davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-11-02
A Sound Warning

Walter p Reuther, vice president
of the United Automobile Workers,
may have been guilty of an un-
fortunate choice of words in saying
that the labor-managernent confer
ence, scheduled to begin here Mon
day, has been "set up on phony
basis" The essential point which
Mr.. Reuther was trying to make,
however, has considerable merit.
There have been indications that
President Truman and his advisers
are banking heavily on this confer
ence. Apparently they hope that
from it there will emerge an agree
ment which will go far toward clear
ing up the labor controversies which
have been seriously retarding the
Nations reconversion program. And
this official hopefulnesS, in turn, has
been reflected in what seems to be
an unwarranted optimism on the
part of the public.
Even if the fondest hopes should
be realized, this conference cannot
produce anything in the nature of a
panacea for our labor troubles. It
may produce an agreement of
broad and generalized nature-in-
deed, it will be disappointing in the
extreme If anything less than this
emerges from the discussions. But
as Mr.. Reuther correctly points out,
there are two factors which initiate
against the sort of agreement that
many people seem to anticipate.
First, the conference agenda does
not provide for discussion of or
agreement on the specific issues
which are at the bottom of most of
the current strikes. Second, it does
not appear that either the labor or
industrial conferees have any au-
thority to enter into an agreement
which would be binding on the in
dividual components of the groups
they represent.
Hence, the meeting which opens
Monday should not be excessively
built up" by propaganda devices.
For If the people are led to expect
too much, and are then disappointed,
an adverse reaction is apt to cancel
out all benefits which might other
wise come from the meeting.
Evening star., 1945-11-02
Russiu and One World

In asserting that the United States
recognizes that Russia has special
security interests in Eastern and
Central Europe and that it has
right to seek to draw the countries
OF that region into "closer and more
friendly association" with itself,
Secretary of State Byrnes has said
nothing new. He has simply re-
stated fixed American viewpoint
the viewpoint that in their part of
the world the Soviets and other ma
tions are as entitled as we are. in
this part of the world, to promote
among their neighbors a system
comparable to our own hemisphere
system.
Lest this be taken to mean, how
ever, that the United States is salts
fed with the way the Russians have
been going about the task of build
ing such a system, it should be noted
that Mr.. Byrnes' declaration - de-
livered in an address to the New
York Herald Tribune FORUMS con-
ditioned on several important quail
flcations. These qualifications in
clude: Cd That any power seeking
to form a closer and more friendly
association" with neighboring coun-
tries must grant that the people of
those countries be free to choose
their own governments; (2) that
good neighborliness" on a regional
basis should not involve economic or
cultural isolation or building wall
of censorship around the region, and
(3) that the region, far from being
allowed to become a sphere of
exclusive influence and privilege"
should be fitted into a cooperative
international community as a pillar
of peace.
Any "good-neighbor" system built
along lines violating these principles
is not even remotely comparable to
the system built UP in this hemi-
sphere. When Mr.. Byrnes speaks of
Russia's special security interests
and its right to have friendly neigh
borS, he does not mean to imply that
the United States looks with favor
upon Soviet political and economic
pressure-such as the exclusive trade
agreements with Romania and Hun
gary-to shape sphere of exclu-
sive influence and privilege" Nor
does he mean to imply that the gen.
eral course of events in that part of
the world has been satisfactory to
us. On the contrary, his qualifica-
tions seem to- constitute an indirect
appeal to the Russians to pursue
their policy of good neighborliness"
more after the fashion of the Amer
icas than they are doing now
The reason for this is plain: To
cut up continents into spheres and
balances of power is to commit the
tragic war-breeding errors of the
past. Actually, in this day and age,
such arrangements are more dam
gerous and unworkable than ever.
There can be no safety behind re-
gional walls. There can be safety
only in true global neighborliness.
In sum, in Mr.. Byrnes' words, There
must be one world for all of us or
there will be no world for any of u.s."
Evening star., 1945-11-02
On the Record
By Dorothy THOMPSON

