davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-01-18
Half q Louf

The Presidents letter to Chairman
May of the House Military Affairs
Committee will be disappointing to
those who believe that nothing less
than comprehensive national serv-
ice law will prove adequate for
the prompt and effective solution of
our pressing military and civilian
manpower problems.
In his message earlier this month
on the state of the Union the Presi-
dent called for adoption of a ma
tional service act at the earliest
possible moment" The country needs
such law, he said, to assure that we
have the right numbers of workers
in the right places at the right times,
to provide supreme proof to our
fighting men that we are supporting
them with total effort at home, and
to serve notice to the enemy that we
are not going to become half
hearted in the prosecution of this
war. Mr.. Roosevelt reinforced this
appeal with joint letter from the
Secretaries of the War and Navy De-
partments, who urged that we recog-
nize by law the duty of every citi-
zen" to do his or her part in winning
the war.
The letter to Representative May
is less urgent in tone, so far as ma
tional service is concerned. Mr..
Roosevelt recalled what he said in
the message on the state of the
Union, but he did not specifically re-
new his appeal for national service
law. Instead, he indorsed the May
bill, upon which hearings are now
being held, and which would subject
all regiStrantS under the Selective
service law between the ages of 18
and As, including some 100000 men
who have been classified as 4-Fs, to
liability for compulsory service in
war work, if not in the armed serv-
ices. Urging that this bill be passed
without delay, the President said
that while it ''is not a complete ma
tional service law, it will go far to
insure the effective employment in
the war effort" of those men who
would be covered by it's provisions.
This probably will be interpreted
as meaning that the President is
prepared to compromise on the May
bill rather than risk a protracted
legislative fight and possible defeat
in an effort to secure comprehen-
sive service law. If that is correct,
as it we'll may be, the President in
effect is settling for half a loaf
rather than basing his appeal to
Congress on an all-or- nothing basis.
Results will have to determine
whether this course is wise, but it
can hardly be doubted that prompt
enactment of the May bill would
be of real value in dealing with the
manpower~ problems that have
handicapped US since the early days
of the war.
Evening star., 1945-01-18
Chinese Puzzle

Much-needed light on problem as
complex as it is Misunderstood has
been shed by the report on China just
made to the House of Representa-
tives by one of its members, Repre-
sentative Mansfield (Democrat) of
Montana. Mr. Mansfield recently re-
turned from trip to China which
he made on presidential instructions
to study the situation in that coun-
try. A trained observer with wide
background of knowledge of the Far
East, he evidently made good use Of
his time, for his report is informa-
tive, incisive, objective and dispas-
sionate.
That is just the material we need
to correct widespread miSapprehen-
sions in this country caused both by
basic ignorance of China and by the
controversial assertions of so-called
experts who emit more heat than
light and often come to diametrically
opposite conclusions One of these
controversial schools of thought
concentrates on "debunking" Gen.
eralissimo Chang Kai-shek and his
Kuomintang regime while lauding
the Communists of Northwestern
China. The other school glorifies
Chang and excoriates all who differ
with him. The result of these con-
troversies has been growing pessi-
mism and confused disillusionment
regarding China among the general
public.
Mr.. Mansfeld's report takes sane
middle ground. He criticizes both
the Kuomintang and the Commu-
nistS for a partisanship so in
fused with mutual dislike and sus-
picion that. as he we'll says. "both
are more interested in preserving
their respective parties than they
are IN carrying on the war against
Japan" Even more significant is
his further statement that "each
party is more interested in its own
status because they both feel that
America will guarantee victory"
That is typical Chinese attitude
relying on an outsider to do most of
the fighting according to the ancient
Chinese proverb: "Set barbarian to
fight barbarian"
Equally typical is the graft and
favoritism rampant in China today.
Corruption and "nepotism" m"-looking
out for relatives ahead of everything
have always plagued China and
been prime sources of it's chronic
weakness. Nationalism and patriot
ism, two recently imported Western
ideals. have as yet done little to
transform the Chinese character in
those respects.
These and other handicaps render
extremely difficult that mobilization
OF China's strength in a common ef-
fort against the japanese invaders
which Mr.. Mansfield recognizes as 20
Evening star., 1945-01-18
The Plight of London
From the Manchester Guardian.

