davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-07-05
On the Record
By Dorothy Thompson

Abraham Lincoln fitted conventional
ideas of how President should behave
as oddly as his own clothes fitted him.
That President, who wrote the most per-
feet English since Thomas Jefferson,
talked In conversations In ironic from
tier parable and horrined the stuffed
shirts.
So 1t is only about First Ladies that
there is convention-strictly Victorian.
In a world in which millions of women
earn their nvings; In which Republican
and Democrat women sit in CONGRESS
and on national party committees; In
which women Of both parties are writer's,
journalists, business executives and even
farmers, there Is still a persistent pref
udice that the exclusive business of the
First Lady Is to play house" in an ele-
CANT manner-as though the White
House beds would not be made or the
meals served on time without her con-
slant supervision, and as though 1t were
somehow fndecorous for her to take Q
direct interest In the large affairs Of
the world.
Now that the Republicans have writ
ten plank In their platform calling for
constitutional amendment to. assure
identical conditions for men and women,
can't We give First Ladies break? Mrs.
Dewey, understand, once wished to be
. professional singer II she should
again wish to pursue this ambition and
sing on the radio, wouldn't that be her
own business?
A great thing about this American
democracy is its tolerance for letting
people be themselves Is long as they
keep within the law. And what is
normal for one woman is abnormal for
another. Mrs. Roosevelt is no more un-
like Mrs. Hoover or Mrs Coolidge than
their husbands were unlike Mr.. Roose-
welt.
see not the slightest reason why It
Is more fitting for lady to be inter-
ested in the Girl Scouts than In the
Women's Trade Union League, or to
visit bridge parties in preference to coal
mines, or to roll bandages for the Red
Cross in preference to bringing cheer
to fronts and hospitals.
Let's have freedom for First Ladies'
Is long as they are ladies.
(Released b. the Bell Syndicate, Ine.)
Evening star., 1944-07-05

In the frst interview which the charm
ing Mrs. Dewey gave to the press, she
declared that she hoped that in the
White House life would be "as normal
as possible" She does not, she said.
intend to make speeches or write 1or
newspapers or magazines.
The question Of what is normal
life for the wife Of q President has been
discussed during the present administra-
ton as a sideline criticism of the incum-
bent First Lady. Mrs. Roosevelt, some
have carped, does not behave normally
Do they mean normal for the particular
lady or normal according to pattern?
Obviously they mean the latter. For
the real foundation OF the criticism OF
Mrs. Roosevelt is that as mistress OF the
White House she has behaved exactly as
she would have done anywhere else. She
has cultivated the same sort OF people
that she would have done anywhere else.
Vividly interested in social problems
she has gone on pursuing her interests
with the enlarged opportunities which
her position has afforded. Not being
particularly fond Of formal society, she
has not gone in for 1t beyond the point
Of duty.
Mrs. Dewey remarked that although
little boys who aim to be President can
set themselves for the role, little girls
have never been trained to become First
Ladies.
But though little boys may have am
bitions. they are also not trained to be-
come First Gentlemen, and the manners
and behavior Of Presidents have been
as various as their origins and tastes.
This Is not a monarchy where either
princes or princesses are trained for the
throne.
Thus Calvin Coolidge was always q
man from Main street, Mr.. Harding was
a cheapish politician In the White House
and out of it, Mr.. Hoover retained the
upper middle class business executives
manners, tastes and style; Theodore
Roosevelt. the most literary President in
many a-year before or after him, wrote
for publications, reviewed books and in
vited more writer's to the White House
than have entered it before or since,
and his breezy manners were entirely
his own and like his Cousin Franklin's,
distinctly upper class
Evening star., 1944-07-05
Women Who Lie Awake