Recently set forth propositions about
the atomic bomb: 1t Is no secret; 1t
can be used only as an instrument of
aggression; as an instrument of war 1t
rings the death knell of small nations
and promises mutual annihilation to the
largest; it is an instrument for unlimited
political blackmail; as the property of a
commission, such as that proposed in
the original May bill, 1t is an instrument
threatening domestic liberties.
Already the atomic bomb is blowing
up what little there was of international
confidence. No nation can trust" an
other, which has the capacity to destroy
its centers of population, from long dis
tances. Its unique possession by us,
together with flaunts of power-"We are
the most powerful nation militarily on
earth, with the largest Navy and air
force" and the call for universal service
to enforce" peace, is soaring the world
to death. and leading to an atomic
science race. Our moral position Is
weakened. At Nuremberg we shall ac-
cuse Germans for having broken the
rules of warfare by first resorting to
weapons banned by international con-
ventions. The onus for the introduction
Of atomic warfare rests, however, on
the United States.
We have committed ourselves to stop
ping potential aggressors. Already there
is apprehension abroad that the United
States may be the next potential aggres-
sor. The only way, in the atomic age,
to strike down potential aggressor,
is to strike without warning Any nation,
with the atomic bomb, can act before
a security council agrees on who is
potentially dangerous FL
4
To hand the atomic bomb about in
discriminatory in a world of sovereign
states and great powers who have
hitherto refused any restrictions upon
their actions. Is suicidal If every one
has the atomic bomb, one will use it
first.
Soon all great nations will have it.
Estimates that it will be years before it
can be developed elsewhere are based
on false assumptions. One is that no
other country has formula now.
Evening star., 1945-11-02

be able to proceed to his assignment.
But he must be careful. If his reports
are too outspoken and factual, he will
become an undesirable guest. At first
it will be limited to him that he does
not see things in their proper light. II
he does not change, he will be given
his marching papers.
Unless a reporter is ideologically
friendly" he will have serious difficulty
In moving from one Of the controlled
countries to another. New entry and
exit visas are required and sometimes
1t is weeks before they are granted
The length Of the red tape depends
on the recent record Of the applicant.
In some puppet states censorship has
been officially eliminated. But there
are breakdowns in the telegraph wires
due to lack of proper equipment
garbling of dispatches due to "the
inexperience of the local operators"
which are sometimes even more ef-
fective than an outright military or
political censorship.
For these reasons the coverage OF
news for the American people is un-
satisfactory. A careful reporter who
wants to keep his assignment will quote
In his reports what is written in the
government-co controlled local papers or
give interviews with official spokesmen
whose interest obviously is to misrepre-
sent situations which may not be to
the liking of the American public.
The importance of the free flow of
news all over the world is not being
minimized by the American authorities.
Mr.. Byrnes, and before him, Edward r.
Stettinius, did not miss an occasion to
draw to the attention of our Allies that
the American people want unbiased
news from their own trusted reporters.
Until We day the matter of military
security was said to interfere with free
and accurate reporting.
This argument no longer exists. Mr..
Byrnes is reported to have put up, a
strong argument in London. On We'd
nesday some members of the House
wanted to make further UNRRA ap-
preparations dependent on American
reporters, freedom of movement and
reporting. But it appears that the
authorities in Eastern Europe do not
see the problem in the same light.
In order not to upset the formation
OF the cultural and educational organ
lzation provided in the UNO, the Amer
lean delegates were instructed to move
slowly IN the news coverage matter,
which they were told will have to be
taken up by the higher levels.
Evening star., 1945-11-02
Crockdown in Indonesiu

