davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-09-22

atomic missiles that fell on Hiro-
shima and Nagasaki. but apparently
1t was not used in our other aerial
bombs, although 1t probably would
have been if the war had lasted
longer. It's significance in this re-
spect is that it can set off a bomb
above ground directly over the tar
get, thus greatly increasing the de-
structive blast effect. which might
otherwise be largely absorbed by the
earth or some heavy structure re-
ceiving a direct hit.
In sum, the proximity fuse" to-
gether with kindred contrivances
opening the way to such things as
guided, target-seeking long-range
rockets, is another powerful argu-
ment in support of lasting peace.
In itself as innocent and nonevil as
a household radio set, it is neverthe-
less In a class with atomic energy in
making the idea Of third world
war seem almost too ghastly even
to contemplate.
Evening star., 1945-09-22
The Proximity Fuse

General Somervell and Acting
Navy Secretary Hensel have now let
us in on yet another great secret of
the war. 1t is the proximity fuse"
which Mr.. Hensel describes as rank
ing next to the atomic bomb as the
most revolutionary development in
the field of military science.
In the sense that the fuse is
simply an adaptation of radar and
that radar itself is what ranks next
to the atomic bomb, Mr.. Hensel's
eValuatlon seems a bit misplaced,
but otherwise there can be no doubt
about what he says. For this new
device-used first by the Navy in
January of 1943 - unquestionably
changes all past concepts of fire.
power, particularly as regards ac-
curacy.
AS officially described, the "prox-
unity fuse" is radar in miniature
an extremely rugged tube radio
sending and receiving set occupying
a space no larger than a pint milk
bottle. Placed in an artillery shell.
it transmits impulses" at the speed
OF light and when these impulses
are reflected back at the same speed
by the objective toward which the
shell is moving, the explosive force is
automatically set off within seventy
feet OF that objective.
This makes for a degree of ac-
curacy never before achieved. It is
what explains why our Navy anti
aircraft gunners were able to shoot
down so many Japanese planes; it
explains why the vi "buzz bomb"
offensive against London was finally
smashed; and it explains why the
Nazis were terrified and completely
baff1ed during the Ardennes break
through last December, when the
fuse was used for the first time on
land. Foxholes are poor shelter
against such device; with it, ar
tillery barrages become almost too
deadly and decimating for men to
stand.
The fuse may have been in the
Evening star., 1945-09-22
Prayers for MIR. Kent

To the Editor of The Star
sincerely congratulate you on your
editorials concerning the resignation OF
Secretary Stimson and the appointment
of Senator Burton. Certainly both these
men have served our country well and
have been for America first in the truest
sense.
AS the son and grandson of Confed-
crate veterans, when was a child I
thought as child" and believed that
no Republican could 60 to heaven. Since
I attained my majority have never
voted a straight ticket, though am.
naturally, registered Democrat. still
feel that Stephen Decatur was right.
I am also an optimist. 1t may be
that when your Columnist Frank Kent
reaches his third childhood, or at any
rate emerges from his present unfor-
innate condition, he will realize that
Democrats may be decent, even though
named Roosevelt or Truman. assume
that Mr.. Kent is voting citizen and
still capable Of shedding prejudices. At
any rate. he has my prayers.
HERBERT CLARK.
Evening star., 1945-09-22
Outcust japan

There was time when the Japa-
nese we're welcome in China. They
went into the country as business
men. even as farmers. They were
polite and in some ways-for while
more acceptable to the Chinese
than many visitor from the Occi-
dent.
But they started getting ideas.
Japan and China were Asiatic
brothers" they said, only China
was lazy and addicted to drugs and
needed to be taken in hand by en-
ergetic brother" Japan, Had they
really followed a policy of good
neighborliness or brotherhood. of
course, the recent history of the
Far East might have been far hap
pier, but instead they played the
role of Cain to the Chinese Abel.
They took all of Manchuria for their
own and then they began their long
and bloody aggression, marked by
such terrible atrocities as the rape
of Nanking. Today, where they were
once welcome, they have become so
unacceptable that General Ho Ying-
chin, commander of the Chinese
field forces, says every last one of
them-soldier and civilian alike,
man, woman and child-faces de-
portation to the home islands. 1t
may not be possible to do this as
thoroughly as Ho declares. but quite
obviously China proposes to get rid
of all that it can.
1t will be long time before the
Chinese forget. Brother" Japan,
because of its greed and ruthless
ness. has become an outcast, where
by honesty and fair play it might
have been able to prosper as friend.
BY taking the wrong road in Asia
it has missed an opportunity not
likely to come again.
Evening star., 1945-09-22
Supports Vote Campaign


