davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
Utter Futility

Two years ago the Connecticut Legis- lature decided that the City of Waterbury was getting more than it's fair share of special acts authorizing the payment of pensions to employees retired for various reasons-service, disability, injuries, etc. So, 8 pension commission was created by special act and authorized to study the Waterbury situation as pensions af- fected it; to ascertain the present and future costs of pensions; to make recon- mendations concerning the same. This has been done and the results of two years labor now rests in some legislative hopper.
 It must have been obvious from the very beginning, though, that any plan suggested by egislative-named com mission would not meet with unanimous approval In fact the only type of plan that could meet with unanimous ap- proval would be one guaranteeing to each and every potential pensioner of the City of Waterbury the same benefits he would receive under the existing pension laws. The commission tried to be fair with everyone concerned, but it took the posi- tion that the city's 1,700 employees were only about l 1-2 per cent of the cityS total population and that the rest of the people, particularly the taxpayers, ought to get consideration.
 Instead of one bill being presented to the Legislature there will be several. The commission bill has been filed, so has one designed to retain benefits for the police and fire departments; another will protect benefits for general government employees, If not actually, it will moderate greatly the existing requirements for retirement. Special acts are also indicated, although today is the last day for filing measures in the General Assembly, What does all this mean? It simply means that a municipality is at disadvantage when 1t adopts and sets up a retirement plan or pension system and then tries to change 1t all around, after it has been determined that the only plans that sue ceed are those made actuarially sound.
 It will be difficult problem to set up an equitable system here in Waterbury because there is a pension list now of some 100 members receiving $150,000 annually. What benefits have accrued to these indi- viduals the potential pensioners feel they should receive. That's natural to under stand. The hard thing to do or to explain is that a plan which isn't going to bank rupt municipality must have such limi- tations as a taxpaying public can req sonably assume
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
New Job for Uncle Joe

General Joseph w. StilWell's appoint ment as Commander of the Army Ground Forces was by no means a consolation prize. But it came at propitious time, CT the heels of the Ledo Roads opening and the re-establishment of a Burma China land supply route after three dis couraging years. For if any one man can be given credit for the Ledo Road, it is General StilWell.
 His rugged, insistently optimistic leadership eventually made the roads construction possible against bristling hedge of difficulties Bolstering these qualities were deep knowledge of China
 her people, her problems and her ter rain; knowledge of the Jap and his tricks; knowledge of the jungle and how to fight in it. Such knowledge makes him an ideal choice to train the troops in this country for the fight ahead. The trcining he can impart should make our final fight against the Japanese some what less arduous So we may count it fortunate that delicate situation in China made his recall advisable
 Uncle Joe" Stilwell made no I-shall- return promise when he left China. But it would not be surprising if the closing days of the war in the Far East shoul1 find him in the field, helping to deliver the final blow
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
Wallace & Company

It is disappointing to learn that our freshman Senator, Brien McMahon, favors appointment of former vice. president Henry A. Wallace to the finan- cial and business post of Secretary of Commerce, with all the trimmings added On the same day of McMahon's sanction such an advanced liberal as Norman Thomas, Socialist leader, declared Wal lace to be lacking in clear knowledge of the economic structure of our nation.
 Yet it is even more disquieting to wit ness the attempt of Wallace and his cohorts to broW-beat the Senate into favorable action toward him, by means of pressure methods. Such action strikes at the very base of representative gov ernment and is hardly a qualification or attribute of those whom the American public wish to see in Cabinet posts
 On the practical side Wallace has act ually talked himself out of favorable ac- tion by his absurd statements and prom 1SeS of the millennium. When he says the American people have as much right or reason to expect 60 million jobs in peacetime, as in times of war, he over perhaps innocently-the fact that the wartime full employment is obtained by an increase of 200 billion dollars in the public debt lover $1 800 per person. that each of us, or our children must some day pay.
 Having mortgaged America to the hilt, does he think there is room for a second mortgage?
 The prediction promises of 60 million jobs has been considerably discounted by postwar election happenings relative to the nanpower, rationing and war-front, if we gauge the public temper correctly.
 We have always considered Henry A. Wallace as perfectly sincere man, even if he seems to lack practical judgment He may know no better than to advance such theories of paradise, but hitherto we have thought that Senator McMahon did.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
Views Of The Press
THE EPITAPH
(New York Herald-Tribune)

