davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-07-23
Count Ciano's Diaries
BY Ray,n ond MoIev

Count Galeszzo Ciano's diary should
provide for those who read between the
lines some important lessons about
what sometimes happens in high
places The former Italian Foreign
Minister was something of fool and
richly merited his early demise. But III
setting down the day-to-day account OF
what happened in European diplomacy,
he provided materials for a lesson,
which he himself was unable to COM
prehend.
It is lesson that measurably ap-
plies to all high places In all nations.
Ciano shows how little people in high
places know of what's going on in the
world, despite their bureaucrats, their
experts and their spies. Vast decisions
which mean life or death for millions
are made on information which no
shrewd farmer would trust as a basis
for timing the selling of his crop.
lunches, guesses, personal likes and
dislikes, prejudices and rumors are too
often the blueprints OF statesmen every
where.
What saves them from exposure are
the panoply of Office, the air Of secrecy,
the poker faces acquired in politics. No
wonder that people in high places hide
their facts under the phrase "in the
public INTEREST,"" II the public knew all
the facts, 1t might make decisions In
its interest vastly more wise than do
its masters in Office. TO any one who
has seen the game of statesmanship
from the inside, as well as the outside,
the impression must remain that there
Is little information on the inside"
Evening star., 1945-07-23

which. is not available on the outside.
Usually, when great decisions are ahead,
the minds of those who have respon-
sibility for making them are foggy and
confused.
Ciano portrays Hitler, Ribbentrop and
Mussoiini as entertaining the most
ridiculous views of the intentions of
the governments and peoples of Amer
lea, England and Russia. He also re-
veals, incidentally, what utter military
weakness Mussolini so long covered up
with his ranting and boasting.
The Ciano record shows that the
political training of Hitler and Mus
solini induced them to talk most when
met at the Brenner Pass in 1910, "Hit-
Ter did all the talking" Mussolini
wanted "to tell him many things, but
had to remain quiet most of the time"
and he was sore.
There was also cosmic blghing. Here
was Mussolini, who was told by his
military people that he had hardly one
serviceable division and whose Fascist
regime was wearing down." assuring
Hitler that he would not permit Ger
many to be defeated. Then he told
Ciano with glee that Germany would
not reach the end of the war "any too
strong"
This is something to remember when
the mask Of censorship is drawn in
any country. There Is no mystery in
craftsmanship, except the marvel that
people should think there Is.
(Reieased by the Associated Newspapers, lnc.j
Evening star., 1945-07-23
On the Record
By Dorothy Thompson

in Napoleon's days, because France was
so torn internally that she was dubious
as an ally, and because the United
States was Overwhelmingly isolationist,
permitted an expansion of Germany
into Austria and Czechoslovakia, which
completely upset the balance and made
Germany dominant in Europe-as
few of us saw and stated then.
Now Mr. Welles seems to fear a repe-
tition of something that did not happen
before for the reasons he gives. He
attacks the balance of power concept
as though the balance still lay in
Western Europe That was true for
centuries but it has ceased to be true
during this war. For centuries the
major military powers were in Europe.
Today there are only three great pow
ers: Russia, partly in Europe; Britain,
which has not been in continental Eu-
rope for centuries, and the United
States. II we now speak of balance
Of power" we have to apply it globally.
How does defeated Germany come
into this nexus? Not as a re-emerging
great military power on her own-that
day Is over-but only as a possible an
mex to the power of the Soviet Union
or the western nations. The balance of
power problem is: Will one side, east
or west, become SO mighty that the
security of the others is endangered?
With that statement, we are right in
the midst of the PotSdam Conference.
Balance of power is not the only way
or best conceivable way to keep peace
The longest period of world peace was
maintained by Rome 1t was a peace
with constant minor wars and ever-ex-
panding conquest, by political pressures
or force of arms, but there were no con-
f1icts between great powers, because
there was only one great power. But
the United States Is neither willing nor
able to take over the role of Rome, nor
to assign that role to any other power.
The second longest period of world
peace-disturbed only by isolated, con-
tainable wars-was from the end of the
Napoleonic wars until 1914, the era of
the Pax Brittanica or the balance of
power peace. The present war, like the
last one, occurred because Britain was
no longer strong enough to maintain
that peace. But it was the only peace
compatible with the sovereignty and
security of small nations and their
political freedom.
A world confederation in which all
armed force would be delegated to an
international police body, for the en-
forcement Of universally accepted law,
would be superior to either the Pax
Romano or the Pax Britannica, but
since the three great powers consider
that Utopian, we are right back to the
old alternatives
Evening star., 1945-07-23
Unknown Factors
By Maj. George Fielding EIiot

