davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
A Thought for Today
Pearl Harbor Reverberations

The end of Americas third year of participation in this war finds our forces in Europe approaching the climax of what may well be the greatest and most Hateful battle in history. In the Pacific, against the enemy whose attack brought us into the struggle, we have overcome his tremendous early advantage and, after months of slow, painful effort, have definitely taken the offensive. Three years ago our military leaders chose to concentrate our major force upon our stronger enemy to avert our greater danger. And today the wisdom of that decision to beat Germany first is more apparent than ever For the latest horde of barbarianS to overrun Europe present. ed a greater danger to civilization than all the VandalS, Huns, Turks and Tartars who had Scourged the continent in 2,OOO years. Civilization was more vulnerable because of the standardization that it's ad- vancement had brought. It was prey to the cunning of it's own science. Vast territories and resources and populations of that civilization had been devoured by Hitler to give him strength. Three years ago this country joined the last two great free powers of Europe to free and restore all that Hitler had taken.
 Today that freedom and restoration are almost complete From the critical days when it seemed that America as well as her Allies might be faced with destruction, we have come to the place where the battle of Europe is now the bat tie of Germany. We have reached that point at the price of death and pain and unremitting effort. And the price Will remain the same until both Berlin and Tokyo have fallen. Here at home there has seemed to be feeling recently that the closer we come to victory the less effort is needed to win it. It seems to have been forgotten that it takes more power to overcome stubborn enemy than it does simply to hold him ln cnecK. This is total war, and total war IS no sport at which spectators may sit in the grandstand and watch the thrilling fin ish. There are no spectators. Some of us at home are required to contribute much to victory, others have but small part in the result. But none of us can be idle.
 The least we can do is to stay on the iob. buy War Bonds, and make our small sacrifices, not with complaints but With penitence and humble gratitude that they are no worse. At the end of three years of war we are on the road to victory, but 1t IS a road on which there is no coastlng. Germany must be hit with our maximum power on the day she capitulates Any ietdown after that day will only lengthen1 the war with Japan, which at best must be long and bloody and bitterly contested. What needs saying on the Pearl Harbor anniversary has best been said by Gen eral Eisenhower: "War is like pushing a heavily loaded wagon up steep hill In fog and never knowing when you are going to reach the top. So you have to push like hell all the time"
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
Not the Principle, but the Money

Avery considerable sum of money turks behind all the differences Of opinion, sound and otherwise, which have pre- cipitated the -AdminiStratlon fight over freezing the present Social Security tax. The sum is approximately S1 .24O, ,OOO ,OOO, which would be added to a like amount collected this year if the present 2 per cent tax - divided equally between employer and employe-Were doubled. According to the graduated tax scale contained in the original Social Security law, this increase should go into effect January 1. The President and the Treasury Department favor going ahead with it. Many congressman oppose the increase, for various reasons. One is that the entire tax needs reStudying. Another is that the reserve fund is larger than was foreseen when the system was lnstl- Euted. But, as tax experts have pointed out, the reserve fund is fiction. It is ln government bonds, not cash. To convert the reserve into cash would mean borrow ing or taxation. The cash collected through Social Security taxes is used to help meet the governments running expenses.
 So if the Social Security tax were not doubled, the $1 ,240, ,000,0 would have to be found elsewhere, either through addi- tional taxes or borrowing. Probably the latter method would be used if the freeze continued, and the sum tackled onto our Astronomical national debt. For new taxes aren't popular with the taxpayers, and neither are those who create them. The Social Security tax is probably as nearly popular as any. It seems to many lo be a contribution to a carefully se1uestered nest egg. And it is likely &hat the present argument over freezes Hfd thaWs hes become confused In some H|n4a with both parties endorsement of
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
WATER PROJECTS
CNew Haven Journal-Courier)