(New York Herald-Tribune)
 To the accompaniment of Wag- merriam music, the crush of bombs, the new roars of the oncoming ar tillery rolling over German soil, the cries of the wounded and the walls of the frozen and the homeless, Germany and the world heard yes terday the latest of Adolf Hitler'S anniversary orationS in remem- brance of his rise to power. It was almost certainly the fast. The thought is not without solemnity. Yet the speech itSelf was as devoid of dignity, of truth, of reason, as cheap and egotistical, as every other in the tWelve-year tale. Standing amid the appalling ruin to which step by step he has unsWervingly led his people, he could only hur- riedly mouth over the old tags repeating almost the identical themes of his speech year ago and shout again that this ire trievable disaster will be mastered. If this is in fact the epitaph of the Third Reich, it is, ih way, a worthy one. It began in lies anG violence. It is ending in lies. tink- ling cheaply against the grand and terrible diapason of violence when it called up against the nation which it betrayed.
 It is no use arguing the thesis. What good are words any longer? What meaning can they have in Germany as catastrophe as great as anything which Nazi brute power ever spread abroad across the earth rolls back now upon it's source? The man spoke, probably, only be- cause he could not remain silent; not with any idea that words could stem the crisis to which Germany has come. Events are now beyond Hit!erian oratory. The record of l2 years is closing as it was bound to close from the first; he can only fling a cheap defiance at the storm of his own making and go down as he arose-a failure in everything he has arrogantly attempted, a scourge and misery to every one and every thing he has touched.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
. NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT Pros And Cons On Labor Draft

cause they fear loss of privileges like seniority rights and mainten- ance of union membership acquired in present employment. The succession of War ManpoWer Commission orders on the 48-hour week, critical area designations, controlled refcrrals, certificates of availability and job freezes has, it is claimed, about run It's course. Each Is labeled as bluff which was good as long as it worked. But ways have been found to evade them all. Something is needed with teeth in 1t to really enforce Work-or-fight cdicts.
 This stirs up a veritable hornets nest. All-out advocates of compul- sory National Service on the home front as well as on the war front want to make the Work-o fight bill an anti-strike law that would make the Smith-Connally Act look like a mere slap on the wrist and curb much union activity.
 END OF DISCRIMINATION
 URGED
 Countcring this move, liberals ad- vocate compulsory fair employment practices with an end to discrimin- ationS against hiring of Negro work CTS in all industries and all areas. No compromise being possible on these two disputes, they tend to cancel each other out.
 But the whole question of proper utilization of Wh talabor there is comes into the picture Disclosures bby Senator Meads committee in- vestigators, reporting waste of labor in Navy yards, and revelations of military black market scandals in France and high AWOL absentee ism in the Army in Europe do not contribute support for the cause of National Service legislation.
 National Service legislation can not possibly be expected to cure all these evils and conflicts. To expect it to be a panacea for all the man. power problems is futile. Every situ- ation will still have to be dealt with locally. But -or-fight law is advocated because 1t will give the government control over workmen as individuals putting them where they are needed where they are needed.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

With the extension of the MARCH OF DIMES campaign to February 18th there is reason why each and everyone of cannot dig deep and bring up another dime-or dolar-or five dollars and help double the original Waterbury quota of $10000
 Just giving should not necessarily end obl- gaon to aid the thousands of child sufferers of this dread disease who annually cruelty chosen by the Great Crppler, Infantile Paralysis, to be it's victim.
 Mankind from the dawn of time has had to wage con- nuouS warfare for survival Throughout the countless years the earth has ncred the there has always been bound closely to human experiences the vital need of alert to danger-Whether the threat be occasioned by animal ferocity human greed the nsensate aggression of terrible disease-such as Infantie Paralysis.
 It small stone that slew the giant Goliath! Like that small stone, little dime dropped into MARCH OF DIMES conainer, becomes powerful weapon of deStruc hon against the giant enemy, Infantile Paralysis
 These modest dimes bearing interest far beyond financial calculation Remember this and contribute again and often during the closing two weeks of Waterburys campaign.
 man is tall when he stoops to help child!
 FIGHT INFANT1LE PARALYSIS!
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
Current Comment

