davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-04-14

There is no doubt in my mind that.
all things being equal, the people would
like change Of Government in Wash
lngton, nor can the desire be attributed
simply to swing toward conservatism,
reaction, isolationism or any other ism.
Twelve years Is long time for one
administration to stay in office. The
people want new faces All govern
ments need periodic housecleanings
but administrations are seldom able
to give them to themselves.
Sectionalism plays great role in DIS
contents. The Democratic party repre-
sents the great cities, the newer genera
tions OF Americans and the South. The
New Deal was essentially creation of
urban intellectuals thinking on behalf
Of teeming masses, more helpless in
crises in the great cities than elsewhere,
and on behalf of the most impoverished
section of the Nation. It's tendencies
were often paternalistic; its measures
bore the stamp of their origins. To
millions of Americans they seemed
alien. think it was this, rather than
their radicalism, which alienated the
people of the smaller cities and COM
munities and citizens of older Ameri-
can traditions.
1t is difficult to pin down nuances,
though not at all difficult to feel them.
Senator Norris, for instance, is an
American Progressive, as rooted in the
American soil as Indian corn. He waged
an uninterrupted war against malefac-
tors Of great wealth and in behalf of
the public ownership of utilities. Why
was it, then, that he never awakened
the sort of distrust that so many New
Dealers spontaneously engendered, and
retired with his fight unfinished, enjoy
ing honor and prideful affection from
the whole Nation?
~ ~
There Is only one answer, I think.
He spoke the language of those millions
of Americans for whom radicalism has
always meant independence, distrust of
too great concentrations of power-pri-
vate or public-equality of opportunity,
fair play and square deal He spoke
in homely terms, free of the expert
terlninology Of professional economists,
and he fought without resorting to the
sarcasms, ironies, yelled innuendoes and
swearing with which the later reform
ers too often seemed to reveal not only
a hatred of malefactors, but contempt
for ordinary humans.
The growing reaction of the Middle
West to this administration has been
significant. The Middle West is not,
Evening star., 1944-04-14
Broken Family Issue

The Statistical Bulletin OF the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany for March contains discussion
of the problem of children of families
broken by the chances and accidents
of the prevailing period of worldwide
turmoil. 1t was certain that de-
bate on the subject should start
eventually, and the present moment
Is not too soon. In 1910 there were
4,518,000 boys and girls under
eighteen years of age not residing
with their own parents The number
has risen prodigiously since then and
now may approximate as much as
a fifth of the total junior population
of the United States
According to the Metropolitan's
latest f1ndings-admittedly not up
to date 10000 children were liv-
ing in family units headed by men
and 3,322,000 in units headed by
women. 1t is suggested that: The
larger number" in this second classi-
fication results from the excess of
widows over widowers among us, and
also from the natural tendency for
children to stay with their mothers
when families break up" But not
all the youngsters separated from
both parents are represented in the
count of 4,518,O00 for 1910. The
statisticians explain:
1t is not to be inferred that the
35, 900 children under 18 in un-
broken families were all living with
their own fathers and mothers Some
of the children had been adopted,
while others were living with grand
parents or with older married
brothers or sisters. In some instances
the children were in families result
ing from remarriage after divorce or
after the death of one of the parents.
The implications of the existing
development, of course, are not
necessarily deplorable. Parenthood
in itself is no guarantee of qualifica-
ton for rearing children properly.
On the other hand, no one seriously
would argue that broken families
of even the best sort are desirable.
The sponsors OF the Metropolitan
Evening star., 1944-04-14
This Changing World
By Constantine Brown