N-'%" WA OS0A
 WaShingtcn's interest in a Mis- souri Valley Authority for develop ment of flood control and conserva- ton is in line with the future. Sug- gestions of such a project have met with comparatively little hostility, even though the program-eire ready approved by the lower house ef con- gress--wili cost C. bilicn dollars. The idea spreads that such enterprises. if well planned. par for themselves in the long rur and add to the wealth 9f the nation. The IVA is now paying the interest cn it's bonds, besides providing water ccntTcl fer- tilizer and many other benefits to large area.
 New actors are insisted on now, however, in such projects. It is the declared policy of congress, in the development of watersheds, to Tec- ognize state rights in irrigation. and there may be corresponding claims for hydro-electric power, which in some cases will become the main is- sue.
 In the background of such claims and arguments eImainS the St. Law renee Seaway. potentially the great est hydro-electric enterprise on the continent. Sooner or later the St. Lawrence river will all be harnessed to full capacity. There will be sim liar western projects available, ale most as great The Mississippi could certainly do more than It is doing,
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS Rut fE1A Take is Li;cY

We would like to near your com- ment or the ethics <f tile American Medical Associstion's take from the full page assertions that smoking certain brand of cigarettes cleared completely" substantially every case cf irritation of the nose and throat due to smoking.
 q. L. D.
 Answer-It is pretty silly. isn't it? But then, the take is juicy, and so the claim gecomes scientific in the judgment of the medical authori- ties who run the American Medi-. cal Association. Besides. probably the Counncil or something or other has duly accepted" the brand of cigarettes that cleared completely irritation caused by other brands.
 Weight Lifting
 Is there any benefit 10 be derived from weight liftrg? read an ar- :icle On (phony health publicstion) where they promise If you take up barbell training you will become much stronger ard live q longer, more pleasant life. ID. w.
 Answer-Dnn't be gullible. Con- suit the physical instructor In .our, high school. the physical director, in the Y, or get the book on 'Ex- ercise in Education and Medicine, q by Mckenzie. in the public library. Generally it Is better to train for ability. skill and speed, not for en- durance or abnormal strength.
 Copyright IA by John F. Dille Co.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

had sighted a Sampan towing a small object which looked like submarine, to which the shore officer observed that "theSe dam destroyer shippers are al- ways seeing submarines" He also observed that it was too early to disturb the admiral.
 Shortly thereafter, the War re- ported that it had sunk the sub marine. Att his point TIP a. n. the watch officer finally got up nerve to wake his chief. How ever, TO alert warning or other alarm was sounded Pearl liar Dor slept blissfully on.
 The officer in command of Pearl Harbor naval base was Rear Admiral Claude c. Bloch. Kim mel commanded the fleet.
 ARMY NAVY FEUD
 Another tragic failure which the Roberts Report glossed over was the long standing row between the Army and Navy air forces, which eliminated in a ruling that the Army could not fly more than 100 miles out to sea, an6-: that the Navy, though it had fewer planes and very slow-moving ones at that, was responsible for pa- trolling farther out to sea.
 Inside fact is that the Army Air Corps warned the Navy prior to Pearl HarbOr about the danger of leaving large segmentS of the adjacent sea unpatrOlled but nothing was done about it. Army and Navy red tape at that time was carried to such point that the Army could not begin firing anti-aircraft guns against the enemy until it received word from the Navy that naval off, shore defenses had failed.
 These are some of the things which would have come out in any court martial. Fortunately, such defects have now been ironed out. but it took a terrific trag- edy like Pearl Harbor to jolt the Brass Hats out of the accumu- lated lethargy Of peacetime se- curity.
 Copyright, 1944. by United
 Feature Syndicate, Incl
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
An Anti Trust Law Record

Now almost before the public has come to understand that stainless steels con- sist of steel or iron alloys, in which chromium is the chief allowing element, the Attorney General furnishes addi- tional news, stating that an indictment on two counts has been secured against 18 steel manufacturers, and of their executives, charged with conspiracy to fix and maintain prices on stainless steel in violation of Che Antitrust laws. This is fast record in industrial history when a new prize article like stainless steel has somersaulted into a trust" and faces severe maximum penalties for violation of the laws.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

