Japan will thereby stand defeated. II,
does mean much closer and tougheEs
fighting than we have had on thqg
perimeter Of the Japanese defensivcs
system It means that the Japanese:
are losing the protection Of distancefs
1t means that their vital sea communisE
cations are In danger. And 1t get3,
back to this: At what point, and undejs
what circumstances, Will the JapanesG.
put In their battle fleet for Q shows
down? s.
tcoeyrishA lsll, y. Z. TrhsBs ls1
Evening star., 1944-03-03

different international policy than the
one conditioned by the factors presiding
at its birth.
The original Finnish movement Of
which Svinhufud was the leader was
for autonomy within the Russian en-
pire. 1t turned for complete indepen-
dence only after the victory Of Lenin.
1t was then that Svinhufud called in
German troops, under General Won der
Goltz, to resist the Russians and quell
the revolutionary forces within Fin
land. This history brought about Ger
man military and industrial penetra-
ton In Finland and explains the two
Finnish wars.
At first glance, the terms which the
Russians offer are mild. At second
glance, they present some difficulties.
Russia offers the 1910 borders and
raises only one additional point for
discussion-Petsamo. In 1910 after the
Winter War;" the Films expected 10
have to give up Petsamo and were
astonished when the Russians, who
actually had occupied this port, with
drew and returned it to Finland. The
Evening star., 1944-03-03

continue In their hands regardless Of
the tax quarrel and regardless Of who
Is elected President In November. And
they will get the support to which they
are entitled.
II the recent explosion can be used
to center public attention upon the
whole tax business it will be beneficial.
For it is really q shocking mess. The
men who know most about it are the
most appalled,. They know it isn't merely
that the matter Of taxes IS incredibly
confused and complicated, bound up
in immense quantities Of red tape, but
that there has not been-and there Is
not now-upon the part Of either execu-
tive or legislative branch, any such
thing as sound and sensible tax
policy.
Each accuses the other Of demagog-
uery and playing politics with this
important problem. Both are guilty.
Because this is an election year, and
because Of labor-union opposition, each
has shied away from the general sales
tax, without which it is clearly impos-
sible to enlarge the revenues from
taxation or to drain of the vast surplus
wealth in the hands Of lower-bracket
workers, which. Secretary Morgenthau
himself has said, constitutes the real
imitation menace.
In addition, the administration Of
taxes in the Treasury Is 50 Intellectual
and inadequate that there is some con-
Germ lest a breakdown occur. The or
ganization is just not equal to the i'm
mensely increased burdens it now has
to bear. Many thousands Of tax cases
are awaiting long-delayed settlement.
The situation is such that it Is almost
impossible to get quick action on any
thing. And, 1t isn't getting better-it is
Evening star., 1944-03-03

unity for long time. And that IS
fortunate thing. For example, had
national unity been achieved by ac-
quiescence in Mr.. Roosevelt's domestic
policies, or lack Of policies, the effect
would have been disastrous. To give
an example, consider what would have
happened had the Presidents insistence
upon dual-headed war production
board, with "co-equal power" been ac-
cepted. Consider the situation If there
had been national unity about that.
~
Only by continual pounding was
Mr.. Roosevelt forced to abandon this
view and take the direction indicated by
experience and common sense. There
has not been national unity on domestic
issues since we entered the war. The
national interests have not suffered be-
cause of that fact-they have profited.
AS to the conduct Of the war-no one
need be apprehensive Of our competent
military and naval authorities It will
Evening star., 1944-03-03
Dorothy Thompson

history Of this war. Before 1941, Finland
was regarded as an important basis for
attack on Northern Russia. The actual
war has proved that 1t had chiefly
nuisance value. No major battles were
fought IN this area. Geographically
Finland proves too inaccessible for major
powers, and the Firms alone are In.
capable OF aggressive war against Russia.
therefore, seen from now, the first
RusSo-F1nn1sh war was Russian mill
tary mistake. They believed themselves
potentially threatened from a position
which turned out to be Of negligible
value for the Germans. On the other
hand, long experience has taught
Russia that Poland is the natural battle.
field for any major attack on Russia
from the west. These factors, rather
than ideologies, play an important role
in all Russian considerations.
1t is reported that the greatest din.
culties concern the internment Of the
German army In Northern Finland.
Perhaps the withdrawal Of that army
has begun. Certainly 1t has had time to
do 50. II, however, this army refuses
to withdraw the Russians can only ask
that either the Firms intern it or they
come in and do the job themselves. In
the latter case it Is uncertain that this
would be enough. For II the German
army should withdraw into Northern
Norway 1t would continue to be
menace since 1t would still be separated
from Russia by only q narrow strip Of
land.
Either the Germans quit Northern
Norway, too, or We fight the Germans
there, or the Russians may have to
fight them there, eventually.
The publication Of these armistice
terms, whether the Films accept them
or not, is a political master stroke, for
they will dissipate the fears of other
German satellites In the Balkans.
tReleased By the Bell Syndicate, 1nc)
Evening star., 1944-03-03
: Spuring the Rod

