davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-04-20
Whistles of Willow

There is something about willow
whistle time that makes it a heart
warming season of year. Perhaps
this is because it is a fitting accom-
paniment to the songs of the birds,
the call of the Bob Whites, and the
alto symphony of the frogs at dusk
time. When a young, young man,
say of eight or ten winters, decides
to make himself willow whistle,
he may feel a need of musical self
expression to keep in tune with
nature.
There is an art to making a good
willow whistle. 1t is part of rural
folklore to know that the bes. wood
for a whistle comes from a tree
near a brook or down by the swamp.
A tree that has its roots in water
has more sap in it, and a lad knows
that a major secret in making a
good whistle is bark that will slide
easily. A branch about a half inch
in diameter and four inches long is
by common agreement the best size.
Tapping the bark loose is deli
cate operation. A boy uses the back
of his jackknife and goes round and
round the stick with firm but gen.
tie touch. If the stroke is too heavy
it will shred the bark: if too light
the bark layer will not loosen from
the wood. Comes the moment at
last and the bark cleaves from its
anchor. Then the notch must be
Evening star., 1945-04-20
The Death Throes

Today is the birthday OF the man
who once set out to make Germany
the master of the world for the next
one thousand years. Today, because
of him and because of their blind
and supine faith in him. the German
people see doom all over their land.
Militarily. though General Bradley
says his First, Third and Ninth
Armies must now pause temporarily,
the complete dissection of Germany
probably will be realized within a
matter of days through a junction
with the Russians. Meanwhile. ge-
ographically. the Reich is already
split in two by General Patton's
drive into Czechoslovakia. And po-
litically and morally, of course, as
exemplified yesterday by Goebbels'
barbaric call for the abandonment
of the rules of war, the bankruptcy
of Nazidom has long since been
obvious.
1t was only six years ago that the
Czechs gave up the Sudetenland to
appease Hitler at Munich. This was
to have guaranteed the peace of
Europe, but instead it served only
to whet the Nazi appetite for more
and more, and soon all of Czecho-
slovakia was lost. Soon, too, the
whole world was at war and the
Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe were
conquerors everywhere.
But the last chapter of the story
is now being written in letters of
flame, and the flame consumes the
conquerors. Six years ago, three
years ago, even two years ago,
Hitler still could claim to have won
something, and the German people
could believe him. But today, with
Patton in Czechoslovakia, with other
of EisenhoWer's Allied forces slicing
the whole country into isolated
pockets, with Berlin besieged, and
with the Russians pounding ahead
toward junction with us, Germany
is in it's death throes. and nothing it's
criminal leaders may say or do can
save it.
All that can be done now is
to rescue the Reich from further
wreckage, but Hitler refuses this;
he refuses to surrender; he chooses
to have the German armed forces
scattered and destroyed piecemeal
and to have German cities blasted
into rubble. He wants to leave be-
hind him nothing but ruins, stone
heaps, rats, epidemics, hunger and
death" And the marvel of it is that
top army commanders still obey him
and that the people of Germany
apparently do not intend to lift
finger to block his demoniacal course.
1t is as if the entire German
nation were snitten by suicidal
madness. BY every rule of reason
it should lay down its arms, but
it still fights on wherever it can.
Perhaps, in the long run, this will
help the peace of Europe and the
world, leaving Germany exhausted
and incapable of aggression for
many long years to come. In any
event, on this anniversary of Hitler's
birth. even the most thick-skulled
citizen of the Reich must understand
in full what the Bible means when
it warns that they who live by the
sword shall perish by it.
Evening star., 1945-04-20
The bikes Are Down!