posite extreme and day by day to solve their own problems, paying very little attention to any help God may give. Such people insist that we never get anywhere in life unless we continually bestir our- selves.
 Both are right, of course, and both are wrong. All moral achieYe- ment depends upon the grace of God, yet the grace is given only to those who are using every power they have as they strive after the good life. Perhaps the best way to describe the ideal is by saying that we should pray as if every- thing depended upon God, and then get up from our knees and work ns 4 everything depended upon lis.
 (All Rights Reserved. Babson
 NaW1paper HtndieAle)
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

extended Social Security benefits during the recent campaigns.
 Actually, of course, the one has noth- ing to do with the other. Whether 8 person pays per cent or the present per cent out of his wages or salary after January 1, the Social Security law will operate just the same. There will be no added benefits. The law will not cover those now left out of the Social Security Setup. It will not provide medical or disqualification insurance. Congress hasn't even begun to talk about those things yet.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

tapping the telephones of the Jap consulate in Honolulu and, on the morning of Dec. 6, lis tended in on an 18-minute conver- sation to Tokyo during which a very suspicious weather report was given plus some other code language which so worried the \ \FBI men that transcript of the conversation was taken immedi- ately to Army and Navy intelli- gence.
 Naval Intelligence was not inter eSted. But the chief military ir- telligence officer considered the telephone message so important that he took it immediately to General Short, who was on the golf course. Short put the mes sage in his pocket.
 INCIDENT OF JAP SUBMARINE
 However, the most inexcusable dereliction on the part of the Navy was the way it laughed off a Jap submarine sighted just out side Pearl Harbor one hour be- fore the attack; and also the fact that this or another Subma rine was able to cruise all around in- sde Pearl Harbor three hours be- fore the attack.
 This is touched upon very deli cately in the Roberts Report. But the real facts are that one Jap sub arryed at the entrance O f Pearl Harbor at 1850 a. m. on Dec. z, waited until APO when the submarine net was lowered to let out a garbage scow, then cruiSed all around inside the har- bor, marking on a chart the ex- act location of each U. s. battle ship, destroyer and cruiser. The sub later was sunk. and when raised, it's chart showed the exact time it had passed each U. S. vesSel.)
 The sub passed outside the har- Dor at 5:25 a. nj. and apparently lay off the iarbor's mouth, where it radioed the location of U. $. vessels to Jap arplane carriers.
 About an hour before the at-
 tack, sub was sighted by the
 U. s. s. Antares and the U. s.
 5. Ward, which reported to the
 watch officer ashore that they
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
Selected Poem
THE GRAY SKY

Peggy Pond Church in The Christian Science
 Monitor) The gray sky thickens above the mountain. The smoke blows like warning banners, northward instead of east. The barometer needle sinks; the geest have flown south long ago. Fires burn furiously up their chimneys; leaves fall slow; thehy whisper conspiracy. The cattle turn in resignation toward the wild plum mand the willow thickets. Birds confer along the swinging wires; tails toward wind they cling in ruffed rows. An old man hurries his sheep across the sullen hill Will he make 1t home, wonder, before 1t snowS?
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
CORONARY DISEASE AND
 ACTIVITY