There is familiar pattern in con-
versation these days. 1t goes like this,
almost without variation:
@. II know this is silly question, but
when do you think the Japanese war
will be over?"
A. when the Japs surrender"
@. Eyes, of course, but when will that
be?"
A. "I don't know enough about Japa-
nese psychology to answer that one"
@. "Yes, but what's your guess, now.
Of the record?"
A. mo use guessing. There are too
many unknown factors"
That is really the size of 1t. We just
don't know enough about how Japa-
nese minds work, singly and in mass, to
form any reasonable judgment as to
what they will do as they find them
selves confronted by a situation with
out parallel in Japanese history: over
whelming military disaster.
The question of when the Japanese
will surrender Is not military question.
II 1t were, the elements could be
weighed, due consideration could be
given to such unknown factors as might
exist, and reasonable estimate could
be offered as to the outcome. But the
military factors as far as Japan is con-
cerned are already pretty well known.
We know that Japanese sea power has
ceased to exist save for a few battered
ships capable Of no more than suicide
gesture which cannot have any real
influence on the outcome Of the war.
We know that Japanese air power has
been cut down to point where 1t can
act against us only in spurts Of effort.
Of diminishing intensity and effect.
And we know that when the air power
of any nation has been brought to that
condition, it is no longer real threat
to powerful attack even though it
retains the ability to do certain
amount of damage.
We know that the Japanese Army Is
still strong In numbers, but it Is scat
tered over vast area, much of 1t is
on the Asiatic mainland, and it Is de-
pendent for finished munitions on jap
anese factories which are suffering
heavily from air attacks and naval
bombardments. We know our own Of
fensive power in the Pacific, by sea and
air and land, Is growing by leaps and
bounds, while Japan's offensive power
has been destroyed and her defensive
power is diminishing
AS a military problem, therefore, we
may say that Japan's defeat Is abso-
lutely certain, and that the length of
the war depends on how long the Japa-
nese mean to keep up a hopeless re-
sistance with ground troops fighting in
broken terrain and selling their lives as
dearly as possible. 1t will not be long
before no other means of resistance is
available to the Japanese, but by this
means they can certainly, If they are
determined to do So prolong the war
Evening star., 1945-07-23
To Prevent Anarchy

1t Is reasSuring to know that both
our own Government and the British
are planning to rush as much aid as
possible to Western Europe within
the next three months. The pros
pect of anarchy is so real in that
part of the world that unless some
thing very concrete is done to guard
against it, the task of building a
decent and enduring peace-difficult
in the best of circumstances-will
be gravely and dangerously compli-
Gated.
Anarchy feeds on physical, mental
and spiritual discontents, on empty
Stomachs, on unemployment, on
homes without fuel, on shattered
hopes, on disillusionment and de-
spair. Winter is coming, and these
things seriously threaten to come
with it in Western Europe if intelli-
gent and large-scale preventive
measures are not taken at once.
Perhaps the greatest single need is
coal, with transportation and food
ranking closely after that, if they
are not all on a par or equally in
terdependent. Without coal, homes
cannot be heated or lighted, and
the people must live in the cold.
Without it, factories cannot resume
production, and men must remain
bitterly iobless. without it, railroads
cannot run and agricultural produce
cannot be shipped from the rural
areas to the cities, and hunger must
be widespread.
To cope with the dangers implicit
In this situation Britain and the
United States must act, and act
now. Secretary Ickes asserts that
we must export 100000 tons of coal
by the end of the year, and the
War Department - countering his
appeal for the release of 10000
miners now serving in our Army
plans to order more than 1000 Ger
Evening star., 1945-07-23
The Rain Saint