Reports from usually well-informed
sources indicate that we can expect q
dramatic German military readjustment
before the invasion of Western Europe
begins.
This may call for complete with
drawal of NaZi troops not only from
Italy but also from Romania, Bulgaria
and parts of Yugoslavia The German
general staff evidently plans to fight
the war to the bitter end, regardless of
price and sacrifice.
1t is reported that there have been a
number of conferences, not only be-
tween Hitler and the satellite leaders,
but also Hitler and the German high
command in which the new situation
was discussed. Germany this summer
Is faced with real war on two fronts:
in the east and in the west The Ger
man military men are inclined to dis
count all political surprises" and are
thinking exclusively in terms of pro-
ductlon and divisions so that the Recih
can resist as jong as possible.
German manpower is not unending.
The German armies have suffered seri-
Gus losses in the last few months and
realize that in the next few months the
losses will be heavier than ever before.
Not more than 100000 draftees are now
available to refresh their armed forces.
Consequently, the reported 285 to 300
divisions must be used carefully if Ger
many is to continue the fight.
4 4
The German general staff may estab-
lish an entirely new defensive line which
will have as strategic barriers the At
lantic wall, where formidable defenses
have been erected in the last two years:
Southern France, which can be protected
without difficulty because of the noun
tains dominating the landing places; the
Alps, which stand as an impossible bar
rier between Italy and Southern Ger
many; portions of Northern Yugoslavia,
the Carpathians and in the east a line
extending approximately from a point
west OF LwoW to the Pripet Marshes and
the Narva River.
According to competent observers, this
much shortened defensive wall of the
European fortress can be successfully
defended with the electives Germany
Evening star., 1944-04-14

too much of it can be. the death OF
our democracy.
In dealing with the domestic
situation, the AFL makes a number
of concrete recommendations COW
ering such matters as veterans de-
mobilization, industrial reconver-
sion, expanded social insurance.
restoration of the shorter work
week, union management co-opera-
ton, housing development and fiscal
policy. Though some of them are
highly arguable, none of these rec
concentrations is novel. The AFL
says it will have others to make later
on, Meanwhile, nationally and in
ternationally, it is concerned chiefly
with what it regards as the more
immediate and imperative steps es-
sential to the making of a sound
world peace, and its views in this
respect, representing a great seq
ment of American labor, constitute
a meaty contribution we'll worth
attention.
Evening star., 1944-04-14
On the Record
By Dorothy Thompson


historically, reactionary. Actually, 1t
has given birth to most progressive
American movements. 1t was Abra-
nam Lincoln's ground: its people were
the bulwark against the extension of
slavery, its various Farmer-Labor and
Populist movements fought intrenched
nnance--capitalism, monopoly, the for
nation of industrial empires and vast
inherited fortunes.
But behind Middle Western radi-
calisn was always the concept of
greater freedom and broader equality
out OF which men could create their
own security. And with it all there
was a Puritan spirit of frugality.
1t Is natural that the innermost part
OF these States should have the great
est sense of American self dependence
But it is not remarkable that it should
also produce the most idealistic inter-
nationalists. Middle Westerners are
less concerned than the East or the
South with the tempting possibilities
OF foreign trade, and other material
lstic or power arguments for world CO.
operation.
America stretches out on either side
as lar as car can travel in many
Gays, and they are very certain of the
opportunities available in America it..
self. But no part of the country kin
dies more spontaneously to ideas as
wide as their own wheat fields The
Middle West does not take kindly to
world wars, but it can ignite to world
peace.
1t should not be forgotten that the
American who has dared to advocate
American participation in a world or
ganization for peace under law. to
which sovereign America would dele
gate fraction of her power, is Harold
Stassen, young Republican, ex-Gover-
nor OF Minnesota, who outran Mr..
Willkie in the Wisconsin primaries. led
every one in Nebraska, and is likely
sooner or later to be President of these
United States.
No party in this country has a
monopoly on vices or virtues, or on
liberalism or conservatism, isolation
Ism or internationalism. But various
sections and groups think in various
terms, from various standpoints and
with various reservations. Large parts
OF the Nation have felt themselves tso-
lated during the last years. This is
certainly contributing factor to the
desire for a change.
ueleased BY the Bell Syndicate, Incl
Evening star., 1944-04-14