It is not difficult to find teachers of literature. of art, or Of music. But 1t is very difficult to find teacher who can teach the inter related arts so that students may be led to perceive their basic re- lationships.
 pr. Paul Klapper. president
 Queens College.
 The nurses were always cheerful and understanding. and they never acted as If they had too much to do. But when you saw them working 36-hour shifts 1t was obvious they could have used double the staff.
 Staff Sergeant John Brett
 hauser of New York, airman
 back from hospital in Eng
 land.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

The tragedy that came to Auburn, Maine, might have happened anywhere. So many small children perishing in fire might happen in the best of equipped homeS, and so far there is nothing to indicate that precautions were taken in this particular home. However, mothers who find it necessary to leave their chil- dren in such boarding homes, will prob ably feel less willing to do so after reading of the Maine tragedy.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

If it were not for the reason and seem- ing futility of it all one might admire the art displayed in some of the winter photographs on the European front this winter of 1945. Snow covered areas look slightly but when you consider the suf- ferings and hardships in those localities pictured there is not much enjoyment in the photographic art.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS Enlarged TONSilS

Our children. 3 and 5, both have enlarged tonsils and some adenoidS, the doctor says. They seem to have one cold after another from the early fall. (Mrs. B. H.
 Answer-Well, don't be hurried into having the poor kids tonsils out. If you fall for that they are as likely to have as many or more colds" thereafter. Send stamped envelope bearing your address, for pamphlet "Tonsils and adenoids." Inclose twenty-five cents for book let Gall 1t Cri''-which may teach you how to prevent many of the communicable conditions you quaintly call "colds." It won't teach you anything, however, if you are as positive that such i'll. nesses are due to weather. season, drafts, wet feet or dampness.
 Sacccharin
 Is saccharin depressant to the heart? How may one know if 1t Is doing one any harm? G. F. JO
 AnSwer-In my opinion any one may take daily up to five grair'AQf Saccharin Gas a sWeetener in plSGe of sugar) with impunity. A quarter grain tablet gives to tea or coffee the sweetening of a teaspoonful of sugar.
 Too Much Meat
 Is too much meat bad fir child? I say 1t isn't provided he has well balanced meal. CT. H.)
 Answer-Too much of anything is bad for any one. Meat dncluding fowl, fish and eggs. which are the equivalent of meat in nutrition) once a day is not too much for 9 healthy child.
 Copyright 1945, John F. Dille Col forth by three staff members of the Connecticut Public Expenditure Council. The attractively printed re- port is illustrated by cartoon-typs sketches.
 Financial condition is found high ly satisfactory. Improvements sug- gested include better organization for maintenance of the many miles of town highways, abolition of the separate borough governments of Bantam and Litchfield, better facil- ities for town meetings and offices, and some adjustments in school facilities and salaries. Police and rec lief problems are minimal.
 To the outsider, life in Litchfleld looks nearly ideal. This challenge to local citizens for further study and a more active part in town affairs is encouraging indication that Litchfield people still think there is room for improvement.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
HOW'S YOUR HEALTH. .? By Dr.. William Brady