From the Manchester Guardian.
A recent debate in the Commons will
help the rest of Britain to fuller un-
derstanding of what London has suf-
fered from the flying bomb. Not only
have $4,000 houses been demolished,
100000 more-enough to house with
room to spare the entire populations of
Manchester, Liverpool. Glasgow and
Birmingham - need something more
than field dressing" to make them
reasonably comfortable" Fewer would
remain unrepaired If the limited sup
plies of materials and the still more
limited technical and supervising man
power had always been SO distributed
that the available labor was kept con-
etinously employed. The experience in
organization gained at London's ex-
pense must be taken to heart by those
responsible for postwar housing. Can
We any longer expect huge task, re-
quiring the utmost economy in the allc-
cation and employment Of scarce labor
and materials, to be quickly and efi1-
ciently performed If the initiative Is
left with host of local authorities
widely varying In size, needs and ca
pacity 70 plan ahsad7
Evening star., 1945-01-18

From the uelpet osier and the purple
DilloW,
From slender cat-tail leaues, peeled bark
OF trees
Apache fingers ,Deaue a strength en-
during
As brape's thigh muscles, tendons OF
his knees.
She kno,os roots from the stoamp and
Woodland berries
Make tadeless dye; knolus feathers she
1DiI pluck
Can make her basket bright. Beware,
iDoodpecker,
Gold -glinting oriole and mallard ducki
She tnterlnces treasures OF tradition,
The ,oorded je,Dels spoken By her race:
She ,oedues the lightning, rainbow, foip-
ing water,
The prayers that luminnte her Indian
face. ROSE MYRA PHILLIPS.
Evening star., 1945-01-18
They Go Too Far

recommendations to close school
buildings to all nonschool activities
outside of school hours go entirely
too far.
They seem to have been presented
to the Commissioners, who passed
them on to the Board of Education
and the District Recreation Board,
without sufficient inquiry either as
to fuel and light conservation meas
ures already effected in the schools
and without much show of apprecla-
tion of the value of activities TO be
discontinued The boards are cor
rect in not accepting the recommen-
dations in toto. exercising their own
judgment as to what further con-
servation steps should be taken
without impairing really useful COM
munity activities.
1t is apparently impossible to
compute the actual savings in fuel
and light to result from shutting
down nonschool activities in school
buildings. Nor would it be fair to
demand, in large-scale program for
fuel conservation, that each conSer-
vation measure be justified in terms
of fuel saved. 1t is the total result
of many savings that really counts.
At the same time, the value of ac-
tivities discontinued is important.
Some of the "recreational" activities
In school buildings, meetings of civic
and community associations, ETC.,
taken as whole, represent a highly
important element in the life of the
wartime community. They are far
more essential, for instance. than
most of the forms of indoor COM
mercial entertainment and recrea-
ton which absorb manpower, heat
and light in excess of what are re-
quired to maintain a few school
buildings.
The recommendations were drawn
without consulting the Recreation
Board or the Board of Education,
charged with the conduct of activi-
ties which would be discontinued.
They imply waste, when as mat
ter of fact there has been a vigorous
conservation campaign in the schools
for a year or more. To carry the
recommendations into effect would
mean an unestimated saving in fuel
and light, but at cost in COM
munity activities wholly out OF pro-
portion to the value of the econ
omies.
Evening star., 1945-01-18
The Russian Offensive
By Maj. Georse EeIdins Eliot