A recent study Of 800 cases of heart disease in workmen conYiAc- ed Dr. Cadis Phipps (U. s. Bur Aa- Dor Statistics, No. R-149) that tht manual laborer who has heart d:s' ease but who. for economic reasons must continue working. has 8 bet- ter life expectancy and also much later advent of cardiac incapacity (heart failure) than the so-called private patient of white collar" worker.
 DTS. Master, Dack and Jafie an- alyzed 144O cases Of coronary artery occlusion, found that the circunl- stances immediately preceding on set Of the attack were sleep, 2z.3To of the cases. rest 3i.i per cent, mild activity POP per cent, moderate ac- tivity 85 per cent, walking 15.8 per cent, and unusual exertion only 2 per cent. American Heart Jour- nal, Oct. '39.
 DTS. Williams ard Rainey (Amer- ican Heart Journal, IS, '3c) con- cluded from their observation O. patients in vanderbilt University Hospital and in North Carolina Baptist Hospital that the three day cardiacs" (patients with congestive heart failure or loss of compensa- tion who were kept rigidly at rest of three days after admission. were happier patients and there was no evidence of higher mortality among them than was found in three week cardiacs"
 Now If I had coronary disease (any serious disease involving the coronary arteries which deliver blood to the heart muscle itself) you may be sure I'd tuck my little vial of nitroglycerin (glycery trini- trate) tablets in my pocket and keep right on with my bowling golf. horSeshoes, walking, riding, light gardening, painting. carpen- tering, fishing or whatever moder- ately active game or recreation l liked. I believe such a program would give me a better chance to keep right on with my bowling etc, | than would mirbid. fearful, de- pressing change to inactivity. The thing for one with coronary disease or any serious heart disease to avoid is excitement, tension. an-
 xiety, worry. emotion. Avoid en- tering competitions, tournaments or contests in which players become serious about the outcome. Play the game purely for fun. amuse- ment, and avoid it if you can't play 1t that way.
 An attack of coronary thrombo- sis may keep the patient in bed for week and it may force the patient to take things easy for another week or two But the great weight of competent medical testimony now favors early resumption of moderate activity no stress, no strenuous exertion or effort, just reasonable everyday activity Tn the booklet CVD tabout heart and artery disease-for copy send ten cents and stamped address ed envelope) give all the infor- nation I can about the emergency use of nitrogdycerin for coronary disease (such as angina pectorfs) It is neither a stimulant nor cure for anything, but believe 1t i. harmless for any orc with such heart or artery condition to use freely or rather frequently in dose too small to produce unpleasant flushing or throbbing head. and es- pecially in any emergency when there is distress
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
AS A MATTER OF FACT

It's surprising the changes noted in the type of Christmas gifts from one to another The traditional presents of old have given way to commonsense articles in this modern day. For instance twenty five or thirty or evens fifteen or twenty years ago you would be insulted to be pre- sented with a photograph record. Today you are elated A pound of tea or a gay basket of groceries and fruits were things you bought for yourself at one time. Today, however, you are glad to be pre- Sented with first, the necessities, then perhaps few luxuries thrown in.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

certain powers To resIstIng eYII and striving after the good life.
 There are some people who lay their emphasis so completiey upon the part which the grace Of God plays in this matter that they dee clare that moral achievement de- ponds not at all upon any effort on our part but purely upon the extent to which we can yield our. selves io God end let film achieve through ul. others gpt @ lhe 70.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

An example of true Victorian archi- lecture in Portland, Maine, was saved from wreckers by some public-minded citizens of that city. The ornate, lavishly furnished house was to have been trans formed into a gas station. It is the head quarters of the Victoria Society of Maine Women and is elaborate inside to the last detail of Victorian art and architecture.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
Current Comment

We shall cure Germany, not with vitamins and medicines, but with surgery.
 -.Ilya Ehrenburg. Soviet writer.
  Everyone is at once a scientist, a farmer, and sage. Bananas, papaya. and coconuts also help in establishing self-sufficieEcy. Snakes can also be eaten, and lizards gre delicious. Against background of white clouds and blue skies. We can see the pleasant sight Of soldiers fishing.
 -Domei, Jap news agency, on trap ped Rabual forces.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
Daily Almanac

Sun rises at SOS a. m, sets at S:24 p. m. (war time)
 Vehicles must be lighted thirty minutes after sunset,
 Today lilbe the earliest sunset Of the esason, and from then or the afternoons win grow longer. Mornings. however shrink 60 that the lengthening days will not be ap- precialed for some time The shortest dny is set io come.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
A GREAT PIANIST
(New York Ttmes)

ANgW AOlh 4uilCol
 Josem Lhevinne was ct the height Of his artistic powers when he died suddenly last Saturday night. Twelve days later he would have had his seventieth birthday. Yet it was as recently aB the thirty-flrst Of last July that Lhevinne gave q performance of Tctaikovaky's cons certo at Q stadium concert that was superb for its technical mas. tery. physical virllity and vlrtuoso spirit. Each season hls annual New York recital had brought trl- butos ihnt increased rather than dlninNhc1 la aamlTAilpn from ths
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