This Saint Swithin that everybody
is talking about was real person.
Lippincott's Biographical Dictionary
says that he was an English prelate
who served as chaplain to King
Egbert and preceptor to his son,
Prince Ethelwolf. More important,
however, is the fact that he was
tutor to Alfred the Great, zone of
the most perfect characters to be
found on the pages of history" Made
Bishop of Winchester in 852, he died
years later and was buried, as he
had requested, in the open church.
yard, where the rain would fall upon
him. But miracles of healing were
reported by visitors to his grave.
The monks Of the church of the
apostles Peter and Paul therefore
thought it proper to remove his
bones to magnificent shrine within
the cathedral walls. Legend tells
that the ceremony was planned for
July Is, 971, but on that day a
mighty downfall of rain occurred
and the rites necessarily were can
celed. 1t happened. likewise, that it
rained on July 16 and July II and
every day until a total of forty cal
endar dates of rain had passed. BY
that time the monks had learned
their lesson. They let their Jupiter
Pluvius stay where he was. His rep
utation spread over Europe, and he
formally was declared the patron
of Winchester in place of Paul and
Peter. So he remained until Henry
VIII, "the many wived," ousted him
as an incident of the Reformation
about 1881.
But no royal ukase could Danish
Saint Swithin from the folklore Of
Britain. Thousands of people all
over the world who never heard of
Bluff King Hal repeat each summer:
Saint swithins day, If thou dost rain.
For forty days it will remain;
Saint Swithin's day, II thou be fair,
for forty days twill rain nae mair.
And this year, especially, it is
fortunate that large part of the
United States has had a good soak
ing. The corn needed the rain. If
only the daily downpour now will
be reasonable and the sun shine
again, the tall green stalks will be
taller than ever and the ears fuller
and tastier for man and beast. Lots
of corn, incidentally will mean more
pork next autumn and winter.
Evening star., 1945-07-23
An Excellent Project

The Army is doing a highly intel
ligent job in offering educational
opportunities to the great numbers
of troops who will be in Europe for
many months to come. either as
part of the occupation forces or as
veterans eligible for discharge. The
program is just about starting, but
in the next eight months it will
benefit more than 100000 men
who might otherwise find the pass
ing of time a terrible bore, dulling
the mind.
AS organized by the Army, the
program will be carried out through
about 1000 unit schools" set up in
the various command areas. Here
more than 800 different courses will
be taught by approximately 10000
Army instructors, plus many lead
ing educators and industrial rep
resentatives who have volunteered
to go overseas to help in the project.
In addition, classes will be held for
thousands of soldier students at
several well-known universities and
technical centers in France, Italy,
England and elsewhere.
According to Major General Fred
erick H. Osborn. chief Of the War
Departments Information and Ed
ucation Division. the main purpose
of this fine undertaking is to help
the troops prepare for their return
to nonmilitary life by instructing
them in subjects which they feel
will be useful to them after their
discharge. A special Army survey
indicates a general preference for
business and commercial courses,
but virtually every educational
want. ranging from vocational
training in farming and mechanics
to the purely academic field. is to be
taken care of. with the soldier
student studying as part Of his work.
day in the Army. It has even been
arranged with American educators
that he will receive credits for these
courses If he chooses to continue his
schooling as civilian.
The Army Is to be congratulated,
for working out this project. From
Evening star., 1945-07-23