Announcement that the German
occupation forces are blowing up
the great dikes to the Zuider Zee to
check Canadian and British forces
advancing across the Netherlands,
while anticipated, is none the less
distressing. It accentuates the
tragedy of the Dutch people and
must leave long legacy of destruc-
ton not easily reparable.
The tanning of the Zuider Zee was
the crowning achievement in the
age-old struggle waged by the in
domitable Dutch against their nat
ural enemy, the turbulent North
Sea. The zuider Zee, more than
1000 square miles in extent, was
formed in the thirteenth century,
when tremendous winter storms
tore a wide breach in the old
coastline and inundated the very
heart of the country. 1t likewise
imperiled the present provinces OF
North and South Holland, and much
of the adjacent province of Utrecht,
most of this area lying below mean
sea level. Only the fact that, by
that time, the Dutch had become
wealthy and prosperous enabled
them to set bounds to the encroach-
ing waters which would otherwise
have left only the dunes facing the
sea, turning them into series of
narrow islands like the West Frisian
chain which marks the prehistoric
coastline.
From rough beginnings, the pa
tient Dutch gradually perfected the
science of diking and draining which
secured their threatened western
lowlands and enabled them to flower
in their great age of the seventeenth
century, when tiny Holland built up
a powerful commercial and colonial
empire. Subsequent misfortunes gave
place, after the European settlement
of 1915, to more than a century of
peace and prosperity, broken only
when the Germans overran the
country in the spring of. 1910. BY
that time the Netherlands, with a
land area Of only $4,000 square miles
equivalent to the combined areas
of Massachusetts, and Connecticut)
| supported q population of nearly
Evening star., 1945-04-20
This Changing World
BY Constantine Br0vn

This weeks meeting here Of the for
eign secretaries Of the United States,
Great Britain and Russia is regarded in
diplomatic and political circles as a
momentous curtain-raiser for the San
Francisco Security Conference. Much
of the success of the West Coast corr
ference will depend on the decisions and
compromises which will be adopted dur
ing the discussions this week end and
early next week.
Contrary to general belief, the ques-
ton Of seating Polish representatives at
the security sessions viii nor form either
the main or the only topic If conversa-
tions. Nearly every one of the Yalta
agreements, together with number Of
questions which were regarded as hav-
ing been settled at the Big Three con-
ference, will be taken up again by the
foreign ministers of the three govern
ments.
The committee which was appointed
at Yalta to settle the question of broad
en1ng" the Polish provisional government
will work separately. Two of its men,
bers, the American Ambassador to Mos
cow w. Averell Hartman, and the Brit
ish Ambassador, Sir Archibald Clark
Kerr, arrived in Washington Wednesday
night and will hold preliminary con-
ferences with Secretaries Stettinius and
Eden.
-
Russian Foreign Cop1mlssar Molotov,
who was scheduled tc arrive later, will
supervise the meetings which will de-
eide finally the composition of the new
Polish government. But at the same
time, besides paying his respects to
President Truman, Mr.. Molotov will
hold a series of conferences with his
American and British colleagues regard
ing nearly all Of the subjects formally
or tentatively agreed on at Yalta.
Elections in Yugoslavia, which formed
Evening star., 1945-04-20
The Lond Beyond

When the last mile that must be ,non
IS tDon,
And ,Daues OF men surge up that final
beach,
When our last foe Is met and lies un.
done.
And all his lands spread tuu within
our reach,
Still from unconquered soil, from dna.
gered hill,
From countless cdpes up heights ue
haze not taken,
Our deadly foe looks out, his uengetM
till
Deep in the country Of the Dind, un-
shaken.
Then up, ,oise men, and meet those
hostile eyesl
Open the gates, armed only ,ith q
tD0rd,
And brnre that countryi Epery,ohere Il
lies,
orer long roots OF falsehood yet un-
stirred,
We must NTH patient plo,o reclaim for
truth
The barbed, ,oiid acres OF n,isplanted
youth!
ISABELLE BRYANs LoNGFEILoW.
Evening star., 1945-04-20

one Of the conditions Of Americas and
Britain's Endorsement Of the new Tito
government; the two nations position
in matters relating to Romania and Btu.
garia; the question Of the zones OF occu-
patton In Germany; in short, almost
everything that appeared settled at
Yalta may have to be revived and re-
appraised.
According to reports from Moscow, the
Russian government wants to learn the
views Of the new President of the United
States on large number of Yalta mat
ters which Premier Stain considers of
vital Importance. Some of them are
already known to the public, others are
described as tentative commitments
which Russia may interpret as equally
binding to the American Government.
In the meantime, Mr. Eden, who was
sent to represent Great Britain at
funeral services for President Roosevelt,
Is making complete survey of the new
American political scene. Besides his
conversation with President Truman, he
Is exploring the feeling and the views Of
the American Congress. Mr.. Eden had
a long session on Wednesday with the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
and addressed its members in lengthy
oh-the-record talk. He is said to have
expounded Britain's short and long
range political views regarding the situ-
alton in Europe and the Far East and
Is reported to have talked with a warmth
and frankness which favorably i'm
pressed both the Democratic and Re-
publican members
The gathering Of the foreign secre-
taries brought about by tragic circum-
stances is considered in official quarters
as likely to have good effect on the
World Security Conference.
\ X
Had not the meeting been arranged
at this time number of problems
concerning the Big Three principally
would have cropped up at San Fran
cisco and would have had to be argued
out under the scrutinizing eyes of the
representatives of 43 other nations.
Evening star., 1945-04-20
LeqoI Protection Needed