To the Editor of The Star:
I'm located in staging area patiently
awaiting transportation back to the
United States after three years Of serv-
ice in Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and
Germany, which gives me "beaucoup"
time to think.
And my thoughts always turn to one
subject: Why can't Congress be sensible
and give the people of the District
voice in their Government?
Congress is guilty of gross discrimi-
nation and violation of the basic princi-
pie of democracy-"taxatio without
representation" I know when the Dis
trict veterans return from overseas they
will back your paper to the last ditch
in your campaign to gain representation
for the District in Congress.
We must have voice in our own
Government and not have a narrow
minded Senator from Mississippi tell us
what's good and what's bad for us.
Continue your vote campaign, and
with the help of the returning veterans
I'm sure we will emerge victorious.
T/5 SIDNEY c. KATzENELL.
P.s.: lis points.
Evening star., 1945-09-22
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

pitals. The prospects are that, for the
time being at least there will be too
few doctors to go around, even when
the thousands of physicians and dentists
now in the armed services have been
released. One of the problems of the
Veterans Administration will be
whether to seek to set up complete
medical staff of its own, whether to
make use of Army and Navy medical
men or whether to veer the other way
and rely on civilian physicians and
dentists in large measure for the hos
pitalized veterans.
So far only S85 100000 of the $780,
600,000 authorization for hospital con-
struction in the GI Act has been appro-
priated. 1t is with those millions, and
the rest of the fund authorized, that
Gen. Bradley and his aides must plan
for the future. The estimate of the
peak number of veterans who will be
hospitalized at any one time is 100000,
20 years hence. These are estimates, OF
course, but they give an idea of the
tremendous hospital facilities that must
be made available with the passing
years. A minor problem is what to do
with the 100000 woman veterans of
this war, and whether for example, they
are to be given medical care in maternity
cases.
While disqualification and medical
care of the veterans is huge task. the
Veterans Administration must run an
insurance business, a real estate and
loan business, an educational system,
rehabilitation courses and a pension sys-
tenn. which this year pays out 81 080,-
G00,00C to veterans of all wars. Con-
gress has authorized loans for homes
and small business enterprises for the
veterans. and the Veterans Admins
tration must see they are not robbed IN
such transactions.
1t has the job of administering the
war insurance for those men who re-
tain this insurance. About Is per cent
of the men, as they get out of the serv-
ices, keep this insurance, which they
can retain at great savings to them
selves if they wish. In another few
years Congress undoubtedly will be
asked to provide for the reinstatement
of much Of this insurance now lapsing.
The educational field, with Govern
ment aid, is just opening up for the
veterans While only small percentage
Of the 1000 900 men who have been re-
leased are taking advantage today OF
these educational opportunities. it is
expected that as the younger men, espe-
ciaIly the 18-year- -olds, are demobilized
the number will greatly increase.
Evening star., 1945-09-22
Price Control