The Russian winter offensive gives the
impression of being in truly massive
strength, long and thoroughly prepared.
Already it has spread north of Warsaw,
ana has not only retaken the Polish
capital itself but has overrun the Polish
centers of Radon and Kielce and pene-
trated to Czestochowa, only Is miles
from the eastern frontier of Germany.
The Silesian industrial region-actu-
ally far more important military OBJ
jective than the ruins of Warsaw-is
thus within the Russian reach within
a week of the launching of the first
drive by Marshal Konev's army group.
The manner in which the Russian
advance has spread over wide front
from East Prussia down to the Car
pathians means that the Russian high
command is putting forth its full power,
making bid for decision. German
resistance seems stronger on the East
Prussian front itself-where the Rus
slams have as yet made no claims Of
progress-than 1t is elsewhere, and the
conclusion is difficult to avoid that the
Germans must have shifted troops from
Central Poland down to the Danube in
their abortive attempt to relieve their
garrison in Budapest.
Here again is evidence that the over
all fighting power of Germany has not
been underestimated, as some observers
too heavily concluded at the time the
German attack in the Ardennes began.
y 4
It is not strong and confident Ger
many which launches two weak counter
attacks, has both of them beaten back
in bloody and costly defeat, and then
finds itself unable to resist attack on
still more important sector because of
its expenditures in one Of these failures.
The German high command has been
leading from weakness, not from
strength; 1t has struck out in despera-
ton, almost blindly, seeking somehow
to stave off for few days the final
time of reckoning. But it Is doubtful
If, on net balance, it has won even that
little delay either In the east or in the
west.
The Russians have not been pre-
vented from launching their tremen-
dous offensive, or delayed In It; indeed
it would appear that they have been
aided by the German transfers to the
Danube. And in the west, there are
strong hints that new Allied offensives
are in the making which may be equally
assisted by German losses, to no pur-
pose, In the battle OF the Ardennes.
It should, OF course, be kept In mind
that the major Russian objective now
q always y not the capture Of this city
Evening star., 1945-01-18
Warsaw Retoken

There could be no better measure
of the decline of the Nazis than the
Red Army's capture of Warsaw. This
was the first of Europe's capitals to
be taken by Hitler in the war, and
now that he has lost it-after hav-
ing held it and terrorized it for more
than five years-we can see with spe-
cial clarity how all his past victories
have been cancelled out and how his
evil sway, which once threatened
not merely the continent but the
whole world, has been broken and
pushed back until today it darkens
little more than the soil of Germany
itself.
Militarily, coupled with the power
full Russian advance in the south
toward strategically vital Silesia, and
coupled also with operations to the
north in and around East Prussia,
WarsaW's deliverance is a develop
ment of the greatest Importance,
suggesting the possibility that the
enemy's defensive position through
out Poland may be hammered into
rapid collapse and that the next
Nazi stand may have to be some
where near the line of the Oder we'll
within the prewar territory of the
Reich-a stand that will have to
be made simultaneously with one
against our Allied armies in the west,
hopeless stand against a steadily
closing wise.
To the extent that it thus graphi-
cally emphasizes the growing des-
peration of the overall German po-
sition, the Red Army's capture of
the Polish capital is cause for re-
ioicing, but the people there cannot
be expected to react to the event in
quite the same spirit as did the peo-
pie of Rome and Paris when they
were liberated. For too many Poles
have died violent deaths in Warsaw
during the long and terrible years of
Gestapo control-terror by day and
night, mass murder, mass deporta-
ton, Nazi savagery in its worst and
most primitive form. Largely a
shambles today, made more so dur
ing General Boris heroic but tragi-
cally futile uprising last summer, it
is a city with grief and horror
burned too deep in it's memory to
permit it to feel any great measure
of happiness now.
Moreover. the people of Warsaw
probably find their happiness fur
ther checked by the fact that they
themselves are sharply divided be-
tween the Soviet-sponsored Lublin
regime and the exile government in
London. 1t is a bitter thing that
this split exists, but 1t exists none
Evening star., 1945-01-18
This Changing World
Bv Consfanfine Brocn

Warsaw, the capital Of Poland, which
has been captured by the Russians, is
now only symbol of Polands resistance
and the Germans ruthlessness Before
the German armies attacked it in 1889
the city had population Of 100000;
now 1t has less than 10000. Only is
per cent Of the houses and public build
ings of that once most beautiful city are
standing, and few of them are habitable
The Lublin provisional government,
which was given by Premier Stain the
privilege of first announcing the liber-
alton Of the former capital In order to
dispel any illusions that the Soviet
government might change its stand in
regard to the government in exile, does
not expect to establish itself in Warsaw.
Negotiations are under way through
neutral channels to persuade the Ger
man high command to declare Krakow,
the ancient capital of Poland, an open
city. Should the Germans agree, this
city will become the temporary capital
of Poland for at least generation-the
minimum time estimated to rebuild
Warsaw.
The fall of Warsaw was expected from
the moment 1t was obvious that the Red
armies were attacking the Germans with
the bulk of their forces.
Military observers are now satisfied
that the Russian offensive is not make
believe, although they cannot yet fore
see the final result Of these huge oper-
ations which the German commentators
describe as the most gigantic ever car
ried out by the Russians.
y
The struggle in the east can be COM
pared with boxing match in which one
Of the fighters has tremendous wallop,
while his agile opponent with less punch
is jumping about and maneuvering in
the ring in the hope of avoiding the
knockout blow.
The Red armies are advancing In mass
formations supported by large artillery
and tank forces. So far the Wehrmacht
has offered only heavy rear-guard re-
Evening star., 1945-01-18