So many Don1en like quake these niohts
In this our iour-sUept world, brave
sisterhood,
Praying the God OF Battles for their
men.
Staring into the dark NTH sleep,ess
eyes,
Holding their soldiers close ,oith
thoughts OF lope.
Hnsoands and lovers. sons-ohsrs may
they be-?
Crosstng tDhat tredcherous sea, sohdt
danger some?
Where. meeting ,Osnged death, high IN
the skies?
So many ,ronsen Ae d,Ddks and Plead:
"God, take care OF mine and bring him
home"
And I, Oho hpe and t,Oenty years haze
Ny Gold Star proudly. think Of one ,0ho
At Bsuedu Wood, and Join their Litany.
"0od, keep them sate, these men for
Uhon1 ne pray"
But. Father, II they may not more come
home,
Grant them safe bipouac Dith all the
host .
OF gallant yarriors oho haze gone
before,
And let the tvxmpets sound triamph-
antly,
Let martial nssse ring ,osth Welcome
gay,
~ each .ss Asrs lsys he ssssons
8 MAzu '. cARurznas.
Evening star., 1944-07-05
. This Changing World
BY Consfastins BroiCn

For reasons Of military security the
British government has not revealed
details concerning damage and casual
ties caused by robot plane attacks on
Southern England.
There can be no criticism Of British
censorship in this instance. These flying
meteors do not hit their targets with
any degree Of accuracy. II the Germans
could ind out the errors" they might
make the necessary corrections and
their aim would be more accurate.
There seems to be no question, how
ever, that this new type Of lombard
ment while not seriously affecting the
military forces and the invasion, is more
than . nuisance raid" as far as the
British population is concerned.
From what can be gathered at this
time 1t seems that the emplacements
from which the planes are launched are
distributed throughout French territory
and there appears to be no reason to
believe that they could not be launched
from the Reich itself
The load Of each of these flying ex-
plosives has not yet exceeded or 6 tons.
AuAAB w oOLIAc IcpOIC6 1IU1U CuIOpC,
the Nazis have an improved robot capa-
BILE Of hurting about 20 tons of high
explosives on a given target. How cor
rect these reports are is difficult to as
certain, since no neutral or Allied agent
has actually seen the super robot. It
would seem, however, that Berlin wished
this information to leak out for propa-
ganda purposes In the same manner it
permitted the Allies to learn before the
invasion that secret weapon" gun
firing several tons of high explosive over
q disance exceeding 100 miles, had been
invented.
The British government was con-
cerned over the latter report and feared
1t might be turned loose as soon as the
invasion started. British and American
aviators were instructed to search for
the emplacements Of the mystery gun
and for while they have been bombing
areas along the Channel coast suspected
Of concealing these emplacements.
The reports about the guns proved
false. Instead, the robot plane made its
appearance and 1t is being directed not
at the invasion forces but at the civilian
population and whatever military in
stallations 1t may be able to hit.
There seems to be no question that
II the larger type really is available the
Evening star., 1944-07-05

destruction caused by 1t on the British
Isles would be greater than that caused
by the present robot. 1t will, Of course,
not affect the actual military opera.
tions: neither will 1t change the de-
termination Of the British people to
fight to the end. But it might con-
siderably increase the casualties among
the civilian population and disrupt COM
munications between London and the
rest OF the country. It appears probable
that some important centers In Southern
England will suffer from time to time.
II the present bombardments are
speeded up, especially, the larger types
OF robots are put into operation, the
damage will be even greater.
The difnculty of obtaining q precision
bombardment apparently has kept the
Germans from using this secret weapon
in Normandy or in operations on the
Russian front. Obviously there is such
q large margin for error that the Ger
man high command is afraid that in
stead of landing in enemy lines the
robot might hit German forces or mill
tary installations.
But there Is no question that the new
weapon is causing serious difnculties in
England particularly because 1t has been
difdcult to discover an eficient counter
measure against it.
The fighter planes are said to have
some difficulty in destroying the flying
meteors" because of their great speed
allegedly over 400 miles an hour. More.
over, the conclusion produced when they
explode in the air is said to be such
that a greater number Of fighter planes
are lost than in the man-to-man and
machine e-against-machin fights.
The anti-aircraft guns, of course, have
an easier task and they are said to have
been quite successful in the destruction
Of the robots. Their difnculty Is to get
the range, particularly when the flying
meteors travel at such q high speed.
1t Is generally assumed here that the
casualties caused by the weapon in Eng
land have been fairly heavy, but not as
heavy as during the first weeks Of the
blitz In 1910. The discomforts caused
are greater since the Germans are
launching their flying explosives at ir.
regular intervals which causes the people
to seek air-raid shelters more frequently
than four years ago when there were
respites Of several hours and day
bombardments were not as frequent as
the night raids.
Evening star., 1944-07-05
Proving Its Value