and make victory cost us more dearly
than 1t otherwise might. The point is,
that 1t will cost Japan more dearly by
far to do this.
Hence the decision as to the end of
the war, presuming-a OF course we
are entitled to do--that we keep on
building up the scale and scope of our
attack with every means at our disposal,
is entirely Japanese decision They
can end the war any time by the simple
act of surrender. How much punish
ment will they take before they come
to that fateful and inescapable decision?
They must come to 1t sometime, no Jap
aneSe can be in much doubt on that
point. The practical question is, do
they want to save anything from the
wreck their militarists have made, or
will they go on until there is nothing left
but a few scattered survivors of the
japanese race and nothing left of Japan
itself save blackened wilderness?
No western mind can answer that
question. The roots of Japanese psy-
chology go very far back, back into the
darkness of the Middle Ages from which
the Japanese emerged only about 80
years ago. We just do not know enough
about them to try to say what they will
do. We know how we would feel were
our condition as desperate as theirs,
or we think we do. But we guessed
wrong about the Germans, time and
again, and we have been living along
side the Germans for centuries, living
in the same world with them, reading
their literature, exchanging ideas with
them, visiting them and being visited
by them. intermarrying with them; we
have millions of folk of German blood
among our citizens. The Japanese we
have known for only 30 years, we have
comparatively few Of them in our own
country, our opportunities for visiting
them have been limited by distance and
the barriers of race and language and
they stem from culture wholly alien
to our own. How then shall we guess
what they will do when confronted by a
situation which they have never con-
fronted before?
We do not know. We have no basis
for shrewd guess. We can and we do
try to persuade them that further re-
sistance is hopeless and can only bring
them added misery and added loss. We
can and We do try to make them under
stand that they do have a choice: that
surrender will not mean determination
or eternal slavery. We can and we do
reinforce these arguments with the more
potent arguments of steel and fire in
increasing volume. But we can
not guess what their answer will be.
We have no yardstick by which to judge
their reactions. We just do not know
enough about them, and we can only
keep on plugging away until they sur
render, or until they are utterly de-
stroyed.
(Copyright, 1q45D
Evening star., 1945-07-23

man prisoners back to work In the
Ruhr and Saar mines, where there
has been a drastic drop in produc-
ton. To the extent possible, steps
OF this sort, including the shipment
of transportation equipment, will be
helpful. We can afford. to leave
nothing undone in the effort to
avoid a breakdown in the internal
law and order of countries like
France, Belgium and Holland.
Evening star., 1945-07-23

the standpoint OF the individual SOL
dier in Europe, the value OF such an
opportunity seems self-evident. Not
only will it make the time 60 by
faster as he counts the days until
discharge or performs his routine
occupation duties, but also it will
permit him to study in way that
may be Of genuine help to him in
the postwar civilian world. All
things considered, a better program
could hardly be devised for that pc
culiarly difficult period when young
men in uniform find that the shoot
ing Is over and there is little more to
do than just wait around-usually
a long wait-to be mustered out.
Evening star., 1945-07-23

From the London Telegraph and Morning Post
Berlin has received conquering armies
before Frederick the Great twice failed
to save 1t from Russian and Austrian
occupation. Napoleon made state
entry when he had smashed the Prus-
sian Army at Jena. The circumstances
which this week bring British and
American forces to Join the Russians
garrisoning Berlin are, however. oi
quite different order from any In the
past. Berlin is being occupied now a.
preliminary to the exercise of su.
preme authority throughout Germany
by the British, American, Russian and
French governments acting through o
Control Council composed of the fom
commanders in chief, each assisted BY
political adviser. A difficult task re-
mains for the council and the sooner
it gets to work, the better,
Evening star., 1945-07-23

