davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-01-12

may make it dificult to proceed with q
general mobilization in the near future.
After Frances defeat in 1910 the Ger
mans demanded abolition Of all recruit
Ing stations and the destruction of the
recruiting files. The Petain government
complied with this request Today the
French authorities have no files from
which they can obtain information to
send out individual mobilization slips.
Moreover, Frances manpower has been
seriously impaired. It is generally ac-
cepted that no country can mobilize
more than 10 per cent Of its population.
France, with population OF 10000 900,
could call to the colors 100000 men,
This is the basic military strength of the
nation. The various classes es"-young-
sters OF military age-are called up in
the course of a war to fill the gaps
caused by losses.
But today no fewer than 5000, 900 able
bodied Frenchmen, who normally would
be in the service, are in Germany either
as prisoners OF war or as slave workers
in German factories Moreover, France
lost many men in the war between 1899
and 1910. During the four years of
German domination living conditions
were SO bad that today many youngsters
who normally would be ready for induc-
ton as replacements are not fit for
military duty.
4
The 10000 to 100000 men and a
sprinkling of women who comprise the
FIJI and the Maquis are a large per-
centage of the total that France can
muster for service at this time. But
whether the independent forces of
resistance which are organized in small
groups and have their own leaders would
permit themselves to be drafted into the
regular French army is still debatable
question.
So far Gen. de Gaulle has failed to
make any real progress with these cou-
rageous but independent groups. They
accept the overall leadership of the gen.
eral staff but insist on preserving their
own identity. They are Of real assistance
to the American forces which have
Isolated the Germans at Lorient, Bor-
deaux and other places where the enemy
mas not yet surrendered, but are hardly
more than well-organized guerrillas hav-
ing all the advantages and disadvantages
of such formations.
Evening star., 1945-01-12

In 1872, the capital became the in
tellectual center as well as the seat
Of the government Of Hungary.
Progress was consistent until the
First World War. Between 1914 and
1924 a long-continued tragedy oc-
CURED. Communists temporarily
took charge in 1918. and a Romanian
Army looted what was left in 1919.
Thereafter there was much suffering
from industrial dislocation and polit-
ical confusion mirrowing the distress
of the unemployed, yet the tradi-
tional Magyar spirit did not die
even when Hitler's baneful shadow
fell across the city. Budapest, its
friends believe, is community fore
ordained by nature. 1t will survive.
Evening star., 1945-01-12
This Changing World
By Constantine Broom

Doubts are being expressed in in
formed military quarters that the
French government will be able to pro-
ceed with general mobilization of the
French forces and provide a stronger
army to support the American and
British forces on the western front
At this time the French armies, fight
ing in Alsace between the 7th Army
and the Swiss border, represent the
maximum French military effort. The
divisions comprise about rs per cent
African troops and 25 per cent European
French.
The men under Gen. Delattre de Tas-
signy were equipped with American
war material and trained in North
Africa soon after the arrival of the
American-Britishf forces in November
1943. At that time Gen. Eisenhower
expected to organize about Is divisions.
When the Allies arrived the French
manpower potential was suficient to
justify Gen. Eisenhower's optimistic
outlook. There we're enough fully
trained officers and Algerians, Moroc-
cans, Tunisians and Senegalese who had
basic training to provide force of at
least 100000 men. Political considera-
tions, such as the dispute between Gen.
de Gaulle and Gen. Giraud, which end
ed in the latter being deposed of his
command, made Washington unwilling
to ship to North Africa all the war
material necessary for such a large
force
Instead the French were provided
with enough equipment for about 100, 600
men, who gave an excellent account of
themselves in Tunisia, Italy, and now
in France. The majority of the present
French army, however, is composed of
natives of Africa.
After the spectacular drive of Field
Marshal Won Rundstedt it became obvi-
Gus that the Allied forces would have to
be strongly reinforced and be provided
with more strategic reserves And since
France intends to play prominent role
in European postwar developments. it is
only logical that she should be asked to
contribute larger number of men for
the Allied victory.
There is no desire on the part of the
French government to quibble on this
matter: But there are handicaps which
Evening star., 1945-01-12
Not Too Severe