oTA AuIllIllSJ JIdJOT bOWleS Is Oli
sound ground when he warns against
the inf1ationary threat of a too
hasty lifting of price controls during
the reconversion period. 1t is true
enough that the sooner the Nation
gets back to a free-market economy.
the better off it will be. but at this
particular point, in fields where there
still are serious shortages of essen
tial materials. there is real danger
in trying to get back too soon.
Housing may be taken as an illus
tration. AS Mr.. Bowles declares, we
have the makings of a ten-year con-
struction boom, in which 100000
workers can have steady jobs erect
ing 100000 to 100000 new homes
annually. But the boom can die
a-borning if prices on many of the
currently scarce building materials
are allowed to skyrocket. 1t seems
proper that no ceiling should be
placed on the cost of a finished
dwelling. and Mr.. Bowles says that
OPA is not authorized to do so. but
there can be little doubt that the
line should be held on the materials
themselves until the supply comes
nearer the demand.
This is in keeping with the policy
outlined by the President in his re-
cent message to Congress. Housing
is merely one phase. Mindful of the
post-1918 boom that eliminated in
the bust of 1920-21, the admins
tration, in the Presidents words, is
intent upon holding the line on
prices in general, and on rents as
well. until reasonable balance can
be achieved between supply and de-
mand and fair competition can
operate to prevent imitation and un-
due hardship on consumers"
On many commodities there are
now no price controls whatever, and
Mr.. Bowles asserts that they will be
lifted on lot of other important
items more quickly than some busi-
neSsmen expect. This is as it should
be. Wherever OPA restrictions can
be safely ended. no time should be
lost in ending them, and a good case
can be made for removing them en-
tlrely, and at once, from all luxuries
or nonessentials. AS for essential
products and materials, however, Mr..
Bowles clearly seems to be right
when he insists that prices be kept
within reason until there is a better
balancing Of supply and demand
and hence lessening of the in1a-
tionary danger.
This is not all that is required, of
course. In addition to temporary
continuance of price control where
necessary, wages, as the President
has said, must also be held in line
wherever to increase them would be
to create higher production costs.
Apart from the Governments role
in it, the fight against imitation thus
involves a two-way responsibility:
If business is to accept OPA re-
straints for reasonable period,
labor leaders must control their de-
mands. Otherwise it will be difficult
to avoid what Mr.. BoWles wisely
warns against.
Evening star., 1945-09-22
An Industrial Pearl HarbOr
By RAYMOND M oIey

The administration full employment
bill proposes to have the President and
his advisers predict industrial condi-
tions Is months ahead. But at this
moment it is clear that the administra-
ton. a month ago, was unable to see
81 days ahead.
That is the outstanding and trouble
some thing about this wave of unem-
ployment. Let's sum up the things that
the administration did not expect:
1t did not expect that the unemploy-
ment which it predicted would be so
largely voluntary. 1t did not expect
that so many workers would choose to
spend their savings on strikes. 1t did
not see that the greatest danger OF In
f1ation would come from the suppress
sion by labor of the production OF things
to buy while demands were made to IN
crease money in circulation through In
creased wages. 1t did not suggest. nor
did it probably believe, that there would
be many more applicants for unemploy-
ment benefits than workers laid on.
Never have so many jobs been offered
unsuccessfully to so many idle. We
have unemployment, but 1t Is not the
result Of depressed industry.
X X X
Nor did any one in Washington seem
to anticipate that there would be no
feeling of depression anywhere. If
Washington did, it would not have been
50 eager to provide unemployment bene-
fits of $25 q week. The administration
guessed that it would have plenty of
time to get the Labor Department re-
organized.
Now reorganization is forced pell-mell,
by the onset of storm the Labor De-
partment was going to prevent. And
the storm will not reach maximum in
tensity for 80 or 40 days to come.
This u not favorable picture to re-
veal when the administration u trying
Evening star., 1945-09-22

to get authorization to gaze into crystal
balls and tell the Congress and the
world what to do next year.
The reorganization of labor agencies
failed to prevent the old-time blowing
off by such agencies as the Davis Sta
bilization ONCE. For time this made
us all feel that we were in the old pre-
war Roosevelt days, with people saying
things one day and the President slap
ping them down next day.
Meanwhile, Congress is going its own
way. The $25 benefit is doomed. The
War Department is losing its draft
proposals. The determination to keep
many men in service to ease unemploy-
ment is losing ground before CT resent
ment, letters from home to Congress
and the skepticism of a great general
like Macarthur.
With the dykes breaking as they are
now, it would not be surprising to see
Congress accelerate the abolition of war
controls all along the line. In such a
situation calm reason doesn't prevail.
Political expediency and emotion have
their way. A great fear prevails in DO
litical minds of what GIs are thinking
about the prevalence of strikes while
they are waiting for discharge. Resent
ment is accommodating which will be
felt in elections for long time to come.
The CLOS Political Action organization
will be threatened by heavy veteran
vote.
And the administration which per-
mitted strikes to grow, which offered
fabulous promises, and which failed
to establish liberal rehabilitation
policy, will get no mercy from returned
servicemen.
Mr.. Truman Is facing his first great
test The honeymoon is over.
Nslsased b5 the Assoeiate6 Nswspapss.D
Evening star., 1945-09-22