In any case, 1t will be unwise for lis
10 Jump to conclusions with regard to
tne use the Russians may make of
ODESSA and the Crimea as bases for
amphlblous operations to outfank the
German armies in Romania.
In the first place, amphibious warfare
Is highly specialized art, in which the
russians have comparatively little ex-
perlence. Most of their amphibious op-
erations in this war have been on a
small scale, and only few of them have
been successful. But far greater diff
Guilty arises in the matter of available
shipping.
The Black Sea contains only one con-
siderable shipbuilding establishment.
that at Nikolaev; it has been in Ger
man hands during most of the war and
the Russians have just recaptured it
Inc Germans may have built some small
vessels at Nikolaev while they held it
but for the most part the shipping with
IN the Black Sea has been suffering
heaVy losses and receiving little in the
way OF replacements. Consequently not
much is now available to either side,
Ihls is one of those operations which
is strategically attractive in the eX-
treme, but is tactically difficult as we'll
as being almost impossible from the
point OF view of logistics. Its strategic
attractiveness, however, remains: MANY
OF the tactical difficulties might be
cleared away if British and American
experts on amphibious warfare could be
made available to the Russian high
command and perhaps some measure of
British and American naval support:
while the logistic difficulties would be
greatly diminished if the Dardanelles
were open and Allied shipping sent in
from the Mediterranean to aid in con-
Voylng Russian troops from Odessa and
Sevastopol to the Romanian coast.
X
Which brings us back again to the
question of Turkeys attitude and Tur-
keys willingness to cooperate. Obvi-
ously the Dardanelles cannot be opened
to Allied shipping until the Germans are
driven from the Aegean Islands. Obvi-
ously it is going to be extremely difficult
to drive the Germans out of the Aegean
Islands without the use of air bases on
the Turkish mainland And even if
those two problems were favorably de-
termined, there would still be question
AS to whether the Turks would be will
ing to lend helping hand in the mat
ter OF bringing Russian troops into the
Balkan Peninsula.
(Copyrisht, 1p44)
Evening star., 1944-04-14
FRIDAY, April Ia, 1914
Ii Needs Looking Into

Backed by the high prestige of
General Arnold and the Army Air
Forces, the Costello bill to commits
sion as Army pilots the women
members of the WASPS (Women's
Airforce Service Pilots was favor
ably reported by the House Military
Affairs Committee and is now await
ing a hearing before the Rules Com
mittee. The Rules Committee very
wisely is delaying its approval. There
are a number of things about this
WASP program that would stand
more examination. The House Civil
Service Investigating Committee, for
one thing, has not completed its
own inquiry, begun some time ago,
as to the need and the heavy ex-
pense involved in the present organ
iZation.
The main question is why the
Army Air Forces are doing away with
the services of literally thousands
of experienced civilian male pilots,
which it used in its own pilot train
ing program, and is taking on the
WASPS-With the thought of in
creaSing their number-for duties
that these men, in the opinion of
competent authorities, are we'll able
to perform. Why should a young
woman, after hundred hours or so
of training, be better or more USE
full pilot for ferrying, target towing,
ETC., than men with thousands of
hours of flying time, who have in
structors' rating? Except for those
needed for combat service in the
ground forces, they are already
available for the same type of aux
iliary service that the WASPS are
furnishing.
There is general praise for the
spirit and the competence of the
women flyers in the WASPS. But
the emanifestswaste of traine d spilots,s
the rather arbitrary treatment these
men have suffered already at the
hands Of the Army Air Forces, the
relatively high expense of training
women pilots together with this gess
ture of setting up a separate female
air force (instead of giving pilot
training to WACS) suggests the need
for a far more careful inquiry into
the whole background of this plan
than has been furnished up to this
time. Certainly, the Rules Commit
tee is well advised to take It's time.
Evening star., 1944-04-14