The killing of Brigadier Mallaby
by Indonesian nationalists and the
stern ultimatum issued in conSe-
quence by the British commander
of Allied forces in Java highlight
the growing seriousness of the
situation in that island. Briga-
dier Mallaby was treacherously mur-
dered by riotous mob of armed
nationalists in violation of the terms
of truce just concluded between
the local Indonesian leaders and
Brigadier Mallaby for the cessation
Of fighting in Surabaya, the chief
port city at the eastern end of Java.
This outrage indicates that here, as
elsewhere, the self-styled leaders of
the independence movement either
cannot control their followers or
are acting in bad faith. The British
authorities would thus appeaJ to be
justified in giving the nationalists
notice to deliver up all those con-
cerned in the murder or suffer the
consequences of a full-scale Allied
offensive for the restoration of order.
The nature and circumstances of
the so-called Indonesian nationalist
movement are imperfectly under
stood here in America. To begin
with, the movement is practically
confined to the island of Java,
though it's spokesmen claim to rep
resent the whole of the Netherlands
Indies. This claim is rebutted by
the facts of the case, which are that
the Netherlands Indies are vast
and far-fiung archipelago contain
ing multitude of islands, large and
small, inhabited by widely different
peoples whose only connection with
one another is the nexus of Dutch
rule which the Javanese rebels seek
to destroy The Javanese tacitly
acknowledge this when they bracket
in their hostility not only the Dutch
and Eurasians, but also certain ma
tive elements in Indonesia, such as
the Amboinese, who are traditional
upholders of Dutch rule. The. pre-
sumption is that the other islanders
would not be inclined to accept the
authority of a Javanese government,
even granting that such a regime
could be effectively established. And
that is matter which is still very
moot point. The story of the "Indo-
nesian republic" proclaimed by
group of leaders centering in Ba-
tavia, the capital city at the western
end of the island, is that OF . FIRE
which those who kindled 1t are
Evening star., 1945-11-02

showing themselves unable to con-
troll. Almost everywhere, local insur-
gent groups, often heavily armed
with equipment seized or surrepti-
tiously given them by Japanese
garrisons bent on making trouble
for the Allies, tend to act on their
own and indulge in looting. murder
and other high-handed acts which
combine to produce a state of
incipient anarchy. Before any
profitable settlement of the problem
of Java, to say nothing of the large
question of the entire Netherlands
Indies. can be undertaken. the
present anarchic situation should
somehow be composed. And if the
nationalist leaders cannot or will
not do this, the responsibility of the
Allied authorities is clear.
Evening star., 1945-11-02
Autumn Incident

When stir OF utfte and tDeed are gone,
What shall the small beast feed upon,
What shall the small beast, hunger bent,
Find for his proper nonrtshment?
Too late he comes, too long he stands,
The frost lies lambcnt on these lands,
The unporous morning steGnts asDay,
Today succeeds to yesterday.
The sly for slips his copert nop,
The hasDk, the otDi are on the tDin9.
Cold menace turks in everything,
Bright danger threatens from each
bough.
Has he laid By in hole or den
Some sustendnce beyond bg ken,
Has he enjoined against this hour
The harvest hoard OF grass OF fo,pers
He Dill not tell me. He surveys,
Tmnnobile nop. the leuel rags.
Computes his need, confronts the sun,
And dores the oanfIet he must run.
JOSEPHINE JOHNSON.
Evening star., 1945-11-02
Piece-Meal Security Action
By Maj. George Fieldine Eliot

Our military policy is in muddle.
1t needs thorough study followed by
clear-cut decisions based on facts and
sound thinking.
Otherwise there is grave danger that
decisions will be taken 'piece-meal, with
out properly considering the effect of
each decision on the whole structure of
our national security. There are always
various pressures in favor of or opposed
to this or that particular bit of policy.
from the President or from Congress.
If this process goes on, we shall have an
unbalanced, rickety national security
structure. We shall again have to i'm
provise when danger approaches. We
shall lack the machinery to deal with
danger before it becomes really serious.
We shall present to the world the old
familiar spectacle of an unready
America. We shall, by so doing, invite
trouble and perhaps destruction.
There is still time to straighten mat
ters out but what is happening now has
all the aspects of thorough mess.
The Army is engaged in trying to push
through a bill for the uniflcation Of the
War and Navy Departments into single
department of the armed forces. The
Navy is bitterly opposed to this project.
The Navy has good case, but the
Army's case has been better presented.
Decisions of such Importance should not
rest on the fact that Gen. Marshall
makes more persuasive witness before
a congressional committee than Admiral
King.
X X +
The question of a separate air force,
co-equal with Army and Navy, is bound
up with this unification project. Much
Of the support of air oficers for unifica-
ton derives from the fact that they
think this Is the best way to get their
independence. 1t does not appear to
have occurred to any one Except Secre-
tary ForrestaD that we can, II necessary,
have separate air force without hav-
ing unified department OF the armed
forces. The two matters should be sep
arately examined on their respective
merits. But they should be examined
in connection with their respective
bearings on the whole broad question of
our future military policy.
The effect Of the development OF
atomic energy as weapon, and the
degree of control to be exercised by the
Government over It's military as well as
Its domestic uses. Is the occasion OF vast
controversy, both In Congress and
among the scientists both Of the physical
Evening star., 1945-11-02