There can be no valid disagree
ment with the logical opinion of
Corporation Counsel Richmond B.
Keech, holding that municipal off,
cials are without legal authority to
permit sterilization of feeble minded
persons.
Such operations on some sixteen
inmates of the District Training
School since 1888 were performed,
no doubt, in their own and the
interests of the public and the
authorities seem to have gone to
great length to secure the unquali-
fed permission of parents or next of
kin before proceeding. In some cases,
it is understood, the operation meant
the difference between continued in
stitutional care and the safe return
to their homes of the subjects.
But as Mr.. Keech points out, fee
ble-minded persons become wards of
the state under statutes which
through the years have been drawn
to protect their civil rights as well
as their health. It may be that
sterilization can be demonstrated
beyond reasonable doubt to be a
humane and sensible course of treat
ment in many cases. But if that is
true, it should be recognized by law
and carefully devised projections
against it's abuse should be outlined
by statute. The mere fact that the
patients are themselves incompetent
requires this protection.
Evening star., 1945-04-20
The Underpoid Postmun

From the Minneapolis Star-Journal
The fellow who brings your mail needs
help. As your employe he's asking for q
raise. The officers of the corporation in
which you are shareholder-the United
States OF America-are considering 9
bill to give him permanent boost In
basic salary.
For 20 years the comparatively low
pay scale OF postal workers has remained
unchanged, save for the bonus author
lied by Congress in May, 1943, to COM
pensate in part for the rise in living
costs-and that bonus expires in June.
A faithful and underpaid class Of
public workers needs just wage treat
ment
Evening star., 1945-04-20
A Progressive Undertaking.

The Senate District Committed s
unanimous support of the hospital
center bill, sponsored jointly by
Chairman Bilbo and Senator Tyd-
ings, is in itself indicative of the i'm
provenents in the legislation
brought about by continued discus
sion and study.
AS the bill stands now and as
explained in Senator Tydings' ex-
cellent report given to the Senate
yesterday, the proposed 1,5OO-bed
center will represent the combined
undertaking of the National Gov
ernment and of the participating
voluntary hospitals, of which there
now are three-Emergency, Garfield
and Episcopal Eye, Ear and Throat.
Other voluntary hospitals may be-
come participants whenever they
desire and undoubtedly will do so.
The National Government would
advance funds for the original cap
ital outlay, of which the hospitals
would repay one-third, with inter-
est, and assume all expenses of
maintenance and operation. This
arrangement, as Senator Tydings
stated during the hearings, repre-
sentS solution of the very difficult
problem of financing. 1t is possible
that it will indicate the pattern for
Government aid in postwar hospital
construction, here and in other
communities. While there are con-
ditionS peculiar to Washington alone
which require Government assist.
ance, there is little doubt that after
the war there will be national leg
iSlation designed to set in motion a
great program of hospital construc-
tion the country over.
The philosophy behind the bill is
one which seeks to preserve the
character and the huge investment
of privately donated funds in non
profit, voluntary hospitals while at
the same time enlisting the support
Of Government in creating the more
adequate facilities which the people
will demand as result of advances
In medical science. The original
source of funds which created VOL
untary hoSpitals-great private for
tuneS-has been reduced by tax poll
cies and are no longer available.
Either the Government must assist
In new financing, leaving the opera
ton and maintenance to citizen
boards, or assume responsibility of
building and operating new hos
pitfalls, with the danger of an event.
ually complete socialization of hos
pital care.
AS Senator Tydings and distin-
guished list of witnesses testified,
more and better hospital facilities
must be provided for Washington.
There are not enough beds available
for the needs of the population and
many now in use are housed in
buildings that long ago outlived
their usefulness. The new hospitals
made available by Lanham Act
funds for George Washington and
Georgetown Universities, with the
universities contributing part of the
cost, would supply net increase of
only 470 beds as compared with an
estimated minimum need of more
than 1000.
The fine spirit of cooperation be-
tween the citizens representing the
voluntary hospitals and the men,
bers of the Senate District Commit
tee in working out the details of the
hospital center legislation has al
ready produced results and the able
personal leadership of Senator Tyd-
ings will go far to obtain Senate
approval of one of the most progress
sive steps for Washington ever un-
dertaken.
Evening star., 1945-04-20
Commends Poets Corner