There may be good reasons sup
porting the proposals to construct
apartment houses for members
OF Congress. But Representative
Sabath's statement that Congress-
men are being held up and robbed"
by high rentals here is not one of
them. While there may be dis
position to make that charge, in
order to convince the folks back
home that congressional apartments
must be built, the charge may BOOM
erang. 1t will boomerang because
the cost of the construction and
operation of the congressional apart
ments will be compared with the
rental paid by the Congressman. And
everybody knows there will be def
icit and everybody knows that the
deficit will be coughed up by the
taxpayers.
The lack of adequate living quar-
ters in Washington Is serious. There
are landlords who may be waxing
fat, during this emergency, at the
cost of helpless tenants. But Wash
ington landlords are governed by a
rent control law which has been
generally satisfactory. There is
ceiling on rentals which it is unlaw-
full to exceed, and any tenant forced
to go above the ceiling has recourse
to the rent commission. 1t is not the
high rent which is the trouble, but
the difficulty of finding any place to
live.
1t is gratifying to see that local
real estate men, hotel men and
others, with Representative Ran
dolph's helpful cooperation, are
pooling resources in an effort to ac-
commodate new members of Con-
gress. But if only thirty out of the
eighty eight members solicited in
dicated any desire to receive such
assistance, the difficulties facing new
members cannot be as severe as one
would suppose.
Evening star., 1945-01-12
On the Record
By Dorothy THOMPSON

The Presidents message to Congress
Is the most important declaration he
has made since the war began. It was
plainly made not only for the American
people, but for the world. It was a.
speech to ease strains between the
Allies, to temper criticisms, to reafhrm
mutual trust.
But 1t was a great deal more than
this. Without aggressiveness and with
great prudence, 1t was a declaration of
American policy, and one which brought
great encouragement to at least this
listener and reader.
Regarding the American attitude to-
ward our Allies and Europe the Presi-
dent, while recognizing that power and
its use is inseparable from the very
concept Of politics, defined and delimited
its function. I'VE cannot deny that
power is factor :. But in democratic
world, as in democratic nation, power
must be linked with responsibility and
obliged to defend and justify itself with
in the framework of the general good"
This is statement of principle, in the
sense OF what principles are for: To
furnish standard against which each
act of power can be measured 1t is not
sufficient to demonstrate that this or
that nation has the de facto power to
do as 1t chooses; it is not sufIicent that
all the Allied Nations together should
have the power to crush their enemies,
and do with them as they like. Power
Is misused if it cannot be justified with
reference to its effect on the general
good-of mankind
That almost Immediately thereafter
the President warns against perfection
ISM" and admits that not all nations
interpret the general good in the same
terms. is a plea against defeatists who
are ready to throw up the sponge over
each dissatisfaction. 1t is a warning
that though the perfect be our goal we
can do the right only as God gives us
to see the right; perfection, like Justice
in the words of George Eliot-"is not
without us as fact, 1t is within us as
a great yearning," and the struggle
toward it is not to be achieved by some
single historical event, such as victory
in a war.
Thus the President returned to the
Evening star., 1945-01-12
BrudIey's EvuIuution