A Star article describing the in
creased demand by swollen popu-
lation for summer recreational facil-
tiles suggests, by comparison with
conditions few years ago, how
valuable the two-year- Recrea-
tion Department has become to the
local community.
But only small part of the story
is told in recitation of what the
department is doing now. The most
valuable part Of its work is in the
consistent pressure unified board
of citizens and officials can apply
on the proper authorities for meet
ing the rather neglected recrea-
tional needs Of Washington.
Before consolidation, under the
Recreation Board, of the various
agencies having to do with recrea-
ton, too many of them were trying
to do too many things-in all di-
rections. Since creation of the
board, one program of development
finds united support. Funds in the
current appropriation bill for ac-
quisition of more play areas in the
downtown, congested portions of
the city-the first money in many
years advanced under the Capper-
Cramton legislation-represent the
new emphasis now placed on bring
ing play facilities to the crowded
parts of the city, instead of creating
more park land on the outskirts,
beyond the reach of many who need
them most
In many other ways the board,
with the single objective of making
it possible for more people to find
the place and the time for restful
play, is doing constructive work of
great benefit to Washington.
Evening star., 1944-07-05
Canton Thrust
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

But then they. must keep the line open
for continuous operation. That will be
more difficult.
We have observed how the Chinese
surged back over the Peiping Hankow
line while the Japanese were preoccu-
pied with the capture Of Loyang. In
the vast territory south Of the Yangtze
River 1t will be still more difficult for
the japanese to guard the long thin
line of railway, day and night, against
the thousand-fold enterprises which the
Chinese guerrillas, aided by the whole
population of the countryside, can di-
rect against it.
That is, II the Chinese do not lose
heart
d.. That Is the danger, from the United
Nations point of view
The Chinese people have suffered
cruel losses and disappointments in
this war. OF them most truly may it
be said, that hope deferred maketh
the heart sick. Their hopes have been
so often deferred, that perhaps they
are not to be blamed if they begin to
believe that their day Of deliverance
will never come, or At least is still far
OF. It cannot mean very much to q
Chinese inhabitant of q japanese
occupied town when he hears q report
(Which for all he knows may not be
true) that American troops are storm
ing Saipan or that most of the town Of
Myitkytna u In Allied hands.
These are things which are happening
far away. He has heard Of other things
which happened far away. He has
heard Of the fall Of Singapore, Of the
battle Of the Java Sea; he has heard
day by day the insistent clamor of
the japanese propagandists that Japan
has won the war, that japanese Is the
permanent oveDlord Of all East Asia,
that there is for him no real hope save
In "co-operation."
How can he realize the truth about
the decline Of japanese fighting power
and the enormous resursence Of British
and American fighting. power? How
can he realize what the great Russian
victory at Minsk, the Anglo American
landing in Normandy may mean to him,
or to his japanese oppressors?
It Is for this reason above all others
that We must hope that the mission Of
Vice President wallace to ,Chunsking
has bean successful In bringing about
4 clearer understanding Of the truth,
ana . greater dsgree Of political unity
amNng the Chinese people q whole.
tcssstsAk ~ NV xsat TsissaA Ias,
Evening star., 1944-07-05