and her remaining satellites now have
at their disposal
From the strategic point of view Italy
is of slight Importance to the Nazis
The fact that Marshal Albert Kesselring
has opposed us so desperately in South
ern Italy Is due predominately to po-
litical reasons. The Germans wanted to
prove to their subjected nations that
Europe can be defended by the Wehr-
macht. They also hoped to impress the
people in the United States and Great
Britain with the difficulties involved in
an invasion of Western Europe. More
over the Germans succeeded in inflict-
ing losses on US, which while not as
large as their own, have had some roper
cussions. But after these objectives have
been even partially accomplished there
Is no reason why they should keep be-
tween % and IS divisions tied up in
Italy when the troops will be needed
for much more important tasks else
where.
The main advantage the Allies can
gain in Italy now is to obtain airfieIds
closer to the Reich. But no one in the
American and British general stats has
ever thought Of embarking on an Of
fensive against the Reich. across the
Alps. German abandonment of Rome
in the near future, maintenance of a
defensive line thinly manned on the
Pc River and even complete with
drawal of all Nazi divisions from Italy
is regarded as a strong possibility.
The same appraisal may apply to Ro-
mania as far as the Carpathian Noun
tains and to Bulgaria. If the Russians
pour the bulk of their forces into that
sector the Germans cannot hope to
withstand the onslaught. With one or
two exceptions the German general
staff has been realistic and has never
stubbornly defended an understandable
area. The fact that only small number
OF German troops were captured by the
Russians in the Odessa area where er-
roneous reports placed the number of
Germans at 100000 proves this conten-
ton. Then German divisions, after
leaving some rear guards to help out the
Romanians, obviously were withdrawn
long before the Red armies attacked In
force
Evening star., 1944-04-14
'Furcicul Allies

Lord VanSittart'S sharp criticism
of Portugal and Turkey in an open
letter to the London Daily Mail
emphasizes the increasingly difficult
position of neutrals as the war
reaches its prodigious climax, This
former British Undersecretary for
Foreign Affairs, whose name has be-
come synonymous with implacability
in foreign policy, did make dis
tinction between Portugal and Tur-
key, which have close diplomatic
ties with Britain. and the other
nations who have kept out of the
struggle. Nevertheless, this distinc-
ton appears to be motivated by
expediency rather than by principle,
for he leaves their cases aside 'for
the moment" Furthermore, his
letter is a comment on that part of
Secretary of State Cordell Hull's re-
cent address which concerns Allied
relations with neutral nations.
Secretary Hull indicated a sitter
policy toward neutrals everywhere.
While assuring them that they would
not be "coerced to join us in the
fight" he summoned them with in
sistence to cease aiding our enemy"
by according the Axis International
facilities, trading with the Axis in
materials useful in warmaking, or
doing other things which may aid in
prolonging the conflict.
Strictly interpreted, this would
make it extremely difficult for any
nation in direct contact with the
Axis to maintain genuine neutrality
as understood by established canons
of international law, which pre-
scribes impartial treatment by the
neutral of both the warning sides.
Indeed, Mr.. Hull would seem to imply
a moral priority for the Allies incon-
sistent with true neutrality any,
where, when he asserts that the
neutrals 'of course know that upon
our victory hangs their very exist
ence and freedom as independent
nations" If this be so, real neutral
ity in the present war has ceased to
exist, because. all technical neutrals
have so ovitat aH sll;e sIi AIIisd
victory that persistences in nonbel-
ligerency is .motivated either by fear
Of Axis reprisals or By immediate
self interest ,shortsig h ant M
worthy in character.
This appears to be Lord vansit-
tart's Interpretation, and he applies
it rigidly in the cases of Portugal
and Turkey. Both countries have
been "benevolently" neutral toward
the Allies. Portugal especially, which
has greatly aided Britain and Amer
lea by placing her island possessions
in the Atlantic at our disposal as
air and submarine bases. Neverthe-
less, Lord Vansittart would hold
them strictly to their special treaty
relations with Britain and would
denounce those diplomatic agree
ments with what he terms "farcical
allies" if they refuse to stiffen their
attitudes toward the Axis.
Taken together, the pronounce
ments of Secretary Hull and Lord
Vansittart indicate clearly that the
neutraps lot is going to be progress
sively harder one.
Evening star., 1944-04-14
AFL and the Peace