and the political variety. This, too, is a
subject directly related to the national
security and hardly to be examined
clearly outside that frame of reference.
The President and all our military
leaders are unanimous in pointing out
that system of universal training for
one year for all our young men is the
foundation of our security for the fu-
ture. Yet this proposal is being some
what coldly received in Congress because
ignorant and emotional opposition II
use these adjectives with deliberation)
from educators, church leaders, wom-
ems groups and others has stirred up so
much opposition to 1t that it is being
thought of as a political hot potato.
Presently we are going to have to con-
slider the size of the budget for the
armed forces. There is grave danger
that unless We have thought through
all these problems, and their relation
ship one to another, we shall have the
old process of pulling and hauling, and
get the usual unbalanced result. How
big Regular Army? Navy? Marine
Corps? What are the military obliga-
tions to the United Nations Organiza-
ton? How shall we reform and mod
Ci AAihC tiiC NdIloIldA IudTu! WHAT ABOUT
overseas bases-how much money for
them, which can we abandon, which
must be built up? What are we going
to do about the relationship of scientific
research and development to the ma
tional security? What about an indus
trial program for keeping UP with the
production OF new military devices?
These things cost money. There is
only SO much money. We must lay 1t
out carefully, and be sure we get a
dollars worth of security for every
dollar Of expenditure.
y
Obviously, we must do some basic
thinking first. Obviously, we must have
some sort of overall plan. A War De-
partment plan or Navy Department
plan, or even a plan agreed on by both
departments, will not be good enough,
because the problems of security are
bound up with those of foreign policy,
Of fiscal policy and Of every other de-
partment Of policy for that matter.
We need thorough study of the
whole subject Of security and military
policy BY presidentially appointed
board of unprejudiced, able civilians;
men without preconceptions, but ex-
perienced in weighing evidence and
reaching sound judgments based on
facts.
tcopsrisht io4sJ
Evening star., 1945-11-02
n This Changing w orld
By Constantine Broyn

A large American delegation headed
by former Assistant Secretary OF State
Archibald MacLeish and including SEN
ator Murray of Montana is In London
to formulate the constitution of the edu-
cational, scientific and cultural organi-
zation provided for in the United Ma
tions Organization.
While the question Of the freedom of
the press and the free movement of the
international news gatherers-news-
paper and radio reporters-is not spe-
cifically included in this planned world
wide organization, 1t was admitted
during last years preliminary conversa-
tions at Dumbarton Oaks and during
the San Francisco Conference that they
form an important part in the organiza-
ton for world security.
When the London Foreign Ministers
Conference was convened 1t was thought
that while the question of the cultural
organization was highly important for
the future, the freedom of movement Of
news gatherers was far more immediate.
This had been emphasized at all the in
ternational conferences by the Ameri-
can delegates and became one of the
minor stumbling blocks at London,
where Secretary of State Byrnes in
sisted that reporters should be free to
move about at their discretion.
Before leaving for the education con-
ference the American delegates were
told that because Of the sensitiveness to
free reporting of some of our Allies,
this matter should be left in abeyance
at the conference. The most that can
now be expected to come out of this
international discussion is some general
rules and regulations to be applied in
the future when the international sit
uation becomes not so complex.
y u u 4
The world picture is somewhat
dimmed because of the difficulties placed
in the way of American newspaper and
radio reporters in all territories directly
or indirectly under the Russian control.
If the representative of newspaper
agency, newspaper or radio network
wishes to enter any of these territories
he must apply for visa. This means a
thorough screening" of the individual
and the organization he represents. If
he or his employers have been blacklisted
as "unfriendly' the visa will not be forth
coming. 1t will be either an outright
refusal or an interminable delay which
amounts to the same thing.
When the applicant for visa to
Russia, the liberated" nations or the
puppet states such as Yugoslavia has
clean record he will receive the much
coveted stamp on his passport and will
Evening star., 1945-11-02
Where 1t Belongs