The Juvenile Court. which Oper-
ates behind closed doors. has been
invested with the widest discretion
in dealing with youthful law viola
tors. Assuming that the discretion
is not abused, this is desirable. for
the primary function of the court is
to reform. not to punish, youngsters
who stray from the straight and
narrow path.
II the circumstances Of a recent
case are at all typical, however,
there Is reason to wonder whether
the court is not putting too much
emphasis on reform and too little
on punishment. Earlier this week
the police arrested two fourteen
year-old boys for joyriding in a
stolen car. For one, 1t was the tenth
offense in recent months: for the
other, third offense. They had
been placed on probation on Thurs
day of last week by the court after
their ninth and second offenses,
respectively.
In the case of the second offender
probation may well have been dusti-
fed. But in placing the other lad
on probation after nine offenses,
the court seems to have been spar
ing the rod" with a vengeance. If
he looks upon the law and the in
Struments for its enforcement as
something Of joke. it can hardly
be contended that he Is entirely
without justification. And II the
police are beginning to wonder
whether there is any point in ar
resting such an offender they, too,
would not be without reason for
their cynicism.
Evening star., 1944-03-03

This prospect, together with Ad-
miral Nimitz's westward drive in
the central sector of the Pacific
theater. opens up q great number
Of new offensive possibilities. none
Of which can be comforting to the
japanese. In a word, all signs in
dicate that the Toxic war lords are
going to be buster than ever during
the remainder OF the year, with
American power keeping them of
balance with more and more blows
from every direction and on a con-
stantly increasing scale.
Evening star., 1944-03-03
Another Defender of President

TO the Editor Of The Star:
The letter of Irwin Hornstein pub
lished February Is, concerning the in
come tax, deserves the widest attention
This Is a dangerous hour for the COM
mon people. Their preoccupation with
the war and the confused state of pub
lie affairs encourages error and reaction
in Congress. Therefore, the most urgent
need Of the people is ready access to
honest information with which to form
opinion adequate for effective action.
Too rarely do we have an impartial
statement of facts in the press on ma
tional problems. Few men have suf1-
cient public spirit to express a we'll
considered opinion in behalf of the
truth. Mr. Hornstein has taken the
pains to correct any impression that
Congress has taken a tenable position
on the question of appropriate taxes.
Its exaggerated indignation at the Presi-
dents veto appears to derive from selfish
consideration unconcerned with the
public good.
In my opinion, the President showed
stature and spirit, for he pierced to the
heart Of the issue by speaking plainly.
1t Is obvious that greed Is binding our
leaders. 1t may well lead us to postwar
disaster, as 1t led the world to an in
excuSable war. A. w. ERICKSON.
Evening star., 1944-03-03


The Admiralties lie some 200 miles
west Of Kavieng. They command all
the approaches to that port and to
Rabaul from the north and east. Air
craft based on the Admiralties can
maintain a complete patrol over all the
area Of sea through which relief ships
from Truk can approach the islands of
New Britain and New Ireland.
X
Moreover, they can do this on the
dusk-to-dawn principle; that is, their
patrol area can be so extensive that an
enemy convoy entering that area at
dusk cannot possibly hope to reach
either Rabaul or Kavieng by dawn.
AS for the barge trafac on which the
japanese garrisons in New Britain and
New Ireland formerly depended to 20
great an extent, one arm Of this trafnc
was cut OF when we moved Into Cape
Evening star., 1944-03-03
Frank K. Kent