Lieutenant General Omar N. Brad
ley, commander of the Twelfth Army
Group, has now added his voice to
that of Field Marshal Montgomery
to salute the heroisn and skill of the
American soldier and to give us
balanced evaluation of Won Rund-
stedt's thwarted counteroffensive in
Belgium and Luxembourg.
In the early days of the Nazi thrust,
more than one excited commentator
described it as the worst blow in
flicted upon our arms since Pearl
Harbor and there was much loose
talk about "blundering" generalship
and the need for a far-reaching
shake-up in our Allied command.
General Bradley, however, with the
sure touch of genuine military ex-
pert, shows how exaggerated such
views were and how greatly they
misrepresented the real situation.
"The actual timing of the attack and
It's strength" he says, "were some
what OF surprise" Montgom-
cry has called a tactical SURPRISE
but in the overall strategical plan
ming and the disposition of troops
1t had been anticipated and reckoned
with. For the build-up of German
forces in the Ardennes area had
been observed for some weeks prior
to the opening of the battle, and the
decision was deliberately made to
let our line there be lightly held
a calculated risk" designed to
strengthen our northern and south
ern drives and based on the judg-
ment that the terrain of the region
contained no strategic objectives and
would permit our forces to meet and
stop any move by Won Rundstedt
before it could do much damage"
"This is exactly what has hap
pened," General Bradley declares,
and although he does not minimize
the hard fighting still to be done, he
holds out the promise that the out
come may materially reduce the en-
emy's ability to resist from now on.
The calculated risk" in other
words, was sound and profitable
one, like many others taken since
the landings in Normandy-part of
the general Allied policy of audacity,
without which I'VE would still be
fighting west of Paris" Taken to-
gether with what Marshal Mont
gomery has hac1to say on the sub
1ect, the views Of the connmander
Evening star., 1945-01-12
Prayer

He loped peaceful things; candle light
that lay
An amber pool beside his easy chair,
Dusk that softly purpled the edge of
day,
His ,Don,dn Dith a fotDer In her hair,
Her hands about good, honey tasks, ths
soft
And sibilant shutting OF fallen leaves,
A hen that nested In the old barn loft,
And pigeons honing underneath the
eGueS
He loved all peaceful things; God grant
that he
Lies IN spot ,rhere gentle things t0iu
pass,
Where plo,rs piu turn dark FURIOUS
dotrn lea
AM tsyEshes tyil n felds Of blus
et1r-0rGss.
ALMA RoBIsoN HIdBEN.
Evening star., 1945-01-12
Middle-Danube Campaign
By Maj. George Fieldine Eliot

The stubborn German resistance in
Budapest and the decision of the Ger
man high command to send considerable
forces Of armored and other elite troops
to attempt to relieve the German garri-
son in that city, indicate the Importance
which the Germans attach to the Rus
sian campaign in Hungary.
Incidentally, Of course, this decision
which must have been an extremely
painful one for the Germans, consider
ing the fact that Won Rundstedt must
at that moment have been planning his
attack in 4the west-attests the sound
strategic judgment of the Russian high
command in deciding 10 make the long,
difficult detour around the CarpathianS
and up through Hungary.
1t has taken long time, but It Is
getting to the place where it hurts.
where the Germans are compelled, at
considerable sacrifice, to do something
about it, or at least to make good try.
There seems to be some lack of under
standing about what the Russians have
been trying to do during the fall and
summer. Occasionally there appears
some comment to the effect that the
Russians may be delaying their cam
paign for political reasons, or at least
are not putting their full weight in the
Allied military boat
~ \
1t may, therefore, be well to review
the military situation on the eastern
front since the conclusion of the Russian
major offensive Of last summer.
1t will be remembered that this opera
ton brought the Russian armies to the
borders of East Prussia and to the
middle Vistula and to the foothills Of
the Carpathian Mountains. East Prus-
sia and the Carpathians constituted
powerful natural bastions.
The center between thena-the trans
Vistula region Of Central Poland--looked
soft, but in fact an attempt to pene-
trate it would have meant the pushing
OF Russian armies and a vast mass of
material into narrow gap between two
heavily fortified German military areas,
and would almost certainly have led to
disaster unless the Russians were strong
enough to do 1t while launching power
full attacks against both the flank bas-
tions as well.
The state Of the Russian supply
system did not permit such extensive
offensive operations at that time. The
Russians had advanced far beyond their
railroads, into an area In which the
existing railways were Of different
gauge than their own, and therefore had
to b completely rebuilt before they
would become available for the supply
q lar0e-scale operation1.
Evening star., 1945-01-12
Budapest