Speaking at Capetown the other
day, Field Marshal Jan Christian
Smuts, Premier of South Africa and
elder statesman of the Allied world,
had many wise things to say, but
none wiser or more timely than this:
"You see today a ruined Europe. II
tomorrow you hear of suffering and
death on large scale unknown
before in times of peace, remember
that that was in the first place the
curse of Hitler and in the second
place the dreadful responsibility of
the German people who allowed
such monster to become their
master" Premier Smuts went on to
say that the Allies must do all that
they can "to save what can still be
saved" but he urged everybody
everywhere not to forget where the
chief blame lies for what may hap
pen in the months ahead.
IT there had been no Hitler, If
there had been no Nazi Germany,
if the German people had not let
themselves be the tools of aggression,
Europe today would not be as it is.
The evil that aff1icts the continent
now, the greater evil that may afflict
it tomorrow, should be pinned to it's
primary source. The aftermath of
the war is here, and there is a
tendency to attribute chiefly to
Allied policy the sufferings, the
dislocations, the general physical,
social, economic and political up
heaval that should properly be
charged against those who smashed
the peace and let loose agony upon
the world. Allied policy, Of course,
is by no means faultless, but nobody
should ever forget, either in this
country or among Europeans. that
all the trouble and woe started with
the Fuehrer and his millions of semi
hysterical followers. Premier Smuts
has done we'll to remind every one
of this. Let the basic blame be
placed where it belongs.
Evening star., 1945-11-02
Time for Inquiry
the London Daily Mail


The British are back in Singapore and
Hong Kong. This event makes a great
chapter in the history of the Empire
which will be told and retold through
out the Eastern world Yet we return
only because we were once thrown out.
An Asiatic power loosened-if only tenn
porarily-the hold of the West. That will
not be forgotten either, in the bazaars
and market places, where memories are
long and tongues wag freely. We cannot
return to these territories, especially
Malaga, and take up the old threads as
though there had been no interruption.
Our paramount duty must be to make
absolutely sure that our possessions in
future are protected against any posi-
bility of capture. The first step in that
process must be not merely to remember
that we once lost Singapore, but to find
out why. The time has come to hold a.
full, official inquiry into the fall of
Malaga and to publish the results, as
America has done in the case of PEARL
Harhor
Evening star., 1945-11-02

long-tern1 secrecy" is impossible;
second, during the relatively short
time the secret is still ours, a
sharing of that "secret" with other
powers for peacetime uses, but on
strict quid pro quo condition estab-
fishing rigid international inspec-
ton system, and third, hard-and-
fast world agreement SO effectuated
as to rule out the appalling danger
of an atomic war.
1t is only by following lines of
this sort that mankind can cope
with the awful implications of the
harnessed atom. In secrecy" lies
potential suicide, not security, not
peace.
Evening star., 1945-11-02
Desires Senate Action
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
As a reader of The Star for so years
and one who knows the value Of your
editorials, have been wondering If
you would be kind enough to stress the
passage by the Senate of the House.
approved bill exempting retired Gov
ernment employees from the provisions
of the income tax law.
The veterans pensions are exempted;
the Railway retirement act excludes
them from payment, and the Social
Security Act lets out those affected and
that leaves only us "supers" left out.
A retired P. o. worker, receive 81 100
a year retirement pay. out Of which I
must deduct $40 income tax.
At a time like this, when prices of
everything are sky high, and every one
but us "supers" have received some
kind of increase. 1t seems we at least
should receive the benefits of this
House-approved bill passed with so few
dissenting votes short time ago.
J. D. A.