oSeo N<ol A$l
To the Editor of The Star:
Each evening when come home from
the Library of Congress, I turn to your
editorial page, for always have been
interested in world affairs as they are
discussed by our leading columnists.
But your editorial page always has
a special feature which I read first
the lovely poem that always fits the
weather and the season of the year. I
feel, however, that I am just one OF
the many busy Government workers
who are delighted with these charming
bits of verse, so restful after hard
days routine. Please keep up this fea-
ture, as hundreds of us watch each
day to see who the next American
poet" will be.
In fact, I always have maintained
that our high school students should
have the opportunity Of having a year
of American literature, for we have as
many great American poets and novel;
lists as any other country ever has
produced. JULIA DRAKE.
Evening star., 1945-04-20

That Jap idea of signing peace in
Washington instead of Tokyo was
not so bad after all. 1t really would
be convenient to choose a place
where you could find table that
had not been smashed to pieces.
Evening star., 1945-04-20

At the risk of propounding fool
ish question. why has not some ge-
MUS thought of beating the curfew
by conducting day clubs for work.
ers on the night shift?
Evening star., 1945-04-20
Praise for Radio Coveraae

TO the Editor OF The Star:
May I say word of appreciation for
the part played by our radio stations
during the days following the death Of
the President?
Radio attained its full stature as an
instrument Of public service. Commend
able indeed was the dignif1ed and more
than adequate presentation of news,
and the tributes paid in the language
Of music, which, like Mr.. Roosevelt's
own scope, is universal.
MARIE B. SARKISSIAN,
Evening star., 1945-04-20
Wants False Accusers Punished

To the Editor OF The Star:
Recently there have been two cases
OF local women who have sought to
excuse their mistakes by claiming to
have been attacked by colored men.
No one knows how many innocent
men have suffered imprisonment and
death as q result Of this sort Of thing.
It Is the feeling Of many citizens that
the authorities should punish those who
endanger the lives OF innocent people
and the peace of the community.
e. B. HENDERSON.
Evening star., 1945-04-20
Naz1 COunterattaCks
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

The other day when the I'd Armored
Division had to withdraw from one OF
its bridgeheads across the Elbe, there
was quite little furry in this coun-
try. Headlines announced 18th Loses
Bridgehead." Several people stopped
this writer about town to ask: Its
bad, isn't it? We've suffered heavy
losses, haven't we?"
When it was explained that things
OF that sort always happen on an ex-
tended offensive front, and that local
reaction by enemy fighting groups must
always be expected and may even
achieve some local success under condi-
tions where our supply system is over
extended and our deployment wide.
most Of these questioners shook their
heads and looked skeptical
Now comes word of a German coun..
terattack against the northern flank of
the 9th Army which has achieved what
is called considerable penetration. We
can expect more headlines and more
head-shakings. But let us consider the
conditions under which this counter
attack has been launched
The 9th Army, with other armies OF
Gen. Bradley's 18th Army Group, has
ldSCo dSlOoo 1CI llOlu tllS fIlllllc
to the Elbe. It's advanced elements are
all along the Elbe River; 1t holds one
strong bridgehead across that river. But
1t is far from having consolidated its
hold on all the country to its rear. In
fact, between the main supply routes
which serve it and the 1st Army and
those which serve the Sd Army farther
south there is considerable pocket of
German resistance in the Harz Noun
tains, and probably there are other
German points of obstruction here and
there.
Under such conditions, 1t Is to be ex-
pected that the Germans will try, where
their local conditions permit, to make
counterattacks against the fanks of our
lines of supply, especially in areas where
these counterattacks can try to link up
with German centers of resistance
which are still holding out. A "penetra-
ton" in so fluid a situation has very
little meaning: what does count Is the
ability of the Germans to interfere with
the supply and reinforcement of our
forward elements. In other words it
means little for the Germans to rush
across the supply route and shoot up
a convoy or two: 1t only really counts
If they can establish themselves in a
position to interrupt the supply route
Evening star., 1945-04-20