Sumner Welles published on Wednes-
day an article which could not under
stand. 1t warned against a return to
balance Of power politics, which, he said,
had been pursued by Britain for a CEN
tury and half. and had directly led to
building up Germany and the present
war. He attributes the rising menace
of Germany to the policy pursued by
Britain between 1920 and 1925.
1 am astonlshed that Mr.. Welles sug-
gests that German strength was reborn
in these years. This was the period
of German economic disintegration, ac-
companied by the worst imitation ever
suffered anywhere. The French
marched into the Ruhr In 1923, not to
prevent German rearmament, but to
collect reparations which opinion in
lectable under worldwide protective
tariffs. Nothing has happened to
change that opinion. 1t is now univer-
sally realized that money reparations
will be impossible after this war. The
rebirth of German nationalism and the
growth of national socialism date from
the Ruhr occupation and the imitation,
economically destroying the middle
class which previously had backed the
republic and turning the nation toward
radical nationalism
The British, in this period, through
Viscount D'Abernon, Ambassador to
Berlin, did not encourage Germany as
a military power, but tried to help sta
bilize German society. whose economic
collapse was bringing repercussions
throughout the world.
At no time during these years was
British policy seriously considering Ger
many as buffer against the Red Army.
A low opinion of Russian power per-
sisted everywhere into 1941, when al
most everyone thought the Germans
would defeat the Russians in a few
weeks. What Britain was trying to
halt was the spread of radical Bolshev-
ism as result Of economic breakdown.
Actually Britain's greatest mistake
was to abandon the balance of power in
continental Europe, when Hitler rose.
The only alternative to balanced"
power, is one dominating power. The
history of our civilization reveals no
other way of preventing great wars and
maintaining freedom. The human race
has dreamed of a world state for CEN
turtles, but we have not created it in
San Francisco.
Britain went to war at the beginning
of the 18th century to Illustrate Napo-
leonic plans for ruling Europe from
the Channel to the Urals Her reason
was what Sumner Welles wants for
everyone: security. Security, seen from
the British Isles, meant balance of
power in Europe. In 1888, Britain, be-
cause she was relatively weaker than
Evening star., 1945-07-23
Not by Calendar

Not by calendar or season,
Not By counting, long and sloD.
Can the mind NTH all its reason
EDer truly come to knolD
What OF time has been expended,
What OF dusk and dnirn goes By,
Till the eyes haze comprehended
Visions they cannot deny
OF tree they planted, Crotcn
Out of reach nbope them al,
And another OF their oit,s--
A sGplfng child grofDn tuH.
~JSABEILE BEYANS LONGFELLcW
Evening star., 1945-07-23
The Petuin Trial

During its long history, France
has had many celebrated state
trials" but none has ever exceeded
in its momentous implications the
case slated to begin today before the
High Court of Justice in Paris. The
defendant is Henri-Philippe Petain,
marshal of France and for five years
head of the Vichy regime with the
title of "Chief of the French State" T"
The charges against him are trea-
son, intelligence with the enemy
and attempts against the security of
the state, both external and inter-
nal. If found guilty, especially on
the first two counts, the inevitable
penalty would be death before
firing squad. There could be no
mitigation of the sentence on &C
count of his advanced age eighty
nine) or his past services in World
War I, when he became the Hero of
Verdun."
Yet such verdict and execution
would probably have profound re-
percuSSionS which might shake the
unstable fabric of war-torn France
to its foundations. At the coming
trial, if it is to be fair and open,
evidence may be introduced by both
the defense and the prosecution
which could involve many other
high personages and rekindle politi-
cal animosities that have not yet
cooled. 1t is safe assumption that
nobody in France really wanted this
trial except those who want trouble.
The Provisional Government would
presumably have preferred that
Petain should conveniently succumb
TO the natural infirmities of age,
aggravated by the strain of worry
and the hardships of exile. How
ever. the old marshal's amazing
vitality barred that alternative, so
there was nothing left to do but let
the law take its course.
A clear distinction should be made
between the multitude of accusa-
5ions levelled at him by his political
enemies and the specific charges
which the prosecution will make in
court. Petain is accused informally
Of traitorous theology against the
Third Republic throughout his life
because of his royalist and authori-
tartan convictions; of a "defeatist"
attitude even in World War I;
OF completely with the prewar
"Cagoulard" plot against the Blum
Government, and much more be-
sides. There is also the De Gaullist
thesis that the entire Vichy regime
was illegal, though the best French
legal opinion inclines to the belief
that it was at least technically valid.
The understanding is that the pros
ecution will not bring in his prewar
record or even the legal validity of
the grant of plenary powers &C
corded him by the National Assem-
bly, at the moment of Frances COL
lapse in the summer of 1910. If this
understanding be correct, the
charges will be confined to his use
OF the mandate conferred upon him.
Even this will be explosive enough.
1t Is significant to note that the
very judges who are trying him
swore oaths of loyalty to the ac-
cused as Chief of State and func-
toned during the Vichy regime.