The japanese have started their long
expected thrust northward from the area
of Canton to meet their forces coming
down the Hankow-Canton railway from
by-passed Hengyang. This move could
not, of course, be initiated until the
japanese forces from the north were
reasonably close at hand because the
japanese troops around Canton are not
numerous and cannot provide very
strong field force.
This Is because Canton Gan be REIN
forced and supplied only by sea and
japanese shipping has been suffering
severely from American air attacks and
from American and British submarines.
But the situation of the Japanese around
Canton and Hong Kong will be vastly
improved if the railway can be opened.
Gen. Chennault estimates that the line
can deliver $4,000 to 100000 tons OF
freight a month. Probably the general
means net deliveries of through freight
that is, less the amounts required by
troops guarding the line.
In that case the deliveries might
amount to 5000 tons day, which Is not
SUFFICIENT to support any very large
number of troops when engaged In an
offensive but Is ample for several divi-
sions in an inactive situation and would
permit the accumulation of . consider
able amount of supplies against the
coming day OF need.
This is of great importance when it Is
considered that Of all the available sea-
ports Of South China. Canton and Hong
Kong are most valuable Is points Of
entry because they are the only ones
which possess direct rail communication
with the interior of China. They would
be the natural objectives Of any Ameri-
can amphibious attack which WAS seek
ing foothold on the Chinese coast, for
one of the first objects Of such move
would be to establish firm conlmunica-
ton with the armies Of the Chungking
government
But the japanese in opening the long
stretch of railway from Peiping through
Hankow to Canton have only solved the
frst part Of their problem. What they
are now engaged in capturing is not
really a railway but rather q right of
way. They must relay the rails, install
signal equipment, yards, repair shops
and roundhouses- the essential oper-
ating equipment. They must hnd loco
motives and cars from NAnchuria or
from their homo islands. All that they
can, Of course. - in ths eourss c4 Tina.
Evening star., 1944-07-05
Polish Developments

Two events occurred in Moscow
last Saturday of prime Importance
in the Polish problem and Russia's
attitude hereto. The first of these
was a decree of the Supreme Soviet
granting inhabitants of White Rus
sia and the Ukraine which formerly
formed part of Poland the right to
adopt" Polish citizenship. These
are the regions occupied by the Rus
slams in the autumn of 1889 and
thereafter declared part of the So
Wet Union despite the refusal of the
Polish governmentin-exile to recog-
nize such changes made without its
consent. The most interesting part
of the decree is that it reScindS the
Soviet pronouncement of November,
1899, whereby all the inhabitants of
those disputed provinces were de-
clared Soviet citizens.
If the decree had stood alone, it
might be interpreted as a gesture of
conciliation by Moscow toward the
Polish government-in-ex Exile, because
the arbitrary incorporation of the
disputed populations into Soviet
citizenship, without the privilege of
choosing national allegiance, has
been one of the sorest spots in the
Russo-Polish dispute However, the
language Of the decree makes it
plain that Moscow is as uncom-
promising as ever in its assumption
that the territories involved are
Soviet soil. And, what is even more
significant, publication of the decree
conceded with a pronouncement of
the self-styled Union of Polish Pa
triots in Soviet Russia denouncing
the Polish government t-in-exile at
London as illegal and asserting that
the new Poland would be built
around the National Council. Both
these organizations are avowedly
pro-Soviet and have declared them
selves ready to recognize Russian
claims. Spokesman of the Lon
don regime assert that the Ma
tional Council and the Union of
Polish Patriots are alike fronts"
for Moscow, to be used either as
levers to force the London govern
ment to yield, to Russian demands
or, if that proved impossible, to set
up a regime in liberated Poland
completely amenable to Russian
policy. This latter alternative seems
the more likely. now that Russian
armies may soon begin to drive the
Germans from Poland with no
agreement between Moscow and the
London regime.
All this is another indication that
the Soviet government intends to
settle the problems of Eastern
Europe unilaterally, according to
its own wishes and without leaving
postwar readjustments there to joint
conference and agreement with
other members Of the United Ma
tions. Taken by itself, such an at
titude could be justified on many
grounds. At the same time, 1t does
Evening star., 1944-07-05
Man in the Sky