Budapest, the. capital of Hungary
which the armies of Soviet Russia
are taking street by street, has seen
other conquerors in ages past. The
original settlement of the neighbor-
hood was effected by a people lost
to history. A Roman colony, in
tended as an outpost of the empire
OF the Caesars, collapsed before a
tidal wave of barbarians, also uni
Identified. From 376 AID. until near
the close OF the ninth century records
are scant and fragmentary. The
sandy plain of Pest is known to have
been inhabited during that period,
but no one can be sure by whom.
Slavonic tribes, it seems, came and
went. The Magyars remained. BY
1241 their metropolis was important
enough to attract the Mongols-and
destruction.
The modern Buda was established
by King Bella w. He also patronized
the town of Pest, bringing in Ger
man merchants and other foreign
erS" to develop it's commerce. The
two communities were rivals, yet
recognized common destiny. Buda,
standing on rock above the Danube,
was chosen the administrative center
OF the nation in 1861. Pest, coinci-
dentally, grew in wealth as one of
the principal markets of Europe.
The Crusaders contributed to the
prosperity of both. But the riches
of the two cities again brought in
vaders from the, East. Pest was
captured and sacked by the Turks
in 1926, and Buda suffered like fate
in 1541. Ottoman pashas kept con-
troll of both sides of the river until
1686-by which date little was left
save ruins.
A renaissance, however, was in
evitable. The site is strategic. Maria
Theresa and Joseph II, realizing
that truth, stimulated rebuilding and
expansion. Buda reflected French
influences. Pest was more definitely
Teutontc. United Ia one munictpality
Evening star., 1945-01-12
This and That
BY Charles E. Trace,peu
NEW HAMPSHIRE Avr

Dear Sir: ~ AVE-
we are colleagues in sense-we are
both reporters-but you are UNIQUE in
tnat you are reporter naturalist not
excened at your best by Peattie.
"All right. Then:
again (after some years. have a.
tank. Or rather my wife has.
Il. The goldfish rise to surface as If
oxygen-hungry. Water changed every
48 hours.
2: They land our tropical black
knight) are becoming white.
3. Black large snails are becoming
is 1t the chemical in the water? Or
what? What to do? Please answer.
Sincerely, BAUKHAGE."
p. 81 also protest (violently) cur
tallment OF your column"
~
Since Mr., Baukhage happens to be
our 1aVorlte radio commentator, we hope
our experience with fishkeeping in the
nome aquarium will be Of some service
to him.
He keeps track daily of the queer
nsn IN the international political scene.
and no doubt finds the small swimmers
OF the tank a great relief and salts
faction at times.
IL Is amazing, at first thought, how
many professional men, including doc
tors, md solace in the care of q glass
tank filled with pet fishes.
On second thought it Is easy to see
why. The aquarium provides world in
miniature, replete with life, and COM
plete in itself. He who is interested
IN life must be interested in it. Many
a man has discovered the fatal fascina-
ton OF the little glass world on the
living room table.
Today's lack of fuels, with colder
rooms, makes fish keeping much more
dimcult. Tropical fishes should never
be kept lower than 10 degrees, and
basic minimum OF IA degrees is better.
1t is difficult even to get electrical
heating units for the home aquarium.
Something may be done with small
lamp backed up to one end of the
tank.
The goldfish, happily, stands much
coioer water, but even it Is much upset
by the large amount of chemicals used
today, and too sudden changes.
Goldfish and tropical specimens should
never be kept together. Their care is
entirely different.
Goldfish bowls and tanks may be
changed every day, provided the water
Is the same temperature, and had been
allowed to stand overnight In order to
get rid Of the chlorine.
White spot on fishes is usually the
famous "ick," parasite disease.
The best remedy Is to raise the tenn
perature of the tank to at least rs
degrees, or even 30, and keep it there.
This disease is sometimes called the
pepper and salt disease
The cause of the attack is ALWAYS
chill, according to William r. Innes
OF Philadelphia, the great authority
-Four drops of per cent mercuro-
chrome per gallon, along with con-
t1nued heat, ought to effect a cure.
Some have found the addition of COM
mon table salt effective, one rounded
teaspoonful per gallon. Snails should
be taken out and kept in clear water.
Too many fishes per gallon, water
too cold or changing too much over.
night too much food and unclean tank
these are some of the causes of diff
Guilty in home fishkeeping. He who
aspiree to rule q world, even In mini
ature. must expect to have many
EkOU04EBs
Evening star., 1945-01-12