or that, but the destruction of the Ger
man Army, or substantial part of it.
The Germans appear to have given way
on the PLAIN west of the Vistula, but
there is no certainty as yet of the ex-
tent to which they have suffered losses
in prisoners and material.
The immediate prospect is the COL
lapse Of the whole German defensive
system in Poland and Slovakia, and it
remains to be seen just where and how
the Germans will seek to stabilize
new defensive zone in the east, or
whether they can do so at all. 1t may
be that they can hold on the Oder;
certainly if they can they will make a
fight for the industries of Silesia. as
they already have fought to defend
those of the Ruhr and the Saar. But
for the time being the situation is fluid,
the initiative is In the hands of the
Russians, and We can only guess at the
events of the immediate future.
Meanwhile, in the south, the German
resistance inside Budapest appears to
be drawing to a close, which will have
the effect of releasing Russian ener-
SICS 1OI d LII tllcl dOfdilCc dSIIlOc Cllc
Danube toward Vienna and northward
to link up with the northern Russian
armies. as already suggested, by way of
the Moravian gate.
1t seems doubtful whether the Ger
mans can find the strength to with
stand general Russian advance along
the whole eastern front, such as now
appears to be in progress, until that
advance has gone much farther than
1t now has; and German ability to sta
bilize new solid front in the east and
southeast will certainly be conditioned
on the ability of the German high COM
mand to save enough troops from the
debacle to make such a stand when the
lengthening of Russian lines of supply
and the shortening OF their own tends
to restore once more a condition of
equilibrium as far as logistics are con-
cerned.
Here again is the perennial German
problem manpower. They are using
the old men and the boys now, have
been using them for months. But as a
British commentator sagely remarks,
cradle and grave can be robbed but
once. The Germans can, make machines,
but they cannot make men; and they
are losing their opportunities to use
the machines their devilish ingenuity
has devised because they lack the men
to defend the German soil upon which
the machines must be based.
tcopyrishk is4B3
Evening star., 1945-01-18

sistance. AS in the preceding months
since 1943, the Germans are yielding
ground rapidly and are avoiding de-
cisive battle. They hope they will delay
the Russians for six weeks, when the
spring thaw sets in and large-scale Of
fensive operations will be impossible
until May or June.
Unless the Russian avalanche of men
and gun and tank power is SO terrific,
some military observers believe that the
Germans who have not been taken by
surprise by the Red offensive, are pre-
pairing a limited counteroffensive on
some section of the 600-mile front. They
cannot, OF course, hope to win, but they
can hope to delay the advance of the
Russian steamroller The main German
resistance, however, must be expected to
take place behind the fortifications
which have been built on the eastern
front since 1887 and have been greatly
improved by Gen. Fritz Todt, German
military engineer who was responsible
for the system Of Notifications known as
the West Wall
X 4 \ X
So far the encounters between the
Russian and German armies have not
been spectacular. With the exception
of the bitter battles in East Prussia and
the side show" in Budapest, the Ger
man armies apparently had been with
drawn from their positions some time
before the start of the Soviet offensive.
Aside from the troops fighting rear
guard actions and the demolition bat
talions which are destroying everything
in their path the Russians have not yet
met any definitely organized German re-
sistance as we had last summer in Nor
mandy. There still is some sort of a
vacuum between the two forces. The
Germans are evacuating hundreds of
populated localities as soon as a delay
ing action has been fought and the de-
molition squads have done their job.
But so far the resistance has been slight
and no really large German forces have
been engaged in battle.
Evening star., 1945-01-18