There are plenty of Christmas trees this year, we are told, at reasonable prices And not like last year there should be none left in the end to be dumped Speculation last year with the trees only succeeded in killing the sales. It's little bit early yet to buy the tree, so if the merchants are not rushed the tree trade should proceed normally, with no scarcity and no glut
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
. NATIONAL
 SPOTLIGHT
Steel Ruling
 Favors CLIO.
By PETER EDISON

Waterbury Democrat Washington
 Effect of the National War Labor Boards recent decision in the so- called Big Steel wage adjustment case is to leave the c. I. o. unions in a decidedly advantageous posi- tion over the A. F. of l..
 While the c. I. O. Steelworkers did not get their demand for
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

There have been two basis req sons for huSh-huSh secrecy and last weeks whitewash of Kimmel and Short. One is the already admitted fact that several other officers in both the Army and Navy-including some really top bracket men-were involved. The other is the clash of opinion in side the Cabinet in 1941 regard- ing the wisdom of sending the strong note to the Emperor of Japan proposing that Japan get out of all China and offering non-aggression pact if she would.
 Both Roosevelt and Secretary Hull felt that the United States had appeaSed Japan long enough; that during this appeasement Ja- pan had reached out farther and farther, even taking bases in French Indo- China, just as Hitler had reached out for Czecnoslo- vakia and Austria before he fin ally precipitated war,
 Secretary Knox and StimSon, however, felt that the United States was not prepared and that the note to the Emperor would bring war. They favored continued appeasement and went on rec ord in writing to that effert.
 In the end, Roosevelt and Hull overruled them. They felt
 that Japan could not be ap- peased any longer without seri- Ous loss of U. s. prestige and
 strategic position. The note to the Emperor was sent NOvem-
 Der 26.
 However, the written opinions by Knox and Stimson remain in the record and would have had to come out in any court martial of Admiral kin1mel and General Short. That is one reason for the failure to court martial.
 INEFFICIENCY AT
 PEARL HAysROR
 In addition, the entire record. of several Pearl Harbor admirals, generals and junior officers is pretty bad aS far as efficiency is concerned. There is no ques- tion but that the War and Navy Departments in Washington act- cd promptly on November 27, one day after the note was sent to the Emperor, to warn Pearl Ear Dor. On that day, both Kimmel and Short were notified that ne- gotiations with Japan had brok- en down, ''ehat Japanese action was unpredictable," that 'hostili- ties were mOmentarily possible" and that Japan was expected to make an aggressive move within the next few days"
 Warnings of this kind were sent to Pearl Harbcr almost Up to the eve of Dee. 2. On Dee. ], the Navy Department advised Xin,nel that the Jap fleet had moved soutllWard and it was clear that extensive preparations are under way for hOstilities." On Dec. 3, kimclel was advised that Jap collsuIateS were burning confiden- p0IICAos <AAAA OAI OCG. Was instructed that he himself might burn confidential papers in case of greater emergency.
 Despite this, the crews of
 KimneI's fleet were permitted shore liberty on that same night,
 60 per cent of the officers
 were absent next morning when
 the attack started, three was no system of aiT patrol at any dis
 tance from Pearl Harb0r, and
 no distenening devices to detect
 hostile airplanes were In in
 operation during a few hours at night.
 It was not revealed Il the Rob- erts Report, but in addition to the official warnings sent from Washington. Kimmel and Short got a confidential warning from the TBI HooVer's men had hoen
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

H cent an hour
 wage increase, they at least had some of t h e ir demands granted 8 n d t h ey got an e qui valent of perhaps 8 cents an h o u r in
 awards of in- creased pay for second and third shifts, elinina- tion of certain in e q ualities in gay rates, lib- nrolizod vopofioyo
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

Gods grace we could do noth- ing. All our ef- forts are un-
 availing unless We yield our- selves to God and allow His power to work through us. On the other hand.
 the Bible teacll-
 es that God has given Us
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07
STRENGTH FOR THE DAY
By EARL L. DOUGLASS, D. D.

MORAL BALANCE NECESSARY
 The Bible seems to teach two things which often appear contra dictory. Tn the first place. 1t teaches that without the help of
The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-07

Early card mailing within the country is urged. So it's time now to start send ing to faroff points, and in another week to places in the New England and East ern States area.