chances are good that you won't be one of the thousands of victims of pneumonia this winter
 l. When a cold strikes-go to
 bed if possible. At least stay
 indoors and rest all you can
 -. Be sure to avoid chilling, 2. You must not go to work7
 Remember that you may in-
 flict your cold on others. If
 you really must (that is, if
 you must go to work, of course
 not If you must inflict your
 cold on others, for the in-
 surance company would hard-
 ly question the right of any
 blankety- blank blank to inc
 flict his "cold" on whoever
 happens to come within
 range)), then wear warm,
 protective clothing, avo i'd
 drafts and sudden chilling.
 Keep your sneezes and coughs
 covered up.
 It Is notable that the insurance company's picture story does NOT tell or show how to keep your sneezes and coughs covered up. On the coitrary it suggests and pie lures in two of the four pictures how to disregard that little precau- tions and so give the little woman who takes care of you sample of whatever you are coming down with. Misery likes company.
 3. Dring milk, fruit juice, water.
 Take a laxative If necessary. 4. Treat that sore throGt to 8
 gargle-teaspoonful of salt or
 bicarbonate of soda to a glass
 of warm water.
 Now this whole page of twiddle- twaddle would be screamingly fun@ ny were it not for the fact that 2 good many complacement folk will take it seriously.
 In one respect, however, the in- surance company's teaching shows improvement over the line of pre- vious years. This wear the un- pleasant idea thEt even you may "inflict your cold" on others is un- obtrusively touched on.
 And keep away from sniff1ers." That's the closing message of the picture story. Now if the insurance company would only draw a little picture showing how you do this, especially when you yourself are the sniffler and you simply mus; go to work, that, dear children, would prevent lot of unnecessary illness.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
AS A MATTER OF FACT

You would hardly believe it of Boston. But strange things happen in that social ly correct city. Now it appears the SS. Pierce Company which practically ranks on par with the Boston Symphony Or chestra for importance, does not have the proper building requirements. The new building safety codes up in that city are demanding that buildings be up to standard.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

surgical dressings due to the fact that the Army now has sur- plus. However. work will be re- stunned again when the Army $ supply of bandages falls below a certain point Some of the To- calls have been mystified by the sudden curtaIlment of bandage rolling, but national Red Cross
 Headquarters describe the order as merely routine Helen Ga
 hagan Douglas, mOvie-star con- gresSwOman from California, has been elected chairman of the 79
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
By PETER EDISON Waterbury DemOcrat-NEA Wash ingtOn COrresDOndent

Washington, D. C., Feb 2 - Any one who tries to understand the manpower muddle in which the United States now finds itself is asking for an acute headache. Yet some effort to comprehend this mess
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

IS necessary l l there is to be any a D pr eciation of the need or lack of need for Ma tional Service leg islation as en- b 0 d ic q in the May Bailey bill now before Con- gross, authorizing the drafting for war work of all non-eSsential in- dustry employees from 13 to 45.
 You begin with tho nIipCtioO Oi
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
Selected Poem
IMMINENCE
 (From SpiriD tA. M. Sullivan, Reprinted From the New York Herald-Tribune)

AOSl'iAHICd VlOII LIIC NcW 1OTK
 Herald-Tribune) The fox, the deer and grouse Are never far away Upon winters day From the shadow of my house. They listen for the boot That breaks the crust of snow And never turn to 20 Till I am in pursuit. I trail the patient fox Without dog or gun But lose the willy one In wall of naked rocks. follow the tardy doe Who paulses once to look Before she leaps the brook Of black water and blue snow. The grouse against the light Becomes a mottled stone; I never would have known Had she not taken flight. The grouse. the fox and deer Beneath the shadows cover Come back again and hover By the thing they love and fear.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
Daily Almanac

Moon rises at li:20 D. m. (war time) Sun riSes at 8:02 a. m. sets at 6:10 D. m (War timeJ
 Vehicles mmust be lighted thirty minutes after sunset.
 Here's the day the groundhog sees or does not see his shadow. Early up and let's check on the little animal during the day.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

Club, a newIy-fOrned Organiza- ton of flrst-term Democratic COngreSsmen Congressman Vito Marcantonio of New York proposes legislation making Italy a full-fledged Ally in the war against Hitler The British Government is preparing a white paper on the entire Greek crisis giving Churchill's side of the pie ture. It will be released to Par- liament shortly.
 Copyright, 1945. by
 The Bell Syndicate, Inc)
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