AS is the case with all such gen.
eralized proposals, the postwar re-
construction program drawn up by
the American Federation of Labor
is open to argument at more than
one point. On the whole, however,
adhering as it does to our funda-
mental national principles and to
the aims of the United Nations, it
stands up under inspection as an
intelligent and not-too -dogmatic
effort to come to grips with a prob
lem which is as big and as compli-
Gated as the world because it
encompasses the INTERVENING po-
litical, social and economic interests
of every country in the world.
internationally, the AFL places
itself on record as believing, first of
all, that the war itself must be COM
pletely won and that long-range
plans must be, made now to insure
that the victory does not later turn
to ashes in the mouth. To this end.
to promote the freedom, security
and Well-being of all nations and
peoples, it advocates that the United
States participate fully in establish
ing and maintaining a world peace
system in which the potential ag-
greSSorS of the future will be
checked and in which political and
military programs must be asSo-
eiated with farreaching economic
program" designed to utilize the new
productive powers of industry and
agriculture for the advancement of
living standards everywhere.
Domestically, the AFL reaffirms
It's belief that free enterprise and
free labor are interdependent, that
they are essential to the main
tenance Of our democratic wav of
life and that to preserve them in
this period of profound change,
every American must have the op-
portunity to better himself through
free public education to earn a
oeteHt IIVlng, 10 enjoy pOlltlcal
freedom and to have social security.
Chler on the list of needs is that
OF providing productive jobs for the
millions eventually to be demobi-
Ilzed from our armed forces and war
industries, and to achieve this, all
groups involVed-labor, agriculture,
employers, Government-must CO.
operate. The right of the worker to
bargain collectively must not be
clrcumScribed; private wealth and
economic power must be so regu-
lated as to prevent its concentration
IN monopolieS likely to undermine
our free society; and at the same
time, the trend toward centraliza-
tion and expansion of Federal con-
troll must be arrested. for although
minimum regulation is necessary,
Evening star., 1944-04-14

survey believe that the high pro-
portion Of orphaned children
Is undoubtedly an important factor
in juvenile delinquency" Referring
to the influence of the war and
particularly to the effect of war
industry on the Standard family,
they declare: Altogether, we are
faced with a critical situation"
On the more hopeful side, it also
is true that the American people are
better equipped with facilities and
particularly with constructive
anxiety to do what is right for the
younger generation than ever before.
Let it be added that the children
likewise already have demonstrated
considerable genius for taking
good care of themselves and each
other
Evening star., 1944-04-14
Crimean Campaign
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

The reconquest of the Crimea is
proceeding rapidly. 1t is evident that
the Germans were holding the land
bridges which connect the Crimea with
the mainland with minimum defensive
forces and that they had reduced their
troops in the Kerch area to a skeleton
basis. Once these detachments were
driven from their positions, there seems
to have been little attempt by the Ger
mans to hold any part Of the central
plain; indeed there was no possibility of
their doing so.
whether the Germans viii or can stand
siege at Sevastopol or whether, like
Odessa. the Russians will retake that
city without serious resistance.
If the latter is the case, then the
true significance of the occurrence will
be found when we have determined
whether we have to deal with a care
fully planned German withdrawal or
as now seems possible-with a COL
lapse due to disintegration of the mo-
lale of the defending forces
The detachments which have been
driven from the ouoposts may be rae
ing from Sevastopol to jump aboard
the last few ships left in the harbor
and speed away. This would be con-
sistent with a German policy of saving
manpoWer at all costs and that prob
ably has now become the guiding prin-
ciple of the German general staff, even
II 1t is not the guiding principle of
the political leaders of Germany.
There would indeed seem to be little
to be gained by standing siege at
Sevastopol with the rest of the Crimea
in Russian hands and with Nikolaev
and Odessa already restored to Rus
sian control.
The great value of SevaStopol to the
Russians when they held it was, of
course, as a naval base. If the Ger
mans are now carrying out planned
evacuation of the Crimea, we may be
quite sure that the docks, machine
shops, Oil storage and other base ia
clllties will have been very thoroughly
demolished by this time SO that it
will be many months before the Rus
slams can count on Sevastopol as any,
thing more than conveniently To-
Gated harbor for naval purposes.
But should there be any element of
panic or confusion with the German
forces, there is always a chance that
some of the installations may be cap
tured intact, and the Russian claim
to the capture Of 100000 prisoners sug-
gests that this may be the case.