These figures take on new signifi-
canoe when they are compared to SINH
lar results obtained earlier and consid-
cred in the light of recent develop
mentS.
In May of 1888 q Fortune survey
showed that 50 per cent of our people
approved Of Roosevelt's foreign policy
and despite the obvious storm clouds
gathering on the international horizon,
only SO per cent approved Of his rearm-
ament program. In September, 1889,
approval Of his foreign policy had Dip
ped slightly to 40 per cent. In that
same month this question brought these
results:
Considering Mr.. Roosevelt's six and
hall years In Office, on the whole do
you approve or disapprove of his record
as President?
Per cent.
approve 81
Don't 8
Many siarewd political observers think
Evening star., 1945-04-20
Appreciation for DR.. Brown

Appreciation for DR.. Brown
To the Editor of The Star:
Ihave just read the letter of DR.. Philip
Marshall Brown in The Star for April
in which he suggests that: "This is
a time for patriotic self-restraint and
generous consideration, and deplores
the general assault by editors and COM
mentators on the negotiations now going
on between Roosevelt, Churchill and
Stain. This pronouncement is the
most scholarly appraisal of this phase
of the international situation I have
read to date
Freedom of speech and of the press
too often mean silly adverse criticism of
the activities of responsible world fig
ures by those who simply don't know
what they are talking about.
Three cheers and then some more for
DR.. Philip Marshall Brown.
EDWARD M. SYPHAX.
Evening star., 1945-04-20
Final Roosevelt Poll
Bv Elmo ROber

President Roosevelt died close to the
very peak of public appreciation of his
policies and Of his conduct of both the
war and the home front.
On Monday of last week our inter-
viewers began, for this column, Ma
tion-wide survey of what was to have
been routine checkup Of public opin-
ion on various phases of attitudes to-
ward war and domestic problems. The
actual interviewing ended Thursday
the day of President Roosevelt's death.
One of the questions provided an op-
portunity for an overall appraisal of
his conduct OF the war to date and an
other provided the same opportunity
to judge his handling of home-front
problems. The answers, therefore, rep
resent the last critical analysis of our
people toward Mr.. Roosevelts admins
tration-unsoftened by the knowledge
Of his death.
The questions-and the answers they
produced-were:
On the whole, do you rate the job
President Roosevelt has done on home
problems connected with the war as
good, only fair, or poor?
Evening star., 1945-04-20
RIGHT!

From the st. Louis star-Times.
Koiso had lucid moment the other
day. He said the United States Is
bombing japanese cities.
Evening star., 1945-04-20

Many shrewd political observers think
Evening star., 1945-11-28

the variety of children for whom
this school Is designed, there is the
child with a definite, specific ambi-
ton, with his eye on certain COL
lege or technical school, and the
passing of its entrance exams a
must" The instructors at this
school will help him get primed for
these examinations.
The curriculum is arranged to
offer small classes, individual in
struction and supervised study. An
effort is made never to have more
than 10 students in class, and
tutoring occasionally augments the
regular classes. Biology, English,
history, mathematics, modern Ian
guages Including French, Spanish
! and German), social science and
Latin are the courses of study.
English is especially emphasized.
The instructors have varied and in
teresting backgrounds.
The classes run from October to
June; however, because of the set
up of the school, 1t is possible for
students to be accepted at any time
and receive credit upon completion
of the work. School is in session
Monday through Friday from am
to pm. Plans for summer school
are now being formulated. The
length of time a child attends the
school depends on the child-he
may attend only for brief inter-
val, or go entirely through junior
and senior high at the school
There is, of course, a fee involved