why more manpoWer is now needed. What in the world have we been do- ing for the last three years if not stock-piling the arSenals of Dem ocracy!
 The most faclle answer given is that the war didn't really begin un- til the summer of 1914! Whats that again. please? That's it until the invasion of France the number of ground trops actually within shoot ing range of the enemy was not large. The number of divisions in the African and Italian campaigns was small and the number of divi- Sions that got shot at the Japs from Guadalcanal to Leyte was smaller. This is not said to belittle the tough fighting at places like AnZio or Tarawa. but merely to em- phasize the fact that with American armies now at the German border and still not arraycd against the main Japanese armies on the Chin csc mainland or the Japanese home land, the war has in one senSe only half-begun.
 VOLUNTARY METHODS
 FAILED
 If you accept this principle of the need for more war production you are ready for the next step, which is to see where and how the man. power for this extra production Is to be obtained.
 Glib assurances from spokeSmen for employers and labor organiza- tions to the effect that compulsory war labor legislation isn't necessary because the desired results can be obtained voluntarily are met with the objection that voluntary meth- Ods of labor recruiting have been in effect for three years and have mt done the job.
 The position Of employers and labor leaders bucking National Serv- ice legislation is explained by It's hackers as prompted by self-inte- rest. Employees think drafted labor would not be efficient labor and furthermore employers want no more government dictation on con- ditions Of employment than they have now. Union do not want Na- tional Service legislation because they feel 1t imposes conditions Of slavery on workers. and further be-
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

Signed letters pertal- ing to per- sOnal health and hygiene, not Q disease, diagnosis of treatment, will be answered by Dr. Brady If a stamped self addressed envelope is enclosed. Letters should DC brief and written in ink. o reply can be made to queries not conform.
 ing to instructions. Address Dr.
 William Brady, NatiOnai News. paper Service, 32O West Madison
 Strset. Chicago. III
 NOTABLE ADVANCE IN INSUR- ANCE COMPANIES TEACHING
 Well, the big insurance company is giving us the old routine again, in full-page picture stories in the popular magazines.
 In the very first paragraph the resistance" hokum is dragged in "that little cold can use up a lot of your bodys resistance against disease" Only God and the fellow who writes the almanacs and the Insurance company's picture stor- les know what resistance means, and know they'll never tell.
 The insurance company's picture story describes and illustrates four simple precautions and implies that if you take these precautions
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
A Thought for Today

Then saith the Lord God; Remove the dIa- dem, and take off the crown; this shall not bo the same: exalt him that Is low, and abase him that Is high.-Ezekiel 21:26.
 To Him no high. no low, n ogreat no small: He fills, He bounds, connects and equals all. Pope.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02

WASHINGTON developments point with almost desperate
The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-02
Washington Merry -Go-Round DREW P1 PEARSON

Strike Inevitable Lewis Refuses Rene Wage Agreement; Miners Will Soon Join of SenotOr ThOmo Paved Way For" Elliott RooseveIt's Promotion.
The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1945-01-11
Lincoln PTA Plans
for Election Meeting

IN PREPARATION for up
coming elections, Lincoln Par
ent-Teacher Association last eve
ming named a nominating COM
mittee including Mrs. William
T Cross, chairman, Mrs. c. r.
Morrison and Mrs. S. A. Worth
ington.
William T. Kelly, president of
the board of education, present
ed the proposed plan for a sink
ing fund for the erection of new
school buildings. A NOV e,
Wheels Across India" depict
ing the Denis-Roosevelt Asiatic
exploration, was shown. The
evening closed with a social
hour, with refreshments served
by fifth grade mothers.
The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1945-01-11

TEN MEMBERS of Chesterfield
Township Red Cross Production
Unit Three gave 1705 hours in
knitting, cutting and sewing, it
was revealed at the annual meet
ing held Tuesday afternoon at
Mrs. Leo Biakefy's home.
They are Mrs. Adolph Lievens,
who led the group with $3.50
hours, Mrs. Gordon King, Mrs.
Emma Tucker, Mrs. Joseph Col
Ike, Mrs Hugo Braun, Mrs. Mary
Kerwin, Mrs. Vernon Kerwin,
Mrs. Ruby Cheadle, Mrs. Hugh
Sharkey and Mrs. Winnie Green.
In addition to these production
hours, two members of the
group, Mrs. Blakely and Mrs.
Vernon Kerwin, are also staff
assistants, and have served be-
tween them 1852 "a hours at that
work.
Guests at the meeting and
luncheon were the Chesterfield
Township production chairman,