The air travel epoch has been
here for some time, but it is still
young and novel enough to entrance
and surprise the earthbound. Fiji
teen years from now, ten years from
now, even five years from now, we
may all be quite used to it, taking
it as much for granted as we take,
say, the automobile, the radio or
the electric light. Meanwhile,
though, at least to a percentage
OF us, 1t occasionally seems half a
dream, a bit on the fantastic side,
and whenever we give thought to
1t, we are struck by the wonder of
it, especially when people who are
IN our town today suddenly pop up
on the other side of the world to-
morrow.
Consider, for instance, General
Surles and Secretary Stimson.
Only last Thursday they were seen
and heard chatting in the flesh at
a little soiree here in Washington;
four days later, they were in Rome,
more than 5000 miles away. To be
sure, Churchill, Roosevelt, Hull,
Stain, Chang and other distin-
guished personages, including Mr..
Stimson, have done this sort of thing
before, but the air epoch is not yet
so old that such flights lack the
capacity to startle us a little-par-
ticularly those of us who tend to be
acutely conscious of the law of
gravity and who prefer to travel
more or less with our feet on the
ground, taking the somewhat old
fashioned view that it is unnatural
and over-bold, if not a bit ridiculous,
for wingless bipeds to let their bodies
be hurtled through space, in a sitting
position and at terrific speed, far
above the clouds, where only eagles
and the stars should feel at home.
Old-fashioned ideas about trans
portation, however, are tottering
fast. Progress will not be stopped,
and it is not the young alone who
are responsible for this. It is men
like Mr.. Stimson as we'll, men rich
in years and wisdom, who in their
lifetime have seen the birth of the
auto and other marvels which have
since grown commonplace, and who
now take to the plane with an ad-
mirable spirit of adventure and
adaptahility.
Evening star., 1944-07-05
German Losses

At this point in the war. 1t would
be imprudent to proceed on any
other assumption than. that the
Nazis are still powerful enough to
wage defensive battles of the blood
lest and most violent sort. Yet it
Is q towering fact that since the
beginning of our smashing Allied
offensive in Italy, they have been
bleeding more profusely, In more
places, than at any time since they
sliced through Poland and exultant-
ly set forth to conquer the world.
Since May II, according to reliable
estimates, their casualties have
numbered between 10000 and 100, 900
men in killed, wounded and prisoners
in their disastrous Italian defeat.
Since June 6, the toll exacted of
them in France by our American
forces alone has climbed to at least
$4,000 men-a conservative figure
which does not include other thou
sands accounted for by the British
and Canadians. And in a fortnight
after the start of the Red Armys
mighty new offensive from the
Vitebsk sector they have lost, &C.
cording to Russian claim, more than
100000 men. In a period of only
about seven weeks, in other words,
their losses in fighting manpower,
assuming all figures to be reasonably
accurate, have added up to the stag
gering total of well over 100000.
This is attrition of a kind which
armies, no matter how populous or
great, cannot stand indefinitely
without suffering major decline in
efficiency and morale. It is attrition
OF a kind that is bound, sooner or
later, to cut the heart out of the
nome front behind the armies. Con-
sidered along with material losses
losses in planes, tanks, guns and
equipment Of every description
considered along with all the ex-
penditure of human and physical
resources in the years of war prior
to last May II, and, finally, con-
sidered along with the seeming in
ability OF the Luftwaffe to strike in
force and of the Wehrmacht to
balance itself effectively against our
concentric Allied offensives, it is
something that must leave Germany
chilled and hopeless to the marrow.
And what makes the picture par
ticularly grim for the Reich is that
there appears to be nothing in pros
pect that is likely to blunt the deadly
edge OF our Allied sword or slow the
frequency of its slashing descents.
The Nazi titan bleeds, and bleeds,
and bleeds-and seems slowly to
begin to totter. Small wonder that
at this decisive moment the best
Hitler can do to break his long
silence is first to deliver a feverish
funeral grafton over one of his fallen
generals and then to appeal dismally
to the German people to be cou-
rageous, to maintain "fanaticism,"
and to have faith in his half
hySterical promises of victory,
Evening star., 1944-07-05
A Hoosier Chairman

The Democrats have picked q
Hoosier to preside at their coming
national convention-the first time
Indiana has been so honored since
Claude Bowers. biographer and
United States Ambassador to Spain,
keynoted the 1928 convention which
nominated AL Smith for President.
Senator Samuel Dillon Jackson, de-
signated by the committee on ar.
rangements OF the Democratic Ma