The Russians, therefore, in August,
attempted to carry the smaller of the
two German protective bastions-East
Prussia-by sudden assault. It soon
became clear that this would not be
possible either. The Russians therefore
quite properly broke of the attack,
since they could hardly wish to become
involved in heavy fighting amongst the
lakes, forests and marshes of East
Prussia during the autumn rains.
Unable to make the general attack
which would permit an attempt to pene-
trate the center, unable to take the
northern bastion by storm, the Russians
turned to the only possible remaining
course-the outf1anking of the southern
baStion, the Carpathians.
The Russian high command must
have taken this decision with some
reluctance. 1t involved a great loss of
time because Of the distances and the
low-capacity supply routes; it likewise
involved the thankless and costly task
of maintaining local pressure. along the
remainder Of the front in order to pre-
vent too great shift of German re-
serves to the south. But 1t had to be
done unless the Russians were simply to
sit down and wait for the winter freeze,
which would have meant free gift of
four or five months OF time to the
German high command, in which they
would be undisturbed along their whole
eastern front, and would be suffering no
losses. Moreover, there were political
objectives IN prospect for Balkan
campaign which would represent heavy
losses for the Germans.
The Russians therefore shifted their
main effort to their left flank and COM
menced the series of operations which
have at last brought them to the Hun
garian Plain and to the Middle Danube,
threatening Vienna and Bratislava
threatening likewise the approaches
from the south Of the important Silesian
industrial region.
1t is hard to see what other summer
decisions on the part Of the Russian
high command could have produced
midwinter results as satisfactory from
the point Of view Of the overall Allied
strategy. II any one who entertains
doubts on this subject will ask himself
what might have happened II Won
Rundstedt had possessed, Ia his initial
attack toward Liege, the armored di-
visions which must even then have
been assembling for the counterattack
northwest of Budapest. he win have :
reasonably sat iafactoEy answer 70 hts
- .A1w&
Evening star., 1945-01-12

OF the Twelfth Army Group should
serve for some time to instill bet
ter sense Of proportion in ali those
people who are prone to Jump too
fast to Cassandra-like conclusions
whenever our forces suffer setbacks
anywhere.
Evening star., 1945-01-12
A Blood Donors Reyerie

~ DIOOu AOlOT NeVer1e
To the Editor of The Star:
My blood arrived in France today!
1t was so easy for me. The hardest
part was waiting our turn for the tests.
An 18-year-old girl near me, armed
with permission from her guardian, con-
fessed that she was scared.
eve all are the first time, and don't
let any one tell you different" the
volunteer worker said. I noticed q
gallon badge on her uniform.
Then thought about the man who
would receive my blood. How does he
feel before battle? Does the knowledge
that every one has the jitters before
battle comfort him as we were helped
by the assurance that every one is
scared the first time?
Who will he be, wonder: That man
who will receive strength from my blood,
that man who will be alive on January
4, 1855, because visited the donor
center on January 1, 1945? What will
he be doing 10 years hence?
Perhaps his education in medicine
was interrupted by the war and he will
resume it again and become physician,
himself saving lives. Maybe I shall be
able to buy a juicy steak because he is
saved to raise food for the Nation. He
may become research chemist, the
scientist who is to discover the cure for
cancer.
1t may be that know him. Possibly
ne is neighbor's boy from "back home"
who will see that home again because
of me-
Whoever and whatever he may be, he
Will not lie in Flanders Felds-because
my blood arrived in France today.
ANONYMOUS,