The vast operations performed for
national defense under the Reconstruc-
ton Finance Corp. and its subsidiary
corporations, which in turn are admin
istered by Secretary Of Commerce Jones,
are revealed today in report by Mr..
Jones to the President and Congress
The extent to which Government has
entered business through these finan-
cial operations is enormous. The fact
that these operations have been vital
to the Nations defense and the prose-
cution of the war does not lessen the
ness, nor entirely remove the possibility
that Government will remain in busi-
ness for years to come. The problems
which will arise on conclusion of the
war, with respect to these operations
and the final disposition of the huge
plants constructed with Government
money, are many.
Mr.. Jones. first as chairman of the
RFC and then as Federal Loan Ad-
ministrator, and finally as Secretary
OF Commerce, with the combined duties
OF all these offices, has been the di-
recting force behind these huge finan-
cial operations. Although 1t has been
rumored that he is to be dispossessed
AS Secretary of Commerce in order to
repay Vice President Wallace for his
campaign activities in behalf Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, it seems incredible that
Mr.. Jones will not be retained to handle
these loan agencies and their subsidi-
aries in the future. Under him the
whole huge fabric has developed, with
great efficiency. 1t was by executive
order in February. 1912, that the duties
Of the Federal Loan Agency and its ad-
ministrator were transferred to the De-
partment of Commerce. BY another
executive order the President could
separate these duties from the depart
ment and leave Mr.. Jones in complete
control of them.
Authorizations by the subsidiary cor
porations together with RFC direct
commitments for war purposes have
amounted in round figures to $32 .300,-
600 900. The disbursements made have
been in excess of $4,000, 100000, and
repayments of loans and advances, COL
lections of rentals and part payments on
plants and equipment and proceeds of
sales of materials have totalled $780,
600 900. The disbursement figure in
cludes sl,400, 100000 for direct subsidy
payments, under the Price Control Act
OF 1912 as amended to increase or
maintain strategic or critical materials.
Breaking down this overall picture, it
is shown that great synthetic rubber
industry has been created by these
Government operations capable of pro-
Evening star., 1945-01-18
4 Distinguished Chairman

The American Planning and Civic
Associations Committee of One
Hundred on the Federal City is to be
congratulated on obtaining. as its
new chairman, so distinguished an
American as Associate Justice Owen
]. Roberts.
The Washington community should
be included in the congratulations
The aims of the Committee of One
Hundred, in the development of
Washington as the American Capt.
tai, are shared by local residents.
This partnership has been effective
in the past and will extend into A
future bright with hope for a more
beautiful and a more livable city.
The Committee of One Hundred
came into being in 1922, when WASH
ington was suffering from the blight
ing aftermath of another war. It
was instrumental in obtaining legis-
lation creating the original Park and
Planning Commission and approval
of the Capper-Cramton park-pur-
chase law. two important milestones
in Washington development. It's
reorganization now is in preparation
for many important undertakings of
the future. such as urban redevelop-
ment, which the end of the war will
make possible. All Americans inter-
ested in the planned development of
our future Capital will applaud the
selection Of Justice Roberts to carry
forward the work so we'll begun
under Frederic A. Delano whom he
succeeds.
Evening star., 1945-01-18

theless, and because of it the liberia
ton of the Polish capital, despite its
immense military significance, loses
much of the luster and promise it
would otherwise have. The situation
constitutes a challenge to the wisdom
and good will of all parties con-
cerned, particularly Russia and the
rival factions of Poles.
Evening star., 1945-01-18

needed for both China and ourselves.
"As OF this date" he admits, "China's>
house has leaky roof and a shaky
foundation. Whether or not that
house can be put in order is ques-
tion mark" Nevertheless, he stresses
the necessity of supporting Chang
Kai-shek, who is the only leader with
sufficient prestige, an organized
party machine and an army needed
to carry China through its present
ordeal.
Evening star., 1945-01-18
Blames Churches for War
To the Editor Of The Star:

Blames Churches for War
To the Editor of The Star:
The millions Of dollars which the
churches are raising for war relief can
not restore the moral and spiritual
wreckage of World War II from which
humanity might have been saved II
the Government and the churches of
the United States had not rejected
membership for this Nation in the
League of Nations, which was offered
to the United States by the Peace
Treaty of Versailles
WILLIAM H. HARGROVE.