One of the most brilliant field gen.
erals-if not the most--in the war now
closed has been given one of the tough
est assignments of peacetime military
fiavor-Gen. Omar N. Bradley, admin
istrator of veterans affairs. 1t is tough
for many reasons, because 1t is vast.
with huge expenditures of money; be-
cause it covers wide field of opera
tions, and because of the demands of
politicians who would make it pork
barrel"
The member of Congress either Sem
ate or House. who is able to get great
veterans hospital for his own State and
home town can chalk it up as major
political victory. Or even one of the
smaller hospitals. These hospitals bring
with them very considerable business
for any community, with much money
to be expended each day and month
and year. The total appropriations
made-up to the present-for the Vet
erans' Administration during the pres
ent fiscal year are $2.607, 900 900. The
probabilities are, however, that this fig
ure will be increased as new needs arise.
1t is of far more Importance to the
veterans, of course. that their hospitals
be located where they can receive the
best care, where medical attention and
other aid can best be supplied, than it
Is that any Senator or Representative,
or any group of them, shall gain politi-
cal advantage from the location of these
hospitals.
1t is just one of the tough spots in
Veterans Administration-and one that
Gen Bradley will have to watch. Hi
recommendations to Congress for the
locations of hospitals, it is asserted en-
phatically, will be for the best interests
of the veteran. And it will be for the
best interest of the veterans if Congress
sustains his recommendations.
A half billion dollars has been au-
thorized for new veteran hospital con-
struction, augmenting the hospitals es-
tablished since the World War. Obvious
ly 1t would be a mistake to locate a
large hospital in a small community
where help of all kinds would be either
inadequate or impossible to get. These
major hospitals must be placed near
large centers, where professional med
ical aid is available as well as the per-
sonnefa to staff these hospitals. This
does not preclude, however, q series OF
smaller hospitals in other localities,
where the run -of-the-nline ailments OF
veterans may be cared for.
There will be the question of adequate
medical stats for the veterans hos
Evening star., 1945-09-22
New Season

Over the countryside there is a
spirit of lush fulfillment as the corn
ears swell to maturity and the golden
rod reaches high its golden spikes.
The birds have hushed their morn :,
ing symphonies; only an occasional
song sparrow perches on the wood
shed roof and tries his aria. Occa-
sionally a bob white calls from the
orchard. But the songs of September
serve only to emphasize the brooding
mood of the month.
AS the countryman waits for
harvests to mature and busies him
self with in -between-season tasks he
enjoys the days 1t is good to know
the barns are crammed with hay.
1t is pleasant to walk over the upland
and pasture and check the flow of
water in the spring. There is wall
mending to be done and brush to
cut when the time of the moons
waning comes. Crows are beginning
to gather in f1ocks once more and
to hold desultory conventions in the
old elns in the south field.
There is tang to the air when a
man goes to do the morning milking.
Some mornings after a hard frost
there is white carpet over the
meadow moving and on the sun
tanned grasses of the upland fields.
At midday the earth lies brooding
quietly in mellow heat. Huge shaggy
masses of puffy white clouds wander
slowly across the blue sky. Over all
the land is the soft purplish haze
that is September's own color.
spirals Of pearl-gray smoke climb
Evening star., 1945-09-22
This Changing World
By Constantine BroiCn