getting worse. II the people, generally,
fully understood the incompetency with
which taxes are being dealth with, there
might be q protest Of such volume as
to force change In the attitude Of both
President and Congress. Unless there
Is change, the prospect Is pretty black.
1t has been pointed out to the Presi-
dent by friendly critics that, boring as
the subject Is to him, he should give It
his full personal attention, put politics
out Of his mind and supply real leader
ship on this immensely vital matter.
He has been strongly urged to re.
organize the Treasury, replace the in
competents with competents, take the
lead IN simplincation and evolve firm,
realistic fiscal policy. With more con-
ndence In Treasury efficiency and in
the sincerity Of the President, the temp.
tation and the excuse for Congress to
play politics would be greatly lessened.
A President with q sound tax policy and
q competent Treasury setup can get
cooperation from Congress because that
body can be forced to cooperate. The
reason Mr.. Roosevelt has not had CO.
operation Is because he has no policy,
himself, and his Secretary Of the Treas
ury submits proposals which contradict
his own words.
1t is possible that the present rift on
taxes, plus the absrrdly inadequate leg
1slatton, may arouse an acute public
awareness Of the grave national peril
involved In the blind fiscal drifting in
which we are engaged, with no one
willing to face realities either AZ to
taxes or debt. But the public win never
be sufhciently aroused If we stop talking
and writing about 1t for fear it may
hurt the Presidents prestige abroad orr
disturb national unity at home. Better
to DO both Of those things than CON-
tnue to move steadily toward COM
plete financial chaos, which Is exactly
what we are doing.
Evening star., 1944-03-03

demonstrated in recent raids against
Helsinki and other Finnish cities 1t Is
evident that Finland cannot oppose the
Soviet air force even II 1t had some
chance Of resisting the Red armies.
Under the circumstances, Finland is
confronted with the choice of fighting
suicidal war which can end only in
total defeat or accepting the Russian
terms which on the surface appear more
favorable than was generally antici-
pated.
+ \
The Russian, American and British
armies are still far from the borders Of
Bulgaria, Rumania and Hungary and
although an armistice or peace between
Finland, Russia and Britain would
have a certain moral repercussion it is
Evening star., 1944-03-03
Orchestra Cumpuion

A great city without great music
would be a community without a
soul. People find in noble harmony
expression Of their group ideals
which serves to Justify their corpo-
rate existence. Even among savages
the instinct to make melody together
is a natural endowment. The meas
ure Of advancing civilization properly
might be said to be the skill, the
cooperation and the enjoyment
achieved in that higher revelation"
of which Beethoven wrote to Bettina
Won Arnim.
Such, in any case, is the social
Interpretation of music in modern
times. The philosophy which the
National Symphony Orchestra was
established to fulfill is the doctrine
OF mutual effort in behalf of the
most notably democratic of all the
arts. Washington as a community
provides the money which the Or
ganization needs for its sustenance.
Part is paid for tickets sold at
popular prices, part must be obtained
by solicitation by volunteer friends.
The 1914 campaign was scheduled to
end yesterday. But only $50, ,792. As,
or 62.1 per cent Of the imperative
objective, had been obtained last
night. The effort therefore must be
continued. Nearly $4,000 still is
needed to make economically feasi-
BILE the program Of concerts proposed
by DR.. Hans Kinder, conductor.
The problem Is not subject to easy
dismissal as q minor issue in an era
Of turmoil and confusion. America
Is fighting the war to preserve It's
Evening star., 1944-03-03

President over the
question Of taxes.
They insist that it
has diminished ma
tional unity; they
fear it will affect
the conduct Of the
war; they think it
should not be talked
about any more.
Alarm along these
lines seems un-
founded. So far as
national unity" in
domestic affairs is
concerned, there has
not been national
Evening star., 1944-03-03

move is an essential
complement of the
occupation Of the
Green Islands, east
of Rabaul.
Presuming tn q t
Gen. Macarthur
makes good his grip
on the Admiralties-
and he has not yet
bitten of more than
he can chew-Ra-
baul and its sup
porting base, Kavi-
eng, are out Of the
picture as far as
Pacific strategy is
Evening star., 1944-03-03

terms to Finland.
Svinhufud founded
the Finnish Repub-
lie on the basis of
q German and anti
Russian orientation,
which ended the
day he died. For
whether or not the
Finnish government
accepts the Russian
terms, it is clear
they wish to get out
of the war; and it
Is equally clear that
the future of Fin
land der>endS m a