The failure of the conference Of for
eign ministers in London to reach a
definite agreement over the problems
it had set out to settle came as no sur
prise to those who are familiar with
ing at Potsdam.
President Truman was frank with the
people OF this country when he said
no secret agreements, such as were
reached at Teheran and Yalta. had been
concluded at Potsdam. But that is not
the whole story.
The conference at PotSdam attempts
ed to agree, in principle at least, on a
number of problems aside from those
announced to the public as having been
settled. But the divergence OF views
between the American and British heads
of government, on one hand, and Pre-
mier Stain, on the other, was such that
there appeared to be no chance OF
reaching an accord.
Heated debates were held on Yugo-
slavia's claims in Eastern Italy, the
question of free elections In the former
Nazi satellite countries and the estab-
lishment OF democratic governments
in the western meaning OF the word
throughout the Russian zones OF In
fuence.
On his way to Potsdam Mr.. Truman
had adopted plan for solving all these
matters. But they did not coincide with
the Soviets' views Mr.. Truman was
willing to go long way to meet some
of the practical demands of our Rus
sian associates, but Premier Stain in
sisted that his plans should be ac-
cepted in toto.
Mr.. Truman, strongly supported by the
British, was willing to yield only on
number of questions which he felt would
not seriously damage the peace Of the
world, based on justice.
When it was evident deadlock was
inevitable and that Mr.. Truman might
come back empty handed. he accepted
the compromise reported to have been
suggested to him by Secretary Byrnes.
Mr. Byrnes is said to have suggested
that the questions be postponed until
a meeting of the Council of Foreign
Ministers.
Members of the American delegation
had no illusions about the success OF
the foreign ministers conference when
it departed for London. 1t was obvious
to them that If the Big Three leaders
had not been able to agree on the basic
principles for peace in Europe, there
was little chance that an understand
ing could be reached at London. The
Russian thesis as it developed at Pots
dam was that the Red armies, approxi-
mately 100000 men strong, were in
complete occupation of the Balkans. A
force Of about the same size was in
Poland and in Hungary. And since pos
session is nine-tenths of the law, what
could the other Allies do about it?
Evening star., 1945-09-22

This thesis is not exactly In line with
the principles of the Atlantic Charter
or the San Francisco Charter, but no
one found any way to enforce them in a
practical manner Moscow felt certain
that neither the United States nor
Great Britain would go further than to
make some token protests and empty
gestures to salvage high principles which
Russia had Endorsed largely as gesture
of good will but could not accept when
her vital interests were concerned.
In spite of the secrecy which has
shrouded the debates of the Big Five
ministers in London, the results cannot
remain concealed. And, regardless of
what the diplomats may say of the con-
ference, 1t is ending without constructive
progress toward the future peaceful
settlement Of the world The conference
has proved once more that sometimes
1t is more dificult to win a peace than
q war.
At Potsdam two main stumbling blocks
were in the way of final agreement
among the Big Three: Russia's desire to
expand far beyond her zone OF security"
and establish bases in the Mediter-
ranean, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean
and in the Pacific, and her determina-
ton to maintain personal government"
in Central and Eastern Europe and in
the Balkans. Since these blocks would
not be removed at Potsdam there was
little prospect that they would be re-
moved in London or elsewhere.
The public was not told the story Of
the differences which arose at Potsdam,
where for the first time Premier Stain
met strong American opposition. Policy
makers do not believe it is wise to take
the public into their confidence when
delicate international discussions are
taking place. And, to a certain extent,
they are justified in feeling this way,
so long as there is any real hope Of
obtaining a compromise.
The London Conference was conducted
under the strictest secrecy, so far as
the American delegation was concerned.
Only Commissar Molotov gave a frank
resume of his views at a press con-
ference because he was sure of his
ground and knew his government would
not change its stand.
Secretary Byrnes is about to return
to Washington, leaving number of his
aides to mark time on matters concern
ing which they know Russia will remain
unyielding.
1t is hoped that since the London
negotiations have failed the State De-
partment will not impart the usual
bromides which follow unsuccessful in
ternational gatherings and that either
President Truman or his Secretary of
State will be outspcken and frank with
the American people. 1t is hoped they
will reveal the why's and the wherefores
for the failure to obtain tangible results.